bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multi‐scale features of the co‐variability between global sea surface temperature anomalies and daily extreme rainfall in Argentina
Authors: Robledo Federico , Vera Carolina , Penalba Olga 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe goal of this study is to provide a better understanding of the trends and dominant oscillations characterizing the co‐variability between global sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and daily extreme rainfall in Argentina. A singular value decomposition was performed between daily extreme rainfall monthly index in Argentina and global SST without removing the trends. The three leading modes explain 70.5% of the co‐variability, while the two leading modes explain more than 66% of the variability. The two leading modes exhibit significant variability on inter‐annual timescales related to tropical Pacific and Indian oceans, and specifically with El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Indian Ocean Dipole. On decadal timescales, the leading mode activity is related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, whereas the second leading mode is associated with the Atlantic Multi‐decadal Oscillation (AMO). The third leading mode show co‐variability between the SST of the tropical Atlantic and the Indian ocean and extreme rainfall in the eastern‐centre of Argentina; this mode distinguishes phases of AMO. In addition, the two leading modes show positive trends, being largely non‐linear for leading one. The fact that extreme rainfall changes in Argentina observed in the last decades, are significantly influenced by the combination of the multi‐decadal variability and long‐term trends associated with the tropical oceans, is valuable knowledge to assess them in the future.
Predictors of chemotherapy and its effects in early stage squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
Authors: Jayakrishnan Thejus T. , White Richard J. , Greenberg Larisa , Colonias Athanasios , Wegner Rodney E. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundSquamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of larynx is a common head and neck cancer. For cases that are node negative, the role of definitive concurrent chemoradiation is unclear and not supported by guidelines but used at provider discretion. To address this knowledge gap, we examined the oncological outcomes with additional chemotherapy and factors correlated with the chemotherapy administration.MethodsWe queried the National Cancer Database for patients with early stage (T2N0M0) laryngeal SCC treated nonsurgically. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of chemotherapy. Multivariable Cox regression evaluated predictors of survival. Propensity matching accounted for indication biases.ResultsWe identified 7181 patients meeting the eligibility criteria, of which 1568 (22%) patients received chemotherapy in addition to radiation. Predictors of chemotherapy use included younger age, Caucasian race, more remote year of treatment, higher grade, sites other than glottis, treatment at a community cancer center, and use of intensity‐modulated radiation therapy. Median overall survival was not significantly different in the two arms analyzed—65 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 60, 72months) with chemotherapy compared to 70 months without chemotherapy (95% CI 66, 75 months,P<.37). Predictors for survival on propensity‐matched multivariable analysis were increased age, male sex, less education, lower income, higher comorbidity score, receipt of treatment at a community center, and nonglottic sites.ConclusionsThis study shows no clear survival benefit with chemotherapy in early stage disease. Although this implies that chemotherapy should not be routinely delivered, individualized judgment and prospective studies are recommended as the biology behind this interesting finding is undefined.Level of Evidence2C (Outcomes Research).
Clinical Outcomes of Portosystemic Shunts on the Outcome of Liver Transplantation
Authors: Rodriguez Eduardo A. , Perez Rachel , Zhang Nan , Lim Elisabeth S. , Miller Christopher , Schwartz Michael A. , McGirr Aidan J. , Srinivasan Ananth , Hewitt Winston , Silva Alvin C. , Rakela Jorge , Vargas Hugo E. 
