bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CEO as board chair in listed family firms: A test of the performance effects during an economic crisis
Authors: Cambrea Domenico Rocco , Ponomareva Yuliya , Quarato Fabio , Tenuta Paolo
Published: October 2023

Family firms often opt for a combined CEO and board chair positions, yet the implications of such leadership structure on firm performance remain a subject of scholarly debate. We introduce the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective as a unifying framework that bridges the divergent views of stewardship and agency theories. We argue that the effects of CEO duality on performance are contingent upon the balance between extended and restricted SEW priorities. Drawing on a sample of listed companies on the Milan Stock Exchange between 2003 and 2015, our empirical analysis reveals that listed family firms derive greater benefits from CEO duality compared to their non‐family counterparts. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that such leadership structure renders the highest performance benefits in listed family firms when the CEO–chair is not a family member, particularly during periods of economic crisis.
A new gene for autosomal dominant facial palsy/migraine identified in a family by whole exome sequencing
Authors: Azzarà Alessia , Cassano Ilaria , Lintas Carla , Bernardini Laura , Pilato Fabio , Capone Fioravante , Di Lazzaro Vincenzo , Gurrieri Fiorella
Published: October 2023

Background

Facial palsy manifests as unilateral or bilateral weakness and inability to move some of the facial muscles. The aetiology may be different including idiopathic, trauma, infections or brain tumours or it can be associated with chronic neurological diseases. For instance, in recurrent migraine, an increased risk of idiopathic facial palsy (often unilateral) has been observed. Migraine is a neurovascular disorder characterized by mild to severe intensity of headaches, often associated with neuro‐ophthalmological symptoms.

Methods

A family is reported where five members were affected by facial palsy associated with other clinical features including migraine, diplopia, facial swelling, eye conjunctivitis following a vertical transmission. Whole exome sequencing was performed in three members (two affected and one healthy) in order to identify potential variants causative of their phenotype.

Results

A missense variant c.304G>A was found leading to the p.(Ala102Thr) substitution in the TRPM8 gene, previously related to migraine by genome wide association studies. This variant was classified as deleterious by several predictor tools, and the mutant residue was predicted to alter the protein structure in terms of flexibility and interactions with the surrounding residues.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that TRPM8 could be a new causative gene further linking migraine and recurrent facial palsy.
Predictors of respiratory failure in Guillain−Barré syndrome: a 22 year cohort study from a single Italian centre
Authors: Galassi Giuliana , Mazzoli Marco , Ariatti Alessandra , Bedin Roberta , Marzullo Donato , Bastia Elisabetta , Agnoletto Virginia , Gozzi Manuela , Valzania Franco , Meletti Stefano , Marchioni Alessandro
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

The study aimed to identify predictors of respiratory failure leading to mechanical ventilation (MV) and tracheostomy in Guillain−Barré syndrome (GBS).

Methods

Two hundred and thirty adult cases admitted to the Neurology Unit of Modena, Italy, between January 2000 and December 2021 were studied. A cut‐off of MV starting within 8 weeks from onset of weakness was used. Univariable, multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to determine which pre‐specified clinical and diagnostic characteristics were capable of predicting MV and tracheostomy, due to weaning failure. The model was internally validated within the full cohort. The Erasmus GBS Respiratory Insufficiency Score was retrospectively applied.

Results

One hundred and seventy‐six cases (76.5%) were classified as classical sensorimotor GBS and 54 (23.4%) as variants. Thirty‐two patients (13.9%) needed MV: 84.3% required respiratory support within 7 days. Independent predictors of respiratory failure and MV were older age, facial, bulbar, neck flexor weakness, dysautonomia, axonal electrophysiological subtype, cardiovascular comorbidities and higher disability score at entry. There was no association with abnormal spinal fluid parameters nor with positive serology for recent infections. Twenty‐two patients (68.7%) were ventilated for more than 7 days; 4.7% died within 8 weeks. The patients who required MV were treated more often with plasma exchange. Independent predictors of tracheostomy due to weaning trial failure were facial, bulbar, neck flexor weakness, autonomic dysfunction, associated cardiovascular morbidities and axonal electrophysiological subtype on nerve conduction study.

Conclusions

Our study indicates distinct predictors of MV and tracheostomy in GBS patients.
Network dynamics and institutional context in China's film industry
Authors: Zhu Shengjun , Jin Wenwan , Wen Hu , Zhang Qiangguo
Published: October 2023

Existing literature has explored how different firm behaviours and strategies in different institutional contexts result in variegation in network structures. Based on those studies, this paper first examines how networks have been shaped by China's institutional transition in general and the process of marketisation in particular. Furthermore, we stress that the rise of networks in China's film industry has in return boosted the development of private firms and subsequently pushed forward the process of marketisation in this industry. Empirical results show that private firms have benefitted more from the complementarity between direct knowledge spillovers via inter‐firm networks and indirect knowledge spillovers via inter‐city networks, while state‐owned enterprises are incapable of coping with the competition effects stemming from inter‐city networks and fail to benefit from trans‐local knowledge spillovers in networks. Our main contribution is thus to direct attention to the interaction between network dynamics and institutional transition, which remains underexplored in the current literature.
A neighbourhood Output Area Classification from the 2021 and 2022 UK censuses
Authors: Wyszomierski Jakub , Longley Paul A. , Singleton Alex D. , Gale Christopher , O'Brien Oliver
Published: October 2023

