bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Outcomes of Focused Heating of the Skin by a Long‐Pulsed 1064 nm Laser with an Integrated Scanner, Infrared Thermal Guidance, and Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Mehrabi Joseph N. , Kelly Kristen M. , Holmes Jon D. , Zachary Christopher B. 
Published: January 2021

Background and ObjectiveLong‐term benefits can be predicted by the incorporation of more intelligent systems in lasers and other devices. Such systems can produce more reliable zones of thermal injury when used in association with non‐invasive monitoring and precise laser energy delivery. The more classical endpoint of tumor destruction with radiofrequency or long‐pulsed (LP) 1064 nm laser is the non‐specific appearance of tissue graying and tissue contraction. Herein we discuss combining non‐invasive LP 1064 nm Nd:YAG treatment with the assistance of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the forward‐looking infrared (FLIR) thermal camera while testing literature‐based formulae for thermal destruction.Study Design/Materials and MethodsThe skin on the forearm and back of two consenting volunteers was marked and anesthetized with lidocaine with epinephrine. The parameters of a scanner‐equipped LP 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser were adjusted to achieve an epidermal/superficial dermal heating of between 50°C and 60°C over a specified time course. Experimental single treatments examined various adjusted parameters including, fluence, pulse overlap, pulse duration, scan size, and pulse rate. A FLIR camera was used to record skin temperature. Outcome measures included skin temperature, post‐treatment appearance, and OCT assessment of skin and vascular damage. The clinical response of each treatment was followed daily for 4 weeks.ResultsOptimal protocols initially raised the skin temperature to between 55°C and 60°C, which was carefully maintained using subsequent laser passes over a 60‐second time course. Immediately post laser, clinical responses included erythema, edema, and blistering. Immediate OCT revealed increased vascularity with intact, dilated blood vessels. Prolonged exposure above 60°C resulted in sub‐epidermal blistering and an absence of blood flow in the treatment area with prolonged healing.ConclusionThe LP 1064 nm laser can be used to achieve heat‐related tissue injury, though the narrow parameters necessary for the desired endpoint require the assistance of IR thermal regulation to avoid unacceptable outcomes. The use of the laser scanner ensures precise energy delivery over a defined treatment area. Future studies might explore this as a selective hyperthermic method for the treatment of non‐melanoma skin cancer. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Revisiting Berlyne's inverted U‐shape relationship between complexity and liking: The role of effort, arousal, and status in the appreciation of product design aesthetics
Authors: Althuizen Niek 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA common assumption in the psychology of aesthetics is that there exists an inverted U‐shape relationship between complexity and liking due to two countervailing effects of increasing complexity, namely a negative effect of cognitive effort and a positive effect of arousal or interest. In the context of product design, several studies with over 1800 participants in total showed that aesthetic complexity does influence consumer appraisals, but there was scant evidence for an inverted U‐shape relationship. Regarding the underlying mechanisms, arousal or interest and perceived producer effort or skill were found to be more important mediators than cognitive effort. When accounting for the influence of mediators and covariates, aesthetic complexity appeared negatively related to product liking and positively related to perceived originality. Brand status was also found to moderate the relationship between complexity and liking. These findings call for further research and a more nuanced perspective on the role of complexity.
Demystifying the link between emotional loneliness and brand loyalty: Mediating roles of nostalgia, materialism, and self‐brand connections
Authors: Loh Huey S. , Gaur Sanjaya S. , Sharma Piyush 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper explores the mechanism by which consumers use their self‐brand connections and emotional attachment with brands to cope with the emotional loneliness that may be caused by the absence of intimate relationships with close others. The authors also examine the mediating roles played by nostalgia and materialism on the reinforcement of brand loyalty in this process using a multistage model. An online survey with 456 Malaysians working adults supports all the hypotheses. Specifically, emotional loneliness has positive associations with nostalgia and materialism, both of which mediate the positive associations between emotional loneliness and self‐brand connections. Self‐brand connections also mediate the positive associations of nostalgia and materialism with emotional brand attachment, which in turn mediates the positive association between self‐brand connections and brand loyalty. The authors discuss the theoretical contribution and managerial implications of these findings.
