bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Granulomas without foreign body giant cells in perianal fistula tissue suggest Crohn's disease
Authors: Han Yi Na , Gu Qian Ru , Wu Yan Chuang , Topatana Win , Jiang Zhi Nong 
Published: October 2024

ObjectivesHistopathological characteristics of granulomas in perianal fistula of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) remain unexplored. We aimed to assess the histopathological features of granulomas in perianal fistula in CD.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted by reviewing the medical and pathological records of 4430 cases who underwent perianal fistulectomy at our hospital between June 2015 and June 2023. The patients were divided into the CD group, tuberculosis (TB), and non‐CD group, respectively, based on their final diangosis. The detection rate of granulomas and differential histopathological features were investigated.ResultsAmong the 4430 patients, granulomas were identified in 41 cases, including 25 had CD, 2 had pulmonary TB, and 14 only exhibiting perianal lesions with no other comorbidities. Additionally, there were altogether 93 CD cases, resulting in a detection rate of granuloma of 26.9%, which was considerably higher than that in the non‐CD group (26.9% vs 0.3%, p < 0.001). The majority (85.7%) of the perianal fistula tissues in the non‐CD group contained foreign body giant cells, while this was observed in only 1 (4.0%) out of the 25 cases with CD. We proposed that granulomas in the perianal fistula in the non‐CD group were mostly foreign body granulomas. Moreover, granulomas in the non‐CD group were larger than that of the CD group (1135 μm vs 519 μm, p < 0.001).ConclusionMost CD cases have less granulomas (≤3) and no foreign body giant cells. Ribbon‐like granulomas can be seen only in CD cases.
Efficacy and safety of oral versus intravenous cyclophosphamide in treatment of connective tissue disease‐related interstitial lung disease
Authors: Feng Yuan , Chen Jia , Yang Xichao , Liu Jie , Cao Xue , Zhang Yan , Wu Zhenbiao 
Published: October 2024

AbstractObjectiveInterstitial lung disease (ILD) resulting from connective tissue disease (CTD) greatly undermines people's health. Cyclophosphamide (CYC) is a widely used agent in treating CTD‐ILD. We compared the efficacy and safety of oral and intravenous CYC in CTD‐ILD treatment.MethodsThe retrospectively enrolled CTD‐ILD patients were divided into the oral and intravenous CYC groups. The chest high‐resolution computed tomography examination, forced vital capacity (FVC), lung carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (Dlco) determinations, and 6 min walk test (6MWT) were performed pre‐treatment and at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th months posttreatment. Radiographic ILD severity was assessed using the Warrick score. Krebs Von den Lungen‐6, surfactant protein A (SP‐A), SP‐D, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) before and at the 12th month post‐treatment were determined. CYC cumulative dose and occurrence of adverse reactions during treatment were recorded.ResultsCYC cumulative dose in the intravenous CYC group was reduced. Compared with oral CYC treatment, intravenous CYC caused decreased Warrick score and increased FVC and 6MWT at the 6th month, and elevated DLco at the 3rd and 6th months posttreatment. SP‐A, SP‐D and ESR levels in both groups were reduced 12 months posttreatment, with a more evident decrease in the intravenous CYC group. Intravenous CYC had lower total adverse reaction incidence.ConclusionCompared with oral CYC, intravenous CYC decreases Warrick score and increases FVC and 6MWT at 6 months posttreatment, and reduces SP‐A, SP‐D, and ESR levels after 12 months of treatment, which shows low CYC cumulative dose and adverse reaction incidence in treating CTD‐ILD.
