bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Significantly lower antigenicity of incobotulinumtoxin than abo- or onabotulinumtoxin
Authors: Hefter Harald , Rosenthal Dietmar , Jansen Alexander , Brauns Raphaela , Ürer Beyza , Bigalke Hans , Hartung Hans-Peter , Meuth Sven G. , Lee John-Ih , Albrecht Philipp , Samadzadeh Sara
Published: October 2022

Background

For many indications, BoNT/A is repetitively injected with the risk of developing neutralizing antibodies (NABs). Therefore, it is important to analyze whether there is a difference in antigenicity between the different licensed BoNT/A preparations.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of NABs was tested by means of the sensitive mouse hemidiaphragm assay (MHDA) in 645 patients. Patients were split into those having exclusively been treated with the complex protein-free incoBoNT/A preparation (CF-MON group) and those having started BoNT/A therapy with a complex protein-containing BoNT/A preparation (CC-I group). This CC-I group was split into those patients who remained either on abo- or onaBoNT/A (CC-MON group) and those who had been treated with at least two BoNT/A preparations (CC-SWI group). To balance treatment duration, only CC-MON patients who did not start their BoNT/A therapy more than 10 years before recruitment (CC-MON-10 group) were further analyzed. The log-rank test was used to compare the prevalence of NABs in the CF-MON and CC-MON-10 group.

Results

In the CF-MON subgroup, no patient developed NABs. In the CC-I group, 84 patients were NAB-positive. NABs were found in 33.3% of those who switched preparations (CC-SWI) and in 5.9% of the CC-MON-10 group. Kaplan–Meier curves for remaining NAB-negative under continuous BoNT/A therapy were significantly different (p < 0.035) between the CF-MON and CC-MON-10 group.

Conclusion

Frequent injections of a complex protein-containing BoNT/A preparation are associated with significantly higher risks of developing NABs than injections with the same frequency using the complex protein-free incoBoNT/A preparation.
Endolymphatic space is age-dependent
Authors: Dieterich Marianne , Hergenroeder Tatjana , Boegle Rainer , Gerb Johannes , Kierig Emilie , Stöcklein Sophia , Kirsch Valerie
Published: October 2022

Knowledge of the physiological endolymphatic space (ELS) is necessary to estimate endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) in patients with vestibulocochlear syndromes. Therefore, the current study investigated age-dependent changes in the ELS of participants with normal vestibulocochlear testing. Sixty-four ears of 32 participants with normal vestibulocochlear testing aged between 21 and 75 years (45.8 ± 17.2 years, 20 females, 30 right-handed, two left-handed) were examined by intravenous delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear (iMRI). Clinical diagnostics included neuro-otological assessment, video-oculography during caloric stimulation, and head-impulse test. iMRI data analysis provided semi-quantitative visual grading and automatic algorithmic quantitative segmentation of ELS volume (3D, mm3) using a deep learning-based segmentation of the inner ear’s total fluid space (TFS) and volumetric local thresholding, as described earlier. As a result, following a 4-point ordinal scale, a mild ELH (grade 1) was found in 21/64 (32.8%) ears uni- or bilaterally in either cochlear, vestibulum, or both. Age and ELS were found to be positively correlated for the inner ear (r(64) = 0.33, p < 0.01), and vestibulum (r(64) = 0.25, p < 0.05). For the cochlea, the values correlated positively without reaching significance (r(64) = 0.21). In conclusion, age-dependent increases of the ELS should be considered when evaluating potential ELH in single subjects and statistical group comparisons.
Teleneuropsychology: normative data for the assessment of memory in online settings
Authors: Rizzi Ezia , Vezzoli Michela , Pegoraro Sara , Facchin Alessio , Strina Veronica , Daini Roberta
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced significant changes in clinical practice. Psychologists and neuropsychologists had to modify their settings to assess patients’ abilities, switching from an in-person modality to a remote setting by using video calling platforms. Consequently, this change brought about the need for new normative data tailored to remote settings.

Aim and methods

The study aimed to develop normative data for the online assessment of neuropsychological memory tests and to compare it with the published norms obtained in standard settings. Two hundred and four healthy Italian volunteers performed three verbal memory tests through the Google Meet platform: the Digit Span (Backward and Forward), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning, and the Verbal Paired Associated Learning Test.

Results

This research provides specific norms that consider the influence of demographic characteristics. Their comparison with published norms shows a medium to high agreement between systems. The present study provides a reference for the clinical use of neuropsychological instruments to assess verbal memory in a remote setting and offers specific recommendations.
First-line disease modifying treatments in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis in Greece: therapy initiation at more advanced age is the main cause of treatment failure, in a retrospective observational study, with a cohort from a single Multiple Sclerosis Center
Authors: Skarlis Charalampos , Markoglou Nikolaos , Gontika Maria , Bougea Anastasia , Katsavos Serafeim , Artemiadis Artemios , Chrousos George , Dalakas Marinos , Stefanis Leonidas , Anagnostouli Maria
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Long-term immunomodulatory therapy of pediatric onset-multiple sclerosis (POMS) is based mainly on published case series and internationally agreed guidelines. Relevant studies in the Greek population are absent from the literature. The purpose of this study is to present data on the efficacy and safety of the 1st line immunomodulatory drugs in the treatment of POMS patients.

