bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laser Reduction Glottoplasty for Voice Feminization: Experience on 28 Patients
Authors: Yılmaz Taner , Özer Furkan , Aydınlı Fatma Esen 
Published: February 2021

Objectives: Laser reduction glottoplasty is a relatively new surgical procedure for voice feminization on transgender women. This study aims to determine long-term voice results of glottoplasty on transwomen. Methods: Nonrandomized, retrospective, cohort. Tertiary referral center. Endoscopic laser reduction glottoplasty was performed on 28 transwomen. Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30), Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ), acoustic analysis with /a/ for F0, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio and acoustic analysis for speaking F0 were measured before and after surgery. Patients self-evaluated their postoperative voices and medical students and 2 voice experts scored patients’ pre- and postsurgery voice samples as masculine, feminine or neither. Results: Mean total VHI and TVQ scores improved significantly postoperatively ( P < .001). Pre- and postsurgery mean F0 were 132 and 198 Hz and mean speaking F0 were 123 and 194 Hz, respectively; these variations were found statistically significant ( P < .001). Postoperative mean jitter, shimmer and NHR increased significantly compared to preoperative values ( P < .05). Nine patients (32%) were not happy with their postsurgery voice result and were offered anterior glottic web formation as secondary procedure. MFT women’s self-ratings of their postsurgery voices showed 3 masculine, 19 feminine and 6 neither outcomes, leading to patient gratification score of 68%. Medical students evaluated 79% of postsurgery voice specimens as feminine. Voice experts evaluated 75% of postsurgery voice specimens as feminine. Conclusions: Laser reduction glottoplasty is an accomplished and satisfying operation for feminizing voice of transwomen. Its voice outcome appears to be durable for 5 years. However, secondary operation may be needed to further gratify transwomen.
Accuracy of Age-Based Formula to Predict the Size and Depth of Cuffed Oral Preformed Endotracheal Tubes in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy
Authors: Tareerath Matula , Mangmeesri Peerachatra 
Published: February 2021

