bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulatory cell therapy for kidney transplantation and autoimmune kidney diseases
Authors: Ho Quan Yao , Hester Joanna , Issa Fadi
Published: September 2024

Regulatory cell therapies, including regulatory T cells and mesenchymal stromal cells, have shown promise in early clinical trials for reducing immunosuppression burden in transplantation. While regulatory cell therapies may also offer potential for treating autoimmune kidney diseases, data remains sparse, limited mainly to preclinical studies. This review synthesises current literature on the application of regulatory cell therapies in these fields, highlighting the safety and efficacy shown in existing clinical trials. We discuss the need for further clinical validation, optimisation of clinical and immune monitoring protocols, and the challenges of manufacturing and quality control under Good Manufacturing Practice conditions, particularly for investigator-led trials. Additionally, we explore the potential for expanding clinical indications and the unique challenges posed in paediatric applications. Future directions include scaling up production, refining protocols to ensure consistent quality across manufacturing sites, and extending applications to other immune-mediated diseases.

Graphical abstract
Convergence of semi-convex functions in CAT(1)-spaces
Authors: Gál Hedvig , Pálfia Miklós
Published: September 2024

We generalize the results of Kuwae–Shioya and Bačák on Mosco convergence established for CAT(0)-spaces to the CAT(1)-setting, so that Mosco convergence implies convergence of resolvents which in turn imply convergence of gradient flows for lower-semicontinuous semi-convex functions. Our techniques utilize weak convergence in CAT(1)-spaces and also cover asymptotic relations of sequences of such spaces introduced by Kuwae-Shioya, including Gromov–Hausdorff limits.
Robustness of Hilbert space-valued stochastic volatility models
Authors: Benth Fred Espen , Eyjolfsson Heidar
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we show that Hilbert space-valued stochastic models are robust with respect to perturbations, due to measurement or approximation errors, in the underlying volatility process. Within the class of stochastic-volatility-modulated Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes, we quantify the error induced by the volatility in terms of perturbations in the parameters of the volatility process. We moreover study the robustness of the volatility process itself with respect to finite-dimensional approximations of the driving compound Poisson process and semigroup generator, respectively, when considering operator-valued Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard stochastic volatility models. We also give results on square root approximations. In all cases, we provide explicit bounds for the induced error in terms of the approximation of the underlying parameter. We discuss some applications to robustness of prices of options on forwards and volatility.
Investigation of ComBat Harmonization on Radiomic and Deep Features from Multi-Center Abdominal MRI Data
Authors: Jia Wei , Li Hailong , Ali Redha , Shanbhogue Krishna P. , Masch William R. , Aslam Anum , Harris David T. , Reeder Scott B. , Dillman Jonathan R. , He Lili
Published: September 2024

ComBat harmonization has been developed to remove non-biological variations for data in multi-center research applying artificial intelligence (AI). We investigated the effectiveness of ComBat harmonization on radiomic and deep features extracted from large, multi-center abdominal MRI data. A retrospective study was conducted on T2-weighted (T2W) abdominal MRI data retrieved from individual patients with suspected or known chronic liver disease at three study sites. MRI data were acquired using systems from three manufacturers and two field strengths. Radiomic features and deep features were extracted using the PyRadiomics pipeline and a Swin Transformer. ComBat was used to harmonize radiomic and deep features across different manufacturers and field strengths. Student’s t-test, ANOVA test, and Cohen’s F score were applied to assess the difference in individual features before and after ComBat harmonization. Between two field strengths, 76.7%, 52.9%, and 26.7% of radiomic features, and 89.0%, 56.5%, and 0.1% of deep features from three manufacturers were significantly different. Among the three manufacturers, 90.1% and 75.0% of radiomic features and 89.3% and 84.1% of deep features from two field strengths were significantly different. After ComBat harmonization, there were no significant differences in radiomic and deep features among manufacturers or field strengths based on t-tests or ANOVA tests. Reduced Cohen’s F scores were consistently observed after ComBat harmonization. ComBat harmonization effectively harmonizes radiomic and deep features by removing the non-biological variations due to system manufacturers and/or field strengths in large multi-center clinical abdominal MRI datasets.
Automated ASPECTS Segmentation and Scoring Tool: a Method Tailored for a Colombian Telestroke Network
Authors: Ortiz Esteban , Rivera Juan , Granja Manuel , Agudelo Nelson , Hernández Hoyos Marcela , Salazar Antonio
Published: September 2024

