bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pearlitic structure and wear properties of graphite cast iron reinforced with biphase TiC-TiB2 nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Bingxu , Cui Weiwei , Qiu Feng , Du Wenhui , Chen Yuanbin , Barber Gary C
Published: November 2020

The current research describes the preparation of nanoparticle-reinforced ductile iron specimens through an aluminum master alloy containing bi-phase TiC-TiB2 nanoparticles. The pearlitic structure, hardness and wear resistance were examined and compared for ductile iron specimens with and without nanoparticles. It was found that the presence of a small amount of TiC-TiB2 nanoparticles could refine the lamellar structure of pearlite, increase the hardness and lower the wear loss under dry and lubricated test conditions. Adhesion with plastic flow, material removal and material smearing were reduced on the wear track which was associated with the coupled effects of finer pearlite and higher hardness after engaging the TiC-TiB2 nanoparticles. In addition, it was found that the nanoparticles were distributed on the worn areas, which could withstand the normal load and minimize the contact between the ductile iron substrate and counterface during the wear tests.
Plasmon recombination in narrowgap HgTe quantum wells
Authors: Aleshkin V Ya , Alymov G , Dubinov A A , Gavrilenko V I , Teppe F
Published: November 2020

The dispersion laws of two-dimensional plasmons in narrow-gap HgTe/CdHgTe quantum wells are calculated taking into account the spatial dispersion of the electron susceptibility. At the energy scale of the band gap the dependence of plasmon frequencies on the wave vector is shown to be close to linear that changes significantly the critical concentration of noneqilibrium electron-hole gas corresponding to ‘switching-on’ the carrier recombination with plasmon emission. The recombination rates with the plasmon emission have been calculated. The ‘plasmon’ recombination is shown to dominate at the carrier concentration over (1.2–2) 1011 cm−2 in a 5-nm-wide HgTe quantum well (band gap of 35 meV) that makes plasmon generation (spasing) in THz frequency range feasible.
Iron and nitrogen-doped double gyroid mesoporous carbons for oxygen reduction in acidic environments
Authors: Matsuoka Fumiaki , Fritz Kevin E , Beaucage Peter A , Yu Fei , Suntivich Jin , Wiesner Ulrich
Published: November 2020

Iron- and nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) represents a promising class of alternative electrocatalysts to noble metals for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic environments. To make Fe-N-C active, one of the most critical parameters is microporosity, which must be controlled to maximize the active site density. However, the use of microporosity must be optimized for the requirement of high-flux mass transport. Here, we synthesized and demonstrated gyroidal mesoporous Fe-N-C with microporous pore walls as an avenue to combine a high active-site density with favorable mass transport at high flux. The gyroidal mesoporous Fe-N-C catalysts have competitive gravimetric and volumetric ORR activities, comparable to the ORR activity obtained in purely microporous configurations despite having mesoporous features. Our result suggests that the ORR activity of microporous Fe-N-C electrocatalysts can be combined with mesoporosity through the use of mesoporous Fe-N-C with microporous pore walls. We further investigate effects of the nitrogen incorporation method on mesoporous N-doped carbon electrocatalysts. We find that despite having ∼2 × higher N concentration, nitrogen incorporation via NH3 yields similar ORR activity to incorporation via a chemical additive, a finding we attribute to the role of pyridinic and quaternary N in the ORR.
Study of the methylene blue adsorption mechanism using ZrO2/Polyaniline nanocomposite
Authors: Kumar Naresh , Bahl Tanya , Kumar Rajesh
Published: November 2020

ZrO2 (Zirconia) nanoparticles (NPs), PANI (polyaniline), and ZrO2/PANI nanocomposites (NCs) were successfully synthesized using CTAB (Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide) and SDS (Sodium dodecyl sulfate) surfactants by following the co-precipitation method. The structural phase analysis of as-prepared, annealed nanoparticles, and nanocomposites was done using the XRD (x-ray diffraction) technique. The crystallite size of pure SDS and CTAB assisted ZrO2 NPS comes out to be 19 and 17 nm, respectively. After the formation of NCs, the size has been reduced to 15.7 and 15.9 nm, respectively for the same samples. The effect of surfactants on the dye adsorption mechanism was studied using XRD and UV–vis spectroscopy. The prepared NPs and NCs were utilized as an adsorbent for the removal of organic dye methylene blue (MB) which is used as a model compound. UV–vis spectra of the supernatant solution were taken and studied to detect the relative decrease in the dye concentration with time. The as-prepared CTAB assisted ZrO2/PANI NCs show higher adsorption activity than annealed CTAB assisted ZrO2/PANI whereas a reversal trend in the adsorption activity was observed for SDS-assisted ZrO2/PANI NCs. Various kinetic models were implemented and correlated to the experimental data to elucidate the working mechanism for dye adsorption and to set up, a relation in the adsorption activity of surfactant modified NPs and NCs.
Concomitant prediction of environmental fate and toxicity of chemical compounds
Authors: Garcia-Martin Juan Antonio , Chavarría Max , de Lorenzo Victor , Pazos Florencio
Published: November 2020

