bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
COVSeg‐NET: A deep convolution neural network for COVID‐19 lung CT image segmentation
Authors: Zhang XiaoQing , Wang GuangYu , Zhao Shu‐Guang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCOVID‐19 is a new type of respiratory infectious disease that poses a serious threat to the survival of human beings all over the world. Using artificial intelligence technology to analyze lung images of COVID‐19 patients can achieve rapid and effective detection. This study proposes a COVSeg‐NET model that can accurately segment ground glass opaque lesions in COVID‐19 lung CT images. The COVSeg‐NET model is based on the fully convolutional neural network model structure, which mainly includes convolutional layer, nonlinear unit activation function, maximum pooling layer, batch normalization layer, merge layer, flattening layer, sigmoid layer, and so forth. Through experiments and evaluation results, it can be seen that the dice coefficient, sensitivity, and specificity of the COVSeg‐NET model are 0.561, 0.447, and 0.996 respectively, which are more advanced than other deep learning methods. The COVSeg‐NET model can use a smaller training set and shorter test time to obtain better segmentation results.
Performing minimally invasive soft tissue surgery in dogs and cats
Authors: Moore Alasdair Hotston 
Published: June 2021

Background: Minimally invasive surgical techniques have grown in prominence in people and this trend is also being seen in veterinary surgery; however, the uptake of many procedures has been slow, and the overall number of animals treated in this way remains relatively small. The limiting factors have been a lack of training (both before and after qualification), a lack of surgeon experience with this technique, and the cost and availability of the equipment required. However, the benefits include reduced tissue trauma, faster patient recovery and better visualisation, due to magnification and closer access of the target tissues. Arthroscopy (notably of the elbow) led the way with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in dogs, and laparoscopy has become much more common in the past decade.Aim of the article: This article outlines the equipment needed for minimally invasive soft tissue surgery and provides an update on the current applications of these techniques. A more general definition of MIS in the context of soft tissue would include any technique that reduces tissue trauma compared to open surgery (such as interventional radiography), but this article is limited to the techniques that use rigid endoscopy.
Digitally Mediated Art in the War Zone: The Aesthetics of Resilience in Yemen
Authors: Oruc Nurgul 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe current civil war in Yemen has been largely ignored by mainstream media, with the majority of coverage spotlighting the military aspect of the conflict. Yemeni artists challenge this absence of narratives reflecting the suffering of thousands of Yemeni men, women, and children by exposing the actual situation to the outside world through various artifacts shared on digital media platforms. Despite the significance of contemplating creative endeavors in conflict zones and the burgeoning interest in cultural production both during and after the Arab Spring in the Middle East, contemporary Yemeni creative expressions have been largely neglected by scholars working on the Middle East. This article traces how Yemeni artists have intervened in the representation of the conflict and war in Yemen since 2011. It analyzes the heterogonous artistic forms, contents, and representational strategies that Yemeni artists and filmmakers have employed to express their collective concerns over war and destruction. The constraints and limitations imposed by the conflict have also shaped the creative expressions of Yemeni wartime artists, especially in terms of sharing their work both with their own communities and with the wider world. While their creative work manifests the suffering of a nation, it also constitutes a refusal to live under weakness and lack of hope for the future. The concepts of tactical and participatory media and socially engaged art are used to refer to the production and dissemination of a variety of creative responses to the ongoing crisis in Yemen, as illustrated through selected art media forms.
“The Script Does Not Respond” ‐ Arabic Script's Difficulties in the Digital Realm. A Visual Approach
Authors: Kokoschka Alina 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis article examines different layers of the problematic visual representation of Arabic as a writing system in the digital realm. It starts with the often false, sometimes severely distorted representations of Arabic script. Although most obvious in daily office work and strolls through Latin‐Arabic Linguistic Landscapes, this phenomenon has not yet been systematically looked into. The many unintended and often unnoticed misrepresentations that lead to illegible texts and reader‐unfriendly websites are only the tip of the iceberg. They give visibility to a fundamental lack of script‐specific visual organization of knowledge in digital surroundings and the virtual absence of Arabic‐based digital infrastructure. These phenomena may be examined as a case in point of Latin dominance.This article is a visual account. It investigates the common faults from a typographic and aesthetic perspective against the background of different layers of Arabic scribal tradition. It, therefore, moves from single letters and Arabic script's specificities over to bi‐scriptual encounters and then to more complex text arrangements in websites, programming, and manuscripts. While research in this very field necessarily focuses on deficiencies and problems, possible solutions will also be presented and discussed.
