bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Spherical Na(La, RE)(MoO4)2 (RE = Eu/Yb, Er), Up/Down Conversion Photoluminescence and Optical Thermometry
Authors: Gong Changshuai , Wang Bowen , Sun Meng , Wang Jiantong , Xue Xuyan , Wang Xuejiao
Published: September 2023

In this work, spherical Na(La,RE)(MoO[Formula: see text] (RE = Eu/Yb-Er) double molybdates were prepared using the rare earth hydroxide (La,RE)(OH)SO4 as a self-sacrificing template. The composition, structure, morphology, up/down conversion luminescence and fluorescence lifetime (FL) of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence spectrophotometer, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer. The results indicate that highly pure spherical Na(La,RE)(MoO[Formula: see text] (RE = Eu/Yb-Er) samples can be obtained from the proposed route. The room temperature and temperature-dependent up/down conversion luminescence properties of the resulting Na(La,RE)(MoO[Formula: see text] (RE = Eu/Yb-Er) phosphors were analyzed in detail. The temperature-sensing performances for the two phosphors in both fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) and FL modes were evaluated. Classical down and up-conversion photoluminescence (PL) from Eu[Formula: see text] and Er[Formula: see text] were observed. The down conversion phosphors were proved to be capable of sensing temperature via FL mode, and the maximum absolute sensitivity (SA) and maximum relative sensitivity (SR) were found to be [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text] (298[Formula: see text]K) and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text] (523[Formula: see text]K), respectively. The up conversion phosphors Na(La,Yb,Er)(MoO[Formula: see text] were well capable of sensing temperature via FIR mode through thermally coupled 2H[Formula: see text], 4S[Formula: see text] levels (I[Formula: see text]/I[Formula: see text], and the maximum absolute sensitivity (SA) and maximum relative sensitivity (SR) were found to be [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text] (523[Formula: see text]K) and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text] (348[Formula: see text]K), respectively.
Understanding the Nature and Rationale of Carbon Neutrality
Authors: PAN Jiahua , SUN Tianhong
Published: September 2023

To achieve carbon neutrality, it is necessary to grasp the essence of carbon neutrality. This paper looks into a few fundamental issues of carbon neutrality, and provides an in-depth analysis from the perspectives of environmental sustainability, technological innovation, economic viability, energy security, and international cooperation. It is shown that efforts for carbon neutrality need to focus on the key carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Fossil energy is considered to play a role as a short-term “ballast stone”, but its attributes decide that it can hardly lead to a sustainable future, and its phasing-out is inevitable. Disruptive zero-carbon energy production and revolutionary technological innovation in its consumption are accelerating that phasing-out process; the zero-carbon-oriented carbon neutrality goal is growing more resilient to market headwinds and releasing momentum for high-quality development. Carbon capture and carbon sinks are indispensable, but they are unable to provide a satisfactory path to carbon neutrality. Carbon neutrality requires substantial capital investment, which can be provided by zero-carbon products with ever-increasing market competitiveness. Investment in high carbon fossil fuel industry can be risky. High carbon lock-in not only increases the difficulty of carbon neutrality, but also intensifies the risk of energy security, and it is difficult to avoid the risk of market crowding-out, resulting in huge amounts of capital waste. Consequently, decarbonization is the trend of the times, giving an edge on seeking international justice and a louder voice in the international community, and also the focus of market competitiveness. However, the target year for carbon neutrality in China is before 2060, indicating that carbon neutrality is not a short-term goal. Therefore, it is impossible and unnecessary to have it realized overnight. The opportunity of carbon neutrality should be well taken for quality growth of the economy and enhancement of people’s well-being. Carbon neutrality is a long-term process which calls for thorough plans and step-by-step actions. It is also evident that along with energy revolution, carbon neutrality also brings revolutionary transformation of relations of production and development paradigm.
Continuing Education and Training: Looking Through the Lens of Business Leaders in Singapore
Authors: Yang Silin , Kang Ruihan , Seah Zoe , Seet Davina
Published: September 2023

As the labour market evolves, the skills required are in constant change as well. It is thus imperative to equip workers with the necessary skills to survive and succeed in the rapidly changing work environment. Drawing on the findings from a mixed-method study, this article seeks to investigate the training and learning opportunities of workers provided by business leaders in Singapore. It is found that despite skills mismatch being the most prevalent form of mismatches according to business leaders, workers with skills gaps are not the top priority group of workers to be sent for training. Findings have also shown that there is inequality in access to training for workers. This article also discusses recommendations on how Continuing Education and Training can be enhanced to upskill our workers to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s labour market in Singapore.
Power to Participate: Building Young Voices, Choices and Experiences
Authors: Poon King Wang , Lam Isabel , Hotan Darion Jin , Lee Jane , Chow Jia Hui
Published: September 2023

