bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adverse health manifestations in the hands of vibration exposed carpenters - a cross sectional study
Authors: Tekavec Eva , Löfqvist Lotta , Larsson Anna , Fisk Karin , Riddar Jakob , Nilsson Tohr , Nordander Catarina 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
Despite EU regulatory standards, many workers suffer injury as a result of working with hand-held vibrating tools. Our aim of this study was to confirm whether carpenters, a highly exposed group, suffer more injuries to their hands than painters, a group assumed to be less exposed to vibration.

Methods
193 carpenters (participation rate 100%) and 72 painters (participation rate 67%), all men, answered a questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination to identify manifestations of neural and vascular origin in the hands. Neurosensory affection was defined as having at least one symptom in the fingers/hands (impaired perception of touch, warmth, or cold, impaired dexterity, increased sensation of cold, numbness or tingling, or pain in the fingers/hands when cold) and at least one clinical finding (impaired perception of touch, warmth, cold, vibration, or two-point discrimination). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results
Neurosensory affection was fulfilled for 31% of the carpenters and 17% of the painters, age-adjusted OR 3.3 (CI 1.6–7.0). Among carpenters with neurosensory affection 18% reported interference with daily life activities, the most common symptoms being increased sensation of cold, numbness and pain in the fingers/hands when cold, the most common clinical findings were impaired perception of touch and vibration. Neurosensory affection was found in 12% of young carpenters (≤ 30 years old). No difference was found in the prevalence of white fingers between carpenters and painters.

Conclusions
Carpenters showed more symptoms and clinical findings of neurosensory affection than painters, probably due to vibration exposure. Also young carpenters showed signs of neurosensory affection, which indicates that under current conditions workers at these companies are not protected against injury. This underlines the importance of reducing exposure to vibration and conducting regular medical check-ups to detect early signs of neural and vascular manifestations indicating hand-arm vibration injuries. Special attention should be given to symptoms of increased sensation of cold, pain in the fingers when cold, and numbness, as these were the most common initiating ones, and should be addressed as early as possible in the preventive sentinel process. It is also important to test clinically for small- and large-fibre neuropathy, as the individual may be unaware of any pathology.
Ethnobiological study on traditional medicinal plants and fungi recorded in the Naxi Dongba sutras
Authors: Li Haitao , Li Zhiyong , Zhang Xiaobo , Yang Shaohua , Chen Cui , Yang Qingning , He Chengfeng , Liu Jianqin , Song Jingyuan 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
The Naxi people, living in Southwest China, have a long history and rich characteristic culture. Their ancestors recorded their life practices by ancient hieroglyphs and gradually formed the Dongba Sutras, which, among other knowledge, included the traditional knowledge of Naxi medicine. In the past, most studies on the Dongba Sutras focused on the humanistic culture of Naxi people, whereas studies have rarely focused on Naxi herbal medicinal plants and fungi described in the Dongba Sutras. Studying this aspect is helpful for exploring the traditional culture of Naxi people from the perspective of traditional medicine.

Methods
From February to September 2019, we screened the medicinal plants and fungi from the Dongba Sutras with the help of Dongba. Then, we carried out field investigations and collected voucher specimens of traditional medicinal plants and fungi with the help of 104 Naxi folk healers. The specimens were identified and stored in the Herbarium of Yunnan Branch, Institute of Medicinal Plants, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IMDY). Through semi-structured interviews, we obtained ethnobotanical information of medicinal plants and fungi. The obtained quantitative data were analyzed using the informant consensus factor (ICF) method and the number of citations.

Results
A total of 85 species of medicinal plants and fungi belonging to 51 families and 71 genera were recorded in the Dongba Sutras. Among them, 25 species were endemic to China, and eight species were only distributed in Naxi distribution areas. These medicinal plants and fungi were mainly obtained from the wild, and 22 species could be used as food. The most frequent method of taking medicinal materials was oral-taking after decoction, followed by topical and sometimes buccal. The methods of processing these medicinal materials included water decoction, warm water flushing, and drinking after soaking. The medicinal plants and fungi in the Dongba Sutras are used to treat 96 conditions classified into 13 disease groups according to the International Classification of Primary Care second edition. Further analysis indicated that most of these species were utilized for treating diseases from the digestive (D) group, followed by those from the respiratory (R) group, musculoskeletal (L) group, general, and unspecified (A) group. Moreover, the Naxi people have a high consensus on the treatments of diseases from these four pathological groups.

