bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Distinct brain structural‐functional network topological coupling explains different outcomes in tinnitus patients treated with sound therapy
Authors: Chen Qian , Lv Han , Wang Zhaodi , Wei Xuan , Liu Jiao , Liu Fang , Zhao Pengfei , Yang Zhenghan , Gong Shusheng , Wang Zhenchang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractTopological properties, which serve as the core of the neural network, and their couplings can reflect different therapeutic effects in tinnitus patients. We hypothesized that tinnitus patients with different outcomes after sound therapy (narrowband noise) would have distinct brain network topological alterations. Diffusion tensor imaging and resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were prospectively performed in 60 patients with idiopathic tinnitus and 57 healthy controls (HCs). Graph‐theoretical network analyses of structural connectivity (SC), functional connectivity (FC), and SC and FC coupling were performed. Associations between clinical performance and graph‐theoretical features were also analyzed. Treatment was effective (effective group; EG) in 28 patients and ineffective (ineffective group; IG) in 32 patients. For FC, the patients in the EG showed higher local efficiency than patients in the IG. For SC, patients in both the EG and IG displayed lower normalized characteristic path length, characteristic path length, and global efficiency than the HCs. More importantly, patients in the IG had higher coupling than the HCs, whereas there was no difference in coupling between patients in the EG and HCs. Additionally, there were significant associations between the SC features and clinical performance in patients in the EG. Our findings demonstrate that tinnitus patients exhibited significant brain network topological alterations, especially in the structural brain network. More importantly, patients who demonstrated different curative effects showed distinct SC‐FC topological coupling properties. SC‐FC coupling could be an indicator that could be used to predict prognoses in patients with idiopathic tinnitus before sound therapy.
Reliability of histologic assessment for NAFLD and development of an expanded NAFLD activity score
Authors: Pai Rish K. , Jairath Vipul , Hogan Malcolm , Zou Guangyong , Adeyi Oyedele A. , Anstee Quentin M. , Aqel Bashar A. , Behling Cynthia , Carey Elizabeth J. , Clouston Andrew D. , Corey Kathleen , Feagan Brian G. , Kleiner David E. , Ma Christopher , McFarlane Stefanie C. , Noureddin Mazen , Ratziu Vlad , Valasek Mark A. , Younossi Zobair M. , Harrison Stephen A. , Loomba Rohit 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Background and Aims
The NASH Clinical Research Network histologic scoring system, the gold‐standard NASH histology assessment for clinical trials, has demonstrated intrarater and interrater variability. An expert panel in a previous systematic Research and Development/University of California Los Angeles (RAND/UCLA) study determined that existing histologic scoring systems do not fully capture NASH disease activity and fibrosis, and standardized definitions of histologic features are needed. We evaluated the reliability of existing and alternate histologic measures and their correlations with a disease activity visual analog scale to propose optimal components for an expanded NAFLD activity score (NAS).

Approach and Results
Four liver pathologists who were involved in the prior RAND/UCLA study underwent standardized training and multiple discussions with the goal of improving agreement. They were blinded to clinical information and scored histologic measures twice, ≥2 weeks apart, for 40 liver biopsies representing the full spectrum of NAFLD. Index intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates demonstrated intrarater (0.80–0.85) and interrater (0.60–0.72) reliability. Hepatocyte ballooning items had similar interrater ICCs (0.68–0.79), including those extending scores from 0–2 to 0–4. Steatosis measures (interrater ICCs, 0.72–0.80) correlated poorly with disease activity. Correlations with disease activity were largest for hepatocyte ballooning and Mallory‐Denk bodies (MDBs), with both used to develop the expanded NAS (intrarater ICC, 0.90; interrater ICC, 0.80). Fibrosis measures had ICCs of 0.70–0.87.

Conclusions
After extensive preparation among a group of experienced pathologists, we demonstrated improved reliability of multiple existing histologic NAFLD indices and fibrosis staging systems. Hepatocyte ballooning and MDBs most strongly correlated with disease activity and were used for the expanded NAS. Further validation including evaluation of responsiveness is required.
