bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is a Corruption Crackdown Really Good for the Economy? Firm-Level Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Zhiyuan , Jin Xin , Xu Xu
Published: July 2020

We study the impact of anticorruption efforts on firm performance, exploiting an unanticipated corruption crackdown in China’s Heilongjiang province in 2004. We compare firms in the affected regions with those in other inland regions before and after the crackdown. Our main finding is an overall negative impact of the crackdown on firm productivity and entry rates. Furthermore, these negative impacts are mainly experienced by private and foreign firms, while state-owned firms are mostly unaffected. We present evidence concerning two potential explanations for our findings. First, the corruption crackdown may have limited bribery opportunities that helped private firms operate. Second, the corruption crackdown may have interfered with personal connections between private firms and government officials to a greater extent than institutional connections between state-owned firms and the government. Overall, our findings suggest that corruption crackdowns may not restore efficiency in the economy, but instead lead to worse economic outcomes, at least in the short run (JEL L2, M1, O1).
The genetic structure of the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus; Ursidae, Carnivora) in Colombia by means of mitochondrial and microsatellite markers
Authors: Ruiz-García Manuel , Arias Vásquez Jessica Yanina , Restrepo Héctor , Cáceres-Martínez Carlos Herney , Shostell Joseph Mark
Published: July 2020

The spectacled bear (Ursidae: Tremarctos ornatus) is an emblematic umbrella species and one of the top carnivores in the Andean mountains. It is also listed as vulnerable by IUCN and as endangered by CITES. We analyzed the genetic structure of this species in nine geographical regions representing the three Andean Cordilleras in Colombia. We sequenced six mitochondrial genes in 115 spectacled bears; a subset of these specimens (n = 61) were genotyped at seven nuclear microsatellites. We addressed three objectives: 1) determine the genetic diversity and historical demographic changes of the spectacled bear in Colombia; 2) determine phylogeographic patterns of genetic divergence among spectacled bear populations in Colombia; and 3) estimate the levels of gene flow among different regions of Colombia. Our analyses show evidence of high mitochondrial genetic diversity in spectacled bears, both in Colombia as well as in each of the nine regions, most particularly Norte de Santander, Nariño, and Antioquia-Córdoba. In addition, we detected population expansion in Colombia that occurred around 24,000 years ago, followed by a population decrease during the last 7,000 years, and a sudden expansion in the last 300 years. Phylogenetic analyses showed few well-supported clades, with some haplotypes detected in all the departments and Colombian Andean Cordilleras, and other haplotypes restricted to certain geographical areas (Antioquia, Norte de Santander, Cundinamarca, and Nariño). We detected significant genetic heterogeneity among some departments and among the three Colombian Andean Cordilleras for both mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Nevertheless, the moderate levels of gene flow estimated from FST statistics suggest that geographical barriers have not been definitive obstacles to the dispersion of the spectacled bear throughout Colombia. Despite these gene flow estimates, significant spatial autocorrelation was detected for spectacled bear in Colombia, where two kinds of spatial patterns were discovered: genetic patches of 144 km of diameter, and isolation by distance among bears separated from 578 to 800 km. The two most northern spectacled bear populations of Colombia (Norte de Santander and Antioquia) also were the two most differentiated. Their distinctiveness may qualify them as distinct Management Units (MUs) in the context of conservation policies for the spectacled bear in Colombia.
A Heterozygous Mutation in the Filamin C Gene Causes an Unusual Nemaline Myopathy With Ring Fibers
Authors: Evangelista Teresinha , Lornage Xavière , Carlier Pierre G , Bassez Guillaume , Brochier Guy , Chanut Anais , Lacène Emmanuelle , Bui Mai-Thao , Metay Corinne , Oppermann Ursula , Böhm Johann , Laporte Jocelyn , Romero Norma B
Published: July 2020

Autosomal dominant pathogenic variants in the filamin C gene (FLNC) have been associated with myofibrillar myopathies, distal myopathies, and isolated cardiomyopathies. Mutations in different functional domains of FLNC can cause various clinical phenotypes. A novel heterozygous missense variant c.608G>A, p.(Cys203Tyr) in the actin binding domain of FLCN was found to cause an upper limb distal myopathy (MIM #614065). The muscle MRI findings are similar to those observed in FLNC-myofibrillar myopathy (MIM #609524). However, the muscle biopsy revealed >20% of muscle fibers with nemaline bodies, in addition to numerous ring fibers and a predominance of type 1 fibers. Overall, this case shows some unique and rare aspects of FLNC-myopathy constituting a new morphologic phenotype of FLNC-related myopathies.
How to tell an accreting boson star from a black hole
Authors: Olivares Hector , Younsi Ziri , Fromm Christian M , De Laurentis Mariafelicia , Porth Oliver , Mizuno Yosuke , Falcke Heino , Kramer Michael , Rezzolla Luciano
Published: July 2020