The environmental fate of many functional molecules that are produced on a large scale as precursors or as additives to specialty goods (plastics, fibers, construction materials, etc.), let alone those synthesized by the pharmaceutical industry, is generally unknown. Assessing their environmental fate is crucial when taking decisions on the manufacturing, handling, usage, and release of these substances, as is the evaluation of their toxicity in humans and other higher organisms. While this data are often hard to come by, the experimental data already available on the biodegradability and toxicity of many unusual compounds (including genuinely xenobiotic molecules) make it possible to develop machine learning systems to predict these features. As such, we have created a predictor of the “risk” associated with the use and release of any chemical. This new system merges computational methods to predict biodegradability with others that assess biological toxicity. The combined platform, named BiodegPred (https://sysbiol.cnb.csic.es/BiodegPred/), provides an informed prognosis of the chance a given molecule can eventually be catabolized in the biosphere, as well as of its eventual toxicity, all available through a simple web interface. While the platform described does not give much information about specific degradation kinetics or particular biodegradation pathways, BiodegPred has been instrumental in anticipating the probable behavior of a large number of new molecules (e.g. antiviral compounds) for which no biodegradation data previously existed.
Current use of cardiac magnetic resonance in tertiary referral centres for the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy: the ESC EORP Cardiomyopathy/Myocarditis Registry
Authors: Mizia-Stec Katarzyna , Charron Philippe , Gimeno Blanes Juan Ramon , Elliott Perry , Kaski Juan Pablo , Maggioni Aldo P , Tavazzi Luigi , Tendera Michał , Felix Stephan B , Dominguez Fernando , Ojrzynska Natalia , Losi Maria-Angela , Limongelli Giuseppe , Barriales-Villa Roberto , Seferovic Petar M , Biagini Elena , Wybraniec Maciej , Laroche Cecile , Caforio Alida L P ,   the EORP Cardiomyopathy Registry Investigators
Published: November 2020

Aims 

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is recommended in the diagnosis of cardiomyopathies, but it is time-consuming, expensive, and limited in availability in some European regions. The aim of this study was to determine the use of CMR in cardiomyopathy patients enrolled into the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) cardiomyopathy registry [part of the EURObservational Research Programme (EORP)].

Methods and results 

Three thousand, two hundred, and eight consecutive adult patients (34.6% female; median age: 53.0 ± 15 years) with cardiomyopathy were studied: 1260 with dilated (DCM), 1739 with hypertrophic (HCM), 66 with restrictive (RCM), and 143 with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). CMR scans were performed at baseline in only 29.4% of patients. CMR utilization was variable according to cardiomyopathy subtypes: from 51.1% in ARVC to 36.4% in RCM, 33.8% in HCM, and 20.6% in DCM (P < 0.001). CMR use in tertiary referral centres located in different European countries varied from 1% to 63.2%. Patients undergoing CMR were younger, less symptomatic, less frequently had implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)/pacemaker implanted, had fewer cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities (P < 0.001). In 28.6% of patients, CMR was used along with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE); 67.6% patients underwent TTE alone, and 0.9% only CMR.

Conclusion 

Less than one-third of patients enrolled in the registry underwent CMR and the use varied greatly between cardiomyopathy subtypes, clinical profiles of patients, and European tertiary referral centres. This gap with current guidelines needs to be considered carefully by scientific societies to promote wider availability and use of CMR in patients with cardiomyopathies.
Surgicel mimicking early onset prosthetic valve endocarditis: case report
Authors: Regragui Hind , El Boussaadani Badre , Oukerraj Latifa , Rhissassi Jaafar
Published: November 2020

Background

Surgicel is one of the commercial forms of oxidized regenerated cellulose used as a bioabsorbable topical haemostatic agent during surgical procedures. However, its presence can mimic an abscess, tumour, lymph node or retained foreign body on imaging studies. The challenge in cardiac surgery is to differentiate the haemostatic material from an abscess that might be mistaken for an early onset prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Case summary

A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our department for a suspicion of early onset prosthetic valve endocarditis after an aortic valve replacement. An early clinical and biological improvement, features on a chest computed tomography scan, as well as a surgical correlation were able to rectify the diagnosis. The acute fever was linked to urinary tract infection, whereas the periaortic echogenic mass shown at the transoesophageal echocardiography corresponded to Surgicel.

Discussion

Oxidized regenerated cellulose can mimic an abscess on cardiac imaging, especially when used in excess during cardiac surgery. Fortunately, some radiographic features can help differentiate the haemostatic material from an abscess. Hence, sharing the use and location of Surgicel between the surgeon, radiologist, and cardiologist is very important and necessary to make the correct diagnosis.
Zero-contrast percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusions guided by intravascular ultrasound with ChromaFlo mode: a case report
Authors: Chen Chen-Yang , Huang Wei , Liu Jun , Cao Yu
Published: November 2020

Background

Contrast agent allergy may result in severe adverse events that prevent the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in some patients, especially for those with complex lesions.

