bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rejecting an Additive Solution to Regan’s Lifeboat Case
Authors: Kary Daniel
Published: December 2023

This paper considers a solution to a scenario found in Tom Regan’s Case for Animal Rights, offered by Daniel Kary. Regan considers a case where either one human or any number of dog’s must be sacrificed. He chooses the human because they would be harmed more than any dog would be. This is initially puzzling since Regan claims that humans and dogs have equal inherent value (the objective value as an end that entities have). Kary’s solution argues the human should be saved since their possible experiences have greater intrinsic value (the objective value as an end that experiences have) than those of any number of dogs’. The rationale is that dog experiences are too similar to be additive. The paper acknowledges that Kary’s alternative solution is more plausible than Regan’s, but it ultimately fails to be convincing.
Revised lectotypification of nine names in the genus Hedyotis (Rubiaceae)
Authors: KUMAR ANANT , RANJAN VINAY
Published: December 2023

N/A
Pipunculus Latreille, 1802 (Diptera: Pipunculidae) of Colombia, with description of three new species and an updated key to males of the Neotropical species
Authors: RAMOS-PASTRANA YARDANY , MARQUES DAYSE WILLKENIA A. , RAFAEL JOSÉ ALBERTINO
Published: December 2023

Pipunculus Latreille, 1802 is a cosmopolitan genus of big-headed flies (Pipunculidae), with nine known species in the Neotropical region, but completely unknown in Colombia. Three new species of Pipunculus are described from Colombia, namely Pipunculus caeruleus sp. nov. (type-locality: Páramo de Santa Inés, Belmira), P. chiminiguagua sp. nov. (type-locality: Cabaña Chaina, Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque) and P. planus sp. nov. (type-locality: Los Mudos, Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque). Illustrations and a new dichotomic key to the Neotropical species are presented. This paper increases the number of Neotropical Pipunculus to 11, five in South America and three in Colombia, which is now the South American country with the highest diversity of this genus.
The Small-Amplitude Dynamics of Spontaneous Tropical Cyclogenesis. Part I: Experiments with Amplified Longwave Radiative Feedback
Authors: Fu Hao , O’Neill Morgan
Published: December 2023

What determines the vortex size at the small-amplitude stage of spontaneous tropical cyclogenesis remains unclear. A doubly periodic domain is a standard setup for numerically studying this problem, but the convectively coupled standing waves inherent to the setup could directly trigger vortices, rendering an unrealistic path for tropical cyclogenesis. We increase the Coriolis parameter to suppress the wave and double the longwave radiative feedback to make the more realistic moisture–radiation instability dominant. Experiments show that the moisture–radiation instability has a short-wavelength cutoff due to the smoothing effect of convective dynamics, which includes the nonlocal convective triggering by cold pools and the nonlocal longwave radiative effect of anvil clouds. By approximating the spread of convective activity as a Gaussian filter on the column humidity, we derive a bulk convective spreading length lcp+av to parameterize the combined effect of cold pools and anvils. Using a novel diagnostic method, lcp+av is shown to be around 10 km. The contribution of cold pools and anvil clouds to convective spreading is comparable in the doubled radiative feedback experiments. An extrapolation to the normal radiative feedback state shows the anvil clouds play a smaller yet nonnegligible role.
Features of Wax Appearance Temperature Determination of Waxy Crude Oil Using Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Under Ambient and High Pressure
Authors: Shalygin Anton S. , Kozhevnikov Ivan V. , Morozov Evgeny V. , Martyanov Oleg N.
Published: December 2023

The wax appearance temperature (WAT), being one of the key characteristics of waxy crude oil and other waxy substances, is used for the necessary assessment of the phase stability of materials during various technological processes. However, the determination of this parameter as well as peculiarities of wax formation under high gas pressure suffers from the lack of suitable techniques for this task. To address this issue, an attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) method has been applied for the first time to measure the WAT of waxy crude oil under high gas pressure. Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen, and natural gas were used in the study due to their widespread applicability as injection gases in enhanced oil recovery methods. The S2/S1 versus temperature method based on changes in the band of rocking vibrations of the CH2 group was applied to determine WAT. It was found that the ATR FT-IR method based on the proposed dependence S2/S1 versus temperature gives lower WAT values compared to those observed by viscometry, magnetic resonance imaging inspection, and cross-polarized microscopy methods for the waxy crude oil studied. A detailed analysis was carried out using variable-temperature ATR FT-IR spectra of waxy crude oil in the temperature region near the WAT. Essentially different dynamics of wax crystal formation in waxy oil sample and model paraffin solution were demonstrated during the cooling process. The results obtained by high-pressure ATR FT-IR showed that CO2 and natural gas reduce the WAT, while nitrogen has virtually no effect. In addition, for the studied oil, it was found that high pressure of CO2 and natural gases leads to a visual decrease in the amount of wax crystals precipitated, but not to the complete disappearance of microcrystals at a certain temperature and pressure. The results obtained proved that ATR FT-IR can be an effective method for proper determinations of WAT under high-pressure conditions similar to those met in practice.
Structural Characteristics of the Yushuwan Fault in the Northeastern Ordos Basin: Implications for Basin Tectonics and Hydrocarbon Exploration
Authors: He Xiaoyuan , Liu Chiyang , Wang Jianqiang , Du Fangpeng , Xiong Linfang
Published: December 2023

