bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of dietary exposure and risk assessment of pesticide residues in roots and rhizomes of Chinese herbs
Authors: Xie Hanyi , Li Huijuan , Zhao Yanfang , Liu Lanqi , Chen Xiangfeng 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMedicine food homologous (MFH) plants provide therapeutic and health care effects through diet. Thus, a risk assessment system for hazardous ingredient residues is urgently required to ensure their safe use. In this study, the pesticide contamination of six root and rhizome Chinese herbs, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Panacis Quinquefolii Radix, Pseudostellariae Radix, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Codonopsis Radix, and Glehniae Radix, and the risks associated with their intake were investigated. A total of 420 MFH plant samples collected from 22 provinces in China were tested, and 61 pesticides were detected in 413 samples. Multiple pesticide residues were detected in each MFH sample, with contents ranging from 0.0002 to 3.010 mg/kg dry weight. Carbendazim (≥47.14%) and propham (≥40%) were the most frequently detected pesticides. Risk assessment determined by hazard quotients indicated that the risks were acceptable, with no short‐ or long‐term adverse health effects. However, considering the high incidence of residues and the detection of unregistered or even prohibited pesticides, strict supervision of soil quality and pesticide application (particularly cadusafos) in MFH plant cultivation are recommended to aid in monitoring MFH plant quality and ensuring diet and drug safety.Practical ApplicationEnsure the diet and drug safety of Chinese herbs.
Dosimetric comparison of high‐dose rate cervix brachytherapy with and without interstitial needles and the impact on target volume coverage, and organ at risk constraints
Authors: Mohammed Khadiga E , Nagar Tanisha , Pearson Shelley M , Donaldson Jethro , Johnson Carol 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of this audit was to compare the data from the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre (WBCC) with international reported experience by quantifying the dosimetric impact of interstitial needles on target coverage and organ at risk (OAR) doses.MethodsAll patients identified as having had interstitial needles as part of their treatment out of a cohort of 120 radically treated cervical cancer patients between 2013 and 2019 were included. Each patient acted as their own control with two treatment plans optimised for each fraction; the clinically treated plan and a re‐optimisation without the use of interstitial needles. Plan optimisation was completed according to the departmental protocol and cumulative equivalent doses for 2 Gy fractions (EQD2) were calculated.ResultsEighteen patients were suitable for evaluation. A total of 52 insertions with interstitial needles were performed, of the 148 needles inserted, 119 (80.4%) were loaded. HRCTV D90% coverage mean was EQD2 5.4 Gy (0.5–10.6 Gy) higher for the course containing loaded interstitial needles, while no significant change was observed with regards to OAR doses. This improved coverage is in line with international standards which report 4.4–9.0 Gy.ConclusionWBCC’s early experience of interstitial cervix brachytherapy has shown our target coverage improvements meet previously published international standards and confirms the value of this technique. This audit supports ongoing use of interstitial needles at the WBCC.
New lessons on TDP‐43 from old N. furzeri killifish
Authors: Louka Alexandra , Bagnoli Sara , Rupert Jakob , Esapa Benjamina , Tartaglia Gian Gaetano , Cellerino Alessandro , Pastore Annalisa , Terzibasi Tozzini Eva 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFrontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are fatal and incurable neurodegenerative diseases linked to the pathological aggregation of the TDP‐43 protein. This is an essential DNA/RNA‐binding protein involved in transcription regulation, pre‐RNA processing, and RNA transport. Having suitable animal models to study the mechanisms of TDP‐43 aggregation is crucial to develop treatments against disease. We have previously demonstrated that the killifish Nothobranchius furzeri offers the advantage of being the shortest‐lived vertebrate with a clear aging phenotype. Here, we show that the two N. furzeri paralogs of TDP‐43 share high sequence homology with the human protein and recapitulate its cellular and biophysical behavior. During aging, N. furzeri TDP‐43 spontaneously forms insoluble intracellular aggregates with amyloid characteristics and colocalizes with stress granules. Our results propose this organism as a valuable new model of TDP‐43‐related pathologies making it a powerful tool for the study of disease mechanism.
