bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successful pancreatectomy after conversion-intended chemotherapy using gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel for unresectable adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a case report
Authors: Nakamura Kenichi , Nakagawa Mitsuru , Ariga Mizuki , Higashiguchi Takahiko , Chikaishi Yuko , Matsuo Kazuhiro , Nishijima Aki , Endo Tomoyoshi , Kikuchi Kenji , Morohara Koji , Katsuno Hidetoshi , Tachi Yoshihiko , Uyama Ichiro , Suda Koichi , Morise Zenichi
Published: August 2024

Background

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas (ASCP) accounts for only 1–4% of all pancreatic exocrine cancers and has a particularly poor prognosis. The efficacy of chemotherapy for ASCP remains unknown because of the small number of cases, and few studies have evaluated conversion-intended chemotherapy.

Case presentation

A 76-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of epigastric pain and nausea. A preoperative contrast-enhanced multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) scan revealed a 17 × 17 mm low-density tumor with an ill-defined margin at the arterial phase in the pancreatic head. The tumor involved the common hepatic artery, left hepatic artery bifurcated from the common hepatic artery, and gastroduodenal artery, and was in contact with the portal vein. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) showed an uptake in the pancreatic head but no evidence of distant metastasis. The tumor was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head and staged unresectable because the common and left hepatic arteries were involved. Hence, the patient underwent seven courses of conversion-intended chemotherapy using gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma over 7 months. After chemotherapy, the tumor shrank to 10 × 10 mm on contrast-enhanced MDCT. Consequently, the boundary between the tumor and major vessels of the common and left hepatic arteries and the portal vein became clear, and the involvement of the arteries with the tumor was evaluated to be released. The contact of the tumor to the portal vein also reduced to less than half the circumference of the portal vein. FDG-PET showed decreased accumulation in the tumor. Hence, the tumor was judged resectable, and pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The tumor and major blood vessels were easily dissected and R0 resection was achieved. The patient experienced no major complications and was discharged on postoperative day 28. The tumor was revealed as ASCP via pathological examination. The patient is alive and recurrence-free seven months after surgery. This is the first report of successful R0 resection for an initially unresectable ASCP following conversion-intended chemotherapy using gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel regimen.

Conclusions

Conversion-intended chemotherapy using gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel regimen may be effective for ASCP.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibition mediated the larvicidal activity of Mangifera indica extract against Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Vadakkan Kayeen , Aravoor Sruthy Satheesan , Mundanttu Maya Rajan , Devanooru Bhavya Krishnamurthy , Puthiyamadathil Vidhya Mohanan
Published: August 2024

The study was formulated to identify the effect of Mangifera indica leaf extract in inhibiting the growth and metamorphosis of Culex quinquefasciatus larva. Bioassay-guided extraction identified the bioactive fraction, after which GC-MS characterized it. The larvicidal activity was analyzed by administrating extract in various concentrations and then subjecting the mortality rate for probit analysis. The morphological and physiological impact upon larvae was understood by histological analysis and acetylcholinesterase activity assay. The results suggested that the extract possessed a high degree of larvicidal activity, whereas the Dose50 was 225.158 ± 15.168 with a Total Chi-Square of 13.09 and p-value of 0.11. The histological studies revealed notable aberrations among the study subjects compared to the control group due to diminished abdominal tissue integrity.

It was also observed that the extract could inhibit the acetylcholinesterase activity, with an LD 50 of 0.9512 µg/ml. The observations made in these studies may be utilized to develop a potential larvicidal agent that could act upon multiple targets.
Moving motivated by work or proximity to family and labour market outcomes in the Netherlands
Authors: Mulder Clara H. , Kooiman Niels
Published: August 2024

