bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
13Postcolonial Theory—New Directions?
Authors: Knudsen Eva Rask , Rahbek Ulla 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
This chapter covers selected research in postcolonial theory published in 2019. It begins with books and edited collections before it focuses on a special journal issue and a book chapter. The work discussed here demonstrates how postcolonialism engages in human geography and in the ongoing refugee and climate crises, and also how it draws attention to the continued need for ethical responses to precarity and subalternity. Concomitantly with this need postcolonial theory points to a reconfiguration of planetarity and a critical stance towards the Western-centric ideas that remain part of the field’s legacy.
Contribution of Stimulus Variability to Word Recognition in Noise Versus Two-Talker Speech for School-Age Children and Adults
Authors: Buss Emily , Calandruccio Lauren , Oleson Jacob , Leibold Lori J. 
Published: September 2020

Background:
Speech-in-speech recognition scores tend to be more variable than the speech-in-noise recognition scores, both within and across listeners. This variability could be due to listener factors, such as individual differences in audibility or susceptibility to informational masking. It could also be due to stimulus variability, with some speech-in-speech samples posing more of a challenge than others. The purpose of this experiment was to test two hypotheses: (1) that stimulus variability affects adults’ word recognition in a two-talker speech masker and (2) that stimulus variability plays a smaller role in children’s performance due to relatively greater contributions of listener factors.

Methods:
Listeners were children (5 to 10 years) and adults (18 to 41 years) with normal hearing. Target speech was a corpus of 30 disyllabic words, each associated with an unambiguous illustration. Maskers were 30 samples of either two-talker speech or speech-shaped noise. The task was a four-alternative forced choice. Speech reception thresholds were measured adaptively, and those results were used to determine the signal-to-noise ratio associated with ≈65% correct for each listener and masker. Two 30-word blocks of fixed-level testing were then completed in each of the two conditions: (1) with the target-masker pairs randomly assigned prior to each block and (2) with frozen target-masker pairs.

Results:
Speech reception thresholds were lower for adults than for children, particularly for the two-talker speech masker. Listener responses in fixed-level testing were evaluated for consistency across listeners. Target sample was the best predictor of performance in the speech-shaped noise masker for both the random and frozen conditions. In contrast, both the target and masker samples affected performance in the two-talker masker. Results were qualitatively similar for children and adults, and the pattern of performance across stimulus samples was consistent, with differences in masked target audibility in both age groups.

Conclusions:
Although word recognition in speech-shaped noise differed consistently across target words, recognition in a two-talker speech masker depended on both the target and masker samples. These stimulus effects are broadly consistent with a simple model of masked target audibility. Although variability in speech-in-speech recognition is often thought to reflect differences in informational masking, the present results suggest that variability in energetic masking across stimuli can play an important role in performance.
Morphologic evolution of recent small sub-cortical infarcts and adjacent white matter in the basal ganglia in a Chinese cohort
Authors: Wang Sha-Sha , Wei Sen , Song Bo , Xu Yu-Ming 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Background
Data on the evolution of recent small sub-cortical infarcts are limited, especially in the Chinese. Previous studies have reported a large heterogeneity in cavitation and infarct location; therefore, the present study assessed the morphology of small sub-cortical infarcts in the basal ganglia in a Chinese cohort.

Methods
Patients who had experienced a recent, single, small sub-cortical infarct in the basal ganglia and received at least one follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan were retrospectively identified from January 2014 to June 2018. Time to follow-up imaging, baseline infarct size, vascular risk factors, and other clinical data, as well as the morphologic changes of the index infarct and surrounding white matter were recorded. Demographic, clinical and MRI characteristics were respectively compared among three groups (white matter hyper-intensitie [WMH] vs. cavitation vs. absent) and between with and without new WMH formation groups. In addition, logistic regression analyses were performed in investigating the determinate independent predictors for new WMH formation.

Results
Seventy-eight subjects were included with a median follow-up time of 304 days (range: 124–552 days). We found a significant reduction in infarct size at follow-up: 46 of 78 (59.0%) infarctions showed some degree of cavitation, 19 of 78 (24.4%) index lesions resembled non-cavitated WMH, and 13 of 78 (16.7%) infarcts had disappeared at follow-up MRI. No factors were found to be associated with differential outcomes of the infarcts. In addition, 8 of 78 (10.3%) patients demonstrated new WMH formation surrounding the index infarct; white matter progression (odds ratio = 15.95, 95% confidence interval = 1.65–153.99; P = 0.017) was an independent risk factor of new WMH formation.

