bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the heterogeneity of the impact of COVID-19 incidence on all-cause excess mortality among healthcare districts in Lombardy, Italy, to evaluate the local response to the pandemic: an ecological study
Authors: Paganuzzi Marco , Nattino Giovanni , Ghilardi Giulia Irene , Costantino Giorgio , Rossi Carlotta , Cortellaro Francesca , Cosentini Roberto , Paglia Stefano , Migliori Maurizio , Mira Antonietta , Bertolini Guido
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The fragmentation of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic at national, regional and local levels is a possible source of variability in the impact of the pandemic on society. This study aims to assess how much of this variability affected the burden of COVID-19, measured in terms of all-cause 2020 excess mortality.

Design

Ecological retrospective study.

Setting

Lombardy region of Italy, 2015–2020.

Outcome measures

We evaluated the relationship between the intensity of the epidemics and excess mortality, assessing the heterogeneity of this relationship across the 91 districts after adjusting for relevant confounders.

Results

The epidemic intensity was quantified as the COVID-19 hospitalisations per 1000 inhabitants. Five confounders were identified through a directed acyclic graph: age distribution, population density, pro-capita gross domestic product, restriction policy and population mobility.

Analyses were based on a negative binomial regression model with district-specific random effects. We found a strong, positive association between COVID-19 hospitalisations and 2020 excess mortality (p<0.001), estimating that an increase of one hospitalised COVID-19 patient per 1000 inhabitants resulted in a 15.5% increase in excess mortality. After adjusting for confounders, no district differed in terms of COVID-19-unrelated excess mortality from the average district. Minimal heterogeneity emerged in the district-specific relationships between COVID-19 hospitalisations and excess mortality (6 confidence intervals out of 91 did not cover the null value).

Conclusions

The homogeneous effect of the COVID-19 spread on the excess mortality in the Lombardy districts suggests that, despite the unprecedented conditions, the pandemic reactions did not result in health disparities in the region.
‘That gave me a lot of comfort, that he would ask my opinion about how we wanted to talk about this’: A qualitative analysis of clinical communication experiences of ostomy patients
Authors: Lazenby Braidyn S , Guidry Ashley , Donovan Erin E , Dailey René , Ivatury Srinivas Joga
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the communication challenges and successes that people with ostomies experienced during their healthcare encounters.

Design

We conducted semistructured interviews of people with ostomies. Interviews focused on important social situations and health communication strategies for managing these situations. We transcribed interviews and coded them to create themes.

Participants

Participants were eligible to participate if they were above the age of 18 and have had an ostomy for at least a year. 27 people participated in the study.

Setting

The study was conducted in a university setting.

Results

Interviews with ostomates surfaced several themes related to ostomate needs. Participants benefited from communication that was open, thorough and had a positive outlook on ostomies. Participants found patient–clinician communication to be challenging when there was a lack of knowledge surrounding ostomy care, communication was unclear or inadequate, and when clinicians had a negative outlook on ostomies.

Conclusions

Findings from this project are intended to amplify existing patient and clinician education materials and to inform the creation of a communication guide specifically for the ostomy context.
Sustained benefits of a generalist training programme for UK doctors: a survey-based follow-up study
Authors: Cserző Dorottya , Bullock Alison
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The study aimed to conduct a follow-up of all broad-based training (BBT) trainees who participated in the original evaluation completed in 2017. The follow-up study explored the impact of BBT on career decisions, sustained benefits and unintended disadvantages of the programme, and views on the future of training.

Design

Scoping interviews informed the design of an online survey. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically. The survey was piloted with six volunteers and sent out to all former BBT trainees. Data from the survey were transferred to Excel and SPSS for analysis. The open-text comments on the survey were subject to a thematic content analysis.

Setting

Participants were working in general practice, paediatrics, psychiatry or medicine.

Participants

Eight former BBT trainees participated in the scoping interviews. Interview participants were selected to ensure a diversity of current specialties and to represent all three BBT cohorts. All former BBT trainees were invited to complete the survey (n=118) and 70 replied.

Results

The benefits of BBT were sustained over time: participants were confident in their career decisions, took a holistic approach to care and capitalised on their experiences in other specialties in their current roles. A minority of trainees also experienced temporary challenges when they joined a specialty training programme after completing the BBT. Whatever their specialty, experience in core medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry and general practice was valued. Disadvantages were short-lived (catching up on transition specialty training) or affected a minority (impact on sense of belonging).

Conclusions

The BBT programme supported the development of generalist doctors. Greater attention needs to be given to training secondary care doctors who take a holistic view of the patient and navigate their specialist care.
Lower airway microbiota in COPD and healthy controls
Authors: Tangedal Solveig , Nielsen Rune , Aanerud Marianne , Drengenes Christine , Husebø Gunnar R , Lehmann Sverre , Knudsen Kristel S , Hiemstra Pieter S , Eagan Tomas ML
Published: February 2024

Background

The lower airway microbiota in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are likely altered compared with the microbiota in healthy individuals. Information on how the microbiota is affected by smoking, use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and COPD severity is still scarce.

