bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing Noise in Part-of-Speech Tagging for Extremely Low-Resource Languages: Comparing Strategies for Corpus Collection and Annotation in Dagur and Alsatian
Authors: Bernhard Delphine , Dolińska Joanna
Published: January 2025

Bien que le dagur et l’alsacien représentent deux familles de langues typologiquement éloignées, ils partagent plusieurs similitudes : les deux langues sont en danger, n’ont pas de système orthographique unifié, et ont peu de corpus numériques disponibles. Compte tenu de ces défis, l’objectif principal de cet article est de comparer le bruit dans les corpus de ces deux langues et son impact sur l’annotation et l’étiquetage des parties du discours (POS). Nous discutons d’abord des stratégies qui peuvent être utilisées pour réduire le bruit dû aux incohérences orthographiques observées lors de la collecte des corpus, en utilisant le dagur comme exemple. Nous observons ensuite que les distributions des trigrammes POS dans les corpus manuellement annotés de dagur et d’alsacien sont similaires à celles des langues typologiquement apparentées dans UD v2.12, ce qui justifie l’expérimentation d’approches de transfert zéro-shot pour l’étiquetage morphosyntaxique. Nous évaluons quelques stratégies simples de réduction du bruit pour l’étiquetage morphosyntaxique en utilisant l’exemple des dialectes alsaciens et en nous basant sur leur proximité avec l’allemand standard. Les résultats obtenus confirment le rôle important de la proximité linguistique dans l’étiquetage morphosyntaxique et l’efficacité de la méthode de transformation des données que nous proposons. Cependant, ils invitent également à une interprétation plus poussée des capacités des modèles multilingues.
À pas de loup dans la bergerie… La problématique du silence et du bruit dans l’étiquetage automatique du Subjonctif Présent en français parlé
Authors: Surcouf Christian
Published: January 2025

La linguistique de corpus tire largement profit des avancées de l’informatique dans le traitement des données. Toutefois, pour le linguiste ordinaire le recours aux étiqueteurs morphosyntaxiques comporte toujours une part de mystère et de magie. Si, muni de cet outil, il peut travailler sur des données massives, il ignore cependant comment ont été attribuées les étiquettes, et plus fondamentalement quelles erreurs peuvent avoir surgi durant l’étiquetage. Pourtant, de la qualité de cet étiquetage va dépendre en aval celle des résultats exploités pour les analyses. S’il est relativement aisé de repérer le bruit dans les résultats des requêtes, le silence qui en découle ailleurs est quant à lui beaucoup plus insidieux, difficile à pister, et pour cette raison potentiellement plus dommageable pour les analyses linguistiques. Dans notre étude, sur la base d’un corpus de dix heures de français parlé (surveillé et ordinaire), nous avons comparé l’étiquetage manuel des occurrences du Subjonctif Présent avec l’étiquetage fourni par TreeTagger, TreeTagger-TCOF et Dismo. Nous montrerons que le bruit dans l’étiquetage de l’Indicatif Présent est l’origine principale de l’important taux de silence dans l’étiquetage du Subjonctif Présent, les confusions étant dues – comme le révèle notre examen exhaustif de la conjugaison du Subjonctif Présent parmi les 6 500 verbes du Petit Robert – à des formes orthographiques communes avec l’Indicatif Présent. Pourtant la « précision » des étiqueteurs est souvent présentée comme atteignant des scores autour de 95 % (y compris pour le français parlé). Si les taux de « précision » oscillent ici entre 70 % et 99 %, les taux de « rappel », eux, sont beaucoup plus faibles : de 44 % à 61 %. En définitive, malgré sa dénomination avantageuse, le taux dit de « précision », calculé sur l’ensemble des étiquettes, constitue un indicateur médiocre de la qualité de l’étiquetage quand il s’agit d’une étiquette particulière comme celle du SubjPr.
Extraire des données textuelles pour l’analyse du discours : le Détricoteur
Authors: Dalodiere Romuald , Jordan Manuel
Published: January 2025

Il existe aujourd’hui de nombreux outils en matière d’extraction du contenu textuel sur Internet. Beaucoup de ceux-ci ont été conçus à l’initiative de chercheurs travaillant en traitement automatique du langage, et prennent la forme de « packages » : des modules de codes simples à utiliser pour les usagers développeurs, mais inaccessibles aux profanes. Les solutions logicielles indépendantes sont peu nombreuses et ne sont pas susceptibles de répondre aux besoins des chercheurs en analyse du discours. Dans cet article, nous présentons le Détricoteur, un programme d’extraction textuelle semi-automatique, qui cherche à répondre aux contraintes épistémologiques de l’analyse du discours tout en étant utilisable même sans connaissances en matière de code informatique.
Terminologie de la couleur bleue en diachronie longue selon Google Livres Ngram Viewer
Authors: Kaliska Agnieszka K.
Published: January 2025

