bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inventing a Nation: The Birth and Development of the Silesian Minority in Poland
Authors: Marondel Sara , Pietrzykowski Tomasz 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
This article describes the ethnic revival in Upper Silesia in Poland, and the struggle faced by regional organisations to formally recognise the Silesian people as an ethnic minority in Poland. After years of having their culture repressed by the homogenising inclinations of the communist regime, there are a growing number of people identifying themselves as belonging to a separate Silesian national minority. This social change quickly translated into the initial organisations dedicated to preserving the culture and fighting for minority rights. Those organisations then made both judicial (on a national and international level) and legislative attempts at the formal recognition of the Silesian nationality, and have been undertaking actions aimed at stirring up and building feelings of national identity among the people living in Silesia.
Diffusive Staircases in Shear: Dynamics and Heat Transport
Authors: Brown Justin M. , Radko Timour 
Published: March 2021

AbstractArctic staircases mediate the heat transport from the warm water of Atlantic origin to the cooler waters of the Arctic mixed layer. For this reason, staircases have received much due attention from the community, and their heat transport has been well characterized for systems in the absence of external forcing. However, the ocean is a dynamic environment with large-scale currents and internal waves being omnipresent, even in regions shielded by sea-ice. Thus, we have attempted to address the effects of background shear on fully developed staircases using numerical simulations. The code, which is pseudo-spectral, evolves the governing equations for a Boussinesq fluid with temperature and salinity in a shearing coordinate system. We find that—– unlike many other double-diffusive systems—the sheared staircase requires three-dimensional simulations to properly capture the dynamics. Our simulations predict shear patterns that are consistent with observations and show that staircases in the presence of external shear should be expected to transport heat and salt at least twice as efficiently as in the corresponding non-sheared systems. These findings may lead to critical improvements in the representation of micro-scale mixing in global climate models.
Importance of Midlevel Moisture for Tropical Cyclone Formation in Easterly and Monsoon Environments over the Western North Pacific
Authors: Teng Hsu-Feng , Kuo Ying-Hwa , Done James M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis study explores the importance of midlevel moisture for tropical cyclone (TC) formation in monsoon and easterly environments over the western North Pacific in regional simulations (15-km resolution). The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is used to simulate 22 TCs that form in monsoon environments (MTCs) and 13 TCs that form in easterly environments (ETCs) over the period 2006–10. To characterize the moisture contribution, simulations with midlevel moisture improved through assimilation of global positioning system (GPS) radio occultation (RO) data (labeled as EPH) are compared to those without (labeled as GTS). In general, the probability of TC formation being detected in the simulations is higher for MTCs than ETCs, regardless of GPS RO assimilation, especially for the monsoon trough environment. In total, 54% of ETC formations are sensitive to the midlevel moisture patterns, while only 18% for MTC formations are sensitive, indicating that the importance of midlevel moisture is higher for ETC formations. Because of a model dry bias, the simulation of TC formation in an observed environment with lower vorticity but higher moisture is sensitive to the moisture increase through GPS RO data. Sensitivity experiments show that if the moisture in GTS is replaced by that in EPH, the TC formation can be detected in the GTS simulations. In turn, the TC formation cannot be detected in the EPH simulations with GTS moisture. The mechanism causing the difference in simulation performance of TC formation is attributed to more diabatic heating release and stronger positive potential vorticity tendency at midlevels around the disturbance center caused by the higher moisture magnitudes.
Resistance and Revival: Indigenous Women Media-Makers in Contemporary Mexico
Authors: González Hurtado Argelia 
Published: March 2021

