bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting DHX9 Triggers Tumor-Intrinsic Interferon Response and Replication Stress in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Murayama Takahiko , Nakayama Jun , Jiang Xinpei , Miyata Kenichi , Morris Alexander D. , Cai Kathy Q. , Prasad Rahul M. , Ma Xueying , Efimov Andrey , Belani Neel , Gerstein Emily R. , Tan Yinfei , Zhou Yan , Kim William , Maruyama Reo , Campbell Kerry S. , Chen Lu , Yang Yibin , Balachandran Siddharth , Cañadas Israel
Published: January 2024

Activating innate immunity in cancer cells through cytoplasmic nucleic acid sensing pathways, a phenomenon known as “viral mimicry,” has emerged as an effective strategy to convert immunologically “cold” tumors into “hot.” Through a curated CRISPR-based screen of RNA helicases, we identified DExD/H-box helicase 9 (DHX9) as a potent repressor of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in small cell lung cancers (SCLC). Depletion of DHX9 induced accumulation of cytoplasmic dsRNA and triggered tumor-intrinsic innate immunity. Intriguingly, ablating DHX9 also induced aberrant accumulation of R-loops, which resulted in an increase of DNA damage–derived cytoplasmic DNA and replication stress in SCLCs. In vivo, DHX9 deletion promoted a decrease in tumor growth while inducing a more immunogenic tumor microenvironment, invigorating responsiveness to immune-checkpoint blockade. These findings suggest that DHX9 is a crucial repressor of tumor-intrinsic innate immunity and replication stress, representing a promising target for SCLC and other “cold” tumors in which genomic instability contributes to pathology.

Significance:

One promising strategy to trigger an immune response within tumors and enhance immunotherapy efficacy is by inducing endogenous “virus-mimetic” nucleic acid accumulation. Here, we identify DHX9 as a viral-mimicry-inducing factor involved in the suppression of double-stranded RNAs and R-loops and propose DHX9 as a novel target to enhance antitumor immunity.

See related commentary by Chiappinelli, p. 389.

This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 384
Supplementary Table S5 from Pain and Its Association with Survival for Black and White Individuals with Advanced Prostate Cancer in the United States
Authors: Rencsok Emily M. , Slopen Natalie , McManus Hannah D. , Autio Karen A. , Morgans Alicia K. , McSwain Lawrence , Barata Pedro , Cheng Heather H. , Dreicer Robert , Gerke Travis , Green Rebecca , Heath Elisabeth I. , Howard Lauren E. , McKay Rana R. , Nowak Joel , Pileggi Shannon , Pomerantz Mark M. , Rathkopf Dana E. , Tagawa Scott T. , Whang Young E. , Ragin Camille , Odedina Folakemi T. , Kantoff Philip W. , Vinson Jake , Villanti Paul , Haneuse Sebastien , Mucci Lorelei A. , George Daniel J.
Published: January 2024

80th percentile survival and 95% confidence intervals for each category of pain at study enrollment
FIGURE 2 from Pain and Its Association with Survival for Black and White Individuals with Advanced Prostate Cancer in the United States
Authors: Rencsok Emily M. , Slopen Natalie , McManus Hannah D. , Autio Karen A. , Morgans Alicia K. , McSwain Lawrence , Barata Pedro , Cheng Heather H. , Dreicer Robert , Gerke Travis , Green Rebecca , Heath Elisabeth I. , Howard Lauren E. , McKay Rana R. , Nowak Joel , Pileggi Shannon , Pomerantz Mark M. , Rathkopf Dana E. , Tagawa Scott T. , Whang Young E. , Ragin Camille , Odedina Folakemi T. , Kantoff Philip W. , Vinson Jake , Villanti Paul , Haneuse Sebastien , Mucci Lorelei A. , George Daniel J.
Published: January 2024

Kaplan–Meier curves for overall survival by pain categories at study enrollment, IRONMAN Registry 2017–2023. A, Kaplan–Meier curve for the EORTC pain scale. B, Kaplan–Meier curve for the average pain scale. C, Kaplan–Meier curve for the worst pain scale. D, Kaplan–Meier curve for the bone pain scale.
Association of Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitor with Circumorificial Plasmacytosis
Authors: Tanimu Yusuf , Coombs Reilly , Tanimu Sabo , Onitilo Adedayo
Published: January 2024

