bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Natural History Study of Children and Adults with Rare Solid Tumors: Initial Results for First 200 Participants
Authors: Ahmed Shadin , Wedekind Mary Frances , Del Rivero Jaydira , Raygada Margarita , Lockridge Robin , Glod John W. , Flowers Crystal , Thomas BJ , Bernstein Donna B. , Kapustina Oxana B. , Jain Ashish , Miettinen Markku , Raffeld Mark , Xi Liqiang , Tyagi Manoj , Kim Jung , Aldape Kenneth , Malayeri Ashkan A. , Kaplan Rosandra N. , Allen Taryn , Vivelo Christina A. , Sandler Abby B. , Widemann Brigitte C. , Reilly Karlyne M. ,   for the MyPART network
Published: November 2023

Understanding of tumor biology and identification of effective therapies is lacking for many rare tumors. My Pediatric and Adult Rare Tumor (MyPART) network was established to engage patients, advocates, and researchers and conduct a comprehensive longitudinal Natural History Study of Rare Solid Tumors. Through remote or in-person enrollment at the NIH Clinical Center, participants with rare solid tumors ≥4 weeks old complete standardized medical and family history forms, patient reported outcomes, and provide tumor, blood and/or saliva samples. Medical records are extracted for clinical status and treatment history, and tumors undergo genomic analysis. A total of 200 participants (65% female, 35% male, median age at diagnosis 43 years, range = 2–77) enrolled from 46 U.S. states and nine other countries (46% remote, 55% in-person). Frequent diagnoses were neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN), adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC), medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumors (sdGIST), and chordomas. At enrollment, median years since diagnosis was 3.5 (range = 0–36.6), 63% participants had metastatic disease and 20% had no evidence of disease. Pathogenic germline and tumor mutations included SDHA/B/C (sdGIST), RET (MTC), TP53 and CTNNB1 (ACC), MEN1 (NEN), and SMARCB1 (poorly-differentiated chordoma). Clinically significant anxiety was observed in 20%–35% of adults. Enrollment of participants and comprehensive data collection were feasible. Remote enrollment was critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 30 patients were enrolled with ACC, NEN, and sdGIST, allowing for clinical/genomic analyses across tumors. Longitudinal follow-up and expansion of cohorts are ongoing to advance understanding of disease course and establish external controls for interventional trials.

Significance:

This study demonstrates that comprehensive, tumor-agnostic data and biospecimen collection is feasible to characterize different rare tumors, and speed progress in research. The findings will be foundational to developing external controls groups for single-arm interventional trials, where randomized control trials cannot be conducted because of small patient populations.
CAR T-cell Design-dependent Remodeling of the Brain Tumor Immune Microenvironment Modulates Tumor-associated Macrophages and Anti-glioma Activity
Authors: Haydar Dalia , Ibañez-Vega Jorge , Crawford Jeremy Chase , Chou Ching-Heng , Guy Clifford S. , Meehl Michaela , Yi Zhongzhen , Perry Scott , Laxton Jonathan , Cunningham Trevor , Langfitt Deanna , Vogel Peter , DeRenzo Christopher , Gottschalk Stephen , Roussel Martine F. , Thomas Paul G. , Krenciute Giedre
Published: November 2023

Understanding the intricate dynamics between adoptively transferred immune cells and the brain tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is crucial for the development of effective T cell–based immunotherapies. In this study, we investigated the influence of the TIME and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) design on the anti-glioma activity of B7-H3–specific CAR T-cells. Using an immunocompetent glioma model, we evaluated a panel of seven fully murine B7-H3 CARs with variations in transmembrane, costimulatory, and activation domains. We then investigated changes in the TIME following CAR T-cell therapy using high-dimensional flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. Our results show that five out of six B7-H3 CARs with single costimulatory domains demonstrated robust functionality in vitro. However, these CARs had significantly varied levels of antitumor activity in vivo. To enhance therapeutic effectiveness and persistence, we incorporated 41BB and CD28 costimulation through transgenic expression of 41BBL on CD28-based CAR T-cells. This CAR design was associated with significantly improved anti-glioma efficacy in vitro but did not result in similar improvements in vivo. Analysis of the TIME revealed that CAR T-cell therapy influenced the composition of the TIME, with the recruitment and activation of distinct macrophage and endogenous T-cell subsets crucial for successful antitumor responses. Indeed, complete brain macrophage depletion using a CSF1R inhibitor abrogated CAR T-cell antitumor activity. In sum, our study highlights the critical role of CAR design and its modulation of the TIME in mediating the efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy for high-grade glioma.