Case summary

We describe a 59-year-old man who presented with the multi-vessel disease and suffered from contrast allergy. The patient refused to have coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, thus two-stage PCI procedures without iodinated contrast media were performed after a detailed discussion with the heart team, including a chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesion in the proximal left anterior descending artery. The intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was used for finding the entry point of the proximal fibre cap, and assessing the lesion, thereby marking the positions of the proximal and distal edges of the stent. After PCI, stent expansion and subtle edge dissection or incomplete apposition were confirmed by IVUS and ChromaFlo imaging. Zero-contrast PCI was done successfully without any complication.

Discussion

This case report illustrates the feasibility and safety of performing CTO-PCI without contrast agent in carefully and well prepared selected patients.
Storm and STEMI: a case report of unexpected cardiac complications of thyrotoxicosis
Authors: Brown Josiah , Cham Matthew D , Huang Gary S
Published: November 2020

Background 

Thyroid storm is a rare condition with well-known cardiovascular manifestations including tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and myocardial infarction (MI). Several uncommon conditions that can mimic MI are associated with thyrotoxicosis and discussed in this case.

Case summary 

A 23-year-old previously healthy male presented after the onset of generalized weakness and inability to rise from bed in the setting of 35 kg of unintentional weight loss, and was found to have profound hypokalaemia, elevated thyroid hormone, and suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone consistent with thyrotoxicosis secondary to Grave’s disease. Following hospital admission, he developed worsening tachycardia with dynamic anteroseptal ST-segment elevations and elevated cardiac biomarkers concerning for MI. He was treated with aspirin, ticagrelor, and a heparin infusion, but was unable to tolerate beta-blockade acutely due to hypotension. Echocardiography demonstrated a severely dilated left ventricle (left ventricular end-diastolic volume index 114 mL/m2) and severely reduced systolic function (ejection fraction 23%) with global hypokinesis. Following initiation of propylthiouracil, iodine solution, and stress-dosed steroids his tachycardia and ST-elevations resolved. Computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography demonstrated no evidence of coronary stenosis. He was discharged on methimazole, metoprolol, and lisinopril and found to have recovered left ventricular systolic function at 2-month follow-up.

Discussion 

Thyrotoxicosis can rarely cause coronary vasospasm, stress cardiomyopathy, and autoimmune myocarditis. These conditions should be suspected in hyperthyroid patients with features of MI and normal coronary arteries. Workup should include laboratory evaluation, electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and non-invasive or invasive ischaemic evaluation.
Incidence and Associated Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults Postdischarge Who Undergo Elective Total Hip Replacement Surgery—A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hill Anne-Marie , Ross-Adjie Gail , McPhail Steven M , Jacques Angela , Bulsara Max , Cranfield Alexis , Etherton-Beer Christopher , Azlan Natasya Raja , Powell Sarah-Jayne , Hardisty Gerard , Monterosso Leanne
Published: November 2020

Background

Hip replacement surgery improves health-related quality of life; however, it has been suggested that falls rates increase after hospital discharge. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and associated risk factors for falls in older adults in the 12 months after undergoing elective total hip replacement surgery.

Methods

A prospective observational cohort study was conducted. Participants were adults aged 60 years or older who underwent primary elective total hip replacement surgery in a private tertiary hospital in Perth, Australia. Baseline data collected immediately prior to discharge included use of walking aids, medications, and functional level of independence (using Katz and Lawton scales). Falls data were collected for 12 months using calendars and monthly phone calls. Data were analyzed using logistic and negative binomial regression modeling.

Results

Participants’ ([n = 167], 54.4% female) mean age was 71.2 (±6.9) years. There were 51 (31%) participants who used a walking aid prior to surgery. There were 140 falls reported over 12 months by 67 (42%) participants, of which 90 (64.3%) were injurious (n = 9 fractures). The fall rate was 2.6 per 1000 patient-days. Age (adjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.20) and hospital length of stay (adjusted odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.54).were significantly associated with sustaining multiple falls.

Conclusions

More than 40% of older adults fell in the 12 months after elective hip replacement surgery although the cohort had low fall risk prior to surgery. Rehabilitation after hip replacement surgery should consider fall prevention.
Same-Sex Couples and Cognitive Impairment: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Liu Hui , Hsieh Ning , Zhang Zhenmei , Zhang Yan , Langa Kenneth M
Published: November 2020

Objectives

We provide the first nationally representative population-based study of cognitive disparities among same-sex and different-sex couples in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000–2016). The sample included 23,669 respondents (196 same-sex partners and 23,473 different-sex partners) aged 50 and older who contributed to 85,117 person-period records (496 from same-sex partners and 84,621 from different-sex partners). Cognitive impairment was assessed using the modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. Mixed-effects discrete-time hazard regression models were estimated to predict the odds of cognitive impairment.

