bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Black articles matter: exploring relative deprivation and implicit bias in library and information science research publications of Africa and other continents
Authors: Nwankwo Tochukwu Victor , Odiachi Rosemary Anwuli , Anene Ifeanyi A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore relative deprivation and implicit bias in library and information science research publications of Africa and other continents.

Design/methodology/approach

Research design used for this study is descriptive survey research. Specifically, the study will adopt both web content analysis and survey to collect data. The content analysis covers the whole continents of the world: Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Northern America, Pacific Region and Western Europe; using the Webometrics World Ranking of Universities and the SCImago/Scopus Journal Ranking. Library and information science was used as the search and control parameter. The scopes covered by the research are: 1. Ascertaining the visible publishing and assessment standards of top library and information science (LIS) journals, which was evaluated using Kleinert and Wager (2010)'s study.

Findings

It was found out among others that editors making fair and unbiased decisions as policy is seen in 33% of the journals, which is very poor. All the structural disparities, such as presence ranking, impact ranking, excellence ranking, etc. were favouring Europe and the Americas mainly. As much as rejection is getting to these respondents, research generally is also suffering by missing out on some untapped knowledge and ideas from these deprived populations. Many authors are losing faith in their capabilities and are now afraid of venturing into tedious research exercises because it will most likely be rejected either ways.

Research limitations/implications

It is an established fact that social media gains research impact and attracts international collaborations. In support, studies such as Hassan et al. (2019) reported the fact that tweet mentions of articles with positive sentiment to more visibility and citations. They claim that cited articles in either positive or neutral tweets have a more significant impact than those not cited at all or cited in negative tweets. In addition, Hassan et al. (2020) equally highlighted tweet coupling as a social media methodology useful for clustering scientific publications. Despite the fact that social media have these influences on research and publications visibility and presence, the context of the present research did cover this scope of study. The study focused mainly on sources from Scopus as well as results from responses. Further studies can be carried out on this area.

Originality/value

Research studies linking “Black Articles Matter” to relative deprivation and implicit bias in research publications, especially in library and information discipline, are very rare. Also, the scope of approach of the study is quite different and interesting.
Determination of optimum production parameters for 3D printers based on nozzle diameter
Authors: Tezel Tugce , Kovan Volkan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the optimum nozzle diameter for parts production with polylactic acid using a three-dimensional printer. The additive manufacturing method used was fused filament fabrication.

Design/methodology/approach

Designers and researchers have focused on the effects of these parameters on part strength. Additionally, production time is one of the disadvantages of this manufacturing method that researchers are trying to overcome. The production parameters that stand out at this point are nozzle diameter and layer thickness.

Findings

As a result of the study, it was determined that the increased nozzle diameter led to increased part strength. At the same time, layer thickness had the most significant effect on surface quality. The increased nozzle diameter and part density led to decreased production time. It was concluded that larger nozzle diameter and lower layer thickness should be used for parts with superior properties.

Research limitations/implications

The experimental printing parameters used in the study were nozzle diameter (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 mm), layer thickness (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm) and printing orientation (0°, 45° and 90°). The effects of printing parameters on part strength, dimensional accuracy, surface quality and part density were analyzed experimentally.

Originality/value

The effects of several printing parameters have been examined in the literature. However, the effect of different nozzle diameters has been ignored. There are limited experimental studies that examine the effect of nozzle diameter on mechanical properties, surface roughness, dimensional quality and production time. In this regard, the results obtained from various nozzle diameters used in this study will significantly contribute to the literature.
Volumetric fusion of graphite-doped nylon 12 powder with radio frequency radiation
Authors: Allison Jared , Pearce John , Beaman Joseph , Seepersad Carolyn
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Additive manufacturing (AM) of thermoplastic polymers for powder bed fusion processes typically requires each layer to be fused before the next can be deposited. The purpose of this paper is to present a volumetric AM method in the form of deeply penetrating radio frequency (RF) radiation to improve the speed of the process and the mechanical properties of the polymer parts.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus of this study was to demonstrate the volumetric fusion of composite mixtures containing polyamide (nylon) 12 and graphite powders using RF radiation as the sole energy source to establish the feasibility of a volumetric AM process for thermoplastic polymers. Impedance spectroscopy was used to measure the dielectric properties of the mixtures as a function of increasing graphite content and identify the percolation limit. The mixtures were then tested in a parallel plate electrode chamber connected to an RF generator to measure the heating effectiveness of different graphite concentrations. During the experiments, the surface temperature of the doped mixtures was monitored.

Findings

Nylon 12 mixtures containing between 10% and 60% graphite by weight were created, and the loss tangent reached a maximum of 35%. Selective RF heating was shown through the formation of fused composite parts within the powder beds.