Methods

In the MicroCOPD Study, participant characteristics were obtained through standardised questionnaires and clinical measurements at a single centre from 2012 to 2015. Protected bronchoalveolar lavage samples from 97 patients with COPD and 97 controls were paired-end sequenced with the Illumina MiSeq System. Data were analysed in QIIME 2 and R.

Results

Alpha-diversity was lower in patients with COPD than controls (Pielou evenness: COPD=0.76, control=0.80, p=0.004; Shannon entropy: COPD=3.98, control=4.34, p=0.01). Beta-diversity differed with smoking only in the COPD cohort (weighted UniFrac: permutational analysis of variance R2=0.04, p=0.03). Nine genera were differentially abundant between COPD and controls. Genera enriched in COPD belonged to theFirmicutesphylum. Pack years were linked to differential abundance of taxa in controls only (ANCOM-BC (Analysis of Compositions of Microbiomes with Bias Correction) log-fold difference/q-values:Haemophilus−0.05/0.048;Lachnoanaerobaculum−0.04/0.03).Oribacteriumwas absent in smoking patients with COPD compared with non-smoking patients (ANCOM-BC log-fold difference/q-values: −1.46/0.03). We found no associations between the microbiota and COPD severity or ICS.

Conclusion

The lower airway microbiota is equal in richness in patients with COPD to controls, but less even. Genera from theFirmicutesphylum thrive particularly in COPD airways. Smoking has different effects on diversity and taxonomic abundance in patients with COPD compared with controls. COPD severity and ICS use were not linked to the lower airway microbiota.
Leaf developmental patterns of two species of Baccharis (Asteraceae): an analysis based on cell wall pectins
Authors: Antunes Joseline de Fátima , Kuster Vinícius Coelho , Magalhães Thiago Alves , de Oliveira Denis Coelho
Published: February 2024

The cell wall plays a primary role in plant growth, which is regulated by cellulose microfibrils, proteins, and pectins. Regarding pectins, the rate of homogalacturonan (HG) methylesterification and the type of rhamnogalacturonan side chains can mediate leaf development. Herein, we evaluated pectic compounds of the cell walls by immunocytochemistry during the leaf development of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. and Baccharis platypoda DC. Leaves in different maturation stages (from leaf bud to 9th node) were collected in a rupestrian field and fixed in formalin, acetic acid for anatomical and immunocytochemical analyses using monoclonal antibodies (JIM5, JIM7, LM5, and LM6). Both species showed similar anatomical structures based on peculiar cell wall pectic matrices. Baccharis platypoda leaves reach precocious maturation in the 3rd node, while B. dracunculifolia reaches maturation in the 6th node. These results seem to be related to HGs already de-methylesterified in the leaf primordia located in the leaf bud of B. platypoda. Epitopes of (1→5) α-l-arabinan occurred only in the collenchyma of B. platypoda, supporting cell wall stability. (1→4) β-D-galactans showed different fluorescence intensities in the two species, which changed during leaf development. The different rates of leaf tissue maturation between the two Baccharis species are influenced by variations in the pectic compounds of the cell walls, especially regarding the rate of HG methylesterification.
Using community science to advance grizzly bear conservation
Authors: Steenweg Rolanda J. , Lee Tracy S. , Duke Danah , Hughes Courtney
Published: February 2024

Alberta grizzly bears are classified as a threatened species in the province of Alberta as of 2010, with human-caused mortality and habitat loss a primary threat. The people who live, work, and recreate within bear habitat play a crucial role in their conservation. While the public is often enthusiastic about grizzly bears, and opportunistically report their observations to government staff, these reports are not systematic or rigorously collected and lack key information. As such, we developed GrizzTracker as a community science program. Following several years of successful deployment, we analyzed community scientist data and evaluated the efficacy of the program through an online user survey. We found that the GrizzTracker app was useful as a data collection and public engagement tool, yielding information for applied management, and that community scientists were generally satisfied. We provide considerations for future program development, including considerations for human, social, technological, and financial capital investment related to design, development, and implementation of data collection protocols, the importance of clearly communicating outcomes, and opportunities for educational outreach. While there is continued trepidation by traditionally trained scientists to develop or engage in community science programs, and some noted areas of improvement for our program specifically, we think that GrizzTracker offers a success story in community science.
On Trust Recommendations in the Social Internet of Things – A Survey
Authors: Becherer Marius , Hussain Omar Khadeer , Zhang Yu , den Hartog Frank , Chang Elizabeth
Published: February 2024

