bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Navigating Colonial Challenges: Edwin Wade Koons (1880–1947) and Kyungshin School (John D. Wells Academy)*
Authors: Yoon Su Jin
Published: December 2024

This study explores the life and contributions of Edwin Wade Koons, a missionary and educator who played a pivotal role in shaping Korea's educational landscape during the Japanese colonial period. As principal of Kyungshin School for 26 years, Koons navigated the complexities of colonial educational policies and internal conflicts within the missionary community. A prominent figure in Korean society, Koons was frequently featured in local media, yet despite the attention he garnered during his lifetime, his contributions have largely been overlooked. This study addresses that gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of Koons' educational work, with a particular focus on his pragmatic approach to maintaining the school's operations amid challenges such as Shinto shrine worship and student boycotts. Drawing on contemporary newspapers and primary sources, this study highlights Koons' efforts in developing Kyungshin School into one of Korea's foremost educational institutions and his impact on Korean education. The findings restore Koons to his rightful place in the historiography of Korea's colonial period, emphasising his influence as an educator and his commitment to sustaining educational opportunities under oppressive colonial rule.
Disruptive diversity: Exploring racial commodification in the Norwegian cultural field
Authors: Tica Sabina
Published: December 2024

Scholars have suggested that the heightened focus on diversity in Western cultural fields may drive forms of racial commodification, impacting cultural representations of ‘race’. However, few studies apply Bourdieu's theory of cultural production to understand how racial commodification may also disrupt field dynamics. This article aims to explore how racialised minority cultural producers in Norway experience the intensified focus on diversity within the cultural field. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of cultural production, critical diversity studies and the cultural industries approach, I analyse fieldwork and interviews with 41 Norwegian cultural producers. This analysis reveals three key diversity‐related changes participants experienced: (1) a transformation of racial identities into commodities, (2) a shift towards racial self‐commodification, and (3) a change in the value of ‘diverse stories’. The findings suggest that the increased focus on diversity encourages a form of racial commodification, with a dual impact on racialised minorities' artistic freedom. While it restricts their potential for aesthetic recognition, it also creates a platform to redefine what counts as legitimate culture. This offers insights into an under‐researched aspect of diversity efforts and racial commodification, revealing how this commodification can instigate change within the cultural field.
Comparative study on structure, properties, functions, and in vitro digestion characteristics of dietary fiber from Chinese chestnut prepared by different methods
Authors: Yu Zuoqing , Peng Fei , Du Bin , Yu Xi , Xie Qiaoling , Shen Sibo , Yang Yuedong
Published: December 2024

This study compared the effects of enzyme extraction (E‐DF), enzyme‐acid extraction (EAc‐DF), enzyme‐alkaline extraction (EAl‐DF), ultrasonic‐enzyme extraction (EU‐DF), and microwave‐enzyme extraction (EM‐DF) on the yield, chemical composition, structural characteristics, physicochemical properties, physiological activities, and hypoglycemic activities of dietary fiber (DF) from Chinese chestnut. EAl‐DF had the highest yield (25.44 ± 0.70%) among all five extraction methods. The structural analysis indicated that other extracts, particularly EAl‐DF, had a more complex and porous structure than E‐DF. Analysis of monosaccharide composition showed that the main sugars in Chinese chestnut DF included Ara, Gal, Glc, and Man. Notably, EAl‐DF exhibited the highest water and oil retention ability and hypoglycemic activity. The DFs extracted by five methods can resist digestion in the digestive tract. These results indicate that enzymatic‐alkaline method is a high‐quality method for extracting DF from Chinese chestnut. And this study provides a theoretical basis for the efficient preparation and development of Chinese chestnut DF.
Rethinking the imperative mandate: Toward a better balance between independence and accountability
Authors: Vandamme Pierre‐Étienne
Published: December 2024

Two of the founding principles of representative governments—the independence of elected representatives and popular accountability—are notoriously in tension. The more independent representatives are, the less citizens can exercise control over them. This article defends an institutional proposal—semi‐directed mandates—aiming to capture the main concerns of both advocates and critics of imperative mandates and to strike a better balance between independence and accountability than the one usually prevailing in contemporary representative governments. The proposal consists of (i) asking candidates or parties to put forward key priorities before the election; (ii) allowing voters to give a more specific mandate to their representatives, and (iii) allowing them to revoke the mandate in case of betrayal of key promises unless they can offer convincing justifications for departing from their mandate. More flexible than the traditional imperative mandate, this proposal also preserves the benefits of a partial division of political labor. It, therefore, seems better suited to the typical circumstances of mass democracies.
The problem of value change: Should advance directives hold moral authority for persons living with dementia?
Authors: Sergeant Anand
Published: December 2024

