bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Les États-Unis en Asie centrale : un retour éphémère ?
Authors: Levystone Michaël
Published: March 2023

Le retrait chaotique des États-Unis d’Afghanistan en août 2021 pouvait laisser présager une perte d’influence durable en Asie centrale. La guerre en Ukraine a rebattu les cartes : les États centrasiatiques ont pris leurs distances avec Moscou et cherchent à diversifier leurs partenariats internationaux. Washington y voit l’opportunité d’un retour dans la région qui prend notamment la forme de coopérations renouvelées dans les domaines sécuritaire et énergétique.
Perspectives transatlantiques sur un ordre mondial fracturé
Authors: Muñiz Manuel
Published: March 2023

L’ordre international libéral, dominé par les États-Unis depuis la fin de la guerre froide, est contesté par la Chine et la Russie. Des blocs géopolitiques risquent de se constituer autour de Washington d’une part, et de Pékin d’autre part. Dans ce contexte, les relations transatlantiques doivent être resserrées, notamment dans leur composante idéologique : des valeurs essentielles comme le respect des droits de l’homme et des libertés individuelles sont menacées, et doivent être défendues.
La transaction sociale incertaine : une audace anthropologique bienvenue
Authors: Marchal Hervé
Published: March 2023

À aucun moment, la méthode de la transaction sociale n’a versé dans une anthropologie exclusive et mutilante, si bien que Jean Remy donne à penser et à réaliser une approche de la vie sociale où s’esquisse un art sociologique : œuvrer à faire société en prenant acte des multiples facettes naturelles de l’être humain. La démarche proposée plaide pour un pluralisme anthropologique contraire à toute hégémonie conceptuelle et pour une réhabilitation de toute l’épaisseur humaine de chacun, au cœur des situations concrètes observées.
Gouvernance urbaine, institutionnalisation de la participation citoyenne et transactions sociales à Alger
Authors: Larinouna Rachida
Published: March 2023

L’exercice du pouvoir urbain – alimenté par la crise de la démocratie représentative et l’engouement ambiant pour la démocratie participative – donne lieu à la profusion d’espaces de concertation, de coopération ou de négociation qui se saisissent de « l’impératif citoyen ». En Algérie, leur institutionnalisation apparait sous le coup d’événements forts, qualifiés d’instituants. Nous analysons la dimension démocratique de la gouvernance urbaine à Alger au prisme de la transaction sociale : elle permet d’étudier les processus de rapprochement et de dialogue qui s’opèrent à travers des interactions complexes et qui cristallisent des coalitions d’acteurs. Nous questionnons ces espaces composites, qui facilitent des compromis acceptables en agrégeant des expertises. Ce processus transactionnel vise un entre-deux de traditions et de modèles opposés : démocratie représentative et démocratie participative.
Dépasser le salariat ? Moments transactionnels au sein d’espaces de l’économie sociale et solidaire
Authors: Boutet Manuel , Saint-Germes Ève
Published: March 2023

Les voies de dépassement du salariat s’inscrivent dans un débat ancien et d’actualité en sciences sociales. Chacun des deux auteurs est confronté à cette question théorique, dans sa discipline et dans sa recherche. Tous deux découvrent ce questionnement sur leur terrain commun, sous la forme d’une préoccupation et d’une enquête menée par les acteurs sociaux qu’ils accompagnent : le dépassement du salariat est un terrain de réflexivité sur leurs relations avec les institutions qui les soutiennent. Les auteurs décrivent et analysent des « zones grises de l’emploi » développées à destination d’acteurs non-salariés lors d’expérimentations et de projets dans une organisation de l’économie sociale et solidaire (ESS) : la SCIC TETRIS à Grasse.
L’économie sociale et solidaire (ESS) dans la coopération universitaire internationale. Transactions sociales et émergence de communs
Authors: Stoessel-Ritz Josiane , Blanc Maurice
Published: March 2023

La coopération universitaire internationale se décline selon deux logiques opposées : l’une, hiérarchique, est l’héritage du colonialisme ; l’autre, coopérative, vise à mettre tous les partenaires à égalité dans un processus d’interaction et de négociation. Les projets de formation privilégient la recherche-action : ils sont ouverts sur les besoins des populations et ajustés aux territoires. Le réseau interdisciplinaire et international Développement durable et Lien social (2DLiS) a lancé des initiatives coopératives en Algérie, au Maroc, en Tunisie et au Sénégal. Elles permettent un apprentissage réciproque dans la réalisation de projets de développement durable et d’économie sociale et solidaire. Leur contenu est discuté et négocié, pour aboutir à des compromis transactionnels à l’aune des communs.
Gaston Tissandier : histoire d’une ascension (médiatique)
Authors: Hohnsbein Axel
Published: March 2023

