bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual short-term memory impairments in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer’s disease: A longitudinal observational study
Authors: Pavisic Ivanna M. , Nicholas Jennifer M. , Pertzov Yoni , O'Connor Antoinette , Liang Yuying , Collins Jessica D. , Lu Kirsty , Weston Philip S.J. , Ryan Natalie S. , Husain Masud , Fox Nick C. , Crutch Sebastian J. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Visual short-term memory (VSTM) deficits including VSTM binding have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from preclinical to dementia stages, cross-sectionally. Yet, longitudinal investigations are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate VSTM function longitudinally and in relation to expected symptom onset in a cohort of familial Alzheimer’s disease. Ninety-nine individuals (23 presymptomatic; 9 symptomatic and 67 controls) were included in an extension cross-sectional study and a sub-sample of 48 (23 presymptomatic carriers, 6 symptomatic and 19 controls), attending two to five visits with a median interval of 1.3 years, included in the longitudinal study. Participants completed the “What was where?” relational binding task (which measures memory for object identification, localisation and object-location binding under different conditions of memory load and delay), neuropsychology assessments and genetic testing. Compared to controls presymptomatic carriers within 8.5 years of estimated symptom onset, had a faster rate of decline in localisation performance in long-delay conditions (4 seconds) which preceded changes in traditional neuropsychology. This represents the first longitudinal VSTM investigation and shows that changes in memory resolution may be sensitive to tracking cognitive decline in preclinical AD.
Associated risk factors with disease severity and antiviral drug therapy in patients with COVID-19&nbsp;
Authors: Gong Xiaowei , Guo Xianfeng , Kang Shiwei , Li Yan , Gao Haixiang , Yuan Yadong 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Due to the latent onset of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to identify patients with increased probabilities for disease progression early in order to implement timely medical strategies. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with increased COVID-19 severity and evaluate the current antiviral drugs, especially in severe patients. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study performed at the No. 7 Hospital of Wuhan (Wuhan, China) with hospitalized patients confirmed with COVID-19 from January 11 to March 13, 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors of severe COVID. Treatments of antivirus drugs were collected and evaluated.Results: Of the 550 patients, 292 (53.1%) were female and 277 (50.4%) were >60 years old. The most common symptom was fever (n=372, 67.7%), followed by dry cough (n=257, 46.7%), and dyspnea (n=237, 43.1%), and fatigue (n=224, 40.7%). Among the severe patients, 20.2% required invasive ventilator support and 18.0% required non-invasive ventilator. The identified risk factors for severe cases were: age ≥60 years (odds ratio (OR) =3.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-8.08, P=0.028), D-dimer >0.243 μg/ml (OR=2.734, 95%CI: 1.012-7.387, P=0.047), and low oxygenation index (OR=0.984, 95%CI: 0.980-0.989, P<0.001). In severe cases, the benefits (relief of clinical symptoms, clinical outcome, and discharge rate) of arbidol alone was 73.3%, which was better than ribavirin (7/17, 41.2%, P=0.029).Conclusions: Age >60 years, D-dimer >0.243 µg/ml, and lower oxygenation index were associated with severe COVID-19. Arbidol might provide more clinical benefits in treating patients with severe COVID-19 compared with ribavirin.
Transmission of Synovial Sarcoma from A Single Multiorgan Donor to Three Transplant Recipients: Cases Report and Literature Review
Authors: Zhang Jian , Tian Ye , Yang Yang , Xu Ruifang , Lin Jun 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background Donor-derived malignancy is sometimes unidentified at the time of transplantation, resulting in unanticipated donor-derived malignancy, which becomes a notable problem since the increasing use of marginal donors. Case presentation We first report three cases of donor-derived synovial sarcoma from a single multiorgan donor in China. The donor was died of respiratory failure caused by an intrathoracic tumor, which was diagnosed as a benign tumor at the time of donation. All of the three recipients developed synovial sarcoma within 3 months to 13 months after transplantation, proven to be donor-derived. Liver transplant recipient died of tumor metastasis. Two kidney transplant recipients survived from metastases by comprehensive therapy, including the first use of Anlotinib, exhibiting an effective anti-tumor activity.Conclusions This report highlights the importance of detailed donor assessment, close follow-up and timely treatment, as well as the need for establishing a post-transplant surveillance system for donor-derived transmission events. Whether to use organs from a donor with initial diagnosis of benign tumor needs to be cautious. Malignant potential of tumors needs to be excluded before transplantation, otherwise, the organs should be discarded.
Impact on Prostate Cancer Clinical Presentation After Non-Screening Policies at a Tertiary-Care Medical Center.
Authors: Ajami Tarek , Durruty Jaime , Mercader Claudia , Rodriguez Leonardo , Ribal Maria , Alcaraz Antonio , Vilaseca Antoni 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
BACKGROUND:In May 2012 the US Preventive Task Force (USPTF) issued a ‘D’ recommendation for routine PSA-based prostate cancer early detection. This recommendation was implemented progressively in our health system. The aim of this study is to define its impact at a tertiary care institution. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed from 2012 till 2015 at a single center. We analyzed the total number of biopsies performed per year and the positive biopsy rate. For those patients with positive biopsies we recorded diagnostic PSA, clinical stage, ISUP grade group, nodal involvement and metastatic status at diagnosis. RESULTS:A total of 1686 biopsies were analyzed. The positive biopsy rate (PBR) increased from 25% in 2012 to 40% in 2015 (p<0.05). No change in median PSA was noticed (p=0.627). Biopsies detected higher ISUP grades (p=0.000). In addition, newly diagnosed prostate cancer presented higher clinical stage (p=0.005), higher metastatic rates (p=0.03) and a tendency to higher lymph node involvement although not statistically significant (p=0.09).CONCLUSION:After the 2012 recommendation, patients presented higher probability of diagnosing prostate cancer, with more adverse ISUP group, clinical stage and metastatic disease. These results should be considered to implement a risk adapted strategy for prostate cancer screening.
Ge-doped Hematite for an Unassisted Water Splitting System with Enhanced Efficiency
Authors: Yoon Ki-Yong , Park Juhyung , Jung Minsu , Ji Sang-Geun , Lee Hosik , Seo Ji , Kwak Myung-Jun , Seok Sang Il , Lee Jun Hee , Jang Ji-Hyun 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
To boost the photoelectrochemical water oxidation performance of a hematite photoanode, high temperature annealing has been widely applied to enhance crystallinity and remove the physical interface between the hematite and the fluorine doped thin oxide (FTO) substrate. However, the high temperature also results in unintentional Sn-doping due to thermal diffusion from the bottom FTO substrate. Therefore, when using additional dopants and the subsequent high temperature annealing process to enhance performance, the procedure should more precisely be considered co-doping of the hematite photoanode. However, at present, the interaction between the unintentional Sn and intentional dopant is poorly understood. Here, using germanium (Ge), which has been proven a promising dopant in previously reported simulations, we investigated how Sn diffusion affects overall PEC performance in Sn:Ge co-doped systems. After revealing the negative interaction of Sn and Ge dopants, we developed a facile Ge-doping method which suppresses Sn diffusion from the FTO substrate, significantly improving hematite performance. The Sn:Ge-hematite photoanode showed a photocurrent density of 4.6 mA cm− 2 at 1.23 VRHE with an excellent low turn-on voltage. After combining with a perovskite solar cell, our tandem system achieved outstanding 4.8% solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency (3.9 mA cm− 2 in an unassisted water splitting system). Our work provides important insights on a promising diagnostic tool for future co-doping system design.
Using of telemedicine in treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia in Krasnoyarsk state
Authors: Gordeeva N. V. , Demko I. V. , Korchagin E. E. , Soloveva I. A. , Kraposhina A. Yu. , Mamaeva M. G. , Verbitskaya E. A. 
Published: November 2020

