Conflicts Of Interest Research Articles

Conflicts of Interest in Bronchoscopy Research - Is Self-Reporting Sufficient?

Robotic assisted bronchoscopy has been enthusiastically adopted in the U.S. and transformed the management of patients with indeterminate pulmonary nodules. Unprecedented industry investments in research, development, and marketing have profoundly affected the bronchoscopy landscape, leading to concerns that conflicts of interest could influence the validity of bronchoscopy studies. Disclosures of conflicts of interest in research are predicated on open and transparent self-reporting. Are self-reported relevant conflicts of interest in articles pertaining to robotic assisted bronchoscopy accurate when compared to publicly available payments on the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services' Open Payments Database? All articles pertaining to robotic assisted bronchoscopy indexed on PubMed between 2016 and 2022 were screened for relevance. Articles appearing in the five journals with the most relevant publications were selected. General, research, and associated research payments reported in the Open Payments Database were recorded for each US physician-author with available data. "Relevant payments" refer to transactions made to authors by bronchoscopy-related companies. Documentation of all payments involving these companies during the three years prior to an article's submission date was obtained. These payments were compared to the self-reported conflicts of interest for each author, per article, and the number and value of payments were categorized and totaled. Twenty-seven articles were included, accounting for 75 U.S. physicians with data reported in the Open Payments Database. Of the $17 million in relevant payments reported, $9.9 million were not disclosed (57%). Sixty-eight of 75 (91%) of authors had incomplete physician disclosures. Excluding food and beverage payments, sixty authors had incomplete disclosures (80%). Relevant conflicts of interest appear to be inconsistently disclosed in publications on robotic assisted bronchoscopy, suggesting self-reporting may be an insufficient strategy. A centralized disclosure process that is automated or easier to use should be considered.

The Concurrent Implications of Government Officials in Indonesia are Viewed from the Concept of Good Governance

Large countries generally have territory, population, government, and sovereignty. The state is literally a construction created by humans regarding the pattern of relations between people in social life organized in such a way as to fulfill interests and achieve common goals. The government in running the wheels of government has received a lot of attention from the public. One of the highlights is the concurrent position of government officials. In Indonesia, many concurrent officials can certainly have potential conflicts of interest. This is interesting to research, which is related to 2 (two) main issues, namely: how is the concurrent arrangement of positions for government officials in Indonesia? and how are the implications of concurrent positions of government officials in Indonesia viewed from the concept of Good Governance? The research was conducted using normative legal research methods and using conflict of interest theory. The results showed that there are arrangements that prohibit concurrent positions and also arrangements that allow concurrent positions which of course can cause potential conflicts of interest. Concurrent positions in terms of the concept of Good Governance directly violate the general principles of good governance, there will be potential for seepage of information and / or policy assistance for those concerned. Therefore, new laws and regulations are needed that must strictly prohibit concurrent positions for legal unity and avoid conflicts of interest for government officials.

The costs of open access publication

This article explores the financial dynamics of open access (OA) publication in Catalan universities by combining four data sources: publication data coupled with article processing charge (APC) estimates; information on journal subscriptions, transformative agreements and APC payments made by universities; acknowledgements of APC funding sources in OA scholarly outputs; and a survey of authors. The findings reveal a consistent increase in OA publication across Catalan universities, with 60% of the articles indexed in the Web of Science being published in either gold or hybrid OA in 2022. In parallel, investment in the research publishing system shows an upward trend. Resources allocated to journal subscription licenses have been redirected towards transformative agreements, leading to a rise in hybrid OA publications. Additional budget allocations have been made to accommodate APCs for gold OA journals. Authors employ varied funding sources for gold and hybrid OA, with university funding programmes and research grants commonly facilitating gold OA, while transformative agreements often support hybrid OA. Authors associated with Catalan universities frequently benefit from funding schemes and transformative agreements that are accessible to their coauthors. However, survey responses underscore the multifaceted nature of researchers’ financial support, including personal assets and waivers. Authors express frustration with the evolving OA landscape, particularly concerning the exorbitant publication fees. Nevertheless, the allure of high-impact journals and expedited peer review processes continues to incentivize authors towards gold OA. Researchers voice concerns regarding the lack of equitable funding programmes and potential conflicts of interest within gold OA models, which signals the risk of compromising peer review integrity to prioritize profits. This study underscores the need for further research to deepen our understanding of scholarly publishing expenditure and inform strategies for fostering a sustainable, equitable OA ecosystem.