The classical human-capital model of migration posits that internal migration should lead to improved individual labour market outcomes. However, later empirical and theoretical work has emphasised that the outcomes of migration may be positive for some, but negative for others, depending on, for example, gender and the motive for moving. We investigate the labour market outcomes after moves motivated by work, moves motivated by proximity to family, and moves motivated by both work and family at the same time, compared with not moving. We use data from the Netherlands’ Housing Surveys of 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 matched with register data (N ~ 350,000 person-years). We find that men’s and women’s moves for work, and moves for both family and work, are positively associated with outcomes in terms of individual income, employment, and labour supply (hours worked). We do not find such positive associations for moves motivated by family proximity only, but we hardly find negative associations. We do not replicate the finding of previous research for Sweden that moves for family proximity were associated with an increased likelihood of transitions out of unemployment. However, we find some evidence that women’s moves motivated by both work and family proximity are associated with an increase in labour supply.
Optimization of transplantation methods using isolated mesenchymal stem/stromal cells: clinical trials of inflammatory bowel diseases as an example
Authors: Hisamatsu Daisuke , Ikeba Akimi , Yamato Taku , Mabuchi Yo , Watanabe Mamoru , Akazawa Chihiro
Published: August 2024

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are distributed in various tissues and are used in clinical applications as a source of transplanted cells because of their easy harvestability. Although MSCs express numerous cell-surface antigens, single-cell analyses have revealed a highly heterogeneous cell population depending on the original tissue and donor conditions, including age and interindividual differences. This heterogeneity leads to differences in their functions, such as multipotency and immunomodulatory effects, making it challenging to effectively treat targeted diseases. The therapeutic efficacy of MSCs is controversial and depends on the implantation site. Thus, there is no established recipe for the transplantation of MSCs (including the type of disease, type of origin, method of cell culture, form of transplanted cells, and site of delivery). Our recent preclinical study identified appropriate MSCs and their suitable transplantation routes in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Three-dimensional (3D) cultures of MSCs have been demonstrated to enhance their properties and sustain engraftment at the lesion site. In this note, we explore the methods of MSC transplantation for treating IBDs, especially Crohn’s disease, from clinical trials published over the past decade. Given the functional changes in MSCs in 3D culture, we also investigate the clinical trials using 3D constructs of MSCs and explore suitable diseases that might benefit from this approach. Furthermore, we discuss the advantages of the prospective isolation of MSCs in terms of interindividual variability. This note highlights the need to define the method of MSC transplantation, including interindividual variability, the culture period, and the transplantation route.
Synopsis of proposals on fungal nomenclature: a review of the proposals concerning Chapter F of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants submitted to the XII International Mycological Congress, 2024
Authors: May Tom W. , Bensch Konstanze
Published: August 2024

A commentary is provided on the seven formally published proposals to modify the provisions of Chapter F of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICNafp) that will be dealt with by the Fungal Nomenclature Session (FNS) of the 12th International Mycological Congress (IMC12) in August 2024. The proposals deal with: fungi whose morph-names have the same epithet; the listing of synonyms under entries for protected names in the Code Appendices; the processes of protection and rejection; the use of DNA sequences as nomenclatural types; the use of genomes as nomenclatural types; and the designation of fungi known only from DNA sequences. Information is also provided on the composition and role of the Fungal Nomenclature Bureau, the operation of the FNS and the pre-Congress Guiding vote.
From uncertain to certain—how to proceed with variants of uncertain significance
Authors: Banerjee Emili , Pal Suman , Biswas Abhijit , Bhattacharjee Koutilya
Published: August 2024

With the increased next generation sequencing (NGS) based genetic diagnosis due to technological boon, the biomedical world is getting a substantial number of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) every day along with other genetic variations. The detected SNVs may or may not have clinical significance. Based on different levels of study, these SNVs are categorized either as disease associated or not disease associated. However, there exists another category called as “uncertain” where the scientific literature has scanty of data. These “uncertain” or “variants of uncertain significance (VUS)” has become the greatest challenge for the diagnostic fraternity since no specific decision can be taken by them for the persons carrying the VUS. Therefore, there exists a huge knowledge gap that needs to be addressed for better patient care. The present study aims to find out the possible ways of investigation that may help in reducing this knowledge gap so that decisive approaches can be made against VUS for better and accurate patient care.
Relation between vitamin D and COVID-19 in Egyptian patients
Authors: Hammam Nour Hussein , Aziz Mona Ramadan Abdel , Soliman Alshaimaa Mohamed Mosaad , Aziz Sarah Younes Abdel , Altaweel Eman Hussein Soliman , Omran Asmaa M. A. , Nassar Mervat Ragab Abdel Rahman
Published: August 2024

Background

Insufficient vitamin D (VD) levels have been linked to a higher vulnerability to acute respiratory infections and the severity of COVID-19 sickness.