Objectives: To retrospectively investigate the reliability of the age-based formula, year/4 + 3.5 mm in predicting size and year/2 + 12 cm in predicting insertion depth of preformed endotracheal tubes in children and correlate these data with the body mass index. Patients and Methods: Patients were classified into 4 groups according to their nutritional status: thinness, normal weight, overweight, and obesity; we then retrospectively compared the actual size of endotracheal tube and insertion depth to the predicting age-based formula and to the respective bend-to-tip distance of the used preformed tubes. Results: Altogether, 300 patients were included. The actual endotracheal tube size corresponded with the Motoyama formula (64.7%, 90% CI: 60.0-69.1), except for thin patients, where the calculated size was too large (0.5 mm). The insertion depth could be predicted within the range of the bend-to-tip distance and age-based formula in 85.0% (90% CI: 81.3-88.0) of patients. Conclusion: Prediction of the size of cuffed preformed endotracheal tubes using the formula of Motoyama was accurate in most patients, except in thin patients (body mass index < −2 SD). The insertion depth of the tubes was mostly in the range of the age-based-formula to the bend-to-tip distance.
Inferior Surface Leukoplakia of Vocal Folds: Risk of Recurrence: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Hasegawa Hisashi , Matsuzaki Hiroumi , Makiyama Kiyoshi , Oshima Takeshi 
Published: February 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify vocal fold leukoplakia (VFL) lesions on the inferior surface as a risk factor for recurrence. Methods: This was a retrospective study with data collected from 2001 to 2018. The study comprised 37 patients with VFL, divided into the nonrecurrent and recurrent groups. We examined the clinicopathological characteristics and the surgical procedures performed in each patient. Results: Among the 37 patients, 15 (40.5%) had residual (3) or recurrent (12) VFL. Of those patients with and without recurrence, 8 of 12 (66.7%) and 6 of 22 (27.3%), respectively, had inferior surface lesions of the vocal fold at the initial operation ( P = .036). Recurrences were significantly higher in patients with inferior surface lesions. Other evaluated factors did not show significance for recurrence. Conclusion: The presence of VFL lesions on the inferior surface is a significant risk factor for recurrence.
Clinical Profile of Patients With Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Correlation With Hearing Prognosis
Authors: Perez Ferreira Neto Adriana , da Costa Monsanto Rafael , Dore Saint Jean Line , Sonzzini Ribeiro de Souza Lucas , de Oliveira Penido Norma 
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveTo characterize, with a standard systematic protocol, the clinical and audiometric profile of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) and to correlate the findings with hearing recovery prognosis.Study DesignRetrospective cohort of patients with ISSNHL.SettingOutpatients of a tertiary referral center followed for 20 years.MethodsWe collected clinical information, including the presence of tinnitus, vertigo, and comorbidities, as well as initial pure tone averages, degree of hearing loss, audiogram curves, and time between hearing loss onset and treatment. These variables were statistically analyzed for their impact on hearing recovery prognosis. All patients were treated with oral corticosteroids, following a standard treatment protocol. Hearing recovery was defined according to the criteria of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, and hearing outcomes were reported via a standardized method (scattergrams).ResultsOur final study group comprised 186 patients. Most patients were between 41 and 60 years of age. Univariate analysis revealed that vertigo; presence of severe or profound initial hearing loss; flat, U‐shaped, and descending audiogram curves; and initiating treatment ≥15 days were correlated with worse hearing recovery. However, the multivariate logistic model revealed that only the presence of severe or profound hearing loss (odds ratio, 6.634; 95% CI, 2.714‐16.216; P <. 001) and initiating treatment ≥15 days (odds ratio, 0.250; 95% CI, 0.102‐0.610; P =. 008) were independent risk factors for worse hearing recovery prognosis.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the presence of severe or profound hearing loss at the first audiogram and initiating treatment after 14 days from ISSNHL onset were independent risk factors associated with a worse hearing recovery prognosis.
Factors Affecting Central Node Metastasis and Metastatic Lymph Node Ratio in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Seok Jungirl , Ryu Chang Hwan , Park Seog Yun , Lee Chang Yoon , Lee Young Ki , Hwangbo Yul , Lee Eun Kyung , Lee You Jin , Kim Tae Sung , Kim Seok‐ki , Jung Yuh‐Seog , Ryu Junsun 
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveDespite the growing evidence that metastatic lymph node ratio (MLNR) is a valuable predictor for the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma, it has not yet been fully determined which factors give the ratio predictive value independent of the number of metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs).Study DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingA comprehensive cancer center.MethodsRecurrence and clinicopathologic factors were analyzed in 2409 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent total thyroidectomy and central node dissection.ResultsCutoff values of MLNs ≥2 and MLNR ≥28.2% increased the recurrence risk (hazard ratio [95% CI], 9.97 [4.73‐21.0] and 11.4 [5.53‐23.3], respectively). Younger age, male sex, multifocality, tumor size, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and gross extrathyroidal extension positively correlated with MLN and MLNR (all P <. 05). Meanwhile, lymphocytic thyroiditis negatively correlated with MLNR in female patients (P <. 001), by increasing total lymph node yields as compared with papillary thyroid carcinoma without lymphocytic thyroiditis. In multivariate analysis, younger age, tumor size, and lymphatic invasion remained significant in male and female patients for MLN and MLNR; lymphocytic thyroiditis was also significantly correlated with MLNR in female patients.ConclusionOur study demonstrates that MLN and MLNR are independently observed prognostic markers for tumor recurrence. However, lymphocytic thyroiditis in female patients seems to have lower MLNR by increasing total lymph node yields. In light of their association, a different cutoff for MLNR needs to be applied according to the presence or absence of underlying lymphocytic thyroiditis in the use of MLNR for predicting the recurrence.Level of Evidence:4.
The Value of Triage during Periods of Intense COVID-19 Demand: Simulation Modeling Study
Authors: Wood Richard M. , Pratt Adrian C. , Kenward Charlie , McWilliams Christopher J. , Booton Ross D. , Thomas Matthew J. , Bourdeaux Christopher P. , Vasilakis Christos 
Published: February 2021

