Indirect View Research Articles

The Problem of Differential Importability and Scientific Modeling

The practice of science appears to involve “model-talk”. Scientists, one thinks, are in the business of giving accounts of reality. Scientists, in the process of furnishing such accounts, talk about what they call “models”. Philosophers of science have inspected what this talk of models suggests about how scientific theories manage to represent reality. There are, it seems, at least three distinct philosophical views on the role of scientific models in science’s portrayal of reality: the abstractionist view, the indirect fictionalist view, and the direct fictionalist view. In this essay, I try to articulate a question about what makes a scientific model more or less appropriate for a specific domain of reality. More precisely, I ask, “What accounts for the fact that given a determinate target domain, some scientific models, but not others, are thought to be “appropriate” for that domain?” I then consider whether and the degree to which each of the mentioned views on scientific models institutes a satisfactory response to this question. I conclude that, amongst those views, the direct fictionalist view seems to have the most promising response. I then utilize this argument to develop a more precise account of the problem of differential importability, and ultimately offer a more general and less presumptive argument that the problem seems to be optimally solved by justifying comparative evaluation of model-importabilities solely in terms of comparative evaluations of what I characterize as models’ “holistic” predictive success.

Overview of the Use of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

The aim of this review is to present and discuss the use of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). OCTA is a non-invasive imaging procedure that gives a detailed indirect view of physiological and pathological vessels in the retina and choroid membrane. Compared with dye-based imaging, OCTA provides a segmented presentation of the individual vascular layers and plexuses, thus enabling previously unattainable differentiation and classification of pathological vascular changes within or underneath the retina. In particular, OCTA facilitates early detection of exudative macular neovascularizations (MNV) so that treatment with anti-VEGF medication can be initiated. Moreover, in the context of both screening and therapy monitoring, it is hoped that OCTA can provide more detailed data to enable greater personalization of treatment and follow-up. The image quality of OCTA is, however, susceptible to artifacts, and validation of the results by studies is required. Recent developments have shown constant improvement both in the algorithms for image calculation and avoidance of artifacts and in image quality, so the scope of OCTA will certainly expand with time.

The role of consciousness in Chinese nominal metaphor processing: a psychophysical approach

Abstract Conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) holds that most conceptual metaphors are processed unconsciously. However, whether multiple words can be integrated into a holistic metaphoric sentence without consciousness remains controversial in cognitive science and psychology. This study aims to investigate the role of consciousness in processing Chinese nominal metaphoric sentences ‘A是B’ (A is[like] B) with a psychophysical experimental paradigm referred to as breaking continuous flash suppression (b-CFS). We manipulated sentence types (metaphoric, literal and anomalous) and word forms (upright, inverted) in a two-staged experiment (CFS and non-CFS). No difference was found in the breakthrough times among all three types of sentences in the CFS stage, while literal sentences were detected more slowly than either metaphoric or anomalous sentences in the non-CFS stage. The results suggest that the integration of multiple words may not succeed without the participation of consciousness, let alone metaphoric processing. These findings may redefine ‘unconscious’ in CMT as ‘preconscious’ and support the indirect access view regarding how the metaphoric meaning is processed in the brain.

How is visual separation assessed? By counting distance units.

How does the human visual system assess the separation between pairs of stimuli in a frontal plane? According to the direct (or subtractive) view the system finds the difference between the positions of the stimuli in a localization system. According to the indirect (or additive) view the system finds the number of instances of a distance unit lying between representations of the stimuli. Critically, position is explicitly represented under the direct view, with separation being derived from position. Position is not explicitly represented under the indirect view; separation is consequently inferred by counting an internal unit of distance. Recent results favor the indirect over the direct view of separation assessment. Dissociations between assessments of separation and position, various context effects in the assessment of separation, and suggestions that position information is not cleanly accessed argue against the direct view. At the same time, various context effects in separation assessment argue for the indirect view. Recent findings regarding the brain bases of vision are consistent with the indirect view. In short, recent results suggest that assessing the separation between two frontal stimuli involves integrating distance units between representations of the stimuli.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Miller Laryngoscope and the McGrath-MAC Video Laryngoscope in Direct Visualization of the Glottic Opening.

