bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A network immuno-epidemiological model of HIV and opioid epidemics
Authors: Gupta Churni , Tuncer Necibe , Martcheva Maia
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we introduce a novel multi-scale network model of two epidemics: HIV infection and opioid addiction. The HIV infection dynamics is modeled on a complex network. We determine the basic reproduction number of HIV infection, $ \mathcal{R}_{v} $, and the basic reproduction number of opioid addiction, $ \mathcal{R}_{u} $. We show that the model has a unique disease-free equilibrium which is locally asymptotically stable when both $ \mathcal{R}_{u} $ and $ \mathcal{R}_{v} $ are less than one. If $ \mathcal{R}_{u} > 1 $ or $ \mathcal{R}_{v} > 1 $, then the disease-free equilibrium is unstable and there exists a unique semi-trivial equilibrium corresponding to each disease. The unique opioid only equilibrium exist when the basic reproduction number of opioid addiction is greater than one and it is locally asymptotically stable when the invasion number of HIV infection, $ \mathcal{R}^{1}_{v_i} $ is less than one. Similarly, the unique HIV only equilibrium exist when the basic reproduction number of HIV is greater than one and it is locally asymptotically stable when the invasion number of opioid addiction, $ \mathcal{R}^{2}_{u_i} $ is less than one. Existence and stability of co-existence equilibria remains an open problem. We performed numerical simulations to better understand the impact of three epidemiologically important parameters that are at the intersection of two epidemics: $ q_v $ the likelihood of an opioid user being infected with HIV, $ q_u $ the likelihood of an HIV-infected individual becoming addicted to opioids, and $ \delta $ recovery from opioid addiction. Simulations suggest that as the recovery from opioid use increases, the prevalence of co-affected individuals, those who are addicted to opioids and are infected with HIV, increase significantly. We demonstrate that the dependence of the co-affected population on $ q_u $ and $ q_v $ are not monotone.
The Feminism that Failed Itself
Authors: Mohan Brij
Published: December 2022

Review of the following work:Rafia Zakaria, Against White-Feminism: Notes on Disruption. New York: W.W. Norton, 2021, HB, 25644 p., ISBN-13: 978-1324006619
Direitos Ético-Morais e a Administração de Conflitos
Authors: Oliveira Luís Roberto Cardoso de
Published: December 2022

O texto discute o lugar dos direitos ético-morais em processos de administração de conflitos e em demandas por direitos de cidadania em perspectiva comparada. Tendo como referência casos acionados em juizado de pequenas causas nos EUA, demandas de reconhecimento no Quebec, e padrões de desigualdade de tratamento no Brasil, o texto reflete sobre a importância dos direitos ético-morais, e respectivas dificuldades para viabilizar a reparação satisfatória destes direitos.
Ethical-Moral Rights and Conflict Management
Authors: Oliveira Luís Roberto Cardoso de
Published: December 2022

The text discusses the place of ethical-moral rights in processes of conflict management and in demands for citizenship rights from a comparative perspective. Drawing on cases brought to small claims courts in the US, demands for recognition in Quebec, and patterns of inequality of treatment in Brazil, the text reflects upon the importance of these rights and the respective difficulties to redress them adequately.
Writing gestures in the diaries of Raymundo Faoro (Porto Alegre, 1943-1946)
Authors: Alcântara Paulo Augusto Franco de
Published: December 2022

Raymundo Faoro (1925-2003), a Brazilian jurist, historian, and writer, is considered one of the most prominent social interpreters in twentieth century Brazil. While studying law in Porto Alegre, he wrote 20 volumes of diaries between 1943 and 1952, a total of almost 6.800 manuscript pages of wholly original content. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on the construction process of this archive, describing and analysing the author’s daily writing. I conceive of writing as a practice, consequently, I seek to examine the gestures in Raymundo’s writing from an ethnographic perspective, looking for motivations and meanings that presided over the course of his writing. Focusing on the first three volumes of the diaries (1943-1946), I concentrate on descriptions of the period in which the author experiences his first years living in Porto Alegre. I argue that besides presenting facts concerning Faoro’s intellectual formation, for the first time, these diaries reveal relevant cultural and social aspects of the period, providing some clues regarding the requisites of becoming an intellectual in twentieth century Porto Alegre and Brazil. In addition to studying diaries as a literary and intellectual genre, I aim to advance the terrain of the anthropological history of writing.
A “escrita da cultura” na produção acadêmica Xakriabá
Authors: Rodrigues Ana Paula Santos
Published: December 2022

