bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subtype of atypia on cytology and risk of malignancy in pediatric thyroid nodules
Authors: Cherella Christine E. , Hollowell Monica L. , Smith Jessica R. , Zendejas Benjamin , Modi Biren P. , Cibas Edmund S. , Wassner Ari J. 
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUNDThyroid nodules with atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) are challenging to manage because of their intermediate risk of malignancy. Subclassification of atypia can refine malignancy risk in adult AUS nodules but has not been evaluated in children.METHODSThis was a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients (<19 years old) who underwent fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of a thyroid nodule with resulting AUS cytology. Atypia was subclassified as nuclear only, architectural only, nuclear and architectural, or oncocytic. The primary outcome was the association between atypia subtype and malignancy. A secondary outcome was the association of atypia subtype with repeat FNA cytology.RESULTSSixty‐eight AUS nodules in 61 patients were analyzed. The median age at FNA was 16.2 years (range, 9.8‐18.9 years). Twenty‐four nodules (35%) were malignant. Nuclear atypia only was present in 17 nodules (25%), architectural atypia only was present in 27 nodules (40%), nuclear and architectural atypia was present in 20 nodules (29%), and predominantly oncocytic features were present in 4 nodules (6%). The presence of nuclear atypia was associated with a significantly increased rate of malignancy (22 of 37 [59%] vs 2 of 31 [6.5%]; P < .001), whereas architectural atypia was not associated with malignancy (P = .8). Repeat FNA was performed in 42 of 68 nodules (62%). In nodules with initial nuclear and architectural atypia, benign repeat cytology had a high false‐negative rate (3 of 6; 50%).CONCLUSIONSPediatric AUS nodules with nuclear atypia have a high rate of malignancy, but architectural atypia is not associated with malignancy. In nodules with nuclear atypia, repeat FNA may inform clinical decisions regarding the need for resection. In the absence of suspicious clinical features, nodules without nuclear atypia might be considered for observation rather than resection or repeat FNA.
Color inconstancy in CIELAB: A red herring?
Authors: Seymour John 
Published: February 2022

AbstractColor constancy is something we take for granted. An apple appears red despite monumental changes in the intensity and spectral balance of illumination. There are many components to the human visual system that make this illusion possible. Nonetheless, the system is imperfect. Objects will change apparent color under different illumination. The CIELAB color space allows for the computation of color values under any illuminant. CIELAB values will, in general, change as the illuminant changes. It would be natural to assume that these changes in CIELAB values would agree with the apparent color change that a human would experience. But the chromatic adaptation built into CIELAB is known to be less than optimal due to an imperfect emulation of how the adaptation process is performed in the human visual system. As a result, at least part of the illuminant color change implied by the CIELAB values is an artifact of this imperfect emulation. This paper investigates the magnitude of this artifact by comparing color changes implied by CIELAB with color changes in a color system that mimics CIELAB, except that it more closely emulates the human visual system. The difference between the two estimates of color change is assumed to be an artifact of CIELAB's poor emulation of the chromatic adaptation process. As color manufacturers are dealing with a wider spectrum of illumination sources, they may wish to consider the issue of color constancy; what colors and what formulations of colors exhibit better color constancy? Can CIELAB be used to quantify this? Or are color spaces that are based on LMS rather than XYZ more appropriate?
