bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Input Energy Reduction‐Oriented Control and Analytical Design of Inerter‐Enabled Isolators for Large‐Span Structures
Authors: Kang Jianfei , Zhao Zhipeng , Li Yixian , Xie Liyu , Xue Songtao
Published: September 2024

Seismic isolation technologies for large‐span structures have rapidly developed alongside the popularization of the seismic resilience concept. To produce a high‐efficiency isolation technology with lower energy dissipation demands, this paper proposes a novel inerter‐enabled isolator (IeI) and a tailored input energy reduction‐oriented design method. The inerter‐based damper within the IeI is developed by combining the dashpot, tuning spring, and two inerters to facilitate the optimization of inerter distribution. Assuming the large‐span structure remains linear, the overall seismic input energy of the large‐span structure with IeIs and its allocation in the superstructure and additional damping are quantified using stochastic energy analysis. The advantages of the IeI over the conventional linear viscous damper (LVD) isolator are elucidated through dimensionless parametric analysis. Based on the results of parametric analysis, an input energy reduction‐oriented design method is proposed for the IeI, along with an easy‐to‐follow diagram that helps with preliminary design in practical applications. The effectiveness of the IeI and the proposed design method is validated through a design case study of a benchmark large‐span structure. The results demonstrate that the IeI reduces the seismic response of large‐span structures by simultaneously employing the input energy reduction effect of grounded inerters with the damping‐enhancing effect of inerter‐based dampers. The proposed design method effectively balances the performance of controlling the large‐span structure and the isolator displacement. Under consistent control performance and isolator displacement constraints, the IeI requires much less damping coefficient and energy dissipation capacity than the conventional LVD isolator. Moreover, leveraging the damping enhancement and input energy reduction effects, the IeI achieves comparable control performance to the conventional LVD isolator, even under stricter isolator displacement constraints.
Dynamics of Cylindrical Collapse in Palatini Gravity
Authors: Saleem Sana , Manzoor Rubab , Mardan S. A. , Shahzadi Sundas
Published: September 2024

This research explores how filamentary objects behave when they collapse in the presence of exotic material. To accomplish this, we employ Palatini (R, T) theory as a candidate for exotic material. We derive the collapsing equation by enforcing the Darmois junction condition on the collapsed surface boundary. At this boundary, we obtain that the radial pressure is proportionate to the time‐dependent term of the field and is not zero. Lastly, we investigate the correlation between dark matter and gravitational waves and find that exotic terms disrupt the transmission of gravitational waves. It is worthwhile to mention here that our results (in both formalisms, metric approach and Palatini approach) reduce to (R) gravity and general relativity.
Combinations of HDAC Inhibitor and PPAR Agonist Induce Ferroptosis of Leukemic Stem Cell–like Cells in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Zhou Hui , Qin Dongmei , Xie Chendi , Zhou Jie , Jia Shuman , Zhou Ziwei , Qiu Yi , Xu Bing , Zha Jie
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

Leukemic stem cells (LSC) are responsible for leukemia initiation, relapse, and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting LSCs is urgently needed for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Experimental Design:

The LSC-like cell lines (KG-1α and Kasumi-1) and CD34+ primary AML cells purified from patients with AML (n = 23) treated with CS055 and/or chiglitazar and were analyzed for viability, death, and colony formation assay. We performed RNA sequencing, glutamate release, intracellular glutathione, lipid reactive oxygen species, transmission electron microscopy, and Western blotting assay and confirmed ferroptosis in LSC-like cells. The luciferase reporter, co-immunoprecipitation, histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3)-shRNA/HDAC3/deacetylase-deficient LSC-like cell lines, histidine pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays performed to clarify the molecular mechanism of CS055/chiglitazar in LSC-like cells. We also established cell-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft mouse models to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of CS055/chiglitazar against AML in vivo.

Results:

We report that the HDAC inhibitor CS055, in combination with peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor pan-agonist (chiglitazar), synergistically targets leukemic stem-like cells from leukemia cell lines and patient samples while sparing normal hematopoietic progenitor cells. Mechanistically, chiglitazar enhances the inhibitory effect of CS055 on HDAC3 and induces ferroptosis in LSC-like cells by downregulating the expression of ferroptosis suppressor SLC7A11. In fact, the inhibition of HDAC3 increases H3K27AC levels in the promoter region of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a transcriptional repressor of the SLC7A11 gene, and upregulates the expression of ATF3. In contrast, ATF4, a SLC7A11 activator, is suppressed by HDAC3 inhibition.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that treatment with CS055 combined with chiglitazar will target LSCs by inducing ferroptosis and may confer an effective approach for the treatment of AML.
Multidimensional Immunotyping of Human NF1-Associated Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors Uncovers Tumor-Associated Macrophages as Key Drivers of Immune Evasion in the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Zhang Lindy , Maalouf Alexandre , Makri Stavriani C. , Banerjee Jineta , Suru Aditya , Tam Ada J. , Calizo Ana , Pollard Kai , Wang Jiawan , Danilova Ludmila , Ioannou Maria , Levin Adam S. , Morris Carol D. , Rhee Daniel S. , Belzberg Allan J. , Blakeley Jaishri O. , Ladle Brian H. , Pardoll Drew M. , Lucas Calixto-Hope G. , Rodriguez Fausto J. , Gross John M. , Anders Robert A. , Pratilas Christine A. , Llosa Nicolas J.
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are aggressive soft-tissue sarcomas and the leading cause of mortality in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Despite many clinical trials, outcomes for patients with MPNST have remained stagnant, and most succumb to their disease; thus, novel therapeutic approaches are needed. A better understanding of the MPNST immune ecosystem will aid in the development of strategies to activate the immune system against the tumor. In this study, we profile the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in NF1-associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) to discover insights on the role played by tumor-infiltrating immune cells in malignant transformation.

