bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
X‐linked pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency due to a novel PDHA1 variant associated with structural brain abnormalities in a fetus
Authors: Tanner Laura M. , Tynninen Olli , Piippo Kirsi , Puhakka Antti M.
Published: May 2023

We report a case of pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 alpha subunit deficiency associated with a novel hemizygous PDHA1 variant presenting prenatally as multiple structural brain abnormalities in a male fetus. A healthy Finnish couple was initially referred to the Fetomaternal Medical Center because of suspected fetal choroid plexus cyst at 11 + 2 weeks of pregnancy. At 20 + 0 weeks, multiple abnormalities were observed with ultrasound including narrow thorax, slightly enlarged heart, hypoplastic cerebellum, absent cerebellar vermis and ventriculomegaly. Autopsy and genetic analyses were performed after the termination of pregnancy. The findings of macroscopic examination included cleft palate, abnormally overlapping position of fingers and toes and dysmorphic facial features. Neuropathological examination confirmed the absence of corpus callosum, cerebellar hypoplasia and ventriculomegaly. Nodular neuronal heterotopia was also observed. Trio exome sequencing revealed a novel hemizygous de novo variant c.1144C>T p.(Gln382*) in the PDHA1 gene, classified as likely pathogenic. We suggest that inherited metabolic disorders should be kept in mind as differential diagnoses in fetuses with structural brain abnormalities.
The grading of stomach position for postnatal outcomes in isolated left‐sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hou Chenxiao , Wang Jingjing , Song Shijing , Wu Qingqing
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the correlation between stomach position (SP) grading and postnatal outcomes in fetuses with isolated left‐sided congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDHs).

Methods

A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. The corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the differences in the odds of mortality according to the SP graded as level 0 to level 3. To evaluate the reliability of our results, a sensitivity analysis was also conducted.

Results

Nine papers with a total of 542 fetuses with isolated left‐sided CDH were included. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia pregnancies complicated by an intrathoracic stomach had higher odds of neonatal mortality when compared with intraabdominal stomach (odds ratio [OR] 2.86; 95% CI 1.38–5.94). Four papers with SP grading from level 0 to level 3 were included in a subgroup analysis. Stomach position at level 1 and level 2 had lower odds of neonatal mortality when separately compared to level 3 (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.04–0.33) and (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.16–0.54). Stomach position at level 1 had lower odds of neonatal mortality when compared with level 2 + 3 (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09–0.66).

Conclusion

Survival of fetuses with isolated left‐sided CDH is correlated with the SP.
Metabolic responses of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) to the insecticide thiamethoxam
Authors: Jiao Weiting , Zhang Ping , Cui Chuanjian , Yan Min , Li Qing X. , Tang Yongfeng , Zhang Nan , Wang Xinyi , Hou Ruyan , Hua Rimao
Published: May 2023

Background

Thiamethoxam (TMX) is insecticidal, but also can trigger physiological and metabolic reactions of plant cycles. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological and metabolic effect of TMX on tea plants and its potential benefits.

Results

In this study, dose of TMX (0.09, 0.135 and 0.18 kg a.i./ha) were tested. Except for peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S‐transferase (GST), chlorophyll, carotenoid, catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly affected compared with the controls. The CAT activity was increased by 3.38, 1.71, 2.91 times, respectively, under three doses of TMX treatment. The metabolic response between TMX treatment and control groups on the third day was compared using a widely targeted metabolomics. A total of 97 different metabolites were identified, including benzenoids, flavonoids, lipids and lipid‐like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic nitrogen compounds, organic oxygen compounds, organoheterocyclic compounds, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and others. Those metabolites were mapped on the perturbed metabolic pathways. The results demonstrated that the most perturbation occurred in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. The beneficial secondary metabolites luteolin and kaempferol were upregulated 1.46 and 1.31 times respectively, which protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. Molecular docking models suggest interactions between TMX and flavonoid 3‐O‐glucosyltransferase.

Conclusion

Thiamethoxam spray positively promoted the physiological and metabolic response of tea plants. And this work also provided the useful information of TMX metabolism in tea plants as well as rational application of insecticides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Comparison of Blueberry and Dandelion Aqueous Extracts in the Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanostructures, and Their Applications as Anti‐Pseudomonas aeruginosa Agent
Authors: Dilek Tepe Hafize , Şeymanur Aktaş B. S. , Çeter Talip , Yazgan İdris
Published: May 2023

