bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sprachen- und Wissenspolitik am Hofe Maximilians I.
Authors: Rzehak Kristina
Published: March 2024

Die Zeit um 1500 wird in der europäischen Geschichtsschreibung häufig als Übergangszeit zwischen Mittelalter und Früher Neuzeit bezeichnet. In dieser Zeit herrschte im Heiligen Römischen Reich der Habsburger Kaiser Maximilian I., der oft als Schwellenfigur zwischen die-sen beiden Epochen gesehen wird. In diesem Beitrag wird die Darstellung der Sprachen- und Wissenspolitik in Maximilians Lite-ratur untersucht. Folgende Thesen sollen geprüft werden: Mit der Verschriftlichung seines eigenen Lebens verrichtete der Kaiser Identitätsarbeit, die auf ein bestimmtes Publikum wir-ken sollte. Die Wahl der Sprache für seine Selbstzeugnisse war dabei eine bewusste und zielte darauf ab, unterschiedliche Gefolgschaftsgruppen anzusprechen. Das Potential der Literatur, um Ambiguitäten abzubilden, nutzte Maximilian dabei bewusst, um diesen unterschiedlichen Gefolgschaftsgruppen Identifikationsangebote zu unterbreiten. Seine Sprachen- und Wissenspolitik ist als Teil von Maximilians auch in anderen Bereichen eingesetztem Ambiguitätsmanagement zu begreifen. In diesem Beitrag werden anhand der Analyse der vernakularsprachigen Selbstzeugnisse die Spezifika des Ambiguitätsmanagements Maximilians in seiner Sprachen- und Wissenspolitik herausgearbeitet. Als wesentliches Ziel der Darstellung von Sprachen- und Wissenspolitik ist zu nennen, dass ein Ausgleich zwischen den verschiedenen Gefolgschaftsgruppen erreicht werden sollte. Die Selbstdarstellung des Kaisers erweist sich als ambig, läuft aber immer auf ein Ideal hinaus. Trotz der Widersprüche stellen die Selbstzeugnisse Maximilian stets als Vorbild und idealen Herrscher dar und zielen damit auf Wertschätzung und Stärkung der Loyalität durch die Re-zipienten. Maximilians Vereindeutigkeitsstreben im Bereich des Herrschaftsanspruchs kann dabei als erstes Indiz einer übergreifenden Entwicklung gesehen werden, die auf eine Abnahme der noch vorherrschenden Ambiguitätstoleranz und auf eine Abkehr vom Ambiguitätsmanage-ment hinauslaufen wird.
Présences de la langue espagnole au Portugal (xvie-xviie siècles) : textes et contextes
Authors: Almeida Mendes Paula
Published: March 2024

Entre 1580 et 1640, le Portugal faisait partie d’une double Monarchie avec l’Espagne, sous le règne de la dynastie des Habsbourg. Le bilinguisme était déjà une réalité au Portugal, en grande partie à cause de la politique matrimoniale des rois portugais, mais au cours de la double Monarchie, la circulation d’œuvres castillanes augmentera. Cette étude vise à attirer l’attention sur la circulation d’œuvres castillanes au cours de la période en question, au Portugal, en mettant en évidence la diffusion des modèles littéraires et des tendances culturelles importés d’Espagne.
Audit Expectation Gap of Government Auditees on the Duties of Public Sector Auditors in Sri Lanka
Authors: Deepal A. G. , Jayamaha A.
Published: March 2024

The phenomenon of the audit expectation gap (AEG) is a significant concern within the private sector while the AEG in the public sector has garnered little attention from scholars. However, it was found that the definition provided for the expectation gap is directly relevant to the context of public sector auditing as well. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in perceptions of government auditees on the duties of public sector auditors (PSA) in Sri Lanka. Further, it is expected to examine the causes for such differences in perceptions empirically. The sample was selected randomly from government sector auditees consisting of administrators, accountants, and senior staff members. Self-administered questionnaire including twenty existing duties of public sector auditors was used as the instrument for collecting primary data. Kruskal-Wallis test, a non-parametric test, was mainly performed to examine the significant differences of the auditee group, whereas the significant differences between groups were further examined by employing the Mann-Whitney U test. Perception gaps were found related to the existing duties of PSA, the perceived standard of performance of PSA, and the expected duties of PSA in Sri Lanka. It was further found that the AEG was widely spread between staff-associated groups rather than non-staff-associated groups. Consequently, it was concluded that AEG exists among the government auditees in relation to the duties of PSA in Sri Lanka. Further, five main causes for the AEG were recognized.
Revisiting Legacy Weight Relationships Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Vegh J.Michael , Milligan Andrew J.
Published: March 2024

