bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between gait parameters and cognitive indexes in adult aging
Authors: Aznielle-Rodríguez Tania , Galán-García Lídice , Ontivero-Ortega Marlis , Aguilar-Mateu Karen , Castro-Laguardia Ana M. , Fernández-Nin Ana , García-Agustín Daysi , Valdés-Sosa Mitchell 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
This study aimed to identify the most effective summary cognitive index predicted from spatio-temporal gait features (STGF) extracted from gait patterns.

Methods
The study involved 125 participants, including 40 young (mean age: 27.65 years, 50% women), and 85 older adults (mean age: 73.25 years, 62.35% women). The group of older adults included both healthy adults and those with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Participant´s performance in various cognitive domains was evaluated using 12 cognitive measures from five neuropsychological tests. Four summary cognitive indexes were calculated for each case: 1) the z-score of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) from a population norm (MMSE z-score); 2) the sum of the absolute z-scores of the patients’ neuropsychological measures from a population norm (ZSum); 3) the first principal component scores obtained from the individual cognitive variables z-scores (PCCog); and 4) the Mahalanobis distance between the vector that represents the subject’s cognitive state (defined by the 12 cognitive variables) and the vector corresponding to a population norm (MDCog). The gait patterns were recorded using a body-fixed Inertial Measurement Unit while participants executed four walking tasks (normal, fast, easy- and hard-dual tasks). Sixteen STGF for each walking task, and the dual-task costs for the dual tasks (when a subject performs an attention-demanding task and walks at the same time) were computed. After applied Principal Component Analysis to gait measures (96 features), a robust regression was used to predict each cognitive index and individual cognitive variable. The adjusted proportion of variance (adjusted-R2) coefficients were reported, and confidence intervals were estimated using the bootstrap procedure.

Results
The mean values of adjusted-R2 for the summary cognitive indexes were as follows: 0.0248 for MMSE z-score, 0.0080 for ZSum, 0.0033 for PCCog, and 0.4445 for MDCog. The mean adjusted-R2 values for the z-scores of individual cognitive variables ranged between 0.0009 and 0.0693. Multiple linear regression was only statistically significant for MDCog, with the highest estimated adjusted-R2 value.

Conclusions
The association between individual cognitive variables and most of the summary cognitive indexes with gait parameters was weak. However, the MDCog index showed a stronger and significant association with the STGF, exhibiting the highest value of the proportion of the variance that can be explained by the predictor variables. These findings suggest that the MDCog index may be a useful tool in studying the relationship between gait patterns and cognition.
“I’d rather wait and see what’s around the corner”: A multi-perspective qualitative study of treatment escalation planning in frailty
Authors: Lound Adam , Bruton Jane , Jones Kathryn , Shah Nira , Williams Barry , Gross Jamie , Post Benjamin , Day Sophie , Brett Stephen J. , Ward Helen 
Published: September 2023

Introduction
People living with frailty risk adverse outcomes following even minor illnesses. Admission to hospital or the intensive care unit is associated with potentially burdensome interventions and poor outcomes. Decision-making during an emergency is fraught with complexity and potential for conflict between patients, carers and clinicians. Advance care planning is a process of shared decision-making which aims to ensure patients are treated in line with their wishes. However, planning for future care is challenging and those living with frailty are rarely given the opportunity to discuss their preferences. The aim of the ProsPECT (Prospective Planning for Escalation of Care and Treatment) study was to explore perspectives on planning for treatment escalation in the context of frailty. We spoke to people living with frailty, their carers and clinicians across primary and secondary care.

Methods
In-depth online or telephone interviews and online focus groups. The topic guide explored frailty, acute decision-making and planning for the future. Data were thematically analysed using the Framework Method. Preliminary findings were presented to a sample of study participants for feedback in two online workshops.

Results
We spoke to 44 participants (9 patients, 11 carers and 24 clinicians). Four main themes were identified: frailty is absent from treatment escalation discussions, planning for an uncertain future, escalation in an acute crisis is ‘the path of least resistance’, and approaches to facilitating treatment escalation planning in frailty.

