bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topic Modeling Russian History
Authors: Oiva Mila
Published: January 2021

Topic modeling is a highly useful method that can provide new ways to understand the past. In order to reach the full potential of the method, the researcher needs to understand the context, the specifics of the data, and how the algorithm works and know the research literature. This chapter demonstrates how topic modeling can be applied in the studies of Russian and East European history. It illustrates the choices a researcher will face and the needed steps for preparing a data set for topic modeling, and shows how the interpretation of topic modeling results works in practice. The chapter also addresses the question of the scattered nature of digitized collections of Russian history sources, and the associated challenges and opportunities in this context.
Digital Journalism: Toward a Theory of Journalistic Practice in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Strukov Vlad
Published: January 2021

The chapter explores transformations in journalism caused by the spread of digital technologies. These include collecting and displaying information, collaboration, carrying out journalistic investigation, entrepreneurship and regimes of exploitation. The chapter pays attention to the role of the government, private media companies, technology companies, cultural institutions and other organizations that advance and regulate journalistic work in Russia in new ways. It ultimately discusses new opportunities and new challenges available to journalists. The chapter conceptualizes digital journalism vis-à-vis alternative journalism and vis-à-vis grassroots journalism. In the final section of the chapter, I define digital journalism as a world-building process, thus contributing to theories of transmedia storytelling and cross-platform collaboration.
Balancing of Individual Rights and Research Interests in Danish Biobank Regulation
Authors: Hartlev Mette
Published: January 2021

Denmark offers very good opportunities for biobank research. There is a vast number of well-structured and comprehensive collections of biological material, which in combination with a ‘research generous’ legislation provides an excellent environment for biobank research. However, both the Danish biobank landscape and the regulatory environment is rather complex. In contrast to a number of other countries, there is no specific biobank act in Denmark. Instead, various regulatory regimes interact, which makes it challenging to navigate in the legal landscape. It is also rather non-transparent for the individuals, from whom samples have been collected, what samples are used for, and how they can influence the use of samples for research. With the GDPR and the Danish Data Protection Act it seems that research participants’ rights have been slightly weakened in Danish law. However, it is argued, that the GDPR has the potential to ensure more awareness of research participants right against the societal and scientific interest in research.
Regulatory Environment for Biobanking in Estonia
Authors: Pormeister Kärt
Published: January 2021

The regulatory framework for biobanking in Estonia is fragmented. Whilst a specific law applies to the population-wide biobank, other entities engaged in biobanking are subject to rules stemming from various legal sources. In the case of the population biobank, participants give open consent for their data and tissue to be used in genetic research. Most other entities do not have the possibility to obtain open research consent for the use of personal data. However, national data protection law enables the use of personal data in research without the consent of individuals.

In contrast, since no stricter requirements are set, open consent can be used when tissue is obtained directly from individuals for research purposes. However, if tissue is initially obtained for other (research) purposes, further research use requires written consent in the case of blood, while due notification will suffice for most other types of tissue.
Setting the Foundations: Individual Rights, Public Interest, Scientific Research and Biobanking
Authors: Slokenberga Santa
Published: January 2021

The principle of conferral tames the EU competence to regulate research in a comprehensive manner, yet furthering research is one of its aspirations. Data protection, however, is an area within which the EU has legislated extensively. During the development of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), an important issue to tackle was how to balance the ambitious EU aspirations and differing stakeholder interests, on the one hand, with limited competences in research regulation, on the other, and how to determine the extent to which data protection could be used as a means to further scientific research in the EU legal order. The outcome is the GDPR multifaceted research regime that sets forth EU policy and opens up for further regulations from the Member States as well as the EU.

The research regime that the GDPR has created poses numerous questions. Key among these is, what are the implications of the operationalisation of Article 89 GDPR in biobanking? This chapter sets out some of the underlying tensions in the area and pins down key conceptual foundations for the book. It provides insights into the EU’s interests in the area of biobanking and maps out central elements of the research regime that has been built within the GDPR. Thereafter, it analyses the key concepts used in the book, including biobank and biobanking, scientific research as undertaken under the GDPR, individual rights and public interest. Lastly, it shares some preliminary reflections as starting points for the analysis to come.
Swedish Law on Personal Data in Biobank Research: Permissible But Complex
Authors: Stenbeck Magnus , Fält Sonja Eaker , Reichel Jane
Published: January 2021

