bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neoveil versus TachoSil in the treatment of pulmonary air leak following open lung surgery: a prospective randomized trial
Authors: Bachmann Helga , Dackam Sandrine V C , Hojski Aljaz , Jankovic Jelena , Vogt Deborah R , Wiese Mark N , Lardinois Didier 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Prolonged air leak (PAL) is often associated with pain and immobilization and is a major limiting factor for discharge from the hospital. The efficacy of 2 surgical patches was investigated in the treatment of air leak following open surgery.

METHODS
Forty-five patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio either to treatment with Neoveil (polyglycolic acid) (n = 22) or TachoSil (collagen sponge) (n = 23). Air leak was monitored at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after surgery and then daily at 8 am and 6 pm, using a digital recording system. The primary outcome was the time to air leak closure. Secondary outcomes were incidence, air leak intensity, incidence of PAL and incidence of pneumonia.

RESULTS
Air leak 2 h after surgery was observed in 11/22 (50%) vs 14/23 (61%) patients treated with polyglycolic acid, respectively, with collagen sponge. On average, air loss within the first 24 h after surgery was lower and declined faster in patients treated with polyglycolic acid. Time to pulmonary air leak closure was somewhat shorter with polyglycolic acid (median [interquartile range] 10 [2, 52] h) compared to collagen sponge (19 [2, 141] h). However, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.35, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). PAL occurred in 3/22 (14%) vs 6/23 (26%) patients, and pneumonia occurred in 2/22 (9%) vs 3/23 (13%) patients treated with polyglycolic acid, respectively, collagen sponge.

CONCLUSIONS
Both systems are effective in the treatment of air leak. Our results suggest a possible superiority of Neoveil over TachoSil in post-surgery air leak control.

Clinical trial registration number
NCT04065880
Characterization and biofouling potential analysis of two cyanobacterial strains isolated from Cape Verde and Morocco
Authors: Romeu Maria J , Morais João , Gomes Luciana C , Silva Raquel , Vasconcelos Vítor , Mergulhão Filipe J M 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Cyanobacteria are new sources of value-added compounds but also ubiquitous and harmful microfoulers on marine biofouling. In this work, the isolation and identification of two cyanobacterial strains isolated from Cape Verde and Morocco, as well as their biofilm-forming ability on glass and Perspex under controlled hydrodynamic conditions, were performed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that cyanobacterial strains isolated belong to Leptothoe and Jaaginema genera (Leptothoe sp. LEGE 181153 and Jaaginema sp. LEGE 191154). From quantitative and qualitative data of wet weight, chlorophyll a content and biofilm thickness obtained by optical coherence tomography, no significant differences were found in biofilms developed by the same cyanobacterial strain on different surfaces (glass and Perspex). However, the biofilm-forming potential of Leptothoe sp. LEGE 181153 proved to be higher compared with Jaaginema sp. LEGE 191154, particularly at the maturation stage of biofilm development. Three-dimensional biofilm images obtained from confocal laser scanning microscopy showed different patterns between both cyanobacterial strains and also among the two surfaces. Because standard methodologies to evaluate cyanobacterial biofilm formation, as well as two different optical imaging techniques, were used, this work also highlights the possibility of integrating different techniques to evaluate a complex phenomenon like cyanobacterial biofilm development.
Breaking the Mould—Britain’s New Office for Environmental Protection
Authors: Macrory Richard 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
An unexpected consequence of Brexit has been the creation under the Environment Act 2021 of a new public body, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). OEP is more than a watchdog body and has important functions in advising government on proposed new environmental law, reporting to Parliament on progress in meeting statutory targets and reviewing the implementation of environmental law. Its enforcement role relates to the environmental duties of government and public bodies. The procedures are a specialised form of judicial review but are designed to secure a constructive settlement before reaching court. OUP is a novel and important addition to Britain's structure of environmental governance.
The Myth of the “Poor Man's Atomic Bomb”: Knowledge, Method, and Ideology in the Study of Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Weapons
Authors: Poor Toulabi Biejan 
Published: January 2023

