bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Intracranial Atherosclerotic Plaques Using 3D Black‐Blood MRI: Comparison With 3D Time‐of‐Flight MRA and DSA
Authors: Tian Xia , Tian Bing , Shi Zhang , Wu Xiao , Peng Wenjia , Zhang Xuefeng , Malhotra Ajay , Mossa‐Basha Mahmud , Sekhar Laligam , Liu Qi , Lu Jianping , Hu Chunhong , Zhu Chengcheng 
Published: August 2020

BackgroundNoninvasive assessment of intracranial stenosis is important to manage ischemic stroke patients. However, few previous studies have compared 3D black‐blood MRI with 3D time‐of‐flight (TOF), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for intracranial artery plaque assessment.PurposeTo compare 3D black‐blood MRI and 3D TOF‐MRA, using DSA as the reference standard for intracranial stenosis and atherosclerotic plaque assessment in patients with posterior circulation stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).Study TypeProspective, cohort study.PopulationOne hundred and one patients with posterior circulation stroke and/or TIA (age 63 ± 10 years, 84 male) who underwent DSA and MRI within 4 weeks of each other.Field Strength/Sequence3D fast‐spin‐echo MRI for intracranial vessel wall imaging (IVWI) and 3D TOF at 3T.AssessmentTwo radiologists independently measured the degree of stenosis on 3D IVWI and TOF, using DSA as a reference. Plaque enhancement was recorded when the plaque was stenosis‐free on DSA.Statistical TestsShapiro–Wilk's test, Student's t‐test, Mann–Whitney U‐test, Spearman correlation, Bland–Altman analysis, and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsA total of 238 intracranial plaques (203 posterior, 35 anterior) were included. 3D IVWI showed better agreement with DSA in measuring stenosis than TOF (ICC = 0.89 vs. 0.64). 3D IVWI had higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting stenosis >50% and stenosis >75% than TOF, using DSA as the standard. TOF significantly overestimated the degree of stenosis compared to DSA (65 ± 19% vs. 51 ± 15%, P < 0.001). DSA did not observe 62 nonstenotic plaques (26.1%) that were shown only on 3D IVWI, in which 36 plaques (58.1%) showed contrast enhancement. The interreader agreement for measuring stenosis were excellent, with ICCs >0.90 for all three modalities.Data Conclusion3D black‐blood MRI is accurate and reproducible for quantifying intracranial artery stenosis compared with DSA, and performs better than 3D TOF. As compared to DSA, it detects more nonstenotic plaques.Level of Evidence 1Technical Efficacy Stage 2J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2021;53:469–478.
Normative Baseline for Radiomics in Brain MRI: Evaluating the Robustness, Regional Variations, and Reproducibility on FLAIR Images
Authors: Pandey Umang , Saini Jitender , Kumar Manoj , Gupta Rakesh , Ingalhalikar Madhura 
Published: August 2020

BackgroundRadiomics in neuroimaging has gained momentum as a noninvasive prediction tool not only to differentiate between types of brain tumors, but also to create phenotypic signatures in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is currently little understating about the robustness and reproducibility of radiomic features in a baseline normative population.PurposeTo investigate the intra‐ and interscanner reproducibility, spatial robustness, and sensitivity of radiomics on fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, which are widely used in neuro‐oncology investigations.Study TypeRetrospective.PopulationThree separate datasets of healthy controls: 1) 87 subjects (age range 12–64 years), 2) intrascanner three timepoints, four subjects, and 3) interscanner, eight subjects at three different sites.Field Strength/SequenceT2‐weighted FLAIR at 1.5T and 3.0T.AssessmentSpatial variance across lobes, and their relation with age/gender, intra‐ and inter‐scanner reproducibility (with and without site harmonization) of radiomics.Statistical TestsAnalysis of variance (ANOVA), interclass correlation (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), Bland–Altman analysis.ResultsAnalysis of data revealed no differences between genders; however, multiple radiomic features were highly associated with age (P < 0.05). Spatial variability was also evaluated where only 29.04% gray matter and 38.7% white matter features demonstrated an ICC >0.5. Furthermore, the results demonstrated intra‐scanner reliability (ICC >0.5); however, inter‐scanner reproducibility was poor, with ICC < 0.5 for 82% gray matter and 78.5% white matter features. The inter‐scanner reliability improved (ICC < 0.5 for 39.67% gray matter and 38% white matter features) using site‐harmonization techniques.Data ConclusionThese findings suggest that, accounting for age, spatial locations in radiomics‐based analysis and use of intersite radiomics harmonization is crucial before interpreting these features for pathological inference.Level of Evidence 3.Technical Efficacy Stage 1.J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2021;53:394–407.