Este artigo busca analisar os trabalhos de conclusão de curso (TCCs) produzidos por estudantes Xakriabá na Formação Intercultural para Educadores Indígenas (FIEI) da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), de modo a estabelecer um diálogo com a disciplina antropológica com foco no conceito de “escrita da cultura”. Alguns estudos clássicos apontam para a invenção das tradições, a invenção da cultura e o uso desta como arma na garantia de direitos e nas lutas por reconhecimento. O papel da escrita etnográfica nessas invenções e disputas também vem sendo discutido há muitas décadas. Já é lugar comum dizer que “a etnografia sempre está enredada na invenção e não na representação das culturas” (Clifford 2016, 32), mas o que ocorre quando a “escrita da cultura” é feita por acadêmicos indígenas? Essa é a pergunta que norteia este trabalho. Para a análise, foram selecionados 11 TCCs, defendidos de 2016 a 2019, que abordam diretamente temas identificados com a cultura ou tradição Xakriabá. Entre os principais resultados, destacamos a contribuição teórica da produção acadêmica Xakriabá ao conceito de cultura, as reflexões suscitadas pelo uso do método etnográfico nas pesquisas e as inovações estilísticas produzidas pela escrita indígena na academia.
Micropolíticas fisiológicas. Oxitocina, anestesia, cuidados e intervenciones en partos de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Authors: Greco Lucrecia Raquel
Published: December 2022

Basado en entrevistas a profesionales que actúan o actuaron en la asistencia a partos domiciliarios e institucionales en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires y periferia, este artículo indaga la práctica de algunas intervenciones y su relación con los “buenos cuidados”, las inteligencias corporales y la gestión/producción de autonomías de les parturientes. Se focaliza especialmente en la acción de la oxitocina endógena, oxitocina sintética y anestesia, para analizar cómo las elecciones y decisiones de acompañamiento de les asistentes configuran y co-crean micropolíticas del cuidado, produciendo fisiologías, temporalidades y relaciones.
Trabalhadores, no plural
Authors: Volkoff Serge
Published: December 2022

Este artigo propõe um comentário introdutório a uma apresentação de Antoine Laville chamada “A que homem o trabalho deve ser adaptado? Uma questão sempre atual para a ergonomia”, que foi apresentada em 2001 durante as jornadas temáticas consagradas à obra de Alain Wisner. Seu objetivo é especificar três aspetos: o contexto sociodemográfico no qual esta reflexão foi publicada, com o aumento dos fatores de diversidade na população trabalhadora; a estruturação institucional da pesquisa sobre tal tema na França daquele período, em particular a criação, dez anos antes, do grupo de pesquisa Creapt, que oferecia novas possibilidades de parceria durável entre empresas e órgãos de pesquisa; e as preocupações científicas, epistemológicas e mesmo éticas que Laville há muito vinha desenvolvendo a esse respeito e que considerava importante apresentar, na perspetiva de integrar a análise da diversidade em uma abordagem da ergonomia, alternativa às políticas de seleção.
Lifting as We Climb
Authors: Edghill-Walden Vernese E. , Staggers-Hakim Raja , Edwards Anne M.
Published: December 2022

This chapter will chart Black women's historical and continued commitment to education and racial uplift by examining 21st century Black women directors of Black cultural centers (BCCs). Their contributions to the education of Black college students on predominantly white campuses as a form of liberation and racial uplift echo the race work undertaken by Black women throughout history. While historical and 21st century Black women educators share a spirit of persistence, resilience, passion, and commitment for racial uplift in the Black community, despite the compounding racism and sexism they face while helping to educate and uplift the next generation of Black students and leaders, 21st century Black women educators are seeking to advance their personal and professional lives as well.
Institutional Theory of Financial Inclusion
Authors: Ozili Peterson K.
Published: December 2022

This article advocates a new addition to the theories of financial inclusion, which is the institutional theory of financial inclusion. The case for a new theory arises from the role of institutions or non-market structures in influencing the level of financial inclusion. Postulating an institutional theory of financial inclusion is important due to the need to understand financial inclusion from the context of institutions and non-market structures that people have a great deal of trust in. The institutional theory of financial inclusion has the capacity to generate a wide range of testable hypotheses, and can provide the social scientist with tools that are relevant for understanding the broad spectrum of financial inclusion in society.
The Positive and Negative Impact of COVID-19 Smartphone Dependency on Employee Job Performance
Authors: Khalid Nuroul Widad
Published: December 2022

A smartphone is a gadget with a variety of features that reside in the capacity of a machine. It is a gadget that can be described as a minicomputer due to its specific size and its different features, such as a PC or a computer device. The objectives of this chapter are to discuss the positive and negative impact of COVID-19 smartphone dependency on employees' job performance at the workplace. Job performance can be defined as the “total expected value” to the organisation of the discrete behavioural episodes that an individual carries out over a standard period of time. The positive and negative impact of COVID-19 smartphone dependency will be discussed and demonstrated using the Ishikawa diagram.
Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Applications
Authors: Lu Xiao Wen , Tliche Youssef , Vosooghidizaji Mohammadali , Taghipour Atour
Published: December 2022

