bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study on the Difference of Blood Pressure Criteria and the Difference in Blood Pressure Measurement Among Children and Adolescents in China, the United States, and Europe
Authors: Gao Liwang , Wang Xi , Wang Xia , Dong Hongbo , Mi Jie 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare the difference of blood pressure criteria and the difference in blood pressure measurement among children and adolescents.

METHODS
The latest blood pressure criteria for children and adolescents in China, the normal blood pressure standard the United States, and Europe have been used to calculate blood pressure differences for the same age, gender, and height. Based on 3 blood pressure measurements of 45,314 Chinese and 15,279 American children and adolescents, the differences in blood pressure measurements were calculated through repeated measurement analysis of variance and compared with criteria differences.

RESULTS
More than 60% of the difference in blood pressure standard is distributed between −3 and 3 mm Hg. But the difference between Chinese standards and American standards can be 5–10 mm Hg in children aged 13. The difference between Chinese standards and European standards can be 6–9 mm Hg at the age of 16. The analysis of repeated blood pressure data shows that the maximum difference in systolic blood pressure measurement for Chinese boys and girls is 3.7 and 4.1 mm Hg, respectively, and the maximum difference in diastolic blood pressure measurement is 2.0 and 2.1 mm Hg. The difference between the 3 measurements of boys and girls in the United States is nearly 1 mm Hg.

CONCLUSIONS
The difference between blood pressure standards is smaller than the measurement difference, and accurate measurement and repeated measurement of blood pressure may be more important for evaluating blood pressure status than the selection of blood pressure standards.
Lower Eyelid Dark Circles (Tear Trough and Lid-Cheek Junction): A Stepwise Assessment Framework
Authors: Liew Steven , Doreian Simone , Kunathathorn Wachira , Lam Stephanie , Jorge Alvin , Lan Lam Bee , Selkon Ellen , Arendse Sean , Silleri Jodie , Telfer Tara 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
Despite increasing popularity, the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for the correction of dark under-eye shadows remains challenging. Specific guidance on patient assessment is limited.

Objectives
The aim of this study was to develop a stepwise assessment framework for lower eyelid dark shadows to help practitioners classify patients based on their underlying problems and facilitate a more strategic approach to treatment.

Methods
Literature review and peer collaboration informed the current availability of educational material for use by experienced injectors when assessing patients presenting with dark circles. A practitioner survey provided insight into current practices. A focus group convened to review the survey results and discuss best practice approaches to patient assessment.

Results
Surveyed practitioners (n = 39) reported patient concern about under-eye hollows (91%), dark eye circles (80%), and looking tired (60%). All (100%) agreed that midcheek volume was critical when treating tear-trough depression, and only 26% reported use of a tear-trough classification system. The focus group developed a framework for assessing tear-trough depression and the lid-cheek junction in patients presenting with dark circles. Key factors within this framework included the importance of appropriate lighting when conducting a visual inspection, regional inspection of the cheek and tear trough, palpation of the orbital rim and soft tissues, determination of the orbital vector, and assessment of lower eyelid pigmentation and skin quality.

Conclusions
Careful step-by-step assessment can reduce the challenges of treating dark circles by identifying patients in whom dark eye circles may be improved without the need to directly inject filler into the tear trough.

