bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of telephone follow-up on hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving oral chemotherapy from an ambulatory-care setting
Authors: Sakata Yukio , Nomura Hisanaga , Nakajima Hirofumi , Kitajima Tomomi , Ito Yukiko , Yamamoto Yoshiya
Published: December 2023

Introduction

In recent years, most molecular target drugs have been administered orally, as prescribed at ambulatory services in hospitals and at patients’ homes. Telephone follow-up is increasingly being used in clinical practice for patients needing additional support post-discharge and for the prevention of hospital readmissions. The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical benefits of telephone follow-up while administering oral anticancer drugs.

Methods

This was a single-center, observational, retrospective study. We evaluated hepatocellular carcinoma patients who received sorafenib or lenvatinib between March 2010 and February 2018. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events.

Results

From the total of 130 patients, 83 patients received telephone follow-up and 47 did not. The incidence of hand–foot skin reactions significantly reduced in patients with telephone follow-up (odds ratio (OR) 3.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–11.8, p = 0.020). The median durations (ranges) of adherence to oral chemotherapy were 259 days (15−1730) for the telephone follow-up group and 121 days (14−1105) for the no-telephone follow-up group ( p < 0.001). Moreover, the disease control rate was significantly higher in the telephone follow-up group (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.15–5.53, p = 0.020).

Conclusions

Remote interventions, such as telephone follow-up, are useful means of managing adverse events in patients receiving oral anticancer drugs and can lead to improved treatment results.
Blood Lactate and Heart Rate Responses Between Active and Passive Recovery Modes Over a 15-Minute Recovery Period in Female Dancers After Kathak Dance
Authors: Chopra Seema , Needham-Beck Sarah , Ambegaonkar Jatin P.
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Dance is physically demanding and results in blood lactate (BL) accumulation and elevated Heart Rate (HR). Researchers recommend using either Active Recovery (AR; eg, low-to-moderate intensity-exercise) or Passive Recovery (PR; eg, complete rest) modes after activity. We compared BL and HR responses between AR or PR over a 15-minute recovery period following a Kathak dance. Methods: Twelve female dancers (31.0 ± 6.0 years; 161.5 ± 4.9 cm; 55.5 ± 5.8 kg) performed 2 dance testing sessions (Day 1 = AR, Day 2 = PR) 48 hours apart. Each session started with a 10-minute warm up followed by dancers performing four 2-minute stages of Kathak dance, with three 1-minute periods between stages where we recorded HR and their Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE:scale = 6-20) to match the intensity of both sessions. Post-dance, we recorded dancers’ BL and HR at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 minutes while they recovered via AR or PR. Separate 2(mode) × (time) Repeated-Measures-ANOVA followed by simple-main-effects testing and adjusted Bonferroni-pairwise-comparisons examined differences in BL and HR responses across modes and time(α = .05). Results: Dancers’ HR and RPE were similar across sessions. No mode × time interaction existed in BL ( F4,8 = 3.6, P = .06). BL levels were similar across modes ( F1,2 = 0.5, P = .5). BL levels reduced over time ( F4,8 = 6.0, P = .02), but Bonferroni-comparisons did not reveal any pairwise differences. In HR a significant mode*time interaction ( F4,36 = 11.0, P = .01, η2 = .55) was observed. Both Active and Passive recovery modes achieved absolute HR levels by 15 minutes, with PR mode stabilizing within 5 minutes. Conclusions: Over a 15-minute recovery period after Kathak dance, dancers’ BL and HR responses were similar across time in both AR and PR, with HR being higher in AR. Dancers’ HR remained similar from 1 to 3 minute post dance recovery and then dropped over time. Thus, dancers can rest up to 3 minutes and still maintain the same elevated HR. Overall, dancers can choose either AR or PR as their recovery mode based on their individual preferences.
Diminished TMEM100 Expression in a Newborn With Acinar Dysplasia and a Novel TBX4 Variant: A Case Report
Authors: Szafranski Przemyslaw , Patrizi Silvia , Gambin Tomasz , Afzal Bushra , Schlotterbeck Emily , Karolak Justyna A. , Deutsch Gail , Roberts Drucilla , Stankiewicz Paweł
Published: December 2023

Acinar dysplasia (AcDys) of the lung is a rare lethal developmental disorder in neonates characterized by severe respiratory failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension refractory to treatment. Recently, abnormalities of TBX4-FGF10-FGFR2-TMEM100 signaling regulating lung development have been reported in patients with AcDys due to heterozygous single-nucleotide variants or copy-number variant deletions involving TBX4, FGF10, or FGFR2. Here, we describe a female neonate who died at 4 hours of life due to severe respiratory distress related to AcDys diagnosed by postmortem histopathologic evaluation. Genomic analyses revealed a novel deleterious heterozygous missense variant c.728A>C (p.Asn243Thr) in TBX4 that arose de novo on paternal chromosome 17. We also identified 6 candidate hypomorphic rare variants in the TBX4 enhancer in trans to TBX4 coding variant. Gene expression analyses of proband’s lung tissue showed a significant reduction of TMEM100 expression with near absence of TMEM100 within the endothelium of arteries and capillaries by immunohistochemistry. These results support the pathogenicity of the detected TBX4 variant and provide further evidence that disrupted signaling between TBX4 and TMEM100 may contribute to severe lung phenotypes in humans, including AcDys.
Qualitative Restudies: Research Designs for Retheorizing
Authors: Köhler Tine , Rumyantseva Maria , Welch Catherine
Published: December 2023