Background and Objective: Placing the laryngoscope blade directly under the epiglottis (known as the direct view (DV) method) during videolaryngoscopy offers a superior view of the glottis when compared to the indirect method of lifting the epiglottis by positioning the Macintosh blade tip over the vallecula. While there are few studies comparing glottic views using Miller and Macintosh blades in pediatric patients, we have not come across such a study in adults. In this study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness and hemodynamic responses of the Miller laryngoscope and the McGrath-MAC videolaryngoscope (VL) in visualizing the glottic opening using the DV method. Material and Methods: A prospective study was conducted between August and December 2022 at XXX Hospital on 85 patients scheduled for surgical procedures involving endotracheal intubation. Patients were divided into two groups: Miller laryngoscope (Group M) and McGrath-MAC videolaryngoscope (Group VL) and intubated using the direct lifting method of the epiglottis. Hemodynamic responses before and after induction, as well as during laryngoscopy, intubation time, number of attempts, Cormack and Lehane (C&L) score, percentage of glottic opening (POGO), duration of the view of the opening, and need for external laryngeal pressure during intubation were recorded. Results: Both laryngoscopes showed similar effectiveness in terms of POGO and C&L score when used with the direct lifting method of the epiglottis. The median POGO values according to the DV method were 80% in Group M and 70% in Group VL (p = 0.099). Hemodynamic responses, intubation time, number of attempts, duration of view of the glottis opening, and the need for external laryngeal pressure were similar between the groups. Conclusions: Due to its ability to provide effective intubation conditions, we believe that the McGrath-MAC VL, when used with the indirect view method, can also be utilized in anesthesia practices alongside the DV method.

Geography of patients in the federal ENT hospital before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: changing spatial patterns and characteristics

Introduction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to elective specialized healthcare has decreased significantly. In addition to economic, social, cultural, organizational and language factors, access to healthcare also includes geographic factors. In our country, geographical barriers are an important negative factor hampering access to healthcare for patients living far from regional and federal centres.Aim. This analysis provides an indirect view of the change in the availability of specialized medical otorhinolaryngological care. Describe the procedure for conducting a spatial analysis of the geographic accessibility of medical care.Materials and methods. The study analyzed changes in the spatial characteristics of the place of residence of patients admitted for inpatient treatment at the St Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Nose and Speech Throat before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study materials used anonymized data of 32,304 patients who were treated in a 24-hour hospital at the St Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Nose and Throat and Speech from January 2016 to December 2022. Descriptive statistics, spatial statistics, non-parametric methods for testing hypotheses (Wilcoxon criterion for independent samples), odds ratio for binary factors and outcomes processed in the R software environment, built on the basis of OpenStreetMap cartography with QGIS geocoding, were used as research methods.Results and discussion. In the study, geographic patterns of places of residence (locations) of inpatients before and after COVID-19 were obtained, and a visual assessment of their changes was made. The distances between the place of residence of patients and the place of provision of ENT care were calculated, and hypotheses were tested on the equality of the average geographical distance to the places of residence of patients before and after the pandemic. A count of patients and areas of zones of nuclear assessment of the probability density of patient locations in the country before and after the pandemic was made. The design of the study was an observational analytical retrospective study of the spatial characteristics of inpatients, in which the event of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a factor.Conclusion. In general, after the resumption of planned inpatient otorhinolaryngological care, its availability, which can indirectly be assessed using a spatial statistical analysis of the places of residence of patients of a federal budgetary institution, has not changed.

Having a Cake and Eating It Too? Direct Realism and Objective Identity in Descartes

AbstractDescartes holds that ideas have or contain objective reality of their objects, so that the idea of the sun is the sun itself existing in the intellect. In this paper, I examine this obscure thesis which grounds the disagreement about Descartes’ commitment to direct or indirect realism. I suggest that, importantly, both readings are correct to a certain extent. I argue that the view of objective reality Descartes develops bears the earmarks of both direct and indirect realist views but must be classified as a third alternative combining some central features of both. I elaborate first on the direct realist interpretations of Descartes’ objective reality and explain their most significant shortcomings. My interpretation of objective identity comes in the form of attributing to Descartes a view about identity and persistence of objects known as sortalism. I argue that Descartes’ objective identity turns out to be much like the Aristotelian view of formal identity, yet without the forms. By way of discussing the case of Theseus’ ship, I point out how Cartesian sortalism, contrary to other versions of sortalism, allows us to analyze the puzzle as a tension between two distinct yet independently legitimate criteria of identity. It is this sortalist insight that helps to render Descartes’ account of objective identity consistent. This point also grounds my argument that we need not consider direct and indirect realism as logical complements, contrary to the received wisdom.

