bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multidomain Optimal Control of Variational Subpotential Mixed Evolution Inclusions
Authors: Alduncin Gonzalo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMultidomain variational optimal control of evolution mixed subpotential inclusions, are formulated and analyzed, on the basis of a perturbation conjugate duality convex analysis theory developed by the author. For Lagrangian optimality mixed conditions, fixed point existence results are demonstrated with an strongly monotone qualifying condition. Governing multidomain state systems correspond to primal evolution macro-hybrid mixed subpotential problems, whose solvability is similarly achieved. Innovative multidomain optimization existence results of primal, dual, Lagrangian mixed, as well as coupled pair state-control problems are established. Applications to underground macro-hybrid mixed control transport flow processes, illustrate the theory.
Pancreas Transplant Alone in the USA, Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Moein Mahmoudreza , Papa Sarah , Bahreini Amin , Saidi Reza 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundCurrently, over 63,000 pancreas transplant procedures have been performed worldwide, with only approximately 8% of all pancreas transplants having been a pancreas transplant alone. Our study aimed to quantify outcomes following pancreas transplant alone in the United States from 2001 to 2020, with an emphasis on graft and patient survival.Methods and materialsWe performed a retrospective registry analysis utilizing the OPTN/UNOS database for pancreas transplants alone performed in the United States from January 2001 to May 2020 to assess transplant outcomes. The study population was divided into two subgroups: patients receiving a pancreas transplant between 2000 and 2009 and those receiving a pancreas transplant between 2010 and 2020.Results3008 allograft recipients were included in the study. 1679 (54.87%) transplants were done from January 2000 to the end of 2009. 1381 (45.13%) transplants were done from 2010 to May 2020. Although the BMI and recipient sex comparison indicate a statistically significant difference, the differences are not clinically significant. The overall 5‐year allograft survival rate was 52.17% in the 2000–2009 group, which increased to 58.82% in pancreas transplants alone from 2010 to 2020 (P = 0.02). The overall 5‐year patient survival rate was 74.52% in the 2000–2009 group, which increased to 74.92% in pancreas transplants alone from 2010 to 2020 (P = 0.81).ConclusionWith all the progress in terms of surgical techniques, organ allocation and preservation, and immunosuppressive regimens, the pancreas transplant alone allograft survival has been improving over the years, although it has been still being underutilized around the US.
The Efficacy of Bacteriocins Against Biofilm-Producing Bacteria Causing Bovine Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Farms: A New Strategy
Authors: Raheel Ismail , Mohammed Asmaa N. , Mohamed Asmaa Abdrabo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractUsing an alternative bio-product is one of the most promising ways to control bovine mastitis and avoid new intra-mammary infections. The aims of this study were to ascertain the prevalence of biofilm-forming bacteria responsible for causing clinical mastitis in dairy herds and to assess the effectiveness of bacteriocins, produced by Bacillus subtilis, in controlling the growth of these bacteria in the milk of animals. A total of 150 milk samples were collected from cows and buffalos suffering from mastitis and the etiological agents were isolated and identified by the VITEK-2-COMPACT-SYSTEM®. Additionally, the capability of the bacterial isolates to produce biofilms was determined. RT-PCR was used to detect enterotoxin-producing genes (sed and seb), resistance genes (mecA and blaZ), and biofilm-associated genes (icaA and fnbA) in the isolated bacteria. The susceptibility patterns of the bacterial isolates to bacteriocins were assessed using an agar well-diffusion assay. S. aureus was significantly more capable of producing biofilms than coagulase-negative Staphylococcus isolates. S. ubris was the strongest biofilm producer among the Streptococcus species. The sensitivity profiles of the Staphylococcus spp. (S. aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus) and their biofilm producers to bacteriocins were significantly higher (100% and 90%, respectively) at the same concentration. Bacteriocins had a lethal effect on Staphylococci, Streptococci, and biofilm development at a dose of 250 µg/mL. In dairy farms, bacteriocins are a viable alternative treatment for the prevention and control of bovine clinical mastitis.
Different times, similar mechanism? Convergent patterns in light-induced phenotypic plasticity in Devonian and modern corals
Authors: Majchrzyk Aleksander , Jakubowicz Michał , Bongaerts Pim , Zapalski Mikołaj K. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractModern scleractinian corals can display high phenotypic plasticity, which reflects an interplay among various environmental controls, such as sediment input, water hydrodynamics or light intensity. In particular, the latter can strongly influence the morphology of coral species living across broad depth gradients. Light intensity was also a factor shaping the colonies of extinct Palaeozoic tabulate corals (Anthozoa: Tabulata). Based on gradual transitions in morphology observed in corals from the Middle Devonian (Givetian stage, ~ 385 Ma) mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCE) of the Aferdou el Mrakib reef (Anti-Atlas mountains, Morocco) and comparative material originating from different palaeobathymetric and biogeographical settings, we show that Devonian tabulate corals, such as Roseoporella and Alveolites, were characterised by high phenotypic plasticity and the ability to dramatically change their morphology depending on the inferred light conditions. Such a mechanism is similar to that observed in modern scleractinians, e.g. Porites sillimaniana. This recurring morphological theme suggests that Palaeozoic tabulate corals shared many functional characteristics of modern scleractinians.
Holmium laser versus cold knife visual internal urethrotomy for management of short segment urethral stricture: a prospective randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ali Maged M. , Kamel Mostafa , Ragab Ahmed , Abd Alraheem Abdulbasit , Sakr Ahmed 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Objectives
To report the safety and efficacy of holmium laser and compare its results with cold knife visual internal urethrotomy (VIU) in the management of short segment urethral stricture.

