bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting possessio naturalis and possessio civilis in Roman law: a new perspective emerges?
Authors: Costa-Neto João
Published: December 2024

This is a brief critical assessment of the distinction between possessio naturalis and possessio civilis in Roman law. The text provides a concise historical outline of the distinction. Costa-Neto re-examines conventional perspectives concerning possession, including those proposed by Savigny, Jhering and Riccobono. It also examines the notion of possessio naturalis as proposed by D’Angelo and Klinck in recently published works. Costa-Neto underscores the differences from possessio civilis and mere detention and concludes that, even if a ‘quite dominant’ view basically reduces naturalis possessio to mere detention, a new trend is gradually emerging: naturalis possessio as an independent and separate institution, distinct from detention.
The Libri feudorum
Authors: Chorus Jeroen M.J.
Published: December 2024

This article mainly reviews Attilio Stella’s new edition of the Latin text of the Libri feudorum and his new English translation thereof. Additionally, it seemed useful to recall and summarize Peter Weimar’s authoritative and convincing views regarding the notoriously complicated history of the formation of the Libri feudorum and their Glossa ordinaria. Moreover, some remarks are made on the surviving medieval manuscripts and the printed editions (1472–1896) of the Latin text. Previous translations into various languages (1493–2016) are discussed. Stella’s new translation is then addressed. It may be called sound and solid. It is but rarely that some nuance does not return in the translation. If the choice of Lehmann’s Latin text (1896) is debatable, its inconvenience has been compensated by references to Osenbrüggen’s standard edition (1840). Stella’s annotation to the translation is rich and ingenious and gives delightful explanations of many unclear or ambiguous passages.
Similarity within Univocity: The Foundation of World Christianity beyond ‘Differentiation or Uniformity’
Authors: You Grace
Published: December 2024

Recent scholarship suggests the postmodern era, marked by a rejection of universal objectivity and ideas of unity, and by an emphasis on difference and plurality, may be ending. World Christianity scholars are also shifting focus from ‘difference’, ‘locality’ and ‘contextuality’ and seeking to recuperate the ‘universal’ via the concepts of unity, exchange and mutual dependence. They do, though, recognise the risks of claiming universalism, as exemplified by Radical Orthodoxy. This anti-modern theology, which argues for a retrieval of medieval Platonic Christendom as ‘the common vision’, is criticised by post-colonialists as a Eurocentric totalising tendency. Going beyond total difference or total sameness, this article proposes ‘similarity within univocity’ as a theoretical solution to the dilemma facing World Christianity: either a hyper-fragmented contextual model or Radical Orthodoxy’s universalism model. It demonstrates that ‘similarity’ not only avoids totalitarian absolute sameness, but also fragmentary difference, thus providing a novel hermeneutical foundation for the future of World Christianity.
The Role of the Safavids in the Spread and Institutionalization of the Nastaʿliq Script
Authors: Shahidani Shahab , Amiri Mostafa , Lewental D Gershon
Published: December 2024

The development of calligraphy during the Safavid period was tied closely to the emergence of a new religious and national identity. Nastaʿliq, which had emerged in association with Persian literature and culture during the Il-khanid period, became increasingly popular for both artistic and administrative purposes under Safavid patronage, at which time nastaʿliq became the favored script for transcribing not only Persian literary manuscripts, but also Shiʿi literature. Its privileged position in Safavid political historiography, manuscript illumination, and epigraphy, both in an architectural context and elsewhere, attests to the fact that nastaʿliq was institutionalized in Safavid Persia with respect to both Persian and Shiʿi aspects. The present study reveals that the material and spiritual support of the Safavids was instrumental in effectively integrating nastaʿliq into Persian culture and identity. However, nastaʿliq’s influence extended beyond Iran, as it became a distinguishing feature of Persian calligraphy and was widely used in other territories, including Mughal India and the Ottoman Empire, to transcribe inscriptions and manuscripts as a distinctively Persian art.
Onofre Micó and Pagan Reminiscence in Islam: In lege Mahomettana, largus hilarat Venus, et Bacchus (1678)
Authors: Gómez Puig Jesús
Published: December 2024

Since its founding, the redemption of Christian prisoners was the main mission of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives. This institution appeared as a response to the strife and conflicts that occurred between Christianity and the Islamic community. Thus, from the 16th century onwards, the Trinitarians would devote much effort to the city of Algiers, where, as a result of the incursions of the Barbarossa brothers into the western Mediterranean, a cosmopolitan and prosperous kingdom, plagued by slaves, had blossomed. At the end of the 17th century, in order to console the Christians imprisoned in the North African territory and consequently avoid the enormous tide of apostasy, Micó wrote the Lex euangelica contra Alcoranum, a vast manual at the service of the Trinitarians that refutes Islam and ratifies the truth of Catholicism. Among the various arguments used by the Valencian to discredit Islamic doctrine, this article focuses on the analysis of argument LII, “In lege Mahomettana, largus hilarat Venus, et Bacchus”. Reviving the medieval Christian topos of Islam as a lustful faith (product of its founder’s unbridled covetousness), the author links some of the characteristically defining precepts of Muslim doctrine to the pagan gods Venus and Bacchus. In so doing, the Christian polemicist underscores how Qurʾanic law sacralizes the enjoyment of immoderation and worldly pleasures without any form of restraint or control, in order to contrast this with the rejection of the temptations of the flesh and the submission of the body to the soul as practiced by the Christian faithful.
The “Magical Qurʾān” of Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680)
Authors: Martini Giovanni Maria
Published: December 2024

