bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Milliarcsecond-accurate Position for Sagittarius A*
Authors: Xu Shuangjing , Zhang Bo , Reid Mark J. , Zheng Xingwu , Wang Guangli , Jung Taehyun
Published: November 2022

The absolute position of Sgr A*, the compact radio source at the center of the Milky Way, had been uncertain by several tens of milliarcseconds. Here we report improved astrometric measurements of the absolute position and proper motion of Sgr A*. Three epochs of phase-referencing observations were conducted with the Very Long Baseline Array for Sgr A* at 22 and 43 GHz in 2019 and 2020. Using extragalactic radio sources with submilliarcsecond-accurate positions as reference, we determined the absolute position of Sgr A* at a reference epoch 2020.0 to be at α(J2000) = 17h45m40.ˢ032863 ± 0.ˢ000016 and δ(J2000) = −

29
°
00
′
28
.″
24260

±

0.″00047, with an updated proper motion −3.152 ± 0.011 and −5.586 ± 0.006 mas yr−1 in the easterly and northerly directions, respectively.
Statistical Study and Live Catalog of Multispacecraft 3He-rich Time Periods over Solar Cycles 23, 24, and 25
Authors: Hart S. T. , Dayeh M. A. , Bučík R. , Desai M. I. , Ebert R. W. , Ho G. C. , Li G. , Mason G. M.
Published: November 2022

Using ion measurements from Ultra-Low-Energy Isotope Spectrometer observations on board Advanced Composition Explorer and Solar Isotope Spectrometer observations on board the Solar Terrestrial Observatory (STEREO)-A and STEREO-B spacecraft, we have identified 854 3He-rich time periods between 1997 September and 2021 March. We include all event types with observed 3He enhancements such as corotating interaction regions, gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events, interplanetary shocks, and impulsive SEP events. We employ two different mass separation techniques to obtain 3He, 4He, Fe, and O fluences for each event, and we determine the 3He/4He and Fe/O abundance ratios between 0.32–0.45 and 0.64–1.28 MeV nucleon−1. We find a clear correlation in the 3He/4He and Fe/O abundance ratios between both energy ranges. We find two distinct trends in the 3He/4He versus Fe/O relation. For low 3He/4He values, there is a positive linear correlation between 3He/4He and Fe/O. However, at 3He/4He ∼ 0.3, Fe/O appears to reach a limit and the correlation weakens significantly. We provide a live catalog of 3He-rich time periods that includes the robust determination of the onset and end times of the 3He enhancements in SEP-associated periods for different types of events observed by multiple spacecraft. This catalog is available for public use. New releases will follow after major additions such as adding new periods from new missions (e.g., Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter), identifying event types (impulsive SEP events, etc.), or adding new parameters such as remote observations detailing characteristics of the events’ active regions.
The Fourth Catalog of Active Galactic Nuclei Detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope: Data Release 3
Authors: Ajello M. , Baldini L. , Ballet J. , Bastieri D. , Becerra Gonzalez J. , Bellazzini R. , Berretta A. , Bissaldi E. , Bonino R. , Brill A. , Bruel P. , Buson S. , Caputo R. , Caraveo P. A. , Cheung C. C. , Chiaro G. , Cibrario N. , Ciprini S. , Crnogorcevic M. , Cutini S. , D’Ammando F. , De Gaetano S. , Di Lalla N. , Di Venere L. , Domínguez A. , Ramazani V. Fallah , Ferrara E. C. , Fiori A. , Fukazawa Y. , Funk S. , Fusco P. , Gammaldi V. , Gargano F. , Garrappa S. , Gasparrini D. , Giglietto N. , Giordano F. , Giroletti M. , Green D. , Grenier I. A. , Guiriec S. , Horan D. , Hou X. , Kayanoki T. , Kuss M. , Larsson S. , Latronico L. , Lewis T. , Li J. , Liodakis I. , Longo F. , Loparco F. , Lott B. , Lovellette M. N. , Lubrano P. , Madejski G. M. , Maldera S. , Manfreda A. , Martí-Devesa G. , Mazziotta M. N. , Mereu I. , Michelson P. F. , Mirabal N. , Mitthumsiri W. , Mizuno T. , Monzani M. E. , Morselli A. , Moskalenko I. V. , Negro M. , Ojha R. , Orienti M. , Orlando E. , Ormes J. F. , Pei Z. , Peña-Herazo H. , Persic M. , Pesce-Rollins M. , Petrosian V. , Pillera R. , Poon H. , Porter T. A. , Principe G. , Rainò S. , Rando R. , Rani B. , Razzano M. , Razzaque S. , Reimer A. , Reimer O. , Scotton L. , Serini D. , Sgrò C. , Siskind E. J. , Spandre G. , Spinelli P. , Suson D. J. , Tajima H. , Torres D. F. , Valverde J. , Yassin H. , Zaharijas G.
Published: November 2022

