bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Supracondylar rotation osteotomy of the femur influences the coronal alignment of the ankle
Authors: Konrads Christian , Ahrend Marc-Daniel , Beyer Myriam R. , Stöckle Ulrich , Ahmad Sufian S. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Osteotomies represent well-established treatment-options for the redistribution of loads and forces within and around the knee-joint. Effects of these osteotomies on the remaining planes and adjacent joints are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of a distal-femoral-rotation-osteotomy on the coronal alignment of the ankle. It was hypothesized that supracondylar-external-rotation-osteotomy of the distal femur leads to a change in the coronal orientation of the ankle joint.

Methods
Long-leg standing radiographs and CT-based torsional measurements of 27 patients undergoing supracondylar-rotational-osteotomy of the femur between 2012 and 2019 were obtained and utilized for the purpose of this study. Postoperative radiographs were obtained after union at the osteotomy-site. The hip-knee-ankle-angle (HKA), the mechanical-lateral-distal-femur-angle (mLDFA), and Tibia-Plafond-Horizontal-Orientation-Angle (TPHA) around the ankle were measured. Comparison between means was performed using the Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney test.

Results
Twenty-seven patients with high femoral antetorsion (31.3° ± 4.0°) underwent supracondylar-external-rotation-osteotomy. The osteotomy led to a reduced antetorsion (17.4 ± 5.1; p < 0.001) and to a valgisation of the overall limb-alignment. The HKA decreased by 2.4° ± 1.4° (p < 0.001). The TPHA decreased by 2.6° (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Supracondylar external rotation osteotomy of the femur leads to lateralization of the weight bearing line at the knee and ankle due to valgisation of the coronal limb alignment. The mobile subtalar joint has to compensate (inversion) for the resulting valgus orientation of the ankle to ensure contact between the foot and the floor. When planning a rotational osteotomy of the lower limb, this should be appreciated – especially in patients with a preexisting valgus alignment of the lower extremities or restricted mobility in the subtalar joint.
Long-term survival achieved by repeated administration of ramucirumab after drug holidays due to proteinuria in recurrent gastric cancer
Authors: Uehata Naoyuki , Kouzu Keita , Tsujimoto Hironori , Sugasawa Hidekazu , Wakamatsu Kotaro , Kishi Yoji , Ueno Hideki 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
The prognosis of recurrent and unresectable gastric cancer remains poor despite the development of multidisciplinary treatments. Ramucirumab (RAM) has been proven effective against unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. However, its administration is often discontinued because of adverse events, including hypertension and proteinuria. We report a patient with recurrent gastric cancer involving the paraaortic lymph node (PALN), who achieved long-term survival after repeated RAM administration following long-term drug holidays due to proteinuria.

Case presentation
A 79-year-old woman was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer (cT4aN2) with PALN metastasis. Seven courses of S-1 plus cisplatin (SP) achieved downstaging. A distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy was performed as a conversion surgery. The pathological diagnosis was ypT3N2M0. The dissected PALN did not contain viable cancer cells. CT and positron emission tomography/CT scans revealed PALN recurrence 1 year after the surgery. S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) therapy was initiated. The recurrent PALN enlarged after seven courses of SOX therapy. Paclitaxel (PTX) plus ramucirumab (RAM) therapy was initiated as second-line chemotherapy. After three courses of PTX plus RAM therapy, a partial response was observed. PTX was discontinued because of a hematological adverse event 3.5 months after PALN recurrence. Disease progression was not observed after six courses of RAM monotherapy. However, RAM caused proteinuria and was withdrawn for 7 weeks. The recurrent PALN was enlarged on CT, and RAM monotherapy was resumed at a reduced dose of 6 mg/kg. The lesion subsequently shrank, but 4 + proteinuria occurred after three courses of RAM monotherapy. Thus, RAM was discontinued. The patient had chemotherapy-free days for 14 months until the PALN was re-enlarged to 13 mm in size. The three administrations of RAM successfully controlled PALN metastasis and proteinuria for 3 years.