The Yushuwan fault is located in the transition zone among the Yimeng uplift, Jinxi fold belt and Shanbei slope in the northeastern Ordos basin and marks the boundary between Palaeozoic and Mesozoic strata. According to the field geological survey and geophysical data, this study shows that the Yushuwan fault is a deep-cut northwest-southeast-oriented strike-slip basement fault. A total of 17 apatite and zircon fission track points show that the basin experienced several stages of uplift at 190 Ma, 150–170 Ma, 110–130 Ma, 60–80 Ma, and 20–40 Ma. The characteristics of the Yushuwan fault indicate that the northeastern part of the basin is not a simple slope but rather a step with a large drop. Therefore, in the area to the southwest of the Yushuwan fault, there should be high natural gas resource potential and good exploration prospects. The contour values of the magnetic anomaly on the southwestern side of the fault are high, and the contours are dense; in contrast, the contour values of the northwest magnetic anomaly are low, and the gradient is gentle. Therefore, the fault represents the eastern boundary of the Yimeng uplift, and restricts the eastward extent of the high magnetic anomaly zone in the Yimeng uplift area.
Cotton Monocultures and Reorganizing Socioecological Life in Telangana, India
Authors: Flachs Andrew
Published: December 2023

Five hundred years of desire for cotton has reshaped landscapes, built global economic commodity chains, and devalued human life in the name of producing cheap clothing. Since 2001, cotton monocultures in South India have also reorganized genetic codes, continuing centuries of work to maintain the socioecological possibility of extractive agricultural production. This paper combines ethnographic and ethnobiological research in Telangana, India, to center cotton's role in organizing socioecological life for an agrarian world including farmers, farmworkers, plants, soils, buyers, weeds, and animals. Mutually exclusive systems of genetically modified Bt and organic cotton production offer a range of possible organizations of labor, aspiration, reciprocity, and labor. While historically situated in plantation inequalities, cotton production can also make unexpected room for socioecological relationships outside extractive monoculture.
The Effects of Cognitive Ability, Mental Health, and Self-Quarantining on Functional Ability of Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Gregory Madeline A. , Schaeffer Morgan J. , Reeves Jennifer T. H. , Griffith Lauren E. , Wolfson Christina , Basta Nicole E. , McMillan Jacqueline M. , Kirkland Susan , Raina Parminder , Paterson Theone S. E. ,   on behalf of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) Team
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Determine whether levels of anxiety and depression, cognitive ability, and self-quarantining during and prior to the pandemic predict decreases in perceived functional ability.

Design and Setting

Longitudinal data collected from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) COVID-19 Questionnaire Study (2020) and core CLSA study (Follow-Up 1; 2014-2018).

Participants

17 541 CLSA participants.

Measurements

Self-quarantining behaviours from questionnaires administered at Baseline (April 2020), Monthly, and Exit (December 2020) time points of the CLSA COVID-19 Questionnaire Study, levels of anxiety and depression at Baseline, perceived change in functional ability at Exit, and performance on neuropsychological tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task, Mental Alternation Task, Animal Fluency Test) and functional ability (Older Americans Resources and Services [OARS] Multidimensional Assessment Questionnaire) from the core CLSA study.

Results

Greater cognitive ability pre-pandemic ( B = −.003, P < .01), higher levels of anxiety ( B = −.024, P < .01) and depressive symptoms ( B = −.110, P < .01) at Baseline, and higher frequency of engaging in self-quarantining throughout the COVID-19 survey period ( B = −.098, P < .01) were associated with perceived loss in functional ability at Exit. Self-quarantining behaviour was associated with perceived loss in functional ability only at average and high levels of depressive symptoms ( B = −.013, P < .01).

Conclusions

Older adults with higher cognitive and lower functional ability prior to the pandemic were at greater risk of decreased perceived functional ability during the first year of the pandemic, as were those who experienced greater levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms during the pandemic. Strategies/interventions to preserve functional ability in older adults with cognitive independence prior to future pandemics are warranted.
Sterility of antibiotic-admixed peritoneal dialysis solution over time
Authors: Tan Ken-Soon , Rogers Robyn , Shephard Deanna , Lewis Amanda , George Narelle , Johnson David W
Published: December 2023

Background:

Intraperitoneal antibiotics may be required daily for up to three weeks to treat peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis. In some jurisdictions, antibiotic-admixed PD solutions are required to be used within 24 h due to concerns regarding microbial contamination and growth. This requires patients to attend the PD unit daily or alternatively for staff to perform home delivery with associated transport, staffing and cost implications.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine if significant microbial growth occurs in PD solutions following their injection with antibiotic or sterile water.