Gaston Tissandier est principalement passé à la postérité pour avoir fondé la revue La Nature (1873). L’histoire de l’aéronautique signale aussi qu’il a été le premier à employer l’électricité dans la direction des ballons. Fervent défenseur de l’aérostation contre le « plus lourd que l’air », il sera de moins en moins lu à mesure que l’aviation se développera au xx e  siècle. De 1870 à 1899, il a pourtant compté parmi les personnalités les plus importantes du monde scientifique : d’un tempérament extrêmement sociable, il a développé très tôt un génie médiatique qui lui a permis de devenir un héros de l’aérostation, et d’utiliser cette aura pour favoriser le développement du goût populaire pour les sciences en général. Cet article se propose donc de décrire comment se fabriquent — et, pour certaines, se perdent — les icônes scientifiques sous la Troisième République.
Long-Term Visual Outcomes in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Eyes With Baseline Macular Atrophy on Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment
Authors: Foster Michael J. , Shaia Jacqueline , Maatouk Christopher M. , Urbano Catherine A. , Bui Mark T. , Hom Grant L. , Kuo Blanche L. , Singh Rishi P. , Talcott Katherine E.
Published: March 2023

Background and Objective:

This study explores the connection between macular atrophy (MA) status at baseline and best visual acuity (BVA) after 5 to 7 years of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections on eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Patients and Methods:

This retrospective study included patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration receiving anti-VEGF injections at least twice-yearly for 5+ years at Cole Eye Institute. Analyses of variance and linear regressions explored the connection between MA status, baseline MA intensity, and 5-year BVA change.

Results:

Of 223 included patients, 5-year BVA change was not statistically significant between MA status groups or from baseline. The population's average 7-year BVA change was −6.3 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters. Type and frequency of anti-VEGF injections were comparable between MA status groups (
P
> 0.05).

Conclusion:

Regardless of MA status, 5- and 7-year BVA change lacked clinical relevance. If receiving regular treatment for 5+ years, patients with baseline MA achieve comparable visual outcomes to those without MA, with similar treatment and visit burdens.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
2023;54:223–230.]
Modeling and computation for unsteady blood flow and solute concentration in a constricted porous artery
Authors: Riahi Daniel N. , Orizaga Saulo
Published: March 2023

We investigated a physical system for unsteady blood flow and solute transport in a section of a constricted porous artery. The aim of this study was to determine effects of hematocrit, stenosis, pulse oscillation, diffusion, convection and chemical reaction on the solute transport. The significance of this study was uncovering combined roles played by stenosis height, hematocrit, pulse oscillation period, reactive rate, blood speed, blood pressure force and radial and axial extent of the porous artery on the solute transported by the blood flow in the described porous artery. We used both analytical and computational methods to determine blood flow quantities and solute transport for different parametric values of the described physical system. We found that solute transport increases with increasing stenosis height, blood pulsation period, convection and blood pressure force. However, transportation of solute reduces with increasing hematocrit, chemical reactive rate and radial or axial distance.
A short proof of cuplength estimates on Lagrangian intersections
Authors: Gong Wenmin
Published: March 2023

In this note we give a short proof of Arnold's conjecture for the zero section of a cotangent bundle of a closed manifold. The proof is based on some basic properties of Lagrangian spectral invariants from Floer theory.
Afghanistan factor in regional energy security and trade: Existing and projected challenges and opportunities
Authors: Rahman Sabory Najib , Shah Danish Mir Sayed , Tomonobo Senjyu , Mirwais Ahmadzai
Published: March 2023

Asia, where future world economic development is predicted and most of the energy resources are buried, has not been able to utilize its energy resources efficiently and remained at the core of political tensions, conflicts, terrorism and wars for decades. Major producers and consumers of fossil energy are located in this continent, and the potential of a vast energy market is inevitable. There are several challenges and opportunities associated with the energy trade in the region. On the one hand, the rivalries and competition over energy resources and territorial ownership and control between the USA, China and Russia have been the sources of most political and security issues in the region. However, on the other hand, the fast economic growth and availability of energy resources open up numerous trade and connectivity opportunities for the region. Afghanistan is a strategic state that serves as a geographic land-based hub for South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East. It is no longer considered a land-locked country, but a strategic and key land link for the whole region. Afghanistan is the most economical and inimitable terrestrial corridor for the regional energy trade and transit upon which all stakeholders agree. Stability in Afghanistan will significantly change the importance of this region and open up doors for the realization of various mega projects, businesses and cultural exchange opportunities. Energy, as a strategic commodity for all of the regional countries, especially India and China as major consumers at present and in the future, will be a mega trade and connectivity opportunity.
Synergic ranking of fuzzy Z-numbers based on vectorial distance and spread for application in decision-making
Authors: Alam Nik Muhammad Farhan Hakim Nik Badrul , Khalif Ku Muhammad Naim Ku , Jaini Nor Izzati
Published: March 2023

