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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate lacrimal gland (LG) enlargement in thyroid eye disease (TED) patients on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on TED patients who had undergone fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI of the orbits. The lacrimal gland was segmented on OsiriX in consecutive axial and coronal slices to determine its volume. Enlargement was defined as a volume greater than 1100mm3, based on previous normative data. Asymmetric enlargement was defined if one side was enlarged but the contralateral side was not. Clinical data including presentation (active/inactive) and presence or absence of dysthyroid optic neuropathy was evaluated. Results: The study population consisted of 88 orbits from forty-four patients with a mean age of 53 ± 15 years, with 29 (65%) being female. Twelve patients (27%) had LG enlargement, with eight (18%) having bilateral enlargement and four (9%) having asymmetric enlargement. There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.17) or sex (p = 0.44) between the LG enlarged and non-enlarged groups. There was also no significant difference in the clinical activity (p = 0.46) or prevalence of dysthyroid optic neuropathy (p = 0.63) between the LG enlarged orbits and non-LG enlarged orbits. Conclusion: Lacrimal gland enlargement may be observed in approximately thirty percent of TED patients, with asymmetric enlargement in approximately ten percent of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies assessing the use of ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) for locating unmarked human graves commonly use pigs as proxies, with recent concerns about the adequacy of pigs as substitutes for humans. Also, there is little agreement on how to identify and describe GPR signals associated with graves. Hence, this project's aim is to compare GPR signals acquired over simulated clandestine graves with pig and human remains. We established human, pig, and control graves at the REST[ES] human decomposition facility in May 2022 and monitored the graves over 17 months using a 250 MHz antenna GPR system. Our results showed the presence of perturbed and V‐shaped reflectors, diffraction hyperbolas, and reflectors with amplitude loss at depth between 0.6 and 0.75 m in the radargram for graves with human and pig remains. We corroborate recent studies which concluded that the use of proxies is a viable alternative to human cadavers. The observed radar signatures were classified into five key patterns, which are characteristic of similar data collected with 250 MHz above graves reported in the literature. These classes are: V‐shaped dipping reflections from grave walls (class A), small hyperbolic reflections superimposed onto a near‐linear reflector (class B), hyperbolic reflections from remains within the grave (class C), new high‐amplitude reflection patterns (class D) and significant loss or interruption of reflections (class E). Our proposed classification can help streamline future investigations where the goal is to interpret burials within large GPR datasets and provide language to communicate these results to the broader scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectrum of thyroid disorders presenting to paediatricians is different to that seen by adult physicians. Referrals reflect cases detected by the neonatal screening programme for congenital hypothyroidism and many of the inherited defects of thyroid hormone generation or action will be manifest in early life. Autoimmune thyroid disease can be particularly challenging to manage in the young and the potential impact of thyroid status on neurodevelopment and schooling are key considerations throughout childhood and adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Radioiodine (I-131) therapy for hyperthyroidism is a well-established and safe treatment option. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the computed tomography (CT) value and the function and volume of the thyroid gland by identifying the factors that induce changes in the CT value of patients with hyperthyroidism. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 38 patients with Graves' disease and 10 patients with Plummer disease. To obtain the mean CT value and volume of the thyroid gland, the entire thyroid gland was set as the region of interest. A test dose of 3.7 MBq I-131 was administered before initiating I-131 therapy, and the radioiodine uptake (RIU) rate was assessed after 3, 24, 96, and 168 h. An approximate curve was plotted based on the RIU values obtained, and the effective half-life (EHL) was calculated. The correlation between the mean CT value and the volume of the thyroid gland, 24-h RIU, EHL, and the free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) levels was evaluated. Results: The CT value exhibited a significant positive correlation with EHL in patients with Graves' disease (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001) as well as patients with Plummer disease (r = 0.74, p < 0.05). However, it did not display any correlation with the remaining parameters. Conclusion: The CT value is significantly correlated with EHL, suggesting that it reflects thyroid function and is mainly related to the factors associated with iodine discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: This paper examines the contemporary role of the gravedigger, their day-to-day working practices, and how these tasks can impact the