bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of citicoline oral solution on quality of life in patients with glaucoma: the results of an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial
Authors: Rossetti Luca , Goni Francisco , Montesano Giovanni , Stalmans Ingeborg , Topouzis Fotis , Romano Dario , Galantin Eleonora , Delgado-Gonzales Noemi , Giammaria Sara , Coco Giulia , Vandewalle Evelien , Lemmens Sophie , Giannoulis Dimitrios , Pappas Theofanis , Manni Gianluca 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate whether the use of citicoline oral solution could improve quality of life in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma (OAG).

Design
Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was used. Patients were randomized to one of the two sequences: either citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution-placebo or placebo-citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution. Switch of treatments was done after 3 months; patients were then followed for other 6 months. Follow-up included 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month visits.

Outcomes
The primary outcome was the mean change of “intra-patient” composite score of the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25). after citicoline oral solution vs placebo at 6-month visit as compared with baseline.

Methods
The trial was multicenter, conducted at 5 European Eye Clinics. OAG patients with bilateral visual field damage, a mean deviation (MD) ranging from − 5 to − 13 dB in the better eye, and controlled IOP were included. VFQ-25 and SF-36 questionnaires were administered at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month visits. A mixed effect model, with a random effect on the intercept, accounted for correlations among serial measurements on each subject.

Results
The primary pre-specified outcome of the analysis reached statistical significance (p = 0.0413), showing greater improvement after citicoline oral solution. There was an increase in the composite score in both arms compared to baseline, but it was significant only for the placebo-citicoline arm (p = 0.0096, p = 0.0007, and p = 0.0006 for the three time-points compared to baseline). The effect of citicoline was stronger in patients with vision-related quality of life more affected by glaucoma at baseline.

Conclusions
This is the first placebo-controlled clinical study evaluating the effect of a medical treatment aiming at improving vision-related quality of life in glaucomatous patients.
Surgical treatment for pancreatic cystic lesions—implications from the multi-center and prospective German StuDoQ|Pancreas registry
Authors: Henn Jonas , Wyzlic Patricia K. , Esposito Irene , Semaan Alexander , Branchi Vittorio , Klinger Carsten , Buhr Heinz J. , Wellner Ulrich F. , Keck Tobias , Lingohr Philipp , Glowka Tim R. , Manekeller Steffen , Kalff Jörg C. , Matthaei Hanno ,   the StuDoQ|Pancreas Study Group
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The detection of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL) causes uncertainty for physicians and patients, and international guidelines are based on low evidence. The extent and perioperative risk of resections of PCL in Germany needs comparison with these guidelines to highlight controversies and derive recommendations.

Methods
Clinical data of 1137 patients who underwent surgery for PCL between 2014 and 2019 were retrieved from the German StuDoQ|Pancreas registry. Relevant features for preoperative evaluation and predictive factors for adverse outcomes were statistically identified.

Results
Patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) represented the largest PCL subgroup (N = 689; 60.6%) while other entities (mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN), serous cystic neoplasms (SCN), neuroendocrine tumors, pseudocysts) were less frequently resected. Symptoms of pancreatitis were associated with IPMN (OR, 1.8; P = 0.012) and pseudocysts (OR, 4.78; P < 0.001), but likewise lowered the likelihood of MCN (OR, 0.49; P = 0.046) and SCN (OR, 0.15, P = 0.002). A total of 639 (57.2%) patients received endoscopic ultrasound before resection, as recommended by guidelines. Malignancy was histologically confirmed in 137 patients (12.0%), while jaundice (OR, 5.1; P < 0.001) and weight loss (OR, 2.0; P = 0.002) were independent predictors. Most resections were performed by open surgery (N = 847, 74.5%), while distal lesions were in majority treated using minimally invasive approaches (P < 0.001). Severe morbidity was 28.4% (N = 323) and 30d mortality was 2.6% (N = 29). Increased age (P = 0.004), higher BMI (P = 0.002), liver cirrhosis (P < 0.001), and esophageal varices (P = 0.002) were independent risk factors for 30d mortality.