The Impact of a Nurse‐Led Syncope Clinic: Experience from a single UK tertiary center
Authors: Adlan Ahmed M. , Eftekhari Helen , Paul Geeta , Hayat Sajad , Osman Faizel 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundSyncope is a leading cause of hospital admission and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our Syncope Clinic commenced in 2014 and we sought to evaluate its impact on outcomes (1‐yr mortality and syncope re‐hospitalization) in patients discharged following syncope admission.MethodsA single‐center study of all consecutive patients discharged with syncope (ICD‐10 R55) between April 2012 and 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, hospital stay, syncope re‐hospitalization, and mortality at one‐year were collected. Those subsequently referred and seen in Syncope Clinic were compared with those who were not and predictors of poor outcome were evaluated.ResultsIn total 2950 patients were discharged from hospital with syncope (median age: 73years, 51% male) with 1220 (41%) discharged same‐day; after commencement of Syncope Clinic 231were subsequently reviewed here. Overall mortality was 11%, which was lower in the Syncope Clinic group (3% vs 12%, P < .001). Temporal analysis revealed reduced re‐hospitalization following commencement of Syncope Clinic (2% vs 6%, P = .027). Independent predictors of mortality were increasing age (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.03‐1.04), AF (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2‐2.1), HF (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.6‐3.0), COPD (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4‐2.7), and CHADS2 score ≥ 1 (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1,12‐1.87). Syncope Clinic attendance was associated with reduced mortality (HR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1‐0.6).ConclusionsSyncope patients discharged from hospital had reduced 1yr mortality if seen in subsequent Syncope Clinic. Independent predictors of mortality were COPD, HF, AF, and CHADS2 ≥1. Prospective randomized trials of Syncope Clinics are warranted.
Beyond adherence to justice rules: How and when manager gender contributes to diminished legitimacy in the aftermath of unfair situations
Authors: Varty Christianne T. , Barclay Laurie J. , Brady Daniel L. 
Published: August 2020

SummaryUnfair situations are a reality of organizational life. Although managers are typically advised to enact justice (i.e., adhere to justice rules) to mitigate negative employee reactions to unfair situations, the subjective nature of fairness suggests that employees may still react negatively to managers, regardless of managers' adherence to justice rules. Integrating fairness theory with social role theory, we propose that prescriptive gender stereotypes can differentially influence employees' reactions toward female (versus male) managers in the aftermath of unfair situations. Across two studies, female (versus male) managers were especially likely to experience diminished legitimacy in the aftermath of unfair situations, regardless of their adherence to justice rules. Moreover, these effects were especially likely to emerge for situations that reflected isolated versus ongoing issues. In turn, diminished legitimacy prompted negative employee behaviors that can detract from managerial effectiveness (e.g., withdrawal of manager‐directed citizenship behaviors, enhanced negative gossip about the manager, and increased resistance behaviors). Theoretical and practical contributions include recognizing the importance of broadening focus beyond adherence to justice rules to understand employees' reactions and managers' experiences, acknowledging the impact of gender in the context of fairness, and highlighting that upward‐directed gender bias may contribute to the (un)intentional undermining of female managers.