Originality/value

The feasibility of a novel volumetric AM process for thermoplastic polymers was demonstrated in this study, in which RF radiation was used to achieve fusion in graphite-doped nylon powders.
Context‐dependent fitness costs of reproduction despite stable body mass costs in an Arctic herbivore
Authors: Pigeon Gabriel , Albon Steve , Loe Leif Egil , Bischof Richard , Bonenfant Christophe , Forchhammer Mads , Irvine Robert Justin , Ropstad Erik , Veiberg Vebjørn , Stien Audun
Published: September 2021

The cost of reproduction on demographic rates is often assumed to operate through changing body condition. Several studies have found that reproduction depresses body mass more if the current conditions are severe, such as high population densities or adverse weather, than under benign environmental conditions. However, few studies have investigated the association between the fitness components and body mass costs of reproduction.

Using 25 years of individual‐based capture–recapture data from Svalbard reindeer Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus, we built a novel Bayesian state‐space model that jointly estimated interannual change in mass, annual reproductive success and survival, while accounting for incomplete observations. The model allowed us to partition the differential effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on both non‐reproductive mass change and the body mass cost of reproduction, and to quantify their consequences on demographic rates.

Contrary to our expectation, the body mass cost of reproduction (mean = –5.8 kg) varied little between years (CV = 0.08), whereas the between‐year variation in body mass changes, that were independent of the previous year's reproductive state, varied substantially (CV = 0.4) in relation to autumn temperature and the amount of rain‐on‐snow in winter. This body mass loss led to a cost of reproduction on the next reproduction, which was amplified by the same environmental covariates, from a 10% reduction in reproductive success in benign years, to a 50% reduction in harsh years. The reproductive mass loss also resulted in a small reduction in survival.

Our results show how demographic costs of reproduction, driven by interannual fluctuations in individual body condition, result from the balance between body mass costs of reproduction and body mass changes that are independent of previous reproductive state. We illustrate how a strong context‐dependent fitness cost of reproduction can occur, despite a relatively fixed body mass cost of reproduction. This suggests that female reindeer display a very conservative energy allocation strategy, either aborting their reproductive attempt at an early stage or weaning at a relatively constant cost. Such a strategy might be common in species living in a highly stochastic and food limited environment.
SYMBOLIC DISPLACEMENT REVISITED: Place‐making Narratives in Gentrifying Neighbourhoods of Tallinn
Authors: Pastak Ingmar , KÄHRIK Anneli
Published: September 2021

Recent studies from Central and Eastern Europe have documented a weak link between gentrification and physical displacement, and have questioned whether the concept of gentrification can be applied to the post‐Soviet context. The lack of evidence found for physical (direct) displacement has been explained mainly through the rapid intergenerational social mobility of groups with lower social status and high rates of home‐ownership due to privatization. However, in many Eastern European post‐industrial inner‐city neighbourhoods significant residential and commercial changes are visible, among them, an inflow of younger residents with higher socio‐economic status, the closure of traditional shops and opening of fashionable new cafés and restaurants, together with a revival of community life. The current article revisits the debate on whether it is possible to extend the Anglo‐American concept of gentrification to post‐socialist contexts. More specifically, it tests whether, and under what conditions, the diverse displacement mechanisms identified provide an explanation for the social and cultural homogenization of post‐industrial post‐Soviet neighbourhoods. By studying the local place‐making narratives used in three neighbourhoods in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, we argue that the contradictory place‐making trajectories of new and old residents can lead to symbolic (rather than direct or physical) displacement pressures and consequently to the process of ‘un‐homing’. The latter process is combined with a loss of neighbourhood identity shaped primarily by life‐course and generational differences, but also by socio‐economic standing.
Economic development, energy consumption, and climate change: An empirical account from Malaysia
Authors: Khan Habib Hussain , Samargandi Nahla , Ahmed Adeel
Published: September 2021

This study explores the impact of economic development on energy consumption and climate change using Malaysian data from 1977 to 2018. We employ five alternative indices—gross domestic product, financial development, industry value‐added, agricultural value‐added, and manufacturing value‐added—to assess economic development. Three alternative proxies (electricity, oil, and fossil fuel consumption) are employed to determine the energy consumption level. The climate change variable has been approximated through the level of CO2 emission and the average temperature for the country. Data has been analysed through three‐stage least square, vector autoregression, and innovative accounting approach. Results indicate that a higher level of economic development leads to higher energy consumption, which contributes to climate change. Moreover, the increase in urbanization and transportation also increases the level of carbon emissions. Forestation, on the other hand, plays a vital role in the improvement of environmental quality.
Accuracy of after‐hours trauma cervical spine CT reporting by radiology trainees: Experiences from two Australian teaching hospitals
Authors: Woodford Richard M , Green Lorne , Koo Kendrick , Williams Cassandra , Tran Phillip V
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Like many teaching hospitals in Australia, after‐hours computed tomography (CT) reporting at our institution is undertaken by the on‐call radiology registrar. The accuracy of these reports is important as management is often initiated based on the interim findings, prior to review by the consultant radiologist. A common exception to this approach is cervical CT (CCT), as many hospital protocols recommend patients to remain in spinal precautions until the report is finalised by a consultant, although there are very few studies to support this practice.