As the prevalence of dementia rises, it is increasingly important to determine how to best respect incapable individuals' autonomy during end‐of‐life decisions. Many philosophers advocate for the use of advance directives in these situations to allow capable individuals to outline preferences for their future incapable selves. In this paper, however, I consider whether advance directives lack moral authority in instances of dementia. First, I introduce several scholars who have argued that changes in peoplewith dementia's values throughout disease progression reduce the validity of their advanced wishes. I then outline Karin Jongsma's rejection of this claim, which she calls the “losing and choosing” distinction. Jongsma argues that changes in people with dementia's values should not be respected, because they are unchosen and dictated by the disease. I critique her claim that the process of value change is morally relevant when determining which values we respect. I argue that if individuals with dementia are capable of valuing, their contemporary values should be respected, even when they conflict with past preferences outlined in an advance directive. As such, situations of value change diminish the moral authority of advance directives for individuals with dementia.
Bridging minds and machines: Unmasking the limits in text‐based automatic personality recognition for enhanced psychology–AI synergy
Authors: Bhandarkar Avanti , Wilson Ronald , Swarup Anushka , Webster Gregory D. , Woodard Damon
Published: December 2024

Text‐based automatic personality recognition (APR) operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and psychology to determine the personality of an individual from their text sample. This covert form of personality assessment is key for a variety of online applications that contribute to individual convenience and well‐being such as that of chatbots and personal assistants. Despite the availability of good quality data utilizing state‐of‐the‐art AI methods, the reported performance of these recognition systems remains below expectations in comparable areas. Consequently, this work investigates and identifies the source of this performance limit and attributes it to the flawed assumptions of text‐based APR. These insights are obtained via a large‐scale comprehensive benchmark and analysis of text data from five corpora with diverse characteristics and complementary personality models (Big Five and Dark Triad) applied to an assortment of AI methods ranging from hand‐crafted linguistic features to data‐driven transformers. Finally, the work concludes by identifying the open problems that can help navigate the limitations in text‐based automatic personality recognition to a great extent.
Long‐term benefit of SGLT2 inhibitors to prevent heart failure hospitalization in patients with diabetes, with potential time‐varying benefit
Authors: Takahashi Yasuo , Minagawa Kimino , Nagashima Takuya , Hayakawa Takashi , Akimoto Hayato , Asai Satoshi
Published: December 2024

SGLT2 inhibitors show promise in reducing hospitalization for heart failure in diabetics, but their long‐term effects and time‐dependency remain unclear. We conducted a retrospective nested case–control study within a large type 2 diabetic cohort (n = 11,209) using electronic health records. Cases (heart failure hospitalization, n = 352) were matched to controls (n = 1372) based on age, sex, cohort entry date, and diabetes duration. Matched‐set conditional logistic regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for antidiabetic drug class and heart failure hospitalization risk. SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a significant reduction in heart failure hospitalization risk (adjusted HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.38–0.82, p = 0.028). This protective effect appeared more pronounced with a longer duration of treatment, suggesting a potential cumulative benefit. Time‐varying analysis within propensity score‐matched cohorts revealed a progressive decrease in hospitalization risk with continued SGLT2 inhibitor use, indicating a strengthening effect over time (greedy nearest neighbor: HR 0.52, CI 0.31–0.87, p = 0.015; optimal matching: HR 0.54, CI 0.34–0.85, p = 0.008). While promising, further investigation with larger datasets is warranted to definitively confirm these findings.
Antitrust rules and remedies against platforms' treacherous turns
Authors: Bostoen Friso , Petit Nicolas
Published: December 2024

Digital platforms can take a ‘treacherous turn’, where they initially set advantageous terms and conditions only to reverse them once demand has become sticky. Transaction costs economics has long recognised the harm caused by such opportunism, especially in the presence of relation‐specific investments. Such investments are the norm in the platform economy, where opportunism is being rediscovered under labels such as ‘open early, closed late’. Despite economic recognition of the phenomenon, however, antitrust law is lagging behind. Its micro‐rules of liability, for example on excessive pricing and refusal to supply, do not adequately capture treacherous turn strategies, neither do related rules from contract law or sectoral regulation. Hence, we propose adopting a targeted quasi‐per se rule to fill the treacherous gap. Unless the platform can advance a plausible business justification, the rule imposes a remedy freezing the previous terms in place.
Better than risk‐free: Reserve premiums and bank lending
Authors: Kim Raymond
Published: December 2024

When the Federal Reserve first paid interest on excess reserves (IOER) in October 2008, banks faced a choice to earn a “better than” risk‐free rate, or lend to earn a higher, riskier rate. Evidence suggests the “reserves‐lending puzzle” is not driven by endogeneity from reverse causality, flight to safety, or increased Treasury supply, but by the introduction of the “reserve premium” (IOER‐3MT), which is associated with a reduction of domestic bank‐level lending by ‐5.1% (‐$420.2B). Findings suggest the reserves risk channel can aid in restricting inflation. Additionally, recent Senior Financial Officer Surveys corroborate the conclusions presented in this paper.
Distance‐Based Agglomeration Externalities and the Survival of Logistics Firms: Evidence From a Publicly Developed Logistics Park
Authors: He Nannan , Jian Ming , Fang Xing , Li Guoqi , Liu Sijing
Published: December 2024

