bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Relationship Between Local Business and Employment Creation for Poverty Reduction in Northern Ghana: The Moderating Role of Local Economic Development (LED) Policy
Authors: Tackie Evelyn Agba , Chen Hao , Ahakwa Isaac , Atingabili Samuel , Ansah Kobina Abaka
Published: June 2022

In the past few decades, the local economic development (LED) policy has gained prominence in Ghana as an effective bottom-up approach for poverty reduction and rural development. Adopting this bottom-up approach to reducing poverty, this paper investigates the impact of local business and local employment creation on poverty reduction in Ghana by employing the moderating role of LED policy. Data were obtained through an online survey platform from 357 respondents from local government officials working within the various districts across the northern parts of Ghana. The study used structural equation model analytical tool to examine the relationships between the variables. The findings affirmed both local business and local employment creation as positive determinants of poverty reduction. Also, employing LED policy as a moderator, local business creation plays the most significant role in reducing poverty at a 1% significant level. However, the moderating role of LED policy between local employment and poverty reduction was insignificant. Also, local employment insignificantly mediated local business and poverty reduction. Therefore, there is a need for development actors at local and international levels to collectively make a continuous effort to drive the local economic development policy agenda. This can be done through the promotion of local businesses creation to improve standards of living and reduce poverty to the lowest level in Ghana and other developing countries at large.
Colorectal Carcinoma in the Background of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Authors: Kalas M Ammar , Alhariri Sara , Ortega Andrew Jonathen , Galura Gian Marco , Al Bayati Ihsan , Al Obaidi Sarah
Published: June 2022

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a common malignancy with steadily declining incidence rates and mortality, secondary to improved screening and lifestyle changes (eg, decreased smoking rates). The association between pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and CRC has been unclear in the past. However, multiple studies showed a positive association between PID and underlying malignancy (gynecologic and pelvic primarily). Several studies evaluated the relation between PID and CRC, but the results were conflicting. We describe a case of a 33-year-old female patient, with a history of PID and recurrent pelvic abscesses, who was found to have CRC. Of note, the patient’s diagnosis was based on abnormal computed tomography findings, which were further investigated (by colonoscopy and biopsy), rather than on symptoms suggestive of CRC, such as rectal bleeding, constipation, symptomatic anemia, or abdominal pain.
Tooth Fragment Reattachment: Interim or a Permanent Solution?
Authors: Fatima Shazra , Rahman Ziaur
Published: June 2022

One of the most commonly encountered situations in clinical practice is dental trauma. Children and adolescents frequently report with uncomplicated/complicated crown fracture that requires immediate consideration. Clinicians should be prompt in treating such injuries and must be aware of the various treatment options available. With the advent of newer adhesive systems, reattachment has become the treatment of choice when the fragment is properly stored, and luxation injury is not associated with the fracture. This article aims to review the various techniques available for reattachment of fractured fragment and the recent advances in the adhesive systems.
RAE1 is a prognostic biomarker and is correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Chi Gang , Pei Jin-Hong , Li Xue-Qing
Published: June 2022

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignant tumor that accounts for approximately 90% of all cases of primary liver cancer worldwide. Microtubule alterations may contribute to the broad spectrum of resistance to chemotherapy, tumor development, and cell survival. This study aimed to assess the value of ribonucleic acid export 1 (RAE1), as a regulator of microtubules, in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, and to analyze its correlation with genetic mutations and pathways in HCC.

Results

The mRNA and protein levels of RAE1 were significantly elevated in HCC tissues compared with those in normal tissues. The high expression level of RAE1 was correlated with T stage, pathologic stage, tumor status, histologic grade, and alpha-fetoprotein level. HCC patients with a higher expression level of RAE1 had a poorer prognosis, and the expression level of RAE1 showed the ability to accurately distinguish tumor tissues from normal tissues (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.951). The AUC values of 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were all above 0.6. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that RAE1 expression level was an independent prognostic factor for a shorter overall survival of HCC patients. The rate of RAE1 genetic alterations was 1.1% in HCC samples. Gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analyses indicated the co-expressed genes of RAE1 were mainly related to chromosome segregation, DNA replication, and cell cycle checkpoint. Protein–protein interaction analysis showed that RAE1 was closely correlated with NUP205, NUP155, NUP214, NUP54, and NXF1, all playing important roles in cell division and mitotic checkpoint.

Conclusion

RAE1 can be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker associated with microtubules and a therapeutic target for HCC.
Bowel frequency (night) and urgent defecation are improved by budesonide foam in patients with ulcerative colitis: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Miyazaki Ryosuke , Sakurai Toshiyuki , Shimada Mariko , Iwashita Yuko , Shibuya Naoki , Akita Yoshihiro , Miyashita Haruna , Maruyama Yuki , Saruta Masayuki
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are known to have a significantly poor quality of life due to bowel frequency (night) and urgent defecation. Budesonide foam is a topical medication that was approved in Japan in 2017 for the treatment of UC. However, its efficacy in the treatment of bowel frequency (night) or urgent defecation is unknown. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of budesonide foam for the alleviation of these symptoms.