Conclusions
The Naxi traditional medicine is characterized by simple materials, easy operation, and distinctive national characteristics. The ancient Naxi people recorded their highly developed medical culture in the Dongba Sutras. Natural plant resources found around them were their primary choices for both medicine and diet therapy. The ecological ethics of Naxi people have positive significance for the conservation of wild resources in their area.
Locking compression plate fixation of femoral intertrochanteric fractures in patients with preexisting proximal femoral deformity: a retrospective study
Authors: Fan Shan , Yin Mingming , Xu Yibo , Ren Cheng , Ma Teng , Lu Yao , Li Ming , Li Zhong , Zhang Kun 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
To investigate the clinical efficacy of locking compression plate fixation for the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures in patients with preexisting proximal femoral deformity.

Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 37 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures combined with preexisting proximal femoral deformity between January 2013 and July 2019. The patients included 24 males and 13 females aged from 23 to 69 years old, with an average age of 47.5 years. The preexisting proximal femoral deformities resulted from poliomyelitis sequela, proximal femoral fibrous dysplasia, malunion and implant failure combined with coxa vara after intramedullary nailing fixation. There were 6 cases of 31-A2.1, 6 cases of 31-A2.2, 20 cases of 31-A3.1, and 5 cases of 31-A3.2, determined based on the AO classification of intertrochanteric fractures. All fractures were managed through open reduction and locking plate fixation. The hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS) was used to assess hip function before injury and at the last postoperative follow-up. The short form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire was used to assess quality of life.

Results
Thirty-seven patients were followed up for 12 to 27 months (average, 20.7 months). All patients achieved bone healing within 5.1 months on average (range, 3 to 6 months). Postoperative complications included deep vein thrombosis in three patients, bedsores in one and delayed union in one patient. No other complications, such as surgical site infection, fat embolism, nonunion and re-fracture, were presented. There was no significant difference in the HOOS scores and the SF-36 Health Questionnaire outcomes at pre-injury and at the last postoperative follow-up (p > 0.05).

Conclusions
It is difficult to perform intramedullary fixation of femoral intertrochanteric fractures in patients with preexisting proximal femoral deformity, while locking compression plate fixation is a simple and effective method of treatment.
The diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumor (dt-TGCT) patient journey: a prospective multicenter study
Authors:   TOPP Study Group, Bernthal Nicholas M. , Spierenburg Geert , Healey John H. , Palmerini Emanuela , Bauer Sebastian , Gelderblom Hans , Staals Eric L. , Lopez-Bastida Julio , Fronk Eva-Maria , Ye Xin , Laeis Petra , van de Sande Michiel A. J. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) is a rare, locally aggressive neoplasm arising from the synovium of joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths affecting small and large joints. It represents a wide spectrum ranging from minimally symptomatic to massively debilitating. Most findings to date are mainly from small, retrospective case series, and thus the morbidity and actual impact of this rare disease remain to be elucidated. This study prospectively explores the management of TGCT in tertiary sarcoma centers.

Methods
The TGCT Observational Platform Project registry was a multinational, multicenter, prospective observational study involving 12 tertiary sarcoma centers in 7 European countries, and 2 US sites. This study enrolled for 2 years all consecutive ≥ 18 years old patients, with histologically diagnosed primary or recurrent cases of diffuse-type TGCT. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline and every 6 months for 24 months. Quality of life questionnaires (PROMIS-PF and EQ-5D) were also administered at the same time-points. Here we report baseline patient characteristics.

Results
166 patients were enrolled between November 2016 and March 2019. Baseline characteristics were: mean age 44 years (mean age at disease onset: 39 years), 139/166 (83.7%) had prior treatment, 71/166 patients (42.8%) had ≥ 1 recurrence after treatment of their primary tumor, 76/136 (55.9%) visited a medical specialist ≥ 5 times, 66/116 (56.9%) missed work in the 24 months prior to baseline, and 17/166 (11.6%) changed employment status or retired prematurely due to disease burden. Prior treatment consisted of surgery (i.e., arthroscopic, open synovectomy) (128/166; 77.1%) and systemic treatments (52/166; 31.3%) with imatinib (19/52; 36.5%) or pexidartinib (27/52; 51.9%). Treatment strategies at baseline visits consisted mainly of watchful waiting (81/166; 48.8%), surgery (41/166; 24.7%), or targeted systemic therapy (37/166; 22.3%). Patients indicated for treatment reported more impairment compared to patients indicated for watchful waiting: worst stiffness NRS 5.16/3.44, worst pain NRS 6.13/5.03, PROMIS-PF 39.48/43.85, and EQ-5D VAS 66.54/71.85.