Results

The estimated odds of cognitive impairment were 78% (p < .01) higher for same-sex partners than for different-sex partners. This disparity was mainly explained by differences in marital status and, to a much lesser extent, by differences in physical and mental health. Specifically, a significantly higher proportion of same-sex partners than different-sex partners were cohabiting rather than legally married (72.98% vs. 5.42% in the study sample), and cohabitors had a significantly higher risk of cognitive impairment than their married counterparts (odds ratio = 1.53, p < .001).

Discussion

The findings indicate that designing and implementing public policies and programs that work to eliminate societal homophobia, especially among older adults, is a critical step in reducing the elevated risk of cognitive impairment among older same-sex couples.
Reflection of inhomogeneous plane waves at the surface of a thermo-poroelastic medium
Authors: Wang Enjiang , Carcione José M , Yuan Yang , Ba Jing
Published: November 2020

We analyse the reflection coefficient of an inhomogeneous plane wave incident on the thermally insulated surface of a thermo-poroelastic medium. The theory, which includes the classic Lord-Shulman (LS) and Green-Lindsay (GL) theories as well as a generalization of the LS model, predicts three inhomogeneous longitudinal waves and one transverse wave, described by potential functions specified by the propagation direction and inhomogeneity angle. The GL model can give a stronger P1-wave thermal attenuation and consequently a stronger velocity dispersion than the LS model. We investigate the influence of inhomogeneity angle, type of incident wave, frequency and surface boundary conditions. The generalized LS model exhibits increased P1-wave thermal attenuation with increasing Maxwell–Vernotte–Cattaneo relaxation time and consequently predicts more interference energy, irrespective if the surface is open or sealed. The inhomogeneity angle affects the energy partitions particularly near the grazing incidence, with a significant interference energy, which must be taken into account to satisfy the energy conservation. The thermal dispersion occurs at frequencies around the thermal relaxation peak, which moves to low frequencies when the conductivity increases.
Phylogenomic and Morphological Reevaluation of the Bee Tribes Biastini, Neolarrini, and Townsendiellini (Hymenoptera: Apidae) With Description of Three New Species ofSchwarzia
Authors: Bossert Silas , Copeland Robert S , Sless Trevor J L , Branstetter Michael G , Gillung Jessica P , Brady Seán G , Danforth Bryan N , Policarová Jana , Straka Jakub
Published: November 2020

Bees of the tribes Biastini, Neolarrini, and Townsendiellini are cleptoparasites in the subfamily Nomadinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae) and parasitize solitary bees. Understanding their phylogenetic relationships has proven difficult for many decades. Previous research yielded ambiguous results because of conflicting phylogenetic signals of larval and adult morphological characters. Molecular data settled some of this disparity but our knowledge remains fragmented due to limited taxon sampling and the discovery of a new lineage associated with Biastini: the enigmatic Schwarzia Eardley, 2009. Schwarzia has unusual morphological features and seems transitional between previously established taxa. This puts limits on our ability to diagnose the groups, understand their antiquity and biogeography, and study the evolution of host-choice. To address this, we integrate phylogenomics and morphology to establish a fossil-calibrated phylogeny for the tribes Biastini, Neolarrini, and Townsendiellini. We show that Schwarzia is indeed closely related to Biastes Panzer, 1806, but Biastes itself is paraphyletic in respect to Neopasites Ashmead, 1898, and even Biastini is paraphyletic due to Townsendiella Crawford, 1916, which is sister to Rhopalolemma Roig-Alsina, 1991. To ensure monophyly, we lower Neopasites to subgeneric rank within Biastes and resurrect Melittoxena Morawitz, 1873 as a third subgenus. We then assess the diagnosability of different tribal concepts and establish an expanded tribe Neolarrini that includes Biastini and Townsendiellini as new synonyms for Neolarrini. Neolarrini in this new, expanded sense likely originated in the Nearctic in the mid-Eocene and is, as far we know, composed exclusively of parasites of oligolectic hosts. Lastly, our continued efforts to find the rare Schwarzia in Eastern Africa led to the discovery of three new species, which are described herein.
BK Virus Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes: An Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients at Texas Children’s Hospital
Authors: Ruderfer Daniel , Wu Mengfen , Wang Tao , Srivaths Poyyapakkam R , Krance Robert A , Naik Swati , Bocchini Claire E
Published: November 2020

Background

BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a serious complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods

A retrospective review was performed to determine the frequency of BKV-HC and identify risk factors and renal morbidity associated with BKV-HC in pediatric HSCT recipients at our institution.

