bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regeneration of keratinized tissue around teeth and implants following coronal repositioning of alveolar mucosa with and without a connective tissue graft: An experimental study in dogs
Authors: Liñares Antonio , Rubinos Ana , Puñal Ana , Muñoz Fernando , Blanco Juan
Published: May 2022

Aim

To compare clinical and histological keratinized tissue formation around teeth and implants following coronal repositioning of alveolar mucosa with or without a connective tissue graft (CTG).

Materials and Methods

In nine beagle dogs, the third and fourth premolars (P3 and P4) were extracted from one side of the maxilla. Three months after the tooth extraction, a full‐thickness buccal flap was raised and two implants were placed in those healed areas. On the contra‐lateral side, a buccal flap was also raised at the P3 and P4 areas. Before suturing, the dogs were randomly assigned to three study groups (control, non‐keratinized tissue [NKT], and non‐keratinized tissue CTG [NKT‐CTG]). In the control group, the buccal flaps were re‐positioned around the teeth (P3 and P4) on one side, and implants on the other side, presenting an adequate band of keratinized tissue (KT). For the NKT and NKT‐CTG groups, this buccal KT was then excised. In the NKT group, the buccal flap without KT (alveolar mucosa) was re‐positioned around the teeth and implants. In the NKT‐CTG group, a CTG taken from the excised KT was sutured to the buccal alveolar mucosa and then both were re‐positioned around the teeth and implants. The clinical height of the KT was measured at baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 months of healing. The animals were sacrificed at 3 months, at which point the KT height was measured histologically.

Results

The control group presented normal healing with a band of KT surrounding the teeth and implants. In the NKT and NKT‐CTG groups, a new KT band approximately 2 mm in height (measured clinically and histologically) spontaneously formed around all teeth, regardless of whether a CTG had been placed. In the NKT implant group, no new KT was observed (clinically or histologically). Around the implants in the NKT‐CTG group, a small amount of KT was formed in just two of the six implants.

Conclusions

After surgical excision of KT, spontaneous KT is formed around teeth but not around implants, regardless of the placement of a CTG.
Precision medicine and diseases as natural kinds: An epistemological dilemma
Authors: Pietarinen Ahti‐Veikko , Stanley Donald E.
Published: May 2022

Background: The most important advance of precision medicine (PM) has been a specific way to define and understand disease. However, PM may fail to be therapeutically effective if diseases are natural kinds.Objective: To attest adverse consequences of treatments suggested by PM that do not generalize well.Methods: Conceptual analysis of PM; Epistemology of clinical reasoning; Cases that show diseases as natural kinds to clash with epistemology of PM.Results: Contemplation of future research options that could clarify the position of PM under the conception of diseases as natural kinds.Conclusion: Need for improved design of future interventions that better acknowledge problematic epistemology of PM.
The diagnostic ability to classify neoplasias occurring in inflammatory bowel disease by artificial intelligence and endoscopists: A pilot study
Authors: Yamamoto Shumpei , Kinugasa Hideaki , Hamada Kenta , Tomiya Masahiro , Tanimoto Takayoshi , Ohto Akimitsu , Toda Akira , Takei Daisuke , Matsubara Minoru , Suzuki Seiyu , Inoue Kosuke , Tanaka Takehiro , Hiraoka Sakiko , Okada Hiroyuki , Kawahara Yoshiro
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim

Although endoscopic resection with careful surveillance instead of total proctocolectomy become to be permitted for visible low‐grade dysplasia, it is unclear how accurately endoscopists can differentiate these lesions, as classifying neoplasias occurring in inflammatory bowel disease (IBDN) is exceedingly challenging due to background chronic inflammation. We evaluated a pilot model of an artificial intelligence (AI) system for classifying IBDN and compared it with the endoscopist's ability.

Methods

This study used a deep convolutional neural network, the EfficientNet‐B3. Among patients who underwent treatment for IBDN at two hospitals between 2003 and 2021, we selected 862 non‐magnified endoscopic images from 99 IBDN lesions and utilized 6 375 352 images that were increased by data augmentation for the development of AI. We evaluated the diagnostic ability of AI using two classifications: the “adenocarcinoma/high‐grade dysplasia” and “low‐grade dysplasia/sporadic adenoma/normal mucosa” groups. We compared the diagnostic accuracy between AI and endoscopists (three non‐experts and four experts) using 186 test set images.

Results

The diagnostic ability of the experts/non‐experts/AI for the two classifications in the test set images had a sensitivity of 60.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 54.5–66.3)/70.5% (95% CI: 63.8–76.6)/72.5% (95% CI: 60.4–82.5), specificity of 88.0% (95% CI: 84.7–90.8)/78.8% (95% CI: 74.3–83.1)/82.9% (95% CI: 74.8–89.2), and accuracy of 77.8% (95% CI: 74.7–80.8)/75.8% (95% CI: 72–79.3)/79.0% (95% CI: 72.5–84.6), respectively.

