Original Manuscript Research Articles

Improving Environmental Sustainability of Operating Theatres: A Systematic Review of Staff Attitudes, Barriers, and Enablers.

To understand views of staff in relation to attitudes, enablers, and barriers to implementation of environmentally sustainable surgery in operating theatres. This will ultimately help in the goal of successfully implementing more sustainable theatres. Global healthcare sectors are responsible for 4.4% of greenhouse gas emissions. Surgical operating theatres are resource intensive areas and improvements will be important to meet Net-Zero carbon emissions within healthcare. Three databases were searched (Web of Science, Ovid and PubMed), last check January 2024. We included original manuscripts evaluating staff views regarding sustainable operating theatres. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used for quality appraisal and data analysed using thematic synthesis. 2933 articles were screened and 14 fulfilled inclusion criteria, using qualitative (1), quantitative (2), and mixed methods (11). Studies were undertaken in a variety of clinical (Department of Anaesthesia, Surgery, Otolaryngology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Ophthalmology) and geographical settings (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, USA, UK & Ireland,). Across studies there was a lack of evidence exploring enablers to implementation, but barriers mainly related to the following themes: education and awareness, leadership, resistance to change, facilities and equipment, time, and incentive. This systematic review identified attitudes and barriers perceived by clinicians towards improving environmental sustainability within operating theatres, which may inform future strategy towards sustainable surgery. Most studies used a survey-design, whereas use of interviews may provide deeper insights. Future work should be extended to wider stakeholders influencing operating theatres. Additionally, implementation studies should be carried out to examine whether barriers do change in practice. This systematic review identified attitudes and barriers perceived by clinicians towards improving environmental sustainability within operating theatres, which may inform future strategy towards sustainable surgery. Most studies used a survey-design, whereas use of interviews may provide deeper insights. Future work should be extended to wider stakeholders influencing operating theatres. Additionally, implementation studies should be carried out to examine whether barriers do change in practice.

Robotic Assistance in Percutaneous Liver Ablation Therapies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to identify current robotic assistance systems for percutaneous liver ablations, compare approaches, and determine how to achieve standardization of procedural concepts for optimized ablation outcomes. Background: Image-guided surgical approaches are increasingly common. Assistance by navigation and robotic systems allows to optimize procedural accuracy, with the aim to consistently obtain adequate ablation volumes. Methods: Several databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, ProQuest, Science Direct, Research Rabbit, and IEEE Xplore) were systematically searched for robotic preclinical and clinical percutaneous liver ablation studies, and relevant original manuscripts were included according to the Preferred Reporting items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The endpoints were the type of device, insertion technique (freehand or robotic), planning, execution, and confirmation of the procedure. A meta-analysis was performed, including comparative studies of freehand and robotic techniques in terms of radiation dose, accuracy, and Euclidean error. Results: The inclusion criteria were met by 33/755 studies. There were 24 robotic devices reported for percutaneous liver surgery. The most used were the MAXIO robot (8/33; 24.2%), Zerobot, and AcuBot (each 2/33, 6.1%). The most common tracking system was optical (25/33, 75.8%). In the meta-analysis, the robotic approach was superior to the freehand technique in terms of individual radiation (0.5582, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.0167–1.0996, dose-length product range 79–2216 mGy.cm), accuracy (0.6260, 95% CI = 0.1423–1.1097), and Euclidean error (0.8189, 95% CI = –0.1020 to 1.7399). Conclusions: Robotic assistance in percutaneous ablation for liver tumors achieves superior results and reduces errors compared with manual applicator insertion. Standardization of concepts and reporting is necessary and suggested to facilitate the comparison of the different parameters used to measure liver ablation results. The increasing use of image-guided surgery has encouraged robotic assistance for percutaneous liver ablations. This systematic review analyzed 33 studies and identified 24 robotic devices, with optical tracking prevailing. The meta-analysis favored robotic assessment, showing increased accuracy and reduced errors compared with freehand technique, emphasizing the need for conceptual standardization.

