bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Cause-of-Death Certification for the COVID-19 Burden Assessment: the Case of Central Europe
Authors: Fihel Agnieszka , Janick Anna , Buschner Andrea , Ustinavičienė Rūta , Trakienė Aurelija
Published: February 2024

Background: In Central Europe, the increase in mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic exceeded the number of deaths registered due to coronavirus disease. Miscertification of COVID-19 has been suggested as one of the possible explanations. Analysis of all mentions from death certificates allows us to identify cases where COVID-19 was reported as a contributing rather than the underlying cause of death (UCoD). Methods: Analysis of 187,000 death certificates with a COVID-19 mention from Austria, Bavaria, Czechia, Lithuania and Poland, 2020–2021. Cause of Death Association Indicators (CDAIs) and Contributing CDAIs were calculated to identify and measure the strength of associations between COVID-19, reported as UCoD or not, and all other medical mentions. Results: Death certificates reporting COVID-19 included on average more medical information than other death certificates. In 171,600 deaths with COVID-19 as the UCoD, ten groups of comorbidities and ten types of complications revealed significant and strong association with COVID-19. Further 15,700 deaths were certified with COVID-19 only as a contributing condition, of which almost 20% were assigned to typical coronavirus complications, such as cerebral infarction, Acute Myocardial Infarction, renal failure. In Austria, Bavaria, Czechia and Lithuania the reported scale of COVID-19 mortality would have been 18-27% higher had COVID-19 been coded as the UCoD in all the cases. Conclusions: Complete death certificate information allows us to assess the scale of COVID-19 miscertification and the burden of COVID-19. Deaths registered with a coronavirus comorbidity were equivalent to the total estimated excess mortality in Austria and Czech Republic, and its large proportion in Lithuania and Bavaria.
Social Mechanics
Authors: Morales Vicente
Published: February 2024

Social physics is the application of ideas, concepts and tools from physics to study social phenomena. In this article, we present a mechanical theory underlying a mathematical treatment of social physics. We explore the possibility of using fundamental concepts like position, motion, inertia, and interaction, to effectively regard social phenomena analogously to particles interacting with each other in physics. From these concepts, along with heuristics of social change, we investigate the notions of free motion, motion under the influence of a net deterministic, as well as stochastic force. To test these ideas we model partisan preferences in the United States according to the outcomes of presidential elections.
Implementation of BUMN Minister Regulation Number 09/MBU/2012 Implementation of Good Corporate Governance in Bumida Insurance Companies
Authors: Amni Novia Hidayatul , Sudiarto  , Muhaimin
Published: February 2024

This research aims to determine the implementation of regulation-09/MBU/2012 concerning the Implementation of Good Corporate Governance in Bumida general insurance companies. The type of research used is empirical using statutory, conceptual and sociological approaches. The source of legal materials used is secondary data consisting of primary, secondary and tertiary legal materials and primary data. Based on the research results, it is known that the arrangements used in implementing the principles of implementing good corporate governance in Indonesia are regulated in the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Regulation number PER-01/MBU/2011 with amendments to PER-09/MBU/2012 concerning the Implementation of Good Corporate Governance in State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN). Furthermore, the principles for implementing good corporate governance in Indonesia are strictly regulated through the Decree of the Minister of BUMN Number Kep-117/M-MBU/2002 concerning the Implementation of Good Corporate Governance Practices in State-Owned Enterprises ( BUMN) which was then refined by Minister of State for BUMN Regulation Number: PER-09/MBU/2012 and Bumida has implemented good corporate governance as proven by the existence of an ISO certificate, if there is an ISO certificate it means it has been checked and has implemented the implementation of corporate governance which is good, the Mataram branch of Bumida Insurance is transparent on the financial side because it is a non-banking financial company. Bumida entered the FKLJK forum (financial services institution communication forum) which is directly supervised by the OJK.
The Influence of Coordination on Organizational Processes
Authors: Kumar Pardeep , Kumar Shalini
Published: February 2024

The focus of this research paper is to analyze work of organization, specifically focusing on its components from a theoretical perspective. It also discusses various aspects of organization, such as the allocation of tasks, the arrangement of the organizational framework, the establishment of a hierarchical structure, and the facilitation of coordination, and their relevance in organizational activities. The aim of study is to suggest strategies that can streamline to manage personnel.   This research paper emphasizes the vital role of coordination within a firm's operations and investigates the key regulations, components, and aspects of practical implementation. With the constant advancement of technology and science, the relevance of work organization issues persists, as tools, techniques and methods must continuously adapt and enhance. To conclude this research paper provides a concise overview of the theoretical discoveries and juxtapose them with the outcomes of an empirical investigation carried out to present their final remarks.
كيف نتعامل مع سنة رسول الله ﷺ في القرن الحادي والعشرين
Authors: Ifteakar Mohammad Sadi  , Arif Muhammad Muhiuddin Khandokar , Mohammed Abullais Al-Khair Ābādī
Published: February 2024

