bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-gap esophageal atresia: management, most frequent complications, and expert recommendations – review of literature
Authors: Kędzierska Zofia , Dadas Klaudia , Żurek Urszula , Tołwiński Ignacy , Świercz Aleksandra , Małachowska Dominika , Ciecierski-Koźlarek Hubert , Antkowiak Klaudia , Shved Kateryna
Published: August 2023

Introduction and aim of the study. Long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) is a congenital anomaly in which the gap between both ends of the esophagus exceeds three intervertebral spaces and is an esophageal atresia without air in the abdomen. The defect is both therapeutic and surgical challenge. This review aims at providing an overview of the most recent literature on the effective methods for treatment of LGEA, and the most frequent complications and experts’ recommendations on this subject.

Material and methods. The systematic review was based on available data collected using PubMed database and the Google Scholar web search engine.

Analysis of the literature. There is no consensus on the ideal technique for surgical treatment of LGEA. There are two possible approaches for opening the thorax – thoracotomy and thoracoscopy. The techniques stimulating esophageal elongation include external and internal traction techniques, magnetic compression anastomosis and intramural botulinum type A toxin injection. Replacement methods are a viable option when it is impossible to preserve the native esophagus. Decellularized matrices seem to be promising in developing an esophageal substitute. Regardless of the surgical approach a common complication of surgical treatment is anastomotic stenosis which requires further surgical interventions.

Conclusion. Elongation techniques are effective in approximation of the proximal and distal esophagus. The future lies with tissue engineering and inventing an off-the-shelf esophageal substitute. The centralization of treatment is recommended. After discharge from hospital interdisciplinary outpatient assessment and care is required. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal mode of treatment and prevent complications associated with LGEA.
Multipotential properties of eugenol in pharmacology - comprehensive review of current state of knowledge
Authors: Łoś Tomasz , Bielawska Olga , Rogala Maciej , Lorenc Karol , Jabłońska Klaudia , Kuc Michał , Giżewska Kamila , Gulbicka Marta
Published: August 2023

Introduction and purpose: Eugenol is a well-known phenolic chemical substance that can be found in clove oil. Due to its multi-potential properties, it arouse more and more interest from scientists. The possibility of using it as a therapeutic substance in many diseases is being sought. The aim of this review is to summarize the latest information on eugenol, explanation its mechanisms of action and to demonstrate the expanding therapeutic potential.Materials and methods: The literature available on PubMed, Google Scholar was reviewed using the words: “eugenol”; “antibacterial”; “antifungal” ;“antiinflammatory” Description of the state of knowledge: Eugenol demonstrates many pharmacological properties, of which the most essential is the ability to inhibit the growth and eradication of many human pathogens. Its wide spectrum of action covers Gram-negative bacteria as well as some Gram-positive bacteria. Eugenol also represents fungicidal properties, and the mechanism of its action is seen in its ability to deform and disrupt the cell membrane of pathogens. After eugenol penetrates  through the cell membrane excessive amounts ROS are formed and next fatty acids that build the cell membrane are modified, which ultimately leads to the lysis of the pathogen cell. Research on eugenol also proves its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties by blocking cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. The effectiveness of eugenol is comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

 Summary: Based on the promising results of recent research on the properties of eugenol, it can be expected that in the future it will be used in the production of new therapeutic agents. However, it seems reasonable to conduct more large clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of eugenol before it is introduced as a therapeutic agent.
Réforme franciscaine, théologie du salut et mouvances laïques entre Elbe et Vistule au XVe siècle. Réflexions préliminaires autour du Traité sur la confraternité de Nicolas Lackman (1479)
Authors: de Cevins Marie-Madeleine
Published: August 2023

The Tractatus de confraternitate written by the minister of the Franciscan province of Saxony,Nicholas Lackman, seems to be the only autonomous text dealing specifically with spiritual confraternity,a practice that is nonetheless very old in Western Christianity and inseparable from therise of Benedictine monasticism and from the influence of the Mendicant and Hospitaller ordersat the end of the Middle Ages. Yet the only manuscript witnesses to this opus are now in Gdańsk,which was Nicholas Lackman’s hometown, and Wrocław, where he died in 1479. No versions havesurvived in the German countries. After presenting the structure and content of the treatise, thiscontribution attempts to explain this surprising documentary situation by relating it to the debatesthat agitated Franciscan reformers since the mid-fifteenth century in the whole area, opposing thesupporters of Observance ‘under the vicars’ against the advocates of fidelity to the institutions ofthe Minor Brothers’ order. It also addresses the circumstances in which this text came into being.
Kronika Ura-Lindy
Authors: Strzelczyk Jerzy
Published: August 2023

