bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-sectional study of pharmacists’ knowledge and beliefs about human papillomavirus, its vaccines, and barriers related to vaccine administration
Authors: Alyahya Linda , Al-Ameri Mariam , Abu Farha Rana , Mukattash Tareq L , Mohamed Noor Dzul Azri
Published: July 2024

Background

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is not currently included in the national immunization program in Jordan. The rising prevalence of cervical cancer in Jordan highlights the necessity for a novel approach to boost HPV vaccination rates. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, beliefs, and potential barriers concerning HPV and HPV vaccine administration in community pharmacies.

Methods

This cross-sectional study, conducted in Jordan between July and September 2023, involved community pharmacists. Using a convenience sampling approach, one author visited various community pharmacies to distribute and collect questionnaires. A total knowledge score, out of a possible 10 points, and a belief score out of 40 were calculated for each pharmacists. Additionally, the study examined factors that may influence participants’ knowledge and belief levels.

Results

A total of 302 community pharmacists took part in the survey, with approximately two-thirds of the participants being female (n = 230, 76.2%). The average knowledge score about HPV was 2.7 out of 10 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.8), and linear regression analysis indicated no significant relationship between pharmacists’ knowledge about HPV and the factors studied, such as age, gender, area of pharmacy, and the acquired degree. In terms of beliefs, findings revealed that 63.2% supported an expanded role for community pharmacists in HPV vaccination. Three main barriers were identified: lack of parental knowledge (n = 218, 72.2%), insufficient educational materials for parents (n = 206, 68.2%), and inadequate provider knowledge (n = 201, 66.6%).

Conclusions

In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the knowledge, beliefs, and challenges surrounding HPV and HPV vaccination among community pharmacists in Jordan. To enhance the involvement of community pharmacists in promoting HPV vaccination and aiding in the prevention of HPV-related illnesses, it is crucial to address the identified knowledge gaps and obstacles.
Oil exporters and the challenges ahead: the role of NOCs in energy transitions
Authors: Alreshaid Nasser , Sempertegui Leonardo
Published: July 2024

While constructing pathways to achieving energy transitions is challenging to all global community members, this challenge is even greater for oil-exporting countries. Oil-exporting countries and their national oil companies (NOCs) are key players in the energy transitions. These actors’ existing capacities (financial, technical, human) must be leveraged to accelerate decarbonization processes that are scaled and globally deployed. Energy transition roadmaps must embrace all relevant actors, including oil companies, as stakeholders that can significantly contribute to the acceleration of energy transitions across the globe. This situation must be reflected in outlooks and assessments of energy transitions. This article studies the regulatory conditions and interventions that have made the evolution of several NOCs possible as relevant actors in the 21st-century landscape, considering their activities in traditional energy sources, decarbonization solutions, and new energy sources. These NOCs vary with some having greater flexibility in shaping policies while others needing to comply with regulatory standards. All NOCs in this study, ADNOC, ARAMCO, and the NNPCL were entrusted with a degree of autonomy in addressing climate change, yet the larger margin of discretion ADNOC and ARAMCO corporations enjoyed has allowed them to excel in shaping and implementing these policies. The focus of this paper is on the role of soft law in this change, particularly ESG standards, as leading energy transition governance tools, which introduce accountability and environmental principles that guide the activity of these corporate actors beyond bear minimum requirements in laws and regulations.
Calling in The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf on Indigeneity
Authors: Kahf Mohja
Published: July 2024

With the way it incorporates citation of the Little House on the Prairie (1932-43) books via diction taken by default from colonial-settler lexicons, by contributing to stereotypes of the Vanishing Indian and the Noble Savage, and through inexcusable omissions, Mohja Kahf’s 2006 novel, The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf, adds to Indigenous erasure. As the author of this novel, I argue that even multi-axial postcolonial feminist critiques of systemic racism, gender oppression, anti-Blackness, Zionism, and imperialism, if they do not take Indigenous feminisms into account and do not critique settler colonialism, can buttress colonial-settler narratives and contribute to erasure of Indigenous peoples. Using the Indigenous studies scholarship of Jodi Byrd, Eve Tuck, Sean Teuton, Steven Salaita, Dana M. Olwan, and others, and drawing on Loretta J. Ross’s idea of “calling in,” I analytically call in my own novel on key issues of Indigenous sovereignty. I consider my 1995 poem “Fayetteville as in Fate” on the same issues, putting my writing into context with other Arab American writings and within postcolonial studies. Finally, as a start toward amends, I offer a new poem.
Gravitational lensing of gravitational waves: prospects for probing intermediate-mass black holes in galaxy lenses with global minima image
Authors: Meena Ashish Kumar
Published: July 2024