Methods

UC patients who received budesonide foam between December 2017 and January 2020 at the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo were enrolled. The simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI) was evaluated at the start of budesonide foam treatment and 2 and 6 weeks later in patients who initially scored ≥ 1 for bowel frequency (night) and urgent defecation, respectively. We also studied the effect of budesonide foam on remaining symptoms in patients who had used 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) topical treatment, those with SCCAI ≥ 3, and those in remission with residual symptoms (SCCAI 1 or 2).

Results

Of the 233 enrolled patients, 102 were eligible for the study. In 36 patients with bowel frequency (night) treated with budesonide foam were significantly effective, score in SCCAI decreased from 1.17 ± 0.45 at baseline to 0.53 ± 0.61 at week 2 (p < 0.0001) and 0.17 ± 0.38 at week 6 (p < 0.0001). In 45 patients with urgent defecation score in SCCAI decreased significantly from 1.33 ± 0.52 at baseline to 0.44 ± 0.59 at week 2 (p < 0.0001) and 0.22 ± 0.40 at week 6 (p < 0.0001). Of 22 patients who switched from topical 5-ASA administration to budesonide foam, nine at week 2 (41%) and 11 (50%) at week 6 were improved with no symptoms, and there were no cases of worsened symptoms. No severe side effects associated with budesonide foam were observed.

Conclusion

Budesonide foam administration significantly improves both bowel frequency (night) and urgent defecation-related UC activity and is also effective for the patients who were refractory to topical 5-ASA administration.
Mixed methods evaluation of simulation-based training for postpartum hemorrhage management in Guatemala
Authors: Parameshwar Pooja S. , Bianco Katherine , Sherwin Elizabeth B. , Meza Pamela K. , Tolani Alisha , Bates Paige , Sie Lillian , López Enríquez Andrea Sofía , Sanchez Diana E. , Herrarte Edgar R. , Daniels Kay
Published: June 2022

Background

To assess if simulation-based training (SBT) of B-Lynch suture and uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) for the management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) impacted provider attitudes, practice patterns, and patient management in Guatemala, using a mixed-methods approach.

Methods

We conducted an in-country SBT course on the management of PPH in a governmental teaching hospital in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Participants were OB/GYN providers (n = 39) who had or had not received SBT before. Surveys and qualitative interviews evaluated provider knowledge and experiences with B-Lynch and UBT to treat PPH.

Results

Multiple-choice surveys indicated that providers who received SBT were more comfortable performing and teaching B-Lynch compared to those who did not (p = 0.003 and 0.005). Qualitative interviews revealed increased provider comfort with B-Lynch compared to UBT and identified multiple barriers to uterine balloon tamponade implementation.

Conclusions

Simulation-based training had a stronger impact on provider comfort with B-Lynch compared to uterine balloon tamponade. Qualitative interviews provided insight into the challenges that hinder uptake of uterine balloon tamponade, namely resource limitations and decision-making hierarchies. Capturing data through a mixed-methods approach allowed for more comprehensive program evaluation.
Social determinants of vulnerability in the population of reproductive age: a systematic review
Authors: van der Meer Lindsey , Barsties Lisa S. , Daalderop Leonie A. , Waelput Adja J. M. , Steegers Eric A. P. , Bertens Loes C. M.
Published: June 2022

Background

The health of an (unborn) child is largely determined by the health and social determinants of its parents. The extent to which social determinants of parents or prospective parents affect their own health depends partly on their coping or resilience abilities. Inadequate abilities allow negative effects of unfavourable social determinants to prevail, rendering them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes. Addressing these determinants in the reproductive-aged population is therefore a key approach in improving the health of the future generation. This systematic review aims to synthesise evidence on social determinants of vulnerability, i.e., inadequate coping or low resilience, in the general population of reproductive age.

Methods

The databases EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, were systematically searched from database inception to December 2th 2021.

Observational studies examining social determinants and demographics in relation to vulnerability among the general population of reproductive age (men and women aged 18-40 years), conducted in a high-income country in Europe or North America, Australia or New Zealand were eligible for inclusion. Relevant data was extracted from each included article and findings were presented in a narrative and tabulated manner.

Results

We identified 40,028 unique articles, of which 78 were full text reviewed. Twenty-five studies were included, of which 21 had a cross-sectional study design (84%). Coping was the most frequently assessed outcome measure (n = 17, 68%). Thirty social determinants were identified. Overall, a younger age, lower socioeconomic attainment, lack of connection with the social environment, and adverse life events were associated with inadequate coping or low resilience.

Conclusions

This review shows that certain social determinants are associated with vulnerability in reproductive-aged individuals. Knowing which factors make people more or less vulnerable carries health-related implications. More high-quality research is needed to obtain substantial evidence on the strength of the effect of these social conditions in this stage of life.
Evaluation of PD-L1 and B7-H3 expression as a predictor of response to adjuvant chemotherapy in bladder cancer
Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed M. , Frank Igor , Orme Jacob J. , Lavoie Roxane R. , Thapa Prabin , Costello Brian A. , Cheville John C. , Gupta Sounak , Dong Haidong , Lucien Fabrice
Published: June 2022

Introduction and objectives

PD-L1 and B7-H3 have been found to be overexpressed in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the urinary bladder. Recent studies have also demonstrated that B7-H3 and PD-L1 can promote resistance to platinum-based drugs but the predictive value of B7-H3 expression in patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy is unknown. This study aims to investigate the association of PD-L1 and B7-H3 tumor expression with oncological outcomes in patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) and received subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy.

