bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sanitary sewer overflows, household sewage backups, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria: the new frontier of environmental health risks and disasters
Authors: Hendricks Marccus D , Rosenberg Goldstein Rachel E 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Untreated sewage discharges leading to environmental contamination are increasingly common in communities across the globe. The cause of these discharges ranges from sewer lines in disrepair, blockages, and in the era of more extreme wet weather events, the infiltration of stormwater into the system during heavy downpours. Regardless of the driver of these events, the aftermath results in raw sewage spilling into local waterways, city streets, and commercial and residential structures. Historical research in public health has thoroughly documented the connection between exposure to untreated sewage and waterborne disease. Recent research has detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria at wastewater treatment facilities at a time when deaths by antibiotic-resistant infections are on the rise. However, no research has explored the exposure pathways of antibiotic-resistant bacteria during sanitary sewer overflows and household-level sewage backups. In this commentary, we aim to introduce this new frontier of environmental health risks and disasters. To do this, we describe the history of modern sanitation and sewer infrastructure with a particular focus on wastewater infrastructure in the U.S. We also explore emerging risks and current methods for identifying antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment. We end with future directions for interdisciplinary scholarship at the nexus of urban planning, engineering, and public health by introducing the Water Emergency Team (WET) Project. WET is a community-based multi-method effort to identify environmental risks in the aftermath of household backups through (1) residential surveys, (2) indoor visual inspections, (3) environmental sampling, and (4) laboratory processing and reporting. Our hope is that by introducing this comprehensive approach to environmental risks analysis, other scholars will join us in this effort and ultimately towards addressing this grand challenge of our time.
Enhancing soil carbon in solar farms through active land management: a systematic review of the available evidence
Authors: Carvalho Fabio , Healing Samuel , Armstrong Alona 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Ground-mounted solar farms are becoming common features of agricultural landscapes worldwide in the move to meet internationally agreed Net Zero targets. In addition to offering low-carbon energy, solar farms in temperate environments can be purposely managed as grasslands that enhance soil carbon uptake to maximise their climate benefits and improve soil health. However, there is little evidence to date on the ecosystem effects of land use change for solar farms, including their impact on soil carbon storage and sequestration potential through land management practices. We review the latest evidence on the associations between grassland management options commonly adopted by solar farms in temperate regions (plant diversity manipulation, mowing, grazing, and nutrient addition) and soil carbon to identify appropriate land management practices that can enhance soil carbon within solar farms managed as grasslands. Soil carbon response to land management intervention is highly variable and context-dependent, but those most likely to enhance soil carbon accrual include organic nutrient addition (e.g. cattle slurry), low-to-moderate intensity sheep grazing, and the planting of legume and plant indicator species. Plant removal and long-term (years to decades) mineral fertilisation are the most likely to result in soil carbon loss over time. These results can inform policy and industry best practice to increase ecosystem service provision within solar farms and help them deliver net environmental benefits beyond low-carbon energy. Regular monitoring and data collection (preferably using standardised methods) will be needed to ensure soil carbon gains from land management practices, especially given the microclimatic and management conditions found within solar farms.
On the ratio of extremal eigenvalues of 𝛽-Laguerre ensembles
Authors: Uwamariya Denise , Yang Xiangfeng 
Published: October 2024

Classical

β
\beta

-Laguerre ensembles consist of three special matrix models taking the form

X

X

T

\mathbf {X}\mathbf {X}^T

with

X

\mathbf {X}

denoting a random matrix having i.i.d. entries being real (

β
=
1

\beta =1

), complex (

β
=
2

\beta =2

) or quaternion (

β
=
4

\beta =4

) normal distribution. It had been actually believed that no other choice of

β
>
0

\beta >0

(besides

1
,
2

1,2

and

4
4

) would correspond to a matrix model

X

β

X

β
T

\mathbf {X}_\beta \mathbf {X}_\beta ^T

which can be constructed with entries from a classical distribution until the work done by Dumitriu and Edelman in 2002. Since then the spectral properties of general

