bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Were The Ostrogoths?
Authors: Wiemer Hans-Ulrich , Dillon John Noël
Published: September 2023

This chapter considers Theoderic the Great's identity as a Goth—more specifically, an Ostrogoth. It first explores the term “Germanic” used to describe Theoderic and how it can create scholarly confusion when applied to Theoderic, if not the history of the Goths in general. Next, the chapter turns to the more pertinent question of who the Goths are, and why they are often differentiated as Visigoths and Ostrogoths. Next, the Goths' past is explored further. Theoderic's Goths told themselves that their ancestors had once lived in the far north and migrated from there to the shores of the Baltic and then to the Black Sea. From there, they had been driven out by the Huns. The chapter considers the facts behind this story. Finally, the chapter studies the political and social constitution of the Goths in the fourth century.
The Consolidation Of Power
Authors: Wiemer Hans-Ulrich , Dillon John Noël
Published: September 2023

This chapter focuses on the consolidation of Theoderic the Great's rule. It begins with the twofold task of retaining the loyalty of the warriors who had come with Theoderic to Italy and simultaneously motivating the native Italian elites to cooperate. Probably in the very first years of his reign in Italy, Theoderic developed a governing strategy that, from a modern observer's point of view, can be distilled into the formula “integration through separation.” This official categorization reduced a complex ethnic situation to a simple and contradictory antithesis: Goth or Roman; there was no third option. The chapter discusses the Goths as Theoderic's official army. Next, the role of senators in Theoderic's new reign is explored. Any ruler who hoped to hold on to power in Italy for long needed the support of local elites, after all, and the senators were the social group with the greatest influence. Finally, the chapter takes a look at Theoderic's relationship with the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
A Darkly Radiant Vision
Authors: Dorrien Gary
Published: September 2023

This book is an interpretation of Black social Christianity since the early 1970s. It stands on its own and concludes a trilogy, completing the author’s argument that the Black social gospel is a tradition of unsurpassed importance in American life and remains ongoing. The first book of the trilogy, The New Abolition: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Black Social Gospel (2015), argued that four schools of Black social Christianity arose during the Progressive era and created the specific social gospel tradition that led to MLK and the civil rights movement. The second book, Breaking White Supremacy: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Social Gospel (2018), argued that the Black social gospel provided the social justice theology and politics espoused by King and his followers in the civil rights movement. A Darkly Radiant Vision is more like the first book than the second for being narrow and broad, interpreting the ongoing King tradition within the context of contemporary Black social Christianity. From the beginning the Black social gospel was a broader phenomenon than the line that led to King. This book argues that today the liberationist social gospel of King is the touchstone of a broad Black social Christianity consisting of varieties of liberation and womanist theology, Black religious thought, progressive religion, broad-based interfaith organizing, and global solidarity politics.
Exposing the Roots
Authors: Kingsland Sharon E.
Published: September 2023

This chapter explores a field of research in physiological plant ecology that focuses on the problem of how species interact, particularly on the question of nutrient cycling in ecosystems. It considers the roles of soil microorganisms, especially fungi, in nutrient cycling. It also examines the cross-disciplinary relationship between mycologists and ecologists, particularly in the study of fungi. The chapter reviews the study of a symbiotic association between fungi and plant roots, known as a mycorrhiza, including the field- and laboratory-based efforts to understand the ecological significance of common associations. It points out that mycorrhizal fungi are important for understanding the mechanisms of nutrient cycling in nature, a problem that was gaining attention in the 1960s as ecologists embraced and applied the new concept of the ecosystem.
Farmland Loss and Big Agriculture: Firsthand Accounts of Adversity
Authors: Lamb Brooks
Published: September 2023

Chapter 3 highlights the adversities small and midsized famers face when trying to act as committed stewards of their land. Citing stories and experiences from farmers, local leaders, and others in Robertson County, the chapter explores how farmland loss from residential and commercial development impacts rural communities. Noting unsolicited offers to purchase land that reach as high as $40,000 per acre and ever-present challenges with “generational turnover,” farmers describe the environmental, economic, and cultural harms of erasing agricultural acreage. They highlight emotional impacts, too, telling stories of heartbreak that sometimes result in tears. Subdivisions, warehouses, and “mini farms” are reshaping the local landscape, literally and figuratively. Farmers and others also address agricultural consolidation: the “get big or get out” mentality that has dominated American agriculture for decades wreaks havoc on farms, farmers, and entire communities. As one elected leader and farmer says, “The farm program we’ve got today put the little guy out of business.” Mentioning how industrialism characterizes large-scale agriculture and turns “farmers” into “managers,” many people interviewed here speak in detail about the ways big agriculture has transformed their towns. (Chapter 3 contains some of the most powerful photos in the book.)
Systemic Struggles: Racism, Sprawl, and Consolidation
Authors: Lamb Brooks
Published: September 2023