Conclusions
More than half of the small sub-cortical infarcts in the basal ganglia progressed to cavities, demonstrating that these infarcts can be reduced and go undetected. The presence of new WMH around the infarct may be indicative of the worsening progression of cerebral small vessel diseases. Additionally, white matter progression is an independent risk factor, which may be a potential therapeutic target.
Effect of soy protein containing isoflavones on endothelial and vascular function in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Abshirini Maryam , Omidian Mahsa , Kord-Varkaneh Hamed 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Importance:
The beneficial role of soy protein in cardiovascular health has been well documented in observational studies. However, evidence from clinical trials on effects of soy protein on endothelial function in postmenopausal women has been conflicting.

Objective:
We aimed to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the impact of soy protein supplement containing isoflavones on endothelial function in postmenopausal women.

Evidence review:
We searched PubMed-Medline, SCOPUS, Embase, and Google Scholar until March 2020 to find RCTs evaluating the impact of soy protein supplementation on endothelial function parameters. Random effects model (using DerSimonian-Laird method) was applied to synthesize quantitative data. We performed the leave-one-out method for sensitivity analysis. To quantitatively assess heterogeneity, the I

2
index was applied.

Findings:
From a total of 267 studies identified from the initial search 15 and 5 studies were considered appropriate for inclusion into the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. In the meta-analysis, an insignificant enhancement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) after soy protein supplementation (0.882%; 95% CI: −1.059 to 2.822; P = 0.373) was found. However, subgroup analysis showed that supplementation of isolated soy protein had significant effect on FMD (3.39%; 95% CI: 0.733-6.01; P = 0.01).

Conclusions and Relevance:
Our findings suggest that soy protein supplementation does not lead to meaningful improvement in FMD in postmenopausal women. However, this finding is based on a limited number of studies. Additional high-quality large-scale RCTs are warranted.
Long-term resveratrol supplementation improves pain perception, menopausal symptoms, and overall well-being in postmenopausal women: findings from a 24-month randomized, controlled, crossover trial
Authors: Thaung Zaw Jay Jay , Howe Peter R.C. , Wong Rachel H.X. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Objective:
Following concerns about hormone therapy, postmenopausal women need alternative options to manage menopause-related symptoms and improve their well-being. A 14-week pilot study has shown that supplementation with resveratrol, a phytoestrogen with circulatory benefits, can improve aspects of well-being including chronic pain, which is a common complaint in postmenopausal women. We aimed to confirm these benefits in a larger, long-term study.

Methods:
The Resveratrol for Healthy Ageing in Women study, a 24-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover intervention trial of resveratrol supplementation (75 mg BID) was conducted in 125 healthy postmenopausal women to evaluate effects on cognitive performance (results published elsewhere). Aspects of well-being including pain perception, mood and depressive symptoms, menopausal symptoms, sleep quality, and quality of life were assessed with questionnaires as secondary outcomes of the study. Cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia was measured as a surrogate marker of cerebrovascular function.

Results:
Resveratrol supplementation reduced composite pain score (P < 0.001), especially in overweight individuals; this was associated with improvements in cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia (R = −0.329, P = 0.014). Somatic menopausal symptoms (P = 0.024) and general well-being (P = 0.010) were also improved after resveratrol supplementation.

Conclusions:
These results confirm the pilot study finding that resveratrol supplementation can reduce chronic pain in age-related osteoarthritis and improve menopause-related quality of life in postmenopausal women. These improvements are sustained by supplementation for at least 12 months and are associated with enhancement of circulatory function.

Clinical Trial Registration:
ACTRN12616000679482p

Video Summary:

