bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Midpoint of C7 Lateral Mass Serves as an Accurate Reference Point for the Placement of T1 Pedicle Screws: An Anatomic Study
Authors: Kim Kevin T. , Panagos Michael , Hentschel Matthew , Sharma Ashish , Han Nathan , Chryssikos Timothy , Schwartzbauer Gary , Crandall Kenneth M. , Sansur Charles A. 
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Free-hand placement of T1 pedicle screws can often be challenging. A reliable free-hand technique for placement of T1 pedicle screws can overcome some of the difficulties associated with poor fluoroscopy in this region. The purpose of this study was to propose a novel anatomic landmark for accurate identification of the T1 entry point using the midpoint of the C7 lateral mass as a reference point. Our hypothesis is that the midpoint of the C7 lateral mass is within 1–2 mm of the center of the T1 pedicle.

METHODS:
Using 3-dimensional reconstruction software, the pedicle of T1 and the lateral mass of C7 were isolated to assess the location of the T1 pedicle relative to the C7 lateral mass. Specifically, the distance between the center of the T1 pedicle and the center of the C7 lateral mass was measured on 40 computed tomography scans. Furthermore, a clinical validation of this technique was performed by assessing the postoperative computed tomography scans of 53 patients undergoing cervicothoracic instrumentation. The Gertzbein and Robbins classification system was used to grade the accuracy of T1 pedicle screw placements in all patients using this technique.

RESULTS:
The average horizontal deviation + SD from centers of the T1 pedicle and the C7 lateral mass was 0.398 mm ± 0.953 mm. The T1 pedicle on average was slightly medial to the center of the C7 lateral mass. A total of 98.1% of T1 pedicle screws placed in vivo using the free-hand technique were of Grade A.

CONCLUSION:
In this article, we demonstrate that the center of the C7 lateral mass overlays the T1 pedicle and the optimal entry point is immediately below the midpoint of the C7 lateral mass. This approach provides a practical and accurate landmark in posterior cervicothoracic spine procedures that reduce the need for additional radiation exposure or increased operative time with image-guided techniques.
Hashimoto’s thyroidits and other causes of hypothyrodisim – systematic review
Authors: Jurek Aleksander , Szumlas Zuzanna , Mrozek Łukasz , Klocek Konrad , Zwolski Maciej , Puchalski Krzysztof , Kostecki Bartosz , Hajduk Aleksandra 
Published: October 2023

Introduction and objective: The aim of the study is to summarize the knowledge about hypothyroidism, with particular emphasis on Hashimoto's disease, as its most common cause.
Review metods: Literature review of PubMed database using key words contained in ‘Medical Subject Headings’ MeSH. State of Knowledge: Hashimoto's disease is the most common form of thyroiditis, as well as main cause of hypothyroidism. It is an autoimmune disease that leads to gradual fibrosis and atrophy of the thyroid gland. It occurs several times more frequently in women than in men. Treatment mainly involves supplementation of thyroid hormones due to the progressive hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine (L-T4) therapy has a long history of clinical use, a defined pharmacological profile, and is considered as safe treatment of hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland. There are also other, less common causes of hypothyroidism, such as postoperative hypothyroidism, de Quervain's disease, post-radioactive iodine treatment status, drug-induced and central hypothyroidism, which are equally important and should not be forgotten during the diagnostic process.
Summary: Hypothyroidism can be caused by various factors, the main being Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Regardless of the etiology, treatment in most cases involves levothyroxine (LT-4) supplementation, which leads to euthyroidism and resolution of symptoms. Surgery may need to be performed in pateitns who meet the surgical criteria and show unresponsiveness to conservative treatment.
Online Bipartite Matching with Reusable Resources
Authors: Delong Steven , Farhadi Alireza , Niazadeh Rad , Sivan Balasubramanian , Udwani Rajan 
Published: October 2023

