bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capitalism and Crises
Authors: Mayer Colin
Published: November 2023

The world is encountering multiple crises—climate, droughts, floods, energy, food, and pandemics. This book is about how capitalism can fix them—how it can solve not cause them. The reason why it has caused them is that we have misconceived the nature of our capitalist system. We have failed to understand the key institution at the heart of it—business—and as a result we have allowed it to cause as well as solve problems. This book describes why this has happened and what needs to change to address it. It will demonstrate that at the core of the problem is the key driver of capitalism and that is profit—the way in which we resource and reward those who run the system. Currently, profit comes from causing as well as solving problems. It must not, if we are to prevent the problems. At the centre of the book is the notion of organizations as existing to solve problems, not cause them, and the way in which they should be designed, owned, governed, measured, and incentivized to do that. The book discusses how financial institutions should contribute to this, and how the public sector can work with the private on a common purpose of solving problems and creating shared prosperity.
Criminal Law
Authors: Peers Steve
Published: November 2023

This chapter describes and analyses the EU law on harmonization of criminal procedure, in particular the laws on fair trials (information about charges, translation and interpretation for suspects and defendants, access to a lawyer, presumption of innocence, in absentia trials, child suspects’ rights, legal aid in criminal cases, ‘soft law’ on pre-trial detention, and bail) and crime victims’ rights, in the context of human rights rules on these issues (set out in Article 6 ECHR and the fair trials case law of the European Court of Human Rights). This includes a discussion of the extensive case law on these topics, particularly on the presumption of innocence (including cases on bail), in absentia trials, translation rights, access to a lawyer, crime victims’ rights, and information about criminal charges.
Civil Cooperation
Authors: Peers Steve
Published: November 2023

This chapter describes and analyses the EU law on civil cooperation, in particular on jurisdiction and choice of law (Brussels Regulation on jurisdiction and enforcement; Rome Regulations on choice of law on contractual, non-contractual, and divorce issues), but also on related fields like the service of documents, legal aid, the exchange of evidence, simplified enforcement (European enforcement order, order for payment, small claims) and proposed litigation against journalists. It discusses EU law on specialized issues such as inheritance, insolvency, and family law (child custody and access, divorce, maintenance proceedings, marital property and property of partnerships, proposal on recognition of parenthood). This includes the extensive CJEU case law on these subjects, and the EU’s external relations in this field.
Survey and Science
Authors: Gillin Edward J.
Published: November 2023

Between 1818 and 1839, a series of Royal Navy expeditions searched the Arctic in hope of finding a North-West Passage that would connect the North Atlantic with the Pacific. Ostensibly intended to expand Britain’s trade routes and commerce, these voyages were also moments of considerable scientific activity. In particular, the magnetic research of Edward Sabine, John Franklin, and James Clark Ross transformed these expeditions into celebrated inquiries into natural phenomena. Most famously, Ross’s discovery of the north magnetic pole in 1831 stirred unrivalled enthusiasm in British audiences for further magnetic investigation. The problem, however, with furthering philosophical understanding of terrestrial magnetism, was the limits of nineteenth-century instrumentation. So when John Franklin read of Robert Were Fox’s design of a new, robust dipping needle, he travelled down to Falmouth to see it for himself. Subsequently, throughout the 1830s, Fox’s instrument gained increasing reputation with Britain’s scientific elites through its performance on the ongoing magnetic survey of the British Isles. This chapter examines the rise of Fox’s dipping needle from its Cornish origins to becoming the nation’s premier device for obtaining magnetic measurements. By 1839, it was the obvious choice for future magnetic research.
The Biological Weapons Taboo
Authors: Bentley Michelle
Published: November 2023

The non-use of biological weapons has been described as the ‘great mystery of biological warfare’. This book solves that mystery by analysing the bioweapons taboo—in the first comprehensive study of the concept. Bioweapons are so vile, obnoxious, and morally abhorrent that they are deemed to be pariah. Biological armaments are not just another weapon in our minds, and actors do not treat them as such. In applying this understanding of biowarfare to what those actors do (or not) in relation to biological violence, this study explains precisely why actors find bioweapons repulsive and how this sentiment is then expressed in the form of political behaviours, including the refusal to engage in biological aggression. Drawing on extensive archival evidence, this book looks back on United States’ foreign policy decision-making (particularly in relation to the Geneva Protocol and the Biological Weapons Convention) to demonstrate how and why the taboo has comprised a decisive factor in shaping both biowarfare strategy and political rhetoric—and why the taboo needs to be recognized as a necessary consideration in the study of bioweapons. In analysing a taboo, the book also takes the debate on international norms forward by questioning and challenging the wider analytic comprehension of ‘taboo’ itself. Rejecting current definitions of the concept as inadequate, the book proposes a new and original model of understanding based on the normative characteristics of disgust, stigmatization, and fetishization.
Renunciation
Authors: Bentley Michelle
Published: November 2023