Conclusion
In conclusion, even if RAM withdrawal led to disease progression, re-administration of RAM monotherapy while considering its side effects reduced the tumor size and provided long-term survival benefits.
Addressing seeming paradoxes by embracing them: small state theory and the integration of migrants
Authors: Kolnberger Thomas , Koff Harlan 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThis article examines the integration of migrants in Luxembourg within the framework of small state theory. Within the comparative scholarship on migration, small states are often presented as “success stories.” This research questions this assumption and empirical data presented here indicates that many contradictions exist within Luxembourg’s migrant integration model. The country’s “success” in fact does not reflect the levels of integration of migrants nationally as significant inequalities are present in Luxembourg. However, the analysis of Luxembourg presented here illustrates how small states have coherently embraced many paradoxes that are inherent to integration strategies throughout Europe with the goal of promoting peaceful coexistence.
Concurrent positive skin tests to prophylactic antibiotics and rocuronium in two patients with life-threatening anaphylaxis after induction of anesthesia
Authors: Yasuda Masako , Moriwaki Katsuyuki , Tsutsumi Yasuo M. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
Prophylactic antibiotics and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are two of the major causative agents of anaphylaxis after induction of anesthesia.

Case presentation
One female and one male patients (aged 29 and 69 years, respectively) had Ring and Messmer scale grade III anaphylaxis after administration of prophylactic antibiotics following induction of anesthesia. They showed typical hemodynamic and respiratory features of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Postoperative skin tests in these two patients were positive for antibiotics and concurrently positive for rocuronium.

Conclusions
Our present report suggests the possibility that both prophylactic antibiotics and NMBA concurrently and synergistically enhance anaphylactic reaction and the necessity to differentiate an immune mechanism from non-immune mechanisms when anesthesiologists encounter concurrent positive skin tests for both antibiotics and NMBA.
Optical coherence encryption with structured random light
Authors: Peng Deming , Huang Zhaofeng , Liu Yonglei , Chen Yahong , Wang Fei , Ponomarenko Sergey A. , Cai Yangjian 
Published: April 2021

AbstractInformation encryption with optical technologies has become increasingly important due to remarkable multidimensional capabilities of light fields. However, the optical encryption protocols proposed to date have been primarily based on the first-order field characteristics, which are strongly affected by interference effects and make the systems become quite unstable during light–matter interaction. Here, we introduce an alternative optical encryption protocol whereby the information is encoded into the second-order spatial coherence distribution of a structured random light beam via a generalized van Cittert–Zernike theorem. We show that the proposed approach has two key advantages over its conventional counterparts. First, the complexity of measuring the spatial coherence distribution of light enhances the encryption protocol security. Second, the relative insensitivity of the second-order statistical characteristics of light to environmental noise makes the protocol robust against the environmental fluctuations, e.g, the atmospheric turbulence. We carry out experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of the coherence-based encryption method with the aid of a fractional Fourier transform. Our results open up a promising avenue for further research into optical encryption in complex environments.
Impaired Bone Microarchitecture in Premenopausal Women With Acromegaly: The Possible Role of Wnt Signaling
Authors: Silva Paula P B , Pereira Rosa M R , Takayama Liliam , Borba Clarissa G , Duarte Felipe H , Trarbach Ericka B , Martin Regina Matsunaga , Bronstein Marcello D , Tritos Nicholas A , Jallad Raquel S 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Context
Acromegaly can impair bone integrity, increasing the risk of vertebral fractures (VFs).

Objective
To evaluate the impact of isolated GH/IGF-I hypersecretion on bone turnover markers, Wnt inhibitors, bone mineral density (BMD), microarchitecture, bone strength and vertebral fractures in female patients with acromegaly (Acro), compared with healthy control group (HC).