The Sectoral and Regional Peer Influences on Heavy-Pollution Corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance

The conception of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance has been widely implemented and has become an important indicator of firms’ eco-friendly transformation in heavy-pollution industries. The sectoral and regional peer influences of corporate ESG performance can effectively promote firms’ green sustainable development within an entire industry, district, and market. In this study, our main hypothesis is that corporate ESG performance has a significantly positive peer effect among heavy-pollution industry firms within the same province, industry, and product market. Therefore, by employing novel spatial econometric techniques, we investigate the peer effect of corporate ESG performance among 681 of China’s A-share listed firms within 20 heavy-pollution industries from 2012 to 2021 and explore the impacts from peer indirect effect views, such as public media attention, regulatory pressure, and green innovation. Further, we detect the sectoral and regional peer pulling and dragging effects under the two statuses of firms’ ESG rating changes. The main findings are as follows. First, corporate ESG performance has a significantly positive peer effect, which is the highest among firms within the same industry. Second, the mechanism analysis presents that the increase in other firms’ negative web news, environment-related penalties, and green patents has different peer indirect effects on corporate ESG performance within the same province, industry, and product market. Third, corporate ESG performance has a significantly positive peer-pulling effect among firms when other firms’ ESG levels increase, yet a significantly positive peer-dragging effect only within the same region and industry when other firms’ ESG levels decrease. This study gives empirical contributions that firms can take advantage of the positive peer effect of corporate ESG performance to improve their own ESG practice level and employ it as a competitive strategy for pursuing long-term value, and governments should maintain sustainable supervision measures and an orderly competitive market environment to cultivate a consensus on corporate ESG development in heavy-pollution industries.

Assessment Methods for Marginal and Internal Fit of Partial Crown Restorations: A Systematic Review.

Different methods are used for the analysis of marginal and internal fit of partial crowns, but not all of them are applicable for in vivo studies. The aim of this review is to search the available methods, described in the current literature, to assess marginal and internal fit in partial crowns. an electronic search was performed on Pubmed and Web of Science databases to find studies published from 1 January 2017 up to 2 March 2023, following PRISMA guidelines and Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews. The search strategy applied was: "(marginal) AND (fit OR gap OR adaptation OR discrepancy) AND (inlay OR onlay OR partial crown)". In vitro studies which evaluated marginal and internal fit on CAD CAM or 3D printed partial crowns were included in this review. Quality of the studies was assessed by using Quality Assessment Tool For In Vitro Studies (QUIN tool). 22 studies were included. Among conventional methods, direct view with microscope, indirect view on resin replicas, and silicone replica technique (SRT) were used. Considering new digital methods, micro-CT, SRT 3D and triple scan technique (TST) were applied. Among 2D methods, direct view technique is the most used marginal fit analysis. For a more comprehensive evaluation, a 3D digital analysis is suggested. SRT and indirect view are the only 2D methods available for in vivo analysis. A protocol for the application of TST for assessment in vivo is now available, but no studies are reported in literature yet.

Role of chemical mediators and biological factors in tooth movement

In recent years, there have been various theories proposed to describe the mechanism causing tooth movement. These theories can be broadly categorized into two perspectives: one focusing on bone as the direct target of mechanical force, and the other highlighting the periodontal ligament (PDL) as the key target. While the direct view suggests that osteoclasts and osteoblasts are directly stimulated by compression and tension stresses, respectively, the indirect view suggests that the PDL responds to orthodontic forces. However, evidence challenges the direct view, as bone does not respond to static forces and implants/ankylosed teeth do not move. The indirect view proposes that orthodontic forces lead to areas of compression and tension within the PDL, causing various cellular responses and inflammatory reactions. Osteoclasts play a crucial role in bone resorption, influencing the rate of tooth movement. Inflammatory mediators, including chemokines, cytokines, prostaglandins, and neuropeptides, are released during orthodontic tooth movement, facilitating osteoclast recruitment and activation. Osteoclast genesis is influenced by factors such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and prostaglandins. Chemical mediators, including parathyroid hormone, vitamin D3, corticosteroids, and thyroxin, have been explored for their potential to accelerate tooth movement, but their systemic effects and practical application present challenges. Overall, understanding the biology of tooth movement involves considering the interactions among osteocytes, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts, as well as immune cells and inflammatory cytokines. Expediting tooth movement requires further research and the development of effective and safe strategies.