Bucharest, 1969: The 5th Congress of the “International Society for Folk Narrative Research” (Facsimile Papers, Part IX)

This is an archival restitution, after an „Iconographic Intros” (of photos captured during the 1969 ISFNR Congress) which show Brian M. du TOIT, Nai-Tung TING, Francis Lee UTLEY, Mortan NOLSØE, Monica BRĂTULESCU, Radu NICULESCU, Ion C. CHIȚIMIA, each of their papers persented in the Congress (as original manuscripts) are reproduced/presented here for the first time.

The “Schwarze Mander” of the Court Church in Innsbruck, Austria: Manufacture and Production of Monumental Brass Statues in the Renaissance

AbstractThe 28 "Schwarze Mander" (Black Men) are undoubtedly amongst the most magnificent monumental brass statues of the Renaissance. Commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I for his funeral monument at the beginning of the 16th century, they were completed more than 30 years after the Emperor's death and are now part of his cenotaph in the Hofkirche in Innsbruck. Revising the original manuscripts and letters exchanged between Maximilian I and the various artists sheds light on the manufacturing process and the challenges the artists encountered whilst producing the statues. Moreover, the alloys used in the manufacture of the statues, now all blackened due to patination processes, were identified through non-invasive chemical analysis of all the statues.

Response to Comment Letter: Muscle Metabolomics and Exercise Effects on Cardiometabolic Risk.

We appreciate Dr. Astrada's interest in our recent article (1). Although he raised concern around using BMI as a screening parameter for our study, BMI was not the only "defining parameter" screening criteria in our study. Fasting glucose > 110mg/dL was also a critical exclusion criterion for the study which limits variation in metabolic characteristics in our study cohort. These and other criteria for participation in the study were reported in the original manuscript (2) from which the samples in our current study (1) were obtained. Furthermore, after participants were screened and included in the study, DEXA scans provide information on body composition, which we reported in the online supplemental material. Within a given age group, we found no differences in body composition (Fat %) between treatment groups at baseline. As for the participants' daily activities, we did not collect occupation information, but an exclusion criteria for the study was participation in regular exercise (>20 minutes more than twice per week), which was reported in the original manuscript (2). Thus, all participants were not regular exercisers, further limiting baseline metabolic variability.

Ein Beitrag Martin Hartmanns: „Japan und der Islam“

Abstract In this article, the authors give an edition of an article by the famous Orientalist Martin Hartmann (1851–1918), one of the founding fathers of the journal Die Welt des Islams, accompanied by an introduction and commentaries. In Hartmann’s text, which has remained unpublished, he comments on the possible consequences of the Russo-Japanese War (1904/05) and its outcome for Japan’s relationship with the Islamic world in general and the Muslims of China in particular. Hartmann takes a clear stance here against the Russian Empire on the one hand, but also against the policies of the European powers towards Japan on the other, and urges a prudent approach to the victor of the aforementioned war. This should be understood, among other things, against the background of the problematic relations between the German Empire and Japan since the Sino-Japanese War (1894–95) and the German Empire’s efforts to push Japan out of China. The original manuscript of this unpublished article is kept in the archives of the University of Halle.

Dr. Joseph Biederman’s Enduring Legacy: Illuminating the Path to Addressing Autistic Traits in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Transcranial Photobiomodulation

Objective: To review the existing literature on transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment effects on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in search for an effective treatment of a symptom cluster identified largely by contributions from late Dr. Biederman who asserted that they frequently present with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method: A survey of two databases, PubMed and PsycINFO, for clinical trials reporting on tPBM treatment in ASD was performed. Identified manuscripts that met eligibility criteria were then reviewed. Results: Three original manuscripts reporting findings on a heterogenous group of study methods met the eligibility criteria. Despite the heterogenous nature of study designs, findings from all three studies reported tPBM treatment to be associated with improvements in ASD symptoms. No serious or treatment limiting adverse events were reported. Conclusions: A nascent body of research suggests further clinical studies investigating efficacy of tPBM in treatment of ASD symptoms should be supported.

