bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choler a Finds Itself
Authors: Hamlin Christopher
Published: November 2023

In the thirty-three quatrains of execrable verse of The Chaunt of the Cholera (1831) the Irish poet-playwright-novelist John Banim (1792–1842) treats the coming cholera as a vindica-tor of liberalism. Cholera is a matter as much of culture as of culture plates. It was no mere disease, but a signifier. Poetry is a key medium of meaning-making (especially in the Romantic age); cholera generated scads of the stuff. Banim’s, in which personified cholera “smites,” is one of the better known.
Giant Molecules
Authors: Gratzer Walter
Published: November 2023

Our lives are dominated by giant molecules, which have remarkable properties, some of which are only just being discovered and exploited by science, though many have long been exploited far more effectively by Nature. Giant molecules dominate our lives - from the proteins and DNA within us to the man-made fibres of our clothes and the many plastics that we use every day. And they are set to have an enormous impact on the future, as scientists and engineers learn from nature (biomimetics), and utilize the full potential of tiny carbon nanotubes. The possibilities may seem like science fiction - a space station tethered to Earth by cables of giant molecules, tiny molecular vehicles carrying and dispensing drugs in our bodies, smart materials that adjust automatically to optimize our comfort, minute computers utilizing the information storage capacity of DNA - but they are the subjects of cutting edge research. Walter Gratzer gives a fascinating account of the discovery and variety of giant molecules, how they come to have their remarkable properties, and how these are used by Nature and increasingly by us, pausing now and again to tell of some of the remarkable characters involved in their discovery and development.
Talking with people with mental health problems
Authors: Michaelson Simon , Washer Peter
Published: November 2023

Learning points discuss the general issues around talking with people with mental health problems suggest questions you can use when taking a psychiatric history and mental state examination give advice on how to talk to patients with common psychiatric symptoms and disorders these issues.
Night Work
Authors: McLynn Lucy
Published: November 2023

This chapter considers the particular rules that apply to workers who do night work, who are considered to be at higher risk than day workers because the disruptive effect of working at night time on the body’s natural rhythms and sleep patterns.
Multiple Party Actions in International Arbitration
Authors: Park William W
Published: November 2023

This publication from the International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) presents a collection of studies on the key issues found in complex international commercial and investment disputes. Renowned authors from Europe and North America consider issues from perspectives emanating from both the Anglo-American and Continental European legal systems. The authors consider international multiparty arbitration and its attendant problems from both a conceptual and practical perspective, beginning with the overarching legal problems of determining the proper parties to the arbitration and the ambit of contractual consent. Topics which are comprehensively examined include: Joinder of parties and consolidation of arbitral proceedings; the challenges of administration of multiparty arbitrations; investment arbitration involving multiple parties and multiparty issues in investor-state arbitration; classwide arbitration and arbitrating mass investor claims; lessons that can be learnt from mass claims processes; and enforcement issues. The book also includes a practitioner-oriented discussion of multiparty arbitration in the construction industry.
Multiparty Arbitration:The Icc International Court of Arbitration Perspective
Authors: Whitesell Anne Marie
Published: November 2023

The increasing complexity of international arbitration is well known to those practicing in this field. Multiparty arbitration is clearly one of the areas where this can be seen. This article aims to discuss multiparty arbitration as seen from the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) International Court of Arbitration (“ICC Court”) perspective.
Consolidation of Arbitral Proceedings in the Netherlands: The Practice and Perspective of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute
Authors: Bitter Jan Willem
Published: November 2023

Consolidation of arbitral proceedings is a mechanism that enables two or more proceedings on related issues to be, in one way or another, treated jointly. The impetus for consolidation will be triggered initially by the desire to avoid inconsistent decisions in separate arbitral proceedings on related issues.
The European Court and Legal Integration: An Exceptional Story or Harbinger of the Future? (2008)
Authors: Alter Karen J
Published: November 2023

Established as part of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1950, and later adapted as part of the 1957 Treaty of Rome, three design features distinguished the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from international courts of the time. First, member countries could be compelled to participate in proceedings (in the parlance of international law, the ECJ had ‘compulsory jurisdiction’). Second, the ECJ’s ‘preliminary ruling mechanism’ provided a means for private actors to access the ECJ via national court references. Third, there was a process whereby a supranational actor (the Commission) could raise non-compliance charges against states. There were reasons for these design features, but neither the Treaty negotiators, nor the governments who signed the Treaties founding the European Communities, nor European Community officials anticipated how legally, politically, or institutionally transformative these design features would be.
Jurist Advocacy Movements in Europe: The Role of Euro-Law Associations in European Integration (1953–1975) (2009)
Authors: Alter Karen J
Published: November 2023