Methods:

Twelve PD solution bags were admixed with cefazolin sodium 1 g, diluted in 10 mL sterile water, while a further 12 PD solution bags were admixed with 10 mL sterile water using aseptic technique (AT) under supervision. All bags were stored at room temperature. Three bags from each experimental group were sampled for microbiologic culture at 0-, 24-, 48- and 72-h intervals.

Results:

One sterile water admixed bag sampled at 24 h yielded a Corynebacterium spp. after microbiologic culture. A repeat specimen from the same bag at day nine returned a negative culture result. All other sterile water and cefazolin admixed bags returned negative culture results at all time points.

Conclusions:

Antibiotic-admixed PD solutions prepared using AT and stored at room temperature remained sterile for up to 72 h. This suggests that patients can be safely issued with a supply of antibiotic-admixed PD bags for up to three days at a time.
Age of Dental Apical Closure in Domestic Cats
Authors: Goraya Dilraj S. , Hoyer Naomi K. , Kelley Jennifer , Rao Sangeeta , Nehring Mary , Van de Woude Susan , Rawlinson Jennifer E.
Published: December 2023

Data on the age of apical closure in felines is limited. Moreover, differences in age of apical closure between male and female cats have not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine the timing of apical closure in cats and determine if sex or position in the dental arch affected closure. In this retrospective descriptive study, intraoral radiographs were obtained at monthly or multiple-monthly intervals for 18 cats. Nine were intact females and 9 were neutered males, ranging from 6 to 9.4 months of age at the start of the study which ranged over an 8-month period. Radiographs were evaluated to establish age of apical closure for all canine teeth as well as the mandibular premolar and molar teeth. Mandibular canine tooth apices closed between 10 and 12 months of age and maxillary canine tooth apices closed between 12 and 14 months of age. The mesial and distal root apices of both the mandibular third and fourth premolar teeth closed between 8 and 9 months. The mandibular first molar tooth mesial and distal root apices closed between 8 and 8.5 months. Root apices of canine teeth closed earlier in female cats than in male cats with mandibular canine tooth root apices closing significantly earlier than maxillary canine tooth roots in both sexes. These findings suggest that there are notable differences in age of apical closure between male and female cats and discernible trends in timing of apical closure among teeth in the dental arcade.
The Diversity and Inclusion Report: The Rise of a New Corporate Public Reporting Genre
Authors: Wang Junhua
Published: December 2023

The diversity and inclusion (D&I) report is an important element in the corporate public reporting genre; however, as an emerging genre, it receives little attention from scholars interested in public discourse, so there are few guidelines on what should be included in a D&I report. This study helps to fill this gap in the research by examining 10 D&I reports from information technology and banking industries, exploring the reports’ rhetorical purpose and identifying their typified rhetorical moves. The author concludes by recommending what aspects of the current genre's substance and form should be improved to help meet the needs of stakeholders.
Virtual Eulogies, Rituals, and Burials: Experiences of and Adaptations to Death and Mourning During the COVID-19 Pandemic among Transnational Families
Authors: Maviza Gracsious , Thebe Phillip
Published: December 2023

This paper is based on in-depth qualitative data from key informants (i.e., village heads, and employees of burial societies) and dyads from five families interviewed between March 2020 and December 2022 in Tsholotsho and Johannesburg to explore the experiences of and adaptations to death within transnational families during the COVID-19 pandemic. This follows the extraordinary autocratic governance and weaponisation of COVID-19 and the resulting travel restrictions between Zimbabwe and South Africa. The paper finds that amid mobility constraints, families experienced sociocultural changes in relation to death, causing them to experience death and mourning in unorthodox ways. For example, they participated in online memorial, funeral, and burial services and eulogies, thus embracing transnationalism by virtually participating in funerary processes at home in Zimbabwe while based in South Africa. It concludes that these virtual rituals, while giving members an appreciated sense of togetherness, did not sufficiently satisfy families’ social and psychological needs nor regard their heterogeneous cultural values, beliefs, and norms concerning death. The paper acknowledges the evolving nature and complexity of the post-colonial family and its death practices. However, it stresses how the COVID-19 epidemic transformed relationships and the sense of belonging of transnational families usually displayed in death situations.
The Dark Green Book That Transformed a Field: Reflections on the Legacy of Kline and Tichenor
Authors: Perloff Richard M.
Published: December 2023

This article traces the five-decade legacy of a classic volume, Current Perspectives in Mass Communication Research, edited by Kline and Tichenor, published in 1972. After charting the epistemological origins of the book, the paper describes the particular confluence of factors—conceptual, university-based, interpersonal, and the forging of a propitious professional relationship between the book’s co-editor and Sage Publications—that explain the provenance and critical impact of the book. The paper notes the contributions, shortcomings, and strengths of the 1972 volume, reflecting on the unique role the book played in the development of journalism and mass communication research.
Revisiting the Impact of the Pandemic on Cultural Diversity in Advertising and Public Relations Courses
Authors: Park Sung Eun , Kim Yeojin , Kim Eunyoung
Published: December 2023

