bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Decreased Medical Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Comprehensive Analysis of Radiological Examinations
Authors: Aigner Annette , Hamm Bernd , Fleckenstein Florian Nima , Maleitzke Tazio , Böning Georg , Kahn Johannes , Büttner Laura , Gebauer Bernhard 
Published: March 2021

Objectives As a cross-section discipline within the hospital infrastructure, radiological departments might be able to provide important information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare. The goal of this study was to quantify changes in medical care during the first wave of the pandemic using radiological examinations as a comprehensive surrogate marker and to determine potential future workload.
Methods A retrospective analysis of all radiological examinations during the first wave of the pandemic was performed. The number of examinations was compared to time-matched control periods. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of radiological examinations attributed to various medical specialties was conducted and postponed examinations were extrapolated to calculate additional workload in the near future.
Results A total of 596,760 examinations were analyzed. Overall case volumes decreased by an average of 41 % during the shutdown compared to the control period. The most affected radiological modalities were sonography (–54 %), X-ray (–47 %) followed by MRI (–42 %). The most affected medical specialty was trauma and orthopedics (–60 % case volume) followed by general surgery (–49 %). Examination numbers increased during the post-shutdown period leading to a predicted additional workload of up to 22 %.
Conclusion This study shows a marked decrease in radiological examinations in total and among several core medical specialties, indicating a significant reduction in medical care during the first COVID-19 shutdown.
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Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction on Vascular Function: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Yujia , Jiang Ning , Pang Fangfang , Chen Tong 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this meta-analysis, the aims were to examine the effects of resistance training with and without blood flow restriction on vascular function. Five databases were searched up to June 2020 for papers about resistance training with blood flow restriction influence on vascular function. The quality of each identified study was evaluated. Effect sizes were estimated in terms of the standardized mean difference. A subgroup analysis was conducted according to participants’ age, training duration, and cuff pressure. The results of six studies on arterial compliance and five on vascular function were highly homogenous regarding responses to resistance training with or without blood flow restriction. Resistance training with blood flow restriction had a more positive effect for regulating arterial compliance than resistance training without blood flow restriction, but not for vascular function. Resistance training with blood flow restriction leads to a more positive effect on vascular function than resistance training when training for no longer than four weeks.
Motion Artifact Reduction in Contrast-Enhanced Dual-Energy Mammography – A Multireader Study about the Effect of Nonrigid Registration as Motion Correction on Image Quality
Authors: Sistermanns Markus , Kowall Bernd , Hörnig Mathias , Beiderwellen Karsten , Uhlenbrock Detlev 
Published: March 2021

Purpose The technically caused delay between low-energy (LE) and high-energy (HE) acquisitions allows motion artifacts in contrast-enhanced dual-energy mammography (CEDEM). In this study the effect of motion correction by nonrigid registration on image quality of the recombined images was investigated.
Materials and Methods Retrospectively for 354 recombined CEDEM images an additional recombined image was processed from the raw data of LE and HE images using the motion correction algorithm. Five radiologists with many years of experience in breast cancer diagnostic imaging compared side-by-side one conventional processed CEDEM image with the corresponding image processed by the motion correction algorithm. Every pair of images was compared based on six criteria: General image quality (1), sharpness of skin contour (2), reduction of image artifacts (3), sharpness of lesion contour (4), contrast of lesion (5), visibility of lymph nodes (6). These criteria were rated on a Likert scale (improvement: + 1, + 2; deterioration: –1, –2).
Results The mean ratings concerning criteria 1–5 showed a superiority of the recombined images processed by the motion correction algorithm. For example, the mean rating of general image quality was 0.86 (95 % CI: 0.78; 0.93). Only the mean rating concerning criterion 6 showed an inferiority of the recombined images processed by the motion correction algorithm (–0.29 (–0.46; –0.13)).
Conclusion The usage of nonrigid registration for motion correction significantly improves the general image quality and the quality of subordinate criteria on the recombined CEDEM images at the expense of somewhat reduced lymph node visibility in some cases.
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Vagus nerve stimulation activates two distinct neuroimmune circuits converging in the spleen to protect mice from kidney injury
Authors: Tanaka Shinji , Abe Chikara , Abbott Stephen B. G. , Zheng Shuqiu , Yamaoka Yusuke , Lipsey Jonathan E. , Skrypnyk Nataliya I. , Yao Junlan , Inoue Tsuyoshi , Nash William T. , Stornetta Daniel S. , Rosin Diane L. , Stornetta Ruth L. , Guyenet Patrice G. , Okusa Mark D. 
