bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Animal Farm afterlife: epitextual values
Authors: Rattanakantadilok Gritiya
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The present article seeks to further the analysis by examining the epitext employed by the press seeing as the epitext in the digital spaces might have given Animal Farm and its Thai re-translations a new lease on life.

Design/methodology/approach

The interest in the study of translation and paratext has primarily been in analysing peritextual material of translated texts, not on the epitext, the distanced elements located outside the book. To add to a limited amount of research into epitext, this study focusses on the element that is external to the published re-translations: the news items published by the media in the Thai and English languages from May–June 2019, immediately after the Thai PM’s book recommendation.

Findings

These news items, as an epitextual element, primed, explained, contextualised, justified and tempted readers. The “Afterlife” of Animal Farm in Thailand is sustained by political upheavals and re-translations. Rather than through their textual qualities, the re-translations of Animal Farm compete with each other through epitext.

Originality/value

In discussing literary re-translation of Animal Farm in the digital age, Genette’s categories of paratextual field are not without their merits. The materials examined in this article are posted by web administrators with collective identity or institutional affiliation. In some of these news items or articles, materials created by different paratextual creators are selectively coalesced within a singular textual space. The site users or news readers encounter various elements in the texts that had been curated by journalists. In other words, these elements had been consciously crafted.
Exploring the contributions of circular business models towards the transition of green economy in the Ghanaian construction industry
Authors: Gyimah Samuel , Owusu-Manu De-Graft , Edwards David J. , Buertey Joseph Ignatius Teye , Danso Anthony Kwame
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In recent times, both academics and industrialists have undertaken research into various areas of circular business models (CBM) in a bid to promote a green economy. Yet despite numerous studies conducted, the ensuing discourse contains scant information regarding the contributions of CBM towards the transition of green economy in the construction industry. This present study therefore aims to explore the contributions of CBM in the transition towards a green economy in the Ghanaian construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review was first conducted to identify the contributions of CBM towards the transition towards a green economy. A quantitative research strategy was then adopted to collect primary questionnaire data from professionals with knowledge of CBM and the green economy from 104 participants for the study. The data gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis viz. Principal component analysis.

Findings

The contributions of CBM towards the transition towards a green economy were found to be: value contributions (i.e. lower carbon footprint, lower emission of waste by the industry, value creation for clients, innovation in construction materials and methods, reduced maintenance cost, creation of energy efficient infrastructures, improved value proposition for firms, improved sustainability of the industry and reduced pressure on finite resource.); green contributions (i.e. recycling and reuse of construction waste, promotion of green building technology, increased potential for economic growth, increased resource efficiency and creation of green building market) and longevity contribution (i.e. increased life span of buildings). It was evident that CBM make significant contributions in the transition towards green economy and as such, policymakers and other stakeholders within the construction industry must adopt these models to maximize their green credentials and accrue inherent benefits associated with transitioning towards a green economy.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel and comprehensive study that explores the contributions of CBM towards engendering a green economy. The study’s results provide construction industry stakeholders and policymakers with clear insight into the contributions of CBM towards the transition into a green economy. In practice, this study provides much needed guidance to support construction practitioners to transition towards a green economy in alignment with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sofana Dahlan: spearheading to nurture creativity in Saudi Arabia
Authors: John Doris Rajakumari
Published: January 2024

Research methodology

The data for the case is a mix of both primary and secondary data, from the following sources: – personal interviews with the protagonist, Sofana Dahlan; – Tashkeil website; – official documents provided by the company: ■ “Tashkeil – Corporate Brief,” ■ “Saudi National Creative Initiative – Activities Report 2016”; and ■ “Tashkeil Global Company”. – published media sources.

Case overview/synopsis

The case outlines the story of Sofana Dahlan (Sofana) (she/her), a social entrepreneur and one of the first few women lawyers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She established Tashkeil as a social enterprise, helping creative entrepreneurs (creatives) with strategic, operational and legal inputs, thus enabling the creative industry in different parts of the Arab world, focussing on Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Her story can be used to inspire students on how a female entrepreneur fought against an extremely restrictive social and cultural environment and achieved her goals. It helps them to understand the challenges faced by women in the context of the Arab world and the key attributes required for them to succeed as an entrepreneur, especially in the context of certain social and cultural barriers. It also helps to understand the importance of resilience in entrepreneurs and to discuss how entrepreneurs can become more resilient.