Conclusions

The diagnostic accuracy of the two classifications of IBDN was higher than that of the experts. Our AI system is valuable enough to contribute to the next generation of clinical practice.
Nuclear hormone receptors in demyelinating diseases
Authors: Zorrilla Veloz Rocío I. , McKenzie Takese , Palacios Bridgitte E. , Hu Jian
Published: May 2022

Demyelination results from the pathological loss of myelin and is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the prevalence of demyelinating diseases, there are no disease modifying therapies that prevent the loss of myelin or promote remyelination. This review aims to summarize studies in the field that highlight the importance of nuclear hormone receptors in the promotion and maintenance of myelination and the relevance of nuclear hormone receptors as potential therapeutic targets for demyelinating diseases. These nuclear hormone receptors include the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor, vitamin D receptor, thyroid hormone receptor, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor, liver X receptor, and retinoid X receptor. Pre‐clinical studies in well‐established animal models of demyelination have shown a prominent role of these nuclear hormone receptors in myelination through their promotion of oligodendrocyte maturation and development. The activation of the nuclear hormone receptors by their ligands also promotes the synthesis of myelin proteins and lipids in mouse models of demyelination. There are limited clinical studies that focus on how the activation of these nuclear hormone receptors could alleviate demyelination in patients with diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the completed clinical trials have reported improved clinical outcome in MS patients treated with the ligands of some of these nuclear hormone receptors. Together, the positive results from both clinical and pre‐clinical studies point to nuclear hormone receptors as promising therapeutic targets to counter demyelination.
Restoration of appearance for women after aesthetic eyelash transplantation using a novel eyelash resection technique
Authors: Chen Jian , Cui Bei , Fan Zhexiang , Yin Jiajing , Qu Qian , Wang Jin , Liu Bingcheng , Chen Ruosi , Hu Zhiqi , Miao Yong
Published: May 2022

Background

Hair transplantation based on the follicular unit extraction provides a new opportunity to improve the appearance of patients with congenital sparse eyelashes. However, disparity between transplanted grafts and original eyelashes and the physiological characteristics of upper eyelid skin cause difficulties with this technique and result in low satisfaction. Removal of unsatisfactory eyelashes is indispensable for restoration of appearance and a second transplantation. Unfortunately, existing methods for hair removal have variable success rates, and hairs frequently regrow.

Objective

This article introduces an effective method to remove unsatisfactory eyelashes in patients with congenital sparse eyelashes who have undergone eyelash transplantation.

Methods

We used a new technique, which involves resection of eyelashes with a composite strip, to remove unsatisfactory eyelashes in patients who underwent eyelash transplantation. The demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were recorded. Outcomes evaluated included patient satisfaction, hair regrowth, and long‐term complications.

Results

From 2017 to 2021, 10 patients (20 sides) underwent eyelash removal. All patients were highly satisfied with the outcomes. Unsatisfactory eyelashes were thoroughly removed, and none regrew during 1 year of follow‐up. No complications were observed.

Conclusion

Strip composite eyelash excision is a safe and effective method for patients who have undergone unsatisfactory eyelash transplantation.
Applied anatomy of the layers and soft tissues of the forehead during minimally‐invasive aesthetic procedures
Authors: Bravo Bruna Souza Felix , de Melo Carvalho Raquel , Penedo Lais , de Bastos Julien Totti , Calomeni Elias Mariana , Cotofana Sebastian , Frank Konstantin , Moellhoff Nicholas , Freitag Lysander , Alfertshofer Michael
Published: May 2022

Background

An increasing demand of minimally‐invasive aesthetic procedures of the forehead concomitantly leads to higher numbers of adverse events. Adequate application of anatomical knowledge is required to increase safety and efficacy of different minimally‐invasive aesthetic procedures in this anatomical region.

Objective

To describe the layered anatomy of the forehead soft tissues with respect to their thicknesses and how they relate to different minimally‐invasive aesthetic treatments.

Methods

A total of n = 85 healthy study participants (69 females and 16 males) with a mean age of 40.84 ± 10.9 years and a mean body mass index of 22.65 ± 2.6 kg/m2 were investigated with ultrasound‐based imaging to measure the thickness of different forehead soft tissues.

Results

The mean overall soft tissue thickness of the forehead was measured to be 4.18 ± 0.7 mm for the entire study population. Increasing BMI values correlated statistically significantly with increasing thickness of all measured forehead soft tissues with exception of the frontalis muscle. On a statistically significant level, males showed thicker forehead soft tissues than females, with exception of the retrofrontalis fat and the frontalis muscle.

