bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Modern Takeover Code and Takeover Panel
Authors: Kershaw David
Published: March 2021

This Chapter commences the book’s analysis of the Takeover Code and the Panel. The Chapter considers the structure and operation of the Panel and the structure and the scope of application of the Code. It commences with an analysis of the nature of the regulatory system, which before 2006 would have been described as self-regulation of the takeover market and today is more appositely described as market-controlled regulation. The Chapter considers the pros- and cons- of self/market regulation and argues that the standard advantages that are claimed for this form of regulation, as compared to state regulation, are not clearly established in the context of takeovers. Furthermore, the Chapter argues that here are several concerns about self-regulation that are raised by Takeover Panel regulation. In particular, recent events raise concerns about the regulatory outlook of the Panel and its reticence to consider the broader effects of its rules, and a concern that self-regulatory “status anxiety” may generate overreaction to certain events and distorted rule responses. Resulting in Code rules that are the product of a narrow understanding of their effects and status anxiety rather than a neutral policy assessment of the effects of the rules. The Chapter then details the legal foundations of the Takeover Panel’s power to regulate takeovers put in place to implement the Takeover Directive and considers the make-up and the roles of the different Panel bodies – the Code and Hearings Committees and the Panel Executive – and the role of the Takeover Appeal Board. Although the UK Government’s and the Panel’s objective in implementing the Directive was to maintain business as usual, the Chapter identifies operational changes that result from implementation. The Chapter then proceeds to consider the structure of the Code. It considers the Code’s General Principles and their relationship to Code rules and to a set of core underlying Code principles which the Chapter describes as the Code’s grund principles. The Chapter then considers the status of the Code rules as an autonomous “non-legal” set of rules and analyses the more complex relationship between the Code rules and company law generated by the Directive. The Chapter concludes with an analysis of the scope of application of the Code and the Directives conflict of laws’ rules for addressing EEA cross takeover regulation conflict.
Regulating Board Discretion: Directors’ Duties
Authors: Kershaw David
Published: March 2021

This Chapter steps away from the Code’s regulation of the deal process to consider UK company law’s regulation of target and bidder directors’ discretion in an offer. Here we consider the constraints that UK directors’ duties impose on bid decision making, including the decisions to make, to recommend or to reject an offer. The Chapter considers three duties: the duty to promote the success of the company in Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006; the duty to use powers for their proper purposes in Section 171(b) of the Act, which was formally known as the proper purpose doctrine; and the duty of care in section 174. With regard to Section 172, the Chapter argues that it is important to understand the distinction between the standard as a standard of expected behaviour and the standard as a standard of liability. As a standard of expectation the standard should in theory impose restraint on bidder hubris and requires target boards to focus on value, which in some instances will require the recommendation of a premium bid where the value of the bid exceeds the discounted long term value of the company. But as a standard of liability, directors are highly unlikely to be found to violate this duty as the standard is a subjective duty, which in application creates a plausibility or rationality standard. With regard to section 171(b), although the duty is rarely invoked in a public takeover context as it is pre-empted by the non-frustration rule, its consideration is central to understanding the nature, effects and potential reform of the non-frustration rule considered in Chapter XI. Accordingly, it is considered here with other relevant duties. Finally, the Chapter considers the nature and effect of the duty of care. Drawing on the recent example of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s takeover of ABN and Ambro as well as comparative law, the Chapter explores the meaning of the requirements of the duty of care is a deal context.
Structure and Organization of the Domain Name System
Authors: Bettinger Torsten
Published: March 2021

Although the Internet has no cross-organizational, financial, or operational management responsible for the entire Internet, certain administrative tasks are coordinated centrally. Among the most important organizational tasks that require global regulation is the management of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and their corresponding domain names. The IP address consists of an existing 32 bit (IP4) or 128 bit (IP6) sequence of digits and is the actual physical network address by which routing on the Internet takes place and which will ensure that the data packets reach the correct host computer.
Italy (‘.it’)
Authors: Fabbio Philipp
Published: March 2021

Statutory provisions dealing specifically with domain names are found in the Codice della Proprietà Industriale (‘the CPI’),1 ss 12(1)(c), 22, 118(6), and 133. Sections 12(1)(c) and 22 define the scope of trademark protection. In doing so, they also consider interference with domain names that are used in the course of a business activity (nomi a dominio aziendali). Sections 118(6) and 133 deal with remedies for trademark infringements and make explicit reference to domain names as well. Besides these specific rules, conflicts before the Italian courts based on domain name registrations are to be resolved according to the general rules of trademark, competition, and civil law.
Bulgaria (‘.bg’)
Authors: Bettinger Torsten , Waddell Allegra
Published: March 2021

