bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Tranexamic Acid on Reducing Blood Loss and Transfusion Rates in Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Comparative Studies
Authors: Butler James J. , Rajivan Ragul , Konar Kishore , Azam Mohammad T. , Kennedy John G. , Walls Raymond J.
Published: December 2023

Category:

Ankle Arthritis

Introduction/Purpose:

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the volume of blood loss, transfusion rates and complication rates between patients who were administered tranexamic acid (TXA) versus patients who were not administered TXA during total ankle arthroplasty (TAA).

Methods:

During January 2023, the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases were systematically reviewed to identify clinical studies comparing outcomes between patients who were administered TXA versus patients who were not administered TXA during TAA. Data regarding surgical characteristics, subjective clinical outcomes, total blood loss, intra-operative blood loss, total complications and wound complications rates were extracted and analysed. In total, 5 comparative clinical studies were included in this review.

Results:

194 patients received TXA and 187 patients did not receive TXA during TAA. There was a statistically significant reduced volume of total blood loss in favor of patients who received TXA compared to patients who did not receive TXA during TAA (SMD:-0.7832; p< 0.0001). A statistically significant reduced volume of intra-operative blood loss between the TXA cohort and the control cohort was also observed in favor of the TXA cohort (SMD:-1.14; p< 0.0001]. A statistically significant reduced volume of hemoglobin loss was found in favor of patients who received TXA compared to the control cohort (SMD: -0.9548; p< 0.02). A higher transfusion rate was found in the control cohort (1.1%) compared to the TXA cohort. No difference in complication rates was observed between the cohorts.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that patients who received peri-operative TXA had statistically significant reduced total blood volume loss, intra-operative blood volume loss, hemoglobin loss together with no statistically significant difference in complication rates following TAA. Further randomised control trials with improved data collection are necessary to elucidate the optimal dosage, frequency and role of TXA in the peri-operative setting for TAA.
The Fate of Delayed Unions After Isolated Ankle Fusion
Authors: Parker Emily Belle , Lause Gregory E. , Stupay Kristen L. , Chiodo Christopher P. , Bluman Eric M. , Martin Elizabeth A. , Miller Christopher , Smith Jeremy
Published: December 2023

Category:

Ankle Arthritis

Introduction/Purpose:

Despite advancements in surgical techniques, implants, and biologics, nonunion remains the most common major complication of ankle arthrodesis. While previous studies have reported delayed union or nonunion rates, few have elaborated on the clinical course of patients experiencing delayed union. We sought to better understand the trajectory of patients with delayed union by determining the rate of clinical success and failure and whether the extent of fusion on computed tomography (CT) was associated with outcomes.

Methods:

Delayed union was defined as incomplete ( < 75%) fusion seen on CT scan between 2 and 6 months postoperative. A total of 36 patients met inclusion criteria: isolated tibiotalar arthrodesis with delayed union. Patient-reported outcomes were obtained and patients were asked about satisfaction with their fusion. Success was defined as patients who were not revised and reported satisfaction with the procedure. Failure was defined as patients who progressed to revision or reported being not satisfied. Fusion was assessed by measuring the percent of osseous bridging across the joint on CT scan. The extent of bony bridging was categorized as absent (0%-24%), minimal (25%-49%), or moderate (50%-74%).

Results:

We determined the clinical outcome in 28 of the 36 eligible patients (78%) with mean follow-up of 5.6 years (range, 1.3 to 10.2 years). The majority (71%) of patients failed. A mean of 3.9 months (standard deviation, 1) elapsed between time of surgery and CT scan. Patients with minimal or moderate fusion on CT were more likely to succeed clinically than those with ‘absent’ fusion (X2 = 4.215, p = 0.040). Of those with absent ( < 25%) fusion, 11 of 12 (92%) failed. In patients with minimal or moderate fusion, 9 of 16 (56%) failed.

Conclusion:

We found that 71% of patients with a delayed union at roughly 4 months after ankle fusion required revision or were not satisfied. Patients with less than 25% osseous bridging on CT had an even lower rate of clinical success. These findings may help surgeons in counseling and managing patients experiencing a delayed union after ankle fusion.
Topography and Morphometrics of the Cartilage Surfaces in the Peritalar Joints
Authors: Kumar Aditya , Oudakker Jessica , Zhu Mingjie , Pierce Robyn M. , Wittels Stephen , Orr Caley M. , Hunt Kenneth , Myerson Mark , Li Shuyuan
Published: December 2023

Category:

Hindfoot; Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Recent studies have highlighted the important role of peritalar joint congruence in maintaining the alignment of the hindfoot. Peritalar subluxation is associated with a variety of pathological deformities including flatfoot, cavovarus foot, clubfoot, as well as foot and ankle stress fractures. To date, studies of peritalar joint congruence have all been performed using either XR, WBCT based direct measurements, or 3D segmentation and analysis. However, none of these techniques can demonstrate the cartilage location nor disruption, nor the exact location of the articulation on the bone surface. Data bias caused by the limitations of these study methodologies is therefore inevitable. This study used 3D surface mapping to assess morphometrics of the cartilage surfaces of the peritalar joints.

