bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The metamorphosis of the Islamic political economy publications (1980-2021) – a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Khalifah Mohamad Handi , Savaşan Fatih , Khan Naimat U. , Khan Shabeer
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to trace the contours of Islamic political economy (IPE) for last four decades with the help of bibliometric analysis. This method does not focus on in-depth literature. However, it reviews more material content of the published papers in the field, generally including the number of publications, authors, title, H-Index and authors’ affiliation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use biblioshiny by R in conducting bibliometric analysis. Based on the results of analysis, the authors only found 39 relevant documents to the topic with the help of keyword of “Islamic political economy”. The authors analyse the data and visualize it into bibliometric images for the convenience of the readers.

Findings

There are 39 documents on IPE in the annual scientific production. The year 1980 had the lowest productivity at 3% while the year 2007 showed an increase in scientific productivity by 13%. The most significant increase in production occurred between 2014 and 2015 by 8%, while the most significant decline occurred between 2007 and 2008 by 10%. The most significant contributors are Akan, T., Choudhury, M.A. and Asutay, M. According to the Corresponding Author’s Country, the UK has eight articles on IPE. Humanomics is the most influential Journal, with six documents.

Research limitations/implications

This research only examines documents sourced from Web of Science and Scopus under the title “Islamic political economy” and does not include articles from other sources. This research has implications for future researchers and suggests a shift in recent research on IPE towards exploring current realities and expanding beyond traditional economic and political aspects. The goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of Islam’s role in shaping economic and political systems, promoting inclusive sustainable development and social justice, and exploring its relationship with broader political and economic systems.

Originality/value

IPE has become a trendy topic in the early days, the second half of the 20th century, during the revival of the Islamic mode of finance and development. However, with time, the discussion on this topic appeared less in scientific and academic publications; this issue needs an overview of how far this discipline has evolved. This work aims to identify future research trends in this area. Scholars should investigate articles by author, institution, country, databases, data sources with high-impact factors and objective metrics to get new perspectives.
Is investing inherently emotionally arousing process? Fund manager perspective
Authors: Verma Shubhangi , Rao Purnima , Kumar Satish
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aims to establish the factors affecting the financial investment decision-making of an investor, with specific reference to investors’ emotions and how various events such as festivals, the pandemic and sports matches affect their investors’ investment decision-making. The authors further intend to understand the role of these investor emotions in creating stock market anomalies.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-nine semistructured exploratory interviews with fund managers from the top 10 asset management companies in India, who deal with individual investors regularly, were taken. The interviews were conducted to identify and describe the underlying ideas and sentiments that influence an individual’s investment behavior.

Findings

Although risk and return are the primary motivators of investment decisions, fund managers’ daily interactions with individual investors are affected by unpredictability and technical ambiguity, and investing is an inherently emotionally arousing process, according to the findings of the in-depth interviews.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies in Indian market to report the views of financial professionals about the emotional aspect of investors in making an investment decision. With most of the research conducted using quantitative methods, the current study brings in the perspective of financial professionals using primary data.
On performance drivers of European Fintechs around venture capital: exploring the role of founders’ experience
Authors: Turki Aymen , Rieg Robert
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Many observers believe that industry experience of entrepreneurs drives successful new entrepreneurial firms. However, whenever it comes to disruptive digital ventures such as Financial Technologies (Fintechs), the picture may be different due to the cross-industry nature of digital firms. The purpose of this study is to disentangle the impacts of finance, banking and information technology (IT) experiences of founders on performance of European Fintechs around venture capital (VC) investment.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a data set of 105 Fintechs from European countries, including UK, which are involved in 201 VC rounds between 2006 and 2019, the authors adopt a Bayesian quantile approach to link founders’ experience with two performance measures that identify market success (return on sales) and investment outcome (return on equity).

Findings

The findings indicate that finance and IT-specific experiences seem to matter more often than banking experience and that the extent of their impact depends on level and metric of performance. More specifically, Fintechs in Europe and UK are more able to achieve market success with both finance and IT experiences of their founders, but that does not necessarily transform into higher returns for investors.

Originality/value

This study provides new evidence that not all aspects of industry experience matter for digital ventures, as they must fit to a certain firm, cycle and industry. For Fintech, as the name says, finance and IT experiences matter.
A path planning method for compliant jointing of weakly rigid helicopter fuselage
Authors: Shi Xunlei , Wu Qingyuan , Deng Jianjian , Chen Ken , Zhang Jiwen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a strategy for the final assembly of helicopter fuselage with weak rigidity parts and mismatched jointing butt ends.

Design/methodology/approach

The strategy is based on path planning methods. Compared with traditional path planning methods, the configuration-space and collision detection in the method are different. The obstacles in the configuration-space are weakly rigid and allow continuous contact with the robot. The collision detection is based on interference magnitudes, and the result is divided into no collision, weak collision and strong collision. Only strong collision is unacceptable. Then a compliant jointing path planning algorithm based on RRT is designed, combined with some improvements in search efficiency.