It is well established that the European Court of Justice transformed the original European Community legal system through the creation of revolutionary legal doctrines turning the Treaty of Rome into a constitution for Europe, and that this transformation created the bases for the ECJ’s expanded political role in European politics (see Chapter 5). This paper challenges previous accounts of this early period of European legal integration, situating individual entrepreneurs and far-reaching ECJ decisions into the social context of the times—namely the organized and activist Euro-law associations.
United States Of America Report 1 Alcohol Outlets, Crime, And Disorder In The United
Authors: Gruenewald Paul J , Remer Lillian G , Treno Andrew J
Published: November 2023

In this chapter we suggest that statistical relationships between numbers and densities of alcohol outlets and rates of crime and related problems are well established in the research literature. However, theoretical explanations for these relationships have not been adequately formulated or tested.
Australia
Authors: Chikritzhs Tanya
Published: November 2023

Current policy relating to the NTE is a mix of potentially mutually exclusive principles. Most state and territory liquor Acts refer to the need to minimize harm arising from the sale and supply of alcohol. At the same time, deregulation, self-regulation and the removal of liquor restrictions which might hamper industry competitiveness have been widely embraced. Policy regimes which bear on the management of the latenight economy are, by all accounts, a great frustration to the police, to whom the practical responsibility of maintaining peace and good order falls. These same systems, it is suggested, appear to offer little comfort to communities seeking relief from violent crime and disorder, declining safety and amenity linked to the late-night economy.
How is the Back Constructed?
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

The spine is made up of a series of similar bones lying on top of each other, called vertebrae. Not only does the spine provide fl exible structural support to the body, it also protects the spinal cord, which is the major bundle of nerves travelling to and from the brain to the trunk and limbs. It does this because each vertebra contains a ring structure and when all the vertebrae are added together, a pipe is formed from the aligned rings. The soft nervous tissue of the spinal cord is thus afforded the same level of protection as the brain, which is housed in the solid bony structure of the skull. However, the spine is required to be fl exible and allow access for passing nerves, so at each spinal level there are paired passages and gaps.
How did the Pain get to Take Over My Life?
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

Some people who have long-term pain can identify exactly when their pain started; others say that it just gradually crept up on them and seemed to start for no apparent reason. Whatever the reason, everyone tries their hardest to make it go away. Some of the things that people try can be helpful initially but in the long term they can lose their effect and eventually become more unhelpful than helpful. At these times people often think it is their fault that treatments and therapies do not work but as you will have already read, pain changes the longer you have had it and the approach to managing and treating your pain needs to change too.
What Different Types of Professionals Could Help?
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

There are many different types of healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in helping people with pain. Most specialize in one area of treatment or management. To help you make informed choices about your own healthcare, it is important that you know what they do, what they can offer you and what you can expect from them. For those with long-term pain, these HCPs will try to reduce your pain but no one will be able to offer a 100 per cent guarantee of a cure.
Communication
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

Communication is used to convey something to other people. It can be: verbal—when we communicate using our voices and speech, and non-verbal—when we communicate using our bodies and facial expressions. Communication is important because it helps us to tell others so many different things such as how we are feeling, what we are thinking, what our needs are, what we would like other people to do to help us, or what we would like to do.
What is the Role of Exercise and Movement?
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

Many people with pain are unsure whether they should exercise or not. It can be hard to know whether to keep going and push into the pain, or stop doing anything that makes the pain worse and rest until it settles. This is confusing and people can find themselves in a cycle of decreasing fitness and increasing pain; on days of less pain it is tempting to do more and on days of more pain it is tempting to do less and rest. However, both of these alternatives can have knock-on effects that can make the pain worse over time.
How much Activity can I do?
Authors: Lee John , Brook Suzanne , Daniel Clare
Published: November 2023

As a result of long-term pain many people change the way they do things. But, as time goes by, one can begin to feel that it is impossible to do anything to change. On better days when the pain is at a tolerable level, it is tempting to do jobs or exercise that were put off when the pain was bad. On days when the pain is worse than the day before, it is tempting to do less and rest more. This is a common pattern of activity for long-term pain sufferers. Good days are a time of particular confusion, because it is easy to do more, resulting in a flare-up in pain later that day or the next. People often rest during a fl are-up, but this can result in weaker muscles and a drop in fitness. A vicious cycle thus develops between getting things done and managing the pain.
A General History Of Criminal Cartels
Authors: O’Kane Michael
Published: November 2023

According to the UK’s Office of Fair Trading (‘OFT’), a cartel is simply ‘an agreement between businesses not to compete with each other’.1 This agreement not to compete can include bidding for contracts as well as cooperating on levels of supply or production and degree of market share. However, the area where most ‘non-compete’ or cartel agreements are reached is in relation to price levels. In a normal competitive market, economic theory dictates that a price level offered by competitor A will always tend to be undercut by competitor B who will, by doing
Inhaler devices
Authors: Currie Graeme P
Published: November 2023