Level of Evidence: 5
The effects of mental fatigue on fine motor performance in humans and its neural network connectivity mechanism: a dart throwing study
Authors: Niu Suoqing , Guo Jianrui , Hanson Nicholas J , Wang KaiQi , Chai Jinlei , Guo Feng 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
While it is well known that mental fatigue impairs fine motor performance, the investigation into its neural basis remains scant. Here, we investigate the impact of mental fatigue on fine motor performance and explore its underlying neural network connectivity mechanisms. A total of 24 healthy male university students were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: a mental fatigue group (MF) and a control group (Control). Both groups completed 50 dart throws, while electroencephalography (EEG) data were collected. Following the Stroop intervention, participants in the MF group exhibited a decrease in Stroop task accuracy and throwing performance, and an increase in reaction time along with VAS and NASA scores. The EEG data during dart-throwing revealed that the network connectivity strength of theta oscillations in the frontal and left central regions was significantly higher in the MF group compared with the Control group, while the network connectivity strength of alpha oscillations in the left parietal region was significantly enhanced. The interregional connectivity within the theta and alpha rhythm bands, particularly in the frontal-central-parietal network connections, also showed a significant increase in the MF group. Mental fatigue impairs dart throwing performance and is accompanied by increased connectivity in alpha and theta.
Left ventricular strain–volume loops in bicuspid aortic valve disease: new insights in cardiomechanics
Authors: Keuning Zoë A , Kerstens Thijs P , Zwaan Robert R , Bowen Daniel J , Vos Hendrik J , van Dijk Arie P J , Roos-Hesselink Jolien W , Thijssen Dick H J , Hirsch Alexander , van den Bosch Annemien E 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Aims
By combining temporal changes in left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) with LV volume, LV strain–volume loops can assess cardiac function across the cardiac cycle. This study compared LV strain–volume loops between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients and controls, and investigated the loop’s prognostic value for clinical events.

Methods and results
From a prospective cohort of congenital heart disease patients, BAV patients were selected and compared with healthy volunteers, who were matched for age and sex at group level. GLS analysis from apical views was used to construct strain–volume loops. Associations with clinical events, i.e. a composite of all-cause mortality, heart failure, arrhythmias, and aortic valve replacement, were assessed by Cox regression. A total of 113 BAV patients were included (median age 32 years, 40% female). BAV patients demonstrated lower Sslope (0.21%/mL, [Q1–Q3: 0.17–0.28] vs. 0.27%/mL [0.24–0.34], P &lt; 0.001) and ESslope (0.19%/mL [0.12–0.25] vs. 0.29%/mL [0.21–0.43], P &lt; 0.001) compared with controls, but also greater uncoupling during early (0.48 ± 1.29 vs. 0.05 ± 1.21, P = 0.04) and late diastole (0.66 ± 1.02 vs. −0.07 ± 1.07, P &lt; 0.001). Median follow-up duration was 9.9 [9.3–10.4] years. Peak aortic jet velocity (HR 1.22, P = 0.03), enlarged left atrium (HR 3.16, P = 0.003), E/e′ ratio (HR 1.17, P = 0.002), GLS (HR 1.16, P = 0.008), and ESslope (HR 0.66, P = 0.04) were associated with the occurrence of clinical events.

Conclusion
Greater uncoupling and lower systolic and diastolic slopes were observed in BAV patients compared with healthy controls, suggesting presence of altered LV cardiomechanics. Moreover, lower ESslope was associated with clinical events, highlighting the strain–volume loop’s potential as prognostic marker.
Population-based study on surgical care for primary spontaneous pneumothorax
Authors: van Steenwijk Quirine C A , Spaans Louisa N , Heineman David J , van den Broek Frank J C , Dickhoff Chris 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The optimal surgical strategy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax remains a matter of debate and variation in surgical practice is expected. This variation may influence clinical outcomes, such as postoperative complications and length of stay. This national population-based registry study provides an overview and extent of variability of current surgical practice and outcomes in the Netherlands.

