bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Actionability of commercial laboratory sequencing panels for newborn screening and the importance of transparency for parental decision-making
Authors: DeCristo Daniela M. , Milko Laura V. , O’Daniel Julianne M. , Foreman Ann Katherine M. , Mollison Lonna F. , Powell Bradford C. , Powell Cynthia M. , Berg Jonathan S.
Published: March 2021

Background

Newborn screening aims to identify individual patients who could benefit from early management, treatment, and/or surveillance practices. As sequencing technologies have progressed and we move into the era of precision medicine, genomic sequencing has been introduced to this area with the hopes of detecting variants related to a vastly expanded number of conditions. Though implementation of genomic sequencing for newborn screening in public health and clinical settings is limited, commercial laboratories have begun to offer genomic screening panels for neonates.

Methods

We examined genes listed on four commercial laboratory genomic screening panels for neonates and assessed their clinical actionability using an established age-based semi-quantitative metric to categorize them. We identified genes that were included on multiple panels or distinct between panels.

Results

Three hundred and nine genes appeared on one or more commercial panels: 74 (23.9%) genes were included in all four commercial panels, 45 (14.6%) were on only three panels, 76 (24.6%) were on only two panels, and 114 (36.9%) genes were listed on only one of the four panels. Eighty-two genes (26.5%) listed on one or more panels were assessed by our method to be inappropriate for newborn screening and to require additional parental decision-making. Conversely, 249 genes that we previously identified as being highly actionable were not listed on any of the four commercial laboratory genomic screening panels.

Conclusions

Commercial neonatal genomic screening panels have heterogeneous content and may contain some conditions with lower actionability than would be expected for public health newborn screening; conversely, some conditions with higher actionability may be omitted from these panels. The lack of transparency about how conditions are selected suggests a need for greater detail about panel content in order for parents to make informed decisions. The nuanced activity of gene list selection for genomic screening should be iteratively refined with evidence-based approaches to provide maximal benefit and minimal harm to newborns.
Plasma pTau181 predicts cortical brain atrophy in aging and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors:   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Tissot Cécile , L. Benedet Andréa , Therriault Joseph , Pascoal Tharick A. , Lussier Firoza Z. , Saha-Chaudhuri Paramita , Chamoun Mira , Savard Melissa , Mathotaarachchi Sulantha S. , Bezgin Gleb , Wang Yi-Ting , Fernandez Arias Jaime , Rodriguez Juan Lantero , Snellman Anniina , Ashton Nicholas J. , Karikari Thomas K. , Blennow Kaj , Zetterberg Henrik , De Villers-Sidani Etienne , Huot Philippe , Gauthier Serge , Rosa-Neto Pedro
Published: March 2021

Background

To investigate the association of plasma pTau181, assessed with a new immunoassay, with neurodegeneration of white matter and gray matter cross-sectionally and longitudinally, in aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Methods

Observational data was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, in which participants underwent plasma assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. Based on their clinical diagnosis, participants were classified as cognitively unimpaired and cognitively impaired. Linear regressions and linear mixed-effect models were used to test the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between baseline plasma pTau181 and neurodegeneration using voxel-based morphometry.

Results

We observed a negative correlation at baseline between plasma pTau181 and gray matter volume in cognitively unimpaired individuals. In cognitively impaired individuals, we observed a negative association between plasma pTau181 and both gray and white matter volume. In longitudinal analyses conducted in the cognitively unimpaired group, plasma pTau181 was negatively correlated with gray matter volume, starting 36 months after baseline assessments. Finally, in cognitively impaired individuals, plasma pTau181 concentrations were negatively correlated with both gray and white matter volume as early as 12 months after baseline, and neurodegeneration increased in an incremental manner until 48 months.

Conclusions

Higher levels of plasma pTau181 correlate with neurodegeneration and predict further brain atrophy in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Plasma pTau181 may be useful in predicting AD-related neurodegeneration, comparable to positron emission tomography or cerebrospinal fluid assessment with high specificity for AD neurodegeneration.
Lung adenocarcinoma concomitant with xeroderma pigmentosum: a case report
Authors: Matsumoto Masataka , Kaneshiro Kazumi , Takatsuki Kiyonobu
Published: March 2021

Background

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare, autosomal-recessive photosensitive dermatosis. Patients with xeroderma pigmentosum have an impaired ability to repair deoxyribonucleic acid damage caused by ultraviolet rays, resulting in skin cancer. Patients with xeroderma pigmentosum are more susceptible to some cancers. We herein report a case of xeroderma pigmentosum accompanied by lung cancer.

Case presentation

The patient was a Japanese woman in her 70s with a family history of consanguineous marriage. Her medical history included squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, in addition to xeroderma pigmentosum. She presented with dry skin with small, pigmented spots, which were particularly focused around the areas exposed to sunlight. Chest computed tomography was conducted to assess for any evidence of metastatic skin carcinoma, and revealed a tumor in the left upper subpleural lobe of the lung. Consequently, she was referred to our department. Finally, we diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma (pT2aN0M1b: stage IVA). She had an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (p.L858R). Treatment with an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (gefitinib) was initiated, and the tumor gradually regressed. No side effects were observed. However, she later died from aspiration pneumonia.