Complexity academic level

The case can be used mainly in undergraduate Business Management Programs in courses such as Entrepreneurship, with specific reference to Women Entrepreneurship. The case would be a good fit for courses on Social Entrepreneurship and Creative Businesses.
To digitalize or not digitalize: scaling up dilemma at Karan Handicraft
Authors: Vyas Diti Pundrik , Mohapatra Subhalaxmi , Marvada Karan Bhoja
Published: January 2024

Research methodology

The case study is based on field data including semi-structured interviews with the main protagonist and related stakeholders of Karan Handicraft, a leather craft artisan enterprise. After informed consent, the interviews with the craft artisan entrepreneurs of Karan Handicraft were conducted, transcribed and analysed verbatim in the respondents’ native language, Kutchi Gujarati. The authors also used archival data given by the company. In addition, secondary data from industry reports and business magazines was used to create the case.

Case overview/synopsis

The case investigates the impact of digital technologies on the small handicraft artisan entrepreneurs by focusing on a family-run business of a leather craft. It traces the evolution of Karan Handicraft, based in Kutch district of Gujarat, India from the year 2007 to 2023. The third-generation artisan entrepreneur Karan Marvada attempted exploring the new-age social media platforms to showcase the products, modified his product designs to attract a new customer-base and adapted to digital marketing. However, in the wake of the crowding in the handicraft cluster, the central business problem that Karan was grappling with was, if he should scale up his artisanal entrepreneurial stint using electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a medium. Another allied issue is in such a scale-up, should he use e-commerce, i.e. as a medium of communication only or as a medium of both communication and delivery. While the latter may lead to scale, it may raise the challenge of not being able to preserve the traditional values of his ancestral business.

Complexity academic level

This case involves various issues that arise in entrepreneurship management, such as decisions related to growth strategy (remain small and unique vs become large and mass scale), to maintain a physical presence vs digital presence and the form of digital presence, are dwelt upon. The case is aimed at graduate students in an entrepreneurship or family business course. It could also be taught in other courses that focus on innovation and social entrepreneurship.
The vertebrate bone hypothesis: Understanding the impact of bone on vertebrate stoichiometry
Authors: May Emily M. , El‐Sabaawi Rana W.
Published: January 2024

Understanding how animals store and recycle nutrients is a major question in ecological stoichiometry, a field that applies mass‐balance to ecological and physiological processes. However, ecological stoichiometry has thus far failed to accurately predict elemental demand and release in vertebrates.

Because they invest in bone, a tissue mineralized with calcium phosphate, vertebrates are phosphorus (P) rich, allowing them to uniquely impact P cycling. Nonetheless, bone's impact goes further than merely changing vertebrate body elemental content.

We propose a potential guiding hypothesis for vertebrate P stoichiometry called the ‘Vertebrate Bone Hypothesis (VBH)’. The VBH has three components: (1)Bone strongly impacts vertebrate whole‐body %P and N:P. (2) Bone is a P storage tissue that acts in elemental homeostasis. (3)Bone does not have constant elemental content.

To characterize this hypothesis, we integrate bone physiology with stoichiometric principles, and we systematically review quantitative bone measurements to showcase cryptic diversity in vertebrate P content.

Finally, we apply the characteristics of the VBH to ontogeny and reproduction, both of which impact bone physiology and elemental demand, to demonstrate the context dependency of bone's stoichiometric impact.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Polyphenism predicts actuarial senescence and lifespan in tiger salamanders
Authors: Cayuela Hugo , Lackey Alycia C. R. , Ronget Victor , Monod‐Broca Benjamin , Whiteman Howard H.
Published: January 2024

Actuarial senescence (called ‘senescence’ hereafter) often shows broad variation at the intraspecific level. Phenotypic plasticity likely plays a central role in among‐individual heterogeneity in senescence rate (i.e. the rate of increase in mortality with age), although our knowledge on this subject is still very fragmentary. Polyphenism—the unique sub‐type of phenotypic plasticity where several discrete phenotypes are produced by the same genotype—may provide excellent study systems to investigate if and how plasticity affects the rate of senescence in nature.

In this study, we investigated whether facultative paedomorphosis influences the rate of senescence in a salamander, Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum. Facultative paedomorphosis, a unique form of polyphenism found in dozens of urodele species worldwide, leads to the production of two discrete, environmentally induced phenotypes: metamorphic and paedomorphic individuals. We leveraged an extensive set of capture–recapture data (8948 individuals, 24 years of monitoring) that were analysed using multistate capture–recapture models and Bayesian age‐dependent survival models.

Multistate models revealed that paedomorphosis was the most common developmental pathway used by salamanders in our study system. Bayesian age‐dependent survival models then showed that paedomorphs have accelerated senescence in both sexes and shorter adult lifespan (in females only) compared to metamorphs. In paedomorphs, senescence rate and adult lifespan also varied among ponds and individuals. Females with good body condition and high lifetime reproductive success had slower senescence and longer lifespan. Late‐breeding females also lived longer but showed a senescence rate similar to that of early‐breeding females. Moreover, males with good condition had longer lifespan than males with poor body condition, although they had similar senescence rates. In addition, late‐breeding males lived longer but, unexpectedly, had higher senescence than early‐breeding males.

