bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in Gut Microbiota between Healthy Individuals and Patients with Perianal Abscess before and after Surgery
Authors: Yin Hezhai , Luo Bairu , Wang Qi , Hong Zhonghua , Chen Huilin , Shen Lidong , Shen Bin , Hu Bo
Published: April 2023

Surgery is the most important treatment for perianal abscesses. However, the gut microbiota of patients with perianal abscess and the effects of perianal abscess on the gut microbiota after surgery are unknown. In this study, significant changes in interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the blood of healthy subjects, patients with perianal abscesses, and patients after perianal abscess surgery were identified. 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology was used to detect the changes in the gut microbiota among 30 healthy individuals and 30 patients with perianal abscess before and after surgery. Venn diagrams and alpha diversity analyses indicated differences in the abundance and uniformity of gut microbiota between the healthy individuals and patients with perianal abscesses before and after surgery. Beta diversity analysis indicated that the grouping effects among the control, abscess, and surgery groups were good. The classification and compositional analysis showed significant differences in the gut microbiota between healthy individuals and patients with perianal abscesses before and after surgery. LEfSe analysis, random forest analysis, and ROC curve analysis showed that Klebsiella (

AUC
=
0.7467

) and Bilophila (

AUC
=
0.72

) could be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of perianal abscess. The functional prediction results showed that the differential microbiota is significantly enriched in the pathways related to nutrition and drug metabolism. This study may have important implications for the clinical management and prognostic assessment of patients with perianal abscesses.
Inescapable Fibrosis: The Development of Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia Post-Lung Transplantation Performed for a Patient with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Lilburn Paul , Pillutla Divya , Sivasubramaniam Vanathi , Plit Marshall
Published: April 2023

Interstitial lung disease is characterised by a combination of cellular proliferation, inflammation of the interstitium and fibrosis within the alveolar wall. A 58-year-old man was referred for lung transplantation after developing worsening dyspnoea and progressive hypoxaemic respiratory failure from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Three years later, he developed desquamative interstitial pneumonia in his transplanted lungs, and despite augmentation of immune suppression, he had a progressive decline in his lung function and exercise capacity. Interestingly, in our case, the histopathology obtained post transplant strongly goes against the recurrence of usual interstitial pneumonia/idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; rather, two separate interstitial disease processes have been identified.
[Retracted] PCA and Binary K‐Means Clustering Based Collaborative Filtering Recommendation
Authors: Li Xiao , Peng Heping , Wang Hongbin , Huang Qingdan , Xu Zhong
Published: April 2023

Aiming at the problem of similarity calculation error caused by the extremely sparse data in collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm, a collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm based on slope one matrix prefilling model, principal component dimension reduction, and binary K‐means clustering is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the algorithm uses the slope one model based on item similarity to prefill the original scoring matrix. Secondly, principal component analysis is used to reduce the dimension of the filled matrix, retain the most representative dimension of user characteristics, and remove the dimension with less information. Finally, in order to solve the time‐consuming problem of similarity calculation of collaborative filtering algorithm in the case of large‐scale system, binary K‐means clustering is carried out in the reduced dimension vector space to reduce the search range of the nearest neighbour of the target user. The algorithm ensures the efficiency and accuracy of recommendation while the scale of users is expanded. The experimental results on movielens dataset show that the algorithm proposed in this paper is superior to the traditional collaborative filtering algorithm and the collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm based on PCA (principal component analysis) and binary K‐means clustering in recall rate, accuracy rate, average error, and running time.
[Retracted] Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tumor Cytoreductive Surgery plus Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Yu Huapeng , Xu Cuixia , Li Qirong
Published: April 2023

Objective. To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for ovarian cancer. Methods. From April 2018 to November 2021, 66 patients with ovarian cancer were admitted to our hospital and randomly allocated to undergo intravenous chemotherapy following CRS (the observation group) or CRS with HIPEC (the experimental group) using a parallel randomized technique, with 33 cases in each group. Clinical effectiveness, intraoperative and postoperative recovery, VEGF level, T‐lymphocyte subpopulation cell level, adverse events, and patient survival were all outcome metrics. Results. CRS plus HIPEC was associated with significantly higher clinical efficacy versus CRS alone (P < 0.05). The difference in the intraoperative bleeding and operative time between the two groups did not meet the statistical standard (P > 0.05). Patients in the experimental group experienced shorter postoperative chemotherapy and length of hospital stay than those in the observation group (P < 0.05). CRS plus HIPEC resulted in significantly lower levels of VEGFA, VEGFB, and VEGFC and higher levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD3+/CD4+ than CRS alone (P < 0.05). The two groups of patients had a similar incidence of adverse events (P > 0.05). The experimental group showed a longer median survival (25 months) and a 1‐year survival rate (79.55%) than the observation group (22 months, 49.56%) (log rank = 20.411, P < 0.05). A significantly lower 1‐year recurrence rate was observed in the experimental group than in the observation group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. CRS plus HIPEC effectively improves the clinical efficacy of ovarian cancer patients, prolongs the survival of patients, and improves the level of VEGF and T‐lymphocyte subpopulation cells, with a manageable safety. In addition, the treatment method can improve the therapeutic effect, reduce the toxic and side effects, and improve the immunity of the body, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Association between Serum Cys C and PTB Cavitation
Authors: Tan Shumin , Wu Duochi , Wu Yeying , Ren Xing , Liu Jiaxiu , Wei Xiaobin
Published: April 2023