Significance:

CAR T-cell immunotherapies hold great potential for treating brain cancers; however, they are hindered by a challenging immune environment that dampens their effectiveness. In this study, we show that the CAR design influences the makeup of the immune environment in brain tumors, underscoring the need to target specific immune components to improve CAR T-cell performance, and highlighting the significance of using models with functional immune systems to optimize this therapy.
Use of the WHO Nutrient Profile Model for Food Marketing Regulation in Germany: Feasibility and Public Health Implications
Authors: Holliday Nicole , Leibinger Anna , Huizinga Oliver , Klinger Carmen , Okanmelu Elochukwu C. , Geffert Karin , Rehfuess Eva A. , von Philipsborn Peter
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Exposure to marketing for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat is considered a key risk factor for childhood obesity. To support efforts to limit such marketing, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe has developed a nutrient profile model (WHO NPM). Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture plans to use this model in proposed new food marketing legislation, but it has not yet been tested in Germany. The present study therefore assesses the feasibility and implications of implementing the WHO NPM in Germany. Methods: We applied the WHO NPM to a random sample of 660 food and beverage products across 22 product categories on the German market drawn from Open Food Facts, a publicly available product database. We calculated the share of products permitted for marketing to children based on the WHO NPM, both under current market conditions and for several hypothetical reformulation scenarios. We also assessed effects of adaptations to and practical challenges in applying the WHO NPM. Results: The median share of products permitted for marketing to children across the model’s 22 product categories was 20% (interquartile range (IQR) 3–59%) and increased to 38% (IQR 11–73%) with model adaptations for fruit juice and milk proposed by the German government. With targeted reformulation (assuming a 30% reduction in fat, sugar, sodium, and/or energy), the share of products permitted for marketing to children increased substantially (defined as a relative increase by at least 50%) in several product categories (including bread, processed meat, yogurt and cream, ready-made and convenience foods, and savoury plant-based foods) but changed less in the remaining categories. Practical challenges included the ascertainment of the trans-fatty acid content of products, among others. Conclusion: The application of the WHO NPM in Germany was found to be feasible. Its use in the proposed legislation on food marketing in Germany seems likely to serve its intended public health objective of limiting marketing in a targeted manner specifically for less healthy products. It seems plausible that it may incentivise reformulation in some product categories. Practical challenges could be addressed with appropriate adaptations and procedural provisions.
Anemia in Pregnancy: Study Phenomenology
Authors: Pasaribu Rina Doriana , Aritonang Evawany , Sudaryati Etti , Zuska Fikarwin
Published: November 2023

Introduction: The prevalence of anemia in pregnant women in Indonesia remains high. This condition is concerning because the government has run a program of giving iron tablets to pregnant women since 1970. This study aimed to determine socioenvironmental factors that cause anemia in pregnant women. Methods: This qualitative research used phenomenological methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 mothers with anemia and 12 focus group discussion (FGD) informants. Qualitative data analysis was applied to analyze the data. Results: The study found three factors: anemia in the preconception period, diets that cause a lack of iron consumption, and knowledge and consumption of iron tablets in pregnant women. Anemia in pregnant women is a continuous cycle of anemia which begins in the preconception period. Adolescent eating behavior and supplementation programs for pregnant women integrated with antenatal care are still problematic. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings of this study provide important information for preventing anemia in pregnant women, increasing counseling, and evaluating the implementation of iron supplementation in pregnant women. The policy of administering iron tablets to pregnant women to prevent anemia is not effective in reducing the prevalence of anemia. This government policy must be accompanied by a community movement program because the findings of this study show the problems that exist in the individual factors of the mother.
Single versus Double PreserFlo MicroShunt Implantation in Glaucoma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Dervos Thomas , Gugleta Konstantin , Scholl Hendrik P.N. , Gatzioufas Zisis , Enz Tim J.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate double PreserFlo MicroShunt implantation as a modified micro-invasive glaucoma surgery technique and to retrospectively compare the outcomes in a cohort of glaucoma patients with single or double implantation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective data analysis of 57 glaucoma patients who consecutively underwent PreserFlo implantation was performed. Medical records were examined for patients’ demographics, glaucoma type, intraocular pressure (IOP), medication, complications, and re-interventions. Two groups with single (n = 29) or double (n = 28) implantation were formed, and the outcomes were compared. In cases of two-stage double implantation (n = 17), the courses of the initial and the second implantations were compared. Results: Mean preoperative IOP was significantly higher in the double compared to the single implantation group (29.4 ± 10.0 mm Hg; 21.7 ± 8.2 mm Hg; p = 0.003). Postoperatively, IOP was significantly lower in the double implantation group at various time-points (day 1, week 1, months 3 and 6; all p < 0.021). In the subgroup with two-stage procedures, mean preoperative IOP was 24.5 ± 8.5 mm Hg and 29.8 ± 10.1 mm Hg, respectively (p = 0.128). While immediately postoperatively, mean IOP lowering was clinically significant and similar following both procedures, the longer sustainable effect was observed after the second procedure (month 12: 25.5 ± 7.5 mm Hg; 12.4 ± 4.8 mm Hg; p = 0.001). No serious complications were observed. Discussion/Conclusion: Double PreserFlo implantation appears safe and efficient for lowering IOP in glaucoma patients. Our preliminary findings suggest that double is superior to single implantation in terms of IOP lowering and the need for additional topical medication. Patients with insufficient IOP lowering following single implantation may benefit from a second implantation. Further research is warranted to evaluate double implantation as a first-line, one-stage procedure.
Factor XI Inhibition for the Prevention of Catheter-Associated Thrombosis in Patients With Cancer Undergoing Central Line Placement: A Phase 2 Clinical Trial
Authors: Pfeffer Michael A. , Kohs Tia C.L. , Vu Helen H. , Jordan Kelley R. , Wang Jenny Si Han , Lorentz Christina U. , Tucker Erik I. , Puy Cristina , Olson Sven R. , DeLoughery Thomas G. , Hinds Monica T. , Keshari Ravi S. , Gailani David , Lupu Florea , McCarty Owen J.T. , Shatzel Joseph J.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Despite the ubiquitous utilization of central venous catheters in clinical practice, their use commonly provokes thromboembolism. No prophylactic strategy has shown sufficient efficacy to justify routine use. Coagulation factors FXI (factor XI) and FXII (factor XII) represent novel targets for device-associated thrombosis, which may mitigate bleeding risk. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an anti-FXI mAb (monoclonal antibody), gruticibart (AB023), in a prospective, single-arm study of patients with cancer receiving central line placement.