Overall, our work provides one of the few empirical cases suggesting that environmentally cued polyphenism could affect the senescence of a vertebrate in nature, thus providing insights on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of developmental plasticity on ageing.
Humans drive spatial variation in mortality risk for a threatened wolf population in a Canis hybrid zone
Authors: Benson John F. , Mahoney Peter J. , Wheeldon Tyler J. , Thompson Connor A. , Ward Mariah E. , McLaren Ashley A. D. , Desy Glenn E. , Fryxell John M. , Patterson Brent R.
Published: January 2024

Large carnivores often exhibit high survival rates in protected areas, whereas intentional and unintentional human‐caused mortality may be greater in adjacent areas. These patterns can result in source‐sink dynamics and limit population expansion beyond protected areas.

We used telemetry data from 438 canids in 141 packs collected from 2002 to 2020 to evaluate mortality risk for wolves, coyotes, and admixed canids in a 3‐species hybrid zone in and adjacent to a large protected area in Ontario, Canada. The hybrid zone is occupied by most of the remaining eastern wolves (Canis lycaon), a rare, threatened species that hybridizes with sympatric eastern coyotes (C. latrans) and Great Lakes grey wolves (C. lupus).

Within Algonquin Provincial Park (APP), annual human‐caused mortality from harvest and vehicles was low (0.06, 95% CI [0.03, 0.08]), whereas annual human‐caused mortality was higher in adjacent areas (0.31, 95% CI [0.25, 0.37]). Smaller protected areas implemented to help protect eastern wolves did not significantly reduce mortality. Eastern wolves survived poorly relative to other canids and dispersing canids survived poorly relative to residents. Mortality risk was greater when canids were closer to roads. Mortality risk was also increased or reduced by the strength of individual‐level selection or avoidance of roads relative to their availability, respectively.

Our results provide a comprehensive evaluation of factors influencing spatial variation in mortality risk for canids to inform eastern wolf recovery efforts. Additionally, we developed a novel modelling approach for investigating the influence of resource selection on mortality risk, which highlighted that individual‐level responses to risk can strongly influence population‐level mortality patterns.

Synthesis and applications. Despite being listed as ‘threatened’ under the Ontario Endangered Species Act, eastern wolves are still legally trapped and shot outside protected areas in central Ontario. Eastern wolves and dispersing canids survive poorly outside of APP, primarily from human‐caused mortality. These results, along with the apparent inadequacy of the smaller protected areas, suggest that expanding the threatened eastern wolf population outside APP is unlikely under current management conditions. Protecting eastern wolves from human‐caused mortality is complicated as it would require a harvest ban for all canids, including coyotes.
Climate anomalies and neighbourhood crowding interact in shaping tree growth in old‐growth and selectively logged tropical forests
Authors: Nemetschek Daniela , Derroire Géraldine , Marcon Eric , Aubry‐Kientz Mélaine , Auer Johanna , Badouard Vincyane , Baraloto Christopher , Bauman David , Le Blaye Quentin , Boisseaux Marion , Bonal Damien , Coste Sabrina , Dardevet Elia , Heuret Patrick , Hietz Peter , Levionnois Sébastien , Maréchaux Isabelle , McMahon Sean M. , Stahl Clément , Vleminckx Jason , Wanek Wolfgang , Ziegler Camille , Fortunel Claire
Published: January 2024

Climate extremes and biotic interactions at the neighbourhood scale affect tropical forest dynamics with long‐term consequences for biodiversity, global carbon cycling and climate change mitigation. However, forest disturbance may change crowding intensity, and thus the relative contribution of climate extremes and neighbourhood interactions on tree growth, thereby influencing tropical forest resistance and resilience to climate change. Here, we aim to evaluate the separate and interactive effects of climate and neighbours on tree growth in old‐growth and disturbed tropical forests.

We used 30 years of growth measurements for over 300 tropical tree species from 15 forest plots in French Guiana to investigate the separate and interactive effects of climate anomalies (in solar radiation, maximum temperature, vapour pressure deficit and climatic water deficit) and neighbourhood crowding on individual tree growth. Contrasting old‐growth and selectively logged forests, we also examined how disturbance history affects tree growth sensitivity to climate and neighbours. Finally, for the most abundant 100 species, we evaluated the role of 12 functional traits pertaining to water relations, light and carbon use in mediating tree growth sensitivity to climate anomalies, neighbourhood crowding and their interactions.

Climate anomalies tied to heat and drought stress and neighbourhood crowding independently reduced tree growth, and showed positive interactive effects which attenuated their separate effects on tree growth. Their separate and interactive effects were stronger in disturbed than undisturbed forests. Fast‐growing species (i.e. higher intrinsic growth rates) were more abundant in disturbed forests and more sensitive to climate anomalies and neighbourhood crowding. Traits related to water relations, light and carbon use captured species sensitivities to different climate anomalies and neighbourhood crowding levels but were weak predictors of their interactions.