Background. Cystatin C (Cys C) not only regulates the body’s immune defenses but also contributes to tissue degradation and destruction by causing an imbalance between protease and antiprotease in infectious diseases. Is Cys C involved in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) infection and cavitation? We therefore conducted a retrospective study on this question to provide a basis for further studies. Methods. Cavitary PTB patients, noncavitary PTB patients, and healthy controls were recruited in our study. Serum Cys C, CRP, BUN, UA, and CR were measured in all subjects, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare medians of these clinical parameters in different groups. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to determine correlations between variables. In addition, a multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PTB cavitation. Results. In our study, elevated serum Cys C levels were found in cavitary PTB patients compared to healthy controls and noncavitary patients (

p
=
0.022

). Serum Cys C levels were statistically correlated with serum BUN and CR concentrations (

r
=
0.278

,

p
=
0.005

;

r
=
0.281

,

p
=
0.004

) in PTB patients. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that elevated serum Cys C levels were correlated with pulmonary cavitation in PTB patients (

OR
=
1.426

, 95% CI: 1.071–1.898). Conclusion. Elevated serum levels of Cys C are associated with pulmonary cavitation in PTB patients.
Postanoxia-Induced Chorea Treated with Intravenous Fentanyl
Authors: Audi Ashley , Cunningham Brittany , Newey Christopher
Published: April 2023

The case presented is that of a young male with postanoxic brain injury secondary to cocaine overdose who began to exhibit choreiform movements of the left upper extremity. Traditional treatment options for chorea were unsuccessful, leading to the administration of fentanyl, which rapidly resolved the patient’s choreiform movements. There is a limited research involving the treatment of chorea in anoxic brain injury as well as fentanyl’s role in the movement pathway. We hypothesize that chorea can be caused or exacerbated by opioid withdrawal in a patient with chronic opioid use through modulation of dopamine transmission.
[Retracted] Construction of Land Ecological Sustainable Evaluation System Based on Dynamic Simulation and TOPSIS Model
Authors: Qu Ziwen
Published: April 2023

Land has always been the resource on which human beings depend for survival and development, which not only provides space for survival but also is the fundamental source of productivity. With the development of commercialization and urbanization, land resources have been destroyed. As a basic living resource, sustainable land use is particularly important. According to the actual situation of regional resource conditions, with the help of TOPSIS model and dynamic simulation, the land ecological evaluation system is established, and the ecological sustainable development is carried out in the whole country, and the research on land greening is deepened. The results show that (1) the economic level of sustainable utilization of land resources has been continuously improved, from 0.15 to 0.38 in the main urban area, from 0.12 to 0.36 in the commercial area, from 0.1 to 0.37 in the suburbs, from 0.11 to 0.38 in the towns, and from 0.25 to 0.5 in the countryside, to provide economic support for ecological protection. (2) According to the use area of relevant land types, forest land and cultivated land occupy the largest with 32830 hm and 13953 hm, respectively, which are the largest usable areas and the most important resources for ecological protection. (3) In the calculation of future ecological construction area by relevant models, the overall coordination control is obtained from the initial high prediction judgment of 0.552 to 0.888. (4) From different development evaluation angles, the economic angle has always provided the greatest support for ecological protection, and its high‐level dependence level value is as high as 0.72, compared with 0.55 and 0.6 from the social angle and environmental angle, so the sustainable ecological protection construction needs a lot of economic support.
STP‐Net: A Signal Prediction Method of Laminar Decompression Robot Based on Swin Transformer
Authors: Hu Lei , Zhang Yonghong , Zhang Jian , Zhang Tianyang , Song Xiongkang , Ji Xuquan , Liu Shanshan , Li Zhuofu , Li Weishi
Published: April 2023