Chapter 6 examines President Richard Nixon’s 1969 renunciation of bioweapons. This case study is a crucial example as it represents an explicit and total rejection of biowarfare. Renunciation is typically attributed to self-interested calculations of military utility. In contrast to this accepted thinking, the chapter offers an original and alternative interpretation of events based on the taboo. The analysis identifies a range of causative factors pertaining to the taboo: scandal relating to biowarfare (e.g. Vietnam); public opinion, which was galvanized by (what is termed within this book) ‘taboo advocates’; and the continued international stigmatization of biological aggression. The chapter also considers the dynamics between the perceptions of biowarfare among the military and in the wider public to ascertain how transparency relates to the taboo.
American and British Jewish POWs in German POW Camps
Authors: Linenberg Yorai
Published: November 2023

The chapter discusses the interactions American and British Jewish POWs had with their captors during their time in captivity, from the time of capture to their stay in the POW camps and in the labour detachments. The interactions include those with camp commandants, interrogators, and camp guards, as well as with other groups they came into contact with, such as forced labour workers and German civilians. Interactions that occurred outside the camp, for example when they were brought in front of a military court, or were treated in a hospital, are also discussed. The chapter examines how Jewish POWs were treated by these different groups, and attempts to explain their treatment by assessing whether the National Socialist indoctrination and individual anti-Semitic beliefs of the German soldiers they encountered were strong enough to overcome specific orders to treat these POWs according to the 1929 Geneva Convention.
Rational Leadership
Authors: Brooker Paul , Hayward Margaret
Published: November 2023

This sixteen-chapter book is a second, much expanded edition of Rational Leadership: Developing Iconic Corporations. The new edition, subtitled Developing and Redeveloping Corporations, looks at the redeveloping as well as developing of corporations by rational leaders. Rational leadership inspires confidence by capably using appropriate rational means, and the book highlights two important versions of rational leadership: where a rational leader is either developing or redeveloping a business corporation. The Part I chapters present seven cases of rational leaders who have developed iconic corporations. These best-practice leaders include Sam Walton of Walmart, Meg Whitman of eBay, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. In all seven cases, the leaders used appropriate adaptive, calculative, and deliberative rational methods to develop their corporations. In Part II, the focus shifts from development to redevelopment. The Part II chapters present five classic cases of rational leaders redeveloping—remedially renewing—problematic corporations. The leaders include Lou Gerstner of IBM and Steve Jobs of Apple. In all five cases the leaders used appropriate organizational tools, which transformed, reoriented, or hybridized the corporation. Both Parts I and II also present supplementary cases of other rational leaders developing or redeveloping a corporation. These leaders include Sheryl Sandberg, Marcel Dassault, Giorgio Armani, Anita Roddick, Satya Nadella, Carly Fiorina, Marissa Mayer, and Jack Welch. In total there are more than twenty supplementary or main cases of rational leadership. Most of these case studies are based on a leader’s memoir and leader’s-eye view, validated and expanded by additional biographical and historical sources.
The Debate about Consciousness
Authors: French Steven
Published: November 2023

As it turns out, it was Wigner who articulated and vigorously defended the role of consciousness in the context of the ‘measurement problem’ and in this chapter his views and arguments are presented. Also described are his interactions with Polanyi, who famously developed the notion of ‘tacit’ knowledge, and Margenau, with whom he collaborated in the well-known debate with Putnam and Shimony. This was a pivotal moment in the history of philosophical reflections on the foundations of quantum physics and when the dust had cleared, the idea that definite outcomes were obtained through the intervention of consciousness had apparently been firmly dismissed. The bulk of the chapter deals with the ins and outs of that debate, covering Putnam’s and Shimony’s arguments and Wigner and Margenau’s responses. Both sides cite London and Bauer’s ‘little book’ (as it was called by Wigner), even repeating passages from it, but as we shall see, both sides misunderstood the core idea (although Shimony later acknowledged that his criticisms had missed the point).
London and Bauer Revisited
Authors: French Steven
Published: November 2023

Here a ‘blow-by-blow’ account of London and Bauer’s ‘little book’ is presented, beginning with their central claim that quantum mechanics should itself be understood as a theory of knowledge. It counts as such precisely because it sets at its very core the aforementioned relationship between mind and the world. This is revealed through a careful analysis of the measurement situation, presented in detail by London and Bauer. In particular, they insist that the observer is able to know her own state because she has with herself a relationship of a special character, as manifested through the faculty of introspection. By virtue of this immanent knowledge she is then able to separate herself from the quantum superposition and establish her own objectivity. However, this is not to be equated with her consciousness mysteriously ‘causing’ the wave-function to collapse; rather, her ego thereby emerges as one pole of the relationship, with the system, now also in a definite state, as the ‘object-pole’. The terms used in the text are redolent of phenomenological language and with that understanding we can see just how wide of the mark Putnam and Shimony’s criticisms are (and also Margenau and Wigner’s interpretation, to be fair!). It is then suggested that this ‘little book’ may serve as the basis for a novel phenomenological understanding of quantum physics.
Completing the Crisis
Authors: French Steven
Published: November 2023