Design, setting, and patients
Cross-sectional study including 83 premenopausal women without any pituitary deficiency:18 acromegaly in remission (AcroR), 12 in group with active acromegaly (AcroA), and 53 HC. Serum procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, β-carboxy-terminal crosslinked telopeptide of type 1 collagen, osteocalcin, sclerostin, and DKK1 were measured in blood samples. dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and vertebral fractures evaluation were also assessed simultaneously.

Main outcome and results
AcroA showed significantly lower sclerostin and higher DKK1 compared with HC. On HR-pQCT of tibia and radius, Acro showed impairment of trabecular (area and trabecular number), increased cortical porosity, and increased cortical area and cortical thickness compared with HC. The only significant correlation found with HR-pQCT parameters was a positive correlation between cortical porosity and serum DKK1 (R = 0.45, P = 0.044). Mild VFs were present in approximately 30% of patients.

Conclusions
Eugonadal women with acromegaly without any pituitary deficiency showed increased cortical BMD, impairment of trabecular bone microstructure, and increased VF. Sclerostin was not correlated with any HR-pQCT parameters; however, DKK1 was correlated with cortical porosity in tibia (P = 0.027). Additional studies are needed to clarify the role of Wnt inhibitors on bone microarchitecture impairment in acromegaly.
Lithium changes the ectodermal fate of individual frog blastomeres because it causes ectopic neural plate formation
Authors: Klein Steven L , Moody Sally A. 
Published: April 2021

ABSTRACTAmphibian blastulae that are treated with lithium (Li) develop into embryos that consist almost exclusively of head structures. This dramatic change in embryogenesis may occur either because Li selectively kills trunk progenitors or because Li causes trunk progenitors to become head progenitors. To distinguish between these possibilities, we compared the fates of individual frog blastomeres between Li-treated embryos and normal embryos using lineage tracers. The results demonstrate that Li causes ventral midline cells, which normally populate large amounts of trunk, to produce many head structures, including the brain. Examination of fluorescently labeled clones in living Li-treated gastrulae shows that: (1) the ectodermal members of the clones migrate normally, and chordamesodermal involution begins normally; (2) the chordamesoderm’s later involution is altered such that it is confined to the vegetal hemisphere; (3) accordingly, the neural plate forms in the vegetal hemisphere, circumscribing the blastopore, which normally gives rise to the cloaca; and (4) the ectodermal progeny of the ventral midline blastomeres that are near the blastopore populate the brain because they are induced by the stalled chordamesoderm to form part of the ectopic neural plate. These results demonstrate that Li, administered during a short developmental window at early cleavage stages, ultimately alters ectodermal fate because it changes the pattern of chordamesodermal involution during gastrulation, which in turn changes the site of neural plate formation.
Stresses in Human Leg Muscles in Running and Jumping Determined by Force Plate Analysis and From Published Magnetic Resonance Images
Authors: Thorpe Susannah K. S. , Li Yu , Crompton Robin H. , Alexander R. McNeill 
Published: April 2021

ABSTRACT
Calculation of the stresses exerted by human muscles requires knowledge of their physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made it possible to measure PCSAs of leg muscles of healthy human subjects, which are much larger than the PCSAs of cadaveric leg muscles that have been used in previous studies. We have used published MRI data, together with our own force-plate records and films of running and jumping humans, to calculate stresses in the major groups of leg muscles. Peak stresses in the triceps surae ranged from 100 kN m−2 during take off for standing high jumps to 150 kN m−2 during running at 4 m s−1. In the quadriceps, peak stresses ranged from 190 kN m−2 during standing long jumps to 280 kN m−2 during standing high jumps. Similar stresses were calculated from published measurements of joint moments. These stresses are lower than those previously calculated from cadaveric data, but are in the range expected from physiological experiments on isolated muscles.
The radiologic (CT/MRI)-pathological correlations of the salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) with hyaline degeneration and peripheral nerve invasion
Authors: Kazawa Nobukata , Shibamoto Yuta , Hirose Yasujirou , Yamashita Yoriko 
Published: April 2021