Cultural diversity is a topic that has been taught across disciplines, but the pandemic has made it more difficult for universities and colleges to teach and discuss it when active interaction is limited in the classroom setting. The difficulties and challenges observed in communication courses, including advertising and public relations, brought this interdisciplinary talk with three professors. In the reflective essay, the faculties discuss the importance of teaching and discussing cultural diversity in the disciplines and how to incorporate the topic into the curriculum while acknowledging the challenges during the pandemic. Finally, the observations from teaching the courses last two years and analysis of theories and literature offered some guidelines and recommendations to help students and faculties move forward in the post-pandemic
Four concepts to think from the South
Authors: Guimarães Corrêa Laura
Published: December 2023

This is a continuation of the first text I wrote for the ‘What Is Cultural Studies?’ series, defending the importance of theories and voices from the margins, from the oppressed. Now, I introduce four concepts created or adapted by intellectuals who – because of their displacement, double vision or contextual disadvantage – can propose theoretical tools and lenses to look at the world, useful for understanding social and cultural dynamics, both locally and globally. I argue that the intellectual production from the global South is deeply entangled with the global North, be it because we adopted (or were forced to use) Western knowledge bases, be it because the unequal and strong relation between the regions enabled the material and symbolic exploitation of some and the wealth of others. The concepts of Améfrica Ladina, double bind/knot, pact of whiteness and impedance are key to reflect upon otherness, communication, media, and cultural studies.
Development of a Brief College Embeddedness Scale
Authors: Donnelly James P. , Finn Kristin E. , Stewart Andrew D.
Published: December 2023

Embeddedness is a construct with potential explanatory power in studies of student persistence, retention, and success. The goal of this study was to address a need for a brief embeddedness measure for use in small college undergraduate environments. Three measures of embeddedness were developed: an initial 43-item scale, a reduced 35-item scale, and a final brief 12-item version of the scale. A total of 450 undergraduate students at a small private liberal arts college were included in the study. Internal consistency reliability was assessed with both McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha, test–retest reliability was observed over a one-year period, factor analysis was used in item analysis, structural validity was examined with confirmatory factor analysis, and criterion-related validity was assessed with convergent and discriminant validity correlations. The results provide acceptable initial estimates of reliability and validity.
Beyond Diplomacy: The Demarcation of Montenegrin-Ottoman Borders (1879–1881)
Authors: Ennas Giorgio
Published: December 2023

In the 19th century, several factors influenced the development of Montenegrin-Ottoman borders: European experts’ stereotypes and limited knowledge of the Balkans, the Great Powers’ interests, and local populations’ conceptions of their own territories and societies. This article considers how these factors interacted in the demarcation of Montenegrin-Ottoman borders between 1879 and 1881 by not only studying the profiles, statements and actions of regional ‘experts’ at the Congress of Berlin in 1878 but also of the delegates to the Commission for the Delimitation of Montenegro and of the members of the Albanian League. Through critical readings of documents produced by the delegates of ‘secondary’ powers, such as the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy, it argues that the effectiveness of the border-demarcation was undermined by the failure of the Delimitation Commission, the Great Powers’ misperceptions and lack of knowledge, which was shaped by poor expert advice, and finally, by the resistance of local populations.
Riding the Line. Expertise and the Making of the Bessarabian Border, 1856–1857
Authors: Ardeleanu Constantin
Published: December 2023

This article aims to historicise the making of the border between the Russian and Ottoman empires in southern Bessarabia, drawn in the post-Crimean War context in 1856–1857. An international commission was appointed for this purpose, and delegates from five empires – Austrian, British, French, Russian and Ottoman – gathered in the province on the ground to demarcate the border decided by Europe's powers. Based on the commission's lengthy protocols, and on the memoirs of several experts involved in surveying, mapping and demarcating the border on the ground, this article delves into the mechanisms of border-making in the field, examining the challenges that commission members encountered with finding a common vocabulary and with balancing larger geopolitical interests with local geographical realities. The case study is also an excellent illustration of what it means to zoom in and out of the different scales involved in bordering. From the diplomatic meetings in Paris to the commissioners’ negotiations in Chișinău and the land surveyors adding names on maps after discussions with peasants in a village close to the Dniester, border making is a complex process that operated simultaneously at different scales, spaces and times.
Severity, interference, qualities, and correlates of severe pain: Descriptive cross-sectional study on pain experience of cancer patients in Sri Lanka
Authors: Edirisinghe N. P. , Makuloluwa P. T. R. , Amarasekara A. A. T. D. , Goonewardena C. S. E.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Pain is the most debilitating and subjective experience of cancer patients. This study examines the severity, interference, characteristics, and associations of severe pain in Sri Lankan cancer patients.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted in Sri Lanka on 384 patients at age 18 or older who had cancer pain for 3 months or more due to the initial lesion, secondaries, radiation, or chemotherapy. Patients with non-cancerous pain or brain metastases were excluded. Data was collected using a validated Sinhala version of the Short-Form Brief Pain Inventory and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2. Logistic regression was used to identify severe pain correlations.