Materials and methods

The present study included 27 patients meeting the IPMSSG criteria for POMS and who are monitored at the outpatient clinic of the Multiple Sclerosis and Demyelinating Diseases Unit (MSDDU), of the 1st Neurological Department, University Hospital of Aeginition. All patients received 1st line immunomodulatory drugs as initial therapy. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging parameters of the disease were recorded before and after treatment.

Results

Post-treatment, a significant reduction of the relapse number (mean ± SD: 2.0 ± 1.0 vs 1.2 ± 1.6, p = 0.002), EDSS progression (mean ± SD: 1.5 ± 0.8 vs 0.9 ± 0.7, p = 0.005) and ARR (mean ± SD: 1.5 ± 0.7 vs 0.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.0001) was observed, while no changes were observed in the EDSS score, (mean ± SD: 1.8 ± 0.6 vs 1.9. 0.6, p = 0.60). Advanced age at treatment initiation increased the risk for drug discontinuation before 24 months of therapy (HR = 0.6, 95% CI (0.35–0.99), p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Most pediatric patients are forced to switch to either more efficacious 1st line or 2nd line drugs. Additionally, our study suggests that older age at the time of the 1st line treatment initiation, contributes to earlier drug discontinuation.
Determination of specific lethal heat treatment parameters for pests associated with wood products using the Humble water bath
Authors: Noseworthy M. K. , Humble L. M. , Souque T. J. , John E. P. , Roberts J. , Lloyd C. R. , Allen E. A.
Published: October 2022

Heat treatment is an effective sanitization method used for over half a century to reduce the risk of transporting pests associated with wood products. The determination of precise lethal heat treatment parameters for pests is critical for the development of globally harmonized plant protection regulatory treatment policies. Separation of heat treatment dose (time and temperature) from the factors associated with the method of heat application (delivery) and variables associated with wood characteristics allows for universal agreement on lethal dose and promotes efficient development of treatment schedule guidance. The Humble water bath is an effective and carefully calibrated heat treatment apparatus designed to test the effects of heat and determine lethal temperature doses. Specifications for building this apparatus and experimental treatment parameters are described. To demonstrate the capacities of the water bath apparatus, the effect of heat on a non-indigenous wood-boring beetle, Anisandrus dispar, is reported using heat-ramp schedules similar to industrial kiln heating applications. Adult A. dispar tested in vitro, did not survive 50 °C treatment temperature for 15 min time duration.
Online learning of variable ordering heuristics for constraint optimisation problems
Authors: Doolaard Floris , Yorke-Smith Neil
Published: October 2022

Solvers for constraint optimisation problems exploit variable and value ordering heuristics. Numerous expert-designed heuristics exist, while recent research learns novel, customised heuristics from past problem instances. This article addresses unseen problems for which no historical data is available. We propose one-shot learning of customised, problem instance-specific heuristics. To do so, we introduce the concept of deep heuristics, a data-driven approach to learn extended versions of a given variable ordering heuristic online. First, for a problem instance, an initial online probing phase collects data, from which a deep heuristic function is learned. The learned heuristics can look ahead arbitrarily-many levels in the search tree instead of a ‘shallow’ localised lookahead of classical heuristics. A restart-based search strategy allows for multiple learned models to be acquired and exploited in the solver’s optimisation. We demonstrate deep variable ordering heuristics based on the smallest, anti first-fail, and maximum regret heuristics. Results on instances from the MiniZinc benchmark suite show that deep heuristics solve 20% more problem instances while improving on overall runtime for the Open Stacks and Evilshop benchmark problems.
Mutual Diffusivities of Binary Mixtures of Water and Poly(ethylene) Glycol from Heterodyne Dynamic Light Scattering
Authors: Wu Wenchang , Supper Malvina , Rausch Michael H. , Kaspereit Malte , Fröba Andreas P.
Published: October 2022

In the present study, the mutual diffusivity D11 in binary mixtures of water with technical polydisperse poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) blends with molar masses of (1000, 4000, or 6000) g⋅mol−1 as well as with a purified monodisperse PEG homolog with a polymerization number of 21 and a molar mass of 943 g⋅mol−1 was investigated by heterodyne dynamic light scattering (DLS) as a function of temperature and/or PEG concentration. The measured D11 for technical PEG 1000 and pure PEG 943 match within the experimental uncertainties and agree well with the available literature data. D11 decreases with increasing molar mass of the PEGs at constant temperature and weight fraction. For the technical PEG 4000, it could be shown that D11 increases with increasing temperature and exhibits a nonlinear concentration dependence. This study demonstrates that heterodyne DLS can be applied for the reliable determination of D11 of aqueous solutions of PEGs over a broad range of PEG weight fractions from 0.01 up to the solubility limit with an average expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of 5.5 %. Moreover, the results show that monodisperse PEGs are suitable model systems for studying the diffusion behavior of bimodal and also multimodal particulate systems.
Improving growing substrates by adding the seaweed Cystoseira baccata
Authors: Rodríguez Maite Antelo , Illera-Vives Marta , Labrada Miguel Fernández , Labandeira Socorro Seoane , López-Mosquera María Elvira
Published: October 2022