To evaluate our two non-machine learning (non-ML)-based algorithmic approaches for detecting early ischemic infarcts on brain CT images of patients with acute ischemic stroke symptoms, tailored to our local population, to be incorporated in our telestroke software. One-hundred and thirteen acute stroke patients, excluding hemorrhagic, subacute, and chronic patients, with accessible brain CT images were divided into calibration and test sets. The gold standard was determined through consensus among three neuroradiologist. Four neuroradiologist independently reported Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Scores (ASPECTSs). ASPECTSs were also obtained using a commercial ML solution (CMLS), and our two methods, namely the Mean Hounsfield Unit (HU) relative difference (RELDIF) and the density distribution equivalence test (DDET), which used statistical analyze the of the HUs of each region and its contralateral side. Automated segmentation was perfect for cortical regions, while minimal adjustment was required for basal ganglia regions. For dichotomized-ASPECTSs (ASPECTS < 6) in the test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.85 for the DDET method, 0.84 for the RELDIF approach, 0.64 for the CMLS, and ranged from 0.71–0.89 for the neuroradiologist. The accuracy was 0.85 for the DDET method, 0.88 for the RELDIF approach, and was ranged from 0.83 − 0.96 for the neuroradiologist. Equivalence at a margin of 5% was documented among the DDET, RELDIF, and gold standard on mean ASPECTSs. Noninferiority tests of the AUC and accuracy of infarct detection revealed similarities between both DDET and RELDIF, and the CMLS, and with at least one neuroradiologist. The alignment of our methods with the evaluations of neuroradiologist and the CMLS indicates the potential of our methods to serve as supportive tools in clinical settings, facilitating prompt and accurate stroke diagnosis, especially in health care settings, such as Colombia, where neuroradiologist are limited.
Cranial and spinal computed tomography (CT) angiography with photon-counting detector CT: comparison with angiographic and operative findings
Authors: Higaki Fumiyo , Hiramatsu Masafumi , Yasuhara Takao , Sasada Susumu , Otani Yoshihiro , Haruma Jun , Inoue Tomohiro , Morimitsu Yusuke , Akagi Noriaki , Matsui Yusuke , Iguchi Toshihiro , Hiraki Takao
Published: September 2024

The clinical imaging features of photon-counting detector (PCD) computed tomography (CT) are mainly known as dose reduction, improvement of spatial resolution, and reduction of artifacts compared to energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT). The utility of cranial and spinal PCD-CT and PCD-CT angiography (CTA) has been previously reported. CTA is a widely used technique for noninvasive evaluation. Cranial CTA is important in brain tumors, especially glioblastoma; it evaluates whether the tumor is highly vascularized prior to an operation and helps in the diagnosis and assessment of bleeding risk. Spinal CTA has an important role in the estimation of feeders and drainers prior to selective angiography in the cases of spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulas and spinal tumors, especially in hemangioblastoma. So far, EID-CTA is commonly performed in an adjunctive role prior to selective angiography; PCD-CTA with high spatial resolution can be an alternative to selective angiography. In the cases of cerebral aneurysms, flow diverters are important tools for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, and postoperative evaluation with cone beam CT with angiography using diluted contrast media is performed to evaluate stent adhesion and in-stent thrombosis. If CTA can replace selective angiography, it will be less invasive for the patient. In this review, we present representative cases with PCD-CT. We also show how well the cranial and spinal PCD-CTA approaches the accuracy of angiographic and intraoperative findings.
Novel approach of thionyl chloride detection and disposal using a benzimidazole-based derivative: perspectives and proposals
Authors: Kabaňová N. , Tokárová Z.
Published: September 2024

Benzimidazoles are important heterocyclic compounds that exhibit a wide range of pharmacological and biological properties. Among all, sensitivity to Lewis acids provide a possibility to act as a fluorescent detectors for senzing the cathions, radicals, highly reactive low-molecular species with hazardous effects to environment and human health. Herein, we present the design and synthesis of N-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)cinnamamide (I) for the detection of readily reactive thionyl chloride (SOCl2). Treatment of SOCl2 with a novel benzimidazole-based compound I is accompanied by immediate color change. Although the process is irreversible the change noticeable by eye is profitable for a simple and rapid protection against the SOCl2 exposure at amounts harmful for surroundings and body. In the context of environmental issue, the chemical reaction between the detector I and thionyl chloride is beneficial for the safe waste disposal. Thionyl chloride is recaptured in the structure of I throughout the reaction leading to a formation of stable compound II. Incorporation of residual traces of SOCl2 into the structure of organic-type detector I represents effective route to achieve non-reactive and non-damaging derivatives. Accordingly, the organic non-liquid waste is subsequently stored and disposed in a safe manner.
Monocular Pose and Shape Reconstruction of Vehicles in UAV imagery using a Multi-task CNN
Authors: El Amrani Abouelassad S. , Mehltretter M. , Rottensteiner F.
Published: September 2024

Estimating the pose and shape of vehicles from aerial images is an important, yet challenging task. While there are many existing approaches that use stereo images from street-level perspectives to reconstruct objects in 3D, the majority of aerial configurations used for purposes like traffic surveillance are limited to monocular images. Addressing this challenge, a Convolutional Neural Network-based method is presented in this paper, which jointly performs detection, pose, type and 3D shape estimation for vehicles observed in monocular UAV imagery. For this purpose, a robust 3D object model is used following the concept of an Active Shape Model. In addition, different variants of loss functions for learning 3D shape estimation are presented, focusing on the height component, which is particularly challenging to estimate from monocular near-nadir images. We also introduce a UAV-based dataset to evaluate our model in addition to an augmented version of the publicly available Hessigheim benchmark dataset. Our method yields promising results in pose and shape estimation: utilising images with a ground sampling distance (GSD) of 3 cm, it achieves median errors of up to 4 cm in position and 3° in orientation. Additionally, it achieves root mean square (RMS) errors of $$\pm 6$$ cm in planimetry and $$\pm 18$$ cm in height for keypoints defining the car shape.
Applying Insights from China: A Typology for Subnational Comparative Politics
Authors: Zhu Hongshen , Rothschild Viola
Published: September 2024