Conclusion

On basis of the findings obtained in this study, basic treatment principles can be derived and improved for the injection of neuromodulators, hyaluronic acid as well as the application of polydiaxonane (PDO) threads and micro‐focused ultrasound. Precise knowledge and thorough understanding of the layers and soft tissues of the forehead is required to guarantee safe and effective procedures in this aesthetically important facial region.
Hepatitis C hospitalizations in Spain and impact of new curative antiviral therapies
Authors: Ramos‐Rincon José‐Manuel , Pinargote‐Celorio Héctor , de Mendoza Carmen , Ramos‐Belinchón Clara , Barreiro Pablo , Gómez‐Gallego Félix , Corral Octavio , Soriano Vicente
Published: May 2022

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is major cause of decompensated cirrhosis and liver cancer. The advent of curative new antiviral therapies since year 2015 has dramatically improved the prognosis of HCV patients. The real‐life clinical benefits at country level of these therapies have not yet been assessed. This is a retrospective study of all hospitalizations in Spain including HCV as diagnosis using the Spanish National Registry of Hospital Discharges. Information was retrieved from 1997 to 2019. From 81,482,509 nationwide hospital admissions recorded during the study period, 1,057,582 (1.29%) included HCV as diagnosis. The median age of HCV hospitalized patients was 54 years old. Males accounted for 63.2% of cases. Most HCV admissions recorded chronic hepatitis C whereas acute hepatitis C was reported in less than 3%. In‐hospital death occurred in 6.4% of HCV admissions. Coinfection with HIV or hepatitis B virus was seen in 14.8% and 6.4%, respectively. Patients hospitalized with HIV‐HCV coinfection represented 14.8% of cases and were on average 17 years younger than HCV‐monoinfected individuals. The rate of HCV hospitalizations significantly increased until 2005, and then stabilized for one decade. A significant reduction was noticed since 2015. However, whereas the proportion of HCV‐associated hepatic decompensation events declined since then, liver cancer diagnoses increased. In conclusion, hospital admissions of HCV individuals significantly declined in Spain since 2015 following a wide prescription of new oral direct‐acting antivirals. This reduction was primarily driven by a fall of hepatic decompensation events whereas HCV‐related liver cancer continues rising.
Galectin‐3 is overexpressed in advanced cirrhosis and predicts post‐liver transplant infectious complications
Authors: Cervantes‐Alvarez Eduardo , Limon‐de la Rosa Nathaly , Vilatoba Mario , Pérez‐Monter Carlos , Hurtado‐Gomez Sahara , Martinez‐Cabrera Cynthia , Argemi Josepmaria , Alatorre‐Arenas Elisa , Yarza‐Regalado Susana , Tejeda‐Dominguez Farid , Lizardo‐Thiebaud Maria Jose , Mendez‐Guerrero Osvely , Gamboa‐Dominguez Armando , Aguilar‐Salinas Carlos A. , Huang Christene A. , Kershenobich David , Bataller Ramon , Torre Aldo , Navarro‐Alvarez Nalu
Published: May 2022

Background & Aims

Patients with advanced cirrhosis often have immune dysfunction and are more susceptible to infections. Galectin‐3 is a β‐galactoside‐binding lectin implicated in inflammation, immune regulation and liver fibrosis. We aim to investigate galectin‐3 expression in advanced cirrhosis and its ability to predict post‐transplant infectious complications.

Methods

We collected sera and liver samples from 129 cirrhotic patients at the time of liver transplantation and from an external cohort of 37 patients with alcoholic liver disease including alcoholic hepatitis (AH) at the time of diagnosis. Galectin‐3 was assessed by ELISA, real‐time PCR, immunohistochemistry and RNA‐seq. Receiver operating characteristic curves and Cox proportional‐hazards regression analysis were performed to assess the predictive power of galectin‐3 for disease severity and post‐transplant infections.

Results

Increased galectin‐3 levels were found in advanced cirrhosis. Galectin‐3 significantly correlated with disease severity parameters and inflammatory markers. Galectin‐3 had significant discriminating power for compensated and advanced cirrhosis (AUC = 0.78/0.84, circulating/liver galectin‐3; p < .01), and was even higher to discriminate severe AH (AUC = 0.95, p < .0001). Cox Proportional‐hazard model showed that galectin‐3, MELD‐Na and the presence of SIRS predict the development of post‐transplant infectious complications. Patients with circulating galectin‐3 (>16.58 ng/ml) were at 2.19‐fold 95% CI (1.12–4.29) increased risk, but when combined with MELD‐Na > 20.0 and SIRS, the risk to develop post‐transplant infectious complications, increased to 4.60, 95% CI (2.38–8.90).

Conclusion

Galectin‐3 is a novel biological marker of active inflammation and disease severity that could be clinically useful alone or in combination with other scores to discriminate advanced cirrhosis and predict post‐transplant infectious complications.
Stool microbiota show greater linkages with plasma metabolites compared to salivary microbiota in a multinational cirrhosis cohort
Authors: Cox Isobel Jane , Peña Rodríguez Marcela , Fagan Andrew , Rojas‐Lara Mayra V. , Le Guennec Adrien , Rodriguez‐Alvarez Fatima , McGeorge Sara , Escalona‐Nandez Ivonne , Torre Aldo , Bajaj Jasmohan S.
Published: May 2022

Background and Aims

Cirrhosis is associated with changes in gut microbiota in both saliva and stool. The relative linkage patterns of stool versus saliva microbiota with systemic metabolomics are unclear and may differ across countries. We hypothesized that stool microbiota have greater linkages with plasma metabolites than saliva microbiota, which may depend on country of origin.

