bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Utility of Elastography for Differentiating Malignant and Benign Lymph Nodes During EBUS-TBNA
Authors: Madan Karan , Madan Manu , Iyer Hariharan , Mittal Saurabh , Madan Neha Kawatra , Rathi Vidushi , Tiwari Pavan , Hadda Vijay , Mohan Anant , Pandey Ravindra M. , Guleria Randeep 
Published: June 2021

Background:
Ultrasound elastography noninvasively estimates tissue hardness. Studies have evaluated elastography for differentiating malignant from benign lymph nodes during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration. Several methods of performing elastography are described with variable diagnostic accuracy.

Methods:
The aim of this study was to evaluate endobronchial ultrasound-guided elastography in differentiating malignant from benign mediastinal lymphadenopathy. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and Embase databases to extract the relevant studies. A diagnostic accuracy meta-analysis was carried out to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity [with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)], and positive and negative likelihood ratios of elastography.

Results:
After a systematic search, 20 studies (1600 patients, 2712 nodes) were selected. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of elastography were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.94) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.73-0.84), respectively. The summary receiver operating curve demonstrated an area under the curve for elastography of 0.90 (0.88-0.93). The positive and negative likelihood ratios and the diagnostic odds ratio were 4.3 (95% CI, 3.3-5.5), 0.12 (95% CI, 0.07-0.20), and 35 (95% CI, 19-63), respectively. Of the most commonly described methods, the color classification method (type 3 malignant vs. type 1 benign) demonstrated the highest area under the curve of 0.91 (0.88-0.93). There was significant heterogeneity and publication bias. Subgroup analyses indicated no significant difference between the sensitivity and specificity of quantitative and qualitative elastography methods.

Conclusions:
Ultrasound elastography is useful in differentiating malignant and benign lymph nodes during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration. However, elastography does not replace the requirement of lymph node aspiration.
Primary Intraosseous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Mandible Mimicking Inflammation on FDG PET/CT
Authors: Fan Qiuping , Wang Rang , Tian Rong , Su Minggang 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an uncommon malignant cancer involving the jaw bones. We herein reported the imaging findings of a primary intraosseous SCC of the mandible in a 47-year-old man. He was diagnosed as cancer of unknown primary in the cervical node. FDG PET/CT revealed a focal hypermetabolic lesion around the tooth root of the right lower molar. MRI showed the lesion had hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging and significant enhancement on T1-weighted imaging fat saturate images. The final diagnosis of primary intraosseous SCC of mandible was confirmed pathologically.
Courtesy Authorship Practices Among First and Senior Authors
Authors: Condron Mary E. , Kibbe Melina R. , Azarow Kenneth S. , Martin Matthew J. 
Published: June 2021

Objectives:
A courtesy author is an individual who has not met authorship criteria but is listed as an author. This practice is common and often seen as victimless. Because publications are used for funding and promotion decisions, it is critical to understand biases in this practice.

Methods:
An anonymous survey was conducted from March to October 2020 of first and senior authors of publications from 2014 to 2015 in 8 surgical journals. Authors were surveyed about demographic data, practice setting, and courtesy author practices.

Results:
Three hundred forty-one authors responded (16% response rate). 75% were from academic practice settings. 14% reported adding courtesy authors 5 or more times in the past year. Courtesy authors were more often male (80%, P = 0.023), older (75%), and of higher academic rank (65%) than first/senior authors. All author groups were >75% white. When a reason was reported, 46% added a courtesy author due to avoid retaliation; 64% to avoid awkwardness. 26% expected reciprocal authorship offers. 92% of respondents acknowledge understanding International Committee of Medical Journal Editors authorship criteria. Women were less common among those added from goodwill than those added from fear (P = 0.039.) When courtesy authors were of a lower rank than first/senior authors, they were nearly twice as likely to be female (P = 0.0056) or non-white (P = 0.0184.)