We study the classic online bipartite matching problem with a twist: off-line vertices, called resources, are reusable. In particular, when a resource is matched to an online vertex, it is unavailable for a deterministic time duration d, after which it becomes available again for a rematch. Thus, a resource can be matched to many different online vertices over a period of time. Whereas recent work on the problem has resolved the asymptotic case in which we have large starting inventory (i.e., many copies) of every resource, we consider the (more general) case of unit inventory and give the first algorithms that are provably better than the naïve greedy approach, which has a competitive ratio of (exactly) 0.5. Our first algorithm, which achieves a competitive ratio of 0.589, generalizes the classic RANKING algorithm for online bipartite matching of nonreusable resources (Karp et al. 1990) by reranking resources independently over time. Whereas reranking resources frequently has the same worst case performance as greedy, we show that reranking intermittently on a periodic schedule succeeds in addressing reusability of resources and performs significantly better than greedy in the worst case. Our second algorithm, which achieves a competitive ratio of 0.505, is a primal-dual randomized algorithm that works by suggesting up to two resources as candidate matches for every online vertex and then breaking the tie to make the final matching selection in a randomized correlated fashion over time. As a key component of our algorithm, we suitably adapt and extend the powerful technique of online correlated selection (Fahrbach et al. 2020) to reusable resources in order to induce negative correlation in our tie-breaking step and beat the competitive ratio of 0.5. Both of our results also extend to the case in which off-line vertices have weights. Funding: R. Niazadeh’s research is supported by the Asness Junior Faculty Fellowship at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
A simple index to predict healing in venous leg ulcers: a secondary analysis from four randomised controlled trials
Authors: Jull Andrew , Lu Han , Jiang Yannan 
Published: October 2023

Objective: To investigate whether the use of a simple baseline measurement predicts venous leg ulcer healing at 12 and 24 weeks. Method: This was a secondary analysis of a cohort of four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of treatments adjuvant to compression. Self-reported ulcer duration, and measured ulcer length and width, to calculate estimated ulcer area, were used to obtain a Margolis index score. The score created three prognostic strata for likelihood to heal within 24 weeks, and the number of participants healed and time-to-healing were compared. Results: There were a total of 802 participants across the four RCTs—408 (50.9%) in two 12-week trials and 394 (49.1%) in two 24-week trials. The mean age of participants was 63.7±17.6 years, and 372 were female (46.4%). The Margolis index score at baseline was 0 for 320 participants (predicted normal healing); 1 for 334 participants; and 2 for 148 participants (both 1 and 2 predicted slow-to-heal). Overall, 248 (77.5%) of those participants who scored 0 at baseline healed within 24 weeks, compared with 182 (54.5%) of participants who scored 1, and 30 (20.3%) participants who scored 2. The median time-to-healing was 40 (24–62) days, 57 (35–100) days and 86.5 (56–151) days, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.69 and 0.77, respectively, for the 12 and 24 week trials. Conclusion: A simple baseline index identifies participants with normal or slow-to-heal wounds and could be used to demonstrate prognostic balance between treatment groups in trials. This approach could also be used in clinical practice to assist with managing expectations and for early identification of patients who may best benefit from adjuvant treatments.
A temperature-sensitive, high-adhesion medical tape: a comparative, single-blind clinical trial
Authors: Swanson Shawn , Luu Vivian , Smith Ryan , Gross Allayna , Tudor Joelle , MacKenzie Devin , Taroc Ann-Marie , Gow Kenneth W , Nelson Leonard Y , Seibel Eric J 
Published: October 2023

