bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Thyroid disease in the time of COVID-19
Authors: Dworakowska Dorota , Grossman Ashley B. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 is produced by SARS-CoV-2. WHO has declared COVID-19 as a public health emergency, with the most susceptible populations (requiring ventilation) being the elderly, pregnant women and people with associated co-morbidities including heart failure, uncontrolled diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and cancer. However, such general guidance does not provide information regarding COVID-19 risks in patients with suffering from pre-existing thyroid problems, and furthermore, we do not know whether patients with COVID-19 (symptomatic or without symptoms), who have not previously had thyroid issues develop endocrine thyroid dysfunction after infection. The European Society for Endocrinology recently published a statement on COVID-19 and endocrine diseases (Endocrine, 2020); however, thyroid diseases were not mentioned specifically. We have therefore reviewed the current literature on thyroid diseases (excluding cancer) and COVID-19, including data from the previous coronavirus pandemic caused by the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), a member of the same family Coronaviridae leading to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). At the moment there are no data suggesting that thyroid patients are at higher risk of COVID-19, but this requites further research and data analysis.
Iron index as an organic matter decay intensity indicator in a shallow groundwater system highly contaminated with phenol (case study in northern Poland)
Authors: Pierri Dorota , Czop Mariusz 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe decay of organic matter of anthropogenic origin in a highly contaminated shallow groundwater system occurs permanently regardless of the availability of oxygen. Oxidation of organic matter smoothly changes from aerobic to anaerobic and vice versa. Hydrogeochemical transformations occurring in the interior of the contaminant plume are conditioned by the position in the 3D zone of the so-called “redox reactor” and its edge. The primary reaction initiating the decay of organic matter (TOC max 1620 mg/L, phenol max 613 mg/L) is its aerobic oxidation. In the case of the consumption of free oxygen, the decay undergoes anaerobic oxidation, where the source of electrons are oxides and hydroxides (MnO2, Fe(OH)3). As a result of these reactions, mobile ions Mn2+ and Fe2+ pass into the aqueous environment creating a concentration anomaly (max 15 mg/L for Mn2+, 673 mg/L for Fe2+). The presence of Fe2+ in groundwater is crucial. A strong correlation between the organic matter decay processes and concentration of the Fe2+ showed that “iron index” may be a preliminary marker for the hydrogeochemical recognition of aquifer and allows to diagnose zones with an intense organic matter decay, especially by anaerobic oxidation through redox reactions. At the edge of the “redox reactor” redox sensitive metals (Fe2+, Mn2+ and also Cu2+, Cr3+, Hg2+) undergo aerobic oxidation due to the access of oxygen as a result of mixing of contaminated groundwater and oxygenated pure Quaternary water. These transformations produce oxides and hydroxides (MnO2, Fe(OH)3)—new reaction products, however, are used for anaerobic oxidation of organic matter. Organic matter decay is an cyclic system of redox processes up to the full decay of pollutants and generation of the anomalously high concentrations of redox sensitive metals in the ground.
Making a Lecture Stick: the Effect of Spaced Instruction on Knowledge Retention in Medical Education
Authors: Timmer Marnix C. J. , Steendijk Paul , Arend Sandra M. , Versteeg Marjolein 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIntroductionPoor knowledge retention is a persistent problem among medical students. This challenging issue may be addressed by optimizing frequently used instructional designs, such as lectures. Guided by neuroscientific literature, we designed a spaced learning lecture in which the educator repeats the to-be-learned information using short temporal intervals. We investigated if this modified instructional design could enhance students’ retention.Materials and MethodsSecond-year medical students (n= 148) were randomly allocated to either the spaced lecture or the traditional lecture. The spaced lecture consisted of three 15-min instructional periods, separated by 5-min intervals. A short summary of the preceding information was provided after each interval. The traditional lecture encompassed the same information including the summary in the massed format, thus without the intervals. All students performed a baseline knowledge test 2 weeks prior to the lectures and students’ knowledge retention was assessed 8 days after the lectures.ResultsThe average score on the retention test (α= 0.74) was not significantly different between the spaced lecture group (33.8% ± 13.6%) and the traditional lecture group (31.8% ± 12.9%) after controlling for students’ baseline-test performance (F(1,104) = 0.566,p= 0.458). Students’ narrative comments showed that the spaced lecture format was well-received and subjectively benefitted their attention-span and cognitive engagement.Discussion and ConclusionWe were unable to show increased knowledge retention after the spaced lecture compared with the traditional lecture. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for further research. Ultimately, we aim for optimized spaced learning designs to facilitate learning in the medical curriculum and to help educate health professionals with a solid knowledge base.
Insights into stent implantation for coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease
Authors: Tsuda Etsuko 
Published: June 2020