Materials and methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded sections from bladder and lymph node specimens of 81 patients who had RC for bladder cancer. PD-L1 and B7-H3 expression on tumor cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry in both primary tumors and lymph node specimens. Association with clinicopathologic outcomes was determined using Fisher's exact test and postoperative survival using Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox regression model.

Results

B7-H3 expression in cystectomy specimens was more common than PD-L1 expression (72.8% vs. 35.8%). For both markers, no association was found with pathologic tumor stage, lymph node (LN) status, and histological subtype. Similar findings were observed for double-positive tumors (PD-L1+B7-H3+). Concordance between the primary tumor and patient-matched lymph nodes was found in 76.2% and 54.1% of patients for PD-L1 and B7-H3, respectively. PD-L1 tumor expression was not associated with oncologic outcomes. However, B7-H3 expression was associated with recurrence-free survival (HR: 2.38, 95% CI 1.06–5.31, p = 0.035) and cancer-specific survival (HR: 2.67, 95% CI 1.18–6.04, p = 0.019).

Conclusions

In our single institutional study, B7-H3 is highly expressed in patients with UC treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and it was associated with decreased recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival. Pending further validation in larger cohorts, B7-H3 expression may function as a predictor of response to adjuvant chemotherapy and thus be useful in patient and regimen selection.
Accuracy of two orthodontic mini-implant templates in the infrazygomatic crest zone: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Su Li , Song Hui , Huang Xiaofeng
Published: June 2022

Background

In the clinic, most computer-aided design and manufacturing orthodontic mini-implant guides are suitable for the position between the tooth roots, and few templates are designed and used for the infrazygomatic crest zone. In this study, we took into account the structure of the infrazygomatic crest and 3D printing technology, developed two kinds of templates, and evaluated their clinical effects.

Methods

Seventeen patients who accepted 30 mini-implant insertions in the infrazygomatic crest were selected. According to different implantation methods, three groups were divided. In Groups A and B, the mini-implants were positioned with an A-type or B-type template designed by EXOCAD software. In Group C, the mini-implants were inserted by an experienced orthodontist without any guides. We simulate the bucco-palatal, mesio-distal, and vertical head positions in the Segma implant guide software and measure the deviation from the virtual design position of the mini-implant. The linear deviation of the mini-implant tip and cap and the angular deviation of the long axis of the mini-implant in the bucco-palatal direction, mesio-distal direction, and vertical direction were also measured. The results were statistically analysed by SPSS software.

Results

The deviations of Group A and Group C’s miniscrew cap in the bucco-palatal direction, Group A and Group B, Group A and Group C’s miniscrew tip in the mesio-distal direction, and Group B and Group C’s miniscrew tip and cap in the vertical direction were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the deviations of Group A and Group C’s miniscrew tip and cap in the vertical direction (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

In the vertical direction, the accuracy of implantation with the template is higher than that of the traditional method without the template to avoid piercing the maxillary sinus mucosa in the infrazygomatic crest zone.
The relationship between ethical leadership, conscientiousness, and moral courage from nurses’ perspective
Authors: Pakizekho Samaneh , Barkhordari-Sharifabad Maasoumeh
Published: June 2022

Background

Nurses’ conscientiousness and moral courage are essential to providing high quality care. Leadership is one of the factors that may be very effective in strengthening these characteristics in nurses. Among leadership styles, the ethical leadership has a special value. This study investigated the relationship between ethical leadership of nursing managers, conscientiousness, and moral courage from the nurses’ perspective.

Methods

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 180 nurses working in hospitals of Yazd, central Iran, were selected through simple random sampling. Three questionnaires: the “Ethical Leadership”, “Conscientiousness”, and “Moral Courage” were used to collect data. Data were analyzed with SPSS20 using descriptive and analytical statistics.

Results

There was a positive and significant relationship between conscientiousness and moral courage with ethical leadership from the nurses’ perspective (P < 0.05). The relationship between conscientiousness and moral courage was also significant (P < 0.05). The regression analysis showed that ethical leadership can be considered as a predictor of conscientiousness and moral courage.