La numérisation des textes anciens et les outils de traitement de corpus écrits permettent aujourd’hui d’affiner les recherches linguistiques en diachronie longue. L’objectif de la présente analyse est d’examiner à l’aide d’Ngram Viewer l’évolution de la fréquence du bleu et de ses nuances (étudiées à travers différents termes, noms de couleurs, de pigments et de colorants, p. ex. : bleu céleste, bleu roi, bleu de Paris, safre) dans la sous-collection française du corpus Google Livres qui réunit les ouvrages parus entre 1500 et 2022. Cette étude faisant suite à nos recherches quantitatives précédentes (Kaliska & Gostkowska 2022), nous pourrons, d’un côté, mettre en parallèle les résultats obtenus sur corpus avec les données de dictionnaires et, de l’autre, les confronter aux données de l’histoire de l’art qui nous apprend que le bleu, tellement populaire aujourd’hui, fut jadis marginalisé.
Sexual Subjectivity of Ageing Women in the Series Grace and Frankie
Authors: Dalal Hela , Rozmarin Miri
Published: January 2025

In neoliberal political rationality, older women are associated with reduced social value, powerlessness, and asexuality. It is against this background that we set out to examine the representation of older women’s sexual subjectivity in the television series Grace and Frankie. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s notion of “technologies of the self,” we show how different practices performed by the series’ two protagonists, Grace and Frankie, help them negotiate with the normative power that shapes their positions as ageing women. By unpacking the different technologies of the self that each character performs, we demonstrate how they manage to sustain a sense of sexual subjectivity. We suggest that the television series identifies contemporary options for transformative practices, which may serve older women in their efforts to deal with restrictive neoliberal constructions of old age.
Jouer avec son âge : les carrières des comédiennes à l’épreuve du vieillissement
Authors: Pastor Louis
Published: January 2025

Cet article explore des trajectoires d’actrices qui doivent arbitrer entre stabilité économique, vocation artistique et dépendance vis-à-vis du regard des employeur·euses, dans un milieu aux inégalités structurelles et aux frontières professionnelles multiples. L’éloignement des réseaux théâtraux et les difficultés à obtenir des rôles après 50 ans dans l’audiovisuel, notamment à la télévision, génèrent une forme de désœuvrement et de remise en question individuelle. Selon leurs positions et leurs ressources, elles cherchent à diversifier leurs activités pour surmonter ces contraintes et se distribuer dans des rôles moins stéréotypés, offrant ainsi un éclairage sur les dynamiques de l’industrie du spectacle et les perceptions du vieillissement. En plus d’expliciter des stratégies employées par les comédiennes face aux discriminations dont elles font l’objet, l’enquête montre comment leur expérience du métier fournit le levier d’une critique des normes d’âge et des rapports de pouvoir dans ce milieu.
« Sexy sirens in their sixties ». Vieillir en (post-)féministe dans And Just Like That… (HBO, 2022)
Authors: Haensler Audrey
Published: January 2025

En 2022, la chaîne de streaming HBO Max a relancé la franchise Sex and the City (HBO, 1998-2004) avec la diffusion du spin-off And Just Like That, dont l’intrigue se déroule dans le New-York contemporain, et dont les héroïnes sont désormais quinquagénaires. L’article explore la manière dont la série traite du vieillissement féminin de ses personnages, mais aussi de ses actrices, dans une perspective post-féministe et queer. Développant un discours parfois contradictoire sur l’âge de ses protagonistes, elle illustre le poids des injonctions genrées paradoxales qui pèsent sur le corps des femmes, et montre la difficulté de concevoir la vieillesse féminine dans une culture qui valorise la jeunesse à outrance. C’est finalement dans les possibilités queer, toujours déjà présentes dans le texte, mais poussées ici à leur paroxysme, que la série propose un discours plus radical et optimiste sur le vieillissement féminin.
Réalisatrices en séries : la représentation de la cinéaste abusive dans The L Word, The Deuce et Brand New Cherry Flavor
Authors: Alekanian Noémie
Published: January 2025

Le cinéma, la télévision, et plus récemment les plateformes, ont fréquemment exploré les conditions de leur production à travers la mise en scène de leurs coulisses, tant les plateaux de tournage que les bureaux des studios et des chaînes de télévision. Cet attrait de la fiction audiovisuelle pour la représentation de sa propre communauté professionnelle est toutefois mise au défi, depuis octobre 2017, par le mouvement #MeToo. À la suite des nombreux témoignages de travailleur·se·s, majoritairement des femmes, sur les violences et les discriminations subies au sein de leur environnement professionnel, le format sériel s’est emparé de ces thèmes en mettant notamment en scène plus de personnages de réalisatrices. Si l’on peut se réjouir de voir davantage de femmes à de telles positions, les séries semblent montrer des réalisatrices certes puissantes mais abusives. Cet article propose donc d’interroger la représentation de ces professionnelles sur le petit écran, à l’aune des enjeux soulevés par #MeToo, à travers l’analyse de trois séries : The L Word (2004-2009, Showtime), The Deuce (HBO, 2017-2019) et Brand New Cherry Flavor (Netflix, 2021).
Le manuel pour faire court : les normes d’un format d’écriture scénaristique marginalisé dans la théorie
Authors: Gaillard Adrien
Published: January 2025