Conclusion
This study confirms that diffuse-type TGCT can highly impact quality of life. A prospective observational registry in rare disease is feasible and can be a tool to collect curated-population reflective data in orphan diseases.

Name of registry: Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors (TGCT) Observational Platform Project (TOPP).
Trial registration number: NCT02948088.
Date of registration: 10 October 2016.
URL of Trial registry record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02948088?term=NCT02948088&draw=2.
Argatroban versus heparin in patients without heparin-induced thrombocytopenia during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a propensity-score matched study
Authors: Fisser Christoph , Winkler Maren , Malfertheiner Maximilian V. , Philipp Alois , Foltan Maik , Lunz Dirk , Zeman Florian , Maier Lars S. , Lubnow Matthias , Müller Thomas 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
During venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vvECMO), direct thrombin inhibitors are considered by some potentially advantageous over unfractionated heparin (UFH). We tested the hypothesis that Argatroban is non-inferior to UFH regarding thrombosis and bleeding during vvECMO.

Methods
We conducted a propensity-score matched observational non-inferiority study of consecutive patients without heparin-induced-thrombocytopenia (HIT) on vvECMO, treated between January 2006 and March 2019 in the medical intensive care unit at the University Hospital Regensburg. Anticoagulation was realized with UFH until August 2017 and with Argatroban from September 2017 onwards. Target activated partial thromboplastin time was 50 ± 5seconds in both groups. Primary composite endpoint was major thrombosis and/or major bleeding. Major bleeding was defined as a drop in hemoglobin of ≥ 2 g/dl/day or in transfusion of ≥ 2 packed red cells/24 h, or retroperitoneal, cerebral, or pulmonary bleeding. Major thrombosis was defined as obstruction of > 50% of the vessel lumen diameter by means of duplex sonography. We also assessed technical complications such as oxygenator defects or pump head thrombosis, the time-course of platelets, and the cost of anticoagulation (including HIT-testing).

Results
Out of 465 patients receiving UFH, 78 were matched to 39 patients receiving Argatroban. The primary endpoint occurred in 79% of patients in the Argatroban group and in 83% in the UFH group (non-inferiority for Argatroban, p = 0.026). The occurrence of technical complications was equally distributed (Argatroban 49% vs. UFH 42%, p = 0.511). The number of platelets was similar in both groups before ECMO therapy but lower in the UFH group after end of ECMO support (median [IQR]: 141 [104;198]/nl vs. 107 [54;171]/nl, p = 0.010). Anticoagulation costs per day of ECMO were higher in the Argatroban group (€26 [13.8;53.0] vs. €0.9 [0.5;1.5], p < 0.001) but not after accounting for blood products and HIT-testing (€63 [42;171) vs. €40 [17;158], p = 0.074).

Conclusion
In patients without HIT on vvECMO, Argatroban was non-inferior to UFH regarding bleeding and thrombosis. The occurrence of technical complications was similarly distributed. Argatroban may have less impact on platelet decrease during ECMO, but this finding needs further evaluation. Direct drug costs were higher for Argatroban but comparable to UFH after accounting for HIT-testing and transfusions.
Many faces of acute bowel ischemia: overview of radiologic staging
Authors: Davarpanah Amir H. , Ghamari Khameneh Afshar , Khosravi Bardia , Mir Ali , Saffar Hiva , Radmard Amir Reza 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAcute bowel ischemia (ABI) can be life threatening with high mortality rate. In spite of the advances made in diagnosis and treatment of ABI, no significant change has occurred in the mortality over the past decade. ABI is potentially reversible with prompt diagnosis. The radiologist plays a central role in the initial diagnosis and preventing progression to irreversible intestinal ischemic injury or bowel necrosis. The most single imaging findings described in the literature are either non-specific or only present in the late stages of ABI, urging the use of a constellation of features to reach a more confident diagnosis. While ABI has been traditionally categorized based on the etiology with a wide spectrum of imaging findings overlapped with each other, the final decision for patient’s management is usually made on the stage of the ABI with respect to the underlying pathophysiology. In this review, we first discuss the pathologic stages of ischemia and then summarize the various imaging signs and causes of ABI. We also emphasize on the correlation of imaging findings and pathological staging of the disease. Finally, a management approach is proposed using combined clinical and radiological findings to determine whether the patient may benefit from surgery or not.
Metabolites of bovine-associated non-aureus staphylococci influence expression of Staphylococcus aureus agr-related genes in vitro
Authors: Toledo-Silva Bruno , de Souza Fernando Nogueira , Piepers Sofie , Mertens Kristien , Haesebrouck Freddy , De Vliegher Sarne 
Published: April 2021

