bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The prognostic value of brain natriuretic peptide in patients with heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction higher than 60%: a sub‐analysis of the J‐MELODIC study
Authors: Kitada Shuichi , Kikuchi Shohei , Tsujino Takeshi , Masuyama Tohru , Ohte Nobuyuki ,   J‐MELODIC study investigators
Published: September 2017

AbstractAimsCardiac function varies in the population of patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; HFpEF). This study investigated the heterogeneity of clinical features associated with HF and the prognostic value of BNP levels in patients with HFpEF.Methods and resultsThe study enrolled 288 patients with stable HF and serum creatinine <1.5 mg/dL who were part of the original J‐MELODIC study cohort. They were categorized as having HF with reduced LVEF (HFrEF; EF ≤ 40%, n = 83) or as having HFpEF (EF > 40%, n = 205). Patients with HFpEF were further categorized as having relatively low LVEF (HFrlEF; EF 40–60%, n = 107) or as having relatively high LVEF (HFrhEF; EF ≥ 60%, n = 98). We defined cardiovascular death and hospitalization for HF as adverse events and evaluated the prognostic value of the BNP levels in each group. There was no significant difference in event‐free survival between HFpEF and HFrEF patients or between HFrhEF and HFrlEF patients. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the BNP level was an independent predictor of adverse events in HFrEF patients (hazard ratio: 4.088, 95% confidence interval: 1.178–14.179, P = 0.027) and in HFrlEF patients (hazard ratio: 14.888, 95% confidence interval: 4.969–44.608, P < 0.001) but not in HFrhEF patients (P = 0.767).ConclusionsThe BNP level has prognostic value in HFrlEF but not in HFrhEF. This indicates that HFrhEF and HFrlEF are distinct entities that may require different approaches for the management of HF.
Mesh adaptation using C1 interpolation of the solution in an unstructured finite volume solver
Authors: Sharbatdar Mahkame , Ollivier‐Gooch Carl 
Published: September 2017

SummaryThe goal of this paper is to show the effectiveness of a newly developed estimate of the truncation error calculated based on C1 interpolation of the solution weighted by the adjoint solution as the adaptation indicator for an unstructured finite volume solver. We will show that adjoint‐based mesh adaptation based on the corrected functional using the new developed truncation error estimate is capable of adapting the mesh to improve the accuracy of the functional and the convergence rate. Both discrete and continuous adjoint solutions are used for adaptation. Results are significantly better with new truncation error estimate than with previously used estimates.
A New Golden Age? Proposal for an Innovative Global Health Funding Mechanism for Middle‐Income Countries
Authors: Chaumont Claire , Hsi Jenny , Bohne Christine , Mostaghim Sana , Moon Suerie 
Published: September 2017