Methods for Studying Video Games and Religion
Authors: Ackfeldt Anders 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe edited volume Methods for Studying Video Games and Religion (2017) by Vít Šisler, Kerstin Radde‐Antweiler, and Xenia Zeiler takes the study of religion and video games seriously and recognizes the widespread usage of religious themes in the world of games. The book can be read as an exposé of the state of research in the field of Game Studies with the specific focus on methods for researching how religion is represented in games and how religious traditions change and serves as inspiration for religious practices and beliefs.
Enhanced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on P(VDF‐TrFE) layer coated microelectrodes
Authors: Shen Shuxian , He Xuzhao , Chen Xiaoyi , Dong Lingqing , Cheng Kui , Weng Wenjian 
Published: June 2021

AbstractElectrical stimulation has been proved to be critical to regulate cell behavior. But, cell behavior is also susceptible to multiple parameters of the adverse interferences such as surface current, electrochemical reaction products, and non‐uniform compositions, which often occur during direct electric stimulation. To effectively prevent the adverse interferences, a novel piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride‐trfluoroethylene)(P(VDF‐TrFE)) layer was designed to coat onto the indium tin oxide (ITO) planar microelectrode. We found the electrical stimulation was able to regulate the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through calcium‐mediated PKC signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the surface charge of the designed P(VDF‐TrFE) coating layer could be easily controlled by the pre‐polarization process, which was demonstrated to trigger integrin‐mediated FAK signaling pathway, finally up‐regulating the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Strikingly, the crosstalk in the downstream of the two signaling cascades further strengthened the ERK pathway activation for osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. This P(VDF‐TrFE) layer coated electrical stimulation microelectrodes therefore provide a distinct strategy to manipulate multiple‐elements of biomaterial surface to regulate stem cell fate commitment.
Comparison of the clinical characteristics of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia between China and overseas
Authors: Wang Xinhang , Chen Lulu , Huang Jinbao , Pan Jianguang , Huang Mingxiang , Chen Lizhou 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundTo explore the clinical manifestation, imaging examination, and serology of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID‐19) between China and overseas.MethodsNinety patients with COVID‐19 who admitted to Fuzhou Pulmonary Hospital from January 23, 2020, to May 1, 2020, were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into domestic group and overseas group according to the origin regions. The clinical manifestations, imaging examination, serology, treatment, and prognosis between the two groups were compared and analyzed.ResultsThe clinical manifestations of patients in the two groups mainly included fever (83.1% and 47.4%), cough (62% and 31.6%), expectoration (47.9% and 31.6%), anorexia (28.2% and 47.4%), fatigue (21.1% and 10.5%), and dyspnea (22.5% and 0%). The main laboratory characteristics in the two groups were decreased lymphocyte count, increased lactate dehydrogenase, decreased oxygenation index, decreased white blood cell count, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and increased C‐reactive protein. The computed tomography (CT) examinations of chest showed bilateral and peripheral involvement, with multiple patch shadows and ground glass shadows. However, pleural effusions were rare.ConclusionFever, cough, and dyspnea are more common in domestic cases than overseas cases. However, patients with COVID‐19 from overseas may have the symptoms of loss of taste and smell that domestic cases do not have.