This work studies microlensing effects in strongly lensed gravitational wave (GW) signals corresponding to global minima images in galaxy-scale lenses. We find that stellar microlenses alone are unable to introduce noticeable wave effects in the global minima GW signals at strong lensing magnification $( {\mu})\lt 50$ with match value between unlensed and lensed GW signals being above ${\sim }99.5~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}$ in ${\sim }90~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}$ of systems implying that GW signals corresponding to global minima can be treated as reference signal to determine the amount of microlensing in other strongly lensed counterparts. Since the stellar microlenses introduce negligible wave effects in global minima, they can be used to probe the intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) lenses in the galaxy lens. We show that the presence of an IMBH lens with mass in the range $[50,10^3]~{\rm M_\odot }$ such that the global minima lies within five Einstein radius of it, the microlensing effects at $f\lt 10^2$ Hz are mainly determined by the IMBH lens for ${\mu} \lt 50$. Assuming that a typical strong lensing magnification of 3.8 and high enough signal-to-noise ratio (in the range ${\simeq }[10, 30]$) to detect the microlensing effect in GW signals corresponding to global minima, with non-detection of IMBH-led microlensing effects in ${\simeq }15~({\simeq }150)$ lensed GW signals, we can rule out dark matter fraction $\gt 10~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}~(\gt 1~{{\ \rm per \, cent}})$ made of IMBH population inside galaxy lenses with mass values $\gt 150~{\rm M_\odot }$ with ${\sim }$90 per cent confidence. Although we have specifically used IMBHs as an example, the same analysis applies to any subhalo (or compact objects) with lensing masses (i.e. the total mass inside Einstein radius) satisfying the above criterion.
What does sociological research tell us about ethnic inequalities in European labour markets?
Authors: van Tubergen Frank
Published: July 2024

This commentary provides an overview of the sociological literature on ethnic inequalities in European labour markets. It gives an outline of various theories that can explain ethnic inequalities in the labour market and reviews the empirical evidence drawing on studies in Europe. Subsequently, I show how scholars have used these theoretical and empirical insights to account for the heterogeneity in ethnic inequality by country of origin and immigrant generation. I end with a discussion of policy measures to mitigate ethnic inequality.
Persistent inequality: contemporary inequality in a historical context
Authors: Breen Richard
Published: July 2024

My goal in this commentary is to complement the findings in the article on Education Inequalities by Christine Farquharson, Sandra McNally and Imran Tahir with some general remarks which will provide a context and framework for understanding educational inequalities in Britain. I make five main points, summarized at the start of each section of the commentary.
Unjust inequalities. Is maximin the answer?
Authors: Van Parijs Philippe
Published: July 2024

A maximin criterion of distributive justice provides an attractive way of articulating a concern for equality and a concern for efficiency. It recommends that one should equalize income, expected advantages, opportunities or whatever else matters for the sake of distributive justice up to the point from which further equalization would make the worse off even worse off once its consequences are taken into account. But is the maximin criterion egalitarian enough? Does it pay enough attention to the impact of inequalities on political power, to the equal dignity of all citizens or to the value of fraternity? Is the maximin criterion not instead too egalitarian? Does it pay enough attention to a priority legitimately claimed by one’s own community, to democratically expressed preferences or to the value of reciprocity? This contribution clarifies the maximin concept, discusses these various objections and concludes that a maximin approach remains essential to identify, if not just inequalities, at least justifiable ones.
Race and ethnic inequalities
Authors: Mirza Heidi Safia , Warwick Ross
Published: July 2024

This article considers inequalities across racial and ethnic groups in the UK and finds that there is no single story of advantage or disadvantage. Racial and ethnic inequalities are complex and characterized simultaneously by continuity rooted in historical origins and conditions and rapid change fuelled by new and changing populations and opportunities. Continuity and change are also reflected in very different patterns of inequality across (and within) minority groups, generations and outcomes. Some groups are characterized by high levels of average qualifications, income and wealth, while others are persistently disadvantaged, faced with elevated levels of poverty and unemployment. Alongside different levels in outcomes are varied trajectories, both within and across generations. Within groups, there are less-explored, intersectional contours of difference, along the lines of gender, geography and class. Research and policy must acknowledge this diversity and complexity to inform effective policy prescriptions going forwards.
Measuring and understanding contemporary English educational inequalities
Authors: Reay Diane
Published: July 2024

This commentary argues that educational inequality is not one thing but an intricate and complicated amalgam of many different factors. The dominant political view regarding education is one that accepts the efficacy of the market, and does not question the consequences of the preoccupation with performativity and outcomes for learning processes and pedagogy. Furthermore, there has been a general endorsement rather than challenge of social mobility as the main mechanism of social justice in education, an acceptance of private schools, and an influential movement within the discipline that promotes the notion of knowledge as power rather than any strong concern with analysing and understanding the workings of power within education. I will focus on all these trends and their consequences for educational inequalities, taking a multi-disciplinary approach that brings together insights from sociology and psychology as well as education. However, first I will examine the issue of measurement in relation to educational inequalities.
Inequality and immigration
Authors: Dustmann Christian , Kastis Yannis , Preston Ian
Published: July 2024

