bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Motor correlates of finger tapping variability in subjective memory complaints, mild cognitive impairment and probable Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Prigatano George P , Braga Lucia W , McElvogue Molly , Coddaire Katelyn , Steffes Lori , Burke Anna , Stokes Ashley M 
Published: February 2025

Background Variability of finger tapping speeds, especially in the non-dominant hand, has been reported in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI-A) and dementia of the Alzheimer's type (AD). An explanation of this finding, however, has not appeared. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate possible motor correlates of finger tapping variability in normal older healthy controls (HC), persons with subjective memory complaints (SMC), MCI-A and probable AD. Methods Using a modified version of the Halstead Finger Tapping Test (HFTT), individual finger tapping movements were classified as “valid” (i.e., advanced the number on a mechanical counter) or “invalid” (i.e., did not advance the number). Failures at selective motor inhibition and learning and fatigue effects were also measured. Results Finger tapping variability was significantly greater in the non-dominant hand in probable AD patients compared to HC and SMC patients. MCI-A and probable AD patients did not differ on this measure. Finger tapping variability was significantly correlated (ρ = + 0.65) with the number of invalid tapping responses but not with selective motor inhibition failures. A small but significant correlation of dominant hand learning effect with finger tapping variability was found. Invalid tapping responses were significantly greater in MCI and probable AD groups compared to HC and SMC groups. Conclusions Frequency of invalid tapping responses strongly correlated with finger tapping variability. The number of invalid tapping responses may have diagnostic and prognostic significance when evaluating older individuals with known or suspected memory impairment of a neurodegenerative type.
Performance of compatibilizers on polypropylene with recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and sugarcane bagasse towards thermal, chemical and mechanical properties
Authors: Mustaffa Zainal , Santiagoo Ragunathan , Mustafa Wan Azani , Ismail Hanafi 
Published: February 2025

Performance of the thermal, chemical and mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP)/recycled acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (r-NBR)/sugarcane bagasse (SCB) composites with the occurrence of Trans-Polyoctylene Rubber (TOR) and Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (DGEBA) as compatibilizers are evaluated. 3 (3) different composites (80/20/15, 60/40/15, and 40/60/15), with fixed filler (15 phr) and compatibilizers (10 phr) content, were carried out. Other than that, these composites were arranged via melt mixing technique utilizing a heated two-roll mill at a temperature of 180°C for 9 min employing a 15-rpm rotor speed. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, tensile and morphological properties were evaluated. The result recorded thermal properties of TOR composites showed increments by 2.65% and 5.75% for a temperature of 70% of materials’ weight (T70%) and peak degradation temperature (Tdeg), respectively. Meanwhile, the DGEBA compatibilizer composite has a higher increment of thermal properties by 3.17%, T70% and 5.94%, Tdeg. The stretching vibration peaks of the NBR’s C≡N group of about 2400 – 2200 were not found for compatibilized composites. Apart from that, the tensile strength dropped as the r-NBR content rises. Nevertheless, subsequent compatibilization reveals that the composites’ tensile properties were greater than control composites. The morphology discovered validates the tensile properties, indicating a stronger interaction between the PP/SCB and r-NBR composites with the addition of compatibilizer DGEBA.
Extensor Pollicis Longus Entrapment on CT in Acute Distal Radius Fracture May Be a Predictor of Tendon Rupture
Authors: Laane Charlotte L. E. , Husseini Jad S. , Huang Ambrose J. , Balza Romero Rene , Stam Mark , Chen Neal C. 
Published: February 2025