Removal of bias introduced by considering calendar or rainfall day as 24‐hr period in daily minimum temperature series: Results from ACMANT approach
Authors: Domonkos Peter , Prohom Marc , Llabrés‐Brustenga Alba 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe automation of weather stations influences the climate observations in various ways, among them the hour of reading and reporting daily temperature extremes is usually altered. This alteration causes a systematic change, referred to as terminus change signal (TCS), in the recorded daily minimum temperatures (Tmin), in comparison with the earlier records. The TCS present in the Tmin data of the Meteorological Service of Catalonia is quantified accurately from the dates of the automation and hourly temperature observations. The TCS is very small for the annual means, but it has a characteristic, irregular‐shaped annual cycle with up to 0.3°C decrease of mean monthly Tmin from spring to autumn, and a change of the opposite sign in the winter months. The study explores how biases of the same seasonal behaviour as the TCS in Catalonia can be removed with statistical homogenization when the archived data and metadata are insufficient for the exact calculation of the bias properties. ACMANT, one of the most modern and most accurate homogenization methods is used on various test datasets with the TCS embedded. The test datasets are developed from two source datasets, one is a selected network of the observed Catalan Tmin series, while the other is a simulated Swedish Tmin dataset from the European project INDECIS. The test datasets include the TCS with varied parameterizations in order to obtain a more general picture about the skill of the statistical homogenization. While the signal‐to‐noise ratio and mean annual bias are varied by parameterization, the shape of the annual cycle of the TCS is fixed. The results show that ACMANT is notably more accurate in removing mean annual biases than mean monthly biases. The skill of removing a mean monthly bias widely varies and is influenced by several factors identified by the performed tests.
Wet spells over the core monsoon domain of northern Pakistan during the summer season
Authors: Sadaf Nabeela , Lin Yanluan , Dong Wenhao 
Published: August 2020

AbstractFlooding events or wet spells have increased over Pakistan in recent years. However, a long‐term classification of large‐scale and synoptic‐scale configuration for these events has been lacking. In this study, a total of 53 wet spells during the period of 1951–2015 over the core monsoon domain of northern Pakistan are identified using rainfall data. Based on daily geopotential height fields from NCEP/NCAR re‐analysis, the dominant synoptic‐scale systems, displaying distinct low‐level circulation and moisture transport, are found during these wet spells over Pakistan. They are categorized as trough with low pressure system (LPS, 30 cases), trough without LPS (19 cases) and LPS only (4 cases) wet spells. Without the accompanying LPS over India, the trough tends to be deep and intrudes to southern Pakistan with moisture transport mainly from the Arabian Sea. In contrast, the trough is relatively shallow and interacts with presence of the LPS to steer moisture from the Bay of Bengal towards Pakistan. We found that subtropical trough is an essential ingredient of wet spells over Pakistan. This is different from wet spells over the core monsoon domain of India, which is mainly dominated by LPS. The ridge development over Siberia is a precursor to wet spells over Pakistan and provides guidance for prediction.
Rate and Factors Associated With Change in Surgeon for Revision Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Authors: Jafari Aria , Panuganti Bharat A. , Crawford Kayva L. , Shen Sarek , DeConde Adam S. 
Published: August 2020

Objectives/HypothesisA subset of patients will undergo revision endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) with a different otolaryngologist than the one who performed their primary surgery. The purpose of this study is to report the incidence of and clinicodemographic factors associated with a change in surgeon for revision ESS.Study DesignRetrospective cohort study.MethodsAdult patients who underwent at least two outpatient ESS procedures between 2009 and 2014 using the State Ambulatory Surgery Database for Florida were included in the study. Change in surgeon was defined by a change in a unique provider identifier for the revision procedure. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine characteristics associated with a change in surgeon.ResultsA total of 2,963 patients were included. For the revision procedure, 47.7% of patients changed their surgeon. On multivariable logistic regression, a medium‐ (odds ratio [OR]: 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53‐0.77) or high‐volume (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.42‐0.61) surgeon performing the index surgery and advanced age (≥65 years) (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.63‐0.99) were associated with decreased odds of surgeon change for revision ESS. Longer time elapsed between index and revision surgery (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.13‐1.17) was associated with increased odds of surgeon change.ConclusionsNearly half of patients who undergo revision ESS select a surgeon other than the one who performed their primary procedure. Surgeon volume, age, and time between surgeries affect the likelihood of a change in surgeon for revision ESS. These findings may provide introductory insights into patient preferences and decision making in the surgical management of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1049–E1053, 2021