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى بيان كيفية التعامل مع سنة رسول الله ﷺ في القرن الحادي والعشرين؛ لأن معرفة التعامل مع السنة يفيدنا في التعرف على شريعة الله تعالى التي خلق الإنسان من أجل تنفيذها. ولتحقيق هذا الأمر سيتطرق الباحثان أولاً إلى تعريف السنة لغةً وشرعاً، ثم استعراض كيفية التعامل مع السنة من ناحية فهمها، وكيف تحفظ السنة المرء وعقله من فساد العمل والفكر والسلوك، ثم ذكر عدد من الصفات والقواعد والمعايير التي أقرها علماء السنة في هذا الأمر، والقاعدة الرئيسية هنا أن الله أنزل السنة مع القرآن الكريم وحياً، فالتعامل معها إذن يكون باعتبارها وحياً أوحاه الله إلى عبده محمد ﷺ، ثانياً أن السنة تخاطب الأمم كلها من باب الدعوة والتبشير، ووضحت الدراسة هذه النقطة مع ذكر أمثلة من الحضارات والواقع المعاصر، بالإضافة إلى ذلك، جمع هذا البحث بين المنهجين التحليلي والنقدي، وتناول الأبعاد المختلفة حول هذا الموضوع، وتوصَّل البحث إلى نتائج، منها: الإيمان بالسنة لأنها جاءت وحياً مع القرآن، والتعامل مع سنة رسول الله ﷺ لا يعني مجرد التعامل مع أقواله وأفعاله وتقريراته، بل التعامل معها أقرب ما يكون إلى التعامل مع الوحي، والممارسة بالسنة قد تختلف من بلدٍ إلى بلد، ومن جيلٍ إلى جيل، فالتعامل مع السنة من ناحية تعليمه قديماً يختلف عن الزمن الحالي لوجود التقنية وغيرها، فقد جمع الباحثون في هذه المقالة عدة أفكار من العلماء المعاصرين ممن تميزوا في بيان كيفية التعامل مع السنة في القرن الحادي والعشرين، وفي الختام تم استعراض بعض الاقتراحات لمعالجة المشاكل التي تتعلق بكيفية التعامل مع السنة.
RELEVANTIZING METHOD OF TARJĪH AL-ḤADĪTH IN TIMES OF COVID-19: A STUDY ON AL-SHĀFI‘Ī’S IKHTILĀF AL-HADĪTH
Authors: Tolahah Aisyah Balqis , Ahmad Nadzrah
Published: February 2024

With the emergence of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, Muslim scholars have been going back and forth searching for Qur’anic and Prophetic injunctions on how to face this fatal virus. Prophet PBUH said, “If you hear about it (an outbreak of plague) in a land, do not go to it; but if the plague breaks out in a country where you are staying, do not run away from it.” With this injunction, Malaysia’s government implemented a nationwide lockdown known as Movement Control Order (MCO) from 18 March 2020 (first phase) until 3 May 2020 (fourth phase), with the latter marking the end of the total lockdown.  It is during these phases that fake news started to develop in the middle of mass information regarding the outbreak of COVID-19, that fake news seems to be the truth, while the fact appears to contradict. This turmoil is not rare, as hadith scholars had been facing them early on with a handful of ahadith that seemed to contradict each other. Indeed, this contradiction will have a negative impact on the authority of hadīth as it is one of the primary sources of understanding Islam, especially to the public. Scholars of Islam had come up with the solution on how to solve the contradictions in hadīth through their writings from the early second century of Hijrah, in which the earliest writing that appropriately touches on the issues of contradictory hadīth is Ikhtilāf al-Hadīth by al-Shāfi‘ī. This study aims to analyze the approach used by al-Shāfi‘ī on identifying contradictory ahadīth by the method of al-tarjīh and use the same process in identifying credible information by using constant comparative technique, inductive and deductive methodologies. This paper concludes that the method of al-tarjīh used by al-Shafi‘ī when solving the contradiction in hadīth can also be used in identifying truth and credible information or news, especially during COVID-19.
Critical Need For Breastmilk Collection Centres For High-risk Premature Babies
Authors: Wan Yusoff Wan Mazwati , Mashitah Zainol Abidin
Published: February 2024

Premature babies are very vulnerable and exposed to various life-threatening diseases. World Health Organization reported that many premature babies were saved from morbidity and mortality when they were fed with breastmilk starting from within the first hour after their birth. The rate of premature birth in Malaysia has increased exponentially since 2018—more than 20 percent premature births. Therefore, hospitals should have enough supplies of breastmilk to save the lives of the precious premature babies. However, only one hospital in Malaysia provides supplies of breastmilk on demand. This study employed philosophical method to argue for the establishment of breastmilk collection centre. It examined the concept of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah to justify the proposal of the establishment of breastmilk collection centres in hospitals throughout Malaysia to save the lives, intellects, and progenies of the at-risk premature babies. The primary issues resulting from breastmilk sharing according to Islamic perspective were examined and practical steps were proposed to rectify them. The steps involved obtaining signed consent from wet nurse and her husband; screening of wet nurse’s health and personality characteristics; screening of the breastmilk by the milk collection centre; obtaining signed consent from the premature baby’s parents; feeding breastmilk to the premature baby with the consent of witnesses; meeting between wet nurse and her family and the baby’s parents and family; and completing wet nursing document to be given to the newly formed milk kinship family.
The Moral-sexual Empowerment of Women and Children in Hadith Literature
Authors: Bakour Bachar
Published: February 2024

Sex, a human innate disposition, is a basic need for the survival of the human race. Islam, which acknowledges this intrinsic need, sets up the institution of marriage as the primary appropriate avenue for satisfying this desire and living a moral and peaceful life.