A Report of Tamoxifen and Parkinson's Disease in a US Population and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Avram Carmen M. , Brumbach Barbara H. , Hiller Amie L. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundTamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, has been shown to variably affect Parkinson's disease (PD) risk.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to review epidemiological literature and evaluate the rate of PD in women with breast cancer with tamoxifen exposure in a US population.MethodsA literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis using the Nurses' Health Study Version One to report descriptive statistics.ResultsMost studies suggest there may be a time‐dependent effect of tamoxifen on PD risk, with the risk increasing with time from exposure. However, rates of PD in persons exposed to tamoxifen overall appear to be low. In our cohort, PD was evident in 6.2 per 1,000 of those with tamoxifen use and 3.6 per 1,000 of those without tamoxifen use. Time from breast cancer to PD diagnosis was 9.7 years among women with tamoxifen exposure and 11.7 among women without.ConclusionsTamoxifen may be associated with an increased risk for PD. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of estrogen and selective estrogen antagonism in PD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
A Double‐Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Lovastatin in Early‐Stage Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Lin Chin‐Hsien , Chang Chin‐Hao , Tai Chun‐Hwei , Cheng Mei‐Fang , Chen Yi‐Chieh , Chao Ying‐Ting , Huang Tse‐Le , Yen Ruoh‐Fang , Wu Ruey‐Meei 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundRecent evidence indicates that lipophilic statins have a neuroprotective benefit in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether lovastatin has the potential to slow motor symptom progression in patients with early‐stage PD.MethodsThis double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial enrolled 77 patients with early‐stage PD between May 23, 2017, and July 12, 2018, with follow‐up ending September 1, 2019. Lovastatin 80 mg/day or placebo with 1:1 randomization was administered for 48 weeks. Mean change in the parts I–III scores of the Movement Disorder Society–Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS), changes in the striatal dopamine uptake ratio measured by 18F‐dopa PET scan, and changes in PD medications between baseline and the week 48 visit were measured.ResultsOf the 77 randomized patients, 70 (90.9%) completed the study. There was a slightly beneficial trend of the MDS‐UPDRS motor score in the lovastatin group (−3.18 ± 5.50) compared with the placebo group (−0.50 ± 6.11); P = 0.14 adjusted for age, sex, disease duration, and baseline LEDD. Mean percentage change in the striatal 18F‐dopa uptake ratio deteriorated less in the lovastatin group than in the placebo group on the dominant side of caudate (1.2% ± 7.3% vs −7.1% ± 8.2%, P < 0.01) and putamen (2.3% ± 7.1% vs −6.4% ± 8.1%, P < 0.01). We found no between‐group differences in the change in part I or part II MDS‐UPDRS scores. Lovastatin was generally well tolerated.ConclusionsLovastatin treatment in patients with early‐stage PD was associated with a trend of less motor symptom worsening and was well tolerated. A future larger long‐term follow‐up study is needed to confirm our findings. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Gabapentin Relieves Vertigo of Periodic Vestibulocerebellar Ataxia: 3 Cases and Possible Mechanism
Authors: Coin J. Thaddeus , Vance Jeffery M. 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe aim of this study was to report relief of optokinetic‐triggered vertigo (OKTV) with low‐dose gabapentin in three patients with periodic vestibulocerebellar ataxia [episodic ataxia type 4 (EA4); OMIM 606552].MethodsClinical observations and analysis of video‐recorded eye movements were used before and after gabapentin.ResultsGabapentin relieved vertigo of all three treated patients with EA4, particularly during activities that typically would induce vertiginous symptoms. Two patients reported 8–12 hours of sustained relief after the first 100 mg dose. One has benefited from 100–200 mg TID for 7 years. Video analysis of nystagmus revealed improved target tracking on smooth pursuit and a steadier gaze hold.ConclusionsGabapentin effectively relieved the optokinetic‐triggered vertigo in our patients with EA4. Mechanisms are postulated in terms of known tight gabapentin binding to the Purkinje cell voltage‐gated calcium channel. The observations may offer insight into this rare disease's neuropathology. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
