bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histopathological diagnosis and surgical complications following bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of unilateral canine apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma: 35 cases (2019‐2023)
Authors: Franca A. , Stamenova P. , Thompson J. L.
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To report the histopathological diagnosis of both anal sacs in dogs undergoing bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of unilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma and to compare the surgical complication rate associated with this procedure in this population with previously published literature.

Materials and Methods

Records were retrospectively reviewed for dogs that underwent bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of apparently unilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma, at a single institute between 2019 and 2023. Clinical staging, surgical treatment, histological findings, intra‐ and postoperative complications were evaluated.

Results

Thirty‐five dogs were included. Only five of 35 (14%) dogs were found to have histologically normal contralateral anal sacs. Non‐neoplastic anal sac disease was found in 23 of 35 (66%) dogs and bilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma was seen in seven of 35 (20%) dogs. None of the dogs diagnosed with bilateral neoplasia had evidence of bilateral neoplasia before surgery despite a thorough work‐up. Complications attributable to the primary tumour removal were seen in 9% of dogs intraoperatively and 14% of dogs postoperatively, commonly tumour capsule disruption and surgical site infection, respectively.

Clinical Significance

Bilateral anal sac disease was diagnosed histologically in the majority of presumed normal anal sacs, with 20% of cases being found to have bilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma. The surgical complication rates of this cohort were comparable to those reported for unilateral anal sacculectomy alone. These findings promote and encourage the use of bilateral anal sacculectomy in cases of suspected unilateral anal sac neoplasia.
Trends in substance use among sexual minority adolescents in South Korea
Authors: Joung Kyoung Hwa , Okoye Helen , Rana Monica , Saewyc Elizabeth M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Substance use, that is of cigarettes, alcohol and chemical inhalants, is a major contributor to health‐compromising behaviors and the related consequences among adolescents around the world. The purpose of this paper is to examine trends in this phenomenon in South Korea among sexually active adolescents who reported sexual minority behaviors as compared to their heterosexual (HS) peers.

Design and Methods

This study used data from the annual web‐based survey called Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 5‐year intervals: 2006, 2011, and 2016. From 2017, the questions regarding the gender of sex partners were excluded from the survey, thus no data is available for sexual minorities after 2016. Selected data (Unweighted n = 10,029) was used to assess whether substance use increased, decreased, or remained unchanged among adolescents who reported same‐sex (SS) behaviors and bisexual (BS) behaviors compared to their peers reporting HS behaviors. Demographic variables included age and assigned gender. Substances referred to are cigarettes, alcohol, and chemical inhalants. Logistic regression models were sex‐stratified according to assigned gender. Trend analyses were carried out to examine disparities in substance use among sexually active adolescents across the three survey years.

Results

Across the three survey years, cigarette use, alcohol use, and problematic drinking declined among all sexually active youths, but there were some differences among the subgroups. In 2016, SS girls were more likely to use cigarettes than HS girls. The prevalence of alcohol use and problematic drinking among BS girls was relatively higher than among girls who exhibited either HS or SS behaviors. Inhalant use was very high among both boys and girls with SS and BS behaviors.

Practice Implications

The findings of the study reveal disparities in substance use between sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents in South Korea. This creates an alarm for collecting data separately for sexually diverse youth in future Korean national surveys with a goal of reducing substance use among all adolescents.
Pressure–temperature–time controls on shock vein formation within the Steen River impact structure
Authors: Hopkins Randy G. , Spray John. G. , Walton Erin L.
Published: April 2024

Thermodynamic modeling has been applied to determine pressure–temperature–time conditions leading to shock vein formation during the passage of a natural shock wave generated by hypervelocity impact. The approach is novel in considering both shock front and rarefaction pressures, as well as simultaneously forming and cooling the shock veins via two‐dimensional steady‐state conduction. Model results are tested using shock veins developed in granitic rocks that constitute the central uplift of the Steen River impact structure in Canada. Here, two variants of majoritic garnet were generated in different settings: (1) along the margins of shock veins due to pargasite and biotite breakdown (accompanied by maskelynite formation), and (2) within the originally molten shock vein matrix as newly grown crystals. We determine that during shock vein formation, the shock front pressure and wave width at the reconstructed sample location were 18 GPa and 830 m, respectively, with a dwell time of 160 ms. Intra‐vein melting at 2150°C was attained within 1 μs. Melt cooled to the solidus in 150 ms following shock front passage. Majoritic garnet formation was facilitated by the high temperatures realized within the veins as a result of frictional melting that accompanied shock loading. The calculated pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) path provides constraints on the formation conditions of majoritic garnet at Steen River. The model results independently support previously determined P–T conditions based on mineral stability fields. The vein margin garnets (35–39 mole% majorite) and maskelynite formed first under higher P–T conditions for a longer duration (36 ms). The matrix garnets (11–22 mole% majorite) crystallized from melt under lower P–T conditions and for a shorter duration (22 ms). Our results indicate that shock pressure alone should not be used as a basis for shock classification. Instead, the interplay between pressure and temperature with time and the duration of shock immersion (dwell) must be considered.
Two approaches to metaphysical explanation
Authors: Rubenstein Ezra
Published: April 2024