We performed a comparative study using aqueous extracts of dandelion flowers and blueberry fruits to synthesize gold‐ (Au) and silver‐ (Ag) nanostructures (NSs). The blueberry extracts gave nanowire and spherical AuNSs upon changing the ratio of the extracts to Au3+precursor while altering the ratio for the dandelion extracts resulted in formation of only anisotropic AuNSs. Similar results were obtained during the AgNSs, where the dandelion extracts resulted in formation of quasi‐spherical AgNSs at the tested ratio (extract/AgNO3 ratio) while altering the ratio for the blueberry extracts resulted in nanorod and nanoplates formation. We argued that this could be from dominancy of a lone compound or a group of compounds and tested this claim by introducing chrysin and amino acid mixtures to the blueberry extracts. Altering the added chrysin amount triggered nanoplate and spherical AuNSs formation while alteration in amino acid mixture content did not change the morphology, and spherical AuNSs were obtained. The antibacterial studies revealed the AgNSs are toxic to Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 8 μg/mL MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) and 3 μg/mL values for the blueberry and dandelion extracts synthesized AgNSs while penicillin/streptomycin sulfate mixture carrying Dandelion‐AuNSs gave 12‐times lower MBC value in comparison to free penicillin/streptomycin sulfate mixture.
Cosmological de Sitter Solutions of the Semiclassical Einstein Equation
Authors: Gottschalk Hanno , Rothe Nicolai R. , Siemssen Daniel
Published: May 2023

Exponentially expanding space–times play a central role in contemporary cosmology, most importantly in the theory of inflation and in the dark energy driven expansion in the late universe. In this work, we give a complete list of de Sitter solutions of the semiclassical Einstein equation (SCE), where classical gravity is coupled to the expected value of a renormalized stress–energy tensor of a free quantum field in the Bunch–Davies state. To achieve this, we explicitly determine the stress–energy tensor associated with the Bunch–Davies state using the recently proposed “moment approach” on the cosmological coordinate patch of de Sitter space. From the energy component of the SCE, we thus obtain an analytic consistency equation for the model’s parameters which has to be fulfilled by solutions to the SCE. Using this equation, we then investigate the number of solutions and the structure of the solution set in dependency on the coupling parameter of the quantum field to the scalar curvature and renormalization constants using analytic arguments in combination with numerical evidence. We also identify parameter sets where multiple expansion rates separated by several orders of magnitude are possible. Potentially for such parameter settings, a fast (semi-stable) expansion in the early universe could be compatible with a late-time “Dark Energy-like” behavior of the universe.
Regional Gravity Model of Greece Based on Satellite, Marine and Terrestrial Data
Authors: Dilalos Spyridon , Alexopoulos John D.
Published: May 2023

Greece is a country structured by land, several islands and sea. A regional gravity model of such a country demands the involvement of several types of gravity data in order to cover all its territory. In this paper, we present the development of a regional combined gravity model of Greece and its surrounding area, by integrating terrestrial, marine (shipborne and altimetry-derived gravity data) and satellite data (GOCE and GRACE data). These kinds of data, especially the terrestrial and marine ones, have passed quality and validation control since they were collected from different organizations, which means that they probably have been acquired and processed with different parameters and formulas. Following that, their integration was accomplished with the application of the least-squares collocation (LSC). Therefore, a newly combined regional gravity model of Greece and its surrounding areas has been developed. This gravity model can be valuable for regional geological and geophysical studies of Greece, since it provides homogeneously the distribution of Complete Bouguer anomaly (CBA) all over Greece, with updated gravity data and in good agreement with the initial gravity datasets that have been used.
Cannabis self-administration in the human laboratory: a scoping review of ad libitum studies
Authors: Xiao Ke Bin , Grennell Erin , Ngoy Anthony , George Tony P. , Le Foll Bernard , Hendershot Christian S. , Sloan Matthew E.
Published: May 2023

Cannabis self-administration studies may be helpful for identifying factors that influence cannabis consumption and subjective response to cannabis. Additionally, these paradigms could be useful for testing novel pharmacotherapies for cannabis use disorder. This scoping review aims to summarize the findings from existing ad libitum cannabis self-administration studies to determine what has been learned from these studies as well as their limitations. We examined studies that specifically examined cannabis smoking, focusing on subjective response and self-administration behavior (e.g., smoking topography). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed and Embase from inception to October 22, 2022. Our search strategy identified 26 studies (total N = 662, 79% male) that met our eligibility criteria. We found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration significantly affected subjective response to cannabis in some but not all studies. In general, cannabis self-administration tended to be most intense at the beginning of the laboratory session and decreased in later parts of the session. There was limited data on cannabis self-administration in adults older than 55. Data on external validity and test-retest reliability were also limited. Addressing these limitations in future ad libitum cannabis self-administration studies could lead to more valid and generalizable paradigms, which in turn could be used to improve our understanding of cannabis use patterns and to help guide medication development for cannabis use disorder.
Exploring Blastocystis genetic diversity in rural schoolchildren from Colombia using next-generation amplicon sequencing reveals significant associations between contact with animals and infection risk
Authors: Hernández Paula C. , Maloney Jenny G. , Molokin Aleksey , George Nadja S. , Morales Liliana , Chaparro-Olaya Jacqueline , Santin Monica
Published: May 2023

Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist with a global distribution in humans and many other animals. Yet, the status of Blastocystis as a pathogen, the risk factors associated with its transmission, and its zoonotic potential remain ill-defined. Here, we explored subtype (ST) diversity and potential risk factors for Blastocystis infection in 98 children from Apulo, Colombia. Samples were screened for Blastocystis via PCR, and ST identification was performed through next-generation amplicon sequencing (NGS). Associations between the presence of Blastocystis and individual STs and sociodemographic variables were assessed via logistic regression analyses. Seventy-one samples (72.4%) were Blastocystis-positive, and NGS revealed the presence of five STs (ST1-ST5). ST1, ST2, and ST3 were common and observed in nearly equal proportions (~ 40%), while samples with ST4 (1.4%) and ST5 (5.6%) were comparatively rare. The presence of mixed STs in the same sample was also common (28.2%). Comparisons among children within the same household identified that shared ST profiles were common, but diversity within family units was also observed. Logistic regression analyses returned significant associations between the presence of Blastocystis, individual subtypes, or mixed subtypes for several variables. Intriguingly, the presence of animals was one of the most common significant associations. Taken together, these data represent an important step forward in understanding both the potential routes and risk factors that may influence Blastocystis transmission and will be useful in shaping future studies which seek to clarify the relationships between STs, pathogenicity, and zoonotic transmission.
Complete seasonal surveillance of Greylag Goose (Anser anser) foraging behavior on dairy grassland and the effect of limited lethal scaring
Authors: Aarseth Jo Jorem
Published: May 2023

In northern Norway, an increasing population of Greylag Geese (Anser anser) forages considerably on dairy grassland and can eat up to 60% of the grass (dry matter mass) on a field if allowed to eat undisturbed throughout the growing season. In this study, the seasonal foraging behavior of Greylag Geese on diary grassland was continuously monitored with game cameras from late April to the end of August to be able to pinpoint effective preventive measures to manage, control, and prevent this crop damage. Limited, but regular, lethal scaring was conducted on some fields to reveal the preventive effect of this measure. Foraging from Greylag Geese in a rangeland area was also monitored, and a complete dataset of seasonal foraging behavior of this species is presented here. Greylag Geese foraging on the fields reaches a top between 04:00 and 08:00 h am, all season. Energy and digestibility of the field grass (timothy) did not reveal any correlation with grazing patterns. Greylag Geese do not visit the fields during molting; however, they may visit fields with their chicks to forage. Lethal scaring completely removes visits from Greylag Geese on the fields where this is conducted, while foraging continues if geese are given undisturbed access. In the rangeland area foraging seems to be even and continuous throughout the season, but significantly lower. In the end of June and late July/early August, there is a peak in visits and number of geese per visit on the fields. Preventive and effective measures against crop damage from Greylag Geese must therefore at least be initiated during late June and early August, and between 04:00 and 08:00 am.
A non-ergodic spectral acceleration ground motion model for California developed with random vibration theory
Authors: Lavrentiadis Grigorios , Abrahamson Norman A.
Published: May 2023

A new approach for creating a non-ergodic pseudo-spectral acceleration (PSA) ground-motion model (GMM) is presented, which accounts for the magnitude dependence of the non-ergodic effects. In this approach, the average PSA scaling is controlled by an ergodic PSA GMM, and the non-ergodic effects are captured with non-ergodic PSA factors, which are the adjustment that needs to be applied to an ergodic PSA GMM to incorporate the non-ergodic effects. The non-ergodic PSA factors are based on the effective amplitude spectrum (EAS) non-ergodic effects and are converted to PSA through Random Vibration Theory (RVT). The advantage of this approach is that it better captures the non-ergodic source, path, and site effects through small-magnitude earthquakes. Due to the linear properties of the Fourier Transform, the EAS non-ergodic effects of the small events can be applied directly to the large magnitude events. This is not the case for PSA, as response spectra are controlled by a range of frequencies, making PSA non-ergodic effects dependent on the spectral shape, which in turn is magnitude-dependent. Two PSA non-ergodic GMMs are derived using the ASK14 (Abrahamson et al. in Earthq Spectra 30:1025–1055, 2014) and CY14 (Chiou and Youngs in Earthq Spectra 30:1117–1153, 2014) GMMs as backbone models, respectively. The non-ergodic EAS effects are estimated with the LAK21 (Lavrentiadis et al. in Bull Earthq Eng ) GMM. The RVT calculations are performed with the V75 (Vanmarcke in ASCE Mech Eng Mech Division 98:425–446, 1972) peak factor model, the $$D_{a0.05-0.85}$$

D

a
0.05
-
0.85

estimate of AS96 (Abrahamson and Silva in Apendix A: empirical ground motion models, description and validation of the stochastic ground motion model. Tech. rep.,. Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York) for the ground-motion duration, and BT15 (Boore and Thompson in Bull Seismol Soc Am 105:1029–1041, 2015) oscillator-duration model. The California subset of the NGAWest2 database (Ancheta et al. in Earthq Spectra 30:989–1005, 2014) is used to fit both models. The total aleatory standard deviation of each of the two non-ergodic PSA GMMs is approximately $$25\%$$

25
%

smaller than the total aleatory standard deviation of the corresponding ergodic PSA GMMs. This reduction has a significant impact on hazard calculations at large return periods. In remote areas, far from stations and past events, the reduction of aleatory variability is accompanied by an increase in epistemic uncertainty.
The mixed subtype has a worse prognosis than other histological subtypes: a retrospective analysis of 217 patients with metaplastic breast cancer
Authors: Hu Jiayue , Lang Ronggang , Zhao Weipeng , Jia Yongsheng , Tong Zhongsheng , Shi Yehui
Published: May 2023

Objective

Metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) is an aggressive subtype of all breast cancer. We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features, treatments and prognoses of MpBC patients.