This article investigates the relationship between immigration and inequality in the UK over the past 40 years. This is a period when the share of foreign-born in the UK population increased from 5.3% in 1975 to 13.4% in 2015. We evaluate the impact immigration had on wage inequality in the UK through two channels: the first is the effect on the earnings distribution of natives and the second is the effect on the composition of the wage-earning population. We find both effects to be very small. We decompose wage inequality into inequality within the immigrant and native groups and inequality between the two groups. We find inequality among immigrants to be consistently higher than inequality among natives. We also examine the impact of immigration on the fiscal budget, and the potentially unequal impact of the ensuing tax implications on natives. In the UK, where immigrants are net fiscal contributors, this is not a factor that aggravates economic inequality. Even though the impact of immigration is found to be small, the way it is perceived across different population groups in the UK varies; a fact mostly attributed to racial and cultural concerns rather than perceived economic competition.
Political equality: what is it and why does it matter?
Authors: Beramendi Pablo , Besley Timothy , Levi Margaret
Published: July 2024

Political inequality is a distinctive type of inequality, which cannot be reduced to economic or power inequalities. The article frames political equality as trying to achieve ‘equal consideration’ among members of a polity, arguing that assessing whether this is achieved requires looking at process as well as outcomes. The analysis focuses on two core dimensions that can be studied empirically: patterns of political participation and political representation. Studying these reinforces the idea that, even in advanced democracies, politics is an elite activity concentrated among the educated and those with material and ideological resources. The article discusses the consequences of political inequality framed as equal consideration and a range of reforms that have been proposed to reduce it.

‘[…] no society can genuinely humanize its institutions save as it becomes a community of equals.’ (Laski 1928, p. 31)
Health inequalities
Authors: Case Anne , Kraftman Lucy
Published: July 2024

There are marked differences in life expectancy between regions of England, between countries in the UK, and between the UK and other wealthy countries. In England, there are large differences in mortality rates between less and more educated adults, and between less and more deprived places. Austerity measures enacted after the financial crisis of 2008 not only harmed many people directly and unequally, through reductions in public services, but may also have played a role in the anaemic reduction in mortality rates observed for adults after 2010. Prescriptions on policy to improve the health of those left behind will need to wait for more and better data. It is not possible to understand the upstream mechanisms responsible for health outcomes using geographic indices of multiple deprivation. The most promising approach to improving population health is to continue to focus on the health and well-being of children.
Monopsony in local labour markets
Authors: Manning Alan , Petrongolo Barbara
Published: July 2024

We investigate employer monopsony power in local labour markets in the UK. We propose a model in which market power stems from idiosyncratic worker preferences over non-wage attributes of jobs, including the commuting distance. This set-up delivers point-specific, overlapping local labour markets. The resulting concentration index reflects the intensity of commuting flows between local areas, and is lower than the conventional index based on self-contained, non-overlapping areas because commuting across local areas expand workers’ outside options. We estimate that employment concentration in local labour markets was slightly falling over the past 2 decades. The model-based concentration index is negatively correlated to local wages and performs better than other purely local concentration measures. However, in quantitative terms, the observed fall in concentration can predict only a negligible increase in wages.
Attitudes to inequalities
Authors: Benson Rebecca , Duffy Bobby , Hesketh Rachel , Hewlett Kirstie
Published: July 2024

Public beliefs that society is unequal, and critically that this inequality is unfair, can have important social and political implications. Despite this, there is still a lack of research into how people perceive inequalities, with existing work largely focused on economic inequality. Through a review of existing literature and public opinion data, and analysis of new survey data collected in Britain, we seek to deepen understanding of how citizens feel about different social inequalities, what they perceive to be their causes, and preferences for policies to address them. We find that while people are generally uncomfortable with inequalities, it does not follow that they automatically endorse government intervention to remedy them. We also find evidence of different inequality worldviews in the population, with Individualists emphasizing the importance of personal effort and hard work, and Structuralists focusing on the role of social structures or institutions in generating unequal outcomes.
Early childhood inequalities: the rocky path from observation to action
Authors: von Stumm Sophie
Published: July 2024

The article on early childhood inequalities by Cattan and colleagues identifies a broad range of socio- and geo-demographic correlates of children’s cognitive and social–emotional development in early life through analyses of three UK population cohort studies. The findings suggest that early life inequalities are driven by a complex nexus of multiple, often inter-correlated factors that each have a small independent effect size. In this commentary, I discuss three key implications for research and practice that follow from the work of Cattan et al.: (1) the urgent need for a theoretical framework to identify and test the mechanisms that drive early life inequalities; (2) the persistent obstacles to ameliorating early childhood inequality; and (3) the immense value of population cohort studies for understanding socio-historical trends and developing evidence-based policies.
Competition and industrial policy in the 21st century
Authors: Tirole Jean
Published: July 2024

Large fixed costs and (direct and indirect) network externalities generate barriers to entry and high markups for winners in the digital industry. The potential for high prices, low innovation and abuses of dominant position as well as the contribution to rising inequality raise the question of how countries should regulate the industry. The tech giants’ dominance does not confront us with an unpalatable choice between laissez-faire and populist interventions. The commentary explains economic stakes, considers desirable adaptations of regulation in the digital age and draws some conclusions for policy reform.
A task-based approach to inequality
Authors: Acemoglu Daron , Restrepo Pascual
Published: July 2024