Spinal surgery robots have a great application value in laminar decompression surgery. For a safe surgery, the robot needs to accurately identify the cutting state of the lamina. Therefore, it is very important to deal with various sensing signals in the form of a time series. However, various state recognition algorithms proposed so far cannot completely avoid cutting through the lamina, leaving hidden dangers for nerve thermal damage caused by high‐temperature liquid splashing. We propose a long time series prediction algorithm called STP‐Net, which combined with the existing algorithms for recognizing the lamina cutting state can stop the lamina cutting in advance, thus preserving a thin inner layer of cortical bone and blocking high‐temperature liquid splashing. STP‐Net has the following advantages: (1) Dimension reduction is first performed on Swin (shifted window) Transformer to obtain 1D Swin Transformer, which was used to develop STP‐Net for long time series prediction, which not only has high accuracy but also shows a linear relationship between computational complexity and input sequence length L, namely, O(L). (2) The token merging layer is proposed and applied to the encoder of STP‐Net, which reduces the computation cost and improves the global information extraction capability of the algorithm. (3) STP‐Net uses a generative decoder to output the prediction sequence directly through a single operation, which not only has high efficiency but also avoids the accumulation of errors. Taking force signals as an example, when 400 numbers are used to predict 100 numbers, the average mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of standard STP‐Net are 1.22 × 10−3 and 2.42 × 10−2, respectively. STP‐Net, combined with the existing method for recognizing the lamina cutting status, can stop the robot from cutting in advance in 87.14% of the cases. In addition, the results of practical lamina cutting experiments confirmed the effectiveness of STP‐Net.
An ε‐Constraint Method for Multiobjective Linear Programming in Intuitionistic Fuzzy Environment
Authors: Pérez-Cañedo Boris , Verdegay José Luis , Concepción-Morales Eduardo René
Published: April 2023

Effective decision‐making requires well‐founded optimization models and algorithms tolerant of real‐world uncertainties. In the mid‐1980s, intuitionistic fuzzy set theory emerged as another mathematical framework to deal with the uncertainty of subjective judgments and made it possible to represent hesitancy in a decision‐making problem. Nowadays, intuitionistic fuzzy multiobjective linear programming (IFMOLP) problems are a topic of extensive research, for which a considerable number of solution approaches are being developed. Among the available solution approaches, ranking function‐based approaches stand out for their simplicity to transform these problems into conventional ones. However, these approaches do not always guarantee Pareto optimal solutions. In this study, the concepts of dominance and Pareto optimality are extended to the intuitionistic fuzzy case by using lexicographic criteria for ranking triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (TIFNs). Furthermore, an intuitionistic fuzzy ε‐constraint method is proposed to solve IFMOLP problems with TIFNs. The proposed method is illustrated by solving two intuitionistic fuzzy transportation problems addressed in two studies (S. Mahajan and S. K. Gupta’s, “On fully intuitionistic fuzzy multiobjective transportation problems using different membership functions,” Ann Oper Res, vol. 296, no. 1, pp. 211–241, 2021, and Ghosh et al.’s, “Multi‐objective fully intuitionistic fuzzy fixed‐charge solid transportation problem,” Complex Intell Syst, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1009–1023, 2021). Results show that, in contrast with Mahajan and Gupta’s and Ghosh et al.’s methods, the proposed method guarantees Pareto optimality and also makes it possible to obtain multiple solutions to the problems.
The Utility of Fallopian Tube Cytology in the Early Detection of Extrauterine Serous Gynecological Malignancies: A Narrative Literature Review
Authors: Psomiadou Victoria , Lekka Sofia , Panoskaltsis Theodoros , Tsouma Helen , Novkovic Natasa , Trihia Helen J. , Tzaida Olympia , Korfias Dimitrios , Giannakas Panagiotis , Iavazzo Christos , Papadimitriou Christos , Vlahos Nikolaos , Vorgias George
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The aim of the study was to analyze the published evidence for the use of fallopian tube brush cytology for the early detection of extrauterine serous gynecological cancer. Methods: We systematically searched the literature and, additionally, cross-checked on the bibliographies of selected articles. The inclusion criteria involved studies assessing the utility of fallopian tube brush cytology and its applications in the diagnosis, screening, or follow-up of extrauterine serous gynecological cancer. Results: The search strategy resulted in 21 abstracts or full-text articles, 5 of which met the inclusion criteria. The year of publication ranged from 2016 to 2022, and a total of 193 fallopian tube samples were investigated. Cytobrush, Tubebrush©, and Cytuity™ were used to obtain salpingeal samples for liquid-based cytology evaluation. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that, at present, there is a lack of satisfying evidence-based data in the literature which would support the implementation of fallopian tube brush cytology as an adjunctive tool for early detection of extrauterine serous gynecological cancer. Thus, we believe that there is need for well-designed clinical studies to assess the effectiveness and diagnostic accuracy of the method as well as to validate the cytological criteria for the diagnosis and prediction of gynecological malignancies.
Sobre o gênero Dicranus Loew, 1851 (Diptera, Asilidae)
Authors: Carrera Messias
Published: April 2023

.
Osteomielite após fratura bilateral do corpo da mandíbula do porco do mato (Tayassu Peccari Fischer), com cura espontânea
Authors: Della Serra Octavio
Published: April 2023

.
Cardioprotective Effect of Empagliflozin and Circulating Ketone Bodies During Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Santos-Gallego Carlos G. , Requena-Ibáñez Juan Antonio , Picatoste Belen , Fardman Brian , Ishikawa Kiyotake , Mazurek Renata , Pieper Michael , Sartori Samantha , Rodriguez-Capitán Jorge , Fuster Valentin , Badimon Juan J.
Published: April 2023