A phenomenological understanding of quantum theory offers an entirely new perspective on scientific objectivity and our relationship with the world more generally. However, it is important to recognize that it sits askew to the usual realist and empiricist stances that are debated within the philosophy of science. This becomes apparent when we consider Husserl’s great unfinished work, The Crisis of the European Sciences. In this chapter, following Trizio’s recent analysis, Husserl’s account of the nature of science and its relationship to the everyday ‘life-world’ is described. In particular, the ‘crisis’ is understood as arising from the mathematization of science, with its inherent idealization, which has produced a kinds of ‘psychophysical’ splitting of material nature. London and Bauer’s account is then presented as offering a way to overcome this ‘split’ through the correlation between mind and world and thereby complete Husserl’s final project.
Electromagnetism in Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Bertlmann Reinhold A. , Friis Nicolai
Published: November 2023

Chapter 9 discusses the rigorous incorporation of electromagnetism in quantum mechanics via minimal substitution and the inclusion of spin, which leads to the Pauli equation. The gauge invariance of this formulation is inspected more closely, which leads us to understanding quantum mechanics as a gauge theory, and on to fascinating geometric effects such as the Aharonov-Bohm effect and the discovery of geometric phases such as the Berry phase and the Aharonov-Anandan phase. To give a better context to these effects, a compact introduction to the mathematical background of differential geometry is provided, introducing concepts such as differentiable manifolds, tangent and cotangent spaces, and maps between them, as well as from their elements to the real numbers, arriving at tensors and differential forms. With these tools at hand, we first define fibre bundles before formulating the previously discussed geometric phases as well as the so-called Dirac monopole in this language
Quantum Teleportation
Authors: Bertlmann Reinhold A. , Friis Nicolai
Published: November 2023

Chapter 14 discusses the quantum communication protocol called quantum teleportation, which uses the quantum correlations in an entangled particle pair shared between two observers to transmit the information stored in the (unknown) quantum state of a target system from one of the observers to the other. After reviewing the theoretical basics we showcase some of the important experimental demonstrations of teleportation. We then turn to more general protocols related to teleportation such as entanglement swapping, and the general formalism of isometries, before inspecting the option of delayed-choice entanglement swapping. In the light of these findings we compare teleportation to classical information transfer and inspect the related dense-coding protocol. Finally, we give an overview of basic quantum key distribution protocols is given, including the Bennett-Brassard-84 protocol based on conjugate coding and the entanglement-based Ekert-91 protocol
WUSCHEL-related homeobox transcription factor SlWOX13 regulates tomato fruit ripening
Authors: Jiang Guoxiang , Li Zhiwei , Ding Xiaochun , Zhou Yijie , Lai Hongmei , Jiang Yueming , Duan Xuewu
Published: November 2023

Fruit ripening is a complex, genetically programmed process involving the action of critical transcription factors (TFs). Despite the established importance of WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) TFs in plant development, the involvement of WOX and its underlying mechanism in the regulation of fruit ripening remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SlWOX13 regulates fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Overexpression of SlWOX13 accelerates fruit ripening, whereas loss-of-function mutation in SlWOX13 delays this process. Moreover, ethylene synthesis and carotenoid accumulation are significantly inhibited in slwox13 mutant fruit but accelerated in SlWOX13 transgenic fruit. Integrated analyses of RNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq identified 422 direct targets of SlWOX13, of which 243 genes are negatively regulated and 179 are positively regulated by SlWOX13. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, RT-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and ChIP-qPCR analyses demonstrated that SlWOX13 directly activates the expression of several genes involved in ethylene synthesis and signaling and carotenoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, SlWOX13 modulates tomato fruit ripening through key ripening-related TFs, such as RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN), NON-RIPENING (NOR), and NAM, ATAF1, 2, and CUC2 4 (NAC4). Consequently, these effects promote fruit ripening. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SlWOX13 positively regulates tomato fruit ripening via both ethylene synthesis and signaling and by transcriptional regulation of key ripening-related TFs.
RNA m6A modification facilitates DNA methylation during maize kernel development
Authors: Luo Jin-Hong , Guo Ting , Wang Min , Liu Jing-Han , Zheng Lei-Ming , He Yan
Published: November 2023

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mRNA and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA have critical functions for regulating gene expression and modulating plant growth and development. However, the interplay between m6A and 5mC is an elusive territory and remains unclear mechanistically in plants. We reported an occurrence of crosstalk between m6A and 5mC in maize (Zea mays) via the interaction between mRNA adenosine methylase (ZmMTA), the core component of the m6A methyltransferase complex, and decrease in DNA methylation 1 (ZmDDM1), a key chromatin-remodeling factor that regulates DNA methylation. Genes with m6A modification were coordinated with a much higher level of DNA methylation than genes without m6A modification. Dysfunction of ZmMTA caused severe arrest during maize embryogenesis and endosperm development, leading to a significant decrease in CHH methylation in the 5′ region of m6A-modified genes. Instead, loss of function of ZmDDM1 had no noteworthy effects on ZmMTA-related activity. This study establishes a direct link between m6A and 5mC during maize kernel development and provides insights into the interplay between RNA modification and DNA methylation.
Plastic additive components of PM2.5 increase corrected QT interval: Screening for exposure markers based on airborne exposome
Authors: Liu Xiaotu , Wang Yanwen , Fang Jianlong , Chen Renjie , Sun Yue , Tang Shuqin , Wang Minghao , Kan Haidong , Li Tiantian , Chen Da
Published: November 2023