The capability of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) to image the nearest supermassive black hole candidates at horizon-scale resolutions offers a novel means to study gravity in its strongest regimes and to test different models for these objects. Here, we study the observational appearance at 230 GHz of a surfaceless black hole mimicker, namely a non-rotating boson star, in a scenario consistent with the properties of the accretion flow on to Sgr A*. To this end, we perform general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations followed by general relativistic radiative transfer calculations in the boson star space–time. Synthetic reconstructed images considering realistic astronomical observing conditions show that, despite qualitative similarities, the differences in the appearance of a black hole – either rotating or not – and a boson star of the type considered here are large enough to be detectable. These differences arise from dynamical effects directly related to the absence of an event horizon, in particular, the accumulation of matter in the form of a small torus or a spheroidal cloud in the interior of the boson star, and the absence of an evacuated high-magnetization funnel in the polar regions. The mechanism behind these effects is general enough to apply to other horizonless and surfaceless black hole mimickers, strengthening confidence in the ability of the EHT to identify such objects via radio observations.
Tilted outer and inner structures in edge-on galaxies?
Authors: Mosenkov Aleksandr V , Smirnov Anton A , Sil’chenko Olga K , Rich R Michael , Reshetnikov Vladimir P , Kormendy John
Published: July 2020

Tilted and warped discs inside tilted dark matter haloes are predicted from numerical and semi-analytical studies. In this paper, we use deep imaging to demonstrate the likely existence of tilted outer structures in real galaxies. We consider two SB0 edge-on galaxies, NGC 4469 and NGC 4452, which exhibit apparent tilted outer discs with respect to the inner structure. In NGC 4469, this structure has a boxy shape, inclined by ΔPA ≈ 3° with respect to the inner disc, whereas NGC 4452 harbours a discy outer structure with ΔPA ≈ 6°. In spite of the different shapes, both structures have surface brightness profiles close to exponential and make a large contribution (∼30 per cent) to the total galaxy luminosity. In the case of NGC 4452, we propose that its tilted disc likely originates from a former fast tidal encounter (probably with IC 3381). For NGC 4469, a plausible explanation may also be galaxy harassment, which resulted in a tilted or even a tumbling dark matter halo. A less likely possibility is accretion of gas-rich satellites several Gyr ago. New deep observations may potentially reveal more such galaxies with tilted outer structures, especially in clusters. We also consider galaxies, mentioned in the literature, where a central component (a bar or a bulge) is tilted with respect to the stellar disc. According to our numerical simulations, one of the plausible explanations of such observed ‘tilts’ of the bulge/bar is a projection effect due to a not exactly edge-on orientation of the galaxy coupled with a skew angle of the triaxial bulge/bar.
Gaia white dwarfs within 40 pc – I. Spectroscopic observations of new candidates
Authors: Tremblay P-E , Hollands M A , Gentile Fusillo N P , McCleery J , Izquierdo P , Gänsicke B T , Cukanovaite E , Koester D , Brown W R , Charpinet S , Cunningham T , Farihi J , Giammichele N , van Grootel V , Hermes J J , Hoskin M J , Jordan S , Kepler S O , Kleinman S J , Manser C J , Marsh T R , de Martino D , Nitta A , Parsons S G , Pelisoli I , Raddi R , Rebassa-Mansergas A , Ren J-J , Schreiber M R , Silvotti R , Toloza O , Toonen S , Torres S
Published: July 2020

We present a spectroscopic survey of 230 white dwarf candidates within 40 pc of the Sun from the William Herschel Telescope and Gran Telescopio Canarias. All candidates were selected from Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) and in almost all cases, had no prior spectroscopic classifications. We find a total of 191 confirmed white dwarfs and 39 main-sequence star contaminants. The majority of stellar remnants in the sample are relatively cool (〈Teff〉 = 6200 K), showing either hydrogen Balmer lines or a featureless spectrum, corresponding to 89 DA and 76 DC white dwarfs, respectively. We also recover two DBA white dwarfs and 9–10 magnetic remnants. We find two carbon-bearing DQ stars and 14 new metal-rich white dwarfs. This includes the possible detection of the first ultra-cool white dwarf with metal lines. We describe three DZ stars for which we find at least four different metal species, including one that is strongly Fe- and Ni-rich, indicative of the accretion of a planetesimal with core-Earth composition. We find one extremely massive (1.31 ± 0.01 M⊙) DA white dwarf showing weak Balmer lines, possibly indicating stellar magnetism. Another white dwarf shows strong Balmer line emission but no infrared excess, suggesting a low-mass sub-stellar companion. A high spectroscopic completeness (>99 per cent) has now been reached for Gaia DR2 sources within 40-pc sample, in the Northern hemisphere (δ > 0°) and located on the white dwarf cooling track in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram. A statistical study of the full northern sample is presented in a companion paper.
Higher Germline Mutagenesis of Genes with Stronger Testis Expressions Refutes the Transcriptional Scanning Hypothesis
Authors: Liu Haoxuan , Zhang Jianzhi
Published: July 2020

