bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An environmental scan of residential treatment service provision in Ontario
Authors: Ali Farihah , Law Justine , Russell Cayley , Bozinoff Nikki , Rush Brian
Published: December 2023

Background

Ontario has one of the highest rates of substance-related harms in Canada. Residential treatment programs in the province provide a variety of in-house treatment services to support the needs of individuals with substance use disorders (SUD). However, these programs are not standardized, often varying in the type, quality, and availability of services offered, including evidence-based interventions such as Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). Local treatment systems are also rather fragmented and complex to navigate, creating barriers for potential services users to identify and make informed choices on available treatment options.

Methods

Between May to August 2023, we conducted an environmental scan to capture available information on all publicly-funded residential treatment programs in Ontario using the ConnexOntario service portal, a government-funded, health services information platform. Data were captured on organization name, geographical location, program description, program type (residential addictions treatment or supportive recovery programs), eligibility criteria, target population, the program’s OAT policies, number of available beds, minimum and maximum length of stay, projected wait times, funding source, and associated fees for program admission. Data were extracted and organized by geographic region, and findings were presented descriptively.

Results

A total of 102 residential addiction treatment programs and 36 residential supportive recovery programs in Ontario were identified. The scan noted substantial regional variations in program availability and wait times, along with a lack of programs tailored to unique populations such as women, youth, and Indigenous peoples. There is also a paucity of publicly-available information on program offerings, including detailed specifics on OAT policies within residential treatment programs that are crucial to ensuring that the services being offered are safe and grounded in evidence-based practice.

Conclusions

Findings from the scan highlight notable gaps in program types, offerings, and availability among residential treatment programs in the province, including a lack of standardization on OAT policies across programs. Efforts should be made to ensure access to treatment-specific program information relevant to potential service users and to enhance coordinated access to residential treatment services in the province.
Histopathologically confirmed radiation-induced damage of the brain – an in-depth analysis of radiation parameters and spatio-temporal occurrence
Authors: Kossmann Mario R. P. , Ehret Felix , Roohani Siyer , Winter Sebastian F. , Ghadjar Pirus , Acker Güliz , Senger Carolin , Schmid Simone , Zips Daniel , Kaul David
Published: December 2023

Background

Radiation-induced damage (RID) after radiotherapy (RT) of primary brain tumors and metastases can be challenging to clinico-radiographically distinguish from tumor progression. RID includes pseudoprogression and radiation necrosis; the latter being irreversible and often associated with severe symptoms. While histopathology constitutes the diagnostic gold standard, biopsy-controlled clinical studies investigating RID remain limited. Whether certain brain areas are potentially more vulnerable to RID remains an area of active investigation. Here, we analyze histopathologically confirmed cases of RID in relation to the temporal and spatial dose distribution.

Methods

Histopathologically confirmed cases of RID after photon-based RT for primary or secondary central nervous system malignancies were included. Demographic, clinical, and dosimetric data were collected from patient records and treatment planning systems. We calculated the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD22) and the biologically effective dose (BED2) for normal brain tissue (α/β ratio of 2 Gy) and analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution using frequency maps.

Results

Thirty-three patients were identified. High-grade glioma patients (n = 18) mostly received one normofractionated RT series (median cumulative EQD22 60 Gy) to a large planning target volume (PTV) (median 203.9 ccm) before diagnosis of RID. Despite the low EQD22 and BED2, three patients with an accelerated hyperfractionated RT developed RID. In contrast, brain metastases patients (n = 15; 16 RID lesions) were often treated with two or more RT courses and with radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic RT, resulting in a higher cumulative EQD22 (median 162.4 Gy), to a small PTV (median 6.7 ccm). All (n = 34) RID lesions occurred within the PTV of at least one of the preceding RT courses. RID in the high-grade glioma group showed a frontotemporal distribution pattern, whereas, in metastatic patients, RID was observed throughout the brain with highest density in the parietal lobe. The cumulative EQD22 was significantly lower in RID lesions that involved the subventricular zone (SVZ) than in lesions without SVZ involvement (median 60 Gy vs. 141 Gy, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Accelerated hyperfractionated RT can lead to RID despite computationally low EQD22 and BED2 in high-grade glioma patients. The anatomical location of RID corresponded to the general tumor distribution of gliomas and metastases. The SVZ might be a particularly vulnerable area.
AI algorithms for accurate prediction of osteoporotic fractures in patients with diabetes: an up-to-date review
Authors: Li Zeting , Zhao Wen , Lin Xiahong , Li Fangping
Published: December 2023