In marriage, two souls are united together so that they may enjoy tranquillity and stability with sincere love, mercy, and harmony. The teachings of Islam present a picture of gender equality. Integral to this policy of egalitarianism is to empower women at different societal levels, including generating awareness of sexual rights and duties, the lawful as well as the prohibited. This study briefly delineates the salient features of women and child sexual empowerment within the specific epistemic and cultural soil of Islamic tradition. The selected collections of hadith reports are taken from  Jami‘ al-Usoul fi Ahadith al-Rasoul by Ibn al-Athīr. The linchpin of Islamic sexual empowerment is to staunchly advocate decency and maintain morality in the relationship between the two sexes in private and in public.
Color Doppler Ultrasound of Carotid and Vertebral Vessels: Anatomy, Technique and Reporting
Authors: Lotfi Mehrzad
Published: February 2024

Color Doppler study of carotid and vertebral arteries is a non-invasive, reliable and also easily available, cost-effective method for screening and follows up of patients at risk of stroke to differentiate patients need surgery or intervention from whom could be followed by medical management. IÂ Â  reviewed anatomy of cervical arteries and different techniques such as B- mode or gray scale scanning, color flow mapping and spectral analysis for evaluation of both carotid and vertebral arteries.
Improving access to pediatric hydrocephalus care for all: the role of maternal health literacy and socioeconomic status
Authors: Idowu Olufemi E. , Idowu Jeuel O. , Badmus Oluwatobiloba C.
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

Limited research has addressed the barriers impeding access to surgical care for pediatric patients with hydrocephalus. To identify priorities for enhancing access to pediatric hydrocephalus surgical care and to address healthcare disparities, it is essential to understand the level of access to care and the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal health literacy. In this study, the authors aimed to assess the level of access to surgical care; determine the frequency of more than a 2-week delay in seeking, reaching, and receiving care; and investigate the influence of parental SES and maternal health literacy on these delays.

METHODS

This observational prospective cohort study involved data collection from a sample of 100 pediatric patients aged ≤ 5 years with hydrocephalus and their mothers, including information on family SES (education, occupational, and economic status). Maternal health literacy was assessed using the Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) questionnaire. The Three Delays framework from the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, categorizing delays in seeking care, reaching care, and definitive care, provided a structured approach for analyzing access delays. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Among the pediatric patients, there was a male-to-female ratio of 1.7:1, with a median age of 1.5 months. None of the patients had insurance coverage that included surgical treatment. A significantly low number of patients accessed care within 2 weeks for seeking care duration (34%), reaching care duration (15%), and definitive care duration (1%). The median time to definitive surgical treatment for the entire study population was 14 weeks (upper SES: median 6.3 weeks, middle SES: median 9.8 weeks, lower SES: median 16.7 weeks). Through Cox proportional hazards regression, a hazard ratio of 0.046 (95% CI 0.010–0.210) was obtained. Multiple linear regression analysis identified BHLS Brief D (β = −0.335, p = 0.001) and SES (β = 0.389, p < 0.001) as predictor variables for delays in seeking care and definitive care, respectively. SES (β = 0.446, p < 0.001) and Evans index (β = 0.233, p = 0.010) were predictor variables for delays in reaching care.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal health literacy and SES were identified as factors associated with delays in accessing neurosurgical care for pediatric patients with hydrocephalus. To reduce disparities in pediatric hydrocephalus care, it is essential to implement strategies that promote education, improve healthcare infrastructure, and provide support to families encountering challenges related to low SES and limited maternal health literacy.
Surgical intervention ≤ 24 hours versus > 24 hours after injury for the management of acute traumatic central cord syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bin-Alamer Othman , Qedair Jumanah , Abou-Al-Shaar Hussam , Mallela Arka N. , Balasubramanian Kishore , Alnefaie Nada , Abou Al-Shaar Abdul Rahman , Plute Tritan , Lu Victor M. , McCarthy David J. , Fields Daryl P. , Agarwal Nitin , Gerszten Peter C. , Hamilton D. Kojo
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to evaluate the efficacy, outcomes, and complications of surgical intervention performed within 24 hours (≤ 24 hours) versus after 24 hours (> 24 hours) in managing acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS).

METHODS

Articles pertinent to the study were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment procedures and outcomes according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIMSA) guidelines.