La marginalisation du scénario de court métrage dans les champs théorique et pratique s’explique par différents facteurs : la diversité des critères de durée selon les instances de programmation, le faible accès au matériau génétique du scénario court, ainsi que le contexte d’émergence professionnelle souvent lié à ce format de production. En tenant compte de ces facteurs, l’auteur propose d’aborder l’écriture du court à travers l'analyse des manuels de scénario qui lui sont consacrés. À travers un corpus d’ouvrages francophones et anglophones, il examine la représentation de normes objectives (industrielles et descriptives) et subjectives (prescriptives et créatives) contraignant l’écriture. Ces manuels, tout en cherchant à concilier les contingences de l'industrie avec la création artistique, témoigne autant de la marginalisation que de la valorisation du court dans son rapport au long métrage, format qui domine le champ. En produisant un discours sur ce qui est normal – par la description d’exemples et d’usages – pour en dégager du normatif – par des propositions plus ou moins prescriptives –, les manuels reflètent également un imaginaire de production. Celui-ci permet d’appréhender une sociogenèse des pratiques et techniques du scénario court, à l’intersection entre les industries de la connaissance et du cinéma.
Charlie Kaufman vs. Robert McKee ? Étude du discours méta-scénaristique du film Adaptation. (2006)
Authors: Boillat Alain
Published: January 2025

L’article propose une étude approfondie du film Adaptation. (Spike Jonze) scénarisé par Charlie Kaufman sous l’angle du récit, de la réflexivité et de la représentation d’une figure de scénariste. L’enjeu de cette analyse filmique consiste à discuter comment le film développe un discours relatif aux normes hollywoodiennes de l’écriture scénaristique et comment, par ses particularités narratives mêmes, il se positionne par rapport à celles-ci. Cette étude de cas nous permet d’aborder en quoi les films qui sont pensés au sein du paradigme d’un cinéma d’auteur reposent sur une conception de l’écriture scénaristique comme écart à une norme, tout en respectant à certains égards lesdites normes. Adaptation., qui met en scène un scénariste ayant décidé de porter à l’écran le roman non-fictionnel et a priori inadaptable de Susan Orlean, Le Voleur d’orchidées, pousse très loin l’exploration de ce paradoxe, allant jusqu’à faire intervenir le célèbre auteur du manuel Story, Robert McKee, en tant que personnage de la fiction. Au-delà de la manière dont les principes de McKee sont représentés dans le film, nous discutons également comment ce manuel emblématique de l’approche hollywoodienne du récit est sous-tendu par une certaine idéologie nord-américaine, et dans quelle mesure il s’ouvre également à des formes moins classiques comme les récits de Charlie Kaufman.
La « mémoire » du Nouveau Cinéma suisse : fonctions et pratiques de la scripte Madeleine Fonjallaz pour Le Milieu du monde (Alain Tanner, 1974)
Authors: Modoux Jeanne
Published: January 2025

La scripte est une des principales collaboratrices techniques et artistiques du réalisateur. L’essentiel de sa mission servant la mise en scène, elle veille à la continuité chronologique et à la cohérence globale du récit. Les yeux en tout temps rivés sur le scénario, elle le minute et l’annote abondamment durant toute la durée du tournage. Elle est également responsable de la rédaction, jour après jour sur le plateau, d’une série de rapports qui détaillent avec une grande précision toutes les étapes de fabrication du film. Profession historiquement féminisée et méconnue dans le champ des études cinématographiques, elle souffre encore de sa vocation à l’invisibilité. Les traces de l’activité scripturale et relationnelle de la scripte sont à chercher en archives, quand elles ont été conservées. Le Fonds de la scripte Madeleine Fonjallaz, déposé à la Cinémathèque suisse, présente des documents de préproduction inédits, dont plusieurs scénarios annotés et des rapports montage. En décrivant les fonctions et les pratiques de Fonjallaz sur le tournage du Milieu du monde (Alain Tanner, 1974), il s’agira d’interroger sa contribution au travail créatif de réalisation et d’agencement du récit tout au long de cet acte permanent de réécriture qu’est un film en devenir.
Déléguer son travail administratif en régime numérique : une simplification porteuse d’opacité pour les agriculteurs espagnols
Authors: Mesnel Blandine
Published: January 2025

Cet article restitue une enquête sur le remplissage du dossier annuel de demande d’aides de la politique agricole commune (PAC) par des agriculteurs espagnols. Le passage au numérique du dossier PAC conforte le rôle de conseillers privés auxquels les agriculteurs délèguent leur travail administratif. L’intervention de ces conseillers travaillant pour des syndicats agricoles, des établissements bancaires ou d’autres organisations professionnelles agricoles, réduit grandement les coûts administratifs pesant sur les agriculteurs. Cependant cette nouvelle division du travail administratif renforce la complexité perçue des démarches pour les agriculteurs, qui accèdent de moins en moins directement à la matérialité des formulaires et procédures. La simplification administrative ainsi produite est synonyme d’une opacité renforcée de la politique publique pour ses bénéficiaires. Dans ce processus de transition numérique, le rôle joué par l’administration n’est pas neutre : elle crée consciemment un infrastructure numérique favorable à l’intervention des conseillers privés, dans la perspective de réduire sa propre offre d’accompagnement des usagers et de réceptionner des dossiers plus faciles à contrôler.
Feasibility analysis of implementing a logistics integration center in amazon region using AHP
Authors: Hage Neto Demétrio Dib , Moraes Hito Braga de , Campos Filho Lúcio Carlos Pinheiro , Figueiredo Nelio Moura de
Published: January 2025

