bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uphill Battle: Forest Rights and Restoration on Podu Landscapes in Keonjhar, Odisha
Authors: Valencia Laura M.
Published: January 2022

In response to the global climate emergency and biodiversity loss, environmental advocates promote ecological restoration of millions of hectares of the world’s degraded forest lands. Lands of high value to restoration are home to nearly 300 million people, including 12% of low- and middle-income country populations. In this article, I respond to calls for greater empirical investigation into the social impacts of forest landscape restoration. Through spatial and ethnographic analysis of forest restoration in Keonjhar, Odisha (India), I show that state-led afforestation efforts contradict a decade of forest tenure reform which sought to decentralize and decolonize forest governance. I explore how state-led efforts ignore (and inhibit) the continued protagonism of forest-dwelling communities in forest regeneration on their customary lands. Weaving accounts from 1992 onwards across six villages and 22 plantations, I characterize state strategies as an ‘uphill battle’: by systematically selecting shifting cultivation (podu) uplands for enclosure and tree plantation, forest agencies contribute to a lose-lose situation where neither forest restoration nor forest rights are realized. Investigating this process from colonial forest policy to the present, I leverage a critical political ecology perspective that supports calls for rights-based restoration.
The Impacts of Population Aging on China’s Economy
Authors: Hsu Yuan-Ho , Yoshida Hiroshi , Chen Fengming
Published: January 2022

The Chinese economy had an extraordinary average GDP growth rate of 8.50 percent from 1980 to 2018. However, the implementation of one-child policy in the late 1970s has depressed the total fertility rate to below the replacement rate since 1992. China thus experienced an increasing composition of older populations in the past three decades, which puts pressure on Chinese economic growth and makes its eye-catching economic growth potentially unsustainable. This study develops an overlapping generations (OLG) model to investigate the impacts of this demographic transition in the Chinese economy. This study conducts six policy reform exercises to examine measures that could improve the sustainability of fiscal and pension systems. The simulation results indicate that a mild tax increase on either wage income or consumption does not improve the fiscal stance but creates distortionary effects on saving and consumption behaviors. Of the pension reform measures considered, the combination of extending the mandatory retirement age and cutting the replacement ratio offers the most significant improvement to pension sustainability. However, increasing the contribution rate of the working-age population has the least effect on pension sustainability and a noticeable distortionary effect on the consumption ratio and saving rate.
China in the Shadow of Russia: Covert Tools for Expanding China’s Influence over Kyrgyzstan’s Security
Authors: Muratalieva Zamira Tulkunovna , Esenbekova Asia Tashtanbekovna , Tatkalo Nadezhda Sergeevna
Published: January 2022

The article examines the set of tools that China is using to expand its influence in Kyrgyzstan’s security sphere and the relationship of these actions to Russia’s traditional role in the region. Through in-depth interviews with experts in the military field, the authors conclude that Beijing is gradually ‘maximising power’ in relation to Russia, which still occupies a leading position in Central Asia (including education and the supply of weapons), in a manner that is non-aggressive and covert. These actions are reflected in the non-institutionalised nature of China’s interactions with countries in the region, which are more beneficial, in contrast, to institutionalised mechanisms. Beijing is betting on its ‘safe city’ system in Central Asia, which will allow the country to solve its own internal problems (Uyghur separatism, terrorism) while also strengthening Chinese influence in the security sphere by permitting it access to the data of Kyrgyz citizens and by making Kyrgyzstan more financially dependent on China; its educational programs for security service employees in Central Asia, which will, in turn, prepare the ground for the legalisation of the activities of Chinese PMCs (military contractors or ‘private military companies’).
Access to Medicines and Medical Equipment during COVID-19: Searching Compatibility between the WTO and the WHO
Authors: Kumar Mrityunjay , Fatma Ayesha , Bharti Nalin
Published: January 2022

Affordable access to medicines is a key determinant of a country’s resilience to health crises. The modern hyper-connected international trade and production networks have a vital role to play in ensuring this accessibility, especially in the context of a pandemic. This article focuses on medicines and medical equipment and analyses the synergistic role of the two international organisations—The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and The World Health Organisation (WHO), in assuring affordable access to these goods globally. WHO is responsible for global healthcare regulations; however, the medical supply chain originates in a few developed countries, manufactured in bulk (in case of medicine) at low cost in developing countries, and finally traded worldwide. Here, the role of WTO comes in where it facilitates global trade cooperation and intellectual property rights monitoring, both key elements in medical goods production and trading. Despite the need for cooperation in mitigating COVID-19, much of the global response to COVID-19 has been fragmented and inward-looking. This lack of coordination has serious repercussions especially for developing countries. We use qualitative content analysis methodology, connecting concepts of cooperation theory and global governance to identify the joint role of the two organisations in fostering global cooperation in medical goods accessibility.
Schaffer v. Weast’s Effects on California Special Education Hearing Decisions
Authors: Itkonen Tiina , Tomlin Bryan , Correia Manuel G. , Sanchez Luis A. , Schneider Tracie , Kooker Kellie
Published: January 2022