Synthesis: Our results demonstrate that climate anomalies and neighbourhood crowding can interact to shape tropical tree growth, suggesting that considering the biotic context may improve predictions of tropical forest dynamics facing altered climate regimes. Furthermore, species traits can capture tree growth sensitivity to the separate effects of climate and neighbours, suggesting that better representing leading functional dimensions in tropical tree strategies offers a promising way towards a better understanding of the underlying ecological mechanisms that govern tropical forest dynamics.
Nonlinearities in phytoplankton groups across temperate high mountain lakes
Authors: Buchaca Teresa , Catalan Jordi
Published: January 2024

High mountain lakes are increasingly recognized as sentinel ecosystems of global change. Monitoring phytoplankton changes or reconstructing their composition from sedimentary records can help identify systemic changes in these lakes and their catchments.

This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of the major phytoplankton groups in high mountain lakes across environmental gradients and identify tipping points in relative dominance. The phytoplankton groups were estimated using pigment‐based chemotaxonomy in 79 lakes in the Pyrenees selected to cover the bedrock and elevation gradients. Fifty‐four environment variables were considered, including in‐lake and catchment descriptors.

Redundancy analyses showed that in‐lake descriptors override the explicative capacity of landscape variables. Generalized additive models and multivariate regression trees showed that water hardness, trophic state and food‐web descriptors were, in this order, the most influential factors determining phytoplankton group dominance. Calcium concentration of about 200 μeq L−1 defined the threshold between soft waters—with chrysophytes and chlorophytes showing a higher affinity for them—and harder waters that favour diatoms and cyanobacteria. Across the trophic gradient, there was a threshold at ~5 μg L−1 of total phosphorus (TP), chrysophytes being dominant below that TP value and cryptophytes above. The dominance of chlorophytes and cryptophytes increased with the density of macrozooplankton. Chrysophytes were significantly lower and diatoms higher in lakes with fish.

Synthesis. The relative abundance of phytoplankton groups in temperate high mountain lakes responds in a nonlinear way to the hardness of the water in the range 20–1195 Ca2+ μeq L−1 and the trophic state in the range 0.94–19 TP μg L −1. The thresholds across water hardness and trophic state gradients coincide with studies based on other organisms, pointing to a robust typology for mountain lakes that should be considered when selecting global change sentinel lakes and anticipating abrupt transitions across these thresholds.
Sensory processing in children with Paediatric Acute‐onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Authors: Newby Michelle J. , Lane Shelly J. , Haracz Kirsti , Tona Janice , Palazzi Kerrin , Lambkin David
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Previous research indicates that children with Paediatric Acute‐onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) experience sensory reactivity differences that impact occupational performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences in sensory reactivity in these children across two different time points; during exacerbation and during remission, using the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) Home‐Form. The study also sought to investigate whether children with PANS experience sensory differences during remission periods, when compared with SPM Home‐Form norms.

Methods

A two‐period bidirectional case‐crossover design was used, and an online assessment was conducted to measure sensory reactivity. Parents of children aged 4.6 to 13.1 years with a diagnosis of PANS were recruited from various sites across Australia, USA, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and New Zealand. The SPM Home‐Form was used to measure sensory reactivity at two time points, when PANS was in remission (T‐R) and in exacerbation (T‐E). Study entry was permitted at either T‐E or T‐R. Participant exacerbation status was monitored over a maximum 12‐month period, and a follow‐up SPM Home‐Form was sent when a change in exacerbation status was indicated. A linear mixed model was used to assess the difference between SPM Home‐Form norm‐referenced scores during exacerbation and remission.

Results

The study included 82 participants, with 80 providing data at study entry, and 27 providing data at follow‐up. Results showed a statistically significant decline in performance across the SPM Home‐Form domains of Hearing, Social Participation, Planning and Ideas, and Total Sensory Systems T‐scores during exacerbation when compared with remission data. Results also demonstrated atypical sensory reactivity across Vision, Hearing, Touch, Balance and Motion, and Total Sensory Systems domains during periods of remission compared with SPM Home‐Form norms.