Gnotobiotic Plant Systems for Reconstitution and Functional Studies of the Root Microbiota
Authors: Ma Ka‐Wai , Ordon Jana , Schulze‐Lefert Paul 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHealthy plants host a multi‐kingdom community of microbes, which is known as the plant microbiota. Amplicon sequencing technologies for microbial genomic markers were a milestone in revealing the taxonomic composition of the microbiota and its variation associated with a plant host in natural environments. However, this method alone does not allow conclusions to be drawn about functions of these microbial assemblages for the plant. The development of culture collections, which recapitulate natural microbial communities in their diversity, and multiple gnotobiotic plant systems therefore represent a breakthrough in plant‒microbiota research such that plants can be inoculated with defined communities to study proposed microbiota functions. These systems provided, for the root microbiota, first insights into mechanisms underlying microbial community establishment and contributions of its microbial members to indirect pathogen protection and mineral nutrition of the host. We argue that the choice of a gnotobiotic system for microbiota reconstitution and subsequent functional analysis depends on the particular plant trait that is influenced by the microbiota. We start by discussing the advantages and limitations of using individual gnotobiotic systems and then describe the general procedures for preparing bacterial cultures from the Arabidopsis thaliana At‐R‐SPHERE culture collection for inoculation and cocultivation in two gnotobiotic plant growth systems using agar and perlite matrix. Additionally, a protocol for inoculation of plants with opportunistic Pseudomonas pathogens is provided. Lastly, we describe a high‐throughput system for visual assessment of roots after inoculation with individual mutants of a transposon library generated from a root‐derived bacterial commensal. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of bacterial cultures from At‐R‐SPHERESupport Protocol 1: Validation of strains by sequencing hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA geneBasic Protocol 2: Coinoculation of plants grown on an agar matrix with microbial elicitor and a defined microbial communityAlternate Protocol: Inoculation of plants cultivated in a perlite‐based growth systemSupport Protocol 2: Surface sterilization of Arabidopsis thaliana seedsBasic Protocol 3: Inoculation using a Pseudomonas opportunistic pathogenBasic Protocol 4: Assessment of commensal‐mediated root phenotypes using phytostrips
Prognostic value of the liver fibrosis marker fibrosis‐5 index in patients with acute heart failure
Authors: Maeda Daichi , Kanzaki Yumiko , Sakane Kazushi , Tsuda Kosuke , Akamatsu Kanako , Hourai Ryoto , Okuno Takahiro , Tokura Daisuke , Nakayama Sayuri , Hasegawa Hitomi , Morita Hideaki , Ito Takahide , Hoshiga Masaaki 
Published: February 2022

AbstractAimsRecently, liver fibrosis markers, such as the fibrosis‐4 index (FIB‐4), have been shown to be associated with prognosis in patients with heart failure. The fibrosis‐5 (FIB‐5) index, which assesses albumin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase and platelet count, is a simple liver fibrosis marker that was reported to be superior to FIB‐4 for differentiation of liver fibrosis. This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of FIB‐4 and FIB‐5 in patients with heart failure.Methods and resultsThe FIB‐4 and FIB‐5 scores were calculated at discharge in 906 patients hospitalized with heart failure. The patients were stratified into three groups based on their FIB‐5 scores: low (n = 303), middle (n = 301), and high (n = 302) FIB‐5 groups. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death or rehospitalization for heart failure. The low FIB‐5 group was older and had larger inferior vena cava diameters and higher brain natriuretic peptide levels than the other two groups. The primary endpoint occurred in 156 (51.5%), 110 (36.5%), and 54 patients (17.9%) in the low, middle, and high FIB‐5 groups, respectively (P < 0.001). On Cox proportional hazard analysis, the low FIB‐5 was independently associated with the primary endpoint after adjustment for confounding factors. The association was consistent in both patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and there was no significant interaction between LVEF phenotypes in terms of the prognostic impact of FIB‐5 (P for interaction = 0.311). FIB‐5 was superior to FIB‐4 as a prognostic indicator of the primary endpoint (continuous net reclassification improvement, 0.530; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.399–0.662; P < 0.001; integrated discrimination improvement, 0.072; 95% CI, 0.057–0.088; P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe FIB‐5 is a useful risk stratification marker with better prognostic value than FIB‐4 in patients hospitalized with heart failure.
“Why do you think Christmas will never ever be celebrated again?” A paradoxical thinking intervention's potential to affect conflict‐related concerns, willingness to compromise, and openness towards refugees
Authors: Knab Nadine , Steffens Melanie C. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe large number of refugees and host countries’ citizens’ reactions regarding their admission have been major global issues. Thus, psychological interventions to foster intergroup relations in the asylum context are desirable. In three experiments with general population samples (N = 986), we adapted a paradoxical thinking intervention to the intergroup context of Germans and refugees, thus testing its effectiveness in an early stage of conflict. Participants in the paradoxical condition, compared to two control conditions, showed lower levels of conflict‐related concerns (Experiment 1), higher levels of openness to alternative information (Experiment 1, 3) and higher willingness to compromise (Experiment 2). In addition, the intervention was still successful when the sender of the paradoxical questions belonged to a political outgroup (Experiment 3). A mini‐meta‐analysis corroborated significant effects across experiments (for openness and willingness to compromise). Ideas for future research and the intervention's practical use are discussed (e.g., in social media).
