bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reconstruction for ureter endometriosis: Case series and literature review
Authors: Hung Zhi-Chen , Hsu Tzu-Hsiang , Jiang Ling-Yu , Chao Wei-Ting , Wang Peng-Hui , Chen Wei-Jen , Huang Eric Yi-Hsiu , Chen Yi-Jen , Lin Alex T. L. 
Published: February 2020

Background:
The aim of this report was to review experience from a single hospital in treating ureteral obstruction related to endometriosis with robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reconstruction.

Methods:
This retrospective analysis study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3) was conducted at an academic tertiary hospital. Five female patients with hydronephrosis without significant elevation of serum creatinine levels were enrolled. Ureteral endometriosis with obstruction was suspected on radiological images. Previous treatment with double-J stenting with or without medical treatment had failed in all of the patients. We performed robot-assisted laparoscopic segmental resection for ureteral endometriosis and reconstructed the ureter through ureteroureterostomy (RUU) or ureteroneocystostomy (RUC). The involved ureters included left lower ureter in three patients and right lower ureter in two patients. RUU was performed in four patients and RUC in one patient. All of the operations were completed smoothly without complications.

Results:
All ureteral endometrioses were successfully resected, and follow-up sonography or intravenous pyelography showed resolution of hydronephrosis in all of the patients.

Conclusion:
Our experience proves the feasibility and efficacy of a robot-assisted approach for this rare situation with good outcomes.
A Descriptive Analysis of Body Composition Among Forest Firefighters in Spain
Authors: Crespo-Ruiz Beatriz , Esteban García Paula , Fernández-Vega Cristina , Crespo-Ruiz Carmen , Rivas-Galan Shai 
Published: February 2020

Objective:
To determine the body composition profile of forest firefighters. Data were collected from 701 forest firefighters.

Methods:
We have carried out this analysis using a bioimpedance scale BC-601 of the brand Tanita® ISO 9001 Certified.

Results:
Obtained values of body mass index 24.85 in women and 27.83 in men. The visceral fat index was 5 in women and 9 in men. In both cases, taking as reference the values proposed by the WHO, women are within a low-moderate risk of cardiovascular or metabolic diseases. Men are at a moderate-high risk.

Conclusions:
The values obtained in the analysis show that forest firefighters have a moderate risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in the future. It is effective to propose future works that elaborate specific physical activity plans to improve their health profile.
Age as a Factor of Growth in Mastoid Thickness and Skull Width
Authors: Almuhawas Fida Abdulaziz , Dhanasingh Anandhan E. , Mitrovic Dijana , Abdelsamad Yassin , Alzhrani Farid , Hagr Abdulrahman , Al Sanosi Abdulrahman 
Published: February 2020

Objectives:
To understand the growth rate of mastoid thickness and skull width associated with the age for both normal and malformed inner-ear anatomy groups. Also, to determine if there is any mathematical relation between cochlear size as measured by the “A” value against the age, mastoid thickness, and skull width.

Methods:
Ninety-two computed tomography image datasets of human temporal bone were made available that contained normal (n = 44) and malformed inner-ear (n = 48) anatomies. The age of the subjects ranged from 6 months to 79 years. CE marked OTOPLAN preplanning otology software was used to load the patient's preoperative images for making all the measurements including mastoid thickness, skull width, and the cochlear size as measured by the “A” value. Mastoid thickness was measured both in axial and coronal planes starting from the cochlear entrance to the skull surface, with the line in plane with the basal turn of the cochlea. Skull width was measured from side to side in both axial and coronal planes from the image slice that gave the highest width. The cochlear size in terms of basal turn diameter “A” was measured from “Cochlear View” in the oblique coronal plane.