Explanatory metaphysics aspires to explain the less fundamental in terms of the more fundamental. But we should recognize two importantly different approaches to this task. According to the generation approach, more basic features of reality generate (or give rise to) less basic features. According to the reduction approach, less perspicuous ways of representing reality reduce to (or collapse into) more perspicuous ways of representing reality. The main goals of this paper are to present the core differences between the two approaches (§2), to demonstrate the distinction's significance (§3), to provide some resources for adjudicating between the approaches (§4), and to argue that the project of explanatory metaphysics needs both (§5).
People and places
Authors: Horden John , López de Sa Dan
Published: April 2024

Several authors have argued that socially significant places such as countries, cities and establishments are immaterial objects, despite their being spatially located. In contrast, we aim to defend a reductive materialist view of such entities, which identifies them with their physical territories or premises. Accordingly, these are all material objects; typically, aggregates of land and infrastructure. Admittedly, our terms for these entities may also sometimes be used to denote their associated groups of people. But as long as countries, cities and establishments are understood as places, we submit, they are all material objects: the physical territories or premises of their associated groups.
Mycorrhizal type and tree diversity affect foliar elemental pools and stoichiometry
Authors: Bönisch Elisabeth , Blagodatskaya Evgenia , Dirzo Rodolfo , Ferlian Olga , Fichtner Andreas , Huang Yuanyuan , Leonard Samuel J. , Maestre Fernando T. , von Oheimb Goddert , Ray Tama , Eisenhauer Nico
Published: April 2024

Species‐specific differences in nutrient acquisition strategies allow for complementary use of resources among plants in mixtures, which may be further shaped by mycorrhizal associations. However, empirical evidence of this potential role of mycorrhizae is scarce, particularly for tree communities.

We investigated the impact of tree species richness and mycorrhizal types, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EM), on above‐ and belowground carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) dynamics.

Soil and soil microbial biomass elemental dynamics showed weak responses to tree species richness and none to mycorrhizal type. However, foliar elemental concentrations, stoichiometry, and pools were significantly affected by both treatments. Tree species richness increased foliar C and P pools but not N pools. Additive partitioning analyses showed that net biodiversity effects of foliar C, N, P pools in EM tree communities were driven by selection effects, but in mixtures of both mycorrhizal types by complementarity effects. Furthermore, increased tree species richness reduced soil nitrate availability, over 2 yr.

Our results indicate that positive effects of tree diversity on aboveground nutrient storage are mediated by complementary mycorrhizal strategies and highlight the importance of using mixtures composed of tree species with different types of mycorrhizae to achieve more multifunctional afforestation.
Camilla's traces: Movement as an analytical key to literary history
Authors: von Contzen Eva , Kukkonen Karin
Published: April 2024

In this article, we develop a framework for the analysis of ‘movement’ in literary texts. We focus on characters, translation and transmission, thereby going beyond, on the one hand, a stylistic analysis of individual passages, and, on the other hand, the linear enchainment of scenes and summaries underlying much of the narratological discussions around movement, speed and pace. We will develop this framework through a discussion of the character Camilla in Vergil's Aeneid: Book XI, Gavin Douglas's Eneados (1513) and John Dryden's Aeneis (1698). Both the version stylistically close to Vergil (Dryden) and the one that is stylistically looser (Douglas) allow for a discussion of movement that takes the principle beyond a primary concern with style. In a final step, we move to the contemporary example of Ursula Le Guin's Lavinia (2008) in order to investigate how ‘movement’ translates from the epic to the novel. Movement, as we shall show, can be analysed as movement of plot, movement of thought, and movement of figure in narrative. The framework that we propose allows for the principled discussion of transgeneric transfer of narratives, here between epic and novel, as well as the comparison of texts from different moments of literary history between the Middle Ages, the Early Modern period and the present day.
“An enormous sadness touched with rue”: The pathos of oneness in Cormac McCarthy's Suttree
Authors: Hillier Russell M.
Published: April 2024

In Cormac McCarthy's Suttree, the novel's titular protagonist Cornelius Suttree resists his father's self‐righteous conviction in the Nietzschean “pathos of distance” by living among Knoxville's helpless and destitute and testing the theory that “there is nothing occurring in the streets.” Among the city's underclass, Suttree finds a commonality in human suffering and comes to the profound realization that “all souls are one and all souls lonely.” The essay demonstrates how Suttree's personal experience of dearth and deprivation and the sense of fellow feeling, pity, and outrage elicited from his perception of and concern for the frequently unjust suffering of others are instances of pathos that persuade him to reject his father's aristocratic and elitist “pathos of distance” in favor of the egalitarian and democratic “pathos of oneness.”
The outlook of global power from an energy policy perspective
Authors: Hajimineh Rahmat , Rastegarnia Gelare
Published: April 2024

