bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating Biomarkers for Tumour Monitoring, Prognosis Predictions and Detection of Temozolomide Resistance Mutations in Glioma
Authors: Jones Jordan John , Drummond Katherine Jann , Morokoff Andrew
Published: March 2024

INTRODUCTION:

The potential benefits of circulating biomarkers have been well demonstrated in other cancers. Despite this, no circulating biomarker exists for glioma due to poor sensitivity and hetereogeneity of results.

METHODS:

Serum miRNA and plasma ctDNA was isolated in a cohort of 212 gliomas using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Differentially expressed miRNAs were discovered using a machine learning algorithm and compared to tumor volume on MRI. A Lasso-regression model identified miRNAs that were associated with both progression-free and overall survival. Tumor mutations and ctDNA was compared in 49 plasma samples from 10 patients with tumor tissue available from at least two operations using NGS. Identified mutations were validated using ddPCR in the whole cohort.

RESULTS:

A 9-gene miRNA signature was found that could distinguish between glioma and healthy controls with 99.8% accuracy, including two that demonstrated dynamic changes that correlated with tumor volume on MRI. We found a separate 4-gene miRNA signature that was predictive of survival outcomes and could be incorporated into a clinical nomogram. Common glioma mutations were identified within 93% of plasma samples, including 25% that were not found in the tumor tissue. Mutations in the mismatch repair genes (MMR) were frequently detected in the plasma following temozolomide treatment and observed prior to their appearance in tissue at progression.

CONCLUSIONS:

We have identified serum miRNA biomarker signatures that can monitor tumour burden and improve prognostic predictions. We also show that contrary to previous reports, ctDNA can be reliably detected in the plasma of gliomas. We found that ctDNA offers complementary information to tissue biopsy alone and provides early evidence of temozolomide resistance through mutations in MMR genes.
Retrospective Evaluation of the Prognostic Value of Histological Growth Pattern in Patients with Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases Undergoing Curative-Intent Cytoreductive Surgery
Authors: Kamdem Leonel , Asmar Antoine El , Demetter Pieter , Zana Ismael Coulibaly , Khaled Charif , Sclafani Francesco , Donckier Vincent , Vermeulen Peter , Liberale Gabriel
Published: March 2024

Background

Two distinct histological growth patterns (HGPs) were described in patients with peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer origin (PMCRC) with limited Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) ≤ 6 who did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and were treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) ± hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): pushing HGP (P-HGP) and infiltrating HGP (I-HGP). Patients with dominant P-HGP (> 50%) had significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Objective

We aimed to determine whether these previous observations regarding the prognostic value of HGP in patients with PMCRC with low PCI (≤ 6) are also valid in all operable patients, regardless of whether they received NAC or not and regardless of PCI score.

Methods

This was a retrospective study including 76 patients who underwent complete CRS ± HIPEC for PMCRC between July 2012 and March 2019. In each patient, up to five of the largest excised peritoneal nodules were analyzed for their tumor-to-peritoneum interface. Correlations between NAC, HGP, and prognosis were further explored.

Results

Thirty-seven patients (49%) had dominant P-HGP and 39 (51%) had dominant I-HGP. On univariate analysis, patients with P-HGP ≤ 50% had significantly lower OS than those with dominant P-HGP > 50% (39 versus 60 months; p = 0.014) confirmed on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.3–4.5; p = 0.006). There were no significant associations between NAC and type of HGP.

Conclusions

This study confirms the prognostic value and reproducibility of the two previously reported HGPs in PMCRC. Dominant P-HGP is associated with better DFS and OS in patients undergoing curative-intent CRS ± HIPEC compared with I-HGP, independently of the extent of peritoneal disease burden.
Mechanisms of Exercise Intolerance Across the Breast Cancer Continuum: A Pooled Analysis of Individual Patient Data
Authors: SCOTT JESSICA M. , LEE JASME , MICHALSKI MEGHAN G. , BATCH KAREN , SIMPSON AMBER L. , PEOPLES JACOB , LEE CATHERINE P. , HARRISON JENNA N. , YU ANTHONY F. , SASSO JOHN P. , DANG CHAU , MOSKOWITZ CHAYA S. , JONES LEE W. , EVES NEIL D.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of abnormal cardiopulmonary responses to exercise and pathophysiological mechanism(s) underpinning exercise intolerance across the continuum of breast cancer (BC) care from diagnosis to metastatic disease.

Methods

Individual participant data from four randomized trials spanning the BC continuum ([1] prechemotherapy [n = 146], [2] immediately postchemotherapy [n = 48], [3] survivorship [n = 138], and [4] metastatic [n = 47]) were pooled and compared with women at high-risk of BC (BC risk; n = 64). Identical treadmill-based peak cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols evaluated exercise intolerance (peak oxygen consumption; V̇O2peak) and other resting, submaximal, and peak cardiopulmonary responses. The prevalence of 12 abnormal exercise responses was evaluated. Graphical plots of exercise responses were used to identify oxygen delivery and/or uptake mechanisms contributing to exercise intolerance. Unsupervised, hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to explore exercise response phenogroups.

