bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Proteomic analysis of serum in a population‐based cohort did not reveal a biomarker for Modic changes
Authors: Schulze Friederike , Määttä Juhani , Grad Sybille , Heggli Irina , Brunner Florian , Farshad Mazda , Distler Oliver , Karppinen Jaro , Lotz Jeffrey , Dudli Stefan 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIntroductionModic changes (MC) are bone marrow lesions of vertebral bones, which can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) adjacent to degenerated intervertebral discs. Defined by their appearance on T1 and T2 weighted images, there are three interconvertible types: MC1, MC2, and MC3. The inter‐observer variability of the MRI diagnosis is high, therefore a diagnostic serum biomarker complementing the MRI to facilitate diagnosis and follow‐up would be of great value.MethodsWe used a highly sensitive and reproducible proteomics approach: DIA/SWATH‐MS to find serum biomarkers in a subset of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Separately, we measured a panel of factors involved in inflammation and angiogenesis to confirm some potential biomarkers published before with an ELISA‐based method called V‐Plex.ResultsWe found neither an association between the serum concentrations of the proteins detected with DIA/SWATH‐MS with the presence of MC, nor a correlation with the size of the MC lesions. We did not find any association between the factors measured with the V‐Plex and the presence of MC or their size.ConclusionAltogether, our study suggests that a robust and generally usable biomarker to facilitate the diagnosis of MC cannot readily be found in serum.
Ultrasonography of Facial and Submandibular Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Concomitance With Acne Vulgaris
Authors: Wortsman Ximena , Ortiz‐Orellana Gabriela , Valderrama Yessenia , Ferreira‐Wortsman Camila , Reyes Francisco , Herane Maria Isabel 
Published: July 2024

ObjectivesTo describe the ultrasound characteristics of facial and submandibular hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and detect acne vulgaris (AV) concomitance in these cases.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of the ultrasound images of patients with facial HS who had been clinically evaluated by dermatologists. The reported ultrasound diagnostic criteria, severity (mSOS‐HS), and activity (US‐HAS) staging of HS were used to categorize the patients. The finding of fragments of hair tracts within the key lesions (dilated hair follicles, pseudocysts, fluid collections, and tunnels) was considered a pivotal sign to discriminate HS from AV. Demographic and morphological analysis of the images were considered.ResultsThirty‐three patients met the criteria (78.8% male/21.2% female). Of these, the mSOS‐ HS scoring was stage I in 51.5%, stage II in 27.3%, and stage III in 21.2%. Dilation of the hair follicles and the presence of pseudocysts, fluid collections, and tunnels were detected in the HS cases; 63.1% of pseudocysts, 62.4% of tunnels, and 46.2% of fluid collections contained fragments of hair tracts. In all HS cases, there was a key lesion(s) with fragments of hair tracts. Four (12.1%) patients showed concomitant facial HS and acne ultrasound lesions. The acne lesions were pseudocysts without inner hair tract fragments in all cases, and the SOS‐Acne scoring was stage II for all of them.ConclusionFacial HS can be detected on ultrasound and shows a morphology similar to that of HS in other corporal regions. In some cases, facial HS could be concomitant with AV. The subclinical ultrasonographic information can support a better management of these cases.