Conclusion

The relationship between ethical leadership and conscientiousness and moral courage suggests that nursing managers, by adopting such an approach in leadership, can increase conscientiousness and moral courage in nurses.
Screening strategies and laboratory assays to support Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein deletion surveillance: where we are and what is needed
Authors: Beshir Khalid B. , Parr Jonathan B. , Cunningham Jane , Cheng Qin , Rogier Eric
Published: June 2022

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) detecting Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) have been an important tool for malaria diagnosis, especially in resource-limited settings lacking quality microscopy. Plasmodium falciparum parasites with deletion of the pfhrp2 gene encoding this antigen have now been identified in dozens of countries across Asia, Africa, and South America, with new reports revealing a high prevalence of deletions in some selected regions. To determine whether HRP2-based RDTs are appropriate for continued use in a locality, focused surveys and/or surveillance activities of the endemic P. falciparum population are needed. Various survey and laboratory methods have been used to determine parasite HRP2 phenotype and pfhrp2 genotype, and the data collected by these different methods need to be interpreted in the appropriate context of survey and assay utilized. Expression of the HRP2 antigen can be evaluated using point-of-care RDTs or laboratory-based immunoassays, but confirmation of a deletion (or mutation) of pfhrp2 requires more intensive laboratory molecular assays, and new tools and strategies for rigorous but practical data collection are particularly needed for large surveys. Because malaria diagnostic strategies are typically developed at the national level, nationally representative surveys and/or surveillance that encompass broad geographical areas and large populations may be required. Here is discussed contemporary assays for the phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of P. falciparum HRP2 status, consider their strengths and weaknesses, and highlight key concepts relevant to timely and resource-conscious workflows required for efficient diagnostic policy decision making.
Neutrality, conflict, and structural determinants of health in a Jerusalem emergency department
Authors: Orr Zvika , Jackson Levi , Alpert Evan Avraham , Fleming Mark D.
Published: June 2022

Background

Medical neutrality is a normative arrangement that differentiates a zone of medical treatment disconnected from the field of politics. While medical neutrality aims to ensure impartial healthcare for all and to shield the healthcare personnel from political demands, it can also divert attention away from conflicts and their effects on health inequity. This article analyzes how healthcare professionals understand and negotiate the depoliticized space of the emergency department (ED) through their views on neutrality. It also examines how medical staff use depoliticized concepts of culture to account for differences in the health status of patients from disadvantaged groups. These questions are examined in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Methods

Twenty-four in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare personnel in a Jerusalem hospital’s ED. All but one of the participants were Jewish. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and Grounded Theory.

Results

The ED staff endorsed the perspective of medical neutrality as a nondiscriminatory approach to care. At the same time, some medical staff recognized the limits of medical neutrality in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and negotiated and challenged this concept. While participants identified unique health risks for Arab patients, they usually did not associate these risks with the effects of conflict and instead explained them in depoliticized terms of cultural and behavioral differences. Culture served as a non-controversial way of acknowledging and managing problems that have their roots in politics.

Conclusions

The normative demand for neutrality works to exclude discussion of the conflict from clinical spaces. The normative exclusion of politics is a vital but under-appreciated aspect of how political conflict operates as a structural determinant of health. Healthcare personnel, especially in the ED, should be trained in structural competency. This training may challenge the neglect of issues that need to be solved at the political level and enhance health equity, social justice, and solidarity.
Recurrent bacteremia with a hypermucoviscous Escherichia coli isolated from a patient with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: insights from a comprehensive genome-based analysis
Authors: Neumann Bernd , Lippmann Norman , Wendt Sebastian , Karlas Thomas , Lübbert Christoph , Werner Guido , Pfeifer Yvonne , Schuster Christopher F.
Published: June 2022

Background

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a common human pathogen, responsible for a broad spectrum of infections. Sites of infection can vary, but the hepato-biliary system is of particular concern due to the infection-associated formation of gallstones and the spread of pathogens from the bile ducts into the bloodstream.

Case presentation

The presented case is striking, as the detected isolate showed a positive string test. This hypermucoviscous phenotype is atypical for E. coli and a particular feature of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) variants.

Objectives

To provide new insights into the genomic background of an E. coli strain with an unusual hypermucoviscous phenotype using hybrid short- and long-read sequencing approaches.

Results

Complete hybrid assemblies of the E. coli genome and plasmids were done and used for genome based typing. Isolate 537–20 was assigned to the multilocus sequence type ST88 and serotype O8:H4. The strain showed a close relationship to avian pathogenic strains. Analysis of the chromosome and plasmids revealed the presence of several virulence factors, such as the Conserved Virulence Plasmidic (CVP) region on plasmid 537-20_1, including several iron acquisition genes (sitABCD, iroABCDEN, iucABCD, hbd) and the iutA gene encoding the receptor of the siderophore aerobactin. The hypermucoviscous phenotype could be caused by encapsulation of putative K. pneumoniae origin.

Conclusions

Hybrid sequencing enabled detailed genomic characterization of the hypermucoviscous E. coli strain, revealing virulence factors that have their putative origin in K. pneumoniae.
Minding the Baby versus usual care: study protocol for a quasi-cluster-randomized controlled study in Denmark of an early interdisciplinary home-visiting intervention for families at increased risk for adversity
Authors: Pontoppidan Maiken , Thorsager Mette , Friis-Hansen Mette , Slade Arietta , Sadler Lois S.
Published: June 2022

Background

Inequality in health can have profound effects on a child’s opportunities later in life. To prevent these downstream effects in families at increased risk of adversity, programs are needed to provide support and improve well-being across several domains. The present trial is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the Minding the Baby® (MTB) home visiting intervention in improving the mother-child relationship, parental reflective functioning, well-being, and mental health, as well as child development and well-being in families at known risk of adverse health, relational, and developmental outcomes.