High frequency of the risk allele of rs4132601 and rs11978267 from the IKZF1 gene in indigenous Mexican population
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Franco Jorge , Ayón‐Pérez Miriam Fabiola , Durán‐Avelar Ma. de Jesús , Vibanco‐Pérez Norberto , Sánchez‐Jasso Diego Eduardo , Bañuelos‐Aguayo Dulce Guadalupe , Sánchez‐Meza Jaime , Pimentel‐Gutiérrez Helia Judith , Zambrano‐Zaragoza José Francisco , Agraz‐Cibrián Juan Manuel , Vázquez‐Reyes Alejandro 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundIKZF1 is a relevant gene associated with the pathogenesis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and the rs4132601 (T>G) and rs11978267 (A>G) polymorphisms have been associated with the development of this disease in several populations. The aim of this study was to determine the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the rs4132601 and rs11978267 polymorphisms in two indigenous Mexican groups (Cora and Huichol) and Mestizo populations from Nayarit, Mexico, and compare them with the frequencies of both polymorphisms in other populations of the world.MethodsOne hundred, 116, and 100 subjects from the Mestizo, Huichol, and Cora populations, respectively, all of them residents of the state of Nayarit, Mexico, were analyzed. The frequencies of rs4132601 and rs11978267 were determined by allelic discrimination using TaqMan assays.ResultsThe allelic frequencies of rs4132601 were as follows: Mestizo group T = 0.74, G = 0.26; Cora T = 0.745, G = 0.255; and Huichol T = 0.47, G = 0.53. In the case of the rs11978267 polymorphism, the allelic frequencies were Mestizo A = 0.745, G = 0.255; Cora A = 0.735, G = 0.265; and Huichol A = 0.457, G = 0.543. For each population, both polymorphisms were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.ConclusionThe Huichol population from Nayarit presented the highest frequencies of the risk allele reported to date in the whole world for both rs4132601 and rs11978267 polymorphisms.
Netherton syndrome caused by compound heterozygous mutation, c.80A>G mutation in SPINK5 and large‐sized genomic deletion mutation, and successful treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Pan Chaolan , Wei Ruoqu , Li Huaguo , Yang Yijun , Chen Jiawen , Li Ming , Yao Zhirong 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundNetherton syndrome (NS) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutations in the SPINK5 gene. Here, we report the first case of NS caused by a large genomic deletion.MethodsWe present the clinical data of a 3‐year‐old Chinese boy who was initially misdiagnosed with severe atopic dermatitis. Subsequently, the patient presented with typical ichthyosis linearis circumflexa and had representative hair shaft of trichorrhexis invaginate, which alerted the physician of the high possibility of NS. A genomic DNA sample was extracted from peripheral blood and whole‐exome sequencing (WES) was performed. Sanger sequencing and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) were performed to verify the mutation and genomic deletion, respectively, in the pedigree.ResultsWES revealed compound heterozygous mutations in SPINK5, including a c.80A>G mutation and a ~275 Kb‐sized genomic deletion (chr5:147443576‐147719312). The c.80A>G mutation was verified by Sanger sequencing in the pedigree. The father had the same heterozygous mutation; however, the mutation was absent in the proband's mother. The qRT‐PCR results identified a large deletion (chr5:147444834‐147445034) in SPINK5 in the proband and his mother. The eruptions improved remarkably after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy.ConclusionsThis is the first observation of NS caused by a large deletion. Our findings have important implications for mutation screening and genetic counseling in NS. Our report also verifies and supports the safety and efficacy of IVIG therapy in patients with NS.