New technology and revolution in digital tools can be considered as the enablers to promote the performance of the global supply chain by integrating the actors. Among these technologies is the blockchain, first and foremost a technology for storing and transmitting information. This technology offers high standards of transparency and security in a decentralized environment. More concretely, the blockchain allows its users—connected in a network—to share data without an intermediary. The cryptocurrencies are new electronic currencies that use blockchain technology to transfer the ownership of cryptos between their different owners. The application of blockchains in cryptocurrency reduces the risk of sharing information and simplifies transaction processing thanks to the secured decentralized environment. The objective of this chapter is to provide a literature review that synthesizes the knowledge of using the blockchains in cryptocurrency. The results of the review can be used by academics and practitioners.
Evolution of Cloud Computing With Blockchain and IoT
Authors: Mathur Anukruti , Sah Anushree , Rawat Saurabh
Published: December 2022

Blockchain is presently bringing a revolution in numerous industries like finance, healthcare, supply chain, insurance, registry, and the internet of things. Numerous industries integrate blockchain with their frameworks for the advantages of the blockchain. The growing demand for health has led to development of hospitals and medical institutions further leading to an increase in the medical data and the need for managing it. Thus, the authors discuss blockchain technology in association with the medical sector. Health records including personal details of the patients are to be kept confidential. These records are saved in the medical clouds, but they can be misused by the other parties deleting the original data or modifying it. The problems related to the healthcare industry have been discussed.
Blockchain Storage With Sharing of Internet of Things Data in Textile Production Supply Chains
Authors: Pal Kamalendu
Published: December 2022

Internet of things (IoT) technology is poised to change the flow of data handling for tangible and intangible assets in textile production and utilization industries. It is reinventing global textile manufacturing operations, product distribution, and how manufacturers exchange value. For example, IoT technology helps gather operational data, store it, process it, and improve business efficiency. However, IoT technology-based textile production and its supply chain's information systems are highly vulnerable to security, privacy, and trust-related issues. This chapter presents the basic design and operation constraints that intelligent textile industries expect to experience within modern wireless data communication networks (e.g., 4G, 5G) with IoT technology and how blockchain technology can mitigate these constraints (e.g., privacy and security). The advantages of blockchain-based computing are its ability to scale rapidly, store data remotely, and provide service in a dynamic environment. Finally, this chapter presents a hybrid (i.e., IoT, blockchain, service-oriented computing) data processing architecture for the textile industries.
A Review of Honey Application in Marinades Towards Hetero-Cyclic Amines (HCA) Formation
Authors: Mat Nik Nadia Syamimi , Sarbon Norizah Mhd
Published: December 2022

Marinade is a mixture of non-meat ingredients in the form of a liquid solution applied to raw meat to delay the activity of bacteria and enzymes. Traditional marinade commonly uses salt as an ingredient. However, consuming a high intake of salt may lead to health problems. Traditional marinade only focused on prolonging the shelf life of the meat. Hence, this review aims to provide an overview of the recent advances on the application of honey in marinades towards hetero-cyclic amines formation and physicochemical and sensory properties of marinated products in detail. The physicochemical and sensory properties of various marinades have been thoroughly discussed. The results indicated that honey marinade showed better properties compared to other ingredients such as sugar, salts, and lactic acid in terms of formation of HCA, chemical, physical, and sensory properties. This chapter offers an overview of the recent advances in the application of honey in marinades in the meat industry.
Intelligent Devices, Device Management, and Device Security for Cloud Platforms
Authors: Nalini M.
Published: December 2022

The phrase “intelligent device” refers to a package that contains either a full measurement system or a component inside a measurement system that includes a digital processor. The processing of measurement sensor output to adjust for flaws inherent in the measurement process results in significant gains in measurement accuracy. Intelligent device management is a technique used in corporate software applications to monitor and manage distant equipment, systems, and goods through the Internet. Device security in cloud platforms will be made using proactive attack surface management and improved protection against ransomware and other sophisticated threats safeguarding data and devices. Cloud security is a set of processes and technologies that are meant to handle both external and internal risks to enterprise security. This chapter explains about intelligent devices, the need for security and management of intelligent devices in cloud platforms, and finally ends with challenges associated with this.
Approaches for Detecting and Predicting Attacks Based on Deep and Reinforcement Learning to Improve Information Security
Authors: Hegde Nayana , Manvi Sunilkumar S.
Published: December 2022

The continued growth and widespread use of the internet benefit many network users in various ways. Meanwhile, network protection becomes increasingly essential as the internet becomes more widely used. Though, as the number of internet-connected systems in finance, e-commerce, and the military grows, they are becoming targets of network attacks, posing a noteworthy challenge and causing significant harm. Essentially, practical strategies for detecting and defending against attacks, as well as maintaining network protection, are needed. Furthermore, various types of attacks must typically be dealt with in different ways. This chapter summarizes some of the important deep learning techniques and reinforcement techniques for information security by providing various methods for attack detection and corrections.
Analysis of Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Practices in Government Agencies in South Africa
Authors: Masenya Tlou Maggie
Published: December 2022

