bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A nurse-led multidisciplinary service for Nipple-Areola complex tattooing after breast cancer: reporting on a complex intervention with TIDieR analysis
Authors: Maselli Deborah , Torreggiani Martina , Guberti Monica
Published: October 2024

Background

The Nipple-Areola Complex (NAC) tattooing can restore physical and mental integrity after breast cancer, but it is not always easily accessible for women. This paper aims to report on the development of a multidisciplinary nurse-led service for NAC tattooing for women who underwent breast cancer surgery with NAC removal to allow its thorough review and replication.

Methods

The Medical Research Council’s framework for developing complex healthcare interventions was followed. According to the results of a literature review, and the context analysis, an initial intervention was planned. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist was chosen to ensure the quality and completeness of the intervention description.

Results

The Breast Unit and the Research departments were engaged; three nurse-tattooists were selected; the informative material was created and shared with patients, families and local associations, involving them actively. Finally, the setting and the materials were defined. A monthly schedule of activities was set: patients with the indication for NAC tattooing were contacted by the nurse case manager. Each treatment involves 3–4 sessions, 30–40 days apart, in an ambulatory setting. It consists of NAC shaping and tattooing with a dermographer and sterile needles.

Conclusion

Implementing freely and equally multidisciplinary nurse-led clinics might provide this treatment ensuring the patient’s quality of life and nurse competence. The NAC tattooing is a complex intervention that represents the final part of the breast cancer surgical care pathway.
Accelerating adverse pregnancy outcomes research amidst rising medication use: parallel retrospective cohort analyses for signal prioritization
Authors: Hwang Yeon Mi , Piekos Samantha N. , Paquette Alison G. , Wei Qi , Price Nathan D. , Hood Leroy , Hadlock Jennifer J.
Published: October 2024

Background

Pregnant women are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials, yet most of them take medication during pregnancy despite the limited safety data. The objective of this study was to characterize medication use during pregnancy and apply propensity score matching method at scale on patient records to accelerate and prioritize the drug effect signal detection associated with the risk of preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective study on continuously enrolled women who delivered live births between 2013/01/01 and 2022/12/31 (n = 365,075) at Providence St. Joseph Health. Our exposures of interest were all outpatient medications prescribed during pregnancy. We limited our analyses to medication that met the minimal sample size (n = 600). The primary outcome of interest was preterm birth. Secondary outcomes of interest were small for gestational age and low birth weight. We used propensity score matching at scale to evaluate the risk of these adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with drug exposure after adjusting for demographics, pregnancy characteristics, and comorbidities.

Results

The total medication prescription rate increased from 58.5 to 75.3% (P < 0.0001) from 2013 to 2022. The prevalence rate of preterm birth was 7.7%. One hundred seventy-five out of 1329 prenatally prescribed outpatient medications met the minimum sample size. We identified 58 medications statistically significantly associated with the risk of preterm birth (P ≤ 0.1; decreased: 12, increased: 46).

Conclusions

Most pregnant women are prescribed medication during pregnancy. This highlights the need to utilize existing real-world data to enhance our knowledge of the safety of medications in pregnancy. We narrowed down from 1329 to 58 medications that showed statistically significant association with the risk of preterm birth even after addressing numerous covariates through propensity score matching. This data-driven approach demonstrated that multiple testable hypotheses in pregnancy pharmacology can be prioritized at scale and lays the foundation for application in other pregnancy outcomes.
2023: a soil odyssey–HeAted soiL-Monoliths (HAL-Ms) to examine the effect of heat emission from HVDC underground cables on plant growth
Authors: Uhlig Ken , Rücknagel Jan , Macholdt Janna
Published: October 2024

Background

The use of renewable energy for sustainable and climate-neutral electricity production is increasing worldwide. High-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission via underground cables helps connect large production sides with consumer regions. In Germany, almost 5,000 km of new power line projects is planned, with an initial start date of 2038 or earlier. During transmission, heat is emitted to the surrounding soil, but the effects of the emitted heat on root growth and yield of the overlying crop plants remain uncertain and must be investigated.

Results

For this purpose, we designed and constructed a low-cost large HeAted soiL-Monolith (HAL-M) model for simulating heat flow within soil with a natural composition and density. We could observe root growth, soil temperature and soil water content over an extended period. We performed a field trial-type experiment involving three-part crop rotation in a greenhouse. We showed that under the simulated conditions, heat emission could reduce the yield and root growth depending on the crop type and soil.