Why are more genes expressed in the testis than in any other organ in mammals? The recently proposed transcriptional scanning hypothesis posits that transcription alleviates mutagenesis through transcription-coupled repair so has been selected in the testis to modulate the germline mutation rate in a gene-specific manner. Here, we show that this hypothesis is theoretically untenable because the selection would be too weak to have an effect in mammals. Furthermore, the analysis purported to support the hypothesis did not control known confounding factors and inappropriately excluded genes with no observed de novo mutations. After remedying these problems, we find the human germline mutation rate of a gene to rise with its testis expression level. This trend also exists for inferred coding strand-originated mutations, suggesting that it arises from transcription-associated mutagenesis. Furthermore, the testis expression level of a gene robustly correlates with its overall expression in other organs, nullifying the need to explain the testis silencing of a minority of genes by adaptive germline mutagenesis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that human testis transcription increases the germline mutation rate, rejecting the transcriptional scanning hypothesis of extensive gene expressions in the mammalian testis.
Intervention during the first 1000 days in Mexico
Authors: Estrada-Gutiérrez Guadalupe , Zambrano Elena , Polo-Oteyza Ernestina , Cardona-Pérez Arturo , Vadillo-Ortega Felipe
Published: July 2020

Health systems and society are facing the growing problem of obesity and its accompanying comorbidities. New approaches to reduce these problems must be oriented to population groups in which long-lasting effects of interventions may occur. Biological processes occurring during the first 1000 days of life, which may be modulated by environmental modifications and result in phenotypes with differential risk for noncommunicable chronic disease, constitute an opportunity for interventions. The nutritional and general health conditions of pregnant women and the fetus, as well as toddlers, can be improved with interventions during the first 1000 days, offering pregnancy care, promoting breastfeeding, instructing on the use of complementary foods, and educating on the adequacy of the family dietary patterns for children. Evidence that interventions during this period result in promotion of children’s growth and development, influencing the risk for development of obesity in infancy, is available. In this article, an ongoing program in Mexico City directed to offer continuum of care during the first 1000 days is described.
Use of plasma-free amino acids as biomarkers for detecting and predicting disease risk
Authors: Nagao Kenji , Kimura Takeshi
Published: July 2020

This paper reviews developments regarding the use of plasma-free amino acid (PFAA) profiles as biomarkers for detecting and predicting disease risk. This work was initiated and first published in 2006 and was subsequently developed by Ajinomoto Co., Inc. After commercialization in 2011, PFAA-based tests were adopted in over 1500 clinics and hospitals in Japan, and numerous clinician-led studies have been performed to validate these tests. Evidence is accumulating that PFAA profiles can be used for diabetes prediction and evaluation of frailty; in particular, decreased plasma essential amino acids could contribute to the pathophysiology of severe frailty. Integration of PFAA evaluation as a biomarker and effective essential amino acid supplementation, which improves physical and mental functions in the elderly, could facilitate the development of precision nutrition, including personalized solutions. This present review provides the background for the technology as well as more recent clinical findings, and offers future possibilities regarding the implementation of precision nutrition.
Population strategy for promoting physical activity
Authors: Kamada Masamitsu
Published: July 2020

Physical inactivity is a globally prevalent phenomenon even though the health benefits of physical activity are well-known. The development of population strategies that effectively promote physical activity is necessary to reduce the individual and social burden of physical inactivity. Quality evidence informing strategies to promote physical activity at scale, however, is limited. Among cluster randomized trials examining the effectiveness of multistrategic, community-wide interventions aimed at promoting physical activity, only 1 trial (the COMMUNICATE study) successfully achieved a population-level increase in physical activity. This trial adopted social marketing techniques and network intervention (eg, word of mouth) in close collaboration with the target population (community residents). Although most previous studies ended their interventions within 1 to 3 years, the COMMUNICATE study took 5 years to achieve a population-level increase in physical activity. These findings suggest the need for a more focused approach (1 behavior at a time) as a basic marketing principle. Promoting physical activity at scale is a tough challenge but not impossible. Sophisticated approaches are necessary.
Long-Lasting (65 Ma) Regionally Contrasting Late- to Post-Orogenic Variscan Mantle-derived Potassic Magmatism in the Bohemian Massif
Authors: Krmíček Lukáš , Romer Rolf L , Timmerman Martin J , Ulrych Jaromír , Glodny Johannes , Přichystal Antonín , Sudo Masafumi
Published: July 2020