Introduction: The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors is considered one of the most important advances in cancer treatment. Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor against programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptors that has demonstrated antineoplastic activity against various malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, and triple-negative breast cancer. Pembrolizumab is associated with numerous adverse reactions including mucosal and cutaneous reactions referred to as immune-related adverse events. These events can impact patient quality of life and lead to dose reduction or discontinuation of the medication. A comprehensive understanding of pembrolizumab’s toxicities is crucial for the initiation of treatment. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 27-year-old man with stage IVB thymic carcinoma with a bulky anterior mediastinal mass, bilateral jugular, bilateral peritracheal, and bilateral cardiophrenic lymphadenopathies, and a small pericardial effusion. He received pembrolizumab IV every 3 weeks for 53 cycles over 39 months. The patient developed bleeding oral lesions approximately 38 months after treatment with pembrolizumab. Conclusion: The patient’s pembrolizumab treatment was not interrupted and the perioral rash ultimately improved after treatment with steroids.
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome with Unusual Synchronous Malignancies: A Case Report
Authors: Al Mansor Essa , Adamiak Anna , Asmis Timothy
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder brought on by pathogenic mutations in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. LFS is characterized by a high lifetime risk of developing various cancers at a relatively young age. Case Presentation: We are presenting a 48-year-old male with a diagnosis of LFS that was confirmed by a genetic test triggered by the patient’s son’s diagnosis of LFS and leukemia. The patient’s main symptoms were abdominal pain and weight loss. The patient was diagnosed with two synchronous primary tumors: first, a metastatic gastric invasive adenocarcinoma that is microsatellite instability (MSI) -high; and second, a low grade (G1) (non-function) well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. These cancers are not the usual type associated with LFS. After eight cycles of chemo-immunotherapy in the form of FOLFOX-Nivolumab, our radiological assessment showed significant response in the metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and stable disease in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. The patient remains on single agent Nivolumab and has had stable disease for the last 12 months. Conclusion: Gastric cancer and neuroendocrine tumors are not usually associated with LFS. This case illustrates a rare clinical presentation of multiple malignancies in LFS patients.
Factors Predictive of Binaural Hearing Restoration by Cochlear Implant in Single-Sided Deafness
Authors: Gersdorff Guillaume , Péan Vincent , Camby Séverine , Barriat Sébastien , Lefebvre Philippe P.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Cochlear implants (CIs) can restore binaural hearing in cases of single-sided deafness (SSD). However, studies with a high level of evidence in support of this phenomenon are lacking. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of CIs using several spatialized speech-in-noise tests and to identify potential predictors of successful surgery. Methods: Ten cases underwent standard CI surgery (MEDEL-Flex24). The speech-in-noise test was used in three different spatial configurations. The noise was presented from the front (N0), toward the CI (NCI), and toward the ear (Near), while the speech was always from the front (S0). For each test, the speech-to-noise ratio at 50% intelligibility (SNR50) was evaluated. Seven different effects were assessed (summation, head shadow [HS], speech released of masking [SRM], and squelch for the CI and for the ear). Results: A significant summation effect of 1.5 dB was observed. Contralateral PTA was positively correlated with S0N0-B and S0NCI-B (CIon and unplugged ear). S0N0-B results were positively correlated with S0N0-CIoff (p < 0.0001) and with S0Near-CIoff results (p = 0.004). A significant positive correlation was found between delay post-activation and HS gain for the CI (p = 0.005). Finally, the HS was negatively correlated with the squelch effect for the ear. Conclusion: CI benefits patients with SSD in noise and can improve the threshold for detecting low-level noise. Contralateral PTA could predict good postoperative results. Simple tests performed preoperatively can predict the likelihood of surgical success in reversing SSD.
Cochlear Implant: Analysis of the Frequency-to-Place Mismatch with the Table-Based Software OTOPLAN® and Its Influence on Hearing Performance
Authors: Dessard Laura , Gersdorff Guillaume , Ivanovik Nicola , Zoca-Assadi Masoud , Nopp Peter , Camby Séverine , Lefebvre Philippe P.
Published: January 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the originally applied frequency allocation of cochlear implant electrodes assigned by default at the time of activation with a more recent frequency allocation that is anatomy-based by a software called OTOPLAN®. Based on a computed tomography scan of the temporal bone, this software calculates the position of each electrode in the cochlea and its corresponding tonotopic frequency. We also evaluated whether patients with a significant mismatch between these two allocations present poorer speech intelligibility. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent cochlear implantation from 2016 to 2021 at the University Hospital of Liege were included in this retrospective study. We used OTOPLAN® to calculate the tonotopic frequency allocation of each electrode according to its exact position in the cochlear duct. This anatomical frequency mapping was compared with the default frequency mapping at the time of cochlear implant activation. Finally, we compared the mismatch with the patients’ auditory performance, represented by the Auditory Capacity Index (ACI). Results: Thirteen patients were included in the study. All patients had a mismatch between the two frequency maps, to a variable extent (200 Hz–1,100 Hz). Frequency shift was significantly inversely correlated with ACI and with the time needed to improve speech intelligibility. Conclusion: Our primary results show that patients with a larger mismatch between default frequency mapping and anatomically assigned frequency mapping experience poorer hearing performance and slower adaptation to a cochlear implant.
TP53 Gene Polymorphism at Codon 72 as a Response Predictor for Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Vieira Jussane Oliveira , Pesquero João Bosco , Nazário Afonso Celso Pinto
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a favored method for achieving pathologic complete response (pCR). The TP53 gene is involved in inducing the response to chemotherapy drugs. Objectives: The present study sought to correlate polymorphism variants at codon 72 with pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Casuistry and Methods: The study was conducted in the state of Sergipe, in northeastern Brazil. A total of 206 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy from 2019 to 2022 were included. DNA samples were collected for the evaluation of TP53 polymorphism at codon 72. A prospective evaluation of the cases was conducted to verify the surgical pathologic response after chemotherapy; the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) were used. The study was approved by the University of São Paulo Ethics and Research Committee. Results: Of the 168 patients, 44.6% were Arg72Arg, 17.3% were Pro72Pro, and 38.0% were Arg72Pro; pCR was achieved in 21.4% of the patients; 10.1% had progressive disease, 13.7% had stable disease, and 54.2% had a partial pathologic response. The only predictor of pCR in multivariate regression was immunohistochemistry (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, Arg72Pro and Pro72Pro increased the odds of the patient evolving with stable disease. This study was innovative in demonstrating a predictor of stable disease in response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: TP53 polymorphism at codon 72 is not a predictor of pCR, but it can be a predictor of stable disease.
Resilience of Japanese Multinational Enterprise Production Networks during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Licheng Liang
Published: January 2024