Conclusion:
Courtesy authors were more often male, older, and higher rank than first/senior authors. Fear of career consequences was a major motivator for including courtesy authors. Understanding the motivations and pressures leading to courtesy authorship will help to correct this practice.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival
Authors: Goel Neha , Yadegarynia Sina , Lubarsky Maya , Choi Seraphina , Kelly Kristin , Balise Raymond , Kesmodel Susan B. , Kobetz Erin 
Published: June 2021

Objective:
To understand the impact of Black race on breast cancer (BC) presentation, treatment, and survival among Hispanics.

Summary of Background Data:
It is well-documented that non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) present with late-stage disease, are less likely to complete treatment, and have worse survival compared to their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts. However, no data evaluates whether this disparity extends to Hispanic Blacks (HB) and Hispanic Whites (HW). Given our location in Miami, gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, we have the diversity to evaluate BC outcomes in HB and HW.

Methods:
Retrospective cohort study of stage I-IV BC patients treated at our institution from 2005–2017. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and compared using the log-rank test. Multivariable survival models were computed using Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results:
Race/ethnicity distribution of 5951 patients: 28% NHW, 51% HW, 3% HB, and 18% NHB. HB were more economically disadvantaged, had more aggressive disease, and less treatment compliant compared to HW. 5-year OS by race/ethnicity was: 85% NHW, 84.8% HW, 79.4% HB, and 72.7% NHB (P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, NHB was an independent predictor of worse OS [hazard ratio:1.25 (95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.52), P < 0.041)].

Conclusions:
In this first comprehensive analysis of HB and HW, HB have worse OS compared to HW, suggesting that race/ethnicity is a complex variable acting as a proxy for tumor and host biology, as well as individual and neighborhood-level factors impacted by structural racism. This study identifies markers of vulnerability associated with Black race and markers of resiliency associated with Hispanic ethnicity to narrow a persistent BC survival gap.
Early Impairment in the Ventral Visual Pathway Can Predict Conversion to Dementia in Patients With Amyloid-negative Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Kim Hyung-Ji , Cheong E-nae , Jo Sungyang , Lee Sunju , Shim Woo-Hyun , Kang Dong-Wha , Kwon Miseon , Kim Jae Seung , Lee Jae-Hong 
Published: June 2021

Background:
Around 15% to 20% of patients with clinically probable Alzheimer disease have been found to have no significant Alzheimer pathology on amyloid positron emission tomography. A previous study showed that conversion to dementia from amyloid-negative mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was observed in up to 11% of patients, drawing attention to this condition.

Object:
We gathered the detailed neuropsychological and neuroimaging data of this population to elucidate factors for conversion to dementia from amyloid-negative amnestic MCI.

Methods:
This study was a single-institutional, retrospective cohort study of amyloid-negative MCI patients over age 50 with at least 36 months of follow-up. All subjects underwent detailed neuropsychological testing, 3 tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging), and fluorine-18(18F)-florbetaben amyloid positron emission tomography scans.

Results:
During the follow-up period, 39 of 107 (36.4%) patients converted to dementia from amnestic MCI. The converter group had more severe impairment in all visual memory tasks. The volumetric analysis revealed that the converter group had significantly reduced total hippocampal volume on the right side, gray matter volume in the right lateral temporal, lingual gyri, and occipital pole.

Conclusion:
Our study showed that reduced gray matter volume related to visual memory processing may predict clinical progression in this amyloid-negative MCI population.
Neuromuscular complications of cancer therapy
Authors: Argyriou Andreas A. , Bruna Jordi , Mantovani Elisa , Tamburin Stefano 
Published: June 2021

Purpose of review
The neuromuscular complications of cancer therapy include chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN), immune-related neuromuscular complications to immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiation-induced neuropathy/plexopathy. With a wider focus on CIPN, we will discuss new pathogenetic insights, recent predictive biomarkers and emerging therapies for neuromuscular complications of cancer therapy.

Recent findings
Findings from recent preclinical studies have improved our knowledge on new CIPN pathogenetic pathways, including the activation of senescence-like processes in neurons, axonal degeneration and neuroinflammation. Metabolomics and serum neurofilament light chain levels appear the most promising biomarkers to predict CIPN development and severity. There is some recent evidence of promising pharmacological compounds to prevent or treat CIPN, and new drugs are in early development and testing.