Results:
Mastoid thickness and skull width increased with age in a logarithmic manner. The mastoid thickness increased from a minimum of 17 mm to around 34 mm and the skull width increased from 105 mm to around 146 mm as the age increased from 6 months to 20 years. At the age of around 20, both the mastoid thickness and skull width reached the plateau and thereafter with a very little growth. The skull width was linearly correlated with the mastoid thickness conveying the fact that bigger the head size is, thicker will be the mastoid. The size of the cochlea as measured by the “A” value did not have any meaningful correlation with the age, mastoid thickness, and skull width. This conveys the message that the cochlear size is independent of the overall size of head and the age of patient.

Conclusions:
Mastoid thickness and skull width increased with age, while the cochlear size was independent of age, mastoid thickness, and the size of the skull.
Hearing Preservation in Elderly Cochlear Implant Recipients
Authors: Bourn Stephanie , Goldstein Mary Rose , Jacob Abraham 
Published: February 2020

Objective:
Examine hearing preservation rates in cochlear implant recipients 72 years and older.

Study Design:
Retrospective case series.

Setting:
Tertiary otology/neurotology practice.

Patients:
Cochlear implant recipients 72 years and older who are candidates for hearing preservation and were implanted between April 2017 and June 2018

Intervention:
Surgical/rehabilitative.

Main Outcome Measures:
Hearing was measured preoperatively and 6 months after cochlear implantation.

Results:
Between April 2017 and June 2018, 125 cochlear implant operations were performed by the senior author (A.J.). Of these patients, 62 were over age 72 and comprehensive pre- and postoperative residual hearing data were available on 24 patients. Although several methods for calculating hearing preservation are evaluated, our practice has found that hearing preservation techniques should be used in all patients having even a single frequency ≤85 dB HL between 125 and 2000 Hz before surgery. Using this method, 60% of recipients had at least one postoperative threshold ≤85 dB HL, and more importantly, over 80% of these patients subsequently used an electroacoustic MAP.

Conclusion:
Despite concerns about cochlear fragility in elderly patients, preservation of residual hearing is feasible in cochlear implant recipients 72 years and older. This suggests that the vast majority of patients, including an elderly cohort, can benefit from soft surgery techniques.
The Pretragal Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System Fascia: A New Graft Material for Transcanal Tympanoplasty
Authors: Lin Ming-Yee , Chang Ting-Shou , Liao Jia-Bin 
Published: February 2020

Objective:
To compare outcomes of transcanal endoscopic tympanoplasty reconstructed using pretragal superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) fascia versus temporalis fascia.

Study Design:
Retrospective patient review and posttreatment questionnaire survey.

Setting:
Tertiary referral center.

Patients:
Sixty adult patients with chronic dry tympanic membrane perforation.

Interventions:
Patients underwent transcanal endoscopic type I tympanoplasty reconstructed using the SMAS fascia between September 2017 and May 2018; outcomes were compared with a matched cohort of patients where the temporalis fascia was used.

Main Outcome Measures:
Tympanic membrane closure rate, audiogram threshold, duration of procedure, and donor site scar satisfaction survey.

Results:
Sixty patients were included in this study and were evenly divided into the SMAS and temporalis fascia groups. These cohorts were matched for age, sex, side of lesion, perforation size, and preoperative hearing level. The closure rate was 96.7% (29/30) and 93.3% (28/30) (p = 1.0), mean hearing gain was 8.3 ± 6.4 dB versus 8.2 ± 7.1 dB for air-conduction (p = 0.970) and 7.6 ± 5.1 dB versus 8.2 ± 6.8 dB for air-bone gap (p = 0.716), and mean surgical duration was 137.3 ± 23.0 versus 132.2 ± 27.3 minutes (p = 0.432) for the SMAS and temporalis fascia groups, respectively; there were no statistically significant differences for all the parameters listed. The posttreatment questionnaire survey revealed significantly higher acceptance of the SMAS fascia method.