Objective

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether or not there is a connection between the amounts of VD produced by patients from Egypt and the severity of COVID-19, as well as the consequences of the disease.

Methods

This research used a case–control design and included a total of 90 adult patients who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as 90 healthy controls who were matched in terms of age and sex. Patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe categories according to clinical and radiological criteria. The study included measuring levels of VD and analyzing their relationships with illness severity, inflammatory markers, radiological findings, and outcomes.

Results

COVID-19 patient(s) had notably reduced levels of serum VD versus the control group (11.78 ± 3.24 ng/mL vs. 20.88 ± 7.76 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Lower VD levels were associated with more severe disease (p < 0.001), dyspnea (p < 0.001), radiological abnormalities (p = 0.001), and higher mortality (p < 0.001). A serum VD level ≤ 14.8 ng/mL could differentiate COVID-19 patients from controls with 86.67% sensitivity and 77.78% specificity (AUC = 0.881).

Conclusions

COVID-19 patients often had a deficiency of VD, which was linked to more severe illness, respiratory issues, aberrant radiological findings, and higher fatality rates. VD levels may be used as a biological surrogate marker to assess the risk and predict the outcome of COVID-19.
Ecofriendly treatments to improve pomegranate trees production and tolerance to climate change
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed F. , Ali Radwan Mohamed , Saad Zakaria Hassan , Ghaly Mohammed S. , Abd-Elhamed Waled , Alfawal Gamal Saleh
Published: August 2024

Background

Pomegranate is capable of growing in different agro-climatic conditions ranging from tropical to sub-tropical. Where vegetative growth, nutritional and physiological status of pomegranate plants oscillate at high temperatures waves in the summer season. While we can overcome the cracking and sunburn of fruits, which are the main problems confronting pomegranate cultivars due to their significant impact on the quality of fruits.

Methods

The present research was conducted over the course of two consecutive seasons in 2021 and 2022. The study focused on ten-year-old trees that were cultivated in sandy soil inside a private orchard situated 70 km away from Cairo on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road in Egypt (30
o
13′31.4″N30
o
39′09″E). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of foliar spraying of Wonderful pomegranate trees with some nutrients (B, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca and Cu), amino acids and irradiated licorice on vegetative growth, fruit physical, quality and chemical and leaf chemical parameters. A randomized full-block design with three duplicates was employed in the study. Using the recently computed least significant difference values at the 5% level, averages were compared.

Results

The results indicated that foliar spraying with nutrients, amino acids and licorice extract (irradiated or not) alone or in combination significantly increased the vegetative growth and leaf total chlorophyll content compared to the control. Also, they significantly increased fruit length, diameter, weight, and number/tree and thus yield. As compared to the control, all treatments significantly reduced the number of sunburned and cracked fruits leading to decrease the percentage of un-marketable fruits. The juice content of anthocyanin, total sugars and total soluble solids increased significantly in response to all treatments compared to the control while the acidity% greatly reduced. When these treatments were used instead of the control, the content of N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn in the leaves was also positively increased.

Conclusions

In conclusion, foliar spraying of “Wonderful” pomegranate trees with a mixture of nutrients (B, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca, Cu) and amino acids or irradiated licorice extract can be considered as a suitable management of the problem of sunburned or cracked fruits while improving the physical and chemical fruit quality with increased productivity.
Hot-electron dynamics in plasmonic nanostructures: fundamentals, applications and overlooked aspects
Authors: Khurgin Jacob , Bykov Anton Yu. , Zayats Anatoly V.
Published: August 2024

