bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theories of International Trade and Economic Imperialism
Authors: Dunn Bill
Published: February 2022

This chapter introduces and reviews a long tradition of theories which highlight unequal trade relations between countries, contesting the Ricardian view of mutual gains. Focussing particularly on mercantilism, ideas of changing terms of trade after Prebisch and Singer, and theories of unequal exchange, the chapter assesses the utility of theories of trade inequality in the twenty-first century. It argues that trade, and trade inequalities, need to be understood in their social and historical context and as one important dimension of the broader construction, reconstruction, and contestation of social relations. Contemporary trade relations therefore need to be understood, in particular, alongside changing class relations within countries and in the context of the expansion of corporate investment, which among other things creates problems for the way trade and the putative gains from trade are measured. Relations of trade also need to be understood in the context of broader relations of international inequality, particularly relations of political power and of money and finance.
Kids Feeling Good About Being Indigenous at School and Its Link to Heightened Educational Aspirations
Authors: Peacock Huw , Guerzoni Michael A.
Published: February 2022

Aspiration formation is an important milestone in the cognitive and personal development of children, influential in directing their life pursuits entering adulthood. Educational aspirations are particularly prized, and subsequently nurtured, within Western societies. For Indigenous children, connection to, embrace of, and security in one’s indigeneity has been shown to be conducive to more favorable maturation, educational outcomes, and emotional and physical well-being. This chapter employs quantitative data from the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children Wave 8 K cohort to examine how cultural identity influences the secondary school completion aspirations of 499 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and/or Torres Strait Islander children aged 10.5–12 years. The authors find that Indigenous children who are comfortable in their indigeneity, particularly in the classroom, are more likely to desire to complete their secondary education. These findings support the need for further awareness and more support by teachers of Indigenous children.
Religious Peacebuilding since World War II
Authors: Dragovic Denis
Published: February 2022

Religion has had a long and complicated history with war and peace. This chapter picks up on the ongoing story at the beginning of the Cold War by focusing on the previously undocumented modern history of religious peacebuilding. It shows how the social and geopolitical environment influences important doctrinal changes that then open the door for religious peacebuilding. The second section applies some of the global insights to the current Syrian conflict and the role of religious leaders in actively undertaking peacebuilding to facilitate the safe return of refugees. This chapter adopts a new perspective, one that emphasizes the importance of identifying religious enablers and spoilers rather than assuming that all people of faith embrace peace.
Phonological Abstraction in The Mental Lexicon
Authors: Baković Eric , Heinz Jeffrey , Rawski Jonathan
Published: February 2022

In this chapter, we examine the nature of the long-term memory representation of the pronunciations of words. A fundamental question concerns how abstract these representations are vis à vis the physical manifestation of words, both as gestures and as physical percepts. We consider this question and related issues within the traditions of linguistic cognition and generative phonology. We first explore the general nature of abstraction, and then review the arguments in generative phonology for positing that the units of speech stored in long-term memory (so called ‘underlying forms’) abstract away from many phonetic details. Motivations for concepts such as phonemes and distinctive phonological features are given. We then visit the open question regarding how abstract underlying forms may be allowed to be. We conclude by highlighting the contributions that evidence from neuroscience and sign language linguistics brings to these issues of phonological abstraction in the mental lexicon.
Compositionality of concepts
Authors: Stojnic Gala , Lepore Ernie
Published: February 2022

This chapter focuses on the problem of concept composition: to obtain a complex concept such as RED SQUARE, the mind has to be able to combine simple concepts, RED and SQUARE. It is argued here that compositionality constraint is a necessary element of any cognitively plausible theory of concepts. The chapter provides an overview of the theories of concepts that have been particularly influential in cognitive science, such as the Inferential Roles Semantics and the Prototype theory. At the same time, it aims to show how these theories still fall short of providing a satisfying solution for compositionality constraint. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the importance of compositionality constraint by stating that it should be regarded as a critical (rather than a secondary) concern that guides both theoretical and empirical research on concept representations.
Infants’ Learning of Speech Sounds and Word-Forms
Authors: Swingley Daniel
Published: February 2022

How do infants start learning their native language? This chapter reviews the conventional understanding of this problem, illustrated by a review of the most important studies in this area, and suggests that this conventional understanding mischaracterizes the problem infants solve and the developmental process by which they solve it. Recent experimental and modeling work from several labs suggest new ways to think about the beginnings of language learning and the emergence of the lexicon.
Systematicity and Arbitrariness In Language
Authors: Yang Charles
Published: February 2022