Methods

The interim registrar reports for all CCTs performed after‐hours over a 12‐month period were retrospectively reviewed. The final consultant report was used as the gold standard to establish accuracy of the registrar report. The primary outcome was discrepancy between the provisional and final reports. Any discrepancy was classified as either an ‘overcall’ or ‘miss’. Discrepancies were graded by the RADPEER scoring system.

Results

A total of 1084 after‐hours CCT studies were reviewed. The number of cases positive for injury was 37 (3.4%). The total number of discrepancies was 14 (discrepancy rate 1.3%), including 4 overcalls (0.3%) and 10 misses (0.9%). The discrepancy rates for junior and senior registrars were 1.7% and 0.7% respectively. Only 5 misses (0.5%) were considered clinically significant.

Conclusion

Registrars reporting after‐hours CCT have low rates of discrepancy with very few clinically significant misses. However, the reduced registrar sensitivity for detection of cervical injury highlights the ongoing importance of consultant review in the process of cervical spine clearance pathways.
Ambient Noise Tomography of Jinan: The Migration of Groundwater and the Formation of Geothermal Water
Authors: LEI Ting , LIANG Feng , HAN Chen , WANG Zhihui , LI Junlun , MA Yan , YAO Huajian
Published: September 2021

Jinan is an important city in eastern China, with rich groundwater in the region. There are four famous springs in the urban area and an abundance of geothermal water in the northern part, which makes the migration of groundwater in this area a very important issue. To study the shallow shear wave velocity structure and groundwater migration in Jinan, we utilized almost a month of continuous waveform data from 175 short period seismometers deployed by the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, in order to calculate the cross‐correlation function. We picked 7749 group dispersion curves and 6117 phase dispersion curves with a period range of 0.2–2 s. Through inversion, we obtained the fine three‐dimensional shear wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy structure (0–2.4 km). Combining the results with local geological and hydrological data, the following conclusions were reached. (1) There are widespread high velocity anomalies in the region between the Qianfoshan and Wenhuaqiao faults, as well as to the east of the Wenhuaqiao Fault, which may be related to the intrusive gabbro known as the Jinan Intrusive Rock. (2) The two distinct high velocity anomalies in our model (referred to as west and east Jinan Intrusive Rock in this paper) may indicate that the Jinan Intrusive Rock was broken through crustal movement. (3) There is an obvious low velocity layer under the intrusive rock, which could be the channel of groundwater migration. The precipitation in the southern mountain region seeps down into the ground, then is blocked by the Jinan Intrusive Rock and can only progress downwards to a deeper part, where the groundwater is heated by the geothermal gradient. The heated water finally arrives at the northern part and forms geothermal water. (4) The depth of the low velocity layer beneath the Jinan Intrusive Rock varies laterally, which may indicate that the depth of the groundwater migration is different beneath the west and east Jinan Intrusive Rock. (5) There is strong azimuthal anisotropy in southern Jinan, with nearly E‐W fast orientation, which may be related to the tilt limestone layering structure.
Across the Pond: How US Firms' Boards of Directors Adapted to the Passage of the General Data Protection Regulation†
Authors: Klein April , Manini Raffaele , Shi Yanting (Crystal)
Published: September 2021

One of the prime responsibilities of the board of directors is to understand and oversee its firm's risk profile. We exploit a recent European Union (EU) regulation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as a quasi‐exogenous shock to the cyber risk landscape to assess whether boards of US firms changed their focus and governance structures to deal with this new challenge. The GDPR encompasses a sweeping set of regulations aimed at protecting EU citizens from unwanted uses of their personal Internet data. Although an EU regulation, the GDPR applies to all US public firms with at least one EU user. Adopting a difference‐in‐differences methodology, we use firms that already fall under a US data privacy regulation as a control group and find that boards of treated US firms, on average, increase their focus on cyber risk, add more directors with cyber/IT expertise, and more frequently assign cyber risk oversight to the board or to a board committee. In cross‐sectional tests, we show that these changes are positively associated with a firm's ex ante cyber risk, but are unrelated to whether a firm had a large EU presence, suggesting a more global reaction to the GDPR. In addition, we examine some of the consequences of these board changes. We find boards that promptly responded by changing their board focus, expertise, and monitoring assignment of cyber risk around the passage of GDPR had fewer future cyberattacks/data breaches and less related media attention. Our findings suggest that, on average, American corporate boards promptly responded to changes in the cyber risk environment in ways that reduced their firms' overall future cyber risk. Our results have implications for the efficacy and flexibility of US corporate boards to respond to unexpected changes in risk.
Inattention, availability bias, and attribute premium estimation for a biobased product
Authors: Cheng Haotian , Lambert Dayton M. , DeLong Karen L. , Jensen Kimberly L.
Published: September 2021