Use of video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy as a teaching tool for neonatal intubation: A systematic review.

Endotracheal intubation and positive pressure ventilation following delivery are required in 32.9% of neonates <31 weeks gestational age and in 5.9% of older newborn babies [1]. Competency in intubation is important, yet opportunities for learners to develop this skill in the clinical environment are limited. Direct laryngoscopy (DL) provides a direct view of the airway during intubation. Unfortunately, visualization of the airway is only available to the primary operator, preventing supervising instructors from simultaneously viewing the airway and allowing them to provide real-time feedback to learners. Video laryngoscopy (VL) is a specialized clinical instrument that utilizes an indirect view of the airway that is digitally projected onto a screen via camera, which allows multiple simultaneous viewers to view the airway during intubation attempts and permits instructors to provide real-time feedback to learners accordingly. This systematic review explores whether VL-supported learning is superior to DL for the development of skill in neonatal intubation. Systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were conducted without language restrictions. Studies published between January 2011 and November 2021 were examined. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of VL versus DL for supporting neonatal intubation learning were included. Rate of successful intubation was the primary outcome measure. Both authors independently extracted study data and conducted risk of bias assessment. Four RCTs met the inclusion criteria, with two incorporating crossover designs. Each examined the effectiveness of VL versus DL, with concurrent supervisor support, as a tool for learning neonatal intubation in medical residents. All studies reported significantly higher intubation success rates with VL. VL and real-time supervisor feedback is a more effective tool for supporting the development of neonatal intubation skill, compared with DL. Future investigations should include learners from other professions whose scope of practice includes neonatal intubation (eg, respiratory therapists).

A test of indirect grounding of abstract concepts using multimodal distributional semantics.

How are abstract concepts grounded in perceptual experiences for shaping human conceptual knowledge? Recent studies on abstract concepts emphasizing the role of language have argued that abstract concepts are grounded indirectly in perceptual experiences and language (or words) functions as a bridge between abstract concepts and perceptual experiences. However, this “indirect grounding” view remains largely speculative and has hardly been supported directly by empirical evidence. In this paper, therefore, we test the indirect grounding view by means of multimodal distributional semantics, in which the meaning of a word (i.e., a concept) is represented as the combination of textual and visual vectors. The newly devised multimodal distributional semantic model incorporates the indirect grounding view by computing the visual vector of an abstract word through the visual vectors of concrete words semantically related to that abstract word. An evaluation experiment is conducted in which conceptual representation is predicted from multimodal vectors using a multilayer feed-forward neural network. The analysis of prediction performance demonstrates that the indirect grounding model achieves significantly better performance in predicting human conceptual representation of abstract words than other models that mimic competing views on abstract concepts, especially than the direct grounding model in which the visual vectors of abstract words are computed directly from the images of abstract concepts. This result lends some plausibility to the indirect grounding view as a cognitive mechanism of grounding abstract concepts.

An Anisotropic 4D Filtering Approach to Recover Brain Activation From Paradigm-Free Functional MRI Data.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides an indirect view into brain activity via the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response. In particular, resting-state fMRI poses challenges to the recovery of brain activity without prior knowledge on the experimental paradigm, as it is the case for task fMRI. Conventional methods to infer brain activity from the fMRI signals, for example, the general linear model (GLM), require the knowledge of the experimental paradigm to define regressors and estimate the contribution of each voxel's time course to the task. To overcome this limitation, approaches to deconvolve the BOLD response and recover the underlying neural activations without a priori information on the task have been proposed. State-of-the-art techniques, and in particular the total activation (TA), formulate the deconvolution as an optimization problem with decoupled spatial and temporal regularization and an optimization strategy that alternates between the constraints. In this work, we propose a paradigm-free regularization algorithm named Anisotropic 4D-fMRI (A4D-fMRI) that is applied on the 4D fMRI image, acting simultaneously in the 3D space and 1D time dimensions. Based on the idea that large image variations should be preserved as they occur during brain activations, whereas small variations considered as noise should be removed, the A4D-fMRI applies an anisotropic regularization, thus recovering the location and the duration of brain activations. Using the experimental paradigm as ground truth, the A4D-fMRI is validated on synthetic and real task-fMRI data from 51 subjects, and its performance is compared to the TA. Results show higher correlations of the recovered time courses with the ground truth compared to the TA and lower computational times. In addition, we show that the A4D-fMRI recovers activity that agrees with the GLM, without requiring or using any knowledge of the experimental paradigm.

