bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound's Impact on Preclinical Medical Student Neurology Unit Grades
Authors: Shah Varun S. , Allman Alexandra , Verbeck Nicole , Quinn Melissa , Prats Michael I. 
Published: December 2020

ObjectivesUltrasound is a valuable tool for anatomy education, but limited evidence exists for using ultrasound to teach neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Previous work demonstrated a potential increase in medical knowledge in preclinical medical students participating in a neurology ultrasound workshop, however, without comparison to a control group. After 2 years, we assessed how a neurology ultrasound workshop affected the medical knowledge of participating preclinical medical students compared to a traditional curriculum control group.MethodsThis quasiexperimental study compared academic performance of ultrasound workshop participants to nonparticipant classmates. The primary outcome was the overall neurologic disorders unit total score. An analysis of covariance was conducted to test for statistically significant differences while controlling for the average quiz score.ResultsA total of 360 medical students were included in the study. The intervention group (n = 57) showed no significant difference in the total unit score (F = 3.206; P = .074), with averages for the control and experimental groups being 87.3% ± 5.0% and 88.4% ± 4.8%, respectively. Additionally, anatomy practical scores and written final examination scores were not significantly different between groups (F = 1.035; P = .310; F = 2.035; P = .155).ConclusionsParticipation in a neurologic disorders ultrasound workshop did not appear to be correlated with improved curricular performance in our cohort. Further research should continue to assess ultrasound workshops in other organ systems to elucidate the relationship between learning ultrasound and the impact on medical school academic performance.
Lingual Hamartomas: Clinical Characteristics, Diagnostic Evaluation, Treatment, and Outcomes
Authors: Liu Yi‐Chun Carol , Shih Michael , Hicks M. John , Sitton Matthew S. 
Published: December 2020

