bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gendered Outcomes
Authors: Hook Jennifer , Ruppanner Leah
Published: December 2021

This chapter reviews the quantitative, cross-nationally comparative literature investigating the effects of welfare states on gendered social landscapes in high-income OECD countries. It begins by reviewing the data, measures, and methodological approaches used in the literature. It then reviews research on the ‘effects’ of welfare states on gendered (a) labour market outcomes; (b) divisions of household labour and childcare; and (c) well-being. The authors conclude that welfare states play a key role in shaping gender inequality within the labour market and the home, with important consequences for well-being. Finally, the authors conclude with an assessment of limitations and prospects for future research.
The Nordic Countries
Authors: Kautto Mikko , Kuitto Kati
Published: December 2021

This chapter discusses the descriptive premises of the notion of a distinctive Nordic welfare model. It asks in what sense the Nordic welfare states constitute a distinctive type, and whether its core features have remained stable in recent decades. The global interest in the Nordic model is best explained by Nordic countries’ long record of good economic and social performance, as well as its anticipated ideological foundations of egalitarianism and universalism. Despite the continuous challenges of past decades, and in part differing welfare policy responses to those, the Nordic countries still bear some ‘family resemblance’, especially when viewed in a broader comparative framework. The empirical assessment provided in this chapter shows that the strong emphasis on public services and social investment still distinguishes the Nordic welfare states from others. The inbuilt emphasis on labour market participation of the Nordic countries lays the foundation and continuity for the tax-based welfare state.
The English-Speaking Countries
Authors: Castles Francis G. , Pierson Christopher
Published: December 2021

This chapter considers the extent to which it is possible to speak of a commonality in the welfare state experience of English-speaking welfare states (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States). At one level, the expectation that these tend to be comparatively small, low-spending, market-focused (‘liberal’) welfare states proves to be true. But, upon closer inspection, that commonality tends to break down. Some have been more redistributive than others and the Antipodean cases (Australia and New Zealand) with distinctive labour market institutions suggest the possibility of a different way of managing distributional outcomes. The widely canvassed US ‘exceptionalism’ proves to be true to some extent, though less so after Obama’s health-care reforms. In the wake of the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, both commonalities and differences remained.
The Emergence of the Western Welfare State
Authors: Kuhnle Stein , Sander Anne
Published: December 2021

The chapter provides a perspective on the early development of the welfare state in the countries of the European cultural complex, including the European (English) settler nations. The focus is on the emergence of the institutions of social insurance since the 1880s until 1945. First, an overall picture of early collective solutions to social problems is presented, followed by a depiction and discussion of why state-initiated social insurance came about, why Germany was a forerunner, and why national authorities reacted differently to the new challenge of social policy. The second part of the chapter covers the phase of consolidation, expansion, and geographical diffusion of social insurance and protection legislation after the First World War. A comprehensive tabular overview of the first statutory social security schemes in the forty-two ILO member countries that had introduced at least three out of five insurance pillars by 1945 is included. The chapter ends with a brief look at the Second World War experience.
Research Methods
Authors: Amenta Edwin , Hicks Alexander M.
Published: December 2021

This chapter reviews research methods in the study of welfare states and social policy, focusing on causal research. It addresses both comparative studies, which address the experiences of two or more country or subnational cases and historical studies, which address over-time variation, often with deep knowledge of cases, based on primary research. It also addresses combined comparative and historical studies. The chapter highlights the variety of methodological work in the welfare state area and delineates the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches employed. These methods range from in-depth historical analyses of a single-country case, historical analyses of a few countries, and Boolean Qualitative Comparative Analyses (QCA) across medium-N samples of countries to cross-sectional, event history, and pooled cross-sectional and time-series analyses of large numbers of countries. The chapter concludes with suggestions for synthesizing, triangulating, and combining methods in order to minimize the disadvantages and maximize the advantages of different approaches.
Religion and Europe after the Fall of the Iron Curtain
Authors: Turcescu Lucian , Stan Lavinia
Published: December 2021

This chapter presents the situation regarding religion in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe and Russia after 1989. In much of the region, religious groups refused to sit back and watch passively as the politicians shaped their countries into Western-style liberal democracies, preferring instead to be actively involved in the process. Thus, religion has become an important actor in societies which otherwise could have secularized relatively fast, following the example of the Western democracies that the former communist countries were trying to emulate. Several issues are examined in order to illustrate how religion evolved after the fall of the Iron Curtain: these include dealing with the past, living with newly acquired religious freedom, nationalism and religion, religion and refugees, religious education in state schools, and sexuality and religion.
Religion and the European Parliament
Authors: Foret François
Published: December 2021

This chapter discusses the salience, relevance, and effects of religion at the European Parliament (EP) across a range of issues. These are: the allocation of power (religion and European elections); the profile of political elites (members of the EP and religion); the structuring of political forces (religion and party politics, using the example of Christian democracy); and religion and public policy (with cases studies of identity politics and counter-radicalization). The chapter concludes that, when dealing with religion, the EP mirrors what happens in European societies more generally in terms of the secularization and culturalization of faith. The EP also duplicates a frequently found feature of EU policy making: that is, to hollow out the normative and controversial content from religion and to address the topic through the repertoire of human rights, while respecting the national diversity of Member States.
The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE)
Authors: Turner Frank
Published: December 2021