β
\beta

-Laguerre ensembles have been extensively studied dealing with both the bulk case (involving all the eigenvalues) and the extremal case (addressing the (first few) largest and smallest eigenvalues). However, the ratio of the extremal eigenvalues (equivalently the condition number of

X

β

\mathbf {X}_\beta

) has not been well explored in the literature. In this paper, we study such ratio in terms of large deviations.
Analysis
Authors: Parslow Christopher 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
This chapter explores why the Accademia Ercolanese felt compelled to feature the prosciutto in their publication of the ancient paintings, Le Pitture di Ercolano, to regain sovereignty over the antiquities under their care and undercut unauthorized publications. It analyzes the philological and historical evidence they employed in their discussion and highlights the extraordinary application of the most recent astronomical discoveries to decipher how it was operated, determine the latitude for which it was designed, and attempt to date it. The chapter concludes with the discovery of other sundials in Pompeii and how these were handled in light of the prosciutto.
Alcuin's Recreational Mathematics
Authors: Danesi Marcel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Alcuin of York’s ninth-century book, titled Propositiones ad acuendos juvenes (“Problems to Sharpen the Young”), is not only a major collection of ingenious and challenging puzzles, constituting one of the earliest texts in recreational mathematics, but also a treasure trove of important notions in mathematics, some of which were original at the time, leading to further mathematics in subsequent centuries. This book presents, analyzes, and discusses each one of the 53 problems in Alcuin’s text in easy-to-follow language, distilling from them the main implications they have borne for mathematics generally and for math pedagogy in particular. Each of the chapters includes 10 exploratory puzzles that are based on Alcuin’s own problems, or else on the main mathematical themes discussed in a chapter. Overall, the intent is to show how Alcuin’s book exemplifies how mathematical thinking unfolds in its core, starting with a real-world practical situation, which is then translated into a problem, from which a pattern can be extracted and a relevant insight obtained. In effect, Alcuin’s book constitutes an original and inventive exploration of what mathematics is in its essence.
Introduction
Authors: Danesi Marcel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Almost everyone has come across the problem of a traveler wanting to cross a river with a goat, a wolf, and a head of cabbage with a boat that can hold only two. This is an ingenious puzzle devised by the eighth-ninth-century scholar and teacher Alcuin of York. It has universal appeal because it taps into an innate sense of mathematical understanding. Alcuin included it in a set of 53 problems, called Propositiones ad acuendos juvenes, which instantly became a classic work in recreational mathematics. This chapter introduces Alcuin’s book in a general way, making a distinction between problems, propositions, and puzzles, and then discussing the nature of recreational mathematics and its relation to mathematical theory and method, as exemplified by Alcuin’s historically important book.
Countability
Authors: Danesi Marcel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Although Alcuin’s Propositiones was likely intended as a school textbook, many of its problems are important in themselves as ingenious explorations of number properties and methods of countability. This chapter discusses problems 6, 35, 41, and 43 in the text, which embed notions such as exponential growth and decidability, which have become staples of mathematical theory. Also discussed is the notion of cardinality, developed in the nineteenth century by Georg Cantor, who introduced his famous diagonal proof based on a layout of numbers in the form of a sieve. The development of logarithms, the nature of conjectures, and the topic of mathematical impossibility are discussed as well in this. Alcuin’s countability problems show, in microcosm, how mathematics can turn everyday counting problems into abstract knowledge, eliminating the constant need for trial and error.
Sequences
Authors: Danesi Marcel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
