bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a dual hybrid AAV vector for endothelial-targeted expression of von Willebrand factor
Authors: Barbon Elena , Kawecki Charlotte , Marmier Solenne , Sakkal Aboud , Collaud Fanny , Charles Severine , Ronzitti Giuseppe , Casari Caterina , Christophe Olivier D. , Denis Cécile V. , Lenting Peter J. , Mingozzi Federico
Published: January 2021

Von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common inherited bleeding disorder in humans, is caused by quantitative or qualitative defects in von Willebrand factor (VWF). VWD represents a potential target for gene therapy applications, as a single treatment could potentially result in a long-term correction of the disease. In recent years, several liver-directed gene therapy approaches have been exploited for VWD, but their efficacy was generally limited by the large size of the VWF transgene and the reduced hemostatic activity of the protein produced from hepatocytes. In this context, we aimed at developing a gene therapy strategy for gene delivery into endothelial cells, the natural site of biosynthesis of VWF. We optimized an endothelial-specific dual hybrid AAV vector, in which the large VWF cDNA was put under the control of an endothelial promoter and correctly reconstituted upon cell transduction by a combination of trans-splicing and homologous recombination mechanisms. In addition, we modified the AAV vector capsid by introducing an endothelial-targeting peptide to improve the efficiency for endothelial-directed gene transfer. This vector platform allowed the reconstitution of full-length VWF transgene both in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and in vivo in VWD mice, resulting in long-term expression of VWF.
Effectiveness of Dual Medication Therapy (Oral Acetaminophen and Oral Ibuprofen) for the Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Premature Infants: A Feasibility Trial
Authors: Shah Sanket D. , Makker Kartikeya , Nandula Padma , Smotherman Carmen , Kropf Andrea , Hudak Mark L.
Published: January 2021

Objective The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dual medication therapy (DMT) with oral acetaminophen and oral ibuprofen for the closure of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA).

Study Design In a prospective case–control cohort study (July 2017–May 2019), infants <29 weeks' gestational age and birth weight <1,000 g at ≤14 postnatal days with hsPDA and ratio of the smallest ductal diameter to the ostium of the left pulmonary artery diameter >0.5 were eligible. Infants received 10 mg/kg oral ibuprofen followed by two additional doses of 5 mg/kg at 24 and 48 hours after the initial ibuprofen dose and concomitant treatment with 15 mg/kg oral acetaminophen every 6 hours for 3 days (12 doses). Success of PDA treatment was defined as a small or absent PDA as ascertained by echocardiographic measurements. The p-values of comparisons were adjusted for multiple comparisons to preserve an error rate of 5%.

Results Overall, 20 infants received oral DMT and 11 infants received intravenous single medication therapy (SMT) with ibuprofen. The rates of successful PDA treatment following the first treatment in DMT and SMT groups were not statistically different (11/20 [55%] vs. 4/11 [36%], p = 0.46). However, DMT significantly decreased PDA size (mean difference = 0.54 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21–0.96, adjusted p-value = 0.0002) and PDA/LPA ratio (mean difference = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10–0.47, adjusted p-value = 0.0004). We observed no evidence of hematologic, hepatic, or renal impairment.

Conclusion DMT achieved a greater degree of PDA closure than SMT and did not result in abnormalities in hepatic and renal profile.

Key Points
Isolated and On Guard: Preparing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Families for Life with Hydrocephalus
Authors: Dorner Rebecca A. , Boss Renee D. , Burton Vera J. , Raja Katherine , Robinson Shenandoah , Lemmon Monica E.
Published: January 2021

Objective This study was aimed to characterize the parent experience of caring for a child with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus and to describe parent preferences for counseling in the neonatal period and beyond.

Study Design This was a qualitative interview study. Parents of infants born preterm with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus completed semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using a content analysis approach.

Results Thematic saturation was reached on parent communication preferences after 10 interviews. Parent experiences of infant hydrocephalus broadly fell into two time periods, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and after NICU discharge. The themes of uncertainty, isolation, hypervigilance, and the need for advocacy were common to each phase.

Conclusion Parents expressed interest in the development of tiered NICU counseling tools that would provide evidence-based and family-centric information to (1) initiate connections with community and peer resources and (2) combat the isolation and hypervigilance that characterized their family experience of living with hydrocephalus.

Key Points
Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Antimicrobial Stewardship Target That Deserves Attention!
Authors: Viel-Thériault Isabelle , Agarwal Amisha , Bariciak Erika , Le Saux Nicole , Thampi Nisha
Published: January 2021

Objective Previous analyses of neonatal intensive care units (NICU) antimicrobial stewardship programs have identified key contributors to overall antibiotic use, including prolonged empiric therapy >48 hours for early-onset sepsis (EOS). However, most were performed in mixed NICU settings with onsite birthing units, resulting in a high proportion of inborn patient admissions. The study aimed to describe and analyze the most common reasons for antimicrobial use in an outborn tertiary care NICU.

