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Four layers of confusion obfuscate the issue of land in Gilbert Camp. First, residents ignore the intended representative of their residence rights. Second, they are confused regarding the “right” way to access land. Third, they do not know who the “real landowner” is. Fourth, the land boundary has changed continually since the foundation of Honiara. In this article, I try to clarify the confusing issue of land by looking at it from 3 perspectives: (1) The history of land policy in Solomon Islands reveals a long-standing neglect of the indigenous point of view regarding land; (2) ethnographic approaches illustrate how people react to sucha dismissive attitude; and (3) the contemporary preference for patriliny among government officials exemplifies the tendency toward a form of “indigenous essentialism” in which the interests of policymakers and landowners converge. This article demonstrates that the issue of land is a legacy from the past that bears major consequences for the future of Solomon Islands.

SummaryVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Europe. Data from real-world registries are necessary, as clinical trials do not represent the full spectrum of VTE patients seen in clinical practice. We aimed to document the epidemiology, management and outcomes of VTE using data from a large, observational database. PREFER in VTE was an international, non-interventional disease registry conducted between January 2013 and July 2015 in primary and secondary care across seven European countries. Consecutive patients with acute VTE were documented and followed up over 12 months. PREFER in VTE included 3,455 patients with a mean age of 60.8 ± 17.0 years. Overall, 53.0% were male. The majority of patients were assessed in the hospital setting as inpatients or outpatients (78.5%). The diagnosis was deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in 59.5% and pulmonary embolism (PE) in 40.5%. The most common comorbidities were the various types of cardiovascular disease (excluding hypertension; 45.5%), hypertension (42.3%) and dyslipidaemia (21.1%). Following the index VTE, a large proportion of patients received initial therapy with heparin (73.2%), almost half received a vitamin K antagonist (48.7%) and nearly a quarter received a DOAC (24.5%). Almost a quarter of all presentations were for recurrent VTE, with >80% of previous episodes having occurred more than 12 months prior to baseline. In conclusion, PREFER in VTE has provided contemporary insights into VTE patients and their real-world management, including their baseline characteristics, risk factors, disease history, symptoms and signs, initial therapy and outcomes.

Writing ethnography is a creative experience. It produces outputs and, more importantly, it leaves traces. However, such creativity is of a particular kind, for it is mutually poietic. Objects are subjects, and the practice of fieldwork makes and re-makes subjects in unexpected and indecipherable ways. From this perspective, therefore, understanding the other, knowing the world and being ethically engaged with both appear ephemeral and, as a consequence, fundamentally unsubstantial. It is as if ethnography initiated a set of possibilities while at the same time incorporating these as impossibilities. In this sense I take ethnography to be utopian because its aims are inherently unattainable: looking at the world through the eyes of the other, pretending to do so without hijacking the other’s perspective and establishing an ethical relationship of mutuality and fairness is always impossible in the concrete, everyday practice of ethnographers. In this article, I intend to explore this utopian character throughout the examination of three themes: the unattainable perfection of inter-subjectivity, the unattainable perfection of epistemology in the social sciences, and the unattainable perfection of the ethic of fieldwork.

Increased expression of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) may ameliorate the clinical course of hemoglobinopathies. Hydroxyurea (HU) is the only inducer approved for the treatment of these diseases able to stimulate HbF production but patients’ response is highly variable indicating the utility of the identification of pharmacogenomic biomarkers in order to predict pharmacological treatment efficacy. To date few studies to evaluate the role of genetic determinants in HU response have been conducted showing contradictory results. In this study we analyzed BCL11A, GATA-1, KLF-1 genes and γ-globin promoter in 60 alleles from 30 hemoglobinopathies patients under HU treatment to assess the role of these markers in HU response. We did not find any association between these genetic determinants and HU response. Before treatment started, the same patients were analyzed in vitro using liquid erythroid cultures in a test able to predict their response to HU. The results of our analysis confirm the absence of pharmacogenomic biomarker associated to HU response indicating that, the quantification of γ-globin mRNA fold increase remains the only method able to predict in vivo patients response to the drug.

