bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Straw Dogs —Peckinpah’s Madwoman in the Attic
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: October 2024

This chapter aims to relate the controversial STRAW DOGS both to key concepts within American/European Gothic as well as reveal its relationship to the critique of male violence that Stephen Prince investigated in his book SAVAGE CINEMA, Here the emphasis falls upon David Sumner’s character being a later version of “The Ugly American” who indirectly and unconsciously, provokes the violence against his farmhouse thus echoing the contemporary American incursion into Viet Nam as well as later examples of military adventures. In the process, he drives his wife insane, abandoning her at the end of the film when she clearly needs care, to drive off into the darkness for his next American adventure.Sumner is the most despicable character in Peckinpah’s gallery of dysfunctional males who plays “mind games” with his wife and local population to escalate an already dangerous situation into the realms of violence so he can prove his manhood.
The Machine Stops
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: October 2024

Both Cross of Iron and The Osterman Weekend represent the high point so Peckinpah’s exploration of the Gothic. The first film is appropriately seen as an allegory of the Viet Nam war in Gothic terms having relevance to past and future conflicts while the second film anticipates many of the common themes of Tech-Noir seen in books such as William Gibson’s NEUROMANCER with the machine taking over the human mind and body. Also, the supposed incoherences and reversals in THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND are due to Peckinpah’s interest in Jacobean Revenge Tragedy that he studied as a graduate student in the USC Theatre Program especially concerning the deranged behaviour of the avenger. As with CROSS OF IRON, Brecht is also important to understand the film.
The Horror of the Failure of Idealised Safety and the Eternal Return of Precarity and Crisis in It Follows
Authors: Tembo Kwasu
Published: October 2024

In Occidental horror cinema, desire has historically been characterized in a two-dimensional way. The construction of gendered desire ultimately frames female desire in particular as an inevitable cause of death. David Robert Mitchell's It Follows (2014) deconstructs the tropes – including a nostalgia for a late 80s/early to mid 90s aesthetic – of the slasher genre of horror, and in so doing offers the most original and insightful recent meditation on the relationship between gender, horror, and desire. This chapter interrogates in four sections based on the aforesaid concepts, how Mitchell's film symbolically posits that desire can only be transferred, imitated, repeated ad nauseum, but never exorcised or evacuated. By examining how “It” is the indistinct, genderless shadow of desire that cannot be avoided or stopped but only momentarily annulled or transferred, this paper will illustrate how Mitchell expertly portrays desire as an always-already state of existential crisis; one mediated by an inescapable circuitousness whereby the horror of desire not only inheres in desire itself, but in the absurd pattern of desire.
Introduction
Authors: Gott Michael , Schilt Thibaut
Published: October 2024

The introduction presents an overview of developments in Quebec cinema since the turn of the century in order to answer the question: ‘why Quebec cinema in the 21st century?’ It explores that ways that the cinema of Quebec has become more culturally and linguistically diverse, the increasing production and visibility of films by Indigenous creators, and Quebec’s interactions with global contexts.
Around the Fire
Authors: Tolliver Julie-Françoise
Published: October 2024

In this chapter, Julie-Françoise Tolliver first dives into Quebec’s cinematic past through an analysis of two film adaptations of Claude-Henri Grignon’s 1933 novel Un homme et son péché in order to demonstrate the relationship between agricultural and forestry practices (including fires) and the colonization of the region. The author continues with an investigation of the presence and significance of forest fires in two recent women-directed Québécois films, Louise Archambault’s Il pleuvait des oiseaux (And the Birds Rained Down, 2019) and Chloé Leriche’s Avant les rues (Before the Streets, 2016), in order to show how present-day ecological and social concerns shape not only the perception of the role of fire in the land but also define solidarities.
“Satanic Panic”: A New Witch for the Nineties
Authors: Corcoran Miranda
Published: October 2024

This chapter explores how The Craft reimagined the figure of the witch in the wake of the 1980s “Satanic Panic” and looks at how the film engages with and reimagines existing literary and cinematic archetypes.
Crisis and Resilience in the Bristol-West India Sugar Trade, 1783-1802
Authors: Buckles Peter
Published: October 2024

How did merchants deal with crises? From warfare to financial upheaval, from political machinations to the abolition of the slave trade, merchants and their networks in the eighteenth century certainly faced a range of challenges. But they also demonstrated remarkable resilience. With new levels of detail on Britain’s sugar trade, this book explores how Bristol’s sugar merchants embodied themselves as cogs in the plantation machine, using their position of influence in Britain to maintain the production of sugar and violent systems of slavery. It demonstrates how, as shipowners, these merchants protected their shipping, led the organisation of convoys, and took advantage of cheapening insurance. It reveals the inner workings of the sugar market and the strategies merchants used to remain profitable, showing how merchants navigated the transitions between peace and war. Finally, it uncovers their methods for managing credit and safeguarding their investments. Throughout, the nature of commerce in the eighteenth century, from business networks to bills of exchange, is analysed in detail. In this way, this book speaks broadly to the nature and experience of crisis in the eighteenth century and what this meant for the burgeoning systems of capitalism.
Introduction
Authors: Buckles Peter
Published: October 2024

