bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accounting for Children’s Agency and Resilience in Independent Child Migration in Southeast Asia
Authors: Capaldi Mark P. , Altamura Alessia
Published: March 2023

In Southeast Asia, the so-called phenomenon of independent child migration has received growing scholarly attention in the last decade or so. A common element of this body of literature is the questioning of the stereotypical adult-centred representation of children who migrate alone for work as passive victims of trafficking. Whilst not ignoring or downplaying that migrating children are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, a number of scholars have emphasized that if we listen to these children’s voices, an alternative discourse and approach can be proposed. Refusing unidimensional interpretations of what is in fact a complex issue, this work has unveiled several conceptual shortcomings in the conflation of child trafficking and independent child migration. In so doing, increasing emphasis has been placed on the notions of children’s agency, capacities and “childhood as a social construction”. Though only at a nascent state, research has also focused on the often neglected perspective of children’s resilience.

Based on a comprehensive literature review, this chapter shows that by looking at independent child migration through these lenses, adolescent migration for work can often be a constructive aspiration of young people’s search for the full realization of their rights and a better life.
Why Should People Outside the Nordic Region Be Interested in Teacher Education in the Nordic Region?
Authors: Elstad Eyvind
Published: March 2023

The Nordic region consists of five northern European countries—Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland—along with their autonomous territories: Greenland, the Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands. The Sámi people also reside in the Nordic region.

Large parts of the Nordic region came late to development and prosperity. However, today these countries are some of the happiest and most prosperous, egalitarian and progressive in the world. The societies of the Nordic region are among the world’s most well-organized, and their formidable economic growth is in part due to a longstanding commitment to education.

Large parts of the world are looking to the Nordic countries and the Nordic model of social organization, and interest in the Nordic comprehensive school system and teacher education arrangements is no exception. The tenets of Nordic education include the development of social justice, equal opportunities for all learners, participatory democracy and inclusion, all of which foster the development of competence and align with the broader values of the Nordic welfare state. A good education is a key to prosperity and well-being. The quality of education is undoubtedly linked to the quality of teacher education.
The Long Road to Sámi Teacher Education
Authors: Elstad Eyvind
Published: March 2023

Sápmiis the traditional term for the historical settlement area (the northern areas of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia) of the Indigenous people of this area, the Sámi. The school systems in Sápmi were imposed by Western educators and missionary workers in the eighteenth century. The road to a good Sámi school has had more than its fair share of obstacles, which is often a common experience at intersections between Indigenous peoples’ cultures and attempts by Western authorities to influence the mindsets and behaviour of Indigenous people. In the face of assimilation pressures, many Sámi lost their language and identity as a cultural minority. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, a new direction of Sámi education arose: the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish education authorities decided that Sámi learners should have the opportunity to choose education in a Sámi language (of which there are several languages) in addition to receiving teaching in school subjects. Although the long road to Sámi teacher education has been a winding and tortuous path, today it is offered by two institutions (Sami University of applied sciences and Nord University). However, there are still challenges in obtaining enough teachers who have mastered Sámi languages.
Tension Patterns in Finnish Teacher Education – Recruitment, Reform and Relevance
Authors: Hansén Sven-Erik , Lavonen Jari , Sjöberg Jan , Aspfors Jessica , Wikman Tom , Eriksson Inger
Published: March 2023

In this chapter, tension patterns and development opportunities within Finnish teacher education are examined. We have chosen to focus the analysis on the recruitment of student teachers, the relationship between theory and practice and mentorship for newly qualified teachers. Tension patterns and development opportunities appear in all three phases, linking the content and form of teacher education.

The analysis examines the overarching idea behind a recently introduced recruitment reform that was developed to let interviews play a larger role in the process. This was developed to address a situation in which an applicant applies to several universities or programmes, but is interviewed only once. The relationship between theory and practice in teacher education remains problematic, despite the practice schools’ favourable organizational conditions. New teachers still face challenges when entering the profession; mentoring programmes have been introduced to reduce these tensions.

Like some other provinces in the Nordic countries, the self-governing Åland Islands have their own school system, which has both Finnish and Swedish traits, as well as similar kinds of tensions. Despite the presented tensions, research-based teacher education continues to be an appropriate foundation for the continuing development of Finnish teacher education.
Teacher Education in Norway
Authors: Skagen Kaare , Elstad Eyvind
Published: March 2023