Study Design This was a 10-month review of all antimicrobial doses prescribed in a 20-bed level III NICU. The primary outcome was the total days of therapy (DOT) and length of therapy (LOT) for each clinical indication. Secondary outcomes included total DOT for each antimicrobial and appropriateness of antimicrobial courses.

Results Of 235 antibiotic courses and 1,899 DOT (519 DOT/1,000 patient days) prescribed in 173 infants during the study period, the most common indications were suspected EOS, followed by prophylaxis. Among the 85 DOT/1,000 patient days (PD; 38 courses) prescribed for prophylaxis, 52.5 DOT/1,000 PD (25 courses; 62%) were for surgical prophylaxis. Of 17 postoperative antibiotic courses, 15 (88.2%) were deemed to be inappropriate mostly due to a duration greater than 24 hours postoperatively (n = 13; median LOT = 3 days).

Conclusion Surgical prophylaxis is a common reason for antimicrobial misuse in outborn NICU. NICU-based prospective audit and feedback between neonatologists and antimicrobial stewardship teams alone may not be impactful in this setting. Partnerships with neonatologists and surgeons will be key to achieving the target of less than 24 hours of postoperative antimicrobials.

Key Points
Effect of Hypothermia on Serum Myelin Basic Protein and Tumor Necrosis Factor–α in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Wang Qiuli , Lv Hongyan , Wu Sujing , Song Junxia , Li Junqin , Huo Haihua , Ren Pengshun , Li Lianxiang
Published: January 2021

Objective Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that hypothermia is a safe and effective treatment for neonatal moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The neuroprotective mechanisms of hypothermia need further study. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hypothermia on the serum levels of myelin basic protein (MBP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal HIE.

Study Design Eighty-five neonates with moderate-to-severe HIE were divided into a hypothermia group (n = 49) and a control group (n = 36). Serum levels of MBP and TNF-α within 6 hours after birth and after 3 days of treatment were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and neurodevelopmental outcome at the age of 12 to 15 months was assessed by using the Gesell development scale.

Results After 3 days of treatment, serum levels of MBP and TNF-α in the control group were not significantly different from levels before treatment (p > 0.05), and serum levels of MBP and TNF-α in the hypothermia group were significantly lower than levels before treatment (p < 0.05). Serum levels of MBP and TNF-α were significantly negatively correlated with developmental quotient (DQ; r =  − 0.7945, p = 0.0000; r =  − 0.7035, p = 0.0000, respectively). Serum levels of MBP and TNF-α in neurodevelopmentally impaired infants were significantly higher than those in infants with suspected neurodevelopmental impairment and those in neurodevelopmentally normal infants (both p < 0.01). The rate of reduction of neurodevelopmental impairment was higher among infants in the hypothermia group than among those in the control group (χ2 = 16.3900, p < 0.05).

Conclusion Hypothermia can reduce serum levels of MBP and TNF-α in neonates with HIE. Inhibiting the release of TNF-α may be one of the mechanisms by which hypothermia protects the myelin sheath.

Key Points
Attitudes of Argentinean Neonatologists toward Resuscitation of Infants with Trisomies 21, 18, and 13: A Multicenter Survey
Authors: Silberberg Agustín , Etchegaray Adolfo , Juárez Peñalva Sofía , Villar Marcelo J. , Musante Gabriel
Published: January 2021

Objective This study was aimed to explore the attitude of Argentinean neonatologists in the delivery room on resuscitating infants with trisomies.

Study Design An anonymous questionnaire was completed by neonatologists staffing level-III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) on resuscitation of children with trisomies 21, 18, and 13. Potential sociocultural factors influencing the decision to resuscitate were included.

Results Overall, 314 neonatologists in 34 units in the Buenos Aires region participated (response rate of 54%). The position of neonatologists regarding the resuscitation in the delivery room was that 98% would resuscitate newborns with trisomy 21, and 47% with trisomy 18 or trisomy 13. Resuscitation of newborns with trisomy 18 or trisomy 13 by neonatologists was significantly associated with working in the public sector, religious beliefs, and legal framework.

Conclusion With improvement in the management and treatment of infants with trisomies 18 and 13, Argentinean neonatologists showed a favorable attitude toward resuscitating them in the delivery room.

Key Points
Association between Low Cord Serum Cortisol Level and Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn in Late Preterm and Term Neonates Delivered by Elective Cesarean Section
Authors: Umran Raid M.R. , Khalil Roaa M.
Published: January 2021

Objective Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), a common neonatal respiratory morbidity, is associated with failure of adequate clearance of fetal lung fluid. Glucocorticoids have an important role in lung maturity and the mechanisms of lung fluid clearance. The aim of this study is to assess the association between umbilical cord cortisol levels and transient TTN in late preterm and term neonates delivered by elective cesarean section (CS).