An incremental version of the fourth catalog of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope is presented. This version (4LAC-DR3) derives from the third data release of the 4FGL catalog based on 12 yr of E > 50 MeV gamma-ray data, where the spectral parameters, spectral energy distributions (SEDs), yearly light curves, and associations have been updated for all sources. The new reported AGNs include 587 blazar candidates and four radio galaxies. We describe the properties of the new sample and outline changes affecting the previously published one. We also introduce two new parameters in this release, namely the peak energy of the SED high-energy component and the corresponding flux. These parameters allow an assessment of the Compton dominance, the ratio of the inverse-Compton to the synchrotron-peak luminosities, without relying on X-ray data.
A Subsurface Magma Ocean on Io: Exploring the Steady State of Partially Molten Planetary Bodies
Authors: Miyazaki Yoshinori , Stevenson David J.
Published: November 2022

Intense tidal heating within Io produces active volcanism on the surface, and its internal structure has long been a subject of debate. A recent reanalysis of the Galileo magnetometer data suggested the presence of a high-melt-fraction layer with >50 km thickness in the subsurface region of Io. Whether this layer is a “magmatic sponge” with interconnected solid or a rheologically liquid “magma ocean” would alter the distribution of tidal heating and would also influence the interpretation of various observations. To this end, we explore the steady state of a magmatic sponge and estimate the amount of internal heating necessary to sustain such a layer with a high degree of melting. Our results show that the rate of tidal dissipation within Io is insufficient to sustain a partial-melt layer of ϕ > 0.2 for a wide range of parameters, suggesting that such a layer would swiftly separate into two phases. Unless melt and/or solid viscosities are at the higher end of the estimated range, a magmatic sponge would be unstable, and thus a high-melt-fraction layer suggested in Khurana et al. is likely to be a subsurface magma ocean.
Mitogenome recovered from a 19th Century holotype by shotgun sequencing supplies a generic name for an orphaned clade of African weakly electric fishes (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae)
Authors: Sullivan John P. , Hopkins Carl D. , Pirro Stacy , Peterson Rose , Chakona Albert , Mutizwa Tadiwa I. , Mukweze Mulelenu Christian , Alqahtani Fahad H. , Vreven Emmanuel , Dillman Casey B.
Published: November 2022

Heteromormyrus Steindachner, 1866, a genus of Mormyridae (Teleostei: Osteoglossomorpha), has been monotypic since the description of Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus (Steindacher, 1866) from a single specimen. No type locality other than “Angola” was given and almost no specimens have been subsequently identified to this species. In order to investigate the relationship of this taxon to fresh specimens collected in Angola and elsewhere, whole genome paired-end sequencing of DNA extracted from the holotype specimen of Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus was performed and a nearly complete mitogenome assembled from the sequences obtained. Comparison of cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b sequences from this mitogenome to sequences from recently collected material reveal that Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus is closely related to specimens identified as Hippopotamyrus ansorgii (Boulenger, 1905), Hippopotamyrus szaboi Kramer, van der Bank & Wink, 2004, Hippopotamyrus longilateralis Kramer & Swartz, 2010, as well as to several undescribed forms from subequatorial Africa collectively referred to in the literature as the “Hippopotamyrus ansorgii species complex” and colloquially known as “slender stonebashers.” Previous molecular phylogenetic work has shown that these species are not close relatives of Hippopotamyrus castor Pappenheim, 1906, the type species of genus Hippopotamyrus Pappenheim, 1906 from Cameroon, and are thus misclassified. Hippopotamyrus ansorgii species complex taxa and another species shown to have been misclassified, Paramormyrops tavernei (Poll, 1972), are placed in genus Heteromormyrus and one genetic lineage from the Kwanza and Lucala rivers of Angola are identified as conspecific Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus. Three additional new combinations and a synonymy in Mormyridae are introduced. The morphological characteristics and geographical distribution of the genus Heteromormyrus are reviewed. The electric organ discharges (EODs) of Heteromormyrus species are to be treated in a separate study.
$ Z_{3} $-connectivity of graphs with independence number at most 3
Authors: Qin Chunyan , Zhang Xiaoxia , Li Liangchen
Published: November 2022

It was conjectured by Jaeger et al. that all 5-edge-connected graphs are $ Z_3 $-connected. In this paper, we confirm this conjecture for all 5-edge-connected graphs with independence number at most 3.
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: What we know, what we can do to improve them and what we could learn from other well-known viruses
Authors: Fiorino Sirio , Carusi Andrea , Hong Wandong , Cernuschi Paolo , Gallo Claudio Giuseppe , Ferrara Emanuele , Maloberti Thais , Visani Michela , Lari Federico , de Biase Dario , Zippi Maddalena
Published: November 2022

In recent weeks, the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections has been progressively increasing all over the globe, even in countries where vaccination programs have been strongly implemented. In these regions in 2021, a reduction in the number of hospitalizations and deaths compared to 2020 was observed. This decrease is certainly associated with the introduction of vaccination measures. The process of the development of effective vaccines represents an important challenge. Overall, the breakthrough infections occurring in vaccinated subjects are in most cases less severe than those observed in unvaccinated individuals. This review examines the factors affecting the immunogenicity of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and the possible role of nutrients in modulating the response of distinct immune cells to the vaccination.
Dancing in the Streets of Byzantine Constantinople
Authors: Brubaker Leslie
Published: November 2022