archaeological record. The study was undertaken through conducting semi-structured interviews with 16 practising and recently retired gravediggers from in and around Bristol. These interviews revealed that gravediggers not only dig graves but also facilitate funerals, bury coffins, reopen graves for subsequent burials, exhume human remains and curate material culture both within the graves and around the grave plots. The gravediggers also perform important emotional labour in their interactions with the dead and with their families. This evidence demonstrates that gravediggers heavily impact the archaeological record in cemetery contexts and play an important part in the social organisation around funerary practices in the British Isles. Although this role has likely changed considerably over time, these interviews still demonstrate that present-day archaeologists must consider the role and impact of gravediggers when analysing post-medieval cemetery landscapes. In addition, this information can act as guidance for future archaeologists when excavating cemetery sites and churchyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nineteenth-century Chinese migrants to Pacific Rim countries died far from their home villages. Diverse approaches were adopted to mark graves, possibly anticipating the subsequent, culturally important, repatriation of their bones. This paper evaluates the morphology of grave markers from eight northeast Australian sites and considers reasons for the variations. Physical appraisal of each site was undertaken and, where they exist, cemetery records and allied documentation examined. In an unusual departure from the norm the inscriptions on most identified grave markers rarely indicate date of death. The seemingly meticulous attention to grave identification in some areas contrasts with others where markers are absent. This study indicates divergent approaches to identification and recording of individual graves over time and place. Rather than indicating full-fledged ethnogenesis, wherein Australian Chinese developed new cultural practices, these behaviors suggest that ca.1870–1930 was a transitional period, during which extant cultural processes were adapted to meet immediate needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal thyrotoxicosis is a rare condition with high morbidity and mortality. It may complicate pregnancies in women with a history of Graves disease (GD) when transplacental passage of maternal TSH receptor antibodies stimulate the fetal thyroid gland and cause hyperthyroidism. We report the case of a 34-year-old woman with a history of GD and prior thyroidectomy, where fetal thyrotoxicosis at 21 weeks of gestation was suspected due to prenatal ultrasound findings of cardiac failure and fetal goiter. She was treated with high-dose carbimazole and followed closely by a multidisciplinary team. Her baby was delivered in good condition at 34 weeks' gestation and developed hyperthyroidism in the days after birth, which was successfully treated medically. This case highlights the importance of awareness of the condition among women with a history of GD, as well as the necessity for prompt diagnosis and treatment of this complex disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent archaeological excavations of the Vučedol site at the Cornfield Streim were carried out in the period from 2012 to 2021. Most of the excavated objects belong to the settlement of the Classical phase (2900–2630 BC) of the Vučedol culture. The focus of this paper is on the analysis of Grave 5 within the Vučedol settlement complex and its role and meaning in the life and funeral practices of the Vučedol culture. Anthropological analysis will show the biological features of the Vučedol population and of the sample found only at the Vučedol site.

Thyroid hormones play a critical role in brain development, but paradoxically, patients with hyperthyroidism often exhibit cognitive decline and irritability. This study aims to explore the pattern of atrophy in hyperthyroid patients, changes in specific areas of the brain, including hypothalamic subfields and limbic structures, and their relationships with hormonal levels and psychometric tests. This prospective cross‐sectional study involves 19 newly diagnosed, untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 15 age and gender‐matched control subjects. The participants underwent psychometric and cognitive tests and volumetric MRI. The hypothalamic subfield (anterior‐inferior, anterior‐superior, superior‐tubular, inferior‐tubular, and posterior hypothalamus) and limbic structures (fornix, basal forebrain, nucleus accumbens, and septal nucleus) were segmented using voxel‐based morphometry, surface‐based morphometry, and deep learning algorithms. The groups were compared using the t‐test, and correlation analyses were performed between clinical parameters and volumetric measurements. The correlation between hormonal parameters and volumetric measurements in patient and control groups was assessed with the Meng test. Hyperthyroid patients displayed widespread grey matter loss and sulcal shallowing in the left hemisphere. However, no local gyrification index changes or cortical thickness variations were detected. The limbic structures and hypothalamic subunits did not show any volume discrepancies. Free thyroxine in the patient group negatively correlated with bilateral anterior‐inferior and right septal nucleus, but positively correlated with left anterior‐inferior in the control group. Thyroid