Conclusion

This study found that children with PANS experience significant sensory reactivity differences during exacerbation and remission across multiple sensory domains, with a decline in performance during exacerbation. Where there are occupational performance challenges, occupational therapists should consider administering sensory assessments so that effective intervention plans addressing the unique sensory reactivity needs of children with PANS can be developed.
The effect of negative gearing and capital gains tax reform on home ownership
Authors: Warlters Michael
Published: January 2024

The article investigates the home ownership effects of abolishing deductions for negative gearing losses and halving the capital gains tax discount under Australian income tax laws. Home ownership evolves according to the balance of annual purchases and sales by owner‐occupiers and investors. This transaction‐based perspective on home ownership implies an important role for average holding periods, which determine the share of established homes sold each year. The tax change is estimated to increase the owner‐occupied share of the private dwelling stock by 4.7%, of which 2.1 percentage points are attributable to shorter investor holding periods.
Labour, the Unions and Proportional Representation
Authors: Herbert Cameron Rhys
Published: January 2024

The Labour Party's support will likely be crucial to any major change of the voting system in the UK. While Labour has supported first past the post for most of its existence, a resolution was passed at the 2022 party conference calling for Labour to include in its manifesto a commitment to change the voting system to proportional representation after the next election. This resulted from an effective campaign by activists to change the party's policy on electoral reform. The position of the trade unions, often perceived to be conservative on constitutional issues, was particularly important. This article focusses on the campaign to change the opinion of the British trade union movement. It outlines the British trade union movement's historic reservations about electoral reform and then analyses the grassroots effort behind this movement, focussing on the organisation of Make Votes Matter, Labour for a New Democracy, and Politics for the Many. The article concludes by offering insights into the potential long‐term consequences of this campaign and its potential impact on the ideological direction of the Labour Party.
Action‐time‐controlled tabletop gamification improves physician‒nurse collaborative emergency room evacuation training
Authors: Wang Po‐Hua , Chang Hung‐Chieh , Hong Ming‐Yuan , Lin I‐Chen , Chen Szu‐Yin , Chi Chih‐Hsien , Chuang Chia‐Chang , Kao Chia‐Lung , Lin Chih‐Hao
Published: January 2024

This article is an example of Lessons from the Field highlighting the practical implementation of a novel time‐controlled mechanism in the gamification of emergency department evacuation training via tabletop exercise. Tabletop exercise is one of the most common drill types for disaster preparedness. It is easy to use, effective, and low in cost, but it has some shortcomings. For example, its lack of authenticity is often criticized. We add a time‐control mechanism to the tabletop exercise and use settings similar to real events in an attempt to increase the authenticity of the tabletop exercise and the learning effect. We completed a 3‐h tabletop gamification of emergency room evacuation, which included a time control mechanism. Medical staff in our emergency department were asked to join this tabletop training. We evaluated the effectiveness of the time‐control tabletop exercise through the results of the pretest and posttests and feedback from the participants. A total of 97 emergency medical staff from the Emergency Department of Cheng Kung University Hospital, including 64 nurses, 29 emergency doctors and four nurse practitioners, participated in this tabletop exercise. After experiencing the time‐control tabletop exercise, the participants significantly improved their approach to mass casualty incidents, their method for evacuating patients, and their triage skills. The correct answer rate for the pretest and post‐test rose from 68.75% to 94.33% with statistically significant. The feedback from the participants also showed that the time‐control tabletop exercise was interesting and could increase learning motivation. The time‐control mechanism had a positive impact on the learning effect. It increased the reality of tabletop exercises, promoted participants' learning motivation, and improved their performance on the test.
‘Because it matters’
Authors: Bayley Brendan
Published: January 2024

Basic economic logic, which often simplifies assessments and explanations of agricultural policy issues, is vitally important in communicating with policy‐makers. Resources are limited, and there is a premium on getting decisions at least approximately right first time. Examples from southern Africa illustrate the importance of parity pricing, and its links to household food security (Lesotho), price risk, the emergence of an agricultural futures market, and its central role in allocating scarce agricultural resources (South Africa). Insights derived from an appreciation of parity pricing are relevant in other national contexts and also help explain how international grain markets operate. The parity pricing concept provides a framework for sense‐checking complicated debates relating to two issues that have been prominent in recent years; first, whether and to what extent speculation in futures markets has been a driver of agricultural price spikes, and second, how far indirect land use change (ILUC), triggered by the use of agricultural feedstocks to produce renewable energy, is a material issue. These issues are likely to be of heightened importance in the face of climate change. Each emphasises that agricultural economics matters, and that it matters that we get the economics right.
Implication of intestinal microbiota in the etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia: A systematic review
Authors: Palma‐Ordóñez Juan Francisco , Moreno‐Fernández Ana María , Ramírez‐Tejero Jorge Antolín , Durán‐González Elena , Martínez‐Lara Antonio , Cotán David
Published: January 2024