This article evaluates the significance of processions in Byzantine Constantinople and the role of dancing within them. Evidence is drawn from literary sources concerning imperial, church-sponsored, guild, hippodrome and more spontaneous urban processions, as well as from material culture. Medieval Constantinople saw a large number of processions, perhaps two a week, and they traversed all areas of the city. They were noisy affairs, accompanied by chanting, acclamations and, often, musical noise, so that even when they were not directly visible, they were audible more or less everywhere in the city. Dancing was incorporated in all but liturgical processions (though it may also have been part of these, on occasion). Processions could create a sense of urban unity, or become expressions of conflict: audience participation was normal and sometimes violent. Hence one key-though unofficial-the role played by processions in the Byzantine capital was to give voice to the urban population.
Royal Entries in Conquered Towns. Mosques, Cathedrals and the Power of Buildings (Castile-Leon, 11th-13th Centuries)
Authors: Rodríguez Ana
Published: November 2022

Written sources of the kingdoms of Castile-Leon describing processions and royal entries in the 11th-13th Centuries are not commonly found. The absence of such ceremonies makes it difficult to recognize the topography of power through remarkable buildings as well as the hierarchies among their ecclesiastical and secular participants. This absence prevented the kings of Castile and Leon from being seen publicly and visiting some iconic processional spots which provided the right atmosphere for the most solemn rituals in a medieval monarch’s life. King Alfonso VI’s entry into Toledo in 1085 set a new precedent put into practice by his successors during the Christian conquests of al-Andalus cities, which took place until the mid-13th Century. The transformation of the congregational mosques in the conquered cities provided a unique opportunity for victorious monarchs to display their power through the appropriation of urban spaces. The king’s central role in the ecclesiastical rituals of purification and the subsequent control over the fate of the most representative buildings allow these processions to be considered as spatial and ritual phenomena.
Re-reading the acclamation of John IV of Portugal in Cochin 1641 as urban spectacle and literary text
Authors: Roe Jeremy M. N.
Published: November 2022

The primary focus of this study is Agostinho de Almeida Gato’s extensive account of the celebrations held for the acclamation of John IV of Portugal in 1641 in Cochin. Drawing on studies of the Iberian monarchies as polycentric spaces, intellectual culture in the Estado da Índia and the historiography of early modern Iberian festival culture Gato’s text is analysed as both a testimony to the spectacle that was staged in Cochin and a text addressed to John IV in Portugal. Concerning the history of Cochin, and Portuguese India more broadly, it is argued that the spectacle of kingship staged by the festivities sought to underscore the significance of the oath of loyalty sworn by the population of Portuguese Cochin and address the interweaving of the concerns of the imperial, colonial and indigenous elites. Furthermore, consideration is given to how Gato’s account served as a form of a petition to the king.
One story for two places: a comparative study on the making of Christian landscapes
Authors: García Quintela Marco V.
Published: November 2022

Alise-St.-Reine (Burgundy, France) and Santa Mariña de Augas Santas (Galicia, Spain) share a unique history. In both places, the hagiography of Santa Marina of Antioch in Pisidia (Anatolia), usually known in Europe as Margaret, was adopted as the hagiographic account of two local martyrs, Sainte-Reine and Santa Mariña, who were extensively worshipped for centuries and still receive cult. Since the sixteenth century, literary scholars have stressed the falsity of the hagiographic attribution established in both places. However, the close relationship with the local topography of both traditions immunizes them against the effects of erudite criticism. The fact is that the fusion of the story with the place served to construct a much stronger reality that we refer to as “topological”. Some non-exclusive ideas can explain this situation: the need for Christian universalism to occupy previously polytheistic territories, the operation of places as lieux de mémoire that are well attested by anthropological studies, and how the psychology of memory works using places as memory devices.
Les deux metae du cirque de Thugga (Dougga) : nouvelles lectures
Authors: Cuzel Pauline
Published: November 2022

Lors de la campagne de terrain (INP, AOROC) menée en 2018 sur le site de Dougga (Afrique proconsulaire) sous la direction conjointe de Samir Aounallah et Véronique Brouquier-Reddé, la découverte d’un nouveau bloc de la meta prima du cirque a permis d’apporter des précisions sur la datation de l’édifice et a conduit à modifier considérablement les textes que l’on avait l’habitude de restituer sur les deux metae aux extrémités de la spina. Ces nouveaux éléments amènent à une réévaluation du rôle des magistrats dédicataires du monument et, surtout, suscitent une réflexion sur la composition de la dédicace à la famille impériale qui avait contribué à la fortune historiographique du texte.
Le dieu Mars en Afrique, une enquête épigraphique
Authors: Ricci Cecilia
Published: November 2022

Cet article essaie de répondre à quelques questions : le culte de Mars en Afrique est-il concerné ou non par des phénomènes de syncrétisme ou d’assimilation ? Observe-t-on une concentration chronologique des dédicaces ? La dévotion à Mars est-elle toujours liée aux camps militaires ? Et enfin, la nature de Mars tel qu’il est vénéré en Afrique est-elle unique ?
The “First Great Purge” of American Television Programming: Understanding How and Why Popular Television Changed So Dramatically from the 1950s to the 1960s
Authors: Tredy Dennis
Published: November 2022