Through the use of the documentary genre, a group of Mexican indigenous women video-makers and their collaborators are depicting contemporary indigenous women. Occupying transformative roles in their communities, indigenous women are pioneers opening new cultural and social spaces to work toward a more equitable society. The main scenarios of their struggle are indigenous marginalization and women’s marginalization under patriarchy. The documentaries Voladora/Flying Woman (Chloé Campero, 2008), La vida de la mujer en resistencia/We Are Equal (Chiapas Media Project–Promedios, 2004), and La rebelión de las oaxaqueñas/The Oaxaqueña Rebellion (Mal de Ojo TV, 2008) are case studies of female indigenous resistance through the media. Un grupo de creadoras de vídeos indígenas mexicanas y sus colaboradores representan a las mujeres indígenas contemporáneas a través del uso del género documental. Estas mujeres ocupan funciones transformadoras en sus comunidades y son pioneras en la apertura de nuevos espacios culturales y sociales en la búsqueda de una sociedad más equitativa. Sus principales escenarios de lucha son la marginación indígena y la marginación de las mujeres bajo el patriarcado. Los documentales Voladora (Chloé Campero, 2008), La vida de la mujer en resistencia (Chiapas Media Project-Promedios, 2004) y La rebelión de las oaxaqueñas (Mal de Ojo TV, 2008) son estudios de caso de resistencia indígena femenina a través de los medios de comunicación.
Efficacy of Office-Based Intralesional Steroid Injections in the Management of Subglottic Stenosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Luke Alex S. , Varelas Eleni A. , Kaplan Seth , Husain Inna A. 
Published: March 2021

Objective: To determine the efficacy of office-based intralesional steroid injections (ILSI) as a management therapy for adult subglottic stenosis (SGS). Data Sources: A systematic review was completed using PubMed and Science Direct for office-based management of SGS due to various etiologies. Review Methods: The primary end point measured was a change in surgery free interval (SFI) between endoscopic procedures due to office-based serial ILSI. The secondary end point was to determine what percentage of patients did not require further operative intervention for SGS maintenance therapy after changing management to office-based serial ILSI. Results: We identified 187 abstracts, 4 of which were included in the analysis. The total number of participants was 55. The mean age was 50.4, and 78.1% were women. The etiologies were as follows: idiopathic (58.2%), postintubation/tracheotomy (29.1%), and autoimmune (12.7%). The SFI was reported in 3 of the 4 studies. The reported mean pre-ILSI SFI was 362.9 days and the post-ILSI SFI was 582.2 days. The secondary outcome was reported in 3 of the 4 studies. Forty-one of the 55 patients (74.5%) did not require further operative intervention during the duration of the study. Conclusion: This review explored office-based ILSI as a potential treatment option for patients with SGS. The limited data presented found ILSI significantly lengthened SFI, potentially reducing surgical burden. In addition, ILSI was found to be safe with few reported side effects.
Low-Level Chemical Sensitivity: A Perspective from Behavioral Toxicology
Authors: Weiss Bernard 
Published: March 2021

Low-level chemical sensitivity is hardly a new issue in environmental toxicology. It is, in fact, the focus of risk assessment. The risk assessment process is designed explicitly to estimate the health threats posed by low exposure levels, typically by extrapolating from high experimental or environmental levels. The conventional risk assessment structure, however, was designed primarily around cancer. It is only awkwardly applicable to neurobehavioral toxicants because of the multiplicity of endpoints that have to be considered in evaluating neurotoxicity. At the same time, neurotoxic risk assessment maintains certain advantages over cancer risk assessment because of diminished uncertainties over dose extrapolation. It does not have to depart as far from the range of observable data. The main problem with extending the risk assessment model to issues such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is the absence of a specific chemical whose concentration can be measured and then manipulated. A prototypical agent, however, such as a volatile organic solvent, might be selected and studied. Beyond the choice of agent, however, is the question of which behavioral criteria are likely to yield the most useful information. Although neuropsychological test batteries provide one source of data, they typically are administered in a setting other than the one allegedly provoking the syndrome. A different approach invokes what might be called a miniature work situation. Here, a test subject is evaluated in a setting that emphasizes sustained performance testing in the presence of target chemicals.
Looking to the Past to Survive the Future: The Hungarian Minority in Slovakia
Authors: Divald Susan 
Published: March 2021

