bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictive Value of Quantitative Uterine Fibroid Perfusion Parameters From Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound for the Therapeutic Effect of High‐Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation
Authors: Wang Ying‐Jin , Zhang Peng‐Hua , Zhang Rong , An Pei‐Li 
Published: October 2018

ObjectivesTo assess the predictive significance of quantitative perfusion parameters from contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the therapeutic response to high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation in patients with uterine fibroids.MethodsA total of 263 patients with single uterine fibroids were treated with HIFU ablation under ultrasound guidance. The arrival time, peak time, enhancement time, enhancement intensity, and enhancement rate were evaluated with pretreatment CEUS. According to a nonperfused volume ratio evaluation by posttreatment magnetic resonance imaging, all patients were assigned to groups with volume ratios of 70% or higher and lower than 70%. Then the predictive performances of different parameters for ablation efficacy were studied.ResultsThe arrival time, peak time, and enhancement time in the group with a nonperfused volume ratio of 70% or higher were longer than those in the group with a volume ratio lower than 70% (mean ± SD, 16.7 ± 3.5, 26.5 ± 4.9, and 10.2 ± 2.6 seconds, respectively, versus 13.3 ± 4.2, 20.8 ± 5.4, and 7.6 ± 2.3 seconds), whereas patients with a volume ratio of 70% or higher had a lower mean enhancement intensity and enhancement rate than those with a volume ratio lower than 70% (29.7 ± 16.7 dB and 3.2 ± 1.5 dB/s versus 63.2 ± 26.3 dB and 8.6 ± 4.3 dB/s; P < .05). The nonperfused volume ratio was negatively correlated with the enhancement intensity and enhancement rate (r = –0.631 and –0.712) but positively correlated with the arrival time, peak time, and enhancement time (r = 0.322, 0.456, and 0.477; P < .05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the enhancement time, enhancement intensity, and enhancement rate were 0.73, 0.79, and 0.81 (P < .05).ConclusionsQuantitative parameters from CEUS are potentially useful for evaluating the therapeutic effect of HIFU ablation for uterine fibroids.
International neural monitoring study group guideline 2018 part I: Staging bilateral thyroid surgery with monitoring loss of signal
Authors: Schneider Rick , Randolph Gregory W. , Dionigi Gianlorenzo , Wu Che‐Wei , Barczynski Marcin , Chiang Feng‐Yu , Al‐Quaryshi Zaid , Angelos Peter , Brauckhoff Katrin , Cernea Claudio R. , Chaplin John , Cheetham Jonathan , Davies Louise , Goretzki Peter E. , Hartl Dana , Kamani Dipti , Kandil Emad , Kyriazidis Natalia , Liddy Whitney , Orloff Lisa , Scharpf Joseph , Serpell Jonathan , Shin Jennifer J. , Sinclair Catherine F. , Singer Michael C. , Snyder Samuel K. , Tolley Neil S. , Van Slycke Sam , Volpi Erivelto , Witterick Ian , Wong Richard J. , Woodson Gayle , Zafereo Mark , Dralle Henning 
Published: October 2018

This publication offers modern, state‐of‐the‐art International Neural Monitoring Study Group (INMSG) guidelines based on a detailed review of the recent monitoring literature. The guidelines outline evidence‐based definitions of adverse electrophysiologic events, especially loss of signal, and their incorporation in surgical strategy. These recommendations are designed to reduce technique variations, enhance the quality of neural monitoring, and assist surgeons in the clinical decision‐making process involved in surgical management of recurrent laryngeal nerve. The guidelines are published in conjunction with the INMSG Guidelines Part II, Optimal Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Management for Invasive Thyroid Cancer–Incorporation of Surgical, Laryngeal, and Neural Electrophysiologic Data.Laryngoscope, 128:S1–S17, 2018
Instruments evaluating the clinical findings of laryngopharyngeal reflux: A systematic review
Authors: Lechien Jerome R. , Schindler Antonio , De Marrez Lisa G. , Hamdan Abdul Latif , Karkos Petros D. , Harmegnies Bernard , Barillari Maria Rosaria , Finck Camille , Saussez Sven 
Published: October 2018