The chronicle of Ura-Linda, although today we can state without any doubt that it is a fake fromthe nineteenth century, played an important role in the history of literature and national identityof Frisians. It belongs to a large group of modern fakes appearing in different countries of Europeand aiming at glorification of the old history. Among them, the most important and successfulfrom the artistic perspective were the following works: Osjan’s Canto of James Macpherson, Kingand Court Manuscript as well as Zielona Góra Manuscript of Vaclav Hanka and The Canto of Igor’sExpedition of an unknown author. The article presents briefly the history of the „discovery” of therelic, research on its authenticity and selected fragments of its content.
Irreducible Dislocation of the Great Toe Interphalangeal Joint, Dorsal, and Plantar. Management and Long-term Evolution
Authors: García-Mata Serafín , Albiñana-Cunningham Juan-Newton , D’Arrigo-Azzarelli Andrea-Filippo
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Irreducible dislocation of the great toe interphalangeal (IP) joint is a rare injury that has scarcely been reported in dorsal direction, but no reported in plantar direction. Closed reduction usually leads to sesamoid incarceration, making the reduction impossible. The purpose of this article is to review the management of irreducible IP dislocation of the great toe presenting three new patients who cover several forms: Open and closed dorsal Miki Type 2 dislocation and one chronic neglected plantar dislocation. Cases Report: These three new cases demonstrate different presentations of IP (adolescents or young adults, open or closed, acute or chronic, dorsal, and plantar). Usually, Miki’s Type I is the result of a failed IP dorsal Miki’s 2 dislocation reduction. Closed reduction without traction is not usually sufficient, thus percutaneous reduction with K-wire fixation or open reduction should be employed. Open reduction was required in these cases. A Kirschner wire was used to for temporal immobilization in two of the cases and a buddy strapping securing to the second toe for 3 weeks in the three cases. Conclusions: In dorsal dislocations the reduction must be performed without axial traction and only by pressure in the base of the phalanx. Secondary to the trial of orthopedic reduction or spontaneously, incarceration of the sesamoids bones is the rule (Miki 1). In this situation, percutaneous or open reduction must be performed. Plantar dislocation does not provoque intra-articular sesamoid interposition. This article describes the first reported case of neglected plantar dislocation that required open reduction, similar management adding that the long-term functional prognosis is good. Keywords: IPJ dislocation, great toe, irreducible, Miki classification, dorsal and plantar.
Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Tear Associated with an Intra-articular Axial Spilt Osteochondral Fracture of the Lateral Femoral Condyle: a “Knee Trap-door” Fracture
Authors: Bansal Shivam , Choudhury Arghya , Barman Saptarshi , Niraula Bishwa , Raja Balgovind , Kalia Roop
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) prevents lateral dislocation of the patella and acts as a major stabilizer. The tear could be associated with osteochondral avulsion fractures; however, intra-articular split fractures are not seen. Here, we present one unusual case of such a presentation. Case report: A 16-year-old male presented with a history of recurrent patellar dislocation and inability to bear weight following the last episode. The patient was diagnosed with an MPFL tear with an unusual intra-articular femoral condyle split fracture. The case had significant improvement in functional scores post-surgery. Conclusion: In physically active populations, twisting of the knee could result in an MPFL tear, leading to recurrent patellar dislocation. The treatment remains ligament reconstruction, open, or arthroscopic. Associated intra-articular fractures are very rare with such injuries and need to be addressed due to the high rate of non-union. Keywords: Medial patella-femoral ligament, MPFL tear, osteochondral fracture, Herbert screw fixation.
Institutional Liberation: Reimagining Museums as Counterpower Infrastructures
Authors: Pittas Konstantinos
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Despite the limitations that pertain to the hierarchical nature and regulatory arrangements embodied in and through institutions, this article sets out to envisage museums as agonistic platforms that can contest the neoliberal hegemony and the predominant narratives of the West. To do so, it delves into the political presuppositions and organizing principles of Not An Alternative (a collective that works at the intersection of art, activism, and critical theory) and examines its theory of "institutional liberation" alongside other accounts of institutionality. By inventing a para-institution —the Natural History Museum—to infiltrate the natural history sector and by forging alliances with museum professionals and Indigenous-led campaigns, the article untangles Not An Alternative's understanding of museums as sites to be seized and turned into counterpower infrastructure. In this respect, this article aims to contribute to critical theories that engage with questions of institutionality by reimagining the role of museums in a time of mounting inequalities and climate emergency.
Finding Forgiveness: Augustine and Greco-Roman Thought on Interpersonal Forgiveness
Authors: Mooney Christopher R.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Despite the great esteem for forgiveness in the modern world, recent historical studies have cast doubt on the existence of the practice or even the concept of interpersonal forgiveness in the Greco-Roman world. Classical scholars have noted the prevalence of vengeance in the popular and literary imagination, the scarcity of apology, the subordination of clemency to political power, and the philosophical opposition to forgiveness. The Latin bishop Augustine of Hippo (354–430) surprisingly agreed with this assessment. Augustine, his contemporary Roman critics, and even his congregation understood the church as advocating—even discovering—a novel, difficult practice: unconditional forgiveness. Though Augustine offers no singular treatment of forgiveness, his letters and sermons bear witness to a clearly developed and articulated position: that forgiveness must be preveniently, unconditionally offered but is still necessarily oriented toward the just reform of the offender. Augustine particularly highlights the example of Christ's forgiveness and its union with prayer. Augustine interprets the scandal of unconditional forgiveness in reference to the even greater scandal of love of enemies, which seeks the true good of offenders in accord with justice, rather than satisfaction through a belittling vengeance. Thus, Augustine's view of forgiveness can be best grasped by distinguishing between the offer of forgiveness— forgiving —and the reception of forgiveness— being forgiven . Forgiving is unconditional, but being forgiven occurs through just reform. In this way, the complete arc of forgiveness incorporates both prevenient mercy and justice. In addition to illuminating the place of late antique Christianity in the history of forgiveness, this article shows that Augustine presents a robust account of unconditional forgiveness that is not a passive resignation but rather intrinsic to true justice.
Edward Livingston, Nullification, and Louisiana's Political Transformation
Authors: Sturgeon Joel
Published: August 2023