We examined the impact of adding the seaweed Cystoseira baccata (Ochrophyta, Sargassaceae) in various forms to two different growing substrates: pine bark and gorse compost. Specifically, we examined the influence of the seaweed on the physical and chemical properties of the substrates, and on their agronomic performance on a lettuce crop. The seaweed was used in a 20% (v/v) proportion and three different forms, namely: fresh (FS), washed fresh (WFS), and washed and dried (WDS). The mixed substrates exhibited no signs of instability. FS and DWS increased the total water retention capacity of pine bark by 20% and 27%, respectively. Adding the seaweed in any of its three forms to this type of substrate, which is poor in nutrients and has a low electrical conductivity (EC), significantly increased its P, K, Mg and Na contents, as well as its EC (from 0.08 dS m–1 in the control substrate to 0.69, 0.12 and 0.27 dS m–1 in those containing FS, WFS and WDS, respectively). On the other hand, only in fresh form (FS) altered the salinity and total K content of a substrate rich in nutrients and salts such gorse compost (from 0.89 to 1.42 dS m−1 in terms of EC and 0.59% to 0.98% in K). All mixtures performed well as substrates for a lettuce crop. Those containing DWS increased aerial mass in gorse compost, while any of the tested formats increased aerial mass in pine bark.
Modeling and Flight Control of Small UAV with Active Morphing Wings
Authors: Emad Diaa , Mohamed Abdelfatah , Fanni Mohamed
Published: October 2022

In recent research works, morphing wings were studied as an interesting field for a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The previous studies either focused on selecting suitable material for the morphing wings or performing experimental tests on UAVs with morphing wings. Though, the dynamic modeling of active flexible morphing wings and their involved interactions with the aerodynamics of the UAV body are challenging subjects. Using such a model to control a small UAV to perform specific maneuvering is not investigated yet. The dynamic model of UAV with active morphing wings generates a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system which rises the difficulty of the control system design. In this paper, the aeroelastic dynamic model of morphing wing activated by piezocomposite actuators is established using the finite element method and modal decomposition technique. Then, the dynamic model of the UAV is developed taking into consideration the coupling between the wing and piezocomposite actuators, as well as the dynamic properties of the morphing actuators with the aerodynamic wind disturbances. A model predictive control (MPC) is designed for the MIMO control system to perform specific flight maneuvering by tracking desired trajectories of UAV altitude and yaw angle. Additionally, the MPC achieves constrained behavior of pitch and roll angles to get satisfactory UAV motion. Also, the behaviors of the UAV control system using MPC are evaluated after adding Dryden wind turbulence to the UAV outputs. Finally, a UAV flight simulation is conducted which shows that the control system successfully rejects the applied disturbances and tracks the reference trajectories with acceptable behavior of pitch and roll angles.
Landed elites and education provision in England: evidence from school boards, 1871-99
Authors: Goñi Marc
Published: October 2022

I study the relationship between land concentration and the expansion of state education in 19C England. Using a broad range of education measures for 40 counties and 1,387 School Boards, I show a negative association between land concentration and local taxation, school expenditure, and human capital. I estimate reduced-form effects of 19C land concentration, geographic factor endowments, and the land redistribution after the Norman conquest of 1066. The negative effects on state-education supply are stronger where rural labour can easily migrate, where landowners had political power, is not offset by voluntary schooling, and not driven by a demand channel. This suggests that landowners opposed taxation in order to reduce state education provision.
Extended Simples, Unextended Complexes
Authors: Calosi Claudio
Published: October 2022

Both extended simples and unextended complexes have been extensively discussed and widely used in metaphysics and philosophy of physics. However, the characterizations of such notions are not entirely satisfactory inasmuch as they rely on a mereological notion of extension that is too simplistic. According to such a mereological notion, being extended boils down to having a mereologically complex exact location. In this paper, I make a detailed plea to supplement this notion of extension with a different one that is phrased in terms of measure theory. This proposal has significant philosophical payoffs. I provide new characterizations of both extended simples and unextended complexes, that help re-evaluating the question of whether such entities are metaphysically possible. Finally, I advance several suggestions as to how different notions of extension relate, first, to one another and, second, to mereological structure.
Changes in survival over time for primary brain and other CNS tumors in the United States, 2004–2017
Authors: Cioffi Gino , Waite Kristin A. , Edelson Jacob L. , Kruchko Carol , Ostrom Quinn T. , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Despite advances in cancer diagnosis and clinical care, survival for many primary brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors remain poor. This study performs a comprehensive survival analysis on these tumors.