ObjectivesTo identify the instruments for evaluating the clinical findings (ICFs) of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) designed for use with regard to diagnosis and treatment effectiveness.MethodsThe PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were used to search for subject headings following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. Three investigators retrieved relevant studies published between 1990 and 2018 describing the evolution of laryngopharyngeal findings throughout LPR treatment. Issues of clinical relevance, that is, LPR diagnosis, treatments, and signs assessed for diagnosis or as therapeutic outcomes, were assessed. The investigators also evaluated the psychometric properties (conceptual model, content validity, consistency, reliability, concordance, convergent validity, known‐groups validity, responsiveness to change, and interpretability) of the ICF. The risk of bias was assessed with the tool of the Clarity Group and Evidence Partners.ResultsThe search identified 1,227 publications with a total of 4,735 LPR patients; of these studies, 53 met the inclusion criteria. Of these 53 studies, we identified 10 unvalidated and six validated ICFs. None of the validated ICFs included all the psychometric properties. The main identified deficiencies related to ICF psychometric validation included variable construct validity, disparate and uncertain reliabilities, and a lack of interpretability. The lack of consideration of certain LPR laryngeal and extralaryngeal signs is the main weakness of ICFs, biasing content, and construct validities.ConclusionThe low specificity of LPR signs, the lack of consideration of many findings, and the absence of a gold standard for diagnosis constitute barriers to the further validation of these ICFs. Additional studies are needed to develop complete and reliable ICFs.Laryngoscope, 129:720–736, 2019
Soil microbial community responses to forage grass cultivation in degraded karst soils, Southwest China
Authors: Li Dejun , Liu Jing , Chen Hao , Zheng Liang , Wang Kelin 
Published: October 2018

AbstractVariation of soil microbial community abundance and structure has great implications for soil fertility and nutrient cycling. A better understanding of soil microbial community dynamics under different land use types is undoubtedly needed in order to develop sustainable land use schemes. The current study aimed to assess how soil microbial community changed after replacement of maize–soybean crop by sugarcane, mulberry, or forage grass crop in a karst area of Southwest China. Mature forests were included for comparison. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method was used to characterize soil microbial community abundance and structure. The abundances of total PLFAs and PLFAs of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were significantly increased in the forage grass field but not in the sugarcane and mulberry fields relative to the maize–soybean field. Total PLFAs' abundance in the forage grass field was increased by 81% compared with that in the maize–soybean field but was about 52% lower than that in the forest. The microbial community structure was not distinguished as much as the microbial abundance among the five land use types. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was identified as the primary factor affecting both soil microbial abundance and structure. Soil microbial community abundance was positively correlated with SOC, but the ratios of fungal to bacterial PLFAs and Gram‐positive to Gram‐negative bacterial PLFAs were negatively correlated with SOC. Our findings suggest that the replacement of the maize–soybean rotation system by forage grass cultivation has the potential to improve soil fertility in the karst region, Southwest China.
Why do smallholder farmers dis‐adopt conservation agriculture? Insights from Malawi
Authors: Chinseu Edna , Dougill Andrew , Stringer Lindsay 
Published: October 2018