We use COVID-19 as an exogenous shock to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Japanese multinational affiliates’ performance, determining that the pandemic adversely impacted performance in general, but severe disruptions did not last longer than one year. The COVID-19 shock also affected global transaction networks, and affiliates’ total sales were severely affected by procurement challenges. Regarding heterogeneous effects, affiliates actively engaged in trade experienced worse conditions than local-oriented firms. Finally, we explore whether and which local backward linkages could mitigate such shocks, concluding that affiliates’ local procurement from companies beyond only Japanese firms could gain resilience.
Exploring the Impact of China's Internal Circulation Strategy on Its Stock Market under Deglobalization
Authors: Shi Yujie , Hong Xinyi , Wang Liming
Published: January 2024

In May 2020, China formulated the Internal Circulation Strategy (ICS) to address the risks of global economic downturns caused by deglobalization. This study is the first to empirically examine the impacts of China's ICS on its stock market performance, focusing on investor behavior. Using data from the Baidu search index and the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges for the period 27 July 2020 to 5 May 2023, the results reveal that stock returns are negatively associated with investor attention to China's ICS, while stock volatilities are positively associated. This suggests that the ongoing and profound shift in economic strategy might have raised concerns among investors. Furthermore, our analysis of heterogeneity finds that the negative association with stock market returns is statistically significant only during times of high policy uncertainty or geopolitical risk. The positive association with stock market volatility is statistically significant only during times of high geopolitical risk. This indicates that the stability of the internal and external environment plays a crucial role in alleviating investor concerns. We also observe mixed impacts on different sectors of the stock markets, with some sectors unaffected while others primarily experiencing a decline in returns.
The Untimely Demise of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Malaysia: A Postmortem and the Way Forward
Authors: Narayanan Suresh , Latiff Abdul Rais Abdul
Published: January 2024

We discuss the reasons for the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Malaysia, its subsequent abolition, and the factors to consider if it is to be reinstated. The GST was implemented hastily to rein in mounting government deficits and debt. The lack of preparation to address its impact on the general price level, and incomes of poorer households in an economy already predisposed to inflation, led to widespread public discontent. The high compliance costs borne by smaller firms, delays in providing tax refunds to businesses, and the wasteful use of the additional revenues the tax generated strengthened the anti-GST sentiment. Any attempt to bring back the GST must focus on gaining acceptance rather than the revenue it generates. This is best achieved by timing its reintroduction correctly, keeping the rate low, the base broad, and implementing parallel measures to supplement the incomes of households seriously undermined by the tax on the consumption side. Additionally, addressing leakages, waste, and corruption in the public sector will strengthen public acceptance of the tax and instill confidence in public sector fiscal management.
Tracking Lexical and Semantic Prediction Error Underlying the N400 Using Artificial Neural Network Models of Sentence Processing
Authors: Lopopolo Alessandro , Rabovsky Milena
Published: January 2024

Recent research has shown that the internal dynamics of an artificial neural network model of sentence comprehension displayed a similar pattern to the amplitude of the N400 in several conditions known to modulate this event-related potential. These results led Rabovsky et al. (2018) to suggest that the N400 might reflect change in an implicit predictive representation of meaning corresponding to semantic prediction error. This explanation stands as an alternative to the hypothesis that the N400 reflects lexical prediction error as estimated by word surprisal (Frank et al., 2015). In the present study, we directly model the amplitude of the N400 elicited during naturalistic sentence processing by using as predictor the update of the distributed representation of sentence meaning generated by a sentence gestalt model (McClelland et al., 1989) trained on a large-scale text corpus. This enables a quantitative prediction of N400 amplitudes based on a cognitively motivated model, as well as quantitative comparison of this model to alternative models of the N400. Specifically, we compare the update measure from the sentence gestalt model to surprisal estimated by a comparable language model trained on next-word prediction. Our results suggest that both sentence gestalt update and surprisal predict aspects of N400 amplitudes. Thus, we argue that N400 amplitudes might reflect two distinct but probably closely related sub-processes that contribute to the processing of a sentence.
Sohn-Rethel’s Unity of the Critique of Society and the Critique of Epistemology, and his Theoretical Blind Spot: Measure
Authors: Engster Frank
Published: January 2024