The novel paradigm Social Internet of Things (SIoT) improves the network navigability, identifies suitable service providers, and addresses scalability concerns. Ensuring trustworthy collaborations among devices is a key aspect in SIoT and can be realized through trust recommendations. However, the outcome of trust recommendations depends on multiple factors related to the context-dependent nature of SIoT and practical constraints brought by the devices and networks embedded in the SIoT. While the existing literature has proposed numerous trust recommendation models to assess the trustworthiness of devices in various scenarios, researchers have not sufficiently examined the required features for trust recommendations in the SIoT. Consequently, trust recommendation models may inaccurately assess the true risk of device interactions. In this literature survey, we investigate the context-dependent features and recommendation methods used for the SIoT using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. We propose a novel taxonomy to categorize trust recommendation models according to their input features and design. Our findings reveal limited attention is given to the context-dependent features, constraints of the information environment, and limited inference capabilities that impede more precise trust recommendations. Finally, we present the research gaps and outline future directions to enable trustworthy inter-domain operations within the SIoT.
A Systematic Review of Cross-Lingual Sentiment Analysis: Tasks, Strategies, and Prospects
Authors: Zhao Chuanjun , Wu Meiling , Yang Xinyi , Zhang Wenyue , Zhang Shaoxia , Wang Suge , Li Deyu
Published: February 2024

Traditional methods for sentiment analysis, when applied in a monolingual context, often yield less than optimal results in multilingual settings. This underscores the need for a more thorough exploration of cross-lingual sentiment analysis (CLSA) methodologies to improve analytical effectiveness. CLSA, confronted with obstacles such as linguistic disparities and a lack of resources, seeks to evaluate sentiments across a range of languages. First, the research background, challenges, existing solution ideas, and evaluation tasks of CLSA are summarized. Subsequently, new perspectives including different granularity levels, machine translation support, and sentiment transfer strategies perspectives are highlighted. Finally, potential avenues for future research are discussed.
Asynchronous lecture participation negatively predicts exam scores for females and students of color in an introductory physiology course during COVID-19
Authors: Zhou Hana D. , Walker J. D. , Olson Dalay
Published: February 2024

This study examined the relationship between lecture attendance (synchronous or asynchronous) and exam scores throughout the semester. Although everyone in the course benefited from synchronous lecture attendance, our data indicated that students of color (SOC) and female-identified students benefited most. SOC and female-identified students who participated synchronously had even higher mean scores on all exams within the course compared with SOC and female-identified students who participated asynchronously by watching recordings of the same lectures.
Challenges of Controlling Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease in Pastoral Settings in Africa
Authors: Mashinagu Mkama M. , Wambura Philemon N. , King Donald P. , Paton David J. , Maree Francois , Kimera Sharadhuli I. , Rweyemamu Mark M. , Kasanga Christopher J.
Published: February 2024

Foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) is a highly devastating viral disease affecting all cloven‐hoofed animals. The disease threatens food security and livelihoods across different parts of the world. FMD is endemic in Africa; where the continuous circulation of the disease impacts the livelihoods of pastoral communities by reducing the quality and quantity of livestock products such as milk and meat, as well as undermining the access of the livestock sector to regional and lucrative global markets. Strategies used to control FMD in Africa, especially tropical Africa, are typically fragmented national‐level focused activities with relatively poor outcomes, rather than regionally coordinated initiatives that have been used on other continents (South America, Europe) to successfully reduce and even eliminate virus circulation. Biotechnological advances have improved our ability to detect and characterize FMD virus strains, but more effective approaches to disease control are needed to encourage disease reporting and outbreak investigation. This review of the challenges to FMD control amongst Africa’s diverse pastoral communities is intended to provide information and provoke discussion to improve the strategies and approaches for regional FMD control in Africa.
Presence and Onset of Chronic Kidney Disease as a Factor Involved in the Poor Prognosis of Patients with Essential Thrombocythemia
Authors: Hashimoto Yoshinori , Omura Hiromi , Tanaka Takayuki
Published: February 2024

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, and all‐cause death. However, few studies have examined the association between CKD and the prognosis of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET). We collected ET patients who met the WHO classification 2017 and performed a retrospective clinical study to clarify the association between the presence and onset of CKD and prognosis. Of 73 patients who met the diagnostic criteria, 21 (28.8%) had CKD at the time of ET diagnosis. The age of patients with CKD was significantly higher, and a high proportion of these patients had the JAK2V617F gene mutation. The presence of CKD was a risk factor for the prognosis (hazard ratio (HR): 3.750, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.196–11.760, P = 0.023), and the survival curve was significantly poorer. Furthermore, we analyzed patients without CKD at the time of ET diagnosis using the onset of CKD as a time‐dependent variable and identified the onset of CKD as a risk factor for the prognosis (HR: 9.155, 95% CI: 1.542–54.370, P = 0.005). In patients with renal hypofunction at the time of ET diagnosis or those with a reduction in the kidney function during follow‐up, strict renal function monitoring at regular intervals is necessary.
Targeting TACC3 Induces Immunogenic Cell Death and Enhances T-DM1 Response in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Gedik Mustafa Emre , Saatci Ozge , Oberholtzer Nathaniel , Uner Meral , Akbulut Caliskan Ozge , Cetin Metin , Aras Mertkaya , Ibis Kubra , Caliskan Burcu , Banoglu Erden , Wiemann Stefan , Üner Ayşegül , Aksoy Sercan , Mehrotra Shikhar , Sahin Ozgur
Published: February 2024