Challenging Vavřička: Questioning Compatibility of the Mandatory Tetanus Vaccination with ECHR.

The compatibility of mandatory vaccinations with human rights has become a very current issue with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Vavřicka ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. This ruling has faced criticism for not conducting examinations related to disease and vaccines based on direct scientific evidence. In this analysis, an assessment will be made based on direct scientific evidence about tetanus and its vaccine. The prevailing reason for mandatory tetanus vaccination is to protect the health of the vaccinated individual. Competent adults have the right to refuse treatment. This rule also applies to preventive medical interventions, including tetanus vaccination. As a rule, parents are entitled to give consent for medical interventions on their children. If an immediate and serious threat permanently endangers the minor’s life, medical intervention can be carried out against the parents’ will. The limitation of parental autonomy is more disputed when the minor’s life is not immediately threatened. With respect to tetanus vaccination as a preventive medical intervention, it does not eliminate an immediate and serious risk of harm. As a result, interference with the parent’s discretion on tetanus vaccination as a preventive medical intervention should be evaluated for its compatibility with the current legal approach to medical interventions on minors and patient rights. Keywords: best interest, mandatory vaccination, preventive medical intervention, right to reject a medical intervention, vaccine refusal, tetanus Acknowledgments: Z.T. wrote Part II: Information on Tetanus, M.S.P. wrote the rest of the paper. Elif Akdag was involved in formatting the footnotes. Funding: The authors were leading and core researchers in the project named “GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT PAN- DEMIC: Questioning Vaccine Mandates over COVID-19 and Childhood Vaccinations.” This project was funded by a grant from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (Grant Number: 122K378) and Altinbas University (Grant Number: PB2021-HUKUK-1). Conflicts of Interest: none

Rethinking Corporate Governance: A Comparison of Agency, Stakeholder, and Cognitive Approaches

This article analyzes three main theories of corporate governance: agency theory, partnership theory and cognitive theory. Agency theory focuses on control mechanisms designed to mitigate conflicts of interest between owners and managers. In response to the limitations of this approach, partnership theory broadens the perspective by taking into account a wider set of stakeholders, while emphasizing the need for ethical and collaborative governance. Cognitive theory, meanwhile, emphasizes the importance of learning and innovation in creating value within organizations. The article provides a comparative analysis of these three theories, identifying their convergences and divergences, as well as their relevance to current governance practices. This reflection shows that these theories, far from being mutually exclusive, offer complementary perspectives for developing more inclusive governance mechanisms, capable of responding to contemporary challenges while integrating the economic, social and cognitive dimensions of organizational performance.

Why hospitals hire tobacco lobbyists: conflicts of interest among lobbyists’ clients

Abstract Lobbyists sometimes represent clients with seemingly adversarial policy interests. We seek to explain the occurrence of such ostensible conflicts of interest. In hiring lobbyists, interests encounter a tradeoff between access and agency. Although some lobbyists promise access to lawmakers, they may not lobby as contracted. Interests hire seemingly conflicted lobbyists more often when access is costlier and reputational risks are smaller. We examine the hiring of tobacco lobbyists by health interests, given the possibilities for shirking and reputational damage. We find that institutions such as hospitals hire tobacco lobbyists regularly and more often than membership-based health groups. Intergroup competition for access and lobby laws, especially anti-conflict laws, affect the use of tobacco lobbyists independent of rates of multi-client lobbying. Conflicts are more common today than ever but interests can protect themselves somewhat from opportunistic agents. Our findings also suggest that reforms can improve the representation of client interests.