Decision science has a wide range of applications in daily life. Decision information is usually incomplete and partially reliable. In the fuzzy set theory, Z-numbers are introduced to handle this situation because they contain the restriction and reliability components, which complement the impaired information. The ranking of Z-numbers is a challenging task since they are composed of pairs of fuzzy numbers. In this research, the vectorial distance and spread of Z-numbers were proposed synergically, in which the vectorial distance measures how much the fuzzy numbers are apart from the origin, which was set as a relative point, and their spreads over a horizontal axis. Furthermore, a ranking method based on the convex compound was proposed to combine the restriction and reliability components of Z-numbers. The proposed ranking method was validated using several empirical examples and a comparative analysis was conducted. The application of the proposed ranking method in decision-making was illustrated via the development of the Analytic Hierarchy Process-Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (AHP-WASPAS) model to solve the prioritization of public services for the implementation of Industry 4.0 tools. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed model and the results showed that the proposed model has improved its consistency from 66.67% of the existing model to 83.33%. This research leads to a future direction of the application of ranking based on the vectorial distance and spread in multi-criteria decision-making methods, which use Z-numbers as linguistic values.
Cost and performance of carbon risk in socially responsible mutual funds
Authors: Matallín-Sáez Juan Carlos , Soler-Domínguez Amparo
Published: March 2023

Investors and other financial actors are attracted by the role of socially responsible (SR) mutual funds in the transition to a low-carbon economy. In response to the demand for more information, Morningstar reported the level of carbon risk of funds by using the following indicators: Carbon Risk, Carbon Management, Carbon Operations risk and Carbon Exposure. Dealing with a sample of 3370 equity SR mutual funds worldwide from 2017 to 2021, this study analyzes the relationships between these indicators and the expense ratio and performance of the funds. In general, the results point to funds with lower carbon scores that have lower fees and perform better than those with higher scores. Considering the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, this evidence holds true for most of the sample period analyzed. With a spatial analysis, although the evidence generally holds, regional differences are found. Thus, funds that invest in the USA and Canada are on average cheaper and show lower carbon scores, while funds that are oriented to other areas, such as emerging markets, are more expensive and show higher scores. In summary, there is good news for the utility function of the investor and the planet: Green investing is cheaper and better.
Da Aosta a Gori (Georgia): il confronto con la diversità come motore di crescita
Authors: Noussan Martine
Published: March 2023

En 2016, après avoir obtenu mon diplôme en langues et littératures étrangères, j'ai eu la chance de m'essayer au métier d'enseignant grâce à un avis de concours du MIUR pour assistants d'italien en Allemagne. Une fois rentrée en Italie, j'ai pu continuer à me confronter à des langues et cultures différentes, en participant à un cours de formation pour médiateurs interculturels et en effectuant un stage dans les centres d'accueil pour demandeurs d'asile. Après une année à Aoste, j'ai décidé de partir pour la Géorgie, pour un projet de volontariat ESC (Corps européen de solidarité). Actuellement je travaille à Berlin dans un projet pour la résolution du conflit dans le Donbass, en Ukraine. La rencontre avec des cultures et langues différentes est un important moteur de développement personnel.
Research Design
Authors: Wisenthige Krishantha
Published: March 2023

The framework of methods and techniques that the researcher has chosen to conduct the research is described as research design. In social science research, it is required to collect evidence relevant to the research problem, especially evidence required to evaluate a problem, to test the theory, or to describe a phenomenon. Successful research designs should be able to provide research insights that are accurate and unbiased. This chapter covers the type of research designs, and names key characteristics of a good research design; neutrality, reliability, validity, and ability for generalization as well as qualitative, quantitative, mix method research, and fix and flexible research designs.
Sustainability Through Total Factor Productivity Growth in Agriculture Incorporating Institutional Factors
Authors: Das Ramesh Chandra
Published: March 2023

With the increasing population pressure and food insecurity problem in India, and the problem of unsustainable social and economic systems, it was inevitable to shift away the focus of agricultural activities from the traditional system to the modern one. Having followed a series of agricultural policies in India, the role of irrigation and institutional credits cannot be denied upon the growth of output in the sector. There are some studies on the total factor productivity growth (TFPG) in Indian agriculture, but a few studies cover the role of irrigation and bank credit upon agriculture output. The present study computes TFPG out of the institutional roles through public irrigation facilities and commercial bank credit besides traditional inputs in Indian agricultural sector for the post globalized era of 1991-2019. Using the growth accounting approach, the study finds that the institutional factors such as public irrigation facilities and bank finances have contributed significantly to the growth of the agricultural output in India as the values of TFPG have increased over time.
Visual Myths
Authors: Knight G. Brandon
Published: March 2023

Is visual communication primarily contingent upon physical elements to be seen with the eye, or does visuality also extend into the imagination? Despite the progress of modernity since the Enlightenment, a different form of thinking exists that is predicated upon visual metaphors and mythic structures. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to unfold the position of thinking visually to the realm of religious beliefs emanating from ancient oral cultures who often created connections of natural, rhetorical objects with the metaphysical through the mythic imagination. Throughout this paper, the author analyzes three ekphrastic texts concerning visions of God's glory at the Tabernacle, Jerusalem Temple, and in the person of Jesus within Judeo-Christian thought. This research will analyze such visual thinking through Biblical teachings that demonstrate various forms of ekphrasis (Grk. “speak out”) in which specific verbal descriptions represent interaction between physical and divine planes and thus contiguity.
The Impact of Targeted Online Advertising's Pushing Time on Consumers' Browsing Intention
Authors: Li Yan , Wu Ruijuan , Liu Jianxin , Wang Shanshan
Published: March 2023