Published: December 2019

Spontaneous portosystemic shunts (SPSSs) have been associated with worse clinical outcomes in the pre–liver transplantation (LT) setting, but little is known about their post‐LT impacts. Our aim was to compare LT candidates with and without SPSSs and assess the impact of SPSSs on patient mortality and graft survival in the post‐LT setting. Patients 18 years or older with abdominal imaging done prior to LT were included. Exclusion criteria were the presence of pre‐LT surgical shunts, LT indications other than cirrhosis, and combined solid organ transplantations. SPSSs were classified as absent, small, or large according to their maximum diameter (8 mm). Multiple variables that could influence the post‐LT course were extracted for analysis. Patient and graft survival were estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method and were compared between groups using a log‐rank test. The project received institutional review board approval. We extracted data from 326 patients. After comparing patients without SPSS or with small or large SPSSs, no statistical difference was found for overall patient survival: no SPSS (n = 8/63), reference; small SPSS (n = 18/150), hazard ratio (HR), 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45‐2.46); and large SPSS (n = 6/113), HR, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.20‐1.78); P = 0.20. Also, no difference was found for graft survival: no SPSS (n = 11/63), reference; small SPSS (n = 21/150), HR, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.38‐1.70); large SPSS (n = 11/113), HR, 0.59 (95% CI, 0.25‐1.40); P = 0.48. Similarly, no statistical significance was found for these variables when comparing if the graft used was procured from a donation after circulatory death donor versus a donation after brain death donor. In conclusion, the previously described association between SPSSs and worse clinical outcomes in pre‐LT patients seems not to persist once patients undergo LT. This study suggests that no steps to correct SPSS intraoperatively are necessary.
A report of 2 cases of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) and an analysis of clinical and genetic characteristics in a Chinese CdLS cohort
Authors: Li Shuo , Miao Hui , Yang Hongbo , Wang Linjie , Gong Fengying , Chen Shi , Zhu Huijuan , Pan Hui 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundCornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare dominantly inherited developmental disorder with an estimated prevalence of 0.5–10:100,000 and no racial disparity in prevalence. The aim of this study was to present two unrelated Chinese CdLS individuals with mutations in NIPBL and to perform a comprehensive analysis of a Chinese cohort with CdLS.Subjects and methodsTwo unrelated Chinese patients complaining of short stature were referred to the outpatient department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Their clinical data at birth and at the most recent assessment were collected. Mutation analysis was carried out by whole exome sequencing. Twenty‐four Chinese cases with CdLS were identified through a systematic review of the literature published between 1987 and 2017.ResultsTwo patients presented with typical phenotypes, characteristic complications of CdLS and mutations in the NIPBL gene. The average age at diagnosis of the 26 Chinese cases was higher than that of other cohorts. The frequencies of characteristic manifestations of CdLS were similar with those of other populations.ConclusionsBy investigating 26 Chinese cases of CdLS, we observed that the clinical data and gene variants in the Chinese cohort of CdLS patients were generally in accordance with those of other populations.
Predictive gamma passing rate for three‐dimensional dose verification with finite detector elements via improved dose uncertainty potential accumulation model
Authors: Shiba Eiji , Saito Akito , Furumi Makoto , Kawahara Daisuke , Miki Kentaro , Murakami Yuji , Ohguri Takayuki , Ozawa Shuichi , Tsuneda Masato , Yahara Katsuya , Nishio Teiji , Korogi Yukunori , Nagata Yasushi 
Published: December 2019

PurposeWe aim to develop a method to predict the gamma passing rate (GPR) of a three‐dimensional (3D) dose distribution measured by the Delta4 detector system using the dose uncertainty potential (DUP) accumulation model.MethodsSixty head‐and‐neck intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans were created in the XiO treatment planning system. All plans were created using nine step‐and‐shoot beams of the ONCOR linear accelerator. Verification plans were created and measured by the Delta4 system. The planar DUP (pDUP) manifesting on a field edge was generated from the segmental aperture shape with a Gaussian folding on the beam's‐eye view. The DUP at each voxel () was calculated by projecting the pDUP on the Delta4 phantom with its attenuation considered. The learning model (LM), an average GPR as a function of the DUP, was approximated by an exponential function to compensate for the low statistics of the learning data due to a finite number of the detectors. The coefficient was optimized to ensure that the difference between the measured and predicted GPRs () was minimized. The standard deviation (SD) of the was evaluated for the optimized LM.ResultsIt was confirmed that the coefficient was larger for tighter tolerance. This result corresponds to the expectation that the attenuation of the will be large for tighter tolerance. The and were observed to be proportional for all tolerances investigated. The SD of was 2.3, 4.1, and 6.7% for tolerances of 3%/3 mm, 3%/2 mm, 2%/2 mm, respectively.ConclusionThe DUP‐based predicting method of the GPR was extended to 3D by introducing DUP attenuation and an optimized analytical LM to compensate for the low statistics of the learning data due to a finite number of detector elements. The precision of the predicted GPR is expected to be improved by improving the LM and by involving other metrics.
