Biopolitics and Belief: The Impacts of Religious Attitudes on Reproductive Rights in the U.S.

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973)—a groundbreaking case that legalized the right to have an abortion—which signified a deep rift in the nation between the opinions of its lawmakers and citizens in the wake of a widening partisan gap. Biopower, according to Foucault, can be defined as the governing of bodies wherein citizens are stripped of bodily autonomy and are closely regulated by the nation-state. Manifested in political consequences, this can be defined as biopolitics, or when the nation-state’s ideas are made into a reality in the political realm. Religion in particular is often employed by the conservative right as justification of the U.S.’s use of biopolitics to mass control reproductive health. The research seeks to understand the implications of biopolitical warfare on women’s health through asking: (1) Why and how does religion seek to control reproductive health?, (2) How has religion influenced biopolitics and how does it continue to influence the political realm today?, and (3) In what ways has increased party polarization in addition to religious ideology contributed to the gap in public opinion on reproductive rights? Using data from the 2020 American National Election Studies, the research aims to establish how and why the religious right uses its political power for personal gain, and the ways in which both party identification and religious beliefs jointly influence abortion opinions. Overall findings suggest that increased party polarization has created an inaccurate representation of the right in positions of political power, which has further enabled the religious right to use anti-abortion legislation to control constituents. These findings contribute to present understandings of the biopolitical role that religion and party identification play in determining national reproductive health outcomes

Evaluation of green solvents’ applicability for chromatic reintegration of polychrome artworks

Organic solvents are commonly used in restoration treatments, including chromatic reintegration on polychrome artworks. They are often toxic, and their vapors have a high impact on the environment and restorers, possibly causing pathological conditions. Therefore, this study aims at defining a new green solvent that can be used for chromatic reintegration, maintaining the volatility and the desired physical–chemical properties. The dispersion forces value (Fd) of ethyl lactate was taken as reference for a comparison with the proposed solvents, since it was found to be the most used solvent for the dilution of Maimeri Restoration Colors (MRC) and Gamblin Conservation Colors (GCC). Based on the Teas fractional parameters, six solutions based on acetals and ethanol have been proposed and tested. They were mixed with both MRC and GCC, and applied on prepared canvases. The difference between the backgrounds made with reference solvent and the one made with the proposed alternatives was evaluated through spectrocolorimetric measurements. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR) was performed on the applied layers to evaluate the presence of residual solvent inside them, while the volatility of the solvents was assessed by performing gravimetric analysis. The study showed that acetals, acetals’ blends, and acetals–ethanol mixtures represent suitable alternatives for the dilution of Gamblin Conservation Color and Maimeri Restoration Colors

Parathyroid Adenoma Presenting as a Brown Tumour of the Mandible

Background. Parathyroid adenoma is the commonest cause of primary hypercalcaemia and usually presents with symptoms/signs of hypercalcaemia. This paper highlights an unusual presentation. Case Report. A 27-year-old female presented with a painful left mandibular swelling, suspicious of neoplasia. A computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy was performed. Based on the histology result, serum calcium was carried out, confirming hypercalcaemia. A left inferior parathyroid adenoma was subsequently removed. CT mandible showed extensive erosive lesions at the left 2nd/3rd inferior molar roots with protrusion to adjacent soft tissues. USS revealed a hypoechoic lesion on the left inferior parathyroid gland. Sestamibi scan showed a focus of MIBI uptake and retention at the inferior aspect of the left thyroid lobe. Conclusion. This case highlights the importance of a thorough history and examination. Clinicians should always bear in mind atypical presentations of parathyroid adenomas, with the need to exclude this differential in the presence of hypercalcaemia

Application of hydrogen peroxide to improve the microbiological stability of food ice produced in industrial facilities

This work was aimed to produce an “active” food ice to preserve its microbiological safety over time. With this in mind, ice cubes were processed with the addition of H2O2 to water before freezing. Four food ice productions were performed at the industrial level: one control trial without the addition of H2O2 (0OX) and three experimental trials obtained by adding 4, 8, and 12 mg/L of H2 O2 (4OX, 8OX, and 12OX), respectively. After production, all food ice trials were artificially contaminated with 102 CFU/100 mL of water-borne pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enteroccus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) inoculated individually. Thawed ice samples were then subjected to microbiological analyses performed by the membrane filtration method and the results indicated that only trial 12OX was able to inactivate all bacteria strains. In conclusion, the addition of 12 mg/L H2O2 represents an optimal cost-effective strategy to preserve the microbiological stability of food ice even when it is improperly handled after production