This paper investigates the application of K‐means clustering algorithms to traditional aircraft conceptual‐level weight estimation techniques. K‐Means clustering was utilized as a means for statistical discovery within the dataset to explore potential paths for
improved weight estimation using conceptual‐level information. As a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, scope was limited to fuselage basic weight estimation. A variety of weight sources were parsed and curated to produce a large, diverse dataset consisting of 82 separate
aircraft. A corresponding new universal fuselage basic weight regression was generated as a baseline for comparison. K‐Means clustering was then employed to sort aircraft into groupings based on configuration and topology with an associated weight equation created for each grouping.
Configuration-based groupings utilized information such as a high-level abstraction of the structural layout as well as whether the aircraft is a fixe‐wing or rotary‐wing vehicle. Topology‐based groupings utilized information such as landing gear location and possession
of a cargo ramp or wing. The configuration‐based groupings showed modest improvement compared to the baseline regression which were in turn outperformed by the topology-based regressions across a range of data groupings. Under all conditions, a subset of the data associated with fixed‐wing
aircraft was shown to be an outlier in regard to error as a result of a large range of weight and speed scales, in addition to possible secondary pressurization impacts. Special treatment of the winged dataset led to further reduction in error based on unique design features. The weight estimation
processes explored within this paper present a methodology that leverages machine learning algorithms that can improve and inform existing best practices.
Staphylococcal food poisoning outbreaks occurred in Sicily (Italy) from 2009 to 2016
Authors: Cardamone Cinzia , Castello Annamaria , Oliveri Giuseppa , Costa Antonella , Sciortino Sonia , Nia Yacine , Hennekinne Jacques Antoine , Romano Angelo , Zuccon Fabio , Decastelli Lucia
Published: March 2024

Notification of foodborne outbreaks has been mandatory in Europe since 2005, and surveillance is carried out along the entire food chain. Here we report the results obtained from laboratory investigations about four cases of foodborne outbreaks that occurred in Sicily between 2009 and 2016, deemed to be related to staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) and coagulase-positive Staphylococci (CPS) by the Local Public Health Authority. Primosale cheese samples were processed by culture methods for enumeration of CPS and immunoenzymatic assays for detection and differentiation of the SEs possibly contained in food samples. In all cases, the mistrusted foods were found to be contaminated by CPS at bacterial loads between 5 and 8 log CFU/g and contained SE type C (SEC). The reported data confirm the risk of staphylococcal food poisoning associated with the consumption of raw milk cheese. The SEC is the most commonly occurring SE in goat milk and dairy products and the most represented enterotoxin in Sicilian dairy products. Our results highlighted the need for improving the current monitoring efficiency and implementing the available laboratory methods to collect more faithful epidemiological data on the current prevalence of staphylococcal toxins in the food chain, including SEs currently not detectable by validated analytical methods.
A nomogram to predict lung cancer in pulmonary lesions for tuberculosis infection patients
Authors: Xia Zhi , Rong Xueyao , Chen Qiong , Fang Min , Xiao Jian
Published: March 2024

Similar clinical features make the differential diagnosis difficult, particularly between lung cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), without pathological evidence for patients with concomitant TB infection. Our study aimed to build a nomogram to predict malignant pulmonary lesions applicable to clinical practice. We retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics, imaging features, and laboratory indicators of TB infection patients diagnosed with lung cancer or active pulmonary TB at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. A total of 158 cases from January 1, 2018 to May 30, 2019 were included in the training cohort. Predictive factors for lung cancer were screened by a multiple-stepwise logistic regression analysis. A nomogram model was established, and the discrimination, stability, and prediction performance of the model were analyzed. A total of 79 cases from June 1, 2019, to December 30, 2019, were used as the validation cohort to verify the predictive value of the model. Eight predictor variables, including age, pleural effusion, mediastinal lymph node, the number of positive tumor markers, the T cell spot test for TB, pulmonary lesion morphology, location, and distribution, were selected to construct the model. The corrected C-statistics and the Brier scores were 0.854 and 0.130 in the training cohort, and 0.823 and 0.163 in the validation cohort. Calibration plots showed good performance, and decision curve analysis indicated a high net benefit. In conclusion, the nomogram model provides an effective method to calculate the probability of lung cancer in TB infection patients, and it has excellent discrimination, stability, and prediction performance in detecting a malignant diagnosis of undiagnosed pulmonary lesions.
A qualitative analysis and evaluation of social support received after experiencing a broken marriage engagement and impacts on holistic health
Authors: Riemann Wendy
Published: March 2024

This study provides new insights into the role of social sup- port in the largely unexplored field of broken marriage engage- ments and an individual’s wellbeing. The study extends the optimal matching theory (OMT) and the research surrounding helpful, unhelpful, and mixed social support. It uses constant comparison to examine the social support messages individuals received after telling others their engagement ended, as de- scribed in 43, in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Six types of helpful support messengers, six types of unhelpful support mes- sengers, and four mixed messenger types were found. Receiver- centric messengers were found to be more helpful than messengers who centered on their own feelings and needs, sometimes to the detriment of the receiver’s own wellbeing. Being present, thoughtful, and intentional with words, can have a positive impact on a person’s holistic health, regardless of whether the relationship is a weak-tie or strong-tie. Using study findings, the broken engagement message stoplight is proposed, detailing messages that are generally helpful to a person’s over- all wellbeing, messages that should likely be avoided, and mes- sages that should be said cautiously when interacting with someone experiencing a broken engagement.
Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Experiences Managing Workplace Organizational-Professional Conflict
Authors: Pike Lacy Alicia M. , Bowman Thomas G. , Singe Stephanie M.
Published: March 2024

Context

Athletic trainers (ATs) face organizational-professional conflict (OPC), often surrounding return-to-sport decisions. To prioritize patient safety and establish a healthy work environment, OPC must be mitigated, yet few researchers have determined how ATs manage conflicts with stakeholders.

