bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Symptom Descriptors in Individuals Living With Undiagnosed Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Brown Rebecca J. L. , Treat-Jacobson Diane , Schorr Erica , Lindquist Ruth , Pruinelli Lisiane , Wolfson Julian 
Published: August 2024

Objective: Most individuals with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) experience symptoms other than claudication and live with undiagnosed PAD yet no tools exist to detect atypical PAD symptoms. The purpose of this study was to identify discriminating PAD symptom descriptors from a community-based sample of patients with no current diagnosis of PAD. Methods: Symptoms descriptors were obtained in a sample of 22 participants with persistent lower extremity symptoms pre/post exercise. An ankle brachial index with exercise was used to classify participants as “PAD” or “No PAD.” Results: Thirteen (59%) participants had a positive ankle brachial index (<0.9, ≥20% drop postexercise, or 30 mmHg drop postexercise). Symptoms do not disappear while walking, trouble keeping up with friends/family, positive response to pain or discomfort while sitting, and pain outside of the calves and thighs were associated with a positive ankle brachial index. Conclusion: Atypical symptoms were common among study participants. Symptoms while sitting and symptoms outside of the calf and thigh were negatively associated with a positive ankle brachial index. More precise descriptions of symptom characteristics are needed to improve PAD symptom recognition.
Food Insecurity Status and Health Care Utilization Among COPD Patients: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Mendoza Kristine , Calero Patricia , Etland Caroline , Connelly Cynthia D. 
Published: August 2024

Background: Government programs—targeting chronic disease patients with high health care costs—focus on clinical conditions, factors internal to the health care system, and individual patient education, not on addressing modifiable social determinants of health to reduce health care utilization. Objective: To evaluate differences in sociodemographic variables and health care utilization between patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who reported food insecurity and those who did not. Methods: This descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study used data from the electronic health records of a convenience sample of 854 participants with a discharge diagnosis of COPD or COPD with acute exacerbation, admitted via the emergency department of participating hospitals in Southern California. Chi-square (or Fisher’s exact) tests and t tests were used to evaluate group differences, and multivariate (or Firth) logistic regression to identify factors that increased the odds of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Results: Significant differences between groups were identified for food insecurity (sometimes or often vs never insecure) and age ( P < .001), race ( P = .022), medical insurance ( P < .001), zip code ( P = .022), homeless status ( P < .001), smoking status ( P < .001), and emergency department visits ( P = .033). No significant differences were found for food insecurity and hospitalizations ( P = .592). Conclusion: This study contributes to the growing body of research supporting the association of upstream social factors (food insecurity, homelessness, zip code) and downstream health outcomes (repeated emergency room visits), and how existing programs can be effectively utilized to impact downstream health outcomes such as health care utilization.
Acquired antithrombin deficiency in adult patients with postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Cakmak Arif Yasin , Erdoğan Sevinç Bayer , Sargın Murat , Er Halit , Usca Mehmet Kağan , Hasbal Berat , Yapıcı Nihan , Aka Serap Aykut 
Published: August 2024

Introduction This study aimed to investigate the relationship between acquired antithrombin deficiency in patients undergoing postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (PC-ECMO) and thromboembolic or haemorrhagic events such as bleeding, peripheral arterial thromboembolism, and ischemic cerebrovascular events. Methods The study was designed as a single-center, prospective study and conducted at our hospital between November 2019 and June 2021. 50 patients who underwent ECMO due to postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock were included in the study. Antithrombin (AT) activity testing was performed immediately after ECMO placement and continued for 5 days. The total of haemorrhagic or thromboembolic events was defined as morbidity. The entire patient population was assessed daily for AT measurements according to morbidity status, and ROC analysis was applied to determine the cut-off point. The correlation between clinical outcomes and morbidities with antithrombin levels was analysed. Results In our study, we identified a cut-off for AT levels on the first postoperative day. The risk of both bleeding ( p = .006) and thromboembolism ( p = .012) was significantly higher in patients below the 48.9% cut-off value. AT levels were compared with data on separation from PC-ECMO. The rate of separation from ECMO was 7.969 times higher in cases with AT levels above 51.8 on the third postoperative day and 5.6 times higher in cases with AT levels above 47.5 on the fourth postoperative day. Conclusion Acquired antithrombin deficiency may develop in adults undergoing PC-ECMO. In our study, we demonstrated that in patients with low antithrombin levels, the risk of bleeding and thromboembolism increased. Additionally, since AT levels were higher in survivors, this can be considered an indicator of severity. This study is the first prospective study related to determining target antithrombin levels in adult patients undergoing PC-ECMO.
The value of amide proton transfer imaging combined with serum CA125 levels in predicting lymph vascular invasion in cervical cancer before surgery
Authors: Xu Chen , Zhang Xiao-yan , Wu Xing-chen , Ming Lei , Qu Qian-qian , Deng Kai 
Published: August 2024

