bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical significance of early‐diastolic tissue velocity imaging of lateral mitral annulus for prognosis of nonischemic left ventricular dysfunction
Authors: Kim Hyungseop , Kim In‐Cheol , Choi Sang‐Woong , Chung Jin‐Wook , Kim Jin Young 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPurposeWe explored the potential of tissue velocity imaging (TVI) for prognosis of nonischemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (LVD).MethodsWe reviewed 138 nonischemic LVD patients (58 ± 14 years) who underwent both cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and echocardiography. Septal and lateral mitral annular TVI data were compared with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on CMR. During a mean follow‐up of 24 months, recovery (>15%) of LV ejection fraction and clinical outcomes (cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization) were assessed.ResultsLGE was commonly observed in the basal anteroseptal, inferoseptal, and inferior segments, but infrequently observed in the anterolateral segment. LGE was associated with lower early diastolic, septal (Sep‐e′ = 5.2 ± 2.0 vs 6.9 ± 2.0 cm/s, P = .031) and lateral (Lat‐e′ = 7.3 ± 3.0 vs 9.5 ± 2.0 cm/s, P < .001) TVI. The relationship between Lat‐e′ and anterolateral LGE (area under the curve, AUC 0.834) was much better than that between Sep‐e′ and inferoseptal LGE (AUC 0.699). The 60 patients with LVD reversibility revealed higher Lat‐e′ (9.8 ± 2.0 vs 6.7 ± 2.2 cm/s, P < .001) and lower LGE burden (7.3 ± 9.0 vs 22 ± 10%, P < .001), while Lat‐e′ ≤ 7.8 cm/s appeared unfavorable for 31 events patients. On multivariate analyses, Lat‐e′ (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63‐0.99, P = .044) and LVD reversibility (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.16‐0.90, P = .018) were still meaningful together with LGE segments and burden.ConclusionLat‐e′ was related with LVD reversibility and a significant predictor of clinical outcomes.
Engaging men in HIV programmes: a qualitative study of male engagement in community‐based antiretroviral refill groups in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mantell Joanne E , Masvawure Tsitsi B , Mapingure Munyaradzi , Apollo Tsitsi , Gwanzura Clorata , Block Laura , Bennett Eleanor , Preko Peter , Musuka Godfrey , Rabkin Miriam 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIntroductionSuboptimal male engagement in HIV programmes is a persistent challenge, leading to lower coverage of HIV testing, prevention and treatment services, and to worse outcomes for men. Differentiated service delivery models, such as peer‐led community antiretroviral refill groups (CARGs), offer the opportunity to enhance patient satisfaction, retention and treatment outcomes. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to identify facilitators and barriers to CARG participation by HIV‐positive men, with inputs from recipients of HIV care, community members, healthcare workers (HCWs), donors and policymakers.MethodsBetween July and October 2017, we conducted 20 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 147 adults living with HIV, including men and women enrolled in CARGs and men not enrolled in CARGs, and 46 key informant interviews (KIIs) with policymakers, donors, HCWs and community members. FGDs and KIIs were recorded, transcribed and translated. A constant comparison approach was used to triangulate findings and identify themes related to male engagement in CARGs in rural Zimbabwe.ResultsCARG participants, policymakers, donors, HCWs, and community members noted many advantages to CARG participation, including convenience, efficiency, solidarity and mutual psychosocial support. Although those familiar with CARGs reported that these groups decreased HIV‐related stigma, concerns about stigma and privacy were perceived to be the primary reason for men’s non‐participation. Other important barriers to male enrolment included lack of awareness of CARGs, misunderstanding of how CARGs operate, few perceived benefits and lack of flexibility in CARG implementation.ConclusionsMore effective educational and awareness campaigns, community‐based anti‐stigma campaigns, more flexible CARG designs, and provision of financial and/or in‐kind support to CARG members could mitigate many of the barriers to male enrolment in CARGs. Men may also prefer alternative differentiated service delivery models that are facility‐based and/or do not require group participation.
