The sociology of cancer: a decade of research

Biomedicine is often presented as the driving force behind improvements in cancer care, with genomics the latest innovation poised to change the meaning, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and lived experience of cancer. Reviewing sociological analyses of a diversity of patient and practitioner experiences and accounts of cancer during the last decade (2007–17), we explore the experiences of, approaches to and understandings of cancer in this period. We identify three key areas of focus: (i) cancer patient experiences and identities; (ii) cancer risk and responsibilities and (iii) bioclinical collectives. We explore these sociological studies of societal and biomedical developments and how sociologists have sought to influence developments in cancer identities, care and research. We end by suggesting that we extend our understanding of innovations in the fields of cancer research to take better account of these wider social and cultural innovations, together with patients, activists' and sociologists' contributions therein

STRENGTHENING THE EUROPEAN RARE EARTHS SUPPLY-CHAIN Challenges and policy options A REPORT BY THE EUROPEAN RARE EARTHS COMPETENCY NETWORK (ERECON)

ERECON (2014) Strengthening the European rare earths supply chain: Challengesand policy options. Kooroshy, J., G. Tiess, A. Tukker, and A. Walton (eds.).Policy recommendations:1.Maintaining and strengthening the European Rare Earth Elements (REE) skills and knowledge base through research funding, science and technology education and international cooperation.Without cutting-edge research and technical expertise, a European high-tech REE industry cannot flourish. The EC and Member States should support funding for research grants, scholarships, and training networks, and enhance European and international cooperation through coordinated calls, researcher exchanges, and joint high-level conferences.2.Creating the basis for informed decision-making on REEs through a European Critical Materials Observatory.Mapping and monitoring of REE supply chains is necessary for informed decision-making. Expertise in Europe could be pooled in a virtual Critical Materials Observatory that provides the public with consistent and authoritative knowledge on REEs (e.g., information on advanced exploration projects, prices, key demand and supply trends, and the urban mine potential).3.Support promising technologies through funding industry-led pilot plants for innovative HREE processing.The EC, industry and Member States should accelerate the commercialization and scaling up of key technologies through co-financing industry-led pilot plants. This should include pilots for REE recovery from heavy rare earths-rich minerals, direct-alloy recycling routes, process and sensor equipment for REE recycling, and REE recovery from industrial residues.4.Levelling the playing field for European HREE exploration through co-funding for prefeasibility and bankable feasibility studies.Support from federal and state governments in the U.S., Australia and Canada has played a critical role in advancing project exploration. The EC and Member States should evaluate possibilities for supporting the extensive R&D necessary for pre-feasibility and bankable feasibility studies, to avoid high quality deposits in Europe simply going unexplored.5.Making waste management REE-friendly through eco-design, incentive schemes for collecting priority waste products, and streamlining policy and waste regulation.The EC and Member States should promote recycling-friendly design to help identify and recover REE components in waste more easily. Potential incentives for stimulating REE waste collection should be evaluated and the shipment of REE wastes should be facilitated. More consistency should also be created in implementing and applying existing waste regulations.6.Boost supply security and de-risk strategic REE investment cases through enhanced cooperation among European end-users and other stakeholders.Leading end-users should engage in strategic cooperation across industry and with governments. This could include setting up a voluntary European ‘critical raw materials fund’, establishing a ‘European Resource Alliance’ similar to the German Rohstoffallianz, and convening a high-level taskforce to examine ways in which public funding could support resilient REE supply chains for Europe

Prophylaxis of postoperative endophthalmitis following cataract surgery: Results of the ESCRS multicenter study and identification of risk factors

Purpose: To identify risk factors and describe the effects of antibiotic prophylaxis on the incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery based on analysis of the findings of the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) multicenter study. Setting: Twenty-four ophthalmology units in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Methods: A prospective randomized partially masked multicenter cataract surgery study recruited 16 603 patients. The study was based on a 2 × 2 factorial design, with intracameral cefuroxime and topical perioperative levofloxacin factors resulting in 4 treatment groups. The comparison of case and non-case data was performed using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Odds ratios (ORs) associated with treatment effects and other risk factors were estimated. Results: Twenty-nine patients presented with endophthalmitis, of whom 20 were classified as having proven infective endophthalmitis. The absence of an intracameral cefuroxime prophylactic regimen at 1 mg in 0.1 mL normal saline was associated with a 4.92-fold increase (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.87-12.9) in the risk for total postoperative endophthalmitis. In addition, the use of clear corneal incisions (CCIs) compared to scleral tunnels was associated with a 5.88-fold increase (95% CI, 1.34-25.9) in risk and the use of silicone intraocular lens (IOL) optic material compared to acrylic with a 3.13-fold increase (95% CI, 1.47-6.67). The presence of surgical complications increased the risk for total endophthalmitis 4.95-fold (95% CI, 1.68-14.6), and more experienced surgeons were more likely to be associated with endophthalmitis cases. When considering only proven infective endophthalmitis cases, the absence of cefuroxime and the use of silicone IOL optic material were significantly associated with an increased risk, and there was evidence that men were more predisposed to infection (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.07-6.8). Conclusions: Use of intracameral cefuroxime at the end of surgery reduced the occurrence of postoperative endophthalmitis. Additional risk factors associated with endophthalmitis after cataract surgery included CCIs and the use of silicone IOLs. © 2007 ASCRS and ESCRS