Background:

SGLT2i (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors) improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure, but the mechanisms of action are not completely understood. SGLT2i increases circulating levels of ketone bodies, which has been demonstrated to enhance myocardial energetics and induce reverse ventricular remodeling. However, the role of SGLT2i or ketone bodies on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury remains in the dark. The objective of this study is to investigate the cardioprotective potential of empagliflozin and ketone bodies during acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods:

We used a nondiabetic porcine model of ischemia reperfusion using a percutaneous occlusion of proximal left anterior descending artery for 45 minutes. Animals received 1-week pretreatment with either empagliflozin or placebo prior to MI induction. Additionally, a third group received intravenous infusion of the ketone body BOHB (beta-hydroxybutyrate) during the MI induction. Acute effects of the treatments were assessed 4-hour post-MI by cardiac magnetic resonance and histology (thioflavin for area at risk, triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining for MI size). All animals were euthanized immediately postcardiac magnetic resonance, and heart samples were collected.

Results:

The area at risk was similar in all groups. Empagliflozin treatment increased BOHB levels. Empagliflozin-treated animals showed significantly higher myocardial salvage, smaller MI size (both by cardiac magnetic resonance and histology), less microvascular obstruction, and improved cardiac function (left ventricle ejection fraction and strain). Furthermore, empagliflozin-treated animals demonstrated reduced biomarkers of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress compared with placebo. The BOHB group showed similar results to the empagliflozin group.

Conclusions:

One-week pretreatment with empagliflozin ameliorates ischemia reperfusion injury, reduces MI size and microvascular obstruction, increases myocardial salvage, preserves left ventricle systolic function, and lowers apoptosis and oxidative stress. Periprocedural intravenous infusion of BOHB during myocardial ischemia also induces cardioprotection, suggesting a role for BOHB availability as an additional mechanism within the wide spectrum of actions of SGLT2i.
Ventricular Conduction Stability Noninvasively Identifies an Arrhythmic Substrate in Survivors of Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation
Authors: Chow Ji‐Jian , Leong Kevin M. W. , Shun‐Shin Matthew J. , Ormerod Julian O. M. , Koa‐Wing Michael , Lefroy David C. , Lim Phang Boon , Linton Nicholas W. F. , Ng Fu Siong , Qureshi Norman A. , Whinnett Zachary I. , Peters Nicholas S. , Francis Darrel P. , Varnava Amanda M. , Kanagaratnam Prapa
Published: April 2023

Background

Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a diagnosis of exclusion following normal cardiac investigations. We sought to determine if exercise‐induced changes in electrical substrate could distinguish patient groups with various ventricular arrhythmic pathophysiological conditions and identify patients susceptible to VF.

Methods and Results

Computed tomography and exercise testing in patients wearing a 252‐electrode vest were combined to determine ventricular conduction stability between rest and peak exercise, as previously described. Using ventricular conduction stability, conduction heterogeneity in idiopathic VF survivors (n=14) was compared with those surviving VF during acute ischemia with preserved ventricular function following full revascularization (n=10), patients with benign ventricular ectopy (n=11), and patients with normal hearts, no arrhythmic history, and negative Ajmaline challenge during Brugada family screening (Brugada syndrome relatives; n=11). Activation patterns in normal subjects (Brugada syndrome relatives) are preserved following exercise, with mean ventricular conduction stability of 99.2±0.9%. Increased heterogeneity of activation occurred in the idiopathic VF survivors (ventricular conduction stability: 96.9±2.3%) compared with the other groups combined (versus 98.8±1.6%;
P
=0.001). All groups demonstrated periodic variation in activation heterogeneity (frequency, 0.3–1 Hz), but magnitude was greater in idiopathic VF survivors than Brugada syndrome relatives or patients with ventricular ectopy (7.6±4.1%, 2.9±2.9%, and 2.8±1.2%, respectively). The cause of this periodicity is unknown and was not replicable by introducing exercise‐induced noise at comparable frequencies.

Conclusions

In normal subjects, ventricular activation patterns change little with exercise. In contrast, patients with susceptibility to VF experience activation heterogeneity following exercise that requires further investigation as a testable manifestation of underlying myocardial abnormalities otherwise silent during routine testing.
Drug interference with biochemical laboratory tests
Authors: Stanimirov Bojan , Sekeruš Vanesa , Đanić Maja , Pavlović Nebojša , Mikov Momir , Stankov Karmen , Katanić Jasmina
Published: April 2023