Phenylketonuria, co‐morbidity, and ageing: A review
Authors: Vardy Emma R.L.C. , MacDonald Anita , Ford Suzanne , Hofman Denise L. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPhenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic condition which, left untreated, results in severe and irreversible brain damage. Newborn screening and the development of the low phenylalanine (Phe) diet have transformed the outcomes for people with PKU. Those who have benefited from early treatment are now approaching their fifth and sixth decade. It is therefore timely to consider multi‐morbidity in PKU and the effects of ageing, in parallel with the wider benefits of emerging treatment options in addition to dietary relaxation. We have conducted the first literature review of co‐morbidity and ageing in the context of PKU. Avenues explored have emerged from limited study of multi‐morbidity to date and the knowledge and critical enquiry of the authors. Findings suggest PKU to have a wider impact than brain development, and result in several intriguing questions that require investigation to attain the best outcomes for people with PKU in adulthood moving through to older age. We recognise the difficulty in studying longitudinal outcomes in rare diseases and emphasise the necessity to develop PKU registries and cohorts that facilitate well‐designed studies to answer some of the questions raised in this review. Whilst awaiting new information in these areas we propose that clinicians engage with patients to make personalised and well‐informed decisions around Phe control and assessment for co‐morbidity.
Long bone histology of Chersina angulata : Interelement variation and life history data
Authors: Bhat Mohd Shafi , Chinsamy Anusuya , Parkington John 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe current study deduced the growth pattern and lifestyle habits of Chersina angulata based on bone histology and cross‐sectional geometry of limb bones. Femora, humeri, and tibiae of seven different‐sized individuals representing different ontogenetic stages were assessed to determine the interelement and intraskeletal histological variation within and among the tortoises. The bone histology of adult propodials consists of a highly vascularized, uninterrupted fibrolamellar bone tissue with a woven texture in the perimedullary and midcortical regions suggesting overall fast early growth. However, later in ontogeny, growth was slow and even ceased periodically as suggested by slowly formed parallel‐fibered bone tissue and several growth marks in the pericortical region. In juvenile individuals, fibrolamellar bone tissue is restricted to the perimedullary regions of propodials as remnants of bone formed during the earliest stages of ontogeny. The epipodials are characterized by having parallel‐fibered bone tissue present in their cortices; however, periodic arrests in growth are recorded at various times. Remnants of fibrolamellar bone tissue formed during early ontogeny occur in the epipodials of only a few individuals. Interelement variation is evident, in terms of variation in the orientation of vascular canals between individuals and within the same diaphyseal cross‐sections. Different elements show varying cross‐sectional geometry, which appear to be correlated with the fossorial behavior of the species. Our results show that of all the long bones, the tibia is least remodeled during ontogeny and it is therefore the best element for skeletochronology.
A multilevel review of stressor research in teams
Authors: Razinskas Stefan , Hoegl Martin 
Published: November 2019

SummaryThe contemporary work environment is characterized by an ongoing trend to embed employees in teams because of their expected abilities for handling complex tasks and integrating diverse sets of knowledge and skills. However, leveraging this potential is endangered by stimuli within and outside of teams that take a toll on cohesion and teamwork among team members. Understanding the role that stressors and demands play in the work‐related functioning of teams and their members is therefore an increasingly important challenge in the organizational behavior literature. Whereas research on stressors and demands has primarily focused on the individual level, we expand the research scope by considering these phenomena to be multilevel. We perform an interdisciplinary review of the literature on these stimuli in teams and show how related research, such as that on destructive leadership, may benefit from a more balanced account and integration of frameworks on stressors. Our multilevel review is informative for the literature on stressors and demands at the individual and team levels, as it offers an important conceptual grounding for how and why various stimuli in this social environment differentially influence both the collective entity and its individual team members.