This chapter describes the regulatory and organisational infrastructure of biobank research in Sweden, and how the introduction of the GDPR affects the possibilities to use biobank material in future research. The Swedish legislator has chosen a rather minimalistic approach in relation to the research exception in Article 89 GDPR and has only enacted limited general exceptions to the data protection rules. This may be partly explained by the comprehensive right to public access to official documents which gives researchers vast access to information held in registries, albeit conditioned on abiding by secrecy and confidentiality rules. The Swedish legislation implementing the GDPR includes a general exception from the data protection rules in relation to the right to access to official documents, which researchers also benefit from. However, confidentiality rules for different categories of information differ between sectors, which hinders an effective use of the registries in research. The regulatory regime for using biobank and registry data in Sweden thus involves both data protection and secrecy rules, which makes the legal landscape permissible but complex. The operationalisation of the research exception in Article 89 GDPR is analysed against this background. Special attention is given to the possibility to link personal information derived from biobanks with personal information from other data sources, including large national population based statistical registries as well as information from national clinical registers.
Individual Rights in Biobank Research Under the GDPR
Authors: Staunton Ciara
Published: January 2021

The coming into force of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on 25 May 2018 has brought about considerable changes in how data may collected, stored and used. Biobanks, which require the collection, use and re-use of large quantities of biological samples and data, will be affected by the proposed changes. In seeking to require ‘data protection by design’, the GDPR provides data subjects with certain individual rights. They are, the right to be informed, the right of access, the right to rectification, the right to erasure, the right to restrict processing, the right to data portability, the right to object and rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

This chapter will consider each of these individual rights in turn and discuss the impact on biobank research. In particular, it will discuss the challenges that are now facing biobanks in upholding the individual rights, the limits of these rights in light of the technical realities of biobanks, and the potential impact that they may have on the collection, sharing, use and re-use of biological data and material.
Digital Transformation in Learning Organizations
Authors: Helbig Christian , Hofhues Sandra , Egloffstein Marc , Ifenthaler Dirk
Published: January 2021

This concluding chapter takes a summarizing look at the contributions of the anthology, guided by two overarching questions: What dimensions are involved in the digital transformation of learning organizations? Which design perspectives can be used for digital transformation in learning organizations? In conclusion, this chapter leads back to the starting point of the anthology: the project #ko.vernetzt and the question of what significance the dimensions and design perspectives of digital transformation have in learning organizations.
Leading Transformation with Digital Innovations in Schools and Universities: Beyond Adoption
Authors: Kowch Eugene
Published: January 2021

Digital innovations in schools and universities matter. New leadership approaches and new organization knowledge are necessary for leaders to realize long-term school and university transformations afforded by important digital innovation experiments. This chapter takes a hard look at leadership and organization theory and practice, along with a critical look at innovation adoption to help digital school and university innovation teams find more sustainable, impactful innovations. First, we examine research and theory on formal leadership and organization to argue that classical, formal leaders separate people from the work of others, limiting innovation teamwork. We also examine formal organizations as “houses,” finding that these over-structure people and power in vertical functional “boxes” in bureaucracies that limit school or university readiness to adapt—even when great digital innovations offer transformation potential. Less formal leadership and organization is then explored with evidence from the author’s research on leading complex adaptive teams as more adaptable organization network forms. We conclude that less formal leadership and less formal organizing structures offer more innovation potential by creating adaptive spaces for digital innovations. We present a new theory and guidelines for leading and participating in high-impact digital innovation networks working to lead learning organization emergence (transformation) via digital innovations.
Sounding the Alarm: The Council of Europe As the Guardian of the Rule of Law in Contemporary Europe
Authors: Polakiewicz Jörg , Kirchmayr Julia Katharina
Published: January 2021

The Council of Europe was founded upon the Rule of Law as one of its three core principles. This transpires from the preamble of the Council’s Statute and the requirements for membership, as enshrined in Article 3 where “every member of the Council of Europe must accept the principles of the Rule of Law [emphasis added] and of the enjoyment by all persons within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and collaborate sincerely and effectively in the realisation of the aim of the Council.”
A Potential Constitutional Moment for the European Rule of Law: The Importance of Red Lines
Authors: von Bogdandy Armin , Bogdanowicz Piotr , Canor Iris , Rugge Giacomo , Schmidt Matthias , Taborowski Maciej
Published: January 2021

This contribution deals with the current European rule of law crisis. It does so by analyzing the recent CJEU’s judgment in re LM and by considering its possible ramifications for the future of the rule of law in the EU. In particular, it is argued that, as a result of this judgment, the European rule of law as provided for by Art. 2 TEU has become a legally enforceable value. The CJEU has indeed made clear that this value features a set of minimum standards that the Member States cannot bluntly disregard. In the present context, which is characterized by the inaction of the supranational and national political institutions, a prominent role in safeguarding a liberal understanding of the European rule of law is played by the entire European judiciary (the so-called ‘Gerichtsverbund’), including national courts and tribunals.
Constitutional Crisis in Poland 2015–2016 in the Light of the Rule of Law Principle
Authors: Wiącek Marcin
Published: January 2021

This chapter concerns the constitutional crisis in Poland that began in 2015. It was triggered by appointing judges of the Constitutional Tribunal, by the outgoing Parliament, and then by re-appointing new judges for the same vacancies. Thus, the status of three judges elected by the previous Parliament and three judges elected by the current Parliament remains disputable.