Findings

A series of planning results show that the efficiency of this method is higher than original RRT under the same conditions. The effectiveness of the method is verified by a series of simulations and experiments on two sets of systems.

Originality/value

There are few reports on the automation technology of helicopter fuselage assembly. This paper analyzes the problem and provides a solution from the perspective of path planning. This method contains a new configuration-space and collision detection method adapted to this problem and could be intuitive for the jointing of other weakly rigid parts.
Novel RNA viruses from the Atlantic Ocean: Ecogenomics, biogeography, and total virioplankton mass contribution from surface to the deep ocean
Authors: Vila‐Nistal Marina , Maestre‐Carballa Lucia , Martinez‐Hernández Francisco , Martinez‐Garcia Manuel
Published: September 2023

Marine viruses play a major role in the energy and nutrient cycle and affect the evolution of their hosts. Despite their importance, there is still little knowledge about RNA viruses. Here, we have explored the Atlantic Ocean, from surface to deep (4.296 m), and used viromics and quantitative methods to unveil the genomics, biogeography, and the mass contribution of RNA viruses to the total viroplankton. A total of 2481 putative RNA viral contigs (>500 bp) and 107 larger bona fide RNA viral genomes (>2.5 kb) were identified; 88 of them representing novel viruses belonging mostly to two clades: Yangshan assemblage (sister clade to the class Alsuviricetes) and Nodaviridae. These viruses were highly endemic and locally abundant, with little or no presence in other oceans since only ≈15% of them were found in at least one of the Tara sampling metatranscriptomes. Quantitative data indicated that the abundance of RNA viruses in the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum zone was within ≈106 VLP/mL representing a potential contribution of 5.2%–24.4% to the total viroplankton community (DNA and RNA viruses), with DNA viruses being the predominant members (≈107 VLP/mL). However, for the deep sample, the observed trend was the opposite, although as further discussed, several biases should be considered. Together these results contribute to our understanding of the diversity, abundance, and distribution of RNA viruses in the oceans and provide a basis for further investigation into their ecological roles and biogeography.
A de novo 2.3 kb structural variant in MITF explains a novel splashed white phenotype in a Thoroughbred family
Authors: Bellone R. R. , Tanaka J. , Esdaile E. , Sutton R. B. , Payette F. , Leduc L. , Till B. J. , Abdel‐Ghaffar A. K. , Hammond M. , Magdesian K. G.
Published: September 2023

Splashed white in horses is characterized by extensive white patterning on the legs, face and abdomen and may be accompanied by deafness. To date, seven variants in microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF) and two variants in Paired Box 3 (PAX3) have been identified to explain this phenotype. A splashed white Thoroughbred stallion, whose sire and dam were not patterned, was hypothesized to have a de novo variant leading to his white coat pattern. A whole‐genome sequencing candidate gene approach identified two single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in SOX10, four SNVs in MITF and a 2.3 kb deletion in MITF with the alternative allele present in this stallion but absent in the other 18 horses analyzed. All six SNVs were annotated as modifiers and were not further considered. The deletion in MITF (NC_009159.3:g.21555811_21558139delinsAAAT) encompasses exon 9 encoding a part of the helix–loop–helix domain required for DNA binding. Sanger sequencing and parentage testing confirmed that this deletion was a de novo mutation of maternal origin. Consistent with the published nomenclature, we denote this likely causal variant as SW8. Genotyping three of this stallion's offspring identified SW8 only in the nearly all‐white foal that was confirmed deaf by brainstem auditory evoked response testing. This foal was also a compound heterozygote for dominant white variants (W20/W22), but to date, W variants alone have not been connected to deafness. SW8 marks the fourth de novo MITF variant in horses reported to cause white patterning. The link between deafness and all MITF variants with and without other variants impacting melanocyte development and function needs to be further explored.
A multi‐analytical approach to understand El Alto‐Ancasti's painted pottery (north‐western Argentina): Non‐invasive and micro‐invasive analyses of vessel's paintings from El Taco 19
Authors: Gheco Lucas , Tascon Marcos , Barot Carlos , Zucchi Victoria , Quesada Marcos , Gastaldi Marcos , Halac Emilia , Álvarez Rodrigo , Marte Fernando
Published: September 2023

Archaeometric analysis applied to the study of pre‐Hispanic pottery is a growing field in archaeological research in north‐western Argentina. Most of these investigations have focused on intra‐style variability, comparing samples from the same style but obtained in different sites throughout large regions. In this study, we propose to shift the approach and adopt a local micro‐scale perspective to deepen knowledge regarding pottery manufacturing. As a case study, pottery sherds from different styles discovered in the archaeological site El Taco 19 (El Alto‐Ancasti Mountain, Catamarca) were selected. To this end, we proposed a multi‐analytical approach employing non‐invasive and micro‐invasive analytical techniques.
Patient‐reported, observer‐reported and performance outcomes in qualification procedures at the European Medicines Agency 2013–2018
Authors: Silva Marcio , Moseley Jane , Vetter Thorsten , Regnstrom Jan , Tome Maria , Aarum Stiina , Cerreta Francesca , Schabel Elmer , Vamvakas Spiros
Published: September 2023

Aims

To describe characteristics of applicant, tool, outcomes, regulatory responses and general learnings from European Medicines Agency (EMA) Qualification Procedures on patient‐reported outcomes (PROs), observer‐reported outcomes (ObsROs) and performance outcomes (PerfOs) finalized between January 2013 and December 2018.

