bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influences of bulk structure of Calcarenitic rocks on water storage and transfer in order to assess durability and climate change impact.
Authors: Hemeda Sayed
Published: June 2023

The main purpose of this study is to understand influences of bulk structure of geomaterials on water storage and transfer, in order to assess durability and climate change impact on the UNESCO world heritage sites in Alexandria, Egypt. This study deals with the responses of water towards the physiochemical and physicomechanical behaviours of Calcarenitic rocks, that are utilized in Greek and Roman monuments at Alexandria. Many vulnerable archaeological sites [2.3–2.5 m above mean sea level (M.S.L)] are identified at Alexandria, specifically at the Eastern Harbor, El-Shatby the Greek necropolis and Moustafa Kamil Roman tombs and addition to the Roman Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa which excavated with deepth − 18 m from the land surface. These UNESCO heritage sites suffer climate change impact (heavy rains and sea water rising) as well as multiple geoenvironmental and geophysical hazards. In this study a general outline of the various tests, surveys and analyses is presented, highlighting the most important issues related to the durability and climate change impact. This paper represents the comprehensive in-situ, field and laboratory surveys and tests undertaken in these outstanding world heritage sites. The field testing program comprises various geotechnical and geophysical field and laboratory tests aiming to define the physical, mechanical and dynamic properties of the hard soils/soft rock materials of the archaeological sites where these outstanding monuments are excavated and constracted. By analysis of linear correlations, some essential mechanisms should be underlined, which may connect the macrostructure to the microstructure of the geomaterial. A systematic method of analysis clearly appeared and emphasized the role of the bulk structure (i.e. grain size, grain contact, specific area, pore shape and microporosity) on petrophysical and petromechanical behavior of rock materials. The study revealed that the petrophysical and geomechanical properties of Calcarenitic rocks are influenced by size, shape, packing of grains, porosity, cement and matrix content, all controlled strongly by depositional fabric and postdepositional processes. The accurate analysis of the physiochemical and physicomechanical behaviours of Calcarenitic rocks that are utilized in Greek and Roman monuments at Alexandria allowed us to define the pathology of these monuments and to estimate the durability, climate change impact and ultimate geostatic loads that they can survive under their present geoenvironmental conditions.
Petrographic and geochemical analyses to characterise the source of built historical natural stones — a case study of the volcanic stones from historical quarries and Baoguosi Temple in the city of Ningbo, China
Authors: Guo Xiuwei , Zhang Yawen , Xu Xuemin , Dai Shibing
Published: June 2023

Characterising and sourcing natural stones are essential for not only understanding the historical information carried by heritage buildings and cultural heritage sites, but also providing necessary data for restoration and conservations. Petrographic analyses by polarised microscopy, along with the integrated chemical data acquired by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, allowed us to ascertain the compositions of stone materials. In this paper it is applied on samples collected from quarries of “three famous stones (Meiyuanshi-, Xiaoxishi-, and Dayinshi-stone)” in Ningbo and from the Sumeru platform in the main hall of Baoguosi Temple (Ningbo, Zhejiang, China). Comparison of petrographic features, major and trace elements of the stones studied indicated that they are all tuffs but of different characteristics and origin. Moreover, we were able to confirm that the Sumeru platform in Baoguosi is made of Meiyuanshi-stone. The results have demonstrated the suitability of the approach and present a practicable solution for other stone buildings.
Generating rectilinear motion using permanent magnets
Authors: Rishmany Jihad , Sabiini Guitta , Mansour Ali , Imad Rodrigue
Published: June 2023

This paper considers generating rectilinear motion using permanent magnets based on the surface charge method. In this regard, the existing analytical expressions of the interaction magnetic field between cuboidal permanent magnets are modified and extended into new ones that take into account the magnets configuration proposed in this work. The modified equations are then solved numerically and validated via experimental testing. Based on the obtained results, a case study is considered where a magnets configuration is set through numerical iterations to produce rectilinear motion. This configuration, validated experimentally, has a self-starting aspect and generates continuous motion. The proposed technique provides a simple and quick way to configure a set of magnets to produce rectilinear motion. Such systems could be used in various medical or industrial applications such as propelling nanobots throughout the soft tissue of the human body, or driving a production line. This offers a free source of energy resulting in power saving and reduced emissions.
Digital phenotyping in psychiatry
Authors: Williamson Simon
Published: June 2023

Advances in data science and machine learning have allowed for the analysis of increasingly complex and large data-sets. Digital devices are a source of such data, given their ability to collect information on users continuously and irrespective of location. Digital phenotyping aims to use these data to build a comprehensive picture of an individual's behaviour. Psychiatry is well-positioned to make use of this, since digital behaviour may be reflective of mental state. This article provides an overview of the field of digital phenotyping as it stands currently, on the verge of large-scale studies which may pave the way for clinical implementation in psychiatry.
The effect of historical payoffs on individual strategy updates in the Prisoner's Dilemma
Authors: Han Yu , Xu Zhao jin , Zhang Lian zhong
Published: June 2023