Qualitative research methods are deemed best suited to exploring novel phenomena and generating new concepts. Their potential to reevaluate existing theorizing, however, is underestimated. Qualitative restudies that return to the data and settings on which the original theories were built are a well-established tradition in other disciplines (e.g., history, sociology, and anthropology), but have received little recognition in management and organization studies. We introduce qualitative restudies as a powerful means to improve theorizing by revising or challenging theories that have become outdated or obsolete and establishing transferability and longevity of findings and interpretations. We provide a typology of qualitative restudy designs drawing on an integrative review of literature in management, strategy, and the social sciences and humanities. We highlight the main design and ethical considerations for researchers in undertaking a restudy. We argue for the strengths of restudies as lying in their possibilities for retheorizing, above and beyond verifying or updating prior studies. Restudies draw on the strengths of in-depth qualitative work to uncover how interpretations and theorizing are shaped by methodological traditions, historical contexts, existing societal structures, and researcher backgrounds.
More than a memento mori? Assessing the participation of former Prime Ministers in the House of Commons
Authors: Middleton Alia , Thompson Louise
Published: December 2023

The successes and failures of political leaders and their rise and fall from power are well analysed by academic studies. The roles played by former leaders however are more obscure, particularly if they continue to maintain an institutional presence. This article explores the backbench behaviour of 12 former UK prime ministers following their departure from Downing Street. We find that contemporary former prime ministers display more diverse backbench behaviour in the House of Commons, are more focused on performing constituency representation in the chamber and engage in a form of statecraft focused on real time assessments of their successors. This is significant as it suggests that our traditional assumptions of post leadership careers may need reinterpreting. It also demonstrates an ongoing democratic benefit to the presence of former leaders within legislatures.
History, Horror, and Peak TV: Experimental History Series
Authors: Weeks Rebecca
Published: December 2023

Despite being a disreputable genre, horror remains a staple in cinemas and has become increasingly prominent on TV, a medium that has, until recently, been considered inferior to film. Now, a maligned genre and a previously discredited medium are producing some of the most original and engaging histories currently seen on screen. Lovecraft Country (HBO, 2020), Them (Amazon Prime, 2021–), and The Terror (AMC, 2018–2019) are experimental histories of the Peak TV period that effectively weave together historical truths with fantasy. The way the audience physically reacts to the “bounded” horrors in these shows shapes their response to the “unbounded” historical horrors with which they appear alongside. While history and horror might be considered unusual bedfellows, adding horror to a period setting does not automatically void an onscreen historical representation; instead, the resulting unorthodox history can complicate the audience’s understanding of the past and their reaction to it. Anthology and limited series formats are particularly suited to this form of history making, as they maintain an atmosphere of dread while allowing ample time for character development and the construction of narratively complex historical storylines.
From After School Specials to After School Threesomes: Industrial Shifts in the Depiction of Sex on Teen TV and its Formation of the Sex Positive Teen Girl
Authors: Schumacher Laura
Published: December 2023

A rash of teen TV shows that deal with stories and depictions of sex explicitly and graphically prove a marked change from the overtly pedagogical approach teen television shows of the past took to tackling controversial issues. Utilizing industry interviews to understand this shift, I argue that series include progressive rhetoric, specifically sex positive rhetoric lifted from the popular feminist movement, in their stories of teen sexuality in order to mitigate controversies that inevitably crop up in public discourse whenever teen sexuality is represented. In so doing, such series shape the potential and parameters of teen girl sexuality. This framing provides for a more capacious spectrum of sexuality for girls, namely in more nuanced and more frequent depictions of queer sexuality and sexually agentive girls. Yet it also highlights the dangers their sexuality poses living in a patriarchal world, subsequently upholding framings of caution and boundaries around girlhood sexuality.
The Ambivalence of Mother Love: Navigating Maternal Subjects Through the TV Drama A Love for Dilemma
Authors: Shi Wei , Liu Shih-Diing
Published: December 2023