http://links.lww.com/MENO/A638.
Long-term Retention of Plutonium in the Respiratory Tracts of Two Acutely-exposed Workers: Estimation of Bound Fraction
Authors: Poudel Deepesh , Avtandilashvili Maia , Bertelli Luiz , Klumpp John A. , Tolmachev Sergei Y. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Inhalation of plutonium is a significant contributor of occupational doses in plutonium production, nuclear fuel reprocessing, and cleanup operations. Accurate assessment of the residence time of plutonium in the lungs is important to properly characterize dose and, consequently, the risk from inhalation of plutonium aerosols. This paper discusses the long-term retention of plutonium in different parts of the respiratory tract of two workers who donated their bodies to the US Transuranium and Uranium Registries. The post-mortem tissue radiochemical analysis results, along with the urine bioassay data, were interpreted using Markov Chain Monte Carlo and the latest biokinetic models presented in the Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides series of ICRP publications. The materials inhaled by both workers were found to have solubility between that of plutonium nitrates and oxides. The long-term solubility was also confirmed by comparison of the activity concentration in the lungs and the thoracic lymph nodes. The data from the two individuals can be explained by assuming a bound fraction (fraction of plutonium deposited in the respiratory tract that becomes bound to lung tissue after dissolution) of 1% and 4%, respectively, without having to significantly alter the particle clearance parameters. Effects of different assumptions about the bound fraction on radiation doses to different target regions was also investigated. For inhalation of soluble materials, an assumption of fb
of 1%, compared to the ICRP default of 0.2%, increases the dose to the most sensitive target region of the respiratory tract by 258% and that to the total lung by 116%. Some possible alternate methods of explaining higher-than-expected long-term retention of plutonium in the upper respiratory tract of these individuals—such as physical sequestration of material into the scar tissues and possible uptake by lungs—are also briefly discussed.
The Methodology Used to Assess Doses from the First Nuclear Weapons Test (Trinity) to the Populations of New Mexico
Authors: Bouville André , Beck Harold L. , Thiessen Kathleen M. , Hoffman F. Owen , Potischman Nancy , Simon Steven L. 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Trinity was the first test of a nuclear fission device. The test took place in south-central New Mexico at the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range at 05:29 AM on 16 July 1945. This article provides detailed information on the methods that were used in this work to estimate the radiation doses that were received by the population that resided in New Mexico in 1945. The 721 voting precincts of New Mexico were classified according to ecozone (plains, mountains, or mixture of plains and mountains), and size of resident population (urban or rural). Methods were developed to prepare estimates of absorbed doses from a range of 63 radionuclides to five organs or tissues (thyroid, active marrow, stomach, colon, and lung) for representative individuals of each voting precinct selected according to ethnicity (Hispanic, White, Native American, and African American) and age group in 1945 (in utero, newborn, 1–2 y, 3–7 y, 8–12 y, 13–17 y, and adult). Three pathways of human exposure were included: (1) external irradiation from the radionuclides deposited on the ground; (2) inhalation of radionuclide-contaminated air during the passage of the radioactive cloud and, thereafter, of radionuclides transferred (resuspended) from soil to air; and (3) ingestion of contaminated water and foodstuffs. Within the ingestion pathway, 13 types of foods and sources of water were considered. Well established models were used for estimation of doses resulting from the three pathways using parameter values developed from extensive literature review. Because previous experience and calculations have shown that the annual dose delivered during the year following a nuclear test is much greater than the doses received in the years after that first year, the time period that was considered is limited to the first year following the day of the test (16 July 1945). Numerical estimates of absorbed doses, based on the methods described in this article, are presented in a separate article in this issue.
Dexmedetomidine for early postoperative cognitive dysfunction after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy in elderly male patients with lung cancer
Authors: Shi Hai-Xia , Du Xue-Jiang , Wu Fan , Hu Ya-Juan , Mi Wei-Dong 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
This retrospective study explored the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in treating early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (EPPNCD) after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VATL) in elderly male patients with lung cancer (LC).
This study included a total of 80 elderly male patients with LC who received VATL. All of them were equally assigned to a treatment group and a control group, with 40 patients each group. The primary outcome included cognitive dysfunction, as evaluated by mini-mental state examination scale. The secondary outcomes consisted of incidence of EPPNCD, lung function (as measured by forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, peak expiratory flow, and maximal voluntary ventilation), and adverse events. All outcome data were analyzed before and 3 days after surgery.
After surgery, all patients in the treatment group exerted better efficacy in mini-mental state examination scale (P < .01) and incidence of EPPNCD (P = .03), than patients in the control group. However, no significant differences were detected in forced vital capacity (P = .65), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (P = .50), peak expiratory flow (P = .73), and maximal voluntary ventilation (P = .27) between 2 groups. In addition, there is similar safety profile between 2 groups.
The findings of this study showed that dexmedetomidine may benefit EPPNCD after VATL in elderly male patients with LC. Future studies are needed to warrant the present conclusions.
Analysis of the efficacy of holmium laser and pneumatic ballistic in the treatment of impacted ureteral calculi
Authors: Chunlin Yang , Wanlin Du , Jinhua Du 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
To explore the safety and effectiveness of ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy (UHLL) and ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy (UPL) in the treatment of impacted ureteral calculi (IUC).
Clinical data of 280 patients in our hospital from April 2016 to May 2019 were retrospectively collected and analyzed, including 136 cases of UHLL group and 144 cases of UPL group. The general clinical data, operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, hospital stay, stone-free rate (SFR), and surgical complications were collected and analyzed in 2 group.
Compared with UPL group, the operation time of UHLL group was significantly reduced (27.25 ± 8.39 vs 34.32 ± 10.57, P < .05), but the hospitalization cost was significantly increased (9.25 ± 0.75 vs 8.24 ± 0.51, P < .05). In terms of total SFR, the UHLL group was significantly higher than the UPL group (93.38% vs 83.33%, P = .011). For proximal IUC, compared with the UPL group, the SFR of the UHLL group was significantly increased (88.33% vs 70.31%, P = 0.005). For distal IUC, there was no significant difference in SFR (97.37% vs 93.75%, P = .638) between the UHLL group and UPL group. There were no significant differences in the complications of local mucosal injury, hematuria, febrile urinary tract infection, ureteral perforation, and urinary sepsis in the 2 groups (P > .05). However, the UHLL group was significantly lower in stone residual rate than the UPL group (6.61% vs 16.67%, P = .001).
This study found that UHLL and UPL are safe and effective in the treatment of IUC, but UHLL has the advantages of shorter operation time and high SFR in the treatment of IUC.
The effect of Tai Chi practice on immunological function in cancer survivors
Authors: Wang Xuejiao , Xu Lei , Dai Ning , Yang Xingzhe , He Qingyun , Tan Libo , Wang Ruochong , Li Feng 
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Background:
Tai Chi has been reported to be potentially effective for health and well-being of cancer survivors. It is worth to assess the effectiveness and safety of Tai Chi on immunological function in people with cancer.