Conclusions

Although xeroderma pigmentosum is rare, a history of consanguineous marriage should be verified. Because of the severe side effects of cisplatin and radiotherapy in xeroderma pigmentosum patients, the risks and benefits of treatment should be considered thoroughly.
Lyophilized powder of mesenchymal stem cell supernatant attenuates acute lung injury through the IL-6–p-STAT3–p63–JAG2 pathway
Authors: Peng Wenjun , Chang Meijia , Wu Yuanyuan , Zhu Wensi , Tong Lin , Zhang Ge , Wang Qin , Liu Jie , Zhu Xiaoping , Cheng Tingting , Li Yijia , Chen Xi , Weng Dong , Liu Sanhong , Zhang Hongwei , Su Yao , Zhou Jian , Li Huayin , Song Yuanlin
Published: March 2021

Background

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are syndromes of acute respiratory failure with extremely high mortality and few effective treatments. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may reportedly contribute to tissue repair in ALI and ARDS. However, applications of MSCs have been restricted due to safety considerations and limitations in terms of large-scale production and industrial delivery. Alternatively, the MSC secretome has been considered promising for use in therapeutic approaches and has been advanced in pre-clinical and clinical trials. Furthermore, the MSC secretome can be freeze-dried into a stable and ready-to-use supernatant lyophilized powder (SLP) form. Currently, there are no studies on the role of MSC SLP in ALI.

Methods

Intratracheal bleomycin was used to induce ALI in mice, and intratracheal MSC SLP was administered as a treatment. Histopathological assessment was performed by hematoxylin and eosin, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. Apoptosis, inflammatory infiltration, immunological cell counts, cytokine levels, and mRNA- and protein-expression levels of relevant targets were measured by performing terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assays, determining total cell and protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, flow cytometry, multiple cytokine-detection techniques, and reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively.

Results

We found that intratracheal MSC SLP considerably promoted cell survival, inhibited epithelial cell apoptosis, attenuated inflammatory cell recruitment, and reversed immunological imbalances induced by bleomycin. MSC SLP inhibited the interleukin 6–phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway to activate tumor protein 63–jagged 2 signaling in basal cells, suppress T helper 17 cell differentiation, promote p63+ cell proliferation and lung damage repair, and attenuate inflammatory responses.

Conclusions

MSC SLP ameliorated ALI by activating p63 and promoting p63+ cell proliferation and the repair of damaged epithelial cells. The findings of this study also shed insight into ALI pathogenesis and imply that MSC SLP shows considerable therapeutic promise for treating ALI and ARDS.
De-identifying Spanish medical texts - named entity recognition applied to radiology reports
Authors: Pérez-Díez Irene , Pérez-Moraga Raúl , López-Cerdán Adolfo , Salinas-Serrano Jose-Maria , la Iglesia-Vayá María de
Published: March 2021

Background

Medical texts such as radiology reports or electronic health records are a powerful source of data for researchers. Anonymization methods must be developed to de-identify documents containing personal information from both patients and medical staff. Although currently there are several anonymization strategies for the English language, they are also language-dependent. Here, we introduce a named entity recognition strategy for Spanish medical texts, translatable to other languages.

Results

We tested 4 neural networks on our radiology reports dataset, achieving a recall of 97.18% of the identifying entities. Alongside, we developed a randomization algorithm to substitute the detected entities with new ones from the same category, making it virtually impossible to differentiate real data from synthetic data. The three best architectures were tested with the MEDDOCAN challenge dataset of electronic health records as an external test, achieving a recall of 69.18%.

Conclusions

The strategy proposed, combining named entity recognition tasks with randomization of entities, is suitable for Spanish radiology reports. It does not require a big training corpus, thus it could be easily extended to other languages and medical texts, such as electronic health records.
LigaSure small jaw versus conventional neck dissection: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Tai-Yu , Hsin Li-Jen , Lin Wan-Ni , Tsai Ming-Shao , Tsai Yao-Te , Lee Yi-Chan
Published: March 2021

Background

Neck dissection has a central role in the management of head and neck cancers. This systematic review aimed to compare the intraoperative and postoperative parameters between conventional and LigaSure Small Jaw (LSJ)-assisted neck dissection.

Methods

PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. independently by two authors for relevant articles comparing the outcomes of conventional and LSJ-assisted neck dissection. Data from each study were extracted, and a random-effects model was used in the pooled analysis.

Results

Compared with conventional techniques, LSJ-assisted neck dissection was associated with a significantly reduced operative time. The rates of postoperative hematoma, infection, amount of intraoperative blood loss, the length of hospital stay and the drainage amount showed no significant intergroup differences.

Conclusions

The meta-analysis provides evidence that properly using LSJ may reduce the operative time compared with that of conventional techniques. Surgeons may consider using LSJ in neck dissection according to personal experiences.