Methods

The study is a pragmatic, prospective, quasi-cluster-randomized controlled trial in which seven Danish municipalities were randomized to MTB training in either 2018 or 2019. A total of 250 pregnant women at increased risk of adversity will be recruited (75 care as usual families and 175 intervention families). Care as usual families will be recruited before and after the MTB training. The MTB intervention is an attachment-based, interdisciplinary home visiting intervention offered from the third trimester of pregnancy until the child is 2 years old. The participants are assessed at baseline, and when the infant is 3, 12, and 24 months old. The primary outcome is maternal sensitivity measured by the Coding Interactive Behavior scale applied to video recordings of mother-infant interactions. Secondary outcomes include parent-child interaction, parental reflective functioning, parental mental health, maternal satisfaction, parental stress, and child development and well-being. The treatment effect is estimated as a fixed effect using a binary indicator of MTB treatment, and cluster-robust standard errors based on wild bootstrap are used for inference.

Discussion

This is the first trial of MTB in a Scandinavian context and will include the largest sample yet in a trial of MTB. The trial is expected to contribute to knowledge about the effect of early support for pregnant women, their infants, and their families at increased risk of adversity.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03495895. The study was registered on April 12, 2018.
Algorithms used in medical image segmentation for 3D printing and how to understand and quantify their performance
Authors: Fogarasi Magdalene , Coburn James C. , Ripley Beth
Published: June 2022

Background

3D printing (3DP) has enabled medical professionals to create patient-specific medical devices to assist in surgical planning. Anatomical models can be generated from patient scans using a wide array of software, but there are limited studies on the geometric variance that is introduced during the digital conversion of images to models. The final accuracy of the 3D printed model is a function of manufacturing hardware quality control and the variability introduced during the multiple digital steps that convert patient scans to a printable format. This study provides a brief summary of common algorithms used for segmentation and refinement. Parameters for each that can introduce geometric variability are also identified. Several metrics for measuring variability between models and validating processes are explored and assessed.

Methods

Using a clinical maxillofacial CT scan of a patient with a tumor of the mandible, four segmentation and refinement workflows were processed using four software packages. Differences in segmentation were calculated using several techniques including volumetric, surface, linear, global, and local measurements.

Results

Visual inspection of print-ready models showed distinct differences in the thickness of the medial wall of the mandible adjacent to the tumor. Volumetric intersections and heatmaps provided useful local metrics of mismatch or variance between models made by different workflows. They also allowed calculations of aggregate percentage agreement and disagreement which provided a global benchmark metric. For the relevant regions of interest (ROIs), statistically significant differences were found in the volume and surface area comparisons for the final mandible and tumor models, as well as between measurements of the nerve central path. As with all clinical use cases, statistically significant results must be weighed against the clinical significance of any deviations found.

Conclusions

Statistically significant geometric variations from differences in segmentation and refinement algorithms can be introduced into patient-specific models. No single metric was able to capture the true accuracy of the final models. However, a combination of global and local measurements provided an understanding of important geometric variations. The clinical implications of each geometric variation is different for each anatomical location and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by clinicians familiar with the process. Understanding the basic segmentation and refinement functions of software is essential for sites to create a baseline from which to evaluate their standard workflows, user training, and inter-user variability when using patient-specific models for clinical interventions or decisions.
Utility of sirolimus coated balloons in the peripheral vasculature – a review of the current literature
Authors: Linn Y. L. , Choke E. T. C. , Yap C. J. Q. , Tan R. Y. , Patel A. , Tang T. Y.
Published: June 2022

Sirolimus-coated balloons (SCB) have demonstrated much promise as an alternative drug eluting device to the existing paclitaxel coated balloon platforms for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). They have been well tested pre-clinically and have demonstrated anti-restenotic effects as well as clinical safety in its use for treatment of coronary artery disease. The existing approved SCBs have thus far demonstrated good short-term patency (12-months) and did not exhibit any major adverse events or device related shortcomings in its use for treatment of PAD. There are several studies ongoing which aim to further investigate the efficacy of existing SCBs and establish a direct comparison of its outcomes compared with plain balloon angioplasty. Also, SCB utility to salvage failing arteriovenous fistulas for haemodialysis patients has also been explored. We review the current progress made in the establishment of SCB in the treatment of PAD as well as highlight ongoing studies investigating the role of SCB in various settings.
ASD Formation Prior to Material Characterization as Key Parameter for Accurate Measurements and Subsequent Process Simulation for Hot-Melt Extrusion
Authors: Kayser Kevin , Monschke Marius , Wagner Karl G.
Published: June 2022