Abstract: This article corrects major historiographical flaws concerning Louisiana's early relationship with the United States and argues the federal tariff was the most critical factor influencing state reconciliation. Leading Louisiana historians like Peter Kastor concur that slavery inspired French-speaking Creole planters to embrace U.S. citizenship. Their consensus further holds that Creole commitment to slavery crystalized their national cultural acceptance. However, Creole planters shared far more with Caribbean slaveholders than those in the American South. Throughout Louisiana's early territorial and statehood years, slavery bolstered animosity between Anglo-Americans and Creoles. The former viewed Creoles through a racist lens and remained wary of their slave-related cultural practices, like openly acknowledging mixed-race relationships. The latter feared that English-speaking migrants would undermine their legal hegemony and inspire insurrection. Though slavery impeded Louisiana unity, the federal tariff did more than anything else to foster it. Throughout the 1820s, Creole planters became reliant on federal sugar protections to alleviate competition. Thus, the tariff gave Creoles a considerable incentive to embrace national political identities. Louisiana's redoubtable statesman Edward Livingston was particularly instrumental in promoting reconciliation on both sides. Before becoming Andrew Jackson's Secretary of State, the exiled New Yorker spent decades representing his adopted state's culturally divergent Creoles. When South Carolina triggered the Nullification Crisis in 1832-1833, Livingston spoke with Louisiana's unique perspective and eloquently guided Jackson's response which deftly balanced federalism's necessities with states' rights concerns. Thus, through the tariff, Louisiana not only embraced its new American identity, but the government employed Louisiana's voice to preserve the Union.
Development and evaluation of a wearable peripheral vascular compensation sensor in a swine model of hemorrhage
Authors: Bonetta-Misteli Francesca , Collins Toi , Pavek Todd , Carlgren Madison , Bashe Derek , Frolova Antonina , Shmuylovich Leonid , O’Brien Christine M.
Published: August 2023

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading and most preventable cause
of maternal mortality, particularly in low-resource settings. PPH is
currently diagnosed through visual estimation of blood loss or
monitoring of vital signs. Visual assessment routinely underestimates
blood loss beyond the point of pharmaceutical intervention.
Quantitative monitoring of hemorrhage-induced compensatory processes,
such as the constriction of peripheral vessels, may provide an early
alert for PPH. To this end, we developed a low-cost, wearable optical
device that continuously monitors peripheral perfusion via laser
speckle flow index (LSFI) to detect hemorrhage-induced peripheral
vasoconstriction. The measured LSFI signal produced a linear response
in phantom models and a strong correlation coefficient with blood loss
averaged across subjects (>0.9) in a large animal model, with
superior performance to vital sign metrics.
Volume electron microscopy reveals human retinal mitochondria that align with reflective bands in optical coherence tomography [Invited]
Authors: Kar Deepayan , Kim Yeon Jin , Packer Orin , Clark Mark E. , Cao Dongfeng , Owsley Cynthia , Dacey Dennis M. , Curcio Christine A.
Published: August 2023

Mitochondria are candidate reflectivity signal sources in optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal imaging. Here, we use deep-learning-assisted volume electron microscopy of human retina and in vivo imaging to map mitochondria networks in the outer plexiform layer (OPL), where photoreceptors synapse with second-order interneurons. We observed alternating layers of high and low mitochondrial abundance in the anatomical OPL and adjacent inner nuclear layer (INL). Subcellular resolution OCT imaging of human eyes revealed multiple reflective bands that matched the corresponding INL and combined OPL sublayers. Data linking specific mitochondria to defined bands in OCT may help improve clinical diagnosis and the evaluation of mitochondria-targeting therapies.
Univariable and multivariable mendelian randomization study revealed the modifiable risk factors of urolithiasis
Authors: Fang Hailin , Deng Jiwang , Chen Qingjiang , Chen Dong , Diao Pengfei , Peng Lian , Lai Bin , Zeng Yongmao , Han Yuefu
Published: August 2023

Background

Urolithiasis is a common urological disease with increasing incidence worldwide, and preventing its risk poses significant challenges. Here, we used Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to genetically assess the causal nature of multifaceted risk factors on urolithiasis.