One of the crucial elements of the rule of law is the principle of legality. There are two aspects of this principle: the presumption of legality that covers all acts of state bodies; the revoking of this presumption may be performed only within procedures prescribed by the law. The law should indicate a state body competent to revoke the presumption of legality and define the legal effects of such revoking. If the law is incomplete, incoherent or imprecise in that scope—that may lead to legal and political crisis. Polish legislation and Constitution fail to comply with the said standard. This is one of the causes of the constitutional crisis in Poland.

In a state governed by the rule of law state bodies should mutually respect their acts. State bodies should not treat acts or decisions issued by other state bodies as invalid or non-existent, unless it is declared within a procedure prescribed by the law. Otherwise, a legal chaos may occur. Courts are not empowered to evaluate the lawfulness of the Tribunal’s judgments. One of the crucial elements of the rule of law principle is the certainty of law.
Suspending Horizontal Solange: A Decentralized Instrument for Protecting Mutual Trust and the European Rule of Law
Authors: Canor Iris
Published: January 2021

Mutual trust is the basis on which the Member States’ judiciaries are expected to deal with each other in the European Union. By constitutionalizing the principle of mutual trust, the CJEU has introduced an axiological addition to the basic structure of the European Union. From a Union which concentrated on the vertical relationships between each Member State and the central Union’s institutions, the Union has turned out to be additionally preoccupied with the horizontal relationships among the Member States, which are based on what might be called a doctrine of Horizontal Solange.

According to the principle of mutual trust, each Member State must presume that all other Member States are in compliance with EU law, in particular promote its values and respect European fundamental rights. This presumption, however, can be rebutted in exceptional circumstances. These exceptional circumstances are based on a two-prong test: first, the violation of the values or the fundamental rights must amount to a systemic deficiency; second, there is a need for an assessment whether the individual concerned will be the victim of this systemic deficiency.

This contribution critically analyses these exceptional circumstances. Regarding the first prong, it is argued that the existence of systemic deficiencies should ideally be established by the CJEU via preliminary ruling references or via direct infringement proceedings. Alternatively, such systemic deficiencies may also be established by domestic courts in a host Member State. Regarding the second prong, it is argued that the individual test is redundant in cases where the systemic deficiency imposes challenges to the existing legal order of the Member State in question. Finally, it is argued that the suspension of mutual trust can serve as a decentralized instrument for protecting the European rule of law by pressuring the violating state to restore the rule of law.
Fever and Rheumatology
Authors: Cheikh Mohamed , Bahabri Nezar
Published: January 2021

In all the patients with rheumatic diseases, fever should prompt an immediate and thorough evaluation. There are different disorders that can cause fever and arthritis. Fever that is thought to be due to active rheumatic disease is seen in over 50% of patients with SLE30. However, it can be also related to or a sequel of an infectious process. There are many infectious diseases with rheumatological manifestations. The aim of this chapter therefore is to address variable relationships of fever with patients with arthritis. Fever of unknown origin will be addressed as some systemic rheumatic disease may present with fever. It is always a dilemma when an established patient with arthritis presents with fever. What should you do? This issue is addressed with a suggested diagnostic approach that guides you in a stepwise manner until you reach to the definitive diagnosis.
Gestational Rheumatology
Authors: Al-Osaimi Hanan , Althubiti Areej
Published: January 2021

There are changes that occur in the maternal organ systems due to increased demands of pregnancy. Most of the rheumatic disorders occur in the reproductive age group. The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy may mimic the signs and symptoms of rheumatic disorders thereby making the diagnosis difficult. Rheumatological disorders need to be diagnosed and treated at least 6 months before the onset of pregnancy; otherwise they may have considerable effect on the prognosis of the disease. This is particularly evident in cases of SLE and anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. Therefore, pregnancy is a crucial issue that needs to be clearly addressed in details in all female patients in the reproductive age group having some of the rheumatological disorders.
Eye and Rheumatology
Authors: Al-ghamdi Abdullah A
Published: January 2021

The ocular involvement in rheumatology can be in a wide variety; it ranges from simple episcleritis to significant visual loss. Early detection followed by appropriate management can reserve vision. Ophthalmic involvement may occur in all of the rheumatic disorders. Ocular manifestation may be a presenting sign in some disorders, as in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and Sjogren’s syndrome (SjS), or can be a presenting sign with the systemic involvement as insystemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and systemic sclerosis. Thus ocular manifestations in rheumatologic diseases (Table 19.1) can be the link in approaching the diagnosis.
Diabetes and Rheumatology
Authors: Monjed Alaa
Published: January 2021