METHODS
To identify national patterns of care and between-hospital variability in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, patients who underwent surgical pleurodesis and/or bullectomy between 2014 and 2021, were identified from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit—Surgery database. The type of surgical intervention, postoperative complications, length of stay and ipsilateral recurrences were recorded.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Out of 4338 patients, 1851 patients were identified to have primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The median age was 25 years (interquartile range 20–31) and 82% was male. The most performed surgical procedure was bullectomy with pleurodesis (83%). The overall complication rate was 12% (Clavien–Dindo grade ≥III 6%), with the highest recorded incidence for persistent air leak &gt;5 days (5%). Median postoperative length of stay was 4 days (interquartile range 3–6) and 0.7% underwent a repeat pleurodesis for ipsilateral recurrence. Complication rate and length of stay differed considerably between hospitals. There were no differences between the surgical procedures. In the Netherlands, surgical patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax are preferably treated with bullectomy plus pleurodesis. Postoperative complications and length of stay vary widely and are considerable in this young patient group. This may be reduced by optimization of surgical care.
Recombinant human soluble domain of CD39L3 and ticagrelor: cardioprotective effects in experimental myocardial infarction
Authors: Vilahur Gemma , Radike Monika , Sutelman Pablo , Ben-Aicha Soumaya , Gutiérrez Manuel , Casaní Laura , Hovdal Daniel , Ongstad Emily L , Gabrielsen Anders , Hidalgo Alberto , Fjellström Ola , Carlsson Leif , Badimon Lina 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background and Aims
The ecto–nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases of the CD39 family degrade ATP and ADP into AMP, which is converted into adenosine by the extracellular CD73/ecto-5-nucleotidase. This pathway has been explored in antithrombotic treatments but little in myocardial protection. We have investigated whether the administration of solCD39L3 (AZD3366) confers additional cardioprotection to that of ticagrelor alone in a pre-clinical model of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods
Ticagrelor-treated pigs underwent balloon-induced MI (90 min) and, before reperfusion, received intravenously either vehicle, 1 mg/kg AZD3366 or 3 mg/kg AZD3366. All animals received ticagrelor twice daily for 42 days. A non-treated MI group was run as a control. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance (baseline, Day 3 and Day 42 post-MI), light transmittance aggregometry, bleeding time, and histological and molecular analyses were performed.

Results
Ticagrelor reduced oedema formation and infarct size at Day 3 post-MI vs. controls. A 3 mg/kg AZD3366 provided an additional 45% reduction in oedema and infarct size compared with ticagrelor and a 70% reduction vs. controls (P &lt; .05). At Day 42, infarct size declined in all ticagrelor-administered pigs, particularly in 3 mg/kg AZD3366-treated pigs (P &lt; .05). Left ventricular ejection fraction was diminished at Day 3 in placebo pigs and worsened at Day 42, whereas it remained unaltered in ticagrelor ± AZD3366-administered animals. Pigs administered with 3 mg/kg AZD3366 displayed higher left ventricular ejection fraction upon dobutamine stress at Day 3 and minimal dysfunctional segmental contraction at Day 42 (χ2P &lt; .05 vs. all). Cardiac and systemic molecular readouts supported these benefits. Interestingly, AZD3366 abolished ADP-induced light transmittance aggregometry without affecting bleeding time.

Conclusions
Infusion of AZD3366 on top of ticagrelor leads to enhanced cardioprotection compared with ticagrelor alone.
Calling Structural Variants with Confidence from Short-Read Data in Wild Bird Populations
Authors: David Gabriel , Bertolotti Alicia , Layer Ryan , Scofield Douglas , Hayward Alexander , Baril Tobias , Burnett Hamish A , Gudmunds Erik , Jensen Henrik , Husby Arild 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Comprehensive characterization of structural variation in natural populations has only become feasible in the last decade. To investigate the population genomic nature of structural variation, reproducible and high-confidence structural variation callsets are first required. We created a population-scale reference of the genome-wide landscape of structural variation across 33 Nordic house sparrows (Passer domesticus). To produce a consensus callset across all samples using short-read data, we compare heuristic-based quality filtering and visual curation (Samplot/PlotCritic and Samplot-ML) approaches. We demonstrate that curation of structural variants is important for reducing putative false positives and that the time invested in this step outweighs the potential costs of analyzing short-read–discovered structural variation data sets that include many potential false positives. We find that even a lenient manual curation strategy (e.g. applied by a single curator) can reduce the proportion of putative false positives by up to 80%, thus enriching the proportion of high-confidence variants. Crucially, in applying a lenient manual curation strategy with a single curator, nearly all (&gt;99%) variants rejected as putative false positives were also classified as such by a more stringent curation strategy using three additional curators. Furthermore, variants rejected by manual curation failed to reflect the expected population structure from SNPs, whereas variants passing curation did. Combining heuristic-based quality filtering with rapid manual curation of structural variants in short-read data can therefore become a time- and cost-effective first step for functional and population genomic studies requiring high-confidence structural variation callsets.
Evidence of Nonrandom Patterns of Functional Chromosome Organization inDanaus plexippus
Authors: Kimura Ashlyn , Go Alwyn C , Markow Therese , Ranz José M 
Published: March 2024