The development of digital technology enables advertising information to be pushed precisely to suitable consumers, thus achieving advertising targeting. Ad push timing can significantly impact ad click-through rates when advertisers push targeted ads based on consumers' online behavioral data. By conducting two studies, the authors found that pushing targeted ads before a consumer's purchase resulted in higher browsing intention than after purchase. This process is mediated in parallel by the perceived usefulness of ad information and anticipated regret after browsing the ad. When the purchase decision is irreversible (vs. reversible), or the repeatability of a purchase decision is low (vs. high), the impact of pushing time on consumers' advertising browsing intention will increase. In addition, the cost of decision reversal affects consumers' intention to browse ads. Consumers' intention to browse targeted ads is lower when the cost of decision reversal is high. Consumers' anticipated regret can effectively explain the aforementioned influence and moderating effects.
Climatologia Geográfica e Geomorfologia Ambiental aplicadas ao Ecoturismo
Authors: Aguiar Junior Paulo Roberto Ferreira de , Barros Juliana Ramalho , Oliveira Ivanilton José de
Published: March 2023

O turismo é um fenômeno socioeconômico de grande relevância que não pode ser desprezado, uma vez que pode gerar tanto impactos negativos como positivos, além de efeitos irreversíveis como alienação cultural, excludência das populações de baixa renda e também sobre a fauna e flora cavernícola. Esse fenômeno, que se segmentou com o desenvolvimento capitalista, se desenvolve por meio de inúmeros aspectos, dentre eles os elementos naturais explorados pelo ecoturismo, por exemplo. Diante de tantos componentes para a otimização do (eco) turismo, os estudos são de fundamental importância e podem ser feitos aos olhos da Geografia, utilizando o método sistêmico, que, por conseguinte, também é o almejado para as pesquisas sobre o turismo. Com isso, este trabalho tem por objetivo propor um olhar sistêmico alicerçado nos conhecimentos geográficos para a prática (eco) turística. Para isso, a Climatologia Geográfica e a Geomorfologia – Ambiental – são fundamentais para exemplificar como os saberes geográficos podem potencializar a atividade (eco) turística. Barbiere (1981), Besancenot (1990) e Monteiro (2000) foram os principais interlocutores para esse diálogo acerca do saber climatológico, enquanto Christofoletti (1980), Ab’Saber (2003) e Guerra e Marçal (2014) foram usados para a discussão geomorfológica; no Turismo, o principal autor utilizado foi Beni (2001). Com o respectivo trabalho, se espera chamar a atenção para a importância dos saberes geográficos, aplicados por meio do método sistêmico à prática (eco) turística.
Evaluating food safety knowledge and practices among Saudi women in Al-Ahsa Region, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Asmari Fahad , Ismail Ahmed I.H.
Published: March 2023

Foodborne illnesses are responsible for about half a million deaths annually, of which 30% occur among kids. This study aimed to assess the current food safety knowledge and practice level of Saudi women in Al-Ahsa region, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted through personal interviews among 239 Saudi women. The questionnaire consisted of close-ended questions covering different aspects of food safety knowledge and practices at home and during shopping. Descriptive analyses were used to identify the level of participant's awareness, and the scores were shown in three categories (good – fair – poor) based on their food safety knowledge and practice awareness. The effect of socio-demographic characteristics and their correlation to food safety knowledge and practices was conducted using Chi-square analysis. The results about food safety knowledge showed that around 50% of participants achieved a good score, and 37.5% achieved a fair score, while 12.5% achieved a poor score. In comparison, the participants achieved 75% good score, whereas 12.5% achieved both fair and poor in food safety practices. The results also highlighted a significant correlation (P<0.05) between level of food safety knowledge, practices of participants and their age, marital status, work status, and educational level, while there’s no correlation with their family size and total income. Although, the overall result showed good level in food safety knowledge and slightly less in food safety practices among Saudi women living in Al-Ahsa region, continuous education, training, awareness, and motivation are highly recommended to improve women’s knowledge and practices to higher levels.
Investigation on the microbiological hazards in an artisanal salami produced in Northern Italy and its production environment in different seasonal periods
Authors: Gambi Lucia , Crippa Cecilia , Lucchi Alex , Manfreda Gerardo , De Cesare Alessandra , Pasquali Frédérique
Published: March 2023

In the present study, the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli VTEC was investigated in two batches of artisanal Italian salami tested in winter and summer. Moreover, enumerations of total bacterial count, lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae were performed as well as monitoring of water activity and pH. Samples were taken from raw materials, production process environment, semi-finished product and finished products. The results revealed an overall increase of total bacterial count and lactic acid bacteria during the ripening period, along with a decrease of Enterobacteriaceae, pH and water activity. No significant difference was observed between the two batches. The enterobacterial load appeared to decrease during the maturation period mainly due to a decrease in pH and water activity below the limits that allow the growth of these bacteria. E. coli VTEC, Salmonella spp. or L. monocytogenes were not detected in both winter and summer batches. However, Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected in both summer and winter product. Except for one isolate, no biological hazards were detected in the finished salami, proving the efficacy of the ripening period in controlling the occurrence of microbiological hazard in ripened salami. Further studies are required to assess the virulence potential of the Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.
Interrelationship between G-6-PD-deficiency frequency and accumulated number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases
Authors: Mungmunpuntipantip Rujittika , Wiwanitkit Viroj , Sookaromdee Pathum
Published: March 2023

Background

The relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and genetic background is an important clinical issue. A relationship has been proposed between COVID-19 and congenital hereditary blood disorder.