Understanding the evolution of cooperation among selfish individuals remains a big challenge. In this paper, we introduce a new update rule in which individuals make decision according to their historical performance in the Prisoner's Dilemma game on a square lattice. Comparing our results with the Prisoner's Dilemma experiment, such an update rule can explain the experiment well, suggesting that this update rule may be useful for understanding the behavior of individuals in the experiment. Importantly, we can use this rule to explain the moody conditional cooperation.
Are Reindeer the New Buffalo?
Authors: Kuokkanen Rauna
Published: June 2023

In the nineteenth-century prairies, the buffalo was nearly exterminated as the result of the European economic and ecological invasion. Today in Scandinavia, reindeer are being threatened by the renewable energy transition, also known as the Green Shift. The Green Shift has led to an explosion of the wind industry in many countries, including Norway. Many of the onshore wind development projects have been built in areas central to reindeer herding. This article asks whether reindeer have become the new buffalo that are being sacrificed in the race to build green energies. It considers the view of reindeer herding as a vanishing livelihood and the pervasive colonial discourse of manifest destiny, which sees Indigenous peoples as disappearing in the process of natural selection and progress. The article also examines the Feminist Green New Deal (FGND) as an example of a policy framework calling for a broader intersectional approach that places race, unequal relations of power, and Indigenous rights at the heart of policy making. It considers whether the FGND is able to tackle and engage with the trajectories of settler colonialism, including manifest destiny and green colonialism. The article focuses specifically on Norway for its leading role in the energy transition and wind energy development in the Nordic countries.
Intersectional Vulnerabilities and the Banality of Harm
Authors: Emejulu Akwugo , Sobande Francesca
Published: June 2023

In this article we examine how intersectional vulnerabilities are experienced and made sense of by women of color activists in Europe. We name intersectional vulnerabilities as a broad, sometimes contradictory, set of emotions, all tied to activists’ complex experiences of insecurity and community. Intersectional vulnerabilities are those risks and rewards, derived from women of color activists’ positioning in relation to race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and legal status, which shape the possibilities of women of color’s activist labor. These vulnerabilities are Janus-faced, in that they are experienced as social harms that oftentimes lead to community. Our article grapples with the bittersweetness of vulnerability and how the banality of harms meted out to women of color nevertheless contains the seeds of resistance, solidarity, and self-love.
Matter and Memory
Authors: Guerin Ayasha
Published: June 2023

This three-part essay first introduces Berlin’s anticolonial, Black feminist poetics through the work of May Ayim and Audre Lorde, whose poems “Blues in Black-and-White” and “East Berlin 1989” were written shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in response to racial attacks in a “reunited” Germany. Part I explores how these poetics and politics have influenced ongoing efforts to engage with the memory of German colonialism, xenophobia, and memorialization in public spaces. Part II moves the reader into close studies of two contemporary performance works by Afro-diasporic artists in Berlin who build on the Black feminist poetics explored in Part I. The first, Wayward Dust by Monilola Olayemi Ilupeju, was an invited performance at the Deutsches Technikmuseum in August 2020. The second, untitled performance, by the group Black Art Action Berlin (BAAB), was uninvited, and took place in Berlin’s Humboldt Forum in October 2021. In Part III, the author discusses how these performance artists in Berlin have responded to institutional pledges to “decolonize” museums, by inverting expectations of Black performance and white spectatorship in this space. The author argues that they are important interventions for this contemporary moment of institutional reckoning that challenge expectations of Black labor and white leisure in the museum, and that they should be understood within the context of an ongoing creative struggle developed in transnational Black feminist praxis.
Tools to analyze the organization and formation of the germline cyst in zebrafish oogenesis
Authors: Kumar Vineet , Elkouby Yaniv M.
Published: June 2023

Oocytes develop in the germline cyst, a cellular organization in which germ cells are tightly interconnected and surrounded by somatic cells. The cyst produces oocytes for follicle formation and is a hub for essential processes in meiosis and oocyte differentiation. However, the formation and organization of the cyst, and their contribution to oocyte production in vertebrates remain unclear. Here, we provide tools for three-dimensional and functional in vivo analyses of the germline cyst in the zebrafish ovary. We describe the use of serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to resolve the three-dimensional architecture of cells and organelles in the cyst at ultrastructural resolution. We present a deep learning-based pipeline for high-throughput quantitative analysis of three-dimensional confocal datasets of cysts in vivo. We provide a method for laser ablation of cellular components for manipulating cyst cells in ovaries. These methods will facilitate the investigation of the cyst cellular organization, expand the toolkit for the study of the zebrafish ovary, and advance our understanding of female developmental reproduction. They could also be further applied to the investigation of other developmental systems.
Muscle-specific functions of ryanodine receptor channels in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Maryon Ed B. , Saari Bonnie , Anderson Philip
Published: June 2023