Introducrion. Due to the peculiarities of the Krasnoyarsk krai (a huge territory, low population density, different levels of health development in the districts, personnel shortage), there is a need to increase the availability and quality of medical care to district patients. For this purpose, since 2016, the Regional telemedicine system has started functioning online monitoring for patients with severe pneumonia, which provides full-fledged curation of patients from all over the region.Objective. To evaluate the results of RTS monitoring of patients with severe pneumonia.Materials and methods. 770 cases of severe community-acquired pneumonia registered in RTS from 2016 to 2018 were analyzed. Statistical data processing was performed using variational statistics using the “Excel-7” software package. For all values, the minimum significance level (p) of 0.05 was taken into account.Results. The risk factor for severe flow was male. Among comorbid diseases, cardiovascular and bronchopulmonary diseases, diabetes, alcoholism and HIV infection prevailed. The lack of flu vaccination in 97% of patients increased the number of deaths by 4.5 times. The greatest need for consultation arose in the Central district hospitals of low capacity. The majority of patients are registered in the system on the first day of hospitalization and are consulted by a pulmonologist of the Regional clinical hospital within 2 hours. Air ambulance of the Regional clinical hospital evacuated 174 patients, the need for flights decreased by 3.5 times. The main mistakes of district hospitals in the management of patients were the irrational selection of antibacterial drugs, the volume of detoxification therapy, the late start of antiviral therapy and ventilators, and the lack of prescription of anticoagulants.Conclusions. Along with the presence of comorbidities, the outcome of the EAP is affected by the quality of medical care, which depends on the professional training of medical workers, continuity in the work of regional medical institutions and air ambulance, which causes difficulties, given the specifics of the region. RTS allows you to solve this problem at minimal cost.
Predicting the duration of inpatient treatment for COVID-19 patients
Authors: Tsvetkov V. V. , Tokin I. I. , Lioznov D. A. , Venev E. V. , Kulikov A. N. 
Published: November 2020