Summary
A multimodal assessment, with neurophysiological, imaging and patient-reported outcome measures, coupled with the use of reliable blood or genetic biomarkers, may offer pathogenetic grounds for future preventive and symptomatic strategies for the multidisciplinary treatment of neuromuscular complications of cancer therapy.
Dissecting heart age using cardiac magnetic resonance videos, electrocardiograms, biobanks, and deep learning
Authors: Goallec Alan Le , Prost Jean-Baptiste , Collin Sasha , Diai Samuel , Vincent Théo , Patel Chirag J. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractHeart disease is the first cause of death after age 65 and, with the world population aging, its prevalence is expected to starkly increase. We used deep learning to build a heart age predictor on 45,000 heart magnetic resonance videos [MRI] and electrocardiograms [ECG] from the UK Biobank cohort (age range 45-81 years). We predicted age with a root mean squared error [RMSE] of 2.81±0.02 years (R-Squared=85.6±0.2%) and found that accelerated heart aging is heritable at more than 35%. MRI-based anatomical features predicted age better than ECG-based electro-physiological features (RMSE=2.89±0.02 years vs. 6.09±.0.02 years), and heart anatomical and electrical aging are weakly correlated (Pearson correlation=.249±.002). Our attention maps highlighted the aorta, the mitral valve, and the interventricular septum as key anatomical features driving heart age prediction. We identified genetic (e.g titin gene) and non-genetic correlates (e.g smoking) of accelerated heart aging.
A tale of two variants: Spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants Alpha in Geneva, Switzerland, and Beta in South Africa
Authors: Althaus Christian L. , Baggio Stephanie , Reichmuth Martina L. , Hodcroft Emma B. , Riou Julien , Neher Richard A. , Jacquerioz Frédérique , Spechbach Hervé , Salamun Julien , Vetter Pauline , Williamson Carolyn , Hsiao Nei-yuan , Preiser Wolfgang , Davies Mary-Ann , Lessells Richard J. , de Olivera Tulio , Kaiser Laurent , Eckerle Isabella 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTSeveral SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) are spreading rapidly in different regions of the world. The underlying mechanisms behind their transmission advantage remain unclear. We measured viral load in 950 individuals and found that infections with variant Alpha exhibit a higher viral load and longer viral shedding compared to non-VOC. We then used a transmission model to analyze the spread of variant Alpha in Geneva, Switzerland, and variant Beta in South Africa. We estimated that Alpha is either associated with a 37% (95% compatibility interval, CI: 25–63%) increase in transmissibility or a 51% (95% CI: 32–80%) increase of the infectious duration, or a combination of the two mechanisms. Assuming 50% immune evasion for Beta, we estimated a 23% (95% CI: 10–37%) increase in transmissibility or a 38% (95% CI: 15–78%) increase of the infectious duration for this variant. Beta is expected to outgrow Alpha in regions where the level of naturally acquired immunity from previously circulating variants exceeds 20% to 40%. Close monitoring of Alpha and Beta in regions with different levels of immunity will help to anticipate the global spread of these and future variants.
Smartphone Camera Based Assessment of Adiposity: A Multi-Site Validation Study
Authors: Majmudar Maulik D. , Chandra Siddhartha , Kennedy Samantha , Agrawal Amit , Sippel Mark , Ramu Prakash , Chaudhri Apoorv , Criminisi Antonio , Smith Brooke , Heymsfield Steven B. , Stanford Fatima Cody 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundBody composition is a key component of health in both individuals and populations, and excess adiposity is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases. Body mass index (BMI) and other clinical or consumer-facing tools for quantifying body fat (BF) are often inaccurate, cost-prohibitive, or cumbersome to use. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the performance of a novel automated computer vision method, visual body composition (VBC), that uses two-dimensional photographs captured via a conventional smartphone camera to estimate percentage total body fat (%BF).Methods134 healthy adults ranging in age (21-76 years), sex (61.2% women), race (60.4% Caucasian; 23.9% Black), and body mass index (BMI, 18.5-51.6 kg/m2) were evaluated at two clinical sites. Each participant had %BF measured with VBC, three consumer and two professional bioimpedance analysis (BIA) systems, as well as air displacement plethysmography (ADP). %BF measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was set as the reference against which all other estimates were compared.ResultsRelative to DXA, VBC had the lowest mean absolute error and standard deviation (2.34%±1.83%) compared to all other evaluated methods (p<0.05 for all comparisons). %BF measured by VBC also had very good concordance with DXA (Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient, CCC: overall 0.94; women 0.92; men 0.90); whereas BMI had very poor concordance (CCC: overall 0.45; women 0.40; men 0.74). Bland-Altman analysis of VBC revealed the tightest limits of agreement (LOA) and absence of significant bias relative to DXA (bias 0.85%, R2=0.01; p=0.41; LOA −4.7% to +6.4%), whereas all other evaluated methods had significant (p<0.01) bias and wider limits of agreement.ConclusionIn this first validation study of a novel, accessible, and easy-to-use system, VBC body fat estimates were accurate and without significant bias compared to DXA as the reference; VBC performance exceeded those of all other BIA and ADP methods evaluated. The wide availability of smartphones suggests that the VBC method for evaluating %BF can play a major role in quantifying adiposity levels in a wide range of settings.TRIAL REGISTRATIONFunded by Amazon, Inc., Seattle, WA.
Workflow Intervals andOutcomesof Endovascular Treatment for Acute Large-Vessel Occlusion During On- Versus Off-Hours in China The ANGEL-ACT Registry
Authors: Ding Yunlong , Gao Feng , Ji Yong , Zhai Tingting , Tong Xu , Jia Baixue , Wu Jian , Wu Jiaqi , Zhang Yanrong , Wei Can , Wang Wenjuan , Zhou Jue , Niu Jiali , Miao Zhongrong , Liu Yan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundAcute ischemic stroke (AIS) leads to a substantial burden of disease among the elderly. There may be a delay in or a poor outcome of endovascular treatment (EVT) among AIS patients with large-vessel occlusion (LVO) during off-hours. By using a prospective, nationwide registry, we compared the workflow intervals and radiological/clinical outcomes between patients with acute LVO treated with EVT presenting during off- and on-hours.MethodsWe analyzed prospectively collected Endovascular Treatment Key Technique and Emergency Work Flow Improvement of Acute Ischemic Stroke (ANGEL-ACT) data. Patients presenting during off-hours were defined as those presenting to the emergency department from Monday to Friday between the hours of 17:30 and 08:00, on weekends (from 17:30 on Friday to 08:00 on Monday), and on national holidays. We used logistic regression models with adjustment for potential confounders to determine independent associations between the time of presentation and outcomes.ResultsAmong 1788 patients, 1079 (60.3%) presented during off-hours. The median onset-to-door time and onset-to-reperfusion time were significantly longer during off-hours than on-hours (165 vs 125 minutes, P=0.002 and 410 vs 392 minutes, P=0.027). However, there were no significant differences between patients presenting during off- and on-hours in any radiological/clinical outcomes (mRS score: 3 vs 3 points, P=0.204; mortality: 15.9% vs 14.3%, P=0.172; successful reperfusion: 88.5% vs 87.2%, P=0.579; sICH: 7.2% vs 8.4%, P=0.492).ConclusionsOff-hours presentation in the nationwide real-world registry was associated with a delay in the visit and reperfusion time of EVT in patients with AIS. However, this delay did not lead to worse radiological/clinical outcomes.RegistratonURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03370939.
A Meta-Analysis of Influenza Vaccination Following Correspondence: Considerations for COVID-19
Authors: Murphy Robert P. , Taaffe Carol , Ahern Elayne , McMahon Grace , Muldoon Orla 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundHigh vaccination rates are needed to protect against influenza and to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities need to know if supplementing mass communications with direct correspondence to the community would increase uptake.ObjectivesThe primary objective is to determine if sending a single written message directly to individuals increases influenza vaccine uptake, and a secondary objective is to identify any identified content shown to increase influenza vaccine uptake.MethodsPubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science were searched for English language RCTs testing a single correspondence for members of the community in OECD countries to obtain influenza