Ryanodine receptor channels regulate contraction of striated muscle by gating the release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ryanodine receptors are expressed in excitable and non-excitable cells of numerous species, including the nematode C. elegans. Unlike vertebrates, which have at least three ryanodine receptor genes, C. elegans has a single gene encoded by the unc-68 locus. We show that unc-68 is expressed in most muscle cells, and that the phenotypic defects exhibited by unc-68 null mutants result from the loss of unc-68 function in pharyngeal and body-wall muscle cells. The loss of unc-68 function in the isthmus and terminal bulb muscles of the pharynx causes a reduction in growth rate and brood size. unc-68 null mutants exhibit defective pharyngeal pumping (feeding) and have abnormal vacuoles in the terminal bulb of the pharynx. unc-68 is required in body-wall muscle cells for normal motility. We show that UNC-68 is localized in body-wall muscle cells to flattened vesicular sacs positioned between the apical plasma membrane and the myofilament lattice. In unc-68 mutants, the vesicles are enlarged and densely stained. The flattened vesicles in body-wall muscle cells thus represent the C. elegans sarcoplasmic reticulum. Morphological and behavioral phenotypes of unc-68 mutants suggest that intracellular calcium release is not essential for excitation-contraction coupling in C. elegans.
Anosmin-1 underlying the X chromosome-linked Kallmann syndrome is an adhesion molecule that can modulate neurite growth in a cell-type specific manner
Authors: Soussi-Yanicostas Nadia , Faivre-Sarrailh Catherine , Hardelin Jean-Pierre , Levilliers Jacqueline , Rougon Geneviève , Petit Christine
Published: June 2023

Anosmin-1 is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein which underlies the X chromosome-linked form of Kallmann syndrome. This disease is characterized by hypogonadism due to GnRH deficiency, and a defective sense of smell related to the underdevelopment of the olfactory bulbs. This study reports that anosmin-1 is an adhesion molecule for a variety of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in vitro. We show that cell adhesion to anosmin-1 is dependent on the presence of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans at the cell surface. A major cell adhesion site of anosmin-1 was identified in a 32 amino acid (32R1) sequence located within the first fibronectin-like type III repeat of the protein. The role of anosmin-1 as a substrate for neurite growth was tested on either coated culture dishes or monolayers of anosmin-1-producing CHO cells. In both experimental systems, anosmin-1 was shown to be a permissive substrate for the neurite growth of different types of neurons. Mouse P5 cerebellar neurons cultured on anosmin-1 coated wells developed long neurites; the 32R1 peptide was found to underly part of this neurite growth activity. When the cerebellar neurons were cultured on anosmin-1-producing CHO cells, neurite growth was reduced as compared to wild-type CHO cells; in contrast, no difference was observed for E18 hippocampal and P1 dorsal root ganglion neurons in the same experimental system. These results indicate that anosmin-1 can modulate neurite growth in a cell-type specific manner. Finally, anosmin-1 induced neurite fasciculation of P5 cerebellar neuron aggregates cultured on anosmin-1-producing CHO cells. The pathogenesis of the olfactory defect in the X-linked Kallmann syndrome is discussed in the light of the present results and the recent data reporting the immunohistochemical localisation of anosmin-1 during early embryonic development.
Transforming growth factor-β dynamically regulates vascular smooth muscle differentiation in vivo
Authors: Grainger David J. , Metcalfe James C. , Grace Andrew A. , Mosedale David E.
Published: June 2023

Variations in the levels of smooth muscle-specific isoforms of contractile proteins have been reported to occur in many different vascular diseases. However, although much work has been done in vitro to investigate the regulation of smooth muscle cell differentiation, the molecular mechanisms which regulate the differentiation of vascular smooth muscle tissue in vivo are unknown. Using quantitative immunofluorescence, we show that in rat arteries levels of smooth muscle differentiation markers correlate with the levels of the cytokine TGF-β. In young mice with one allele of the TGF-β1 gene deleted, the levels of both TGF-β1 and smooth muscle differentiation markers are reduced compared to wild-type controls. This regulation of smooth muscle differentiation by TGF-β?during post-natal development also occurs dynamically in the adult animal. Following various pharmacological or surgical interventions, including treatment of mice with tamoxifen and balloon injury of rat carotid arteries, there is a strong correlation between the changes in the levels of TGF-β and changes in the levels of smooth muscle differentiation markers (r=0.9, P<0.0001 for n=26 experiments). We conclude that TGF-β dynamically regulates smooth muscle differentiation in rodent arteries in vivo.
Cdc18p can block mitosis by two independent mechanisms
Authors: Greenwood Emma , Nishitani Hideo , Nurse Paul
Published: June 2023

The DNA replication checkpoint is required to maintain the integrity of the genome, inhibiting mitosis until S phase has been successfully completed. The checkpoint preventing premature mitosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe relies on phosphorylation of the tyrosine-15 residue on cdc2p to prevent its activation and hence mitosis. The cdc18 gene is essential for both generating the DNA replication checkpoint and the initiation of S phase, thus providing a key role for the overall control and coordination of the cell cycle. We show that the C terminus of the protein is capable of both initiating DNA replication and the checkpoint function of cdc18p. The C terminus of cdc18p acts upstream of the DNA replication checkpoint genes rad1, rad3, rad9, rad17, hus1 and cut5 and requires the wee1p/mik1p tyrosine kinases to block mitosis. The N terminus of cdc18p can also block mitosis but does so in the absence of the DNA replication checkpoint genes and the wee1p/mik1p kinases therefore acting downstream of these genes. Because the N terminus of cdc18p associates with cdc2p in vivo, we suggest that by binding the cdc2p/cdc13p mitotic kinase directly, it exerts an effect independently of the normal checkpoint control, probably in an unphysiological manner.
The oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex is involved in myofibril growth and Z-disc assembly in Drosophila
Authors: González Morales Nicanor , Marescal Océane , Szikora Szilárd , Katzemich Anja , Correia-Mesquita Tuana , Bíró Péter , Erdelyi Miklos , Mihály József , Schöck Frieder
Published: June 2023