The severity of preoperative bone marrow oedema negatively influences short‐term clinical outcomes following arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation for osteochondral lesions of the talus
Authors: Li Yu‐bin , Fan Xiao‐ze , Zhou Guang‐jin , Su Tong , Cheng Xiang‐yun , Zhao Qiang , Jiang Dong 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study was to study the effects of the severity of preoperative bone marrow oedema (BME) on the postoperative short‐term outcomes following bone marrow stimulation (BMS) for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) and to propose a new metric that combines volume and signal density to evaluate BME.MethodsSixty‐five patients with symptomatic OLTs (<100 mm2) and preoperative BME, who received BMS in our institution from April 2017 to July 2021 with follow‐ups of 3, 6 and 12 months, were analysed retrospectively. The area, volume and signal value of the BME were collected on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. The enroled patients were divided into two groups according to the BME index (BMEI), which was defined as the product of oedema relative signal intensity and the relation of oedema volume to total talar volume. Visual analogue scale, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), Tegner, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)–activities of daily living (ADL) and Sports scores were assessed before surgery and at each follow‐up. The relationship between the scores and the volume, relative signal intensity and BMEI was explored.ResultsSixty‐five patients with preoperative BME were divided into the mild (n = 33) and severe (n = 32) groups based on the BMEI. A significant difference was found for each score with the general linear model for repeated measures through all follow‐up time points (p < 0.001). For the preoperative and 12‐month postoperative changes of the enroled patients, 53 patients (81.5%) exceeded the minimal clinically important difference of AOFAS and 26 (40.0%) exceeded that of FAAM‐sports in this study. The mild group showed significantly more improvement in AOFAS scores at 12 months (89.6 ± 7.0 vs. 86.2 ± 6.2) and FAAM‐ADL scores at 6 months (83.6 ± 7.6 vs. 79.7 ± 7.7) and 12 months (88.5 ± 8.5 vs. 84.4 ± 7.7) than the severe group (p < 0.05). No significant difference of all the scores between the groups was found at 3 months. No significant correlation was found in each group between BMEI and clinical outcomes.ConclusionThe severity of the preoperative BME negatively affected short‐term clinical outcomes following arthroscopic BMS for OLTs. Worse clinical outcomes were shown at postoperative 6 and 12 months in patients with a high preoperative BMEI, which could be a favourable parameter for assessing the severity of BME and assist in developing personalised rehabilitation plans and determining the approach and timing of surgery.Level of EvidenceLevel III.
Vancomycin‐Loaded Sol–Gel System for In Situ Coating of Artificial Bone to Prevent Surgical Site Infections
Authors: Cui Xin , Wei Tian‐Ci , Guo Lu‐Ming , Xu Guo‐Yang , Zhang Kuo , Zhang Qing‐Shi , Xu Xiong , Wang Gui‐Yuan , Li Litao , Liang Hong‐Wen , Wang Lei , Cui Xu 
Published: July 2024

AbstractSurgical site infections (SSIs) related to implants have always been a major challenge for clinical doctors and patients. Clinically, doctors may directly apply antibiotics into the wound to prevent SSIs. However, this strategy is strongly associated with experience of doctors on the amount and the location of antibiotics. Herein, an in situ constructable sol–gel system is developed containing antibiotics during surgical process and validated the efficacy against SSIs in beagles. The system involves chitosan (CS), β‐glycerophosphate (β‐GP) and vancomycin (VAN), which can be adsorbed onto porous hydroxyapatite (HA) and form VAN‐CS/β‐GP@HA hydrogel in a short time. The VAN concentration from VAN‐CS/β‐GP@HA hydrogel is higher than minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at the 21st day in vitro. In an in vivo canine model for the prevention of SSIs in the femoral condyle, VAN‐CS/β‐GP@HA exhibits excellent biocompatibility, antimicrobial properties, and promotion of bone healing. In all, the CS/β‐GP instant sol–gel system is able to in situ encapsulate antibiotics and adhere on artificial bone implants during the surgery, effectively preventing SSIs related to implants.
Archeological analogs for the lifetime prediction of the canister for spent nuclear fuel in the deep geological repository: Part II. Evolution of the corrosion rate over time
Authors: Mukhtar Saqib , Bureš Richard , Lhotka Miloslav , Danielisová Alžběta , Malyková Drahomíra , Březinová Helena , Barčáková Ludmila , Šachlová Šárka , Kašpar Vlastislav , Havlová Václava , Němeček Jiří , Stoulil Jan 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis work focused on evaluating the evolution of the corrosion product layer and associated corrosion rates on archeological artifacts from 16 sites. Sites with clay soils and maximum waterlogging (pond bottoms and wetlands) were monitored. The corrosion products were evaluated by X‐ray imaging, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and nanoindentation. Two stages of corrosion attack with slightly different mechanisms were observed. Corrosion rates observed at sites with continuous flooding show average corrosion rates of 0.4–1 μm.a−1. These values demonstrate a minimum service life of the container outer case of 15 × 103 years, which is several times longer than the required lifetime of the outer case.