AbstractFifty years have passed since the first report of Kawasaki disease in 1967, and the prevalence of acute coronary syndrome in Kawasaki disease patients with coronary artery lesions exceeding 40 years old has increased. Primary coronary stent implantation is currently an acceptable method in ischaemic coronary heart disease in adults. However, it is unknown whether the stent implantation is effective or not in this population. As the clue to answer this question, I reviewed the references on Kawasaki disease patients who underwent the stent implantations between 1997 and 2019. Thirty-three patients underwent stent implantations for 34 coronary arteries. Adverse effects in the late period were found in 19 (68%) of 28 vessels with follow-up angiograms. There were complete occlusion 9, restenosis 8, and migration 2. A new aneurysm formation was found in 7 (37%) among the 19 vessels, and 6 (86%) of the 7 vessels were drug-eluting stent and 5 were found after the procedure for chronic total occlusion. The adverse effects free-rate at 1 year and 3 years were 57 and 25%, respectively. At present, the usefulness of stent implantation in the long-term results was scarce. Even if primary percutaneous coronary intervention without a stent implantation is performed for acute coronary syndrome, it can be expected to maintain the patency of the culprit lesion for several years. It is better to avoid a stent implantation as long as possible in this population. Knowing the long-term efficacy and complications of stent implantations is important for deciding the procedure.
The Influence of A Cross‐Reef Channel On the Wave‐Driven Setup and Circulation at Ipan, Guam
Authors: Clark S. Jeanette , Becker Janet M. , Merrifield Mark A. , Behrens James 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe influence of a deep (30 m), narrow (30 m) cross‐shore channel on the circulation and wave‐induced setup over a shallow (∼0.5 m) and wide (∼400 m) shore‐attached fringing reef is examined using field measurements collected at Ipan, Guam. Mean currents on the reef flat over a 7‐week study period during mid and high tides when the reef is submerged are directed toward the channel with the alongshore component of the current increasing with proximity to the channel. The cross‐shore component of the reef flat current is directed onshore at the sensors in the far‐field of the channel with a weak offshore flow at the current meter located closest to the channel (∼760 m to the north). Low‐frequency fluctuations of the alongshore reef flat current and offshore channel current are significantly correlated and with the incident significant wave height. Mean and low‐frequency fluctuating currents are forced by the spatially variable wave‐driven setup, modulated by tidal elevation, which creates a pressure gradient over the reef flat due to the channel where waves do not break. The dominant alongshore momentum balance on the reef flat is between the pressure gradient and bottom stress, with an inferred drag coefficient of CD ∼ 0.01. A simple analytical model is presented that is consistent with the observations and delineates the near‐ and far‐field of the channel as a function of the aspect ratio of the reef. Observations from a longer deployment of channel currents are highly correlated with incident wave height in distinct tidal level bands.
Improving Surface PM2.5 Forecasts in the United States Using an Ensemble of Chemical Transport Model Outputs: 1. Bias Correction With Surface Observations in Nonrural Areas
Authors: Zhang Huanxin , Wang Jun , García Lorena Castro , Ge Cui , Plessel Todd , Szykman James , Murphy Benjamin , Spero Tanya L. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThis work is the first of a two‐part study that aims to develop a computationally efficient bias correction framework to improve surface PM2.5 forecasts in the United States. Here, an ensemble‐based Kalman filter (KF) technique is developed primarily for nonrural areas with approximately 500 surface observation sites for PM2.5 and applied to three (GEOS‐Chem, WRF‐Chem, and WRF‐CMAQ) chemical transport model (CTM) hindcast outputs for June 2012. While all CTMs underestimate daily surface PM2.5 mass concentration by 20–50%, KF correction is effective for improving each CTM forecast. Subsequently, two ensemble methods are formulated: (1) the arithmetic mean ensemble (AME) that equally weights