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) was the first and one of the most successful antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) approved for treating refractory HER2-positive breast cancer. Despite its initial clinical efficacy, resistance is unfortunately common, necessitating approaches to improve response. Here, we found that in sensitive cells, T-DM1 induced spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC)-dependent immunogenic cell death (ICD), an immune-priming form of cell death. The payload of T-DM1 mediated ICD by inducing eIF2α phosphorylation, surface exposure of calreticulin, ATP and HMGB1 release, and secretion of ICD-related cytokines, all of which were lost in resistance. Accordingly, ICD-related gene signatures in pretreatment samples correlated with clinical response to T-DM1–containing therapy, and increased infiltration of antitumor CD8+ T cells in posttreatment samples was correlated with better T-DM1 response. Transforming acidic coiled-coil containing 3 (TACC3) was overexpressed in T-DM1–resistant cells, and T-DM1 responsive patients had reduced TACC3 protein expression whereas nonresponders exhibited increased TACC3 expression during T-DM1 treatment. Notably, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of TACC3 restored T-DM1–induced SAC activation and induction of ICD markers in vitro. Finally, TACC3 inhibition in vivo elicited ICD in a vaccination assay and potentiated the antitumor efficacy of T-DM1 by inducing dendritic cell maturation and enhancing intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T cells. Together, these results illustrate that ICD is a key mechanism of action of T-DM1 that is lost in resistance and that targeting TACC3 can restore T-DM1–mediated ICD and overcome resistance.

Significance:

Loss of induction of immunogenic cell death in response to T-DM1 leads to resistance that can be overcome by targeting TACC3, providing an attractive strategy to improve the efficacy of T-DM1.
A Metabolic–Epigenetic Mechanism Directs Cell Fate and Therapeutic Sensitivity in Breast Cancer
Authors: Bernard Matthew J. , Goldstein Andrew S.
Published: February 2024

Over the past decade, studies have increasingly shed light on a reciprocal relationship between cellular metabolism and cell fate, meaning that a cell's lineage both drives and is governed by its specific metabolic features. A recent study by Zhang and colleagues, published in Cell Metabolism, describes a novel metabolic–epigenetic regulatory axis that governs lineage identity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Among the key findings, the authors demonstrate that the metabolic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) directly binds to the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in the nucleus to silence expression of a set of genes that includes the mitochondrial carnitine transporter SLC16A9. Perturbation of this metabolic–epigenetic regulatory mechanism induces a metabolic shift away from glycolysis and toward fatty acid oxidation. The ensuing influx of carnitine facilitates the deposition of the activating epigenetic mark H3K27Ac onto the promoter of GATA3, driving a committed luminal lineage state. Importantly, this metabolic–epigenetic axis represents a potentially targetable vulnerability for the treatment of TNBC, a subtype that currently lacks effective therapeutic strategies. These findings lend further support for the paradigm shift underlying our understanding of cancer metabolism: that a cellular fuel source functions not only to provide energy but also to direct the epigenetic regulation of cell fate.
Safety Profile and Adverse Event Management for Futibatinib, An Irreversible FGFR1–4 Inhibitor: Pooled Safety Analysis of 469 Patients
Authors: Meric-Bernstam Funda , Hollebecque Antoine , Furuse Junji , Oh Do-Youn , Bridgewater John A. , Shimura Masashi , Anderson Bailey , Hangai Nanae , Wacheck Volker , Goyal Lipika
Published: February 2024

Purpose:

Futibatinib, a covalently-binding inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1-4 gained approval for the treatment of refractory, advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) harboring an FGFR2 fusion/other rearrangement. An integrated analysis was performed to evaluate safety and provide guidance on the management of futibatinib-associated adverse events (AEs) in patients with unresectable/metastatic tumors, including iCCA.

Patients and Methods:

Data from three global phase I or II studies of futibatinib (NCT02052778; JapicCTI-142552) were pooled. AEs were graded per NCI CTCAE v4.03, where applicable. Safety was analyzed for patients receiving any futibatinib starting dose (overall population) and in those receiving the approved starting dose of 20 mg once every day.

Results:

In total, 469 patients with one of 33 known tumor types were analyzed, including 318 patients who received futibatinib 20 mg every day. AEs of clinical interest (AECI; any grade/grade ≥3) in the overall population included hyperphosphatemia (82%/19%), nail disorders (27%/1%), hepatic AEs (27%/11%), stomatitis (19%/3%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (PPES; 13%/3%), rash (9%/0%), retinal disorders (8%/0%), and cataract (4%/1%). Median time to onset of grade ≥3 AECIs ranged from 9 days (hyperphosphatemia) to 125 days (cataract). Grade ≥3 hyperphosphatemia, hepatic AEs, PPES, and nail disorders resolved to grade ≤2 within a median of 7, 7, 8, and 28 days, respectively. Discontinuations due to treatment-related AEs were rare (2%), and no treatment-related deaths occurred. AE management included phosphate-lowering medication and dose adjustments.