The study examines the future needs of young workers (18–35 years old) and how the labour union membership model in Singapore could evolve to continue to stay relevant to current and future workers. A combination of literature and qualitative research methods were used to examine the needs of youth and young workers. The insights and research findings indicated that the Singapore Labour Movement’s reputation amongst the youth is that of a place of “insurance”, in that it is a place only approached when one is in times of need. This has diminished the Labour Movement’s presence and reach amongst youth. To address this, we have adapted the Barbell Strategy’s principles and presented 4 actionable plans that aim to reposition the labour union as not just containing offerings of “insurance”, but also “investment”. The 4 actionable plans identify gaps in the market/society and leverage the union’s resources, as well as cater to the needs and interests of youth/young workers.
gPPM: A Generalized Matrix Operation and Parallel Algorithm to Accelerate the Encoding/Decoding Process of Erasure Codes
Authors: Li Shiyi , Cao Qiang , Wan Shenggang , Xia Wen , Xie Changsheng
Published: September 2023

Erasure codes are widely deployed in modern storage systems, leading to frequent usage of their encoding/decoding operations. The encoding/decoding process for erasure codes is generally carried out using the parity-check matrix approach. However, this approach is serial and computationally expensive, mainly due to dealing with matrix operations, which results in low encoding/decoding performance. These drawbacks are particularly evident for newer erasure codes, including SD and LRC codes. To address these limitations, this article introduces the
Partitioned and Parallel Matrix
(
PPM
) algorithm. This algorithm partitions the parity-check matrix, parallelizes encoding/decoding operations, and optimizes calculation sequence to facilitate fast encoding/decoding of these codes. Furthermore, we present a
generalized PPM
(
gPPM
) algorithm that surpasses PPM in performance by employing fine-grained dynamic matrix calculation sequence selection. Unlike PPM, gPPM is also applicable to erasure codes such as RS code. Experimental results demonstrate that PPM improves the encoding/decoding speed of SD and LRC codes by up to 210.81%. Besides, gPPM achieves up to 102.41% improvement over PPM and 32.25% improvement over RS regarding encoding/decoding speed.
Voice-Face Homogeneity Tells Deepfake
Authors: Cheng Harry , Guo Yangyang , Wang Tianyi , Li Qi , Chang Xiaojun , Nie Liqiang
Published: September 2023

Detecting forgery videos is highly desirable due to the abuse of deepfake. Existing detection approaches contribute to exploring the specific artifacts in deepfake videos and fit well on certain data. However, the growing technique on these artifacts keeps challenging the robustness of traditional deepfake detectors. As a result, the development of these approaches has reached a blockage. In this article, we propose to perform deepfake detection from an unexplored voice-face matching view. Our approach is founded on two supporting points: first, there is a high degree of homogeneity between the voice and face of an individual (i.e., they are highly correlated), and second, deepfake videos often involve mismatched identities between the voice and face due to face-swapping techniques. To this end, we develop a voice-face matching method that measures the matching degree between these two modalities to identify deepfake videos. Nevertheless, training on specific deepfake datasets makes the model overfit certain traits of deepfake algorithms. We instead advocate a method that quickly adapts to untapped forgery, with a pre-training then fine-tuning paradigm. Specifically, we first pre-train the model on a generic audio-visual dataset, followed by the fine-tuning on downstream deepfake data. We conduct extensive experiments over three widely exploited deepfake datasets: DFDC, FakeAVCeleb, and DeepfakeTIMIT. Our method obtains significant performance gains as compared to other state-of-the-art competitors. For instance, our method outperforms the baselines by nearly 2%, achieving an AUC of 86.11% on FakeAVCeleb. It is also worth noting that our method already achieves competitive results when fine-tuned on limited deepfake data.
Do Melamine and Melamine-Formaldehyde Surface Modifiers Improve Fuel Cell Activity and Durability?
Authors: Ramaswamy Nagappan , Kapushy Samantha , Mellott Nathan P. , LaLonde Ashley , Koestner Roland , Coms Frank D. , Kumaraguru Swami
Published: September 2023

Precious group metal-based catalysts based on Pt- and Pt-alloys are currently used as catalysts for the kinetically sluggish Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) on the cathode of fuel cells. The activity of Pt or Pt-alloy catalysts towards ORR is severely compromised by the adsorption of spectator-species such as sulfonate anions from perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer or Pt-O(H)ad via water activation. Considering recent evidence pointing to the improvement in ORR activity via the use of melamine organic molecule or melamine-formaldehyde copolymeric additives as surface blocking agents for the prevention of sulfonate or Pt-OHad adsorption, we evaluated these additives in fuel cells. The catalysts were modified with either of these additives and characterized using ex situ and in situ methods to verify successful adsorption and eventual performance in fuel cells. These surface modifying agents were found to suppress Pt-OHad formation as well as suppress ORR activity. There was no evidence to point out that these additives improved ORR activity and H2/air polarization performance in a fuel cell MEA on supported, polycrystalline Pt catalyst.
Impact of GDC Interlayer Microstructure on Strontium Zirconate Interphase Formation and Cell Performance
Authors: Golani Sadhana , Wankmüller Florian , Herzhof Werner , Dellen Christian , Menzler Norbert H. , Weber André
Published: September 2023