Power is one of the key concepts for understanding world politics and great power's competition in international relations. In this regard, the main question of this paper is what will be the outlook of global power from an energy perspective in the 21st century? Based on the qualitative method and the comparative approach, the hypothesis of the paper is that the hegemonic power's ability to control and secure energy as a strategic commodity will be one of the main components of global power in the future. Considering the changes that have taken place in the 21st century, especially their impact on energy policy, the aim of the article is to examine the perspective of global power. Research findings show that in competition for achieving superiority in world politics, the European Union's dependence on energy constantly makes its position in the global arena more vulnerable. Russia, following the war in Ukraine and the use of energy as a political tool, faces a structural limitation of power in the short term. Moreover, China's position as the largest energy consumer in the hegemonic competition is affected by its energy security concerns. Also, the United States, as a producer and exporter of energy, will try to stabilise its hegemonic position in the competition with competing players, including China and Russia, by shaping new energy geopolitics and controlling the global energy markets.
Temporary pacing through umbilical venous route for neonatal heart failure due to complete atrioventricular block
Authors: Anand Abhinav B. , Kulkarni Ankita A. , Jaju Gaurav D. , Sabnis Girish R. , Mahajan Ajay U.
Published: April 2024

We present a case of a neonate who presented with worsening heart failure due to congenital complete atrioventricular (AV) block, secondary to maternal anti Ro/SSA and anti‐LA/SSB antibodies. The patient was implanted a temporary pacemaker in view of hemodynamic deterioration and subsequently was weaned off ionotropic support and referred for permanent epicardial pacemaker implantation. We report temporary pacemaker implantation in a neonate with hemodynamic instability as a stabilizing measure and discuss technical challenges for the same.
Improving chilling tolerance of peanut seedlings by enhancing antioxidant‐modulated ROS scavenging ability, alleviating photosynthetic inhibition, and mobilizing nutrient absorption
Authors: Dong J. , Zhang H. , Ai X. , Dong Q. , Shi X. , Zhao X. , Zhong C. , Yu H.
Published: April 2024

Peanut production is threatened by climate change. Damage to seedlings from low temperatures in early spring can limit yield. Plant adaptations to chilling stress remain unclear in peanut seedlings. It is essential to understand how peanut acquires chilling tolerance.

We evaluated effects of chilling stress on growth and recovery of peanut seedlings. We compared and analysed biological characteristics, antioxidants, photosynthesis, biochemical and physiological responses, and nutrient absorption at varying levels of chilling.

Compared with chilling‐sensitive FH18, the reduced impact of chilling stress on chilling‐tolerant NH5 was associated with reduced ROS accumulation, higher ascorbate peroxidase activity and soluble sugar content, lower soluble protein content, and smaller reductions in nutrient content during stress. After removal of chilling stress, FH18 had significant accumulation of O2•− and H2O2, which decreased photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, and transport. ROS‐scavenging reduced damage from chilling stress, allowed remobilization of nutrients, improved chilling tolerance, and restored plant functioning after chilling stress removal.

These findings provide a reference for targeted research on peanut seedling tolerance to chilling and lay the foundation for bioinformatics‐based research on peanut chilling tolerance mechanisms.
The interactive effects of policies: Insights for policy feedback theory from a qualitative study on homelessness
Authors: Kopec Anna
Published: April 2024

The policy feedback literature has long argued that policies influence politics. Several scholars have examined the interpretive and resource effects of policies on political participation. However, how different policy design characteristics – say their generosity and their delivery – interact to influence political engagement requires further attention. This article demonstrates that policy characteristics within and between policies interact and can have counteracting or complementary effects on engagement. Through a comparative study of homelessness in Melbourne, Australia and Toronto, Canada, and drawing on over 100 interviews with individuals experiencing homelessness, service providers, and policymakers, this article demonstrates the complex effects of policies. Qualitative interview data reveal that different characteristics of policy interact to influence the venue and form of participation, as well as the experiences associated. Anatomizing policies provides nuance to our understanding of effects and interactions with important contributions and areas of future research for policy feedback theory.
Unraveling how intermediary‐beneficiary interaction shapes policy implementation
Authors: Michel Cynthia L.
Published: April 2024