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a highly prevalent chronic disease. About 4.7% of the world's population suffers from generalized pain and hypersensitivity, in addition to a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms. The etiopathogenesis of this disease is multifactorial, which makes its diagnosis and treatment challenging. Recently, the increase in the number of studies on microbiota has provided new data that can help to understand the onset and development of FM. An updated systematic review of the causes of FM has been carried out in this work. Particularly in the last decade, research has focused on the gut–brain axis, which has emerged as a crucial mechanism for microbiota‐host crosstalk. In FM patients, quantitative imbalances of the intestinal microbiota (dysbiosis) and bacterial metabolites with differential relative abundance have been found, especially short‐chain fatty acids and lipopolysaccharides. Furthermore, the microbiota has been found to indirectly influence host neurotransmitter mechanisms, mainly through the serotonin precursor, glutamate, and gamma‐aminobutyric acid. Thus, all these mechanisms and their influence on the etiopathogenesis of FM are discussed in this review.
Factors associated with prolonged progression‐free survival of patients treated with first‐line afatinib for advanced epidermal growth factor receptor‐mutated non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Chiu Li‐Chung , Hsu Ping‐Chih , Wang Chin‐Chou , Ko How‐Wen , Kuo Scott Chih‐Hsi , Ju Jia‐Shiuan , Tung Pi‐Hung , Huang Allen Chung‐Cheng , Yang Cheng‐Ta
Published: January 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with prolonged progression‐free survival (PFS) (>36 months) of advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations treated with first‐line afatinib.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of data of patients with advanced EGFR‐mutated NSCLC receiving first‐line afatinib at two tertiary care referral centers, Linkou and Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, in Taiwan between June 2014 and April 2022.

Results

The data of 546 treatment‐naïve EGFR‐mutated advanced NSCLC patients were analyzed. Median PFS and overall survival were 14.5 months and 27.2 months, respectively. The PFS of 462 patients (84.6%) was less than 36 months and of 84 patients (15.4%) was more than 36 months. The PFS > 36 months group had a significantly higher percentage of patients with uncommon mutations (p = 0.002). The PFS ≤36 months group had significantly higher incidences of bone, liver, and adrenal metastases (all p < 0.05) and a higher rate of multiple distant metastases. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that liver metastasis was negatively and independently associated with prolonged PFS (adjusted odds ratio = 0.246 [95% CI: 0.067–0.908], p = 0.035). The median overall survival of the PFS >36 months group was 46.0 months and that of the PFS ≤36 months group was 22.9 months (log‐rank test, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

We found that EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients receiving first‐line afatinib were prone to shorter PFS if they had distant organ metastasis, especially liver metastasis.
Efficacy and safety of 40 mg osimertinib administered every other day for non‐small cell lung cancer harboring an epidermal growth factor receptor mutation: A single‐center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Otsuki Ayumu , Inoshima Naoki , Tochigi Kentaro , Ito Hiroyuki , Nakashima Kei
Published: January 2024

Osimertinib is a first‐line or adjuvant therapy for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. However, owing to the adverse events associated with treatment, certain patients cannot maintain a daily regimen of 80 or 40 mg. In this study, we examined the efficacy of 40 mg of osimertinib administered every other day. In this single‐center, retrospective study, we evaluated patients with NSCLC harboring an EGFR mutation in whom treatment was initiated with 40 mg osimertinib every other day at our institution between May 2016 and June 2023. The major outcome was the duration of administering 40 mg osimertinib every other day. Six patients with NSCLC were evaluated. The median duration of 40 mg osimertinib intake every other day was 12.6 months. Four of the six patients weighed below 50 kg, and four experienced weight loss. Additionally, four of the six patients had severe renal impairment upon receiving 40 mg osimertinib every other day. Thus, our findings suggest the efficacy of administering 40 mg osimertinib every other day in patients with low bodyweight, weight loss, or severe renal impairment.
A histological study of the protracted dismantling of the spent (Sertoli‐only) shark spermatocyst post‐spermiation: Insight from species with or without testis‐associated lymphomyeloid tissue
Authors: McClusky Leon Mendel , Nielsen Julius
Published: January 2024

Sertoli cells of sharks are non‐permanent components of the spermatocyst that they share exclusively with only one germ cell stage. After spermiation, all Sertoli cells, and thus the whole spent cyst, are disposed of in an area adjacent to the spermatozoal spermatocysts, that is, the resorption zone (RZ). Differences in the histology and magnitude of the RZ of the mature blue shark and Greenland shark correlate with differences in how spent cysts are dismantled. In the blue shark's RZ, the spent cyst's Sertoli nuclei were synchronously and stepwise fragmented into pyknotic bodies that were eventually resorbed in a whorl in the RZ interstitium. Conversely, cyst dismantling in the Greenland shark, that also lacked a spatially definitive RZ, revealed redundancy. One mode entailed the sloughing of the bulky Sertoli nuclei through an indistinct cyst–ductule transition area into its attached collecting ductule. A second mode entailed the asynchronous, progressive fragmentation of the bulky Sertoli nuclei into membrane‐enclosed pyknotic bodies. Both these modes solely entailed an internally coordinated demise of the spent cyst and whose basal lamina remained intact almost right to the end. Whatever the underlying mechanisms of these differences, these findings nonetheless reveal species‐specificity in the clearing up of the elasmobranch testicular parenchyma after the completion of a round of spermiogenesis. One consideration is the blue shark's expansive immune cell augmented RZ, that adjoins the animal's bone marrow equivalent tissue. The notable finding of a second conspicuous Sertoli cell type in the Greenland shark's spent cysts is also discussed.
Associations of drusen location with risk factors and incidence of late age‐related macular degeneration in the Alienor study
Authors: Sénéclauze Arnaud , Le Goff Mélanie , Cougnard‐Grégoire Audrey , Korobelnik Jean‐François , Rougier Marie‐Bénédicte , Delyfer Marie‐Noëlle , Delcourt Cécile , Gattoussi Sarra
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To test the hypothesis that central drusen location is strongly linked with known Age‐related Macular Degeneration (AMD) risk factors and risk of incident late AMD.