Experimental Design:

Using fresh and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from patients diagnosed with NF1-PNST, we dissected the TIME through IHC, multiparameter flow cytometry, and comparative transcriptomic studies.

Results:

Immunophenotyping confirmed increased immune cell infiltration during malignant progression, with a predominance of infiltrating myeloid cells, particularly CD163+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). The T cells within MPNST exhibited signs of tumor activation, characterized by high programmed cell death 1 expression. Additionally, MPNST specimens demonstrated elevated levels of immunosuppressive TAM, with heightened PD-L1 expression. The proportion of CD163+ myeloid cells within the TIME correlated with poorer progression-free survival. Notably, loss of H3K27 trimethylation correlated with low immune cell infiltration in MPNST.

Conclusions:

Malignant transformation of NF1-PNST is characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment comprising TAM with high expression of PD-L1, which is associated with inferior outcomes. These findings suggest the clinical potential of immune-modulating therapeutics that can unleash an antitumor immune response.
A Novel Human SDHA-Knockout Cell Line Model for the Functional Analysis of Clinically Relevant SDHA Variants
Authors: Kent Jason D. , Klug Lillian R. , Heinrich Michael C.
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

SDHA mutations are the most common cause of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)–deficient GIST. Enhanced cancer surveillance of individuals carrying a known pathogenic germline SDHA mutation has the potential to detect early-stage tumors, allowing for improved patient outcomes. However, more than 95% of the >1,000 SDHA missense variants listed in ClinVar are variants of uncertain significance. Our ability to interpret the significance of SDHA variants must improve before genetic sequencing can be utilized to its full potential.

Experimental Design:

SDHA variants were introduced into a clonal SDHA-knockout cell line via Bxb1-mediated recombination. SDH activity and SDHA abundance were determined for each variant, and logistic regression analysis was used to derive functional evidence for clinical variant interpretation.

Results:

Our analysis revealed that cancer-associated SDHA missense variants can be clearly distinguished from noncancer variants according to the extent of SDH dysfunction caused. As such, SDH activity data can be used to predict cancer pathogenicity with strong performance metrics, exceeding those of computational prediction tools. From these data, we obtained functional evidence for clinical variant interpretation from 21 of 22 assayed variants of uncertain significance, with 19 in favor of cancer pathogenicity and two against pathogenicity. Lastly, simulating the addition of our functional evidence with limited preexisting evidence allowed for 18 of 22 variants to be reclassified.

Conclusions:

We describe a novel pipeline for investigating the functional consequences of SDHA missense variants. In total, we characterized 72 variants, developed criteria for obtaining functional evidence, and demonstrated the potential of this evidence for clinical variant interpretation.
Update on Surveillance for Wilms Tumor and Hepatoblastoma in Beckwith–Wiedemann Syndrome and Other Predisposition Syndromes
Authors: Kalish Jennifer M. , Becktell Kerri D. , Bougeard Gaëlle , Brodeur Garrett M. , Diller Lisa R. , Doria Andrea S. , Hansford Jordan R. , Klein Steven D. , Kohlmann Wendy K. , Kratz Christian P. , MacFarland Suzanne P. , Pajtler Kristian W. , Rednam Surya P. , Schienda Jaclyn , States Lisa J. , Villani Anita , Weksberg Rosanna , Zelley Kristin , Tomlinson Gail E. , Brzezinski Jack J.
Published: September 2024

Wilms tumors are commonly associated with predisposition syndromes, many but not all of which include overgrowth. Several of these syndromes also include a risk of other embryonal malignancies—particularly hepatoblastoma. Guidelines for surveillance in this population were published in 2017, and recently, members of the American Association for Cancer Research Pediatric Cancer Working Group met to update those guidelines with a review of more recently published evidence and risk estimates. This perspective serves to update pediatric oncologists, geneticists, radiologists, counselors, and other health care professionals on revised diagnostic criteria; review previously published surveillance guidelines; and harmonize updated surveillance recommendations in the North American and Australian contexts for patients with overgrowth syndromes and other syndromes associated with Wilms tumor predisposition.
Retaliatory Tariffs of China during the Trade War: A Firm-level Overview
Authors: Liu Nan , Tian Wei , Zheng Chunru
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we offer a comprehensive survey of the latest research regarding the pass-through of tariffs during the trade war between China and the United States, with an emphasis on the investigations conducted from the Chinese perspective. While one might anticipate symmetric effects on both the United States and China, these nations exhibit substantial disparities in terms of trade structure and policy. We underscore two salient concerns that have been largely neglected in extant literature: (1) the exemption of processing imports from retaliatory tariffs in China, which may engender biased estimations of pass-through at the product level, and (2) the heterogeneous distribution of retaliatory tariffs across product classifications, firm ownership structures, and geographical regions, necessitating more granular estimations at the firm level. Furthermore, we provide a detailed description of firm import tariffs, emphasizing the crucial role of tailored policies in mitigating the repercussions of the trade conflict.
Trauma Healing through Psalms 136–139: a Trauma-Informed Canon-Critical Framework
Authors: Garland John , Poe Hays Rebecca W.
Published: September 2024