In this study, we draw on theories of subnational analysis and comparison to introduce a novel framework for better understanding central-local dynamics in China. We argue that careful consideration along the dimensions of interests and information of national and subnational actors can allow us to predict how the central state evaluates local actors, variation in local implementation, and the potential for findings to be generalized to settings beyond China. We apply this 2$$\times$$
×
2 typology to several policy areas—social stability, social security, environmental governance, and economic development—to derive expectations about the behavior of central and local states, and identify when researchers can (and cannot) treat subnational units as independent observations. By identifying the underlying dynamics of central-local relations in different policy domains, this typology provides researchers with tools to construct a more precise analytical framework and helps scholars of Chinese politics conducting subnational analyses design research agendas better able to contribute to the larger comparative politics literature.
Quantifying Sahel Runoff Sensitivity to Climate Variability, Soil Moisture and Vegetation Changes Using Analytical Methods
Authors: Nkiaka Elias , Bryant Robert G. , Dembélé Moctar
Published: September 2024

Whilst substantial efforts have been deployed to understand the “Sahel hydrological paradox”, most of the studies focused on small experimental watersheds around the central and western Sahel. To our knowledge, there is no study on this issue covering all the watersheds located within the Sahelian belt. The absence of relevant studies may be attributed to a sparsity of in situ data leading to a dearth of knowledge on the Sahel hydrology. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study leverages analytical methods and freely available geospatial datasets to understand the effects of climatic factors, soil moisture and vegetation cover changes on surface runoff in 45 watersheds located within the Sahelian belt over two decades (2000–2021). Analyses show increasing trends in annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) in more than 80% of the watersheds. Surface runoff, soil moisture (SM), and vegetation cover measured using the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) also show increasing trends in all the watersheds. Multivariable linear regression (MLR) analyses reveal that precipitation, PET, SM, and NDVI contribute about 62% of surface runoff variance. Further analyses using MLR, and the partial least squares regression (PLSR) show that precipitation and NDVI are the main factors influencing surface runoff in the Sahel. Elasticity coefficients reveal that a 10% increase in precipitation, SM and NDVI may lead to about 22%, 26% and 45% increase in surface runoff respectively. In contrast, a 10% increase in PET may lead to a 61% decline in surface runoff in the Sahel. This is the first hydrological study covering all the watersheds located within the Sahelian belt with results showing that surface runoff is influenced by climate, SM and NDVI to varying degrees. Given the unique hydrological characteristics of the Sahel, a better understanding of the different factors influencing surface runoff may be crucial for enhancing climate adaptation and ecological restoration efforts in the region such as the Great Green Wall Initiative.
Lowering Barriers to Entry in Undergraduate Research Through Student-Led Virtual Workshops
Authors: Amelung Connor , Helmke Brian P.
Published: September 2024

Undergraduate research is a high-impact learning experience, but undergraduate students interested in research often face high barriers to entry, such as limited guidance, confusing application processes, and feelings of not belonging. These barriers are especially prohibitive to first-year students, first-generation students, and members of underrepresented groups, and COVID-19 exacerbated the difficulty of undergraduates joining research by reducing opportunities to gain meaningful research experiences. To address these challenges, we designed a novel extracurricular education program named Starting an Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) in the fall 2020 with the goal of lowering barriers to entry for engineering students to gain research experiences. Over 150 students enrolled in the workshop series throughout both semesters and were put into small groups led by research-experienced undergraduate peer mentors to cement skills from the workshop and to answer students’ questions on a one-on-one basis. A pre- and post-workshop survey was administered to measure students’ major interests, how they define research and engineering, sense of belonging, and perceived barriers to getting involved in research. After participating in SURE, students reported lower perceived barriers to entry in research and were more likely to obtain a research position.
Comparison of Commercial Collagen and Marine Collagen: Efficiency and Effects on the Formation of EDC/NHS-Crosslinked Membranes
Authors: Núñez-Tapia Israel Alfonso , Vázquez-Vázquez Febe Carolina , Mendoza Olga Flores , Bucio-Galindo Lauro , Álvarez-Pérez Marco Antonio , Barba María Cristina Piña
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the extraction and characterisation of collagen derived from fish skin and scales, the collagens obtained were used to produce membranes which were subsequently cross-linked by EDC/NHS. A comprehensive investigation of their microstructure, composition, mechanical properties, swelling, degradation, thermal properties and a 24 h cell viability test was carried out. The results showed that the yields of collagen from skin and fish scales were 25.14 ± 2.90 and 29.26 ± 2.53%, respectively. Mechanical stress tests showed that membranes made from fish skin collagen and commercial collagen had comparable load-bearing capacities before failure. The Young’s modulus of the membranes was 9.45 MPa ± 1.77 for commercial collagen, 5.76 MPa ± 0.74 for fish skin collagen and 2.43 MPa ± 0.78 for fish scale collagen, this similarity was maintained in degradation tests and at denaturation temperature (75 °C).These results demonstrate the viability of collagen derived from marine by-products as an effective and efficient alternative for biomedical and tissue engineering applications.
Greenhouse gas emissions from Chinese livestock sector can be decreased by one third in 2030 by the improvement in management
Authors: Chen Yulong , Qi Le , Hussain Hafiz Athar
Published: September 2024