The public school system in Norway was strengthened in the nineteenth century. The teaching profession became a central vocation during the nation-building process. The need for teachers with adequate qualifications was met through short-term teacher seminaries. In the twentieth century, these seminaries were improved upon and renamed ‘teacher schools’. Teacher education has undergone frequent reforms in recent decades. In 1973, general three-year teacher education was introduced for primary and lower secondary teachers, existing alongside the teacher education programmes in the universities. Criticism of this three-year teacher education strengthened, and teacher education changed from a generalist education (with competence in many school subjects) to a specialist education (with competence in a few subjects). One further step was the introduction of more rigorous entry requirements for teacher education programmes for both the primary and the secondary level. Another step was a division of the former general teacher education programme into separate programmes for years 1–7 and 5–10. In 2017, these two programmes were converted into five-year master’s degree programmes that are completed with a master’s thesis. Universities train teachers for grades 8–13 through either a postgraduate certificate of education that takes one year to complete, or five-year master degree.
Teacher Education in Denmark
Authors: Madsen Lis , Jensen Elsebeth
Published: March 2023

One recurrent feature of the four-year Danish teacher education programme at university colleges is the challenge of attracting and retaining qualified student teachers. Many changes have been implemented to address this and other challenges. To gain a better understanding of the developments from the recent reforms and the subsequent solutions to educational issues, the authors of this chapter examine the various teacher education laws written during this period. The purpose is to explore changes in Danish teacher education, primarily after the turn of the millennium. The main trends are (1) a more profession-oriented teacher education and (2) an increased focus on academic subjects, reflected in the demand for a stronger knowledge base throughout teacher education. However, the development of Danish teacher education must also be viewed in light of several major national and international societal changes. Several areas of teacher education are intended to be developed in the coming years, including improvements in teaching methods in teacher education, better collaboration with practice schools, improvements in student teachers’ opportunities for in-depth studies in subject areas, and a renewed focus on Bildung in education and teacher education.
Five-Year Teacher Education for Compulsory School in Iceland: Retreat from Research-Based to Practice-Oriented Teacher Education?
Authors: Sigurðsson Baldur , Björnsdóttir Amalía , Jóhannsdóttir Thurídur Jóna
Published: March 2023

In 2008 the teacher education in Iceland was extended from a three-year bachelor program to a five-year program, ending with a master’s degree. The intention was to give teacher education more solid research base, manifested in a 30 ECTS master’s thesis while simultaneously strengthening the link between theory, research, and practice.

Pursuant to the extension, enrolment in teacher education dropped, students’ progress was slow, and the dropout rate rose. At the same time large cohorts of teachers retired and shortage of teachers became a problem which led schools to recruit student teachers before they had finished their degree. This situation led to even slower progress in student teachers’ studies and fewer new licenced teachers each year.

To reverse this development, several measures were introduced in the years 2017–2019, involving teacher education institutions, municipalities, the teachers’ union, and the government. Among them was to make the master’s thesis optional and to offer student teachers paid internship during their final year. The measures have benefitted both the recruitment and study progress. Without the masters’ thesis, however, the balance between research and practice seems to have tilted in favour of practice, which raises questions about the quality and status of teacher education.
Legislative, Institutional and Political Context
Authors: Şahin-Mencütek Zeynep , Gökalp-Aras N. Ela , Kaya Ayhan , Rottmann Susan Beth
Published: March 2023

Refugee governance has legislative, institutional, political, and discursive dimensions. These components co-constitute each other and reflect the fragments of strategic temporality as a building principal. It is possible to trace signs of strategic temporality in each dimension. This chapter starts with an overview of the legislative landscape marked by the Turkish asylum regime’s dual structure. Then, it maps the institutional architecture where relevant actors put these legislations into implementation. Both legislation and institutions play out in a highly political domestic and international context, which is scrutinised in the following section. The discursive dimension will be delved into further in Chap.3.
Reception
Authors: Şahin-Mencütek Zeynep , Gökalp-Aras N. Ela , Kaya Ayhan , Rottmann Susan Beth
Published: March 2023

In this Chapter, we describe the strategic temporality embedded in the Turkish reception system for Syrian refugees. First, we focus on the effect of laws and how they lead to nuances in multilevel governance on the ground where a local turn is observable, and a politics of subsidiarity is created. We discuss the discursive dimension of reception governance, which centres on cultural intimacy and guesthood rhetorics. These narratives reflect the strategic approach of policymakers who consistently underline that migrants’ reception is a temporal phenomenon. The chapter provides a multi-layered emphasis on discourses and practices that show how the reception is a policy field where strategic temporality is a dominant mode.
Preface: A Weak Pedagogy in a Rough World?
Authors: Peterlini Hans Karl
Published: March 2023

A look at the current world situation must concern empathetic people. The hope for peace and solidarity that seemed possible after the Cold War’s end has faded. Wars, climate change, and global and social inequality challenge education on all levels. At the ground stays the question of how we can better address the dichotomous structure of our thinking and acting. The deep splits between We and the Other, social and national groups, and humans and nature have devastating consequences. So, how can we better deal with the individual, social, and global divisions as the shadow side of diversity?.
Heimat—Shelter or Cuckoo Nest? Exploration of a Concept Between Belonging and Exclusion
Authors: Peterlini Hans Karl
Published: March 2023