Methods

Descriptive analysis, and qualitative review of the regulatory outcomes of the study procedures.

Results

Seventeen qualification programmes for PROs, 6 for ObsRO tools and 11 for PerfO tools were submitted by consortia, large and small/medium companies.

Gastroenterology and neurology were the most frequent therapeutic areas. There was a high level of regulators' partial agreement (above 70%) with applicant's approaches with constructive input; EMA published Letters of Support for PRO (6), ObsRO (2) and PerfO (4) tools, and Qualification Opinions on PROs (2) and PerfOs (1). General issues related to Qualification Procedures on PROs raised by EU regulatorsincluded: population, appropriate studies to demonstrate ability to detect change, tool validation in interventional trials, anchoring, identification of the minimally important difference, item selection, weighting, and multiple domains. In addition, specific issues for ObsROs and PerfO tools validation are identified.

Conclusions

Regulators discussed principles and challenges of validation tailored to specific setting in tool development, providing constructive feedback. Regulatory outputs supportive of further development were published in over one‐third of programs. We encourage applicants intending to use or develop novel PRO, ObsRO and PerfO tools that will generate evidence for regulatory submissions on medicines to consider Qualification procedures for novel methods to seek feedback on the development and validation of these tools.
Arylidene and amino spacer‐linked rhodanine‐quinoline hybrids as upgraded antimicrobial agents
Authors: Khalifa Zebabanu , Upadhyay Rachana , Patel Amit B.
Published: September 2023

Antibiotic resistance associated with various microorganisms such as Gram‐positive, Gram‐negative, fungal strains, and multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis increases the risk of healthcare survival. Preliminary therapeutics becoming ineffective that might lead to noteworthy mortality presents a crucial challenge for the scientific community. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop hybrid compounds as antimicrobial agents by combining two or more bioactive heterocyclic moieties into a single molecular framework with fewer side effects and a unique mode of action. This review highlights the recent advances (2013–2023) in the pharmacology of rhodanine‐linked quinoline hybrids as more effective antimicrobial agents. In the drug development process, linker hybrids acquire the top position due to their excellent π‐stacking and Van der Waals interaction with the DNA active sites of pathogens. A molecular hybridization strategy has been optimized, indicating that combining these two bioactive moieties with an arylidene and an amino spacer linker increases the antimicrobial potential and reduces drug resistance. Moreover, the structure–activity relationship study is discussed to express the role of various functional groups in improving and decrementing antimicrobial activities for rational drug design. Also, a linker approach may accelerate the development of dynamic antimicrobial agents through molecular hybridization.
Bottom‐up effects shift top‐down community structure of the parasitoid guild that attacks Asphondylia borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on Borrichia frutescens (Asteraceae)
Authors: Orta Kevin , Rossi Anthony M.
Published: September 2023

Asphondylia borrichiae induces galls at the apical meristems of its host plant, Borrichia frutescens, and the larvae develop and pupate within the gall.

During development, immature stages of the midge are attacked by four species of parasitic wasps; two of these parasitoids, Galeopsomyia haemon and Torymus umbilicatus, are the most common members of the guild, and both are hyperparasitic.

In the current study, plots of B. frutescens were randomly assigned to control (unmanipulated), salted or fertilised in a long‐term press experiment. Although plots initially exhibited no differences in stem length, gall and flower densities, after 3 months, they began to exhibit significant differences, suggesting stress (salted plots) and vigour (fertilised plots).

Galls produced on plants from fertilised plots were approximately 20% and 31% larger than those from control and salted plots, respectively.

Larger gall diameter in fertilised plots resulted in a shift of the parasitoid community towards the largest parasitoid, T. umgbilicatus, whereas smaller galls produced in salted plots became biased towards the smallest, but gregarious, G. haemon; interestingly, this pattern held for T. umbilicatus across treatments, and the effect for G. haemon was not significant when all treatments were combined.

This study suggests that abiotic factors that alter host plant characteristics, such as gall diameter, affect the composition of the parasitoid guild that attacks A. borrichiae, which has implications for the acquisition of enemy‐free space during host range expansion of the midge.
Added value of advanced workup after the first seizure: A 7‐year cohort study
Authors: De Stefano Pia , Ménétré Eric , Stancu Patrick , Mégevand Pierre , Vargas Maria Isabelle , Kleinschmidt Andreas , Vulliémoz Serge , Wiest Roland , Beniczky Sandor , Picard Fabienne , Seeck Margitta
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study was undertaken to establish whether advanced workup including long‐term electroencephalography (LT‐EEG) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides an additional yield for the diagnosis of new onset epilepsy (NOE) in patients presenting with a first seizure event (FSE).