Conclusion
Barriers to treatment escalation planning include a lack of shared understanding of frailty and uncertainty about the future. Emergency decision-making is focussed on survival or risk aversion and patient preferences are rarely considered. To improve planning discussions, we recommend frailty training for non-specialist clinicians, multi-disciplinary support, collaborative working between patients, carers and clinicians as well as broader public engagement.
Changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate and predictors of the renal prognosis in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective study during the 12 months after the initiation of tofogliflozin
Authors: Ito Hiroyuki , Inoue Hideyuki , Izutsu Takuma , Matsumoto Suzuko , Antoku Shinichi , Yamasaki Tomoko , Mori Toshiko , Togane Michiko 
Published: September 2023

Background
The changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and predictors of the renal prognosis were retrospectively assessed over the 12 months after the initiation of tofogliflozin, which has the shortest half-life among sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment.

Methods
In total, 158 patients treated with tofogliflozin between 2019 and 2021 were studied as the safety analysis set. One hundred and thirty subjects whose medication was continued over 12 months were investigated as the full analysis set. The subjects were divided into two groups based on the eGFR: normal- (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2, n = 87) and low- (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, n = 43) eGFR groups.

Results
The body weight, blood pressure, urinary protein excretion, and serum uric acid concentration decreased from baseline in both eGFR groups while the hemoglobin level increased. The eGFR did not significantly differ over time, except for the initial dip (-4.3±9.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the normal-eGFR group and -1.5±5.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the low-eGFR group). The change in the eGFR at 12 months after the initiation of tofogliflozin was -1.9±9.0 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 0.2±6.0 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the normal- and low-eGFR group, respectively. In the normal-eGFR group, the change in the eGFR showed a significant negative correlation with the HbA1c and eGFR at baseline, according to a multiple regression analysis. In the low-eGFR group, the change in the eGFR showed a significant negative correlation with urate-lowering agent use. The frequencies of adverse events specific for SGLT2 inhibitors were not significantly different between the normal- and low-eGFR groups.

Conclusions
Tofogliflozin may preserve renal function in the medium term in patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney impairment without an increase in specific adverse events.
In Search of a Unit of Analysis for Designing Instruments
Authors: Béguin Pascal 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
A welcome topic of the new journal Artifact is to promote as a distinct academic field the transdisciplinary approaches centered on design research. One of the conditions for such a transdisciplinary approach is that the different actors recognize the specificity of the contributions of other actors and the complementary nature of their respective productions. In this essay, I will argue that the different contributions of experts in design must be completed by users’ constructive activity. More particularly, my focus is to search for a unit of analysis that helps to build shared references between users and designers. I will proceed in two steps. In the first, I will suggest that an instrument cannot be confused with an artifact, and that it is the user or the worker who gives to an artifact the status of an instrument. In a second step I will describe the design process as a dialogical process in the Bakhtinien sense. I will conclude with comments on “what is an artifact?”
Double-Blind Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Glucagon vs Placebo in the Resolution of Alimentary Esophageal Impaction
Authors: de Benito Sanz Marina , Tejedor-Tejada Javier , Mangas-Sanjuan Carolina , Santa Eva de la , Cebrian Irene , Talegón Raquel , Sánchez-Ocaña Ramón , Pérez-Pariente José M. , Pérez-Miranda Manuel , García-Alonso Francisco Javier ,   on behalf of the GLUCAGON study group
Published: September 2023

INTRODUCTION:
The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of glucagon vs placebo in resolving esophageal foreign body impaction (EFBI), as well as the length of the procedure and adverse events.

METHODS:
This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial involving consecutive patients diagnosed with alimentary EFBI. Participants were randomized to receive either 1 mg of intravenous glucagon or placebo. All patients underwent upper endoscopy, and adverse events were assessed through a protocolized telephonic interview 7 days later.

