bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impressive weight loss induced by a very low-calorie ketogenic diet in a morbidly complex obese patient with a recent episode of acute kidney injury and advanced chronic kidney disease: a case report
Authors: Trapanese Vincenzo , Pelle Maria Chiara , Capria Maria , Carullo Nazareno , Vatalaro Clara , Cosentino Francesca , Melina Melania , Natale Maria Resilde , Giofrè Federica , Arturi Franco
Published: September 2024

The very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD), characterized by a marked energy restriction that induces rapid weight loss, has recently been proposed as a valid nutritional strategy for managing obesity. VLCKD is commonly considered dangerous for the kidneys due to the misconception that it is high in protein, beyond the risk of electrolyte imbalances and an increase in diuresis. We report a case of safe and effective weight loss induced by VLCKD in a 43-year-old Caucasian woman with a recent episode of acute kidney injury on advanced chronic kidney disease. Surprisingly, we observed that after the diet-induced weight loss, not only did renal function not worsen, but proteinuria also improved. The principal value of this case report is its singular demonstration of impressive weight loss induced by VLCKD in a complex obese patient that was apparently not accompanied by the development of serious adverse sequelae.
Problematic aspects of the doctor-patient relationship in international human rights law
Authors: Scalabrino Spadea Michelangela
Published: September 2024

Numerous precepts of international law can and must be taken into consideration even before domestic rules when seeking solutions to the many problematic legal cases that arise in the professional doctor-patient relationship. In fact, international law also constitutes in this matter a complex of provisions that are often more articulated than state regulations, and therefore can well serve as a priority source of positive regulations or exegetical indications. Moreover, it ensures identical rules for identical cases, provided that the State has provided for the adaptation of its own legal system.
On the subject of artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation. Notes of a jurist
Authors: La Farina Cesare
Published: September 2024

Not available.
Propofol Use in Emergency Surgery in a Patient Having Alcohol Withdrawal
Authors: Grover Sandeep , Naskar Chandrima , Jain Kajal , Aggarwal Sameer
Published: September 2024

Alcohol use disorder is a common mental health issue with life-threatening consequences like sustaining polytrauma while driving under the influence of alcohol. Such patients frequently require surgical interventions. Because of the alcohol dependence, they have a high risk of developing alcohol withdrawal (including delirium tremens) immediately before or sometimes after the surgery. No clear guidelines exist regarding the choice of anesthetic agent in this special population, even though the diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal and/or delirium can affect the outcome of the surgical intervention in multiple ways. At times, the anesthetic agent used during the surgical procedure can delay the onset of alcohol withdrawal delirium in these patients, in the postoperative period, thus complicating its identification and management. In this report, we present two scenarios in which the presence of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the perioperative period was markedly affected by the use of infusion of propofol during the surgery. We also discuss how the mindful use of propofol infusion for anesthesia and analgesia during surgery can be a useful method, in addition to the usual benzodiazepine-based management, in this specific population to reduce the consequences of alcohol withdrawal in the postoperative period.
Masking ability of computer-aided design and manufacturing bleach shade ceramics with different thicknesses on titanium abutments
Authors: Bidaki Amin , Ahmadizenouz Ghazaleh , Esmaeili Behnaz
Published: September 2024

Background:

Titanium abutments are the gold standard of implant treatments. However, they may not create sufficient color matching to the natural teeth due to the gray color showing through under the ceramic crown. The present study aimed to determine the masking ability of computer-aided design and manufacturing () bleach shade ceramics in different thicknesses on titanium abutments.

Materials and Methods:

In this laboratory study, a total of 90 specimens of bleach shade ceramics Celtra Duo (CD), Vita Suprinity (VS), and zirconia Luxen were prepared in thicknesses of 1, 1.5, and 2 mm (n = 10). Background specimens of G-aenial composite in A3 color and titanium were used. The ceramic specimens were placed on titanium and composite backgrounds and L*a*b* color parameters and color difference (ΔE) were measured with the VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using three-way and one-way analysis of variance tests. Pairwise comparisons of groups were also performed with Tukey’s test. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant and ΔE <2.7 was considered clinically acceptable criteria.

Results:

The effects of thickness, ceramic type, and their interaction effects on the ΔE were statistically significant (all three: P <0.001). The difference in ΔE values of bleach shade ceramics on titanium and composite backgrounds was estimated to be statistically significant in the thicknesses of 1 mm (P = 0.01), 1.5 mm (P < 0.001), and 2 mm (P = 0.001). Zirconia had a better performance for masking ability in thicknesses of 1.5 mm (P < 0.001) and 1 mm (P = 0.01), while VS ceramic showed the best masking ability in thicknesses of 2 mm (P = 0.001). The masking ability of ceramics was improved by increasing the thickness.