Numerous studies have shown that agglomeration externalities play a crucial role in the survival prospects of logistics firms. However, previous studies have largely ignored the role that agglomeration externalities play at a more granular level. Therefore, this paper used Chengdu International Railway Port as a case study, constructed a distance‐based agglomeration measure to explore the impact of agglomeration externalities on the survival of logistics firms located within a publicly developed logistics park (PDLP). The results show that the three types of agglomeration externalities coexist and are highly localized in the PDLP, and their effects change with distance from the logistics firm. Specifically, the specialization externalities operate within 1.5 km of the logistics firm and produce competitive effects within immediate proximity (0.5 km). Second, while diversification externalities cause significant congestion effects, interindustry knowledge spillovers arising from related diversification externalities play a key role in the 0.5 km proximity of logistics firms, and unrelated diversification externalities play a positive role in reducing the market transaction costs of logistics firms outside the 0.5 km range.
Sleep‐enhancing nursing interventions in hospital wards: A systematic review
Authors: Mendonça Sílvia Caldeira , Martins Diogo Máximo Sabino , Durão Cândida , Teixeira Joana Moreira Ferreira , da Silva Rafael Henriques Helga Marília
Published: December 2024

Aim

To identify sleep‐promoting nursing interventions in hospitalized adults and older people.

Background

Sleep is necessary for maintaining good physical and mental health, as well as a high quality of life. Hospitalization can significantly disrupt sleep patterns, which is an often‐overlooked issue. Nurses are the main participants in promoting sleep in hospitalized patients.

Methods

Systematic literature review based on the question: “What interventions can nurses implement to promote sleep in hospitalized adults and older people?”. The research was conducted on April 4, 2023, in CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science, filtering the articles published in the last 10 years. For a study to be included, it must feature adult or older participants, an intervention that aims to enhance sleep, and the research should have been conducted within a hospital setting. We followed the PRISMA flow diagram and analyzed the quality of the articles according to the Joanna Briggs Institute criteria for quality assessment. The results were subjected to a narrative synthesis.

Results or findings

Of the 712 articles found, 13 were selected. The sample encompasses 1975 participants. These selected articles emphasize educational and communicative interventions, dietary and sensory interventions, symptomatic and environmental control, daily activity planning, sleep assessment and documentation, and individualized nursing care.

Discussion

There is a need for a systematic approach incorporating physical, psychosocial, and relational dimensions within the care context.

Conclusion

It is necessary to raise the nurses’ awareness of the factors that affect sleep experience and empower them to promote sleep in partnership with hospitalized patients.

Implications for nursing and health policy

Sleep interventions can be promoted by implementing hospital policies, including environmental modifications in the design and refurbishment of facilities and restricting nighttime patient transfers to reduce noise and disturbances. Encouraging research studies that explore the effectiveness of these interventions will further support the development of evidence‐based policies aimed at improving sleep quality in hospitalized patients.
Parents' Willingness‐to‐Pay for Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish Therapy in Public and Private Pediatric Clinics
Authors: Samadi Sepideh , Jadidfard Mohammad Pooyan , Tahani Bahareh
Published: December 2024

Aim

This study employed the willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) method to investigate parents' valuation of fissure sealant (FS) and fluoride varnish (FV) therapy.

Design

This cross‐sectional analytical study was conducted in 2021 among 100 parents. The maximum WTP were collected using payment cards, an originally developed validated and reliable questionnaire, educational videos, and a hypothetical scenario. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, t‐test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression tests (α = 0.05).

Results

The mean (±SD) WTP was 245 700 (±158 756.24) and 232380.0 (±166 561.71) IR Tomans for FS and FV, respectively. WTP was significantly higher among parents who visited private clinics (p < 0.05) and government employees. Both in the whole sample and in the public group, parents without supplemental insurance had lower WTP values. The WTP values elicited through the payment card method (p = 0.014) and the open‐ended question (p = 0.031) for fathers with educational attainment below a high school diploma were significantly lower. There was no significant difference between the WTP values for these two therapies. Income level of the parents was the main indicator in the regression models, especially for WTP values of FS.

Conclusions

The demographic and socioeconomic conditions of parents as well as their insurance status were associated with the WTP values.
Natural History and Prognosis of Chronic Hepatitis B Patients in the Indeterminate Phase
Authors: Jiang Hao , Yu Hongsheng , Huang Yinan , Li Mingkai , Yang Bilan , Xi Xiaoli , Lei Yiming , Wu Bin , Yang Yidong
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims

In chronic hepatitis B (CHB), an indeterminate phase exists outside the typical predefined phases. Our study investigates this indeterminate phase's natural history and prognosis, focusing on antiviral treatment outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the risk of transitioning to immune active phase between inactive and indeterminate CHB and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis between untreated patients with indeterminate CHB (at baseline and throughout follow‐up) and those who received treatment, following standard AASLD 2018 guidance.

Results

The risk of transitioning to the immune active phase over 3, 5, and 10 years was 6.3%, 8.9%, and 14.2%, respectively, for inactive phase patients (n = 104). For HBeAg‐negative indeterminate phase patients (n = 194), the risk was significantly higher at 23.0%, 31.9%, and 38.2%, and for HBeAg‐positive indeterminate phase patients (n = 140), it was 40.4%, 52.0%, and 55.0% (p < 0.001). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was utilized to balance the groups of treated and untreated indeterminate patients. Following IPTW adjustment, the Kaplan–Meier curve analysis indicates that the risk of HCC and cirrhosis among untreated patients (n = 294) is higher than that among treated patients (n = 76), (p = 0.015 and 0.007, respectively). In the multivariable analysis, antiviral therapy remained an independent predictor of a reduced risk of HCC (aHR 0.128, 95% CI 0.031–0.522, p = 0.005) and cirrhosis (aHR 0.148, 95% CI 0.044–0.496, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The indeterminate phase patients had a high‐risk transition to active phase, and antiviral therapy can reduce the incidence of developing HCC and cirrhosis.
A Simple Prediction Model for Clostridioides difficile Infection: A Hospital‐Based Administrative Database Study
Authors: Watanabe Kenta , Tsuji Tsuyotoshi , Matsuzawa Hisanori , Saruta Yohei , Shimodaira Yosuke , Iijima Katsunori
Published: December 2024