Registration forms are made available on the registry’s website, which should be completed and submitted for review by the registry itself. Depending on the identity of the registrant (foreign or domestic) and the desired domain name (second level or within a third-level category), additional documentation may be required.
Jurisdiction and the Types of Companies that may Propose Schemes
Authors: O’Dea Geoff , Long Julian , Smyth Alexandra
Published: March 2021

The court has power to sanction a scheme in relation to a ‘company’. For the purposes of Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (except section 900), a ‘company’ means ‘any company liable to be wound up under the Insolvency Act 1986’ or the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (SI 1989/2405 (NI 19)). This includes companies formed and registered under the Companies Act 2006 and other unregistered companies, such as chartered companies and, subject to the issues outlined further below, foreign companies.
Court Hearings, Creditor Or Member Meetings and Disclosure Requirements
Authors: O’Dea Geoff , Long Julian , Smyth Alexandra
Published: March 2021

This chapter sets out some of the key practical points relating to the process of implementing a scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006. It includes issues relating to the first application to the court and subsequent hearing, the sanction hearing, the member or creditor meeting(s) and the disclosure requirements imposed by the Companies Act 2006. It does not consider the additional requirements that apply in the case of a cancellation member scheme of arrangement or a member scheme to effect a takeover, as these are set out in detail in Chapters 9 and 10 respectively.
National Report for Brazil
Authors: Sztajn Rachel , Campos Salles de Toledo Paulo Fernando , Nimer Moreira da Silva Fernando César
Published: March 2021

The treatment of contracts in Brazilian insolvency law departs from the principle of respect for the provisions established by the parties. It may be recognized both in reorganization and liquidation proceedings, but each one of these legal disciplines has its own characteristics, directly related to the particularities of each situation. As a general rule, one may observe that, in terms of reorganization, contracts must be fully performed, unless differently provided for by the reorganization plan. In liquidation, the commitments of the debtor will be complied with by the bankrupt estate, if this compliance represents the best way for the specific case, at the discretion of the judicial administrator.
National Report for England
Authors: Cooke Charlotte , Anderson Hamish , Gullifer Louise
Published: March 2021

In Belmont Park Investments Pty Ltd v BNY Corporate Trustee Services Ltd & Anor, one of the most important cases in English insolvency law in recent years, Lord Collins summarized and differentiated between two fundamental principles of English insolvency law, the anti-deprivation principle and the principle of pari passu distribution.
National Report for the Netherlands
Authors: Faber Dennis , Vermunt Niels
Published: March 2021

The origin of the current statutory regime dealing with contracts in insolvency dates back to the enactment of the Bankruptcy Code in 1893. The Bankruptcy Code entered into force on 1 September 1896 (and still applies today). Limited changes have subsequently been implemented to improve the statutory treatment of contracts in insolvency. Various proposals submitted in (draft) bills and in legal literature to modernize the existing legal framework have largely been disregarded by the legislator.
National Report for Spain
Authors: Tirado Ignacio , Sanchez-Paredes M Luisa
Published: March 2021

In Spain, the insolvency legislation in force before 2003 did not include a general regulation of the effects of insolvency on contracts. It was an outdated, fragmented regulation, which either considered the insolvency process exclusively as a mere instrument to liquidate the business/debtor’s assets (essentially in a piecemeal manner, so why bother to regulate contracts beyond their termination: quiebra, concurso de acreedores) or provided insufficient regulation (suspensión de pagos, quita y espera). The old system was embodied in different codes and laws, and only included rules concerning the effects of the opening of the different procedures on specific contracts (civil and commercial agency, sale of goods, insurance, etc).
Introduction: The Likelihood of Confusion
Authors: Fhima Ilanah , Gangjee Dev S.
Published: March 2021

Confusion is the lynchpin of trade mark law. As a cause of action, it has something to offer everyone: trade mark owners are protected from those trying to reap the benefits of their investment in their mark and brand, the public interest is served because consumers are protected from making mistaken purchasing decisions, and consequently, a differentiated market for goods and services can operate. The prevention of confusion also has intuitive appeal. We have all been confused; policymakers, judges, academics, practitioners, and members of the public alike. Indeed, we have probably all made erroneous decisions in the marketplace. Yet, despite (or perhaps because of) the ease with which likely confusion provides the traditional rationale for trade mark protection, it is under-analysed and under-studied. In particular, it is our belief that the very intuitiveness of confusion has resulted in little systematic analysis considering the exact ingredients that make up a claim of confusion.
Remedies For Breach Of The Implied Terms
Authors: Fairgrieve Duncan , Goldberg Richard
Published: March 2021

An important characteristic of the terms as to correspondence with description, satisfactory quality, and fitness for purpose implied by ss 13 and 14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 is that being designated conditions their breach will prima facie entitle the buyer to reject the goods. In addition, damages may be claimed as compensation for any physical injury or property damage suffered by the buyer, provided that this is within the reasonable contemplation of the parties as being not unlikely to result from the breach. Until relatively recently it was not necessary to distinguish too closely in this context according to whether the buyer was dealing as a business or as a consumer. The same general rules applied in both cases. The introduction of the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002 changed the position markedly in this respect by enacting additional rights for buyers who deal as consumers.
Persons Subject To Liability
Authors: Fairgrieve Duncan , Goldberg Richard
Published: March 2021