As a result of policy growth, implementing agencies often face new mandates without the necessary capacity expansion to comply with, thus resorting to intermediaries. However, intermediaries are not innocuous to the implementation process, especially when they are expected to play the double role of target and intermediary, responsible for translating/interpreting regulation for beneficiaries. How does the interaction between beneficiaries and intermediaries‐target shape policy implementation? I argue that such interaction is not only determined by the role the intermediary adopts, and their relation with the beneficiary, but also by the motivations beneficiaries have for engaging in the regulatory process, and their capacity to do so. I develop a theoretical framework for understanding their interaction and apply it to a new regulatory policy in Mexico to provide social security for paid domestic workers. I explore the mechanisms by which the interaction between intermediaries and beneficiaries affects the outcome of the regulatory process.
Traditional healers' perception on scabies causation and management in Ghana
Authors: Tehrani Jian M. , Vos Ingmar A. , Kisabacak Robin , Topper Marten K. , Steinhorst Jonathan , Phillips Richard Odame , Abass Kabiru Mohammed , Osei‐Mireku Samuel , Anokye Charles Owusu , Adu Poku Joseph K. , Stienstra Ymkje , Amoako Yaw Ampem
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Scabies is an underdiagnosed skin infestation caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. The infection causes severe itching and a skin rash but can be effectively treated using topical or systemic drugs. Scabies outbreaks are commonly reported in resource‐poor countries, including Ghana. Traditional healers play an important role in primary care in rural areas. The role of these traditional healers in the management of scabies has so far not been explored. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the perceptions of traditional healers regarding the causation and management of scabies.

Methods

A phenomenological qualitative approach was employed. Traditional healers in the Asante Akim North and Central districts in Ghana were approached with an interview request. Using a semi‐structured interview protocol, 15 traditional healers were interviewed. The results were coded and analysed, after which seven themes were extrapolated.

Results

Scabies infections were frequently reported by traditional healers. Itching and skin rash were unanimously regarded as the major symptoms of scabies. The majority acknowledged the infectious nature of scabies, but no participant reported the causative organism. A dichotomous disease classification was noted, consisting of ‘natural’ and ‘spiritual’ variants each with a unique disease profile and management requirements, as reported by the traditional healers. All but two traditional healers reported to treat scabies using almost exclusively herbs and spiritual rituals.

Conclusion

The majority of traditional healers were open to collaboration with allopathic healthcare providers. Collaboration could broaden the primary care network in rural areas, but mistrust and lack of transparency form potential barriers to collaboration. We, therefore, emphasise the need for additional efforts to investigate strategies for future collaboration.
Laboratory approach for vaccine‐induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia diagnosis in the Netherlands
Authors: Meier Romy T. , Porcelijn Leendert , Hofstede‐van Egmond Suzanne , Henskens Yvonne M. C. , Coutinho Jonathan M. , Kruip Marieke J. H. A. , Stroobants An K. , Zwaginga Jaap J. , van der Bom Johanna G. , van der Schoot C. Ellen , de Haas Masja , Kapur Rick
Published: April 2024

Background and Objectives

Vaccine‐induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare adverse effect characterized by thrombocytopenia and thrombosis occurring after COVID‐19 vaccination. VITT pathophysiology is not fully unravelled but shows similarities to heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). HIT is characterized by the presence of antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin complex, which can activate platelets in an FcγRIIa‐dependent manner, whereas IgG‐antibodies directed against PF4 play an important role in VITT.

Materials and Methods

We characterized all clinically suspected VITT cases in the Netherlands from a diagnostic perspective and hypothesized that patients who developed both thrombocytopenia and thrombosis display underlying mechanisms similar to those in HIT. We conducted an anti‐PF4 ELISA and a functional PF4‐induced platelet activation assay (PIPAA) with and without blocking the platelet‐FcγRIIa and found positivity in both tests, suggesting VITT with mechanisms similar to those in VITT.

Results

We identified 65 patients with both thrombocytopenia and thrombosis among 275 clinically suspected VITT cases. Of these 65 patients, 14 (22%) tested positive for anti‐PF4 and PF4‐dependent platelet activation. The essential role of platelet‐FcγRIIa in VITT with mechanisms similar to those in HIT was evident, as platelet activation was inhibited by an FcγRIIa‐blocking antibody in all 14 patients.

Conclusion

Our study shows that only a small proportion of clinically suspected VITT patients with thrombocytopenia and thrombosis have anti‐PF4‐inducing, FcɣRIIa‐dependent platelet activation, suggesting an HIT‐like pathophysiology. This leaves the possibility for the presence of another type of pathophysiology (‘non‐HIT like’) leading to VITT. More research on pathophysiology is warranted to improve the diagnostic algorithm and to identify novel therapeutic and preventive strategies.
Platelets retain function and can be stored following disruption of human leucocyte antigens
Authors: Davis April M. , Rawson Renée , Pahn Gail , Daly James , Marks Denese C.
Published: April 2024

Background and Objectives

Antibodies to human leucocyte antigen (HLA) Class‐I antigens can lead to refractoriness to platelet transfusion. Although this can be overcome by transfusion of HLA‐compatible platelets, they are not always available. Disruption of HLA antigens on platelets by acid treatment may be a suitable alternative when no other components are available. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HLA disruption and subsequent storage of platelet components.