Background and Aim

Few prediction scores for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a potentially life‐threatening nosocomial diarrhea, combine high accuracy with simplicity. A simple prediction score for routine clinical practice is needed.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all inpatients aged ≥ 18 at a secondary care hospital in Japan. The derivation and validation cohorts consisted of patients from January 2016 to December 2020 and January 2021 to September 2022, respectively. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved using electronic medical records and an administrative database. The primary outcome was to derive and validate an accurate, simple prediction score for primary hospital‐onset CDI. A derived prediction score by logistic regression analysis was calibrated and validated.

Results

CDI developed in 102 of 25 517 and 25 of 6259 patients in the derived and validation cohorts (2.7 cases/10 000 patient‐days). The derived model for predicting CDI, including antibiotic use, acid suppressant (proton pump inhibitors or vonoprazan) use, Charlson comorbidity index, and Barthel index, yielded c‐statistics of 0.89 and 0.82 in the derivation and validation cohort. The model was well calibrated.

Conclusions

This simple prediction score enables early medical intervention and modification of treatment plans to reduce the risk of developing primary hospital‐onset CDI.
Empathy to Creativity: The Associations Between Empathy and Everyday Creativity
Authors: Tie Bijie , Yang Wenjing , Huo Tengbin , Gao Yixin , Yang Xiongjian , Tian Dingyue , Pelowski Matthew , Qiu Jiang
Published: December 2024

Objective

Everyday creativity is fundamental to human existence and improved well‐being. Beyond recent attention regarding how contextual, lifestyle, personality, and neurobiological differences might foster everyday creativity, empathy may also constitute an intriguing connection. However, this potential relationship has not yet been systematically assessed.

Methods

Study 1 used multiple psychometric instruments to examine the levels of emotional and cognitive empathies and everyday creativity among different samples (n = 809). Study 2 used a cross‐lagged panel model (CLPM) to examine longitudinal behavioral data (n = 653 at T1, n = 413 at T2) to determine how cognitive empathy might predict everyday creativity.

Results

Study 1 found that cognitive but not affective empathy exhibited a significant positive correlation with everyday creativity and domain‐specific creative behaviors. Study 2 also reported a positive correlation between cognitive empathy, overall creative achievement, and certain domain‐specific creative achievements. Cognitive empathy was linked to greater involvement in everyday creativity.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, these studies are the first to demonstrate a robust relationship between cognitive empathy and everyday creativity across different samples, measures, and longitudinal data, providing evidence of a nuanced relationship between cognitive empathy and creative achievement. Future studies should explore how creativity or empathy may foster empathic/creative development.
UKM TESL Students’ Perceptions and Satisfaction on the Use of Flipped Classroom Approach
Authors: Kalithas Maalinie , Manivannan Marsha Lavania
Published: December 2024

The emergence of the internet and its widespread use are apparent, demanding more tech-savvy teaching methods implementation. The flipped classroom technique is one of the most recent technology-based teaching models. This research aims to identify students’ (TESL Students of Faculty of Education, UKM) satisfaction levels and perceptions about learning through the flipped classroom approach. 100 respondents participated in this mixed method research through questionnaire and eight respondents were selected for semi-structured interview. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS. The results showed that generally, the respondents’ feedback on satisfaction levels in learning when flipped classroom approach is implemented is proven to be positive with an overall mean score of 3.90. The data reveals that students perceive flipped classrooms as a beneficial teaching tool. Besides discussing implications, suggestions for future research in flipped classroom context have also been detailed.
Constructions of superabundant tropical curves in higher genus
Authors: Koyama Sae
Published: December 2024

We construct qualitatively new examples of superabundant tropical curves which are non‐realisable in genuses 3 and 4. These curves are in and , respectively, and have properties resembling canonical embeddings of genus 3 and 4 algebraic curves. In particular, the genus 3 example is a degree 4 planar tropical curve, and the genus 4 example is contained in the product of a tropical line and a tropical conic. They have excess dimension of deformation space equal to 1. Non‐realisability follows by combining this with a dimension calculation for the corresponding space of logarithmic curves.
Differential effects of Phosphodiesterase 4A5 on cAMP‐dependent forms of long‐term potentiation
Authors: Tadinada Satya Murthy , Walsh Emily N. , Mukherjee Utsav , Abel Ted
Published: December 2024

