bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improved HbA1c and reduced glycaemic variability after 1-year intermittent use of flash glucose monitoring
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Liu Yu , Sun Baosheng , Shen Yanjun , Li Ming , Peng Lanbo , Duan Honggang , Su Xudong , Lu Shaoxia , Tian Xiaoqin , Tian Yaqiang 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFlash glucose monitoring (FGM) was introduced in China in 2016, and it might improve HbA1c measurements and reduce glycaemic variability during T1DM therapy. A total of 146 patients were recruited from October 2018 to September 2019 in Liaocheng. The patients were randomly divided into the FGM group or self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) group. Both groups wore the FGM device for multiple 2-week periods, beginning with the 1st, 24th, and 48th weeks for gathering data, while blood samples were also collected for HbA1c measurement. Dietary guidance and insulin dose adjustments were provided to the FGM group patients according to their Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) and to the SMBG group patients according to their SMBG measurements taken 3–4 times daily. All of the participants underwent SMBG measurements on the days when not wearing the FGM device. At the final visit, HbA1c, time in range (TIR), duration of hypoglycaemia and the number of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) events were taken as the main endpoints. There were no significant difference in the baseline characteristics of the two groups. At 24 weeks, the HbA1c level of the FGM group was 8.16 ± 1.03%, which was much lower than that of the SMBG group (8.68 ± 1.01%) (p = 0.003). The interquartile range (IQR), mean blood glucose (MBG), and the duration of hypoglycaemia in the FGM group also showed significant declines, compared with the SMBG group (p < 0.05), while the TIR increased in the FGM group [(49.39 ± 17.54)% vs (42.44 ± 15.49)%] (p = 0.012). At 48 weeks, the differences were more pronounced (p < 0.01). There were no observed changes in the number of episodes of DKA by the end of the study [(0.25 ± 0.50) vs (0.28 ± 0.51), p = 0.75]. Intermittent use of FGM by T1DM patients can improve their HbA1c and glycaemic control without increasing the hypoglycaemic exposure in insulin-treated individuals with type 1 diabetes in an developing country.
Experiment study on the corrosion resistance of the surface metamorphic layer of grinding
Authors: Shi Xiaoliang , Xiu Shichao , Liu Xiao 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWorkpiece will face corrosive problems during its application after the manufacturing process. As the common final process, grinding can generate special metamorphic layer on the surface of workpiece and change the initial corrosion resistance of workpiece. In order to study the corrosion resistance of workpiece after grinding process, the paper carries on combining experiment of grinding and electrochemical corrosion. The characteristic of corrosion resistance of grinding is revealed based on the association of grinding mechanism and electrochemical theory. The corrosion potential of workpiece after grinding is higher than matrix, which shows the grinding surface is difficult to begin to corrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows the grinding surface has large phase angle, impedance and capacitance characteristic because the metamorphic layer of grinding has good obstructive ability. They reveal that grinding improves the surface corrosion resistance of workpiece. Then the mechanism of the corrosion resistance of grinding is revealed. The special grain boundary formed in grinding with much C element, large clusters and complex shape prolongs the corrosion channel, which reduces the corrosive speed. While, the sensitive hardening structure generated in grinding hardening with much free energy is easy to form the corrosion cell, which will accelerate the corrosion.
An empirical investigation on the correlation between solar cell cracks and hotspots
Authors: Dhimish Mahmoud , Lazaridis Pavlos I. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn recent years, solar cell cracks have been a topic of interest to industry because of their impact on performance deterioration. Therefore, in this work, we investigate the correlation of four crack modes and their effects on the temperature of the solar cell, well known as hotspot. We divided the crack modes to crack free (mode 1), micro-crack (mode 2), shaded area (mode 3), and breakdown (mode 4). Using a dataset of 12 different solar cell samples, we have found that there are no hotspots detected for a solar cell affected by modes 1 or 2. However, we discovered that the solar cell is likely to have hotspots if affected by crack mode 3 or 4, with an expected increase in the temperature from 25$$^\circ $$