Conclusion:

Except for VS ceramic in thickness of 1 mm, the rest of the bleach shade ceramics in all three thicknesses of 1, 1.5, and 2 mm have adequate ability to mask the titanium background and their use in line with the masking ability of titanium background has brought acceptable esthetic results.
Molecular Markers in Epithelial Dysplasia as Predictors of Malignant Transformation: A Review
Authors: Akula Sandhya Rani , Dorankula Shyam Prasad Reddy , Raj Yukti , Bhavani Sangala Nagendra
Published: September 2024

In the oral cavity, oncogenesis is widely believed to result from cumulative genetic alterations that cause a transformation of the mucosa from normal to dysplastic to invasive carcinoma. However, all epithelial dysplasias do not develop into cancer and some have shown to regress with time. Many potential markers have been used to diagnose the epithelial dysplasia and to predict their transformation into carcinoma such as p53 targets and family members: p53, MDM2, p16, p63, Akt. Therefore, identification of molecular and cellular markers specific to the oral lesions with potentially malignant transformation could lead to early detection, accurate diagnosis, prevention of the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The present review highlights on a series of molecules markers that are reported to be significantly associated with progression of oral epithelial dysplasia to OSCC and are considered as potential biomarkers in predicting malignant transformation of epithelial dysplasias into OSCC.
Exogenous Janus Kinase 617 Codon Influences Small Noncoding RNAs and Gene Expression in Ba/F3 Cells
Authors: Chen Yi-Yang , Wang Ying-Hsuan , Chen Chih-Cheng , Huang Cih-En , Hsu Chia-Chen , Hsiao Shu-Huei , Leu Yu-Wei
Published: September 2024

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are blood cancers caused by mutations that originate from hematopoietic stem cells. More than 50%–90% of MPN patients had a dominant negative valine (V) to phenylalanine (F) mutation at the Janus kinase 617 codon (JAK2V617F) within the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway; however, this mutation was also found in a high percentage of the general population, its penetrance varied, and its onset was shown to be polygenic. Consequently, it is still unknown what molecular mechanism underlies the MPN transformation produced by JAK2V617F. Patients with MPN have been shown to have dysregulation of noncoding RNAs, such as microRNA (miRNA) and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA), although there is not any concrete proof that JAK2V617F alone is responsible for the aberrant regulation of miRNA and piRNA. Human wild type versus V617F-mutated JAK2 are expressed in mouse Ba/F3 cells, and the expressed small and total RNAs were subjected to next generation sequencing analysis to determine the direct induction. Differentially expressed miRNAs, gene expression, and transcript and gene variations were found between exogenously expressed JAK2 and JAK2V617F in Ba/F3 cells. The differently expressed variations contained enriched transposable elements and piRNAs, indicating a rearranged epigenome. The results of the pathway analysis show that the transformation that self-validated the chosen sequencing target genes is impacted by the JAK-STAT pathway. The induction route is functionally conserved, according to exogenously produced miRNA and gene expression. These results may clarify how the JAK2V617F induces transformation.
Impact of Chronic Psychological Stress on Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Narrative Review
Authors: Munir Liam Z. , du Toit Eugene Francois
Published: September 2024

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death worldwide, and identification of its risk factors is pivotal in ensuring a lower socioeconomic burden on society. Psychological stress shows a strong causal link with CVD through the interaction of physiological and behavioral risk factors. Importantly, there is an association between the duration and level of stress and propensity for CVD. Chronic stress exerts its physiological effects through the release of glucocorticoids (GCs) such as cortisol, which subsequently promote proinflammatory effects, exacerbating atherosclerotic plaque development. Stress also exacerbates the secretion of cardiokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Elevated TNF-α is associated with endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis-mediated atherosclerotic plaque progression, with increased secretion as the duration of stress is extended. Stress-induced GC secretion also inhibits glucose uptake leading to hyperglycemia and consequent hyperinsulinemia. This increases an individual’s susceptibility to another CVD risk factor, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These risk factors are further exacerbated by the impact of chronic stress on behavior such as eating habits. Increased consumption of comfort foods, typically containing high fat and sugar contents, is directly associated with increased body mass index and increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, both of which are well-known drivers of atherosclerosis. Moreover, chronic stress often results in reductions in physical activity, particularly in individuals at low baseline levels of activity. This further increases an individual’s susceptibility to obesity, T2DM, and increased LDL-cholesterol levels, all of which promote the development of CVD. This review outlines key research findings relating to the role chronic psychological stress plays in altering physiological and behavioral risk factors for CVD.
Incidence and Outcome of Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation in Medical ICU Patients: An Observational-Descriptive Study
Authors: Prakash Jyoti , Anil B.
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Cardiac arrhythmias frequently occur in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), significantly impacting their health outcomes. Among these arrhythmias, supraventricular cardiac arrhythmic tachycardia, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF), is increasing in incidence and spans various medical and surgical contexts. In medical patients, the incidence ranges from 1%–46%. In patients with sepsis, the incidence of acute AF varies with the severity of sepsis, with an incidence of 8–10% in sepsis, 6–22% in severe sepsis, and 23–44% in septic shock. The development of cardiac arrhythmias in critically ill patients poses a substantial risk to both morbidity and mortality.

