bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proximal Tibiofibular Joint Stabilization Using an Adjustable-Length Suspensory Fixation Device
Authors: Kanakamedala Ajay C. , Hinz Maximilian , Wang YuChia , Vidal Armando F.
Published: November 2024

Background:

Proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) injuries are rare injuries, and the optimal treatment is poorly understood. Surgical treatment options for PTFJ instability include reconstruction with allograft, stabilization with an adjustable-ength suspensory fixation device, open reduction and internal fixation with a screw, arthrodesis, and proximal fibular resection.

Indications:

In acute first-time PTFJ dislocations, nonoperative treatment may be trialed after closed reduction. Operative treatment is indicated for first-time dislocation with concomitant operative injury, an irreducible dislocation, and chronic symptomatic PTFJ instability. Taping or PTFJ injections can be helpful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and should be trialed before moving forward with surgical treatment.

Technique Description:

Multiple PTFJ stabilization and reconstruction techniques have been described for PTFJ instability. This technique describes a stabilization technique utilizing an adjustable-ength suspensory fixation device that is placed through a posterolateral approach to the knee.

Results:

A prior systematic review of PTFJ injuries found that approximately 59% of patients with a PTFJ dislocation were successfully treated nonoperatively with no symptoms at a mean final follow-up of 15.9 months. While multiple case reports and techniques have been reported for PTFJ stabilization using an adjustable-ength suspensory fixation device, there are limited data on outcomes of this procedure.

Discussion/Conclusions:

PTFJ stabilization using an adjustable-ength suspensory fixation device is a safe and technically feasible option for the treatment of PTFJ instability. It is critical to confirm the diagnosis of symptomatic PTFJ instability with either a taping trial or a diagnostic injection before proceeding with surgical treatment.

Patient Consent Disclosure Statement:

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.
Four urban ecologies: A working typology and alternative conceptual synthesis
Authors: Gandy Matthew
Published: November 2024

Urban ecology has evolved into a vast field of work that extends across multiple disciplinary domains spanning the bio-physical sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. In this article I outline a working typology for urban ecology that highlights four analytical vantage points: systems-based approaches; observational paradigms; urban political ecology; and pluriversal ecologies. I develop a conceptual synthesis that offers an alternative to the normative and epistemological dominance of systems-based approaches.
American Society of Hematology: building a comprehensive minority recruitment and retention professional program
Authors: Rollins Margo R. , Warsame Rahma M. , Smith Melody , Molina Arturo , Rouce Rayne H. , Avalos Belinda R. , Johnson Cage S. , Lopez Jose A. , Thompson Alexis A. , Fanning Lisa , Frustace Patricia , Roche Keelin , van Havre Nathalie , Mack Devon , Flowers Christopher R. , Terrell Deirdra R.
Published: November 2024

In 2003, the Institute of Medicine noted the need to improve workforce diversity. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) responded by developing the Minority Recruitment Initiative (MRI) to recruit diverse physicians/scientists into hematology. We evaluated the outcomes of the program. From 2004 to 2022, there were 405 awardees. Compared with national estimates, MRI awardees were less likely to discontinue their degree programs. MRI graduate student awardees had 0% attrition (97.5% confidence interval [CI], 10.6), whereas the national minority graduate student attrition was 36%. Medical student awardees had 2.2% (95% CI, 0.61-5.6) attrition, compared with the minority medical school attrition of 5.6%. Awardees were more likely than expected to pursue hematology-oncology (5.7% minority national estimate) because 14.4% (95% CI, 8.1-23.0) of medical student awardees and 88.5% (95% CI, 70.0-97.6) of early career awardees remain in the field. ASH has developed a successful program, but continued efforts are needed to advance equity in hematology.
Incidence and characterization of secondary CNS lymphoma in 1972 patients with DLBCL: a Danish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Tolley Elisabeth Reuben , Nielsen Torsten Holm , Hersby Ditte Stampe , Østergaard Simon , Rasmussen Malin , Clausen Michael Roost , Al-Mashhadi Ahmed Ludvigsen , Egeberg Karina Moeslund , Haunstrup Laura Mors , Brieghel Christian , Niemann Carsten Utoft , El-Galaly Tarec Christoffer , Pedersen Lars Møller
Published: November 2024