Graphical Abstract
Cardiac rehabilitation via telerehabilitation in COVID-19 pandemic situation
Authors: Sari Dian M. , Wijaya Laurentia C. G.
Published: March 2021

Background

Adherence to medication and lifestyle changes are very important in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. One of the ways is by doing a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Main body of the abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation program is divided into three phases. The cardiac rehabilitation program’s implementation, especially the second phase, center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR), has many barriers not to participate optimally. Therefore, the third phase, known as home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR), can become a substitute or addition to CBCR. On the other hand, this phase is also an essential part of the patients’ functional capacity. During the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, HBCR has become the leading solution in the cardiac rehabilitation program’s sustainability. Innovation is needed in its implementation, such as telerehabilitation. So, the cardiac rehabilitation program can be implemented by patients and monitored by health care providers continuously.

Short conclusion

Physicians play an essential role in motivating patients and encouraging their family members to commit to a sustainable CR program with telerehabilitation to facilitate its implementation.
An advanced hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm for solving small- and large-scale engineering design optimization problems
Authors: Verma Pooja , Parouha Raghav Prasad
Published: March 2021

An advanced hybrid algorithm (haDEPSO) is proposed in this paper for small- and large-scale engineering design optimization problems. Suggested advanced, differential evolution (aDE) and particle swarm optimization (aPSO) integrated with proposedhaDEPSO. In aDE a novel, mutation, crossover and selection strategy is introduced, to avoid premature convergence. And aPSO consists of novel gradually varying parameters, to escape stagnation. So, convergence characteristic of aDE and aPSO provides different approximation to the solution space. Thus,haDEPSO achieve better solutions due to integrating merits of aDE and aPSO. Also inhaDEPSO individual population is merged with other in a pre-defined manner, to balance between global and local search capability. The performance of proposedhaDEPSO and its component aDE and aPSO are validated on 23 unconstrained benchmark functions, then solved five small (structural engineering) and one large (economic load dispatch)-scale engineering design optimization problems. Outcome analyses confirm superiority of proposed algorithms over many state-of-the-art algorithms.
An adaptive stratified joint PP and PS AVA inversion using accurate Jacobian matrix
Authors: Liu Xiaobo , Chen Jingyi , Zeng Jing , Liu Fuping , Huang Handong , Zhao Zhencong , Luo Yaneng
Published: March 2021

Amplitude variation with incidence angle (AVA) analysis is an essential tool for discriminating lithology in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Compared to traditional AVA inversion using only compressional wave (P-wave) information, joint AVA inversion using PP and PS seismic data provides better estimation of rock properties (e.g., density, P- and shear wave [S-wave] velocities). Currently, the most used AVA inversions depend on the approximations of the Zoeppritz equations (e.g., the Shuey and Aki-Richards approximations), which are not suitable for formations with strong contrast interfaces and seismic data with large incidence angles. Based on the previous derivation of the accurate Jacobian matrix, we have found that the sign of each partial derivative of reflection coefficient with respect to the P-, S-wave velocities and density changes across the interface represents a good indicator for the reflection interfaces. Accordingly, we adopt an adaptive stratified joint PP and PS AVA inversion using the accurate Jacobian matrix that can automatically obtain the layer information and can be further used as a constraint in the inversion of in-layer rock properties (density and P- and S-wave velocities). Due to the use of the exact Zoeppritz equations and accurate Jacobian matrix, this proposed inversion method is more accurate than traditional AVA inversion methods, has higher computational efficiency, and can be applied to seismic wide-angle reflection data or seismic data acquired for formations with strong contrast interfaces. The model study shows that this proposed inversion method works better than the classic Shuey and Aki-Richards approximations at estimating reflection interfaces and in-layer rock properties. It also works well in handling a part of the complex Marmousi 2 model and real seismic data.
Effective frequency estimation method for sinusoidal interference in seismic data
Authors: Yuan Yijun , Zhou Shichang , Wang Yun , Gao Jianjun
Published: March 2021

The removal of sinusoidal interference is an important step in seismic data processing, especially for data with low signal-to-noise ratios. The intermittent character of sinusoidal interference makes it challenging to identify and attenuate. To address this issue, we have developed a method to accurately identify sinusoidal interference and rapidly estimate its frequencies. A spectrum-generation strategy is presented to generate an amplitude spectrum with noticeable sinusoidal interference. An initial estimate of the affected frequencies is found using a frequency-search technique based on the amplitude spectrum. The estimate is then refined by an iterative frequency estimation algorithm, which includes fast frequency estimation and normalized crosscorrelation calculation. After modeling the noise using the precise frequency estimation, the sinusoidal interference in seismic data can then be suppressed by adaptively subtracting the estimated noise from the raw seismic data. The effectiveness of our method in identifying sinusoidal interference is verified by testing it on synthetic and field data and by comparing the results with those from existing methods. Synthetic and real data examples indicate that the method is most applicable to land seismic data.
Spatial aliasing and 3C seismic sensors
Authors: Haldorsen Jakob B. U.
Published: March 2021