Methods

In this population‐based study, all adult (≥16 years) patients presenting with FSE in the emergency department (ED) between March 1, 2010 and March 1, 2017 were assessed. Patients with obvious nonepileptic or acute symptomatic seizures were excluded. Routine EEG, LT‐EEG, brain computed tomography (CT), and brain MRI were performed as part of the initial workup. These examinations' sensitivity and specificity were calculated on the basis of the final diagnosis after 2 years, along with the added value of advanced workup (MRI and LT‐EEG) over routine workup (routine EEG and CT).

Results

Of the 1010 patients presenting with FSE in the ED, a definite diagnosis of NOE was obtained for 501 patients (49.6%). Sensitivity of LT‐EEG was higher than that of routine EEG (54.39% vs. 25.5%, p < .001). Similarly, sensitivity of MRI was higher than that of CT (67.98% vs. 54.72%, p = .009). Brain MRI showed epileptogenic lesions in an additional 32% compared to brain CT. If only MRI and LT‐EEG were considered, five would have been incorrectly diagnosed as nonepileptic (5/100, 5%) compared to patients with routine EEG and MRI (25/100, 25%, p = .0001). In patients with all four examinations, advanced workup provided an overall additional yield of 50% compared to routine workup.

Significance

Our results demonstrate the remarkable added value of the advanced workup launched already in the ED for the diagnosis of NOE versus nonepileptic causes of seizure mimickers. Our findings suggest the benefit of first‐seizure tracks or even units with overnight EEG, similar to stroke units, activated upon admission in the ED.
The influence of corneal thickness and curvature on IOP measurement by IcareTM rebound tonometer and applanation tonometry in glaucoma patients and normal subjects.
Authors: KRZYZANOWSKA‐BERKOWSKA P , ASEJCZYK‐WIDLICKA M
Published: September 2023

Purpose To evaluate the influence of central corneal thickness (CCT) and radius of the corneal curvature (R) on IOP measurements obtained with the ICare rebound tonometer and the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT).

Methods Eighty four eyes of 48 subjects (65 eyes of glaucoma patients and 19 eyes of healthy volunteers) were examined with ICare and Goldmann tonometers. Central corneal thickness was determined by ultrasound pachymetry. Corneal radius of curvature was determined using corneal topography.

Results There was no significant difference between IOP readings with ICare and GAT. Intraocular pressure measurements were found to be higher with the ICare tonometer, both in glaucoma patients (15,3±4,0 mmHg) and normal subjects (14,4±3,0 mmHg). ICare‐GAT mean difference was 1.1±3.6mmHg (95% CI, ‐6.1‐8.3mmHg) for glaucoma patients and 1.8±3.2mmHg (95% CI, ‐4.6‐8.2mmHg) for healthy volunteers. Using CCT patients were divided into 2 groups: 1) thinnest corneas ‐ CCT<556 μm (mean CCT 531±23 μm), 39 eyes and 2) thickest corneas ‐ CCT >556 μm (mean CCT 578±17 μm), 45 eyes. In the group of thinnest corneas there was no correlation between IOP, CCT and R. In thickest corneas there was significant correlation between IOP readings obtained by ICare and CCT (r=‐0.4, p<0.01), and mean radius (R) (r=0.5, p<0.001).

Conclusion Measurements of IOP using the ICare rebound tonometer are in good agreement with Goldmann applanation tonometer in glaucoma patients and normal subjects, although influenced by CCT.
Supported decision making: Facilitating the self‐determination of persons living with Alzheimer's and related diseases
Authors: Largent Emily A. , Peterson Andrew , Karlawish Jason
Published: September 2023

Decision‐making capacity describes the ability to make a particular decision at a given time. People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and mild stage dementia typically experience an associated erosion of their decisional abilities. Many could be said to have marginal capacity. These individuals are in a liminal space between adequate and inadequate capacity. Too often, marginal capacity is overlooked as a category: individuals are classified either as having capacity and being able to make decisions independently or as lacking capacity and needing a surrogate to make decisions for them. These approaches can, respectively, result in under‐ or overprotection of individuals with marginal capacity. A promising alternative approach is supported decision making. In supported decision making, a person with marginal capacity identifies a trusted person or network of persons to aid them in making their own decisions. Supported decision making is recognized by law in a growing number of states; it is important for geriatricians to be familiar with the concept, as they are increasingly likely to encounter it in their practice. Even in states where supported decision making is not formally recognized, it can be practiced informally, helping patients, care partners, and clinicians strike an appropriate balance between respecting autonomy and recognizing vulnerability. In this article, we describe supported decision making, discuss its ethical and legal foundations, and identify steps by which geriatricians can incorporate it into their practice.
A Nurse‐Led Education Program to Improve COVID‐19 Prevention Knowledge Among Adolescent Students
Authors: Cuesta‐Zigorraga Amaia , Arrue Marta , Labaka Ainitze
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND

Adolescents are more susceptible than originally thought to COVID‐19, and they could play a significant role in community transmission. We aim to evaluate a health education program on students' declarative knowledge and risk awareness concerning COVID‐19‐related public health recommendations.