Light absorption near a surface of conductive materials and nanostructures leads to the excitation of nonequilibrium, high-energy charge carriers: electrons above the Fermi level or holes below it. When remaining inside a material, these so-called hot carriers result in nonlinear, Kerr-type, optical effects important for controlling light with light. They can also transfer into the surroundings of the nanostructures, resulting in photocurrent, or they can interact with adjacent molecules and media, inducing photochemical transformations. Understanding the dynamics of hot carriers and related effects in plasmonic nanostructures is important for the development of ultrafast detectors and nonlinear optical components, broadband photocatalysis, enhanced nanoscale optoelectronic devices, nanoscale and ultrafast temperature control, and other technologies of tomorrow. In this review, we will discuss the fundamentals of plasmonically-engendered hot electrons, focusing on the overlooked aspects, theoretical descriptions and experimental methods to study them, and describe prototypical processes and examples of most promising applications of hot-electron processes at the metal interfaces.
A Multicenter Phase II Trial of Ruxolitinib for Treatment of Corticosteroid Refractory Sclerotic Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Authors: Bhatt Vijaya Raj , Shostrom Valerie K. , Choe Hannah K. , Hamilton Betty K. , Gundabolu Krishna , Maness Lori J. , Kumar Virender , Mahato Ram I. , Smith Lynette M. , Nishihori Taiga , Lee Stephanie J.
Published: August 2024

PURPOSE

Sclerotic chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) represents a highly morbid and refractory form of cGVHD, and novel therapies for sclerotic cGVHD are critically needed. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of ruxolitinib in patients with corticosteroid refractory sclerotic cGVHD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a single-arm multicenter phase II trial (N = 47), adults with sclerotic cGVHD refractory to corticosteroids and ≥one additional line of systemic therapy for cGVHD received ruxolitinib for ≥six months (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:
NCT03616184
). The primary end point was complete or partial response (PR) in skin and/or joint defined according to the 2014 National Institute of Health cGVHD Consensus Criteria.

RESULTS

Following the use of ruxolitinib for a median of 11 months, PR in skin and/or joints was noted in 49% (95% CI, 34 to 64) at 6 months, with 45% having joint and fascia response and 19% having skin response. The duration of skin/joint response was 77% (95% CI, 48 to 91) at 12 months. Overall cGVHD PR was noted in 47% (95% CI, 32 to 61). Improvement in Lee Symptom Scale summary and skin subscale scores was noted in 38% of patients. With a cumulative incidence of treatment failure of 20.8% (95% CI, 10.0 to 34.1), nonrelapse mortality (NRM) of 2.2% (95% CI, 0.17 to 10.3), and no recurrent malignancy, failure-free survival (FFS) was 77.1% (95% CI, 61.3 to 87.0) at 12 months. Ruxolitinib was overall well tolerated with no new safety signals.

CONCLUSION

The use of ruxolitinib was associated with relatively high rates of skin/joint responses and overall cGVHD responses, improvement in patient-reported outcomes, low NRM, and high FFS in patients with refractory sclerotic cGVHD. Ruxolitinib offers an effective treatment option for refractory sclerotic cGVHD.
Non-Invasive, Continuous, Quantitative Detection of Solvent Content in Vacuum Tray Drying
Authors: Louge Michel Y. , Mandur Jasdeep , Grigorov Plamen , Blincoe William , Lamberto David , Bower Colton , Meyer Robert F.
Published: August 2024

A non-invasive capacitance instrument was embedded in the base of a vacuum-drying tray to monitor continuously the residual amount of solvent left in a pharmaceutical powder. Proof of concept was validated with Microcrystalline Cellulose laced with water, as well as water/acetone mixtures absorbed in a spray-dried Copovidone powder. To illustrate the role of impermeability of the base, we derive a model of vapor sorption that reveals the existence of a kinetic limit when solids are thinly spread, and a diffusion limit with greatly diminished effective diffusivity at large powder thickness. By monitoring the residual solvent content of powders, this new in situ technique offers advantages over indirect methods like mass spectrometry of vapor effluents, but without complications associated with probe fouling. To prescribe design guidelines and interpret signals, we model the electric field shed by the probe when a powder holds variable solvent mass fraction in the vertical direction.