Background: Extensor pollicis longus (EPL) rupture is a well-described complication after volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures. Although protrusion of screw tips through the dorsal cortex of the distal radius is likely the cause of a substantial proportion of EPL ruptures, it is probably not the sole cause for EPL rupture after distal radius fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans of distal radius fractures to characterize the incidence of EPL damage at the time of injury. Methods: This retrospective study included adults with operatively treated distal radius fractures and a preoperative CT scan within 2 weeks of injury between January 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018. The cohort consisted of 96 wrists in 95 patients. The median age was 54 (interquartile range, IQR 38-64) years, 68% (65/95) were women, and median follow-up was 56 (IQR 22-61) months. Results: The fracture involved Lister’s tubercle in 75% (72/96) of fractures. Of these 72 fractures, 11 had an EPL tendon entrapped by fracture fragments (18%). Within the cohort, two EPL injuries manifested clinically. Conclusion: We present evidence that not all EPL ruptures after Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the distal radius are related to prominent dorsal screws. Extensor pollicis longus entrapment in Lister’s tubercle fracture fragments is relatively frequent and may be a potential contributor to tendon rupture. When a CT scan is obtained for the treatment of distal radius fractures, attention to the EPL and its relation to Lister’s tubercle may be helpful to characterize the risk of late rupture.
Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating Treatments for Carpometacarpal Arthritis Are Statistically Fragile: A Systematic Review
Authors: Koehne Niklas H. , Locke Auston R. , Schroen Christoph A. , Kator Jamie , Awah Christian E. , Hausman Michael R. 
Published: February 2025

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis have a significant impact on treatment decisions, yet the robustness of their findings is seldom evaluated. This study aims to investigate the statistical fragility of RCTs evaluating treatments for CMC arthritis. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE were systematically searched for recent RCTs (2010-2023) evaluating treatment variations for CMC arthritis. The fragility index (FI) or reverse FI (rFI) was calculated for each dichotomous outcome, representing the number of event reversals required to alter statistical significance for significant and nonsignificant outcomes, respectively. The fragility quotient (FQ) was determined by dividing the FI or rFI by the total sample size. Results: Of the 46 RCTs screened for inclusion, 15 were included for analysis, resulting in 46 total outcomes. The median FI across the 46 outcomes was 4.5, with an associated median FQ (mFQ) of 0.075. Statistically significant outcomes were more fragile (mFQ = 0.026) than nonsignificant outcomes (mFQ = 0.079). In 66.7% of significant outcomes, losses to follow-up were greater than that outcome’s FI. Postoperative functional tests, adverse events, and patient satisfaction were the most common outcome categories reported, with mFQ’s of 0.170, 0.066, and 0.068, respectively. Conclusions: Outcomes reported in RCTs studying CMC arthritis are statistically fragile, particularly among significant outcomes where losses to follow-up may have also affected outcome significance. For future studies, we recommend reporting fragility statistics along with P values to provide hand surgeons another metric by which to gauge the results of CMC RCTs.
Examining the bias-efficiency tradeoff from incorporation of nonconcurrent controls in platform trials: A simulation study example from the adaptive COVID-19 treatment trial
Authors: Bonnett Tyler , Potter Gail E , Dodd Lori E 
Published: February 2025

