bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrostatically-Assisted Removal of Charged Bumpy and Rough Particles in Turbulent Airflows
Authors: Khanmohammadi Abbas , Ahmadi Goodarz
Published: February 2025

The detachment of charged, bumpy, and rough particles from rough surfaces in turbulent airflow in an electric field was studied. Electrostatic forces between the charged particles and the conductive surface were evaluated for various electric fields. Particles with corona ion charges, Boltzmann charge distribution, and saturation charges were considered. The enhanced JKR model was used to determine the adhesion force between micro-particle bumps and surfaces with fine roughness. Attention was given to particle rolling detachment in turbulent airflows when electrostatic forces contribute to the removal process. That is, the electrostatic Coulomb+ force points away from the surface, and hydrodynamic drag force and moment led to the rolling detachment of particles from the surface. The corresponding critical shear velocities for particle resuspension from a substrate were evaluated and compared against the experimental data. The effects of particle size, irregularity, and surface roughness for particle removal were studied. It was shown that appropriate electric fields could significantly reduce the shear velocity needed for particle removal. In fact, a sufficiently high electric field intensity could electrostatically remove the particle in the absence of airflow. Finally, the theoretical findings showed that the electrostatic effects could significantly improve the particle removal and surface cleaning processes.
Phase II trial of atezolizumab and bevacizumab for treatment of HPV-positive unresectable or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal
Authors: Morris Van K. , Liu Suyu , Lin Kangyu , Zhu Haifeng , Prasad Seema , Mahvash Armeen , Bhosale Priya , Sun Baohua , Parra Edwin R. , Wistuba Ignacio , Peddireddy Arjun , Yao James , Mendoza-Perez Julia , Knafl Mark , Woodman Scott E. , Eng Cathy , Halperin Daniel
Published: February 2025

Background: Anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies are associated with responses in <25% of patients with metastatic human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated malignancies. VEGF signaling causes intratumoral immune evasion and immune suppression. We evaluated the anti-PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab and anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab for patients with unresectable, advanced anal cancer. Patients and methods: For this phase II study, participants with previously treated, immunotherapy-naïve anal cancer received atezolizumab (1200 mg) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) intravenously every 21 days. Responses were evaluated every 9 weeks (RECIST v1.1). The primary endpoint was best radiographic response. Median survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier and compared for selected biomarkers (including paired pretreatment/on-treatment biopsies) using a log-rank test. Results: Among 20 participants, the overall response rate was 11% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-32). Median PFS and OS were 4.1 months (95% CI: 2.6-not assessable) and 11.6 months (95% CI, 9.5-20), respectively. One grade 5 bevacizumab-related bowel perforation occurred. Analyses of 16 paired biopsies linked increases in interferon gamma (P=.03) and inflammatory response (P =.02) gene expression signatures with prolonged PFS, as did rises in CD3+CD8+PD1+ (P=.02) cells and decreases in CD3+FoxP3+ cells (P=.04) from 10 paired biopsies with multiplex immunoflorescence. A subgroup of anal cancers characterized by the SBS31 “prior-platinum” signature demonstrated shorter OS (HR 6.3, 95% CI 1.2-32; P=.01). Conclusions: Atezolizumab and bevacizumab demonstrate activity similar to anti-PD-1 monotherapy for unresectable anal cancer. Our translational data identify undescribed chromosomal and transcriptomic biomarkers associated with survival. These correlative findings warrant confirmation and further validation in larger, prospective immunotherapy trials for advanced anal cancer.
Implementing a Tribally-Engaged Lung Cancer Screening Pilot Program in Rural Oklahoma
Authors: Nagykaldi Zsolt , Doescher Mark , Rhoades Dorothy A. , Dwyer Kathleen , Chou Ann , Gibson Michele
Published: February 2025

The Tribally-Engaged Approaches to Lung Cancer Screening (TEALS) study aimed to co-design and test a community-based lung cancer screening (LCS) program within a large, tribally operated health system. In 2020-2021, we conducted a pre-post quasi-experimental pilot implementation study of a tailored and comprehensive LCS program in two Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) primary care clinics in rural Oklahoma. The program included screening quality assessment, academic detailing, practice facilitation, health system enhancements, technology support, centralized LCS coordination, and community outreach. Eligibility for LCS was based on the 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys on their knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding LCS. All participant charts were extracted to determine LCS completion. Post-implementation semi-structured interviews of patients and clinicians were conducted and practice facilitator notes were analyzed. Participants (N=57) averaged 67 years, and 66% were current smokers. The proportion of participants who were up to date with LCS increased from 39% to 58% (p<0.01). About 18% of patients reported improvement in general care choice and treatment discussions with their doctor and about 40% reported an improvement in their awareness or understanding of lung cancer and receipt of LCS. We also identified several key facilitators and barriers to LCS implementation at the practice and health system levels. LCS acceptance and uptake improved significantly in this community-engaged pilot intervention which informed a subsequent cluster-randomized trial. Comprehensive and community-engaged LCS programs may have the potential to improve the delivery of LCS in underserved community settings.
Supplementary Figure 2 from Acetalax and Bisacodyl for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Combined Molecular and Preclinical Study
Authors: Reinhold William C. , Marangoni Elisabetta , Elloumi Fathi , Montagne Remi , Varma Sudhir , Wang Yanghsin , Rezai Keyvan , Morriset Ludivine , Dahmani Ahmed , El Botty Rania , Huguet Léa , Mizunuma Makito , Takebe Naoko , Huguet Samuel , Luna Augustin , Pommier Yves
Published: February 2025