stimulating hormone in the patient group showed a positive correlation with bilateral fornix volume, a correlation absent in the control group. Disease duration negatively correlated with right anterior‐inferior, right tubular inferior, and right septal nucleus. Changes in cognitive and psychometric test scores in the patient group correlated with the bilateral septal nucleus volume. Hyperthyroidism primarily leads to a reduction in grey matter volume and sulcal shallowing. Thyroid hormones have differing volumetric effects in limbic structures and hypothalamic subunits under physiological and hyperthyroid conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To understand how thyroid eye disease (TED) impacts buccal fat pad (BFP) volume. In this cohort study, computed tomography (CT) scans and charts of adult patients with and without TED were obtained from an institutional database. The primary outcome was BFP volume in cubic centimeters. Three independent, blinded observers analyzed scans using Horos, a free, open-source medical image viewing software. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed. We determined sample size using an effect size based on published reports of the minimum amount of fat excision needed to notice a clinical difference. Equivalence testing against upper and lower bounds set by the same effect size was conducted to assess practical significance of the results. Our sample was sufficient to detect a difference as large as 1.5cc with 95% power. 72 scans were included in our study, 24 TED patients and 48 controls. Mean BFP volume was not statistically different between TED patients and controls (3.96 cc vs 4.06 cc, p =.778). Analysis of covariance adjusting for relevant patient factors (age, sex, and BMI) also failed to find a significant difference between groups. Equivalence testing was significant (p <.001) and revealed the observed difference between groups was less than any clinically meaningful difference. For an effect size of 1.5cc, the data suggests there is a 5% risk of a false negative. TED was not associated with a significant difference in BFP volume, suggesting that the BFP is spared from TED-related soft-tissue expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the case of a 32 yeas old male, diagnosed 7 years ago with Graves disease, with numerous recidives which needed anti-thyroid medication, with poor response (hypo to hyper-thyroid status, with high variations of TSH and FT4) whom after a period of remission (8 months, no treatment) came in for a polymorphic symptomatology sugestive for hyperthyroidism. The hyperthyroid state was confirmed he had high TRAb (31 UI/ml vs. <1.75 UI/ml) - on his last check in the detection rate of TRAb was under 0.3 UI/ml. The thyroid ultrasound revels on the left lobe a small mass of 0.8/0.8 cm, with EU-TIRADS score of 4, that was newly diagnosed. Postoperative histopathology revealed papillary microcarcinoma developed on Hashitoxicosis-pT1aN0, of 1 mm in the middle of left thyroid lobe. The particularity of this case consists in a long evolution of Graves disease with numerous relapses, the appearance of a thyroid nodule after 7 years in which they identified a papillary microcacinoma associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis and also the postoperative recovery that was slowed by the parathyreoprive tetany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an inflammatory condition involving the periocular and orbital soft tissues, affecting most commonly patients with hyperthyroid disorders. Traditional treatments used for the active phase of the disease range from conservative lubrication for mild symptoms to systemic immunomodulating drugs for moderate-to-severe symptoms. Teprotumumab (Tepezza) is a monoclonal antibody with an inhibitory effect on insulin-like growth factor 1 and is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved targeted medical therapy for reducing the inflammatory signs and symptoms associated with TED. Two large multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trials have confirmed the efficacy and safety of teprotumumab in patients with active, moderate-to-severe TED. Recent reports and publications have also demonstrated the efficacy of teprotumumab in a wider range of patients. In this review, we summarize the clinical features and pathophysiology of TED, disease course, and traditional management methods. We further detail the development of teprotumumab, the founding studies that brought it to its FDA approval, adverse events profile, and ongoing as well as future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia is the property of Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Revue Archéologique de Picardie is the property of Revue Archeologique de Picardie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Публикация посвящена материалам эпохи поздней бронзы, обнаруженным в курганах группы «Плавни» у с. Глиное Слободзейского района, расположенных в бассейне р. Красная на левобережье Нижнего Днестра. В двух курганах было зафиксировано 18 погребений позднего бронзового века. Исследованные погребальные комплексы могут быть отнесены к днепро-прутской бабинской, сабатиновской и белозёрской культурам. Представленные материалы позволяют говорить о преемственности погребальных традиций в регионе на протяжении всей эпохи поздней бронзы. Среди находок наибольший интерес представляют шайбовидные бусины, изготовленные из позвонков крупных рыб и происходящие из погребения сабатиновского времени.