Aim:

To study the incidence and outcome of new-onset AF (NOAF) in medical ICU patients.

Materials and Methods:

NOAF was identified in patients with documented sinus rhythm ECG upon admission to the medical ICU who later developed AF.

Results:

Four hundred and twenty patients underwent 24-h continuous ECG monitoring, with 68 developing new-onset arrhythmias. Among them, 21 developed AF (5%). AF predominated in patients with preexisting cardiac illness (76.1%), with pneumonia being the primary non-cardiac cause. Notably, among 21 patients with AF, 12 individuals (57.1%) experienced mortality, while 9 patients (42.8%) were discharged from medical care. Notably, among the discharged patients, 5 individuals (45.4%) continued to exhibit persistent AF.

Conclusion:

It has been observed that there is an increased incidence of AF among critically ill patients, correlating with heightened rates of mortality and morbidity. Early detection and treatment hold promise in altering disease trajectories. Hence, the implementation of 24-h ECG monitoring is advocated for critically ill patients. Furthermore, a significant fraction of acute illness survivors experience new-onset AF after being discharged, which raises their long-term risks of heart failure, ischemic stroke, and death. However, the lack of expert consensus documents or evidence-based guidelines for managing NOAF highlights the need for carefully planned multicenter, prospective randomized trials to address these clinical uncertainties.
High-Frequency Deep Sclerotomy in the Treatment of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Pseudophakics: Our Experience at ECWA Eye Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
Authors: Atima Mayor , Idakwo Ugbede , Orugun Ayodele , Komolafe Oyeronke , Ajolomufiah Michael , Jah Pam Douglas
Published: September 2024

Background:

High-frequency deep sclerotomy (HFDS) is one of the treatment options for glaucoma and can be combined with cataract surgery when both conditions coexist. The procedure is also a good option to treat pseudophakics—found to have glaucoma after cataract surgery—that are not responding to treatment.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of HFDS in treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in pseudophakics.

Subjects and Methods:

This was a retrospective study of 34 patients who had HFDS in 2021. The intraocular pressures (IOPs) were obtained from the records of only 20 patients who completed 12 months of follow-up.

The MS Excel was used for the data compilation and description, and the Student t test was used for analysis.

Result:

The mean age of the patients was 65.9 ± 16.8 years consisting of 15 male patients and 5 female patients. The average preoperative IOP was 21.1 ± 6.9 and 14.25 ± 2.79 mm Hg postoperatively with P = 0.000563.

Conclusion:

HFDS being a minimally invasive technique is a viable option for lowering IOP in patients with POAG who had cataract surgery with posterior chamber intraocular lens. We recommend HFDS as a safe procedure that allows other conventional interventions for glaucoma treatment if further IOPlowering effects are needed in the future.
Bertolotti Syndrome: Prevalence and Clinical Implications in a West African Population
Authors: Ogolo Donald , Ajare Enyereibe C. , Okwunodulu Okwuoma , Ndubuisi Chika A. , Mezue Wilfred , Ohaegbulam Samuel C.
Published: September 2024

Aims:

This study examines the prevalence and clinical implications of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV), specifically lumbarization and sacralization, in a West African population. It aims to assess the association between LSTVs and low back pain, considering the potential for these anatomical variations to contribute to degenerative spinal conditions.

Materials and methods:

Over a 5-year period, 4788 patients underwent lumbosacral 1.5T MRI scans to identify the prevalence of LSTV and its types. The study analyzed the data, focusing on the correlation between LSTV, low back pain, and degenerative changes such as listhesis and disc protrusion/extrusion.

Results:

The prevalence of LSTV in the study population was found to be 2.07%, with a notable gender disparity in the occurrence of specific LSTV types. The findings also revealed a significant association between LSTV and low back pain, particularly among younger patients. Additionally, LSTV was linked to early-onset or accelerated degenerative changes in the spine.

Conclusion:

LSTV is a clinically relevant condition with a specific prevalence in the West African population, associated with low back pain and degenerative spinal changes. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing LSTV in the clinical assessment and management of patients with low back pain. The study suggests further research into the genetic, biomechanical, and environmental factors contributing to LSTV to improve patient care.
B-Mode Ultrasound Grading of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Association with Intima-media Thickness: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Baduku Tokan Silas , Ibinaiye Philip Oluleke , Igashi Joseph Bako , Usman Bello Omuya , Manko Muhammad , Ahmad Abdurrahman El-fulaty , Tabari Abdulkadir Musa , Mustapha Shettima Kagu , Olarinoye-Akorede Adebanke Sefiya , Balogun Muhammad Shakir
Published: September 2024

Background:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the infiltration of the liver cells with fat of up to at least 5% and above. It is the type of fatty infiltration that is, not associated with alcohol intake, and is the “hepatic expression” of a metabolic syndrome that affects a wide spectrum of people. It is now a disease entity in today’s society, as it is fast becoming an emerging public health problem in the medical community. This is a result of the changing life patterns in society. The incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular anomalies as depicted by changes in the vascular walls of blood vessels has been linked with NAFLD.