In solid oxide cells (SOCs) exhibiting mixed ionic-electronic conductor air electrode (MIEC AE) (e.g. La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3–δ
LSC(F)), the formation of insulating zirconate interphases at the air electrode/zirconia electrolyte—interface is commonly prevented by an interlayer of doped cerium oxide. This complex interaction has a tremendous influence on cell performance, as the morphology of the interlayer determines the amount and continuity of the zirconate interphases. The performance of fuel electrode supported cells (FESCs) exhibiting gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) interlayers fabricated from different commercially available powders are compared. All of these layers were fabricated according to the same procedure. The cell performance is analyzed by means of current-voltage (CV) characteristics, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and subsequent impedance analysis by the distribution of relaxation times (DRT). Next to the cell testing at application-oriented conditions, impedance spectra are measured over a wide temperature ranging down to 250 °C to resolve polarization phenomena related to bulk, grain boundary and interfacial effects within and in-between the gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) and the 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) electrolyte. Furthermore, symmetrical air electrode (SymAE) cells are analyzed to eliminate impedance contributions from the anode layer (AL) and the substrate. The electrochemical results are correlated to the microstructural features of the GDC/YSZ interface obtained from post-test focused ion beam (FIB)/scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. This comparison revealed significant differences in the cell performance, which could be attributed to the amount and continuity of the residual strontium zirconate (SZO) interphase.
Energy Band Alignment in ZnO-Sm2O3 Heterostructure for Low Temperature Ceramic Fuel Cells
Authors: Wang Hao , Hu Enyi , Wang Faze , Zhu Bin
Published: September 2023

Energy band alignment in ZnO-Sm2O3 was proposed to design promising electrolyte materials for low temperature ceramic fuel cells. The arrangement of energy bands leads to local electric field at the interface, avoiding short-circuit problems and accelerating ion conduction in ZnO-Sm2O3 electrolyte low temperature ceramic fuel cells. The optimized composite electrolyte 7ZnO-3Sm2O3 fuel cell devices an appreciable maximum power density of 790 mW cm−2 and stable power density of 125 mW cm−2 for 40 h at 500 °C.
Infusing sociology into a physiology classroom: teaching the physiology of obesity through a socioscientific lens
Authors: Petzold Andrew M. , Altrichter Shanna L.
Published: September 2023

This article presents a unique perspective on the necessity of including sociological concepts and teaching alongside certain topics within a physiology classroom along with some resources for faculty wishing to engage in similar infusions of sociological thinking.
Development of critical thinking skills in human anatomy and physiology
Authors: Silldorff Erik P. , Robinson Gerald D.
Published: September 2023

Critical thinking skills are essential to the effective performance of many careers, particularly those involving health care. To aid the development of these skills in physiology, the formation of logical cognitive frameworks needs to be supported via instruction that emphasizes the context of physiological functions (the “why”) as well as the causality of their sequential actions. Within such frameworks, students become capable of cognitive reasoning required to reach intuitive conclusions after system perturbations.
Validated checklist for assessing communication skills in undergraduate medical students: bridging the gap for effective doctor-patient interactions
Authors: Chauhan Archana , Begum Jarina , Saiyad Shaistha
Published: September 2023

This article presents a highly unique and novel approach by introducing a structured checklist for communication skill assessment in medical students. Its rigorous validation process ensures reliability and effectiveness, while its adaptation to sociocultural norms highlights its relevance and applicability. The user-friendly design with a single-page layout and dichotomous scale further enhances its practicality in objective structured clinical examinations. The developed checklist equips educators with a valuable resource to assess and improve students’ communication abilities.
Acute upper and lower limb hemodynamic responses during single sessions of low- versus high-intensity inspiratory muscle strength training
Authors: Plouffe Audrey A. , Fischer Kylah P. , Vranish Jennifer R.
Published: September 2023

Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that upper and lower limb blood flow and shear rate patterns are altered during a single bout of IMST, at low- and high-intensity training. Specifically, anterograde blood flow and shear rate are significantly reduced in the brachial artery, whereas retrograde blood flow is significantly elevated in both the brachial and popliteal arteries. These findings provide insight into the vascular impact of IMST, which may inform future mechanistic studies.
Glucocorticoids, their uses, sexual dimorphisms, and diseases: new concepts, mechanisms, and discoveries
Authors: Martinez Genesee J. , Appleton Malik , Kipp Zachary A. , Loria Analia S. , Min Booki , Hinds Terry D.
Published: September 2023