Results

A total of 314 pediatric recipients underwent allogeneic HSCT for either malignant (173, 55.1%) or nonmalignant disorders (141, 44.9%) from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015, with a minimum follow-up of 5 years post-HSCT. Severe BKV-HC (grades 3 and 4) was prevalent in 46 out of 67 (68.7%) recipients. Timing to presentation of severe BKV-HC (grades 3 and 4) occurred at a median of 37 days (26, 74; IQ1, IQ3) post-HSCT, with the duration of macroscopic hematuria lasting a median of 37.5 days (18, 71; IQ1, IQ3). In the first 60 days post-HSCT, peak acute kidney injury (AKI) stages 2 and 3 were seen more frequently in HSCT recipients who developed BKV-HC than those without (P = .004). Similarly, during post-HSCT days 61 to 100, peak AKI stage 3 was also more frequently seen in HSCT recipients who already developed BKV-HC prior to or during this time period than those without BKV-HC (P = .0002). Recipients who developed BKV-HC within 1 year of HSCT had more frequent mild to moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD stages 2-3) than those without BKV-HC (P = .002 and .007, respectively). On multivariate analysis, BKV-HC was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-3.65). The following clinical variables were associated with time to development of HC on multivariate analysis: age (subdistribution HR [sHR] 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06-1.16) and myeloabalative conditioning regimen (sHR 4.2; 95% CI: 2.12-8.34).

Conclusions

Pediatric HSCT patients with BKV-HC experience significant morbidity and mortality. Renal morbidity, including AKI and CKD, is associated with BKV-HC.
On the geometry and environment of repeating FRBs
Authors: Du Shuang , Wang Weihua , Wu Xuhao , Xu Renxin
Published: November 2020

We propose a geometrical explanation for periodically and non-periodically repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) under neutron star (NS)–companion systems. We suggest a constant critical binary separation, rc, within which the interaction between the NS and companion can trigger FRBs. For an elliptic orbit with the minimum and maximum binary separations, rmin and rmax, a periodically repeating FRB with an active period could be reproduced if rmin < rc < rmax. However, if rmax < rc, the modulation of orbital motion will not work due to persistent interaction, and this kind of repeating FRBs should be non-periodic. We test relevant NS–companion binary scenarios on the basis of FRB 180916.J0158+65 and FRB 121102 under this geometrical frame. It is found that the pulsar–asteroid belt impact model is more suitable to explain these two FRBs since this model is compatible with different companions (e.g. massive stars and black holes). At last, we point out that FRB 121102-like samples are potential objects that can reveal the evolution of star-forming region.
Stacking redshifted 21 cm images of H ii regions around high-redshift galaxies as a probe of early reionization
Authors: Davies James E , Croft Rupert A C , Di-Matteo Tiziana , Greig Bradley , Feng Yu , Wyithe J Stuart B
Published: November 2020

A number of current and future experiments aim to detect the reionization of neutral hydrogen by the first stars and galaxies in the Universe via the redshifted 21 cm line. Using the bluetides simulation, we investigate the measurement of an average ionized region towards the beginning of reionization by stacking redshifted 21 cm images around optically identified bright galaxies using mock observations. We find that with an SKA 1000 h observation, assuming perfect foreground subtraction, a 5σ detection of a stacked H ii region can be made with 30 images around some of the brightest galaxies in bluetides (brighter than MUV < −22.75) at z = 9 (corresponding to a neutral fraction of 90.1 per cent in our model). We present simulated relationships between the UV magnitude of galaxies, the sizes of the ionized regions they reside in, and the shape of the stacked profiles. These mock observations can also distinguish between scenarios where the intergalactic medium is in net emission or absorption of 21 cm photons. Once 21 cm foreground contamination is included, we find that even with up to 200 images around these rare, bright galaxies, only a tentative >1σ detection will be possible. However, partial foreground subtraction substantially improves signal to noise. For example, we predict that reducing the area of Fourier space dominated by foregrounds by 50 (80) per cent will allow >3σ (>5σ) detections of ionized regions at z = 9.
Predictive Evolution Factors of Incidentally Discovered Suspected Low-Grade Gliomas: Results From a Consecutive Series of 101 Patients
Authors: Boetto Julien , Ng Sam , Duffau Hugues
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Incidentally discovered suspected diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGGs) on brain imaging pose a challenge to neurosurgeons. Modern surgical series of LGGs favor early prophylactic surgery with a maximal extent of resection. However, some nonevolutive lesions may mimic LGGs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

OBJECTIVE

To determine objective criteria to advocate surgical resection of an incidentally discovered suspected LGG based upon MRI findings.

METHODS

The prospective cohort of patients referred to our institution for an incidental finding suggestive of LGG was retrospectively reviewed. Stable lesions underwent systematic serial MRI follow-up, while evolutive lesions underwent prophylactic surgery under awake conditions. Initial clinico-radiological features were compared between stable and evolutive lesions in order to determine predictive criteria of further evolution.

RESULTS

Among 101 patients referred for surgical resection of incidentally discovered suspected LGG in our center, 19 patients (18.8%) had nonevolutive MRI lesions after a mean follow-up of 46.9 ± 34.9 mo. Insular topography (P = .003), higher mean volume at discovery (19.2 vs 5.2 cm3, P < .001), and adjacent sulcal effacement (P = .001) were associated with evolutive lesions. Histopathological diagnosis of LGG was confirmed in all surgical cases.