Methods
This prospective randomized study included 66 male patients aged more than 18 years, with short segment bulbar urethral strictures < 2 cm from March 2020 to March 2022. The patients were randomized into two groups each containing 33 patients. In group A (Cold knife group), Sachse cold knife was used for stricture treatment. In group B (Holmium group), internal urethrotomy was done with Ho:YAG laser. Patients were evaluated before the operation and followed up after the operation at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months by physical examination, IPSS, PVR, Qmax and retrograde urethrography.

Results
There was significant improvement in the mean values of IPSS, PVR and Qmax in both groups. There was no significant difference between both groups in the mean values of IPSS, PVR and Qmax during follow-up visits. However, at the end of follow-up at one year there was statistically significant difference between both groups in the mean values of IPSS, PVR and Qmax due to higher recurrence rate in cold knife group than laser group. The overall complication rate is significantly lower in laser group (p = 0.014).

Conclusion
Holmium laser VIU is an effective and safe treatment option for short segment urethral stricture with shorter operative time, less complication rate and less recurrence than cold knife VIU.
Intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomosis in segmental resections for colon cancer: a retrospective cohort study of 328 patients
Authors: Cuk Pedja , Büyükuslu Musa , Möller Sören , Verwaal Victor Jilbert , Al-Najami Issam , Ellebæk Mark Bremholm 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) technique possibly results in enhanced recovery and reduced morbidity rates compared to the extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) technique. This study compared the short-term morbidity rates of IA versus EA in segmental resections for colon cancer.

Method
We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients from 2015 to 2020 using the IA or EA technique at a single Danish colorectal center. Comparative outcomes of interest were surgical efficacy and short-term morbidity rates. An inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis of clinically relevant outcomes was conducted to explore potential baseline confounding.

Results
We included 328 patients, 129 in the EA and 199 in the IA groups. There was no significant difference in preoperative baseline characteristics between the two groups. The rate of overall surgical (16% in both groups, p = 1.000) and medical complications (EA: 25 (19%) vs. IA: 27 (14%), p = 0.167) was comparable for both groups. The IA technique did not cause a reduction in operative time (EA: 127.0 min [103.0–171.0] vs. IA: 134.0 min [110.0–164.0], p = 0.547). The IPTW analysis indicated that having an IA caused a reduction in the rate of major surgical complications (RRRadjusted = 0.45, 95%CI [0.29–0.69], p = 0.000).