Study Design A case-control study of 37 newborns diagnosed with TTN (cases) was compared with 40 healthy newborns (controls). All infants were delivered by elective CS without labor. Umbilical cord cortisol levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results Mean cord cortisol levels were significantly lower in cases than controls (131.36 vs. 233.32 nmol/L, p = 0.0001; odds ratio [OR] = 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40–9.53), respectively. Cord serum cortisol correlated inversely with the duration of tachypnea and the respiratory rate (r =  − 0.678 and −0.535, respectively).

Conclusion Umbilical cord cortisol levels are significantly lower in newborns with transient TTN, and lower cortisol levels are associated with an increased respiratory rate and longer duration of admission. Antenatal glucocorticoids can be recommended for late preterm delivered by CS.

Key Points
Cardiopulmonary Function Abnormalities in Cohort of Adults following Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia as Preterm Infants
Authors: Lasry Ariane , Kavabushi Patrick , Canakis Anne-Marie , Luu Thuy M. , Nuyt Anne-Monique , Perreault Thérèse , Simoneau Jessica , Landry Jennifer , Altit Gabriel
Published: January 2021

Objective This study was aimed to describe the cardiopulmonary profiles of adult patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), comparing them to normative adult values.

Study Design This study presents a retrospective chart review of all BPD patients followed in the adult BPD clinic, identified from institutional and archive databases, born preterm at ≤33 weeks of estimated gestational age (EGA) between January 1980 and December 2000.

Results Forty-four patients with BPD (26.4 ± 2.7 weeks of EGA) were included. Average age at follow-up was 19 years. Majority (61.4%) of the patients had a diagnosis of asthma. Mean spirometry values were: first second of forced expiration (FEV1) 74.1%, forced vital capacity (FVC) 80.7%, and FEV1/FVC 82.5%. Echocardiography (ECHO) images were reviewed, left ventricular (LV) structure and performance did not differ between obstructive and nonobstructive pulmonary function test (PFT) groups, but values of LV longitudinal strain were 4.8% lower than expected normal for adults. Patients with obstructive PFT had additional decreased right ventricular (RV) function by ECHO.

Conclusion BPD patients in this study were found to have a burden of cardiorespiratory alterations that persisted into adulthood, with RV performance abnormalities found among patients with obstructive PFT.

Key Points
Thiol-Disulfide Homeostasis in Neonatal Patients with Urinary Tract Infection
Authors: Öktem Ahmet , Zenciroğlu Ayşegül , Dilli Dilek , Bidev Duygu , Özyazıcı Ahmet , Özçelik Emine , Erel Özcan
Published: January 2021

Objective Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a disease that can cause significant complications in the neonatal period. The thiol-disulfide homeostasis is one of the important antioxidant defense mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to show the relationship between UTI and thiol-disulfide homeostasis in newborns.

Study Design In this prospective study, 40 newborns with UTI and 40 healthy controls were included. Thiol-disulfide tests (disulfide, native thiol, and total thiol levels) and septic screening tests were performed before and after antibiotherapy in UTI group. The control group was selected from healthy newborns who applied to the outpatient clinic.

Results The C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels were higher, while native thiol and native thiol/total thiol ratio were significantly lower in pretreatment group compared with posttreatment and control group. Also, the levels of disulfide, ischemia modified albumin, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio were higher in pretreatment group compared with posttreatment group.

Conclusion The thiol-disulfide homeostasis is an important indicator of oxidative stress during infections. It is valuable to be detected with small amounts of serum in newborns. These molecules can be used to support the diagnosis of UTI in the newborn. Further studies are needed to define the role of thiol-disulfide homeostasis in the UTI of newborn.

Key Points
Clinical Study of 107 Hospitalized Patients with Peritonsillar Abscess
Authors: Wakisaka Risa , Kumai Takumi , Kishibe Kan , Takahara Miki , Katada Akihiro , Hayashi Tatsuya , Harabuchi Yasuaki
Published: January 2021

We conducted a retrospective analysis of the data of 107 cases of peritonsillar abscess treated at our hospital between January 2014 and December 2018. Data on age, sex, affected site, duration of hospitalization, method of drainage, presence/absence of laryngeal edema, antibacterial drugs used, and isolated bacteria were analyzed. Of the 107 patients, 71 were males and 36 were females; the median age was 44 years (range: 18–88 years).The left side was affected in 55 patients, the right side in 50 patients, and both sides in two patients. The abscess was localized in the superior pole in 71 patients, and in the inferior pole in 36 patients. Thirty-five patients had laryngeal edema, of which three underwent tracheotomy. Recurrence of the abscess was observed in 15 cases, with the recurrence developing within 3 months in 7 cases, and over a period of 3 years in 4 cases. As for the sensitivity of the causative bacteria to antibacterial drugs, 17% of the causative bacteria showed resistance to clindamycin, while none showed resistance to ampicillin/sulbactam (ABPC/SBT). We concluded that ABPC/SBT might be suitable for the initial treatment of peritonsillar abscess, and that we need to bear in mind the possibility of long-term recurrence.
Political corporate social responsibility in authoritarian contexts
Authors: Maier Anna-Lena
Published: January 2021