Biobased productsare non‐food goods derived from agricultural and forestry materials. Products made from biomaterials could substitute for petroleum‐based inputs used to make everyday household goods. This studyestimates consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for the attributes of single‐use eating‐ware (SUEW) plates made from biobased materials. Attributes considered are product material, degradability, product labeling, and biomass origin. The study controls for inattention and availability bias on attribute premium. Results suggest that inattention bias decreased consumer WTP for SUEW products by $0.36 to $3.69/25‐count package. Consumers valued most product degradability and using non‐plastic materials to make SUEW plates. Availability bias did not affect WTP. Consumer surplus increases by $2 million if the marginal cost of producing a SUEW product made with wheat straw is less than $6.
Delete and survive: strategies of programmed genetic material elimination in eukaryotes
Authors: Dedukh Dmitrij , Krasikova Alla
Published: September 2021

Genome stability is a crucial feature of eukaryotic organisms because its alteration drastically affects the normal development and survival of cells and the organism as a whole. Nevertheless, some organisms can selectively eliminate part of their genomes from certain cell types during specific stages of ontogenesis. This review aims to describe the phenomenon of programmed DNA elimination, which includes chromatin diminution (together with programmed genome rearrangement or DNA rearrangements), B and sex chromosome elimination, paternal genome elimination, parasitically induced genome elimination, and genome elimination in animal and plant hybrids. During programmed DNA elimination, individual chromosomal fragments, whole chromosomes, and even entire parental genomes can be selectively removed. Programmed DNA elimination occurs independently in different organisms, ranging from ciliate protozoa to mammals. Depending on the sequences destined for exclusion, programmed DNA elimination may serve as a radical mechanism of dosage compensation and inactivation of unnecessary or dangerous genetic entities. In hybrids, genome elimination results from competition between parental genomes. Despite the different consequences of DNA elimination, all genetic material destined for elimination must be first recognised, epigenetically marked, separated, and then removed and degraded.
Arboreal monkeys facilitate foraging of terrestrial frugivores
Authors: Havmøller Linnea W. , Loftus J. Carter , Havmøller Rasmus W. , Alavi Shauhin E. , Caillaud Damien , Grote Mark N. , Hirsch Ben T. , Tórrez‐Herrera Lucia L. , Kays Roland , Crofoot Margaret C.
Published: September 2021

Terrestrial animals feed on fruit dropped by arboreal frugivores in tropical forests around the world, but it remains unknown whether the resulting spatial associations of these animals are coincidental or intentionally maintained. On Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we used a combination of acoustic playback experiments, remote camera monitoring, and GPS tracking to quantify the frequency of such interactions, determine who initiates and maintains spatial associations, and test whether terrestrial animals adopt a strategy of acoustic eavesdropping to locate fruit patches created by foraging primates. Indeed, 90% of fruits collected in fruit fall traps had tooth marks of arboreal frugivores, and terrestrial frugivores visited fruit trees sooner following visits by GPS‐collared monkeys. While our play back experiments were insufficient to support the hypothesis that terrestrial frugivores use auditory cues to locate food dropped by arboreal primates, analyses of movement paths of capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), and coatis (Nasua narica) reveal that observed patterns of interspecific attraction are not merely a byproduct of mutual attraction to shared resources. Coatis were significantly more likely to initiate close encounters with arboreal primates thanvice versaand maintained these associations by spending significantly longer periods at fruiting trees when collared primates were present. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial frugivores are attracted to arboreal primates, likely because they increase local resource availability. Primates are often among the first species in a habitat to be extirpated by hunting; our results suggest that their loss may have unanticipated consequences for the frugivore community.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Spitzer Haaransatz: ein oft übersehenes, aber charakteristisches morphologisches Zeichen
Authors: Kyriakou Georgia , Glentis Apostolos , Papanikolaou Sofia
Published: September 2021

Ein spitzer Haaransatz (englisch:widow’s peak) galt ursprünglich als Omen für eine frühe Witwenschaft. Mittlerweile ist bekannt, dass es sich bei dieser V‐förmig abfallenden Verlängerung des vorderen Haaransatzes in der Stirnmitte um ein morphogenetisches Merkmal handelt. Obwohl ein spitzer Haaransatz in den meisten Fällen eine Normvariante ist, wurde er auch schon mit verschiedenen genetischen Syndromen in Verbindung gebracht.
Topische Calcineurininhibitoren und das Risiko für Lymphome: eine systematische Übersicht und Metaanalyse
Authors: Wu Po‐Chien , Huang I‐Hsin , Liu Che‐Wei , Huang Yu‐Chen
Published: September 2021