Objective: The study examined the effects of attachment attitudes, social support, and psychological and behavioral problems on pathological gambling among adolescents. Method: A total of 268 male adolescents, from 15 to 17 years of age (M = 16.23, SD = .39) completed self-report measures on gambling behaviors, attachment styles, social support, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Results and Conclusions. At-risk and pathological gamblers reported lower level of social support and higher level of fearful attachment and internalizing problems than non problematic-gamblers. Results from a discriminant function analysis, in which two discriminant functions emerged, were consistent with contemporary perspectives on personality functioning: in fact, it resulted that the difference between non-gamblers and at-risk gamblers was better explained by a function named “self-in-relation”, which included internalizing problems, fearful attachment, lack of security and low perceived support, whereas the difference between at-risk gamblers and pathological gamblers was better explained by a function named “self-definition”, which included externalizing problems and preoccupied attachment. Therefore, findings of this study suggest that more severe gambling behaviors in adolescence are associated with needs for self-definition. This can have important implications for the assessment and treatment of adolescent gamblers.

Farmland bird species have suffered dramatic declines in recent decades, especially in Mediterranean areas. The intensification of agricultural practices has led to reduced invertebrate prey, which represent the bulk of the diet of many farmland birds. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) during the breeding season, monitored over a five-year period between 2006 and 2013 in the Gela Plain (Sicily). Our aim was to understand whether, and to what extent, farming practices affected the reproductive outputs of this predominantly insectivore bird in order to find a profitable compromise between conservation of farmland birds and farming practices. During our study, lesser kestrel diet varied among farmland habitats, in terms of ingested biomass, prey items/pellet and diet breadth. This has reflected in the reproductive output because colonies characterised by a higher ingested biomass fledged more chicks than the others. The artichoke and grassland fields were found to provide the most beneficial dietary parameters. Unexpectedly, the intensive and high-profit artichoke farming might turn out to be suitable for lesser kestrels. Artichoke fields are chiefly used when abandoned after harvest, providing high prey availability and accessibility for kestrels during the brood raising stage of their breeding season. A mosaic of grassland and artichoke fields can thus be recommended for Mediterranean agricultural areas of the Natura2000 network, in which some intensive farming and lesser kestrels can coexist, if adequately framed in a friendly-to-wildlife agriculture policy. Such a potential optimal trade-off between avian population persistence and economic sustainability for farmers we have found, should be planned in alternative management of agro-ecosystems, enhancing the functioning of trophic chains. For our study area, we suggest at least farmers be: i) informed on the role of predators as biological agents for pest control; ii) granted to reduce the high level of chemicals currently used during cultivation in favour of organic farming; and iii) granted to maintain the artichoke fields until June, following completion of the harvest.

The study was aimed to verify, from a longitudinal perspective, whether perceived peer support would mediate the relationship between attachment and internalizing problems. Longitudinal participants included 482 adolescents (245 boys) aged 14–15 years in Wave 1 and 17–18 years in Wave 2. Participants in Wave 1 completed the Relationship Questionnaire, and those in Wave 2 completed the Social Support Questionnaire and the Youth Self-Report. Results showed that secure attachment positively predicted high levels of 15 perceived peer support and negatively predicted internalizing problems, whereas fearful and preoccupied attachment negatively predicted perceived peer support and positively predicted internalizing problems. The mediation models showed that perceived peer support partially mediated the relationship between secure attachment 20 and internalizing problems as well as between preoccupied attachment and internalizing problems and between fearful attachment and internalizing problems. Our results confirm the role of subjective perception of peer support in contributing to the prediction of internalizing problems beyond attachment styles.

Agricultural intensification is considered the major cause of decline in farmland bird populations, especially in the Mediterranean region. Food shortage increased by the interaction between agricultural intensification and density-dependent mechanisms could influence the population dynamics of colonial birds.Weused demographic data on lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni), a key species of Mediterranean pseudo-steppes, to understand the importance of land-use changes and density-dependent mechanisms in the light of its fluctuating conservation status in the Western Palearctic. Our analysis indicated an important influence of land uses (artichokes, arable and grassland fields) and colony size on kestrel survival rates. The strong habitat effect revealed the unsuitability of intensive arable lands with respect to extensive grasslands for lesser kestrels. Notably, artichokes, a winterintensive crop, proved to be a high-quality habitat as they were associated with survival values equal to those of grassland. This is likely due to prey availability and reveals that non-traditional crops may provide suitable habitats for lesser kestrels. Information theory gave strong support to the negative influence of colony size on fecundity, albeit a small one, for its positive effect on survival probability. The estimated population growth rate was negative for all three habitats, indicating a decline over time and urging conservation actions in all of the areas studied. This decline was much higher in colonies surrounded by arable fields. In sensitivity analyses, ? indicated that adult survivalwas the parameterwith the greatest effect on population growth, followed by survival of fledglings and fecundity. Our study showed howthe costs and benefits of group living interact with agricultural intensification to drive species demography. In addition, we integrated significant information on one of the largest lesser kestrel populations to fine tune the most effective conservation strategy to prevent the collapse of the species in a relevant part of its range., Funding was provided by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (PRIN 2010-2011, 20108 TZKHC)