China is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the livestock sector is a major source of non-CO2 GHG emissions. Mitigation of GHG emissions from the livestock sector is beneficial to the sustainable development of the livestock sector in China. This study investigated the provincial level of GHG emissions from the livestock sector between 2000 and 2020 in China, to determine the driving factors affecting the provincial-level GHG emissions from the livestock sector, based on the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) model, which took into account of technological progress, livestock structure, economic factor, and agricultural population. Moreover, a gray model GM (1, 1) was used to predict livestock GHG emissions in each province until 2030 in China. The results showed that the GHG of Chinese livestock sector was decreased from 195.1 million tons (MT) CO2e in 2000 to 157.2 MT CO2e in 2020. Henan, Shandong, and Hebei provinces were the main contributors to the reduction in Chinese livestock GHG emissions, with their livestock GHG emissions reduced by 60.1%, 53.5% and 45.5%, respectively, in 2020 as compared to 2000. The reduction in GHG emissions from the Chinese livestock sector can be attributed to two main factors: technological progress and the shrinking of the agricultural laborers. In contrast, the agricultural economic development model with high input and high emissions showed a negative impact on GHG emission reduction in China’s livestock sector. Furthermore, the different livestock structure in each province led to different GHG reduction effects on the livestock sector. Under the gray model GM (1,1), the GHG emissions of the livestock sector will be reduced by 33.7% in 2030 as compared with 2020 in China, and the efficiency factor will account for 76.6% of the positive effect of GHG reduction in 2030. The eastern coastal region will be the main contributor to the reduction of GHG emissions from the Chinese livestock sector in 2030. Moreover, recommendations (such as upgrading livestock management methods and promoting carbon emission mitigation industries) should be proposed for the environmentally sustainable development of the livestock sector in the future.
Mentoring up: How mentorship training influences mentee intent to change behavior
Authors: Orsini Jonathan , Hyun So Hee , Sancheznieto Fatima
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate data from different implementations of the Mentoring Up curriculum, designed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research. The study investigated the relationship between participants’ self-reported change in mentoring competence and the behaviors they intended to implement post-training.

Methods:

The data set included 401 respondents who consented to participate after 59 Mentoring Up training events hosted by 34 institutions between 2015 and 2022. Responses to the Mentoring Competency Assessment (MCA) were analyzed to determine which factors were related to self-reported changes in participants’ mentoring competencies post-training.

Results:

Quantitative analysis showed that intent to change, perceived value of training, training modality, and prior mentor training were all significantly associated with the magnitude of change in MCA scores between pre- and post-tests. Further, participants who engaged in face-to-face training found significantly more value in the training than those who participated online. Analysis of open-ended questions demonstrated that participants with larger changes in MCA scores were more likely to address core principles of Mentoring Up curriculum when discussing their behavior change plans post-training.

Conclusion:

Participants improved their mentoring competence by participating in the Mentoring Up curriculum, and this change was significantly and practically associated with an intent to modify their behavior in their mentoring relationships.
Supporting students from underrepresented minority backgrounds in graduate school: A mixed-methods formative study to inform post-baccalaureate design
Authors: Sperling Jessica B. , Roth Noelle E. Wyman , Welsh Whitney E. , McElvaine Allison T. , Permar Sallie R. , Gbadegesin Rasheed A.
Published: September 2024

The US biomedical research workforce suffers from systemic barriers causing insufficient diversity and perpetuating inequity. To inform programming enhancing graduate program access, we implemented a formative mixed-method study to identify needed supports for program applications and graduate program success. Overall, results indicate value in added supports for understanding application needs, network development, critical thinking, time management, and reading academic/scientific literature. We find selected differences for underrepresented minority (URM) students compared to others, including in the value of psychosocial supports. This work can inform broader efforts to enhance graduate school access and provides foundation for further understanding of URM students’ experiences.
Just Research: Evaluation findings of an educational program to promote inclusive research among investigators and research staff
Authors: Passmore Susan Racine , Green-Harris Gina , Kirschmann Peter , Filut Amarette , Phelps Katrina , Garcia Mariana , Farrar Edwards Dorothy
Published: September 2024