UK‐wide multivariate neighbourhood classifications have been built using small area population data following every census since 1971, and have been built using Output Area geographies since 2001. Policy makers in both the public and private sectors find such taxonomies, typically arranged into hierarchies of Supergroups, Groups and Subgroups, useful across a wide range of applications in business and service planning. Recent and forthcoming releases of small area census statistics pose new methodological challenges. For example, the 2022 Scottish Census was carried out a year after those in other UK nations, and some of the variables now collected across different jurisdictions do not bear direct comparison with one another. Here we develop a methodology to accommodate these issues alongside the more established procedures of variable selection, standardisation, transformation, class definition and labelling.
Diaspora as socio‐material assemblage: Political agency in the Kurdish freedom movement's representations of homeland
Authors: Ventura Francesco
Published: October 2023

The proliferation of diasporas has expanded the intricate web of political relations on a global scale. Transnationality has increasingly replaced methodological nationalism, and relationality blurred diaspora's boundaries. This article argues for framing diasporas as socio‐material assemblages to capture the political agency of diasporas in action in a transnational space. This highlights diasporas’ ability to forge their transnational political actorness and to expand their power of attractiveness. By tracing ideas and things behind the essential task of representing the homeland, this research explores the connections of the Kurdish freedom movement in Europe, making three main arguments. First, it outlines the existence of transnational infrastructures of solidarity, which highlight a multi‐ethnic plurality at work. Second, it illuminates the diasporas’ role in the south–north flow of knowledge and political influence. Third, the article examines the desire which stabilizes the assemblage and makes the circulation of ideas possible and smooth.
Changes in doctoral graduates' employment and doctoral students' views of their future career in Japan in 2012–2018
Authors: Huang Futao
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the employment landscape and career expectations of doctoral graduates in Japan through the analysis of three national surveys conducted in 2012, 2015 and 2018. The research explores the changing factors influencing graduates' employment destinations during this period, encompassing changes by discipline and proposing strategies to address challenges faced by these graduates. Unlike previous studies, which predominantly focussed on analysing data and interviewing students, this research offers both descriptive insights and analytical perspectives on Japanese doctoral education. Key findings include an increase in doctoral graduates employed in universities and the private sector, while academia employment varies by discipline. Humanities exhibit the highest academic employment, while engineering shows diverse fluctuations. Additionally, career expectations shift, with declining interest in tenure positions and growing inclination towards non‐academic paths. The study identifies challenges stemming from shifting academic appeal, skill mismatches, sector concentration and field‐specific hurdles, providing insights into global trends while emphasizing Japan's unique complexities.
Red Maulanas: Revisiting Islam and the Left in twentieth‐century South Asia
Authors: Uddin Layli
Published: October 2023

In the early 20th century, colonised people across empires rejected their status quo with visions and articulations of different emancipatory futures. The more radical and creative of these projects fused socialist thought with national, cultural or religious traditions. Grounded in ideas of equality, redistribution and common ownership, these visions offered futures of freedom beyond nationalism. Islamic Socialism was one of these revolutionary currents alongside Arab socialism, African socialism and Black Liberation Theology. The article reviews the historical scholarship on the relationship between Muslims and Left politics in 20th century South Asia and proposes Islamic Socialism as a new field of study. Some of the earliest articulations and enduring commitment to the politics of Islamic Socialism emerged from South Asia, yet the topic is not easily located in the existing scholarship on the region or elsewhere. Employing a diverse set of texts, I show how we can approach through three categories ‐ time, space, and ideas– and map out subaltern Islam as a future area of research. Existing studies have treated Islamic Socialism variously as crude readings of Islam and Marxism, an immemorial Islamic tradition, the intellectual product of theoretical congruence, or as a novel and creative experiment. Reflecting on its minor status in historiography, the article argues for the importance of Islamic Socialism in thinking beyond Islamic literalism and furthering our understanding of decolonisation experiments, everyday subaltern politics, and the possibilities for Marxism and Islam in the Global South.
From colonialism to global health: Frameworks for the history of medicine in Portugal's empire
Authors: Cagle Hugh
Published: October 2023

Portugal's empire brought together peoples and pathogens, along with wide‐ranging forms of medical expertise and curative practice, into multiethnic and polyglot colonial settlements around the globe. Many aspects of Portuguese imperial policy and much of the work of colonial institutions were fundamentally linked to the challenges of disease, population loss, and the preservation of health. Only in the last half‐century have these dynamics become an area of intensive archival research. The present essay surveys major developments in the history of medicine in Portugal's empire. It links historiographical shifts to the intellectual currents that accompanied colonialism, decolonization, postcolonialism, and the emergence of global health—identifying key interventions and noting significant opportunities for future research.
Preparation and characterization of (Yb0.25Lu0.25Sc0.25Tm0.25)2Si2O7 as a potential environmental barrier coating
Authors: Wang Peng , He Dingyong , Guo Xingye , Zhou Zheng , Shao Wei , Wu Yang , Wang Guohong
Published: October 2023