Objective

To explore ATs’ experiences with OPC in the secondary school setting.

Design

Qualitative study.

Setting

Telephone interviews.

Patients or Other Participants

Sixteen ATs (9 females, 7 males; age = 43 ± 11 years; years certified = 17 ± 9; years in their current positions = 9 ± 6).

Data Collection and Analysis

We digitally recorded telephone interviews and had them professionally transcribed. Data saturation guided recruitment efforts and was met. To ensure rigor and trustworthiness of the data, we completed basic member checks along with multiple-analyst triangulation. We analyzed the qualitative data using an interpretive phenomenological approach.

Results

Four themes emerged effective communication, professional relationships, stakeholder education, and professional experience. Participants used effective communication described as frequent, open, and direct, during interactions with stakeholders to manage OPC. Organizational-professional conflict was reduced when ATs built professional relationships with stakeholders centered on trust and respect. Participants used stakeholder education as a primary strategy for managing OPC by educating stakeholders about prognosis and return-to-sport timelines postinjury and providing rationale for decisions made. Additionally, years of experience served as a mitigating factor of conflict, in that as ATs gained experience and confidence, they perceived less OPC.

Conclusions

Participants suggested various interpersonal relationship development strategies that can be implemented to manage OPC, especially when starting a new position or building rapport with stakeholders. Specifically, educating various stakeholders on reasons for clinical decisions via effective communication and developing strong professional relationships built on mutual respect assisted in avoiding OPC. Since professional experience appears to alleviate conflict, OPC management strategies should be taught during professional preparation and used early during transition to autonomous practice.
People With Patellofemoral Pain Have Bilateral Deficits in Physical Performance Regardless of Pain Laterality
Authors: Waiteman Marina C. , Briani Ronaldo V. , Lopes Helder S. , Maiolini Ducatti Matheus H. , da Silva Gleison G.M. , Bazett-Jones David M. , de Azevedo Fábio M.
Published: March 2024

Context

People with patellofemoral pain (PFP) may have lower performance during the forward step-down and single-leg hop with their painful (unilateral complaints) or most painful (bilateral complaints) limb when compared with pain-free controls. However, no authors have investigated the appropriateness of using the pain-free or less painful limb as a reference standard in clinical practice or whether deficits might be present depending on the laterality of pain.

Objective

To compare performance scores and proportion of side-to-side limb symmetry during the forward step-down and single-leg hop tests among people with unilateral and bilateral PFP and pain-free controls.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants

Fifty-two young adults (18–35 years old) with unilateral PFP, 72 with bilateral PFP, and 76 controls.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Group × limb interactions on performance during the step-down (repetitions) and single-leg hop (distance [cm] normalized by the limb length) tests were investigated using a repeated-measures analysis of covariance controlling for sex. Pairwise comparisons were interpreted using effect sizes. A χ2 test was used to compare the proportion of symmetry/asymmetry (cutoff point of ≥90% for symmetry indices) across groups and tests.

Results

Main effects for groups (small to medium effects) but not limbs indicated lower performance of both limbs of individuals with unilateral and bilateral PFP than controls during forward step-down and single-leg hop tests. No significant differences for the proportion of symmetry/asymmetry were identified across groups (P ≥.05), which further suggests an impaired physical performance of the contralateral limb.

Conclusions

Our results indicate bilateral deficits in the physical performance of people with unilateral and bilateral PFP when compared with pain-free controls during the forward step-down and single-leg hop tests. Limb symmetry indices greater than 90% should be interpreted with caution, as they may overstate physical performance by not assuming bilateral deficits.
Analgesic efficacy of classical thoracolumbar interfascial plane block versus modified thoracolumbar interfascial plane block in patients undergoing lumbar disc surgeries: A comparative, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Mondal Sourav , Pandey Ravinder Kumar , Kumar Mritunjay , Sharma Ankur , Darlong Vanlal , Punj Jyotsna
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims:

We compared classical (medial) and modified (lateral) thoracolumbar interfascial plane block (TLIP) with only general anaesthesia (GA) using multimodal analgesia in patients undergoing lumbar disc surgeries.

Methods:

In this study, 100 patients aged 18–70 years were randomised to Group cTLIP (conventional TLIP block with 20 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine with GA), Group mTLIP (modified TLIP block with 20 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine with GA), and Group C (only GA using multimodal analgesia). The primary outcome was to assess the total peri-operative opioid consumption in the first 24 h. The secondary outcomes were to assess pain score upon arriving in the post-anaesthesia care unit, time to first analgesic need after surgery, post-operative opioid consumption in 24 h, and incidence of nausea and vomiting.

