bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Actinomyces in Crohn’s‐like appendicitis
Authors: Horvath Bela A , Maryamchik Elena , Miller Gregory C , Brown Ian S , Setia Namrata , Mattia Anthony R , Lamps Laura , Lauwers Gregory Y , Rosenberg Eric , Misdraji Joseph 
Published: June 2019

AimsAppendicitis with a Crohn’s‐like histological appearance generally raises concern for Crohn’s disease, Yersinia infection, and interval appendectomy. Actinomyces infection is a recognised cause of chronic appendicitis that can histologically mimic Crohn’s disease.Methods and resultsWe report on 20 cases of appendicitis with Crohn’s‐like histological features that were due to Actinomyces. Most patients presented with acute or chronic abdominal pain. Imaging studies suggested a mass in five cases. Two patients had interval appendectomy. Histological features showed Crohn’s‐like appendicitis in 16 cases, with moderate to marked fibrosis and granulomas in seven cases. The other four cases had less consistent histological findings. None of the patients developed Crohn’s disease during the follow‐up interval (median, 37 months).ConclusionsActinomyces can be associated with Crohn’s‐like appendicitis with marked fibrosis, transmural inflammation, lymphoid hyperplasia, and granulomas.
Standard Errors of IRT Parameter Scale Transformation Coefficients: Comparison of Bootstrap Method, Delta Method, and Multiple Imputation Method
Authors: Zhang Zhonghua , Zhao Mingren 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe present study evaluated the multiple imputation method, a procedure that is similar to the one suggested by Li and Lissitz (2004), and compared the performance of this method with that of the bootstrap method and the delta method in obtaining the standard errors for the estimates of the parameter scale transformation coefficients in item response theory (IRT) equating in the context of the common‐item nonequivalent groups design. Two different estimation procedures for the variance‐covariance matrix of the IRT item parameter estimates, which were used in both the delta method and the multiple imputation method, were considered: empirical cross‐product (XPD) and supplemented expectation maximization (SEM). The results of the analyses with simulated and real data indicate that the multiple imputation method generally produced very similar results to the bootstrap method and the delta method in most of the conditions. The differences between the estimated standard errors obtained by the methods using the XPD matrices and the SEM matrices were very small when the sample size was reasonably large. When the sample size was small, the methods using the XPD matrices appeared to yield slight upward bias for the standard errors of the IRT parameter scale transformation coefficients.
Use of Adjustment by Minimum Discriminant Information in Linking Constructed‐Response Test Scores in the Absence of Common Items
Authors: Lee Yi‐Hsuan , Haberman Shelby J. , Dorans Neil J. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIn many educational tests, both multiple‐choice (MC) and constructed‐response (CR) sections are used to measure different constructs. In many common cases, security concerns lead to the use of form‐specific CR items that cannot be used for equating test scores, along with MC sections that can be linked to previous test forms via common items. In such cases, adjustment by minimum discriminant information may be used to link CR section scores and composite scores based on both MC and CR sections. This approach is an innovative extension that addresses the long‐standing issue of linking CR test scores across test forms in the absence of common items in educational measurement. It is applied to a series of administrations from an international language assessment with MC sections for receptive skills and CR sections for productive skills. To assess the linking results, harmonic regression is applied to examine the effects of the proposed linking method on score stability, among several analyses for evaluation.