Government agencies are important due to their contributions to the growth of economy and the benefits they bring to the society. However, there is an increasing need for these agencies to be ethical, especially in the 21st century, an era full of competitors, and also characterized by an increasingly globalized business world and a cascade of corporate corruption and fraud in both developed and developing countries. Government agencies thus require the enforcement of business ethics for long-term business success and sustainability. Although the main objective of business is to earn the money and profit, government agencies should take initiative for the welfare of the society and perform their activities within the framework of environmental norms and social responsibility. These agencies should provide goods and services legally, and profitably to the society and operate responsibly to address social and environmental issues. The study utilised literature review to critically analyse business ethics and social responsibility practices in government agencies in South Africa.
Intellectual Capital
Authors: Nama Deepak Kumar , Kanungo Ranjana
Published: December 2022

Many businesses select business sustainability to satisfy the needs of the environment, society, and economy in order to be optimal in the long run. To do this, businesses must fully and efficiently utilize their resources. Intellectual capital, which increases market value and establishes long-lasting competitive advantages, is one of their most precious resources. This research advances the growth of two distinct but related fields of study: sustainability and intellectual capital. Purpose of the study is to comprehend the notion in its whole and how each component of intellectual capital contributes to a company's sustainable growth. The realization in an organization occurs at every level of management, whether on the basis of interactions with people, human resources, or effective life cycle processes or structures, as we have seen in all prior researches. A crucial or significant part of intellectual capital is played in the long-term sustainability of corporations. Intellectual capital boosts market value and solidifies long-lasting competitive advantages.
Stepping Out of the Classroom
Authors: Pakanen Minna , Alavesa Paula , Arhippainen Leena , Ojala Timo
Published: December 2022

While three-dimensional virtual learning environments have attracted plenty of research interest, mirror-world-like virtual campuses have been used mainly for virtual tours, promotions, or for simulation purposes. In this article, the authors investigate the use of geographically accurate mirror-world-like virtual campus models as an interactive learning environment. The initial prototype of the virtual campus covers about 2,300 m2 of a university campus and contains basic pedagogical, communicational, and content creation functionalities. A qualitative study with 14 participants explored their anticipated user experiences as well as their needs for the services and functionalities of the virtual campus. The findings suggest that a more profound link of reality and virtuality than just mirroring physical spaces in the virtual realm is needed. A hybrid reality approach is required to foster social community building and collaboration, 3D space design, and service integration. Finally, stepping out of the classroom introduces privacy issues that should be considered carefully.
Minecraft Our City, an Erasmus Project in Virtual World
Authors: Boniello Annalisa A. B. , Conti Alessandra A. C.
Published: December 2022

Virtual worlds (VWs) offer alternative learning environments for geoscience education and give students a feeling of “being there.” In fact, VWs are also immersive environments that enable situated learning and constructivist learning in accordance with the Vygotsky theory, because the learner is inside an “imaginary” world context. In this environment, many activities and experiences can take place as scaffolding, cooperative learning, peer-to-peer and peer evaluation, coaching, scientific inquiry. Therefore, VWs can be a new technology to motivate students and provide the educational opportunities to learn in a socially interactive learning community. In the literature already, some studies report experiences carried out to investigate the effectiveness of virtual worlds in education. In the world, there are virtual worlds used for education such as Opensim and Samsara. Minecraft (https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/) is a virtual world used by new generations specially.
Non-Verbal Communication Language in Virtual Worlds
Authors: Citarella Ivonne
Published: December 2022

Over the years, the virtual space has been changing, and the skills acquired by users have been improved, and the avatars, as well as the settings, have graphically become more and more sophisticated. In virtual reality, the avatar without an appropriate animation would move in jerks in a disharmonious way similar to a robot, but endowing it with a particular postural animation, you make a conscious choice of what information you want to transfer with its appearance and its posture. In recent years, research has focused on the study of communication and its importance. The purpose of this contribution is to analyze the animations present in Second Life trying to trace a socio-psychological picture of the non-verbal communication process in a virtual environment.
The Effects of Using On-Screen and Paper Maps on Navigation Efficiency in 3D Multi-User Virtual Environments
Authors: Tüzün Hakan , Doğan Dilek
Published: December 2022

This study aims to analyze the effects of using on-screen and paper maps on navigation efficiency in 3D MUVEs. There were 48 participants in the study, which has a randomized true experimental design. The researchers administered a demographics questionnaire and the spatial visualization test to the participants and formed three groups by checking a variety of independent variables, the On-Screen Map (OSM) group, the Paper Map (PM) group, and the Coordinate System (CS) group, which did not use any kind of map. The participants completed three tasks with increasing difficulty levels. There was a statistically significant difference between the methods for the completion times of the first task and aggregate tasks. This difference was between CS and PM as well as between CS and OSM. Participants got confused and lost the most in the CS group and the least in the OSM group. The CS group took longer to complete the tasks and got lost more frequently. Navigational aids that included visual tips about the environment increased the navigation efficiency of the participants using the MUVE.
The Effect of List-Liner-Based Interaction Technique in a 3D Interactive Virtual Biological Learning Environment
Authors: Ali Numan , Ullah Sehat , Musa Zuhra
Published: December 2022

