bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Train tracks and measured laminations on infinite surfaces
Authors: Šarić Dragomir
Published: June 2021

Let

X
X

be an infinite Riemann surface equipped with its conformal hyperbolic metric such that the action of the fundamental group

π
1

(
X
)

\pi _1(X)

on the universal covering

X
~

\tilde {X}

is of the first kind. We first prove that any geodesic lamination on

X
X

is nowhere dense. Given a fixed geodesic pants decomposition of

X
X

we define a family of train tracks on

X
X

such that any geodesic lamination on

X
X

is weakly carried by at least one train track. The set of measured laminations on

X
X

carried by a train track is in a one to one correspondence with the set of edge weight systems on the train track. Furthermore, the above correspondence is a homeomorphism when we equipped the measured laminations (weakly carried by a train track) with the weak* topology and the edge weight systems with the topology of pointwise (weak) convergence.

The space

M

L
b

(
X
)

ML_b(X)

of bounded measured laminations appears prominently when studying the Teichmüller space

T
(
X
)

T(X)

of

X
X

. If

X
X

has a bounded pants decomposition, a measured lamination on

X
X

weakly carried by a train track is bounded if and only if the corresponding edge weight system has a finite supremum norm. The space

M

L
b

(
X
)

ML_b(X)

is equipped with the uniform weak* topology. The correspondence between bounded measured laminations weakly carried by a train track and their edge weight systems is a homeomorphism for the uniform weak* topology on

M

L
b

(
X
)

ML_b(X)

and the topology induced by supremum norm on the edge weight system.
Cross talk-dependent cortical patterning of Rho GTPases during cell repair
Authors: Moe Alison , Holmes William , Golding Adriana E. , Zola Jessica , Swider Zachary T , Edelstein-Keshet Leah , Bement William
Published: June 2021

Rho GTPases such as Rho, Rac and Cdc42 are important regulators of the cortical cytoskeleton in processes including cell division, locomotion and repair. In these processes, Rho GTPases assume characteristic patterns wherein the active GTPases occupy mutually exclusive “zones” in the cell cortex. During cell wound repair, for example, a Rho zone encircles the wound edge and is in turn encircled by a Cdc42 zone. Here we evaluated the contributions of crosstalk between Rho and Cdc42 to the patterning of their respective zones in wounded Xenopus oocytes using experimental manipulations in combination with mathematical modeling. The results show that the position of the Cdc42 zone relative the Rho zone and relative to the wound edge is controlled by the level of Rho activity. In contrast, the outer boundary of the Rho zone is limited by the level of Cdc42 activity. Models based on positive feedback within zones and negative feedback from Rho to the GEF-GAP Abr to Cdc42 capture some, but not all, of the observed behaviors. We conclude that GTPase zone positioning is controlled at the level of Rho activity and we speculate that the Cdc42 zone or something associated with it limits the spread of Rho activity.

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Associations between inflammation, cardiovascular biomarkers and incident frailty: the British Regional Heart Study
Authors: McKechnie Douglas G J , Papacosta A Olia , Lennon Lucy T , Ramsay Sheena E , Whincup Peter H , Wannamethee S Goya
Published: June 2021

Introduction

cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic inflammation are implicated in the development of frailty. Longitudinal analyses of inflammatory markers, biomarkers of cardiac dysfunction and incidence of frailty are limited.

Methods

in the British Regional Heart Study, 1,225 robust or pre-frail men aged 71–92 years underwent a baseline examination, with questionnaire-based frailty assessment after 3 years. Frailty definitions were based on the Fried phenotype. Associations between incident frailty and biomarkers of cardiac dysfunction (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)) and inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) were examined, by tertile, with the lowest as reference.

Results

follow-up data were available for 981 men. Ninety one became frail. Adjusted for age, pre-frailty, prevalent and incident CVD, comorbidity, polypharmacy and socioeconomic status, IL-6 (third tertile OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.07–5.17) and hs-cTnT (third tertile OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.03–4.90) were associated with increased odds of frailty. CRP (third tertile OR 1.83, 95% CI 0.97–4.08) and NT-proBNP (second tertile OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.23–1.01) showed no significant association with incident frailty. The top tertiles of CRP, IL-6, hscTnT and NT-proBNP were strongly associated with mortality prior to follow-up.

Conclusion

IL-6 is associated with incident frailty, supporting the prevailing argument that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of frailty. Cardiomyocyte injury may be associated with frailty risk. Associations between elevated CRP and frailty cannot be fully discounted; NT-proBNP may have a non-linear relationship with incident frailty. CRP, IL-6, hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP are vulnerable to survivorship bias.
efam: an expanded, metaproteome-supported HMM profile database of viral protein families
Authors: Zayed Ahmed A , Lücking Dominik , Mohssen Mohamed , Cronin Dylan , Bolduc Ben , Gregory Ann C , Hargreaves Katherine R , Piehowski Paul D , White III Richard A , Huang Eric L , Adkins Joshua N , Roux Simon , Moraru Cristina , Sullivan Matthew B
Published: June 2021

Motivation

Viruses infect, reprogram and kill microbes, leading to profound ecosystem consequences, from elemental cycling in oceans and soils to microbiome-modulated diseases in plants and animals. Although metagenomic datasets are increasingly available, identifying viruses in them is challenging due to poor representation and annotation of viral sequences in databases.