The celebrated and constant evolution of operating operations and market companies compensate for the integration of process participants and the need to promote new operating strategies, as well as the integration of process participants, as well as the need for integration of participants in the process resources involved in the supply chain. From this scenario of need for evolution and modification of market relations, the use and implementation of outstanding projects of logistics integration centers as a way of improving the logistics reality. Corroborating this reality, the main objective of this research was to verify the feasibility and benefits generated from the implementation of a Logistics Integration Center in the State of Pará - CILOG, from the perspective of the demand for production flow, availability of modal and location. To verify the feasibility of production for implementation, foam consulted without data regarding load states and load locations in adjacent areas, as well as potential, functionalities and resources of the implementation systems, with flow as the main centers of selection and, systematic and systematic way, of the feasibility and evaluation of the benefits generated from the implementation of the needs of the demand for services of attendance of the neighboring states, as well as of the entrances for the attendance of the neighboring states demand of flow of the production, availability of modals and geographic location. For this, an A-SWOT hybrid methodology was applied to define the HP location criteria and the decision factors that characterize the implementation of logistics such as the Logistics Integration Center (CILOG) in the Amazon Region, as well as the definition of the best for this implementation, based on three local alternatives: Santarém, Alça Viária and Miritituba. With the evaluation, Santarém (on the banks of the Amazon River) was listed as the best location for the installation, from the perspective of locational, operational, relating to capacity and territories
Production and characterization of powdered acerola juice obtained by atomization
Authors: Coelho Bruno Emanuel Souza , Araújo Andressa Alves de , Santos Juliana Cantalino dos , Braga Ana Carolina Dias , Azevedo Milka Carvalho de , Figueiredo Neto Acácio , Sousa Karla dos Santos Melo de
Published: January 2025

Acerola is considered a superfruit due to its high vitamin C content, but it is highly perishable. Dehydrating acerola juice using a spray dryer is a significant alternative to reduce seasonality and extend the product's shelf life. Moreover, the demand for more natural and convenient products is on the rise. In this context, this study aims to examine the impact of different temperatures (150, 170, and 190°C) on the spray drying process of 'Junko' acerola juice, supplemented with 15% w/w maltodextrin. The dehydrated juice was evaluated for pH parameters, Titratable acidity (g of malic acid 100 g-1), Soluble solids, (ºBrix), Water content (%), Total solids (%), Vitamin C (mg 100 g-1), and was reconstituted in water to evaluate color (L*, a*, b*). The resulting powdered acerola juice exhibited average vitamin C levels ranging from 11,541.22 to 11,371.35 mg 100-1. There was an increase in organic acid content and a reduction in water content to values between 5.56 and 4.81%. The average soluble solids content in the rehydrated juice was 9.6 ºBrix. Concerning the red intensity (a*) of the rehydrated juice, the temperature of 170ºC yielded a greater value. As for yellow intensity, there was a notable increase with the increase of drying temperature. These results highlight the importance of considering not only the addition of encapsulating agents, such as maltodextrin, but also the temperature during the spray dryer atomization process.
Real-world clinical experience with secukinumab in psoriatic arthritis: an observational study and a literature review
Authors: Celletti Eleonora , Gualdi Giulio , Sabatini Emanuela , Cipollone Francesco , Lobefaro Fabio , Amerio Paolo
Published: January 2025

Objective. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) can be treated with biological drugs targeting IL-17A, such as secukinumab, with good responses and long-term positive outcomes in clinical studies.
Methods. An observational study was conducted on adult subjects with PsA and comorbidities, treated with secukinumab after prior therapy with conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or biological agents that were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or adverse drug reactions. Patients were followed up with clinical visits at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and evaluated for disease activity, pain, and quality of life, with respect to values recorded at baseline. Moreover, a narrative review of the literature was performed on secukinumab’s use for PsA in real life.
Results. Fifteen patients completed 6 months of follow-up, eleven patients completed 9 months, and six patients were followed for 12 months. The major comorbidities recorded were fibromyalgia (33% of patients), recurrent bilateral anterior uveitis, and autoimmune thyroiditis with hypothyroidism (both 13% of the patients). A significant improvement in Disease Activity Score-28 was recorded at 6 and 9 months, while a significant difference vs. baseline was seen at 3, 6, and 9 months for the Psoriasis Area Severity Index. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index showed significant differences vs. baseline at 9 and 12 months. There was an improving trend at 9 and 12 months for pain scores and a significant improvement at 6 and 9 months for the physical component and at 12 months for the social component (Short Form 36 Health Survey quality of life scores). For the review of the literature, 35 articles were identified but only 17 papers were eventually considered.
Conclusions. Secukinumab has demonstrated effectiveness for PsA treatment in several real-world studies. Both patient-oriented and clinician-oriented outcomes showed a significant improvement with this treatment. The present real-world evaluation adds further evidence of the use of secukinumab for PsA treatment, showing the rapid, safe, clinically significant, and sustained responses of PsA patients affected by co-morbidities.
Exploring SME owners’ motivation to learn and acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce
Authors: Gallant Naledi D.D. , Amadi-Echendu Anthea P. , Esterhuyzen Elriza
Published: January 2025