This article draws together insights from trauma theory and the conversation in Psalms scholarship known as “Psalmenexegese und Psalterexegese” or as the question of “shape and shaping” to propose a reading of Pss 136–139 as a pathway to trauma healing. This sequence of psalms moves participants toward healing by preparing them for the work of trauma healing through a mantra-like focus (Ps 136), unleashing the full range of human stress-responses to trauma (Ps 137), directly answering each of these stress-responses (Ps 138), and then—in a dramatic resolution—characterizing God as intimately concerned with human biology and life while continuing to acknowledge ongoing experiences of pain and injustice (Ps 139). The article illustrates the proposed framework for trauma healing with examples from pastoral work with asylum-seekers.
Reader-Created Content: the ‘Reader and Reporter’ (Dokja wa gija) Features in the Donga ilbo, January–November 1925
Authors: Shin Michael D.
Published: September 2024

This article examines the ‘Reader and Reporter’ (Dokja wa gija) section of the newspaper Donga ilbo, which first appeared on 1 January 1925. Readers could both submit articles on topics selected by reporters and suggest topics for reporters to write about. Over the course of its run, a total of thirty-one features were published, only five of which were written by readers. The ‘Reader and Reporter’ section provides a direct view of the interactions between reporters and readers that shaped the format and content of the newspaper. After an overview of the society desk and the society page of the newspaper, this article focuses on the most common type of feature requested by readers: personal profiles of well-known figures. They can be seen as efforts to counter two trends of the time: the forgetting of the 1919 March First Movement and the depoliticization of women.
Legal Feminism: Wang Ruqi and the 1950 Marriage Law
Authors: Li Shangyang , He Qiliang
Published: September 2024

This article analyses Wang Ruqi’s 王汝琪 (1912–1990) contribution to the drafting of the 1950 Marriage Law, the first codified law promulgated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It argues that Wang–who had been a legal specialist and a female political activist dating back to the 1930s and 1940s–was the actual author of the law’s first draft. In rehabilitating Wang’s long-forgotten contribution to the making of the Marriage Law, this study highlights that, first of all, lawmaking in the early years of the PRC was characterized by legal “professionalism,” rather than the “vernacularism” that scholars in recent years have tended to ascribe to this period. Second, Wang was an exemplary figure of a new breed of “state feminists” in the PRC, which we term “state-legal feminists.” State-legal feminists, like state feminists in general, were brought into the PRC state apparatus and took advantage of their role in the state to advance sociopolitical agendas. However, they differed from their fellow state feminists because they firmly believed that the state’s will and intent could be best articulated and exercised through codified laws and legal institutions. The making of the Marriage Law thus exemplifies the state-legal feminist approach insofar as it resorted to a codified law to push for the political agendas of women’s emancipation and restructuring families in China. While recent scholarship highlights the politicization of the law in the 1953 campaign to promote the Marriage Law, this study inverts this by addressing the legalization of political and social movements.
From Rent and Interest Reduction to the “May Fourth” Directive: Rent Reduction and the Settling of Accounts during the Transitional Period – A Study Centered on Guo County in the Jin-Sui Border Region
Authors: Yue Qianhou , Su Ming
Published: September 2024

Rent reduction and the settling of accounts was an essential pathway for the CCP’s land policy to transition from the policy of rent and interest reduction to “land to the tiller.” It primarily involved peasants obtaining a certain amount of productive and living resources from those targeted in the settling of accounts. As the fruits of the settlement were distributed, subtle changes in land rights occurred among various social strata in certain areas and villages of Guo County, showing a trend of “stability in the middle, equality at both ends” 中间不动，两头平. To be sure, during the process of rent reduction and the settling of accounts, the CCP had to face numerous challenges due to the low level of peasants’ ideological consciousness, interference from hostile forces, and poor attitudes and work styles of cadres. However, with effective policy measures, the movement in Guo County achieved significant success. Peasants experienced a dual economic and political liberation to a certain extent, greatly stimulating their enthusiasm for production and for enlistment in the army. Meanwhile, the ranks of the CCP were tempered through this struggle, accumulating valuable experience for the implementation of subsequent land reform policies.
Glycerol conversion and power generation in microbial fuel cells: insect exuviae biochar as electrodes and insect frass as biostimulants
Authors: Lin C.-W. , Liu S.-H. , Chang A.-S. , Cheng Y.-S.
Published: September 2024

Insects are a suitable raw material for refinement into biodiesel owing to their high fat content, but the refining process produces large amounts of insect waste and glycerol as a byproduct. Biochar electrodes were produced from insect waste for application in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and experiments were performed to evaluate the electrochemical performance and glycerol conversion efficiency. The biochar was characterized by rich functional groups (O–H, O=C=O, C=C, C=O) and high microporosity, which favored the colonization of microbes. Among the electrode configurations considered, the optimal configuration was a biochar anode and carbon cloth cathode (B-MFC), showing the highest glycerol conversion efficiency (>95%). The B-MFC also exhibited the highest power density (122.3 mA/m3), 1.46-2.34 times that of the other MFCs tested. Adding Nitrogen-rich insect frass to the anode tank further stimulated microbial growth and increased power production, with the highest voltage output of 443.2 mV at 10 mg/L nitrogen concentration, 1.18 times higher than without addition. This study is the first to utilize insect exuviae as biochar electrodes in an MFC to solve the problems of excessive insect waste from biodiesel refinement and converting glycerol into a renewable energy source.
المشاركة في الانتخابات العامة بين التنظير الفقهي والدراسات الإبستقراطية: مقاربة مقاصدية أخلاقية
Authors: أمزيان محمد
Published: September 2024