Balloons larger than 15 mm can increase the risk of adverse events following endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation
Authors: Lee Gil Ho , Yang Min Jae , Kim Jin Hong , Hwang Jae Chul , Yoo Byung Moo , Lee Dong Ki , Jang Sung Ill , Lee Tae Hoon , Park Sang‐Heum , Park Jin‐Seok , Jeong Seok , Lee Don Haeng 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackground and AimAlthough endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) has been widely used to facilitate the removal of difficult common bile duct stones, however, the outcomes have not yet been investigated in terms of the diameter of the balloon used. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between EPLBD using smaller (12–15 mm, S‐EPLBD) and larger balloons (> 15 mm, L‐EPLBD).MethodsSix hundred seventy‐two patients who underwent EPLBD with or without endoscopic sphincterotomy for common bile duct stone removal were enrolled from May 2004 to August 2014 at four tertiary referral centers in Korea. The outcomes, including the initial success rate, the success rate without endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy, the overall success rate, and adverse events between S‐EPLBD and L‐EPLBD groups, were retrospectively compared.ResultsThe initial success rate, the success rate without mechanical lithotripsy, the overall success rate, and the overall adverse events were not significantly different between the two groups. The rate of severe‐to‐fatal adverse events was higher in the L‐EPBLD group than in the S‐EPLBD group (1.6% vs 0.0%, 0.020). One case of severe bleeding and two cases of fatal perforation occurred only in the L‐EPLBD group. In the multivariate analysis, the use of a > 15‐mm balloon was the only significant risk factor for severe‐to‐fatal adverse events (>0.005, 23.8 [adjusted odds ratio], 2.6–214.4 [95% confidence interval]).ConclusionsL‐EPLBD is significantly related to severe‐to‐fatal adverse events compared with S‐EPLBD for common bile duct stone removal.
Hepatitis B virus DNA levels and overall survival in hepatitis B‐related hepatocellular carcinoma patients with low‐level viremia
Authors: Kim Tae‐Se , Sinn Dong Hyun , Kang Wonseok , Gwak Geum‐Youn , Paik Yong‐Han , Choi Moon Seok , Lee Joon Hyeok , Koh Kwang Cheol , Paik Seung Woon 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackground and AimClinical course of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients presenting with low‐level viremia (LLV) is unclear.MethodsA total of 565 HBV‐related HCC patients with LLV (detectable but HBV DNA ≤ 2000 IU/mL) at the time of HCC diagnosis were analyzed. Based on patterns of HBV DNA levels during follow‐up, patients were categorized into three groups: maintained virologic remission (MVR), LLV, and flare. Overall survival was compared between those three groups.ResultsDuring a median 4.5 years of follow‐up, 33% showed MVR, 39% showed LLV, and 28% experienced flare. The overall survival differed between MVR, LLV, and flare groups (5‐year overall survival: 74.3%, 67.3%, and 61.7%, respectively, 0.015). The patterns of HBV DNA levels were independent factors associated with overall survival, along with age, antiviral treatment, Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage, and initial treatment modality. Flare group showed increased risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–2.55) compared with MVR group, while the risk was statistically marginal for the LLV group (adjusted HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.95–2.04). During follow‐up, 183 patients (32.4%) newly started antiviral therapy (AVT) at LLV. Flare risk was significantly lower among patients who started AVT at LLV compared with those who did not (adjusted HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17–0.38).ConclusionsAmong HBV‐related HCC patients with LLV, flare was frequent during follow‐up and was associated with poorer overall survival compared with MVR group. Prospective studies that address whether inducing MVR by early AVT improves patient outcome are warranted.
Clinicopathological features, diagnosis, and treatment of sessile serrated adenoma/polyp with dysplasia/carcinoma
Authors: Murakami Takashi , Sakamoto Naoto , Nagahara Akihito 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps) are early precursor lesions in the serrated neoplasia pathway, which results in BRAF‐mutated colorectal carcinomas with not only high levels of microsatellite instability but also microsatellite stable. SSA/Ps with advanced histology, including cytological dysplasia or minimally invasive carcinomas, are important lesions because SSA/Ps are considered major contributors to “interval cancers” and these lesions can rapidly become dysplastic or invasive carcinomas. Clinicopathologically, SSA/Ps with dysplasia or invasive carcinoma were associated with advanced age, female sex, and proximal colon. Although SSA/Ps with submucosal invasive carcinoma were smaller and invaded less deeply into the submucosal layer than conventional tubular adenomas with submucosal invasive carcinoma, SSA/Ps with submucosal invasive carcinoma frequently had a mucinous component and exhibited a higher potential for lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis. In an SSA/P series, endoscopic characteristics, including (semi)pedunculated morphology, double elevation, central depression, and reddishness, may help accurately diagnose SSA/Ps with advanced histology. Removal of SSA/Ps with dysplasia or invasive carcinoma was recommended. Endoscopic treatment such as endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is useful for those lesions. However, surgical resection with lymph node dissection might be indicated when SSA/Ps with invasive carcinoma are endoscopically suspected, because these have the high risk of lymph node metastasis. Greater awareness may promote further research into improving the detection, recognition, and complete resection rates of SSA/Ps with dysplasia or invasive carcinoma and reduce the interval cancer rates.