Objective: Medical adhesives are used to secure wound care dressings and other critical devices to the skin. While high peel-strength adhesives provide more secure skin attachment, they are difficult to remove from the skin and are correlated with medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSI), including skin tears, and an increased risk of infection. Lower-adhesion medical tapes may be applied to avoid MARSI, leading to dressing or device dislodgement and further medical complications. Method: This paper reports on the clinical testing of a new, high-adhesion medical tape, ThermoTape (University of Washington, US), designed for low skin trauma upon release. ThermoTape was benchmarked with Tegaderm (3M, US) and Kind Removal Tape (KRT) (3M, US). All three tapes were applied to both the left and right forearm of healthy volunteers and were removed 24 hours later—the right arm without applying heat and the left arm by applying a heat pack for 30 seconds before removal. Tape wear, self-reported pain (0–10 scale) and skin redness 15 minutes after removal were recorded. Results: This was a 53-subject comparative, single-blind clinical trial. There were clinically and statistically significant results supporting reduced pain during removal of ThermoTape with warming, with an average 58% decrease in pain, paired with a statistically significant 45% reduction in skin redness (p<0.01 for both values). In contrast, there were statistically insignificant differences in pain and redness for removal of Tegaderm and KRT with warming. ThermoTape after warming, in comparison with Tegaderm without warming, produced a reduced pain score of >1 on the 0–10 Wong–Baker/Face pain scale, which was statistically significant (p<0.01). Conclusion: These results provide compelling evidence that warming ThermoTape prior to removal can reduce pain and injury when compared with standard medical tapes. This could allow for stronger attachment of wound care dressings and critical medical devices while reducing cases of MARSI.
Profile of patients with burns according to seasonal changes
Authors: Taş Ilhan , Yiğit Ebral 
Published: October 2023

Objective: In this study, the aim was to discuss the effects of seasonal changes on the patient profile and number of patients hospitalised at our burn centre. Method: All cases of burns that occurred between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2020 at our hospital were investigated. Results: In total, 1417 patients were investigated, 799 of whom were male (56.4%) and 618 (43.6%) were female. The number of patients with burns in the 1–4 years age group was the highest of all the age groups. Scald burns and electrical burns were mostly observed in the spring; flame burns were mostly observed in the winter, and hot object contact and chemical burns were mostly observed in the summer. When considered in total, burn cases were mostly observed in spring and autumn. Conclusion: Understanding seasonal epidemiology of burn injuries can facilitate seasonal injury prevention campaigns and education efforts. Burn centres can also allocate resources appropriately, according to the patient volume and possible burn outcomes for each season.
Prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of hypothyroidism among pregnant women in the health region of Lleida: A cohort study
Authors: Siscart Júlia , Perejón Daniel , Serna Maria Catalina , Oros Miriam , Godoy Pere , Sole Eduard 
Published: October 2023

Background
Primary maternal hypothyroidism is defined as the increase of TSH levels in serum during pregnancy. Hypothyroidism in pregnancy is the second most common endocrine disease, after diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence ranging between 3.2 and 5.5%. Its variability depends on ethnical differences. Hypothyroidism in pregnancy is associated with other chronic diseases and fetal and maternal outcomes.

Objective
To analyze the prevalence of hypothyroidism among multiethnic pregnant women, and to evaluate the comorbidity with chronic diseases and outcomes leaded during pregnancy and newborn.

Methods
Retrospective observational cohort study in pregnant women during the years 2012–2018 in the health region of Lleida. The relationship of hypothyroidism with different variables was analyzed by calculating the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) with multivariate logistic regression models.

Results
We analyzed a sample of 17177 pregnant women, which represents more than 92% of the total of pregnant women in the health region of Lleida. The annual prevalence of hypothyroidism was 5.7–7.1%. According to the region of origin, the lowest prevalence was found in the population from Sub Saharian Africa (2.1%), while the highest was from Asia and the Middle East (8.6%). Other factors associated with hypothyroidism were age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. In addition, we did not observe an effect of hypothyroidism on the course of pregnancy, childbirth, and on the newborn. Finally, there was a good control of the disease during pregnancy.

Conclusions
The prevalence of hypothyroidism in pregnancy was 6,5% in this study which depends on the country of origin, lower values were found in Sub Saharian African women and higher in those from Asia and the Middle East. Hypothyroidism was associated with age, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, or dyslipidemia, and was not related to the Apgar score or the weight of the newborn.
Clinical epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents. The LiverKids: Study protocol
Authors: Chacón Carla , Arteaga Ingrid , Martínez-Escudé Alba , Ruiz Rojano Irene , Lamonja-Vicente Noemí , Caballeria Llorenç , Ribatallada Diez Ana María , Schröder Helmut , Montraveta Montserrat , Bovo Maria Victoria , Ginés Pere , Pera Guillem , Diez-Fadrique Galadriel , Pachón-Camacho Alba , Alonso Núria , Graupera Isabel , Torán-Monserrat Pere , Expósito Carmen 
Published: October 2023

Background
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly increasing alongside overweight and obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents. It is unknown what impact the development of NAFLD in childhood may have in later life. The importance of early detection and treatment lies in its potential for progression to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver-related death, as well as its associated extrahepatic comorbidities. Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) with Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) is an effective, non-invasive and safe diagnostic method to estimate the degree of fibrosis and steatosis in the liver, but little is known about its applicability in the paediatric population.