Synoptic characteristics of extreme heatwaves over the Korean Peninsula based on ERA Interim reanalysis data
Authors: Min Ki‐Hong , Chung Chia‐Hui , Bae Jeong‐Ho , Cha Dong‐Hyun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe characteristics of heatwaves (HWs) in South Korea are studied using data from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Interim (ERA Interim) dataset and from automatic surface weather stations. The synoptic conditions of three specific years (1994, 2013, and 2016) during which serious HWs affected South Korea are examined. HWs in South Korea are related to the northwestwardly extension of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) toward the Korean Peninsula. Examination of the blocking indices revealed widespread blocking over the northern Pacific Ocean and Asia during South Korean HWs, and blocking is related to stationary weather patterns. The severe temperatures associated with HWs in this region are due to prolonged subsidence. Analysis of the moist static energy (MSE) budget indicated that the energy source of subsidence is derived from both MSE advection and the net heat flux. When compared to the synoptic situation during an HW in South Korea, the relative southward movement of the WNPSH is found before and after the HW. The blocking indices also revealed weak signals and changes in vertical motion due to MSE advection.
6‐Shogaol, an active ingredient of ginger, inhibits osteoclastogenesis and alveolar bone resorption in ligature‐induced periodontitis in mice
Authors: Kim Yong‐Gun , Kim Myoung Ok , Kim Sung‐Hyun , Kim Hyo Jeong , Pokhrel Nitin Kumar , Lee Ji Hye , Lee Heon‐Jin , Kim Jae‐Young , Lee Youngkyun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBackgroundPeriodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the tissues surrounding teeth that causes destruction of connective tissues. During the progress of periodontitis, osteoclasts are solely accountable for the resorption of alveolar bones that leads to the loss of teeth if not properly treated. Thus, the development of effective anti‐resorptive therapies will greatly benefit the treatment of periodontitis patients. In the present study, we suggest an inhibitory effect of 6‐shogaol, an ingredient of ginger, on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption.MethodsMouse bone marrow cells were cultured in the presence of macrophage‐colony stimulating factor and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL) to investigate the effect of 6‐shogaol on osteoclast differentiation and intracellular signaling pathways. 6‐shogaol significantly reduced osteoclast differentiation, actin ring formation, and resorption. In the presence of 6‐shogaol, osteoclast signaling including the RANKL‐induced activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases, Ca2+oscillation, generation of reactive oxygen species, and nuclear factor of activated T‐cells, cytoplasmic 1 nuclear translocation was significantly inhibited in vitro. Furthermore, a ligature‐induced periodontitis model in mice was used to determine the role of 6‐shogaol in vivo.ResultsThe administration of 6‐shogaol prevented osteoclastogenesis and alveolar bone resorption induced by ligature. Furthermore, the ligature‐induced number of macrophages and neutrophils as well as the expression of interleukin‐1β and tumor necrosis factor‐α were considerably lower in the periodontal tissues following shogaol injection.ConclusionThese results confirm the anti‐osteoclastogenic effect of 6‐shogaol and suggest the possibility of application as an anti‐resorptive strategy in periodontitis.
Smoking and gastrointestinal cancer patients—is smoking cessation an attainable goal?
Authors: Barrett James R. , Cherney‐Stafford Linda , Alagoz Esra , Piper Megan E. , Cook Jessica , Campbell‐Flohr Stephanie , Weber Sharon M. , Winslow Emily R. , Ronnkleiv‐Kelly Sean M. , Abbott Daniel E. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesNegative consequences of tobacco use during cancer treatment are well‐documented but more in‐depth, patient‐level data are needed to understand patient beliefs about continued smoking (vs cessation) during gastrointestinal (GI) cancer treatment.MethodsWe conducted semi‐structured interviews with 10 patients who were active smokers being treated for GI cancers and 5 caregivers of such patients. All interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim, and uploaded to NVivo. We consensus coded data inductively using conventional content analysis and iteratively developed our codebook. We developed data matrices to categorize the themes regarding patient perspectives on smoking as well as presumed barriers to smoking cessation during active therapy.ResultsOur interviews revealed three consistent themes: (a) Smoking cessation is not necessarily desired by many patients who have received a cancer diagnosis; (b) Failure in past quit attempts may lead to feelings of hopeless about future attempts, especially during cancer treatment; (c) Patients perceived little to no access to smoking cessation treatment at the time of their cancer diagnosis.ConclusionsWell‐designed systemic changes that promote the positive and efficacious effects of quitting smoking during cancer treatment, and that provide barrier‐free access to such treatments may be helpful in promoting tobacco‐free behavior during cancer treatment.