Methods

The authors report on a link between G-6-PD deficiency frequency and COVID-19 prevalence in an endemic area of a tropical Indochina country where G-6-PD deficiency is common.

Results

The scattergram can illustrate the descriptive distribution of both researched parameters based on the original data. There is no evident pattern of association between G-6-PD-deficient carrier frequency and COVID-19 incidence in the dual axis image.

Conclusions

In the research scenario, there was no significant link between G-6-PD insufficiency frequency and COVID-19 incidence, according to the data.
Platelet/lymphocyte, neutrophil/lymphocyte, and red-cell distribution width/platelet ratios for assessment of hepatitis-C virus infection severity
Authors: Abdelsalam Ghada M. , Hodeib Hossam , Elbedewy Tamer A. , ElAhwal Loai M. , Aboelnasr Mohamed S.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Chronic hepatitis C is a global health problem with high cost, morbidity, and mortality. There is increasing need for noninvasive parameters to assess disease severity. Some parameters obtained from routine full-blood count are used as indicators for systemic inflammation. These include platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and red-cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR). The aim of the present study was to investigate the utility of these parameters in assessment of hepatitis-C virus disease severity.

Patients and methods

The study population included 180 participants who were divided into four groups. Group I included 90 healthy participants as control. Group II included 30 patients in sustained virus response after 6 months of treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents. Group III included 30 untreated noncirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C. Group IV included 30 untreated cirrhotic patients. All underwent thorough clinical evaluation and investigations, including PLR, NLR, RPR, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet-ratio index, and fibrosis index based on the 4 factors.

Results

NLR did not express significant difference among the studied groups (P=0.998). When moving from the first to the fourth group, PLR showed a gradual decrease being significantly lower in group IV (P<0.001), while RPR showed a gradual increase being significantly higher in group IV (P<0.001).

Conclusion

PLR and RPR were closely related to disease severity in patients with hepatitis-C virus-related liver disease. NLR was not correlated to disease severity in the same cohort.
Pattern of HLA types in renal transplant patients in Sohag Governorate
Authors: Yossef Emad A.M , Salama Eman M. , Elsharif Ahmad M.M.A.
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study aimed to assess the pattern of HLA types in Egyptian renal transplant patients in the Sohag governorate.

Materials and methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients and their donors, who were scheduled to undergo renal transplantation at Sohag University Hospital through the period from January 2010 to December 2019. We retrieved the following data from eligible patients’ files: age of the recipient and donor, gender of the recipient and donor, consanguinity, blood group, cross-matching, HLA classes A and B, and DR alleles.

Results

Overall, a total of 26 recipients (70.3%) and 25 donors (67.6%) had HLA-A alleles, while 22 recipients (59.5%) and 26 donors (70.3%) had HLA-B alleles. In terms of the pattern of HLA-A distribution among recipients, the most frequent alleles were A*01/02 (8.1%), A*02/23 (5.4%), A*02/32 (5.4%), and A*02 (5.4%). On the other hand, the most frequent HLA-A alleles in the donors’ group were A*01/02 (5.4%), A*02/03 (5.4%), and A*26/68 (5.4%). Regarding HLA-B allele distribution, all recipients had different alleles. While B*41/52 was the most frequent allele in the donors’ group. All recipients, except two patients, had HLA-DR alleles, most commonly DR*11/13 (13.5%) and DR*13/15 (8.1%). Negative cross-matching was present in 59.5% of the cases. Among female recipients, only A*13/15 and B*27/51/53 alleles were detected.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our findings were very similar to the results from other local and global studies. Different populations and ethnicities are the main dependent variables of the major differences in terms of HLA allele distribution.
Clinical Encounters with Kupffer Cells While Managing Patients with Liver Diseases
Authors: Alexander Vijay , Lakshmi Kovi Sai , Eapen C. E.
Published: March 2023

Reticuloendothelial cells such as tissue-resident macrophages have an important function of clearing unwanted material from our bloodstream. Kupffer cells residing in liver sinusoids comprise the largest contingent of tissue-resident macrophages in our body. Different radiological techniques used to diagnose and treat patients with liver diseases employ the scavenging function of Kupffer cells to clear the contrast agents administered into peripheral vein or hepatic artery. It is useful for the clinician to understand the utility of these “unsung heroes” in liver microcirculation: The Kupffer cells act as scavengers removing waste material from bloodstream and work silently to maintain homeostasis.
Effect of mydriatic eye drops (combined 0.8% tropicamide and 5% phenylephrine) on the measurements of corneal parameters using Pentacam
Authors: Prasher Pawan , Vig Vipan K , Singh Brahmjot , Sharma Rajan , Sharma Ashok
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of combined 0.8% tropicamide and 5% phenylephrine on the corneal parameters using Pentacam.