الخلاصة

‫تعاملت الأدبيات السياسية الإسلامية المعاصرة مع موضوع الانتخابات من منظور تأصيلي يسوغ مواقف إيجابية مسبقة، وكان من نتائج هذه المنهجية أنها أغفلت التداعيات السلبية التي تلازم العملية الانتخابية. ومن هذا المنطلق تتبنى هذه الورقة مقاربة نقدية من شأنها أن تحفز العقل الفقهي المعاصر على التعامل العقلاني مع هذا الموضوع بهدف الإسهام في تخليق المشاركة السياسية بدلًا من تكريس أخطائها. والتصور الذي تقترحه هذه الدراسة هو تقييد الانتخابات العامة بضوابط أخلاقية ومعرفية من شأنها أن تقلل من التداعيات السلبية التي تلازم ظاهرة التحزب السياسي. وهذا التصور يحظى بتوافق كل من الفقهاء المسلمين ورواد النظرية الإبستقراطية، وكلاهما يقدم أفكارا متقدمة تشكل تحديًا لتقاليد الممارسة الديموقراطية على مستوى المشاركة السياسية.‬
Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses revealed a new invertebrate-pathogenic fungus Akanthomyces bannaensis (Cordycipitaceae, Ascomycota), in China
Authors: ZHANG XUNCHI , FU ZHONGHONG , LU FEI , SONG JIUSHAN , ZHAO CHANGLIN
Published: September 2024

The ubiquitous yet diverse associations between insects and fungi have long evolved. At the same time, the interactions between beetles, microbes, and hosts have not been well documented, especially for new fungi taxa. Two interesting specimens of Akanthomyces were found on adult moths of Dudusa sphingiformis in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. These specimens were identified as a new species based on morphology and phylogeny. Akanthomyces bannaensis sp. nov. is characterized by being determined to occur on an adult of Dudusa sphingiformis and synnemata arising from a moth body up to 5 cm long and 0.1–1.3 mm wide, unbranched, cylindrical to clavate with acute or blunt end. The morphological identification and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, nLSU, and RPB2 sequence data support A. bannaensis as a new species, in which A. bannaensis is sister to A. pyralidarum. A full description, illustrations and phylogenetic analysis results of the new species are provided.
Dahlstedtia colombiana (Millettieae, Papilionoideae, Fabaceae), a new species and first record of the genus from Colombia and its Seasonally Tropical Dry Forest
Authors: TRUJILLO-LÓPEZ ANA MARÍA , ARIZA-CORTÉS WILLIAM , LONDOÑO-ECHEVERRI YEISON
Published: September 2024

A new species of Dahlstedtia from Colombia is described and illustrated with notes about its geographical distribution, phenology, conservation status and taxonomic affinities. Dahlstedtia colombiana shares with D. muehlbergiana their leaves often with 9–11 opposite leaflets, leaflets abaxially silky as well as wide samaroid fruits coriaceous to woody, indumented with few seeds. However, the new species can be distinguished by its leaflet bases truncate to rounded, leaflet secondary veins not reaching at the secondary marginal vein, shorter secondary bracts and bracteoles, longer flowering pedicels, and its fruits silky and khaki colored. Dahlstedtia colombiana inhabits the Seasonally Tropical Dry Forest in the Cauca and Magdalena Rivers Valleys, a highly disturbed ecosystem inside the country. This new species represents the first record of Dahlstedtia from Colombia although other species have been recorded from all neighboring countries. Some specimens of D. colombiana were collected on an unknown date between the ending of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries in the expedition led by Jose Celestino Mutis, which geographical provenance is briefly discussed here.
Aspidistra tripartita (Asparagaceae, Convallarioideae), a new species from Vietnam
Authors: VISLOBOKOV NIKOLAY A. , MOSHKINA NATALIA A. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P. , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , LE SON XUAN , ROMANOV MIKHAIL S. , DROKINA VICTORIA G. , LYSKOV DMITRY F. , KOPYLOV-GUSKOV YURY O. , NURALIEV MAXIM S.
Published: September 2024

Aspidistra tripartita, a new species of Asparagaceae, is described and illustrated. The species was discovered in 2019 in Son La Province, northern Vietnam. Aspidistra tripartita belongs to a group of species characterized by campanulate to cupulate perianth tube and deeply lobed stigma. The new species is readily distinguishable from the other species of this group by thick rhizome (more than 10.5 mm in diameter), long and narrow ensiform leaf blades (28–71.5 cm long and 2.6–3.1 cm wide), and stamens with supraconnectives.
Dicranum nepalense (Dicranaceae, Dicranales), a new species with fragile leaves from Nepal Himalayas
Authors: HUANG WEN-ZHUAN , ZHENG TIAN-XIONG , WU YU-HUAN , YU MENG-JIE
Published: September 2024