This article belongs to the special cluster, “Here to Stay: The Politics of History in Eastern Europe”, guest-edited by Félix Krawatzek & George Soroka. With reference to the Hungarian minority’s overarching concern over its declining population in Slovakia, this article reveals how different elements of the past are activated, remembered, and renegotiated to ensure the minority’s cultural survival. Using elite interviews, party documents, and a detailed analysis of two local newspaper archives in Hungarian, I unpack how memory and politics interact in the post-EU accession period. First, I uncover how political and civil society actors use acts of commemoration as a conduit to circulate certain narratives of the Hungarian minority identity. Through remembering historic Hungarian leaders and events, elites affirm and construct the minority identity, thus enabling its cultural reproduction. The Habsburg and Austro-Hungarian Monarchy period is referred to most frequently with the celebration of national heroes. Events spanning the twentieth century are generally mourned as painful and detrimental for the Hungarian minority. While the acts of commemoration are “soft” measures to ensure cultural survival, Hungarian political actors also desire “hard” guarantees through institutional measures, best encapsulated by their desire for autonomy arrangements. However, the Slovak nation’s own past of claiming autonomy and their eventual secession from Czechoslovakia in 1939 conditions the cultural rules around language and the appropriate vocabulary that Hungarian elites can use. Consequently, Hungarian minority elites appropriate the past strategically in two ways. They readjust their tactics through using different vocabulary to claim autonomy and second, they pursue policy reforms across areas such as education and regional development, thus making the de facto possibility of autonomy more palatable to their Slovak counterparts.
Gene polymorphisms associated with an increased risk of exudative age-related macular degeneration in a Spanish population
Authors: Gili Pablo , Lloreda Martín Leyre , Martín-Rodrigo José-Carlos , Kim-Yeon Naon , Modamio-Gardeta Laura , Fernández-García Javier L , Rebolledo-Poves Ana Belén , Gómez-Blazquez Elena , Pazos-Rodriguez Ruth , Pérez-Fernández Elia , Velasco María 
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To identify the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CFH, ARMS2, HTRA1, CFB, C2, and C3 genes and exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Spanish population. Methods: In 187 exudative AMD patients and 196 healthy controls (61% women, mean age 75 years), 12 SNPs as risk factors for AMD in CFH (rs1410996, rs1061170, r380390), ARMS2 (rs10490924, rs10490923), HTRA1 (rs11200638), CFB (rs641153), C2 (rs547154, rs9332739), and C3 (rs147859257, rs2230199, rs1047286) genes were analyzed. Results: The G allele was the most frequent in CFH gene (rs1410996) with a 7-fold increased risk of AMD (OR 7.69, 95% CI 3.17–18.69), whereas carriers of C allele in CFH (rs1061170) showed a 3-fold increased risk for AMD (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.93–5.40). In CFH (rs380390), the presence of G allele increased the risk for AMD by 2-fold (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.47–4.30). In ARMS2 (rs10490924), the T-allele was associated with an almost 5-fold increased risk (OR 5.49, 95% CI 3.23–9.31). The A allele in HTRA1 (rs11200638) was more prevalent in AMD versus controls (OR 6.44, 95% CI 3.62–11.47). In C2 gene (rs9332739) the presence of C increased risk for AMD by 3-fold (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.06–9.06). Conclusion: SNPs in CFH, ARMS2, HTRA1, and C2 genes were associated in our study with an increased risk for exudative AMD in Spanish patients.
Disability improvement as a clinically relevant outcome in clinical trials of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Cree Bruce AC , Cohen Jeffrey A , Reder Anthony T , Tomic Davorka , Silva Diego , Piani Meier Daniela , Laflamme Annik K , Ritter Shannon , Leppert David , Kappos Ludwig 
Published: March 2021