Chapter 5 engages with small and midsized Black farmers in a secondary field site—Maury County, Tennessee—to better understand the challenges they face. Like Robertson County, Maury County is simultaneously experiencing agricultural consolidation and intense farmland loss from development. Statistics highlight these adversities, as do on-the-ground observations from farmers. Losing rented land to industrial farmers and watching subdivisions and strip malls replace farmland are just a few of the specific stories shared by people interviewed here. Yet Black farmers must also contend with racism when trying to persevere in place. Chapter 5 delves into the historical context of race and agriculture in the United States, showing how racial injustices have led to a huge decrease of Black farmers and Black-owned farmland. Digging into the ramifications of slavery, sharecropping, loan denials, unequal educational opportunities, under-representation, physical violence, and the exploitation of heirs’ property, the chapter’s emphasis on history provides an essential foundation for understanding present-day adversities, which are described in detail by interviewees. In the end, these farmers return to challenges for small farmers in general, regardless of race. One interviewee said, “The little farmer—white, Black, indifferent—they’re struggling.”
Neurotransmitters regulate β cells insulin secretion: A neglected factor
Authors: Kong Chu-Chu , Cheng Ji-Dong , Wang Wei
Published: September 2023

β cells are the main cells responsible for the hypoglycemic function of pancreatic islets, and the insulin secreted by these cells is the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels in the human body. β cells are regulated by various factors, among which neurotransmitters make an important contribution. This paper discusses the effects of neurotransmitters secreted by various sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves on β cells and summarizes the mechanisms by which various neurotransmitters regulate insulin secretion. Many neurotransmitters do not have a single source and are not only released from nerve terminals but also synthesized by β cells themselves, allowing them to synergistically regulate insulin secretion. Almost all of these neurotransmitters depend on the presence of glucose to function, and their actions are mostly related to the Ca2+ and cAMP concentrations. Although neurotransmitters have been extensively studied, many of their mechanisms remain unclear and require further exploration by researchers.
Bilateral retinal nerve fiber layer thickness reduction in a 9-year-old myopic boy suffering from unilateral optic neuritis: A case report
Authors: Zhao Fang-Fang , Yao Shi-Qi , Wang Yun , Li Tai-Ping , Yang Jian-Feng , Pang Chi-Pui , Cen Ling-Ping
Published: September 2023

β cells are the main cells responsible for the hypoglycemic function of pancreatic islets, and the insulin secreted by these cells is the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels in the human body. β cells are regulated by various factors, among which neurotransmitters make an important contribution. This paper discusses the effects of neurotransmitters secreted by various sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves on β cells and summarizes the mechanisms by which various neurotransmitters regulate insulin secretion. Many neurotransmitters do not have a single source and are not only released from nerve terminals but also synthesized by β cells themselves, allowing them to synergistically regulate insulin secretion. Almost all of these neurotransmitters depend on the presence of glucose to function, and their actions are mostly related to the Ca2+ and cAMP concentrations. Although neurotransmitters have been extensively studied, many of their mechanisms remain unclear and require further exploration by researchers.
Application of negative pressure wound therapy after skin grafting in the treatment of skin cancer: A case report
Authors: Huang Gao-Shi , Xu Ke-Chen
Published: September 2023

β cells are the main cells responsible for the hypoglycemic function of pancreatic islets, and the insulin secreted by these cells is the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels in the human body. β cells are regulated by various factors, among which neurotransmitters make an important contribution. This paper discusses the effects of neurotransmitters secreted by various sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves on β cells and summarizes the mechanisms by which various neurotransmitters regulate insulin secretion. Many neurotransmitters do not have a single source and are not only released from nerve terminals but also synthesized by β cells themselves, allowing them to synergistically regulate insulin secretion. Almost all of these neurotransmitters depend on the presence of glucose to function, and their actions are mostly related to the Ca2+ and cAMP concentrations. Although neurotransmitters have been extensively studied, many of their mechanisms remain unclear and require further exploration by researchers.
Hyperprogression after anti-programmed death-1 therapy in a patient with urothelial bladder carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Yang Hong-Yu , Du Yu-Xuan , Hou Yu-Jia , Lu Dian-Rong , Xue Peng
Published: September 2023

β cells are the main cells responsible for the hypoglycemic function of pancreatic islets, and the insulin secreted by these cells is the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels in the human body. β cells are regulated by various factors, among which neurotransmitters make an important contribution. This paper discusses the effects of neurotransmitters secreted by various sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves on β cells and summarizes the mechanisms by which various neurotransmitters regulate insulin secretion. Many neurotransmitters do not have a single source and are not only released from nerve terminals but also synthesized by β cells themselves, allowing them to synergistically regulate insulin secretion. Almost all of these neurotransmitters depend on the presence of glucose to function, and their actions are mostly related to the Ca2+ and cAMP concentrations. Although neurotransmitters have been extensively studied, many of their mechanisms remain unclear and require further exploration by researchers.
Malignant proliferative ependymoma of the neck with lymph node metastasis: A case report
Authors: Wang Ke , Wen Jia-Zhu , Zhou Shu-Xia , Ye Lin-Feng , Fang Chun , Chen Yan , Wang Hai-Xia , Luo Xiao
Published: September 2023