Results

Here, we establish efam, an expanded collection of Hidden Markov Model (HMM) profiles that represent viral protein families conservatively identified from the Global Ocean Virome 2.0 dataset. This resulted in 240 311 HMM profiles, each with at least 2 protein sequences, making efam >7-fold larger than the next largest, pan-ecosystem viral HMM profile database. Adjusting the criteria for viral contig confidence from ‘conservative’ to ‘eXtremely Conservative’ resulted in 37 841 HMM profiles in our efam-XC database. To assess the value of this resource, we integrated efam-XC into VirSorter viral discovery software to discover viruses from less-studied, ecologically distinct oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) marine habitats. This expanded database led to an increase in viruses recovered from every tested OMZ virome by ∼24% on average (up to ∼42%) and especially improved the recovery of often-missed shorter contigs (<5 kb). Additionally, to help elucidate lesser-known viral protein functions, we annotated the profiles using multiple databases from the DRAM pipeline and virion-associated metaproteomic data, which doubled the number of annotations obtainable by standard, single-database annotation approaches. Together, these marine resources (efam and efam-XC) are provided as searchable, compressed HMM databases that will be updated bi-annually to help maximize viral sequence discovery and study from any ecosystem.

Availability and implementation

The resources are available on the iVirus platform at (doi.org/10.25739/9vze-4143).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The molecular mechanisms underlying acrosome biogenesis elucidated by gene-manipulated mice†
Authors: Xiong Wenfeng , Shen Chunling , Wang Zhugang
Published: June 2021

Sexual reproduction requires the fusion of two gametes in a multistep and multifactorial process termed fertilization. One of the main steps that ensures successful fertilization is acrosome reaction. The acrosome, a special kind of organelle with a cap-like structure that covers the anterior portion of sperm head, plays a key role in the process. Acrosome biogenesis begins with the initial stage of spermatid development, and it is typically divided into four successive phases: the Golgi phase, cap phase, acrosome phase, and maturation phase. The run smoothly of above processes needs an active and specific coordination between the all kinds of organelles (endoplasmic reticulum, trans-Golgi network, and nucleus) and cytoplasmic structures (acroplaxome and manchette). During the past two decades, an increasing number of genes have been discovered to be involved in modulating acrosome formation. Most of these proteins interact with each other and show a complicated molecular regulatory mechanism to facilitate the occurrence of this event. This review focuses on the progresses of studying acrosome biogenesis using gene-manipulated mice and highlights an emerging molecular basis of mammalian acrosome formation.
It’s not just About Poverty: Capital, Inequality, and Antisocial Behaviour in Schools
Authors: Pantoja Fernando
Published: June 2021

Many studies about antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the school environment are based on a single conceptual and theoretical framework, producing partial results that limit our understanding of the problem. Using a more inclusive approach, this paper uses survey data from the educational system in Mexico to explore the relationship between the forms of capital introduced by Bourdieu (1986), their associated inequalities, and the perception of ASB of students of secondary schools. The results show that social capital was the only form of capital with a consistent effect across all types of schools and localities. Economic and cultural capital and their associated inequalities were linked to the perception of ASB but only amongst students of some types of schools and localities. It is concluded that further analyses must take into account various aspects at the individual and school level, but particularly understand the unique characteristics of different environments.
Hidden Markov Modeling Reveals Prolonged “Baseline” State and Shortened Antagonistic State across the Adult Lifespan
Authors: Chen Keyu , Li Chaofan , Sun Wei , Tao Yunyun , Wang Ruidi , Hou Wen , Liu Dong-Qiang
Published: June 2021

The brain networks undergo functional reorganization across the whole lifespan, but the dynamic patterns behind the reorganization remain largely unclear. This study models the dynamics of spontaneous activity of large-scale networks using hidden Markov model (HMM), and investigates how it changes with age on two adult lifespan datasets of 176/157 subjects (aged 20–80 years). Results for both datasets showed that 1) older adults tended to spend less time on a state where default mode network (DMN) and attentional networks show antagonistic activity, 2) older adults spent more time on a “baseline” state with moderate-level activation of all networks, accompanied with lower transition probabilities from this state to the others and higher transition probabilities from the others to this state, and 3) HMM exhibited higher sensitivity in uncovering the age effects compared with temporal clustering method. Our results suggest that the aging brain is characterized by the shortening of the antagonistic instances between DMN and attention systems, as well as the prolongation of the inactive period of all networks, which might reflect the shift of the dynamical working point near criticality in older adults.
Post-Vaccination Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infections and Incidence of the Presumptive B.1.427/B.1.429 Variant Among Healthcare Personnel at a Northern California Academic Medical Center
Authors: Jacobson Karen B , Pinsky Benjamin A , Montez Rath Maria E , Wang Hannah , Miller Jacob A , Skhiri Mehdi , Shepard John , Mathew Roshni , Lee Grace , Bohman Bryan , Parsonnet Julie , Holubar Marisa
Published: June 2021

Background

Although mRNA-based severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines report >90% efficacy, breakthrough infections occur. Little is known about their effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the highly prevalent B.1.427/B.1.429 variant.