This chapter reassesses two traditional ideas about the nature of language—Saussurean arbitrariness and Humboldtian infinity—in light of the modern study of linguistic productivity, language acquisition, and cognitive science. It reviews evidence from child language that productivity is categorical, which enables the language user to overcome the arbitrariness of words with systematic generalizations. Such a conception of productivity place severe constraints on the language learning mechanism that children use to form productive generalizations from a finite number of examples. Special focus is given to the Tolerance Principle, which appears to underlie the acquisition of rules in phonology, morphology, and syntax. The connection between a learning-theoretic approach to language and the structural theory of language is discussed, which may also elucidate the role of language acquisition in children’s conceptual development.
The Ethics of Virtual Sexual Assault
Authors: Danaher John
Published: February 2022

This chapter addresses the growing problem of unwanted sexual interactions in virtual environments. It reviews the available evidence regarding the prevalence and severity of this problem. It then argues that due to the potential harms of such interactions, as well as their non-consensual nature, there is a good prima facie argument for viewing them as serious moral wrongs. Does this prima facie argument hold up to scrutiny? After considering three major objections (the ‘it’s not real’ objection, the ‘it’s just a game’ objection, and the ‘unrestricted consent’ objection), this chapter argues that it does. The chapter closes by reviewing some of the policy options available to us in addressing the problem of virtual sexual assault.
Humans in Island Southeast Asia Prior to Homo sapiens Settlement, with Special Reference to Java Island
Authors: Sémah François , Sémah Anne-Marie , Simanjuntak Truman , Widianto Harry
Published: February 2022

Human fossil discoveries in Java are anchored in the history of science and in Javanese culture. Looking back at the early steps of research is informative regarding the emergence of human paleontology and sheds light on the progressive understanding of natural factors and events involved in human evolution, a major chapter of it having been written in Southeast Asia. Java is part of the “Malay archipelago,” and its colonization by continental fauna and humans is closely related to the paleogeographic history of the Sunda shelf and to the geotectonic activity. Dispersals, exchanges with mainland, and insular endemism followed complex patterns which are only partly understood today. Stratigraphic sedimentary series are quite diversified throughout Java Island, and are present together with records offered by karstic fillings and river terraces. Combined stratigraphical, paleontological, and archaeological registers leads to the draft of a “storyline” that helps to identify research priorities in order to reach a better matching level between prehistory and the paleobiogeographical history of the archipelagos. One of the major issues that must be sorted out is an apparent linear evolution of Javanese Homo erectus, at odds with the record of repetitive exchanges with Asian mainland documented by the fauna. Such an entry point leads to numerous related questions, as for example human dispersals beyond the Wallace Line, the emergence of endemic forms, the possible coexistence of different forms of humankind, and the dissemination or isolation of cultural traditions.
The Dong Son Culture of Vietnam
Authors: Kim Nam C.
Published: February 2022

This chapter deals with the archaeological record of the Dongson Culture, which dates to the first millennium BC and is located in the northern region of present-day Vietnam. Renowned for its large, ceremonial bronze drums and viewed by many as the foundational culture for an emerging Vietnamese civilization, bearers of the Dongson Culture were farming societies scattered throughout the Bac Bo region of Vietnam along its main river systems. These communities were marked by sophisticated bronze-working industries, intensifying agricultural practices, and degrees of social differentiation and political complexity. They were well positioned for interaction and exchange with others throughout the local area and further afield, connecting Dongson societies with counterparts elsewhere in present-day areas of central Vietnam, southern China, Laos, and Thailand.
The Sa Huynh Culture and Related Cultures in Southern Vietnam and Cambodia
Authors: Reinecke Andreas
Published: February 2022

Over the last decades, numerous excavations in central and southern Vietnam as at the lowland plains near the coast as in the mountainous interior allow a more detailed perspective on the origin, characteristics, development, and expansion of the Sa Huynh culture and related jar burial communities dated into the last centuries BC. Attention is also given to the pre-Funan population between the Angkor region and the Mekong Delta during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age (end of the second millennium BC to the beginning of the first century AD). Despite accepting that the cultures around the South China Sea influenced each other by trade or people’s movement, an indigenous origin of different jar burial cultures in Vietnam is suggested. By considering the artifacts of the Iron Age Sa Huynh culture in three stages, migrations and distinct time spans of local groups are visible. For the Mekong Delta and Cambodia, the focus is oriented to funeral practices and technical innovations, especially the beginning of preindustrial salt production and local goldworking.
Early States in Thailand
Authors: Clarke Wesley , Gallon Matthew
Published: February 2022

“Dvāravatī” is the term applied to an early historic cultural expression in the region of Thailand that, despite 130 years of scholarly investigation, remains poorly understood in many aspects of its material content and sociopolitical organization. An early scholarly focus on monumental art and architecture set a trajectory for the definition and study of Dvāravatī that emphasized an art historical approach and neglected domestic aspects of the cultural record. Neither is the range of settlement types adequately documented, and chronometric information is underdeveloped. Dvāravatī is typically assigned a time range of several centuries between the sixth and eleventh centuries AD, but there is substantial evidence for a “proto” phase before the appearance of monumental sculpture and architecture. Operating in an era when exogamous ideologies and practices entered the region of central Thailand, Dvāravatī has the potential to illuminate local processes of cultural adoption and adaptation. Only a more holistic approach to documenting material and social content, however, will improve our understanding of the Dvāravatī phenomenon.
Later Hunter-Gatherers in Guangxi Province
Authors: Guangmao Xie
Published: February 2022