METHODS:

We enrolled ambulatory cancer patients undergoing central line placement to receive a single dose of gruticibart (2 mg/kg) administered through the venous catheter within 24 hours of placement and a follow-up surveillance ultrasound at day 14 for evaluation of catheter thrombosis. A parallel, noninterventional study was used as a comparator.

RESULTS:

In total, 22 subjects (n=11 per study) were enrolled. The overall incidence of catheter-associated thrombosis was 12.5% in the interventional study and 40.0% in the control study. The anti-FXI mAb, gruticibart, significantly prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time in all subjects on day 14 compared with baseline (
P
<0.001). Gruticibart was well tolerated and without infusion reactions, drug-related adverse events, or clinically relevant bleeding. Platelet flow cytometry demonstrated no difference in platelet activation following administration of gruticibart. T (thrombin)-AT (antithrombin) and activated FXI–AT complexes increased following central line placement in the control study, which was not demonstrated in our intervention study. CRP (C-reactive protein) did not significantly increase on day 14 in those who received gruticibart, but it did significantly increase in the noninterventional study.

CONCLUSIONS:

FXI inhibition with gruticibart was well tolerated without any significant adverse or bleeding-related events and resulted in a lower incidence of catheter-associated thrombosis on surveillance ultrasound compared with the published literature and our internal control study. These findings suggest that targeting FXI could represent a safe intervention to prevent catheter thrombosis.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04465760.
Birth Weight, Childhood and Young Adult Overweight, and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Men
Authors: Bramsved Rebecka , Bygdell Maria , Martikainen Jari , Mårild Staffan , Lindh Ingela , Rosengren Annika , Ohlsson Claes , Kindblom Jenny M.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Low birth weight is a known risk factor for adult coronary heart disease (CHD), but the additional effect of weight development during childhood and early adult life has not been studied.

METHODS:

We included 35 659 men born 1945 to 1961 from the population-based BMI Epidemiology Study Gothenburg, with data available on birthweight, BMI in childhood (8 years), and BMI in young adulthood (20 years). Information on CHD diagnoses was retrieved from national registers. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs for the risk of early and late CHD (before and after 58.4 years of age, respectively).

RESULTS:

During follow-up, a total of 3380 cases of CHD (fatal and nonfatal) were registered. Birth weight was inversely associated with the risk of both early (hazard ratio, 0.88 per SD increase [95% CI, 0.84–0.92]) and late (hazard ratio, 0.94 per SD increase [95% CI, 0.90–0.98]) CHD, independently of BMI at 8 years and BMI change during puberty. In a model including birth weight (below or above the median) together with overweight at 8 and 20 years, only birth weight and young adult overweight, but not overweight in childhood, were significantly associated with the risk of CHD. A birth weight below the median, followed by overweight at 20 years of age was associated with a more than doubled risk of early CHD (hazard ratio, 2.29 [95% CI, 1.86–2.81]), compared with the reference (birth weight above the median and normal weight at 20 years of age). This excess risk was even more pronounced for a birthweight below 2.5 kg.