β cells are the main cells responsible for the hypoglycemic function of pancreatic islets, and the insulin secreted by these cells is the only hormone that lowers blood glucose levels in the human body. β cells are regulated by various factors, among which neurotransmitters make an important contribution. This paper discusses the effects of neurotransmitters secreted by various sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves on β cells and summarizes the mechanisms by which various neurotransmitters regulate insulin secretion. Many neurotransmitters do not have a single source and are not only released from nerve terminals but also synthesized by β cells themselves, allowing them to synergistically regulate insulin secretion. Almost all of these neurotransmitters depend on the presence of glucose to function, and their actions are mostly related to the Ca2+ and cAMP concentrations. Although neurotransmitters have been extensively studied, many of their mechanisms remain unclear and require further exploration by researchers.
EFICIÊNCIA DA GESTÃO FISCAL E VARIAÇÃO ORÇAMENTÁRIA EM MUNICÍPIOS MINEIROS
Authors: Ferreira Cássia De Oliveira , Vinícius Prates Marcus , Estevão Barbosa Neto João , Antônio do Nascimento Silvério
Published: September 2023

A abordagem do New Public Management preconiza que entes públicos voltem a gestão para resultados mais consistentes com a eficiência na prestação de serviços. Nesse contexto, o orçamento desempenha um papel crucial. Esta pesquisa buscou investigar a relação entre a eficiência da gestão fiscal e a variação orçamentária nos municípios mineiros. Para isso, utilizou-se o Índice de Gestão Fiscal da Firjan como proxy de eficiência, relacionando-o com a variação orçamentária dos 849 municípios mineiros no período de 2014 a 2020 por meio da análise de regressão. Os resultados apontam para uma relação negativa entre a variação orçamentária e a eficiência da gestão fiscal. Municípios com maiores variações orçamentárias apresentaram resultados inferiores no IFGF, sugerindo a possibilidade de execução orçamentária com mudanças em relação ao planejado, o que pode indicar um descumprimento do pacto político estabelecido com a população e explicitado no orçamento.
TEORIA DO PROSPECTO: UM ESTUDO DA INFLUÊNCIA DOS VIESES COGNITIVOS NO JULGAMENTO DOS PROFISSIONAIS ATUANTES NA ÁREA CONTÁBIL
Authors: Queiroz Ívina Clara de Oliveira , Costa Wênyka Preston Leite Batista da , Silva Jandeson Dantas da , Silva Sérgio Luiz Pedrosa
Published: September 2023

Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar como os vieses cognitivos influenciam no julgamento dos profissionais atuantes na área contábil perante as informações das demonstrações financeiras de acordo com a Teoria do Prospecto. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva e de levantamento, e os achados constataram que os indivíduos apresentaram comportamentos avessos ao risco em cenários de ganhos, propensos ao risco em cenários de perdas, com decisões influenciadas por vieses cognitivos. As contribuições do estudo estão pautadas na colaboração da literatura na área, na identificação da influência dos aspectos comportamentais no julgamento dos profissionais atuantes na área contábil; auxiliando-os no processo de tomar decisões com o mínimo de interferências pessoais ou cognitivas.
MODELO FLEURIET: INVESTIGAÇÃO DA PRODUÇÃO CIENTÍFICA BRASILEIRA DE 1995 A 2022
Authors: Ribeiro Henrique César Melo
Published: September 2023

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar a representação, a composição e a estrutura da formação das redes sociais e da produção científica do tema Modelo Fleuriet publicada nos periódicos científicos indexados na biblioteca eletrônica SPELL, de 1995 a 2022. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa documental e as técnicas de análise bibliométrica e sociométrica. Os principais resultados foram: tema ora investigado encontra-se embrionário na literatura científica brasileira. As revistas científicas mais centrais foram: REGE e BASE. As IES mais centrais foram: USP, FUCAPE, UFSC e UFPR. As palavras-chave com maior degree foram: capital de giro, liquidez, análise dinâmica, rentabilidade, solvência, modelo dinâmico, capital circulante líquido, necessidade de capital de giro e fluxo de caixa operacional. E os temas com maior degree foram: capital de giro, liquidez, desempenho financeiro, análise financeira, fusões e aquisições, crise financeira, demonstrações contábeis, gestão financeira, risco, valor econômico adicionado, insolvência e pequenas e médias empresas. Conclui-se com uma investigação contemporânea do tema Modelo Fleuriet à luz de sua produção científica, e sob a óptica da análise das redes sociais dos atores envolvidos no processo de construção do conhecimento científico do referido assunto.
Highly efficient silicon mode converter and polarization rotator using a silicon-based hybrid plasmonic waveguide
Authors: Abu-Elmaaty Basma E. , Shalaby Hossam M. H.
Published: September 2023

We propose and numerically analyze a broadband, ultracompact hybrid plasmonic mode converter/polarization rotator. The proposed device converts the fundamental transverse magnetic mode (TM0) to the first-order transverse electric mode (TE1). The mode converter is designed using a tapered hybrid plasmonic waveguide in which metal parts are directly surrounding both the input Si waveguide and the tapered output waveguide without a thin low-index layer. After optimizing the proposed structure, a TM0-to-TE1 mode converter with a modal conversion efficiency of 98.2% is achieved. A broad operating bandwidth of 100 nm is achieved with a compact footprint of only 0.8µm×12.5µm for the whole device. At a wavelength of 1550 nm, the insertion loss ranges from 0.91 dB to 1.19 dB using different metal materials, and the extinction ratio of the TE1 and TM0 modes is higher than 21 dB in the output Si waveguide.
SWIR digital holography and imaging through smoke and flames: unveiling the invisible
Authors: Locatelli Massimiliano , Pugliese Eugenio , Poggi Pasquale , Euzzor Stefano , Meucci Riccardo
Published: September 2023