The TV drama A Love for Dilemma (2021) has sparked widespread debates on motherhood and gender in China. This article explores the intricacy of the show’s representation of “bad mother.” While conventional perspectives often view motherhood as a realm of private intimacy, insufficient attention has been given to the distinctiveness of Chinese-style motherhood and its intersection with family, neoliberalism, and state politics. This article addresses the importance of analyzing the televisual representation of motherhood to gain insight into how the interplay between patriarchy, the market and the state configures maternal subjectivity, particularly under the leadership of Xi Jinping. By examining the emotional meaning of motherhood produced by the TV series, this study unveils the inherent contradiction of mother love as a site of political investment. It argues that the ambivalence surrounding mother love stems from its entanglement with patriarchal expectations, the burdens of emotional labor, and the state’s vested interests.
Functional Brain Changes Following Burn Injury: A Narrative Review
Authors: Rowe Grant , Allahham Amira , Edgar Dale W. , Rurak Brittany K. , Fear Mark W. , Wood Fiona M. , Vallence Ann-Maree
Published: December 2023

Background

Burn injuries cause significant motor and sensory dysfunctions that can negatively impact burn survivors’ quality of life. The underlying mechanisms of these burn-induced dysfunctions have primarily been associated with damage to the peripheral neural architecture, however, evidence points to a systemic influence of burn injury. Central nervous system (CNS) reorganizations due to inflammation, afferent dysfunction, and pain could contribute to persistent motor and sensory dysfunction in burn survivors. Recent evidence shows that the capacity for neuroplasticity is associated with self-reported functional recovery in burn survivors.

Objective

This review first outlines motor and sensory dysfunctions following burn injury and critically examines recent literature investigating the mechanisms mediating CNS reorganization following burn injury. The review then provides recommendations for future research and interventions targeting the CNS such as non-invasive brain stimulation to improve functional recovery.

Conclusions

Directing focus to the CNS following burn injury, alongside the development of non-invasive methods to induce functionally beneficial neuroplasticity in the CNS, could advance treatments and transform clinical practice to improve quality of life in burn survivors.
Do COVID-19 Vaccination Policies Backfire? The Effects of Mandates, Vaccination Passports, and Financial Incentives on COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Fayaz-Farkhad Bita , Jung Haesung
Published: December 2023

Faced with the challenges of motivating people to vaccinate, many countries have introduced policy-level interventions to encourage vaccination against COVID-19. For example, mandates were widely imposed requiring individuals to vaccinate to work and attend school, and vaccination passports required individuals to show proof of vaccination to travel and access public spaces and events. Furthermore, some countries also began offering financial incentives for getting vaccinated. One major criticism of these policies was the possibility that they would produce reactance and thus undermine voluntary vaccination. This article therefore reviews relevant empirical evidence to examine whether this is indeed the case. Specifically, we devote separate sections to reviewing and discussing the impacts of three major policies that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic: vaccination mandates, vaccination passports, and the provision of financial incentives. A careful analysis of the evidence provides little support that these policies backfire but instead can effectively promote vaccination at the population level. The policies are not without limitations, however, such as their inability to mobilize those that are strongly hesitant to vaccines. Finally, we discuss how policy-level interventions should be designed and implemented to address future epidemics and pandemics.
Unravelling the dynamics of response force: Investigating motor restraint and motor cancellation through go/no-go and stop-signal tasks
Authors: Wang Zijian , Liu Xinyu , Li Xiangqian
Published: December 2023

Prior research has found that the go/no-go (GNG) task primarily reflects participants’ motor-restraint process, while the stop-signal task (SST) primarily represents participants’ motor-cancellation process. However, traditional binary keyboards used in these experiments are unable to capture the subtleties of sub-threshold response-force dynamics. This has led to the neglect of potential sub-threshold motor-inhibition processes. In two experiments, we explored sub-threshold inhibition by using a custom force-sensitive keyboard to record response force in both GNG and SST. In experiment 1, participants displayed increased response force when correctly rejecting no-go targets in the GNG task compared to the baseline. In addition, they exhibited higher response force in hit trials than in false alarms, revealing engagement of both motor-restraint and motor-cancellation processes in GNG. Initially, participants utilised motor restraint, but if it failed to prevent inappropriate responses, they employed motor cancellation to stop responses before reaching the keypress threshold. In experiment 2, we used participants’ average response-force amplitude and response-force latency in SST stop trials to characterise the motor-cancellation process. Average amplitude significantly predicted false-alarm rates in the GNG task, but the relationship between response latency and false-alarm rates was insignificant. We hypothesised that response latency reflects reactive inhibition control in motor cancellation, whereas average amplitude indicates proactive inhibition control. Our findings underscore the complexity of motor inhibition.
Potential application of Klotho as a prognostic biomarker for patients with diabetic kidney disease: a meta-analysis of clinical studies
Authors: Yu Li Xia , Sha Min Yue , Chen Yue , Tan Fang , Liu Xi , Li Shasha , Liu Qi-Feng
Published: December 2023

Background:

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious diabetic complication and the performance of serum Klotho in DKD’s prognostic evaluation is controversial.

Objective:

To assess the association of serum Klotho with adverse kidney and non-kidney clinical outcomes in patients with DKD.

Design:

Clinical studies regarding the relationship of serum Klotho with DKD were included. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Subgroup and sensitive analyses were performed to search for the source of heterogeneity.