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, many intensive care units have been overwhelmed by unprecedented levels of demand. Notwithstanding ethical considerations, the prioritization of patients with better prognoses may support a more effective use of available capacity in maximizing aggregate outcomes. This has prompted various proposed triage criteria, although in none of these has an objective assessment been made in terms of impact on number of lives and life-years saved. Design An open-source computer simulation model was constructed for approximating the intensive care admission and discharge dynamics under triage. The model was calibrated from observational data for 9505 patient admissions to UK intensive care units. To explore triage efficacy under various conditions, scenario analysis was performed using a range of demand trajectories corresponding to differing nonpharmaceutical interventions. Results Triaging patients at the point of expressed demand had negligible effect on deaths but reduces life-years lost by up to 8.4% (95% confidence interval: 2.6% to 18.7%). Greater value may be possible through “reverse triage”, that is, promptly discharging any patient not meeting the criteria if admission cannot otherwise be guaranteed for one who does. Under such policy, life-years lost can be reduced by 11.7% (2.8% to 25.8%), which represents 23.0% (5.4% to 50.1%) of what is operationally feasible with no limit on capacity and in the absence of improved clinical treatments. Conclusions The effect of simple triage is limited by a tradeoff between reduced deaths within intensive care (due to improved outcomes) and increased deaths resulting from declined admission (due to lower throughput given the longer lengths of stay of survivors). Improvements can be found through reverse triage, at the expense of potentially complex ethical considerations.
Rate of clinically significant prostate cancer on repeat saturation biopsy after a diagnosis of atypical small acinar proliferation
Authors: Totaro Angelo , Di Gianfrancesco Luca , Pinto Francesco , Racioppi Marco , Palermo Giuseppe , Campetella Marco , Santoro Agostino Antonio , Arbia Giuseppe , Sacco Emilio 
Published: February 2021

Background: Atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP) occurs in approximately 5% of prostate biopsies. Approximately 30%–40% of these patients may develop prostate cancer (PCa) within a 5-year period, often not clinically significant. Current guidelines recommend a repeat biopsy within 3–6 months after the initial diagnosis, but it seem not to be the best strategy. Methods: Objectives—evaluating the natural history of ASAP, stratifying the risk of csPCa after ASAP, identifying predictive factors of PCa after atypical diagnosis. Materials and methods—retrospective single-institutional study on patients undergoing prostate biopsy for suspicious PCa (2005–2016). We evaluated the incidence of overall PCa, intermediate-high risk of PCa and csPCa in case of ASAP, according to D’Amico classification and Epstein modified criteria. Results: Out of 4.567 patients undergoing prostate biopsy, ASAP was detected in 2.6% of cases. All patients with ASAP underwent repeat saturation biopsy within 6 months and PCa was diagnosed in 34.5%. According to D’Amico classification, 26%, 5.9%, and 2.5% had low, intermediate, and high-risk disease, respectively. According modified Epstein criteria, the incidence of csPCa was 12.6%. LRT showed that the overall probability to develop PCa doubled when PSA density (PSAD) moved from values lower than 0.13 ng/ml/cc to class 0.13–0.30 ng/ml/cc, and it tripled when PSAD was higher than 0.30 ng/ml/cc. Conclusions: The rate of csPCa in patients with an initial diagnosis of ASAP who had repeat biopsy was 12.6%. The overall PCa rate was 34.5%. Among patient undergoing RP, an upgrading from ncsPCa to csPCa was reported in 35% of cases. PSAD is the only predictive factor directly associated to the risk of developing PCa on repeat biopsy. These ﬁndings suggest that immediate repeat biopsy remains the correct strategy in absence of novel predictor factors and non-invasive diagnostic evaluations.
Miller Fisher Syndrome Triggered by Infections: A Review of the Literature and a Case Report
Authors: Spyromitrou-Xioufi Panagiota , Ntoulios Georgios , Ladomenou Fani , Niotakis Georgios , Tritou Ioanna , Vlachaki Georgia 
Published: February 2021