Political CSR emphasizes the need for the democratic governance of business conduct through public deliberation, and expects multinational enterprises (MNEs) to contribute to self-regulation and public goods provision to fill the gaps left by unwilling or unable governments. In the under-researched context of autocracies, however, political pluralism and participation are severely limited, which confronts MNEs with limited governance spaces for such activities. In this article, Ideconstructthe assumptions on political–institutional context prevalent in political CSR and IB research on political and CSR activities of MNEs. Drawing on political science literature on state power and authoritarianism, Ireconstructpolitical CSR in the political–institutional context of authoritarianism, using different autocracies across the globe as illustrative examples. I elucidate the boundaries and room for responsible business policies in autocracies drawing on a framework I developed that distinguishes between high- and low-capacity autocracies. My framework implies that MNEs face constraints in autocracies with regard to public deliberation and self-regulation, while there is considerable room for public goods provision. Finally, I explain why the normative desirability for the former two is high, whereas the normative desirability of public goods provision through MNEs in authoritarian contexts is lower given its implications for stabilization of autocratic rule.
Comparative echolocation and foraging ecology of horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) and Old World leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae)
Authors: Pavey Chris R.
Published: January 2021

Horseshoe (Rhinolphidae) and Old World leaf-nosed (Hipposideridae) bats are high duty cycle (HDC) echolocators sharing a suite of adaptations including long duration signals relative to their signal periods, peak energy concentrated in a narrow spectral band dominated by a constant frequency (CF) component, ‘auditory fovea’ (over-representation and sharp tuning of neurons responsible for frequencies at or around the CF) and ability to compensate for Doppler shifts in echoes. HDC bats separate signals from returning echoes in the frequency domain. Rhinolophids are more specialised neurobiologically than hipposiderids, producing longer duration signals at higher duty cycles, and have narrowly tuned auditory fovea and almost full Doppler shift compensation. Here, I examine whether these differences have produced ecological divergence between the families by testing predictions of differences in prey perception, prey capture behaviour, foraging habitat and diet. I found no discernible differences in these variables between the two families. Rhinolophids and hipposiderids both forage close to vegetation, capture prey by aerial hawking and gleaning from surfaces, and consume mostly flying insects with spiders and terrestrial, flightless arthropods taken occasionally. The data presented here show that the two families are similar in foraging ecology despite differences in echolocation and audition.
Normative Reference Values, Reliability, and Item-Level Symptom Endorsement for the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Forms 4a, 6a and 8a
Authors: Iverson Grant L , Marsh Jacqueline M , Connors Eric J , Terry Douglas P
Published: January 2021

Objective

Reliable, valid, and precise measures of perceived cognitive functioning are useful in clinical practice and research. We present normative data, internal consistency statistics, item-level symptom endorsement, and the base rates of symptoms endorsed for the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Forms.

Method

The four-, six -, and eight-item short form of the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function scale assess subjective cognitive functioning. We stratified the normative sample from the U.S. general population (n = 1,009; 51.1% women) by gender, education, health status, self-reported history of a depression or anxiety diagnosis, and recent mental health symptoms (i.e., feeling anxious or depressed in the past week) and examined cognitive symptom reporting.

Results

Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and ranged from .85 to .95 for all three forms, across all groups. Mann–Whitney U test comparisons showed that individuals with past or present mental health difficulties scored significantly lower (i.e., worse perceived cognitive functioning) on the self-report questionnaires, particularly the eight-item form (history of depression, men: p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.07; women: p < .001, d = .99; history of anxiety, men: p < .001, d = 1.06; women: p < .001, d = .98; and current mental health symptoms, men: p < .001, d = 1.38; women: p < .001, d = 1.19).

Conclusions

All three short forms of the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function scale had strong internal consistency reliability, supporting its use as a reliable measure of subjective cognitive functioning. The subgroup differences in perceived cognitive functioning supported the relationship between emotional and cognitive well-being. This study is the first to present normative values and base rates for several community-dwelling subgroups, allowing for precise interpretation of these measures in clinical practice and research.
Comparative performances of nomograms and conditional survival after resection of adrenocortical cancer
Authors: de Jong M C , Khan S , Christakis I , Weaver A , Mihai R
Published: January 2021

Background

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs) carry a poor prognosis. This study assessed the comparative performance of existing nomograms in estimating the likelihood of survival, along with the value of conditional survival estimation for patients who had already survived for a given length of time after surgery.

Methods

This was an observational study based on a prospectively developed departmental database that recorded details of patients operated for ACC in a UK tertiary referral centre.

Results

Of 74 patients with ACC managed between 2001 and 2020, data were analysed for 62 patients (32 women and 30 men, mean(s.d.) age 51(17) years) who had primary surgical treatment in this unit. Laparoscopic (9) or open adrenalectomies (53) were performed alone or in association with a multivisceral resection (27). Most of the tumours were left-sided (40) and 18 were cortisol-secreting.