The management of reservoirs for water supply is a great environmental problem, since regular de-silting operations produce huge quantities of sediments. Among the recycling possibilities, the use of clay sediments for the manufacture of geopolymer-based materials seems to be an interesting alternative to disposal, due to their low cost and easy availability. In particular, two sediments, coming from reservoirs located in Southern Italy, were firstly characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential thermogravimetry, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and 27 Al and 29 Si Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy. The reactivity of raw and thermally treated clay sediments in alkaline media was also investigated. Finally, geopolymeric samples were produced and chemically, physically and mechanically characterized. The results showed that the calcined clay sediments can be suitable source materials in polycondensation reactions and that the increase of the calcination temperature from 400 to 750 °C resulted in an increased reactivity. Moreover, good mechanical properties were obtained by all the geopolymers prepared with heat-treated sediments.

Background The inflammatory contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) has suggested new therapeutic targets using biologic drugs designed for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). On this basis, we aimed at investigating whether interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibition with anakinra, a recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist, could improve both glycaemic and inflammatory parameters in participants with RA and T2D compared with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFis). Methods and findings This study, designed as a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial, enrolled participants, followed up for 6 months, with RA and T2D in 12 Italian rheumatologic units between 2013 and 2016. Participants were randomised to anakinra or to a TNFi (i.e., adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, infliximab, or golimumab), and the primary end point was the change in percentage of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c%) (EudraCT: 2012-005370-62 ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02236481). In total, 41 participants with RA and T2D were randomised, and 39 eligible participants were treated (age 62.72 ± 9.97 years, 74.4% female sex). The majority of participants had seropositive RA disease (rheumatoid factor and/or anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody [ACPA] 70.2%) with active disease (Disease Activity Score-28 [DAS28]: 5.54 ± 1.03; C-reactive protein 11.84 ± 9.67 mg/L, respectively). All participants had T2D (HbA1c%: 7.77 ± 0.70, fasting plasma glucose: 139.13 ± 42.17 mg). When all the enrolled participants reached 6 months of follow-up, the important crude difference in the main end point, confirmed by an unplanned ad interim analysis showing the significant effects of anakinra, which were not observed in the other group, led to the study being stopped for early benefit. Participants in the anakinra group had a significant reduction of HbA1c%, in an unadjusted linear mixed model, after 3 months (β: −0.85, p < 0.001, 95% CI −1.28 to −0.42) and 6 months (β: −1.05, p < 0.001, 95% CI −1.50 to −0.59). Similar results were observed adjusting the model for relevant RA and T2D clinical confounders (male sex, age, ACPA positivity, use of corticosteroids, RA duration, T2D duration, use of oral antidiabetic drug, body mass index [BMI]) after 3 months (β: −1.04, p < 0.001, 95% CI −1.52 to −0.55) and 6 months (β: −1.24, p < 0.001, 95% CI −1.75 to −0.72). Participants in the TNFi group had a nonsignificant slight decrease of HbA1c%. Assuming the success threshold to be HbA1c% ≤ 7, we considered an absolute risk reduction (ARR) = 0.42 (experimental event rate = 0.54, control event rate = 0.12); thus, we estimated, rounding up, a number needed to treat (NNT) = 3. Concerning RA, a progressive reduction of disease activity was observed in both groups. No severe adverse events, hypoglycaemic episodes, or deaths were observed. Urticarial lesions at the injection site led to discontinuation in 4 (18%) anakinra-treated participants. Additionally, we observed nonsevere infections, including influenza, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, and diarrhoea in both groups. Our study has some limitations, including open-label design and previously unplanned ad interim analysis, small size, lack of some laboratory evaluations, and ongoing use of other drugs. Conclusions In this study, we observed an apparent benefit of IL-1 inhibition in participants with RA and T2D, reaching the therapeutic targets of both diseases. Our results suggest the concept that IL-1 inhibition may be considered a targeted treatment for RA and T2D. Trial registration The trial is registered with EU Clinical Trials Register, EudraCT Number: 2012-005370-62 and with ClinicalTrial.gov, number NCT02236481., Roberto Giacomelli and co-authors study treatment of comorbid rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes via interleukin-1 blockade., Author summary Why was this study done? A growing body of evidence suggests the inflammatory contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) as observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) would be a common pathogenic mediator in T2D and RA, suggesting a possible common therapeutic target. We investigated whether IL-1 inhibition with anakinra, a human IL-1-receptor antagonist, could improve both glycaemic and inflammatory parameters in participants with RA and T2D compared with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFis). What did the researchers do and find? In a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial, 39 participants with RA and T2D (age 62.72 ± 9.97 years, 74.4% female sex) were randomised to anakinra or to TNFi in order to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in controlling the metabolic alterations of T2D. Anakinra showed a significant improvement of metabolic alteration (reduction of percentage of glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c%]) after both 3 months and 6 months of therapy (crude difference of 0.93 HbA1c% between groups), whereas TNFi did not show any significant improvement on these features. No severe adverse events, hypoglycaemic episodes, or deaths were observed. What do these findings mean? Our results suggest the concept that IL-1 inhibition may be considered a targeted treatment for RA and T2D. Managing the inflammatory disease and the metabolic comorbidity by an agent inhibiting IL-1 may lead to a consequent beneficial impact on participants’ compliance, their overall cardiovascular (CV) risk, and the burden of healthcare costs. Our study has some limitations, mainly due to open-label design, and future studies are necessary to fully clarify this topic.