RESULTS

Seven articles comprising 488 patients were included, with 188 (38.5%) patients in the ≤ 24-hour group and 300 (61.5%) in the > 24-hour group. Significant differences were not found between groups in terms of demographic characteristics, injury mechanism, spinal cord compression level, neuroimaging features, and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor score at admission. Both groups had a similar approach to surgery and steroid administration. The surgical complication rate was significantly higher in the > 24-hour group (4.5%) compared to the ≤ 24-hour group (1.2%) (p = 0.05). Clinical follow-up duration was similar at 12 months (interquartile range 3–36) for both groups (p > 0.99). The ≤ 24-hour group demonstrated a not statistically significant greater improvement in ASIA motor score, with a mean difference of 12 (95% CI −20.7 to 44.6) compared to the > 24-hour group.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study indicates potential advantages of early (≤ 24 hours) surgery in ATCCS patients, specifically in terms of lower complication rates. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and their clinical implications.
Isolated spinal artery aneurysm: etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Tu Tian-Qi , Li Jing-Wei , He Chuan , Ye Ming , Li Gui-Lin , Hu Peng , Sun Li-Yong , Ling Feng , Zhang Hong-Qi , Hong Tao , Yu Jia-Xing
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

Isolated spinal aneurysms (ISAs) are rare causes of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), which encompass a highly heterogeneous group of clinical entities with multifarious pathogeneses, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies. Therefore, knowledge about the ISAs remains inadequate. In this study, the authors present a comprehensive analysis of clinical data associated with ISAs at their institutions to enhance the understanding of this disease.

METHODS

Patients with ISAs confirmed by spinal angiography or surgery at the authors’ institutions between 2015 and 2022 were included. Data regarding clinical presentation, lesion location, aneurysm morphology, comorbidities, treatment results, and clinical outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Seven patients with ISAs were included in the study. Among them, 4 patients (57.1%) experienced severe headache, and 3 patients (42.9%) reported sudden-onset back pain. Additionally, lower-extremity weakness and urinary retention were observed in 2 of these patients (28.6%). Four of the aneurysms exhibited fusiform morphology, whereas the remaining were saccular. All saccular aneurysms in this series were attributed to hemodynamic factors. Conservative treatment was administered to 3 patients, 2 of whom underwent follow-up digital subtraction angiography, which showed spontaneous occlusion of both aneurysms. Four patients ultimately underwent invasive treatments, including 2 who underwent microsurgery and 2 who received endovascular embolization. One patient died of recurrent SAH, while the remaining 6 patients had a favorable prognosis at the latest follow-up assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

The morphology of aneurysms may be associated with their etiology. Saccular ISAs are usually caused by pressure due to abnormally increased blood flow, whereas fusiform lesions may be more likely to be secondary to vessel wall damage. The authors found that a saccular spinal aneurysm in young patients with a significant dilated parent artery may be a vestige of spinal cord arteriovenous shunts. ISAs can be managed by surgical, endovascular, or conservative procedures, and the clinical outcome is generally favorable. However, the heterogeneous nature of the disease necessitates personalized treatment decision-making based on specific clinical features of each patient.
Pediatric neurosurgery through the lens of time-driven activity-based costing: a pilot study
Authors: Prather Kiana Y. , Ozaydin Burak , Peters Mikayla , Tally Emily , Zieles Kristin , Omini Michael E. , Gernsback Joanna E. , Desai Virendra R. , Balsara Karl E. , Jea Andrew
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) is a method used in cost accounting that has gained traction in health economics to identify value optimization initiatives. It measures time, assigns value to time increments spent on a patient, and integrates the cost of material and human resources utilized in each episode of care. In this study, the authors report the first use of TDABC to evaluate costs in a pediatric neurosurgical practice.

METHODS

A clinical pathway was developed with a multifunction team. A time survey among each care team member, including surgeons, medical assistants (MAs), and patient service representatives (PSRs), was carried out prospectively over a 10-week period at a pediatric neurosurgery clinic. Consecutive patient encounters for Chiari malformation (CM), hydrocephalus, or tethered cord syndrome (TCS) were included. Encounters were categorized as new or established. Relative annual personnel costs, using the salary of a PSR as a reference (i.e., 1.0-unit cost), were calculated for all members using departmental financial data after adjustments. The relative capacity cost rates (minute−1) for each personnel, a representation of per capita cost per minute, were then derived, and the relative costs per visit were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 110 visits (24 new, 86 established) were captured, including 40% CM, 41% hydrocephalus, and 19% TCS encounters. Surgeons had the highest relative capacity cost rate (118.4 × 10−6), more than 10-fold higher than that of an MA or PSR (10.65 × 10−6 and 9.259 × 10−6, respectively). Surgeons also logged more time with patients compared with the rest of the care team in nearly all visits (p ≤ 0.002); consequently, the total visit costs were primarily driven by the surgeon cost (p < 0.0001). Overall, surgeon cost constituted the vast majority of the total visit cost (92%–93%), regardless of whether the visits were new or established. Visit costs did not differ by diagnosis. On average, new visits took longer than established visits (p < 0.001). This difference was largely driven by new CM visits (44.3 ± 13.7 minutes), which were significantly longer than established CM visits (29.8 ± 9.2 minutes; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

TDABC may reveal opportunities to maximize value by highlighting instances of variability and high cost in each module of care delivery. Physician leaders in pediatric neurosurgery may be able to use this information to allocate costs and streamline value care pathways.
A re-evaluation of the Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy Success Score: a Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network study
Authors: Verhey Leonard H. , Kulkarni Abhaya V. , Reeder Ron W. , Riva-Cambrin Jay , Jensen Hailey , Pollack Ian F. , Rocque Brandon G. , Tamber Mandeep S. , McDonald Patrick J. , Krieger Mark D. , Pindrik Jonathan A. , Hauptman Jason S. , Browd Samuel R. , Whitehead William E. , Jackson Eric M. , Wellons John C. , Hankinson Todd C. , Chu Jason , Limbrick David D. , Strahle Jennifer M. , Kestle John R. W. , _ _
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

The Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) conducted a prospective study 1) to determine if a new, better-performing version of the Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy Success Score (ETVSS) could be developed, 2) to explore the performance characteristics of the original ETVSS in a modern endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) cohort, and 3) to determine if the addition of radiological variables to the ETVSS improved its predictive abilities.