Background: The adoption of e-commerce among Soweto-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for their growth and competitiveness. Traditional approaches in determining factors that motivate the adoption of e-commerce have been mainly quantitative, not taking into consideration the experiences, motivation and perceptions of SME owners’ willingness to learn and acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce.Aim: This article examines the factors that motivate Soweto-based SME owners’ willingness to learn and acquire new skills to adopt e-commerce, despite the perceived complexity of using technology.Setting: The study focussed on Soweto-based SMEs in Johannesburg, South Africa.Methods: A qualitative methodology was deployed by drawing on the theoretical frameworks of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Motivational Model (MM). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Soweto-based SMEs to examine the factors that motivate Soweto-based SME owners to acquire new skills to adopt e-commerce, notwithstanding the perceived complexities associated with using technology.Results: The analysis of the data revealed that perceived benefits as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation played a pivotal role as key moderators in Soweto-based SME owners’ willingness to acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce.Conclusion: The study confirmed the multifaceted factors shaping the willingness of Soweto-based SME owners to adopt e-commerce, emphasising the pivotal role of perceived benefits and motivation, aligning with established models like TAM and the MM, to underscore the significance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, diverse characteristics and organisational readiness in influencing their attitudes towards new skills acquisition and e-commerce adoption.Contribution: By providing nuanced insights into the intricate processes that drive SME owners to embrace new skills and e-commerce technologies in Soweto, the findings add to the body of information already in existence. This report could be used by the government to improve its SMEs’ support initiatives.
Outcome Predictors of Generalized Myasthenia Gravis: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Kalita Jayantee , Gutti Nagendra B , Ahamed Faim
Published: January 2025

Background and Objectives:

There is paucity of studies on long-term remission of autoimmune generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) from Southeast Asia. We report the outcome predictors of generalized MG and also evaluate the influence of high- versus low-dose prednisolone and prednisolone with or without azathioprine (AZA).

Methods:

Fifty-seven patients with generalized MG were included, who completed 2 years of follow-up. Demographic information, comorbidities, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) class at baseline and follow-up, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and muscle-specific kinase antibodies, decremental response, thymectomy, and treatments were recorded. Maximum doses of prednisolone, AZA, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were noted. The predictors of MGFA 0 at 3 and 6 months and minimal manifestation (MM) status at 2 years were evaluated.

Results:

MGFA 0 was achieved by 27 (47.4%) patients at 3 months, 35 (61.4%) patients at 6 months, and 46 (80.7%) patients at 12 months. At 2 years, 48 (84.2%) patients achieved the MM status and none achieved complete stable or pharmacologic remission. On multivariate analysis, AChR antibody titer (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.006–1.167; P = 0.03) and MG activity of daily living (MGADL) at 6 months (AOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.066–1.558; P = 0.01) predicted the MM status. Maximum dose of prednisolone and adjunctive AZA did not predict the MM status.

Conclusions:

About 84.2% of patients with generalized MG, especially those with a low AChR antibody titer and MGADL < 4 at 6 months, achieved the MM status at 2 years.
Insight into Paediatric Versus Adult Leprosy: A Comparative, Analytical Study from India
Authors: Pandhi Deepika , Gupta Pratibha , Singal Archana , Gandhi Vijay , Grover Chander , Kumar Rajeev
Published: January 2025

Background:

Pediatric leprosy, though relatively less common compared to adult cases, presents challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and management. Despite global efforts to eradicate leprosy, it remains endemic in certain regions, particularly low-resource settings.

Objectives:

To analyse differences in clinical presentation of pediatric leprosy as compared to adult leprosy from leprosy clinic records of a tertiary care hospital and outline the clinical implications.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of the records of all the registered paediatric (aged ≤ 18 years) and adult cases of leprosy from January 2010 to December 2021 (12-year period) who presented to the leprosy clinic of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi was carried out. History, examination, and investigation parameters were noted from standardised case record forms. The variables were compared between cases of childhood and adult leprosy.

Results:

Out of total 1006 recorded cases of leprosy, 16.8% were children and 83.2% were adults. Maximum cases (65.7%) were of borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy in children compared to 41.7% BT cases in adults. Type 1 and type 2 leprosy reactions were seen in 11.2% and 7.1% paediatric cases, respectively, compared to 9.8% and 12.3% cases in adults, respectively. Paralytic deformity was seen in 32.5% child cases and 35% adult cases. Claw hand and foot drop was seen in 17.2% and 3.6% cases of leprosy in children and 16.1% and 6.5% cases in adults. A total of 11.8% children developed facial palsy. Slit skin smear was positive in 15.4% paediatric and 30.1% adult cases. Treatment was completed in 65.1% child cases and 27.8% children defaulted. In adult cases, treatment was completed in 61.8% cases and 28.9% cases defaulted.

Conclusion:

Paediatric leprosy in our study had a high number of cases of type 1 lepra reaction, paralytic deformities, disabilities, pure neuritic leprosy, and default rate. Our study highlights the need of early detection, timely intervention, and increasing community awareness to ensure early and adequate management of paediatric leprosy.
Utility of [18F]FDG- PET/CT in Initial Staging and Management of Patients with Esophageal Carcinoma: A Tertiary Care Center Experience
Authors: Kommi Sankari , Rallapeta Ramya Priya , Subramanian Bala Venkat , Yadagiri Lakshmi Amancharla , Hulikal Narendra , Chandramaliteeswaran C. , Nandyala Rukmangada , Kalawat Tekchand
Published: January 2025

Aim of the Study:

This study aims to study the utility of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) findings in the initial staging and management of patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Materials and Methods:

In this prospective study, we evaluated 74 patients with a mean age of 59.4 ± 11.6 with a range of 35–86 years. Comparison between the mean and standard deviation of SUVmax of primary tumor between two histopathological groups, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) was done using unpaired Student’s t-test. The mean of SUVmax of primary tumor in relation to localized tumor to nodal to distant metastases was assessed by ANOVA test. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The extent of agreement between findings of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) chest and abdomen and 18F-FDG PET/CT was done using Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ).