Sohn-Rethel’s great idea was to ‘socialise’ Kant’s transcendental subject by combining it with Marx’s commodity-form. In so doing, he took on three challenges simultaneously: a) the timeless validity of modern natural science; b) the social genesis of empirically pure forms of cognition; and c) socialisation occurring through a purely social synthesis.

However, Sohn-Rethel construed Marx’s value-form analysis as an empirical exchange of commodities and held that such exchange performs a real abstraction – in this way, he laboured under the very semblance that money engenders at the surface of society by virtue of its function qua means of exchange. This semblance can be rendered transparent by, on the one hand, explaining value in terms of capitalist valorisation rather than as a product of abstraction, and, on the other, developing money as the measure and form of this valorisation.
Euonymus echinatus, a new record for the Flora of Vietnam, the species lectotypification and the key for identification of Vietnamese species of the genus Euonymus (Celastraceae)
Authors: SAVINOV IVAN A. , SON HOANG THANH , THANG NGUYEN TOAN , NGUYEN VO DAI
Published: January 2024

Euonymus echinatus (Celastraceae), collected from Quang Ninh Province of northern Vietnam, is reported here as a new species record for the flora of Vietnam. The species belongs to Echinococcus section with unusual for the genus character—prickles capsules. Taxonomic notes, descriptions, photographs are provided, together with short notes on the distribution, ecology and phenology of Euonymus echinatus. The data on species diversity of Euonymus in Vietnam are summarized and an identification key is compiled (21 species).
A Framework for Assessing the Drivers and Impacts of Drought Events: The Contemporary Drought in the Western and Central United States
Authors: Ellison Lucas , Coats Sloan
Published: January 2024

We develop a framework for assessing the drivers and impacts of droughts, built upon a Markov random field and machine learning–based drought identification algorithm that operates simultaneously in space and time. The method uses a precipitation threshold for drought, while considering the drought state of neighboring grid points and identifies contiguous and distinct droughts that propagate through space and time. Importantly, this method can identify droughts of any scale, from a single grid point to those encompassing many thousands. We apply it to North American precipitation from observations and a multimodel ensemble of 67 historical simulations to produce a repository of 25 156 identified droughts. The framework uses an observed drought for comparison, and we choose the 2011–14 drought in the western and central United States, which is among the most severe and persistent in recorded history. As the spatiotemporal characteristics of the simulated droughts become more like the observed drought, we quantify if their local-scale impacts (evaporation, leaf area index, soil moisture, and runoff) and large-scale drivers (atmospheric circulation, sea surface temperature, and modes of climate variability) become predictable. Our findings suggest that ecological impacts are not predictable even when simulated droughts closely match the spatiotemporal characteristics of the observed drought. The drought drivers are also not predictable, with similar droughts occurring under a range of atmosphere–ocean conditions. These results suggest that the drivers and impacts of even the most persistent and severe droughts have limited predictability, although additional work is needed to quantify the role of structural uncertainty and better understand the real-world applicability of climate model-based results.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study was to determine if we can predict the atmosphere–ocean conditions that cause simulated (in climate models) drought events that are similar in their characteristics to an observed drought that occurred in the central and western United States between 2011 and 2014. We also analyze the impact of these events on water availability for ecological and human use and whether these impacts are predictable. Our results suggest that both the conditions that cause droughts and their ecological impacts are largely unpredictable. While further work is needed to understand the implications of these results for real-world drought predictability, our results help to elucidate the processes underlying persistent and severe droughts in climate models.
Reflection on Luther’s Theologia Crucis and Its Significance for the Problem of Human Knowledge of God
Authors: Kim Hyoseok
Published: January 2024

This article examines Luther’s theology of the cross, especially his insight into the problem of human knowledge of God. It suggests: first, that the theology of the cross teaches us that true theology must be a theology of revelation that stands in sharp contrast to speculation; second, that divine revelation in Christ is an indirect revelation; third, that God’s revelation and workings are hidden under their opposite, and this hiddenness of God breaks down all our fallen human preconceptions of God, makes us humble, expands and corrects our knowledge of God, and helps us to have confidence in our knowledge of God; fourth, that the theology of the cross demands radical reevaluation of reality and value; fifth, that the theology of the cross is the theology of faith; and sixth and finally, that for Luther, the knowledge of God is not merely theoretical knowledge but rather a matter of salvation: to know God is to be loved by God.
“Climate translators” building trust and local democratic cooperation on green transition: Denmark and Germany
Authors: Doerr Nicole , Porsild Hansen Janus
Published: January 2024