The normal stress response in humans is governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis through heightened mechanisms during stress, raising blood levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol. Glucocorticoids are quintessential compounds that balance the proper functioning of numerous systems in the mammalian body. They are also generated synthetically and are the preeminent therapy for inflammatory diseases. They act by binding to the nuclear receptor transcription factor glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which has two main isoforms (GRα and GRβ). Our classical understanding of glucocorticoid signaling is from the GRα isoform, which binds the hormone, whereas GRβ has no known ligands. With glucocorticoids being involved in many physiological and cellular processes, even small disruptions in their release via the HPA axis, or changes in GR isoform expression, can have dire ramifications on health. Long-term chronic glucocorticoid therapy can lead to a glucocorticoid-resistant state, and we deliberate how this impacts disease treatment. Chronic glucocorticoid treatment can lead to noticeable side effects such as weight gain, adiposity, diabetes, and others that we discuss in detail. There are sexually dimorphic responses to glucocorticoids, and women tend to have a more hyperresponsive HPA axis than men. This review summarizes our understanding of glucocorticoids and critically analyzes the GR isoforms and their beneficial and deleterious mechanisms and the sexual differences that cause a dichotomy in responses. We also discuss the future of glucocorticoid therapy and propose a new concept of dual GR isoform agonist and postulate why activating both isoforms may prevent glucocorticoid resistance.
Adaptive‐Neuro‐Learning Tracking Control for the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Full‐State Prescribed Performances and Time Delays
Authors: Li Tandong , Li Shaobo , Zhang Junxing , Sun Hang , Zheng Chaojie , Lv Dongchao
Published: September 2023

High‐performance tracking control is essential for permanent magnet synchronous motors in the perturbed environment. Given this, a new hybrid controller is proposed in this study for a permanent magnet synchronous motor with load disturbances as well as time delays. First, a new prescribed performance method is proposed to achieve the full‐state performance constraints with load disturbances. Second, a time‐varying filter is proposed for the first time to avoid the “complexity explosion” problem of the backstepping method while guaranteeing the convergence of the filtering error. Third, by combining Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals with adaptive neural networks, the time‐delay disturbance and unknown nonlinear dynamics of the control system have been solved. The stability analysis proves that all signals in the closed‐loop system are bounded. To show the effectiveness of the intelligent controller, the comparison simulations are given to confirm the advantages of the proposed adaptive neural control scheme.
Differential Benefit of Metronomic Chemotherapy Among Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Subtypes Treated in the IBCSG Trial 22–00
Authors: Joaquin Garcia Andrea , Rediti Mattia , Venet David , Majjaj Samira , Kammler Roswitha , Munzone Elisabetta , Gianni Lorenzo , Thürlimann Beat , Laáng István , Colleoni Marco , Loi Sherene , Viale Giuseppe , Regan Meredith M. , Buisseret Laurence , Rothé Françoise , Sotiriou Christos
Published: September 2023

Purpose:

To explore whether specific triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) molecular subtypes are predictive for a benefit from maintenance low-dose cyclophosphamide and methotrexate (CM) in the adjuvant IBCSG 22–00 phase III clinical trial.

Experimental Design:

RNA sequencing was performed on a selection of 347 TNBC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples following a case–cohort-like sampling. TNBC subtypes were computed on gene expression data. The association between TNBC subtypes and treatment outcome was assessed using a Cox proportional-hazards interaction test.

Results:

Immunomodulatory (IM) and basal-like/immune activated (BLIA) molecular subtypes showed a significant survival benefit when treated with low-dose CM [disease-free survival (DFS): HR, 0.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.28–0.89; Pinteraction = 0.018 and HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27–0.9; Pinteraction = 0.021]. Moreover, a high expression of regulatory T-cell immune signature was associated with a better prognosis in the CM arm, in line with a potential immunomodulating role of cyclophosphamide. In contrast, a worse outcome was observed in tumors with a mesenchymal (M) subtype treated with low-dose CM (DFS: HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–3; Pinteraction = 0.0044).

Conclusions:

Our results show a differential benefit of low-dose CM therapy across different TNBC subtypes. Low-dose CM therapy could be considered as a potential strategy for TNBC tumors with IM subtype in the early-disease setting.
Near-Infrared Spectral Tomography for Predicting Residual Cancer Burden during Early-Stage Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
Authors: Cao Xu , Muller Kristen E. , Chamberlin Mary D. , Gui Jiang , Kaufman Peter A. , Schwartz Gary N. , diFlorio-Alexander Roberta M. , Pogue Brian W. , Paulsen Keith D. , Jiang Shudong
Published: September 2023

Purpose:

The aim of this study is to investigate whether near-infrared spectral tomography (NIRST) might serve as a reliable prognostic tool to predict residual cancer burden (RCB) in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) based upon early treatment response measurements.

Experimental Design:

A total of thirty-five patients with breast cancer receiving NAC were included in this study. NIRST imaging was performed at multiple time points, including: before treatment, at end of the first cycle, at the mid-point, and post-NAC treatments. From reconstructed NIRST images, average values of total hemoglobin (HbT) were obtained for both the tumor region and contralateral breast at each time point. RCB scores/classes were assessed by a pathologist using histologic slides of the surgical specimen obtained after completing NAC. Logistic regression of the normalized early percentage change of HbT in the tumor region (ΔHbT%) was used to predict RCB and determine its significance as an indicator for differentiating cases within each RCB class.