Taxonomy and spore morphology of genus Adiantum (Vittarioideae; Pteridaceae) from Pakistan
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Jan Gul , Jan Farzana Gul , Murad Waheed 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTaxonomy and spore morphology of genus Adiantum (Vittarioideae; Pteridaceae) from Pakistan is illustrated with scanning electron microscopy images based upon the specimens examined in herbaria of Pakistan, United Kingdom, and United States. A total of five species viz. Adiantum capillus‐veneris, A. incisum subsp. incisum, A. pedatum subsp. pedatum, A. tibeticum, and A. venustum were reported with the habitat ecology of the species from Pakistan. Spore morphology of the taxa was trilete, triangular in proximal and distal view, ellipsoidal and hemicircular in equatorial view, polar proximal and distal surface was with tuberculate and granulose ornamentation.
Early prediction of COVID‐19 severity using extracellular vesicle COPB2
Authors: Fujita Yu , Hoshina Tokio , Matsuzaki Juntaro , Yoshioka Yusuke , Kadota Tsukasa , Hosaka Yusuke , Fujimoto Shota , Kawamoto Hironori , Watanabe Naoaki , Sawaki Kenji , Sakamoto Yohei , Miyajima Makiko , Lee Kwangyole , Nakaharai Kazuhiko , Horino Tetsuya , Nakagawa Ryo , Araya Jun , Miyato Mitsuru , Yoshida Masaki , Kuwano Kazuyoshi , Ochiya Takahiro 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe clinical manifestations of COVID‐19 vary broadly, ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory failure and death. But the predictive biomarkers for characterizing the variability are still lacking. Since emerging evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs) and extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are functionally involved in a number of pathological processes, we hypothesize that these extracellular components may be key determinants and/or predictors of COVID‐19 severity. To test our hypothesis, we collected serum samples from 31 patients with mild COVID‐19 symptoms at the time of their admission for discovery cohort. After symptomatic treatment without corticosteroids, 9 of the 31 patients developed severe/critical COVID‐19 symptoms. We analyzed EV protein and exRNA profiles to look for correlations between these profiles and COVID‐19 severity. Strikingly, we identified three distinct groups of markers (antiviral response‐related EV proteins, coagulation‐related markers, and liver damage‐related exRNAs) with the potential to serve as early predictive biomarkers for COVID‐19 severity. As the best predictive marker, EV COPB2 protein, a subunit of the Golgi coatomer complex, exhibited significantly higher abundance in patients remained mild than developed severe/critical COVID‐19 and healthy controls in discovery cohort (AUC 1.00 (95% CI: 1.00‐1.00)). The validation set included 40 COVID‐19 patients and 39 healthy controls, and showed exactly the same trend between the three groups with excellent predictive value (AUC 0.85 (95% CI: 0.73‐0.97)). These findings highlight the potential of EV COPB2 expression for patient stratification and for making early clinical decisions about strategies for COVID‐19 therapy.
Systemic quinolones and risk of acute liver failure I: Analysis of data from the US FDA adverse event reporting system
Authors: Taher Mohamed Kadry , Alami Abdallah , Gravel Christopher A. , Tsui Derek , Bjerre Lise M. , Momoli Franco , Mattison Donald R. , Krewski Daniel 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackground and AimQuinolones are a potent and globally popular group of antibiotics that are used to treat a wide range of infections. Some case reports have raised concern about their possible association with acute hepatic failure (AHF). Data from the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System were evaluated for signals of AHF in association with systemically administered quinolone antibiotics.MethodsAHF reports between 1969 and 2019q2, with a focus on 2010–2019q2, were analyzed. Specifically, AHF reports linked to non‐quinolone antibiotics of known hepatotoxicity were compared to reports with non‐quinolone, non‐hepatotoxic (reference) antibiotics; and AHF reports with quinolones were also compared to reports with the same group of reference antibiotics. Two disproportionality signal detection techniques (proportional reporting ratio, PRR, and empirical Bayes geometric mean, EBGM) were used to assess the AHF signal for both analyses.ResultsOnly ciprofloxacin showed a marginal and significant AHF signal (PRR: 1.85 [1.21, 2.81]; EBGM: 1.54 [1.06, 1.81]); moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin showed weak and nonsignificant signals.ConclusionFurther pharmacovigilance studies are required to confirm the association between ciprofloxacin and AHF seen in the present analysis.