Successful early use of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 monoclonal neutralizing antibodies in SARS‐CoV‐2 infected hematological patients – A Czech multicenter experience
Authors: Weinbergerová Barbora , Demel Ivo , Víšek Benjamin , Válka Jan , Čerňan Martin , Jindra Pavel , Novák Jan , Stejskal Lukáš , Kovácsová Flóra , Kabut Tomáš , Szotkowski Tomáš , Hájek Roman , Žák Pavel , Cetkovský Petr , Král Zdeněk , Mayer Jiří 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCOVID‐19 significantly impairs survival rates among hematological patients when compared to the general population. Our prospective multicentre project analyzed early administration of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (NmAbs) – bamlanivimab (72%) and casirivimab/imdevimab (28%) – efficacy among hematological patients with early‐stage COVID‐19. Mortality rate was compared to a control cohort of 575 SARS‐CoV‐2 positive hematological patients untreated with any specific anti‐COVID‐19 therapy. 88 hematological patients with lymphomas, acute leukemias, and myeloma as their most frequent underlying diagnoses (72%) were evaluated with a 97 days median follow‐up after NmAb administration. One third of patients (32%) were treated with an anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody before COVID‐19 diagnosis. Median time between first COVID‐19 symptom and NmAb administration was 2 days. When administering NmAb, 29%, 57%, 11%, 2%, and 1% of our patients had asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical degrees of COVID‐19, respectively. 80% of baseline asymptomatic patients remained asymptomatic following NmAb administration. Median duration of COVID‐19 symptoms after NmAb administration was 2.5 days. Progression to severe/critical COVID‐19 occurred among a total of 17% (15/88) of our cases and numerically higher with bamlanivimab versus casirivimab/imdevimab (21% vs. 8%; p = 0.215), and myelomas (29%), lymphomas (17%) and acute leukemias (18%), respectively. During final follow‐up, nine deaths (10%) were recorded ‐ all after bamlanivimab (p = 0.056) with 8% attributed to COVID‐19. Regarding “remdesivir/convalescent plasma naïve” patients, COVID‐19 mortality rates were significantly lower in our NmAbs treated cohort compared to the control cohort of untreated SARS‐CoV‐2 positive hematological patients (6% vs. 16%, p = 0.020), respectively. Our study validated the safety and efficacy of NmAbs early use among hematological patients with newly diagnosed early‐stage COVID‐19 in terms of alleviating infection course and decreasing mortality. Results confirmed a more positive effect of a casirivimab/imdevimab combination versus bamlanivimab monotherapy.
Analysis of responses of the health care workers recovered from COVID‐19 on convalescent plasma donation by apheresis: A single‐center survey study
Authors: Sahu Ansuman , Prakash Satya , Singh Arvind Kumar , Mukherjee Somnath 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID‐19 convalescent plasma (CCP) has been tried as a therapy in moderate COVID‐19 pneumonia. Donation of CCP requires motivation from recovered patients. This study evaluated the response of such recovered health care workers (HCWs) when they were motivated for CCP donation.MethodsAn interview‐based survey was carried out with recovered HCWs as study participants between August 2020 and November 2020. A qualified social worker explained the details of CCP donation over a mobile call; he clarified all their doubts and motivated them for the plasma donation. Their responses were recorded as “interested” or “not interested” followed by analysis.ResultsWe tried to call 624 recovered HCWs, but could not reach 213, and the final group available for the study was 411 participants. Of these 411, 186 were deferred. Finally, we analyzed a total of 225 responses. Eventually, 105 out of 225 HCWs (47%) were interested; there were no significant differences in responses among males and females and between different age groups (<.001) and the “doctors” designation category (P = .01) had a maximum number of “interested” responses. In multivariate logistic regression, only the “interested” responses of the doctors were significantly higher after adjusting the confounding effect of the “graduate and above” educational qualification category.ConclusionThis study found that nearly half of the eligible HCWs were interested in CCP donation. The educational qualification and designation among the recovered HCWs had an impact on CCP donation interest. The doctors were more interested in CCP donation compared to others.
