bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic Profiling Reveals SMARCA4 Mutations Are Associated with Shorter Overall and Intracranial Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Melanoma Brain Metastases
Authors: Fischer Grant M. , Lamba Nayan , Vogelzang Jayne , Aizer Ayal , Ligon Keith L.
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) are a common and lethal complication of metastatic melanoma. Despite improvements in treatments, subsets of patients with MBM experience rapid clinical decline, and currently, few prognostic biomarkers have been identified. An improved understanding of the molecular features specifically associated with MBM overall survival (OS) and intracranial progression-free survival (PFS) could facilitate the development of more effective clinical management strategies.

Experimental Design:

We established an initial cohort of 102 MBMs, 970 unmatched melanoma extracranial metastases (ECM), and 569 unmatched melanoma primaries with available targeted exome sequencing data covering 182 genes and a validation cohort of 50 MBMs with SMARCA4 genomically profiled. Kaplan–Meier analysis, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate associations between pathogenic genomic alterations and OS and intracranial PFS. We evaluated 14 MBMs and 19 ECMs with paired RNA sequencing and whole-exome sequencing data to identify genotype–transcriptome correlations.

Results:

Of 43 genes significantly mutated among MBMs, only pathogenic mutations in SMARCA4 significantly associated with shorter OS and intracranial PFS on univariable and multivariable analyses in patients with MBM but not from first ECM or primary tumor diagnosis. SMARCA4 mutations significantly associated with enrichment of oxidative phosphorylation and depletion of immune signaling gene sets.

Conclusions:

Pathogenic SMARCA4 mutations independently predict an association with shorter OS and intracranial PFS in patients with MBM and associate with expression of pathways known to mediate melanoma virulence. These findings add to our understanding of MBM pathogenesis and suggest their potential use as prognostic biomarkers in patients with MBM and possible therapeutic opportunities.
Triple Combination of MEK, BET, and CDK Inhibitors Significantly Reduces Human Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Mouse Models
Authors: Ortega-Bertran Sara , Fernández-Rodríguez Juana , Magallón-Lorenz Miriam , Zhang Xiaohu , Creus-Bachiller Edgar , Diazgranados Adriana Paola , Uriarte-Arrazola Itziar , Mazuelas Helena , Blanco Ignacio , Valverde Claudia , Carrió Meritxell , Villanueva Alberto , De Raedt Thomas , Romagosa Cleofé , Gel Bernat , Salvador Héctor , Ferrer Marc , Lázaro Conxi , Serra Eduard
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is an aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma that develops sporadically or in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Its development is marked by the inactivation of specific tumor suppressor genes (TSG): NF1, CDKN2A, and SUZ12/EED (polycomb repressor complex 2). Each TSG loss can be targeted by particular drug inhibitors, and we aimed to systematically combine these inhibitors, guided by TSG inactivation status, to test their precision medicine potential for MPNSTs.

Experimental Design:

We performed a high-throughput screening in 3 MPNST cell lines testing 14 MEK inhibitors (MEKi), 11 cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDKi), and 3 bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) as single agents and 147 pairwise co-treatments. Best combinations were validated in nine MPNST cell lines, and three were tested in one sporadic and one NF1-associated patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) MPNST mouse model. A final combination of the three inhibitor classes was tested in the same PDOX models.

Results:

A high degree of redundancy was observed in the effect of compounds of the same inhibitory class, individually or in combination, and responses matched with TSG inactivation status. The MEKi–BETi (ARRY-162 + I-BET151) co-treatment triggered a reduction in half of the NF1-related MPNST PDOXs and all the sporadic tumors, reaching 65% reduction in tumor volume in the latter. Remarkably, this reduction was further increased in both models combining the three inhibitor classes, reaching 85% shrinkage on average in the sporadic MPNST.

Conclusions:

Our results strongly support precision therapies for MPNSTs guided by TSG inactivation status. MEKi–BETi CDKi triple treatment elicits a significant reduction of human MPNST PDOXs.
Cross-talk between WNT Signaling and Ferroptosis in Cancer
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhang Zhixiang , Yue Yunhui , Hou Yifan , Cao Yujia , Guo Changsheng , Nie Xiaobo , Hou Junqing
Published: December 2024