This article investigates how climate activists engage in building trust in public debates and local political conflicts over green transition. The article applies the empirically grounded concept of “climate translators” to study the challenges of intermediary trust-building by both independent climate activists and institutionally embedded activists who aim to stimulate climate policy change at the local level. In Denmark, municipalities endorse activists as climate translators to promote civic participation and deliberation. In Germany, activists have developed more conflict-oriented translation models based on direct-democratic campaigns and advocacy work outside institutions. We discuss these varied strategies of trust-building as they emerged in different contexts.
Benefits of a Light-Painting Technique for Learning to Write New Characters: A Proof of Concept With Adults
Authors: Connan Jean-François , Jover Marianne , Luigi Manon , Saint-Cast Alexandrine , Danna Jérémy
Published: January 2024

Learning to write relies on the effective integration of sensory feedback and a transition from motor control based on written tracings to motor control based on expert writing movements. This study aimed to test whether the photographic technique of light painting (LP) would facilitate this transition. To achieve this, we conducted two experiments using different LP setups. LP involves moving a light source in a dark environment while taking a long-exposure photograph. LP entails both a real-time reduction of product-related visual information and a post-trial addition of process-related visual information. In the first experiment, we conducted a pre-test, training, and post-test in which 16 adults wrote four new characters with the non-dominant hand. During the training sessions, participants stood and wrote in a vertical frame (1 × 1.2 m) two characters in the control condition (with a marker on the vertical support) and two characters in the LP condition (with a flashlight in the air). In the test phases, participants were seated at a table and copied the four characters into a square (4 cm * 4 cm) on a fixed sheet of graphics paper. As in-air writing strongly differs from classical handwriting situations, we performed a second LP experiment. The aim was to implement LP training in a condition closer to writing. Sixteen new participants followed the same protocol but sat at a table and wrote in a horizontal square (20 cm * 20 cm). In both experiments, participants who trained with the LP method wrote faster and with less pressure than those trained in the control condition. We also observed an improvement in spatial accuracy in Experiment 2, whatever the training condition. LP seemed to have led participants to focus on the writing process, probably because it modified the nature and timing of the visual information used for writing. LP may be a promising technique for remediating writing difficulties.
Dominance Analysis of Bright and Dark Dispositional Predictors of Socially Desirable Responding
Authors: Miller Brian K. , Kirby Eric G. , Stevens Kaitlynn Brianna
Published: January 2024

Although the role of so-called dark traits in the prediction of maladaptive behavior has seen a large increase in interest by researchers, the Big Five still maintain their ubiquity in the prediction of most behaviors. This study uses measures of the Dark Tetrad and the Big Five personality traits to predict a very specific form of maladaptive behavior: the impression management form of socially desirable responding. In regression-based dominance analysis, results suggest that not all of the Big Five nor the Dark Tetrad provide statistically significant incremental validity but as a block, the Big Five dominate the Dark Tetrad in the prediction of the purposeful misrepresentation of one’s self to others on self-report inventories. More specifically, four of the Big Five as well as the traits of Machiavellianism and sadism from the Dark Tetrad are significant predictors of impression management.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and epigenetic reprogramming in developmental origin of uterine fibroids
Authors: Yang Qiwei , Ali Mohamed , Bariani Maria Victoria , Vafaei Somayeh , Al-Hendy Ayman
Published: January 2024

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of exogenous substances that mimic the effects of hormones in the body, inducing hormonal dysregulation and contributing to various disorders. Epigenome regulation has emerged as an important mechanism for maintaining organ function in health and disease. Dissecting epigenomic and resultant gene expression changes provides unprecedented insight into the chromatin state, which underlines disease development and shapes risk and phenotypic plasticity in response to the environment and internal cues. The cutting-edge, high throughput technologies provide new routes to understanding the etiology of disease and new footholds on the promising path to better treatment and disease prevention. We have recently revealed that myometrial stem cells (MMSCs), the cell origin of UFs, are the target of developmental EDC exposure. The EDC-induced epigenetic changes in MMSCs identified by multi-omics approaches include DNA methylation and histone modification modulated by DNA methyltransferases and MLL1, which characterized the molecular mechanism underlying EDC-related risk in hormone-dependent UFs. Future studies are needed to determine the link between real-life exposures to EDCs and their impact on the development of human diseases and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, which can help explore strategies that may prevent adverse outcomes linked to EDC exposure.
Tensile theoretical modeling and auxetic behavior analyzing of negative Poisson’s ratio yarn
Authors: Chen Junli , Wen Xiaojing , Liu Xiang , Du Zhaoqun
Published: January 2024