In Guangxi, pottery and ground-stone tools occurred very early, but agriculture in this region made its appearance only after 6000 BP. Therefore, the so-called Neolithic before 6000 BP in this region actually belongs to the period of hunting and gathering. Sites of the later hunter-gatherers in Guangxi region include cave and open-air settlement/workshops. The former concentrates in the karst terrain of northern Guangxi. Open-air settlements are mainly distributed in the southern, western, and coastal areas, and are dominated by midden sites. Numerous burials have been found, with the skeletons interred in various flexed positions, in the midden sites. Chipped stone tools made of cobble, ground-stone tools, implements of bone and shell, and pottery with tempering material have all been found in association with large quantities of aquatic and terrestrial faunal remains and plants in most of the early and middle Neolithic sites in Guangxi. Many stone tools and bone implements were functionally used for hunting and gathering. Apparently, the prehistoric economics of this period in Guangxi was a broad-spectrum strategy of hunting and gathering. Although cultural remains from different parts of this region share many common characteristics, differences among them also exist.
Subjective Models of the Macroeconomy: Evidence From Experts and Representative Samples
Authors: Andre Peter , Pizzinelli Carlo , Roth Christopher , Wohlfart Johannes
Published: February 2022

We study people’s subjective models of the macroeconomy and shed light on their attentional foundations. To do so, we measure beliefs about the effects of macroeconomic shocks on unemployment and inflation, providing respondents with identical information about the parameters of the shocks and previous realizations of macroeconomic variables. Within samples of 6,500 US households and 1,500 experts, beliefs are widely dispersed, even about the directional effects of shocks, and there are large differences in average beliefs between households and experts. Part of this disagreement seems to arise because respondents think of different propagation channels of the shocks, in particular demand- vs. supply-side mechanisms. We provide evidence on the role of associative memory in driving heterogeneity in thoughts and forecasts: contextual cues and prior experiences shape which propagation channels individuals retrieve and thereby which forecasts they make. Our findings offer a new perspective on the widely documented disagreement in macroeconomic expectations.
Sublexical cues affect degraded speech processing: insights from fMRI
Authors: Al-Zubaidi Arkan , Bräuer Susann , Holdgraf Chris R , Schepers Inga M , Rieger Jochem W
Published: February 2022

In natural listening situations, speech perception is often impaired by degraded speech sounds arriving at the ear. Contextual speech information can improve the perception of degraded speech and modify neuronal responses elicited by degraded speech. However, most studies on context effects on neural responses to degraded speech confounded lexico-semantic and sublexical cues. Here, we used fMRI to investigate how prior sublexical speech (e.g. pseudowords cues) affects neural responses to degraded sublexical speech and hence its processing and recognition. Each trial consisted of three consecutively presented pseudowords, of which the first and third were identical and degraded. The second pseudoword was always presented in clear form and either matched or did not match the degraded pseudowords. Improved speech processing through sublexical processing was associated with BOLD activation increases in frontal, temporal, and parietal regions, including the primary auditory cortex (PAC), posterior superior temporal cortex, angular gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, middle temporal cortex, and somato-motor cortex. These brain regions are part of a speech processing network and are involved in lexico-semantic processing. To further investigate the adaptive changes in PAC, we conducted a bilateral region of interest analysis on PAC subregions. PAC ROIs showed bilaterally increased activation in the match condition compared with the mismatch condition. Our results show that the perception of unintelligible degraded speech is improved and the neuronal population response is enhanced after exposure to intact sublexical cues. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the processing of clear meaningless sublexical speech preceding degraded speech could enhance the activity in the brain regions that belong to the cortical speech processing network previously reported in studies investigating lexico-semantic speech.
Benefit from retrieval practice is linked to temporal and frontal activity in healthy young and older humans
Authors: Guran Catherine-Noémie Alexandrina , Deuker Lorena , Göttlich Martin , Axmacher Nikolai , Bunzeck Nico
Published: February 2022