Materials and Methods

Platelet components were treated with 0.9% saline or citric acid solution (pH 3.0), and then stored until expiry (Day 7). HLA and platelet glycoprotein expression, platelet viability, activation and sialylation were measured by flow cytometry. Release of soluble factors was measured by ELISA and metabolism by biochemistry analyser. Reactivity to patient anti‐sera containing anti‐HLA antibodies was measured using platelet immunofluorescence tests (PIFTs) and monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigen (MAIPA) assays. Platelet function was measured using aggregometry and thromboelastography (TEG).

Results

Acid treatment reduced detection of HLA Class‐I on platelets by 75%, with significant reductions in reactivity to patient anti‐sera. Acid treatment reduced platelet content and viability, increased platelet activation and accelerated metabolism. Glycan cleavage was increased by acid treatment. Treatment reduced platelet activation following agonist stimulation by ADP and TRAP‐6, but platelets remained functional, displaying increased aggregation response and reduced time to clot formation by TEG.

Conclusion

Although HLA disruption had some detrimental effects, acid‐treated platelets remained functional, retaining their capacity to respond to agonists and form clots, and with further development could be used to support refractory patients.
Evaluation of interleukin‐1 and interleukin‐6 receptor antagonists in a murine model of acute lung injury
Authors: Meunier Émilie , Aubin vega Mélissa , Adam Damien , Privé Anik , Mohammad Nezhady Mohammad Ali , Lahaie Isabelle , Quiniou Christiane , Chemtob Sylvain , Brochiero Emmanuelle
Published: April 2024

The acute exudative phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe form of respiratory failure, is characterized by alveolar damage, pulmonary oedema, and an exacerbated inflammatory response. There is no effective treatment for this condition, but based on the major contribution of inflammation, anti‐inflammatory strategies have been evaluated in animal models and clinical trials, with conflicting results. In COVID‐19 ARDS patients, interleukin (IL)‐1 and IL‐6 receptor antagonists (IL‐1Ra and IL‐6Ra, kineret and tocilizumab, respectively) have shown some efficacy. Moreover, we have previously developed novel peptides modulating IL‐1R and IL‐6R activity (rytvela and HSJ633, respectively) while preserving immune vigilance and cytoprotective pathways. We aimed to assess the efficacy of these novel IL‐1Ra and IL‐6Ra, compared to commercially available drugs (kineret, tocilizumab) during the exudative phase (day 7) of bleomycin‐induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Our results first showed that none of the IL‐1Ra and IL‐6Ra compounds attenuated bleomycin‐induced weight loss and venous increase. Histological analyses and lung water content measurements also showed that these drugs did not improve lung injury scores or pulmonary oedema, after the bleomycin challenge. Finally, IL‐1Ra and IL‐6Ra failed to alleviate the inflammatory status of the mice, as indicated by cytokine levels and alveolar neutrophil infiltration. Altogether, these results indicate a lack of beneficial effects of IL‐1R and IL‐6R antagonists on key parameters of ALI in the bleomycin mouse model.
Estimation of persistent sodium‐current density in rat hippocampal mossy fibre boutons: Correction of space‐clamp errors
Authors: Murphy Ricardo , Alle Henrik , Geiger Jörg R. P. , Storm Johan F.
Published: April 2024

We used whole‐cell patch clamp to estimate the stationary voltage dependence of persistent sodium‐current density (iNaP) in rat hippocampal mossy fibre boutons. Cox's method for correcting space‐clamp errors was extended to the case of an isopotential compartment with attached neurites. The method was applied to voltage‐ramp experiments, in which iNaP is assumed to gate instantaneously. The raw estimates of iNaP led to predicted clamp currents that were at variance with observation, hence an algorithm was devised to improve these estimates. Optionally, the method also allows an estimate of the membrane specific capacitance, although values of the axial resistivity and seal resistance must be provided. Assuming that membrane specific capacitance and axial resistivity were constant, we conclude that seal resistance continued to fall after adding TTX to the bath. This might have been attributable to a further deterioration of the seal after baseline rather than an unlikely effect of TTX. There was an increase in the membrane specific resistance in TTX. The reason for this is unknown, but it meant that iNaP could not be determined by simple subtraction. Attempts to account for iNaP with a Hodgkin–Huxley model of the transient sodium conductance met with mixed results. One thing to emerge was the importance of voltage shifts. Also, a large variability in previously reported values of transient sodium conductance in mossy fibre boutons made comparisons with our results difficult. Various other possible sources of error are discussed. Simulations suggest a role for iNaP in modulating the axonal attenuation of EPSPs.

image

Key points

We used whole‐cell patch clamp to estimate the stationary voltage dependence of persistent sodium‐current density (iNaP) in rat hippocampal mossy fibre boutons, using a KCl‐based internal (pipette) solution and correcting for the liquid junction potential (2 mV).