Results:

The total peri-operative opioid consumption in Group cTLIP (507.58 (258.55) μg) and Group mTLIP (491.67 (165.39) μg) was significantly lower than that in Group C (1225.4 (237.03) μg); (P < 0.001). However, it was comparable between groups cTLIP and mTLIP (P = 0.767). Pain score was comparable in groups cTLIP and mTLIP. It was significantly lower than Group C (P = 0.001). Rescue analgesia was needed in all (100%) patients of Group C but in only 15.2% of patients of the cTLIP and mTLIP groups. No patient in groups cTLIP and mTLIP complained of nausea and vomiting in the first 24 h, whereas it was significantly higher (61.8%) in Group C (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

The analgesic effect of the modified TLIP block was not superior to the conventional TLIP block. Both techniques provided the same intra-operative and post-operative analgesia for lumbar disc surgeries.
Efficacy of ShotBlocker device versus vapocoolant spray for spinal needle pain relief during spinal anaesthesia in elective caesarean section - A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Gautam Shefali , Mall Pratibha , Prakash Ravi , Yadav Kirtika , Raman Rajesh , Singh Manish K.
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims:

Apprehension of pain due to a spinal needle is often a cause of anxiety and refusal. ShotBlocker provides non-painful physical stimulation, inhibiting pain perception. The vapocoolant spray contains ethyl chloride vapours, rapidly raising the skin temperature and hampering the transmission of noxious stimuli. The present study compared the effectiveness of the ShotBlocker device and the vapocoolant spray in reducing spinal needle-associated pain in primigravida women undergoing elective lower-segment caesarean section (LSCS).

Methods:

We enroled 144 primigravida women undergoing elective LSCS and were randomised to Group SB (the ShotBlocker device was firmly pressed over the skin, and the spinal needle was inserted through its slit), Group V (the vapocoolant spray was applied at the puncture site before spinal needle insertion), and Group C (received local infiltration before spinal anaesthesia (SA)). The groups were compared for needle-associated pain and patient satisfaction using a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) and a 3-point Likert scale.

Results:

The mean (standard deviation) [95% confidence interval (CI)] VAS scores of Group SB 3.85 (0.74) [3.64, 4.07] and Group V 3.04 (0.74) [2.83, 3.26] were significantly lower than that of Group C 5.19 (0.92) [3.28, 3.62]). On the Likert scale, the maximum number of patients in the vapocoolant group (64.6%) responded satisfactorily, while in the control group, the majority (62.5%) of participants responded dissatisfied (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Both the ShotBlocker and vapocoolant spray reduce needle puncture-associated pain before SA in primigravida patients undergoing elective LSCS. However, the vapocoolant spray is more beneficial in reducing spinal needle-associated pain than the ShotBlocker device.
Coinfection of malaria and scrub typhus in a toddler: First report from South India
Authors: Vasudevan Nandini , Jaganathan Sawantharia , Jose Priya , Kommu Peter Prasanth Kumar
Published: March 2024

Tropical infections are common in South Asia, including India. However, coinfections among the different diseases are rare in children. We report a case of malaria-scrub typhus coinfection in a toddler from South India. A 3-year-old boy presented with fever. He was pale, dull-looking and had hepatosplenomegaly.. There was mild leukocytosis with positive C reactive protein. Rapid malarial antigen was positive, and started on antimalarial therapy. Fever was persisting after 48 h and doxycycline was started. Scrub typhus immunoglobulin M was positive. He responded dramatically to doxycycline, and in 24 hours, he became afebrile. The prevalence of this coinfection was studied by Wilairatana et al. in 2021 and showed a low prevalence of 0%–1%. Our case is unique and rare as this has not been reported in a toddler. Children with acute undifferentiated fever which is not responding to therapy within 48 hours must be investigated for concurrent infection.
Defining role of atlantoaxial and subaxial spinal instability in the pathogenesis of cervical spinal degeneration: Experience with “only-fixation” without any decompression as treatment in 374 cases over 10 years
Authors: Goel Atul , Vutha Ravikiran , Shah Abhidha , Prasad Apurva , Shukla Ashutosh Kumar , Maheshwari Shradha
Published: March 2024

Aim:

The authors analyze their published work and update their experience with 374 cases of cervical radiculopathy and/or myelopathy related to spinal degeneration that includes ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). The role of atlantoaxial and subaxial spinal instability as the nodal point of pathogenesis and focused target of surgical treatment is analyzed.

Materials and Methods:

During the period from June 2012 to November 2022, 374 patients presented with acute or chronic symptoms related to radiculopathy and/or myelopathy that were attributed to degenerative cervical spondylotic changes or due to OPLL. There were 339 males and 35 females, and their ages ranged from 39 to 77 years (average 62 years). All patients were treated for subaxial spinal stabilization by Camille’s transarticular technique with the aim of arthrodesis of the treated segments. Atlantoaxial stabilization was done in 128 cases by adopting direct atlantoaxial fixation in 55 cases or a modified technique of indirect atlantoaxial fixation in 73 patients. Decompression by laminectomy, laminoplasty, corpectomy, discoidectomy, osteophyte resection, or manipulation of OPLL was not done in any case. Standard monitoring parameters, video recordings, and patient self-assessment scores formed the basis of clinical evaluation.