Myofibrils are long intracellular cables specific to muscles, composed mainly of actin and myosin filaments. The actin and myosin filaments are organized into repeated units called sarcomeres, which form the myofibrils. Muscle contraction is achieved by the simultaneous shortening of sarcomeres, which requires all sarcomeres to be the same size. Muscles have a variety of ways to ensure sarcomere homogeneity. We have previously shown that the controlled oligomerization of Zasp proteins sets the diameter of the myofibril. Here, we looked for Zasp-binding proteins at the Z-disc to identify additional proteins coordinating myofibril growth and assembly. We found that the E1 subunit of the oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex localizes to both the Z-disc and the mitochondria, and is recruited to the Z-disc by Zasp52. The three subunits of the oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex are required for myofibril formation. Using super-resolution microscopy, we revealed the overall organization of the complex at the Z-disc. Metabolomics identified an amino acid imbalance affecting protein synthesis as a possible cause of myofibril defects, which is supported by OGDH-dependent localization of ribosomes at the Z-disc.
Quaking regulates circular RNA production in cardiomyocytes
Authors: Montañés-Agudo Pablo , van der Made Ingeborg , Aufiero Simona , Tijsen Anke J. , Pinto Yigal M. , Creemers Esther E.
Published: June 2023

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA molecules that are gaining increasing attention for their roles in various pathophysiological processes. The RNA-binding protein quaking (QKI) has been identified as a regulator of circRNA formation. In this study, we investigate the role of QKI in the formation of circRNAs in the heart by performing RNA-sequencing on Qki-knockout mice. Loss of QKI resulted in the differential expression of 17% of the circRNAs in adult mouse hearts. Interestingly, the majority of the QKI-regulated circRNAs (58%) were derived from genes undergoing QKI-dependent splicing, indicating a relationship between back-splicing and linear splicing. We compared these QKI-dependent circRNAs with those regulated by RBM20, another cardiac splicing factor essential for circRNA formation. We found that QKI and RBM20 regulate the formation of a distinct, but partially overlapping set of circRNAs in the heart. Strikingly, many shared circRNAs were derived from the Ttn gene, and they were regulated in an opposite manner. Our findings indicate that QKI not only regulates alternative splicing in the heart but also the formation of circRNAs.
Muscle function during cross-country skiing at different speed and incline conditions
Authors: Werkhausen Amelie , Lundervold Anders , Gløersen Øyvind
Published: June 2023

The human musculoskeletal system is well adapted to use energy-efficient muscle–tendon mechanics during walking and running, but muscle behaviour during on-snow locomotion is unknown. Here, we examined muscle and muscle–tendon unit behaviour during diagonal-style cross-country roller skiing at three speed and incline conditions to examine whether skiers can exploit energy-saving mechanisms of the muscle–tendon unit. We assessed lower leg muscle and muscle–tendon unit mechanics and muscle activity in 13 high-level skiers during treadmill roller skiing using synchronised ultrasound, motion capture, electromyography and ski-binding force measurements. Participants skied using diagonal style at 2.5 and 3.5 m s−1 up 5 deg, and at 2.5 m s−1 up 10 deg. We found an uncoupling of muscle and joint behaviour during most parts of the propulsive kick phase in all conditions (P<0.01). Gastrocnemius muscle fascicles actively shortened ∼0.9 cm during the kick phase, while the muscle–tendon unit went through a stretch–shortening cycle. Peak muscle–tendon unit shortening velocity was 5 times faster than fascicle velocity (37.5 versus 7.4 cm s−1, P<0.01). Steeper incline skiing was achieved by greater muscle activity (24%, P=0.04) and slower fascicle shortening velocity (3.4 versus 4.5 cm s−1, P<0.01). Faster speed was achieved by greater peak muscle activity (23%, P<0.01) and no change in fascicle shortening velocity. Our data show that, during diagonal-style cross-county skiing, muscle behaviour is uncoupled from the joint movement, which enables beneficial contractile conditions and energy utilisation with different slopes and speeds. Active preloading at the end of the glide phase may facilitate these mechanisms.
An Easy Learning Approach to a Complex Surgical Technique: A Step-by-Step Site-Relapse Lateral Extended Endopelvic Resection (LEER)
Authors: Lago Víctor , Guijarro-Campillo Alberto Rafael , Vidal Blanca Segarra , Padilla-Iserte Pablo , Matute Luis , Álvarez José Antonio Pérez , Del Pozo Santiago Domingo
Published: June 2023