Objective:

To determine the association between NAFLD and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) among adult Nigerians.

Subjects and Methods:

This was a case–control study involving 181 apparently healthy subjects with NAFLD and an equal number of apparently normal subjects without NAFLD matched for age and gender. The CIMT was assessed in both groups. This makes for a total number of 362 subjects. They were recruited from ABUTH’s staff members and students and the General Out-patient/Family Medicine Clinic of ABUTH, Zaria. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of ABUTH, and all patients signed informed consent prior to their enrollment.

Results:

A total of 362 subjects were involved in the study. Both the NAFLD patients and control populations had 98 (54.1%) females and 83 (45.9%) males each, with the age range of both between 20 and 70 years of age. The Wilcoxon matched-pairs comparison test showed no significant difference in the ages of the two study groups. The development of NAFLD had significant association with age, subject’s occupation and area of residence, while there was no significant Association of development of NAFLD with sex, marital status and educational attainment. Also, there was statistically significant increase in CIMT in subjects with NAFLD when compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.0001). The values suggested a steady increase with progression from mild, moderate to severe NAFLD.

Conclusion:

Our study showed a statistically significant increase of association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and CIMT when compared with the control group in our environment.
Bridging the Gap to 6G: Leveraging the Synergy of Standardization and Adaptability
Authors: Kulkarni Anjanabhargavi , Goudar R.H. , Vinayak B. Joshi , H.T. Harish
Published: September 2024

The field of wireless network and communication technology is evolving from generation to generation from 1G to 6G as of now till expected to be deployed and used by 2030. It is to succeed in 5G and bring significant improvements in terms of connectivity, speed, and size in next-generation communication technology. 6G aims to deal with the rising need for more rapid information speed, low latency, and wider network coverage. This intelligent communication is proposed to meet these demands and enable new services and applications. This review paper highlights the key enablers and challenges involved in implementing intelligent communication beyond 5G. The paper identifies the research gaps for incorporating beyond 5G communication networks and outlines the possible 6G key objectives from a flexibility standpoint. It reviews infrastructure deployment, network densification, spectrum capacity and network energy efficiency in predecessors to 6G. This paper emphasizes the need for standardization and adaptation of research areas to revolutionize 6G wireless communication, focusing on areas like, ultra massive MIMO, Terahertz Communications, Cell-Free Communications, Intelligent Reflecting Surface, Visible Light Communication, Internet of Things, Big Data management, Artificial Intelligence, and network connectivity techniques.
Establishing prognostic models for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on immune cells
Authors: Wang Zhuo-Ran , Zhang Cun-Zhen , Ding Zhan , Li Yi-Zhuo , Yin Jian-Hua , Li Nan
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a malignant liver tumor that is challenging to treat and manage and current prognostic models for the disease are inefficient or ineffective. Tumor-associated immune cells are critical for tumor development and progression. The main goal of this study was to establish models based on tumor-associated immune cells for predicting the overall survival of patients undergoing surgery for ICC.

AIM

To establish 1-year and 3-year prognostic models for ICC after surgical resection.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining was performed for CD4, CD8, CD20, pan-cytokeratin (CK), and CD68 in tumors and paired adjacent tissues from 141 patients with ICC who underwent curative surgery. Selection of variables was based on regression diagnostic procedures and goodness-of-fit tests (PH assumption). Clinical parameters and pathological diagnoses, combined with the distribution of immune cells in tumors and paired adjacent tissues, were utilized to establish 1- and 3-year prognostic models.

RESULTS

This is an important application of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. CD4, CD8, CD20, and CK were included in the establishment of our prognostic model by stepwise selection, whereas CD68 was not significantly associated with the prognosis of ICC. By integrating clinical data associated with ICC, distinct prognostic models were derived for 1- and 3-year survival outcomes using variable selection. The 1-year prediction model yielded a C-index of 0.76 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.65-0.87 and the 3-year prediction model produced a C-index of 0.69 (95%CI: 0.65-0.73). Internal validation yielded a C-index of 0.761 (95%CI: 0.669-0.853) for the 1-year model and 0.693 (95%CI: 0.642-0.744) for the 3-year model.

CONCLUSION

We developed Cox regression models for 1-year and 3-year survival predictions of patients with ICC who underwent resection, which has positive implications for establishing a more comprehensive prognostic model for ICC based on tumor immune microenvironment and immune cell changes in the future.
Characteristics and risk factor analyses of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia in older patients with colorectal polyps
Authors: Zhang Xin , Wang Ying , Zhu Tong , Ge Jian , Yuan Jun-Hua
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

According to the degree of intradermal neoplasia in the colorectal exhalation, it can be divided into two grades: Low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN). Currently, it is difficult to accurately diagnose LGIN and HGIN through imaging, and clinical diagnosis depends on postoperative histopathological diagnosis. A more accurate method for evaluating HGIN preoperatively is urgently needed in the surgical treatment and nursing intervention of colorectal polyps.