Methods

Survival differences were determined utilizing the National Program of Cancer Registries Survival Analytic file for primary brain and CNS tumors. Overall survival and survival of the 5 most common histopathologies, within specific age groups, were determined. Overall survival was compared for three time periods: 2004–2007, 2008–2012, and 2013–2017. Survival differences were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Models were adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, and treatment. Malignant and non-malignant brain tumors were assessed separately.

Results

Among malignant brain and CNS tumor patients overall, there were notable differences in survival by time period among all age groups. Similar differences were noted in non-malignant brain and CNS tumor patients, except for adults (aged 40–64 years), where no survival changes were observed. Survival differences varied within specific histopathologies across age groups. There were improvements in survival in 2008–2012 and 2013–2017, when compared to 2004–2007, in children, AYA, and older adults with malignant tumors, and among older adults with non-malignant tumors.

Conclusion

Overall survival for malignant brain and other CNS tumors improved slightly in 2013–2017 for all age groups as compared to 2004–2007. Significant changes were observed for non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors among older adults. Information regarding survival over time can be utilized to identify population level effects of diagnostic and treatment improvements.
A reduced PAPR hybrid OFDM visible light communication system
Authors: Taha Basma , Fayed Heba A. , Aly Moustafa H. , Mahmoud Mohamed
Published: October 2022

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is used by visible light communication (VLC) systems. Its main goal is to lessen inter-symbol interference's negative impacts. As a result, a lot of bandwidth and a high data rate are transmitted. Using OFDM-based VLC systems, nonetheless, have a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). This research presents a new VLC system for indoor applications that reduces the PAPR while maintaining an acceptable bit error rate (BER). To achieve this, a hybrid pre-coding technique-based PAPR reduction solution is proposed; Vander-monde like matrix (VLM) combined with Gaussian matrix (GM). This technique takes advantage of both VLM and GM as a two stages for the signal to simultaneously reduce the PAPR and save the BER from damage. According to the results, the proposed solution (VLM in conjunction with GM) lowers the PAPR to 9.5 dB. Our system performs better when compared to other systems like discrete cosine transform (DCT), GM, VLM, DCT&GM, and original OFDM by 27%, 25%, 11%, 20%, and 34%, respectively.
The Use of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma for the Synthesis of Saccharide-Stabilized Re Nanostructures Enabling Effective Deactivation of Nitro-Based Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Cyganowski Piotr , Caban Magda , Khan Mujahid Ameen , Marzec Mateusz M. , Zak Andrzej , Pohl Pawel , Jamroz Piotr , Bernasik Andrzej , Dzimitrowicz Anna
Published: October 2022

Monosaccharide- and polysaccharide biopolymer-stabilized rhenium oxide nanoparticles (ReOxNPs) were effectively applied for deactivation of furazolidone (FRz) and chloramphenicol (ChRP) dissolved in solutions. The employed for that purpose monosaccharide- and polysaccharide biopolymer-stabilized ReOxNPs were synthesized in a two-step procedure. In the first step, the raw-ReOxNPs were produced using a cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP)-based approach. In the second step, the raw-ReOxNPs were incorporated within either D-fructose or Arabic gum, acting as mono- and polysaccharide matrices. Optical and granulometric properties of the so-obtained stabilized ReOxNPs were revealed using several experimental techniques such as UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometry (UV/Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray scattering (EDAX), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found that the produced raw-ReOxNPs, fructose-stabilized ReOxNPs, and Arabic gum-stabilized ReOxNPs were a blend of Re0 and different O-doped Re species, that were octahedral in shape and exhibited the size of 240.6, 461.8, and 7.54 nm, respectively, as was determined using DLS. The obtained ReOxNPs led to losses of FRz in 97, 91, and 62%, for raw-ReOxNPs, fructose-ReOxNPs, and Arabic-gum-stabilized ReOxNPs, respectively, as was estimated using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC–DAD). The applied approach led to the 100% conversion of ChRP by raw-ReOxNPs, while the saccharide-stabilized nanostructure turned out to be inefficient in reducing ChRP. The method described here might be applied as a tempting alternative to other methods used in the wastewaters purification processes.

Graphical Abstract
Learning to read Chinese: the roles of phonological awareness, paired–associate learning, and phonetic radical awareness
Authors: Tseng Chien-Chih , Hu Jon-Fan , Chang Li-Yun , Chen Hsueh-Chih
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to determine how Chinese children adapt to Chinese orthography–phonology correspondence by acquiring phonetic radical awareness (PRA). This study used two important Chinese encoding approaches (rote and orthographic approaches) as the developmental trajectory, in which the present study hypothesized that phonological awareness (PA) exerts not only a direct influence on PRA but also an indirect influence through paired– associate learning (PAL). We also explored whether the association between PA and PAL is affected by the complexity of visual stimuli embedded in PAL. This study recruited 70 s-grade students to participate in various tests, which assessed (a) PA (measured by onset and rhyme awareness), (b) PRA (measured by regularity and consistency of phonetic radicals), (c) PAL (measured by learning performance on strokes; pattern-object and strokes pattern-syllable mapping), and (d) Chinese character recognition ability. Path analyses indicated that (1) character size had a significant positive correlation with PRA but not with PAL, (2) PAL fully mediated the association between PA and PRA, and (3) compared with PAL with a low stroke count, PA had a stronger relationship with PAL with a high stroke count. The results of this study were consistent with previous studies and suggest that PRA is the most important literacy skill for children in the middle of their learning-to-read stage. The results also augment existing literature by revealing that PRA acquisition is increased by PAL supported by PA, rather than by PA alone. Moreover, when the visual complexity of PAL increases, the support of PA to PAL would increase to make up for the working memory shortage.
Spelling errors by Spanish children when writing in English as a foreign language
Authors: Hevia-Tuero Carmen , Russak Susie , Suárez-Coalla Paz
Published: October 2022