AbstractOur understanding on the interplay between gene functionality and gene arrangement at different chromosome scales relies on a few Diptera and the honeybee, species with quality reference genome assemblies, accurate gene annotations, and abundant transcriptome data. Using recently generated ‘omic resources in the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus, a species with many more and smaller chromosomes relative to Drosophila species and the honeybee, we examined the organization of genes preferentially expressed at broadly defined developmental stages (larva, pupa, adult males, and adult females) at both fine and whole-chromosome scales. We found that developmental stage–regulated genes do not form more clusters, but do form larger clusters, than expected by chance, a pattern consistent across the gene categories examined. Notably, out of the 30 chromosomes in the monarch genome, 12 of them, plus the fraction of the chromosome Z that corresponds to the ancestral Z in other Lepidoptera, were found enriched for developmental stage–regulated genes. These two levels of nonrandom gene organization are not independent as enriched chromosomes for developmental stage–regulated genes tend to harbor disproportionately large clusters of these genes. Further, although paralogous genes were overrepresented in gene clusters, their presence is not enough to explain two-thirds of the documented cases of whole-chromosome enrichment. The composition of the largest clusters often included paralogs from more than one multigene family as well as unrelated single-copy genes. Our results reveal intriguing patterns at the whole-chromosome scale in D. plexippus while shedding light on the interplay between gene expression and chromosome organization beyond Diptera and Hymenoptera.
The Effects of Exergame Telerehabilitation in Persons With Subjective Cognitive Decline
Authors: Salisbury Dereck L , Pituch Keenan A , Yu Fang 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background and Objectives
The primary aim of this Stage IB randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to test the preliminary effects of a dual-task exergaming telerehabilitation intervention on cognition and aerobic fitness, compared to aerobic exercise (AEx) only and attention control (stretching) in older adults with subjective cognitive decline.

Research Design and Methods
This RCT randomized 39 participants on a 2:1:1 allocation ratio to supervised exergame (n = 20), AEx (n = 11), and stretching (n = 8) for 12 weeks. The dual-task exergaming was concurrent moderate-intensity cycling and BrainFitRx cognitive telerehabilitation. Cognition was assessed by NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery and aerobic fitness by 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and shuttle walk test.

Results
The participants were 74.6 (7.4) years old and 69% were female. The effect of time was significant, F(1, 23.9) = 13.16, p = .001, for the Fluid Composite score, and significant within-group changes were seen for the exergame group, t(14.08) = 2.53, p = .024, d = 0.33. Between-group changes did not reach significant levels for any cognitive test. Between-group changes for the 6MWT were not significant.

Discussion and Implications
The exergame participants further improved their fluid cognition, whereas the AEx and stretching groups did not, indicating a potential synergistic effect from AEx and cognitive training. The aerobic fitness changes were similar between the exergame and AEx-only groups, indicating that the feasibility of adding cognitive training to AEx concurrently without sacrificing gains in aerobic fitness from AEx. This study shows the flexibility of exergame delivery and its potentially therapeutic effects in persons at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia.