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycaemia that happens as a result of a pancreatic insulin deficiency and/or insulin resistance. Its morbidity and mortality are primarily related to the resultant microvascular and macrovascular complications. Its prevalence has grown widely, which will result in higher rates of diabetic complications including rheumatic manifestations.
Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Rheumatic Diseases
Authors: Halabi Hussein , AlDabbagh Ammar , Alamoudi Amany
Published: January 2021

SLE may involve any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as the liver.
Pharmacotherapy in Systemic Rheumatic Diseases
Authors: Borham Layla , Hafiz Waleed
Published: January 2021

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
Radiology in Rheumatology
Authors: Al Nakshabandi Nizar , Joharji Ehab , El-Haddad Hadeel
Published: January 2021

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
Towards Feynman rules for conformal blocks
Authors: Hoback Sarah , Parikh Sarthak
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We conjecture a simple set of “Feynman rules” for constructing n-point global conformal blocks in any channel in d spacetime dimensions, for external and exchanged scalar operators for arbitrary n and d. The vertex factors are given in terms of Lauricella hypergeometric functions of one, two or three variables, and the Feynman rules furnish an explicit power-series expansion in powers of cross-ratios. These rules are conjectured based on previously known results in the literature, which include four-, five- and six-point examples as well as the n-point comb channel blocks. We prove these rules for all previously known cases, as well as two new ones: the seven-point block in a new topology, and all even-point blocks in the “OPE channel.” The proof relies on holographic methods, notably the Feynman rules for Mellin amplitudes of tree-level AdS diagrams in a scalar effective field theory, and is easily applicable to any particular choice of a conformal block beyond those considered in this paper.
Analyticity of off-shell Green’s functions in superstring field theory
Authors: Bhattacharya Ritabrata , Mahanta Ratul
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We consider the off-shell momentum space Green’s functions in closed superstring field theory. Recently in [1], the off-shell Green’s functions — after explicitly removing contributions of massless states — have been shown to be analytic on a domain (to be called the LES domain) in complex external momenta variables. Analyticity of off-shell Green’s functions in local QFTs without massless states in the primitive domain is a well-known result. Using complex Lorentz transformations and Bochner’s theorem allow to extend the LES domain to a larger subset of the primitive domain. For the 2-, 3- and 4-point functions, the full primitive domain is recovered. For the 5-point function, we are not able to obtain the full primitive domain analytically, only a large part of it is recovered. While this problem arises also for higher-point functions, it is expected to be only a technical issue.
Non-minimal (self-)running inflation: metric vs. Palatini formulation
Authors: Racioppi Antonio
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We consider a model of quartic inflation where the inflaton is coupled non-minimally to gravity and the self-induced radiative corrections to its effective potential are dominant. We perform a comparative analysis considering two different formulations of gravity, metric or Palatini, and two different choices for the renormalization scale, widely known as prescription I and II. Moreover we comment on the eventual compatibility of the results with the final data release of the Planck mission.
World-volume effective theories of locally non-geometric branes
Authors: Shiozawa Kenta , Sasaki Shin
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We study world-volume effective theories of five-branes in type II string theories. We determine the bosonic zero-modes of the NS5-brane, the Kaluza-Klein monopole, the exotic Q5-, R5-branes and a space-filling brane, by direct calculations within the formalism of double field theory (DFT). We show that these zero-modes are Nambu-Goldstone modes associated with the spontaneously broken gauge symmetries in DFT. They are organized into the bosonic part of the six-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (1) vector and the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 0) tensor multiplets. Among other things, we examine the locally non-geometric R5-branes and space-filling branes that are characterized by the winding space. We also study effective theories of five-branes with string worldsheet instanton corrections.
Giant gravitons in the Schrödinger holography
Authors: Georgiou George , Zoakos Dimitrios
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We construct and study new giant graviton configurations in the framework of the non-supersymmetric Schrödinger holography. We confirm in the original Schrödinger spacetime, the picture discovered previously in the pp-wave limit of the geometry, namely that it is the giant graviton that becomes the energetically favored stable configuration compared to the point graviton one. Furthermore, there is a critical value of the deformation above which the point graviton disappears from the spectrum. The former fact leads also to the possibility of tunnelling from the point graviton to the giant graviton configuration. We calculate, explicitly, the instanton solution and its corresponding action which gives a measure of the tunnelling probability. Finally, we evaluate holographically the three-point correlation function of two giant gravitons and one dilaton mode as a function of the Schrödinger invariant.
Risk of UTI in kidney stone formers: a matched-cohort study over a median follow-up of 19 years
Authors: Brain Eleanor , Geraghty Robert M. , Cook Paul , Roderick Paul , Somani Bhaskar
Published: January 2021

Purpose

To describe risk of UTI in Stone formers comparing to non-stone formers.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study using electronic records for patients across southern England. Stone formers referred to a tertiary referral centre in Southern England, comparator patients were age and sex matched with 3:1 ratio from same database. Those with no documentation were excluded. UTI defined using ICD-10 codes. Risk of UTI presented as hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval, generated using cox regression. Sample size calculated using 80% power and significance set at 0.05.