Methods:

11 fresh-frozen cadaveric feet without trauma nor surgery or significant deformities were dissected to expose the calcaneus, cuboid, talus, and navicular bones, and the articular surfaces. Surface mapping of the articular surfaces and the two bones was completed using an Artec Space Spider 3D scanner and Mmics. Further digital analysis was completed using GeoMagic Studio 10. T-test was used for statistical comparisons, with p< 0.05 as statistically significantly different.

Results:

Detailed information of the articular surfaces is summarized in Table 1. The average articular area on both sides of the joint matched each other well in the posterior facet of the subtalar joint (4% difference), and calcaneocuboid joint (3% difference) without significant statistical difference, but not in the anterior & middle facets of the subtalar joint, nor the talonavicular joint. In the anterior & middle facets of the subtalar joint, the cartilage articular area on the talar side was 124% of that on the calcaneus (p < 0.05), and in the talonavicular joint the cartilage articular area on the navicular was 138% of that on the talus (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

The cartilage articular surfaces in certain peritalar joints do not match its opposing surface in size. In the talonavicular joint, it is easy to understand since area of the socket must be much smaller than that of the ball in order for the joint to glide and rotate. There must be functional reasons for this phenomenon to happen in the anterior and middle facets of the subtalar joint, which need further investigation. This study shows that the extent of subluxation of the peritalar joints may be physiological and should not necessarily be considered as pathological.
Treatment of Complicated Clubfoot Using External Fixation: A Scoping Review
Authors: Herzog Isabel , Fisher Mark , Hanna Aedan , Chu Alice
Published: December 2023

Category:

Hindfoot; Midfoot/Forefoot

Introduction/Purpose:

The treatment of relapsed, resistant, or neglected clubfoot presents a challenge — some patients may not respond to the traditional Ponseti method. Studies involving gradual distraction using external fixators for treatment of these cases have been performed, but no systematic review has been conducted on the subject.

Methods:

A comprehensive search was conducted of PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science according to PRISMA guidelines. Only articles that pertained to the treatment of pediatric patients with clubfoot using external fixation and contained three or more human subjects were included. Reviews, professional opinions, and studies with non-human subjects were excluded.

Results:

Of 6,469 articles generated from the initial search, 25 met inclusion criteria. 609 total feet (490 total patients) were included, and 533 of these feet (445 patients) were treated with external fixation. The mean age of patients was 8.5 [2-18] years with a mean follow-up length of 40.9 [5-126] months. 21 (84%) studies used the Ilizarov apparatus, two used Joshi’s external stabilization system, and one used the Taylor spatial frame. The most reported primary scoring systems were the 60-point International Clubfoot Study Group (ICFSG) score (20%), Dimeglio classification (12%), Pirani score (8%), and Reinker and Carpenter scales (8%). All but one study found significantly improved primary outcomes for the majority of respective patients.

Conclusion:

External fixation, which may or may not include open surgery, is a promising intervention for neglected or relapsed clubfoot. However, encouraging more standardized outcome measurements would allow for more thorough comparisons between studies.
Online learning in palliative care education of undergraduate medical students: a realist synthesis
Authors: Martucci Gianfranco , Pereira Jose , Busa Csilla , Centeno Carlos , Csikos Agnes , Franchini Luca , Elsner Frank , Raccichini Melania , Mihailescu-Marin Maria-Mirabela , Mosoiu Daniela , Rubio Bernabé Sandra , Scherg Alexandra , Consorti Fabrizio
Published: December 2023

Background:

Although training in palliative care (PC) is increasingly frequent in medical schools, some barriers still hamper the design and implementation of effective educational programs. Information Technology-based distance learning (IT-DL) might contribute to the development of appropriate knowledge on PC in students, but it is still not clear how to best develop such curricula and how to deliver methodologically sound learning activities, allowing students to work on the complex skills required in PC.

Objectives:

To describe how internet-based education can be used in undergraduate medical PC education, in terms of realist theorization.

Design:

A realist review was carried out, producing a framework – or, in the terms of a realist review, a theory – focusing on finding out what might work, for whom, and in which circumstances, describing these variables in terms of Contexts, Mechanism, and Outcomes.

Methods:

An international group of experts of PC education assessed the relevance and pertinence of 256 articles resulting from systematic retrieval of literature and expert suggestions.

Results:

The final synthesis, mainly informed by the 43 articles rated as most relevant, is presented in propositions regarding three groups: (1) Educational theory, where (a) Cognitivism (learning as an increase in knowledge); (b) Constructivism (learning as a social, cultural, and negotiated process); and (c) Behaviorism (learning as an observable modification of behaviors) appear to be consistent with the learning outcome of PC. (2) Desired effect of the technology, suggesting the simple use of IT-DL is not an additional value per se, as it should overcome objective limits set for face-to-face activities. (3) Contextualization and duration of the curricular activity, suggesting PC training activities should be included in an organic and legitimate way in the overall curriculum.