Educational opportunities for investigators and staff to promote inclusive research practices are a critical piece of the effort to increase diversity in study participation and promote health equity. However, few trainings to date have empirically been shown to result in behavior changes. We present preliminary evaluation findings for the Just Research workshop offered at the University of Wisconsin–Madison between October 2022 and August 2023. These sessions included 80 participants who made up 4 cohorts. Data was collected through a retrospective pre/post-test survey administered 0–7 days following the workshop (n = 70), and a follow-up survey administered 9–12 months following the workshop (n = 21). Participants demonstrate significant increases in knowledge and self-efficacy regarding implementing inclusive practices post-intervention (p < .001). 85.7% of participants who completed the follow-up survey reported implementing inclusive practices.
Response to: Reflections on ‘Have we lost sleep?’
Authors: Boyce Niall Patrick
Published: September 2024

I would like to thank Professor Ekirch for his reflections on ‘Have we lost sleep?’, which contain several points that I have already responded to within the paper following his peer review of my original submission to Medical History in 2023 (Professor Ekirch having voluntarily identified himself as a reviewer in a normally double-blind process). I acknowledge that the focus of my paper was on Ekirch’s original work from 2001; if I did not engage as he would have wished with his subsequent publications, this was simply because I do not perceive the same substantial developments in his thinking and research on the subject that he does. Indeed, the present critique by Ekirch amounts essentially to more of the same: a long list of references and quotes but little detailed discussion of any individual source. As my paper demonstrates, seemingly unambiguous evidence from a brief quotation can become less clear-cut when placed in context. I am sorry if I deploy the word ‘might’ more than Ekirch would like. This reflects, I hope, a healthy degree of uncertainty and intellectual humility in my approach to the complex issue of pre-industrial sleep. To extend Ekirch’s metaphor, if the jigsaw puzzle that both he and I are trying to assemble can take the form of a cat or a dog, it is possible that its true form is neither animal. The extent to which people woke in the night in pre-industrial Europe, the duration of such awakening, and the predominant cultural attitude towards this—concern, acceptance, or indifference—are topics about which it would seem wise to avoid sweeping statements and generalisations, given the relatively long period covered and the social, cultural, and individual diversity that must be taken into consideration. I can only repeat that I think amassing more brief references, and selectively citing relatively small physiological studies and anthropological evidence from global settings, is unlikely to provide much clarity, let alone definitive answers. I welcome Professor Ekirch’s contribution to this discussion as an indication that the question of segmented sleep in early modern Europe is by no means settled but is a matter of ongoing debate.
Setting the tone: the diffusion of moral and moral-emotional appeals across political and public discourse
Authors: Widmann Tobias , Simonsen Kristina Bakkær
Published: September 2024

Whether a topic is seen in a moral or moral-emotional light has significant political implications. Yet, we lack knowledge about the process of moralization: Who defines the way topics are communicated about? Where prior research has investigated the relative power of different actors to place a topic on the agenda or shape opinions, we study who sets the moral and moral-emotional tone of debate. To do so, we zoom in on immigration discourse in Germany and analyze fine-grained social media data from politicians, political parties, newspapers, and members of the public over a period of more than four years. After employing a transformer model to identify moral and moral-emotional appeals, we use structural vector autoregression models to demonstrate the important role of radical-right challengers in shaping public discourse in a negative moral-emotional direction. The results inform theories of moralization and political entrepreneurship.
Guaranteed real-time cooperative collision avoidance for n-DOF manipulators
Authors: Rodríguez-Seda Erick J. , Kutzer Michael D. M.
Published: September 2024

This paper presents a decentralized, cooperative, real-time avoidance control strategy for robotic manipulators. The proposed avoidance control law builds on the concepts of artificial potential field functions and provides tighter bounds on the minimum safe distance when compared to traditional potential-based controllers. Moreover, the proposed avoidance control law is given in analytical, continuous closed form, avoiding the use of optimization techniques and discrete algorithms, and is rigorously proven to guarantee collision avoidance at all times. Examples of planar and 3D manipulators with cylindrical links under the proposed avoidance control are given and compared with the traditional approach of modeling links and obstacles with multiple spheres. The results show that the proposed avoidance control law can achieve, in general, faster convergence, smaller tracking errors, and lower control torques than the traditional approach. Furthermore, we provide extensions of the avoidance control to robotic manipulators with bounded control torques.
EFFICIENCY IN ESTIMATION UNDER MONOTONIC ATTRITION
Authors: Barnwell Jean-Louis , Chaudhuri Saraswata
Published: September 2024

Attrition is monotonic when agents leaving multi-period studies do not return. Under a general missing at random (MAR) assumption, we study efficiency in estimation of parameters defined by moment restrictions on the distributions of the counterfactuals that were unrealized due to monotonic attrition. We discuss novel issues related to overidentification, usability of sample units, and the information content of various MAR assumptions for estimation of such parameters. We propose a standard doubly robust estimator for these parameters by equating to zero the sample analog of their respective efficient influence functions. Our proposed estimator performs well and vastly outperforms other estimators in our simulation experiment and empirical illustration.
The Rosary Renewed
Authors: Catherine
Published: September 2024