Background Preoperative prediction of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) is crucial for improving the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. Purpose To evaluate the value of preoperative amide proton transfer (APT) imaging combined with serum CA125 levels for predicting LVSI in cervical cancer. Material and Methods This retrospective study included 80 patients with cervical cancer who underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, including APT imaging. Serum CA125 levels were measured using a fully automated immunoassay analyzer and chemiluminescence method. The presence of LVSI was determined based on the pathological results after surgery. Results Among the 40 patients who met the requirements, 29 had postoperative pathological confirmation of LVSI, while 11 did not. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of preoperative APT and CA125 levels predicting LVSI were 0.889 and 0.687, respectively. When the APT value was 2.9%, the corresponding Youden index was the highest (0.702), with a sensitivity of 79.3% and specificity of 90.9%. When the critical value of the preoperative serum CA15 level was 25.3 u/mL, the corresponding Youden index was the highest (0.508), with a sensitivity of 69.0% and a specificity of 81.8%. The sensitivity and specificity of preoperative APT imaging combined with serum CA125 in predicting LVSI were 82.7% and 100%, respectively, with a Youden's index of 0.828 and an AUC of 0.923. Conclusion The combination of preoperative APT imaging and serum CA125 levels is valuable for predicting LVSI in cervical cancer. Diagnostic efficacy is highest when the APT value is >2.9% and the serum CA125 level is >25.3 u/mL.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of Neck Disability Index and Numeric Pain Rating Scale in patients with migraine and tension-type headache
Authors: Al-Khazali Haidar M. , Al-Sayegh Zainab , Younis Samaira , Christensen Rune H. , Ashina Messoud , Schytz Henrik W. , Ashina Sait 
Published: August 2024

Background The present study aimed to assess the burden of neck pain in adults with migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), utilizing the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Methods A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and Embase to identify observational studies assessing NDI and NPRS in populations with migraine or TTH. The screening of articles was independently performed by two investigators (HMA and ZA). Pooled mean estimates were calculated through random-effects meta-analysis. The I2 statistic assessed between-study heterogeneity, and meta-regression further explored heterogeneity factors. Results Thirty-three clinic-based studies met the inclusion criteria. For participants with migraine, the pooled mean NDI score was 16.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 13.2–19.2, I2 = 99%). Additionally, the mean NDI was 5.5 (95% CI = 4.11–6.8, p < 0.001) scores higher in participants with chronic compared to episodic migraine. The pooled mean NDI score for participants with TTH was 13.7 (95% CI = 4.9–22.4, I2 = 99%). In addition, the meta-analysis revealed a mean NPRS score of 5.7 (95% CI = 5.1–6.2, I2 = 95%) across all participants with migraine. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis shows a greater degree of neck pain-related disability in migraine compared to TTH. Nevertheless, the generalizability of these findings is constrained by methodological variations identified in the current literature.
The Development and Execution of An Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Surgical Skills Assessment
Authors: Thacher Ryan R. , White Alexander E. , Camp Christopher L. , Matava Matthew J. , Dugas Jeffrey R. , Ranawat Anil S. 
Published: August 2024