Published: March 2021

Significance
The ability of vagus nerve stimulation to generate anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective effects has been known for some time. We have made use of cutting-edge tools to precisely map the neural circuits that contribute to beneficial effects of vagus nerve stimulation. Stimulation was specifically restricted to either the afferent or efferent neurons in the vagus nerve by genetically programming the appropriate cells to express a light-sensitive cation channel. We show that, while both afferent and efferent signals provide protection from kidney injury, afferent stimulation generates a sympathetic response that protects mice in the absence of efferent vagus signals. This provides an insight into the pathways of neuroimmune protection and potential therapeutics.
The effective graph reveals redundancy, canalization, and control pathways in biochemical regulation and signaling
Authors: Gates Alexander J. , Brattig Correia Rion , Wang Xuan , Rocha Luis M. 
Published: March 2021

SignificanceMany biological networks are modeled with multivariate discrete dynamical systems. Current theory suggests that the network of interactions captures salient features of system dynamics, but it misses a key aspect of these networks: some interactions are more important than others due to dynamical redundancy and nonlinearity. This unequivalence leads to a canalized dynamics that differs from constraints inferred from network structure alone. To capture the redundancy present in biochemical regulatory and signaling interactions, we present the effective graph, an experimentally validated mathematical framework that synthesizes both structure and dynamics in a weighted graph representation of discrete multivariate systems. Our results demonstrate the ubiquity of redundancy in biology and provide a tool to increase causal explainability and control of biochemical systems.
A simple and low cost USB webcam-driven optical tomography system suitable for teaching x-ray computed tomography
Authors: Vega Mernes Cristhian Ariel , Francelino Isabella Grinberg , Kakuno Edson Massayuki , Hönnicke Marcelo Goncalves 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
A simple and cheap optical analog computed tomography (CT) system, useful for teaching x-ray CT for physics, medical physics and engineering physics students without applying ionizing radiation is presented. White spectrum of a light emitting diode (LED) source was characterized by using an in-house constructed spectrophotometer. A simple electronic hardware, utilizing a synchronization of an universal serial bus webcam and direct current (DC) motor was developed in such a way that, a single click on the record video button of the webcam software is enough to run the tomograph. Finally, the two- and three-dimensional tomography reconstructions are briefly discussed and presented.
Surface activation of poly(methyl methacrylate) for microfluidic device bonding through a H2O plasma treatment linked with a low-temperature annealing
Authors: Immanuel Philip Nathaniel , Chiang Chao-Ching , Yang Chung-Rong , Subramani Murugan , Lee Tien-Hsi , Huang Song-Jeng 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
This paper reports on a rapid, lossless process for the bonding of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates for use in microfluidic devices for blood tests, utilizing H2O plasma, and H2O linked rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatments. The bonding of PMMA produced with H2O plasma linked with RTA was analyzed, and its effect on the bonding of free radicals was investigated. The PMMA surface treatment was performed at constant RF power and H2O vapor flow but changing plasma treatment times in both processes. The surface modification of the PMMA subjected to the H2O plasma treatment was studied by optical emission spectroscopy, which confirmed that the relative intensity of hydroxyl radicals and oxygen emission peaks. The surface of the PMMA after being subjected to the plasma linked with RTA treatment was also characterized. The free energy increased with the plasma treatment time. The tensile test results revealed that the strength of OH bonds on the PMMA surface increased with a high plasma treatment time of 120 s. After bonding, UV–visible transmission spectrum measurements revealed that the transparency of the microfluidic device increased. We demonstrated the bonding of a microfluidic device with plasma treatment without deformation. This method provides an ideal bonding technique for the manufacture of microfluidic devices with PMMA. This technique has more advantages than other bonding techniques.
The different behaviors of thermal noise in collective quantum steering and genuinely tripartite steering induced by atomic coherence
Authors: Li Lingchao 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Multipartite quantum steering has important application in quantum information processing. Here we study the influence of thermal noise on the collective quantum steering and genuine tripartite steering in a system of four-level inverted Y-type atoms, in which the atomic coherence is initially prepared and the cavity is coupled to a thermal reservoir. It is found that for the cases of the balanced and unbalanced cavity losses, the thermal noise plays a positive role in realizing the collective steering. However the case is different for the genuine tripartite steering effect. For the case of either balanced or unbalanced cavity losses, the thermal noise would destroy genuine tripartite steering effect and reduce the parameter region of genuine tripartite steering. The thermal noise plays a negative role in realizing genuine tripartite steering. Specially, it is verified that the genuine tripartite steering does not reject the bipartite steering, which is very different from the collective quantum steering requiring no bipartite steering. The present scheme may provide some help for potential applications such as quantum communication.