Results

Eight hundred and nineteen stone formers were included after 1000 records were screened for inclusion, with 2477 age and sex matched non-stone formers extracted from the same database. Sample size was calculated at 287 per group. Stone formers were at significantly increased risk of developing a UTI (HR 5.67; 95% CI 4.52–7.18, p < 0.001). Median follow-up was 19 years (IQR: 15–22).

Conclusions

Kidney stone formers are at increased risk of developing urinary tract infections.
Atmospheric blocking events in the North Atlantic: trends and links to climate anomalies and teleconnections
Authors: Wazneh Hussein , Gachon Philippe , Laprise René , de Vernal Anne , Tremblay Bruno
Published: January 2021

Atmospheric blockings are generally associated with large-scale high-pressure systems that interrupt west-to-east atmospheric flow in mid and high latitudes. Blockings cause several days of quasi-stationary weather conditions, and therefore can result in monthly or seasonal climate anomalies and extreme weather events on the affected regions. In this paper, the long-term coupled CERA-20C reanalysis data from 1901 to 2010 are used to evaluate the links between blocking events over the North Atlantic north of 35° N, and atmospheric and oceanic modes of climate variability on decadal time scales. This study indicates more frequent and longer lasting blocking events than previous studies using other reanalyses products. A strong relationship was found between North Atlantic blocking events and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and Baffin Island–West Atlantic (BWA) indices, in fall, winter and spring. More blocking events occur during the negative phases of the NAO index and positive phases of the BWA mode. In some situations, the BWA patterns provide clearer links with the North Atlantic blocking occurrence than with the NAO alone. The correlation between the synchronous occurrences of AMO and blocking is generally weak, although it does increase for a lag of about 6–10 years. Convergent cross mapping (CCM) furthermore demonstrates a significant two-way causal effect between blocking occurrences and the NAO and BWA indices. Finally, while we find no significant trends in blocking frequencies over the last 110 years in the Northern Hemisphere, these events become longer lasting in summer and fall, and more intense in spring in the North Atlantic.
Neuropathological consensus criteria for the evaluation of Lewy pathology in post-mortem brains: a multi-centre study
Authors: Attems Johannes , Toledo Jon B. , Walker Lauren , Gelpi Ellen , Gentleman Steve , Halliday Glenda , Hortobagyi Tibor , Jellinger Kurt , Kovacs Gabor G. , Lee Edward B. , Love Seth , McAleese Kirsty E. , Nelson Peter T. , Neumann Manuela , Parkkinen Laura , Polvikoski Tuomo , Sikorska Beata , Smith Colin , Grinberg Lea Tenenholz , Thal Dietmar R. , Trojanowski John Q. , McKeith Ian G.
Published: January 2021

Currently, the neuropathological diagnosis of Lewy body disease (LBD) may be stated according to several staging systems, which include the Braak Lewy body stages (Braak), the consensus criteria by McKeith and colleagues (McKeith), the modified McKeith system by Leverenz and colleagues (Leverenz), and the Unified Staging System by Beach and colleagues (Beach). All of these systems use semi-quantitative scoring (4- or 5-tier scales) of Lewy pathology (LP; i.e., Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites) in defined cortical and subcortical areas. While these systems are widely used, some suffer from low inter-rater reliability and/or an inability to unequivocally classify all cases with LP. To address these limitations, we devised a new system, the LP consensus criteria (LPC), which is based on the McKeith system, but applies a dichotomous approach for the scoring of LP (i.e., “absent” vs. “present”) and includes amygdala-predominant and olfactory-only stages. α-Synuclein-stained slides from brainstem, limbic system, neocortex, and olfactory bulb from a total of 34 cases with LP provided by the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource (NBTR) and the University of Pennsylvania brain bank (UPBB) were scanned and assessed by 16 raters, who provided diagnostic categories for each case according to Braak, McKeith, Leverenz, Beach, and LPC systems. In addition, using LP scores available from neuropathological reports of LP cases from UPBB (n = 202) and NBTR (n = 134), JT (UPBB) and JA (NBTR) assigned categories according to all staging systems to these cases. McKeith, Leverenz, and LPC systems reached good (Krippendorff’s α ≈ 0.6), while both Braak and Beach systems had lower (Krippendorff’s α ≈ 0.4) inter-rater reliability, respectively. Using the LPC system, all cases could be unequivocally classified by the majority of raters, which was also seen for 97.1% when the Beach system was used. However, a considerable proportion of cases could not be classified when using Leverenz (11.8%), McKeith (26.5%), or Braak (29.4%) systems. The category of neocortical LP according to the LPC system was associated with a 5.9 OR (p < 0.0001) of dementia in the 134 NBTR cases and a 3.14 OR (p = 0.0001) in the 202 UPBB cases. We established that the LPC system has good reproducibility and allows classification of all cases into distinct categories. We expect that it will be reliable and useful in routine diagnostic practice and, therefore, suggest that it should be the standard future approach for the basic post-mortem evaluation of LP.
Patient and family financial burden associated with cancer treatment in Canada: a national study
Authors: Longo Christopher J. , Fitch Margaret I. , Loree Jonathan M. , Carlson Linda E. , Turner Donna , Cheung Winson Y. , Gopaul Darin , Ellis Janet , Ringash Jolie , Mathews Maria , Wright Jim , Stevens Christiaan , D’Souza David , Urquhart Robin , Maity Tuhin , Balderrama Fanor , Haddad Evette
Published: January 2021