Inference-Reconstruction Variational Autoencoder for Light Field Image Reconstruction.

Light field cameras can capture the radiance and direction of light rays by a single exposure, providing a new perspective to photography and 3D geometry perception. However, existing sub-aperture based light field cameras are limited by their sensor resolution to obtain high spatial and angular resolution images simultaneously. In this paper, we propose an inference-reconstruction variational autoencoder (IR-VAE) to reconstruct a dense light field image out of four corner reference views in a light field image. The proposed IR-VAE is comprised of one inference network and one reconstruction network, where the inference network infers novel views from existing reference views and viewpoint conditions, and the reconstruction network reconstructs novel views from a latent variable that contains the information of reference views, novel views, and viewpoints. The conditional latent variable in the inference network is regularized by the latent variable in the reconstruction network to facilitate information flow between the conditional latent variable and novel views. We also propose a statistic distance measurement dubbed the mean local maximum mean discrepancy (MLMMD) to enable the measurement of the statistic distance between two distributions with high-resolution latent variables, which can capture richer information than their low-resolution counterparts. Finally, we propose a viewpoint-dependent indirect view synthesis method to synthesize novel views more efficiently by leveraging adaptive convolution. Experimental results show that our proposed methods outperform state-of-the-art methods on different light field datasets.

Non-line-of-sight imaging under white-light illumination: a two-step deep learning approach.

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging has received considerable attentions for its ability to recover occluded objects from an indirect view. Various NLOS imaging techniques have been demonstrated recently. Here, we propose a white-light NLOS imaging method that is equipped only with an ordinary camera, and not necessary to operate under active coherent illumination as in other existing NLOS systems. The central idea is to incorporate speckle correlation-based model into a deep neural network (DNN), and form a two-step DNN strategy that endeavors to learn the optimization of the scattered pattern autocorrelation and object image reconstruction, respectively. Optical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the proposed method.

A Transcanal Endoscopic Approach for Management of Pulsatile Tinnitus due to High-Riding Dehiscent Jugular Bulb.

Pulsatile tinnitus (PT) caused by a high-riding dehiscence jugular bulb (HDJB) is a rare but treatable otology disease. There are several managements include transcatheter endovascular coil embolization, transvenous stent-assisted coil embolization, or resurfacing the dehiscent bony wall of high jugular bulb under the use of microscope. Among those options, surgical resurfacing of HDJB might be an effective and safe choice with less destruction. However, previous studies approached middle ear cavity via microscope can only provide a lateral, indirect view, while resurfacing the vessel through a transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) approach may give surgeon a direct and easy way to manage HDJB. In this report, we presented a case of 40-year-old woman with HDJB and shared our clinical consideration and reasoning of the surgical management of PT via a transtympanic approach by TEES rather than a transmastoid approach.

English

BACKGROUND Video laryngoscope is an important tool for orotracheal intubation in anaesthesia practice particularly in difficult airways. It provides an indirect view of glottis without the need of alignment of oropharyngeal-laryngeal axis. We compared the intubation characteristics of channelled versus non-channelled blades of King VisionTM Video Laryngoscope. METHODS In this study 60 patients were randomly allocated to two groups; group C were intubated with channelled and group NC with non-channelled blade of King Vision. We measured time for glottis visualisation and intubation time using both blades. Percentage of glottis opening (POGO), insertion attempts, intubation attempts, and ease of intubation were also assessed. RESULTS The time for glottis visualisation was 8.5 ± 3 seconds for group C and 7 ± 2 seconds for group NC. Intubation time was 24 ± 8.5 seconds for group C and 44 ± 5 seconds for NC. There was no statistical difference in POGO, insertion attempts, intubation attempts and ease of intubation between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that the time for glottis recognition is longer but intubation time is shorter when using King Vision video laryngoscope channelled blade as compared to non-channelled blade. KEYWORDS Video Laryngoscope, King Vision, Channelled, Non-Channelled

Imaging the pediatric retina: An overview.