Abstract Background This case report is of a patient with psychosis secondary to thyrotoxicosis that persisted and reemerged after definitive treatment of thyroidectomy, which is a unique occurrence in the literature. Case presentation This patient is a male between 30 and 35 years of age with a history of Graves Disease and no past psychiatric history who was admitted to the hospital due to psychosis secondary to thyrotoxicosis. The thyrotoxicosis was treated with surgical removal, but the psychotic symptoms persisted after surgery and normalization of standard thyroid functional measures. The symptoms were of sufficient significance for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, a rare occurrence. Ultimately after an extended stay in the psychiatric unit, the patient’s symptoms stabilized with a second-generation antipsychotic, and the patient was discharged from the psychiatric unit. Conclusion This case is evidence that the link between psychosis and hyperthyroidism is still poorly understood due to the patient’s psychotic symptoms persisting after the definitive treatment of thyroidectomy and the fact that it required anti-psychotic medications for normalization.

Objective: Mental fatigue, depression, anxiety, and cognitive complaints are common in Graves’ disease (GD). Our aims were to assess the relationship between these variables in patients with GD during both hyperthyroidism and a long stable euthyroidism. Methods: A prospective longitudinal case-control study where 65 premenopausal women diagnosed with GD and 65 matched controls were assessed twice with 15 months in between. The first visit for patients was in overt hyperthyroidi sm and the second after treatment. Results: During the hyperthyroid phase, mental fatigue, depression, and anxiety were significantly increased for GD patients compared to controls (al l P < 0.001). Among GD patients, 89% reported mental fatigue and among controls 14% . No difference in cognitive tests was found. After 15 months, significant improvem ents for GD patients after treatment were found for the items of mental fatigue, depression, and anxiety (all P < 0.001), but these were unchanged in controls. GD patients reported residual mental fatigue (38%), 23% without depression, and 15% mental fatigue combined with depression. Self-reported cognitive complaints were pronounced while cognitive tests did not reveal any deficiencies. Conclusion: Mental fatigue and emotional distress are common in the hyperthyroid phase. These improve with treatment but are still more common in GD patients after 15 months of therapy than in controls. The residual mental fatigue is shown to be a phenomenon distinct from depression in this study. This indicates the importance of assessing mental fatigue in GD patients and underlines the need for rehabilitation and healthcare support as fatigue will have consequences for work ability.

Gebrauchsspuruntersuchungen sind eines der wichtigsten Forschungsthemen in der archäologischen Keramikforschung. Von besonderem Interesse sind in Gräbern beigegebene Gefäße, die nicht zur Verbrennungsprozess gehören, da sie normalerweise keiner detaillierten Funktionsanalyse unterzogen wurden. Ihre Funktion wird meist anhand der Form und Oberflächenbehandlung bestimmt. Daher wird im hier benannten chronologischen Kontext allgemein davon ausgegangen, dass Grabkeramik speziell für Bestattungszwecke hergestellt und nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet wurde. Dies gilt insbesondere für andere Keramikgegenstände als Behälter, wie z. B. zoomorphe Gefäße, Figuren und Rasseln, die bei Bestattungszeremonien eine bedeutende Rolle gespielt haben müssen. Der Artikel präsentiert die Ergebnisse morphologischer, stilistischer und chromatographischer Analysen von Gefäßen, die in Lausitzer Gräberfeldern in den Bestattungen deponiert wurden, und hier solche, die auf der Fundstelle 2 in Czernikowice, pow. Legnica, Polen, gefunden wurden. Die Keramikgegenstände stammen aus gut untersuchten Grabkontexten der Montelius-Periode IV und V. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die meisten der analysierten Gefäße Kontakt mit Substanzen pflanzlichen und tierischen Ursprungs hatten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way people understood death and spirit in the Tang Dynasty was inherited from the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, people believed human was a composite of "xing (...)" and "shen (...)". If "xing" and "shen" were united, one lived; otherwise, one would die. Soon after one died, people recalled the leaving spirit back to the place where the corpse was with a ritual called "fu (...)", in order to hold the funeral ceremony afterward. After the funeral, people believed the spirit would stay in the tomb together with the corpse. Therefore, the tomb is regarded as the place of "hiding xing (...)" and "pacifying spirit (...)", where the spirit staed. Although the spirit existed, it was hard to be seen and perceive. The only thing which surely existed was the corpse. People believed both would stay together after death. The corpse could be used to make sure that the spirit existed. No matter which form of the funeral was adopted, such as joint-burial (...), "guizang (...)", nether-world marriage (...) or hunsummoning burial, the key point is to bury the corpses of the dead ones properly, which promised that the spirits would stay there. In sum, people believed "xing" and "shen" would separate after death during the Tang Dynasty, but actually, the two elements were not totally separated. They would still stay in the tomb together. This is the basic understanding of the relationship between the spirit and the corpse after death and burial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Change and persistence are often richly entangled facets of landscapes. While many studies use land use/land cover (depicted as polygons) to illustrate landscape evolution, this paper draws on approaches from landscape archaeology to