Magnetization transfer and frequency distribution effects in the SSFP ellipse
Authors: Wood Tobias C. , Teixeira Rui P. A. G. , Malik Shaihan J. 
Published: December 2019

PurposeTo demonstrate that quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) parameters can be extracted from steady‐state free‐precession (SSFP) data with no external T1 map or banding artifacts.MethodsSSFP images with multiple MT weightings were acquired and qMT parameters fitted with a two‐stage elliptical signal model.ResultsMonte Carlo simulations and data from a 3T scanner indicated that most qMT parameters could be recovered with reasonable accuracy. Systematic deviations from theory were observed in white matter, consistent with previous literature on frequency distribution effects.ConclusionsqMT parameters can be extracted from SSFP data alone, in a manner robust to banding artifacts, despite several confounds.
Movement Dynamics of Smallmouth Bass in a Large Western River System
Authors: McClure Conor , Quist Michael C. , Kozfkay Joseph R. , Peterson Michael P. , Schill Daniel J. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The Snake River, Idaho, between Swan Falls and Brownlee dams supports a popular fishery for Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu. Recently, anglers have expressed concern about harvest of Smallmouth Bass associated with seasonal congregations in and near the lower reaches of several major tributaries. Little is known about Smallmouth Bass movement in the system, and a better understanding of movement dynamics will help to guide future management. From March to August 2016, Smallmouth Bass (≥260 mm; n = 1,131) were tagged with T-bar anchor tags to evaluate large-scale movement patterns. Movement was estimated from 63 angler-reported tags for which area descriptions provided sufficient detail to assign a recapture location. Extent of fish movement varied among segments and tributaries from 0 to 128 river kilometers (rkm). From March to May 2017, Smallmouth Bass (≥305 mm; n = 149) in the Snake, Boise, Payette, and Weiser rivers and in Brownlee Reservoir were implanted with radio transmitters. Of the 149 Smallmouth Bass that were released with radio transmitters, 107 were relocated at least once. Additionally, 79.6% of fish with radio transmitters had a maximum extent of movement of 5 rkm or greater and 42.6% had a maximum extent of 30 rkm or greater; one radio-tagged fish moved 167 rkm upstream. Average daily movement of Smallmouth Bass varied among river segments and was greatest in the spring and summer. Fish from the Snake River, tributaries (e.g., Boise River), and Brownlee Reservoir moved all around the study area, indicating an absence of clear population boundaries. As such, Smallmouth Bass in the study area appear to function as one large population as opposed to multiple subpopulations, thereby indicating that management as one population is likely appropriate.
A novel waterjet technology for transurethral cystoscopic injection of viable cells in the urethral sphincter complex
Authors: Jäger Luise , Linzenbold Walter , Fech Andreas , Enderle Markus , Abruzzese Tanja , Stenzl Arnulf , Aicher Wilhelm K. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAimsIn a recent preclinical study, we noticed that injection of cells in the urethral sphincter by needle through a cystoscope under visual control frequently yielded in misplacement or loss of cells. We, therefore, investigated if a needle‐free waterjet device delivers viable cells under defined settings, including injection volume and pressure, fluid velocity and transportation media, precisely through the urothelium and connective tissue close to the sphincter muscle without full penetration of the sphincter apparatus.MethodsMesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were prepared for needle‐free waterjet injections. Upon injections into liquids cell viability and yield were investigated by trypan blue dye exclusion. Upon injection into cadaveric urethral tissue samples, cells were isolated from the urethrae and expanded to prove that this novel method delivered viable cells into the tissue. MSC injections by William's needle served as controls.ResultsWaterjet injections of MSCs into isotonic cell culture medium resulted in equal or better yields of viable cells when compared with needle injections. Upon injection in urethral tissue samples, the waterjet technology facilitated fast and precise injections of viable cells through urothelial, mucosal and submucosal layers to reach the sphincter muscle. By controlling the injection pressure, loss of cells due to insufficient thrust or unintended full penetration was avoided.ConclusionsNeedle‐free waterjet injections deliver cells in the urethra faster and more precisely when compared with needle injections without compromising their viability. This is the first proof‐of‐concept study providing evidence that a waterjet transports viable cells precisely into the targeted tissue.