Conclusion
With respect to unclear findings frequently present in PCL, diagnostic means recommended in guidelines should always be considered in the preoperative phase. The therapy of PCL should be decided upon in the light of patient-specific factors, and the surgical strategy needs to be adapted accordingly.
Molecular characterization of Dictyocaulus nematodes in wild red deer Cervus elaphus in two areas of the Italian Alps
Authors: Cafiso Alessandra , Castelli Michele , Tedesco Perla , Poglayen Giovanni , Pederzoli Clelia Buccheri , Robetto Serena , Orusa Riccardo , Corlatti Luca , Bazzocchi Chiara , Luzzago Camilla 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Nematodes of the genus Dictyocaulus are the causative agents of parasitic bronchitis and pneumonia in several domestic and wild ungulates. Various species have been described in wild cervids, as the case of Dictyocaulus cervi in red deer, recently described as a separate species from Dictyocaulus eckerti. In Italy, information on dictyocaulosis in wildlife is limited and often outdated. In this work, 250 red deer were examined for the presence of Dictyocaulus spp. in two areas of the Italian Alps (n = 104 from Valle d’Aosta, n = 146 from Stelvio National Park), and the retrieved lungworms were molecularly characterized. Lungworms were identified in 23 and 32 animals from Valle d’Aosta and Stelvio National Park, respectively. The nematodes, morphologically identified as D. cervi, were characterized molecularly (18S rDNA, ITS2, and coxI). Consistently, almost all specimens were found to be phylogenetically related to D. cervi. Three individuals, detected from both study sites and assigned to an undescribed Dictyocaulus sp., clustered with Dictyocaulus specimens isolated from red deer and fallow deer in previous studies. Within each of D. cervi and the undescribed Dictyocaulus sp., the newly isolated nematodes phylogenetically clustered based on their geographical origin. This study revealed the presence of D. cervi in Italian red deer, and an undetermined Dictyocaulus sp. that should be more deeply investigated. The results suggest that further analyses should be focused on population genetics of cervids and their lungworms to assess how they evolved, or co-evolved, throughout time and space and to assess the potential of transmission towards farmed animals.
On the Effect of Shield Friction in Hard Rock TBM Excavation
Authors: Erharter Georg H. , Goliasch Robert , Marcher Thomas 
Published: January 2023

AbstractDuring hard rock tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavation, shields behind the cutterhead are usually in direct contact with the tunnel wall and therefore subjected to friction forces that occur within this interface. The effect of shield friction in hard rock TBM tunneling has received little attention so far and literature on this topic is scarce and conflicting. To investigate the friction coefficient for the planning of TBM excavations, specialized shear tests were conducted where steel specimens were sheared against lithologically different rock specimens under representative normal forces and shearing speeds. The tests were executed with and without the use of bentonite lubrication. The results show that there is a significant difference between different lithologies and also that using bentonite does not lower the friction coefficient as expected. To elaborate on the effect of shield friction during construction, a framework for interpretation of TBM operational data based on experience from construction sites is provided. Whereas thorough interpretation of the data enables one to draw conclusions about the shield friction, it still remains difficult to assess the real effect of shield friction due to the limited possibilities to observe the ongoing phenomena. This study therefore provides the basis for theoretical and practical assessments of the effect of shield friction for the planning and construction phase of a tunnel. This becomes increasingly important in the light of new contractual developments that aim at differentiating “standard” from “special” advance in an objective and reproducible way.
A new A-type granitoid occurrence in southernmost Fennoscandia: geochemistry, age and origin of rapakivi-type quartz monzonite from the Pietkowo IG1 borehole, NE Poland
Authors: Grabarczyk Anna , Wiszniewska Janina , Krzemińska Ewa , Petecki Zdzisław 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Rapakivi-type quartz monzonite and the underlying dark-grey granodiorite from the Pietkowo IG1 borehole, in the Polish part of southernmost Fennoscandia have been investigated using whole-rock geochemistry, Sm–Nd isotope geochemistry and U–Pb zircon dating. The quartz monzonite was emplaced at 1495–1491 Ma, although slightly older zircon cores (antecrysts) of 1513 Ma imply a two-stage crystallization. The geochemical similarities with Mazury Complex granitoids, their metaluminous and alkali-calcic nature, elevated contents of F, Ga and high-field-strength-elements (HFSE), indicate that the Pietkowo IG1 rapakivi-type quartz monzonite is an ‘A-type’ granitoid. The presence of magnetite and titanite indicates crystallization under oxidizing conditions. The rock is classified as A2 sub-type, and the Nb/Y ratio implies a within-plate setting. The dark-grey granodiorite, dated to 1813 Ma, has a calc-alkaline character, typical of a volcanic-arc environment. Initial whole rock εNd values range between -2.9 and -3.3 for the rapakivi-type quartz monzonite and from -1.0 to + 1.1 for the dark-grey granodiorite. We suggest that the A-type Pietkowo IG1 rapakivi-type quartz monzonite was generated from the dark-grey granodiorite via partial melting at middle to lower crustal levels. The most plausible ascent route for the quartz monzonite was via lithospheric-scale weakness zones, between the eastern margin of the Mazowsze Domain and Belarus-Podlasie Granulite Belt, i.e., the Białystok fault. Therefore, the Pietkowo IG1 rapakivi-type quartz monzonite is a representative of the Mesoproterozoic A-type granitoid occurrence in southernmost Fennoscandia.
Exposure to psychotropic drugs before and during pregnancy: what has changed over the last two decades?
Authors: Robiyanto Robiyanto , Schuiling-Veninga Catharina C M , Bos Jens H J , Hak Eelko , van Puijenbroek Eugène P 
Published: January 2023