English orthography differs from that of other European languages in terms of complexity and regularity. This difference may impact the development of accurate spelling in English, especially when it is learned as a foreign language in school. In this study we wanted to explore spelling development patterns of Spanish speaking children learning English at school. To do so, we analyzed spelling errors from a free narrative task from 136 children in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. We classified errors following a two-level procedure based on the Triple Word Form theory (Phonology, Orthography and Morphology) and the POMAS (Phonological, Orthographic, and Morphological Assessment of Spelling) system. While results showed almost no change in accuracy across grades, there was evidence of more errors related to orthography as compared to phonology and morphology. This points to an incomplete knowledge of English orthography. This study sheds light on the spelling development of foreign language learners, and illustrates the interference that the native language may have when the two orthographies of the speller are linguistically distant. Considering the findings, educational implications to improve foreign language spelling instruction at school are offered.
Proximal nested sampling for high-dimensional Bayesian model selection
Authors: Cai Xiaohao , McEwen Jason D. , Pereyra Marcelo
Published: October 2022

Bayesian model selection provides a powerful framework for objectively comparing models directly from observed data, without reference to ground truth data. However, Bayesian model selection requires the computation of the marginal likelihood (model evidence), which is computationally challenging, prohibiting its use in many high-dimensional Bayesian inverse problems. With Bayesian imaging applications in mind, in this work we present theproximal nested samplingmethodology to objectively compare alternative Bayesian imaging models for applications that use images to inform decisions under uncertainty. The methodology is based on nested sampling, a Monte Carlo approach specialised for model comparison, and exploits proximal Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques to scale efficiently to large problems and to tackle models that are log-concave and not necessarily smooth (e.g., involving$$\ell _1$$ℓ1or total-variation priors). The proposed approach can be applied computationally to problems of dimension$${\mathcal {O}}(10^6)$$O(106)and beyond, making it suitable for high-dimensional inverse imaging problems. It is validated on large Gaussian models, for which the likelihood is available analytically, and subsequently illustrated on a range of imaging problems where it is used to analyse different choices of dictionary and measurement model.
Towards the OR of the future: introducing an adaptive and technology-embracing OR wing layout
Authors: Amato Carlos , Yang Chengyuan , Bernhard Lukas , Giulianotti Pier Cristoforo , Kondrat Paul , Ratib Osman , Wilhelm Dirk
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Overageing and climate change cause a need for making processes in the operating room wing (OR wing) more efficient. While many promising technologies are available today, traditional OR wings are not designed for seamlessly integrating these aids. To overcome this discrepancy, we present and motivate multiple ideas on how to transform current architectural design strategies.

Methods

The presented concepts originate from expert discussions and studies of the available literature, but also from experiences made in the course of daily care delivery. Additionally, a comprehensive evaluation of current and historic OR theatre designs and the problems which are encountered herein has been conducted.

Results

We present three innovative concepts regarding the restructuring of traditional OR wing layouts. To achieve better process optimization, hygiene, and energy efficiency, we propose to divide the OR wing into separate “patient”, “procedure” and “staff” zones. For better flexibility regarding perioperative needs and technology integration, we propose to use a hexagon shape combined with reconfigurable walls for designing operating rooms.

Conclusion

The concepts presented herein provide a solid foundation for further considerations regarding perioperative process optimization and seamless integration of technology into modern OR wing facilities. We aim at expanding on these results to develop a comprehensive vision for the OR wing of the future.
Mortality and its association with chronic alcohol-related diseases in patients admitted to the emergency department for acute alcoholic intoxication: retrospective cohort study
Authors: Palmese Francesco , Bonavita Maria Elena , Pompili Enrico , Migliano Maria Teresa , Reggidori Nicola , Di Stefano Cecilia , Grieco Marta , Colazzo Stefano , Tufoni Manuel , Baldassarre Maurizio , Caraceni Paolo , Foschi Francesco Giuseppe , Giostra Fabrizio , Farina Gabriele , Del Toro Rossella , Bedogni Giorgio , Domenicali Marco
Published: October 2022