Methods

We collected the data from MpBC patients diagnosed at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from 2010 to 2017. Kaplan Meier curves and Cox regression model were used to evaluating clinical outcomes and prognostic factors. After removing baseline differences by propensity score matching (PSM), we analyzed the prognosis between MpBC patients and invasive ductal carcinomas of no special type (IDC-NST) patients.

Results

A total of 217 MpBC patients were subsumed. Of all histological subtypes, 45.1% were mixed subtypes, followed by with mesenchymal differentiation (27.2%), pure squamous (15.2%) and pure spindle (12.4%) subtypes. 69.6% of MpBC were triple-negative, 25.3% and 6.5% were HR-positive and HER2-positive. MpBC patients had worse survival compared to IDC-NST patients, with 5-year RFS of 73.8 and 83.6% (HR = 1.177 95%CI (1.171–2.676) P = 0.0068), and 5-year BCSS of 79.0% and 89.7% (HR = 2.187 95%CI (1.357–3.523) P = 0.0013). In the multivariate COX model, AJCC stage, mixed subtype and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors. Mixed MpBC is more aggressive than pure and with heterologous mesenchymal differentiation subtypes. And whether squamous or spindle MpBC, mixed forms have shorter outcomes than pure forms.

Conclusions

MpBCs are associated with poorer prognoses than IDC-NSTs. They are heterogeneous with different clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes between histological subtypes. Pure and with heterologous mesenchymal differentiation subtypes have more survival benefits than the mixed subtype.
Secular orbital dynamics of the innermost exoplanet of the $$\upsilon $$-Andromedæ system
Authors: Mastroianni Rita , Locatelli Ugo
Published: May 2023

We introduce a quasi-periodic restricted Hamiltonian to describe the secular motion of a small-mass planet in a multi-planetary system. In particular, we refer to the motion of $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{b}$$
b
which is the innermost planet among those discovered in the extrasolar system orbiting around the $$\upsilon $$
υ
-Andromedæ A star. We preassign the orbits of the Super-Jupiter exoplanets $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{c}$$
c
and $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{d}$$
d
in a stable configuration. The Fourier decompositions of their secular motions are reconstructed by using the well-known technique of the (so-called) frequency analysis and are injected in the equations describing the orbital dynamics of $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{b}$$
b
under the gravitational effects exerted by those two external exoplanets (that are expected to be major ones in such an extrasolar system). Therefore, we end up with a Hamiltonian model having $$2+3/2$$

2
+
3
/
2

degrees of freedom; its validity is confirmed by the comparison with several numerical integrations of the complete four-body problem. Furthermore, the model is enriched by taking into account also the effects due to the relativistic corrections on the secular motion of the innermost exoplanet. We focus on the problem of the stability of $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{b}$$
b
as a function of the parameters that mostly impact on its orbit, that are the initial values of its inclination and the longitude of its node (as they are measured with respect to the plane of the sky). In particular, we study the evolution of its eccentricity, which is crucial to exclude orbital configurations with high probability of (quasi)collision with the central star in the long-time evolution of the system. Moreover, we also introduce a normal form approach, that is based on the complete average of our restricted model with respect to the angles describing the secular motions of the major exoplanets. Therefore, our Hamiltonian model is further reduced to a system with 2 degrees of freedom, which is integrable because it admits a constant of motion that is related to the total angular momentum. This allows us to very quickly preselect the domains of stability for $$\upsilon $$
υ
-And $$\textbf{b}$$
b
, with respect to the set of the initial orbital configurations that are compatible with the observations.
An observational study of the cause and frequency of prescription rework in community pharmacies
Authors: Olden Frank , Dalton Kieran
Published: May 2023

Background

When prescriptions are being processed in pharmacies, ‘rework’ is a phenomenon where an activity occurs that requires the return to a prior procedural step in the process for correction. To date, little is known regarding rework prevalence in community pharmacies or how this might be minimised.

Aim

To evaluate the cause and frequency of prescription rework in community pharmacies.

Method

A list of reworks was designed for community pharmacists to self-record prescription rework instances and causes in their workplace across a two-week period. Community pharmacists in Ireland were recruited via convenience sampling and snowballing. Descriptive statistics were used to assess rework frequency according to the various causes, as well as the pharmacist and pharmacy characteristics.

Results

Eight pharmacists participated, recording 325 reworks across 92.9% of the 65 study days (mean 5 reworks/day). The pharmacists’ mean ranged from 1.82 to 15 reworks/day. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians alone or together were involved in 72.3% of reworks. The three most common rework categories were involving labelling errors (22.8%), prepared prescriptions which necessitated opening and repackaging (15.1%), and medication owings to patients (13.9%).