The orogenic development after the continental collision between Laurussia and Gondwana, led to two contrasting associations of mantle-derived magmatic rocks on the territory of the Bohemian Massif: (i) a 340–310 Ma lamprophyre-lamproite orogenic association; and (ii) a 300–275 Ma lamprophyre association of anorogenic affinity. Major types of potassic mantle-derived magmatic rocks recognized in the orogenic and anorogenic associations include: (i) calc-alkaline to alkaline lamprophyres; (ii) alkaline ‘orthopyroxene minettes’ and geochemically related rocks grouped here under the new term lampyrite; and (iii) peralkaline lamproites. These three types significantly differ with respect to mineral, whole-rock and Sr–Nd–Pb–Li isotope composition and spatial distribution. The calc-alkaline lamprophyres occur throughout the entire Saxo-Thuringian and Moldanubian zones, whereas the different types of malte-derived potassic rocks are spatially restricted to particular zones. Rocks of the Carboniferous lamprophyre-lamproite orogenic association are characterized by variable negative εNd(i) and variably radiogenic Sr(i), whereas the rocks of the Permian lamprophyre association of anorogenic affinity are characterized by positive εNd(i) and relatively young depleted-mantle Nd-model ages reflecting increasing input from upwelling asthenospheric mantle. The small variation in the Pb isotopic composition of post-collisional potassic mantle-derived magmatic rocks (of both the orogenic and anorogenic series) implies that the Pb budget of the mantle beneath the Bohemian Massif is dominated by the same crust-derived material, which itself may include material derived from several sources. The source rocks of ‘orthopyroxene minettes’ are characterized by isotopically light (‘eclogitic’) Li and strongly radiogenic (crustal) Sr and may have been metasomatized by high-pressure fluids along the edge of a subduction zone. In contrast, the strongly Al2O3 and CaO depleted mantle source of the lamproites is characterized by isotopically heavy Li and high SiO2 and extreme K2O contents. This mantle source may have been metasomatized predominantly by melts. The mantle source of the lamprophyres may have undergone metasomatism by both fluids and melts.
Critical Plural Logic†
Authors: Florio Salvatore , Linnebo Øystein
Published: July 2020

What is the relation between some things and the set of these things? Mathematical practice does not provide a univocal answer. On the one hand, it relies on ordinary plural talk, which is implicitly committed to a traditional form of plural logic. On the other hand, mathematical practice favors a liberal view of definitions which entails that traditional plural logic must be restricted. We explore this predicament and develop a “critical” alternative to traditional plural logic.
Impact of overweight and obesity on patient-reported health-related quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Gomez Alvaro , Hani Butrus Fawz , Johansson Petter , Åkerström Emil , Soukka Sofia , Emamikia Sharzad , Enman Yvonne , Pettersson Susanne , Parodis Ioannis
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Associations between BMI and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in SLE have been implied, but data are scarce. We determined the impact of overweight and obesity on HRQoL in a large SLE population.

Methods

We pooled cross-sectional baseline data from the BLISS-52 (NCT00424476) and BLISS-76 (NCT00410384) trials (N = 1684). HRQoL was evaluated using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue scale and the European Quality of Life 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D). Comparisons between BMI groups were conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test and adjustments using linear regression. Clinical relevance was determined by minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs).

Results

In total, 43.2% of the patients had BMI above normal and 17.4% were obese. Overweight and obese patients reported worse SF-36 physical component summary (PCS), physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and FACIT-Fatigue scores than normal weight patients. Divergences were greater than corresponding MCIDs and more prominent with increasing BMI. Despite no clinically important difference in SF-36 mental component summary scores across BMI categories, patients experienced progressively diminished vitality and social functioning with increasing BMI. In linear regression analysis, BMI above normal and obesity were associated with worse PCS (standardized coefficient β = −0.10, P < 0.001 and β = −0.17, P < 0.001, respectively), FACIT-Fatigue (β = −0.11, P < 0.001 and β = −0.16, P < 0.001) and EQ-5D (β = −0.08, P = 0.001 and β = −0.12, P < 0.001) scores, independently of demographic and disease-related factors. The impact of BMI on the PCS and FACIT-Fatigue was more pronounced than that of SLE activity.

Conclusion

Patients with SLE and BMI above normal experienced clinically important HRQoL diminutions in physical aspects, fatigue and social functioning. A survey of potential causality underlying this association is warranted.
In Defense of Intra-Sectarian Divide: Street Mobilization, Coalition Formation, and Rapid Realignments of Sectarian Boundaries in Lebanon
Authors: Majed Rima
Published: July 2020

This article examines the rapid transformations in the salience of sectarian boundaries despite seemingly deeply entrenched polarization. Lebanon provides an interesting case study where sectarian dichotomies moved relatively quickly from a predominantly “Christian–Muslim” divide to a more recent “Sunni–Shia” split within the context of tumultuous street mobilizations. While this sectarian dichotomy is resonant with the regional intra-Muslim divide, its local dynamics and mechanisms remain unknown. Based on recent literature pointing to street mobilization as an important channel for ethnic politics, this article focuses on co-mobilization—or coalition formation in protests—as a mechanism of sectarianization. It builds on an original and exclusive protest event catalogue (2000–2010), network analysis, and in-depth interview to ask: how does the salience of sectarian dichotomies shift in tandem with transformations in street politics? Through an analysis of momentous street mobilizations and coalition formations, the article traces how sectarian and political fault-lines are (re-)drawn and crystalized. The findings suggest that sectarian polarization emerges when political parties (re-)alignments overlap with the boundaries of sectarian cleavages, thus allowing interchangeability between political and sectarian categories. Contrary to common belief, this finding indicates that intra-sectarian political unity—rather than inter-sectarian divisions—shapes the processes of sectarianization and polarization.
Kin Support of the Black Middle Class: Negotiating Need, Norms, and Class Background
Authors: Hill Jasmine D
Published: July 2020