Temporal aliasing occurs when a waveform is sampled with less than two points per time period for a signal at a given frequency. This insufficiently sampled frequency will be incorrectly mapped into a lower (aliased) frequency. Analogous to this, spatial aliasing is said to occur when a propagating waveform is measured at spatial intervals larger than half the wavelength of any given signal in that waveform. Temporally aliased frequencies cannot be recovered with standard methods. On the other hand, we argue that “spatial aliasing” can be viewed as an expression of a nonuniqueness for estimating the direction of the propagation for signal at a given frequency, and that spatial aliasing may be overcome when 3C seismic sensors are used. Realizing this allows for using higher frequencies, and it therefore enables the generation of higher resolution images from the data. This is particularly useful for borehole-seismic data, which tend to contain higher frequencies than surface-seismic data, but does require that an array of 3C sensors is used or that an array of less expensive 1C sensors is supplemented by 3C sensors.
Shape-function-based nonuniform Fourier transforms for seismic modeling with irregular grids
Authors: Ouyang Fang , Zhao Jianguo , Dai Shikun , Chen Longwei , Wang Shangxu
Published: March 2021

Multidimensional Fourier transform on an irregular grid is a useful tool for various seismic forward problems caused by complex media and wavefield distributions. Using a shape-function-based strategy, we have developed four different algorithms for 1D and 2D nonuniform Fourier transforms, such as two high-accuracy Fourier transforms (the linear shape-function-based Fourier transform [LSF-FT] and the quadratic shape-function-based Fourier transform [QSF-FT]) and two nonuniform fast Fourier transforms (NUFFTs) (the linear shape-function-based NUFFT [LSF-NUFFT] and the quadratic shape-function-based NUFFT [QSF-NUFFT]), respectively, based on their linear and quadratic shape functions. The main advantage of incorporating shape functions into the Fourier transform is that triangular elements can be used to mesh any complex wavefield distribution in the 2D case. Therefore, these algorithms can be used in conjunction with any irregular sampling strategies. The accuracy and efficiency of the four nonuniform Fourier transforms are investigated and compared by applying them in frequency-domain seismic wave modeling. All of the algorithms are compared with the exact solutions. Numerical tests indicate that the quadratic shape-function-based algorithms are more accurate than those based on the linear shape function. Moreover, LSF-FT/QSF-FT exhibits higher accuracy but much slower calculation speed, whereas LSF-NUFFT/QSF-NUFFT is highly efficient but has lower accuracy at near-source points. In contrast, a combination of these algorithms, by using QSF-FT at near-source points and LSF-NUFFT/QSF-NUFFT at others, achieves satisfactory efficiency and high accuracy at all points. Although our tests are restricted to seismic models, these improved NUFFT algorithms may also have potential applications in other geophysical problems, such as forward modeling in complex gravity and magnetic models.
Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients With PIK3CA-Mutated Hormone Receptor–Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Negative Advanced Breast Cancer From SOLAR-1
Authors: Ciruelos Eva Maria , Rugo Hope S. , Mayer Ingrid A. , Levy Christelle , Forget Frédéric , Delgado Mingorance Juan Ignacio , Safra Tamar , Masuda Norikazu , Park Yeon Hee , Juric Dejan , Conte Pierfranco , Campone Mario , Loibl Sibylle , Iwata Hiroji , Zhou Xiaolei , Park Jinhee , Ridolfi Antonia , Lorenzo Ines , André Fabrice
Published: March 2021

PURPOSE

In the phase III SOLAR-1 trial ( NCT02437318 ), the PI3Kα-selective inhibitor and degrader alpelisib significantly improved median progression-free survival when added to fulvestrant in patients with phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha ( PIK3CA)–mutated, hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative advanced breast cancer. We assessed health-related quality of life using patient-reported outcome measures in these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the PIK3CA-mutant cohort, 341 patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive alpelisib 300 mg daily or placebo plus fulvestrant 500 mg on days 1 and 15 of cycle 1 and on day 1 of subsequent 28-day cycles. Patient-reported outcomes were evaluated with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL of Cancer Patients and Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form questionnaires. Changes from baseline and time to 10% deterioration were analyzed using repeated measurement models and Cox models, respectively.

RESULTS

Global Health Status/QoL and functional status were maintained from baseline (mean changes < 10 points) in the alpelisib (overall change from baseline [95% CI], −3.50 [−8.02 to 1.02]) and placebo arms (overall change from baseline [95% CI], 0.27 [−4.48 to 5.02]). Overall treatment effect in Global Health Status/QoL was not significantly different between arms (−3.77; 95% CI, −8.35 to 0.80; P = .101). Time to 10% deterioration for Global Health Status/QoL was similar between arms (hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.48). Compared with placebo, deterioration in social functioning and in diarrhea, appetite loss, nausea or vomiting, and fatigue symptom subscales occurred with alpelisib. Numerical improvement in Worst Pain was observed with alpelisib versus placebo (42% v 32%, week 24; P = .090).