Methods

17 potential risk factors associated with urolithiasis were collected from recently published observational studies, which can be categorized basically into lifestyle factors and circulating biomarkers. The instrumental variables of risk factors were selected from large-scale genome-wide association studies (N ≤ 607,291). Summary-level data on urolithiasis were obtained from UK Biobank (UKB) (3,625 cases and 459,308 noncases) and the FinnGen consortium (5,347 cases and 213,445 noncases). The univariable and multivariable MR analyses were applied to evaluate the causal, independent effect of these potential risk factors upon urolithiasis. Effects from the two consortia were combined by the meta-analysis methods.

Results

Higher genetically predicted sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG, OR, 0.708; 95% CI, 0.555 to 0.903), estradiol (OR, 0.179; 95% CI, 0.042 to 0.751), tea intake (OR, 0.550; 95% CI, 0.345 to 0.878), alcoholic drinks per week (OR, 0.992; 95% CI, 0.987 to 0.997), and some physical activity (e.g., swimming, cycling, keeping fit, and bowling, OR, 0.054; 95% CI, 0.008 to 0.363) were significantly associated with a lower risk of urolithiasis. In the Multivariate Mendelian Randomization (MVMR) analyses, the significant causal associations between estradiol, SHBG, tea intake, and alcoholic drinks per week with urolithiasis were robust even after adjusting for potential confounding variables. However, the previously observed causal association between other exercises and urolithiasis was no longer significant after adjusting for these factors.

Conclusions

The univariable and multivariable MR findings highlight the independent and significant roles of estradiol, SHBG, tea intake, and alcoholic drinks per week in the development of urolithiasis, which might provide a deeper insight into urolithiasis risk factors and supply potential preventative strategies.
Investigations into SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses on mink farms in France late in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wasniewski Marine , Boué Franck , Richomme Céline , Simon-Lorière Etienne , der Werf Sylvie Van , Donati Flora , Enouf Vincent , Blanchard Yannick , Beven Véronique , Leperchois Estelle , Leterrier Bryce , Corbet Sandrine , Le Gouil Meriadeg , Monchatre-Leroy Elodie , Picard-Meyer Evelyne
Published: August 2023

Soon after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the Betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection of several mink farms breeding American minks (Neovison vison) for fur was detected in various European countries. The risk of a new reservoir being formed and of a reverse zoonosis from minks quickly became a major concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the four French mink farms to see whether SARS-CoV-2 was circulating there in late 2020. The investigations took place during the slaughtering period, thus facilitating different types of sampling (swabs and blood). On one of the four mink farms, 96.6% of serum samples were positive when tested with a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA coated with purified N protein recombinant antigen, and 54 out of 162 (33%) pharyngo-tracheal swabs were positive by RT-qPCR. The genetic variability among 12 SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced from this farm indicated the co-circulation of several lineages at the time of sampling. All the SARS-CoV-2 genomes detected were nested within the 20A clade (Nextclade), together with SARS-CoV-2 genomes from humans sampled during the same period. The percentage of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity by ELISA varied between 0.3 and 1.1% on the other three farms. Interestingly, among these three farms, 11 pharyngo-tracheal swabs and 3 fecal pools from two farms were positive by end-point RT-PCR for an Alphacoronavirus very similar to a mink coronavirus sequence observed on Danish farms in 2015. In addition, a mink Caliciviridae was identified on one of the two farms positive for Alphacoronavirus. The clinical impact of these inapparent viral infections is not known. The co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other viruses on mink farms could help explain the diversity of clinical symptoms noted on different infected farms in Europe. In addition, the co-circulation of an Alphacoronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 on a mink farm would potentially increase the risk of viral recombination between alpha and betacoronaviruses as already suggested in wild and domestic animals, as well as in humans.
Impact of fatty acid composition on markers of exocrine pancreatic stimulation in dogs
Authors: Zhang Yunyi , Kirk Claudia A. , Tolbert M. Katherine , Steiner Jörg M. , Donohoe Dallas , Murphy Maryanne , Springer Cary , Witzel-Rollins Angela
Published: August 2023

Chronic pancreatitis in dogs is typically managed with a low-fat diet. Human research suggests that consumption of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) may lessen pancreatic enzyme release compared to consumption of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Twelve healthy adult colony dogs were fed a meal of cod and rice with either 3% metabolizable energy (ME) fat (control), high MCT (25% ME MCT oil, 25% ME butter), high saturated LCFA (50% ME butter), or high unsaturated LCFA (50% ME canola oil) in a 4-period by 4-treatment crossover design. Serum concentrations of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, gastrin, cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum activities of amylase and DGGR lipase (1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(69-methylresorufin) ester lipase) were measured at times 0 (fasted), 30, 120 and 180 minutes post-prandially. Following a 3-or 4-day wash-out period, each dog was assigned a new diet and the process was repeated for all treatments. Data were analyzed as a repeated-measures mixed model ANOVA. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons were run using Tukey-Kramer adjusted p-values. Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to evaluate residual normality. All statistical assumptions were sufficiently met. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Of the markers tested, only serum triglyceride concentrations were affected by treatment, with consumption of high MCT resulting in lower triglycerides than both LCFA groups at times 120 and 180 minutes (P<0.0001). As expected, the high MCT group had higher triglycerides compared to the control group (P<0.0001). The type of dietary fat consumed had little acute impact on most markers of exocrine pancreatic stimulation in healthy dogs.
An improved grasshopper-based MPPT approach to reduce tracking time and startup oscillations in photovoltaic system under partial shading conditions
Authors: Wasim Muhammad Shahid , Amjad Muhammad , Abbasi Muhammad Abbas , Bhatti Abdul Rauf , Rasool Akhtar
Published: August 2023