This article examines the presence and role of the Qurʾān in Athanasius Kircher’s essay De Cabala Saracenica (On the Kabbalah of the Saracens), published in Rome in 1653 as part of his famous work Oedipus Aegyptiacus (Egyptian Oedipus). De Cabala Saracenica is possibly the first analytical study undertaken in the West of magic in the Muslim world, allegedly based on a large selection of original sources, and therefore a significant work in the history of Orientalism and Islamic studies in Europe. Since the Qurʾān plays a central role in Islamicate magic, Kircher’s study abounds with references to the Holy Book of Islam. The article focuses on the presence, analysis, and translation of Qurʾānic phrases and words (the Basmala and other verses, divine names) in this particular work by the learned Jesuit, in which the Qurʾānic text is the raw material of magical operations, sometimes transformed into numbers or materialized in talismanic figures. By demonstrating the actual use of original sources by the author and by reconstructing part of Athanasius Kircher’s Islamicate occult library, it attempts to show that Kircher’s interest in the Qurʾān was not really polemical but primarily historical and antiquarian, and was linked to his interests in the history of Hermeticism, Egyptology, and the occult sciences. The picture that emerges is Kircher’s highly original approach to the Qurʾān in comparison to the main intellectual trends of the time, reflecting the exceptional personality of the thinker.
Dominicus Germanus de Silesia’s Approach to the Qur’an
Authors: Cecini Ulisse
Published: December 2024

Dominicus Germanus de Silesia’s 17th century translation of the Qur’an, Interpretatio Alcorani Literalis, offers a new approach to the long history of Latin translations of the Qur’an. In line with the early modern, humanistic, “philological” trend, he aims to explore the original sources of his object of study. However, he takes this concept further by considering as “source” not only the authentic Qur’anic text, but also the most authoritative Qur’anic commentators, whom he also translates into Latin and incorporates into the translation. This paper is a first attempt to analyze in detail Dominicus’s modus operandi, his sources and how he relates them to the Qur’anic text, as well as the purpose of his work. The study includes the critical edition of sura 9, 28-35 in the Interpretatio Alcorani Literalis, both in the translation and in the commentary parts of the work.
Postel Guillaume lecteur du Coran
Authors: Picherot Émilie
Published: December 2024

Guillaume Postel, célèbre humaniste français, imprime pour la première fois la sourate d’ouverture du Coran dans sa Grammatica arabica (1540). Il le fait sous prétexte d’exercice linguistique mais cette première tentative s’inscrit dans un contexte idéologique propre à l’auteur qui a appris l’arabe quelques années plus tôt à Constantinople et s’intéresse de près à la matière coranique. S’il s’agit bien pour lui de forger des outils aptes à démontrer les mensonges de Muhammad, son attitude vis-à-vis de l’islam est plus complexe que celle de nombre de ses contemporains. S’efforçant à comprendre, en arabe, les sources de cette religion, il démontre qu’elle est proche du christianisme et fait des musulmans, dont il admire la haute culture livresque, des semi-chrétiens prêts à se convertir par la raison.
Prophet, Legislator or Impostor? Mahomet and Islam in the Colloquium heptaplomeres
Authors: Paganini Gianni
Published: December 2024

Le Colloquium heptaplomeres, attribué à Jean Bodin, est l’un des rares ouvrages occidentaux du début de l’ère moderne à dépeindre l’islam en couleurs et à présenter Mahomet non pas comme un imposteur, mais comme un sage législateur et un véritable prophète, grâce aux nombreuses interventions importantes d’Octavius dans le dialogue. Bodin fait preuve de sympathie et d’admiration pour la piété religieuse des musulmans et apprécie l’organisation sociale et politique de l’Empire turc. Le Colloquium révèle une connaissance approfondie de la philosophie et de la religion islamiques, ainsi que des modes de vie et des traditions culturelles des nations musulmanes. Les conversations théologiques érudites mises en scène dans le dialogue témoignent de la familiarité de Bodin avec le Coran. L’image qu’Octave donne de l’islam est raffinée et purifiée de tout mythe apocryphe. Au nom d’un véritable monothéisme, il semble s’approcher d’une religion naturelle.
Dreaming Sufism in the Sokoto Caliphate: Dreams and Knowledge in the Works of Shaykh Dan Tafa
Authors: Ogunnaike Oludamini
Published: December 2024