Dicranum Hedw. is a highly diverse and widely distributed genus within Dicranaceae, with over 95 species currently accepted. However, the species diversity and distribution of this genus in the Nepal Himalayas are still poorly understood. During our recent reexamination of older herbarium materials, we encountered intriguing specimens from Nepal annotated as “Dicranodontium nepalense”—a nomenclaturally invalid name due to the lack of a diagnosis and description when published. Here, we describe it as a new species, Dicranum nepalense W.Z.Huang, T.X.Zheng & Y.Huan Wu. This species is characterized by the fragile leaf apex, which is often absent in the lower portion of the plant; some leaves fractures at the base, with residual alar cells on the stem, forming a leafless section; a smooth leaf apex; rectangular, thick-walled, strongly porose laminal cells in the upper leaf portion; marginal cells narrower than the inner laminal cells, not porose; transverse section of the costa shows one row of guide cells and one row of slightly smaller cells below, without stereid bands; bistratose alar cells; and a differentiated central strand. In addition, a key for identification of the species of Dicranum with fragile leaves is provided.
Blakea cubarralensis (Melastomataceae: Pyxidantheae): a new species from Colombia
Authors: URREA JOHAN , MENDOZA-CIFUENTES HUMBERTO , GARCÍA NÉSTOR , ROJAS LYNDON CARVAJAL
Published: September 2024

A new species of Blakea (Melastomataceae) from the department of Meta, Colombia is described and illustrated here, with comments on its etymology, distribution and habitat, phenology, conservation status and taxonomic affinities. Blakea cubarralensis sp. nov. is readily distinguished by its floral bracteoles that are longer than the calyx lobes, the outer pair ovate-elliptic with a long-acuminate apex and 3-nerved, the lobed calyx, the anther connective prolonged into a blunt knob and the ovary 12-locular. The new species is categorized as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List. This novelty highlights the importance of sub-andean forests and the need to conserve and increase botanical explorations in them.
Dexamethasone dose intensity does not impact outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a secondary SWOG analysis
Authors: Banerjee Rahul , Sexton Rachael , Cowan Andrew J. , Rosenberg Aaron S. , Ailawadhi Sikander , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Kumar Shaji , Dispenzieri Angela , Lonial Sagar , Durie Brian G. M. , Richardson Paul G. , Usmani Saad Z. , Hoering Antje , Orlowski Robert Z.
Published: September 2024

Dexamethasone is a key component of induction for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), despite common toxicities, including hyperglycemia and insomnia. In the randomized ECOG E4A03 trial, dexamethasone 40 mg once weekly was associated with lower mortality than higher doses. However, the performance of dexamethasone dose reductions below this threshold with regard to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in NDMM has not been fully characterized. We conducted a secondary pooled analysis of the SWOG 0777 and SWOG 1211 studies of NDMM, which used lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) alone, with or without bortezomib, and with or without elotuzumab. The planned dexamethasone intensity was 40 to 60 mg weekly in all arms. Patients were categorized into FD-DEX (full-dose dexamethasone maintained throughout induction) or LD-DEX (lowered-dose dexamethasone or discontinuation; only permitted for grade 3+ toxicities per both study protocols). Of the 541 evaluated patients, the LD-DEX group comprised 373 patients (69%). There were no differences in PFS or OS between the FD-DEX and LD-DEX groups, which were balanced in terms of age, stage, and performance status. Predictors of PFS and OS in the multivariate models were treatment arm, age ≥70 years, and thrombocytopenia. FD-DEX did not significantly improve either outcome. Our study suggests that dexamethasone dose reductions are common in multiple myeloma, even within clinical trials. Given the many toxicities and unclear benefits of dexamethasone in the era of modern treatment regimens, dexamethasone dose reduction during NDMM induction warrants further prospective studies. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00644228 and NCT01668719.
A realistic benchmark for differential abundance testing and confounder adjustment in human microbiome studies
Authors: Wirbel Jakob , Essex Morgan , Forslund Sofia Kirke , Zeller Georg
Published: September 2024

Background

In microbiome disease association studies, it is a fundamental task to test which microbes differ in their abundance between groups. Yet, consensus on suitable or optimal statistical methods for differential abundance testing is lacking, and it remains unexplored how these cope with confounding. Previous differential abundance benchmarks relying on simulated datasets did not quantitatively evaluate the similarity to real data, which undermines their recommendations.

Results

Our simulation framework implants calibrated signals into real taxonomic profiles, including signals mimicking confounders. Using several whole meta-genome and 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets, we validate that our simulated data resembles real data from disease association studies much more than in previous benchmarks. With extensively parametrized simulations, we benchmark the performance of nineteen differential abundance methods and further evaluate the best ones on confounded simulations. Only classic statistical methods (linear models, the Wilcoxon test, t-test), limma, and fastANCOM properly control false discoveries at relatively high sensitivity. When additionally considering confounders, these issues are exacerbated, but we find that adjusted differential abundance testing can effectively mitigate them. In a large cardiometabolic disease dataset, we showcase that failure to account for covariates such as medication causes spurious association in real-world applications.