Objectives/HypothesisTo further clinically characterize lingual hamartomas, and to consolidate literature by analyzing clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, treatment, and outcomes.Study DesignRetrospective chart review and literature review.MethodsCase series from 1989 to 2020 at a tertiary pediatric center; follow‐up ranging from 2 months to 12 years. Patient demographics, clinical presentations, physical examination findings, surgical pathology, operative methods, pre‐operative imaging, and follow‐up. A review of English‐language literature from 1945 to 2020 was conducted.ResultsSeven patients (four male, three female) with nine lingual hamartomas were identified. Average age at surgical excision was 7.9 months (SD 3.5 months, range 3 to 14 months). Follow‐up ranged from 2 months to 12 years, with all patients having no recurrence. Physical examination identified five pedunculated hamartomas and two sessile hamartomas. One patient had a neck CT, one had neck ultrasound, and two had facial MRIs. CT and ultrasounds confirmed presence of cervical thyroid. MRI suggested no muscular invasion for one patient, whereas motion artifact obscured findings for the other patient. Most patients who presented with dysphagia or poor weight gain achieved post‐surgical improvement. The present cases combined with the literature review identified 57 patients with 63 lingual hamartomas.ConclusionsLingual hamartomas appear as hypovascular pedunculated masses near the foramen cecum. There is no demographic predisposition, and most are identified during infancy. Imaging is not necessary, unless there is concern for lingual thyroid, in which case thyroid ultrasound should be performed. Surgical excision is curative, with dysphagia resolution and low likelihood for recurrence.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 131:E2080–E2088, 2021
A novel wideband radio frequency measurement based on photonic signal processing
Authors: Khalid Ammar , Aljohani Abdulah J. , Ghafoor Salman 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPhotonic signal processing is a suitable alternative of electronics based processing for wideband frequency detection. We propose a novel technique for the detection of a wide range of frequencies based on photonic signal processing. The unknown frequency to be measured is used to modulate a tunable optical source by implementing single sideband suppressed carrier modulation. The modulated signal is combined with two fixed frequency optical carriers to perform heterodyne detection. The frequency of the tunable laser source is swept until significant power of the beat signal is observed after photodetection. A mathematical expression is presented that can be used to measure the frequency of the unknown electrical signal based on value of the center frequency of tunable laser source. The effect of increasing laser linewidth up to 100 MHz and instantaneous shift in laser center frequency up to 200 MHz has also been demonstrated. It has been shown that the proposed technique can measure almost any radio frequency by simply varying the frequency of the tunable laser source.
Spectral analysis for uncertainty quantification
Authors: Lee Barry 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDuring the past few decades, uncertainty quantification (UQ) techniques have been developed and applied to many applications. The majority of these techniques have been applied directly to specifically defined problems, that is, problems described by a mathematical operator and a specific source term, both which may be endowed with uncertainty. In this article, we take an alternative approach: applying UQ techniques to probe the operator. The goal is to extract intrinsic structures of the problem, particularly operator structures that reveal the propagation of uncertainty which a UQ analysis of a specific problem may not accurately extract. There are many practical reasons for this. For example, the operator often contains more aspects of uncertainty than the forcing term, and the operator is often computationally expensive to form and hence, wasteful to use only for determining the solution of a sample instantiation. The anticipation is that the detailed information can lead to more accurate and efficient UQ analysis of the general problem. In this article, we consider only linear problems since we want to explore the potential benefits of this approach without the added complexities introduced by nonlinearities. This linearity assumption allows us to explore structures exposed by the spectrum of the operator. We explore sensitivity of the eigenvectors to determine a relationship between the spatial and uncertainty parameter dimensions, and then construct an adaptive parameter procedure based on this relationship. We also explore the propagation of uncertainties in multicomponent systems, like in multiphysics applications, by examining the coupling in the smooth‐frequency eigenvectors; and explore componentized UQ processing based on the eigenvalues/vectors of the state‐equation operator in goal‐oriented multiple‐input/multiple‐output systems. Analysis and numerical examples demonstrating the applicability of the methods are presented.
Some special functions in orthogonal fuzzy bipolar metric spaces and their fixed point applications
Authors: Sangurlu Sezen Müzeyyen 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn this work, we synthesize orthogonal and bipolar metric issues and tried to deal with them in fuzzy metric spaces. We introduce a new concept of orthogonal fuzzy bipolar metric space and prove some fixed point theorems for some contractions in this space. Also, we provide some examples to illustrate the validity of the results obtained in the paper.