Objectives: Salivary duct carcinoma is an aggressive tumour commonly showing local invasion and/or nerve palsy. However, their CT/MRI findings, especially, regarding T2WI, and the diffusion-weighted-image (DWI), were not well known. In this study, we correlated the CT/MRI appearance and the pathological findings containing the nerve invasion cases such as a facial nerve. Methods: We reviewed 14 cases of SDC (parotid = 11, submandibular = 2, minor salivary gland = 1) pathologically proven peripheral nerve involvement. Their CT findings of all patient including dynamic contrast-enhancement study､MRI (n = 9) and DWI (n = 6) were also analyzed with histopathological correlation. Results: On contrast-enhanced CT, the solid component was moderately enhanced. On MRI, T2WI central low signal core (n = 6) with peripheral high intensity rim (n = 5) was frequently observed except heterogeneous low and high (n = 1), diffuse low (n = 1), and high (n = 1) signal cases. The hyaline degenerative area located in the tumour core was poorly enhanced. Eleven tumours had an ill-defined margin, reflecting invasive tumour growth. On DWI, they showed high signal [the central low and peripherally high (n = 4), and diffuse (n = 1), heterogeneously high signal (n = 1)]. The mean ADC value was 1.148 ~ 0.961 x 10–3 mm2/s. With pathological correlation, the central low signal area on T2WI reflected hyaline degeneration. The sites of gross nerve involvement were revealed as tubular or branching structures on CE-CT (n = 3), and MRI (n = 1). Conclusions: (1) We frequently observed a central low signal area on T2WI/DWI in SDC. With histopathological correlation, it corresponded to the central hyaline degeneration with the peripheral viable tumour. 2) The gross nerve involvement might be detected as a strongly enhancement structure.
Post-COVID recovery: characteristics of chronically critically ill patients admitted to a long-term acute care hospital
Authors: Hassenpflug Meg Stearn , Jun Dale , Nelson David R. , Dolinay Tamas 
Published: April 2021

Background: Survivors of COVID-19 pneumonia often suffer from chronic critical illness (CCI) and require long-term hospitalization. Long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals are vital in the care of CCI patients, but their role for patients post COVID-19 infection is not known. Barlow Respiratory Hospital (BRH) is a 105-bed, LTAC hospital network serving ventilator-dependent and medically-complex patients transferred from the ICUs of hospitals in southern California. We report patient characteristics of our first series of COVID-19 survivors admitted to the post-acute venue of an LTAC hospital. Methods: Single-center observational descriptive report of patients recovering from acute infectious complications of COVID-19 pneumonia requiring long-term respiratory support. Results: From 28 April to 7 September 2020, 41 patients were admitted to BRH for continued recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia. Median age: 68 [44-94] years, 25/41 (61%) male, 33/41 (80.5%) with tracheostomy, 21/41 (51.2%) on invasive mechanical ventilation, 9/41 (22%) receiving hemodialysis. All mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis interventions were initiated at the transferring hospital. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report to characterize CCI and medically complex COVID-19 patients transferred to the post-acute venue of an LTAC hospital. Patients on average spent over six weeks in the transferring hospital mostly in the ICU, are largely elderly, carry the known risk factors for COVID-19 infection, and experienced respiratory failure necessitating prolonged mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy. Our findings suggest that these patients will continue to require considerable medical interventions and treatments, including weaning from mechanical ventilation, owing to the numerous sequelae of the infection and the burden of acute-on-chronic diseases. As ICU survival rates improve, this research further emphasizes the important role of the LTAC hospital in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
Urban educated group's perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic management in Bangladesh: a qualitative exploration
Authors: Joarder Taufique , Khaled Muhammad N.B. , Joarder Mohammad A.I. 
Published: April 2021

