Correspondences - Online Journal For The Academic Study of Western Esotericism, Volume 2.2

Welcome to Correspondences, an international, peer-reviewed online journal devoted to the academic study of Western esotericism. By providing a wider forum of debate regarding issues and currents in Western esotericism than has previously been possible, Correspondences is committed to publishing work of a high academic standard as determined by a peer-review process, but does not require academic credentials as prerequisite for publication. Students and non-affiliated academics are encouraged to join established scholars in submitting insightful, well-researched articles that offer new ideas, positions, or information to the field

Diabetes mellitus increases risk for colorectal adenomas in younger patients

AIM: To determine if diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increased risk of colorectal adenomas in younger subjects. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 375 patients undergoing index colonoscopy at a single tertiary care center in the United States. Three cohorts of patients matched for exam date and gender were compared: (1) ages 40-49 years with DM; (2) ages 40-49 years without DM; and (3) ages 50-59 years without DM. Data collected included demographics, co-morbidities, colonoscopy and pathology results. Adenoma detection rates (ADR) were calculated and compared. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between each cohort and ADR. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-five patients ages 40-49 with DM met study eligibility criteria. Patients in the other two cohorts were randomly selected, matching for date of exam and gender. ADR was 14.4% in those ages 40-49 years without DM, 30.4% in those ages 40-49 years with DM, and 32.0% in those ages 50-59 years without DM. Compared to those ages 40-49 years without DM, ADR was higher in those ages 40-49 years with DM (OR = 3.1; 95%CI: 1.5-6.4; P = 0.002) and those ages 50-59 years without DM (OR = 2.9; 95%CI: 1.5-5.6; P = 0.002). There was no difference between the ADR in those ages 40-49 years with DM and those ages 50-59 years without DM (P = 0.83). CONCLUSION: DM was associated with higher risk of colorectal adenomas in patients ages 40-49 years. These subjects harbored as many adenomas as those at the standard screening age of 50-59 years without DM

The biopsy pathology of non‐coeliac enteropathy

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110584/1/his12522.pd

Pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD

Although the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not known precisely, approximately 10%–30% of patients with moderate to severe COPD have elevated pulmonary pressures. The vast majority of PH associated with COPD is mild to moderate and severe PH occurs in <5% of patients. When COPD is associated with PH, both mortality and morbidity are increased. There are no clinical or physical examination findings that accurately identify patients with underlying PH. Radiographic imaging findings are specific but not sensitive indicators of PH. Echocardiography is the principle noninvasive diagnostic test but may be technically limited in a significant proportion of patients with COPD. Right heart catheterization is required for accurate measurement of pulmonary pressures. The combined effects of inflammation, endothelial cell dysfunction, and angiogenesis appear to contribute to the development of PH associated with COPD. Systemic vasodilators have not been found to be effective therapy. Selective pulmonary vasodilators including inhaled nitric oxide and phosphodiesterase inhibitors are promising treatments for patients with COPD associated PH but further evaluation of these medications is needed prior to their routine use

To germinate or not : a study on the impact of temperature on germination of soybeans

Med ett klimat i förändring kommer nya utmaningar för svenska jordbruket i form av hur det bäst utnyttjar en längre växtsäsong och hur det anpassar sig till en annorlunda väderlek. Ett led i anpassningen är att utöka den inhemska sojaproduktionen. Soja har lägre behov av kvävegödsling och kan minska behovet av gödsling för efterkommande grödor. Grödan är också ett livsmedel med bland annat högt proteininnehåll och flera viktiga mineraler. Denna studie undersökte hur temperatur påverkade groningen hos fyra olika sojasorter, Be Sweet, Envy, Midori Giant och SL. Sorterna såddes i två jordar, vid fyra temperaturer (5, 10, 15 och 20°C) och i två omgångar med olika inledande förhållanden. I första omgången såddes Be Sweet, Envy och SL i alla fyra temperaturerna. SL var den sort som grodde mest med över 90 % groning i de tre högre temperaturerna och 78 % i den lägsta. Be Sweet grodde i liten mängd och Envy grodde inte alls. I andra omgången utnyttjades de tre högsta temperaturerna och då inkluderades även sorten Midori Giant. Även i andra omgången var SL överlag den sort som grodde mest, följt av Midori Giant. I 10°C grodde 64 % för SL, i 15°C 89 % och i 20oC grodde 96 %. För Midori Giant var andelen grodda vid motsvarande temperaturer 71 %, 82 % och 87 %. Även i andra omgången grodde Be Sweet i liten mängd och Envy inte alls. Resultaten från studien modellerades i statistikprogrammet JMP. Resultatet visade att temperatur är en viktig faktor för groning och att ena jorden i studien hade en större positiv inverkan på groningen än den andra. Slutsatsen blev att högre temperatur ger större mängd grodda frön och att av de fyra observerade sorterna av soja var SL den som grodde mest.As the climate changes, Swedish agriculture faces new challenges; primarily how to best take advantage of a longer growing season and how to best adapt to different weather. One step towards adaptation is to increase the national soy production. Soy has a lower need for nitrogen fertilizing and decreases the need for following crops to be fertilized. Soybean is also a food with, among other perks, a high amount of protein and several important minerals. This study focused on how temperature affected the germination of four types of soy: Be Sweet, Envy, Midori Giant and SL. The seeds were sown in two kinds of soil and four temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20°C). Two batches with different initial conditions were used. The first batch included Be Sweet, Envy and SL, sown in all four different temperatures. SL was the type which grew the most with over 90 % germination in the three warmer temperatures and 78 % in the coldest. Only a small amount of Be Sweet germinated, with Envy failing to germinate altogether. All four kinds of soy were included in the second batch, but no seeds were sown in 5°C. As with the first batch, SL proved to be the type which germinated with the highest frequency, followed by Midori Giant. 64 % of SL germinated in 10°C, 89 % in 15oC and 96 % germinated in 20oC. For Midori Giant the amount of germinated seeds for each corresponding temperature were 71 %, 82 % and 87 %. Only a small amount of Be Sweet germinated, with Envy once again not germinating at all. The results from the study were modelled in the statistics program JMP. The model showed that temperature is an important factor for germination and that one of the soils had a larger positive effect on the germination than the other. It can be concluded that increased temperature increases the amount of germinated seeds and that amongst the four observed kinds of soy were SL the one which germinated the most