Observation of frequency band-switchable topological edge modes using a 2 bit coding acoustic topological insulator
Authors: Song Xin-Pei , Chen Tian-Ning , Chen Chen , Ding Wei 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Here, the frequency band-switchable topologically protected edge state transport is realized in simulation and experiment based on a 2 bit coding acoustic topological insulator that consists of two layers of sonic crystals arrayed by the Helmholtz resonant triangle-lattice scatters with two distinct rotation angles. The acoustic topological phase transition is revealed and the gapless frequency bands are predicted. Experimentally measured transmission spectra and simulated pressure fields show good agreement with the predicted results. The error between the measured and the predicted results is illustrated by introducing a slit into the nested scatters, which is comparable to the manufacturing accuracy of the commercial 3D printer. Our work provides a simple method of coding to achieve the frequency-switchable acoustic topological edge modes, and paves a promising way to design the intelligent, programmable, and flexible acoustic devices.
CO oxidation over defective and nonmetal doped MoS2 monolayers
Authors: Linghu Yaoyao , Lu Dongmei , Wu Chao 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Defective (missing S atoms) and nonmetal (C- and N-) doped MoS2 monolayers in the 2H and 1T′ phases have been evaluated for catalyzing CO oxidation based on first-principles calculations. For the reaction 2CO + O2 → 2CO2, the oxidization of the first CO molecule is fairly easy and sometimes is even spontaneous, as the O2 molecule is highly activated or dissociates upon adsorption. However, for the defective (2H-), C-doped (1T′-), and N-doped (2H- and 1T′-) MoS2 monolayers, the remaining O* adatom often refuses to react with other CO molecules and is hard to be removed (barrier > 1.20 eV). Only when over the C-doped 2H- and defective 1T′-MoS2 monolayers, the removal of the second O* adatom requires to overcome moderate barriers (0.74 and 0.88 eV, respectively) by reacting with another CO molecule via the Eley–Rideal mechanism and the catalysts are recovered. The barriers can be further reduced by applying either tensile or compressive strain to the MoS2 nanosheet. In contrast, the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism is followed over the metal-containing MoS2 nanosheets, as the bigger size of metal dopants allow the co-adsorption of CO and O2. Therefore, the C-doped 2H- and defective 1T′-MoS2 monolayers are promising nonmetal-doped catalysts for CO oxidation.
Carbon nitride grafted waste-derived carbon as sustainable materials for lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Jia Yongfeng , Ji Lei , Gao Hongda , Liu Yanji , Yang Daotong , Li Tunan , Bai Jie , Hu Quanli , Wang Meijun , Liu Jinghai 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The synthesis of a sustainable material through carbon nitride (C3N4) chemically grafted on waste-derived carbon including carbonizing coals (PM), melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins (MUF-C-1100), and luffa cylindrical sponges (SG), respectively, and its application as sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries were demonstrated. The Li-S cell assembled by the sulfur (S) cathode with component from C3N4 grafted coal-derived carbon (PM-CN) possesses a specific capacity of 1269.8 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C. At 1 C, the initial specific capacity of PM cathode is only 380.0 mA h g−1, comparable to the PM-CN5 cathode of 681.9 mA h g−1, and PM-CN10 cathode of 580.7 mA h g−1, respectively. And, PM-CN 5 cathode presents the capacity retention of 75.9% with a coulomb efficiency (C.E.) of 97.3% after 200 cycles. The MUF-CN cathode gives a specific capacity of 1335.6 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C, and the capacity retention of 66.7% with a C. E. of 93.6% after 300 cycles at 0.5 C. The SG-CN cathode had a specific capacity of 953.9 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C, and capacity retention of 95.1% with a C. E. of 98.2% after 125 cycles at 1 C. The remarkable improved performances were mainly ascribed to the sustainable materials as S host with micro-meso pore and C3N4 structure providing the strong affinity N sites to lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). This work provides an attractive approach for the preparation of sustainable materials by rational design of grafting C3N4 to waste-derived carbons with functions as S cathode materials for high-performance Li-S batteries.
Proton path reconstruction for proton computed tomography using neural networks
Authors: Ackernley T , Casse G , Cristoforetti M 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The most likely path formalism (MLP) is widely established as the most statistically precise method for proton path reconstruction in proton computed tomography. However, while this method accounts for small-angle multiple coulomb scattering (MCS) and energy loss, inelastic nuclear interactions play an influential role in a significant number of proton paths. By applying cuts based on energy and direction, tracks influenced by nuclear interactions are largely discarded from the MLP analysis. In this work we propose a new method to estimate the proton paths based on a deep neural network (DNN). Through this approach, estimates of proton paths equivalent to MLP predictions have been achieved in the case where only MCS occurs, together with an increased accuracy when nuclear interactions are present. Moreover, our tests indicate that the DNN algorithm can be considerably faster than the MLP algorithm.