Cancer remains one of the most formidable challenges in the medical field in this century, largely because of its poorly understood pathogenesis. Fortunately, recent advancements in the understanding of cancer pathogenesis have helped identify more therapeutic targets for improved treatment outcomes. The WNT signaling pathways are highly conserved cascades that participate in diverse physiologic processes, such as embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and tissue regeneration. Ferroptosis, a unique iron-dependent form of cell death that is distinct from apoptosis, is driven by lipid peroxidation and excessive reactive oxygen species production. Emerging evidence shows that the dysregulation of WNT signaling pathways and ferroptosis, as well as their intricate cross-talk, plays crucial roles in cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, indicating their potential as targets for cancer therapies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the cross-talk between WNT signaling pathways and ferroptosis in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer, with a specific focus on the regulatory role of the canonical WNT cascade in cancer-related ferroptosis. In addition, we discuss the pharmacologic mechanisms of current strategies that inhibit canonical WNT signaling and/or induce ferroptosis in cancer treatment. We propose that combining canonical WNT pathway inhibitors and ferroptosis inducers with current therapies represents a promising therapeutic strategy for personalized cancer treatment.
Nonselective β-Adrenergic Receptor Inhibitors Impair Hematopoietic Regeneration in Mice and Humans after Hematopoietic Cell Transplants
Authors: Nishino Jinsuke , Hu Wenhuo , Kishtagari Ashwin , Shen Bo , Gao Xiang , Blackman Caroline M. , Kassim Adetola , Marneni Naimisha , Cherukuri Abhisar V. , Vittrup Russell , Kalkan Fatma N. , Shah Rahul , Ahn Chul , Gao Ang , Ahmedrabie Abeer , Collins Robert H. , Zeidan Amer M. , Bidikian Aram , Gowda Lohith , Shaffer Brian C. , Madanat Yazan F. , Zhao Zhiyu , Chung Stephen S. , Morrison Sean J.
Published: December 2024

Peripheral nerves promote mouse bone marrow regeneration by activating β2- and β3-adrenergic receptor signaling, raising the possibility that nonselective β-blockers could inhibit engraftment after hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT). We observed no effect of β-blockers on steady-state mouse hematopoiesis. However, mice treated with a nonselective β-blocker (carvedilol), but not a β1-selective inhibitor (metoprolol), exhibited impaired hematopoietic regeneration after syngeneic or allogeneic HCTs. At two institutions, patients who received nonselective, but not β1-selective, β-blockers after allogeneic HCT exhibited delayed platelet engraftment and reduced survival. This was particularly observed in patients who received posttransplant chemotherapy for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, which also accentuated the inhibitory effect of carvedilol on engraftment in mice. In patients who received autologous HCTs, nonselective β-blockers were associated with little or no delay in engraftment. The inhibitory effect of nonselective β-blockers after allogeneic HCT was overcome by transplanting larger doses of hematopoietic cells.

Significance:

Patients who receive allogeneic HCTs followed by posttransplant chemotherapy for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis may be at risk of delayed engraftment and increased mortality if administered nonselective β-blockers after transplantation. Transient discontinuation of nonselective β-blockers or transitioning to β1-selective inhibitors after HCT may accelerate engraftment and improve clinical outcomes.
Personalized Learning Activities in English for Grade 5
Authors: Anabo Roy , Gereña Christie , Gereña Christie
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to develop Personalized Learning Activities in English for Grade 5 students among the eleven (11) public elemen-tary schools in San Julian District and eight (8) public elementary schools in Sulat District, Division of Eastern Samar, Academic Year 2019-2020. The study utilized a descriptive research method with a survey questionnaire and proficiency test in English for Grade 5. Based on the results the public elementary schools in San Julian Dis-trict and Sulat District, Division of Eastern Samar obtained a mean score that falls under the category “did not meet expectations” where all competencies obtained an overall mean score of 2.415 in-terpreted as “poorly developed”. Results implied that the Grade 5 students did not develop the skills and competencies they needed to improve in English competencies by the Grade 5 students. However, results implied that students have not mastered all the competen-cies in the subject and teachers are not acquainted with personal-ized learning activities as innovative materials in teaching. They relied on the use of textbooks, visual aids, and printed materials to teach English lessons. Teachers teaching English were not acquaint-ed with the use of a personalized learning approach as a new strate-gy in teaching and never be used by the teacher, majority of the iden-tified problems were considered as always problems by the Grade 5 teachers in teaching English. It is highly recommended an interven-tion material for pupils to develop mastery of the least learned com-petencies in English to achieve a higher academic performance level in the subject.
Sex Differences in Participation Restriction in Social Activities Among Older Stroke Survivors: A Nationwide Study
Authors: Chen Chen , Reeves Mathew J. , Lisabeth Lynda D.
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND:

Women experience more poststroke physical activity limitations, but sex differences in social activity participation, an important patient-reported outcome for stroke recovery, remain uncertain.

METHODS:

Incident stroke survivors aged ≥65 years were identified from the US NHATS (National Health and Aging Trends Study), 2011-2022. Participants were asked to report restricted participation in the past month in 2 formal activities (religious services and clubs/classes) and 2 informal activities (visiting friends/family and going out for enjoyment) in the year of stroke onset. Logistic regression was used to assess sex differences in any participation restrictions across the 4 activities and within each activity, without and with adjustment for potential confounders, including sociodemographic, social-environmental, technological- and service environmental, psychological, health condition–related factors, and activity limitations.