Background: Assessment of orthopaedic surgery trainees is traditionally based on subjective evaluation by faculty. The recent push for value-based health care has placed a premium on improving patient outcomes. As a result, surgical training evaluations for orthopaedic trainees are evolving to include more objective measures to evaluate competency. Purpose: To develop and subsequently demonstrate the efficacy of a novel surgical skills assessment for orthopaedic sports medicine fellows. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A team of 14 fellowship-trained orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons developed objective scoring rubrics for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and rotator cuff repair (RCR) using a modified Delphi process. Rubrics were designed based on 10 surgical steps with a grading scale (1-5) based on core competencies with a maximum summative score of 50. Fourteen orthopaedic fellows across a regionally diverse group of sports medicine–accredited fellowship programs were invited to complete both an ACLR and RCR in a surgical skills laboratory at the beginning and end of their fellowship year. Individual surgical steps, overall performance, and total procedure time were evaluated by a single sports medicine surgeon for both sessions. Results: Thirteen of 14 fellows completed both pre- and post-fellowship assessments. For the ACLR procedure, the pre-fellowship mean summative score was 25.4 (SD, 4.4) and the post-fellowship mean summative score was 38.6 (SD, 4.1), which was a statistically significant improvement ( P < .001). For the RCR procedure, the pre-fellowship mean summative score was 26.6 (SD, 5.4) and the post-fellowship mean summative score was 38.8 (SD, 4.3), which was also a statistically significant improvement ( P < .001). The mean time to completion for the ACLR procedure was 82.3 minutes (SD, 4.3 minutes) pre-fellowship, which improved to 69.7 minutes (SD, 11.6 minutes) post-fellowship ( P = .002). The mean time to completion for the RCR procedure was 85.5 minutes (SD, 5.0 minutes) pre-fellowship, which improved to 76.4 minutes (SD, 7.0 minutes) post-fellowship ( P < .001). Conclusion: This surgical skills program represents the first standardized and reproducible instrument for the evaluation of 2 arthroscopic sports medicine procedures in the United States. Orthopaedic sports medicine fellows improved significantly in aggregate over their fellowship year with regard to the ACLR and RCR. The described program has the potential to serve as both a training tool and formal orthopaedic sports medicine fellow assessment.
Business Cycle Expansions in the Post-World War II United States Economy
Authors: Bakir Erdogan , Campbell Al 
Published: August 2024

A central question about business cycles has always been “Why do they go up and why do they go down?” This article uses a Marxian profit rate analysis to explore the first part of this question, the dynamics of business cycle expansions, using the relatively detailed data available on the post-World War II US economy. Each cyclical expansion is divided into two phases, early expansion and late expansion, determined by the behavior of the profit rate. Early expansion is characterized by a strong recovery in the profit rate, whereas late expansion witnesses the decline of the profit rate after it reaches its peak at the end of the early expansion. We show that the Marxian profit rate is a particularly useful analytical tool to empirically study the dynamics of recoveries and capital accumulation, as well as the fragilities that the same recovery process breeds. JEL Classifications: B51, E32
Low-combustible, high-strength, and thermally stable bio-blended epoxy-based bio-nanocomposite using reduced graphene oxide as a strengthening agent
Authors: Dubey Umang , K Panneerselvam 
Published: August 2024

Firms choose to maximize the use of natural resources when producing new generations of polymer composites. The incorporation of carbon-based nanoparticles into the polymer matrix resulted in substantial enhancements in strength qualities. In this work, a set of bio-nanocomposites was fabricated using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) at several weight %s (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt.%) in a bio-blended epoxy thermoset matrix generated from adding cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) as an additive in a commercial grade bisphenol-A-based unmodified liquid epoxy resin. Thermal and mechanical properties, morphology analysis, XRD analysis, flammability, and limiting oxygen index (LOI) were used for characterization. The mechanical properties of the bio-nanocomposite containing 0.75 wt.% of rGO were investigated, resulting in the observation of enhanced flexural strength by 43.97%, compression strength by 58.08%, tensile strength by 39.84%, impact energy by 47.05%, and shore-D hardness by 21.26% compared to neat epoxy. The thermal stability of a bio-nanocomposite containing 0.75 wt.% of rGO is not compromised while demonstrating a 44.71 % residual mass at 550°C compared to neat epoxy. The cured bio-blended epoxy has a 23.38% lower combustion rate than epoxy resin and shows slow burning rate.
TikTok Brain: An Investigation of Short-Form Video Use, Self-Control, and Phubbing
Authors: David Meredith E. , Roberts James A. 
Published: August 2024

