bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound Cross-Sectional Area of the Median Nerve Is Not a Predictor of Patient Reported Outcomes After Carpal Tunnel Release
Authors: Aloi Nicholas F. , Kohls Morgan R. , Wera Jeffrey C. , Fowler John R. 
Published: May 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cross sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve on ultrasound (US) with pre- and postoperative Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores. We hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between CSA and the ΔBCTQ after carpal tunnel release (CTR). Methods: This was a single center study. During a 6-year period (2014-2020), CSA of the median nerve on US and BCTQ scores were collected prospectively for patients presenting with the chief complaint of numbness and tingling in the upper extremity. Patients who underwent CTR and presented for their 6-week follow-up had repeat measurements of the CSA and BCTQ. These patients were included in this study. Patients were then divided into ultrasound positive (CSA ≥ 10) and ultrasound negative (CSA < 10) groups. These groups were compared on the basis of demographics, preoperative BCTQ scores, postoperative BCTQ scores, and 6-week ΔBCTQ score. Results: US-positive and-negative groups did not differ significantly in their preoperative BCTQ, postoperative BCTQ, or ΔBCTQ scores. Both groups did, however, experience significant improvement when comparing preoperative to postoperative BCTQ scores within their respective US group. Conclusion: Regardless of the preoperative CSA of the median nerve, patients who underwent CTR experienced a significant improvement in their BCTQ results. US-positive patients experienced no greater improvement than US-negative patients. These results would suggest that US is not a good predictor of subjective surgical outcome measures such as the BCTQ.
Effective examination methods for identifying the primary origins of metastatic bone tumors of unknown primary origin during the initial visit: A retrospective chart review study
Authors: Fujibuchi Taketsugu , Imai Hiroshi , Kidani Teruki , Miura Hiromasa 
Published: May 2022

Objective: To provide appropriate treatment for patients, early diagnosis of the primary origin of skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin is important. This study aimed to assess the examination strategy effective for identifying the primary origin of skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin. Methods: Sixty-one patients with skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin were reviewed. The primary origin was examined via physical examination, blood test including tumor markers, chest radiography, thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan, positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan, metastatic lesion biopsy, and other assessments. Examination methods considered effective for the diagnosis of the primary origin in a specific type of cancer were investigated. Results: The lung was the most common primary origin site, followed by the lymph nodes, prostate, and breast. Meanwhile, biopsy was the most effective examination, followed by positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan and thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan. Blood tests are useful for detecting hematological malignancies and prostate cancer. Computed tomography scans can be used to identify cancers in the lung, breast, and kidney, which are the common primary origins. Forty-one (67.2%) of the 61 patients with skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin were diagnosed via the first four steps, that is, physical examination, blood test, chest radiography, and thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan. Finally, two patients were diagnosed with skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin. Conclusion: The examination steps used in this study, including physical examination, blood test including tumor markers, chest radiography, thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan, positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan, biopsy, and other assessments were effective in determining the primary origin of skeletal metastases of unknown primary origin during the initial visit.
Undernutrition among khat-chewer and non-chewer lactating women in Chiro district, eastern Ethiopia: Comparative cross-sectional study
Authors: Minas Selamu , Ayele Behailu Hawulte , Sisay Mekonnen , Fage Sagni Girma 
Published: May 2022