Clinical laboratory practice represents an essential part of clinical decision-making, as it influences 60-70% of medical decisions at all levels of health care. Results of biochemical laboratory tests (BLTs) have a key role in establishment of adequate diagnosis as well as in evaluation of treatment progress and outcome. The prevalence of drug-laboratory test interactions (DLTIs) is up to 43% of patients who had laboratory results influenced by drugs. Unrecognized DLTIs may lead to misinterpreted BLTs results, incorrect or delayed diagnosis, extra costs for unnecessary additional tests or inadequate therapy, as all may cause false clinical decisions. The significance of timely and adequate recognition of DLTIs is to prevent common clinical consequences such as incorrectly interpreted test results, delayed or non-treated condition due to erroneous diagnosis or unnecessary extra tests or therapy. Medical professionals should be educated that it is essential to obtain patient data about medications especially for the drugs used in the last 10 days before biological material collection. Our mini-review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state in this important domain of medical biochemistry with detailed analysis of the effect of drugs on BLTs and to give detailed information to medical specialists.
Past and Present? Greece in International Arbitration in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Konstantinakou Despina-Georgia
Published: April 2023

During the twentieth century, international arbitration became an integral part of interstate dispute resolution. Greece, a small state with no particular influence, also rushed to utilize arbitration to pursue its interests, resolve intense disputes and ultimately stabilize its position in the international system. This article will discuss if and how lower-level settlement procedures can impact smaller countries’ higher political strategy, exploring Greece’s recourse before the Mixed Arbitral Tribunals, the League of Nations and the Permanent Court of International Justice. Athens’ efforts to pursue its citizens’ war claims against West Germany after World War II will be examined, along with the role international arbitration could potentially play today in resolving Greece’s war claims against the Federal Republic of Germany, which Athens raised immediately after the 1990 reunification and continue to encumber bilateral relations. Ultimately, Greece’s experience will exemplify the direct impact arbitration procedures can have on international relations.
Slavery, Testimony, Archives (or, Should We Listen When the Subaltern Speak?)
Authors: White Sophie
Published: April 2023

In eighteenth-century New Orleans, the legal testimony of some 150 enslaved women and men was meticulously recorded and preserved, down to the inclusion of dialogue, of turns of speech, of metaphors, sometimes even passages in Creole. Interrogated in criminal trials as defendants, victims, and witnesses, they moved beyond the questions posed and answered instead with stories about themselves, their words creating riveting narratives that constitute a precious repository of voices of enslaved individuals in colonial America. Though this archive is problematic, their testimony was anchored in the deponents’ own experiences and ways of knowing, prompting the question of whether we can use this material, and most importantly: if and when they did speak in court, should we listen?
Ships as Communication Vessels: Photographic Travels into the Polynesian Sea
Authors: Parak Gisela
Published: April 2023

Beginning in 1889, Emperor Wilhelm ii of the German Empire intensified shipbuilding in order to secure the German Empire colonies around the globe, including the colony of ‘Deutschland-Neuguinea’. This article investigates the ship as a vessel of transcultural communication in the conflicting histories of German colonialism. On the one hand, ships encountered foreign territories, and expanded German trade markets, while simultaneously prompting curiosity to learn about foreign and ‘exotic’ cultures. On the other hand, a belief in Western superiority that led to massive repression of indigenous people cast a shadow over the process of getting to know ‘the other’. Sailors not only implemented the Empire’s seek for new territories and maintained colonial ‘order’ in occupied countries, but also led to a second blossoming of travel photography. Taking up the ‘Kodakification’ of the world, understood as growing accessibility of different camera types, seamen acted as amateur photographers and brought home a kaleidoscope of impressions of the outer rims of the empire. This article discusses the photographic travel albums of crewmembers of the German gunboat S.M.S. Bussard in the collection of the German Maritime Museum Bremerhaven. The seamen’s photographic perspective created a specific visual commemoration of German colonialism on the intersection of love of travel and the concept of white supremacy. In this regard, the battleship steamer S.M.S. Bussard serves as a conflicted medium, in that it enabled transcultural contact, but most importantly was used as a military weapon to defeat the indigenous’ uprising against Western colonialization.
Long Middle Ages and Shamanism in Colonial Spanish America: The Case of the Toad kururu in the Jesuit Guaraní Missions
Authors: Brignon Thomas
Published: April 2023

Throughout colonial Spanish America, the missionaries recreated a moralized bestiary drawn from medieval referents and applied to the fauna of the New World. This was the case of the cane toad, kururu (Rhinella diptycha), which was assimilated with the European common toad (Bufo bufo) in the Jesuit missions of Paraguay. In this context, it was used to speed up Lent confessions, embody the Christian concept of lust, and counteract the influence of shamans. This exemplary use of the toad was applied throughout the continent and triggered a paradoxical revival of shamanism, as demonstrated by sources in Guaraní, Nahuatl, and Quechua studied in a long-term perspective.
De Spiritualiteit van het Christelijk Oosten
Authors: van der Aalst A.J.
Published: April 2023