Goal

To determine patient-reported financial and family burden associated with treatment of cancer in the previous 28 days across Canada.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire (P-SAFE v7.2.4) was completed by 901 patients with cancer from twenty cancer centres nationally (344 breast, 183 colorectal, 158 lung, 216 prostate) measuring direct and indirect costs related to cancer treatment and foregone care. Monthly self-reported out-of-pocket-costs (OOPCs) included drugs, homecare, homemaking, complementary/ alternative medicines, vitamins/supplements, family care, accommodations, devices, and “other” costs. Travel and parking costs were captured separately. Patients indicated if OOPC, travel, parking, and lost income were a financial burden.

Results

Mean 28-day OOPCs were CA$518 (US Purchase Price Parity [PPP] $416), plus CA$179 (US PPP $144) for travel and CA$84 (US PPP $67) for parking. Patients self-reporting high financial burden had total OOPCs (33%), of CA$961 (US PPP $772), while low-burden participants (66%) had OOPCs of CA$300 (US PPP $241). “Worst burden” respondents spent a mean of 50.7% of their monthly income on OOPCs (median 20.8%). Among the 29.4% who took time off work, patients averaged 18.0 days off. Among the 26.0% of patients whose caregivers took time off work, caregivers averaged 11.5 days off. Lastly, 41% of all patients had to reduce spending. Fifty-two per cent of those who reduced spending were families earning < CA$50,000/year.

Conclusions

In our Canadian sample, high levels of financial burden exist for 33% of patients, and the severity of burden is higher for those with lower household incomes.
Magnetic resonance imaging template to standardize reporting of anal fistulas
Authors: Sudoł-Szopińska I. , Santoro G. A. , Kołodziejczak M. , Wiaczek A. , Grossi U.
Published: January 2021

Anal fistula (AF) is a common referral to colorectal surgeons. Management remains challenging and sometimes controversial. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly performed in initial workup for AF. However, reports often lack key information for guiding treatment strategies. It has been shown that with structured radiology reports, there is less missing information. We present a structured MRI template report including 8 key descriptors of anal fistulas, whose effectiveness and acceptability are being assessed in a cross-sectional study (NCT04541238).
Enhancement of Static and Fatigue Strength of Short Sisal Fiber Biocomposites by Low Fraction Nanotubes
Authors: Pantano A. , Bongiorno F. , Marannano G. , Zuccarello B.
Published: January 2021

Thanks to good mechanical performances, high availability, low cost and low weight, the agave sisalana fiber allows to obtain biocomposites characterised by high specific properties, potentially very attractive for the replacement of synthetic materials in various industrial fields. Unfortunately, due to the low strength versus transversal damage processes mainly related to the matrix brittleness and/or to the low fiber/matrix adhesion, the tensile performance of random short fiber biocomposites are quite low, and to date most of the fiber treatments proposed in literature to improve the fiber-matrix adhesion, have not led to very satisfactory results. In order to overcome such a drawback, this work in turn proposes the proper introduction of low fractions carbon nanotubes to activate advantageous improvements in matrix toughness as well as fiber-matrix bridging effects, that can both lead to appreciable increments of the tensile strength.

Systematic experimental static and fatigue tests performed on high quality biocomposites obtained by an optimized compression molding process, have shown that the introduction of 1% of carbon nanotubes is sufficient to gives significant improvement in both stiffness and static tensile strength, respectively by approximately 28% and 30%. Furthermore, toughening the biocomposite with 1% of nanotubes results in an appreciable enhancement in lifetime of at least 3 orders of magnitude. Biocomposites with 2% of CNTs show instead more limited improvement of 13% in stiffness, 6% in strength and 150% in lifetime. Also, a thorough analysis of the damage processes by SEM micrographs, as well as of the main fatigue data, has allowed to determine the model that can be used to predict the fatigue performance of such biocomposites.
Matrix Metalloproteinases Repress Hypertrophic Growth in Cardiac Myocytes
Authors: Euler Gerhild , Locquet Fabian , Kociszewska Joanna , Osygus Yvonne , Heger Jacqueline , Schreckenberg Rolf , Schlüter Klaus-Dieter , Kenyeres Éva , Szabados Tamara , Bencsik Péter , Ferdinandy Péter , Schulz Rainer
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are identified as modulators of the extracellular matrix in heart failure progression. However, evidence for intracellular effects of MMPs is emerging. Pro- and anti-hypertrophic cardiac effects are described. This may be due to the various sources of different MMPs in the heart tissue. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the role of MMPs in hypertrophic growth of isolated rat ventricular cardiac myocytes.

