Microbial keratitis (MK) is an infection of the cornea, caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses. MK leads to significant morbidity, being the fifth leading cause of blindness worldwide. ...There is an urgent requirement to better understand pathogenesis in order to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes. Many in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo MK models have been developed and implemented to meet this aim. Here, we present current in vitro and ex vivo MK model systems, examining their varied design, outputs, reporting standards, and strengths and limitations. Major limitations include their relative simplicity and the perceived inability to study the immune response in these MK models, an aspect widely accepted to play a significant role in MK pathogenesis. Consequently, there remains a dependence on in vivo models to study this aspect of MK.
However, looking to the future, we draw from the broader field of corneal disease modelling, which utilises, for example, three-dimensional co-culture models and dynamic environments observed in bioreactors and organ-on-a-chip scenarios. These remain unexplored in MK research, but incorporation of these approaches will offer further advances in the field of MK corneal modelling, in particular with the focus of incorporation of immune components which we anticipate will better recapitulate pathogenesis and yield novel findings, therefore contributing to the enhancement of MK outcomes.
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We analyze a class of linear regression models including interactions of endogenous regressors and exogenous covariates. We show how to generate instrumental variables using the nonlinear functional ...form of the structural equation when traditional excluded instruments are unknown. We propose to use these instruments with identification robust IV inference. We furthermore show that, whenever functional form identification is not valid, the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator of the coefficient of the interaction term is consistent and standard OLS inference applies. Using our alternative empirical methods we confirm recent empirical findings on the nonlinear causal relation between financial development and economic growth.
Abstract
While evidential categories have similar meanings and uses cross-linguistically, the names given to the categories tend to vary. This article surveys the terms for evidentials used in ...descriptive grammars of 51 languages that have at least three evidential categories. Comparing terms to find common terminological tendencies can provide useful insights into the descriptions of categories. There is great deal of term synonymy and term polysemy, but each evidential category has its typical terms that are semantically motivated. The term synonymy is the result of emphasizing different semantic aspects of the evidential categories, which leads to variable term choices. There is terminological overlap between categories involving sensory perception (i.e. visual, direct, and nonvisual sensory evidentials), inference, and second-hand information, which suggests that they may not always be considered sufficiently conceptually distinct to merit unique terms, especially when the terms for inferential and assumptive evidentials are frequently created from the same words. The variation of the terminology is also connected to how the understanding of evidentiality and relationship to other adjacent categories has developed.
The functioning of terms and professionalisms belonging to the thematic group of mixed mar- tial arts has not been sufficiently studied by modern linguistics, which makes the present study rele- ...vant. The purpose of the study is to investigate the functional features of the terms and professional- isms of mixed martial arts, using the methods of continuous sampling and comparative analysis. The article considers the use of various types of sports professionalisms in speech, describes the ex- amples demonstrating implementation of the functions of terms (nominative, significative, commu- nicative and cognitive) in texts of different orientation. The conclusion is that not all lexical units have the exact status due to the fact that mixed martial arts as a sphere of functioning of these lexi- cal units is still relatively young.
Reviewers on manuscripts or grant proposals often react positively if authors use in-favor study techniques and negatively if authors use not-in-favor study techniques. A tacit assumption is that the ...in-favor technique is superior to alternate techniques. However, study techniques for theory testing depend on auxiliary assumptions that connect nonobservational terms in theories with observational terms in empirical hypotheses. Therefore, the extent to which a technique is useful depends on the theory and empirical hypothesis under investigation. A technique might be useful from one theoretical perspective and not useful from another theoretical perspective. Or a technique might successfully connect to one empirical hypothesis but not another. The present work threshes out some of the relevant philosophical issues.
We study the inequality −Δu−μ|x|2u≥(|x|−α⁎up)uq in an unbounded cone CΩρ⊂RN (N≥2) generated by a subdomain Ω of the unit sphere SN−1⊂RN, p,q,ρ>0, μ∈R and 0≤α<N. In the above, |x|−α⁎up denotes the ...standard convolution operator in the cone CΩρ. We discuss the existence and nonexistence of positive solutions in terms of N,p,q,α,μ and Ω. Extensions to systems of inequalities are also investigated.
Im Schweizer Recht besteht kein gesetzlich geregelter Anspruch von Alleinvertreibern auf eine Kundschaftsentschädigung bei Vertragsbeendigung. Die Rechtsprechung anerkennt jedoch einen solchen ...Anspruch, wenn der Alleinvertreiber eine dem Agenten ähnliche Stellung hat.
Evidenced-based practice is a key component of quality care. However, studies in the Philippines have identified gaps between evidence and actual maternity practices. This study aims to describe the ...practice of evidence-based intrapartum care and its associated factors, as well as exploring the perceptions of healthcare providers in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines.
A mixed-methods study was conducted, which consisted of direct observation of intrapartum practices during the second and third stages, as well as semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with care providers to determine their perceptions and reasoning behind decisions to perform episiotomy or fundal pressure. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyse the relationship between observed practices and maternal, neonatal, and environmental factors. Qualitative data were parsed and categorised to identify themes related to the decision-making process.
A total of 170 deliveries were included. Recommended care, such as prophylactic use of oxytocin and controlled cord traction in the third stage, were applied in almost all the cases. However, harmful practices were also observed, such as intramuscular or intravenous oxytocin use in the second stage (14%) and lack of foetal heart rate monitoring (57%). Of primiparae, 92% received episiotomy and 31% of all deliveries received fundal pressure. Factors associated with the implementation of episiotomy included primipara (adjusted Odds Ratio aOR 62.3), duration of the second stage of more than 30 min (aOR 4.6), and assisted vaginal delivery (aOR 15.0). Factors associated with fundal pressure were primipara (aOR 3.0), augmentation with oxytocin (aOR 3.3), and assisted delivery (aOR 4.8). Healthcare providers believe that these practices can prevent laceration. The rate of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) was 17%. Associated with OASIS were assisted delivery (aOR 6.0), baby weights of more than 3.5 kg (aOR 7.8), episiotomy (aOR 26.4), and fundal pressure (aOR 6.2).
Our study found that potentially harmful practices are still conducted that contribute to the occurrence of OASIS. The perception of these practices is divergent with current evidence, and empirical knowledge has more influence. To improve practices the scientific evidence and its underlying basis should be understood among providers.
The classification of English biotechnological terminology is proposed in the article. The author identifies the main groups of terms referring to general scientific, basic and proper terminology ...that have emerged within the framework of this science. Basic terms that have been borrowed from other terminological systems and have retained their original meaning, derivatives and complex terms (word combinations), terms borrowed from adjacent to biotechnology terminologies, but partially changed their semantics have been identified from the point of view of the formation and development of terminology.
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