Methods

The Alienor study is a prospective population‐based cohort study of residents of Bordeaux, France, followed from 2009 to 2017. On retinal photographs, we defined central drusen as at least one soft drusen (>63 μm) within 500 μm from fovea and pericentral drusen as at least one drusen 500–3000 μm from fovea, in the absence of any central drusen. Late AMD (atrophic and/or neovascular) was diagnosed using multimodal imaging. In total, 481 eyes were included in the analysis: 160 central and 321 pericentral. We investigated associations with systemic (age, sex, smoking, medical prescriptions, plasma concentrations of lipids and nutrients, UV exposure, blood pressure), ocular (retinal thickness, cataract extraction) and genetic risk scores (GRS).

Results

In multivariate logistic regression central drusen were associated with smoking (OR, 2.95 for smoking more than 20 pack‐years, p = 0.02), HDL‐cholesterol (OR, 1.57 for 1 standard deviation (SD) increase, p = 0.0048), pulse pressure (OR, 0.77 for 1 SD increase, p = 0.04), Age‐Related Maculopathy Susceptibility 2 (ARMS2) GRS (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.11–1.83) and complement GRS (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15–2.10). In Cox modelling, the central location of drusen (at baseline or during the follow‐up) was associated with a 4.41‐fold increased risk (95% CI,1.98–9.81) for an incident late AMD.

Conclusion

Central drusen were strongly associated with AMD risk factors and incident late AMD, suggesting that it represents a key marker for AMD progression.
How should the liver be approached in patients with severe abdominal wall varices?
Authors: Fukami Yasuyuki , Saito Takuya , Osawa Takaaki , Suzuki Kenta , Komatsu Shunichiro , Sano Tsuyoshi
Published: January 2024

Although liver resection in patients with abdominal wall varices (AWV) is rare, we should have a special surgical strategy for the liver in such cases. We report our experience of approaching the liver in a patient with severe AWV. The patient was a 77‐year‐old man who had undergone inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement for a pulmonary embolism 10 years prior. Severe AWV due to complete IVC obstruction appeared 3 years ago. The patient was diagnosed with intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and referred to our hospital. Although it was difficult to see the small AWV, it was necessary to avoid bleeding due to AWV injury. The ports were inserted while confirming the AWV with indocyanine green (ICG) imaging, and laparoscopic left hepatectomy was performed. Our approach to the liver using abdominal wall ICG imaging might be a standard strategy to avoid severe AWV injury.
How many houses should one own?: A subsidiarity and distributist‐based critique of real estate investors accumulation of houses
Authors: Gustafson Andrew
Published: January 2024

Distributivism holds that private property should be widely distributed among as many as possible and that such a distribution best serves the common good. This paper applies a distributist approach rooted in subsidiarity to the contemporary issue of the unaffordability of single‐family homes and the impact of investors buying up more single‐family homes, increasing their own wealth at the expense of typical home buyers. Here, we will first consider multiple factors in the housing “crisis,” then highlight the impact of investors on the market. Second, we will consider a critique and analysis of the situation from a distributist perspective, rooted in principles of private property, solidarity, dignity, and subsidiarity (particularly turning to G.K. Chesterton's view on the importance of home). Due consideration is given to some objections to such a distributist critique, with response. Finally, several examples of proposals and implemented practices are provided to discourage this growing trend concerning the concentration of ownership of housing by investors and to better enable homeownership by families.
Therapeutic drug monitoring of monoclonal antibodies in chronic inflammatory diseases: A snapshot of laboratories and applications across Europe
Authors: Skrede Silje , Bogavac‐Stanojević Nataša , Dreesen Erwin , Nielsen Elisabet , Zaninotto Martina , Mulleman Denis
Published: January 2024