METHODS

A quasi‐experimental pre‐post pilot study was conducted. A number of 487 students aged between 12 and 17 years old participated in an educational program. Following Socratic Method, preventive actions were simulated in order to encourage students to seek answers about the correct application of measures. The program covered 3 prevention areas: (1) practice hygienic handwashing; (2) instruction on the appropriate use of masks; and (3) promotion of physical distancing, and was implemented in class by 3 registered nurses.

RESULTS

Following the educational program, declarative knowledge regarding handwashing and mask use improved along with the students' total score. In the pre‐test, students 16 years and older as well as female students obtained higher scores in declarative knowledge. Age‐dependent differences between groups vanished in the post‐test, but girls still achieved better scores.

CONCLUSION

This nurse‐led health education program proved to be effective to enhance declarative knowledge about COVID‐19‐related public health recommendations.
Occurrence of copper‐resistant Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains in kiwifruit orchards of Central Italy
Authors: Cesari Erica , Marocchi Fabio , L'Aurora Alessia , Pucci Nicoletta , Scala Valeria , Loreti Stefania , Scortichini Marco
Published: September 2023

Bacterial isolates belonging to Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, the causal agent of kiwifruit bacterial canker, have been isolated, during 2021 and 2022, from Actinidia chinensis orchards of Central Italy planted with cultivars Hayward and Zespri G3®. A total of 23 isolates were obtained from twigs and leaves that showed the typical symptoms of bacterial canker, including leaf spotting and twig canker. All of them showed resistance to 1.2 mM copper sulphate added to mannitol–glutamate–yeast extract (MGY) medium. No other Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains were isolated from the orchards. The P. s. pv. actinidiae strains that showed resistance to copper have the copA and copD genes that regulate the efflux of copper through the inner membrane and the copper sensor copS gene. They do not possess the cusABC complex that confers resistance to high concentration of copper. Representative copper‐resistant strains were proven pathogenic to kiwifruit plants upon artificial inoculation. This is the first record of copper‐resistant P. s. pv. actinidiae strains in Italy and, as far as we know, in Europe.
Development of the Rural Perception Scale (RPS‐18)
Authors: Kim Sunny Jung , Alford‐Teaster Jennifer , Schiffelbein Jenna E. , Onega Tracy
Published: September 2023

Background

People living in rural areas often experience limited access to health resources, slow knowledge diffusion, and geographical isolation, and tend to be at higher risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes compared with nonrural populations. It is unclear, yet, how the concept of “rural” shapes observed differences from nonrural populations. We aim to develop a psychometrically sound scale to assess key dimensions that constitute individual‐level perceived rurality.

Methods

We first conducted a broad literature review to identify a priori concepts related to rurality and adapted survey items measuring relevant constructs, such as loneliness, attitudes toward people living in rural areas, and perceived social membership. We used these conceptual constructs and measures to develop a survey questionnaire focused on rural perceptions. We recruit residents in 3 rural states: Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Using the explorative factor analysis and second‐order measurement model in the structural equation model framework, we developed a rural perception scale consisting of 18 items.

Results

We recruited 1,384 participants (n = 686 from KY; n = 698 from NH/VT) using Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 897, 64.8%) and social media paid ads (n = 487, 35.2%). The average age of participants was 41 years old (SD = 15); 54.7% of respondents had less than college graduate education, and 94.2% reported their race as non‐Hispanic White. Majority of the participants were from Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA)‐designated urban areas (n = 798, 57.7%), followed by RUCA‐designated large rural areas (257, 18.6%), RUCA‐designated rural areas (n = 174, 12.6%) and RUCA‐designated isolated areas (n = 133, 9.6%). Our final model revealed 4 latent constructs: “belonging” (Cronbach's α = 0.896), “attitudes toward rural life” (Cronbach's α = 0.807), “loneliness” (Cronbach's α = 0.898), and “community social ties to people in their community” (Cronbach's α = 0.846).

Conclusions

We identified 4 subfactors of the umbrella concept of rurality that explain how people in rural regions may perceive being in rural environments and having rural lifestyles.
Practice of dialysis access interventional nephrology procedures in the Asia‐Pacific region: Getting lay of the land
Authors: Jasuja Sanjiv , Gallieni Maurizio , Jha Vivekanand , Vachharajani Tushar , Bhalla A. K. , Tan Jackson , Tan Cheih Suai , Basnet Nabin Bahadur , Herath Nalaka , Hai An Ha Phan , Kim Yong Soo , Kim Yaeni , SampathKumar Krishnaswamy , Sahay Manisha , Ramachandran Raja , Alexander Suceena , Bhargava Vinant , Balasubramaniam J. , Voss David , Ogbac Fredeick E. , Gunawan Atma , Goh Bak Leong , Lin Chih‐Ching , Khan Jamshaid , Shiham Ibrahim , Ayub Haroon , Hein Min Aung , Iqbal Sarwar , Srisawat Nattachai , Gao Bihu , Sajiv Cherian , Wilkinson Catherine , Pichthida Thim , Rana D. S. , Sagar Gaurav , Bahl Anupam , Tawakley Samir , Gaur Mragank
Published: September 2023

Aim

This cross‐sectional survey aimed to determine the prevalence of Interventional Nephrology (IN) practice amongst nephrologists in the Asia‐Pacific Region (APR), specifically related to dialysis access (DA).