Die topischen Calcineurininhibitoren (TCI) Tacrolimus und Pimecrolimus haben breite Anwendung als Kortikosteroid‐einsparende Wirkstoffe zur Behandlung vieler Hautkrankheiten gefunden. Allerdings wird das Risiko maligner Erkrankungen bei Therapie mit TCI weiterhin kontrovers diskutiert. Unser Ziel war es, den Zusammenhang zwischen TCI und Lymphomen in einer systematischen Übersicht und Metaanalyse zu untersuchen. Dazu wurden geeignete Studien in Online‐Datenbanken vom Tag ihrer Einführung bis zum 30. August 2020 identifiziert. Um das TCI‐bedingte Risiko für die Lymphom‐Entstehung zu bewerten, wurden Kohortenstudien analysiert, in denen die Inzidenzen von Lymphomen mit und ohne TCI‐Behandlung verglichen wurden. Es wurden auch Subgruppen von Hodgkin‐ und Non‐Hodgkin‐Lymphomen analysiert. Die zusammengefassten Ergebnisse zeigten, dass topisch angewandtes Tacrolimus (RR 1,68, 95 %‐KI 1,39–2,04) oder Pimecrolimus (RR 1,40, 95 %‐KI 1,13–1,74) das Risiko für die Lymphom‐Entstehung signifikant erhöhten. Bei TCI‐Anwendern war zudem die Inzidenz von Lymphomen mit 0,02–0,09 % im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe mit 0,02–0,06 % erhöht. Außerdem zeigte die Subgruppenanalyse sowohl für Tacrolimus (RR 1,89; 95 %‐KI 1,53–2,32) als auch für Pimecrolimus (RR 1,38; 95 %‐KI 1,09–1,74) ein signifikant höheres Risiko für Non‐Hodgkin‐Lymphome, jedoch nicht für Hodgkin‐Lymphome. Zusammenfassend war bei mit TCI behandelten Patienten das Risiko für die Entstehung eines Lymphoms, insbesondere eines Non‐Hodgkin‐Lymphoms, signifikant erhöht.
The dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist tirzepatide improves cardiovascular risk biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes: A post hoc analysis
Authors: Wilson Jonathan M. , Lin Yanzhu , Luo M. Jane , Considine Gary , Cox Amy L. , Bowsman Lenden M. , Robins Deborah A. , Haupt Axel , Duffin Kevin L. , Ruotolo Giacomo
Published: September 2021

In a phase 2 trial of once‐weekly tirzepatide (1, 5, 10, or 15 mg), dulaglutide (1.5 mg), or placebo, the dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist tirzepatide dose‐dependently reduced HbA1c and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this post hoc analysis, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and cellular stress biomarkers were measured at baseline, 4, 12, and 26 weeks to evaluate the additional effects of tirzepatide on cardiovascular risk factors. At 26 weeks, tirzepatide 10 and 15 mg decreased YKL‐40 (also known as chitinase‐3 like‐protein‐1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1), leptin, and growth differentiation factor 15 levels versus baseline, and YKL‐40 and leptin levels versus placebo and dulaglutide. Tirzepatide 15 mg also decreased ICAM‐1 levels versus placebo and dulaglutide, and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) levels versus baseline and placebo, but not dulaglutide. GlycA, interleukin 6, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and N‐terminal‐pro hormone B‐type natriuretic peptide levels were not significantly changed in any group. YKL‐40, hsCRP, and ICAM‐1 levels rapidly decreased within 4 weeks of treatment with tirzepatide 10 and 15 mg, whereas the decrease in leptin levels was more gradual and did not plateau by 26 weeks. In this hypothesis‐generating exploratory analysis, tirzepatide decreased several biomarkers that have been associated with cardiovascular risk.
Ocular involvement and complications of lichen planus, lichen planus pigmentosus, and lichen planopilaris: A comprehensive review
Authors: Ruiz‐Lozano Raul E. , Hernández‐Camarena Julio C. , Valdez‐Garcia Jorge E. , Roman‐Zamudio Mariana , Herrera‐Rodriguez Monica I. , Andrade‐Carrillo Daniela , Garza‐Garza Lucas A. , Cardenas‐de la Garza Jesus A.
Published: September 2021

Ocular involvement of lichenoid dermatoses, such as lichen planus (LP), lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP), and lichen planopilaris (LPL), although uncommon, is associated with skin manifestations. Isolated ocular involvement is very rare. When lesions are confined to the skin, the dermatologist inquires and evaluates for oral and genital symptoms and lesions, respectively; hence, eye manifestations are commonly neglected by the non‐ophthalmologist. Ocular involvement in LP, LPP, and LPL may result in significant morbidity. An ophthalmic interrogatory and a gross ophthalmic evaluation performed by the dermatologist may unravel ocular signs and symptoms that require evaluation by an eye specialist. Ocular surface inflammation and scarring, when untreated, results in serious complications such as corneal perforation and permanent vision loss. This review aims to present an up‐to‐date overview for the dermatologist of the ocular involvement and complications of LP, LPP, and LPL, and when to refer to the ophthalmologist to prevent blinding complications.
Kintsugi—Identity change and reconstruction following an episode of psychosis: A systematic review and thematic synthesis
Authors: Harris Olivia , Lawes Anna , Andrews Carina , Jacobsen Pamela
Published: September 2021

Aim

Research has shown that experiences of psychosis can have a significant impact on an individual's identity. Moreover, the way those who experience psychosis make sense of these changes appears to affect their recovery journey and hold clinical significance. However, this area of research is still very much developing, and there is a need for reviews, which look to synthesise and understand this process of identity change to guide clinicians working in this area as well as future research. This study looks to meet that gap and aims to synthesise qualitative literature exploring the lived experience of identity change amongst people who experience psychosis.