Overall median survival was 33 months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 79, 49, and 41 per cent respectively. Age over 55 years, higher European Network for Study of Adrenal Tumours stage, and cortisol secretion were associated with poorer survival in univariable analyses. Four published nomograms suggested widely variable outcomes that did not correlate with observed overall survival at 1, 3 or 5 years after operation. The 3-year conditional survival at 2 years (probability of surviving to postoperative year 5) was 65 per cent, compared with a 5-year actuarial survival rate of 41 per cent calculated from the time of surgery.

Conclusion

Survival of patients with ACC correlates with clinical parameters but not with published nomograms. Conditional survival might provide a more accurate estimate of survival for patients who have already survived for a certain amount of time after resection.
Combined APRI/ALBI score to predict mortality after hepatic resection
Authors: Starlinger P , Ubl D S , Hackl H , Starlinger J , Nagorney D M , Smoot R L , Habermann E B , Cleary S P
Published: January 2021

Background

Aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI) and albumin–bilirubin grade (ALBI) are validated prognostic indices implicated as predictors of postoperative liver dysfunction after hepatic resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of the combined APRI/ALBI score for postoperative clinically meaningful outcomes.

Methods

Patients undergoing hepatectomy were included from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. The association between APRI/ALBI score and postoperative grade C liver dysfunction, liver dysfunction-associated and overall 30-day mortality was assessed.

Results

A total of 12 055 patients undergoing hepatic resection from 2014 to 2017 with preoperative blood values and detailed 30-day postoperative outcomes were included (exploration cohort: January 2014 to December 2016; validation cohort: 2017). In the exploration cohort (8538 patients), the combination of both scores (APRI/ALBI) was significantly associated with postoperative grade C liver dysfunction, 30-day mortality, and liver dysfunction-associated 30-day mortality, and was superior to either score alone. The association with postoperative 30-day mortality was confirmed in multivariable analysis. A predictive model was generated using the exploration cohort. The predicted incidence of events closely followed the observed incidence in the validation cohort (3517 patients). Subgroup analyses of tumour types were used to generate disease-specific risk models to assess risk in different clinical scenarios. These findings informed development of a smartphone application (https://tellaprialbi.37binary.com).

Conclusion

The predictive potential of the combined APRI/ALBI score for clinically relevant outcomes such as mortality was demonstrated. An evidence-based smartphone application will allow clinical translation and facilitation of risk assessment before hepatic resection using routine laboratory parameters.
Patent Law and Climate Change – Do We Need an EU Patent Law Directive on Clean Technology?
Authors: Heinze Christian
Published: January 2021

With the fight against climate change high on the EU’s political agenda, it seems timely to discuss the possible impact of climate change policies on intellectual property. The following article sketches the relationship between patent law and climate change and provides a catalogue of possible interventions in patent law that could be considered in the fight against climate change. Without attempting to give definite answers, a cautious approach is suggested. This could include minor adjustments such as a clarification of the relevance of environmental damage for the assessment of the ordre public exclusion and of environmental benefits for the assessment of inventive step. It could also see the introduction of fast-track prosecution procedures for climate-friendly inventions (or environmentally-friendly inventions in general) in patent offices where such procedures are not available, and a clarification of the effect of industry agreements to improve the environmental performance of equipment for the context of patent infringement disputes.
The Flexible Copyright Exception for ‘Non-Enjoyment’ Purposes ‒ Recent Amendment in Japan and Its Implication
Authors: Ueno Tatsuhiro
Published: January 2021

After the long discussions in Japan over the introduction of a general clause on copyright exceptions since 2007, the ‘flexible’ provisions on copyright exceptions (Arts. 30-4, 47-4 and 47-5) were finally introduced into the Japanese Copyright Act in 2018 and came into effect in 2019. They differ widely from the US fair use clause and the UK fair dealing provisions. This article focuses on Art. 30-4, which comprehensively allows an exploitation of a work that is aimed at neither enjoying nor causing another person to enjoy the work. In particular, any exploitation for text-and-data mining (TDM) is widely permitted by any means under Art. 30-4, including for commercial purposes. The underlying theory behind this relates to the nature of copyright, or the justification for copyright protection that an exploitation not for ‘enjoyment’ purposes is beyond the inherent scope of copyright because it does not prejudice the opportunities of the copyright holders to receive compensation. While this might sound unusual, it is interesting to note that some similar theories can be found in Europe, some of which try to widely exclude TDM activities from the scope of copyright based on the idea of ‘a use as a work’. Considering such common characteristics of the theories regarding copyright and ‘enjoyment’ of a work, Art. 30-4 of the Japanese Copyright Act and the theoretical justification for it might have implications for other jurisdictions regarding copyright exceptions or the substantive scope of copyright.
The effect of plant bioactive compounds on lamb performance, intake, gastrointestinal parasite burdens, and lipid peroxidation in muscle
Authors: Poli Cesar H E C , Thornton-Kurth Kara J , Legako Jerrad F , Bremm Carolina , Hampel Viviane S , Hall Jeffrey , Ipharraguerre Ignacio R , Villalba Juan J
Published: January 2021