Methods

Age‐balanced controls and outpatient patients with cirrhosis, compensated and decompensated, from the USA and Mexico (MX) underwent plasma collection and dietary recall. Plasma metabolomics were analysed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Microbiota in stool and saliva samples were analysed using 16S rRNA analyses. Correlation network differences between both saliva and stool gut microbiota and plasma metabolites were compared between subject groupings and within/between countries.

Results

A total of 313 age‐balanced subjects—135 USA (47 control, 48 compensated and 40 decompensated) and 178 MX (71 control, 56 compensated and 51 decompensated)—were enrolled. Cirrhosis severity, including lactulose and rifaximin use, were comparable. Plasma metabolites differed with advancing cirrhosis, between countries and according to 90‐day hospitalizations. Correlation networks demonstrated more microbiome–metabolite linkages in stool compared to saliva in both populations, although there were no salivary correlation metrics across decompensated subjects in either country. Stool Lactobacillus showed a positive correlation to plasma lactate in decompensated cirrhosis from MX but not USA.

Conclusions

Stool microbiota were more extensively linked with systemic metabolites than were saliva microbiota, irrespective of cirrhosis severity and country. These changes were more prominent in decompensated cirrhosis and were centred around plasma lactate, which might reflect the interaction of diet and lactulose therapy.
Gliosarcoma with unusual glial components: Two case reports
Authors: Otsu Yusuke , Matsumoto Yoshihisa , Higaki Koichi , Furuta Takuya , Moritsubo Mayuko , Yoshitake Hidenobu , Nagata Yui , Hashikawa Takuro , Sakai Hideki , Nakagawa Setsuko , Takahashi Kenji , Sugita Yasuo
Published: May 2022

Gliosarcoma is characterized by the presence of alternating lesions of glial and mesenchymal components. Although many mesenchymal components have been reported, there are few reports on glial components. We here report two cases of gliosarcoma. Case 1 was a 42‐year‐old woman with right hemiparesis and motor aphasia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a tumor in the left frontal lobe. Pathological analysis of the tumor removal specimen revealed gliosarcoma, with a glial component resembling pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. Postoperatively, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were conducted, and the patient was symptom‐free over 12 months after surgery. Case 2 was a 67‐year‐old woman with a consciousness disorder and left hemiparesis. MRI revealed a tumor in the right frontal lobe. Pathological analysis of the first tumor removal specimen identified gliosarcoma, with a glial component characterized by large tumor cells. Additionally, the Ki‐67 labeling index of the glial component was greater than that of the mesenchymal component, and molecular genetic analysis disclosed a mutation in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene (TERT). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were performed. Four months later, MRI revealed recurrence, and the second surgery was performed. Pathological analysis revealed giant cell glioblastoma without TERT mutation. The patient died due to tumor progression 12 months after the first surgery. It is essential to continue histopathological evaluation of glial components, and further genetic evaluation on gliosarcoma is required.
A theoretical framework for multi‐species range expansion in spatially heterogeneous landscapes
Authors: Eigentler Lukas , Stanley‐Wall Nicola R. , Davidson Fordyce A.
Published: May 2022

Range expansion is the spatial spread of a population into previously unoccupied regions. Understanding range expansion is important for the study and successful management of ecosystems, with applications ranging from controlling bacterial biofilm formation in industrial and medical environments to large scale conservation programmes for species undergoing climate‐change induced habitat disruption. During range expansion, species typically encounter competitors. Moreover, the spatial environment into which expansion takes place is almost always heterogeneous. Nevertheless, the impact of competition and spatial landscape heterogeneities on range expansion remains understudied. In this paper we present a theoretical framework comprising two competing generic species undergoing range expansion and use it to investigate the impact of spatial landscape heterogeneities on range expansion with a particular focus on its effect on competition dynamics. We reveal that the area covered by range expansion is highly variable due to the landscape heterogeneities. Moreover, we report significant variability in competitive outcome (relative abundance of a focal species), but determine that this is induced by low initial population densities and is independent of landscape heterogeneities. We further show that both area covered by range expansion and competitive outcome can be accurately predicted by a Voronoi tessellation with respect to an appropriate metric, which only requires information on the spatial landscape and the response of each species to that landscape. Finally, we reveal that if species interact antagonistically during range expansion, the dominant mode of competition depends on the initial population density; antagonistic actions determine competitive outcome if the initial population density is high, but competition for space is the dominant mode of competition if the initial population density is low. These findings enhance our understanding of how competition for space and antagonistic interactions affect range expansion in spatially heterogeneous environments and provide a predictive tool for future species‐specific approaches.
Sacrificial Limbs: Masculinity, Disability and Political Violence in Turkey
Authors: Yoltar Çağrı
Published: May 2022