Various interaction techniques (such as direct, menu-based, etc.) are provided to allow users to interact with virtual learning environments. These interaction techniques improve their performance and learning but in a complex way. In this chapter, we investigated a simple list-liner based interface for gaining access to different modules within a 3D interactive Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). We have implemented a 3D interactive biological VLE for secondary school level students by using virtual mustard plant (VMP), where students interact by using 3D interactive device with the help of list-liner based interface. The aim of this work is to provide an easy interaction interface to use list-liner interaction technique by using 3D interactive device in an information-rich and complex 3D virtual environment. We compared list-liner interface with direct interface and evaluations reveal that the list-liner interface is very suitable and efficient for student learning enhancement and that the students can easily understand and use the system.
3D Virtual Learning Environment for Acquisition of Cultural Competence
Authors: Petrina Stephen , Zhao Jennifer Jing
Published: December 2022

As educational systems emphasize and experiment with forms of online and remote learning, it is increasingly important to investigate the cultural competence of instructional designers. This chapter addresses the experiences of instructional designers in a 3D virtual learning environment designed for development of cultural competence. Design-based research (DBR) and user experience (UX) methodologies were employed to explore experience of six instructional designers in 3D virtual environment. A taxonomy of experience (ToE) established by Coxon guided qualitative data collection and analysis. Through examples and data, the chapter emphasizes the necessity for instructional designers to keep in mind the challenge of cultural diversity in the backgrounds of students and their own, and bring guidelines and principles into culturally sensitive and responsive instructional design processes. The authors recommend four future research directions, including cross-cultural instructional designer competencies along with research into cultural personas, avatars, and guest-host relations.
Instructional Design Applied to TCN5 Virtual World
Authors: Falcade Andressa , Krassmann Aliane Loureiro , Medina Roseclea Duarte , Freitas Vania Cristina Bordin
Published: December 2022

This chapter presents the development and implementation of an instructional design (ID) for computer networks learning within a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world (VW) that considers characteristics of cognitive style and level of expertise of the student, titled TCN5. For this purpose, a hybrid model of ID was created based on ADDIE and Dick and Carey models. To facilitate the inclusion and management of didactic materials, an educational resources manager called GRECx was developed, which was allocated to the VW through web pages inserted in 3D media objects. The approach was submitted to the evaluation of a sample of students, who pointed out that it allows greater use of didactic materials within the immersive environment, and that GRECx can actually help teachers in the inclusion of resources, avoiding the need to deal with VW settings.
Recent Advances in the Investigation of Textiles Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
Authors: Tawfik Walid
Published: December 2022

Textiles were documented via several traditional wet chemical analysis and other spectroscopic techniques, like flame-based inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and flame optical emission (OE) spectroscopy. These techniques were applied for accurate investigation studies like forensic duplication check of documents and others. Unfortunately, these methods are considered distractive methods, and unsafe in the use of aggressive chemicals. The last problems encourage scientists to seek a safe and non-destructive method like LIBS. In the spectrochemical analysis based on LIBS technique, a pulsed laser beam is focused on a target material, then a breakdown of the sample occurs, and eventually results in the formation of a transient and highly energetic plasma. In this chapter, a review describes in detail the use of LIBS as an elemental analytical technique for the determination of elements in field applications in documentary identifications, whether for forensic or archaeology applications.
Cardiovascular risk stratification in primary prevention of non-communicable diseases
Authors: Mettananda C.
Published: December 2022

No abstract available
Experience in managing refractory breathlessness in non-cancer patients undergoing palliative care
Authors: Ramadasa G. U. , Karunatillake R. , Hathlahawatta C. , Jamaldeen Z. , Thaibudeen M. A. , Ediriweera de Silva R. E. , Jayasinghe S.
Published: December 2022

Patients with end stage organ failure suffer from a range of clinical symptoms including breathlessness. The latter is a multidimensional symptom, consisting of affective as well as physical aspects. We intend to describe the management of breathlessness outside of the context of the primary disease and describe the inputs of a Palliative Care Team in the management.
The clinical cases highlight how the three cycles of breathlessness; breathing, thinking and functioning (BTF) were addressed through a multidisciplinary team. The case series shows the utility of a simple framework (i.e. three cycles), use of morphine and the importance of rehabilitation to improve breathlessness of these patients. Assessment of the three domains of breathlessness and identification of the strongest driver and targeting the treatment strategy for individual patients through a multidisciplinary approach is effective in providing relief and improving quality of life within a short period of time.
Is mastocytic colitis a specific clinical-pathological entity?
Authors: Vernia Filippo , Tatti Tiziana , Necozione Stefano , Capannolo Annalisa , Cesaro Nicola , Magistroni Marco , Valvano Marco , Pompili Simona , Sferra Roberta , Vetuschi Antonella , Latella Giovanni
Published: December 2022