Comparisons of acetalax activity to transcript level and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) score.
Figure 7 from Acetalax and Bisacodyl for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Combined Molecular and Preclinical Study
Authors: Reinhold William C. , Marangoni Elisabetta , Elloumi Fathi , Montagne Remi , Varma Sudhir , Wang Yanghsin , Rezai Keyvan , Morriset Ludivine , Dahmani Ahmed , El Botty Rania , Huguet Léa , Mizunuma Makito , Takebe Naoko , Huguet Samuel , Luna Augustin , Pommier Yves
Published: February 2025

Pharmacokinetics of Acetalax in plasma, tumor and several organs from PDX HBCx-158. A, Plasma concentrations of oxyphenisatin vs. time curve. B, Concentrations of oxyphenisatin in tumor vs. time. C, Concentrations of oxyphenisatin in brain vs. time. The squares depict one standard deviation for the results and the line the mean.
Improving Accuracy and Source Transparency in Responses to Soft Tissue Sarcoma Queries using GPT-4o Enhanced with German Evidence-Based Guidelines
Authors: Li Cheng-Peng , Jia Wei-Wei , Chu Yuan , Menge Franka , Speer Tobias , Reißfelder Christoph , Hohenberger Peter , Jakob Jens , Yang Cui
Published: February 2025

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of GPT-4o, with and without Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), in responding to soft tissue sarcoma (STS)-related queries.
Methods: The study used a 20-question dataset derived from clinical scenarios related to adult STS. The responses were generated by GPT-4o with and without the RAG approach. The RAG system incorporated the English version of German evidence-based S3 guidelines through an embedding-based retrieval system. Two sarcoma experts evaluated the responses for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and safety using a Likert scale. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the performances.
Results: GPT-4o with RAG outperformed the model without RAG across all evaluated areas (p<0.05). GPT-4o without RAG had a 40% error rate, which was reduced to 10% by the RAG approach. In 90% of the questions, the pages with the relevant information that addressed the questions were correctly cited using the retrieval system.
Conclusion: The RAG approach significantly enhanced the performance of GPT-4o in answering STS-related questions. However, the model still produced incorrect responses in certain complex scenarios. GPT-4o, even with RAG, should be used cautiously in clinical settings, particularly for rare diseases like sarcoma. Human expertise remains irreplaceable in medical decision-making.
The Efficacy of Induction Treatment with a Cyclophosphamide- or Mycophenolate Mofetil-based Regimen for Active Lupus Nephritis in Thailand: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Poungsuwan Panuvich , Supasyndh Ouppatham , Satirapoj Bancha
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Treating lupus nephritis is vital to reducing morbidity and mortality. In Thailand, comparative data on intravenous cyclophosphamide- and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)-based induction therapies is limited. This study assessed renal remission outcomes for these regimens.
Methods: We analyzed renal and patient outcomes in 89 individuals with biopsy-proven active lupus nephritis treated at Phramongkutklao Hospital between 2020 and 2023. Among the cohort, 55 patients received a cyclophosphamide regimen, and 34 were treated with an MMF regimen.
Results: Baseline clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups, except for higher hematuria and renal activity index, as well as lower C3 complement levels and renal chronicity in the cyclophosphamide group. The average doses administered were 0.55 ± 0.12 g/m² per dose for intravenous cyclophosphamide and 2.15 ± 0.31 g/day for MMF. By the 24th week, the overall remission rate (complete and partial remission) was 81.8% (45 patients) in the cyclophosphamide group and 85.3% (29 patients) in the MMF group (relative risk 1.01, 95% CI 0.82–1.23, P = 0.949). Proteinuria reduction from baseline at the 24th week was -54.1 ± 93.3% in the cyclophosphamide group and -69.4 ± 22.2% in the MMF group (relative risk 1.01, 95% CI 0.99–1.01, P = 0.465). Adverse events were similar across the two regimens. However, one patient in the cyclophosphamide group died, and three required dialysis.
Conclusion: Induction therapy with cyclophosphamide- and MMF-based regimens demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety in achieving renal remission in patients with active lupus nephritis.
Coronary Heart Disease in Patients With Low LDL-Cholesterol
Authors: Sacks Frank M. , Tonkin Andrew M. , Craven Timothy , Pfeffer Marc A. , Shepherd James , Keech Anthony , Furberg Curt D. , Braunwald Eugene
Published: July 2002

Background

—

In two large secondary prevention trials of pravastatin, risk reduction was not significant in participants who had low baseline LDL-C concentrations (that is, <125 mg/dL). We conducted exploratory analyses of participant characteristics, lipid risk factors, and risk reduction in this group.