RESULTS:
The study included 72 subjects in the glucagon group and 68 in the placebo group. The foreign body was not identified in 23.6% of subjects in the glucagon group and 20.6% of subjects in the placebo group (difference 3%, 95% confidence interval −10.7% to 16.8%, P = 0.67). The median time required to remove the foreign body was similar in both groups 4 minutes (range 2–10) in the glucagon group and 3.5 minutes (range 2–7) in the placebo group (difference 0.5 minutes, 95% confidence interval −1.3 to 2.3; P = 0.59). The most common adverse event reported in both groups was mild pharyngeal pain.

DISCUSSION:
Glucagon is no more effective than placebo in resolving EFBI or shortening the time required to remove the foreign body (EUDRA-CT number 2019-004920-40).
Biohacking Social: una estrategia pedagógica para el fortalecimiento de la educación y el fomento de la alfabetización científica en Medellín, Colombia
Authors: Cardona-Echeverry Andrés , Posada-Ferez Alejandra , Zapata-Martínez Juan-Felipe 
Published: September 2023

Es innegable el impacto que la educación de calidad y el acceso a la información tienen en el desarrollo sostenible de las sociedades. Una estrategia enfocada a mejorar la calidad de la educación y la democratización de la ciencia es lo que podría denominarse biohacking social. En este trabajo se propone un modelo de escuelas de creación que integra actores sociales con nuevas tecnologías para solucionar problemas como el que se considera en este trabajo: las falencias en la infraestructura de los laboratorios de primaria y secundaria en países como Colombia. Las iniciativas de software libre y ‘hazlo tú mismo’ proveen alternativas sostenibles y replicables para abordar problemas como la falta de equipos de laboratorio, en aras de garantizar un ambiente educativo de calidad. Adicionalmente, se relaciona la experiencia obtenida interviniendo comunidades de la ciudad de Medellín a través espacios de divulgación y alfabetización científica como mecanismos de democratización de la ciencia. Las intervenciones a diferentes comunidades demuestran la importancia que tiene acercar la ciencia a la cotidianidad, así como su relevancia para promover la apropiación social del conocimiento.
Influence of the skull bone and brain tissue on the sound field in transcranial extracorporeal shock wave therapy: an ex vivo study
Authors: Reinhardt Nina , Schmitz Christoph , Milz Stefan , de la Fuente Matías 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Objectives
Focused ultrasound is mainly known for focal ablation and localized hyperthermia of tissue. During the last decade new treatment options were developed for neurological indications based on blood-brain-barrier opening or neuromodulation. Recently, the transcranial application of shock waves has been a subject of research. However, the mechanisms of action are not yet understood. Hence, it is necessary to know the energy that reaches the brain during the treatment and the focusing characteristics within the tissue.

Methods
The sound field of a therapeutic extracorporeal shock wave transducer was investigated after passing human skull bone (n=5) or skull bone with brain tissue (n=2) in this ex vivo study. The maximum and minimum pressure distribution and the focal pressure curves were measured at different intensity levels and penetration depths, and compared to measurements in water.

Results
Mean peak negative pressures of up to −4.97 MPa were reached behind the brain tissue. The positive peak pressure was attenuated by between 20.85 and 25.38 dB/cm by the skull bone. Additional damping by the brain tissue corresponded to between 0.29 and 0.83 dB/cm. Compared to the measurements in water, the pulse intensity integral in the focal spot was reduced by 84 % by the skull bone and by additional 2 % due to the brain tissue, resulting in a total damping of up to 86 %. The focal position was shifted up to 8 mm, whereas the basic shape of the pressure curves was preserved.