AbstractTrends in prescribing psychotropic drugs before and during pregnancy may have changed over the years, but actual information is lacking. We therefore compared and assessed the exposure and acceptance rates of classes of antipsychotic (+ lithium), anxiolytic, sedative/hypnotic, antidepressant, and psychostimulant before and during pregnancy in the past two decades. All singleton pregnancies with ≥1 prescription of psychotropic drug from six months before pregnancy until child’s birthdate were identified in the pregnancy subset of the IADB.nl prescription database. The prescription patterns of psychotropics were distinguished as continuation rate (CR), initiation rate (IR), discontinuation rate (DR), total exposure rate (TER), and acceptance rate. Singleton pregnancies exposed to psychotropic drugs before and during pregnancy increased from 118.4 to 136.5 (per 1000 singleton pregnancies) between decades. Changing trends were observed in decade 2, including a high increase in the TER of antipsychotic class (3.3 to 6.8) and antidepressant class (23.0 to 40.6). A marked increase for individual drugs was seen for sertraline (TER: 0.6 to 6.6 and PAT: 35.3% to 82.5%), citalopram (TER: 2.3 to 10.0 and PAT: 51.1% to 74.6%), and quetiapine (TER: 0.4 to 3.1 and PAT: 57.1% to 66.0%). Although the total exposure rates of five classes of psychotropics in singleton pregnancies increased in decade 2, only antidepressant class had a higher acceptance rate during pregnancy. Certain SSRI antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics were more frequently prescribed in decade 2 than in decade 1, reflecting that treatment options were preferred for safer treatment choices.
A single-center, open-label trial on convenience and complications of rechargeable implantable pulse generators for spinal cord stimulation: The Recharge Pain Trial
Authors: Hajiabadi Mohammad Mehdi , Vicheva Petya , Unterberg Andreas , Ahmadi Rezvan , Jakobs Martin 
Published: January 2023