Retrieval practice improves retention of information in long-term memory more than restudy, but the underlying neural mechanisms of this “retrieval practice effect” (RPE) remain poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the behavioral and neural differences between previously retrieved versus restudied items at final retrieval. Thirty younger (20–30 years old) and twenty-five older (50+ years old) adults learned familiar and new picture stimuli either through retrieval or restudy. At final recognition, hemodynamic activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Behaviorally, younger and older adults showed similar benefits of retrieval practice, with higher recollection, but unchanged familiarity rates. In a univariate analysis of the fMRI data, activation in medial prefrontal cortex and left temporal regions correlated with an individual’s amount of behavioral benefit from retrieval practice, irrespective of age. Compatible with this observation, in a multivariate representational similarity analysis (RSA), retrieval practice led to an increase in pattern similarity for retested items in a priori defined regions of interest, including the medial temporal lobe, as well as prefrontal and parietal cortex. Our findings demonstrate that retrieval practice leads to enhanced long-term memories in younger and older adults alike, and this effect may be driven by fast consolidation processes.
The evolutionary dynamics and epidemiological history of hepatitis C virus genotype 6, including unique strains from the Li community of Hainan Island, China
Authors: Xu Ru , Aranday-Cortes Elihu , Leitch E Carol McWilliam , Hughes Joseph , Singer Joshua B , Sreenu Vattipally , Tong Lily , da Silva Filipe Ana , Bamford Connor G G , Rong Xia , Huang Jieting , Wang Min , Fu Yongshui , McLauchlan John
Published: February 2022

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a highly diverse pathogen that frequently establishes a chronic long-term infection, but the origins and drivers of HCV diversity in the human population remain unclear. Previously unidentified strains of HCV genotype 6 (gt6) were recently discovered in chronically infected individuals of the Li ethnic group living in Baisha County, Hainan Island, China. The Li community, who were early settlers on Hainan Island, has a distinct host genetic background and cultural identity compared to other ethnic groups on the island and mainland China. In this report, we generated 33 whole virus genome sequences to conduct a comprehensive molecular epidemiological analysis of these novel gt6 strains in the context of gt6 isolates present in Southeast Asia. With the exception of one gt6a isolate, the Li gt6 sequences formed three novel clades from two lineages which constituted 3 newly assigned gt6 subtypes and 30 unassigned strains. Using Bayesian inference methods, we dated the most recent common ancestor for all available gt6 whole virus genome sequences to approximately 2767 bce (95 per cent highest posterior density (HPD) intervals, 3670–1397 bce), which is far earlier than previous estimates. The substitution rate was 1.20 × 10−4 substitutions/site/year (s/s/y), and this rate varied across the genome regions, from 1.02 × 10−5 s/s/y in the 5’untranslated region (UTR) region to 3.07 × 10−4 s/s/y in E2. Thus, our study on an isolated ethnic minority group within a small geographical area of Hainan Island has substantially increased the known diversity of HCV gt6, already acknowledged as the most diverse HCV genotype. The extant HCV gt6 sequences from this study were probably transmitted to the Li through at least three independent events dating perhaps from around 4,000 years ago. This analysis describes deeper insight into basic aspects of HCV gt6 molecular evolution including the extensive diversity of gt6 sequences in the isolated Li ethnic group.
A redescription and re-evaluation ofKekenodon onamata(Mammalia: Cetacea), a late-surviving archaeocete from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand
Authors: Corrie Joshua E , Fordyce R Ewan
Published: February 2022

Stem cetaceans (archaeocetes) have a substantial Eocene fossil record but are largely absent since the Eocene–Oligocene boundary. Putative Oligocene archaeocetes are mostly represented by fragmentary denticulate teeth, making systematic classification difficult. The New Zealand species Kekenodon onamata (Wharekuri Greensand, Duntroonian local Stage, Chattian) is one of the most widely mentioned Oligocene archaeocetes and is the single-named species of the family Kekenodontidae. The holotype includes heterodont teeth in addition to cranial and post-cranial elements, and partial tympanoperiotics, with potential for a strong phylogenetic signal. Hitherto, the strikingly disparate Kekenodon onamata has been excluded from published phylogenetic analyses, with its affinities largely remaining speculative. Here, a detailed anatomical account allows a redescription of Kekenodon onamata, and a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis shows Kekenodon onamata as the latest-surviving archaeocete, sister-taxon to the Neoceti. The large heterodont teeth with patterns of extensive enamel macrowear suggest Kekenodon onamata utilized a raptorial feeding strategy and hunted hard-boned prey, such as other marine mammals and penguins. Combined with an estimated body size of c. 8 m, Kekenodon onamata probably occupied an apex predator ecological niche similar to the modern killer whale.
The physiologically difficult airway: an emerging concept
Authors: Myatra Sheila Nainan , Divatia Jigeeshu Vasishtha , Brewster David J.
Published: February 2022

Purpose of review

The physiologically difficult airway is one in which physiologic alterations in the patient increase the risk for cardiorespiratory and other complications during tracheal intubation and transition to positive pressure ventilation. This review will summarize the recent literature around the emerging concept of the physiologically difficult airway, describe its relevance and various patient types in which this entity is observed.