Osteoporotic fractures impose a substantial burden on patients with diabetes due to their unique characteristics in bone metabolism, limiting the efficacy of conventional fracture prediction tools. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have shown great promise in predicting osteoporotic fractures. This review aims to evaluate the application of traditional fracture prediction tools (FRAX, QFracture, and Garvan FRC) in patients with diabetes and osteoporosis, review AI-based fracture prediction achievements, and assess the potential efficiency of AI algorithms in this population. This comprehensive literature search was conducted in Pubmed and Web of Science. We found that conventional prediction tools exhibit limited accuracy in predicting fractures in patients with diabetes and osteoporosis due to their distinct bone metabolism characteristics. Conversely, AI algorithms show remarkable potential in enhancing predictive precision and improving patient outcomes. However, the utilization of AI algorithms for predicting osteoporotic fractures in diabetic patients is still in its nascent phase, further research is required to validate their efficacy and assess the potential advantages of their application in clinical practice.
Interleukin-30 subverts prostate cancer-endothelium crosstalk by fostering angiogenesis and activating immunoregulatory and oncogenic signaling pathways
Authors: Ciummo Stefania Livia , Sorrentino Carlo , Fieni Cristiano , Di Carlo Emma
Published: December 2023

Background

Cancer-endothelial interplay is crucial for tumor behavior, yet the molecular mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Interleukin(IL)-30, which is expressed as a membrane-anchored cytokine by human prostate cancer (PC) cells, promotes PC vascularization and progression, but the underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully explored.

Methods

PC-endothelial cell (EC) interactions were investigated, after coculture, by flow cytometry, transcriptional profiling, western blot, and ELISA assays. Proteome profiler phospho-kinase array unveiled the molecular pathways involved. The role of tumor-derived IL30 on the endothelium's capacity to generate autocrine circuits and vascular budding was determined following IL30 overexpression, by gene transfection, or its deletion by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Clinical value of the experimental findings was determined through immunopathological study of experimental and patient-derived PC samples, and bioinformatics of gene expression profiles from PC patients.

Results

Contact with PC cells favors EC proliferation and production of angiogenic and angiocrine factors, which are boosted by PC expression of IL30, that feeds autocrine loops, mediated by IGF1, EDN1, ANG and CXCL10, and promotes vascular budding and inflammation, via phosphorylation of multiple signaling proteins, such as Src, Yes, STAT3, STAT6, RSK1/2, c-Jun, AKT and, primarily CREB, GSK-3α/β, HSP60 and p53. Deletion of the IL30 gene in PC cells inhibits endothelial expression of IGF1, EDN1, ANG and CXCL10 and substantially impairs tumor angiogenesis. In its interaction with IL30-overexpressing PC cells the endothelium boosts their expression of a wide range of immunity regulatory genes, including CCL28, CCL4, CCL5, CCR2, CCR7, CXCR4, IL10, IL13, IL17A, FASLG, IDO1, KITLG, TNFA, TNFSF10 and PDCD1, and cancer driver genes, including BCL2, CCND2, EGR3, IL6, VEGFA, KLK3, PTGS1, LGALS4, GNRH1 and SHBG. Immunopathological analyses of PC xenografts and in silico investigation of 1116 PC cases, from the Prostate Cancer Transcriptome Atlas, confirmed the correlation between the expression of IL30 and that of both pro-inflammatory genes, NOS2, TNFA, CXCR5 and IL12B, and cancer driver genes, LGALS4, GNRH1 and SHBG, which was validated in a cohort of 80 PC patients.

Conclusions

IL30 regulates the crosstalk between PC and EC and reshapes their transcriptional profiles, triggering angiogenic, immunoregulatory and oncogenic gene expression programs. These findings highlight the angiostatic and oncostatic efficacy of targeting IL30 to fight PC.
Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of RealConsent2.0: a web-based intervention to promote prosocial alcohol-involved bystander behavior in young men
Authors: Salazar Laura F. , Parrott Dominic J. , DiLillo David , Gervais Sarah , Schipani-McLaughlin Anne Marie , Leone Ruschelle , Swartout Kevin , Simpson Lauren , Moore Renita , Wilson Tiffany , Flowers Nyla , Church Haley , Baildon Amanda
Published: December 2023

Background

Sexual violence (SV) is a significant, global public health problem, particularly among young adults. Promising interventions exist, including prosocial bystander intervention programs that train bystanders to intervene in situations at-risk for SV. However, these programs suffer from critical weaknesses: (1) they do not address the proximal effect of alcohol use on bystander decision-making and (2) they rely on self-report measures to evaluate outcomes. To overcome these limitations, we integrate new content specific to alcohol use within the context of prosocial bystander intervention into an existing, evidence-based program, RealConsent1.0. The resulting program, RealConsent2.0, aims to facilitate bystander behavior among sober and intoxicated bystanders and uses a virtual reality (VR) environment to assess bystander behavior in the context of acute alcohol use.