A variety of different types of inhaler devices can be used to deliver different drugs to the lung. Some patients find difficulty in using hand-held inhaler devices properly. Even when used correctly, a substantial proportion of drug often is deposited in the mouth, throat, or vocal cords, with only a small amount reaching the lungs. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists should ensure that patients use their inhaler correctly at the time of prescription.
Oxygen and COPD
Authors: Currie Graeme P
Published: November 2023

You are usually given oxygen if you are admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of COPD; this is usually delivered by way of a face mask or nasal cannula. ‘Short burst’ oxygen therapy (using oxygen from a cylinder for short periods of time at home) is thought to be of little benefit in relieving symptoms. However, it may occasionally be considered if you have severe, persistent, and disabling symptoms despite all other treatments.
Local Ownership
Authors: Pouligny Beatrice
Published: November 2023

The idea of ownership in development is hardly new, but since the mid-1990s local ownership and its variants have taken on particular prominence in the publications of bilateral and multilateral development agencies. Well-known examples provide reference points for ongoing debates. The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in its seminal 1996 statement ‘Shaping the 21st Century’, asserted that sustainable development ‘must be locally owned’ and that development cooperation has to be shifted to a partnership model, where donors’ programmes and activities operate within ‘locally owned development strategies’ (DAC, 1996). Donors should ‘respect and encourage strong local commitment, participation, capacity development and ownership’ (DAC, 1996: 14). The DAC linked these positions to a series of specific targets for poverty reduction, which formed the basis of the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000.
Introduction
Authors: Hancké Bob
Published: November 2023

Embarking on a doctorate requires, as a colleague of mine once said, a complete suspension of rationality. Think of it: you are required to write 80–100,000 words on a single topic, spread over five years or so, allow yourself, at an age when others with similar qualifications are reaching the top of the food chain, to be subjected to an examination by a group of people whose main goal that day consists of making your life dificult, and if all goes well, you are—assuming you find a job—earning between slightly and considerably less than a taxi driver in central London. Yet every year more people start doctoral studies than the previous year, and universities have started to take their Ph.D. training considerably more seriously. With few jobs and many candidates, the ability to train a young researcher well and make them write a good Ph.D. thesis has become a major pole of attraction for the best-qualified among them. And when good students go to good universities, good teachers want to be there as well.
Distinguishing Noun and Verb
Authors: Dixon R M W
Published: November 2023

Do all languages have distinct classes of noun and verb (let alone of adjective, discussed in the next chapter)? Some grammarians have suggested that they do not. Writing of Fijian, Milner (1956: 10) states that the language has ‘a great many words which can be used either as verbs or as nouns. All such words will be called bases.’ Every kind of lexeme is referred to just as a ‘base’ throughout his grammar, terms ‘noun’ and ‘verb’ not being used again.
Reason and Passion
Authors: Sachs Justice Albie
Published: November 2023

Although the voice of my judgments was my own, the intellectual well from which my thoughts were drawn was the same as that used by all my colleagues, namely, the Constitution. In one way or another all my colleagues on the Court had con- fronted and challenged the deep indignities and injustices that ?owed from apartheid. The Constitution was anti-racist to its core. Our generation were in fact the originators of its text. The Constitution itself presupposed the existence of an activist Constitutional Court engaged with finding principled and implementable responses to the deep problems of racism, sexism and inequality in our country. Its express language also invited us to locate ourselves within the mainstream of forward-looking international legal thought.
Laughing Matters
Authors: Sachs Justice Albie
Published: November 2023

All is very still and calm and without movement or voices or muscular activity. I am wrapped in complete darkness and tranquillity. If I am dead I am not aware of it, if I am alive I am not aware of it, I have no awareness at all, not of myself, or of my surroundings, not of anyone or of anything.
Logistic regression analysis of multiple rapid admission hematological indicators to determine the risk of osteomyelitis in infected children
Authors: Zhu Hua , Wang Chen , Zou Yan , Wang Kang , Yin Xiangchao , Li Wenzi , Zhou Xiaokang , Zhen Lei
Published: November 2023

To analyze the differences of multiple rapid admission hematological indicators between children with acute osteomyelitis (AO) and children with other orthopedic infectious diseases and clarify the characteristics of admission inspection hematological indicators of children with AO. Retrospective analysis of this pilot study was proceeded on 144 children with limbs infectious diseases, who were treated in our hospital. According to their final diagnosis, they were divided into osteomyelitis group (n = 57) and non-osteomyelitis group (n = 87). Case data were collected, including sex, age, body temperature, white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), etc. The differences in these indexes between the two groups of patients were compared, and then, the index with significant differences was selected for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. There were significant differences between the two groups in age, body temperature, CRP, ESR, fibrinogen, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase, creatinine, PCT, albumin (ALB), and ALB globulin ratio (A/G) (P < 0.05). The results of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age of ≥5 years (4.592, 1.711–12.324), WBC (>1.5 × 109/L) (0.271, 0.102–0.718), ESR (>50 mm/h) (6.410, 2.291–17.936), PCT (>0.06 µg/L) (3.139, 1.066–9.243), and AST (>40 U/L) (11.174, 1.718–72.666) was an independent risk factor of AO in children with orthopedic infectious diseases (P < 0.05). For newly admitted children with orthopedic infectious diseases, if the age ≥ 5 years, WBC ≤ 1.5 × 109/L, ESR > 50 mm/h, PCT > 0.06 µg/L, and AST > 40 U/L, the occurrence of AO should be alerted.
FlowTriever System for Pulmonary Embolism: A Review of Clinical Evidence
Authors: Haner Wasserstein David , Frishman William H.
Published: November 2023

