bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Perceptions of Corruption Matching Experience? Evidence from Microdata
Authors: Corrado Germana , Corrado Luisa , De Michele Giuseppe , Salustri Francesco
Published: April 2022

The efficacy of corruption perception indices to truly capture and accurately measure corruption behaviours has been often criticised. In fact, perceptions about corruption may not match actual experience and could represent distorted beliefs. Motivated by this criticism, we investigate the difference between perceived and experienced corruption (i.e., bribery) in public services in Europe by means of a theoretical model and an empirical analysis. Firstly, we model perceived corruption as a function of experienced corruption and a perception bias. Then, we employ a generalised setting of structural equation models to derive two distinct measures of perceived and experienced corruption from microdata on the public administration sector in Europe. The indices we obtain allow us to compare countries according to both measures of public corruption. Finally, our results suggest that perceptions of corruption may be affected by sources of media bias.
A comparison between thoracic epidural analgesia and rectus sheath catheter analgesia after open midline major abdominal surgery: randomized clinical trial
Authors: Krige Anton , Brearley Sarah G. , Mateus Céu , Carlson Gordon L. , Lane Steven
Published: April 2022

Background

Rectus sheath catheter analgesia (RSCA) and thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) are both used for analgesia following laparotomy. The aim was to compare the analgesic effectiveness of RSCA with TEA after laparotomy for elective colorectal and urological surgery.

Methods

Patients undergoing elective midline laparotomy were randomized in a non-blinded fashion to receive RSCA or TEA for postoperative analgesia at a single UK teaching hospital. The primary quantitative outcome measure was dynamic pain score at 24 h after surgery. A nested qualitative study (reported elsewhere) explored the dual primary outcome of patient experience and acceptability. Secondary outcome measures included rest and movement pain scores over 72 h, functional analgesia, analgesia satisfaction, opiate consumption, functional recovery, morbidity, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

Results

A total of 131 patients were randomized: 66 in the RSCA group and 65 in the TEA group. The median (interquartile range; i.q.r.) dynamic pain score at 24 h was significantly lower after TEA than RSCA (33 (11–60) versus 50.5 (24.50–77.25); P = 0.018). Resting pain score at 72 h was significantly lower after RSCA (4.5 (0.25–13.75) versus 12.5 (2–13); P = 0.019). Opiate consumption on postoperative day 3 (median (i.q.r.) morphine equivalent 17 (10–30) mg versus 40 (13.25–88.50) mg; P = 0.038), hypotension, or vasopressor dependency (29.7 versus 49.2 per cent; P = 0.023) and weight gain to day 3 (median (i.q.r.) 0 (−1–2) kg versus 1 (0–3) kg; P = 0.046) were all significantly greater after TEA, compared with RSCA. There were no significant differences between groups in other secondary outcomes, although more participants experienced serious adverse events after TEA compared with RSCA, which was also the more cost-effective.

Conclusions

TEA provided superior initial postoperative analgesia but only for the first 24 h. By 72 hours RSCA provides superior analgesia, is associated with a lower incidence of unwanted effects, and may be more cost-effective.
Effect of local anaesthetic infiltration on postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: randomized clinical trial
Authors: Suragul Wikran , Tantawanit Apawee , Rungsakulkij Narongsak , Muangkaew Paramin , Tangtawee Pongsatorn , Mingphrudhi Somkit , Vassanasiri Watoo , Lertsithichai Panuwat , Aeesoa Suraida , Apinyachon Worapot
Published: April 2022

Background

Local anaesthetic infiltration is widely used to reduce pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). This trial evaluated the effect of depth of local anaesthetic infiltration on postoperative pain reduction after LC.

Methods

Patients undergoing elective LC between March 2018 and February 2019 were randomized into no infiltration, subcutaneous infiltration, and rectus sheath infiltration using bupivacaine. The primary outcome was 24-h postoperative cumulative morphine use, and the secondary outcomes were mean 24-h Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, and nausea, and vomiting. Subgroups were compared and multivariable analyses were performed.

Results

Out of 170 eligible patients, 162 were selected and 150 patients were analysed: 48 in the no-infiltration group, 50 in the subcutaneous infiltration group, and 52 in the rectus sheath infiltration group. The groups had similar clinical features, although mean BMI was higher in the subcutaneous infiltration group (P = 0.001). The 24-h cumulative morphine use in the rectus sheath infiltration group was significantly lower than in the no-infiltration group (P = 0.043), but no difference was observed between the subcutaneous infiltration and no-infiltration groups (P = 0.999). One hour after surgery, the rectus sheath infiltration group had a significantly lower NRS score than the no-infiltration and subcutaneous infiltration groups respectively (P = 0.006 and P = 0.031); however, the score did not differ among the three groups at any of the time points from 2 h after the surgery. The incidence of nausea or vomiting was comparable among the three groups. Multivariable analysis documented that a lower dose of morphine use was associated with rectus sheath infiltration (P = 0.004) and diabetes (P = 0.001); whereas, increased morphine use was associate with age (P = 0.040) and a longer duration of surgery (P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Local anaesthetic infiltration into the rectus sheath reduced postoperative cumulative morphine use and the immediate NRS score in patients undergoing LC; however, the pain scores were comparable 2 h after surgery.