Data sources and methods:

We comprehensively searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane library databases up to 27 September 2022. The associations of Klotho with albuminuria, such as the urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR), kidney outcomes such as persistent albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate decline, and non-kidney outcomes such as diabetic retinopathy, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality, were evaluated. The indicators, such as the correlation coefficient ( r), odds ratio (OR), relative risk, and hazard ratio, were retrieved or calculated from the eligible studies.

Results:

In all, 17 studies involving 5682 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant association of serum Klotho with UACR in DKD patients [summary r, −0.28 (−0.55, 0.04)] with high heterogeneity. By contrast, a strong association was observed regarding serum Klotho with kidney outcomes [pooled OR, 1.60 (1.15, 2.23)], non-kidney outcomes [pooled OR, 2.78 (2.11, 3.66)], or combined kidney and non-kidney outcomes [pooled OR, 1.96 (1.45, 2.65)] with moderate heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis indicated that age, study design, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate may be the sources of heterogeneity.

Conclusion:

A decreased serum Klotho level is possibly associated with an increased risk of developing kidney and non-kidney clinical outcomes in DKD patients; thus, Klotho may be a possible biomarker to predict DKD clinical outcomes. Additional studies are needed to clarify and validate Klotho’s prognostic value.
Analysis of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart From Eco-Translatology Perspective
Authors: Zhang Xia , Umeanowai Kingsley Obiajulu
Published: December 2023

With literature serving as a means to convey cultural norms and values across generations, the relationship between culture and literature is intricate and expansive; therefore, translation plays a crucial role in broadening cultural understanding, especially in a globalized world. However, the translation process faces challenges in preserving cultural perspectives due to inherent cultural and linguistic disparities. This paper focuses on the challenges faced in translating Achebe’s Things Fall Apart into Chinese and emphasizes the need for a holistic framework—Eco-Translatology, which considers the ecological perspective, the translator’s selection and adaptation, and the textual environment, to address the challenges encountered in translation. By adopting a multi-dimensional perspective incorporating linguistic, communicative, cultural, esthetic, and rhetorical dimensions, the study explores practical ways to bridge cultural, linguistic, communicative, and esthetic gaps, offering fresh insights and perspectives for translators working on English-Chinese translations, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the translational challenges and proposing practical solutions in the translation of cultural elements.
Tourist Rescue in Natural Disasters
Authors: Zhang Hui , Tian Li-qi , Long Shu-jing , Li Ruo-bing , Wu Yenchun Jim
Published: December 2023

In recent years, the tourism industry has expanded rapidly and China will enter the mass tourism era comprehensively, with tourism becoming an important leisure lifestyle for people. However, natural disasters have the characteristics of high frequency, multiple types, wide distribution and large post-disaster losses, which often cause huge impact on tourism industry development. It is of great practical significance to explore the key factors for successful rescue of tourists after disasters. Taking the Wenchuan earthquake as an example, the article selects the Fuzzy Delphi Method and the Analytical Hierarchy Process as the data analysis method, and also randomly selects the local residents of 20 affected scenic spots as the research subjects. The results show that among the assessment dimensions, the most important dimension is prevention, followed by preparedness, response and recovery respectively. Meanwhile, among the 16 assessment indicators, the top five most valued indicators were regional emergency planning, management systems, prompt notification, publicity and education, training and emergency drill in order.
Too Real to be Questioned: Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Spread of Online Scientific Rumors in China
Authors: Wang Lingfei , Yue Mengmeng , Wang Guoyan
Published: December 2023

With the popularity of mobile terminals and social media increasing, misinformation about science has increased in China. To understand the nature of the popularity of scientific rumors, we analyzed 206 typical cases released by four authoritative platforms in China from 2010 to 2020. Content analysis revealed that the majority of scientific rumors are related to health and safety (76.8%), use a visual format (61.2%), are published on social media (62.2%), and provide more than three narrative elements (78.2%). In addition, rumors from unidentified netizens’ claims or homemade experiments are the most common (35.9%), followed by highly credible sources, such as expert assertions (20.9%) or scientific research results (19.4%). A further qualitative comparative analysis indicated that a combination of details and fear-mongering are significant conditions that make rumors receive significant attention. Visual presentation also plays an important role, while state media and the presence of scientific terminology have a weak effect.
Curriculum and Community with Research, Action and Service (CCBALwRAS), a Pedagogical Shift for Social Change
Authors: Deshpande Shweta Sinha , Sen Sulakshana , Mendanha Gayatri , Raheja Roshni , Bajaj Khushi , Moorthy Ananya , Bisht Kuhelika , Cherian Sarah , Nair Sharanya , Mathur Naushi , Kodamarti Meghana
Published: December 2023