Risk of liver‐related events by age and diabetes duration in patients with diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Zhang Xinrong , Wong Grace Lai‐Hung , Yip Terry Cheuk‐Fung , Cheung Johnny T. K. , Tse Yee‐Kit , Hui Vicki Wing‐Ki , Lin Huapeng , Lai Jimmy Che‐To , Chan Henry Lik‐Yuen , Kong Alice Pik‐Shan , Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Background and Aims
Several guidelines recommend screening for NAFLD in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to determine if there is a threshold of age and duration of T2D for liver‐related event development to guide screening strategies.

Approach and Results
We conducted a territory‐wide retrospective cohort study of adult patients with NAFLD and T2D diagnosed between 2000 and 2014 in Hong Kong to allow for at least 5 years of follow‐up. The primary endpoint was liver‐related events, defined as a composite of HCC and cirrhotic complications. This study included 7028 patients with NAFLD with T2D (mean age, 56.1 ± 13.3 years; 3363 male [47.9%]). During a follow‐up of 77,308 person‐years, there was a threshold effect with 1.1%, 4.9%, and 94.0% of patients developing liver‐related events at the age of <40, 40–50, and ≥50 years, respectively. Similarly, 3.1%, 5.1%, and 91.8% of patients developed cirrhosis at the age of <40, 40–50, and ≥50 years, respectively. In contrast, liver‐related events increased linearly with diabetes duration, with no difference in the annual incidence rate between the first 10 years of T2D diagnosis and subsequent years (0.06% vs. 0.10%; p = 0.136). On multivariable analysis, baseline age ≥50 years (adjusted HR [aHR] 2.01) and cirrhosis (aHR 3.12) were the strongest risk factors associated with liver‐related events. Substitution of cirrhosis with the aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index or the Fibrosis‐4 index yielded similar results.

Conclusions
Age rather than duration of T2D predicts liver‐related events in patients with NAFLD and T2D. It is reasonable to screen patients with NAFLD and T2D for advanced liver disease starting at 50 years of age.
The influence of wheat straw mulching and straw length on infiltration, runoff and soil loss
Authors: Wang Chenguang , Ma Jianye , Wang Yangxiu , Li Zhanbin , Ma Bo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractStraw mulching is a typical soil and water conservation measure for slope farms, and it plays an important role in preventing soil erosion. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of the length and coverage of wheat straw on infiltration, runoff and soil loss. In this study, an indoor simulated rainfall experiment was used to study the characteristics of infiltration, runoff and sediment yield under different straw lengths and coverage when the rainfall intensity was 90 mm h−1. The results show that the straw mulch contributes more to the effect of infiltration, runoff and sediment yield than straw length. Increasing the straw coverage increases the average infiltration rate and reduces the cumulative runoff and sediment yield. An increase in straw length, however, reduces the average infiltration rate of the slope and increases the cumulative runoff and sediment yield. The benefits of straw mulch in increasing average infiltration and reducing runoff and sediment yield are consistent with the law of diminishing marginal returns. The marginal benefit of straw is optimal when the straw cover is 3.5 t·hm−2. The sum of straw mulch and length multiplied by cover divided by length has a power function relationship with slope infiltration, while runoff and sediment yield have a power function relationship with its reciprocal. The average infiltration rate of the slope surface is significantly linearly related to the cumulative sediment yield. The simulation accuracy of the Horton model is higher than that of the Kostiakov model. In this study, when the straw length was 3–5 cm and the mulch rate was 4.5 t·hm−2, the average slope infiltration was highest, and the runoff and sediment yield were lowest. Wheat straw surface mulch, when applied as an effective measure for controlling soil erosion and maintaining soil and water resources on sloped fields, can effectively increase infiltration and reduce runoff and sediment yield; wheat mulch is thus critical for the sustainable development of agriculture and ecology on sloping land.