Registration number

TCTR20201103002 (http://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org).
Sleep loss disrupts the neural signature of successful learning
Authors: Guttesen Anna á V , Gaskell M Gareth , Madden Emily V , Appleby Gabrielle , Cross Zachariah R , Cairney Scott A
Published: April 2022

Sleep supports memory consolidation as well as next-day learning. The influential “Active Systems” account of offline consolidation suggests that sleep-associated memory processing paves the way for new learning, but empirical evidence in support of this idea is scarce. Using a within-subjects (n = 30), crossover design, we assessed behavioral and electrophysiological indices of episodic encoding after a night of sleep or total sleep deprivation in healthy adults (aged 18–25 years) and investigated whether behavioral performance was predicted by the overnight consolidation of episodic associations from the previous day. Sleep supported memory consolidation and next-day learning as compared to sleep deprivation. However, the magnitude of this sleep-associated consolidation benefit did not significantly predict the ability to form novel memories after sleep. Interestingly, sleep deprivation prompted a qualitative change in the neural signature of encoding: Whereas 12–20 Hz beta desynchronization—an established marker of successful encoding—was observed after sleep, sleep deprivation disrupted beta desynchrony during successful learning. Taken together, these findings suggest that effective learning depends on sleep but not necessarily on sleep-associated consolidation.
Gender effects on the controllability of hemispheric white matter networks
Authors: Li Dandan , Mao Min , Zhang Xi , Hou Dianni , Zhang Shanshan , Hao Jiangping , Cui Xiaohong , Niu Yan , Xiang Jie , Wang Bin
Published: April 2022

Male and female adults exhibited significant group differences in brain white matter (WM) asymmetry and WM network controllability. However, gender differences in controllability of hemispheric WM networks between males and females remain to be determined. Based on 1 principal atlas and 1 replication atlas, this work characterized the average controllability (AC) and modal controllability (MC) of hemispheric WM network based on 1 principal dataset and 2 replication datasets. All results showed that males had higher AC of left hemispheric networks than females. And significant hemispheric asymmetry was revealed in regional AC and MC. Furthermore, significant gender differences in the AC asymmetry were mainly found in regions lie in the frontoparietal network, and the MC asymmetry was found in regions involving auditory and emotion process. Finally, we found significant associations between regional controllability and cognitive features. Taken together, this work could provide a novel perspective for understanding gender differences in hemispheric WM asymmetry and cognitive function between males and females.
US Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Epsilon Variant: Highly Transmissible but With an Adjusted Muted Host T-Cell Response
Authors: Plummer Jasmine T , Contreras Deisy , Zhang Wenjuan , Binek Aleksandra , Zhang Ruan , Dezem Felipe , Chen Stephanie S , Davis Brian D , Sincuir Martinez Jorge , Stotland Aleksandr , Kreimer Simion , Makhoul Elias , Heneidi Saleh , Eno Celeste , Shin Bongha , Berg Anders H , Cheng Susan ,   CORALE Study Group, Jordan Stanley C , Vail Eric , Van Eyk Jennifer E , Morgan Margie A
Published: April 2022

Background

The multiple mutations comprising the epsilon variant demonstrate the independent convergent evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), with its spike protein mutation L452R present in the delta (L452R), kappa (L452R), and lambda (L452Q) variants.

Methods

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants were detected in 1017 patients using whole-genome sequencing and were assessed for outcome and severity. The mechanistic effects of the epsilon versus non-epsilon variants were investigated using a multiomic approach including cellular response assays and paired cell and host transcriptomic and proteomic profiling.

Results

We found that patients carrying the epsilon variant had increased mortality risk but not increased hospitalizations (P < .02). Cells infected with live epsilon compared with non-epsilon virus displayed increased sensitivity to neutralization antibodies in all patients but a slightly protective response in vaccinated individuals (P < .001). That the epsilon SARS-CoV-2 variant is more infectious but less virulent is supported mechanistically in the down-regulation of viral processing pathways seen by multiomic analyses. Importantly, this paired transcriptomics and proteomic profiling of host cellular response to live virus revealed an altered leukocyte response and metabolic messenger RNA processing with the epsilon variant. To ascertain host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, primary COVID-19–positive nasopharyngeal samples were transcriptomically profiled and revealed a differential innate immune response (P < .001) and an adjusted T-cell response in patients carrying the epsilon variant (P < .002). In fact, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and those vaccinated with the BNT162b2 vaccine have comparable CD4+/CD8+ T-cell immune responses to the epsilon variant (P < .05).