Though “purge” may seem a rather dramatic choice of terms to refer to a drastic shift in the overall nature of network television programming in the United States, it has long been used by media scholars, notably in reference to “The Great Rural Purge of 1971”, when CBS suddenly decided to cancel all of its most popular, rural-based sitcoms and variety shows in exchange for a new lineup of hard-hitting, urban-based sitcoms that leaned left and dealt unapologetically with the most burning social issues of the day. This study, however, hopes to show that this shift was in fact not the first big “purge” but the second, the first having occurred circa 1957 and having moved in the exact opposite direction. One of the great misconceptions about network television is indeed that it was very conservative at its onset and grew steadily more progressive and inclusive over the decades, for pre-1957 network television and especially its comedy programs – those of the first era of the Golden Age of Television, as it were – were remarkably avant-garde and politically incorrect for their time. Anti-establishment humor, budding feminist themes (with independent women both on screen and in the writing room), racial and ethnic diversity, in-your-face insolence and transgressional humor – all of these progressive topics were showcased in very urban settings before that first “purge” erased those gains and reset the U.S. TV landscape as white, patriarchal, rural, conservative and harmlessly escapist. This study will not only discuss those breakthrough sitcoms of the early 1950s themselves, but, just as importantly, it will trace the many factors that led to that first great shift – a vast confluence of decisions and incidents that would lead to what could be dubbed “The Great Urban Purge of 1957”.
Cheerfully Misunderstanding Deixis on the Screen: Coach is his (Nick)name and Misunderstanding Deixis is his Game (Cheers, NBC, 1982-1993)
Authors: Iché Virginie
Published: November 2022

This paper is a qualitative analysis of the misunderstandings resulting from Coach’s difficulties when processing his interlocutors’ use of exophoric and endophoric deixis (and anadeixis), in order to show how this character both stands out and, paradoxically, fits in. This tension between standing out and fitting in shows (1) that elucidating deixis is not as effortless as could be thought and (2) that these misunderstandings prove to be a key feature of the humor generated by the sitcom, which is meant to welcome everyone—just as they are all welcome in the Boston bar called Cheers.
Contemporary Trends of the Bead Jewelry Industry in Ghana
Authors: Baidoo Adeline , Aidoo John Benjamin , Asenso Kennedy
Published: November 2022

This Krobo case study traces the history and looks into current trends in Ghana's bead industry in the jewelry sector and the reasons for the renewed interest in the usage of bead jewelry. It traces the historical and contemporary trends of the Krobo bead jewelry industry as well as the causes of the sudden renewed interest and enthusiasm for bead production and usage among the people of Ghana by studying responses from 20 select participants using a qualitative research approach. Exposure to the Western world, bead jewelry in schools, the introduction of new equipment and technology, and current fashion among men and women are all factors that contribute to modern trends and renewed interest in Ghana's bead jewelry industry. Furthermore, various foreign beads are becoming more widely available in Ghana, overtaking locally produced Krobo beads. As a result of the increased demand for assorted beads, measures are needed to prevent indigenous beads from disappearing from culture.
A New Approach for Assessing Metadata Completeness in Open Data Portals
Authors: Reis Juan Ribeiro , Bernadini Flavia , Viterbo Jose
Published: November 2022

Citizens and developers are gaining full access to public data sources through open data portals (ODPs). These datasets allow the creation of applications for helping citizens in different ways, allowing them to actively participate in government processes such as decision-making and policymaking. However, researchers have identified several drawbacks regarding the data they provide. One of the recurring problems cited in literature is related to the metadata associated with each dataset, which may lead to inadequate descriptions or classifications of datasets, affecting open data usability. As completeness is an important metadata quality metric, in this work, the authors propose an approach based on the alignment of metadata schemes to assess the degree of metadata completeness associated to datasets available in ODPs. To evaluate the proposed approach, they conducted two case studies, leading them to observe that the larger the number of metadata schemes, the lower the completeness of the datasets, although not linear.
Repurchase Prediction of Community Group Purchase Users Based on Stacking Integrated Learning
Authors: Xie Xiaoli , Chen Haiyuan , Yu Jianjun , Wang Jiangtao
Published: November 2022

Recently, fewer scholars consider the prediction of repeat purchases in new retail models. Based on the real data of community group buying enterprises, this paper will study the prediction of community group buying users' repurchase behavior. Firstly, this paper carries out feature engineering according to the characteristics of the community groups buying industry. Finally, 313 features are extracted from the user dimension, head dimension, and business personnel dimension, respectively. Then, based on the heterogeneous integrated learning method stacking, three two-tier fusion models with the same primary learners but different secondary learners are constructed. Two homogeneous ensemble learning models, random forest and lightgbm, and the traditional single machine learning model are introduced for comparative experiments. Experiments show that the fusion model based on ensemble learning method has better prediction performance than a single model. Among the fusion models, the stacking two-layer fusion model with neural network model as secondary learner is the best.
Intelligent Technologies for Excellency in Sustainable Operational Performance in the Healthcare Sector
Authors: Swain Suchismita , Oyekola Peter Oluwatosin , Muduli Kamalakanta
Published: November 2022