Secondary central nervous system lymphoma (SCNSL) is a rare manifestation of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with a poor prognosis. We present updated data from a nationwide study on the incidence and clinical characteristics of SCNSL. The incidence of SCNSL was calculated considering death or relapse without SCNSL as competing risks. Risk factors associated with SCNSL were identified using a cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 1972 patients with DLBCL were included, of which 68 (3.4%) experienced SCNSL at the first relapse. The crude 1- and 2-year cumulative incidence of SCNSL was 2.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-2.7) and 2.6% (95% CI, 2.0-3.4), respectively. For patients with a high-risk central nervous system international prognostic index (CNS-IPI) score, the 1- and 2-year cumulative incidence was 6.4% and 7.5%, respectively. The number and location of extranodal (EN) sites were the most significant predictors of SCNSL. Specific EN sites associated with an increased risk were the bone marrow, heart, kidneys/adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, and uterus. The median overall survival (OS) after SCNSL was 3.2 months. SCNSL within 6 months after the end of treatment (EOT) was associated with a higher baseline CNS-IPI score and worse OS than SCNSL >6 months after EOT. Patients with a combination of low-risk CNS-IPI and late-onset SCNSL had the most favorable prognosis. In conclusion, updated real-world population-based data on SCNSL at first relapse, adjusted for competing risks, demonstrated a lower incidence of SCNSL than previously reported, with the number and location of EN sites being the most significant predictors of SCNSL.
The volume–outcome relationship for pulmonary endarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Heuts Samuel , Kawczynski Michal J. , Leus Arthur , Godinas Laurent , Belge Catharina , van Empel Vanessa , Meyns Bart , Maessen Jos G. , Delcroix Marion , Verbelen Tom
Published: November 2024

Background

We conducted a volume–outcome meta-analysis of pulmonary endarterectomy procedures for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension to objectively determine the minimum required annual case load that can define a high-volume centre.

Methods

Three electronic databases were systematically queried up to 1 May 2024. Centres were divided in volume tertiles. The primary outcomes were early mortality and long-term survival. Restricted cubic splines were used to demonstrate the volume–outcome relationship and the elbow-method was applied to define high-volume centres. Long-term survival was assessed using Cox frailty models.

Results

We included 51 centres (52 consecutive cohorts) and divided them into tertiles (T1: <6 cases per year; T2: 6–15 cases per year, T3: >15 cases per year), comprising a total 11 345 patients (mean age 52.3 years). Overall early mortality was 6.0% (T1: 11.6%; T2: 7.2%; T3: 5.2%; p<0.001), for which a significant nonlinear volume–outcome relationship was observed (p=0.0437) with a statistically determined minimal required volume of 33 cases per year (95% CI 29–35 cases), and a modelled volume of 40 cases per year corresponding to a 5.0% mortality rate. Nevertheless, early mortality still progressively declined in higher volume centres (from 6.7% to 5.4% to 2.9% in centres performing 16–50, 51–100 and >100 procedures annually). In addition, a significant volume effect was observed for long-term survival (adjusted hazard ratio per tertile 0.75, 95% CI 0.63–0.89; p=0.001).

Conclusion

There is a significant association between procedural volume and early mortality in pulmonary endarterectomy. An annual procedural volume of >33–40 cases per year may be used to define a high‑volume centre, although higher volumes still lead to progressively lower mortality rates.
Alteration of ceruloplasmin in patients with malaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Kotepui Kwuntida Uthaisar , Mahittikorn Aongart , Wilairatana Polrat , Masangkay Frederick Ramirez , Kotepui Manas
Published: November 2024

Background

The evidences of oxidative stress-related Plasmodium infection may alter the ceruloplasmin levels were inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to collate and synthesize literatures on malaria and ceruloplasmin concentrations.

Methods

The systematic review has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023454859). Six electronic databases were systematically searched for investigated ceruloplasmin levels in malaria: ProQuest, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus, from their inception to August 2023. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools for cross-sectional, cohort, and case–control studies. Qualitative synthesis was undertaken to summarize findings from the included studies. For quantitative synthesis, a meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models.

Results

A total of 411 articles were retrieved, and nine studies were included in the review. The majority of included studies found significantly increased ceruloplasmin levels in malaria patients compared to uninfected controls. The meta-analysis showed a significant increase of ceruloplasmin in patients with malaria as compared to uninfected controls (P < 0.01, Hedge’s g 1.18, 95% CI 0.90–1.47, I2 59.19%, eight studies).

Conclusion

The systematic review and meta-analysis consistently revealed a significant rise in ceruloplasmin levels among malaria patients. Further research is essential to understand the variations in ceruloplasmin levels between different Plasmodium species and the severity of malaria in patients.
Effect of cerebral sinus venous thrombosis and its location on cerebral blood flow: a [15O]water PET study in acute stroke patients compared to healthy volunteers
Authors: Harloff Andreas , Blazhenets Ganna , Fostitsch Johannes , Strecker Christoph , Dersch Rick , Mayerhofer Ernst , Meyer Philipp T.
Published: November 2024

Background

Symptoms in acute cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) are highly variable, ranging from headaches to fatal stroke, and the basis for this high inter-individual variability is poorly understood. The present study aimed to assess whether acute CSVT significantly alters regional cerebral blood flow (CBF), if findings differ from CBF patterns know from large-artery occlusion in stroke, and whether the pattern of CBF alterations depends on clot location. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed 12 patients with acute CSVT 10.6 ± 4.6 days after symptom onset and ten healthy volunteers who underwent [15O]water PET (two scans each, 300 ± 14 MBq [15O]water). Static image datasets (15–75 s after injection; normalized to cerebellum) reflecting relative CBF (rCBF) were analyzed using voxel- and region-of-interest-based analysis (AAL3-atlas). We mirrored datasets of patients with left-sided CSVT to harmonize the affected hemisphere.