Conclusions

While the epsilon variant is more infectious, by altering viral processing, we showed that patients with COVID-19 have adapted their innate immune response to this fitter variant. A protective T-cell response molecular signature is generated by this more transmissible variant in both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.
Outpatient Versus Inpatient Intravenous Antimicrobial Therapy: A Population-Based Observational Cohort Study of Adverse Events and Costs
Authors: Staples John A , Ho Meghan , Ferris Dwight , Hayek Jan , Liu Guiping , Tran Karen C , Sutherland Jason M
Published: April 2022

Background

Bacterial infections such as osteomyelitis and endocarditis routinely require several weeks of treatment with intravenous (IV) antimicrobials. Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) programs allow patients to receive IV antimicrobials in an outpatient clinic or at home. The outcomes and costs of such treatments remain uncertain.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study over a 5-year study interval (1 June 2012 to 31 March 2018) using population-based linked administrative data from British Columbia, Canada. Patients receiving OPAT following a hospitalization for bacterial infection were matched based on infection type and implied duration of IV antimicrobials to patients receiving inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (IPAT). Cumulative adverse events and direct healthcare costs were estimated over a 90-day outcome interval.

Results

In a matched cohort of 1842 patients, adverse events occurred in 35.6% of OPAT patients and 39.0% of IPAT patients (adjusted odds ratio, 1.04 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .83–1.30; P = .61). Relative to IPAT patients, OPAT patients were significantly more likely to experience hospital readmission (30.5% vs 23.0%) but significantly less likely to experience Clostridioides difficile diarrhea (1.2% vs 3.1%) or death (2.0% vs 8.8%). Estimated mean direct healthcare costs were $30 166 for OPAT patients and $50 038 for IPAT patients (cost ratio, 0.60; average cost savings with OPAT, $17 579 [95% CI, $14 131–$21 027]; P < .001).

Conclusions

Outpatient IV antimicrobial therapy is associated with a similar overall prevalence of adverse events and with substantial cost savings relative to patients remaining in hospital to complete IV antimicrobials. These findings should inform efforts to expand OPAT use.
Discordant Antibody and T-Cell Responses to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Omicron Variant in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Messenger RNA Vaccine Recipients
Authors: Woldemeskel Bezawit A , Garliss Caroline C , Aytenfisu Tihitina Y , Johnston Trevor S , Cox Andrea L , Karaba Andrew H , Blankson Joel N
Published: April 2022

We compared antibody and T-cell responses against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine strain spike protein to responses against the Omicron variant in 15 messenger RNA vaccine recipients. While these individuals had significantly lower levels of antibodies that inhibited Omicron spike protein binding to ACE2, there was no difference in T-cell responses.
Forging Partnerships and Fostering Wisdom: Dynamics of an Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network in Advocating Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in China
Authors: Lin Yanmei , Wong Natalie W M
Published: April 2022

This article investigates the efforts of the Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network (EPIL Network) to understand how Chinese environmental civil society proactively created a network to mobilize resources, forge collaborative actions, and build capacities and foster wisdom to catalyze changes in the environmental rule of law and in the area of municipal solid waste management. Using civil society network analysis, this article aims to identify and account for interactions between the EPIL Network and other stakeholders, including the government. Finally, the study highlights the contributions of the EPIL Network, which provides an option for resolving political conflicts in China regarding municipal waste management.
Adam Smith’s Digression on Silver: the centrepiece of the Wealth of Nations
Authors: Paganelli Maria Pia
Published: April 2022

I suggest that Adam Smith’s ‘Digression on Silver’ should be read as his most powerful argument against mercantilism in the Wealth of Nations. For mercantilists money is wealth, according to Smith, and an increase in the quantity of silver, and the associated reduction in its value, implies higher prices in terms of silver. On the basis of this connection, mercantilists advocate trade protections to increase prices and therefore, in their view, wealth. Smith argues that this account obscures two processes occurring at the same time: a change in institutions that allows wealth to grow and leads to real prices decreasing, and a simultaneous increase in the quantity of silver leading to an increase in nominal prices. Overall, according to Smith, the nominal increase would be larger than the real decrease in prices. Mercantilists focused on nominal prices, attributing a causal relation between the decrease in the value of silver and an increase in wealth. Smith shows that correlation is not causation in this case, merely the coincidence of two simultaneous and independent processes. The Digression on Silver leaves mercantilists with nothing: what seems to be, is not what is. Money may seem to be wealth, but it is not: the ability to consume is.
Is the Italian government debt sustainable? Scenarios after the Covid-19 shock
Authors: Canelli Rosa , Fontana Giuseppe , Realfonzo Riccardo , Veronese Passarella Marco
Published: April 2022