Heimat is a German concept in which culture, identity, and belonging merge. Although challenging to translate into other languages, it conceals universal existential needs and imaginaries of the self and the other. The term's history shows how political, social, and economic realities became a romantic idea that masked the shadows and insecurities of concrete life. In a psychoanalytical interpretation, the chapter examines how homeland, especially in ethnocentric and nationally influenced communities, can mask contradictions inside society and project them onto enemy images. Thus, Heimat provides a sense of security for all those who belong to it and, at the same time, legitimizes the exclusion of undesirable others.
Who Am I? And Who Are You? Identity as a Construct Between Self-Invention and Straitjacket
Authors: Peterlini Hans Karl
Published: March 2023

The chapter addresses the complex question of identity. The need for a clear idea of oneself belies that individual and collective identities are fragile constructs. Thus, identity concepts bear the ambivalence of strengthening and constricting the self. This dynamic is true for individuals and groups alike. Identity concepts demand visions of unity as individual and group, possible through the demarcation of the I and We from the You and Their. On a social level, the question of difference becomes central. Identity then serves not only to strengthen the self and unite with equals but also to exclude others. Case studies from a long-term research with young people in ethnicized communities illustrate the complexity of identity formation at the individual and collective levels.
Daring the Risk of Relation Heimat, Identity, Human Image: Perspectives of a Weak Pedagogy
Authors: Peterlini Hans Karl
Published: March 2023

The examination of nationally colored political identity designs and ethnocentric conceptions of the world is a current challenge for pedagogy. Ethnicization and national thinking follow the logic of strong worldviews. These offer security at the expense of an open perception of images of self and others. How can pedagogy engage with this? In many cases, pedagogical approaches bounce off the ethnicized subjects. Following the theory of “weak thinking” of the Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo, this chapter outlines perspectives of a “weak pedagogy.” Such attitude is not about real weakness but about a flattening of the hierarchy in the pedagogical relationship.
On This Side of the Splitting Categories Lies the One World: Conclusions and Reflections for the Future of Education
Authors: Peterlini Hans Karl
Published: March 2023

This book has attempted a perhaps daring exploration. The ambivalences between belonging and differentiation, inclusion and exclusion, were explored first on the territorially and usually ethnically-nationally bound identity concept of Heimat. The following chapter attempts to bring together the threads of the issues and problems raised. In dealing with diversity and difference, pedagogical work requires a high degree of ambiguity awareness. The pedagogical subjects and situations are as ambiguous as the reality behind the dichotomous worldviews that pedagogical work must address. The chapter describes a diversity-reflexive attitude as a necessary exercise for pedagogical professionalization. Nationally oriented ways of thinking must give way to a world consciousness in the sense of global citizenship education. Strengthening the transformative potential in Education and Learning could be the connective brace for the different approaches. How can this work in concrete?
Social Change and Transformation in the Gulf Region
Authors: Rahman Md Mizanur , Al-Azm Amr
Published: March 2023

Social change is an integral part of human social behavior and a phenomenon that is continuously happening around us. We constantly challenge existing social structures and institutions and transform them by contesting the cultural norms and values upon which they are founded. While such disruption may seem at the superficial level a negative form of disorder, in reality, it represents the way in which societies develop and evolve over time. Social change involves a cultural transformation often as part of an adaptive response to an ever-changing world around us.
The Threat to Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict and Its Dynamic Relationship with Gulf Society
Authors: Al-Azm Amr
Published: March 2023

Cultural heritage, both material and immaterial, is an important representation of a nation’s diverse cultures and vital to national identity. Yet this heritage is increasingly coming under threat from ongoing regional conflicts resulting in an unprecedented surge in looting and trafficking in cultural heritage materials throughout the region. Furthermore, social media has led to the exponential growth of this illicit trade of antiquities where an international network of traffickers, traders and terrorists utilize online platforms for the auctioning and sale of cultural goods. This paper seeks to address a number of questions pertaining to the evolving relationship of Gulf states and societies to cultural heritage (museums, private collections, etc.) and the international laws and conventions protecting them. The extent of trafficking that occurs in the region and changing attitudes to it.
Working for God (and Country): Religious Education and Economic Diversification in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: El Shishtawy Hassan Sharif Ibrahim , Ozgen Zeynep
Published: March 2023

While the role of state formation, British withdrawal, and the discovery of oil in transforming social life in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has received considerable attention, scholars have focused less on the role the state has played in leading particular forms of social change. In this chapter, we explore how the Emirati state has attempted to cultivate certain values among its citizens to support its goal of economic diversification. We find that the state has reformed its national education curriculum in an effort to equip Emirati youth with both the requisite skillset for transitioning to a knowledge economy and the mindset necessary to accommodate such a transition. Analyzing 24 Islamic education textbooks, totaling nearly 5,400 pages, we find that the revised curriculum reflects a concerted effort on the part of the Emirati state to develop a Muslim work ethic by framing capitalist values such as productivity and hard work as divinely ordained.
The New Arab Gulf: Evaluating the Success of Economic Diversification in the UAE
Authors: Shadab Saima
Published: March 2023