Baseline features and reasons for nonparticipation in the Colonoscopy Versus Fecal Immunochemical Test in Reducing Mortality From Colorectal Cancer (CONFIRM) study, a colorectal cancer screening trial

IMPORTANCE: The Colonoscopy Versus Fecal Immunochemical Test in Reducing Mortality From Colorectal Cancer (CONFIRM) randomized clinical trial sought to recruit 50 000 adults into a study comparing colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality outcomes after randomization to either an annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or colonoscopy. OBJECTIVE: To (1) describe study participant characteristics and (2) examine who declined participation because of a preference for colonoscopy or stool testing (ie, fecal occult blood test [FOBT]/FIT) and assess that preference\u27s association with geographic and temporal factors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study within CONFIRM, which completed enrollment through 46 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers between May 22, 2012, and December 1, 2017, with follow-up planned through 2028, comprised veterans aged 50 to 75 years with an average CRC risk and due for screening. Data were analyzed between March 7 and December 5, 2022. EXPOSURE: Case report forms were used to capture enrolled participant data and reasons for declining participation among otherwise eligible individuals. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the cohort overall and by intervention. Among individuals declining participation, logistic regression was used to compare preference for FOBT/FIT or colonoscopy by recruitment region and year. RESULTS: A total of 50 126 participants were recruited (mean [SD] age, 59.1 [6.9] years; 46 618 [93.0%] male and 3508 [7.0%] female). The cohort was racially and ethnically diverse, with 748 (1.5%) identifying as Asian, 12 021 (24.0%) as Black, 415 (0.8%) as Native American or Alaska Native, 34 629 (69.1%) as White, and 1877 (3.7%) as other race, including multiracial; and 5734 (11.4%) as having Hispanic ethnicity. Of the 11 109 eligible individuals who declined participation (18.0%), 4824 (43.4%) declined due to a stated preference for a specific screening test, with FOBT/FIT being the most preferred method (2820 [58.5%]) vs colonoscopy (1958 [40.6%]; P \u3c .001) or other screening tests (46 [1.0%] P \u3c .001). Preference for FOBT/FIT was strongest in the West (963 of 1472 [65.4%]) and modest elsewhere, ranging from 199 of 371 (53.6%) in the Northeast to 884 of 1543 (57.3%) in the Midwest (P = .001). Adjusting for region, the preference for FOBT/FIT increased by 19% per recruitment year (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.14-1.25). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional analysis of veterans choosing nonenrollment in the CONFIRM study, those who declined participation more often preferred FOBT or FIT over colonoscopy. This preference increased over time and was strongest in the western US and may provide insight into trends in CRC screening preferences

Genetic background and breeding strategies against osteochondrosis in horses

Osteochondros (OC) och osteochondrosis dissekans (OCD) är en störning i den indirekta, endochondrala bentillväxten hos unga snabbt växande hästar. När prestationskraven på hästen ökar vid en högre ålder kan det leda till att den utvecklar hälta. Flera studier har visat att ostechondros har en genetisk komponent. Syftet med föreliggande litteraturstudie är att ta reda på hur osteochondros nedärvs, hur olika selektionsstrategier påverkar prevalensen samt hur problemet kontrolleras inom aveln. Arvbarheten för OC och OCD i femorpatella leden var 0,07 respektive 0,02. För tarsocrural leden varierade arvbarheten för OC mellan 0,04 och 0,52 och för OCD mellan 0,17 och 0,37. För metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal lederna varierade arvbarheten för OC mellan 0,08 och 0,16 och för OCD mellan 0,06 och 0,21. Den additiva genetiska korrelationen mellan OCD i tarsocrural och metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal lederna var negativ. Antalet QTL visade att flera gener kan vara involverade i utvecklingen av osteochondros. Indikationer fanns på att OC kunde nedärvas både genom modern och fadern samt att även avkommor efter fenotypiskt fria individer kunde utveckla OC. Vid val av avelsstrategi måste tre saker beaktas. Samtliga leder som har hög prevalens av OC och OCD bör röntgas för att ta hänsyn till negativa genetiska korrelationer mellan leder. Både hingstar och ston med OC och OCD bör tas ut ur aveln. För att identifiera fenotypiskt fria individer som bär på de genetiska anlagen kan identifierade QTL för OC eller avkommeprövningar användas. Inom den svenska varmblodiga hästaveln sker selektion mot hingstar med OC. Inom den varmblodiga travaraveln röntgas alla hingstar. Om hingsten bedöms som tillräckligt god för att kunna prestera inom travsporten godkänns han med angivande av att han har osteochondros