Aim: We reported a case of Miller Fisher syndrome following a breakthrough varicella zoster virus infection in an otherwise healthy 6-year-old male. The objective of this review was to summarize the infectious etiologic agents known to trigger Miller Fisher syndrome. Methods: Review of the literature on infections associated with Miller Fisher syndrome. Results: We identified 762 studies after duplicates were removed. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened. Finally, 37 studies were included in qualitative synthesis after citations and reference list were checked. The age range of cases reported was 0-78 years, and male sex was predominant in studies where these parameters were reported. The most common causative agent was Campylobacter jejuni followed by Haemophilus influenzae. Conclusions: Our review highlights the importance of recognizing the infections triggering Miller Fisher syndrome. We also present a unique case of Miller Fisher syndrome associated with breakthrough varicella zoster virus infection. Preventive policies may consider population immunization for certain causative agents.
Renoprotective effects of prazosin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats
Authors: Rahimi MM , Bagheri A , Bagheri Y , Fathi E , Bagheri S , Nia AV , Jafari S , Montazersaheb S 
Published: February 2021

Background: Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the main leading causes of acute kidney injury associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. We studied the effects of prazosin, as a specific blocker of α1-AR, on renal IR injury. Methods: Rats were divided into normal control; untreated IR and prazosin-treated IR (1 mg/kg body weight). Prazosin was administered by intraperitoneal injection 30 min prior to IR induction. The level of urea/creatinine and oxidative factors were detected by colorimetric methods. Apoptosis-associated factors, inflammatory, and signaling proteins were analyzed in renal tissue. The abnormalities of renal histopathology were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: Administration of prazosin to IR rats ameliorated serum urea and creatinine and IR-induced histopathological damages. Lipid peroxidation was significantly improved after treatment by prazosin in IR injury rats, however, antioxidant status was not affected. Rats subjected to IR injury activated Bax protein and NF-κB mediated inflammatory response. Moreover, treatment with prazosin inhibited renal NF-κB activation, resulting in a significant decline in pro-inflammatory cytokine of IL-6. Conclusion: These findings suggest that prazosin could be a good candidate to attenuate renal IR injury due to its ability to modulate renal function, apoptosis and inflammation.
Impact of cancer screening on metastasis: A prostate cancer case study
Authors: Lange Jane , Remmers Sebastiaan , Gulati Roman , Bill-Axelson Anna , Johansson Jan-Erik , Kwiatkowski Maciej , Auvinen Anssi , Hugosson Jonas , Hu Jim C , Roobol Monique J , Carlsson Sigrid V , Etzioni Ruth 
Published: February 2021

Background Trials of cancer screening present results in terms of deaths prevented, but metastasis is also a key endpoint that screening seeks to prevent. We developed a framework for projecting overall (de novo and progressive) metastases prevented in a screening trial using prostate cancer screening as a case study. Methods Mechanistic simulation model in which screening shifts a fraction of cases that would be metastatic at diagnosis to being non-metastatic. This shift increases the incidence of non-overdiagnosed, organ-confined cases. We use estimates of the risk of metastatic progression for these cases to project how many progress to metastasis after diagnosis and tally the projected de novo and progressive metastatic cases with and without screening. We use data on stage shift from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) and data on the risk of metastatic progression from the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-4 trial. We estimate the relative risk and absolute risk reductions in metastatic disease at diagnosis and compare these with reductions in overall metastases. Results Assuming no effect of screening beyond initial stage shift at diagnosis, the model projects a 43% reduction in metastasis at diagnosis but a 22% reduction in the cumulative probability of metastasis over 12 years in favor of screening. These results are consistent with the empirical findings from the ERSPC. Conclusion Any reduction in metastatic disease at diagnosis under screening is likely to be an overly optimistic predictor of the impact of screening on overall metastasis and disease-specific mortality.
Hybrid capture 2 and cobas® 4800: Comparison of performance of two clinically validated tests for human papillomavirus primary screening of cervical cancer
Authors: Mongia A , Pompeo G , Sani C , Burroni E , Fantacci G , Bisanzi S , Cellai F , Ventura L , Bottari F , Carozzi F 
Published: February 2021