RESULTS:

Among stroke survivors (N=469; 56.6% women; 50.4% of 75–84 years of age), women were more likely to be older, widowed, live alone, not currently driving, have worse physical capacity, and have more activity limitations. Women had a higher unadjusted prevalence of any participation restriction (40.3% versus 29.4%; odds ratio, 1.90 [95% CI, 1.21–2.99]) and restriction in attending religious services (27.5% versus 19.0%; odds ratio, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.08–3.02]). These sex differences were attenuated most after individual adjustment for physical capacity, marital status, and driving mobility, followed by adjustment for comorbidities, living alone, and activity limitations. No significant sex differences were found after simultaneously adjusting for these factors (adjusted odds ratio, 1.36 [95% CI, 0.70–2.65] for any participation restrictions; adjusted odds ratio, 1.36 [95% CI, 0.74–2.49] for restrictions in religious service attendance).

CONCLUSIONS:

Social participation restrictions are prevalent among older stroke survivors, particularly for women, which appears to be attributable to sex differences in social factors and prestroke health. Future interventions targeting vulnerable subgroups, including socially isolated women and women with poorer health, should be considered.
Redescription of the ‘libelluloid’ Mesocordulia boreala (Odonata: Mesocorduliidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of China
Authors: NEL ANDRÉ , HUANG DI-YING , LIAN XIN-NENG
Published: December 2024

On the basis of a very well-preserved new specimen, we redescribe the Early Cretaceous genus and species Mesocordulia boreala, currently attributed to the Cretaceous subfamily Mesocorduliinae of Araripelibellulidae. We refine key characteristics of wing venation, which allow us to exclude this species from the Araripelibellulidae and elevate the Mesocorduliinae to the family rank as Mesocorduliidae. The relationships of this fossil are clarified. As the genus name Mesocordulia is preoccupied, we propose a replacement name, Guocordulia.
The first and oldest record of Issidae from the Lower Cretaceous of Lebanon (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha)
Authors: AZAR DANY , MAKSOUD SIBELLE , ROBIN NINON , GODEFROIT PASCAL , CAVIN LIONEL , OLIVE SÉBASTIEN , REY KÉVIN , VALLÉE-GILLETTE NATHAN , BRITO LÉA DE , HENEINE GERYES , NEL ANDRÉ
Published: December 2024

Libanissus bkassinensis Azar, Maksoud & Nel, gen. et sp. nov. is illustrated and described from the Lower Cretaceous dysodile (oil papershales) of Bkassine, South Lebanon, and its taxonomic position discussed. Libanissus bkassinensis Azar, Maksoud & Nel, gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by its banded legs and body, a hind wing with two lobes, RA and RP very short, M with only two very short apical branches, CuA with two branches, and a small but distinct apical furcation of PCu close to the incision of the wing margin. Libanissus bkassinensis Azar, Maksoud & Nel, gen. et sp. nov. represents the earliest record (lower Barremian) of the Issidae. Prior to this discovery, the oldest known record was from the Paleocene of France.
A new species of Manlaya (Hymenoptera: Baissidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Shouchang Formation, Eastern China
Authors: ÁLVAREZ-PARRA SERGIO , HUANG DI-YING
Published: December 2024

Baissid wasps (Hymenoptera: Baissidae) represent a family within the superfamily Evanioidea composed of 36 species in seven genera restricted to a period spanning from the Berriasian (earliest Cretaceous) to the Turonian (early Late Cretaceous). The status and rank of the family have been changing over time, and recent phylogenetic analyses indicate that Baissidae may be paraphyletic to Aulacidae + Gasteruptiidae. The genus Manlaya Rasnitsyn, 1980 is the most diverse and widespread in the family, including representatives from western and eastern Laurasia. Here, we describe Manlaya minima sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous Shouchang Formation (Zhejiang Province, China). The new species has elbowed second medial cell, similar to Electrobaissa Engel, 2013, although the rest of the characters match with Manlaya, indicating that this character might be related to interspecific variability rather than differences between genera. The co-occurrence of Manlaya in the contemporaneous Shouchang Formation and the Jehol biota may point to a connection between the two entomofaunas. A key to the species of the family Baissidae from China is provided.
Analogically Re-Imagining Post-Anselmian Soteriology with Lonergan and Balthasar
Authors: Ryliškytė Ligita
Published: December 2024

Responding to modern critiques that portray post-Anselmian soteriology as oppressive or blasphemous, this study reinterprets Christ’s satisfaction within Anselm’s ecclesial-monastic, rather than feudal, context. It examines Lonergan’s sacramental-penitential and Balthasar’s monastic-doxological interpretations of Christ’s satisfaction as complementary and mutually illuminating contributions toward analogically re-imagining a post-Anselmian soteriology. The essay culminates in proposing a synthetic analogy of ‘doxological conciliation’ that addresses contemporary concerns, clarifying its meaning in relation to Khaled Anatolios’s recently coined term, ‘doxological contrition.’
‘Whose blood coloured the story of Adam?’ Reflections on Sin and Salvation
Authors: Siddiqui Mona
Published: December 2024