Process simulation facilitates scale-up of hot-melt extrusion (HME) and enhances proper understanding of the underlying critical process parameters. However, performing numeric simulations requires profound knowledge of the employed materials’ properties. For example, an accurate description of the compounds’ melt rheology is paramount for proper simulations. Hence, sample preparation needs to be optimized to yield results as predictive as possible. To identify the optimal preparation method for small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheological measurements, binary mixtures of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate or methacrylic acid ethyl acrylate copolymer (Eudragit L100-55) together with the model drugs celecoxib and ketoconazole were prepared. The physical powder mixtures were introduced into the SAOS as a compressed tablet or a disk prepared via vacuum compression molding (VCM). Simulations with the derived parameters were conducted and compared to lab-scale extrusion trials. VCM was identified as the ideal preparation method resulting in the highest similarity between simulated and experimental values, while simulation based on conventional powder-based methods insufficiently described the HME process.
Case of Recurrent Primary Hyperparathyroidism, Congenital Granular Cell Tumor, and Aggressive Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Afreen Samina , Weinstein Lee S , Simonds William F , Jha Smita
Published: June 2022

We present the case of a 53-year-old African-American male with recurrent primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), multifocal benign granular cell tumor (GCT), and metastatic colon adenocarcinoma. PHPT was diagnosed on routine blood testing (ionized calcium, 1.66 [1.12-1.32] mmol/L; PTH 110 pg/mL, vitamin D-25-OH-D: 18 ng/mL; PTHrP: undetectable). Medical history was notable for 2 reoccurrences of PHPT with persistent disease after most recent parathyroidectomy. Lymph node (LN) dissection during this last surgery showed a 2-mm focus of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in 1/5 LNs. Additionally, the patient had a history of multifocal GCTs diagnosed at age 2 years. On examination, there were no Lisch nodules, axillary, or inguinal freckling, neurofibromas, or café-au-lait macules but a prominent abdominal wall nodule was noted. En bloc resection of a tumor in the tracheoesophageal groove, identified by sestamibi scan, and excision of 4.5-cm abdominal wall nodule showed both masses having histology consistent with GCT. Serum calcium and PTH did not decrease, indicating another unsuccessful surgery. Genetic testing was negative for germline variants in PHPT-associated genes, APC, or genes of RAS-MAPK signaling pathway. The LN finding of metastatic adenocarcinoma prompted an endoscopy and transbronchial biopsy leading to the diagnosis of widely metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma, eventually resulting in his death a year later. The source of the patient’s persistent PHPT remained unidentified. This is the first case with coassociation of recurrent PHPT, multifocal GCT, and colon cancer. Whether the disparate tumors in this patient share common driver(s) remains unknown. Prospective surveillance of patients for similar associations may provide clues for a novel syndromic form of PHPT.
ALDH2 variance in disease and populations
Authors: Chen Che-Hong , Kraemer Benjamin R. , Mochly-Rosen Daria
Published: June 2022

The ALDH2*2 missense variant that commonly causes alcohol flushing reactions is the single genetic polymorphism associated with the largest number of traits in humans. The dysfunctional ALDH2 variant affects nearly 8% of the world population and is highly concentrated among East Asians. Carriers of the ALDH2*2 variant commonly present alterations in a number of blood biomarkers, clinical measurements, biometrics, drug prescriptions, dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors, and they are also more susceptible to aldehyde-associated diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, the interaction between alcohol and ALDH2-related pathology is not clearly delineated. Furthermore, genetic evidence indicates that the ALDH2*2 variant has been favorably selected for in the past 2000-3000 years. It is therefore necessary to consider the disease risk and mechanism associated with ALDH2 deficiency, and to understand the possible beneficial or protective effect conferred by ALDH2 deficiency and whether the pleiotropic effects of ALDH2 variance are all mediated by alcohol use.
Unmet contraceptive needs and unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls amid COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa and the importance of accurate, reliable and real-time data
Authors: Banda Lucas , Hyera Francis L M , Oladimeji Olanrewaju
Published: June 2022

COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has had a significant negative impact on issues such as the reproductive health of young girls. One of the consequences of the pandemic is a shortage of contraceptives and devices due to supply chain disruptions. The concern is that due to a lack of data, it is unclear how much these restrictions have impacted contraceptive use among youth from sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19. Thousands of Kenyan schoolgirls have become pregnant due to the lockdown. It was recently reported from Gauteng, one of the South African provinces, that between April 2020 and March 2021 there were over 23,000 teenage pregnancies, with 934 girls aged 10 to 14 giving birth. This opinion piece aims to stimulate discussion on these issues while also addressing the issue of the importance of data for studying contraceptive use and teenage pregnancy in the face of hard-hit pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic in SSA.
Miasto jako przestrzeń twórców
Authors: Grochowska Anna , Mus Malwina
Published: June 2022