Is Public Participation Weak Environmental Regulation? Experience from China’s Environmental Public Interest Litigation Pilots

Previous studies have generally concluded that public participation lacks substantive constraints and has weak environmental regulation effects. Using China’s environmental public interest litigation (EPIL), implemented in 2015, as a quasi-natural experiment to verify the environmental effects of public participation under judicial norms, the difference-in-differences (DID) estimates in this paper show that industrial wastewater and industrial sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in the treated cities declined by an average of 2.76 million tons and 2.51 kilotons per year, respectively, which ultimately improved the city’s environmental quality. The results of the mechanism also show that the EPIL was able to mobilize all three parties: the public, government and enterprises. In the context of the environment as an externality product, where the interests of all the parties are difficult to coordinate, the EPIL has the advantage of overcoming conflicts of interest. Our study provides a quantitative justification for the environmental impact assessment of public litigation and contributes empirical references to overcome the weak binding defect of public participatory environmental regulation.

Altmetric and impact analysis of randomized clinical trials in dentistry

ObjectivesThis study investigated altmetrics, citations, and field-normalized impact of dental articles reporting randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published within a one-year period. MethodsData were collected in 2024 from PubMed-indexed RCTs published in 2019. Dependent variables included Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS), PlumX citations, and Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI). Independent variables encompassed article-, author-, and journal-related variables. Adjusted quasi-Poisson regression models were used to assess associations. Point-biserial correlation evaluated the relationship between Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and selected reporting variables. ResultsA total of 653 RCTs were included, with periodontology, implantology, and oral and maxillofacial surgery comprising 50.4 % of the sample. Only 28.6 % of the articles reported CONSORT use, 49.6 % pre-registered their protocol, and 68.8 % reported a sample size calculation. Most articles (63.6 %) reported no conflicts of interest, with unclear sponsorship being the most frequent (34.6 %). Regression analyses revealed significant associations for AAS, PlumX citations, and FWCI with various factors. JIF increased AAS by 17 % per unit, PlumX citations by 13 %, and FWCI by 6 %. Protocol pre-registration boosted AAS by 132 %, while mixed or no sponsorship increased PlumX citations by up to 47 %. First author H-index increased PlumX citations and FWCI by 1 % per unit, while first author continent impacted AAS, citations, and FWCI. Weak positive correlations between JIF and both protocol pre-registration and CONSORT use were observed. No significant differences were observed across different dental fields for any metric. ConclusionAn interplay among article-, author-, and journal-related variables collectively influenced the online attention, citations, and impact of dental RCT articles. Clinical significanceUnderstanding the factors that influence the visibility and impact of dental RCTs can guide researchers in improving the design, reporting, and dissemination of their studies, ultimately enhancing the quality and reach of dental research.

Bridging the green gap: Unveiling the complex interplay of national cultural dimensions, management effectiveness and corruption in driving green innovations

The objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between national culture, management score, corruption, and its implication on firms’ green innovation. This paper analyses 2588 firm year data using panel corrected standard errors (PCSE), two stage least regression (2SLS) and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). This paper also conducts quantile regressions and propensity score matching (probit regression) for the effect of national cultures on country’s corruption. Our initial observation found that national culture of long-term orientation is positively associated with green innovation. But in contrast to earlier findings, green innovation is negatively associated with individualism and indulgence. Nonetheless, when management score is used as a moderating variable for long term orientation national culture, a negative observation is made, likely due to restrictive regulatory compliance, conflict of interest or even inconsistent ideas amongst the management and the employees during the long-term execution of the project.

Editors-in-chief publishing in dental journals: Concerns in self-publishing.