Methods and Results

—

Among 13 173 participants with coronary heart disease (CHD), 2607 had baseline LDL-C <125 mg/dL. Those with LDL-C <125 compared with ≥125 mg/dL were more likely to be diabetic (15% versus 9%), hypertensive (46 versus 41%), and male (89% versus 83%); they had higher triglycerides (169 versus 154 mg/dL), lower HDL-C (36.5 versus 38 mg/dL), and similar body mass index (27 kg/m
2
); and pravastatin lowered their LDL-C by 36 mg/dL (32%) versus 45 mg/dL (29%). During 5.8-year (mean) follow-up, HDL-C and triglycerides were both significantly stronger predictors of recurrent CHD events in participants with LDL-C <125 than ≥125 mg/dL. In diabetic participants with low LDL-C, pravastatin decreased CHD events from 34% to 22% (relative risk, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.83;
P
=0.004), significantly different from the effect in nondiabetic participants with low LDL-C (
P
interaction, 0.005) (event rate, 21%; relative risk, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.89 to 1.27]). There were trends toward risk reduction in smokers and in those with low HDL-C, <40 mg/dL.

Conclusions

—

Among patients with CHD who have low LDL-C, diabetics have much higher subsequent CHD event rates than do nondiabetics. Pravastatin reduced the event rate in diabetics to that of nondiabetic participants. The results also suggest enhanced therapeutic potential for improving HDL-C and triglycerides in patients with CHD who have low LDL-C concentrations.
Polymorphism in the 5′-Flanking Region of Human Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase Modifier Subunit Gene Is Associated With Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Nakamura Shin-ichi , Kugiyama Kiyotaka , Sugiyama Seigo , Miyamoto Shinji , Koide Shun-ichi , Fukushima Hironobu , Honda Osamu , Yoshimura Michihiro , Ogawa Hisao
Published: July 2002

Background

—

Human glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) is a rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of glutathione that plays a crucial role in antioxidant defense mechanisms in most mammalian cells, including vascular cells. Oxidants transcriptionally upregulate GCL genes for glutathione synthesis, providing a protective mechanism against oxidative stress-induced cellular dysfunction. This study examined the hypothesis that variation in the GCL genes may be associated with coronary artery disease in which oxidative stress plays a pathogenetic role.

Methods and Results

—

We searched for the common variants in the 5′-flanking region of the GCL modifier subunit (GCLM) gene in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). We found a polymorphism (−588C/T) in which the T allele showed lower promoter activity (40% to 50% of C allele) in response to oxidants in the luciferase reporter gene assay. Allele frequencies were determined by polymerase chain reaction-based analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism in 429 patients with MI and 428 control subjects (as defined by angiography) in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The frequency of the T polymorphism was significantly higher in the MI group than in the control group (CT and TT genotypes: 31.5% in MI group versus 19.2% in control group;
P
<0.001). In multiple logistic regression analysis, the T polymorphism was a risk factor for MI independent of traditional coronary artery disease risk factors (odds ratio, 1.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 2.83;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

—

These findings suggest that the −588T polymorphism of the GCLM gene may suppress GCLM gene induction in response to oxidants and that it is a genetic risk factor for MI.
Effects of Hematocrit Changes on Flow-Mediated and Metabolic Vasodilation in Humans
Authors: Giannattasio Cristina , Piperno Alberto , Failla Monica , Vergani Anna , Mancia Giuseppe
Published: July 2002

Endothelial function is noninvasively assessed by measuring nitric oxide–dependent increase in radial artery diameter accompanying the elevation in shear stress induced by increasing blood flow through a short-lasting ischemia of the hand. However, shear stress also depends on blood viscosity, whose changes might thus affect nitric oxide increase in a manner that is not properly reflected by blood flow changes. In 12 subjects with hemochromatosis, we measured ultrasonographically radial artery diameter and blood flow responses to a 4-minute ischemia of the hand. This was done also after removing 500 mL of blood (and concomitantly infusing 500 mL of saline), which significantly (
P
<0.01) reduced hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit. The increase in blood flow induced by the 4-minute ischemia was similar before and after blood removal (+76% and +80%), which, in contrast, markedly attenuated the accompanying increase in radial artery diameter (+25% versus +13%,
P
<0.01). Thus, in humans, blood viscosity is involved in the endothelial response to an increase in shear stress. This implies that this response may not be accurately assessed and compared by quantifying the stimulus only through an increase in blood flow.
Electrical Remodeling of the Atrium in an Anatomic Model of Atrial Flutter
Authors: Morton Joseph B. , Byrne Melissa J. , Power John M. , Raman Jai , Kalman Jonathan M.
Published: July 2002

Background
—

Atrial flutter (AFL) and atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexist, yet the specific relationship between these arrhythmias, and particularly whether sustained AFL leads to AF, is unknown.