A novel high‐entropy rare‐earth disilicate (Yb0.25Lu0.25Sc0.25Tm0.25)2Si2O7 ((4RE0.25)2Si2O7) was proposed as an advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) materials in this work. The (4RE0.25)2Si2O7 powders were synthesized using the solid‐state sintering method. Based on the X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope/energy‐dispersive spectroscopy analysis, the uniform solid solution was detected in the (4RE0.25)2Si2O7, which had a monoclinic β‐phase structure in the space group of C2/m. The lattice parameter of the structure was derived based on the Rietveld refinement analysis to the XRD results. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the bulk (4RE0.25)2Si2O7 was similar to that of the SiC‐SiC ceramic matrix composite substrate of the environmental barrier coating. In addition, this (4RE0.25)2Si2O7 bulk material had a very low thermal conductivity, which was beneficial for the application of environmental barrier coatings. The hot water‐vapor corrosive experiments were conducted in an environment of 90% air and 10% H2O at 1300°C. The results indicated a better water‐vapor corrosion performance than the commercialized Yb2Si2O7 EBC materials. The (4RE0.25)2Si2O7 material prepared in this work showed great potential to work as the environmental barrier coating.
Secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection increases morbidity and mortality during murine cryptococcosis
Authors: Miranda Bárbara A. , Freitas Gustavo J. C. , Leocádio Victor A. T. , Costa Marliete C. , Emídio Elúzia C. P. , Ribeiro Noelly Q. , Carmo Paulo H. F. , Gouveia‐Eufrásio Ludmila , Hubner Josy , Tavares Luciana P. , Arifa Raquel D. N. , Brito Camila B. , Silva Monique F. , Teixeira Mauro M. , Paixão Tatiane A. , Peres Nalu T. A. , Fagundes Caio T. , Santos Daniel A.
Published: October 2023

Microorganisms that cause pneumonia and translocate to the central nervous system (CNS) are responsible for high mortality worldwide. The fungus Cryptococcus gattii (Cg) and the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) target the same infection organs. This study aimed to investigate the consequences of secondary Sp infection during murine cryptococcosis. Mice infected with Sp after Cg showed significantly increased lethality and a drop in scores of motor behaviour, neuropsychiatric status and autonomous function. Previous Cg infection favoured Sp multiplication in the lungs, causing intense inflammation and necrosis, with further increased bacterial translocation to the spleen, liver and brain. This phenotype was associated with increased platelet‐activating factor receptor (Pafr) gene expression, reduced M1 macrophage recruitment, and high levels of proinflammatory mediators. Strategies to overcome early mortality (i.e., infection of Pafr−/− mice, treatment with IL‐1 inhibitor or corticoid) were insufficient to revert this phenotype. These results suggest that Cg infection makes the lung microenvironment favourable for Sp colonization and dissemination. Altogether, it leads to an exacerbated and ineffective inflammatory response, decisive for the increased morbidity and mortality during coinfection. In conclusion, our results highlight the importance of more studies addressing coinfections and their consequences in the host, aiming to establish more effective therapeutical strategies.
Nurses' experiences when conducting the mental state examination (MSE): A scoping review
Authors: Volcevska Spasija , Luck Lauretta , Elmir Rakime , Dickens Geoffrey , Murphy Gillian
Published: October 2023

The Mental State Examination (MSE) is an assessment framework used to facilitate the collection of subjective and objective data about a person's current mental state. There is a lack of understanding of nurses' experiences when conducting the MSE. The aim of this scoping review is to identify, examine and summarize the available literature relating to nurses' experiences when conducting the MSE. A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework to review, examine and synthesize the available literature on nurses' experiences with the MSE. A PRISMA flow diagram was used to describe the systematic literature search. Six databases (APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, ProQuest, and Scopus) were searched including reference lists of eligible sources. Google Scholar, Trove and Proquest Dissertation and Thesis were searched for grey literature. Twelve articles included in this scoping review considered nurses experiences when conducting the MSE. The principles of thematic analysis were used to synthesize the studies. Three distinct themes were identified from the literature: (i) Nurses' role and the MSE, (ii) Nurses' competence and knowledge when conducting the MSE, and (iii) Nurses' confidence when conducting the MSE. The results of this scoping review identified the MSE as a component of the mental health nursing role and a core competency of mental health telephone triage services. The MSE was used by nurses in the Emergency department (ED), acute in‐patient and community mental health settings, including mental health telephone triage services. Nurses working in EDs and acute in‐patient mental health settings experienced a lack of confidence and competence, including a knowledge deficit in conducting the MSE in comparison to nurses working in community mental health settings. Community mental health nurses identified the importance of conducting an MSE higher than acute in‐patient mental health nurses. This review identified the need for evidence‐based research related to the MSE and its application in nursing practice. Evidence‐based research will inform the development of MSE guidelines and policies, thus, enhance mental health nursing practice related to the MSE, including improving and strengthening consumer‐nurse therapeutic alliance in acute in‐patient mental health settings.
Rise in income inequality due to pandemic in developing economies
Authors: Zahid GulRukh , Nasir Hamna , Fatima Ambreen
Published: October 2023