AbstractCommunications via quorum sensing (QS) between non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) and Staphylococcus (S.) aureus in the bovine mammary gland remains largely unexplored. We determined whether 34 S. chromogenes, 11 S. epidermidis, and 14 S. simulans isolates originating from bovine milk samples and teat apices were able to regulate the QS of S. aureus, and if so, how in vitro growth inhibition of S. aureus by NAS, or NAS metabolites, or NAS cells themselves play a role in this process. In co-culture with S. aureus we observed that these 3 NAS species in general downregulated the expression of rnaIII, the effector molecule of the QS system, but this effect was more pronounced in S. chromogenes and S. simulans isolates than in S. epidermidis isolates. In vitro growth inhibition of S. aureus by NAS resulted in a small underestimation of the downregulating effect of NAS on rnaIII expression of S. aureus. Additionally, the culture supernatant of these NAS isolates and supernatant treated with proteinase K expressed greater regulatory activity over S. aureus virulence genes rnaIII, hla, and spa than washed NAS cells suspended in sterile water. These microbial interactions may influence S. aureus virulence and pathogenesis within the host. Isolation and identification of NAS metabolites affecting the QS system of S. aureus might help to develop alternative strategies for treatment and control of S. aureus mastitis.
Myelin basic protein enhances axonal regeneration from neural progenitor cells
Authors: Yan Zhengjian , Chu Lei , Jia Xiaojiong , Lin Lu , Cheng Si 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Introduction
Stem cell therapy using neural progenitor cells (NPCs) shows promise in mitigating the debilitating effects of spinal cord injury (SCI). Notably, myelin stimulates axonal regeneration from mammalian NPCs. This led us to hypothesize that myelin-associated proteins may contribute to axonal regeneration from NPCs.

Methods
We conducted an R-based bioinformatics analysis to identify key gene(s) that may participate in myelin-associated axonal regeneration from murine NPCs, which identified the serine protease myelin basic protein (Mbp). We employed E12 murine NPCs, E14 rat NPCs, and human iPSC-derived Day 1 NPCs (D1 hNPCs) with or without CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Mbp knockout in combination with rescue L1-70 overexpression, constitutively-active VP16-PPARγ2, or the PPARγ agonist ciglitazone. A murine dorsal column crush model of SCI utilizing porous collagen-based scaffolding (PCS)-seeded murine NPCs with or without stable Mbp overexpression was used to assess locomotive recovery and axonal regeneration in vivo.

Results
Myelin promotes axonal outgrowth from NPCs in an Mbp-dependent manner and that Mbp’s stimulatory effects on NPC neurite outgrowth are mediated by Mbp’s production of L1-70. Furthermore, we determined that Mbp/L1-70’s stimulatory effects on NPC neurite outgrowth are mediated by PPARγ-based repression of neuron differentiation-associated gene expression and PPARγ-based Erk1/2 activation. In vivo, PCS-seeded murine NPCs stably overexpressing Mbp significantly enhanced locomotive recovery and axonal regeneration in post-SCI mice.