This chapter describes the work of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), its evolving relationship with central institutions of the European Union, and with its partners in the Catholic world. The chapter then considers particular challenges, both intrinsic (arising from the character of COMECE itself) and extrinsic (focusing on those entailed by the EU’s culture of secularity). For example, the Treaty of Lisbon assures religious organizations, like non-religious ones, both access to and dialogue with EU institutions. COMECE’s advocacy, however, is necessarily grounded in Catholic beliefs and principles, in particular those of Catholic social thought. Such foundational principles cannot be coherently articulated in the language of secularity alone.
Religion, Belief, and the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Cumper Peter , Lewis Tom
Published: December 2021

This chapter examines the interpretation of the right to freedom of religion or belief under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (1950) by the European Court of Human Rights. The topic is examined with reference to legal bans on items of Islamic dress such as headscarves and face-veils. It is argued that both the structure of Article 9, and the way in which it has been interpreted, has resulted in weak levels of protection for applicants bringing such claims, and that the reasons for this lie deep in European history and politics. The Court’s approach may, arguably, be justifiable in that the protection it offers is subsidiary to that offered by states. Nevertheless, the scant hope that such applicants have raises questions as to the effectiveness of the Convention and threatens to undermine much of the laudable work that has been undertaken elsewhere by the Court.
Religion and Orthodox Eastern Europe, 700–1500
Authors: Briel Matthew C.
Published: December 2021

Taking the Byzantine (East Roman) Empire as its focus, this chapter paints in broad brush strokes the theological developments over the course of eight centuries, from the outbreak of Iconoclasm in the eighth century to the Hesychast debates of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It was from Byzantium that the earliest Christian missionaries spread the Gospel and Byzantine Christian culture to the various Slavic lands. The chapter also includes a note on the role of the Jews and Manichean sects in Orthodox Europe. Overall the chapter argues that it was the Orthodox Church, and especially the Patriarchate of Constantinople, that was the primary creator of culture in Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.
A novel semi-automated classifier of hip osteoarthritis on DXA images shows expected relationships with clinical outcomes in UK Biobank
Authors: Faber Benjamin G , Ebsim Raja , Saunders Fiona R , Frysz Monika , Lindner Claudia , Gregory Jennifer S , Aspden Richard M , Harvey Nicholas C , Davey Smith George , Cootes Timothy , Tobias Jonathan H
Published: December 2021

Objective

Conventional scoring methods for radiographic hip OA (rHOA) are subjective and show inconsistent relationships with clinical outcomes. To provide a more objective rHOA scoring method, we aimed to develop a semi-automated classifier based on DXA images and confirm its relationships with clinical outcomes.

Methods

Hip DXAs in UK Biobank (UKB) were marked up for osteophyte area from which acetabular, superior and inferior femoral head osteophyte grades were derived. Joint space narrowing (JSN) grade was obtained automatically from minimum joint space width (mJSW) measures. Clinical outcomes related to rHOA comprised hip pain, hospital diagnosed OA (HES OA) and total hip replacement. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard modelling were used to examine associations between overall rHOA grade (0–4; derived from combining osteophyte and JSN grades) and the clinical outcomes.

Results

A toal of 40 340 individuals were included in the study (mean age 63.7), of whom 81.2% had no evidence of rHOA, while 18.8% had grade ≥1 rHOA. Grade ≥1 osteophytes at each location and JSN were associated with hip pain, HES OA and total hip replacement. Associations with all three clinical outcomes increased progressively according to rHOA grade, with grade 4 rHOA and total hip replacement showing the strongest association [57.70 (38.08–87.44)].

Conclusions

Our novel semi-automated tool provides a useful means for classifying rHOA on hip DXAs, given its strong and progressive relationships with clinical outcomes. These findings suggest DXA scanning can be used to classify rHOA in large DXA-based cohort studies supporting further research, with the future potential for population-based screening.
The ILTS-SETH Consensus Conference on Extrahepatic Cancer and Liver Transplantation: Paving the Way
Authors: Colmenero Jordi , Berenguer Marina , Watt Kymberly D.
Published: December 2021

The International Liver Transplantation Society and the Spanish Society of Liver Transplantation consensus conference on extrahepatic cancer and liver transplantation (LT) was held on January 28–30, 2021. Working groups were organized to focus on one topic and develop evidence-based recommendations specifically addressing (a) nonhepatic cancer in LT candidates, (b) de novo malignancies after LT, (c) prevention and management of donor-derived malignancies after LT, and (d) nonhepatic cancer in the pediatric population. All consensus conference attendees voted on the recommendations proposed as well as the quality of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.
Medication, Healthcare Follow-up, and Lifestyle Nonadherence: Do They Share the Same Risk Factors?
Authors: Ng Yue-Harn , Litvinovich Igor , Leyva Yuridia , Ford C. Graham , Zhu Yiliang , Kendall Kellee , Croswell Emilee , Puttarajappa Chethan M. , Dew Mary Amanda , Shapiro Ron , Unruh Mark L. , Myaskovsky Larissa
Published: December 2021

Background.