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant cause of cardiovascular mortality, and its incidence has been increasing due to the growing aging population. Systemic or catheter-directed thrombolytic treatment for PE has an increased risk of bleeding that may offset the benefit in some patients. Mechanical thrombectomy devices such as the FlowTriever System are designed to resolve vascular occlusion and correct ventilation-perfusion mismatch without the need for thrombolytic drugs. This review covers the FlowTriever system, clinical data from the FlowTriever Pulmonary Embolectomy Clinical Study, FlowTriever for Acute Massive Pulmonary Embolism, and FlowTriever All-comer Registry for Patient Safety and Hemodynamics trials, and real-world experiences, demonstrating its safety and effectiveness in treating intermediate-risk and high-risk PE. Additionally, we explore off-label uses of the FlowTriever System for various large vessel thromboses.
Applicability of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to Aesthetic Medicine Patient Archetypes
Authors: Rauch Simonne , De Simone Patricia , Bertucci Vince
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are valuable in understanding patient motivations, setting expectations, and ensuring satisfaction. As the aesthetic industry expands globally, factors that motivate the treatment goals of the aesthetic patient reflect evolving social, cultural, and commercial influences.

OBJECTIVE

This article will assess the applicability of current PROMs used in aesthetic medicine to an increasingly diverse patient population and consider their ability to measure the underlying motives that drive different types of patients to pursue their specific goals.

METHODS

PubMed database was searched for studies using PROMs to evaluate the motivations and expectations of aesthetic patients.

RESULTS

Seven validated aesthetic PROM tools were reviewed against a backdrop of different patient segments as represented by the 4 patient archetypes: Positive Aging, Beautification, Correction, and Transformation. None of the tools could universally represent the individual motivations and expectations of all 4 patient archetypes.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for updated PROMs in aesthetics that are applicable to patients with different motivations or expected outcomes than the traditional rejuvenation patient. PROMs that help decode patient motivations and that are developed with more diverse patient involvement will help aesthetic clinicians better understand the goals and expectations of new patient segments.
Integrated Behavioral Health in OB-GYN: Federally Qualified Health Care Centers
Authors: Caudle Michael R. , Khatri Parinda
Published: November 2023

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are private nonprofit community-based primary care health care organizations that are charged with providing high-quality comprehensive care that is affordable and accessible. FQHCs are ideally suited for the integration of behavioral health services (BHC). This article reviews the history of FQHCs, the various models of BHC integration, and details of the Cherokee Health Systems integrated model.
Abortion Policy: Legal, Clinical, and Medical Education Considerations
Authors: Thaxton Lauren , Gonzaga Maria Isabel , Tristan Sigrid
Published: November 2023

Abortion is a frequent topic of policy debate in America and a central issue in politics since the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision. A number of states have completely or nearly completely banned abortion and criminalized health care providers. People seeking abortion care are turning to alternatives outside the formal health care system or traveling to states that have preserved access. Approximately half of US Obstetrics/Gynecology residents will train in a state where abortion is illegal, lending to a frightening future where Obstetrics/Gynecologists are not trained to provide this common, sometimes life-saving, health care.
Prevalence, distribution, and hepatic fibrosis burden of the different subtypes of steatotic liver disease in primary care settings
Authors: Lee Chul-min , Yoon Eileen L. , Kim Mimi , Kang Bo-Kyeong , Cho Seon , Nah Eun-Hee , Jun Dae Won
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim:

In relation to the new umbrella terminology for steatotic liver disease (SLD), we aimed to elucidate the prevalence, distribution, and clinical characteristics of the SLD subgroups in the primary care setting.

Approach and Results:

We retrospectively collected data from 2535 individuals who underwent magnetic resonance elastography and MRI proton density fat fraction during health checkups in 5 primary care health promotion clinics. We evaluated the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors according to predefined criteria and divided all the participants according to the new SLD classification. The prevalence of SLD was 39.13% in the total cohort, and 95.77% of the SLD cases had metabolic dysfunction (one or more cardiometabolic risk factors). The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was 29.51%, with those of metabolic dysfunction and alcohol associated steatotic liver disease (MetALD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) at 7.89% and 0.39%, respectively. According to the old criteria, the prevalence of NAFLD was 29.11%, and 95.80% of the NAFLD cases fulfilled the new criteria for MASLD. The distribution of SLD subtypes was highest for MASLD, at 75.40%, followed by MetALD at 20.06%, cryptogenic SLD at 3.33%, and ALD at 1.01%. The MetALD group had a significantly higher mean magnetic resonance elastography than the MASLD or ALD group.