Conclusion
Adopting IA for colon cancer resulted in similar overall morbidity rates without increasing the duration of the surgical procedure compared to EA. The IA technique had a probable protective effect against developing severe surgical complications. However, this must be interpreted cautiously, limited by the retrospective study design.
How do Sector Level Factors Influence Trust Violations in Not-for-Profit Organizations? A Multilevel Model
Authors: Gillespie Nicole , Anesa Mattia , Lizzio-Wilson Morgana , Chapman Cassandra , Healy Karen , Hornsey Matthew 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe proliferation of violations within industry sectors (e.g., banking, doping in sport, abuse in religious organizations) highlights how trust violations can thrive in particular sectors. However, scant research examines how macro institutional factors influence micro level trustworthy conduct. To shed light on how sectoral features may influence trust violations in organizations, we adopt a multilevel perspective to investigate the perceived causes of trust violations within the not-for-profit (NFP) sector, a sector that has witnessed a number of high-profile trust breaches. Drawing on interviews with board members and senior executives of NFPs with cross-sectoral experience, we analyze the causes of trust violations to inductively develop a conceptual model of the multilevel factors contributing to trust violations in NFPs. Our model highlights how trust violations have their roots in sectoral-level factors, which trickle-down to influence the ethical infrastructure at the organizational-level, and in turn individual-level factors and violations. We identify how three NFP sectoral features influence trustworthy behavior: corporatization, resource scarcity, and assumed moral integrity. Our findings speak to the importance of looking beyond the organization to understand both the causes and prevention of trust violations and developing the concept of sector-level ethical infrastructure.
The Organised Theft of Medicines: a Study of the Methods for Stealing and Reselling Medicines and Medical Devices in the EU and Beyond
Authors: Dugato Marco , Sidoti Cosimo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe theft of medicines is a significant component of the illicit trade in pharmaceutical products. Besides small-scale thefts committed for personal usage, organised criminal networks are increasingly targeting high-priced medical products, either to reintroduce them into the legal supply chain or sell them on the black market. This crime has considerable implications that extend beyond the value of the stolen goods, including harmful impacts on citizens’ health, legitimate companies, and national health systems. However, knowledge on organised theft of medicines remains limited. This paper employs a crime script analysis approach, based on interviews with relevant stakeholders and case studies retrieved across European countries, to examine the most commonmodi operandiin the organised theft of medicines and medical devices. Potential policy implications are also discussed.
Homicide-Suicide in Italy Between 2009-2018: An Epidemiological Update and Time Series Analysis
Authors: Colasanti Marco , Ricci Eleonora , Cardinale Alessandra , Amati Federica , Mazza Cristina , Biondi Silvia , Ferracuti Stefano , Roma Paolo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractHomicide–suicide is an event in which an individual murders one or more persons and then takes his/her own life. The present study aimed to assess the incidence of homicide-suicide in Italy over a 10-year period (between 2009 and 2018) and to compare its findings with national and international data. Furthermore, a time series analysis was carried out employing an autoregressive integrated moving average model. Data regarding homicide-suicide cases were collected from press agencies and four major Italian newspapers. In the considered time frame, 368 cases of homicide–suicide were identified, with a total of 808 deaths. Findings aligned with international data, highlighting that the murderer is typically an older male who, for romantic jealousy, kills with a firearm his current or former female partner. The average rate of homicide–suicides was 0.06%, showing an increase compared to the previous decades. In addition, the forecasting model predicted a further increase in cases in the coming years, highlighting the need to systematically gather data on this phenomenon.
Bioremediation of chlorpyrifos residues using some indigenous species of bacteria and fungi in wastewater
Authors: Elzakey Eman Mohammad , El-Sabbagh Sabha Mahmoud , Eldeen Eman El-Sayed Nour , Adss Ibrahim Abdel-Aziz , Nassar Atef Mohamed Khedr 
Published: May 2023