Barriers to medication adherence may differ from barriers in other domains of adherence. In this study, we assessed the association between pre–kidney transplantation (KT) factors with nonadherent behaviors in 3 different domains post-KT.

Methods.

We conducted a prospective cohort study with patient interviews at initial KT evaluation (baseline—nonadherence predictors in sociodemographic, condition-related, health system, and patient-related psychosocial factors) and at ≈6 mo post-KT (adherence outcomes: medications, healthcare follow-up, and lifestyle behavior). All patients who underwent KT at our institution and had ≈6-mo follow-up interview were included in the study. We assessed nonadherence in 3 different domains using continuous composite measures derived from the Health Habit Survey. We built multiple linear and logistic regression models, adjusting for baseline characteristics, to predict adherence outcomes.

Results.

We included 173 participants. Black race (mean difference in adherence score: −0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.12 to −0.32) and higher income (mean difference: −0.34; 95% CI, −0.67 to −0.02) predicted lower medication adherence. Experience of racial discrimination predicted lower adherence (odds ratio, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.12–0.76) and having internal locus of control predicted better adherence (odds ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.06–2.03) to healthcare follow-up. In the lifestyle domain, higher education (mean difference: 0.75; 95% CI, 0.21–1.29) and lower body mass index (mean difference: −0.08; 95% CI, −0.13 to −0.03) predicted better adherence to dietary recommendations, but no risk factors predicted exercise adherence.

Conclusions.

Different nonadherence behaviors may stem from different motivation and risk factors (eg, clinic nonattendance due to experiencing racial discrimination). Thus adherence intervention should be individualized to target at-risk population (eg, bias reduction training for medical staff to improve patient adherence to clinic visit).
Characteristics of patients with suspected COVID-19 pneumonia and repeatedly negative RT-PCR
Authors: Navarro-Carrera Paula , Roces-Álvarez Patricia , Ramos-Ramos Juan Carlos , Montero Dolores , Losantos Itsaso , Díaz-Pollán Beatriz , García Bujalance Silvia
Published: December 2021

Objectives. Challenges remain and there are still a sufficient number of cases with epidemiological, clinical features and radiological data suggestive of COVID-19 pneumonia that persist negative in their RT-PCR results. The aim of the study was to define the distinguishing characteristics between patients developing a serological response to SARS-CoV-2 and those who did not.

Methods. RT-PCR tests used were TaqPath 2019-nCoV Assay Kit v1 (ORF-1ab, N and S genes) from Thermo Fisher Diagnostics and SARS-COV-2 Kit (N and E genes) from Vircell. Serological response was tested using the rapid SARS-CoV2 IgG/IgM Test Cassette from T and D Diagnostics Canada and CMC Medical Devices and Drugs, S.L, CE.

Results. In this cross-sectional study, we included a cohort of 52 patients recruited from 31 March 2020 to 23 April 2020. Patients with positive serology had an older average age (73.29) compared to those who were negative (54.82) (P<0.05). Sat02 in 27 of 34 patients with positive serology were below 94% (P<0.05). There was a frequency of 1.5% negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCRs during the study period concurring with 36.7% of positivity.

Conclusions. Clinical features and other biomarkers in a context of a positive serology can be considered crucial for diagnosis.
Butyrate-producing gut bacteria are associated with protection from allergic symptoms after Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Panthagani Kristen M. , Hoffman Kristi L. , Oluyomi Abiodun , Sotelo Jesus , Stewart Christopher , Armstrong Georgina , Luo Dan Na , Bondy Melissa , Walker Cheryl Lyn , Petrosino Joseph F.
Published: December 2021

Hurricane Harvey caused record-breaking, catastrophic flooding across the city of Houston. After floodwaters receded, several health concerns arose, including the potential adverse impact of exposure to mold in flooded homes. We rapidly launched the Houston Hurricane Harvey Health Study to evaluate if microbiome sampling in the wake of a disaster could inform flood-associated environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes. We enrolled a total of 347 subjects at 1-month and 12-months post-Harvey, collecting human (stool, nasal, saliva) and environmental (house swab) samples to profile the bacterial and fungal microbiota. Here we show reported exposure to mold was associated with increased risk of allergic symptoms for up to one year post-disaster, and that butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut were linked to protection from allergic symptoms in mold-exposed individuals. Together, these data provide new insights into how microbiome:environment interactions may influence health in the setting of a flood-related disaster.
Oscillations of pause-burst neurons in the STN correlate with the severity of motor signs in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Belova Elena M. , Filyushkina Veronika I. , Dzhalagoniia Indiko , Gamaleya Anna A. , Tomskiy Alexey A. , Neumann Wolf-Julian , Sedov Alexey
Published: December 2021

Background

Oscillatory activity in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is under extensive study. While rhythmic features of local field potentials are implicated in the manifestation of PD motor signs, less is known about single unit activity (SUA). SUA parameters inside the STN show significant heterogeneity, and various firing patterns may contribute unequally to PD pathophysiology.