CONCLUSIONS:

We demonstrate that low birth weight and young adult overweight are important developmental markers of risk for adult CHD. These findings motivate a life course perspective for prevention and risk assessment of adult CHD.
Physics-Inspired Adaptions to Low-Parameter Neural Network Weather Forecast Systems
Authors: Scher Sebastian , Messori Gabriele
Published: November 2023

Recently, there has been a surge of research on data-driven weather forecasting systems, especially applications based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). These are usually trained on atmospheric data represented on regular latitude–longitude grids, neglecting the curvature of Earth. We assess the benefit of replacing the standard convolution operations with an adapted convolution operation that takes into account the geometry of the underlying data (SphereNet convolution), specifically near the poles. Additionally, we assess the effect of including the information that the two hemispheres of Earth have “flipped” properties—for example, cyclones circulating in opposite directions—into the structure of the network. Both approaches are examples of physics-informed machine learning. The methods are tested on the WeatherBench dataset, at a resolution of ∼1.4°, which is higher than many previous studies on CNNs for weather forecasting. For most lead times up to day +10 for 500-hPa geopotential and 850-hPa temperature, we find that using SphereNet convolution or including hemisphere-specific information individually leads to improvement in forecast skill. Combining the two methods typically gives the highest forecast skill. Our version of SphereNet is implemented flexibly and scales well to high-resolution datasets but is still significantly more expensive than a standard convolution operation. Finally, we analyze cases with high forecast error. These occur mainly in winter and are relatively consistent across different training realizations of the networks, pointing to flow-dependent atmospheric predictability.
Uncertainty of the Simulated Mid-Pliocene Changes of Sahel Summer Rainfall in the PlioMIP2 Multimodel Ensemble
Authors: Han Zixuan , Li Gen
Published: November 2023

The mid-Pliocene (approximately 3.3–3.0 Ma) was one of the past geological warm periods. Since this past warmer climate was in many respects comparable to near future warming projections, how the regional monsoonal rainfall changed during the mid-Pliocene is an important scientific and socioeconomic concern. Based on phase 2 of the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP2), this work examines the simulated changes of Sahel summer rainfall during the mid-Pliocene. The results show the considerable intermodel uncertainty of the simulated mid-Pliocene Sahel rainfall changes in the PlioMIP2 multimodel ensemble, which is due to the uncertainties of both the simulated dynamic and thermodynamic responses to this past warmer climate. In particular, we find that the intermodel spread in the simulated northern North American warming is a major source of the uncertainty of the mid-Pliocene Sahel summer rainfall changes through two processes. One is a direct dynamic process: a stronger warming over northern North America could enhance the meridional temperature gradient between the extratropical and tropical regions, inducing an interhemisphere energy imbalance of the atmosphere. This could lead to a northward shift of the intertropical convergence zone, strengthening the Western African summer monsoon (WASM) circulation and Sahel summer rainfall. Another is an indirect thermodynamic process: the strengthened WASM circulation could further induce anomalous moisture convergence over the Sahel region, increasing local atmospheric moisture at the low-level troposphere, in favor of a wetter Sahel. Our results suggest that an improved warming simulation over northern North America is essential for the hydrological cycle simulation around the Sahel in the mid-Pliocene warmer climate.

Significance Statement

The Sahel summer rainfall change in a global warmer climate is a widespread scientific and socioeconomic issue because of its important impacts on regional agriculture, ecosystems, food security, water resources, and even cultural environment. However, the present study identifies a nonnegligible intermodel uncertainty of the simulated Sahel rainfall changes during the mid-Pliocene (one of the most recent geological warm periods in Earth’s history) in the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project phase 2 (PlioMIP2) multimodel ensemble. In particular, such an intermodel uncertainty of the simulated Sahel rainfall changes during the mid-Pliocene is attributed to that of the simulated northern North America warming via both the direct dynamic process and the indirect thermodynamic process. This is quite different from the uncertainty source of near-future projections of Sahel summer rainfall changes. The present results improve our understanding of the underlying physics of the hydrological cycle change around the Sahel region in the mid-Pliocene warmer climate, with implications for the future projections of regional monsoonal rainfall.
Afropolitan Masculinity: Forgeries of Wife-Owning Husbands in West Africa, 1850s–1950s
Authors: Mbah Ndubueze L.
Published: November 2023

Between the 1850s and 1950s, when abolitionism masked neoslavery and engendered displacement and forced labour migration in West Africa, Africans used forgery as a survival mechanism. They forged legal documents, claimed multiple forms of citizenship and belonging as Afropolitans, and manipulated kinship and imperial bureaucracy in the quest for freedom. One arena of forgery examined in this article entailed the invention of “husband” as “wife-owner,” within a context of gendered aspirations for social reproduction in the age of abolition. Southeastern Nigerian male migrants mobilised freedom papers, labour contracts, marriage certificates, and the medium of petition-writing to fashion themselves into Afropolitan wife-owners in a bid to survive transimperial displacement, marginalisation, and subordination that arose from abolition forgery. Afropolitan masculinity illuminates how abolition forgery generated enduring structures of hierarchical gender relations in West Africa.
Lymph Node Ratio as a Predictor of Survival for Colon Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ichhpuniani Simarpreet , McKechnie Tyler , Lee Jay , Biro Jeremy , Lee Yung , Park Lily , Doumouras Aristithes , Hong Dennis , Eskicioglu Cagla
Published: November 2023

Background

Lymph node ratio is the number of lymph nodes with evidence of metastases on pathological review compared to the total number of lymph nodes harvested during oncologic resection. Lymph node ratio is a proven predictor of long-term survival. These data have not been meta-analyzed to determine the prognosis associated with different lymph node ratio cut-offs in colon cancer.