This article explores five remarkable works (currently in unpublished manuscript form) by ʿAbd al-Qādir b. Muṣṭafā (known as “Dan Tafa”) (1804–1864), a 19th-century West African Sufi scholar of the Sokoto Caliphate, to examine the ways in which dreams were (and are) theorized in the unique synthesis of Sufi, occult, philosophical/medical, theological, and exegetical disciplines that characterized discourse about dreams and dream interpretation in Muslim West Africa on the eve of colonial conquest. Concluding with a brief discussion of what these texts can tell us about Dan Tafa’s conceptions of cosmology, knowledge, and the human self, and the importance thereof for African and Islamic intellectual history, we will also consider the potential relevance of Dan Tafa’s work for the importance and onto-epistemological status of dreams in contemporary West African Sufi communities and attempt to understand why dreams have been and remain so important in these traditions.
Introduction: Forms and Functions of Islamic Philosophy
Authors: Hammed Nora Jacobsen Ben , Sartell Elizabeth
Published: December 2024

This article presents an introduction to this special issue of Intellectual History of the Islamicate World. We suggest that this collection of papers broadens the scope of Islamic philosophy by bringing new insights into diverse forms and affective experiences of philosophy. Together, these papers suggest a way of doing Islamic philosophy that is both living and communal. This issue emerges from the community formed within the Islamic Philosophy in Conversation Working Group. As such, the introduction to the collection also serves as a reminder of the necessity of support specifically for women and nonbinary academics, scholars of color, and other minoritized scholars in our field.
Prophetic Humor: Maulānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānavī’s Jokes and Puns
Authors: Mian Ali Altaf
Published: December 2024

This article contributes to the scholarship on the Islamic tradition and Urdu culture in modern South Asia through an analysis of comic genres in the writings of the colonial-era Sufi theologian and social reformer Maulānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānavī (1863–1943). Jokes, humorous anecdotes, and puns are found in sources such as transcripts of sermons and Sufi counsel sessions (mavāʿiz̤ and malfūz̤āt). These sources document an imaginative use of narrative and wordplay to produce senses of pleasure that facilitate the transmission of moral lessons and through this transmission the creation of community (this combination of comedy, counsel, and collectivity is here called prophetic humor). We analyze prophetic humor and build an argument about how it operates in tradition as form of life through three analytical movements. First, we explore how tradition becomes a site of play and pleasure but also anxiety and ambivalence. Second, the turn to comic genres allows us to appreciate tradition as a site of textuality and translation, that is, tradition names a framework for cultivating literary and ethical sensibilities (adab). Finally, we consider the question: Is humor necessarily subversive and secular? The article attends to this question by complicating Alenka Zupančič’s secularist psychoanalytic theory of comedy vis-à-vis an engagement with Talal Asad’s critical anthropological study of tradition (especially what he says about ritualization and secularization). We show how Maulānā Thānavī’s use of humor largely reflects the protocols of ritualization but also responds to the demands of secularization. These various argumentative strands come together to illuminate how prophetic humor displaces the reigning epistemological and methodological imperatives of colonial modernity, such as secularism, rationalism, and historicism.
Casting Away Doubt (Jueyi 決疑) or The Taming of Chance: Some Remarks on Equiprobability in Divination Techniques in Imperial China
Authors: BRÉARD Andrea
Published: December 2024

This article addresses the ways in which chance was rationalized, in particular through empirical observations of the outcomes of cleromantic divination procedures and mathematical theory in imperial China. It is shown that the non-existence of a theory of probability is not a relevant historical problem for the case of China. By looking at the theoretical probabilities with which certain results could be obtained, the example of Yijing divination reveals a historical tendency in its many shortcuts and variants towards schemes with equiprobable or at least symmetric results. Although no explicit concept of probability emerged in China, the quantification of chances was empirically understood at least since the Han and mathematically modelled in the seventeenth century. The article thus contributes to the history of quantification of chance outside of Europe by looking at the Chinese cultural context without assuming a normative emergence of a theory of probability.
Essential Practices and Attributes of Integrated STEM in Elementary Education
Authors: Cheek Leah R. , Carter Vinson , Daugherty Michael K. , Goering Christian Z.
Published: December 2024

Throughout the 21st century, STEM education’s effectiveness remains a focal point for researchers, policymakers, and employers. Despite substantial investments, student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has remained essentially unchanged. Researchers persistently face challenges in expanding STEM pedagogy and improving teachers’ classroom practices, directly impacting student performance. Proposals for professional development for teachers abound, yet its success hinges on relevance and collaboration. This study utilized a three-round modified Delphi panel to identify essential P-6 integrated STEM education practices. The findings emphasize the need for dynamic, student-centered approaches coupled with continuous fine-tuning of teaching techniques. This connection is crucial for advancing STEM education beyond the fragmented disciplinary silos that dominate science and mathematics, fostering the engagement necessary for students to excel in STEM.
The Interlingual Equivalence and Cognitive Representation of the Ethnocultural Identity of Numerical Phraseological Units in the Kazakh and English Languages
Authors: Ayupova Gulbagira , Jambayeva Zhanar , Balmagambetova Zhannat , Zharylgapov Zhansaya , Tilesh Karakoz
Published: December 2024