Methods

In this quality improvement project, we collected demographic and clinical information from post-vaccine SARS-CoV-2 cases (PVSCs), defined as healthcare personnel (HCP) with positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test after receiving ≥1 vaccine dose. Available specimens were tested for L452R, N501Y, and E484K mutations using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Mutation prevalence was compared among unvaccinated, early post-vaccinated (≤14 days after dose 1), partially vaccinated (positive test >14 days after dose 1 and <14 days after dose 2), and fully vaccinated (>14 days after dose 2) PVSCs.

Results

From December 2020 to April 2021, ≥23 090 HCP received ≥1 dose of an mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and 660 HCP cases of SARS-CoV-2 occurred, of which 189 were PVSCs. Among the PVSCs, 114 (60.3%), 49 (25.9%), and 26 (13.8%) were early post-vaccination, partially vaccinated, and fully vaccinated, respectively. Of 261 available samples from vaccinated and unvaccinated HCP, 103 (39.5%), including 42 PVSCs (36.5%), had the L452R mutation presumptive of B.1.427/B.1.429. When adjusted for community prevalence of B.1.427/B.1.429, PVSCs did not have significantly elevated risk of B.1.427/B.1.429 compared with unvaccinated HCP.

Conclusions

Most PVSCs occurred prior to expected onset of full, vaccine-derived immunity. Presumptive B.1.427/B.1.429 was not more prevalent in post-vaccine cases than in unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 HCP. Continued infection control measures, particularly <14 days post-vaccination, and continued variant surveillance in PVSCs are imperative to control future SARS-CoV-2 surges.
Unusual high prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in South Brazil
Authors: Zorzetto Renata , Klein Rafaela Luiza , Erpen Luana Marina Sheer , Klein Bárbara Diel , Giacobbo Igor , da Silveira Rafael Arrua , Frandoloso Rafael , Kreutz Luiz Carlos
Published: June 2021

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is worldwide distributed and might cause acute or chronic hepatitis mainly in immunocompromised individuals. In previous studies we found a high prevalence of antibodies to HEV within blood donors in south Brazil and also within backyard-raised pigs. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of anti-HEV antibody and HEV RNA within the general population from three major municipalities (Caxias do Sul, Passo Fundo and Santa Maria) in south Brazil. A total of 3000 blood samples were randomly obtained from clinical laboratories at each of the three municipality (n = 1000 each) to determine the presence of anti-HEV antibodies and HEV RNA. Overall, anti-HEV antibodies were detected in 574/1000 (57,4%) samples in Caxias do Sul, 655/1000 (65.5%) samples in Passo Fundo and 554/1000 (55.4%) samples in Santa Maria. The prevalence of HEV-positive samples increased steadily and significantly (P < 0,001) with age and was unusually higher within individual over 40 years. Despite of this, none of the pooled serum samples had detectable levels of HEV RNA. The high anti-HEV antibody prevalence suggests that the virus might be present on the environment and/or foodstuff and poses a permanent threat to immune-compromised individuals.
Early discharge after thoracoscopic anatomical pulmonary resection for non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Forster Céline , Perentes Jean Yannis , Ojanguren Amaya , Abdelnour-Berchtold Etienne , Zellweger Matthieu , Bouchaab Hasna , Peters Solange , Krueger Thorsten , Gonzalez Michel
Published: June 2021

OBJECTIVES

Although video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has shortened hospitalization duration for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, the factors associated with early discharge remain unclear. This study aimed to identify patients eligible for a 72-h stay after VATS anatomical resection.

METHODS

Monocentric retrospective study including all consecutive patients undergoing VATS anatomical resection for NSCLC between February 2010 and December 2019. Two groups were defined according to the discharge: ‘early discharge’ (within 72 postoperative hours) and ‘routine discharge’ (at >72 postoperative hours).