Conclusions

Tight error control is critical for microbiome association studies. The unsatisfactory performance of many differential abundance methods and the persistent danger of unchecked confounding suggest these contribute to a lack of reproducibility among such studies. We have open-sourced our simulation and benchmarking software to foster a much-needed consolidation of statistical methodology for microbiome research.
Mediation, emotion, and agency from an activity theoretical perspective as potential analytical tools for inquiry into language teacher cognition: clarifications and implications
Authors: Truong Khoa Dang
Published: September 2024

Drawing inspiration from the sociocultural turn in language teacher cognition research, this conceptual article argues for the utilisation of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a theoretical framework for researching and understanding teacher cognition as a social phenomenon. In this article, three CHAT-related concepts, namely mediation, including contradictions; emotion; and agency are expounded, drawn together, and proven as pertinent and useful analytical tools for the study of the complexity of teacher cognition. Its central thesis posits that CHAT accommodates teachers’ sociocultural activity systems whose mechanism is characterised by mediation that stimulates their emotional responses and agency for taking actions—a process through which teacher cognition unfolds in dynamic, developmental manners. By mapping these concepts, the article contributes to the extant scholarship by highlighting language teacher cognition as a mediated, emotional, and agentive process of transformation and providing critical epistemological implications for prospective empirical attempts in this line of research.
Relationships between human serum albumin levels and septic shock, in-hospital, and out-of-hospital mortality in elderly patients with pneumonia in different BMI ranges
Authors: Huang Sha , Chen Lanlan , Yang Ning , Zhang Jiao , Wang Yan , Chen Xiaoyan
Published: September 2024

Objective

This retrospective cohort identified the association of human serum albumin (HSA) with adverse outcomes (septic shock, in-hospital and out-of-hospital mortality) in elderly hospitalized patients who have community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and specific body mass index (BMI).

Materials and methods

This research included hospitalized CAP individuals (≥ 60 years) and was conducted at a teaching hospital in western China. All the patients were categorized into three populations based on two BMI cutoff values (18.5 kg/m2 and 24 kg/m2). The data was acquired from medical records, local government mortality databases, and telephone interviews. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations between low HSA and septic shock and in-hospital mortality, and Cox regression analysis was used to explore the association between low HSA and out-of-hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 627 patients were included in the analysis of in-hospital death and septic shock, and 431 patients were included in the analysis of out-of-hospital death. The study showed that 120 elderly patients with CAP (19.14%) died in the hospital, while 141 patients (32.71%) died out of the hospital, and 93 patients (14.83%) developed septic shock. No differences in in-hospital and out-of-hospital mortality were observed for BMI values < 18.5 kg/m2 or BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, regardless of whether HSA was ≥ 40 g/l or < 40 g/l. When 18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m2, patients with HSA < 40 g/l had both higher in-hospital and out-of-hospital mortality compared with those with HSA ≥ 40 g/l (in-hospital death: 26.13% vs. 11.46%, p < 0.001; out-of-hospital death: 46.15% vs. 19.17%, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of septic shock between patients with HSA < 40 g/l and those with HSA ≥ 40 g/l either in the overall population or when the BMI values were divided according to the cutoff values of 18.5 kg/m2 and 24 kg/m2. After further logistic regression analysis and adjustment for potential confounders, the results showed that when 18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m2, elderly CAP patients with HSA < 40 g/l had a higher risk of in-hospital and out-of-hospital mortality compared with those with HSA ≥ 40 g/l (in-hospital death: HR = 1.964, 95%CI = 1.08–3.573; out-of-hospital death: HR = 2.841, 95%CI = 1.745–4.627).

Conclusions

HSA levels can predict the risk of in-hospital and out-of-hospital mortality in elderly patients with CAP and normal BMI values. However, HSA cannot predict the risk of septic shock in elderly patients hospitalized with CAP, irrespective of their BMI classification.
An Inquiry into Children's Reading in One Urban School using SRA Reading Mastery (Direct Instruction)
Authors: Wiltz Nancy , Wilson G. Pat
Published: September 2024

This study focused on 27 second graders in one urban school that used SRA Reading Mastery. Children's strategy use, comprehension, and perception of the reading process were appraised using samples of oral reading with retellings; classroom observations; interviews with the children, their teachers, and the principal; and a phonics test. Results showed that visual and sound cues were used heavily when reading text, but nearly half of miscues were not meaningful substitutions. Children rarely self-corrected, and their use of nonwords was high. Phonics knowledge when reading pseudowords was in the average range. Most children tackled grade-level or above grade-level authored trade books, but their retellings, corroborated by our classroom observations, indicated that talk about stories without explicit guidance from teachers was uncommon. Retellings frequently lacked coherence, elaboration, or inferences. Results from interviews with school personnel revealed that the program was strong in teaching skills, but weak in developing reading comprehension and writing.
British Authorship and Americanization in the Age of Silent Cinema
Authors: Cranfield Jonathan
Published: September 2024

How did the rise of cinema affect authorship in Britain? This essay examines the question in relation to both new and established writers. Referring to manuals of authorship and fiction writing as well as to the archives of the Society of Authors, it places the rise of cinema after 1906 in the context of the wider “Americanization” of the British culture industry and illustrates the ways in which cinema drove changes to readerly expectation, advertising, and the marketing of literature. It also examines how the business of writing for the cinema came to be incorporated into the broadly professionalized concept of “authorship.” In addition to drawing from the experiences of fiction writers including W. Somerset Maugham, E. Phillips Oppenheim, Elinor Glyn, Arnold Bennet, and Edgar Jepson, it also considers cinema authors, Herbert Langford Reed and Eliot Stannard, who sought to integrate screenwriting with the other disciplines traditionally described by the term authorship, widening our sense of what that category might mean.
Long-term study of the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on the mottled brittle star, Ophionereis fasciata
Authors: Márquez-Borrás Francisco , Sewell Mary A.
Published: September 2024