Objectives

We searched for correlations between SUA parameters and PD motor signs, taking neuronal activity patterns into account.

Methods

829 spike trains for STN SUA were recorded during 25 DBS surgeries. We have isolated three firing patterns (tonic, irregular burst and pause-burst) and, using mixed linear models, examined several ISI parameters and burst descriptors (for the last two patterns) for their correlation with the UPDRS 3 score and bradykinesia and rigidity scores on the contralateral body side.

Results

The predominance of pause-burst as opposed to tonic activity was associated with an increase in UPDRS 3 score. Oscillation scores in the alpha range correlated with bradykinesia and rigidity scores, and oscillation scores in the beta range correlated with bradykinesia score only for pause-burst neurons, while other patterns showed no correlation with PD motor signs. There was also significant negative correlation between bradykinesia score and theta oscillations for pause-burst pattern.

Conclusions

Pause-burst pattern and rhythmic neurons oscillating in the alpha range may affect motor processing in the basal ganglia more prominently than other activity patterns, probably reflecting progressive switching from tonic to burst to rhythmic activity in the parkinsonian state.
Humoral and cellular immune responses and their kinetics vary in dependence of diagnosis and treatment in immunocompromised patients upon COVID-19 mRNA vaccination
Authors: Wagner A. , Garner-Spitzer E. , Schötta A. , Orola M. , Wessely A. , Zwazl I. , Ohradanova-Repic A. , Tajti G. , Gebetsberger L. , Kratzer B. , Tomosel E. , Kutschera M. , Tobudic S. , Pickl W. F. , Kundi M. , Stockinger H. , Novacek G. , Reinisch W. , Zielinski C , Wiedermann U.
Published: December 2021

Background

Knowledge about humoral and cellular immunogenicity and their kinetics following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations in immunosuppressed patients is limited.

Methods

Antibody and cytokine responses were assessed in 263 patients with either solid tumors (SOT, n=63), multiple myeloma (MM, n=70) or inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD, n=130) undergoing various immunosuppressive regimens and from 66 healthy controls before the first and the second, as well as four weeks and 5-6 months after the second mRNA vaccine dose with either BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273.

Findings

Four weeks after the second dose, seroconversion was lower in cancer than in IBD patients and controls, with the highest non-responder rate in MM patients (17.1%). S1-specific IgG levels correlated with neutralizing antibody titers. While antibody responses correlated with cellular responses in controls and IBD patients, IFN-γ and antibody responses did not in SOT and MM patients. At six months, 19.6% of patients with MM and 7.3% with SOT had become seronegative, while IBD patients and controls remained seropositive in 96.3% and 100%, respectively. Vaccinees receiving mRNA-1273 presented higher antibody levels than those vaccinated with BNT162b2.

Interpretation

Cancer patients may launch an inadequate seroresponse in the immediate time range following vaccination and up to six months, correlating with vaccine-specific cellular responses. These findings propose antibody testing in immunosuppressed - along with cellular testing - provides guidance for administration of additional vaccine doses, or may indicate the necessity for antibody treatment. IBD patients respond well to the vaccine, but treatment such as with TNF-α inhibitors may reduce persistence of immune responses.

Funding

The study was sponsored and financed by the Medical University of Vienna – third party funding by the Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine. AOR. and HS acknowledge funding by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF, P 34253-B).
KRAS G12D can be targeted by potent salt-bridge forming inhibitors
Authors: Mao Zhongwei , Xiao Hongying , Shen Panpan , Yang Yu , Xue Jing , Yang Yunyun , Shang Yanguo , Zhang Lilan , Li Xin , Zhang Yuying , Du Yanan , Chen Chun-Chi , Guo Rey-Ting , Zhang Yonghui
Published: December 2021

KRAS mutation occurs in nearly 30% of human cancers, yet the most prevalent and oncogenic KRAS mutation (G12D) still lacks inhibitors. Herein, we explored the formation of a salt-bridge between KRAS’s Asp12 residue and a series of potent inhibitors. Our ITC results show that these inhibitors bind to and inhibit both GDP-bound and GTP-bound KRAS G12D, and our crystallographic studies revealed the structural basis of inhibitor binding in the switch-II pocket, experimentally confirming the formation of a salt-bridge between the piperazine moiety of the inhibitors and the 12D residue of the mutant protein. Among KRAS family proteins and mutants, both ITC and enzymatic assays support the selectivity of the inhibitors for KRAS G12D, and the inhibitors disrupt the KRAS-CRAF interaction. We also observed inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and inhibition of MAPK signaling by a representative inhibitor (TH-Z835); however, since this was not fully dependent on KRAS mutation status, it is possible that our inhibitors may have off-target effects via non-KRAS small GTPases. Experiments with a mouse model of pancreatic cancer showed that TH-Z835 significantly reduced tumor volume and synergized with an anti-PD-1 antibody. Collectively, our study demonstrates proof-of-concept for a salt-bridge, induced-fit pocket strategy for KRAS G12D, which warrants future medicinal chemistry efforts for optimal efficacy and minimized off-target effects.
X-ray focusing by bent crystals: focal positions as predicted by the crystal lens equation and the dynamical diffraction theory
Authors: Guigay Jean-Pierre , Sanchez del Rio Manuel
Published: December 2021