Graphical abstract
Broadband seismic cloaks based on gradient index metamaterial
Authors: Tang Zepei , Zhang Yuexin , Linghu Zhiang , Yang Hongwu , Peng Pai , Liu Fengming , Du Qiujiao
Published: August 2024

In this work, we propose two gradient index seismic metamaterials (GRIN SMs) for realizing the directional cloaks composed of blind holes with varying radii in a semi-infinite soil substrate for seismic Rayleigh waves. The results demonstrate that the designed cloaks can transfer more than 50% of the incident wave energy before it reaches the target buildings. More importantly, the designed cloaks have the property of wide working bandwidth from 6 Hz to 12 Hz. At certain frequencies, the attenuation of incident waves by the cloak can reach 80%. Moreover, one of cloaks composed of four Luneburg lens can achieve a multi-directional seismic cloak.
Alteration of Bone Microarchitecture in Hereditary Distal RTA Patients With SLC4A1 Gene Mutation: Assessed by HR-pQCT
Authors: Chen Rong , Cui Lijia , Du Juan , Zhang Shujie , Jiang Yan , Li Mei , Xing Xiaoping , Wang Ou , Xia Weibo
Published: August 2024

Context

Hereditary distal renal tubular acidosis caused by SLC4A1 gene mutation (SLC4A1-dRTA) is a rare hereditary form of renal tubular acidosis. Rickets or osteomalacia is a common complication of SLC4A1-dRTA and seriously affects patients’ daily lives. However, studies on the bone microstructure in SLC4A1-dRTA are limited.

Objective

This work aimed to evaluate the bone microstructure of SLC4A1-dRTA patients, compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls and X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of 11 SLC4A1-dRTA patients. Clinical manifestations and biochemical and radiographical examinations were characterized. Bone microstructure was examined in 7 SLC4A1-dRTA patients, 7 healthy controls, and 21 XLH patients using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography.

Results

Skeletal symptoms, including fracture, bone pain, and lower limb deformity, were present in 72.7% of SLC4A1-dRTA patients. Short stature was present in 63.6% of the patients. SLC4A1-dRTA patients had significantly lower volumetric bone mineral density in the distal tibia and more severe deteriorated trabecular bone in the distal radius and tibia than healthy controls. SLC4A1-dRTA patients had significantly more severely deteriorated trabecular bone in the distal radius and distal tibia compared to XLH patients. With long-term alkaline therapy, SLC4A1-dRTA patients had alleviated bone pain and increased height.

Conclusion

Skeletal lesions were common clinical manifestations in SLC4A1-dRTA patients. Compared with XLH, another common type of rickets, SLC4A1-dRTA patients had more severe trabecular bone microstructure damage, further supporting the necessity of early diagnosis and timely treatment of the disease.
Effects of Metabolic Syndrome on Pregnancy Outcomes in Women Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Li Siyuan , Ma Shuxin , Yao Xiangyi , Liu Peihao
Published: August 2024

Context

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic risk factors that predict cardiovascular disease. Previous studies suggested that MetS impaired clinical outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Objective

To evaluate the effects of MetS on IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in women without PCOS.

Methods

This retrospective study collected 8539 eligible women without PCOS who came for their first cycle of IVF/ICSI to the Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, from 2017 to 2020, including 1147 subjects in the MetS group and 7392 in the control group. The primary outcome was live birth. Secondary outcomes included other pregnancy outcomes and the risk of maternal and neonatal complications.

Results

Women in the MetS group had a lower live birth rate (50.6% vs 54.9%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.00, P = .045) and higher risks of late miscarriage (5.8% vs 3.3%, aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02-2.27, P = .041), gestational diabetes mellitus (13.7% vs 7.0%, aOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.30-2.60, P = .001), hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (7.8% vs 3.5%, aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.14-2.83, P = .012), and preterm birth (9.0% vs 4.4%, aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.33-3.08, P = .001). Singleton newborns in the MetS group were at higher risk of large for gestational age (33.3% vs 20.5%, aOR 1.66, 95% CI (1.31-2.13), P < .001) but at lower risk of small for gestational age (2.7% vs 6.2%, aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.90, P = .023).