Lateral pelvic sidewall involvement by gynecological tumors has been considered traditionally an absolute contraindication to curative resection.1 Moreover, the involvement of the pelvic sidewall at the time of relapse in cervical cancer after primary or adjuvant pelvic radiation occurs in 8.3% of patients.2,3 Laterally extended endopelvic resection (LEER), based on the ontogenetic compartment theory, provides a potential surgical option for patients for whom palliative therapy is the only alternative.4 This complex and ultraradical, surgical technique allows a high rate of complete resection in more than 70% of patients with gynecological cancers and lateral pelvic sidewall involvement. An adequate selection of patients and a deep knowledge of pelvic anatomy are crucial to obtain acceptable morbimortality rates and improved overall survival in this population.5 To deconstruct this complex procedure, we show a detailed step-by-step technique to facilitate the easy learning curve of this surgical technique. We review the Höckel original technique with different site-relapse adapted steps. We provide a pedagogical high-quality video (Video 1) and anatomical outline drawings (Fig. 1) to understand lateral pelvic wall anatomy and standardize this surgical technique. Our purpose is to bring this knowledge to gynecologists and pelvic surgeons in which pelvic lateral approach may be useful beyond gynecological oncologic surgery (Table 1).
Clinical Significance of Intramural Metastasis as an Independent Prognostic Factor in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Ushimaru Yuki , Makino Tomoki , Tanaka Koji , Yamashita Kotaro , Saito Takuro , Yamamoto Kazuyoshi , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Yukinori , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Morii Eiichi , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Doki Yuichiro
Published: June 2023

Background

Although intramural metastasis (IM) in esophageal cancer is considered a poor prognostic factor, there are only limited reports detailing its clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic impact.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively included patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with esophagectomy at our institution between 2010 and 2016. We compared patients with intramural metastases (IMs) (IM group) versus those without IMs (non-IM group) to clarify the clinical significance of intramural metastasis in ESCC.

Results

A total of 23 (3.9%) out of all 597 patients were identified to have IM. The IMs were located on the cranial side in 13 (56.5%) and caudal side in 10 (43.5%) of the primary tumor, with two multiple cases. The IM group, compared with the non-IM group, was associated with higher percentage of cN-positive (91.3 versus 67.9%, P = 0.02), pN-positive (82.6 versus 55.9%, P = 0.04), and pM(lym)-positive (30.4 versus 12.5%, P = 0.02) cases. Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was significantly worse in the IM group than the non-IM group (14.9 versus 55.0 %, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis of recurrence-free survival identified pT (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.36–2.23, P < 0.001), pN (HR 2.11, 95% CI 1.60–2.78, P < 0.001), histological classification (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21–2.35, P = 0.002), and pM(LYM) (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.64–2.95, P < 0.001), along with presence of IM (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.37–3.64, P < 0.001) to be independent prognostic factors. Lymphatic (65.2 versus 24.9%, P < 0.001) and hepatic (26.1 versus 6.8%, P = 0.005) recurrences were significantly more common in the IM group than in the non-IM group.

Conclusions

IM was shown to be associated with dismal survival after surgery. A treatment strategy emphasizing more intensive systemic control should be considered for patients with ESCC with IM.
Functional and Oncological Outcome of Patients with Distal Femoral Osteosarcoma Managed by Limb Salvage Using Modular Endoprosthesis
Authors: Sadek Wael Mohamed Safwat , Ebeid Walid Atef , Ghoneimy Ahmed El , Ebeid Emad , Senna Wessam Gamal Abou
Published: June 2023

Background

The aim of the study was to assess the functional and oncological outcomes of patients with distal femoral osteosarcoma managed by limb salvage using modular endoprosthesis as well as to assess related complications.

Patients and Methods

A total of 82 patients were included in our study. Functional outcome was assessed using MSTS score and knee range of motion. Oncological outcome was assessed regarding local recurrence, chest metastasis, and patient survivorship. Complications were classified according to Henderson et al.

Results

The mean MSTS score was 26.21 (87.4%) (range 8–30 points) with 70.7% of patients having more than 90° of flexion. The incidence of local recurrence was 3.7% (3 patients), while the incidence of chest metastasis was 14.6% (12 patients). Aseptic loosening (type 2 failure) was the commonest complication (19.5%), followed by infection (15.9%). The 5- and 10-year survivorships of the limb were 98.8%, while the 5- and 10-year survivorships of the prosthesis were 67.7% and 52.4%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study showed that patients with osteosarcoma distal femur who are treated by chemotherapy and limb salvage have an excellent long-term prognosis in terms of patient as well as limb survivorship. The use of modular endoprosthesis in these patients offer an acceptable function, with two-thirds of the patients retaining their prosthesis after 5 years and more than half retaining them after 10 years.
Enfrentamento aos riscos das mudanças climáticas no semiárido brasileiro: a adaptação climática como uma nova agenda governamental
Authors: Santos Yonara Claudia dos , Pessoa Zoraide Souza , Carvalho Eunice Ferreira , Dias Eric Mateus Soares , Teixeira Rylanneive Leonardo Pontes
Published: June 2023

