The divided continent: Understanding Europe’s social landscape in 2020 and beyond. European Policy Centre 11 February 2020

The political upheaval and dysfunction of recent years have focused political minds on better understanding the volatility underpinning European electorates. Interest in public opinion research has soared, yet it can be difficult to draw the findings of such surveys and focus groups into something meaningful and cohesive, from which genuine insights can be drawn. It is pertinent that policymakers at both the national and EU institutional levels grasp a clear and incisive idea of what is taking place culturally, socially and politically in EU member states, and that these tea leaves can be interpreted and harnessed to produce responsive, targeted policies. This research analysis report sets out the findings of a major survey conducted across 13 EU member states (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands), which were selected to provide a representative snapshot of the bloc as a whole. This survey was expansive in its scope and unique in its focus on social and cultural issues, as well as politics, leadership and economic security. The data is interpreted through three distinct themes, each of which is likely to play a critical role in Europe’s ‘mood music’ over its coming parliamentary term: nostalgia, intergenerational conflict and democratic legitimacy. These themes have become the subject of much amateur punditry, although institutional understanding of their complex nature is often shallow. Therefore, this paper seeks to shine a more evidenced-based contextual light around their formation and nuances of application

The restoration of a 'lost' Britain: how nostalgia becomes a dangerous political force

For many Britons, everything was better in the past. Sophia Gaston writes that this is partly because governments have not always been successful at guiding citizens through times of social and economic change. She examines nostalgia as a political force in Britain and explains why politicians must address, rather than avoid questions about patriotism and identity

Strategies for Reading New Texts

Reading and writing are necessary steps to research and learning. However, reading academic texts can be extremely challenging when you are entering a new field of practice. This electronic worksheet has suggestions to prompt working through new or difficult texts for readers at any level

Type of proton-pump inhibitor and risk of iron deficiency in kidney transplant recipients:Results from the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study

Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been associated with iron deficiency (ID) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Gastric acid plays a pivotal role in the intestinal absorption of non-heme iron, but the pharmacodynamics of PPIs differ in potency of acid suppression. We hypothesized that the risk of ID might be lower in KTRs using a less potent PPI. In a cohort of 724 KTRs from the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study(NCT03272841), PPI use was associated with ID (odds ratio [OR] 2.02; 95% CI 1.36-2.98). Compared to no PPI use, the point estimate of the odds ratio for risk of ID for pantoprazole (OR 1.55; 95%CI 0.78-3.10) was lower than for esomeprazole and omeprazole (3.58; 95%CI 1.73-7.40 and 1.96; 95%CI 1.31-2.94, respectively). When comparing pantoprazole users with omeprazole users on an equipotent dose (≤20 omeprazole equivalents (OE)/day) omeprazole, but not pantoprazole was associated with ID, although the lack of a significant effect of pantoprazole on the risk of ID could be due to a lack of power. Furthermore, risk of ID was higher among users of a high PPI dose (≥ 20 OE/day) and OE as continuous variable was also independently associated with ID, indicating that risk of ID is higher while using a more potent PPI. Further investigation seems warranted to confirm whether pantoprazole leads to less ID in KTRs

Measuring social response to different journalistic techniques on Facebook

Recent studies have shown that online users tend to select information that adheres to their system of beliefs, ignore information that does not, and join groups that share a common narrative. This information environment can elicit tribalism instead of informed debate, especially when issues are controversial. Algorithmic solutions, fact-checking initiatives, and many other approaches have shown limitations in dealing with this phenomenon, and heated debate and polarization still play a pivotal role in online social dynamics (e.g. traditional vs. anti-establishment polarization). To understand the effect of different communication strategies able to smooth polarization, in this paper, together with Corriere della Sera, a major Italian news outlet, we measure the social response of users to different types of news framing. We analyse users’ reactions to 113 ad-hoc articles published on the newspaper’s Facebook page and the corresponding news articles on the topic of migration, published from March to December 2018. We examine different journalistic techniques and content types by analyzing their impact on user comments in terms of toxicity, criticism of the newspaper, and stance concerning migration. We find that visual pieces and factual news reports elicit the highest level of trust in the media source, while opinion pieces and editorials are more likely to be criticized. We also notice that data-driven pieces elicit an extremely low level of trust in the news source. Furthermore, coherently with the echo chambers behaviour, we find social conformity strongly affecting the commenting behaviour of users on Facebook