Objectives: This study aims to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and factors associated with it among khat-chewer and non-chewer lactating women at Chiro district, west Hararghe zone, eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 446 (223 khat chewers and 223 non-chewers) randomly selected lactating women who have children aged 6 and 23 months. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires followed by weight and height measurements to calculate and categorize nutritional status based on body mass index (kg/m2). Data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using STATA version 14.2. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to check the association between independent variables and undernutrition. The level of statistical significance was declared at a p-value less than 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of undernutrition among lactating women was 30.7% (95% confidence interval = 26.6, 35.2). Undernutrition was significantly higher among khat chewers, 39.0% (95% confidence interval = 32.8, 45.6) than non-chewers, 22.4% (95% confidence interval = 17.4, 28.4), (χ2 (degree of freedom) = 14.4231, p < 0.0001). Chewing daily (adjusted odds ratio = 3.14, 95% confidence interval = 1.08, 9.15), reducing number of meals after chewing (adjusted odds ratio = 3.45, 95% confidence interval = 1.29, 9.20), and unavailability of latrine (adjusted odds ratio = 2.98, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 8.75) were significantly associated with undernutrition among khat-chewer lactating women. Furthermore, age at first pregnancy (<18 years) (adjusted odds ratio = 3.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.17, 8.60), not taking any additional meals (adjusted odds ratio = 3.41, 95% confidence interval = 1.08, 10.7), and hand washing after toilet use (adjusted odds ratio = 6.10, 95% confidence interval = 2.51, 14.8) were significantly associated with undernutrition among non-chewer lactating women. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of undernutrition is higher than previous studies and is alarming among khat-chewer lactating mothers. Thus, nutritional and public health interventions should target khat-chewer lactating mothers particularly focusing on daily chewer either to improve their dietary practice during and after chewing or to stop khat chewing if possible, in order to reduce the effect of khat on food absorption. Besides, improving latrine coverage and use, and prevention of early pregnancy are of paramount importance in reducing undernutrition among lactating mothers.
Extrapolating potential crop damage by insect pests based on land use data: examining inter-regional generality in agricultural landscapes
Authors: Tabuchi Ken , Takahashi Akihiko , Uesugi Ryuji , Okudera Shigeru , Yoshimura Hideto 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
Inter-regional relationships between landscape factors and biological responses in natural conditions are important but difficult to predict because of the differences in each landscape context and local environment. To examine the inter-regional variability in relation to landscape factors and the biological response of an insect pest of rice, Stenotus rubrovittatus, we extrapolated a damage prediction model (the ‘original model’ of our previous study) for rice using land-use data. The ‘original model’ comprised as fixed factors the area of source habitat (i.e. pastures and graminoid-dominated fallow fields), soybean fields, and rice paddies within 300-m radii with research years as the random intercept. We hypothesized that the original model would be applicable to new regions, but the predictive accuracy would be reduced. We predicted that fitting a new extended model, adjusting the parameter coefficients of identical fixed factors of the ‘original model,’ and adding regional random intercepts would improve model performance (the ‘extended model’). A field experiment was conducted in two regions that had a similar landscape context with the original region, each in a different year of four years in total. The proportion of rice damage and surrounding land use within a 300-m radius was investigated, and the data were applied to the models and the applicability and accuracy of the models were examined.

Results
When the ‘original model’ was assigned to the combined data from the original and extrapolated regions, the relationship between the observed and the predicted values was statistically significant, suggesting that there was an inter-regional common relationship. The relationship was not statistically significant if the model was applied only to the new regions. The extended model accuracy improved by 14% compared with the original model and was applicable for unknown data within the examined regions as demonstrated by three-fold cross validation.

Conclusions
These results imply that in this pest–crop system, there is likely to be a common inter-regional biological response of arthropods because of landscape factors, although we need to consider local environmental factors. We should be able to apply such relationships to identify or prevent pest hazards by offering region-wide management options.
Harnessing changes in open chromatin determined by ATAC-seq to generate insulin-responsive reporter constructs
Authors: Merrill Collin B. , Montgomery Austin B. , Pabon Miguel A. , Shabalin Andrey A. , Rodan Aylin R. , Rothenfluh Adrian 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
Gene regulation is critical for proper cellular function. Next-generation sequencing technology has revealed the presence of regulatory networks that regulate gene expression and essential cellular functions. Studies investigating the epigenome have begun to uncover the complex mechanisms regulating transcription. Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin by sequencing (ATAC-seq) is quickly becoming the assay of choice for many epigenomic investigations. However, whether intervention-mediated changes in accessible chromatin determined by ATAC-seq can be harnessed to generate intervention-inducible reporter constructs has not been systematically assayed.

Results
We used the insulin signaling pathway as a model to investigate chromatin regions and gene expression changes using ATAC- and RNA-seq in insulin-treated Drosophila S2 cells. We found correlations between ATAC- and RNA-seq data, especially when stratifying differentially-accessible chromatin regions by annotated feature type. In particular, our data demonstrated a weak but significant correlation between chromatin regions annotated to enhancers (1-2 kb from the transcription start site) and downstream gene expression. We cloned candidate enhancer regions upstream of luciferase and demonstrate insulin-inducibility of several of these reporters.

Conclusions
Insulin-induced chromatin accessibility determined by ATAC-seq reveals enhancer regions that drive insulin-inducible reporter gene expression.
TP73-AS1 as a predictor of clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in human malignancies: a meta and bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Chen Caizhi , Wang Jingjing , Feng Yeqian , Liang Ye , Huang Yan , Zou Wen 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
Long non-coding RNA P73 antisense RNA 1 T (non-protein coding), also known as Lnc RNA TP73-AS1, is dysregulated in various tumors but the correlation between its expression and clinicopathological parameters and/or prognoses in cancer patients is inconclusive. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of Lnc RNA TP73-AS1 for malignancies.