AbstractPollutants cause a huge problem for humans, animals, plants, and various ecosystems, especially water resources. Agricultural, domestic, and industrial waste effluents change the water quality and affect living microorganisms. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify possible microorganisms in wastewater as potential bioremediation agents of pesticide residues. Wastewater samples were collected from El-Khairy agricultural drainage, which receives agricultural and domestic wastes. Bacteria and fungi species were isolated as clean cultures. Wastewater samples were analyzed for pesticide residues via gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) system. Results uncovered the presence of ten pesticides ranging from 0.0817 to 28.162 µg/l, and the predominant pesticide was chlorpyrifos. Along with that, about nine species (3 bacterial and 6 fungal) were relatively efficient in the removal of chlorpyrifos residues up to 2000 µg/l with removal percentages ranging from 24.16 to 80.93% under laboratory conditions. Two bacterial isolates proficiently degraded significant amounts of chlorpyrifos: Bacillus cereus strain PC2 (GenBank accession No. MZ314010) and Streptomyces praecox strain SP1 (GenBank accession No. MZ314009). In-site bacterial and fungal isolates defined in the current study were proficient in cleaning wastewater of chlorpyrifos pesticide residues.
Human impact on forests in early twentieth century Finland
Authors: Aakala Tuomas , Kulha Niko , Kuuluvainen Timo 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Context
In northern Europe, changes in forest ecosystem structures are commonly attributed to the ubiquitous impact of modern forestry. However, the starting point for modern forestry was not a pristine forest, but landscapes influenced for centuries by diverse human activities.

Objectives
Our aims were to (1) describe spatial patterns of forest structure and species compositions over large scales in 1920s Finland, and to (2) analyze how these characteristics were influenced by human population and past land-uses.

Methods
We mapped ca. 3000 systematic sample plots measured in the first Finnish National Forest Inventory (1921–1924) and produced a series of maps of large-scale variation in forest characteristics in upland forests. We analyzed forest age and size structures, and species compositions relative to human population and land-use data.

Results
We found strong geographical and regional gradients in forest age and size structures, and tree species composition. Depending on the variable, these characteristics were at the stand-level best explained by human population density, reflecting the long history of various forest uses. Tree species composition was clearly associated with site productivity, but also with the history of slash-and-burn agriculture and forest grazing.

Conclusions
Forest landscapes in the early twentieth century Finland exhibited a strong human fingerprint, visible as the abundance of young forests in populated areas, while in remote areas forest characteristics typical of natural forests prevailed. These gradients in human impact a century ago are still reflected as legacies in forest structure, a situation that needs consideration in management and restoration.
Prescribed and Penalized: The Detrimental Impact of Mandated Reporting for Prenatal Utilization of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Work Erin C. , Muftu Serra , MacMillan Kathryn Dee L. , Gray Jessica R. , Bell Nicole , Terplan Mishka , Jones Hendree E. , Reddy Julia , Wilens Timothy E. , Greenfield Shelly F. , Bernstein Judith , Schiff Davida M. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Objectives
Some states, including Massachusetts, require automatic filing of child abuse and neglect for substance-exposed newborns, including infants exposed in-utero to clinician-prescribed medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD). The aim of this article is to explore effects of these mandated reporting policies on pregnant and postpartum people receiving MOUD.

Methods
We used modified grounded research theory, literature findings, and constant comparative methods to extract, analyze and contextualize perinatal experiences with child protection systems (CPS) and explore the impact of the Massachusetts mandated reporting policy on healthcare experiences and OUD treatment decisions. We drew from 26 semi-structured interviews originally conducted within a parent study of perinatal MOUD use in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Results
Three themes unique to CPS reporting policies and involvement emerged. First, mothers who received MOUD during pregnancy identified mandated reporting for prenatally prescribed medication utilization as unjust and stigmatizing. Second, the stress caused by an impending CPS filing at delivery and the realities of CPS surveillance and involvement after filing were both perceived as harmful to family health and wellbeing. Finally, pregnant and postpartum individuals with OUD felt pressure to make medical decisions in a complex environment in which medical recommendations and the requirements of CPS agencies often compete.