In comparison to middle-class Whites, middle-class African Americans disproportionately provide financial support to their low-income family members. Evidence suggests that this practice is both essential for its low-income recipients and economically detrimental for Black middle-class givers. Scholars often oversimplify Black middle-class identity by describing kin support as motivated solely by racial identity. Gathering insight from 41 in-depth interviews, this article interrogates the conditions under which, despite their financial own vulnerability, middle-class Black families offer kin support. This study explores variations in Black middle-class racial ideology and observes how other dimensions of identity, such as class background, influence attitudes and decision-making towards family. This article demonstrates how socioeconomic background shapes the ways the Black middle class negotiates expectations of kin support and details three kin support approaches as either strategies for social mobility, tools reserved for short-term lending, or opportunities to repay unsettled childhood debts. This work contributes to our understanding of how the Black community deploys kin support, illuminates how the Black middle class makes sense of racial norms around giving, and centers class background in our intersectional understanding of identity.
The Medieval Origins of Smithian Growth: The Proliferation of Occupations and Commodities in Japan, 1261–1638
Authors: SAITO Osamu
Published: July 2020

While early-modernists tend to believe that the period around 1600 saw a structural break in Japan’s economic history, research by medievalists since the mid-1970s has suggested that a market economy was on the rise from the 14th century onwards. This article examines several listings of occupations and commodities compiled between the 13th and the early 17th centuries to see if a proliferation of non-agricultural activities was underway before c.1600. As Adam Smith envisaged, the separation of one productive activity from another, i.e. an increasing division of labour, will lead to economic growth. Since this type of market-led change, often called Smithian growth, has been considered an ‘early modern’ phenomenon by economic historians, it is worth examining if there were signs of an increasing division of labour in late medieval Japan. The article’s findings indicate that some signs of occupational and product differentiation appeared by the 16th century. As far as Smithian growth is concerned, therefore, the article concludes that there was some degree of continuity between the medieval and the early modern periods.
Disparate Disruptions: Intersectional COVID-19 Employment Effects by Age, Gender, Education, and Race/Ethnicity
Authors: Moen Phyllis , Pedtke Joseph H , Flood Sarah
Published: July 2020

These are unprecedented times, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts public health, social interaction, and employment attachments. Evidence to date has been about broad shifts in unemployment rates as a percent of the labor force. We draw on monthly Current Population Survey data to examine subpopulation changes in employment states across the life course, from January through April 2020. COVID-19 downturns produced disparate life-course impacts. There are increases in unemployment and being out of the workforce at all ages, but especially among young adults, with young women most at risk. Intersectional analyses document conjoint life-course vulnerabilities by gender, educational attainment, and race/ethnicity. For example, Black men aged 20–29 with a college degree experienced a 12.4 percentage point increase in being not in the labor force for other reasons (NILF-other). Individuals with less than a college degree in their 50s and 60s were more likely to become unemployed, regardless of race. And more non-college-educated Asian men in their 60s and 70s reported being retired (6.6 and 8.9 percentage point increases, respectively). Repercussions from the pandemic may well challenge assumptions and possibilities for older adults’ working longer.
For Whom the Pandemic Tolls: A Person-Centric Analysis of Older Workers
Authors: Kanfer Ruth , Lyndgaard Sibley F , Tatel Corey E
Published: July 2020

We offer a worker-centric perspective on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the aging workforce. We briefly describe 3 broad characteristics of pandemics—mortality salience, isolation from the workplace, and rising unemployment—in terms of their associated pathways of influence on older workers, and recommendations for future research.
Citizen Science Uncovers Phytophthora ramorum as a Threat to Several Rare or Endangered California Manzanita Species
Authors: Garbelotto Matteo , Popenuck Tina , Hall Brett , Schweigkofler Wolfgang , Dovana Francesco , Goldstein de Salazar Ruby , Schmidt Doug , Sims Laura Lee
Published: July 2020

The Sudden Oak Death (SOD) Blitzes consist of yearly surveys led by citizen scientists designed to map the distribution of Phytophthora ramorum, cause of the forest disease called SOD, across northern California. During the 2017 Santa Cruz County SOD Blitz, six rare or endangered Arctostaphylos (manzanita) species were found to be possibly symptomatic for the first time. Symptoms included branch cankers and associated canopy mortality, and affected multiple individuals per species. Isolates of P. ramorum were obtained from each of the six species and, through a 30-day-long inoculation experiment on live plants, Koch’s postulates were completed for each one of them, conclusively determining that they all are hosts of this pathogen. Two additional manzanita species were later found to be apparently symptomatic in Marin County. Inoculations on detached branches using an isolate of P. ramorum obtained from one of the six rare species from Santa Cruz County were successful, suggesting that these two species may also be hosts of P. ramorum. Detached leaves of all eight species were also successfully inoculated at the University of California-Berkeley in fall 2018 and then again in spring 2019. In these cases, the same isolate was used for all inoculations, in order to obtain information on the comparative susceptibility of the eight species in question. Both branch and leaf inoculations identified significant interspecific differences in susceptibility. The production of sporangia was low on all species but it was not zero, suggesting that sporulation may cause within-plant and limited across-plant contagion, especially in rainy years.
Outbreaks of Tomato Chlorotic Spot Tospovirus in Commercial Tomato Fields and Effectiveness of Different Management Measures in South Florida
Authors: Liu Qingchun , Wang Qingren , Zhang Shouan
Published: July 2020