Global maximum power point (GMPP) tracking under shading conditions with low tracking time and reduced startup oscillations is one of the challenging tasks in photovoltaic (PV) systems. To cope with this challenge, an improved grasshopper optimization algorithm (IGOA) is proposed in this work to track the GMPP under partial shading conditions (PSC). The performance of the proposed approach is compared with well-known swarm intelligence techniques (SITs) such as gray wolf optimization (GWO), cuckoo search algorithm (CSA), salp swarm algorithm (SSA), improved SSA based on PSO (ISSAPSO), and GOA in terms of tracking time, settling time, failure rate, and startup oscillations. For a fair comparison, the PV system is analysed under uniform irradiance and three PSCs having four to six peaks in the power-voltage characteristic curves and using three to six search agents for each SIT. For this purpose, a PV system containing six solar panels has been built using MATLAB/SIMULINK software, and statistical analysis is performed in detail. The results show that the IGOA tracks the GMPP in 0.07 s and settles the output in 0.12 s which is 25% to 96% faster than its counterparts. Moreover, IGOA proves its consistency with a minimal tracking failure rate of 0% for four to six search agents with negligible startup oscillations. This work is expected to be helpful to PV system installers in obtaining maximum benefits from the installed system.
Inclusion of non-medical interventions in model-based economic evaluations for tuberculosis: A scoping review
Authors: Ramsay Lauren C. , Marina Richardson  , Miranda Rafael N. , Hassan Marian , Brode Sarah K. , Rea Elizabeth , Sander Beate
Published: August 2023

Background

The economic evaluation of health interventions is important in priority setting. Several guidance documents exist to support the conduct of economic evaluations, however, there is limited guidance for the evaluation of non-medical interventions. For tuberculosis (TB), where equity-deserving groups are disproportionately impacted, assessing interventions aimed at addressing social risk factors is necessary to effectively reduce TB burden.

Objective

This scoping review seeks to assess the existing literature on model-based economic evaluations of TB interventions to gauge the extent to which non-medical interventions have been evaluated in low-TB-incidence jurisdictions. As a secondary objective, this review aims to characterize key features of existing economic evaluations of medical and non-medical interventions.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in the grey literature and MEDLINE, Embase, EconLit, and PsychINFO databases to September 6, 2022 following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Eligible articles were those that used decision-analytic modeling for economic evaluation of TB interventions in low-TB-incidence jurisdictions.

Results

This review identified 127 studies that met the inclusion criteria; 11 focused on prevention, 73 on detection, and 43 on treatment of TB. Only three studies (2%) evaluated non-medical interventions, including smoking reduction strategies, improving housing conditions, and providing food vouchers. All three non-medical intervention evaluations incorporated TB transmission and robust uncertainty analysis into the evaluation. The remainder of the studies evaluated direct medical interventions, eight of which were focused on specific implementation components (e.g., video observed therapy) which shared similar methodological challenges as the non-medical interventions. The majority of remaining evaluated medical interventions were focused on comparing various screening programs (e.g., immigrant screening program) and treatment regimens.

Conclusions

This scoping review identified a gap in literature in the evaluation of non-medical TB interventions. However, the identified articles provided useful examples of how economic modeling can be used to explore non-traditional interventions using existing economic evaluation methods.
Reduction of carcinogens in fermented fish (pla-ra and pla-som) by heating
Authors: Artchayasawat Atchara , Sriraj Pranee , Boonmars Thidarut , Aukkanimart Ratchadawan , Wisetmora Ampas , Borlace Glenn N. , Boueroy Parichart , Pumhirunroj Benjamabhorn , Laummaunwai Porntip , Rattanasuwan Panaratana , Boonjaraspinyo Sirintip , Ekobol Nattapon , Pitaksakulrat Opal , Zhiliang Wu
Published: August 2023

Background and Aim: The risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are opisthorchiasis and the intake of a combination of nitroso compounds through the consumption of traditionally fermented fish, which is very popular in areas where liver flukes are endemic. The incidence of CCA remains high because this cultural habit of rural people has been altered. Therefore, decreasing nitrate and nitrite concentrations in fermented fish are an alternative approach to reducing the risk of CCA. Thus, this study aimed to reduce nitrate and nitrite concentrations in fermented foods by heating and investigated its effect on CCA development in a hamster model.