cAMP signalling is critical for memory consolidation and certain forms of long‐term potentiation (LTP). Phosphodiesterases (PDEs), enzymes that degrade the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, are highly conserved during evolution and represent a unique set of drug targets, given the involvement of these enzymes in several pathophysiological states including brain disorders. The PDE4 family of cAMP‐selective PDEs exert regulatory roles in memory and synaptic plasticity, but the specific roles of distinct PDE4 isoforms in these processes are poorly understood. Building on our previous work demonstrating that spatial and contextual memory deficits were caused by expressing selectively the long isoform of the PDE4A subfamily, PDE4A5, in hippocampal excitatory neurons, we now investigate the effects of PDE4A isoforms on different cAMP‐dependent forms of LTP. We found that PDE4A5 impairs long‐lasting LTP induced by theta burst stimulation (TBS) while sparing long‐lasting LTP induced by spaced four‐train stimulation (4 × 100 Hz). This effect requires the unique N‐terminus of PDE4A5 and is specific to this long isoform. Targeted overexpression of PDE4A5 in area CA1 is sufficient to impair TBS‐LTP, suggesting that cAMP levels in the postsynaptic neuron are critical for TBS‐LTP. Our results shed light on the inherent differences among the PDE4A subfamily isoforms, emphasizing the importance of the long isoforms, which have a unique N‐terminal region. Advancing our understanding of the function of specific PDE isoforms will pave the way for developing isoform‐selective approaches to treat the cognitive deficits that are debilitating aspects of psychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

image

Key points

Hippocampal overexpression of PDE4A5, but not PDE4A1 or the N‐terminus‐truncated PDE4A5 (PDE4A5Δ4), selectively impairs long‐term potentiation (LTP) induced by theta burst stimulation (TBS‐LTP).

Expression of PDE4A5 in area CA1 is sufficient to cause deficits in TBS‐LTP.

Hippocampal overexpression of the PDE4A isoforms PDE4A1 and PDE4A5 does not impair LTP induced by repeated tetanic stimulation at the CA3–CA1 synapses.

These results suggest that PDE4A5, through its N‐terminus, regulates cAMP pools that are critical for memory consolidation and expression of specific forms of long‐lasting synaptic plasticity at CA3–CA1 synapses.
Future spinal reflex is embedded in primary motor cortex output
Authors: Umeda Tatsuya , Yokoyama Osamu , Suzuki Michiaki , Kaneshige Miki , Isa Tadashi , Nishimura Yukio
Published: December 2024

Mammals can execute intended limb movements despite the fact that spinal reflexes involuntarily modulate muscle activity. To generate appropriate muscle activity, the cortical descending motor output must coordinate with spinal reflexes, yet the underlying neural mechanism remains unclear. We simultaneously recorded activities in motor-related cortical areas, afferent neurons, and forelimb muscles of monkeys performing reaching movements. Motor-related cortical areas, predominantly primary motor cortex (M1), encode subsequent afferent activities attributed to forelimb movement. M1 also encodes a subcomponent of muscle activity evoked by these afferent activities, corresponding to spinal reflexes. Furthermore, selective disruption of the afferent pathway specifically reduced this subcomponent of muscle activity, suggesting that M1 output drives muscle activity not only through direct descending pathways but also through the “transafferent” pathway composed of descending plus subsequent spinal reflex pathways. Thus, M1 provides optimal motor output based on an internal forward model that prospectively computes future spinal reflexes.
Structural basis for membrane association and catalysis by phosphatidylserine synthase in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Lee Eunju , Cho Gyuhyeok , Kim Jungwook
Published: December 2024

Phosphatidylserine synthase (PssA) is essential in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine, a major phospholipid of bacterial membranes. A peripheral membrane protein PssA can associate with the cellular membrane in its active state or exist in the cytosol in an inactive form. The membrane-bound enzyme acts on cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP-DG) to form cytidine monophosphate and a covalent intermediate, which is subsequently targeted by serine to produce phosphatidylserine. Here, we present two crystal structures of
Escherichia coli
PssA, one complexed with CDP-DG and the other without. The lipid-bound structure mimics the Michaelis complex before the formation of a covalent intermediate, revealing key determinants for substrate recognition and catalysis. Notably, membrane-free PssA is in a monomer-dimer equilibrium, with only the monomer capable of associating with the membrane, suggesting a regulatory mechanism for phospholipid biosynthesis dependent on the oligomerization state of the enzyme.
Biologically inspired bioactive hydrogels for scarless corneal repair
Authors: Huang Jianan , Jiang Tuoying , Qie Jiqiao , Cheng Xiaoyu , Wang Yiyao , Ye Yang , Yang Zhuoheng , Yan Hongji , Yao Ke , Han Haijie
Published: December 2024

Corneal injury–induced fibrosis occurs because of corneal epithelial basement membrane (EBM) injury and defective regeneration. Corneal fibrosis inhibition and transparency restoration depend on reestablished EBM, where the collagen network provides structural stability and heparan sulfate binds corneal epithelium–derived cytokines to regulate homeostasis. Inspired by this, bioactive hydrogels (Hep@Gel) composed of collagen-derived gelatins and highly anionic heparin were constructed for scarless corneal repair. Hep@Gel resembled the barrier function of the EBM regarding surface-confined binding, long-time sequestration, and progressive degradation of IL-1, TGF-β, and PDGF-BB, which robustly inhibited the apoptosis and myofibroblast transition of keratocytes. Animal models of rabbits and nonhuman primates confirmed that Hep@Gel effectively limited the influx of inflammatory and fibrotic cytokines from the epithelium into the stroma to down-regulate the wound healing cascade, contributing to better vision quality with 73% reduced fibrosis. Hep@Gel offers a solution for preventing corneal injury–induced scarring and substituting for lamellar keratoplasty to remove scarring.
Haptiknit: Distributed stiffness knitting for wearable haptics
Authors: du Pasquier Cosima , Tessmer Lavender , Scholl Ian , Tilton Liana , Chen Tian , Tibbits Skylar , Okamura Allison
Published: December 2024