AbstractDespite economic growth and increased global commitment to health financing in the past decades, the health needs of some of the world's most vulnerable people remain overlooked. In particular, middle‐income countries (MICs) often face the conundrum of receiving reduced development assistance for health (DAH) while still being home to most of the world's poor and the majority of the global burden. We believe that this reflects shortcomings in the global DAH system's architecture, which operate on principles that do not respond well to current realities. Hence, we propose a novel mechanism for international health financing and action that specifically addresses the newly emerged strengths and needs of MICs. The Incentives for Health (I4H) Alliance will offer MICs flexible incentives in exchange for their making and meeting health‐related commitments in their countries. Countries can set their own health targets, in alignment with the existing Sustainable Development Goals' framework, and those that achieve them will be subsequently rewarded with financial or other incentives, which are not restricted to the health sector. We believe that the I4H Alliance will promote greater MIC involvement towards global health financing both as incentive providers and recipients; encourage collaboration between Ministries of Health and Finance; and provide a needed complement to traditional DAH mechanisms. We advocate for the creation of I4H at a MICs‐oriented financing institution such as the New Development Bank. We intend I4H to spark new thinking around innovative health financing approaches to ensure that the “golden age” of global health remains ahead.
Effect of the Novel Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulator Vilaprisan on Ovarian Activity in Healthy Women
Authors: Schütt Barbara , Schultze‐Mosgau Marcus‐Hillert , Draeger Corinna , Chang Xinying , Löwen Stephanie , Kaiser Andreas , Rohde Beate 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThis randomized, double‐blind, parallel‐group study in healthy young women investigated the effect of treatment with vilaprisan (0.5, 1, 2, or 4 mg/day for 12 weeks) on ovarian function by assessing the Hoogland score, which is based on the size of follicle‐like structures as determined by transvaginal ultrasound and on estradiol and progesterone serum concentrations. Ovulation inhibition (ie, Hoogland score <6 in treatment weeks 1‐4 and 8‐12) was observed in >80% of the subjects receiving vilaprisan ≥1 mg/day. The effect was dose dependent. With a Bayesian approach, the percentage of subjects with ovulation inhibition was estimated to increase from 37% in subjects receiving 0.5 mg/day vilaprisan to 76%, 86%, and 88% in subjects receiving 1, 2, and 4 mg/day, respectively. Follicle growth was not suppressed during treatment. The majority of subjects receiving ≥1 mg/day had a Hoogland score of 4 (active follicle‐like structures, ie, follicle diameter >13 mm, estradiol >27.2 pg/mL, no progesterone increase) both at beginning and end of treatment. Mean average estradiol as well as mean maximum progesterone concentrations were noticeably decreased during treatment with vilaprisan ≥1 mg/day compared to pretreatment, but estradiol concentrations remained >80 pg/mL. Both hormones returned to pretreatment levels after the end of treatment, indicating a rapid resumption of normal ovarian activity. Amenorrhea occurred in the majority of subjects during treatment at dosages ≥1 mg/day. The adverse events observed in this study confirm the known safety profile of vilaprisan. All in all, the results of this study support the development of vilaprisan for the long‐term treatment of uterine fibroids.
Influence of collars on the primary stability of cementless femoral stems: A finite element study using a diverse patient cohort
Authors: Al‐Dirini Rami M. A. , Huff Daniel , Zhang Ju , Besier Thor , Clement John G. , Taylor Mark 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTFor cementless femoral stems, there is debate as to whether a collar enhances primary stability and load transfer compared to collarless designs. Finite Element (FE) analysis has the potential to compare stem designs within the same cohort, allowing for subtle performance differences to be identified, if present. Subject‐specific FE models of intact and implanted femora were run for a diverse cohort (21 males, 20 females; BMI 16.4–41.2 kg/m2, age 50–80 yrs). Collared and collarless versions of Corail® (DePuy Synthes, Warsaw, IN) were sized and positioned using an automated algorithm that aligns the femoral/stem axes, preserves the head‐center location, and maximizes metaphyseal fit. Joint contact and muscle forces simulating peak forces in level gait and stair climbing and were scaled to the body mass and applied to each subject. Three failure scenarios were assessed: Potential for peri‐prosthetic fibrous tissue formation (stem micromotion), potential for peri‐prosthetic bone damage (equivalent strains), and calcar bone remodeling (changes in strain‐energy density). Comparisons were performed using paired t‐tests. Only subtle differences were found (mean 90th percentile micromotion: Collared = 86 µm, collarless = 92.5 µm, mean 90th percentile interface strains: Collared = 733 µϵ, collarless = 767 µϵ, and similar remodeling stimuli were predicted). The slight differences observed were small in comparison with the inter‐patient variability. Statement of clinical significance: Our results suggest that the presence/absence of a collar is unlikely to substantially alter the bone‐implant biomechanics nor the initial mechanical environment. Hence, a collar is likely to have minimal clinical impact. Analysis using different femoral stem designs is recommended before generalising these findings. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1185–1195, 2018.
Future applications of blockchain in business and management: A Delphi study
Authors: White Gareth R.T. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBlockchain has the potential to become a significant source of disruptive innovations in business and management. There is a scarcity of knowledge and understanding of blockchain techniques that hinders its academic research and practical application. Business managers need to understand the potential impact and threat of blockchain applications in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage. Blockchain applications appear to offer considerable performance improvement and commercialization opportunities.
Impact of vocal fold augmentation and laryngoplasty on dyspnea in patients with glottal incompetence
Authors: Dion Gregory R. , Fritz Mark A. , Teng Stephanie E. , Marcus Sonya , Fang Yixin , Branski Ryan C. , Amin Milan R. 
Published: September 2017