Conclusion

MetS was associated with adverse IVF/ICSI outcomes in women without PCOS.
Fragility Fractures and Cortisol Secretion in Patients With Nonfunctioning Adrenal Incidentalomas
Authors: Favero Vittoria , Cairoli Elisa , Eller-Vainicher Cristina , Morelli Valentina , Salcuni Antonio Stefano , Della Casa Silvia , Muscogiuri Giovanna , Columbu Carla , Pugliese Flavia , Corbetta Sabrina , Persani Luca , Scillitani Alfredo , Chiodini Iacopo
Published: August 2024

Context

The risk of vertebral fractures (VFx) in patients with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentalomas (NFAI) is unknown.

Objective

This work aimed to assess in NFAI patients the prevalence and incidence of VFx and a hormonal marker to identify patients at risk.

Methods

A retrospective, cross-sectional, and longitudinal study of outpatients was conducted. A total of 306 NFAI patients (cross-sectional arm) and 213 controls were evaluated for VFx prevalence; 85 NFAI patients (longitudinal arm, follow-up 30.3 ± 17.5 months) were evaluated for VFx incidence. Main outcome measures included serum cortisol after 1 mg-dexamethasone test (F-1mgDST), lumbar spinal (LS), and femoral neck (FN) bone mineral density (BMD) and VFx presence, by radiograph of the spine.

Results

Cross-sectional arm: prevalent VFx associated with F-1mgDST with a cutoff of 1.2 µg/dL (33 nmol/L, area under the curve 0.620 ± 0.39; P = .002). Compared with controls and NFAI patients with F-1mgDST less than 1.2 µg/dL (group A), NFAI patients with F-1mgDST greater than or equal to 1.2 µg/dL (group B) showed a higher VFx prevalence (10.8%, 12.6%, and 29.5%, respectively; P < .001 all comparisons), which was associated with F-1mgDST greater than or equal to 1.2 µg/dL (odds ratio 3.02; 95% CI, 1.63-5.58; P < .001) accounting to confounders. Longitudinal arm: the VFx incidence was higher in group B than in group A (19.3% vs 3.6%; P = .05). In group B, all incident VFx occurred in patients without low BMD. The F-1mgDST cutoff for predicting an incident VFx was 1.2 µg/dL, although statistical significance was not reached after adjustment for confounders (P = .061).

Conclusion

In NFAI patients, F-1mgDST levels greater than or equal to 1.2 µg/L (33 nmol/L) are associated with prevalent VFx and may identify patients at risk of incident VFx.
O controle externo das oportunidades de negócio das empresas estatais que competem no mercado
Authors: Issa Rafael Hamze
Published: August 2024

Este texto tem por finalidade analisar o controle externo das oportunidades de negócio das empresas estatais que competem no mercado. Essas formas de parcerias entre companhias públicas e privadas possuem características diversas dos tradicionais contratos de prestação de serviços ou execução de obras, pois envolvem a busca por parceiros privados para o desempenho de atividade de risco e que tenham por finalidade o desenvolvimento conjunto de soluções para desafios das empresas estatais como agentes de mercado. Nesse ponto, este artigo propõe parâmetros para o exercício do controle externo de tais parcerias, considerando sua natureza e suas especificidades, defendendo a contenção do controlador, com a possibilidade do controle procedimental da formação do vínculo comercial, além dos parâmetros da business judgment rule.
Innovation: The Bright Side of Common Ownership?
Authors: Antón Miguel , Ederer Florian , Giné Mireia , Schmalz Martin
Published: August 2024

Firms have inefficiently low incentives to innovate when other firms benefit from their inventions and the innovating firm therefore does not capture the full surplus of its innovations. We show that, in theory, common ownership of firms mitigates this impediment to corporate innovation. By contrast, without technological spillovers, innovation has the effect of stealing market share from rivals and in that case more common ownership reduces innovation. Empirically, the association between common ownership and innovation inputs and outputs decreases with product market proximity and increases with technology proximity. The sign and magnitude of the overall relationship between common ownership and corporate innovation thus varies considerably across the universe of firms depending on their relative proximity in technology and product market space. Some of these results persist if we use only variation from BlackRock’s acquisition of BGI. Our findings inform the debate about the welfare effects of increasing common ownership among U.S. corporations.