∘

C to 100$$^\circ $$

∘

C. Additionally, we have noticed that an increase in the shading ratio in solar cells can cause severe hotspots. For this reason, we observed that the worst-case scenario for a hotspot to develop is at shading ratios of 40% to 60%, with an identified increase in the cell temperature from 25$$^\circ $$

∘

C to 105$$^\circ $$

∘

C.
Differences in clinical and imaging presentation of maxillary sinus fungus ball with and without intralesional hyperdensity
Authors: Wu Pei-Wen , Lee Ta-Jen , Yang Shih-Wei , Huang Yenlin , Lee Yun-Shien , Ho Che-Fang , Huang Chien-Chia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMaxillary sinus fungal balls (MSFBs) mostly occur in older individuals and demonstrate female predominance. Early diagnosis is important to avoid treatment delays. Intralesional hyperdensity (IH) indicates the presence of heavy metal deposition within fungal hyphae and has been the most specific characteristic of MSFB on computed tomography (CT). For those without IH on CT, the diagnosis of MSFB remains challenging. This study aimed to characterize clinical presentation of MSFB with and without IH and to study factors contributing to MSFB with no IH formation. We retrospectively identified 588 patients with MSFB. The clinical characteristics and CT findings were reviewed. Patients with unilateral MSFB had a mean age of 57.4 years and demonstrated female predominance (64.63%). The female-to-male ratio was highest at 51–60 years (2.02) and rose to 2.60 in MSFB with IH only. Compared to those with IH, MSFB without IH was significantly more common in males (OR = 2.49), in those with diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 1.87), adjacent maxillary odontogenic pathology (OR = 1.75). Complete opacification on CT was less common in MSFB without IH (OR = 0.60). Patients with MSFB without IH were more likely to have DM, no female predominance, adjacent maxillary odontogenic pathology, and partial opacification of the sinus, compared to those with IH. These may be helpful in better understanding of the formation of MSFBs without IH, early identification of them and prevention of post-operative recurrence.
Spontaneous formation of neutrophil extracellular traps is associated with autophagy
Authors: Guo Yun , Gao Fei , Wang Xin , Pan Zhenzhen , Wang Qian , Xu Shiyao , Pan Shanshan , Li Ling , Zhao Deyu , Qian Jun 
Published: December 2021

AbstractNeutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), via NETosis, as a defense mechanism against pathogens. Neutrophils can release NETs spontaneously; however, the mechanisms underlying spontaneous NETosis remain unclear. Neutrophils isolated from healthy donors were tested for NET formation and autophagy at 1, 6, 12, and 24 h after incubation. Autophagy response was evaluated in response to various autophagy inducers and inhibitors. The relationship between autophagy and NETosis was detected in vivo using an ovalbumin-induced mouse model of asthma. We found that the increase in the proportion of spontaneous NETosis was time-dependent. The number of autophagy-positive cells also increased over time and LC3B protein played an integral role in NET formation. Trehalose (an inducer of mTOR-independent autophagy) treatment significantly increased NET formation, whereas rapamycin (an mTOR-dependent autophagy inducer) did not increase NET release by neutrophils. Compared with the control group, 3-methyladenine (an autophagy sequestration inhibitor) and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (autophagosome-lysosome fusion inhibitor) treatments significantly reduced the percentage of NET-positive cells. In vivo studies on ovalbumin-induced asthma lung sections revealed NETs and LC3B and citH3 proteins were found to co-localize with DNA. Our findings suggest that autophagy plays a crucial role in aging-related spontaneous NETosis.
Strategic Forest Reserves can protect biodiversity in the western United States and mitigate climate change
Authors: Law Beverly E. , Berner Logan T. , Buotte Polly C. , Mildrexler David J. , Ripple William J. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractForest preservation is crucial for protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Here we assess current forest preservation in the western United States using spatial data and find that beyond the 18.9% (17.5 Mha) currently protected, an additional 11.1% (10.3 Mha) is needed to achieve 30% preservation by 2030 (30 × 30). To help meet this regional preservation target, we developed a framework that prioritizes forestlands for preservation using spatial metrics of biodiversity and/or carbon within each ecoregion. We show that meeting this preservation target would lead to greater protection of animal and tree species habitat, current carbon stocks, future carbon accumulation, and forests that are important for surface drinking water. The highest priority forestlands are primarily owned by the federal government, though substantial areas are also owned by private entities and state and tribal governments. Establishing Strategic Forest Reserves would help protect biodiversity and carbon for climate adaptation and mitigation.
Long short‐term memory‐based robust and qualitative modal feature identification of non‐stationary low‐frequency oscillation signals in power systems
Authors: Zhang Changhua , Xu Zihao , Zhang Kun , Wu Yunfeng , Liu Qunying , Wei Jun , Ye Shengyong 
Published: December 2021