Editors-in-chief (EICs) have a significant amount of control over the publications that are accepted in their journals, which may result in ethical predicaments. This study investigates the potential conflict of interest of EICs from various dental journals by quantifying the number of their self-published articles during their years as EIC. Based on representation across many dental disciplines and high impact factors, 67 EICs from 19 dental journals during 1990-2023 were studied. To keep anonymity, each journal was randomly assigned a letter A-S and each editor-in-chief (EIC) was given the same letter as their journal with a random number 1-67. After gathering the years each EIC served, online library resources were searched to enumerate each EIC's lifetime publications and total self-publications during their term, excluding editorials for both counts. Descriptive statistics were performed to evaluate the results. The results indicate that 16 EICs self-published more than the average of 23.27 articles during their term. When considering EIC tenure, a ratio of self-publications per year was calculated, averaging 2.12 publications. Twenty-two EICs authored more articles annually than the average ratio. After calculating the impact factors of each EIC from the years they serviced their journal, a total of 22 impact factors exceeded the established mean of 2.45. Lastly, when comparing the percentage of self-publications from total lifetime publications, 24 of 67 EICs were above the average. Overall, a significantly increased number of self-publications was detected, presenting potential conflicts of interest for EICs. Therefore, it remains essential to develop clear guidelines and international standards regarding the practice of EICs self-publishing in their journals during their service term.

Effects of wind farms on raptors: A systematic review of the current knowledge and the potential solutions to mitigate negative impacts

AbstractWind farms are a clean and efficient source of renewable energy. However, they cause negative impacts on raptors. Here, we present a review of the existing scientific literature on the effects of wind farms on raptors' ecology with a particular interest in the potential solutions. After collecting 216 studies, we found a consensus in the literature that raptors exhibit avoidance behaviors, and that the abundance of raptors decreases after wind farm installation, although it might recover over time. The position of wind farms on mountaintop ridges poses a particular danger to large soaring raptors, as they rely on orographic uplift to gain altitude. Adult mortality significantly affects population dynamics, particularly in endangered species, but young inexperienced individuals show a higher collision risk. The combination of different methods including field monitoring, GPS telemetry and systematic search for carcasses is an adequate approach to further investigate the problem and solutions. Shutdowns on demand, the installation of deterrents, turbine micro‐sitting and the repowering of wind farms have been suggested as potential solutions, although results are contradictory and case‐specific. Furthermore, it is essential to report the potential occurrence of conflicts of interest in scientific papers, as they can influence the interpretation of the results. Finally, from a future perspective, it is crucial to assess the effectiveness of solutions to mitigate the negative effects of wind farms to promote raptor conservation. This becomes increasingly relevant in the context of renewable energy development and increasing energy demand worldwide.

The juggling act of pharmacists in Sweden: a qualitative study on balancing healthcare professionalism and retail employment

BackgroundCommunity pharmacies in Sweden merge a state-funded professional community service with a retail business. While previous research has recognized its challenges, less attention has been paid to the potential conflict of interest it could result in regarding the work of pharmacists. This study aims to increase understanding of how pharmacists in Sweden combine their healthcare ambitions and obligations with those concerning being employees in a retail business.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 pharmacists employed by pharmacy chains in Sweden. The data were thematically analysed.ResultsIn the analysis, three themes were formulated: Different interests, The conflict between professional work & business work, and Strategies to manage the conflicts. The analysis of the data reveals that pharmacists in Sweden experience a conflict of interest. They grapple with balancing being healthcare professionals with a focus on patient care and being valued retail employees that also focus on financial results. This conflict manifests in various situations, such as time management, communication focus, preferred behaviours, and different tasks. The different strategies applied by individual pharmacists to manage the work are results of job crafting. Pharmacists employ strategies such as compromise, mandate stretching, avoidance, and acceptance to manage the conflict. However, these strategies lead to compromises in their work.ConclusionThis study aimed to understand how pharmacists combine their healthcare ambitions and obligations with those of being employees in a retail business. The study demonstrated that Swedish community pharmacists need to perform a juggling act to be both professional healthcare workers and viewed as valuable retail employees. In situations when the conflict of interest occurs, the pharmacists use different strategies when determining how to prioritize between the professional work and the business work. The conflict of interest in the pharmacists’ work need to be taken into consideration when discussing pharmacists practices, the profession, or role it’s in the healthcare system.