Polystyrene Brush Evolution by Grafting to Reaction on Deglazed and Not‐Deglazed Silicon Substrates
Authors: Ivaldi Chiara , Ospina Guarin Viviana Maria , Antonioli Diego , Zuccheri Giampaolo , Sparnacci Katia , Gianotti Valentina , Perego Michele , Chiarcos Riccardo , Laus Michele 
Published: July 2024

AbstractTwo model substrates for the grafting to reaction are considered: not‐deglazed silicon, whose surface is coated by a thin oxide layer with reactive silanol groups on its surface; and deglazed silicon, where the oxide layer is removed by treatment with hydrofluoric acid. The reactive polymers are hydroxy‐terminated polystyrenes with molecular weights ranging from 3.9 to 13.9 kg mol⁻1. The grafting to reaction is carried out at different temperatures and for different periods of time on the two different substrates. The thickness and the thermal stability of the resulting brushes are evaluated. Furthermore, the grafting of a highly dispersed system is simulated by blending two polymers with different molecular weights. Although the brush thickness growth is found to be faster on deglazed silicon, the preferential grafting of short chains occurs with equal chain selection propensity on both substrates.
Do high administrative‐level cities promote firm technological innovation? A novel analysis based on patent applications
Authors: Gao Ming , Cifuentes‐Faura Javier , Liu Xiaoqian , Li Han 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis paper examines the impact of China's administrative hierarchy of cities on firm innovation through the incentive policies that mobilize local governments to promote firm innovation. Using difference‐in‐differences approach, this paper finds that high‐level cities significantly and robustly enhance the number of firm patents. The results also suggest that alleviating firm financing constraints and leveraging human capital advantages are important mechanisms. In addition, high‐level cities mainly facilitate non‐state enterprises and small firms, and the quality of utility model patents was significantly lower and the quality of invention patents was higher in high‐level cities. This paper also presents several policy implications.
Shoulder osteoarthritis: A survey of current (2024) UK physiotherapy practice
Authors: Lalande Stacey , Moffatt Maria , Littlewood Chris 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundShoulder osteoarthritis can cause significant pain and disability. It is thought that the wider principles of osteoarthritis management can be applied in the management of people with shoulder osteoarthritis, but most prior research has been conducted with people experiencing osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. There is a paucity of evidence to guide the non‐surgical management of shoulder osteoarthritis and limited understanding of current physiotherapy practice.ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the current treatment recommendations by physiotherapists in the UK for people with shoulder OA.MethodsAn online survey using a clinical vignette was designed and distributed to UK registered physiotherapists with experience of managing people with shoulder osteoarthritis, via social media and professional networks. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse demographic and multiple‐choice questions, and free text responses were summarised narratively.Results114 respondents accessed the survey with 110 valid responses; 105 (95%) respondents would offer face‐to‐face consultations, with 89 (81%) respondents expecting to offer 2–4 appointments. 108 (98%) respondents would offer advice/education; 79 (72%) would offer weight management; 82 (75%) prescribed exercises to improve movement; and 101 (92%) offered exercises to increase strength. If a person lived with obesity or had a treatment preference, the majority of respondents would change their recommendations.ConclusionThis is the first survey of NHS physiotherapy practice for people with shoulder osteoarthritis. The responses largely align with NICE guidelines; despite this alignment, it is not known whether such guideline‐based care is acceptable to people with shoulder osteoarthritis or clinically effective.
