bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between nasal polyposis and Eustachian tube function
Authors: El-Anwar Mohammad Waheed , Elnabtity Nadia Mohamed , Nada Ebtessam , Abdelmonem Said 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
No previous study investigated the relationship between different stages and duration of nasal polyposis (NP) and Eustachian tube (ET) functions. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between the NP and ET functions by studying different staging and duration of the NP. The study included adult patients with bilateral NP. The tridimensional endoscopic staging of the NP was performed to provide information on the location of the NP within the nasal cavity in the three dimensions; horizontal, vertical, and anteroposterior planes. Tympanometry was performed 1 day before endoscopic staging, and the tympanometric results were distinguished into 3 grades; type A, normal curve; type C; and type B.

Results
Within 40 patients (80 nasal cavities, 80 ears), tympanometry showed type A curve in 48 ears (60%), type B curve in 14 ears (17.5%), and type C in 18 ears (22.5%). So, NP was associated with 40% ET affection with non-significant differences with different NP stages at the horizontal plan (P=0.989567), at the vertical plan (P=0.666), and at the anteroposterior plane (P=0.628). While ET affection (ET dysfunction or OME) was reported significantly more with NP of longer duration (P<0.0001).

Conclusion
NP is associated with a high ET dysfunction rate that is significantly higher with NP of longer duration, while different NP stages did not significantly differ in affecting the ET function.
Integrated detection and investigation of bad borehole section in the Wolfcamp Formation in the Midland Basin using machine learning, petrophysics, and core characterization
Authors: Bhattacharya Shuvajit , Ambrose William , Ko Lucy Tingwei , Casey Brian 
Published: March 2022