Clinical Trial Registration Number
NCT04311736
A comparative analysis of Spanish Clinical encoder-based models on NER and classification tasks
Authors: García Subies Guillem , Barbero Jiménez Álvaro , Martínez Fernández Paloma 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Objectives
This comparative analysis aims to assess the efficacy of encoder Language Models for clinical tasks in the Spanish language. The primary goal is to identify the most effective resources within this context

Importance
This study highlights a critical gap in NLP resources for the Spanish language, particularly in the clinical sector. Given the vast number of Spanish speakers globally and the increasing reliance on electronic health records, developing effective Spanish language models is crucial for both clinical research and healthcare delivery. Our work underscores the urgent need for specialized encoder models in Spanish that can handle clinical data with high accuracy, thus paving the way for advancements in healthcare services and biomedical research for Spanish-speaking populations.

Materials and Methods
We examined 17 distinct corpora with a focus on clinical tasks. Our evaluation centered on Spanish Language Models and Spanish Clinical Language models (both encoder-based). To ascertain performance, we meticulously benchmarked these models across a curated subset of the corpora. This extensive study involved fine-tuning over 3000 models.

Results
Our analysis revealed that the best models are not clinical models, but general-purpose models. Also, the biggest models are not always the best ones. The best-performing model, RigoBERTa 2, obtained an average F1 score of 0.880 across all tasks.

Discussion
Our study demonstrates the advantages of dedicated encoder-based Spanish Clinical Language models over generative models. However, the scarcity of diverse corpora, mostly focused on NER tasks, underscores the need for further research. The limited availability of high-performing models emphasizes the urgency for development in this area.

Conclusion
Through systematic evaluation, we identified the current landscape of encoder Language Models for clinical tasks in the Spanish language. While challenges remain, the availability of curated corpora and models offers a foundation for advancing Spanish Clinical Language models. Future efforts in refining these models are essential to elevate their effectiveness in clinical NLP.
Epilepsy as a Cause of Burns: Our Experience in Ain Shams University Burn Unit
Authors: Mabrouk Amr , Hammad Mai Raafat , Mabrouk Adel , Badawy Mohamed Samir 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Lack of patient education, and unaffordable or inaccessible medications, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Egypt, leave patients with epilepsy at a higher risk of suffering burn-related injuries, especially with the unpredictable nature of seizures, which leads to accidental burns. We present this study to investigate all epileptic patients whose seizures were involved in the burn injury who presented to the Ain Shams University Burn Unit from January 2019 to July 2022, examining the epidemiology and outcome. A total of 369 burn patients were admitted to out unit during the study period (1st of January 2019 to 31st of July 2022), 5 (1.35%) of which sustained the burn during an epileptic seizure. The parameters assessed were patient demographics, location where burn injury occurred, type and extent of burns, treatment and hospital stay, and morbidity/ mortality rates. The mean age was 24.6 years. A total of 80% lived in low-income areas. Scalding was the most common cause followed by flame. The mean total body surface area and full-thickness burned surface area were 16.2% and 8.6%, respectively. The mean hospital stay was 34.4 days. None of the patients died. However, 1 case had to have an above-elbow amputation.
An uncommon case of right hepatic duct entering cystic duct associated to multiple complications of biliary tract disease: acute pancreatitis, hepatolithiasis, acute cholecystitis and hepatic abscess
Authors: Meza-Hernandez Javier A , Zubillaga-Mares Asya , Serrano-Sanchez Minnet , Alvarez-Bautista Francisco E , Trejo-Avila Mario , Nuñez-Venzor Alejandra 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Anatomical variations of the biliary tree pose diagnostic and treatment challenges. While most are harmless and often discovered incidentally during procedures, some can lead to clinical issues and biliary complications, making knowledge of these variants crucial to prevent surgical mishaps. Here, we present an unusual and clinically significant case. A 61-year-old man is admitted to the hospital with epigastric pain and diagnosis of pancreatitis of biliary origin and intermediate risk of choledocholithiasis. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) reported hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis, whereas endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed cystic drain of the right hepatic duct. One month later the patient presented again to the emergency room with increasing abdominal pain and a computed tomography that demonstrated the presence of hepatic abscess and acute cholecystitis. The patient underwent percutaneous drain abscess and a subtotal laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Biliary anatomical variants present challenges on the diagnostic investigations, interventional and surgical procedures, understanding the possible complications is essential.