Sulcus Vocalis: Results of Excision Without Reconstruction
Authors: Andreadis Katerina , Hoffman Katherine , D'Angelo Debra , Sulica Lucian 
Published: November 2019

ObjectiveSulcus is an epithelial invagination of the membranous vocal fold. Its phonatory effects are usually attributed to fibrosis, thinning, and/or the absence of the superficial lamina propria (SLP). Surgical treatment is typically focused on reconstruction of the SLP. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of excision without SLP reconstruction or replacement.MethodsRecords of patients who underwent surgical treatment of sulcus vocalis (Ford type 3) by excision without reconstruction were reviewed for demographic and historical information. Pre‐ and postoperative stroboscopic examinations were evaluated blindly by fellowship‐trained laryngologists using a modified Voice‐Vibratory Assessment with Laryngeal Imaging assessment. A Wilcoxon signed‐rank test was used to compare pre‐ and postoperative amplitude, mucosal wave, nonvibrating portion, regularity, erythema, and vascularity.ResultsExaminations of 16 vocal folds in 13 patients (8 females:5 males; mean age = 30 years, range 13 to 48 years) were evaluated by six raters each, yielding 168 sets of observations. Statistically significant improvement was seen in amplitude (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6,14.3), mucosal wave (95% CI 6.1, 17.9), nonvibrating portion (95% CI −19.6, −2.7), erythema (95% CI −19.9, −3.3), and vascularity (95% CI −19.0, −0.75). The parameter of regularity, although improved, did not prove to be significant.ConclusionExcision alone appears to be an adequate and generally successful treatment for sulcus vocalis (Ford type 3). In contrast to established paradigms, restoration of the SLP does not appear to be essential to meaningful clinical improvement. Significant pathologic effects of sulcus vocalis may result from epithelial abnormalities alone.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 130:2208–2212, 2020
Person identification with limited training data using radar micro‐Doppler signatures
Authors: Lang Yue , Wang Qing , Yang Yang , Hou Chunping , He Yuan , Xu Jinchen 
Published: November 2019

AbstractRadar‐based human micro‐Doppler analysis has been the subject of much investigation in recent years. Apart from the conventional activity classification task, person identification based on human movement signal has emerged as a research interest. This paper presents a method to recognize a person's identity from varied human motions using an ultra‐wideband radar. The human movement data is captured in an indoor environment and is then transformed into micro‐Doppler spectrograms for identification. Moreover, as it is always challenging to construct large scale radar datasets in practice, we adopt a plain convolutional neural network with a multi‐scale feature aggregation strategy to address the identification problem. Experimental results show that the micro‐Doppler signatures have great potential in person identification, and our model presents relative satisfying performances limited training set. Especially, when “walking” is used for identification, our approach achieves a person identification accuracy of 96.8% for the four targets used.
Design of broadband hybrid class EF power amplifier based on novel capacitance compensation structure
Authors: Zhang Zhiwei , Cheng Zhiqun , Ke Huajie , Liu Guohua , Sun Hao , Gao Steven 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe operating frequency of traditional hybrid class‐EF power amplifiers is limited by the drain‐source output capacitance. This article proposes a novel wideband compensation circuit structure (CCS) for the drain‐source output capacitance. The drain of the transistor is connected in parallel with a wideband CCS to obtain the required output capacitance of the transistor, which improves the operating frequency of the hybrid class‐EF power amplifier and maintains high efficiency over a wide frequency band. Meanwhile, the wideband CCS is connected in parallel with the gate of transistor to suppress harmonics, thereby improving output power and efficiency. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed structure, a broadband high‐efficiency hybrid class‐EF power amplifier is fabricated by employing the CGH40010F GaN HEMT. The measurements show that the output power is 40.4 to 41.3 dBm, the drain efficiency is 67% to 72%, and the gain is 10.5 to 11.3 dB in the range of 1.6 to 2.6 GHz. The adjacent channel power ratio is under −30 dBc when using 20 MHz LTE signal without digital predistortion.