Conclusions

This experimental design could serve as a low-cost, fast and reliable standard for investigating thermal issues related to various soil compositions and types, precipitation regimes and crop plants affected by similar projects. Beyond our research question, the HAL-M technique could serve as a link between pot and field trials with the advantages of both approaches. This method could enrich many research areas with the aim of controlling natural soil and plant conditions.
Integration of fungal transcriptomics and metabolomics provides insights into the early interaction between the ORM fungus Tulasnella sp. and the orchid Serapias vomeracea seeds
Authors: De Rose Silvia , Sillo Fabiano , Ghirardo Andrea , Perotto Silvia , Schnitzler Jörg-Peter , Balestrini Raffaella
Published: October 2024

In nature, germination of orchid seeds and early plant development rely on a symbiotic association with orchid mycorrhizal (ORM) fungi. These fungi provide the host with the necessary nutrients and facilitate the transition from embryos to protocorms. Despite recent advances in omics technologies, our understanding of this symbiosis remains limited, particularly during the initial stages of the interaction. To address this gap, we employed transcriptomics and metabolomics to investigate the early responses occurring in the mycorrhizal fungus Tulasnella sp. isolate SV6 when co-cultivated with orchid seeds of Serapias vomeracea. The integration of data from gene expression and metabolite profiling revealed the activation of some fungal signalling pathways before the establishment of the symbiosis. Prior to seed contact, an indole-related metabolite was produced by the fungus, and significant changes in the fungal lipid profile occurred throughout the symbiotic process. Additionally, the expression of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) was observed during the pre-symbiotic stage, as the fungus approached the seeds, along with changes in amino acid metabolism. Thus, the dual-omics approach employed in this study yielded novel insights into the symbiotic relationship between orchids and ORM fungi and suggest that the ORM fungus responds to the presence of the orchid seeds prior to contact.
Obesity management with blood flow restriction training: a scoping review
Authors: Gujral Tanya , Rai Richa Hirendra , Malik Shikha
Published: October 2024

One of the biggest threats to global health that affects both individual health and global health is obesity. People have used traditional exercise programmes to deal with body fat for a long time but often have problems and limits. In the field of exercise science, blood flow restriction (BFR) training has gained popularity in the past few years. It could be a new way to deal with obesity. This review aims to examine previous research on the effectiveness of BFR training in treating obesity and provide an overview of the available data. Using particular search phrases associated with obesity, blood flow restriction training, and exercise interventions, several databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE, were examined. Understanding these processes could lead to the creation of more effective treatments for people who are overweight. In the end, this review gives a full look at the current data about the role of BFR training in managing obesity. While initial findings are promising, more investigation is needed to prove the effectiveness, safety, and long-term effects of BFR training as a treatment to control obesity. The information learned from this review could help shape future research and help healthcare professionals plan exercise programmes for people who are overweight.
Deep learning-based off-the-grid seismic data reconstruction and regularization: Preliminary research
Authors: Mo Tongtong , Song Jiawen , Li Zhuowei , Wang Benfeng
Published: October 2024

During field seismic data acquisition, sources and receivers are commonly positioned off the Cartesian grids (off-the-grid). Irregularities in the observed seismic data can negatively affect subsequent migration and inversion processes, which assume that the data are acquired on regular grids (on-the-grid). Most seismic interpolation algorithms assign off-the-grid samples to their nearest regular grid points using a binning strategy, easily introducing reconstruction errors. To improve the reconstruction accuracy of off-the-grid seismic data, we conduct preliminary research on supervised deep learning-based seismic data reconstruction and regularization. Initially, we determine a nonuniform discrete Fourier transform (NDFT) operator based on the observed off-the-grid and the regularized on-the-grid trace locations. Then, we apply the adjoint NDFT operator to transform the observed off-the-grid data into the blurry on-the-grid conjugate solutions, which implicitly contain the original off-the-grid information. The conjugate solutions and their corresponding on-the-grid complete data serve as the training inputs and labels, respectively. We adopt a designed U-net to learn the nonlinear mapping between the training inputs and the labels. Upon training convergence, we input the on-the-grid conjugate solutions of unlabeled off-the-grid test data into the optimized network for reconstruction and regularization. During the training phase, we use the L1 norm to measure the data misfit in the frequency-wavenumber domain as the loss function, and its advantages are thoroughly demonstrated in the “Discussion” section. Furthermore, we explore the potential of our method for off-the-grid ocean-bottom node reconstruction and regularization through self-supervised learning. The effectiveness and superiority of our deep learning-based off-the-grid seismic data reconstruction and regularization algorithm are validated by numerical results of synthetic and field data, particularly compared with the curvelet transform-based sparse inversion method.
An anthropological critique of psychiatric rating scales
Authors: Armstrong Neil , Byrom Nicola
Published: October 2024