The number of intestinal mast cells (MC) is increased in several types of colitis, but the mucosa of patients with chronic non-bloody diarrhea has not been studied. The current study sought to determine the relationship between MC counts and degranulation and the severity of symptoms in patients with chronic loose stools. Following a negative laboratory workup for the most common causes of chronic diarrhea, patients with chronic non-bloody loose stools were included in the study. Patients with macroscopic evidence of inflammation or organic disease were excluded after endoscopy with biopsies. Biopsies from the 179 patients in the study were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and anti-CD117 c-kit antibodies. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the degree of MC degranulation. Out of the 179 patients, 128 had normal histologic findings suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome and were used as controls. Twenty-four presented with abnormally high MC counts (≥40 MC x HPF), 23 with ≥20 intraepithelial lymphocytes x HPF suggesting lymphocytic colitis, and 4 had both (≥40 MC and ≥20 intraepithelial lymphocytes x HPF). In the patients with high MC counts, figures were significantly higher in the right colon versus the left colon (p=0.016), but degranulation did not differ in the right versus the left colon (p=0.125). No age or sex-related difference was observed (p=0.527 and p=0.859 respectively). The prevalence of abdominal pain and bloating did not differ in the three groups (p=0.959 and p=0.140, respectively). Patients with lymphocytic colitis (p=0.008) and those with high MC counts (p=0.025) had significantly higher evacuation rates compared to controls. There was no difference between these two groups (p=0.831). Mast cell degranulation was not associated with the number of evacuations, abdominal pain, or bloating (p=0.51; p=0.41; p=0.42, respectively). The finding that a significantly higher number of evacuations was linked to increased MC in the colonic mucosa of a subset of patients with otherwise normal laboratory and endoscopic findings suggests that "mastocytic colitis" may be a new clinical-pathological entity responsible for chronic non-bloody diarrhea. Prospective studies with a larger number of patients, as well as endoscopic and histological follow-up, are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Management of female anorectal malformations: Our experience
Authors: Ghosh Arindam , Sinhababu Aloke Kumar , Chowdhury Aneek Roy , Patra Rishavdeb , Sarkar Ruchirendu
Published: December 2022

Anorectal malformations (ARMs) simply mean absent or malformed anal opening. Its management consists of proper knowledge of anatomy, identification of defect, and appropriate surgical management and follow-up. Anatomy and defects are different and complex in female ARM. We are discussing six cases of different female ARMs with their rare and complex anatomy analysis and their surgical management. In this series, according to the international ARM classification system (Krickenbeck), we have chosen patients of both “major” and “rare” variety for discussion. This series will give an idea about the definite and complete management of female ARM patients in the light of recent advances in a tertiary care center like IPGMER.
Correlation between predominantly subclinical peripheral arterial disease in patients with ischemic stroke: A study using ankle–brachial index from rural eastern India
Authors: Das Gautam , Potdar Prashant , Ghosh Ritwik , Dubey Souvik , Ray Biman Kanti , Modrego Pedro J
Published: December 2022

Introduction:

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) decreases arterial perfusion leading to limb ischemia. It is considered one of the markers of subclinical atherosclerosis process. For this reason, it can be a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. Early detection of PAD has an important role in preventing ischemic stroke.

Materials and Methods:

This study was carried out in District Hospital, Barasat, Kolkata, from March 2011 to March 2013. Eighty-two patients with ischemic stroke (aged 40–80 years) were recruited. Patients having atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus and embolic source were excluded. Ankle–brachial index (ABI) was performed with ultrasonography Doppler in each patient. PAD was diagnosed when the ABI was below 0.9. The severity of stroke was assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.

Statistical Analysis:

For continuous variables, analysis of variance was used to compare three or more groups of patients and Student’s t-test for two groups. Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used for categorical variables. For all analytical purposes, a two-tailed P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

According to ABI, 62 patients had no pad, 13 patients had mild, and 7 patients had severe PAD. High total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein were significantly associated with low ABI (P = 0.001). High total cholesterol levels and low ABI were significantly correlated (P < 0.001). A significant association between moderately-low ABI and recurrent stroke was noted (P = 0.019).

Conclusion:

PAD is significantly associated with recurrent ischemic strokes. Evaluation of ABI for PAD revealed increased risk of recurrent stroke.
Magnitude of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Das Chanchal , Sahana Pranab Kumar
Published: December 2022

Background:

Dyslipidemia in diabetes is very common and important contributing factor behind cardiovascular disease. This study shows the magnitude of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes whose glycemic control is optimal.

