The Ethical Perceptions of Dog Tail Docking Amongst Owners and Veterinarians in South Carolina

This thesis aimed to discover, in depth, what tail docking of dogs is, why it is currently in practice, what the controversial opinions surrounding it are, how the opinions differ when taking into account the professionals of the field versus owners and breeders, and how it can be addressed in the future to treat our animals as humanely as possible. Based on the surveying of South Carolinian owners, breeders, and veterinarians, it was discovered that dog tail-docking procedures are overwhelmingly used for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes, with the aim being to match breed standards. There was a disagreement amongst those surveyed on what constitutes a medical necessity to dock dogs’ tails and whether matching breed standards is a substantial reason to do so. Responses varied, with a significant number of breeders and owners indicating they supported the procedure when done to match breed standards, and others indicating they are against the procedure in all cases. Veterinarians that were surveyed had split opinions when asked why they believe the procedure is chosen– either to match breed standards or to prevent injury in working dogs, with emphasis on aesthetic, medically unnecessary purposes being over-represented amongst the two reasons. However, they agreed on the mechanism of action for docking tails, being surgical, and the age at which it should be done, being within a week of birth. Most veterinarians disagreed with banning the procedure as it could lead to dangerous botching of docked tails at home by breeders or prevention of the procedure when suggested for hunting and working dogs. Matching breed standards has been deemed an unnecessary medical reason for docking tails by the AVMA and by veterinarians (6). However, that has not stopped the procedure from being pursued. Next steps for addressing this ethical issue is enforcing a policy by kennel clubs that manage what a typical breed should look like that allows the breed to have their natural tails, with exceptions in cases of physical necessity– hunting and working dogs that can injure their tails on the job or breeds with predisposition to tail injuries. This comes at a cost too, however, as this is a preemptive measure with uncertainty on how many will actually injure their tails. In addition, the procedure can have negative side-effects, especially if performed improperly. Limiting the procedure to only medically necessary instances, such as for dogs working in the armed forces or police forces, for hunting dogs, and for breeds that historically damage their tails, requires a definitive definition of what constitutes necessity, but would eliminate the procedure being done for showing purposes and to strictly match breed standards

Parents’ attitudes and unequal opportunities in early childhood development: Evidence from Eastern India

Early childhood development is considered a crucial component for sustainable development, and parents’ roles in this regard is unambiguously acknowledged. However, the evidence is sparsely available from developing countries like India on how parents can influence access to the early childhood development program. This study, based on an empirical footing, investigates whether parental attitude may lead to unequal opportunities in children’s access to preschools in India. The study portrays that the negative or indifferent attitude of parents predicts significantly lower access to preschools. Also, parents’ education can be held responsible for the variation in parents’ attitudes toward early education and care. A two-prong policy measure is thus suggested by educating parents on one hand and involving them in the implementation process of childhood development programs on the other

Family Climate in Pandemic Times: Adolescents and Mothers

In this article, we examine changes in family climate during the first Covid‐19‐related lockdown in Germany. We compare the perspectives of mothers and adolescents to explore whether the factors of perceived changes in family climate are systematically and significantly different between these groups. We measure family climate as positive emotional climate, a sub‐dimension of the family environment scale, to capture a feeling of cohesion and emotional openness within the family. Based on family system theory and the family stress model, we expect an overall deterioration in family climate due to increased environmental adaptation in the pandemic. Furthermore, we expect family climate to deteriorate less when families have economic and social resources available. On the other hand, we assume that being employed and/or primarily responsible for family care relates to a stronger decline in the family climate. We employ longitudinal survey data (AID:A) from around 300 German families with children aged nine to 17 and apply individual fixed effects models to investigate changes in family climate from 2019 to 2020. Almost half of our respondents report a decrease in family climate. For mothers, the share of unpaid care work at home is the only significant predictor: Mothers doing more than 80% of the chores and childcare feel a greater decrease in family climate. For adolescents, however, being at risk of poverty and having less frequent family activities are important predictors of stronger decreases in family climate. In summary, our results illustrate the relevance of distinguishing between the perspective of children and parents in family studies

Multiple myeloma incidence, mortality, and prevalence estimates and projections, Australia, 1982–2043:a statistical modelling study