This paper was accepted by Joshua Gans, business strategy.

Funding: The authors acknowledge grant funding from the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. M. Antón acknowledges the financial support of the Department of Economy and Knowledge of the Generalitat de Catalunya [Ref. 2014 SGR 1496] and the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities [Ref. PGC2018-097335-A-I00]. M. Schmalz acknowledges funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under Germany’s Excellence Strategy [EXC 2126/1-390838866].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.04363 .
The Online Shortest Path Problem: Learning Travel Times Using a Multiarmed Bandit Framework
Authors: Lagos Tomás , Auad Ramón , Lagos Felipe
Published: August 2024

In the age of e-commerce, logistics companies often operate within extensive road networks without accurate knowledge of travel times for their specific fleet of vehicles. Moreover, millions of dollars are spent on routing services that fail to accurately capture the unique characteristics of the drivers and vehicles of the companies. In this work, we address the challenge faced by a logistic operator with limited travel time information, aiming to find the optimal expected shortest path between origin-destination pairs. We model this problem as an online shortest path problem, common to many last-mile routing settings; given a graph whose arcs’ travel times are stochastic and follow an unknown distribution, the objective is to find a vehicle route of minimum travel time from an origin to a destination. The planner progressively collects travel condition data as drivers complete their routes. Inspired by the combinatorial multiarmed bandit and kriging literature, we propose three methods with distinct features to effectively learn the optimal shortest path, highlighting the practical advantages of incorporating spatial correlation in the learning process. Our approach balances exploration (improving estimates for unexplored arcs) and exploitation (executing the minimum expected time path) using the Thompson sampling algorithm. In each iteration, our algorithm executes the path that minimizes the expected travel time based on data from a posterior distribution of the speeds of the arcs. We conduct a computational study comprising two settings: a set of four artificial instances and a real-life case study. The case study uses empirical data of taxis in the 17-km-radius area of the center of Beijing, encompassing Beijing’s “5th Ring Road.” In both settings, our algorithms demonstrate efficient and effective balancing of the exploration-exploitation trade-off.
Sid Chaplin: A Writer with a Cause
Authors: Paul Ronald
Published: August 2024

The aim of this article is to recover the radical subtext of both the life and work of Sid Chaplin by reasserting the essentially political dimensions of his writing. Chaplin devoted the whole of his career as a writer to documenting not only the decline of the coal mining industry in the north-east of Britain where he lived, but he also traced the impact this process had on the working-class communities that were dependent on the pits. In his two later novels set in the city of Newcastle, The Day of the Sardine (1961) and The Watchers and the Watched (1962), Chaplin went on to dramatize similarly troubled changes in urban working-class life in the 1950s and 60s. The article not only argues that it is this nexus of class, politics and literature that translates so convincingly into his Newcastle novels, it also claims that it is the fundamental radicalism of his own literary project that explains the problematic neglect of his work by both critics and readers.
The Heat Transfer Properties of a Stainless Steel Sow Cooling Pad Variant
Authors: Sebright Charles D. , Neeno Samantha M. , Schinckel Allan P. , Stwalley III Robert Merton
Published: August 2024

Highlights

A stainless steel tubing variant of the Purdue hog cooling pad has been designed with identical dimensions as the original copper-tubed design.

Thermal capacity testing demonstrated a longer time constant for the pad with stainless steel tubing than the pad with copper tubing.

The stainless steel tubing pad compared to the copper unit had a diminished heat transfer rate, Biot number, and coolant use effectiveness based upon laboratory bench testing for heat transfer properties.