A novel 3D segmentation approach for extracting retinal layers from optical coherence tomography images
Authors: Sleman Ahmed A. , Soliman Ahmed , Elsharkawy Mohamed , Giridharan Guruprasad , Ghazal Mohammed , Sandhu Harpal , Schaal Shlomit , Keynton Robert , Elmaghraby Adel , El‐Baz Ayman 
Published: January 2021

PurposeAccurate segmentation of retinal layers of the eye in 3D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) data provides relevant information for clinical diagnosis. This manuscript describes a 3D segmentation approach that uses an adaptive patient‐specific retinal atlas, as well as an appearance model for 3D OCT data.MethodsTo reconstruct the atlas of 3D retinal scan, the central area of the macula (macula mid‐area) where the fovea could be clearly identified, was segmented initially. Markov Gibbs Random Field (MGRF) including intensity, spatial information, and shape of 12 retinal layers were used to segment the selected area of retinal fovea. A set of coregistered OCT scans that were gathered from 200 different individuals were used to build a 2D shape prior. This shape prior was adapted subsequently to the first order appearance and second order spatial interaction MGRF model. After segmenting the center of the macula “foveal area”, the labels and appearances of the layers that were segmented were utilized to segment the adjacent slices. The final step was repeated recursively until a 3D OCT scan of the patient was segmented.ResultsThis approach was tested in 50 patients with normal and with ocular pathological conditions. The segmentation was compared to a manually segmented ground truth. The results were verified by clinical retinal experts. Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), 95% bidirectional modified Hausdorff Distance (HD), Unsigned Mean Surface Position Error (MSPE), and Average Volume Difference (AVD) metrics were used to quantify the performance of the proposed approach. The proposed approach was proved to be more accurate than the current state‐of‐the‐art 3D OCT approaches.ConclusionsThe proposed approach has the advantage of segmenting all the 12 retinal layers rapidly and more accurately than current state‐of‐the‐art 3D OCT approaches.
A general algorithm for distributed treatments of multiple brain metastases
Authors: Chen Mingli , Wardak Zabi , Stojadinovic Strahinja , Gu Xuejun , Lu Weiguo 
Published: January 2021

PurposeStereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become a primary treatment for multiple brain metastases (BM) but may require distribution of BMs over several sessions to make delivery time and radiation toxicity manageable. Contrasting to equal fraction dose in conventional fractionation, distributed SRS delivers full dose to a subset of BMs in each session while avoiding adjacent BMs in the same session to reduce toxicity from overlapping radiation. However, current clinical treatment planning for distributed SRS relies on manual BM assignment, which can be tedious and error prone. This work describes a novel approach to automate the distribution of BM in the Gamma Knife (GK) clinical workflow.MethodsWe represent each BM as an electrostatic field of the same polarity that exerts repulsive forces on other BMs in the same session. This representation naturally leads to separation of close BMs into different sessions to lower the potential energy. Indeed, the BM distribution problem can be formulated as minimization of the total potential energy from all treatment sessions subject to delivery time constraints in mixed‐integer quadratic programming (MIQP). We retrospectively studied eight clinical GK cases of multiple BM and compared the automated MIQP solution with clinically used BM distribution to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.ResultsWith the problem size equal to the number of BMs times the number of sessions, this MIQP can be solved in a minute on a personal workstation. The MIQP solution effectively separated BMs for a given number of treatment sessions and evened out the delivery time distribution among sessions. Compared to the clinically used manual BM distributions in paired t‐test for a similar range of delivery time variation, the automated BM distributions had lower energy objectives (range of decrease: [11% 89%]; median: 25%; ), more uniformly distributed treatment volumes (range of decrease for the normalized standard deviation of volume distribution: [0.02 0.95]; median: 0.16; ), more scattered BMs in each treatment session (range of increase for the mean minimum BM distance: [0 14] mm; median: 6 mm; ), and lower overall (range of decrease: [0.0 1.6] cc; median: 0.2 cc; ). Moreover, without distribution, that is, with all BMs treated in the same session, was substantially larger compared to both manual and automated BM distributions; the increase ranged from 0.1 to 16.6 cc with a median of 1.3 cc.ConclusionsThe proposed approach models the clinical practice and provides an efficient solution for optimal selection of BM subsets for distributed SRS. Further evaluations are underway to establish this approach as a tool for improving clinical workflow and to facilitate systematic study on the benefits of distributed SRS treatments.