Methods and Results
—

We investigated the electrophysiological consequences of chronic AFL using an ovine anatomic right atrial Y-lesion model. AFL was induced in 7 animals, and 4 remained in sinus rhythm (controls). Sheep were monitored for spontaneous conversion of AFL to AF. Six of 7 sheep sustained AFL for 28 days. In 1 of 7 sheep, spontaneous conversion of AFL to AF occurred on day 5. AFL produced a highly significant fall in right and left atrial refractoriness (AERP,
P
<0.001), with 74±10% of the reduction occurring by day 3. Right atrial conduction velocity also fell significantly (baseline 89±9 cm/s versus day 28 64±14 cm/s,
P
<0.001) but over a slower time course. AERP and conduction velocity changes coincided with a characteristic biphasic decrease and increase in the AFL cycle length. The excitable gap (percent of AFL cycle length) increased from 13±3% at baseline to 46±8% by day 28 (
P
<0.001). Sustained AF (>30 seconds) was not inducible at baseline but after 28 days of AFL could be induced in 6 of 6 sheep by critically timed single or multiple extrastimuli delivered either in sinus rhythm or AFL. There was no significant change in any parameter in control sheep.

Conclusions
—

In this model, AFL produced electrical remodeling and the substrate for sustained AF. However, spontaneous conversion to AF was uncommon, and the development of AF was dependent on specific triggers.
Restoration of Deficient Membrane Proteins in the Cardiomyopathic Hamster by In Vivo Cardiac Gene Transfer
Authors: Ikeda Yasuhiro , Gu Yusu , Iwanaga Yoshitaka , Hoshijima Masahiko , Oh Sam S. , Giordano Frank J. , Chen Ju , Nigro Vincenzo , Peterson Kirk L. , Chien Kenneth R. , Ross John
Published: July 2002

Background
—

One of the most important problems in developing in vivo cardiac gene transfer has been low transfection efficiency. A novel in vivo technique was developed, tested in normal hamsters, and the feasibility of restoring a deficient structural protein (δ-sarcoglycan) in the cardiomyopathic (CM) hamster evaluated.

Methods and Results
—

Adenoviral (AdV) vectors encoding either the lacZ gene or δ-sarcoglycan gene were constructed. Hypothermia was achieved in hamsters by external body cooling to a rectal temperature of 18 to 25°C. Through a small thoracotomy, the ascending aorta and the main pulmonary artery were occluded with snares, and cardioplegic solution containing histamine was injected into the aortic root; viral constructs were delivered 3 to 5 minutes later followed by release of the occluders and rewarming. Four days later, homogeneous β-galactosidase expression was detected throughout the ventricles of the normal hearts (average 77.3±9.0% [SEM] of left ventriclar myocytes). At 1 and 3 weeks after transfection, immunostaining showed extensive restoration of δ-sarcoglycan as well as α- and β-sarcoglycan proteins to the myocyte membranes, despite loss of β-galactosidase expression at 3 weeks. Also, at 3 weeks after gene transfer, there was significantly less progression of left ventricular dysfunction assessed as percent change in fractional shortening compared with controls.

Conclusions
—

This study demonstrates the feasibility of high efficiency in vivo myocardial gene transfer and shows application in improving the level of a deficient cardiac structural protein and cardiac function in CM hamsters. The approach should be useful for assessing effects of expressing other genes that influence the structure or function of the normal and failing heart.
Stromal Cells Are the Main Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1-Producing Cells in Human Fat
Authors: Bastelica Delphine , Morange Pierre , Berthet Bruno , Borghi Hélène , Lacroix Odile , Grino Michel , Juhan-Vague Irène , Alessi Marie-Christine
Published: July 2002

Elevated plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 observed during insulin resistance has been connected with an excessive PAI-1 adipose tissue secretion mainly by visceral fat. Our aim was to compare the localization of PAI-1 in human visceral and subcutaneous fats. PAI-1 secretion was also investigated in vitro during human adipocyte differentiation. PAI-1 antigen and mRNA were localized in the stromal area of the tissue and were also present in a few CD14-positive monocytes, in direct contact with adipocytes. In addition, in subcutaneous tissue, PAI-1 mRNA contents, determined by using real-time polymerase chain reaction, were higher in the stromal fraction than in the adipocyte fraction. PAI-1 mRNA-positive cells were 5-fold more frequent in the visceral area than in the subcutaneous stromal area (
P
=0.004). Such a difference was also observed for PAI-1 mRNA content between both whole adipose tissues. In contrast to leptin, during adipocyte differentiation, PAI-1 secretion did not follow adipocyte maturation. In situ hybridization in culture did not reveal PAI-1 mRNA in lipid-filled cells. Our results demonstrate that PAI-1 production is mainly due to stromal cells, which were more numerous in the visceral than in the subcutaneous depot. These results could explain the strong relationship observed between circulating PAI-1 levels and the accumulation of visceral fat.
Prostacyclin Synthase Gene Transfer Modulates Cyclooxygenase-2–Derived Prostanoid Synthesis and Inhibits Neointimal Formation in Rat Balloon-Injured Arteries
Authors: Yamada Michiharu , Numaguchi Yasushi , Okumura Kenji , Harada Mitsunori , Naruse Keiji , Matsui Hideo , Ito Takayuki , Hayakawa Tetsuo
Published: July 2002