AbstractChemical and biological weapons (CBWs) have often been characterized as a “poor man's atomic bomb”: a cheap and easy to acquire alternative to nuclear weapons that is particularly appealing to so-called Third World states. This idea is also reflected in Western government and expert estimates that have long exaggerated the spread of CBWs, especially among states in the Global South. In this article, I break down the ways in which the idea that the spread of CBWs is prevalent and that it primarily happens among states in the Global South has come to exist and persist. By dissecting an oft-cited dataset on CBW spread, I unravel frequently occurring methodological flaws—such as conceptual confusion, misinterpretation of sources, and a bias toward proliferation charges originating from the US government—that breed and sustain inflated estimates and faulty allegations. Subsequently, I show that a dominant cognitive framework that centers on the metaphorical use of the terms “proliferation” and “poor man's atomic bomb” primes analysts and policymakers to interpret the history and future of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons as being characterized by inevitable spread, particularly among the non-Western “Other.” In conclusion, I offer ways to counter the orthodoxies of this ideology in teaching, research, and policy.
Knowing and learning: from Hirst to Ofsted
Authors: Davis Andrew John 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Hirst always highlighted knowledge when reflecting on the school curriculum. He replaced his early focus on liberal education, the development of mind and theoretical knowledge by emphasizing the practical and practices as a curriculum starting point and for the framing of educational aims. In this paper I explore links between Hirst’s philosophical treatment of knowledge and some currently contested aspects of UK government education policies. I also note some ways in which his work relates to selected present-day debates in philosophy of education. Examples of UK government policy will include Ofsted’s definition of learning as a ‘change in long-term memory’ and the ways in which they place ‘logical sequencing’ at the heart of teaching, learning, and curriculum. Their learning definition treats knowledge as an individual asset rather than something about individuals as embedded in the social world of practices, a perspective more in keeping with Hirst’s later views. The critique of individualistic notions of knowledge and learning includes some explorations of how learners move into the ‘space of reasons’. Where I draw attention to relationships between Hirst’s thought and contemporary philosophy of education debates, I do not always draw any definite conclusions.
On Deniability
Authors: Dinges Alexander , Zakkou Julia 
Published: January 2023

AbstractCommunication can be risky. Like other kinds of actions, it comes with potential costs. For instance, an utterance can be embarrassing, offensive, or downright illegal. In the face of such risks, speakers tend to act strategically and seek ‘plausible deniability’. In this paper, we propose an account of the notion of deniability at issue. On our account, deniability is an epistemic phenomenon. A speaker has deniability if she can make it epistemically irrational for her audience to reason in certain ways. To avoid predictable confusion, we distinguish deniability from a practical correlate we call ‘untouchability’. Roughly, a speaker has untouchability if she can make it practically irrational for her audience to act in certain ways. These accounts shed light on the nature of strategic speech and suggest countermeasures against strategic speech.
Tuning heat transport via coherent structure manipulation: recent advances in thermal turbulence
Authors: Xia Ke-Qing , Huang Shi-Di , Xie Yi-Chao , Zhang Lu 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Tuning transport properties through the manipulation of elementary structures has achieved great success in many areas, such as condensed matter physics. However, the ability to manipulate coherent structures in turbulent flows is much less explored. This article reviews a recently discovered mechanism of tuning turbulent heat transport via coherent structure manipulation. We first show how this mechanism can be realized by applying simple geometrical confinement to a classical thermally driven turbulence, which leads to the condensation of elementary coherent structures and significant heat-transport enhancement, despite the resultant slower flow. Some potential applications of this new paradigm in passive heat management are also discussed. We then explain how the heat transport behaviors in seemingly different turbulence systems can be understood by this unified framework of coherent structure manipulation. Several future directions in this research area are also outlined.
The Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Non-Keratitis Acanthamoeba Infections in the United States, 1956–2020
Authors: Haston Julia C , O’Laughlin Kevin , Matteson Kelsey , Roy Shantanu , Qvarnstrom Yvonne , Ali Ibne K M , Cope Jennifer R 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Background
Acanthamoeba is a free-living ameba that can cause severe disease affecting the central nervous system, skin, sinuses, and other organs, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. These rare but severe infections are often fatal, yet incompletely described.

Methods
Cases included were either reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Free-Living Ameba program or published in scientific literature. Characteristics of all patients in the United States with laboratory-confirmed non-keratitis Acanthamoeba infections were described using descriptive statistics, and associations with survival were determined using χ2 and Fisher exact tests.

Results
Of 173 patients identified, 71% were male and the median age was 44 years (range, 0–87 years). Of these, 26 (15%) survived. Most patients (88%) had at least 1 immunocompromising condition, most commonly human immunodeficiency virus (39%), cancer (28%), and solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (28%). Granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) was the most common disease presentation (71%). Skin (46%), sinuses (29%), lungs (13%), and bone (6%) were also involved. Nearly half of patients (47%) had involvement of &gt;1 organ system. Survival was less frequent among those with GAE (3%, P &lt; .001) compared with cutaneous disease, rhinosinusitis, or multiorgan disease not including GAE. Of 7 who received the currently recommended treatment regimen, 5 (71%) survived.