Atlas construction and spatial normalisation to facilitate radiation-induced late effects research in childhood cancer
Authors: Veiga Catarina , Lim Pei , Anaya Virginia Marin , Chandy Edward , Ahmad Reem , D’Souza Derek , Gaze Mark , Moinuddin Syed , Gains Jennifer 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Reducing radiation-induced side effects is one of the most important challenges in paediatric cancer treatment. Recently, there has been growing interest in using spatial normalisation to enable voxel-based analysis of radiation-induced toxicities in a variety of patient groups. The need to consider three-dimensional distribution of doses, rather than dose-volume histograms, is desirable but not yet explored in paediatric populations. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of atlas construction and spatial normalisation in paediatric radiotherapy. We used planning computed tomography (CT) scans from twenty paediatric patients historically treated with craniospinal irradiation to generate a template CT that is suitable for spatial normalisation. This childhood cancer population representative template was constructed using groupwise image registration. An independent set of 53 subjects from a variety of childhood malignancies was then used to assess the quality of the propagation of new subjects to this common reference space using deformable image registration (i.e. spatial normalisation). The method was evaluated in terms of overall image similarity metrics, contour similarity and preservation of dose-volume properties. After spatial normalisation, we report a dice similarity coefficient of 0.95 ± 0.05, 0.85 ± 0.04, 0.96 ± 0.01, 0.91 ± 0.03, 0.83 ± 0.06 and 0.65 ± 0.16 for brain and spinal canal, ocular globes, lungs, liver, kidneys and bladder. We then demonstrated the potential advantages of an atlas-based approach to study the risk of second malignant neoplasms after radiotherapy. Our findings indicate satisfactory mapping between a heterogeneous group of patients and the template CT. The poorest performance was for organs in the abdominal and pelvic region, likely due to respiratory and physiological motion and to the highly deformable nature of abdominal organs. More specialised algorithms should be explored in the future to improve mapping in these regions. This study is the first step toward voxel-based analysis in radiation-induced toxicities following paediatric radiotherapy.
Oxygen enhancement ratios of cancer cells after exposure to intensity modulated x-ray fields: DNA damage and cell survival
Authors: Matsuya Yusuke , McMahon Stephen J , Butterworth Karl T , Naijo Shingo , Nara Isshi , Yachi Yoshie , Saga Ryo , Ishikawa Masayori , Sato Tatsuhiko , Date Hiroyuki , Prise Kevin M 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Hypoxic cancer cells within solid tumours show radio-resistance, leading to malignant progression in fractionated radiotherapy. When prescribing dose to tumours under heterogeneous oxygen pressure with intensity-modulated radiation fields, intercellular signalling could have an impact on radiosensitivity between in-field and out-of-field (OF) cells. However, the impact of hypoxia on radio-sensitivity under modulated radiation intensity remains to be fully clarified. Here, we investigate the impact of hypoxia on in-field and OF radio-sensitivities using two types of cancer cells, DU145 and H1299. Using a nBIONIX hypoxic culture kit and a shielding technique to irradiate 50% of a cell culture flask, oxygen enhancement ratios for double-strand breaks (DSB) and cell death endpoints were determined. These in vitro measurements indicate that hypoxia impacts OF cells, although the hypoxic impacts on OF cells for cell survival were dose-dependent and smaller compared to those for in-field and uniformly irradiated cells. These decreased radio-sensitivities of OF cells were shown as a consistent tendency for both DSB and cell death endpoints, suggesting that radiation-induced intercellular communication is of importance in advanced radiotherapy dose-distributions such as with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
Classification of chronic venous diseases based on skin temperature patterns
Authors: Dahlmanns Stephan , Reich-Schupke Stefanie , Schollemann Franziska , Stücker Markus , Leonhardt Steffen , Teichmann Daniel 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Objective. Infrared thermography has the potential to complement the classification of chronic venous diseases (CVD), but lacks sophisticated insights on the association between recorded skin temperatures and the severity of CVD. This research aims to identify temperature patterns in the lower legs of patients that are distinct in specific forms of CVD, including florid ulcers. Approach. Infrared images were acquired in a clinical trial with 36 patients and segmented using a region selection algorithm. The regions were analyzed with respect to seven predefined features. The most prominent thermal features were translated into rules to classify CVD. Main results. Patients with mild forms of CVD show local increases in skin temperature by more than 1.5 °C. These regions were 2.0 °C warmer when CVD is more severe. Temperature variations of on average 0.4 °C occurred within venous leg ulcers. Furthermore, these wounds were 1.1 °C–6.3 °C colder than periwound skin. Significance. Temperature patterns characterized by differences in temperature that occur within a few centimeters or millimeters are distinct to specific stages of CVD. These patterns are present in the locations of varicose veins and tissue damages. Significance. The findings increase the body of knowledge on the potential for the early detection of CVD using infrared thermography. Applying the presented algorithms and rules, infrared thermography may become a complementary tool for the objective classification of CVD.