Methods

Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL were systematically searched. Articles were included if they compared 5-year overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS) between different lymph node ratios for patients undergoing oncologic resection for stages I-III colon cancer. Pairwise meta-analyses using inverse variance random effects were performed.

Results

From 2587 citations, nine studies with 97,631 patients (female: 51.9%, median age: 61.65 years) were included. A lymph node ratio above .1 resulted in a 49% decrease in the odds of 5-year OS (2 studies; OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.49-.53, P < .00001). A lymph node ratio above .25 resulted in a 56% decrease in the odds of 5-year OS (3 studies; OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.43-.45, P < .00001). A lymph node ratio above .5 resulted in a 65% decrease in the odds of 5-year OS (3 studies; OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.33-.37, P < .00001).

Conclusions

Lymph node ratios from .1 to .5 are effective predictors of 5-year OS for colon cancer. There appears to be an inverse dose-response relationship between lymph node ratio and 5-year OS. Further study is required to determine whether there is an optimal lymph node ratio cut-off for prognostication and whether it can inform which patients may benefit from more aggressive adjuvant therapy and follow-up protocols.
Evaluating Clinical Outcomes of Laparoscopic Subtotal and Total Cholecystectomy for Complicated Acute Cholecystitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Martinez Brian , Breeding Tessa , Katz Joshua , Kostov Anthony , Santos Radleigh G. , Ibrahim Joseph , Elkbuli Adel
Published: November 2023

Introduction

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare clinical outcomes in patients with complicated acute cholecystitis undergoing laparoscopic total vs subtotal cholecystectomy.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and queried PubMed, Embase, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases from inception to May 2023. The primary outcome was complication rates including common bile duct injury, wound infection, reoperation, bile leak, retained stones, and subhepatic collection, whereas secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay.

Results

A total of 7 studies with 135,233 cases were included for meta-analysis. Patients who underwent laparoscopic total cholecystectomy had a significantly lower risk of postoperative bile leaks (RR: .15; 95% CI: .03, .80) and subhepatic fluid collection (RR: 0.19; 95% CI: .06, .63) and were 2.94 times less likely to die compared to those who underwent subtotal cholecystectomy (RR .34; 95% CI: .15, .77). Patients who underwent subtotal cholecystectomy had significantly longer hospital length of stay (mean difference 1.0 days; 95% CI: .5 days, 1.4 days).

Conclusions

In adult patients presenting with complicated cholecystitis, management with laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy presents a unique complication profile with increased risk of postoperative bile leak and subhepatic fluid collection, in-hospital mortality, and longer hospital length-of-stay when used as an alternative approach to laparoscopic total cholecystectomy. Further research into the most appropriate clinical scenarios and patient populations for the use of the subtotal cholecystectomy approach may prove useful in improving its associated outcomes.
Nationwide Outcomes After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Sigmoid Colon Cancer—A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
Authors: Kodia Karishma , Alnajar Ahmed , Huerta Carlos T. , Gupta Gaurav , Giri Bhuwan , Dosch Austin , Paluvoi Nivedh
Published: November 2023

Background

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in advanced sigmoid colon carcinoma remains to be further characterized. Rationale for NAC includes downstaging on final pathology and optimization of microscopically negative margins (R0 resection). We investigated rates of neoadjuvant chemotherapy use in advanced sigmoid colon cancer at academic cancer centers and assessed factors associated with likelihood of NAC administration.

Methods

The National Cancer Database was queried from 2004 to 2017 for patients with clinical T3 or T4, N0-2, M0 sigmoid colon cancer who underwent surgical resection. Those with neoadjuvant radiation or metastatic disease were excluded. The outcomes of patients who did and did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated for this retrospective cohort study.

Results

There were 23,597 patients of whom 364 (1.5%) received NAC. More patients received NAC at academic (41%, P < .001) and high-volume centers (27%, P < .001). Patients with Medicare/Medicaid (39%) and private insurance (52%) were more likely to receive NAC ( P < .001). There was a significantly higher rate of N2 to N1 downstaging in the NAC group. Propensity-score matching demonstrated comprehensive community cancer programs (CCCP) were less likely to provide NAC (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.23, 0.70, P < .001). There was no difference in survival ( P = .20), R0 resection ( P = .090), or 30-day readmission rates ( P = .30) in the NAC cohort compared to the non-NAC cohort.

Conclusions

Access to centers offering multi-disciplinary care with NAC prior to surgical resection is important. This care was associated with academic and high-volume centers and private or government-sponsored insurance. There was no difference in survival between NAC and non-NAC cohort.
Drivers of reverse corporatization in English local government: A longitudinal analysis
Authors: Andrews Rhys
Published: November 2023

Local governments increasingly create and use corporate forms of organization to provide public services. While there is growing evidence on the factors influencing such corporatization, less is known about what leads some local governments to bring corporatized services back in-house. This paper investigates financial, socioeconomic, political and organizational drivers of reverse corporatization among 62 Arms-Length Management Organizations (ALMOs), wholly owned nonprofit organizations created by local governments in England to provide social housing services. Survival analysis for the period 2003–2019 suggests that reverse corporatization is more likely to occur in left-wing local governments and in those with more financial reserves, but is less likely if ALMOs have operated for a longer time and have a large board of directors.