Since its inception, digital holography has been mainly carried out using visible light but soon various other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum has been fruitfully explored. The Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) region, despite its interesting peculiarities and appealing applications in the imaging field, has not yet been fully investigated in Digital Holography (DH). Here we present a compact and robust SWIR DH setup and demonstrate the peculiar and remarkable advantages offered by SWIR radiation for macroscopic object investigation. In particular, we focus our attention to a specific application, previously demonstrated using Long Wavelength IR DH, that is vision through smoke and flames and demonstrate the great potential of SWIR DH in the field of fire rescue.
Ultra-sensitive UV solar-blind optical wireless communications with an SiPM
Authors: Liu Feng , Farmer James , Schreier Andy , Faulkner Grahame , Chun Hyunchae , Matthews William , Wang Zhaoming , O’Brien Dominic
Published: September 2023

In this Letter, an SiPM with a dedicated cooling system suitable for receiving ultra-low-power solar-blind wavelengths is reported. This is designed to decrease the temperature of the detector from 21°C to –10°C, and the corresponding dark count rate (DCR) is reduced by approximately 10 dB. A 275 nm optical wireless communication (OWC) system is established using on–off-keying (OOK) modulation. Transmission rates ranging from 100 kbit/s to 2 Mbit/s are demonstrated with this cooled SiPM. The received power is as low as 30 pW (corresponding to 41.5 photons per bit) at a data rate of 1 Mbit/s and a bit error rate of 2.4 × 10–3.
Spatially-selective enhancement of mechanical strength through localized cross-linking of double network hydrogels
Authors: Tsunemitsu Kaneto , Watanabe Akira , Onoe Hiroaki , Terakawa Mitsuhiro
Published: September 2023

To advance the development of flexible materials for soft robotics applications, it is crucial to enhance the elastic modulus and breaking the stress of soft materials, such as hydrogels. Double network hydrogels (DN gels) have displayed remarkable mechanical strength owing to their unique network structure composed of two types of polymer networks. However, current fabrication methods for DN gels entail cross-linking two distinct hydrogel polymers throughout the entire hydrogel matrix. In this study, we focused on employing multi-photon polymerization (MPP) with femtosecond laser pulses as a cross-linking method for hydrogels to achieve spatially selective formation of DN gel structures at the micrometer scale, along with the consequent improvement in local mechanical strength. We assessed the mechanical properties of the fabricated structures and confirmed that the mechanical strength varied within the regions where DN gel was locally formed.
On-chip sorting of orbital angular momentum beams using Bloch surface wave structures
Authors: Li Nannan , Zou Qi , Lan Yizhi , Wang Yaqi , Zhang Jun , Somekh Michael , Min Changjun , Feng Fu , Yuan Xiaocong
Published: September 2023

Owing to their unique optical properties and new degrees of freedom, orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams have been applied in various fields. Detection of the topological charges (TCs) of OAM beams is the key step for their applications. However, on-chip sorting of OAM beams with large TCs still remains a challenge. In this paper, Bloch surface wave (BSW) structures with five semi-ring shaped nanoslits are modeled. A spatial separation of 135 nm on the chip is obtained between two neighboring OAM states. OAM beams with TCs up to 35 can be successfully sorted by the BSW structures, which is much larger than that using metallic structures (only seven). BSW structures exhibit better OAM sorting performances than metallic structures. We systematically show how the lower attenuation of BSW structures leads to far superior separation ability compared to surface plasmons propagating on metallic structures. In addition, sorting of two OAM beams with different TCs simultaneously can be achieved in this way. Our results reveal that BSW structures should be an excellent solution for OAM sorting with large TCs, which is beneficial for applications in integrated on-chip devices and optical communications.
Generalizing biological surround suppression based on center surround similarity via deep neural network models
Authors: Pan Xu , DeForge Annie , Schwartz Odelia
Published: September 2023

Sensory perception is dramatically influenced by the context. Models of contextual neural surround effects in vision have mostly accounted for Primary Visual Cortex (V1) data, via nonlinear computations such as divisive normalization. However, surround effects are not well understood within a hierarchy, for neurons with more complex stimulus selectivity beyond V1. We utilized feedforward deep convolutional neural networks and developed a gradient-based technique to visualize the most suppressive and excitatory surround. We found that deep neural networks exhibited a key signature of surround effects in V1, highlighting center stimuli that visually stand out from the surround and suppressing responses when the surround stimulus is similar to the center. We found that in some neurons, especially in late layers, when the center stimulus was altered, the most suppressive surround surprisingly can follow the change. Through the visualization approach, we generalized previous understanding of surround effects to more complex stimuli, in ways that have not been revealed in visual cortices. In contrast, the suppression based on center surround similarity was not observed in an untrained network. We identified further successes and mismatches of the feedforward CNNs to the biology. Our results provide a testable hypothesis of surround effects in higher visual cortices, and the visualization approach could be adopted in future biological experimental designs.
Abnormal outer hair cell efferent innervation in Hoxb1-dependent sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Di Bonito Maria , Bourien Jérôme , Tizzano Monica , Harrus Anne-Gabrielle , Puel Jean-Luc , Avallone Bice , Nouvian Regis , Studer Michèle
Published: September 2023