Results:

The ΔHbT% at the end of the first cycle, as compared with pretreatment levels, showed excellent prognostic capability in differentiating RCB-0 from RCB-I/II/III or RCB-II from RCB-0/I/III (P < 0.001). Corresponding area under the curve (AUC) values for these comparisons were 0.97 and 0.94, and accuracy values were 0.90 and 0.83, respectively.

Conclusions:

NIRST holds promise as a potential clinical tool that can be seamlessly integrated into existing clinical workflow within the infusion suite. By providing early assessment of RCB, NIRST has potential to improve breast cancer patient management strategies.
Deuterium Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Deuterated Water-Induced 2H-Tissue Labeling Allows Monitoring Cancer Treatment at Clinical Field Strength
Authors: Asano Hirofumi , Elhelaly Abdelazim Elsayed , Hyodo Fuminori , Iwasaki Ryota , Noda Yoshifumi , Kato Hiroki , Ichihashi Koki , Tomita Hiroyuki , Murata Masaharu , Mori Takashi , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: September 2023

Purpose:

An accurate and noninvasive assessment of tumor response following treatment other than traditional anatomical imaging techniques is essential. Deuterium magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) imaging has been demonstrated as an alternative for cancer metabolic imaging by high-field MRI using deuterium-labeled molecules. The study aim was to use 2H tissue labeling and deuterium MRI at clinical field strength for tumor visualization and assessment of three anticancer therapies in pancreatic cancer model mice.

Experimental Design:

MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic carcinoma and C26 colorectal carcinoma models of BALB/c-nu mice was prepared, and repeated deuterium MRI was performed during the first 10 days of free drinking of 30% D2O to track 2H distribution in tissues. 2H accumulation in the tumor after irradiation, bevacizumab administration, or gemcitabine administration was also measured in MIA PaCa-2–bearing mice. Confirmatory proton MRI, ex vivo metabolic hyperpolarization 13C-MRS, and histopathology were performed.

Results:

The mouse's whole-body distribution of 2H was visible 1 day after drinking, and the signal intensity increased daily. Although the tumor size did not change 1 and 3 days after irradiation, the amount of 2H decreased significantly. The 2H image intensity of the tumor also significantly decreased after the administration of bevacizumab or gemcitabine. Metabolic hyperpolarization 13C-MRS, proton MRI, and 2H-NMR spectroscopy confirmed the efficacy of the anticancer treatments.

Conclusions:

Deuterium MRI at 1.5T proved feasible to track 2H distribution throughout mouse tissues during D2O administration and revealed a higher 2H accumulation in the tumor xenografts. This research demonstrated a promising successful method for preliminary assessment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy of cancer.
Personalized Medicine's Coming of Age: One Drug, One Patient
Authors: Qazilbash Muzaffar H. , Kwak Larry W.
Published: September 2023

A dendritic cell/myeloma fusion vaccine, given with lenalidomide and GM-CSF, did not result in a statistically significant increase in CR rates at 1 year posttransplant but was associated with a significant increase in circulating multiple myeloma–reactive lymphocytes indicative of tumor-specific immunity.

See related article by Chung et al., p. 4784
Table 1 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

 List of the differentially expressed microRNAs, expressed as Log2 of metastatic cells/A375P median values in metastatic (MA-1, MC-1, MA-2 and MC-2) vs parental (A375P) melanoma cell lines. Two-class SAM, FDR=1%.
Figure S8 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) characterization.
Figure S7 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

miR-146a inhibition affects metastasis growth.
Figure S5 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

miR-146a affects cell growth in vitro.
Figure S4 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

miR-146a expression modulations.
Figure S14 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

LFNG and NUMB affect melanoma cell growth but not extravasation and metastasis formation.
Figure S11 from miR-146a Exerts Differential Effects on Melanoma Growth and Metastatization
Authors: Raimo Monica , Orso Francesca , Grassi Elena , Cimino Daniela , Penna Elisa , De Pittà Cristiano , Stadler Michael B. , Primo Luca , Calautti Enzo , Quaglino Pietro , Provero Paolo , Taverna Daniela
Published: September 2023

miR-146a and its target genes expression is negatively correlated.
TABLE 2 from Treatment Beyond Progression After Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Lim Mir , Muquith Maishara , Miramontes Bernadette , Espinoza Magdalena , Hsiehchen David
Published: September 2023

First-line regimens used for patients with HCC treated beyond progression, treated with subsequent therapies, and received no subsequent therapies
Data from Treatment Beyond Progression After Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Lim Mir , Muquith Maishara , Miramontes Bernadette , Espinoza Magdalena , Hsiehchen David
Published: September 2023