Methods

This protocol paper presents the design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which we evaluate RealConsent2.0 for efficacy in increasing alcohol- and non-alcohol-involved bystander behavior compared to RealConsent1.0 or to an attention-control program (“Taking Charge”). The RCT is being implemented in Atlanta, GA, and Lincoln, NE. Participants will be 605, healthy men aged 21–25 years recruited through social media, community-based flyers, and university email lists. Eligible participants who provide informed consent and complete the baseline survey, which includes self-reported bystander behavior, are then randomized to one of six conditions: RealConsent2.0/alcohol, RealConsent2.0/placebo, RealConsent1.0/alcohol, RealConsent1.0/placebo, Taking Charge/alcohol, or Taking Charge/placebo. After completing their assigned program, participants complete a laboratory session in which they consume an alcohol (target BrAC: .08%) or placebo beverage and then engage in the Bystanders in Sexual Assault Virtual Environments (BSAVE), a virtual house party comprising situations in which participants have opportunities to intervene. Self-reported bystander behavior across alcohol and non-alcohol contexts is also assessed at 6- and 12-months post-intervention. Secondary outcomes include attitudes toward, outcome expectancies for, and self-efficacy for bystander behavior via self-report.

Discussion

RealConsent2.0 is the first web-based intervention for young men that encourages and teaches skills to engage in prosocial bystander behavior to prevent SV while intoxicated. This is also the first study to assess the proximal effect of alcohol on bystander behavior via a VR environment.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04912492. Registered on 05 February 2021
Development of highly efficient and specific base editors in Actinobacillus succinogenes for enhancing succinic acid production
Authors: Chen Chunmei , Zheng Pu , Chen Pengcheng , Wu Dan
Published: December 2023

The production of bio-succinic acid (SA) from renewable feedstocks is a promising and sustainable approach to mitigating the high carbon emissions associated with the current energy crisis. Actinobacillus succinogenes was recognized as one of the most promising SA producers; however, lack of genetic background and the scarcity of genetic manipulation tools hinder the improvement in A. succinogenes by metabolic engineering. Here, for the first time, we successfully developed a series of A. succinogenes base editors (BEs) mediated by the fusion of Cas9 nickase and deaminase, including CBE, ABE, Td-GABE, and Td-CBE. Among these, ABE and Td-CBE based on a fusion of Cas9 nickase and TadA-8e variant (Escherichia coli TadA) can efficiently convert A to G and C to T, respectively, with editing efficiencies of up to 100%. We also investigated the multiplex base editing of ABE and Td-CBE, and the results showed that the editing efficiency of ABE reached 100% for six sites and 10% editing efficiency of Td-CBE for two sites. In addition, cytosine base editors were applied to inactivate hypothetical sugar and SA transporters of A. succinogenes. We found that the inactivation of Asuc_0914 encoding sucrose-specific IIBC subunit enhanced SA production, while the inactivation of hypothetical SA transporters Asuc_0715 and Asuc_0716 significantly reduced SA production. Therefore, the tools have great application potential in the metabolic engineering of A. succinogenes.
t(1;4) translocation in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report
Authors: El Mahdaoui Chaimae , Hda Nezha , Oukkache Bouchra , Dehbi Hind , Khoubila Nisrine , Madani Abdellah , Cherkaoui Siham
Published: December 2023

Background

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, with an 80% frequency in children between 1 and 10 years old. The outcome and prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children depends on various factors, such as age, clinical and biological features, and cytogenetic factors.

Case presentation

We report the case of a pediatric patient, a 4-year-old Moroccan female who was referred to the Hematology and Oncology Department of 20 August 1953 Hospital in Casablanca and diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated with a rare genetic chromosomal abnormality.

Conclusion

Translocation (1;4)(p21;p15) is a relatively rare chromosomal abnormality found in human leukemia and was never described isolated in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. It showed a good evolution by complete remission and recovery of this patient after receiving all chemotherapy and after 8 years of follow-up.
Castleman disease of plasma cell type accompanied with bronchiolitis obliterans: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Zhu Qingyuan , Wang Shuiyou
Published: December 2023

Background

Castleman disease, also known as giant lymph node hyperplasia or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, is a highly heterogeneous clinicopathological entity that belongs to the family lymphoproliferative disorders. Castleman disease accompanied by bronchiolitis obliterans is uncommon and often poses a great diagnostic challenge, which is easily confused with respiratory diseases and impeding the correct diagnosis and treatment. The main aim in presenting such rare case studies is to raise awareness and expand the diagnostic horizon of clinicians for appropriate management.

Case presentation

Here, we present a 69-year-old Chinese male who was admitted to our hospital due to right chest pain for 6 months, accompanied by cough, expectoration, and fever. Laboratory examinations revealed elevated immunoglobulin G and C-reactive protein, and normal serum levels of tumor markers and interleukin-6. Computed tomography scan detected diffuse bronchial wall thickening and patchy area of air trapping consistent with small airway disease. Pulmonary function test showed mild small airway obstructive ventilation dysfunction and moderate decrease in diffusion capacity. The pathological result of the right axillary lymph node was consistent with the plasma cell type Castleman disease. According to the above examinations, the patient was finally diagnosed with the plasma cell type Castleman disease accompanied with bronchiolitis obliterans. He received immunosuppressive medication after surgery and has been followed up for 11 months. Now the patient is currently in stable condition without recurrence.