Objectives/HypothesisGiven that the vocal folds are active organs of respiration, reports of dyspnea in the context of glottic insufficiency are not uncommon. We hypothesize that improved glottal closure via framework surgery or vocal fold augmentation improves dyspnea symptoms.Study DesignRetrospective review.MethodsCharts of patients undergoing procedures to correct glottal insufficiency, either via vocal fold augmentation (VFA) or medialization laryngoplasty (ML) between December 2012 and September 2015 were reviewed (n = 189). Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale (MBDS) and Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (MMRCDS) data were collected before and after intervention. Age, body mass index (BMI), and sex, as well as pulmonary and cardiac comorbidities were considered. Subgroup analysis was performed on individuals with subjective dyspnea prior to intervention.ResultsFor the entire cohort, differences in the MMRCDS and MBDS were not statistically different pre‐ and postintervention (P = .20 and P = .12, respectively). Patients with BMI <30 experienced more improvement on the MBDS (P = .03). Both the MMRCDS and MMBDS improved post‐procedure (P = .001 and P = .001, respectively) in patients reporting dyspnea prior to intervention.ConclusionsPatients with glottic insufficiency and dyspnea prior to intervention to improve glottic closure had a significant reduction in dyspnea following treatment. Conversely, subjects without complaints of dyspnea prior to intervention had variable outcomes with regard to dyspnea symptoms. Additionally, based on data from the entire cohort, VFA or ML did not worsen dyspnea symptoms. These data may assist in counseling and/or selection of patients considered for procedures to improve glottic closure.Level of Evidence4. Laryngoscope, 128:427–429, 2018
Adipose‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells prevented rat vocal fold scarring
Authors: Morisaki Tsuyoshi , Kishimoto Yo , Tateya Ichiro , Kawai Yoshitaka , Suzuki Ryo , Tsuji Takuya , Hiwatashi Nao , Nakamura Tatsuo , Omori Koichi , Kitano Hiroya , Takeuchi Hiromi , Hirano Shigeru 
Published: September 2017

Objectives/HypothesisThis study aimed to reveal the effects of adipose‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) on prevention of vocal fold scarring by investigating how the immediate ASCs transplantation into the injured rat vocal fold affect the levels of gene transcription and translation.Study DesignProspective animal experiments with controls.MethodsASCs harvested from green fluorescent protein transgenic rat (ASCs group) or saline (sham group) were injected into the thyroarytenoid muscle of Sprague‐Dawley rats immediately after stripping the vocal fold. For histological examinations, larynges were extirpated at 3, 14, and 56 days after the injection. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed at 3 and 14 days after the injection.ResultsTransplanted ASCs were detected only in larynges at day 3. At days 14 and 56, histological examination showed significantly higher amounts of hyaluronic acid and lower deposition of collagen in the ASCs group compared to the sham group. Real‐time PCR revealed that the ASCs group showed low expression of procollagen (Col)1a1, Col1a3, matrix metalloproteinase (Mmp)1 and Mmp8 in each time points. The ASCs group showed high expression of fibroblast growth factor (Fgf)2 and Hepatocyte growth factor (Hgf) compared to the sham group at day 14.ConclusionsASCs increased expressions of Fgf2 and Hgf, and suppressed excessive collagen deposition during vocal fold wound healing. Given the fact that ASCs survived no more than 14 days, ASCs were thought to induce upregulations of growth factors' genes in surrounding cells. These results suggested that ASCs have potential to prevent vocal fold scarring.Level of EvidenceNA. Laryngoscope, 128:E33–E40, 2018
Diagnostic accuracy of current glossoptosis classification systems: A nested cohort cross‐sectional study
Authors: Manica Denise , Schweiger Cláudia , Sekine Leo , Fagondes Simone Chaves , Kuhl Gabriel , Vinicius Collares Marcus , Marostica Paulo José Cauduro 
Published: September 2017