Objectives: To examine changes in multiple myeloma incidence and mortality rates during 1982–2018, and to estimate its incidence, mortality, and prevalence for 2019–2043. Study design: Population-based statistical modelling study; analysis of and projections based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare multiple myeloma incidence, mortality, and survival data. Setting: Australia, 1982–2018 (historical data) and projections to 2043. Main outcome measures: Changes in multiple myeloma incidence and mortality rates, 1982–2018, determined by joinpoint regression analysis (age-standardised to 2021 Australian population); projection of rates to 2043 based on age–period–cohort models; estimated 5- and 30-year prevalence of multiple myeloma (modified counting method). Results: The incidence of multiple myeloma increased during 1982–2018 (eg, annual percentage change [APC], 2006–2018, 1.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–2.2%), but the mortality rate declined during 1990–2018 (APC, –0.4%; 95% CI, –0.5% to –0.2%). The age-standardised incidence rate was projected to increase by 14.9% during 2018–2043, from 8.7 in 2018 to 10.0 (95% CI, 9.4–10.7) new cases per 100 000 population in 2043; the mortality rate was projected to decline by 27.5%, from 4.0 to 2.9 (95% CI, 2.6–3.3) deaths per 100 000 population. The annual number of people newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma was estimated to increase by 89.2%, from 2120 in 2018 to 4012 in 2043; the number of deaths from multiple myeloma was projected to increase by 31.7%, from 979 to 1289. The number of people living with multiple myeloma up to 30 years after initial diagnosis was projected to increase by 163%, from 10 288 in 2018 to 27 093 in 2043, including 13 019 people (48.1%) diagnosed during the preceding five years. Conclusion: Although the decline in the mortality rate was projected to continue, the projected increases in the incidence and prevalence of multiple myeloma in Australia over the next 25 years indicate that investment in prevention and early detection research, and planning for prolonged treatment and care, are needed.</p

Polarisierungen im Kontext Schule: Marginalisierungsprozesse am Übergang von der Grundschule in die Sekundarstufe I aus Sicht von Schulakteur/-innen und Schüler/-innen

Das Forschungsprojekt „Zusammenhänge zwischen prekären Lebenslagen und Bildungsentscheidungen. Die Situation von Schüler:innen am Übergang von der Grundschule in die Sekundarstufe I“ untersuchte demnach zum einen die eigene Armutswahrnehmung von Familien in schwierigen Lebenslagen und ihre damit verbundenen Herausforderungen im Kontext Bildung sowie zum anderen die Armutswahrnehmung von Schüler/-innen durch Lehrpersonen an Schulen. Um sowohl die Außen- als auch die Binnenperspektive zu erheben, wurden im Rahmen des von der Landeshauptstadt München geförderten Projekts an vier in sehr unterschiedlichen Sozialräumen liegenden Münchner Grundschulen insgesamt zwölf Expert/-inneninterviews mit Schulleitungen, Lehrer/-innen und Schulsozialarbeiter/-innen sowie neun Familieninterviews mit Viertklässler/-innen und ihren Eltern durchgeführt. Anhand der drei Aspekte „Armutswahrnehmungen“, „Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten armer Schüler/-innen“ und „Zusammenarbeit zwischen Schule und Eltern“ werden vor allem die Widersprüchlichkeiten, aber auch Ergänzungen in den Perspektiven von befragten Schulakteur/-innen und Familien herausgestellt. Es werden Handlungsimpulse aufgezeigt, wie arme und von Armut bedrohte Kinder und ihre Familien besser unterstützt werden und bereits bestehende Maßnahmen umgesetzt bzw. ausgebaut werden könnten und beim Kind ankommen

Beratungsbedarfe von Stieffamilien in Bayern: Abschlussbericht

Obwohl Stieffamilien mit etwa 10 % eine relevante Gruppe an allen Familien ausmachen und ihre Herausforderungen aufgrund der vielfältigen Beziehungskonstellationen besonders komplex sind, war bislang nur wenig über ihre speziellen Beratungsbedarfe bekannt. Diese Forschungslücke schließt das Projekt "Beratungsbedarfe von Stieffamilien in Bayern", welches als Kooperationsprojekt des Deutschen Jugendinstituts (DJI) und des Staatsinstituts für Familienforschung in Bayern (ifb) durchgeführt wurde. Das Projekt wurde aus Mitteln des Bayerischen Staatsministeriums für Familie, Arbeit und Soziales (StMAS) gefördert. Dazu wurden im Rahmen des Projektes einerseits Sekundärdatenanalysen der deutschen Familiensurveys AID:A und pairfam durchgeführt. Diese zeigen, dass Stieffamilien nicht nur mehr Herausforderungen meistern, sondern auch mehr Angebote der Familienberatung in Anspruch nehmen, als es sogenannte Kernfamilien tun. Die eigens für das Projekt durchgeführte Online-Fachkräftebefragung spiegelt dies wider und zeigt, dass ein überproportionaler Anteil der Beratungen in der Erziehungs-, der Ehe-/Familien- und Lebensberatung sowie in den Jugendämtern Stieffamilien betrifft. Die Beratungsanliegen der Stieffamilien drehen sich dabei häufig um die Konflikte mit dem Ex-Partner oder der Ex-Partnerin, aber auch die Zusammenarbeit in Erziehungsfragen mit dem neuen Partner, bzw. der neuen Partnerin wird oft thematisiert. Bei den Fortbildungswünschen der Fachkräfte stehen Themen, die den Stiefelternteil betreffen daher im Vordergrund: Besonders interessiert sind die Fachkräfte an Fortbildungen zu Rollenkonflikten des Stiefelternteils, der Akzeptanz der Rolle des Stiefelternteils sowie der Etablierung einer gelungenen Zusammenarbeit in der Erziehung zwischen Stief- und leiblichem Elternteil. Die weitere Zusammenarbeit in der Erziehung mit dem Ex-Partner oder der Ex-Partnerin ist ebenfalls ein Thema, zu dem die Fachkräfte sich Fortbildungen wünschen. Insgesamt fällt auf, dass besonders die - tendenziell jüngeren - Fachkräfte in den Jugendämtern bislang weniger Fortbildungen gemacht haben, darin aber auch einen geringeren Bedarf sehen als die Fachkräfte der Erziehungs- sowie Ehe-/Familien- und Lebensberatungsstellen. Hier bieten sich weitere Forschung sowie Intervention an, da es gerade die Fachkräfte in den Jugendämtern häufig mit komplexen Fällen zu tun haben. Die Studie schärft das Bewusstsein für die speziellen Beratungsbedarfe von Stieffamilien und rückt dabei die Perspektive der Fachkräfte in den Vordergrund. Es wird deutlich, dass Stieffamilien durch große Diversität gekennzeichnet sind und dementsprechend je spezifische Problemlagen aufweisen. Aus der Studie wurde deutlich, dass eine kontinuierliche, idealerweise längsschnittliche Beobachtung von komplexen Familienformen und deren speziellen Bedarfen eine gemeinsame Herausforderung für Wissenschaft und Politik darstellt