This article discusses sceptical arguments about measurement scales. Measurement scales are part of a promising agenda of openness, transparency and patient and public involvement (PPI) in medical research, but have received critical, sometimes hostile attention from anthropologists. This is because scales repackage localised cultural assumptions about distress as something universal and pan-human and have the capacity to reshape people's interior lives in unhelpful, possibly harmful ways. We take as an example the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Use of the PHQ-9 is currently mandated by major funders. But its history suggests flawed PPI and a lack of openness. The article suggests a constructive role for anthropology in mental health research, using ethnographic evidence and theory to show how, although they have their uses, mental health scales should not be regarded as inert or harmless.
Symptom profile in suicide attempters during the COVID-19 pandemic: Relationships with suicide outcomes
Authors: Díaz-Carracedo Patricia , Marín Carolina , Diaz-Marsa Marina , Borges Guilherme , de la Torre-Luque Alejandro , Elices Matilde , Toll Alba , Grande Iria , Roberto Natalia , Vázquez Mireia , González-Pinto Ana , Ruiz-Veguilla Miguel , Canal-Rivero Manuel , Cebria Ana I. , Palao Diego , Bobes-Bascaran Teresa , Jimenez-Treviño Luis , Saiz Pilar , Andreo-Jover Jorge , March Katya , Palao-Tarrero Angela ,   The SURVIVE Collaborative Signature, Perez Víctor
Published: October 2024

Background

Suicidal behavior constitutes a multi-cause phenomenon that may also be present in people without a mental disorder. This study aims to analyze suicidal behavior outcomes in a sample of attempters, from a symptom-based approach.

Methods

The sample comprised 673 patients (72% female; M = 40.9 years) who attended a hospital emergency department due to a suicide attempt. A wide range of clinical factors (e.g., psychopathology symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, impulsivity, acquired capability), was administered within 15 days after the index attempt. Nine psychopathology domains were explored to identify the profile of symptoms, using latent profile analysis. The relationship between the profile membership and suicide outcome (i.e., intensity of suicidal ideation, number of suicide behaviors, and medical injury derived from index attempt) was also studied, using linear and logistic regression.

Results

Three psychopathology profiles were identified: high-symptom profile (45.02% of participants), moderate-symptom profile (42.50%), and low-symptom profile (12.48%). High-symptom profile members were more likely to show higher risk of non-suicidal self-injury, acquired capability for suicide, and more severe suicide behavior and ideation. On the other hand, a more severe physical injury was associated with low-symptom profile membership in comparison to membership from the other profiles (OR < 0.45, p < .05).

Conclusions

A symptom-based approach may be useful to monitor patients and determine the risk of attempt repetition in the future and potential medical injury, and to optimize prevention and intervention strategies.
Can Digital Health Improve Therapeutic Compliance in Oncology?
Authors: Heudel Pierre Etienne , Ait Ichou Myriam , Favier Bertrand , Crochet Hugo , Blay Jean-Yves
Published: October 2024

PURPOSE

Therapeutic compliance, or adherence, is critical in oncology because of the complexity and duration of cancer treatment regimens. Nonadherence can lead to suboptimal therapeutic outcomes, increased disease progression, higher mortality rates, and elevated health care costs. Traditional methods to enhance compliance, such as patient education and regular follow-ups, have shown limited success.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review examines the potential of digital health technologies to improve adherence in oncology. Various studies and trials are analyzed to assess the effectiveness of these technologies in supporting patients with cancer.

RESULTS

mHealth applications have been shown to improve medication adherence through features like medication reminders and symptom tracking. Telemedicine facilitates continuous care and reduces the need for travel, significantly improving adherence and patient satisfaction. Patient-reported outcome measures enhance clinical decision making and personalized treatment plans by incorporating patient feedback. Electronic medical records and patient portals improve compliance by providing easy access to medical information and fostering better patient-provider communication. Connected pillboxes aid in consistent medication intake and reduce dispensing errors.

CONCLUSION

Digital health technologies offer significant benefits in oncology by enhancing patient engagement, improving adherence to treatment protocols, and enabling comprehensive cancer care management. However, challenges such as the digital divide, data privacy concerns, and the need for tailored interventions must be addressed. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of digital interventions and developing personalized digital health tools to maximize therapeutic compliance.
Case Report: Unveiling an anomalous diaphragmatic paraganglioma mimicking a hepatic tumor
Authors: Echeverria Ortegon Ermilo , Millet-Herrera Jose Luis , Casillas Javier
Published: October 2024

Abstract Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors, often associated with catecholamine secretion. These tumors can arise in various locations, with the majority found in the abdomen and pelvis, while a smaller percentage occurs in the thorax and head and neck regions. Diaphragmatic paragangliomas are exceedingly rare, with only two documented cases in the literature. This report details a case of a primary diaphragmatic paraganglioma in a 59-year-old patient presenting with unexplained weight loss, tremors, and diaphoresis. Imaging studies revealed a mass in the right lobe of the liver, later identified as a diaphragmatic paraganglioma during surgery. The case underscores the importance of preoperative catecholamine assessment and careful surgical planning due to the risks associated with tumor manipulation. Complete surgical resection, although challenging, remains the definitive treatment, especially in hypervascular tumors located near major vascular structures.
Risk assessment for Na-Zn liquid metal batteries
Authors: Weber Norbert , Duczek Carolina , Monrrabal Gleidys , Nash William , Sarma Martins , Weier Tom
Published: October 2024