AIM

To explore the characteristics and risk factors of HGIN in older patients with colorectal polyps.

METHODS

We selected 84 older patients diagnosed with HGIN as the HGIN group (n = 95 colonic polyps) and 112 older patients diagnosed with LGIN as the LGIN group (n = 132 colonic polyps) from Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University. The endoscopic features, demographic characteristics, and clinical manifestations of the two patient groups were compared, and a logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for HGIN in these patients.

RESULTS

The HGIN group was older and had a higher number of sigmoid colon polyps, rectal polyps, pedunculated polyps, polyps ≥ 1.0 cm in size, polyps with surface congestion, polyps with surface depression, and polyps with villous/tubular adenomas, a higher proportion of patients with diabetes and a family history of colorectal cancer, patients who experienced rectal bleeding or occult blood, patients with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 199 (CA199), and lower nutritional levels and higher frailty levels. The polyp location (in the sigmoid colon or rectum), polyp diameter (≥ 1.0 cm), pathological diagnosis of (villous/tubular adenoma), family history of colorectal cancer, rectal bleeding or occult blood, elevated serum CEA and CA199 levels, lower nutritional levels and higher frailty levels also are independent risk factors for HGIN.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of high-grade neoplastic transformation in colorectal polyps is closely associated with their location, size, villous/tubular characteristics, family history, elevated levels of tumor markers, and lower nutritional levels and higher frailty levels.
Nationwide questionnaire survey on pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan
Authors: Makita Satoshi , Uchida Hiroo , Kano Motohiro , Kawakubo Naonori , Miyake Hiromu , Yoneda Akihiro , Tajiri Tatsuro , Fukumoto Koji
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Pediatric pancreatic tumors are rare and account for < 0.1% of all childhood cancers. The primary treatment for pancreatic tumors is surgical resection. However, because of the lack of knowledge regarding pediatric pancreatic tumors, no comprehensive treatment plans for pediatric pancreatic tumors have been developed.

AIM

To compared the clinical features, treatment methods, and prognosis of pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan with those in other countries.

METHODS

Questionnaires were sent to 213 pediatric surgical units in Japan. Pancreatic tumors that were not surgically treated were excluded from the survey. The primary survey investigated the number of patients aged 0-18 years who underwent pancreatic tumor surgery and the type of tumors managed during the 22-year study period (from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2021) by post card. The secondary survey assessed the clinical images, treatment methods, and tumor outcomes via email.

RESULTS

The primary survey enrolled 228 patients. In the secondary survey, 213 patients were eventually enrolled. The most common type of pancreatic tumor was solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) [n = 164 (77.0%)], followed by pancreatoblastoma [n = 16 (7.5%)], pancreatic endocrine tumor [n = 14 (6.6%)], non-epithelial tumor [n = 9 (4.2%)], pancreatic tumor [n = 7 (3.3%)], and metastatic pancreatic tumor [n = 3 (1.4%)]. Overall, 123 (57.7%) patients underwent distal pancreatectomy, of whom 49 underwent laparoscopic surgery. Forty-four (20.7%) patients underwent enucleation, of whom eight underwent laparoscopic surgery. Thirty-two (15.0%) patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, of whom one underwent laparoscopic surgery. All patients with SPN, including those with distant metastases and recurrent disease, survived.

CONCLUSION

SPN was more common in Japan than in other countries. Regardless of the histological type, resection is the most effective treatment for pediatric pancreatic tumors.
Burden landscape of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers in Chinese young adults: 30 years’ overview and forecasted trends
Authors: Chen De-Sheng , Chen Ze-Ping , Zhu Dong-Zi , Guan Lv-Xin , Zhu Qi , Lou Yi-Chao , He Ze-Ping , Chen Hao-Nan , Sun Hong-Cheng
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) cancers impose a considerable burden on young populations (aged 15 to 49 years), resulting in a substantial number of new cases and fatalities each year. In young populations, the HBP cancers shows extensive variance worldwide and the updated data in China is lacking.

AIM

To investigate the current status, trends, projections, and underlying risk factors of HBP cancers among young populations in China.

METHODS

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 provided data on the annual incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), mortality rate (ASMR), and DALYs rate (ASDR) of HBP cancers in young Chinese adults between 1990 and 2019. Temporal trends were assessed using estimated annual percentage change and hierarchical clustering. Sex-specific mortality and DALYs caused by various risks were analyzed across China and other regions, with future trends until 2035 projected using the Bayesian age-period-cohort model.

RESULTS

From 1990 to 2019, incident cases, deaths, DALYs, ASIR, ASMR, and ASDR for liver cancer (LC) in young Chinese individuals decreased, classified into 'significant decrease' group. Conversely, cases of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer and pancreatic cancer rose, categorized as either 'significant increase' or 'minor increase' groups. The contribution of risk factors to mortality and DALYs for HBP tumors increased to varying degrees. Healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as tobacco control, weight management, alcohol moderation, and drug avoidance, could lower HBP cancers incidence. Moreover, except for LC in females, which is likely to initially decline slightly and then rise, the forecasting model predicted that the ASIR and ASMR for all HPB cancers subtypes by gender will increase among young adults.