There is ample room for debate as to the category of persons who should be required to assume responsibility for damage caused by a defective product. The most obvious is the producer or manufacturer for usually they will have actively created the defect or at least have failed to eliminate it. However, in recognition of the fact that not all such producers will be solvent, readily identifiable, and available to be sued, it is widely recognized that others should also be potentially liable. The most obvious is the commercial importer and distributor of a defective product since in the absence of such liability an injured claimant would be left with the alternative of suing in a foreign jurisdiction. Secondly, there is the case of own-brand products. As the Law Commissions observed, many commercial organizations ‘sell products under their brand name as if they themselves had produced them, although the products were in fact made by their suppliers’.
International Protection
Authors: Annette Kur , Senftleben Martin
Published: March 2021

Intellectual property is often said to be an invention of the nineteenth century. It is true that the importance of incentivizing innovation and encouraging investment in creative activities was recognized on a general scale only in the wake of industrialization, leading to the enactment in many countries of patent laws, modern-style copyright laws, or industrial design laws. Before that, protection for those achievements had only been granted in the form of privileges, serving the interests of particular trades or professions, and ultimately those of the sovereign. The period of industrialization also saw the emergence of the first trade mark laws in the modern sense that entitled the proprietors of such marks to enjoin others from using the same marks or a similar sign for their own products.
Introduction to Procedural EU Trade Mark Law
Authors: Annette Kur , Senftleben Martin
Published: March 2021

The procedural law that applies to trade marks in the EU depends on whether the mark is a European Union trade mark (EUTM), a national (or, in the case of Benelux marks, regional), or an international mark. As regards international marks, reference is made to Chapter 12.
Patents for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotechnology
Authors: Grubb Philip W , Thomsen Peter R , Hoxie Tom , Wright Gordon
Published: March 2021

Patents for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology is the established and highly-acclaimed introduction to patent law and practice, guiding the reader through the legal and procedural complexities of the British, European, Japanese, and United States patent systems. It explains in detail the role of patent practitioners, both in private practice and in-house, in maximising the commercial potential of their company's or client's products. The eagerly awaited new sixth edition of this highly respected text has been fully revised and updated to discuss major new developments in patent law, patent aspects of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), developments in the area of competition law and patents, and all relevant case law of the US, UK, and the European Patent Office (EPO). This is a comprehensive and invaluable guide to this rapidly developing and increasingly globalised area of law, providing a full description of the techniques and industry know-how that underlie successful patent practice and portfolio management.
Obtaining a Granted Patent
Authors: Grubb Philip W , Thomsen Peter R , Hoxie Tom , Wright Gordon
Published: March 2021

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is a special agreement under Article 19 of the Paris Convention and is open only to states that are members of the Convention. Its main purpose is to make the patent application process simpler and cheaper by having a single set of formal requirements, and a single search and publication procedure, and by postponing translation requirements until thirty months from the priority date. This chapter first discusses the procedure for filing an international application, that is, a PCT application. It then explains the International Preliminary Report on Patentability (IPRP)—a preliminary, non-binding opinion by the international preliminary examining authority (IPEA) on the novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability of the claimed invention.
Biotechnological Inventions
Authors: Grubb Philip W , Thomsen Peter R , Hoxie Tom , Wright Gordon
Published: March 2021

This chapter considers the law governing the patentability of biological inventions, including microbiological inventions, recombinant DNA technology, and monoclonal antibody technology. Patent protection for biotechnological inventions is of immense commercial importance. But patent law and practice have been unable to keep up with the rapid scientific progress in this field; issues such as inventive step, sufficiency of disclosure, and permissible breadth of claims have proved troublesome. There has been much litigation of biotech patents and courts have found it difficult in such a rapidly moving field to determine what was the general knowledge of the skilled person at the time that the invention was made. Another problem is the opposition of special interest groups to anything related to genetic engineering, particularly the existence of patents in this area.
Patent Aspects of Licensing
Authors: Grubb Philip W , Thomsen Peter R , Hoxie Tom , Wright Gordon
Published: March 2021

This chapter considers the licensing of patents. When a product that a manufacturer wishes to sell or a project that it wishes to develop appears to be covered by someone else’s patent rights, it may have to approach the patentee for a licence. The licence is a non-exclusive licence under the specified patent rights, or preferably a covenant not to sue in respect of the project in question under any patent rights held by the other party. Another type of licence is one that is entered into to take over a project or a product that originated elsewhere, which may be broadly described as transfer of technology, and normally involves rights to confidential know-how, as well as under patents, trademarks and other intellectual property, such rights often being exclusive The remainder of the chapter discusses in-licensing and out-licensing, research collaboration agreements, contract research agreements, funding agreements, and compound purchase agreements.
Breach of confidence
Authors: QC Justin Rushbrooke , Speker Adam
Published: March 2021