Health‐Related Quality of Life Following Total Laryngectomy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wulff Nille B. , Højager Anna , Wessel Irene , Dalton Susanne O. , Homøe Preben 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTreatment of advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer has shifted from total laryngectomy (TL) toward laryngeal‐preserving therapies due to a general perception that TL has a significantly negative impact on the individual's life. However, whether the physical impairments related to TL translate to a reduced health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) has not yet been determined. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to determine how HRQoL is affected following TL.MethodsSystematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. Inclusion criteria were original studies describing quality of life following TL after larynx/hypopharynx cancer using a formally developed patient‐reported questionnaire. Study quality assessment was carried out with the tool developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.ResultsForty‐six studies using 12 different questionnaires were included. The majority were cross‐sectional (85%), and study quality was rated poor in 30%, fair in 30%, and good in 39% of studies. When comparing results from the four most frequently used questionnaires with normative data, we found that in more than 60% of studies, differences to the reference population were of clinical importance, with only few exceptions.ConclusionsIn general, we found that people who received TL have a worse HRQoL than the male normative reference population. However, even though TL patients experience a clinically important difference in many domains when compared with normative data, their burden of symptoms is generally mild. The current review also makes it evident that despite the relatively large number of studies conducted, the strength of evidence remains weak. Laryngoscope, 131:820–831, 2021
Characterizing Vocal Fold Injury Recovery in a Rabbit Model With Three‐Dimensional Virtual Histology
Authors: Kolosova Ksenia , Gao Qiman , Tuznik Marius , Bouhabel Sarah , Kost Karen M. , Wang Huijie , Li‐Jessen Nicole Y. K. , Mongeau Luc , Wiseman Paul W. 
Published: August 2020

Objectives/HypothesisIn animal studies of vocal fold scarring and treatment, imaging‐based evaluation is most often conducted by tissue slicing and histological staining. Given variation in anatomy, injury type, severity, and sacrifice timepoints, planar histological sections provide limited spatiotemporal details of tissue repair. Three‐dimensional (3D) virtual histology may provide additional contextual spatial information, enhancing objective interpretation. The study's aim was to evaluate the suitability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), microscale computed tomography (CT), and nonlinear laser‐scanning microscopy (NM) as virtual histology approaches for rabbit studies of vocal fold scarring.MethodsA unilateral injury was created using microcup forceps in the left vocal fold of three New Zealand White rabbits. Animals were sacrificed at 3, 10, and 39 days postinjury. ex vivo imaging of excised larynges was performed with MRI, CT, and NM modalities.ResultsThe MRI modality allowed visualization of injury location and morphological internal features with 100‐μm spatial resolution. The CT modality provided a view of the injury defect surface with 12‐μm spatial resolution. The NM modality with optical clearing resolved second‐harmonic generation signal of collagen fibers and two‐photon autofluorescence in vocal fold lamina propria, muscle, and surrounding cartilage structures at submicrometer spatial scales.ConclusionsFeatures of vocal fold injury and wound healing were observed with MRI, CT, and NM. The MRI and CT modalities provided contextual spatial information and dissection guidance, whereas NM resolved extracellular matrix structure. The results serve as a proof of concept to motivate incorporation of 3D virtual histology techniques in future vocal fold injury animal studies.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 131:1578–1587, 2021
Home Sleep Testing to Direct Upper Airway Stimulation Therapy Optimization for Sleep Apnea
Authors: Steffen Armin , König Inke R. , Baptista Peter M. , Abrams Nils , Jeschke Stephanie , Hasselbacher Katrin 
Published: August 2020