Recent findings

Physiologic derangements during airway management occur due acute illness, pre-existing disease, effects of anesthetic agents, and positive pressure ventilation. These derangements are especially recognized in critically ill patients, but can also occur in otherwise healthy patients including obese, pregnant and pediatric patients who have certain physiological alterations. Critically ill patients may have a physiologically difficult airway due to the presence of acute respiratory failure, hypoxemia, hypotension, severe metabolic acidosis, right ventricular failure, intracranial hypertension, and risk of aspiration of gastric contents during tracheal intubation.

Understanding the physiological alterations and the risks involved in patients with a physiologically difficult airway is necessary to optimize the physiology and adopt strategies to avoid complications during tracheal intubation. Further research will help us better understand the optimal strategies to improve outcomes in these patients.
Prevalence of female pattern hair loss in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Chaikittisilpa Sukanya , Rattanasirisin Nattiya , Panchaprateep Ratchathorn , Orprayoon Nalina , Phutrakul Phanuphong , Suwan Ammarin , Jaisamrarn Unnop
Published: February 2022

Objective:

To identify the prevalence of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), hair characteristics, and associated factors in healthy postmenopausal women.

Methods:

Two hundred postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 years were recruited. Each participant was evaluated for FPHL according to Ludwig’s classification using standardized global photography in all six views and trichoscopy for hair density and diameter. Three dermatologists re-evaluated all pictures for confirmation of FPHL. The time since menopause, levels of scalp sebum, serum testosterone, estradiol, thyroid stimulating hormone, and hemoglobin; family history of hair loss, as well as an evaluation of low self-esteem were evaluated. Women who underwent recent hair loss treatments were excluded. We used simple and multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify the factors affecting FPHL.

Results:

In total, 178 postmenopausal women were evaluated for hair-loss patterns. The average age and time since menopause were 58.8±4.1 and 9.2 ± 5.6 years, respectively. The prevalence of FPHL was 52.2% (95% CI, 44.6-59.8). Severity of FPHL by Ludwig grades I, II, and III was 73.2% (95% CI, 62.9-81.8), 22.6% (95% CI, 14.6-32.4), and 4.3% (95% CI, 1.2-10.7), respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, time since menopause, and body mass index were all significantly associated with FPHL. After adjusting for age and family history of FPHL, only body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 was significantly associated with FPHL (adjusted OR = 2.65, 95% CI, 1.23-5.70). Conclusion: The prevalence of FPHL was high in postmenopausal women, raising the need for hair loss awareness in menopause clinics. Early detection and proper treatment of FPHL may increase the quality of life in postmenopausal women.
A Systematic Approach to Incision Planning and Graft Excision in Gender-affirming Vaginoplasty
Authors: Dy Geolani W. , Butler Christi , Peters Blair , Dugi Daniel D.
Published: February 2022

We present our systematic approach to incision planning and skin graft excision for gender-affirming vaginoplasty. This approach is adaptable to patients of different body habitus and genital skin surface area, and it allows for early skin graft harvest with predictable wound tension at closure. We also describe how to adapt in cases of severe genital hypoplasia.
Autologous Breast Reconstruction is Associated with Lower 90-day Readmission Rates
Authors: Sawyer Justin D. , Franke Jacob , Scaife Steven , Sommer Nicole Z. , Neumeister Michael W.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Breast reconstruction is associated with improved quality of life after mastectomy. Options for breast reconstruction include autologous and implant-based methods. Although autologous reconstruction is more technically challenging and requires longer operative time, it is thought of as the gold standard. Our study examined differences in 90-day readmission rates between implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction using discharge data from the National Readmission Database, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Methods:

The National Readmission Database was used to identify patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Patients were selected using ICD-10 PCS codes linked to autologous and implant-based reconstruction. Ninety-day readmission rates were determined. After matching the two groups on a 1:1 basis for baseline comorbidities and demographics, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to variables associated with higher readmission rates.

Results:

The leading diagnoses associated with readmissions were infectious and pulmonary. After one to one matching, autologous breast reconstruction, private insurance versus Medicaid, and income quartile 4 versus 1 were all less likely to be readmitted within 90 days of discharge. Patients with a high Charlson index and those with a longer length of initial hospital stay are significantly more likely to be readmitted within 90 days.

Conclusions:

Patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction were 23% less likely to be readmitted within 90 days from discharge. Fewer comorbidities, shorter length of hospital stay, and higher socioeconomic status are also associated with lower readmission rates following breast reconstruction.
Value Effect of Health and Productivity Management
Authors: Wada Hiroo , Yasuda Yukihiro
Published: February 2022

Objective

The value effect of winning the health and productivity management (HPM) award on their stock prices is to be evaluated.

Methods

An event study and an evaluation of portfolio over the first-time HPM awardees were conducted.

Results

The abnormal return (AR) of all the first-time HPM awardees was significantly positive (0.25%, P = 0.03), as well as cumulated AR (P < 0.01 on day 0 and 3, P < 0.05 on day 1 and 2), with a booster effect on the market value by 1.7 × 109 JPY. The stock value appreciation of the portfolio of them was greater than that of the market portfolio (34.3% vs 21.8%).