This chapter begins by defining the term ‘crisis’, exploring how crisis and trade has been studied in the historiography. It outlines some of the assumptions of the field, namely, that war was inherently disruptive, before discussing studies that have countered this assumption. It then outlines the argument of the book: sugar merchants in Bristol were able to overcome crises by using knowledge of production and business networks, safeguarding shipping, understanding the market, and cautious use of credit. Finally, the chapter outlines the history of the sugar trade in Bristol and the sources used for the case study, which is based on the firm Tobin & Pinney.
A Russian Love Affair: Memory, Nostalgia and Trans-Imperial Connections
Authors: Ravi Srilata
Published: October 2024

Shumona Sinha’s French language novel, Le testament russe (2020), invites the reader to explore cultural connections with another imperial power whose presence in India has been largely ignored in Francophone postcolonial literature: that of Russia during the Soviet and post-Soviet eras. It challenges us to think outside the France-Britain-India colonial triangle (Marsh, 2013) and to investigate the lesser known and complex routes and networks between different empires. Using Kate Marsh’s work on imperial/colonial nostalgia and Svetlana Boym’s work on ‘restorative’ and ‘reflective’ nostalgia, the essay will first explore how the novel represents soft power Russian imperialism as it was experienced in postcolonial West Bengal in the late twentieth century before and after the dissolution of the USSR. It will then examine textual nostalgia as a transimperial and cross-cultural tribute by demonstrating how Le testament russe concurrently recalls Andre Makine’s Le testament français (1995) and remembers Rabindranath Tagore’s Letters from Russia (1960).
The Visible Other: Muslim Women, Feminism and National Identity in France
Authors: Crucifix Edwige
Published: October 2024

This chapter studies the instrumentalization of Muslim women in the construction of French identity. By comparing contemporary public discourse (political speeches, governmental communications, journalistic coverage and social media) with works by French women who travelled to North Africa during the colonial period, this work focuses on the problematic legacy of a feminist discourse structured around the notion and rhetoric of visibility, a paradoxical demand to make veiled women simultaneously less and more publicly visible. Following Kate Marsh’s analysis of the centrality of colonial history and discourse in the making of national narratives, this study 1) highlights the role of imagination in the continuity of colonial/imperial structures; 2) argues that the (post)colonial representation of Muslim women remains central to France’s construction of its national identity and ‘exceptionalism’. This study further shows that colonial and imperial structures are not merely the result of a linear transmission process, whereby they would simply be inherited and maintained, but that they are rather continually reinvented to serve national interests and narratives.
Policing Black Anti-Colonial Activism in Interwar France: The Surveillance of Lamine Senghor in Fréjus, Marseille and Bordeaux
Authors: Murphy David
Published: October 2024

In her final, unfinished project, Kate Marsh embarked on an ambitious study, ‘Policing French Colonial Metropolises, 1918–62’, which set out to examine ‘how the police and municipal authorities responded to colonial others in [the] transatlantic port cities [of Le Havre, Bordeaux and Nantes] between 1918 […] and 1962’. This chapter engages with this project through a focus on the recruitment-propaganda tour undertaken by the prominent Senegalese militant Lamine Senghor in the summer and autumn of 1926 to recruit members to the newly created Committee for the Defence of the Negro Race (CDRN): the tour encompassed trips to Fréjus, Marseille, Bordeaux and Le Havre. Essentially, the chapter seeks to explore both the activism of the Paris-based CDRN in several provincial cities of France, and the ways in which local and national authorities sought to police them. In interwar France, all attempts to form collective Black groupings were viewed as a threat, with even the most anodyne self-help groups perceived as potential hotbeds of subversion.
Methods of treatment
Authors: David Rosalie , Forshaw Roger
Published: October 2024

Medical practitioners and healers had a wide range of treatment options. This chapter looks at some of these methods and consider their effectiveness and therapeutic value. Evidence suggests that some surgical procedures were developed to address a limited range of conditions. Examples include the treatment of some wounds, dislocations and fractures; trepanation; circumcision; and excision of tumours found on the surface of the body. Limb amputation remains the only example of major surgery that has been identified to date. Other treatments included widespread use of joint manipulation, and localised methods which employed splints, bandages and pads to deal with trauma. Undertaken by highly-skilled practitioners, these procedures were extremely effective, as attested by research both on individual cases and in wider population studies. Practical solutions were available for disabilities, and included walking sticks, staves, and even prosthetic limbs. Research at Manchester has proved that two prosthetic ‘big toes’ found in association with two separate burials, were in fact worn by the owners when alive, the earliest extant evidence of prosthetic medicine in the world. Finally, this chapter considers the important role played by pharmacy. Throughout the period under consideration, pharmaceutical therapies offered the most significant means of treatment for a wide range of conditions.
Introduction
Authors: Sarkar Anik , Sarkar Jayjit
Published: October 2024