This article reviews recent work on how automation and task displacement have contributed to labour share declines and inequality in the US labour market. We summarize the basic building blocks of a task-based framework in which a set of tasks is allocated between capital, skilled labour and unskilled labour. Automation, which corresponds to the use of new technologies expanding the set of tasks that can be performed by capital, always reduces the labour share in value added and may depress overall wages and employment. The negative effects of automation on labour share and its potentially adverse consequences for labour demand can be counterbalanced by the creation of new labour-intensive tasks, which can reinstate labour into the production process. We also show that when automation displaces unskilled labour from the tasks in which they used to specialize (which has been its modal impact so far), it increases the demand for skills and inequality. New tasks may or may not limit the increase in the demand for skills depending on whether they are mostly targeted at skilled workers. We then provide a range of evidence supporting the basic predictions and implications of this framework. Most importantly, the decline in the share of labour in national income and the increase in the demand for skills appear to be related to an acceleration in the pace of automation and a deceleration in technological changes complementing humans during the last 30 years. We end with a discussion of the potential bias towards automation in the development and adoption of digital technologies, and how this will affect the nature of work in the face of recent advances in artificial intelligence.
Gender, immigration, and ethnicity
Authors: Nandi Alita , Platt Lucinda
Published: July 2024

We complement analyses of both gender and ethnic inequality by examining cleavages among women of different ethnic and migrant groups, with a particular focus on labour force participation. Such differences can be shown to be shaped by gender attitudes and norms, which are relatively slow changing, transmitted intergenerationally, and socially embedded. We also examine the benefits of taking a household and individual income perspective on economic inequalities, extending existing analysis of earnings and employment. This facilitates the investigation of the economic position of women both in and out of the labour market, and how their income relates to the resources of other family members. By these means we can shed light on the ways in which gendered processes that are common across ethnic groups can nevertheless result in differentiated outcomes that may persist across generations. This can enhance our understanding of persistence and change in gendered inequalities more widely.
Algorithm to produce a density field with given two-, three-, and four-point correlation functions
Authors: Slepian Zachary
Published: July 2024

Here we show how to produce a three-dimensional density field with a given set of higher order correlation functions. Our algorithm enables producing any desired two-, three-, and four-point functions, including odd parity for the last ones. We note that this algorithm produces the desired correlations around a set of ‘primary’ points, matched to how the spherical-harmonic-based algorithms ENCORE and CADENZA measure them. These ‘primary points’ must be used as those around which the correlation functions are measured. We also generalize the algorithm to (i) N-point correlations with $N\ \gt\ 4$, (ii) dimensions other than three, and (iii) beyond scalar quantities. This algorithm should find use in verifying analysis pipelines for higher order statistics in upcoming galaxy redshift surveys, such as Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), Euclid, Roman, and Spherex, as well as intensity mapping. In particular, it may be helpful in searches for parity violation in the four-point correlation function of these samples, for which producing initial conditions for N-body simulations is both costly and highly model dependent at present, and so alternative methods, such as that developed here, are desirable.
Assessment of indoor radon concentration in the dwellings of the industrial areas of Kannur District, Kerala
Authors: Prakash Vamanan , Neeraja Nagathil , Mahamood Keereerakath Nadira
Published: July 2024

All organisms on the earth-crest are exposed to natural background radiation since the evolution of the earth, as many environmental matrices such as soil, air, water bodies, vegetation, etc., act as the sources of natural radioactivity. The present study deals with the evaluation of indoor concentration of 222Rn (radon) in different dwellings with various construction materials used for the roof and floor in the industrial sites of Kannur district, Kerala. A pinhole-based dosemeter coupled with LR-115 Solid State Nuclear Track Detector and Direct Radon Progeny Sensor (DRPS) were respectively used for the measurement of indoor radon concentration and equilibrium equivalent concentration of radon. The indoor radon concentrations were found to vary from 102.30 Bqm−3 to 184.75 Bqm−3 and the values were within the recommended limits provided by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risks were observed in the range of 2.58–4.66 mSvy−1 and 7.68 × 10−3–15.60 × 10−3, respectively, and both exceed the world average values recommended by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2000. The study shows that, the houses with marble floors and concrete roofs have comparatively higher values of radon concentration, which indicates the significant contribution of construction materials to the enhanced radiation levels inside the dwellings.
Measurement of indoor radioactivity and dose derived from 222Rn, 220Rn and EECs by using SSNTD based technique
Authors: Ahamad Taufiq , Nautiyal Om Prakash , Joshi Manish , Singh Prakhar , Sajwan Rohit Singh , Rana Anand Singh , Bourai Abhay Anand
Published: July 2024