Conclusions
Positive effects may be stimulated by transcranial shock wave therapy but damage cannot be excluded.
Quantification of carbon black tattoo ink hydrophobicity pre- and post-sonication
Authors: Bruin Jordaan Jean de , Postema Michiel , Carlson Craig S. , Nixon Ken J. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Despite growing academic interest for dermal inking in contemporary society, the reason why skin tattoos remain visible for life has predominantly been studied from a biological perspective. In preliminary physics studies of ink it has been presumed that the hydrophobicity of its main constituent prevents further dilution of pigment dispersion and therefore may be a contributing factor to aforementioned lifelongevity. According to these early studies, ultrasound might change the hydrophobicity of microparticles. The purpose of this study was to confirm or refute the presence of hydrophobic components in carbon black tattoo ink and to relate sonication to such presence. Cuvettes with n-octanol, distilled water, and a droplet of unsonicated or sonicated carbon black ink were shaken, allowed to settle and subsequently photographed. The sonicated ink had been subjected to ultrasound during 5 min at a centre frequency of 1 MHz, a pulse-repetition frequency of 1 kHz, and a 10% duty cycle. The greyscale values in both parts of the cuvettes were averaged. The resulting ratio of light intensities was an indicator for the ink hydrophobicity. The intensity partition coefficient of carbon black ink was measured to be greater than 103 before sonication and less than 103 after sonication. Carbon black tattoo ink was found to be very hydrophobic. However, sonication was found to make the dispersion less hydrophobic. Influencing the hydrophobicity of tattoo ink might change the permanence of a skin tattoo.
High-speed optical observations of asymmetric pulsations of microbubbles released from tablet matrix
Authors: Anderton Nicole , Carlson Craig S. , Xinyue Hu , Otake Naoyuki , Sorjonen Joona , Kudo Nobuki , Ketolainen Jarkko , Postema Michiel 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Microbubbles with a negligible shell are of utmost importance in the study of harmonic ultrasound contrast agents. The purpose of this study was to collect and quantify experimental pulsation footage of gas microbubbles released from tablet matrix under sonication. Radii were measured as a function of time of 50 microbubbles that had been released from tablet matrix and were subjected to 3-cycle pulses of 1-MHz ultrasound with a 0.3-MPa peak-negative pressure. The size distribution was measured, as well as pre- and postsonication radii. The experimental footage showed proof of asymmetric buckling, but also of excursion-only behaviour. The former phenomenon has been attributed to a surplus of material accumulated on the microbubble-liquid interfaces, whilst the latter phenomenon has been associated with the presence of incompressible material inside the microbubbles. The postsonication resting radii of 41 microbubbles had become less compared to the corresponding pre-sonication radii. The opposite effect was observed with eight microbubbles in the same size range. This feasibility study confirmed that the gas microbubbles released from tablet matrix may pulsate asymmetrically. Thus, they might be suitable tracers for harmonic imaging.
PH-triggered drug release of ciprofloxacin from layer-by-layer coatings on titanium
Authors: Rieks Desiree , Kampmann Andreas , Gellrich Nils-Claudius , Ehlert Nina 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Implant-associated infections are still a major issue in implant surgery. Biofilms tend to form on implant surfaces, like titanium, and can hardly be reached by the immune system. Additionally, systemic treatments with antibiotics often fail and cause severe side effects for the patient. Direct delivery of the antibiotic from the implant surface to the surrounding tissue is one approach to solve this problem. To realize this, the application of pH-sensitive coatings on implant surfaces, which release their cargo only if an infection arises, is a promising option. This can be triggered by the decrease of the pH value occurring in infected tissue. For such pH-sensitive systems with integrated drug loading capacity layer-by-layer coatings with weak polyelectrolytes can be used. Here, we present a coating applied on titanium substrates by dip-coating. As negatively charged polyelectrolyte polyacrylic acid, as positively charged poly(allylamine hydrochloride) is used. As an effective drug, the antibiotic ciprofloxacin is incorporated into the coating and the release profiles are recorded.
Sonic cracking of calcium carbonate-encapsulated microbubbles observed at moderate acoustic amplitudes