Phthalimido thioureas with high antimicrobial performance as stabilizers for enhancement of the thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride) loaded with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Mohamed Nadia A. , Abd El‐Ghany Nahed A. , Fahmy Mona M. , Abdel‐Aziz Marwa M. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractSome novel phthalimido thiourea stabilizers 1–4 were readily synthesized. Their structure was elucidated by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and mass spectroscopy. They showed good antimicrobial activity, in particularly the carboxyl derivative, as judged by their high inhibition zone diameter and low minimum inhibition concentration using the agar well diffusion technique. The results reveal the greater stabilizing efficiency of these stabilizers relative to dibasic lead carbonate, Cd‐Ba‐Zn stearate, and n‐OTM reference thermal stabilizers using TG technique in nitrogen. This is well illustrated by the higher initial decomposition temperature and lower rates of both weight loss and discoloration of the polymer during degradation. Moreover, the stabilizing efficiency is influenced by the nature of the substituent group in these stabilizers. While the methyl stabilizer is characterized by a greater efficiency relative to those of the chloro and carboxyl ones, the non‐substituted stabilizer lies between these two cases. The good disperse‐ability of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the polymeric material was ascertained using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM. The thermal stability of PVC, which stabilized with 4, has been appreciably improved via loading 1 wt% of MWCNTs into its matrices. Further, PVC nanocomposites showed very high inhibition efficiency against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
The association of area deprivation and state child health with respiratory outcomes of pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis in the United States
Authors: Oates Gabriela , Rutland Sarah , Juarez Lucia , Friedman Annabelle , Schechter Michael S. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundDifferences in socioenvironmental exposures influence overall child health, but their association with pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) outcomes is less clear. This observational study investigated the relationship between area‐level socioeconomic deprivation, state child health, and CF respiratory outcomes in a national cohort.MethodsWe assessed relationships between the 2015 area deprivation index, a composite measure of socioeconomic disadvantage; the 2016 child health index, a state‐specific measure of overall child health; and CF respiratory outcomes in the 2016 CF Foundation Patient Registry.ResultsThe sample included 9934 individuals with CF, aged 6–18 years. In multiple regression analysis adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates, those residing in the worst tertile for area deprivation had 2.8% lower percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ppFEV1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −4.1 to −1.5), 1.2 more intravenous (IV) treatment nights (CI: 0.1–2.4), and 20% higher odds of ≥2 pulmonary exacerbations (odds ratio [OR]: 1.2, CI: 1.0–1.5) than best‐tertile counterparts. Children with CF in states at the worst tertile for child health had 2.3% lower ppFEV1 (CI: −4.5 to −0.2), 2.2 more IV treatment nights (CI: 0.5–3.6), and 40% higher odds of ≥2 exacerbations (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1–1.8) than best‐tertile counterparts. State child health accounted for the association between area deprivation and multiple exacerbations and more IV treatment nights.ConclusionsBoth area socioeconomic characteristics and state child health play a role in pediatric CF outcomes. The residual association of the state child health with CF outcomes after controlling for area deprivation reflects the ability of state programs to mitigate the effect of poverty.
CT‐based assessment of body composition following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy in patients with castration‐naïve oligometastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Sheikhbahaei Sara , Reyes Diane K. , Rowe Steven P. , Pienta Kenneth J. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study is to assess the body composition changes in men with recently diagnosed oligometastatic prostate cancer following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy. Further, we evaluated whether CT‐based body composition parameters are associated with biochemical recurrence or imaging progression.Material and methodsRecently diagnosed castration‐naïve oligometastatic prostate cancer patients who received neoadjuvant docetaxel chemotherapy and androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) before prostatectomy and consolidation of local and oligometastatic disease (total eradication therapy), as part of a phase‐II prospective clinical trial were included. Body composition parameters including cross‐sectional areas of the psoas muscle, total, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue were measured on serial CT scans obtained before and following completion of neoadjuvant treatment.ResultsA total of 22 prostate cancer patients were included (median age 58 years, median Gleason score 8). The median time intervals between commencement of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy and first and second follow‐up CTs were 3 and 12 months, respectively. Compared to the baseline scan, there were significant declines in psoas muscle cross‐sectional areas with estimated percentage declines of −13.9% (IQR: 7.6%–16.5%, p < .001) and −13.2% (IQR: 6%–11.2%, p < .001) on first and second follow‐up CTs. There were significant increases in subcutaneous adipose tissue following neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy with percentage increases of +8.9% (IQR: 5.1%–21.5%, p = .002) and +18.9% (IQR: 6.1%–33.8%, p < .001), respectively. The median follow‐up was 34.5 months. The estimated 2‐year prostate‐specific antigen progression‐free and radiologic progression‐free survival were 95.5%. No significant association between baseline or percentage change in body composition parameters and disease progression were identified.ConclusionsOur findings showed a significant reduction in muscle mass and an increase in subcutaneous adiposity in men treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel and ADT, more pronounced on the first follow‐up scan after completion of neoadjuvant treatment. Body composition parameters were not found to be significant predictors of disease progression in our cohort.
Why do low‐skilled foreign workers have a wage advantage? Evidence from the palm oil plantation sector in Malaysia
Authors: Shahiri Hazrul , Cheng Zhiming , Al‐Hadi Azrina Abdullah 
Published: December 2020