Previous studies have shown that prostacyclin (PGI
2
) synthase (PCS) gene transfer inhibits neointimal formation in balloon-injured arteries. However, the role of each cyclooxygenase (COX) isoform in this healing mechanism remains unknown. We hypothesized that overexpression of PCS may modulate COX-2–mediated prostaglandin (PG) metabolism. That is to say, excessive PGH
2
derived from COX-2 after balloon injury may be converted into PGI
2
rather than PGE
2
or thromboxane (TX) A
2
by overexpressed PCS. We examined the expression of COX isoforms and evaluated the role of COX-2 with regard to the effects of PCS gene transfer by using 4-(4-cyclohexyl-2-methyloxazol-5-yl)-2-fluorobenzenesulfonamide (JTE-522), a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Rats were divided into 4 groups in conjunction with PCS gene transfer and JTE-522 treatment. The PCS gene (30 μg) was transfected into rat balloon-injured arteries by a lipotransfection method. JTE-522 (30 mg/kg per day) was administered for 14 days after balloon injury. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated marked COX-2 expression on the neointima. PCS gene transfer markedly inhibited neointimal formation, but JTE-522 reversed this beneficial effect. PCS gene transfer augmented PGI
2
production and decreased PGE
2
production without affecting TXA
2
production, but JTE-522 inhibited this increase in PGI
2
production. In conclusion, PCS gene transfer modulated COX-2–mediated prostanoid synthesis and inhibited neointimal formation after balloon injury.
“What God Has Joined Together, Let No Man Pull Asunder”?
Authors: Forderer Tanja
Published: February 2025

In Mark 10:1–12, Jesus and the Pharisees discuss whether divorce is permissible. The Pharisees’ question and Jesus’s answer seem artificial against the background of ancient discourses on divorce. Particularly Jesus’s answer in Mark 10:9, which forbids divorce without exception, still gives rise to discussion today. It appears uncompromising and unyielding compared to other NT texts dealing with divorce (Matt 19:1–12; 1 Cor 7:10–16). I show that the prohibition of divorce in Mark 10:9 is the result of a conflict of authority between Jesus and the Pharisees that develops in the Streitgespräche in Mark’s Gospel up to Mark 10:1–12.
Ukraine’s Law on National Minorities and ‘Effective’ Participation: Expanding or Diluting Standards?
Authors: Prina Federica , Pentassuglia Gaetano
Published: February 2025

This article provides a critique of Law No. 2827-ix ‘On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine’, adopted in December 2022, with a focus on minority participation. Following an overview of Ukraine’s international commitments and domestic legislation on minority protection, we consider some of the complexities of Ukraine’s minority rights regime, particularly those linked to the enduring challenge in striking a balance between the promotion of Ukrainian as the sole state language and the use of Russian and other languages. These dynamics have frequently resulted in the politicisation of language issues, with polarising effects. Meanwhile, participation of national minorities in these debates – and more generally in devising law and policy on matters affecting them – has been limited. The Law on National Minorities represents a welcome attempt to bring about inclusive decision-making, and for the Ukrainian state to meet the requirement of guaranteeing opportunities for effective minority participation. However, the Law’s provisions also reveal a clear preoccupation with national unity at a time of acute crisis, and over the instrumentalisation of national minorities by kin states for political ends. Hence the need for balancing out two equally legitimate concerns. Placing the Law on National Minorities in the context of international standards on minority rights, the article points to an increasing emphasis, at the international level, on the substantive – rather than procedural – aspect of minority participation, through a new focus on outcomes and joint ownership of decisions. In this sense, the Law on National Minorities, and subsequent legal reform, can lay the foundations for a system that devises, implements, and evaluates concrete measures for effective participation. The article concludes that inclusive debates, and igo s’ role in facilitating them, are more critical than ever in light of the severity of ongoing challenges.
Houses as Churches: Digital Worship among Orthodox in Lebanon
Authors: Arăș Roxana Maria
Published: February 2025