Materials and Methods: We used Association of Official Analytical Chemists method 973.31 to measure the nitrate and nitrite concentrations in both fermented fish (pla-ra [PR]) and pickled fish (pla-som [PS]) before and after boiling for 5 and 30 min, respectively. The same samples were fed to Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)-infected or -uninfected hamsters for 3 months. Thereafter, the hamsters’ liver and blood were collected for analysis.

Results: The levels of nitrates and nitrites in PS and PR significantly decreased following boiling for 5 and 30 min. The OV-PR and OV-PS groups showed dramatically increased numbers of inflammatory cells, fibrosis surrounding the bile duct, and focal fibrotic areas. However, after boiling the fermented dishes for 5 and 30 min, the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration and intensity of fibrosis in these groups were decreased.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that boiling reduces nitrate and nitrite toxicity in fermented dishes, as evidenced by reduced hepatic inflammation. However, regardless of heating, kidney tissues are adversely affected when fermented meals are consumed daily.

Keywords: cholangiocarcinoma, fish, liver flukes, opisthorchiasis.
Library of Congress Subject Headings in Jewish Studies: Recent Changes (1991–1992)
Authors: Joseph Galron-Goldschläger
Published: August 2023

The following subject headings of interest to Judaica and Hebraica librarians were culled from Library of Congress Weekly Lists nos. 30–51 (1991) and 1–20 (1992). This list continues my earlier one, pub­lished in Judaica Librarianship, vol. 6, no 1–2 (Spring 1991–Winter 1992), pp. 81–93. The list is also an update of my 3rd enlarged and updated edition of Library of Congress Subject Headings in Jewish Studies (New York: Association of Jewish Libraries, 1992).
Library of Congress Classification for Judaica: Recent Changes (1991–1992)
Authors: Dreyfuss Ricky
Published: August 2023

The scope of this column encompasses the entire LC classifica­tion, with particular emphasis on the classes of major importance to Judaica libraries. Changes in LC classification as they pertain to Judaica, including additions, cancellations, or replacements of class numbers are reported.
A Compact Negative Group Delay Microstrip Diplexer with Low Losses for 5G Applications
Authors: Nouri Leila , Yahya Salah I. , Rezaei Abbas , Hazzazi Fawwaz A. , Nhu Binh N.
Published: August 2023

Microstrip Diplexers play an important role in modern wireless communication systems. In this paper, a novel compact microstrip diplexer based on spiral cells is presented. The proposed resonator primarily consists of two spiral thin lines connected to a pair of coupled lines. This novel resonator is analyzed mathematically to find its behavior and tune the dimensions of the final layout easily. Using the analyzed resonator, two bandpass filters (BPFs) are designed. Then, a novel high-performance microstrip diplexer is obtained by designing and integrating these two BPFs. The center frequencies of the first and second channels of the proposed diplexer are 1.86 GHz and 4.62 GHz, respectively. The proposed diplexer boasts a remarkably small size of 0.004 λg2 and features flat channels with low insertion losses of only 0.048 dB and 0.065 dB for the first and second channels, respectively. The maximum group delays of S21 and S31 are 0.31 ns, 0.86 ns, respectively, which are good values for a modern communication system. Meanwhile, inside its passbands for some frequency ranges, its group delays are negative. Thus, using this diplexer can decrease the signal dispersion. The 1st and 2nd passbands are wide with 47.3% and 47.1% fractional bandwidths (FBW), respectively. Therefore, this diplexer can be easily and successfully used in designing high-performance RF communication systems.
Clinical Predictors and Outcomes After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Tracheostomy
Authors: Lamba Harveen K. , Hart Lucy D. , Zhang Qianzi , Loera Jackquelin M. , Civitello Andrew B. , Nair Ajith P. , Senussi Mourad H. , Loor Gabriel , Liao Kenneth K. , Shafii Alexis E. , Chatterjee Subhasis
Published: August 2023

Background

Postoperative respiratory failure is a major complication that affects up to 10% of patients who undergo cardiac surgery and has a high in-hospital mortality rate. Few studies have investigated whether patients who require tracheostomy for postoperative respiratory failure after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation have worse survival outcomes than patients who do not.

Objective

To identify risk factors for respiratory failure necessitating tracheostomy in CF-LVAD recipients and to compare survival outcomes between those who did and did not require tracheostomy.

Methods

Consecutive patients who underwent primary CF-LVAD placement at a single institution between August 1, 2002, and December 31, 2019, were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score matching accounted for baseline differences between the tracheostomy and nontracheostomy groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify tracheostomy risk factors and 90-day survival; Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess midterm survival.

Results

During the study period, 664 patients received a CF-LVAD; 106 (16.0%) underwent tracheostomy for respiratory failure. Propensity score matching produced 103 matched tracheostomy-nontracheostomy pairs. Patients who underwent tracheostomy were older (mean [SD] age, 57.9 [12.3] vs 54.6 [13.9] years; P = .02) and more likely to need preoperative mechanical circulatory support (61.3% vs 47.8%; P = .01) and preoperative intubation (27.4% vs 8.8%; P < .001); serum creatinine was higher in the tracheostomy group (mean [SD], 1.7 [1.0] vs 1.4 [0.6] mg/dL; P < .001), correlating with tracheostomy need (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.21-2.56; P = .003). Both before and after propensity matching, 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, and 1-year survival were worse in patients who underwent tracheostomy. Median follow-up was 0.8 years (range, 0.0-11.2 years). Three-year Kaplan-Meier survival was significantly worse for the tracheostomy group before (22.0% vs 61.0%; P < .001) and after (22.4% vs 48.3%; P < .001) matching.