AbstractDeveloping countries host more than one third of international migrants. However, research on the labour market outcomes of low‐skilled international migrant workers in developing countries is limited. We examine the presence and sources of wage differentials across native and foreign low‐skilled workers in the palm oil plantation sector in Malaysia, which hosts a large population of foreign workers. We find that Indonesian foreign workers have a wage advantage over native and Indian workers. Decomposition results suggest that the wage differentials between Indonesian and native workers are largely explained by the higher productivity of Indonesian workers, employers' favouritism towards Indonesian workers, and discrimination towards native workers. Decomposition results also find that the wage differentials between Indonesian and Indian workers are mostly due to their differences in observed characteristics.
Reemergence of neural crest stem cell-like states in melanoma during disease progression and treatment
Authors: Diener Johanna , Sommer Lukas 
Published: December 2020

AbstractMelanoma is the deadliest of all skin cancers due to its high metastatic potential. In recent years, advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have contributed to a remarkable progress in the treatment of metastatic disease. However, intrinsic or acquired resistance to such therapies remains a major obstacle in melanoma treatment. Melanoma disease progression, beginning from tumor initiation and growth to acquisition of invasive phenotypes and metastatic spread and acquisition of treatment resistance, has been associated with cellular dedifferentiation and the hijacking of gene regulatory networks reminiscent of the neural crest (NC)—the developmental structure which gives rise to melanocytes and hence melanoma. This review summarizes the experimental evidence for the involvement of NC stem cell (NCSC)-like cell states during melanoma progression and addresses novel approaches to combat the emergence of stemness characteristics that have shown to be linked with aggressive disease outcome and drug resistance.
The interference effects of bisphenol A on the synthesis of steroid hormones in human ovarian granulosa cells
Authors: Shi Junxia , Liu Chenyu , Chen Mingyue , Yan Jinhui , Wang Chonggang , Zuo Zhenghong , He Chengyong 
Published: December 2020

AbstractNumerous studies have shown that endocrine‐disrupting chemicals are one of the important pathogenic factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Our previous study has revealed that bisphenol A (BPA) can cause steroid hormone imbalance, polycystic ovary, and estrus cycle disorder. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of BPA, a typical environmental estrogen, on the synthesis of steroid hormones in human ovarian granulosa KGN cells. Exposure of KGN cells to BPA (0.5, 5, 50, and 500 μg/L) resulted in the decrease of progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), and the ratio of estradiol to testosterone (E2/T). BPA affected the expression of genes related to steroid hormone synthesis in KGN cells, including the decreased expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, ferredoxin, and ferredoxin reductase genes during progesterone synthesis; upregulating the expression of cytochrome p450 oxidoreductase gene associated with E2 and T synthesis; and the downregulated cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1 and cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily B member 1 in E2 degradation. BPA also reduced the expression of stimulatory G proteins (GS) in follicle‐stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR)/GS/adenylate cyclase (AC) signaling pathway. In summary, our research has demonstrated that environment‐relevant level of BPA exposure leads to steroid hormone synthesis disorder in human ovarian granulosa cells, which might cause the reduction of gene expression in hormone synthesis and the suppression of the FSHR/GS/AC signaling pathway.
Subconvex bounds for Hecke–Maass forms on compact arithmetic quotients of semisimple Lie groups
Authors: Ramacher Pablo , Wakatsuki Satoshi 
Published: December 2020