The sustainability of the Italian government debt has been under close scrutiny since the launch of the Euro Area, and even more so after the Global Financial Crisis. The Covid-19 crisis in 2020 has depressed the Italian economy further and negatively affected the government budget. Despite the rebound in 2021, the state of the economy and government debt in Italy remain precarious. Building on Pasinetti’s work, this paper examines the sustainability of the Italian government debt through a medium-scale, stock-flow consistent, structural macroeconometric model. The model has been coded and calibrated using the R package Bimets developed by the Bank of Italy. Our findings show that the Italian government debt is unlikely to enter a sustainable trajectory in the next few years. While the Next Generation EU and the other fiscal and monetary measures are helping the Italian economy to recover, in the coming years, a greater effort on the part of the European authorities—including an intervention of the ECB in controlling the yield curve—seems necessary to stabilize the debt to GDP ratio in Italy.
Risk-based versus GFR threshold criteria for nephrology referral in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Oliva-Damaso Nestor , Delanaye Pierre , Oliva-Damaso Elena , Payan Juan , Glassock Richard J
Published: April 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure are global health problems associated with morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs, with unequal access to kidney replacement therapy between countries. The diversity of guidelines concerning referral from primary care to a specialist nephrologist determines different outcomes around the world among patients with CKD where several guidelines recommend referral when the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 regardless of age. Additionally, fixed non-age-adapted diagnostic criteria for CKD that do not distinguish correctly between normal kidney senescence and true kidney disease can lead to overdiagnosis of CKD in the elderly and underdiagnosis of CKD in young patients and contributes to the unfair referral of CKD patients to a kidney specialist. Non-age-adapted recommendations contribute to unnecessary referral in the very elderly with a mild disease where the risk of death consistently exceeds the risk of progression to kidney failure and ignore the possibility of effective interventions of a young patient with long life expectancy. The opportunity of mitigating CKD progression and cardiovascular complications in young patients with early stages of CKD is a task entrusted to primary care providers who are possibly unable to optimally accomplish guideline-directed medical therapy for this purpose. The shortage in the nephrology workforce has classically led to focused referral on advanced CKD stages preparing for kidney replacement, but the need for hasty referral to a nephrologist because of the urgent requirement for kidney replacement therapy in advanced CKD is still observed and changes are required to move toward reducing the kidney failure burden. The Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) is a novel tool that can guide wiser nephrology referrals and impact patients.
Yoga in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Kaur Sandeep , D’Silva Adrijana , Shaheen Abdel-Aziz , Raman Maitreyi
Published: April 2022

Despite advancements in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the global prevalence of IBD is increasing. Patients with IBD often experience a high psychosocial burden, worsening their IBD symptoms and increasing relapse, hospitalization rates, and healthcare costs, which impairs their quality of life (QoL). Evidence suggests that mind–body intervention in many chronic illnesses is effective in improving symptoms and QoL. Yoga is the most frequently used mind–body practice globally. Meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials and prospective studies have highlighted that yoga improves symptoms and QoL of patients with IBD; however, recommendations about indications for yoga as well as dose and frequency of yoga are lacking. The present narrative review aims to describe the available evidence regarding the effects of yoga on common patient-reported outcome measures in IBD, including depression, anxiety, stress, and QoL. Physicians can hence promote yoga interventions in their discussions with patients to help control these IBD-related outcome measures.
Chromosome-level genome assembly and characterization of Sophora Japonica
Authors: Lei Weixiao , Wang Zefu , Cao Man , Zhu Hui , Wang Min , Zou Yi , Han Yunchun , Wang Dandan , Zheng Zeyu , Li Ying , Liu Bingbing , Ru Dafu
Published: April 2022

Sophora japonica is a medium-size deciduous tree belonging to Leguminosae family and famous for its high ecological, economic and medicinal value. Here, we reveal a draft genome of S. japonica, which was ∼511.49 Mb long (contig N50 size of 17.34 Mb) based on Illumina, Nanopore and Hi-C data. We reliably assembled 110 contigs into 14 chromosomes, representing 91.62% of the total genome, with an improved N50 size of 31.32 Mb based on Hi-C data. Further investigation identified 271.76 Mb (53.13%) of repetitive sequences and 31,000 protein-coding genes, of which 30,721 (99.1%) were functionally annotated. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that S. japonica separated from Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max ∼107.53 and 61.24 million years ago, respectively. We detected evidence of species-specific and common-legume whole-genome duplication events in S. japonica. We further found that multiple TF families (e.g. BBX and PAL) have expanded in S. japonica, which might have led to its enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress. In addition, S. japonica harbours more genes involved in the lignin and cellulose biosynthesis pathways than the other two species. Finally, population genomic analyses revealed no obvious differentiation among geographical groups and the effective population size continuously declined since 2 Ma. Our genomic data provide a powerful comparative framework to study the adaptation, evolution and active ingredients biosynthesis in S. japonica. More importantly, our high-quality S. japonica genome is important for elucidating the biosynthesis of its main bioactive components, and improving its production and/or processing.
Case report. Thrombus formation on left atrial appendage clip: surgical exclusion and anticoagulation do not obviate transesophageal echocardiography prior to cardioversion
Authors: Lo Presti Saberio , Reyaldeen Reza , Wazni Oussama , Jaber Wael
Published: April 2022

Background

The cornerstone treatment for atrial fibrillation (Afib) is based on the prevention of cardioembolism with the use oral anticoagulants, which inherently increase the risk of bleeding. An alternative for these patients corresponds to left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion/closure techniques such as Atriclip.