Malignant tumours mimicking periapical lesions: A report of three cases and literature review
Authors: Evangelista Karine , de Faria Vasconcelos Karla , Teodoro Ana Beatriz , Cavalcanti Marcelo Gusmão Paraíso , de Mendonça Elismauro Francisco , Watanabe Satiro , Silva Maria Alves Garcia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractApical periodontitis shows radiographic signs such as widening of the periodontal ligament and periapical radiolucency, which differ in extent depending on the stage of the lesion. However, other lesions can be associated with or coincidental to the apical region, representing developmental lesions and benign or malignant tumours. This article describes three cases of malignant tumours, a central mucoepidermoid carcinoma (CMEC), a chondroblast osteosarcoma and an osteosarcoma of the jaw (OSJ) that presented as periapical lesions. Endodontists must be aware of unsuccessful treatment, persistent pain, signs of paraesthesia, a rapid growth rate and delayed response to therapy associated with atypical features. Complementary examinations, such as biopsy and computed tomography, can allow the early diagnosis of malignant tumours, leading to a better prognosis and thus increased survival rates and improvement in quality of life.
The Timing of Public Policies: Political Budget Cycles and Credit Claiming
Authors: Bueno Natália S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWhy do politicians cluster the distribution of benefits in the run‐up to elections? I suggest that credit claiming is an explanation for political budget cycles. Brazilian rules banning credit claiming before elections while allowing the distribution of benefits until Election Day provides an opportunity to differentiate between distribution and credit claiming combined with distribution as an engine that reinforces political budget cycles. Evidence from housing and conditional‐cash‐transfer programs demonstrates that officials expand these programs before the credit‐claiming ban and halt expansion after the ban yet prior to Election Day. Drawing on social media and qualitative data, I show that politicians use credit claiming to convey information about their competence and attribution. Distribution without attribution reduces the likelihood of political budget cycles compared to distribution with attribution, which together reinforces pre‐election expansion of policy benefits. I rule out rival explanations of clientelism and party favoritism.
Beneficent dehumanization: Employing artificial intelligence and carebots to mitigate shame‐induced barriers to medical care
Authors: Palmer Amitabha , Schwan David 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAs costs decline and technology inevitably improves, current trends suggest that artificial intelligence (AI) and a variety of “carebots” will increasingly be adopted in medical care. Medical ethicists have long expressed concerns that such technologies remove the human element from medicine, resulting in dehumanization and depersonalized care. However, we argue that where shame presents a barrier to medical care, it is sometimes ethically permissible and even desirable to deploy AI/carebots because (i) dehumanization in medicine is not always morally wrong, and (ii) dehumanization can sometimes better promote and protect important medical values. Shame is often a consequence of the human‐to‐human element of medical care and can prevent patients from seeking treatment and from disclosing important information to their healthcare provider. Conditions and treatments that are shame‐inducing offer opportunities for introducing AI/carebots in a manner that removes the human element of medicine but does so ethically. We outline numerous examples of shame‐inducing interactions and how they are overcome by implementing existing and expected developments of AI/carebot technology that remove the human element from care.
The ethical‐legal requirements for adolescent self‐consent to research in sub‐Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Authors: Nkosi Busisiwe , Zanoni Brian , Seeley Janet , Strode Ann 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSupport for the enrolment of adolescents in research has been constrained by uncertainties in parental involvement, and the lack of clarity in the ethical and legal frameworks. We conducted a scoping review to examine articles that explored the opinion of scholars on the question of adolescent consent and conditions for parental waivers in research in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) tool, we searched electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASSE, EBSCOHOST) and also reviewed the references of articles identified for additional relevant literature. We included full text English articles focusing on adolescent consent and parental waivers in SSA that were published between 2004 and 2020. We excluded studies focusing on healthcare, theses, and reviews. We reviewed a total of 21 publications from South Africa (n = 12), Kenya (n = 4) and Botswana, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe (n = 1 each). We identified four broad thematic issues: the current position regarding parental waivers and self‐consent; parental involvement in the consent process; the role of community approval or consent when adolescent self‐consent approaches were used; and complexities and ambiguities in legal requirements and ethical guidelines on adolescent consent. Our findings show inconsistencies and ambiguities in the existing legal and ethical frameworks within and across different countries, and underscore the need for consistent and clearer guidance on parental waivers and adolescent self‐consent. Harmonization of the legal and ethical frameworks taking into account varying contexts is critically important to ensure research on adolescents in SSA meets adolescents' specific unmet needs.