Introduction. In the context of a high load on all links in the structure of providing medical care to patients with COVID-19, solving the issue of effective triage of patients seems to be extremely urgent. The duration of inpatient treatment is one of the most objective and unambiguously interpreted indicators that can be used to indirectly assess the severity of the patient’s condition.Objective. Develop a machine learning model to predict the duration of inpatient care for patients with COVID-19 based on routine clinical indicators assessed at the prehospital stage.Materials and methods. A total of 564 patients were examined with diagnoses: U07.1 COVID-19, virus identified (n = 367) and U07.2 COVID-19, virus not identified (n = 197). The study included 270 patients, of whom in 50.37% of patients the duration of inpatient treatment did not exceed 7 days, in 49.63% of patients the duration of inpatient treatment was more than 10 days. Eleven clinical parameters were chosen as the most important predictors for predicting the duration of inpatient treatment: age, height and weight of the patient, SpO2 level, body temperature, body mass index, pulse rate, number of days from the onset of illness, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure.Results. The accuracy of our machine learning model for predicting the duration of inpatient treatment more than 10 days was 83.75% (95% CI: 73.82–91.05%), sensitivity — 82.50%, specificity — 85.00%. AUC = 0.86.Conclusion. The method developed by us based on machine learning is characterized by high accuracy in predicting the duration of inpatient treatment of patients with COVID-19, which makes it possible to consider it as a promising new tool to support medical decisions on further tactics of patient management and to resolve the issue of the need for hospitalization.
Development and External Validation of a Machine Learning Tool to Rule Out COVID-19 Among Adults in the Emergency Department Using Routine Blood Tests: A Large, Multicenter, Real-World Study
Authors: Plante Timothy B , Blau Aaron M , Berg Adrian N , Weinberg Aaron S , Jun Ik C , Tapson Victor F , Kanigan Tanya S , Adib Artur B 
Published: November 2020

Background
Conventional diagnosis of COVID-19 with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing (hereafter, PCR) is associated with prolonged time to diagnosis and significant costs to run the test. The SARS-CoV-2 virus might lead to characteristic patterns in the results of widely available, routine blood tests that could be identified with machine learning methodologies. Machine learning modalities integrating findings from these common laboratory test results might accelerate ruling out COVID-19 in emergency department patients.