Conclusions

The market participants support the view that HPM improves firms’ performance. This positive and instantaneous value effect will encourage business managers to promote employee health.
Elevated CD9 expression as a potential biomarker for diagnosis of Bernard-Soulier syndrome
Authors: Sharifi Mohammad Jafar , Vakili Elham , Ilkhanipoor Homa , Zekavat Omid Reza , Bordbar Mohammadreza
Published: February 2022

Diagnosis of inherited platelet glycoprotein disorders is based on specific laboratory techniques such as aggregometry and flow cytometry. Flowcytometry is a powerful method, but equivocal results are produced in some cases. New cluster of differentiation markers could resolve the diagnostic dilemmas. Abnormal expression of CD9 in Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) is recently reported. We aimed to determine the diagnostic significance of CD9 expression in a cohort of Iranian patients with inherited platelet glycoprotein defects. Twelve BSS, 21 Glanzmann thrombasthenia and 16 healthy controls were included in the present study. Flowcytometric diagnosis of BSS and Glanzmann thrombasthenia was made by analysis of CD41/61 and CD42a/42b CD markers. Moreover, phycoerythrin-labelled anti CD9 was examined in patients and healthy controls. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD9 among the three groups was compared using suitable statistical methods and a P value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Mean MFI of CD9 was 990.0 in BSS patients versus 421.2 and 317.3 in individuals with Glanzmann thrombasthenia and healthy controls, respectively (P < 0.05). Between the two-group comparison of means by the Mann-Whitney test revealed a P value of less than 0.001 for BSS group versus GT (2.4-fold) and BSS versus healthy controls (2.9-fold). CD9 molecule also expressed differently in patients with Glanzmann thrombasthenia in comparison with healthy controls (P < 0.001), although with a less magnitude (1.3-fold). According to our findings, CD9 is a potential biomarker for laboratory diagnosis of inherited glycoprotein defects, especially to elucidate the ambiguous results in BSS cases.
“Extremely Painful, but Worth It”: The Lived Experience of Receiving Collagenase as Treatment for Dupuytren Disease
Authors: Molineux Matthew L. , McCann Aine , Cox Ruth J. , Cross Stacey M.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Collagenase injection is a relatively new, minimally invasive treatment option for Dupuytren disease. Most literature focusses on quantitative outcome measures, such as degree of residual contracture and recurrence. The patient experience of the treatment has rarely been explored. This study sought to explore patients’ experiences of the treatment process, including their reasons for seeking and choosing the treatment.

Methods:

A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore patients’ experiences. Seven patients (aged 57 to 81 years) who had received collagenase treatment for Dupuytren disease engaged in individual, semistructured interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically.

Results:

Thematic analysis revealed that Dupuytren disease was an obstacle to doing things, but not a barrier. Patients “went with the flow” of treatment, often taking a passive approach to their health care decisions. Patients found the collagenase injections to be extremely painful, but worth it. They had a varied knowledge of the disease and treatment.

Conclusions:

Patients were pleased with the results of the collagenase treatment, even if the finger was not completely straight or there was recurrence. The quick recovery and minimal complications were positive factors; however, the injections were extremely painful and could deter patients from future treatment. This research highlighted that a number of patients had low health literacy regarding their condition, and this affected their expectations of treatment outcomes and future treatment seeking. There are opportunities for health professionals to improve health literacy for people with Dupuytren disease, possibly in a group setting.
The Antibiotic Immersion of Custom-Made Porous Hydroxyapatite Cranioplasty: A Multicentric Cohort Study
Authors: Amendola Francesco , Vaienti Luca , Carbonaro Riccardo , Nataloni Angelo , Barbanera Andrea , Zingaretti Nicola , Pier Camillo Parodi , Zanotti Bruno
Published: February 2022

Cranioplasty is a common neurosurgical procedure performed to reconstruct cranial defects. The most common cranioplasty materials used today can be divided into 2 types: autologous bone and bone substitutes, such as polyetheretherketone, titanium mesh, poly-methyl methacrylate, and Hydroxyapatite (HA). Infection represents one of the most feared complications, ranging from 2.3% to 20%. Early implant infections occur within 30 days from the operation and are mostly due to pathogens from the skin and the paranasal cavity. The authors aim to demonstrate the efficacy of our preoperative antibiotic immersion protocol of custom-made HA prosthesis, to prevent early implant infections. The authors compare this population to cranioplasties without preoperative antibiotic elution and those with anonstandardized antibiotic elution. The authors retrospectively analyzed data from patients referred to 6 different hospitals in northern Italy, in the period 2000 to 2020. Inclusion criteria were patients requiring reconstruction of thecal bone with HA prosthesis after post-traumatic decompressive surgery; age more than 18 years; detailed patient history and clinical data; and follow-up of minimum 6 months. A total of 77 cranioplasties were included in the study, along with 120 retrospective cases in comparison. Infections occurred in 2.6% of cranioplasties with antibiotic immersion compared to 7.8% of cranioplasties without. Even if nonsignificant, these results support our hypothesis that pretreatment of HA implants with antibiotic appears to prevent cranioplasty infections and could be a viable option to improve cranioplasty outcomes in the future.
Aesthetic Removal of Foreign Body Granulomas of Forehead Via Pretrichial Approach
Authors: Kwon Hyeokjae , Ko Geonil , Choi Jaeik , Ha Yooseok , Kim Sunje , Kim Joo-Hak , Oh Sang-Ha , Song Seung Han
Published: February 2022