Cases summary

Patient 1: Seventy-two-year-old female who presented with decompensated heart failure, non ST elevation myocardial infarct, and paroxysmal Afib. She underwent coronary artery bypass graft, MAZE procedure, mitral valve repair, and Atriclip (40 mm). Recurrence of Afib postoperatively led to a precardioversion transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) which demonstrated a LAA pouch thrombus. Patient 2: Sixty-seven-year-old male who underwent electively mitral and tricuspid valve repairs, MAZE procedure, and Atriclip (35 mm). He had recurrent atrial flutter/Afib postoperatively. He received apixaban in addition to rate control medications, and he was readmitted for precardioversion TEE which also demonstrated a LAA pouch thrombus.

Discussion

Atriclip is a stapler exclusion device via epicardial approach which has shown excellent exclusion rates in contemporary data. One of the pitfalls of this technique is the possibility of leaving a LAA remnant stump or pouch that is highly thrombogenic. The optimal timing for stopping anticoagulation and the need for precardioversion echocardiography remain uncertain.
Cost-effectiveness of orthodontics: a systematic review
Authors: Jermyn Owen , Bister Dirk , Jin Huajie
Published: April 2022

Background

Health economic evaluation is a methodology to maximize health benefits and minimize opportunity costs and is of increasing importance in informing resource allocation decisions in healthcare.

Objective

This systematic review aims to assess the availability and quality of economic evaluations of any orthodontic interventions and summarize the conclusions of these studies.

Search methods

A thorough search of the literature was carried out including terms related to orthodontic interventions and economic evaluation between January 2000 and February 2022. MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, and Cochrane were searched. Grey literature was searched and further hand-searching was performed on the reference lists of relevant systematic reviews.

Selection criteria

Studies on cleft lip and palate surgery and sleep apnoea were excluded due to the multi-disciplinary nature of these conditions which might alter the applicability of the result to orthodontic interventions. Two independent reviewers selected studies for inclusion.

Data collection and analysis

Data extraction was carried out through full text analysis of included studies by two authors. The quality of each study was assessed according to the Drummond 10-point Checklist and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Appraisal Checklist for Economic Evaluations. Characteristics and conclusions of included articles were descriptively summarized.

Results

Sixteen articles met inclusion criteria. Most of the included articles were trial-based studies, with only one model-based study. Orthodontic interventions assessed included crossbite correction, functional appliance treatment and orthognathic surgery. Most studies were carried out in Europe and specifically in Sweden. The quality of included studies was generally low with 69% of studies reported as having serious limitations according to the NICE Checklist.

Conclusion

This review highlighted a lack of economic evaluations for orthodontic interventions, and limitations of existing economic evaluations. Recommendations on future research are provided.

Registration

The protocol for the systematic review was registered on the NIHR Database (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, CRD42021220419).
Gerrit van Honthorst’s guitar: tracing  the features of an instrument reappearing  in the works of the Utrecht Caravaggist
Authors: Hofstötter Bernhard
Published: April 2022

While sojourning in Rome until 1620, the Utrecht Caravaggist painter Gerrit van Honthorst (1592–1656) directly witnessed the rising popularity of the chitarra spagnuola, the five-course (Baroque) guitar, whose ascent had been fuelled by the onset of monody. Honthorst was quick to pick up on new musical trends and, while still in Rome, applied his art to what is one of the very first depictions of the five-course guitar. Back in Utrecht, he would present that same guitar in two pictures displaying women playing or tuning the guitar, today preserved at the Louvre and the Lviv National Gallery of Art respectively. The three pictures together deepen our understanding of the constructional details of early Italian guitars. Honthorst shows an instrument of a sober and simple, yet elegant, design, quite unlike the heavily ornamented 17th-century guitars surviving to this day. A recently rediscovered 18th-century painting appears to be a copy of another (unknown) portrait of a guitar player by Honthorst or his workshop, and provides additional detail. This article presents and assesses the pictorial evidence on Honthorst’s guitar.
Left ventricular remodelling post-myocardial infarction: pathophysiology, imaging, and novel therapies
Authors: Frantz Stefan , Hundertmark Moritz Jens , Schulz-Menger Jeanette , Bengel Frank Michael , Bauersachs Johann
Published: April 2022

Most patients survive acute myocardial infarction (MI). Yet this encouraging development has certain drawbacks: heart failure (HF) prevalence is increasing and patients affected tend to have more comorbidities worsening economic strain on healthcare systems and impeding effective medical management. The heart’s pathological changes in structure and/or function, termed myocardial remodelling, significantly impact on patient outcomes. Risk factors like diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, female sex, and others distinctly shape disease progression on the ‘road to HF’. Despite the availability of HF drugs that interact with general pathways involved in myocardial remodelling, targeted drugs remain absent, and patient risk stratification is poor. Hence, in this review, we highlight the pathophysiological basis, current diagnostic methods and available treatments for cardiac remodelling following MI. We further aim to provide a roadmap for developing improved risk stratification and novel medical and interventional therapies.
Assessing the probability of risk factor control in patients with coronary heart disease: results from the ESC-EORP EUROASPIRE V survey
Authors: Moerschel Katharina Selda , De Bacquer Dirk , De Backer Guy , Wood David , Kotseva Kornelia , Wellmann Jürgen , Prugger Christof
Published: April 2022

Aims

In patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), we investigated whether it is possible to accurately assess the probability of short-term control of risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking) based on individual and large-area residential characteristics.