Conclusion:
This preliminary outcome report of SMAS fascia grafting in transcanal endoscopic type I tympanoplasty showed equivalent surgical outcomes and better cosmetic satisfaction compared with the temporalis fascia. The SMAS fascia is a reasonable alternative to conventional techniques for transcanal tympanoplasty.
The splice c.1815G>A variant in KIAA0586 results in a phenotype bridging short-rib-polydactyly and oral-facial-digital syndrome
Authors: Cocciadiferro Dario , Agolini Emanuele , Digilio Maria Cristina , Sinibaldi Lorenzo , Castori Marco , Silvestri Evelina , Dotta Andrea , Dallapiccola Bruno , Novelli Antonio 
Published: February 2020

Abstract

Introduction:

KIAA0586 variants have been associated to short-rib thoracic dysplasia, an autosomal recessive skeletal ciliopathy characterized by a narrow thorax, short limbs, and radiological skeletal abnormalities.

Patient concerns:
Patients 1 and 2 were two Roma Gypsy siblings presenting thoracic dysplasia and a combination of oral cavity anomalies.

Diagnosis:
A custom NGS gene panel, including genes associated to skeletal ciliopathies, identified the homozygous KIAA0586 splicing variant c.1815G>A (p.Gln605Gln) in both siblings, confirming the clinical diagnosis of short-rib-polydactyly.

Intervention:
Patients were transferred to neonatal intensive care unit and received life-support treatment.

Outcomes:
Patients 1 and 2 died after few hours and 1 month of birth, respectively, because of respiratory failure related with the disease.

Conclusion:
We report two patients affected by short-rib polydactyly syndrome and overlapping phenotype with oral-facial-digital syndrome associated with the c.1815G>A variant in KIAA0586, suggesting a quite peculiar genotype–phenotype correlation.
Pulmonary edema following diuretic therapy
Authors: Liu Lixia , Zhang Qian , Zhang Tao , Wu Xinhui , Sun Lixiao , Li Bin , Wang Xiaoting , Chao Yangong , Hu Zhenjie 
Published: February 2020

Abstract

Introduction:
Diuretics are a commonly used for the treatment of acute pulmonary edema. However, inappropriate administration of diuretic drugs can result in clinical treatment failure and cause acute pulmonary edema. This is due to rapid decreases in intravascular volume as a result of diuretic treatment. To date, the clinical phenomenon of inappropriate use of diuretics leading to acute pulmonary edema remains unexplored and unrecognized. Here, we report the first case of this problem—pulmonary edema following diuretic therapy.

Patient concerns:
A 71-year-old male patient who was intubated and transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to respiratory failure was initially diagnosed with pneumonia as a complication of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). After treatments including antibiotics, lung protective ventilation strategies, and restrictive fluid management, his respiratory symptoms improved. However, the patient's dyspnea became more severe after experimental diuretic therapy.

Diagnosis:
A point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examination showed increased extravascular lung water retention during a hypovolemic state. After full examinations and analysis, the diagnosis of acute pulmonary edema was determined.

Interventions:
The most likely cause of acute pulmonary edema was left ventricular (LV) hyperdynamic status due to a hypovolemic status caused by excessive diuretic therapy. Consequently, we administrated intravenous fluids and a β-receptor blocker to the patient.

Outcomes:
Following these treatment, the patient's respiratory distress improved remarkably.