La spiritualité de l’Orient chrétien: I Les premiers temps

Dans une série d’articles, l’auteur veut donner une esquisse de la spiritualité de l’Orient chrétien. Ce premier article traite de la spiritualité des premiers temps. Chez des auteurs de langue grecque et syriaque il étudie brièvement certaines notions importantes comme: la vie nouvelle et la voie de la vie, l’eschatologie stricte et mitigée, la morale et la mystique, le martyre et la virginité, la gnose et ses conséquences. D’une part, l’étude de ces points saillants montre que la cohésion et le système dans l’attitude spirituelle font encore défaut et que certains termes comme ascèse, contemplation, extase, hesychia y soot absents ou ont peu de relief. D’autre part, les notions étudiées gardent leur importance dans la spiritualité ultérieure. Dans cette spiritualité première et ancienne on constate une certaine fraîcheur et de l’enthousiasme, mais aussi une étroitesse et un rigorisme assez prononcés. Au rythme des expériences l’eschatologie stricte et le rigorisme moral seront mitigés et la spiritualité deviendra plus large et plus ouverte.
De Spiritualiteit van het Christelijk Oosten
Authors: van der Aalst A.J.
Published: April 2023

The spirituality of the Christian East: V The Russian spirituality

This fifth article on the spirituality of Eastern Christianity deals with Russian spirituality. A special treatment of this subject seems justified owing to the extent of material and its characteristics. A major subject is the connection between spirituality and culture. The first part of the article considers the rich legacy from Byzantium and the particular influence of monasticism in Kiev, and of that in the North (Sergius, Joseph of Volokolamsk , Nil Sorsky). It then describes how the tradition was continued through the renewal by Paisy Velichkovsky. The second part exami nes the alienation caused by the influence of the West since the beginning of the 18th century. The western influence is partly assimilated and this leads to a more open rich culture, in which the spirituality is widened and lay people play a more important part than the monks. Long suffering and meekness are emphasized as characteristics of the Russian people. But at the same time the western influence causes a deep alienation from religion , which explodes into a vehement hostility towards all religiousness. This leads to the third part of the article, which looks at the possible renaissance at the beginning of the 20th century and at the actual revolution. After 1917 the official church nor the monasteries were able to keep spirituality alive, but the writings of some dissidents and the liturgy preserved a breath of life. Since the elation about the recovery of freedom, Christianity has shared the general con fusion, although some streaks of hope do pierce the twilight.
The occurrence of the genus Calydus Reitter, 1896 (Coleoptera, Meloidae) in Afghanistan with the description of a new species
Authors: SHAPOVALOV ANDREY M. , SKRYLNYK YURIY E.
Published: April 2023

Calydus yaroslavi new species is described from Central Afghanistan, Bamian Province, Bande-Amir National Park. The genus Calydus Reitter, 1896 is recorded for Afghanistan for the first time.
Attribution of the March 2021 exceptional dust storm in North China
Authors: Hu Zhiyuan , Ma Yuanyuan , Jin Qinjian , Idrissa Nkurunziza Fabien , Huang Jianping , Dong Wenjie
Published: April 2023

The post-1980 regional climate change increased dust AOD by +12.5 ± 15.0% and +43.6 ± 31.2% over the source and downstream areas respectively during a record-breaking dust storm in March 2021 in North China.
An Analytical Approach to Culture
Authors: Lizardo Omar
Published: April 2023

In this paper, I outline a general framework for cultural analysis consistent with an “analytic” approach to explanation in social science. The proposed approach provides coherent solutions to thorny problems in cultural theory. These include providing a coherent definition of culture (and the “cultural”), specifying the nature of cultural units (both simple and complex), and outlining the processes making possible episodes of cultural genesis, transformation, and reproduction within bounded units characterized as cultural causal systems.
Effect of Cold-Water Irrigation on the Coblation Site for Post-Tonsillectomy Pain: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study
Authors: Liu Mo , He Xiaolin , Fan Zhitong , He Shuai , Ge Xinying , Ren Yuanyuan , Xia Fei , Wang Ningyu , Xu Cong , Li Zufei
Published: April 2023

Objective

To explore the effect of cold-water irrigation on post-tonsillectomy pain after coblation.

Methods

Data from 61 adult patients who underwent coblation tonsillectomy in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were collected, and the patients were randomly divided into the cold-water irrigation group (Group 1) and the room-temperature irrigation group (Group 2). Group 1 was irrigated with ice water mixed saline with the help of a pressure band, and Group 2 was irrigated with room-temperature saline. During the operation, we monitored the temperature of the operating cavity in real time. We recorded the postoperative pain for 11 consecutive days from the day and the 10th day after the operation.

Results

The postoperative pain score was significantly lower than that in Group 2, except on the 2nd, 3rd and 7th and 8th days after the operation.