Objective
We sought to develop (ie, train and internally validate with cross-validation techniques) and externally validate a machine learning model to rule out COVID 19 using only routine blood tests among adults in emergency departments.

Methods
Using clinical data from emergency departments (EDs) from 66 US hospitals before the pandemic (before the end of December 2019) or during the pandemic (March-July 2020), we included patients aged ≥20 years in the study time frame. We excluded those with missing laboratory results. Model training used 2183 PCR-confirmed cases from 43 hospitals during the pandemic; negative controls were 10,000 prepandemic patients from the same hospitals. External validation used 23 hospitals with 1020 PCR-confirmed cases and 171,734 prepandemic negative controls. The main outcome was COVID 19 status predicted using same-day routine laboratory results. Model performance was assessed with area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve as well as sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value (NPV).

Results
Of 192,779 patients included in the training, external validation, and sensitivity data sets (median age decile 50 [IQR 30-60] years, 40.5% male [78,249/192,779]), AUROC for training and external validation was 0.91 (95% CI 0.90-0.92). Using a risk score cutoff of 1.0 (out of 100) in the external validation data set, the model achieved sensitivity of 95.9% and specificity of 41.7%; with a cutoff of 2.0, sensitivity was 92.6% and specificity was 59.9%. At the cutoff of 2.0, the NPVs at a prevalence of 1%, 10%, and 20% were 99.9%, 98.6%, and 97%, respectively.

Conclusions
A machine learning model developed with multicenter clinical data integrating commonly collected ED laboratory data demonstrated high rule-out accuracy for COVID-19 status, and might inform selective use of PCR-based testing.
Buccal alveolar bone changes following rapid maxillary expansion and fixed appliance therapy
Authors: Sperl Adam , Gaalaas Laurence , Beyer John , Grünheid Thorsten 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT

Objectives
To assess factors that may be associated with buccal bone changes adjacent to maxillary first molars after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and fixed appliance therapy.

Materials and Methods
Pretreatment (T1) and posttreatment (T2) cone-beam computed tomography scans were obtained from 45 patients treated with RME and preadjusted edgewise appliances. Buccal alveolar bone thickness was measured adjacent to the mesiobuccal root of the maxillary first molar 4 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm apical to the cementoenamel junction, and anatomic defects were recorded. Paired and unpaired t-tests were used to compare alveolar bone thickness at T1 and T2 and to determine whether teeth with posttreatment anatomic defects had thinner initial bone. Correlation analyses were used to examine relationships between buccal alveolar bone thickness changes and amount of expansion, initial bone thickness, age at T1, postexpansion retention time, and treatment time.

Results
There was a statistically significant reduction in buccal alveolar bone thickness from T1 to T2. Approximately half (47.7%) of the teeth developed anatomic defects from T1 to T2. These teeth had significantly thinner buccal bone at T1. Reduction in alveolar bone thickness was correlated with only one tested variable: initial bone thickness.

Conclusions
RME and fixed-appliance therapy can be associated with significant reduction in buccal alveolar bone thickness and an increase in anatomic defects adjacent to the expander anchor teeth. Anchor teeth with greater initial buccal bone thickness have less reduction in buccal bone thickness and are less likely to develop posttreatment anatomic defects of buccal bone.
PARADOXICAL CONCEPTS, QUINE’S CONSTRUCTIVISM, AND OBSERVATION SENTENCES
Authors: Суровцев Валерий Александрович , Гончаренко Марк Васильевич 
Published: November 2020

Рассматривается подход У. Куайна к проблеме парадоксальных понятий в контексте их отношения к реальности. Проанализирован тезис У. Куайна о том, что парадоксы должны разрешаться именно в рамках той области теоретического знания, где они были сформулированы. Доказывается, что парадоксальность понятий, фигурирующих в различных теориях, должна связываться не с реальностью, а с особенностью словарей этих теорий. Выдвинута гипотеза, что предложения наблюдения, будучи посредниками между языком и реальностью, в ретроспективном анализе оказываются исходными пунктами появления парадоксальных понятий.
The article examines Willard Van Orman Quine’s approach to the problem of paradoxical concepts in the context of their relationship with reality. Quine’s thesis, according to which it is necessary to resolve paradoxes where they appeared and not to extend them to reality, is analyzed. It has been suggested that observation sentences, being intermediaries between language and reality, in retrospective analysis, always turn out to be the primary points in the development of theories due to the constant incompleteness of empirical concepts. The working hypothesis of the study is as follows: the possibility of a particular theory, as a specific variant of the organization of empirical concepts, is determined by observation sentences arising from the schematization of reality and often producing paradoxes.
The Data of Nations
Authors: Cleave Peter 
Published: November 2020