This article reflects on the comparison between the biblical and Qur’anic stories of Adam and Eve with a particular focus on the concepts of the fall and salvation. Islamic thought does not centre on human salvation in the same way as Christianity with the Qur’an framing the story around the arrogance of Iblis and his divine curse as Satan. Humankind was forgiven by God for the initial ‘slip’ in paradise but the Muslim return to God is now through remembrance and repentance. However, Muslim poets like Muhammad Iqbal saw the expulsion from paradise as a moment of human awakening rather than human damnation. Iqbal’s poetry plays on the dialectic between God, Satan and Adam and the human quest for a meaningful and inspirational life on earth.
Racial Inequality and Support for Democracy
Authors: Morgan Jana , Christiani Leah , Kelly Nathan J
Published: December 2024

This article argues that ethnoracial inequalities undermine support for democracy. We develop an original theoretical argument specifying how structural inequalities delegitimize democracy by alienating marginalized group members while also rationalizing forms of hierarchy at odds with democratic principles. Evidence from a large-scale survey experiment conducted among Black and white respondents in the United States shows that exposure to racial inequalities undermines diffuse support for democracy across society even while provoking group polarization in people’s attitudes toward the specific government institutions that allow inequality to persist. Qualitative evidence from the experiment further illuminates the mechanisms linking racial inequality to democratic delegitimation and reveals how underlying thought processes operate differently across groups. The article provides empirical evidence in line with insights from democratic theorists concerning the detrimental consequences racial hierarchies have for democratic citizenship and contributes to growing cross-national conversations about the challenges structural inequalities pose for democracy.
Constituency Service and Valence Voting in Semi-Competitive Elections: Theory and Evidence From China
Authors: Zeng Yu , He Junzhi , Lü Xiaobo
Published: December 2024

While extensive research has delved into various factors shaping vote choice in democratic elections, few have investigated vote choice in the semi-competitive elections, where the ruling party typically secures unequivocal victory. But the noteworthy phenomenon of independent candidates winning votes and even seats in these elections at the local level suggests that vote choice in autocracies merits scholarly attention. This study examines China’s local congressional elections using a mixed-methods research design that integrates case studies and a conjoint experiment. We find evidence in support of valence voting: long-term constituency service increases vote share by strengthening popular preference and reducing electoral repression and manipulation faced by independent candidates. Our finding suggests that constituency service is an effective strategy of persuading and mobilizing voters in semi-competitive elections, shedding light on a nuanced relationship between incumbents and challengers in weakly institutionalized regimes.
Are Citizens in Court Impairing Representative Politics? On the Politics of Judicial Rights Protection
Authors: Croce Mariano , Tosel Natascia
Published: December 2024

The last four decades have witnessed the rise of a human rights-based, judicial-oriented politics that can be christened ‘politics of judicial rights protection’. Legal institutions, rather than the legislature, are called upon to grant effectiveness and visibility to citizens’ rights claims. As such, politics of judicial rights protection is alleged to be detrimental to representative politics. This article makes two claims, one diagnostic and the other normative. Diagnostically, we discuss how the expansion of politics of judicial rights protection has transformed courts into an arena in which people articulate their claims, produce general narratives, and define the political frameworks within which guidelines for legislation are produced. The normative claim is that while there is no democratic deficit resulting from this dynamic, the expanding scope of politics of judicial rights protection calls for greater integration of the legislative and judiciary. Thus, it is imperative that more scholarly attention be paid to this issue to facilitate an effective reform of legislative procedures.
One Size Does Not Fit All: Explaining Radical-Left Parties’ Engagement with Populism
Authors: Dar Or
Published: December 2024

The literature offers several reasons to explain radical-left parties’ different engagements with populist discourse: structural reasons, ideology, party “cartelization,” and electoral opportunities. However, one important reason is absent: whether party leaders believe populism is electorally advantageous. This determination depends on how the populist dimensions of people-centrism, anti-elitism, and popular sovereignty relate to the party’s support base. Trade-offs might develop between each dimension vis-à-vis different groups, leading leaders to reject populism or embrace only some dimensions. We demonstrate this point by focusing on two parties—the Danish Red-Green Alliance and the French La France Insoumise—using interviews with their leaders and staff. Despite potentially facilitating conditions, the Red-Green Alliance did not use populist discourse, partly because its leaders believed that the anti-establishment dimension would alienate important groups of voters. La France Insoumise did use populist discourse. However, given that the party leaders believed the anti-establishment dimension would alienate some voters, they also used non-populist messages to mobilize parts of the electorate.
Salience of Trust in Discussions and Recommendations of the United States’ COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
Authors: Kloft Samantha , López-Cevallos Daniel F.
Published: December 2024

Objective:

The COVID-19 pandemic has further eroded trust in public health institutions across the United States. We examined the salience of trust in the federal government’s discussions and recommendations of the US COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force (HETF).