The global ocean is rapidly changing, posing a substantial threat to the viability of marine populations due to the co-occurrence of multiple drivers, such as ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA). To persist, marine species must undergo some combination of acclimation and adaptation in response to these changes. Understanding such responses is essential to measure and project the magnitude and direction of current and future vulnerabilities in marine ecosystems. Echinoderms have been recognised as a model in studies of OW–OA effects on marine biota. However, despite their global diversity, vulnerability and ecological importance in most marine habitats, brittle stars (ophiuroids) are poorly studied. A long-term mesocosm experiment was conducted on adult mottled brittle star (Ophionereis fasciata) as a case study to investigate the physiological response and trade-offs of marine organisms to ocean acidification, ocean warming and the combined effect of these two drivers. Long-term exposure of O. fasciata to high temperature and low pH affected survival, respiration and regeneration rates, growth rate, calcification/dissolution and righting response. Higher temperatures increased stress and respiration, and decreased regeneration and growth rates as well as survival. Conversely, changes in pH had more subtle or no effect, affecting only respiration and calcification. Our results indicate that exposure to a combination of high temperature and low pH produces complex responses for respiration, righting response and calcification. We address the knowledge gap of the impact of a changing ocean on ophiuroids in the context of echinoderm studies, proposing this class as an ideal alternative echinoderm for future research.
Sod1-deficient cells are impaired in formation of the modified nucleosides mcm5s2U and yW in tRNA
Authors: Xu Fu , Byström Anders S. , Johansson Marcus J.O.
Published: September 2024

Uridine residues present at the wobble position of eukaryotic cytosolic tRNAs often carry a 5-carbamoylmethyl (ncm5), 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl (mcm5), or 5-methoxycarbonylhydroxymethyl (mchm5) side-chain. The presence of these side-chains allows proper pairing with cognate codons, and they are particularly important in tRNA species where the U34residue is also modified with a 2-thio (s2) group. The first step in the synthesis of the ncm5, mcm5, and mchm5side-chains is dependent on the six-subunit Elongator complex, whereas the thiolation of the 2-position is catalyzed by the Ncs6/Ncs2 complex. In both yeast and metazoans, allelic variants of Elongator subunit genes show genetic interactions with mutant alleles ofSOD1, which encodes the cytosolic Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase. However, the cause of these genetic interactions remains unclear. Here, we show that yeastsod1null mutants are impaired in the formation of 2-thio-modified U34residues. In addition, the lack of Sod1 induces a defect in the biosynthesis of wybutosine, which is a modified nucleoside found at position 37 of tRNAPhe. Our results suggest that these tRNA modification defects are caused by superoxide-induced inhibition of the iron-sulfur cluster-containing Ncs6/Ncs2 and Tyw1 enzymes. Since mutations in Elongator subunit genes generate strong negative genetic interactions with mutantncs6andncs2alleles, our findings at least partially explain why the activity of Elongator can modulate the phenotypic consequences ofSOD1/sod1alleles. Collectively, our results imply that tRNA hypomodification may contribute to impaired proteostasis in Sod1-deficient cells.
Η σημασία της διδασκαλίας των πρώτων βοηθειών και της διαχείρισης τραύματος σε μαθητές πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας
Authors: Τσέ Ελεάνα
Published: September 2024

Βασικός σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης ήταν η διερεύνηση της αποτελεσματικότητας της διδασκαλίας πρώτων βοηθειών και της διαχείρισης τραύματος σε παιδιά πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας. Τα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα που τέθηκαν σε αυτή τη μελέτη ήταν εάν τα παιδιά αυτής της ηλικίας μπορούν να μάθουν πρώτες βοήθειες και να διαχειρίζονται τραύματα και, εάν ναι, πόσο καιρό μπορούν να διατηρήσουν αυτές τις γνώσεις και τις δεξιότητες. Επίσης, βασική επιδίωξη ήταν η αποτελεσματικότητα του εκπαιδευτή στην εκπαίδευση των παιδιών. Πραγματοποιήσαμε μια τυχαιοποιημένη ελεγχόμενη δοκιμή. Επιλέξαμε τυχαία 192 μαθητές, εκ των οποίων 132 παιδιά κατανεμήθηκαν στην εκπαιδευτική ομάδα και 60, που δεν έλαβαν καμία παρέμβαση, στην ομάδα ελέγχου. Η μέση ηλικία της κάθε ομάδας είναι περίπου 6. Το εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα πρώτων βοηθειών περιλάμβανε μαθήματα, τα οποία διεξήχθησαν από τους ίδιους εκπαιδευτικούς των μαθητών, οι οποίοι είχαν λάβει κατάλληλη εκπαίδευση και από εξειδικευμένο προσωπικό. Για να αξιολογηθούν οι γνώσεις και οι δεξιότητες των μαθητών, χρησιμοποιήσαμε ένα κλειστού τύπου ερωτηματολόγιο και την παρατήρηση βασισμένη σε σενάριο χρησιμοποιώντας λίστα ελέγχου. Η αξιολόγηση των μαθητών έγινε μία ημέρα πριν, μία ημέρα μετά, δύο και εφτά μήνες μετά την εκπαίδευση. Η ανάλυση των απαντήσεων των μαθητών πραγματοποιήθηκε με το λογισμικό SPSS v28.0 και το επίπεδο σημαντικότητας ορίστηκε ίσο με 0.05 σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας έδειξαν ότι, πριν από την εκπαίδευση, δεν καταγράφηκε σημαντική στατιστική διαφορά στις γνώσεις και δεξιότητες πρώτων βοηθειών και διαχείρισης τραύματος μεταξύ των μαθητών της εκπαιδευόμενης ομάδας και των μαθητών της ομάδας ελέγχου. Μία ημέρα μετά την εκπαίδευση, τα παιδιά της εκπαιδευόμενης ομάδας σημείωσαν σημαντικά στατιστική διαφορά. Οι γνώσεις και οι δεξιότητες σταδιακά μειώθηκαν δύο και εφτά μήνες μετά την εκπαίδευση, ωστόσο παρέμειναν σε υψηλό επίπεδο. Η εκπαίδευση πρώτων βοηθειών που παρείχαν τόσο οι εκπαιδευτικοί των μαθητών όσο και το εξειδικευμένο προσωπικό βελτίωσε τις γνώσεις και τις δεξιότητες των μαθητών.
Η εκτίμηση των αναγκών παρεμβάσεων αγωγής και προαγωγής της υγείας, στην υγεία και την ποιότητα ζωής ασθενών με μείζονες ψυχικές διαταραχές
Authors: Τσούκας Κωνσταντίνος
Published: September 2024