The quality of formation evaluation and reservoir estimates depends a lot on the quality of open hole logs, which is intricately tied to the borehole geometry and stand-offs. Bad borehole sections cause interesting patterns on wireline logs that can result in multiple interpretations. We have conducted an automated identification of bad borehole sections (>50 ft [15 m] thick) in multiple wells in the Wolfcamp Formation in the Midland Basin of the United States and investigated the causalities behind the unstable borehole section. The wells impacted by bad hole conditions appear to be within a particular region of the northern Midland Basin, and the bad hole condition impacts a specific zone in the Wolfcamp D. We consider well logs as multivariate time series (or depth series), where they share interdependencies to a large extent. We use this concept and unsupervised multivariate time series clustering to automatically identify bad borehole sections. Our proposed workflow simultaneously clusters the wireline logs, resulting in a large labeled regional-scale data set that can be further used for log quality assurance, processing, and petrophysical modeling. More importantly, we investigate the reasons behind the borehole washout, integrating sedimentology and geochemical data. Thick borehole washout sections are related to the presence of a significant amount of clay (>73 wt%, a mixture of smectite and illite) in the Wolfcamp D. The results also indicate that the manual editing of wireline logs and even supervised machine learning-based log reconstruction (commonly known as a missing log prediction problem) can lead to erroneous and inconsistent interpretation of subsurface characteristics. Such exercise can be meaningless if derived models are not validated with the ground truth (preserved subsurface rocks). Geologic feature: Clay-rich unstable borehole section Log appearance: Large-to-small caliper response associated with erratic density and neutron porosity logs Features with similar appearance: Gypsum, siderite nodules, and tool failure Formation: Wolfcamp Formation Age: Wolfcampian Location: Northern Midland Basin, Texas, USA Well data: Obtained from the IHS Analysis tools: Unsupervised machine learning, core description, geochemistry, and petrophysical inversion modeling
Hispanic Farmers and Ranchers in the Soil and Water Conservation Movement in South Texas, 1940s to Present
Authors: Alonzo Armando C. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Conservation of natural resources in South Texas is basically a modern development that parallels the evolution of the Soil Conservation Service and other federal agricultural agencies. Since the World War II era, Hispanic producers have played an important role in adopting new conservation practices to conserve and enhance the value of their lands. Initially, the region was a natural grassland devoted to ranching, but farm development in the early twentieth century led to a sharp increase in irrigated farmland along the Rio Grande. Conservation practices during the long period of extensive ranching were ineffective. As a result, by the twentieth century much of the grasslands were turned into brushland due to overgrazing, the disuse of fires to suppress weeds and useless shrubs, soil compaction, and soil and wind erosion. Hispanic farmers and ranchers had to be convinced that new practices were beneficial. The cooperation of SCS, ASCS, and other agencies facilitated the work of introducing new practices, such as disking, root plowing, seeding of new grasses, and range management practices. Farmers also benefited from new practices. Construction of Falcón Dam in 1954 was a great boost to water conservation and flood control. The last forty years have seen a rapid growth in wildlife ranches and the sale of rangelands to prosperous professionals and businessmen and women. At present, three thousand Hispanic producers are dedicated to conserving their water and soil resources, adapting to these two new developments.
To Make a Desert Bloom: The Israeli Agricultural Adventure and the Quest for Sustainability
Authors: Tal Alon 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
This article offers an overview of the vicissitudes faced by Israeli agriculture during the past century. The Zionist pioneers who came from Europe to Palestine sought to "reclaim" the status of Jewish farmers in their homeland. This ethic translated into an extraordinary societal support for Israel’s agrarian economy and steady growth in agricultural production. Seven key factors are identified as being critical to this record of success, including a commitment to food security, water development, and technological innovation. Yet, during the past twenty years numerous changes in local and international dynamics have posed substantial challenges to Israel’s agricultural sector. In addition, while Israeli agriculture has largely halted erosion and restored desertified lands of the Negev Desert, it also produced myriad environmental side effects including water contamination and excessive pesticide usage. The article considers responses to these challenges that offer promising prospects for a sustainable agricultural future in Israel.
149 Predictive Value of Magnetoencephalography to Guide Intracranial Implant Strategy
Authors: Anand Adrish , Gadot Ron , Najera Ricardo A. , Smith David , Hegazy Mohamed , Gavvala Jay R. , Shofty Ben , Sheth Sameer A. 
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a useful component of a pre-surgical evaluation. Due to its high spatiotemporal resolution, MEG often provides nonredundant information to the clinician when forming hypotheses about the epileptogenic zone (EZ). With the increasing utilization of stereo-EEG (sEEG), MEG clusters are more commonly used as an sEEG electrode target. However, there are no pre-defined features of an MEG cluster that predict whether it is representative of intracranial EEG interictal or ictal activity, which limits optimal utilization of MEG in surgical planning.

METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed patients who had an MEG study since it became available at our center (2017-2021). Patients were included if they had a positive MEG prior to an sEEG evaluation. MEG dipoles and sEEG electrodes were reconstructed in the same coordinate space to calculate overlap between electrodes and MEG clusters, and to quantify MEG cluster characteristics. MEG cluster features including brain region, stability (degree to which dipoles are parallel), tightness (density of dipole distribution), and number of dipoles were included in a binary classifier to predict ictal and interictal activity.

RESULTS:
Across 39 included patients, 13% of sEEG electrodes sampled MEG clusters. In these contacts, there were higher rates of ictal (43.22% vs 17.36%, p < 0.001) and interictal activity (39.63% vs 18.93%, p < 0.001) compared to electrodes not sampling MEG clusters. For contacts sampling the MEG cluster, binary classification predicted ictal activity with 76.7% accuracy compared to 54.4% in shuffled data (c-statistic = 0.816) , while interictal activity was predicted accurately at 68.2% compared to 57.8% in shuffled data (c-statistic = 0.672) . Further analysis of individual characteristics showed that cluster stability contributed most to the model’s accuracy (c-statistic = 0.773), whereas tightness (c-statistic = 0.701) and number of spikes (c-statistic = 0.692) contributed to a lesser extent. Brain region (c-statistic = 0.553) was not predictive of ictal activity.