The impact of industrial chemical components of ambient fine particles (e.g. PM2.5) on cardiovascular health has been poorly explored. Our study reports for the first time the associations between human exposure to complex plastic additive (PA) components of PM2.5 and prolongation of heart rate–corrected QT (QTC) interval by employing a screening-to-validation strategy based on a cohort of 373 participants (136 in the screening set and 237 in the validation set) recruited from 7 communities across China. The high-throughput airborne exposome framework revealed ubiquitous occurrences of 95 of 224 target PAs in PM2.5, totaling from 66.3 to 555 ng m−3 across the study locations. Joint effects were identified for 9 of the 13 groups of PAs with positive associations with QTC interval. Independent effect analysis also identified and validated tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate, di-n-butyl/diisobutyl adipate, and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde as the key exposure markers for QTC interval prolongation and changes of selected cardiovascular biomarkers. Our findings highlight the important contributions of airborne industrial chemicals to the risks of cardiovascular diseases and underline the critical need for further research on the underlying mechanisms, toxic modes of action, and human exposure risks.
An intervention study investigating the effectiveness of contextualizing multimodal strategy on improving hand hygiene at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria
Authors: Yaqub Yahaya , Tanko Zainab Lamido , Aminu Aliyu , Umar Usman Yahya , Ejembi Joan
Published: November 2023

Background

Hand hygiene (HH) is a proven low-cost means to curtail the problem of hospital-acquired infection (HAI). However, a low HH compliance rate of 17.1% was found among surgical health workers at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) in Zaria, Nigeria.

Methods

This was an intervention study conducted utilizing mixed methods to investigate the effectiveness of the World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal strategy to improve the HH compliance rate of doctors at ABUTH Zaria. The study was conducted between June and August 2022 and included delivering a behavioural change HH workshop to doctors followed by data collection in the surgical wards that had received environmental modification through the provision of an alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR), HH posters and nurses for visual and/or verbal reminders.

Results

The cumulative HH compliance rate was 69% (n=1774) and was significantly different from the baseline HH compliance rate of 17.1% (confidence interval 45.5 to 57.7, p<0.001). Observed HH was highest in the ward with both visual and verbal reminders (78%) and lowest (59%) where neither visual nor verbal reminders were provided (n=444 per ward). All respondents reported motivation to perform HH with the presence of ABHR.

Conclusions

The WHO multimodal strategy is good for enhancing HH among health workers in the context of low- and middle-income countries. More research is needed to understand how much of a reduction in HAI is directly associated with efficient HH by health workers.
Social Protection amid a Crisis: New Evidence from South Africa’s Older Person’s Grant
Authors: Alloush Mo , Bloem Jeffrey R , Malacarne J G
Published: November 2023

This study estimates the effects of South Africa’s Older Person’s Grant on well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With household-level data collected before and during the pandemic, it leverages the age-eligibility threshold of the grant to estimate its effects on households in both periods. Prior to the pandemic, this study finds that grant receipt substantially improves economic well-being and decreases adult hunger at the household level. During the first 18 months of the pandemic, this study finds larger effects on both economic well-being and hunger than prior to the pandemic. In particular, recipient households were less likely to report running out of money for food and hunger among either adults or children. These results, which are stronger when pandemic-related lockdown policies are in place and for more vulnerable households, provide critical insight into the effectiveness of one of the world’s most well-known cash-transfer programs during a massive global health crisis.
Priorities for Well Child Care of Families Affected by Parental Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Goyal Neera K. , Sood Erica , Gannon Meghan A. , Harris Grace , Hand Dennis J. , Abatemarco Diane J. , Short Vanessa L.
Published: November 2023

Background and Objectives

Parenting women in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) report a lack of family centeredness and anticipatory guidance within well child care (WCC), and WCC utilization is low among affected children. We explore priorities for WCC visit content to inform primary care recommendations for this population.

Methods

This study is a qualitative study of parenting women from one urban, academic OUD treatment program and pediatric primary care clinicians from a nearby affiliated pediatric practice. Eligible parent participants had a child ≤2 years old and were English speaking. Semistructured interviews elicited perspectives on WCC, with questions and prompts related to visit content. Inductive thematic analysis was led by 2 investigators using open coding procedures.