Tomato chlorotic spot tospovirus (TCSV) is an emerging tospovirus in south Florida. TCSV has caused significant damage to tomato production since its discovery in the United States in 2012. Effective measures for managing tomato chlorotic spot (TCS) disease have not been determined in commercial production fields except for planting resistant/tolerant tomato cultivars. In this study, the distribution of TCS in commercial tomato fields was investigated, and the two grower-implemented control measures, the use of resistant tomato cultivars and UV-reflective plastic mulch to repel TCSV vectors, were evaluated for any effect on the incidence of infection or disease when a severe outbreak occurred during the 2018 to 2019 season. A gradient TCS disease was found throughout the field planted with the susceptible cultivar ‘Sanibel’, suggesting a dispersal of the vectors from external sources and the influence of wind direction on disease distribution. Results from the surveys showed that the resistant/tolerant tomato cultivar ‘Red Bounty’ had significantly (P < 0.05) lower infection with TCSV compared with the susceptible cultivar Sanibel on the same type of plastic mulch in adjacent fields. UV-reflective plastic mulch significantly reduced TCS incidence in the susceptible tomato cultivar Sanibel compared with the standard white plastic mulch. This study provided first-hand support for recommendations to effectively manage TCS in tomato fields in south Florida.
Impact of L4/5 Posterior Interbody Fusion With or Without Decompression on Spinopelvic Alignment and Health-related Quality-of-Life Outcomes
Authors: Lugue Marvin Karlo T. , Watanabe Kei , Yamazaki Akiyoshi , Izumi Tomohiro , Tashi Hideki , Wakasugi Masashi , Katsumi Keiichi , Ohashi Masayuki , Endo Naoto
Published: July 2020

Study Design:

This was a retrospective case control study.

Objective:

The objective was to determine the impact of single-level interbody fusion at L4/5 with or without concomitant decompression on various spinopelvic parameters and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes.

Summary of Background Data:

Recently, focus has swayed from a regional concern to a global sagittal alignment, more comprehensive approach in multilevel, corrective fusion for adult spinal deformity. However, only a few comprehensive studies have investigated the relationships between the various related spinopelvic parameters and HRQOL outcomes using single-level interbody fusion.

Materials and Methods:

In total, 119 patients with lumbar degenerative disorders (mean age, 68 y; 38 males and 81 females) who underwent L4/5 single-level posterior interbody fusion with a minimum 2-year follow-up were included. Participants were divided into 2 groups according to preoperative sagittal modifiers of the SRS-Schwab adult spinal deformity classification. The correlation between spinopelvic parameters and HRQOL outcomes was investigated. Negative or positive values indicated lordosis. HRQOL outcomes were assessed using visual analog scale scores, Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaires (JOABPEQ), and short form-36 (SF-36).

Results:

L4/5 local lordosis increased from 6.4±4.4 degrees preoperatively to 11.3±4.5 degrees at 2 years postoperatively (P<0.0001). Further analysis of the results also showed a correlation between change in L4/5 local lordosis and change in lumbar lordosis (LL) (r
s=0.229, P=0.0143). The high pelvic incidence-LL (≥20 degrees, n=28) and high sagittal vertical axis groups (≥5 cm, n=29) had lower scores in walking ability, social life domains of JOABPEQ, and physical component summary scores of SF-36 preoperatively, and 2 years postoperatively. Fusion status did not affect the HRQOL outcomes, except that concomitant decompression at the adjacent disk level yielded lower SF-36 physical component summary scores 2 years postoperatively.

Conclusions:

Improvement in L4/5 local lordosis possibly triggers a simultaneous sequence of change in total LL after posterior single-level fusion. HRQOL outcomes were negatively affected by both preoperative and postoperative pelvic incidence-LL mismatch and global sagittal malalignment.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Worker’s Compensation Terminology
Authors: Galetta Matthew , Radcliff Kristen E. , Hilibrand Alan S. , Vaccaro Alexander R. , Yeon Howard B.
Published: July 2020

Injuries to the spine comprise a high percentage of workplace injuries. Spine surgeons’ evaluation of injured workers requires attention to facts specific to worker’s compensation claims including whether the injury occurred in the scope of employment, whether a work incident was causally related to the injury, and whether the injury contributed to a significant degree to the patient’s overall medical condition. An injured worker’s compensation is subject to state-specific guidelines and is largely dependent on the degree of disability and whether the disability is temporary or permanent. Here, we review the background, organization, and key terms used in the worker’s compensation system.
Comparative Demographics and Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Chinese, Malays, and Indians
Authors: Goh Graham S. , Yue Wai-Mun , Guo Chang-Ming , Tan Seang-Beng , Chen John Li-Tat
Published: July 2020

Study Design:

This study carried out a retrospective review of prospectively collected registry data.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine whether (1) utilization rates; (2) demographics and preoperative statuses; and (3) clinical outcomes differ among Chinese, Malays, and Indians undergoing minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF).