Methods
We systematically searched four online databases including PubMed, the Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for eligible articles published up to June 29/2020. Odds ratios (ORs) and Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to assess the association of TP73-AS1 expression with prognostic and clinicopathological parameters. We further validated TP73-AS1 expression in various malignancies and its potential prognostic value using the GEPIA online database. We predicted potential biological processes and relevant signal mechanisms through the public databases.

Results
A total of 26 studies examining 14 cancers were analyzed to evaluate the relationship between TP73-AS1 expression, clinicopathological features and prognostic indicators. The results indicated that TP73-AS1 expression markedly correlates with TNM stage (OR = 3.27,95% CI:2.43–4.39, P < 0.00001), tumor size (OR = 3.00, 95%CI:2.08–4.35, P < 0.00001), lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.77, 95%CI:1.42–5.38,P < 0.00001) and distant metastasis (OR = 4.50,95%CI:2.
62–7.73,P < 0.00001). No correlation with age (OR = 1.12,95%CI:0.77–1.64, P > 0.05), gender (OR = 1.08, 95%CI:0.84–1.38, P > 0.05) or differentiation (OR = 1.39, 95%CI:0.71–2.70, P = 0.340) was observed. TP73-AS1 overexpression was a biomarker of poor Overall survival(OS)(HR = 1.85,95%CI:1.53–2.22, P < 0.00001) and Disease-Free-Survival (DFS) (HR = 1.57,95%CI:1.03–2.42, P < 0.05). Dysregulated TP73-AS1 expression and its prognostic value in various cancers was validated based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Further biological function predictions indicated that TP73-AS1 was involved in pro-oncogenic signaling.

Conclusions
The upregulation of Lnc RNA TP73-AS1 was related to detrimental clinicopathological parameters and can be considered an indicator of poor prognosis for cancer malignancies.
How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
Authors: Rich John A. , Miech Edward J. , Bilal Usama , Corbin Theodore J. 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
COVID-19 infection has disproportionately affected socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite this disproportionate burden of infection, these neighborhoods have also lagged in COVID-19 vaccinations. To date, we have little understanding of the ways that various types of social conditions intersect to explain the complex causes of lower COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods.

Methods
We used configurational comparative methods (CCMs) to study COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia by neighborhood (proxied by zip code tabulation areas). Specifically, we identified neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates (per 10,000) were persistently low from March 2021 – May 2021. We then assessed how different combinations of social conditions (pathways) uniquely distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low vaccination rates from the other neighborhoods in the city. Social conditions included measures of economic inequities, racial segregation, education, overcrowding, service employment, public transit use, health insurance and limited English proficiency.

Results
Two factors consistently distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates from the others: college education and concentrated racial privilege. Two factor values together – low college education AND low/medium concentrated racial privilege – identified persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods, with high consistency (0.92) and high coverage (0.86). Different values for education and concentrated racial privilege – medium/high college education OR high concentrated racial privilege – were each sufficient by themselves to explain neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates were not persistently low, likewise with high consistency (0.93) and high coverage (0.97).