Methods

The Association of VA and intervenTionAl Renal physicians (AVATAR) Foundation from India conducted a multinational online survey amongst nephrologists from the Asia‐Pacific to determine the practice of IN in the planning, creation, and management of dialysis access. The treatment modalities, manpower and equipment availability, monthly cost of treatment, specifics of dialysis access interventions, and challenges in the training and practice of IN by nephrologists were included in the survey.

Results

Twenty‐one countries from the APR participated in the survey. Nephrologists from 18 (85.7%) countries reported performing at least one of the basic dialysis access‐related IN procedures, primarily the placement of non‐tunnelled central catheters (n‐TCC; 71.5%). Only 10 countries (47.6%) reported having an average of <4% of nephrologists performing any of the advanced IN access procedures, the most common being the placement of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter (20%). Lack of formal training (57.14%), time (42.8%), incentive (38%), institutional support (38%), medico‐legal protection (28.6%), and prohibitive cost (23.8%) were the main challenges to practice IN. The primary obstacles to implementing the IN training were a lack of funding and skilled personnel.

Conclusion

The practice of dialysis access‐related IN in APR is inadequate, mostly due to a lack of training, backup support, and economic constraints, whereas training in access‐related IN is constrained by a lack of a skilled workforce and finances.

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The power problem
Authors: Boland Stephanie
Published: September 2023

When it comes to recent shocking and unsurprising sexual harassment revelations in the media, in politics and in business it's easier to wonder if this is ultimately just another case of: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stephanie Boland, founder of Second Source, takes a look at the world of feminism beyond #MeToo and asks how we get real change.
Is UK economic policy sexist?
Authors: Colebrook Catherine
Published: September 2023

Does our economic policy disadvantage women? IPPR's chief economist Catherine Colebrook takes a look at the ways that spending cuts, current industrial strategy and sexism and harassment impact on women in the economy.
Dating the evolution of the complex thalloid liverworts (Marchantiopsida): total‐evidence dating analysis supports a Late Silurian‐Early Devonian origin and post‐Mesozoic morphological stasis
Authors: Flores Jorge R. , Bippus Alexander C. , de Ullivarri Carmen Fernández , Suárez Guillermo M. , Hyvönen Jaakko , Tomescu Alexandru M. F.
Published: September 2023

Divergence times based on molecular clock analyses often differ from those derived from total‐evidence dating (TED) approaches. For bryophytes, fossils have been excluded from previous assessments of divergence times, and thus, their utility in dating analyses remains unexplored. Here, we conduct the first TED analyses of the complex thalloid liverworts (Marchantiopsida) that include fossils and evaluate macroevolutionary trends in morphological ‘diversity’ (disparity) and rates.

Phylogenetic analyses were performed on a combined dataset of 130 discrete characters and 11 molecular markers (sampled from nuclear, plastid and mitochondrial genomes). Taxon sampling spanned 56 extant species – representing all the orders within Marchantiophyta and extant genera within Marchantiales – and eight fossil taxa.

Total‐evidence dating analyses support the radiation of Marchantiopsida during Late Silurian‐Early Devonian (or Middle Ordovician when the outgroup is excluded) and that of Ricciaceae in the Middle Jurassic. Morphological change rate was high early in the history of the group, but it barely increased after Late Cretaceous. Disparity‐through‐time analyses support a fast increase in diversity until the Middle Triassic (c. 250 Ma), after which phenotypic evolution slows down considerably.

Incorporating fossils in analyses challenges previous assumptions on the affinities of extinct taxa and indicates that complex thalloid liverworts radiated c. 125 Ma earlier than previously inferred.
New motherhood and eugenics in German women's political and popular fiction around 1900
Authors: Bland Caroline
Published: September 2023

Fictional texts have long functioned as a testing ground for new impulses in society. At the turn of the twentieth century many German feminists were demanding greater influence for women in public life not despite but because of their role as mothers. At the same time writers, scientists and activists from across the political spectrum were fascinated by eugenics, seeing this new ‘science’ as the answer to many social ills. Hopes and remedies for the ‘new generation’, formed within the paradigm of evolutionary biology and a growing faith in science, were thus the focus of much public discourse and the impetus for a range of well‐documented social movements. These ideas were also shaping a new direction for prominent women writers of the day, such as Ilse Frapan and Clara Viebig. Here I examine two novels which exemplify the trend and consider the extent of these writers' involvement with the circles of influence which were helping to spread eugenic ideas in the German‐speaking world around 1900.
Situs inversus totalis: A challenge for cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Peñaloza Sebastián , Godoy Marcelo , Miranda Rodrigo
Published: September 2023