Methods

A systematic review using thematic synthesis was carried out. The PRISMA and ENTREQ guidelines were followed in reporting the study.

Results

Ninety‐one papers were identified which met criteria for inclusion and 31 papers included in the synthesis at which point conceptual saturation was judged to have been reached. Five themes were created: psychosis as an obliteration of the old self; the futile fight against psychosis; mourning for who I was; the battle for self as a battle against disempowerment; and recovery as rebirth.

Conclusions

Results highlighted the substantive impact an experience of psychosis has on an individual's identity, the key role sense making around these identity changes plays in recovery and the crucial impact of clinicians on the sense‐making process. The implications for theory, future research and clinical practice are discussed.
Effective connectivity differs between focal cortical dysplasia types I and II
Authors: Shahabi Hossein , Taylor Kenneth , Hirfanoglu Tugba , Koneru Shreekanth , Bingaman William , Kobayashi Katsuya , Kobayashi Masako , Joshi Anand , Leahy Richard M. , Mosher John C. , Bulacio Juan , Nair Dileep
Published: September 2021

Objective

To determine whether brain connectivity differs between focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) types I and II.

Methods

We compared cortico‐cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) as measures of effective brain connectivity in 25 FCD patients with drug‐resistant focal epilepsy who underwent intracranial evaluation with stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG). We analyzed the amplitude and latency of CCEP responses following ictal‐onset single‐pulse electrical stimulation (iSPES).

Results

In comparison to FCD type II, patients with type I demonstrated significantly larger responses in the electrodes near the ictal‐onset zone (<50 mm). These findings persisted when controlling for the location of the epileptogenic zone, as noted in patients with temporal lobe epilepsies, as well as controlling for seizure type, as noted in patients with focal to bilateral tonic‐clonic seizures (FBTCS). In type II, the root mean square (RMS) of CCEP responses dropped substantially from the early segment (10–60 ms) to the middle and late segments (60–600 ms). The middle and late CCEP latency segments showed the largest differences between FCD types I and II.

Significance

Focal cortical dysplasia type I may have a greater degree of cortical hyperexcitability as compared with FCD type II. In addition, FCD type II displays a more restrictive area of hyperexcitability in both temporal and spatial domains. In patients with FBTCS and type I FCD, the increased amplitudes of RMS in the middle and late CCEP periods appear consistent with the cortico‐thalamo‐cortical network involvement of FBTCS. The notable differences in degree and extent of hyperexcitability may contribute to the different postsurgical seizure outcomes noted between these two pathological substrates.
Gingival approach to correct wry nose using locking compression plates in two foals
Authors: Sapper C. B. , Suárez Sánchez‐Andrade J. , Theiss F. , Fürst A.
Published: September 2021

Wry nose (campylorrhinus lateralis) in foals leads to breathing and weaning problems as well as reduced performance. The objective of this retrospective study was to describe a new gingival approach for, and report the outcome after, surgical correction of wry nose in two foals. Two young foals with wry nose were surgically treated using a gingival approach. Osteotomy of the incisive and maxillary bones was carried out, and a 3.5‐mm locking compression plate (LCP) with screws was inserted in the incisive and maxillary bones and in several teeth to stabilise the gap. The rostral part of the nasal septum was resected, and osteotomy and plate fixation were used to correct the nasal bone deviation. A 2.4‐mm UniLOCK plate was used in one foal and 2.7‐mm LCP in the other. Respiratory difficulties and facial malformation were markedly reduced in both foals. The existing brachygnathia superior and nasal bone deviation could not be completely eliminated. Main limitation was the small sample size of only two foals. In conclusion surgical correction of wry nose through a gingival approach resulted in a good outcome with a significant reduction in the deviation and associated clinical signs.
Acute hindlimb paresis caused by extension of a peripheral nerve sheath tumour into the spinal canal of a horse
Authors: Biermann N. M. , Doyle A. J. , Hanna P. , Stoughton W. B.
Published: September 2021

A 10‐year‐old Quarter Horse gelding presented for a large, slowly growing mass in the right thoracic region caudal to the withers (approximately at the level of thoracic vertebrae 10 to 16). The mass was surgically removed, the horse returned to normal riding activity, and no external regrowth was observed. Two years after surgery, the horse developed progressive signs of hindlimb weakness, ataxia and adopting a dog‐sitting stance. Post‐mortem examination confirmed spinal canal infiltration and spinal cord compression (at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra) by a similar soft tissue sarcoma as diagnosed previously. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the tumour as a peripheral nerve sheath tumour (PNST) likely originating from the twelfth thoracic spinal nerve. This report demonstrates that with incomplete tumour resection, local recurrence and extension of a PNST into the central nervous system can occur even years after initial tumour removal. Immunohistochemistry to differentiate the type of soft tissue sarcoma in cases with close association to the nervous system may prove beneficial to anticipate this uncommon complication. Early surgical resection with adjunctive therapies should be considered in these cases.
Diffuse osteomyelitis of the fourth metacarpal bone in a horse caused by Clostridium perfringens
Authors: Smith C. E. , Cullen M. D. , Forman I. M. , Talbot A. M. , Stack J. D.
Published: September 2021