Background Na-Zn liquid metal batteries, which operate at 600 °C, have recently been proposed as inexpensive stationary energy storage devices. As with any other electrochemical cell, their fabrication and operation involves certain risks, which need to be well understood in order to be minimised. Methods A risk assessment according to ISO 12100 is performed at the cell level for operating Na-Zn cells in the laboratory environment. Hazard identification and risk evaluation are systematically addressed, including a thorough literature review, theoretical calculations and selected experiments. Results Cell overpressure is found to be one of the main risks – and might be caused either by mistakes in battery production (humidity) or operation (over-charge/discharge). In terms of cell housing, the weakest component is clearly the feedthrough. Its failure might lead to the release of hazardous aerosols to the environment. In this context, the candidate electrolyte components LiCl and BaCl2 are especially dangerous, and should therefore be reduced or avoided if possible. Conclusions Overall, Na-Zn cells are expected to reach a very high safety level, similar to state-of-the-art ZEBRA technology, as they are not prone to thermal runaway. However, considering the still low TRL level and open questions concerning the durability of certain parts of their housing, the batteries should preferably be operated under a fume hood.
Remarks on sustainable disposal and potential reuse of greywater in an informal urban settlement, Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Malaza Ntokozo , Magaba Simamnkele , Mpungose Philani
Published: October 2024

Background The disposal of greywater is a challenge for informal urban settlements that do not have a reticulation system to collect the wastewater they generate. Greywater, which includes domestic wastewater, represents a potential resource that can alleviate water stress if efficiently managed. This study aimed to provide sustainable disposal and potential reuse of greywater produced using informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa. Greywater has the potential to contribute significantly to food security in such settlements by providing a source of both irrigation water and toilet flushing. Methods A combination of desktop research and interviews was employed to gather and analyze the data. A total of 69 questionnaires were administered in the study, and greywater management practices were investigated. Results The findings showed deficiencies in the sustainable disposal of greywater from households. To understand the volumes of greywater generated from a household, a model has been proposed in the study, as there has been a lack of focus on making predictions that quantify the volume of greywater recovered from these households. Conclusions In the context of sustainable development, water management, and considering the scarcity of water resources, particularly in semi-arid regions, the use of treated greywater is an alternative method that can reduce the burden of withdrawals. The study has demonstrated that socio-economic status and education level has reciprocal outcomes on the communities’ understanding of environmental issues. Eliminating inappropriate disposal and providing means to sustainable reuse of greywater effluent is the key.
Materiality of Memorialisation: Mapping Migrant Women's Landmarks in Europe
Authors: Miyamoto Bénédicte , Ojala-Fulwood Maija , Čapská Veronika , Bakas Fiona Eva , Lyman Igor , Barros-del Río María Amor , Bostenaru Dan Maria , Comino Alba , Frigren Pirita , Konstantinova Victoria , Martins Heidi , Prosinger Lívia , Räsänen Pauliina , Ristovska-Josifovska Biljana , Ruiz Marie
Published: October 2024

This article investigates the memorialization of migrant women across transcultural landscapes, and analyses results from the Register of Migrant Women Landmarks in Europe (hereinafter RMWLE), central to the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action project “Women on the Move” (CA19112 – WEMov). It serves as reference for subsequent research based on data from this Register, for which data collection is continuing. The RMWLE registers toponyms, such as monuments, plaques, streets and other infrastructures named after women with a significant history of migration. It honours aspects rarely prioritized in memorialisation agendas, which are skewed towards men’s stories, and towards the more linear biographies of sedentary figures whose European, national, and regional memorialisation have remained uncomplicated by migration. This Deep Data study reveals recurring patterns at the level of Europe in the memorialisation of these women migrants. The diversity of stories, the richness and the prominence of landmarks devoted to men compared to women is a subject well-covered in memorialisation studies. This unbalance is compounded by the data from our register which shows landmarks on women migrants that are sometime tokenized, often marginalized, and which reproduce the bias towards nurture and care that have besieged the memorialisation of women in general. It further shows that the memorialisation process and the political and cultural mechanisms of official celebration often work against the recognition of cross-border careers and stories. The intersectionality of the project, highlighting both gender and migration, uncovers a political landscape of toponyms – and we reflect on how this register can help combat cultural prejudice by recovering migration episodes. The RMWLE helps us reflect on the defining impact of migration episodes, a reality rarely underlined in the biographies of famous women. This article favours a storytelling approach, to counter dominant cultural narratives and knowledge practices.
Development of Hashimoto's disease in patients with vitiligo
Authors: Paprocki Jakub , Mataczyńska Anna , Paprocki Michał , Dobosz Mateusz , Arciszewska Klaudia , Szpernalowska Anna , Matshaba Vimbisoyashe Ivy , Mrugała Karolina , Choinka Martyna , Kalisiak Jakub
Published: October 2024