This chapter is concerned with claims for what is commonly known as breach of confidence. Until quite recently, reliance on the cause of action for breach of confidence has been one of the two main ways in which claims to protect or vindicate privacy have been pursued in English law. The other, much less significant in practice, is reliance on statutory rights such as those afforded by the Data Protection Act 1998. Today, as a result of the House of Lords’ decisions in Campbell v MGN Ltd and Douglas v Hello! Ltd, it is possible to differentiate between two different kinds of claim: (i) traditional breach of confidence actions; and (ii) claims for misuse of private information. The first of these kinds of claim will be discussed in this chapter. The second, misuse of private information, is a cause of action which has developed in the present century originating in, becoming separate and distinct from, breach of confidence. It will be addressed separately in Chapter 5.
Privacy, the Internet, and Social Media
Authors: Busuttil Godwin , McMahon Felicity , Wilde Gervase de
Published: March 2021

The ascendancy of social media poses acute challenges for privacy. While Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other similar services can confer major advantages on users in terms of access to information, ease of communication, and opportunities for network-building, the ordinary concomitant is a significant surrender of personal privacy. This is because participation generally entails the disclosure of, and the ceding of control over, one’s personal data. In order to join the community and enjoy the benefits of membership, a person must establish at a minimum an online contact point and identity (eg in the form of a Facebook account or Twitter profile), typically by transferring some version of his or her actual, real-world, identity to the internet. Many, of course, go much further than this, sharing online—arguably ‘oversharing’—any manner of private information concerning themselves, often with complete strangers. In most cases to do so will prove harmless, but from time to time individuals may make themselves a target.
The Insolvency Regulation as an EU Legal Instrument
Authors: Isaacs Stuart , Brent Richard
Published: March 2021

This chapter examines the legal attributes which the Insolvency Regulation has as an EU measure, through the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and describes the way in which it is to be understood as a matter of EU law in the UK. It also sets out the legal mechanisms established by the EU whereby solutions to questions of validity and interpretation may be obtained. Essentially, the TFEU governs the Regulation’s legal effect in the UK in many ways as it provides the legal basis for its adoption by the EU, and provides the purposive framework within which the Regulation is to be interpreted. Additionally, the TFEU also governs the Regulation’s three legal attributes: to have ‘general application’; to be ‘binding in their entirety’; and to be ‘directly applicable in all Member States’.
Arguments of Public Policy
Authors: Fairgrieve Duncan , Squires QC Dan
Published: March 2021

Once it is determined that a claim is justiciable, whether liability will be imposed on a public authority depends on the application of ‘ordinary principles of negligence’, and this will mean that the claimant must establish he or she was owed a duty of care. Where it has been widely recognized in similar past cases that a duty of care is owed, liability is dependent only on establishing carelessness and causation, and the court will not consider the issue of ‘duty’ at all. Where it is less clear that a duty is owed, because we are dealing with a novel category of case in which duties have not been recognized previously, the tripartite test set out in the judgment of Lord Bridge in Caparo Industries Plc v Dickman, which we consider in more detail in Chapter 3, is applied. Pursuant to the test, the courts are to determine, first, whether harm was reasonably foreseeable, secondly, whether the claimant and defendant were in a sufficiently ‘proximate’ relationship to one another, and, thirdly, whether imposition of a duty of care would be ‘fair, just and reasonable’. The first two elements of the Caparo test are considered in Chapter 3. In this chapter we examine the third limb of the Caparo test.
Social Services
Authors: Fairgrieve Duncan , Squires QC Dan
Published: March 2021

Public authorities have responsibilities towards vulnerable individuals, and are accorded powers to protect such individuals from harm. This includes the power to provide care for children, the elderly and those suffering from mental illnesses. This chapter examines the potential liabilities of such authorities in relation to harm suffered because of failures in the provision of social services, for example, where claimants were abused while in the care of the authority, or where the authority failed to protect children from abuse by their family. We also examine harm which can arise where an authority has been over-zealous, as opposed to insufficiently attentive, for example where an authority erroneously suspects that children are being abused by their parents and unnecessarily removes children from their family.
Emergency Services
Authors: Fairgrieve Duncan , Squires QC Dan
Published: March 2021