CONCLUSION:
MEG cluster stability, tightness, and number of dipoles can be used to predict ictal activity. Quantitative analysis of these features may be useful for prospective planning of intracranial diagnostic implants.
Prognostic Role of Preoperative Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 Plasma Levels in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder Treated With Radical Cystectomy
Authors: Mori Keiichiro , Schuettfort Victor M. , Katayama Satoshi , Laukhtina Ekaterina , Pradere Benjamin , Quhal Fahad , Sari Motlagh Reza , Mostafaei Hadi , Grossmann Nico C. , Rajwa Pawel , Teoh Jeremy YC. , Resch Irene , Fajkovic Harun , Moschini Marco , D’andrea David , Abufaraj Mohammad , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Lotan Yair , Scherr Douglas , Egawa Shin , Compérat Eva , Shariat Shahrokh F. ,   European Association of Urology–Young Academic Urologists Urothelial Carcinoma Working Group (EAU-YAU)
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundAngiogenesis-related marker vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) has been shown to be elevated in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB), but its predictive/prognostic role has not been determined. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the predictive/prognostic role of VCAM-1 for patients who have UCB treated with radical cystectomy (RC).MethodsThe study enrolled 1036 patients with clinically non-metastatic advanced UCB who underwent RC, and plasma VCAM-1 was evaluated preoperatively. The correlation of plasma VCAM-1 with pathologic and survival outcomes was assessed using binominal logistic regression and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Discrimination was assessed using the area under the curve and concordance indices. The clinical net benefit was evaluated using decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsPreoperative VCAM-1 was significantly elevated in patients with adverse pathologic features. Higher VCAM-1 levels were independently associated with increased risk of lymph-node-metastasis (LNM), ≥pT3 disease, and non-organ-confined disease (NOCD (p< 0.001 for each). Preoperative plasma VCAM-1 was independently associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) in pre- and postoperative multivariable models. Adding VCAM-1 to these predictive models improved their discriminatory ability to predict all outcomes by a significant margin. In the DCA, VCAM-1 addition to the reference models for prediction of LNM, NOCD, RFS, and CSS resulted in relevant improvement.ConclusionsElevated plasma VCAM-1 was associated with biologically and clinically aggressive UCB disease features. After validation, preoperative VCAM-1 may serve as a biomarker to help identify patients likely to benefit from intensified/multimodal therapy. In addition, VCAM-1 improved the discriminatory power of predictive/prognostic models and can be used to refine personalized clinical decision-making.
Patients undergoing multiple 18F-FDG PET/CT exams: Assessment of frequency, dose and disease classification
Authors: Indrakanti Santoshi , Li Xinhua , Rehani Madan M. 
Published: March 2022