The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic (COVID‐19) has severely affected global economies and Pakistan. The core focus of this study is to analyse income inequality before and after the pandemic in developing economies and other urbanised areas of Pakistan. Gini coefficient has been employed to estimate income inequality for developing economies and Pakistan, whereas the Theil index is assessed across the regions, provinces and other urban areas of Pakistan. For that purpose, the study has worked on ‘special survey evaluating the Socio‐economic Impact of COVID‐19 on the well‐being of people’ published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This study focuses on seeing the consequences of COVID‐19, especially in the context of income inequality caused by the lockdown imposed in the countries in hand. Further, determinants of income inequality are estimated before and after the pandemic. This study anticipates that fair income distribution is the only solution to decrease disparities. Moreover, to achieve goal 10 of Sustainable Development Goal, it is significant to work on provision of opportunities that help in increasing the income opportunities for the underprivileged segment of society. This solution is achievable only if the provision of education and employment increases, eventually reducing the ever‐increasing wage gap in the long run. So far no study has empirically evaluated the impact of income inequality caused by the pandemic in Pakistan on the district level. The novelty of the study is that it has assessed the impact of income inequality before and after the pandemic in developing economics and than evaluated the urbanized areas of Pakistan on the basis of income inequality post and pre‐pandemic situation, hence fill the research gap as no study so far has been done on it.
A heuristic algorithm to solve the one‐warehouse multiretailer problem with an emission constraint
Authors: Gruson Matthieu , Zhong Qihua , Jabali Ola , Jans Raf
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we consider the one‐warehouse multiretailer problem with a global carbon emission cap constraint (OWMR‐EC). This constraint aims at limiting the carbon emissions related to the production, setup, and inventory‐holding operations. We develop a penalized relaxation (PR) method to heuristically solve the considered problem, both with and without the possibility of having initial inventory. This heuristic uses in itself another heuristic that we propose to solve the standard one‐warehouse multiretailer problem (OWMR). Our PR method is tested on numerous instances adapted from the literature. Our results indicate that the penalized method is able to find between 87.4% and 89.8% of feasible solutions for this NP‐hard problem, with an average optimality gap of 2.1% and 2.2% depending on the algorithms we use to solve the different subproblems involved in the method. The results show that our method is highly effective in terms of run‐time and solution quality, when a feasible solution is found. Furthermore, the results indicate that the heuristic for the standard OWMR is also very effective. We further perform a sensitivity analysis on the optimal solutions of the OWMR‐EC to better understand the implications of the carbon emission cap constraint. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the marginal cost of reducing carbon emissions increases as the emission cap decreases. The analysis also shows that the correlation between the cost and emission parameters has an important impact on the potential to further lower the emissions, compared to the emission of the minimum cost solution.
Fracture toughness of Ca‐, Sr‐, and Ba‐aluminoborosilicate glasses
Authors: Fry Aubrey L. , Krug Christian , Ladinger Lukas , Lube Tanja , Kim Seong H. , Mauro John C.
Published: October 2023

The field strength effect on fracture toughness was tested for three alkaline earth (AE) aluminoborosilicate (ABS) glasses. This work explores the impact of modifier field strength (FS) on macro‐mechanical properties in line with previous works which examined the FS effect on structure, hardness, crack resistance, and elastoplastic properties of alkali and AE‐ABS glasses. Fracture toughness (KIcVNB) was found to increase as modifier FS increased; and the elastoplastic ratio (HV/E) correlated well with plasticity, hardness, and fracture toughness. The purpose of this work is to examine the mechanical response of AE‐ABS glasses at a larger length scale in order to determine whether the field strength effect is active as was observed at lower length scales in previous works. The observed increase and decrease of the KIcVNB and HV/E, respectively, with increasing modifier FS, suggest a strong correlation between increasing fracture toughness and crack resistance with increasing plasticity for the AE‐ABS glasses studied.
Examining the gender wage gap in logistics
Authors: Schollmeier Ryan , Scott Alex
Published: October 2023

The logistics industry in the United States has faced significant labor shortages for the last couple of decades. Women are a source of labor that has been traditionally underrepresented in the major logistics sectors, transportation, and warehousing. We study the workforce composition and potential gender wage gap across these sectors. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau from 2003 to 2020, we show that women comprise about 4% of the workforce for truck drivers and 21% for warehouse workers. As traditionally measured by economists, there is a 17% gender wage gap among truck drivers and an 11% wage gap among warehouse workers. A regression analysis suggests that the gap is smaller for warehouse workers, which is consistent with theory that an occupation's stability and predictability can reduce or eliminate wage gaps. Further analysis is carried out on specific occupations within the logistics industry and measures the variation across truck transportation and warehousing industries. There is evidence for a declining gender wage gap across both over time, although the gap remains sizable. This paper provides insight on the trends and status of gender differences in labor outcomes in the logistics industry.
Adolescents' self‐reported experiences following a person‐centred, theory‐based educational intervention versus conventional education for improved oral hygiene: Analysis of secondary outcomes of a randomized field study
Authors: Dimenäs Sandra L. , Andersson Jessica S. , Jönsson Birgitta , Lundgren Jesper , Petzold Max , Östberg Anna‐Lena , Abrahamsson Kajsa H.
Published: October 2023

Aim

To analyse adolescents' self‐reported experiences and behavioural outcomes of a person‐centred, theory‐based intervention in comparison with conventional information/instruction for improved oral hygiene.