CONCLUSION

HBP cancers burden among young adults in China is expected to increase until 2035, necessitating lifestyle interventions and targeted treatment strategies to mitigate the public health impact of these cancers.
Slovarska obravnava povedkovnika
Authors: Žele Andreja
Published: September 2024

The paper presents the semantic and structural syntactic role of the predicator complement which, in terms of category, is labelled as the povedkovnik (the predicative) and remains on the sentence element level only as a semantic determiner of the predicator – occasional semantic and syntactic usage, however, cannot determine the part of speech. The problematic character of a more precise and clearer grammatical definition of the predicator complement or the povedkovnik is revealed above all through the perspective of the dictionary, since the semantic and morphological (occasionally variable) instability prevents it from becoming an independent and determined part of speech. Comments on the determination of the povedkovnik or the predicator complement use in the new Slovenski pravopis (I Pravila, II Slovar, 2001 Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU), which is supposed to have a normative role in directing the use of Slovene and is thus supposed to function as a very influential reference book, are supported with examples.
Miran Štuhec, Subjekt v kratki prozi Andreja Blatnika
Authors: Vodišek Anita
Published: September 2024

In Blatnik's collections Šopki za Adama venijo (Bouquets for Adam are wilting), Biografije brezimenih (Biographies of those with no name), Menjave kož (Changing skins) and Zakon želje (The law of desire), the subject develops from the thinking subject, to the apathetic subject in Menjave kož (Changing skins), to the subject of talking in his last collection. The present paper places Blatnik's postmodern subject into postmodern culture, which is marked by the simultaneous existence of a greater number of truths. Lately, there have been several expressions marking the postmodern subject; the development of the concept of the subject itself can be traced from the Ancient Greek philosophers on. The alternative psychology of the 20th century introduced new interpretations of the concept of the subject. Mead's commentary of momentary events, Foucault's auto-reflexive subject, Derrida's paranoid construction and Rorty's liberal man of irony – they all constitute the postmodern subject. We can also use the same term, although with a few reservations, for Blatnik's subject, which is looking for the word to express the truth and trying to find his way in the fleeting, chaotic postmodern period.
Jezikovne tehnologije in jezikovno načrtovanje
Authors: Stabej Marko
Published: September 2024

On the one hand, language technologies strengthen the traditional language planning processes, i.e. the planning of the status and the corpus of the language, but on the other hand, they have other effects as well, which still need to be assessed from a sociolinguistic perspective, since they are not positive a priori. For a constructive synergy of technology and language planning, an interdisciplinary co-operation of disciplines from the fields of humanities and IT is necessary in all the decisive stages of the development of language technology applications.
Vloga besedilnega korpusa pri postavitvi geselskega članka v enojezičnem slovarju
Authors: Drstvenšek Nina
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of a reference corpus in the compilation of an entry article in a monolingual dictionary. In the first part the contribution of corpora to the quality of lexicographical work is examined. Part two focuses on the cognitive profile, the result of an analysis of corpus lines of a lexeme. Two types of linguistic data can be extracted from the cognitive profile: the senses of a lexeme, as manifested in the corpus, and the lexico-grammatical patterns associated with the senses. The paper explores how this type of linguistic information can inform the set-up of an entry article. Finally, in the third part predictions are made about the automation of the process.
Prevzemanje besed v slovenščini
Authors: Pogačnik Aleš
Published: September 2024

The Slovene language does not have any fixed rules for borrowing foreign words. There are some orthographic rules concerning the borrowing of foreign words, but both the usage of written Slovene and the rules, which are over 20 years old, demonstrate numerous inconsistencies. This article, based on years of experience in the editing of lexicographic books, recapitulates the inconsistencies, unnecessary complications and deficiencies of the Slovene orthographic rules on borrowings, especially of personal names, and offers an alternative guideline.
Od naslovnikov knjig do rabe slovenščine v cerkvi: nekaj vprašanj slovenske zgodovinske sociolingvistike 16. stoletja
Authors: Ahačič Kozma
Published: September 2024

The study of the development of the Slovene language in the 16th century from the point of historical sociolinguistics has brought to light some new problems. The article aims to give an answer to who the writers of the Slovene Protestant texts were, and who their target audience. A notional difference between the Slovene expression preprost and the German gemain is also explained in greater detail. The article emphasises the important role of listening in the reception of Slovene Protestant books. At the end, it gives a reconstruction of the use of the Slovene language in church.
Slovenski roman po sledovih evropskega naturalizma – usode posameznikov in socialna vprašanja v Kapitanovih Miška Kranjca
Authors: Gacoin - Marks Florence
Published: September 2024