Conclusion:

This field is expected to experience huge growth soon, and present and future research could use a realist approach like the one here presented to make sense of all the different variables involved.
Refusal of the hospitalization: a distressed dilemma in obstetric practice
Authors: Unal Canan , Fadiloglu Erdem , Cagan Murat , Ziyadova Gunel , Kaya Esra , Tanacan Atakan , Beksac Mehmet Sinan
Published: December 2023

Background:

Pregnant women are a special population in which hospitalizations are more recommended due to physiological changes mimicking pathologies and medico-legal concerns.

Objectives:

We aimed to assess the obstetric outcomes of expectant mothers who were admitted to the obstetrics emergency outpatient clinic and declined the hospitalization advised by doctors. Additionally, we examined the appropriateness of physicians’ recommendations.

Design:

We have retrospectively evaluated the patients admitted to the ‘Obstetric Emergency Outpatient Clinic’ and refused hospitalization between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019.

Methods:

Cases were classified into three groups based on the trimester, considering the substantial variation between complaints and complications in each trimester. The complaints of pregnant women were categorized as psychosocial causes, obstetric complications, maternal systemic complaints, and suspicion of labor. We evaluated the compatibility of the hospitalization decision with the pregnancy outcome of patients.

Results:

A total of 958 pregnant women were included in the study. Leading causes for admissions were obstetric complications, maternal systemic complaints, and suspicion of labor in first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Psychosocial causes were mostly observed in the second trimester. Readmission to the hospital within a week was highest in the third trimester group. According to pregnancy outcomes, 12.5% (94/753) of our recommendations were appropriate in all trimesters.

Conclusion:

Obstetricians seem overcautious in managing obstetric patients and willing to offer hospitalization more often than the actual requirements.
Brick by bricolage: Adobe Punk's decolonial remapping of Los Angeles
Authors: Schwartz Jessica A
Published: December 2023

This essay offers a case study on the Los Angeles, California-focused “theaterwork.” It is framed by the idea that conversations around sustainability—as a concept that stresses “intergenerational equity” in terms of economic, societal, and environmental community endurance—demand that (1) we reflect on ongoing historical injustices to remediate (e.g., settler colonial) exploitation and environmental abuses and (2) we critically dialogue punk DIY (do it yourself) with other communities’ DIY practices rooted in radical anticapitalist, anticolonial sustenance models. Reading punk futurities through bricolage aesthetics, I share how the theaterwork complicates depictions of spectacular violence in canonic representations of 1980s Los Angeles punk. Ultimately, I contend that Adobe Punk makes an important intervention in conversations concerning punk and claims to urban space.
The Benefits of Cooperative Inquiry in Health Services Research: Lessons from an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Study
Authors: Freeman Toby , Mackean Tamara , Sherwood Juanita , Ziersch Anna , O’Donnell Kim , Dwyer Judith , Askew Deborah , Shakespeare Madison , D’Angelo Shane , Fisher Matthew , Browne Annette , Egert Sonya , Baghbanian Vahab , Baum Fran
Published: December 2023

Health services research is underpinned by partnerships between researchers and health services. Partnership-based research is increasingly needed to deal with the uncertainty of global pandemics, climate change induced severe weather events, and other disruptions. To date there is very little data on what has happened to health services research during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper describes the establishment of an Australian multistate Decolonising Practice research project and charts its adaptation in the face of disruptions. The project used cooperative inquiry method, where partner health services contribute as coresearchers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, data collection needed to be immediately paused, and when restrictions started to lift, all research plans had to be renegotiated with services. Adapting the research surfaced health service, university, and staffing considerations. Our experience suggests that cooperative inquiry was invaluable in successfully navigating this uncertainty and negotiating the continuance of the research. Flexible, participatory methods such as cooperative inquiry will continue to be vital for successful health services research predicated on partnerships between researchers and health services into the future. They are also crucial for understanding local context and health services priorities and ways of working, and for decolonising Indigenous health research.
R-Spondin1 protects gastric stem cells and mitigates gastric GVHD in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hayase Eiko , Ara Takahide , Saito Yumika , Takahashi Shuichiro , Yoshioka Kosuke , Ohigashi Hiroyuki , Ogasawara Reiki , Yokoyama Emi , Yamakawa Tomohiro , Ebata Ko , Hasegawa Yuta , Tomizuka Kazuma , Teshima Takanori
Published: December 2023

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the major obstacle to performing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). We and others have shown that intestinal stem cells are targeted in lower gastrointestinal GVHD. A leucine-rich repeat–containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5)–expressing gastric stem cells (GSCs) reside at the base of the gastric glands in mice. After experimental allo-HCT, Lgr5+ GSCs significantly decreased. Parietal cells, which underwent continuous renewal by GSCs, were injured in gastric GVHD, leading to failure of gastric acidification and aerobic bacterial overgrowth in the duodenum. Fate-mapping analysis demonstrated that administration of R-Spondin1 (R-Spo1) that binds to Lgr5 for 6 days in naïve mice significantly increased proliferating epithelial cells derived from Lgr5+ GSCs. R-Spo1 administered on days −3 to −1 and from days +1 to +3 of allo-HCT protected GSCs, leading to amelioration of gastric GVHD and restoration of gastric acidification, and suppression of aerobic bacterial overgrowth in the duodenum. In conclusion, Lgr5+ GSCs were targeted by gastric GVHD, resulting in disruption of the gastric homeostasis, whereas R-Spo1 protected Lgr5+ GSCs from GVHD and maintained homeostasis in the stomach.
A novel ADAMTSL4 compound heterozygous mutation in isolated ectopia lentis: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Wei Hengguang , Meng Xuyun , Qin Huali , Li Xia
Published: December 2023

Background

Congenital ectopia lentis is characterized by dislocation of the lens caused by partial or complete abnormalities in the zonular fibers. It can be caused by either systemic diseases or isolated ocular diseases. Gene detection techniques can provide valuable information when an etiological diagnosis is challenging. Herein, we report the case of a six-year-old girl with a confirmed diagnosis of isolated ectopia lentis caused by a compound heterozygous ADAMTSL4 gene mutation.