(026) Ten Years of Authorship by Women in Sexual Medicine Journals: Are We Making Progress?

Abstract Introduction Women are historically underrepresented in Urology, but the demographics are slowly changing. As of 2023, only 10.9% of urology attendings are women; however, women represent 37% of the accepted residency class of 2028. With increasing representation of women in urology, we hypothesized this would reflect in women’s authorship patterns in published manuscripts. Objective We sought to identify if the increasing representation of women in urology is reflected in first or last authorship in sexual medicine journals. Methods All manuscripts published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and Sexual Medicine from 2013 to 2023 were reviewed. Original research manuscripts were included; manuscripts submitted under Psychology subsections, Paraphilia subsections, as well as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, communications, commentaries, replies, and those involving psychometrics were excluded. Single author manuscripts were classified under first author for the analysis. First and last authors were identified and internet search was performed to best determine gender, relying on, in order of preference: listed pronouns, picture, or traditionally masculine versus feminine name. We recognize this method of determining gender identity based on conventional gender presentations is imperfect and may not represent the full spectrum of gender diversity of the included authors. Institutional information was also collected. Chi-square analyses and odds ratio were performed to compare authorship patterns. Results 2156 manuscripts met criteria, 1717 from Journal of Sexual Medicine and 439 from Sexual Medicine. From 2013-2023, women composed 44.1% (951/2156) of first authors and 32.5% (691/2156) of last authors. Overall, first authorship by women increased from 2013 (110/271, 41%) to 2023 (59/104, 57%) (p<0.005) [Figure 1]. In 2022 and 2023, women were the majority of first authors (50.3% and 56.7%, respectively). Manuscripts with women as first authors were more likely to have women as last authors (OR: 1.64, CI: 1.45-1.86, p<0.0001). In the US and Canada, the majority of first (61.1%, 214/350) and last (61.6%, 157/254) authors who are women came from public rather than private institutions, but this was non-significant. First authors who are women predominantly came from North America (38.6%), Europe (36.3%), Asia (17.7%), South America (3.9%), Australia/New Zealand (2.6%), followed by Africa (0.9%); last authors who are women had a similar breakdown by continent. The greatest percentage of authorship by women came from Australia/New Zealand with 50.8% (32/63) of first authors and 45% (27/60) of last authors. The largest disparity was seen in Africa with 22.2% (10/45) of first authors and a mere 16.3% (7/43) of last authors being women. Conclusions Authorship by women in sexual medicine journals is increasing over time, with positive trends observed in both first and last authorship. The effect is more pronounced in first authorship as compared to last, possibly reflecting the increasing numbers of trainees who are women. Manuscripts with women as first authors are correlated with last authors who are women, supporting a positive relationship in gender concordant mentorship. Disclosure No.

The Pamplona Bibles: A New Member of the Family

In the last decade of the twelfth century, two monumental illustrated bibles were produced in the Kingdom of Navarre, Spain. Named after the city where they originated, they are known as the Pamplona Bibles. Encompassing around a thousand illustrations each, the two bible picture books were commissioned by King Sancho VIII el Fuerte of Navarre: the oldest was completed in 1197 and produced for the king’s use, while a second was finished not long after for an unknown female reader. In 1328, a third Pamplona Bible was produced in a different style by commercial artisans in Paris. This paper introduces a single surviving leaf that appears to represent a fourth Pamplona Bible. The remaining leaf, which is kept at the University of Victoria, holds an illustration that closely resembles its counterpart in the 1197 copy and may well be of a similar age. The leaf deepens our understanding of the production context of the oldest Pamplona Bibles and the workshop that produced them. At the same time, its codicological features suggest that the original manuscript to which the leaf belonged was a very different object than the other surviving Pamplona Bibles.