Results

Mean V̇O2peak was 2.78 ml O2
.kg−1·min−1 (95% confidence interval [CI], −3.94, −1.62 mL O2
.kg−1·min−1; P < 0.001) lower in the pooled BC cohort (52 ± 11 yr) than BC risk (55 ± 10 yr). Compared with BC risk, the pooled BC cohort had a 2.5-fold increased risk of any abnormal cardiopulmonary response (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.2, 5.3; P = 0.014). Distinct exercise responses in BC reflected impaired oxygen delivery and uptake relative to control, although considerable inter-individual heterogeneity within cohorts was observed. In unsupervised, hierarchical cluster analysis, six phenogroups were identified with marked differences in cardiopulmonary response patterns and unique clinical characteristics.

Conclusions

Abnormal cardiopulmonary response to exercise is common in BC and is related to impairments in oxygen delivery and uptake. The identification of exercise response phenogroups could help improve cardiovascular risk stratification and guide investigation of targeted exercise interventions.
Al-Ǧāḥīẓ und das Kitāb al-Ḥayawān
Authors: Pökel Peter
Published: March 2024

Al-Ǧāḥīẓ und das Kitāb al-Ḥayawān
Principles of constructing geometric models of nanoclusters along a tetrahedral line
Authors: Kononov P. , Kononova I. , Moroz O.
Published: March 2024

In connection with the development of new methods of nanotechnology, the article discusses the features of the morphology of nanoobjects that determine the relevance of the modernization of the training of undergraduates in the study of the disciplines «Nanomaterial Science», «Nanotechnology», «Descriptive geometry, engineering and computer graphics» and «Computer modeling».

Recently, the concept of «cluster» has become relevant due to the trend in the development of nanomaterials. Such nanomaterials obtained using unconventional growth mechanisms (including oriented attachment) are extremely interesting in the field of electronics, photonics and are of great interest for catalysis.

The article considers homoatomic clusters constructed from identical structural units. The desire to minimize energy is expressed in the tendency to the densest arrangement of structural units in the cluster. This allows us to assert that cluster structures with the maximum number of connections per structural unit will be the most stable; that clusters tend to a quasi-spherical shape (i.e., cluster sizes along three Cartesian axes should be close if possible, while dense structures are formed, the surface of which is minimal, and the number of connections is maximum); that clusters with higher symmetry are preferable (identical structural units composing the cluster framework should strive to stay in an indistinguishable state and position from each other).

The work applies the knowledge and skills laid down by students in the course of engineering and computer graphics to the study of the patterns of processes in the nanowire on the example of the principles of building nanoclusters along a tetrahedral line using three-dimensional modeling in the Autodesk 3ds Max environment. Visualization and visual representation of geometric images of nanoclusters will allow students to avoid a primitive geometric representation of nanoobjects and will serve as motivation to study other natural science subjects.

The content of the article is intended for specialists working in the fields of nanotechnology, solid-state electronics, micro- and nanoelectronics, micro- and nanosystem technology, thin-film sensors.
Reducing Hospital Readmission Risk Using Predictive Analytics
Authors: Mann Arti , Cleveland Ben , Bumblauskas Dan , Kaparthi Shashidhar
Published: March 2024

This study highlights the development and application of a predictive analytics system in a Midwestern hospital to assess and manage the risk of patient readmissions within 30 days of discharge. By integrating advanced analytical modeling with electronic health records, the system enables the creation of personalized care plans by accurately predicting patients' readmission risks and the optimal timing for interventions. The results suggest that such models can significantly improve resource allocation and the personalization of care plans, thereby reducing unnecessary readmissions and aligning with value-based, patient-centered healthcare goals.
Shipping Emission Control Area Optimization Considering Carbon Emission Reduction
Authors: Zhuge Dan , Wang Shuaian , Zhen Lu
Published: March 2024

Managing Shipping Emission Control Areas

The design of emission control areas (ECAs) is crucial for reducing global shipping emissions and protecting the environment. In “Shipping Emission Control Area Optimization Considering Carbon Emission Reduction,” Zhuge, Wang, and Zhen focus on the ECA optimization problem for sailing legs with ECAs. First, a case with a no-ECA policy and a case with the current ECA policy are discussed. Then, two new voyage-dependent ECA policies with sulfur limits, designated sailing paths, and speed limits are proposed, under which Stackelberg game models with the ECA regulator and a shipping company are developed. The authors extend the research problem from a sailing leg to a shipping network to improve the practicality of the findings. They also develop a dynamic programming-based algorithm to optimize the ECA policies for the shipping network from the perspective of the ECA regulator. The effectiveness of the proposed policies in reducing social costs is validated by numerical experiments.
Cloud Innovators
Authors: Tyler Neil
Published: March 2024