To date, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have remained oil-reliant, exposed to the vulnerabilities of the international oil price market. This study seeks to examine the role of economic diversification in the GCC, focusing on the UAE as a successful model. An empirical analysis is conducted to ascertain the short- and long-run relationship between diversification and economic growth in the UAE. Specifically, this study examines the role of export diversification in encouraging the UAE’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The findings reveal that economic diversification fosters economic growth in the UAE both in the short and long run. The UAE serves as a successful model of economic diversification for the rest of the GCC countries as they share a congruent economic structure.
Japan and the Gulf States: Friendship Prospects Under the FOIP Initiative
Authors: AlBadawi Habib
Published: March 2023

Japan’s strategy of “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy—FOIP” stands as a keystone approach in its relationship with the international community and Gulf countries, in particular, in the twenty-first century. The past two decades have shown growing and extensive friendly ties between the Arab Gulf states and Japan. Those ties have been mainly economic which includes significant bilateral trade. More recently, there are emerging signs of security cooperation, cultural exchange, and educational cooperation. In this chapter, I attempt to reveal the idea of FOIP, exploring the future possibilities of cooperation, partnership, and the alliance between Japan and the Arab world.
Khaleeji Modernities: Private Spaces, British Imperialism, and the Centralization of the Qatari Peninsula
Authors: Guirado Alonso Javier
Published: March 2023

The majlis was a key political and social mechanism that defined the social and political structure of Qatar during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an epoch of transformation in the Indian Ocean world. The new policy of the British empire throughout the Indian Ocean during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries led to an increased centralization of the forms of authority that were present on its shores. This centralization shaped the institutional blueprint of Qatar, and not the discovery and exploitation of oil in the mid-twentieth century, which instead, took place successfully thanks to these institutional innovations. The majlis is a space and informal institution present in many Arab countries, and particularly relevant in the Gulf, in which members of a family and other notables gather and discuss a wide range of topics on a regular basis. Many studies have highlighted the importance of the majlis in the Gulf, yet its relation to the British colonial system remains largely underexplored.
China’s COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy in the Gulf and Beyond: Efforts and Challenges
Authors: Jin Wang
Published: March 2023

This chapter argues that the COVID-19 vaccine has become an important diplomatic tool to expand China’s influence and set up a positive Chinese image in the Middle East. The study reports three important trends in China’s COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy. It states that China’s vaccine diplomacy toward the Middle East still faces challenges. On the one hand, the effectiveness of China’s vaccine is not widely recognized. Some European and American experts still doubt the effect of China’s vaccine made by Sinovac and Sinopharm. On the other hand, China’s mechanism to constrain COVID-19 by national lockdown and universal vaccination might not be copied in the Middle East.
Gaining International Perspectives Through Undergraduate Education: Comparative Case Analysis Focusing on International Liberal Arts Provision
Authors: Yonezawa Akiyoshi , Shimauchi Sae
Published: March 2023

In this chapter, we examine the practices of international undergraduate education by focusing on the liberal arts in five, mostly medium-sized, countries with quite different geopolitical contexts: the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. We analyze whether the reforms of undergraduate education in these countries are moving in the direction of global convergence or divergence based on the respective contexts of each country’s society and higher education system. We explore whether changes are based on intrinsic values and directions inherent to universities and higher education arising from their education and research activities, or extrinsic values and directions demanded by society and industry, such as human resource development and industrial innovation. Our findings show that no single direction can be argued to be a “global trend.” This implies that each country and university should carefully examine and identify the global landscape and the most relevant direction to pursue in terms of university education.
Global Distribution of Students in Higher Education
Authors: Watterston Jim , Zhao Yong
Published: March 2023

This chapter explores the potential of having students globally distributed in future higher education. There are many reasons for students to be globally distributed. The pandemic has in effect created the reality for many higher education institutions to teach students remotely. This experience can be the beginning of a new model of higher education: the global campus. The chapter discusses the possibilities and challenges of developing and operating global campuses to meet the needs of students who might be located anywhere on the globe.
Entanglement resolution of free Dirac fermions on a torus
Authors: Foligno Alessandro , Murciano Sara , Calabrese Pasquale
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Whenever a system possesses a conserved charge, the density matrix splits into eigenspaces associated to the each symmetry sector and we can access the entanglement entropy in a given subspace, known as symmetry resolved entanglement (SRE). Here, we first evaluate the SRE for massless Dirac fermions in a system at finite temperature and size, i.e. on a torus. Then we add a massive term to the Dirac action and we treat it as a perturbation of the massless theory. The charge-dependent entropies turn out to be equally distributed among all the symmetry sectors at leading order. However, we find subleading corrections which depend both on the mass and on the boundary conditions along the torus. We also study the resolution of the fermionic negativity in terms of the charge imbalance between two subsystems. We show that also for this quantity, the presence of the mass alters the equipartition among the different imbalance sectors at subleading order.
Finite Groups with G-Permutable Schmidt Subgroups
Authors: Ballester-Bolinches A. , Kamornikov S. F. , Pérez-Calabuig V. , Tyutyanov V. N.
Published: March 2023