Background: Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) can reduce the risk of disability worsening in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). High-efficacy DMTs can lead to confirmed or sustained disability improvement (CDI and SDI). Objective and Methods: Post hoc analyses of data from the TRANSFORMS, FREEDOMS, and FREEDOMS II trials and their extensions assessed the effects of fingolimod (0.5–1.25 mg/day) on stabilizing or improving disability over ⩽8 years in participants with RMS. CDI and SDI rates were compared between participants initially randomized to fingolimod, interferon (IFNβ-1a), or placebo. Results: At 8 years’ follow-up in TRANSFORMS, 35.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.2%–43.1%) of assessed participants in the IFNβ-1a–fingolimod switch group and 41.9% (36.6%–47.6%) on continuous fingolimod experienced CDI; disability did not worsen in approximately 70%. Similar results were seen in the combined FREEDOMS population. Proportionally fewer TRANSFORMS participants achieved SDI in the IFNβ-1a–fingolimod switch group than on continuous fingolimod (5.4% [3.0%–9.5%] vs 14.2% [10.8%–18.4%], p = 0.01). Conclusion: CDI and SDI are outcomes of interest for clinical trials and for long-term follow-up of participants with RMS. Monitoring CDI and SDI in addition to disability worsening may facilitate understanding of the therapeutic benefit of RMS treatments.
A comparison study between metropolitan and rural hospital-based telehealth activity to inform adoption and expansion
Authors: Banbury Annie , Smith Anthony C , Mehrotra Ateev , Page Matthew , Caffery Liam J 
Published: March 2021

Introduction In Queensland, Australia, the public hospital system has used telehealth for almost three decades. Although telehealth activity has been growing consistently, there are substantial variations across geographic regions. We explored factors which contribute to this variation in telehealth adoption. Methods This was a multi-method comparative study of two matched metropolitan health services and two matched rural health services. The health services were matched according to the number of providers and hospitals but had different rates of telehealth use. Comparative rates of telehealth visits were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was obtained from 63 semi-structured interviews with telehealth administrators, clinicians and senior managers involved in telehealth policies and procedures. Data were analysed using a framework analysis. Results The metropolitan health service that had more telehealth use had greater investment in telehealth, higher population referral areas, highly developed communication strategies and understanding of the value proposition for telehealth, and reported fewer information technology and administration systems difficulties. In rural health services, telehealth activity was influenced by onboarding processes, clinician willingness to practice, strategic challenges and primary care activity. Discussion Telehealth adoption can be influenced by funding, cross-organisational strategic policies and a multi-faceted approach to address clinician reluctance to use telehealth.
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in the era of modern therapeutic approaches: data from the Polish multicenter registry (BNP-PL)
Authors: Kopeć Grzegorz , Dzikowska-Diduch Olga , Mroczek Ewa , Mularek-Kubzdela Tatiana , Chrzanowski Łukasz , Skoczylas Ilona , Tomaszewski Michał , Peregud-Pogorzelska Małgorzata , Karasek Danuta , Lewicka Ewa , Jacheć Wojciech , Gąsior Zbigniew , Błaszczak Piotr , Ptaszyńska-Kopczyńska Katarzyna , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna , Biederman Andrzej , Zieliński Dariusz , Przybylski Roman , Kędzierski Piotr , Waligóra Marcin , Roik Marek , Grabka Marek , Orłowska Joanna , Araszkiewicz Aleksander , Banaszkiewicz Marta , Sławek-Szmyt Sylwia , Darocha Szymon , Magoń Wojciech , Dąbrowska-Kugacka Alicja , Stępniewski Jakub , Jonas Kamil , Kamiński Karol , Kasprzak Jarosław D. , Podolec Piotr , Pruszczyk Piotr , Torbicki Adam , Kurzyna Marcin 
Published: March 2021