Conclusions:

Futibatinib showed a consistent and manageable safety profile across patients with various tumor types. AECIs were mostly reversible with appropriate clinical management.
Discovery of a Novel Potent EGFR Inhibitor Against EGFR Activating Mutations and On-Target Resistance in NSCLC
Authors: Lee Eun Ji , Oh Seung Yeon , Lee You Won , Kim Ju Young , Kim Min-Je , Kim Tae Ho , Lee Jii Bum , Hong Min Hee , Lim Sun Min , Baum Anke , Woelflingseder Lydia , Engelhardt Harald , Petronczki Mark , Solca Flavio , Yun Mi Ran , Cho Byoung Chul
Published: February 2024

Purpose:

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) serve as the standard first-line therapy for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the sustained clinical benefits achieved through optimal EGFR-TKI treatments, including the third-generation EGFR-TKI osimertinib, resistance inevitably develops. Currently, there are no targeted therapeutic options available postprogression on osimertinib. Here, we assessed the preclinical efficacy of BI-4732, a novel fourth-generation EGFR-TKI, using patient-derived preclinical models reflecting various clinical scenarios.

Experimental Design:

The antitumor activity of BI-4732 was evaluated using Ba/F3 cells and patient-derived cell/organoid/xenograft models with diverse EGFR mutations. Intracranial antitumor activity of BI-4732 was evaluated in a brain-metastasis mouse model.

Results:

We demonstrated the remarkable antitumor efficacy of BI-4732 as a single agent in various patient-derived models with EGFR_C797S-mediated osimertinib resistance. Moreover, BI-4732 exhibited activity comparable to osimertinib in inhibiting EGFR-activating (E19del and L858R) and T790M mutations. In a combination treatment strategy with osimertinib, BI-4732 exhibited a synergistic effect at significantly lower concentrations than those used in monotherapy. Importantly, BI-4732 displayed potent antitumor activity in an intracranial model, with low efflux at the blood–brain barrier.

Conclusions:

Our findings highlight the potential of BI-4732, a selective EGFR-TKI with high blood–brain barrier penetration, targeting a broad range of EGFR mutations, including C797S, warranting clinical development.
Delineating the Disease Boundaries: Homozygous CDC14A Variants Underlying Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss and Hearing Impairment Infertile Male Syndrome
Authors: Zehri Zamrud , Khan Hammal , Ahmed Sohail , Khan Muhammad Javed , Shahwani Nisar Ahmed , Nawaz Shoaib , Umair Muhammad
Published: February 2024

Background: Hereditary hearing loss is a genetically heterogeneous neurosensory disorder that affects many people. Deafness and infertility can coexist in some cases, creating the hearing impairment infertile male syndrome. There are several known molecular mechanisms that can cause deafness either on its own or in conjunction with infertility. Methods and Results: Here, we represent two consanguineous families (A, B), both families had clinical evidence of deafness, and family B also had infertility, so we referred to them as having nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) and hearing impairment infertile male syndrome (HIIMS), respectively. These families’ genetic makeup was examined using an Affymetrix GeneChip 250K Nsp array followed by Sanger sequencing. In family A, we identified a novel homozygous stop gain variant [NM_003672.4; c.1000C>T; p.(Gln334*)] and a homozygous missense variant [NM_003672.4; c.684C>A; p.(Asn228Lys)] in family B in CDC14A gene (MIM#603504). In animal models, the CDC14A gene causes both hearing loss and infertility; in addition, it also causes NSHL and HIIMS in humans. Conclusions: Our study on the CDC14A gene has identified two novel variants, crucial for delineating disease boundaries. Variants in exon 10 and upstream cause HIIMS, and those in exon 11 and downstream are linked exclusively to hearing impairment. This precision enhances diagnostics and offers potential for targeted interventions, marking a significant advancement in understanding the genetic basis of these conditions.
Angiogenesis in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Janus-Faced Player?
Authors: Willems Lynn , Kurakula Kondababu , Verhaegen Janne , Klok Frederikus A. , Delcroix Marion , Goumans Marie-José , Quarck Rozenn
Published: February 2024

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare form of pulmonary hypertension characterized by the presence of organized thrombi that obstruct pulmonary arteries, ultimately leading to right heart failure and death. Among others, impaired angiogenesis and inflammatory thrombosis have been shown to contribute to the progression of CTEPH. In this review, we summarize the 2-faced nature of angiogenesis in both thrombus formation and resolution in the context of CTEPH and highlight the dual role of angiogenesis and neovascularization in resolving venous thrombi. Furthermore, we discuss relevant in vitro and in vivo models that support the benefits or drawbacks of angiogenesis in CTEPH progression. We discuss the key pathways involved in modulating angiogenesis, particularly the underexplored role of TGFβ (transforming growth factor-beta) signaling in driving fibrosis as an integral element of CTEPH pathogenesis. We finally explore innovative treatment strategies that target angiogenic pathways. These strategies have the potential to pioneer preventive, inventive, or alternative therapeutic options for patients with CTEPH who may not qualify for surgical interventions. Moreover, they could be used synergistically with established treatments such as pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty. In summary, this review emphasizes the crucial role of angiogenesis in the development of in fibrothrombotic tissue, a major pathological characteristic of CTEPH.
Comment on the Article Archaeology, Language, and the Question of Sámi Ethnogenesis
Authors: Piha Minerva , Heikkilä Mikko K. , Häkkinen Jaakko
Published: February 2024