Given a non-empty set X of a group G, a subgroup A is said to be X-permutable (respectively, X-h-permutable) with a subgroup B, if $$AB^x = B^xA$$

A

B
x

=

B
x

A

, for some element $$x\in X$$

x
∈
X

(respectively, $$x \in X \cap \langle A,B\rangle $$

x
∈
X
∩
⟨
A
,
B
⟩

). A subgroup A of a group G is said to be X-permutable (respectively, X-h-permutable) in G if A is X-permutable (respectively, X-h-permutable) with every subgroup of G. In this paper, we study the structure of a finite group G with all its Schmidt subgroups G-permutable (respectively, G-h-permutable).
Metric dimension of dual polar graphs
Authors: Bailey Robert F. , Spiga Pablo
Published: March 2023

A resolving set for a graph $$\Gamma $$
Γ
is a collection of vertices S, chosen so that for each vertex v, the list of distances from v to the members of S uniquely specifies v. The metric dimension$$\mu (\Gamma )$$

μ
(
Γ
)

is the smallest size of a resolving set for $$\Gamma $$
Γ
. We consider the metric dimension of the dual polar graphs, and show that it is at most the rank over $$\mathbb {R}$$
R
of the incidence matrix of the corresponding polar space. We then compute this rank to give an explicit upper bound on the metric dimension of dual polar graphs, as well as the halved dual polar graphs.
The RNA-binding protein FUS/TLS interacts with SPO11 and PRDM9 and localize at meiotic recombination hotspots
Authors: Giannattasio Teresa , Testa Erika , Palombo Ramona , Chellini Lidia , Franceschini Flavia , Crevenna Álvaro , Petkov Petko M. , Paronetto Maria Paola , Barchi Marco
Published: March 2023

In mammals, meiotic recombination is initiated by the introduction of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) into narrow segments of the genome, defined as hotspots, which is carried out by the SPO11/TOPOVIBL complex. A major player in the specification of hotspots is PRDM9, a histone methyltransferase that, following sequence-specific DNA binding, generates trimethylation on lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and lysine 36 (H3K36me3) of histone H3, thus defining the hotspots. PRDM9 activity is key to successful meiosis, since in its absence DSBs are redirected to functional sites and synapsis between homologous chromosomes fails. One protein factor recently implicated in guiding PRDM9 activity at hotspots is EWS, a member of the FET family of proteins that also includes TAF15 and FUS/TLS. Here, we demonstrate that FUS/TLS partially colocalizes with PRDM9 on the meiotic chromosome axes, marked by the synaptonemal complex component SYCP3, and physically interacts with PRDM9. Furthermore, we show that FUS/TLS also interacts with REC114, one of the axis-bound SPO11-auxiliary factors essential for DSB formation. This finding suggests that FUS/TLS is a component of the protein complex that promotes the initiation of meiotic recombination. Accordingly, we document that FUS/TLS coimmunoprecipitates with SPO11 in vitro and in vivo. The interaction occurs with both SPO11β and SPO11α splice isoforms, which are believed to play distinct functions in the formation of DSBs in autosomes and male sex chromosomes, respectively. Finally, using chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, we show that FUS/TLS is localized at H3K4me3-marked hotspots in autosomes and in the pseudo-autosomal region, the site of genetic exchange between the XY chromosomes.
Coupling of iron and dissolved organic matter in lakes–selective retention of different size fractions
Authors: Riise Gunnhild , Haaland Ståle Leif , Xiao Yihua
Published: March 2023

Increasing concentration of iron (Fe) is observed in many boreal lakes, such as for the present study in Oslo Østmark, SE-Norway (1983–2018). As Fe-regulating processes are complex and dynamic, the link between mobilizing and retention processes is still not well understood. A seasonal study (2017–2018) from two headwaters, with medium and high dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentrations, showed that the loading of Fe to the lakes was highly dependent on flow conditions. Significantly higher values of Fe were related to autumn and winter periods with high runoff of highly colored and aromatic DOM compared to a severe drought period with minimum Fe values in the lakes. Compared to DOM, a significantly larger part of Fe was in a colloidal form, and a size-selective process (dependent on flow and water retention time) seemed to preferentially settle Fe compared to DOM. In contrast to Fe, the variability in DOM concentrations was moderate through the whole year. However, there were significant changes in the spectroscopic properties of DOM, with decreased fluorescence intensity and increased spectral slope during the warm dry season, indicating increased importance of DOM turnover in the lake. As Fe was transported from the catchment during high flow condition, at the same time as the oxic form of sulfur (SO42−), there was no sign of retention of Fe as FeS. We conclude that the mobilization and retention of compounds that are mainly in a colloidal form, such as Fe, are especially vulnerable to changes in flow conditions, suggesting increased variation in Fe levels in a future climate with increased frequency of flooding and drought episodes.
The maximal regularity property of abstract integrodifferential equations
Authors: Król Sebastian
Published: March 2023