Space‐clamp errors and deterioration of the patch‐clamp seal during the experiment were corrected for by compartmental modelling.

Attempts to account for iNaP in terms of the transient sodium conductance met with mixed results. One possibility is that the transient sodium conductance is higher in mossy fibre boutons than in the axon shaft.

The analysis illustrates the need to account for various voltage shifts (Donnan potentials, liquid junction potentials and, possibly, other voltage shifts).

Simulations suggest a role for iNaP in modulating the axonal attenuation of excitatory postsynaptic potentials, hence analog signalling by dentate granule cells.
Quantitative Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication—Seventeen Years In
Authors: Bair Scott , Habchi Wassim
Published: April 2024

Seventeen years have passed since the first full elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) simulation employed the real pressure and shear dependence of viscosity measured in viscometers to accurately predict film thickness and friction. This is the appropriate time to enumerate the advances in understanding brought on by the application of high-pressure rheology to the EHL problem. The pressure dependence of the low-shear viscosity, which has been measured in viscometers for nearly a century, differs from the narratives taught to tribology students and often used to justify inaccurate models. The central film thickness often depends on the shear-thinning at low pressure and time–temperature–pressure superposition demands that the same shear dependence be active at the high pressure where friction is generated. In this article, some of the revelations resulting from quantitative EHL are reviewed. For example, it has been discovered that the minimum film thickness in point contacts depends upon the viscosity at the highest pressures of the contact. This explains the errors in the classical formulas, which were based upon the fictional narratives concerning piezoviscous response, and the assumption of film thickness governed by inlet conditions. Quantitative EHL provides quantitative predictions of contact behavior.
Towards an interdisciplinary formalization of soundscapes
Authors: Jedrusiak Mikel D. , Harweg Thomas , Haselhoff Timo , Lawrence Bryce T. , Moebus Susanne , Weichert Frank
Published: April 2024

Soundscapes have been studied by researchers from various disciplines, each with different perspectives, approaches, and terminologies. Consequently, the research field determines the actual concept of a specific soundscape with the associated components and also affects the definition itself. This complicates interdisciplinary communication and comparison of results, especially when research areas are involved which are not directly focused on soundscapes. For this reason, we present a formalization that aims to be independent of the concepts from the various disciplines, with the goal of being able to capture the heterogeneous data structure in one layered model. Our model consists of time-dependent sound sources and geodata that influence the acoustic composition of a soundscape represented by our sensor function. Using a case study, we present the application of our formalization by classifying land use types. For this we analyze soundscapes in the form of recordings from different devices at 23 different locations using three-dimensional convolutional neural networks and frequency correlation matrices. In our results, we present that soundscapes can be grouped into classes, but the given land use categories do not have to correspond to them.
A ritual murder shaped the Early and Middle Neolithic across Central and Southern Europe
Authors: Ludes Bertrand , Alcouffe Ameline , Tupikova Irina , Gérard Patrice , Tchérémissinoff Yaramila , Ribéron Alexandre , Guilaine Jean , Beeching Alain , Crubézy Eric
Published: April 2024

In the Rhône Valley’s Middle Neolithic gathering site of Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux (France), the positioning of two females within a structure aligned with the solstices is atypical. Their placement (back and prone) under the overhang of a silo in front of a third in a central position suggests a ritualized form of homicidal ligature strangulation. The first occurrence dates back to the Mesolithic, and it is from the Early Neolithic of Central Europe that the practice expands, becoming a sacrificial rite associated with an agricultural context in the Middle Neolithic. Examining 20 cases from 14 sites spanning nearly two millennia from Eastern Europe to Catalonia reveals the evolution of this ritual murder practice.
Answer to April 2024 Photo Quiz
Authors: Maldonado-Barrueco Alfredo , San José-Villar Sol María , García-Rodríguez Julio , Alguacil-Guillén Marina , López-Janeiro Álvaro , Trigo-Esteban Elena , Díaz-Menéndez Marta , Ruiz-Carrascoso Guillermo
Published: April 2024

Read the full article for the answer.
Wasp sting-induced bilateral thalamic and midbrain infarction
Authors: Priyadarshi Megha , Jadon Ranveer Singh , Vikram Naval Kishore , Spalkit Stanzin
Published: April 2024

A male patient in his early 40s presented to the emergency department with an acute onset of respiratory distress and facial oedema, indicative of anaphylaxis. These symptoms emerged 2 hours subsequent to a wasp sting on the left side of his face. Despite initial stabilisation, the patient’s state deteriorated into somnolence and disorientation. Notably, he denied any history of seizures, sensory or motor deficits, or bowel/bladder complications. Physical examination unveiled no focal neurological deficits. Routine laboratory tests and drug screening yielded no significant findings. Subsequent brain MRI with angiography exposed bilateral thalami diffusion restriction, strongly implying an acute infarction within the artery of Percheron territory, an atypical vascular variant. The sequence of events, alongside the absence of other conclusive aetiologies, indicated a wasp sting-induced thalamic infarction driven by vasogenic and thrombogenic effects of inflammatory substances.
Temporal trends in lifetime risks of atrial fibrillation and its complications between 2000 and 2022: Danish, nationwide, population based cohort study
Authors: Vinter Nicklas , Cordsen Pia , Johnsen Søren Paaske , Staerk Laila , Benjamin Emelia J , Frost Lars , Trinquart Ludovic
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To examine how the lifetime risks of atrial fibrillation and of complications after atrial fibrillation changed over time.