Conclusion:
We report the first case of pulmonary edema following diuretic therapy to stress the need of physicians to follow guidelines of clinical practice. Maintaining an appropriate volume status and treatment of β-receptor blockers is the key to reversing the progress of this adverse effect. In this process, POCUS is a reliable diagnostic tool to identify the cause of acute pulmonary edema and can increase the accuracy of clinical evaluations. It is likely that a wider use of POCUS will help physicians to obtain a faster, and more accurate, diagnosis of the etiology of acute pulmonary edema, thus allowing a more appropriate therapy.
A statistical analysis of the correlations among various types of clinical indexes for patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Wang Jie , Pu Yonglan , Gong Yinhua , Li Zhonghua , Zhu Xiaofang 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the commonest chronic infections, especially in Asia and Africa, which put a heavy burden worldwide. With the advanced knowledge of HBV, early detection, primary care, and hepatology have made huge progression than before. However, the relationship between gender, age, and different key parameters in HBV patients remains to be determined.
In this study, we measured various physiological and biochemical indexes in a large cohort of HBV patients as well as healthy control. We investigated the strength of correlations among those indexes and reported instantaneous imaging results. Moreover, we examined the effects of various grouping modes such as by gender or age on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameters (CAPs). We compared their diagnostic values for hepatic fibrosis in HBV patients.
The results showed that specimens from a healthy control were obviously clustering tightly together, while the specimens from the HBV patients were clustering into several subgroups. Direct bilirubin (DB), total bilirubin (TB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) occurred together with the diagnosis of HBV. Furthermore, groups categorized by Gender had significant effects on fibrotouch measurement not only in HBV patients but also in healthy control.
Our research was to evaluate the actual effects of various parameters on Fibrotouch and make improvement of the critical value of those medical indexes.
Can diffusion weighted imaging be used as an alternative to contrast-enhanced imaging on magnetic resonance enterography for the assessment of active inflammation in Crohn disease?
Authors: Cansu Aysegul , Bekircavusoglu Suleyman , Oguz Sukru , Bulut Eser , Fidan Sami 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the potential use of T2-weighted sequences with diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in magnetic resonance (MR) enterography instead of conventional contrast-enhanced MR imaging (MRI) sequences for the evaluation of active inflammation in Crohn disease.
Two-hundred thirteen intestinal segments of 43 patients, who underwent colonoscopy within 2 weeks before or after MR enterography were evaluated in this retrospective study. DWI sequences, T2-weighted sequences, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences were acquired in the MR enterography scan after cleaning of the bowel and using an oral contrast agent. First, the intestinal segments that had active inflammation in MR enterography were qualitatively evaluated in T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences and then MR activity index (MRAI 1) and MRAI 2 were formed with and without contrast-enhanced sequences in 2 separate sessions.
The correlation coefficient between contrast enhanced and DWI MR enterography scores (MRAI 1 and MRAI 2) of intestinal inflammation was 0.97 for all segments. In addition, separate correlation coefficients were calculated for terminal ileum, right colon, transverse colon, left colon, and rectum, and there was a strong correlation between the MRAI 1 and MRAI 2 scores of each segment (r = 0.86–0.97, P < .001). On the other hand, MR enterography had 88.7% sensitivity, 97.9% specificity, 95.5% positive predictive value, 94.6% negative predictive value, and 94.8% accuracy for detection of active inflammation in all intestinal segments in Crohn disease.
DWI and T2-weighted sequences acquired with cleaning of the bowel can be used instead of contrast-enhanced MRI sequences for the evaluation of active inflammation in Crohn disease.
The mediating role of inflammation in the association between cigarette smoking and intima-media thickness
Authors: Wang Tao , Jiang Chao Qiang , Xu Lin , Zhang Wei Sen , Zhu Feng , Jin Ya Li , Thomas G. Neil , Cheng Kar Keung , Lam Tai Hing 
Published: February 2020