An iterative learning approach for network contraction: Path finding problem in stochastic time‐varying networks
Authors: Fakhrmoosavi Fatemeh , Zockaie Ali , Abdelghany Khaled , Hashemi Hossein 
Published: June 2019

AbstractPath finding problem has a broad application in different fields of engineering. Travel time uncertainty is a critical factor affecting this problem and the route choice of transportation users. The major downside of the existing algorithms for the reliable path finding problem is their inefficiency in computational time. This study aims to develop a network contraction approach to reduce the network size of each specific origin and destination (OD) pair in stochastic time‐dependent networks. The network contraction is based on the comparison of optimistic and pessimistic solutions resulting from minimum and maximum travel time realizations of a Monte‐Carlo simulation (MCS)‐based approach. In this respect, the researchers propose a learning approach to utilize the information of the realizations in the initial iterations of the MCS approach. Implementation of this approach is in place for several OD pairs of two real‐world large‐scale applications. First, it is calibrated for the Chicago downtown network; the performance and accuracy of the proposed approach are investigated by comparing the results against that of the approach without any network contraction. In addition, the Salt Lake City network illustrates the transferability of the approach to other networks. The results demonstrate significant computational improvements, with an acceptable accuracy level relative to the approach without network contraction.
Politics in the classroom
Authors: Lipscomb Martin 
Published: June 2019

AbstractNursing and midwifery is, in the UK, regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Regulatory duties include establishing standards for education, and from January 2019, new educational programmes will be approved against standards detailed in the document Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (NMC, 2019—hereafter “the standards”). This publication lists “the knowledge and skills that registered nurses must demonstrate when caring for people” (NMC, 2019, p.3), and from September 2020, registration (licence) will require the successful completion of programmes that have been ratified against these standards. The importance of this document in a UK context cannot be understated. However, less parochially, learning outcomes contained in section 7 of the standards raise questions that require educator attention whenever politically sensitive topics (broadly conceived) are discussed. This study explores these questions insofar as they relate to the stance (neutrality or partisanship) that educators adopt in politicized discussion, and the management of student speech/expression. Pratt, Boll and Collins’ (2007) paper Towards a plurality of perspectives for nurse educators is recruited to structure argument.
Estimation of Dynamic Nonlinear Random Effects Models with Unbalanced Panels
Authors: Albarran Pedro , Carrasco Raquel , Carro Jesus M. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis paper presents estimation methods for dynamic nonlinear models with correlated random effects (CRE) when having unbalanced panels. Unbalancedness is often encountered in applied work and ignoring it in dynamic nonlinear models produces inconsistent estimates even if the unbalancedness process is completely at random. We show that selecting a balanced panel from the sample can produce efficiency losses or even inconsistent estimates of the average marginal effects. We allow the process that determines the unbalancedness structure of the data to be correlated with the permanent unobserved heterogeneity. We discuss how to address the estimation by maximizing the likelihood function for the whole sample and also propose a Minimum Distance approach, which is computationally simpler and asymptotically equivalent to the Maximum Likelihood estimation. Our Monte Carlo experiments and empirical illustration show that the issue is relevant. Our proposed solutions perform better both in terms of bias and RMSE than the approaches that ignore the unbalancedness or that balance the sample.