Practical management of suspected hypersensitivity reactions to anti‐tuberculosis drugs
Authors: Bermingham William Hywel , Bhogal Rashmeet , Arudi Nagarajan Sowmya , Mutlu Leman , El‐Shabrawy Reham Mohamed , Madhan Ramesh , Krishnaswamy Uma Maheswari , Murali Mandakolathur Ramaswamy , Kudagammana Sanath Thushara , Shrestha Rajeev , Sumantri Stevent , Christopher Devasahayam Jesudas , Mahesh Padukudru Anand , Dedicoat Martin , Krishna Mamidipudi Thirumala 
Published: December 2021

AbstractTuberculosis (TB) is the commonest cause of death by a single infectious agent globally and ranks amongst the top ten causes of global mortality. The incidence of TB is highest in Low‐Middle Income countries (LMICs). Prompt institution of, and compliance with, therapy are cornerstones for a favourable outcome in TB and to mitigate the risk of multiple drug resistant (MDR)‐TB, which is challenging to treat. There is some evidence that adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) to anti‐TB drugs occur in over 60% and 3%–4% of patients respectively. Both ADRs and HSRs represent significant barriers to treatment adherence and are recognised risk factors for MDR‐TB. HSRs to anti‐TB drugs are usually cutaneous and benign, occur within few weeks after commencement of therapy and are likely to be T‐cell mediated. Severe and systemic T‐cell mediated HSRs and IgE mediated anaphylaxis to anti‐TB drugs are relatively rare, but important to recognise and treat promptly. T‐cell‐mediated HSRs are more frequent amongst patients with co‐existing HIV infection. Some patients develop multiple sensitisation to anti‐TB drugs. Whilst skin tests, patch tests and in vitro diagnostics have been used in the investigation of HSRs to anti‐TB drugs, their predictive value is not established, they are onerous, require specialist input of an allergist and are resource‐dependent. This is compounded by the global, unmet demand for allergy specialists, particularly in low‐income countries (LICs)/LMICs and now the challenging circumstances of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic. This narrative review provides a critical analysis of the limited published evidence on this topic and proposes a cautious and pragmatic approach to optimise and standardise the management of HSRs to anti‐TB drugs. This includes clinical risk stratification and a dual strategy involving sequential re‐challenge and rapid drug desensitisation. Furthermore, a concerted international effort is needed to generate real‐time data on ADRs, HSRs, safety and clinical outcomes of these interventions.
Practical implementation of cumulative‐effects management of marine ecosystems in western North America
Authors: Hollarsmith Jordan A. , Therriault Thomas W. , Côté Isabelle M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractGlobally, ecosystem structure and function have been degraded by the cumulative effects (CE) of multiple stressors. To maintain ecosystem resilience, there is an urgent need to better account for CE in management decision‐making at various scales. Current laws and regulations are supported by a multitude of frameworks and strategies that vary in application and terminology use across management agencies and geopolitical boundaries. We synthesized management frameworks that accounted for CE in marine ecosystems at the regional and national levels across western North America (Canada, United States, Mexico) to identify similarities and shared challenges to successful implementation. We examined examples of solutions to the identified challenges (e.g., interagency and cross‐border partnerships to overcome challenges of managing for ecologically relevant spatial scales). Management frameworks in general consisted of 3 phases: scoping and structuring the system; characterizing relationships; and evaluating management options. Challenges in the robust implementation of these phases included lack of interagency coordination, minimal incorporation of diverse perspectives, and data deficiencies. Cases that provided solutions to these challenges encouraged coordination at ecological rather than jurisdictional scales, enhanced involvement of stakeholders and Indigenous groups, and used nontraditional data sources for decision‐making. Broader implementation of these approaches, combined with increased interagency and international coordination and collaboration, should facilitate the rapid advancement of more effective CE assessment and ecosystem management in North America and elsewhere.