Autosomal recessive mutation of HOXB1 and Hoxb1 causes sensorineural hearing loss in patients and mice, respectively, characterized by the presence of higher auditory thresholds; however, the origin of the defects along the auditory pathway is still unknown. In this study, we assessed whether the abnormal auditory threshold and malformation of the sensory auditory cells, the outer hair cells, described in Hoxb1null mutants depend on the absence of efferent motor innervation, or alternatively, is due to altered sensory auditory components. By using a whole series of conditional mutant mice, which inactivate Hoxb1 in either rhombomere 4-derived sensory cochlear neurons or efferent motor neurons, we found that the hearing phenotype is mainly reproduced when efferent motor neurons are specifically affected. Our data strongly suggest that the interactions between olivocochlear motor neurons and outer hair cells during a critical postnatal period are crucial for both hair cell survival and the establishment of the cochlear amplification of sound.
Health service readiness to provide care for HIV and cardiovascular disease risk factors in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Cockburn Neil , Flood David , Seiglie Jacqueline A. , Manne-Goehler Jennifer , Aryal Krishna , Karki Khem , Damasceno Albertino , Atun Rifat , Vollmer Sebastian , Bärnighausen Till , Geldsetzer Pascal , Mayige Mary , Hirschhorn Lisa , Davies Justine
Published: September 2023

Cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF), in particular diabetes and hypertension, are chronic conditions which carry a substantial disease burden in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Unlike HIV, they were neglected in the Millenium Development Goals along with the health services required to manage them. To inform the level of health service readiness that could be achieved with increased attention, we compared readiness for CVDRF with that for HIV. Using data from national Service Provision Assessments, we describe facility-reported readiness to provide services for CVDRF and HIV, and derive a facility readiness score of observed essential components to manage them. We compared HIV vs CVDRF coverage scores by country, rural or urban location, and facility type, and by whether or not facilities reported readiness to provide care. We assessed the factors associated with coverage scores for CVDRF and HIV in a multivariable analysis. In our results, we include 7522 facilities in 8 countries; 86% of all facilities reported readiness to provide services for CVDRF, ranging from 77–98% in individual countries. For HIV, 30% reported of facilities readiness to provide services, ranging from 3–63%. Median derived facility readiness score for CVDRF was 0.28 (IQR 0.16–0.50), and for HIV was 0.43 (0.32–0.60). Among facilities which reported readiness, this rose to 0.34 (IQR 0.18–0.52) for CVD and 0.68 (0.56–0.76) for HIV. Derived readiness scores were generally significantly lower for CVDRF than for HIV, except in private facilities. In multivariable analysis, odds of a higher readiness score in both CVDRF or HIV care were higher in urban vs rural and secondary vs primary care; facilities with higher CVDRF scores were significantly associated with higher HIV scores. Derived readiness scores for HIV are higher than for CVDRF, and coverage for CVDRF is significantly higher in facilities with higher HIV readiness scores. This suggests possible benefits from leveraging HIV services to provide care for CVDRF, but poor coverage in rural and primary care facilities threatens Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 to provide high quality universal healthcare for all.
Internet search analysis on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: What do people ask and read online?
Authors: Yamaguchi Satoshi , Kimura Seiji , Watanabe Shotaro , Mikami Yukio , Nakajima Hirofumi , Yamaguchi Yukiko , Sasho Takahisa , Ohtori Seiji
Published: September 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to characterize the content of frequently asked questions about the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the internet in Japan and to evaluate the quality of websites related to the questions.

Methods

We searched terms on the treatment of RA on Google and extracted frequently asked questions generated by the Google "people also ask" function. The website that answered each question was also obtained. We categorized the questions based on the content. The quality of the websites was evaluated using the brief DISCERN, Journal of American Medical Association benchmark criteria, and Clear Communication Index.

Results

Our search yielded 83 questions and the corresponding websites. The most frequently asked questions were regarding the timeline of treatment (n = 17, 23%) and those on the timeline of the clinical course (n = 13, 16%). The median score of brief DISCERN was 11 points, with only 7 (8%) websites having sufficient quality. Websites having sufficient quality based on the Journal of American Medical Association benchmark criteria and Clear Communication Index were absent.