Objective: To analyse the frequency, demographics, primary disease and cumulative effective dose of patients undergoing two or more 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations in a year. Methods: In a retrospective study performed at a tertiary-care hospital, patients who underwent ≥2 18F-FDG PET/CT scans in a calendar year were identified for two consecutive years. The CT radiation dose was calculated using dose-length-product and sex-specific conversion factors. The primary malignancy of patients was retrieved from electronic medical records. Results: 10,714 18F-FDG PET/CT exams were performed for 6,831 unique patients in 2 years, yielding an average of 1.6 exams per patient. The maximum number of 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations any patient underwent in a single year was seven. 20.9% patients had ≥2 18F-FDG PET/CT exams in any single year. Thirty nine percent patients in the cohort were below 60 years age. The median dose for 18F-FDG PET/CT examination was 25.1 mSv and maximum value reaching 1.7 to 2.9 times the median value. Cumulative effective dose (CED) was≥100 mSv in 12–13% of the patients. The cumulative dose for both years combined demonstrated the 25th percentile, 50th percentile and 75th percentile as well as the mean to be over 100 mSv, with the 25th percentile being 109 mSv. The dominant primary malignancies contributing to serial 18F-FDG PET/CTs in decreasing frequency were melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), gastrointestinal cancer, breast cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Conclusions: A sizeable number of patients undergo≥2 18F-FDG PET/CT exams with one out of every eight patients receiving cumulative dose≥100 mSv and that includes patients with long-life expectancy. Advances in knowledge: The study found that one of five patients had≥2 18F-FDG PET/CT exams in a calendar year, one of four patients in two years and one of eight patients received cumulative dose≥100 mSv. Top malignancies associated with serial imaging in decreasing order of frequency included melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), gastrointestinal cancer, breast cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Correlation among alveolar bone assessments provided by CBCT, micro-CT, and 14 T MRI
Authors: Choi Isabela Goulart Gil , Pinhata-Baptista Otavio Henrique , Ferraço Renato , Kim Jun Ho , Abdala Júnior Reinaldo , Arita Emiko Saito , Cortes Arthur Rodriguez Gonzalez , Ackerman Jerome L. 
Published: March 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral adipose tissue (BMAT) volume in 21 alveolar bone specimens, as determined by 14 T MRI, and correlate them to the radiodensity values obtained pre-operatively of regions of interest (ROIs) by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and to the bone-volume-to-tissue-volume ratio values obtained by micro-CT, the gold-standard for morphometric data collection. Methods: Partially edentulous patients were submitted to a CBCT scan, and the radiographic bone densities in each ROI were automatically calculated using coDiagnostiX software. Based on the CBCT surgical planning, a CAD/CAM stereolithographic surgical guide was fabricated to retrieve a bone biopsy from the same ROIs scanned preoperatively, and then to orientate the subsequent implant placement. The alveolar bone biopsies were then collected and scanned using the micro-CT and 14 T MRI techniques. Pearson’s correlation test was performed to correlate the results obtained using the three different techniques. Results: In the 21 eligible bone specimens (6 females, 15 males), age (mean age 52.9 years), micro-CT, and 14 T MRI variables were found to be normally distributed (p > 0.05). The strongest—and only statistically significant (p < 0.05)—correlation was found between micro-CT and 14 T MRI values (r = 0.943), and the weakest, between 14 T MRI and CBCT values (r = –0.068). Conclusions: The findings suggest that 14 T MRI can be used to evaluate BMAT as an indirect marker for bone volume, and that CBCT is not a reliable technique to provide accurate bone density values.
Bibliometric analysis and network visualization mapping of global research in Q fever vaccine
Authors: Ahmad Tauseef , Haroon Haroon , Ornos Eric David Bicaldo , Malibary Husam , Hussain Akbar , Baig Mukhtiar , Santali Eman Y. , Alestad Jeehan H. , Muzaheed Muzaheed , Rabaan Ali A. , Harapan Harapan 
Published: March 2022

Background: Query fever (Q fever), caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a highly infectious zoonotic infection to humans and livestock. Despite extensive efforts to develop effective vaccines against this disease, only one vaccine is licensed and available. The aim of this study was to investigate the global research trends, keystone bibliometric parameters, and network visualization mapping in Q fever vaccine from 1941 to 2021. Methods: A retrospective bibliometric followed by a visualized study was conducted. The searches were conducted in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) Edition of Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The following keywords were used: "Q fever" OR "Query fever" OR "Coxiella burnetii" OR "Coxiella-burnetii" OR "C. burnetii" (Topic) AND "Vaccin*" OR "Immuniz*" OR "Immunis*" (Topic) without any limitation. The data were plotted for co-authorship countries, co-occurrence keywords plus, and bibliographic coupling sources network visualization mapping. The VOSviewer version 1.6.17 was used for network visualization. Results: The bibliographical search resulted in a total of 478 publications which were included in this study. The publications were mainly published in English (n=436), while the major document types were articles (n=391). The most productive year was 2014 (n=33), while the most cited year was 2020 (n=1026). The extensively studied research areas were immunology and veterinary science, and the most used keywords plus were Q-fever and Coxiella-burnetii. Kazar J (n=17) was the leading author, while the famous journal was Acta Virologica (n=23). The most active institution was the Slovak Academy of Sciences (n=32), and the leading country was the US (n=129). Conclusion: A rapid increase has been observed in Q fever vaccine publications and citations in the past 20 years. This study might be of great interest to provide standard bibliographic information and keystones parameters in Q fever vaccine research.
Ponseti method under general anesthesia is an effective method of treatment for neglected congenital talipes equino varus: a cohort study.
Authors: Sananta Panji , Suryanto Dradjat Respati , Dwi Saputra Tofan Margaret , Sugiarto Muhammad Alwy 
Published: March 2022