Everyone knows by now that the Church is in the midst of a great
biblical and liturgical revival. It is certainly a wonderful movement with
many wonderful results. But such an accomplishment cannot occur without a
certain amount of controversy. The ‘extremists’ among the liturgical
enthusiasts would like all devotions to be buried forever in oblivion. The
‘conservatives’ cling to the old order; many of them still want to live
nineteenth-century piety with their ‘manuals of devotion’ and rosary beads
at mass in a silent church where the mass itself is a private devotion. Of
course, this is stating the case rather in the extreme, and a great deal has
already been done by the liturgists themselves in recent years to clarify
the meaning of liturgy, - which in the past has been associated with the
idea of rite and exterior ceremonial.
The Love Of God And The Liturgy
Authors: Evans Illtud
Published: September 2024

God is Love: that is his name, that is his life, and God known must be
God loved, God worshipped. ‘O taste and see how good the Lord is.’ The mind
awakens to goodness and the will moves to possess it. God first loved us:
that is what his goodness means. And our answer is to love him in return.
For love is to be expressed. it is not a notion to be cherished, a choice in
reserve; rather is it a life and all of a life, imperative and
lasting.

Man is made for God: made to worship him, therefore, to give him the
praise and acknowledgment his goodness demands. That is what religion is
for: giving God what is his due, not adequately indeed, as though man on his
own might ever match the infinite love of Love himself.
The Love Of God In Our Lives
Authors: Farrell Ambrose
Published: September 2024

Supernatural charity, ‘is the love which refers all things to God above
all things, even man himself. Caritas or Agape is
essentially a grace. From the New Testament we learn that God's ‘design was
and is to animate man with his own love that man, in and through God's love
or grace, should have a kind of equality of friendship, such that he could
know God as God knows himself, and love God as God loves himself in the
Blessed Trinity'.1

St Paul's preaching of love was to the Jews a stumbling block and to the
Gentiles mere folly. This is a love which abandons all thought of self, and
becomes lost in its object. Its very opposite is that type of self-interest
which makes people use others for their own ends, or to gloat over their
misfortunes.
Logos
Authors: Elwes Columba Gary
Published: September 2024

It is not unreasonable to try to discover why St John chose the Greek
word ‘logos’ in describing the second person of the blessed Trinity to
Greek-speaking converts. The only way to discover why is to see just what
meaning it had in current speech to induce him to consider it suitable for
his purpose; and to see secondly what modification or modifications he had
to introduce into its meaning so that it really would fulfil its function as
a key word in Trinitarian doctrine. We may find that its chief virtue was
that it was, of all the terms to hand, least likely to be
misunderstood.

The word ‘logos’ was used by Plato, the Stoics, Philo and Plutarch. It
was current coinage in Greek thought, one of those words whose meaning was
fluid enough, somewhat as democracy or liberty are in our politically-minded
age. But at the back of all these interpretations or uses and shades of
meaning of ‘logos', there still remained one which may be summed up in
another: reason.
Religious Responsibility
Authors: Jarrett Bede
Published: September 2024

It might seem as you come out from the great city, from the mighty
labyrinth that is spreading across your river, as you pass by the gradually
diminishing houses, and face the wide stretch of common, and then turn up
the lane, it might seem as though this convent stood symbolically for all
convents, as a haven of rest. It might seem as though the waste stretch of
land was set there, as though the high walls had been built as a shelter, as
though here people might escape from the foes around them, laying aside the
noise and bustle, the responsibility and the dreadtulness of human
life.
An Outsider Looks at a Great Dominican
Authors: Reade Vincent
Published: September 2024

For many years, and indeed almost till the end of his life, Bede Jarrett
was to me a remote though beneficent figure; important and attractive but in
the background. I never heard him preach; I had never read even one of his
books; I met him personally but once and then had not the opportunity of
conversing with him. I was, however, deeply interested in the striking
expansion of the Dominican Order in England, both on account of men whom I
knew among its younger generation, and because I saw the valuable impression
that the O.P.s were making on English Catholic life and thought.
The Life of Fr Bede Jarrett
Authors: Steuart Benedict
Published: September 2024

This life of Fr Bede Jarrett by two of his own Dominican brethren
fulfils a long-felt hope. Ever since his death in 1934, his many friends
have looked forward to a record of his life and work—especially during his
long Provincialate of sixteen years—and a penpicture of his lovable
character and his very real holiness.
Work
Authors:   Gabriel of St Mary
                        Magdalen
Published: September 2024

Article eight of the Apostolic Constitution Sponsa
Christi speaks of work and asks that it should be
organised in such a way that by its means, together with other legitimate
resources, it will be possible to ensure the support of the
convent.
Methylome-wide association study of multidimensional resilience
Authors: Vazquez Alexandra Y. , Burt S. Alexandra , Mitchell Colter , Klump Kelly L. , Hyde Luke W. , Clark Shaunna L.
Published: September 2024