CONCLUSION

In SOLAR-1, there was no statistical difference in deterioration of Global Health Status/QoL between arms, whereas symptom subscales favored placebo for diarrhea, appetite loss, nausea or vomiting, and fatigue, known side effects of alpelisib. Treatment decisions must consider efficacy and tolerability; taken with clinical efficacy, these results support the benefit-risk profile of alpelisib in patients with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative PIK3CA-mutated advanced breast cancer.
Bone Material Strength Index as Measured by Impact Microindentation is Low in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Schoeb Manuela , Winter Elizabeth M , Sleddering Maria A , Lips Mirjam A , Schepers Abbey , Snel Marieke , Appelman-Dijkstra Natasha M
Published: March 2021

Context

In primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) bone mineral density (BMD) is typically decreased in cortical bone and relatively preserved in trabecular bone. An increased fracture rate is observed however not only at peripheral sites but also at the spine, and fractures occur at higher BMD values than expected. We hypothesized that components of bone quality other than BMD are affected in PHPT as well.

Objective

To evaluate bone material properties using impact microindentation (IMI) in PHPT patients.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, the Bone Material Strength index (BMSi) was measured by IMI at the midshaft of the tibia in 37 patients with PHPT (28 women), 11 of whom had prevalent fragility fractures, and 37 euparathyroid controls (28 women) matched for age, gender, and fragility fracture status.

Results

Mean age of PHPT patients and controls was 61.8 ± 13.3 and 61.0 ± 11.8 years, respectively, P = .77. Calcium and PTH levels were significantly higher in PHPT patients but BMD at the lumbar spine (0.92 ± 0.15 vs 0.89 ± 0.11, P = .37) and the femoral neck (0.70 ± 0.11 vs 0.67 ± 0.07, P = .15) were comparable between groups. BMSi however was significantly lower in PHPT patients than in controls (78.2 ± 5.7 vs 82.8 ± 4.5, P < .001). In addition, BMSi was significantly lower in 11 PHPT patients with fragility fractures than in the 26 PHPT patients without fragility fractures (74.7 ± 6.0 vs 79.6 ± 5.0, P = .015).

Conclusion

Our data indicate that bone material properties are altered in PHPT patients and most affected in those with prevalent fractures. IMI might be a valuable additional tool in the evaluation of bone fragility in patients with PHPT.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Early-Detected Central Congenital Hypothyroidism
Authors: Naafs Jolanda C , Marchal Jan Pieter , Verkerk Paul H , Fliers Eric , van Trotsenburg A S Paul , Zwaveling-Soonawala Nitash
Published: March 2021

Context

Central congenital hypothyroidism (CH) requires lifelong medical treatment. The majority of children with central CH have multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD), but in some cases central CH is isolated. Most pituitary hormone deficiencies are associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, studies on HRQoL in central CH are lacking.

Objective

To evaluate HRQoL and fatigue in children and young adults with central CH, as well as parent perspectives.

Design

Nationwide cross-sectional study comparing HRQoL between early-detected central CH patients and unaffected siblings with the Pediatric Quality of Life inventory (PedsQL™) and PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. Participants ≥ 8 years old filled in self-reports; parents of participants aged 3 to 18 years filled in parent reports. Isolated central CH patients, MPHD patients, and siblings were compared using a linear mixed model and Tukey’s post hoc test.

Results

Eighty-eight patients and 52 siblings participated, yielding 98 self-reports and 115 parent reports. Isolated central CH patients (n = 35) and siblings showed similar scores on all subscales, both in the self-reports and parent reports. For MPHD patients (n = 53), self-reported scores were similar to those of siblings. Parent reported total HRQoL and fatigue scores were significantly poorer in MPHD patients compared with siblings (mean differences −10.2 and −9.4 points; P < 0.01), as were scores for physical functioning, social functioning and general fatigue.

Conclusion

Self-reported HRQoL scores in isolated central CH and MPHD patients were similar to siblings. However, parents reported significantly lower HRQoL and fatigue scores for MPHD patients, suggesting a difference in perceived limitations between MPHD patients and their parents.
Predictors of Bilateral Disease in Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Cherella Christine E , Richman Danielle M , Liu Enju , Frates Mary C , Modi Biren P , Zendejas Benjamin , Smith Jessica R , Barletta Justine A , Hollowell Monica L , Wassner Ari J
Published: March 2021

Context

Total thyroidectomy is recommended for children with papillary thyroid carcinoma, partly because of a high prevalence of bilateral disease. Identifying characteristics that predict bilateral disease might identify candidates for more limited surgery.