Parenting intentions in transgender and gender‐nonconforming adults
Authors: Morong James J. , Class Quetzal A. , Zamah Alberuni Musa , Hinz Erica 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo assess parenting intentions, knowledge and attitudes regarding fertility preservation, and barriers to achieving parenthood in an adult transgender population.MethodsThis was a multi‐center online cross‐sectional study conducted at three university‐affiliated and 15 community‐affiliated clinics within a major US city. Inclusion criteria included being aged 18 years and older and self‐identification as transgender, gender non‐conforming or non‐binary. Eighty respondents completed a 36‐question survey regarding their transition and plans to achieve parenthood. We compared demographic characteristics to plan for transition using Chi‐Square analysis. We compared options to achieve parenthood to plans for transition using ANOVA, Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient, and a Kruskal Wallis H test.ResultsThe mean desire to become a parent was 59.9 on a scale of 1–100. There was no significant association between plan for gonadectomy and reduced preference for the use of autologous gametes for parenting [H(2) = 1.309, P = 0.520]. The desire to have children was correlated with an increasing willingness to pause cross‐sex hormones (rs = 0.40, P < 0.01). Cost was identified as the largest barrier to fertility preservation (54.1%).ConclusionThe majority of transgender adults surveyed desire parenthood and this could be correlated with plan for transition including willingness to suspend cross‐sex hormones.
Single pixel imaging via unsupervised deep compressive sensing with collaborative sparsity in discretized feature space
Authors: Jia Mengyu , Yu Lequan , Bai Wenxing , Zhang Pengfei , Zhang Limin , Wang Wei , Gao Feng 
Published: March 2022

AbstractSingle‐pixel imaging (SPI) enables the use of advanced detector technologies to provide a potentially low‐cost solution for sensing beyond the visible spectrum and has received increasing attentions recently. However, when it comes to sub‐Nyquist sampling, the spectrum truncation and spectrum discretization effects significantly challenge the traditional SPI pipeline due to the lack of sufficient sparsity. In this work, a deep compressive sensing (CS) framework is built to conduct image reconstructions in classical SPIs, where a novel compression network is proposed to enable collaborative sparsity in discretized feature space while remaining excellent coherence with the sensing basis as per CS conditions. To alleviate the underlying limitations in an end‐to‐end supervised training, for example, the network typically needs to be re‐trained as the basis patterns, sampling ratios and so on. change, the network is trained in an unsupervised fashion with no sensing physics involved. Validation experiments are performed both numerically and physically by comparing with traditional and cutting‐edge SPI reconstruction methods. Particularly, fluorescence imaging is pioneered to preliminarily examine the in vivo biodistributions. Results show that the proposed method maintains comparable image fidelity to a sCMOS camera even at a sampling ratio down to 4%, while remaining the advantages inherent in SPI. The proposed technique maintains the unsupervised and self‐contained properties that highly facilitate the downstream applications in the field of compressive imaging.
Prodrug inspired bi‐layered electrospun membrane with properties of enhanced tissue integration for guided tissue regeneration
Authors: Li Dongsheng , Wang Tong , Zhao Juanjuan , Wu Jinglei , Zhang Shumin , He Chuanglong , Zhu Meifang , EL‐Newehy Mohamed , EL‐Hamshary Hany , Morsi Yosry , Gao Yonglin , Mo Xiumei 
Published: March 2022

AbstractGuided tissue regeneration (GTR) membranes play a vital role in periodontal surgery. Recently a series of composite electrospun membranes have been fabricated to improve the unexpected biodegradation of collagen‐based GTR membranes. However, their tissue integrity needs to be studied in depth. In this study, a bi‐layered electrospun membrane (BEM) inspired by “prodrug” was fabricated, which contained a dense‐layer (BEM‐DL) and a potential loose‐layer (BEM‐LL). The nanofibers of BEM‐DL were composed of poly(l‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) and tilapia skin collagen (TSC). Whereas the BEM‐LL consisted of two types of nanofibers, one was the same as BEM‐DL and the other was made from TSC. The morphology, degradation in vitro, cytocompatibility and biocompatibility in rats were investigated with a poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) electrospun membrane (PLGA) as the negative control. The pore size of BEM‐LL soaked for 7 days became larger than the original sample (164.8 ± 90.9 and 52.5 ± 21.0 μm2, respectively), which was significantly higher (p < .05) than that of BEM‐DL and PLGA. The BEM‐LL displayed a larger weight loss rate of 82.3 ± 3.6% than the BEM‐DL of 46.0 ± 2.8% at day 7 because of the rapid degradation of TSC fibers. The cytocompatibility test demonstrated that L929 cells were only spread on the surface of the BEM‐DL while MC3T3‐E1 cells grew into the BEM‐LL layer. The subcutaneous implantation test further proved that BEM‐DL performed as a cellular barrier, whereas BEM‐LL was conducive to cell infiltration as deep as 200 μm with reduced fibrous encapsulation. Herein, the BEM inspired by “prodrug” is a promising GTR membrane with a property of enhanced tissue integration.