AbstractInternational donors and advisory bodies, governments, and nongovernmental organisations are actively promoting conservation agriculture (CA) to improve agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change impacts. However, many smallholder farmers continue to dis‐adopt (abandon) the technology. Reasons for dis‐adoption are not well known. This article examines farmers' lived experiences and perceptions of CA to understand why smallholder farmers dis‐adopt CA in Malawi. Improving understanding of dis‐adoption of this seemingly appropriate intervention is important to achieve sustained adoption and for ensuring long‐lasting impacts of agricultural development project interventions. A mixed methods approach was used, involving household questionnaire survey and focus group discussions with smallholder farmers. Findings reveal that although drivers of dis‐adoption are multidimensional and multilayered, they are rooted in shortfalls of CA promoters' implementation arrangements. Although CA proponents market CA as a time‐saving, labour‐saving, and yield‐improving technology, respondents report contrary experiences. Our findings show that farmers lack sufficient technical support and encounter technological, social, institutional, and economic challenges. These, coupled with unfulfilled expectations, undermine ownership of CA projects and lead to dis‐adoption. This highlights a need to (a) collaboratively design projects to better suit local needs and context with inclusive implementation arrangements; (b) emphasise climate resilience benefits of CA rather than economic benefits to manage farmers' expectations; (c) intensify multidisciplinary research that incorporates farmers' knowledge and experiences to develop suitable, flexible, and low‐input CA packages; and (d) provide regular hands‐on technical extension support to farmers.
The development of active middle ear implants: A historical perspective and clinical outcomes
Authors: Kließ Melodi Koşaner , Ernst Arne , Wagner Jan , Mittmann Philipp 
Published: October 2018

Objective (s)Energy emitting, active middle ear implants (aMEI) have taken more than two decades of research to reach technological sophistication, medical safety, and regulatory approval to become a powerful tool in treating sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss. The present review covers this era.Data SourceLiterature found from searching Pubmed (MEDLINE); EMBASE, SciSearch, German Medical Science Journals and Meetings, and The Cochrane Library; and published as of February 2017. Study bibliographies were hand‐searched to find further materials.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted to identify studies evaluating the safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and subjective outcomes of partially implantable aMEIs. Data were extracted on systems with regulatory approval and summarized narratively. Meta‐analyses were conducted for aMEIs with more than 25 publications. Study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal for quantitative data synthesis was carried out by two reviewers.ResultsFour hundred thirty‐one studies included in narrative synthesis describe that albeit good audiological outcomes, clinical safety and (dis)investment are major barriers to continued market access. The synthesised risk of adverse events was three fold with the MET than with the VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE. With the latter system, audiological outcomes were stable and similar for all indications and age groups.ConclusionTo date, the majority of the literature covers the clinical application of the VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE system as it is applicable to a wide range of otologic and audiological conditions, particularly with the introduction of couplers to extend its clinical reach. The MAXUM and MET still have to find their way into surgical routine.Level of Evidence:
Responses of phytoplankton assemblages to iron availability and mixing water masses during the spring bloom in the Oyashio region, NW Pacific
Authors: Isada T. , Hattori‐Saito A. , Saito H. , Kondo Y. , Nishioka J. , Kuma K. , Hattori H. , McKay R. M. L. , Suzuki K. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSpring phytoplankton blooms play a major role in the carbon biogeochemical cycle of the Oyashio region, western subarctic Pacific, where the seasonal biological drawdown effect on seawater pCO2 is one of the greatest among the world's oceans. However, the bloom often terminates before depleting macronutrients, and the initiation and magnitude of the bloom is heterogeneous. We conducted a high resolution taxonomic and physiological assessment of phytoplankton in relation to the different physicochemical water masses of Coastal Oyashio Water (COW), Oyashio water (OYW), and modified Kuroshio water (MKW) in the Oyashio region from April to June 2007. Massive diatom blooms were found in April. Then, chlorophyll a concentration, cell abundance of diatom taxa, and the maximum photosystem II photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) were positively correlated with the mixing ratios of COW, suggesting that the spring bloom in April was strongly affected by the intrusion of COW. In the OYW, intensive blooms occurred from the middle of May under low dissolved iron (DFe) concentration (< 0.26 nM). Redundancy analysis showed that while diatom blooms accompanied by COW were related to DFe concentration, this was not the case in the OYW. These results indicated that diatoms in the OYW possess different iron adaptation strategies compared with diatoms in the water masses affected by COW. This led to the spatial heterogeneity of the Oyashio spring bloom. The results presented here demonstrate that water mass characterization with detailed assessments of phytoplankton taxonomy and physiological status can improve our understanding of marine ecosystems.
A data mining approach to evaluate suitability of dissolved oxygen sensor observations for lake metabolism analysis
Authors: Muraoka Kohji , Hanson Paul , Frank Eibe , Jiang Meilan , Chiu Kenneth , Hamilton David 
Published: October 2018