Aims
1) To assess the prevalence of significant liver fibrosis (Liver Stiffness Measurement (LSM) ≥6.5 kPa) using VCTE, and that of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (≥225 dB/m) using CAP in children and adolescents. 2) To determine the optimal cut-off points of the CAP to achieve maximum concordance with the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings in the diagnosis of mild, moderate and severe NAFLD in children and adolescents.

Methods
Cross-sectional population-based study which will include 2,866 subjects aged between 9 and 16 years. Participants will undergo: anamnesis, physical examination, blood extraction, VCTE, MRI and questionnaires on socio-demographic data, personal and family medical history and lifestyle assessment.

Applicability and relevance
The study aims to establish the foundations for the use of VCTE in children and adolescents in order to achieve early diagnosis of NAFLD. Moreover, it will serve to understand in further detail the disease and to identify the risk groups of children and adolescents who may be at risk of developing it. Ultimately, this will help determine to which subgroups of the population we need to target resources for prevention and early detection of this entity, as well as possible intervention for its treatment.

Trial registration
The LiverKids study is registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05526274).
Prediction of plasma volume and total hemoglobin mass with machine learning
Authors: Moreillon B. , Krumm B. , Saugy J. J. , Saugy M. , Botrè F. , Vesin J. M. , Faiss R. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractHemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) is used for the clinical diagnosis of anemia, and in sports as a marker of blood doping. [Hb] is however subject to significant variations mainly due to shifts in plasma volume (PV). This study proposes a newly developed model able to accurately predict total hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) and PV from a single complete blood count (CBC) and anthropometric variables in healthy subject. Seven hundred and sixty‐nine CBC coupled to measures of Hbmass and PV using a CO‐rebreathing method were used with a machine learning tool to calculate an estimation model. The predictive model resulted in a root mean square error of 33.2 g and 35.6 g for Hbmass, and 179 mL and 244 mL for PV, in women and men, respectively. Measured and predicted data were significantly correlated (p < 0.001) with a coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.76 to 0.90 for Hbmass and PV, in both women and men. The Bland–Altman bias was on average 0.23 for Hbmass and 4.15 for PV. We herewith present a model with a robust prediction potential for Hbmass and PV. Such model would be relevant in providing complementary data in contexts such as the epidemiology of anemia or the individual monitoring of [Hb] in anti‐doping.
Universal convex covering problems under translations and discrete rotations
Authors: Jung Mook Kwon , Yoon Sang Duk , Ahn Hee-Kap , Tokuyama Takeshi 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
We consider the smallest-area universal covering of planar objects of perimeter 2 (or equivalently, closed curves of length 2) allowing translations and discrete rotations. In particular, we show that the solution is an equilateral triangle of height 1 when translations and discrete rotations of π are allowed. We also give convex coverings of closed curves of length 2 under translations and discrete rotations of multiples of π/2 and of 2π/3. We show that no proper closed subset of that covering is a covering for discrete rotations of multiples of π/2, which is an equilateral triangle of height smaller than 1, and conjecture that such a covering is the smallest-area convex covering. Finally, we give the smallest-area convex coverings of all unit segments under translations and discrete rotations of 2π/k for all integers k=3.
Development of fiber compound foaming agent and experimental study on application performance of foamed lightweight soil
Authors: Qiu Youqiang , Wang Yijun , Liu Yang , Zhang Liujun , Chen Yashao , Li Chenyang , Wu Tong , Wang Chaoxiang 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In order to prepare high-performance foaming agent for field-cast foamed lightweight soil, the fiber compound foaming agent was prepared by the combination of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and nonionic surfactant alkyl polyglucoside (APG), supplemented by hydrolyzed polyacryamide (HPAM) as the foam stabilizer. The effects of the mass ratio of surfactant and the content of foam stabilizer on the properties of fiber compound foaming agent were compared and analyzed by testing the surface tension, viscosity, foam volume, and foam half-life. Based on the analysis of foam volume and foam stability of foaming agent, the optimal mass ratio of surfactant and the optimal content of foam stabilizer were optimized. In addition, based on the optimized fiber compound foaming agent to prepare foamed lightweight soil, the influence of different foaming agent concentrations on the application performance of foamed lightweight soil was studied, and the appropriate concentration of fiber compound foaming agent solution was further optimized. Thus, the optimum reaction conditions for preparing SDS-APG compound foaming agent containing foam stabilizer HPAM were proposed as follows: mass ratio of SDS to APG was 2:1, concentration of HPAM was 3.75 wt‰, and concentration of foaming agent was 9.21 wt%.
The Humanities of Contagion: How Literary and Visual Representations of the “Spanish” Flu Pandemic Complement, Complicate and Calibrate COVID-19 Narratives
Authors: Welang Nahum 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
My article examines how literary and visual representations of the “Spanish” Flu contagion foreshadow and generate critical discourses about pandemics. D.H. Lawrence’s novella The Fox characterises paranoia about biological abnormality and loss of agency as a likely reaction to epidemic threats, Josep Pla’s literary non-fiction The Gray Notebook explores how the act of forgetting functions as a coping mechanism during the experience of contagion, and John Singer Sargent’s painting The Interior of a Hospital Tent problematises the contradiction between forgetfulness and pandemic preparedness. Because these works utilise subtle but effective metaphors to understand, remember, and ethicise the trauma of living through a global contagion, they reveal the unexpected ways that metaphors rethink or generate critical resources about pandemics such as COVID-19. My article thus argues that the ability of these works to complement, complicate, and ultimately calibrate hegemonic narratives about COVID-19 makes a persuasive case for the educational relevance of humanistic insights.
Nahrungsmittel als Sprach- und Kulturbrücke im deutsch-albanischen Sprachkontakt in Kosovo
Authors: Hamiti Vjosa , Dushi Arlinda 
Published: October 2023