Monitoring commercial starter culture development in presence of red grape pomace powder to produce polyphenol-enriched fresh ovine cheeses at industrial scale level

Red grape Nero d'Avola cultivar grape pomace powder (GPP) was applied during fresh ovine cheese production in order to increase polyphenol content. Before cheeses were produced, the bacteria of a freeze-dried commercial starter culture were isolated and tested in vitro against GPP. Two dominant strains, both resistant to GPP, were identified. Thestarter culture was inoculated in pasteurized ewe's milk and the curd was divided into two bulks, one added with 1% (w/w) GPP and another one GPP-free. GPP did not influence the starter culture development, since lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were 109 CFU/g in both cheeses at 30 d. To exclude the interference of indigenous LAB, the pasteurized milk was analyzed, and several colonies of presumptive LAB were isolated, purified and typed. Four strains were allotted into Enterococcus and Lacticaseibacillus genera. The direct comparison of the polymorphic profiles of cheese bacteria evidenced the dominance of the starter culture over milk LAB. The addition of GPP increased cheese total phenolic compounds by 0.42 g GAE/kg. Sensory evaluation indicated that GPP-enriched cheese was well appreciated by the judges, providing evidence that GPP is a suitable substrate to increase the availability of total phenolic content in fresh ovine cheese

Use of a Custom-Made Patellar Groove Replacement in an American Staffordshire Terrier Puppy with a Severe Bone Defect in the Femoral Trochlea Caused by Hematogenous Osteomyelitis

Simple Summary Osteomyelitis is a bone infection disease causing progressive inflammation. Bone lysis, periosteal reactions and ischemic regions of infected necrotic and devitalized tissue are likely secondary abnormalities. A prolonged antibiotic therapy, an abundant lavage of the affected region and several revision surgeries to debride infected and necrotic bone are paramount treatments for osteomyelitis. The treatment of extensive bone defects and functional damage may require the use of prosthetic surgery, allowing the anatomical and functional recovery of the affected area, and in some cases, it is necessary to use a customized prosthesis for a better anatomical and functional adaptation. In veterinary medicine, the implementation of 3D-printing technologies and the application of custom-made surgical implants and prosthetics have enabled the management of intricate orthopedic conditions that were previously only addressed through salvage procedures, such as arthrodesis or amputations. The purpose of this report is to describe the surgical technique and outcome of a custom-made patellar groove replacement in a puppy with a severe bone defect in the femoral trochlea caused by hematogenous osteomyelitis. This surgery showed excellent short-, medium- and long-term outcomes, and it is the first report on a custom-made patellar groove replacement available in the literature.Abstract An 8-month-old male American Staffordshire terrier was referred for a no-weightbearing lameness of the right pelvic limb, hyperthermia, lethargy and inappetence. Two months before, endocarditis was diagnosed and treated in another veterinary hospital. Orthopedic, radiographic and tomographic examinations revealed a bone sequestrum of 4 x 1.4 cm and active periosteal reaction of the caudo-lateral cortical in the metaphysis and the distal third of the right femoral diaphysis, medullary osteolysis and interruption of the cranio-medial cortical profile, with involvement of the femoral trochlea leading to a secondary medial patella luxation. Hematogenous osteomyelitis was the suspected diagnosis. Once skeletally mature, after 4 months from surgical debridement and aggressive antibiotic therapy against Klebsiella oxytoca revealed by a bacteriological exam, the patient underwent prosthetic surgery for the application of a custom-made patellar groove replacement (PGR) to fill the bone defect and restore the femoral trochlea surface. Despite the serious injury that afflicted the right pelvic limb, the surgery had satisfactory outcomes until the last 18-month postoperative follow up

Analytical Investigations of XIX–XX century paints. The study of two vehicles from the Museum for Communications of Frankfurt

Over the centuries, humans have developed different systems to protect surfaces from the influence of environmental factors. Protective paints are the most used ones. They have undergone considerable development over the years, especially at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Indeed, between the two centuries, new binders and pigments have been introduced in the constituent materials of paints. The years in which these compounds have been introduced and spread in the paint market allow them to be defined as markers for the dating of paints and painted artifacts. The present work is focused on the study of the paints of two vehicles of the Frankfurt Museum of Communication, i.e., a carriage and a cart, that was designed for the German Postal and Telecommunications Service roughly between 1880 and 1920. The characterization of the paints was performed through in situ non-invasive techniques, i.e., portable optical microscopy and multispectral imaging, and laboratory non-destructive techniques, i.e., FT-IR ATR spectroscopy and SEM-EDS. The analytical investigation and the comparison with the data reported in the literature allowed us to determine the historicity of the paints, which are all dated before the 1950s