The introduction provides a comprehensive exploration of Apichatpong's filmmaking, dissecting his artistic style, cultural importance, and creative methodology. With a critical lens, it analyzes his filmography to uncover recurring motifs that thread through his works. It also highlights the subsequent chapters, which offer fresh perspectives and innovative insights into Apichatpong's surreal filmmaking.
Representing Memory through Slowness
Authors: Quario Francesco
Published: October 2024

The chapter analyzes the films Syndromes and a Century and Cemetery of Splendour focusing on the interplay of memory and cinematic time. The films, situated in hospital settings that echo the director's upbringing with doctor parents, incorporate personal elements while also introducing imaginative aspects. Syndromes and a Century weaves dual narratives in different medical contexts, rural and urban, featuring characters inspired by the director's parents. In contrast, Cemetery of Splendour revolves around soldiers plagued by a supernatural ailment rooted in ancient spirits of Khon Kaen. Both films bridge reality and imagination, engaging viewers in a contemplation of time through shared use of slowness.
The Jealousy Movie: Stanley Kubrick and the Root of Eyes Wide Shut
Authors: Ulivieri Filippo
Published: October 2024

Filippo Ulivieri focuses on pre-production by tracing the origins of Kubrick’s love for the story behind Eyes Wide Shut but also what influenced him along the way in making the film. Ulivieri illuminates Kubrick’s long-standing interest in Arthur Schnitzler’s Traumnovelle. He shows how Kubrick longed to make a film dealing with marriage and jealousy since his youth, how marital infidelity was a deeply felt topic, and how Kubrick engaged with the work of other filmmakers who made films on the same subject. He concludes that, among Kubrick’s films, Eyes Wide Shut does stand out as a very intimate film. To do so, Ulivieri employs a fascinating reverse-time structure in presenting the history of Kubrick’s various attempts to bring Traumnovelle to the screen—much like the process of researching history itself.
‘If You Men Only Knew’: Stanley Kubrick’s Attempt to Explore Female Sexuality in Eyes Wide Shut
Authors: McAvoy Catriona M. , Ritzenhoff Karen A.
Published: October 2024

Catriona McAvoy and Karen A. Ritzenhoff explore gender and sexuality in the film, as well as in Kubrick’s career, from a feminist lens. They show how Kubrick struggled to explore female sexuality but argue that he ultimately failed. By focusing on the film’s female characters, Eyes Wide Shut may appear to be about male sexuality, but tells us more about male vulnerability and the male fear of female sexual power. They conclude by exploring the film’s troubling legacy and how Eyes Wide Shut continues to speak to our own troubled times.
What about the Daughters? Parenthood in Eyes Wide Shut
Authors: McEntee Joy
Published: October 2024

Joy McEntee investigates fatherhood, parenting and daughters in the film but also situates it within Kubrick’s career and oeuvre. McEntee compares Kubrick’s status as a devoted father to the ambivalent representation of the daughters in the film, unpacking their significance and placing these daughters, as well as their fathers and parents, in the wider context of parenthood and childhood that Kubrick depicted throughout his career.
Eyes Wide Shut : A Cult Film?
Authors: Melia Matt
Published: October 2024

Advancing arguments first posed by David Church and I.Q. Hunter among others, by grounding the film in the late 1990s alongside others that came out around the same time, Matt Melia explores the film’s reception to argue that Eyes Wide Shut is not only a cult film but the last cult film of the 20th century.
On a Transformation of Triple $q$-Series and Rogers-Hecke Type Series
Authors:   East China Normal University, P.R. China, Liu Zhi-Guo
Published: October 2024

Using the method of the $q$-exponential differential operator, we give an extension of the Sears $_4\phi_3$ transformation formula. Based on this extended formula and a $q$-series expansion formula for an analytic function around the origin, we present a transformation formula for triple $q$-series, which includes several interesting special cases, especially a double $q$-series summation formula. Some applications of this transformation formula to Rogers-Hecke type series are discussed. More than 100 Rogers-Hecke type identities including Andrews' identities for the sums of three squares and the sums of three triangular numbers are obtained.
Thematic mapping of biosecurity highlights divergent conceptual foundations in human, animal, plant and ecosystem health
Authors: Hulme Philip E.
Published: October 2024

