Statistics do sweat: Situated messiness and spatial science

David Livingstone's The Geographical Tradition remains a landmark in geographic historiography. This commentary argues that Livingstone contravened his own methodology when discussing geography's spatial science era. After situating the book in its own spatiotemporal context, I suggest elements that could enrich a contemporary account of the spatial science era sensitive to Livingstone's methodological approach

Effect of pharmacologically induced smooth muscle activation on permeability in murine colitis.

BACKGROUND: Both intestinal permeability and contractility are altered in inflammatory bowel disease. Little is known about their mutual relation. Therefore, an in vitro organ bath technique was developed to investigate the simultaneous effects of inflammation on permeability and smooth muscle contractility in different segments of the colon. METHODS AND MATERIALS: BALB/c mice were exposed to a 10% dextran sulphate sodium drinking water solution for 7 days to induce a mild colitis, while control mice received normal tap water. Intestinal segments were placed in an oxygenated organ bath containing Krebs buffer. Permeability was measured by the transport of the marker molecules 3H-mannitol and 14C-polyethyleneglycol 4000. Contractility was measured through a pressure sensor. Smooth muscle relaxation was obtained by salbutamol and l-phenylephrine, whereas contraction was achieved by carbachol and 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-biguanide. RESULTS: The intensity of mucosal inflammation increased throughout the colon. Also, regional differences were observed in intestinal permeability. In both normal and inflamed distal colon segments, permeability was diminished compared with proximal colon segments and the non-inflamed ileum. Permeability in inflamed distal colon segments was significantly decreased compared with normal distal segments. Pharmacologically induced relaxation of smooth muscles did not affect this diminished permeability, although an increased motility positively affected permeability in inflamed and non-inflamed distal colon. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation and permeability is inversely related. The use of pro-kinetics could counteract this disturbed permeability and, in turn, could regulate the disturbed production of inflammatory mediators

Somatostatin does not attenuate intestinal injury in dextran sodium sulphate-induced subacute colitis.

FRom several in vitro and in vivo studies involvement of somatostatin (SMS) in intestinal inflammation emerge. Acute colitis induced in rats is attenuated by the long-acting SMS analogue octreotide. We studied the potential beneficial effect of SMS on non-acute experimental colitis. BALB/c mice received either saline, SMS-14 (36 or 120 microg daily) or octreotide (3 microg daily) subcutaneously delivered by implant osmotic pumps. A non-acute colitis was induced by administration of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) 10% in drinking water during 7 days. DSS evoked a mild, superficial pancolitis, most characterized by mucosal ulceration and submucosal influx of neutrophils. Neither SMS-14 nor octreotide reduced mucosal inflammatory score or macroscopical disease activity, although reduction of intestinal levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6 and IL-10 during DSS was augmented both by SMS and octreotide. A slight increase of neutrophil influx was seen during SMS administration in animals not exposed to DSS. In conclusion, SMS or its long-acting analogue did not reduce intestinal inflammation in non-acute DSS-induced colitis. According to the cytokine profile observed, SMS-14 and octreotide further diminished the reduction of intestinal macrophage and Th2 lymphocyte activity

Exploring the relation between preoperative physical functioning and the impact of major complications in patients following pancreatic resection

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative level of physical functioning and time to recovery of physical functioning, postoperative complications, and the impact of postoperative major complications in patients undergoing elective pancreatic resection. Additionally, prediction models to identify high-risk patients for developing a major complication were externally validated. METHODS: Perioperative data of patients who underwent pancreatic resection were analysed. Primary outcomes were time to recovery of physical functioning and postoperative major complications. Impact of a major complication was explored by evaluating its effect on time to recovery of physical functioning. Risk-prediction models were retrieved following a systematic review. RESULTS: Multivariable analysis (n = 63) showed that ASA grade III (OR 3.498) and preoperative platelet count (OR 1.005) were associated with major complications, whereas aerobic capacity (OR 0.347) was associated with time to recovery of physical functioning. Age, preoperative aerobic capacity, functional mobility, and perceived level of functional capacity were associated with the impact of a major complication. The AUC of two risk prediction models were 0.556 and 0.701. CONCLUSION: Preoperative parameters of physical function were associated with postoperative outcomes and may be useful in outcome prediction, although future approaches should not only register the incidence of major complications but also take the impact of a complication on a patient's physical functioning into account