investigate how lines and points can also be used to examine landscape morphologies. The study uses three distinct spatial elements: points (graves), lines (field boundaries), and polygons (land use) to represent landscape transformations and reflect time depth in the landscape. The paper aims to identify the most enduring landscape elements within the region and uncover the underlying mechanisms of persistence. It is suggested that the time depth exhibited in field boundaries surpasses that of land use in this case. Field boundaries provide a useful way to examine agricultural intensification, whereas land use is more sensitive to agricultural commercialization and urbanization. In addition, the Chinese Feng Shui funeral culture emerges as a stabilizing force that encourages landscape persistence. This cultural driver ensures the persistence of field patterns surrounding graves, making these fields the most ancient plots within the study area. In conclusion, representing the time depth of landscapes through linear features and points can serve as an important supplement to the study of landscape change based on land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This case report is of a patient with psychosis secondary to thyrotoxicosis that persisted and reemerged after definitive treatment of thyroidectomy, which is a unique occurrence in the literature. Case presentation: This patient is a male between 30 and 35 years of age with a history of Graves Disease and no past psychiatric history who was admitted to the hospital due to psychosis secondary to thyrotoxicosis. The thyrotoxicosis was treated with surgical removal, but the psychotic symptoms persisted after surgery and normalization of standard thyroid functional measures. The symptoms were of sufficient significance for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, a rare occurrence. Ultimately after an extended stay in the psychiatric unit, the patient’s symptoms stabilized with a second-generation antipsychotic, and the patient was discharged from the psychiatric unit. Conclusion: This case is evidence that the link between psychosis and hyperthyroidism is still poorly understood due to the patient’s psychotic symptoms persisting after the definitive treatment of thyroidectomy and the fact that it required anti-psychotic medications for normalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose To present the clinical features of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) with different CT types, and to report the outcomes of endoscopic orbital decompression combined with fat decompression (EOD-FD). Patients and methods Thirty-four patients with TAO who underwent EOD-FD between December 2020 and March 2022 in the Ophthalmology Department of Li Huili Hospital Affiliated with Ningbo University, were included in this retrospective interventional case series. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the results of computerized tomography (CT) scans: muscle expansion type and fat hyperplasia type. Results Thirty-four TAO patients (55 eyes) were included in this study, and the mean age was 38.62 years (range 22–60 years). The average eye protrusion (EP) reduced from preoperative 23.20 mm to postoperative 19.66 mm (p

The prevalence of thyroid disease continues to rise. As a consequence, the research in the thyroid field has significantly increased over time. Thus, clinicians, and endocrinologists first, have to be aware of the important continuous progress achieved, in particular of thyroid cancer, to better manage their patients. This themed issue, titled "New Insights in Thyroid Diagnosis and Treatment," delves deep into contemporary hot topics in thyroid field. These papers included in the present issue are focused on several aspects in this area, such as imaging, molecular analysis, machine learning and radiomics, nuclear medicine, clinical, and laboratory. Seven papers centers around thyroid cancer. Three papers review imaging modalities for thyroid nodule/cancer assessment. Two papers report a comprehensive review of metabolic issues involving thyroid gland. Finally, a large overview about genetics of Graves' disease is reported in another study. Clinicians will find this issue very interesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the differences in the interpretation of early medieval graves of the discussed Norman or Ruthenian attribution, derivatives of different theoretical and cognitive paradigms, successive generations of researchers are united in their conviction of the exceptional nature of these graves in the Oder-Vistula interfluve. Archaeologists are also unanimous in treating them as burials from the 2nd half of the 10th to the 1st half of the 11th century which present a set of specific burial practices, distinguishing one of the groups of the secular elite of the first Piast state. However, researchers have different views on ethno-cultural valorisation of the discovered objects. In this case, the author maintains his earlier opinion that the burial practices of the individuals buried there are ‘rooted’ in the Scandinavian model of funerary culture of the Viking period. However, in the research process, it cannot be a sufficient premise for prejudging the ethnos. In order to give credibility to the conclusions, in line with the modern model of integrated multidisciplinary research, the hypotheses formulated by archaeology require verification by the results of molecular and isotopic studies of human bones. Limiting the ethnic study of archaeology’s necropolis sources to the indications of bio- and geochemistry is cognitively inadequate, as aDNA analyses only establish biological affinities. Isotopic studies determine the relationship of a deceased person to a specific geographical region, in both cases providing no insight into important aspects of early medieval human life like the mentality-determining membership of a socially and politically organised religious and mythic-ethnic-cultural community.