We assessed long-term mortality and its association with chronic alcohol-related diseases in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) because of acute alcoholic intoxication (AAI). A retrospective cohort study was performed at the ED of Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy. 3304 patients, corresponding to 6415 admissions for AAI, who accessed the ED from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2017, were studied. The ED electronic registry system was used to assess living status on 08 May 2020 and to obtain the prespecified potential predictors, i.e., age at first admission, sex, alcohol use disorder (AUD), substance use disorder (SUD), more than 1 admission to ED for trauma, mental and behavioral disorders, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease. The median follow-up time was 9.3 years and the time on risk was 30,053 person years (PY) with a death rate corresponding to 4.42 (95% CI 3.74–5.26) per 1000 PY (n = 133 deaths). The death rate was higher in patients with AUD (17.30) than in those without AUD (1.98) and in those with SUD (13.58) than in those without SUD (3.80). Lastly, there was a clearly higher death rate among AUD+ SUD+ (20.89) compared to AUD–SUD–patients (1.74). At multivariable Cox regression, AUD, SUD, and liver cirrhosis were strong and independent predictors of time-to-death. Using standardized mortality ratios, a clear excess of mortality was evident for all the age bands from (40–45] to (60–65] years. Mortality is higher in AAI than in the general population and chronic alcohol-related diseases are strongly associated with it.
CSF1R as a Therapeutic Target in Bone Diseases: Obvious but Not so Simple
Authors: Hume David A. , Batoon Lena , Sehgal Anuj , Keshvari Sahar , Irvine Katharine M.
Published: October 2022

Purpose of Review

The purpose of the review is to summarize the expression and function of CSF1R and its ligands in bone homeostasis and constraints on therapeutic targeting of this axis.

Recent Findings

Bone development and homeostasis depends upon interactions between mesenchymal cells and cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage (MPS), macrophages, and osteoclasts (OCL). The homeostatic interaction is mediated in part by the systemic and local production of growth factors, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1), and interleukin 34 (IL34) that interact with a receptor (CSF1R) expressed exclusively by MPS cells and their progenitors. Loss-of-function mutations in CSF1 or CSF1R lead to loss of OCL and macrophages and dysregulation of postnatal bone development. MPS cells continuously degrade CSF1R ligands via receptor-mediated endocytosis. As a consequence, any local or systemic increase or decrease in macrophage or OCL abundance is rapidly reversible.

In principle, both CSF1R agonists and antagonists have potential in bone regenerative medicine but their evaluation in disease models and therapeutic application needs to carefully consider the intrinsic feedback control of MPS biology.
Bayesian Coherence Analysis for Microcircuit Structure Learning
Authors: Chen Rong
Published: October 2022

Functional microcircuits model the coordinated activity of neurons and play an important role in physiological computation and behaviors. Most existing methods to learn microcircuit structures are correlation-based and often generate dense microcircuits that cannot distinguish between direct and indirect association. We treat microcircuit structure learning as a Markov blanket discovery problem and propose Bayesian Coherence Analysis (BCA) which utilizes a Bayesian network architecture called Bayesian network with inverse-tree structure to efficiently and effectively detect Markov blankets for high-dimensional neural activity data. BCA achieved balanced sensitivity and specificity on simulated data. For the real-world anterior lateral motor cortex study, BCA identified microcircuit subtypes that predicted trial types with an accuracy of 0.92. BCA is a powerful method for microcircuit structure learning.
Management of patella maltracking after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review
Authors: Ferri R. , Digennaro V. , Panciera A. , Bulzacki Bogucki B. D. , Cecchin D. , Manzetti M. , Brunello M. , Faldini C.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Patella maltracking is among the most frequent causes of poor outcomes and early failure after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with an incidence that ranges from 1 to 20%. Even if there is agreement between authors regarding the preoperative and intraoperative management of patella maltracking in TKA, less clear are postoperative conducts. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize and compare surgical techniques used to treat patella maltracking after TKA.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed with a primary search on Medline through PubMed. The PRISMA 2009 flowchart and checklist were used to edit the review. Screened studies had to provide clinical, functional and radiological results and complications of the proposed treatment to be included in the review.

Results

A total of 21 articles were finally included. Three main types of surgical procedures and other minor techniques have been identified to manage patella maltracking after TKA. The choice of the proper technique to use in the specific case depends on several factors, first of all the malpositioning of the prosthetic components.

Conclusion

Patella maltracking after TKA represents a frequent and challenging problem for orthopedic surgeons. Treatments described in the literature are often able to correct an abnormal patellar tracking; nevertheless, authors report variable percentages of residual knee pain and dissatisfaction in re-treated patients. Therefore, it would be desirable to prevent the maltracking condition at the time of primary arthroplasty, using proper surgical precautions.
Augmented rescue of macroglobulins by supplementation of anti-snake venom with methanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata in Naja naja envenomation
Authors: Nayak Akshatha G. , Aithal P. Ashwini , Kumar Nitesh , Shenoy Smita , Roche Maya
Published: October 2022