This research examined the associations between Schaffer v. Weast (2005) and special education due process hearing decisions in California. Using a database we coded from the state’s due process hearings for cases that reached a decision (years 1995–2019), this study analyzed (1) how legal representation and the filing party affected the probability of the student fully or partially prevailing in these cases, and (2) how Schaffer affected student representation and the prevailing party before and after this ruling. The results indicate that while students were statistically as likely to be plaintiffs and/or represented by an attorney before and after the 2005 time break in the study, the decision raised the bar for students as the likelihood of favorable outcomes for students fell significantly in the wake of the ruling.
Prognostic Value of Combined Lactate Dehydrogenase, C-Reactive Protein, Cancer Antigen 153 and Cancer Antigen 125 in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Ma Yu-yuan , Wang Han , Zhao Wei-dong , Li Yi-Fan , Wang Jing-jing , Chen Xing-yu , Huang Yue-qing , Wang Wen-jie , Wang Ying , Sun Shi-Chang
Published: January 2022

Background

Breast cancer (BC), especially metastatic BC, is one of the most lethal diseases in women. CA 125 and CA 15-3 are commonly used indicators for diagnosis and prognosis of BC. Some serological indicators, such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP), can also be used to assess the prognosis and progression in BC.

Methods

Univariate Cox regression analysis and LASSO regression analysis were performed to identify prognostic factors and build prognostic models. We distributed the patients into 2 groups based on the median risk score, analyzed prognosis by Kaplan–Meier curve, and screened independent prognostic factors by multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Result

We identified 4 indicators-LDH, CRP, CA 15-3, and CA 125—related to the prognosis in BC and established a prognostic model. The high LDH group showed worse overall survival (OS) than low LDH group ( P = .017; hazard ratio (HR), 1.528; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.055-2.215). The high CRP group showed worse OS than low CRP group ( P = .004; HR, 1.666; 95% CI, 1.143-2.429). The high CA153 group showed worse OS than low CA 15-3 group (P=.011; HR, 1.563; 95% CI, 1.075-2.274). The high CA 125 group showed worse OS than low CA 125 group ( P = .021; HR, 1.499; 95% CI, 1.031-2.181). The area under the curve for risk score was .824, Ki-67 was .628, age was .511, and grade was .545. Risk score was found to be an independent prognostic factor using multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Conclusion

We successfully established an optimization model by combining 4 prognosis-related indicators to assess the prognosis in patients with metastatic BC.
Endogenous Moderator Models: What They are, What They Aren’t, and Why it Matters
Authors: Cortina Jose M. , Dormann Christian , Markell Hannah M. , Keener Sheila K.
Published: January 2022

Models that combine moderation and mediation are increasingly common. One such model is that in which one variable causes another variable that, in turn, moderates the relationship between two other variables. There are many recent examples of these Endogenous Moderator Models (EMMs). They bear little superficial resemblance to second-stage moderation models, and they are almost never conceptualized and tested as such. We use path analytic equations to show that this is precisely what EMMs are. Specifically, we use these path analytic equations and a review of recent EMMs in order to show that these models are seldom conceptualized or tested properly and to understand the best ways to handle such models. We then use Monte Carlo simulation to show the consequences of testing these models as they are typically tested rather than as second-stage moderation models. We end with recommendations and provide example datasets and code for SPSS and R.
Twelve-year follow up of a case of autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy with transient resolution of retinal edema in one eye
Authors: Remolí Sargues Lidia , Monferrer Adsuara Clara , Rodríguez López Raquel , Gallego Pinazo Roberto , Montero Hernández Javier , Castro Navarro Verónica , Cervera Taulet Enrique
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To report 12-year follow-up of a patient with ARB.