METHODS

From April 2008 to August 2019, children (corrected age ≤ 17.5 years) who underwent a first-time ETV for hydrocephalus were included in a prospective multicenter HCRN study. All children had at least 6 months of clinical follow-up and were followed since the index ETV in the HCRN Core Data Registry. Children who underwent choroid plexus cauterization were excluded. Outcome (ETV success) was defined as the lack of ETV failure within 6 months of the index procedure. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to evaluate time-dependent variables. Multivariable binary logistic models were built to evaluate predictors of ETV success. Model performance was evaluated with Hosmer-Lemeshow and Harrell’s C statistics.

RESULTS

Seven hundred sixty-one children underwent a first-time ETV. The rate of 6-month ETV success was 76%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow and Harrell’s C statistics of the logistic model containing more granular age and etiology categorizations did not differ significantly from a model containing the ETVSS categories. In children ≥ 12 months of age with ETVSSs of 50 or 60, the original ETVSS underestimated success, but this analysis was limited by a small sample size. Fronto-occipital horn ratio (p = 0.37), maximum width of the third ventricle (p = 0.39), and downward concavity of the floor of the third ventricle (p = 0.63) did not predict ETV success. A possible association between the degree of prepontine adhesions on preoperative MRI and ETV success was detected, but this did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

This modern, multicenter study of ETV success shows that the original ETVSS continues to demonstrate good predictive ability, which was not substantially improved with a new success score. There might be an association between preoperative prepontine adhesions and ETV success, and this needs to be evaluated in a future large prospective study.
Risk factors of adjacent-segment disease after short-segment fusion in patients with de novo degenerative lumbar scoliosis
Authors: Kim Hyun-Jun , Park Se-Jun , Park Jin-Sung , Jung Choong-Won , Lee Jong-Shin , Yang Han-Seok , Lee Chong-Suh
Published: February 2024

OBJECTIVE

Short-segment fusion (SSF) is an effective surgical option for appropriately selected patients with de novo degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DNDLS). Considering that DNDLS is frequently accompanied by multisegment degeneration and potential instability across the entire lumbar segments, it is inevitable that unhealthy segments remain after SSF, thereby increasing the potential risk of adjacent-segment disease (ASD) occurrence. Therefore, the authors aimed to identify the risk factors for ASD in patients with DNDLS who underwent SSF.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 80 patients with DNDLS (Cobb angle > 10°) who underwent SSF (1 or 2 levels) between December 2010 and July 2018 with a minimum follow-up duration of 5 years. The participants were divided into two groups: ASD and non-ASD. ASD was defined as clinical ASD rather than radiographic ASD. Various patient and operative variables were compared between the groups. Global and regional radiographic parameters (preoperatively and postoperatively) were also compared between the two groups using plain radiography and MRI. Consequently, univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors for ASD occurrence. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the cutoff values.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age was 67.7 ± 7.2 years at the time of SSF, and there were 62 women (77.5%) enrolled in the study. Thirty patients (37.5%) were in the ASD group and 50 patients (62.5%) were in the non-ASD group. The mean time from the surgery to ASD diagnosis was 34.9 ± 28.2 months in ASD group. Thirteen patients required revision surgery at a mean time of 8.8 ± 7.0 months after ASD occurrence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that preoperative disc wedging angle (OR 1.806, 95% CI 1.255–2.598, p = 0.001), presence of facet tropism (defined as ≥ 10° difference between the facet joint angles of the right and left sides) (OR 5.534, 95% CI 1.528–20.040, p = 0.009), and foraminal stenosis ≥ grade 2 (OR 5.935, 95% CI 1.253–28.117, p = 0.025) were significant risk factors for ASD development. The cutoff value of the preoperative disc wedging angle was calculated to be 2.5° using the ROC curve.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative disc wedging angle ≥ 2.5°, presence of facet tropism, and foraminal stenosis ≥ grade 2 were identified as significant risk factors for ASD development after SSF in patients with DNDLS.
Evolution of Great Salt Lake’s Exposed Lakebed (1984-2023)
Authors: Radwin Mark , Bowen Brenda
Published: February 2024