Plant extracts have been widely used in animal production systems due to the benefits promoted by their bioactive components, mainly through their antioxidant effects and positive effects on animal growth, health, and meat quality. We determined whether bioactive compounds (BC) from grape (Vitis vinifera), olive (Olea europaea), and pomegranate (Punica granatum) have beneficial effects on lamb growth while controlling gastrointestinal parasitism and reducing skeletal lipid peroxidation in muscle. Fourteen lambs (4 to 5 mo of age) were housed in individual pens and assigned to two treatment groups (seven animals/group), where they received: 1) a basal diet of beet pulp:soybean meal (90:10) (CONTROL) and 2) the same diet, but containing 0.3% of BC extracted from grape, olive, and pomegranate (BNP). After 21 d of consuming their respective rations (period 1), all lambs were dosed with 10,000 L3 stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Intake, production, and physiological parameters were determined before infection (period 1), after oral dosage with L3 (period 2), and during early (period 3) and later (period 4) developmental stages of infection. Groups of animals did not differ in their ration intake or average daily gain, either before or after the infection, or in their parasitic burdens estimated through fecal egg counts (P > 0.05). Lambs under BNP showed greater feed efficiency before infection (P < 0.001), but the pattern reversed after infection. In addition, the inclusion of plant bioactives to the diet did not have an effect (P > 0.05) on blood or lipid peroxidation in muscle or on hemogram, serum concentration of haptoglobin, and immunoglobulin E. These results could be explained by low dietary doses and constrained absorption or ruminal inactivation of these compounds. Changes in feed efficiencies suggest a negative interaction between BC in the diet and parasitism, which warrants further research.
The Syrian Emergency: A Catalyst for Change in the International Refugee Regime
Authors: Crisp Jeff
Published: January 2021

Beginning in 2012, the Syrian refugee exodus has been one of the largest, speediest, and geopolitically significant seen in recent years. It has placed enormous pressures on host states in the Middle East, stretched the international humanitarian system to breaking point, and, of course, entailed enormous suffering for the millions of Syrian citizens who have been forced to flee from their own country. At the same time, the Syrian crisis has had a much broader impact on the global refugee regime and the way in which the international community addresses large-scale movements of displaced people. This article explores that impact, focusing on issues such as encampment and settlement strategies, the use of cash transfers, refugee employment and livelihoods, the refugee impact on host communities, the engagement of development actors in humanitarian crises and the challenge of providing safe and legal routes to people in need of protection. In these respects, the article suggests, the Syrian refugee emergency has acted as a more important catalyst for change than the high-level diplomatic activity associated with the Global Compact on Refugees.
Activation and activity of STOP1 in aluminium resistance
Authors: Huang Chao-Feng
Published: January 2021

This article comments on:

Tokizawa M, Enomoto T, Ito H, Wu L, Kobayashi Y, Mora-Macias J, Armenta-Medina D, Iuchi S, Kobayashi M, Nomoto M, Tada Y, Fujita M, Shinozaki K, Yamamoto YY, Kochian LV, Koyama H. 2021. High affinity promoter binding of STOP1 is essential for early expression of novel aluminum-induced resistance genes GDH1 and GDH2 in Arabidopsis. Journal of Experimental Botany 72,2769–2789.
An extension of the MILES library with derived Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and [α/Fe]
Authors: García Pérez A E , Sánchez-Blázquez P , Vazdekis A , Allende Prieto C , Milone A de C , Sansom A E , Gorgas J , Falcón-Barroso J , Martín Navarro I , Cacho R
Published: January 2021

Extragalactic astronomy and stellar astrophysics are intrinsically related. In fact, the determination of important galaxy properties such as stellar masses, star formation histories, or chemical abundances relies on the ability to model their stellar populations. One important ingredient of these models is stellar libraries. Empirical libraries must have a good coverage of Teff, [Z/H], and surface gravity, and have these parameters reliably determined. MILES is one of the most widely used empirical libraries. Here, we present an extension of this library with 205 new stars especially selected to cover important regions of the parameter space, including metal-poor stars down to [Fe/H] ∼ −1.0. We describe the observations and data reductions as well as a new determination of the stellar parameters, including [α/Fe] ratio. The new MILES library contains 1070 stars with homogeneous and reliable determination of [Fe/H], Teff, log g, and [α/Fe] ratio.
Prevalence and Longevity of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Health Care Workers
Authors: Brant-Zawadzki Michael , Fridman Deborah , Robinson Philip A , Zahn Matthew , Chau Clayton , German Randy , Breit Marcus , Burke Elmira , Bock Jason R , Hara Junko
Published: January 2021

Background

Understanding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody prevalence in a spectrum of health care workers (HCWs) may provide benchmarks of susceptibility, help us understand risk stratification, and support enactment of better health policies and procedures.

Methods

Blood serum was sampled at enrollment and 8-week follow-up from HCWs (n = 3458) and from community first responders (n = 226) for immunoglobulin G (IgG) analyses. Demographics, job duties, location, and coronavirus disease 2019–related information were collected.