Phubbing (phone snubbing) has become the norm in (im)polite society. A vast majority of US adults report using their phones during a recent social interaction. Using one’s phone in the presence of others has been shown to have a negative impact on relationships among co-workers, friends, family, and romantic partners. Recent research suggests viewing short-form videos (SFVs) (e.g., TikTok) is more addictive/immersive than traditional social media (e.g., Facebook) leading to a greater likelihood of phubbing others. Across two studies, the present research investigates the relationship between SFV viewing and phubbing and the possible mediating effect of self-control. We also test whether TikTok has a stronger relationship with phubbing than Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, two popular SFV purveyors. Study 1 (282 college students) finds that viewing TikTok videos is positively associated with phubbing others and this relationship is mediated by self-control. Interestingly, Study 1 also finds that this relationship does not hold for Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts. Using two different measures of self-control, Study 2 (198 adults) provides additional support for the mediating effect of self-control on the SFV viewing—phubbing relationship. Again, the model is only supported for TikTok SFV viewing, not Instagram or YouTube. In sum, the viewing of carefully curated short TikTok videos, often 30–60 seconds in length, undermines self-control which is associated with increased phubbing behavior. Implications of the present study’s findings expand far beyond phubbing. Self-control plays a central role in nearly all human decision making and behavior. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Analytical investigation on load sharing characteristics and speed difference of coaxial reverse closed differential herringbone gear transmission system with floating gear and errors
Authors: Han Hao , Dong Hao , Bi Yue , Zhang Zong-yang , Ren Bing-xing 
Published: August 2024

To investigate the influence of gear floating on the load sharing characteristics of the Coaxial Reverse Closed Differential Herringbone Gear Transmission System (CRCDHGTS) and the rotational speed difference between the upper and lower rotors, a dynamic Bending-Torsional-Axial-Pendular (BTAP) model of the CRCDHGTS was established using the centralized parameter method, which considers various excitation factors such as gear floating, errors, Time Varying Meshing Stiffness (TVMS), gyroscopic effect, and tooth friction. It considers the interaction between the closed-stage gear set and the differential-stage gear set, treating the herringbone gear as a symmetric helical gear connected through a receding slot. The dynamic model was solved using the Runge-Kutta method to obtain the dynamic meshing forces for each gear pair under single and combined floating modes. The Dynamic Load Sharing Coefficient (DLSC) of the system, which characterizes the Load Sharing Performance (LSP), was deduced. The load sharing characteristics of different floating modes were analyzed, as well as the influence of different floating displacement on the DLSC. The motion path of the gear floating was also determined. Additionally, the impact of manufacturing error and assembly error of each component on the DLSC under combined floating mode was analyzed. Finally, the influence of gear floating on the output rotation speeds of the upper and lower rotors of the system was investigated. The results indicate that both free-floating of the center gear and combined floating can effectively improve the LSP of the system. When the system adopts combined floating mode, the DLSC of inner and outer meshing changes between 0.91 and 1.09, demonstrating a significant improvement in the LSP. The DLSC of the system increases with the increase in error, with the eccentricity error having a greater impact on the DLSC compared to the assembly error. The optimal floating value for the sun gear is between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm, while for the planetary gear, it is between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm. The rotational speed difference between the upper and lower rotors can be controlled within 1r/min. These research findings provide a theoretical basis for further analysis of the dynamic stability and reliability of the system.
Octanol alleviates chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve-induced peripheral neuropathy by regulating AKT/mTOR signaling
Authors: Deng Biquan , Zou Hui , Hu Keli , Liu Yunlu , Han Achao 
Published: August 2024