Haptic devices typically rely on rigid actuators and bulky power supply systems, limiting wearability. Soft materials improve comfort, but careful distribution of stiffness is required to ground actuation forces and enable load transfer to the skin. We present Haptiknit, an approach in which soft, wearable, knit textiles with embedded pneumatic actuators enable programmable haptic display. By integrating pneumatic actuators within high- and low-stiffness machine-knit layers, each actuator can transmit 40 newtons in force with a bandwidth of 14.5 hertz. We demonstrate the concept with an adjustable sleeve for the forearm coupled to an untethered pneumatic control system that conveys a diverse array of social touch signals. We assessed the sleeve’s performance for discriminative and affective touch in a three-part user study and compared our results with those of prior electromagnetically actuated approaches. Haptiknit improves touch localization compared with vibrotactile stimulation and communicates social touch cues with fewer actuators than pneumatic textiles that do not invoke distributed stiffness. The Haptiknit sleeve resulted in similar recognition of social touch gestures compared to a voice-coil array but represented a more portable and comfortable form factor.
Striatal stimulation enhances cognitive control and evidence processing in rodents and humans
Authors: Reimer Adriano E. , Dastin-van Rijn Evan M. , Kim Jaejoong , Mensinger Megan E. , Sachse Elizabeth M. , Wald Aaron , Hoskins Eric , Singh Kartikeya , Alpers Abigail , Cooper Dawson , Lo Meng-Chen , de Oliveira Amanda Ribeiro , Simandl Gregory , Stephenson Nathaniel , Widge Alik S.
Published: December 2024

Brain disorders, in particular mental disorders, might be effectively treated by direct electrical brain stimulation, but clinical progress requires understanding of therapeutic mechanisms. Animal models have not helped, because there are no direct animal models of mental illness. Here, we propose a potential path past this roadblock, by leveraging a common ingredient of most mental disorders: impaired cognitive control. We previously showed that deep brain stimulation (DBS) improves cognitive control in humans. We now reverse translate that result using a set-shifting task in rats. DBS-like stimulation of the midstriatum improved reaction times without affecting accuracy, mirroring our human findings. Impulsivity, motivation, locomotor, and learning effects were ruled out through companion tasks and model-based analyses. To identify the specific cognitive processes affected, we applied reinforcement learning drift-diffusion modeling. This approach revealed that DBS-like stimulation enhanced evidence accumulation rates and lowered decision thresholds, improving domain-general cognitive control. Reanalysis of prior human data showed that the same mechanism applies in humans. This reverse/forward translational model could have near-term implications for clinical DBS practice and future trial design.
An influenza mRNA vaccine protects ferrets from lethal infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus
Authors: Hatta Masato , Hatta Yasuko , Choi Angela , Hossain Jaber , Feng Chenchen , Keller Matthew W. , Ritter Jana M. , Huang Ying , Fang Emma , Pusch Elizabeth A. , Rowe Thomas , De La Cruz Juan A. , Johnson Monique C. , Liddell Jimma , Jiang Nannan , Stadlbauer Daniel , Liu Li , Bhattacharjee Arindam K. , Rouse Joseph R. , Currier Michael , Wang Li , Levine Min Z. , Kirby Marie K. , Steel John , Di Han , Barnes John R. , Henry Carole , Davis C. Todd , Nachbagauer Raffael , Wentworth David E. , Zhou Bin
Published: December 2024

The global spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus poses a serious pandemic threat, necessitating the swift development of effective vaccines. The success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology in the COVID-19 pandemic, marked by its rapid development and scalability, demonstrates its potential for addressing other infectious threats, such as HPAI A(H5N1). We therefore evaluated mRNA vaccine candidates targeting panzootic influenza A(H5) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses, which have been shown to infect a range of mammalian species, including most recently being detected in dairy cattle. Ferrets were immunized with mRNA vaccines encoding either hemagglutinin alone or hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, derived from a 2.3.4.4b prototype vaccine virus recommended by the World Health Organization. Kinetics of the immune responses, as well as protection against a lethal challenge dose of A(H5N1) virus, were assessed. Two doses of mRNA vaccination elicited robust neutralizing antibody titers against a 2022 avian isolate and a 2024 human isolate. Further, mRNA vaccination conferred protection from lethal challenge, whereas all unvaccinated ferrets succumbed to infection. It also reduced viral titers in the upper and lower respiratory tracts of infected ferrets. These results underscore the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against HPAI A(H5N1), showcasing their potential as a vaccine platform for future influenza pandemics.
Erratum to: Development of Immunoassay for Detection of Engineered Endolysin LysAm24-SMAP
Authors: Klimova A. A. , Grigoriev I. V. , Vasina D. V. , Anurova M. N. , Gushchin V. A. , Antonova N. P.
Published: December 2024