Results

Seven and five patients showed right- and left-sided CSVT, respectively. The superior sagittal sinus (SSS) was involved in 8/12 patients. CSVT patients had extensive rCBF deficits in the voxel-based analysis with accentuation in the right (ipsilateral) frontal cortex and caudate nucleus compared to controls, which were most pronounced in cortical areas in those with involvement of the SSS (8/12), and in subcortical areas in those without involvement of the SSS (4/12; p < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected). ROI-analysis demonstrated significant frontal (p = 0.01) and caudate nucleus (p = 0.008) rCBF deficits driven by patients with and without SSS occlusion, respectively.

Conclusions

[15O]water PET was able to visualize characteristic patterns of impaired rCBF, which were different from intracranial large-artery occlusion in acute ischemic stroke, and exhibited substantial rCBF alterations depending on the involvement of the SSS. Our findings provide novel insights into the effects of disturbed venous drainage on CBF in acute CSVT, which may aid in understanding the pathophysiology, and guide future therapy of acute CSVT.
Strategies for improving treatment retention for buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder: a qualitative study of issues and recommendations from prescribers
Authors: Young Gary J. , Young Leonard D. , Noor-E-Alam Md.
Published: November 2024

Background

Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a significant public health issue as the number of opioid-related overdose deaths continues to reach new highs each year. Buprenorphine/Naloxone is a medication that has been shown to be highly effective for the treatment of OUD. However, the clinical management of patients on this medication is challenging as many patients discontinue treatment prematurely. We conducted a qualitative study focusing on experienced prescribers of buprenorphine to learn about what they believe are key challenges in prescribing this medication to patients with OUD and related strategies for improving treatment outcomes.

Methods

We conducted two rounds of interviews with 12 prescribers who were either trained as a primary care physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. These prescribers were recruited from an academically-based treatment program, a community health center, and a commercial substance use disorder treatment facility. Interview data were coded and analyzed in accordance with a grounded theory approach.

Results

Key findings and related recommendations emerged for patient monitoring, integration of behavioral health with prescribing, patient volume requirements, and use of telehealth.

Conclusion

The interviews generated a number of recommendations for improving patient outcomes from buprenorphine treatment. Some of these recommendations can be implemented quite readily whereas others entail more substantial resources and time commitments.
α-Synuclein seeding amplification assays for diagnosing synucleinopathies: an innovative tool in clinical implementation
Authors: Kuang Yaoyun , Mao Hengxu , Huang Xiaoyun , Chen Minshan , Dai Wei , Gan Tingting , Wang Jiaqi , Sun Hui , Lin Hao , Liu Qin , Yang Xinling , Xu Ping-Yi
Published: November 2024

The spectrum of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), is characterized by α-synuclein (αSyn) pathology, which serves as the definitive diagnostic marker. However, current diagnostic methods primarily rely on motor symptoms that manifest years after the initial neuropathological changes, thereby delaying potential treatment. The symptomatic overlap between PD and MSA further complicates the diagnosis, highlighting the need for precise and differential diagnostic methods for these overlapping neurodegenerative diseases. αSyn misfolding and aggregation occur before clinical symptoms appear, suggesting that detection of pathological αSyn could enable early molecular diagnosis of synucleinopathies. Recent advances in seed amplification assay (SAA) offer a tool for detecting neurodegenerative diseases by identifying αSyn misfolding in fluid and tissue samples, even at preclinical stages. Extensive research has validated the effectiveness and reproducibility of SAAs for diagnosing synucleinopathies, with ongoing efforts focusing on optimizing conditions for detecting pathological αSyn in more accessible samples and identifying specific αSyn species to differentiate between various synucleinopathies. This review offers a thorough overview of SAA technology, exploring its applications for diagnosing synucleinopathies, addressing the current challenges, and outlining future directions for its clinical use.
Virtual restoration of ancient tomb murals based on hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Zeng Zimu , Qiu Shi , Zhang Pengchang , Tang Xingjia , Li Siyuan , Liu Xuebin , Hu Bingliang
Published: November 2024