We provide a convenient framework for the study of the well-posedness of a variety of abstract (integro)differential equations in general Banach function spaces. It allows us to extend and complement the known theory on the maximal regularity of such equations. More precisely, by methods of harmonic analysis, we identify large classes of Banach spaces which are invariant with respect to distributional Fourier multipliers. Such classes include general vector-valued Banach function spaces $$\varPhi $$
Φ
and/or the scales of Besov and Triebel–Lizorkin spaces defined by $$\varPhi $$
Φ
. We apply this result to the study of the well-posedness and maximal regularity property of abstract second-order integrodifferential equations, which model various types of elliptic and parabolic problems arising in different areas of applied mathematics.
Double bubble plumbings and two-curve flops
Authors: Smith Ivan , Wemyss Michael
Published: March 2023

We discuss the symplectic topology of the Stein manifolds obtained by plumbing two 3-dimensional spheres along a circle. These spaces are related, at a derived level and working in a characteristic determined by the specific geometry, to local threefolds which contain two floppable$$(-1,-1)$$(-1,-1)-curves meeting at a point. Using contraction algebras we classify spherical objects on the B-side, and derive topological consequences including a complete description of the homology classes realised by graded exact Lagrangians.
Preciseness of artificial intelligence for lateral cephalometric measurements
Authors: El-Dawlatly Mostafa , Attia Khaled Hazem , Abdelghaffar Ahmed Yehia , Mostafa Yehya Ahmed , Abd El-Ghafour Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Background

The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy and efficiency of a new artificial intelligence (AI) method in performing lateral cephalometric radiographic measurements.

Materials and methods

A total of 200 lateral cephalometric radiographs were assessed for quality and included. Three methods were used to perform the cephalometric measurements: (1) the AI method using WebCeph software (AssembleCircle Corp., Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea), (2) the modified AI method using WebCeph software after manual modification of the landmarks’ position, and (3) using OnyxCeph software (Image Instruments GmbH, Chemnitz, Germany) by manual landmark identification and digital measurements generation. The results of the measurements produced by the three methods were compared, in addition to comparing the time required for the measurements’ generation required for each method.

Results

Statistically significant differences were detected between the measurements resulting from the three used methods. Fewer differences were detected between the modified AI method and the OnyxCeph method. The AI method produced the measurements the fastest followed by the modified AI method and then the OnyxCeph method.

Conclusions

Considering the used AI software, AI followed by manual tuning of the landmarks’ position might be an accurate method in lateral cephalometric analysis. AI alone is still not fully reliable at locating the different landmarks on the lateral cephalometric radiographs.
Spectrum of Complications and Complication Rates After Diagnostic Catheter Angiography in Neuroradiology
Authors: Tafelmeier Svenja , Kesseler Elisabeth , Iancu Anca-Maria , Nikoubashman Omid , Wiesmann Martin
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate the total complication rates and type of complications after diagnostic cerebral and spinal catheter angiography.

Methods

Data from 2340 patients undergoing diagnostic angiography over a period of 10 years in a neuroradiologic center were retrospectively evaluated. Local, systemic, neurological, and technical complications were analyzed.

Results

A total of 75 clinically noted complications occurred. The risk for clinical complications was increased when the angiography was performed under emergency conditions (p = 0.009). The most common complication was groin hematoma (1.32%). Neurological complications occurred in 0.68% of patients, of which 0.13% were stroke with permanent disability. Technical complications without noticeable clinical symptoms of the patients occurred in 2.35% of the angiographic procedures. Deaths caused by angiography did not occur.

Conclusion

There is a definite risk for complications after diagnostic angiography. Although a very broad spectrum of complications was considered, complications in the individual subgroups showed a low incidence.
Mortality after radiotherapy or surgery in the treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer: a population-based data analysis in the clinical cancer registry of Brandenburg-Berlin
Authors: Müller Jörg Andreas , Vordermark Dirk , Medenwald Daniel
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an established treatment method with favorable toxicity for inoperable early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This paper aims to evaluate the importance of SBRT in the treatment of early-stage lung cancer patients compared to surgery as standard of care.