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a congenital condition in which the major visceral organs are reversed or in a mirror image from their normal positions that affects one per 10,000 live births. It is associated with dextrocardia (DXC) in which the heart is located on the right side of the chest. We present a challenging cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implantation in a 60‐year‐old man with SIT‐DXC, heart failure, extreme bradycardia, wide QRS, and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The procedure was complex due to the mirror‐image anatomy and the tortuous origin of the coronary sinus (CS) branches that required a subselection catheter for adequate lead implantation.
Properties and safety of topical dihydroxyacetone in sunless tanning products: A review
Authors: Owji Shayan , Teklehaimanot Fayven , Maghfour Jalal , Lim Henry W.
Published: September 2023

Sunless tanning products have risen in popularity as the desire for a tanned appearance continues alongside growing concerns about the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a simple carbohydrate found nearly universally in sunless tanning products that serves to impart color to the skin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates sunless tanning products as cosmetics, allows DHA for external use while maintaining that its ingestion, inhalation, or contact with mucosal surfaces should be avoided. Given its widespread use and a paucity of reviews on its safety, we aim to review the literature on the topical properties and safety profile of DHA. Available data indicate that DHA possesses only minimal to no observable photoprotective properties. In vitro studies suggest that, while DHA concentrations much higher than those in sunless tanning products are needed to induce significant cytotoxicity, even low millimolar, nonlethal concentrations can alter the function of keratinocytes, tracheobronchial cells, and other cell types on a cellular and molecular level. Instances of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis triggered by DHA exposures have also been reported. While no other side effects in humans have been observed, additional studies on the safety and toxicity of DHA in humans are warranted, with a focus on concentrations and frequencies of DHA exposure typically encountered by consumers.
How does the geography of surveillance affect collective action?
Authors: Penić Sandra , Donnay Karsten , Bhavnani Ravi , Elcheroth Guy , Albzour Mai
Published: September 2023

How does residing in the proximity of surveillance infrastructure—i.e., checkpoints, the separation barrier, and military installations—affect support for cooperative and confrontational forms of collective action? Cooperative actions involve engagement with outgroups to advance the ingroup cause (e.g., negotiations, joint actions, and peace movements), whereas confrontational actions involve unilateral tactics to weaken the outgroup (e.g., boycott, armed resistance). In the context of West Bank and Jerusalem, we combine geo‐coded data on the surveillance infrastructure with a representative survey of the adult population from 49 communities (N = 1,000). Our multilevel analyses show that surveillance does not affect support for confrontational actions but instead decreases support for cooperative actions. Moreover, we identify a new, community‐level mechanism whereby surveillance undermines cooperative actions through weakening inclusive norms that challenge dominant us‐versus‐them perspectives. These effects are empirically robust to various individual‐ and community‐level controls, as well as to the potential of reverse causality and residential self‐selection. Our findings illustrate how cooperative voices and the fabric of social communities become the first casualties of exposure to surveillance. They also speak to the importance of considering structural factors, with broader implications for the socio‐psychological study of collective action.
Development programming: Stress during gestation alters offspring development in sheep
Authors: Wei Mingji , Gao Qian , Liu Junjun , Yang Yan , Yang Jinyan , Fan Jingchang , Lv Shenjin , Yang Shengmei
Published: September 2023

Inappropriate management practices of domestic animals during pregnancy can be potential stressors, resulting in complex behavioural, physiological and neurological consequences in the developing offspring. Some of these consequences can last into adulthood or propagate to subsequent generations. We systematically summarized the results of different experimental patterns using artificially increased maternal glucocorticoid levels or prenatal maternal physiological stress paradigms, mediators between prenatal maternal stress (PMS) and programming effects in the offspring and the effects of PMS on offspring phenotypes in sheep. PMS can impair birthweight, regulate the development of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, modify behavioural patterns and cognitive abilities and alter gene expression and brain morphology in offspring. Further research should focus on the effects of programming on gene expression, immune function, gut microbiome, sex‐specific effects and maternal behaviour of offspring, especially comparative studies of gestational periods when PMS is applied, continual studies of programming effects on offspring and treatment strategies that effectively reverse the detrimental programming effects of prenatal stress.
NLR in CBC: A holy grail for biomarker research in COPD?
Authors: Leung Clarus , Sin Don D.
Published: September 2023

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Effect of sex on muscle–tendon imbalances and tendon micromorphology in adolescent athletes—A longitudinal consideration
Authors: Domroes Theresa , Weidlich Kolja , Bohm Sebastian , Arampatzis Adamantios , Mersmann Falk
Published: September 2023