Methods:

We conducted a thematic analysis of publicly available HETF documents, including the executive order, 8 meeting minutes, and 2 final deliverables. Given that trust operates at multiple levels of the socioecological continuum, we used an interpretive analytic approach to our inquiry.

Results:

We found that several barriers, facilitators, and influencers to trust were discussed during HETF meetings but few were mentioned consistently across all documents. Trust was most frequently mentioned by individuals in the public comments section of HETF meetings, more so than HETF members or representatives of federal agencies. Public commenters comprised 52% of total mentions of trust. However, these mentions did not make their way into the final HETF deliverables, signaling a potential disconnect between insights from public commenters and HETF representatives.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that trust had limited prominence in HETF discussions and recommendations. To rebuild the public’s trust, it is imperative that the federal government, in collaboration with state and local partners, further develop actionable mechanisms to foster trust as a pillar of public health practice. By ensuring ethical principles are applied in decision-making and implementation, gaps in (mis)trust may be bridged, ultimately boosting the efficacy of public health emergency response.
Adaptive Measurement of Change in the Context of Item Parameter Drift
Authors: Cooperman Allison W. , Tai Ming Him , DeWeese Joseph N. , Weiss David J.
Published: December 2024

Adaptive measurement of change (AMC) uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to measure and test the significance of intraindividual change on one or more latent traits. The extant AMC research has so far assumed that item parameter values are constant across testing occasions. Yet item parameters might change over time, a phenomenon termed item parameter drift (IPD). The current study examined AMC’s performance in the context of IPD with unidimensional, dichotomous CATs across two testing occasions. A Monte Carlo simulation revealed that AMC false and true positive rates were primarily affected by changes in the difficulty parameter. False positive rates were related to the location of the drift items relative to the latent trait continuum, as the administration of more drift items spuriously increased the magnitude of estimated trait change. Moreover, true positive rates depended upon an interaction between the direction of difficulty parameter drift and the latent trait change trajectory. A follow-up simulation further showed that the number of items in the CAT with parameter drift impacted AMC false and true positive rates, with these relationships moderated by IPD characteristics and the latent trait change trajectory. It is recommended that test administrators confirm the absence of IPD prior to using AMC for measuring intraindividual change with educational and psychological tests.
Relationship between postoperative dietary intake and walking ability among older adults with hip fractures: A retrospective study
Authors: Kobayashi Hikaru , Nagai Koutatsu , Shimamura Yasuhiro , Hidaka Masami , Mori Akiko , Sakuma Kaoru , Ogino Tomoyuki
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether total dietary intake assessed in the acute phase after hip fracture surgery is associated with walking ability.

Design

The retrospective observational study.

Setting

A single institution.

Participants

Patients with hip fractures aged ≥65 years.

Main measures

Dietary intake was recorded daily on an 11-point scale using visual plate waste. The primary outcome was walking ability, which was assessed using functional ambulation categories at discharge. We categorised the patients into those with improved walking ability (functional ambulation categories score ≥3) and those without (<3). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for functional ambulation categories according to total dietary intake during acute hospitalisation.

Results

In total, 182 patients were included with a median age of 85 years; 73.6% were women. The median dietary intake during the first week after surgery, the second postoperative week, and throughout the postoperative period were 24.5, 28.4, and 27.1 kcal, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, high total dietary intake (hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence intervals, 1.02–1.09; P = .006) and high dietary intake after the second week (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence intervals, 1.01–1.08; P = .017) were associated with walking ability.

Conclusions

Total dietary intake was associated with walking ability at discharge during the acute postoperative period after hip fracture. Dietary intake following the second postoperative week may play a significant role in the recovery of walking ability.
Bullying in High School Youth: Relationships with Trait Emotional Intelligence
Authors: van Rens Samantha M. , Lemelin Cristina , Kloosterman Patricia H. , Summerfeldt Laura J. , Parker James D. A.
Published: December 2024

Although previous research has found trait emotional intelligence (TEI) to be a moderate predictor of bullying behaviors in adolescents, this work has limited generalizability. The current study is the first to use a multidimensional approach to both TEI and bullying behaviors when looking at their relationship in high school students. The study employed two samples: 1,517 adolescents from three high schools in central Ontario, Canada and a subset of 35 bullies and 35 non-bullies from another school in the same region. Participants in both samples completed the Youth Version of the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi:YV). In addition, the first sample completed the Bully-Victim Questionnaire, which measures four types of bullying behavior: social, physical, verbal, and electronic. TEI was found to be a significant negative predictor for all types of bullying behaviors. In addition, being a male adolescent and having low interpersonal and stress management scores were the strongest predictors of bullying behaviors. Overall, bullies were found to have significantly lower TEI scores across all dimensions. Based on the findings, TEI should be considered as an addition to current anti-bullying programing.
Surface quality predictive model for ultraprecision fly-cutting based on an integrated hybrid CNN-LSTM
Authors: Shehzad Adeel , Rui Xiaoting , Ding Yuanyuan , Mamoon Saqib , Lu Hanjing , Chang Yu , Zhang Jianshu , Zhou Qinbo , Chen Yiheng
Published: December 2024