A novel SEMA3G mutation in two siblings affected by syndromic GnRH deficiency

Introduction: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency causes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH), a rare genetic disorder that impairs sexual reproduction. HH can be due to defective GnRH-secreting neuron development or function and may be associated with other clinical signs in overlapping genetic syndromes. With most of the cases being idiopathic, genetics underlying HH is still largely unknown. Objective: To assess the contribution of mutated Semaphorin 3G (SEMA3G) gene in the onset of a syndromic form of HH, characterized by intellectual disabilities and facial dysmorphic features. Method: By combining homozygosity mapping with exome sequencing, we identified a novel variant in SEMA3G gene. We then applied mouse as a model organism to examine SEMA3G expression and its functional requirement in vivo. Further, we applied homology modelling in silico and cell culture assays in vitro to validate the pathogenicity of the identified gene variant. Results: We found that: SEMA3G is expressed along the migratory route of GnRH neurons and in the developing pituitary; SEMA3G affects GnRH neuron development, but is redundant in the adult hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis; mutated SEMA3G alters binding properties in silico and in vitro to its PlexinAs receptors and attenuates its effect on the migration of immortalized GnRH neurons. Conclusion: In silico, in vitro and in vivo models revealed that SEMA3G regulates GnRH neuron migration and that its mutation affecting receptor selectivity may be responsible for the HH-related defects

Reproducibility of intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis: Implications for the design of longitudinal studies

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess in vivo the reproducibility of tissue characterization using spectral analysis of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) radiofrequency data (IVUS-VH). Background: Despite the need for reproducibility data to design longitudinal studies, such information remains unexplored. Methods and results: IVUS-VH (Volcano Corp., Rancho Cordova, USA) was performed in patients referred for elective percutaneous intervention and in whom a non-intervened vessel was judged suitable for a safe IVUS interrogation. The IVUS catheters used were commercially available catheters (20 MHz, Volcano Corp., Rancho Cordova, USA). Following IVUS-VH acquisition, and after the disengagement and re-engagement of the guiding catheter, an additional acquisition was performed using a new IVUS catheter. Fifteen patients with 16 non-significant lesions were assessed by 2 independent observers. The relative inter-catheter differences regarding geometrical measurements were negligible for both observers. The inter-catheter relative difference in plaque cross-sectional area (CSA) was 3.2% for observer 1 and 0.5% for observer 2. The limits of agreement for (observer 1 measurements) lumen, vessel, plaque and plaque burden measurements were 0.82, -1.10 mm 2;0.80, -0.66 mm2;1.08, -0.66 mm2; and 5.83, -3.89%; respectively. Limits of agreement for calcium, fibrous, fibrolipidic and necrotic core CSA measurements were 0.22, -0.25 mm2;1.02, -0.71 mm2;0.61, -0.65 mm2; and 0.43, -0.38 mm2 respectively. Regarding the inter-observer agreement, the limits of agreement for lumen, vessel, plaque and plaque burden measurements were 2.61, -2.09 mm2;2.20-3.03 mm2;1.70, -3.04 mm2; and 9.16, -16.41%; respectively, and for calcium, fibrous, fibrolipidic and necrotic core measurements of 0.08, -0.09 mm2;0.89, -1.28 mm2;0.74, -1.06 mm2; and 0.16, -0.20 mm2; respectively. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the geometrical and compositional output of IVUS-VH is acceptably reproducible

MAPKinase inhibition after failure of immune checkpoint blockade in patients with advanced melanoma – an evaluation of the multicenter prospective skin cancer registry ADOREG

Objectives: Forty to sixty percent of patients with advanced melanoma show primary resistance to PD-1-based immunotherapy, 30-40% of initial responders also progress. Here, we evaluated the outcome of second-line targeted therapy (TT) after progression on PD-1-based immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in BRAFV600-mutated melanoma. In addition, we report data on the activity of re-exposure with PD-1-based regimes. Methods: Patients with advanced (non- resectable stage III or IV, AJCC 2017, 8th edition) melanoma progressing on PD-1-based ICI (nivolumab, pembrolizumab or ipilimumab plus nivolumab) and receiving second-line BRAF plus MEK inhibition were identified from the prospective multicenter skin cancer registry ADOREG. Results: We identified 108 patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma progressing on first-line ICI (nivolumab, pembrolizumab or ipilimumab plus nivolumab) and receiving second-line combined BRAF/MEK inhibition. Seventy- three percent of the cohort presented with primary PD-1 resistant disease. Median progression-free survival ( PFS) on ICI was 2.6 (95% CI 2.2-2.9) months. Median PFS on subsequent TT was 6.6 (95% CI 5.4 -7.8) months. Median OS from start of second-line TT was 16.0 (95% CI 11.2-20.8) months. The 3-year PFS and OS rates on second-line TT were 16% and 30%. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) to TT were 42.6% and 55.6%. In patients with brain metastases, the ORR and DCR were 31.4% and 43.1%. Patients without brain metastases showed an ORR and DCR of 52.6% and 66.7%, respectively. Response to first-line ICI was associated with a numerically higher ORR and DCR to second-line TT and improved OS on TT. Twenty-three patients received third-line ICI of whom two patients showed an objective response. Conclusions: BRAF plus MEK inhibition shows meaningful activity and outcome in patients with advanced melanoma resistant to anti-PD-1- based immunotherapy. Rates of long- term benefit and survival in our study were similar to those reported for treatment-naive patients receiving first-line MAPKi