Conclusion

Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder with a variety of symptoms. At present, the treatment of Castleman disease accompanied with bronchiolitis obliterans is mostly based on experiences or previous case reports, and there is no standard treatment. Here, we report an uncommon case of Castleman disease accompanied with bronchiolitis obliterans in which the patient received immunosuppressive medication after surgery and has been followed up for 11 months without experiencing a recurrence, which may deepen and extend our understanding of this disease.
Establishing performance standards for child development: learnings from the ECDI2030
Authors: Petrowski Nicole , de Castro Filipa , Davis-Becker Susan , Gladstone Melissa , Lindgren Alves Claudia Regina , Becher Yvonne , Grisham Jennifer , Donald Kirsten , van den Heuvel Meta , Kandawasvika Gwendoline , Maqbool Shazia , Tofail Fahmida , Xin Tao , Zeinoun Pia , Cappa Claudia
Published: December 2023

Background

Standards of early childhood development (ECD) are needed to determine whether children living in different contexts are developmentally on track. The Early Childhood Development Index 2030 (ECDI2030) is a population-level measure intended to be used in household surveys to collect globally comparable data on one of the indicators chosen to monitor progress toward target 4.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals: The proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being.

Methods

To define performance cut-scores for the ECDI2030 we followed a criterion-referenced standard setting exercise using the modified Angoff method. The exercise gauged the expectations from 15 global experts in ECD and was informed by representative population data collected in Mexico and the State of Palestine. The final calibrated age-specific performance cut-scores were applied to these data to estimate the proportion of children developmentally on track, disaggregated by background characteristics, including the child's sex and attendance to early childhood education.

Results

Through a process of standard setting, we generated robust performance standards for the ECDI2030 by establishing five age-specific cut-scores to identify children as developmentally on track.

Conclusions

This paper demonstrated how the standard setting methodology, typically applied to measures in the health and education fields, could be applied to a measure of child development. By creating robust criterion-referenced standards, we have been able to ensure that the cut-scores related to age for the ECDI2030 are based on performance standards set by global experts in the ECD field for defining on and off track development.
Antenatal care management platform
Authors: Aliyi Abdulmalik , Mesfin Bruk , Hassen Fuad , Dejene Gemechu , Wondimu Hawi , Yizengaw Mignot , Dereje Derartu , Dawud Ahmed Ali
Published: December 2023

Background

Pregnancy is a process of developing a fetus in a woman’s womb leading to anatomical and physiological changes. Currently, numerous health facilities offering antenatal services are yet to adopt health informatics. This led to several challenges, including unskilled, early and poor quality antenatal and delivery care, case traffic because many patients are admitted per day, and shy medical professional doctors, nurses, midwives and nursing aids. The main idea of this project was to design and develop a new system for managing maternal health in antenatal care.

Methods

This web-based antenatal care management platform is designed using XAMPP, PHP, HTML and CSS. It involves designing the stoner interface and identifying the inputs, outputs, and processes of the designed system. The configuration involves the use of case diagrams, sequence diagrams and class diagram tools to achieve the physical consummation of the antenatal care management platform and positive living information system. The purpose of this work was to create a web-based platform for managing antenatal care.

Results

The designed project was tested by using parameters such as WHO guidelines, security, user-friendliness and data storage. Three testing criteria, namely, unit testing, integration testing and system testing, were used to check the efficiency and effectiveness of the antenatal care management platform (ANCMP). The platform that was created met almost all of the criteria that were set out in the design.

Conclusion

This project is objectively targeted to develop a web-based antenatal care management system to overcome the complications that occur during and following gestation.

It controls the overall conditioning of antenatal care, which includes the enrollment of expectant mothers, shadowing of the listed day and reminding them via email and effectively recording and saving all medical information about the mothers.
Prior Authorization and Association With Delayed or Discontinued Prescription Fills
Authors: Kyle Michael Anne , Keating Nancy L.
Published: December 2023

PURPOSE

Prior authorization requirements are increasing but little is known about their effects on access to care. We examined the association of a new prior authorization policy with delayed or discontinued prescription fills for oral anticancer drugs among Medicare Part D beneficiaries.

METHODS

Using Medicare part D claims data from 2010 to 2020, we studied beneficiaries regularly filling one of 11 oral anticancer drugs, defined as three 30-day fills in 120 days preceding the plan's prior authorization policy change on that drug and continuously enrolled in the same plan for 120 days before and after the policy change at the start of a new year. The control group consisted of beneficiaries meeting the same utilization criteria, but who were enrolled in plans at the same time that did not implement a prior authorization policy change. The outcomes of interest were discontinuation of the drug within 120 days (analyzed with regression analyses) and time (in days) to next fill after a prior authorization policy change (analyzed using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences event study).

RESULTS

The introduction of a new prior authorization on an established drug increased the odds of discontinuation within 120 days (adjusted odds ratio, 7.1 [95% CI, 6.0 to 8.5]; P < .001) and increased time to next fill by 9.7 days (95% CI, 8.2 to 11.2; P < .001), relative to patients whose plans did not have a prior authorization policy change.