Recent years witnessed lots of advancements in internet of medical things (IoMT), innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and fog computing-based healthcare practices. Adoption of these intelligent technology-based solutions could help healthcare establishments to improve their sustainable operational performance. However, success of implementation of smart technology-enabled Health 4.0 practices depends upon the coordinated efforts from all the stakeholders including patients, physicians, healthcare workers, healthcare administrators, policy makers, and technology service providers towards its adoption. In this regard, this research has been conducted to investigate the current status of Health 4.0 implementation in India and readiness of the Indian healthcare sector towards its adoption. This paper further employs the SWOT analysis to identify the current areas that need immediate improvement to facilitate Health 4.0 adoption.
Earnings Management and Dividend Policy: Evidence from a Frontier Market
Authors: Ekanayaka E. M. T.P. , Wijesinghe M. R. P.
Published: November 2022

Profit or the earnings figure of an entity plays a vibrant role in transmitting information to the decision-makers especially, for the investors. However, if that figure is manipulated, the main objective of the financial reporting becomes valueless. This study investigates the manifestation of earnings management in two selected sectors at the Colombo Stock Exchange and tests the impact of earnings management on dividend policy. The study selected the manufacturing sector and hotel and travel sector companies from 2012 to 2019 as the sample. We employed descriptive statistics, rankings, and panel regression analysis as the main tools of analysis in the study. Dividend policy is measured via dividend yield and dividend payout ratio, while real earnings management approach and total accruals are used as proxies to measure earnings management. In addition, the size of the firm and leverage are used as control variables of the study. The findings reveal that there is no significant impact of earnings management on dividend policy in both sectors. However, the results discovered that the company's preceding year dividend policy is the primary concern to decide the current year dividend policy of the selected sectors. The study becomes original as the first attempt to investigate the impact of earnings management on dividend policy in the Sri Lankan context and compare two vital sectors. The findings assist stakeholders, especially investors and managers, in their decision-making process.
Does Corporate Governance Enhance Financial Distress Prediction?
Authors: Uduwalage Emil
Published: November 2022

This study validates some aspects of agency theory, resource dependency theory, and organization theory referring to the Sri Lankan context. The sample includes 205 non-financial listed firms prepared in a balanced panel for six years. Implications are provided for the insuﬃciency of financial variables in predicting corporate financial distress. Financial aspects together with corporate governance jointly enhance the predictive power of financial distress. Less likelihood of financial distress is explained by board size, board independence, institutional ownership, non-institutional ownership concentration, and board ownership. Boards with 5-9 members are likely to be optimal. Firms fail with the concentrated ownership structure. The expected monitoring role of large institutional shareholders and blockholders is inhibited by their expropriation. The expropriation could also occur with the unitary leadership. Contextually, results make a distinctive contribution to the literature owing to the lack of quality audits for governance compliances, family dominance, and board erraticism. Moreover, corporate control within business groups and economic and political instability are also portrayed.
Operational Statistics for Rotary Wing Aero Medical Transportation In the United States (2020)
Authors: Sherry Lance , Wang Charlie
Published: November 2022

Aero medical transportation (AMT) services provide transportation of patients, medical teams, and organs for the U. S. healthcare system. Categories of AMT operations include scene response (33%), interfacility transfers (54%), delivering specialty care and organs (13%), and repatriation
from outside the United States (statistics not recorded). Scene response is conducted primarily using rotary wing aircraft that can land and takeoff from accident scenes and hospital heliports. Data from 12 publicly available databases were combined to identify AMT vehicles and to generate
operational statistics including the number of vehicles, ownership, flight distances, flight frequency, geographic distribution, and the types of airports, air traffic control, and navigation systems used. This information can be used for aircraft design, airport and air traffic control infrastructure
assessment and funding allocation, industry sector analysis, and strategic planning.
Predictors of mortality and morbidity in total anomalous pulmonary venous connection with biventricular physiology
Authors: Palaparthi Sairam , Jagannath Byalal Raghavendrarao , Shastri Ramkinkar , Jayanthi Kishore , Rao Nitin Krishna , Vyas Suman , Inguava Savitri , Shekhada Nikunj , Siva Sai Kiran Krishnamurthy Venkata Satya , Mannam Gopichand
Published: November 2022

Background :

Surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) remains associated with significant mortality despite advances in intra-operative and postoperative management. We retrospectively analyzed 492 consecutive TAPVC patients with biventricular physiology, who were operated at our centre, with regard to predictors of mortality, morbidity, and intermediate-term outcomes.

Materials and Methods :

A total of 492 TAPVC patients with biventricular physiology were operated at our centre from August 2009 to November 2019. Their medical records were reviewed and were followed up during March-April 2020 for any symptoms of cardiac disease.

Results :

Of 492, 302 (61.38%) were healthy at follow-up, 29 (5.89%) had postoperative mortality, 23 (4.67%) had mortality during the follow-up period, and 138 (28.05%) were lost to follow up. Age <1 month and weight <2.5 kg were associated with higher mortality with odds ratios (OR) of 6.37 and 5.56, respectively. There was no difference in mortality in different types of TAPVC. Obstructed TAPVC was associated with higher mortality with OR of 3.05. Acute kidney injury requiring peritoneal dialysis and sepsis were associated with higher mortality with ORs of 10.17 and 3.29, respectively. All follow-up mortality occurred in <1 year from the index operation. Anastomotic gradients were significantly higher in patients who died.