’This is a long term play. The idea is that in the future there is no human interaction. There is just a machine that knows you and what you’re asking and what you like.’
Marc Lore cited by Dumaine p 191
Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said:
‘We must ensure that dual role platforms with market power, such as Amazon, do not distort competition. Data on the activity of third party sellers should not be used to the benefit of Amazon when it acts as a competitor to these sellers. The conditions of competition on the Amazon platform must also be fair. Its rules should not artificially favour Amazon's own retail offers or advantage the offers of retailers using Amazon's logistics and delivery services. With e-commerce booming, and Amazon being the leading e-commerce platform, a fair and undistorted access to consumers online is important for all sellers.’
Press Release European Commission 10 November 2020
Arthroscopic tenotomy for treatment of biceps tendon luxation in two apprehension police dogs
Authors: von Pfeil Dirsko J. F. , Steinberg Ezra J. , Dycus David 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

CASE DESCRIPTION
A 7.5-year-old 37.8-kg (83.2-lb) sexually intact male German Shepherd Dog (dog 1) and a 2.6-year-old 28.2-kg (62.0-lb) sexually intact male Dutch Shepherd (dog 2), both apprehension police dogs, were admitted for evaluation of left and right thoracic limb lameness, respectively.

CLINICAL FINDINGS
In both dogs, signs of pain were elicited on palpation of the shoulder joint in the affected limb, and a distinct popping of the biceps brachii tendon (BT) was palpable on the craniomedial aspect of the affected joint on flexion and extension and was associated with moderate signs of pain. Biceps brachii tendon luxation (BTL) was diagnosed with dynamic musculoskeletal ultrasonography (both dogs) and MRI (dog 1).

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME
Arthroscopic BT release by tenotomy was performed in both dogs. Lameness appeared to have resolved by 8 weeks after surgery and had not recurred by the last follow-up communications at 36 and 9 months after surgery for dogs 1 and 2, respectively. Both dogs successfully returned to their level of work performed before their injury.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Our findings for the dogs of the present report suggested that arthroscopic BT release could be considered a viable treatment option for BTL in dogs, including police dogs or other high-performance athletic dogs. Although our findings provided encouraging results, further research, best conducted with a multicenter prospective randomized study, would be needed to establish the most reliable treatment of BTL in high-performance athletic or working dogs.
A Gender Perspective on Electoral Processes in Malawi: The Right of Malawian Women to Participate in the Political Process under the Maputo Protocol
Authors: Rudman Annika , Mkali Theodora 
Published: November 2020

Against the background of recent political developments in Malawi, this article provides a gender perspective on Malawian women’s participation in political life. It focuses on the position of women as candidates for political office and explores what determines women’s positioning, the hurdles that exist in their path when entering the political domain and, correspondingly, the obligations that the state has to level the playing field to overcome such hurdles. As a point of departure, it is proposed that Malawi, which since the coming into force of the 1994 Constitution is democratically organised, cannot be deemed fully democratic and legitimate if women and men do not have an equal opportunity to serve their communities through parliamentary representation. Malawi has ratified the African Charter, the Maputo Protocol and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. Therefore, it is bound by a multitude of international provisions which promote and protect democracy and women’s rights to political participation. The objective of this article is to analyse how effective the Malawian government has been in implementing women’s political rights as guaranteed under regional human rights law. Using the method of positionality to unveil discrimination and disadvantage, the authors’ arguments presented in this article depart from the idea that internal change can be grounded on legal interventions which implement the legal obligations set out in the African Charter, the Maputo Protocol and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.