Methods

Cardiomyocytes were isolated form ventricular tissues of the rat hearts by collagenase perfusion. RT-qPCR, western blots, and zymography were used for expression and MMP activity analysis. Cross-sectional area and the rate of protein synthesis were determined as parameters for hypertrophic growth.

Results

MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14 mRNAs were detected in cardiomyocytes, and protein expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-14 was identified. Hypertrophic stimulation of cardiomyocytes did not enhance, but interestingly decreased expression of MMPs, indicating that downregulation of MMPs may promote hypertrophic growth. Indeed, the nonselective MMP inhibitors TAPI-0 or TIMP2 and the MMP-2-selective ARP-100 enhanced hypertrophic growth. Furthermore, TAPI-0 increased phosphorylation and thus activation of extracellular signaling kinase (ERK) and Akt (protein kinase B), as well as inhibition of glycogen synthase 3β (GSK3β). Abrogation of MEK/ERK- or phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt/GSK3β-signaling with PD98059 or LY290042, respectively, inhibited hypertrophic growth under TAPI-0.

Conclusion

MMPs’ inhibition promotes hypertrophic growth in cardiomyocytes in vitro. Therefore, MMPs in the healthy heart may be important players to repress cardiac hypertrophy.
Behaviour of freshwater snails (Radix balthica) exposed to the pharmaceutical sertraline under simulated predation risk
Authors: Hedgespeth Melanie Lea , Karasek Tomasz , Ahlgren Johan , Berglund Olof , Brönmark Christer
Published: January 2021

Due to their potential for affecting the modulation of behaviour, effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the environment are particularly interesting regarding interspecies interactions and non-consumptive effects (NCEs) induced by predator cues in prey organisms. We evaluated the effects of sertraline (0.4, 40 ng/L, 40 µg/L) over 8 days on activity and habitat choice in the freshwater snailRadix balthica, on snails’ boldness in response to mechanical stimulation (simulating predator attack), and their activity/habitat choice in response to chemical cues from predatory fish. We hypothesised that sertraline exposure would detrimentally impact NCEs elicited by predator cues, increasing predation risk. Although there were no effects of sertraline on NCEs, there were observed effects of chemical cue from predatory fish on snail behaviour independent of sertraline exposure. Snails reduced their activity in which the percentage of active snails decreased by almost 50% after exposure to fish cue. Additionally, snails changed their habitat use by moving away from open (exposed) areas. The general lack of effects of sertraline on snails’ activity and other behaviours in this study is interesting considering that other SSRIs have been shown to induce changes in gastropod behaviour. This raises questions on the modes of action of various SSRIs in gastropods, as well as the potential for a trophic “mismatch” of effects between fish predators and snail prey in aquatic systems.
Taking issue with how the Work-integrated Learning discourse ascribes a dualistic meaning to graduate employability
Authors: Björck Ville
Published: January 2021

Work-integrated Learning (WIL) is renowned for providing abridgebetween ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ that fosters ‘employable graduates’. This study critically argues that the WIL discourse continues to ascribe a dualistic meaning tograduate employabilitythat primarily contributes to creating the so-calledtheory–practice gapfor students. As an argument towards such a conclusion, a genealogical discourse analysis of how the graduate employability idea operates in 87 present and past official documents concerning the Cooperative Education (Co-op) WIL model is used. Two accounts of graduate employability, theantagonisticpractice acclaiming account and theharmonioustheory and practice account, recur in both the present and past documents. Both accounts contribute to creating the gap, while the latter also contributes to bridging it. The non-dualistic account, which involves knowing that the key to becoming employable is understanding how both research-based and informal theory shape daily occupational work, could be a useful alternative to these accounts. This is because it could encourage students to see how theory is a form of knowledge manifested in, rather than disconnected from, this work. However, the usual WIL design, whereby universities and workplaces outside universities are respectively institutionalised as the places where ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ is learnt, is not so much instrumental in spreading this non-dualistic account, but rather implies to students that ‘theory’ is absent from daily work until they apply it. Thus, I discuss how establishing physical and/or virtual countersites to the usual WIL design could potentially spread this account to students.
Remote learning and students’ mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A mixed-method enquiry
Authors: Lischer Suzanne , Safi Netkey , Dickson Cheryl
Published: January 2021