Results:

Among total n = 74 (42 males and 32 females with mean age 59.4 ± 11.4; range 35–86 years) patients, SCC was seen in 78.4% and AC in 21.6% of patients. There is a progressively increased SUVmax value of primary tumor with nodal and distant metastases. 18F-FDG PET/CT showed disease of Stage I-II in 12.1%, Stage III in 20.2%, Stage IVA in 25.6%, and Stage IVB in 41.8% patients. There is agreement between 18F-FDG PET/CT and CECT chest and abdomen in the evaluation of regional lymph nodes (37.8% vs. 36.4%; κ – 0.96), nonregional lymph nodes (24.3% vs. 20.2%; κ −0.74), and distant organ involvement (21.6% vs. 17.5%; κ −0.82). In addition, 18F-FDG PET/CT found synchronous malignancies in 4.0% of patients.

Conclusion:

18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters help in identifying metastatic involvement in morphologically equivocal and clinically suspicious lesions in carcinoma esophagus patients. Being a whole-body imaging modality, 18F-FDG PET/CT has inbuilt advantage to detect occult, distant metastases, and synchronous malignancies for effective staging and improving plan of clinical management.
Serendipitous Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Patient Undergoing Staging for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Jain Yash , Purandare Nilendu , Agrawal Archi , Shah Sneha , Puranik Ameya , Adhvaryu Vishesha Vipul , Rane Swapnil , Rangarajan Venkatesh
Published: January 2025

Isolated liver metastasis from prostate cancer is exceedingly rare. Prostate-specific membrane antigen–positron emission tomography/computed tomography has become the one-stop shop imaging in prostate cancer, but the uptake is a relatively nonspecific tracer and its expression can be seen in a plethora of nonprostatic solid tumors. We report one such example of an oligometastatic prostate cancer who presented with an isolated liver lesion which turned out to be an incidental hepatocellular carcinoma, thus representing a potentially unique diagnostic challenge.
Delayed Presentation of Thyroid Storm Postradioiodine Ablation: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Khandelwal Yogita , Namjoshi Preeti Vijay , Damle Nishikant Avinash , Moulika Jeepalem Sai , Jain Bela , Bhatt Manasvini , Gupta Yashdeep , Jyotsna Viveka
Published: January 2025

Thyroid storm is an acute life-threatening complication of hyperthyroidism that presents with multisystem involvement. It can be precipitated by radioiodine therapy in high-risk patients. It has become less frequent, as current therapeutic approaches (antithyroid drugs and beta blockers) prevent the impact of thyroid hormones on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Hence, there is a concern that this rare clinical entity is misdiagnosed and inadequately managed leading to fatal outcomes. We report an elderly female with thyrotoxicosis who presented 4 weeks postradioiodine ablation with thyroid storm emphasizing the challenges in prompt diagnosis and future prevention of this rare clinical entity.
Onsite Regeneration of Crystal Data in a 3/8” Foresight Detector Using a Digital Workflow
Authors: Prashar Sarika Sharma , Kumar Ajay , Sood Ashwani , Mittal Bhagwant Rai
Published: January 2025

Generally after the accreditation of the gamma camera, its unfailing optimal operation is guaranteed with established departmental preventive maintenance schedules. However, it is not easy to always religiously follow the same maintenance routines. Therefore, instead of preventive maintenance schedule, a reactive maintenance schedule was adopted in our department for a short span of time. In our center, the humidity level in the gamma camera room was recorded to be 90%, which was much higher than the recommended value of 50%–60%. This was due to the inundated water in the gamma camera room due to an accidental breakage of fire-extinguishing water pipeline, adjacent to the room. Postaccident, higher values of nonuniformity (both intrinsic and extrinsic uniformity) were observed. The reactive maintenance was undertaken by medical physicist and field engineer to record and confirm the crystal hydration in the detector and to restore the system for the clinical studies. The digital workflow program successfully rectified the problem of crystal hydration. It is highly recommended to perform timely reactive action which may prevent the permanent damage to the systems.
The Diagnostic Performance of Fibroblast Growth Factor-21 during Early Stage of Missed Miscarriage
Authors: Awad Ali Adel , Ali Eham Amer , Hameed Ban Hadi
Published: January 2025

Background:

Missed miscarriages (MMs) occur when an embryo without a cardiac pulse or gestational sac is not expelled from the uterus. Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21), a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, plays an important regulatory role in metabolism, primarily in glucose and lipid metabolism.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to investigate whether serum levels of FGF-21 are associated with MM in 8–14 weeks of gestation.