Case report

A 25-year-old man presented with blurred vision in his both eyes (OU). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/63 Snellen equivalent in the right eye (OD) and 20/32 Snellen equivalent in the left eye. The intraocular pressures and anterior segment examination were unrevealing in OU. Posterior segment examination revealed multiple yellowish flecks and dots in the posterior pole in OU. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal hyporeflective spaces, elongated and shaggy photoreceptors and outer retinal defects. Fundus autofluorescence demonstrated mottling hyperautofluorescence and hypoautofluorescence in the posterior pole in OU. Fluorescein angiography illustrated hyperfluorescence in the posterior pole and surrounding the arcades in OU. Multifocal electroretinography objectified mild to markedly abnormal responses in all ring areas in OU. Molecular genetic testing confirmed two heterozygous sequence variations in the BEST1 gene. At 4 years of follow-up, OCT revealed a complete resolution of SRF and a partial resolution of intraretinal hyporeflective spaces in the OD with corresponding improvement in the BCVA to 20/23 Snellen equivalent in the OD, even though outer retinal defects persisted. Our patient denied recent changes in his alimentary habits and medical history at that time. Posteriorly, SRF and intraretinal hyporeflective spaces reappeared in the OD.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of ARB with a transient resolution of retinal edema in one eye without medical treatment and dietary therapy.
Photorefractive keratectomy after DMEK for corneal decompensation by phakic IOL
Authors: Moura-Coelho Nuno , Manero Felicidad , Papa Renato , Amich Nicolas , Cunha João Paulo , Güell José Luis
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To provide the first description of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for the correction of mild residual refractive error after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

Methods

Case report.

Results

A 45 year-old woman presenting with phakic intraocular lens (PIOL)-related corneal decompensation underwent staged DMEK surgery following PIOL explantation and cataract surgery. Eighteen months after DMEK, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) was 20/60 and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/22, with a stable refraction. The patient requested refractive surgery to decrease spectacle dependance, and wavefront-optimized PRK was performed. At last follow-up observation thirty-three months after PRK (54 months after DMEK surgery), UDVA was 20/20, the cornea remained clear without signs of rejection or endothelial failure, and the endothelial cell loss rate was not accelerated after PRK.

Conclusion

Since long-term visual and refractive stability can be expected after DMEK, PRK may be a particular safe and effective approach for the correction of mild residual refractive errors after DMEK. However, we consider that surgeons must exercise caution when considering keratorefractive surgery in these eyes due to postoperative changes in corneal curvature and thickness, and further studies are encouraged.
Overcoming epistemic injustices in the biomedical study of ayahuasca: Towards ethical and sustainable regulation
Authors: Schenberg Eduardo Ekman , Gerber Konstantin
Published: January 2022

After decades of biomedical research on ayahuasca's molecular compounds and their physiological effects, recent clinical trials show evidence of therapeutic potential for depression. However, indigenous peoples have been using ayahuasca therapeutically for a very long time, and thus we question the epistemic authority attributed to scientific studies, proposing that epistemic injustices were committed with practical, cultural, social, and legal consequences. We question epistemic authority based on the double-blind design, the molecularization discourse, and contextual issues about safety. We propose a new approach to foster epistemically fair research, outlining how to enforce indigenous rights, considering the Brazilian, Peruvian, and Colombian cases. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect, and develop their biocultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and cultural expressions, including traditional medicine practices. New regulations about ayahuasca must respect the free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous peoples according to the International Labor Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention no. 169. The declaration of the ayahuasca complex as a national cultural heritage may prevent patenting from third parties, fostering the development of traditional medicine. When involving isolated compounds derived from traditional knowledge, benefit-sharing agreements are mandatory according to the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity. Considering the extremely high demand to treat millions of depressed patients, the medicalization of ayahuasca without adequate regulation respectful of indigenous rights can be detrimental to indigenous peoples and their management of local environments, potentially harming the sustainability of the plants and of the Amazon itself, which is approaching its dieback tipping point.
Starving to death and the anorexic frame of mind
Authors: Radden Jennifer
Published: January 2022

Because some forms of self-starvation such as hunger striking are exempt from attributions of pathology, and due to incomplete understanding of its etiology, anorexia nervosa (AN) is and must presently be defined by psychological criteria as well as behavioral and bodily measures. Although opaque, typical motivational frames of mind in AN lack the apparent cognitive and volitional dysfunction usually indicating disorder. In contrast to other conditions that exhibit more evident dysfunction, this distinguishes AN from the perspective of medical epistemology: the opacity of AN motivation jeopardizing the epistemic warrant for assigning it to the category of a mental disorder (and so influencing decisions over diagnosis and recovery). This seems to invite non-medical approaches to its prevention and care.
Climate change and Indigenous mental health in the Circumpolar North: A systematic review to inform clinical practice
Authors: Lebel Laurence , Paquin Vincent , Kenny Tiff-Annie , Fletcher Christopher , Nadeau Lucie , Chachamovich Eduardo , Lemire Mélanie
Published: January 2022