AbstractRechargeable implantable pulse generators (r-IPGs) have been available for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) claiming to offer a longer service life but demanding continuous monitoring and regular recharging by the patients. The aim of the study (DRKS00021281; Apr 7th, 2020) was to assess the convenience, safety, and acceptance of r-IPGs and their effect on patient lives under long-term therapy. Standardized questionnaires were sent to all chronic pain patients with a r-IPG at the time of trial. Primary endpoint was the overall convenience of the charging process on an ordinal scale from “very hard” (1 point) to “very easy” (5 points). Secondary endpoints were charge burden (min/week), rates of user confidence and complications (failed recharges, interruptions of therapy). Endpoints were analyzed for several subgroups. Data sets n = 40 (42% return rate) were eligible for analysis. Patient age was 57.2 ± 12.6 (mean ± standard deviation) years with the r-IPG being implanted for 52.1 ± 32.6 months. The overall convenience of recharging was evaluated as “easy” (4 points). The charge burden was 112.7 ± 139 min/week. 92% of the patients felt confident recharging the neurostimulator. 37.5% of patients reported failed recharges. 28.9% of patients experienced unintended interruptions of stimulation. Subgroup analysis only showed a significant impact on overall convenience for different models of stimulators (p < 0.05). Overall, SCS patients feel confident handling a r-IPG at high rates of convenience and acceptable effort despite high rates of usage-related complications. Further technical improvements for r-IPGs are needed.
A PCA-AHC Approach to Provenance Studies of Non-Ferrous Metals with Combined Pb Isotope and Chemistry Data
Authors: Tomczyk Céline , Żabiński Grzegorz 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
This paper discusses the applicability of the Principal﻿ Component Analysis-Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (PCA-AHC) approach to provenance studies of non-ferrous metals using combined Pb isotope and chemistry data. Pb isotopic ratios were converted to the natural abundance of individual isotopes and then to weight units. Next, all relevant variables (Pb isotopes and trace elements) were processed with PCA and AHC to examine the relationships between observations. The method is first verified on three literature-based case studies (1, 2, and 3)﻿. It is argued that, as is the case in archaeological iron provenance studies, the PCA-AHC method is also viable for non-ferrous metals. This method can greatly facilitate research, compared to conventional biplots with ratios of Pb isotopes and trace elements. Additionally, PCA-AHC can become part of the initial deposit selection process, and it can help clarify less obvious classification cases. The main problem with a practical application of this approach is insufficient deposit datasets with complete Pb isotopic and chemistry data. In such cases, it is possible to use the PCA-AHC method separately on Pb isotopic and chemistry data and then to compare and contrast results. Alternatively, the proposed approach can be used solely with Pb isotopic data. This application is shown in two additional case studies (4 and 5), which demonstrate the method’s application for tracing artefacts to their parent ores using datasets with a few thousand observations.
Tree-size heterogeneity modulates the forest age-dependent carbon density in biomass and top soil stocks on Mediterranean woodlands
Authors: Hernández-Alonso Héctor , Madrigal-González Jaime , Tornos-Estupiña Lorién , Santiago-Rodríguez Alberto , Alonso-Rojo Pilar , Morera-Beita Albert , Silla Fernando 
Published: January 2023

AbstractAimsCarbon accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems is inherent to the vegetation development and ageing process. Primary productivity synthetize biomass which is constantly incorporated to soil. Vegetation community composition, and other ecological drivers, are known to mediate biomass production. However, links between forest developmental stage and ecological drivers of carbon stocks are unexplored. We address this topic under the prediction that species-rich and uneven-sized forests can improve carbon storage potential in biomass and topsoil fraction across its development.MethodsThe study was carried in forest stands growing under Mediterranean conditions in Central Spain. Carbon content in both above- and below-ground tree biomass and in topsoil organic matter (0–40 cm) was measured in 30 sampling plots of variable size (900–3000 m2). We also assessed Shannon species diversity index, Gini tree-size inequality index and forest developmental stage using dendrochronological procedures to derive the mean age of the oldest trees. First-order interaction terms between diversity factors and forest age were regressed against carbon density in compartment-independent regressions.ResultsForest-age and tree-size heterogeneity coupling was the main factor driving carbon density of both compartments. The interaction showed that woodlands maximize density in aged forests composed by uneven-sized trees. Models gave not support to consider species diversity as a mediator of carbon stocks.ConclusionOur results shed light on how tree-size heterogeneity can regulate the temporal dimension of forest ageing to rise the carbon storage potential. Mature forests in semi-arid environments cannot store carbon due to their intrinsic ontogeny, they need to grow structurally diverse.
Life-LCA: case study of the life cycle impacts of an infant
Authors: Bossek David , Bach Vanessa , Finkbeiner Matthias 
Published: January 2023