A região semiárida do Brasil, historicamente, sofre com os efeitos das grandes secas, sendo acometida por múltiplas condições de vulnerabilidade. As agendas governamentais sofreram mudanças, principalmente pela influência das organizações da sociedade civil, o que permitiu grandes avanços não só para o enfrentamento da seca, mas também para o desenvolvimento desse território. Contudo, a emergência das mudanças climáticas globais representa o agravamento de problemas antigos e o surgimento de novos impactos, suscitando novas estratégias e agendas. Nesse sentido, o presente artigo visa abordar e discutir a transição do paradigma do combate à seca para o da convivência com o Semiárido brasileiro, apresentando a adaptação climática como uma nova agenda a ser adotada pelos governos. Para isso, com base em uma investigação de cunho qualitativo, o instrumento de coleta de dados utilizado foi a pesquisa bibliográfica, com a finalidade de promover uma revisão teórico-analítica sobre o objeto de estudo deste artigo. Os resultados apontam que, apesar dos avanços, o Semiárido brasileiro apresenta um contexto de vulnerabilidades em que as estratégias e as políticas públicas de convivência com o clima ainda não possuem capacidade para lidar com os novos riscos impostos pelas mudanças climáticas. Conclui-se, portanto, que há a necessidade de adoção de medidas adaptativas aos problemas das grandes secas, que ameaçam a disponibilidade hídrica da região. Nesse sentido, tais medidas se propõem a minimizar as vulnerabilidades associadas à variabilidade climática existente e, paralelamente, aumentar a capacidade adaptativa aos possíveis riscos das mudanças climáticas.
The performance of lipid profiles and ratios as a predictor of arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Soelistijo Soebagijo Adi , Adiwinoto Robert Dwitama , Pranoto Agung , Ardiany Deasy
Published: June 2023

Background: Early identification of arterial stiffness in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients before the manifestation of atherosclerosis would be clinically beneficial. Our study aimed to explore the correlation of lipid profiles and ratios with arterial stiffness, and construct a predictive model for arterial stiffness in T2DM patients using those parameters.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-four adult T2DM patients in the diabetes outpatient clinic at the Dr. Soetomo general academic hospital were enrolled in this cross-sectional study in 2015 and 2019. Sociodemographic, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profiles, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) data were collected from all subjects. The subjects were divided into a group with arterial stiffness (ba-PWV > 18 m/sec) and without arterial stiffness (ba-PWV ≤ 18 m/sec). A correlation test was used to evaluate the association, and receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves analysis were used to determine the cut-off value, sensitivity, and specificity. The risk analysis model was calculated using bivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results: The group with arterial stiffness had higher lipid profiles: total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipid ratios. A significant positive correlation was found between TC, TG, LDL-C, and all lipid ratios with ba-PWV. A negative correlation was found between HDL-C and ba-PWV. All lipid ratio parameters can be used as predictors of arterial stiffness, especially non-HDL-C with cut-off value: 150 mg/dL (sensitivity 96.8% and specificity 52.9%) and TG/HDL-C ratio with cut-off value: 4.51 (sensitivity 81.0% and specificity 74.2%). Elevated TG/HDL-C ratio and non-HDL-C displayed higher risk (OR: 12.293 and 16.312; p < 0.05) of having arterial stiffness compared to other lipid ratios.

Conclusions: Lipid profiles and lipid ratios, especially TG/HDL-C ratio and non-HDL-C, are potential biochemical markers for arterial stiffness in T2DM patients.
Case Report: Spontaneous pneumothorax revealing multiple myeloma: a case report
Authors: Brahem Mouna , BenTekaya Ramy , Touil Imen , Braham Yosra , Jomaa Olfa , Bousoffara Leila , knani Jalel , Boudawara Nedia , Hachfi Haifa , Younes Mohamed
Published: June 2023

Various causes like trauma, infection, pulmonary disease or neoplasm can lead to spontaneous pneumothorax. We report a rare case of a spontaneous pneumothorax as first manifestation of multiple myeloma.

A 58-year-old patient presented suffering from dyspnea and right-sided chest pain, with no history of trauma. On examination, the patient had bilateral rib tenderness. The respiratory rate was 30 breaths/min and oxygen saturation was 88%. The chest physical exam revealed unequal breath sounds, an hyperresonance with percussion and decreased wall movement on the right side. The analysis of arterial blood gas revealed hypoxemia (arterial oxygen tension: 7.59 kPa) and hypercapnia (arterial carbon dioxide tension: 5.99 kPa). Laboratory data showed a raised C reactive protein level (133.8 mg/L), hyper-calcemia (serum calcium: 12.18 mg/dL) and a decreased plasma albumin level (31.9 g/L). Chest radiography and thoracic computed tomography revealed multiple ribs and sternum fractures leading to a partial pneumothorax on the right side. Subsequent workup for multiple myeloma showed elevated levels of immunoglobulin. Results of initial laboratory tests revealed an IgG gamma paraprotein, a urine protein electrophoresis of 1450 mg/24 hours and a β-2 microglobulin rate of 3.35. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was confirmed with a bone marrow infiltration of 20% of atypical plasmatic cells. Cytogenetic investigations did not show any chromosomal abnormalities, especially the t (4,14) translocation. The patient was diagnosed with multiple myeloma stage IIIA according to Durie–Salmon classification. Appropriate treatment with oxygen therapy and systemic analgesic was started, associated with a cure of zoledronic acid in order to decrease the calcium level. The evolution was characterized by the complete resolution of the pneumothorax in 7 days and the normalization of the calcium level. The autologous stem cell transplant was the treatment of choice for this patient.
Study of anaemia in pregnancy and low birth weight in fluoride endemic area of Western Rajasthan: a cohort study
Authors: Bhardwaj Pankaj , Mantri Neha , Joshi Nitin Kumar , Suthar Praveen , Sharma Praveen , Purohit Purvi , Singh Pratibha , Shekhar Shashank , Khandelwal Shweta , Dandabathula Giribabu , Raghav Pankaja Ravi , Ramawat Nikky , Jain Sanjeev , Patil Manoj , Gaidhane Abhay , Quazi Syed Zahiruddin , Saxena Deepak
Published: June 2023

Background: Fluoride is a noxious element known to destroy gastrointestinal mucosa, leading to erythrocytes' destruction and causing anaemia. The birth weight of newborn babies is a significant indicator of a child's vulnerability to the risk of childhood diseases and chances of existence.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was planned to find linkages between fluorosis and the low-birth weight of newborn babies with anaemic mothers. Antenatal mothers until the 20th week of gestation were followed up till delivery in the Antenatal Clinic of a District Hospital in one of the known fluoride-endemic districts (Nagaur) and the other not-so-endemic district (Jodhpur) of Western Rajasthan.

