The bust card: policing, race, welfare, drugs, and the counterculture in 1960s Britain.

Bust cards first emerged in the late 1960s as a way of obtaining help following arrest, giving the user the number of a 24-h telephone line to call on arrival at the police station. In the 2020s, such cards were used by direct action groups involved in civil disobedience campaigns, but tracing bust cards back reveals that their original purpose was different. The bust card was a novel way of enabling an individual to push back against the immediate experience of hostile policing, while enabling organizers to collate information on what was happening.

Initial Experience with Disposable Single-Use Cholangioscope During Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration.

For patients with choledocholithiasis, laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is more cost effective than endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and results in shorter hospital length of stay. As LCBDE can be technically challenging to perform, utilizing a disposable single-use cholangioscope (DSUC) for LCBDE through a cystic ductotomy has several advantages, such as potentially avoiding a choledochotomy and expanding access to cholangioscopes as a DSUC is disposable and does not require infrastructure for cleaning or maintenance. An IRB-approved, retrospective chart review from 2021 to 2023 was conducted for patients who underwent concurrent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and LCBDE with a DSUC (SpyGlass™ Discover, Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) for the management of choledocholithiasis diagnosed either preoperatively or during intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC).

Surgeon-Performed Percutaneous Endoscopic Biliary Lithectomy: Description of a Novel Technique and Initial Results.

Percutaneous endoscopic biliary lithectomy (PEBL) can be performed through preexisting drain tracts, offering ductal clearance and definitive management for patients with complicated gallstone disease unable to undergo conventional therapy. The technique has not been widely adopted by general surgeons. Herein, we describe our technique with surgeon-performed PEBL and present initial results.

Emerging Endoscopic Interventions in Bariatric Surgery.

Various endoscopic tools and techniques have been developed to treat obesity and its associated weight-related medical conditions. However, many of these endoscopic treatments may be little known or utilized. This article examines the many endoscopic options that have been developed to treat obesity including gastric aspiration devices, incisionless magnetic anastomotic systems, endoluminal bypass barrier sleeves, primary obesity surgery endoluminal, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, and duodenal mucosal resurfacing.

The diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus: A model alga to understand cold-adapted life.

Diatoms are significant primary producers especially in cold, turbulent, and nutrient-rich surface oceans. Hence, they are abundant in polar oceans, but also underpin most of the polar food webs and related biogeochemical cycles. The cold-adapted pennate diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus is considered a keystone species in polar oceans and sea ice because it can thrive under different environmental conditions if temperatures are low.

Climate warming has direct and indirect effects on microbes associated with carbon cycling in northern lakes.

Northern lakes disproportionately influence the global carbon cycle, and may do so more in the future depending on how their microbial communities respond to climate warming. Microbial communities can change because of the direct effects of climate warming on their metabolism and the indirect effects of climate warming on groundwater connectivity from thawing of surrounding permafrost, especially at lower landscape positions. Here we used shotgun metagenomics to compare the taxonomic and functional gene composition of sediment microbes in 19 peatland lakes across a 1600-km permafrost transect in boreal western Canada.

Genetic and Structural Diversity of Prokaryotic Ice-Binding Proteins from the Central Arctic Ocean.

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) are a group of ecologically and biotechnologically relevant enzymes produced by psychrophilic organisms. Although putative IBPs containing the domain of unknown function (DUF) 3494 have been identified in many taxa of polar microbes, our knowledge of their genetic and structural diversity in natural microbial communities is limited. Here, we used samples from sea ice and sea water collected in the central Arctic Ocean as part of the MOSAiC expedition for metagenome sequencing and the subsequent analyses of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs).

Over-the-Scope-Clips Can Be Fired Safely Over a Guidewire: Proof of Concept in an Ex-Vivo Porcine Model.

Background And Objectives: To assist in achieving optimal position when deploying over-the-scope (OTS)-clips, the concept of cannulating the defect with a guidewire, backloading the endoscope onto the wire, and firing the OTS-clip over the wire with subsequent wire removal has been demonstrated. The safety of this technique has not been evaluated.

Methods: An ex-vivo porcine foregut model was utilized.

Esophagogastric Junction Outflow Obstruction and Hiatal Hernia: Is Hernia Repair Alone Sufficient?

Introduction: Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) is attributed to primary/idiopathic causes or secondary/mechanical causes, including hiatal hernias (HH). While patients with HH and EGJOO (HH+EGJOO) may undergo HH repair without myotomy, it is unclear if an underlying motility disorder is missed by therapy which addresses only the secondary EGJOO cause. The goal of this study was to determine if HH repair alone is sufficient management for HH+EGJOO patients.

Is preparation of a sterile operative field before percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy necessary? A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: Despite the non-sterile nature of the alimentary tract, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) procedures are often performed after creating a sterile surgical field to reduce infection risk. Our group has previously demonstrated no statistically significant difference in the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) following PEG performed with or without sterile operative fields. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of working with or without sterile operative fields during PEG.

Comparison Between Clinically Available Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) and a Novel Bimodal Acoustic Signal System for Accelerating Fracture Healing.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) accelerates fracture healing by stimulating the production of bone callus and the mineralization process. This study compared a novel bimodal acoustic signal (BMAS) device for bone fracture healing to a clinical LIPUS system (EXOGEN; Bioventus, Durham, NC, USA). Thirty rabbits underwent a bilateral fibular osteotomy.

Endoscopic management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas with over-the-scope clips: A single-institution case series.