Alpha flux radiated from 222Rn, 220Rn and progeny is the primary contributor of natural radioactivity to the inhabitants in the ambient atmosphere. The annual indoor 222Rn and 220Rn concentrations were found to be 85 ± 43 and 84 ± 36 Bq m−3, respectively. The estimated annual indoor 222Rn and 220Rn concentration is below to reference value of 100 Bq m−3 suggested by WHO. The calculated annual inhalation dose due to exposure to the alpha flux of 222Rn, 220Rn and their progeny is well below the recommended reference level given by UNSCEAR and ICRP. The data were further checked for normalisation and found that 222Rn and Effective Equilibrium Radon Concentration (EERC) data are not normally distributed.
Assessment of radiation dose due to 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po in groundwater of Kodagu district, India
Authors: Namitha Shivachara Nandish , Shankarappa Kempalingappa Lavanya Bevinathalapura , Hidayath Mohamed , Sumanth Mavinkere Shivanand , Pruthvi Rani Kirugunda Siddaraju , Chandrashekara Mallupura Shrirangaiah
Published: July 2024

Natural radionuclides are universally spread and can be found in varying levels in rock, soil and water depending on the geology. A potential health threat may be caused by them to humans on consumption of water, food and inhalation of air due to the presence of radionuclides. In the present study, an attempt has been made to study the distribution of 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po in groundwater samples of Kodagu district, India. The activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 222Rn and 210Po were found to vary from 0.44 to 8.81 μg L−1, 0.71 to 7.66 mBq L−1, 1.54 to 9.61 Bq L−1 and 0.47 to 4.35 mBq L−1, respectively. The associated dose due to radiation was assessed and was observed to be below the recommended standards. The total effective dose to the population was calculated and was found to be less than the recommended WHO standard of 100 mSv.
Studies on uranium concentration in groundwater samples and its associated health hazards to the residents of surrounding regions of Manchanabele reservoir, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Authors: Deepika Donakuppe N , Ambika Madalakote R , Naregundi Karunakara , Kumara Sudeep , Kumar Kanishettyhalli Nagaraja V , Nagaiah Ningaiah
Published: July 2024

Uranium occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water. Being a radioactive element, high uranium concentration can cause impact on human health. The health effects associated with consumption of uranium through water includes increased cancer risk and kidney toxicity. In view of this, an attempt was made in the present study to establish the level of radiological and chemical toxicity of uranium. Radiological toxicity was evaluated in terms of lifetime cancer risk and chemical toxicity through hazard quotient. For the said purpose, groundwater samples from the selected villages of the surrounding region of the Manchanabele reservoir, southwest of Bengaluru, were collected. The collected groundwater samples were analysed for Uranium mass concentration using Light emitting diode (LED) fluorimeter and is found to range from 0.88 to 581.47 ppb with a GM of 20.82 ppb. The result reveals that ~ 66% of the samples show concentration of uranium within the safe limit of 30 ppb as set by the World Health Organisation. The radiological risk estimated in terms of lifetime cancer risk is in the range of 0.0028 × 10−3 to 1.85 × 10−3 with a GM of 0.066 × 10−3. The chemical toxicity risk measured as lifetime annual daily dose is found to range from 0.03 to 21.65 μg per kg per d with a GM of 0.77 μg per kg per d.
Dose and transfer factor ofn 40K in medicinal plants
Authors: Kulal Chandrashekara , Surathkal Gunakara , Mallaiah Somashekarappa H
Published: July 2024

The presence of naturally occurring radionuclides is common in all living and non-living frameworks, which are part of our environment. The activity concentration of 40K radionuclide was estimated using gamma spectrometry in some medicinal plants and transfer factors (TF), and Average Annual Committed Effective Dose (AACED) was evaluated. The standard methods were followed in the process of sample collection and processing. The mean activity concentrations of 40K were 223 and 1330 Bq kg−1 in soil and medicinal plants, respectively. The mean TF and AACED were found to be 6.5 and 8.2 μ Sv y−1, respectively. Higher activity concentration was observed in some medicinal plants due to the selective and preferential uptake of this radionuclide depending on their medicinal utility. The study may help to form the database and safety regulations connected with 40K activity in medicinal plants.
Radon levels in Bengaluru during monsoon season
Authors: Kachintaya Charan Kumar , Nagaraja Kamsali
Published: July 2024

A study on the dynamics of Radon and meteorological parameters was conducted in Bengaluru (12056′44'' N, 77030′25″ E, 840 m AMSL) during monsoon of 2014. All measured parameters exhibited a clear diurnal pattern, except for pressure, and are attributed to morning temperature inversion and afternoon enhanced vertical mixing. Concentration of Radon is higher during north eastern monsoon compared with south western monsoon and is due to the presence of continental air mass from north east of India. Monthly average Radon activity has exhibited a positive link with long wave radiation while displaying a negative correlation with ambient temperature, accumulated rainfall and soil temperature. During the study, ambient gamma dose rate of 190.8 nSv hour−1, shortwave radiation of 184.4 Wm−2, longwave radiation of −40.4 Wm−2, soil temperature (at 10 cm) of 26.3°C, humidity of 62.9%, pressure of 918.1 mbar and radon activity of 8.4 ± 0.5 Bq m−3 were recorded.
Greece: Greek tax treatment of foreign private foundations
Authors: Agianni Vasiliki , Belouli Elina , Filippou Elina , Paraskeva Anna
Published: July 2024