Amid the shifting landscape of COVID-19 restrictions and safety protocols, digital worship came to test Eastern Orthodox liturgical practices and embodied experiences of sensory-rich religious spaces. The rise of online infrastructures as alternatives to in-person devotion triggered a series of negotiations on “right” religious practice, interspersed with the uncertainties of precarious living. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted between 2019 and 2022 with Rum Orthodox practitioners in Beirut, this article looks at online worship to examine how Orthodox practices were reimagined outside churches as public spaces, yet in line with an aspirational coherent tradition. It argues that the spatial and sensory dimensions of online devotion were closely linked to the physicality of domestic environments and to normative understandings of liturgical worship. As Rum practitioners sensed and made sense of digitally-mediated liturgies, the formation of digital religious publics intersected with broader Orthodox modes of relationality and ecclesial authority.
What Does Empathy and Understanding Look Like Across Communication Divides?
Authors: Cundill Helena , van Ommen Leon
Published: February 2025

In qualitative research, researchers and participants must understand each other. In hermeneutics, empathy is typically presented as the road to that understanding. In this article, we ask what empathy is and how empathy can contribute to the knowledge needed for practical theology. We also consider empathy between people who communicate in very different ways, such as when a non-speaking autistic person communicates with a speaking non-autistic person. By drawing on insights from philosophy, counseling, and social sciences and by discussing markers of linguistic and non-linguistic empathy, we work towards a theological account of empathy that is practically relevant in research and other situations.
Early response of phloem in naturally regenerated Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) after complete overstorey removal
Authors: Serkova Aleksandra A. , Tarelkina Tatiana V. , Ivanova Diana S. , Kachanova Elena V. , Semenova Ludmila I. , Klimova Anna V.
Published: February 2025

Removal of canopy over natural regeneration of Norway spruce is a common silvicultural practice. In response to release, several adjustments in the structure and function of above- and below-ground organs have been described in young spruce trees. However, changes in the anatomy of the conducting phloem have not been previously investigated. We conducted a study at two forest management sites in the boreal zone, comparing phloem traits in released and control (shaded) trees during the first two years after canopy removal. The trees ranged in age from 10 to 22 years old. Immediately after release, small phloem cells formed in treated trees, but phloem increments did not change, indicating a moderate level of water stress. In the second growing season after canopy removal, released trees formed larger phloem increments due to increased cell number and size compared to control trees. The above changes in phloem anatomy had a positive effect on the calculated values of phloem-specific conductivity, which may be related to the more active transport of photosynthates into the root systems of released trees. The effect was more pronounced in the variant with removal of the canopy of adult coniferous trees, compared to the variant of release from the canopy of young deciduous trees. The results are important for understanding tree responses to changing environmental conditions and for selecting the best silvicultural practices to promote the natural regeneration of Norway spruce.
Improved JRA-3Q Soil Temperature in Permafrost Regions
Authors: Lan Shengtao , Cao Bin , Li Xin , Sun Wen , Wang Shengdi , Ma Rui , Sun Ziyong , Guo Xuejun
Published: February 2025

Reanalysis is a valuable potential data source for permafrost studies. The latest generation reanalysis JRA-3Q benefits from improved snow and soil schemes and demonstrates encouraging performance for soil temperature in permafrost regions compared to its predecessor, JRA-55, and other state-of-the-art reanalyses. We find JRA-3Q to have an overall mean annual air temperature bias of −0.17 °C, with −0.55 °C in permafrost regions. The snow depth was underestimated by −5.5 cm. In permafrost regions, the mean annual ground temperature bias was about −0.09 °C. The estimated permafrost area from JRA-3Q is between 10.8–15.8 × 106 km2. The active layer thickness is substantial overestimated by about 0.65 m. The JRA-3Q soil temperature exhibits a pronounced warm bias in Alaska, which is very likely due to the overestimated snow insulation and simplified soil organic content. The Decoupled Energy Conservation Parametrization (DECP) method employed in the JRA-3Q soil scheme restricts its suitability for the interpretation of detailed permafrost phenomena, such as zero-curtain effects. This DECP method is used in many state-of-the-art land surface models; our results demonstrate the need for additional contributions to improve the representation of permafrost-specific processes.
Thermohaline interleaving in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Authors: Jakes Maya I. , Phillips Helen E. , Cyriac Ajitha , Foppert Annie , Bindoff Nathaniel L. , Rintoul Stephen R. , Polzin Kurt L.
Published: February 2025

Interleaving layers are commonly observed in the subsurface ocean near thermohaline fronts. They imply a lateral exchange of water mass properties and have been shown to influence both lateral and vertical mixing rates. We examine a set of in-situ observations, from EMAPEX floats and Triaxus transects, in an energetic meandering region of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The observations reveal strong interleaving features that are ubiquitous on the northern side of the Polar Front. Interleaving layers are of O(10 m) thick and persist for up to 100 km downstream, over timescales of <1-6 days. The features have cross-stream slopes that are much shallower than expected from mesoscale stirring. The strength of the interleaving layers is partly governed by internal wave-driven diapycnal mixing rates that vary spatially and temporally. Generation of the interleaving layers is complex and could be impacted by several processes, including eddy stirring, shear, ageostrophic dynamics and double-diffusion. The ubiquitous nature and magnitude of these features on the warm side of the front attests to their likely role in cross-frontal exchange, mixing and water mass transformation. Depth-averaged lateral heat flux estimates associated with the intrusions are of O(1 kW m−2), while individual values reach O(1 kW m−2), comparable to eddy heat flux estimates from previous studies. A circumpolar observational dataset reveals hotspots of thermohaline interleaving in the Southern Ocean, associated with major topographic features, confluence regions, and areas of elevated eddy activity. Understanding the processes that generate thermohaline variability, influence mixing rates, and drive cross-frontal exchange are key to understanding how the Southern Ocean regulates the global climate.
Yanai waves in the deep East Indian Ocean observed with seismic ocean tomography
Authors: Peng Shirui , Callies Jörn , Nagura Motoki , Mcphaden Michael J.
Published: February 2025