Frailty and health‐related life quality in long‐term follow up of intensive care patients above 65 years old: Protocol for a Norwegian prospective, observational multicenter study
Authors: Kroken B. A. , Bergum D. , Berg K. S. , Espinasse M. , Fossum O. K. , Garratt A. M. , Klepstad Pal , Kvåle Reidar , Strand B. , Flaatten Hans Kristian , Frisvold Shirin K. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractBackgroundFrailty is strongly correlated with mortality in intensive care unit patients, yet routine screening among intensive care patients is rarely performed.The aim of this study is to assess frailty and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients before intensive care admission and to compare this with outcomes after 3 and 12‐months. The Clinical Frailty Scale and EQ‐5D‐5L will be used to assess frailty and HRQoL, respectively.MethodsThis is an ongoing, prospective observational study including patients from five Norwegian ICU's. Inclusion criteria are patients aged ≥65 years requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for ≥24 h. The Clinical Frailty Scale and EQ‐5D‐5L are administered at baseline (before critical illness) and at 3‐ and 12‐months post‐inclusion. Additional data collected includes patient characteristics, ICU treatment details, illness severity and mortality. The EQ‐5D‐5L will be compared to Norwegian population norms and assessed for measurement properties.ResultsInclusion started July 2022 and will be stopped at 350 patients. The study will be completed in 2025.ConclusionThe study will assess the feasibility and measurement properties of the Clinical Frailty Scale and EQ‐5D‐5L in ICU survivors by telephone at long‐term follow‐up study and will give additional information on the frailty and HRQoL of intensive care survivors.Clinical trial registrationThe study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06012942. Protocol version 2.7.1, 19.05.2023.
Clinical breast examination: A screening tool for lower‐ and middle‐income countries
Authors: Khanna Divya , Sharma Priyanka , Budukh Atul , Khanna Ajay Kumar 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBreast cancer (BC) remains a global health challenge, devastatingly impacting women's lives. Low‐and‐middle‐income countries (LMIC), such as India, experience a concerning upward trend in BC incidence, necessitating the implementation of cost‐effective screening methods. While mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging are preferred screening modalities in resource‐rich settings, limited resources in LMICs make clinical breast examination (CBE) the method of choice. This review explores the merits of CBE, its coverage, barriers, and facilitators in the Indian context for developing strategies in resource‐constrained settings. CBE has shown significant down‐staging and cost‐effectiveness. Performed by trained health workers in minutes, CBE offers an opportunity for education about BC. Various individual and health system barriers, such as stigma, financial constraints, and the absence of opportunistic screening hinder CBE coverage. Promising facilitators include awareness programs, capacity building, and integrating CBE through universal health care. No healthcare provider must miss any screening opportunity through CBE.
Features of culturally and linguistically relevant speech‐language assessments for Indigenous children: A scoping review
Authors: Higgins Zoe E. , Lefebvre Pascal 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIntroductionIndigenous children may be at higher risk of being misdiagnosed with speech‐language difficulties due to Eurocentric practices in health care and education. The use of conventional speech pathology assessment practices contributes to inappropriate disorder identification, further stigmatising a vulnerable population. Few resources are available for speech pathologists, which examine the cultural and linguistic relevance of assessments for this population.ObjectiveTo provide important features for speech pathologists to account for when building assessment plans for Indigenous children.DesignThis comprehensive scoping literature review was completed using the Arksey and O'Malley 6‐step methodological framework, including the optional consultation exercise, and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) guidelines. To be included, studies needed to have been published since 2000, discuss speech‐language assessments and involve a significant proportion of Indigenous participants under 7 years old.FindingsThree features were extracted from 32 studies that discussed First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Native American, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: using a battery of resources including alternative approaches, ensuring authenticity and cultural relevance, and considering a child's linguistic characteristics.ConclusionWhile there remains a need to adapt according to a specific child's reality, this study provides a guideline for all allied health clinicians when they are building their culturally and linguistically relevant assessment plans.
Gridlock: Infrastructure and Jurisdiction in Eastern Navajo Agency
Authors: Grant Silas 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis article examines how settler legal orders in Eastern Navajo Agency produce conditions of impasse that defer investments in life sustaining infrastructures, like roads. Focusing on the conjuncture of infrastructural decay and jurisdictional friction amid an oil and gas boom, I elaborate a concept of “gridlock” as a deadly effect of settler governance. Unfolding stories about road maintenance, school access, and emergency medical transport, the article describes gridlock as a space of both impasse and improvisation that Diné residents inhabit in moving through a region engineered for their immobility.