Various different services, under the auspices of public authorities, have been created to respond to emergencies. Some, such as fire and ambulance services, are provided pursuant to statute. Others, such as coast-guards, are not. This chapter considers the potential liability in tort of these various services. As we shall see, the existence, or otherwise, of a statutory framework covering the emergency service does not affect the scope of the common law duties of care it owes (with the possible exception of the ambulance service), and essentially the same principles apply regardless of the statutory framework. There are, however, significant differences between the way the courts treat the various emergency services, and these differences, and the reasons for them, are examined throughout the course of this chapter.
Late-in-life neurodegeneration after chronic sleep loss in young adult mice
Authors: Owen Jessica E , Zhu Yan , Fenik Polina , Zhan Guanxia , Bell Patrick , Liu Cathy , Veasey Sigrid
Published: March 2021

Chronic short sleep (CSS) is prevalent in modern societies and has been proposed as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In support, short-term sleep loss acutely increases levels of amyloid β (Aβ) and tau in wild type (WT) mice and humans, and sleep disturbances predict cognitive decline in older adults. We have shown that CSS induces injury to and loss of locus coeruleus neurons (LCn), neurons with heightened susceptibility in AD. Yet whether CSS during young adulthood drives lasting Aβ and/or tau changes and/or neural injury later in life in the absence of genetic risk for AD has not been established. Here, we examined the impact of CSS exposure in young adult WT mice on late-in-life Aβ and tau changes and neural responses in two AD-vulnerable neuronal groups, LCn and hippocampal CA1 neurons. Twelve months following CSS exposure, CSS-exposed mice evidenced reductions in CA1 neuron counts and volume, spatial memory deficits, CA1 glial activation, and loss of LCn. Aβ 42 and hyperphosphorylated tau were increased in the CA1; however, amyloid plaques and tau tangles were not observed. Collectively the findings demonstrate that CSS exposure in the young adult mouse imparts late-in-life neurodegeneration and persistent derangements in amyloid and tau homeostasis. These findings occur in the absence of a genetic predisposition to neurodegeneration and demonstrate for the first time that CSS can induce lasting, significant neural injury consistent with some, but not all, features of late-onset AD.
Trusts and foundations move onshore in the Gulf
Authors: Russell QC David
Published: March 2021

Commencing in the 7th-century CE, the notion developed in Islamic jurisprudence that property, although legally owned by a person, might nonetheless be subjected to enforceable obligations that it be utilised for the benefit of specific purposes (usually religious) or, later, for individuals, be they the recipients of charity or family members. Such property was said to be in detention (“waqf”). Later, similar legal concepts developed in the common law world (in the form of trusts) and the civil law world (in the form of foundations).

In the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait), laws of the jurisdictions recognise these concepts to varying degrees—most completely in the United Arab Emirates, where common law trusts in the financial free zones, trusts in the civil law jurisdiction, foundations, a form of statutory waqf (the endowment) and awqaf (the plural of waqf), and the Court of Appeal of the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) has recently reviewed the application of the DIFC’s Trust and Foundations Laws with the benefit of an opinion from Shari’a scholars as to the interaction of the DIFC’s legal structures with Shari’a.

The article explores the development and interaction of these legal concepts, the role which they can play in the context of the region’s private wealth, and compares the various statutory regimes.
Cardiac injury in organophosphate poisoning after acute ingestion
Authors: Pannu Ashok Kumar , Bhalla Ashish , Vishnu R I , Garg Sahil , Dhibar Deba Prasad , Sharma Navneet , Vijayvergiya Rajesh
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Sparse data and conflicting evidence exist on the prevalence and prognosis of organophosphate (OP)-related cardiac toxicity. We aimed to characterize the cardiac abnormalities of OP after an acute cholinergic crisis in adults without previous cardiovascular conditions.

Patients and Methods

We did a prospective observational study in a tertiary-care hospital of north India (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh) in 74 patients aged ≥ 13 years admitted with acute OP poisoning after self-ingestion. A systemic evaluation, including clinical characteristics, electrocardiography, and echocardiography, was performed to estimate the prevalence and prognosis of cardiac injury. A rate-corrected QT interval was calculated using Bazett’s method, and >440 milliseconds was used to define prolongation.

Results

Chlorpyrifos was the most commonly ingested OP (n = 29). The patients had a similar occurrence of hypotension (n = 10) and hypertension (n = 9) at admission, and electrocardiography demonstrated sinus tachycardia in 38 (51.3%) and sinus bradycardia in one case. During the hospital stay, 3 out of 74 patients had a prolonged rate-corrected QT interval (457, 468, and 461 milliseconds), and one patient developed supraventricular tachycardia. Eight (10.8%) patients developed the intermediate syndrome, and six (8.1%) died. None of the hemodynamic or electrocardiographic abnormalities was associated with in-hospital mortality or intermediate syndrome development on univariant analysis. Baseline echocardiography at hospital discharge was performed in 27 patients (admitted during 2018) and normal in all except mild tricuspid regurgitation in one. At a 6-month follow-up, 23 cases were available for cardiovascular screening (including echocardiography) and had a normal evaluation.