The virtual restoration of historic murals holds immense importance in the realm of cultural heritage preservation. Currently, there are three primary technical issues. First and foremost, it is imperative to delineate the precise location where the mural necessitates restoration. Second, the original color of the mural has changed over time, resulting in a difference from its current appearance. Then, while the method utilizing convolutional neural networks is effective in restoring small defaced areas of murals, its effectiveness significantly diminishes when applied to larger areas. The primary objectives of this paper are as follows: (1) To determine the large and small areas to be restored, the authors employ hyperspectral super-pixel segmentation and support vector machine-Markov random field (SVM-MRF) classification. (2) The authors transform the hyperspectral mural images into more realistic and accurate red-green-blue (RGB) images using the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) standard colorimetric system. (3) The authors restored the images respectively using convolutional neural network and matching image block-based approaches depending on the size of the areas to be mended. The proposed method has enhanced the image quality assessment (IQA) in terms of both color quality and restoration effects. In contrast to the pseudo-color fusion method, the color optimization algorithm described in this research enhances the multi-scale image quality (MUSIQ) by 8.42%. The suggested technique enhances MUSIQ by 2.41% when compared to the convolutional neural network-based image inpainting algorithm.
Enhanced reversible data hiding using difference expansion and modulus function with selective bit blocks in images
Authors: Arham Aulia , Nugroho Hanung Adi
Published: November 2024

The rapid growth of Information and communication technology not only has positive impacts but also unveils opportunities for data and information security threats. In recent years, many researchers have worked on developing methods to enhance data security, particularly through data hiding techniques aimed at safeguarding communications by concealing their existence. With the same objective in mind, this study introduces a novel method for Reversible Data Hiding (RDH) based on a combination of difference expansion (DE) and a modulus function. Our method enables the embedding of 3-bit data into 2-bit Least Significant Bit (LSB) difference values of pixel pairs formed in rectangular blocks. Based on the experimental results, the payload capacity of our method can reach 0.3953 bpp with a PSNR of 53.5900 dB on common images and 0.5764 bpp with a PSNR of 52.9234 dB on medical images. Our method consistently achieves high payload capacity with good visual quality, and our method surpasses previous approaches in terms of performance, payload capacity, and visual quality.
Industrial diet intervention modulates the interplay between gut microbiota and host in semi-stray dogs
Authors: Rhimi Soufien , Jablaoui Amin , Hernandez Juan , Mariaule Vincent , Akermi Nizar , Méric Tristan , Mkaouar Héla , Wysocka Magdalena , Lesner Adam , Borgi Mohamed Ali , Maguin Emmanuelle , Rhimi Moez
Published: November 2024

Background

The gut microbiota and derived metabolites play a key role in regulating host physiology. Diet is identified as a key regulatory factor of the microbiota composition and, potentially, of subsequent functionalities. Demonstrating the role of diet may be complex as most human studies are cross-sectional and dietary intervention is often accompanied by hygienic changes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of an industrial diet on the modulation of the microbiota and targeted functionalities using a canine “natural” model.

Results

We carried out a controlled dietary trial in a cohort of Tunisian semi-stray dogs. We made a transition from a natural diet to an industrial kibble diet and monitored the composition of the fecal microbiota, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and bile acids (BAs), and protease activities. We demonstrated that dietary change significantly decreased fecal primary bile acids levels and protease activities. Interestingly, correlation analyses demonstrated that variation of specific microbial genera were associated with modulated physiological parameters.

Conclusions

Our study reveals that an industrial diet induces beneficial changes in microbial composition and functions characterised by increased diversity, synthesis of SCFA and secondary bile acids production, stressing the key role of the diet-microbiota-dog crosstalk.
Parent–child interaction therapy in the treatment of children who stutter: a single-subject longitudinal study
Authors: Belal Manar , Amer Ayman , Abou-Elsaad Tamer
Published: November 2024

Background

The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the indirect home-based program, including parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT), in reducing the severity and degree of stuttering in young children to be used as a treatment program for young children who stutter.

Methods

A longitudinal multiple single-subject study was conducted on 16 Arabic-speaking Egyptian children aged 4–7 years who stutter. All parents and children were evaluated during the first clinic visit to assess stuttering and to start the clinic-based therapy. After six weeks, a follow-up was done. After three months of the home-based therapy program, a re-assessment of the degree and severity of stuttering was done using the Bloodstein classification of stuttering severity and Stuttering Severity Instrument-3 (SSI3).

Results

Mean SSI3 pre-therapy was 17.5 and decreased to 11 post-therapy. Before therapy, most cases were moderate stuttering 68.8%, 25% were mild, and 6.3% were severe; after treatment, most cases became mild stuttering (75%), 12.5% became very mild, and 12.5% became moderate stuttering according to SSI3 scores, also mean Bloodstein pre-therapy was II and decreased to I post-therapy.