Results:

During the follow-up period that ranged from 3 to 125 months (average: 59 months), all patients had clinical improvement. Of 130 patients who had clinical evidences of severe myelopathy and were either wheelchair or bed bound, 116 patients walked aided (23 patients), or unaided (93 patients) at the last follow-up. One patient in the series was operated on 24 months after the first surgery by anterior cervical route for “adjacent segment” disc herniation. No other patient in the entire series needed any kind of repeat or additional surgery for persistent, recurrent, increased, or additional related symptoms. None of the screws at any level backed out or broke. There were no implant-related infections. Spontaneous regression of the size of osteophytes was observed in 259 patients where a postoperative imaging was possible after at least 12 months of surgery.

Conclusions:

Our successful experience with only spinal fixation without any kind of “decompression” identifies the defining role of “instability” in the pathogenesis of spinal degeneration and its related symptoms. OPLL appears to be a secondary manifestation of chronic or longstanding spinal instability.
The impact of robotic assistance for lumbar fusion surgery on 90-day surgical outcomes and 1-year revisions
Authors: Heard Jeremy C. , Lee Yunsoo A. , D’Antonio Nicholas D. , Narayanan Rajkishen , Lambrechts Mark J. , Bodnar John , Purtill Caroline , Pezzulo Joshua D. , Farronato Dominic , Fitzgerald Pat , Canseco Jose A. , Kaye Ian David , Hilibrand Alan S. , Vaccaro Alexander R. , Kepler Christopher K. , Schroeder Gregory D.
Published: March 2024

Objectives:

To evaluate the (1) 90-day surgical outcomes and (2) 1-year revision rate of robotic versus nonrobotic lumbar fusion surgery.

Methods:

Patients >18 years of age who underwent primary lumbar fusion surgery at our institution were identified and propensity-matched in a 1:1 fashion based on robotic assistance during surgery. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and surgical outcomes, including 90-day surgical complications and 1-year revisions, were collected. Multivariable regression analysis was performed. Significance was set to P < 0.05.

Results:

Four hundred and fifteen patients were identified as having robotic lumbar fusion and were matched to a control group. Bivariant analysis revealed no significant difference in total 90-day surgical complications (P = 0.193) or 1-year revisions (P = 0.178). The operative duration was longer in robotic surgery (287 + 123 vs. 205 + 88.3, P ≤ 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that robotic fusion was not a significant predictor of 90-day surgical complications (odds ratio [OR] = 0.76 [0.32–1.67], P = 0.499) or 1-year revisions (OR = 0.58 [0.28–1.18], P = 0.142). Other variables identified as the positive predictors of 1-year revisions included levels fused (OR = 1.26 [1.08–1.48], P = 0.004) and current smokers (OR = 3.51 [1.46–8.15], P = 0.004).

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that robotic-assisted and nonrobotic-assisted lumbar fusions are associated with a similar risk of 90-day surgical complications and 1-year revision rates; however, robotic surgery does increase time under anesthesia.
Management of lumbar spondylolisthesis: A retrospective analysis of posterior lumbar interbody fusion versus transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion
Authors: Encarnacion Santos Daniel , Nurmukhametov Renat , Donasov Medet , Volovich Alexander , Bozkurt Ismail , Wellington Jack , Espinal Lendof Miguel , Peralta Ismael , Chaurasia Bipin
Published: March 2024

Background:

One of the most frequent etiologies for spinal surgery is unstable lumbar spondylolisthesis (ULS). To decompress affected structures while maintaining or restoring stability through fusion, surgeons utilize a variety of procedures. When paired with interbody fusion, posterior fusion is most applied, resulting in greater fusion rates. The two most popular techniques for implementing spinal fusion are posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). As a result, these two procedures have been assessed formally.

Methodology:

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent interbody fusion for lumbar stenosis through PLIF and minimally invasive (MI)-TLIF was performed. The patients were followed up for 24 months and fusion rates, Visual Analog Score (VAS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) alongside the MacNab clinical outcome score, were assessed. The Bridwell interbody fusion grading system was used to evaluate fusion rates in computed tomography (CT).

Results:

Operations were performed in 60 cases where patients suffered from ULS. PLIF was performed on 33 patients (55%) (14 males and 19 females) and 27 patients (45%) (11 males and 16 females) who underwent MI-TLIF. In 87% of our respective cohort, either the L4–5 or the L5–S1 level was operated on. Overall fusion rates were comparable between the two groups; however, the TLIF group improved more in terms of VAS, ODI, and MacNab scores. On average, MI-TLIF surgery was longer and resulted in reduced blood loss. MI-TLIF patients were more mobile than PLIF patients postoperatively.

Conclusion:

With well-established adequate results in the literature, TLIF offers benefits over other methods used for interbody lumbar fusion in ULS or other diseases of the spine. However, MI-TLIF may procure more advantageous for patients if MI methods are implemented. In this instance, TLIF outperformed PLIF due to shorter operating times, less blood loss, faster ODI recovery, better MacNab scores, and a greater decline in VAS pain ratings.
Surgical management of spinal metastases from primary thyroid carcinoma: Demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes – A retrospective analysis
Authors: Chaliparambil Rahul Kishore , Krushelnytskyy Mykhaylo , Shlobin Nathan A. , Thirunavu Vineeth , Roumeliotis Anastasios G. , Larkin Collin , Kemeny Hanna , El Tecle Najib , Koski Tyler , Dahdaleh Nader S.
Published: March 2024

Objective:

Metastatic spinal tumors represent a rare but concerning complication of primary thyroid carcinoma. We identified demographics, metastatic features, outcomes, and treatment strategies for these tumors in our institutional cohort.