Proteins of the macroglobulin family are prime targets of venom enzymes in snake bite. A massive reduction in the active concentration of these multifunctional proteins in snake bite, makes the living system vulnerable to dysregulation. This study investigates the ability of Indian polyvalent anti-snake venom (ASV), methanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata (MAP) and their combination in rescuing human alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2MG) and its homologues in rat plasma, from inactivation by Naja naja (N.N) venom enzymes. In-vitro experiments were conducted with heparinized human plasma and in-vivo experiments with female Wistar rats. Along with appropriate controls, there were 3 test groups in in-vitro and 8 test groups in in-vivo experiments. The in-vitro test groups were exposed to N.N venom for zero, 30 or 90 min prior to incubation with ASV or MAP or reduced ASV supplemented with MAP and incubated for 16 h at 37 °C. Chymotrypsin-bound esterase (CTBE) activity of A2MG was estimated. Rats were administered the venom intramuscularly and treated with ASV/MAP/ASV + MAP. CTBE activity of macroglobulin homologues was measured on day 1, 7 and 14. Survival of animals was noted. In human plasma, addition of ASV or MAP or ASV + MAP prevented loss of A2MG activity maximally to the extent of 88–100% (p = 0.001). In rats, reduced concentration of ASV supplemented with MAP showed complete rescue of macroglobulin homologues and 90% survival. The compulsive evidence from this study, underscores the merits of using this multipronged strategy in rescuing the macroglobulins and improving survival in envenomation due to N.N.
“Who run the world?” Gender and the social network of R&B/hip hop collaboration from 2012 to 2020
Authors: McMillan Cassie
Published: October 2022

Part of the reason women are disadvantaged in the labor market is because gender inequalities define social networks of the workplace. In the current project, I consider how gender shapes professional networks by focusing on the R&B/hip hop industry as an empirical case study. By conceptualizing the collaboration patterns between performers of popular R&B/hip hop songs from 2012 to 2020 as a network, I apply exponential random graph models (ERGMs) and find that women tend to occupy marginalized positions when compared to their male peers. Then, I adopt a social exchange framework to argue that critical acclaim is a resource that is associated with higher odds of collaborating for all artists, though gender differences define this process. For instance, the largest gender gaps in collaboration are present among artists who have either won Grammy awards or never received nominations for such honors. These findings suggest that female artists with lower status are often excluded from collaboration opportunities. Once women acquire enough prestige to “make up” for their gender, they may avoid collaborations because gender stereotypes challenge their decision-making power within these interactions.
Conley-Morse-Forman theory for generalized combinatorial multivector fields on finite topological spaces
Authors: Lipiński Michał , Kubica Jacek , Mrozek Marian , Wanner Thomas
Published: October 2022

We generalize and extend the Conley-Morse-Forman theory for combinatorial multivector fields introduced in Mrozek (Found Comput Math 17(6):1585–1633, 2017). The generalization is threefold. First, we drop the restraining assumption in Mrozek (Found Comput Math 17(6):1585–1633, 2017) that every multivector must have a unique maximal element. Second, we define the dynamical system induced by the multivector field in a less restrictive way. Finally, we also change the setting from Lefschetz complexes to finite topological spaces. Formally, the new setting is more general, because every Lefschetz complex is a finite topological space, but the main reason for switching to finite topologcial spaces is because the latter better explain some peculiarities of combinatorial topological dynamics. We define isolated invariant sets, isolating neighborhoods, Conley index and Morse decompositions. We also establish the additivity property of the Conley index and the Morse inequalities.
Sex Ed, Segregated
Authors: Shah Courtney Q.
Published: October 2022

Demonstrates that the intersection between race, gender, and class formed the backbone of Progressive-Era debates over sex education, the policing of sexuality, and the prevention of venereal disease.
Social and Economic Aspects of Sugar Production in Cuba, 1880–1930
Authors: Ayala César J.
Published: October 2022

After the slaves were emancipated between 1880 and 1886, the planter class in Cuba underwent a transformation. Successful mill owners modernized their facilities, increased their cane-processing capabilities, and became planter-industrialists. Unsuccessful mill owners who lacked sufficient capital to modernize dismantled their outdated mills and became simply cane farmers. The social structure of the sugar mills was also transformed. Wage labor and tenancy arrangements replaced slave labor, and the industrial process of cane milling became separate from the agricultural processes of planting and harvesting sugarcane. As industrial units became fewer but larger, they could grind more sugarcane than that grown on the land directly under their ownership, and the larger mills therefore entered into arrangements with surrounding mill owners who were unable to make the transition to the new technological phase of sugar milling. Because the new mills centralized the grinding of cane previously carried out by many smaller units, they became known asingenios centralesand eventually as simplycentrales.Planters who gave up their obsolete milling operations and turned exclusively to cane farming were calledcolonos.
Caribbean Security: Retrospect and Prospect
Authors: Griffith Ivelaw L.
Published: October 2022