AbstractDespite rapid growth in continuous monitoring of dissolved oxygen for lake metabolism studies, the current best practice still relies on visual assessment and manual data filtering of sensor observations by experienced scientists in order to achieve meaningful results. This time consuming approach is fraught with potential for inconsistency and individual subjectivity. An automated method to assure the quality of data for the purpose of metabolism modeling is clearly needed to obtain consistent results representative of collective expertise. We used a hybrid approach of expert panel and data mining for data filtration. Symbolic Aggregate approXimation (SAX) treats discretized numerical timeseries segments as symbolic indications, creating a series of strings which are literally comparable to human words and sentences. This conversion allows established text mining techniques, such as classification methods to be applied to timeseries data. Half‐hourly frequency surface dissolved oxygen data from 18 global lakes were used to create day‐long segments of the original time series data. Three hundred sets of 1‐d measurements were provided to a group of seven anonymous experts, experienced in manual filtering of oxygen data for metabolism modeling studies. The collective results were treated as expert panel decisions, and were used to rank the data by confidence level for use in metabolism calculations. While considerable variation occurred in the way the experts perceived the quality of the data, the model provides an objective and quantitative assessment method. The program output will assist the decision making process in determining whether data should be used for metabolism calculations. An R version of the program is available for download.
Beyond the Modification Degree: Impact of Raw Material on Physicochemical Properties of Gelatin Type A and Type B Methacryloyls
Authors: Sewald Lisa , Claaßen Christiane , Götz Tobias , Claaßen Marc H. , Truffault Vincent , Tovar Günter E. M. , Southan Alexander , Borchers Kirsten 
Published: October 2018

AbstractGelatin methacryloyl (acetyl) (GM(A)) is increasingly investigated for various applications in life sciences and medicine, for example, drug release or tissue engineering. Gelatin type A and type B are utilized for GAM(A) and GBM(A) preparation, but the impact of gelatin raw material on modification reaction and resulting polymer properties is rather unknown so far. Therefore, the degrees of modification (DMA) and physicochemical properties of five GAM(A) and GBM(A) derivatives are compared: The degrees of methacryloylation (0.32–0.98 mmol g−1) are indistinguishable for GAM(A) and GBM(A) as are the sol‐gel temperatures. Isoelectric points, solution viscosities, and hydrodynamic radii which are distinct for GA and GB, converge with increasing DMA. Interestingly, differences are measured for the storage moduli and equilibrium degrees of swelling of respective GA and GB derivative‐based hydrogels, in spite of their comparable DMA. This underlines the importance of GM(A) characterization beyond the modification degree.
Oriented Polar Crystals in Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Produced by Simultaneously Applying Pressure and Flow
Authors: Yang Shu‐Gui , Li Yue , Lei Jun , Zhong Gan‐Ji , Li Zhong‐Ming 
Published: October 2018