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can induce atypical tumor responses including pseudoprogression in a subset of patients who may benefit from treatment beyond progression. While ICIs have emerged as frontline treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and are associated with clinical benefit in a minority of patients, it is unclear whether treatment beyond progression has utility in this disease type. In a multicenter cohort analysis, treatment beyond progression was associated with no new safety signals, objective responses in 5.8% of patients, and disease control in 44% of patients. Progression-free survival and overall survival were comparable between patients treated beyond progression and patients treated with subsequent therapies, demonstrating that treatment beyond progression was not detrimental to survival outcomes. Rather, treatment beyond progression may benefit select patients with HCC and could represent a viable strategy for maximizing treatment benefit in these patients.
Significance:
Treatment beyond progression with ICIs in patients with HCC is safe and may benefit a subset of patients due to later-onset tumor responses or disease stability. These findings may guide the design of trials testing ICIs in HCC and the use of treatment beyond progression in routine practice.
Aging Is Associated With Organ-Specific Alterations in the Level and Expression Pattern of von Willebrand Factor
Authors: Alavi Parnian , Yousef Abdualla Radya , Brown Douglas , Mojiri Anahita , Nagendran Jayan , Lewis John , Bourque Stephane L. , Jahroudi Nadia
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND:

VWF (von Willebrand factor) is an endothelial-specific procoagulant protein with a major role in thrombosis. Aging is associated with increased circulating levels of VWF, which presents a risk factor for thrombus formation.

METHODS:

Circulating plasma, cellular protein, and mRNA levels of VWF were determined and compared in young and aged mice. Major organs were subjected to immunofluorescence analyses to determine the vascular pattern of VWF expression and the presence of platelet aggregates. An in vitro model of aging, using extended culture time of endothelial cells, was used to explore the mechanism of age-associated increased VWF levels.

RESULTS:

Increased circulating plasma levels of VWF with elevated levels of larger multimers, indicative of VWF functional activity, were observed in aged mice. VWF mRNA and cellular protein levels were significantly increased in the brains, lungs, and livers but not in the kidneys and hearts of aged mice. Higher proportion of small vessels in brains, lungs, and livers of aged mice exhibited VWF expression compared with young, and this was concomitant with increased platelet aggregate formation. Prolonged culture of endothelial cells resulted in increased cell senescence that correlated with increased VWF expression; VWF expression was specifically detected in senescent cultured endothelial cells and abolished in response to p53 knockdown. A significantly higher proportion of VWF expressing endothelial cells in vivo exhibited senescence markers SA-β-Gal (senescence-associated β-galactosidase) and p53 in aged mouse brains compared with that of the young.

CONCLUSIONS:

Aging elicits a heterogenic response in endothelial cells with regard to VWF expression, leading to organ-specific increase in VWF levels and alterations in vascular tree pattern of expression. This is concomitant with increased platelet aggregate formation. The age-associated increase in VWF expression may be modulated through the process of cell senescence, and p53 transcription factor contributes to its regulation.
Effect of Individualized Versus Standardized Blood Pressure Management During Endovascular Stroke Treatment on Clinical Outcome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Chen Min , Meis Jan , Potreck Arne , Sauer Lukas D. , Kieser Meinhard , Bendszus Martin , Wick Wolfgang , Ringleb Peter A. , Möhlenbruch Markus A. , Schönenberger Silvia
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND:

Optimal blood pressure (BP) management during endovascular stroke treatment is not well established. We studied whether an individualized approach for managing BP during endovascular stroke treatment gives a better clinical outcome than an approach with standardized systolic BP targets.

METHODS:

The INDIVIDUATE study (Individualized Blood Pressure Management During Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke Under Procedural Sedation) is a randomized clinical trial with a prospective randomized open blinded end point (PROBE) design. Patients were recruited between October 1, 2020 and July 7, 2022 at a single center at a tertiary care university hospital. Patients were eligible, when they were suffering from acute ischemic stroke of the anterior circulation with occlusions of the internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery and a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥8 receiving endovascular stroke treatment in procedural sedation. The intervention consists of an individualized BP management strategy, where preinterventional baseline systolic BP (SBP) values are used as intraprocedural BP targets. As a control, the standard treatment aims to maintain the intraprocedural SBP between 140 and 180 mm Hg. The main prespecified outcome is the proportion of favorable functional outcomes 90 days after stroke, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2.

RESULTS:

Two hundred fifty patients were enrolled and included in the analysis, mean (SD) age was 77 (12) years, 142 (57%) patients were women, and mean (SD) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission was 17 (5.2). In all, 123 (49%) patients were treated with individualized and 127 (51%) with standard BP management. Mean (SD) intraprocedural SBP was similar in the individualized versus standard BP management group (157 [19] versus 154 [18] mm Hg;
P
=0.16). The rate of favorable functional outcome after 3 months was not significantly different between the individualized versus the standard BP management group (25% versus 24%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.41–1.61];
P
=0.56).