Results

Among 30 parent participants, the majority were White (83%) and unmarried (90%). Approximately 60% reported their child received pharmacotherapy for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Of 13 participating clinicians, 9 were attending pediatricians. Five themes emerged from parental and clinician interviews: (1) improving knowledge and confidence related to child development, behavior, and nutrition; (2) mitigating safety concerns; (3) addressing complex health and subspecialty needs through care coordination; (4) acknowledging parental health and wellbeing in the pediatric encounter; and (5) supporting health education and care related to neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Parents and clinicians expressed difficulty comprehensively addressing such issues due to time constraints, social determinants of health, and significant informational needs.

Conclusions

Parenting women in treatment for OUD and pediatric clinicians share multiple priorities for anticipatory guidance within WCC visits and barriers to addressing them comprehensively.
Building and Sustaining Organizational Capacity for the Rehabilitation Profession to Support Long COVID Care
Authors: Gustavson Allison M. , Rasmussen Alana , Ludescher Melissa , Tonkin Brionn , Toonstra Amy
Published: November 2023

The persistent postacute effects of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) illness are and will continue to negatively impact the growing numbers of people recovering from acute viral illness. Rehabilitation providers are critical members of the interdisciplinary care team that screen for, evaluate, treat, and manage Long COVID sequalae. However, current models of outpatient rehabilitation may lack the organizational capacity to effectively treat a large volume of patients at a higher frequency and longer duration currently indicated under emerging clinical consensus. Thus, the purpose of this special communication is to outline challenges in organizational capacity to scaling Long COVID care through illustrative examples.
Transorbital Endoscopic Approach to the Pterygopalatine Fossa: A Less Invasive Alternative to Traditional Access
Authors: Osias Ethan A. , Roelofs Kelsey A. , Leibowitz Steven , Goldberg Robert A. , Rootman Daniel B.
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

The purpose of this article and accompanying video is to demonstrate a transorbital endoscopic approach for accessing the pterygopalatine fossa (PPF). This technique does not require a skin incision, avoids dissection of critical neurovascular structures, and utilizes a comparatively small osteotomy. The 2 cases presented in this article highlight the utility of a transorbital endoscopic approach for accessing an anatomic region that has traditionally required more invasive techniques to reach.

Methods:

Description of surgical technique with 2 illustrative clinical cases and accompanying surgical video.

Results:

Surgical technique: A trans-conjunctival approach is taken to the inferior orbital rim, and a subperiosteal dissection is propagated posteriorly. The bone of the posterior orbital floor is then deroofed, and the superior portion of the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus is removed, allowing access to the PPF for an incisional biopsy.

Case 1:

A 76-year-old male with a history of left cheek squamous cell carcinoma presented with progressive V2 paresthesia and an abnormally enhancing lesion in the left PPF on MRI.

Case 2:

A 58-year-old male with no significant medical history presented with left facial numbness (V1-V3), ptosis, an abduction deficit, and decreased hearing. Contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated an abnormally enhanced lesion in the left PPF extending to Meckel’s cave.

The transorbital approach described was used to successfully obtain a diagnostic biopsy in both cases.

Conclusions:

These cases highlight the utility of a transorbital endoscopic approach to the PPF as a less morbid alternative to traditional access. Patient selection is key to identifying appropriate cases.
A novel remnant liver-first strategy for liver autotransplantation in patients with end-stage hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: a retrospective case series
Authors: Lv Tao , Xu Gang , Xu Xi , Wu Gang , Wan Chen-Fei , Song Jiu-Lin , Yang Jian , Zhou Yong-Jie , Luo Kui , Wu Hong , Ye Cheng-Jie , Yan Lv-Nan , Lau Wan-Yee , Yang Jia-Yin
Published: November 2023

Background:

Ex vivo liver resection combined with autotransplantation is an effective therapeutic strategy for unresectable end-stage hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). However, ex vivo liver resection combined with autotransplantation is a technically demanding and time-consuming procedure associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The authors aimed to present our novel remnant liver-first strategy of in vivo liver resection combined with autotransplantation (IRAT) technique for treating patients with end-stage HAE.

Methods:

This retrospective study included patients who underwent IRAT between January 2014 and December 2020 at two institutions. Patients with end-stage HAE were carefully assessed for IRAT by a multidisciplinary team. The safety, feasibility, and outcomes of this novel technique were analyzed.

Results:

IRAT was successfully performed in six patients, with no perioperative deaths. The median operative time was 537.5 min (range, 501.3–580.0), the median anhepatic time was 59.0 min (range, 54.0–65.5), and the median cold ischemia time was 165.0 min (range, 153.8–201.5). The median intraoperative blood loss was 700.0 ml (range, 475.0–950.0). In-hospital complications occurred in two patients. No Clavien–Dindo grade III or higher complications were observed. At a median follow-up of 18.6 months (range, 15.4–76.0) , all patients were alive. No recurrence of HAE was observed.