Kapitanovi is written as a novel on three levels: on a family level, a social level and the level of the individual. Following the example of the naturalist novel, this novel foregrounds the decay of a family in which the interpersonal effects of a relationship between an individual and the environment are clearly achieved. In the thirties of the previous century, Slovenia had not yet been saturated with naturalist novel writing. A great naturalist novel, as developed in some other literatures at the end of the 19th century, is almost a new genre within Slovene novel writing. From both the thematic, as well as the structural and narrative viewpoint Kapitanovi is placed among the earliest naturalist novels; the facing of an individual and their inborn traits with the environment, the portrayal of decay, writing the story as “ a slice of life ” and the extensive use of a personal narrator, are all features which make this novel an undoubtedly late, but complete assertion of naturalism.
Ali je književnost pri pouku slovenščine kot tujega jezika lahko zanimiva?
Authors: Grosman Meta
Published: September 2024

Teaching literature can be a highly productive component of a foreign language course when designed so that it takes into account the nature of literary works, taking into consideration their features and readership conviction, while being aware of the nature of responding to literature as an intercultural activity. With these basic requirements, a concrete placement of literature needs to be adapted to the profile of foreign language learners.
Besediloslovna primerjava pisne produkcije tujih in rojenih govorcev slovenščine
Authors: Petric Ivana
Published: September 2024

The article is an attempt to answer the question of how successful foreign speakers of Slovene are when having to produce a lengthy written text; the rate of success is measured against the texts produced by native speakers of Slovene. Both groups of texts are compared according to the chosen criteria, with the main focus placed on the criteria of cohesion and coherence as applied in text linguistics. The research was aimed at discovering what the purpose and reason for using a particular cohesive device were, what effect a particular cohesive device achieves in the text, and how it could influence comprehension of the meaning of the text.
Upoštevanje ciljnih uporabnikov pri izdelavi enojezičnega slovarja za tujce
Authors: Rozman Tadeja
Published: September 2024

The article addresses the question why a dictionary for foreigners is necessary and what features it ought to have. The findings arise from a thorough knowledge of the field that deals with Slovene as a second/foreign language, a brief analysis of the existing dictionaries of Slovene and English dictionaries for foreigners, and the results of a questionnaire given to participants and teachers of Slovene language courses.
Jezikovni prenos pri učenju sorodnih jezikov (na primeru slovenščine in srbohrvaščine)
Authors: Balažic Bulc Tatjana
Published: September 2024

Communicative competence developed in the first language (L1), is the basis for developing communicative competence when later learning a foreign/second language (FL/L2). Quite often in this process a linguistic transfer occurs, both positive and negative. On the basis of a digitalised corpus of language acquisition consisting of written exams in Slovene, an analysis of negative linguistic transfers between two most closely related languages, Serbo-Croatian (L1) and Slovene (FL/L2), was made. The article shows part of the research correlated to the systemisation and types of mistakes arising from such a transfer. It is evident from the analysis of mistakes which areas need additional attention while teaching Slovene as FL/L2 to the speakers of Serbo-Croatian.
Najnovejša slovenska dramatika med platnicami in odrom
Authors: Pezdirc Bartol Mateja
Published: September 2024

Contemporary Slovene playwriting is met with a unique phenomenon: it has an extremely diverse theatre production of high quality, while the production of Slovene plays is minimal, their book publications are rare, approximately one Slovene text is staged per Slovene theatre on average, while literary studies have shown considerably less interest in contemporary Slovene playwriting compared to that in poetry and prose; therefore it is justified to speak of a so-called crisis in national playwriting on various levels. This aim of this article is to provide some key reasons for the current state of affairs: on the one hand, Slovene literature does not have a tradition of writing plays, there are few Slovene plays of good quality, while on the other hand, many forms of contemporary stage activities that have won recognition are created parallel to the text, and mass commercial theatres favour international hits. Several festivals, competitions, and awards have been created with the intention of increasing interest of both writers and theatre people, as well as the wider public, with the Grum award being met with the widest response.
Nesporazumi v komunikaciji
Authors: Verdonik Darinka
Published: September 2024

The article discusses the pragmalinguistic aspect of misunderstandings in communication. In the first part, the author establishes a theoretical framework based on the theory of the speech acts with the aim to define various types of meaning. What follows is the central problem of the present research: to clarify the concept of understanding in language use, and to define misunderstanding and different types of misunderstanding. In the final part of the article, some examples of analyses are provided to illustrate some conclusions concerning the reasons for misunderstanding.
Literatura in odpor, odpor v literaturi
Authors: Leben Andrej , Köstler Erwin
Published: September 2024