Adjuvant S‐1 vs gemcitabine for node‐positive perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score‐adjusted analysis
Authors: Takahashi Daigoro , Mizuno Takashi , Yokoyama Yukihiro , Igami Tsuyoshi , Yamaguchi Junpei , Onoe Shunsuke , Watanabe Nobuyuki , Maeda Osamu , Ando Masahiko , Ebata Tomoki 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for biliary cancers remains controversial because of conflicting results from previous phase 3 studies that used different key drugs and enrolled patients with heterogeneous tumor sites and disease stages. Fluoropyrimidine seems more beneficial than gemcitabine (GEM) combination regimens in the adjuvant setting; however, data comparing the survival benefit between GEM‐ and fluoropyrimidine‐based regimens are lacking.MethodsPatients who underwent resection for node‐positive perihilar cholangiocarcinoma were included. The patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy were divided into the S‐1 and GEM groups according to the regimen. The recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and the overall survival (OS) were compared between the groups and adjusted with propensity scores generated from 14 potentially confounding clinicopathological factors.ResultsIn total, 186 patients (Surgery alone, n = 71; S‐1, n = 60; GEM, n = 55) were included. The S‐1 and GEM completion rates were 75% and 65%, respectively. Among the patients who underwent adjuvant therapy, the RFS was longer in the S‐1 group patients than the GEM group patients (median, 24.4 months vs 14.9 months; P = .044) whereas the OS was not significantly different between the groups (median, 48.5 months vs 35.0 months; P = .324). After propensity score adjustment, the differences in RFS and OS between the groups were more evident (HR: 2.696, 95% CI: 1.739‐4.180 P < .001; HR: 1.988, 95% CI: 1.221‐3.238, P < .001, respectively).ConclusionsCompared with adjuvant GEM monotherapy, adjuvant S‐1 monotherapy may improve survival in node‐positive perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients.
Contextualising mass school shootings in the United States
Authors: Paez Gabriel R. , Capellan Joel A. , Johnson Madison G. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe data from the K‐12 School Shooting Database (K‐12 SSDB) of 1,544 school shootings were used to explore patterns of mass school shootings in the United States, with particular focus on the interplay between relevant predictors of these tragic events. Through a conjunctive analysis of case configurations (CACC), results from the current study show that (1) mass school shootings are rare and cluster significantly among dominant situational profiles, defined by the unique combination of variables attributes; (2) mass school shootings are never pre‐planned and in no case involve hostages. Current findings are discussed in light of existing school shooting scholarship and recommendations for policy and future areas of research are offered.
Cerebral folate deficiency in two siblings caused by biallelic variants including a novel mutation of FOLR1 gene: Intrafamilial heterogeneity following early treatment and the role of ketogenic diet
Authors: Papadopoulou Maria T. , Dalpa Efterpi , Portokalas Michalis , Katsanika Irene , Tirothoulaki Katerina , Spilioti Martha , Gerou Spyros , Plecko Barbara , Evangeliou Athanasios E. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMutations in the FOLR1 gene, encoding for the folate alpha receptor (FRa), represent a rare recessive genetic cause of cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a potentially reversible neurometabolic condition. Patients typically present with developmental delay, seizures, abnormal movements, and delayed myelination. We hereby expand the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of the disease with the report of the first two Greek siblings that were found compound heterozygous for one known FOLR1 gene mutation (p.Cys65Trp) and a mutation (p.Trp143Arg) that has not yet been reported in the literature (class 3 variant according to ASHG classification). A distinguishing feature of the older sibling is the manifestation of drug‐resistant epileptic spasms beyond infancy. These had a relatively good response to a ketogenic diet, as an additional treatment to topiramate and valproate. A further clinical improvement was observed when folinic acid was combined with the above treatment. While a response to folinic acid is well established in the disorder, the efficacy of its combination with the ketogenic diet needs further evaluation, but we suggest considering it early in the course of drug resistant epilepsy in the setting of CFD. The younger sibling was diagnosed and treated with folinic acid at an early‐symptomatic stage. Both patients had moderately low age‐related CSF 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate levels at diagnosis with the older sibling (that was already treated at base line collection) averaging 19 nmol/L (normal range: 44‐122 nmol/L) and the younger one 49 nmol/L (normal range 63‐122 nmol/L). These levels were restored to normal limits after folinic supplementation.