CONCLUSION

Introduction of a new prior authorization policy on an established drug regimen is associated with increased probability of discontinued and delayed care. For some conditions, this may represent a clinically consequential barrier to access. Waiving prior authorization for patients already established on a drug may improve adherence.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Screening for Pancreatic Cancer Among High-Risk Populations
Authors: Peters Mary Linton B. , Eckel Andrew , Seguin Claudia L. , Davidi Barak , Howard David H. , Knudsen Amy B. , Pandharipande Pari V.
Published: December 2023

PURPOSE

We evaluated the potential cost-effectiveness of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) screening for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) among populations at high risk for the disease.

METHODS

We used a microsimulation model of the natural history of PDAC to estimate the lifetime health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of PDAC screening among populations with specific genetic risk factors for PDAC, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, Lynch syndrome, TP53, CDKN2A, and STK11. For each high-risk population, we simulated 29 screening strategies, defined by starting age and frequency. Screening included MRI with follow-up EUS in a subset of patients. Costs of tests were based on Medicare reimbursement for MRI, EUS, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, and pancreatectomy. Cancer-related cost by stage of disease and phase of treatment was based on the literature. For each high-risk population, we performed an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis, assuming a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $100,000 US dollars (USD) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained.

RESULTS

For men with relative risk (RR) 12.33 ( CDKN2A) and RR 28 ( STK11), annual screening was cost-effective, starting at age 55 and 40 years, respectively. For women, screening was only cost-effective for those with RR 28 ( STK11), with annual screening starting at age 45 years.

CONCLUSION

Combined MRI/EUS screening may be a cost-effective approach for the highest-risk populations (among mutations considered, those with RR >12). However, for those with moderate risk (RR, 5-12), screening would only be cost-effective at higher WTP thresholds (eg, $200K USD/QALY) or with once-only screening.
Skull Base Tumors
Authors: Forst Deborah A. , Jones Pamela S.
Published: December 2023

Objective

This article reviews the presenting features, molecular characteristics, diagnosis, and management of selected skull base tumors, including meningiomas, vestibular schwannomas, pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, craniopharyngiomas, chordomas, ecchordosis physaliphora, chondrosarcomas, esthesioneuroblastomas, and paragangliomas.

Latest Developments

Skull base tumors pose a management challenge given their complex location and, as a result, the tumors and treatment can result in significant morbidity. In most cases, surgery, radiation therapy, or both yield high rates of disease control, but the use of these therapies may be limited by the surgical accessibility of these tumors and their proximity to critical structures. The World Health Organization classification of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors was updated in 2022. Scientific advances have led to an enhanced understanding of the genetic drivers of many types of skull base tumors and have revealed several potentially targetable genetic alterations. This information is being leveraged in the design of ongoing clinical trials, with the hope of rendering these challenging tumors treatable through less invasive and morbid measures.

Essential Points

Tumors involving the skull base are heterogeneous and may arise from bony structures, cranial nerves, the meninges, the sinonasal tract, the pituitary gland, or embryonic tissues. Treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach, with participation from radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, neuro-oncologists, and surgical specialists, including neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, and head and neck surgeons. Treatment has largely centered around surgical resection, when feasible, and the use of first-line or salvage radiation therapy, with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or both considered in selected settings. Our growing understanding of the molecular drivers of these diseases may facilitate future expansion of pharmacologic options to treat skull base tumors.
Retrosigmoid Intradural Suprameatal Approach: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Samii Amir , Giordano Mario , Samii Madjid
Published: December 2023

INDICATIONS: CORRIDOR AND LIMITS OF EXPOSURE:

The retrosigmoid intradural suprameatal approach is mostly indicated for tumors in the cerebellopontine angle extending toward the Meckel cave and supratentorial regions, most frequently meningiomas and schwannomas. This approach was first established by the senior author in 1982.

ANATOMIC ESSENTIALS: NEED FOR PREOPERATIVE PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT:

Nervous structures: cranial nerves III to XII, cerebellum, and brainstem. Vascular structures: anterior inferior cerebellar artery, posterior inferior cerebellar artery, superior cerebellar artery, basilar artery, vertebral artery, transverse, sigmoid, and petrous sinus, petrosal vein/veins, basilar plexus, and the mastoid emissary vein. Bony structures: petrous bone with internal auditory canal, jugular foramen and suprameatal tubercle, petrous apex, dorsum sellae, and posterior clinoid process. Structures within the petrous bone: vestibule, semicircular canals, and jugular bulb.

ESSENTIALS STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE:

After a suboccipital retrosigmoid craniectomy in the semisitting position and debulking of the tumor mass in the cerebellopontine angle, extension is achieved by drilling suprameatal tubercle above cranial nerve VII and VIII toward the petrous apex. The extent of bone drilling is tailored for each patient.

PITFALLS/AVOIDANCE OF COMPLICATIONS:

Avoid damage to cranial nerves, arteries, and veins during drilling, dissection, and tumor removal or by retraction.