Conclusions :

Although peri-operative TAPVC mortality has reduced, mortality on follow-up continues to occur and is partly due to the obstruction of pulmonary venous pathway. Meticulous follow-up holds the key in further reducing the mortality. Larger studies are needed for the identification of risk factors for pulmonary venous obstruction and its preventive strategies.
Myocarditis in children after COVID-19 vaccine
Authors: Aljohani Othman A. , Arcilla Lisa , Kaushik Neeru , Cresalia Nicole M. , Li Boran , Edwell April A. , Ramirez Alice M. , Anwar Shafkat
Published: November 2022

Three healthy adolescents presented with myocarditis confirmed on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after receiving Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. All patients were hemodynamically stable and had good short-term outcomes. Long-term outcomes are yet to be determined. Larger studies are needed to determine whether an association between Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and myocarditis exists.
Diphtheritic myocarditis
Authors: Arvind Balaji , Ojha Vineeta , Arava Sudheer Kumar , Seth Sandeep , Ramakrishnan Sivasubramanian
Published: November 2022

Diphtheria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although the disease is seen infrequently in the postvaccination era, sporadic cases continue to occur. Cardiac involvement, in the form of myocarditis, is the most serious manifestation of diphtheria and is the most common cause of mortality in these patients. The features of diphtheritic myocarditis on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have not been reported previously. In this brief report, we describe the cardiac MRI and histopathologic features on endomyocardial biopsy of a patient with acute heart failure who was later diagnosed to be a case of diphtheritic myocarditis.
Fontan procedure on deep hypothermic circulatory arrest
Authors: Malankar Dhananjay P , Mali Shivaji , Dhake Shyam , Mhatre Amit , Bind Dilip , Soni Bharat , Kandavel Dinesh , Raj Jinil , Patel Parvez , Garekar Swati
Published: November 2022

Background :

Various operative strategies are described for the Fontan procedure. In this study, we describe our short-term results and technique of Fontan procedure on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA).

Methods :

This was a retrospective study of 32 patients, median age of 6 years (4–19 years) and median weight of 20 kg (13–51 kg), who underwent Fontan procedure on CPB and DHCA from July 2016 to July 2021.

Results :

The median CPB time was 125 min (77–186 min), the median DHCA time was 42 min (27–50 min), and the median Fontan pressure was 14 mmHg (10–18 mmHg). The median time to extubation was 4 h (1–20 h), the duration of chest tube drainage was 8 days (5–24 days), and the median intensive care unit stay was 4 days (3–8 days). The presence of heterotaxy was associated with longer duration of pleural drainage (P = 0.01). There was no operative mortality and no major adverse events such as seizures, gross neurological deficits, or arrhythmias in the postoperative period.

Conclusions :

Fontan procedure can be safely performed on CPB and DHCA with good operative results. This operative strategy may be used in special circumstances like in patients with situs and systemic venous anomalies and those requiring repair of a complex intracardiac defect. Long-term follow-up will be required to evaluate if this strategy has any impact on the neurodevelopmental outcome and the long-term sequelae of Fontan.
Strategies to mitigate inflammation in management of complex congenital heart disease complicated by “multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children”
Authors: Kumar Anil , Joshi Reena K. , Aggarwal Neeraj , Ray Mily , Joshi Raja
Published: November 2022

A 6-month-old boy, a case of Shone's complex, presented in decompensated state was found to have severe mitral stenosis along with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) warranting urgent surgical intervention. Various modalities including cytokine-adsorbing hemofilter were used to target inflammation. Postoperatively, the child recovered from low cardiac output accompanied by decrease in the levels of inflammatory markers, inopressors, and ventilatory requirements. Open heart surgery in itself is a proinflammatory process and is best avoided during the active inflammatory phase of MISC. In the rare and unavoidable circumstance exemplified by this index case, multipronged strategy targeting inflammation as described can be successfully implemented.
Outcomes of primary repair of sternal cleft defects
Authors: Jaytesh Parashar , Joshi Reena K. , Aggarwal Neeraj , Joshi Raja
Published: November 2022

Background :

Sternal clefts are rare congenital anterior chest wall defects created by a lack of midline thoracic fusion. Various surgical repairs have been proposed to provide protection to underlying viscera in these defects.

Aim :

This study aims to perform primary sternal cleft repair using techniques, leading to the provision of a complete bony cover and to assess their outcomes on follow-ups.

Materials and Methods :

During 2009–2020, seven patients were referred to our unit with sternal defects. Out of them, four infants with sternal clefts underwent primary repair using bilateral perichondrial flap creation of the sternal bars and sliding costal chondrotomy at our institute. In one of them with a wider defect, bilateral “intraperiosteal” sliding clavicular osteotomy was additionally performed to achieve tension-free closure.

Results :

Satisfactory surgical outcomes were achieved with an uneventful postoperative period. On follow-up, all four patients are thriving well and have a stable anterior chest wall. Those with follow-ups longer than 5 years showed evidence of bone formation.

Conclusion :

Bony cover to the heart can be provided in all varieties of sternal cleft defects using primary surgical repair early in infancy. The delay in surgical correction increases the complexity of the procedure and may require the use of prosthetic material which has its own disadvantages.
Is there an association of near-infrared spectroscopy with low cardiac output and adverse outcomes in single-ventricle patients after stage 1 palliation?
Authors: Doctor Pezad , Aggarwal Sanjeev , Garcia Richard
Published: November 2022

Objective :

Our primary objective study was to evaluate the association between near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and low cardiac output (LCO) in patients with single-ventricle physiology after stage 1 palliation.