The aim of this paper is to review the available scientific literature on the relationship between vitiligo and the development of Hashimoto's disease, with particular emphasis on possible pathogenetic mechanisms and clinical implications of this correlation. The relationship between vitiligo and thyroid diseases, especially Hashimoto's disease, has intrigued researchers for years. Numerous clinical observations suggested that patients with vitiligo more often struggle with thyroid problems, but only extensive epidemiological studies allowed for a precise estimate of the scale of this phenomenon.
Institute for Strategic Studies in Krakow: 30 years of history
Authors: Fyderek Łukasz , Pawnik Agnieszka , Szymańska-Klich Anna
Published: October 2024

This publication is both a summary and testimony of the last 30 years of activity of the Institute for Strategic Studies, founded in 1993 under the name of the “International Center for the Development of Democracy” Foundation. We would like to recall the most important events from the Institute’s activity to date – the goals and aspirations of the Foundation, the projects and actions that contributed to their achievement. This publication is also an expression of gratitude to all those who have worked with the Institute, without whose contribution the fulfillment of our mission would not be possible.
Abortion in Canada and the Importance of Legal Reasoning in R. v. Morgentaler
Authors: Machnik Iga
Published: October 2024

The right to abortion has been a contentious and polarizing issue in Canadian society, prompting significant legal and societal debates over the years. This chapter aims to examine the legal reasoning employed in R. v. Morgentaler (1988), a landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision on abortion, and to evaluate its effectiveness in safeguarding access to abortion. Moreover, the analysis seeks to delve into the political and social implications inherent in this decision, examining the societal sentiments preceding this landmark ruling, the manner in which it was received within society, and the consequences arising from its implementation. As the extent of constitutional protection for individual rights appears to depend on the method of constitutional interpretation applied, the conducted analysis of the judicial reasoning and arguments presented in Morgentaler aspires to provide insights into the state of gender equality in Canada, and to facilitate a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that enable either the expansion or restriction of the abortion rights.
Equality and Equity in the Canadian Prairies: Understanding the Needs, Challenges, and Experiences of LGBTQ2S+ People in Manitoba’s Healthcare System
Authors: Tymczyszyn Julia
Published: October 2024

This study aims to determine the equity of access to healthcare for LGBTQ2S+ individuals in Manitoba. While Canada is often perceived as LGBTQ2S+ friendly, Manitoba’s vast rural areas pose unique challenges. The prairie landscape, combined with the specific healthcare needs of the queer community, raises concerns about equitable access to healthcare services. This chapter encompasses an analysis of legal documents and healthcare system statistics in Manitoba. It delineates the differences in experiences and needs among queer men, queer women, and trans and nonbinary individuals. The study reveals notable instances of heterocism and cissexism, as well as persistent discrimination despite the existence of protective legislation. Additionally, there is a notable difficulty in accessing HIV tests or queer-friendly healthcare services, with extended waiting times. The findings underscore the pressing necessity for targeted recommendations to improve healthcare access and equity for LGBTQ2S+ communities in Manitoba.
Highway of Tears: Exposing the Crisis of Violence and Discrimination Against Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit People in Canada
Authors: Murawa Alicja
Published: October 2024

This chapter examines a crisis currently being experienced by Indigenous people of Canada – violence against women, girls, and Two-Spirit people. It presents the notorious Highway of Tears and related instances of police ineptitude as a case study, placing them within the wider context of racially motivated violence, marginalization, and the long-standing societal acceptance of such actions. It is also noteworthy that homicides and violence against Indigenous women are less likely to result in serious charges than cases involving non-Indigenous victims. The following chapter analyzes resistance and grassroots movements fighting for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) crisis to be recognized as a systemic issue requiring federal government intervention and the implementation of viable prevention strategies.
Patient Advocacy in Nursing: An Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Park Sun-Young
Published: October 2024

Background: Despite the crucial role of advocacy in nursing, a comprehensive understanding of its activities and their patient outcomes is lacking. Purpose: This integrative review aimed to comprehensively examine the influences of nursing advocacy, nursing activities, and their patient outcomes. Methods: An integrative review was conducted following the methods by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). Electronic databases were searched from 2000 to 2024. Studies were included if they reported patient outcomes related to nursing advocacy and involved research from med-surgical nurses or patients. Findings: Ten studies were selected and reviewed, conducted in diverse countries with various research designs, including six qualitative studies, three concept analyses, one content analysis, and one cross-sectional study. Several articles reported patient outcomes aligning with core advocacy attributes. Factors influencing nurse advocacy included nurses’ characteristics such as education, experience, autonomy, and organizational support. Advocacy activities involved ensuring patient safety, providing information, supporting decision-making, and facilitating communication. These efforts led to positive patient outcomes such as improved satisfaction, quality of life, stress reduction, and enhanced safety. Conclusion: Enhancing nurses’ advocacy competencies and creating supportive organizational environments are crucial for improving patient advocacy. Further studies with robust designs are needed to produce empirically-derived research on patient outcomes related to nursing advocacy. Future research should investigate the differential effects of advocacy attributes on patient outcomes and provide empirical evidence on the long-term impact of nurse advocacy.
Association of MRI findings with intra-articular tumour extension
Authors: Deveza Lorenzo , El Amine Mohammed A. , Becker Anton S. , Nolan John , Hwang Sinchun , Hameed Meera , Vaynrub Max
Published: October 2024

