bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Radiomics of the Paranasal Sinuses: A Systematic Review of Computer-Assisted Techniques to Assess Computed Tomography Radiological Data
Authors: Darbari Kaul Rhea , Sacks Peta-Lee , Thiel Cedric , Rimmer Janet , Kalish Larry , Campbell Raewyn Gay , Sacks Raymond , Di Ieva Antonio , Harvey Richard John 
Published: December 2024

Background Radiomics is a quantitative approach to medical imaging, aimed to extract features into large datasets. By using artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies, large radiomic data can be analysed and translated into meaningful clinical applications. In rhinology, there is heavy reliance on computed tomography (CT) imaging of the paranasal sinus for diagnostics and assessment of treatment outcomes. Currently, there is an emergence of literature detailing radiomics use in rhinology. Objective This systematic review aims to assess the current techniques used to analyze radiomic data from paranasal sinus CT imaging. Methods A systematic search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from January 1, 2019 until March 16, 2024 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane Library Systematic Reviews for Diagnostic and Prognostic Studies. The QUADAS-2 and PROBAST tools were utilized to assess risk of bias. Results Our search generated 1456 articles with 10 articles meeting eligibility criteria. Articles were divided into 2 categories, diagnostic (n = 7) and prognostic studies (n = 3). The number of radiomic features extracted ranged 4 to 1409, with analysis including non-AI-based statistical analyses (n = 3) or machine learning algorithms (n = 7). The diagnostic or prognostic utility of radiomics analyses were rated as excellent (n = 3), very good (n = 2), good (n = 2), or not reported (n = 3) based upon area under the curve receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) or accuracy. The average radiomics quality score was 36.95%. Conclusion Radiomics is an evolving field which can augment our understanding of rhinology diseases, however there are currently only minimal quality studies with limited clinical utility.
Second-Look Needle Arthroscopy After Prior Surgical Treatment for Cartilage Lesions of the Ankle: The Amsterdam and New York City Perspectives
Authors: Walinga Alex B. , Butler James , Dahmen Jari , Stufkens Sjoerd A.S. , Robert Guillaume , Kennedy John G. , Kerkhoffs Gino M.M.J. 
Published: December 2024

Objective The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the quality of the reparative cartilage during second-look needle arthroscopy following talar osteoperiostic grafting from the iliac crest (TOPIC) or autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) procedure for the management of large osteochondral lesions (OCLs) of the talus. Design Prospective case series. Methods Patients who underwent second-look needle arthroscopy following either TOPIC or AOT procedure were prospectively recruited when they needed a second look. The primary outcome was the assessment of the quality of the reparative cartilage via second-look needle arthroscopy scored by the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) score. The secondary outcomes were the number and nature of needle arthroscopy interventions and complications associated with these interventions. Results Five patients underwent second-look needle arthroscopy following TOPIC procedure and 11 patients underwent second-look in-office needle arthroscopy following AOT. The mean ICRS in the TOPIC cohort was 9.4 ± 1.0 at a mean time of 24.4 months following the index procedure. The mean ICRS in the AOT cohort was 10.6 ± 1.3 at a mean time of 58.8 months following the index procedure. No complications were observed in either cohort. Conclusion This study demonstrated that TOPIC and AOT lead to adequate-looking quality reparative cartilage at short-term to mid-term follow-ups. However, further studies with larger patient cohorts and longer follow-ups are warranted. Furthermore, second-look needle arthroscopy is a safe and viable minimally invasive procedure that can effectively evaluate the quality of reparative cartilage following surgical intervention for OCLs of the talus.
Analysis of factors affecting diagnosis of unilateral isolated fungal sphenoid sinusitis
Authors: Wang Yan , Chen Xiumei , Li Dajian , Zhang Yu , Sun Yan , Song Xicheng 
Published: December 2024