Conclusion

An indirect home-based program, including PCIT, efficiently reduces the severity and degree of stuttering in young children and justifies its use as a treatment program for children who stutter.
Fast forward modeling of magnetotelluric data in complex continuous media using an extended Fourier DeepONet architecture
Authors: Liao Weiyang , Peng Ronghua , Hu Xiangyun , Zhang Yue , Zhou Wenlong , Fu Xiaonian , Lin Haikun
Published: November 2024

The calculations of magnetotelluric (MT) responses play a fundamental role in the inversion and resolution analysis of MT problems. Conventional numerical methods for forward modeling involve solving a large system of linear equations. Although these methods provide accurate and stable solutions, they are computationally expensive as the model size increases. In this study, we develop an efficient forward-modeling network using an extended Fourier DeepONet (EFDO) architecture for fast MT forward modeling in complex continuous media. By efficiently learning the mapping of differential operators from the conductivity models to the MT responses, the EFDO framework can effectively approximate the MT forward operator. Once trained, it can instantaneously predict the MT responses for complex continuous resistivity models under identical model discretization conditions. We first compare the accuracy of the EFDO with a conventional finite volume (FV)-based forward-modeling solver and the existing deep-learning (DL)-based modeling schemes. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the MT responses predicted by the EFDO exhibit high conformity with the solutions computed by the FV method. Compared with other DL-based solvers, such as the extended Fourier neural operator and the UNet-Fourier neural operator, EFDO indicates superior prediction accuracy while significantly reducing training resource requirements. In addition, EFDO exhibits excellent generalization, maintaining outstanding prediction performance for the untrained frequencies of the same class samples. The EFDO can predict the MT responses at approximately 200 times the speed of the FV solver. The huge improvement in computational speed makes the EFDO a feasible solver for high-dimensional MT stochastic inversions, which require many forward evaluations.
Deep Diving Into the Fusion Across Cancer Types in the Indian Population From Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded RNA-Exome Data: A Road to Discovering Novel Rearrangements With Clinical Relevance
Authors: Khuntia Satya Prakash , Mukherjee Nilesh , Javle Vyomesh , Tanwar Nishtha AjitSingh , Sreekanthreddy Peddagangannagari , Varghese Linu , Gowda Pooja , Kottlahouse Anju , Chandrani Pratik , Choughule Anuradha , Pange Priyanka , Gupta Vinod , Noronha Vanita , Patil Vijay Maruti , Pramanik Raja , Kumar Sunil , Nayak Sandeep Peraje , Babu Suresh , Shetty Rohan , Kantharaju Madan , Chinder Pramod Shekarappa , Korlimarla Aruna , Srinath B.S. , Prabhash Kumar , Periyasamy Giridharan , Rishi Kshitij Datta , Goswami Hitesh Madan , Veldore Vidya Harini
Published: November 2024

PURPOSE

Gene fusions are critical oncogenic mutations that drive cancer development and serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Despite the increasing cancer burden in India, large-scale analyses of molecular landscapes, particularly gene fusions, have been relatively scarce.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study used RNA-exome data from 1,392 Indian patients with cancer across 15 major cancer types to explore gene fusions. The study used a comprehensive framework that integrated open-source and proprietary tools to detect gene fusions from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples. The process involved RNA extraction, RNA-exome library preparation, and analysis using tools such as FastQC, DRAGEN RNA Pipeline, STAR-Fusion, and FusionInspector. We validated and filtered potential false-positive fusion calls using AGFusion and FusionAnnotator to annotate fusion breakpoints and their functional impact through various in silico tools.

RESULTS

The study found a notable prevalence of FGFR fusions across cancer types, especially FGFR3, with
FGFR3::TACC3
as the most recurrent. Kinase fusions were prevalent in the cohort accounting for 37% of incidence in the patients. We also identified 91 novel potential driver fusions, including those involving
FGFR2
,
MET
,
ESR1
, and
PDGFRA.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the critical role of gene fusions as biomarkers in cancer, extending beyond fusion-driven malignancies to encompass all cancer types. Gene fusions serve as both diagnostic markers and tumor-agnostic therapeutic targets within the current cancer treatment paradigm. Our insights into the prevalence of oncogenic drivers and novel targets expand the understanding of gene fusions, shedding new light on their mechanisms and clinical implications.
Four-loop elasticity renormalization of low-temperature flat polymerized membranes
Authors: Metayer Simon
Published: November 2024

We provide the complete four-loop perturbative renormalization of a low-temperature statistical mechanics model of flat polymerized membranes. Using a non-local effective flexural theory, which is based on transverse elastic fluctuations, we analytically determine the anomalous elasticity critical exponent η, which controls all scaling behaviors in the theory, at the four existing fixed points. The results are obtained as apparently convergent series, allowing for precise estimates without resummations. We independently verify and supplement the results of recent four-loop work (Pikelner A., EPL, 138 (2022) 17002) derived from a different model. Additionally, we find good agreement with non-perturbative theoretical approaches and experimental results on soft materials and graphene.
Amitav Ghosh's Ibis Trilogy and the So-Called Secret of the Historical Novel
Authors: Bajaj Ashwin
Published: November 2024