Case presentation

The patient was a 6-year-old Chinese Han girl with strabismus in the right eye. Slit lamp examination revealed that the lens in the right eye was opacified and dislocated, without an ectopic pupil. Gene detection demonstrated the presence of a compound heterozygous mutation in the ADAMTSL4 gene [c. 2270dupG (p.Gly758Trpfs *59) and c. 2110A > G (p.Ser704Gly)], and the diagnosis of isolated ectopia lentis was confirmed. She underwent lens extraction, and a sutured scleral-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) was placed in the right eye. The best-corrected visual acuity was 0.1 one month postoperatively.

Conclusion

Gene detection plays a crucial role in diagnosing disorders with similar symptoms, such as isolated ectopia lentis and Marfan syndrome. In this study, we used whole exons sequencing to diagnose isolated ectopia lentis and identified the variant c.2110A > G (p.Ser704Gly), which may be associated with the development of ectopia lentis and early-onset cataract in the patient. These pathogenic gene mutations have significant implications for the genetic diagnosis of congenital ectopia lentis, treatment, surveillance, and hereditary and prenatal counseling for the patient and their family members.
Carbimazole-associated Pancreatitis: Report From Western India
Authors: Shivane Vyankatesh , Mehta Nihar , Jhaveri Ajay , Memon Saba Samad
Published: December 2023

Pancreatitis is a very rare complication of methimazole and carbimazole therapy. We describe a case of possible carbimazole-associated pancreatitis. A 41-year-old Asian man (with no comorbidities) reported to the hospital with atrial fibrillation and a fast ventricular rate. He was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism due to Graves disease. His rhythm was reverted with amiodarone, and carbimazole was initiated at 15 mg daily for the medical management of Graves disease. Fifteen days later, he presented with acute severe abdominal pain and vomiting with elevated serum amylase 387 U/L (reference range, 28-100 U/L) and lipase levels 206 U/L (reference range, 13-60 U/L). Magnetic resonance imaging showed a bulky pancreas with extensive extrapancreatic fat stranding suggestive of acute pancreatitis. Considering the possibility of carbimazole-related pancreatitis, the drug was withheld. He was managed conservatively, and his pancreatic enzymes normalized within 1 week. The observation suggests that the pancreatitis was a consequence of the therapy with carbimazole. Although it is a rare occurrence, patients taking carbimazole who report abdominal discomfort and vomiting should be evaluated for pancreatitis.
Becoming User: Oracle, Barbara Gordon, and Representations of the User in Popular Culture
Authors: Dinnen Zara
Published: December 2023

This essay considers the figure of the “user” as an emergent subject of late twentieth-century US culture, in relation to the World Wide Web and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. The user is a subject position that is historical in the sense that use relations have always determined social formations within capitalism, but it has been newly energized in contemporary modes of capitalism after digital computing, and newly weighted in contemporary renderings of the nation-state as service provider. This essay turns to a cultural moment in which a privatized user subject was coming into formation, using comic books of this moment to find the user figure and its stories. The DC Comics archive might not seem the most likely place to find answers to these concerns. But superhero origin stories are always about becoming user in late capitalist imaginaries. Superheroes learn to use their histories to reproduce the world they want. The then newly inaugurated DC Comics character Oracle, aka Barbara Gordon (formerly Batgirl), is becoming a wheelchair user and a computer user. Reading Oracle's 1990s user origin stories, this essay attends to scenes of wheelchair and computer use to work out a theory of user history and user time emerging in 1990s US culture. The comics reveal that the process of becoming user is always intersecting with the processes of becoming a racialized, gendered, classed, (dis)abled subject. They also open up the possibility for other affordances: becoming user as a process which can be torqued in its unfolding.
The Politics of Apocalypse
Authors: Epstein Mikhail
Published: December 2023

This guest column examines the historical fate of Russia in its catastrophic confrontation with Ukraine and the West. The piece considers the negative self-definitions of Russia that have arisen in the aftermath of the communist utopia and its virtual transformation into an anti-world — a society whose purpose is to undermine and destroy. Emerging Russian cults of war, death, and apocalypticism are stressed, as are the paradoxes and inversions by which Russia, in attempting to become stronger, becomes weaker and indeed suicidal.
Introduction: Telling the Untold Story of Random Political Recruitment
Authors: Dowlen Oliver
Published: December 2023