Imbalances between muscle strength and tendon stiffness may cause high‐level tendon strain during maximum effort muscle contractions and lead to tendon structural impairments and an increased risk for tendinopathy in adolescent athletes. However, it remains unclear whether the development of musculotendinous imbalances is influenced by sex. At four measurement time points during a competitive season, we measured quadriceps femoris muscle strength and patellar tendon mechanical properties in 15 female (14.3 ± 0.7 years) and 13 male (16.0 ± 0.6 years) elite handball players of similar maturity using dynamometry and ultrasonography. To estimate the tendon's structural integrity, the peak spatial frequency (PSF) of proximal tendon ultrasound scans was determined. Females demonstrated significantly lower muscle strength (p < 0.001) and patellar tendon stiffness (p < 0.001) than males with no significant changes over time (p > 0.05). Tendon strain during isometric maximum voluntary contractions and PSF neither differed between sexes nor changed significantly over time (p > 0.05). We found lower fluctuations in muscle strength (p < 0.001) in females during the season but no differences in the fluctuations of tendon strain, stiffness, and PSF (p > 0.05). Descriptively, there was a similar frequency (~40%) of athletes with high‐level tendon strain (>9%) in both sexes. These findings suggest that the lower strength capacity of female athletes is paralleled by lower tendon stiffness. Thereby, muscle–tendon imbalances occur to a similar extent in both sexes leading to increased strain levels during the season, which indicates the need for specific tendon training.
‘If you're a male primary teacher, there's a big “why are you doing that? What is wrong with you?”’ Gendered expectations of male primary teachers: The ‘double bind’
Authors: McDowell Joanne
Published: September 2023

The underrepresentation of men in non‐traditional fields of work is often attributed to essentialist gendered beliefs that associate such roles exclusively with women. This phenomenon is not limited to any specific country but is observed worldwide. Moreover, male teacher drop‐out rates remain a consistent issue. This article examines the detrimental impact of gendered expectations of masculinity on male primary teachers through interviews conducted with both male and female teachers in the UK. It argues that men in this occupation face a ‘double bind,’ being judged for conforming to hegemonic masculine norms while also facing judgement for deviating from them. All male teachers interviewed expressed feeling the pressure of gendered expectations, which primarily stem from one central misconception fuelled by traditional conceptions of gender; that the occupation is unsuitable for men. As a result, men who enter the profession encounter challenges not only related to their gender but also their sexuality and their sense of professional identity as teachers. Addressing the damaging role of gender beliefs is crucial in promoting the numerical representation of men in the teaching profession.
The protective association of HLA‐C*12:02 and HLA‐DQB1*06:01 with severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in the Japanese population
Authors: Okamoto Tatsuya , Okajima Hideaki , Ogawa Eri , Kadohisa Masashi , Yamamoto Miki , Uebayashi Elena Yukie , Yurugi Kimiko , Ito Takashi , Hatano Etsuro
Published: September 2023

Global surveillance has been conducted to elucidate the pathogenesis of acute hepatitis of unknown origin (AHUO), However, the factors associated with the aggravation of this serious disease are unclear. Therefore, we conducted a HLA association study to identify HLA alleles or haplotypes predisposing or protective against Japanese AHUO. The HLA 5 locus (HLA‐A, HLA‐B, C, DRB1, and DQB1) 4‐digit genotyping results of 72 AHUO patients who underwent liver transplantation at our institution between 2000 and 2021 were compared to those of 873 healthy Japanese controls. Protective associations of HLA‐B*52:01 (p‐corrected (pc) = 3.15 × 10−3), HLA‐C*12:02 (pc = 1.66 ×10−3), HLA‐DQB1*06:01 (pc = 1.42 × 10−2), and HLA‐DRB1*15:02 (pc = 1.36 × 10−2) with severe AHUO in Japanese patients were observed. The amino acid residues of tryptophan at position 156, which are located in the antigen‐binding grooves of the HLA‐C protein, showed a protective association with AHUO, showing a significant difference from other amino acid variations (pc = 9.0 × 10−4). Furthermore, 5 amino acid residues of the HLA‐DQB1 protein were also protectively associated with AHUO with a significant difference from other amino acid variations (pc = 1.42 × 10−2 to 2.89 × 10−2). These alleles have a protective association with the aggravation of AHUO in the Japanese population.
Leopoldo Miguéz's Nocturnes Opp.10 and 20/1: Political Context and Stylistic Analysis in the "City of Pianos"
Authors: Mayr Desirée
Published: September 2023

As in Europe, the piano reached the height of its popularity in the mid- to late nineteenth century in Brazil. Its presence in cultural life increased significantly, with performances in concert halls, theatres, and even cafés. Nocturnes— particularly Chopin's—
were fre quently played at home and in public venues. Leopoldo Miguéz (1852–1902), considered at the time to be influenced by Wagner, Liszt, and the so-called Zukunftsmusik, was the first Brazilian composer to write a symphony, a violin sonata, and a symphonic poem. This
ar ticle provides an overview of Miguéz's piano Nocturnes Opp.10 and 20/1 in the context of their relationship to contemporaneous Brazilian politics and his compositional practice. An in-depth analysis of the two nocturnes aims to map out his style, taking as parame ters his
implementation of nineteenth-century constructive procedures previously established in analyses of his Violin Sonata Op.14 and his Allegro Appassionato Op.11 for piano. These include: the use of proto-themes, mediant regions, smooth voice-leading, complex tonal plans, motivic economy,
and roving harmonies. These procedures are shown to be significant elements in Miguéz's palette of compositional traits and stylistic character istics; notably, they may have been common in Europe at the time but were unknown in Brazil. [...]