Conclusion

The perfusion of cold water during coblation tonsillectomy is helpful to reduce postoperative pain.
International Business Machinations: A Case Study of Corporate Involvement in Local Educational Reform
Authors: Mickelson Roslyn Arlin
Published: April 2023

This article examines several education reform programs supported by one corporation, IBM, in one community, Charlotte, North Carolina. By tracing how these initiatives were developed and implemented, we gain insights into the implications for educational equity and quality of intimate corporate sponsorship and direction of school restructuring. The case study of IBM in Charlotte highlights both the opportunities for and dangers of corporate philanthropy and educational reform leadership.
The Uncertain Value of School Knowledge: Biology at Westridge High
Authors: Page Reba N.
Published: April 2023

This article describes and analyzes the surprisingly uncertain value of school science in an academically prestigious high school at a time when reform in science education is again a national priority. In a cultural analysis focused on school lessons, it traces how school participants produce a veritable absence of science in science classes and how the production is sensible, or understandable, given their particular institutional and social circumstances. What emerges, too, is the extraordinary reach, or complexity, of ordinary school lessons. However unevenly or intricately, lessons move from teacher plans to student responses, beyond events in classrooms to the culture of a school, across contemporary hybrids of divergent curricular rationales to long-past historical debates, while traveling between subject matter knowledge and status politics. Seeing their reach allows us to understand the long-standing muddlement of knowledge in U.S. schools, as well as what we can do about it.
The Arm of the School that Extends into the Homes: The Visiting Teacher Movement, 1906 to 1940
Authors: Knupfer Anne Meis
Published: April 2023

This article traces the development of the visiting teacher movement, from 1906 to 1940, with particular attention paid to the disjuncture between professional discourse and actual practices. Three main points are argued. First, early visiting teacher work drew from multiple sources, including social settlements, juvenile courts, private philanthropies, and women's clubs. The discussion of the origins of visiting teachers in multiple urban settings attested to the diversity of their work in communities and in schools. Second, most visiting teachers’ work remained essentially unchanged, despite their later participation in child guidance clinics. Even though visiting teachers worked in conjunction with psychiatrists and psychologists, their practices still relied upon traditional approaches used in the first part of the century. Third, the medical and psychiatric discourses surrounding visiting teacher work in the 1920s and 1930s assumed a powerful life of its own. In a most curious manner, these languages formed a critique of teachers’ social relations with students and of their classroom practices generally. Subsequently, many teacher education programs initiated mental hygiene and psychology courses for their student teachers. The article concludes with lessons educators and policy makers might take from the visiting teacher movement, especially those related to the current school-linked social services model.
The factors explaining reading success of academically gifted readers through the ecological model
Authors: Sağlam Mehmet Hilmi , Göktentürk Talha , Lo C. Owen
Published: April 2023

This study aims to discover the best appropriate model to explain reading success of academically gifted students through the ecological model. Three models (i.e., Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3) were created by using three layers of the ecological model to investigate the ecological background of reading success. In line with the literature, seven explanatory factors were examined among the items in the student questionnaire of PISA 2018. Exploratory factor analysis to detect factors and confirmatory factor analysis to validate them were used respectively. Cronbach’s Alpha values of each factor (internal consistency) were also calculated. Structural equation modeling was performed to create a model explaining reading success. Afterward, indices of goodness-fit-criteria were examined. The findings indicated that there is a complex background for reading. All factors (i.e., perception of difficulties, perception of competence in reading, enjoyment of reading, teacher support, teacher feedback, value of school and disciplinary climate in the classroom) have a significant effect on reading. According to the results, Model 3 has the best model fit indices among other models. This model, having more complexity and interaction among latent variables, was found as the most comprehensive and appropriate model due to being coherent with the ecological model.
Vibrio harveyi in a Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) with hepatopancreas necrosis
Authors: Bennett Hannah M. , Griffin Matt , Francis-Floyd Ruth , Baker Shirley , Camus Alvin , Pelton Craig , Dill-Okubo Jennifer
Published: April 2023

A Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, was submitted for necropsy after a number of species-specific fatalities in a public aquarium. The hemolymph was opaque and did not clot and the hepatopancreas had multiple foci of necrosis centered on gram-negative bacteria. Pure cultures of Vibrio harveyi were isolated, identified initially by matrix laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, and confirmed by multilocus sequencing of the gyrB, recA, rpoA, and pyrH genes. As Caribbean spiny lobsters continue to be used for consumption and displayed in public aquariums, chronicling potential pathogens is warranted to inform differential diagnoses and to develop management strategies to reduce incidence of infectious disease in captive populations.
Disparities in the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Public Transit Ridership in Austin, Texas, U.S.A
Authors: Jiao Junfeng , Hansen Kent , Azimian Amin
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted day-to-day lives and infrastructure across the United States, including public transit systems, which saw precipitous declines in ridership beginning in March 2020. This study aimed to explore the disparities in ridership decline across census tracts in Austin, TX and whether demographic and spatial characteristics exist that are related to these declines. Transit ridership data from the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority were used in conjunction with American Community Survey data to understand the spatial distribution of ridership changes caused by the pandemic. Using a multivariate clustering analysis as well as geographically weighted regression models, the analysis indicated that areas of the city with older populations as well as higher percentages of Black and Hispanic populations were associated with less severe declines in ridership, whereas areas with higher unemployment saw steeper declines. The percentage of Hispanic residents appeared to affect ridership most clearly in the center of Austin. These findings support and expand on previous research that found that the impacts of the pandemic on transit ridership have emphasized the disparities in transit usage and dependence across the United States and within cities.
Policy and Strategy Evaluation of Ridesharing Autonomous Vehicle Operation: A London Case Study
Authors: Cheong He-in , Macias Jose Javier Escribano , Karamanis Renos , Stettler Marc , Majumdar Arnab , Angeloudis Panagiotis
Published: April 2023