Conclusions
Pairing CCMs with geospatial mapping can help identify complex relationships between social conditions linked to low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Understanding how neighborhood conditions combine to create inequities in communities could inform the design of interventions tailored to address COVID-19 vaccination disparities.
A multimodality intervention to improve musculoskeletal health, function, metabolism, and well-being in spinal cord injury: study protocol for the FIT-SCI randomized controlled trial
Authors: Reid K. F. , Storer T. W. , Pencina K. M. , Valderrabano R. , Latham N. K. , Wilson L. , Ghattas C. , Dixon R. , Nunes A. , Bajdek N. , Huang G. , Skeels S. E. , Lin A. P. , Merugumala S. M. , Liao H. J. , Bouxsein M. L. , Zafonte R. D. , Bhasin S. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractBackgroundA spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating, life-changing event that has profoundly deleterious effects on an individual’s health and well-being. Dysregulation of neuromuscular, cardiometabolic, and endocrine organ systems following an SCI contribute to excess morbidity, mortality and a poor quality of life. As no effective treatments currently exist for SCI, the development of novel strategies to improve the functional and health status of individuals living with SCI are much needed. To address this knowledge gap, the current study will determine whether a Home-Based Multimodality Functional Recovery and Metabolic Health Enhancement Program that consists of functional electrical stimulation of the lower extremity during leg cycling (FES-LC) plus arm ergometry (AE) administered using behavioral motivational strategies, and testosterone therapy, is more efficacious than FES-LC plus AE and placebo in improving aerobic capacity, musculoskeletal health, function, metabolism, and wellbeing in SCI.MethodsThis single-site, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial will enroll 88 community-dwelling men and women, 19 to 70 years of age, with cervical and thoracic level of SCI, ASIA Impairment Scale grade: A, B, C, or D, 6 months or later after an SCI. Participants randomized to the multimodality intervention will undergo 16 weeks of home-based FES-LC and AE training plus testosterone undecanoate. Testosterone undecanoate injections will be administered by study staff in clinic or by a visiting nurse in the participant’s home. The control group will receive 16 weeks of home-based FES-LC and AE exercise plus placebo injections. The primary outcome of this trial is peak aerobic capacity, measured during an incremental exercise testing protocol. Secondary outcomes include whole body and regional lean and adipose tissue mass; muscle strength and power; insulin sensitivity, lipids, and inflammatory markers; SCI functional index and wellbeing (mood, anxiety, pain, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms); and safety.DiscussionWe anticipate that a multimodality intervention that simultaneously addresses multiple physiological impairments in SCI will result in increased aerobic capacity and greater improvements in other musculoskeletal, metabolic, functional and patient-reported outcomes compared to the control intervention. The findings of this study will have important implications for improving the care of people living with an SCI.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: (NCT03576001).Prospectively registered: July 3, 2018.
Imaging findings of retroperitoneal anastomosing hemangioma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Xue Xing , Song Mengchen , Xiao Wengbo , Chen Feng , Huang Qiang 
Published: May 2022

AbstractBackgroundAnastomosing hemangioma is an uncommon benign vascular tumor that may be mistaken for a malignancy. The imaging findings of anastomosing hemangioma are not well provided from the previous reports. Herein, in the study, we discuss the imaging findings for one case of retroperitoneal anastomosing hemangioma.Case presentationOne 64-year-old female patient had a left retroperitoneal mass that was incidentally detected upon physical examination. A hypoechoic mass with abundant blood flow signals was found by US in the perirenal space. CT and MRI detected a large cystic and solid lesion in the left retroperitoneal space. Plain CT indicated that the internal density was uneven, and the pattern of enhancement was obvious and progressive. MRI-T2WI showed high intensity, DWI showed isointensity, and the mass also showed obvious progressive enhancement. Finally, anastomosing hemangioma was diagnosed via histopathological studies.ConclusionAs a rare and benign tumour, anastomosing hemangioma is easily misinterpreted. We suggest that the observation of “genitourinary tract related, well defined, hyperintensity or isointensity on T2WI, isointensity on DWI, and obvious progressive enhancement patterns likely to the vascular enhancement” may consider the diagnosis of AH.
Effect of NaOCl and EDTA irrigating solutions on the cyclic fatigue resistance of EdgeTaper Platinum instruments
Authors: Alfawaz Hussam , Alqedairi Abdullah , Alhamdan Maha , Alkhzim Najla , Alfarraj Shatha , Jamleh Ahmed 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
To compare the solution on the cyclic fatigue resistance of EdgeTaper Platinum (ETP) instruments with that of ProTaper Gold (PTG) in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) irrigating solutions.

Methods
Sixty PTG and 60 ETP instruments with the same size (#25) and taper (8%) were tested under 17% EDTA, 5.25% NaOCl, or distilled water (n = 20 each). Cyclic fatigue was tested using artificial canals that were milled in stainless steel blocks using a laser micromachining technique. The canals had a curvature angle of 60 and a curvature radius of 5 mm. The center of maximum curvature was set at 5 mm from the instrument tip. The block of artificial canals was stabilized inside a container that was filled with one of the tested solutions. The temperature was fixed at 37 °C with a tolerance limit of 1 °C. The number of cycles to fracture (NCF) was calculated and the fractured surfaces were examined using a scanning electron microscope. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software Version 20 (IBM-SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) at a confidence level of 95%.

Results
ETP showed higher NCF than PTG in any of the tested solutions (P < 0.05). Within each group, NaOCl drastically decreased the NCF compared to water and EDTA (P < 0.05) and changing the solution from distilled water to EDTA did not affect the fatigue resistance (P > 0.05).

Conclusions
ETP showed improved cyclic fatigue performance compared to PTG in all tested irrigating solutions. EDTA can be used in combination with NiTi instruments during canal instrumentation without compromising the cyclic fatigue resistance of PTG and ETP instruments. However, NaOCl drastically decreased the NCF.