Assessment of the influence of body fat indices on antihypertensive drug responses
Authors: Altıntaş Aykan Duygun , Aykan Ahmet Çağrı , Çelik Enes , Öztürk Bayram 
Published: October 2024

AimsLess than 50% of patients treated for hypertension reach a target office systolic blood pressure (SBP). We aimed to evaluate the role of adiposity on antihypertensive drug responses in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.MethodsEstimated glomerular filtration rates, body mass index (BMI), skinfold thickness (SFT), body surface areas and waist circumferences of 150 hypertensive patients naïve to treatment were measured. Treatment protocols were started as combination of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE‐I) plus calcium channel blocker (CCB), angiotensin receptor blocker plus CCB or ACE‐I plus diuretic. Pre‐treatment and change in blood pressure (ΔBP) after 4 weeks treatment were determined. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to find independent predictors of Δblood pressure changes, and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to find independent predictors of target SBP < 140 mmHg at 4 weeks.ResultsA total of 104 patients reached the target systolic pressure of <140 mmHg at 4 weeks. Triceps, mid‐abdomen and subscapular SFT were significantly thicker in the uncontrolled blood pressure group (P = .011, P = .006 and P = .016, respectively). Pretreatment SBP (r = 0.644), pretreatment diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.188), subscapular SFT (r = −0.318), suprailiac SFT (r = −0.211) and ΔDBP (r = 0.433) were correlated with ΔSBP in correlation analysis. Pretreatment SBP (β = 0.644, 95% CI = 0.697–0.993, P < .001), subscapular SFT (β = −0.253, 95% CI = −0.886–−0.329, P < .001), pretreatment DBP (β = −0.380, 95% CI = −0.1001– −0.453, P = .001) and ΔDBP (β = 0.401, 95% CI = 0.377–0.796, P < .001) were independent predictors of ΔSBP in multivariable linear regression analysis. Subscapular SFT was an independent predictor of target SBP < 140 mmHg in multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR = 0.895, 95% CI = 0.832–0.963, P = .003).ConclusionsSubscapular SFT may be a valuable marker for prediction of response to antihypertensive drugs.
Cost Effectiveness of Definitive Treatment Strategies for Autonomously Functioning Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Carlisle Kendyl M. , Talaie Tara , Khalid Sualeha , Turner Douglas J. , Terhune Julia H. , Kuo Jennifer H. , Malek Rana , Hu Yinin 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACTObjectiveAutonomously functioning thyroid nodules (AFTN) can be treated with antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine (RAI), thyroid lobectomy or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Although surgery is most definitive, some patients require lifelong hormone supplementation. RFA avoids this sequela, but its efficacy depends on nodule size. This study aims to compare the relative cost‐effectiveness of RAI, RFA and lobectomy for treatment of AFTNs.Study DesignA Markov analysis model was created to simulate clinical outcomes, costs and utilities for three AFTN treatments: (1) thyroid lobectomy, (2) RAI, and (3) RFA.PatientsThis mathematical model was created using published literature and modeling.MeasurementsTransition probabilities, utilities and costs were extracted from published literature, Medicare, and RedBook. The willingness to pay threshold was set to $100,000 per quality‐adjusted life year. The model simulated 2‐year outcomes, reflecting RFA literature. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to account for uncertainty in model variables.ResultsIn the base model, RAI dominated both lobectomy and RFA, with lower estimated cost ($2000 vs. $9452 and $10,087) and higher cumulative utility (1.89 vs. 1.82 and 1.78 quality‐adjusted life years). One‐way sensitivity analyses demonstrated that relative cost‐effectiveness between surgery and RFA was driven by the probability of euthyroidism after RFA and hypothyroidism after lobectomy. RFA becomes more cost‐effective than surgery if the rate of euthyroidism after ablation is higher than 69% (baseline 54%).ConclusionBased on published data, RAI is most cost‐effective in treating most AFTN. Surgery is more cost‐effective than RFA in most scenarios, but RFA may be more resource‐efficient for smaller nodules with a high likelihood of complete treatment.