We report a woman, 45th year old with Graves’ disease treated with anti-thyroid drug (thiamazole). She came to our clinic with severe and active Graves’ orbitopathy. We treated her with high dose intravenous methylprednisolone weekly (0.5 g weekly/ 6 weeks) and mycophenolate sodium 0.72 g daily/ 6 weeks. Because of her longterm consumption but not successful to achieve remission of anti-thyroid drugs and the size of her goiter, we decided to do total thyroidectomy. Only one week after thyroidectomy, her eye inflammation grade was reduced, but still bulging. We continue with the intravenous methylprednisolone weekly. Because of the partial response, we continue with another dose of methylprednisolone (0.25 g weekly for another 6 weeks). After 12 weeks of intravenous methylprednisolone (maximum dose for 1st course 4.5 g), there is a partial response make it to moderate to severe grade but still active inflammation. Our team decided to give her second-line treatment and we give her intravenous tocilizumab monthly for 4 weeks. After three tocilizumab infusion, the inflammation is reduced remarkably. Her overall appearance is getting better. But, because of her sight was not improved much as the inflammation reduced, we done orbital MRI and we decided to do another intravenous methylprednisolone 1 g for three days followed by orbital decompresion surgery. Shortly after the orbital decompresion, her sight was improved very well. She can now doing activities she can do previously. After recovery, we plan to give her the fourth (last) tocilizumab infusion. Overall, tocilizumab improves clinical outcome in patient with active corticosteroid-resistant moderate to severe Graves’ orbitopathy. Patient’s quality of life also improved.

Background: Some evidence demonstrated the relationship between long non-coding RNA and autoimmune disease development. The current study assessed the possible association between the nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) gene rs512715 polymorphism and Hashimoto and Graves’ diseases. Methods: Two hundred forty-eight participants with autoimmune thyroid disease (133 Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) patients and 115 Graves’ disease (GD) patients) and 135 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in the study. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used for genotyping NEAT1 rs512715 polymorphism. Results: Significant differences were observed in the frequency of the CC genotype of rs512715 in the HT group compared to the controls; the CC genotype may act as a risk factor for HT development. Also, the dominant and recessive genetic models showed the same results. Regarding the frequency of alleles, the C allele frequency was higher in the HT group than in the controls. In the GD group, there was no significant difference in the distribution of genotypes and the genetic models. Also, no significant difference was observed in the frequencies of alleles in Graves’ patients. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that NEAT1 rs512715polymorphism might play an influential role in Hashimoto’s disease development as the risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the funeral customs of the Cumans from the territory of Bulgaria. The graves are mainly from North-Eastern and South-Eastern Bulgaria. During the archaeological research, graves were found that bear the characteristic marks of this ethnic group. One of the characteristic features of the burial custom is that they are buried in circular pits, some of which also have small mounds. Graves of soldiers (Pliska, Zlatna Livada, Mednikarovo) and ordinary Cumans were discovered. Swords, stirrups and bridles were found in the graves. Burial in tree trunks, only graves are known. It was unearthed during the excavations of Tumulus No. 35 in Pliska, the former capital of Bulgaria. In addition to circular pits, burials were also carried out in rectangular pits. Ceramic vessels were also found in some graves (Plovdiv). In addition to burial mounds, Cuman graves have also been found in Christian necropolises. A typical feature of Cuman burials is the presence of dogs in the graves. A characteristic feature of Cumans graves is the erection of balbals. Initially, they were accepted as part of the culture of the proto-Bulgarians, but later they were correctly attributed to the cultural circle of the Cumans. It is recorded that stone statues (balbal) were erected in only one tumulus. Besides human graves, dog graves have also been studied. Such a grave was discovered near the village of Zimnitsa in the city of Yambol. The dog plays an important role in the folklore, mythology and funeral traditions of Turkic peoples. In most of the graves, traces