Judita v Biblii a staroanglickej básni

The article deals with the deuterocanonical Book of Judith which was famously rendered from Aramaic into Latin by the patron of all translators, Saint Jerome (c. 345 – 420) virtually overnight and included in his translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate. More specifically, the article focuses on the text’s rendition into Anglo-Saxon by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet whose text is often anthologized and poses part of university curricula. The only extant original manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Judith is found on the famous Beowulf manuscript, partially damaged during the infamous fire of 1731 which decimated Robert Bruce Cotton’s (1571 – 1631) private collection of historical manuscripts, charters, rolls and seals. (1) Using the comparative method, the author of the paper takes an observant look at the Modern-English translation of Judith by the contemporary British literary scholar Elaine Treharne, and compares it with the deuterocanonical Book of Judith as found in the Slovak Catholic version of the Bible (Sväté písmo Starého i Nového zákona). The main objective of the proposed paper is to find out how the Book of Judith was altered to accommodate to the Anglo-Saxon readership. In the text, the author coins new terminology – primary and secondary elements of inculturation and lists examples of them as found in the Anglo-Saxon version of Judith. Thus, the Anglo-Saxon version of the Book of Judith cannot be considered a translation proper, but an inculturational adaptation. As part of his research, the author of the article produces his own second-hand translation of the Anglo-Saxon Judith from (modern) English into Slovak for the sake of Slovak readership.

The role of artificial intelligence in generating original scientific research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a revolutionary technology that is finding wide application across numerous sectors. Large language models (LLMs) are an emerging subset technology of AI and have been developed to communicate using human languages. At their core, LLMs are trained with vast amounts of information extracted from the internet, including text and images. Their ability to create human-like, expert text in almost any subject means they are increasingly being used as an aid to presentation, particularly in scientific writing. However, we wondered whether LLMs could go further, generating original scientific research and preparing the results for publication. We taskedGPT-4, an LLM, to write an original pharmaceutics manuscript, on a topic that is itself novel. It was able to conceive a research hypothesis, define an experimental protocol, produce photo-realistic images of 3D printed tablets, generate believable analytical data from a range of instruments and write a convincing publication-ready manuscript with evidence of critical interpretation. The model achieved all this is less than 1 h. Moreover, the generated data were multi-modal in nature, including thermal analyses, vibrational spectroscopy and dissolution testing, demonstrating multi-disciplinary expertise in the LLM. One area in which the model failed, however, was in referencing to the literature. Since the generated experimental results appeared believable though, we suggest that LLMs could certainly play a role in scientific research but with human input, interpretation and data validation. We discuss the potential benefits and current bottlenecks for realising this ambition here.

Eugen Simion și Aradul cultural: șansa unei întâlniri providențiale

Eugen Simion visited Arad on multiple occasions, meeting writers, teachers, literary critics of the place, animating them all in the name of large-scale projects and enriching, through his energy and vision, the cultural events that marked the literary life of the city. We propose a presentation of some projects that he initiated in Arad and which constitute essential moments for the Romanian culture: the publication of the volumes Ioan Slavici, Opere V (2005), Opere VI (2006) and Opere IX (2010), Tudor Arghezi, Opere X (2011) and Ștefan Augustin Doinaș, Opere I (2016) and Opere II (2016), in the Pléiade type collection, and also the support he gave to the publication of the volume of hitherto unpublished manuscripts by Tudor Arghezi.. The moments and works presented in this study were, undoubtedly, milestones for the promotion of Arad’s literary life. What remains behind Eugen Simion is, beyond the project itself, that vocation to have bright ideas and transform them into living projects. The original Arghezi manuscripts, as well as the complete work of Slavici or Doinaș, would have remained, we state it with complete conviction, in an agonizing waiting, if they had not had the chance of the spiritual encounter with Eugen Simion.