The impact of collagen membrane fixation protocols on volume stability in horizontal ridge augmentation in the aesthetic area: A retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Wang Yanying , Wang Qingfu , Li Jinmeng , Wang Feifan , Li Zhaoyang , Cui Jianlin , Zhang Jian 
Published: October 2024

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of different collagen membran fixation protocols on the volume stability in horizontal ridge augmentation in the aesthetic area.MethodsA total of 48 patients with 65 augmented sites were included in this study. Implants were placed in the aesthetic region, and simultaneous guided bone regeneration (GBR) surgery was performed for horizontal ridge augmentation. Participants were divided into four groups, each comprising 12 patients, based on different absorbable collagen membrane fixation protocols. Group 1: without fixation; Group 2: fixation with absorbable sutures; Group 3: fixation with titanium pins; Group 4: fixation with titanium pins and absorbable sutures. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed immediately after surgery and at 6 months post‐surgery, respectively. The horizontal thickness of the augmented region was analyzed for volume stability at the implant shoulder (H0) and 1–5 mm apical to the implant shoulder (H1–H5). Changes in labial thickness during bone healing were calculated as absolute values (mm) and relative values (%).ResultsAfter 6 months of bone healing, horizontal thickness was significantly reduced at all levels (H0–H5) in all groups compared to immediate post‐surgery results (p < 0.05). At H1–H5, horizontal bone loss in group 1 was significantly higher than in the other three groups (p < 0.05). Group 4 exhibited significantly less horizontal bone loss compared to group 2 at H0–H2 (p < 0.05) and group 4 compared to group 3 at H0–H1 (p < 0.05). No significant difference in horizontal bone loss between groups 2 and 3 was detected at H0–H5 (p > 0.05).ConclusionGuided bone regeneration in the aesthetic area with additional membrane fixation demonstrated superior volume stability of the augmented region compared to cases without fixation. There was no significant difference in bone volume stability between membrane fixation with titanium pins and fixation with absorbable sutures. However, the combined use of pins and absorbable sutures yielded superior volume stability.
Assessment of the Relationship Between Music Students' Self‐Efficacy, Academic Performance and Their Artificial Intelligence Readiness
Authors: Wang Xinzheng , Li Peiwen 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTIn recent years, the intersection of self‐efficacy and technological readiness has become increasingly relevant in educational research, particularly within specialised fields like music education. Understanding how these factors interplay can offer valuable insights into enhancing educational practices and fostering academic achievement among music students. This study investigates the relationship between music students' self‐efficacy, academic performance and artificial intelligence (AI) readiness within the context of Chinese Music education. Adopting a random sampling method, the researchers distributed questionnaires to 1082 Chinese music students to assess their self‐efficacy, academic performance and AI readiness. Utilising SPSS (version 27) and AMOS (version 24) for data analysis, the researchers explored the statistical relationships among these variables. The findings indicate that a significant 63% of variations in students' academic performance can be explained by the combined influence of self‐efficacy and AI readiness. This highlights a strong relationship between these factors and students' overall success in their professional pursuits. Specifically, students' self‐efficacy uniquely predicts 52% of changes in academic performance, emphasising the importance of self‐belief in academic achievement, whereas their AI readiness uniquely predicts 60% of changes in academic performance, showcasing the critical role of technological fluency in driving academic success. These results provide valuable insights into the interconnected dynamics of self‐efficacy, academic performance and AI readiness among Chinese music students. The study underscores the significance of confidence, technological proficiency and their impact on students' educational trajectories, offering implications for enhancing educational practices and fostering student success in the context of music education.