Conclusion

This study reveals that prescription rework occurs frequently in community pharmacies and has provided an indication of some of the main causes. These findings demonstrate areas where pharmacy staff can address rework and should aid the development of approaches to minimise rework in future – thus decreasing workload and facilitating more time for community pharmacy staff to focus on providing patient care.
Energy flow analysis of grass carp pond system based on Ecopath model
Authors: Xiao Shuwen , Liu Xingguo , Zhou Runfeng , Zhao Yuxi , Sun Zhaoyun
Published: May 2023

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) is the most productive freshwater fish in China, but its traditional aquaculture model still has problems, such as poor water quality and frequent diseases. We have taken monoculture and 80:20 polyculture grass carp ponds as the research object and used EwE software to build the Ecopath model of two ponds. We analyzed and compared the characteristics of ecological structure and energy flow in two ponds. The result showed the highest effective trophic level in the polyculture pond that was higher than that in the monoculture pond, and fish in polyculture had higher EE values which showed the production of fish in polyculture contributed more to the energy conversion efficiency of the ecosystem. Flows into detritus were the largest component of TST both in the two ponds, which accounted for 49.34% and 50.37%. And the average transfer efficiency in monoculture was 13.07%, while that in polyculture was 15.6%. The ascendency/total development capacity (A/TDC) and overhead/total development capacity (O/TDC) were 0.35 and 0.65 both in the two ponds, respectively, which indicated that both systems had a strong anti-perturbation ability, but the stability could be improved. Finn’s cycling index (FCI) in polyculture was higher and showed that the polyculture pond was more mature and stable. Unused energy of functional groups will flow to detritus, and that in the monoculture pond was higher, the energy of C. idellus that flowed to detritus in monoculture was 48.17% higher than that in polyculture; unused energy of bacteria and phytoplankton were also high. The result showed that polyculture could improve energy utilization, increase transfer efficiency, and raise the stability of the ecosystem. Grass carp ponds still need to be improved in the aspects of mixed species and energy consumption. It is necessary to improve the ecological and economic benefits of grass carp ponds by optimizing the aquaculture structure and adjusting the aquaculture proportion.
Analyzing Yemen’s health system at the governorate level amid the ongoing conflict: a case of Al Hodeida governorate
Authors: Al Waziza Raof , Sheikh Rashad , Ahmed Iman , Al-Masbhi Ghassan , Dureab Fekri
Published: May 2023

Background

Yemen is regarded as one of the Middle East’s poorest countries. Decades of political, economic, and social difficulties have culminated in the current protracted conflict. As a result, the globe experienced its worst humanitarian catastrophe. The ongoing war has affected several public services, notably the health sector, which is operating at less than half its capacity. This study aims to examine Yemen’s health system at the governorate level (Al Hodeida) amidst the current conflict. It analyzes current challenges and produces suggestions for enhancement.

Methods

The study used qualitative research methods such as Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and document analysis. The study used WHO’s health systems framework to measure health system performance. Twelve KIIs were conducted via Skype with several health stakeholders. In addition, documents were analyzed to inform the subject guide, generate themes, and aid in the triangulation of results.

Results

According to the study findings, the governorate health system managed to offer a minimum level of healthcare services while making some advances in outbreak control jointly with other partners. One of the main difficulties confronting the governorate’s health system is a severe lack of financial resources forcing it to rely entirely on external aid. Furthermore, other significant deficiencies include inadequate health system organogram, low reporting capacities, insufficient funding, and scarcity of health professionals.

Conclusion

Yemen’s frail health system has been weakened by almost eight years of insecurity and conflict. If the current scenario continues, most of Yemen’s health system’s operations and indicators will likely deteriorate. On the other hand, progress in some areas, such as primary healthcare (PHC) services and disease management, is remarkable. However, for better performance, Yemen’s health system leadership and stakeholders should seek a holistic strategy to improve the entire dimensions of the health system.
Benefit-Cost Analysis of Air Pollution, Energy, and Climate Regulations
Authors: Krutilla Kerry , Graham John D.
Published: May 2023

This element offers a review and synthesis of the research on economic methods for evaluating regulations that improve air quality, save energy, and reduce climate risks. The intended audience is regulators and other constituencies interested in the nexus between scholarship and practice; analysts in government agencies and research organizations; and academic scholars and their graduate students. Topics include the evolution of regulatory impact assessment in the OECD; cost estimation, including engineering, partial equilibrium, and general equilibrium approaches; benefit valuation, with an emphasis on the value of reducing risk of illness and premature mortality, and methods for pricing carbon emissions; discounting methods, and their relationship to carbon pricing; the distribution of regulatory costs and benefits; and uncertainty evaluation methods for addressing less and more fundamental uncertainty. Perspective on the relevance and limitations of current research is offered. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Association between selenium intake and cognitive function among older adults in the US: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2011–2014
Authors: Ferdous Khondoker Adeba , Knol Linda L , Park Han-A
Published: May 2023