NEIL TYLER talks with Jeff Wittich, CPO at Ampere - a company leading innovation in cloud native processors
Addressing UAV Design Complexity
Authors: Bowers Chris
Published: March 2024

CHRIS BOWERS and HUGH WRATTEN consider the key design challenges associated with UAVs and how best to overcome them
Robotic Innovation
Authors: Tyler Neil
Published: March 2024

Robotics innovation and research are being undertaken at universities around the UK and in this supplement, we look at some of the cutting-edge work currently underway. By Neil Tyler
‘I try to do something a bit different’: exploring fathers’ integration of care ethics in everyday family lives
Authors: Preston Jason
Published: March 2024

This article draws on ethnographic research to explore how an ethic of care is incorporated into fathers’ everyday family lives. Drawing on feminist conceptualisations of the ‘components of care’, this research investigates how fathers recognise and interpret care needs, as well as observing how such needs are practically attended to. Central to this article is an exploration of the extent to which men’s integration of care ethics can be seen to consolidate ideals of hegemonic masculinity or whether newly emerging forms of caring masculinities are challenging traditional gendered inequalities in care work. Analysis of fathers’ recognition of care needs and what they care ‘about’ implies a masculinised coding, in which traditional masculine values are recast to align with an ethic of care. It is argued that such framings stand to reaffirm hegemonic processes, with caring forms of masculinity representing a new hegemon. However, observations of fathers’ embodied caregiving arguably demonstrate how caring ‘for’ children can challenge traditional ideals of care labour, with men’s bodies recast within an ethic of care. Ultimately, this article contributes nuanced understandings of how men interpret and practise components of care, offering distinctions in the gendered trajectories of caring ‘for’ and caring ‘about’.
On (Not) Reading Inscribed Objects in Latin Comedy
Authors: Bork Hans
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This paper examines the performance dynamics of onstage texts in Plautus’ comedies and, in the process, argues that an audience-level viewpoint is essential to understanding Latin stage comedy. Examples of rare epigraphic texts are compared with the more common motif of in-play “perishable texts.” The perishable type were performed by actors as though verbatim and transmit novel information to the audience. In contrast, epigraphic texts are paraphrased and so require specific knowledge. Each kind of text thus does different dramatic work, and the difference originates in the different material “entanglements” of each medium in the lives of ancient Italians. As such, Plautus’ audiences understood comic theater through its extra-textual elements as much as through “the text” as we have it. To understand Roman comedy, scholars must also account for how ancient objects were entangled in Roman culture.
Moon-Wobble
Authors: Keane Alicia Byrne
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This poem describes the experience of learning about a rare lunar anomaly, along with its effects on tides. Exploring climate anxiety, the poem interweaves memories of moonlight and electric light.
Ghost Heart
Authors: Grimm Mary
Published: March 2024

Abstract: “Ghost Heart” is about a woman who acquires a child by accident. She doesn’t know, at first, how to deal with her, or how to love her, partly because of her own abandonment issues, but in the course of their time together, she learns how to be something she never expected to be, a mother.
"The Universe Is a Quiet Catastrophe": Alan Glass's Late Assemblages
Authors: Noheden Kristoffer
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This article examines a selection of the assemblage artist Alan Glass's art made during the COVID-19 pandemic. In either direct or oblique ways, many of Glass's works from 2020 to 2022 allude to the pandemic and other ongoing crises including war and ecological catastrophe. Drawing on archival material and interviews with the artist, the article emphasizes the significance of poetry and esotericism for his art, and interprets the works under consideration as examples of gnosopoetics, or the pursuit of higher knowledge and radical transformation through surrealist art. After outlining Glass's trajectory from drawing and painting to the medium of assemblage and situating his art in the context of Surrealism in Canada, France, and Mexico, the author proceeds to a thematic discussion of Glass's pandemic-era works. These alternate between, on the one hand, depicting a broken world and thematizing death, and, on the other, calling forth possibilities of transformation through a surrealist poetics of the ascendant sign as well as imaginary forms of communication.
Scheme of carrier cooperation with coordinated scheduling for faster and lower-cost failure/disaster recovery
Authors: Xu Sugang , Sahoo Subhadeep , Ferdousi Sifat , Yoshikane Noboru , Shiraiwa Masaki , Hirota Yusuke , Tornatore Massimo , Tsuritani Takehiro , Awaji Yoshinari , Mukherjee Biswanath
Published: March 2024

Large-scale carrier networks are fundamental ICT infrastructures that support future 5G/6G services, and their resilience is a primary societal concern. Differently from single-carrier networks (in which one carrier owns multiple networks), in multi-carrier network ecosystems (in which the networks in the fields are operated by different carriers), cooperation among such different carriers is crucial to achieve resilience against large-scale failures. However, such cooperation is challenging since carriers may not disclose confidential information, e.g., detailed resource availability. In this study, we investigate how to perform carrier cooperative recovery in the case of large-scale failures/disasters. We propose two-stage carrier-carrier cooperative recovery planning by incorporating a coordinated scheduling for faster recovery. Through numerical evaluation, we confirm the potential benefit of carrier cooperation in terms of both recovery time and recovery cost reduction.
Enriched photosensitizer for deep-seated-tumor photodynamic therapy
Authors: Shan Hongrui , Wang Xueqian , Wei Qiheng , Dai Hailang , Chen Xianfeng
Published: March 2024