Methods :

In this retrospective study, infants ≤6 months of age with single-ventricle physiology who underwent stage 1 palliation were included. Cerebral and renal NIRS values at various time intervals after surgery were compared between patients with low and normal cardiac output. LCO within the first 48 after surgery was defined as per the pediatric cardiac critical care consortium database. NIRS values were also compared with other adverse outcomes such as cardiac arrest, need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and mortality. The receiver operative characteristic curve was generated to determine an optimal cut-off NIRS value for detecting LCO.

Results :

Ninety-one patients with median (Interquartile range) age of 10 days (6–26) and weight of 3.3 kg (3–3.5) were included in the study. Cerebral NIRS at 1 h (41.2 vs. 49.5; P = 0.002), 6 h (44 vs. 52.2; P = 0.001), and 12 h (51.8 vs. 56; P = 0.025) was significantly lower in the grouP with LCO compared to no LCO. Cerebral NIRS at 6 h was independently associated with LCO (P = 0.018), and cerebral NIRS at 6 h ≤57% had 91% sensitivity and 72% specificity to detect LCO.

Conclusions :

Cerebral NIRS ≤57% at 6 h after surgery detected LCO after stage 1 palliation in single-ventricle patients. Cerebral or renal NIRS was not associated with adverse outcomes and therefore, may not be useful in predicting adverse outcomes in this population.
A two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography for the diagnosis of early myocardial disease in beta-thalassemia major patients
Authors: Tantawy Azza Abdel Gawad , Elsherif Nayera H. K. , Habeeb Neveen M. , Hasan Esraa M. , Abdelhameed Abdelhameed E.
Published: November 2022

Background :

Although magnetic resonance imaging T2* is considered the gold standard to assess myocardial iron overload in β-thalassemia patients, its routine use is limited by the high cost and limited availability. Recent data demonstrated that strain imaging by speckle tracking is a sensitive tool for early assessment of the left ventricular myocardial dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate the clinical utility of two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) for the detection of early myocardial disease in beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients

Materials and Methods :

2D STE, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) heart T2* and MRI liver iron content were done for 30 β-TM patients with no clinical heart disease, compared to 2D STE in 30 healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

Results :

There was a significant reduction in the longitudinal systolic strain values by STE among β-TM patients compared to controls (P = 0.05). A longitudinal peak systolic strain cutoff values of ≤-19 was able to detect β-TM patients having subclinical cardiac iron overload by MRI T2* (sensitivity = 90%–93.3%, specificity = 83%–100%). Mean serum ferritin in the past 2 years correlated negatively to longitudinal systolic strain values global longitudinal peak systolic strain average (P = 0.05).
Renal oncocytoma in a 13-year-old girl: A case report and literature review
Authors: Wei Xia , Wang Yizhen , Fang Yuan , Chen Lian
Published: November 2022

Renal oncocytoma is a benign renal neoplasm which has mostly been reported in adults. Occurrence in children is infrequent. To date, there are only six pediatric cases of renal oncocytoma reported previously. Herein, we report a 13-year-old girl presented with hematuria for a week. Abdominal computed tomography showed a well-defined heterogeneous solid mass with a stellate central scar in the left kidney. The patient underwent a nephron sparing surgery. Histopathological and immunohistochemical findings confirmed the diagnosis of renal oncocytoma. Though uncommon, renal oncocytoma should be considered as the differential diagnosis of renal tumor in children. In addition, intranuclear inclusions were firstly described in this pediatric patient with unclear significance, which need a large cohort to summarize and analyze.
Syphilis in the era of re-emergence
Authors: Jeevanandham Palanisamy , Ambooken Betsy , Asokan Neelakandhan , Salam Sarin Abdul , Venugopal Renu
Published: November 2022

Background:

During the last several years, we have observed a rise in the number of patients with syphilis in our center.

Aims:

To find out the trends in the presentation of syphilis to our clinic over a 6-year period and to analyze the clinicoepidemiological features of those patients.

Settings and Design:

A retrospective chart review.

Subjects and Methods:

We analyzed the case records of all cases of syphilis registered in our sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic from October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2018. Syphilis was diagnosed based on clinical or serological evidence. We also evaluated these patients for any concomitant STI, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20). Chi-square test was done for comparing categorical data, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

During the study period, 215 patients with STI attended our clinic. Of these, 66 (31%) patients had acquired syphilis. Among them, 3 (4.5%) had primary syphilis, 23 (34.8%) had secondary syphilis, and 40 (60.6%) had latent syphilis. Fifteen (22.7%) patients had concomitant HIV infection. A statistically significant rise in the number of cases of syphilis compared with other STIs was noted in the latter half of the study period (P = 0.001). Among the 50 males with acquired syphilis, 29 (58%) were men having sex with men (MSM), including 19 bisexual persons. Among the five antenatal cases, two were detected very late in pregnancy.