Climate change is disproportionally impacting the Circumpolar North, with particular impacts among Indigenous populations. Environmental changes are felt in many aspects of daily life of Northern communities, including both physical and mental health. Thus, health institutions from around the Arctic must meet emerging needs, while the phenomenon remains marginal to their southern counterparts. In this systematic review, we aimed to review current scientific knowledge on the mental health impacts of climate change in Indigenous Peoples across the Circumpolar North. Seven databases were searched. Original peer-reviewed research articles were included if they addressed links between climate change and mental health in Arctic or Subarctic Indigenous Populations. After extraction, data were synthesized using thematic analysis. Of the 26 articles that met inclusion criteria, 16 focused on Canadian Inuit communities and 21 were exclusively qualitative. Being on the land was identified as a central determinant of wellbeing. Immediate impacts of climate change on mental health were felt through restricted mobility and disrupted livelihoods. Effects on mental health were further felt through changes in culture and identity, food insecurity, interpersonal stress and conflicts, and housing problems. Various ways in how communities and individuals are coping with these effects were reported. Understanding climate-related pathways of mental health risks in the Arctic is crucial to better identify vulnerable groups and to foster resilience. Clinicians can play a role in recognizing and providing support for patients affected by these disruptions. Policies sensitive to the climate–mental health relationship must be advocated for.
A decade of socioeconomic inequality in type 2 diabetes area-level prevalence: an unshakeable status quo?
Authors: Tapager Ina , Bender Anne Mette , Andersen Ingelise
Published: January 2022

Aims:

It is well known that there is a socioeconomic gradient in the prevalence of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We present a simple assessment of the macro-level association between area socioeconomic disadvantage and the area-level prevalence of T2DM in Danish municipalities and the development in this relationship over the last decade.

Methods:

We used readily available public data on the socioeconomic composition of municipalities and T2DM prevalence to illustrate this association and report the absolute and relative summary measures of socioeconomic inequality over the time period 2008–2018.

Results:

The results show a persistent relationship between municipality socioeconomic disadvantage and T2DM prevalence across all analyses, with a modelled gap in T2DM prevalence between the most and least disadvantaged municipalities, the slope index of inequality, of 1.23 [0.97;1.49] in 2018.

Conclusions:

These results may be used to indicate areas with specific needs, to encourage systematic monitoring of socioeconomic gradients in health, and to provide a descriptive backdrop for a discussion of how to tackle these socioeconomic and geographic inequalities, which seem to persist even in the context of the comprehensive welfare systems in Scandinavia.
Psychosocial job conditions and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: A cross-sectional study in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS)
Authors: Söderberg Mia , Eriksson Helena , Torén Kjell , Bergström Göran , Andersson Eva , Rosengren Annika
Published: January 2022

Aims:

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between psychosocial work exposure and the presence of biological and imaging biomarkers of cardiovascular disease.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a sub-cohort of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS). Psychosocial exposure was evaluated with the job demand–control model, and analysed according to the standard categorization: high strain, active, passive and low strain (reference). Biomarkers (blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, coronary artery calcification (CAC) and metabolic syndrome) were measured, or derived through measurements, from clinical examinations. Gender-specific prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with regression models and adjusted for age, education, smoking, physical activity, general life stress and body mass index (BMI).

Results:

The analyses included 3882 participants (52.5% women). High strain (high demands–low control) was linked to increased PR for low HDL cholesterol in women, adjusted for all covariates (PR 1.76; 95% CI 1.25–2.48). High strain was also related to moderately increased PR for metabolic syndrome in men, after adjustments for all covariates except BMI (PR 1.25; 95% CI 1.02–1.52). In addition, passive work (low demands–low control) was associated with diastolic hypertension in women (fully adjusted: PR 1.29; 95% CI 1.05–1.59). All relationships between psychosocial factors and LDL cholesterol or CAC (both genders), or hypertension (men), were non-significant.

Conclusions:

Poor psychosocial job conditions was associated with the presence of low HDL cholesterol and diastolic hypertension in women, and metabolic syndrome in men. These findings contribute to the knowledge of potential pathways between stressful work and coronary heart disease.
Hybrid extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation following traumatic pneumonectomy: A case report
Authors: Conhaim Jay I , Levinsky Nick C , Barger Paige L , Palomino Heather L
Published: January 2022

A 28-year-old man presented in extremis after a motorcycle crash. Following traumatic pneumonectomy, he developed right heart failure and was placed on veno-arterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) only to transition to veno-arteriovenous (VAV) ECMO due to persistent hypoxemia. Resulting flow limitation caused distal ischemia of his left leg, requiring thrombectomy and fasciotomy. Potential loss of limb necessitated transitioning to veno-venous (VV) ECMO from which he was successfully decannulated thereafter. ECMO can bridge recovery following the most dire injuries, and hybrid strategies can ameliorate post-operative complications; however, ECMO itself carries significant risks that must be weighed against intended benefit.
Analysis of gait synchrony and balance in neurodevelopmental disorders using computer vision techniques
Authors: Ardalan Adel , Yamane Natasha , Rao Ashwini K , Montes Jacqueline , Goldman Sylvie
Published: January 2022