This article advances a conceptualization of the historical novel and addresses the genre's specificity via a reading of Amitav Ghosh's Ibis trilogy (2008–2015). To distinguish the historical novel from the trope of realism with which it is often thought to overlap, the article repurposes Georg Lukács's theorization of the genre via Marx's concept of “origin” (primitive accumulation) of the capitalist mode of production. Treating Ghosh's trilogy as an exemplary case, this article's reading focuses on how the text's formal attributes are central to its narration of colonial capitalism. The article concludes by suggesting that in narrating events from the standpoint of the surplus population produced by the capitalist mode of production, Ghosh is confronted with the limits of the novel form.
Trollope's Boxes: Liberal Privacy and Its Consequences in Phineas Finn and The Eustace Diamonds
Authors: Amit Oriah
Published: November 2024

This article explores Anthony Trollope's attempts to answer a question that preoccupied Britain's Liberal party in the second half of the nineteenth century: Should all subjects have an equal right to privacy? Trollope's Palliser novels Phineas Finn (1867–68) and The Eustace Diamonds (1871–73) examine this question through locked containers—the ballot box and the safe, respectively—that promise individual privacy but also create opportunities for dishonesty, deception, and fraud. Trollope's depiction of these material objects underscores his view that privacy is a privilege rather than a right and that it should only be granted to citizens who are capable of wielding it responsibly. Responding to recent legislation that extended privacy rights to women (in the Married Women's Property Act of 1870) and working-class men (in the Ballot Act of 1872), Trollope warns readers that the safety deposit box in The Eustace Diamonds and the ballot box in Phineas Finn present opportunities for the abuse and misuse of discretion by these subjects. The containers in these two novels thus reveal Trollope's reluctance to extend the privileges of liberalism beyond the sphere of middle-class men.
The Populist Prince
Authors: Sharr Adam , Thornton Stephen
Published: November 2024

Following the coronation of British king Charles III, this article returns to a book that he produced in 1989 while Prince of Wales. Titled A Vision of Britain, Charles's text promoted classical and traditional architecture. First, this article examines the reception of A Vision of Britain, arguing that the prince acted as a “policy entrepreneur” and reviewing key consequences of his activism. While Charles's interventions are now typically interpreted along party political lines in Britain, the article finds that they were understood as more complex at the time. Second, it revisits the book in the context of an executive order signed in 2020 by US president Donald Trump that mandated traditional architectural styles for new federal buildings. This parallel serves to highlight dimensions of populism at work in Charles's former activism. It illustrates how Charles deployed his unusual power and influence in architecture, while denying the operations of his power to claim popular appeal.
Memory Capture from “De-communization” to “Decolonization”
Authors: Amar Tarik Cyril , Roy Tania
Published: November 2024

German historian of modern Ukraine Tarik Cyril Amar positions the third year of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (February 2022) between an analysis of escalated culture wars within Ukraine and its resonance for Anglo-American/European liberalism, whose most influential representatives suppress consideration of class-based, ethnicized contradictions that underlie the appeal to national self-determination, following the Maidan revolution of 2014. The discussion considers how notable “bellicists” of contemporary Anglo-Atlantic liberalism mobilize the Maidan's aspiration for EU and NATO membership (envisioned as the accomplishment of higher standards of living and a middle-class European Ukraine) while instrumentalizing the brutalities of the Russian invasion for a conjuncture marked by the eclipse of the “war on terror,” and the attendant exigencies of US-led realignment. Also a historian of the Holocaust, Amar reflects on his established study on the anomalous origins of “Soviet Ukraine” in the city of Lviv during the course of alternating occupation by Soviets and Nazis, in order to draw a sobering link between the twentieth century; the current, state-led “normalization” of memories of collaborationist violence during the interlude of Nazi rule (1941 – 44); and the prospect for a meaningful political future for Ukraine, in the wake of this war. Amar also indicates the unpopularity of such a position in the aftermath of February 2022 by pointing to the emergence of a new-left politics of identity, which, under the sign of “decolonization,” accelerates previous state-led efforts to erase traces of communist or Russian history from the built environment, cultural production, literature, and textbooks, even while consigning to illiberality the generally poorer, less educated Russian-speaking opposition to Maidan (from eastern and southern Ukraine). While Amar emphasizes unevenness within his discussion of the sovereigntist position and, more specifically, its uses by an Atlanticist geopolitical agenda, he also indicates its own appropriation of “third-world” vocabularies of emancipation (circulated through the rubric of “decoloniality” out of academic and cultural institutions of the West). The discussion draws links to the ongoing obliteration of Gaza and its alibi—insufficiently challenged by the Maidan generation of activists—in the West's memory culture of the Holocaust.
New Currencies or the Persistence of Representation
Authors: Goltz Sophie , Afisina Reza , Darmawan Ade , Hartono Iswanto
Published: November 2024