Methods and results

We merged individual data of participants from EUROASPIRE V who were hospitalized for CHD (2014–2017) and interviewed and examined for risk factor control (2016–2017), with large-area residential data provided by Eurostat for Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) regions using postal codes. Data from 2562 CHD patients in 16 countries were linked to data from 60 NUTS 2 and 121 NUTS 3 regions. The median time between hospitalization and interview was 14 months. We developed prediction models to assess the probability of risk factor control at interview using data from the time of hospitalization: (i) baseline models including 35 variables on patients’ demographic, clinical, and socio-economic characteristics and (ii) extended models additionally considering nine variables on large-area residential characteristics. We calculated and internally validated c-indices to assess the discriminative ability of prediction models. Baseline models showed good discrimination with c-indices of 0.69, 0.70, and 0.76 for blood pressure control, cholesterol control, and smoking cessation, respectively. Extended models for blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking yielded improved c-indices of 0.72, 0.71, and 0.78, respectively.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that the probability of risk factor control in CHD patients can be accurately assessed using individual and large-area residential characteristics, allowing for an identification of patients who are less likely to achieve risk factor targets.
Food insecurity among disabled adults
Authors: Hadfield-Spoor Mia , Avendano Mauricio , Loopstra Rachel
Published: April 2022

Background

The relationship between disability and food insecurity is under-researched. Risk of food insecurity may vary by type and number of disabilities. We examine the hypotheses that (i) a higher number of disabilities increases risk of food insecurity and (ii) associations of physical disabilities, mental/cognitive disabilities or a combination of both types with food insecurity may differ in strength.

Methods

Data came from the fifth wave of the UK’s Food Standards Agency’s Food and You survey (2018), which contains detailed information on disability and household food insecurity. We used logistic and multinomial logistic regression to model the number and type of disabilities as predictors for food insecurity outcomes, controlling for socio-demographic factors.

Results

Both type and number of disabilities predicted food insecurity. Every additional disability was associated with higher odds of food insecurity [odds ratio (OR): 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40–1.83]. Among people with a disability, every additional disability was associated with 19% higher odds of food insecurity (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.34). People with both physical and mental/cognitive disabilities had increased odds of severe food insecurity (OR: 8.97, 95% CI: 3.54–22.7).

Conclusion

Number and type of disabilities are associated with higher risk of food insecurity. A combination of physical and mental/cognitive disabilities, as well as having multiple disabilities are each independently associated with higher risk of food insecurity. Policy-makers may thus consider using targeted and tailored policies to reduce barriers to social and financial inclusion of disabled people to reduce food insecurity.
Microbial response to multiple-level addition of grass organic matter in lake sediments with different salinity
Authors: Yang Jian , Han Mingxian , Zhao Zhuoli , Han Jinbin , Zhang Xiying , Xie Zhanling , Jiang Hongchen
Published: April 2022

Water surface expansion of saline lakes usually causes the inundation of surrounding grassland, leading to the increase of terrestrial grass organic matter (OM) input to the lakes and the decrease of lake salinity. However, the influence of terrestrial grass OM input increase and salinity decrease on organic carbon mineralization and microbial community composition remains unknown in saline lakes. Here, microbial mineralization of terrestrial grass (Achnatherum splendens) OM at different quantity levels in lake sediments with different salinity was investigated by performing microcosm experiments. The results showed that the CO2 production rates increased with the increase of grass OM supply in the studied sediments with different salinity, which may be driven by certain microbial groups (e.g. Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Ascomycota). The increase of grass OM supply reduced the richness of prokaryotic community, which will decrease the size and complexity of the studied microbial networks, but increase the interaction between prokaryotic and fungal taxa. Taken together, our results suggest that the increase of terrestrial grass OM input caused by lake expansion would enhance the mineralization of organic carbon and affect the community composition and interactions of related microorganisms in lake sediments with different salinity.
RAD52 influences the effect of BRCA1/2 missense variants on homologous recombination and gene reversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Lodovichi Samuele , Bellè Francesca , Mercatanti Alberto , Spugnesi Laura , Cozzani Cristina , Caligo Maria Adelaide , Cervelli Tiziana , Galli Alvaro
Published: April 2022

The breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, are key players in the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway and act as tumor suppressors by maintaining genome stability. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has no BRCA1/2 homolog; however, a number of HR genes are evolutionary conserved between human and yeast. Among them, RAD52 is involved in DNA double strand break (DSB) repair by HR, and promotes genome stability. We previously reported that the heterologous expression of cancer-associated BRCA1/2 missense variants in growing yeast cultures affects both spontaneous HR and gene reversion (GR) suggesting that yeast could be a reliable system to assess the functional impact of variants. Because inhibition of Rad52p is lethal in BRCA1/2 mutated tumors, and Rad52p is conserved between humans and yeast, we asked if the effect of BRCA1/2 variants on HR and GR could be affected by loss of RAD52. We found that the rad52∆ mutation predominantly suppressed the stimulation of HR in yeast by pathogenic BRCA1 variants but also facilitated increased GR by pathogenic variants. Conversely, the rad52∆ mutation stimulated HR by a pathogenic BRCA2 variant in yeast but had no effect on GR. These results demonstrate a functional interplay between the pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants and Rad52p in budding yeast, supporting the use of budding yeast as a suitable system for evaluating potential chemotherapeutic strategies.
The Gender Anxiety of Otto von Bismarck, 1866–1898
Authors: Kreklau Claudia
Published: April 2022

Building on critical re-examinations of the ‘Bismarck myth’ and scholarship on the fin de siècle crisis of identity in Europe, this article examines key vignettes in the political career of Otto von Bismarck during Prussia’s era of expansion and consolidation, c.1866–1898, through the lens of gender. It finds the legendary ‘Iron Chancellor’ experienced extreme gender-anxiety to the point of social dysphoria until the 1870s. Assigned feminine roles and lacking political decision-making power, Bismarck resorted to tantrums, tears, threats of self-harm and suicide, suffered mental breakdowns and enacted the kinds of ‘feminine’ intrigue of which he accused Europe’s royal women throughout his life. To stabilize their own identity in the early 1870s, he and his contemporaries weaponized misogyny to deflect accusations of femininity away from themselves and onto women at court. Bismarck claimed to have led negotiations in a masculine manner in the era of Europe’s colonial cabinet diplomacy. After his death, contemporaries studied the shape and measurements of Bismarck’s head to find an explanation for his alleged genius and marketed the statesman as an example of potent masculinity. Early hagiographic instrumentalizations of Bismarck should be read as part of a wider attempt to legitimize forms of white masculine rule and justify limited political participation in this period.
Probabilistic model-error assessment of deep learning proxies: an application to real-time inversion of borehole electromagnetic measurements
Authors: Rammay Muzammil Hussain , Alyaev Sergey , Elsheikh Ahmed H
Published: April 2022

The advent of fast sensing technologies allow for real-time model updates in many applications where the model parameters are uncertain. Once the observations are collected, Bayesian algorithms offer a pathway for real-time inversion (a.k.a. model parameters/inputs update) because of the flexibility of the Bayesian framework against non-uniqueness and uncertainties. However, Bayesian algorithms rely on the repeated evaluation of the computational models and deep learning (DL) based proxies can be useful to address this computational bottleneck. In this paper, we study the effects of the approximate nature of the deep learned models and associated model errors during the inversion of borehole electromagnetic (EM) measurements, which are usually obtained from logging while drilling. We rely on the iterative ensemble smoothers as an effective algorithm for real-time inversion due to its parallel nature and relatively low computational cost. The real-time inversion of EM measurements is used to determine the subsurface geology and properties, which are critical for real-time adjustments of the well trajectory (geosteering). The use of deep neural network (DNN) as a forward model allows us to perform thousands of model evaluations within seconds, which is very useful to quantify uncertainties and non-uniqueness in real-time. While significant efforts are usually made to ensure the accuracy of the DL models, it is widely known that the DNNs can contain some type of model-error in the regions not covered by the training data, which are unknown and training specific. When the DL models are utilized during inversion of EM measurements, the effects of the model-errors could manifest themselves as a bias in the estimated input parameters and as a consequence might result in a low-quality geosteering decision. We present numerical results highlighting the challenges associated with the inversion of EM measurements while neglecting model-error. We further demonstrate the utility of a recently proposed flexible iterative ensemble smoother in reducing the effect of model-bias by capturing the unknown model-errors, thus improving the quality of the estimated subsurface properties for geosteering operation. Moreover, we describe a procedure for identifying inversion multimodality and propose possible solutions to alleviate it in real-time.
A 3-D plane-wave beamforming method for borehole azimuthal acoustic reflection imaging
Authors: Cheng Lu , Qiao Wenxiao , Che Xiaohua , Zhao Teng
Published: April 2022