Conceptualising accounting as a value-based concept in the context of alternative finance

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the claim that there is no coherent and homogeneous body of concepts and practices that can be classified as “Islamic accounting”.Design/methodology/approachThe study focuses specifically on Islamic accounting and uses a qualitative historical documentary analysis methodology to study an original manuscript from the 14th century.FindingsThe analysis of the manuscript argues that religious accounting can be seen as a value-based system for achieving social good and that in the context of Islamic accounting, it can be conceptualised as a coherent body of ideas and practices.Originality/valueFirstly, the study conceptualises Islamic accounting as a homogeneous discipline with its own knowledge, concepts and practices. Secondly, it contributes to current accounting literature by examining an ancient manuscript from the 14th century, which serves as a foundation for understanding the Islamic accounting system within the context of accounting, religion and spirituality. The paper further contributes by arguing that this conceptualisation of religious accounting as a value-based approach enables its practitioners to evaluate their own accountabilities in delivering on socioeconomic objectives related to inter-human/environmental, social and financial transactions within the context of religious accounting practices.

«Архитектурная исповедь» Якова Рубанчика. По страницам неизданной рукописи

This article describes in detail the unpublished manuscript by the famous Soviet architect Yakov O. Rubanchik, written in 1939-1940 and entitled “My Architect's Confession”. The author takes a critical view of his creative activity in 1920-1930s, and namely architectural design and architectural engineering, his participation in competitions, town-planning projects to reconstruct the squares in Leningrad and Taganrog, graphic art and printmaking, his teaching at the Academy of Arts, research activities and studies of the history of Russian cities. The original manuscript is in the collection of Shchusev State Museum of Architecture, a copy thereof was provided to the author of this article by the Sverdlovs family.

Molecular and Genetic Advances in Small Cell Lung Cancer Landscape: From Homogeneity to Diversity.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been historically considered a homogeneous disease and thus approached as a single entity when it comes to clinical studies design and new treatments developments. However, increasing knowledge in the genetic and molecular landscape of this disease challenges this concept, opening the possibility that different subtypes might show differential vulnerability to treatments. In this narrative review, we gather the most relevant advances in genetic and molecular characterization of SCLC, focusing on how these discoveries may be used to design the path for a personalized treatment approach. Indeed, we discuss the new classification based on differential protein expression, the prevalence and significance of oncogenic drivers (e.g., EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements) in SCLC, the genetic characteristics of SCLC in patients with no smoking history, and the existing evidence supporting the use of liquid biopsy for capturing the heterogeneity of the disease. We use the keywords "small cell lung cancer", "SCLC", "EGFR", "ALK", "histological transformation", and "transcriptional factors" to identify original research manuscripts, clinical trials, case reports, and case series from PubMed.

DIMITRIE CANTEMIR ŞI CHIRURGIA

One of the most important works left by Dimitrie Cantemir, among his rich writings, was "INCREMENTORVM ET DECREMENTORVM AVLAE OTHOMANICAE SIVE ALIOTHMANICAE HISTORIAE A PRIMA GENTIS ORIGINE AD NOSTRA VSQVE TEMPORA DEDVCTATE LIBRI TRES", translated nowadays under the title "HISTORY OF THE INCREASE AND THE DECAY OF THE OTTHMAN OR ALIOTHMAN COURT (FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF THE NATION TO OUR TIME), IN THREE BOOKS". Among other information, it also contains a description of the land and the city of Avlonia - i.e. Vlora (dominated then by the Sublime Porta), as well as the Albanians from that region who had several qualities: fierce fighters, builders of aqueducts (without formal education) and healers of hernia by surgical operation. The surgery part has a special significance. In 1734 ”Incrementorum...” was translated into English by pastor Tindal, historian and translator. He used a manuscript in Latin given to him by Antioch Cantemir, son of Dimitrie Cantemir. The English text was translated into French by Fr. de Joncquieres. In 1745, a German translation appeared in the city of Hamburg, also using the English edition. In 1876, the Romanian Academy, published Iosif Hodoş first Romanian translation of the German edition. Fragments adapted from this edition were then used by Romanian researchers, including historians of medicine, such as Pompei Samarian, Dr. Vasile Sârbu. The original Latin manuscript of Dimitrie Cantemir's text was to be found not earlier than 1984 by Virgil Cândea at the Houghton Library in the USA. The Latinist Dan Sluşanschi published the manuscript and made its first translation from Latin into Romanian. The surgeon Dr. A. E. Nicolau published fragments of this translation, namely the passage regarding the surgical cure. În 2015, years after Dan Sluşanschi passing, the Romanian Academy published the text of the transcribed Latin manuscript and a translation version. In parallel, another academic and surgeon, Mircea Beuran, highlighted Cantemir's text, in a different form, exposing in the Floreasca Hospital on large, colorful, how inguinal hernia was operated in the 17th-18th centuries.