The location of the beam focus when monochromatic X-ray radiation is diffracted by a thin bent crystal is predicted by the `crystal lens equation'. This equation is derived in a general form valid for Bragg and Laue geometries. It has little utility for diffraction in Laue geometry. The focusing effect in the Laue symmetrical case is discussed using concepts of dynamical theory and an extension of the lens equation is proposed. The existence of polychromatic focusing is considered and the feasibility of matching the polychromatic and monochromatic focal positions is discussed.
Mental health correlates of substance use behaviors among a nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders
Authors: Proctor Steven L. , Kopak Albert M.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to extend previous findings by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey of Youth in Residential Placement interview data from 6,920 juvenile offenders (76% male) detained in 290 US facilities were analyzed to determine bivariate relationships between two indicators of substance use (acute and chronic) and seven mental health domains (depression/isolation, anxiety, anger, trauma, inattention, hallucinations and suicidality).

Findings

Prevalence rates of above average indications for all seven mental health domains were significantly higher among offenders under the influence of a substance at the time they committed their instant offense compared to those not under the influence. Offenders with above average indications in the seven studied mental health areas reported a higher level of chronic effects of substance use relative to those with average or below mental health indications.

Practical implications

The results have important implications for the assessment and treatment of co-occurring mental health issues among juvenile offenders with substance use issues. Juveniles with above average mental health indications may be more prone to experiencing a number of substance-related problems. Observed results may guide the implementation of routine assessment procedures at the juvenile detention level. Intake specialists should screen and administer comprehensive mental health assessments for juveniles who report substance intoxication at the time of their instant offense. Juvenile offenders who report clinical levels of mental health symptoms should receive a comprehensive assessment of substance use and related problems.

Originality/value

Although the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health issues among juvenile justice involved populations is well documented, previous research studies in this area have included a number of limitations. Relatively small offender sample populations, often from a single facility, warrant further work with a large, nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders. Inconsistency in measures of substance use and the failure to distinguish between acute and chronic measures of substance use in prior studies also require further investigation. This study contributes to the extant co-occurring substance use and mental health knowledge base by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.
Phenology of Zamia boliviana (Zamiaceae), a threatened species from a seasonally dry biodiversity hotspot in South America
Authors: Segalla Rosane , Pinheiro Fábio , Baronio Gudryan J. , Morellato Leonor Patrícia Cerdeira
Published: December 2021

Dioecy, a character common to all cycads, requires obligatory outcrossing. The absence of potential reproductive mates of the opposite sex renders individuals effectively sterile. Therefore, reproductive synchrony is essential for the reproductive success of cycads. Here, we describe the reproductive phenology, morphology, and lifespan of strobili of Zamia boliviana (Cycadales, Zamiaceae), an endemic cycad in South America. We examined the variation in timing of maturation between polliniferous and ovuliferous individuals in two Z. boliviana populations. Lifespan of polliniferous and ovuliferous strobili was based on direct observations and systematic measurements of strobili development. Phenological study covered three reproductive cohorts in two distinct cycad populations. Lifespan of polliniferous strobili was comprised of four phases and lasted 50 days until the cycle's completion, while ovuliferous strobili underwent seven phases that extended over 330 days until seed dehiscence. Both sexes produced strobili during the dry season. We identified a seasonally synchronous pattern in the reproductive phenology of Z. boliviana, with a major overlap in the phases of emergence, pollen release, and strobili receptivity between sexes, populations, and subsequent years. Reproductive events of Z. boliviana followed the seasonality of the Cerrado vegetation and climate. Synchrony between the period of strobili production and reproductive activity peaks was found in both sexes, but seed dehiscence occurred in the dry season. Our study provides relevant and new biological data for Z. boliviana in its natural habitat, demonstrating a temporal distinction between the lifespan of polliniferous and ovuliferous strobili and the necessary overlap between the release and receptivity of pollen.
Development of a multiprimer metabarcoding approach to understanding trophic interactions in agroecosystems
Authors: Batuecas Ivan , Alomar Oscar , Castañe Cristina , Piñol Josep , Boyer Stéphane , Gallardo‐Montoya Lorena , Agustí Nuria
Published: December 2021