Points for practitioners

Understanding of the drivers of reverse corporatization can help local politicians and public managers improve their decisions about the appropriate mode of delivery for local public services. This paper highlights that good fiscal health may be essential for efforts to bring corporatized service back in-house, but that well-established municipal corporations may be better left to continue operating. It is also important for policymakers to recognize the role that political ideology (and socioeconomic circumstances) can play in shaping a commitment to reversing corporatization.
The solar eclipse of A.D. 1221 May 23 and the value of ΔT
Authors: Ma Lihua
Published: November 2023

A total solar eclipse was recorded in a classic Chinese book with the title The Travels of an Alchemist: the Journey of the Taoist Ch’ang Ch’un from China to the Hindukush at the Sumons of Chingiz Khan. In the present paper, possible locations of the solar eclipse observation are investigated, taking into account the geographical characteristics of local environments. With a modern astronomical planetary ephemeris, the authors confirm the observation records and derive an upper limit of +768 seconds for the Δ T value at the epoch A.D. 1221.
Jump Nyabinghi: Black Radical Militancy, Rastafarianism, and Jamaican Cultural Influence on Black America
Authors: Richard Charlotte
Published: November 2023

While African Americans were in the midst of the zenith of the Civil Rights Movement, Afro-Jamaicans endured civil unrest, Black militant activism, and political changes that eventually resulted in its independence in 1962. While the global impact and influence of African American activism, especially of leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael, among others, is well known, little has been written on the influence of Jamaican culture, ideology, and nationalism on the global freedom movement. This research article situates Jamaican activism and ideology as central to the transnational, Pan-African Black resistance movements, specifically in the United States, illustrating that African Americans were deeply influenced by and interested in Jamaican activism and culture.
Revenue Generation Through Influencer Marketing
Authors: Beichert Maximilian , Bayerl Andreas , Goldenberg Jacob , Lanz Andreas
Published: November 2023

Direct-to-consumer firms increasingly believe that influencer marketing is an effective option for seeding. However, the current managerially relevant question for direct-to-consumer firms of whether to target low- or high-followership influencers to generate immediate revenue is still unresolved. In this article, the authors’ goal is to answer this question by considering for the first time the whole influencer-marketing funnel, that is, from followers on user-generated content networks (e.g., on Instagram), to reached followers, to engagement, to actual revenue, while accounting for the cost of paid endorsements. The authors find that low-followership targeting outperforms high-followership targeting by order of magnitude across three performance (return on investment) metrics. A mediation analysis reveals that engagement can explain the negative relationship between the influencer followership levels and return on investment. This is in line with the rationale based on social capital theory that with higher followership levels of an influencer, the engagement between an influencer and their followers decreases. These two findings are derived from secondary sales data of 1,881,533 purchases and results of three full-fledged field studies with hundreds of paid influencer endorsements, establishing the robustness of the findings.
The fourth dimension: Time between crimes and impact on behavioral change in violent serial crime
Authors: Sorochinski Marina , Salfati C Gabrielle , Libretti Rosanne , Gupta Sneha
Published: November 2023

While the time dimension is part of the definition of serial crime, little attention has been given to understanding offending timelines and the impact of patterns of shorter or longer delays between crimes on the evolution of series on the ability to link crimes. Given the scarcity of research focusing on the timelines of serial offenders, the current study aimed to (1) determine whether series can be classified based on their timeline trajectories (e.g., progressively shorter intervals or progressively longer), and (2) determine whether these timeline trajectories correlate with trajectories of behavioral consistency and change across series. Data included 43 homicide series encompassing 216 crime scenes. Trajectories were determined based on whether intervals increased, decreased, or remained consistent across series, and whether timeline trajectories and behavioral trajectories align. Results revealed that distinct timeline trajectories can reliably distinguish between series. Results also suggested a complex interaction between time between crimes and how this relates to behavioral consistency and change trajectories, thus, suggesting that time is a useful, but potentially separate dimension in the linkage process.
Changes in State Mindfulness are the Key to Success in Mindfulness Interventions: Ecological Momentary Assessments of Predictors, Mediators, and Outcomes in a Four-Week Koru Mindfulness Intervention
Authors: Mirabito Grazia , Verhaeghen Paul
Published: November 2023