Diamond Blackfan Anemia: A Nonclassical Patient With Diagnosis Assisted by Genomic Analysis

Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) is an inherited syndrome usually presenting with severe macrocytic anemia in infancy, paucity of erythroid precursors in the bone marrow, and congenital anomalies. We describe a child with mild, transfusion independent normocytic anemia whose diagnosis of DBA was established by identification of a novel de novo mutation disrupting normal splicing of the ribosomal protein RPL5. The diagnosis of DBA was confirmed by elevated erythrocyte adenosine deaminase levels and an abnormal ribosomal RNA profile. This case demonstrates the usefulness of genomic analysis in establishing the diagnosis of DBA in patients with a nonclassical presentation of the disease

Whole-exome sequencing identifies an α-globin cluster triplication resulting in increased clinical severity of β-thalassemia

Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has been increasingly useful for the diagnosis of patients with rare causes of anemia, particularly when there is an atypical clinical presentation or targeted genotyping approaches are inconclusive. Here, we describe a 20-yr-old man with a lifelong moderate-to-severe anemia with accompanying splenomegaly who lacked a definitive diagnosis. After a thorough clinical workup and targeted genetic sequencing, we identified a paternally inherited β-globin mutation (HBB:c.93-21G>A, IVS-I-110:G>A), a known cause of β-thalassemia minor. As this mutation alone was inconsistent with the severity of the anemia, we performed WES. Although we could not identify any relevant pathogenic single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) or small indels, copy-number variant (CNV) analyses revealed a likely triplication of the entire α-globin cluster, which was subsequently confirmed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Treatment and follow-up was redefined according to the diagnosis of β-thalassemia intermedia resulting from a single β-thalassemia mutation in combination with an α-globin cluster triplication. Thus, we describe a case where the typical WES-based analysis of SNVs and small indels was unrevealing, but WES-based CNV analysis resulted in a definitive diagnosis that informed clinical decision-making. More generally, this case illustrates the value of performing CNV analysis when WES is otherwise unable to elucidate a clear genetic diagnosis

Emissions and Energy Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act

If goals set under the Paris Agreement are met, the world may hold warming well below 2 C; however, parties are not on track to deliver these commitments, increasing focus on policy implementation to close the gap between ambition and action. Recently, the US government passed its most prominent piece of climate legislation to date, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), designed to invest in a wide range of programs that, among other provisions, incentivize clean energy and carbon management, encourage electrification and efficiency measures, reduce methane emissions, promote domestic supply chains, and address environmental justice concerns. IRA's scope and complexity make modeling important to understand impacts on emissions and energy systems. We leverage results from nine independent, state-of-the-art models to examine potential implications of key IRA provisions, showing economy wide emissions reductions between 43-48% below 2005 by 2035

Accelerating functional gene discovery in osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis causes debilitating pain and disability, resulting in a considerable socioeconomic burden, yet no drugs are available that prevent disease onset or progression. Here, we develop, validate and use rapid-throughput imaging techniques to identify abnormal joint phenotypes in randomly selected mutant mice generated by the International Knockout Mouse Consortium. We identify 14 genes with functional involvement in osteoarthritis pathogenesis, including the homeobox gene Pitx1, and functionally characterize 6 candidate human osteoarthritis genes in mouse models. We demonstrate sensitivity of the methods by identifying age-related degenerative joint damage in wild-type mice. Finally, we phenotype previously generated mutant mice with an osteoarthritis-associated polymorphism in the Dio2 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and demonstrate a protective role in disease onset with public health implications. We hope this expanding resource of mutant mice will accelerate functional gene discovery in osteoarthritis and offer drug discovery opportunities for this common, incapacitating chronic disease