Conclusion

Given the substantially increased probability of death in patients who develop respiratory failure and need tracheostomy, those at high risk for respiratory failure should be carefully considered for CF-LVAD implantation. Comprehensive management to decrease respiratory failure before and after surgery is critical.
Comparing the Learning Outcomes of Online versus Face-to-Face Formats in Teaching a Marketing Course: An Empirical Observation
Authors: Choe Sang T.
Published: August 2023

A study was conducted to compare the academic performance of two groups of university students enrolled in the Principles of Marketing course. One group of students participated in an online class, while the other group of students attended a face-to-face class. The results of the study revealed notable differences in academic performance between the two groups. The findings consistently indicated that the online students outperformed their counterparts in the face-to-face class, particularly, in the multiple-choice examinations as well as the essay-problem questions. However, the author of the study highlights a significant factor that readers should consider when interpreting these results. The higher performance demonstrated by online students may be attributed to their demographic and socioeconomic background. It was observed that the online students were significantly older, married, and came from a higher economic status compared to the face-to-face class students. Furthermore, the online students devoted nearly double the amount of time to studying, averaging 6.26 hours per week compared to 3.54 hours for the face-to-face class students in the study.
On and off the common ground: Japanese final particles as (un)grounding devices
Authors: Izutsu Mitsuko Narita , Izutsu Katsunobu
Published: August 2023

The notion of “common ground” (Clark & Brennan 1991; Clark 1996) presupposes communication or conversation as “the basic setting for language use” (Clark 1996: 11). The serialisation of Japanese sentence-final particles is highly sensitive to the likelihood of the relevant utterance being part of the common ground. This paper reconsiders the conception of common ground and grounding processes, investigating monologic as well as conversational discourse. A case study of two modernist texts which contain internal monologue (interior monologue) illustrates how three facets of grounding activities (the establishment, confirmation, and cancellation of common ground) are tactfully realised by means of the final-particle marking of a distinction between monologic and conversational discourse. Our analysis reveals that Japanese final particles (specifically, -ne and -na(a)) play an essential role in encoding the speaker’s intention to ground or unground his/her utterance (i.e., to make the utterance on or off the common ground).
EQUI-VOCAL: Synthesizing Queries for Compositional Video Events from Limited User Interactions
Authors: Zhang Enhao , Daum Maureen , He Dong , Haynes Brandon , Krishna Ranjay , Balazinska Magdalena
Published: August 2023

We introduce EQUI-VOCAL: a new system that automatically synthesizes queries over videos from limited user interactions. The user only provides a handful of positive and negative examples of what they are looking for. EQUI-VOCAL utilizes these initial examples and additional ones collected through active learning to efficiently synthesize complex user queries. Our approach enables users to find events without database expertise, with limited labeling effort, and without declarative specifications or sketches. Core to EQUI-VOCAL's design is the use of spatio-temporal scene graphs in its data model and query language and a novel query synthesis approach that works on large and noisy video data. Our system outperforms two baseline systems---in terms of F1 score, synthesis time, and robustness to noise---and can flexibly synthesize complex queries that the baselines do not support.
Estimating Single-Node PageRank in
Õ
(min{

d
t

, √
m
}) Time
Authors: Wang Hanzhi , Wei Zhewei
Published: August 2023

PageRank is a famous measure of graph centrality that has numerous applications in practice. The problem of computing a single node's PageRank has been the subject of extensive research over a decade. However, existing methods still incur large time complexities despite years of efforts. Even on undirected graphs where several valuable properties held by PageRank scores, the problem of locally approximating the PageRank score of a target node remains a challenging task. Two commonly adopted techniques, Monte-Carlo based random walks and backward push, both cost
O
(
n
) time in the worst-case scenario, which hinders existing methods from achieving a sublinear time complexity like
O
(√
m
) on an undirected graph with
n
nodes and
m
edges.