Effective biosecurity policies are essential to address several major sociological and environmental challenges facing humankind including existential pandemic risks, threats to food security, loss of ecosystem services and public resistance to pesticides and vaccines. Yet biosecurity is subject to multiple interpretations that include dealing with the threats from bioterrorism, managing laboratory biosafety to prevent the escape of pathogenic organisms, handling food and agricultural production systems to prevent disease introduction and addressing the threat of introduced organisms to flora, fauna and humans. The absence of a shared vision of what biosecurity encompasses means that decision-makers are often challenged to design appropriate biosecurity policies at national and global scales. The design of effective policy strategies requires an understanding of the methodological and conceptual barriers that constrain attempts to build an interdisciplinary approach to biosecurity. Here, the first thematic map of the biosecurity research landscape is undertaken to assess just how diverse the interpretation of biosecurity is amongst the global research community and the extent to which the articles published since 2000 represent a common conceptual foundation or are largely clustered within sectors. Co-citation, bibliographic coupling and co-word analyses highlighted that the field of biosecurity encompasses a wide range of domains from biochemistry through to political science, but the research supporting different sectors largely draws from a distinct literature base. While ecosystem and plant health were clustered together within the broad grouping of biological invasions, there was a clear separation from both human and animal health. Yet, there is considerable scope for the management of biological invasions to benefit from insights derived from social perspectives in human and animal health. Biosecurity remains divided by conceptual differences and specialised vocabularies that limit the effectiveness of biosecurity policies addressing biodiversity conservation, public health and food security. To overcome these constraints requires the building of a global biosecurity community that accepts a broader definition of biosecurity, avoids sectorial jargon and establishes mechanisms to cultivate interdisciplinarity through specialised collaborative centres, cross-sectorial research programmes and conceptually rich training programmes.
Collecting empires: Dominik Bilimek and early subterranean zoology between politics and field research
Authors: Mattes Johannes
Published: October 2024

The Moravian Cistercian monk and collector Dominik Bilimek (1813–1884) is considered one of the earliest European naturalists to conduct zoological research on subterranean fauna in Latin America. During the second French invasion of Mexico, from 1861 to 1867, he accompanied Maximilian of Habsburg, the newly enthroned emperor of Mexico, to the region. There, he explored the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa near Taxco de Alarcón, comparing its fauna to his earlier discoveries in Postojnska jama in Carniola (Slovenia). After the victory of the Mexican republican forces and Maximilian’s execution, Bilimek retained his role as curator of the emperor’s collections, which he took back with him to Europe and exhibited at Miramare Castle near Trieste. Prior to his Mexican venture, Bilimek had embraced the imperial goals and intellectual agendas of the Viennese central administration while teaching at the monarchy’s military institutes. Following the revolutions of 1848/49, extensive research undertakings—including geoscientific, biological, and archaeological surveys—were initiated to preserve the Habsburg monarchy as a supranational entity amidst internal and external crises, and to legitimize its territorial framework as both a natural and cultural unit. These developments coincided with the initial surge of zoological interest in Carniolan caves, which spurred efforts to gather similar findings in other karst regions of the monarchy. Drawing on historical sources, this article explores the intersection of political concepts and fieldwork practices in the early study of cave biology. Special attention is given to the sites, networks, and modes of collecting during this transformative period.
Endpoint Controls Through a Lens of PCI DSS
Authors: Agarwal Mohit Kumar , Sarden Damario , Ramesh Shreyas , Singh Raghvendra
Published: October 2024

PCI DSS is a contractual obligation rather than a mandatory regulation to be taken up with diligence and care in organizations. But PCI DSS is a globally recognized standard that applies to organizations involved in processing, storing, or transmitting payment card information. This chapter provides an overview of PCI DSS, emphasizing its key components, objectives, and significance in the world of electronic payment security. PCI DSS sets rigorous security requirements for organizations that oversee payment card data. Compliance with PCI DSS helps organizations reduce the risk of data breaches, fraud, and financial losses while also safeguarding consumer trust and ensuring the integrity of payment card transactions. Endpoint security is a critical facet of modern cybersecurity. Endpoint security is vital for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data, as well as maintaining the overall security posture of organizations. This chapter will focus on the key requirements of endpoint controls within PCI DSS compliance and their effectiveness.
Justification of the Efficiency of Application of Plaster for Fire Protection of Concrete Structures
Authors: Tsapko Yuriy , Bondarenko Olga P. , Tsapko Oleksii , Sukhanevych Maryna
Published: October 2024

The problem of using concrete for building structures is to ensure their stability and durability during operation within wide limits. Therefore, the object of research was the change in the properties of concrete during a fire and its protection when applying a heat-insulating layer of plaster, which is able to inhibit the temperature when the flame affects the coating. It has been proven that in the process of thermal action on fire-resistant plaster, the process of thermal insulation of concrete consists in the application of materials with low thermal conductivity as part of the plaster on the surface of the material. Similarly, under the influence of the burner flame, a temperature was created on the surface of the sample under the influence of the burner flame with a temperature of more than 800°С for 1800 s, the temperature on the surface of the concrete under the plaster coating did not exceed 120°С, which indicates the formation of a curtain for temperature. In this regard, experimental studies were conducted and it was established that the presence of aluminosilicate microspheres in the plaster leads to the formation of a thermally protective layer on the surface of concrete resistant to mechanical vibrations. According to experimental data, the coefficient of thermal conductivity and thermal conductivity of the plaster was calculated, which is 6.22·10–7 m2/s and 0.142 W/(m∙K), respectively, due to the addition of aluminosilicate microspheres. Thus, there are reasons to assert the possibility of targeted regulation of concrete fire protection processes by using fire-resistant plaster capable of forming a protective layer on the surface of the material, which slows down the rate of heat transfer.
The Obstacles to Combat against Covid-19 Pandemic and the Remedies: Bangladesh Scenario
Authors: Pervin Rashida , Parvin Rehana , Babu Md. Ashraful , Ahmmed Md. Mortuza , Marzo Roy Rillera
Published: October 2024