Conclusions:

We observed a marked increase in the number of cases of syphilis during the latter half of the study period. Primary and secondary syphilis were more frequent among MSM, suggesting a need to strengthen targeted intervention programs among them. More rigorous antenatal screening is necessary to prevent congenital syphilis.
Prevalence of nonviral reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted infections in female patients with cervicovaginal discharge
Authors: Sethi Sunil , Sharma Nandita , Sharma Megha , Dadwal Rajneesh , Singh Charu , Chaudhary Hemant , Malhotra Sakshi , Yadav Rakesh , Gupta Vanita
Published: November 2022

Background:

To study the prevalence of common nonviral reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted infections (RTI/STI) prevailing among females who presented to our regional STI reference center and to ascertain the association of various symptoms with different RTI/STIs.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective analysis of female patients presenting to our STI Regional center located in the Department of Medical Microbiology in PGIMER, Chandigarh, was done between April 2018 and December 2019 for patients presenting with cervico-vaginal discharge. Two to three swabs were collected from each patient. The first swab was subjected to wet mount, gram stain, Potassium hydroxide (KOH) test, and culture on blood agar, the colonies obtained were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometer (MALDI TOF-MS). Second swab was used for DNA extraction and detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) by polymerase chain reaction. The third swab, when available, was inoculated onto pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) broth.

Results:

One thousand and thirteenth of 1472 (69%) female patients were symptomatic and the most common presenting symptoms were vaginal discharge (707/1013 [69.8%]), infertility (266/1013 [26.2%]), genital itching (60/1013 [5.9%]), lower abdomen pain (47/1013 [4.6%]) and burning micturition (16/1013 [1.6%]). The most prevalent RTI/STI was bacterial vaginosis (BV) 18.2% (269/1472), followed by vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) 6.8% (100/1472) and trichomoniasis (TV) 1.9% (28/1472). Five cases each of Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma urealyticum, three of NG and one of CT were also identified. Coinfections were seen in 40 (2.7%) cases. The most common causative agent responsible for VVC in our study was Candida albicans (65%).

Conclusion:

RTI/STIs were common among women and 69% were symptomatic. BV was the most common STI present in 18.2%, followed by VVC (6.8%) and trichomoniasis (1.9%).
Female sexual dysfunction
Authors: Shenoi Shrutakirthi Damodar , Prabhu Smitha S.
Published: November 2022

Introduction:

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a much-neglected area of medicine possibly due to the stigma attached to sexual functioning in most religions and cultures.

Materials and Methods:

Here, we report a case series of 12 females with FSD from the data collated from the sexual dysfunction clinic of a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Results:

Of the 370 patients who were seen in the sexual dysfunction clinic, only 12 (3.24%) were women aged from 22 to 58 years with a duration of marriage 3 months to 25 years. The commonly encountered problems were dyspareunia and hypoactive sexual disorder. Three had nonconsummated marriages. After evaluation, two patients were treated with antipsychotics and all were offered psychosexual counseling.

Conclusion:

Female sexual dysfunction remains unrecognized and under reported, especially in patriarchal cultural societies of the Indian subcontinent.
Pomniki Armii Radzieckiej w Bułgarii jako instrument w narodowej debacie nad historyczną pamięcią i zapomnieniem
Authors: Rikev Kamen
Published: November 2022

Artykuł przedstawia studium przypadku radzieckich pomników w Bułgarii jako źródła niedających się pogodzić podziałów społecznych. Krótki przegląd historii pomników oraz dyskusji po 1989 roku na temat ich ewentualnego demontażu prowadzą do wniosku, że (1) w trzeciej dekadzie XXI wieku nadal dzielą one społeczeństwo, co powoduje, że ich rola jako lieux de mémoire nadal nie jest możliwa; (2) argumenty „za” i „przeciw” pomnikom, wyrażone w latach 90., pozostają niezmienne; (3) koncentracja uwagi publicznej na pomniku w Sofii prowadzi do zapomnienia o innych podobnych pomnikach w kraju; (4) Ustawa uznająca reżim komunistyczny za zbrodniczy i inne akty państwowe nie mają wpływu na istnienie pomników, a jedynie nasilają ambiwalentne sygnały, jakie państwo wysyła swoim międzynarodowym partnerom. Autor artykułu dochodzi ostatecznie do wniosku, że dziś pomniki Armii Radzieckiej są nie tyle bodźcem do zrozumienia zbiorowych traum, ile impulsem do analizy bułgarskiej rusofilii.

The Monuments of the Soviet Army in Bulgaria as an Instrument in the National Debate on Historical Memory and Oblivion

The article presents the case study of the Soviet Army monuments in Bulgaria as a source of irreconcilable social division. A brief overview of the history of these monu ments and the discussions on the possibility of their dismantling allow to conclude that (1) in the third decade of the 21st century the monuments’ function as lieux de mémoire remains impossible due to their divisive nature; (2) the arguments for and against the monuments expressed in the 1990s remain unchanged; (3) the concentration of public attention on the Sofia memorial leads to the neglection of other similar monuments in the country; (4) The Law on Declaring the Criminal Nature of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria (2000) and other state acts do not affect the existence of these monuments, but only reinforce the ambivalent signals that the southern European state sends to its international partners. The author’s final conclusion is that the monuments of the Soviet Army today are not so much an incentive to comprehend collective traumas, but an impetus for analysing Bulgarian Russophilia.