Summary of Background Data:

There is a marked racial disparity in spine surgery outcomes between white and African American patients. Comparative studies of ethnicity have mostly been carried out in American populations, with an underrepresentation of Asian ethnic groups. It is unclear whether these disparities exist among Chinese, Malays, and Indians.

Methods:

A prospectively maintained registry was reviewed for 753 patients who underwent primary MIS-TLIF for degenerative spondylolisthesis between 2006 and 2013. The cohort was stratified by race. Comparisons of demographics, functional outcomes, and patient satisfaction were performed preoperatively and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 2 years postoperatively.

Results:

Compared with population statistics, there was an overrepresentation of Chinese (6.6%) and an underrepresentation of Malays (5.0%) and Indians (3.5%) who underwent MIS-TLIF. Malays and Indians were younger and had higher body mass index at the time of surgery compared with Chinese. After adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, Malays had significantly worse back pain and Indians had poorer Short-Form 36 Physical Component Summary compared with Chinese preoperatively. Chinese also had a better preoperative Oswestry Disability Index compared with the other races. Although significant differences remained at 1 month, there was no difference in outcomes up to 2 years postoperatively, except for a lower Physical Component Summary in Indians compared with Chinese at 2 years. The rate of minimal clinically important difference attainment, satisfaction, and expectation fulfillment was also comparable. At 2 years, 87.0% of Chinese, 76.9% of Malays, and 91.7% of Indians were satisfied.

Conclusion:

The variations in demographics, preoperative statuses, and postoperative outcomes between races should be considered when interpreting outcome studies of lumbar spine surgery in Asian populations.

Level of Evidence:

Level III—nonrandomized cohort study.
Scoring Algorithms for Predicting Survival Prognosis in Patients With Metastatic Spinal Disease
Authors: Cui Yunpeng , Lei Mingxing , Pan Yuanxing , Lin Yunfei , Shi Xuedong
Published: July 2020

Various survival scoring systems have been developed to help surgeons select the best candidates for appropriate therapies in patients with metastatic spinal disease. This study aims to discuss the current status and future directions of scoring systems for the prediction of survival prognosis in these patients. The search terms “spine metastases,” “metastatic spinal disease,” and “metastatic spinal cord compression” were combined with “survival prognosis,” “scoring system,” and “score” to elicit relevant literatures in PubMed and Embase databases. As a result, 159 articles were selected from PubMed, and 246 articles were extracted from Embase. After reviewing each article, we carefully included and analyzed 74 articles about the development and evaluation of scoring systems for predicting survival prognosis in spine metastases. In this review, those scoring systems were stratified into the historic scoring systems and the modern scoring systems on the basis of the proposed time. The historic scoring systems, including the original/revised Tokuhashi scoring system, the Bauer scoring system, the Tomita scoring system, and the Linden scoring system, and the modern scoring systems, such as the Lei scoring system, the Bartels scoring system, the Mizumoto scoring system, the Bollen scoring system, the Rades scoring system, Oswestry Spinal Risk Index, and the Choi risk calculator, were introduced and discussed in this review. Besides, the clinical effectiveness and pitfalls of the existing systems and the future directions of the next generation of scoring systems were also addressed and discussed. We recommended these scoring systems as preferable reference tools to help doctors to select surgical candidates. In patients with long-term life expectancy, radical surgery, such as wide or marginal excision, can be considered in patients with neurological deficits, spine instability, or severe back pain. Besides, with the advancement and improvement of medical technologies, surgical procedures are changing, which can affect surgical indications such as vertebroplasty, minimal invasive surgery, and percutaneous stabilization, which can also be used in patients with spine instability or severe back pain, and do not require much recovery; hence, they can even be used in patients with relative short-term life expectancy. However, the decision about the treatment of patients with metastatic spinal disease is so complicated and should never rely on prognostic scores alone. The final therapeutic decision should be made by interdisciplinary corporations of oncologists, radiologists, and spinal surgeons. Besides, individual intentions should be respected.
A Novel Reconstruction Using a Combined Anterior and Posterior Approach After Axis Tumor Spondylectomy
Authors: Yang Jian , Yang Xing-Hai , He Shao-Hui , Jiao Jian , Jia Qi , Hu Jin-Bo , Xiao Jian-Ru
Published: July 2020

Study Design:

This was a retrospective study.

Objective:

To describe a novel reconstruction strategy using a T-shaped titanium mesh cage with posterior cervical screw-rod fixation after total spondylectomy of axis tumors.

Summary of Background Data:

Instability of the upper cervical spine because of tumors in axis (C2) often results in devastating complications. Surgical resection and reconstruction after spondylectomy of C2 remain a technical challenge because of the intricate anatomies, vital adjacent tissues, and the unique spinal biomechanics in this special region.

Materials and Methods:

The novel reconstruction mode included the construction of the anterior aspect conducted with a specially made titanium mesh cage and the posterior cervical fixation only. Patients who received total C2 tumors spondylectomy and reconstruction with this novel mode in our center between January 2009 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of this novel reconstruction method.