RESULTS

A total of 660 patients with a median age of 66.5 years (interquartile range 60–73 years) (female/male: 321/339) underwent VATS anatomical pulmonary resection for NSCLC [segmentectomy in 169 (25.6%), lobectomy in 481 (72.9%), bilobectomy in 8 (1.2%) and pneumonectomy in 2 (0.3%) patients]. The cardiopulmonary and Clavien–Dindo III–IV postoperative complication rates were 32.6% and 7.7%, respectively. The median postoperative length of stay was 6 days (interquartile range 4–10 days). In total, 119 patients (18%) could be discharged within 72 h of surgery. On multivariable analysis, the factors significantly associated with an increased likelihood of early discharge were: body mass index >20 kg/m2 [odds ratio (OR) 2.37], absence of prior cardiopathy (OR 2), diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide >60% (OR 1.82), inclusion in an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol (OR 2.23), use of a single chest tube (OR 5.73) and postoperative transfer to the ward (OR 4.84). Factors significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of early discharge were: age >60 years (OR 0.53), American Society of Anaesthesiologists score >2 (OR 0.46) and use of an epidural catheter (OR 0.41). Readmission rates were not statistically different between both groups (5.9% vs 3.1%; P = 0.17).

CONCLUSIONS

Age, pulmonary functions and comorbidities may influence discharge after VATS anatomical resection. The early discharge does not increase readmission rates.
Comparative effectiveness of medical concept embedding for feature engineering in phenotyping
Authors: Lee Junghwan , Liu Cong , Kim Jae Hyun , Butler Alex , Shang Ning , Pang Chao , Natarajan Karthik , Ryan Patrick , Ta Casey , Weng Chunhua
Published: June 2021

Objective

Feature engineering is a major bottleneck in phenotyping. Properly learned medical concept embeddings (MCEs) capture the semantics of medical concepts, thus are useful for retrieving relevant medical features in phenotyping tasks. We compared the effectiveness of MCEs learned from knowledge graphs and electronic healthcare records (EHR) data in retrieving relevant medical features for phenotyping tasks.

Materials and Methods

We implemented 5 embedding methods including node2vec, singular value decomposition (SVD), LINE, skip-gram, and GloVe with 2 data sources: (1) knowledge graphs obtained from the observational medical outcomes partnership (OMOP) common data model; and (2) patient-level data obtained from the OMOP compatible electronic health records (EHR) from Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). We used phenotypes with their relevant concepts developed and validated by the electronic medical records and genomics (eMERGE) network to evaluate the performance of learned MCEs in retrieving phenotype-relevant concepts. Hits@k% in retrieving phenotype-relevant concepts based on a single and multiple seed concept(s) was used to evaluate MCEs.

Results

Among all MCEs, MCEs learned by using node2vec with knowledge graphs showed the best performance. Of MCEs based on knowledge graphs and EHR data, MCEs learned by using node2vec with knowledge graphs and MCEs learned by using GloVe with EHR data outperforms other MCEs, respectively.

Conclusion

MCE enables scalable feature engineering tasks, thereby facilitating phenotyping. Based on current phenotyping practices, MCEs learned by using knowledge graphs constructed by hierarchical relationships among medical concepts outperformed MCEs learned by using EHR data.
Salinity Influences Plant–Pest–Predator Tritrophic Interactions
Authors: Ali M P , Rahman M S , Nowrin Farzana , Haque S S , Qin Xinghu , Haque M A , Uddin M M , Landis Douglas A , Howlader M T H
Published: June 2021

Climate change-induced salinity intrusion into agricultural soils is known to negatively impact crop production and food security. However, the effects of salinity increase on plant–herbivore–natural enemy systems and repercussions for pest suppression services are largely unknown. Here, we examine the effects of increased salinity on communities of rice (Oryza sativa), brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, and green mirid bug (GMB), Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, under greenhouse conditions. We found that elevated salinity significantly suppressed the growth of two rice cultivars. Meanwhile, BPH population size also generally decreased due to poor host plant quality induced by elevated salinity. The highest BPH density occurred at 2.0 dS/m salinity and declined thereafter with increasing salinity, irrespective of rice cultivar. The highest population density of GMB also occurred under control conditions and decreased significantly with increasing salinity. Higher salinity directly affected the rice crop by reducing plant quality measured with reference to biomass production and plant height, whereas inducing population developmental asynchrony between BPH and GMB observed at 2 dS/m salinity and potentially uncoupling prey–predator dynamics. Our results suggest that increased salinity has harmful effects on plants, herbivores, natural enemies, as well as plant–pest–predator interactions. The effects measured here suggest that the bottom-up effects of predatory insects on rice pests will likely decline in rice produced in coastal areas where salinity intrusion is common. Our findings indicate that elevated salinity influences tritrophic interactions in rice production landscapes, and further research should address resilient rice insect pest management combining multipests and predators in a changing environment.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem) against diabetes mellitus: a critical review on its phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology
Authors: Patil Shashank M , Shirahatti Prithvi S , Ramu Ramith
Published: June 2021

Objective

We aim to provide a critical review focused on the various pharmacological activities of Azadirachta indica A. Juss related to diabetes management. We also emphasise on phytochemistry and toxicology of A. indica, which could provide a comprehensive approach for plant-based drug development in future.

Key findings

From 2784 identified studies, only 83 were considered after double screening based on the inclusion criteria. Further, 63 pharmacological investigations were considered for review. Resultant studies deliberated on using different extracts and phytochemicals of A. indica on blood glucose level, lipid profile, oxidative stress, carbohydrate digestion enzymes, diabetic complications, glucose tolerance, and uptake of glucose.