Tax Aggressiveness: A Review of the Interaction of Independent Commissioners and Firm Size in the Context of Indonesia Sustainable Development Goals

Objective: The study conducted empirical testing of the independent commissioners can decrease tax aggressiveness. Independent commissioners are part of corporate governance. In addition, there are differences in the influence of the independent commissioners on tax aggressiveness between large and small companies. Theoretical Framework: The study uses agency theory. Agency theory assumes that each individual has their own interests that motivate them, resulting in a conflict of interest between taxpayers and tax collectors. The difference in research results on the effect of the independent commissioners on tax aggressiveness raises contextual variables. The contextual variable used is firm size. Methods: The study used manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2020 to 2022. The sample selection used is based on research criteria. The test used is moderation regression analysis. Results: The study is to support the hypothesis stating that there is an interaction effect between the independent commissioners and firm size on tax aggressiveness. The larger the firm size, the weaker the negative influence of the independent commissioners on tax aggressiveness. Contribution: This research is expected to contribute to the government to increase revenue from income tax. The government can review the rules regarding the independent commissioners in overseeing management, especially in large companies. Large companies are more likely to carry out tax aggressiveness in the hope of achieving sustainable development goals. Originality/Value: The novelty of this research is that it raises firm size as a moderator of the relationship between the independent commissioners and tax aggressiveness.

Конфликт интересов как мера противодействия коррупции

The article presents the author's view on the provisions of the law concerning the application of the conflict-of-interest procedure in terms of compliance with the requirements for official conduct and (or) requirements for the settlement of conflicts of interest. It is proposed to avoid using the concept of conflict of interest in this paragraph and abolish the legal norms that are associated with it.

Women may not benefit from repeated frozen embryo transfers: a retrospective analysis of the cumulative live birth rate of 43972 women.

Which specific groups of women would not benefit from repeated frozen embryo transfers (FETs)? Women over 45 years of age should stop treatment after three FET attempts due to the absence of further benefits, while women aged 40-45 years and those with a diminished ovarian reserve and other causes of infertility have a lower chance of improving their cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) within five FET cycles and experience fewer advantages from repeated transfers. In real-life scenarios of ART, women who fail to achieve a live birth often choose to undergo repeated FETs via the freeze-all strategy. This retrospective study included 43972 women who underwent 86496 oocyte retrieval cycles and 82022 FET cycles between January 2010 and March 2023 under the freeze-all strategy. We categorized the population based on the female's age at the first oocyte pick-up (OPU) cycle (Groups 1-6: <30, 30-34, 35-39, 40-42, 43-44, and ≥45 years of age), number of retrieved oocytes at the first OPU cycle (Groups 1-5: 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, and >20 oocytes), and causes of infertility (Groups 1-9: tubal factor, male factor, polycystic ovary syndrome, diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis, other uterine factors, combined factors, unexplained infertility, and other infertility) to analyse their CLBRs within different FET cycles via Kaplan-Meier analysis (optimistic method) and the competing risk method (conservative method). We utilized multivariate Cox and Fine-Gray models to examine the associations between the CLBR and age, the number of retrieved oocytes, and nine causes of infertility. The CLBR decreased with increasing female age over five FET cycles (Groups 1-6: optimistic method: 96.4%, 94.2%, 86.0%, 50.2%, 23.1%, and 10.1%; conservative method: 87.1%, 82.0%, 67.8%, 33.9%, 13.8%, and 3.5%, respectively). Moreover, there was an increasing trend in the number of retrieved oocytes (Groups 1-5: optimistic method: 82.5%, 91.7%, 93.6%, 94.1%, and 96.2%; conservative method: 58.6%, 76.7%, 84.8%, 88.0%, and 92.5%, respectively). Furthermore, the CLBR varied across different causes of infertility (Groups 1-9: optimistic method: 91.7%, 93.1%, 96.6%, 79.2%, 89.9%, 76.1%, 90.0%, 92.9%, and 35.4%; conservative method: 77.3%, 79.4%, 88.9%, 46.7%, 72.7%, 62.1%, 74.4%, 78.8%, and 20.1%, respectively). Calculating the actual CLBR for each person is difficult because some patients have remaining embryos that have not been transferred; additionally, the current statistical methodology uses both optimistic and conservative methods to calculate the CLBR, and in real life, the CLBR falls between the optimistic and conservative curves. Our study is the first to identify specific subgroups of women who fail to benefit from repeated FETs and who require rational discontinuation of treatment following unsuccessful transfer. This study was financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers: 82271732 to Y.K., 82071603 to L.W., 82001502 to Y.L., and 82201888 to X.S.). The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in the present study. N/A.