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0003683824030013
Torticollis as an early manifestation of basilar invagination in a paediatric patient
Authors: Shata Nehal , Ali Jumanah , ALNosani Nouf , MacNay Ramsay
Published: December 2024

This case report describes the clinical journey of a male patient in early childhood with developmental delay, failure to thrive, worsening right-sided head tilt torticollis and regression of motor skills with spasticity of the lower limbs. The case was complex due to the early onset and gradually worsening symptoms, including a decline in established motor milestones. Genetic testing to investigate the delayed neurodevelopment revealed aFRA10AC1variant that did not fully explain the patient’s phenotype. Investigations were delayed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and other factors related to the patient. Eventually, MRI revealed basilar invagination with cord compression and cord oedema at the C1–C2 junction. Treatment included foramen magnum decompression and management of symptoms using a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment resulted in a remarkable recovery. The patient regained some motor abilities and reached the 50th weight percentile.
Affordability of Original and Generic Antihypertensive Drugs Under the National Centralized Drug Procurement Policy and Basic Medical Insurance System: A Cross‐Sectional Survey in Xi’an, China
Authors: Zou Yamin , Mao Jing , Dong Yalin , Yang Luting , Dong Weihua , Hao Yan
Published: December 2024

Chinese government had implemented 8 rounds of National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP) in mainland China from 2019 to 2023. The purpose of this study is to assess the affordability profile and variation of policy‐related antihypertensive drugs in the context of NCDP, generic substitution, and basic medical insurance policy pre‐NCDP (in 2018) and post‐NCDP (in 2023) in Xi’an. The affordability of 34 NCDP policy‐related drugs, including 17 bid‐winning generic drugs (GDs) in the NCDP list and 17 originator brands (OBs) containing the same ingredients with these GDs, was analyzed and compared, respectively, by the standard survey method of World Health Organization and Health Action International (i.e., the ratio of monthly out‐of‐pocket expenditure to minimum daily wage standard). Under pre‐NCDP policy, the monthly out‐of‐pocket drug cost of all OBs and 10 GDs was more than 1 day’s wage and was unaffordable. Under post‐NCDP policy, the affordability of all drugs was improved dramatically; for uninsured patients, 11 OBs and only GD (lercanidipine tablets) were still unaffordable; for patients with Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance, all of OBs and GDs were affordable, and for patients with Urban and Rural Residents Basic Medical Insurance, 7 OBs were unaffordable, and all of GDs was considered affordable. The implementation of the NCDP policy had remarkably enhanced affordability of selected drugs. GDs are more affordable than OBs. There was obvious affordability discrepancy between outpatients with different types of medical insurance in Xi’an. To enhance affordability of antihypertensive drugs, more effective and long‐term measures should be implemented, such as expanding the scope of centralized purchased drugs, promoting substitution of GDs for OBs, and increasing reimbursement of outpatient drug expenses for patients with urban and rural residents’ basic medical insurance.
¿Por qué hay rotación de los Millennial en las Firmas de Auditoría en Colombia?
Authors: González Rojas Tatiana Marcela , Restrepo Quintero Katherine
Published: December 2024

La rotación de personal es una problemática en la cual las organizaciones disponen tiempo y recursos para garantizar que los empleados calificados y especializados se vinculen el mayor tiempo posible con la organización, dados los costos intrínsecos que se originan en la capacitación y actualización de los profesionales. En este sentido, las Firmas de Auditoría, usan sus recursos para el sostenimiento de condiciones e implementación de estrategias que contribuyan a la satisfacción laboral; este artículo responde ¿Cuáles son los factores que inciden en la rotación del personal en las Firmas de Auditoría en Colombia teniendo en cuenta la convergencia de la generación millennial? Para ello, se hizo una investigación cualitativa, que aplicó entrevistas a socios, gerentes y contadores vinculados a las Firmas de Auditoría en Colombia. Dentro de las conclusiones se pudo evidenciar que la apertura económica y la creciente expansión del mercado ha permitido que los millennial encuentren nuevas oportunidades y satisfagan el deseo de crecimiento en su vida personal, de esta manera las estrategias usadas organizacionalmente quedan limitadas, dado que es impredecible reconocer en qué punto de desarrollo profesional los colaboradores se sentirán insatisfechos al identificar que el mercado laboral y mundial puede ofrecerles un panorama de crecimiento mayor, por lo cual se hace necesario que las Firmas de Auditoría presenten planes de crecimiento que sean realizables.
Supplementary Figure S7 from Oxygen-Enhanced MRI Detects Incidence, Onset, and Heterogeneity of Radiation-Induced Hypoxia Modification in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Dubec Michael J. , Price James , Berks Michael , Gaffney John , Little Ross A. , Porta Nuria , Sridharan Nivetha , Datta Anubhav , McHugh Damien J. , Hague Christina J. , Cheung Susan , Manoharan Prakash , van Herk Marcel , Choudhury Ananya , Matthews Julian C. , Parker Geoff J.M. , Buckley David L. , Harrington Kevin J. , McPartlin Andrew , O’Connor James P.B.
Published: December 2024