The global equivalence of speech and cultures plays a crucial role in typological linguistics and cross-cultural communication, forming the basis for studying numeral phraseological units from linguistic perspectives. This study analyses numeral idioms within Kazakh and English phraseological units, utilizing generalization, descriptive, and comparative methods. The findings highlight the distinct origins of concepts underlying Kazakh and English numerical phraseological words, leading to diverse classifications and perceptions. Both languages’ phraseological units with numerical elements feature significant morphosyntactic fixation and semantic idiomaticity, conveying global meaning in context. The development of numeral phraseology within equivalence and identity is shaped by culture-dependent mental structures. The cultural fusion in Kazakh and English reflects open and pluralistic affiliations. Despite ethnic strengthening and identity assertion, Turkic languages experience “linguistic extinction,” evident in limited usage of proverbs, expressions, and folk phraseological units. The study offers practical value for linguists, ethno-linguists, and related experts in various fields.
Infrastructural (im)mobility: Urban maritime development in the Suez Canal Zone and Marseille
Authors: Higazy Ingy
Published: December 2024

This article explores the entwined politics of infrastructure and (im)mobility through a relational comparison of the Suez Canal Area Development Project (SCADP) in the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt and the Euroméditerranée Urban Renewal Project (EuroMed) in Marseille, France. Two of the largest urban maritime development projects in North Africa and the ‘Euro-Mediterranean’, SCADP and EuroMed were planned and constructed amidst an overlapping surge in global infrastructure construction and a racialized refugee reception crisis. Through a situated analysis of the everyday urban lives of SCADP and EuroMed, the article analyzes how these large-scale infrastructures rely on and reproduce historical and place-specific geographies of uneven and racialized mobility. These include migrant containment regimes and urban displacement. Building on this analysis, the article proposes the concept of infrastructural (im)mobility, which argues that coerced mobility is a pervasive and underlying force driving global capitalist urbanization and infrastructure construction today. Through a multi-scalar analysis of SCADP and EuroMed, it shows how the concept elucidates a global political geography increasingly defined by the intersecting patterns, economies, and crises of infrastructure and (im)mobility. The article accordingly contributes to critical debates on the coloniality of infrastructure in and beyond the urban ports of the Mediterranean Sea.
Hunting and Faunal Consumption Among Herders of Northwestern Patagonia: A Zooarchaeological Perspective
Authors: Otaola Clara , Wolverton Steve , Giardina Miguel , Neme Gustavo , Franchetti Fernando , Gil Adolfo
Published: December 2024

This article examines the dietary patterns of herders in central-western Argentina, known as puesteros (local herders). We investigate how changes in land use, urbanization, and hunting restrictions have affected traditional puestero herding practices and the contributions of wild and domesticated animals to their diets. The study focuses on two research questions: (1) Has the growth of urban economies and transportation infrastructure in central-western Argentina during the past several decades influenced puestero domesticate and wild animal meat consumption? (2) Does the consumption of large domesticates (e.g., beef from cattle) today decrease when the distance to cities increases and connectivity with markets decreases? We examine the differences in faunal assemblages between high-elevation summer puestos and low-elevation permanent puestos. We expected that puesteros in more remote areas would rely more on wild animals as a food source. However, the results showed that wild faunas were more common in permanent puestos compared to comparatively remote, summer puestos. This can be explained by the different activities carried out in each puesto and the animal biodiversity of each ecoregion. The study also highlights the impact of land use changes and conservation policies on puesteros. New employment opportunities, rural–urban migration, and changes in land ownership have influenced ranching and pastoralism practices as well. We emphasize the need to understand the puestero lifestyle in a broader framework that considers economic, social, and political processes and the importance of zooarchaeology in this study, which provides a valuable tool for documenting and preserving aspects of puestero culture.
Musculoskeletal ultrasonography versus conventional radiography: Correlation with DAS28 and MDHAQ scores in early rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: A Mohammed Reem Hamdy , Alazizi Hatem , Taha Asmaa Negm Eldin , Metawee Seham
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To compare the value of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) with conventional radiography in the detection of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to correlate the sonographic findings with disease activity, and functional disability scores.

Methods

Patients >18 years of age with RA ≤2 years who satisfied the 2010 EULAR/ACR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and disease activity score 28 (DAS28) >2.6, were enrolled. Plain radiographs and MSUS examinations were performed on 18 joints bilaterally. DAS28 and multi-dimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ/RAPID) scores were assessed.