CONCLUSION

Increasing volume is an effective predictor of LGG diagnosis in incidental MRI findings, as all patients who subsequently underwent surgery had confirmed histopathological diagnosis of diffuse glioma. Approximately 18.8% of incidental findings were stable over time. Insular topography, adjacent sulcal effacement, and volume greater than 4.5 cm3 were predictive of further radiological progression. These significant elements will help neurosurgeons to define personalized strategies in this complex setting of incidental discovery.
Gun Control in America
Authors: Cook Philip J. , Goss Kristin A.
Published: November 2020

What Are the Basics of the US System of Gun Regulation?

Gun regulations have a long history, stretching back to the colonial era. By and large, the laws have been enacted to secure the common defense, to protect individuals from harm, to assist law-enforcement...
Guns and Gun Control in History
Authors: Cook Philip J. , Goss Kristin A.
Published: November 2020

Is There a Uniquely American Gun Culture?

Yes. We know of no other country where firearms are as plentiful and as inextricably linked to individual identity and popular values as they are in the United States. Citizens of other nations possess and use guns,...
The Gun Rights Movement
Authors: Cook Philip J. , Goss Kristin A.
Published: November 2020

What Is the Gun Rights Movement?

The gun rights movement consists of several hundred local, state, and national organizations that seek to promote a positive view of firearms in public life and to prevent and remove restrictions on gun ownership and use. Generally speaking,...
The Past
Authors: Anderson C. W. , Downie Leonard , Schudson Michael
Published: November 2020

When and where was the world’s first newspaper published?

This depends on whatwe mean by “newspaper.” Suppose we mean something that is published—that is, intended to be circulated to multiple persons, many of whom may be unknown to the publisher (unlike a personal...
The Future
Authors: Anderson C. W. , Downie Leonard , Schudson Michael
Published: November 2020

When will newspapers disappear completely? How about other news media like television news and radio journalism?

“Times are tough for the newspaper industry,” writes one well-known media analyst. “Advertising is in a slump some analysts are calling the worst in twenty years. Profits are down...
Counterterrorism
Authors: Byman Daniel
Published: November 2020

The United States uses a wide range of national security instruments to fight terrorism in general and Al Qaeda in particular. Each instrument has its strengths and weaknesses, and they cannot all be used in every circumstance. Together, however, they offer a powerful counterterrorism...
ADHD
Authors: Hinshaw Stephen P. , Ellison Katherine
Published: November 2020

Rates of diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are skyrocketing, throughout America and the rest of the world. U.S. rates of youth diagnosis have increased 40% from just a decade ago. Adults with ADHD are now the fastest-growing segment of the population receiving diagnosis and medication. The disorder is painful and sometimes disabling for individuals and tremendously costly for society; yet, widespread misinformation, skepticism, and unanswered questions have jeopardized effective diagnosis and treatment. Researched and written by Stephen Hinshaw, an international expert on ADHD, and Katherine Ellison, a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and author, ADHD: What Everyone Needs to Know is the go-to book for authoritative, current, accurate, and compelling information about the global ADHD epidemic. This book addresses questions such as: • Is ADHD a genuine medical condition or a means of pathologizing active and exploratory behavior? • Do medications for ADHD serve as needed treatments, or are they attempts at social control, designed to bolster profits of pharmaceutical firms? • Has the ADHD label become a ruse by which parents can game the educational system for accommodations? • How do symptoms and impairments related to ADHD differ between girls and women and boys and men? • Why are ADHD medications often used as performance enhancers by college and high-school students? ADHD: What Everyone Needs to Know® clears the air of the most polarizing and misleading information that abounds, providing straight talk and sound guidelines for educators, policymakers, health professionals, parents, and the general public. It shows the reality of ADHD but does not ignore the forces that have pushed up rates of diagnosis to alarmingly high levels.
The “Experiment” in Democracy, 1945–1964
Authors: Roett Riordan
Published: November 2020

Thomas Skidmore, in his definitive book on Brazil titled Politics in Brazil, 1930–1964: An Experiment in Democracy, wrote that “all Brazilians, regardless of political position, seem agreed that April 1, 1964, was a watershed in postwar Brazilian history.”1 This section of...
The Safavids and the Impact of the West (1500–1921)
Authors: Axworthy Michael
Published: November 2020

When and why did Iran turn Shi‘a?

At the beginning of the sixteenth century a new empire was established on the Iranian plateau—the empire of the Safavids. The Safavid dynasty originated in Ardebil and the surrounding area, in the eastern part of what is now...
Genomics and Cancer Treatment
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

What has been learned from genome sequencing of cancer?

With the ability to sequence whole genomes and exomes, attention has quickly turned to trying to understand the full spectrum of genetic mutations that underlie cancer. Now the genomes or exomes of tens of thousands...
Complex Genetic Diseases
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

What is a complex genetic disease?

Although great strides have been made to identify single gene variants that have a strong causative effect for a particular disease (e.g., CFTR mutations for cystic fibrosis and HEXA mutations for Tay-Sachs disease), the...
Effects of the Environment on the Genome and Epigenetics
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

How does the environment contribute to health?