Background

Bangladesh has been going through the austerity of the unique COVID-19 for more than a year like several other nations in the world in spite of concerted efforts taken by the government along with other concerned authorities who have advocated compulsory guidelines involving social distancing procedures accompanied by lockdown to have control over the pandemic. In this paper, the barriers faced by the government to protect people from the COVID-19 pandemic have been investigated. Also, the number of daily infected people against the number of daily tests has been underlined to comprehend the overall pandemic picture in Bangladesh.

Design and Methods

A descriptive study has been carried out to investigate the obstacles to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic for this country. The intensity of the outbreaks of the pandemic in this country is stated from March 8, 2020, to February 12, 2021. Secondary data have been employed from different sources to serve the goals of the study.

Results

The poor management in the health sector of Bangladesh has been an issue of major concern during the early stage of COVID-19 which incorporates deficiency of medical equipment, lack of facilities for testing COVID-19, poor patient management, and uncertainty in the medication system. Finally, some recommendations have been proposed for the concerned organizations to tackle the current pandemic and as well in the future.

Conclusions

To control this COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to find the difficulties and discover the remedies which have been done in this paper for the Bangladesh perspective.
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of Rural Elderly of Odisha – Results from a Community-based Survey
Authors: Roy Payel , Kumar Enubothula Sampath , Behera Priyamadhaba , Taywade Manish , Patro Binod Kumar
Published: October 2024

Background:

India is progressing toward an increasing trend in of the geriatric population. By 2050, it is expected to double from 10.8% to 20%. A decrease in functional and locomotor activity among the geriatric population impairs the process of healthy aging.

Methodology:

The study assessed the fall risk, frailty, and limitation in the activity of daily living among the individuals aged 60 years or more in rural area of Khordha district in Odisha. The cross-sectional study with 188 participants in a rural area assessed the functional ability of the elderly with Fall Risk Assessment Test Scale, Clinical Frailty Scale, and Katz Index.

Results:

The study reported that 11.7% (confidence interval [CI] = 7%–17%) were medium to high risk of fall, 24% (CI = 18%–30%) were mildly frail, 29% (CI = 22%–36%) were vulnerable, and 10.6% (CI = 6%–15%) had limitation in the activity of daily living. Age, difficulty in vision, decreased sleep duration, and chronic disease were significant determinants of the limitation in the functional ability of the elderly.

Conclusion:

Elderly population are at higher risk of fall, increased frailty, and limitation in activity of daily living. Comprehensive geriatric assessment, including the physical, psychological, and nutritional assessment, needs to be integrated to meet the health-care needs of the elderly in primary health care.
The Need for Enhanced Physical Activity Levels among Adults in South East Nigeria: Barriers, Implications, and Recommendations
Authors: Obiekwe Sochima Johnmark , Chima Chisom Jennifer , Akobundu Uzoamaka Nwakaego
Published: October 2024

Physical activity (PA) is globally recognized as essential for overall health, particularly in preventing noncommunicable diseases among adults. However, the level of PA among adults in South East Nigeria presents a complex scenario marked by disparities and challenges. This study examines PA levels among adults in South East Nigeria, identifies barriers, and proposes strategies for improvement. Despite the World Health Organization recommendations, studies indicate that a significant portion of adults in South East Nigeria do not meet PA guidelines, with notable disparities between urban and rural areas. Recommendations include establishing community-based initiatives, increasing research efforts, leveraging health-care providers’ roles, and promoting grassroots advocacy for PA as well as involving stakeholders at all levels to create a supportive environment conducive to increased PA levels and improved public health outcomes.
Pilot study of radiation oncology peer review in low middle income country (LMIC) through cloud-based platform
Authors: Sidhu Manjinder S. , Gokhroo Garima , Mulinti Suneetha , Pati Mangesh B. , Murali Midhun , Gupta Vibhor , Chaudhari Suresh , Rayn Kareem , Beriwal Sushil
Published: October 2024

Purpose:

Peer review is an essential step in clinical quality assurance for radiation therapy. There are very little data on peer reviews from low-middle-income countries (LMIC). With increasing access to advanced technologies in LMIC also, peer review is becoming more important to ensure quality and standard of care. We evaluated cloud-based e-Peer review in our network of cancer centers in India with an aim to study its feasibility and impact on care.

Materials and Methods:

Four out of 13 cancer centers across India were selected for this pilot study. All team members were trained on the e-Peer review platform before the initiation of the study. A lead dosimetrist from a centralized planning site was selected to share new cases every week. Cases treated with only definitive intent were selected. The link to the cases was sent through an email to reviewing physicians. The following aspects were reviewed for each case. 1) Work up and staging. 2) Treatment intent and prescription. 3) Target contours. 4) Normal organ at risk contours. 5) Dose–volume–histogram (DVH) with clinical goals attached. Cases were marked as “Not Appropriate,” “Appropriate,” “Appropriate with minor finding,” and “Represent with major revisions” as per volume and plan review.