Conclusion:

The remnant liver-first strategy of IRAT is feasible and safe for selected patients with end-stage HAE. The widespread adoption of this novel technique requires further studies to standardize the operative procedure and identify patients who are most likely to benefit from it.
Utility of the international society on thrombosis and hemostasis-bleeding assessment tool in the diagnosis of patients who suspected of platelet function disorders
Authors: Shahbazi Massoumeh , Ahmadinejad Minoo , Teimourpour Amir
Published: November 2023

The ISTH-BAT is a structured bleeding assessment tool to record and help diagnose patients with possible bleeding disorders. However, a few studies evaluated the utility of ISTH-BAT in diagnosing patients with platelet function defects (PFDs).

In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic utility of ISTH-BAT in predicting PFDs among patients suspected of PFDs.

Forty patients suspected of PFDs and 21 normal healthy controls were evaluated by the ISTH-BAT scoring system, light transmission aggregometry (LTA), ATP-releasing assays (lumi-aggregometry), and expression of CD62P for diagnosis of PFDs.

Among 40 patients suspected of PFDs, 10 were diagnosed as PFDs using lumiaggregometry and CD62P. The ISTH-BAT score in patients suspected of PFDs [(6, interquartile range (IQR) 1–8] and patients with PFDs was significantly higher than the control group (0; IQR 0–0) (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves indicate that ISTH-BAT is not able to discriminate patients with PFDs from those without PFDs (areas under the curve of 0.620 (95% confidence interval 0.415–0.825). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the ISTH-BAT in predicting the presence of PFDs, respectively, were 40, 73.3, 33.3, and 78.6% in the cut-off ISTH-BAT at least 4 in adult men, at least 6 in adult women, and at least 3 in children (age < 18).

The ISTH-BAT scoring system has good discriminatory power in diagnosing patients with PFDs from healthy controls but is ineffective in differentiating them from those without PFDs.
Clot waveform analysis in acute promyelocytic leukemia
Authors: Terras Malek , El Borgi Wijden , Betbout Wafa , Jaied Rabeb , Lakhal Fatma Ben , Salem Sarra Fekih , Ghali Ons , Gouider Emna
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT)-based clot waveform analysis (CWA) in patients diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).

APTT-based and PT-based CWA parameters of patients diagnosed with APL were analyzed and compared with healthy volunteers. Four APTT-CWA parameters were noted, maximum velocity corresponding to the first peak of the first derivative (max1), maximum acceleration corresponding to the first peak of the second derivative (max2) and the corresponding peak times of max1 and max2 (Tmax1, Tmax2). For the PT-CWA, two PT-CWA parameters were noted, maximum velocity (max1’) and the corresponding timing (Tmax1’). The results were expressed in medians. Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the CWA parameters. Correlations were examined using the Spearman correlation test.

Tmax1 and Tmax2 were significantly prolonged in patients with APL in comparison with healthy volunteers. Although max1 and max2 were lower in APL patients compared with healthy volunteers, no significant difference was noted. There was a strong and significant correlation between the DIC score and the parameters max1, max2 and max1’ and a very strong and significant correlation between fibrinogen levels and max1, max2 and max1’. When comparing DIC patients with hypofibrinogenemia and DIC without hypofibrinogenemia, a significant difference was noted in max1, max2, Tmax1 and Tmax2.

The APTT and PT-based CWA analysis is a good tool to evaluate the bleeding tendency in APL, as it offers a novel approach for evaluating global hemostasis, predicting the bleeding risk and delivering improvements to APL patients management.
True vs. false immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura exacerbations: a clinical case in the caplacizumab era
Authors: Laganà Alessandro , Trisolini Silvia Maria , Maglione Raffaele , Mahnaz Shafii Bafti , Imperatore Stefano , Vitullo Diana , Capria Saveria
Published: November 2023

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a medical emergency requiring urgent plasma exchange and immunosuppressive agents. Recently, the therapeutic options have been expanded by the approval of a novel anti-von Willebrand factor (vWF) nanobody, caplacizumab, inhibiting vWF–platelet aggregation. Here, we present a rare case of a patient affected by immune-mediated TTP (iTTP) reporting ischemic stroke caused by a real iTTP exacerbation during caplacizumab administration and subsequent pancytopenia caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection that mimicked another iTTP exacerbation. The case is a real-life example of a not-frequent iTTP exacerbation in the caplacizumab era and of the new management issues arising with the introduction of the new drugs in clinical practice, highlighting the need of new comprehensive response criteria and treatment guidelines.
Construction and validation of the predictive model for gallbladder cancer liver metastasis patients: a SEER-based study
Authors: Zhang Woods , Chen Zhitian , Sa Benzhong
Published: November 2023

Background

The purpose of this present research was to construct a nomograph model to predict prognosis in gallbladder cancer liver metastasis (GCLM) patients so as to provide a basis for clinical decision-making.

Methods

We surveyed patients diagnosed with GCLM in the Surveillance Epidemiology and the End Results database between 2010 and 2019. They were randomized 7 : 3 into a training set and a validation set. In the training set, meaningful prognostic factors were determined using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and an individualized nomogram prediction model was generated. The prediction model was evaluated by C-index, calibration curve, ROC curve and DCA curve from the training set and the validation set.

Results

A total of 727 confirmed cases were enrolled in the research, 510 in the training set and 217 in the validation set. Factors including bone metastasis, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates and were employed in the construction of the nomogram model. The C-index for the training set and validation set were 0.688 and 0.708, respectively. The calibration curve exhibited good consistency between predicted and actual CSS rates. ROC curve and DCA of the nomogram showed superior performance at 6 months CSS, 1-year CSS and 2 years CSS in both the training set and validation set.

Conclusion

We have successfully constructed a nomogram model that can predict CSS rates in patients with GCLM. This prediction model can help patients in counseling and guide clinicians in treatment decisions.
Determination and prospective validation of cut-off values for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis for point shear-wave elastography/acoustic radiation force impulse imaging using the ACUSON Sequoia ultrasound system
Authors: Meitner-Schellhaas B. , Schüler S. , Vogl T. , Jesper D. , Vetter M. , Waldner M. , Strobel D.
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Point shear-wave elastography (pSWE) alias acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is a well-established ultrasound-based technique for the non-invasive assessment of liver tissue stiffness. As cut-off values for liver cirrhosis cannot be transferred from one ultrasound system to another, this study aimed at determining cut-off values for the newly developed Siemens ACUSON Sequoia ultrasound system.

Methods

In a pilot study phase, two independent examiners conducted 10 pSWE measurements in an elasticity phantom and 32 healthy individuals for the determination of inter-examiner agreement. Afterwards, 22 cirrhotic patients and 57 patients with chronic liver disease undergoing liver biopsy underwent pSWE. Patient characteristics and stiffness values were compared for individuals with and without liver cirrhosis. Diagnostic accuracies of cut-off values for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis were calculated using areas under the receiver operating characteristics analysis and Youden’s index. In a subsequent validation study phase, these cut-off values were validated prospectively in 107 cirrhotic and 68 non-cirrhotic patients.

Results

Inter-examiner agreement was excellent for measurements in the elasticity phantom (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.998; P < 0.001), and good for measurements in patients (ICC = 0.844; P < 0.001). The best cut-off value for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was 1.405 m/s with an AUC of 0.872, a sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 88.2% (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

ARFI elastography using the Siemens ACUSON Sequoia showed a good inter-examiner agreement. The optimal cut-off value was lower than the cut-off values described for former generations of ultrasound devices. These preliminary results should be confirmed in larger patient collectives with histology as the reference standard.
Transplantation for colorectal liver metastasis
Authors: Line Pål-Dag , Dueland Svein
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

Liver transplantation has emerged as a possible treatment for selected patients with nonresectable colorectal liver metastasis, but controversy still exists regarding optimal selection criteria and acceptable outcomes.

Recent findings

Univariate analysis in the largest cohorts confirms that metachronous disease, Oslo score = 0–1, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) less than 70 cm3, and tumor burden score less than 9 are positive predictive factors for good overall survival outcomes. Some recent trials might suggest that technical resectability is not a valid exclusion criterion for patients with high tumor load and favorable prognostic scores in the transplant evaluation. Recent developments in circulation DNA technology and liquid biopsy may play a future role in the selection and monitoring of patients.

Evaluation for transplant needs multidisciplinary involvement and should not be delayed until the failure of conventional oncological therapy. Larger data sets are needed to refine the selection criteria for liver transplantation in colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM).
Relaxation as an Educational Strategy for Stress Management and Resiliency
Authors: Mahoney Sarah , Bussard Michelle E.
Published: November 2023

Background:

Prelicensure nursing students experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than the remainder of the student body.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to identify whether implementation of Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) and a relaxation room decreased perceived stress levels in prelicensure nursing students.

Methods:

This quasi-experimental pre- and posttest interventional study used a within-subjects design. Nursing students were asked to use a relaxation room for 15 minutes following a discussion on stress management and resiliency strategies. The students evaluated their stress level at baseline and at the conclusion of using the relaxation room.

Results:

The self-reported stress levels decreased for nearly 90% of the participants following the use of the interventions.

Conclusions:

Stress management and resiliency interventions during academic hours decreased the reported stress levels of nursing students. The strategies are beneficial options to reduce stress and improve resiliency skills among prelicensure nursing students.
Acquired Symmastia
Authors: Liu Chang , Chen Yuzhe , Wang Zijun , Qu Qi , Fan Yan , Xu Yajuan
Published: November 2023

Background

Acquired symmastia is a rare complication after breast augmentation that is difficult to fix.

Methods

The medical records of 18 female patients with symmastia treated by our team were reviewed. Data collected included preoperative medical history, implant size, and breast base width. Surgical techniques were systematically reviewed and analyzed based on postoperative follow-up results.

Results

Of the 18 patients, 15 patients had undergone implanted breast augmentation and 3 had injected breast augmentation. All 18 patients underwent comprehensive repair with various surgical techniques. Three patients showed recurrence after operation. Four patients were dissatisfied with postoperative breast size and underwent 2-stage replacement surgery.