Conclusions
We discovered that Mbp supports axonal regeneration from mammalian NPCs through the novel Mbp/L1cam/Pparγ signaling pathway. This study suggests that bioengineered, NPC-based interventions can promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery post-SCI.
Performance analysis of power-splitting relaying protocol in SWIPT based cooperative NOMA systems
Authors: Tran Huu Q. , Phan Ca V. , Vien Quoc-Tuan 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThis paper investigates a relay assisted simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) for downlink in cellular systems. Cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access (C-NOMA) is employed along with power splitting protocol to enable both energy harvesting (EH) and information processing (IP). A downlink model consists of a base station (BS) and two users is considered, in which the near user (NU) is selected as a relay to forward the received signal from the BS to the far user (FU). Maximum ratio combining is then employed at the FU to combine both the signals received from the BS and NU. Closed form expressions of outage propability, throughput, ergodic rate and energy efficiency (EE) are firstly derived for the SWIPT based C-NOMA considering both scenarios of with and without direct link between the BS and FU. The impacts of EH time, EH efficiency, power-splitting ratio, source data rate and distance between different nodes on the performance are then investigated. The simulation results show that the C-NOMA with direct link achieves an outperformed performance over C-NOMA without direct link. Moreover, the performance of C-NOMA with direct link is also higher than that for OMA. Specifically, (1) the outage probability for C-NOMA in both direct and relaying link cases is always lower than that for OMA. (2) the outage probability, throughput and ergodic rate vary according to $$\beta$$
β
, (3) the EE of both users can obtain in SNR range of from $$-10$$

-
10

to 5 dB and it decreases linearly as SNR increases. Numerical results are provided to verify the findings.
Transient feature extraction method based on adaptive TQWT sparse optimization
Authors: Liu Xue , Sun Ao , Hu Jian 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAiming at the problem of strong impact, short response period and wide resonance frequency bandwidth of transient vibration signals, a transient feature extraction method based on adaptive tunable Q-factor wavelet transform (TQWT) was proposed. Firstly, the characteristic frequency band of the vibration signal was selected according to the time–frequency distribution. Based on the characteristic frequency band, the sub-band average energy weighted wavelet Shannon entropy was used to optimize the number of decomposition layers, quality factor and redundancy of TQWT, so as to achieve the adaptive optimal matching of the impact characteristic components in the vibration signal. Then, according to the characteristics of the transient impact of the telemetry vibration signal, the TQWT decomposition coefficients were sparse reconstructed to obtain more sparse impact characteristics, and the weighted power spectrum kurtosis was used as the impact characteristic index to select the optimal sub-band, Finally, the inverse transform of TQWT was used to reconstruct the optimal sub-band to enhance its weak impact features. The simulation and measured signal processing results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm.
$L^{p}$ harmonic 1-forms on conformally flat Riemannian manifolds
Authors: Li Jing , Feng Shuxiang , Zhao Peibiao 
Published: April 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we establish a finiteness theorem for $L^{p}$

L
p

harmonic 1-forms on a locally conformally flat Riemannian manifold under the assumptions on the Schrödinger operators involving the squared norm of the traceless Ricci form. This result can be regarded as a generalization of Han’s result on $L^{2}$

L
2

harmonic 1-forms.
On the refinements of some important inequalities via $(p,q)$-calculus and their applications
Authors: Yu Bo , Luo Chun-Yan , Du Ting-Song 
Published: April 2021

AbstractWe establish some interesting refinements of the$(p,q)$(p,q)-Hölder integral inequality and the$(p,q)$(p,q)-power-mean integral inequality. As applications, we show that some existing$(p,q)$(p,q)-integral inequalities can be improved by the results obtained in this paper.
On differential equations classifying a warped product submanifold of cosymplectic space forms
Authors: Ali Akram , Mofarreh Fatemah , Ali Rifaqat , Badruddin Irfan Anjum 
Published: April 2021

AbstractIn the present paper, we extend the study of (Ali et al. in J. Inequal. Appl. 2020:241, 2020) by using differential equations (García-Río et al. in J. Differ. Equ. 194(2):287–299, 2003; Pigola et al. in Math. Z. 268:777–790, 2011; Tanno in J. Math. Soc. Jpn. 30(3):509–531, 1978; Tashiro in Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 117:251–275, 1965), and we find some necessary conditions for the base of warped product submanifolds of cosymplectic space form $\widetilde{M}^{2m+1}(\epsilon )$

M
˜

2
m
+
1

(
ϵ
)
to be isometric to the Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^{n}$

R
n

or a warped product of complete manifold N and Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}$
R
.