Establishing standards for acceptable waveforms in nerve conduction studies
Authors:   AANEM Professional Practice Committee
Published: November 2019

AbstractIntroductionThe purpose of this position statement is to clarify what constitutes an acceptable nerve conduction study (NCS) waveform in the practice of electrodiagnostic (EDx) medicine.MethodsThe American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine convened an expert panel to analyze the typical deficiencies of NCS waveforms seen when performed by unqualified providers and/or providers using substandard equipment and also to describe basic standards that all proper NCS waveforms should meet.ResultsAn acceptable NCS waveform should include clearly identifiable polarity, configuration, onset, peak(s), and return to baseline.DiscussionOnly NCSs performed using appropriate EDx equipment and interpreted by trained physicians can accurately measure the speed of nerve conduction and amplitude of the nerve response. If these parameters cannot be clearly identified, then the waveform should be considered substandard and should not be submitted for reimbursement according to the Current Procedural Terminology guidelines of the American Medical Association.
Using propensity score matching with doses in observational studies: An example from a child physical abuse and sleep quality study
Authors: Ji Xiaopeng , Cui Naixue , Liu Jianghong 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBoth physical abuse and poor sleep quality are public health concerns among adolescents, particularly in mainland China, but examining any causal effect of physical abuse on adolescents’ sleep quality using a randomized controlled trial is not possible for obvious ethical reasons. Researchers have proposed the use of propensity score matching with doses to minimize overt bias and estimate the effect of multidose treatments or varying degrees of risk exposure in observational studies. In this paper, we demonstrate the propensity score methods with a focus on matching with doses in an examination of the relationship between physical abuse levels (frequency and number of perpetrators) and self‐reported sleep quality among adolescents. Secondary analyses were conducted using data from the China Jintan Child Cohort. The sample comprised 707 adolescents (13.16 ± 0.90 years old) who had complete data on physical abuse, sleep, and covariates. Propensity scores were computed from eight covariates and used to carry out pair matching, matching with the frequency of abusive experience, and matching with the number of perpetrators. The standardized differences of covariates suggested an acceptable balance between groups after matching. The results derived from matching sets consistently indicated that adolescents being physically abused by parent(s) have worse sleep quality. Despite its inherent limitations, propensity score matching with doses provides a useful tool for nurse researchers analyzing observational data.
Rat Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Sheets Suppress Renal Fibrosis via Microvascular Protection
Authors: Imafuku Aya , Oka Masatoshi , Miyabe Yoei , Sekiya Sachiko , Nitta Kosaku , Shimizu Tatsuya 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Renal fibrosis is one of the largest global health care problems, and microvascular (MV) injury is important in the development of progressive fibrosis. Although conventional cell therapy suppresses kidney injury via the role of vasoprotective cytokines, the effects are limited due to low retention of administered cells. We recently described that transplantation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-transgenic mesothelial cell sheets showed a remarkable cell survival and strong therapeutic effects in a rat renal fibrosis model. Due to the translational hurdles of transgenic cells, we here applied this technique for allogeneic transplantation using rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). MSC sheets were transplanted onto the kidney surface of a rat renal ischemia–reperfusion-injury model and the effects were compared between those in untreated rats and those receiving intravenous (IV) administration of the cells. We found that donor-cell survival was superior in the cell sheet group relative to the IV group, and that the cell sheets secreted HGF and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) up to day 14. Transplantation of cell sheets increased the expression of activated HGF/VEGF receptors in the kidney. There was no evidence of migration of transplanted cells into the kidney parenchyma. Additionally, the cell sheets significantly suppressed renal dysfunction, MV injury, and fibrosis as compared with that observed in the untreated and IV groups. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the MSC sheet protected MV density in the whole kidney according to three-dimensional microcomputed tomography. In conclusion, MSC sheets strongly prevented renal fibrosis via MV protection, suggesting that this strategy represents a potential novel therapy for various kidney diseases. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:1330&1341