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative approach that utilizes photochemical reactions for non-invasive disease treatment. Conventional PDT is limited by the low penetration depth of visible light required for activation. Herein, we employed upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to extend the activation wavelength of photosensitizers into the infrared range, enabling a treatment depth of over 10 mm. Furthermore, we also used the abundant amino groups of branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) with spatial structure to enhance the loading capacity of protoporphyrin (PPIX), and we ultimately improved skin tumor clearance rates. Moreover, we achieved tumor-specific treatment by utilizing folic acid (FA) targeting and active enrichment of PPIX. According to cellular experimental results, we demonstrated the remarkable reactive oxygen species generation capability of the material and ultra-low dark toxicity. Additionally, we investigated the apoptosis mechanism and demonstrated that the synthesized nanoparticle stimulates the up-regulation of apoptosis-associated proteins Bax/Bcl-2 and Cyto c. During in vivo experiments involving intravenous injection in mouse tails, we investigated the anticancer efficacy of the nanoparticle, confirming its excellent PDT effects. This research provides a promising avenue for future non-invasive treatment of deep-seated tumors, offering a method for the treatment and management of specific cancers.
Demonstration of acousto-optical modulation based on a thin-film AlScN photonic platform
Authors: Bian Kewei , Li Zhenyu , Liu Yushuai , Xu Sumei , Zhao Xingyan , Qiu Yang , Dong Yuan , Zhong Qize , Wu Tao , Zheng Shaonan , Hu Ting
Published: March 2024

Acousto-optic (AO) modulation technology holds significant promise for applications in microwave and optical signal processing. Thin-film scandium-doped aluminum nitride (AlScN), with excellent piezoelectric properties and a wide transparency window, is a promising candidate for achieving on-chip AO modulation with a fabrication process compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. This study presents, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of AO modulators with surface acoustic wave generation and photonic waveguides monolithically integrated on a 400-nm-thick film of AlScN on an insulator. The intramodal AO modulation is realized based on an AlScN straight waveguide, and the modulation efficiency is significantly enhanced by 12.3 dB through the extension of the AO interaction length and the utilization of bidirectional acoustic energy. The intermodal AO modulation and non-reciprocity are further demonstrated based on a multi-mode spiral waveguide, achieving a high non-reciprocal contrast (>10  dB) across an optical bandwidth of 0.48 nm. This research marks a significant stride forward, representing an advancement in the realization of microwave photonic filters, magnet-free isolators, and circulators based on the thin-film AlScN photonic platform.
Identifying prognostic factors for survival in intensive care unit patients with SIRS or sepsis by machine learning analysis on electronic health records
Authors: Mollura Maximiliano , Chicco Davide , Paglialonga Alessia , Barbieri Riccardo
Published: March 2024

Background

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis are the most common causes of in-hospital death. However, the characteristics associated with the improvement in the patient conditions during the ICU stay were not fully elucidated for each population as well as the possible differences between the two.

Goal

The aim of this study is to highlight the differences between the prognostic clinical features for the survival of patients diagnosed with SIRS and those of patients diagnosed with sepsis by using a multi-variable predictive modeling approach with a reduced set of easily available measurements collected at the admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

Data were collected from 1,257 patients (816 non-sepsis SIRS and 441 sepsis) admitted to the ICU. We compared the performance of five machine learning models in predicting patient survival. Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) was used to evaluate model performances and feature importance, and by applying Monte Carlo stratified Cross-Validation.

Results

Extreme Gradient Boosting (MCC = 0.489) and Logistic Regression (MCC = 0.533) achieved the highest results for SIRS and sepsis cohorts, respectively. In order of importance, APACHE II, mean platelet volume (MPV), eosinophil counts (EoC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed higher importance for predicting sepsis patient survival, whereas, SOFA, APACHE II, platelet counts (PLTC), and CRP obtained higher importance in the SIRS cohort.