Objective

Investigate associations of preoperative or histopathological characteristics with bilateral disease in children with differentiated thyroid cancer.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study (1998-2020) at 2 academic hospitals. Patients <19 years who underwent total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer were included. Clinical, sonographic, and histopathological characteristics were evaluated. The presence of bilateral disease on histopathology was assessed by univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

One hundred and fifteen subjects were analyzed (90% with papillary carcinoma). Median (range) age at diagnosis was 15.0 (8.1-18.9) years. Bilateral disease was present in 47/115 subjects (41%). Bilateral disease was associated with solid parenchyma, calcifications, irregular margins, and abnormal lymph nodes detected by ultrasound, Bethesda class V/VI cytology, papillary histology, tumor multifocality in the primary lobe, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, and nodal metastases. In multivariable analysis, only multifocality in the primary lobe was independently associated with bilateral disease (OR 7.61, 95% CI 2.44-23.8, P < .001). Among clinically node-negative subjects with papillary carcinoma who did not have tumor multifocality in the primary lobe, bilateral disease was present in 5/32 (16%).

Conclusions

In children with differentiated thyroid cancer, tumor multifocality in the primary lobe is associated with bilateral disease and should prompt consideration of completion thyroidectomy after initial lobectomy. Clinically node-negative children with tumors that are unifocal in the primary lobe have a low likelihood of contralateral disease.
Carbohydrate Intake Prior to Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing
Authors: Klein Klara R , Walker Christopher P , McFerren Amber L , Huffman Halie , Frohlich Flavio , Buse John B
Published: March 2021

With the emergence of glycated hemoglobin as a diagnostic test for diabetes, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) have become rare in endocrinology practice. As they have moved out of favor, the importance of patient instructions on preparation prior to OGTT has faded from memory. Decades-old literature, well-known to endocrinologists a generation ago, emphasized the importance of carbohydrate intake prior to OGTT. In this expert endocrine consult, we discuss an OGTT performed in a research setting without adequate carbohydrate intake at the evening meal prior to the OGTT. The resultant elevated plasma glucose levels at 1-hour and 2-hours mimicked the loss of first-phase insulin release seen in early type 1 and type 2 diabetes. With clinical concern that the research participant had evolving type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the volunteer was subjected to additional testing and experienced anxiety. Repeat OGTT was normal after adequate carbohydrate intake (>150 grams/day and >50 grams the evening prior to overnight fast for the study). The physiology of this phenomenon is explored and is likely mediated through beta cell adaptation and alteration in peripheral glucose uptake in response to nutrient exposure. The learnings of decades ago have clearly faded, and this literature should be revisited to ensure that OGTT results are not compromised when ordered for clinical or research purposes.
After the “Age of Wreckers and Exterminators?”
Authors: Giraud Eva Haifa
Published: March 2021

This essay delineates the material and conceptual limitations of two prominent ways of figuring the relationship between humans and harmful beings: narratives of eradication and entanglement. Ecological concern about the legacies of twentieth-century attempts to eradicate life deemed dangerous to humans (such as the damage fostered by DDT and the overuse of antibiotics), coupled with declines in the efficacy of some major medical and chemical techniques for eradicating harmful beings, means that exterminism is increasingly seen as both ethically undesirable and materially impossible. At the same time, it is insufficient to fall back on narratives about the ontological inevitability of entanglement with nonhumans because the harms—for humans and other species—that are posed by particular relations are tightly bound with socioeconomic inequalities and asymmetries in power. Through situating contemporary viral relations in relation to existing literatures focused on pests and parasites, the essay argues that harmful beings are not just exceptions that can be worked around and ultimately accommodated within relational ethics. Instead, harmful entanglements offer more fundamental provocations, forcing attention to the question of how to create more livable worlds through situated acts of distancing without descending back into narratives of eradication.
The Operational Loops of a Pandemic
Authors: Sampson Tony D. , Parikka Jussi
Published: March 2021

This article analyzes the visual operations of contagions and their material aftereffects. Data visualizations and diagrams have played a key role in the visual culture of the contagion, and this article explores especially two recurring themes: curves and simulations. The article addresses the data diagrams that describe and predict, advise and control actions during the pandemic. The authors argue that these curves and simulations are also crucial epistemic and aesthetic occurrences that produce the long tale of the epidemic as it pertains to a variety of actions from policy making to affective responses. Furthermore, the text investigates the theme of the operational loop to help us grasp statistical curves and simulations as part of a multiscalar logic of the epidemic image and to discuss the temporal modalities of these various images and diagrams. The article also includes David Benqué’s speculative diagrams of contagion loops that present an artistic response to the theoretical theme.
The Great City Is Fragile
Authors: Robins Kevin
Published: March 2021

This article explores issues covered in Wuhan Diary, a day-by-day account by the Chinese author Fang Fang of her experiences during the height of the pandemic crisis in the city of Wuhan during the early months of 2020. It seeks to bring out what is distinctive and innovative about the text. Most notably, this concerns the mobilization of social media, such as Weibo and WeChat, as a basis for social communication and the dissemination of information within and beyond the city. The resultant text is not a diary in the conventional sense but, rather, a vast montage of diverse kinds of material that have been electronically cut up and pasted together. A particular focus of the discussion concerns ethical support and solidarity among citizens of Wuhan at this time of acute disruption. In this context, the article suggests a significant, and maybe surprising, affinity between Fang Fang's immediate concerns and issues raised in the ethical philosophies of Paul Ricoeur and Gabriel Marcel.
Virus Is a Language
Authors: Gray Chris Hables
Published: March 2021