Stigma, surveillance, and wounded healing: Promoting a critical ethics of care in research with formerly incarcerated Black women
Authors: Gunn Alana 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBlack women experience myriad challenges post incarceration, from managing stigma within social relationships to navigating surveillance when interfacing with service systems. It is these challenges that also make them vulnerable participants in community‐based research. With many of potential research harms not falling under the guidance of Institutional Review Boards, it is critical to explore how communities experiencing stigma and surveillance perceive their engagement in research. As such, this study explores how 28 justice‐involved Black women experience the research process. Findings reveal that participants view the research context as spaces for reflecting on surveillance and stigma in ways that promote self‐recovery. Moreover, they perceive the interview process to allow them to envision identities as wounded healers who use their pasts as mechanisms to help others. The study's implications for anti‐oppressive inquiry underscore the need for researchers to employ ethical care and justice frameworks that center compassion, reflexivity, and equity throughout the process.
Novel tryptanthrin hybrids bearing aminothiazoles as potential EGFR inhibitors: Design, synthesis, biological screening, molecular docking studies, and ADME/T predictions
Authors: Palabindela Rambabu , Guda Ramu , Ramesh Gondru , Myadaraveni Prabhakar , Banothu Devendar , Ravi Gangalla , Korra Rajashekar , Mekala Himabindu , Kasula Mamatha 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA variety of novel tryptanthrin aminothiazole analogues 3a‐h and 5a‐h possessing a biologically active thiazole moiety were synthesized by the reaction of tryptanthrin thiosemicarbazones with different α‐bromo‐4‐substituted‐acetophenones compounds. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were characterized by mass, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. All the novel synthesized compounds were investigated for their in vitro anticancer activity against three human cancer cell lines (MCF‐7, A549, and HeLa) by taking cisplatin as a reference drug. The compounds 3b and 3c displayed excellent anticancer activities against the growth of three human cancer cell lines. EGFR targeting molecular docking investigation revealed that tryptanthrin aminothiazole analogues have better binding energies compared with EGFR inhibitors (Gefitinib, Erlotinib, and Lapatinib). The molecular docking findings back up the experimental anticancer activity results very well. The compounds were also tested for their antibacterial and antioxidant activities. In silico ADMT predictions have been performed that these tryptanthrin aminothiazole analogues have a good pharmacokinetic profile.
Feasibility and Reproducibility of Multifrequency Magnetic Resonance Elastography in Healthy and Diseased Pancreases
Authors: Song Qike , Shi Yu , Gao Feng , Yin Meng , Yang Rui , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhong Shiling , Hong Yang 
Published: March 2022

BackgroundThe feasibility and reproducibility of multifrequency MR elastography (MRE) for diagnosing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have not been reported.PurposeTo determine the feasibility and reproducibility of multifrequency MRE for assessing pancreatic stiffness in healthy and diseased pancreases.Study typeProspective.SubjectsA total of 40 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with PDAC were prospectively recruited between March 2018 and October 2021.Field strength/sequenceA 3.0‐T pancreatic MRE at frequencies in the order of 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100 Hz.AssessmentBody mass index (BMI) and wave distance of the healthy pancreas and PDAC were measured. Image quality was assessed using the image quality score (IQS: 1–4, ≥3 were considered diagnostic quality). Three readers independently performed the pancreatic stiffness and IQS assessments to evaluate reproducibility.Statistical testsLogistic regression analyses were performed to determine variables that influenced IQS. Statistical significance was set at P <0.05. Levels of inter‐ and intrarater agreement were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ). Good reproducibility was set at ICC and κ ≥ 0.8.ResultsIn logistic regression analysis, a diagnostic IQS in healthy volunteers was independently associated with a lower BMI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.89 kg/m−2), shorter wave distance (OR = 0.70 cm−1), and lower frequency (30 and 40 Hz: OR = 170.01 and 96.02). In PDAC, frequency was the only independent factor for diagnostic IQS (30–60 Hz: OR = 46.18, 46.18, and 17.20, respectively) with 100 Hz as a reference. In healthy volunteers, good reproducibility was observed at 30 and 40 Hz. In PDAC, good reproducibility was observed at 30–60 Hz.Data conclusionMRE at 30 and 40 Hz provides diagnostic wave images and reliable measurements of pancreatic stiffness in healthy volunteers. MRE at 30–60 Hz is acceptable for PDACs (IQS ≥ 3, ICC and κ ≥ 0.80).Evidence Level1Technical EfficacyStage 2