Conclusion:

Almost all the patients with NAFLD met the new criteria for MASLD. The fibrosis burden of the MetALD group was higher than those of the MASLD and ALD groups.
Potential antipruritic neuronal targets of nalfurafine in the murine spinal dorsal horn
Authors: Honda Kotaro , Tominaga Mitsutoshi , Kusube Fumiya , Takamori Kenji
Published: November 2023

Introduction:

Itch is an unpleasant sensation that evokes a scratching behavior which often damages the skin. Nalfurafine is a kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist known as an effective drug used to control the intractable itch. Mechanistically, the spinal cord is a target of nalfurafine, however, little is known about the specific sites important to the antipruritic effects of nalfurafine. Therefore, the aim of this study was an investigation to uncover the sites of action of nalfurafine in the spinal neuronal pathway of itch.

Materials and Methods:

To reveal the antipruritic action of nalfurafine in the murine spinal dorsal horn, we conducted in vivo electrophysiology, behavioral experiments, and high-sensitive in situ hybridization (ISH) using normal C57BL/6J mice.

Results:

Behavioral analyses indicated that intrathecal injection of nalfurafine reduced, but not entirely eliminated the gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-evoked scratching bouts. In vivo electrophysiological recordings revealed that nalfurafine administration suppressed chloroquine (CQ)-responsive dorsal horn neurons in 15.8% (3/19) of mice. In fact, only 1 of 3 nalfurafine-suppressed mice responded to GRP. ISH in 3 sections of the spinal cord showed that 24.8% (154/623) were double-positive for GRP and KOR and 13.6% (68/431) for GRP receptor (GRPR) and KOR in total KOR+ cells. Most KOR+ cells were negative for GRP and GRPR. Intrathecal injection of dynorphin-saporin did not change the number of scratching bouts caused by GRP. However, it reduced the number of scratching bouts evoked by intradermal injection of CQ.

Discussion:

In conclusion, our data suggest that nalfurafine targets both GRP+ KOR+ and GRPR+ KOR+ cells which are present in a 2:1 ratio and suppresses CQ-induced itch in the spinal dorsal horn. These findings suggest that GRP+ KOR- or GRPR+ KOR- cells may function as interneurons in the spinal neuronal pathway of itch.
Sleep Quality After Quetiapine Augmentation in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression and Personality Disorders
Authors: Moderie Christophe , King Jacob D. , Nuñez Nicolas , Comai Stefano , Gobbi Gabriella
Published: November 2023

Purpose/Background

Quetiapine is a first-line augmenting agent for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and is used off-label in insomnia. Quetiapine and its active metabolite norquetiapine act mostly on 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, H1, and D2 as antagonists and on 5-HT1A as partial agonists. Patients with TRD often have comorbid personality disorder (PD), and evidence suggests an association between sleep disturbance and recovery among patients with PD. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of quetiapine on sleep in TRD patients with and without PD (PD+/PD−).

Methods/Procedures

We reviewed health records of 38 patients with TRD (20 TRD/PD+) who had been treated with a pharmacotherapy regimen including quetiapine. Clinical outcomes were determined by comparing changes in sleep items of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale at the beginning (T0) and after 3 months of an unchanged treatment (T3).

Findings/Results

Patients with TRD/PD+ and TRD/PD− taking quetiapine showed significant improvement in sleep items from T0 to T3 (P < 0.001, η
p
2 ≥ 0.19). There was a significant personality × time interaction for sleep-maintenance insomnia (P = 0.006, η
p
2 = 0.23), with TRD/PD+ showing a greater improvement at T3 compared with TRD/PD− (P = 0.01). While exploring other sleep items, no personality × time interaction was found. In the TRD/PD− group, improvement in sleep items was associated with an overall improvement in depressive symptoms (r = 0.55, P = 0.02).

Implications/Conclusions

Quetiapine induced greater improvements in sleep-maintenance insomnia among TRD/PD+ patients than TRD/PD−. These findings suggest quetiapine could have a therapeutic role for insomnia in PD underscoring a distinct underlying neurobiological mechanism of sleep disturbance in people living with PD.
Clinical and phototrichogrammatic evaluation of estradiol replacement therapy on hair growth in postmenopausal Japanese women with female pattern hair loss: a pilot study
Authors: Endo Yujiro , Obayashi Yuko , Murakoshi Michiaki , Saito Juichiro , Ueki Rie
Published: November 2023

Background:

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is known to present with characteristic pathological conditions, including reduced overall hair density. Female hormones affect hair condition; however, the detailed mechanism is unknown. Furthermore, research on the topic is complicated by the fact that senescent alopecia often occurs concurrently with FPHL. Therefore, we investigated the effect of estradiol, a female hormone, on hair growth by eliminating aging factors and objectively evaluating hair changes caused by female hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Objective:

This study was conducted to elucidate the mechanism through which female hormones exert their effects on hair.