Conclusions
Non-keratitis Acanthamoeba infections occur primarily in immunocompromised individuals and are usually fatal. Survival may be associated with disease presentation and treatment. Providers who care for at-risk patients should be aware of the various disease manifestations to improve early recognition and treatment.
Unconsummated marriage among Chinese couples: a retrospective study
Authors: Xi Yu , Xia Tingting , Colonnello Elena , Wang Chunlin , Lai Yufen , Zhang Yan 
Published: January 2023

AbstractBackgroundUnconsummated marriage (UCM) is a significant problem among couples who are unable to achieve successful sexual intercourse and penovaginal penetration, and the etiology and clinical characteristics of UCM in Chinese couples remain unknown.AimIn a retrospective analysis of patients with UCM, we investigated clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes among Chinese couples with UCM.MethodsDuring the period from January 2019 to May 2021, we examined 127 consecutive couples with unconsummated marriage. The couples were evaluated separately by andrologists and gynecologists, and combined treatments were conducted by therapists.OutcomesWe calculated the distribution of etiologies of UCM in Chinese couples.ResultsAmong the couples whose data were evaluated, 93 couples visited the andrologist first and 34 couples visited the gynecologist first. The most common complaints associated with sexual dysfunction were erectile dysfunction (ED) in male patients and vaginismus and dyspareunia in female patients. Unconsummated marriage among Chinese couples was caused primarily by female factors (55.8%). With couple-oriented treatment conducted by sexual therapists, the success rate was 67.7%.Clinical TranslationIf a couple is diagnosed with UCM, both the husband and wife should be treated individually receive guidance from a sex therapist toward successful sexual intercourse.Strengths and LimitationsThis is to our knowledge the first report regarding the etiology of UCM in Chinese couples. Here we report our routine diagnostic and therapeutic workups. However, we were not able to perform hormonal and imaging studies of the female partners. Moreover, patients presenting with UCM who visited our department without a partner were not included in the statistics.ConclusionsUnconsummated marriage among Chinese couples may be caused byfactors affecting both the husband and wife or the husband and wife individually; however, factors affecting women are the predominant causes of UCM. Lack of knowledge about sex-related issues, as well as cultural beliefs, play an important role. A preliminary evaluation by an andrologist and a gynecologist, followed by couple treatment conducted by the sex therapist, is highly `recommended to treat UCM effectively.
Pain specialist management of sexual pain—I: foundations
Authors: Vogel John J 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Introduction
The biopsychosocial model of care for women with sexual pain is a widely endorsed approach melding the expertise of multiple professional disciplines. Interventional pain management provides specialized diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain as part of the interdisciplinary care team. Diagnosis and treatment strategies are built on the foundational knowledge of the causes of female sexual pain, appreciation of the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and sociocultural contexts which shape pain, and the psychological and neurophysiological effect of chronic pain. This first paper in a series of four lays the groundwork for applying the perspectives, approaches, and therapeutic treatment options inherent in the specialty of pain management.

Objectives
To provide a current summary of the neurobiology, intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of female sexual pain within a chronic pain paradigm. Describe the role of an interventional pain specialist as part of an interdisciplinary sexual pain team.

Methods
Internet search engines, PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant articles on female sexual pain within the scope of practice of pain management.

Results
A thorough review of the literature was conducted to include basic science studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, consensus statements, and case-reports. The neurobiological and psychological aspects of sexual pain were described within a chronic pain paradigm. The perspective of a pain specialist on female sexual pain was presented.

Conclusion
The care of women with sexual pain is highly complex and must be individualized based on the characteristics of the pain, its chronicity, and all the ways the condition impacts each woman. Physiological changes seen in chronic pain are likely to be present in most women with sexual pain. Awareness of the replete biopsychosocial dimensions of sexual pain promotes the goals of interdisciplinary care and provides a foundation for each specialty in the team. The way pain management specialists employ that knowledge for women with sexual pain will be examined in subsequent papers.
Cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction: an updated review with a focus on pathophysiology, e-cigarettes, and smoking cessation
Authors: Allen Mark S , Tostes Rita C 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Introduction
Cigarette smoking has major health implications and causes substantial damage to all organ systems. Approximately one-third of men are active smokers worldwide, and most men are unaware that cigarette smoking can contribute to erectile dysfunction (ED).

Objectives
This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research conducted on cigarette smoking and ED, with a particular focus on pathophysiology, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and smoking cessation.

Methods
A manual literature search was conducted on all research conducted on cigarette smoking and ED up to October 2022.