Optimization of the Contrast Agent Injection Protocol for Carotid Artery Dynamic Contrast‐Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Wang Yajie , Liu Xiaoming , Wang Yishi , Qi Haikun , Liu Xian , Kong Xiangchuang , Zhang Qiang , Dou Jiaqi , Wang Jing , Chen Huijun 
Published: March 2022

BackgroundThe injection protocol used in previous carotid artery dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) studies varied.PurposeTo investigate the effect of contrast injection protocol and optimize this protocol for carotid artery DCE‐MRI.Study TypeProspective.SubjectsDigital phantom and seven patients with carotid atherosclerosis.Field Strength/Sequence3 T, spoiled gradient recalled echo sequence.AssessmentDifferent injection doses (0.01–0.3 mmol/kg) and effective injection rates (0.01–1 mmol/sec) were tested using a digital carotid plaque phantom considering the contrast pharmacokinetics, DCE‐MRI imaging, contrast variation and flow‐related imaging artifacts, random time delay between the contrast injection and image acquisition, and pharmacokinetic analysis process. For each injection protocol, combining the root mean square relative error (RMSRE) of the measured and maps within the adventitial vasa vasorum from 10 tested time delays by the root mean square produced RMSREoverall−vv which was used to measure the overall accuracy of the pharmacokinetic parameters. In vivo validation was performed on seven patients with carotid atherosclerosis by imaging them twice using the traditional commonly used protocol and the recommended protocol found by simulation.Statistical TestStudent's t‐test, chi‐square test, and paired t‐test, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA low region of RMSREoverall−vv with the combination of medium injection dose and low effective injection rate was found. The protocol with injection dose of 0.07 mmol/kg and effective injection rate of 0.06 mmol/sec achieved the minimal RMSREoverall−vv (4.29%), thus was recommended, which showed more accurate arterial input function. Coinciding with the simulation results, this recommended protocol in in vivo experiments produced significantly fewer image artifacts, lower and (P all <0.05) than traditional protocol which overestimated these parameters in simulation.Data ConclusionThe contrast injection protocol influenced the accuracy of the pharmacokinetics parameter estimation in carotid artery DCE‐MRI. The injection protocol with injection dose of 0.07 mmol/kg and effective injection rate of 0.06 mmol/sec was recommended.Level of Evidence2Technical Efficacy Stage1
New downscaling prediction models for spring drought in China
Authors: Tian Baoqiang , Fan Ke 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAccurate prediction of spring drought in China is helpful toward reducing associated agricultural losses. In this study, spring drought is defined as the three‐month Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) ending in May. Based on the year‐to‐year increment and downscaling method, three single‐predictor prediction models (P1 model, P2 model, and P3 model) and two multi‐predictor models for spring drought at 677 stations in China are developed for the period 1983–2020. As physical processes affecting spring drought in the China region, the tropical Pacific–Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) in winter, the Davis Strait–Barents sea‐ice concentration (SIC) in winter, and the 500‐hPa spring vertical velocity, predicted by the Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2), are considered in the prediction models. The prediction skill of the downscaling models for the spring SPEI is measured by cross‐validation for the period 1983–2020. The CFSv2 model only shows convincing prediction skill for the spring SPEI at 35 of 677 stations. However, among the 677 stations, the temporal correlation coefficient between the observed and predicted spring SPEI at 621 stations for P1 model, 598 stations for P2 model, 545 stations for P3 model, 674 stations for the statistical downscaling model (SD model), and 675 stations for the hybrid downscaling dynamical–statistical prediction model (HD model) exceeds the 95% confidence level. Therefore, compared to the CFSv2 model, the prediction skill for spring drought is improved by the single‐predictor and multi‐predictor models. The prediction skill of HD model for spring drought, which combines preceding observational predictors and the simultaneous predictor of the CFSv2 model, is higher than that of SD model. In addition, the severe drought that occurred in Northeast and North China in spring 2017 can be successfully predicted by HD model.