Methodology:

One hundred and thirty type 2 diabetes individuals with HbA1c <7% who were not on statin, were included in this study. Fasting lipid profile was estimated. Demographic characters and risk factors were recorded.

Results:

The mean age, duration of diabetes, and body mass index were 46.88 ± 9.32, 4.43 ± 4.58, and 24.54 ± 3.44, respectively. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 88.46% in our study group. The most common pattern of dyslipidemia was combined dyslipidemia (46.1%) followed by isolated dyslipidemia (36.5%).

Conclusion:

The prevalence of dyslipidemia is very high despite good glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.
Phenytoin-induced hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia
Authors: Singhania Pankaj , Deshpande Aditya , Ghosh Arunava , Dhar Abhranil , Biswas Pritam , Bhattacharjee Rana , Chowdhury Subhankar
Published: December 2022

Increased hair growth may be due to hirsutism or hypertrichosis. Hirsutism is the growth of excessive terminal hair in androgen-dependent areas in females, whereas, hypertrichosis is excessive hair growth anywhere in the body in both males and females. Both these entities, although similar in presentation, have varied etiologies and required a distinct diagnostic approach. Gingival or gum hyperplasia can be a presentation of various conditions including drug induced. We would like to report the case of a young boy on phenytoin who had presented to our outpatient services with increased hair growth and gingival hyperplasia.
Diagnostic Dilemmas in Young onset Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Saha Avijit , Roy Parna
Published: December 2022

The prevalence of diabetes among teenagers is increasing worldwide. Diabetes in young has profound implications on long term health of individuals and for the society as well. A wide range of specific type of diabetes can occur in this age group. The diagnosis of diabetes actually involves two steps. The first step is to document the elevated blood glucose as per the autoimmune diabetes in adults cutoffs and the second step is to characterize the type of diabetes the particular person has. The diagnosis of specific type of diabetes in young individuals poses several unique challenges. The things get further complicated by the fact that Asian-Indians represent diverse ethnicity where Type 2 diabetes tends to occur two decades earlier and relatively at lower body mass index. Treatment outcome depends on the correct diagnosis of diabetes type and subsequent targeted therapy. Correct diagnosis also enables clinicians to provide information to the patient about disease course and nature of therapy that the particular patient needs. A detailed patient history and physical examination provide clues to the diagnosis. However, to make appropriate diagnosis, sometimes, we need to take the help of special tests such as islet cell autoantibodies, fasting and stimulated c-peptide, lipid profile, USG of the abdomen, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. The results of these tests need to be interpreted cautiously as many of these tests’ results cannot reliably discriminate between types of diabetes and moreover results are keep changing as the disease evolves. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of each type of diabetes that can occur in young individuals.
Assessment of deoxyribonucleic acid damage in exfoliated bladder cells and its prognostic implication in urinary bladder cancer patients
Authors: Gupta Piyush , Banerjee Kalyan , Ghosh Amlan , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: December 2022

Background:

In this era where when one has to look for prognostic and diagnostic methods for evaluating tumors not only they are invasive but very much expensive also which is not at all easy for everyone to opt for. In our study we have tried to look for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) damage in exfoliated bladder cells which is obtained from a simple urine test and tried to correlate the damage with tumour stage and grade obtained from bladder biopsy.

Aim:

To assess Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) damage in Bladder tumour and it’s extrapolation on exfoliated bladder cells and to study association of DNA damage markers with diseases prognosis if any.

Study and Design:

It is analytical cross sectional study done in tertiary care centre in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Material and Method:

After fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criterion we evaluated 70 patients with Bladder space occupying lesion (SOL) to study the DNA damage on exfoliated bladder cells by Fast Halo method and Gamma Histone Analysis and studied the correlation between them if any and also Histopathological Findings.

Statistical Analysis Used:

All statistical tests were done using GraphPad PRISM (version 7, 2016) and SPSS 20 for Windows ( IL, USA). Association was determined by Student t-test and correlation study was performed by Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Results:

It was concluded that DNA damage assessed by Fast Halo method done on exfoliated bladder cells statistically correlates with the findings of DNA damage assessed by Gamma Histone analysis and there was a positive correlation with tumour grade and stage.

Conclusion:

DNA damage assessed by Fast Halo method correlates well with the finding of DNA damage assessed by Gamma Histone analysis and both these findings were consistent with the findings obtained by Histopathology.
Expression analysis of leptin and leptin receptor in prostate cancer and its association with clinicopathological parameters: A case–control study
Authors: Gupta Piyush , Banerjee Anwesha , Ghos Amlan , Pal Dilip K.
Published: December 2022

Aim:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression analysis of leptin and leptin receptor (LR) in prostate cancer and to determine its association with other clinicopathological parameters.

Materials and Methods:

Following the screening of the patients fulfilling the inclusion criterion, prostate biopsy specimens were taken and studied. After histopathological diagnosis, immunohistochemistry was done on paraffin-embedded tissue with suitable antibodies. Results were tabulated and analyzed using suitable variables such as mean, median, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation for trend.