There are two problems in Alcuin’s Propositiones, numbers 12 and 42, that involve the notion of sequences. This chapter deals with these two problems and the many implications they bear. The importance of sequences in mathematics cannot be overemphasized. From ancient paradoxes dealing with infinity, to the Fibonacci Sequence centuries after Alcuin, and the modern theory of infinite sets, the concept of sequence has been a central one in mathematics. It is truly remarkable to note that solving problem 13 involves a sequence based on “2n” as the general term, anticipating several other problems in recreational mathematics, including Lucas’s Towers of Hanoi puzzle in the nineteenth century. The same term has been crucial in many other areas of mathematics, from perfect numbers to Mersenne primes. It is similarly notable that Alcuin’s problem 42 is solved with the exact same kind of method used famously by Carl Friedrich Gauss centuries later. In sum, Alcuin’s two problems dealing with the notion of sequences have borne great mathematical significance.
Concluding Remarks
Authors: Danesi Marcel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
The problems found in Alcuin’s Propositiones bring out what mathematics is all about—a search for hidden pattern in the world. It is the mind-play on this pattern in the problems that establishes Alcuin’s work as a major one in recreational mathematics and mathematics generally. The problems are exploratory “mind experiments” connecting mathematics with events and situations as they characterize everyday life. Robert Sternberg’s triarchic model of puzzle-solving is discussed in this chapter, because it neatly describes how solving math puzzles might unfold in the brain and why they impel us to search for solutions. Interestingly, some of Alcuin’s problems show up in different forms and languages in other parts of the world and at other times, suggesting that they are “archetypes” that transcend space and time. This may be the reason why Alcuin’s book became widely known, and why many of his puzzles continue to find their way into contemporary collections across the world, striking an unconscious chord of understanding.
Updated CP*Trends: An Online Tool to Compare Cohort and Period Trends across Cancer Sites
Authors: Holford Theodore R , Chen Huann-Sheng , Kane Michael J , Krapcho Martin , Annett David , Esclamado Len , Melkonyan Asya , Feuer Eric J 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
CP*Trends is a widely used SEER website used to explore temporal effects of period and cohort on cancer incidence and mortality. It provides a graphical display of smoothed rates, and a C-P Score that helps to assess the magnitude of the effect of cohort and period. This update provides results for African Americans and Whites. The C-P Score has an intrinsic bias favoring cohort because there are many more cohorts than periods. An adjusted C-P Score removes some of this advantage. Bootstrap confidence intervals are given, which allow one to see the effects of different sample sizes on the model results. Finally, users may control window size used in the smoothing algorithm, which helps to avoid over smoothing or masking of trends. The method is illustrated using data on cervical cancer incidence trends for African Americans and Whites, 1975-2018. Rates are higher for African Americans, and both races have contributions for cohort. However, the period effect is only strongly evident in Whites. Visual inspection of White trends suggests possible differences for those older and younger than age 50. These methods are applied in an interactive website displaying incidence and mortality trends for over 20 cancer sites in the US.
An evaluation of vilobelimab (anti-C5a) as a cost-effective option to treat severely ill mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19
Authors: Malone Daniel C , Biskupiak Joseph , Brixner Diana , Oderda Gary , Seheult Roger 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Purpose
COVID-19 patients in intensive care units (ICUs) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have few available treatment options. PANAMO, a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study of vilobelimab, which blocks the inflammatory process caused by complement component 5a, demonstrated a significant mortality benefit at 28 and 60 days in these patients. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to assess the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY).