Methods

The German clinical cancer register of Berlin-Brandenburg was assessed. Cases of lung cancer were considered if they had a TNM stage (clinical or pathological) of T1-T2a and N0/x and M0/x, corresponding to UICC stages I and II. In our analyses, cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2015 were included. We adjusted our models with propensity score matching. We compared patients treated with SBRT or surgery regarding age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), sex, histological grade, and TNM classification. Further, we assessed the association of cancer-related parameters with mortality; hazard ratios (HR) from Cox proportional hazards models were computed.

Results

A total of 558 patients with UICC stages I and II NSCLC were analyzed. In univariate survival models, we found similar survival rates in patients who underwent radiotherapy compared with surgery (HR 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92–1.56; p = 0.2). Our univariate subgroup analyses of patients > 75 years showed a statistically nonsignificant survival benefit for patients treated with SBRT (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.54–1.35; p = 0.5). Likewise, in our T1 subanalysis, survival rates were similar between the two treatment groups regarding overall survival (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.57–2.19; p = 0.7). The availability of histological data might be slightly beneficial in terms of survival (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.68–1.15; p = 0.4). This effect was also not significant. Regarding the availability of histological status in our subgroup analyses of elderly patients, we could show similar survival rates as well (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44–1.23; p = 0.14). T1-staged patients also had a statistically nonsignificant survival benefit if histological grading was available (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.39–1.44; p = 0.4). Concerning adjusted covariates, better KPS scores were associated with better survival in our matched univariate Cox regression models. Further, higher histological grades and TNM stages were related to a higher mortality risk.

Conclusion

Using population-based data, we observed an almost equal survival of patients treated with SBRT compared to surgery in stage I and II lung cancer. The availability of histological status might not be decisive in treatment planning. SBRT is comparable to surgery in terms of survival.
Recognizing cisplatin as a potential radiation recall trigger: case report and focused systematic review
Authors: Tamaskovics Bálint , Haussmann Jan , Karimi Kimia , Daum-Marzian Michael , Gerber Peter Arne , Knapp Felix , Scheckenbach Kathrin , Bölke Edwin , Matuschek Christiane , Budach Wilfried
Published: March 2023

We present a case of mild radiation recall dermatitis triggered by cisplatin chemotherapy given simultaneously to re-irradiation. The dermatitis area correlated to skin exposure of the previous radiation therapy, characterizing the reaction clearly as a recall. Cisplatin has not yet been recognized as a potential trigger for recall reactions. Although it was part of several reported multidrug trigger combinations, all review works referred to cisplatin as not suspicious, suggesting the combination partner as the effector. We performed a focused systematic literature review aiming to re-evaluate the real role of cisplatin as a (co-)triggering factor. In total, 30 reported cases were found, 90% triggered by multidrug combinations. The latter tended to cause more severe symptoms. Besides findings supporting the 20 Gy-threshold theory, no correlation between radiation dose and severity or prevalence was found. Recognition of cisplatin as a trigger of the recall phenomenon and its supportive management may prevent unnecessary cessation of systemic chemotherapy. Systematic reporting of recall events as a secondary endpoint of prospective clinical trials applying radiation therapy could support understanding the recall phenomenon.
Time to surgery after proximal femur fracture in geriatric patients depends on hospital size and provided level of care: analysis of the Registry for Geriatric Trauma (ATR-DGU)
Authors: Gleich Johannes , Neuerburg Carl , Schoeneberg Carsten , Knobe Matthias , Böcker Wolfgang , Rascher Katherine , Fleischhacker Evi ,   Working Committee on Geriatric Trauma Registry of the German Trauma Society (DGU), Berlin, Germany
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Proximal femur fractures predominantly affect older patients and can mark a drastic turning point in their lives. To avoid complications and reduce mortality, expert associations recommend surgical treatment within 24–48 h after admission. Due to the high incidence, treatment is provided at a wide range of hospitals with different size and level of care, which may affect time to surgery.

Methods

Data from 19,712 patients included from 2016 to 2019 in the Registry for Geriatric Trauma (ATR-DGU) were analyzed in terms of time to surgery, in-house mortality, mobilization on the first postoperative day, ambulation status on the 7th day after surgery, and initiation of osteoporosis therapy. Participating hospitals were grouped according to their classification as level I, II or III trauma centers. Also presence of additional injuries, intake and type of anticoagulants were considered. Linear and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of hospitals level of care on each item.

Results

28.6% of patients were treated in level I, 37.7% in level II, and 33.7% in level III trauma centers. There was no significant difference in age, sex and ASA-score. Mean time to surgery was 19.2 h (IQR 9.0–29.8) in level I trauma centers and 16.8 h (IQR 6.5–24) in level II/III trauma centers (p < 0.001). Surgery in the first 24 h after admission was provided for 64.7% of level I and 75.0% of level II/III patients (p < 0.001). Treatment in hospitals with higher level of care and subsequent increased time to surgery showed no significant influence on in-house mortality (OR 0.90, 95%-CI 0.78–1.04), but negative effects on walking ability 7 days after surgery could be observed (OR 1.28, 95%-CI 1.18–1.38).