Methods:

The study included 11 female patients undergoing HRT who were evaluated before initiating HRT, 3 months after initiating HRT, and 6 months after initiating HRT. The thinning hair score, hair density, telogen hair rate, telogen plucking strength, hair growth rate, and hair thickness were measured and evaluated. Furthermore, hematological tests were performed to assess the general physical condition of the participants.

Results:

HRT increased the telogen hair rate (P = .010, paired t test) at 3 months, improved frontal hairline thinning score (P = .008, Wilcoxon test), and increased the plucking strength (P = .013, paired t test) at 6 months.

Limitations:

The limitation of this study included the relatively small sample size, inability to conduct further long-term tests because of participant burden, and lack of a control group.

Conclusion:

The results suggested that HRT improved the appearance of the frontal hairline. As few studies have analyzed the effects of female hormones on human hair, a novel finding of this study was the effects of estradiol on the plucking strength after excluding age as a factor. We believe that these findings will contribute to understanding FPHL and developing female hormone-related treatments.
AI-powered radiomics: revolutionizing detection of urologic malignancies
Authors: Gelikman David G. , Rais-Bahrami Soroush , Pinto Peter A. , Turkbey Baris
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

This review aims to highlight the integration of artificial intelligence-powered radiomics in urologic oncology, focusing on the diagnostic and prognostic advancements in the realm of managing prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers.

Recent findings

As artificial intelligence continues to shape the medical imaging landscape, its integration into the field of urologic oncology has led to impressive results. For prostate cancer diagnostics, machine learning has shown promise in refining clinically-significant lesion detection, with some success in deciphering ambiguous lesions on multiparametric MRI. For kidney cancer, radiomics has emerged as a valuable tool for better distinguishing between benign and malignant renal masses and predicting tumor behavior from CT or MRI scans. Meanwhile, in the arena of bladder cancer, there is a burgeoning emphasis on prediction of muscle invasive cancer and forecasting disease trajectory. However, many studies showing promise in these areas face challenges due to limited sample sizes and the need for broader external validation.

Radiomics integrated with artificial intelligence offers a pioneering approach to urologic oncology, ushering in an era of enhanced diagnostic precision and reduced invasiveness, guiding patient-tailored treatment plans. Researchers must embrace broader, multicentered endeavors to harness the full potential of this field.
An observational, cross-sectional and monocentric study assessing psychological and cognitive features as main predictors of psychological well-being in stroke survivors
Authors: Curatoli Chiara , Marcassoli Alessia , Guastafierro Erika , Leonardi Matilde , Bersano Anna , Boncoraglio Giorgio , Canavero Isabella , Raggi Alberto
Published: November 2023

Well-being is a relevant outcome after stroke, potentially impacted by mental health difficulties. We addressed the psychological and cognitive predictors of psychological well-being in a sample of 122 stroke survivors (75 males, 97 with ischemic stroke; mean age 64.1, mean NIHSS 2.9, mean distance from the acute event 5.1 years) admitted to the ‘Carlo Besta’ Neurological Institute. Trait anxiety (β = −0.257), state anxiety (β = −0.208) and symptoms of depression (β = −0.484) significantly predicted well-being variation (Adj. R2 = 0.687). These potentially modifiable factors are promising targets for interventions to reduce the burden of illness and enhance the recovery process.
The effectiveness of home-based therapeutic exercises on adults with fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Saleh Esra’ , Yabroudi Mohammad A. , Al-Wardat Mohammad , Nawasreh Zakariya H. , Almhdawi Khader , Etoom Mohammad
Published: November 2023

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of home-based exercises (HBE) in alleviating pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety and enhancing the quality of life (QOL) among adults with fibromyalgia. A comprehensive search was conducted across four databases PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL (EBSCO), and PEDro to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed. Ten RCTs met the inclusion criteria, involving 601 participants, with a good-to-fair quality according to the PEDro scale. Of the 10 included studies, 3 compared HBE to no exercise, while 7 compared HBE to center-based exercises (CBE). HBE showed significant pain reduction (SMD = 0.775,P= 0.003) and improved QOL as measured by the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) (SMD = 0.621,P= 0.001) compared with no exercise, but there were no significant differences in depression and QOL as measured by SF-36 compared with CBE. In contrast, CBE demonstrated greater pain reduction (SMD = −1.325,P< 0.001) and improved FIQ scores (SMD = −0.843,P= 0.017) compared with HBE. In conclusion, HBE exhibit effectiveness in alleviating pain, and depression and enhancing QOL among fibromyalgia patients in comparison to no exercise. However, CBE are more effective in reducing pain and enhancing QOL than HBE, although HBE can be valuable for maintaining activity levels in fibromyalgia patients between treatment cycles.
Infective endocarditis of tricuspid valve following septic abortion: a case report
Authors: Baniya Abinash , Duwadee Prabin , K.C. Sujata , Shahi Manoj , Khan Amir , Rijal Yasoda , Gurung Bipana , Kurmi Ram N.
Published: November 2023

Introduction:

Right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) in non-intravenous drug users is a rare finding. IE of the tricuspid valve is considered an important but uncommon complication in patients with a recent history of obstetric and gynecological procedures.