Methods
A Markov model was used to estimate QALYs and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of vilobelimab plus standard of care (SOC) versus SOC alone. The model simulated progression from severe COVID-19 to survival or death over a lifetime horizon. Outcomes data (COVID-19 all-cause mortality and renal replacement therapy) were incorporated from the PANAMO trial. COVID-19 mortality estimates were based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age-specific survival data. Utility values and hospital costs came from the literature. Vilobelimab cost was obtained from RED BOOK Online.

Results
For COVID-19 ICU patients, total costs of care were $103,414 (SOC) and $132,247 (SOC plus vilobelimab), respectively, resulting in an incremental cost of $28,833. SOC provided 6.70 QALYs versus 7.99 QALYs for vilobelimab, an additional 1.29 QALYs. The ICER for vilobelimab plus SOC versus SOC alone was $22,287/QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of the cost-effectiveness result as vilobelimab plus SOC was favored at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000 in over 81% of iterations.

Conclusion
Vilobelimab provides a cost-effective option to treat ICU patients with severe COVID-19 receiving IMV compared to SOC, at well below the commonly accepted $50,000 US willingness-to-pay threshold.
Association of Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) With Dietary Intake of Vitamin B12
Authors: Mousavi Shalmani Seyedeh Hayedeh , Mahamoudi Zahra , Nooriani Narjes , Saeedirad Zahra , Hassanpour Ardekanizadeh Naeemeh , Tavakoli Aryan , Shekari Soheila , Mirshafaei Masoomeh Alsadat , Mousavi Mele Mahdi , Mirzaee Pouya , Gholamalizadeh Maryam , Bahmani Parsa , Khoshdooz Sara , Doaei Saeid 
Published: October 2024

AbstractBackgroundTransient global amnesia (TGA), which is described as short-term amnesia, may be influenced by some dietary components involved in brain function. The aim of the present study was to assess the connection between TGA and dietary intake of vitamin B12.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 258 people with TGA and 520 people without TGA in Sabzevar, Iran. All participants were screened for TGA (ICD-10 code: G45.4). A validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was utilized to estimate the dietary intake of vitamin B12. Different models of logistic regression were used to determine the association between TGA and dietary intake of vitamin B12 after adjusting the confounders.ResultsThere was an inverse association between the risk of TGA and the intake of vitamin B12 (OR = 0.94, CI 95%: 0.89–0.99, p = .02, effect size: −0.04). The result did not change after adjustment for age, gender, education, job, and marital status (OR = 0.93, CI 95%: 0.88–0.98, p = .01, effect size: −0.03). The result remained significant after additional adjustments for body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (OR = 0.94, CI 95%: 0.89–0.99, p = .03, effect size: −0.04), and after further adjustments for the underlying diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and stroke (OR = 0.86, CI 95%: 0.81–0.92, p &lt; .01, effect size: −0.10).ConclusionVitamin B12 deficiency may increase the risk of TGA and should be considered as a potential concern for people at risk for TGA. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and to discover the underlying mechanisms of the effects of vitamin B12 on TGA.
IncobotulinumtoxinA in the Treatment of Upper Facial Lines: Results From Two Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase III Studies
Authors: Joseph John , Sudimac Vladimir , Mersmann Sabine , Kerscher Martina 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III studies of incobotulinumtoxinA for treating upper facial lines (UFLs; ie, a combination of glabellar frown lines [GFLs], horizontal forehead lines [HFLs], and lateral canthal lines [LCLs]) were conducted in the United States (ULTRA I: NCT04594213) and Germany (ULTRA II: NCT04622254).

Objectives
The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of simultaneous intramuscular injections for UFLs. Longer-term safety and efficacy were assessed in open-label extension periods.

Methods
Healthy participants (≥18 years) with moderate-to-severe GFLs, HFLs, and symmetric LCLs at maximum contraction on the 5-point Merz Aesthetics Scales were randomized 2:1:1 to receive up to 64 units of incobotulinumtoxinA in the main period for each trial. Treatment groups were: UFLs, GFLs, and HFLs (ULTRA I), LCLs (ULTRA II), and placebo. Primary efficacy endpoints were the proportions of GFL, HFL, and LCL responders, defined as a Merz Aesthetics Scale score for the respective area of 0 (no) or 1 (mild) and a ≥2-grade improvement from baseline to Day 30, as assessed by both investigator and participant.

Results
Overall, 362 and 368 participants received treatment in ULTRA I and ULTRA II, respectively. In both studies, incobotulinumtoxinA treatment was significantly more effective than placebo with respect to the primary endpoints (P &lt; .0001) and key secondary endpoints (P &lt; .0001). The open-label extension period results were consistent with those seen in the main period. No new safety findings were identified.