The concept of foreign foundations pursuing statutory purposes other than charitable purposes does not exist in Greek civil law and is also not expressly recognized in Greek inheritance and gift tax law. On the other hand, from a Greek income tax point of view, Article 2 of the Greek Income Tax Code, applicable as of 1 January 2014, explicitly includes foundations of any type within the definition of legal entities. Moreover, in July 2017, the Greek Ministry of Finance issued Guidelines regulating the Greek tax treatment of foreign foundations of a non-charitable nature, which until then was entirely a matter of interpretation due to the lack of relevant legal provisions. This has resulted in trusts and foreign private foundations now being accorded similar tax treatment under the relevant Guidelines.
The antioxidant protective effect of resveratrol on long-term exposure to acrylamide-induced skeletal toxicity in female mice
Authors: Zhang Haonan , Liu Yi , Wen Yinxian , Wang Hui , Chen Liaobin
Published: July 2024

Background

Acrylamide (AA) is a toxic substance formed when cooking starch-based foods at high temperatures. Studies have shown that AA can cause neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity and so on. However, there remains limited understanding of the potential skeletal toxicity of AA.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential skeletal toxicity of AA, as well as the potential bone protective effects of Resveratrol (RVT).

Methods

Based on the daily intake of adult women, adult female mice was treated with AA at 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 mg/kg/d or AA/RVT (1 mg/kg/d AA +10 mg/kg/d RVT) for 8 weeks, and skeletal toxicity were evaluated by RT-qPCR and histopathological techniques.

Results

The results found that exposure to AA (0.1 or 1 mg/kg/d) after 8 weeks, osteogenesis exhibited pathological damage characteristics such as inhibition of growth plate function, and reduction of fibrous tissue, and cartilage exhibited pathological damage characteristics such as irregular cell morphology and arrangement, and damage to the tidal line. The results of cellular functional gene testing showed a decrease in the expression of functional genes in osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Meanwhile, after further co-treatment with AA (1 mg/kg/d) and resveratrol (RVT) (10 mg/kg/d), we found that RVT restored AA-induced damage to osteogenesis and cartilage, and reduced the high apoptosis and oxidative stress levels in osteogenesis/cartilage after AA exposure.

Conclusion

In summary, this study confirmed the skeletal toxicity of AA on female adult mice, and further clarified the antioxidant protective effect of RVT on this toxicity.
Majority of the Highly Variable NLRs in Maize Share Genomic Location and Contain Additional Target-Binding Domains
Authors: Prigozhin Daniil M. , Sutherland Chandler A. , Rangavajjhala Sanjay , Krasileva Ksenia V.
Published: July 2024

Nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins (NLRs) are a major class of immune receptors in plants. NLRs include both conserved and rapidly evolving members; however, their evolutionary trajectory in crops remains understudied. Availability of crop pan-genomes enables analysis of the recent events in the evolution of this highly complex gene family within domesticated species. Here, we investigated the NLR complement of 26 nested association mapping (NAM) founder lines of maize. We found that maize has just four main subfamilies containing rapidly evolving highly variable NLR (hvNLR) receptors. Curiously, three of these phylogenetically distinct hvNLR lineages are located in adjacent clusters on chromosome 10. Members of the same hvNLR clade show variable expression and methylation across lines and tissues, which is consistent with their rapid evolution. By combining sequence diversity analysis and AlphaFold2 computational structure prediction, we predicted ligand-binding sites in the hvNLRs. We also observed novel insertion domains in the LRR regions of two hvNLR subfamilies that likely contribute to target recognition. To make this analysis accessible, we created NLRCladeFinder, a Google Colaboratory notebook, that accepts any newly identified NLR sequence, places it in the evolutionary context of the maize pan-NLRome, and provides an updated clade alignment, phylogenetic tree, and sequence diversity information for the gene of interest.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
Effect of Calcium Propionate Dip and Spray Applications on Botrytis Blight of Ornamental Plants
Authors: Borda Ana Maria , Gelain Jhulia , Minzheng Cai , Luo Chao-Xi , Schnabel Guido , Faust James E.
Published: July 2024