The honorific term gazi has a significant place in right‐wing politics in Turkey as a key symbol of Turkish nationalism and Islamism. Historically a title associated with Muslim warriors and Ottoman and Turkish sovereigns, it has gained a renewed visibility in everyday life and politics since the 1990s, when the Turkish state began to bestow this title on disabled veterans returning from the counterinsurgency war in Kurdistan. As the war's toll rose, thousands of young, lower‐class men who were badly wounded during their mandatory military service ended up joining the ranks of the gazis, and their injured lives and honored status would go on to become an important point of nationalist rhetoric and action. In Sacrificial Limbs, Salih Can Açıksöz takes his readers deep into the world of Turkey's contemporary gazis, chronicling diverse aspects of their lives – from their memories of war and traumatic experiences of injury, to their everyday struggles in the intimacy of their homes, at healthcare institutions, at work, and on the streets. Traversing disabled veterans’ social and political networks, Açıksöz lays bare a dangerously fragile masculinity and its constitutive interactions with state sovereignty, neoliberal governmentality, and ultranationalist politicization.
The Future of Fallout, and Other Episodes in Radioactive World‐Making
Authors: Calkins Sandra
Published: May 2022

While I was reading Joseph Masco's disturbing book The Future of Fallout, news media reported that China had successfully tested a hypersonic missile, a military technology so advanced it could bypass the US missile defense system. This, many nervous commentators noted, put China ahead of the US in the global arms race, justifying further urgent military investments to catch‐ up. Masco's book is a damning appraisal of such mobilizations of existential threat from the outside and the ways they conceptually underpin the US industrial‐military complex. After World War II fantasies of imminent threat have taken different forms—from the scenarios of nuclear war in the Cold War to those mobilized since 2001 in the so‐called War on Terror. The Future of Fallout examines how these forms of endangerment have seamlessly worked together to colonize American everyday life at the psycho‐social and affective level, while diverting attention from actual forms of planetary violence that the petrochemical industry and the military complex commit.
The effects of acute high‐intensity interval exercise on the temporal dynamics of working memory and contralateral delay activity
Authors: Drollette Eric S. , Meadows Caroline C.
Published: May 2022

The present investigation examined the acute effects of high‐intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on temporal changes in behavioral and neuroelectrical indices of working memory. Young adults (n = 22) performed a visual working memory change detection task of equiprobable 2‐ to 5‐dot set sizes while contralateral delay activity (CDA) and N2pc ERP components were assessed at three consecutive time periods (40‐min, 54‐min, and 68‐min) following three separate counterbalanced 9‐min sessions of seated rest, HIIE‐aerobic (treadmill intervals of moderate‐ and high‐intensity run/walk periods) and HIIE‐aerobic/resistance (intervals of rest and body‐weight calisthenics). Behavior results revealed greater 4‐dot accuracy for HIIE‐aerobic/resistance compared to seated rest only at 40‐min, maintenance of 5‐dot accuracy across time for HIIE‐aerobic compared to HIIE‐aerobic/resistance and seated rest, and greater temporal stability in overall accuracy performance (i.e., inter‐class correlation between temporally adjacent assessments) for both HIIE conditions compared to seated rest. CDA and N2pc results revealed no change in amplitude across time and between HIIE‐aerobic, HIIE‐aerobic/resistance, and seated rest. However, greater temporal stability in CDA amplitude was observed for HIIE‐aerobic compared to seated rest. These findings suggest that short bouts of HIIE may serve as an effective modality for improvements and temporal stabilization in behavior with some evidence for stabilization of neuroelectrical indices of working memory capacity. Together, these data broadly suggest that short acute bouts of exercise may facilitate improvements in underlying mental operations responsible for temporal stability in cognitive and neurocognitive function.
Qualitative inquiry from multiple perspectives of barriers and facilitators of oral health care for adults with disabilities
Authors: Chavis Sydnee E. , Roth Erin , Dababnah Sarah , Tepper Vicki , Badawi Deborah G. , Mullins C. Daniel
Published: May 2022

Aims

Adults with special health care needs (ASHCN) face significant disparities in access to oral health care and subsequent health outcomes, resulting from several etiologies. This study investigated perspectives of patients, caregivers, and providers to better understand care barriers and facilitators for ASHCN.

Methods

We conducted 26 semi‐structured interviews with a purposive sample from an academic clinic specializing in oral health care for ASHCN with disabilities [patients (N = 4), caregivers (N = 8), and providers (N = 14)], and thematically analyzed transcripts for care barriers and facilitators.

Results

Three overarching themes that encompassed overlapping barriers and facilitators of oral health care for ASHCN emerged: relational aspects, provider training/experience, and infrastructure aspects. Themes include intersecting perceptions of factors that hinder or help oral health care and management of ASHCN.

Conclusions

Building relationships with patients, inherent empathetic provider characteristics, and accommodating clinical infrastructure are imperative to facilitate oral health care for ASHCN. The primary themes revealed in this study are facilitators to care when they are present, and barriers to care when they are absent. No individual theme stands alone as a single contributor to quality care, and the provision of care for ASHCN relies on coordination of providers, patients, caregivers, and the overarching infrastructure.
Mulattoes in colonial Maryland: The effects of colonial law on patterns of freedom and enslavement
Authors: Hunt Larry
Published: May 2022

Objective

This study analyzes Maryland colonial law and empirically examines two sets of historical data to explore how legal codes affected the assignment of mulattoes (mixed‐descent persons) to the legal categories of freedom or enslavement. Maryland law was concerned with regulating the sexual relationships between people of European descent and people of African descent, especially when the relationship was between an enslaved African man and a free European woman who might produce a mulatto child having free legal standing.