Conclusion

Cardiac toxicity is uncommon after acute OP self-ingestion and lacks prognostic significance.
Protective impact of Spirulina platensis against γ-irradiation and thioacetamide-induced nephrotoxicity in rats mediated by regulation of micro-RNA 1 and micro-RNA 146a
Authors: Salem Asmaa A , Ismail Amel F M
Published: March 2021

Chronic kidney disease develops popular and medical health problems, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study is to investigate the protective mechanism of Spirulina platensis against γ-irradiation (R) and/or thioacetamide (TAA)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Rats intoxicated with R or TAA showed alterations in kidney function markers (urea, creatinine, albumin, and total protein contents), oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase), and several inflammatory markers (including, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, some interleukins, and nuclear factor-kappa B). Rats also acquired apoptosis, evinced by high caspase-3 efficacy. This nephrotoxicity mediated by upregulation of the messenger RNA (mRNA) gene expression of the autophagy markers: Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein LC3, p62 binding protein, immunoglobulin G receptor Fcγ receptor (FcγR), micro-RNA-1 (miR-1), protein expression of phospho-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, and phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin, along with downregulation of miR-146a mRNA gene expression and alteration of calcium and iron levels. The combined treatment R/TAA enhanced the observed oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy that mediated by higher upregulation of miR-1 and downregulation of miR-146a mRNA gene expression. Spirulina platensis administration exhibited a nephroprotective impact on R, TAA, and R/TAA toxicities via regulating miR-1 and miR-146a mRNA gene expression that monitored adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling.
Phylogeny of Chrysopidae (Neuroptera), with emphasis on morphological trait evolution
Authors: Breitkreuz Laura C V , Garzón-Orduña Ivonne J , Winterton Shaun L , Engel Michael S
Published: March 2021

We present a phylogeny of Chrysopidae inferred from combining molecular and morphological data. Apochrysinae were recovered as sister to the rest of the family (Nothochrysinae and Chrysopinae). The monogeneric tribe Nothancylini is confirmed as sister to the remaining Chrysopinae. The other four tribes are grouped in two clades: Belonopterygini + Leucochrysini and Ankylopterygini + Chrysopini. The Nineta-group is herein transferred from Chrysopini to Ankylopterygini. Within the diverse and species-rich Chrysopini we recognize five genus-group clades: Chrysopa, Chrysoperla, Chrysopodes, Eremochrysa and Meleoma generic groups. The mapping of characters, such as the parameres, the tignum, the im cell or the tibial spurs, on the phylogeny provides insights into the evolution of these traits in the family. In addition, we propose the following taxonomic changes to the classification of the family: the inclusion of Chrysopidia, Nineta and Tumeochrysa in the tribe Ankylopterygini, and the synonymization of Furcochrysa with Chrysopa.
Genome Sequence Resource for Nigrospora oryzae, an Important Pathogenic Fungus Threatening Crop Production
Authors: Wang Yafei , Yao Jinai , Li Zhiqiang , Huo Jianfei , Zhou Shaoqun , Liu Wende , Wu Hanxiang
Published: March 2021

Nigrospora oryzae is an important phytopathogenic fungus with a broad host range. Here, we report an annotated draft of the genome of N. oryzae field strain GZL1 collected from maize assembled from PacBio and Illumina sequencing reads. The assembly we obtained has 15 scaffolds with an N50 length of 4,037,616 bp. The resulting GZL1 draft genome is 43,214,190 bp, with GC content of 58.19%. The completeness of GZL1 genome assembly is 99.30%. This study is the first report of the genome sequence of N. oryzae, which can facilitate future study of the genetic variation and pathogenic mechanism of this important fungal pathogen.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Emerging developments in the forefront of peanut oral immunotherapy
Authors: Pepper Amber N. , Sriaroon Panida , Casale Thomas B.
Published: March 2021

Purpose of review

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, progress continued in the field of peanut oral immunotherapy over the past 12 to 18 months. Of importance, the first oral immunotherapy product for the treatment of peanut allergy was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in January 2020.

Recent findings

Suggested modifications to the practice of oral immunotherapy, some of which may have lasting impacts, were circulated as a result of the pandemic. New advances in pathophysiology, sustained unresponsiveness, quality of life, safety, and cost effectiveness were also published.