Objective To compare, in a primary human papillomavirus screening setting, two different validated human papillomavirus tests, considering their analytical and clinical screening performances. Methods In Tuscany, a human papillomavirus screening program was implemented in 2013. Hybrid capture 2 (Qiagen) was used for testing until May 2016, when it was replaced by the cobas® 4800 human papillomavirus test (Cobas; Roche). We evaluated the performance of Hybrid capture 2 and Cobas on: the same screening population in two different periods (before and after changing to Cobas); the same Hybrid capture 2-positive consecutive samples. Discordant samples (Hybrid capture 2-positive/Cobas negative) were typed on the L1 gene (reverse line blot, AB Analitica) and E6/E7 genes (BD Onclarity assay). Results In the considered time period ( n = 37,775), human papillomavirus positivity was 9.8% and 7.4%, respectively, for Hybrid capture 2 and Cobas ( p < 0.0001). At immediate colposcopy, the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, grade 2 positive predictive value was, respectively, 23.8% and 34% ( p < 0.001). At one-year recall, human papillomavirus persistence was, respectively, 40.6% and 62.2% ( p < 0.0001). Of Hybrid capture 2-positive re-tested samples ( n = 620), 32.4% were Cobas negative. Of discordant samples typed on L1, 7% were positive for the 12 high-risk human papillomavirus. Of the samples found to be negative for the 12 high-risk human papillomavirus types on L1, 14.5% were positive on E6/E7 typing. Among the discordant samples, the only two cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 3 lesions were non-high-risk human papillomavirus positive on both L1 and E6/E7 typing. Conclusion At baseline, Hybrid capture 2 showed greater human papillomavirus positivity and a lower CIN2+ positive predictive value than Cobas, which was more specific than Hybrid capture 2 in detection of high-risk human papillomavirus: 80% of discordant samples were confirmed as high-risk human papillomavirus negative. This higher analytical specificity determined the non-identification of two CIN3 lesions.
Illusory freedom of physical platform workers: Insights from Uber Eats in Japan
Authors: Umer Hamza 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPlatform work is often advocated as offering freedom of work to labour. Contesting this claim, this article undertakes a comparative analysis of the pros and cons of food delivery platform work prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and argues that the freedom of food delivery platform workers is essentially an ‘illusory freedom’. In reality, platform work has only changed mechanisms through which companies can exercise control over labour and evade their employer obligations. As a case, the article examines the illusory freedom of food delivery platform workers associated to Uber Eats in Japan. The collective bargaining efforts of food delivery workers against the excessive control of Uber Eats and the extent of success of these efforts are also examined. The article concludes by discussing the possible factors that have undermined the effectiveness of the collective bargaining efforts of the labour union.
Masticatory Function Assessment of Adult Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate After Orthodontic Treatment
Authors: Miura Sayumi , Ueda Hiroshi , Iwai Koji , Concepcion Medina Cynthia , Ishida Eri , Kunimatsu Ryo , Tanimoto Kotaro 
Published: February 2021

Objective: To determine whether orthodontically treated patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) possess a different masticatory function than those of untreated patients with normal occlusion. Design: Occlusal contact area, occlusal force, as well as masseter and anterior temporal muscular activity were measured during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC) tests. Mandibular left and right lateral movements during mastication were also assessed. To further elucidate the nature of masticatory function, especially to determine the rate of abnormal jaw movement patterns, a parametric error index (EI) was set. Finally, masticatory efficiency was evaluated with a glucose sensitive measuring device. Participants: Fifteen patients with CLP who had previously completed the orthodontic treatments required to achieve an acceptable and more harmonious occlusion accepted to volunteer in this study along with 21 untreated patients who already possessed a normal occlusion. Results: Patients with CLP showed a significantly lower occlusal force, reduced occlusal contact area, and decreased masticatory efficiency as well as significantly higher EI value when compared with controls. However, there was no significant difference when analyzing muscle activity, although masticatory efficiency was significantly different between the 2 groups. Despite this result, the scores obtained by the patients with CLP in the masticatory efficiency tests were still in the normal range. Conclusions: Orthodontic treatment for adult patients with CLP provides a satisfactory result for the patients’ masticatory ability albeit significantly less ideal compared with untreated patients with normal occlusion.