Results: Around 19% of the newborn in Jodhpur and around 22% in Nagaur had low birth weight. Mean fluoride values in water samples were measured to be 0.57 (range from 0.0 to 2.7 PPM) in Jodhpur and 0.7 (range from 0.0 to 3.4 PPM) in Nagaur.

Conclusions: Thus, in fluoride endemic areas, other factors should be included besides iron and folic acid supplementation for improving anaemia in pregnant women. This calls for assessing the effectiveness of de-fluoridation activities along with the area's most common indigenous food practices.
China’s peripheries: the cases of Tibet and Xinjiang
Authors: Alpermann Björn
Published: June 2023

China is a country the size of a continent and correspondingly heterogeneous. A detailed examination must therefore differentiate between different regions. In China, the East-West divide is particularly glaring in many respects. While reports about the more developed East coast often dominate the media, other parts of the country tend to be overlooked. This chapter therefore focuses on the more marginalized regions. After a definition of terms and an introduction, the economic importance of the periphery and its political role is discussed. This article takes a closer look at two particularly controversial cases: Tibet and Xinjiang.
Celiac Disease and Migraine Headaches: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
Authors: Wojciechowska Klara , Ślósarz Tymoteusz , Turek Monika , Piątkowska Karolina , Walęcik-Kot Weronika
Published: June 2023

Background:
Migraine headaches and celiac disease are widespread problems affecting millions of patients worldwide.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the consumption of gluten leads to the development of an abnormal immune response in the intestines and the atrophy of intestinal villi. The most characteristic clinical symptoms of celiac disease are gastrointestinal symptoms. Nevertheless, manifestations of the nervous system, including migraines, are also sometimes noted. A gluten-free diet is the only effective therapeutic approach for patients with celiac disease. It reduces symptoms and halts the progression of the disease. Neurological symptoms, including migraines, are frequent extraintestinal manifestations. In this study we aim to elaborate on current knowledge concerning both coexisting of migraines and celiac disease as well as effect of gluten free diet on headaches in patients with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and healthy individuals  
Results:
Headaches, especially migraines, are more common in patients suffering from celiac disease. Numerous studies indicate that a gluten-free diet may help in the treatment of headaches and is also an effective way to stop the progression of celiac disease.
Conclusion:
Migraine headaches are quite common in patients with celiac disease, and a gluten-free diet may help alleviate them. The findings suggest the need for increased awareness of the co-occurrence of these two conditions. A gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment for celiac disease and can stop progression of the disease. Further research is needed to determine the potential benefits of such a diet in patients with gluten intolerance or healthy individuals.
A Unified Analysis of a Class of Proximal Bundle Methods for Solving Hybrid Convex Composite Optimization Problems
Authors: Liang Jiaming , Monteiro Renato D. C.
Published: June 2023

This paper presents a proximal bundle (PB) framework based on a generic bundle update scheme for solving the hybrid convex composite optimization (HCCO) problem and establishes a common iteration-complexity bound for any variant belonging to it. As a consequence, iteration-complexity bounds for three PB variants based on different bundle update schemes are obtained in the HCCO context for the first time and in a unified manner. Although two of the PB variants are universal (i.e., their implementations do not require parameters associated with the HCCO instance), the other newly (as far as the authors are aware) proposed one is not, but has the advantage that it generates simple—namely, one-cut—bundle models. The paper also presents a universal adaptive PB variant (which is not necessarily an instance of the framework) based on one-cut models and shows that its iteration-complexity is the same as the two aforementioned universal PB variants.

Funding: Financial support from the Office of Naval Research [N00014-18-1-2077] and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research [Grant FA9550-22-1-0088] is gratefully acknowledged.
Learning Strategic Representations: Exploring the Effects of Taking a Strategy Course
Authors: Heshmati Mana , Csaszar Felipe A.
Published: June 2023

Despite the popularity of strategy courses and the fact that managers make consequential decisions using ideas they learn in such courses, few studies examine the learning outcomes of taking a strategy course—a research gap most likely the result of the methodological challenges of measuring these outcomes in realistic ways. This paper provides a large-sample study of what individuals learn from taking a strategy course and how those learning outcomes depend on individual characteristics. We examine how 2,269 master of business administration (MBA) students evaluate real-world video cases before and after taking the MBA core strategy course at a large U.S. business school. We document several changes in their performance, mental representations, and self-perceptions. Among other findings, we show that taking a strategy course improves strategic decision making, increases the depth of mental representations and the attention paid to broader industry and competitive concerns, and boosts students’ confidence, while making them more aware of the uncertainty pervading strategic decisions. We also find that the magnitude and significance of these changes are associated with individual characteristics, such as cognitive ability, prior knowledge, and gender.
Implicações das relações de gênero nos ambientes alimentares domésticos saudáveis
Authors: Silva Gabriela Brito de Lima , Recine Elisabetta
Published: June 2023