Abstrakt
Der vorliegende Beitrag widmet sich der Analyse des Einflusses der deutschen Sprache auf die Entwicklung des Albanischen in Kosovo im Rahmen interkultureller Begegnungen. Die Forschungsmethodik umfasst drei Phasen, nämlich die Analyse des Zustands, der Einwanderungszeit und schließlich Einwanderungswege von deutschen Entlehnungen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf der lexikalischen Analyse der Verwendung deutscher Entlehnungen im Albanischen, insbesondere in Kosovo. Ob ein Einfluss der deutschen Sprache auf das Albanische als Nachweis interkultureller Interaktion festgestellt werden kann, steht im Mittelpunkt der Untersuchung. Zudem wird der konkrete Umfang dieser Beeinflussung analysiert. Die Untersuchung berücksichtigt nicht nur zwischenmenschliche Aushandlungsprozesse, sondern auch zwischensprachliche Ereignisse, die im Kontext hybrider Kultur in Interaktionen hervorgehoben werden. Dabei werden die Konzepte der Transkulturalität und Interkulturalität herangezogen. Frühere Forschungsarbeiten haben zwar das Ausmaß des Gebrauchs deutscher Entlehnungen im Albanischen in Kosovo untersucht. Die vorliegende Untersuchung zielt nun darauf ab, diese Forschungen zu erweitern. Für die Analyse des Anwendungsbereichs deutscher Entlehnungen wurden verschiedene lexikalische Methoden angewendet. Die Untersuchung basiert auf einer langfristigen Feldforschung. Ein eigens erstellter Korpus liefert relevante Daten und ermöglicht wertvolle Einblicke in dieses sprachliche Phänomen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchung können als zusätzliches Material für künftige Forschungen zum deutsch-albanischen Sprachkontakt dienen.