“Comparative intra‐ and inter‐rater reliability of maximal voluntary contraction with unidigital and bidigital vaginal palpation and construct validity with Peritron manometer”
Authors: Silva Jordana B. da , Sato Tatiana O. , Rocha Ana P. R. , Driusso Patricia 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAimsEvaluate the intra‐ and inter‐rater reliability of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) assessment by unidigital and bidigital vaginal palpation. As a secondary aim, evaluate the construct validity of vaginal palpation and a manometer.MethodsA total of 120 women were recruited and allocated into three groups according to age (group 1 [G1]: 18‐35; G2: 36‐59; G3: ≥60 years). Examiner A conducted an interview and examiners B and C performed evaluations of PFM function using both unidigital and bidigital vaginal palpation. Seven to 10 days later, examiner B repeated both types of vaginal palpation and measured the MVC pressure with a Peritron. Reliability was analyzed using Cohen's linear weighted Kappa (κw). The construct validity was calculated using the Spearman's correlation (rs).ResultsIntra‐rater reliability of unidigital and bidigital palpation was κw = 0.75 and κw = 0.58 in G1, κw = 0.59 and κw = 0.73 in G2, and κw = 0.79 and κw = 0.86 in G3, respectively. Inter‐rater reliability of unidigital and bidigital palpation was κw = 0.52 and κw = 0.48 in G1, κw = 0.47 and κw = 0.52 in G2, and κw = 0.50 and κw = 0.64 in G3, respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficients were significant at rs = 0.79 and rs = 0.80 for unidigital and bidigital vaginal palpation, respectively.ConclusionsUnidigital or bidigital vaginal palpation were indicated to evaluate G1 and G2 but bidigital palpation was more reliable in G3 when two examiners performed the evaluation. For the assessment conducted by one examiner, unidigital palpation was more reliable in G1 while bidigital palpation was more reliable in G2 and G3. Both unidigital and bidigital palpation have high measures of validity.
Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nutrition Influences: A Narrative Review
Authors: Fallahzadeh Mohammad Amin , Rahimi Robert S. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a potentially reversible neurocognitive condition seen in patients with advanced liver disease. The overt form of HE has been reported in up to 45% of patients with cirrhosis. This debilitating condition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and imposes a significant burden on the caregivers and healthcare system. After providing an overview of HE epidemiology and pathophysiology, this review focuses on the interaction of HE and frailty, nutrition requirements and recommendations in cirrhotic patients with HE, and current dietary and pharmacologic options for HE treatment.