Introducing part 2 of the Common Knowledge symposium “Antipolitics,” this essay summarizes the “untold story” of the random recruitment of citizens for political office in Western Europe. Although sortition was used extensively in ancient Athens and in late medieval Europe, it is now (except for the randomly selected jury) a largely discontinued practice. While a good deal is known about when and where this procedure was used, there is little surviving documentation of exactly why it was used and of what it was thought to contribute to the political systems in which it was deployed. This untold story, therefore, is not simply about historical instances of use but must also be an analysis and critique of its use. Key points that emerge are that (1) a lottery takes the decision to appoint or elect away from partisan protagonists, so it therefore acts as a mechanism that can break up and disperse power; and (2) a lottery can serve as a trusted mediation or agreement between parties, because the resultant decision is anonymous.
Socrates and Sortition
Authors: Demont Paul
Published: December 2023

In consonance with the view of Aristotle in book 4 of the Politics, Montesquieu wrote that “selection by lot is in the nature of democracy; election by choice is in the nature of aristocracy.” Although the drawing of lots was a marker of classical Athenian democracy, Socrates — according to Xenophon's Memorabilia — was strongly opposed to it as irrational. According to Socrates and Plato, the citizen of a democracy exists in a moral anarchy, and every choice he makes is random, as if drawn by lot, hence the appropriateness of random choice as a principle of Athenian democracy. And yet, despite this negative assessment of the institution, Socrates was willing to participate in a lottery that made him a member of the Council of Five Hundred, the supreme political body of Athens. This essay — a contribution to the Common Knowledge symposium “Antipolitics” — attempts to explain this paradoxical stance, with reference to Plato's allusions to it.
Samuel Butler's Contributions to Biological Philosophy
Authors: Allen Barry
Published: December 2023

Samuel Butler is usually remembered for Erewhon, widely considered among the best English satires. He also contributed to philosophical biology in works that collectively compose the nineteenth century's finest statement of the evolutionary argument associated with the name of Lamarck. In writing on evolution, Butler was not presenting science for a popular audience but deliberately intervening in the scientific argument about Darwinism. Surprised by the success of his first venture in philosophical biology, Life and Habit, Butler committed himself to the project of developing an alternative to Darwinism, which he did in three additional volumes, and these are the works canvassed in this “delayed book review.”
Evaluation Metrics for Augmented Reality in Neurosurgical Preoperative Planning, Surgical Navigation, and Surgical Treatment Guidance: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kos Tessa M. , Colombo Elisa , Bartels L. Wilbert , Robe Pierre A. , van Doormaal Tristan P. C.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Recent years have shown an advancement in the development of augmented reality (AR) technologies for preoperative visualization, surgical navigation, and intraoperative guidance for neurosurgery. However, proving added value for AR in clinical practice is challenging, partly because of a lack of standardized evaluation metrics. We performed a systematic review to provide an overview of the reported evaluation metrics for AR technologies in neurosurgical practice and to establish a foundation for assessment and comparison of such technologies.

METHODS:

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched systematically for publications on assessment of AR for cranial neurosurgery on September 22, 2022. The findings were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

RESULTS:

The systematic search yielded 830 publications; 114 were screened full text, and 80 were included for analysis. Among the included studies, 5% dealt with preoperative visualization using AR, with user perception as the most frequently reported metric. The majority (75%) researched AR technology for surgical navigation, with registration accuracy, clinical outcome, and time measurements as the most frequently reported metrics. In addition, 20% studied the use of AR for intraoperative guidance, with registration accuracy, task outcome, and user perception as the most frequently reported metrics.

CONCLUSION:

For quality benchmarking of AR technologies in neurosurgery, evaluation metrics should be specific to the risk profile and clinical objectives of the technology. A key focus should be on using validated questionnaires to assess user perception; ensuring clear and unambiguous reporting of registration accuracy, precision, robustness, and system stability; and accurately measuring task performance in clinical studies. We provided an overview suggesting which evaluation metrics to use per AR application and innovation phase, aiming to improve the assessment of added value of AR for neurosurgical practice and to facilitate the integration in the clinical workflow.
SYNTHETIC REPRESENTATION OF THE "OBLIQUE SYMMETRY" TRANSFORMATION USING THE EXAMPLE OF AN ELLIPSE
Authors: Rustamyan Vyacheslav , Bayanov E. , Slavin R.
Published: December 2023

Geometric transformations play a pivotal role in computer graphics, determining the position and shape of objects. In machine learning, they are applied for processing and analyzing data, such as in images. In geometric surface modeling, they are utilized for the creation and transformation of three-dimensional forms. In physics, geometric transformations assist in describing the motion of objects in space and time. The aim of this work is to analyse and study the geometric transformation known as "oblique symmetry." Primarily, the article seeks to elucidate a number of important properties of this transformation, expanding the field of knowledge in perspective-affine correspondence. Throughout the study, the principal directions of oblique symmetry are identified, and their relationship with the axis and direction of the transformation is established. It is crucial to emphasise that the analysis makes it evident that the axis and the direction of symmetry are equivalent and interchangeable. Additionally, the article addresses the challenge of transforming an arbitrary ellipse, defined by its semi-axes, into a circle of equal area. In this context, a method is proposed to determine the axis and direction of oblique symmetry for a given ellipse. Based on the results obtained and the analysis conducted, the authors propose a geometric algorithm that provides the capacity to resolve positional problems in the field of descriptive geometry. This algorithm also offers a novel method for constructing ellipses with given semi-axes, which holds practical significance in various engineering and geometric issues. In the conclusion of the article, a specific example of applying the developed method is provided, clearly demonstrating its practical value and real capabilities in solving positional problems in the field of descriptive geometry. Moreover, directions for future research in the field of shape formation are suggested, utilising the "oblique symmetry" transformation in the spaces and .
Area of correct space coordination by normal conic coordinates
Authors: Nesnov Dmitriy
Published: December 2023