Conclusion

By using complete blood count parameters as predictors of ICU patient survival, machine learning models can accurately predict the survival of SIRS and sepsis ICU patients. Interestingly, feature importance highlights the role of CRP and APACHE II in both SIRS and sepsis populations. In addition, MPV and EoC are shown to be important features for the sepsis population only, whereas SOFA and PLTC have higher importance for SIRS patients.
Perceived progress toward scale of 14 maternal, newborn, child health, and nutrition (MNCHN) assets at subnational level in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, and Nigeria
Authors: Coffey Patricia S. , Khan Sadaf , Ebeling Elan , Engmann Cyril
Published: March 2024

Inequitable coverage of evidence-based MNCHN interventions is particularly pronounced in low and middle income countries where access and delivery of these interventions can vary dramatically at the subnational level. We conducted health system assessments in nine subnational geographies in five countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Kenya and Nigeria) to explore progress toward scale of 14 evidence-based MNCHN interventions (iron-folic acid, oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, misoprostol; 7.1% chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care, neonatal resuscitation, kangaroo mother care, community regimen for the treatment of possible severe bacterial infection; amoxicillin dispersible tablets, multiple micronutrient supplements, balanced energy protein supplementation, early and exclusive breastfeeding, feeding of small and sick newborns, and management of severe and moderate acute malnutrition in children less than five years old). Between March and October 2021, we conducted key informant interviews with a purposive sample of 275 healthcare providers and 94 district health management (DHMT) staff to better understand bottlenecks, facilitators and uptake of the interventions across varied subnational settings. Across all interventions and geographies, providers and DHMT staff perceived lack of robust HMIS data as the most significant barrier to scale followed by weak facility infrastructure. DHMT staff viewed limited budget allocation and training as a much larger barrier than healthcare providers, most likely given their purview as subnational managers. Healthcare providers were focused on supply chain and staffing, which affect workflows and service provision. Understanding provider and health facility management views of why interventions do or do not advance towards effective coverage can assist in creating enabling environments for the scale of best practices. These types of data are most helpful when collected at the subnational level, which allows for comparisons both within and between countries to show health disparities. Importantly, this strategic data collection can provide a starting point for improvement efforts to address existing health system gaps.
Effect of food insecurity on depression, anxiety, and stress among resettled Syrian refugees in Ontario
Authors: Zangiabadi Safoura , Alghalyini Baraa , Zoubi Fatmeh , Tamim Hala
Published: March 2024

Food insecurity has been linked to adverse health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations such as refugees. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and its association with depression, anxiety, and stress among resettled Syrian refugee parents in Ontario. This was a cross-sectional study with a total of 540 Syrian refugee parents who resided in Ontario for an average of four years and had at least one child less than 18 years who were interviewed. Information about food insecurity was collected based on the question “During the past year, did you ever eat less because there was not enough food or money for food?”. Levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between food insecurity and depression, anxiety, and stress after adjusting for sociodemographic, migration-, and health-related factors. 44.6% of respondents reported experiencing food insecurity. Of participants, 7.6%, 8.9%, and 8.5% reported severe to extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that food insecurity was significantly associated with higher levels of depression (Adjβ = 2.00, p = 0.008), anxiety (Adjβ = 1.53, p = 0.013), and stress (Adjβ = 1.87, p = 0.019). Implementation of effective government interventions and frameworks are essential to reduce food insecurity among resettled Syrian refugees to ultimately improve their mental health outcomes and overall well-being.
Orientation and contrast deviance examined: Contrast effects mimic deviant-related negativity yet neither produce the canonical neural correlate of prediction error
Authors: Male Alie G.
Published: March 2024

The visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) is a negative-going event-related potential (ERP) component that is largest somewhere between 100 and 300 ms after the onset of an unpredictable visual event (i.e., a deviant) in an otherwise predictable sequence of visual events (i.e., standards). Many have argued that the vMMN allows us to monitor our ever-changing visual environment for deviants critical to our survival. Recently, however, it has become unclear whether unpredicted changes in low-level features of visual input, like orientation, can evoke the vMMN. I address this by testing isolated orientation changes, to confirm recent findings, and isolated contrast changes, to determine whether other low-level features of visual input do not evoke the vMMN in a traditional oddball paradigm. Eighteen participants saw sequences of rare, unanticipated, and different deviant stimuli, interspersed among frequent, anticipated, and identical standard stimuli. Stimuli were Gabor patches. Neither deviant produced a vMMN. Therefore, changes in low-level visual properties of well-controlled stimuli–a stimulus in which one property can be manipulated while all others remain unaffected–like Gabor patches do not yield a vMMN.
Integrating and optimizing tonabersat in standard glioblastoma therapy: A preclinical study
Authors: Zoteva Velislava , De Meulenaere Valerie , Vanhove Christian , Leybaert Luc , Raedt Robrecht , Pieters Leen , Vral Anne , Boterberg Tom , Deblaere Karel
Published: March 2024