Objectives/HypothesisTo assess the performance of endoscopic grading systems of glossoptosis in identifying severe clinical manifestations in children with Robin sequence (RS).Study DesignNested cohort cross‐sectional study.MethodsAll RS patients diagnosed at Hospital Clinics of Porto Alegre from October 2012 to June 2016 were enrolled in this cohort. Patients underwent sleep endoscopy and were classified according to Yellon (Y) and de Sousa et al. (S) scales. Symptom severity evaluation was performed as defined by Cole et al. The outcome of interest was Cole's clinical classification grade 3.ResultsEighty patients were eligible for analysis. Sensitivity (Y: 56.2%, S: 28.1%, P < .001) and specificity (Y: 85.4%, S: 93.8%, P = .038) in identifying severe clinical symptoms patients (i.e., Cole grade 3) were statistically different between Y and S classifications. A low but significant overall correlation was observed for both Y (rho = 0.372, P < .001) and S (rho = 0.439, P < .001) classifications when compared with Cole classification. Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for Y (DOR: 7.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.15‐10.90) and S (DOR: 5.87, 95% CI: 1.86‐9.87) were equivalent (P = .92). Also, receiver operating characteristic curves area under the curve were not significantly different between them. The positive likelihood ratio was 3.86 (95% CI: 1.82‐8.16) and 4.50 (95% CI: 1.32‐15.36) for Y and S, respectively.ConclusionsY and S grading systems showed a low sensitivity and moderate to high specificity in detecting patients with severe clinical manifestations. Correlation between Y/S and Cole et al. grading were also considered low. Development of a more discriminative anatomic grading system is still needed for this specific disorder.Level of Evidence2b. Laryngoscope, 128:502–508, 2018
Genome‐Wide Interactions with Dairy Intake for Body Mass Index in Adults of European Descent
Authors: Smith Caren E. , Follis Jack L. , Dashti Hassan S. , Tanaka Toshiko , Graff Mariaelisa , Fretts Amanda M. , Kilpeläinen Tuomas O. , Wojczynski Mary K. , Richardson Kris , Nalls Mike A. , Schulz Christina‐Alexandra , Liu Yongmei , Frazier‐Wood Alexis C. , van Eekelen Esther , Wang Carol , de Vries Paul S. , Mikkilä Vera , Rohde Rebecca , Psaty Bruce M. , Hansen Torben , Feitosa Mary F. , Lai Chao‐Qiang , Houston Denise K. , Ferruci Luigi , Ericson Ulrika , Wang Zhe , de Mutsert Renée , Oddy Wendy H. , de Jonge Ester A. L. , Seppälä Ilkka , Justice Anne E. , Lemaitre Rozenn N. , Sørensen Thorkild I. A. , Province Michael A. , Parnell Laurence D. , Garcia Melissa E. , Bandinelli Stefania , Orho‐Melander Marju , Rich Stephen S. , Rosendaal Frits R. , Pennell Craig E. , Kiefte‐de Jong Jessica C. , Kähönen Mika , Young Kristin L. , Pedersen Oluf , Aslibekyan Stella , Rotter Jerome I. , Mook‐Kanamori Dennis O. , Zillikens M. Carola , Raitakari Olli T. , North Kari E. , Overvad Kim , Arnett Donna K. , Hofman Albert , Lehtimäki Terho , Tjønneland Anne , Uitterlinden André G. , Rivadeneira Fernando , Franco Oscar H. , German J. Bruce , Siscovick David S. , Cupples L. Adrienne , Ordovás José M. 
Published: September 2017

ScopeBody weight responds variably to the intake of dairy foods. Genetic variation may contribute to inter‐individual variability in associations between body weight and dairy consumption.Methods and resultsA genome‐wide interaction study to discover genetic variants that account for variation in BMI in the context of low‐fat, high‐fat and total dairy intake in cross‐sectional analysis was conducted. Data from nine discovery studies (up to 25 513 European descent individuals) were meta‐analyzed. Twenty‐six genetic variants reached the selected significance threshold (p‐interaction <10−7), and six independent variants (LINC01512‐rs7751666, PALM2/AKAP2‐rs914359, ACTA2‐rs1388, PPP1R12A‐rs7961195, LINC00333‐rs9635058, AC098847.1‐rs1791355) were evaluated meta‐analytically for replication of interaction in up to 17 675 individuals. Variant rs9635058 (128 kb 3’ of LINC00333) was replicated (p‐interaction = 0.004). In the discovery cohorts, rs9635058 interacted with dairy (p‐interaction = 7.36 × 10−8) such that each serving of low‐fat dairy was associated with 0.225 kg m−2 lower BMI per each additional copy of the effect allele (A). A second genetic variant (ACTA2‐rs1388) approached interaction replication significance for low‐fat dairy exposure.ConclusionBody weight responses to dairy intake may be modified by genotype, in that greater dairy intake may protect a genetic subgroup from higher body weight.
Esophagus segmentation in CT via 3D fully convolutional neural network and random walk
Authors: Fechter Tobias , Adebahr Sonja , Baltas Dimos , Ben Ayed Ismail , Desrosiers Christian , Dolz Jose 
Published: September 2017