Materials and Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed patients surgically treated for spinal metastases of primary thyroid carcinoma. Demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities were collected. The functional outcomes were quantified using Nurik, Modified Rankin, and Karnofsky Scores.

Results:

Twelve patients were identified who underwent 17 surgeries for resection of spinal metastases. The primary thyroid tumor pathologies included papillary (4/12), follicular (6/12), and Hurthle cell (2/12) subtypes. The average number of spinal metastases was 2.5. Of the primary tumor subtypes, follicular tumors averaged 2.8 metastases at the highest and Hurthle cell tumors averaged 2.0 spinal metastases at the lowest. Five patients (41.7%) underwent preoperative embolization for their spinal metastases. Seven patients (58.3%) received postoperative radiation. There was no significant difference in progression-free survival between patients receiving surgery with adjuvant radiation and surgery alone (P = 0.0773). Five patients (41.7%) experienced postoperative complications. Two patients (16.7%) succumbed to disease progression and two patients (16.7%) experienced tumor recurrence following resection. Postsurgical mean Nurik scores decreased 0.54 points, mean Modified Rankin scores decreased 0.48 points, and mean Karnofsky scores increased 4.8 points.

Conclusion:

Surgery presents as an important treatment modality in the management of spinal metastases from thyroid cancer. Further work is needed to understand the predictive factors for survival and outcomes following treatment.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Internet Gaming Disorder amongst Medical Students in Kodagu District: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Madeshan Ashwini , Raja N. Sabari , Udayar Sharvanan E. , Narasimha B. C.
Published: March 2024

Background:

Internet usage amongst young adults and students has increased over the decades. Heavy internet use leads to addiction and internet gaming disorder (IGD) in them.

Aims:

The study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with IGD amongst medical students of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences, Madikeri, Karnataka.

Methods:

A cross sectional study was conducted amongst 516 medical students from June to July 2022. A universal sampling technique was implied in the study, and data were collected using a pre tested and validated questionnaire (IGD 20 scale). Data were extracted into Excel and analysed using Epi Info (version 7.2).

Results:

The prevalence of IGD amongst medical students was 23.25% (120). The IGD was higher amongst female players, 72 (60%), than the male players, 48 (40%) (P = 0.03). The students staying in the hostel had a high IGD, 112 (93.3%), compared to day scholars, 8 (6.7%) (P = 0.003). As socio economic status increased, the IGD amongst students also increased (P = 0.006).

Conclusions:

The prevalence of IGD amongst medical students was 23.25%. The female students, hostelites and students from the upper class were more prone to develop IGD.
Profile and Outcome of Neonatal Respiratory Distress: A Single-center Study
Authors: Ahuja Sumanyu , Gaur Bablu Kumar , Jain Shruti , Singh Rupa Rajbhandari , Maini Baljeet
Published: March 2024

Background:

Respiratory distress (RD) is one of the common indications of hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Due to recent advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment, there is a need for data on the current profile and outcome of neonatal RD (NRD).

Aims:

To determine the clinical presentation, causes, risk factors, severity, and outcome of NRD.

Patients and Methods:

All neonates who presented with signs of RD were enrolled. Neonatal data such as birth weight, mode of delivery, gestational age, saturation on room air, mode of oxygen therapy, and onset and severity of RD were noted in predesigned pro forma. The severity of RD in term and pre-term neonates was assessed by Downe’s score and Silverman–Anderson’s score, respectively. Relevant investigations and treatment were started as per standard protocol.

Results:

The most common cause of NRD was RD syndrome (29%). Chest indrawing was the most prevalent sign of RD (90.0%). There was no significant association of gestational age with the severity of RD (P = 0.140), but the birth weight was significantly associated with the severity of RD (P = 0.002). Severe RD was associated with extreme prematurity, meconium-stained amniotic fluid and birth weight of <1.5 kg. The mortality rate was 12%, with meconium aspiration syndrome and RD syndrome being the common causes.

Conclusions:

Whatever the cause, RD can proceed to respiratory failure and death if it is not promptly diagnosed and treated. Therefore, any clinician providing care for neonates must be able to quickly identify the symptoms and degree of RD, distinguish between different aetiologies, and begin treatment plans to avoid future complications or mortality.
Complete Lung Agenesis with Klippel–Feil Syndrome with Atlantoaxial Dislocation
Authors: Bansal Tungish , Rai Hitesh Inder Singh , Kale Shashank Sharad , Borkar Sachin
Published: March 2024

Congenital agenesis of the lung is a very rare condition. It is often associated with other systemic malformations. An 8-year-old male presented to us with features of Klippel–Feil syndrome and repeated chest infections. On further investigation, he was also diagnosed with left lung agenesis and partially reducible atlantoaxial dislocation. We discuss the treatment dilemma associated with such cases due to the high risk of pulmonary complications. The atlantoaxial dislocations should ideally be treated with surgical intervention, but a wait-and-watch approach was adopted in this case as the parents were averse to high risk of complications associated with surgical management.
Spinal Hydatid Cyst – A Rare Case Report from North-East India
Authors: Borah Nabajyoti , Haque Inamul , Barua Navanil , Gang Sneha , Barman Ananya , Ahmed Shabnam Akhtar
Published: March 2024