In the end, one can know the efficacy of A. indica as a potent antidiabetic herbal medicine. However, based on gaps in research, recommendations have been provided to evaluate A. indica. in a systematic manner to develop plant-based drugs, nutraceuticals, and to evaluate their clinical efficiency and safety against diabetes mellitus.
Antagonism between SUMO1/2 and SUMO3 regulates SUMO conjugate levels and fine-tunes immunity
Authors: Ingole Kishor D , Kasera Mritunjay , van den Burg Harrold A , Bhattacharjee Saikat
Published: June 2021

The attachment of SMALL UBIQUITIN-LIKE MODIFIER (SUMO) to target proteins regulates a plethora of cellular processes across eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutants with abnormal SUMO1/2 conjugate levels display a dwarf stature, autoimmunity, and altered stress responses to adverse environmental conditions. Since the SUMO pathway is known to autoregulate its biochemical activity (via allosteric interactions), we assessed whether the emergence of additional SUMO paralogs in Arabidopsis has introduced the capacity of self-regulation by means of isoform diversification in this model plant. By studying the plant defense responses elicited by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, we provide genetic evidence that SUM3, a divergent paralog, acts downstream of the two main SUMO paralogues, SUM1/2. The expression of SUM3 apparently buffers or suppresses the function of SUM1/2 by controlling the timing and amplitude of the immune response. Moreover, SUM1 and SUM2 work additively to suppress both basal and TNL-specific immunity, a specific branch of the immune network. Finally, our data reveal that SUM3 is required for the global increase in SUMO1/2 conjugates upon exposure to biotic and abiotic stresses, namely heat and pathogen exposure. We cannot exclude that this latter effect is independent of the role of SUM3 in immunity.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
Authors: Merlo Gia
Published: June 2021

Disruptive forces are challenging the future of medicine. One of the key forces bringing change is the development of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is a technological system designed to perform tasks that are commonly associated with human intelligence and ability. Machine learning is a subset of AI, and deep learning is an aspect of machine learning. AI can be categorized as either applied or generalized. Machine learning is key to applied AI; it is dynamic and can become more accurate through processing different results. Other new technologies include blockchain, which allows for the storage of all of patients’ records to create a connected health ecosystem. Medical professionals ought to be willing to accept new technology, while also developing the skills that technology will not be able to replicate.
Depression, Anxiety, and Physician Suicide
Authors: Merlo Gia
Published: June 2021

Physicians suffer from mental health issues, particularly depression, at higher rates than the general population, due to many of the same factors that contribute to burnout. However, there is a stigma within the profession that prevents them from getting help. This stigma can be based on feedback from self, colleagues, hospitals/medical systems, and licensing boards. Self-criticism by physicians may lead to self-stigmatization. Colleagues may be afraid to broach the topic of mental health and fail to refer their peers to professional help. Hospitals/medical systems often label physicians suffering from mental health issues as ”unprofessional.” Lastly, licensing boards may discriminate against physicians who disclose prior psychiatric history. Major depressive disorder is the most common diagnosis among physicians. Anxiety disorders have been less well-studied but are likely also to be a major problem. Approximately 300 to 400 physicians are estimated to die from suicide each year, and untreated mental health conditions are a significant risk factor. Action at individual, institutional, and organizational levels is necessary to combat the stigma of mental illness.
Substance Use Disorders and the Impaired Physician
Authors: Merlo Gia
Published: June 2021

Patient safety is jeopardized when healthcare services are provided by physicians who suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs). When focusing on the problem of substance abuse and dependence among physicians, certain factors inherent in the medical field, such as long hours, the high-stress nature of the work, and the ease of access to drugs, make physicians more susceptible to abusing or becoming dependent on prescription drugs and alcohol. SUDs may differ in severity. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2013) provides three severity specifiers: mild, moderate, and severe. Severe SUDs are also known as addictive disorders. To make matters worse, a culture of silence exists among colleagues, who often seek to protect the compromised physician from the legal consequences of abusing drugs. Luckily, the compromised physician can be provided with an intense and individualized treatment regime through physician health programs that aim for rehabilitation over termination of employment.
Aggressive Radiation-Induced Cavernous Sinus Meningioma: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Aversa Antonio , Al-Mefty Ossama
Published: June 2021

Radiation-induced meningiomas are the most common radiation-induced neoplasms. They exhibit a distinct aggressive clinical behavior as rapid growth, recurrences, multiplicity, and malignant progression are common features.
1-4
Atypical histological findings and aberrant cytogenetics are increasingly identified.
5-7
Radical resection of aggressive radiation-induced meningiomas is the best treatment option and would offer the best chance for control of the disease. Wide bone and dural margins should be pursued in the resection. Parasellar extension creates significant surgical challenges. Cavernous sinus exploration through the multidirectional axis provided by the cranioorbital zygomatic approach allows radical resection of the tumor, cranial nerve decompression, and carotid artery preservation and control.
8-11
This article describes a cavernous sinus radiation-induced meningioma after radiation for Cushing disease. It demonstrates the details of the extra- and intradural exploration and dissection of the neurovascular structures in the cavernous sinus, with proximal and distal control of the carotid artery. However, even after radical resection, recurrence is a common finding in this malignant behavioral radiation-induced tumor.