Design

Danish, nationwide, population based cohort study.

Setting

Population of Denmark from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2022.

Participants

3.5 million individuals (51.7% women and 48.3% men) who did not have atrial fibrillation at 45 years of age or older were followed up until incident atrial fibrillation, migration, death, or end of follow-up, whichever came first. All 362 721 individuals with incident atrial fibrillation (46.4% women and 53.6% men), but with no prevalent complication, were further followed up until incident heart failure, stroke, or myocardial infarction.

Main outcome measures

Lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation and lifetime risks of complications after atrial fibrillation over two prespecified periods (2000-10
v
2011-22).

Results

The lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation increased from 24.2% in 2000-10 to 30.9% in 2011-22 (difference 6.7% (95% confidence interval 6.5% to 6.8%)). After atrial fibrillation, the most frequent complication was heart failure with a lifetime risk of 42.9% in 2000-10 and 42.1% in 2011-22 (−0.8% (−3.8% to 2.2%)). Individuals with atrial fibrillation lost 14.4 years with no heart failure. The lifetime risks of stroke and of myocardial infarction after atrial fibrillation decreased slightly between the two periods, from 22.4% to 19.9% for stroke (−2.5% (−4.2% to −0.7%)) and from 13.7% to 9.8% for myocardial infarction (−3.9% (−5.3% to −2.4%). No evidence was reported of a differential decrease between men and women.

Conclusion

Lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation increased over two decades of follow-up. In individuals with atrial fibrillation, about two in five developed heart failure and one in five had a stroke over their remaining lifetime after atrial fibrillation diagnosis, with no or only small improvement over time. Stroke risks and heart failure prevention strategies are needed for people with atrial fibrillation.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist use and risk of thyroid cancer: Scandinavian cohort study
Authors: Pasternak Björn , Wintzell Viktor , Hviid Anders , Eliasson Björn , Gudbjörnsdottir Soffia , Jonasson Christian , Hveem Kristian , Svanström Henrik , Melbye Mads , Ueda Peter
Published: April 2024

Objective

To investigate whether use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) receptor agonists is associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer.

Design

Scandinavian cohort study.

Setting

Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, 2007-21.

Participants

Patients who started GLP1 receptor agonist treatment were compared with patients who started dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitor treatment, and in an additional analysis, patients who started sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor treatment.

Main outcome measures

Thyroid cancer identified from nationwide cancer registers. An active-comparator new user study design was used to minimise risks of confounding and time related biases from using real world studies of drug effects. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios, controlling for potential confounders with propensity score weighting.

Results

The mean follow-up time was 3.9 years (standard deviation 3.5 years) in the GLP1 receptor agonist group and 5.4 years (standard deviation 3.5 years) in the DPP4 inhibitor group. 76 of 145 410 patients (incidence rate 1.33 events per 10 000 person years) treated with GLP1 receptor agonists and 184 of 291 667 patients (incidence rate 1.46 events per 10 000 person years) treated with DPP4 inhibitors developed thyroid cancer. GLP1 receptor agonist use was not associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 1.31; rate difference −0.13, 95% confidence interval −0.61 to 0.36 events per 10 000 person years). The hazard ratio for medullary thyroid cancer was 1.19 (0.37 to 3.86). In the additional analysis comparing the GLP1 receptor agonist group with the SGLT2 inhibitor group, the hazard ratio for thyroid cancer was 1.16 (0.65 to 2.05).

Conclusions

In this large cohort study using nationwide data from three countries, GLP1 receptor agonist use was not associated with a substantially increased risk of thyroid cancer over a mean follow-up of 3.9 years. In the main analysis comparing GLP1 receptor agonists with DPP4 inhibitors, the upper limit of the confidence interval was consistent with no more than a 31% increase in relative risk.
Who is killing South African men? A retrospective descriptive study of forensic and police investigations into male homicide
Authors: Matzopoulos Richard , Marineau Lea , Mhlongo Shibe , Ketelo Asiphe , Prinsloo Megan , Dekel Bianca , Martin Lorna J , Jewkes Rachel , Lombard Carl , Abrahams Naeemah
Published: April 2024