Książka zbiorowa Ścieżkami pisarzy stanowi interesujący przykład rozwijających się dzisiaj badań z zakresu geopoetyki, a ściślej geo-bio-poetyki, bowiem zamieszczone w niej studia dotyczą związków pisarzy z miastami. Wśród zamieszczonych szkiców wyróżnić można takie, w których autorzy rekonstruują „miejskie” doświadczenia pisarzy, oraz inne, podejmujące temat literackiego performowania wizerunku miasta, jako przestrzeni realnej, uchwytnej intersubiektywnie, ale też symbolicznej, odbijającej subiektywne nastawienie poszczególnych autorów. [… ] Jednym z fascynujących motywów nowoczesności jest swoista heterotopia naszych miast – w ujęciu różnych artystów te same miasta okazują się niepodobne do siebie, jakby autokreacja pisarza stanowiła równoległy proces konstytuowania na nowo miasta od dawna istniejącego i – pozornie! – świetnie znanego. Szkice zawarte w książce Ścieżkami pisarzy są również dobrą ilustracją tego zjawiska.
UFO nad pasieką ruin. Warszawa Tadeusza Konwickiego
Authors: Binczycka Elżbieta
Published: June 2022

UFO ABOVE THE APIARY OF RUINS. WARSAW IN TADEUSZ KONWICKI’S FICTION The article is a study on the phenomenon of the Warsaw city in the novels of a contemporary Polish writer – Tadeusz Konwicki: Wniebowstępianie, Mała apokalipsa, Kompleks polski, Rzeka podziemna, podziemne ptaki and Czytadło. In Konwicki’s works the city and the represented world are always captured from the narrator’s/character’s point of view, ruined and falling apart. The article focuses on the condition of urban space and on the figure of the Palace of Culture and Science towering above the city, both threatening and fascinating, presented by Konwicki as a figure of the uncanny.
Miejska przestrzeń pisarzy i literatury. Casus Piotrkowskiej
Authors: Kołodziej Karolina
Published: June 2022

Urban space for writers and literature – the case of Piotrkowska street The most important street in Łódź plays a significant role in literature referring to the city which is well-known for its textile industry. The literary description of Piotrkowska Street is not only a belletristic account of the topography of the street, but also an evaluating element: living in Piotrowska, being at Piotrkowska, to have a shop or factory in Piotrkowska – meant (and still means) “to be on top”. It is interesting to note the metonymic presentation of Piotrkowska Street as a Łódź microspace through which one can read the history of the whole city. The literature in Piotrkowska Street functions in interesting and various ways. Due to the representative character of the street, it housed the offices of the most popular 19th and 20th century periodicals and the most fashionable bookstores. In Piotrkowska, on the famous bench, sits probably the most characteristic of Łodź’s writers – Julian Tuwim, further down the street, on the travelling trunk, sits Władysław Reymont, and by the Tourist Information Centre we can find the character from Czesław Janczarski’s book – Uszatek the Teddy Bear, the favourite character among young readers.
Waniliowa twierdza. Wrocław w prozie fantastycznej i niefantastycznej Andrzeja Ziemiańskiego
Authors: Kukulak Szymon Piotr
Published: June 2022

VANILLA STRONGHOLD. WROCŁAW IN THE FANTASTIC AND NON-FANTASTIC WORKS OF ANDRZEJ ZIEMIAŃSKI The article describes how the image of Wrocław is constructed in literary works of Andrzej Ziemiański (both science fiction and realistic ones). In the images of the present day city, there is a clear focus on its architecture, which is often treated as an opportunity to present various episodes from local history. In the texts about the Wrocław of the past, a kind of a game with the reader can also be discerned, based on many hidden references to the contemporary shape of the city. A similar game can be observed in the texts on the unrealistic Wrocław – an alternative, oneiric or future one. One can also see a large span of visions of the latter kind, ranging from urban Utopia to post-apocalyptic fiction. However, an axis of every vision of this kind is always the same – the contemporary architecture of Wrocław.
Cieszyn jak dmuchawiec. Z Kornelem Filipowiczem znad Olzy w świat i z powrotem
Authors: Szkaradnik Katarzyna
Published: June 2022

DISCOVERING THE SPACE, DISCOVERING ONE’S SELF. MORE THAN A CITY IN ADAM ZAGAJEWSKI’S PROSE Kornel Filipowicz is known as a writer and poet associated with Cracow. However, between the 9th and 18th year of his life he lived in Cieszyn, which was the place of acquiring experience and life initiations for him. The article shows not only a part which this frontier town on the Olza river played in Filipowicz’s maturation as an author and human, but first of all it shows the ways in which Cieszyn comes back in his works, mainly recollective stories. Uniting subtlety with a penetrating portraying of the town and people, and sensitivity to details with exposing their spacially-rooted meaning, the writer often gives just some topographical signals, but he can convey the atmosphere of interwar Cieszyn in a few characteristic traits. In the stories about this town Filipowicz creates his private microcosm and ennobles it as well, and the authoress of the article follows these mythologizations and shows how they serve the building of author’s identity, based on this what remains invariable despite the passage of time.
A HORA DA ESTRELA, DE CLARICE LISPECTOR, E A OUTRIDADE: ENTRE A LINGUAGEM, O SENTIDO E O TESTEMUNHO
Authors: Dias Rafael
Published: June 2022