Results:

Over a period of 3 months, 100 cases underwent peer review before the start of treatment. Median turnover time was 48 (interquartile range: 24-96) hours. The median time for review was 8 min with time to review cases requiring major and minor changes being 12 and 6 min, respectively (P < 0.001). Of all the cases reviewed, no changes, minor changes, and major changes were suggested for 36%, 48%, and 16% of cases, respectively. The most frequent reason for major changes was contouring corrections (15%). Also, 31.3% of major changes underwent recontouring and replanning before initiation of treatment.

Conclusion:

Peer review was feasible in our setting through this cloud-based peer review system, with median turnover time and time taken for review being 48 h and 8 min, respectively. Like published data from the Western world, peer review led to changes that could impact patient care delivery and outcome. We plan to implement this across the remaining centers in our network.
Cost analysis of anticancer chemotherapy and chemoirradiation regimens considering the drugs marketed through Jan Aushadhi (People’s Medicine) stores and their branded counterparts: First cost comparison study
Authors: Krishna Abhishek , Simon Paul , Palatty Princy L. , Sacheendran Dhanya , Jayachandran Mamatha , George Thomas , Baliga M. S.
Published: October 2024

Introduction:

Chemotherapy in an integral part of cancer treatment, either administered alone or in combination with radiation. However, the cost of these drugs is often prohibitively high for most patients. To address this issue, the Government of India has established Jan Aushadhi (JAS) stores across the country, where affordable generic medicines are available. In the current study, we performed a cost minimization analysis comparing JAS drugs with branded chemotherapeutic drugs used in various cancer treatment regimens.

Objectives:

This study was to conduct a cost-minimization analysis by comparing the costs of different regimens when using JAS drugs, the most expensive branded drugs, and the least expensive branded drugs in the treatment of cancer in India.

Materials and Methods:

The study focused on conducting a cost minimization analysis of various chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of different cancers, considering the availability of anticancer drugs at JAS stores. The costs for different chemotherapy regimens, including both anticancer and supportive drugs, were calculated for single and complete cycles. The costs of the most expensive and least expensive branded drugs were noted from the Current Index of Medical Stores. The cost difference (CD) was calculated by subtracting the cost of the cheaper drug from that of the costliest brand. The cost ratio (CR) and the percentage of cost variation (PCV) were calculated for India-specific conditions.

Results:

The study analyzed the CD for various regimens using JAS drugs for chemotherapy treatment of breast, esophagus, rectal, colon, stomach, prostate, ovary, endometrial, cervical, head and neck, lung, multiple myeloma, testicular, and lymphoma cancers. It also considered chemoirradiation regimens for brain, head and neck, anorectal, esophageal, and uterine cervical cancers. Significant CDs were observed when both anticancer and supportive drugs were obtained from JAS stores.

Conclusion:

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to consider the CD, CR, and PCV for various regimens using JAS drugs, as well as the costliest and cheapest branded drugs in standard cancer treatment regimens. The results of this study are expected to assist healthcare professionals and pharmacists in understanding the cost-saving benefits of substituting expensive branded drugs with more affordable chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of cancer. This substitution can provide financial benefit for socioeconomically marginalized population.
Outcomes with optimal treatment in geriatric head and neck cancers – Tertiary cancer centre experience
Authors: Ahmed Imtiaz , Krishnamurthy Sapna , Bhise Rohan , Vinchurkar Kumar , Kalloli Mahesh
Published: October 2024

Aim:

Older patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers (LA-HNC) are under-represented in clinical trials and denied standard treatment with concurrent chemo-radiation. Most are treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone. However, with the use of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and good supportive care, even this cohort of patients can be considered for chemo-radiation.

Methods and Materials:

69 patients with age >65 years with LA-HNC treated between April 2015 and December 2019 in our Institute were prospectively evaluated for treatment compliance and outcomes. All patients were planned to receive 70 Gy in 33-35 fractions with IMRT and weekly Cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2 (or Carboplatin-AUC-2). Loco-regional control (LRC), Overall survival (OS), and prognostic factors were evaluated.