Conclusions
In ULTRA I and ULTRA II, the safety and efficacy of incobotulinumtoxinA for the simultaneous treatment of moderate-to-severe UFLs were demonstrated, with significant improvements across all primary and secondary endpoints vs placebo.

Level of Evidence: 1 (Therapeutic)
quaqc: efficient and quick ATAC-seq quality control and filtering
Authors: Tremblay Benjamin J M , Qüesta Julia I 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Summary
“quaqc” allows for ATAC-seq-specific quality control and read filtering of NGS data with minimal processing time and extremely low memory overhead. An efficient scaling implementation allows for a wide range of use cases, from processing individual samples processed on personal laptops to handling thousands of samples processed in parallel on compute clusters. The helper R package “quaqcr” allows for interactive program execution and exploration of results.

Availability and implementation
Source code and documentation are freely available for download from https://github.com/bjmt/quaqc and https://github.com/bjmt/quaqcr under the GPLv3 license. “quaqc” is implemented in C and has been tested on both macOS and Linux. The “quaqcr” helper package only requires the R programming language. Fixed versions of the programs and code associated with this manuscript can be found at https://zenodo.org/records/13833437.
Synthesis of 1,1-diethoxyethane from ethanol using electrogenerated acid
Authors: Kasahara Taichi , Kawaguchi Daisuke , Kurokawa Hideki , Ogihara Hitoshi 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
We introduce a novel reaction where electrogenerated acid enhances ethanol upgrading. Electrochemical oxidation of ethanol produces acetaldehyde and protons; the protons act as electrogenerated acid, catalyzing acetalization to form 1,1-diethoxyethane. Stirring the solution shifts the reaction toward acetaldehyde production because electrogenerated acid is neutralized by an electrogenerated base at the cathode.
A predictive model of treatment effectiveness of refractory peritoneal dialysis–related peritonitis in patients with peritoneal dialysis: a single-center observational study in South China
Authors: Dong Xiao , Yi Chunyan , Ye Hongjian , Guo Jing , Liu Ruihua , Guo Qunying , Huang Fengxian , Yang Xiao 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Background
To prevent loss of peritoneal function caused by persistent abdominal inflammation, the guidelines recommend early extubation in patients with refractory peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis (rPDAP). In attempt to pinpoint high-risk patient cohorts that did not respond to treatment for refractory peritonitis, we created a model to predict the effectiveness of peritonitis treatment.

Methods
This observational cohort study included PD patients from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2020. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors affecting the occurrence and prognosis of rPDAP, and to construct a predictive model for the success of rPDAP treatment. Receiver operator characteristic curve, calibration and decision curve were drawn to evaluate the predictive performance of the model.

Results
A total of 1397 cases of PDAP occurred in our center during the study period, of which 558 cases were diagnosed as rPDAP. The incidence of refractory peritonitis was 0.047 cases/patient-year. In the study, 440 cases with rPDAP were included. Among them, 304 cases (69.1%) had been successfully cured, while 136 cases (30.9%) were treatment failure, of which 19 cases (13.9%) died, 85 cases (62.5%) transferred to hemodialysis and 32 cases (23.5%) were relapse/recurrent peritonitis. Dialysate culture results showed 132 (30.0%) cases were infected with Gram-positive bacteria and 161 (36.6%) Gram-negative bacteria. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that episodes of peritonitis previously ≤3 times were correlated with the better prognosis of rPDAP, but white blood cell (WBC) counts in peritoneal dialysate on the third day of peritonitis or WBC counts on the fifth day ≥300 × 106/L, the pathogenic microorganism with Gram-negative bacteria, as well as longer duration of PD were associated with poor outcomes. The C-statistical value of the training data set was 0.870 (95% confidence interval 0.821–0.918). The calibration curve and clinical decision-making curve also proved that this nomogram could accurately predict the success of treatment in patients with refractory peritonitis.

Conclusion
The nomogram model created through internal verification indicated a strong clinical application value and a high prognostic prediction accuracy for rPDAP.