In an extended follow-up to their first interview with Sophie Goltz, “Collective Crafting in Post-Suharto Indonesia” (Cultural Politics 18, no. 3), key members of ruangrupa, the Indonesian art collaborative, reflect on their tenure as directors of the fifteenth edition of the international art exhibition documenta (2022), held every five years in Kassel, Germany. Afisina, Dramawan, and Hartono discuss ruangrupa's long-standing attempt to forge a mode of artistic cohabitation through which a perpetually emergent, networked space constitutes, in itself an articulation of autonomy. Emphasizing economic democracy, or pragmatically generated pools of shared resources—emblematically and practically associated with the Indonesian rice house, the lumbung—Darmawan, Afisina, and Hartono respond obliquely to charges of anti-Semitism and racism that overshadowed documenta fifteen, which stands as the most international and racially diverse edition of the exhibition in its history. Darmawan articulates the necessity of an “alternative currency,” based on ruangrupa's adherence to the fundamental value of friendship, as a counter to the recursive claims of identity and representation in large-scale international exhibitions. Hartono and Afisina comment on documenta's partial narration of its own history of postwar internationalism, which fails to account for the historic Asian-African Conference at Bandung from the same year of its founding (1955) and, more broadly, the cultural memory of decolonization.
Hepatoprotective effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Zheng Xiao , Xu Jinjuan
Published: November 2024

Objective: To explore the hepatoprotective effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of clinical data of 113 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, admitted to The First People’s Hospital of Linping District from March 2020 to December 2022. Among them, 55 patients who received conventional anti-tuberculosis treatment (2HRZE/4HR) alone were assigned to the Routine group, while 58 patients who received anti-tuberculosis treatment combined with DG treatment were assigned to the DG group. Treatment efficacy, incidence of liver injury, levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and adverse reactions were assessed in the two groups.
Results: The total efficacy of treatment was significantly higher, and the incidence of liver injury was significantly lower in the DG group compared to the Routine group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the levels of TBIL, ALT, and AST in both groups significantly increased, and were significantly lower in the DG group than in the Routine group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the groups (P>0.05).
Conclusions: In the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, combining DG with conventional anti-tuberculosis regimen can improve overall intervention effect, reduce incidence of liver injury, and alleviate its degree.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.11.10428
How to cite this: Zheng X, Xu J. Hepatoprotective effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(11):2702-2706-. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.11.10428
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Exploring the experiences of the hemodialysis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study
Authors: Toding Dewiyanti , Masfuri Masfuri , Waluyo Agung , Yona Sri , Mahmud Reflin , Nining Sri , Piscesiana Effita , Siregar Wasal Desrial , Nugroho Rico Maulana , Ningsih Ropika , Susiladewi Ida Ayu Md Vera
Published: November 2024

Background The impact and changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic on end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis affect the patient’s fulfilment and quality of life. Objective This study aims to thoroughly investigate the experiences of end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach with in-depth interview methods. Participants numbered 15 people from Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital and Hasanuddin University Hospital, which were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Result There are three themes produced in this research: 1) various responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) various impacts, and 3) coping mechanisms developed. Conclusion These findings indicate that patients with end-stage renal disease who undergo hemodialysis have attempted to build adaptive coping strategies in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they still need support from healthcare providers in the hemodialysis unit to overcome various problems and impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Hemodialysis nurses are expected to be able to carry out holistic assessments and continuous evaluation in order to provide comprehensive nursing care to meet patient needs for hemodialysis in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conceptual review of consumer satisfaction theories with expectation-confirmation and disconfirmation paradigm for business sustainable growth and decision making
Authors: Ramasamy Ganesh , Ramasamy Gomala Devi , Ramasamy Puvaneswary
Published: November 2024

Consumer satisfaction is an outcome of business marketing activities, bridging the buying and usage phases with subsequent consequences such as attitude changes, recurring purchases, and brand loyalty. Most studies have utilized variations of the disconfirmation paradigm, which posits that satisfaction is influenced by the degree and type of disconfirmation experienced and initial expectations. Despite the importance of satisfaction, there remains a paucity of evidence on the cause and effect leading to expectation-confirmation and disconfirmation paradigm. This paper explores the reasons and the key factors in the perspectives of the relevant literature and aims to identify the intention of confirmation and disconfirmation in satisfaction theories. This conceptual paper also suggests various critical analyses based on the arguments for and against the paradigm in customer satisfaction. Consequently, the paper seeks to examine existing gaps in the literature regarding customer satisfaction theories for business sustainability and decision making, which may need to be more concise in the satisfaction generation process.
Innovations in the audit
Authors: Kochinev Yuriy
Published: November 2024