Results:

Median age at presentation was 67 years (65-81). 54 were male. 64% had Karnofsky Performance Status of >90. 42% had Oropharyngeal Primary. 17% had co-morbidities, 66% had T3 disease, 77% had Node positive disease, and 54% had Stage III disease. All patients completed 70 Gy and 81% patients received at least 5 (>200 mg/m2) chemotherapy cycles. Acute grade-3 toxicity was seen in 20% of patients and 64% had complete response. With a median follow up of 23.6 months (3-71), OS was 53.5%. Estimated 2-year LRC was 60%; estimated 2- and 5-year OS was 53.5% and 34.3%, respectively. On univariate analysis, age <70 years, Cisplatin use, limited nodal disease, Stage III, and complete response to treatment showed good OS (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Definitive chemo-IMRT approach in older patients with LA-HNC is well tolerated with good clinical outcomes. Hence, older age should not be a barrier for standard treatment.
Polymorphous adenocarcinoma of the buccal space—Rare, reported case from our institute
Authors: Sidhu Manjinder Singh , Gupta Sumit , Kane Shubhada , Paul Davinder
Published: October 2024

Polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAC) of head and neck tumors is a rare salivary gland neoplasm of indolent course. We reported a 63-year-old female who presented as an asymptomatic mass in buccal space. The patient, after metastatic workup, underwent complete excision of the lesion with a negative margin. Postoperative histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were suggestive of PAC. Presently patient is on follow-up as per a multidisciplinary team decision. To conclude, PAC diagnosis is challenging due to morphological diversity, which necessities IHC. In addition, presently treatment of choice as per the literature review is complete excision.
Evaluation of the use of Music as a Distraction Technique on Dental Anxiety of Children – A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Gokhale Niraj S. , Hugar Shivayogi M. , Saxena Nivedita , Kohli Neha , Patil Vidyavathi H. , Kadam Krishna S.
Published: October 2024

Background:

The delivery of dental treatment might be negatively impacted by a child’s unwillingness to cooperate. Judging a behavior-guiding strategy that successfully lowers fear and anxiety during dental treatment, results in a change in the child’s attitude toward the treatment, and is also accepted by the parents is necessary given the variety of behavior management strategies that are available. While conventional techniques of behavior modification have been effective, parents’ and dental professionals’ attitudes regarding them are evolving. New nonaversive approaches that are acceptable to parents are thus required. One such approach that may find favor with parents and dental professionals is music therapy.

Methods:

Pertinent medical databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from January 1, 2001, to April 20, 2023, for randomized controlled trials and clinical studies that used music and no music (control) in children undergoing dental treatment. Primary outcomes included a decrease in pulse rate as measured through pulse oximeter in children undergoing dental treatment.

Results:

Through search strategy and screening through titles and abstracts, four randomized clinical trials (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation [GRADE] high certainty) and eight nonrandomized studies (GRADE high certainty) were included and the pooled results bared that the music pulse rate was significantly reduced in children who were made to listen to the music than those who did not listen to music during dental treatment.

Conclusion:

It was established that music distraction was a better behavior management technique as compared to no music group and instrumental music was better when compared to the nursery rhyme for anxiety reduction in children.
Assessment of larvicidal, growth-suppressing, and developmentaltering bioefficacy of Ageratum houstonianum against Aedes aegypti (L.)
Authors: Shah Vijay Kumar , Gupta Kamal Kumar
Published: October 2024

Background & objectives:

Aedes aegypti is a major vector responsible for spreading dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses worldwide. These illnesses have increased globally due to climate and environmental changes. Vector control and management are the principal tactics for combating mosquitoes-borne diseases in the absence of an effective vaccine. The study aimed to ascertain bioactivities of Ageratum houstonianum leaf acetone extract (AhLAE) against Aedes aegypti.

Methods:

Bioefficacy of AhLAE was tested against fourth instar larvae (L4) of Ae. aegypti using standard WHO protocol. The mortality, growth, and development of larvae, pupae and adults were recorded after exposure to the extract.

Results:

The AhLAE showed larvicidal activity against L4 with LC50 and LC90 values of 401.88 and 691.24 mg/L, respectively. The mortality of the larvae further increased on subsequent days. The AhLAE caused a significant reduction in pupae formation and adult emergence. It also increased the larval duration of L4 and development duration of the pupa formed from the treated L4, indicating its growth-suppressing effects. The impact of the AhLAE was dose-dependent; high concentrations caused reduction in survival and growth of L4. Consequently, the L4-pupal and L4-adult growth indexes decreased. Additionally, the AhLAE induced developmental anomalies in the form of larva-pupa (L-P) intermediates.

Interpretation & conclusion:

The study found that the AhLAE exhibited larvicidal, growth-suppressing, and development-altering activities against Ae. aegypti. The findings suggest the potential of AhALE as a natural insecticidal agent for controlling mosquitoes.
Serotypic and genotypic profile of dengue virus outbreaks in India between 2011 and 2017
Authors: Yadav Ashvini Kumar , Namdeo Divya , Khare Prashant , Nema Shashwati , Pakhare Abhijit , Chowdhary Rashmi , Biswas Debasis
Published: October 2024