Recent decade has seen a shift in the causes of childhood blinding diseases from anterior segment to retinal disease in both developed and developing countries. The common retinal disorders are retinopathy of prematurity and vitreoretinal infections in neonates, congenital anomalies in infants, and vascular retinopathies including type 1 diabetes, tumors, and inherited retinal diseases in children (up to 12 years). Retinal imaging helps in diagnosis, management, follow up and prognostication in all these disorders. These imaging modalities include fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, retinal vascular and structural studies, and electrodiagnosis. Over the decades there has been tremendous advances both in design (compact, multifunctional, tele-consult capable) and technology (wide- and ultra-wide field and noninvasive retinal angiography). These new advances have application in most of the pediatric retinal diseases though at most times the designs of new devices have remained confined to use in adults. Poor patient cooperation and insufficient attention span in children demand careful crafting of the devices. The newer attempts of hand-held retinal diagnostic devices are welcome additions in this direction. While much has been done, there is still much to do in the coming years. One of the compelling and immediate needs is the pediatric version of optical coherence tomography angiography. These needs and demands would increase many folds in future. A sound policy could be the simultaneous development of adult and pediatric version of all ophthalmic diagnostic devices, coupled with capacity building of trained medical personnel.

Kantian Ethics and the Animal Turn. On the Contemporary Defence of Kant's Indirect Duty View.

Simple SummaryCriticism of Kant’s position on our moral relationship with animals dates back to the work of Arthur Schopenhauer and Leonard Nelson. Against this, Kantians have continued to defend Kant’s view that animals lack a moral status. Kant’s contemporary defenders have, however, highlighted extensive practical consequences for the protection of animals in favor of Kant’s position. This paper explores the argument from these extensive duties to animals in Kant’s ethics and seeks to show that Kantians underestimate essential differences between Kant and his rivals today (including proponents of animal rights and utilitarians) on both a practical and fundamental level. It also argues that those defending Kant tend to neglect theory-immanent problems in Kant’s ethics arising from unfounded value assumptions and unconvincing arguments for the denial of animal moral status. It is suggested that although the human-animal relationship was not a central concern of Kant’s, examination of the animal question within the framework of Kant’s ethics helps us to gain conceptual clarity about his duty concept and the limitations of the reciprocity argument, i.e., the notion that morality is a system of reciprocal relationships.Criticism of Kant’s position on our moral relationship with animals dates back to the work of Arthur Schopenhauer and Leonard Nelson, but historically Kantian scholars have shown limited interest in the human-animal relationship as such. This situation changed in the mid-1990s with the arrival of several publications arguing for the direct moral considerability of animals within the Kantian ethical framework. Against this, another contemporary Kantian approach has continued to defend Kant’s indirect duty view. In this approach it is argued, first, that it is impossible to establish direct duties to animals, and second, that this is also unnecessary because the Kantian notion that we have indirect duties to animals has far-reaching practical consequences and is to that extent adequate. This paper explores the argument of the far-reaching duties regarding animals in Kant’s ethics and seeks to show that Kantians underestimate essential differences between Kant and his rivals today (i.e., proponents of animal rights and utilitarians) on a practical and fundamental level. It also argues that Kant’s indirect duty view has not been defended convincingly: the defence tends to neglect theory-immanent problems in Kant’s ethics connected with unfounded value assumptions and unconvincing arguments for the denial of animals’ moral status. However, it is suggested that although the human-animal relationship was not a central concern of Kant’s, examination of the animal question within the framework of Kant’s ethics helps us to develop conceptual clarity about his duty concept and the limitations of the reciprocity argument.

The importance of videolaryngoscopy in maxillofacial practice associated with restricted mouth opening in traumatized patients

Orotracheal intubation is considered the most delicate maneuver performed by anesthesiologists, and failure to manage the airways is one of the main causes of possible complications that can be catastrophic during its performance, thus requiring good team planning. Anatomical and / or physiological characteristics, such as limited mouth opening, a condition often found in patients suffering from fractures of the zygomatic arch or who have some abnormality in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), can characterize a difficult airway, which demands attention greatest of the professional. Therefore, in order to overcome the obstacles that may occur during a difficult or unexpected intubation, new tools have been used, such as videolaryngoscopy in which an intubation device containing miniature video cameras is used in order to allow the operator has an indirect view of the glottis to increase success rates and decrease intubation time. The aim of the present study is to report a clinical case of a trauma victim, with limited mouth opening, who underwent intubation with the aid of a video laryngoscope after failed attempts at conventional intubation.