Background: Since the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak, Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has taken various measures to restrict virus transmission and inform the people of the situation. However, the success of such measures largely depends on a positive public perception of the government’s ability to act decisively and the transparency of its communication. We explored public perceptions of pandemic management efforts by the Bangladeshi health sector decision-makers in this study. Methods: As this qualitative research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, data was gathered through seven online mixed-gender focus group discussions involving 50 purposively selected clinicians and non-clinicians. Results: The study participants concurred that, from the outset, decision-makers failed to engage the right kind of experts, which resulted in poor pandemic management that included imposing lockdown in periphery areas without arranging patient transport to the center, declaring certain hospitals as COVID-19 dedicated without preparing the facilities or the staff, and engaging private hospitals in care without allowing them to test the patients for COVID-19 infection. Several participants also commented on ineffective actions on behalf of the GoB, such as imposing home quarantine instead of institutional, corruption, miscommunication, and inadequate private sector regulation. The perception of the people regarding service providers is that they lacked responsiveness in providing treatment, with some doctors misleading the public by sharing misinformation. Service providers, on the other hand, observed that decision-makers failed to provide them with proper training, personal protective equipment, and workplace security, which has resulted in a high number of deaths among medical staff. Conclusions: The Bangladeshi health sector decision-makers should learn from their mistakes to prevent further unnecessary loss of life and long-term economic downturn. They should adopt a science-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the short term while striving to develop a more resilient health system in the long run.
RETRACTED: A low-cost in-house HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor drug resistance test for resource-limited settings
Authors: Onwong'a Vera M. , Gachogo Rachael W. , Masika Moses M. , Jacobs Graeme B. , Onyambu Frank G. 
Published: April 2021

At the request of the authors, the article titled 'A low-cost in-house HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor drug resistance test for resource-limited settings' ([version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. F1000Research 2021, 10:260, https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.28404.1) has been retracted from F1000Research. Since publication, it has come to the attention of the authors that the primers described in Table 1 were incorrect. As this article contains information which should not be publicly available the content of the article has been removed. The authors apologise for this honest error, and intend to republish the article with the correct primer information. Unfortunately, Dr Graeme B. Jacobs has passed away since publication of version 1 of this article.
COMPARISON OF SOME LINEAR BODY MEASUREMENT TRAITS OF LOCAL AND COMMERCIAL CHICKEN BREEDS OF SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: Tyasi Thobela Louis , Mashiloane Khomotso , Mokoena Kwena 
Published: April 2021

Linear body measurement traits are used for the estimation of body weight in animal breeding to aid livestock farmers where the weighing scale is not available. The objective of the work was to determine the effect of breed on body weight (BW) and linear body measurement traits such as wing length (WL), keel length (KL), shank circumference (SC), chest circumference (CC) and beak length (BL) of two (Hy-line Silver Brown and Potchefstroom Koekoek) layer chicken layer breeds. A total of 100 layers with 50 for each breed were randomly selected for the study at the age of 22 weeks. Pearson’s correlation and Student T-Test were used for data analysis. Correlation was employed to examine the relationship between measured traits in each breed. Correlation findings showed that BW had a highly positive statistical significant correlation (p < 0.01) with WL (r = 0.76) in Potchefstroom Koekoek breed, while BW had a negative statistical significant correlation (p < 0.05) with WL (r = -0.27) in Hy-line Silver Brown chicken layer breed. Student T-Test results indicated that Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken layer breed was statistically (P<0.05) heavier than Hy-line Silver Brown chicken layer breed. Potchefstroom Koekoek had longer wing length and chest circumference than Hy-line Silver Brown while Hy-line Silver Brown had longer (P<0.05) keel length, shank circumference and beak length than Potchefstroom Koekoek. It is concluded that the results suggest that Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken layer breed is a weightier indigenous layer but keel length, shank circumference and beak length might require improvement. It also suggests that improvement of WL might improve BW of Potchefstroom Koekoek breed while improvement of WL might decrease BW of Hy-line Silver Brown chicken layer breed.