AbstractFabricating oriented polar crystals in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is of significance whether in basic scientific research, or in developing flexible piezoelectric devices. Here, a set of pressuring and shearing devices are utilized to fabricate oriented polar crystals in PVDF. Under 50 and 100 MPa, isotropic α‐crystals are formed regardless of imposing a shear rate of 30 s–1, due to the fast relaxation of molecular chains as the flow is introduced at a high temperature of 190 °C. Intriguingly, oriented polar crystals (β‐ and γ‐crystals) in the form of shish‐kebab superstructure are induced by the shear flow (30 s−1) when increasing the pressure to 200 MPa, for the relaxation of molecular chains is retarded by the elevated pressure, and thus, flow‐induced long trans conformation can crystallize into oriented polar crystals. Generally, PVDF can crystallize into extended chain crystals (ECCs) under 200 MPa, but unexpectedly, when a shear flow is applied simultaneously, oriented polar crystals composed of folded chain crystals (FCCs) instead of ECCs are generated. These results shed light on the formation of oriented polar crystals in PVDF crystallizing under flow and pressure, and provide new opportunities to fabricate flexible piezoelectric devices with oriented polar crystals.
Tailoring Thermo‐Mechanical Properties of Cationically UV‐Cured Systems by a Rational Design of Vinyl Ether Ester Oligomers using Enzyme Catalysis
Authors: Brännström Sara , Finnveden Maja , Razza Nicolò , Martinelle Mats , Malmström Eva , Sangermano Marco , Johansson Mats 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThere is a demand for new sustainable polymeric materials. Vinyl ethers are, in this context, attractive oligomers since they polymerize fast, are non‐toxic, and can be polymerized under ambient conditions. The availability of vinyl ether oligomers is, however, currently limited due to difficulties in synthesizing them without using tedious synthesis routes. This work presents the synthesis of a series of vinyl ether ester oligomers using enzyme catalysis under solvent‐free conditions and the subsequent photoinduced cationic polymerization to form polymer thermosets with T
gs ranging from −10 to 100 °C. The whole process is very efficient as the synthesis takes less than 1 h with no need for purification and the crosslinking is complete within 2 min.
Keller–Osserman estimates and removability result for the anisotropic porous medium equation with gradient absorption term
Authors: Shan M. A. , Skrypnik I. I. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe study “large” nonnegative solutions for a class of quasilinear equations model of which is
urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201700177:mana201700177-math-0001We give a sufficient condition on the exponents and for the removability of isolated singularities.
PLA‐Based Triblock Copolymer Micelles Exhibiting Dual Acidic pH/Reduction Responses at Dual Core and Core/Corona Interface Locations
Authors: Bawa Kamaljeet Kaur , Jazani Arman Moini , Shetty Chaitra , Oh Jung Kwon 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPolylactide (PLA)‐based amphiphilic block copolymers and their nanoassemblies designed with stimuli‐responsive degradation (SRD) hold great potential as promising candidates for tumor‐targeting drug delivery. However, most of the smart PLA‐based nanoassemblies are designed to respond to a single stimulus (typically reduction or acidic pH). Herein, a new strategy is reported to synthesize PLA‐based block copolymer micelles exhibiting dual SRD at dual locations (DL‐DSRD). The strategy utilizes a combination of ring opening polymerization, controlled radical polymerization, and facile coupling reactions to synthesize an ABA‐type PLA‐based triblock copolymer with a hydrophilic polymethacrylate (A) and PLA (B) blocks. Incorporation of an acidic pH‐responsive ketal linkage in the center of PLA block and reduction‐responsive disulfide linkages at PLA/hydrophilic polymethacrylate blocks ensure the formation of smart nanoassemblies featured with ketal linkages in the PLA cores and disulfide linkages at core/corona interfaces, thus attaining DL‐DSRD. Such dual acidic pH/reduction‐responses at dual locations lead to not only shedding of coronas at interfaces but also destabilization of cores, resulting in the synergistic and accelerated release of encapsulated model drugs, compared with the single stimulus systems. These results, along with lower cytotoxicity, suggest that DL‐DSRD strategy can offer versatility in the development of tumor‐targeting drug delivery nanocarriers.
Natural Rubber with Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane, Nanocomposites, and Hybrids Compared by Molecular Modeling
Authors: Martinez‐Pardo Isaac , Shanks Robert A. , Adhikari Raju , Adhikari Benu 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPhysical and chemical blends, that is nanocomposites and hybrids, respectively, of natural rubber (NR) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POS) at different concentrations are modeled and compared using amorphous cell molecular dynamics (ACMD) and a topology method similar to group additivity contribution methods. Pre‐calculations using topology methods are proven useful to determine the optimum number of atoms in ACMD that will predict equivalent reported experimental thermo‐mechanical properties. Densities at infinite relaxation time are used to estimate various thermo‐mechanical transitions using asymptotic and quadratic polynomial functions. Incorporation of POS increases the density and glass transition temperature (T
g). The results demonstrate that NR hybrids are preferred to nanocomposites for mechanical properties, though with ENR, T
g increase may be problematic and must be considered before choosing between composites or hybrids.