Prenatal phthalate exposure and pubertal development in 16-year-old daughters: reproductive hormones and number of ovarian follicles.

Is there a possible association between prenatal phthalate exposure and late effects in teenage daughters with respect to reproductive hormone levels, uterine volume, and number of ovarian follicles? Our study showed subtle associations between phthalate metabolite concentrations in maternal serum from pregnancy or cord blood and LH and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels as well as uterine volume in their daughters 16 years later. Endocrine-disrupting environmental chemicals may adversely affect human reproductive health, and many societies have experienced a trend toward earlier puberty and an increasing prevalence of infertility in young couples. The scientific evidence of adverse effects of foetal exposure to a large range of chemicals, including phthalates, on male reproductive health is growing, but very few studies have explored effects on female reproduction. This follow-up study included 317 teenage daughters who were part of the Copenhagen Mother-Child Cohort, a population-based longitudinal birth cohort of 1210 females born between 1997 and 2002. A total of 317 female participants (median age 16 years) were examined for weight, height, and menstrual pattern. A serum sample was analysed for concentrations of reproductive hormones, and trans-abdominal 3D ultrasonography was performed to obtain the number of ovarian follicles, ovarian and uterine size. Prenatal maternal serum samples were available for 115 females, and cord blood samples were available for 118 females. These were analysed for concentrations of 32 phthalate metabolites. Weighted quantile sum regression was used for modelling associations of combined prenatal phthalate exposure with the reproductive outcomes in post-menarcheal females. In bivariate correlation analyses, negative significant associations were found between several prenatal phthalate metabolite concentrations and serum hormone concentrations (testosterone, 17-OH-progesterone, and IGF-1) as well as number of ovarian follicles in puberty. Positive significant correlations were found between prenatal phthalate exposure and FSH and sex hormone-binding globulin concentrations. Combined analyses of phthalate exposure (weighted quantile sums) showed significant negative associations with IGF-1 concentration and uterine volume as well as a significant positive association with LH concentration. Phthalate metabolites were measured in serum from single prenatal maternal blood samples and cord blood samples. Potential concomitant exposure to other endocrine-disrupting environmental chemicals before or after birth was not controlled for. The study population size was limited. Our results support the need for further research into possible adverse effects of environmental chemicals during foetal development of the female reproductive system. The work was supported by The Center on Endocrine Disruptors (CeHoS) under The Danish Environmental Protection Agency and The Ministry of Environment and Food (grant number: MST-621-00 065). No conflicts of interest are declared. N/A.

Sperm and leukocyte telomere length are related to sperm quality parameters in healthy men from the Led-Fertyl study.