Background: Platform trials typically feature a shared control arm and multiple experimental treatment arms. Staggered entry and exit of arms splits the control group into two cohorts: those randomized during the same period in which the experimental arm was open (concurrent controls) and those randomized outside that period (nonconcurrent controls). Combining these control groups may offer increased statistical power but can lead to bias if analyses do not account for time trends in the response variable. Proposed methods of adjustment for time may increase type I error rates when time trends impact arms unequally or when large, sudden changes to the response rate occur. However, there has been limited exploration of the degree of type I error inflation one can plausibly expect in real-world scenarios. Methods: We use data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT) to mimic a realistic platform trial with a remdesivir control arm. We compare four strategies for estimating the effect of interferon beta-1a (the ACTT-3 experimental arm) relative to remdesivir (data from ACTT-1, ACTT-2, and ACTT-3) on recovery and death by day 29: utilizing concurrent controls only (the prespecified analysis), pooling all remdesivir arm data without adjustment (the “unadjusted-pooled” analysis), adjusting for time as a categorical variable, and a Bayesian hierarchical model implementation which adjusts for time trends using smoothing techniques (the “Bayesian time machine”). We compare type I error rates and relative efficiency of each method in simulation settings based on observed ACTT remdesivir arm data. Results: The unadjusted-pooled approach provided substantially different estimates of the effect of interferon beta-1a relative to remdesivir compared with the concurrent-only and model-based approaches, indicating that changes in recovery and death rates over time were not ignorable across different stages of ACTT. The model-based approaches rely on an assumption of constant treatment effects for each arm in the platform relative to control; error rates more than doubled in settings where this was not satisfied. Relative efficiency of the model-based approaches compared with the concurrent-only analysis was moderate. Conclusions: In simulation settings where key model assumptions were not met, potential efficiency gains from incorporation of nonconcurrent controls were outweighed by the risk of substantial type I error rate inflation. This leads us to advise against these strategies for primary analyses in confirmatory clinical trials, aligning with current FDA guidance advising against comparisons to nonconcurrent controls in COVID-19 settings. The model-based adjustment methods may be useful in other settings, but we recommend performing the concurrent-only analysis as a reference for assessing the degree to which nonconcurrent controls drive results.
Efficacy and safety of intravenous alteplase for unknown onset stroke on prior antiplatelet therapy: Post hoc analysis of the EOS individual participant data
Authors: Shiomi Yuma , Miwa Kaori , Jensen Märit , Inoue Manabu , Yoshimura Sohei , Kamogawa Naruhiko , Fukuda-Doi Mayumi , Ma Henry , Ringleb Peter , Wu Ona , Schwamm Lee H , Davis Stephen M , Donnan Geoffrey A , Gerloff Christian , Nakahara Jin , Toyoda Kazunori , Thomalla Götz , Koga Masatoshi 
Published: February 2025

Background: The effects of intravenous alteplase in patients with prior antiplatelet therapy (APT) remain controversial. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of imaging-based intravenous alteplase in patients with unknown onset stroke with prior APT. Methods: Data from randomized controlled trials comparing alteplase with placebo/standard care in patients with unknown onset acute ischemic stroke from the Evaluation of Unknown Onset Stroke Thrombolysis (EOS) individual patient data meta-analysis collaboration were analyzed. Favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0–1 at 90 days post-stroke. Safety outcomes included symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) at 22–36 h and 90-day mortality. Results: Overall, 780 patients had available baseline data on prior APT. Compared with the no prior APT group (n = 523), the prior APT group (n = 257) was older (72 vs. 66 years) and had a higher prevalence of vascular risk factors. There was no interaction between prior APT and treatment effects of alteplase (p for interaction = 0.23). In the prior APT patients, 55/125 (45%) patients in the alteplase group and 39/132 (30%) patients in the control group had a favorable outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.07 [95% confidence interval, 1.18–3.64]). The rates of sICH and mortality in the alteplase and control groups were 5.6% and 0.8% (aOR, 7.78 [0.94–63.37]) and 6.5% and 6.1% (aOR, 1.12 [0.38–3.36]), respectively. In the no prior APT patients, 136 patients (50%) in the alteplase group and 112 patients (45%) in the control group had a favorable outcome (aOR, 1.39 [0.94–2.05]). Safety outcomes were not significantly different between the groups (sICH: 3 [1.1%] vs. 1 [0.4%]; mortality: 13 [4.9%] vs. 3 [1.2%]). Conclusions: Alteplase has consistent efficacy regardless of prior APT in patients with unknown onset stroke. In addition, prior APT does not significantly increase the risk of sICH or mortality.
Acetylsalicylic acid and subarachnoid haemorrhage in the Nurses’ Health Study
Authors: Ewbank Frederick , Hall Samuel , Gaastra Benjamin , Bulters Diederik 
Published: February 2025