Results

The observed IgG antibody prevalence was 0.93% and 2.58% at enrollment (May/June) and 8-week follow-up (July/August), respectively, for HCWs, and 5.31% and 4.35% for first responders. For HCWs, significant differences (P < .05) between negative and positive at initial assessment were found for age, race, fever, and loss of smell, and at 8-week follow-up for age, race, and all symptoms. Antibody positivity persisted at least 8 weeks in all positive HCWs.

Conclusions

We found considerably lower antibody prevalence among HCWs compared with other published studies. While rigorous safety process measures instituted in our workplace and heightened awareness at and outside of the workplace among our HCWs may have contributed to our findings, the significant discrepancy from our community prevalence warrants further studies on other contributing factors.
Introduction
Authors: Bolt Neville
Published: January 2021

An introduction to the proposition that violent images caught on camera are today’s strategic operating concept for insurgents and revolutionaries. Propaganda of the Deed acts as a lightning rod for constructed collective memory. Pictures and images of violence trigger crystallized messages that resonate with popular memories of grievance and injustice. These messages move so fast through interconnected global networks that hierarchically organized states struggle to respond in their decision making and actions. This introduction lays the theoretical foundations for a new theory of resistance and protest in today’s dynamic communications landscape.
A Watershed Moment
Authors: King Marcus DuBois
Published: January 2021

Chapter 4 establishes Iraqi Kurdistan as a de-facto riparian actor the Tigris and Euphrates River System explaining that it is blessed with abundant water resources that are now under increasing stress. Changing demographics, dam building in neighbouring countries, and drought have brought Kurdish hydropolitics to a critical juncture where two distinct water futures of abundance or scarcity are possible depending in large part on policy decisions limited by regional security concerns. The chapter problematizes a spectrum of potential water conflict in this context and finds that outbreaks might be sparked by three historical realities: (1) systemic precedence for hydro-hegemonic behaviour—the monopolization of water by a single country—in the Tigris and Euphrates River Basin (2) a record of deployment of the water weapon during contemporary conflicts in Syria and Iraq and (3) conflicting views of ownership and rights to the Tigris and Euphrates river among the riparian countries. Ultimately, the chapter argues that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) must recognize these realities, and use this understanding to develop a comprehensive strategy that will guarantee sufficient water for Iraqi Kurdistan’s people while maintaining the ability to use water as political leverage in support of designs toward autonomy or, more altruistically, to improve the quality of life for all Iraqis.
Religious Freedom between the Conflicting Demands of Church and State [1964–79]
Authors: Böckenförde Ernst-Wolfgang , Künkler Mirjam , Stein Tine
Published: January 2021

Böckenförde regards ‘De Libertate Religiosa’, the declaration of the Second Vatican Council on religious freedom, as the belated triumph of liberalism in Church dogma, finally reconciling the truth claims of Catholic teachings with the demands of individual liberty. This was achieved by separating the hitherto unified spheres of law and morality: Whereas all pre-Council declarations (as well as prominent early Protestant thinkers) reduced man to an object of truth as administered by the Church, more or less continuing the polis cult of antiquity and plunging Europe into confessional wars, the encyclical of 1965 for the first time accepted the legal liberty of every individual, theologically justified in the concept of man’s likeness to God. Law, in this entirely new understanding (that is, new to the Church), does not deal with salvation and eternal truths, but rather is seen as a necessary system to guarantee liberty and societal peace. Consequently, the Catholic Church, while morally upholding its understanding of truth, signalled its readiness to relinquish the privileges it had traditionally enjoyed in Catholic countries. Though Böckenförde makes clear that the impulses for such a radical change in dogma must be found outside the Church, namely in the gradual adoption of religious neutrality on behalf of the secular state, he credits the Church with providing the modern state with an unprecedented quality of legitimacy. In his view, religious freedom thus is no longer a field of contestation, but rather a field of possible cooperation between church and state.
Will Human Dignity Remain Inviolable? [2004]
Authors: Böckenförde Ernst-Wolfgang , Künkler Mirjam , Stein Tine
Published: January 2021

For decades, Article 1 of the German Basic Law was interpreted in accordance with the view that human dignity belongs to human beings as such. In other words, Article 1 guarantees respect for the dignity of human beings and thus of every individual. In this article—originally published to intense debate in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung— Böckenförde argues that the traditional view was gradually undermined on two different fronts: by jurists who argue that human dignity belongs to human beings only after birth, and by those who argue that human dignity gradually develops from conception until birth. Legal scholar Matthias Herdegen, who wrote the new interpretation of Article 1 in the influential Basic Law commentary ‘Maunz-Dürig’, holds the latter position. Böckenförde regards the adoption of this new interpretation in the authoritative commentary both as a shock to the foundation of the constitution and as a disregard for the intent of the constitutional framers. The political and societal background of this shift is the bioethical debate: the possible benefit to be gained from embryonic stem cell research, the question of whether parents should be allowed to select between in-vitro embryos after genetic screening, and so forth. Böckenförde is very critical of this development. If the interpretation of the constitutional guarantee of human dignity is changed to fit changing social attitudes, Böckenförde argues, we should be concerned about the binding nature of the constitution as such.
Social Calamity, Personal Perturbations, and Office Decorum
Authors: Price Kenneth M.
Published: January 2021