Results

The mean of the “worst pain” experience was 7.97, and 73.2% reported their “worst pain” as severe. The “normal works” (62.5%) and “sleep” (58.3%) were severely influenced by pain. “Aching pain,” was the most reported pain quality. A statistically significant association was shown between severe pain and male gender (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.723), being in marriage (AOR = 1.947), absence of family commitments (AOR = 1.8), and pain of 3 months or more duration (AOR = 1.76).

Conclusion

The experiences of cancer pain vary, with the majority suffering from severe pain.
A Hybrid Quantified SWOT Analysis to Label the Competitive Positioning for Theme Parks: A Case Study of Taiwan
Authors: Lin Tien-Yu
Published: December 2023

This paper aimed to explore customer value-driven factors and evaluated competitive positioning to formulate the sustainable business strategy for theme parks in Taiwan. We employed Borda count to obtained the customer value-driven factors. This paper further developed a hybrid quantified SWOT analysis to identify the competitive positioning for the four major theme parks in Taiwan, The findings in this paper were: (1) There are nine customer value-driven factors attributed into the three dimensions of park characteristics, service characteristics, and exogenous characteristics, which are significant important for theme park sustainable survive; (2) Lihpao Resort is located in the first (SO) quadrant with its internal strengths and external opportunities simultaneously but it has less external opportunities; (3) Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is located in the third (WT) quadrant with its internal weakness and external threats, which has the worst performance compared with other theme parks in this paper; (4) Leafoo Village Theme Park is located in the first (SO) quadrant with its internal strengths and external opportunities, which has less internal strengths compared with Lihpao Resort; and (5) Janfusun Fancy World is located in the fourth (TS) quadrant with its the external threats and internal strengths. Conclusions and suggestions are also discussed.
Appraising Psychological Adaptation During Covid-19 in South Africa: A Descriptive Study Illustrating the Need for Multi-Model Monitoring of Mental Health
Authors: Van Wijk Charles H.
Published: December 2023

The devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic on society raised the question of how best to gauge society’s psychological adaptation to continually evolving global disruptor events, such as Covid-19. This paper aims to illustrate the use of different approaches to monitor society’s psychological response to Covid-19, in order to argue for a more comprehensive, multi-model, approach. The results from different approaches are presented in two studies employing measures of mental disorders and mental distress, respectively, using South African samples for demonstration. The first study presents findings from repeat administration of measures of common mental disorders (major depressive and generalized anxiety disorders) across three consecutive years, while the second study presents findings from mood response profiles (measured with the Brunel Mood Scale) collected across five time points during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both studies showed that the Covid-19 pandemic was temporally associated with adverse mental health outcomes across the mental health continuum, and that mental health profiles were associated with both time since onset of Covid-19 and subsequent wave occurrence. Elevated prevalence of common mental disorders, as well as fluctuating patterns of mood response profiles, are discussed against the context of Covid-19. The paper concludes that a multi-modal approach, for instance measuring specific mental disorders as well as more general mental distress, is crucial to comprehensively understand society’s psychological adaptation to major disruptor events, and guide health sector responses. The paper serves as a reminder to continue to observe mental health more inclusively to appropriately respond to the psychological needs of communities.
Investigating Blended Learning Mode in Translation Competence Development
Authors: Peng Wenqing , Hu Mu , Bi Peng
Published: December 2023

There has long been a consensus that translation competence is a multi-componential construct, encompassing linguistic, strategic, and extra-linguistic competence. In this digitalized age, when translators are required to work with complex discourses (e.g., multimodal discourses), the cultivation of translation competence also calls for new insights apart from the traditional face-to-face teaching method. To that end, this study applies the blended learning mode to a translation course so as to enhance students’ translation competence. The application of this blended learning mode is detailed in this article. A quasi-experiment is also carried out to assess the influence of this blended course on the development of participants’ translation competence. Participants’ perceptions of this blended learning mode are also examined. Our results suggest that this blended course improves participants’ translation competence, including their knowledge competence, technological competence, and professional competence. On the whole, participants are satisfied with this learning mode, particularly in terms of the appropriateness, sustainability, and multimodality of the blended course.
Preoperative and Postoperative Segmental and Overall Range of Motion in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Spinal Fusion Using HA-Infused PEEK and HA-Treated Titanium Alloy Interbody Cages
Authors: Kazarian Gregory S. , Du Jerry , Gang Catherine Himo , Shahi Pratysuh , Asada Tomoyuki , Lu Amy , Korsun Maximillian , Tuma Olivia , Singh Nishtha , Araghi Kasra , Maayan Omri , Singh Sumedha , Iyer Sravisht
Published: December 2023

Study Design

Retrospective observational radiographic analysis.