AbstractPurposeThe recently published first Life-LCA case study of a human being (0–49 years) did not use primary data for the “childhood and youth stage” (0–17 years). Consumption was assumed to contribute 50% of the calculated 48thbaseline year. This led to uncertainties as consumer behavior changes from birth to adulthood. Furthermore, transport emissions and environmental impacts before birth were neglected. Therefore, this paper analyzes the prenatal and infancy phase (0–3 years) to develop the Life-LCA method and database further and evaluate generic assumptions.MethodsThe Life-LCA method sets the reporting unit to newly defined prenatal and infancy phases. The reporting flow describes the range of all consumed products attributable to an infant. Primary data was collected with a sample of three study objects—a pregnant mother, a newborn baby, and a 3-year-old infant—living in Germany. The following environmental impact assessment categories are considered: climate change (GWP), acidification (AP), eutrophication (EP), and photochemical ozone creation (POCP).Results and discussionPrenatal and infancy phase burdens account for a GWP of 4,011 kg CO2-eq., an AP of 22.3 kg SO2-eq., an EP of 10.7 kg PO4-eq., and a POCP of 1.7 kg C2H4-eq. The share of the prenatal phase is around 15–20% for all impact categories. Transport is a hotspot for GWP (30–60%) and POCP (45–70%) in both phases. AP (50%) and EP (45–50%) are dominated by food products, mainly meat (45%) and dairy products (35%). For the prenatal phase, energy and water consumption at birth rank third in GWP (8%). Diapers account for 6% (GWP) of the environmental burden in the infancy phase. Assumptions made in the first Life-LCA study connect closely with the values calculated for the first three years of infancy. A remaining challenge is allocating the impacts between infants and parents and developing a methodology for assessing data quality.ConclusionFocusing on two new life phases has led to the subdivision of the “childhood and youth stage” and an extension of the system boundaries. The results' uncertainty was reduced by developing a new set of specific datasets focusing on several study objects. The case study results show the importance of primary data collection for evaluating generic assumptions. Additional studies on childhood and adolescence from 3 to 17 years are suggested for a robust assessment of the complete “childhood and youth stage.”
A Religion “Based Upon Principles, And Not Upon Persons”: The Heart of the “Strategic Fit” of Swami Vivekananda’s Promotion of Vedānta?
Authors: Beckerlegge Gwilym 
Published: January 2023

AbstractAdapting the SWOT matrix used in the study of the effectiveness of organizations, this article employs the notion of “strategic fit” to examine reasons frequently put forward to explain the positive reception of Swami Vivekananda’s message by sympathizers during his visits to the United States and England. The article suggests that Vivekananda maximized the strategic fit of his message by addressing prominent Christian theological concerns of the day, which would have impinged on many in his circle who retained their Christian identity. It is argued that, by recasting these concerns within the framework of his understanding of Vedānta, Vivekananda loosened, if not completely untied, the theological moorings of the religious way of thinking of his audience, as exemplified by his invitation that each person should accept Ramakrishna “in your own light” and his emphasis on the “most intensely impersonal” nature of the religion he offered. The article concludes that Vivekananda’s insistence on the “impersonal nature” of the religion he promoted, and the fluid interface between Hindu arguments and his idea of a universal religion, arguably left contentious questions for later generations of devotees to resolve.
Thoracic aortic aneurysm and atrial fibrillation: clinical associations with the risk of stroke from a global federated health network analysis
Authors: Proietti Riccardo , Rivera-Caravaca José Miguel , Harrison Stephanie Lucy , Buckley Benjamin James Roy , López-Gálvez Raquel , Marín Francisco , Fairbairn Timothy , Madine Jillian , Akhtar Riaz , Underhill Paula , Field Mark , Lip Gregory Yoke Hong 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
An association with aortic aneurysm has been reported among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of thoracic aorta aneurysm (TAA) among patients with AF and to assess whether the co-presence of TAA is associated with a higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes.

Methods and results
Using TriNetX, a global federated health research network of anonymised electronic medical records, all adult patients with AF, were categorised into two groups based on the presence of AF and TAA or AF alone. Between 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2019, 874,212 people aged ≥ 18 years with AF were identified. Of these 17,806 (2.04%) had a TAA. After propensity score matching (PSM), 17,805 patients were included in each of the two cohorts. During the 3 years of follow-up, 3079 (17.3%) AF patients with TAA and 2772 (15.6%) patients with AF alone, developed an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). The risk of ischemic stroke/TIA was significantly higher in patients with AF and TAA (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04–1.15; log-rank p value < 0.001)
The risk of major bleeding was higher in patients with AF and TAA (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.14), but not significant in time-dependent analysis (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.98–1.10; log-rank p value = 0.187),

Conclusion
This retrospective analysis reports a clinical concomitance of the two medical conditions, and shows in a PSM analysis an increased risk of ischemic events in patients affected by TAA and AF compared to AF alone.