Conclusions for Practice
Uncoupling of OUD treatment decisions in the perinatal period from mandated CPS reporting at time of delivery is essential. The primary focus for families affected by OUD must shift from surveillance and stigma to evidence-based treatment and access to supportive services and resources.
Do citizens support the transformation of urban transport? Evidence for the acceptability of parking management, car lane conversion and road closures from a German case study
Authors: Lanzendorf Martin , Baumgartner Annabell , Klinner Nora 
Published: May 2023

AbstractFacing the challenges of motorised traffic, many cities around the globe started implementing measures to transform their urban transport systems. One of the major challenges for the success of adequate policies is not only their effectiveness but also whether they are accepted by city residents. With a quantitative case study in four neighbourhoods in Frankfurt am Main (N = 821), this article investigates the acceptability of three measures: (i) parking management, (ii) the conversion of car lanes into cycle lanes and (iii) the closure of an inner city arterial road to car traffic. The results show a surprisingly high acceptability for all measures if the benefits for local residents are tangible. Thus, successful policy packages may combine push measures with either pull measures, as suggested frequently in the literature, or with improvements for other land uses (e.g. re-using former car-parking spaces for non-transport purposes, such as greenery or seating areas). Furthermore, the perceived effectiveness, daily travel practices and intentions to reduce car use, the built environment and, to a lesser degree, socio-demographics explain differences in acceptability by population group.
Prevalence and significance of indeterminate calcitonin values in patients with thyroid nodules: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Piticchio Tommaso , Frasca Francesco , Trimboli Pierpaolo 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background
Although calcitonin (Ctn) measurement is recognized as the most accurate diagnostic test for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), its routine execution is not universally accepted for several reasons, including the lack of recommendations for managing indeterminate Ctn values (ICV); such as 10-to-100 pg/mL. This study aimed to gather data on 1) the frequency of ICV among patients undergoing Ctn test and 2) the MTC rate among patients with ICV.

Methods
This review was conducted according to the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched, with no language restrictions. The final search was completed on January 2023. Then, quality assessment and proportion meta-analyses were performed.

Results
The online search retrieved 233 articles and 15 were included for quantitative analysis. The risk of bias was low. The number of patients undergone Ctn testing was 29,533. The pooled percentage of those with ICV was 1.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.2–2.3). The pooled proportion of MTC incidence among patients with ICV was 9.6% (95% CI:5–14.1). Heterogeneity was explained by the covariates of Ctn assay sensitivity and the resection rate. The subgroup with Ctn 10–20 pg/mL showed a significantly lower MTC rate than the subgroup with Ctn 20–100 pg/mL.

Conclusions
The percentage of ICV among patients with thyroid nodules who underwent Ctn testing is negligible. The rate of MTC in patients with ICV cannot be overlooked. Among the ICV intervals, the risk of MTC increases significantly when Ctn is above 20 pg/mL.
The forward–backward envelope for sampling with the overdamped Langevin algorithm
Authors: Eftekhari Armin , Vargas Luis , Zygalakis Konstantinos C. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we analyse a proximal method based on the idea of forward–backward splitting for sampling from distributions with densities that are not necessarily smooth. In particular, we study the non-asymptotic properties of the Euler–Maruyama discretization of the Langevin equation, where the forward–backward envelope is used to deal with the non-smooth part of the dynamics. An advantage of this envelope, when compared to widely-used Moreu–Yoshida one and the MYULA algorithm, is that it maintains the MAP estimator of the original non-smooth distribution. We also study a number of numerical experiments that support our theoretical findings.