In the exploration and development of carbonate reservoirs, borehole azimuthal acoustic reflection imaging can be used to survey the near-borehole geological structures such as fractures, faults or caves in the formation, but the accuracy of azimuth measurement and imaging quality are usually deteriorated due to the amplitudes of event signals being often much weaker than those of borehole mode waves. This study proposes a data processing method for borehole azimuthal acoustic reflection imaging to improve the accuracy of azimuth measurement and imaging quality of the near-borehole geological structures. First, three adjacent receiving sensors in the vertical plane closest to the given azimuth are selected to form a linear phased array receiver subarray, and the elevation angle of the event signals can be obtained by comparing the amplitudes of the stacked waveforms in the vertical plane for different elevation angles. Further, three receiving sensors, closest to the given azimuth, are selected from the arcuate phased array receiver, where the central sensor of the linear phased array receiver subarray is located, to form an arcuate phased array receiver subarray, and the 3-D stacked waveforms with the known elevation and azimuth angle can be calculated. In the incident direction of the event signals, the event signals will be significantly enhanced because the event signals in waveforms of each sensor in the subarray satisfy the in-phase stack condition, so as to improve the migration image quality and interpretation accuracy fundamentally. We confirmed this method by processing azimuth reflection acoustic data from a field experiment including two adjacent fluid-filled artificial boreholes. The comparison of the field data processing results with and without 3-D waveform stacking demonstrated that 3-D waveform stacking significantly improves the accuracy of azimuth interpretation and imaging quality.
Micro- and macro-habitat selection of Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar, post-smolts in relation to marine environmental cues
Authors: Jensen J L A , Strøm J F , Nikolopoulos A , Primicerio R , Skarðhamar J , Atencio B J , Strand J E T , Bjørn P A , Bøhn T
Published: April 2022

Atlantic salmon is an economically and culturally important species. The species encounters several natural and man-made threats during its migration between fresh water and the ocean, which in combination may explain its ongoing decline. With the aim to better understand whether post-smolt behaviour is influenced by physical oceanographic conditions, the migratory behaviour of 173 post-smolts in a high-latitude Norwegian fjord was investigated, combining acoustic telemetry with site- and time-specific environmental variables from an oceanographic model. Most post-smolts (94%) performed a unidirectional migration out the fjord. Progression rates were relatively high (0.42–2.41 km h−1; 0.84–3.78 BL s−1) and increased with distance from the river. While post-smolts had an affinity for lower salinities in the inner fjord, statistical models failed to detect any significant relationship between the small-scale (within arrays) migratory behaviour and salinity, temperature, or coastal surface currents within the fjord. In the outer part, the post-smolts predominantly exited the fjord system through the strait with the highest surface salinities and lowest temperatures, independently of the current direction. Our findings indicate that the macro-habitat selection of the Atlantic salmon post-smolts was influenced by environmental factors: the post-smolts directed their migration towards “ocean cues.” However, this was not confirmed on the micro-habitat level.
The Vedanta challenge to multilateralism: Piercing the boundaries of the global legal order—Afterword to the Foreword by Karen Alter
Authors: Lustig Doreen
Published: April 2022

In this Afterword, I expand Alter’s argument on multilateralism and colonialism, and argue that the emergence of multilateralism per se (and not only international economic law) played a pivotal role in facilitating global markets through its allocation of governance and coordination costs as well as responsibility between sovereign authorities. I then follow Alter’s lead by turning to the contemporary legal arrangements beyond multilateralism and analyzing the role of the sovereign veil, the corporate veil, and the contract veil in constituting the contemporary global economic order. Finally, I revisit Vedanta Resources PLC v. Lungowe (2019) as a model for value-chain liability. I argue that Alter’s historical reading of the contemporary economic order provides a powerful lens through which to evaluate the normative significance and limitations of Vedanta and similar transnational legal endeavors.
The fatigue of multilateralism: A new hope for international law—Afterword to the Foreword by Karen Alter
Authors: Puig Sergio
Published: April 2022

Karen J. Alter’s Foreword describes how the history of international law is, to a large extent, the history of modern capitalism. Her regime complexity approach shows the political nature of international law and its distributional consequences. But international law also is a cultural product. In this sense, international law is dynamic and can be responsive to rapid social change. Any potential change of international law, therefore, must be understood historically and within the context of the changes in the ideas that led to an American “world order.” Hence, I argue that the current transformation of international law is not caused solely by changing power imbalances and geopolitics, but also by cultural change. In this Afterword, I use Alter’s provocatively ambitious Foreword to sketch what international law may say about social changes and pose that these changes also signal a breakdown in the structures that supported Alter’s multilateral international law: a contrived view of the state; the use of law to normalize colonial inequities; the deployment of international organizations to advance the idea of individual choice; and international law as a primarily spatial (rather than temporal) phenomenon.
In the Möbius strip of global economic law: Afterword to the Foreword by Karen Alter
Authors: Vauchez Antoine
Published: April 2022

This Afterword emphasizes the analytical value of Karen Alter’s Foreword, which brings together a much-welcomed interdisciplinary syllabus on “law, globalization and capitalism.” The Foreword provides a rich historical account of the almost inexhaustible reservoir of legal techniques through which (colonial or post-colonial) states and firms have managed to secure capitalist-friendly legal environments, as well as asymmetrical rights and prerogatives. It also paints a fresh portrait of global economic law as an inextricable multilayering of national and international, but also public and private, legal regimes—something akin to the Möbius strip, a surface with only one side and no possible distinction between the inside and the outside. This Afterword questions, however, the rather neglected role of sociology in this new syllabus and discusses the political and democratic costs as well as possible ways out of this conundrum.