In addition to genetics, environmental factors and age dramatically affect a person’s risk for particular diseases. Environmental factors include diet, pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, chemical exposures, and stress. Examples are shown in Table 6...
Aging and Health
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

The number one risk factor for nearly all human diseases is age. The chances of developing cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart failure, macular degeneration, and dementia all increase with age. Aging is not a default process in which we “wear out” but rather...
Wearable Health Devices
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

What other types of personal health information can be readily collected?

Most health-related measurements are administered in or through a doctor’s office and are typically taken when we are sick; the measurements that are taken when we are healthy are infrequent, and we often...
Big Data and Medicine
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”
Ethics
Authors: Snyder Michael
Published: November 2020

Can your genetic information be used against you?

In the United States, a relatively recent law called GINA, for Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, prevents discrimination on the basis of genetic information for health insurance and employment. This law has limitations, however, and does not...
How Stringent Is Marijuana Enforcement in the United States?
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau , Kleiman Mark A.R.
Published: November 2020

Does it make sense for marijuana to be a Schedule I substance?

Yes, until the federal process finds it has medical value.

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) divides abusable drugs into five groups, called “schedules,” numbered from I to V. Schedule V includes only...
How Is Legalization of Marijuana Different from Legalization of Other Drugs?
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau , Kleiman Mark A.R.
Published: November 2020

How does legalizing marijuana compare to legalizing all drugs?

Legalizing marijuana involves both lower stakes and less uncertainty than legalizing any of the other major illicit drugs (cocaine/​crack, heroin, and methamphetamine). Not that the consequences of marijuana legalization would be minor or easy to...
What if We Treated Marijuana Like Alcohol?
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau , Kleiman Mark A.R.
Published: November 2020

Marijuana-​legalization advocates often say that we should “regulate marijuana like alcohol.” What would that mean? US states vary in the way they handle alcohol, and some still allow sales only by state stores, but most apply more or less the following rules:

Production, distribution,...
The Ethics of Sport
Authors: Simon Robert L.
Published: November 2020

The Ethics of Sport explores moral issues that arise in sports, especially competitive athletics, in a manner that is accessible not only to sports fans or participants but also to those critical of sports or simply interested in an introduction to the kind of moral issues raised by the practice of athletics. The issues considered range from the more abstract, such as the importance that should be assigned to winning in sports, to specific controversies such as arguments over the use of performance enhancing drugs, the nature of gender equity, and the evaluation of violence in competition. The book explores different sides of these issues and suggests reasonable resolutions to the kinds of ethical questions prevalent in the practice of sports.
Introduction
Authors: Feemster Kristen A.
Published: November 2020

Vaccines represent one of the greatest public health advances of the past 100 years. Their development has brought about the global eradication of smallpox as well as large reductions in poliomyelitis, measles, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib—a leading cause of childhood infections),...
What is the case against?
Authors: Sumner L. W.
Published: November 2020

What is the slippery slope argument?

As the arguments in the previous chapter show, a strong case can be made for legalizing physician-assisted death. However, this is far from the end of the matter. While some opponents of legalization object to it on ethical grounds—usually...
How might legalization be achieved?
Authors: Sumner L. W.
Published: November 2020

What kind of legal regime should advocates aim for?

The main business of this book is done. We have explored the nature, history, and ethics of physician-assisted death and the case that can be made for and against allowing it as a legal end-of-life option....
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
Authors: Sabat Steven R.
Published: November 2020

Alzheimer’s is swiftly on the rise: it is estimated that every 67 seconds, someone develops the disease. For many, the words ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ or ‘dementia’ immediately denote severe mental loss and, perhaps, madness. Indeed, the vast majority of media coverage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other types of dementia focuses primarily on the losses experienced by people diagnosed and the terrible burden felt by care partners yearning for a "magic bullet" drug cure. Providing an accessible, question-and-answer-format primer on what touches so many lives, and yet so few of us understand, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: What Everyone Needs to Know® contributes what is urgently missing from public knowledge: unsparing investigation of their causes and manifestations, and focus on the strengths possessed by people diagnosed. Steven R. Sabat mines a large body of research to convey the genetic and biological aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, its clinical history, and, most significantly, to reveal the subjective experience of those with Alzheimer’s or dementia. By clarifying the terms surrounding dementia and Alzheimer’s, which are two distinct conditions, Sabat corrects dangerous misconceptions that plague our understanding of memory dysfunction. People diagnosed with AD retain awareness, thinking ability, and sense of self; crucially, Sabat demonstrates that there are ways to facilitate communication even when the person with AD has great difficulty finding the words he or she wants to use. From years spent exploring and observing the points of view and experiences of people diagnosed, Sabat strives to inform as well as to remind readers of the respect and empathy owed to those diagnosed and living with dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia conveys this type of information and more, which, when applied by family and professional caregivers, will help improve the quality of life of those diagnosed as well as of those who provide support and care.
The Brain
Authors: Wenk Gary L.
Published: November 2020