Aim: Conventional surgical management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas can be morbid and is contraindicated in many patients. Our aim in this work is to evaluate our experience in the management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas with endoscopic over-the-scope (OTS) clips.

Method: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent attempted endoscopic OTS clip management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas between 2013 and 2020 was performed.

Chinese hamster V79 cells' dependence on background ionizing radiation for optimal growth.

The study of depriving cells from background ionizing radiation for the past decades has provided valuable insights into its role in cellular homeostasis control. To explore the existence of such response in eukaryotic cells, we grew Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) V79 cells for 23 days using three different dose rates: 0.91 (below background), 35 (surface control) and 72 nGy h (underground KCl-amended control).

I am Worried: Do the PSWQ and PSWQ-A Display Measurement Invariance Across Four Racial Groups?

The issue of race within the context of psychological assessment is important, but often overlooked. Many self-report measures of psychopathology have been developed and validated using primarily White samples. Research regarding the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and race has produced mixed results, which in turn may present challenges when comparing scores across racial groups.

Emerging Endoscopic Interventions in Bariatric Surgery.

Although obesity rates are growing across the world, endoscopic modalities to treat obesity and its metabolic consequences are advancing rapidly. Multiple devices and techniques dedicated to weight management are being developed and have either been approved for use or are undergoing clinical trial. This article reviews many of these endoscopic interventions in bariatric surgery, including gastric aspiration devices, incisionless magnetic anastomotic systems, endoluminal bypass barrier sleeves, primary surgery obesity endoluminal, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, and duodenal mucosal resurfacing.

Brain Bio-Energetic State Does Not Correlate to Muscle Mitochondrial Function in Huntington's Disease.

Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease with cognitive, motor and psychiatric symptoms. A toxic accumulation of misfolded mutant huntingtin protein (Htt) induces mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to a bioenergetic insufficiency in neuronal and muscle cells. Improving mitochondrial function has been proposed as an opportunity to treat HD, but it is not known how mitochondrial function in different tissues relates.

Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SBT-020 in patients with early stage Huntington's disease, a 2-part study.

Aims: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease with cognitive, motor and psychiatric symptoms. Toxic accumulation of misfolded mutant huntingtin protein induces mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to a bioenergetic insufficiency in neuronal and muscle cells. We evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SBT-020, a novel compound to improve mitochondrial function, in a 2-part study in early stage HD patients.

Anxiety sensitivity, disgust sensitivity and aversive reactions to four stimuli.

Background: Prior theory and research has implicated disgust as relevant to some, but not all phobias.

Aims: The current study examined whether anxiety sensitivity is more relevant to certain specific phobias and whether disgust sensitivity is more relevant to other specific phobias.

Method: Participants (n = 201) completed measures of anxiety sensitivity, disgust sensitivity and measures of aversive reactions in the presence of two fear-relevant stimuli (i.

Clinical Outcomes following Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: A Single-Center Experience.

Introduction: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure is an established alternative to anticoagulation therapy for stroke prophylaxis among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. There are currently no guidelines on the choice of antithrombotic therapy following placement of the Watchman® device, the optimal time to discontinue anticoagulation or the duration of follow-up imaging after device deployment. Our main objective was to evaluate clinical outcomes among these patients.

Concomitant Anterior and Posterior Component Separations: Absolutely Contraindicated?

Many experts in abdominal wall reconstruction believe that the combination of simultaneous ipsilateral anterior component separation (ACS) and posterior component separation (PCS) is contraindicated. We performed ipsilateral endoscopic ACS and either endoscopic or open PCS-transversus abdominis release (TAR) in 5 fresh cadaver models. The full length of the semilunar line and the lateral abdominal wall remained well reinforced by 2 complete layers, comprising the internal oblique (IO) and TA muscles and their investing fasciae.

Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Blunt Cannula Trans-Sub-Tenon's Retrobulbar Block for Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate a novel trans-sub-Tenon's retrobulbar block (TSTRB) compared to sub-Tenon's block (STB) and peribulbar block (PBB) anesthesia for vitreoretinal surgery.

Methods: This study was a prospective evaluation of cases undergoing TSTRB, STB, or PBB. The Kallio scale and Brahma scales were used to score hemorrhage and extraocular motility, respectively.

Concomitant laparoscopic cholecystectomy and antegrade wire, rendezvous cannulation of the biliary tree may reduce post-ERCP pancreatitis events.

Introduction: For patients with a gallbladder in situ, choledocholithiasis is a common presenting symptom. Both two-session endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and subsequent cholecystectomy (CCY) and single-stage (simultaneous CCY/ERCP) have been described. We utilize an antegrade wire, rendezvous cannulation (AWRC) technique to facilitate ERCP during CCY.

Investigating the clinical use of structured light plethysmography to assess lung function in children with neuromuscular disorders.

Background: Children and young people with neuromuscular disorders (NMD), such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), develop progressive respiratory muscles weakness and pulmonary restriction. Pulmonary function monitoring of the decline in lung function allows for timely intervention with cough assist techniques and nocturnal non-invasive ventilation (NIV). NMD may find the measurement of lung function difficult using current techniques.

Over-the-scope clip management of non-acute, full-thickness gastrointestinal defects.

Background: Endoscopic management of full-thickness gastrointestinal tract defects (FTGID) has become an attractive management strategy, as it avoids the morbidity of surgery. We have previously described the short-term outcomes of over-the-scope clip management of 22 patients with non-acute FTGID. This study updates our prior findings with a larger sample size and longer follow-up period.