Spinal hydatid cyst is an uncommon manifestation of Echinococcus granulosus in the human spine as a result of feco–oral contamination. Cysts are usually seen in highly vascularized parenchymal organs such as the brain, liver, and lung. Spinal involvement is rare, with an incidence of <1%. Here, we report the case of a 35-year-old female with spinal hydatid cyst, who had a history of upper back pain and gradually progressive weakness of both lower limbs for 2 years. She underwent surgery and the hydatid cysts were removed completely. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Lower limb weakness recovered dramatically and completely within a month. The current case study demonstrates the importance of proper diagnosis, surgical treatment, and adequate intraoperative prophylaxis to prevent cyst rupture and for early neurological recovery.
HER2-low breast cancers: challenges in the interpretation of immunohistochemistry
Authors: Chia Noel , Gudi Mihir Ananta , Rakha Emad , Tan Puay Hoon
Published: March 2024

Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein in breast cancers carries significant prognostic and therapeutic implications. Anti-HER2 blockade has shown to be a useful adjunct to surgery in treating HER2-positive tumours. Up till today, the HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) scoring algorithms are geared towards identifying HER2-positive cases. A recently published Phase III clinical trial (DESTINY-Breast04) has demonstrated that an antibody–drug conjugate (trastuzumab-deruxtecan) significantly reduced disease progression and death in patients with metastatic disease with IHC score 1+ or 2+ and without ISH amplification, defining a new category of cases known as HER2 low. At present, IHC scores 0, 1+ and 2+ show significant interobserver variability, and identifying HER2-low breast cancers may pose significant challenges with the current algorithms. More work is needed in this area to better define HER2-low breast cancers, target the appropriate group of patients and assess treatment efficacy.
Dalbergia nigra (Vell.) grown using hydrogel planting methods in the establishment of a silvopastoral system in a degraded soil
Authors: Oliveira Carlos Henrique Rodrigues de , Gomes Robert , Oliveira Fabricia Benda de , Angelos Jacyelli Sgranci , Dan Maurício Lima
Published: March 2024

This work tested the use of a superabsorbent polymer (hydrogel) in a silvopastoral system with Brazilian-rosewood (Dalbergia nigra (Vell.) Allemão ex Benth.) in a degraded pasture area. The experimental site is part of the Bananal do Norte experimental farm, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Over 480 seedlings were planted and submitted to the treatments: Dry hydrogel (DRY); Hydrated hydrogel around the root ball (HAR); Hydrated hydrogel mixed with soil (HMS); and water only (WAT). The design was in randomized blocks, with three repetitions. The tested variables were plant survival, height and root collar diameter until 672 days after planting, soil moisture at 93 days after planting and total biomass and leaf chemical analysis at 184 days after planting. Survival was positively influenced by the application of the hydrogel, but there was little or no effect regarding the application method. The hydrogel and its application techniques did not alter growth in height and root collar diameter. The polymer did not influence the development in biomass and nutritional content of the leaves, but did influence the biomass distribution. The use of the superabsorbent polymer was therefore not effective in accelerating plant growth and anticipating the stages in the implantation of the silvopastoral system.
Keywords: agroforestry, brazilian-rosewood, degraded pasture.
Cancer Statistics in Korea: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Prevalence in 2021
Authors: Park Eun Hye , Jung Kyu-Won , Park Nam Ju , Kang Mee Joo , Yun E Hwa , Kim Hye-Jin , Kim Jeong-Eun , Kong Hyun-Joo , Im Jeong-Soo , Seo Hong Gwan ,   The Community of Population-Based Regional Cancer Registries
Published: March 2024

Purpose The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2021.Materials and Methods Incidence, survival, and prevalence rates of cancer were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, from 1999 to 2021, with survival follow-up until December 31, 2022. Deaths from cancer were assessed using causes-of-death data obtained from Statistics Korea.Results The number of new cancer diagnoses in 2021 increased by 27,002 cases (10.8%) compared to 2020. In 2021, newly diagnosed cancer cases and deaths from cancer were reported as 277,523 (age-standardized rate [ASR], 289.3 per 100,000) and 82,688 (ASR, 67.6 per 100,000), respectively. The overall cancer incidence rates increased by 3.3% annually from 1999 to 2012, and decreased by 5.3% from 2012 to 2015, thereafter, followed by non-significant changes. Cancer mortality rates have been decreasing since 2002, with more rapid decline in recent years (annual decrease of 2.8% from 2002 to 2013; 3.2% from 2013 to 2021). The 5-year relative survival between 2017 and 2021 was 72.1%, which contributed to prevalent cases reaching over 2.4 million in 2021.Conclusion In 2021, the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients increased as healthcare utilization recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019–related declines of 2020. Revised cancer registration guidelines expanded the registration scope, particularly for stomach and colorectal cancer. Survival rates have improved over the years, leading to a growing population of cancer survivors, necessitating a comprehensive cancer control strategy. The long-term impact of the pandemic on cancer statistics requires future investigation.
Measurement of the Particle Distribution around the Tire of a Light
Commercial Vehicle on Unpaved Roads
Authors: Yigci Ibrahim , Strohbücker Veith , Kunze Miles , Schatz Markus
Published: March 2024