The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action ENOTTA (The European Network on Optimising Treatment with Therapeutic Antibodies in chronic inflammatory diseases) was launched in 2022. To pave the way for harmonization of analytical methods for quantitation of serum levels of therapeutic antibodies in research and clinical settings, ENOTTA recently performed an online survey mapping laboratories in the field. The survey, which contained 30 questions surrounding therapeutic drug monitoring of relevant drugs and anti‐drug antibodies, was distributed via the ENOTTA and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory networks. Among 63 respondents across Europe, 45 reported analytical activity, with a range of utilized methods. Future engagement of as many sites as possible will enable comparison of methodologies and facilitate progress in the field.
Species diversity and interspecific information flow
Authors: Goodale Eben , Magrath Robert D.
Published: January 2024

Interspecific information flow is known to affect individual fitness, population dynamics and community assembly, but there has been less study of how species diversity affects information flow and thereby ecosystem functioning and services. We address this question by first examining differences among species in the sensitivity, accuracy, transmissibility, detectability and value of the cues and signals they produce, and in how they receive, store and use information derived from heterospecifics. We then review how interspecific information flow occurs in communities, involving a diversity of species and sensory modes, and how this flow can affect ecosystem‐level functions, such as decomposition, seed dispersal or algae removal on coral reefs. We highlight evidence that some keystone species are particularly critical as a source of information used by eavesdroppers, and so have a disproportionate effect on information flow. Such keystone species include community informants producing signals, particularly about predation risk, that influence other species' landscapes of fear, and aggregation initiators creating cues or signals about resources. We suggest that the presence of keystone species means that there will likely be a positive relationship in many communities between species diversity and information through a ‘sampling effect’, in which larger pools of species are more likely to include the keystone species by chance. We then consider whether the number and relative abundance of species, irrespective of the presence of keystone species, matter to interspecific information flow; on this issue, the theory is less developed, and the evidence scant and indirect. Higher diversity could increase the quantity or quality of information that is used by eavesdroppers because redundancy increases the reliability of information or because the species provide complementary information. Alternatively, there could be a lack of a relationship between species diversity and information if there is widespread information parasitism where users are not sources, or if information sourced from heterospecifics is of lower value than that gained personally or sourced from conspecifics. Recent research suggests that species diversity does have information‐modulated community and ecosystem consequences, especially in birds, such as the diversity of species at feeders increasing resource exploitation, or the number of imitated species increasing responses to vocal mimics. A first step for future research includes comprehensive observations of information flow among different taxa and habitats. Then studies should investigate whether species diversity influences the cumulative quality or quantity of information at the community level, and consequently ecosystem‐level processes. An applied objective is to conserve species in part for their value as sources of information for other species, including for humans.
X‐reality Film Innovation Circle framework and future directions
Authors: Rodrigues Mariana Berga , Loureiro Sandra Maria Correia
Published: January 2024

The application of X‐reality (XR) technologies is reshaping the business landscape and redefining the film production process and the role of the audience in films. This study presents a bibliometric and content analysis of 131 academic articles to explore the development and research trends of XR in the film industry. We identify five core themes within the topic: (1) technical considerations, (2) narrative considerations, (3) presence, (4) audience responses and (5) ethical considerations. Based on the identified themes, we provide insights into the intellectual structure of this developing and interdisciplinary topic and propose the framework called the XR Film Innovation Circle (XR‐FIC). The study concludes by identifying the current research gaps and suggesting future directions, further emphasizing the rationales behind the suggested directions.
Itraconazole inhibits tumor growth via CEBPB‐mediated glycolysis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhang Yong , Li Lu , Chu Feifei , Wu Huili , Xiao Xingguo , Ye Jianping , Li Kunkun
Published: January 2024

Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a high recurrence and metastasis rate, which is the primary cause of patient mortality. Unfortunately, effective anti‐cancer drugs for CRC are still lacking in clinical practice. We screened FDA‐approved drugs by utilizing targeted organoid sequencing data and found that the antifungal drug itraconazole had a potential therapeutic effect on CRC tumors. However, the effect and mechanism of itraconazole on CRC tumors have not been investigated. A cell line‐derived xenograft model in tumor‐bearing mice was established and single‐cell RNA sequencing was performed on tumor samples from four mice with or without itraconazole treatment. The proportion of cell populations and gene expression profiles was significantly different between the two groups. We found that itraconazole could inhibit tumor growth and glycolysis. We revealed that CEBPB was a new target for itraconazole, and that silencing CEBPB could repress CRC glycolysis and tumor growth by inhibiting ENO1 expression. Clinical analysis showed that CEBPB expression was obviously elevated in CRC patients, and was associated with poor survival. In summary, itraconazole treatment remodeled cell composition and gene expression profiles. Itraconazole inhibited cell glycolysis and tumor growth via the CEBPB–ENO1 axis. In this study, we illustrate a new energy metabolism mechanism for itraconazole on tumor growth in CRC that will provide a theoretical basis for CRC targeting/combination therapy.