Materials and Methods

Data were derived from a prospective, multi‐centred, two‐arm, quasi‐randomized field study focusing on the effectiveness of educational interventions for improved oral hygiene. Dental hygienists working within the Public Dental Service, Västra Götaland, Sweden, provided treatments, and adolescents with poor oral hygiene conditions were eligible for participation. The person‐centred test intervention was based on social cognitive constructs, and motivational interviewing was used as an approach in communication. The control intervention included conventional information/instructions. Clinical examinations were performed, and questionnaires were distributed at baseline and at 6 months. Three‐hundred and twelve patients were enrolled, and data from 276 patients, following treatment per protocol, were analysed.

Results

The test group was more satisfied with the education about gingivitis (very good: 61% vs. 37%) and communication during therapy (very good: 69% vs. 50%) and reported to a larger extent that they were much more careful regarding their oral hygiene after the treatment (30% vs. 15%) and had higher confidence about keeping up healthy gingival conditions, in comparison with the control group (all p < .01).

Conclusions

The person‐centred, theory‐based intervention was superior in terms of adolescents' experiences of education and communication during therapy and self‐reported oral hygiene behavioural outcomes at 6 months, in comparison with conventional information/instruction.
Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography: New insights for psoriasis treatment monitoring
Authors: Orsini C. , Trovato E. , Cortonesi G. , Pedrazzani M. , Suppa M. , Rubegni P. , Tognetti L. , Cinotti E.
Published: October 2023

Background

Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) is a new, valid means for a rapid and non‐invasive in vivo examination of the epidermis and upper dermis, allowing digital interpretation and measurement of high‐resolution images on a cellular level. Given these properties, it may represent a valid tool for monitoring psoriasis during treatment, allowing a new method to set a precise objective severity of the disease.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the potentialities of LC‐OCT in the non‐invasive monitoring of microscopical changes associated with moderate–severe plaque psoriasis (PP) during the treatment with the most common biological drugs.

Materials and Methods

We performed LC‐OCT imaging of PP lesions from 17 patients before and after 8 weeks of treatment. The clinical severity of the single lesions was evaluated using a lesion score (LS), designed considering three parameters: erythema, desquamation and infiltration. LC‐OCT images were segmented by artificial intelligence and evaluated based on three microscopic criteria: the thickness of the stratum corneum, the thickness of the living epidermis and the undulation of the dermo‐epidermal junction.

Results

Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography digital analysis allowed recognition and quantification of the three microscopic criteria, showing a reduction of all these during the follow‐up. Furthermore, a high correlation between change in LS and the thickness of the stratum corneum and the thickness of the living epidermis was found.

Conclusion

Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography can non‐invasively monitor the response of PP to different treatments. Morphometric changes occurring in the psoriatic lesion during the 8‐week treatment period were identified by in vivo LC‐OCT and measured by using artificial intelligence. Although future studies are required, based on these preliminary results, LC‐OCT may represent a valid potential tool for precise monitoring of therapeutic response.
Comorbidities in childhood atopic dermatitis: A population‐based study
Authors: von Kobyletzki Laura , Henrohn Dan , Ballardini Natalia , Neary Maureen P. , Ortsäter Gustaf , Rieem Dun Alexander , Geale Kirk , Lindberg Ingrid , Theodosiou Grigorios , Neregård Petra , De Geer Anna , Cha Amy , Cappelleri Joseph C. , Thyssen Jacob P.
Published: October 2023

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is associated with allergic comorbidities. However, studies examining comorbidities in childhood AD are incomplete, which may contribute to suboptimal care.

Objective

The objective was to compare the risk of developing different allergic and non‐allergic comorbidities among children with AD to that of a matched non‐AD reference cohort in Sweden.

Methods

This was a nationwide population‐based cohort study using longitudinal data from primary and specialist care registers. Patients with AD were identified by confirmed diagnosis in primary or specialist care. The non‐AD reference cohort was randomly drawn from the general population and matched 1:1 with the AD patients. The risk of developing the following conditions was evaluated: hypersensitivity and allergic disorders, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, infections, immunological and inflammatory disorders, Type 1 diabetes (T1D), endocrine and metabolic disorders, skeletal disorders, ocular disorders and malignancies.