Results:

A total of 77 patients were analyzed out of which 45 were benign and 32 were malignant. Expression of leptin and LR was studied in both benign and malignant tissues and a correlation between these two was found in prostate malignancy which was statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Our findings concluded that LR expression could be a potential prognostic biomarker for prostate malignancy.
Metabolic syndrome and bladder carcinoma – A cross-sectional study
Authors: Mondal Soumya , Khare Eeshansh , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: December 2022

Background and Objective:

Urinary bladder carcinoma is one of the most common carcinomas of the genitourinary tract. Smoking and male sex being an established etiological factor for bladder carcinoma, the rising incidence is seen in nonsmokers as well as in females suggesting other probable etiologies such as metabolic syndrome. Our intention was to know the association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of urinary bladder carcinoma and its histopathological grading.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study of 201 patients was performed after ethics clearance in a tertiary care hospital in India, between June 1, 2017, and May 31, 2019. The data of patients of urothelial carcinoma bladder were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome and its associated variables for comparison and evaluation.

Results:

Of the total 201 patients, 15 patients had metabolic syndrome. In metabolic syndrome patients, ten patients had high-grade tumors and five patients had low-grade tumors. Moreover, in metabolic syndrome negative patients, 145 were of low grade and 41 were of high grade. Body mass index >30, triglyceride levels >150 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein level <40 mg/dL were mostly present in patients of metabolic syndrome, and its association was statistically significant.

Interpretation and Conclusion:

Metabolic syndrome is associated with high-grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Hence, patients with the risk factors for metabolic syndrome and without urinary symptoms should be properly screened for bladder cancer as there may be bladder carcinoma in the early stage and its timely diagnosis and intervention can prolong the survival of these patients.
Efficacy of the three-point cuff palpation technique in preventing endobronchial tube migration during positioning in robotic pelvic surgeries
Authors: Mittal Amit K. , Dubey Jitendra , Shukla Seema , Bhasin Nikhil , Dubey Mamta , Jaipuria Jiten
Published: December 2022

Background and Aims:

During robotic pelvic surgeries, the shortening of endotracheal tube (ETT) tip-to-carina distance (DTC) during pneumoperitoneum with 45° Trendelenburg position can result in endobronchial tube migration. In the three-point ETT cuff palpation (TPP) technique, maximal ETT cuff distension is felt over the tracheal segment located between the cricoid-thyroid membrane and suprasternal notch, which is likely to provide optimal placement. However, the reproducibility and reliability of the TPP technique in preventing endobronchial tube migration are yet to be evaluated. Hence, we compared three ETT placement techniques: TPP technique, intubation guide mark (IGM) technique and Varshney’s formula (VF) for the prevention of endobronchial tube migration during robotic pelvic surgeries.

Methods:

ETT placement by TPP was compared with IGM and VF techniques in 100 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical class II-III patients, by assessing the serial changes in DTC and incidence of endobronchial tube migration throughout the different phases of pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg position using t-test and Chi-square test. Changes in the DTC during various phases were also measured.

Results:

DTC (mean ± standard deviation) at baseline and during pneumoperitoneum was significantly better in TPP technique (2.80 ± 0.62 cm and 1.96 ± 0.66 cm) as compared to both IGM (2.50 ± 1.27 cm and 1.41 ± 1.29 cm) and VF techniques (1.83 ± 1.13 cm and 0.98 ± 1.18 cm), P < 0.001. During pneumoperitoneum, the mean shortening of DTC was 0.84 ± 0.20 cm, and no endobronchial tube migration was found in TPP technique compared to 20% in IGM and 25% in VF techniques, P < 0.001.

Conclusion:

TPP is a simple and reliable technique, which provides optimal ETT placement and prevents endobronchial tube migration throughout the different phases of robotic pelvic surgeries.
Parasacral ischial plane block for lower limb wound debridement surgeries – A case series
Authors: Sherfudeen Khaja Mohideen , Sankarlal Nirmal Kumar , Jayapal Indupriyadarshini , Kaliannan Senthil Kumar
Published: December 2022

Parasacral ischial plane block is a novel fascial plane approach to sacral plexus. Parasacral ischial plane block is technically less challenging and obviates the need for direct visualisation of sacral plexus. It can reliably be performed in limb-amputated patients where neuromuscular stimulation is less useful. Ten patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II-IV, aged between 18 and 70 years, posted for elective lower limb debridement surgeries were enroled in this prospective case series. The time taken to perform the block was ≤4 minutes in all cases. Time taken for full sensory loss was 9 minutes to 15 minutes. None of the patients developed a complete motor blockade till 30 minutes after our observation. None of the patients required intraoperative supplemental analgesia. This block is technically easy, less time-consuming, and provided adequate sensory analgesia in below-knee surgeries.