To understand 2020’s pandemic is to see virus as a language we can use. By drawing on viral principles—viruses are infections through information, viruses can be understood only through percentages and exponentials, and viruses are zombies from outer space—the dynamics of our twenty-first-century virus crisis can be discerned, even influenced. The crisis isn't just biological, it is about ideas and how they propagate through, for example, conspiracy theories and inflammatory actions. Viral emotions are integral to what is happening, as attention to both the virus of fascism and fear-based reactions to COVID-19 make clear. The opposite of fear, or perhaps the product of fear sometimes, is bravery. Hope is beyond that. Viruses spread because of their intrinsic properties and the relevant vectors, catalysts, growth mediums, and controls. Our future will be shaped by a wide range of viruses. We know it will be abnormal, but viruses will not act alone. Much of nature, and thus human culture, is beyond the viral. The key issue is control and just what mix of authoritarian control, self-control, and out-of-control (in both senses) we will end up living with.
Team interventions in acute hospital contexts: protocol for the evaluation of an initial programme theory using realist methods
Authors: Cunningham Una , De Brún Aoife , Willgerodt Mayumi , Blakeney Erin , McAuliffe Eilish
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Literature on multi-disciplinary healthcare team interventions to improve quality and safety of care in acute hospital contexts tends to focus on evaluating the success of the intervention by assessing patient outcomes. In contrast, there is little focus on the team who delivered the intervention, how the team worked to deliver the intervention or the context in which it was delivered. In practice, there is therefore a poor understanding of why some interventions work and are sustained and why others fail. There is little emphasis in the literature on how the team delivering the intervention might impact success or failure.

Given that team is the vehicle through which these interventions are introduced, it is important to understand interventions from their perspectives.

This research seeks to deepen understanding of enablers and barriers for effective team interventions. Using two case studies, we will evaluate previously developed initial programme theories to understand, what worked for whom, in what conditions, why, to what extent and how?

Methods and analysis: A realist evaluation approach will be employed to test the previously formed set of initial programme theories. Two multi-disciplinary acute hospital team interventions in two different geographical and organisational contexts will be identified. In case study 1, a theory based approach to interviewing will be used. In case study 2, interview transcripts obtained using a semi- structured approach for primary research purposes will undergo secondary analysis.

This will enable a more sensitive look at patterns and variations in patterns of multi-disciplinary team interventions. Researchers will first iteratively interrogate each respective dataset to identify the characteristics or resources present within the specific context that influenced how the team intervention worked to produce particular outcomes. Data will then be synthesised across contexts in order to produce middle range theories and thereby more generalisable insights.
The Role of the RCT Teacher in the Formation of the Emotional Culture of Foreign Students at the Stage of Pre-University Training in the New Educational Reality
Authors: Martynova M.
Published: March 2021

The article examines the professional activity of a higher school teacher from the point of view of new realities, including in the educational space. It is emphasized that despite the emergence of modern technologies in teaching, the teacher remains the key figure in the educational process. The professiogram of a higher education teacher today is quite dynamic and represents an open system, constantly updated with new characteristics. The understanding of emotional intelligence is considered and its importance in pedagogical activity is noted. The relationship is established between the emotional maturity of the teacher and the creation of a positive emotional culture in the study group.
Creative Communication: Breaking the Pattern or Using the Pattern
Authors: Gapeenkova Marina , Rotanova M.
Published: March 2021

The article devoted to the communication context created by the creative class - a social group that needs a diverse, renewable experience. The desire to buy this experience and look for new feelings transforms their behavior and communication activity into affective one. The idea of social and cultural mobility was formed in a democratic society together with the global idea of liberalism and tolerance. In this context media stimulate communication, public speaking becomes an easy form of activity and the creative class calls for multiculturalism and breaking political, social and cultural patterns. But this social group is still trying to create new patterns of behavior. Until these patterns of behavior are created, tolerance will exist as an ideologeme and communication will fight with formal patterns, but not with ideological patterns.
The COVID‐19 Pandemic and Changes in Healthcare Utilization for Pediatric Respiratory and Nonrespiratory Illnesses in the United States
Authors: Antoon James W , Williams Derek J , Thurm Cary , Bendel‐Stenzel Michael , Spaulding Alicen B , II Ronald J Teufel , Reyes Mario A , Shah Samir S , Kenyon Chén C , Hersh Adam L , Florin Todd A , Grijalva Carlos G
Published: March 2021