Results
Substantial evidence is now available showing that past and current cigarette smoking has dose-dependent associations with ED in studies controlling for age and important health comorbidities. Cigarette smoke contains nicotine, carbon monoxide, oxidant chemicals, and metals that can damage the endothelium and disrupt erectile processes. For current smokers, smoking abstinence can strengthen the endothelium and reverse diminished erectile function. The effect of e-cigarettes on endothelial damage and ED remains largely untested. E-cigarettes expose users to fine and ultrafine particles and toxins that can increase risk of cardiovascular injury, but these acute effects appear less potent than conventional cigarettes (long-term cardiovascular effects are still unknown). E-cigarettes are therefore likely to have less harmful effects on ED than conventional cigarettes.

Conclusions
Smoking cessation programs that focus on nicotine replacement therapy (transdermal patches, gum, or inhalers), behavioral counseling, social support, and education programs can be effective approaches to ED treatment in active smokers. Temporarily transferring from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes—which transmit some of the same carcinogens as conventional cigarettes and are likely to have some long-term cardiovascular effects that disrupt erectile function—might also be useful for long-term smoking cessation and treatment of ED.
S-10-5: OPTIMAL BLOOD PRESSURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK MANAGEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Authors: Lip Gregory 
Published: January 2023

Hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular disorders. On a population basis, and high blood pressure (BP) is a major independent risk factor for incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and AF-related complications. Given the high prevalence and both disorders being commonly asymptomatic, opportunistic arrhythmia screening in hypertensive patients is needed. In terms of management, AF could be regarded as a manifestation of hypertensive target organ damage, and optimal BP control is recommended, ideally aiming for a target systolic BP of 120–129mmHg, and diastolic BP of < 80mmHg. There is a close link between hypertension and the risk of stroke in AF, as well as the risk of serious bleeds in anticoagulated AF patients. Also, hypertension burden can be related to other AF-related complications, such as dementia and end renal disease. BP control should also be complementary to lifestyle factors, such as weight reduction, smoking cessation, alcohol reduction and regular exercise, given the close association with incident AF and AF-related complications such as stroke, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and heart failure.
Contemporary management of AF has moved towards a more holistic or integrated care approach to AF management, summed up as the ABC (Atrial fibrillation Better Care) pathway: A/Avoid stroke with Anticoagulation; B/ Better symptom control with patient-centred symptom-directed decisions on rate or rhythm control; and C/Cardiovascular risk and comorbidity management, including lifestyle changes. Adherence to the ABC pathway is associated with a profound reduction in death, hospitalisation, stroke and bleeding in AF patents [Fgure].
In summary, increased awareness, diagnosis and proactive management of detected hypertension is crucial in patients with AF. Optimised blood pressure control is an essential component of such a holistic approach to AF care.
S-12-7: THE RENIN ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM IN BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH
Authors: Unger Thomas 
Published: January 2023

The renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) is one of the oldest known hormonal systems preserved in multiple species over millions of years. A key enzyme of the system, renin, was discovered in 1898, and ever since a huge body of research has continuously revealed physiological and pathophysiological features of the RAS. Classically, these include, via the so-called angiotensin AT1 receptor, powerful vasoconstriction, regulation of the body fluid balance by inducing thirst, stimulation of aldosterone release from the adrenal cortex, renal salt retention, stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and, more recently discovered, pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory effects. Pathophysiological actions of the RAS, with its extension to those of aldosterone (RAAS), include the induction of arterial hypertension, cardiac and vascular hypertrophy, lung and renal fibrosis, vascular atherosclerosis, perivascular fibrosis or chronic inflammation and others.
Attempts to inhibit the RAS in hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases first led to the clinical introduction of ACE-inhibitors some forty years ago, followed by selective antagonists of the AT1 receptor, the sartans. After a multitude of evidence-generating trials and global success in clinical practice, both approaches are now firmly established in the therapy of hypertension as well as cardio-metabolic and renal diseases. More recently, research has focused on the so-called protective arm of the RAS, mediated by stimulation of the angiotensin AT2 receptor by or by the Mas receptor stimulated by the angiotensin 1–7 peptide. Activation of these systems has exhibited beneficial effects in numerous preclinical studies via opposing AT1-mediated actions and beyond. Other degradation peptides of the angiotensin precursor, angiotensinogen, may also exhibit protective effects via these receptors. Agonists for the AT2 receptor as well as for the ACE2-Mas system have been developed and are currently under clinical evaluation.
It remains to be seen whether the pharmacological stimulation of the protective arm of the RAS will become an effective clinical tool in various cardiovascular and metabolic indications. Theoretically, it would make sense not only to block the harmful RAS but, at the same time, also stimulate the beneficial actions of the system.