In this paper, the tensile models of the negative Poisson’s ratio yarn with incompressible component yarn and compressible component yarn are constructed. The theoretical Poisson’s ratio curves exhibit the same trend as the experiment. Compared with the theoretical model of incompressible component yarns, a 14% reduction was found in the maximum negative Poisson’s ratio value in the compressible component yarns model. Additionally, the modified theoretical model was established to improve further the accuracy of the model. Both the variation trend and Poisson’s ratio value of the theoretical curves are highly consistent with the experimental results, and the average difference rate of the maximum Poisson’s ratio value is below 10%, which proves the effectiveness of the corrected theoretical model in predicting the auxetic behavior. Our theoretical model not only considers the initial helical path of the wrap yarn could not be completely horizontally straightened when it is just subject to an axial tensile force but also takes the influence of component yarn sectional shape changes into account. The as-constructed theoretical model is more realistic and can guide the design of negative Poisson’s ratio yarn and optimize the theoretical modeling method.
Depressive Symptoms in Later Life in China: Situating “Long Arm” of Child Physical Maltreatment Within a Family Context
Authors: Han Chengming , Bhatta Tirth , Kahana Eva , Kahana Boaz , Gran Brian , Zhou Nan
Published: January 2024

Objective: This article intends to reveal the long-term effects of physical maltreatment in childhood on depressive symptoms in later life in China. Methods: Data were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). 8676 respondents aged 45 and older were included in the study. In this study, we use ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to estimate the long-term impact on children of physical punishment from their parents. Results: We found that individuals who recalled being hit by their mother in early life reported more depressive symptoms than those who recalled being punished by their father. Difficult family contexts (e.g., comparative poverty, family violence, and parent's poor mental health) had a weak association with higher risk of reporting physical maltreatment and more depressive symptoms among respondents in later life. Conclusion: This article extended the exploration of the long-term impact of child physical maltreatment beyond adolescence and into until later adult life. Effective policies to protect children from maltreatment in the form of physical punishment require further attention to the challenges posed by tradition and culture.
“What Do We Have to Do?” Community College CTE Faculty Perceptions, Preparedness, and Propositions in Supporting Disabled Students’ Employment Opportunities
Authors: Nachman Brett Ranon
Published: January 2024

Objective/Research Question: The purpose of this grounded theory study is to explore how community college CTE faculty members aim to support disabled students in their career pursuits. Methods: This constructivist grounded theory study entailed interviewing 20 faculty members across two southeastern United States community colleges. Results: Findings unveil the prominence of community college faculty holding mixed perceptions and limited understandings of disabled individuals’ experiences in CTE fields, tending to weed disabled students out of these professions, and possessing various ideas for how to better enable disabled students’ success, including bolstering disability awareness and acceptance. Conclusions/Contributions. These insights contribute to the formation of the 3Ps Model of Faculty Professional Engagement with Minoritized Students that will guide researchers in how to understand the processes that shape faculty engagement with minoritized students. The study also reveals opportunities for growth in how community college faculty and practitioners address issues surrounding building up disabled community college students’ employment pathways.
Prioritizing LGBTQ Clients’ Mental Health: How Christian Therapists Resolve Internal Conflicts to Remain Ethical
Authors: Clarke Cailey B. , Berg Samuel , Allison Clarke Margaret
Published: January 2024

This study investigated how Christian therapists are able to resolve any internal conflicts that arise when working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) clients. The study focused on the participants’ internal processes when working with LGBTQ clients, highlighting individual experiences and themes. The study revealed that the more open-minded and self-aware participants were, the more likely they were to have intentional practices to resolve internal conflicts. It also revealed that education, particularly at seminaries, is not adequately preparing therapists to resolve internal conflicts or work with gender and sexual minorities. Ultimately, this research study underscored the importance of therapists being aware of their own beliefs and the impact they may have, as well as being educated on LGBTQ issues, microaggressions, and how to work with gender and sexual minority clients without discrimination and judgment.
Was There a Left Turn in Latin America? Building a Social Democracy Index
Authors: Gürcan Efe Can , Otero Gerardo , Fidan İlayda İsabetli
Published: January 2024

A social democracy index designed to adjudicate among positions in the debate on the extent to which the political left in Latin America has been leftist shows empirically that both the maximalist Marxist and the liberal institutionalist perspectives are inaccurate. Most countries belonging to the so-called radical-left camp have undergone substantial social democratic achievements since their electoral victories. Moreover, the uneven distribution of social democracy performance in so-called moderate and radical camps casts serious doubt on the homogeneity of these country groupings.