Este artigo busca, a partir das teorias de Freud, Gadamer e Lévinas, pensar um tipo de existência, encarnado no continuum discursivo e desdobrado no real como uma repetição. Trata-se, aqui, de considerar uma personagem literária específica, Macabéa - da novela A hora da estrela (1977), de Clarice Lispector -, uma nordestina de rosto estranho e fala inquietante que rompe com o tecido da ficção em virtude de sua alteridade incomum. Situada no limiar entre a imaginação e o real, dos seus elementos discursivos na cultura (narrativa, falas, comentários) não se apreende uma feição única, nem um retrato elucidatório e matematizado, ainda que se incorra na facilidade fenomenológica husserliana de reduzi-la à unidade do sujeito espelhado ou projetado. Trata-se de uma personagem literária importante pela sua aura misteriosa. Seria uma mulher simplesmente alienada? Ou uma anti-heroína em estado bruto, com potencial para o despertar da sua condição sóciopolítica? Uma pessoa banal, sem filiação às "grandes narrativas"? Um outro radical, ou seja, uma outridade segundo Lévinas? Enfim, o que é a mente Macabéa?
A ANALOGIA INTERPRETIVISTA DA MENTE COM SISTEMAS DE MEDIÇÃO
Authors: Fagundes Juliana Orione Arraes
Published: June 2022

Este artigo visa discutir a analogia entre o mental e os sistemas de medição apresentada por Davidson, sob uma perspectiva interpretivista. Interpretivismo é uma posição que busca caracterizar o mental a partir do ponto de vista do intérprete em uma relação intersubjetiva. Seus principais nomes são Davidson e Dennett, ambos sob influência de Quine. Uma discussão sobre indeterminação será fundamental para que que possamos desenvolver esse debate. Quanto aos sistemas de medição são construtos humanos usados para quantificar algo. Diferentes sistemas de medição medem a mesma coisa. Ainda que lhe atribua valores distintos, eles são conversíveis uns aos outros. Essa analogia pode ser compreendida como demonstração de um antirrealismo acerca do mental, como faz Heil. Argumentar-se-á, contudo, que ela sustenta uma postura realista, ainda que branda.
LA SEGUNDA PERSONA Y LA TEORÍA DE LA MENTE
Authors: Inés Pérez Diana
Published: June 2022

RESUMEN: El propósito de este trabajo es identificar el rol le podemos asignar a la así llamada teoría de la mente (ToM) en el marco de la perspectiva de segunda persona de la atribución mental (P2P). En el primer apartado explicitaré diferentes concepciones de ToM, y en el segundo señalaré las dificultades que enfrenta. En la tercera parte del trabajo presentaré sintéticamente algunas ideas nucleares de la P2P, y finalmente en la última sección mostraré qué rol le podemos asignar a cierta manera de entender ToM dentro del marco de la P2P.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Psicología folk; Postcognitivismo; Creencia; Conceptos psicológicos.

 

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to identify the role we can assign to the so-called Theory of Mind (ToM) within the second person perspective of mental attribution (2PP). In the first section I will explain different conceptions of ToM, and in the second I will point out the difficulties it faces. In the third part, I will present some core ideas of the 2PP, and finally in the last section I will explain the role we can assign to a certain way of understanding ToM within the 2PP framework.

KEYWORDS: Folk psychology; Postcognitivism; Belief; Mental concepts.
Arkaik ve Klasik Dönem e (MÖ VI-IV. yüzyıl) Ait Siyah ve Kırmızı Figürlü Bir Grup Lekythos
Authors: ÖZ Cüneyt , ABAY Nizam
Published: June 2022

Çalışmanın konusunu Konya Arkeoloji Müzesi eser koleksiyonunda yer alan sekiz adet lekythos oluşturmaktadır. Bunlar; 1960, 1966, 1970, 1978 ve 1998 yıllarında satın alma yoluyla müzeye kazan-dırılmıştır. Müzede yer alan lekythoslar arasında siyah ve kırmızı figürlü örneklerin yanı sıra sadece siyah firnisle boyanmış bir örnekte bulunmaktadır. Lekythoslar, gövde profillerine göre omuzlu (shoulder), ka¬burgalı (ribbed) ve bodur (squat) olmak üzere 3 ana tipte incelenmiştir. Lekythoslar üzerinde süsleme ola¬rak figürlü, bitkisel ve geometrik betimler görülmektedir. Değerlendirilen örnekler MÖ VI. yüzyılın son¬ları ile IV. yüzyılın ilk yarısına tarihlenir. Sık dokulu ve gözeneksiz, pembe ve kırmızımsı sarı tonlarında renge sahip killeri kireç ve taşçık katkılıdır. Klasik Dönem’de mezarlarda sunu esnasında kullanıldığı düşünülen lekythoslar, aynı zamanda mezarlara ölü armağanı olarak bırakılmıştır. Konya Arkeoloji Müzesi’nde bulunan lekythosların yakın benzerlerinin birçoğunun mezarlıklarda ele geçmesi, bunlarında mezar buluntusu olduklarını düşündür¬mektedir. Müzedeki lekythos¬ların çoğunun stilistik açıdan özensiz işçilik ve kalitesiz firnise sahip olması, bunların Attika örneklerinin taklidi olduklarını göstermektedir.