What is the principle purpose of a brain? A simple question, but the answer has taken millennia for us to begin to understand. So critical for our everyday existence, the brain still remains somewhat a mystery. Gary L. Wenk takes us on a tour of what we do know about this enigmatic organ, showing us how the workings of the human brain produce our thoughts, feelings, and fears, and answering questions such as: How did humans evolve such a big brain? What is an emotion and why do we have them? What is a memory and why do we forget so easily? How does your diet affect how you think and feel? What happens when your brain gets old? Throughout human history, ignorance about the brain has caused numerous non-scientific, sometimes harmful, interventions to be devised based on interpretations of scientific facts that were misguided. Wenk discusses why these neuroscientific myths are so popular, and why some of the interventions based on them are a waste of time and money. With illuminating insights, gentle humor, and welcome simplicity, The Brain: What Everyone Needs to Know makes the complex biology of our brains accessible to the general reader.
Privacy and Health Information
Authors: Francis Leslie P. , Francis John G.
Published: November 2020

Introduction

In addition to being regarded as particularly sensitive by many people, health information has several characteristics that make privacy particularly salient. Health care is very important to people’s prospects in life—so much so that it may be regarded as a fundamental good. People do...
Financial Information, Credit Information, and Information For Employers
Authors: Francis Leslie P. , Francis John G.
Published: November 2020

Introduction

This chapter considers privacy for you as you participate in economic life. Should you be able to keep information about your finances, your creditworthiness, or your tax payments confidential? Because engagement in economic life has impacts on others, including possibilities for power and influence,...
Framing Today’s Debate
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

What are the key issues in debate on this matter?

Having considered how antiquities were first assembled into collections, how objects have historically moved from one place to another, and some of the ways in which claims arise, we will now consider the key issues...
Chance Finds, Excavation, and Looting
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

What are the differences among chance finds, excavation, and looting?

The circumstances of any discovery invariably set in motion presumptions about its eventual fate. A chance find denotes a work’s accidental discovery in the course of activities such as the demolition or renovation...
Acquiring Antiquities in the Marketplace
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

What are the primary channels through which antiquities are sold?

There are two markets for antiquities: the licit, or legal market, and the illicit, or black market. In this chapter we will consider how each market operates today, and seek to clarify the ways in...
Retention, Restitution, and Repatriation
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

What do these terms mean?

Antiquities in the permanent collection of a particular museum or monument were likely transferred from or donated by a royal, noble, state, or private collection, or purchased.

But so-called “permanent” collections are not impervious to change. Museums on occasion will...
Evolving Perspectives on Ownership
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

How are dealers and collectors coping with increasing restrictions?

The incremental successes of source nations and the archaeological community in restricting the trade in antiquities have had a material effect on the art market and on the practice of private collecting. Gone are the days...
Some Publishing History
Authors: Shatzkin Mike , Riger Robert Paris
Published: November 2020

When were today’s major publishing houses founded?

Although it was evolving, the trade book publishing business had remained largely the same for the first hundred years or so of the republic, until about a fifty-year period starting with the last quarter of the nineteenth...
Foreign Affairs
Authors: Rutherford Bruce K. , Sowers Jeannie L.
Published: November 2020

How Does Geography Shape Egypt’s Foreign Policy?

Egyptians consider their country the natural leader of the region in part due to its location at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia. The completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 reinforced the country’s geographic centrality, making...
The Race for Antarctica in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Day David
Published: November 2020

What caused a boom in Antarctic whaling in the late nineteenth century?

The 1860s and 1870s saw a decline in whaling when kerosene largely replaced whale oil for heating and lighting. The resulting drop in profits caused fewer whaling fleets to set out to sea....
Puerto Rico as a us Commonwealth Since 1952
Authors: Duany Jorge
Published: November 2020

How did the Puerto Rican population change after World War II?

The Island’s population growth rate contracted markedly during the second half of the twentieth century. This trend was mainly due to the insular government’s campaigns to reduce birth rates, by encouraging family planning and...
The Puerto Rican Diaspora to the United States
Authors: Duany Jorge
Published: November 2020

Who were some of the most prominent Puerto Ricans who moved to the United States during the late nineteenth century?

Several political exiles from Puerto Rico sought refuge abroad, mainly in New York City, after the failure of the Grito de Lares, the Island’s insurrection...
The Rise and Decline of ISIS
Authors: Gelvin James L.
Published: November 2020

What is ISIS?

Farthest expansion of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (2014)

ISIS—also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, and Daesh—is a group committed to salafi principles and jihadi tactics. It is extremely brutal. The group has regularly beheaded...
Why Women’s Sport Matters
Authors: Schultz Jaime
Published: November 2020

Why does sport matter?

For better or for worse, sport matters. It brings together friends, families, communities, and stadia full of strangers. It rallies nations and stokes rivalries. Sport gives us a sense of history, a sense of tradition, and a sense of identity. It...
Consequences of Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Wilson Mary Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

What are the Most Important Consequences of having Infections Caused by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?

Several major consequences stand out. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria lead to more deaths and disability than infections caused by antibiotic-sensitive bacteria. They cause more suffering through longer hospitalizations and more adverse...