AbstractCigarette smoking is associated with thicker carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), probably partly through inflammatory pathways. However, to what extent does inflammation mediate the smoking-carotid atherosclerosis association is unclear. We investigated the mediating effect of inflammation on the association between cigarette smoking and carotid IMT, and quantified the respective contributions of inflammatory markers to this association.A total of 1752 participants from Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study-Cardiovascular Disease Sub-cohort (GBCS-CVD) were included. Using causal mediation analysis under the counterfactual framework, we decomposed total effects of cigarette smoking on IMT into indirect effects (through inflammatory response) and direct effects (not through inflammatory response).After adjusting for traditional risk factors, the indirect effects of per 109/L increment in leukocyte and granulocyte, per mg/L increment in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and per mg/dL increment in fibrinogen on carotid IMT was 0.0028 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0011–0.0047), 0.0019 mm (95% CI, 0.0006–0.0034), 0.0017 mm (95% CI, 0.0006–0.003), and 0.001 mm (95% CI, 0.0001–0.0021), respectively. No evidence for a mediating role of lymphocyte was found. The proportion of the smoking-IMT association mediated by leukocyte, granulocyte, hs-CRP, and fibrinogen was 12.57% (95% CI, 8.50%–22.11%), 8.50% (95% CI, 5.76%–15.09%), 7.64% (95% CI, 5.20%–13.79%), and 4.48% (95% CI, 3.04%–8.03%), respectively. Restricting data analysis to men showed similar results.The effects of cigarette smoking on IMT were partly mediated by leukocyte, hs-CRP, and fibrinogen. The mediating role of leukocyte was likely mainly driven by higher granulocyte.
β2-microglobulin is an independent indicator of acute kidney injury and outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Rui , Hu Hongtao , Hu Shuang , He Hong , Shui Hua 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI), a serious complication in critically ill patients, is associated with poor clinical outcomes. We explored the hypothesis that β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) is an independent indicator of AKI development and outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU).
Patients with ICH (n = 403) admitted to the NICU of Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016 were prospectively enrolled in this single-center, observational study. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI, secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and 1-year mortality (from time of admission).
The overall AKI incidence, in hospital, was 35.2%; patients were diagnosed with stage 1 (22.1%), 2 (5.7%), and 3 (7.4%) AKI. β2-MG levels predicted AKI with an area under the curve of 0.712 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.652–0.772) and a cut-off of 2026.85 μg/L (sensitivity, 57.5%; specificity, 79.4%). Compared with the group having lower β2-MG values, the group with higher values (β2-MG >2123.50 μg/L) had significantly higher risks of AKI (odds ratio, 2.606; 95% CI, 1.315–5.166), in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.548; 95% CI, 1.318–4.924), and 1-year mortality (HR, 3.161; 95% CI, 1.781–5.611) in adjusted analyses.
β2-MG levels predict AKI development and outcomes in patients with ICH in the NICU.
A case report on transient global ventricular wall thickening secondary to acute myocarditis
Authors: Xu Tiantian , Hu Hongjie 
Published: February 2020

Abstract

Introduction:
Transient left ventricular wall thickening is known to develop in the acute phase of myocarditis, with several reports documenting this unusual mode of myocarditis. Diagnosing myocarditis can be challenging because symptoms, clinical exam findings, electrocardiogram results, biomarkers, and echocardiogram results are often non-specific. Therefore, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has become the primary non-invasive imaging tool in patients with suspected myocarditis.

Patient concerns and diagnosis:
A 51-year-old male was referred to our hospital with a 20-day history of fever. Initial echocardiogram demonstrated diffuse concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with depressed left ventricular diastolic function, previously misdiagnosed as restrictive cardiomyopathy. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed global ventricular wall thickening, and the negative delayed enhancement made hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and myocardial amyloidosis less likely. This information, along with laboratory analyses, led to a diagnosis of acute myocarditis.

Interventions and outcomes:
The patient underwent a treatment regimen, including a prescription of levofloxacin and other supporting treatments. During the period following, the patient experienced a few minor episodes of atypical chest pain with spontaneous remission. The patient was discharged after 8 days of hospitalization. A cardiac MRI evaluation was repeated after 17 months, this time showing that the wall thickness had returned to normal; the myocarditis resolved without sequela.

Conclusions:
In summary, we report on a case of transient global ventricular wall thickening secondary to acute myocarditis, which rarely has been described previously. Our study demonstrates that transient ventricular wall thickening related to myocardial interstitial edema also can involve the right ventricular wall, a fact that is important in diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance currently is considered the most comprehensive and accurate diagnostic tool in patients with suspected myocarditis.