AbstractLetHbe a semisimple algebraic group,Ka maximal compact subgroup of$$G:=H({{\mathbb {R}}})$$G:=H(R), and$$\Gamma \subset H({{\mathbb {Q}}})$$Γ⊂H(Q)a congruence arithmetic subgroup. In this paper, we generalize existing subconvex bounds for Hecke–Maass forms on the locally symmetric space$$\Gamma \backslash G/K$$Γ\G/Kto corresponding bounds on the arithmetic quotient$$\Gamma \backslash G$$Γ\Gfor cocompact lattices using the spectral function of an elliptic operator. The bounds obtained extend known subconvex bounds for automorphic forms to non-trivialK-types, yielding such bounds for new classes of automorphic representations. They constitute subconvex bounds for eigenfunctions on compact manifolds with both positive and negative sectional curvature. We also obtain new subconvex bounds for holomorphic modular forms in the weight aspect.
Tenascin C promotes valvular remodeling in two large animal models of ischemic mitral regurgitation
Authors: Hamza Ouafa , Kiss Attila , Kramer Anne-Margarethe , Trojanek Sandra , Abraham Dietmar , Acar Eylem , Nagel Felix , Tretter Verena Eva , Kitzwögerer Melitta , Podesser Bruno K. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIschemic mitral regurgitation (MR) is a frequent complication of myocardial infarction (MI) characterized by adverse remodeling both at the myocardial and valvular levels. Persistent activation of valvular endothelial cells leads to leaflet fibrosis through endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Tenascin C (TNC), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein involved in cardiovascular remodeling and fibrosis, was also identified in inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In this study, we hypothesized that TNC also plays a role in the valvular remodeling observed in ischemic MR by contributing to valvular excess EMT. Moderate ischemic MR was induced by creating a posterior papillary muscle infarct (7 pigs and 7 sheep). Additional animals (7 pigs and 4 sheep) served as controls. Pigs and sheep were sacrificed after 6 weeks and 6 months, respectively. TNC expression was upregulated in the pig and sheep experiments at 6 weeks and 6 months, respectively, and correlated well with leaflet thickness (R = 0.68; p < 0.001 at 6 weeks, R = 0.84; p < 0.001 at 6 months). To confirm the translational potential of our findings, we obtained mitral valves from patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy presenting MR (n = 5). Indeed, TNC was also expressed in the mitral leaflets of these. Furthermore, TNC induced EMT in isolated porcine mitral valve endothelial cells (MVEC). Interestingly, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) inhibition prevented TNC-mediated EMT in MVEC. We identified here for the first time a new contributor to valvular remodeling in ischemic MR, namely TNC, which induced EMT through TLR4. Our findings might set the path for novel therapeutic targets for preventing or limiting ischemic MR.
Corneal densitometry: a potential indicator for early diagnosis of Fabry disease
Authors: Li Senmao , Siggel Robert , Guo Yongwei , Loreck Niklas , Rokohl Alexander C. , Kurschat Christine , Heindl Ludwig M. 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Purpose
To assess corneal densitometry in patients with Fabry disease (FD) and to compare corneal densitometry differences in FD patients to different corneal manifestations.

Methods
Ten participants (20 eyes) with FD and 10 age-matched healthy volunteers (20 eyes) were recruited. All participants were assessed by standardized ophthalmic examinations and the corneal densitometry analysis by Pentacam HR. Densitometry measurements were analyzed in standardized grayscale units.

Results
Seven patients developed conjunctival vessel tortuosity, cornea verticillata appeared in 6 patients, and two patients had Fabry cataract. Retinal vessel tortuosity occurred in 4 patients, and dilation of retinal vessels appeared in 3 patients, all symptoms occurred in both eyes. The first diagnosis of FD up to examination was 4.7 ± 3.23 years, and first ERT up to examination was 2.6 ± 2.27 years. The initial time to diagnosis was negatively related to the corneal densitometry value of the 0–2-mm (r = − 0.556, p = 0.011) and 2–6-mm (r = − 0.482, p = 0.032) zones in the posterior layer. FD group have significantly higher corneal densitometry in anterior 0–2-mm zone and 2–10-mm zone anterior and posterior layer than the control group (p ≤ 0.035, respectively). When divided into two groups by the existence of cornea verticillata, there was a statistically significant difference in the anterior layer, 6–10-mm zone (p = 0.031); in the central layer, 0–2 mm (p = 0.012), 2–6 mm (p = 0.001), 6–10 mm (p = 0.002), and total (p = 0.002); and in the posterior layer, 6–10 mm (p = 0.004) and total (p = 0.002).

Conclusions
FD patients show higher corneal densitometry, and corneal densitometry may have potential for early diagnosis and reminding progress of FD.