VARIANTS AND INDICATIONS FOR THEIR USE:

In case of extreme supratentorial extensions laterally and dorsally, the opening of the tentorium may be helpful. For inferior extensions toward the upper spinal canal, opening of the foramen magnum and hemilaminectomy of C1 may be necessary.

The patient consented to the procedure and to the publication of his/her image. Institutional logo in title slide, © 2023, INI Hannover. Used with permission.
Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Cancer After Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Survival Outcomes After Radical Nephroureterectomy
Authors: Ślusarczyk Aleksander , Zapała Piotr , Piecha Tomasz , Zapała Łukasz , Borkowski Tomasz , Radziszewski Piotr
Published: December 2023

Background

Systemic and local recurrences of urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) significantly impair survival after radical cystectomy (RC), but little is known about the impact of the recurrence of urothelial cancer in the upper urinary tract (UTUC). This report describes survival outcomes and their predictors for patients who underwent RC followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for UTUC.

Methods

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried to identify patients who underwent RC for UBC and subsequent RNU for UTUC. The Kaplan–Meier method and competing-risk Cox regression (CRR) were used for the survival analysis.

Results

Overall, 102 patients have undergone RNU within a median of 49 months (interquartile range [IQR], 27–76 months) since RC. Muscle-invasive UTUCs were predominant at RNU (n = 58; 56.7%), but organ-confined bladder tumors were most frequent at RC (n = 42, 41.5%). After RNU, the estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) was 25.9%, the cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 35.6%, the median OS was 23 months (IQR, 11–63 months), and the CSS was 34 months (IQR, 13–132 months). In the multivariable CRR, the factors predictive for CSS after RNU included male gender (hazard ratio [HR], 2.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–5.42; p < 0.05), muscle-invasive UTUC (HR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.13–4.28; p < 0.05), and the presence of distant metastasis (HR,11.59; 95% CI, 5.33–25.2; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, the patients who underwent RNU for UTUC after RC for UBC experienced poor OS and CSS. The majority of RNUs were performed for locally advanced tumors. The independent risk factors for worse OS and CSS after RNU were UTUC T stage, presence of metastasis, and male gender.
Identifying the Benefits from Homeownership: A Swedish Experiment
Authors: Sodini Paolo , Van Nieuwerburgh Stijn , Vestman Roine , von Lilienfeld-Toal Ulf
Published: December 2023

Homeownership is widely stimulated by policy, yet its economic effects are poorly understood. We exploit quasi-random variation in homeownership generated by privatization decisions of municipally owned buildings and use granular data on demographics, income, housing, financial wealth, and debt that allow us to construct high-quality measures of spending. Homeownership causes wealth accumulation via house price appreciation, increases consumption, and improves consumption smoothing across time and states of the world. It increases mobility for young households, who move up the property ladder, and amplifies wealth accumulation for older households, who take more risk in their financial portfolio. (JEL D15, E21, G51, R21, R23, R31, R38)
Happy Times: Measuring Happiness Using Response Times
Authors: Liu Shuo , Netzer Nick
Published: December 2023

Surveys measuring happiness or preferences generate discrete ordinal data. Ordered response models, which are used to analyze such data, suffer from an identification problem. Their conclusions depend on distributional assumptions about a latent variable. We propose using response times to solve that problem. Response times contain information about the distribution of the latent variable through a chronometric effect. Using an online survey experiment, we verify the chronometric effect. We then provide theoretical conditions for testing conventional distributional assumptions. These assumptions are rejected in some cases, but overall our evidence is consistent with the qualitative validity of the conventional models. (JEL C14, D60, D91, I31)
Ghosting the Tax Authority: Fake Firms and Tax Fraud in Ecuador
Authors: Carrillo Paul , Donaldson Dave , Pomeranz Dina , Singhal Monica
Published: December 2023

An important but poorly understood form of firm tax evasion arises from “ghost firms”—fake firms that issue fraudulent receipts so that their clients can claim false deductions. We provide a unique window into this global phenomenon using transaction-level tax data from Ecuador. Five percent of firms use ghost invoices annually. Among these firms, ghost transactions comprise 14 percent of purchases. Ghost transactions are prevalent among large firms and firms with high-income owners and exhibit suspicious patterns, such as bunching below financial system thresholds. An innovative enforcement intervention targeting ghost clients rather than ghosts themselves led to substantial tax recovery. (JEL D22, H25, H26, K34, L25, O14)
Hiring Frictions and the Promise of Online Job Portals: Evidence from India
Authors: Fernando A. Nilesh , Singh Niharika , Tourek Gabriel
Published: December 2023