Results

This study included 165,145 patients with AD (mild‐to‐moderate [n = 126,681] and severe [n = 38,464]) and an equally sized reference cohort. Patients with AD displayed a higher risk of developing comorbid conditions for all investigated categories, except for T1D and skeletal disorders, compared with the reference cohort. The highest risk compared with the reference cohort was observed for hypersensitivity and allergic disorders (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.87), followed by malignancies (HR: 2.53) and immunological and inflammatory disorders (HR: 2.36). Patients with AD also had higher risk of developing multiple comorbidities (≥2). The risk of comorbidity onset increased alongside AD severity and patients with active AD were associated with increased risk of comorbidity onset compared with patients in remission.

Conclusions

The clinical burden of AD is substantial for children with AD and patients are at an increased risk of developing several comorbid conditions extending beyond the atopic march. Our results also showed a positive association between worsening severity of AD and an increased risk of comorbidity onset.
ENPP1 downregulation and FGF23 upregulation in growth‐related calcification of the tibial tuberosity in rats
Authors: Suito Hirai , Fujikawa Kaoru , Ohsako Masafumi
Published: October 2023

During tibial tuberosity growth, superficial and deep portions can be observed; however, the deep portion is not observed after the growth period, as it develops into bone tissues. Calcification in vivo is known to be constitutively suppressed by ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase‐1 (ENPP1) but promoted by tissue‐nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP). FGF23 promotes calcification of enthesis. Gene expression of FGF23 increased rapidly at 13W in this study. Therefore, the tibial tuberosity is speculated to develop via Enpp1 downregulation and Tnap upregulation; however, the understanding of these processes remains unclear. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to explore the age‐related structural changes and underlying gene expression changes in the tibial tuberosity of rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (3‐, 7‐, and 13‐week‐old; eight each). The tibial tuberosity superficial and deep portions were clearly observed in 3‐ and 7‐week‐old rats, but the presence of the deep portion was not confirmed in 13‐week‐old rats. The extracellular matrix of hypertrophic chondrocytes was calcified. Furthermore, the Enpp1 expression was the highest in 3‐week‐old rats and decreased with growth. The TNAP expression did not differ significantly among the groups. The deep portion area was significantly lower in 3‐week‐old rats than in 7‐week‐old rats. Generally, the extracellular matrix of the immature chondrocytes is not calcified. Therefore, we speculated that the cartilaginous tibial tuberosity calcifies and ossifies with growth. The Enpp1 expression decreased with growth, whereas the Tnap expression remained unchanged. Thus, we surmise that the tibial tuberosity calcifies with growth and that this process involves Enpp1 downregulation and FGF23 upregulation. As Osgood–Schlatter disease is closely related to the calcification of the tibial tuberosity, these findings may help clarify the pathogenesis of this disease.
Optimal cervical‐ripening method for labor induction in Japan after the era of controlled‐release dinoprostone vaginal insert
Authors: Furuya Natsumi , Hasegawa Junichi , Saji Shota , Homma Chika , Nishimura Yoko , Suzuki Nao
Published: October 2023

Objective

To investigate the predictive value of obstetric findings when using dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]) vaginal inserts for cervical ripening, and to assess the optimal cervical‐ripening method between PGE2 vaginal insert and/or cervical dilators.

Methods

This prospective observational study enrolled pregnant women who underwent cervical ripening for labor induction in 37–41 week' gestation in 2020. In evaluation 1, optimal obstetric findings predictive of rapid cervical ripening using PGE2 were assessed. In evaluation 2, the duration from PGE2 administration to labor onset and perinatal outcomes were compared between cases in which only PGE2 was used and cases that were treated with PGE2 after mechanical cervical dilators (Dilapan®) for extremely immature cervical ripening (uterine cervical os <2 cm).

Results

In evaluation 1, uterine dilatation before the use of a PGE2 vaginal insert was mostly correlated with the time from PGE2 administration to labor onset (r = −0.428, p < 0.001). When the uterine cervical os dilatation was ≥2 cm, a shorter time‐to‐labor onset was found. In addition, os dilatation, effacement, and station at the time of PGE2 vaginal insert removal also significantly progressed. In evaluation 2, the median duration from PGE2 administration to labor onset was 1740 min in cases where only PGE2 was used, and 610 min in those where PGE2 was used after mechanical cervical dilators (p = 0.011).

Conclusion

PGE2 vaginal inserts are relatively effective when the uterine cervical os is ≥2 cm in diameter. However, in cases of extremely immature cervical‐ripening, it was feasible to use PGE2 vaginal inserts before mechanical cervical dilatation.
Transorbital sonography in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Single‐center study, systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bakola Eleni , Palaiodimou Lina , Eleftheriou Andreas , Foska Katerina , Pikouli Anastasia , Stefanatou Maria , Chondrogianni Maria , Velonakis Georgios , Andreadou Elissavet , Papadopoulou Marianna , Karapanayiotides Theodoros , Krogias Christos , Arvaniti Chrysa , Tsivgoulis Georgios
Published: October 2023

Background and Purpose

Transorbital sonography (TOS) provides a noninvasive tool to detect intracranial pressure by assessing optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and optic disc elevation (ODE). The utility of TOS in the diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has been increasingly recognized.