Supplementary Figure S7. Treatment-induced changes in OE-MRI biomarker ΔR1.
Supplementary Figure S1 from Oxygen-Enhanced MRI Detects Incidence, Onset, and Heterogeneity of Radiation-Induced Hypoxia Modification in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Dubec Michael J. , Price James , Berks Michael , Gaffney John , Little Ross A. , Porta Nuria , Sridharan Nivetha , Datta Anubhav , McHugh Damien J. , Hague Christina J. , Cheung Susan , Manoharan Prakash , van Herk Marcel , Choudhury Ananya , Matthews Julian C. , Parker Geoff J.M. , Buckley David L. , Harrington Kevin J. , McPartlin Andrew , O’Connor James P.B.
Published: December 2024

Supplementary Figure S1. Summary of MR imaging protocol and gas challenge timings.
Figure 2 from Oxygen-Enhanced MRI Detects Incidence, Onset, and Heterogeneity of Radiation-Induced Hypoxia Modification in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Dubec Michael J. , Price James , Berks Michael , Gaffney John , Little Ross A. , Porta Nuria , Sridharan Nivetha , Datta Anubhav , McHugh Damien J. , Hague Christina J. , Cheung Susan , Manoharan Prakash , van Herk Marcel , Choudhury Ananya , Matthews Julian C. , Parker Geoff J.M. , Buckley David L. , Harrington Kevin J. , McPartlin Andrew , O’Connor James P.B.
Published: December 2024

HVMRI changes at W2. A, Waterfall plot showing the percentage change in HVMRI from BL to W2 in all lesions, categorized as primary tumors or nodal metastases. B, Analysis of the 17 lesions imaged at both W2 and W4 compares the reduction from BL at W2 (light blue) and W4 (dark blue). Dashed lines are the asymmetrical RC LOA for HVMRI (i.e., −45.7% and +84.1%).
Table S6 from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

Benchmarking results for breast cancer subtype classification with cross-validation
Table S2 from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

Computation time for DeePathNet
Materials and Methods from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

Evaluation metrics
Figure S4 from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

ROC curves and precision-recall curves for TCGA cancer type classification
Regorafenib for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Real-World Practice (REFINE): A Prospective, Observational Study
Authors: Kim Yoon Jun , Merle Philippe , Finn Richard S. , Kudo Masatoshi , Klümpen Heinz-Josef , Lim Ho Yeong , Ikeda Masafumi , Granito Alessandro , Masi Gianluca , Gerolami René , Cho Sung Bum , Hsu Chih-Hung , Huang Yi-Hsiang , Jeng Long-Bin , Kim Do Young , Lin Shi-Ming , Pinter Matthias , Shao Guoliang , Kato Naoya , Kurosaki Masayuki , Numata Kazushi , Kuo Kung-Kai , Mao Yilei , Lin Yih-Jyh , Zhu Kangshun , Twumasi-Ankrah Philip , Khan Javeed , Awan Maria , Ozgurdal Kirhan , Qin Shukui
Published: December 2024

Introduction: In the phase 3 RESORCE trial, regorafenib prolonged overall survival (OS) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) whose disease progressed on prior sorafenib. The prospective, observational REFINE study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of regorafenib in a broader population of patients in real-world clinical practice, including patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≥2, Child–Pugh B liver status, and sorafenib-intolerance.

Methods: This international, prospective, multicenter study (NCT03289273) enrolled patients with uHCC for whom the decision to treat with regorafenib was made by their physician before enrollment, according to the local health authority-approved label. The primary aim was to evaluate the safety of regorafenib, including the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and dose modifications due to TEAEs.

Results: Of the 1,028 patients enrolled, 1,005 initiated regorafenib and were eligible for analysis. Median age was 66 years (range 21–94); most patients were male (83%), Child–Pugh A (61%), and had an ECOG PS of 0 or 1 (82%) at study entry. Overall, 47%, 11%, and 40% of patients initiated regorafenib at 160, 120, and 80 mg/day, respectively. Median treatment duration was 3.7 months (range 1 day–38.9 months). Dose modifications and permanent discontinuation of regorafenib due to TEAEs occurred in 45% and 31% of patients, respectively. The most common drug-related TEAEs were hand–foot skin reaction (31%), diarrhea (26%), and fatigue (15%). Median OS was 13.2 months (95% confidence interval 11.6, 14.8).

Conclusion: The results of the real-world REFINE study confirmed the safety and effectiveness of regorafenib in a broad population of patients with uHCC. Of patients who received standard regorafenib dosing in REFINE, safety and efficacy findings were consistent with those reported in the RESORCE trial.
Intense Language Contact and Collapse of Lexical Strata
Authors: Gaeta Livio
Published: December 2024

In Töitschu, a variety of Walser German spoken in the language island of Issime in Aosta Valley, a verbalizing suffix -urun is found with a significant number of verbs. In the paper, its enhanced productivity is argued to result from the merger of two different patterns. This is the consequence of the leveling of the native Germanic and of the non-native Romance lexical strata due to the combined effect of two distinct phonological changes forcing initial stress and vowel harmony. The collapse of the stratal distinction must be seen within the peculiar sociolinguistic environment resulting from intense contact due to high multilingualism in the context of adult L2-learning.