Gait tasks are commonly administered during motor assessments of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Gait analyses are often conducted in laboratory settings using costly and cumbersome experiments. In this paper, we propose a computational pipeline using computer vision techniques as an ecological and precise method to quantify gait in children with NDDs with challenging behaviors. We analyzed videos of 15 probands (PB) and 12 typically developing (TD) siblings, engaged in a preferred-pace walking task, using pose estimation software to track points of interest on their bodies over time. Analyzing the extracted information revealed that PB children had significantly less whole-body gait synchrony and poorer balance compared to their TD siblings. Our work offers a cost-effective method while preserving the validity of its results. This remote approach increases access to more diverse and distant cohorts and thus lowers barriers to research participation, further enriching our understanding of motor outcomes in NDDs.
Sovereignty as new beginnings: Action beyond the liberal subject, among undercover police investigators in Europe, for example
Authors: Feldman Gregory
Published: January 2022

This article argues that Schmitt's “state of exception” is only one expression of the deeper sovereign phenomenon, specifically the human capacity to inaugurate new beginnings in shared space. Sovereign action thus includes anything from Schmitt's vertically-imposed state of exception, which eliminates political subjecthood, to the thrill of horizontally-arranged movements, which enable it. To make this argument, the article foregoes the idea of the bounded, internally coherent liberal subject in favor of a relational subject, who is both internally divided and inherently tied to others. The subject's instability and relationality make new beginnings possible and renders sovereign action promising, even if risky. An unexpected example of this fuller view of sovereignty appears in an undercover police team in southern Europe that investigates global human smuggling and trafficking rings. Based on extensive ethnographic research, this article shows how they often act on their own ethical judgments, reached by considering the standpoints of people tied to their investigations, rather than through obedience to law, policy, or superior command. Acting outside constitutional order, these investigators, (re)constitute themselves as particular persons through their joint actions and simultaneously constitute modest sovereign spaces, however tentatively.
Medical Brigades to El Salvador and Honduras: Travel imaginaries and volunteer tourist recruitment
Authors: Morrissey Marietta
Published: January 2022

In this paper, I explore travel imaginaries in the recruitment of participants to short-term medical brigades in El Salvador and Honduras. I look in particular at how trip leaders and organization website frame the volunteer tourist experience, drawing on familiar, shared imaginaries of poor, backward international settings, and related performative interventions that echo white colonial relationships. Recruitment messaging offers little specific or informed sense of place, ignoring the national histories and socio-economic circumstances of the receiving countries. As a consequence, the health profiles and capacities of El Salvador and Honduras are finally obscured in favor of the valorized performance of visitors and externally-driven protocols and care. The efforts of some brigade sponsors and related organizations to improve health-care delivery to local communities, in particular fundraising among brigade participants and other donors, would seem to separate the link between travel and volunteerism. They continue, however, to reinforce broadly-held imaginaries of international poverty and economic backwardness and related rescue by the Global North. A more realistic understanding of Honduran and Salvadoran economies and politics remains elusive and requires a reorientation of voluntary engagement.
Linguistic hegemony in global recognition: English-mediated internationalisation at Indonesian higher education institutions
Authors: Muslim Ahmad B , Suherdi Didi , Imperiani Ernie DA
Published: January 2022

To increase global recognition and quality education, universities in Indonesia establish English-mediated International University Programs (IUPs). Within different capacities and resources, however, internationalisation sometimes preserves inequalities among Indonesian higher education institutions (IHEIs). This study investigates how the practice of English-mediated internationalisation may not only support global recognition and quality education but also perpetuate linguistic hegemony. Framed by Canagarajah’s (1999b) Linguistic Imperialism (LI) and Pennycook’s (2017) critical perspective of English as an international language, government document analysis and semi-structured interviews with lecturers and students reveal different international programs, ranging from deliberation to initial emergence. Most IUPs are deliberately designed to cater for international students by providing high-standard infrastructure, international curriculum and quality human resources in order to increase international admissions and partnerships which are essential for international recognition. Despite these attempts, several have not been successful in attracting international enrolments and recognition. In contrast, other programs are not deliberate but are initially emerging to become international and attract overseas students. The study also discusses some emerging linguistic hegemony between English and maintenance of national language in the internationalisation of the Indonesian tertiary sector.
A Single-Center Study on the Outcomes of Target Limb Revascularization in Femoropopliteal Lesions Treated With Drug Coated Balloons and Bare Metal Stents
Authors: Linehan Victoria , Doyle Maria , Barrett Brendan , Gullipalli Ravindra
Published: January 2022

Purpose:

Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that both drug coated balloons (DCBs) and bare metal stents (BMSs) significantly reduce restenosis in femoropopliteal lesions compared with plain balloon angioplasty. However, few studies have directly compared DCB and BMS treatments. Therefore, the goal of our study was to determine if the rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) differs between DCB and BMS treatment at our center.