Reference intervals for coagulation tests in adults with different ABO blood types
Authors: Chen Zeliang , Dai Xiaoqing , Cao Jing , Tan Xuerui , Chen Shuying , Yu Min 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIntroductionCoagulation tests are affected by many factors, such as age, race, and gestation. Although coagulation test results vary by ABO blood type, reference intervals of different ABO blood groups remain to be determined. This study aims to investigate the reference ranges of coagulation tests for different ABO blood groups in the Han population in South China.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College. In all, 9600 individuals aged between 20 and 79 years were included. Coagulation tests, including prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thrombin time, and fibrinogen, were performed.ResultsThere was a significant difference in PT, INR, and aPTT among ABO blood groups. PT and INR varied slightly between ABO blood groups. There was a higher aPTT value in individuals in the O blood group than in those in non‐O blood groups, in both males and females across the included age range. No differences were found in thrombin time and fibrinogen between the ABO blood groups.ConclusionThe study provides reference data on coagulation tests from ABO blood groups in South China. The established reference intervals specific to ABO blood type, sex, and age may improve clinical decisions based on coagulation tests.
The correlation of D‐dimer to stroke diagnosis within 24 hours: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Ahmad Adeel , Islam Zara , Manzoor Ahmad Saad , Sarfraz Zouina , Sarfraz Azza , Felix Miguel , Cherrez‐Ojeda Ivan 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackgroundDiagnosing D‐Dimer early is essential to optimize clinical treatment and quality of life and reduce mortality. This study aims to identify the difference of D‐Dimer levels (ng/ml) in patients with stroke within the 6‐ and 24‐h period compared to patients that mimic stroke.MethodsAn electronic database search across PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus was conducted until December 10, 2021. Studies were eligible if they included adult patients with stroke compared to stroke mimics or controls reporting D‐Dimer values. Quality assessment was conducted using GRADE. The standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were calculated in addition to the difference of means in the crude form. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q statistic and the I2 index. A random‐effects model was used. The statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.ResultsOut of 2901, there were 318 (11%) participants from upper‐middle‐income countries, whereas the others were from high‐income countries. Large positive effect size was found for D‐Dimer in the stroke group (Cohen's d = 2.82 [1.73–3.9]; p < 0.00001), meaning that those with stroke had higher D‐Dimer values on presentation compared to the stroke mimics/controls. A large difference in means was found in the two groups (MD = 685.1 [324.2, 1045.99]; p < 0.00001), suggesting that there was a significantly higher laboratory value in the stroke group.ConclusionOur findings must be used in caution as the most reliable diagnostic tests for stroke are CT and MRI. Laboratory testing such as D‐Dimer values is a valuable clinical adjuvant in diagnosing total stroke.
Oxidative and glycolytic skeletal muscles deploy protective mechanisms to avoid atrophy under pathophysiological iron overload
Authors: Martin David , Nay Kévin , Robin François , Rebillard Amélie , Orfila Luz , Martin Brice , Leroyer Patricia , Guggenbuhl Pascal , Dufresne Suzanne , Noirez Philippe , Ropert Martine , Loréal Olivier , Derbré Frédéric 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackgroundIron excess has been proposed as an essential factor in skeletal muscle wasting. Studies have reported correlations between muscle iron accumulation and atrophy, either through ageing or by using experimental models of secondary iron overload. However, iron treatments performed in most of these studies induced an extra‐pathophysiological iron overload, more representative of intoxication or poisoning. The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of iron excess closer to pathophysiological conditions on structural and metabolic adaptations (i) in differentiated myotubes and (ii) in skeletal muscle exhibiting oxidative (i.e. the soleus) or glycolytic (i.e. the gastrocnemius) metabolic phenotypes.MethodsThe impact of iron excess was assessed in both in vitro and in vivo models. Murine differentiated myotubes were exposed to ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) (i.e. 10 and 50 μM) for the in vitro component. The in vivo model was achieved by a single iron dextran subcutaneous injection (1 g/kg) in mice. Four months after the injection, soleus and gastrocnemius muscles were harvested for analysis.ResultsIn vitro, iron exposure caused dose‐dependent increases of iron storage protein ferritin (P < 0.01) and dose‐dependent decreases of mRNA TfR1 levels (P < 0.001), which support cellular adaptations to iron excess. Extra‐physiological iron treatment (50 μM FAC) promoted myotube atrophy (P = 0.018), whereas myotube size remained unchanged under pathophysiological treatment (10 μM FAC). FAC treatments, whatever the doses tested, did not affect the expression of proteolytic markers (i.e. NF‐κB, MurF1, and ubiquitinated proteins). In vivo, basal iron content and mRNA TfR1 levels were significantly higher in the soleus compared with the gastrocnemius (+130% and +127%; P < 0.001, respectively), supporting higher iron needs in oxidative skeletal muscle. Iron supplementation induced muscle iron accumulation in the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles (+79%, P < 0.001 and +34%, P = 0.002, respectively), but ferritin protein expression only increased in the gastrocnemius (+36%, P = 0.06). Despite iron accumulation, muscle weight, fibre diameter, and myosin heavy chain distribution remained unchanged in either skeletal muscle.ConclusionsTogether, these data support that under pathophysiological conditions, skeletal muscle can protect itself from the related deleterious effects of excess iron.