Results

Forty patients (35 women, 5 men), mean age 41 ± 12 years, and mean disease duration 11 ± 5 months, were included. In total, 720 joints were examined. The number of hand joints affected by erosions via MSUS was 3.28-fold the number detected by X-ray. Sonographic evidence of synovitis and active erosion significantly correlated with MDHAQ, DAS28 and inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusion

Joint sonography was superior to conventional radiography in early detection of structural joint damage and active disease in patients with early RA which correlated with disease activity and functional ability scores.
Impact of breastfeeding and formula feeding on immune cell populations and blood cell parameters: an observational study
Authors: Hamdan Thamer A. , Alkhateeb Saleh , Oriquat Ghaleb , Alzoubi Adeeb , Ahmed Khaled Abdul-Aziz
Published: December 2024

Objective

Breastfeeding is associated with improved health outcomes in infancy and throughout adulthood as breast milk encompasses diverse immune-active factors that affect the ontogeny of the immune system in breastfed (BF) infants. Nevertheless, the impact of infant feeding on the immune system is poorly understood, and a comprehensive understanding of immune system development in human infants is lacking. In this observational study, we addressed the effects of different infant feeding approaches on cell populations and parameters in the peripheral blood of infants to gain insight into the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system.

Methods

Using flowcytometric analysis, we performed complete blood counts and immunoprofiling of peripheral blood collected from BF and formula-fed (FF) infants at different ages.

Results

Our results showed that the blood of BF infants had a higher frequency of leukocytes and erythrocytes in early infancy. The hemoglobin concentration was enhanced in BF infants. However, the platelet count was comparable regardless of feeding regimen.

Conclusions

We observed immunophenotypic differences between the two populations of infants, mirrored by improved frequency of innate and adaptive immune cells in BF infants.
Social Entrepreneurial Intention: A Review Based on Bibliographic Coupling Analysis
Authors: Luc Phan Tan
Published: December 2024

This study seeks to map all scientific papers relevant to social entrepreneurial intention purposes obtained from the Web of Science database and propose prospective future research topics. The bibliographic coupling method was used to evaluate 136 articles and describe the chronological development of research on this issue. Through bibliographic coupling analysis, it is evident that the research field can be divided into four distinct clusters, including ‘test of extending model and new approaches’, ‘personality’, ‘background’, ‘gender’, ‘culture and environment’, ‘role model’ (Cluster 1), ‘institution’, ‘motivation’ (Cluster 2), ‘education’, ‘social entrepreneurial behaviour’ (Cluster 3), ‘cross-cultural studies’, ‘transformation into a social enterprise’, and ‘journalism and social entrepreneurial intentions’ (Cluster 4). This study sheds light on the most significant recent contributions to the field, which are now known as the state-of-the-art themes in social entrepreneurial intention. As a result, it suggests suitable avenues for further investigation within the research community.
Early Intervention in Psychosis: A Brief Narrative Review
Authors: Agarwal Vivek , Gairola Arundhati
Published: December 2024

For a long time, the approach was early recognition and treatment of first-episode psychosis. As it became apparent that these patients frequently undergo protracted periods of nonspecific symptoms before the development of psychosis, the strategy has subsequently been modified. Recognition of the prodromal phase along with prevention, early identification, and treatment of first-episode psychosis may reduce symptomatology and enhance functioning. A large number of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions have been tried with variable effects. The review will discuss the interventions that have been tried as well as the newer emerging approach to diagnosis and treatment in this area.
Micromechanical analysis of spherulitic polymers in multiaxial and non-proportional fatigue crack nucleation
Authors: Jiang Chenxu , Zhou Jia , Cui Jiaxin , Miao Changqing
Published: December 2024

This study focused on understanding the fatigue response of anisotropic spherulitic polymers by employing a multiscale microscopic modeling approach. The crystal plasticity model together with the Arruda-Boyce model were used to describe the mechanical response of crystalline phase and amorphous. The fatigue behaviors and crack initiation were captured by Fatemi-Socie multiaxial criterion and continuous damage theory under multiaxial and non-proportional loading conditions. The sheaf-like structure of spherulitic polymers was considered to shed light on the anisotropic nature of fatigue failure. The results highlight the role of features of sheaf structure, e.g., initiation orientation, on the fatigue performance of spherulitic polymers, which have not been reported. The localized degradation of mechanical properties and the accumulation of fatigue damage were systematically discussed with various loading patterns. This study provided an in-depth understanding of potential fatigue mechanisms, offering robust support for fatigue resistance design in engineering applications.
Be Real! Age Effects on the Interpretations of Political Participation
Authors: Szabó Andrea , Déri András
Published: December 2024

Contemporary research on political participation often neglects the diversity of engagement across age groups. This study challenges this homogeneity by proposing and evaluating theoretical models that account for subjective interpretations influenced by age, gender and other factors. Reviewing relevant literature identifies the need for adaptable theoretical models that include subjective interpretations of political participation, particularly among younger demographics. Empirical evidence from a 2022 representative online survey of the adult Hungarian population ( N = 2,972) highlights differences in how social groups perceive political acts. Advanced statistical analyses explore the impact of age on the perception of institutional activism and speech acts. The study finds that young people recognize conventional forms of participation more than online activities, contradicting assumptions about youth and digital activism. The findings suggest revising classical categories of political participation to reflect modern, blended engagement forms. This approach would provide a more accurate understanding of political engagement across different social groups.
Dancing with Uncertainty in the Himalayas in Times of Multiple Crises
Authors: Pain Adam , Khatri Sanjaya , Marquardt Kristina , Khatri Dil Bahadur
Published: December 2024