Methods

Analysis of colonial census data and Prerogative Court Records are used to estimate both the size and the composition (enslaved vs. free) of the mulatto (mixed‐descent) population in the colony of Maryland in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Results

The results of the analysis of historical data show that colonial law and its sanctions limited the size of the mulatto population; it was small as expected. However, there were no dramatic differences in the proportions of enslaved and free mulattoes, a pattern that ran contrary to the logic of colonial law. The lack of any dramatic difference between the two status groups may be explained by demographic patterns specific to the early stages of colonization.

Conclusions

The attempt of colonial lawmakers to limit the proportion of free mulattoes was not effective, at least in the initial periods of building a slave society. Some suggestions for future research combining the efforts of historians and geneticists should examine how the relationships between the European and African descent populations likely had distinctive patterns in the early formation of enslavement as an institution compared to a later period where enslavement became the fate of most persons of African descent.
Castells, Cities And The Network Society: Formidable Ambition, Great Intuitions, Selective Legacy
Authors: Le Galès Patrick
Published: May 2022

This paper reviews the formidable but selective influence of Castells' analysis of the network society and the information revolution. First, the paper argues that the theorization and the style of writing this type of grand theory have both contributed to the success of those papers but also limited their long‐term influence. Second, it argues that Castells decisively contributed to identify the importance of global networks. However, his systematic use of this social form to explain the transformations proved in part misleading. Third, his analysis of spatial transformations is particularly interesting. As an urban sociologist, he has developed a sophisticated framework to articulate cities and urbanization processes in relation to global networks, neither reifying cities nor abandoning the concept contrasting European cities with metropolitan regions.
The management of urogynaecological problems in pregnancy and the postpartum period
Authors: Karim Faisal , Araklitis George , Robinson Dudley , Cardozo Linda
Published: May 2022

Key content

Stress urinary incontinence is common in pregnancy and its severity can be reduced with pelvic floor muscle training.

Overactive bladder syndrome prevalence increases with gestation and treatment can be conservative or medical.

Pelvic organ prolapse is multifactorial. Pelvic floor exercises and pessaries are important treatments and previous surgical management can affect the mode of delivery.

Recurrent urinary tract infections can be treated with antibiotic prophylaxis or with non‐antibiotic prophylaxis such as methanamine hippurate, D‐Mannose and hygiene behaviour.

Urinary retention can occur at any point during pregnancy, causing bladder distension, voiding dysfunction and subsequent lifelong catheterisation.

Learning objectives

To be aware of the pathophysiology and management of different types of urinary tract dysfunction in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

To understand the potential causes and management of pelvic organ prolapse in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

To understand the different potential management options in recurrent lower urinary tract infections.
Moving ideas across borders: Foreign inventors, patents and FDI
Authors: Cuadros Ana , Navas Antonio , Paniagua Jordi
Published: May 2022

This paper explores the link between innovation, migration and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) empirically within a theoretically consistent framework. It analyses how migrant inventors enhance multinational firms' adaptive innovation performance and ultimately foster FDI towards the migrant's country of origin. Foreign migrant inventors (migrants who filed a patent in their host country) possess a unique mix of technical knowledge and cultural background that contribute to adapting Research and Development (R&D) activities for foreign markets. Therefore, FDI increases in country‐pair‐sectors with specific endogenous investment in quality, which depends on the migrants in the R&D sector. We constructed a novel panel country‐sector data set including FDI, patents and migrant inventors and applied a two‐stage structural gravity estimation procedure using migrant inventors as a valid instrument for patents. The results show sizable effects on the extensive and intensive margins of greenfield FDI.
Osteosarcoma diagnosed in a dog using a formalin‐fixed fine‐needle aspirate biopsy
Authors: Etzioni Athema L.
Published: May 2022

Background

Fine‐needle aspirate (FNA) biopsy is considered a quick technique to access and identify the cell types present in a pathologic lesion or make a diagnosis. Often, clinicians want to know if they are dealing with an inflammatory lesion with or without infectious agents or a neoplastic lesion. At times, neoplastic lesions may be confounded by the presence of inflammatory cells.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the application of a formalin‐fixed FNA, designated the cytologic/histopathologic (CytoHisto) technique, to determine the diagnostic quality and ability to arrive at a definitive diagnosis without the use of concentrated cell block or invasive full tissue biopsy procedures during sample collection.

Methods

A 10‐cc syringe with a 22‐gauge 1‐inch needle attached was used to obtain a sizable FNA biopsy sample from a thigh mass in a dog. The needle was removed from the syringe, and the material was expulsed from the syringe directly into 10% buffered formalin. After 24–48‐h fixation, a strainer was used to facilitate placement of the fixed granular material into a micromesh biopsy processing/embedding cassette, and the sample was processed as a routine histopathology sample. A microtome was used to make thin sections stained with H&E initially. Then, subsequent sections were stained with immunohistochemical (IHC) stains vimentin, MUM1, and CD18. Alkaline phosphatase staining was performed on a previously Wright's‐stained cytology following IHC results. All sections were coverslipped and viewed under a light microscope.