The emergence of predictive quality has significantly changed manufacturing processes and facilitated real-time product quality assessments. Ultraprecision fly-cutting (UPFC) demands a near-perfect, mirror-like surface without further machining. On top of that, even a minor deviation in the cutting process may substantially affect product quality. Traditional methods are frequently constrained by limitations in accuracy and often make them unsuitable for real-time applications, driving the adoption of intelligent approaches. The current work tackles this challenge by developing a surface quality predictive model for UPFC using a lightweight and robust deep learning (DL) model trained on data collected from tooltip vibrations. In this work, an integrated hybrid model using a convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM), namely 1DCLM, was developed. For a fair comparison, the performance of 1DCLM model was compared with the one-dimensional CNN (1DCNN) model. Six datasets were prepared where each single vibration signal was split into several sub-signals, generating ample samples even from a limited number of cutting experiments to train and test DL models. Experimental results show that the proposed approach achieves state-of-the-art results, with the integrated hybrid 1DCLM model attaining 97.5% accuracy in contrast to 93.8% achieved by 1DCNN. Lastly, the proposed model’s exceptionally low inference time substantiates our claim of making it ideal for real-time application.
Configuration synthesis and screening method for magnetic gear two-speed transmission for electric vehicles
Authors: Du Junliang , Liu Dawei , Ren Tingzhi
Published: December 2024

Magnetic field modulated gears have contactless, lubrication-free and highly flexible transmission characteristics, which provide an inherent technological advantage in solving the vibration, jerk and lubrication problems of two-gear transmissions in electric vehicles. To this end, a magnetic gear two-speed transmission drive concept is proposed, and a configuration preference method for two-speed transmissions based on weighted directed topology maps is investigated. A directed weighted graph modulo adjacency matrix and topological evolution rules describing the structure of the system are established. Adjacency matrix ergodic evolution and isomorphism discrimination are investigated for single and two-stage magnetic gear two-speed transmissions, respectively. Through the constructed relative speed link identification algorithm, the speed ratio between any component is calculated quickly. A configuration preference method was established for the defined evaluation objectives via hierarchical analysis. Finally, a prototype was built based on the screening results. The test results showed that the optimal solution could accurately meet the design requirements and realize two-speed transmission. The accuracy of the configuration and screening method of the magnetic gear two-speed transmission system proposed in this article is verified. It provides a theoretical reference for the design of high-performance magnetic gear two-speed transmission.
Effects of particle size and pretreatment methods on the morphometry of grass charcoal particles: Implications for morphometric analysis of microcharcoal particles
Authors: Inoue Jun , Usuki Tatsuya
Published: December 2024

The morphometry of sedimentary charcoal particles illuminates the source fuel types. This study explores the variation in morphometry (specifically, the length-to-width (L/W) ratio) of charcoal particles of different sizes, using charcoal collected from Miscanthus sinensis (Japanese pampas grass) fields following controlled burning. We also investigated the impact of pretreatment processes on sedimentary microcharcoals. The results indicate a general decrease in the L/W ratio with decreasing particle size, with the microcharcoal exhibiting a substantial decrease. The mean L/W ratios for size categories of 250 µm–1 mm, 125–250 µm, 63–125 µm, and <63 μm in size are 6.42, 5.54, 4.94, and 3.45, respectively. Furthermore, pretreatment processes for microcharcoal decrease the L/W ratio. Consequently, the L/W ratio of grass microcharcoal (<125 μm) likely falls within 50–80% of the ratios observed in grass macrocharcoal (>125 μm), necessitating caution in interpreting microcharcoal data. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering particle size and pretreatment effects when interpreting paleofire records and highlight the need for further research to establish robust cutoff values for fuel type inference based on charcoal morphometry, particularly for microcharcoal.
Bridging Growth and Investment: The Interaction of FDI, Institutions and Financial Development in China
Authors: Tang Chor Foon , Wang Jiechen
Published: December 2024

Over the last 30 years, China has experienced outstanding economic growth along with significant transformation in its financial system and institutional environment. It has also emerged as the primary destination for substantial foreign direct investment (FDI). Therefore, numerous studies have focused on the roles of FDI, financial development and institutional quality in stimulating the Chinese economy. However, existing literature primarily addresses the direct linear impact on economic growth, neglecting potential non-linear relationships and the roles of institutions and financial development in moderating the FDI–growth nexus. This study employs unit root and Johansen’s cointegration tests to examine the roles of FDI, institutional quality and financial development in explaining economic growth in China from 1985 to 2020. Our results show that FDI, institutions, financial development and growth are cointegrated, with non-linear effects of institutional quality and financial development on growth. Furthermore, the impact of FDI on growth decreases when financial development is high (0.627%–0.517%), but increases with improved institutional quality (0.921%–1.158%). Hence, continuous improvements in institutional quality and the financial system do not uniformly affect economic growth, but significantly influence the contribution of FDI to economic growth in China.
Case C-27/23 Hocinx: Business as usual in equal treatment of frontier workers with an alarming twist
Authors: Parthenopoulos Nikos
Published: December 2024