Objectives/HypothesisSelective upper airway stimulation (sUAS) is a well‐established treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study aimed to determine if there are benefits in performing a home sleep test (HST) to evaluate postoperative sUAS effectiveness after patient acclimatization compared to the generally used polysomnography (PSG) titration, as measured by long‐term follow‐up outcomes.Study DesignRetrospective comparative cohort analysis.MethodsWe conducted an analysis of consecutive patients at our center who had completed a 6‐month follow‐up (month 6 [M6]) and recorded data from M6, month 12 (M12), and month 24 (M24). After device activation, we performed an HST with the patient's stimulation settings, and measured the apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and device usage. These values were compared to patients who had undergone PSG‐based device titration.ResultsBaseline values of the initial 131 patients show high ESS and moderate OSA. At the 2‐month time point of the HST, nearly half of the patients (46.2%) reached an AHI ≤15/hr, and approximately a fifth (19.2%) reached <5/hr. The PSG and HST groups differed in median ESS at M24, but no other differences were observed for ESS at M6 and M12. Both groups showed similar AHI, oxygen desaturation, and usage hours per week.ConclusionsAdjusting therapy by using the HST technique after device activation and acclimatization has clinical and economic advantages. These advantages are contingent on several conditions being met when deviating from the standard device protocol, including precise communication with the referring sleep medicine physicians, especially their role in helping with long‐term follow‐up.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1375–E1379, 2021
Swellable Gelatin Methacryloyl Microneedles for Extraction of Interstitial Skin Fluid toward Minimally Invasive Monitoring of Urea
Authors: Fonseca Daniela F. S. , Costa Paulo Cardoso , Almeida Isabel F. , Dias‐Pereira Patrícia , Correia‐Sá Inês , Bastos Verónica , Oliveira Helena , Vilela Carla , Silvestre Armando J. D. , Freire Carmen S. R. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractUrea, the main nitrogenous waste product of protein metabolism, is eliminated almost exclusively by the kidney, and hence, displays considerable clinical significance in the assessment of kidney disorders. The aim of this study is to prepare and investigate the potential of swellable cross‐linked gelatin methacryloyl (c‐GelMA) microneedles (MNs) as a platform for minimally invasive extraction of interstitial skin fluid (ISF) toward straightforward point‐of‐care healthcare monitoring of renal complaints, by quantification of urea. c‐GelMA MNs are successfully prepared by photo‐cross‐linking and micromolding, faithfully replicating the master molds (387 ± 16 µm height, 200 µm base and 500 µm tip‐to‐tip distance). These MN patches display good mechanical properties, withstanding more than 0.15 N per needle without breaking. Ex vivo skin insertion assays reveal that the MNs penetrate up to 237 µm depth, reaching the dermis, where they should extract ISF considering a real application. In an in vitro application using an agarose skin model system, the c‐GelMA MNs are able to efficiently recover urea (>98%). Additionally, these MNs exhibit noncytotoxic effects toward human keratinocytes. These findings suggest that c‐GelMA MNs are promising devices for sampling ISF and offline analysis of urea, opening new avenues for simple point‐of‐care healthcare monitoring.
Cyclo(RGDfK) Functionalized Spider Silk Cell Scaffolds: Significantly Improved Performance in Just One Click
Authors: Harvey David , Bray Gemma , Zamberlan Francesco , Amer Mahetab , Goodacre Sara L. , Thomas Neil R. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractRecombinant spider silk has the potential to provide a new generation of biomaterial scaffolds as a result of its degree of biocompatibility and lack of immunogenicity. These recombinant biomaterials are, however, reported to exhibit poor cellular adhesion which limits their potential for use in applications such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this study, a simple chemical functionalization approach is described that specifically addresses this issue and significantly improves the adhesion of human mesenchymal stem cells (CiMSCs) to a recombinant spider silk biomaterial. This utilizes copper‐catalyzed or strain‐promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC/SPAAC) “click” chemistry to covalently attach cyclo(RGDfK) peptides to the azide group of l‐azidohomoalanine, a methionine analogue previously site specifically incorporated into the primary sequence of a thioredoxin (TRX)‐tagged silk fusion protein, TRX‐4RepCT, to give TRX3Aha‐4RepCT3Aha. This method is used to produce cyclo(RGDfK) functionalized films and macroscopic fibers. Over 24 h, cyclo(RGDfK) functionalized TRX3Aha‐4RepCT3Aha films and 4RepCT3Aha fibers display significantly improved performance in CiMSC culture, yielding far greater cell numbers than the controls. This approach circumvents the previously observed lack of cell adhesion, thus allowing spider silk derived biomaterials to be used where such adhesion is critical, in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and wound healing.