each model and (2) the optimized ensemble (OPE) that calculates the individual model weights by minimizing the least‐square errors. While the OPE shows superior performance than the AME, the combination of either the AME or the OPE with a KF performs better than the OPE alone, indicating the effectiveness of the KF technique. Overall, the combination of a KF with the OPE shows the best results. Lastly, the Successive Correction Method (SCM) was applied to spread the bias correction from model grids with surface PM2.5 observations to the grids lacking ground observations by using a radius of influence of 125 km derived from surface observations, which further improves the forecast of surface PM2.5 at the national scale. Our findings provide the foundation for the second part of this study that uses satellite‐based aerosol optical depth (AOD) products to further improve the forecast of surface PM2.5 in rural areas by performing statistical analysis of model output.
A GeoHealth Response to a Geoscience Community Climate Change Position Statement
Authors: Rehr R. C. , Bandaragoda C. , Zaitchik B. F. , Wimberly M. C. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe American Geophysical Union (AGU) issues position statements reflecting the state of the science and scientific consensus. AGU position statements can be used to support public and institutional policy development, conversations with peers and policymakers, and formal and informal education. The recent climate change position statement, “Society Must Address the Growing Climate Crisis now,” provides important baseline information but lacks detail on critical climate and health impacts and actions for AGU and members. This commentary shares feedback from the AGU's GeoHealth Section and encourages members to use the AGU statement and engage in the comment process for other statements.
A Framework for Efficient Calculation of Photoionization and Photodetachment Rates With Application to the Lower Ionosphere
Authors: Janalizadeh Reza , Pasko Victor P. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractA framework is developed to model photoionization of metals deposited in the lower ionosphere as a result of meteoric ablation and photodetachment of electrons from negative ions of the Earth's ionosphere due to sources of emission other than solar radiation. A wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum including cases of negligible, moderate, and significant absorption of radiation is considered. We limit our scope to the radiation transport through lower ionospheric regions, in case when molecular oxygen, O2, is considered as the main absorber of radiation as photoabsorption due to ozone is only effective at stratospheric altitudes and molecular nitrogen, N2, is transparent to radiation with wavelengths longer than ∼100 nm. We model photon transport in an exponential atmosphere and derive efficient differential representations of the problem in case of negligible photoabsorption and constant pressure approximations. Photoabsorption asymmetry in the atmosphere is demonstrated in case of photons with absorption scales comparable to the scale height of the atmosphere. The application of the model to photoionization in the lower ionosphere is demonstrated by considering photoionization of meteoric species due to photons of the Lyman‐Birge‐Hopfield (LBH) band system of N2 observed in the aurora and in the lightning‐induced transient luminous events. Furthermore, we model detachment of electrons from negative ions of the ionosphere due to the first positive and the second positive band systems of N2, and the first negative band system of N
, also observed in the sources mentioned above.
Oestrogen receptor pathway activity is associated with outcome in endometrial cancer
Authors: van Weelden Willem Jan , van der Putten Louis J. M. , Inda Márcia A. , van Brussel Anne , Snijders Marc P. L. M. , Schriever Lisanne M. M. , Bulten Johan , Massuger Leon F. A. G. , van de Stolpe Anja , Pijnenborg Johanna M. A. 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background
Oestrogen receptor (ER) expression is a prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer (EC). However, expression does not provide information about the functional activity of the ER pathway. We evaluated a model to quantify ER pathway activity in EC, and determined the prognostic relevance of ER pathway activity.