The field theory is widely represented in spherical and cylindrical coordinate systems, since the mathematical apparatus of these coordinate systems is well studied. Field sources with more complex structures require new approaches to their study. The purpose of this study is to determine the correct coordination of space by normal conic coordinates. This is necessary in subsequent studies, the task of which will be to simplify the expressions for the characteristics of the field by introducing a special coordination of space, which reflect the shape of the source and/or sink of the field. For example, a field with a rectilinear source is more convenient to refer to cylindrical coordinates, and a field with a point source - to spherical coordinates. Basically, the use of field theory in the study of physical processes by methods of applied geometry is limited to two classical curvilinear systems, although their presentation in arbitrary curvilinear coordinates is known. We will distinguish between global and local coordinate systems. The global system, as well as the coordinates of a point in this system, will be denoted by x, y, z. She is unchanging. The local system, as well as the coordinates of a point in this system, will be denoted by t, u, v. Local system variable. At each point in space belonging to the area of existence of the system, the local coordinate system is defined
Frame-By-Frame Animation in Teaching Descriptive Geometry
Authors: Paliy N.
Published: December 2023

The paper presents using of frame-by-frame animation of geometric constructions in the course "Descriptive Geometry" to present educational graphic material in a more accessible and visual form for students.

Electronic support of descriptive geometry classes used at the Department of Engineering Graphics at Bauman Moscow State Technical University made in the technique of frame-by-frame animation in the format of presentations and electronic text publications is presented.

The technique of creating frame-by-frame animation is described. Geometric constructions are performed using computer graphics systems, in layers; each layer contains one step of construction. When layers are showed on alternately, a number of graphic files are created, which are inserted in a certain sequence on presentation slides or on the pages of an electronic text publication. During the demonstration, a visualization of the course of geometric constructions is created on the screen.

Teachers when giving lectures and practical classes use electronic support of classes, made in the format of presentations to demonstrate the course material on the screen in the classroom. The presentations contain graphic material in the technique of frame-by-frame animation and minimal text material; the teacher gives the necessary explanations.

Electronic support of classes, made in the form of an electronic educational visual aid, is used for independent work of students. Unlike classroom presentations, in an electronic educational visual aid, the animation of geometric constructions is accompanied by a text step-by-step description of the sequence of solving geometric problems.

The main advantage of using electronic training software made in frame-by-frame animation technology compared to traditional software is the visibility and the ability to consistently, step by step, understanding the course of graphic constructions, with the ability to go back and repeat the sequence at any stage.
Respostas da entomofauna aquática em relação às características do substrato e aos impactos do uso antrópico recreativo em um ambiente lótico
Authors: Santos Hannah Martins dos , Lecci Lucas Silveira , Aranda Rodrigo
Published: December 2023

Este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a resposta da comunidade de insetos aquáticos em relação à intensidade do uso recreativo humano, além da composição em diferentes mesohabitats presentes no curso d’água. As amostras foram coletadas em um córrego em diferentes microhabitats em áreas classificadas pelo uso dos visitantes (Baixo, Médio e Intenso) e diferenciadas em quatro mesohabitats (areia, cachoeira, folha e pedra). Um total de 952 indivíduos distribuídos em nove ordens e 14 famílias foram coletados. A ordem mais abundante foi Diptera (431, 45,27%), seguida de Ephemeroptera (366, 38,45%). A família mais abundante foi Baetidae (325, 34,14%), seguida de Chironomidae (237, 24,89%), Simuliidae (94, 9,87%), Ceratopogonidae (77, 8,08%) e Hydropsychidae (56, 6,09%). Em relação ao uso humano, houve uma diferença significativa na composição da fauna. Na área com uso intenso, houve uma predominância de Chironomidae e Hydroptilidae, enquanto na área de baixo uso, Perlidae foi mais frequente. O substrato de pedra apresentou o maior número de táxons. Observamos uma tendência para a composição da comunidade diferir entre mesohabitats. As necessidades específicas de cada grupo biológico refletem a ocupação do habitat, apresentando diferentes números de indivíduos. Podemos verificar que a intensidade do uso das cachoeiras afeta diretamente a comunidade de insetos aquáticos, seja por perturbação e destruição de microhabitats específicos das espécies ou pelo deslocamento de indivíduos ao longo do curso d’água.
PLAYING GAMES/THE GAME IN TOMSON HIGHWAY’S REZ CYCLE.
Authors: Martanovschi Ludmila
Published: December 2023