The Great Salt Lake has been rapidly shrinking since the highstand of the mid-1980s, creating cause for concern in recent decades as the lake has reached historic lows. Many investigators have assessed the evolution of lake elevation, geochemistry, anthropogenic impacts, and links to climate and atmospheric processes; however, the use of remote sensing to study the evolution of the lake has been significantly limited. Harnessing recent advancements in cloud-processing, specifically Google Earth Engine cloud computing, this study utilizes over 600 Landsat TM/OLI and Sentinel MSI satellite images from 1984-2023 to present time-series analyses of remotely sensed Great Salt Lake water area, exposed lakebed area, surface cover types, and chlorophyll-a analyses paired with modelled estimates for water and exposed lakebed area. Results show that a analyses paired with modelled estimates for water and exposed lakebed area. Results show that area has increased to ~3,500 km2 from ~500 km2. The area of unconsolidated sediments not protected by vegetation or halite crusts has risen to ~2,400 km2. Significant halite crusts are observed in the North Arm, having a max extent of ~150 km2 between 2002 and 2003, while only small extents of halite crusts are observed for the South Arm. Vegetation is more prevalent in the Bear River Bay and South Arm, with surface area increases over 400% since 1990. Gypsum is widely observed independent of halite crusts. The results highlight multiple instances of land-use/water-management that led to observable changes in water/exposed lakebed area and halite crust extent. This study demonstrates the important benefits of maintaining a lake elevation above ~4,194 ft to maximize lake and halite crust area, which would help mitigate possible dust events and maintain a broad lake extent.
Use of remote imagery to map microbialite distribution at Great Salt Lake, Utah: Implications for microbialite exposure
Authors: Wilcock Laura , Frantz Carie , Vanden Berg Michael
Published: February 2024

The elevation of Great Salt Lake has fallen to historic lows in recent years, exposing once submerged microbialites along the lake’s shores. Although prior studies have attempted to map microbialite locations, this has proved challenging, with mapped microbialite areas limited to accessible shoreline locations or via indirect sonographic evidence. Meanwhile, the importance of Great Salt Lake’s microbialites to the lake’s food chain has made quantifying the extent of microbialites exposed versus submerged at different lake elevations critical to lake management decisions. Low lake levels combined with seasonal high-water clarity have enabled microbialite reefs to be spotted in aerial and satellite imagery, even in deeper areas of the lake. In this study, satellite images were used to identify and map microbialite reef areas in Great Salt Lake and along its dry shores. In the south arm, submerged microbialites were easily recognized as dark green reefs against a light-colored benthic background (primarily ooid sand). Stationary microbialite mounds were distinguished from rip-up clasts or other dark-colored mobile material by comparing potential microbialite regions across several high-visibility timepoints. In this way, we identified 649 km2 (251 mi2) of putative microbialite reef area: 288 km2 (111 mi2) in the north arm, 360 km2 (139 mi2) in the south arm, of which 375 km2 (145 mi2) was mapped at a high degree of confidence. We also produced geospatial shapefiles of these areas. This map, combined with currently available lake bathymetric data, permits the estimation of the extent of microbialite reef exposed vs. submerged in various parts of the lake at different lake elevations. At the end of fall 2022, when lake level dipped to 1276.7 masl (4188.5 ft-asl) in elevation, we estimate that ~40% of the south arm microbialite reef area was exposed.
Radiocarbon Chronology/Growth Rates of Ooids from Great Salt Lake, Utah
Authors: Paradis Olivia , Corsetti Frank , Bardsley Audra , Hammond Douglas , Berelson William , Xu Xiaomei , Walker Jennifer , Celestian Aaron
Published: February 2024

Ooids (calcium carbonate coated grains) are common in carbonate environments throughout geologic time, but the mechanism by which they form remains unclear. In particular, the rate of ooid growth remains elusive in all but a few modern marine environments. In order to investigate the rate of ooid growth in a non-marine setting, we used 14C to date ooids from Great Salt Lake, Utah, a well-known site of aragonitic ooids. Bulk ooids obtained from the northern shore of Antelope Island and the northeast shore of Great Salt Lake near Spiral Jetty were sieved into different size fractions and produced mean ages ranging between 2728±15 and 4373±20 14C yr BP. Larger ooids were older than smaller ooids, implying that larger ooids grew in the environment for a longer duration, with the caveat that bulk age dating integrates the growth history of an ooid. To better resolve growth history, ooids from the coarse fraction were sequentially dissolved, and 14C ages were obtained for each dissolution step to create a time series of ooid growth. The results of the sequential dating indicate that the coarse Great Salt Lake ooid growth began between 5800-6600 ± 60 14C yr BP while their outer cortices are nearly modern. Sequentially dated ooids from the South Arm of Great Salt Lake at Antelope Island record a nearly linear growth history (~ 10-15 µm/kyr), whereas ooids from Spiral Jetty record somewhat faster growth between ~6000 and 4000 years ago (0.03 – 0.06 µm/yr) followed by a 10x slower growth history for the remainder of their lifespan (0.003 – 0.008 µm/yr). The lifespan of Great Salt Lake aragonitic ooids is two to six times longer than those from modern marine environments, and thus provides a unique end member for understanding the mechanisms behind ooid formation. The ooid age range indicates that geochemical parameters measured from bulk ooid dissolution integrates over ~6000 years and thus does not represent a geochemical snapshot in time, as some previous studies have suggested.
Shoreline superelevation, clues to coastal processes of Great Salt Lake
Authors: Atwood Genevieve , Wambeam Tamara , Oviatt Charles
Published: February 2024