Conclusions

The questions were most frequently related to the timeline of treatment and clinical course. Physicians should provide such information to patients with RA in the counseling and education materials.
Long-term coral microbial community acclimatization is associated with coral survival in a changing climate
Authors: Price James T. , McLachlan Rowan H. , Jury Christopher P. , Toonen Robert J. , Wilkins Michael J. , Grottoli Andréa G.
Published: September 2023

The plasticity of some coral-associated microbial communities under stressors like warming and ocean acidification suggests the microbiome has a role in the acclimatization of corals to future ocean conditions. Here, we evaluated the acclimatization potential of coral-associated microbial communities of four Hawaiian coral species (Porites compressa, Porites lobata, Montipora capitata, and Pocillopora acuta) over 22-month mesocosm experiment. The corals were exposed to one of four treatments: control, ocean acidification, ocean warming, or combined future ocean conditions. Over the 22-month study, 33–67% of corals died or experienced a loss of most live tissue coverage in the ocean warming and future ocean treatments while only 0–10% died in the ocean acidification and control. Among the survivors, coral-associated microbial communities responded to the chronic future ocean treatment in one of two ways: (1) microbial communities differed between the control and future ocean treatment, suggesting the potential capacity for acclimatization, or (2) microbial communities did not significantly differ between the control and future ocean treatment. The first strategy was observed in both Porites species and was associated with higher survivorship compared to M. capitata and P. acuta which exhibited the second strategy. Interestingly, the microbial community responses to chronic stressors were independent of coral physiology. These findings indicate acclimatization of microbial communities may confer resilience in some species of corals to chronic warming associated with climate change. However, M. capitata genets that survived the future ocean treatment hosted significantly different microbial communities from those that died, suggesting the microbial communities of the survivors conferred some resilience. Thus, even among coral species with inflexible microbial communities, some individuals may already be tolerant to future ocean conditions. These findings suggest that coral-associated microbial communities could play an important role in the persistence of some corals and underlie climate change-driven shifts in coral community composition.
The Posterior Cranial Vertical Line: A Novel Radiographic Marker for Classifying Global Sagittal Alignment
Authors: Park Paul J. , Hassan Fthimnir M. , Ferrer Xavier E. , Morrissette Cole , Lee Nathan J. , Cerpa Meghan , Sardar Zeeshan M. , Kelly Michael P. , Bourret Stephane , Hasegawa Kazuhiro , Wong Hee-Kit , Liu Gabriel , Hey Hwee Weng Dennis , Riahi Hend , Huec Jean-Charles Le , Lenke Lawrence G.
Published: September 2023

Objective: To define a novel radiographic measurement, the posterior cranial vertical line (PCVL), in an asymptomatic adult population to better understand global sagittal alignment.Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective review of prospectively collected radiographic data on asymptomatic volunteers aged 20–79. The PCVL is a vertical plumb line drawn from the posterior-most aspect of the occiput. The horizontal distances of the PCVL to the thoracic apex (TA), posterior sagittal vertical line (PSVL, posterosuperior endplate of S1), femoral head center, and tibial plafond were measured. Classification was either grade 1 (PCVL posterior to TA and PSVL), grade 2 (PCVL anterior to TA and posterior to PSVL), or grade 3 (PCVL anterior to TA and PSVL).Results: Three hundred thirty-four asymptomatic patients were evaluated with a mean age of 41 years. Eighty-three percent of subjects were PCVL grade 1, 15% were grade 2, and 3% were grade 3. Increasing PCVL grade was associated with increased age (p < 0.001), C7–S1 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (p < 0.001), C2–7 SVA (p < 0.001). Additionally, it was associated with decreased SS (p = 0.045), increased PT (p < 0.001), and increased knee flexion (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The PCVL is a radiographic marker of global sagittal alignment that is simple to implement and interpret. Increasing PCVL grade was significantly associated with expected changes and compensatory mechanisms in the aging population. Most importantly, it incorporates cervical alignment parameters such as C2–7 SVA. The PCVL defines global sagittal alignment in adult volunteers and naturally distributes into 3 grades, with only 3% being grade 3 where the PCVL lies anterior to the TA and PSVL.
Risk Factors of Restenosis After Full Endoscopic Foraminotomy for Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis: Case-Control Study
Authors: Seo Jong Hun , Ju Chang Il , Kim Seok Won , Lee Seung Myung , Kim Pius
Published: September 2023

Objective: To investigate risk factors associated with postoperative restenosis after full endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (FELF) in patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS).Methods: A single-center, retrospective case-control study was conducted on patients diagnosed with foraminal stenosis who underwent FELF between August 2019 and April 2022. The study included 56 patients, comprising 18 cases and 38 controls. Clinical data, radiologic assessments, and surgical types were compared between the groups. The cutoff values of radiologic parameters that differentiate the 2 groups were investigated.Results: No significant difference in age, sex distribution, or presence of adjacent segment disease or grade I spondylolisthesis was observed between the groups. Cases had a higher degree of disc wedging angle (DWA) (3.0° ± 1.1° vs. 0.5° ± 1.4°, p < 0.001), larger coronal Cobb angle (CCA) (8.8° ± 5.1° vs. 4.7° ± 2.5°, p = 0.004), and smaller segmental lumbar lordosis (SLL) than controls (11.0 ± 7.4 vs. 18.0 ± 5.4, p = 0.001). Optimal cutoff values for DWA, CCA, and SLL were estimated as 1.8°, 7.9°, and 17.1°, respectively. A significant difference in surgical types was observed between cases and controls (p = 0.004), with the case group having a higher distribution of patients undergoing discectomy in addition to TELF.Conclusion: The study identified potential risk factors for restenosis after FELF in patients with LFS, including higher DWA, larger CCA, smaller SLL angle. We believe that discectomy should be perform with caution during FELF, as it can lead to subsequent restenosis.
Proximal Junctional Failure in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: An In-depth Review
Authors: Yagi Mitsuru , Yamanouchi Kento , Fujita Naruhito , Funao Haruki , Ebata Shigeto
Published: September 2023