To understand the dynamics of an autonomous ridesharing transport mode from the perspectives of different stakeholders, a single model of such a system is essential, because this will enable policymakers and companies involved in the manufacture and operation of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) to develop user-centered strategies. The model needs to be based on real data, network, and traffic information and applied to real cities and situations, particularly those with complex public transportation systems. In this paper, we propose a new agent-based model for SAV deployment that enables the parametric assessment of key performance indicators from the perspective of potential SAV users, vehicle manufacturers, operators, and local authorities. This has been applied to a case study of three regions in London: central, inner, and outer. The results show there is no linear correlation between an increased ridesharing acceptance level and average trip duration. Without a fleet rebalancing algorithm, over 80% of SAVs’ energy expenditure is on picking up customers. By reducing pickup distance, SAVs could be a contender for a nonpersonal transportation system based on trip energy comparisons. The results provide a picture of future SAV systems for potential users and offer suggestions as to how operators can devise an optimal transportation strategy beyond the question of fleet size and how policymakers can improve the overall transport network and reduce its environmental impact based on energy consumption. As a result of its flexibility and parametric capability, the model can be utilized to inform any local authority how SAV services could be deployed in any city.
Impacts of Rejuvenator Pretreatment and Marination on Quality Characteristics of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Langan Mariah , Moraes Raquel , Chen Chen , Yin Fan , Anand Anurag
Published: April 2023

To mitigate the potential cracking performance issues of high reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) asphalt mixtures, rejuvenators can be added to restore the rheological and chemical properties of the RAP binder. Traditionally, rejuvenators are pre-blended into the virgin binder before mixing, which may limit the direct interaction between the rejuvenator and RAP. Therefore, alternative methods of adding rejuvenators by pretreating RAP with appropriate marination before mixing with virgin materials should be considered to potentially enhance the rejuvenating effectiveness of these products. In this study, three RAP pretreatment methods (spray-on, emulsified, and foamed rejuvenators) were explored. The effects of each pretreatment method on RAP quality properties were characterized through workability evaluation based on the Dongre Workability Test (DWT), durability assessment based on the Cantabro test, and grayscale image analysis. From these results, the most effective pretreatment method was selected to evaluate the impact of marination on RAP quality via the same characterization techniques. Four marination conditions were evaluated, including 3 and 7 days at 25°C, and 1.5 and 3 h at 135°C. Furthermore, asphalt binders extracted from untreated and pretreated RAP samples at selected marination conditions were tested for rheological and chemical characterization. Test results indicated that RAP quality significantly improved with pretreatment with the rejuvenator, but the degree of improvement varied depending on the rejuvenator dosage and application method, among other factors. Marination also affected the RAP binder properties but did not significantly improve the overall quality characteristics of the RAP in relation to DWT, Cantabro, and grayscale image analysis.
CAR Practice Statement on Advanced Pelvic Ultrasound for Endometriosis
Authors: Al-Arnawoot Basma , Chang Silvia , Duigenan Shauna , Kielar Ania Z. , Leonardi Mathew
Published: April 2023

The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Endometriosis Working Group was tasked with providing guidance and benchmarks to ensure the quality of technique and interpretation for advanced imaging modalities associated with diagnosing endometriosis. This practice statement provides an overview of the state of the art of advanced pelvic ultrasound in the diagnosis and mapping of pelvic endometriosis. While acknowledging that advanced pelvic ultrasound in some practices falls within the scope of clinical colleagues rather than imaging departments, the statement seeks to guide radiologists interested in implementing these techniques into their practice for patients referred for evaluation and diagnosis of endometriosis. The statement covers indications, some components of the ultrasound assessment and technique, reporting, and recommendations for starting an ultrasound endometriosis evaluation program.
From cultural citizenship to suspect citizenship: Notes on rethinking full societal inclusion
Authors: Beaman Jean
Published: April 2023

Based on past and current ethnographic research and interviews with ethnic minorities in the Parisian metropolitan region, I argue that despite France’s colorblind and Republican ethos, France’s “visible minorities” function under a “suspect citizenship” in which their full societal belonging is never granted. I focus on the growing problem of state violence against ethnic minorities which reveals how France is creating a “bright boundary” (Alba 2005) between whites and non-whites, furthering disparate outcomes based on race and ethnic origin. By considering the multifaceted dimensions of citizenship and belonging in France, I demonstrate the limitations of full societal inclusion for France’s non-white denizens and how French Republicanism continues to mark, rather than erase, racial and ethnic distinctions.