Coastal processes create the shoreline evidence of Great Salt Lake. Shoreline superelevation is the difference in elevation between still water lake level and the shoreline evidence produced by the lake at that level. Processes of formation include effects of wind strength, fetch, beach attributes, coastline aspect, and coast morphology. A series of field studies from 1986 through 2000 concluded strong storm winds from the northwest contribute to the patterns and magnitude of shoreline superelevation. Weather data for 2020-2023 for Gunnison Island and Hat Island document strong storm winds from the north and northwest for Gunnison Bay and with more complexity for Gilbert Bay. The strongest wind patterns are consistent with the geologic evidence of shoreline superelevation produced by the high lake stands of 1986-1987. Wind strength, fetch, and storm duration cause Great Salt Lake wave regimes. The wave-regimes of Great Salt Lake are fetch-limited due to the size and morphology of the water body. In contrast, the long fetch of large lakes such as Lake Bonneville (the enlarged manifestation of the Great Salt Lake lacustrine system), determines the magnitude and patterns of their shoreline superelevation. Geologic evidence of shoreline superelevation of modern- and paleo- fetch-limited lakes similar to Great Salt Lake may be durable evidence of storm wind direction.
Wave dynamics and sediment transport in Great Salt Lake
Authors: Smith Ben , Mahon Robert , Lincoln Tyler , Hagen Cedric , Olsen-Valdez Juliana , Magyar John , Trower Elizabeth
Published: February 2024

Great Salt Lake is a natural laboratory to test and refine ideas about the relationship between sediment transport by waves and the characteristics of shoreline carbonate sediments, in particular ooid sands and microbialite mounds. In this chapter, we present a year-long series of wave data collected from July 2021 through June 2022 and use these wave data to assess the performance of a US Army Corps of Engineers wave model previously used to estimate bed shear velocity and intermittency of sediment transport in Great Salt Lake (Smith and others, 2020). We use this model-data comparison to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing model for both geological and ecological applications, and areas of improvement for future model development. We also use shallow sediment cores and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based orthomosaics collected from shorelines near each buoy to assess how the wave climate along two parts of the lake shore influences the stratigraphic record and the surface morphology of the lakebed.
Implications and hydrographs for two Pre-Bonneville pluvial lakes and double geosols from 14 OSL-IRSL ages in Cache Valley, NE Bonneville Basin
Authors: Oaks Robert , Jänecke Susanne , Rittenour Tammy , Erickson Thad , Nelson Michelle
Published: February 2024

In the northeastern Great Basin, USA, thirteen new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages and one infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) age show that two deep pluvial lakes preceded the Bonneville lake cycle in Cache Valley during marine oxygen-isotope stages (MIS) 6 (123-191 ka) and 4 (56-71 ka), respectively. Our new data define quantitative hydrographs of the Little Valley and Cutler Dam lake cycles in both Cache Valley and the main Bonneville basin. In western Cache Valley, excavation of a faulted, east-plunging spit has sequentially exposed these deposits and overlying MIS 3 Fielding humid-over-arid double geosols that end westward at a strand of the east-dipping Dayton-Oxford normal-fault zone. Lithologically identical double paleosols in eastern Cache Valley overlie a variety of deposits, including dated Little Valley lake beds, and persist above the Bonneville shoreline. Six new ages show that the Little Valley lake cycle in Cache Valley began before 169 ka and ended after 143 ka, and its highest shoreline was above 1493 m. The >25 kyr duration of this pluvial lake cycle rivals the combined durations of the two subsequent lake cycles, during MIS 4 and MIS 2. The Cutler Dam lake rose at least to ~1450 m by ~67 ka in Cache Valley. In the type area in the main Bonneville basin, west of Cutler Narrows, four averaged IRSL dates from Cutler Dam lake beds show that the lake level there had dropped to ~1340 m by ~59 ka. The Little Valley lake rose at least 40 to 50 m above the local Provo shoreline whereas the Cutler Dam lake missed reaching the Provo shoreline by ~13 m. Beneath central Cache Valley, southeast of the study area, there are two laterally extensive, confining layers of silty clay with an intervening sandy gravel layer, all overlying thick gravelly sediment. Both confining layers enclose additional thin and discontinuous gravel layers with adjacent oxidized clays. These alternating coarse and fine sediments are probably correlative with the exposed MIS 6 to MIS 1 deposits and, possibly, older lake cycles.
Bonneville basin critical zones
Authors: Lerback Jory , Bowen Brenda , Bagge Sam , Heberer Mikelia , Cocke Ryan , Bricker Hayley
Published: February 2024