The use of conventional fungicides to control Botrytis blight of ornamentals caused by Botrytis cinerea has its limitations due to increasing resistance to site-specific fungicides. Calcium propionate (CaP) has suppressive action against this disease, and resistance in B. cinerea to CaP has not been reported. This study evaluated the efficacy of postharvest dip applications of 0.1% CaP (pH 6.0) to control Botrytis blight in four cut rose ( Rosa × hybrida) cultivars and analyzed gene expression of CaP-treated rose petals. CaP reduced Botrytis blight symptoms in rose ‘Alive’ but not in ‘Freedom’, ‘Momentum’, and ‘Orange Crush’, and no change in gene expression in ‘Orange Crush’ was detected following CaP treatment. Aerial spray applications at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5% CaP made twice a week for 5 weeks caused minimal phytotoxicity damage to calendula ( Calendula officinalis), carnation ( Dianthus sp.), dahlia ( Dahlia sp.), pansy ( Viola × wittrockiana), and snapdragon ( Antirrhinum majus) leaves; however, CaP spray applications generated residues at all CaP concentrations in all species except for dahlia, where no residue was observed. The results suggest that CaP will suppress Botrytis blight in some but not all rose cultivars and establish a reference for phytotoxicity symptoms and visible CaP residues on ornamental plants.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Virtual Reality for Subacute Pain After Orthopedic Traumatic Musculoskeletal Injuries
Authors: Mace Ryan A. , Brewer Julie R. , Cohen Joshua E. , Ly Thuan V. , Weaver Michael J. , Borsook David
Published: July 2024

Objectives:

Acute orthopedic traumatic musculoskeletal injuries are prevalent, costly, and often lead to persistent pain and functional limitations. Psychological risk factors (eg, pain catastrophizing and anxiety) exacerbate these outcomes but are often overlooked in acute orthopedic care. Addressing gaps in current treatment approaches, this mixed-methods pilot study explored the use of a therapeutic virtual reality (VR; RelieVRx), integrating principles of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy, for pain self-management at home following orthopedic injury.

Methods:

We enrolled 10 adults with acute orthopedic injuries and elevated pain catastrophizing or pain anxiety from Level 1 Trauma Clinics within the Mass General Brigham health care system. Participants completed daily RelieVRx sessions at home for 8 weeks, which included pain education, relaxation, mindfulness, games, and dynamic breathing biofeedback. Primary outcomes were a priori feasibility, appropriateness, acceptability, satisfaction, and safety. Secondary outcomes were pre-post measures of pain, physical function, sleep, depression, and hypothesized mechanisms (pain self-efficacy, mindfulness, and coping).

Results:

The VR and study procedures met or exceeded all benchmarks. We observed preliminary improvements in pain, physical functioning, sleep, depression, and mechanisms. Qualitative exit interviews confirmed high satisfaction with RelieVRx and yielded recommendations for promoting VR-based trials with orthopedic patients.

Discussion:

The results support a larger randomized clinical trial of RelieVRx versus a sham placebo control to replicate the findings and explore mechanisms. There is potential for self-guided VR to promote evidence-based pain management strategies and address the critical mental health care gap for patients following acute orthopedic injuries.
Can We Screen for Limb Length Discrepancy on Spinal Radiographs of Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Authors: Mishra Neeraj , Lee Nicole Kim Luan , Loo Liang Hui , Lim Kevin Boon Leong
Published: July 2024

Background:

The aim of this study was to determine whether height differences in the levels of the iliac crests and femoral heads on erect spinal radiographs can be used as indirect measurements for the screening and surveillance of limb length discrepancy (LLD) in patients with scoliosis.

Methods:

Whole body posteroanterior (PA) and lateral erect radiographs of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with congenital, syndromic, and neuromuscular scoliosis were excluded. A direct measurement of each limb was taken from the highest point of the femoral head to the middle of the tibial plafond; any difference between the sides was recorded as the LLD. In addition, the PACS Software tool was used to measure femoral head height difference (FHHD) and iliac crest height difference (ICHD). Pearson’s correlation, linear regression, and Bland–Altman plots were used to determine the relationships between LLD and FHHD, and LLD and ICHD.

Results:

Radiographs of 141 patients (92 women, 49 men) with an average age of 12.0±2.65 years were analyzed. A strong correlation (r=0.730, P<0.001) was found between LLD and FHHD; the correlation between LLD and ICHD was weaker (r=0.585, P<0.001). The Bland–Altman analysis showed good agreements of LLD with FHHD and ICHD. Linear regression analysis predicted an LLD of ≤10 mm based on an FHHD of ≤11.5 mm or an ICHD of ≤15.3 mm.

Conclusions:

FHHD and ICHD on spinal PA radiographs can be used for the screening and monitoring of LLD in patients with AIS with FHHD being the preferred indirect measurement. These measurements are readily learned and quick to perform. The FHHD and ICHD can be measured on any erect scoliosis PA radiograph. Therefore, these proxy measurements can be used to screen and monitor for LLD in patients with AIS.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Can the 6-minute Walking Test Assess Ambulatory Function Impairment in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy?
Authors: Fu Wenyang , Xu Rongkun , Wang Xia , Li Hao , Chen Xing , Wang Lianlei , Yuan Suomao , Tian Yonghao , Liu Xinyu
Published: July 2024

Study design.

Prospective cohort study.

Objective.

Investigating the ability of a 6-minute walking test (6MWT) to assess functional status in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Summary of Background Data.

The 6MWT provides an objective assessment of a patient’s ability to walk. There is the potential for its application to the assessment of functional status in patients with CSM.

Materials and Methods.