Materials and methods:

We performed a retrospective chart review of femoropopliteal interventions at a single center from 2009 to 2017. The intervention, patient and lesion characteristics, and TLR events were recorded. Exclusion criteria were loss of follow-up, death, bail-out stenting, and amputation within 60 days of treatment. Freedom from TLR was analyzed over a 3 year period with Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Cox hazard ratios were calculated to account for patient and lesion characteristics.

Results:

A total of 322 lesions (234 patients) treated with DCBs and 225 lesions (194 patients) treated with BMSs were included in this study. There were significant differences in baseline patient and lesion characteristics between groups—a greater proportion of women, patients with dyslipidemia, and lesions with popliteal involvement were treated with DCBs. There was no difference in the freedom from TLR between DCBs and BMSs. Accounting for patient and lesion characteristics, there was still no difference between DCBs and BMSs on the hazard of TLR. While our analysis did not detect a difference in the rate of TLR, there was a significant difference in the type of TLR. Compared with DCBs, a greater proportion of lesions initially treated with BMSs were retreated via surgical bypass rather than endovascular intervention, suggesting that lesions treated with DCBs may be more amenable to future endovascular intervention.

Conclusion:

Our retrospective analysis showed no difference in the rate of TLR between lesions treated with DCBs and BMSs. However, DCBs were more often used in complicated lesions involving popliteal arteries and may also allow for easier endovascular reintervention.
Coaxial electrospinning preparation and antibacterial property of polylactic acid/tea polyphenol nanofiber membrane
Authors: Wu Jie , Liu Shuqiang , Zhang Man , Wu Gaihong , Yu Haidan , Li Huimin , Li Fu , Jia Lu
Published: January 2022

The polylactic acid (PLA)/tea polyphenol (TP) nanofiber membranes were prepared by coaxial electrospinning. The physical properties, antibacterial agent release, degradation, and antibacterial properties were investigated. Results demonstrated that stepwise and controlled antibacterial agent release profiles were achieved based on the core-shell configuration and disparate degradation rate of PLA and TP. The mechanical performance decreased with the increase of the TP content in the shell layer. The cumulative antibacterial agent release rate of nanofiber membranes with different TP content was different, while the antibacterial agent release trend was the same. The antibacterial agent release rate of the sample was the fastest at the initial stage from 2 h to 8 h, and then gradually slowed down after 24 h. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the PLA/TP nanofiber membranes was confirmed by the inhibition zone method against both Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli). Results showed that the antibacterial performance of PLA/TP nanofiber was intensified with the increasing content of TP, especially had better antibacterial performance against S. aureus.
Oxidative removal of As(III) by polyacrylonitrile@Ag-Ag2O/schwertmannite nanofiber under visible light
Authors: Han Jing , Ren Hai-Tao , Li Ting-Ting , Shiu Bing-Chiuan , Li Yong-Gui , Lin Jia-Horng , Lou Ching-Wen
Published: January 2022

Visible light response PAN@Ag-Ag2O/Sch (PAN@AS, schwertmannite and polyacrylonitrile abbreviated as Sch and PAN) nanofibers with different mass ratios were synthesized by electrospinning technology and pH-induced precipitation reaction. X-Ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the formation of Ag-Ag2O/Sch heterojunction and Ag-Ag2O nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of Sch. The prepared nanofibers have high oxidative removal performance for As(III) under visible light. In the PAN@AS0.10 system, the total As removal percent can reach 90.96% after 120 min irradiation at pH 4.0. The scavenger experiments confirmed that the main active substances of the PAN@AS0.10 system were h+ and •OH. The high oxidation and removal performance of the PAN@AS0.10 composite for As(III) was attributed to the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and high adsorption capacity of Sch for As under acidic conditions. This research provides a new material for the oxidation and removal of pollutants in water [such as As(III)] and also provides a research basis for the preparation of recyclable photocatalysts.
Epilepsy Research Now in 3D: Harnessing the Power of Brain Organoids in Epilepsy
Authors: Gross Christina
Published: January 2022

Brain organoids represent a powerful tool for studying human neurological diseases, particularly those that affect brain growth and structure. However, many diseases manifest with clear evidence of physiological and network abnormality in the absence of anatomical changes, raising the question of whether organoids possess sufficient neural network complexity to model these conditions. Here, we explore the network-level functions of brain organoids using calcium sensor imaging and extracellular recording approaches that together reveal the existence of complex network dynamics reminiscent of intact brain preparations. We demonstrate highly abnormal and epileptiform-like activity in organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells from individuals with Rett syndrome, accompanied by transcriptomic differences revealed by single-cell analyses. We also rescue key physiological activities with an unconventional neuroregulatory drug, pifithrin-α. Together, these findings provide an essential foundation for the utilization of brain organoids to study intact and disordered human brain network formation and illustrate their utility in therapeutic discovery.
Implementing the panel event study
Authors: Clarke Damian , Tapia-Schythe Kathya
Published: January 2022