Glioblastoma (GB), a highly aggressive primary brain tumor, presents a poor prognosis despite the current standard therapy, including radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. Tumor microtubes involving connexin 43 (Cx43) contribute to glioma progression and therapy resistance, suggesting Cx43 inhibition as a potential treatment strategy. This research aims to explore the adjuvant potential of tonabersat, a Cx43 gap junction modulator and blood-brain barrier-penetrating compound, in combination with the standard of care for GB. In addition, different administration schedules and timings to optimize tonabersat’s therapeutic window are investigated. The F98 Fischer rat model will be utilized to investigate tonabersat’s impact in a clinically relevant setting, by incorporating fractionated radiotherapy (three fractions of 9 Gy) and TMZ chemotherapy (29 mg/kg). This study will evaluate tonabersat’s impact on tumor growth, survival, and treatment response through advanced imaging (CE T1-w MRI) and histological analysis. Results show extended survival in rats receiving tonabersat with standard care, highlighting its adjuvant potential. Daily tonabersat administration, both preceding and following radiotherapy, emerges as a promising approach for maximizing survival outcomes. The study suggests tonabersat’s potential to reduce tumor invasiveness, providing a new avenue for GB treatment. In conclusion, this preclinical investigation highlights tonabersat’s potential as an effective adjuvant treatment for GB, and its established safety profile from clinical trials in migraine treatment presents a promising foundation for further exploration.
“Wake Up!” with Narrative Film Music: Optimizing Narrative Power Through Spike Lee’s Compilation Soundtracks of Popular Music
Authors: Bauermann Mary Beth
Published: March 2024

Filmmaker and director Spike Lee famously features popular music in his films, often incorporating compilation soundtracks that function as sonic narrative devices, sometimes alongside original scores. Through analysis of three of Lee’s films based on true stories—Malcolm X (1992), Crooklyn (1994), and BlacKkKlansman (2018)—and their soundtracks, it is evident that Lee’s use of popular music in his historical films not only situates the works in their respective time periods, but also emphasizes the relevance of each film narrative in American history, both past and present.
Daydreaming: An Exposé on VR Technology as a Form of Digital Escapism and Identity Design
Authors: Djomo Leandra
Published: March 2024

The presentation of identity in Paprika (2006) by Satoshi Kon is complex because of its encounter with virtual reality (VR) and the unprotected access to visit another’s dream. The aim of this article is to demonstrate how this film uses dreams as a media platform that connects people together with powerful VR technology, while also looking at the dangers of disconnecting them from their rigid reality. VR acts as a form of escapism and as a catalyst to the creation and subsequent loss of identity, leading to the exploration of identity as lacking a permanent location in the digital world.
Interview with Dr. Michele Meek on Her Recent Book Consent Culture and Teen Films: Adolescent Sexuality in US Movies
Authors: Heath Miriam
Published: March 2024

In this interview with Dr. Michele Meek on her latest book, Consent Culture and Teen Films: Adolescent Sexuality in US Movies, the author and subject start by exploring a common theme in Dr. Meek’s work: consent. Dr. Meek explains her inspiration for the book and the driving forces behind the subject matter. They discuss the intricacies of consent in media, specifically youth-centric media, and how filmmakers can offer youth more agency in regard to their depiction in film. Finally, they discuss Dr. Meek’s latest short film, Bay Creek Tennis Camp, and how the process for creating this film incorporates many of the recommendations she offers to other filmmakers.
Hollywood’s Embassies: How Movie Theaters Projected American Power Around the World, Ross Melnick (2022)
Authors: Barney Clinton
Published: March 2024

Review of: Hollywood’s Embassies: How Movie Theaters Projected American Power Around the World, Ross Melnick (2022)

New York: Columbia University Press, 528pp., ISBN: 9780231201513 (pbk), $35.00, ISBN: 9780231201506 (hbk), $145.00
Picnic at Hanging Rock (BFI Film Classics), Anna Backman Rogers (2022)
Authors: Sloan Kayla
Published: March 2024

Review of: Picnic at Hanging Rock (BFI Film Classics), Anna Backman Rogers (2022)

London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 103pp., ISBN: 9781839023354 (pbk), $15.95, ISBN: 9781839023378 (epdf), $14.35, ISBN: 9781839023361 (epub), $14.35
Hanfu catwalk shows: A performance of Chinese femininities
Authors: Jia Yan , Smelik Anneke
Published: March 2024

This article analyses the complex relationship between the construction of gender identities among young Chinese females and the practice of dressing up in Hanfu attire. The study employs the perspectives of dress as a situated embodied practice, the performativity of gender and the catwalk as a form of performance art. By drawing on an ethnography of self-defined Hanfu fans in Beijing, China, the authors investigate how the female participants construct femininities through performing on Hanfu catwalks. The ethnographic findings are that, first, the Hanfu catwalk mediates the intricate interplay of Chinese aesthetic norms and gender expression between performers and the audience. Second, wearing Hanfu is an embodied practice unifying the Hanfu costume style, gender construction and corporeal acts, situated in China’s sociopolitical context. Third, Chinese femininity is complex, with both flexibility and internal conflicts, reflecting China’s paradoxical modernization.
The dress and commercial image of the American ‘Fat Lady’, 1850–1920
Authors: Libes Kenna
Published: March 2024