Background: To analyze the characteristics and factors influencing the diagnosis of unilateral isolated fungal sphenoid sinusitis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients who underwent surgery for unilateral isolated sphenoid sinusitis between June 2020 and May 2023. Data collected included variables such as gender, age, side of the specimen, symptoms, sinus computed tomography findings, pathological results, and complications. The patients were categorized into two groups: the sphenoid sinusitis group and the fungal sphenoid sinusitis group. Results: Among the 84 cases studied, there were 19 males (22.6%) and 65 females (77.4%). Inflammation was observed in 11 patients (13.1%), while fungi were detected in 73 patients (86.9%). Headache was reported in 74 cases (88.1%). Sinus computed tomography findings revealed calcified plaques/spots in 51 cases (60.7%), hyperosteogeny in 75 cases (89.3%), and bone destruction in 11 cases (13.1%). The thickness of the sinus wall ranged from 0.92 to 7.35 mm. The thickness ratio of the bilateral sinus walls ranged from 0.80 to 6.78. The chi-square test indicated significant differences between the two groups in terms of calcified plaques/spots, hyperosteogeny, the thickness of the lesion-side sinus wall, and the ratio of bilateral sinus walls ( p < 0.05). Diagnostic tests using the ROC curve demonstrated that calcified plaques/spots, the thickness of the lesion-side sinus wall, and the ratio of bilateral sinus walls had moderate accuracy in diagnosing fungal sphenoid sinusitis. Conclusion: While headache is not a specific symptom of fungal sphenoid sinusitis, sinus computed tomography findings such as calcified plaque/spots, the thickness of the lesion-side sinus wall, and the thickness ratio of bilateral sinus walls are valuable for diagnosis.
Does Risk Tolerance Mediates the Relationship Between Financial Literacy and Financial Wellbeing During COVID-19: Empirical Evidence From an Emerging Economy
Authors: Naveed Muhammad , Ali Shoaib 
Published: December 2024

This study aims to explore the role of financial literacy in determining financial well-being during COVID-19. Additionally, we plan to examine how risk tolerance mediates between financial literacy and overall well-being. The data of 367 active individual investors on the Pakistan Stock Exchange was taken utilizing convenience sampling and the survey methodology. The relationship between financial literacy, risk tolerance, and financial well-being was investigated using structural equation modeling. The data were analyzed through Smart PLS. The finding of the study highlights that both advance and basic financial literacy have a positive and significant association with investor well-being. Furthermore, financial literacy has a favorable indirect impact on financial well-being highlighted in this study through risk tolerance. The effect of financial literacy on financial well-being was remarkably consistent across levels of demographic variables such as education, gender and age suggesting that improving financial literacy levels in the population may be an effective strategy to increase financial capability across the board during the COVID-19 crisis. The outcome of the study has several policy implications for investors and policymakers during uncertain times such as COVID-19, as providing literacy positively contributes to their risk tolerance which then translates into higher financial well-being. The paper’s novelty is that the authors have explored the mechanism by which basic and advanced levels of financial literacy influence investors’ risk tolerance and financial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in an emerging economy. It adds to the literature in behavioral finance, explicitly probing the impact of financial literacy on financial well-being; this field is in its initial stage, even in developed countries, while little work has been done in emerging countries. JEL Classification: B21, D01, D91, G11, J26, H31.
Financial Constraints and Bankruptcy Risks of Listed Firms in Vietnam: Does Firm Size Matter?
Authors: Le Hoa Thanh Phan , Pham Tuan Nhat , Tran Trang Ngoc Doan , Dang Han Gia , Duong Khoa Dang 
Published: December 2024

This study examines how financial constraints and total assets affect the corporate bankruptcy risk of listed firms in Vietnam. Specifically, we test whether larger firms are less financially constrained and have lower distress risk subsequently. This study employs the dynamic system Generalized Method of Moments to analyze an unbalanced sample of 1,990 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2019. The results indicate that larger firm size increases the Z-score index, implying that larger firms have lower bankruptcy risk. Our finding also reports that financial constraints reduce the Z-score index, suggesting that financially constrained firms have extremely high bankruptcy risk. Our findings also show the inverted U-shape relationship between financial constraints and distress risk. Our results support the too-big-to-fall theory, the trade-off theory, the agency theory, and prior literature. Finally, our study contributes practical implications for managing bankruptcy risks in emerging markets. JEL Classification: G30, G31.
Biomechanical Evaluation of Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Grafts Fixed at Nonanatomic Femoral Insertion Points: MPFL Reconstruction And Femoral Tunnel Location
Authors: Rosenthal Reece M. , Mortensen Alexander J. , Gupta Andrew S. , Illing Damian , Guss Andrew , Presson Angela P. , Burks Robert T. , Aoki Stephen K. 
Published: December 2024