Although resilient youth provide an important model of successful adaptation to adversity, we know relatively little about the origins of their positive outcomes, particularly the role of biological mechanisms. The current study employed a series of methylome-wide association studies to identify methylomic biomarkers of resilience in a unique sample of 276 twins within 141 families residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Results revealed methylome-wide significant differentially methylated probes (DMPs) for social and academic resilience and suggestive DMPs for psychological resilience and resilience across domains. Pathway analyses informed our understanding of the biological underpinnings of significant differentially methylated probes. Monozygotic twin difference analyses were then employed to narrow in on DMPs that were specifically environmental in origin. Our findings suggest that alterations in the DNA methylome may be implicated in youth resilience to neighborhood adversity and that some of the suggestive DMPs may be environmentally engendered. Importantly, our ability to replicate our findings in a well-powered sample was hindered by the scarcity of twin samples with youth exposed to moderate to substantial levels of adversity. Thus, although preliminary, the present study is the first to identify DNA methylation biomarkers of academic and social resilience.
How Satisfaction Lead to Volunteer Role Identity? Revisiting Identity Salience applied to Volunteer Research
Authors: Benito-Ballesteros Álvaro , Chacón Fernando , Osa-Subtil Iria
Published: September 2024

Many studies have considered satisfaction as a necessary precursor for developing volunteer role identity (VRI). However, the mechanism involved in that relationship and whether diverse types of satisfaction from volunteering literature are part of this relationship remain unclear. We propose that satisfaction may promote the development of VRI by augmenting the identity saliency of the volunteer role. To address identity salience, we adopt a dual-concept approach, measuring the identity importance and identity invocation of the volunteer role. To investigate the hypothesis, we performed multiple general lineal mediation models employing identity importance and identity invocation as simultaneous mediators of the satisfaction-VRI relationship. A sample of 227 volunteers from different organizations completed an online questionnaire remotely. The results indicate that task satisfaction and motivational satisfaction, but not organizational satisfaction, significantly predict volunteer role identity—both directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of identity importance and identity invocation. Future work may continue investigating the paths through which satisfaction and other factors may promote volunteer role identity.
One‐Step Local Acceleration Process of Ultra‐Relativistic Electrons in the Center of the Outer Radiation Belt: Observations
Authors: Guo Deyu , Wang Dedong , Shprits Yuri , Xiang Zheng , Ni Binbin , Saikin Anthony , Drozdov Alexander Y. , Szabo‐Roberts Matyas , Wang Jianhang , Liu Yangxizi , Dong Junhu
Published: September 2024

Ultra‐relativistic (>3 MeV) electrons are considered as a novel, separate population in the Earth's radiation belts since their loss and acceleration features are distinct from relativistic (∼MeV) electrons. The dominant acceleration mechanism of ultra‐relativistic electrons remains a subject of ongoing debate. Some studies suggest that the acceleration mechanism of ultra‐relativistic electrons is energy‐dependent: local acceleration dominants the enhancement of ∼3–5 MeV electrons while two‐step acceleration process leading by radial diffusion effects for ∼7 MeV electrons. However, a recent study (https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc0380) theoretically demonstrated that local acceleration could accelerate electrons up to >7 MeV directly under the extreme plasma depletion. In this study, we report four enhancement events of ultra‐relativistic electrons that occurred in September and October 2017. Analysis of phase space density (PSD) radial profiles and contours demonstrate that local acceleration plays the dominant role in the enhancements of ∼7 MeV electrons in mid‐September and mid‐October, supported by persistently growing peaks in electron PSD. While enhancements of ultra‐relativistic electrons in other two events still show energy‐dependent phenomenon, our results provide the observation evidence that one‐step local acceleration process can lead to the enhancement of ∼7 MeV electrons in some events. We suggest that the acceleration process of ultra‐relativistic electrons may be subject to the efficiency of local acceleration.
The Sierra Madre Oriental Orocline: Paleomagnetism of the Nazas Province in NE Mexico
Authors: Guerra Roel Rafael , Pastor Galán Daniel , Chávez‐Cabello Gabriel , Ramírez‐Peña César Francisco , Aranda Gómez José Jorge , Patiño Méndez Gerardo , Giovanny Nova R. , Rodríguez‐Parra Alejandro , Molina Garza Roberto Stanley
Published: September 2024

Curved mountain belts are spectacular natural features that contain crucial 3D information about the tectonic evolution of orogenic systems in the absence of other kinematic markers. The Mesozoic units exposed in the Mexican Fold and Thrust Belt in northeastern Mexico show a striking curvature, whose kinematic history has not been studied. The existing tectonic models of the region simply assumed the shape of the tectonic units as an inherent feature to the orogen. We investigated the kinematic history of this curvature through paleomagnetism and rock magnetism analyses, coupled with an exhaustive review of available published literature. The studied data sets indicate a protracted history of (re)magnetizations that occurred during the Late Jurassic‐Paleocene times at least during the Late Jurassic, Cretaceous and early Eocene. More significantly, they show significant counterclockwise rotations in the northern flank of the curvature and moderate clockwise vertical axis rotations along its southern flank. This data set suggests that the Sierra Madre Oriental was a linear belt that experienced oroclinal bending or buckling during the Cretaceous to early Eocene period (120–50 Ma).
Comprehensive genetic analysis by targeted sequencing identifies risk factors and predicts patient outcome in Mantle Cell Lymphoma: results from the EU-MCL network trials
Authors: Khouja Mouhamad , Jiang Linmiao , Pal Karol , Stewart Peter James , Regmi Binaya , Schwarz Martin , Klapper Wolfram , Alig Stefan K. , Darzentas Nikos , Kluin-Nelemans Hanneke C. , Hermine Olivier , Dreyling Martin , Gonzalez de Castro David , Hoster Eva , Pott Christiane ,   On behalf of the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network
Published: September 2024