T: Award-winning Cree author Tomson Highway has created memorable characters for the stage and has continued to fascinate both theatre audiences and critics for decades. Set on the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve, Manitoulin Island, Ontario (Canada), his Rez Cycle—The Rez Sisters (1986), Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing (1989) and Rose (1999)—revolves around playing games, be it bingo or hockey, as a way of coping with the challenges of reserve life. Relying on decolonizing perspectives, this article demonstrates how practices such as storytelling and using humor promote solidarity on stage. Also, Highway’s characters are proven to be winners who have mastered the art of playing the game, that is, of following the rules of life and surviving inimical circumstances
THE PARTY’S OVER RECOUNTING THE PAST IN AMERICAN AIDS PLAYS.
Authors: Keivanidis Charalampos
Published: December 2023

: This article discusses the use of the past in regard to the gay sexual culture of the 1970s in three AIDS plays: Robert Chesley’s Jerker (1986), Victor Bumbalo’s Tell (1993) and Michael Kearns’s intimacies (1989). The themes explored—celebrating the sexual freedom of the past against contemporary criticism, commemorating places where gay men could meet for sexual encounters, and a sex continuum joining the busy nightlife of the past to the stern “here and now” of AIDS—stem from memory. Sex is only possible as a past activity and narrated as such in these plays, making them at the same time “obituary plays,” because they mourn sexual culture along with specific people, but also “memory plays,” because the memory that permeates them also omits some details, all the while magnifying others, in ways different from the plays of Tennessee Williams, who invented the term.
WHEN THE TRAGIC HERO SURVIVES; OR, THE CASE OF PONTIAC IN ROBERT ROGERS’S PONTEACH (1766).
Authors: Sämi LUDWIG
Published: December 2023

PONTEACH: or, The Savages of America: A Tragedy (1766) is the first substantially interesting play ever written by an English-speaking American. Major Robert Rogers probably wrote it together with his secretary Nathaniel Potter (a defrocked Massachusetts minister), while they stayed in London in 1765. The printed version did not meet London expectations, and the play was never performed. My aim in this analysis is to show how the convention-breaking survival of the tragic hero Ponteach inside the play prepares a future cooperation outside the play by Rogers himself with the historical Ottawa chief Pontiac, whom he knew personally and on whom the “savage” hero Ponteach is modelled. Rogers intended to present himself to the English colonial rulers in London as an expert on the American West and to advance his own chances of profiting from the future Indian trade in the First British Empire’s growing American West
Las amazonas de Orellana: prefiguración de lo desconocido en la relación de Gaspar de Carvajal
Authors: Favaron Peyón Pedro Martín
Published: December 2023

El presente trabajo plantea una lectura hermenéutica de la “Relación que escribió Fray Gaspar de Carvajal, fraile de la orden de San Domingo de Guzmán, del nuevo descubrimiento del famoso Río Grande que descubrió por muy gran ventura el capitán Francisco de Orellana desde su nacimiento hasta salir al mar, con cincuenta y siete hombres que trajo consigo y se echó a su ventura por el dicho río, y por el nombre del capitán que lo descubrió se llamó Río Orellana” [1542]. Este artículo se interesa en interpretar como los conquistadores recurrieron al archivo clásico de representación de la otredad para leer la radical diferencia del territorio amazónico y de sus habitantes. Así mismo, por las construcciones narrativas de la relación, entendida como objeto literario y retórico de justificación de la empresa conquistadora. A partir de ese primer relato, que caló hondo en el imaginario popular de Occidente, se establecieron ciertos prejuicios y fantasías que persisten vigentes en nuestros días.
Autobiografía y nostalgia en ‘‘La infancia’’ de Mercedes Formica: el inicio de una conciencia feminista
Authors: Soler Gallo Miguel
Published: December 2023

Este trabajo presenta un análisis de la novela autobiográfica La infancia (1987), de la escritora y abogada Mercedes Formica (Cádiz, 1913 – Málaga, 2002), impulsora de la reforma del Código Civil español de 1958 para incluir derechos a las mujeres. Con este estudio se pretende descifrar las claves que hacen de esta obra un valioso testimonio para analizarla desde la perspectiva del discurso autobiográfico, como documento sociológico y también para ahondar en las vivencias que la autora sufrió cuando era niña y que moldearon su personalidad en la lucha contra las injusticias.
La fortuna crítica de Diego Velázquez: de pintor de corte a caballero de Santiago.
Authors: Luque Carrillo Juan
Published: December 2023

Uno de los episodios más desconocidos en la vida del prestigioso pintor del barroco español Diego Velázquez fue su polémico nombramiento de caballero de la Orden de Santiago, meses antes de su fallecimiento en agosto de 1660. Desde su llegada a palacio en 1623, al servicio del joven monarca Felipe IV, el artista aspiró a alcanzar el título de noble mediante su ingreso en dicha orden militar, a pesar de no reunir las condiciones necesarias para la admisión. No obstante, tras un largo proceso de investigación sobre su linaje, Velázquez fue finalmente admitido en la Orden, por petición directa de Felipe IV y gracias a la dispensa otorgada por el Papa Alejandro VII en un breve apostólico con fecha de 9 de julio de 1659.
Assessment of the feasibility of 1-min sit-to-stand test in evaluating functional exercise capacity in interstitial lung disease patients
Authors: Singh Ravi , Aggarwal Deepak , Dutta Kashish , Jaggi Surabhi , Sodhi Mandeep Kaur , Saini Varinder
Published: December 2023