Methods

A single‐center case‐control study sought to compare TOS‐acquired ONSD and ODE among IIH‐cases versus patients with other neurological diseases (controls). Furthermore, a systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to present pooled mean differences and diagnostic measures of ONSD and ODE between IIH‐cases and controls.

Results

In the single‐center study, consisting of 31 IIH‐cases and 34 sex‐ and age‐matched controls, ONSD values were higher among IIH‐cases than controls (p<.001), while ODE was more prevalent in cases (65% vs. 15%; p<.001). The receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC)‐curve analysis revealed that the optimal cutoff value of ONSD for predicting IIH was 5.15 mm, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.914 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.861‐0.967) and sensitivity and specificity values of 85% and 90%, respectively. In a meta‐analysis of 14 included studies with 415 IIH‐cases, ONSD and ODE values were higher in IIH‐cases than controls (mean difference in ONSD 1.20 mm; 95% CI: 0.96‐1.44 mm and in ODE 0.3 mm; 95% CI: 0.33‐0.67 mm). With regard to ONSD, pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were calculated at 85.5% (95% CI: 77.9‐90.8%), 90.7% (95% CI: 84.6‐94.5%), and 57.394 (95% CI: 24.597‐133.924), respectively. The AUC in summary ROC‐curve analysis was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.858‐0.899) with an optimal cutoff point of 5.0 mm.

Conclusions

TOS has a high diagnostic utility for the noninvasive diagnosis of IIH and may deserve wider implementation in everyday clinical practice.
The distribution pattern of nerve enlargement in clinical subtypes of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Niu Jingwen , Zhang Lei , Hu Nan , Cui Liying , Liu Mingsheng
Published: October 2023

Background and Purpose

We aim to investigate nerve enlargement patterns and their correlation with clinical subtypes and treatment response using nerve ultrasound in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).

Methods

Between March 2015 and December 2021, 135 CIDP patients were recruited. Nerve ultrasound and electrophysiological studies were performed on the median and ulnar nerves. The responses to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) or prednisone were evaluated with the disability score.

Results

There were 99 typical CIDP cases, 10 Lewis‐Sumner syndrome (LSS) cases, 15 distal acquired demyelinating symmetric neuropathy (DADS) cases, nine pure motor CIDP cases, and two pure sensory CIDP cases. Sixty (61%) typical CIDP and seven (78%) pure motor CIDP patients had moderately increased or normal cross‐sectional area (CSA), and 10 (67%) DADS and seven (70%) LSS patients had significantly increased CSA. The peripheral nerve showed a diffuse enlargement pattern in 46 (51%) typical CIDP, five (50%) LSS, three (25%) DADS, and three (33%) pure motor CIDP patients and a proximal regional enlargement pattern in 11 (12%) typical CIDP, one (10%) LSS, six (50%) DADS, and four (44%) pure motor CIDP patients. Patients with diffusely moderate enlargement patterns and those with proximal regional enlargement showed a higher response rate to glucocorticoids than to IVIg.

Conclusions

Various distribution patterns of nerve enlargement existed in CIDP. Although almost all patterns could be detected in each CIDP subtype, diffusely moderate enlargement was more common in typical CIDP and LSS, while proximal regional enlargement was more common in DADS and pure motor CIDP. Different enlargement patterns might indicate different treatment responses.
Patterns in pro‐gun beliefs and weapon carrying behaviors in rural White adolescent
Authors: Beachy Sara , Liang Christopher T. H.
Published: October 2023

Weapon carrying among White rural populations is understudied although evidence suggests that rural White boys have high rates of carriage. This study delineated patterns of weapon use and pro‐gun beliefs using a latent class analysis on a sample of 32,916 White rural adolescents. Five groups were identified (i.e., Low Gun Risk, Naïve, Social Contagion, Independent, Unsupervised) using pro‐gun beliefs, peer risk factors, and weapon carrying items. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that identifying as male, age, housing instability, and victimization consistently differentiated group membership between different classes. These results suggest that rural White adolescents vary in their belief systems about guns and weapon carrying behavior and that this heterogeneity can be differentiated by lived experiences of these adolescents.
Ethics After Comparative Religious Ethics: Rereading Little and Twiss in a Pragmatic Light
Authors: Lee Jung H.
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a rereading of David Little and Sumner Twiss's Comparative Religious Ethics in the context of its initial reception and legacy within the field of religious ethics and argues that we can read it more charitably as a piece of pragmatism rather than as a work of formalism or semi‐formalism. If one does not read Little and Twiss as committed positivists concerned with realizing a specific research program associated with the “twilight of logical empiricism,” then their theoretical and methodological recommendations, illustrated in their case studies, appear more pragmatic in nature and less excessively rigid. By rereading Comparative Religious Ethics in this light, we can see more clearly its relevance for the field today, particularly regarding the fundamental importance of the discursive activity of practical reasoning, or the game of giving and asking for reasons, in the study of religious ethics.
Same species, different population dynamics: Spatio‐temporal differences of Undaria pinnatifida (Ochrophyta, Phaeophyceae) in the intertidal of North Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Arcángel Andrea Evangelina , Rodríguez Emiliano Alexis , Saad Juan Francisco , de la Barra Paula , Narvarte Maite Andrea , Storero Lorena Pía , Pereyra Patricio Javier
Published: October 2023