In the field of plastic surgery, various filler types have been developed, which are widely used for cosmetic or reconstruction purposes. However, unregulated substances often injected by unlicensed practitioners may cause difficult-to-treat side effects, such as foreign body granulomas. Since the forehead is an exposed area and the lesions are likely extensive, complete surgical removal with inconspicuous scar can be difficult. In addition, pharmacological treatments, such as steroids, have only a temporary effect. The authors report successful cases of foreign body removal combined with subcutaneous forehead lift via a pretrichial approach for cosmetic satisfaction.

Ten patients who had received illegal filler injections that resulted in chronic granulomas on the forehead were studied. The granulomas were confirmed using sonography, and simultaneous foreign body removal and subcutaneous forehead lifts using pretrichial incisions were planned. For the surgical method, the forehead flap was carefully elevated to a uniform thickness in the subcutaneous plane via a pretrichial incision, and the foreign body was removed, paying attention to the forehead contour and nerve damage; excess skin was excised from the top of the flap to tighten the remaining skin on the forehead.

None of the patients developed complications, such as skin necrosis, infection, hematoma, or wound dehiscence, during the follow-up period. The functional and aesthetic outcomes were satisfactory in all the patients.

The subcutaneous forehead lift via a pretrichial incision seems to facilitate foreign body removal and improve the forehead deformity by tightening the remaining skin.
Implementation of 3D Printing and Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in Craniofacial Reconstruction
Authors: Ahmed Kaleem S. , Ibad Hamza , Suchal Zafar A. , Gosain Arun K.
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

The need for precision in craniomaxillofacial surgery has necessitated the evolution of new technology to improve patient outcomes and subsequently augment the road to recovery. Surgical planning has variables that may influence outcomes, including the image quality, image acquisition and image processing. Our review focuses on the advancement of three dimensional (3D) printing to create patient-specific constructs and therefore aims to study the current trends in the implementation of 3-D printing in craniofacial surgeries, including preferred 3-D printing techniques and materials, computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques, and outcomes as measured by recent studies.

Methods:

The authors conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines to query PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and ProQuest electronic databases. Mesh combinations and synonyms of “3Dprinting”, “3Dprinted”, “Craniofacial” were used. The authors included all original human studies that focused on the surgical implementation of 3D-printed implants for craniofacial defects.

Results:

After screening 1253 studies, the authors included 49 articles consisting of a total of 745 subjects for qualitative analysis. Titanium (n = 13) and polycaprolactone (n = 6) were the most common 3D printed materials studied while Color Jet Printing (n = 12) and Stereolithography (n = 11) were the most common techniques. All studies that compared implants acquired by 3D printing with those acquired by conventional approaches showed a significantly better prognosis, and reductions in operative time, length of stay, and immediate complications.

Conclusions:

The use of patient-specific alternative materials, planning software and 3-D printing techniques shows satisfactory results in craniofacial reconstruction. Future studies should include standard levels of objective measurements to make better comparisons.
Occurrence of genes encoding spore germination in Clostridium species that cause meat spoilage
Authors: Burgess Sara A. , Palevich Faith P. , Gardner Amanda , Mills John , Brightwell Gale , Palevich Nikola
Published: February 2022

Members of the genus

Clostridium

are frequently associated with meat spoilage. The ability for low numbers of spores of certain

Clostridium

species to germinate in cold-stored vacuum-packed meat can result in blown pack spoilage. However, little is known about the germination process of these clostridia, despite this characteristic being important for their ability to cause spoilage. This study sought to determine the genomic conditions for germination of 37 representative

Clostridium

strains from seven species (

C. estertheticum

,

C. tagluense

,

C. frigoris

,

C. gasigenes

,

C. putrefaciens

, C. aligidicarnis and C. frigdicarnis) by comparison with previously characterized germination genes from

C. perfringens

,

C. sporogenes

and

C. botulinum

. All the genomes analysed contained at least one gerX operon. Seven different gerX operon configuration types were identified across genomes from

C. estertheticum

,

C. tagluense

and

C. gasigenes

. Differences arose between the

C. gasigenes

genomes and those belonging to

C. tagluense

/

C. estertheticum

in the number and type of genes coding for cortex lytic enzymes, suggesting the germination pathway of