Un índice del nivel de socialdemocracia diseñado para establecer las distintas posiciones en el debate sobre el grado de izquierdismo en la izquierda política de América Latina da muestra empírica de la inexactitud de tanto la perspectiva marxista maximalista como de la institucionalista liberal. La mayoría de los países pertenecientes al llamado campo de la izquierda radical han experimentado logros socialdemócratas sustanciales a partir de sus victorias electorales. Además, la distribución desigual de los resultados del proyecto socialdemócrata entre los llamados campos moderados y radicales arroja serias dudas sobre la homogeneidad inherente a estas agrupaciones de países.
Chinese Foreign Direct Investment and the Myth of Autocracy Spread in Latin America
Authors: Vargas Castilhos Guilherme
Published: January 2024

Since the 2010s, Chinese investment in Latin America has increased. It is a symbol of the emerging influence of China and represents the potential export of its nondemocratic socialist development model. Experts have been concerned that China may undermine democracy in foreign countries in general and erode the United States’ influence in Latin America. A discourse analysis of official Chinese documents on its foreign policy objectives examines whether Chinese investment has undermined the national sovereignty of host nations in Latin America and concludes by refuting the myth that China’s economy and rise in Latin America leads to the adoption of more autocratic governance models.

Desde la década de 2010 ha aumentado la inversión china en América Latina. Esto constituye un símbolo de la influencia emergente de China y representa la exportación potencial de su modelo de desarrollo socialista no democrático. A los expertos les preocupa que China pueda socavar la democracia en la generalidad de los países extranjeros y erosionar la influencia de Estados Unidos en América Latina. Un análisis del discurso de los documentos oficiales chinos sobre los objetivos del país en política exterior examina si la inversión china ha socavado la soberanía nacional de las naciones anfitrionas latinoamericanas y concluye refutando el mito de que el ascenso económico de China en América Latina haya conducido a la adopción de modelos de gobernanza más autocráticos.
Online Synchronous Professional Development to Support Teachers of Students With Visual Impairments in Learning Nemeth Code Within Unified English Braille Contexts
Authors: Herzberg Tina S. , Rosenblum L. Penny , Osterhaus Susan A. , Larkin Sara K. , McBride C. Rett
Published: January 2024

Introduction: This study explored the impact of synchronous professional development regarding Nemeth Code Within Unified English Braille (UEB) Contexts on the knowledge and skills of 17 teachers of students with visual impairments. Methods: Participants attended the professional development sessions in June 2022 and submitted a pretest, posttest, final assignment, and posttraining survey. Results: Sixteen out of 17 participants scored higher on their posttest with a mean difference of 5.53. None of the participants submitted an error-free assignment. Total numbers of errors ranged from 8 to 60, and the categories with the highest percentage of errors were formatting, use of opening and terminating switch indicators, and Nemeth Code symbols. Discussion: In order to successfully progress in the general education curriculum, students who read braille must have access to timely, accurately prepared materials in all content areas including mathematics. Direct examination of the final assignment submitted by the 17 participants revealed similar error patterns to previous research. In addition, some of the participants struggled to correctly use Nemeth Code switch indicators. Implications for Practitioners: Teachers of students with visual impairments should continue to build their skills for Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts. Additional resources and professional development are urgently needed.
Bridging the Gap of Graphical Information Accessibility in Education With Multimodal Touchscreens Among Students With Blindness and Low Vision
Authors: Tennison Jennifer L. , Goswami Spondita , Hairston Jesse R. , Merlin Drews P. , Smith Derrick W. , Giudice Nicholas A. , Stefik Andreas , Gorlewicz Jenna L.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Informational graphics and data representations (e.g., charts and figures) are critical for accessing educational content. Novel technologies, such as the multimodal touchscreen which displays audio, haptic, and visual information, are promising for being platforms of diverse means to access digital content. This work evaluated educational graphics rendered on a touchscreen compared to the current standard for accessing graphical content. Method: Three bar charts and geometry figures were evaluated on student ( N = 20) ability to orient to and extract information from the touchscreen and print. Participants explored the graphics and then were administered a set of questions (11–12 depending on graphic group). In addition, participants’ attitudes using the mediums were assessed. Results: Participants performed statistically significantly better on questions assessing information orientation using the touchscreen than print for both bar chart and geometry figures. No statistically significant difference in information extraction ability was found between mediums on either graphic type. Participants responded significantly more favorably to the touchscreen than the print graphics, indicating them as more helpful, interesting, fun, and less confusing. Discussion: Accessing and orienting to information was highly successful by participants using the touchscreen, and was the preferred means of accessing graphical information when compared to the print image for both geometry figures and bar charts. This study highlights challenges in presenting graphics both on touchscreens and in print. Implications for Practitioners: This study offers preliminary support for the use of multimodal, touchscreen tablets as educational tools. Student ability using touchscreen-based graphics seems to be comparable to traditional types of graphics (large print and embossed, tactile graphics), although further investigation may be necessary for tactile graphic users. In summary, educators of students with blindness and visual impairments should consider ways to utilize new technologies, such as touchscreens, to provide more diverse access to graphical information.
Utilizing Consumer-Directed Care Among Older Adults: Identifying Barriers From Behavioral Economics Perspectives
Authors: Zhang Jinbao , Wang Julia Shu-Huah , Chan Wing Kit
Published: January 2024