Could sperm and leukocyte telomere length (TL) be associated with sperm quality parameters and reproductive health in men from the general population? A positive association between sperm and leukocyte TL with sperm concentration and total count has been demonstrated. Male factors account for almost half of cases of couple infertility, and shorter TLs have been observed in sperm from men with impaired sperm parameters. However, evidence in men from the general population is limited. A total of 200 volunteers of reproductive age were recruited between February 2021 and April 2023 to participate in the Lifestyle and Environmental Determinants of Seminogram and Other Male Fertility-Related Parameters (Led-Fertyl) cross-sectional study. TLs in sperm and leukocytes were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in 168 and 194 participants, respectively. Sperm parameters, including concentration, total count, motility, vitality, and morphology, were analyzed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) SCA® system according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2010guidelines. Multivariable regression models were performed to assess the associations between sperm and leukocyte TL, either in tertiles or as continuous variables, and sperm quality parameters while adjusting for potential confounders. Participants in tertiles 2 (T2) and 3 (T3) of sperm TL showed a higher sperm concentration (β: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.09-2.09 and β: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.04-3.09 for T2 and T3, respectively; P-trend < 0.001), compared to those in the reference tertile (T1). Participants in the highest tertile of sperm TL showed higher total sperm count (β: 3.83; 95% CI: 2.08-5.58 for T3 vs T1; P-trend < 0.001). Participants in the top tertile of leukocyte TL showed higher sperm concentration (β: 1.49; 95% CI: 0.44-2.54 for T3 vs T1; P-trend = 0.004), and total count (β: 3.49; 95% CI: 1.62-5.35 for T3 vs T1; P-trend < 0.001) compared with participants in T1. These results remained consistent when sperm and leukocyte TL were modelled as continuous variables. One limitation is the impossibility of establishing a cause-effect relationship due to the cross-sectional study design. Additionally, the sample size of the study cannot be considered large. Sperm and leukocyte TLs are associated with sperm quality parameters in the general population. Additional determinations and further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these associations and to investigate the further implications. The Led-Fertyl study was supported by the Spanish government's official funding agency for biomedical research, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS) and co-funded by the European Union ERDF/ESF, 'A way to make Europe'/'Investing in your future' (PI21/01447), and the Diputació de Tarragona (2021/11-No.Exp. 8004330008-2021-0022642). J.S.-S., senior author of the present study, is partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia program. M.F.d.l.P. was supported by a predoctoral grant from the Rovira i Virgili University and Diputació de Tarragona (2020-PMF-PIPF-8). C.V.-H. received a predoctoral grant from the Generalitat de Catalunya (2022 FI_B100108). M.Á.M. was supported by the Sara Borrell postdoctoral fellowship (CD21/00045-Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)). All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. N/A.

Conflict of Interest in Research

Conflict of Interest in Research

Environmental policies and stagnation in a two-country economy

Global warming poses a serious and acute threat to our planet. However, negotiations over the allocation of permissible carbon emissions often lead to conflicts of interest between developed and developing countries. Developing countries claim that global warming results from long-term pollution emissions by developed countries, while developed countries demand that developing countries should make adequate efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Both developed and developing countries generally agree that stricter emission limits will strain their economies due to the associated extra abatement costs. Using a two-country model with wealth preferences, we find that the impacts of a country's emission limit on real consumption and pollution emissions in both countries vary depending on the combination of their business situations. If both countries achieve full employment, one country's stricter emission limit decreases real consumption in both, as expected. However, if one country faces aggregate demand stagnation while the other achieves full employment, a stricter emission limit imposed by the stagnant country increases real consumption in both countries.

Undervisningsutveckling genom analyser av elevers lärande av handlingskompetens gällande antibiotikaresistens

The aim of this study is to investigate how teaching about antibiotic resistance and action competence can be designed and modelled based on analyses of student learning. Analyses are made of students’ privileging when asked to discuss complex tasks related to antibiotic resistance where knowledge from multiple disciplines and perspectives is relevant to use and where different courses of action are possible. Teaching were performed in two cycles with a didactic analysis and remodeling of teaching in between. The results make visible how teaching can be modelled by making space for subject knowledge as well as values and priorities. With a sharper focus in the modified teaching, students could debate the content that the teaching was aimed at. We discuss the challenges of finding content that is relevant and engaging for students and that also draws attention to multiple perspectives and potential conflicts of interest on the issue.