In this article, I analyse the genre of ‘Fat Lady’ photographs popular between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. I assert that there is an archetypal appearance that developed in the 1860s and was standardized by the 1880s, consisting of certain dress, grooming and posing practices that emphasized their subjects’ sizes and presumed social status. Fatness was a performance that these women were employed to embody – one that straddled the lines between corporeal deviance and normality. Freak shows reveal cultural anxieties about bodies. The way Fat Lady performers were costumed reflected concerns about fatness taking up too much space and visibility as well as fatness rendering people immature and androgynous, thereby challenging established sex-role differences; it also revealed the potential erotic allure of extreme body size. Over a century of popularity, Fat Lady performers came to rely on costumes inspired by evening dress, childrenswear and then lingerie, all of which grew scantier as time progressed. Existing cartes de visite, cabinet cards, posters, advertisements, reports from journalists and side show insiders, and rare interviews with the performers themselves provide material for close analysis.
Psychotherapy to treat consequences of interpersonal violence suffered during childhood and adolescence in Latin America: A systematic review
Authors:   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Guerra Cristobal , Taylor Emily P. ,   Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, UK, Meza Catalina ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Otazo Montserrat ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Urrutia Katherine ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Cáceres Catalina ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Limbergher Javiera ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Rodriguez Valeria ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Sepulveda Montserrat ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Barraza Costian ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile, Miranda Karla ,   Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile
Published: March 2024

Introduction/Objective: As in the rest of the world, in Latin America there is a high prevalence of interpersonal violence (IV) in childhood and adolescence, which is associated with psychological consequences in the short, medium and long term. At the international level, progress has been made in the recognition of evidence-based psychotherapies, but the situation in Latin America is unknown. The objective of this systematic literature review is to identify which psychotherapy models or modalities have been shown to be effective in Latin America. Methods: A systematic search of five databases was carried out with search terms relating to psychosocial interventions of people exposed to IV during childhood, based in Latin America. Studies regarding Latino populations based in United States were excluded. Results: 14 papers describing 13 studies and one follow-up were identified. Individual and group interventions (mainly cognitive-behavioural and with psychodynamic influence) were included. Although all showed clinically or statistically significant changes in symptoms of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression, most were pilot studies with important methodological limitations and a high risk of bias. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop clinical practice in Latin America with more robust research (i.e., controlled and randomised clinical trials) that produce more reliable evidence regarding the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for IV involving children and adolescents in the Latin American context.
The Mediating Role of Sustainable Value Creation in the Relationship Between Information Technology and Competitive Advantage
Authors: Badawi Ahmad , Utami Wiwik , Marsoem Bambang , Kurniasih Augustina
Published: March 2024

This study aims to analyze and determine the magnitude of the influence of information technology capabilities, leadership commitment, competitive advantage and sustainable value creation. This study uses descriptive and causal-explanatory methods with a quantitative approach. The sampling method used is the probability sampling approach (the census). Data analysis used is the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach using primary data. The results of the study state that IT Capability has a significant positive effect on Sustainability Value Creation (SVC) and Corporate Competitive Advantage (CCA). The Top Management Commitment variable positively and significantly affects Sustainability Value Creation but does not affect CCA. The SVC variable influences CCA. The results of the Indirect Effect test state that IT Capability influences CCA through SVC. Meanwhile, Top Management Commitment influences CCA through SVC. Additional variables may have other moderating and mediating effects on the mediating role of sustainable value creation. This research contributes to knowledge development (basic research) and applicative problem solving (applied research) by Islamic banking in Indonesia. The results of this study can be a premise for subsequent researchers and can add to the limitations of the literature. This research focused on the research locus, namely Islamic banking throughout Indonesia. It is confirmed that research topics with variables used in this research have never been studied at the locus of Islamic banking before.
The Effect of ESG and Earnings Quality on the Value Relevance of Earnings and Book Value
Authors: Rahman Aulia Fuad , Bintoro Nugroho Suryo , Dewi Ayu Aryista , Kholilah Kholilah
Published: March 2024

This paper aims to investigate the value relevance of ESG (environmental, social and governance) and earnings quality of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange during the period from 2012 to 2022. Furthermore, this study also investigates the value relevance of earnings and book value in the presence of ESG and earnings quality. The value relevance was operationalized using Ohlson's price model (1995), and data was extracted from the Refinitiv database. Based on 353 firm-years, the panel data analysis indicates that ESG and earnings quality have value relevance; this proves that information about ESG and earnings quality are used by investors and stakeholders as a basis for decision-making. Moreover, the presence of ESG has a negative impact on the value relevance of earnings but has a positive impact on the value relevance of book value. By contrast, with ESG, the presence of earnings quality has a positive impact on the value relevance of earnings but has a negative impact on the value relevance of book value, implying that when the quality of accounting information increases, users rely more on earnings information rather than book value. A robustness test testing was also carried out by conducting sub-sample tests based on the period during which the COVID-19 pandemic occurred during the research. Results show that before the pandemic, users tended to be more interested in ESG information, while during the pandemic, users tended to focus more on earnings quality information as a basis for decision-making.
The Effect of Workload, Level of Audit Fees and Audit Risk on Audit Quality: An Empirical Study of a Public Accounting Office in East Java-Indonesia
Authors: Kumalawati Lely , Sudarma Made , Rahman Aulia Fuad , Iqbal Syaiful
Published: March 2024