The article presents the replicable model of Curriculum and Community Based Academic Learning with Research, Action and Service (CCBALwRAS) through a framework of ‘2 Cs’, the ‘curriculum’ and the ‘community’. It puts forth a support strategy for participatory community-based interventions by formally inducting higher education institutions (HEIs) to achieve long-term sustainable, workable solutions for local communities. The study is based on a multi-stakeholder partnership, facilitated through partnerships between the HEI, committed faculty–student participation and civil society, executed between 2015 and 2020. The article draws from the execution and actual field experience of the partnership, along with qualitative data from the evaluation and assessment of the programme delivered. Given that the model developed is based on the experiences of a private fee-dependent HEI in a metro city, the study does not take into consideration infrastructural and resource constraints of other HEIs. The article focuses on the role of HEIs as fulfilling dual responsibilities of knowledge creation and dissemination while addressing socioeconomic, developmental and environmental needs within their immediate communities. The resultant pedagogical shift and the model proposed is an effective solution for equity, capacity building and civic-mindedness, which will nurture socially aware and critically conscious global citizens.
Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS): Reference Values From a National Representative Sample
Authors: Larsen Peter , Rathleff Michael S. , Roos Ewa M. , Elsoe Rasmus
Published: December 2023

Background:

The Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) is widely used in clinical practice and research. However, FAOS reference values are missing to aid interpretation. This study aimed to establish national record–based reference values for the FAOS.

Methods:

A national representative sample of 9996 adult Danish citizens was derived from the Danish Civil Registration System. The FAOS questionnaire was sent to all participants, including 2 supplemental questions regarding previous foot and ankle problems and body mass index (BMI). A threshold of 10 FAOS points was predefined as a clinically relevant difference across all 5 subscales.

Results:

A total of 2759 participants completed the FAOS. Mean age of participants was 60.5 years, and 51% were women. The mean FAOS subscale scores were as follows: pain, 87.1 (95% CI 86.4-87.8); symptoms, 85.1 (95% CI 84.5-85.8); activity of daily living (ADL), 88.9 (95% CI 88.2-89.6); sport and recreation function 78.5 (95% CI 77.4-79.6); and quality of life (QOL), 79.9 (95% CI 79.0-80.9). The mean difference between men and women was small and not clinically relevant (ranged from 0.9 in ADL to 3.4 in QOL). The largest differences in mean scores between age groups ranged from 4.3 in symptoms to 16.4 in sport/rec. Except for the subscale sport/rec, all age-related differences were below the predefined threshold of 10 for clinical relevance. The difference in mean subscale scores between the lowest BMI group (<24.7) and the obese group (>30) ranged from 19.6 in ADL to 39.1 in sport/rec.

Conclusion:

We found in our population that BMI severely impacted FAOS scores. We recommend using BMI-specific reference FAOS values. Separate FAOS reference values for men and women appear not needed. Stratifying reference values for age is likely not needed except for the subscale sport and recreation function.

Level of evidence:

Level III, cohort study.
Spanish Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) for Ankle Fractures
Authors: González-Alonso Marcos , Trapote-Cubillas Ana R. , Madera-González Francisco J. , Fernández-Hernández Óscar , Sánchez-Lázaro Jaime A.
Published: December 2023

Background:

The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) into Spanish and to assess its reliability and validity.

Methods:

The translation and adaptation to develop the Spanish version of the OMAS (OMAS-Sp) was performed according to current international guidelines. The OMAS-Sp was administered to 98 patients with a surgically treated ankle fracture, and it was repeated 7-14 days later to assess construct reliability of each question’s score and the total score. Test-retest reliability and the internal consistency were calculated, and concurrent validity was assessed by comparing the OMAS-Sp with the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). The presence of floor and ceiling effects was also analyzed.

Results:

Adequate internal consistency was found with a Cronbach α of 0.821. Excellent test-retest reliability was demonstrated with an interclass correlation coefficient for the total score of 0.970 (95% CI 0.956-0.980; P < .001). Spearman correlation coefficients ( r’s) between the OMAS-Sp total score and the 5 FAOS subscales ranged from 0.944 to 0.951 ( P < .001). No floor or ceiling effects were found.

Conclusion:

The OMAS-Sp demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable tool for assessing outcomes in Spanish-speaking patients with surgically treated ankle fractures.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, prospective cohort study.
Dropped Out of Grace: A Case of Kingfisher Airlines
Authors: Kaur Amandeep , Singh Archana , Maheshwari Girish Chandra
Published: December 2023

Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. was started under the chairmanship of a flamboyant industrialist, one of the biggest Indian liquor tycoons who claimed himself as the ‘King of Good Times’. The company garnered multiple accolades and achieved a growing market share in the aviation sector, presenting an attractive and innovative image. By providing passengers with exceptional comfort and an enjoyable flight experience, customer satisfaction soared. Despite its relatively short existence, the company left a notable and impactful mark on the Indian aviation industry. Losses have been reported ever since it started operating in 2005. 1 For many years, it struggled with serious financial problems that ultimately forced the company to cease operations on 20 October 2012. Due to the reputation of its Chairman and Managing Director, several private and public sector banks in India extended loans to Kingfisher Airlines. Further, the airline struggled to incur maintenance, landing, and aviation costs. The employees and pilots staged strikes due to the non-payment of their owed salaries and dues. The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines is attributed to promoters’ inordinate overconfidence stemming from their past accomplishments, tunnel vision, and a weak business strategy. The current case examines the fall of Kingfisher Airlines from the strategic management and accounting manipulation perspective. It also outlines the causes contributing to the airline’s downfall.
Amiodarone: Is it Safe in Stress Cardiomyopathy?
Authors: Sreeramdass Manisha , Aditya M. S. , Kumar T. Krishna
Published: December 2023

Amiodarone is a broad-spectrum antiarrhythmic agent used in day-to-day practice to treat ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular tachycardias like atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation. 1 It can cause QT prolongation and rarely precipitate life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias like Torsade de Pointes (TdP). 1 Torsades is characterized by prolonged ventricular repolarization with QT intervals generally exceeding 500 milliseconds. 1 , 2 Risk factors for drug-induced QT prolongation are female sex, congestive heart failure, and so on. 2 This case report describes a woman with stress cardiomyopathy 3 and atrial fibrillation who was treated with Amiodarone which precipitated Torsades. Therefore knowledge of side effects, monitoring for drug effects, and timely withdrawal of the offending drug is important. 2
A dual-receptor T-cell platform with Ab-TCR and costimulatory receptor achieves specificity and potency against AML
Authors: Dao Tao , Xiong Guangyan , Mun Sung Soo , Meyerberg Jeremy , Korontsvit Tatyana , Xiang Jingyi , Cui Ziyou , Chang Aaron Y. , Jarvis Casey , Cai Winson , Luo Hanzhi , Pierson Aspen , Daniyan Anthony , Yoo Sarah , Takao Sumiko , Kharas Michael , Kentsis Alex , Liu Cheng , Scheinberg David A.
Published: December 2023

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy has produced remarkable clinical responses in B-cell neoplasms. However, many challenges limit this class of agents for the treatment of other cancer types, in particular the lack of tumor-selective antigens for solid tumors and other hematological malignancies, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which may be addressed without significant risk of severe toxicities while providing sufficient abundance for efficient tumor suppression. One approach to overcome this hurdle is dual targeting by an antibody–T-cell receptor (AbTCR) and a chimeric costimulatory signaling receptor (CSR) to 2 different antigens, in which both antigens are found together on the cancer cells but not together on normal cells. To explore this proof of concept in AML, we engineered a new T-cell format targeting Wilms tumor 1 protein (WT1) and CD33; both are highly expressed on most AML cells. Using an AbTCR comprising a newly developed TCR-mimic monoclonal antibody against the WT1 RMFPNAPYL (RMF) epitope/HLA-A2 complex, ESK2, and a secondary CSR comprising a single-chain variable fragment directed to CD33 linked to a truncated CD28 costimulatory fragment, this unique platform confers specific T-cell cytotoxicity to the AML cells while sparing healthy hematopoietic cells, including CD33+ myelomonocytic normal cells. These data suggest that this new platform, named AbTCR-CSR, through the combination of a AbTCR CAR and CSR could be an effective strategy to reduce toxicity and improve specificity and clinical outcomes in adoptive T-cell therapy in AML.
Transcriptional control of leukemogenesis by the chromatin reader SGF29
Authors: Barbosa Karina , Deshpande Anagha , Perales Marlenne , Xiang Ping , Murad Rabi , Pramod Akula Bala , Minkina Anna , Robertson Neil , Schischlik Fiorella , Lei Xue , Sun Younguk , Brown Adam , Amend Diana , Jeremias Irmela , Doench John G. , Humphries R. Keith , Ruppin Eytan , Shendure Jay , Mali Prashant , Adams Peter D. , Deshpande Aniruddha J.
Published: December 2023

Aberrant expression of stem cell–associated genes is a common feature in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is linked to leukemic self-renewal and therapy resistance. Using AF10-rearranged leukemia as a prototypical example of the recurrently activated “stemness” network in AML, we screened for chromatin regulators that sustain its expression. We deployed a CRISPR-Cas9 screen with a bespoke domain-focused library and identified several novel chromatin-modifying complexes as regulators of the TALE domain transcription factor MEIS1, a key leukemia stem cell (LSC)–associated gene. CRISPR droplet sequencing revealed that many of these MEIS1 regulators coordinately controlled the transcription of several AML oncogenes. In particular, we identified a novel role for the Tudor-domain–containing chromatin reader protein SGF29 in the transcription of AML oncogenes. Furthermore, SGF29 deletion impaired leukemogenesis in models representative of multiple AML subtypes in multiple AML subtype models. Our studies reveal a novel role for SGF29 as a nononcogenic dependency in AML and identify the SGF29 Tudor domain as an attractive target for drug discovery.
Daratumumab for patients with myeloma with early or late relapse after initial therapy: subgroup analysis of CASTOR and POLLUX
Authors: Spencer Andrew , Moreau Philippe , Mateos Maria-Victoria , Goldschmidt Hartmut , Suzuki Kenshi , Levin Mark-David , Sonneveld Pieter , Orlowski Robert Z. , Yoon Sung-Soo , Usmani Saad Z. , Weisel Katja , Reece Donna , Ahmadi Tahamtan , Pei Huiling , Mayo Wendy Garvin , Gai Xue , Carey Jodi , Bartlett J. Blake , Carson Robin , Dimopoulos Meletios A.
Published: December 2023