To understand trophic interactions and the precise ecological role of each predatory species, it is important to know which arthropod and plant resources are used by generalist predators in agroecosystems. Molecular approaches, such as the use of high‐throughput sequencing (HTS), play a key role in identifying these resources. This study develops a multiprimer metabarcoding approach for screening the most common trophic interactions of two predatory arthropods with contrasting morphologies, Rhagonycha fulva (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) and Anthocoris nemoralis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) collected from a peach crop. To reduce the time and cost of this metabarcoding approach, we first evaluated the effect of using two different predator‐pools of different size (10 and 23 individuals of the same species). We also used our system to analyze the performance of one and two primer pairs in the same library. Our results show that the analysis of 23 individuals together with the use of two primer pairs in the same library optimize the HTS analysis. Using these best‐performing conditions, we then analyzed the entire bodies of field‐collected predators as well as the washing solutions used to clean the insect bodies. We were able to identify both gut content (i.e., diet) and external pollen load (i.e., on the insects’ bodies). This study also demonstrates the importance of washing predatory insects’ bodies prior to HTS analysis when the target species have a considerable size (>10 mm) and hairy structures. This metabarcoding approach has significant potential for the study of trophic links in agriculture, revealing expected and unexpected trophic relationships.
Geodetic Analysis inside the South Korean Peninsula and Impact of the 2011 Tohoku–Oki (TO) Earthquake
Authors: ANSARI Kutubuddin , PARK Kwan‐Dong
Published: December 2021

The most powerful Tohoku–Oki (TO) earthquake that occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011 affected Japan as well as South Korea. In the current study, we investigated contemporary geodetic deformation inside South Korea before and after the TO earthquake using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements from 01 January 2008 to 31 December 2017. Measured velocities of GNSS sites are modeled by Auto‐regressive moving average (ARMA) method to analyze the long‐term GNSS time‐series variation and to investigate the secular tectonic crustal deformation. We found that the maximum co‐seismic displacements during the TO earthquake reached up to 36.82 ± 0.21 mm in the east and 5.90 ± 0.08 mm in the north directions. The geometric model of the co‐seismic thrust surface was characterized by a rectangular plane with a dip of 12.0° and strike 200°. The thrust is situated at 25 km hypocenter depth, with an area roughly ∼470 km long and ∼120 km wide. The seismicity pattern after the earthquake indicated that the compressional strain started to be replaced by the extensional strain during the post TO earthquake period from 2011 to 2014. Further, the strain became predominantly extensional during the period 2015 to 2017, revealing an effective rotational change that occurred inside the Korean Peninsula.
Miliarial gout: Clinical case and a brief review
Authors: Wei Lei , Wee Charlene Li Ping , Lee Joyce Siong See , Wang Ding Yuan
Published: December 2021

Miliarial gout is a rare clinical variant of chronic tophaceous gout characterised by tiny milia‐like papules containing chalky tophaceous material. In this report, we present a case of miliarial gout in a patient with known history of gouty arthritis and review the reported cases of miliarial gout in the literature to discuss its characteristics, diagnosis and treatment.
Grenz ray therapy in disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis: A case series of 17 patients
Authors: Ting Sarajane , Webster Michael
Published: December 2021

The treatments available for disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) have been limited and have variable efficacy. We report the largest case series to date of the use of Grenz ray therapy in 17 patients with DSAP. There was at least 50% improvement in DSAP lesions in all cases. Erythema, itching and burning were common side effects of Grenz ray therapy. We believe that Grenz ray therapy may be an effective treatment option for patients with DSAP.
Pharmacological and clinical implications of local anaesthetic mixtures: a narrative review
Authors: Nestor C. C. , Ng C. , Sepulveda P. , Irwin M. G.
Published: December 2021

Various techniques have been explored to prolong the duration and improve the efficacy of local anaesthetic nerve blocks. Some of these involve mixing local anaesthetics or adding adjuncts. We did a literature review of studies published between 01 May 2011 and 01 May 2021 that studied specific combinations of local anaesthetics and adjuncts. The rationale behind mixing long‐ and short‐acting local anaesthetics to hasten onset and extend duration is flawed on pharmacokinetic principles. Most local anaesthetic adjuncts are not licensed for use in this manner and the consequences of untested admixtures and adjuncts range from making the solution ineffective to potential harm. Pharmaceutical compatibility needs to be established before administration. The compatibility of drugs from the same class cannot be inferred and each admixture requires individual review. Precipitation on mixing (steroids, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs) and subsequent embolisation can lead to serious adverse events, although these are rare. The additive itself or its preservative can have neurotoxic (adrenaline, midazolam) and/or chondrotoxic properties (non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs). The prolongation of block may occur at the expense of motor block quality (ketamine) or block onset (magnesium). Adverse effects for some adjuncts appear to be dose‐dependent and recommendations concerning optimal dosing are lacking. An important confounding factor is whether studies used systemic administration of the adjunct as a control to accurately identify an additional benefit of perineural administration. The challenge of how best to prolong block duration while minimising adverse events remains a topic of interest with further research required.
Objective confirmation of asthma diagnosis, treatment adherence and patient outcomes in children and adolescents
Authors: Aarestrup Louise K. , Hermansen Mette N. , Prahl Julie , Hansen Kirsten S. , Chawes Bo L.
Published: December 2021

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic workup in children with asthma hypothesising that objective confirmation of the diagnosis is associated with improved treatment adherence and patient outcomes.