Population dynamics can be influenced by physical and biological factors, particularly in stressful environments. Introduced species usually have great physiological plasticity, resulting in populations with different traits. Undaria pinnatifida, a macroalga originally described from northeast Asia, was introduced in Northern Patagonia, Argentina (San Matías Gulf) around 2010. To describe the spatio‐temporal variability in population structure and morphometry of U. pinnatifida, we conducted monthly field samplings for 2 years at the intertidal area of two contrasting sites in the San Matías Gulf. Individuals of U. pinnatifida were classified by developmental stage, and their morpho‐gravimetric variables were measured. In both intertidal sites juveniles were found in higher proportion during austral autumn and grew and matured during the autumn‐winter months (from May onwards), and individuals senesced during early austral summer (December and January). Conversely, density and biomass were largely different between sites, and individuals showed slight morphological variability between sites. Environmental (e.g., nutrient concentration, available substrate) and biological factors (e.g., facilitation, competition) may explain the observed differences. Since there is not a macroalga with U. pinnatifida morphometrical characteristics in the intertidal environments of San Matías Gulf, studying this recent introduction gives us a better understanding of its potential ecological effects.
Urban nutrition situation in the slums of three cities in Asia during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Auma Carolyn I. , Pradeilles Rebecca , Ohly Heather , Eymard‐Duvernay Sabrina , Brizendine Kristian A. , Blankenship Jessica , Singhkumarwong Anusara , Goudet Sophie
Published: October 2023

Urban‐poor households are disproportionately food insecure. The Status and Determinants of Food Insecurity and Undernutrition in Poor Urban Settings (SDFU) cross‐sectional surveys were conducted in 2020–2021 to assess the impacts of COVID‐19 on food security and diet quality among urban poor women of reproductive age (WRA) and children under 5 (CU5) in Jakarta, Quezon City, and Yangon. Data, collected on food insecurity and child and maternal diet quality using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), were compared with prepandemic surveys. Prevalence for food insecurity and diet quality indicators were computed. Eight in 10 households in all three cities reported reduced incomes, with 6 in 10 worried about food the previous year. Over 10% of households in all cities substituted nutrient‐dense (ND) foods with cheaper alternatives; yet less than 50% of children 6–59 months ate sugar‐sweetened beverages or sweet and savoury snacks. Compared with baseline, women's minimum dietary diversity (MDD) in the three cities was significantly lower (up to 30% lower in Yangon and Jakarta), while the prevalence of children (6–23 months) meeting MDD was lower by 17.4%–42.5% in all cities. MDD was attained by >40% of children (24–59 months) in Yangon and Jakarta but only 12.6% in Quezon City. To improve food security and diet quality, multi‐sectoral interventions are needed, including distributing ND foods and cash assistance to vulnerable households with CU5 and WRA and delivering targeted nutrition training to encourage appropriate complementary feeding practices and purchasing and consumption of ND foods.
Microbial biomarkers of tree water status for next‐generation biomonitoring of forest ecosystems
Authors: Cambon Marine C. , Trillat Marine , Lesur‐Kupin Isabelle , Burlett Régis , Chancerel Emilie , Guichoux Erwan , Piouceau Lucie , Castagneyrol Bastien , Le Provost Grégoire , Robin Stéphane , Ritter Yves , Van Halder Inge , Delzon Sylvain , Bohan David A. , Vacher Corinne
Published: October 2023

Next‐generation biomonitoring proposes to combine machine‐learning algorithms with environmental DNA data to automate the monitoring of the Earth's major ecosystems. In the present study, we searched for molecular biomarkers of tree water status to develop next‐generation biomonitoring of forest ecosystems. Because phyllosphere microbial communities respond to both tree physiology and climate change, we investigated whether environmental DNA data from tree phyllosphere could be used as molecular biomarkers of tree water status in forest ecosystems. Using an amplicon sequencing approach, we analysed phyllosphere microbial communities of four tree species (Quercus ilex, Quercus robur, Pinus pinaster and Betula pendula) in a forest experiment composed of irrigated and non‐irrigated plots. We used these microbial community data to train a machine‐learning algorithm (Random Forest) to classify irrigated and non‐irrigated trees. The Random Forest algorithm detected tree water status from phyllosphere microbial community composition with more than 90% accuracy for oak species, and more than 75% for pine and birch. Phyllosphere fungal communities were more informative than phyllosphere bacterial communities in all tree species. Seven fungal amplicon sequence variants were identified as candidates for the development of molecular biomarkers of water status in oak trees. Altogether, our results show that microbial community data from tree phyllosphere provides information on tree water status in forest ecosystems and could be included in next‐generation biomonitoring programmes that would use in situ, real‐time sequencing of environmental DNA to help monitor the health of European temperate forest ecosystems.