C. gasigenes

is different. However, the core components of the germination pathway were conserved in all the

Clostridium

genomes analysed, suggesting that these species undergo the same major steps as

Bacillus subtilis

for germination to occur.
Surveillance of Myopericarditis following COVID-19 Booster Dose Vaccination in a Large Integrated Health System
Authors: Sharff Katie A , Dancoes David M , Longueil Jodi L , Lewis Paul F , Johnson Eric S
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The risk of myopericarditis following COVID-19 booster vaccination has not been extensively evaluated. We provide a timely case ascertainment of myocarditis following COVID-19 booster vaccine in individuals age 18-39 years from an integrated health system.

Methods

We studied a cohort of 65,785 Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northwest Health Plan members aged 18-39 years who received a COVID-19 vaccine booster at least 5 months following completion of the primary series. We identified cases of myopericarditis by searching the electronic health record for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) text label for ‘myocarditis’ or ‘pericarditis’ diagnosis codes in all inpatient and outpatient encounters through January 18th 2022. The cohort was followed for 21 days after their booster. We excluded anyone with a documented diagnosis of myocarditis or pericarditis before their first COVID-19 vaccination. Two physicians independently reviewed the identified patient records and applied the CDC myocarditis and pericarditis surveillance case definition to classify records as confirmed, probable or excluded based on the prior published definition.

Results

Our method identified 6 patients who met the confirmed or probable CDC case definition for acute myocarditis or pericarditis within 21 days of COVID-19 booster dose among 65,785 eligible members. Four cases occurred in 27,253 men. Overall, we estimated 9.1 cases (exact 95% CI 3.4 to 19.9) of post-booster myopericarditis per 100,000 booster doses given. In men, we estimated 14.7 cases (exact 95% CI 4.0 to 37.6) per 100,000 booster doses given.

Conclusion

We identified a rate of 9.1 cases of myopericarditis per 100,000 COVID-19 booster doses which is higher than prior estimates reported by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Myopericarditis occurs following COVID-19 booster vaccine and may be underreported by current surveillance methods. High sensitivity of these case estimates is essential when modeling risk and benefit for sequential COVID-19 vaccinations for the general population.
Differential durability of humoral and T cell immunity after two and three BNT162b2 vaccinations in adults aged >80 years
Authors: Romero-Olmedo Addi J. , Schulz Axel Ronald , Hochstätter Svenja , Gupta Dennis Das , Hirseland Heike , Staudenraus Daniel , Camara Bärbel , Volland Kirsten , Hefter Véronique , Sapre Siddhesh , Krähling Verena , Müller-Kräuter Helena , Mei Henrik E. , Keller Christian , Lohoff Michael
Published: February 2022

A third mRNA-based “booster” vaccination is the favored strategy to maintain protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Yet, significant waning of specific immunity within six months after 2nd vaccination, along with higher incidence of breakthrough infections associated with the time elapsed since 2nd vaccination raises concerns regarding the durability of immunity also after 3rd vaccination. We assessed virus-specific serum antibody and T cell response in the blood after vaccination with the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 in more than 50 individuals older than 80 years. All old adults demonstrated a strong humoral response to 3rd vaccination which was at average higher and waned slower than the response to 2nd vaccination, indicative of enhanced humoral immunity. In contrast, their respective T cell response quantitatively limited to the level obtained after 2nd vaccination, with similar waning over time and no evidence for enhanced IFNg production. Because BNT162b2-mediated protection from the Omicron variant relies more on T cells than antibodies, our findings raise concern on the durability of protection from the Omicron variant by BNT162b2 in the senior population.
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a rural and urban community household cohort in South Africa, after the third wave, April-November 2021
Authors: Kleynhans Jackie , Tempia Stefano , Wolter Nicole , Gottberg Anne von , Bhiman Jinal N. , Buys Amelia , Moyes Jocelyn , McMorrow Meredith L. , Kahn Kathleen , Gómez-Olivé F. Xavier , Tollman Stephen , Martinson Neil A. , Wafawanaka Floidy , Lebina Limakatso , Toit Jacques du , Jassat Waasila , Neti Mzimasi , Brauer Marieke , Cohen Cheryl ,   the PHIRST-C Group
Published: February 2022

By November 2021, after the third SARS-CoV-2 wave in South Africa, seroprevalence was 60% (95%CrI 56%-64%) in a rural and 70% (95%CrI 56%-64%) in an urban community; highest in individuals aged 13-18 years. High seroprevalence prior to Omicron emergence may have contributed to reduced severity observed in the 4th wave.

Article Summary Line

In South Africa, after a third wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections, seroprevalence was 60% in a rural and 70% in an urban community, with case-to-infection, - hospitalization and -fatality ratios similar to the second wave.