Recent studies highlighted genetic aberrations associated with prognosis in Mantle Cell lymphoma (MCL), yet comprehensive testing is not implemented in clinical routine. We conducted a comprehensive genomic characterization of 180 patients from the European MCL network trials by targeted sequencing of peripheral blood DNA using the EuroClonality(EC)-NDC assay. The IGH::CCND1 fusion was identified in 94% of patients, clonal IGH-V-(D)-J rearrangements in all, and 79% had ≥1 somatic gene mutation. The top mutated genes were ATM, TP53, KMT2D, SAMHD1, BIRC3 and NFKBIE. Copy number variations (CNVs) were detected in 83% of patients with RB1, ATM, CDKN2A/B and TP53 being the most frequently deleted and KLF2, CXCR4, CCND1, MAP2K1 and MYC the top amplified genes. CNVs and mutations were more frequently observed in older patients with adverse impact on prognosis. TP53mut, NOTCH1mut, FAT1mutTRAF2del, CDKN2A/Bdel and MAP2K1amp were linked to inferior failure-free (FFS) and overall survival (OS), while TRAF2mut, EGR2del and BCL2amp related to inferior OS only. Genetic complexity (≥3 CNVs) observed in 51% of analysed patients was significantly associated with impaired FFS and OS. We demonstrate that targeted sequencing from peripheral blood and bone marrow reliably detects diagnostically and prognostically important genetic factors in MCL patients, facilitating genetic characterization in clinical routine.
Sintilimab combined with anlotinib and chemotherapy as second-line or later therapy in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: a phase II clinical trial
Authors: Han Xiao , Guo Jun , Li Lingyu , Huang Yong , Meng Xue , Wang Linlin , Zhu Hui , Meng Xiangjiao , Shao Qian , Li Xing , Zhang Yan , Wang Jin , Chen Yanhua , Zhang Yingjie , Chen Yiru , Zhu Changbin , Wang Zhehai
Published: September 2024

Treatment options for patients with relapsed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) remain scarce. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining anlotinib and sintilimab plus chemotherapy as a second line or later therapy for ES-SCLC patients. This is a phase II clinical trial (ChiCTR2100049390) conducting at Shandong Cancer Hospital. Patients with ES-SCLC and received at least one prior systemic treatment were enrolled. The trial design involved a combination therapy (sintilimab, anlotinib, and nab-paclitaxel) administered over six 21-day cycles, followed by maintenance sintilimab therapy. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Circulating tumor DNA sequencing was employed for exploratory analysis. From July 2021 to April 2023, 25 eligible patients were enrolled. The confirmed ORR was 60% (95% CI: 38.7–78.9%) and the DCR was 76% (95% CI: 54.9–90.6%). The mPFS was 6.0 months (95% CI: 5.4–9.7), and the 6-month PFS rate was 49.2%. The mOS was 13.4 months (95% CI: 11.8-NR), with a 12-month survival rate of 62.2%. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade occurred in 80% of patients, with the most common being fatigue (40%) and nausea (32%). TRAEs of Grade 3 or higher were reported in 12% of patients. ctDNA analysis indicated that low on-treatment blood tumor mutation burden was associated with longer PFS and OS and a potential role of KMT2D mutation in treatment resistance. This combination therapy shows promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile as a second-line or later treatment for ES-SCLC, with genomic insights providing potential biomarkers for treatment response.
Neurotransmitter recognition by human vesicular monoamine transporter 2
Authors: Im Dohyun , Jormakka Mika , Juge Narinobu , Kishikawa Jun-ichi , Kato Takayuki , Sugita Yukihiko , Noda Takeshi , Uemura Tomoko , Shiimura Yuki , Miyaji Takaaki , Asada Hidetsugu , Iwata So
Published: September 2024

Human vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), a member of the SLC18 family, plays a crucial role in regulating neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating their uptake and storage within vesicles, preparing them for exocytotic release. Because of its central role in neurotransmitter signalling and neuroprotection, VMAT2 is a target for neurodegenerative diseases and movement disorders, with its inhibitor being used as therapeutics. Despite the importance of VMAT2 in pharmacophysiology, the molecular basis of VMAT2-mediated neurotransmitter transport and its inhibition remains unclear. Here we show the cryo-electron microscopy structure of VMAT2 in the substrate-free state, in complex with the neurotransmitter dopamine, and in complex with the inhibitor tetrabenazine. In addition to these structural determinations, monoamine uptake assays, mutational studies, and pKa value predictions were performed to characterize the dynamic changes in VMAT2 structure. These results provide a structural basis for understanding VMAT2-mediated vesicular transport of neurotransmitters and a platform for modulation of current inhibitor design.