Cognitive decline occurs commonly as people age. Despite the complexity of cellular mechanisms, oxidative stress is a critical contributor to age-associated cognitive impairment. Selenium plays an important role in antioxidant defense systems. The purpose of the present study was to assess the correlation between selenium intake and cognitive function among older adults. The participants were individuals ≥65 years old (n=1681) who participated in the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a country-wide cross-sectional survey. Dietary selenium intake and adequacy were evaluated with 2 d of 24-h recalls and the estimated average requirement (EAR) cut-point method, respectively. Cognitive function was assessed with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) score, which was significantly higher when selenium intake was adequate. After adjusting for energy intake, the association was no longer significant. Inadequate intake of selenium is rare in the US and dependent on caloric intake in older adults.
The Political Economy of American Businesses in British Central Africa, 1953–1963
Authors: Gwande Victor M.
Published: May 2023

This article details how and why officials in the United States and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland developed policies and initiatives to promote US capital investments. It analyzes these policies in the context of decolonization, white minority rule, and the Cold War in Africa. It further shows how US business interests, especially in the mining industry, increased their investments and influenced policy. Drawing from Zimbabwean archives, it argues that these competing priorities produced inconsistent results that tended to support US imperialism and hinder nationalist movements in British Central Africa.
Political Capitalism
Authors: Levinson Marc
Published: May 2023

“Capitalism,” etymologists say, is rooted neither in Adam Smith nor in Karl Marx but in The Newcomes, a long-forgotten novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, in which a fallen French nobleman regains his dignity when the rising price of railway shares restores his “sense of capitalism” (Project Gutenberg ebook edition, p. 1016). It's one of those you-know-it-when-you-see-it kinds of words, meaningful mainly when set against “socialism,” a word first used in the 1820s to describe collective ownership of property. Capitalism has taken on all sorts of meanings since Thackeray coined the term in 1854, describing everything from the repression of miners by late-nineteenth-century robber barons to the venture-capital-fertilized blossoming of Silicon Valley. The three histories discussed in this essay all address its meaning in the modern world economy. None believes that future capitalism will be like capitalisms past.
Are Openly LGBTQ2+ the New Sacrificial Lambs? Campaign Contexts and the Gendered Implications for LGBTQ2+ Candidates
Authors: Everitt Joanna , Tremblay Manon
Published: May 2023

Recent increases in the number of openly LGBTQ2+ candidates have not resulted in a corresponding rise in the number of LGBTQ2+ politicians elected to the Canadian House of Commons, reviving the hypothesis of the “sacrificial lamb” candidacies. Drawing upon Lovenduski and Norris’ work on political recruitment, we analyze the backgrounds and experiences of the 172 LGBTQ2+ candidates who ran in the 2015, 2019 and 2021 federal elections in Canada. Our approach is based on the idea that LGBTQ2+ candidacies are the new sacrificial lambs of Canadian politics, although some of them seem less likely to be sacrificed than others. Indeed, we highlight how the electoral opportunities (for example, district competitiveness) afforded to LGBTQ2+ cis men are more likely to result in success than those afforded to LGBTQ2+ cis women or gender minority candidates.
A meta-analysis of cognitive interventions for patients with recent onset psychosis: are they effective for improving functioning?
Authors: Petkari Eleni , Martín-María Natalia , Sánchez-Gutiérrez Teresa , Fernández-Castilla Belén , Calvo Ana
Published: May 2023

The increasing popularity of cognitive interventions for patients with psychosis calls for further exploration on how these interventions may benefit functional outcomes. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to examine the effectiveness of cognitive interventions (i.e. Cognitive Remediation, Cognitive Training, Social Cognition, and their combination) on functioning of patients with recent onset psychosis, established as the period within the first five years from the first episode. The following databases were searched: Proquest, PUBMED/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, WOS, Scopus for research published until January 2022. In total, 12 studies were eligible. The total number of participants was 759, of which 32.2% in the intervention and 30.8% in the control group were female. We extracted data to calculate the standardized mean change from pre-test to post-test comparing the intervention with the control conditions. Overall, there was no effect of any of the cognitive intervention types on functioning. None of the examined factors (intervention type, length, and modality; control condition, follow-up time; cognitive functions; medication; symptoms) seemed to moderate these findings. Our results indicate that cognitive interventions as standalone interventions do not appear to improve functioning in patients with recent onset psychosis. Given the small number of eligible studies, further RCTs with larger and more refined samples are needed to test whether these interventions should be applied as single interventions with these patients.
A systematic review of digital interventions for smoking cessation in patients with serious mental illness
Authors: Martinez Agulleiro Luis , Patil Bhagyashree , Firth Joseph , Sawyer Chelsea , Amann Benedikt L. , Fonseca Francina , Torrens Marta , Perez Victor , Castellanos Francisco Xavier , Kane John M. , Guinart Daniel
Published: May 2023

Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among patients with serious mental illness (SMI), with known deleterious consequences. Smoking cessation is therefore a prioritary public health challenge in SMI. In recent years, several smoking cessation digital interventions have been developed for non-clinical populations. However, their impact in patients with SMI remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review to describe and evaluate effectiveness, acceptability, adherence, usability and safety of digital interventions for smoking cessation in patients with SMI. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsychINFO and the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialized Register were searched. Studies matching inclusion criteria were included and their information systematically extracted by independent investigators. Thirteen articles were included, which reported data on nine different digital interventions. Intervention theoretical approaches ranged from mobile contingency management to mindfulness. Outcome measures varied widely between studies. The highest abstinence rates were found for mSMART MIND (7-day point-prevalent abstinence: 16–40%). Let's Talk About Quitting Smoking reported greater acceptability ratings, although this was not evaluated with standardized measures. Regarding usability, Learn to Quit showed the highest System Usability Scale scores [mean (s.d.) 85.2 (15.5)]. Adverse events were rare and not systematically reported. Overall, the quality of the studies was fair to good. Digitally delivered health interventions for smoking cessation show promise for improving outcomes for patients with SMI, but lack of availability remains a concern. Larger trials with harmonized assessment measures are needed to generate more definitive evidence and specific recommendations.
Enacting citizenship through writing: an analysis of a diary written by a man with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Lotherington Ann Therese , Obstfelder Aud Uhlen
Published: May 2023

Citizenship and dementia studies have, during the last 15 years, grown into a substantial body of research recognising the experiences and agentic powers of people living with dementia. This article aims to contribute to and extend this research field. We undertake the aim through a feminist posthumanist non-representational analysis of a diary written by a man with Alzheimer's disease to explore the diary's potential to enact citizenship. The first section of the article examines current approaches to democracy, citizenship and dementia, and advances the concept intra-active citizenship, an approach that extends the individual and understands citizenship as enacted in and through entanglements of human–more-than-human agents. The second section is a theory-informed analysis of the diary, in which events, relations, doings and affective resonances constitute the analytical categories. The third section discusses whether the diary and the writing of it might enact citizenship, and if so, what kind of citizenship. The article concludes with a reflection on how our posthumanist, non-representational approach might pave a new path for theorising and, hence, contribute to new understandings of dementia and citizenship.
Trends in retirement and retirement income choices by TIAA participants: 2000–2018
Authors: Brown Jeffrey R. , Poterba James M. , Richardson David P.
Published: May 2023

This paper documents trends over the last two decades in retirement behavior and retirement income choices of participants in TIAA, a large and mature defined contribution plan. From 2000 and 2018, the average age at which TIAA participants stopped contributing to their accounts, which is a lower bound on their retirement age, rose by 1.2 years for female and 2.0 years for male participants. There is considerable variation in the elapsed time between the time of the last contribution to and the first income draw from plan accounts. Only 40% of participants take an initial income payment within 48 months of their last contribution. Later retirement and lags between retirement and the first retirement income payout led to a growing fraction of participants reaching the required minimum distribution (RMD) age before starting income draws. Between 2000 and 2018, the fraction of first-time income recipients who took no income until their RMD rose from 10% to 52%, while the fraction of these recipients who selected a life-contingent annuitized payout stream declined from 61% to 18%. Among those who began receiving income before age 70, annuitization rates were significantly higher than among those who did so at older ages. Aggregating across all income-receiving beneficiaries at TIAA, not just new income recipients, the proportion with a life annuity as part of their payout strategy fell from 52% in 2008 to 31% in 2018. By comparison, the proportion of all income recipients taking an RMD payment rose from 16% to 29%. About one-fifth of retirees received more than one type of income; the most common pairing was an RMD and a life annuity. In the later years of our sample, the RMD was becoming the de facto default distribution option for newly retired TIAA participants.
Will the centre hold? Countering the erosion of the principle of distinction on the digital battlefield
Authors: Mačák Kubo
Published: May 2023

This article argues that the growing involvement of civilians in activities on the digital battlefield during armed conflicts puts individuals at risk of harm and contributes to the erosion of the principle of distinction, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law (IHL). The article begins by outlining the ongoing trend of civilianization of the digital battlefield and puts forward brief scenarios to illustrate it. It then examines the narrow circumstances under which such forms of civilian involvement may qualify as direct participation in hostilities under IHL, and discusses what this means for the individuals concerned, particularly from the perspective of their loss of protection under the law. The analysis shows that certain types of State conduct which put civilians in harm's way by inducing them to directly participate in hostilities may constitute standalone violations of IHL and human rights law obligations. Beyond these specific prescriptions, the encouragement of civilian involvement undermines the principle of distinction, with dangerous ripple effects on the interpretation of those rules of IHL that flow from it. Accordingly, the article concludes that States should act to reverse the trend of civilianization of the digital battlefield and refrain as much as possible from involving civilians in the conduct of cyber hostilities.
Maternal incarceration increases the risk of self-harm but not suicide: a matched cohort study
Authors: Cumming Craig , Bell Megan F. , Segal Leonie , Spittal Matthew J. , Kinner Stuart A. , Dennison Susan , Dawe Sharon , Preen David B.
Published: May 2023

Aims

Children of incarcerated mothers are at increased risk of experiencing multiple adversity such as poverty, mental illness and contact with child protection services (CPS), including being taken into out of home care (OOHC). However, little is known about whether these children are at increased risk of suicide or self-harm compared to children not exposed to maternal incarceration or about the factors that may contribute to this. We aimed to investigate differences in the risk of suicide and self-harm between children exposed to maternal incarceration and those not exposed and examine how socio-demographic factors, maternal mental illness and CPS contact (with or without OOHC) may affect these outcomes.