Near-surface measurements of meridional velocity suggest that wind forcing excites equatorial waves in the biweekly band in the Indian Ocean. The characteristics of these waves in the deep ocean are poorly constrained, and it is unclear how well models capture the deep variability. In this work, biweekly temperature variations in a few low vertical modes in the deep East Indian Ocean are observed using seismically generated sound waves. These so-called T waves are generated by earthquakes off Sumatra and received by a hydrophone station off Diego Garcia. Changes in their travel time reflect temperature-induced sound speed variations in the intervening ocean. Regression analysis indicates that these variations are caused by westward-propagating Yanai waves. The comparison between T wave data and model output shows generally good consistency in biweekly variations dominated by the first three vertical modes, although the biweekly variance differs by up to a factor of two between the data and the models. A similar degree of discrepancy appears in the comparison between the models and deep-mooring measurements. These results highlight the potential of using T wave data to study biweekly Yanai waves in the deep equatorial ocean and to calibrate numerical simulations of the variability they cause.
Anatomy of a Border: Contradictory Discourses on Othering and Mobilities on the Ghana–Togo Border?
Authors: Adotey Edem
Published: February 2025

Two “contradictory” perspectives of the borderlands exist: one is that the creation of arbitrary borders and different nationalities imposed on single communities and families not only others them and casts them as aliens in their traditional homelands but also restricts their mobilities and access to resources. The second perspective is that borderlanders do not recognise these borders and continue their activities as if the borders do not exist. This paper disentangles this contradiction by exploring how borders impact othering and mobility on the borderlands. Through historicising bordering practices based on people's lived experiences on the Ghana–Togo border, this paper argues these perspectives are complementary rather than contradictory. It shows how people's experiences of the border are shaped by bordering practices that are neither homogenous nor static. This paper highlights the complex relationships that point to a more nuanced understanding than this dichotomy.
Hs-CRP/ALB Levels Are Associated With Poor Long-term Prognosis in Patients With STEMI Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Li Mingyang , Zhang Yan , Cui Xiaodong , Lang Jiachun , Hu Yuecheng
Published: February 2025

Research has explored the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and cardiovascular diseases, highlighting the potential prognostic significance of the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)/albumin (ALB) ratio. However, it remains unclear whether this ratio is associated with adverse prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This retrospective cohort study included 752 STEMI patients undergoing PCI at Tianjin Chest Hospital between January 2017 and December 2018. During a median follow-up of 52 months, 183 cases (24.0%) experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) events and 75 cases (10.0%) died. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that hs-CRP/ALB was independently associated with MACE as both a continuous (hazard ratio [HR] 1.152, 95% CI 1.097–1.210, P < .001) and categorical variable (HR 1.257, 95% CI 1.084–1.458, P = .027). Similar findings were observed for all-cause mortality (HR 1.119, 95% CI 1.058–1.183, P < .001; HR 2.228, 95% CI 1.009–4.920, P = .032). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that hs-CRP/ALB levels have predictive capability for overall mortality in patients (the area under the curve [AUC] = 0.68). hs-CRP/ALB levels independently correlate with poor long-term prognosis in STEMI patients with prior PCI.
Carte e libri di Carlo Levi a Roma
Authors: Cardinale Eleonora
Published: February 2025

Beginning with the Carlo Levi Archive housed at the Central State Archive, this contribution introduces, for the first time, the Carlo Levi Fund of the National Central Library of Rome, providing a detailed analysis of the preserved documents as well as the rediscovered books from the author's personal library.
Trickling out effects of abusive supervision: A social information processing perspective
Authors: Tariq Hussain , Khan Abdul Karim , Hochwarter Wayne A , Muchiri Michael , Babalola Mayowa T
Published: February 2025