Despite the growing prominence of online job portals, firms remain reluctant to hire outside traditional recruitment networks. We find that experimentally providing firms with a combination of advertising and the ability to verify applicant identity increases portal-based hiring by 68 percent and the likelihood of filling a vacancy by 11 percent. Advertising attracts more skilled applicants, while verification enables the screening of unfamiliar applicants. Portal-based hires are retained beyond the standard assessment period, suggesting that they are well suited to the vacancies. Firms assigned only advertising also attract more skilled applicants, but providing neither advertising nor verification alone increases hiring. (JEL D22, J23, J24, J63, M51, O15)
Conquests and Rents: A Political Economy of Dictatorship and Violence in Muslim Societies
Authors: Chaney Eric
Published: December 2023

Eric Chaney of University of Oxford reviews “Conquests and Rents: A Political Economy of Dictatorship and Violence in Muslim Societies” by Faisal Z. Ahmed. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Examines how the institutional legacy of Muslim conquest is a robust determinant of less cohesive institutions in contemporary Muslim societies, detailing how variation in economic rents explain ebbs and flows of dictatorship and propensity for civil wars in these societies.”
Spectrum Auctions: Designing Markets to Benefit the Public, Industry and the Economy
Authors: Kwerel Evan
Published: December 2023

Evan Kwerel of Federal Communications Commission reviews “Spectrum Auctions: Designing Markets to Benefit the Public, Industry and the Economy” by Geoffrey Myers. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores challenges of public policy decision-making, providing practical examples of harnessing auctions to elicit information and improve policy decisions.”
Χαιρετισμός από την Πρόεδρο του Εφορευτικού Συμβουλίου της ΔΗΚΕΒΙ
Καλαμάτας
Authors: Κουμάντου Πιπίνα
Published: December 2023

Χαιρετισμός νέας έκδοσης περιοδικού
CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF BREAST C YSTS: POSSIBILITIES OF USING INDINOLE FORTO
Authors: Guseynov Arif , Guseynov T. , Bobkov M. , Blincov V.
Published: December 2023

Among the drugs used in the conservative therapy of breast cysts and fibrocystic mastopathy, phytopreparations are mainly used in clinical practice.

The drug Indinol Forto, obtained from plants of the cruciferous family, contains indolecarbinol, the effect of which is associated with the regulation of estrogen metabolism, inhibition of pathological proliferation, blockade of the formation of inflammatory cytokines, activation of apoptosis of transformed cells, reduction of breast cysts. The paper presents the results of a study of the pharmacological effect of the drug Indinol Forto on cystic formations of the breast. A comparative study of the use of the drug Indinol Forto showed its high effectiveness in the treatment of breast cysts, which consists in reducing the number and size of cystic formations of the breast. The drug Indinol Forto in the conservative treatment of breast cysts showed its effectiveness after 3 months of use: there was a decrease in the number of cysts (complete regression) by 3±0,5 in 13 (28,9%) patients and a partial regression of cysts with a decrease in their size by 28,7±5,8% in 16 (35,6%) patients. The optimal effect of Indinol Forto manifested itself after 6 months of use: the number of cysts decreased by 5±1,1 in 19 (42,2%) patients, and in 22 (48,9%) patients, a partial regression was noted with their reduction in size by almost half – by 49,0±7,2%. The results of the conducted studies have shown that Indinol Forto is the optimal drug that positively affects the dynamics of cystic formations of the breast. The drug Indinol Forto is well tolerated when taken orally, has no clinically identified side effects, which justifies the safety of long-term use.
Osteoarthritis and comorbidity: pathogenetic links
Authors: Fatenko A. , Belyaeva Elena
Published: December 2023

Secondary inflammatory processes, primarily synovitis, accompany the course of osteoarthritis, play a significant role in the formation of both clinical manifestations of the disease and further destruction of articular structures. In a patient with osteoarthritis over the age of 50, more than 5 diseases coexist simultaneously and there are practically no persons who do not have concomitant somatic diseases. Atherosclerosis refers to inflammatory diseases in which inflammation is associated with dyslipidemia and chronic immune dysregulation. It has been established that one of the main elements of atherothrombosis is an increase in the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines. Common risk factors for primary osteoarthritis and cardiovascular diseases: age, overweight, heredity, metabolic disorders (high cholesterol, glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus).
Man, the “Orthodox Church”, the State and the Inevitability of War in Lev Karsavin’s Philosophy
Authors: Ostrowski Andrzej
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the implications that arise from Karsavin’s reflections on man, the “Orthodox Church” and the state with particular reference to the issue of war. In doing so, I pose the question of the inevitability of war. The question posed refers to the main hypothesis of the research formulated in reference to Karsavin’s views – war is necessary. I focus my research on Karsavin’s considerations contained in the dissertation entitled Tserkov’, lichnost’ i gosudarstvo [1927] (The Orthodox Church, the Person and the State). With the analytical method used, the order of the issues discussed and repeated reference to them is due to the interpretive approach, and the findings made and conclusions reached were used to answer the question posed about the inevitability of war. The result of the research is the confirmation of the main hypothesis and also the demonstration of the relationships that exist between the causes of war and the responsibility for its initiation.
The Concept of Democracy in Simon Frank’s Philosophy of Liberal Conservatism
Authors: Aliaiev Gennadii
Published: December 2023