Methods:

The study was performed on 200 eyes of 100 adult patients visiting the ophthalmology clinic for evaluation of refractive errors or cataract screening. Mydriatic drops (Tropifirin; Java, India) containing tropicamide 0.8%, phenylephrine hydrochloride 5%, and chlorbutol 0.5% (as a preservative) were instilled into the eyes of the patients three times every 10 minutes. The Pentacam was repeated after 30 minutes. The measurement data of various corneal parameters from different Pentacam displays (keratometry, pachymetry, densitometry, and Zernike analysis) was manually compiled on an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20 software.

Results:

Analysis of Pentacam refractive maps revealed a statistically significant increase (P < 0.05) in the values of radius peripheral (cornea front), pupil center Pachymetry, pachymetry apex, thinnest location Pachymetry, and cornea volume. However, pupil dilation did not affect the Q-value (asphericity). Analysis of the densitometry values revealed significant increase in all zones. Aberrations maps revealed statistically significant increase in the value of spherical aberration after the induction of mydriasis, but the values of Trefoil 0º, Trefoil 30º, Koma 90º, and Koma 0º were not affected significantly. We did not observe any untoward effect of the drug, except transient blurring of vision.

Conclusion:

The current study showed that routine mydriasis in the eye clinics leads to a significant increase in various corneal parameters including corneal pachymetry, cornea densitometry, and spherical aberration as measured by Pentacam, which can influence the decision-making in the management of various corneal diseases. The ophthalmologists should be aware of these issues and make adjustments in their surgical planning accordingly.
Value of the strain ratio in the differential diagnosis of intraocular tumors by elastosonography: A retrospective case-control study
Authors: Chen Wei , Yang Wenli , Li Dongjun , Wang Ziyang , Zhao Qi , Li Yifeng , Cui Rui , Shen Lin
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

To examine the role of the strain ratio in elastosonography for the differential diagnosis of common intraocular tumors such as choroidal melanoma, choroidal hemangioma, choroidal metastatic carcinoma, and retinoblastoma.

Methods:

This study included patients suffering from intraocular space-occupying lesions and who visited Beijing Tongren Eye Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from June 2016 to March 2020. All patients underwent a physical examination, fundus examination with mydriasis, color Doppler ultrasonography, elastosonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and fundus angiography within 1 week. All patients were grouped as choroidal melanoma, choroidal metastatic carcinoma, retinoblastoma, choroidal hemangioma, and optic disk melanocytoma. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the strain ratio for diagnosing malignant intraocular tumors.

Results:

A total of 155 patients (161 eyes) were recruited. The strain ratios measured were 39.59 ± 15.92 for choroidal melanoma, 36.85 ± 13.64 for choroidal metastatic carcinoma, 38.93 ± 17.27 for retinoblastoma, 13.42 ± 10.93 for choroidal hemangioma, and 3.84 ± 1.32 for optic disk melanocytoma. The strain ratios of the three malignant lesions were significantly higher than those of the two benign lesions (all P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.95 ± 0.028. The optimal cutoff point was 22.67, with 85.7% sensitivity and 96.4% specificity.

Conclusion:

There were significant differences in elasticity between the malignant and benign intraocular tumors. The strain ratio using elastosonography could serve as an important auxiliary examination to distinguish between benign and malignant intraocular tumors.
Modified hydrodissection as a safe and effective treatment modality for rotating lens in cataract surgery
Authors: Liu Zhen , Chen Zeli , Liao Xuan
Published: March 2023

We describe in this article an effective and safe modification of hydrodissection technique in cataract surgery. The hydrodissection cannula tip is inserted into the capsulorhexis edge near the primary incision, with the cannula elbow resisting on the upper lip of the primary incision. Hydrodissection is then completed effectively and safely by squirting fluid to cleave the lens and capsular. This modified hydrodissection technique can be performed with high reproducibility and in a short practice period.
Bilateral acute depigmentation of the iris determined in two cases after COVID-19 infection
Authors: Soydan Adem , Kaymaz Abdulgani
Published: March 2023

Bilateral acute depigmentation of the iris (BADI) is a rare disease characterized by iris atrophy. Although it can be self-limiting, it is sometimes progressive and can lead to glaucoma and severe vision loss. Two female patients were admitted to our clinic because of a change in iris color following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. After the exclusion of other etiologies in the eye examination, BADI was diagnosed in both cases. Thus, it was shown that COVID-19 may also be involved in the etiology of BADI.
Evaluation of changes in anterior segment morphology using Sirius Scheimpflug-Placido disk topographer following laser peripheral iridotomy in primary angle-closure disease
Authors: Stephen Mary , Kaliaperumal Subashini , Behera Geeta
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

To assess the morphological changes in the anterior segment following laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in primary angle-closure disease (PACD) using Sirius Scheimpflug-Placido disk corneal topographer.