The impact of COVID‐19 public health interventions on pediatric illnesses nationwide is unknown. We performed a multicenter, cross‐sectional study of encounters at 44 children's hospitals in the United States to assess changes in healthcare utilization during the pandemic. The COVID‐19 pandemic was associated with substantial reductions in encounters for respiratory diseases; these large reductions were consistent across illness subgroups. Although encounters for nonrespiratory diseases decreased as well, reductions were more modest and varied by age. Encounters for respiratory diseases among adolescents declined to a lesser degree and returned to previous levels faster compared with those of younger children. Further study is needed to determine the contributions of decreased illness and changes in care‐seeking behavior to this observed reduction.
Tight Approximation for Unconstrained XOS Maximization
Authors: Filmus Yuval , Kawase Yasushi , Kobayashi Yusuke , Yamaguchi Yutaro
Published: March 2021

A set function is called XOS if it can be represented by the maximum of additive functions. When such a representation is fixed, the number of additive functions required to define the XOS function is called the width. In this paper, we study the problem of maximizing XOS functions in the value oracle model. The problem is trivial for the XOS functions of width 1 because they are just additive, but it is already nontrivial even when the width is restricted to 2. We show two types of tight bounds on the polynomial-time approximability for this problem. First, in general, the approximation bound is between O(n) and [Formula: see text], and exactly [Formula: see text] if randomization is allowed, where n is the ground set size. Second, when the width of the input XOS functions is bounded by a constant k ≥ 2, the approximation bound is between k − 1 and k − 1 − ɛ for any ɛ > 0. In particular, we give a linear-time algorithm to find an exact maximizer of a given XOS function of width 2, whereas we show that any exact algorithm requires an exponential number of value oracle calls even when the width is restricted to 3.
High frame rate video mosaicking microendoscope to image large regions of intact tissue with subcellular resolution
Authors: Hunt Brady , Coole Jackson , Brenes David , Kortum Alex , Mitbander Ruchika , Vohra Imran , Carns Jennifer , Schwarz Richard , Richards-Kortum Rebecca
Published: March 2021

High-resolution microendoscopy (HRME) is a low-cost strategy to acquire images of intact tissue with subcellular resolution at frame rates ranging from 11 to 18 fps. Current HRME imaging strategies are limited by the small microendoscope field of view (∼0.5 mm2); multiple images must be acquired and reliably registered to assess large regions of clinical interest. Image mosaics have been assembled from co-registered frames of video acquired as a microendoscope is slowly moved across the tissue surface, but the slow frame rate of previous HRME systems made this approach impractical for acquiring quality mosaicked images from large regions of interest. Here, we present a novel video mosaicking microendoscope incorporating a high frame rate CMOS sensor and optical probe holder to enable high-speed, high quality interrogation of large tissue regions of interest. Microendoscopy videos acquired at >90 fps are assembled into an image mosaic. We assessed registration accuracy and image sharpness across the mosaic for images acquired with a handheld probe over a range of translational speeds. This high frame rate video mosaicking microendoscope enables in vivo probe translation at >15 millimeters per second while preserving high image quality and accurate mosaicking, increasing the size of the region of interest that can be interrogated at high resolution from 0.5 mm2 to >30 mm2. Real-time deployment of this high-frame rate system is demonstrated in vivo and source code made publicly available.
Thulium-doped tellurium oxide waveguide amplifier with 7.6  dB net gain on a silicon nitride chip: publisher’s note
Authors: Kiani Khadijeh Miarabbas , Frankis Henry C. , Mbonde Hamidu M. , Mateman Richard , Leinse Arne , Knights Andrew P. , Bradley Jonathan D. B.
Published: March 2021

This publisher’s note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.
44, 5788 (2019)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.44.005788.
Low-loss edge-coupling thin-film lithium niobate modulator with an efficient phase shifter: publisher’s note
Authors: Ying Pan , Tan Heyun , Zhang Junwei , He Mingbo , Xu Mengyue , Liu Xiaoyue , Ge Renyou , Zhu Yuntao , Liu Chuan , Cai Xinlun
Published: March 2021

This publisher’s note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.
46, 1478 (2021)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.418996.
Early control of viral load by favipiravir promotes survival to Ebola virus challenge and prevents cytokine storm in non-human primates
Authors: Reynard Stéphanie , Gloaguen Emilie , Baillet Nicolas , Madelain Vincent , Guedj Jérémie , Raoul Hervé , de Lamballerie Xavier , Mullaert Jimmy , Baize Sylvain
Published: March 2021

Ebola virus has been responsible for two major epidemics over the last several years and there has been a strong effort to find potential treatments that can improve the disease outcome. Antiviral favipiravir was thus tested on non-human primates infected with Ebola virus. Half of the treated animals survived the Ebola virus challenge, whereas the infection was fully lethal for the untreated ones. Moreover, the treated animals that did not survive died later than the controls. We evaluated the hematological, virological, biochemical, and immunological parameters of the animals and performed proteomic analysis at various timepoints of the disease. The viral load strongly correlated with dysregulation of the biological functions involved in pathogenesis, notably the inflammatory response, hemostatic functions, and response to stress. Thus, the management of viral replication in Ebola virus disease is of crucial importance in preventing the immunopathogenic disorders and septic-like shock syndrome generally observed in Ebola virus-infected patients.