Is a decrease in activities of daily living in the elderly irreversible? A case report of Wernicke encephalopathy in home medical care
Authors: Onizawa Nobuyuki , Ishida Mayumi , Uchida Nozomu , Sato Izumi , Yoshioka Akira , Ito Hiroshi , Onishi Hideki 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe patient was an 83‐year‐old male who, after being hospitalized for 70 days for suffocation due to aspiration, was provided with home medical care (HMC) as his physical condition did not allow him to climb stairs. Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) was suspected based on his disorientation and a continued loss of appetite. This diagnosis was supported by abnormal serum thiamine and the disappearance of delirium after thiamine administration. In addition, he became able to use stairs. Patients who receive HMC should undergo active screening and receive treatment with WE in mind.
Preliminary Experience of 5.0 T Higher Field Abdominal Diffusion‐Weighted MRI: Agreement of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient With 3.0 T Imaging
Authors: Zhang Yunfei , Yang Chun , Liang Liang , Shi Zhang , Zhu Shuo , Chen Caizhong , Dai Yongming , Zeng Mengsu 
Published: February 2022

BackgroundRecently, a prototype 5.0 T whole‐body MRI scanner was developed. A 5.0 T diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) may help overcome the issues that limit 3.0 T DWI.PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility of 5.0 T high‐field DWI in the upper abdomen and assess the agreement of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with that from 3.0 T abdominal DWI.Study typeProspective proof of concept.PopulationNine volunteers (mean ± SD age: 37.3 ± 7.0 years, 8 M), eight healthy and one with liver and kidney cysts.Field strength/Sequence3.0 T and 5.0 T; respiratory‐triggered spin‐echo echo‐planar‐imaging (SE‐EPI)‐based DWI sequence.AssessmentSubjective image quality scores. The ADC values in abdominal organs (liver, pancreas, spleen, and kidney) were measured by two observers for evaluating the interobserver and interfield agreement.Statistical TestsWilcoxon‐rank sum test, Bland–Altman analysis, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and coefficients of variation (CVs).ResultsThe 5.0 T DWI displayed an increase in subjective image quality score compared to 3.0 T DWI without the significant difference (3.0 T DWI: 3.50 ± 0.47, 5.0 T DWI: 3.72 ± 0.42, P = 0.157). Both the interfield and interobserver agreements of ADC values were substantial to excellent (ICCs = 0.640–0.902). For all four upper abdominal organs, there were no significant differences between the ADC values measured by two observers and between the ADC values of 3.0 T and 5.0 T DWI (P = 0.134–1.000). The CVs of ADC measurements from 3.0 T and 5.0 T DWI were all less than 15.0% (6.7%–14.2%).Data ConclusionThe substantial to excellent agreements between the ADC values measured with 3.0 T and 5.0 T DWI for liver, pancreas, spleen, and kidney suggested that 5.0 T DWI can be applied for abdominal imaging. The ADC values from 5.0 T abdominal DWI hold the potential to serve as the quantitative markers for clinical investigations.Evidence Level2Technical EfficacyStage 1