Methods

We reviewed medical records of children aged 5–18 years diagnosed with asthma at the Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Herlev‐Gentofte Hospital, Denmark, in 2018. Objective confirmation of the diagnosis was based on either (1) lung function, (2) bronchodilator response, (3) bronchial hyperresponsiveness and/or (4) elevated FeNO and was associated with treatment adherence (proportion of days covered, PDC), lung function development and exacerbations during a two‐year follow‐up period.

Results

A total of 88 children were included. Asthma was objectively confirmed in 67 (76%). Children with objective confirmation of the diagnosis were more likely to redeem short‐acting beta‐2‐agonist prescriptions: at least once, aOR = 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1–13.1), p = 0.036, and were more adherent to inhaled corticosteroid treatment: PDC>80%, aOR = 10.4 (1.8–201.1), p = 0.033. Further, objective confirmation was associated with improved lung function and reduced bronchodilator response, but not with exacerbations.

Conclusion

Objective confirmation of the asthma diagnosis in children is associated with an increased treatment adherence and improved lung function, which underlines the importance of conducting objective tests in the diagnostic workup in paediatric asthma management.
Pharmacoethics and pregnancy: Overcoming the therapeutic orphan stigma
Authors: Kazma Jamil M. , Van Den Anker John , Ahmadzia Homa K.
Published: December 2021

There is paucity of evidence to support clinical decision making and counselling related to medication use in pregnancy. Despite multiple efforts from legislative bodies and advocacy groups, the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical drug trials assessing efficacy and safety remains scarce. Pregnancy can be complicated by multiple comorbidities that require pharmacological intervention; these interventions primarily target the pregnant woman but also sometimes have secondary effects for the foetus. The US Food and Drug Administration has issued multiple guidance documents on incorporating pregnant women in clinical trials to aid pharmaceutical companies in designing a protocol to ensure safety and adherence to ethical standards. Advances in paediatric pharmacology studies provide lessons for researchers on the best practice of designing clinical trials with inclusion of patients from special populations. In this review, we present the status of pregnant women in clinical trials, highlighting the ethical stigma and possible future directives.
“Uncivilized children” or “victims of dementia”: Interpretations of aggression in older assisted living tenants
Authors: Saj Danielle , Funk Laura M. , Gerbrandt Emily , Spencer Dale , Herron Rachel
Published: December 2021

This study explores interpretations of interpersonal aggression involving older adults, through an analysis of semi‐structured interview data from 13 assisted living (AL) tenants and 19 AL service and/or care workers. Differing relations (tenant‐tenant and tenant‐worker) shape the kinds of tenant actions experienced as problematic and/or aggressive. Tenants and workers invoke communal living, aging, and dementia as explanatory frames, in part to mitigate victimization experiences through normalization and neutralization. This was more prominent among workers, who are less able to enact empowering responses as they sought to keep working in difficult circumstances. Structural constraints, and the power and social hierarchies that contribute to victimization, generate interpretive responses that obscure fulsome and contextualized understandings of the problem while further reinforcing oppressive discourses including a sense of the inevitability of aggression in older adults–especially those living with dementia.
Extracutaneous neutrophilic infiltration of the spleen and lung associated with pyoderma gangrenosum of the skin
Authors: Arai Sakurako , Furukawa Nao , Takahama Makoto , Kodai Shintaro , Ishii Naomi , Nakagawa Hidenori , Yamasaki Tomoaki , Kusutani Nao , Maekawa Naoki , Fukai Kazuyoshi
Published: December 2021

We describe a patient with extracutaneous pyoderma gangrenosum (PG), who presented with chest pain. Histological examination showed extracutaneous neutrophilic infiltration of the spleen and lung, with later findings of PG.
Stress amongst paediatric dental postgraduate students in India: A mixed‐method approach
Authors: Asokan Sharath , Pollachi Ramakrishnan GeethaPriya , Ranganatham Kirthi Varshini , Viswanath Sudhandra , Sivasamy Shyam
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Dental profession is one of the most stressful healthcare occupations. Paediatric dental postgraduates face multifaceted challenges in their everyday practice. This study aimed to determine the sources of stress amongst paediatric dental postgraduate students in India using a mixed‐method approach.

Materials and Methods

A sequential mixed‐methods approach was employed. In the quantitative phase, a cross‐sectional web‐based questionnaire survey was conducted amongst paediatric dental postgraduates in India using the “Google Forms application” link. Based on the Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire, the stress PACT questionnaire which includes 35 items was framed and validated. This validated questionnaire was used in the survey. In the qualitative phase, one‐on‐one, semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted amongst 12 postgraduates.