Aims

Treatment of high-grade limb bone sarcoma that invades a joint requires en bloc extra-articular excision. MRI can demonstrate joint invasion but is frequently inconclusive, and its predictive value is unknown. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of direct and indirect radiological signs of intra-articular tumour extension and the performance characteristics of MRI findings of intra-articular tumour extension.

Methods

We performed a retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent extra-articular excision for sarcoma of the knee, hip, or shoulder from 1 June 2000 to 1 November 2020. Radiologists blinded to the pathology results evaluated preoperative MRI for three direct signs of joint invasion (capsular disruption, cortical breach, cartilage invasion) and indirect signs (e.g. joint effusion, synovial thickening). The discriminatory ability of MRI to detect intra-articular tumour extension was determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

Overall, 49 patients underwent extra-articular excision. The area under the curve (AUC) ranged from 0.65 to 0.76 for direct signs of joint invasion, and was 0.83 for all three combined. In all, 26 patients had only one to two direct signs of invasion, representing an equivocal result. In these patients, the AUC was 0.63 for joint effusion and 0.85 for synovial thickening. When direct signs and synovial thickening were combined, the AUC was 0.89.

Conclusion

MRI provides excellent discrimination for determining intra-articular tumour extension when multiple direct signs of invasion are present. When MRI results are equivocal, assessment of synovial thickening increases MRI’s discriminatory ability to predict intra-articular joint extension. These results should be interpreted in the context of the study’s limitations. The inclusion of only extra-articular excisions enriched the sample for true positive cases. Direct signs likely varied with tumour histology and location. A larger, prospective study of periarticular bone sarcomas with spatial correlation of histological and radiological findings is needed to validate these results before their adoption in clinical practice.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(10):944–952.
Comparison of oral disease symptoms according to eating habits of adolescents from Korean families and adolescents from multicultural families
Authors: Lim Sun-A
Published: October 2024

Objectives: This study used the 18th Youth Online Health Behavior Data to compare oral disease symptoms according to the eating habits of adolescents from Korean families and adolescents from multicultural families. The total number of subjects was 40,913. Methods: The Rao-Scott chi-square test was used to compare general characteristics, eating habits, and experience with oral disease symptoms. In the final multiple logistic regression analysis, general characteristics and eating habits-related characteristics were used as correction variables to investigate eating habits related to oral disease symptoms in Korean adolescents and adolescents from multicultural families. Results: In Korean family the experience of oral disease symptoms was found to be lower when sweet drink 5-6 times a week 0.89 times, 3-4 times a week 0.77 times, 1-2 times a week 0.65 times, and 0.56 times when not consuming them than when consuming them daily. In multicultural families, the incidence of experiencing oral disease symptoms was 0.47 times lower in those who sweet drink daily than in those who consumed them 1-2 times a week, and 0.32 times lower in those who did not consume them. Conclusions: Based on the above research results, it is thought that customized nutrition education and oral health education programs should be continuously developed and utilized to promote oral health among adolescents from Korean families and multicultural families and to change their eating habits.
Factors related to oral health and subjective health among Korean adolescents: the 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS)
Authors: Ryu Se-In , Lim Sun-A
Published: October 2024

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate factors related to oral health and subjective health in Korean adolescents, a total of 51,850 people. Methods: Subjective health by general characteristics, subjective health by oral health characteristics, and subjective health by oral health symptoms were analyzed by a cross-analysis. Factors influencing subjective health were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results: As a factor influencing subjective health, the number of times teeth were brushed 0.62 times lower (p<0.001) for 0 times, and 0.91 times lower (p<0.05) for 1-2 times. The risk was 1.33 times higher (p<0.001) if teeth were brushed before going to bed, and 1.10 times higher (p<0.05) if an intrdental brush was used, In cases where oral health education was not received, subjective health was 0.86 times lower (p<0.001). In cases where there was no pain subjective health was 1.44 times higher (p<0.001), gingival bleeding was 1.51 times higher (p<0.001), or malodor was 1.53 times higher (p<0.001). Conclusions: Based on the above results, the relationship between oral health and subjective health was confirmed, and it is thought that opportunities to develop preventive programs to promote youth health should be expanded.
Oral health improvement and satisfaction among recipients of home-visiting oral health education
Authors: Kim Seon-Yeong , Lee Jae-Ra , Kim Il-Shin , Jeong Min-Sook , Moon Sang-Eun , Hong Sun-Hwa , Lee Bo-Ram , Lim Hyeong-Seok , Lee Mi-Ra , Yun Young-Ae , Ha Myung-Ok
Published: October 2024