Hepatic incidentaloma: An asymptomatic ectopic thyroid tissue

: An ectopic thyroid is a form of thyroid dysgenesis in which the entire thyroid gland or parts of it may be located in another part of the body than the usual place. The most frequent location is the base of the tongue. Although most cases are asymptomatic, symptoms related to tumor size and its relationship with surrounding tissues, hormonal dysfunction, and seldom malignancy may also occur. Here, we describe the case of an asymptomatic woman who was thyroidectomized 19 years previously for a toxic goiter and treated with conventional L-thyroxine therapy, until we enacted a progressive reduction of dosage of the replacement therapy. Incidentally, because of occasional abdomen discomfort, she was hospitalized in our Division of Endocrinology as there was ultrasound evidence of a large mass in the liver dislocating and imprinting the choledochal duct in the pre-pancreatic site, the gallbladder, and the cystic duct, which could not be dissociated from the contiguous hepatic parenchyma and was in very close proximity to the second duodenal portion and the head of the pancreas. Imaging techniques, such as TC, MR, TC/PET, and 131I scintigraphy, confirmed the large lesion with a diameter on the axial plane of about 8 × 5.5 cm and a cranio-caudal extension of about 6 cm. The impossibility of surgical debulking and/or radiometabolic 131I therapy, in the absence of compression symptoms, led to the multidisciplinary decision of a clinical and instrumental follow-up of this rare lesion

Effect on the antioxidant, lipoperoxyl radical scavenger capacity, nutritional, sensory and microbiological traits of an ovine stretched cheese produced with grape pomace powder addition

An innovative ovine cheese enriched with red grape pomace powder (GPP) was produced to improve the functional properties of Vastedda cheese typology. Vastedda cheese making was performed adding GPP and four selected Lactococcus lactis strains (Mise36, Mise94, Mise169 and Mise190). For each strain, 40 L of pasteurized ewe’s milk was divided into two aliquots representing control and experimental trials. Control cheese (CC) production did not contain GPP, while the experimental cheese (EC) production was enriched with 1% (w/w) GPP. GPP did not slow down starter development and acid generation. Plate counts and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis confirmed the dominance of the starters in all trials. The evolution of the physicochemical parameters showed that EC productions were characterized by lower fat content, higher protein content, and higher values of secondary lipid oxidation. Sensory evaluation indicated that the cheeses produced with the strain Mise94 were those more appreciated by the judges. Thus, the last cheeses were investigated for some functional aspects: GPP enrichment significantly increased antioxidant activity and lipoperoxyl radical scavenger capacity, confirming that grape polyphenol inclusion in cheese represents an optimal strategy for the valorization of ovine cheeses as well as winemaking industry by-products

La fotodiagnosi cutanea nella delimitazione in vivo di carcinomi basocellulari problematici dell'estremo cefalico: studio di un caso

Il carcinoma basocellulare (CB) è il più frequente tumore maligno della cute e costituisce l’80% dei tumori cuta-nei non melanocitari. Presenta un’incidenza superiore a 2 milioni di nuovi casi ogni anno in tutto il mondo. L’elevata prevalenza dei CB, il rischio di recidive e la spesso non semplice delimitazione visiva, sottolineano l’importanza di studiare nuove alternative diagnostiche e terapeutiche che, attraverso una corretta delimitazione dei margini tumorali della lesione cutanea, possano consentire un’asportazione chirurgica completa. La fotodiagnosi cutanea si basa sulla diversa fluorescenza emessa dalle cellule tumorali, trattate con un farmaco fotosensibilizzante e successivamente illuminate con luce di Wood, rispetto al tessuto sano circostante. È una metodica diagnostica che permette una corretta distinzione tra il tessuto tumorale e il tessuto sano circostante rispetto a quanto non sia possibile con la sola diagnosi clinica e rappresenta pertanto una procedura di riferimento per la determinazione visiva e in vivo dei margini di una lesione tumorale da asportare chirurgicamente e mal definibile nei contorni di superficie. Presentiamo il caso di una paziente con un carcinoma basocellulare recidivante, localizzato in sede nasale con difficile definizione dei margini della lesione, in cui la fotodiagnosi ha permesso di ottenere una più precisa valutazione dell’area tumorale e una conseguente asportazione radicale