Results

A total of 422 participants took part in the quantitative survey. Academic and specialty‐related domains were found to be the significant causes of stress amongst the five domains (p < .001). The top three stressful factors were as follows: getting an ideal case for clinical exams (68.2%), financial resources for conferences, dissertation, short studies and publications (53.2%) and fear of unemployment after graduation (52.3%). Based on qualitative interviews, four themes were derived, namely choice of paediatric dentistry, postgraduate life experience, stress management and expected changes in postgraduate life.

Conclusion

Psychological well‐being of the student is an important factor that influences the overall performance of students. Identifying the stress factors and using appropriate coping strategies can help postgraduates achieve personal, academic and professional success.
Highly mixed impacts of near‐future climate change on stock productivity proxies in the North East Atlantic
Authors: Kjesbu Olav Sigurd , Sundby Svein , Sandø Anne Britt , Alix Maud , Hjøllo Solfrid Sætre , Tiedemann Maik , Skern‐Mauritzen Mette , Junge Claudia , Fossheim Maria , Thorsen Broms Cecilie , Søvik Guldborg , Zimmermann Fabian , Nedreaas Kjell , Eriksen Elena , Höffle Hannes , Hjelset Ann Merete , Kvamme Cecilie , Reecht Yves , Knutsen Halvor , Aglen Asgeir , Albert Ole Thomas , Berg Erik , Bogstad Bjarte , Durif Caroline , Halvorsen Kim Tallaksen , Høines Åge , Hvingel Carsten , Johannesen Edda , Johnsen Espen , Moland Even , Skuggedal Myksvoll Mari , Nøttestad Leif , Olsen Erik , Skaret Georg , Skjæraasen Jon Egil , Slotte Aril , Staby Arved , Stenevik Erling Kåre , Stiansen Jan Erik , Stiasny Martina , Sundet Jan H. , Vikebø Frode , Huse Geir
Published: December 2021

Impacts of climate change on ocean productivity sustaining world fisheries are predominantly negative but vary greatly among regions. We assessed how 39 fisheries resources—ranging from data‐poor to data‐rich stocks—in the North East Atlantic are most likely affected under the intermediate climate emission scenario RCP4.5 towards 2050. This region is one of the most productive waters in the world but subjected to pronounced climate change, especially in the northernmost part. In this climate impact assessment, we applied a hybrid solution combining expert opinions (scorings)—supported by an extensive literature review—with mechanistic approaches, considering stocks in three different large marine ecosystems, the North, Norwegian and Barents Seas. This approach enabled calculation of the directional effect as a function of climate exposure and sensitivity attributes (life‐history schedules), focusing on local stocks (conspecifics) across latitudes rather than the species in general. The resulting synopsis (50–82°N) contributes substantially to global assessments of major fisheries (FAO, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2020), complementing related studies off northeast United States (35–45°N) (Hare et al., PLoS One, 2016, 11, e0146756) and Portugal (37–42°N) (Bueno‐Pardo et al., Scientific Reports, 2021, 11, 2958). Contrary to prevailing fisheries forecasts elsewhere, we found that most assessed stocks respond positively. However, the underlying, extensive environmental clines implied that North East Atlantic stocks will develop entirely different depending upon the encountered stressors: cold‐temperate stocks at the southern and Arctic stocks at the northern fringes appeared severely negatively impacted, whereas warm‐temperate stocks expanding from south were found to do well along with cold‐temperate stocks currently inhabiting below‐optimal temperatures in the northern subregion.
Hydraulic Conductivity from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Logs in Sediments with Elevated Magnetic Susceptibilities
Authors: Crow Heather , Paradis Daniel , Grunewald Elliot , Liang Xiao Xia , Russell Hazen A.J.
Published: December 2021

This study examined the application of slim‐hole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tools to estimate hydraulic conductivity (KNMR) in an unconsolidated aquifer that contains a range of grain sizes (silt to gravel) and high and variable magnetic susceptibilities (MS) (10−4 to 10−2 SI). A K calibration dataset was acquired at 1‐m intervals in three fully screened wells, and compared to KNMR estimates using the Schlumberger‐Doll research (SDR) equation with published empirical constants developed from previous studies in unconsolidated sediments. While KNMR using published constants was within an order of magnitude of K, the agreement, overprediction, or underprediction of KNMR varied with the MS distribution in each well. An examination of the effects of MS on NMR data and site‐specific empirical constants indicated that the exponent on T2ML (n‐value in the SDR equation, representing the diffusion regime) was found to have the greatest influence on KNMR estimation accuracy, while NMR porosity did not improve the prediction of K. KNMR was further improved by integrating an MS log into the NMR analyses. A first approach detrended T2ML for the effects of MS prior to calculating KNMR, and a second approach introduced an MS term into the SDR equation. Both were found to produce similar refinements of KNMR in intervals of elevated MS. This study found that low frequency NMR logging with short echo times shows promise for sites with moderate to elevated MS levels, and recommends a workflow that examines parameter relationships and integrates MS logs into the estimation of KNMR.