Many studies estimate the impact of exposure to some quasiexperimental policy or event using a panel event study design. These models, as a generalized extension of “difference-in-differences” designs or two-way fixed-effects models, allow for dynamic leads and lags to the event of interest to be estimated, while also controlling for fixed factors (often) by area and time. In this article, we discuss the setup of the panel event study design in a range of situations and lay out several practical considerations for its estimation. We describe a command, eventdd, that allows for simple estimation, inference, and visualization of event study models in a range of circumstances. We then provide several examples to illustrate eventdd’s use and flexibility, as well as its interaction with various native Stata commands, and other relevant community-contributed commands such as reghdfe and boottest.
Relative distribution analysis in Stata
Authors: Jann Ben
Published: January 2022

In this article, I discuss the method of relative distribution analysis and present Stata software implementing various elements of the methodology. The relative distribution is the distribution of the relative ranks that the outcomes from one distribution take on in another distribution. The methodology can be used, for example, to compare the distribution of wages between men and women. The presented software, reldist, estimates the relative cumulative distribution and the relative density, as well as the relative polarization, divergence, and other summary measures of the relative ranks. It also provides functionality such as location and shape decompositions or covariate balancing. Statistical inference is implemented in terms of influence functions and supports estimation for complex samples.
Unit-root tests for explosive behavior
Authors: Baum Christopher F. , Otero Jesús
Published: January 2022

We present a new command, radf, that tests for explosive behavior in time series. The command computes the right-tail augmented Dickey and Fuller (1979, Journal of the American Statistical Association 74: 427–431) unitroot test and its further developments based on supremum statistics derived from augmented Dickey–Fuller-type regressions estimated using recursive windows (Phillips, Wu, and Yu, 2011, International Economic Review 52: 201–226) and recursive flexible windows (Phillips, Shi, and Yu, 2015, International Economic Review 56: 1043–1078). It allows for the lag length in the test regression and the width of rolling windows to be either specified by the user or determined using data-dependent procedures, and it performs the date-stamping procedures advocated by Phillips, Wu, and Yu (2011) and Phillips, Shi, and Yu (2015) to identify episodes of explosive behavior. It also implements the wild bootstrap proposed by Phillips and Shi (2020, Handbook of Statistics: Financial, Macro and Micro Econometrics Using R, Vol. 42, 61–80) to lessen the potential effects of unconditional heteroskedasticity and account for the multiplicity issue in recursive testing. The use of radf is illustrated with an empirical example.
A Conservative Metric of Power Creep
Authors: Magruder Daniel Sumner
Published: January 2022

Collectible card games are taking up more space in popular culture with traditional paper card games even embracing e-sports. However, longevity in such games is not as common, with some suspecting power creep as a culprit behind why some of these games fail. Yet, Magic: the Gathering has not just survived but thrived for over 25 years with the game’s designers publicly stating their aim to keep curbing power creep. Therefore, it is of interest to determine the rate of power creep in the game. Herein, we formally define a conservative metric power creep and calculate its occurrence in the game of Magic: the Gathering. Although having an increasing rate, power creep appears low with an average of 1.56 strictly better card faces released per year.
Social Impact Indicators in the Context of the Roma Community: Contributions to the Debate on Methodological Implications
Authors: Munté-Pascual Ariadna , Khalfaoui Andrea , Valero Diana , Redondo-Sama Gisela
Published: January 2022

Researching with methodologies focused on social impact in line with the SDGs is one of the priority orientations of the Horizon Europe program, as shown in the official European Commission document on impacts for this program. In this sense, researchers must forecast how their project will improve citizens' lives. Until now, many investigations showed the evaluation of the social impact through knowledge transfer activities that, although undoubtedly important, are not enough since the social impact is defined as the improvements derived from using the knowledge transferred to society. The search for the social impact of new research requires the introduction of impact indicators from the design, throughout the project development, and when the project ends. The introduction of indicators, in particular if they are decided in dialogue with the participants, allows not only to foresee a greater social impact but also to improve and adjust the methodology to be used. We explore this aspect in the context of research with social impact that starts from how the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing the inequalities suffered by the Roma population, causing the aggravation and creation of new problems and needs. Thus, we explain in detail how the selection of indicators that monitor the social impact, in dialogue with the Roma population, allows the design of research projects that are more appropriate to the current context.
Economic literacy among beginning higher education economics students in Japan and Germany and its socio-demographic influencing factors
Authors: Reichert-Schlax Jasmin , Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia Olga , Happ Roland , Yamaoka Michio , Asano Tadayoshi , Abe Shintaro
Published: January 2022