One hundred thirty-five patients from our institution were prospectively enrolled from July 2022 to August 2023. A control group of age-matched and sex-matched healthy individuals was established. The 6MWT was conducted in strict accordance with established guidelines. The Nurick score, the Prolo score, the Cooper-myelopathy-scale score (CMS), the Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA) and the European-myelopathy-scale score (EMS) were assessed preoperatively. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain or numbness and Oswestry Neck Disability Index (NDI) were also collected. Radiographic parameters were measured and recorded. Continuous variables between patients and controls were compared by applying the t test. The χ2 test was used to compare gender ratios between groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the association between continuous variables and ordinal variables. Subgroups of CSM patients were analyzed according to global spinal alignment types based on whether the SVA was ≥50 mm. Clinical scores and imaging parameters were compared by t test.

Results.

The preoperative 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) of CSM patients was 309.34 ± 116.71 m, which was significantly lower than that of the controls (464.30 ± 52.59 m, P<0.01). The 6MWD was significantly correlated with scores on all clinical scales except the VAS. CMS Lower extremity score had the strongest correlation with preoperative 6MWD in CSM patients (r=−0.794, P<0.01). Of the sagittal alignment parameters, only C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and T1 slope were significantly correlated with 6MWD(r=−0.510, −0.360, respectively). CSM patients with SVA >50 mm had significantly lower 6MWD than CSM patients with SVA ≤50 mm (168.00 ± 137.26 vs. 346.24 ± 84.27 m, P<.01).

Conclusions.

The 6MWD of CSM patients was significantly lower than that of the healthy population and correlated well with commonly used clinical scales. The 6MWD can potentially assist in the assessment of functional status in patients with CSM.
DEPDC1 affects autophagy-dependent glycolysis levels in human osteosarcoma cells by modulating RAS/ERK signaling through TTK
Authors: Yu Dong , Chen Lin , Li Yingchun , Liu Bailian , Xiao Weiping
Published: July 2024

The current treatment for osteosarcoma (OS) is based on surgery combined with systemic chemotherapy, however, gene therapy has been hypothesized to improve patient survival rates. The density-enhanced protein domain 1 protein (DEPDC1) functions as a crucial determinant in the advancement of OS, which is highly expressed in OS cells. The current study was designed to delve into the effect and mechanism of DEPDC1 and phosphotyrosine-picked threonine tyrosine kinase (TTK) in OS. The expression of DEPDC1 and TTK in OS cells was detected by western blotting. Furthermore, the assessment of glycolysis encompassed the quantification of extracellular acidification rate, glucose uptake rate, lactate concentration, and the expression of glucose transporter 1, hexokinase 2, and pyruvate kinase M2. Finally, the functions of DEPDC1 and TTK in autophagy and ras-extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling were determined by western blotting after interfering with DEPDC1 in SaOS-2 cells. The results revealed that DEPDC1 and TTK were upregulated in OS cell lines and interfering with DEPDC1 inhibited glycolysis and autophagy in OS cells. Furthermore, the STRING database suggested that DEPDC1 and TTK perform targeted binding. Notably, the results of the present study revealed that DEPDC1 upregulated RAS expression through TTK and enhanced ERK activity, thereby affecting glycolysis and autophagy in OS cells. Collectively, the present investigation demonstrated that DEPDC1 affected autophagy-dependent glycolysis levels of OS cells by regulating RAS/ERK signaling through TTK.
Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess Negative Pressure Wound Therapy versus Standard-of-care Dressings in Breast Surgery: A Pilot Study
Authors: Chow Oliver , Graham Susannah , Ricciardello Daniel , Davies Matthew , Lajevardi Sepehr , Hussain Gazi , Deva Anand K.
Published: July 2024

Background:

Standard breast reduction dressings such as Prineo are used to cover surgical wounds, in combination with a binder or support bra. The Prevena Restor BellaForm is a negative pressure wound therapy dressing that covers the entirety of the breast mound and is purported to provide further support and reduce swelling. The aim of this study was to compare the Restor to standard-of-care dressings.

Methods:

The study was a randomized control trial of women undergoing bilateral breast reduction with one breast being dressed with the Prevena Restor BellaForm dressing and the other having standard of care (Prineo). Outcomes measured were drain outputs, postoperative length of stay, quality of scarring, patient preference for dressings, and adverse events. Follow-up was at 1, 2–6, and 26 weeks.

Results:

The results show a reduction in postoperative days 1 and 2 average drain output on the Restor side compared with standard dressings. Patient-reported outcome measures showed less bruising. There was no difference in postoperative length of stay and no difference in appearance of scars at the 26-week follow-up period. One patient required removal of the dressing due to irritation and one patient required assistance with resealing of the vacuum.

Conclusions:

We have shown benefits to drain output and comfort using close incisional negative pressure therapy in breast reduction mammaplasty. We plan to continue to investigate close incisional negative pressure therapy in larger comparative trials for other breast procedures including implant-based reconstruction, where a reduction in drain output could be of great benefit to both healing and reduction of infection risk.