Based on the life histories of 10 poor rural Nepalese, the article, drawing on the metaphor of dance, explores the structured improvisations of these individuals in response to the hazards and possibilities they have found in life. Key themes of repertoires and risk pools, time preference behaviour and disposition or hope are explored. While land remains central to risk pools, contributing to subsistence and security, it is insufficient. The improvisatory nature of life and the contingent and contextual nature of the choice architecture faced by these poor individuals, make clear that pathways of change are not constant or linear. The gathering storm of crises in Nepal of which climate change is just one element has rendered customary time frames unstable. The normal can no longer be taken for granted, questioning how policy and planning can address the hazard-laden environment that poor people face.
Cows’ milk protein allergy: The diagnostic challenge in general practice
Authors: Allen Kathryn
Published: December 2024

Diagnosing cows’ milk protein allergy (CMPA) can be a clinical challenge for GPs and paediatricians. CMPA is the most common food allergy and can affect 2–3% of infants. Many of the symptoms associated with CMPA are also common in healthy infants and do not necessarily indicate pathology or an allergy. GPs will commonly be the first point of contact for parents when they are concerned about their baby. With increased media attention about CMPA, parents will often volunteer this as a possible cause for their babies’ symptoms. At what point should we consider making the diagnosis and how can we be certain of the diagnosis and confident in starting mother and baby on a journey of restricted eating? This article aims to give you the knowledge and confidence to explore CMPA as a potential diagnosis in babies presenting with multiple, significant and persistent symptoms that are resistant to medical treatment.
Revision Total Ankle Arthroplasty Outcomes using the INBONE II System
Authors: Wu Kevin , Anastasio Albert T. , O'Neill Conor N. , Kim Billy I. , Valen Bruno , Krez Alexandra , Luo Emily Joan , Adams Samuel B. , Nunley James A. , Easley Mark E. , DeOrio James K.
Published: December 2024

Category:

Ankle; Ankle Arthritis

Introduction/Purpose:

While the utilization of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for managing severe ankle osteoarthritis has become increasingly common, there has been a subsequent increase in the occurrence of revision TAA procedures due to implant failure. The INBONE II system has risen in popularity specifically for the use in revision TAA cases, however there has been limited patient performance data for this specific indication. Given the growing number of TAA revision procedures and increasing focus on motion-preserving salvage options, this study aims to comprehensively examine the clinical outcomes associated with revision TAA using the INBONE II system.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted on a group of 60 patients who underwent revision TAA with the INBONE II system. Detailed information was collected on patient demographics, implant characteristics, concurrent procedures, and complications. The implant survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results:

The study revealed high complication rates but generally fair clinical outcomes for revision TAA utilizing the INBONE II system. Complications were observed in 22 patients (36.7%), including persistent pain (n=6), nerve injury/impingement (n=5), infection (n=3), fracture (n=3), implant failure (n=3), impaired wound healing (n=2), and osteolysis (n=3). The three-year implant survivorship rate from reoperation was 92.0% [82.7%-100.0%] while the three-year survivorship rate from major complications was 90.4% [80.8%-100.0%].

Conclusion:

Our study demonstrates that revision TAA is an option to preserve joint function following primary TAA failure. Although there are high complication rates associated with revision TAA, patients generally fair clinical outcomes for revision TAA using the INBONE II system. Further study with longer-term follow-up is needed to ensure that revision TAA is durable at longer time intervals and remains a favorable option for the salvage of the failed total ankle.
HIF-1α mediates hypertension and vascular remodeling in sleep apnea via hippo–YAP pathway activation
Authors: Zhang Shoude , Zhao Yuan , Dong Zhanwei , Jin Mao , Lu Ying , Xu Mina , Pan Hong , Zhou Guojin , Xiao Mang
Published: December 2024

Background

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is associated with hypertension and vascular remodeling. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the Hippo–YAP pathway are implicated in these processes, but their specific roles remain unclear. This study investigated the HIF-1α/Hippo-YAP pathway in SAS-related hypertension.

Methods

We established a rat model of SAS-induced hypertension via chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Rats were treated with siRNA targeting HIF-1α. Blood pressure, inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular remodeling, and VSMC function were assessed. In vitro experiments with A7r5 cells and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) explored the effects of HIF-1α silencing and YAP1 overexpression.