In this response to the article Archaeology, Language, and the Question of Sámi Ethnogenesis by Asgeir Svestad and Bjørnar Olsen (2023), we correct major misunderstandings made by Svestad and Olsen concerning the methodology of historical linguistics and its relation to archaeology. Our comment concerns the following topics: We explain that there cannot be one ethnogenesis that could be approached by different disciplines because different disciplines are independent and meet only momentarily. We also demonstrate that continuity does not disprove migration, nor vice versa, and explain some methods of linguistic substrate studies that the authors have misunderstood. In Svestad and Olsen’s article, there are also some clearly erroneous statements that we correct in our response. In spite of our critical comments, we genuinely encourage multidisciplinary discussion and cooperation because we share the same research interest: to deepen our understanding of the human past.
Towards good practices for research on Acheta domesticus, the house cricket
Authors: Van Peer M. , Berrens S. , Coudron C. , Noyens I. , Verheyen G.R. , Van Miert S.
Published: February 2024

Several alternative approaches have been proposed to address the need for sustainable protein sources within our existing food and feed systems. Insects are regarded as a promising alternative, which has led to increased attention from researchers worldwide. Acheta domesticus, the house cricket, is considered a potential insect species for industrial production and various applications due to its high nutritious value. Since it is expected that A. domesticus and its applications will continue to rise as an important field of study, the standardisation of production techniques are needed. Nowadays, variation in the measurement of parameters and differences in experimental design limit the comparison among studies and, therefore, the ability to build upon existing knowledge. By identifying gaps in current protocols and providing suggestions on rearing practices and reporting, this paper aims to take the first step towards standardisation of the production and characterisation of Acheta domesticus for research purposes. This initiative primarily focusses on research practices evaluating the impact of feed and environmental conditions on the performance of house crickets.
2. The Muslim World League
Authors: Yakubovych Mykhaylo
Published: February 2024

Chapter Two, entitled ‘The Muslim World League: A Forerunner to International Translational daʿwa Networks’, outlines the history and impact of one of the earliest Saudi Muslim organisations dedicated to translation, The Muslim World League (MWL), which was established in 1962. It traces the emergence of the idea of ‘approved’ or ‘authorised’ Muslim-authored translations of the Qur’an, originally in terms of the adoption and production of pre-existing translations as well as the later commissioning of projects that led to new, bespoke translations. Although the Muslim World League only produced four completely new translations (if one does not count the translations produced as a result of some of its later collaborative projects), its activities represented the first instance of Saudi state intervention in Qur’an translation, motivated by both political and religious factors.
Protocol-Based Standardized Endocrinological Evaluation of Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Authors: Bhat Jayalakshmi Narayan , Amato Abbie , Schultz Scott , Gomez Ricardo
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, causing neuroendocrine dysfunction. As a third of children can develop post-traumatic hypothalamo-pituitary axis dysfunction (HPAD), a longitudinal follow-up is required in children with TBI.

Method:

The study comprised a pre-quality improvement (QI) phase (baseline phase) and a QI phase (post-intervention phase). Retrospective data were collected on children with TBI at our hospital during the pre-QI phase of the study to estimate the baseline data on HPAD prevalence and pediatric endocrine referral rate. Guidance protocol for standardizing the pediatric endocrine referral, evaluation, and follow-up of children with TBI was implemented. Prospective data were collected to estimate outcome measures (prevalence of HPAD, rate of initial endocrine consultation and outpatient follow-up) and process measures (protocol adherence rate).

Result:

Twenty-seven children, aged ≤19 years, were admitted with TBI in the pre-QI phase. The median age was 9 years. Motor vehicle accidents predominated. Thirty percent had limited endocrine evaluation, and 4% had transient cranial diabetes insipidus (DI). The QI phase included 8 children. Demographic data were similar to those in the pre-QI phase. Both outcome and process measures increased to 75% from the pre-QI phase following the protocol implementation.

Conclusion:

A lower prevalence rate of HPAD in the current cohort may be owing to underevaluation and a smaller sample size. The QI initiative incorporating a guidance protocol-based endocrinological approach to children with TBI improved the pediatric endocrinology referral and follow-up rates.
American Defender of One Nigeria: James Meredith, the Nigerian Civil War and the Politics of American Intervention in the Global South
Authors: Abdulrahman Ajibola A.
Published: February 2024