It is often assumed that changes in state mindfulness coupled with a decrease in intrusive thinking (e.g., rumination or worry) are the crucial ingredients in mindfulness interventions. We investigate this claim by examining within-person day-to-day changes and causal relationships among these changes in state measures of mindfulness, cognitive interference (a measure of intrusive thinking), depression, well-being, stress, sleep, physical activity, and quality of formal and informal mindfulness practice in a four-week randomized controlled mindfulness intervention with a sample of college students using the Koru mindfulness program; n = 55 for intervention, n = 57 for control; mean age = 21.4). The intervention was effective in improving day-to-day state mindfulness, cognitive interference, and sleep (the effects on all three were linear), but the effects on physical activity, depression, and well-being were not significant. Day-to-day mindfulness (the independent variable) was a predictor of change in daily cognitive interference (the mediating variable), which in turn predicted depression and well-being (dependent variables). The beneficial effects of state mindfulness were demonstrable over a lag of four days, suggesting it is indeed a key ingredient in the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions. Physical activity, sleep, and practice quality did not mediate any effects. One clear implication is that maintaining or restoring high levels of mindfulness, for instance by engaging in meditation or in more informal mindfulness exercises, would be of obvious and direct benefit to mental health and well-being.
Understanding the Early Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Brain Injury Associations Across Canada: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Salazar Ana Paula , Lecours Sophie , Engel Lisa , Gignac Monique A. M. , Rotenberg Shlomit , Zarshenas Sareh , McDonald Michelle , Bottari Carolina
Published: November 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased challenges for people living with brain injury and community associations to support this vulnerable population. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by brain injury survivors during the first year of the pandemic and how community brain injury associations adapted their services to respond to these needs. Findings from seven focus-group with 31 representatives of Canadian brain injury associations revealed 4 main themes: (1) Addressing evolving client needs; (2) Keeping clients safe; (3) Challenges and opportunities navigating the digital world; and (4) Sustaining brain injury associations in the face of uncertainties and disruptions. To comply with public health measures, associations reported pivoting their service delivery online, despite recognizing the difficulties this could create for many brain injury survivors in accessing and using technology. Our findings also highlight concrete directions for not-profit organizations providing instrumental help with activities, acting as a liaison and interpreter of public health guidelines, and in connecting with clients using technology while handling potential cognitive and technological challenges. Addressing these issues has the potential to protect people living with brain injury and community associations from external threats, like pandemics, in the future.
Connecting worlds: Filipino and Indonesian sojourns to Saudi Arabia
Authors: Magliveras Simeon , Al Qurtuby Sumanto
Published: November 2023

This article is a comparative study of Filipino and Indonesian migrant workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It investigates how these two different transnational communities envisage their lives in the Kingdom. It examines (1) the historical dynamics and contemporary developments of Filipinos and Indonesians in Saudi Arabia, (2) the underlying motives, purposes and rationales of their sojourn and employment in the Kingdom, and (3) their perceptions and insights about their Saudi Arabian experiences. Interviews were conducted with 17 Filipinos and 16 Indonesians living and working in Saudi Arabia. This study suggests that many factors affect these two groups’ perceptions and experiences such as religiosity, employer/employee relations, and/or cultural factors.
A novel blinds control approach based on dynamic radiance and solar radiation energy prediction
Authors: Li Jianzhang , Zeng Xianhui
Published: November 2023

Automatic shading devices are widely employed in office buildings to enhance daylight comfort and reduce electricity consumption. However, conventional blinds control methods rely heavily on numerous sensors to monitor indoor daylight conditions, posing challenges in implementing automated control systems. A novel blinds control approach based on dynamic radiance and solar radiation energy prediction is proposed to address this issue. Instead of relying on illumination sensors, the method utilizes the Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Function (BSDF) and a sky model-based three-phase approach to calculate indoor illumination. Artificial neural networks are employed to predict transmitted solar radiation energy, thereby minimizing energy consumption. Furthermore, the multiple criteria decision-making model is applied to determine the optimal angle for the blinds. Simulation experiments demonstrated that this approach achieved a significant reduction of approximately 17% in energy consumption compared to a fixed angle of 90° in the cooling season. And the average illumination of the indoor work plane can be effectively maintained at the recommended level, as ensures improving occupants’ comfort.

Practical Application: The proposed blinds control approach has practical applications in building automation control systems. By effectively reducing building energy consumption, it offers an efficient alternative to traditional control methods. Notably, this approach minimizes reliance on sensors, making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution for optimizing building energy usage.
The First Folio and the merchants of Venice: A collection of books from the natio Anglica in Padua
Authors: Prosdocimi Lavinia
Published: November 2023

The Padua First Folio owned by the Biblioteca Universitaria does not include the original binding, but photos show the shelfmark as having belonged to the Santa Giustina Library. Other English books with the same binding and similar shelfmarks have been found, all coming from Santa Giustina. Some of them contain a mark of ownership by the two John Hobsons, consuls of the English nation in Venice in the seventeenth century, who bequeathed their books to the library of the natio Anglica at Padua University. We know very little about this library, founded in 1649. An Appendix proposes a reconstruction.
The Taming of the Shrew, or, on not knowing Italian (and Latin, and Spanish, and French)
Authors: Plescia Iolanda
Published: November 2023

This article takes its cue from the important work currently being done to underscore the multilingual nature of early modern English culture, in order to take a fresh look at the ‘Paduan play’ The Taming of the Shrew. I argue that its ‘Italianness’ must be understood within the context of a conscious effort on Shakespeare's part to achieve foreignising effects by foregrounding alien lexical items and linguistic processes.
Catheter thrombectomy for basilar artery stroke immediately after insertion of durable left ventricular assist device
Authors: Gregory Vasiliki , Isath Ameesh , Bali Atul D. , Al-Mufti Fawaz , Levine Avi , Kai Masashi , Ohira Suguru
Published: November 2023

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is a serious complication associated with device morbidity. AIS development following LVAD placement typically presents between 6- and 24-months post implantation.