Methods:
All relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) will be reviewed on Tai Chi for immunological function in cancer survivors. Literature searching will be conducted until March 9, 2019 from major English and Chinese databases: Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), PubMed, CINAHL, Sprotdicus, American Association for Cancer Research Journals, Sino-Med database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, and Wanfang Data Chinese database. Two authors will conduct data selection and extraction independently. Quality assessment will be conducted using the risk of bias tool recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. We will conduct data analysis using Cochrane's RevMan software (V.5.3). Forest plots and summary of findings tables will illustrate the results from a meta-analysis if sufficient studies with the same outcomes are identified. Funnel plots will be developed to evaluate reporting bias.

Results:
This review will summarize the evidence on Tai Chi for immunological function in cancer survivors.

Conclusions:
We hope that the results of this study will provide significant evidence to assess the value Tai Chi practice on immunological function in cancer survivors.

Ethics and dissemination:
Ethics approval is not required as this study will not involve patients. The results of this study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
Expression and clinical significance of aquaporin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density in gastric cancer
Authors: Zhang Yudong , Qu Hao 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
To investigate the expression and clinical significance of aquaporin-1 (AQP1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD) in gastric cancer.
A total of 79 gastric cancer patients who were admitted into Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from January, 2018 to December, 2019 were involved in this study. Tumor specimens and para-cancerous normal tissues (> 2 cm away from the tumor) of all the enrolled patients were collected. Immunohistochemistry were performed to identify the expression of AQP1, VEGF, and MVD and the correlation between AQP1, VEGF, MVD, and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.
The expression of AQP1, VEGF and MVD in gastric cancer tissue was increased significantly compared with those in para-cancerous tissue (P < .05). AQP1, VEGF, and MVD were closely correlated with gastric cancer differentiation, lymph node metastasis, vascular tumor thrombosis and clinical stage (P < .05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that AQP1 was positively associated with VEGF expression (r = 0.497, P < .05). MVD was enhanced in VEGF or AQP1 positive cancer tissues compared with that in VEGF or AQP1 negative tissue (P < .05).
Synergistic effect among AQP1, VEGF, and MVD is involved in occurrence and development of gastric cancer.
Association of serum osteocalcin levels with glucose metabolism in trauma patients
Authors: Yang Yanping , Zhong Weixi , Huang Jianyin , Geng Lei , Feng Qiming 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Osteocalcin (OC) is an endocrine hormone that regulates glucose metabolism.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum OC levels and glucose metabolism after trauma.
This was a retrospective study of trauma patients admitted to the Department of Emergency Medicine between October 2017 and April 2019. Age, height, weight, injury severity score, and previous medical history were recorded. Serum N-terminal mid-fragment of OC (N-MID OC), hemoglobin Alc (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), C-peptide, and other biochemical indicators were measured. Differences between the HbA1c-L (HbA1c <6.5%) and HbA1c-H (HbA1c ≥6.5%) groups were compared. The association of N-MID OC with indicators of glucose metabolism was analyzed.
Out of 394 trauma patients, leukocyte and FPG levels in the HbA1c-H group (n = 93) were higher (P < .05), while N-MID OC levels were lower (P = .011) than the HbA1c-L group (n = 301). N-MID OC was negatively correlated with HbA1c in the total population (r = -0.273, P < .001) as well as in the HbA1c-L (r = -0.289, P < .001) and HbA1c-H (r = -0.390, P < 0.001) groups, and was positively correlated with C-peptide in the HbA1c-H group (r = 0.395, P < .001). The different quartiles in the HbA1c-L showed that N-MID OC declined with increasing HbA1c, which was higher than N-MID OC levels in the HbA1c-H group. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum HbA1c was independently associated with serum OC levels after trauma (β=-1.608, P < .001).
This study strongly suggests the importance of serum OC on glucose metabolism in trauma patients. HbA1c is independently associated with serum OC levels.