Consumer-directed Care (CDC) empowers older people to flexibly arrange services and enhances their well-being. Prior studies have suggested that limited attention and hassle costs are major demand-side barriers to using CDC. However, many other psychosocial factors were unexplored. In this study, we explore associations between CDC utilization and a wider range of psychosocial factors based on behavioral economics theories. A cross-sectional telephone survey of older persons (or family members that represent them) was conducted in Guangzhou, China in 2021. We adopted a two-stage sampling method based on administrative records and analyzed the data using multivariate logistic models. Procedural literacy, hassle costs, and social norms regarding CDC were associated with using CDC. The findings reveal nuances in the decision-making process, and people are not unboundedly rational in making care-related decisions. Policymakers could employ cost-effective tools to facilitate CDC utilization and optimize resources to address the most crucial service barriers.
Meta-Analytic Review of Temperamental Correlates of the Five-Factor Model and Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology Domains
Authors: Hemmati Azad , Rezaei Farzin , Rahmani Khaled , Komasi Saeid , Miettunen Jouko , Amianto Federico , Clark Lee Anna
Published: January 2024

Background:

There is little and heterogeneous knowledge on the links between the temperamental predispositions of psychopathology and the contemporary dimensional models of psychopathology, such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) classification system, which can be aligned with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality. This meta-analysis seeks to expand the temperamental theoretical basis of the HiTOP model by incorporating associations of temperament traits of two temperamental theories measured, respectively, by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) with (a) the FFM’s personality domains and (b) HiTOP’s five psychopathological spectra.

Methods:

A systematic search was done on Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar for all articles published in English from January 1990 to August 2020. Because of heterogeneity in the results of almost 70% of studies, pooled estimates of correlation coefficients were calculated using the random-effects method. Risk of bias (low-quality studies) and publication bias are reported.

Results:

The pooled correlations obtained from the analysis of 35 studies showed that the temperamental profile associated with each FFM domain and HiTOP spectra is distinct. Specifically, TCI-harm avoidance (HA) and all TEMPS temperaments were more strongly related to neuroticism/internalizing, extraversion/low detachment, and conscientiousness/disinhibition. In contrast, TCI-novelty seeking was more strongly related to both disinhibited/antagonistic externalizing and thought disorder.

Conclusions:

A large body of research supports maladaptive variants of all FFM domains and some psychopathological spectra of HiTOP related to the abnormal-range temperaments.
Teaching free improvisation: European higher music education teachers’ conceptual tools
Authors: MacGlone Una M. , Gravem Johansen Guro
Published: January 2024

In higher music education (HME) contexts, free improvisation is currently a rapidly evolving field across musical genres. Previous research indicates that teaching and learning improvisation can be challenging, depending on students’ experience and how improvised music-making is facilitated, but few studies address free improvisation in HME. Our study has explored this field by utilising qualitative interviews with teachers of free improvisation in European HME institutions. Results provided insight into teachers’ motivation and the educational aims which informed their approaches to teaching improvisation. Some teachers referred to a canon of free improvised or experimental music and well-known improvisers, interpreted as a need amongst the teachers to position and legitimise a potentially marginalised subject within institutions. Teachers in our study used different types of frameworks to develop students’ ability to interact and listen. Focusing on musical parameters, limitations of choices or language metaphors were often used as tools for acquiring such aims. Results further indicate that free improvisation should be a safe space, enhance democratic values and disrupt hierarchies of knowledge. In sum, our study contributes to mapping and understanding contradictions and complexities of this developing area of pedagogy.
Book review: Simi Mehta, Vibhuti Patel and Satyam Tripathi, Advocating a Feminist Foreign Policy for India
Authors: Bhat Waseem Ahmad
Published: January 2024

Simi Mehta, Vibhuti Patel and Satyam Tripathi, Advocating a Feminist Foreign Policy for India (New Delhi: Impact and Policy Research Institute, 2023), 72 pp.
Book review: Akshya Saxena, Vernacular English: Reading the Anglophone in Postcolonial India
Authors: Krishnan Vani
Published: January 2024

Akshya Saxena, Vernacular English: Reading the Anglophone in Postcolonial India (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2022), xiii + 206 pp.
New aspects of solid-state welding in the aluminium accumulative roll bonding
Authors: Trajano Adriano A. , Haase Olavo C. , Aguilar Maria Teresa P. , Cetlin Paulo R.
Published: January 2024

The phenomena in solid-state welding (SSW) of metals during accumulative roll bonding (ARB) are analysed. The basic mechanism in SSW is described by the ‘film theory’, where superficial oxide layers/cover layers of metals fracture when submitted to elongations, the material on both sides of the sheets to be joined are extruded through these fractures and opposing virgin surfaces touch and weld. Present results reveal new aspects of these phenomena: the presence of ‘mountain ridges’ on delaminated surfaces after ARB, bonding regions along the rolling direction and the flattening of the geometric characteristics of delaminated surfaces as the number of ARB passes rises. A model is proposed for the development of the bonds along the rolling direction.