Ambientes alimentares domésticos condicionam oportunidades e práticas que se relacionam à nutrição e à promoção da alimentação saudável. Devido às construções de gênero, as mulheres têm papel fundamental nesses contextos, estando associadas histórica e culturalmente ao cuidado alimentar nos domicílios. Considera-se que fatores como raça e classe social proporcionam diferentes experiências e níveis de agência feminina em ambientes alimentares domésticos, reverberando sobretudo na alimentação e na saúde. A partir disto, este ensaio propõe uma reflexão sobre as repercussões das relações entre gênero e ambientes alimentares domésticos. Discute-se também como os desdobramentos das interações entre as desigualdades de gênero, raciais e econômicas incidem na organização e no cuidado com a alimentação, a partir de aspectos que vão desde a aquisição e preparo de alimentos saudáveis, a padrões de consumo criados. Conclui-se que a falta de compartilhamento do trabalho doméstico, a dupla jornada, a sobrecarga, a dificuldade de acesso a recursos e alimentos e a vulnerabilidade socioeconômica são alguns dos fatores que desafiam a constituição de ambientes alimentares domésticos justos e saudáveis.
Características socioeconômicas, demográficas e nutricionais de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista
Authors: Brandão Mariana Folly , Da Costa Ana Carolina Souza , Bouskelá Alice , Monteiro Luana Silva , Sperandio Naiara , Paes Carina De Aquino , Lisboa Aline Vilhena , Capelli Jane De Carlos Santana
Published: June 2023

Introdução: O transtorno do espectro autista (TEA) é um grupo de desordens neurocomportamentais de grande complexidade. Ao longo dos anos, um número crescente de pessoas vem apresentando o diagnóstico. No Brasil, ainda há poucos estudos sobre o perfil nutricional desse grupo populacional. Objetivo: Traçar o perfil socioeconômico, demográfico, antropométrico e consumo alimentar de crianças com TEA de um movimento social de Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo do tipo exploratório, descritivo, quantitativo, de base primária, no período entre março e junho de 2020, com 92 crianças entre 2 e 9 anos e suas respectivas mães vinculadas ao movimento social de Macaé. Utilizaram-se dois questionários, o primeiro semiestruturado contendo variáveis socioeconômicas, demográficas, clínicas e antropométricas; e o segundo estruturado sobre consumo alimentar. As variáveis contínuas foram descritas por média, desvio-padrão, e as variáveis categóricas como proporção (%). Para verificar a significância das diferenças encontradas nas respostas por grupos e categorias, foi utilizado o teste estatístico qui-quadrado. Utilizou-se o p-valor <0,05 para significância estatística. Resultados: A maioria das crianças era do sexo masculino (81,5%) e não estava alfabetizada (75,0%). Detectaram-se 53,5% crianças com excesso de peso para a idade, segundo IMC por idade, e 91,1% com estatura adequada, segundo estatura por idade. Das 59 crianças avaliadas quanto ao consumo alimentar, 78,0% consumiram feijão no dia anterior; 57,6% frutas frescas e 54,2% vegetais e/ou legumes; 59,3% bebidas adoçadas e 37,3% doces. Conclusão: O excesso de peso e o consumo de marcadores de alimentos não saudáveis foram elevados no grupo avaliado.
Nutrição inclusiva: (re)conhecendo os caminhos da inclusão na prática do nutricionista
Authors: Bagni Ursula Viana , Borges Thaís Lima Dias , Ferreira Aline Alves
Published: June 2023

Os debates sobre o acolhimento das diversidades e a inclusão de grupos populacionais em maior situação de vulnerabilidade na área da saúde têm sido crescentes em âmbito nacional e internacional. No Brasil, a trajetória da Nutrição Inclusiva foi impulsionada no início na década de 2000, e atualmente é definida como a forma de exercer a profissão na qual o nutricionista utiliza todos os recursos disponíveis para promover a inclusão, a saúde e a segurança alimentar e nutricional de pessoas em situação de vulnerabilidade, por meio de ações oportunas e ajustadas às singularidades desses sujeitos, tendo como base o acolhimento, o respeito à diversidade, a acessibilidade e o estímulo à autonomia. Atravessa todas as áreas de atuação e cenários de prática do nutricionista, com foco na produção de novos modos de cuidar e novas formas de organizar o trabalho que visem à segurança alimentar e nutricional e à justiça social. Assim, os saberes que vêm sendo construídos nessa direção devem ser incorporados pelo profissional desde a sua formação até a sua prática cotidiana, visando beneficiar direta e/ou indiretamente a saúde e a nutrição dos grupos populacionais em maior situação de vulnerabilidade.
Small animalReview
Authors: Gough Alex
Published: June 2023

Spinal problems resulting from intervertebral disc extrusion or protrusion are commonly encountered in clinical practice, with presentations ranging from chronic pain and paresis to acute paraplegia. Small breed chondrodystrophic dogs are predisposed to these problems. Surgery is often indicated, especially in severe acute cases. Three recent papers look at different aspects of disc herniation.