High-risk multiple myeloma (MM) is often defined based on cytogenetic abnormalities, but patients who relapse early after initial therapy are considered a functional high-risk group. In the phase 3 CASTOR and POLLUX studies, daratumumab plus bortezomib/dexamethasone (D-Vd) or lenalidomide/dexamethasone (D-Rd) improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), regardless of cytogenetic risk, and achieved higher rates of complete response or better (≥CR) and minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity vs that with Vd/Rd alone in relapsed/refractory MM. Post hoc analyses of CASTOR and POLLUX evaluated patient subgroups with 1 prior line of therapy based on timing of progression/relapse (early or late) after initiation of first line of therapy. PFS consistently favored the daratumumab-containing regimens across subgroups using both a 24- and 18-month early-relapse cutoff. In the CASTOR/POLLUX pooled data set, daratumumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 65% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.48; P < .0001) in the early-relapse (<24 months) subgroup and by 65% (HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.26-0.47; P < .0001) in the late-relapse (≥24 months) subgroup. OS also favored the daratumumab-containing regimens in both the early-relapse (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45-0.86; P = .0036) and late-relapse (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48-0.93; P = .0183) subgroups in the pooled population using a 24-month cutoff. Rates of ≥CR and MRD negativity (10−5) were higher with daratumumab vs control, regardless of progression/relapse timing. Although daratumumab is unable to fully overcome the adverse prognosis of early relapse, our results support the use of daratumumab for patients with 1 prior line of therapy, including for those who progress/relapse early after initial therapy and are considered to have functional high-risk MM. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02136134 (CASTOR) and #NCT02076009 (POLLUX).
Targeting IGF2BP3 enhances antileukemic effects of menin-MLL inhibition in MLL-AF4 leukemia
Authors: Lin Tasha L. , Jaiswal Amit K. , Ritter Alexander J. , Reppas Jenna , Tran Tiffany M. , Neeb Zachary T. , Katzman Sol , Thaxton Michelle L. , Cohen Amanda , Sanford Jeremy R. , Rao Dinesh S.
Published: December 2023

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are emerging as a novel class of therapeutic targets in cancer, including in leukemia, given their important role in posttranscriptional gene regulation, and have the unexplored potential to be combined with existing therapies. The RBP insulin-like growth factor 2 messenger RNA–binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) has been found to be a critical regulator of MLL-AF4 leukemogenesis and represents a promising therapeutic target. Here, we study the combined effects of targeting IGF2BP3 and menin-MLL interaction in MLL-AF4–driven leukemia in vitro and in vivo, using genetic inhibition with CRISPR-Cas9–mediated deletion of Igf2bp3 and pharmacologic inhibition of the menin-MLL interaction with multiple commercially available inhibitors. Depletion of Igf2bp3 sensitized MLL-AF4 leukemia to the effects of menin-MLL inhibition on cell growth and leukemic initiating cells in vitro. Mechanistically, we found that both Igf2bp3 depletion and menin-MLL inhibition led to increased differentiation in vitro and in vivo, seen in functional readouts and by gene expression analyses. IGF2BP3 knockdown had a greater effect on increasing survival and attenuating disease than pharmacologic menin-MLL inhibition with small molecule MI-503 alone and showed enhanced antileukemic effects in combination. Our work shows that IGF2BP3 is an oncogenic amplifier of MLL-AF4–mediated leukemogenesis and a potent therapeutic target, providing a paradigm for targeting leukemia at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level.
β-aminoisobutyrics acid, a metabolite of BCAA, activates the AMPK/Nrf-2 pathway to prevent ferroptosis and ameliorates lung ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Zhang Ziyue , Li Xingbing , Guo Jingwen , He Bo , Wu Lianpan , Yang Rongpei , Li Xingyue , Fang Dandong , Yang XiaoLi , Yang Donghai , Wang Fengxian , Tang Ming , Han Yu , Jose Pedro A. , Wang Hongyong , Zeng Chunyu
Published: December 2023

Background

Lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a serious clinical problem without effective treatment. Enhancing branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolism can protect against cardiac I/R injury, which may be related to bioactive molecules generated by BCAA metabolites. L-β-aminoisobutyric acid (L-BAIBA), a metabolite of BCAA, has multi-organ protective effects, but whether it protects against lung I/R injury is unclear.