Objective

Determine how single level lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) alters segmental range of motion (ROM) at adjacent levels and decreases overall ROM.

Methods

This study included 54 patients who underwent single-level anterior (ALIF, 39%), thoraco-LIF (TLIF, 26%), posterior LIF (PLIF, 22%), or lateral LIF (LLIF, 13%) (L2-3/L3-4/L4-5/L5-S1: 4%/13%/35%/48%). Segmental ROM from L1-2 to L5-S1 and the overall lumbar ROM (L1-S1) were assessed from preoperative and postoperative flexion-extension radiographs. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify ROM subgroups.

Results

The overall L1-S1 ROM decreased 14% (25.5 ± 20.4° to 22.0 ± 17.2°, P = .104) postoperatively. ROM at the fusion level decreased 77% (4.8 ± 5.0° to 1.1 ± 1.1°, P < .001). Caudal adjacent segment ROM decreased 12% (5.2 ± 5.7° to 4.6 ± 4.4°, P = .345) and cranially ROM increased 34% (4.3 ± 5.0° to 5.7 ± 5.7°, P = .05). K-cluster analysis identified 3 distinct clusters ( P < .05). Cluster 1 lost more ROM and had less improvement in patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) than average. Cluster 2 had less ROM loss than average with worse PROMs improvement. Cluster 3 did not have changes in ROM and better improvement in PROMs than average. Successful fusion was verified in 96% of all instrumented segments with >6 months follow-up (ROM <4°).

Conclusion

Following single-level L IF, patients should expect a loss of 3.3°, or 14% of overall lumbar motion with increases in ROM of the cranial segment. However, specific clusters of patients exist that experience different relative changes in ROM and PROMs.
A Journey Through Tapering
Authors: Wilhelm Linda
Published: December 2023

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for almost 40 years has not been an easy journey. My disease has been severe and difficult to manage; from the beginning there were challenges getting a diagnosis and in finding medications that were effective long term. Thirty years ago, unable to cope with the extreme pain and with 3 children aged 8, 11, and 13 who needed a functioning mother, my doctor prescribed an opioid. This medication gave me back some quality of life but taking opioids is not without significant risks. No one discussed the challenges I would face if and when the time came to stop taking them. With the opioid crisis there has been more pressure from government and medical licensing bodies to implement policies to restrict access for patients prescribed opioids and to encourage tapering. With the change in policy additional funding and resources are needed to help patients through the process but those supports do not exist across Canada.
Oral nitrate supplementation improves cardiovascular risk markers in COPD: ON-BC, a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Alasmari Ali M. , Alsulayyim Abdullah S. , Alghamdi Saeed M. , Philip Keir E.J. , Buttery Sara C. , Banya Winston A.S. , Polkey Michael I. , Armstrong Paul C. , Rickman Matthew J. , Warner Timothy D. , Mitchell Jane A. , Hopkinson Nicholas S.
Published: December 2023

Background

Short-term studies suggest that dietary nitrate (NO3−) supplementation may improve the cardiovascular risk profile, lowering blood pressure (BP) and enhancing endothelial function. It is not clear if these beneficial effects are sustained and whether they apply in people with COPD, who have a worse cardiovascular profile than those without COPD. Nitrate-rich beetroot juice (NR-BRJ) is a convenient dietary source of nitrate.

Methods

The ON-BC trial was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study in stable COPD patients with home systolic BP (SBP) measurement ≥130 mmHg. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) using computer-generated, block randomisation to either 70 mL NR-BRJ (400 mg NO3−) (n=40) or an otherwise identical nitrate-depleted placebo juice (0 mg NO3−) (n=41), once daily for 12 weeks. The primary end-point was between-group change in home SBP measurement. Secondary outcomes included change in 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and measures of endothelial function (reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) and augmentation index normalised to a heart rate of 75 beats·min−1(AIx75)) using an EndoPAT device. Plasma nitrate and platelet function were also measured.

Results

Compared with placebo, active treatment lowered SBP (Hodges–Lehmann treatment effect −4.5 (95% CI −5.9– −3.0) mmHg), and improved 6MWD (30.0 (95% CI 15.7–44.2) m; p<0.001), RHI (0.34 (95% CI 0.03–0.63); p=0.03) and AIx75 (−7.61% (95% CI −14.3– −0.95%); p=0.026).