The research project entitled Literatura in odpor, odpor v literaturi (Literature and Resistance, Resistance in Literature) was dedicated to the research of Slovene and German literature, the literary arts and journalism during the time of the national liberation in the Koroška region, and the analysis of this topic in post-war literary and journalistic discourse in Slovenia and Austria. The article focuses on those parts of Austrian and Slovene Koroška (Carinthia), where organised resistance against Nazism formed between the years 1941 and 1945; the authors of this paper distinguish between three or four perspectives concerning the resistance theme: the regional German perspective, the Carinthian Slovene perspective in the Austrian part of the Koroška region, the Slovene perspective, and the Austrian perspective. The topic of resistance was a constant theme in Slovene and Carinthian Slovene literature before Slovenia’s independence in 1991. Since the 1970ies it also found its place in German Austrian literature, where for a long time this topic was linked mainly to Austrian exile literature, while Carinthian literature as a rule did not touch upon this theme but rather left it to journalism.
Teorija argumentacije Oswalda Ducrota
Authors: Puc David
Published: September 2024

The article aims to show the theory of argumentation by the French linguist and philosopher Oswald Ducrot. Based on the structural difference between a sentence and an utterance, the author in a critical dialogue with the tradition of speech acts develops a new theory of argumentation – “the theory of argumentation in the language system”. With this theory Ducrot researches the argumentative potential of the language as a system and shows that certain argumentative features are already written into the language as a system. Argumentation is not based on facts and logical deduction, it is written into the so-called argumentative operators (certain conjunctions, particles and adverbs). In the final part of the article Ducrot’s theory of argumentation is applied to the text type of commentary, while guidelines for further development of the topos theory are also provided.
Problem Cankarjeve Lepe Vide
Authors: Poniž Denis
Published: September 2024

The last play by Ivan Cankar, Lepa Vida, written in 1912, is one of those literary works that gained an extremely modest reception response from Slovene literary historians; there are also few clear definitions of what this play means for Cankar’s playwriting and his entire literary art. The paper is an introductory chapter of an extensive study researching historical fate and response, and also the present reception of this play, which broke ties with Cankar’s social and aesthetically engaged literature of the time, and opened up towards a different understanding of the world and people. Through many a question of principle, offered by Cankar’s play, the article points out its framework of method and meaning and the problems that came to light in the above-mentioned study.
Pregled sodobne slovenske mladinske proze
Authors: Haramija Dragica
Published: September 2024

A significant development of some literary text types and genres (such as the contemporary fairytale, fantasy narrative, tale, youth novel) can be observed when researching contemporary Slovene youth prose. What can also be noted is the employment of contemporary themes and motifs, a detailed portrayal of literary characters, and, with most writers, also an exceptional sense for language. The article presents a selection of authors and their works, written during the last decade with some earlier exceptions, if they had made a significant impact on the development of Slovene youth prose. The works were selected according to their quality, interesting literary type, and topical themes and motifs. Also foregrounded in the opus of individual authors are those youth prose works, which particularly signify the authors and aid in their detailed presentation.
Homoerotika v najnovejšem slovenskem romanu
Authors: Zupan Sosič Alojzija
Published: September 2024

In the most recent Slovene novels (1990–2005), homoeroticism is only gradually working its way through stereotyping, medicalising, and mystery towards a normal state, or an equalisation of different sexual identities. It is comparable to the Slovene homoerotic literary tradition in the status of its episodic nature and its correlation to adolescents and/or forced living conditions. Since it was the experimentation of sexual identity of adolescents that has led to the more tolerant image of homosexuality in the most recent Slovene novels, the discussed homoeroticism is still turning in the circle of normalisation measured against heterosexuality, which treats homosexuality merely as a transitory phase in sexual development.
Značilnosti političnega govora v totalitarni in demokratični družbi (na primeru slovenskih parlamentarnih govorov)
Authors: Kernc Boštjan
Published: September 2024

In the first part the article summarises some expert opinions on the roles of political (parliamentary) discourse and the linguistic features that facilitate the performance of these roles. The second part of the article presents the results of a study involving speeches by Slovene MPs in four different periods of the totalitarian regime (1950, 1968, 1975, 1988) and one in the democratic system (2001). The analysis of the most relevant lexical and grammatical elements aims to show how the influence of a political system and historical circumstances is reflected in linguistic expressions, focusing on the comparison of the features shared by the speeches from the totalitarian periods and those from the democratic era.
Minimalizem v sodobni slovenski kratki prozi
Authors: Jezernik Andreja
Published: September 2024

The article discusses minimalism in a narrow sense, as a literary direction within the post-modern era. The main focus is placed on researching the features of Slovene minimalism as demonstrated in the collections of short prose written by Andrej Blatnik, Dušana Čater, Aleš Čar, and Polona Glavan.
Trivialno v luči refleksije o postmodernizmu z nekaterimi primeri slovenske fantastične ter zgodovinske kratke proze
Authors: Pregelj Barbara
Published: September 2024

The article offers a brief overview of some prominent theoretical considerations on the transcendence of the traditional dichotomy between serious and trivial literature in light of reflection on postmodernism. In postmodernist literature this is manifested as a new form of intertextuality, which the author corroborates with some examples of fantasy and historical short stories. The intertextual hybrid nature of short prose genres takes shape as a correction of some typical narrative elements. This is why the theoretical starting points presented in the article are supported with the analysis of elements related to time and space in fantasy and historical short stories.