Results

Compared with the control group, the CIH group presented significant increases in both HIF-1α and YAP1 expression, which correlated with increased blood pressure and vascular changes. HIF-1α silencing reduced hypertension, oxidative stress, inflammation, and the severity of vascular remodeling. Specifically, siRNA treatment for HIF-1α normalized blood pressure, decreased the levels of oxidative damage markers (increased SOD and decreased MDA), and reversed the changes in the levels of inflammatory markers (decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble E-selectin (sE-s)). Structural analyses revealed reduced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and collagen deposition, along with normalization of cellular markers, such as α-SMA and TGF-β1. Furthermore, the Hippo–YAP pathway appeared to mediate these effects, as evidenced by altered YAP1 expression and activity upon HIF-1α modulation.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate the significance of the HIF-1α/Hippo-YAP pathway in CIH-induced hypertension and vascular remodeling. HIF-1α contributes to these pathophysiological processes by promoting oxidative stress, inflammation, and aberrant VSMC behavior. Targeting this pathway could offer new therapeutic strategies for CIH-related cardiovascular complications in SAS patients.
Dapagliflozin in acute heart failure management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of safety and effectiveness
Authors: Raja Adarsh , Dogar Mata-e-Alla , Raja Sandesh , Shuja Muhammad Hamza , Amin Shafin Bin , Khelani Muskan , Fatima Urooj , Soomro Aiman , Habiba Ayesha , Mustafa Iqra , Zulfiqar Rakhshan , Asghar Muhammad Sohaib
Published: December 2024

Background

Acute Heart Failure (AHF) presents as a serious pathophysiological disease with significant morbidity and mortality rates, requiring immediate medical intervention. Traditional treatment involves diuretics and vasodilators, but a subset of patients develop resistance due to acute cardiorenal syndrome. Dapagliflozin, categorized as a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), has emerged as a promising therapy for AHF, demonstrating substantial benefits in reducing both mortality and morbidity among patients. The purpose of this meta-analysis and systematic review is to determine dapagliflozin’s safety and efficacy in AHF patients.

Methods

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search across several databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library) up to June 2024 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared dapagliflozin with control treatments in patients with AHF. Key outcomes of interest included In-Hospital Cardiovascular mortality rates, duration of hospitalization, and instances of in-hospital worsening. Data extraction and quality assessment adhered to established protocols and the results were evaluated using Review Manager (RevMan Version 5.4.1) The assessment of bias risk follows the principles established in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.

Results

Five RCTs comprising 912 patients met the inclusion criteria. Dapagliflozin significantly reduced In-Hospital Cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.36–0.88, p = 0.01, I²=26%) and 30-day hospital readmissions (RR 0.73, CI 0.54–0.99, p = 0.05, I²=7%). However, dapagliflozin did not significantly affect the length of hospital stay (MD -0.11, CI -0.73-0.51, p = 0.72, I²=60%) or the incidence of hypotension (RR 0.82, CI 0.36–1.84, p = 0.63, I²=0%). A significant weight change was observed (MD 0.93, CI 0.03–1.83, p = 0.04, I²=95%), which was resolved upon sensitivity analysis (MD 1.34, CI 1.02–1.66, p < 0.0001, I²=0%). No significant effects were found for worsening renal failure or changes in GFR in this study.

Conclusion

Dapagliflozin appears to be beneficial in reducing In-Hospital Cardiovascular mortality and 30-day hospital readmissions in AHF patients. Although it demonstrates potential, additional research is needed to establish its significance in AHF management. Further investigation with larger sample sizes, different doses, and comprehensive safety and cost-effectiveness is imperative to thoroughly evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of Dapagliflozin, underscoring the necessity for additional data to substantiate its role in managing patients with AHF.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.
Positive deviance/hearth intervention in collaboration between academia and NGOs: a realist evaluation
Authors: Putri Nuzulul Kusuma , Wardhani Leonika Pramudya , Ernawaty
Published: December 2024

Numerous NGOs and donors from high-income countries (HICs) offer diverse funding to assist LMICs. A collaborative effort in nutrition programs in urban communities was conducted by an international NGO with a local university, representing the NGO’s first mode of partnership with academia. This study used realist evaluation to understand how and why Positive Deviance/Hearth intervention conducted by NGOs collaborated with university work or failed to work in urban population. We uncovered the underlying mechanisms that lead to certain outcomes in different situations of academia-NGO partnership. The initial program theory was formulated after discussions with main program officers from both NGO and academia. We conducted stakeholder interviews and FGD, along with validation and reviewing secondary data. The initial program theory underwent testing and refinement through a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving program officers and local government health offices. We adhered to the RAMESES II reporting standards for realist evaluations when presenting the findings. Five Context Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) configurations are identified from three program theories. Our findings illustrate the importance of considering the local context of the population when implementing standardized international NGO interventions. All the CMOs indicate that at the very least, collaborative programs between academia and NGOs should involve more stakeholder involvement and build clearer expectations between stakeholders.
Evaluation of dentists’ clinical practices and antibiotic use in managing endodontic emergencies in Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Yaqoob Hassan , Naved Nighat , Khan Shahrukh Ali , Jabeen Syeda Farah , Raza Syed Saqib , Khalid Taimur
Published: December 2024

Background

Endodontic emergencies, often presented as acute pain or swelling, constitute a substantial challenge in dental practice. While effective management emphasizes prompt intervention, antibiotics are typically indicated only when systemic signs and symptoms are present. There is limited research exists on evaluating the knowledge and clinical approach of dental practitioners in managing endodontic emergencies from our region of the world. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate dentists' knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding clinical management and the prescription of antibiotics in endodontic emergency cases.