Results

When unable to perform incisional or excisional biopsies, this CytoHisto, FNA in formalin technique was useful for collection and subsequent processing as a histopathology sample, with sectioning and then staining with H&E and IHC stains. Neoplastic cells were strongly immunoreactive for vimentin but negative for MUM1 and CD18. Scattered leukocytes within the background stained positively with CD18.

Conclusions

The CytoHisto technique is minimally invasive and allows for sectioning similar to a full‐thickness excisional or incisional biopsy with subsequent H&E and IHC staining, and special stains allow for a definitive diagnosis of osteosarcoma. The CytoHisto technique is a practical diagnostic technique to pursue in clinical practice that minimizes patient invasiveness and maximizes sample collection time, similar to the routine FNA technique.
Prevalence of serum immunoglobulin E against cross‐reactive carbohydrate determinants in allergic and nonallergic horses, and its impact on polysensitisation in serum allergen tests
Authors: Hopke Kaitlin , Coleman Michelle , Kneese Eric , Dominguez Brandon , Diesel Alison , Patterson Adam
Published: May 2022

Background

The existence of antibodies against cross‐reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs) has been studied extensively in humans, and more recently, in dogs and cats. These antibodies can reduce the specificity of in vitro serum allergen tests.

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence of anti‐CCD immunoglobulin (Ig)E in both allergic and nonallergic horses as well as evaluate its potential impact on serum allergen testing.

Animals

Twenty‐one allergic and 21 nonallergic horses.

Methods and Materials

Sera were analysed for anti‐CCD IgE utilising a commercial CHO enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An allergen specific Fc‐ε receptor ELISA then was performed to evaluate polysensitisation, both with and without the addition of a proprietary anti‐CCD blocking solution.

Results

Antibodies against CCD were detected in 30 of 42 horses. There was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.18) between the allergic and healthy groups in regard to anti‐CCD prevalence. Horses with anti‐CCD IgE exhibited more polysensitisation on serum allergen tests than horses without anti‐CCD IgE in all allergen groups except mites. Polysensitisation was statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval for grasses (p <0.03), weeds (p = 0.02) and stinging insects (p = 0.0005). This was found to be true across both study groups. Inhibition with an anti‐CCD blocking solution resulted in a 43% average reduction in polysensitisation.

Conclusion and clinical importance

The prevalence of anti‐CCD IgE of horses in this study coincides with the prevalence detected in pollen‐sensitised people. Horses with anti‐CCD IgE exhibited more positive reactions on serum allergen tests. By minimising potential artifactual polysensitisation, inclusion of an anti‐CCD blocker may facilitate identification of allergen‐specific IgE.
Cases of dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton benhamiae var. luteum and T. europaeum, newly described dermatophytes within the T. benhamiae complex
Authors: Peano Andrea , Hubka Vit , Cavana Paola , Ottino Chiara , Blandolino Miriam , Molinar Min Anna Rita , Pasquetti Mario
Published: May 2022

Trichophyton benhamiae var. luteum and T. europaeum – recently described dermatophytes within the T. benhamiae complex – were identified in nine cases of dermatophytosis involving guinea pigs, chinchillas and dogs. The diagnosis was obtained through direct hair/scale examination, culture and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA.
Effects of Gas Embolism on Pulsatile Flow Characteristics Within a Human Carotid Artery
Authors: Nalla Sai Kiran Kumar , Uppapalli Sebastian
Published: May 2022

Atherosclerosis in carotid arteries depends mostly on hemodynamic parameters, and any disturbances in pulsatile flows may alter the hemodynamic parameters extensively. Gas emboli are one such source that can hinder and disturb standard blood flow patterns and potentially lead to occlusions and ischemia. To understand how gas embolism affects carotid artery hemodynamics, numerical simulation of coupled Newtonian two-phase laminar flow with interface tracking are performed in an anatomical image-based geometry with flow conditions closely approximating physiological flows. Bubble behavior and Pulsatile flow field changes are quantified. Significant deviation from flow without gas embolism is observed leading to nonstandard flow distributions. Results show that gas embolism promotes complex spatio-temporal variations in the carotid artery hemodynamics leading to higher time averaged shear stress values and greater regions of high oscillatory shear index, implying higher probability of atherosclerosis incidence. Depending on contact angle, gas emboli were found to be lodged in carotid sinus or exiting the carotid artery, which can potentially cause abnormalities in blood pressures, heart rates, and ischemia in downstream vasculature, respectively.
Simplified Improvement of Higher Order Extended Bulk Flow Analysis Specialized for Derivation of Rotordynamic Coefficients of the Annular Plain Seal With Large Static Eccentricity
Authors: Inoue T. , Yamada K.
Published: May 2022