Conclusion

In hospitals of larger size and higher level of care the time to surgery for patients with a proximal femur fracture was significantly higher than in smaller hospitals. No negative effects regarding in-house mortality, but for ambulation status during in-hospital stay could be observed. As the number of these patients will constantly increase, specific treatment capacities should be established regardless of the hospitals size.
Integrated glycomics and genetics analyses reveal a potential role for N-glycosylation of plasma proteins and IgGs, as well as the complement system, in the development of type 1 diabetes
Authors: Rudman Najda , Kaur Simranjeet , Simunović Vesna , Kifer Domagoj , Šoić Dinko , Keser Toma , Štambuk Tamara , Klarić Lucija , Pociot Flemming , Morahan Grant , Gornik Olga
Published: March 2023

Aims/hypothesis

We previously demonstrated that N-glycosylation of plasma proteins and IgGs is different in children with recent-onset type 1 diabetes compared with their healthy siblings. To search for genetic variants contributing to these changes, we undertook a genetic association study of the plasma protein and IgG N-glycome in type 1 diabetes.

Methods

A total of 1105 recent-onset type 1 diabetes patients from the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes were genotyped at 183,546 genetic markers, testing these for genetic association with variable levels of 24 IgG and 39 plasma protein N-glycan traits. In the follow-up study, significant associations were validated in 455 samples.

Results

This study confirmed previously known plasma protein and/or IgG N-glycosylation loci (candidate genes MGAT3, MGAT5 and ST6GAL1, encoding beta-1,4-mannosyl-glycoprotein 4-beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, alpha-1,6-mannosylglycoprotein 6-beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and ST6 beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase 1 gene, respectively) and identified novel associations that were not previously reported for the general European population. First, novel genetic associations of IgG-bound glycans were found with SNPs on chromosome 22 residing in two genomic intervals close to candidate gene MGAT3; these include core fucosylated digalactosylated disialylated IgG N-glycan with bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) (pdiscovery=7.65 × 10−12, preplication=8.33 × 10−6 for the top associated SNP rs5757680) and core fucosylated digalactosylated glycan with bisecting GlcNAc (pdiscovery=2.88 × 10−10, preplication=3.03 × 10−3 for the top associated SNP rs137702). The most significant genetic associations of IgG-bound glycans were those with MGAT3. Second, two SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium (missense rs1047286 and synonymous rs2230203) located on chromosome 19 within the protein coding region of the complement C3 gene (C3) showed association with the oligomannose plasma protein N-glycan (pdiscovery=2.43 × 10−11, preplication=8.66 × 10−4 for the top associated SNP rs1047286).

Conclusions/interpretation

This study identified novel genetic associations driving the distinct N-glycosylation of plasma proteins and IgGs identified previously at type 1 diabetes onset. Our results highlight the importance of further exploring the potential role of N-glycosylation and its influence on complement activation and type 1 diabetes susceptibility.

Graphical abstract
Sex differences in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Kautzky-Willer Alexandra , Leutner Michael , Harreiter Jürgen
Published: March 2023

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing in both sexes, but men are usually diagnosed at a younger age and lower body fat mass than women. Worldwide, an estimated 17.7 million more men than women have diabetes mellitus. Women appear to bear a greater risk factor burden at the time of their type 2 diabetes diagnosis, especially obesity. Moreover, psychosocial stress might play a more prominent role in diabetes risk in women. Across their lifespan, women experience greater hormone fluctuations and body changes due to reproductive factors than men. Pregnancies can unmask pre-existing metabolic abnormalities, resulting in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes, which appears to be the most prominent risk factor for progression to type 2 diabetes in women. Additionally, menopause increases women’s cardiometabolic risk profile. Due to the progressive rise in obesity, there is a global increase in women with pregestational type 2 diabetes, often with inadequate preconceptual care. There are differences between men and women regarding type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors with respect to comorbidities, the manifestation of complications and the initiation of and adherence to therapy. Women with type 2 diabetes show greater relative risk of CVD and mortality than men. Moreover, young women with type 2 diabetes are currently less likely than men to receive the treatment and CVD risk reduction recommended by guidelines. Current medical recommendations do not provide information on sex-specific or gender-sensitive prevention strategies and management. Thus, more research on sex differences, including the underlying mechanisms, is necessary to increase the evidence in the future. Nonetheless, intensified efforts to screen for glucose metabolism disorders and other cardiovascular risk factors, as well as the early establishment of prophylactic measures and aggressive risk management strategies, are still required for both men and women at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In this narrative review we aim to summarise sex-specific clinical features and differences between women and men with type 2 diabetes into risk factors, screening, diagnosis, complications and treatment.

Graphical abstract