Case presentation:

We report a case of a 28-year-old female with IE of the tricuspid valve with a prior history of dilatation and curettage. The echocardiography revealed two mobile vegetation in the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve with severe eccentric tricuspid regurgitation. Blood culture was positive for Staphylococcus aureus. The patient was started on intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics with supportive treatments and improved over the days.

Clinical discussion:

Infection can get access to the venous system via pelvic veins after the septic obstetric and gynecological procedure and subsequently to the right side of the heart. Different studies have highlighted the role of prophylactic antibiotics in significantly reducing post-abortal infections. In our patient, the disease was diagnosed on the basis of clinical, echocardiographic, and blood culture findings, and the patient responded well to i.v. antibiotics and supportive care under close monitoring in the coronary care unit.

Conclusion:

It is important for healthcare providers to be aware of the risk factors and symptoms associated with right-sided IE for early diagnosis and treatment. Appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis and adherence to sterile techniques can help to prevent IE.
Favorable outcome of a histiocytic sarcoma patient treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor: a case report
Authors: Nguyen Long Thanh , Pham Giang Hoang , Vu Phuong Thi , Yi Hyeon Gyu
Published: November 2023

Introduction and Importance:

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an extremely rare malignancy in which there has been no standard treatment approach. Some preclinical studies have provided rationales for the application of immunotherapy in advanced HS.

Case Presentation

The authors reported a case of a 61-year-old patient with metastatic HS who had a rapid progression on ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide chemotherapy. The authors performed PD-L1 testing, which showed a strong positivity in 90% of tumor cells. The patient was then treated with pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks. He refused palliative radiotherapy. A dramatic response in all sites was recorded on the PET-CT scan after three cycles. He was maintained on pembrolizumab, reaching over 30 months without disease progression.

Clinical Discussion

Recent molecular data suggests there could be a role of immunotherapy in HS. In our patient, the disease was refractory to chemotherapy and pembrolizumab has been given based on the strong PD-L1 expression. Response to immunotherapy has also been recorded in several cases with malignant histiocytic neoplasm.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy might bring sustained disease remission in PD-L1 high expression HS and further studies evaluating the role of immune checkpoint inhibitor in this disease are warranted.
Silico-tuberculosis amidst COVID-19 pandemic: global scenario and Indian perspective
Authors: Roy Priyanka , Bardhan Mainak , Roy Shubhajeet , Singh Utkarsh , Suresh Timil , Anand Ayush
Published: November 2023

Inhalation of crystalline silica-rich dust particles can result in the deadly occupational lung disorder called silicosis. The risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB) and the potential for lung cancer increase due to silicosis. This review article aims to bring to light the state of silicosis and TB scenario in the world and India for evaluating hurdles in the present and future to achieve the elimination road map and assess these conditions in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. A patient with silicosis has a 2.8–2.9 times higher risk of developing pulmonary TB and 3.7 times that of extrapulmonary TB. Incidences of missed cases when TB was misdiagnosed with silicosis due to indifferent clinical manifestations of the two in the initial stages are not uncommon. The duration of silica exposure and silicosis severity are directly related to the propensity to develop TB. As per a study, an average gap of 7.6 years has been noticed in a South African population for silico-tuberculosis to develop post-silicosis. In a study done on mine workers at Jodhpur, Rajasthan, it was seen that there is no definitive relation between patients with silicosis and the possibility of having COVID-19. There is a significant need to integrate the Silicosis control program with the TB elimination program for the government. A few steps can include assessing the workplaces, periodic monitoring of the workers’ health, active case surveillance, identification of hotspots, and introducing reforms to curb the spread of dust and particulate matter from industrialised areas be taken in this regard.
Gassendi's second thought. From a materialistic picture of cognition to the defence of dualism: the lasting influence of the polemic with Descartes
Authors: Garau Rodolfo
Published: November 2023