During the 1980s, the major security themes that Caribbean scholars studied were geopolitics, militarization, intervention, and instability. The interface between domestic and international politics led to linkages among some of these themes and their domestic, regional, and international dimensions. For example, the militarization of Grenada in the 1980s was predicated on the need to defend the Grenadian revolution against foreign intervention and local counterrevolution. Ironically, the same buildup created the climate that led to the self-destruction of the revolution and presented the United States with a golden opportunity to intervene. In doing so, the United States succeeded in fulfilling a preexisting geopolitical aim of its own. Elsewhere in the region, militarization and concerns about stability in Dominica, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines raised security concerns within the Eastern Caribbean, where several countries created the Regional Security System (RSS) in 1982 to bolster subregional security and became willing accomplices of intervention when the United States intervened in Grenada a year later.
Ethnicity and Economy in Rural Mexico: A Critique of the Indigenista Approach
Authors: Cook Scott , Joo Jong-Taick
Published: October 2022

The ethnic question has been central to the historical process of nation-state building or “nationalization” in Mexico (Adams 1967). To a significant degree, this process has been a criollo and a mestizo project (Aguirre Beltrán 1976; compare Anderson 1983, 1988). Accordingly,indígenaidentity has been imposed on the non-criollo and non-mestizo population by the Mexican state, with the identification process historically displaying arbitrariness and inconsistency across a range of biological identifiers (especially phenotype) or cultural identifiers (especially language) or both (Marino Flores 1967). Following colonial precedents and in step with the evolving structure of political economy and society, the process of ethnic identification in postcolonial Mexico associated Hispanicity (via white skin color or Spanish descent or Spanish language) with the more valued locations higher in the ethno-class hierarchy and indígena identity with the lower, less-valued locations. In postrevolutionary Mexico, thanks to the contribution of anthropologist Manuel Gamio, the concept of mestizaje was stripped of biological content and culturized.
The Arquivos das Policias Politicais of the State of Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Davis Darién J.
Published: October 2022

In the liberal tradition, democracy is often defined by the holding of open elections and the preservation of a given set of civil rights and liberties. As neoliberal democratic governments emerge around the world, the relationship between democracy and a citizen's democratic rights is rapidly being redefined. In the ensuing debates, access to information has become an important issue. Many of these new governments, in their efforts to project themselves as “democratic,” have moved quickly to declassify a host of documents. This strategy has resulted in a tidal wave of revisionist research. One of the countries following this trend is Brazil.
Archives in the Guatemalan Western Highlands
Authors: Grandin Greg , Reeves René
Published: October 2022

The region most often associated with Guatemalan history and culture is the western highlands, known locally as Los Altos. Only thirty miles from the hot Pacific coast, the highlands are located where the sierra rises rapidly to an altitude of three thousand meters, an area of painful beauty captured in Jean-Marie Simon's telling phrase, “eternal spring, eternal tyranny.” Amidst volcanoes, lakes, and cloud-covered mountains, Guatemalans struggle to rebuild civil society in the wake of what may have been the worst repression in the hemisphere, eking out a living by farming exhausted corn plots. The majority of Guatemala's twenty-three ethnic groups reside in these western highlands, where anthropologists have catalogued and attempted to interpret Mayan culture. Here also historians of nineteenth-century Guatemala have constructed a national history outlining the commercialization of land and coercion of labor that accompanied the growth of the Guatemalan coffee industry.
La Polemica Sobre la Legalizacion de Drogas en Colombia, el Presidente Samper y Los Estados Unidos
Authors: Tokatlian Juan Gabriel
Published: October 2022

Este ensayo explica la evolución del debate en torno a la legalización de drogas psicoactivas ilícitas en Colombia. Este debate tuvo un protagonista central: el Presidente Ernesto Samper Pizano (1994–1998). En los años setenta fue un activo participante en la polémica a favor de una actitud más liberal y menos prohibicionista sobre la marihuana. Desde el poder dos décadas después, fue el que impulsó la major criminalización del fenómeno de las drogas. Este trabajo traza ese recorrido histórico y analiza los motivos pragmáticos para que Samper se movieira entre la legalización generosa y la prohibición categórica. Su pensamiento y su comportamiento reflejan en buena medida una actitud relativamente extendida en Colombia frente a los narcóticos: la oscilación entre convivir y combatir las drogas. En uno y otro escenario, el papel de Estados Unidos ha sido fundamental. El peso de Washington y su cruzada anti-drogas resultaron notoriamente influyentes en las discusiones colombianas sobre qué hacer con el narcotráfico y los narcotraficantes. Al inicio de un nuevo milenio, Colombia está frente a un abismo, un abismo en parte originado por la prohibición de drogas.
Environmental Protection Issue Networks in Amazonia
Authors: Rodrigues Maria Guadalupe
Published: October 2022

This article focuses on environmental protection issue networks (EPINs), defined here as networks among domestic and international environmentally concerned actors that seek to protect local environments. EPINs may be important agents in efforts to promote environmentally sustainable development in Latin America, but their effectiveness has varied considerably. The article presents a model for assessing the effectiveness of EPINs based on their strategic capacity, the environmental visibility of the issues with which they deal, and the nature of their opposition targets. The model was inspired by hypotheses generated in comparing three EPINs established to address environmental and social problems created by development projects financed by the World Bank in Brazilian Amazonia between 1981 and 2000.