AbstractLow‐frequency oscillation (LFO) analysis has become increasingly important in large scale power systems. The current LFO analysis methods regard the measured signal as stationary signal. Some methods, such as Prony and HHT, are too slow for online application. In order to solve these problems, based on the long short‐term memory neural network (LSTM), this paper proposes a method to identify LFO modal features rapidly. It is the first time in this field to formulate LFO modal feature classification problem rather than LFO modal identification problem. In order to realize it, first, LFO's frequency and attenuation factor are artificially divided into 12 and 4 segments, respectively. For each segment, more than 20,000 data are generated and tagged as training set and test set. Then two bi‐directional LSTM networks are constructed separately, and each network is trained alone with the data of the training set. Finally, the proposed method is tested and verified with the data from the test set, power systems simulation, and phasor measurement unit (PMU) of real power systems. The test results prove effectiveness of the proposed method and its advantage is demonstrated through comparison with the Prony, FFT and EDSNN methods.
Numerical approach to synthesizing realistic asteroid surfaces from morphological parameters
Authors: Li Xizhi , Vincent Jean-Baptiste , Weller René , Zachmann Gabriel 
Published: December 2021

Context.The complex shape of asteroids and comets is a critical parameter in many scientific and operational studies. From the global irregular shape down to the local surface details, these topographies reflect the formation and evolutionary processes that remould the celestial body. Furthermore, these processes control how the surface will continue to evolve: from mass wasting on high slopes to spin-up due to anisotropic re-emission of thermal radiation. In addition, for space missions, the irregular coarse shape and complex landscape are a hazard to navigation, which must be accounted for in the planning phase.Aims.In this paper, we propose a novel method to synthesize physically correct 3D shape models of small celestial bodies, such as asteroids, to support the testing of a wide range of parameters in scientific and operational studies.Methods.We modeled virtual asteroid shapes using non-uniform sphere packings to represent the coarse shape, define an implicit surface, and then synthesize high-resolution topography with user-defined, locally controlled spot noise models. This effectively replaces the random noise model (e.g., Perlin noise) used in traditional approaches and allows us to construct a morphology based on actual physical shapes of the most common features observed on asteroids and comets. As an example of such a feature, we propose several kernel functions to add virtual craters to the coarse shape of the asteroid, of which the spatial distribution is controlled by typical crater production functions (e.g., a power law).Results.We demonstrate how this technique can be used to generate a variety of asteroid shapes and topographies using different cratering parameters and distributions. We apply our technique to artificially increase the resolution of existing models of the Didymos-Dimorphos system, the target of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, and Hera missions. We show that our approach generates models that are suitable for typical analysis relying on detailed asteroid shapes, as well as operational scenarios for space missions. The meshes created with our algorithm can be directly used with existing visualization software and operations or science pipelines to generate data suitable for mission planning and to validate data analysis techniques.
Benefit, tolerance, and safety of hybrid argon plasma coagulation for treatment of Barrett's esophagus: US pilot study
Authors: Shimizu Toshitaka , Samarasena Jason B. , Fortinsky Kyle J. , Hashimoto Rintaro , El Hage Chehade Nabil , Chin Matthew A. , Moosvi Zain , Chang Kenneth J. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims A novel technique for Barrett’s esophagus (BE) ablation, termed hybrid APC, has recently been developed. The aims of this US pilot study were to evaluate the efficacy, tolerance and safety of hybrid APC for the treatment of BE.