Comparison of efficacy of phased multipolar versus traditional radiofrequency ablation: A prospective, multicenter study (CAPCOST)
Authors: Essebag Vidal , Azizi Zahra , Alipour Pouria , Khaykin Yaariv , Leong‐Sit Peter , Sarrazin Jean‐Francois , Sturmer Marcio , Morillo Carlos , Terricabras Maria , Amit Guy , Roux Jean‐Francois , Patterson Sherri , Verma Atul 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundMultipolar phased pulmonary vein ablation catheter (PVAC), specifically its second‐generation (PVAC‐Gold), has been associated with reduced procedural time for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation compared to traditional catheters. We performed this study to compare the efficacy of PVAC with point‐by‐point radiofrequency (RF) ablation.MethodsThis is a multicenter‐cohort study (2012‐2017), involving patients with symptomatic, paroxysmal AF refractory to at least one antiarrhythmic medication. Overall, 230 patients were enrolled to (A) PVAC and (B) control groups. Subanalyses were done for ablations performed with PVAC‐Gold, and for ablations performed without left atrial (LA) ablation in addition to pulmonary vein isolation. Electrocardiogram and 48‐h Holter monitoring were used to assess patients at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postablation. Recurrence was defined as any atrial arrhythmia >30 s excluding an initial 3‐month blanking period.ResultsFreedom from any atrial arrhythmia at 12 months postablation was 35.70% and 52.80% in groups A and B, respectively (P = .01). Freedom from atrial arrhythmia was not significantly different when limiting the PVAC cohort to PVAC‐Gold and excluding patients with additional LA ablation (A: 44.30%; B: 44.30%, P = .80). Procedural and ablation time was significantly lower in group A than B. Multivariate regression model showed female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.90) and recurrence during blanking period (OR = 6.60) as significant predictors of recurrence.ConclusionThis study suggests that PVAC may achieve less freedom from AF than point‐by‐point RF; however, efficacy is similar when comparing PVAC‐Gold and point‐by‐point stand‐alone PV isolation. PVAC is associated with significantly reduced procedural times for AF ablation.
Live donor liver transplantation for type 1 tyrosinemia: An analysis of 15 patients
Authors: Karaca Can A. , Yilmaz Cahit , Farajov Rasim , Iakobadze Zaza , Aydogdu Sema , Kilic Murat 
Published: June 2019

AbstractType 1 tyrosinemia is a rare metabolic disorder of the tyrosine degradation pathway. Due to the rarity of the disease, the best evidence literature offers is limited to guidelines based on expert opinions and optimal treatment is still a debate. LT serves as a definitive treatment of the defective metabolic pathway in the liver along with other serious disease manifestations such as LF and HCC. Nitisinone is a relatively new agent that is currently recommended for the medical management of the disease. Its mechanism of action is well understood, and efficacy is well established when started presymptomatically. This study aims to evaluate outcomes of 15 patients with type 1 tyrosinemia who underwent LT in nitisinone era and discuss its effect on prevention of HCC. A LT database of 1037 patients was reviewed. Data from 15 patients with type 1 tyrosinemia were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients except one were treated with nitisinone prior to LT. Most common indications for LT were LF and suspicious nodules. Seven patients had HCC. Mortality rate was 20% (n = 3). Nitisinone treatment has opened new horizons in the management of type 1 tyrosinemia, but LT still remains the only option for the patients developing LF and in the event of HCC. Neonatal screening programs utilizing blood succinyl acetone as the marker should be encouraged especially in the countries, such as Turkey, with high prevalence of consanguineous marriages.
The Practical Significance of Measurement Error in Pulmonary Function Testing Conducted in Research Settings
Authors: Belzer Richard B. , Lewis R. Jeffrey 
Published: June 2019

AbstractConventional spirometry produces measurement error by using repeatability criteria (RC) to discard acceptable data and terminating tests early when RC are met. These practices also implicitly assume that there is no variation across maneuvers within each test. This has implications for air pollution regulations that rely on pulmonary function tests to determine adverse effects or set standards. We perform a Monte Carlo simulation of 20,902 tests of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), each with eight maneuvers, for an individual with empirically obtained, plausibly normal pulmonary function. Default coefficients of variation for inter‐ and intratest variability (3% and 6%, respectively) are employed. Measurement error is defined as the difference between results from the conventional protocol and an unconstrained, eight‐maneuver alternative. In the default model, average measurement error is shown to be ∼5%. The minimum difference necessary for statistical significance at p < 0.05 for a before/after comparison is shown to be 16%. Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has deemed single‐digit percentage decrements in FEV1 sufficient to justify more stringent national ambient air quality standards. Sensitivity analysis reveals that results are insensitive to intertest variability but highly sensitive to intratest variability. Halving the latter to 3% reduces measurement error by 55%. Increasing it to 9% or 12% increases measurement error by 65% or 125%, respectively. Within‐day FEV1 differences ≤5% among normal subjects are believed to be clinically insignificant. Therefore, many differences reported as statistically significant are likely to be artifactual. Reliable data are needed to estimate intratest variability for the general population, subpopulations of interest, and research samples. Sensitive subpopulations (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD patients, asthmatics, children) are likely to have higher intratest variability, making it more difficult to derive valid statistical inferences about differences observed after treatment or exposure.