vaccination. A meta-analysis with inverse-variance, random-effects modelling was used to estimate a mean, weighted risk ratio effect size measure of vaccine uptake. Studies were quality assessed and analysis was undertaken to account for potential publication bias.ResultsTwenty-two randomized controlled trials were included covering 37 interventions. Of the 37 interventions, 32 (86%) report an increase in influenza vaccination rates. A formal meta-analysis shows that sending a single written message increases influenza vaccine uptake by 18% (RR = 1.18, 95%CI [1.13-1.22], Z = 8.56, p < .001) relative to the no contact comparator group. Analysis shows that the intervention is effective across correspondence type, age group, time, and location, and after allowing for risk of publication bias.LimitationsThe review was restricted to English language publications, and the generalizability of results across the OECD may be questioned.Conclusions and implicationsThe implication for public health authorities organizing vaccination programs for influenza, and arguably also for COVID-19, is that sending written vaccination correspondence to members of the community is likely to increase uptake.The review was not registered nor was a protocol prepared due to time sensitivity.
Validate Real-World Data-based Endpoint Measures of Cancer Treatment Outcomes
Authors: Li Qian , Zhang Hansi , Chen Zhaoyi , Guo Yi , George Thomas J , Chen Yong , Wang Fei , Bian Jiang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractRecently, there is a growing interest in using real-world data (RWD) to generate real-world evidence (RWE) that complements clinical trials. Nevertheless, to quantify the treatment effects, it is important to develop meaningful RWD-based endpoints. In cancer trials, two real-world endpoints are particularly of interest: real-world overall survival (rwOS) and real-world time to next treatment (rwTTNT). In this work, we identified ways to calculate these real-world endpoints with structured EHR data, and validated these endpoints against the gold-standard measurements of these endpoints derived from linked EHR and TR data. In addition, we also examined and reported the data quality issues especially the inconsistency between the EHR and TR data. Using survival model, our result showed that patients (1) without subsequent chemotherapy or (2) with subsequent chemotherapy and longer rwTTNT, would have longer rwOS, showing the validity of using rwTTNT as a real-world surrogate marker for measuring cancer endpoints.
Role of Hemogram-Derived Ratios and Systemic-Immune Inflammation Index in Prediction of COVID-19 Progression in Egyptian Patients
Authors: Taha Sara Ibrahim , Samaan Sara Farid , Baioumy Shereen Atef , Shata Aalaa Kamal , Youssef Mariam Karam 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundEarly detection of COVID-19 patients with potentially severe disease is crucial for predicting the disease’s course and prioritizing medical resources, lowering overall disease mortality.ObjectivesTo explore the role of hemogram-derived ratios and systemic-immune inflammation index (SII), in addition to C-reactive protein (CRP), in predicting COVID-19 severity and prognosis.MethodsIn this retrospective study, data were collected from the medical records of 425 COVID-19 patients. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and SII, together with the CRP, were investigated and compared.ResultsNLR, PLR, SII, and CRP increased significantly in severe cases and with ICU admission (p ≤ 0.001). But, in non-survivors only NLR and CRP were significantly elevated (p < 0.05). By interpreting area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC), CRP and NLR were better predictors of disease severity (AUC: 0.7 for both), the need for ICU admission (AUC: 0.763 and 0.727, respectively) and in-hospital mortality (AUC: 0.812 and 0.75, respectively). SII was significantly associated with the risk of severe disease development (odds ratio (OR): 3.143; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.101-8.976); CRP (OR: 2.902; CI95%: 1.342-6.273) and NLR (OR: 2.662; CI95%, 1.072-6.611) were significantly associated with ICU admission risk; and only CRP was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality risk (OR: 3.988; CI95%: 1.460-10.892).ConclusionsValues of CRP, SII, and NLR at the time of hospital admission could be independent prognostic biomarkers to predict COVID-19 progression. The integration of CRP, SII, and NLR into prognostic nomograms may lead to improved prediction.