In this paper, we focus on the problem of single-node PageRank computation on undirected graphs. We propose a novel algorithm,
SetPush
, for estimating single-node PageRank specifically on undirected graphs. With non-trival analysis, we prove that our
SetPush
achieves the Õ (min {

d
t

, √
m
]}) time complexity for estimating the target node
t
's PageRank with constant relative error and constant failure probability on undirected graphs. We conduct comprehensive experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of
SetPush.
Efficient Non-Learning Similar Subtrajectory Search
Authors: Jin Jiabao , Cheng Peng , Chen Lei , Lin Xuemin , Zhang Wenjie
Published: August 2023

Similar subtrajectory search is a finer-grained operator that can better capture the similarities between one query trajectory and a portion of a data trajectory than the traditional similar trajectory search, which requires that the two checking trajectories are similar in their entirety. Many real applications (e.g., trajectory clustering and trajectory join) utilize similar subtrajectory search as a basic operator. It is considered that the time complexity is
O
(
mn
2
) for exact algorithms to solve the similar subtrajectory search problem under most trajectory distance functions in the existing studies, where
m
is the length of the query trajectory and
n
is the length of the data trajectory. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we are the first to propose an exact algorithm to solve the similar subtrajectory search problem in
O
(
mn
) time for most of widely used trajectory distance functions (e.g., WED, DTW, ERP, EDR and Frechet distance). Through extensive experiments on three real datasets, we demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed algorithms.
On Data-Aware Global Explainability of Graph Neural Networks
Authors: Lv Ge , Chen Lei
Published: August 2023

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have significantly boosted the performance of many graph-based applications, yet they serve as black-box models. To understand how GNNs make decisions, explainability techniques have been extensively studied. While the majority of existing methods focus on local explainability, we propose DAG-Explainer in this work aiming for global explainability. Specifically, we observe three properties of superior explanations for a pretrained GNN: they should be highly recognized by the model, compliant with the data distribution and discriminative among all the classes. The first property entails an explanation to be faithful to the model, as the other two require the explanation to be convincing regarding the data distribution. Guided by these properties, we design metrics to quantify the quality of each single explanation and formulate the problem of finding data-aware global explanations for a pretrained GNN as an optimizing problem. We prove that the problem is NP-hard and adopt a randomized greedy algorithm to find a near optimal solution. Furthermore, we derive an improved bound of the approximation algorithm in our problem over the state-of-the-art (SOTA) best. Experimental results show that DAG-Explainer can efficiently produce meaningful and trustworthy explanations while preserving comparable quantitative evaluation results to the SOTA methods.
The Financial Appeal Bodies of the European Union: Nature and Future of the Appeal Panel of the Single Resolution Board
Authors: Lastra Rosa M. , Bodellini Marco
Published: August 2023

936The three financial appeal bodies established in the EU (Board of Appeal of the European Supervisory Authorities, Administrative Board of Review of the SSM, and Appeal Panel of the Single Resolution Board) have certainly a number of advantages. Particularly, their technical expertise in matters of financial supervision and resolution makes them well placed to understand the intricacies, complexities and reactions of financial markets. The members of these bodies are individuals of high repute, with a proven record of relevant knowledge and professional experience and are not bound by any instructions, thereby acting independently and in the public interest. Yet, there are also drawbacks as the nature of these financial appeal bodies is hybrid, quasi-judicial, combining features from both advisory committees and courts of justice. Also, the legal regime applicable to these financial appeal bodies is both complex and not uniform. The rationale of the new European financial regulatory regime post GFC, which prompted the creation of the appeal bodies, resides in the primacy of financial stability and public interest considerations. Although there is no doubt that administrative decisions need to be motivated if they are to be reviewed, most of such decisions in the area of banking and finance are very complex and yet timing is crucial for them to be effective. On these grounds, legitimacy and accountability are of utmost importance for any democratic system to properly function; however, the more complex the activity, the more difficult it is to establish clear standards of conduct and specific outcomes.937
Some Reflections on the Standard of Review in the Experience of the ESAs Joint Board of Appeal and of the SRB Appeal Panel
Authors: Lamandini Marco , Ramos Muñoz David
Published: August 2023

950In light of the experience we surmise that, in the EU law of finance, both for European courts and the BoA and AP the question is not about changing the standards of review as they stand; it is about ensuring that the standard of legality review is meaningfully applied, because the reviewing court or quasi court is capable of engaging in a dialogue with the supervisory institution in its own terms and challenge its reasoning, having due regard to all factual elements of the case. What kind of error of assessment counts as ‘manifest’ cannot be determined independently of the Court’s understanding of what falls within the acceptable range, which, in turn, cannot be established without reference to the court’s willingness to take an hard, or better said, closer look at all factual and legal elements of the reasoning. Thus, albeit with nuances often determined by the specific features of each case, in the supervisory and resolution context it seems to us that the marginal v full review debate is, in the Banking Union, more academic than practical and that a full assessment of facts, to the extent that procedural rules allow a proactive evidentiary role, Q&A and expert witness, and a stringent review of the interpretation and application of law (and thus of the substantive legality) is possible, and thus full legal accountability and full effective judicial protection is warranted.951
The Belgian Private Limited Without Capital: How is it Faring?
Authors: Culot Henri
Published: August 2023

1The new Belgian Code of Companies and Associations, enacted in 2019, abolished the use of capital in the limited liability company. This important reform led to various changes in the rules applicable to this type of company, although several aspects of the previous regime generally associated with the concept of capital still remain in place. This article briefly describes the changes made in 2019 (2.) but also recalls the rules that have not been substantially modified (3.). It then brings together some observations on the economic players’ behaviour after almost four years of practice under the new rules (4.).2