Patients and methods Patients with biopsy-proven BE referred to our tertiary care center over a 12-month period for mucosal ablation were eligible for this study. Efficacy of ablation was measured on follow-up endoscopy by demonstrating either a reduction of visible BE or biopsies proving complete resolution of intestinal metaplasia (CRIM). To evaluate tolerance and safety, patients were called on post-procedure days 1 and 7.
Results Twenty-two patients with BE (4.5 % intramucosal carcinoma, 31.8 % high-grade dysplasia, 18.1 % low-grade dysplasia, 36.3 % non-dysplastic, 9.1 % indefinite for dysplasia) underwent 40 treatments with hybrid APC. All patients had endoscopic improvement of BE disease and 19 of 22 patients (86.4 %) achieved CRIM. With regard to tolerance, average pain scores (0 to 10 scale) on follow-up were 2.65 and 0.62 on days 1 and 7, respectively. With regards to safety, there were two treatment-related strictures (9.1 %) that required a single balloon dilation.
Conclusions Hybrid APC appears to be promising in the treatment of BE. The ablation protocol used in this study demonstrated efficacy, tolerability, and a safety profile similar to radiofrequency ablation. Given the significant price difference between hybrid APC and other modalities for Barrett’s ablation, this modality may be more cost-effective. These results warrant further study in a large prospective multicenter trial.
Micro-computed tomography: A novel diagnostic technique for the evaluation of gastrointestinal specimens
Authors: Kawata Noboru , Teplov Alexei , Ntiamoah Peter , Shia Jinru , Hameed Meera , Yagi Yukako 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMicro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a non-destructive modality that can be used to obtain high-resolution three-dimensional (3 D) images of the whole sample tissue; the usefulness of micro-CT has been reported for evaluation of breast cancer and lung cancer. However, this novel diagnostic technique has never been used for evaluating endoscopically resected gastrointestinal specimens. In the present study, we scanned 13 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks of a normal human colon and gastric tissue samples using micro-CT. The evaluation comprised a comparison of the acquired whole block images with the images of the corresponding cross-sectional slice of the hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide. Micro-CT was able to produce images of the whole sample and clearly depict tissues such as glandular structures, muscularis mucosae, and blood vessels in the FFPE tissue blocks of normal gastrointestinal samples. Furthermore, the 3 D reconstructed could be used to create a cross-sectional image and reflected the surface structure of samples obtained from any site. Micro-CT has the potential to become a highly promising pathological diagnostic assistance tool for endoscopically resected gastrointestinal specimens in combination with conventional microscopic examination.
Effect of adding magnifying BLI, magnifying NBI, and iodine staining to white light imaging in diagnosis of early esophageal cancer
Authors: Kawada Kenro , Arima Miwako , Miyahara Ryoji , Tsunomiya Mika , Kikuchi Masakazu , Yamamoto Fumiko , Hoshino Akihiro , Nakajima Yasuaki , Kinugasa Yusuke , Kawano Tatsuyuki 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims We investigated the effect of adding magnifying blue laser imaging (BLI), magnifying narrow-band imaging (NBI), and iodine staining to white light imaging in diagnosis of early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (EESCC) in high-risk patients.
Patients and methods Between May 2013 and March 2016, two parallel prospective cohorts of patients received either primary WLI followed by NBI-magnifying endoscopy (ME) or primary WLI followed by BLI-ME, were studied. At the end of screening, both groups underwent iodine staining. The percentage of patients with newly detected esophageal malignant lesions in each group and the diagnostic ability of image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE)-ME were evaluated.
Results There are 258 patients assigned to the NBI-ME group and 254 patients assigned to the BLI-ME group. The percentage of patients with one or more malignant lesions detected in the WLI + NBI-ME examination was similar in the WLI + BLI-ME examination (15 of 258 patients or 5.81 % vs. 14 of 254 patients or 5.51 %). However, four of 19 lesions in the NBI-ME group and six of 21 lesions in the BLI-ME group were overlooked and were detected by iodine staining. NBI-ME and BLI-ME showed similar accuracy in differentiation of cancerous lesions from non-cancerous lesions in diagnosis of EESCC (NBI/BLI: sensitivity, 87.5/89.5; specificity, 78.9/76.6; accuracy, 80.8/79.5; positive predictive value, 53.8/53.1; negative predictive value, 95.7/96.1).