CONCLUSIONS:

Among patients treated with endovascular stroke treatment due to an acute ischemic stroke of the anterior circulation, no significant difference was seen between the individualized BP management strategy, where intraprocedural SBP was targeted to baseline values, and the standardized regimen of targeting SBP between 140 and 180 mm Hg.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04578288.
Various Effects of Personal Traits on the Components of Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Dekhtiarenko Anastasiia A. , Savchenko Nina L. , Shliagina Elena I.
Published: September 2023

Background. Due to global changes and growing socio-cultural uncertainty, it is important to determine which personal traits allow a person to maintain a high level of subjective well-being in modern conditions of living. Objective. The article aims to determine the contribution of personal traits (perfectionism, coping strategies and tolerance for ambiguity) to the components of subjective well-being (life satisfaction and subjective happiness). Sample. The study involved 142 respondents (123 females, 19 males), students of Moscow universities (mean age = 19,32, SD = 0,644). Methods. Respondents were offered to complete 6 questionnaires: «Three-factor perfectionism questionnaire», «Proactive coping abbreviated questionnaire», «Diagnostic technique of stress coping» of D. Amirkhan, «Scales of tolerance and intolerance to ambiguity in modification of S. Badner’s questionnaire», «Subjective happiness scale» of S. Lyubomirsky, «The satisfaction with life scale » by E. Diener. Statistical processing of the data was performed using statistics system, IBM SPSS Statistics 23 macros PROCESS, using regression and moderator analyses. Results. Regression analysis revealed the positive contribution of proactive coping and the negative contribution of the perfectionism component "negative selectivity and fixation on one’s own imperfection" both to individual components of subjective well-being and to its integral indicator. The proactive coping strategy "seeking social support" contributes to the cognitive component of subjective well-being and its integral indicator, while not affecting the emotional component. Moderator model shows an increase in subjective well-being when using a proactive coping strategy, regardless of the level of the perfectionism component "negative selectivity and fixation on one’s own imperfection". Conclusion. Such personal traits as proactive coping strategies (proactive coping, seeking social support) and the perfectionism component of "negative selectivity..." contribute to the level of subjective well-being. Proactive coping also levels the connection between perfectionism and subjective well-being.
Vygotsky's criticism of fascism in German psychology of the 1930s: political, socio-psychological and personal contexts
Authors: Sobkin Vladimir S. , Emelin Gleb D.
Published: September 2023

Background. This study discusses one of the last Vygotsky`s works — the fourth chapter in «Fascism in Psychoneurology» bulletin (1934). Motivation of the author to write this text is analyzed in the broad context of sociopolitical and personal aspects of his life: general growth of sociopsychological tension, repressions that touched Vygotsky`s family in 1930s, personally significant Jewish question and antisemitism in nazi Germany. In addition, joint letter from R.N. Vygodskaya and L.S. Vygotsky to D.I. Vygodsky published for the first time. This letter mentioned the arrest of Vygotsky`s cousin L.I. Vygodsky. Objective. The aim of the study was to reconstruct personal meanings and circumstances of L.S. Vygotsky in writing a chapter for «Fascism in Psychoneurology» bulletin. Methods. Elements of source analysis, search and analysis of archival documents, theoretical analysis of literature on L.S. Vygotsky`s biography. Results. The analysis showed that Vygotsky and Luria`s criticism of Fascism in psychology is built around several topics: criticism of the basic anthropological idea of the Third Reich about the predestination of human development depending on «blood and race»; an analysis of the process of politicization and ideologization of science, exemplified by the concept of «Integrationstypologie» introduced by E.R. Jaensch, which Vygotsky criticizes; political self-defense of Soviet scientists against possible persecution; the issue of national self-determination of Soviet Jewish scientists. Conclusion. Authors of this article suggested that this work may be seen not only as a scientific criticism and assertion of humanistic values in psychology but also as an act of political self-defense from sanctions and persecution that took place during the second half of the 1930s.
Comparative Analysis of the Values of Traditional Business Entrepreneurs and Startup Founders
Authors: Zhuravlev Alexey V. , Egiazarova Maria A.
Published: September 2023