In view of cross-national student mobility and increasing internationalization of the labor market, a common understanding of economic concepts as well as awareness for country-specific factors influencing economics education is essential. Therefore, the development of instruments that allow for comparable investigation across countries is crucial. The present study describes economic education in Japan and Germany and explores the specific conditions for access to higher education in each country. On this basis, we examine the level of economic literacy (using TEL-IV) at the beginning of higher education among 232 German and 198 Japanese students of Business & Economics and the impact of personal influencing factors thereon. Overall, comparable entry levels can be observed, whereby each student group shows different response patterns. Predicting economic literacy, primarily gender and interest reach significance. A final outlook regarding the significance of cross-national studies is given, taking limitations and implications of this study into account.
Pro-agility unpacked: Variability, comparability and diagnostic value
Authors: Forster James W. D. , Uthoff Aaron M. , Rumpf Michael C. , Cronin John B.
Published: January 2022

Change of direction (COD) is an important component of athlete performance and measuring and comparing athletes is an integral aspect of strength and conditioning practice. This article aimed to determine pro-agility shuttle utility, by quantifying variability and normative values for different sports, skill-levels and positions. Limitations of the pro-agility shuttle are identified, as are future research directions. A total of 67 studies were included for review. Pro-agility shuttle reliability was reported in 10 studies across 6 sports; however, comprehensive reliability statistics were absent in most papers. Additionally, only reliability of total-time from stopwatch and timing lights were reported. Data of 32,891 subjects in 12 sports (American football, basketball, cricket, general athletes, hockey, lacrosse, recreational athletes, resistance-trained athletes, rugby, soccer, swimming, and tennis) were extracted and aggregated, establishing sport, skill-level (elite, sub-elite, and novice) and positional normative values, where practical. Elite athletes showed the fastest performance times, whereas sub-elite and novice athletes showed similar spreads in performance, suggesting similar athletic capabilities. In conclusion, the pro-agility shuttle currently has limited diagnostic value and the variability of smaller performance sub-components within pro-agility shuttle should be examined. Furthermore, the value of other technologies such as smart phone, inertial sensor or radar should be investigated.
Into the Eyes of the Referee: A Comparison of Elite and Sub-Elite Football Referees’ On-Field Visual Search Behaviour when making Foul Judgements
Authors: van Biemen T. , Oudejans R.R.D. , Savelsbergh G.J.P. , Zwenk F. , Mann D.L.
Published: January 2022

In foul decision-making by football referees, visual search is important for gathering task-specific information to determine whether a foul has occurred. Yet, little is known about the visual search behaviours underpinning excellent on-field decisions. The aim of this study was to examine the on-field visual search behaviour of elite and sub-elite football referees when calling a foul during a match. In doing so, we have also compared the accuracy and gaze behaviour for correct and incorrect calls. Elite and sub-elite referees (elite: N = 5, Mage  ±  SD = 29.8 ± 4.7yrs, Mexperience  ±  SD = 14.8 ± 3.7yrs; sub-elite: N = 9, Mage  ±  SD = 23.1 ± 1.6yrs, Mexperience  ±  SD = 8.4 ± 1.8yrs) officiated an actual football game while wearing a mobile eye-tracker, with on-field visual search behaviour compared between skill levels when calling a foul (Nelite = 66; Nsub−elite = 92). Results revealed that elite referees relied on a higher search rate (more fixations of shorter duration) compared to sub-elites, but with no differences in where they allocated their gaze, indicating that elites searched faster but did not necessarily direct gaze towards different locations. Correct decisions were associated with higher gaze entropy (i.e. less structure). In relying on more structured gaze patterns when making incorrect decisions, referees may fail to pick-up information specific to the foul situation. Referee development programmes might benefit by challenging the speed of information pickup but by avoiding pre-determined gaze patterns to improve the interpretation of fouls and increase the decision-making performance of referees.
The role of mental fatigue in soccer: a systematic review
Authors: González-Víllora Sixto , Prieto-Ayuso Alejandro , Cardoso Felippe , Teoldo Israel
Published: January 2022

Because of the role of mental fatigue in the development of elite soccer players, it has been a topic of interest for researchers in the last decades. First, we aim to shed light on the literature published about mental fatigue in soccer in the last 10 years. Second, based on the results obtained, we propose a new perspective on the role of cognitive effort in soccer. A systematic review (SR) was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. A total of 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. The results showed an increase in the publications related to mental fatigue from 2014 onward. They were compared according to focus, sample, instruments and outcomes. Our proposal assumes that physical-physiological, technical-motor and tactical-cognitive demands entail a cognitive load that reduces the performance of players. Studies that prioritise controlling behavioural and physiological responses in cognitive tests are still needed.