Conclusions Both NBI and BLI were useful for detection of EESCC. However, because some lesions were overlooked by even NBI and BLI, high-risk patients may benefit from use of iodine staining during endoscopic screening of EESCC (UMIN000023596).
Quality management system for screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy improves detection of Helicobacter pylori-negative interval gastric cancer
Authors: Ishibashi Fumiaki , Kobayashi Konomi , Kawakami Tomohiro , Tanaka Ryu , Sugihara Kazuaki , Baba Satoshi 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims Double-checking the findings of examinations is necessary for endoscopy quality control in gastric cancer screening; however, there have been no reports showing its effectiveness. We prospectively analyzed the effectiveness of a quality management system (QMS) in endoscopy for gastric cancer screening.
Patients and methods QMS was defined as having images and reports checked by a second endoscopist on the same day and reporting inconsistencies to the examining endoscopist. Patients diagnosed with early gastric cancer (EGC) in the 2 years before and after the introduction of QMS were divided into two groups: the interval cancer group, which included those for whom cancer was detected within 1 year of the last endoscopy and the noninterval cancer group. Changes in detection rates were compared.
Results Before the introduction of QMS, 11 interval EGC cases were diagnosed among 36,189 endoscopies, whereas after the introduction, 32 interval ECG cases were diagnosed among 38,290 endoscopies (P = 0.004). Fifteen noninterval EGC cases were diagnosed before the introduction, while 12 noninterval EGC cases were diagnosed after the introduction; no significant difference was observed. Subanalyses by Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection status revealed no difference in the detection rate among HP-positive EGC patients, but the detection rates among HP-eradicated and HP-naïve EGC patients were improved (P = 0.005 and P = 0.011). Logistic regression analysis showed that QMS was an independent predictor for detection of HP-negative interval EGC (P = 0.017, OR = 4.4, 95 % CI: 2.0–9.7).
Conclusions QMS improved the detection rate for HP-negative interval early gastric cancer. (UMIN000042991)
Pilot prospective study on formal training in per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) during advanced endoscopy fellowship
Authors: Jawaid Salmaan , Draganov Peter V. , Aihara Hiroyuki , Khashab Mouen A. , Yang Dennis 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background and study aims Gastroenterology societies have recently proposed core curricula for training in per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) based on expert opinion with limited data on its applicability for advanced endoscopy fellowship (AEF) trainees. We prospectively evaluated the feasibility of a structured POEM training curriculum during a dedicated AEF and the trainee’s performance during independent practice.
Methods This was a single-center prospective study evaluating a trainee’s performance of POEM using a structured assessment tool (POEMAT) to assess core cognitive and technical skills. The trainee’s performance was then prospectively assessed during the first 12 months of independent practice.
Results The trainee, who had not prior background in submucosal endoscopy, first observed 22 POEM cases followed by 35 hands-on procedures during his advanced endoscopy fellowship. Based on the POEMAT, submucosal entry and mucosal incision closure were the most challenging technical aspects, while cognitive skills were uniformly attained early in training. Overall, the trainee was able to cross the threshold for competence in his POEMAT performance score in 15 of his last 18 cases (83.3 %). The trainee performed 16 POEMs (baseline mean Eckardt 7.2) in his first 12 months of independent practice. Mean procedural time was 79.8 minutes (interquartile range: 67–94 minutes minutes) with no adverse events. Clinical success (Eckardt score < 3) was achieved in 100 % of the cases at a median follow-up of 20 weeks.
Conclusions Results from this pilot study support the adoptability of the recently proposed core curricula for POEM training within the context of a dedicated AEF and provide a potential blueprint for future studies of performance in POEM among trainees.