of burial rituals were also found - animal bones, dishes and food remains. The graves discovered in Bulgaria are dated to the second half of the XII century and the beginning of the XIII century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionospheric effects degrade the quality of radar data, which are critical for the precision of the satellite ephemeris produced by space surveillance systems; this degradation is especially noticeable for radars such as GRAVES that operate in the very high frequency range. This article presents a simple and effective method to correct for ionospheric effects, with an evaluation on data obtained with GRAVES, the French space surveillance radar. This method relies on GPS data, and our evaluation relies on GRAVES and DORIS data. We found that the gain in terms of evaluated radial velocity can be as high as 1.76 κ , where κ is the typical root mean square of the noise on radial velocity measurements for GRAVES (excluding ionospheric effects): the error decreases from 2.60 κ to 0.83 κ for daytime satellite overhead passes. Our conclusion is that, while this method is very simple to implement, it has proven to be a good correction for ionospheric effects in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plural: History, Culture, Society is the property of Faculty of History & Geography, 'Ion Creanga' State Pedagogical University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Being one of the biggest and best preserved archaeological sites in the western hinterland of Alexandria, ‘Marea’/Philoxenite is, therefore, one of the most important points of reference for studies of the Mareotis region. Despite the fact that the site has been investigated for many years, by various excavation teams, the nature and chronology of the different phases of settlement remain unclear. Since 2018, systematic stratigraphic excavations have been carried out at the site with the aim of investigating insufficiently studied parts of the settlement. In 2020 and 2021, this goal was achieved by opening and surveying 11 trenches in the southwestern part of the site. This led to the identification of hitherto unknown structures: two churches, two tombs, an irrigation system and numerous rubbish dumps associated with the Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic phases. The study also determined the extent and functional changes of various parts of this settlement, in different historical periods.

Thyrotropinomas (TSHoma) are rare pituitary adenomas. TSHomas can synthesize other hormones simultaneously. Co-secretion of TSH and GH is rarely reported in the literature. In these patients, signs of hyperthyroidism and acromegaly can be observed together. Its clinic is heterogeneous and in some cases, symptoms of thyrotoxicosis may mask the acromegaly symptoms. Some TSHoma patients may also be mistakenly diagnosed with Graves and experience a delay in diagnosis. We aimed to present a unique case with a diagnosis of TSHoma, who was referred to our center when Euthyroidism was not achieved and was followed up with a pre-diagnosis of Graves and also had GH co-secretion. [Med-Science 2022; 11(4.000): 1734-7]

The ‘Homeland – Graves’ Topos in Media Publications of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church: The paper examines the ‘homeland – graves’ literary topos appearing in media publications of the Polish Orthodox Church. The material is excerpted from the periodicals ‘Przegląd Prawosławny’, ‘Polski Żołnierz Prawosławny’, ‘Cerkiewny Wiestnik’ and ‘Wiadomości Polskiego Autokefalicznego Kościoła Prawosławnego’ from the years 1989–2012. Based on the analysis of nine text samples, the author concludes that the presence of this topos is not connected either with genre features of the publications, or with text’s direct content (the time and place of the described events have no effect on the appearance of the topos). Analyses also reveal that the topos most often stimulates expressive, evaluative language; burial places are often mentioned to emphasize the belonging of Orthodox community members to the Polish nation and also include the aspect of the victims’ sacralization; the concept of homeland may refer to a specific region of Poland, the whole country, or to a territory inhabited predominantly by several generations of Orthodox Christians. The use of the ‘homeland – graves’ topos serves the aim to reveal Orthodox citizens as an integral part of the Polish society that shares the same challenges and makes the same sacrifices as other Poles. On the other hand, the topos may emphasize that Orthodox Christians comprise a separate community within the Polish state as they have been subject to persecution and suffering for their religious beliefs.