Patient consented for surgery.

Image at 9:41 comes from the Science Museum Group, United Kingdom. Refer to the Wellcome blog post (archive). This image is licensed under the CC-BY 4.0 International license.
Thoracolumbar Interfascial Plane Block and Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Jamshidi Aria M , Makler Vyacheslav , Wang Michael Y
Published: June 2021

While spinal fusion in properly selected patients has been shown to be effective in improving pain, function, and quality of life, many patients continue to have reservations regarding the historical morbidity associated with surgical intervention.
1
Open lumbar fusion surgery traditionally is perceived as an intervention that is associated with significant pain, recovery time, and risk. Even though most patients ultimately recover from this procedure, they are often left scarred with the psychological, economic, and social costs.
2

 To combat these negative associations with spinal fusion, neurosurgeons have begun to adopt adjunctive treatment modalities, including thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) blocks and transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks to improve pain control and reduce postoperative opiate consumption.
3,4
The TLIP block is done after the patient is intubated and prior to skin incision for our posterior lumbar cases. Recently, we have also begun placing TAP blocks for patients undergoing anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) using exclusively liposomal bupivacaine, as commonly practiced for other abdominopelvic surgeries, to lengthen the duration of analgesia.
5
We have found that these blocks have ameliorated both intraoperative and postoperative pain management.
6

 In this video, we present a case of a 65-yr-old female who presented with a grade 1 spondylolisthesis and neuroforaminal compression from L4 to S1, who was treated with combined TAP and TLIP block followed by a L4 to S1 ALIF with posterolateral instrumentation.

 Informed written consent was obtained from the patient and her family.
Building Muslim–Buddhist Understanding
Authors: Yusuf Imtiyaz
Published: June 2021

This chapter suggests a new approach for building Muslim–Buddhist understanding through the methodology of parallelism. Recognizing that Islam and Buddhism share the common ground of being directed toward liberation from suffering and hardship caused by inequality, injustice, and oppression, this chapter compares two of their respective teachings to achieve that goal, namely through understanding and applying the Qur’anic teaching of Taqwa—Allah consciousness, that is, recognizing the presence of Divine breath as a means to develop virtuous behavior in a Muslim, and cognizance of Satipatthana/mindfulness, as taught in the Anapanasati Sutta, for development of virtuous behavior in a Buddhist.
Decline in the Roman Republic
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

The rhetoric of Roman decline appears in some of the earliest surviving Latin literary texts (like Plautus’s Trinummus). Cato the Elder built much of his political brand around the idea that greed, extravagance, and, later, Greek influence undermined Roman virtue. He defended the lex Oppia, a sumptuary law, and directed attacks against figures in the mode of Scipio Africanus. This sort of attack particularly resonated as economic changes and the rise of a new class of super-wealthy Romans emerged in the decades after the end of the Second Punic War. By the 130s, Tiberius Gracchus used similar attacks on the greed and extravagance of Roman and Italian elites to push for aggressive land reforms. Tiberius’s unwillingness to be bound by constitutional norms, however, represented a new sort of decline that ultimately prompted his murder by a mob led by Scipio Nasica.
Manufacturing the Golden Age of Trajan
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

The reign of Augustus showed how claims about Roman decline could become tools to justify regime change. Julio-Claudian emperors tended to emphasize continuity with dynastic predecessors rather than the rhetoric of decline and renewal. Following the death of Nero, Galba and the three new emperors who seized power from him justified their actions by talking about the terrible reigns of their murdered predecessors as times of Roman decline that they will correct. The same pattern appeared again after the murder of Domitian in 96. The reign of Nerva and, in particular, that of Trajan saw many senators like Pliny and Tacitus as well as authors like Plutarch echo these claims in their own work as a way to enhance their own reputations in what they framed as a new golden age.
Decline and False Renewal
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

The rhetoric of decline, which had largely disappeared from political life by the late Antonine period, came back in the middle third century as political instability prompted new emperors to discredit the final emperor of the dynasty that preceded them. The lack of long-lived dynasties between 235 and 285 meant that many new emperors and imperial pretenders emphasized how the failings of their predecessors had brought Rome to a crisis point. Each deployed the rhetoric of restoration; the separatist regime of Postumus did so to a great degree. The restorations these new emperors promised often claimed significant numbers of victims, ranging from the Christians persecuted by Decius and Valerian to the soldiers and civilians killed in Aurelian’s wars to reunify the empire in the 270s. Christians like Cyprian also used rhetoric of decline to speak about persecutions, though Cyprian focused on moral deterioration within the Christian community.
Roman Renewal versus Christian Progress
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