Sizing of storage‐based renewable off‐grid system according to supply of electrical and thermal energies considering unscented transformation‐based stochastic optimization: A case study
Authors: Bahmani Ali , Kiani Mohammad Javad , Nejatian Samad , Zadehbagheri Mahmoud 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe paper presents the planning (sizing) of a hybrid islanded system containing only renewable sources including wind turbines, photovoltaics, and bio‐waste energy units for the simultaneous supply of electrical and thermal energy. The mentioned renewable sources are used to supply electrical energy. The bio‐waste unit (BEU) is equipped with combined electrical and thermal technology. It is used along with heat pumps to supply thermal energy. Electrical and thermal storage are employed to make the renewable power output as close as possible to the demand level. Electric storage can be either stationary (e.g., battery) or mobile (e.g., electric vehicles), but thermal storage is as stationary type of storage. In the following, the proposed scheme minimizes construction and maintenance costs imposed by power sources, storage devices, and power electronic converters, and expected storage degradation cost. This plan is bound to the model of operation of sources, storage devices, and power electronic converters. In this model, renewables are the main source of power to supply consumers, where storage is adopted to increase the generation level to make it as close as possible to the demand curve. The uncertain parameters are imposed by the load, renewable phenomena, and mobile storage parameters. To model these uncertainties, stochastic optimization based on unscented transformation is used. Finally, the findings of the paper demonstrate that the suggested scheme succeeds in the economic planning of the system with a simultaneous supply of electrical and thermal energy. The BEU equipped with a combined electricity and heat system along with thermal storage and a heat pump to supply thermal load besides providing electric energy can reduce the planning cost by 2.9% compared with the case with only electrical energy. Also, the mobile storage presence in the hybrid system can reduce the number of stationary storage devices, which alone results in a 7.7% decrease in the planning cost of the hybrid system.
LQR controller performance via particle swarm optimization and neural networks
Authors: Chacko Sanjay Joseph , Kumar Rohit , Abraham Rajesh Joseph 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe inverted pendulum‐cart (IPC) control problem has long been a benchmark in the field of control systems due to its inherent instability and nonlinear dynamics. The linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control technique has been proven to be effective in stabilizing the inverted pendulum; however, the challenge lies in finding the optimal control gains that provide the best performance. This article presents a method to address the LQR control design problem for the IPC system which is compared against a particle swarm optimization based LQR and a neural network optimized LQR. The method provides a deterministic approach to finding the weighing matrices Q and R in accordance with the time domain characteristics chosen by the designer, such as settling time and maximum peak overshoot. Results from MATLAB simulations indicate that the suggested strategy has good performance.
Trends in analgesia‐sedation of pediatric patients receiving I‐131 MIBG in the pediatric intensive care unit: A report from the Pediatric Health Information System database
Authors: Dhuse Jordann , Cash Thomas , Elges Michael S. , Alazraki Adina , Beer Rachael , Jergel Andrew , Goldsmith Kelly C. , Hall Matt , Kamat Pradip P. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundChildren with neuroblastoma receiving I‐131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy require sedation‐analgesia for strict radiation safety precautions during MIBG infusion and clearance. We evaluated the sedation‐analgesia trends of patients undergoing MIBG therapy using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database.Materials and methodsRetrospective data from 476 patient encounters from the PHIS from 2010 to 2019.ResultsTotal 240/476 (50.45%) children evaluated were under 6 years of age. Compared to 2010, in 2018 there was a decrease in benzodiazepine infusion use (60% vs. 40%, p < .04), as well as a decrease in use of opiate infusion (35% vs. 25%, p < .001). Compared to 2010, in 2018 we report an increase in the use of ketamine (from 5% to 10%, p < .002), as well as an increase in dexmedetomidine use (0% vs. 30%, p < .001). Dexmedetomidine was the most used medication in the 0–3 years age group compared to children older than 3 years of age (14.19% vs. 5.80%, p < .001). Opiate was the most used medication in children greater than 3 years compared to the 0–3‐year age group (36.23 vs. 23.87, p < .05).ConclusionUsing PHIS data, we discovered considerable variability in the medications used for sedation in patients undergoing MIBG therapy. Although benzodiazepines and opioids were the most used agents, there was a trend toward decreasing use of benzodiazepines and opioids in these patients. Furthermore, there has been an increasing trend in the use of dexmedetomidine and ketamine.