Can an employee rationalize their supervisory abuse to the point where sabotaging customers seems justified? Drawing from the social information processing theory perspective, we introduce three distinct types of supervisor–supervisee dyadic cognitive influences (i.e. attention-shifting, role-sending, and role-modeling mechanisms) to explain the trickle-out effects of abusive supervision on customers. We hypothesized that an abused employee’s perception of acceptability of norm violations, role ambiguity, and role-modeling influence mediates the effects of abusive supervision on customer-directed sabotage. Furthermore, we developed a process-moderated mediation model to explain how different levels of psychological and physical proximity shape these effects. Across two studies in distinct face-to-face service contexts, we found that the perceived acceptability of norm violations (Study 2), role ambiguity (Study 1 and Study 2), and role-modeling influence (Study 1 and Study 2) trickle out the effects of abusive supervision on customers. Interestingly, these trickle-out effects via role ambiguity and role-modeling influence are intensified when employees are psychologically close to their supervisor but physically distant from customers, but under these moderation mediation conditions, the trickle-out effect via perceived acceptability of norm violations has been weakened. Our findings offer new insights into how abusive behaviors ripple through service organizations, affecting not just internal dynamics but external customer relations as well.
Essentialist Beliefs About Status-Related Social Categories in China
Authors: Zhu Tonghui , Chang Xinyi , Zhao Xin , Scott Rose M.
Published: February 2025

China’s economic landscape has changed considerably in recent years, raising questions of how Chinese individuals reason about economic categories. The present study examined whether Chinese individuals hold essentialist beliefs about socioeconomic status (SES) and residency, a salient category in China that is usually passed from parent to child and determines access to public services. We also examined whether Chinese adults’ essentialist beliefs varied with their perception of their social status, as shown in other cultures. To address these questions, 356 Chinese students in Shanghai with or without Shanghai residency completed a battery of measures assessing essentialist beliefs about SES and residency. Results showed that participants essentialized both categories along some dimensions: they treated them as causally informative natural categories but did not believe they were biologically based. Participants with higher subjective SES were more likely to essentialize both SES and residency, while participants who identified with a more prestigious residency were more likely to essentialize residency. This study provides the first evidence that Chinese individuals essentialize residency. Our findings also suggest that the positive association between social status and essentialist beliefs extends to the Chinese cultural context and holds across different types of social standing, such as SES and residency.
Physical Work Environments: An Integrative Review and Agenda for Future Research
Authors: Oyedeji Bukky Akinsanmi , Ko Yea Hee , Lee Sunkee
Published: February 2025

This review examines the effect of physical work environments—the dedicated, tangible spaces where employees carry out their professional tasks—on organizational processes and outcomes. We synthesize decades of research across various disciplines using a conceptual framework that defines physical work environments along three key dimensions: ambience, spatial configuration, and aesthetics. These dimensions are analyzed for their effects on both internal stakeholders, such as employees, and external stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, and investors. Our analysis reveals two major themes in prior research: (1) task accomplishment, which focuses on how physical work environments influence physical and mental health, motivation and attitudes, as well as work processes; and (2) resource position, which explores how these environments impact a firm’s tangible resource position, its ability to attract and retain human resources, as well as shape intangible assets such as organizational culture and reputation. The study also highlights contradictory findings and methodological limitations in existing research and proposes future research agendas. By providing theoretical insights and practical guidelines, this work seeks to guide both scholars and managers in understanding how physical workspaces can be designed to improve organizational outcomes, particularly as firms adapt to evolving work arrangements following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agnes Smedley and the Friends for the Freedom of India: A Transnational History of Anticolonialism
Authors: Louro Michele L.
Published: February 2025

The newly renamed Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (PMML), formerly known as the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), in New Delhi, has been the primary repository for the archival record of India’s anticolonial movement and home to the institutional papers of the All-India Congress Committee and All-India Trade Union Congress, among others. Buried within this substantial cache of archival documents is a small collection of papers from an American woman named Agnes Smedley, dating back to 1919. Smedley was a writer, journalist and activist who collaborated with South Asians such as Lajpat Rai, M. N. Roy, Tarak Nath Das and Virendranath Chattopadhyay for the cause of India’s freedom from British colonial rule. Her small collection of papers in Delhi includes correspondence with Indian revolutionaries and her work in establishing the Friends for the Freedom of India (FFI), a transnational organization linking India’s freedom struggle with sympathetic activists based in the USA. This article examines the significance of Smedley’s FFI as a conduit between India’s freedom struggle and global anticolonialism, underscoring an important and oft-neglected transnational dimension of anticolonial histories of South Asia.
British Intelligence and Transnational Anti-colonialists: Subhas Chandra Bose and Sir Roger Casement Compared
Authors: O’Halpin Eunan
Published: February 2025

Using the cases of two prominent anti-colonial activists, India’s Subhas Chandra Bose and Ireland’s Roger Casement, this article examines how British intelligence monitored separatist activities in the years from 1915 to 1945, particularly by intercepting and decoding the secret communications of other states. The failures of Germany, Italy and Japan to shield their wartime communications from interception and decoding placed both these patriots in mortal jeopardy. These resulted in the capture and execution of Casement, and of unequivocal orders for Bose’s assassination. The overall lesson is clear: great powers are no more competent at keeping secrets than are radical movements that look to them for assistance. The article also shows how concerned the British imperial authorities were about both of the possibility of transnational political and practical cooperation between anti-colonial movements and of the potential manipulation of such movements by their geopolitical opponents.