The disruption caused by Covid-19 in the educational sector may last longer than originally predicted. To better understand the current situation, this article analyses the mental health status of university students during the pandemic and investigates the learning conditions needed to support students. The sample included 557 undergraduate students who took part in an online survey. Overall, the students reported coping well during lockdown but indicated that lecturers were challenged by distance teaching, which created some stress for the students.
In situ X-ray absorption study of Cu species in Cu-CHA catalysts for NH3-SCR during temperature-programmed reduction in NO/NH3
Authors: Negri Chiara , Borfecchia Elisa , Martini Andrea , Deplano Gabriele , Lomachenko Kirill A. , Janssens Ton V. W. , Berlier Gloria , Bordiga Silvia
Published: January 2021

Ammonia-mediated selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) using Cu-exchanged chabazite zeolites as catalysts is one of the leading technologies for NOx removal from exhaust gases, with CuII/CuI redox cycles being the basis of the catalytic reaction. The amount of CuII ions reduced by NO/NH3 can be quantified by the consumption of NO during temperature-programmed reduction experiments (NO-TPR). In this article, we show the capabilities of in situ X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), coupled with multivariate curve resolution (MCR) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods, in following CuII/CuI speciation during reduction in NO/NH3 after oxidation in NO/O2 at 50 °C on samples with different copper loading and pretreatment conditions. Our XANES results show that during the NO/NH3 ramp CuII ions are fully reduced to CuI in the 50–290 °C range. The number of species involved in the process, their XANES spectra and their concentration profiles as a function of the temperature were obtained by MCR and PCA. Mixed ligand ammonia solvated complexes [CuII(NH3)3(X)]+ (X = OH−/O− or NO3−) are present at the beginning of the experiment, and are transformed into mobile [CuI(NH3)2]+ complexes: these complexes lose an NH3 ligand and become framework-coordinated above 200 °C. In the process, multiple CuII/CuI reduction events are observed: the first one around 130 °C is identified with the reduction of [CuII(NH3)3(OH/O)]+ moieties, while the second one occurs around 220–240 °C and is associated with the reduction of the ammonia-solvated Cu-NO3− species. The nitrate concentration in the catalysts is found to be dependent on the zeolite Cu loading and on the applied pretreatment conditions. Ammonia solvation increases the number of CuII sites available for the formation of nitrates, as confirmed by infrared spectroscopy.
An intersectional approach to analyse gender productivity and open access: a bibliometric analysis of the Italian National Research Council
Authors: Ruggieri Roberta , Pecoraro Fabrizio , Luzi Daniela
Published: January 2021

Gender equality and Open Access (OA) are priorities within the European Research Area and cross-cutting issues in European research program H2020. Gender and openness are also key elements of responsible research and innovation. However, despite the common underlying targets of fostering an inclusive, transparent and sustainable research environment, both issues are analysed as independent topics. This paper represents a first exploration of the inter-linkages between gender and OA analysing the scientific production of researchers of the Italian National Research Council under a gender perspective integrated with the different OA publications modes. A bibliometric analysis was carried out for articles published in the period 2016–2018 and retrieved from the Web of Science. Results are presented constantly analysing CNR scientific production in relation to gender, disciplinary fields and OA publication modes. These variables are also used when analysing articles that receive financial support. Our results indicate that gender disparities in scientific production still persist particularly in STEM disciplines, while the gender gap is the closest to parity in medical and agricultural sciences. A positive dynamic toward OA publishing and women’s scientific production is shown when disciplines with well-established open practices are related to articles supported by funds. A slightly higher women’s propensity toward OA is shown when considering Gold OA, or authorships with women in the first and last article by-line position. The prevalence of Italian funded articles with women’s contributions published in Gold OA journals seems to confirm this tendency, especially if considering the weak enforcement of the Italian OA policies.
Is absence of evidence of pain ever evidence of absence?
Authors: Brown Deborah J. , Key Brian
Published: January 2021

Absence of evidence arguments are indispensable to comparative neurobiology. The absence in a given species of a homologous neural architecture strongly correlated with a type of conscious experience in humans should be able to be taken as a prima facie reason for concluding that the species in question does not have the capacity for that conscious experience. Absence of evidence reasoning is, however, widely disparaged for being both logically illicit and unscientific. This paper argues that these concerns are unwarranted. There is no logical barrier to formulating cogent absence of evidence arguments; indeed, accepting such arguments is part of what it is to be committed to falsifiability as a critical aspect of the scientific method. Absence of evidence arguments can always be blocked, however, by assuming that psychological properties are ‘multiply realizable’. While we take multiple realizability to be highly likely at some level of analysis, we argue that it is question-begging to assume that it exists at every level of analysis, and thus it should not automatically be thought to undermine absence of evidence reasoning in the animal consciousness debate. Using the example of pain and focusing on homologies at the level of information processing tasks, we show how, in the science of consciousness, an absence of evidence might well serve as evidence of absence.