Conclusions

In people with COPD, prolonged dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice produces a sustained reduction in BP, associated with an improvement in endothelial function and exercise capacity.
Clinical–radiological–pathological correlation in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Condliffe Robin , Durrington Charlotte , Hameed Abdul , Lewis Robert A. , Venkateswaran Rajamiyer , Gopalan Deepa , Dorfmüller Peter
Published: December 2023

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined by the presence of a mean pulmonary arterial pressure >20 mmHg. Current guidelines describe five groups of PH with shared pathophysiological and clinical features. In this paper, the first of a series covering all five PH classification groups, the clinical, radiological and pathological features of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) will be reviewed. PAH may develop in the presence of associated medical conditions or a family history, following exposure to certain medications or drugs, or may be idiopathic in nature. Although all forms of PAH share common histopathological features, the presence of certain pulmonary arterial abnormalities, such as plexiform lesions, and extent of co-existing pulmonary venous involvement differs between the different subgroups. Radiological investigations are key to diagnosing the correct form of PH and a systematic approach to interpretation, especially of computed tomography, is essential.
Nanobiomaterials: exploring mechanistic roles in combating microbial infections and cancer
Authors: Rawat Neha , Ahmad Nabeel , Raturi Pratishtha , Singhvi Nirjara , Sahai Nitin , Kothiyal Preeti
Published: December 2023

The initiation of the "nanotechnology era" within the past decade has been prominently marked by advancements in biomaterials. This intersection has opened up numerous possibilities for enhancing the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of various illnesses by leveraging the synergy between biomaterials and nanotechnology. The term "nano biomaterials" referring to biomaterials featuring constituent or surface feature sizes below 100 nm, presents a realm of extraordinary materials endowed with unique structures and properties. Beyond addressing common biomedical challenges, these nano biomaterials contribute unprecedented insights and principles that enrich our understanding of biology, medicine, and materials science. A critical evaluation of recent technological progress in employing biomaterials in medicine is essential, along with an exploration of potential future trends. Nanotechnology breakthroughs have yielded novel surfaces, materials, and configurations with notable applications in the biomedical domain. The integration of nanotechnology has already begun to enhance traditional biomedical practices across diverse fields such as tissue engineering, intelligent systems, the utilization of nanocomposites in implant design, controlled release systems, biosensors, and more. This mini review encapsulates insights into biomaterials, encompassing their types, synthesis methods, and the roles of organic and inorganic nanoparticles, elucidating their mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the focus is squarely placed on nano biomaterials and their versatile applications, with a particular emphasis on their roles in anticancer and antimicrobial interventions. This review underscores the dynamic landscape of nanotechnology, envisioning a future where nano biomaterials play a pivotal role in advancing medical applications, particularly in combating cancer and microbial infections.
Long-term safety of brazikumab in the open-label period of a randomized phase 2a study of patients with Crohn’s disease
Authors: Danese Silvio , Beaton Andrew , Duncan Elizabeth A. , Mercier Anne-Kristina , Neisen Jessica , Seth Henrik , Zetterstrand Sofia , Sands Bruce E.
Published: December 2023

Background

Short-term efficacy and safety of brazikumab (MEDI2070), a human monoclonal antibody and anti-p19 subunit inhibitor of interleukin-23, was demonstrated in a phase 2a trial in patients with moderate-to-severe active Crohn’s disease (CD). We report brazikumab long-term safety and tolerability from the open-label period of this phase 2a study.

Methods

Patients who completed the 12-week, double-blind induction period were eligible for inclusion in an open-label period where all patients received subcutaneous brazikumab (210 mg) every 4 weeks for 100 weeks. Patients had moderate-to-severe active CD and had failed or were intolerant to ≥ 1 anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) agent. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs); further assessments were pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity.

Results

Of the 104 patients who entered the open-label period, 57 (54.8%) continued to the end of the open-label period and 47 (45.2%) discontinued brazikumab. The most common reasons for discontinuation were lack of response (14.4%), patient decision (12.5%), and TEAEs (11.5%). In total, 44 (84.6%) in the group switching from placebo to brazikumab (placebo/brazikumab) and 43 (82.7%) in the group continuing brazikumab (brazikumab/brazikumab) experienced 1 or more TEAEs. Most TEAEs were mild-to-moderate in severity. Common TEAEs included nasopharyngitis and headache. Numbers of treatment-emergent serious adverse events (TESAEs) were similar between groups. Infections occurred in 40.4% of patients in the placebo/brazikumab group and 50% in the brazikumab/brazikumab group. There were 5 TESAEs of infection, none of which were opportunistic. No major adverse cardiac events, malignancies, or deaths were reported.

Conclusions

Brazikumab was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile over a 100-week period in patients with moderate-to-severe active CD who failed or were intolerant to 1 or more anti-TNFα agents.

Trial registration

NCT01714726; registered October 26, 2012.
Association of time-varying sleep duration and cognitive function with mortality in the elderly: a 12-year community-based cohort study
Authors: Li Tsai-Chung , Li Chia-Ing , Liu Chiu-Shong , Lin Chih-Hsueh , Yang Shing-Yu , Lin Cheng-Chieh
Published: December 2023

Background

Sleeping problems and cognitive impairment are common in elders. Baseline sleep duration and cognitive status are predictors of mortality. But few studies have explored whether longitudinal changes in sleep duration and cognitive function are related to mortality in older adults. The present study investigated the time-varying relationships of sleep duration and cognitive function with subsequent mortality among community-dwelling elders by using 12 years of repeated-measure data.