Background: Significant achievements in the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have provided effective therapeutic options for most patients. However, the true impact of the changed landscape of CTEPH therapies on patients’ management and outcomes is poorly known. We aimed to characterize the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of CTEPH patients in the modern era of CTEPH therapies. Methods: We analyzed the data of CTEPH adults enrolled in the prospective multicenter registry. Results: We enrolled 516 patients aged 63.8 ± 15.4 years. The incidence rate of CTEPH was 3.96 per million adults per year. The group was burdened with several comorbidities. New oral anticoagulants ( n = 301; 58.3%) were preferred over vitamin K antagonists ( n = 159; 30.8%). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) was performed in 120 (23.3%) patients and balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in 258 (50%) patients. PEA was pretreated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 19 (15.8%) patients, and BPA in 124 (48.1%) patients. Persistent CTEPH was present in 46% of PEA patients and in 65% of patients after completion of BPA. Persistent CTEPH after PEA was treated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 72% and with BPA in 27.7% of patients. At a mean time period of 14.3 ± 5.8 months, 26 patients had died. The use of PEA or BPA was associated with better survival than the use of solely medical treatment. Conclusions: The modern population of CTEPH patients comprises mostly elderly people significantly burdened with comorbid conditions. This calls for treatment decisions that are tailored individually for every patient. The combination of two or three methods is currently a frequent approach in the treatment of CTEPH. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03959748
Influence of age, sex and respiratory viruses on the rates of emergency department visits and hospitalisations with respiratory tract infections, asthma and COPD
Authors: Satia Imran , Adatia Adil , Cusack Ruth P. , Greene Justina M. , O'Byrne Paul M. , Killian Kieran J. , Johnston Neil 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundThe importance of age, sex and respiratory virus prevalence in emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations for respiratory tract infections (RTIs), asthma and COPD in a whole population over time is not well established.MethodsThis study retrospectively analysed data for daily ED visits and hospitalisations from 2003 to 2013 in Ontario, Canada and the daily number of virus positive tests. Daily numbers of ED visits and hospitalisations with RTIs, asthma and COPD listed as a primary diagnosis were collected from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Virus data were obtained from the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association of individual viruses with the daily rates.ResultsThere were 4 365 578 ED visits and 321 719 (7.4%) admissions for RTIs, 817 141 ED visits and 260 665 (31.9%) admissions for COPD and 649 666 ED visits and 68 626 (10.6%) admissions for asthma. Respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A were associated with male ED visits, whereas human rhinovirus was associated with female ED visits for RTIs in preschool children. 19.2% of males, but only 7.2% of females were admitted. The correlation between the prevalence of each virus and ED visits and hospitalisations for asthma was weak, irrespective of age group and sex. Influenza A was most strongly associated with COPD ED visits and hospitalisations in males and females.ConclusionsThere are significant age and sex differences in the contribution of respiratory viruses to the number of ED visits and hospitalisations for RTIs, asthma and COPD.
Increased myofibroblasts in the small airways, and relationship to remodelling and functional changes in smokers and COPD patients: potential role of epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Eapen Mathew Suji , Lu Wenying , Hackett Tillie L. , Singhera Gurpreet Kaur , Mahmood Malik Q. , Hardikar Ashutosh , Ward Chris , Walters Eugene Haydn , Sohal Sukhwinder Singh 
Published: March 2021

IntroductionPrevious reports have shown epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) as an active process that contributes to small airway fibrotic pathology. Myofibroblasts are highly active pro-fibrotic cells that secrete excessive and altered extracellular matrix (ECM). Here we relate small airway myofibroblast presence with airway remodelling, physiology and EMT activity in smokers and COPD patients.MethodsLung resections from nonsmoker controls, normal lung function smokers and COPD current and ex-smokers were stained with anti-human α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), collagen 1 and fibronectin. αSMA+cells were computed in reticular basement membrane (Rbm), lamina propria and adventitia and presented per mm of Rbm and mm2of lamina propria. Collagen-1 and fibronectin are presented as a percentage change from normal. All analyses including airway thickness were measured using Image-pro-plus 7.0.ResultsWe found an increase in subepithelial lamina propria (especially) and adventitia thickness in all pathological groups compared to nonsmoker controls. Increases in αSMA+myofibroblasts were observed in subepithelial Rbm, lamina propria and adventitia in both the smoker and COPD groups compared to nonsmoker controls. Furthermore, the increase in the myofibroblast population in the lamina propria was strongly associated with decrease in lung function, lamina propria thickening, increase in ECM protein deposition, and finally EMT activity in epithelial cells.ConclusionsThis is the first systematic characterisation of small airway myofibroblasts in COPD based on their localisation, with statistically significant correlations between them and other pan-airway structural, lung function and ECM protein changes. Finally, we suggest that EMT may be involved in such changes.