The article analyses the concept of democracy by a Russian philosopher Simon Frank. It considers the main features of the liberal-conservatism as they appear in the works of Petr Struve and Simon Frank. The main focus of the paper is on the evolution of Frank’s views on democracy. It is noted that Frank emphasised the need to combine democratic mechanisms of power with legal mechanisms for protecting the freedom of a person, as well as the dependence of democracy on the level of cultural and moral development of society. The paper demonstrates that Frank considered democracy not so much as an external political order, which inevitably turns out to be antinomic, but in the context of the basic principles of social life and, first of all, the principle of service (in a religious, Christian sense). The social life ontologically presupposes that the principle of democratic equality must be combined with the principles of hierarchism and aristocracy.
Wolność
Authors: Santayana George , Grzeliński Adam , Michalski Rafał Andrzej , Pietras Alicja
Published: December 2023

Niniejszy esej stanowi piąty rozdział tomu The Realm of Spirit kończącego cykl The Realms of Being. Podstawą przekładu jest pierwsze wydanie dzieła: George Santayana, The Realms of Being (London: Constable and Co., Ltd., Toronto: The Macmillan Company, 1940), 67–89.
WHEN IS AN SHM PROBLEM A MULTI-TASK- LEARNING PROBLEM?
Authors: BEE S. C. , BULL L. A. , DERVILIS N. , WORDEN K.
Published: December 2023

Multi-task neural networks learn tasks simultaneously to improve individual task performance. There are three mechanisms of multi-task learning (MTL) which are explored here for the context of structural health monitoring (SHM): (i) the natural occurrence of multiple tasks; (ii) using outputs as inputs (both linked to the recent research in population-based SHM (PBSHM)); and, (iii) additional loss functions to provide different insights. Each of these problem settings for MTL is detailed and an example is given.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL ACOUSTIC EMISSION SOURCE LOCALIZATION ON A LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER PLATE BY GAUSSIAN PROCESS REGRESSION
Authors: HE XIANGDONG , ZHU XUAN
Published: December 2023

Acoustic emission (AE) source localization is an important part of monitoring the health of infrastructures. Though straightforward for isotropic materials, where analytical solutions exist, locating sources for anisotropic materials is complicated due to the angle-dependent wave velocity. The problem is even more intractable if heterogeneity involves. This is the case for laminated veneer lumber (LVL), an engineered wood material composed of multiple thin layers of wood, where defects such as knots, voids and discontinuity distributed randomly within the layers, greatly undermining the effectivity of common localization methods for man-made composites. To avoid the problem of heterogeneity, this work employed Gaussian process regression (GPR) to address the 2D AE source localization problem in an LVL plate. With four AE sensors attached at the corner of ROI in the plate, multiple pencil lead break tests were conducted to collect the difference of time of arrival (dTOA) between different sensors. The vector of dTOAs serves used as the input of the Gaussian process regression while the output is the source location. The marginal likelihood was maximized to achieve the optimal model parameters. The input vectors of a different combination of dTOA components were fed into the GPR model, both the predictions on grid points and off-grid points were analyzed. The high accuracy of the mean predictions over all possible combinations of dTOAs indicates such a method can well cope with 2D source localization problems in LVL structures.
REAL-TIME CRACK DETECTION IN BRIDGES USING MONITORING AND MACHINE LEARNING—VERIFIED WITH AN ACTUAL DAMAGE CASE
Authors: BAYANE IMANE , NYMAN JACOB , HÄGGSTRÖM JENS , LEANDER JOHN
Published: December 2023

Detecting damage in bridges that present signs of deterioration or have exceeded the expected lifespan is critical for ensuring safety in service. This paper suggests an approach for real-time damage detection for such bridges through monitoring and machine learning algorithms, which serve as timely alarms for decision-making and subsequent damage identification. The approach involves five steps: monitoring, data collection, data separation, feature extraction, and anomaly detection in real-time. Monitoring is ensured by strain gauges, accelerometers, and a temperature sensor. Data collection is ensured at high frequency continuously to capture the dynamic effects of loading. Data separation is provided to classify monitoring data according to loading events, which is in the case of the study characterized by the bridge opening, the bridge closing, and train passages. Feature extraction is provided to characterize monitoring data for each loading event. Anomaly detection is performed by the Isolation Forest and the One-Class Support Vector Machine algorithms. The algorithms are implemented in real-time for each new event. The approach is illustrated in a full-scale post-damage case study of a steel-basculerailway bridge, in service since 1916, with signs of corrosion and fatigue. The results demonstrate the ability of the approach to capture a cracking event in real-time. The Isolation Forest algorithm is found to be more robust for damage detection compared to the One-Class Support Vector Machine. It assigned high scores to the events occurring during and after the cracking, highlighting its ability to capture such incidents promptly. These findings have significant implications for bridge owners as they can identify damage in components in real time, enabling them to take timely measures such as traffic interruption and subsequent repairs.