Background Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) is known to increase the risk of bleeding throughout the body. However, there is also evidence to suggest that acetylsalicylic acid may have a protective role in the formation and rupture of intracranial aneurysms. Previous studies investigating acetylsalicylic acid and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) have so far provided conflicting results. Aims The aim of this study was to analyse the Nurse’s Health Study (NHS) using serial assessments to evaluate differences in rates of SAH in those participants taking acetylsalicylic acid and those not taking acetylsalicylic acid while considering dose, frequency, and duration as well as different types of SAH. Methods The Nurse’s Health Study (NHS) is a prospective population-based cohort study of female nurses. Information on acetylsalicylic acid was first reported in 1980 until 2016 and included acetylsalicylic acid use, dose, frequency and duration. All stroke cases were classified by physicians. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) associated with acetylsalicylic acid use. Results A total of 117,648 NHS participants were eligible for analysis with 357 cases of SAH observed over 4,091,239 years of follow up. There was no association between acetylsalicylic acid use and SAH (HR 1.02 [0.82, 1.28], p=0.85), aneurysmal SAH (1.04 [0.78, 1.39], p=0.78), or idiopathic SAH (HR 0.94 [0.65, 1.34], p=0.72). The number of acetylsalicylic acid tablets per week was associated with SAH (HR 1.03 [1.00, 1.06], p=0.02), specifically fatal SAH (HR 1.04 [1.00, 1.08], p=0.03). There was no association between frequency and SAH (HR 1.06 [0.99, 1.13], p=0.07). Conclusions There was no evidence to support a protective association between acetylsalicylic acid and either SAH or aneurysmal SAH in female participants. In fact, there was some evidence to suggest increased SAH risk with increased acetylsalicylic acid dose in some but not all analyses. Data access statement Data are available by request from the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Healing after Bruner and McCash incisions for limited fasciectomy in patients with Dupuytren's disease: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Lenzi Luiz Guilherme de Saboya , Santos João Baptista Gomes dos , Kobayashi Elsa Yoko , Cavalheiro Renan Pelluzzi , Nader Helena Bonciani , Faloppa Flavio 
Published: February 2025

We compared the healing quality of Bruner and McCash incisions for limited fasciectomy in a randomized clinical trial involving 12 women and 60 men with Dupuytren’s disease. None had had previous surgery on the affected hand, and all were treated between May 2017 and November 2018. Patients were graded according to the Tubiana classification and randomized to Bruner or McCash groups. Scar assessment was performed 6 months postoperatively using four methods: visual analogue scale score, Vancouver Scar Scale score, and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. The mean age of the patients was 61 years, and 72% were Caucasian. The mean time since disease onset was 6 years. Compared with the McCash group, the Bruner group had more concerning postoperative complications including wound dehiscence, pain and hypertrophic scarring. The McCash incision technique had more satisfactory results in terms of fewer postoperative complications, better quality of healing and higher patient satisfaction. Level of evidence: I
An uncomplicated and accurate approach to the measurement and reporting of Dupuytren’s contractures
Authors: du Plessis Rimon , Solomons Michael , McGuire Duncan 
Published: February 2025

There is currently no standardized method to measure Dupuytren’s contractures and the reported definitions are variable and often confusing. We present an uncomplicated and accurate measuring and reporting technique that considers the dynamism effect. Level of evidence: V
Comparative analysis of enteroscopy, computed tomography enterography, and intestinal ultrasound for the evaluation of small bowel Crohn’s disease
Authors: Peng Bo , Liu Zhongcheng , Huang Zicheng , Lin Huixian , Wang Zhiyue , Guo Qin 
Published: February 2025

Background: The comparable evaluation of computed tomography enterography (CTE), enteroscopy, and intestinal ultrasound in small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) is imprecise. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the findings of enteroscopy, CTE, and intestinal ultrasound to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each method for the evaluation of small bowel CD. Design: It was a single-center, observational, retrospective study. Methods: The differences in localization of disease lesions, mucosal inflammation, and transmural inflammation between enteroscopy, CTE, and intestinal ultrasound for evaluation of small bowel CD were compared. Results: A total of 198 patients with small bowel CD were included in the analysis. CTE and intestinal ultrasound had a lower detection rate of upper intestinal lesions compared with enteroscopy ( p < 0.05). Enteroscopy was better than CTE and intestinal ultrasound in the detection of stenosis ( p < 0.001), and the assessment of fistula by CTE was better than that by enteroscopy and intestinal ultrasound ( p < 0.05). Enteroscopy, CTE, and intestinal ultrasound differed in the assessment of inflammatory activity, and the agreement of the three methods was poor (all intra-class correlation coefficient <0.75). Conclusion: Enteroscopy is superior to CTE and intestinal ultrasound for the assessment of upper intestinal CD lesions. Enteroscopy, CTE, and intestinal ultrasound were not consistent in evaluating inflammatory activity, and the three methods may need to be combined for an accurate assessment.
Nomogram Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Plus Pembrolizumab in Locally Advanced Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Zhangwei , Chen Yi , Ma Renqiang , Sun Wei , Chen Lin , Cai Zhimou , Wen Weiping , Lei Wenbin 
Published: February 2025