Playa margin wetlands in the Bonneville basin are sustained by groundwater-fed brackish springs, which transport salts and other solutes into the playa basin. These wetlands are sensitive to changing water availability and quality, which are impacted by changing climate and land use, and whose sediments also provide important records of changing environmental conditions. Gastropods building their shells in these springs provide important recorders of water chemistry and may reflect changing aqueous conditions. In this paper, we analyze spring water chemistry, gastropod ecology and gastropod shell chemistry of Blue Lake (BL) and Horseshoe Springs (HRS), two groundwater-fed wetlands in the Great Salt Lake watershed. We report the physical parameters including pH, temperature, and specific conductivity across the spring pond at Horseshoe springs. There was a slight but statistically significant variation in these physical characteristics between the deeper and shallower parts of the pool, providing evidence that there are different subsite microclimates, which may impact the populations and the isotopic composition of gastropod shells. We measured gastropod population diversity amongst nearly 12,000 shells sampled at Horseshoe springs, finding low population diversity (Shannon’s Diversity Index of 0.432), although the populations of shallow and deep snails are slightly different. The dominant snail at HRS is the Pyrgulopsis which is imperiled, and we also note that we did not find living snails here. We evaluated the bulk shell variation of stable carbonate isotopes (δ13C, and δ18O) across sites and genera. We show that there were no significant subsite-level differences in gastropod δ13C compositions, suggesting that water depth and productivity were not impacting the isotopic signal. We found subsite- and genera-specific differences in snail δ18O compositions, which we interpret to be more dependent on the geography and microclimate of where the snail lived rather than the genera’s physiology (pulmonate versus gil-breathing). We report concentrations of alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs), alkali earth metals (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba), and metals and metalloids (Al, Sc, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Zn, As) at spring site waters and in bulk shells as potential baseline data for interpreting future or past environmental changes as recorded in shell material. We found trace element concentration and certain elemental ratio differences between genera at the same site (particularly of note were Li, Zn, Mn and Al) that will be important to constrain if these shells are to be applied as a paleoenvironmental proxy and are sometimes attributed to land use change.
The Meaning of the Metaphor «and your bones shall flourish» (Is 66:14; Sir 46:14; 49:12) in a Biblical Context: Ecclesiastical Tradition and Modern Biblical Scholarship
Authors: Скобелев Михаил Анатольевич
Published: February 2024

В статье рассматривается смысл метафоры «и кости ваши расцветут, как молодая зелень» в Книге пророка Исаии (Ис. 66, 14) и немного в ином варианте «да процветут кости их от места своего» в Книге Премудрости Иисуса, сына Сирахова (Сир. 46, 14; 49, 12). Очевидна взаимосвязь между указанными библейскими цитатами. Если в Книге Исаии это пророчество о праведниках (рабах Господа), то в Книге Иисуса, сына Сирахова это пожелание самого автора, которое он адресовал судьям Израиля (Сир. 46, 14) и малым пророкам (Сир. 49, 12). Как показывает проведённое исследование, метафора «кости ваши процветут» в библейском контексте указывает на божественное покровительство. Но каким образом будет проявлено это покровительство? В истории библейской экзегезы на поставленный вопрос даются существенно разные ответы. В статье приводится понимание указанной метафоры традиционными церковными экзегетами и современными библеистами критического направления, анализируется контекст указанных библейских фрагментов, лексика, переводы.

The article studies the meaning of the metaphor «and your bones shall flourish like young herbs» in the book of the prophet Isaiah (66, 14) and in a slightly different wording «May their bones flourish from their place» in the Wisdom of Ben Sira (46, 14; 49, 12). The relationship between the biblical quotations is obvious. If in the book of Isaiah, we read a prophecy about the righteous (servants of the Lord), in the Wisdom of Ben Sira we deal with a wish of the author himself, which he addressed to the judges of Israel (Sir. 46, 14) and minor prophets (Sir. 49, 12). As the research demonstrates, the idiom «flourishing bones» in the biblical context indicates divine patronage. However, how exactly will this patronage be manifested? The answer to this question varies considerably in the history of biblical exegesis. The article presents the understanding of the stated metaphor by both traditional Church exegetes and modern critical biblical scholars, analyses the context of the biblical fragments mentioned, terms, translations.
The Church Policy of Emperor Anastasios I and the Theological Content of the «Typos» Part 3
Authors: Кожухов Сергий
Published: February 2024

Данная публикация является третьей частью исследования касательно церковной политики императоров Восточной Римской империи: Василиска, Зинона и Анастасия I, в царствование которых были выпущены соответственно указы: «Энциклика», «Энотикон», «Типос», касающиеся религиозной церковной жизни. Главный вопрос, который в них решался, это отношение к Халкидонскому Собору, который утвердил учение о двух природах и одной ипостаси во Христе. Автор рассматривает исторический фон, в котором начиналось правление императора Анастасия I, его отношение с последователями Халкидона, а также его противниками Севиром Антиохийским и Филоксеном Маббугским и условия появления «Типоса». В статье приводятся мнения современных исследователей относительно авторства и времени появления «Типоса», дан его перевод на русский язык, анализируется богословское содержания «Типоса».

This paper is the third part of a study on the ecclesiastical policy of the emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire: Basilisk, Zeno and Anastasios I, during whose reign decrees were issued respectively: «Encyclical», «Enoticon», «Typos» concerning religious church life. The main issue they addressed was the relationship to the Council of Chalcedon, which approved the doctrine of two natures and one hypostasis in Christ. The author examines the historical background in which the reign of Emperor Anastasius I began, his relationship with the followers of Chalcedon, as well as his opponents Severus of Antioch and Philoxenus of Mabbug, and the conditions for the appearance of the «Typos». The article presents the opinions of modern researchers regarding the authorship and time of the appearance of the «Typos», its translation into Russian is given, and the theological content of the «Typos» is analyzed.