During 2020, COVID-19 influenced the daily practice of allergy and immunology, with peanut oral immunotherapy being no exception. However, clinicians now have a FDA-approved treatment option for peanut allergy in children, a welcome development for a difficult disease. Future research is needed to clarify several knowledge deficits surrounding the best use of peanut OIT.
A Call for One Health in Medical Education: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Underscores the Need to Integrate Human, Animal, and Environmental Health
Authors: Dykstra Michael P. , Baitchman Eric J.
Published: March 2021

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the first author, then a fourth-year student at Harvard Medical School, was enrolled in a One Health clinical experience at Zoo New England where he was introduced to a transdisciplinary approach to integrate human, animal, and ecosystem health. Seeing the vast impact of the pandemic and knowing its roots as a zoonotic disease, he realized this approach was critical to his medical education and for preparation against future novel infectious diseases. Zoonotic diseases have been emerging into human populations with increasing frequency, leading to public health emergencies such as Ebola, avian influenza, and SARS. The SARS-CoV-2 narrative, starting in bats and then mutating through an intermediate host into humans, is another striking example of the interconnectedness between human, animal, and ecosystem health that underlies these infections. Preventing future pandemics will require a transdisciplinary One Health approach, and physicians should be prepared to participate in these discussions while advocating for One Health initiatives for the benefit of their current and future patients. Integration of One Health education into medical school curricula will also prepare future physicians for other complex and urgently important health issues such as climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and the impact of biodiversity loss. As the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic persist, education in One Health must become a priority; it is essential to break down the conventional disciplinary silos of human medicine, veterinary medicine, environmental health, public health, and the social sciences, so that future health crises can be prevented and mitigated collaboratively.
Current Parental Leave Policies for Medical Students at U.S. Medical Schools: A Comparative Study
Authors: Kraus Molly B. , Talbott Jennifer M.V. , Melikian Ryan , Merrill Sarah A. , Stonnington Cynthia M. , Hayes Sharonne N. , Files Julia A. , Kouloumberis Pelagia E.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Parental leave for new parents is essential as they adjust to the physical and psychological changes that accompany childbirth and caring for a newborn. This study sought to determine the current state of parental leave policies for medical students at medical schools in the United States.

Method

From November to December 2019, 2 researchers independently reviewed the websites of 199 U.S. MD-granting and DO-granting medical schools (including in U.S. territories). Online student handbooks and school webpages were searched for the following keywords: “pregnant” OR “pregnancy” OR “maternity” OR “parent” OR “family” OR “child” OR “birth.” Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Fisher’s exact tests evaluated differences in proportion by group.

Results

Of 199 schools, 65 (32.66%) had parental leave policies available online or in the handbook: 39 of 155 (25.16%) MD-granting and 26 of 44 (59.09%) DO-granting schools. Of those policies, 59 (90.77%) were included in the student handbook. Most policies (28, 43.08%) were included as an option within the school’s general leave of absence policy. Both parents were included in 38 (58.46%) policies; 23 (35.38%) policies mentioned only mothers; and 4 (6.15%) were unknown. An option to maintain original graduation date was offered in 21 (32.1%) schools’ policies. Three schools (4.62%) included adoption as qualifying for parental leave. When comparing MD and DO programs, DO programs were statistically more likely to have a parental leave policy: 39 (25.16%) vs 26 (59.09%); P < .001.

Conclusions

Balancing medical school with pregnancy and childbirth necessitates administrative support to address the inherent scheduling challenges. Currently, many schools lack parental leave policies for medical students that are easily accessible, are separate from formal leaves of absence, allow for at least 12 weeks, and are tailored to the student academic year to ensure on-time completion of medical education.
Establishing a Data Science Unit in an Academic Medical Center: An Illustrative Model
Authors: Desai Manisha , Boulos Mary , Pomann Gina M. , Steinberg Gary K. , Longo Frank M. , Leonard Mary , Montine Thomas , Blomkalns Andra L. , Harrington Robert A.
Published: March 2021

The field of data science has great potential to address critical questions relevant for academic medical centers. Data science initiatives are consequently being established within academic medicine. At the cornerstone of such initiatives are scientists who practice data science. These scientists include biostatisticians, clinical informaticians, database and software developers, computational scientists, and computational biologists. Too often, however, those involved in the practice of data science are viewed by academic leadership as providing a noncomplex service to facilitate research and further the careers of other academic faculty. The authors contend that the success of data science initiatives relies heavily on the understanding that the practice of data science is a critical intellectual contribution to the overall science conducted at an academic medical center. Further, careful thought by academic leadership is needed for allocation of resources devoted to the practice of data science. At the Stanford University School of Medicine, the authors have developed an innovative model for a data science collaboratory based on 4 fundamental elements: an emphasis on collaboration over consultation, a subscription-based funding mechanism that reflects commitment by key partners, an investment in the career development of faculty who practice data science, and a strong educational component for data science members in team science and for clinical and translational investigators in data science. As data science becomes increasingly essential to learning health systems, centers that specialize in the practice of data science are a critical component of the research infrastructure and intellectual environment of academic medical centers.
Surgical Versus Nonsurgical Treatment of Lateral Clavicle Fractures: A Short-Term Follow-Up of Treatment and Complications in 122 Patients
Authors: Kihlström Caroline , Hailer Nils P. , Wolf Olof
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

To assess the total number of procedures in initially surgically and nonsurgically treated patients with lateral clavicle fractures and to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Level 1 trauma center.