Results:

A total of 24 patients with C2 tumor received total spondylectomy and the new mode of local reconstruction. The neurological deficits recovered well and local pain relieved significantly (P<0.001) during the mean follow-up time of 22 months. Perioperative complications were rare and controllable. No internal fixation failure occurred. The mobility of the occipital-cervical junction was largely preserved in all patients.

Conclusions:

This novel reconstruction mode using an anterior “T-shaped” mesh cage with posterior screw-rod fixation provides satisfactory stability and motion of occipital-cervical junction with limited complications, and therefore may prove to be an ideal option for management of C2 tumors.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Barrier Techniques to Reduce Aerosolization During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Paroya Azzam A. , Patel Kinner M. , Ahmad Sahar
Published: July 2020

Preventing the dispersion of virulent particles during aerosol generating procedures has never been more relevant than during the current coronavirus pandemic. The American Heart Association released interim guidelines to assist in limiting exposure during advanced cardiovascular life support. These include maintaining a closed circuit on the ventilator for intubated patients and to use a high-efficiency particulate air filter during airway management of nonintubated patients. We developed additional modifications to the suggested guidelines such that providers are even further protected from unnecessary aerosolization, and illustrate a sample protocol for provider safety during advanced cardiovascular life support in the coronavirus pandemic. For the intubated patient, our protocol maintains the patient to the ventilator in addition to being draped with a plastic barrier over the mouth and nares. In the nonintubated patient, a plastic drape or a non-rebreather mask is used to help reduce aerosolization during manual chest compressions. Our modified protocol allows providers to perform advanced cardiac life support by further minimizing exposure risk.
Does a screening trial for spinal cord stimulation in patients with chronic pain of neuropathic origin have clinical utility and cost-effectiveness (TRIAL-STIM)? A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Eldabe Sam , Duarte Rui V. , Gulve Ashish , Thomson Simon , Baranidharan Ganesan , Houten Rachel , Jowett Susan , Sandhu Harbinder , Chadwick Raymond , Brookes Morag , Kansal Anu , Earle Jenny , Bell Jill , Robinson Jennifer , Walker Sarah , Rhodes Shelley , Taylor Rod S.
Published: July 2020

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an established treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. Although a temporary SCS screening trial is widely used to determine whether a patient should receive permanent SCS implant, its evidence base is limited. We aimed to establish the clinical utility, diagnostic accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of an SCS screening trial. A multicentre single-blind, parallel two-group randomised controlled superiority trial was undertaken at 3 centres in the United Kingdom. Patients were randomised 1:1 to either SCS screening trial strategy (TG) or no trial screening strategy (NTG). Treatment was open label, but outcome assessors were masked. The primary outcome measure was numerical rating scale (NRS) pain at 6-month follow-up. Between June 2017 and September 2018, 105 participants were enrolled and randomised (TG = 54, NTG = 51). Mean numerical rating scale pain decreased from 7.47 at baseline (before SCS implantation) to 4.28 at 6 months in TG and from 7.54 to 4.49 in NTG (mean group difference: 0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.2 to 0.9, P = 0.89). We found no difference between TG and NTG in the proportion of pain responders or other secondary outcomes. Spinal cord stimulation screening trial had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 78-100) and specificity of 8% (95% CI: 1-25). The mean incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of TG vs NTG was £78,895 per additional quality-adjusted life-year gained. In conclusion, although the SCS screening trial may have some diagnostic utility, there was no evidence that an SCS screening TG provides superior patient outcomes or is cost-effective compared to a no trial screening approach.
Self-Medicating for Pain: A Public Health Perspective
Authors: Rogozea Liliana , Dinu Eleonora A. , Constantin Dan , Leaşu Florin-Gabriel
Published: July 2020

Background:

Pain is one of the symptoms for which any man is willing not only to go to the doctor but also to resort to any means, including self-medication, to “get rid” of it. Self-medication is not only a current practice but also a public health problem, under the circumstances that it can influence the way in which a disease is diagnosed and/or treated in a timely manner, and, consequently, repercussions may occur on the cost of treatment, in the case of severe forms. Pain is a vital symptom, and the diminution until the disappearance of pain is a fundamental right of each individual; the analysis of ethical issues in the case of self-administration of analgesic medication has not been a major concern.

Areas of Uncertainty:

Understanding the problem is important to realize whether self-medicating for pain is a necessity or an abuse, and in this respect, we review scientific articles from international databases: PubMed and ProQuest.

Data Sources:

The study is based on the consultation of scientific articles from international databases—PubMed and ProQuest, the main keywords in the search being pain and self-medication, to which a stigma or public health is sequentially added.

Results:

Pain is becoming more and more a global problem and the extent of its spread can substantiate our assertion about pathology with pandemic impact. Under the pressure of patient associations, of the media, and of nonmedical authorities, the opinion about the need for a stoic approach to pain has long become an outdated theory, and chronic pain, beyond a multidimensional approach, is increasingly considered not only a useless element but also even a destructive one.

Conclusions:

Pain and self-medication must be addressed, including in medical practice, starting from their multidimensionality from the following perspectives: medicobiological, sociocultural, instructive-educational, legal-political, and especially ethical. They are not only individual health problems but also become, when connected with a stigma, a public health problem.