Copyright of Athar alrafedain is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dwelling well, for the Dörvöd herders with whom I have interacted over the years, involves getting a few things right about the invisible. On the one hand, they need to navigate spaces that are teeming with 'things' that not everybody can see plainly, and which are best left undisturbed. On the other hand, behaving properly towards spiritual 'land masters' that constitute the places through which herders circulate involves them conforming to a certain regime of marking, i.e. a geography that implicitly values discretion and disappearance. Considering two apparatuses with which the invisible is either taken care of or produced – saddled horses and gravesites –, this paper explores a concern, and a talent, that people in Mongolia exhibit for things that exist by virtue of (dis)appearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To present the clinical features of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) with different CT types, and to report the outcomes of endoscopic orbital decompression combined with fat decompression (EOD-FD). Patients and methods: Thirty-four patients with TAO who underwent EOD-FD between December 2020 and March 2022 in the Ophthalmology Department of Li Huili Hospital Affiliated with Ningbo University, were included in this retrospective interventional case series. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the results of computerized tomography (CT) scans: muscle expansion type and fat hyperplasia type. Results: Thirty-four TAO patients (55 eyes) were included in this study, and the mean age was 38.62 years (range 22–60 years). The average eye protrusion (EP) reduced from preoperative 23.20 mm to postoperative 19.66 mm (p < 0.0001). Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) decreased from 20.11 mmHg at baseline to 17.29 mmHg postoperatively (p < 0.0001), with a reduction of 2.84 mmHg (14.12%). Twenty cases of muscle expansion and fourteen cases of fat hyperplasia were definite by CT imaging. The mean IOP in the muscle expansion group was higher than that in the fat hyperplasia group (p < 0.05). Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) occurred in 23 eyes (36.11%), and it was associated with extraocular muscle involvement, gender, and EP. In 3 cases of impaired vision, the mean best corrected visual acuity (VA) improved from 0.4 preoperatively to 0.84 postoperatively (p < 0.01). There were 8 cases with visual field (VF) damage and/or corneal epithelium damage, and all these damages were reversible. Conclusion: In this study, we describe the clinical features and experience of EOD-FD in patients with TAO. EOD-FD is an effective technique in reducing IOP and proptosis, with a low incidence of postoperative diplopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and aim. Antithyroid drugs are first treatment for Graves hyperthyroidism worldwide. Although remission can be achieved in approximately 40-50% of patients in 12-18 months with antithyroid drugs, this period can be extended up to 24 months. We aimed to evaluate the effect of individual clinical/biochemical variables and GREAT score in predicting response to antithyroid drug in Graves disease. Material and methods. This is a retrospective single-center study including 99 patients with the first episode of Graves disease treated for at least 18 months. The patients were classified into two groups as those who responded to antithyroid medication at 18-24 months (group 1) and those who did not respond at 24 months and continued with low-dose antithyroid medication (group 2). Results. Medical treatment response was obtained in 38 (38.3%) of the patients at 18 months, and in 19 (19.1%) patients at 24 months. Long-term medical treatment (>24 months) was given to the remaining 43 patients due to the lack of response to medical treatment. Thyroid volume and free T4 levels were higher in those followed up with longterm antithyroid drugs, and orbitopathy was more common in this group. Median anti TPO value was significantly higher in group 1 when compared to group 2 (593 U/l and 191.6 U/l respectively). More patients were classified as GREAT class 3 in group 2 when compared to group 1 (46.5% and 12,5% respectively). We analyzed the Thyroperoxidase Antibody(anti TPO) titers, which we divided into three levels, according to groups 1 and 2. Post-hoc Chi-Square analysis revealed that falling into the highest anti TPO category was significantly associated with response to medical therapy in 24 months (p <0.05). Conclusion. According to our study, GREAT score and anti TPO Ab titers at presentation may help predict response to ATD in Graves disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One representative of these personal ornaments was found in a catacomb grave on the left bank of the Lower Danube, the other two were recovered in graves on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The torque with serpentine heads (Dervent 13/1) and that with spatula-shaped ends (Glinoe 60/1) may testify to the Thracian influence on the Scythian material culture. The unique torque from the catacomb grave Glinoe 116/1 reflects the direct contacts of the Scythians on the left bank of the Lower Dniester with the bearers of the La Tène/Germanic cultures in Central Europe. Torques, as well as other grave goods, may signalize continuity of the set of personal decorations dated back to the 3rd and the 2nd centuries BCE in relation to the Scythian culture of the older times (the 5th and the 4th centuries BCE).

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)