Materials and methods

A web-based questionnaire was distributed to working dentists in secondary and tertiary care hospitals and clinics. Eligible participants included dental practitioners, postgraduate trainees, and consultants. The questionnaire included demographic information and inquiries about endodontic emergency treatment approaches, antibiotic prescribing habits, and awareness of guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed Stata software version 17 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas, USA), employing a χ2 test.

Results

Of the 527 dentists approached, 409 completed the survey (response rate: 77.6%). The majority of respondents were female (68%) and general dental practitioners (60.32%) with up to 5 years of experience (80.93%). Survey findings highlighted varied treatment approaches, favoring root canal treatment in multiple visits for cases of both irreversible pulpitis (73.59%) as well as with necrotic pulps/periapical lesions (79.95%). Similarly, 45.48% and 37.9% of the respondents favored pulpectomy combined with analgesics and antibiotics in managing irreversible pulpitis and acute apical periodontitis respectively. Moreover, antibiotics were frequently prescribed for acute apical abscess, with amoxicillin-clavulanate being the most common choice (83.6%). Most practitioners (69%) recommended a minimum of 5-day antibiotic course.

Conclusions

This study highlights Pakistani dentists' preferences in managing endodontic emergencies and prescribing antibiotics. Despite awareness of guidelines and the consequences of overuse, there's a tendency towards antibiotic overprescription, indicating a need for educational interventions to promote rational antibiotic use and mitigate antibiotic resistance.
Factors associated with patients’ demand for low-value care: a scoping review
Authors: Fraser Gillroy R. L. , Lambooij Mattijs S. , van Exel Job , Ostelo Raymond W. J. G. , van Harreveld Frenk , de Wit G. Ardine
Published: December 2024

Background

Low-value care is unnecessary care that contributes to inefficient use of health resources and constitutes a considerable proportion of healthcare expenditures worldwide. Factors contributing to patients’ demand for low-value care have often been overlooked and are dispersed in the literature. Therefore, the current study aimed to systematically summarize factors associated with patients’ demand for low-value care.

Methods

In this scoping review, scientific articles were identified based on a search query conducted in Embase and Scopus. We identified articles using search terms related to low-value care and demand-related factors, published in peer-reviewed journals, and written in English or Dutch. The titles, abstracts, results, and conclusions were inspected to only include articles that were deemed relevant for this topic. From these articles we extracted text fragments that contained factors associated with patients’ demand for low-value care. Hereafter, a thematic analysis was applied to openly, axially, and selectively code textual fragments to identify themes within the data.

Results

Forty-seven articles were included in this review. We identified eight core themes associated with patients’ demand for low-value care: cognitive biases, emotions, preferences and expectations, knowledge-related factors, socio-cultural factors, biomedical and care-related factors, economic factors, and factors related to the interaction with the healthcare provider. Within these core themes, thirty-three subthemes were identified. For example, risk aversion and anticipated regret aversion are sub-themes of cognitive biases, while consumerism and present and future income effects are sub-themes of economic factors.

Conclusions

Through this review we provide a systematic overview of factors associated with the demand for low-value care. We found that patients’ demand for low-value care could relate to a multitude of factors that were clustered into eight core themes and thirty-three subthemes. To understand the demand for low-value care from the patient’s perspective in greater detail, future research should focus on the interaction between and importance of these factors in different care contexts.
Economic evaluation of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B virus infection: evidence from a lower-middle income country
Authors: Nguyen Ha T. , Chaikledkaew Usa , Hoang Minh V. , Tran Viet Q. , Thavorncharoensap Montarat , Praditsitthikorn Naiyana , Tran Quang D. , Thakkinstian Ammarin
Published: December 2024

No cost-effectiveness information of preventive strategies for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has existed for policy decision making. This study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies to prevent MTCT of HBV in Vietnam. Cost-utility analysis using a hybrid decision-tree and Markov model were performed from healthcare system and societal perspectives. Preventive strategies included HBV universal vaccination (S1), hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) for infants of mothers with HBeAg( +) (S2), HBIG for infants of mothers with HBsAg( +) (S3), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for mothers with high viral load (S4) and mothers with HBeAg( +) (S5), and the current practice (S6) with HBV vaccine in all infants and TDF for high viral load mothers. The current practice was dominant to all preventive strategies with interventions in only infants for both perspectives. In contrast, the strategies S4 and S5 were dominant to the current practice with incremental net monetary benefit varying from $33.94 to $70.64 under a healthcare system perspective and from $44.22 to $93.71 under a societal perspective. Addition of HBIG in infants born to mothers infected HBV and tenofovir prophylaxis for mothers with positive HBeAg was the most cost-effective strategy to prevent vertical transmission of HBV in Vietnam.