Physical Effects, Safety and Feasibility of Prehabilitation in Patients Awaiting Orthotopic Liver Transplantation, a Systematic Review

Prehabilitation improves surgical outcomes in patients undergoing surgery. However, patients preparing for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are physically “frail” and suffer from comorbidities that generally hamper physical activity. This systematic review aims to evaluate the physical effects, safety and feasibility of prehabilitation in OLT candidates. Relevant articles were searched, in Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Medline and Google Scholar, to December 2021. Studies reporting on specified preoperative exercise programs, including adult OLT candidates with end-stage liver disease, with a model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score ≥12 or Child-Pugh classification B/C, were included. This resulted in 563 potentially eligible studies, out of which eight were selected for inclusion, consisting of 1,094 patients (male sex 68%; mean age 51–61 years; mean MELD score 12-21). Six of the included studies were classified as low-quality by the GRADE system, and three studies had high risk for ineffectiveness of the training program according to the i-CONTENT tool. Significant improvement was observed in VO2 peak, 6-minute walking distance, hand grip strength, liver frailty index and quality of life. Feasibility ranged from an adherence of 38%–90% in unsupervised-to >94% in supervised programs. No serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, prehabilitation in patients awaiting OLT appears to improve aerobic capacity, and seems feasible and safe. However, larger clinical trials are required to accurately examine the preoperative and postoperative effects of prehabilitation in this specific patient population

Reappraising David Livingstone's The Geographical Tradition:A Quarter of a Century On

The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). © 2019 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). The quarter of a century since the publication of David Livingstone's The Geographical Tradition in 1992 provides an apt moment to reflect on the book's theses, lacunae, and legacies, and to take stock of the ways in which its provocations and reception might instruct the wider project of rendering the discipline's history. In framing this themed intervention, we engage the assertion that contextualisers need contextualising; there exists scope to heighten awareness of the location within time, space and culture from which contextualist historiographies of geography are written. We call attention to the meaning and implications of the particular and situated contextualist methodology mobilised and executed in The Geographical Tradition

Physical Effects, Safety and Feasibility of Prehabilitation in Patients Awaiting Orthotopic Liver Transplantation, a Systematic Review

Prehabilitation improves surgical outcomes in patients undergoing surgery. However, patients preparing for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are physically “frail” and suffer from comorbidities that generally hamper physical activity. This systematic review aims to evaluate the physical effects, safety and feasibility of prehabilitation in OLT candidates. Relevant articles were searched, in Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Medline and Google Scholar, to December 2021. Studies reporting on specified preoperative exercise programs, including adult OLT candidates with end-stage liver disease, with a model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score ≥12 or Child-Pugh classification B/C, were included. This resulted in 563 potentially eligible studies, out of which eight were selected for inclusion, consisting of 1,094 patients (male sex 68%; mean age 51–61 years; mean MELD score 12-21). Six of the included studies were classified as low-quality by the GRADE system, and three studies had high risk for ineffectiveness of the training program according to the i-CONTENT tool. Significant improvement was observed in VO2 peak, 6-minute walking distance, hand grip strength, liver frailty index and quality of life. Feasibility ranged from an adherence of 38%–90% in unsupervised-to &gt;94% in supervised programs. No serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, prehabilitation in patients awaiting OLT appears to improve aerobic capacity, and seems feasible and safe. However, larger clinical trials are required to accurately examine the preoperative and postoperative effects of prehabilitation in this specific patient population.</p