Background: Improved patient outcomes and decreased patellar instability have been reported after medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction for recurrent lateral patellar dislocation; however, there is a lack of comparative evidence on functional outcomes associated with different femoral attachment sites for the MPFL graft. Purpose: To identify differences in MPFL reconstruction graft isometry with femoral tunnel malpositioning, specifically evaluating isometric differences as the femoral position is moved anterior, posterior, proximal, and distal relative to the Schöttle point, the femoral radiographic landmark of the MPFL. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: A biomechanical study evaluating 11 fresh-frozen cadaveric knees was conducted. Nonelastic suture, used as an analog to the MPFL graft, was anchored with the knee at 30° flexion at the Schöttle point and at 5 and 10 mm anterior, posterior, superior, and distal to the Schöttle point. A draw wire displacement sensor was used to evaluate length changes of the MPFL graft analog through 0° to 120° knee flexion. Knee flexion position was continuously measured using a motion tracking system. Pairwise t tests with Bonferroni correction were used to compare isometry between the Schöttle point and the nonanatomic femoral insertion points. Results: Grafts placed at the Schöttle point proved mildly anisometric, with tightening in extension and loosening in flexion. Similarly, grafts placed distally and posteriorly also demonstrated tightening in extension and loosening in flexion. Grafts placed anteriorly and proximally demonstrated tightening in flexion. Pairwise comparisons relative to the Schöttle point found that grafts placed proximally or distally demonstrated significant differences in total MPFL excursion magnitude (10 mm proximal: 0.36 [ P = .03], 5 mm distal: 0.14 [ P = .01], 10 mm distal: 0.22 [ P < .001]). Conclusion: When deviating from the Schöttle point, posterior and distal femoral tunnel positionings minimized the risk of MPFL graft tightening during knee flexion. Errant anterior and proximal positioning were concerning for MPFL overconstraint, and proximal tunnel placement was most at-risk. Clinical Relevance: An understanding of the effects that femoral tunnel malpositioning has on graft isometry is crucial to minimizing instability or overconstraint, which leads to anterior knee pain, increased patellofemoral contact pressures, or graft failure.
Examining Nursing Students’ Prevalence of Nomophobia, and Psychological Alienation and Their Correlates With Fear of Missing Out: A Multisites Survey
Authors: Gaber Hamzaa Huda , Atta Mohamed Hussein Ramadan , Elghareap Hassan Elmetwally Omar Mai , Reda Fathy Abdel Majeed Machaly Eslam , Mohamed Amin Shaimaa , Mohamed Ibrahim Wahba Nadia 
Published: December 2024

Introduction Smartphones have significantly increased digital engagement among young people due to their ease of use and constant internet access. Nomophobia and the fear of missing out are associated with mobile and internet use, potentially impacting students’ mental health and academic performance. Objectives To provide the prevalence of nomophobia and fear of missing out while shedding light on the role of psychological alienation between them. Methods A multisite descriptive correlational study was conducted among 1,273 undergraduate nursing students at six Egyptian universities: North Sinai, South Sinai, Port-Said, Suez Canal, Suez, and Damanhur University, Egypt. From June 2023 to November 15, 2023, the students were surveyed using questionnaires on nomophobia, fear of missing out, and psychological alienation. Results Nursing students experienced moderate to severe levels of nomophobia (37.4%–45.3%) and psychological alienation (45.8%–55.4%). There was a significant positive correlation between nomophobia and fear of missing out ( r = .908, p < .001), as well as between nomophobia and psychological alienation ( r = .377, p < .001). Psychological alienation was also found to mediate the relationship between fear of missing out and nomophobia, with the indirect effect being statistically significant (indirect effect = 1.000; p < .001). Conclusion The study highlights the significant prevalence of nomophobia and psychological alienation among nursing students. The findings underscore the complex interplay between digital connectivity issues, psychological disconnection, and the fear of missing out. In addition, findings suggest that psychological alienation plays a crucial role in how fear of missing out impacts nomophobia among nursing students.
Impact of Joint Line Level in Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Standard Techniques vs Patient-Specific Instruments
Authors: Arceri Alberto , Mazzotti Antonio , Sgubbi Federico , Zielli Simone O. , Artioli Elena , Langone Laura , Abdi Pejman , Faldini Cesare 
Published: December 2024

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an effective treatment for severe end-stage ankle osteoarthritis (AO). Despite satisfactory results, range of motion (ROM) is still suboptimal compared to healthy ankles. This issue may stem from different conditions, and the difficulty in accurately restoring the height of the joint line may be one of them. Recent studies in TAA have demonstrated that an elevated joint line is associated with reduced postoperative ROM and poorer functional scores. To improve the accuracy of bone resection and implant positioning, the use of patient-specific instruments (PSIs) has been proposed. The aim of this study is to compare joint line height, ROM, and functional clinical outcomes between standard TAA and TAA using PSI. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent standard TAA and TAA with PSI between January 2020 and December 2022. Radiographic assessments, including measurement of joint line height ratio (JLHR) and ROM, were performed. The clinical outcome was assessed using the Forgotten Joint Score. Result: Fifty-one patients underwent standard TAA, whereas 13 received TAA with PSI. The mean JLHR preoperatively was 1.51 ± 0.24 and postoperatively was 1.56 ± 0.23 in the standard TAA group ( P = .056). Conversely, the mean JLHR of PSI TAA group passed from 1.52 ± 0.19 to 1.41 ± 0.21 after TAA ( P < .05). Although the postoperative joint line level in the PSI TAA group was lower compared with both the preoperative levels and the postoperative standard TAA group ( P < .05), no significant differences were observed in ROM or clinical outcome scores at the mean 1-year follow-up. Conclusion: This study suggests that PSI may improve the accuracy of reestablishing this implant’s alignment closer to the native joint line. However, contrary to the study’s initial hypothesis, PSI was not associated with any difference in ROM or clinical outcomes compared with standard TAA technique. Additional factors including the prosthetic implant design, presence of heterotopic calcifications, soft tissue contracture, surgical technique, post-TAA tibial slope, and preoperative ROM may have a greater impact than joint line level. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Development of a child and family centred outcome measure for children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions: progress to date on the Children’s Palliative Care Outcome Scale (C-POS:UK)
Authors: Braybrook Debbie , Coombes Lucy , Harðardóttir Daney , Scott Hannah M. , Bristowe Katherine , Ellis-Smith Clare , Roach Anna , Ramsenthaler Christina , Bluebond-Langner Myra , Downing Julia , Murtagh Fliss E. M. , Fraser Lorna K. , Harding Richard 
Published: December 2024