Whether matter could engender cogitation was a very divisive topic of early modern reflection. In his polemic with Descartes, Gassendi appeared to endorse a ‘materialistic’ understanding of cognition. Two objections by Gassendi were particularly relevant to this claim: he challenged the distinction between imagination and intellect, and argued that animal and human cognition only differed quantitatively. Since the intellect was traditionally seen as immaterial, while the imagination was understood as a bodily faculty, these claims appeared to entail a naturalized image of the human soul, and the potential that matter could generate cogitation. Here, I argue that Gassendi's claims were not only a result of his polemical vein against Descartes; rather, they were part of an intellectual agenda that Gassendi had been pursuing since the early 1620s. I then analyse Gassendi's change of perspective in
Animadversiones
(1649) and
Syntagma philosophicum
(1658), where Gassendi presented arguments for the immateriality of the intellect and its true distinction from the imagination. I argue that Gassendi's early objections against Descartes provided him with material to revise his own position on these subjects. I then show some of the implications of such a change of heart. Lastly, I address some hypotheses of its cause.
Neo-functionalization in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
: a novel Nrg1-Rtg3 chimeric transcriptional modulator is essential to maintain mitochondrial DNA integrity
Authors: Campero-Basaldua Carlos , González James , García Janeth Alejandra , Ramírez Edgar , Hernández Hugo , Aguirre Beatriz , Torres-Ramírez Nayeli , Márquez Dariel , Sánchez Norma Silvia , Gómez-Hernández Nicolás , Torres-Machorro Ana Lilia , Riego-Ruiz Lina , Scazzocchio Claudio , González Alicia
Published: November 2023

In
Saccharomyces cerevisiae,
the transcriptional repressor Nrg1 (Negative Regulator of Glucose-repressed genes) and the β-Zip transcription factor Rtg3 (ReTroGrade regulation) mediate glucose repression and signalling from the mitochondria to the nucleus, respectively. Here, we show a novel function of these two proteins, in which alanine promotes the formation of a chimeric Nrg1/Rtg3 regulator that represses the
ALT2
gene (encoding an alanine transaminase paralog of unknown function). An
NRG1/NRG2
paralogous pair, resulting from a post-wide genome small-scale duplication event, is present in the
Saccharomyces
genus. Neo-functionalization of only one paralog resulted in the ability of Nrg1 to interact with Rtg3. Both
nrg1
Δ and
rtg3
Δ single mutant strains were unable to use ethanol and showed a typical petite (small) phenotype on glucose. Neither of the wild-type genes complemented the petite phenotype, suggesting irreversible mitochondrial DNA damage in these mutants. Neither
nrg1
Δ nor
rtg3
Δ mutant strains expressed genes encoded by any of the five polycistronic units transcribed from mitochondrial DNA in
S. cerevisiae
. This, and the direct measurement of the mitochondrial DNA gene complement, confirmed that irreversible damage of the mitochondrial DNA occurred in both mutant strains, which is consistent with the essential role of the chimeric Nrg1/Rtg3 regulator in mitochondrial DNA maintenance.
Mangrove expansion on the low wooded islands of the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Hamylton Sarah , Kelleway Jeff , Rogers Kerrylee , McLean Roger , Tynan Zachary Nagel , Repina Oxana
Published: November 2023

Mangrove forests are the dominant vegetation growing on low wooded islands, which occur in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. In the northern Great Barrier Reef, we map remarkable, undocumented mangrove forest extension on 10 low wooded islands in the Howick Group that collectively equates to an area of 667 000 m
2
(66.7 ha). We combine extensive field survey with canopy height models derived from RPA imagery and allometric scaling to quantify above ground biomass in both old (pre-1973) and new (post-1973) forest areas. Forest expansion added approximately 10 233 tonnes of new biomass since the early 1970s. We suggest that such substantial expansion of mangrove forest has occurred within a short time span in response to changing environmental controls. These may include sea-level rise, sediment transport and deposition, cyclone impact and the development of associated reef flat sedimentary landforms including unconsolidated and lithified shingle ridges, which influence reef flat hydrodynamics. Our observations highlight the globally dynamic response of mangrove distribution and forest structure to environmental change and provide timely new estimates from understudied reef island settings.
Adolescence is characterized by more sedentary behaviour and less physical activity even among highly active forager-farmers
Authors: Caldwell Ann E. , Cummings Daniel K. , Hooper Paul L. , Trumble Benjamin C. , Gurven Michael , Stieglitz Jonathan , Davis Helen E. , Kaplan Hillard
Published: November 2023

Over 80% of adolescents worldwide are insufficiently active, posing massive public health and economic challenges. Declining physical activity (PA) and sex differences in PA consistently accompany transitions from childhood to adulthood in post-industrialized populations and are attributed to psychosocial and environmental factors. An overarching evolutionary theoretical framework and data from pre-industrialized populations are lacking. This cross-sectional study tests hypotheses from life history theory, that adolescent PA is inversely related to age, but this association is mediated by Tanner stage, reflecting higher and sex-specific energetic demands for growth and reproductive maturation. Detailed measures of PA and pubertal maturation are assessed among Tsimane forager-farmers (age: 7–22 years; 50% female,n= 110). Most Tsimane sampled (71%) meet World Health Organization PA guidelines (greater than or equal to 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA). Like post-industrialized populations, sex differences and inverse age-activity associations were observed. Tanner stage significantly mediated age-activity associations. Adolescence presents difficulties to PA engagement that warrant further consideration in PA intervention approaches to improve public health.