Risk Perception and Human Health Risk in Rural Communities Consuming Unregulated Well Water in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Ford Lorelei , Waldner Cheryl , Sanchez Javier , Bharadwaj Lalita 
Published: June 2019

AbstractRural communities dependent on unregulated drinking water are potentially at increased health risk from exposure to contaminants. Perception of drinking water safety influences water consumption, exposure, and health risk. A community‐based participatory approach and probabilistic Bayesian methods were applied to integrate risk perception in a holistic human health risk assessment. Tap water arsenic concentrations and risk perception data were collected from two Saskatchewan communities. Drinking water health standards were exceeded in 67% (51/76) of households in Rural Municipality #184 (RM184) and 56% (25/45) in Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation (BOFN). There was no association between the presence of a health exceedance and risk perception. Households in RM184 or with an annual income >$50,000 were most likely to have in‐house water treatment. The probability of consuming tap water perceived as safe (92%) or not safe (0%) suggested that households in RM184 were unlikely to drink water perceived as not safe. The probability of drinking tap water perceived as safe (77%) or as not safe (11%) suggested households in BOFN contradicted their perception and consumed water perceived as unsafe. Integration of risk perception lowered the adult incremental lifetime cancer risk by 3% to 1.3 × 10−5 (95% CI 8.4 × 10−8 to 9.0 × 10−5) for RM184 and by 8.9 × 10−6 (95% CI 2.2 × 10−7 to 5.9 × 10−5) for BOFN. Probability of exposure to arsenic concentrations >1:100,000, negligible cancer risk, was 23% for RM184 and 22% for BOFN.
Correlation of serum and synovial leptin concentrations with body condition scores in healthy and osteoarthritic dogs
Authors: Kleine Stephanie A. , Sanderson Sherry L. , George Clinton , Roth Ira , Gogal Robert M. , Thaliath Mary Ann , Budsberg Steven C. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between serum and synovial fluid (SF) leptin concentrations and body condition score (BCS) in healthy and osteoarthritic dogs.Study designControlled, prospective, clinical study.AnimalsNineteen healthy dogs and 29 dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) secondary to cranial cruciate ligament injury.MethodsSynovial fluid was obtained from the femorotibial joint under sedation (healthy dogs) or during surgery (OA dogs). Serum and SF leptin and interleukin (IL)‐1β concentrations were measured via enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Dogs were classified as optimal weight (BCS 4–5/9) or overweight (BCS >5/9). Radiographs were scored for OA severity by a radiologist. Owners completed the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire.ResultsMean (± SD) SF leptin (4.09 ± 4 ng/mL) was lower than serum leptin (6.88 ± 5.52 ng/mL, P < .0001). Synovial fluid leptin was higher in overweight (5.28 ± 4.21) than in optimal body weight dogs (1.54 ± 1.72 ng/mL, P < .0001). Serum (P < .001) and SF leptin (P = .004) concentrations were associated with BCS. Concentration of SF leptin did not differ between healthy (2.4 ± 2.04 ng/mL) and OA (4.9 ± 4.3 ng/mL, P = .25) dogs. Synovial fluid leptin and LOAD scores were weakly associated (P = .03). No association was detected between SF leptin and radiographic score or IL‐1β (P = .73).ConclusionSerum and SF leptin correlated with BCS in this population. Synovial fluid leptin was weakly associated with LOAD scores but not with radiographic severity of OA or IL‐1β.Clinical significanceSerum and SF leptin concentrations do not predict radiographic severity of canine OA but contribute to joint pain and dysfunction.