Materials and Methods:

This case–control study consisted of 88 pregnant women; they were divided into two groups: healthy pregnant (HP), composed of 40 women with a normal viable pregnancy at 8–14 weeks of gestation with mean age (29.07 ± 6.96 years); and study group that included 40 women with MM diagnosed by ultrasound at the same gestational age (GA) with mean age (28.27 ± 7.74 years). Demographic criteria and maternal serum FGF-21 levels were recorded for comparison. ELISA technique was used to measure FGF-21 in circulation.

Results:

This study revealed a statistically significant increase in serum levels of FGF-21 in MMs (142.47 ± 48.036 pg/ml) compared to normal pregnant women (87.9 ± 30.86). The cutoff point was ≥149.97, with high sensitivity (73.2%) and specificity (97.9%). There was no significant correlation between FGF-21 levels and age, GA, body mass index, or gravidity.

Conclusion:

The MM group’s serum concentrations of FGF-21 were markedly elevated within a time frame of 8–14 weeks compared to the HP group, suggesting its involvement in the development of MM. Based on the findings, FGF21 demonstrates a remarkable capacity for diagnosing MM.
Delays in Hip Fracture Surgery in Geriatric Patients: A Case Series Unraveling the Contributing Factors
Authors: Mishra Arpan , Pai Shailesh , Kotekar Mohamed Faheem , Kumar Muthur Ajith
Published: January 2025

Context:

Early surgery for hip fractures in the elderly reduces morbidity, mortality, and complications. While several factors contributing to surgical delays have been identified, further evaluation is needed to prevent them.

Aims:

To assess both patient and hospital-related factors influencing surgical delays in hip fracture patients aged ≥60 years.

Settings and Design:

Prospective and observational study at Level II trauma center.

Methods:

This case series includes 206 consecutive geriatric patients with hip fractures scheduled for surgery and factors contributing to surgical delays (defined as a gap of more than 48 h from hospital admission to surgery) were identified, categorized, and analysed. The significant factors were then compared with the existing literature to offer further insights into potential areas for improvement and to explore the possible explanations for the observed outcomes.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Unpaired t-test and Chi-square test.

Results:

Out of 206 patients, 44.7% (92) experienced surgical delays. Timely surgery was more likely in patients without preexisting comorbidities (71.8% of 39) and American Society of Anesthesiologists-2 patients (80% of 35). Use of anticoagulants, uncontrolled diabetes, electrolyte imbalances, anemia, urinary tract infection, and delay from the hospital’s side due to weekend admissions and referrals for surgical fitness were the major contributory factors.

Conclusions:

Only about half of the admitted patients received surgical intervention within 48 h of admission. Some guidelines are published for the early assessment and prompt optimization of the patients, but we still lack the Indian national guidelines to enforce the faster optimization of elderly hip fracture patients for surgery.
Overcoming the Odds: Total Knee Replacement in a Contralateral Above-knee Amputee
Authors: Harsha G. N. , Srinivas J. V. , Jain Kamal , Raju K. Santhosh Kumar , Pareek Raunak
Published: January 2025

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with a contralateral above-knee amputation (AKA) is an uncommon and challenging clinical scenario. Altered gait biomechanics in these patients lead to increased mechanical stress on the contralateral limb, predisposing it to accelerated osteoarthritis and total knee replacement-related complications like accelerated wear. We report the case of a 68-year-old female with severe osteoarthritis of the right knee and a history of left AKA following gangrene. She underwent right TKA and reported excellent functional outcomes and pain relief. This report highlights the multidisciplinary approach to such cases, such as preoperative planning and tailored physical rehabilitation and counseling, emphasizing the potential for successful outcomes in such patients.
An endpoint estimate for product singular integral operators on stratified Lie groups
Authors: Cowling Michael G. , Lee Ming-Yi , Li Ji , Pipher Jill
Published: January 2025

We establish hyperweak boundedness of area functions, square functions, maximal operators, and Calderón–Zygmund operators on products of two stratified Lie groups.
Frobenius rigidity in $\mathbb{A}^{1}$-homotopy theory
Authors: Richarz Timo , Scholbach Jakob
Published: January 2025

We study the homotopy fixed points under the Frobenius endomorphism on the stable

\mathbb{A}^{1}

-homotopy category of schemes in characteristic

p>0

and prove a rigidity result for cellular objects in these categories after inverting

p

. As a consequence we determine the analogous fixed points on the

K

-theory of algebraically closed fields in positive characteristic. We also prove a rigidity result for the homotopy fixed points of the partial Frobenius pullback on motivic cohomology groups in weights at most

1

.
Carburizing Steel Alloy, Powder for Additive Manufacturing 3.5Cr - 7.5Ni - 16.3Co - 1.75Mo - 0.2W - (0.10 - 0.15 C)
Authors:   AMS AM Additive Manufacturing Metals
Published: January 2025

The intended upper bound of this specification is that the particle size distribution (PSD) of powders supplied shall be <60 mesh (250 µm) and that no powder (0.0 wt.%) greater than 40 mesh (425 µm) is allowed.
Powstańcza działalność Mariana Dubieckiego – sekretarza Rusi w Rządzie Narodowym 1863 roku
Authors: Pryt Paweł
Published: January 2025