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery aims to correct abnormal spinal curvature in adults, leading to improved functionality and reduced pain. However, this surgery is associated with various complications, one of which is proximal junctional failure (PJF). PJF can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its causes and the development of effective management strategies. This review aims to provide an in-depth understanding of PJF in ASD surgery. PJF is a complex complication resulting from a multitude of factors including patient characteristics, surgical techniques, and postoperative management. Age, osteoporosis, overcorrection of sagittal alignment, and poor bone quality are identified as significant risk factors. The clinical implications of PJF are substantial, often requiring revision surgery and causing a considerable decrease in patients’ quality of life. Prevention strategies include careful preoperative planning, appropriate patient selection, and optimization of surgical techniques. Treatment often necessitates a multifaceted approach, including surgical intervention and the management of underlying risk factors. Predictive modeling is an emerging field that may offer a promising avenue for the risk stratification of patients and individualized preventive strategies. A thorough understanding of PJF’s pathogenesis, risk factors, and clinical implications is essential for surgeons involved in ASD surgery. Current preventive measures and treatment strategies aim to mitigate the risk and manage the complications of PJF, but the complication cannot be entirely prevented. Future research should focus on the development of more effective preventive and treatment strategies, and predictive models could be valuable in this pursuit.
The Role of Exercise in the Alleviation of Neuropathic Pain Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Toloui Amirmohammad , Ramawad Hamzah Adel , Gharin Pantea , Vaccaro Alexander R. , Zarei Hamed , Hosseini Mostafa , Yousefifard Mahmoud , Rahimi-Movaghar Vafa
Published: September 2023

Objective: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of exercise in neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal cord injuries.Methods: The search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science by the end of 2022. Two independent researchers included the articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A standardized mean difference was calculated for each data and they were pooled to calculate an overall effect size. To assess the heterogeneity between studies, I2 and chi-square tests were utilized. In the case of heterogeneity, meta-regression was performed to identify the potential source.Results: Fifteen preclinical studies were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated that exercise significantly improves mechanical allodynia (standardized mean difference [SMD], -1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.16 to -1.02; p < 0.001; I2 = 90.37%), thermal hyperalgesia (SMD, 1.95; 95% CI, 0.96–2.94; p < 0.001), and cold allodynia (SMD, -2.92; 95% CI, -4.4 to -1.43; p < 0.001). The improvement in mechanical allodynia is significantly more in animals with a compression model of SCI (meta-regression coefficient, -1.33; 95% CI, -1.84 to -0.57; p < 0.001) and in mild SCI (p < 0.001). Additionally, the improvement was more prominent if the training was started 7 to 8 days postinjury (coefficient, -2.54; 95% CI, -3.85 to -1.23; p < 0.001) and was continued every day (coefficient, -1.99; 95% CI, -3.07 to -0.9; p < 0.001). Likewise, voluntary exercise demonstrated a significantly more effect size (coefficient, -1.45; 95% CI, -2.67 to -0.23; p = 0.02).Conclusion: Exercise is effective in the amelioration of neuropathic pain. This effect in mechanical allodynia is more prominent if voluntary, continuous training is initiated in the subacute phase of mild SCI.
Prognostic Value of the Modified Rutgeerts Score for Long-Term Outcomes After Primary Ileocecal Resection in Crohn's Disease
Authors: Bak Michiel T.J. , ten Bokkel Huinink Sebastiaan , Erler Nicole S. , Bodelier Alexander G.L. , Dijkstra Gerard , Romberg-Camps Mariëlle , de Boer Nanne K.H. , Hoentjen Frank , Stassen Laurents P.S. , van der Meulen–de Jong Andrea E. , West Rachel L. , van Ruler Oddeke , van der Woude C. Janneke , de Vries Annemarie C. ,   on behalf of the Dutch Initiative on Crohn and Colitis (ICC)
Published: September 2023

INTRODUCTION:

The prognostic value of the modified Rutgeerts score (mRS) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) needs to be further elucidated. This study assessed the prognostic value of the mRS for long-term outcomes after primary ileocecal resection in patients with CD.

METHODS:

Patients with CD after primary ileocecal resection with an available mRS at first postoperative ileocolonoscopy (index mRS) were retrospectively included. The primary outcome was surgical recurrence. Secondary outcomes were clinical recurrence and progression to severe endoscopic recurrence (≥i3). Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between index mRS and outcomes.

RESULTS:

Six hundred fifty-two patients were included (mean follow-up: 6.4 years, SD: 4.6). Surgical recurrence rates were 7.7%, 5.3%, 12.9%, 19.1%, 28.8%, 47.8% for index mRS i0, i1, i2a, i2b, i3, and i4, respectively. Clinical recurrence occurred in 42.2% (i0), 53.7% (i1), 58.5% (i2a), 80.2% (i2b), 79.4% (i3), and 95.3% (i4) of patients. Progression to severe endoscopic recurrence occurred in 21.1% (i0), 33.9% (i1), 26.8% (i2a), and 33.3% (i2b) of patients. An index mRS of i2b (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.0; 1.5–5.6), i3 (aHR 4.0; 2.0–7.9) and i4 (aHR 8.0; 4.0–16.0) were associated with surgical recurrence. An index mRS of i1 (aHR 1.7; 1.2–2.4), i2a (aHR 1.7; 1.2–2.4), i2b (aHR 4.4; 3.2–6.0), i3 (aHR 3.6; 2.5–5.2), and i4 (aHR 7.3; 4.8–10.9) were associated with clinical recurrence. An index mRS of i1 (aHR 2.0; 1.1–3.7) or i2b (aHR 2.5; 1.4–4.6) was associated with progression to severe endoscopic recurrence.