Following the Biafran allegations of genocide against the Nigerian government during the Civil War, pro-Biafran groups emerged in the United States to pressure the American government into political intervention in the form of recognizing the Biafran republic. In response, African-American Civil Rights hero James Meredith counter-balanced the pro-Biafran groups, and advocated for one Nigeria in the United States. By analyzing public speech, correspondences, fact-finding mission reports, congressional hearing testimonies, and oral interviews, this paper examines Meredith’s pro-One Nigeria (Pan-African) activism during the Nigerian Civil War, and promotes a nuanced understanding of the international dimension of the Nigerian Civil War. This study proposes an episode of transnational history of the global black liberation movement of the long sixties, and demonstrates that Meredith’s pro-one Nigeria activism during the Nigerian Civil War was influenced by his background as a Civil Rights leader and his pan-African ideology.
Compressive behavior of triaxially braided metal-CFRP hybrid lattice structures
Authors: Alizadeh Danial , Abedi Mohammad Mahdi , Jafari Nedoushan Reza , Abyar Hamid , Yu Woong-Ryeol
Published: February 2024

Cellular approaches facilitate the flexible design of materials with desirable properties that may be manufactured from single polymers, metals, and, recently, fiber-reinforced composites. This paper describes cellular materials with metal and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) struts. Composite lattice tubular structures were automatically braided, and the effects of axial CFRP yarns on the compressive behaviors of braided lattices were studied. Metal wire-reinforced plastic and metal rods served as axial yarns when preparing hybrid triaxially braided metal-CFRP lattices. The effects of the axial yarns in polyurethane (PU) foam-filled samples were also assessed. Ten braided structures were manufactured, and their compressive behavior and energy absorption were evaluated by axial compression tests. Finite element (FE) simulations were used to investigate deformation, buckling, and damage. Addition of axial CFRP yarns improved the compressive properties; the specific absorbed energy (SAE) increased by 16%. Hybridization further enhanced the SAE by 62%.
Elucidating the Social – Developing Social Process Tracing as an Integrative Framework
Authors: Kaas Jonas Gejl , Cecchini Mathilde , Beach Derek
Published: February 2024

The promise of process tracing methods is that they can help us better understand how things work in real-world cases. Despite the many advances in the past two decades, we contend that existing accounts result in either under-socialised accounts in which the moves made by actors are studied while neglecting the social dimension of action, or over-socialised accounts that are so focused on social context that they neglect the causal process of actors doing things. In this article, we attempt to bridge this divide by merging the conceptual language from the productive/generative account of mechanisms with realist ideas to develop what we term social process tracing (SPT) as a practical research method that captures both the moves performed by actors, the meanings they ascribe to them, and how the underlying social context shapes how social causal processes play out in real-world cases. After developing ontological and epistemological foundations, the article illustrates how SPT can be used in practice.
Remembering Marielle Franco: Haunting online presence and the memorialization of resistance on social media
Authors: de Carvalho Raiana
Published: February 2024

Social media has transformed how we construct collective memory, with increased opportunities for dispersed individuals and groups to participate in collective remembrance. With the ever-changing nature of social media practices, the field of critical memory studies begs for more research on the role of digital media in memory construction. Based on a critical rhetorical analysis of YouTube and Instagram archives, I examine how social media is used to remember Marielle Franco, a Brazilian black queer city councilwoman killed in 2018 by former police officers. Specifically, I argue that two communication strategies – mediating a resistant specter and mediating something-to-be-done – are articulated on social media in the construction of a haunting online presence of Marielle. I further suggest that this digital memorialization is consequential for how Brazil remembers the racial, gendered, and social injustices that inform Brazil’s past, present, and possible future. The analysis contributes to previous literature on cultural memory by articulating the notion of haunting online presence as a heuristic tool to theorize about public mourning, digital memory, and activism.
Modeling Urban Railway Passengers’ Willingness to Wait Based on Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Lee Hwan-Seung , Kwak Ho-Chan , Han Eun-Seo , Park Ho-Chul
Published: February 2024

Overcrowding in confined spaces, like inside trains, is a social issue that, in the long-term, could lead to accidents. To alleviate congestion in trains, a reduction in train headways is planned, made possible by technological advances such as the introduction of advanced autonomous trains (e.g., 60-s headway). However, simply reducing a train’s headway may be challenging because this does not consider the travel behavior of passengers who engage in the disruptive act of excessively boarding trains, thereby causing delays in their departure. Furthermore, the behavior of passengers may vary depending on an individual’s latent preferences, however, there is insufficient research that reflects these latent preferences. In this study, a survey was conducted with 971 urban rail passengers in the Seoul Metropolitan Area of Korea to identify their latent preferences using latent class analysis, resulting in a four-type classification: a congestion avoidance type, a time-sensitive type, a subway-preference type, and a type that does not prefer public transportation. Based on this, willingness to wait (WTW; i.e., waiting for the next less crowded train to reduce passenger discomfort) according to their latent preferences, was calculated. WTW was found to increase as the headway of the train was reduced. Choice modeling was conducted based on variables, including socioeconomic variables, to suggest effects related to WTW. The results indicated demand dispersion effects according to the headway reduction at peak times for various types of people. This study’s findings could be utilized to offer less crowded and safer train operations.
Investigating the unique service and treatment needs of women with alcohol use disorder: Literature review and key informant perspectives in British Columbia
Authors: Ross Hayley , Kurbatfinski Stefan , Szelest Izabela
Published: February 2024