Patients:

One hundred twenty-two patients with lateral clavicle fractures treated at Uppsala University Hospital from 2013 to 2015 were included in a patient record review. A subgroup of 30 patients was assessed at a study follow-up visit at a median of 3 years postinjury.

Intervention:

Comparisons between initially surgically and nonsurgically treated patients.

Main Outcome Measurements:

Rates of surgical treatment, reoperations, and delayed surgeries. PROM subgroup: Constant score; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score; and Visual Analog Scale over satisfaction with the cosmetic results and interview-based information on subjective complaints and reflections.

Results:

Of 23 surgically treated patients (22 Neer type II and V fractures), 10 underwent subsequent implant removal, after which 1 developed symptomatic nonunion. Of 99 nonsurgically treated patients (36 Neer type II and V fractures), 2 underwent delayed surgery because of symptomatic nonunion. In the PROM subgroup, the surgically treated patients had worse Constant scores, complained of infraclavicular sensory deficits, and were less satisfied with the cosmetic result than the nonsurgically treated patients.

Conclusions:

Half of the surgically treated patients underwent implant removal, whereas delayed surgeries in nonsurgically treated patients were very rare. Nonsurgical treatment should be considered more often as an alternative to surgery even for the usually surgically treated Neer type II and V lateral clavicle fractures.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Spine Surgeons Burnout and Quality of Life
Authors: Abduljabbar Fahad H. , Teles Alisson R. , Ouellet Jean A. , Ferland Catherine E. , Wong Chung Chek , Barbagallo Giuseppe , Brodke Darrel , Al-Mutair Abdulaziz , Riew K. Daniel , Falavigna Asdrubal
Published: March 2021

Study Design.

Cross-sectional survey study.

Objective.

To evaluate the prevalence of burnout, assess the personal and professional characteristics associated with burnout in spine surgeons and determine their quality of life.

Summary of Background Data.

Burnout is a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased sense of accomplishment that leads to decreased effectiveness at work. To date, there has been a lack of information on the prevalence of burnout among spine surgeons worldwide and the risk factors associated with this condition.

Methods.

An electronic survey with members of AO Spine was performed in May 2018. The survey evaluated demographic variables, practice characteristics, burnout, and quality of life. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and EuroQol 5-dimensions (EQ5D) were used to evaluate burnout and quality of life, respectively.

Results.

A total of 818 surgeons from 86 countries completed the survey. The prevalence of burnout was 30.6%. In the multiple linear model, emotional fatigue was independently associated with younger age (B = –0.17, CI95% = –0.26 to –0.07, P < 0.0001), and longer working hours per week (B = –2.71, CI95% = –4.34 to –1.07, P = 0.001); depersonalization was independently associated with younger age (B = –0.13, CI95% = –0.19 to –0.07, P < 0.0001), practicing outside Latin America (LA) (B = 0.71, CI95% = 0.41–1.01, P < 0.0001) and currently being a fellow (B = 0.54, CI95% = 0.06–1.02, P = 0.02); and higher scores of personal fulfilment was associated with practicing in LA (B = –1.27, CI95% = –1.69 to –0.85, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion.

Burnout is a common condition among spine surgeons worldwide. There is a significant association between burnout scores and decreased general quality of life. These results highlight the need to develop interventional programs to better identify, prevent, and manage this condition among practicing spine surgeons.

Level of Evidence: 4
Global Trends of Researches on Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Yin Mengchen , Wang Hongshen , Sun Yijun , Xu Chongqing , Ye Jie , Ma Junming , Wang Dan , Mo Wen
Published: March 2021

Study Design:

Bibliometric and visualization analysis.

Objective:

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) has become a common health problem and the most frequent indication for spinal surgery. This study aimed to illustrate the overall knowledge structure, and development trends of LSS, using a bibliometric analysis and newly developed visualization tools.

Materials and Methods:

Research data sets were acquired from the Web of Science. The time span was defined as “2000–2019”. VOS viewer and Citespace software was provided to analyze the data and generate visualization knowledge maps. Annual trend of publications, distribution, H-index status, co-authorship status and research hotspots were analyzed.

Results:

A total of 1934 publications met the requirement. The United States published most papers (521, 26.9%), both total citations (17,626) and H-index (61) ranked first of all the countries. The most productive organizations on LSS is Seoul National University (50). Spine (43) published the most papers on LSS. Quality of life, risk factor, disability, double blind trials, and decompression surgery are the research hotspots in the recent years.

Conclusion:

The number of publications showed an upward trend with a stable rise in recent years. The United States is a country with the highest productivity, not only in quality, but also in quantity. Seoul National University has been the largest contributor in this field. Spine is the best journal related to LSS. Quality of life, risk factor, disability, and decompression surgery are the research hotspots in the recent years. Indeed, this study provides a new insight to the growth and development of LSS. Moreover, it will contribute to the growth of the international frontier of LSS.