Objective Activation of gap junction channels can induce neuropathic pain. Octanol can limit the conductance of gap junctions containing connexin 43 proteins. Thus, this study focused on the roles of octanol in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice and its mechanisms of action. Methods Male mice were assigned into control, sham, CCI, CCI + Octanol-20 mg/kg, CCI + Octanol-40 mg/kg and CCI + Octanol-80 mg/kg groups. CCI was performed by applying three loose ligations to mouse sciatic nerve, and the mice with CCI was administered with 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, or 80 mg/kg octanol. The neuropathic pain development was examined by assessing thermal withdrawal latency, paw withdrawal mechanical threshold, and sciatic functional index. Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was examined by western blotting. The expression of Akt and mTOR was also evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. Results Octanol alleviated the CCI-induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and sciatic functional loss. Additionally, octanol relieved the CCI-induced abnormal histopathological changes. Mechanistically, octanol inactivated the Akt/mTOR pathway in the mice with CCI. Conclusion In conclusion, octanol can alleviate CCI-induced peripheral neuropathic by regulating the Akt/mTOR pathway and might be a novel pharmacological intervention for neuropathic pain.
Effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of PBT/PET yarn
Authors: Wan Ailan , Xu Tianlei , Yao Chenxi , Gao Lizhong 
Published: August 2024

To study the effect of the finishing process on the mechanical properties of polybutylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate (PBT/PET) bicomponent polyester fiber, PBT/PET yarns were subjected to heat-moisture and dry-heat treatment at different temperatures and times. The tensile properties, elastic recovery, stress relaxation, and creep properties of the yarn were tested. The crystalline structure of PBT/PET fiber before and after heat treatment was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to explain the change in yarn mechanical properties. The mechanical model of PBT/PET yarn was established, and the change in mechanical properties was investigated theoretically. The results show that the strength of PBT/PET yarn decreases by 10.77%, and the elongation increase by 34.81% after dry-hear treatment at 160°C for 25 min. The mechanical properties of the yarn are affected by the temperature and time of heat treatment. XRD analysis shows that the crystallinity of PBT/PET yarn decreases with the increase of heat treatment temperature and time, which may be the reason for the change in mechanical properties of PBT/PET yarn. In addition, the established model can fairly well explain the viscoelasticity of PBT/PET yarn.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Increase Weight and Quality of Life Scores in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Cancer Cachexia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chua Alfredo V. , Hernandez Aylmer Rex B. , Mendoza Marvin Jonne L. , San Juan Michael D. 
Published: August 2024

Background: Cancer cachexia is a common debilitating weight loss syndrome in advanced cancer, particularly lung cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, with their immune-modulating effects, have been used to improve the nutritional status of patients with cancer cachexia. Aim: Evaluate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in change in weight and lean body/skeletal mass, and health-related quality of life scores (HRQoL) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and cancer cachexia. Design and Data Sources: Clinical trials from electronic databases and unpublished literature (date of last search 20 December 2023) were independently reviewed and evaluated by authors for their methodological quality. Data from eligible trials were extracted and analyzed in a meta-analysis. Results: Six trials were included. Five trials (354 patients) assessed change in weight; 2 trials (132 patients) assessed change in lean body/skeletal mass and HRQoL scores (Global Health and Physical Functioning subscales). There is a significant difference in change in weight (mean difference [MD]: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05-1.38, P < .01) and HRQoL scores (Global Health [MD: 14.40, 95% CI: 9.22-19.59, P < .01] and Physical Functioning [MD: 10.38, 95% CI: 8.50-12.27, P < .01] subscales) favoring the omega-3 fatty acids group. The change in lean body/skeletal mass is not significant (MD: 2.05, 95% CI: −0.55 to 4.66, P = .12). Conclusions: Among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and cancer cachexia, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids leads to a significant increase in weight and HRQoL scores but not in change in lean body/skeletal mass.