Methods:

This was a prospective observational study. A total of 52 eyes of 27 patients with PACD who underwent LPI were analyzed for iridocorneal angle (ICA), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), horizontal visible iris diameter (HVID), corneal volume (CV), central corneal thickness (CCT), and horizontal anterior chamber diameter (HACD) 1 week following LPI, using Sirius Scheimpflug-Placido disk corneal topographer. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 19.0, and paired t-test was used to assess the statistical significance.

Results:

Laser peripheral iridotomy was performed in 43 eyes with primary angle-closure suspect (PACS), six eyes with primary angle closure (PAC), and three eyes with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). The analysis of the data showed statistically significant changes in anterior segment parameters of ICA, ACD, and ACV. Post-laser increase in ICA from 34.13° ± 2.64° to 34.75° ± 2.84° (P < 0.041), mean ACD increase from 2.21 ± 0.25 to 2.35 ± 0.27 mm (P = 0.01), and mean ACV increase from 98.19 ± 12.13 to 104.15 ± 11.16 mm3 (P = 0.001) were noted.

Conclusion:

Significantly quantifiable short-term changes in the anterior chamber parameters of ICA, ACD, and AC volume were seen after LPI in patients with PACD on Sirius Scheimpflug-Placido disc corneal topographer.
Role of medicinal herbs in periodontal therapy: A systematic review
Authors: Pasupuleti Mohan Kumar , Nagate Raghavendra R , Alqahtani Saad M , Penmetsa Gautami S , Gottumukkala Sruthima N V S , Ramesh K S V
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Aims and Objectives:

The use of medicinal herbs to prevent gingival and periodontal diseases has become increasingly popular due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This systematic review aims to provide the current literature to validate the traditional use of medicinal herbs in the management of gingival and periodontal diseases.

Materials and Methods:

An online literature search was conducted to identify research papers published from 2010 to 2022 in three major scientific databases, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, in June 2022. Original research studies, case reports, and systematic reviews on medicinal plants’ application in oral health care were selected to be included in this systematic review. Only high-quality articles identified in the quality assessment were included for evidence synthesis.

Results:

Initial keyword research yielded 726 free-text articles published between 2010 and 2022. Of these, 14 articles (8 research papers and 6 reviews) were included for evidence synthesis. The review’s findings indicate that the antibacterial property of medicinal plants is due to their alkaline nature and prevents plaque and calculus formation by maintaining acid–alkali balance in saliva. Various parts of medicinal plants help maintain periodontal health. Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ficus religiosa, and Plantago major effectively inhibit primary plaque colonizers and periodontal pathogens. Medicago sativa, Aloe barbadensis Miller, and Trifolium pratense have excellent applications in treating periodontal diseases. Mangifera indica, Pongamia pinnata, the husk of Cocos nucifera, the root of G. glabra and Curcuma longa, leaves of Psidium guajava and Azadirachta indica, fruits of Citrus medica and Punica granatum, Ocimum Moringa oleifera extract, and pomegranate peel extract can serve as a promising alternative in managing chronic gingivitis.

Conclusion:

The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and astringent action of extracts obtained from various parts of medicinal plants make them effective in reducing gingival and periodontal diseases. Herbal medicine may be a viable alternative to contemporary pharmaceuticals as an adjuvant to scaling and root planning procedures.
Virtual clinical trials
Authors: Ranganathan Priya , Aggarwal Rakesh , Pramesh C. S.
Published: March 2023

Virtual clinical trials refer to clinical trials that take advantage of digital technologies, including computer and mobile device apps, web-based tools, and remote monitoring devices, for one or more of the trial processes, such as participant recruitment, counseling, informed consent, measurement of endpoints, and/or adverse event monitoring, to obviate or reduce the need for participant visits to the trial site. The advantages of such trials may include higher recruitment rates, better compliance, lower dropout rates, reduction in time for trial completion, and lower costs. The use of such trials increased manifold during the COVID-19 pandemic and is likely to continue in the future.
Magnesium sulfate versus dexamethasone as an adjuvant in the ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve blocks
Authors: Ahmed Islam M. , Hassan Ahmed H. , Refaie Bahaa M. , Soliman Fouad I. , Abdelkareem Ayman M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric (IIIH) nerve blocks help to manage postoperative pain that occurs following inguinal hernia repair or varicocelectomy.

Aim

The study aimed to compare the effect of adding magnesium sulfate or dexamethasone to levobupivacaine for iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerve blocks, in terms of postoperative analgesic length, visual analog scale ratings, first analgesic requirements, and hemodynamic changes.

Patients and methods

The study included 86 patients, aged 20–70 years, who were divided into two groups (D and M). Patients in group D received 9 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine for the nerve block plus 1 ml dexamethasone (8 mg), whereas patients in group M received 9 ml 0.5% levobupivacaine plus 1 ml magnesium sulfate 10% (100 mg). Postoperative analgesia, visual analog scale scores, and any complications were documented.