Background: Development of a paediatric palliative care child and family centred outcome measure is a priority for health care professionals, researchers and advocates. It is methodologically challenging to develop a measure relevant for such a heterogenous population with complex needs. Involving children in measuring development is vital. Objective: To develop C-POS:UK (Children’s Palliative Care Outcome Scale, UK), a person-centred outcome measure (PCOM) for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, and to test its psychometric properties. Design: Sequential mixed-methods approach to PCOM development, guided by Rothrock’s measure development process and COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology. Methods: (i) Qualitative interviews about priority symptoms and concerns, with embedded exploration of measure design for children with life-limiting conditions; (ii) systematic review of measure design for children; (iii) modified Delphi survey, and consultation with children, on priority items for new measure; (iv) expert item generation meeting to develop C-POS:UK; (v) cognitive testing to refine C-POS:UK; (vi) psychometric validation. Results: (i) 106 participants described physical, emotional/psychological, spiritual/existential, social and practical concerns. Measure design was discussed by 79 participants comprising preferred response format, recall period and measure administration for children with life-limiting conditions; (ii) systematic review highlighted need for: different versions of measure accounting for child’s developmental stage and cognitive ability; parent/carer involvement as proxies for very young children; and testing to clarify recall periods and response formats at different developmental stages; (iii) Delphi survey: 82 participants (in the first round), with a move towards consensus, but with some differing priorities in stakeholder groups: professionals prioritised physical symptoms, parents prioritised psychosocial and practical matters, while consulted children prioritised normality; (iv) 22 experts contributed to item generation meeting, resulting in five versions of C-POS:UK accounting for child’s developmental stage and cognitive ability, and proxy involvement; (v) 48 participants cognitively tested initial C-POS:UK, informing comprehension, comprehensiveness and acceptability; (vi) psychometric validation is ongoing. Conclusion: A sequential approach informed by Rothrock and COSMIN has supported development of the first version of C-POS:UK. Psychometric validation is underway and will be followed by implementation planning.
Minirhizotron measurements can supplement deep soil coring to evaluate root growth of winter wheat when certain pitfalls are avoided
Authors: Arnhold Jessica , Ispizua Yamati Facundo R. , Kage Henning , Mahlein Anne-Katrin , Koch Heinz-Josef , Grunwald Dennis 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background
Root growth is most commonly determined with the destructive soil core method, which is very labor-intensive and destroys the plants at the sampling spots. The alternative minirhizotron technique allows for root growth observation throughout the growing season at the same spot but necessitates a high-throughput image analysis for being labor- and cost-efficient. In this study, wheat root development in agronomically varied situations was monitored with minirhizotrons over the growing period in two years, paralleled by destructive samplings at two dates. The aims of this study were to (i) adapt an existing CNN-based segmentation method for wheat minirhizotron images, (ii) verify the results of minirhizotron measurements with root growth data obtained by the destructive soil core method, and (iii) investigate the effect of the presence of the minirhizotron tubes on root growth.

Results
The previously existing CNN could successfully be adapted for wheat root images. The minirhizotron technique seems to be more suitable for root growth observation in the subsoil, where a good agreement with destructively gathered data was found, while root length results in the topsoil were dissatisfactory in comparison to the soil core method in both years. The tube presence was found to affect root growth only if not installed with a good soil-tube contact which can be achieved by slurrying, i.e. filling gaps with a soil/water suspension.

Conclusions
Overall, the minirhizotron technique in combination with high-throughput image analysis seems to be an alternative and valuable technique for suitable research questions in root research targeting the subsoil.