Methods

To assess the protective effect of L-BAIBA against lung I/R injury, an animal model was generated by clamping the hilum of the left lung, followed by releasing the clamp in C57BL/6 mice. Mice with lung I/R injury were pre-treated or post-treated with L-BAIBA (150 mg/kg/day), given by gavage or intraperitoneal injection. Lung injury was assessed by measuring lung edema and analyzing blood gases. Inflammation was assessed by measuring proinflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and neutrophil infiltration of the lung was measured by myeloperoxidase activity. Molecular biological methods, including western blot and immunofluorescence, were used to detect potential signaling mechanisms in A549 and BEAS-2B cells.

Results

We found that L-BAIBA can protect the lung from I/R injury by inhibiting ferroptosis, which depends on the up-regulation of the expressions of GPX4 and SLC7A11 in C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, we demonstrated that the Nrf-2 signaling pathway is key to the inhibitory effect of L-BAIBA on ferroptosis in A549 and BEAS-2B cells. L-BAIBA can induce the nuclear translocation of Nrf-2. Interfering with the expression of Nrf-2 eliminated the protective effect of L-BAIBA on ferroptosis. A screening of potential signaling pathways revealed that L-BAIBA can increase the phosphorylation of AMPK, and compound C can block the Nrf-2 nuclear translocation induced by L-BAIBA. The presence of compound C also blocked the protective effects of L-BAIBA on lung I/R injury in C57BL/6 mice.

Conclusions

Our study showed that L-BAIBA protects against lung I/R injury via the AMPK/Nrf-2 signaling pathway, which could be a therapeutic target.
Ecological determinants in plant community structure across dry afromontane forest patches of Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Yinebeb Metsehet , Lulekal Ermias , Bekele Tamrat
Published: December 2023

Ethiopia is a mountainous country with great geographic diversity. The diversified topographic features in Ethiopia made the country have a rich biodiversity forest cover in tropical Africa. This made Ethiopia have the largest floral diversity in tropical Africa. This floral diversity is rich in endemic elements. About 6,027 vascular plant species (including subspecies) with about 10.7% endemism have been documented. Plant community types are primarily influenced by topographic factors, as well as disturbance and environmental factors. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that 1: The forest patches in the study area exhibit distinct plant community types. 2: The composition and structure of these plant communities are influenced by various environmental variables. To achieve this, a total of 76 plots were used to collect vegetation and environmental data. The collected data were then analyzed using the R software, employing agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify plant communities and assess the relationship between these communities and environmental variables.

R software was used to identify plant communities and analyze the relationship between plant community types and environmental variables using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA). Four plant community types were identified. The RDA results highlighted the significant impact (p < 0.005) of altitude, aspect, slope, grazing, and human interference on species distribution and the formation of plant communities. The RDA results highlighted the significant impact (p < 0.005) of altitude, aspect, slope, grazing, and human interference on species distribution and the formation of plant communities.

The findings indicate that the variation in plant communities is closely associated with topographic factors such as altitude, slope, aspect, as well as disturbance factors like grazing, and human interference, with altitude being the most influential factor. Based on these findings, it is recommended that conservation plans take into consideration the effects of grazing and human interference in order to address the challenges faced in conserving forest patches in the future.

Additionally, further research efforts should focus on mitigating disturbance factors and understanding the environmental variables that affect forest patches to enhance their conservation.
Goal-directed fluid therapy using stroke volume variation on length of stay and postoperative gastrointestinal function after major abdominal surgery-a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sun Yanxia , Liang Xuan , Chai Fang , Shi Dongjing , Wang Yue
Published: December 2023

Background and objective

The effectiveness of goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) in promoting postoperative recovery remains unclear, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GDFT on length of hospital stay and postoperative recovery of GI function in patients undergoing major abdominal oncologic surgery.

Methods

In this randomized, double- blinded, controlled trial, adult patients scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery with general anesthesia, were randomly divided into the GDFT protocol (group G) or conventional fluid therapy group (group C). Patients in group C underwent conventional fluid therapy based on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and central venous pressure (CVP) whereas those in group G received GDFT protocol associated with the SVV less than 12% and the cardiac index (CI) was controlled at a minimum of 2.5 L/min/m2. The primary outcomes were the length of hospital stay and postoperative GI function.

Results

One hundred patients completed the study protocol. The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in group G compared with group C [9.0 ± 5.8 days versus 12.0 ± 4.6 days, P = 0.001]. Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (POGD) occurred in two of 50 patients (4%) in group G and 16 of 50 patients (32%) in the control group (P < 0.001). GDFT significantly also shorten time to first flatus by 11 h (P = 0.009) and time to first tolerate oral diet by 2 days (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Guided by SVV and CI, the application of GDFT has the potential to expedite postoperative recovery of GI function and reduce hospitalization duration after major abdominal surgery.

Trial registration

This study was registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov on 07/05/2019 with registration number: NCT03940144.