Methods
ER pathway activity was measured in two publicly available datasets with endometrial and EC tissue, and one clinical cohort with 107 samples from proliferative and hyperplastic endometrium and endometrioid-type EC (EEC) and uterine serous cancer (USC). ER pathway activity scores were inferred from ER target gene mRNA levels from Affymetrix microarray data (public datasets), or measured by qPCR on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (clinical cohort) and related to ER expression and outcome.

Results
ER pathway activity scores differed significantly throughout the menstrual cycle supporting the validity of the pathway test. The highest ER pathway scores were found in proliferative and hyperplastic endometrium and stage I EEC, whereas stage II–IV EEC and USCs had significantly lower levels. Low ER pathway activity was associated with recurrent disease, and added prognostic value in patients with low ER expression.

Conclusion
The ER pathway test reflects activity of the ER pathway, and may improve prediction of outcome in EC patients.
Chronic in vivo exposure to Helicobacter pylori VacA: Assessing the efficacy of automated and long-term intragastric toxin infusion
Authors: Holland Robin L. , Bosi Kristopher D. , Harpring Gregory H. , Luo Jiayi , Wallig Matthew , Phillips Heidi , Blanke Steven R. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractHelicobacter pylori (Hp) secrete VacA, a diffusible pore-forming exotoxin that is epidemiologically linked to gastric disease in humans. In vitro studies indicate that VacA modulates gastric epithelial and immune cells, but the in vivo contributions of VacA as an important determinant of Hp colonization and chronic infection remain poorly understood. To identify perturbations in the stomachs of C57BL/6 or BALB/C mice that result specifically from extended VacA exposure, we evaluated the efficacy of administering purified toxin using automated infusion via surgically-implanted, intragastric catheters. At 3 and 30 days of interrupted infusion, VacA was detected in association with gastric glands. In contrast to previously-reported tissue damage resulting from short term exposure to Hp extracts administered by oral gavage, extended infusion of VacA did not damage stomach, esophageal, intestinal, or liver tissue. However, several alterations previously reported during Hp infection were detected in animals infused with VacA, including reduction of the gastric mucus layer, and increased vacuolation of parietal cells. VacA infusion invoked an immune response, as indicated by the detection of circulating VacA antibodies. These foundational studies support the use of VacA infusion for identifying gastric alterations that are unambiguously attributable to long-term exposure to toxin.
Phonetic Implementation of Prosodic Emphasis in Preschool-Aged Children and Adults: Probing the Development of Sensorimotor Speech Goals
Authors: Ménard Lucie , Prémont Amélie , Trudeau-Fisette Pamela , Turgeon Christine , Tiede Mark 
Published: June 2020

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the production of contrastive emphasis in French-speaking 4-year-olds and adults. Based on previous work, we predicted that, due to their immature motor control abilities, preschool-aged children would produce smaller articulatory differences between emphasized and neutral syllables than adults.MethodTen 4-year-old children and 10 adult French speakers were recorded while repeating /bib/, /bub/, and /bab/ sequences in neutral and contrastive emphasis conditions. Synchronous recordings of tongue movements, lip and jaw positions, and speech signals were made. Lip positions and tongue shapes were analyzed; formant frequencies, amplitude, fundamental frequency, and duration were extracted from the acoustic signals; and between-vowel contrasts were calculated.ResultsEmphasized vowels were higher in pitch, intensity, and duration than their neutral counterparts in all participants. However, the effect of contrastive emphasis on lip position was smaller in children. Prosody did not affect tongue position in children, whereas it did in adults. As a result, children's productions were perceived less accurately than those of adults.ConclusionThese findings suggest that 4-year-old children have not yet learned to produce hypoarticulated forms of phonemic goals to allow them to successfully contrast syllables and enhance prosodic saliency.
Parkinson Disease Bootcamp: An Education Program for Individuals With Parkinson Disease and Their Families
Authors: Parveen Sabiha 
Published: June 2020

Purpose
A strong social support system for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) and their families often include awareness of existing resources, involvement in the community, and access to supportive relationships. Community-based education programs are one such avenue for building a strong social support system and improving the quality of life of people with PD and their family members. This viewpoint article presents the conceptualization and efficacy of a 3-day multidisciplinary educational program for individuals with PD and their families.