Case C-27/23 Hocinx can be seen as a follow-up to the 2020 C-802/18 Caisse pour l’avenir des enfants case. For a second time around, the legislation of Luxemburg provided for differential conditions for the award of its family allowances, between workers resident in Luxemburg and non-resident (frontier) workers. The Court found for indirect discrimination on the basis of nationality under Article 7(2) of Regulation 492/2011 and Article 45 TFEU. This not a surprising outcome and in fact is fully consistent with previous case law. There is, however, a part of the judgment which certainly raises eyebrows and causes concern. Regulation 883/2004 (and its Implementing Regulation 987/2009) has been disregarded, despite the conditions for its applicability being clearly fulfilled. What is even more vexatious is the treatment of Article 67 of Regulation 883/2004, where the Court seems to overlook its own previous rich line of case law. Although the Court has once more sent the signal that practices which restrict equal treatment of frontier workers will not get past its scrutiny, the relationship between Regulation 492/2011 and Regulation 883/2004 is not treated appropriately.
How is Home-Based Palliative Care Implemented in Developed Countries? An Integrative Review
Authors: Septian Raditya Bagus , Anita Ayu
Published: December 2024

Palliative care focused on improving the quality of life for terminal patients and their families have had a significant impact on healthcare services in developed countries. This review aims to explore how home-based palliative care is implemented for terminal patients in developed countries by analyzing 10 articles from a total of 705 found in 4 databases (PubMed, Scopus, Wiley, and Science Direct) between August 2014 and August 2024. The quality of the documents was evaluated using the critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), with scores ranging from 75% to 100%. Key findings include: (1) Positive benefits of home-based palliative care, including peaceful deaths at home and improved family functioning; (2) Barriers to implementation, such as a lack of healthcare professional competency and issues from families and healthcare services; (3) A comprehensive approach to care at home, encompassing comprehensive care and symptom management; (4) The success of home-based care depends on support from interdisciplinary teams and families. Implementing palliative care in developed countries requires cooperation and support from multiple stakeholders. Study limitations include difficulties in comparing implementations between developed and developing countries and the limited number of relevant articles, with only 705 articles found.
‘Is anyone else’s husband trying to undermine them all the time?’: A reflexive thematic analysis of online support forum discussions about bariatric surgery saboteurs
Authors: Quirke-McFarlane Sophia , Ogden Jane
Published: December 2024

Online support forums (OSFs) are an increasingly utilised social support resource for bariatric surgery (BS) patients. OSFs could permit patients to discuss sensitive topics, such as being sabotaged post-BS. This study aimed to explore the phenomenon of BS saboteurs via BS-specific OSFs. Two internet search engines were used to identify BS-specific OSFs. The eligible OSF(s) was searched to identify relevant threads. Thread data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. One OSF was eligible. The final dataset included 18 threads ( N replies = 569). Three themes were identified: Feeder Behaviours, Negative Reactions to Bariatric Surgery-Induced Weight Loss and Strategies to Avoid and/or Manage Bariatric Surgery Saboteurs. Transcending these was the notion of The Online Support Forum as a Source of Substituted Social Support and Place of Solace. In lieu of the limited social support received in real life, BS patients use OSFs as a form of social support when being sabotaged.
Learners’ behavioral engagement and performance on linguistically difficult L2 reading tasks: The effects of effort feedback, self-efficacy, and attributions
Authors: Yamazaki Joseph S. , Hiver Phil
Published: December 2024

In many compulsory second language (L2) classrooms, learners routinely encounter linguistically difficult L2 reading tasks. However, it is unclear (1) how learners behaviorally engage and perform on such tasks, (2) what motivational characteristics predict their reactions, and (3) whether maladaptive learner reactions can be ameliorated. This study examined the role of two motivational constructs (attributions and self-efficacy) and a common teaching practice (effort feedback) in predicting and ameliorating learners’ behavioral engagement and performance on linguistically difficult L2 reading tasks. Japanese high school students ( N = 238) studying English were recruited for an experimental study and randomly assigned to either the treatment group ( n = 124) or the comparison group ( n = 114). Both groups first performed a linguistically difficult L2 reading task. Time on task was measured as a direct indicator of behavioral task engagement. They then rated the success or failure attributions of their task performance. Next, the treatment group received brief positive feedback highlighting effort attributions (i.e. effort feedback), while the comparison group did not receive any attributional feedback. Both groups then rated their levels of self-efficacy to perform a similar task. Lastly, both groups performed a follow-up linguistically difficult L2 reading task, and their time on task was recorded. Results showed that participants generally displayed low behavioral engagement and performed poorly on the initial task. Both the treatment and comparison groups experienced a significant decline in their behavioral engagement in the subsequent task, but the treatment group showed a small improvement in their subsequent task performance. The external controllability dimension of attributions positively predicted learners’ behavioral engagement on the subsequent task. These findings shed light on an unexplored territory of task engagement research that warrants further attention.
Marx and Engels on prisons and capitalism
Authors: Parisot James
Published: December 2024