The effects of climate change on animal populations may be shaped by habitat characteristics at both micro- and macro-habitat level, however, empirical studies integrating these two scales of observation are lacking. As analyses of the effects of climate change commonly rely on data from a much larger scale than the microhabitat level organisms are affected at, this mismatch risks hampering progress in developing understanding of the details of the ecological and evolutionary responses of organisms and, ultimately, effective actions to preserve their populations. Cavity nesters, often with a conservation status of concern, are an ideal model because the cavity is a microenvironment potentially different from the macroenvironment but nonetheless inevitably interacting with it. The lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a cavity nester which was until recently classified by as Vulnerable species. Since 2004, for nine years, we collected detailed biotic and abiotic data at both micro- and macro-scales of observation in a kestrel population breeding in the Gela Plain (Italy), a Mediterranean area where high temperatures may reach lethal values for the nest content. We show that macroclimatic features needed to be integrated with both abiotic and biotic factors recorded at a microscale before reliably predicting nest temperatures. Among the nest types used by lesser kestrels, we detected a preferential occupation of the cooler nest types, roof tiles, by early breeders whereas, paradoxically, late breeders nesting with hotter temperatures occupied the overheated nest holes. Not consistent with such a suggested nest selection, the coolest nest type did not host a higher reproductive success than the overheated nests. We discussed our findings in the light of cavity temperatures and nest types deployed within conservation actions assessed by integrating selected factors at different observation scales.

One hundred and one volatile compounds, reported in literature as powerful odorants of wine, were quantified by Gas Chromatography-Selective Ion Monitoring/Mass Spectrometry (GC-SIM/MS) in Primitivo, Aglianico, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon red wines. Wine samples were extracted by 3 different extraction methods: 1) separation of the alcoholic fraction from the aqueous phase by salting-out and subsequent extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113); 2) extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with dichloromethane; 3) solid phase extraction (SPE cartridge: 800 mg of LiChrolut EN resin) with pentane-dichloromethane (20:1) and dichloromethane. The selection of the ion fragments used for quantification was directly performed on a red wine sample. For each compound the area of the corresponding peak was normalized respect to the peak of the internal standard and then interpolated in a calibration curve obtained analysing a model wine solution (water, ethanol, tartaric acid and known amounts of analytes and of internal standard). The methods showed a good linearity: r2>0.990, except for farnesol (isomer a and c), octanal, decanal, furaneol and phenylacetic acid with 0.966 < or = r2 < or = 0.990. The 7 most powerful odorants were: beta-damascenone, acetaldehyde, maltol, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutanoic acid and acetal; 7 other slightly less important were: ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, 1-octen-3-ol, butanoic acid, rose oxide, furaneol and sotolon. The Aglianico wines were characterised by the major fermentation compounds (esters, fatty acids and 2-phenylethanol), beta-damascenone, beta-ionone and linalool. The Primitivo wines were characterized by furaneol, methoxypyrazine, gamma-nonalactone and acetaldehyde, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines principally by cask derivates (vanillin, (Z) 3-methyl-gamma-octalactone [(Z) wiskylactone], maltol and eugenol), some aldehydes and 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine.

A multicenter randomized open-label long-term sequential deferiprone–deferoxamine (DFP-DFO) versus DFP alone trial (sequential DFP-DFO) performed in patients with thalassemia major (TM) was retrospectively reanalyzed to assess the variation in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) [1].