Revisiting the evidentiary basis for ecological cascades with conservation impacts
Authors: Mumby Peter J. , Chaloupka Milani , Bozec Yves‐Marie , Steneck Robert S. , Montero‐Serra Ignasi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractComplex ecological interactions are widely utilized to deliver conservation benefits but their efficacy is often debated. Using a coral reef trophic cascade as an example, we reveal that outcomes can be surprisingly difficult to detect. Even important impacts of marine reserves can go undetected (20% more coral with power < 0.5). This evidentiary challenge is compounded by misinterpretation of “nonsignificant” results as evidence of failed conservation practice. We illustrate a more appropriate analytical approach using a Bayesian Region of Practical Equivalence (ROPE) whereby many tests of conservation practice would be interpreted correctly as “undecided” rather than “negative.” Practitioners working with ecological cascades will increasingly be faced with “undecided” evidence of conservation benefits. Since one solution is to consider a wider diversity of evidence, we provide a hierarchy of evidentiary quality. In this way, even reductionist evidence of the component ecological interactions can be utilized, which is far easier to collect and evaluate.
Culture influences the development of children's gender‐related peer preferences: Evidence from China and Thailand
Authors: Wang Yang , Qian Miao , Nabbijohn A. Natisha , Wen Fangfang , Fu Genyue , Zuo Bin , VanderLaan Doug P. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractCurrent understanding of how culture relates to the development of children's gender‐related peer preferences is limited. To investigate the role of societal acceptance of gender nonconformity, this study compared children from China and Thailand. Unlike China and other cultures where the conceptualization of gender as binary is broadly accepted, individuals who identify as a nonbinary “third” sex/gender have been highly visible and tolerated in Thai society for at least several decades. Chinese and Thai 4‐ to 9‐year‐olds (N = 458) viewed vignettes of four hypothetical peers who varied on gender (i.e., boy vs. girl) and gender‐typed toy play behavior (i.e., masculine vs. feminine), and were asked to give a friendship preference rating for each peer. Chinese, compared with Thai, children evidenced gender‐related peer preferences that emerged earlier, remained more stable across age groups, and were relatively more biased against gender‐nonconforming behavior. The only cultural similarity was in children's preference for peers who were of the same gender and/or displayed same‐gender‐typed behavior. Thus, while preference for peers who are of the same gender and/or display same‐gender‐typed behavior is common among children across cultures, the developmental onset and course of these preferences vary by culture. Moreover, societal acceptance of gender nonconformity might be key to limiting children's bias against gender‐nonconforming peers.
Education, anthropogenic environmental change, and sustainable development: A rudimentary framework and reflections on proposed causal pathways for positive change in low‐ and lower‐middle income countries
Authors: Bangay Colin 
Published: December 2021

SummaryMotivationThe article seeks to support policy‐makers in considering the role of education in response to the climate–environment emergency. It argues for a holistic framing of education's response, incorporating both climate and environment. While recognizing the imperative of global action, it emphasizes the need for national/local education systems approaches that reflect the distinct and localized challenges and responsibilities pertinent to high‐income countries (HICs) and low‐ and lower‐middle income counties (L&LMICs).PurposeAfter presenting an overview of climate–environmental issues and education the article offers a rudimentary framework categorizing education responses to anthropogenic environmental change (AEC).Methods and approachThe article brings together findings from education, demography, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and environmental studies.FindingsThe key findings are: (1) that education provision in L&LMICs is already being affected by environmental change; (2) the causal links between education and positive environmental impacts are weakly evidenced; (3) the bulk of literature is preoccupied with global climate change and CO2 emissions to the detriment of localized environmental considerations; and (4) that education should be viewed more as a “force multiplier”—alongside areas such as health, reproductive rights, social justice, and livelihoods.Policy implicationsThe article argues that to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7—whereby education systems of all nations equip students for sustainable development—there is a need for a more geographically specific understanding of the drivers of both climate change and environmental degradation. Differentiated education reform responses are required which reflect both responsibility for carbon emissions and vulnerability to climate and environmental impacts. In HICs this would suggest a greater focus on mitigation (reduction of carbon emissions) and in L&LMICs on adaptation (responding to AEC).