Constantine’s son Constantius II particularly worked to encourage the emergence of a new, Christian Roman Empire by restricting pagan practices and transferring pagan temples to the ownership of the church. Christian authors like Firmicus Maternus framed actions like these as a form of progress that moved the empire closer to a better, Christian condition—a dramatic break from the traditional cycle of decline and renewal. Constantius also elevated the new city of Constantinople to parity with Rome, an action described to the Roman senate by his propagandist Themistius. The pagan emperor Julian, Constantius’s successor, set about undoing many of the steps Constantine and his sons had taken. Julian framed these actions as a restoration of Roman power and religious traditions, but, in some ways, his initiatives departed from past practices as well.
The Loss of the Roman West and the Christian Future
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

The Roman decline that Symmachus prophesized arrived in the West as the fifth century began. The first half of the fifth century saw Rome sacked in 410 and the empire then lose extensive territories in Gaul, Spain, and North Africa between the 410s and 440s. Christian thinkers like Orosius, Salvian, and Augustine struggled to respond effectively to pagan criticisms that Rome’s break with its pagan traditions had precipitated this loss of territory. Augustine’s City of God in particular asked Christians to privilege the community of God over the troubled empire of this world, an empire that nevertheless could still serve a beneficial purpose to Christians. Writing after the capture of Gaul by barbarians, both Sidonius Apollinaris and Paulinus of Pella embraced a post-Roman future in which Christian devotion remained meaningful even after their ties to the Roman state had ended. The Christian and Roman futures had now diverged in the West.
The Retrenchment of One Roman Empire, the Resurgence of Another
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

By the middle of the ninth century, the Eastern Empire in Constantinople had begun a long recovery under the Macedonian dynasty. Although the rhetoric of decline and renewal was used to explain the necessity of the coup that brought Basil I, the first member of the dynasty, to power, the stability of the dynasty meant that emperors like Leo VI and authors writing about later Macedonian emperors like Constantine VII also often evoked the Antonine idea of renewal without decline. The tendency for tenth-century Macedonian rulers to rule alongside co-emperors meant that this rhetoric could blame the co-emperor for problems while affirming the basic continuity of the dynasty. After discussing the Macedonian dynasty, which ended in the 1050s, the chapter concludes by looking at the return of the rhetoric of decline in authors like Michael Psellus and Michael Attaleiates who worked in the troubled 1070s.
The Captures of Constantinople
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

The emperor Alexius I Comnenus took power while promising to restore the strength of a battered empire but, by the mid-1080s, the empire had lost even more territory in Asia Minor. Alexius had built a working relationship with pope Urban II and, in 1095, the pope organized the first Crusade. The Crusading movement did help the Romans recover lands in Asia Minor, but Roman interactions with Crusaders were often fraught. The tensions culminated in the capture of Constantinople by soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, an action that they justified on the grounds that Roman virtue and piety had declined. Even with the capital captured, the rhetoric of Roman renewal continued in works like the history of Nicetas Choniates. It first helped galvanize resistance to the Crusaders in the city of Nicaea and then, in 1261, it provided a platform to celebrate the emperor Michael Palaeologus after he recaptured Constantinople.
Roman Renewal after the Fall
Authors: Watts Edward J.
Published: June 2021

Greek-speaking Romans writing after the fall of Constantinople soon abandoned hope of a final Roman renewal. Some, like Laonikos Chalkokondyles, looked to a renewed Hellenism that would reassert Greek virtues that the millennia-long Christian Roman period of Greek history had suppressed. Others, like Michael Critobulus, saw the Roman future as one in which Romans worked with the new Ottoman regime. Western figures ranging from Enea Sylvio Piccolomini (the future Pope Pius II) to the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I took up the idea of a restoration of Roman control of Constantinople spearheaded by the Holy Roman Empire. These ideas even inspired Maximilian’s grandson Charles V to undertake campaigns against the Ottomans in Europe and the Mediterranean that he equates to Republican and imperial Roman wars, but the combination of the Lutheran teaching and a French alliance with the Ottomans weakened Charles’s claims to universal, Christian Roman leadership.
The Articulation of Justification by Faith
Authors: Hampton Stephen
Published: June 2021

Chapter 5 develops the theme of Reformed Conformist resilience during the reign of Charles I. Drawing principally on Ward’s numerous determinations on the subject, Davenant’s ambitious Praelectiones, and Ward’s posthumously published treatise on justifying faith, it establishes that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was likewise the subject of regular defence and articulation in Cambridge throughout the 1630s. It also underlines the consonance of their position with that outlined in Downame’s 1634 Treatise on Justification. As Prideaux’s lectures and Montagu’s remarks on the subject demonstrate, this doctrine was integral to the Reformed vision of grace. Its ongoing articulation further establishes the vibrancy of Conformist Reformed theological opinion in the 1630s.
Disputed Ceremonies and the Liturgical Year
Authors: Hampton Stephen
Published: June 2021