The aim of the article is to present the insurgent activity of Marian Dubiecki, secretary of Ruthenia in the Polish National Government of January Uprising. During his tenure, he was one of Romuald Traugutt’s closest collaborators, occupying the outbuilding next to his apartment, and a person who introduced the later dictator at the meeting of The Polish National Government. Dubiecki’s duties included correspondence with other representatives of the insurgent administration and negotiations with the “Progressive Ruthenia Group”. After minister of state Józef Kajetan Janowski left Warsaw, the secretary of Ruthenia undertook action to combine both functions. As a result of his insurgent activity, Marian Dubiecki was arrested and sentenced to exile, from which he returned in 1883. The figure of the secretary of Ruthenia has not yet been the subject of an extensive historiographical research that would comprehensively analyze his biography.
Wpływ powstania styczniowego na losy rodziny Morgiewiczów z Hanelek w powiecie lidzkim guberni wileńskiej
Authors: Tarasiuk Dariusz
Published: January 2025

The article presents the impact of the January Uprising on the fate of a Polish noble family in the lands of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which had been involved in the independence uprising of 1863. The research method – case study – was used, in order to present the phenomena occurring at that time on the example of a selected Morgiewicz family living in Hanelki farmstead in Lida district of Vilnius governorate. Its members, although not directly involved in the armed struggle, participated in insurrectionary preparations or helped rebel units, for which they were subjected to repression, exile, sequestration and confiscation of property. Studying the fate of this family, it can be noted that the legal acts issued by the Russian authorities in 1863–1864, which introduced severe punishments against those involved in insurgent activities, threatened destruction of Polishness, in Lida district included. Fortunately for the Poles, they were not implemented consistently in the long run. In the aforementioned district, the procedure of the formal confiscation of property was mostly not completed and finally discontinued in 1873 due to the slowness of the Tsarist administration, and the land was returned to many of the original owners or their heirs.
Playwork Practices' Impact on Pre-service Preschool Teachers' Understanding of Play and Insights into Pedagogy of Play
Authors: Metin Aslan Ozge
Published: January 2025

This study investigates how playwork practices enhance the professional development of pre-service preschool teachers (PSTs) and explored the power of playwork practices on pre-service teachers' perceptions of play. Titled "Play for the Planet," the project involved 32 PSTs from early childhood education courses at a university, impacting around 650 preschool children and 300 families across two phases beginning in 2021. As part of their training, the PSTs managed loose playgrounds in a local open traditional park space and evaluated the impact of playwork practices on their growth and understanding of play. The findings reveal that playwork with loose parts not only deepens PSTs' comprehension of children's play but also significantly advances their professional development, fostering a richer appreciation of the pedagogy of play and equipping future educators with the skills to effectively support holistic child development.
A Tale of Two Childhoods: Exploring Holistic Development of Preschoolers in a Rural and Urban Community
Authors: Olalowo Iyanuoluwa , Babalola Abiodun
Published: January 2025

Rural-urban disparities are facts that have continually raised significant discrepancies in the discussion of early childhood education, which encompasses all domains of childhood development. Literature abounds, especially on how these disparities have played out in the preschool environmental resources. Still, little is known comparatively about the development of preschoolers in rural and urban educational settings. This study aims to explore the holistic development of preschoolers in Ibadan's Rural and Urban Communities. We anchored the study on ecological systems theory. One research question and hypothesis were raised and tested. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted as a total sample for the study was 33 schools and 132 children in the selected schools. The Multiple Domain Development Observation Scale for Pre-primary Children was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages were used in order to answer the research question, while inferential statistics of the t-test were used to test the hypothesis. Children in rural centers (3.40) have improved physical development when compared to urban children (2.70); there is a significant difference between rural and urban pre-primary school children’s physical development (t = -2.612; df =130, p<0.05). This study affirmed that the holistic development of pre-primary children generally varies with respect to their developmental domains and school location. It recommended that children across settings should be given equal opportunities to explore their environment for improved holistic development.
The Relationship between Social Support and Stress and Burnout Levels of Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Sit Selin , Erkan Nefise Semra
Published: January 2025

This study aims  to reveal the relationship between social support perception and stress and burnout levels of mothers with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).The sample of the research consists of 150 mothers with the children with ASD who received counseling services in 2022. The data of the study were collected using Personal Information Form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Perceived Stress Scale and Maslach Burnout Scale. SPSS 21 Package Program was used for data analysis. Parametric and non-parametric statistical analyzes were carried out within the scope of the distribution of the data. In the analysis of the data, t-test, Pearson Correlation test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc test statistics were used. The findings of the study revealed that social support perceptions of mothers with the children with ASD predicted stress and burnout, in other words, there was a significant relationship between social support perceptions and stress and burnout. In the study, it was also determined that there was a statistically significant relationship between the mothers' age, marital status, education level, the number of children they had and their average monthly income, and the perception of social support, stress and burnout.
The Role of the Claustrum in Sensory and Cognitive Development
Authors: Kartal Mehmet , Üstündağ Yasemin , MUTUŞ Rıfat
Published: January 2025

The claustrum is an important complex neuronal anatomic brain structure whose evolutionary process remains elucidated. The structure in question plays a key role in cognitive and sensory performances. Although it is an increasingly researched topic, especially regarding the importance of differences in children and adults with developmental differences, it is still possible to find very few publications. There are also studies arguing that claustrum is important for the risks of conditions such as autism, depression, anxiety, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and their response to treatment. In this short traditional review, the general anatomical structure of the claustrum and some current research results regarding this structure will be evaluated.