Osteomyelitis in adult horses, often associated with trauma or iatrogenic infection following surgery, usually presents as a focal area of infected bone. Diffuse osteomyelitis, affecting both the cortex and medulla, along the full length of a bone is encountered less frequently and treatment of such infections is not well reported in horses. The 2‐year‐old Warmblood mare in this case was diagnosed with diffuse osteomyelitis affecting the 4th metacarpal bone with concurrent unicortical fracture of the third metacarpal bone following traumatic injury. Computed tomography (CT) aided diagnosis in this case, providing critical additional detail to that obtained with radiography and ultrasound. This case highlights the value of CT in the diagnosis of diffuse osteomyelitis. This is the first reported case of diffuse osteomyelitis caused by Clostridium perfringens in horses. Successful treatment in this case consisted of surgical debridement of the associated abscess, followed by systemic and locoregional antimicrobial therapies.
Cryo‐EM structure of the IL‐10 receptor complex provides a blueprint for ligand engineering
Authors: Saxton Robert A. , Garcia K. Christopher
Published: September 2021

Interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) is an immunomodulatory cytokine that plays important roles in terminating inflammatory responses and preventing tissue damage resulting from autoimmunity. Although these anti‐inflammatory actions have led to considerable clinical interest, efforts to exploit IL‐10 therapeutically have been hindered by the highly pleiotropic nature of IL‐10 and its ability to elicit proinflammatory effects in vivo. In this structural snapshot, we review the recent cryo‐EM structure of the IL‐10 receptor signaling complex, highlighting its unique structural features, insights into the mechanism of receptor sharing by the IL‐10 cytokine family, and the implications for manipulating IL‐10 signaling therapeutically.
Climate‐associated decline of body condition in a fossorial salamander
Authors: Moldowan Patrick D. , Tattersall Glenn J. , Rollinson Njal
Published: September 2021

Temperate ectotherms have responded to recent environmental change, likely due to the direct and indirect effects of temperature on key life cycle events. Yet, a substantial number of ectotherms are fossorial, spending the vast majority of their lives in subterranean microhabitats that are assumed to be buffered against environmental change. Here, we examine whether seasonal climatic conditions influence body condition (a measure of general health and vigor), reproductive output, and breeding phenology in a northern population of fossorial salamander (Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum). We found that breeding body condition declined over a 12‐year monitoring period (2008–2019) with warmer summer and autumn temperatures at least partly responsible for the observed decline in body condition. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that elevated metabolism drives the negative association between temperature and condition. Population‐level reproduction, assessed via egg mass counts, showed high interannual variation and was weakly influenced by autumn temperatures. Salamander breeding phenology was strongly correlated with lake ice melt but showed no long‐term temporal trend (1986–2019). Climatic warming in the region, which has been and is forecasted to be strongest in the summer and autumn, is predicted to lead to a 5%–27% decline in salamander body condition under realistic near‐future climate scenarios. Although the subterranean environment offers a thermal buffer, the observed decline in condition and relatively strong effect of summer temperature on body condition suggest that fossorial salamanders are sensitive to the effects of a warming climate. Given the diversity of fossorial taxa, heightened attention to the vulnerability of subterranean microhabitat refugia and their inhabitants is warranted amid global climatic change.
Warming reshaped the microbial hierarchical interactions
Authors: Zhou Yuqi , Sun Baoyu , Xie Baohua , Feng Kai , Zhang Zhaojing , Zhang Zheng , Li Shuzhen , Du Xiongfeng , Zhang Qi , Gu Songsong , Song Wen , Wang Linlin , Xia Jianyang , Han Guangxuan , Deng Ye
Published: September 2021