Background:Neglected congenital talipes equino varus (CTEV) deformity is common in poorer developing countries. If ignored, children with CTEV result in callosity, potential bone and skin infection, and a significant mobility limitation resulting from stiffness. There are many management options that can be used to manage neglected CTEV. Until now, the Ponseti casting technique is a gold standard for treating CTEV without surgery. Ponseti methods effectively correct CTEV deformity in all ages. However, patients treated with the Ponseti process will suffer pain during correction in daily practice. Therefore, it is necessary to give anesthesia to reduce pain and relax soft tissues to achieve a satisfactory outcome when correction is carried out. Methods:This study design is a retrospective. Our study consisted of 32 patients, divided into two groups. Group A is the group that was treated with the Ponseti using general anesthesia (GA), and group B is the group without using GA. The children were anesthetized using isoflurane inhalation with 1-2 mcg/kg. After that, we performed serial casting every week and evaluated the outcome and number change cast between using GA and without GA. Lastly, we used a paired t-test statistical analysis to determine the relationship between before and after therapy. Results:In group A, the mean Pirani score significantly reduced from 5.81 ± 0.403 to 0.625 ± 0.40. In contrast with roup B, where the mean Pirani score slightly decreased from 5.81 ± 0.403 to 4.437 ± 1.093. After the last serial cast, in group A, only four cast replacements were needed to achieve a good outcome, whereas, in group B, the results remained unsatisfactory after 10 cast changes. Conclusions: Ponseti method under GA is an effective treatment and reduced the number of cast changes for neglected CTEV.
Views and practices on medical cannabis of unlicensed providers in Thailand: a qualitative study
Authors: Assanangkornchai Sawitri , Saingam Darika , Thaikla Kanittha , Talek Muhammadfahmee 
Published: March 2022

Background: Despite the legalization of cannabis use for medical purposes in Thailand in February 2019, illicit providers are still widespread and accessible. This study aimed to understand why people still chose to receive medical cannabis treatment or products from unlicensed or illegal providers. The practices of unlicensed or illegal providers in provision of medical cannabis products or treatment services were also examined. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted among medical cannabis providers and users, including 36 unlicensed and 7 licensed providers and 25 users in 2019-2021. Snowball sampling was used to recruit participants until saturation of data was achieved. Interviews included open-ended questions about the providers’ practices and attitudes towards medical cannabis. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and thematic analysis was performed. Results: Overall, six reasons were identified to answer why unlicensed/illicit providers were still popular, including: 1) easy accessibility; 2) familiarity with the unlicensed providers before the legal scheme became available; 3) favorable characters (kind, supportive, non-judgmental) of unlicensed providers; 4) affordable treatment fees; 5) trust in the quality of the medicines; and 6) lack of knowledge and negative attitudes towards cannabis from healthcare professionals. Most providers started their career as medical cannabis providers by using it themselves or with their relatives and being satisfied with the results. They used cannabis products to treat all diseases, including skin, eyes, HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases and all kinds of cancers. Additionally, they believed that it was effective, with no or minimal adverse effects. Conclusions: This study suggests that some patients will continue receiving medical cannabis treatment and products from unlicensed or illegal providers. More attention should be paid on increasing the capacity of medical cannabis service systems within public health hospitals, and the certification of unlicensed providers, so as to integrate them into a regulated system.