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition uniquely affecting the female population, requiring widespread restructuring of current services to increase treatment utilization and efficacy. This review synthesizes the literature on the service and treatment needs of women with AUD. A literature search and review were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Key informant information was collected during interviews with health leaders. Data from literature searches and interviews were analyzed to identify common themes. Results found women face more barriers when accessing and receiving AUD treatment. Major barriers include stigma, location, transportation, and childcare, which contribute to the AUD treatment gap among women. Recommendations to reduce barriers include (1) implementing universal screening, (2) improving care provider education and awareness, (3) providing childcare services, (4) establishing a strong client-clinician relationship, (5) building a community approach for Indigenous clients, (6) improving Managed Alcohol Programs, and (7) expanding virtual substance use prescribing practices.
Using worked examples to promote explanations of fractions concepts: A formative pilot study
Authors: Wang Amber Y. , Schumacher Robin F. , Dougherty Barbara J. , Wavell Samantha , Dimino Joseph , Gersten Russell
Published: February 2024

This pilot study examined the feasibility of using worked examples as a mechanism to improve verbal explanations of fractions concepts among Grade 5 students with mathematics difficulties in a small-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) before scaling up to a large-scale RCT. Students ( N = 49) were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual (BAU) comparison group and to two variants of intervention. One intervention condition received both correct and incorrect worked example solutions, the other received correct solutions only. On a measure of verbal explanations, intervention students significantly outperformed students in BAU. Furthermore, students who received both correct and incorrect solutions significantly outperformed students who received correct solutions only on verbal explanations. On fractions proficiency outcomes, results were not significant between intervention and BAU or between the two intervention groups; however, positive findings demonstrate promise for using worked examples to elicit and develop students’ verbal explanations of fractions concepts.
Assessing the hydroclimate changes in Western Himalayas during the Little Ice Age
Authors: Singh Anubhav , Kumari Aakanksha , Sharma Bhavuk , Senthilnathan Rajalakshmi , Dixit Yama
Published: February 2024

The Little Ice Age (LIA) was a period of most recent glacial advancement and had pronounced cooling effect in the North Atlantic region. Synchronous hydroclimate changes are also reported from the Himalayas, however owing to the heterogeneity within the proxy reconstructions, their relationship with LIA cooling is unclear. Varied topography, huge glacial mass, and multiple moisture sources (both from the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and the Westerlies) makes understanding of the impact of LIA cooling on this region ambiguous. In this study, we review and assess the existing paleoclimatic proxy records for a comprehensive analysis of the regional response of the Western Himalayas to LIA cooling. Using the existing meteorological reanalysis data for back trajectory analysis for the last 20 years, the Western Himalayan region was classified into three different zones based on the relative percentage of moisture-bearing-wind-source contribution. The upper Western Himalayas receive most of the moisture from the Westerlies, both Middle and Lower Western Himalayas receive majority of rainfall from the ISM, with a relatively higher contribution of Westerlies in the Lower Western Himalayas. Comparison of reconstructions using Principal Component Analysis reveal consistent high moisture conditions during the LIA, with increased winter precipitation and decreased summer precipitation coherently in all the records. Spectral analysis of the available proxy records and various climate forcing for LIA cooling show similar dominant frequency, attesting that the LIA cooling drove the hydroclimate changes in the Western Himalayan region. External forcings such as decreased solar activity and increased volcanic activity caused cooling, influenced the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, and resulted in weaker summer rainfall during the LIA. Synchronous changes in the North Atlantic Oscillations and El Niño–Southern Oscillation records with precipitation records suggest a link between “monsoon breaks” and enhanced Westerly intensity and an intensified winter precipitation in this region.
The three ages of the European policy for productive investments
Authors: Alayrac Pierre , Thyrard Antonin
Published: February 2024

Across the EU sectoral policies, a variety of instruments are used to foster investments and to transform Europe’s productive capacities. Reading beyond the traditional bureaucratic and policy silos, this paper shows how such a composite repertoire of instruments crystalised, taking advantage of two complementary historical fieldworks. Using the sociological concept of ‘age’, we show how a European policy for productive investments emerged, supported by specific rationales and staff, to address episodes of budgetary constraints over investment policies. We first distinguish an ‘age of infrastructure’ (from the 1950s), where the first EEC bureaucrats in charge of these policies – mainly lawyers and engineers – designed loans strategies to continue reconstruction efforts, targeting heavy infrastructural investments in energy or transportation. Then, we show how in the 1970s context of rising budgetary tensions, economists urged their colleagues to take advantage of the Common Market to create European champions, through grants and co-financing, and by promoting SMEs as growth drivers: this marks the ‘integrative age’. Finally, from the 1990s, bureaucrats with a background in finance reoriented PI policies to overcome so-called ‘markets failures’ through loans, guarantees and equity, initiating an ‘age of leverage’ in EU public action. Here, the global access to (publicly subsidized) finance and the rise of derisking activities became a new standard. By capturing the way these successive policy ages concatenated and gave the EU Investor State its current shape, our approach accounts for both stability and change in EU policies.