DISCUSSION:

The increasing mRS corresponds closely with the risk of surgical and clinical recurrence. An index mRS ≥ i2b is associated with surgical recurrence, an index mRS ≥ i1 is associated with clinical recurrence, and i1 or i2b with progression to severe endoscopic recurrence. These results support tight monitoring of disease activity and treatment optimization in patients with ileal lesions and a more conservative management in patients with anastomotic lesions.
At Risk
Authors: Griffiths Jennifer
Published: September 2023

Jennifer Griffiths's At Risk: Black Youth and the Creative Imperative in the Post-Civil Rights Era focuses on literary representations of adolescent artists as they develop strategies to intervene against the stereotypes that threaten to limit their horizons. The authors of the analyzed works capture and convey the complex experience of the generation of young people growing up in the era after the Civil Rights Movement. Through creative experiments, they carefully consider what it means to be narrowed within the scope of a sociological “problem,” all while trying to expand the horizons of creative liberation. In short, they explore what it means to be deemed an “at risk” youth.
This book looks at crucial works beginning in 1968, ranging from Sapphire’s Push and The Kid, Walter Dean Myers’s Monster, and Dael Orlandersmith’s The Gimmick, to Bill Gunn’s Johnnas. Each text offers unique representations of Black gifted children, whose creative processes help them to navigate simultaneous hypervisibility and invisibility as racialized subjects. The book addresses the ways that adolescents experience the perilous “at risk” label, which threatens to narrow adolescent existence at a developmental moment that requires an orientation toward possibility and a freedom to experiment.
Ultimately, At Risk considers the distinct possibilities and challenges of the post-Civil Rights era, and how the period allows for a more honest, multilayered, and forthright depiction of Black youth subjectivity against the adultification that forecloses potential.
Asian Political Cartoons
Authors: Lent John A.
Published: September 2023

This book explores the history and contemporary status of political cartooning in Asia, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The book offers not only the first such survey in English, but the most complete and detailed in any language. Richly illustrated, it brings much-needed attention to the political cartoons of a region that has accelerated faster and more expansively economically, culturally, and in other ways than perhaps any other part of the world. Emphasizing the “freedom to cartoon,” the book examines political cartoons that attempt to expose, bring attention to, blame or condemn, satirically mock, and caricaturize problems and their perpetrators. It presents readers with a pioneering survey of such political cartooning in twenty-two countries and territories, studying aspects of professionalism, cartoonists' work environments, philosophies and influences, the state of newspaper and magazine industries, the state's roles in political cartooning, modern technology, and other issues facing political cartoonists. The book encompasses topics such as political and social satire in Asia during ancient times, humor/cartoon magazines established by Western colonists, and propaganda cartoons employed in independence campaigns. The book also explores stumbling blocks contemporary cartoonists must hurdle, including new or beefed-up restrictions and regulations, a dwindling number of publishing venues, protected vested interests of conglomerate-owned media, and political correctness gone awry. In these pages, cartoonists recount intriguing ways they cope with restrictions—through layered hidden messages, by using other platforms, and finding unique means to use cartooning to make a living.
Boy and Girl Tramps of America
Authors: Minehan Thomas , Honeyman Susan
Published: September 2023

Thomas Minehan, a graduate student of Sociology at the University of Minnesota Press, studied transient teens in the years when their numbers rose sharply during the Great Depression. Not satisfied with the quantitative methods available to him, he decided to disguise himself and live among the “boy and girl tramps” to learn why they left home and how they lived. His observations and own journey included jail time, sleeping in freezing “hobo jungles,” eating in the inadequate soup kitchens available, running from violent authorities, and most importantly, hopping freights for the enlightening communion of the American boxcar. While his tramping and academic predecessor Nels Anderson quipped that “The hobo is always born a hobo” (Stiff, The Milk and Honey Route, Vanguard 1930), Minehan demonstrates that quite to the contrary, boy and girl tramps are not born but are created by cultural neglect.
“If The Segregationists Have Their Way”
Authors: Anderson Devery S.
Published: September 2023

This chapter looks into the series of arrests Clyde Kennard faced. It elaborates on FBI agent Zack Van Landingham's suspicion that Kennard was framed for reckless driving and illegal possession of alcohol. Even before the year ended, Kennard was arrested shortly after allegations of being an accessory to the theft of Lee Roberts, a Black employee of the Forrest County Co-op. Despite the charges of the stolen goods, Kennard pleaded not guilty. The chapter cites that a felony conviction from the trial meant Kenard's permanent exclusion from state colleges and universities in Mississippi. The chapter then considers whether segregationists had their way.