Six-min walk test (6MWT) is widely used exercise test for the evaluation of interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, the long test duration and need for long and flat surface hinder its routine use. One-min sit-to-stand test (1-STST) is devoid of such limitations, but has been scarcely evaluated. The study was conducted to evaluate the performance of 1-STST by correlating it with 6MWT in ILD patients. Stable ILD patients were prospectively enrolled. After initial spirometry, all patients performed 6MWT and 1-STST following the standard recommendations. Exercise capacity and physiological parameters (heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation, blood pressure and dyspnea [modified Borg scale]) including peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) were correlated after the tests using Pearson correlation, Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa (κ) coefficient. The results showed that the mean age of the patients (n= 60) was 58.8± 11.5 years (male:female= 1:1). Repetitions after 1-STST showed significant correlation with 6MWT (r = 0.48; P< 0.001). Changes in the physiological variables were similar (P> 0.05) with good consistency (ICC= 0.68–0.95) between 6MWT and 1-STST. Both lowest SpO2 and difference in SpO2 also showed good agreement (ICC= 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77–0.92 and ICC= 0.68; 95% CI, 0.47–0.81 respectively) and significant correlation (r = 0.76 and r= 0.52, respectively). 1-STST and 6MWT were consistent in identifying patients having oxygen desaturation ≥ 4% (κ= 0.56; 96% CI, 0.30–0.82). The results demonstrated that the performance of 1-STST was consistent with 6MWT in terms of exercise capacity and change in physiological parameters. 1-STST can be a valid alternative to 6MWT in the assessment of ILD patients, especially in peripheral health centers.
The influence of accelerometer epoch length on physical activity output in adolescent athletes
Authors: Lee Jae-Hyun , Kwon Soonhyun , Lee Soyoon , Jang Se-Yeon , Jo Wooyeon , Jin Jaeho , Zheng Yaxiong , Lee Sang Ki
Published: December 2023

Epoch in accelerometer measurements is an important option that affects the results of physical activity (PA) analysis. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of epoch on PA output in adolescents, but few have been performed on highly active youth athletes. We aimed to examine the differences in energy expenditure and time spent in different activity intensities by applying various epoch lengths in adolescent athletes. The participants of this study comprised 31 male athletes aged 12 to 13 in basketball, soccer, and taekwondo teams. Athletes wore a tri-axial accelerometer attached to the right hip for 6 to 7 consecutive days, including sleeping time. Subsequently, the recorded data from the accelerometer were downloaded using the ActiLife software and analyzed by varying the epoch to 1, 10, 30, and 60 sec. Daily average metabolic equivalents (METs) increased as the epoch increased (F= 2.918, P= 0.037), showing a significant difference between 1 and 60-sec epochs. As epoch length increased, sedentary (0–1.5 METs) (F= 94.001, P= 0.000) and high intensity (6 METs and higher) activity time (F= 3.536, P= 0.017) decreased, while low (1.5–3 METs) (F= 173.949, P= 0.000), moderate (3–6 METs) (F= 70.792, P= 0.000), and moderate-to-vigorous activity (3 METs and higher intensity) (F= 34.683, P= 0.000) times increased. Comparing PA among adolescent athletes by varying epoch settings of accelerometers revealed differences in PA levels and time spent in different activity intensities. Future studies should consider the characteristic changes in the PA outputs according to the epoch length in very active adolescent athletes.
A global approach to promoting research and evidence-based practice for community nurses
Authors: Kendall Sally , Bryar Ros , Higginbottom Gina Awoko
Published: December 2023

Community health nurses world-wide provide health promotion and preventative care, support and guidance as well as clinical care for people with long-term conditions or needing acute care at home and end-of-life care, across all age groups. The importance of health care in the community has been growing globally as health systems recognise both the economic and human need for people to remain in their communities rather than in hospital. Research in community nursing provides evidence to support policy, practice and education. This article describes the global contribution that the International Collaboration for Community Health Nursing makes towards disseminating evidence that could improve the lives and health of communities.
Valuing and sustaining older peoples' day care services
Authors: McDonald Anne , Frazer Kate , Warters Austin
Published: December 2023

Background:

Unprecedented ageing and growth of the global population of older people is predicted. Between independent and residential care, day care is an essential part of a population-based strategy to support ageing well in place.

Aims:

To describe experiences of older people attending day care services.

Method:

Using the qualitative method, two focus groups were completed in 2018 in a region of Ireland with 12 participants. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed; grounded theory guided the subsequent analysis.

Findings:

Older people valued their participation in day care, describing the ‘home from home’ experience positively. Community nurses from the local public health nursing service played a key role in fostering and sustaining participation.

Conclusions:

National commitment to population-based age friendly environments is required to facilitate the wellbeing of a growing older demographic.