Not much is known about the perpetrators of male homicide in South Africa, which has rates seven times the global average. For the country’s first ever male homicide study we describe the epidemiology of perpetrators, their relationship with victims and victim profiles of men killed by male versus female perpetrators. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of routine data collected through forensic and police investigations, calculating victim and perpetrator homicide rates by age, sex, race, external cause, employment status and setting, stratified by victim-perpetrator relationships. For perpetrators, we reported suspected drug and alcohol use, prior convictions, gang-involvement and homicide by multiple perpetrators. Perpetrators were acquaintances in 63% of 5594 cases in which a main perpetrator was identified. Sharp objects followed by guns were the main external causes of death. The highest rates were recorded in urban informal areas among unemployed men across all victim-perpetrator relationship types. Recreational settings including bars featured prominently. Homicides clustered around festive periods and weekends, both of which are associated with heavy episodic drinking. Perpetrator alcohol use was reported in 41% of homicides by family members and 50% by acquaintances. Other drug use was less common (9% overall). Of 379 men killed by female perpetrators, 60% were killed by intimate partners. Perpetrator alcohol use was reported in approximately half of female-on-male murders. Female firearm use was exclusively against intimate partners. No men were killed by male intimate partners. Violence prevention, which in South Africa has mainly focused on women and children, needs to be integrated into an inclusive approach. Profiling victims and perpetrators of male homicide is an important and necessary first step to challenge prevailing masculine social constructs that men are neither vulnerable to, nor the victims of, trauma and to identify groups at risk of victimisation that could benefit from specific interventions and policies.
Ultrasound measurement of traumatic scar and skin thickness: a scoping review of evidence across the translational pipeline of research-to-practice
Authors: Meikle Brandon , Simons Megan , Mahoney Tamsin , Reddan Tristan , Dai Bryan , Kimble Roy M , Tyack Zephanie
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To identify the ultrasound methods used in the literature to measure traumatic scar thickness, and map gaps in the translation of these methods using evidence across the research-to-practice pipeline.

Design

Scoping review.

Data sources

Electronic database searches of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Web of Science. Grey literature searches were conducted in Google. Searches were conducted from inception (date last searched 27 May 2022).

Data extraction

Records using brightness mode (B-mode) ultrasound to measure scar and skin thickness across the research-to-practice pipeline of evidence were included. Data were extracted from included records pertaining to: methods used; reliability and measurement error; clinical, health service, implementation and feasibility outcomes; factors influencing measurement methods; strengths and limitations; and use of measurement guidelines and/or frameworks.

Results

Of the 9309 records identified, 118 were analysed (n=82 articles, n=36 abstracts) encompassing 5213 participants. Reporting of methods used was poor. B-mode, including high-frequency (ie, >20 MHz) ultrasound was the most common type of ultrasound used (n=72 records; 61% of records), and measurement of the combined epidermal and dermal thickness (n=28; 24%) was more commonly measured than the epidermis or dermis alone (n=7, 6%). Reliability of ultrasound measurement was poorly reported (n=14; 12%). The scar characteristics most commonly reported to be measured were epidermal oedema, dermal fibrosis and hair follicle density. Most records analysed (n=115; 97%) pertained to the early stages of the research-to-practice pipeline, as part of research initiatives.

Conclusions

The lack of evaluation of measurement initiatives in routine clinical practice was identified as an evidence gap. Diverse methods used in the literature identified the need for greater standardisation of ultrasound thickness measurements. Findings have been used to develop nine methodological considerations for practitioners to guide methods and reporting.
Developing quality indicators for cancer hospitals in China: a national modified Delphi process
Authors: Liu Meicen , YU Qingyuan , Liu Yuanli
Published: April 2024

Objective

Although demand and supply of cancer care have been rapidly increasing in recent decades, there is a lack of systemic quality measurement for cancer hospitals in China. This study aimed to develop a set of core indicators for measuring quality of care for cancer hospitals in China.

Design

The development of quality indicators was based on a literature review and a two-round modified Delphi survey. The theoretical framework and initial indicators were identified through the comprehensive literature review, and the selection of quality indicators relied on experts’ consensus on the importance and feasibility of indicators by the modified Delphi process. In addition, indicator weight was identified using the analytical hierarchical process method and percentage weight method.

Setting and participants

A panel of leading experts including oncologists, cancer care nurses, quality management experts from various regions of China were invited to participate in the two-round modified Delphi process from October to December 2020. A total of 25 experts completed the two-round modified Delphi process.

Results

The experts reached consensus on a set of 47 indicators, comprising 17 structure indicators, 19 process indicators and 11 outcome indicators. Experts gave much higher weight to outcome indicators (accounting for 53.96% relative weight) than to structure (16.34%) and process (29.70%) indicators. In addition, experts also showed concerns and gave suggestions on data availability of specific outcome indicators.

Conclusions

Drawing on the comprehensive literature review and the modified Delphi process, this study developed a core set of quality indicators that can be used to evaluate quality performance of cancer hospitals. This is helpful in supporting quality cancer care in China and will provide new insights into the systemic measurement of cancer care internationally.