Surviving Hebrew Accounts From the European Genizah. The Earliest Ledger of a Jewish Pawnshop in Italy

This study presents an original manuscript of the European Genizah containing the earliest account book of a Jewish moneylender in Italy. This document, which dates back to the early fifteenth century, sheds new light on the economic history of the Jews, credit issues in north Italy, Jewish–Christian economic relations and material culture through references to pawned objects, as well as the history of accounting practices. Its paper leaves were dismembered and reused to bind a different book of Italian origin. As with thousands of other fragments found in bindings across Europe, the recycling of codices paradoxically assured their survival. The sheets of the ledger were discovered, detached and conserved when the manuscript was restored at the end of the nineteenth century.

Correction: Shephard et al. Climate Smart Forestry in the Southern United States. Forests 2022, 13, 1460

There are two errors related to units in the original manuscript [...]

Single-cell resolution of human airway epithelial cells exposed to bronchiolitis obliterans-associated chemicals.

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a fibrotic lung disease characterized by progressive luminal narrowing and obliteration of the small airways. In the nontransplant population, inhalation exposure to certain chemicals is associated with BO; however, the mechanisms contributing to disease induction remain poorly understood. This study's objective was to use single-cell RNA sequencing for the identification of transcriptomic signatures common to primary human airway epithelial cells after chemical exposure to BO-associated chemicals-diacetyl or nitrogen mustard-to help explain BO induction. Primary airway epithelial cells were cultured at air-liquid interface and exposed to diacetyl, nitrogen mustard, or control vapors. Cultures were dissociated and sequenced for single-cell RNA. Differential gene expression and functional pathway analyses were compared across exposures. In total, 75,663 single cells were captured and sequenced from all exposure conditions. Unbiased clustering identified 11 discrete phenotypes, including 5 basal, 2 ciliated, and 2 secretory cell clusters. With chemical exposure, the proportion of cells assigned to keratin 5+ basal cells decreased, whereas the proportion of cells aligned to secretory cell clusters increased compared with control exposures. Functional pathway analysis identified interferon signaling and antigen processing/presentation as pathways commonly upregulated after diacetyl or nitrogen mustard exposure in a ciliated cell cluster. Conversely, the response of airway basal cells differed significantly with upregulation of the unfolded protein response in diacetyl-exposed basal cells, not seen in nitrogen mustard-exposed cultures. These new insights provide early identification of airway epithelial signatures common to BO-associated chemical exposures.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a devastating fibrotic lung disease of the small airways, or bronchioles. This original manuscript uses single-cell RNA sequencing for identifying common signatures of chemically exposed airway epithelial cells in BO induction. Chemical exposure reduced the proportion of keratin 5+ basal cells while increasing the proportion of keratin 4+ suprabasal cells. Functional pathways contributory to these shifts differed significantly across exposures. These new results highlight similarities and differences in BO induction across exposures.

Primary facility for traceable measurement of BSSRDF: erratum.

An erratum is presented to correct the measurement equation used for the calculation of the BSSRDF in our manuscript [Opt. Express29 (21), 34175 (2021)10.1364/OE.439108]. This correction affects slightly the results showed in Figs. 7 and 8 of the primary manuscript, so they are replaced by Fig. S1 and Fig. S2, respectively, of the current erratum. The discussion on the results of Fig. 7 of the primary manuscript is completely valid also for the new results, but a slightly different discussion is given on the new results showed in Fig. S2. Nevertheless, the conclusions of the original manuscript are not affected at all.