Prospective multicenter study of the epidemiological features of emergency patients with overdose of over‐the‐counter drugs in Japan
Authors: Kyan Ryoko , Kamijo Yoshito , Kohara Saeko , Takai Michiko , Shimane Takuya , Matsumoto Toshihiko , Fukushima Hidetada , Narumi Shogo , Chiba Takuyo , Sera Toshiki , Otani Norio , Iwasaki Yasumasa 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAimTo investigate the epidemiological characteristics of patients presenting to the emergency department with an overdose of over‐the‐counter (OTC) drugs.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted to examine the sociodemographic characteristics of patients with OTC drugs overdoses visiting emergency departments at eight sites across the country. The patients were divided into “habitual” and “nonhabitual” groups according to their history of OTC drugs overdose. Student's t‐test or Welch's t‐test was performed for numerical variables, and Pearson's χ2 test was performed for dichotomous and nominal variables between the two groups.ResultsOf the 124 patients included in this study, 79% were women. The habitual (26.6%) and the nonhabitual (73.4%) groups showed no differences in sex, occupation, cohabitants, history of mental illness, or history of alcohol consumption or smoking; however, those in the habitual group were significantly younger. The proportion of OTC drugs obtained from physical stores was higher in the habitual group, whereas the nonhabitual group used more household medicines. Suicide and self‐harm were more common reasons for overdose in the nonhabitual group. Antipyretic analgesics were significantly more common in the nonhabitual group, whereas antitussive expectorants and antihistamines were significantly more common in the habitual group.ConclusionThis is the first multicenter study to determine the status of OTC drugs overdose patients treated at emergency departments of medical facilities in Japan. To prevent new overdoses of OTC drugs, continued detailed epidemiologic studies of patient backgrounds and drug acquisition routes, and investigation of the components of OTC drugs that cause dependency are necessary.
Computational comparison of paratropicity trends in antiaromatic s‐indacene derivatives: Does the functional “make all the difference”?
Authors: Miller Michael P. , Haley Michael M. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractA recent publication by Wu and co‐workers demonstrated that the workhorse functional B3LYP tends to overemphasize the delocalization in antiaromatic molecules, leading to poor agreement between the calculated proton NMR values and the experimentally obtained numbers. Rather, they showed that the M11 functional affords the best agreement between theory and experiment. We have computationally re‐examined our previously published NICS‐XY scan data using M11‐determined geometries and find that, aside from the placement of s‐indacene, the antiaromaticity trends for both sets of data are essentially identical.
On the quaternary structure of human D‐3‐phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase
Authors: Riva Daniele , Orlando Marco , Rabattoni Valentina , Pollegioni Loredano 
Published: July 2024

AbstractD‐3‐phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) catalyzes the NAD+‐dependent conversion of D‐3‐phospho‐glycerate to 3‐phosphohydroxypyruvate, the first step in the phosphorylated pathway for L‐serine (L‐Ser) biosynthesis. L‐Ser plays different relevant metabolic roles in eukaryotic cells: alterations in L‐Ser metabolism have been linked to serious neurological disorders. The human PHGDH (hPHGDH), showing a homotetrameric state in solution, is made of four domains, among which there are two regulatory domains at the C‐terminus: the aspartate kinase‐chorismate mutase‐tyrA prephenate dehydrogenase (ACT) and allosteric substrate‐binding (ASB) domains. The structure of hPHGDH was solved only for a truncated, dimeric form harboring the N‐terminal end containing the substrate and the cofactor binding domains. A model ensemble of the tetrameric hPHGDH was generated using AlphaFold coupled with molecular dynamics refinement. By analyzing the inter‐subunit interactions at the tetrameric interface, the residues F418, L478, P479, R454, and Y495 were selected and their role was studied by the alanine‐scanning mutagenesis approach. The F418A variant modifies the putative ASB, slightly alters the activity, the fraction of protein in the tetrameric state, and the protein stability; it seems relevant in dimers' recognition to yield the tetrameric oligomer. On the contrary, the R454A, L478A, P479A, and Y495A variants (ACT domain) determine a loss of the tetrameric assembly, resulting in low stability and misfolding, triggering the aggregation and hampering the activity. The predicted tetrameric interface seems mediated by residues at the ACT domain, and the tetramer formation seems crucial for proper folding of hPHGDH, which, in turn, is essential for both stability and functionality.