Method
A total of 52 people attended the event, including individuals with PD and their family members. The 3-day event included presentations by different health care professionals and activities aimed to increase the knowledge of individuals with PD and their families regarding possible effects of PD and available resources within the local community.

Results
A vast majority of participants shared extremely positive responses and expressed a strong interest in attending similar events in the future.

Conclusion
The success of the educational program led to new partnerships and the creation of community-based programs for individuals with PD and their families.
Broadband polarisation reconfigurable antenna based on crossed dipole and parasitic elements for LTE/sub‐6GHz 5G and WLAN applications
Authors: Jin Guiping , Li Long , Wang Wei , Liao Shaowei 
Published: June 2020

Broadband polarisation reconfigurable antenna based on crossed dipole and parasitic elements is proposed in this study, which can switch among three polarisation modes, i.e. linear polarisation, left‐hand circular polarisation and right‐hand circular polarisation. The proposed antenna consists of two crossed dipoles fed by a 3/4 square ring, two microstrip feeding elements etched at the centre of the upper and lower sides of the dielectric substrate, and three sets of microstrip parasitic elements helping broaden the axial‐ratio (AR) bandwidth. Four PIN diodes are embedded between each crossed dipole and the microstrip feeding element, which enable the polarisation reconfigurability. The working principle of polarisation reconfigurability is analysed in detail. The measured results show that the proposed antenna has a −10 dB overlapped impedance bandwidth of 63.5% (2.04–3.94GHz) and the 3 dB overlapped AR bandwidth is about 54.5% (2.4–4.2GHz), resulting in a wide overall bandwidth of 48.6% (2.40–3.94GHz). Besides, the measured peak gain of this antenna reaches up to 8.5 dBi. The proposed antenna can be a good candidate for 2.45GHz WiFi, LTE 4G, and sub‐6GHz 5G applications.
Corneal Endothelial Decompensation
Authors: Gupta Kishan , Deng Sophie X. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractEndothelial decompensation can occur from a variety of insults to the endothelium that result in loss of stromal clarity. Direct insults to the endothelium commonly occur in inherited, inflammatory, traumatic, immunological, and infectious etiologies. These injuries may cause transient injury without decompensation, but repetitive injury or severe isolated injury can lead to permanent non-compensatory endothelial cell loss. Elevated intraocular pressure can induce stromal hydration, either primarily or secondarily. With partial and full thickness corneal transplants, chronic endothelial dysfunction can be treated surgically when medical therapy proves inadequate. Practitioners should be aware of the underlying causes for corneal endothelial injury.
Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome Treated with Homoeopathy—A Case Report
Authors: Parveen Suraia 
Published: June 2020

AbstractStaphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is an acute superficial blistering skin disorder caused by the exfoliative toxins produced by gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus which predominantly affects children and neonates and can cause serious morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of SSSS is based on clinical findings and requires prompt medical treatment with proper hygiene and adequate diet to achieve successful result. Here, a case of a two and half years old girl is presented with a blistering skin syndrome for past 2 days without taking any conventional medicinal treatment. It was treated successfully with individualised homoeopathic medicines Rhus toxicodendron with dilution 50 millesimal potency 4 (Rhus tox 0/4) with supportive care. Within 6 days of treatment, the patient responded well to the homoeopathy medicine. All the symptoms and signs of staphylococcal skin blister lesions were healed completely within 10 days of treatment without development of any complications and recurrence. Homoeopathy treatment has a positive curative effect in bacterial blister skin lesions. This case report represents an alternative for the treatment of SSSS.