Modelling Generative AI Acceptance, Perceived Teachers' Enthusiasm and Self‐Efficacy to English as a Foreign Language Learners' Well‐Being in the Digital Era
Authors: Huang Fangwei , Wang Yongliang , Zhang Haijing 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTAs artificial intelligence (AI) has been integrated into foreign language (FL) education, learners' well‐being is influenced by various factors, including technological, personal and contextual elements. However, few studies explored how external and internal factors jointly shape FL learners' well‐being in the era of generative AI. To fill this gap, this study explores the effects of generative AI acceptance, perceived teachers' enthusiasm and self‐efficacy on FL learners' well‐being by investigating 613 university learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). The structural equation modelling results reveal that (1) generative AI acceptance positively predicts EFL learners' well‐being and self‐efficacy; (2) perceived teachers' enthusiasm does not predict learners' well‐being and positively predicts EFL learners' self‐efficacy; and (3) the self‐efficacy for receptive skills mediates the relationship between generative AI acceptance/perceived teachers' enthusiasm and EFL learners' well‐being, whereas self‐efficacy for productive skills does not play the mediation role. This research broadens the understanding of the antecedents of EFL learners' well‐being and extends the application of self‐efficacy theory in the AI‐driven educational environment, providing significant pedagogical implications.
Differences in the Piano Performances of Modern Composers of Different Countries: Are the Specifics of Piano Pedagogy Different in Different Countries (For Example, China and Italy)?
Authors: Lei Kun , Luparenko Svitlana 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTThe relevance of the research topic is due to the enrichment of the musical language and methods of performing works of the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as a significant update in the means of their transmission to the listener. The study aimed to reveal the tendencies of modern pianism in the context of Western (Italy) and Eastern (China) traditions, which contribute to the realisation of its uniqueness in the process of formation of high‐level professionals. This study is based on theoretical and practical methods. Theoretical methods include analysis, comparison and synthesis. Practical methods are online monitoring with systematisation and questioning. In China, the reliance on folklore is manifested in 85%, the philosophical interpretation of the content of musical works and their interpretation in 80%, the perfection of the mastery of performance technique in 95% and the synthesis of the achievements of Chinese and world performance practice in 80%. The spiritual and semantic aspect of piano performance in the framework of both countries is meaningful in 85%, the material and technical basis in 80% and ethnic self‐identification in 82%. The present findings can be used both in pedagogical and performance practices of different countries, traditions and cultures.
Remote sensing of cover crop legacies on main crop N‐uptake dynamics
Authors: Vavlas Nikolaos‐Christos , Seubring Thijs , Elhakeem Ali , Kooistra Lammert , De Deyn Gerlinde B. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractGrowing cover crops promotes soil health as they retain nutrients during autumn/winter and provide organic matter to the soil biota, which in turn supplies nutrients to the main crop upon mineralisation in spring. Different cover crops have varying impacts on soil biology and nutrient dynamics due to the quantity and quality of plant material returned to the soil. To understand these effects, high‐resolution data on crop responses is required. In this study, remote sensing was used to provide such data. The temporal dynamics of soil nitrogen (N) availability and N uptake in barley were studied in response to different cover crop monocultures and mixtures. This was achieved using high‐resolution multispectral images of the main crop acquired from an unmanned aerial vehicle. Alongside this, in‐situ collected plant and soil parameters were used in this 5‐year cover crop field experiment. The results showed that cover crop legacies significantly affected barley N uptake, biomass, and canopy N content. In early June, at peak canopy N, the highest values were observed in barley grown after vetch‐radish or oat‐radish mixtures (84 kg N/ha) and the lowest in barley grown after fallow (63 kg N) or oat (53 kg N/ha on 23rd of June). At the start of the barley growing season, soil microbial biomass was not significantly affected by the cover crop legacies. However, differential N mineralisation between cover crop legacies can be attributed to differences in microbial activity associated with cover crop quantity and quality. This research demonstrates the potential of remote sensing to monitor and understand temporal and spatial variation of crop canopy N in response to cover crop N mineralisation by the soil biota which is an important component of soil health. This approach can contribute to more efficient N use by enabling fine‐tuning of the type, quantity, timing, and location of fertilisation.