Τα άτομα με μείζονες ψυχικές διαταραχές παρουσιάζουν επιβαρυμένη υγεία και ποιότητα ζωής, υπογραμμίζοντας την ανάγκη σχεδιασμού παρεμβάσεων προαγωγής υγείας σε αυτήν την ευάλωτη πληθυσμιακή ομάδα. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η διερεύνηση των αντιλήψεων των ατόμων που αντιμετωπίζουν μείζονες ψυχικές διαταραχές και των επαγγελματιών ψυχικής υγείας σχετικά με τις ανάγκες προαγωγής και αγωγής υγείας των ατόμων και τη συμπαραγωγή (Co-production) στο πλαίσιο της προαγωγής υγείας. Διενεργήθηκε ποιοτική μελέτη με τη διεξαγωγή τεσσάρων συνολικά ομάδων εστίασης (focus groups), στις οποίες συμμετείχαν 18 άτομα που έχουν διαγνωσθεί με σοβαρή ψυχική διαταραχή και λαμβάνουν υπηρεσίες από κοινοτικές δομές ψυχικής υγείας (λήπτες υπηρεσιών) και 20 επαγγελματίες ψυχικής υγείας, στην Αττική. Τα δεδομένα αναλύθηκαν μέσω ανάλυσης περιεχομένου. Όσον αφορά τις ανάγκες προαγωγής και αγωγής υγείας, οι λήπτες υπηρεσιών εστιάζουν στα δικαιώματα, στις δομές και τις υπηρεσίες, στην εκπαίδευση της κοινότητας και στη σωματική υγεία. Αντίστοιχα, οι επαγγελματίες ψυχικής υγείας αναφέρονται στις δεξιότητες αυτοφροντίδας, στις θεσμικές παρεμβάσεις και στη βιωματική εκπαίδευση. Και οι δύο ομάδες επικεντρώνονται στην ανάγκη ψυχοεκπαίδευσης. Σχετικά με τη συμπαραγωγή στο πλαίσιο της προαγωγής υγείας, οι λήπτες υπηρεσιών αναφέρονται στην ισότητα, στη συνεργασία, στη συμπερίληψη, στην υποστήριξη από ομότιμους, αλλά και στη δυνατότητα παροχής ανατροφοδότησης, ενώ οι επαγγελματίες ψυχικής υγείας στην ενεργό συμμετοχή, με δυνατότητα αξιολόγησης των υπηρεσιών, επισημαίνοντας την ανάγκη εκπαίδευσης. Τα ευρήματα της μελέτης είναι σκόπιμο να ληφθούν υπόψη κατά τον σχεδιασμό, την εφαρμογή και την αξιολόγηση παρεμβάσεων προαγωγής και αγωγής υγείας ατόμων με μείζονες ψυχικές διαταραχές.
Editorial
Authors: Dudek Dominika , Sobański Jerzy A. , Klasa Katarzyna
Published: September 2024

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University Support for Coping with Studying During the Fourth Wave of the Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis of Student Perspectives
Authors: Henry Rene , Pollak Anita , Dzierzenga Aleksandra , Kożusznik Barbara
Published: September 2024

This qualitative study, conducted in Poland in January 2022, drew upon the experiences of final semester master’s degree psychology students. Amidst record-high case numbers, these students were asked to provide written statements discussing the stress they experienced in relation to studying during the pandemic and what the university as an organization should offer to support students in coping. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify and interpret patterns regarding the reported stress and proposed solutions for coping. This study spotlighted health concerns, technostress, communication challenges, and the diminished human contact as key sources of stress in remote learning environments. Findings further indicated that stress management could be significantly improved through the proper organization and prompt communication of changes in teaching and examination modes. Furthermore, a clear definition of course requirements and conditions for credit, combined with avenues for student input, emerged as an essential aspect of the university's approach. The study recommends the development of stress management and well-being courses, organization of additional instructor-student meetings, and promotion of social activities to combat isolation. It also underscored the necessity of accessible psychological support, highlighting the potential benefits of interventions such as mindfulness programs. The implementation of these suggestions aims to foster the development of resilient, adaptive, and successful individuals prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly interconnected and technologically-driven world.