Investigation of Synthetic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applied in the Evaluation of the Tumor Grade of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Cai Qian , Wen Zhihua , Huang Yiping , Li Meiqin , Ouyang Longyuan , Ling Jian , Qian Long , Guo Yan , Wang Huanjun 
Published: June 2021

BackgroundThe histological grade of bladder cancer (BCa) is an important factor associated with the treatment and prognosis. However, accurate determination of the preoperative histological grade of BCa remains a challenge.PurposeTo investigate the diagnostic potential of synthetic MRI (SyMRI) in evaluating the histological grade of BCa.Study TypeProspective.SubjectsSixty patients (48 men and 12 women; mean age, 65 ± 11 years) with pathologically confirmed BCa (33 with high‐grade BCa and 27 with low‐grade BCa) were enrolled.Field Strength/SequenceDiffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) acquired by a single‐shot echo‐planar sequence and SyMRI acquired by a multidynamic multiecho (MDME) sequence at 3.0 T.AssessmentPreoperative quantitative longitudinal relaxation time (T1), transverse relaxation time (T2), proton density (PD), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of BCa were independently measured by two radiologists.Statistical TestsInterclass correlation coefficient (ICC), independent sample t‐test, Mann–Whitney U test, Delong test, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were used.ResultsSignificant differences were found in the mean of all the T1, T2, PD, and ADC values between high‐ and low‐grade BCa. The best diagnostic performance was found for the mean ADC value with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.869, while the AUC values of the mean PD, T1, and T2 values were 0.755, 0.740, and 0.723, respectively.Data ConclusionSyMRI may be a potential noninvasive technique for evaluating the histological grade of BCa. However, the overall diagnostic performance of SyMRI‐derived parameters was inferior to the ADC value.Levels of Evidence2.Technical Efficacy Stage2.
Evaluation of Quantile Delta Mapping as a bias‐correction method in maximum rainfall dataset from downscaled models in São Paulo state (Brazil)
Authors: Xavier Ana Carolina Freitas , Martins Letícia Lopes , Rudke Anderson Paulo , de Morais Marcos Vinicius Bueno , Martins Jorge Alberto , Blain Gabriel Constantino 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAn essential step for improving climate change models' performance is to evaluate their ability to represent the current climate conditions, especially extreme events. On such background, this study aims at evaluating the performance of the Quantile Delta Mapping (QDM) as a bias correction method for annual maximum daily precipitation series (bmax) generated from downscaled climate change models under tropical–subtropical conditions of Brazil. We selected the QDM due to its ability to correct bias in extreme quantile of wet days. Climate projections obtained from 20 NASA Earth Exchange Daily Downscaled Projections models (NEX‐GDDP) from 1950 to 2005 were subjected to validation processes based on the QDM method. Two climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 W m−2) have also been considered. Several goodness‐of‐fit measures, such as root‐mean‐square‐error (RMSE),SD, percentual bias (pbias), mean absolute error (MAE), Pearson correlation test, modified Willmott test (dm), have been calculated from the outcomes of the models and their corresponding observed data (obtained from rain gauges). These goodness‐of‐fit measures were calculated before and after applying the QDM method. The QDM was able to correct virtually all biases. More specifically, the QDM successfully adjusted the empirical cumulative distribution of climate change projections, removing the systematic error of raw data. The QDM also presented a suitable performance when applied to future projections (2020–2095). This statement holds for all NEX‐GDDP models, except for the ACCESS1‐0 model in RCP 8.5. In such a scenario, this latter model presented unrealistic rainfall values. Finally, with the improvement resulting from applying the bias correction method QDM, there was an increase in the number of climate projections suitable for end‐users in the study region.