Results

Group D had a significantly longer analgesic time. A significantly lower amount of analgesic was consumed on the first postoperative day with significantly low pain score as compared with group M.

Conclusion

The addition of dexamethasone to levobupivacaine for IIIH nerve blocks improved the postoperative analgesia.
Neonatal perioperative resuscitation (NePOR) protocol-An update
Authors: Jafra Anudeep , Jain Divya , Bhardwaj Neerja , Yaddanapudi Sandhya
Published: March 2023

Unexpected cardiac arrest in the perioperative period is a devastating complication. Owing to immaturity of organ systems, and presence of congenital malformations, morbidity and mortality are higher in neonates. There is abundant literature about early recognition and management of perioperative adverse events in children, but similar data and guidelines for surgical neonates is lacking. The current neonatal resuscitation guidelines cater to a newborn requiring resuscitation at the time of birth in the delivery room. The concerns in a newborn undergoing transition from intrauterine to extra uterine life is significantly different from a neonate undergoing surgery. This review highlights the causes and factors responsible for peri-arrest situations in neonates in the perioperative period, suggests preoperative surveillance for prevention of these conditions, and finally presents the resuscitation protocol of the surgical neonate. All these are comprehensively proposed as Neonatal Peri-operative Resuscitation (NePOR) protocol.
Anaesthetic management of a patient with Gerbode defect
Authors: de Freitas Gabriela Veloso , Ruiz Gabriela Zamurano Lopes , Oliveira Rodrigo Bernardes de , Delgado Marina Ayres
Published: March 2023

Gerbode defect is a rare left ventricle to right atrium shunt that can be acquired or congenital. The incidence of acquired defects has been growing and is caused by previous cardiac surgery, endocarditis, trauma and myocardial infarct. It can be challenging and the anesthesiologist should maintain a suspicion when there is circulatory failure after a cardiac surgery. It can be diagnosed by trans-esophageal echocardiography. In this case we presented the anesthetic management and the successful surgical correction of an acquired ventricular-atrial defect secondary to a previous mitral valve replacement.
Analysis of the inhomogeneous Willmore equation
Authors: Yann Bernard  , Glen Wheeler  , Valentina-Mira Wheeler
Published: March 2023

We study a class of fourth-order geometric problems modeling Willmore surfaces, conformally constrained Willmore surfaces, isoperimetrically constrained Willmore surfaces, and bi-harmonic surfaces in the sense of Chen, among others. We prove several local energy estimates and derive a global gap lemma.
Mini-Workshop: Regularization by Noise: Theoretical Foundations, Numerical Methods and Applications
Authors: Butkovsky Oleg , Djurdjevac Ana , Gerencsér Máté
Published: March 2023

The regularizing effects of noisy perturbations of differential equations is a central subject of stochastic analysis. Recent breakthroughs initiated a new wave of interest, particularly concerning non-Markovian, infinite dimensional, and rough–stochastic/Young–stochastic hybrid systems. The mini–workshop aimed to build on these developments by bringing together young researchers in the field. Particular emphasis was given to the connection to numerical stochastic analysis, aiming to put the regularizing effects of the noise into quantitative numeric use.
Galois equivariant functions on Galois orbits in large $p$-adic fields
Authors: Alexandru V. , Vâjâitu Marian
Published: March 2023

Given a prime number

p

let

\mathbb{C}_p

be the topological completion of the algebraic closure of the field of

p

-adic numbers. Let

O(T)

be the Galois orbit of a transcendental element

T

of

\mathbb{C}_p

with respect to the absolute Galois group. Our aim is to study the class of Galois equivariant functions defined on

O(T)

with values in

\mathbb{C}_p

. We show that each function from this class is continuous and we characterize the class of Lipschitz functions, respectively the class of differentiable functions, with respect to a new orthonormal basis. Then we discuss some aspects related to analytic continuation for the functions of this class.
Selection of features and hidden Markov model parameters for English word recognition from Leap Motion air‐writing trajectories
Authors: Verma Deval , Agarwal Himanshu , Aggarwal Amrish Kumar
Published: March 2023

Air‐writing recognition is relevant in areas such as natural human–computer interaction, augmented reality, and virtual reality. A trajectory is the most natural way to represent air writing. We analyze the recognition accuracy of words written in air considering five features, namely, writing direction, curvature, trajectory, orthocenter, and ellipsoid, as well as different parameters of a hidden Markov model classifier. Experiments were performed on two representative datasets, whose sample trajectories were collected using a Leap Motion Controller from a fingertip performing air writing. Dataset contains 840 English words from 21 classes, and dataset contains 1600 English words from 40 classes. A genetic algorithm was combined with a hidden Markov model classifier to obtain the best subset of features. Combination trajectory, orthocenter, writing direction, curvature provided the best feature set, achieving recognition accuracies on datasets and of 98.81%and 83.58%, respectively.