Rotordynamic (RD) fluid force of turbomachinery is known as one of the causes of the shaft vibration problem. Bulk flow analysis is the analytical method of RD fluid force, and it is widely used in design stage. Conventional bulk flow analysis has been basically carried out under the assumption of concentric circular whirl orbit. While, the actual turbomachinery is often operated with static eccentricity due to the effect of static load and so on. However, there are not many studies that have investigated the case with large static eccentricity, in particular, the case more than half the seal clearance. In this paper, the linear RD coefficient for the plain annular seal is focused on and examined for the range that static eccentricity is up to 65% of seal clearance. In this range of static eccentricity, it requires the nonlinear analysis extended to the fifth order and largely increases the number of equations to be solved. This paper proposed simplification of higher order extended bulk flow (SHEBF) analysis, and as a result, the number of analytical equations to be solved is significantly reduced. The validity of this method is confirmed both numerically and experimentally.
Preclinical Evaluation of a Task-Shifting Contraceptive Implant Insertion Device for Use in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Mohedas Ibrahim , Bell Carrie , Bekele Delayehu , Jiang Kevin , Soyars Caroline , Walsh Madeleine , Sienko Kathleen H.
Published: May 2022

Worldwide, 225 million women have unmet contraceptive needs which, every year, leads to 52 million unintended pregnancies. A challenge to providing universal access to contraception is the large proportion of the population living in rural, difficult-to-access settings in low- and middle-income countries. Further, the availability and delivery of effective contraception in rural areas are limited by the lack of trained healthcare providers required to administer long-acting reversible contraceptives. In this study, we describe the design and testing of the SubQ Assist, a task-shifting contraceptive implant insertion device that aims to ensure appropriate and consistent subdermal administration. Cadaver testing and ultrasound depth measurements were used to evaluate the performance of the SubQ Assist. Implant insertion outcomes between the SubQ Assist operated by a trained clinician and the conventional freehand insertion method by a trained clinician were compared. Cadaver testing and ultrasound depth measurements demonstrated that the SubQ Assist resulted in implant insertions that were statistically equivalent to implants inserted using the freehand insertion method. Additionally, the results showed that the lateral positioning of these implants would facilitate uncomplicated removal at a later date. These findings demonstrated that the SubQ Assist can consistently insert implants at an appropriate depth. Pending clinical testing, the SubQ Assist may be an effective method of task-shifting the insertion of contraceptive implants from providers with advanced skills to minimally trained providers in order to expand access in rural areas.
Machine Health Management System Using Moving Average Feature With Bidirectional Long-Short Term Memory
Authors: Mubarak Akram , Asmelash Mebrahitom , Azhari Azmir , Haggos Ftwi Yohannes , Mulubrhan Freselam
Published: May 2022

In today's highly competitive industrial environment, machine health management systems become a crucial factor for sustainability and success. The traditional feature extraction methods to reveal the health condition of the machine are labor-extensive. They usually depend on engineered design features, which require an expert knowledge level. Inspired by the successful results of deep-learning approaches that redefine representation learning from raw data, we propose moving-averaged features-based on Long-Short Term Memory (MaF-LSTM) networks. It is a hybrid approach that combines engineered features design with self-feature learning for the purpose of machine condition monitoring. First, features from overlapped sliding windows of the input time-series signals are extracted. Then, a moving-average filter is applied on the top of the generated features to enhance the feature’s condition indicter’s content. Next, a bidirectional LSTM is applied to learn the feature representation from the moving-averaged features. Two experiments, namely, bearing fault diagnosis and hydraulic accumulator fault detection, are implemented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed MaF-LSTM. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms all traditional condition monitoring methods in both use cases.
Multicentre, randomised controlled feasibility study to compare a 10-week physiotherapy programme using an interactive exercise training device to improve walking and balance, to usual care of children with cerebral palsy aged 4–18 years: the ACCEPT study protocol
Authors: Rapson Rachel , Marsden Jonathan , Latour Jos , Ingram Wendy , Stevens Kara Nicola , Cocking Laura , Carter Bernie
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently undertake physiotherapy programmes to improve walking and balance. They often require adult support to exercise in a functional position. A novel interactive exercise trainer has been devised to enable children to exercise with against resistance in a functional position, but its efficacy has yet to be proved. A novel protocol has been developed to determine whether a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is feasible.

Aim

To establish whether it is feasible to conduct an RCT to assess the effectiveness of a 10-week physiotherapy intervention using an interactive trainer in children with CP.

Methods and analysis

This study is multicentre randomised controlled feasibility trial with an embedded qualitative study. Forty children with CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) I–III will be recruited from community paediatric physiotherapy caseloads. Participants will be randomised to 10 weeks of training with the interactive training device or to usual physiotherapy care. The mediolateral motion of the centre of mass estimate and Paediatric Balance Scale will be explored as potential primary outcomes measures, tested at baseline, 10 weeks and follow-up at 20 weeks. The views of child participants, their parents and physiotherapists will be gained through e-diaries and qualitative interviews.

Feasibility will be determined by examining recruitment and retention rates, completeness of, adherence to the intervention, appropriateness of outcome measures and effectiveness of blinding. Results will be reported in accordance to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

Physiotherapists, children and parents have informed trial design and information leaflets. Results will be disseminated via publications, conferences and to families. This study has approval from North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee (20/NS/0018).

Trial registration number

ISRCTN80878394.