Methods

Taichung Community Health Study for Elders (TCHS-E) is a retrospective, population-based cohort that started in 2009 (wave 1) with a total of 912 elders aged 65 years or above. Follow up was conducted in 2010 (wave 2), 2018 (wave 3), and 2020 (wave 4). Sleep duration and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) forms were executed at baseline and three visits during follow-up. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

During about 12 years (9,396 person-years) follow-up, 329 deaths from all causes were documented, including 102 deaths due to expanded cardiovascular disease (CVD). In the multivariable-adjusted, time-varying Cox proportional hazard model, the adjusted HR values of all-cause mortality were 1.47 (1.02–2.12) for sleep duration > 9 h/day (vs. 7 h/day) and 1.81 (1.26–2.59) for MMSE < 27 (vs. 30). The adjusted HR values of the expanded CVD mortality were 2.91 (1.24–6.83) for MMSE of 29; 2.69 (1.20–6.05) for MMSE of 27–28; and 4.32 (95% CI: 1.92–9.74) for MMSE < 27. The dose-dependent relationship was significant (p < 0.001). The combinations of sleep duration longer than 9 h/day and MMSE < 27 were linked with the highest risks for expanded CVD and all-cause mortality.

Conclusions

Long sleep duration and low cognitive function were jointly and independently linked with higher risk of mortality in elders residing in community.
A mixed methods systematic review of mental health self-care strategies for Arabic-speaking refugees and migrants
Authors: Mehjabeen Deena , Blignault Ilse , Taha Perjan Hashim , Reavley Nicola , Slewa-Younan Shameran
Published: December 2023

Background

Self-care strategies can improve mental health and wellbeing, however, the evidence on preferred strategies among Arabic-speaking refugees and migrants is unclear. This mixed methods systematic review aimed to identify and synthesise the global research on mental health self-care strategies used by these populations.

Methods

English and Arabic language studies reporting on positive mental health self-care strategies to address symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, generalised anxiety and depression in the target populations were identified by systematically searching eight electronic databases and grey literature. Studies were deemed eligible if they were published from 2000 onwards and included Arabic-speaking migrants, refugees or asylum seekers aged 12 years and above. A narrative synthesis of study characteristics and relevant key findings was undertaken. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021265456).

Results

Fifty-nine records reporting 57 studies were identified, the majority appearing after 2019. There were 37 intervention studies that incorporated a self-care component and 20 observational studies that reported on self-generated self-care practices. Across both study types, four broad groups of mental health self-care were identified—social, psychological, religious/spiritual, and other (e.g., expressive arts and exercise). Psychological strategies were the most reported self-care practice overall and featured in all intervention studies. Religious/spiritual and social strategies were more common in the observational studies. Intervention studies in diverse settings reported statistical improvements on a range of outcome measures. Observational studies reported a range of individual and community benefits. Linguistic, cultural and religious considerations, inherent in the observational studies, were variably addressed in the individual and group interventions.

Conclusion

Overall, study participants experienced self-care as helpful although some encountered challenges in practicing their preferred strategies. Further research on mental health self-care strategies among Arabic-speaking refugees and migrants is needed in Western resettlement countries to guide mental health service delivery and primary healthcare initiatives for new arrivals and in transit countries.
Primary aldosteronism and lower-extremity arterial disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Hu Jinbo , Zeng Qinglian , Chen Xiangjun , Luo Wenjin , Tang Ziwei , Mei Mei , Zhao Wenrui , Du Zhipeng , Liu Zhiping , Li Qifu , Cheng Qingfeng , Yang Shumin
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is an adrenal disorder of autonomous aldosterone secretion which promotes arterial injury. We aimed to explore whether PA is causally associated with lower-extremity arterial disease (LEAD).

Methods

We included 39,713 patients with diabetes and 419,312 participants without diabetes from UK Biobank. We derived a polygenic risk score (PRS) for PA based on previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Outcomes included LEAD and LEAD related gangrene or amputation. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis for PA and outcomes to explore their potential causal relationship.

Results

In whole population, individuals with a higher PA PRS had an increased risk of LEAD. Among patients with diabetes, compared to the subjects in the first tertile of PA PRS, subjects in the third tertile showed a 1.24-fold higher risk of LEAD (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03–1.49) and a 2.09-fold higher risk of gangrene (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.27–3.44), and 1.72-fold higher risk of amputation (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.10–2.67). Among subjects without diabetes, there was no significant association between PA PRS and LEAD, gangrene or amputation. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis indicated that genetically predictors of PA was significantly associated with higher risks of LEAD and gangrene (inverse variance weighted OR 1.20 [95% CI 1.08–1.34]) for LEAD, 1.48 [95% CI 1.28–1.70] for gangrene), with no evidence of significant heterogeneity or directional pleiotropy.

Conclusions

Primary aldosteronism is genetically and causally associated with higher risks of LEAD and gangrene, especially among patients with diabetes. Targeting on the autonomous aldosterone secretion may prevent LEAD progression.