The monograph examines the issues of innovations in auditing activities due to the updating of the norms of Federal Law No. 307-FZ "On Auditing" and international standards, the entry into force of a number of federal accounting standards, and changes in some norms of the Tax Code. The issues of regulatory legal regulation and organization of auditing activities in Russia, audit planning, audit procedures, and internal quality control in the audit are presented from a new perspective.
The material is in full compliance with the requirements of legislative and regulatory acts on audit, accounting, and taxation as of 01.01.2023.
It is intended for auditors, accountants, students of economic universities, persons receiving a second higher education, as well as for those who pass certification and improve their qualifications.
Digital Finance
Authors: Natocheeva Natal'ya , Rovenskiy Yuriy , Garnov Andrey , Asyaeva El'mira , Ahvlediani Yuliya , Garnova Anastasiya , Myagkova Yuliya , Cheluhina Natal'ya , Hominich Irina , Demidova Svetlana , Tyurina Yuliya , Nguen Hyu , Foshkin Aleksey , Frumina Svetlana , Perepelica Denis , Belyanchikova Tat'yana
Published: November 2024

The textbook is devoted to the theory and practice of digitalization of the financial industry in the Russian Federation and abroad. The essential features of digital finance are considered in the context of the classical theory of finance, money, and risk management; the relationship between economic categories and market processes; new trends in digital financial development. The directions and
mechanisms of digital transformation of technologies, services, client programs, business models of financial institutions in various segments of the financial market and the public administration sector are disclosed. The general and specific risks of participants in the digital financial market have been identified. The key provisions of Russian and international legislation in the field of digital finance, directions and tools of regulatory and supervisory practices of the Bank of Russia and international financial organizations on digitalization of the financial market are outlined.
It includes a methodological package for students — control questions, tests and tasks for independent work, as well as a glossary and lists of recommended and used literature.
Meets the requirements of the federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation.
For undergraduate and graduate students studying in the fields of Economics, Finance and Credit, World Economy, as well as graduate students, university professors.
Professional training of police officers for interpersonal communication in a multinational environment
Authors: Musina Natal'ya , Muhina Tat'yana
Published: November 2024

The monograph summarizes and outlines the experience of many years of scientific and practical research on the features of the system of professional training of police officers for interpersonal communication in a multinational environment. The current interdisciplinary issues of the development of the system of professional training of police officers for interpersonal communication in the historical aspect, management of the educational environment of an educational organization are considered. Special attention is paid to the formation of cadets' readiness for interpersonal communication in a multinational environment as a strategic task of professional training of specialists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The effectiveness of the implementation of the author's model of forming the readiness of police officers for interpersonal communication in the process of training and the pedagogical conditions of its functioning, the role of extracurricular activities of cadets as a form of interpersonal communication in the multinational environment of the departmental educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia are presented.
For researchers, teachers of higher education, graduate students, adjuncts, undergraduates, teaching staff, students of psychological and pedagogical fields of training and specialties, commanders of combatant units of courses and faculties, teachers-curators, as well as students in educational organizations of law enforcement agencies of Russia.
Digital urbanism: political experiments of smart city through the lens of critical software theory
Authors: Fedorchenko Sergey , Fedorchenko Larisa
Published: November 2024

As the purpose of their work, the authors chose to define scenarios for the political experiments of the smart city through the prism of the critical theory of the software of the new digital urbanism. The article invites discussion of promising areas of research in such a field as digital urbanism, which is understood as an interdisciplinary field - from political science to cybernetics and robotics - revealing the patterns of digital urbanization and the emerging sociotechnical reality underlying it. Digital urbanization is defined as digital technological transformations that significantly change the socio-political and economic landscape of cities through smart algorithms. A sketch of the critical theory of software is also proposed, rejecting the value neutrality of software, algorithms and considering smart city projects as political experiments, laboratories for adapting power techniques in the digital ecosystem, which have a political customer, as well as socio-political effects and consequences. The methodological ensemble of the work includes techniques of classical political analysis, factor analysis and trend analysis through triptych-scenario technology. The use of triptych scenario technology has helped to identify three scenarios for each trend of digital urbanization - optimistic, pessimistic and realistic. Among the most important trends of digital urbanization for the state, citizens, society and corporations are the hybridization of power, the algorithmization of power, the introduction of digital twin cities and the development of swarm intelligence. The conclusions show that the main beneficiaries of digital urbanization so far are the state and corporate actors, while citizens and their groups, despite the emergence of political hacktivists and digital citizenship projects, are in the position of only users, but not creators of a ready-made digital ecosystem of cities.