Differential effects of stress exposure via two types of restraint apparatuses on behavior and plasma corticosterone level in inbred male BALB/cAJcl mice
Authors: Shoji Hirotaka , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAimsRestraint stress is one of the most widely used experimental methods for generating rodent models of stress‐induced neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Although various types of restraint apparatuses have been used to expose animals to stress, the magnitudes of the effects of stress exposure via different types of restraint apparatuses on physiology and behavior have not been compared in the same environment. Here, we investigated the effects of stress exposure via two types of restraint apparatuses on body weight, locomotor activity, anxiety‐ and depression‐related behaviors, and plasma corticosterone levels in mice.MethodsAdult male BALB/cAJcl mice were restrained by placing them in either a well‐ventilated plastic conical tube or a tapered plastic film envelope for 6 hours per day for 10 or 21 consecutive days. Mice were weighed during and after the stress period and were subjected to a battery of behavioral tests, including light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, Porsolt forced swim, tail suspension, and sucrose preference tests, starting on the day after the last stress session. Plasma corticosterone levels were measured in another cohort of mice on the 1st and the 21st stress sessions and after the Porsolt forced swim test.ResultsExposure to repeated stress via the two above mentioned types of restraint apparatuses caused body weight loss, heightened locomotor activity, altered immobility during forced swim, and increased plasma corticosterone levels, and some of these results differed between the restraint stress protocols. Film‐restraint–stressed mice had significantly lower body weights than tube‐restraint–stressed mice. Film‐restraint–stressed mice exhibited significantly higher or lower immobility during forced swim than tube‐restraint–stressed mice, depending on the test time. Additionally, the stress‐induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels was found to be higher in film‐restraint–stressed mice than in tube‐restraint–stressed mice.ConclusionOur results indicate that film‐restraint stress has more pronounced effects on body weight, depression‐related behavior, and corticosterone response than tube‐restraint stress in mice. These findings may help guide which restraint stress procedures to use, depending on the objectives of a given study, in generating animal models of stress‐induced neuropsychiatric disorders.
A parameter‐uniform scheme for singularly perturbed partial differential equations with a time lag
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Kumari Parvin 
Published: December 2019

AbstractA numerical scheme for a class of singularly perturbed delay parabolic partial differential equations which has wide applications in the various branches of science and engineering is suggested. The solution of these problems exhibits a parabolic boundary layer on the lateral side of the rectangular domain which continuously depends on the perturbation parameter. For the small perturbation parameter, the standard numerical schemes for the solution of these problems fail to resolve the boundary layer(s) and the oscillations occur near the boundary layer. Thus, in this paper to resolve the boundary layer the extended cubic B‐spline basis functions consisting of a free parameter λ are used on a fitted‐mesh. The extended B‐splines are the extension of classical B‐splines. To find the best value of λ the optimization technique is adopted. The extended cubic B‐splines are an advantage over the classical B‐splines as for some optimized value of λ the solution obtained by the extended B‐splines is better than the solution obtained by classical B‐splines. The method is shown to be first‐order accurate in t and almost the second‐order accurate in x. It is also shown that this method is better than some existing methods. Several test problems are encountered to validate the theoretical results.
Using nationally representative survey data for external adjustment of unmeasured confounders: An example using the NHANES data
Authors: Hernández‐Díaz Sonia , Bateman Brian T. , Palmsten Kristin , Schneeweiss Sebastian , Huybrechts Krista F. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the use of data from population‐based surveys such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for external adjustment for confounders imperfectly measured in health care databases in the United States.MethodsOur example study used Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) data to estimate the relative risk (RR) for prenatal serotonin‐norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) exposure and cardiac defects. Smoking and obesity are known confounders poorly captured in databases. NHANES collects information on lifestyle factors, depression, and prescription medications. External adjustment requires information on the prevalence of confounders and their association with SNRI use; which was obtained from the NHANES. It also requires estimates of their association with the outcome, which were based on the literature and allowed us to correct the RR using sensitivity analyses.ResultsIn MAX, the RR for the association between prenatal SNRI exposure and cardiac defects was 1.51 unadjusted and 1.20 adjusted for measured confounders and restricted to women with depression. In NHANES, among women of childbearing age with depression, the prevalence of smoking was 60.2% (95% Confidence Interval 43.2, 74.3) for SNRI users and 44.1% (39.6, 48.8) for nonusers of antidepressants. The corresponding estimates for obesity were 59.2% (43.2, 74.3) and 40.5% (35.9, 45.0), respectively. If the associations between smoking and obesity with cardiac defects are independent from each other and from other measured confounders, additional adjustment for smoking and obesity would move the RR from 1.20 to around 1.10.ConclusionNational surveys like NHANES are readily available sources of information on potential confounders and they can be used to assess and improve the validity of RR estimates from observational studies missing data on known risk factors.