Objectives: In connection with government projects, the Gwangju medical welfare social cooperative launched the “Visit Oral Health Education Activities” as part of the Gwangju+ Gwangsan Integrated Care Service Project in 2023. This study aims to analyze the improvement in oral health and the level of satisfaction following home-visiting oral health education. Methods: A total of 51 participants who had undergone home-visiting oral health education more than seven times and agreed to participate were eligible for interviews. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: As a result of oral environment improvement and satisfaction with home-visiting oral health education, the average satisfaction scores were 4.67 for educator attitude, 4.46 for educational activities, 3.82 for oral health improvement, and 3.55 for self-management attitude improvement. Satisfaction with oral health improvement showed a positive correlation with educators’ work attitude, satisfaction with educational activities, and improvement in self-management attitude. Conclusions: To improve satisfaction with home-visiting oral health education, the development of various educational programs and standardization of educator work manuals are necessary.
Towards a Chinese Fragmentology
Authors: Fitzgerald Devin
Published: October 2024

Abstract: By problematizing the specific nature of Chinese book production and particularly the nature of Chinese codices, this essay analyses how Chinese printed texts fragmented. Two crucial elements are highlighted: the inner structure of Chinese books favored separate volumes that could become individual fragments at the same time as the printing blocks were often repaired and restored, undergoing a very different form of fragmentation. This requires a different approach to Chinese printed books fragmentology, one that takes those features under consideration.
Board of Books: The Tablets of the Sienese Biccherna
Authors: Treharne Elaine
Published: October 2024

Abstract: Taking as a cue the concept of the “whole” book, the author analyses a very particular form of fragment, the tablets of the Biccherna, the office of public expenses of the city of Siena. This article proposes a fresh look at the category of fragments. Those painted boards represent an extraordinary collection of fragmented bindings—not binding fragments. This paper highlights the need to see those very special types of fragments with a particularly sharp expression of mimetic materiality. Those tablets are simultaneously protective covers of accounts and examples of artistic expression and literate culture. But their full potential can only be uncovered if they are positioned in their full context—as books-in-the-world. Thus contextualized, their analysis can also help us in building better frameworks for the whole field of fragmentology.
John Singer Sargent’s Portraits of Henry James as Windows into a Suppressed Queer Friendship
Authors: Fisher Paul
Published: October 2024

Abstract: With virtually all the thirty-four-year correspondence between Henry James and John Singer Sargent lost, Sargent’s four portraits of James yield intriguing clues to the interiority of these men’s relation. The three extant portraits hint that this suppressed queer friendship was both more and less than a monolithic professional alliance. All three exhibit both affinity and unease. The early portraits hint at James’s heavy influence and Sargent’s complex resistance to it. The two later portraits, especially the celebrated oil portrait of 1913, show a mature alliance that sheltered both men and confirmed them as masked queer allies in a repressive society.
A “big depressing dazzling joke”: The Limits of Hospitality in “The Aspern Papers”
Authors: Despotopoulou Anna
Published: October 2024

Abstract: This essay explores the politics of community and hospitality in Henry James’s “The Aspern Papers.” Drawing on studies of hospitality, developed and inspired by Jacques Derrida, it considers the gestures of hospitality occurring in the story and shows that the bond of the Misses Bordereau is challenged by conditional terms of reciprocity that cause rifts in their community. Looking also at some of James’s essays on Venice, the essay argues that the novella provides insight into the possibility or not of domestic and national hospitality within the contexts of property ownership, mobility, and tourism and places women at the center of the confrontation between self and other, community and alterity.
Identity Instrumentalized: Pattern Recognition as an Epistemology of Surveillance, 1960–66
Authors: Gluck-Thaler Aaron
Published: October 2024

abstract: The emergence of new surveillance practices is not solely a matter of technological and political developments. It is also intertwined with the production of scientific knowledge. This article traces how scientists in the 1960s developed some of the earliest computerized facial recognition techniques while covertly sponsored by a U.S. intelligence agency. The article situates their project within approaches from the technical field of pattern recognition. It demonstrates how the scientists, especially amid unsteady patronage relationships, reinforced a key assumption: that recognizing identity could be reduced to classifying specific features within a set of existing examples. As their ambitions grew over six years, the scientists transformed human identity into a scientific object tailored to their recognition techniques. How this transformation occurred foregrounds the epistemic underpinnings of surveillance technologies.
Extreme, Outrageous, and (Un)reliable: Navigating Uncertainty in the Development of Sound-Based Fog Signals in Scotland, 1860–1900
Authors: Dishington Rachel
Published: October 2024