Case/Results: We report a case of a 67-year-old male who initially presented with reduced ejection fraction and severe coronary vessel disease. Following coronary artery bypass graft surgery, the patient remained in a low output state necessitating placement of an LVAD device. Approximately 4.5 hours following LVAD implantation, a severe acute decrease in mental status revealed new development of ischemic stroke of the basilar artery, which was successfully treated in one pass with catheter endovascular thrombectomy.

Conclusion: While embolic stroke management in these cases remains difficult as patients are usually anticoagulated, our case demonstrates the utilization of endovascular thrombectomy as a viable therapeutic option in the setting of an uncommon occurrence of embolic stroke in the hours following LVAD implantation.
Social Equity, Intellectual History, Black Movement Leaders, and Marcus Garvey
Authors: Moloney Kim , Lewis Rupert
Published: November 2023

This paper engages the U.S.-focused social equity literature and its ahistorical understanding of its pre-1968 intellectual histories. We use racial contract theory to highlight the epistemological necessity of a disciplinary reconsideration. We suggest that intellectual histories bound to an exclusively academic voice negate a fuller understanding of lived realities. By engaging the work of a Jamaican-born activist like Marcus Garvey and his significant inroads into 1910s and 1920s America, we create an updated historical understanding of social equity that challenges the disciplinary script.
Public library services for people with dementia: A study of students’ perceptions
Authors: Žilić Tomislava , Faletar Sanjica
Published: November 2023

Although librarians have not been traditionally recognized as professionals who provide care for persons with dementia, recent research indicates that libraries can contribute to the development of dementia-friendly communities. They can offer cognitive engagement and social inclusion events for people with dementia, provide information to their caregivers and educate the general public about dementia. In this article, the authors present the findings from a study that attempted to answer the following research questions: ‘How much do library and information science students in Croatia know about dementia?’ and ‘How do they perceive the role of public libraries in developing dementia-friendly communities?’ The study was conducted using a quantitative methodology among 183 library and information science students. Although the respondents had somewhat poor knowledge about dementia, they believed people with dementia have an inherent right to library materials and programmes suited to their specific needs, and that libraries can raise the quality of their life in the community.
Spatiotemporal Patterns of Hospitalizations Among Older Adults With Co-Presence of Cancer and Dementia in US Counties: 2013–2018
Authors: Li Weixin , Li Lihua , Ornstein Katherine A. , Morrison R. Sean , Liu Bian
Published: November 2023

We assessed the spatiotemporal patterns of hospitalization with comorbid cancer and dementia. Using the 2013–2018 inpatient claims data for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries, we calculated hospitalization rates by dividing the total admissions from individuals with the co-presence of a major cancer (breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal) and dementia diagnoses with the total counts of FFS beneficiaries aged 65 or older. We identified 22 hotspots with high hospitalization rates that showed heterogeneous spatial and temporal utilization patterns. The odds of a county being a hotspot increased significantly with the county-level percentage of dual Medicare-Medicaid beneficiaries (aOR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.04–1.07) and the prevalence of cancer (aOR 1.73; 95% CI: 1.59–1.89), while decreased significantly with increasing degree of rurality (aOR .82; 95% CI: .79–.85) and decreased yearly over time (aOR .72; 95% CI: .68–.75). The identified hotspots and factors at the county-level may help understand healthcare utilization patterns and assess resource allocation for this unique patient group.
Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health of Puerto Rican Post-Disaster Migrants
Authors: Escue Melanie , Aranda Elizabeth , Rosa Alessandra
Published: November 2023

Prior research has explored the relationship between disasters and the personal well-being of migrants in the United States. The current study retrospectively evaluates the subjective well-being of Puerto Rican post-disaster migrants before migration, after migration (and after the return migration to Puerto Rico of a small subset of the sample), and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing both Wilcoxon Signed Rank and independent samples t-tests, we find that stateside and return migrants experience declines in self-reported mental health after migration and return migration (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and during the pandemic. In addition, we find that return migrants report worse mental health, more negative emotions, and fewer positive emotions than migrants who remained stateside. Our findings have implications for our understanding of Puerto Ricans’ subjective well-being and mental health. Directions for future research on post-disaster climate migration, and particularly the subjective well-being of return migrants, are discussed.