Authors: Poortinga Albert T. , Postema Michiel , Carlson Craig S. , Anderton Nicole , Yamasaku Momoka , Otake Naoyuki , Kudo Nobuki 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Theranostic agents are materials that act both as tracers during diagnostic imaging and as vehicles carrying and releasing therapeutics during treatment. Ultrasoundtriggered theranostic agents comprise shell-encapsulated microbubbles that pulsate during low-amplitude ultrasonic imaging and release their payload upon higher-amplitude sonication whilst simultaneously assisting in the permeation of target tissue. High-amplitude release may be undesirable due to unwanted side effects related to inertial cavitation. However, low-amplitude release from microbubbles typically requires thin encapsulating shells, which in turn may be permanently disrupted under diagnostic imaging conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability for theranostic applications of a novel microbubble agent with thick shells composed of calcium carbonate. Hydrophobised calcium carbonate-encapsulated microbubbles of radii between 1.0 μm and 11 μm were subjected to short ultrasound pulses of 1-MHz ultrasound at acoustic amplitudes of 0.5MPa or less, which corresponds to low mechanical indices. During sonication, high-speed video footage was recorded at a frame rate of ten million frames per second. We observed pulsations but no gas release at a 0.1-MPa amplitude and intra-encapsulation fragmentation during sonication at a 0.3-MPa amplitude. At 0.5-MPa amplitude sonication, release was observed from more than 70% of the microbubbles in the field of view. This finding indicates that the microbubbles were stable scatterers during 0.1-MPa sonication, but instable vehicles during 0.5-MPa sonication. The pressures used in this study to observe release were too low to allow for unwanted inertial cavitation. In conclusion, therefore, the microbubbles studied were a promising theranostic agent whose contents could be released at moderate acoustic amplitudes.
Feasibility study for a possible therapy of bacterial keratitis by UVB irradiation
Authors: Fischer Simone , Fehler Nicole , Hessling Martin 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Bacterial keratitis is a widespread disease in which bacteria have infected the cornea. This can lead to blindness and should be treated immediately after diagnosis. However, antibiotics do not reach pathogens inside the cornea. Therefore, it is investigated whether UVB irradiation might be a feasible therapy that reaches and inactivates bacteria even deep inside the cornea. Thus, the cornea transmission of porcine eyes was measured to reveal a high UVB penetration. As Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the relevant pathogens, E. coli suspensions were irradiated by a 311 nm UVB lamp, to explore the antimicrobial impact of the UVB radiation. Finally, as a worst-case scenario, it was investigated whether E. coli behind the cornea was also inactivated. A cornea transmission of 36.4 ± 5.9 % was observed at 311 nm and an irradiation dosage of 1.9 J/cm2 was found for a three log reduction of E. coli in suspension. The reduction of E. coli by 311 nm irradiation even behind the cornea could be confirmed. Therefore, by this approach, it should be possible to reach bacteria even deep inside the cornea by means of UVB irradiation as a fast keratitis therapy.
Deep Learning by Domain Transfer for Early Tumor Detection in the Urinary Bladder
Authors: Eixelberger Thomas , Maisch Philip , Kruck Stephan , Belle Sebastian , Kriegmair Maximilian , Bolenz Christian , Wittenberg Thomas 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is the second most common genitourinary malignancy and has a mortality of 165,000 deaths p.a. The diagnosis of BCa is mostly carried out using cystoscopy - the visual examination of the urinary bladder with an endoscope. White light cystoscopy is currently considered as gold standard for the diagnosis. Nevertheless, especially flat, small or weakly textured lesions, are very difficult to detect and diagnose. Objective: With the advent of deep learning and already commercially available systems for the detection of adenomas in colonoscopy, it is investigated how such a system - for colonoscopy - performs if retrained and tested with cystoscopy images. Methods: A deep neural network with a YOLOv7-tiny architecture was pre-trained on 35,699 colonoscopy images (partially from Mannheim), yielding a precision = 0.92, sensitivity = 0.90, F1 = 0.91 on public colonoscopy data collections. Results: Testing this adenomadetection network with cystoscopy images from three sources (Ulm, Erlangen, Pforzheim), F1 scores in the range of 0.67 to 0.74 could be achieved. The network was then retrained with 12,066 cystoscopy images (from Mannheim), yielding improved F1 scores in the range of 0.78 to 0.85. Conclusion: It could be shown that a deep learning network for adenoma detection in colonoscopy is ad-hoc able to detect approximately 75% of the lesions in the urinary bladder in cystoscopy images, suggesting that these lesions have a similar appearance. After retraining the network with additional cystoscopy data, the performance for urinary lesion detection could be improved, indicating that a domain-shift with adequate additional data is feasible.