This study explores the variables of workload, level of audit fees and audit risk on audit quality by testing the three research hypotheses using SPSS with multiple linear regression methods. The study was conducted at a Public Accounting Firm in East Java, Indonesia, with a population of 48 officially registered auditors. A questionnaire instrument was used to collect research data, containing questions/statements related to research variables tested for validity and reliability. The collected data were analyzed using multiple linear regression methods. The research results show that workload variables, audit fees, and risk levels significantly positively affect audit quality. The main research contribution of this study is aimed at practitioners and authorities or associations that, in the preparation and implementation of audit standards, must consider the auditor's internal and external factors and the client's real condition. The association needs to bridge the mistakes of the auditor or KAP when dealing with different client conditions. In addition, based on the results of this study, it is necessary to consider work overload and working time for auditors because they affect audit quality.
Klimaanpassung im Unternehmenssektor. Mit grünen Schwänen leben lernen
Authors: Störmann Wiebke
Published: March 2024

Der Klimawandel macht Unternehmen zu Getriebenen. Werden sie von seinen Folgen hart getroffen, hat das schnell unmittelbare Effekte auf die wirtschaftliche Lage von Städten und Regionen. Investieren sie dagegen klug in Anpassungsmaßnahmen, können sie zum Transformationstreiber werden.
Cui bono? Judicial decision-making in the era of AI: A qualitative study on the expectations of judges in Germany
Authors: Dhungel Anna-Katharina , Heine Moreen
Published: March 2024

Despite substantial artificial intelligence (AI) research in various domains, limited attention has been given to its impact on the judiciary, and studies directly involving judges are rare. We address this gap by using 20 in-depth interviews to investigate German judges’ perspectives on AI. The exploratory study examines (1) the integration of AI in court proceedings by 2040, (2) the impact of increased use of AI on the role and independence of judges, and (3) whether AI decisions should supersede human judgments if they were superior to them. The findings reveal an expected trend toward further court digitalization and various AI use scenarios. Notably, opinions differ on the influence of AI on judicial independence and the precedence of machine decisions over human judgments. Overall, the judges surveyed hold diverse perspectives without a clear trend emerging, although a tendency toward a positive and less critical evaluation of AI in the judiciary is discernible.
Tutela procesal civil del derecho de defensa en Europa
Authors: Palau Font Tomás
Published: March 2024

Esta monografía incorpora un análisis exhaustivo de la doctrina del Tribunal de Justicia y del Tribunal de Estrasburgo sobre el derecho de defensa durante las últimas décadas. En muchos casos de aparente vulneración de dicho esencial derecho no se produce quebrantamiento alguno, si bien “el ojo acostumbrado a actuar ante los tribunales” -gracias a una adecuada aplicación jurídica, bien nutrida de “razón y argumentación”- puede ver un debilitamiento o una obstaculización de las posibilidades con que cuenta la parte para procurar el triunfo de su pretensión. Aquello que en las décadas de los 80 y 90 eran violaciones, en muchos casos hoy ya no lo son: como sencillo ejemplo, puede observarse que, en la litigación transnacional de entonces, era poco menos que incuestionable que la defensa tan solo podía ejercerse adecuadamente si se afrontaba -con pleno músculo procesal- desde el mismo inicio del proceso, sin que hubiera recurso ordinario que pudiera subsanar un emplazamiento tardío. Actualmente esto ha cambiado drásticamente. En efecto, existirían quebrantamientos del derecho de defensa que, por su relativa entidad, resultan de poca transcendencia para el resultado del proceso, o incluso, “vulneraciones toleradas” del derecho de defensa, que poco o nada se pueden relacionar con una noción de la indefensión formal: en estos supuestos, efectivamente se vulnera el derecho de defensa al negar una suspensión de vista, al subsanar un defecto sin retrotraer actuaciones, o al provocar que una prueba sea reformulada indebidamente. Por causa del sistema de recursos y de los compromisos internacionales -de especial intensidad en la Unión Europea-, violaciones de esta suerte acaban adquiriendo la condición de inatacables. Este estudio constituye la primera entrega de un binomio monográfico: Ahora ve la luz la parte centrada en el análisis de todas y cada una de las proyecciones del derecho de defensa en España bajo el prisma de la Justicia europea: todavía tan joven (ex art.24 CE de 1978) y siempre tan cerca (Justicia 2030: Next Generation). En pocos meses, tendremos la suerte de ofrecer, a cargo del mismo autor, el Doctor Tomàs Palau Font, una versión del derecho de defensa, ya en clave electrónica, gracias a la inminente digitalización judicial operada por el reciente Real Decreto-ley 6/2023, de 19 de diciembre, por el que se aprueban medidas urgentes para la ejecución del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia en materia, entre otras, de servicio público de Justicia.