The epidemiology of dengue has been demonstrating significant changes in recent years, with rising incidence of infection in countries with known endemicity and occurrence of fresh outbreaks in previously unaffected territories. India, which has been a traditional hotspot dengue virus (DENV) transmission in the endemic south-east Asian region, has also been affected by the sweeping changes in dengue epidemiology. Two remarkable developments characterize the alterations witnessed by India 2011–2017. Firstly, all parts of the country have witnessed abrupt replacement of existing DENV lineages with emerging novel strains. Secondly, co-circulation of multiple serotypes of DENV have been reported from all across the country 2011–2017; thereby hinting at the transition of the country towards hyper-endemicity. Considering the potential clinical implications of such epidemiological transformation in terms increasing involvement of pediatric patients and growing predisposition to serious complications, the present review provides an update on the serotypic and genotypic profile of dengue outbreaks that have been witnessed by different zones of India between 2011 and 2017. Dividing the country into northern, southern, eastern, western, central and north-eastern zones, we describe discrete zone-specific distribution patterns of DENV serotypes and genotypes and observe simultaneous circulation of different DENV strains in different parts of the country. Random shifts in the genetic characteristics of the circulating strains and the widespread co- circulation of all four serotypes underscore the need for undertaking continuous and representative molecular surveillance of the circulating DENV strains across the country for prompt identification of emerging strains and novel mutants; gain insights into the formulation of Dengue vaccines and develop a clearer understanding of the molecular basis of immune evasion, disease epidemiology and pathogenesis.
Legal Challenges and Considerations in Implementing Telemedicine Services
Authors: Puri Aarushi
Published: October 2024

Through this paper, I examine the legal and ethical issues surrounding telemedicine in India, with the goal of helping to develop a robust and compliant telemedicine framework. I analyzed the current legal framework in India, based on the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, Medical Council Act, and Information Technology Act. The study found gaps regarding licensing, liability, credentialing, and data privacy without comprehensive data protection laws. Ethical issues were also explored, including informed consent, equitable healthcare access, patient privacy, and maintaining care quality in virtual consultations. The research identified a significant gap in existing literature on the legal and ethical complexities of telemedicine specifically in the Indian context. Recommendations were proposed to address these challenges, such as improving data protection laws, establishing a clear liability framework, harmonizing telemedicine regulations across jurisdictions, and promoting public-private partnerships. Leveraging advanced technologies like blockchain was highlighted to expand telemedicine services while ensuring patient data security. This study aims to guide policymakers, healthcare providers, and telemedicine platforms in developing an ethical, secure, and accessible telemedicine ecosystem in India, thereby improving healthcare quality while safeguarding patient privacy and data security.
Factors Changing the Role of Vietnamese Women During the Doi Moi and Integration Period
Authors: Huong Giang Dr. Nguyen Thi , Kim Ngan Nguyen Thi
Published: October 2024

Women have consistently played a crucial role in societal development across nations and historical periods. Vietnamese women, from the legendary era of Mother Au Co to the present day, have made significant contributions to the nation’s construction, defense, and development as well. During Vietnam’s period of innovation and integration, the country has achieved remarkable progress, emerging as a notable player in Southeast Asia and Asia. In the study below, the group of authors has outlined the current state of national development during the period of Doi Moi and integration, assessed the role of women during this period and surveyed, evaluated and analyzed the factors that changed the role of Vietnamese women, thereby proposing proposals and solutions to promote and develop the role of Vietnamese women in the current period.
The Case for Performance Measurement and Accountability in Sri Lankan Local Government
Authors: Wickramasinghe Thiwankee Abeywardena
Published: October 2024

This paper delves into the challenges and opportunities for improved performance measurement and accountability in the Sri Lankan local government system. Through qualitative analysis, incorporating interviews with local government officials and a review of existing literature, the research identifies significant disparities in governance practices between urban and rural councils. Important issues are those that relate to constraints in resources, inconsistency in performance metrics, and political interference that tarnishes effective accountability. It proposes, among others, ways to improve governance outcomes such as further decentralization, capacity-building initiatives, and boosting enforcement mechanisms. Addressing these concerns would greatly support Sri Lanka in developing a local government system that is more transparent, responsive, and effective and grounded on democratic governance. The useful findings of the study have relevant implications among others for the policy makers and stakeholders in developing countries.
pleito por la libertad de la familia Marqués.
Authors: Ajenjo López Pablo
Published: October 2024

Muchos de los indios que fueron traídos a España en el siglo XVI lo hicieron como esclavos, otros, sin embargo, vinieron en condición de libres. En este trabajo se estudia el pleito seguido en el Consejo de Indias en 1544 en el que se trató de demostrar la condición de personas libres de varios jóvenes amerindios vendidos como esclavos en Castilla. Para ello se recurre al análisis de la documentación procesal para conocer qué mecanismos legales existieron y se emplearon y cuáles fueron las condiciones vitales, familiares y personales de los implicados en este pleitoMuchos de los indios que fueron traídos a España en el siglo XVI lo hicieron como esclavos, otros, sin embargo, vinieron en condición de libres. En este trabajo se estudia el pleito seguido en el Consejo de Indias en 1544 en el que se trató de demostrar la condición de personas libres de varios jóvenes amerindios vendidos como esclavos en Castilla. Para ello se recurre al análisis de la documentación procesal para conocer qué mecanismos legales existieron y se emplearon y cuáles fueron las condiciones vitales, familiares y personales de los implicados en este pleito.