This paper rethinks Marx and Engels’ comments on imprisonment and capitalism. While there has been a tendency to suggest the authors’ comments on crime and punishment were peripheral and secondary to their major projects, such as Marx’s Capital, this paper claims, in fact, their writings on incarceration were guided by their shared theoretical project which included historicizing systems of punishment as correlating with modes of production. Also, while more has been written on their ideas of criminality, instead, this paper excavates their thoughts on prisons, which have often been neglected. Overall, it shows there has been a tendency to underestimate the ways the authors viewed prisons as an important disciplinary mechanism for class control, and a part of the capitalist state more generally. Their work provides an important conceptual foundation for critical sociological perspectives on incarceration.
Reference-free ego-motion compensation for vision-based measurement of structural deformations of miter gates
Authors: Wang Shuo , Fillmore Travis , Lee Junhwa , Eick Brian A , Spencer Billie F
Published: December 2024

Monitoring the structural condition of miter gates in locks and dams on inland waterways is vital to prevent unforeseen failures. Considering that the application of hydrostatic loads on miter gates is a quasistatic process resulting in two primary structural states, monitoring displacements induced by these loads is an effective method for indicating common degradations and examining miter gate safety. Noncontact sensors such as dual-camera systems are preferred for ensuring continuous operation. A dual-camera system records pre- and postload three-dimensional positions of a miter gate, allowing for the calculation of load-induced structural displacements. However, movement of the dual-camera system itself during the measurement process, referred to as “ego-motion,” introduces measurement errors, as if the structure undergoes additional rigid body motion. Existing studies utilize stationary reference points to correct false displacements; however, the reference points are often challenging to identify in the field. Instead of displacement, this article introduces an algorithmic approach for vision-based extraction of structural deformation while mitigating the impact of rigid body motion from both the structure and the dual-camera system. The algorithm is formulated on the premise that the measurement of deformation, which indicates changes in the relative positions of points on a structure, remains unaffected by rigid body motions originating from any sources. Besides the measurement robustness under ego-motion, deformation is often more informative than displacement in detecting degradations in structures by providing a more direct link to structural strain. The proposed approach is validated through numerical simulations focusing on a field measurement scenario at a miter gate located at the Dalles, Oregon. The procedure of deformation measurement utilizing a dual-camera system is also demonstrated in the synthetic environment created by a graphics-based digital twin of the gate. The proposed approach will facilitate inexpensive deformation measurements that enable condition assessment of miter gates.
From Free Play to Farm Chores: Using the Youth Compendium to Characterize Physical Activity Behaviors Among Rural Children
Authors: Kramer-Kostecka Eydie N. , Grace Stephanie M. , Wagner Brooke E. , Friend Sarah , Beaudette Jennifer , Barr-Anderson Daheia J. , Fulkerson Jayne A.
Published: December 2024

The physical activity (PA) behaviors of rural youth are not fully understood and community health practitioners often lack practical PA tools to evaluate their activities. The purpose of this study was to use the Youth Compendium, a publicly available PA assessment tool, to identify activities frequently reported among a sample of rural children and to provide translational implications for PA promotion in community settings. Ninety-seven children (mean age=8.9±1.1; female=58.8%) who participated in the rural NU-HOME obesity prevention randomized controlled trial completed a 7-day PA log and provided accelerometry data (mean moderate-vigorous PA=44.5±18.9 minutes/day). Using the Youth Compendium, multiple research team members independently coded the open-response PA log data to determine specific activity types completed on weekdays and weekends. We established interrater reliability using coder triangulation methods. Activity-specific energy costs and durations were estimated using youth metabolic equivalent of task (METy) and METy-minute values. On weekdays, the most commonly reported activities were free play (75.3%), biking (37.1%), and walking (37.1%); mean METy-minutes=480±693, 92±210, and 72±233, respectively. On weekends, the most commonly reported activities were free play (61.9%), walking (50.5%), and swimming (29.9%); mean METy-minutes=714±1009, 151±280, and 520±1030, respectively. Farm chores were prevalent and were reported on weekdays (9.2%) and weekends (17.5%). Among this rural sample, children reported a diverse range of activities spanning from free play to farm chores. The Youth Compendium is a useful PA assessment tool. However, to support this tool’s utility in rural community settings, compendia expansion work is needed to include activities commonly reported by rural youth.
The Leaders’ Leader: A No Doubt Legacy Interview with Robert C. Liden
Authors: Schultz Jennifer L. , Westlin Joseph A.
Published: December 2024

The recipient of the 2023 Midwest Academy of Management Distinguished Scholar Award, Professor Robert C. Liden, is interviewed for the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies.