Early 1990s Research Articles

Fentanyl-Related Deaths in Ontario, Canada: Toxicological Findings and Circumstances of Death in 4395 Cases (2020-2022).

Over the last 20 years there has been a significant increase in fentanyl related deaths in Ontario, Canada. This report examines toxicological findings in a series of death investigations in which fentanyl was quantitated to identify the prevalence, trends and demographic data associated with fentanyl in Ontario, Canada, and to highlight the changes in these trends since fentanyl began appearing in casework in Ontario in the early 2000s. A retrospective study of all cases in which fentanyl was quantitated in blood, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, was conducted for the time period between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022. A total of 4395 cases were included, 77% of the decedents were male and 23% were female with ages ranging from 0 to 95. The most frequently classified cause of death was mixed drug toxicity (69%) followed by fentanyl intoxication at 19%. Less than 10% of cases where fentanyl was quantitated were classified as non-drug related deaths. Fentanyl concentrations in all cases ranged from 1.3 to > 2000 ng/mL. Other drugs were frequently detected with fentanyl. In mixed drug toxicity cases, stimulants were the most frequently encountered class of drugs: cocaine was identified in 51.8% and methamphetamine was observed in 43.0% of cases, respectively. Detailed reports for select cases were included to provide additional insight into the different case types and to show the difficulty in interpreting blood concentrations without additional detailed case histories. This study provides valuable information for the scientific and medical community regarding the continued use of fentanyl and how patterns of fentanyl use have evolved since it began to appear in forensic casework.

Fundamental implications of the neglect of servicisation by development economists

Abstract The article deploys servicisation as a case study to discuss economists’ methods and the confirmation bias issue. Data show the average pattern of structural transformation in developing countries has since the early 1990s been servicisation, and the faster the growth, the greater the servicisation. Data also show that servicisation has been an extremely under-researched topic compared with industrialisation. This is an example of confirmation bias—weak links between theory and facts—that erodes the plausibility of policy advice. The paper analyses methods and their policing, and points to issues to address to reduce risks of confirmation bias by strengthening ‘the power of facts’.

Evaluating the benefit of medical adjustment on the predictive accuracy of the revised trauma index

In the early 1970s, data from emergency trauma units was used to develop the trauma index (TI) as a triage tool for non-physicians. Over the next two decades several modifications were made to the TI, and in 1990 a revised trauma index (RTI) was published. Throughout the 1990s, modifications to the RTI concerning pre-existing medical conditions (PEC) have been studied. Our study incorporated a PEC scoring system into the RTI, and evaluated its performance against using the RTI alone. The addition of PECs to the trauma index improved its accuracy in predicting overall outcome as shown by the increase in the kappa score from 0.42 to 0.73. Based on this finding, we suggest incorporating a PEC scoring system into the revised trauma index to better predict patient outcomes.

Buckybowl Molecular Tweezers for Recognition of Fullerenes.

Buckybowl tweezers are a relatively young research area closely associated with the development of non-planar polycyclic aromatic systems and supramolecular chemistry. Since the appearance of the first prototypes in the early 2000s, the tweezers have undergone evolutionary changes. Nowadays they are able to effectively interact with fullerenes and the results opened up prospects for development in the field of sensing, nonlinear optics, and molecular switchers. In the present study, examples of corannulene-based and other buckybowl tweezers for the recognition of C60 and C70 fullerenes were summarized and analyzed. The main structural components of the tweezers were also reviewed in detail and their role in the formation of complexes with fullerenes was evaluated. The revealed structural patterns should trigger the development of novel recognition systems and materials with a wide range of applications.

Гистологические исследования мясной продукции по Sous vide на основе обзора известных подходов к формированию качества

Sous vide technology came to Russia in the early 2000s. Its quality standards require a multidimensional comprehensive study to develop theoretical and methodological foundations. The research featured the effect of various Sous vide modes on beef quality based on histological analysis and sensory assessment. The review of best practices in this sphere included publications registered in Scopus, Web of Science, and eLIBRARY.RU. Beef from sacral part underwent Sous vide processing at two modes, i.e., 57 and 64°C for 24 h and 80°C for 12 h. The samples obtained were subjected to histological analysis and sensory assessment. The histology showed that the cooking process at 100°C and the Sous vide modes at 57, 64, and 80°C increased the intercellular space and dissolved the connective tissue. Higher temperature modes led to more pronounced shrinking and deformation of muscle fibers. Under the Sous vide conditions, fibrous structures demonstrated the most severe destruction after 12 h at 80°C. As the destruction of muscle fibers increased, more nuclei entered intercellular space. Moreover, perimysium and sarcolemma demonstrated signs of granulation between muscle fiber bundles. The Sous vide samples received the best score for juiciness and tenderness. The research revealed a certain contradiction between the growing degree of fibrous destruction caused by thermal treatment and the improving consistency index for juiciness and tenderness. The authors consider it necessary to investigate the matter further and invite specialists to submit their ideas.

O-242 Why do we need to act NOW?

Abstract In the early 1970s, the Report of Rome represented a powerful wake up call to the world. If the world population would continue to grow the way it did until then, catastrophe was predicted and the future of the planet would be in danger. All attempts should focus on decreasing world population growth. At that time the global total fertility rate (the number of children born per woman) was around 5. Policies were implemented worldwide aiming to reduce the number of children born, and the widespread introduction – at least in the more developed world - of various contraceptive strategies in the 1970s certainly helped to reach this goal. Especially in Western societies, the liberation in women (increased participation in higher education, more focus on work and career, and control over when to start a family if at all) was significantly enhanced, dramatically reducing the number of children born. In this context, it is no surprise that organizations like the European Union or the World Health Organization gave very low priority to fertility care, which would potentially increase the number of children born. For a population to remain stable, approximately 2.1 child needs to be born per woman. At present, in more than 50% of all countries worldwide – mainly the more prosperous ones – the number of children born is below replacement level. It is anticipated that societies below replacement will increase up to 90% of all countries worldwide during the 21th century. Hence, underpopulation - causing distinct society challenges - rapidly becomes of distinct concern to many governments, especially in European countries, China, and Japan. It is a generally recognized human right, in case individuals or couples wish to establish a family. However, historically little attention has been dedicated by policy makers to fertility care, mainly because the justified concerns for overpopulation. However, the incidence of infertility remains around 15% worldwide and treatment options have significantly improved. In addition, demand for fertility care is increasing year by year, especially by single individuals, lesbian or gay couples and other members from the LGBTQ+ community who wish to establish a family. At present, at least 10% of all children born are due to infertility therapies in some wealthy countries. However, access to fertility care varies dramatically due to high cost of treatment and lack of insurance coverage of such treatments in the great majority of countries. At present, governments increasingly introduce so called “child friendly” policies (such as financial compensations, extended pregnancy and parental leave, free child care, tax benefits, etc), aiming to decrease barriers for people who wish to have children. Unfortunately, improved access to fertility care is not yet part of this discussion. Over half a century, family planning strategies exclusively focused on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies aiming to reduce world population growth. However, at present family building strategies (helping people who wish to establish a family) should also be included in future family planning strategies.

Amphotericin B Deoxycholate Treatment of Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis in India.

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is widely prevalent in the endemic regions of India, but its treatment remains unsatisfactory. The WHO recommends a 12-week treatment with oral miltefosine, but its ocular toxicities are a serious concern. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the use of sodium stibogluconate and amphotericin B (AmB) for a brief period. Both drugs had frequent adverse events and were expensive, and the duration of treatments was unacceptably long. This retrospective study evaluated, analyzed, and reported the outcomes of PKDL patients treated with a shorter course of AmB, the most effective antileishmanial drug. The hospital records of PKDL patients treated with AmB by 30 alternate-day infusions over 60 days (instead of conventional 60-80 infusions over 100-120 days) between September 2010 and August 2016 were reviewed. Only patients with confirmed parasitological diagnosis were included. Their records were studied for treatment-related adverse events, end-of-treatment parasitological status, and 12-month follow-up results. One hundred two patients were eligible for this study between September 2010 and August 2016. After therapy, 92/102 (90.2%) patients improved; 3 (2.9%) had to cease treatment owing to severe adverse effects, and one died of severe diarrhea unrelated to AmB. Six (5.9%) patients withdrew consent before the treatment was complete. At the 12-month evaluation, 89/102 (87.3%) patients attained a final cure. A 30-infusion regimen of AmB remains highly effective in PKDL. Without a shorter, safer, and more economical regimen for the treatment of PKDL, it should be used until a better regimen is available.

The Myth of Stalin and the Death of Hitler: André Bazin and The Fall of Berlin’s Transnational Travels

This essay explores aspects of the transnational and transhistorical impact of The Fall of Berlin (Padenie Berlina, Mikheil Chiaureli, 1949). Although the film is late Stalinist propaganda, and an outstanding manifestation of the Stalin personality cult, it cannot be reduced to those descriptors. It has had an ongoing impact upon viewers within different cultural contexts who do not necessarily subscribe to its politics. André Bazin’s seminal, frequently translated and reprinted essay ‘The Myth of Stalin in the Soviet Cinema’ (‘Le cinéma soviétique et le mythe de Staline’, 1950), is the most famous and frequently quoted piece of writing on Stalin personality cult films, but it is not the final word on them. It needs to be understood within the specific context of French film culture during the immediate postwar period. This essay therefore highlights the cultural specificity of ‘The Myth of Stalin in the Soviet Cinema’ by contrasting the debates within which Bazin’s essay was enmeshed with the equally culturally specific British reception of The Fall of Berlin in the early 1950s, exemplified by leading film critics and historians such as Dilys Powell, Fred Madjalany and Hugh Trevor-Roper.

The Rise of Pass-Throughs: an Empirical Investigation

Abstract Almost half of all private employment in the United States is within businesses that do not pay corporate income tax. Instead, business income passes through to the owners’ individual income taxes. This pass-through share of employment has more than tripled since the early 1980s. Using comprehensive, confidential administrative data, this paper highlights five core findings underlying this growth: (1) the rise in pass-throughs is pervasive across industries and states; (2) the pass-through share converges unconditionally across both; (3) entrants’ organisational choices drive 60% of the rise; (4) shifts in firm and organisational dynamics following the 1986 Tax Reform Act show continued effects through the 2000s; (5) organisational forms exhibit high persistence with little lifecycle variation. Our study implies that tax or regulatory policy changes might take decades to manifest fully.

The Impact of Administration of Chlorpheniramine/Paracetamol versus Paracetamol Only on the Postoperative Agitation after Orofacial Cleft Repair Procedures in Pediatrics

Abstract Background term “emergence delirium” first appeared in medical literature in early 1960s. While it is frequently used interchangeably with emergence agitation, it is described as temporary dissociated state of consciousness following anaesthesia discontinuation. Aim and Objectives aim was to study the role of pre-emptive Chlorpheniramine as an adjuvant to paracetamol in the prevention of emergence agitation in orofacial cleft repair surgeries. Studied cases& techniques: study was prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical research done at Ain-shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt for 6 months after Medical Ethical Committee approval for children within 3 month up to 18 years with cleft lip or/with cleft palate. Results On comparison of facial express score between group A & group B, group A showed significant decrease in facial express score compared to group B as the median (IQR) facial express score in group A was 2.0 (2.0- 4.0) and 4.0 (2.0-8.0) in group B. Conclusion We deduced that preoperative chlorpheniramine 0.2 mg/kg and paracetamol 15mg/kg before skin incision is effective medication that can be used to stop or decrease severity of emergence agitation while causing minimal cardio- respiratory depression. It also enhanced quality of healing in post-anesthesia care unit.

Immunological foundations of neurological diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases represent an increasing challenge in ageing societies, as only limited treatment options are currently available. New research methods and interdisciplinary interaction of different disciplines have changed the way neurological disorders are viewed and paved the way for the comparatively new field of neuroimmunology, which was established in the early 1980s. Starting from neurological autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, knowledge about the involvement of immunological processes in other contexts, such as stroke or traumatic brain injury, has been significantly expanded in recent years. This review article provides an overview of the role of the immune system and the resulting potential for novel treatment approaches. The immune system plays acentral role in fighting infections but is also able to react to the body's own signals under sterile conditions and cause inflammation and subsequent adaptive immune responses through the release of immune mediators and the recruitment and differentiation of certain immune cell types. This can be beneficial in initiating healing processes; however, chronic inflammatory conditions usually have destructive consequences for the tissue and the organism and must be interrupted. It is now known that different cells of the immune system play an important role in neurological diseases. Regulatory mechanisms, which are mediated by regulatory Tcells or Th2 cells, are usually associated with agood prognosis, whereas inflammatory processes and polarization towards Th1 or Th17 have adestructive character. Novel immunomodulators, which are also increasingly being used in cancer treatment, can now be used in atissue-specific manner and therefore offer great potential for use in neurological diseases.

The rise and fall of political comedy on late night TV

ABSTRACT The emergence and demise of political comedy – a form of political humor distinct from political satire – on late night television, can be understood as a commercial response to the media landscape of the time. During the “golden era” of broadcast television, three networks dominated the television landscape and crafted their content to appeal to a mass national audience. This meant avoiding overtly political programming and messaging that favored either side of the political spectrum. But by the early 2000s, the widespread penetration of cable and satellite television, and later, the advent of the Internet and television streaming services meant that content providers could no longer hope to appeal to mass audiences. Thus, they began to target their programming toward smaller, more specific audiences. In this environment, political satire could thrive. In addition, the inclinations of late night talk show hosts and particular political circumstances helped push political comedy off the late night airwaves. Political satire now rules the late night television political humor landscape and will likely do so in the future.

Potassium, Zinc, and Boron Nutrients Effect on Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Yield in Wag-Lasta, Northern, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia using inorganic fertilizer started in the early 1970s. But it still depended solely on urea and DAP. Today, according to ATA and Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources K, Zn, B, S, and Cu are in deficit in Ethiopia and Amhara Region as well as in Wag-Lasta areas. But some studies conducted in Wag-Lasta and throughout the region in different crops indicate that these nutrients had no response on crop yields. So, this experiment was conducted in 2017 rain feed cropping season on five farmers’ parcels per location to verify the response of sorghum to potassium, zinc, and boron nutrients. The treatments were: NPS, NPSK, NPSZnB, and NPSZnBK, with the recommended rate of 46 and 23 kg ha-1 N and P2O5,respectivelyfor Sekota,23 kg ha-1N, andP2O5 for Lasta. Moreover, 150, 1.47, and 0.07 kg ha-1 KCl, Zn, and B, respectively used uniformly in both locations. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The collected data were analyzed by SAS software version 9.0. Analysis of variance revealed that the application of potassium, zinc, and boron had no significant effect (P ≤0.05) on sorghum yield and yield components at all sites. The exchangeable potassium content in the soil of the study sites is above the critical value level. The result disagrees with the soil fertility map which showed more than 98% of potassium deficiency and more than 80% NPSZnB deficiency. Hence, the application of K, Zn, and B nutrients had no yield advantage over the recommended N and P nutrients in the Wag-Lasta areas. Therefore, currently to increase production and productivity of crops in Wag-Lasta areas using of recommended rate of nitrogen and phosphorous with organic fertilizer sources for each district is the best option rather than using K, Zn, and B nutrients.

Even More Loyalist than Most: The Round Table Movement in New Zealand, 1910–1923

This article illustrates the extent of the Round Table movement’s influence in New Zealand from 1910 until its decline in the early 1920s. There have been several in-depth analyses of this political movement in Australia, Britain, Canada, and South Africa. In contrast, the Round Table movement in New Zealand has received startlingly little attention. The article highlights that the New Zealand movement became a noteworthy lobby group and recruited some prominent members. However, it also highlights that the movement’s social elitism and internal tensions marred the effectiveness of its outreach.

Unfashionable Revenge in Stanley Kubrick’s Aryan Papers

Stanley Kubrick’s project on the Holocaust, Aryan Papers, was dear to his heart. He worked on it for a long time, but he could not, in the end, bring himself to complete the planned film. This article canvasses some of the reasons other scholars have supplied for this film remaining unmade, including the notion that the Holocaust is unrepresentable. However, it points to a novel explanation. I argue that Kubrick’s plot modifications, particularly to the conclusion, doomed the project. Specifically, Kubrick has a Jewish woman take revenge for war-time atrocities. Discussing revenge in relation to the Holocaust has until recently been as impious as representing the Holocaust itself. Jewish revenge was unfashionable in Holocaust films of all kinds when Kubrick was working on Aryan Papers in the early 1990s. Kubrick’s planned film was generically ahead of its times. The vengeful Jewish woman had to wait for Inglourious Basterds in 2009.

Sustainability: Thinking Wide

My first feelings of the theme “Sustainability in the rubber industry”, were exciting and somewhat intriguing. Much has been conceived, conceptualized, discussed deliberated, implemented and various disciplines have emerged on sustainability, which are sometimes, overwhelming to a professional of the older generation. A wide array of theories, disciplines, and technologies have come up during the last 30 years in this area, reminiscing of the eras of 5S and ISO and Lean Management in the early 90s, which took the business and industrial community by storm. I must honestly admit that my experience, in the tyre industry and its sustainability in areas such as material development, (including Nanomaterials), green design and processing technologies, greener technologies and breakthroughs in EVs, is minimal and hence I prefer to leave it to the professionals, and endeavor to share some of my thoughts in this topic of contemporary interest. Another reason for my excitement is the status of affairs in the economic downturn in Sri Lanka and the hardships which we as Sri Lankans are personally experiencing at the moment. Indeed, we are not alone in this predicament and practically every nation is going through unprecedented difficulties, although Sri Lanka is one of the worst affected. Lack of focus, foresight and the inability to comprehend hindsight and not implementing and monitoring practical solutions and corruption are the reasons for not being in a sustainable position for any country, and this applies equally well to business organizations as well. A little over two years ago I penned an article in Tyre Trends on “Sustainability or Vulnerability” at the peak period of the Covid-19 pandemic. The focus of the article was on the relevance of integrating traditional wisdom with modern strategies for sustainability, especially in countries like India and Sri Lanka, which possess a vast extent of collective consciousness accumulated for nearly 4000 + years, and the vulnerability of over-dependence on Western Models based on consumerism. Milton Friedman, the American economist and statistician who received the Nobel Prize in 1976 for his research on consumerism argued in his famous essay that the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits for its shareholders and concluded profit maximization is justified for the risks taken by the investor. This statement made fifty years ago remains polarizing in today’s context; we cannot find fault with entrepreneurs who adopt a strategy of maximizing the use of resources for the maximization of business profits, since after all profit is not such a dirty word as first Prime minister of India, Shree Jawaharlal Nehru once stated. Profit motivation and maximization have been the driving force throughout the four industrial revolutions, resulting in enhancing the quality of life in most countries of the world; especially in what are called the developed countries.

Legacy halogenated flame retardants in Canadian human milk from the maternal-infant research on environmental chemicals study

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were measured in 298 human milk samples collected from across Canada between 2008 and 2011 as part of the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals study. PBDEs were detected in 100% of the samples analyzed and concentrations ranged from 0.071 to 267 ng·g-1 lipid (median 15.6 ng·g-1 lipid). The dominant contributors to ΣPBDEs (Σ15, 17, 28, 37, 47, 66, 71, 75, 77, 85, 99, 100, 119, 138, 153, 154, 160, 183, 190, 209) were PBDE 47 > PBDE 153 > PBDE 99 > PBDE 100 > PBDE 28 > PBDE 209. Previously, PBDE 209 was considered to be a minor contributor to ΣPBDE concentrations in Canadian human milk and, therefore, not reported by our lab. This study showed that when present, PBDE 209 can be an important contributor to ΣPBDEs (range: below detection - 85.3 ng·g-1 lipid; median - 0.083 ng·g-1 lipid). ΣPBDE concentrations declined slightly in Canadian human milk between the early and late 2000s. HBCD (Σ of α-, β-, and γ-) was observed in 94.0% of the samples measured and concentrations were dominated by α-HBCD (93.3%), with β- (9.7%) and γ- (28.5%) less frequently detected. The maximum ΣHBCD concentration observed was 7.66 ng·g-1 lipid (median value 0.303 ng·g-1 lipid). These data suggest that HBCD concentrations similarly decreased in Canadian human milk between the early 2000s and sampling for the present study. Maternal age did not impact the concentrations of these flame retardants in milk. Additionally, other maternal characteristics [e.g., the number of children a woman has had, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and education level] did not impact concentrations of these brominated flame retardant concentrations.

It's more than just beating teen pregnancy: Incentivizing comprehensive sex education programs in the United States

AbstractCurrently in the United States, many states provide abstinence only education to students, if sexual education is mandatory at all. This is largely because of the 2017 policy that redirected funding through grants from comprehensive sexual education to abstinence only education. This Note proposes that the current administration redirect the money back to comprehensive sexual education policies that were productive during the early 2010s. The federal government should also provide a level‐based curriculum to states to ease the implementation of comprehensive sexual education in schools.

B.S. Zhukov in the history of Russian archaeology: to the scientist’s anniversary

B.S. Zhukov is one of the key figures in Russian archaeology of the 1920s. Palaeoethnological field of research at Moscow University was established by D.N. Anuchin who suggested his famous triad, a synthesis of prehistoric archaeology, anthropology and ethnography. In the early 1920s, Zhukov, his disciple, went further and put the teacher’s ideas into practice by proposing a research programme and building a team of young researchers – archaeologists, anthropologists, ethnologists, and experts in other areas. The leader of the palaeoethnological school, B.S. Zhukov did not only absorbed Anuchin’s idea of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of humans in their past and present development, but also implemented it in the course of large-scale complex expeditions and in-depth research. Zhukov’s school as a special research direction was developing for a short period in the mid and second half of the 1920s. However, it raised a generation of archaeologists, anthropologists and ethnologists, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Russian and world science.

Revolts and Political Regimes: The Enduring Perils to Established Political Orders

This paper delves into the profound impact of societal uprisings, fueled by a complex interplay of politico-economic factors, in reshaping or toppling political regimes. It becomes apparent that violent opposition to a regime often arises from the calculated maneuvers of dominant political elites, who adeptly wield various tools to stoke a fervent desire for political liberty among the populace, challenging the existing order. This phenomenon was starkly evident during the oppressive reign of Siyad Barre, where segments of Somali society were mobilized from grassroots levels, driven by a collective yearning to break free from the shackles of tyranny and repression. The revolts of that era shared a common goal: either dismantling the dictatorial machinery or compelling its abandonment, while simultaneously advocating for the establishment of a democratic system that would empower individuals to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights. However, even in the absence of overt repression, revolts against entrenched systems often persist, driven by underlying political agendas that could potentially be pursued through non-violent means. This paper further examines a recent uprising in Somaliland, drawing parallels from historical revolts witnessed during Siyad Barre's regime, where power consolidation and fear tactics were employed to maintain control. These uprisings typically unfold under the orchestration of political elites who have played pivotal roles in Somalia's political landscape since the early 1980s. During this period, certain Somali politicians defected from the Siyad government, rallying their constituents for armed resistance against dictatorial rule. While the circumstances surrounding these revolts may vary, they share commonalities that warrant thorough exploration. However, it's essential to note the diverse motives driving each uprising. Some seek to completely withdraw from the existing system, while others aim to force reforms or remove those in power altogether.