abstract: This case study demonstrates how an analysis grounded in sound studies, rather than visual studies, reveals a different technological outcome in the development of coastal navigation systems. In the late nineteenth century, engineers at Scotland's Northern Lighthouse Board developed and managed a growing network of sound-based fog signals, primarily using steam-powered sirens. Despite the prevailing perception that sound signaling was more unreliable and risky than lighthouses for coastal navigation, engineers focused on maximizing the loudness of these devices to address the uncertainty of sound transmission. By prioritizing the siren and narrowing the system's goals to warning sailors about imminent danger, the engineers created a system with fundamentally different aims, implementation methods, and design priorities than those of visually-based lighthouse technology. This sound-based analysis uncovers how sensory hierarchies shaped technological decisions, leading to a unique and distinct approach to coastal navigation.
Public History: The Infrastructural Utopia of Metropa
Authors: Esselborn Stefan , Meiske Martin
Published: October 2024

abstract: Metropa , an "art and peace project" by artist and musician Stefan Frankenberger, envisions a future European railroad network through the visual metaphor of an urban subway map, offering both an infrastructural and a political proposal for the future of the European continent. This essay explores Frankenberger's vision from a historical perspective, tracing the origins of the its visual language, its relationship with past trans-European railway projects, and its political implications. The article concludes that, although metropa 's technical and political ambitions are deeply connected to the present, its visual appeal and references to historical precedents enhance its affective and political impact.
Evaluating the effect of partially polarized light sources on the point spread function in optical coherence tomography
Authors: Liu Xiao , Tankam Patrice
Published: October 2024

Leveraging the polarization property of light to evaluate the birefringence of tissues as well as changes due to pathological conditions has been gaining interest over the past two decades with the introduction of different variants of optical coherence tomography (OCT) including polarization-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) and cross-polarization OCT (CP-OCT). Because OCT sources are partially polarized, PS-OCT and CP-OCT generally require a linear polarizer and polarization-maintaining fibers to enable a linearly polarized input beam into the interferometer. While recent studies have suggested using an unpolarized input beam to reduce the system’s complexity, the effect of unpolarized light on the point spread function (PSF) of OCT has not been fully studied. This work proposed a mathematical framework to evaluate the contribution of unpolarized light to the PSF of OCT. Simulation and experiments were performed for three OCT sources to assess the validity of the proposed model. Overall, simulations were in good agreement with experiments and revealed that unpolarized light introduced two additional reflectors into the reflectivity profile of the source, which were more pronounced in the cross-polarization configuration. This additional information can lead to misinterpretation of the birefringence of tissues in PS-OCT and CP-OCT. Their effect on image quality was evaluated in ex vivo corneal imaging of porcine eyeballs.
Heralded pure single-photon sources using nanophotonic waveguides with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities
Authors: Almassri Mahmoud , Saleh Mohammed F.
Published: October 2024

This paper presents, to our knowledge, a new approach in developing integrated pure heralded single-photon sources based on the interplay between the spontaneous four-wave mixing and sum-frequency generation parametric processes. We introduce a comprehensive quantum model to exploit this interplay in AlGaAs and LiNbO3 nanophotonic waveguides. The developed model is used to assess the performance of the sources based on the photon-pair generation and the associated spectral purity. We find that this approach can remarkably improve the spectral purity of low-pure generated photon pairs, relaxing the restrictions on the structure design and the used pump wavelength. In addition, it overcomes the current hurdles in implementing on-chip photon detectors operating at room temperature, paving the way for advanced applications in integrated quantum photonics and information processing.
Simple photonics-based angle of arrival and Doppler frequency shift measurement system for long baseline antennas
Authors: Huang Chongjia , Liu Mingtong , Chen Hao , Chen HengHao , Chan Erwin H. W.
Published: October 2024

Using photonics to measure the characteristics of an RF signal has a number of advantages compared to electronics. As a result, many photonics-based RF signal measurement systems have been reported. However, none of them can simultaneously measure an RF signal angle-of-arrival (AOA) and Doppler frequency shift (DFS) while having a simple and low-cost structure that is suitable for use in a long baseline antenna array. This paper presents a microwave photonic system to fill this technology gap. Additionally, the system is designed to have a robust performance, which is needed for practical applications. Measured results demonstrate simultaneous AOA and DFS measurement using the phase difference and the frequency of two low-frequency components generated by the system. The AOA and DFS measurement accuracy are within ±1° over the 0° to 81.5° AOA measurement range and within ±0.05 Hz over the ±50 kHz DFS measurement range. Results also show the system exhibits a stable performance with less than ±0.4° and ±0.02 Hz change in the measured AOA and DFS respectively, over an hour measurement period.