Dust testing of vehicles on unpaved roads is crucial in the development process
for automotive manufacturers. These tests aim to ensure the functionality of
locking systems in dusty conditions, minimize dust concentration inside the
vehicle, and enhance customer comfort by preventing dust accumulation on the car
body. Additionally, deposition on safety-critical parts, such as windshields and
sensors, can pose threats to driver vision and autonomous driving capabilities.
Currently, dust tests are primarily conducted experimentally at proving grounds.
In order to gain early insights and reduce the need for costly physical tests,
numerical simulations are becoming a promising alternative.

Although simulations of vehicle contamination by dry dust have been studied in
the past, they have often lacked detailed models for tire dust resuspension. In
addition, few publications address the specifics of dust deposition on vehicles,
especially in areas such as door gaps and locks. Many authors focus primarily on
the environmental impact of vehicles due to non-exhaust emissions, such as tire
and road wear particles (TRWP) and brake wear on paved roads.

To close this gap, this paper presents an experimental test in which a vehicle
drives through a dry dust track. Using special dust measurement techniques
positioned in the wheelhouse, we determine the number and size distribution of
the dust particle field around the tire circumference. The results of this
experiment provide a deeper understanding of the dust dispersion patterns
generated by tires on unpaved surfaces and serve as valuable data for boundary
conditions and for the validation of CFD (computational fluid dynamics)
simulations.
Effect of sowing density on performance and biometric features of pedunculate oak
Authors: Hauke-Kowalska Maria , Kasprzyk Winicjusz
Published: March 2024

Sowing density is one of the most important factors influencing seedling quality. In forest nurseries, to ensure full seeding, it is recommended to obtain approximately 200 seedlings from 1 m2 (ZHL 2012). The aim of the study was to assess the effect of sowing density on sowing efficiency and the morphological features of pedunculate oak seedlings. Acorns were sown directly by broadcast seeding on 20 test plots, each 4 m in length, in four replications. The following variants were used:- 250acorns capable of germination totaling 341 acorns per 1 linear meter (0.9 m2);- 300 acorns capable of germination totaling 410 acorns per 1 linear meter (0.9 m2);- 350 acorns capable of germination totaling 478 acorns per 1 linear meter (0.9 m2);- 400 acorns capable of germination totaling 546 acorns per 1 linear meter (0.9 m2);- 450 acorns capable of germination totaling 614 acorns per 1 linear meter (0.9 m2).
At the end of the growing season, seedlings were counted per 1 m (0.9 m2) in the central part of each plot. Sowing efficiency was determined as a percentage of seedling yield from the sown seeds. For laboratory analysis, 30 seedlings from each plot (600 in total) were collected. Based on biometric features like shoot height, root collar diameter, and dry weights of shoots, roots, and leaves, quality indicators such as the sturdiness quotient (SQ) and the Dickson quality index (DQI) were calculated.
Sowing efficiency at the end of the vegetation season ranged between 39.68% and 50.12% and was not statistically significant. The research revealed that sowing density influenced seedling biometric characteristics. Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed significant negative correlations between the number of seedlings obtained in an experimental plot and the dry weight of the root, number and dry mass of leaves, as well as the DQI. The seedlings from all sowing variants complied with the binding Polish standard, outlined in the Regulation of the Minister for the Environment of 18 February 2004 (Ministerstwo Środowiska 2004) by over 96%.
Keywords: seeding density, sowing rate, seedling quality, sowing performance, sturdiness quotient (SQ), Dickson quality index (DQI), Quercus robur L.
Nibbling MAYO: Optimized Implementations for AVX2 and Cortex-M4
Authors: Beullens Ward , Campos Fabio , Celi Sofía , Hess Basil , Kannwischer Matthias J.
Published: March 2024

MAYO is a popular high-calorie condiment as well as an auspicious candidate in the ongoing NIST competition for additional post-quantum signature schemes achieving competitive signature and public key sizes. In this work, we present high-speed implementations of MAYO using the AVX2 and Armv7E-M instruction sets targeting recent x86 platforms and the Arm Cortex-M4. Moreover, the main contribution of our work is showing that MAYO can be even faster when switching from a bitsliced representation of keys to a nibble-sliced representation. While the bitsliced representation was primarily motivated by faster arithmetic on microcontrollers, we show that it is not necessary for achieving high performance on Cortex-M4. On Cortex-M4, we instead propose to implement the large matrix multiplications of MAYO using the Method of the Four Russians (M4R), which allows us to achieve better performance than when using the bitsliced approach. This results in up to 21% faster signing. For AVX2, the change in representation allows us to implement the arithmetic much faster using shuffle instructions. Signing takes up to 3.2x fewer cycles and key generation and verification enjoy similar speedups. This shows that MAYO is competitive with lattice-based signature schemes on x86 CPUs, and a factor of 2-6 slower than lattice-based signature schemes on Cortex-M4 (which can still be considered competitive).