Background. Currently, the number of entrepreneurs who run traditional business or create a startup is growing. A startup is a special type of entrepreneurial activity that increases the risks of doing business. In this regard, the question of the personality traits of the entrepreneur who has a traditional business and the founder of the startup arises. Objective. The aim is to identify distinctive professional values of entrepreneurs who prefer traditional business (hereinafter referred to as TB entrepreneurs) and startup entrepreneurs. Methods. The hypotheses were tested by a survey including two test methods: the Rokich values method, a modified method from the Bushkova-Shiklina study. The paper compared the set of professional values of traditional business entrepreneurs (TB) and startup founders. Differences in values were checked through Pearson's chi-square calculation (χ2 ⸻ Pearson consent criterion). Sample. The sample consisted of 90 people. Of these, 46 participants (25 men and 21 women) are entrepreneurs, and 44 (27 men and 17 women) participants are startup founders living in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The age of respondents is from 20 to 40 years. Results. Statistically significant differences in the values of TB entrepreneurs and startup founders could not be found. The set of common values of TB entrepreneurs and startup founders is the same: interest in work, financially secure life, development. However, each group of entrepreneurs has its own specific values. TB entrepreneurs emphasise professionalism while startup founders emphasise success. Conclusions. TB entrepreneurs and startup founders have similar values. The personalities of TB entrepreneurs and startup founders have many similarities, similar values and directions in life, despite the fact that the activities of these two groups are not identical and have their own characteristics. A startup should be considered as a subtype of entrepreneurship. TB entrepreneurs demonstrate professionalism as a specific professional value. Startup founders have another specific professional value which is freedom. Practical application of the results. The results of the study are useful for group and individual work with entrepreneurs, and also serve as a starting point for a more detailed study of the socio-psychological aspects of entrepreneur's personality.
Roman Civil Jurisdiction, Nezikin, and Rabbinic Professionalization in the Second Century: A Response to Yair Furstenberg
Authors: Dohrmann Natalie B.
Published: September 2023

Yair Furstenberg’s article in this issue, “The Rabbinic Movement from Pharisees to Provincial Jurists” (DOI: 10.1163/15700631-bja10070), ties what he sees as the changing boundaries of torah law at the hands of the Tannaim to changes in the legal landscape of the eastern provinces of the Roman empire in the second century. This brief essay is a response to the article, musing on its implications and raising questions for future research.
Observer-based finite-time robust control for nonlinear systems with different power Hamiltonian functions
Authors: Zhang Chunfu , Yang Renming , Li Guangye , Hou Mingdong
Published: September 2023

This work uses the Hamiltonian function approach to investigate the observer-based finite-time robust control problem of a broad nonlinear system and presents various new results. To begin, the Hamiltonian technique is used to convert the original system to its equivalent form, and then the observer system is designed. Afterward, utilizing the technology and the Lyapunov method, we investigate the finite-time control issue and give several finite-time stabilization results based on the observer method. Finally, a real unmanned vehicle is used to verify the performance of the observer-based finite-time robust stabilization controller. Different from the existing literature on the Hamiltonian method, the Hamiltonian function in this article has different powers, which implies that the results developed in this article have a wider range of application.
Higher pelvic incidence values are a risk factor for trans-iliac trans-sacral screw malposition in sacroiliac complex fracture treatment
Authors: Luo An-Jhih , Wang Angela , Lai Chih-Yang , Yu Yi-Hsun , Hsu Yung-Heng , Chou Ying-Chao , Chen I.-Jung
Published: September 2023

Background

Percutaneous iliosacral (IS) screw fixation and trans-iliac trans-sacral (TITS) screw fixation are clinically effective treatments of posterior pelvic sacroiliac fractures. In order to accurately assess the sacrum position relative to the pelvis, pelvic incidence (PI) is a commonly utilized radiographic parameter in sagittal view. This study aimed to investigate and compare the surgical outcomes and radiographic parameters of IS or TITS screw fixations for the treatment of posterior sacroiliac complex fractures with different PI values.

Materials and methods

The data on patients with posterior pelvic sacroiliac fractures who underwent percutaneous IS or TITS screw fixations, or both, at a single level I trauma center between January 2017 and June 2020 were reviewed. We documented the patient characteristics and fracture types, reviewed surgical records, and measured the radiographic parameters via plain films and multi-planar computed tomography (mpCT) images. Radiographic variations in PI, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, sacral dysmorphism, pelvic ring reduction quality, screw deviation angles, screw malposition grading, and iatrogenic complications were documented and analyzed.

Results

A total of 85 patients were included, and 65 IS and 70 TITS screws were accounted for. Patients were divided into two groups according to screw fixation method and further divided into four sub-groups based on baseline PI values. The PI cutoff values were 49.85° and 48.05° in the IS and TITS screw groups, respectively, according to receiver operating characteristic analysis and Youden's J statistic. Smaller PI values were significantly correlated with sacral dysmorphism (p = 0.027 and 0.003 in the IS and TITS screw groups, respectively). Patients with larger PI values were at a significantly increased risk of screw malposition in the TITS screw group (p = 0.049), with no association in the IS screw group. Logistic regression confirmed that a larger PI value was a significant risk factor for screw malposition in the TITS screw group (p = 0.010). The post-operative outcomes improved from poor/fair (at 6 months) to good/average (at 12 months) based on the Postel Merle d'Aubigné and Majeed scores, with no significant differences between subgroups.

Conclusions

Both percutaneous IS and TITS screw fixations are safe and effective treatments for posterior pelvic sacroiliac fractures. Due to the higher risk of screw malposition in patients with larger PI values, it is crucial to identify potential patients at risk when performing TITS screw fixation surgery.

Level of evidence:

Level III.