Estimation of liver elasticity using the finite element method and four‐dimensional computed tomography images as a biomarker of liver fibrosis
Authors: Fujimoto Koya , Shiinoki Takehiro , Yuasa Yuki , Tanaka Hidekazu 
Published: January 2021

PurposeCurrent radiotherapy planning procedures are generally designed based on anatomical information only and use computed tomography (CT) images that do not incorporate organ‐functional information. In this study, we developed a method for estimating liver elasticity using the finite element method (FEM) and four‐dimensional CT (4DCT) images acquired during radiotherapy planning, and we subsequently evaluated its feasibility as a biomarker for liver fibrosis.Materials and methodsTwenty patients who underwent 4DCT and ultrasound‐based transient elastography (UTE) were enrolled. All patients had chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Liver elasticity measurements of the UTE were performed on the right lobe of the patient’s liver in 20 patients. The serum biomarkers of the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)‐to‐platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis‐4 index (FIB‐4) were available in 18 of the 20 total patients, which were measured within 1 week after undergoing 4DCT. The displacement between the 4DCT images obtained at the endpoints of exhalation and inspiration was determined using the actual (via deformable image registration) and simulated (via FEM) respiration‐induced displacement. The elasticity of each element of the liver model was optimized by minimizing the error between the actual and simulated respiration‐induced displacement. Then, each patient's estimated liver elasticity was defined as the mean Young’s modulus of the liver’s right lobe and that of the whole liver using the estimated elasticity map. The estimated liver elasticity was evaluated for correlations with the elasticity obtained via UTE and with two serum biomarkers (APRI and FIB‐4).ResultsThe mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the errors between the actual and simulated respiration‐induced displacement in the liver model was 0.54 ± 0.33 mm. The estimated liver’s right lobe elasticity was statistically significantly correlated with the UTE (r = 0.87, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the estimated whole liver elasticity was statistically significantly correlated with the UTE (r = 0.84, P < 0.001), APRI score (r = 0.62, P = 0.005), and FIB‐4 score (r = 0.54, P = 0.021).ConclusionIn this study, liver elasticity was estimated through FEM‐based simulation and actual respiratory‐induced liver displacement obtained from 4DCT images. Furthermore, we assessed that the estimated elasticity of the liver’s right lobe was strongly correlated with the UTE. Therefore, the estimated elasticity has the potential to be a feasible imaging biomarker for assessing liver fibrosis using only 4DCT images without additional inspection or equipment costs. Because our results were derived from a limited sample of 20 patients, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of elasticity estimation for each liver segment on larger groups of biopsied patients to utilize liver elasticity information for radiotherapy planning.
Stick‐slip like behavior in shear fracture propagation including the effect of fluid flow
Authors: Hageman Tim , de Borst René 
Published: January 2021

AbstractShear‐based fracture propagation in fluid‐saturated porous materials is investigated using a displacement–pressure formulation that includes acceleration and inertial effects of the fluid. Pressure‐dependent plasticity with a nonassociated flow rule is adopted to realistically represent the stresses in the porous bulk material. The domain is discretized using unequal order T‐splines and cast into a finite element method using Bézier extraction. An implicit scheme is used for the temporal integration. The solid acceleration‐driven fluid flow reacts to stress waves, but it results in pressure oscillations. Adding fluid acceleration terms dampens these oscillations and increases the fluid pressure near the fracture tips. By simulating a typical shear fracture case, it is shown that stick‐slip like, or stepwise, fracture propagation occurs for a high permeability, also upon mesh refinement. The acceleration driven fluid flow results in a build‐up of pressure near the fracture tip. Once this pressure region encompasses the fracture tip, propagation arrests until the pressure has diffused away from the crack tip, after which propagation is resumed and the build‐up of pressure begins anew. This results in a stick‐slip like behavior, with large arrests in the fracture propagation. Stepwise propagation related to the initial conditions has also been observed, but disappears once the fracture length exceeds the size of the region influenced by the initial conditions.