Importance The objective response (ORR) rate in patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell-carcinoma (LA-HPSCC) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) of albumin-bound paclitaxel plus carboplatin is low. At present, it is unclear whether the addition of pembrolizumab could increase the ORR or not. Objective To investigate whether the addition of pembrolizumab could increase the ORR, and to develop a nomogram to predict the response of pembrolizumab addition. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting This study was conducted at a single institution. Participants This study included 129 patients who conformed to the inclusion criteria. Intervention or Exposures NACT with or without pembrolizumab for patients with LA-HPSCC. Main Outcome Measures The ORR was analyzed according to the RECIST 1.1 criteria and a nomogram was developed based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multivariable Cox regression analysis. Predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were evaluated by receiver operating characteristics, precision recall, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis. Results Eighty-two patients received NACT and 47 also received pembrolizumab. ORR was higher in patients receiving additional pembrolizumab (66.0% vs 47.6%, χ2 = 4.074, P = .044). The nomogram identified pretreatment levels of lymphocytes and red blood cells as independent predictors of a high ORR, while basophil levels were an independent predictor of a low ORR. Calibration curve showed that the nomogram-based predictions corresponded well with actual observations. C-index of the nomogram was 0.925 (0.848-1.002) and the area under curve was 0.925. Decision curve analysis affirmed that the nomogram had important clinical value. Conclusions and Relevance Pembrolizumab could improve the ORR in LA-HPSCC patients treated with NACT. Furthermore, a risk-prediction nomogram incorporating readily assessable routine pretreatment blood parameters can accurately estimate the response to NACT with pembrolizumab, leading to precise treatment and minimizing the waste of medical resources.
Full-Percutaneous Trans-Kambin Lumbar Interbody Fusion With a Large-Footprint Interbody Cage
Authors: Morgenstern Christian , Morgenstern Rudolf 
Published: February 2025

Study Design Exploratory prospective observational cohort. Objectives Aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiologic outcome, and surgical efficiency of a novel universal delivery system that allows full-percutaneous extraforaminal, trans-Kambin lumbar interbody fusion with a large-footprint lumbar interbody cage using only fluoroscopic imaging and open-surgery instrumentation. Methods We prospectively evaluated patients that underwent elective trans-Kambin TLIF surgery with a large-footprint interbody cage using a novel universal delivery system. Clinical follow-up was evaluated pre-and post-operatively with Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, while radiologic follow-up was performed with a computed tomography scan and standing films post-operatively at hospital discharge and 1 year follow-up. Results A total of 47 patients were evaluated. Clinically, post-operative VAS and ODI scores significantly ( P < 0.001) improved compared to pre-operative scores and 29.4 months mean follow-up. Radiologic evaluation yielded an intervertebral fusion rate of 90% of the operated levels and a significant increase in segmental lordosis by 3.7°. Median surgical time for interbody cage insertion per level was 28 minutes. Complications included 14 (29%) cases with transitory post-operative radiculitis, 4 (8%) cases with partial muscle weakness and 2 (4%) cases that required revision surgery. Post-operative ambulation started at a median 5 hours and median hospital length of stay was 28 hours. Conclusions A new universal delivery system allows overcoming most limitations of current full-endoscopic trans-Kambin fusion as it allows a time- efficient full-percutaneous insertion of a large-footprint interbody cage under fluoroscopy imaging only, with standard open-surgery instruments and optional endoscopic visualization.