Chapter 8 extends this analysis of the conformity of the Reformed Conformists, by establishing that they found spiritual value in the distinctive liturgical provisions of the Prayer Book. The chapter shows that Morton’s defence of three controversial English liturgical provisions did not merely defend them on the grounds of obedience, but also ascribed positive religious value to them, as parts of God’s worship. Featley’s Ancilla made the same point in relation to the liturgical year and Holdsworth in relation to the Lent Fast, an institution that distinguished the Church of England from the other Protestant churches of Europe. The chapter then uses Featley and Prideaux’s polemically inspired collections of sermons to demonstrate that Reformed Conformists believed the liturgical year might be profitably used by the faithful, and so become an instrument of divine predestination and a vehicle for Christian assurance.
The Men and Women of Avon
Authors: Manko Katina
Published: June 2021

During World War II, the size of the Avon representative salesforce shrank as women took jobs in the war industry. The stalwart representatives who remained with the company established the highest sales records in its history. When the war ended, the size of the sales force increased again but its efficiency lagged. Avon established new sales offices in cities and suburbs, carefully drawing territories that excluded African American and minority neighborhoods. The female agents who had traveled to recruit were tapped to manage the new city sales offices, creating a new middle-management rung on the corporate career ladder physically independent from the men at headquarters. They soon occupied a meaningful and influential position in the company, ensuring its success in the postwar era.
Introduction
Authors: Robinson Elizabeth C.
Published: June 2021

The introduction situates the book within the broader discourse of work on the Roman conquest of Italy. It begins by discussing the theoretical underpinnings and methodological considerations of the work. After a historiographical discussion of “Romanization studies,” it mentions three models that will be drawn on in the work (those of Mattingly, Barrett, and Terrenato). It then discusses the importance of the spread of Hellenistic culture throughout Italy for studies of the Roman conquest. Next, it examines recent regional studies of the Roman conquest of Italy, particularly in central and southern Italy. It brings up three key questions that will be addressed in the work: How did Larinum’s participation in the broader Hellenistic koiné contribute to its integration into the Roman state? What forms of Roman influence spread to Larinum during the period in question and how did they arrive there? And, in what ways do the changes in Larinum’s material record reflect broader cultural developments both at the site and within its territory? It makes the case for Larinum’s being a prime candidate for this type of study by laying out the available evidence for the creation of a site biography before ending with an overview of the main argument of the book.
Situating Larinum
Authors: Robinson Elizabeth C.
Published: June 2021

This chapter presents the site of Larinum to the reader. It provides an initial discussion of the geography and topography of the site as well as a brief introduction to its occupation history. It then turns to the historical and literary material pertaining to Larinum (excluding Cicero’s Pro Cluentio, which is discussed in its own chapter) in order to address three key elements of the history of the site: the changing relationship between Larinum and Rome; the main elite families of Larinum; and Roman views of Larinum. This material includes works by authors such as Polybius, Cicero (in his letters to Atticus), Julius Caesar, Livy, Silius Italicus, Pliny the Elder, Ptolemy, Pomponius Mela, Appian, and Stephanus Byzantinus. Although the historical contexts and situations of the authors lead to certain biases in the narratives and focuses that at times can distract from the actual historical situation, a discussion of this material is an integral part of the site biography of Larinum.
Larinum and Its Hinterland
Authors: Robinson Elizabeth C.
Published: June 2021

This chapter investigates settlement pattern research in the territory of Larinum. After a brief discussion of the history of research, it summarizes the settlement pattern narrative of the Biferno Valley Survey and the importance of this narrative in the history of studies in this area. It also discusses the Forma Italiae survey conducted here. Next, it presents a new study of the territory surrounding Larinum that consists of a revisiting of the villa sites and a reclassification of the farmsteads. It discusses the methodology and definitions used, as well as the results and directions for future research. It also addresses evidence in the landscape for travel, trade and road networks, including some of the routes mentioned in the literary sources and the ancient itineraries. It presents a revised narrative of the settlement patterns for the territory of Larinum that stresses continuity in the landscape throughout the period of Roman conquest. It ends by bringing in a discussion of the results of other regional studies conducted in central and southern Italy that are relevant to the conclusions reached here.
Introduction
Authors: Ainspan and Nathan D. , Saboe Kristin N.
Published: June 2021

The introduction of this book explains how industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists and human resources leaders can use I/O research and best practices to understand military veterans and military families. This knowledge can help employers find, hire, and retain veterans as civilian employees in their organizations. This chapter first describes the American military as an organization, the demographics of the military, and why service members and veterans are different from other groups of individuals; it offers insight into the types of individuals who self-select into the military and then describes how the military develops the traits, skills, and competencies (including nontechnical “soft” skills) that are in high demand but short supply in the civilian labor market. In concludes with an explanation of how the military culture impacts the service members and how these elements create veteran employees who may differ in their tenure and their performance in civilian organizations.