Methods

We used a retrospective matched cohort study design, comparing 7674 children exposed to maternal incarceration with 7674 non-exposed children. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to compare the risk of suicide and self-harm between exposed and non-exposed groups, controlling for geographical remoteness, CPS contact and maternal mental illness.

Results

There was no significant difference in the rate of suicide (rate ratio [RR] = 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78, 2.87) or risk of suicide (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.43, 1.96) between the two groups. However, the exposed group had a significantly higher rate of self-harm (RR = 2.83; 95% CI: 2.50, 3.21) and a significantly higher risk of self-harm (aHR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.45, 2.09) compared to those non-exposed. CPS contact with or without OOHC was independently associated with an increased risk of self-harm for both groups.

Conclusion

Children exposed to maternal incarceration are at an increased risk of self-harm and should be prioritized to receive targeted, multimodal support that continues after the mother’s release from prison. The association between CPS contact and self-harm warrants further research.
Wie fair testet der WÜRT 1 die Rechtschreibleistungen von mehrsprachigen Kindern?
Authors: Brandenburg Janin , Huschka Sina S. , Visser Linda , Cartschau Friederike , Goldammer und Ariane von
Published: May 2023

Zusammenfassung: Bei der Diskussion über Bildungsgerechtigkeit für mehrsprachige Kinder steht u. a. die Testfairness standardisierter Schulleistungstests im Fokus. So sollte eine Leistungsdiagnostik dieser Kinder auf Tests zurückgreifen, deren Fairness für Kinder mit nicht-deutscher Muttersprache empirisch abgesichert ist, denn nur so lassen sich die Testergebnisse in gleicher Weise interpretieren wie bei Kindern, die einsprachig deutsch aufwachsen. Ein Ziel bestand daher darin, die Testfairness des Würzburger Rechtschreibtests für 1. und 2. Klassen (WÜRT 1 – 2) zu überprüfen. Außerdem wurde analysiert, ob mehrsprachige Kinder die gleichen Fehlerschwerpunkte in der Rechtschreibung aufweisen wie einsprachige Kinder. Es nahmen 146 einsprachige und 107 mehrsprachige Kinder am Ende der ersten Klasse teil. Analysen zum Differential Item Functioning zeigten nur bei einem der insgesamt 36 Items Hinweise auf eine systematische Benachteiligung mehrsprachiger Kinder. Mit dem WÜRT 1 liegt somit ein faires Testverfahren vor, dessen Einsatz auch bei mehrsprachigen Kindern empfohlen werden kann. Die ein- und die mehrsprachigen Kinder unterschieden sich in der Fehleranzahl, nicht aber ihren qualitativen Fehlerprofilen. Dies legt nahe, dass eine Rechtschreibförderung für mehrsprachige Kinder an den gleichen Schwerpunkten ansetzen kann wie bei einsprachigen Kindern.
Emissions Background, Climate, and Season Determine the Impacts of Past and Future Pandemic Lockdowns on Atmospheric Composition and Climate
Authors: Hickman Jonathan E. , Bauer Susanne E. , Faluvegi Gregory S. , Tsigaridis Kostas
Published: May 2023

COVID‐19 pandemic responses affected atmospheric composition and climate. These effects depend on the background emissions, climate, and season in which they occur. Although using multiple scenarios is common in explorations of long‐term climate change, they are rarely used to explore atmospheric composition or climate changes in response to transient emission perturbations on the scale of COVID‐19 lockdowns. We used the ModelE Earth system model to evaluate how atmospheric and climate impacts depend on the decade and season in which lockdowns occurred. Global COVID‐19‐related anomalies in aerosols and trace gases differed by up to an order of magnitude or more when comparing lockdowns in 1980, 2008, 2020, and 2051. Regional atmospheric composition anomalies tended to be largest when emissions were near a historical peak: 1980 in Europe and temperate North America, 2008 or 2020 in eastern Asia, and 2051 in south Asia. Regional aerosol direct effect anomalies were almost always less than 0.1 W m−2 during the first pandemic year, but over 0.1 W m−2 in Europe and exceeded 0.2 W m−2 in Europe and temperate North America in 1980, generally changing in tandem with regional emissions. In contrast, direct effect anomalies in Asia were positive in 1980 and negative in 2008, suggesting they may be primarily determined by exogenous emission anomalies. Shifting COVID‐19 onset in 2020 by 3, 6, or 9 months also altered atmospheric composition on the order of 2%–25% globally. In all scenarios, changes in surface temperature or precipitation appeared unrelated to local atmospheric compositional changes.