PurposePrecise delineation of organs at risk is a crucial task in radiotherapy treatment planning for delivering high doses to the tumor while sparing healthy tissues. In recent years, automated segmentation methods have shown an increasingly high performance for the delineation of various anatomical structures. However, this task remains challenging for organs like the esophagus, which have a versatile shape and poor contrast to neighboring tissues. For human experts, segmenting the esophagus from CT images is a time‐consuming and error‐prone process. To tackle these issues, we propose a random walker approach driven by a 3D fully convolutional neural network (CNN) to automatically segment the esophagus from CT images.MethodsFirst, a soft probability map is generated by the CNN. Then, an active contour model (ACM) is fitted to the CNN soft probability map to get a first estimation of the esophagus location. The outputs of the CNN and ACM are then used in conjunction with a probability model based on CT Hounsfield (HU) values to drive the random walker. Training and evaluation were done on 50 CTs from two different datasets, with clinically used peer‐reviewed esophagus contours. Results were assessed regarding spatial overlap and shape similarity.ResultsThe esophagus contours generated by the proposed algorithm showed a mean Dice coefficient of 0.76 ± 0.11, an average symmetric square distance of 1.36 ± 0.90 mm, and an average Hausdorff distance of 11.68 ± 6.80, compared to the reference contours. These results translate to a very good agreement with reference contours and an increase in accuracy compared to existing methods. Furthermore, when considering the results reported in the literature for the publicly available Synapse dataset, our method outperformed all existing approaches, which suggests that the proposed method represents the current state‐of‐the‐art for automatic esophagus segmentation.ConclusionWe show that a CNN can yield accurate estimations of esophagus location, and that the results of this model can be refined by a random walk step taking pixel intensities and neighborhood relationships into account. One of the main advantages of our network over previous methods is that it performs 3D convolutions, thus fully exploiting the 3D spatial context and performing an efficient volume‐wise prediction. The whole segmentation process is fully automatic and yields esophagus delineations in very good agreement with the gold standard, showing that it can compete with previously published methods.
Analysis of soil‐structural interface behavior using three‐dimensional DEM simulations
Authors: Jing Xue‐Ying , Zhou Wan‐Huan , Zhu Hua‐Xiang , Yin Zhen‐Yu , Li Yangmin 
Published: September 2017

SummaryThe shear behavior at the interface between the soil and a structure is investigated at the macroscale and particle‐scale levels using a 3‐dimensional discrete element method (DEM). The macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic quantities affected by the normalized interface roughness and the loading parameters are analyzed. The macro‐response shows that the shear strength of the interface increases as the normalized roughness of the interface increases, and stress softening and dilatancy of the soil material are observed in the tests that feature rough interfaces. The particle‐scale analysis illustrates that a localized band characterized by intense shear deformation emerges from the contact plane and gradually expands as shearing progresses before stabilizing at the residual stress state. The thickness of the localized band is affected by the normalized roughness of the interface and the normal stress, which ranges between 4 and 5 times that of the median grain diameter. A thicker localized band is formed when the soil has a rough shearing interface. After the localized band appears, the granular material structuralizes into 2 regions: the interface zone and the upper zone. The mechanical behavior in the interface zone is representative of the interface according to the local average stress analysis. Certain microscopic quantities in the interface zone are analyzed, including the coordination number and the material fabric. Shear at the interface creates an anisotropic material fabric and leads to the rotation of the major principal stress.