Conclusions

Symmastia is an intractable surgical complication. Surgical classification can help assess the difficulty of surgery in advance, and the surgical strategy plan can help the surgeon to control the quality of the repair surgery.
Altered cognitive control network mediates the association between long-term pain and anxiety symptoms in primary dysmenorrhea
Authors: Yu Zheng , Yang Han , Liu Li-ying , Chen Lin , Su Meng-hua , Yang Lu , Zhu Man-jia , Yang Li-li , Liang Fanrong , Yu Siyi , Yang Jie
Published: November 2023

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the association of the cognitive control network (CCN) with the maintenance of chronic pain. However, whether and how dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a key region within the CCN, is altered in menstrual pain is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate alterations in the DLPFC functional connectivity network in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM). The study comprised 41 PDM patients and 39 matched healthy controls (HCs), all of whom underwent a resting-state functional MRI scan during the menstrual stage. All participants were instructed to complete the clinical assessment before the MRI scan. We used the DLPFC as the seed in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) analysis to investigate the difference between PDM patients and HCs. Compared to HCs, PDM patients showed increased right DLPFC rsFC at the bilateral lingual gyrus, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and middle cingulate cortex, and decreased left DLPFC rsFC at the right orbital frontal cortex. In addition, increased right DLPFC-bilateral dACC connectivity mediated the association between disease duration and the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores in PDM patients. We confirmed that the DLPFC-dACC rsFC was associated with higher SAS scores, which could mediate the association between disease duration and anxiety symptoms in patients with PDM. Our findings provide central pathological evidence for an abnormal rsFC of the CCN in PDM patients, which may contribute to a better understanding of the neuropathophysiological mechanisms underlying PDM.
The severity of addiction mediates loneliness and cortical volume in internet gaming disorder
Authors: Dai Junhong , Zhao Zhen , Dong Haohao , Du Xiaoxia , Guang-Heng Dong
Published: November 2023

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) subjects reported higher loneliness scores than healthy controls. However, the neural correlates underlying the association between loneliness and IGD remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between loneliness, online gaming addiction and brain structure. In the current study, structural MRI data were acquired from 84 IGD subjects and 103 matched recreational game users (RGUs). We assessed and compared their addiction severity, loneliness scores, and cortical volumes and analyzed the correlations among these values. Significant correlations were found between loneliness scores and brain volumes in the postcentral cortex, the medial orbitofrontal cortex, the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and the temporal cortex. In addition, the addiction severity scores partly mediated the relationship between loneliness score and cortical volume in IGD. The results showed that participants with extreme loneliness had significant correlations with brain regions responsible for executive control, social threat surveillance and avoidance. More importantly, the severity of addiction mediates loneliness and cortical volume. The findings shed new insight into the neural mechanisms of loneliness and IGD and have implications for potential treatment.
Enhancing Drug Delivery with Supramolecular Amphiphilic Macrocycle Nanoparticles: Selective Targeting of CDK4/6 Inhibitor Palbociclib to Melanoma
Authors: Attia Mohamed F. , Ogunnaike Edikan A. , Pitz Megan , Elbaz Nancy M. , Panda Dillip K. , Alexander-Bryant Angela , Saha Sourav , Whitehead Daniel C. , Kabanov Alexander
Published: November 2023

Drug delivery systems based on amphiphilic supramolecular macrocycles have garnered increased attention over the past two decades due to their ability to successfully formulate nanoparticles. Macrocyclic (MC) materials can self-assemble at lower concentrations without the need for surfactants and polymers, but surfactants are required to form and stabilize nanoparticles at higher concentrations. Using MCs to deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic guest molecules is advantageous. We developed two novel types of amphiphilic macrocycle nanoparticles (MC NPs) capable of delivering either Nile Red (NR) (a hydrophobic model) or Rhodamine B (RhB) (a hydrophilic model) fluorescent dyes. We extensively characterized the materials using various techniques to determine size, morphology, stability, hemolysis, fluorescence, loading efficiency (LE), and loading capacity (LC). We then loaded the CDK4/6 inhibitor Palbociclib (Palb) into both MC NPs using a solvent diffusion method. This yielded Palb-MC NPs in the size range of 65-90 nm. They exhibited high stability over time and in fetal bovine serum with negligible toxicity against erythrocytes. Cytotoxicity was minimal when tested against RAW macrophages,human fibroblast HDFn, and adipose stromal cells (ASCs) at higher concentrations of MC NPs. Cell viability studies were conducted with different concentrations of MC NPs, Palb-MC NPs, and free Palb against RAW macrophages, human U-87 GBM, and human M14 melanoma cell lines in vitro. Flow cytometry experiments revealed that blank MC NPs and Palb-MC NPs were selectively targeted to melanoma cells, resulting in cell death compared to the other two cell lines. Future work will focus on studying the biological effect of MC NPs including their binding affinity with molecules/receptors expressed on the M14 and other melanoma cell surface by molecular docking simulations. Subsequently, we will evaluate the MCs as a component of combination therapy in a murine melanoma model.

Graphical abstract