Utility of contrast‐enhanced echocardiography in the diagnosis and follow‐up of a pseudoaneurysm of the aortic arch
Authors: Wu Yu , Xu Jia , Wang Menghe , Li Yuman , Lv Qing 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSpontaneous pseudoaneurysm of the aortic arch is an exceptionally rare and potentially life‐threatening condition. In this case, we used contrast‐enhanced echocardiography to demonstrate the diagnosis and recurrence of a 47‐year‐old female of aortic arch pseudoaneurysm. The use of contrast‐enhanced echocardiography is suggested to be an important tool in the rapid diagnosis and postoperative follow‐up of the aortic arch pseudoaneurysms.
Coronary microvascular disease: The “Meeting Point” of Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology
Authors: Markousis‐Mavrogenis George , Bacopoulou Flora , Mavragani Clio , Voulgari Paraskevi , Kolovou Genovefa , Kitas George D. , Chrousos George P. , Mavrogeni Sophie I. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundExertional chest pain/dyspnea or chest pain at rest are the main symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD), which are traditionally attributed to insufficiency of the epicardial coronary arteries. However, 2/3 of women and 1/3 of men with angina and 10% of patients with acute myocardial infarction have no evidence of epicardial coronary artery stenosis in X‐ray coronary angiography. In these cases, coronary microvascular disease (CMD) is the main causative factor.AimsTo present the pathophysiology of CMD in Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology.Materials‐MethodsThe pathophysiology of CMD in Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology was evaluated. It includes impaired microvascular vasodilatation, which leads to inability of the organism to deal with myocardial oxygen needs and, hence, development of ischemic pain. CMD, observed in inflammatory autoimmune rheumatic and endocrine/metabolic disorders, brings together Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology. Causative factors include persistent systemic inflammation and endocrine/metabolic abnormalities influencing directly the coronary microvasculature. In the past, the evaluation of microcirculation was feasible only with the use of invasive techniques, such as coronary flow reserve assessment. Currently, the application of advanced imaging modalities, such as cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), can evaluate CMD non‐invasively and without ionizing radiation.ResultsCMD may present with a variety of symptoms with 1/3 to 2/3 of them expressed as typical chest pain in effort, more commonly found in women during menopause than in men. Atypical presentation includes chest pain at rest or exertional dyspnea,but post exercise symptoms are not uncommon. The treatment with nitrates is less effective in CMD, because their vasodilator action in coronary micro‐circulation is less pronounced than in the epicardial coronary arteries.DiscussionAlthough both classic and new medications have been used in the treatment of CMD, there are still many questions regarding both the pathophysiology and the treatment of this disorder. The potential effects of anti‐rheumatic and endocrine medications on the evolution of CMD need further evaluation.ConclusionCMD is a multifactorial disease leading to myocardial ischemia/fibrosis alone or in combination with epicardial coronary artery disease. Endothelial dysfunction/vasospasm, systemic inflammation, and/or neuroendocrine activation may act as causative factors and bring Cardiology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology together. Currently, the application of advanced imaging modalities, and specifically CMR, allows reliable assessment of the extent and severity of CMD. These measurements should not be limited to “pure cardiac patients”, as it is known that CMD affects the majority of patients with autoimmune rheumatic and endocrine/metabolic disorders.