Whitman’s various roles as a government clerk shaped his life and writing from 1863 to 1873. Whitman’s years in the attorney general’s office coincided with his revising of Leaves of Grass, especially the creation of an annotated volume known as the “Blue Book,” considered in detail below, and the writing of Democratic Vistas, considered in the next chapter. I argue that there is a relation between the decorum required of an employee—a clerk in a government office—and the evolution of Whitman’s creative life in these years, particularly his treatment of sex and the body. Compared to his editorial labor on newspapers, Whitman’s government stint has received less attention, though it is illuminating to view him through this lens, as he tried on new identities during the war and in the immediate postwar years. His government work provided him with a network of contacts different from the bohemian world of New York or New Orleans journalists, but his new milieu nonetheless offered him friendship, collaboration, and intellectual stimulation. The identification of nearly 3,000 documents in Whitman’s handwriting from his clerking years leaves us now better able to study this portion of his life in its full complexity and to reevaluate his literary accomplishments. His scribal documents let us see how his roles as poet of democracy and clerk in bureaucracy were more entangled than we’ve ever known or imagined.
Introduction
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Butters Marielle
Published: January 2021

The introduction states the main question of the book and sets the theoretical basis of the study; namely that every language codes a unique semantic structure in its grammatical system. This semantic structure consists of functional domains and subdomains, and each subdomain consists of a finite number of functions. The functional domains, subdomains, and functions can change over time. Even if languages have identical functional domains, the internal composition of these domains may vary. Every language contains a finite number of coding means such as lexical categories and derivational morphology, linear orders, phonological means, inflectional morphology, deployment of lexical items to code grammatical functions, including serial verb constructions, adpositions, and free grammatical morphemes. The role of the formal means is to allow for the realization of the functions from the semantic structure of the language and to assure the principle functional transparency.
Methodology
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Butters Marielle
Published: January 2021

A prerequisite for the discovery of functions is the determination of formal means of coding within the language. The discovery of functions and motivations for the emergence of functions is based on the claim that each function is a member of some functional domain. A determining characteristic of a function is its contrast with other functions within the domain. The chapter postulates that a distinction should be made between structural functions that allow the listener to identify the types of constituents in the clause and functions encoding meaning. The chapter illustrates the discovery of the functions of the following: the ‘progressive’ and the ‘perfect’ forms in English; ‘reflexives’ in some Indo-European languages; point of view of the subject; and goal orientation in several languages; pronouns in several languages.
The emergence of the point-of-view of the subject
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Butters Marielle
Published: January 2021

Chapter 6 defines semantic properties of the point of view of the subject, illustrating the issue on languages familiar to many readers. The category point of view of the subject instructs the listener to consider how the event concerns the subject. This semantic function does not depend on the number and type of arguments with which the verb occurs or on the type of the event described. The chapter demonstrates how the point of view of the subject emerged from the initial state that either coded goal orientation or allowed the proposition to be interpreted as having a goal. The category point of view of the subject can be encoded regardless of whether the subject has control over the event. In German, Italian, Spanish, French, the point of view of the subject is marked by forms referred to as ‘reflexive’, and in Russian, Polish by the so-called short reflexive markers.
The emergence of functions through metonymy and language contact
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Butters Marielle
Published: January 2021

A function can emerge through a metonymical extension from one function to another. A function may have several properties or features. These are mainly logical implications of a given function. Each of these features may serve as a source for the emergence of new function. The metonymical extension may be coded by the same formal means as the function from which it emerged, or new formal means may be recruited to code the new function. The Chapter describes the emergence of functions coding the relationships between propositions. The initial state described here consists of the juxtaposition of two clauses without any conjunction in Lele. Out of this initial state four functions have emerged: a backgrounding function whereby one proposition constitutes a background for another; a sequential temporal relationship between the two propositions; the unexpected relationship between two propositions, and the most recent function that of coding counter-expectations.
The emergence of complex action as an outcome of the availability of coding means
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt , Butters Marielle
Published: January 2021

Studies of Australian and Amazonian languages have demonstrated the existence of an associated motion function. Chapter 11 demonstrates that associated motion is just one of the possible outcomes of the emergence of new functions. The associated action may involve activities other than motion. This associated activity is called here ‘compositional action’. This function emerged as a result of the presence of the rich system of verbal inflectional markers coding directionality and spatial orientation in the languages considered. The importance of this chapter is that it demonstrates that a rich inflectional coding on a lexical category - in this case the verb - allows for the emergence of a new type of function and not merely provides a new locus of coding. The implications of this conclusion, which supports previous studies of Australian, Amazonian, and Slavic languages, is that it calls for a new typology of functions.