Global warming may alter microbially mediated ecosystem functions through reshaping of microbial diversity and modified microbial interactions. Here, we examined the effects of 5‐year experimental warming on different microbial hierarchical groups in a coastal nontidal soil ecosystem, including prokaryotes (i.e., bacteria and archaea), fungi, and Cercozoa, which is a widespread phylum of protists. Warming significantly altered the diversity and structure of prokaryotic and fungal communities in soil and additionally decreased the complexity of the prokaryotic network and fragmented the cercozoan network. By using the Inter‐Domain Ecological Network approach, the cross‐trophic interactions among prokaryotes, fungi, and Cercozoa were further investigated. Under warming, cercozoan–prokaryotic and fungal–prokaryotic bipartite networks were simplified, whereas the cercozoan–fungal network became slightly more complex. Despite simplification of the fungal–prokaryotic network, the strengthened synergistic interactions between saprotrophic fungi and certain prokaryotic groups, such as the Bacteroidetes, retained these phyla within the network under warming. In addition, the interactions within the fungal community were quite stable under warming conditions, which stabilized the interactions between fungi and prokaryotes or protists. Additionally, we found the microbial hierarchical interactions were affected by environmental stress (i.e., salinity and pH) and soil nutrients. Interestingly, the relevant microbial groups could respond to different soil properties under ambient conditions, whereas under warming these two groups tended to respond to similar soil properties, suggesting network hub species responded to certain environmental changes related to warming, and then transferred this response to their partners through trophic interactions. Finally, warming strengthened the network modules’ negative association with soil organic matters through some fungal hub species, which might trigger soil carbon loss in this ecosystem. Our study provides new insights into the response and feedback of microbial hierarchical interactions under warming scenario.
Achievable agricultural soil carbon sequestration across Europe from country‐specific estimates
Authors: Rodrigues Leonor , Hardy Brieuc , Huyghebeart Bruno , Fohrafellner Julia , Fornara Dario , Barančíková Gabriela , Bárcena Teresa G. , De Boever Maarten , Di Bene Claudia , Feizienė Dalia , Kätterer Thomas , Laszlo Peter , O’Sullivan Lilian , Seitz Daria , Leifeld Jens
Published: September 2021

The role of soils in the global carbon cycle and in reducing GHG emissions from agriculture has been increasingly acknowledged. The ‘4 per 1000’ (4p1000) initiative has become a prominent action plan for climate change mitigation and achieve food security through an annual increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks by 0.4%, (i.e. 4‰ per year). However, the feasibility of the 4p1000 scenario and, more generally, the capacity of individual countries to implement soil carbon sequestration (SCS) measures remain highly uncertain. Here, we evaluated country‐specific SCS potentials of agricultural land for 24 countries in Europe. Based on a detailed survey of available literature, we estimate that between 0.1% and 27% of the agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can potentially be compensated by SCS annually within the next decades. Measures varied widely across countries, indicating differences in country‐specific environmental conditions and agricultural practices. None of the countries' SCS potential reached the aspirational goal of the 4p1000 initiative, suggesting that in order to achieve this goal, a wider range of measures and implementation pathways need to be explored. Yet, SCS potentials exceeded those from previous pan‐European modelling scenarios, underpinning the general need to include national/regional knowledge and expertise to improve estimates of SCS potentials. The complexity of the chosen SCS measurement approaches between countries ranked from tier 1 to tier 3 and included the effect of different controlling factors, suggesting that methodological improvements and standardization of SCS accounting are urgently required. Standardization should include the assessment of key controlling factors such as realistic areas, technical and practical feasibility, trade‐offs with other GHG and climate change. Our analysis suggests that country‐specific knowledge and SCS estimates together with improved data sharing and harmonization are crucial to better quantify the role of soils in offsetting anthropogenic GHG emissions at global level.
An outbreak of appreciation: A discursive analysis of tweets of gratitude expressed to the National Health Service at the outset of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Day Giskin , Robert Glenn , Leedham‐Green Kathleen , Rafferty Anne Marie
Published: September 2021

Background

The early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic prompted unprecedented displays of gratitude to healthcare workers. In the United Kingdom, gratitude was a hotly debated topic in public discourse, catalysing compelling displays of civic togetherness but also attracting criticism for being an unhelpful distraction that authorized unrealistic expectations of healthcare workers. Expressions of thanks tend to be neglected as drivers of transformation, and yet, they are important indicators of qualities to which people attach significance.

Objective

This study aimed to use discursive analysis to explore how the National Health Service (NHS) was constructed in attention‐attracting tweets that expressed and/or discussed gratitude to the NHS.

Methods

Having determined that Twitter was the most active site for traffic relating to gratitude and the NHS, we established a corpus of 834 most‐liked tweets, purposively sampled from Twitter searches on a day‐by‐day basis over the period of the first lockdown in the United Kingdom (22 March–28 May 2020). We developed a typology for tweets engaging with gratitude as well as analysing what the NHS was thanked for.

Results

Our analysis, informed by a discursive psychology approach, found that the meanings attributed to gratitude were highly mobile and there were distinct patterns of activity. The NHS was predominantly—and sometimes idealistically—thanked for working, effort, saving and caring. Displays of gratitude were seen as incommensurable with failures of responsibility. The clap‐for‐carers campaign was a potent driver of affect, especially in the early parts of the lockdown.

Conclusions

The social value of gratitude is implicated in the re‐evaluation of the risks and rewards of healthcare and social care work in the wake of the pandemic. We caution against cynicism about gratitude overshadowing the well‐being effects that expressing and receiving gratitude can engender, particularly given concerns over the detrimental effects of the pandemic on mental health.

Public Contribution

This study involves the analysis of data provided by the public and published on social media.