Abstract. The modern commercial pork industry is facing a dilemma with the thermal management of its farrowing facilities. The choice between sow comfort and piglet health plays a huge role in strategic decisions due to the different desirable temperature ranges for sows and piglets, resulting in thermal stress within the sows. Purdue University researchers have devised a simple conductive floor cooling unit that utilizes copper tubing to transport heat from the sow into coolant circulating through the device. Pad longevity issues created by the introduction of copper into the harsh environments found within swine facilities are major concerns. Potentially, this might be alleviated by utilizing stainless steel tubing as an alternative to copper. The thermal profile of these new stainless steel cooling pad systems, in comparison to their original copper tubing variant, will be presented in this paper. Tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the pad at transferring its own internal heat into the coolant and the ability of the pad to remove heat from a sow. The stainless steel variant had slightly more thermal capacity, but it was much less efficient at transferring heat from a simulated animal than its copper counterpart. Further testing would be needed to determine if the longevity provided by the stainless steel was worth the apparent decrease in cooling efficiency. Keywords: Cooling pad, Copper, Durability, Heat transfer, Stainless steel, Swine, Swine equipment, Thermal capacity, Thermal efficiency.
Die Relevanz von Kollokationen und ihre Vermittlung im Fremdsprachenunterricht
Authors: Pintye-Lukács Erzsébet
Published: August 2024

One of the most important goals of foreign language teaching is to enable students to use the target language in everyday situations. Developing lexical competence in foreign language learning can play an important role in achieving this goal. The aim of the present study is to call attention to the importance of teaching collocations in foreign language education. The first part of the paper gives an overview about collocations and collocational competence. In the second part of the paper, I would like to focus on principles of phraseology and foreign language teaching methodology that can be used for teaching collocations in the classroom.
Uncovering the uneven livelihood outcomes of online freelance labour: a literature review and agenda for future research
Authors: Oprins Jorien
Published: August 2024

As the demand for online freelance labour is on the rise, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of the implications for freelancers. This article contributes to this understanding by synthesizing the empirical, academic literature centering the narratives of freelancers working through online freelance platforms. In doing so, it aims to answer the question of what is known about how these freelancers experience and navigate their work. The analysis identifies four prevailing themes, that is: (1) employment opportunities and motivating factors; (2) challenges; (3) freelancer agency; and (4) livelihood outcomes, and uncovers that online freelance labour results in an uneven distribution of livelihood outcomes. It also shows that detailed knowledge on this distribution is lacking. To fill this gap, this article proposes an agenda for future research based on Heeks’ (2022) model of adverse digital incorporation and revolving around four dimensions: design inequality, resource inequality, institutional inequality, and relational inequality.
Trauma and Recovery in the Rape Narratives of Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Authors: Kamil Miriam
Published: August 2024

summary: Ovid’s depiction of rape in the Metamorphoses has been interpreted as empathetic and proto-feminist at one extreme and pornographic at the other. In assessing this question, the current paper turns to trauma theory, a psychoanalytic methodology of growing popularity in the field of Classics, to demonstrate how Ovid depicts sexual violence and its aftermath with psychological acuity by emphasizing the mental, emotional, and physical experiences of rape survivors. I focus on the myth of Io, with parallels drawn to Daphne, Syrinx, Callisto, Proserpina, and Philomela. While cautiously supporting “optimistic” interpretations of the poem, this reading proves useful, regardless of authorial intent, in developing empathy-driven research and instruction in Classics courses and beyond.
In the Interstices of Asymmetry: Two Centuries of U.S.-Latin American Relations
Authors: Long Tom , Schulz Carsten-Andreas
Published: August 2024

Abstract: The two hundredth anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine provides an opportunity to make a somewhat contrarian point: U.S.-Latin American relations are not as unidirectional as commonly suggested. Though the international relations of the Americas have been characterized by the power disparity between the United States and its neighbors, it is misleading to imply that U.S. dominance equated to unilateral determination of inter-American relations since 1823. On one hand, the United States' history of interventions, browbeating, and heavy-handedness is well known. Undoubtedly, asymmetry has played a significant role in shaping identities, interests, and designs of states in the Western Hemisphere. However, on the other hand, the disparity of power should not be understood as directly determining outcomes: the powerful state has not always prevailed; the weak have not always cowered. Instead, smaller states in the region have contested, cooperated, and co-constituted tin their relationships. In this piece, we aim to emphasize how Latin America has found spaces to pursue its interests in the interstices of asymmetry. Meanwhile, the United States has often fallen into an "insecurity dilemma," exaggerating threats despite its position of much greater power and responding in ways that complicate cooperation.
Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: An International Human Rights Crisis
Authors: Calhoun Morgan
Published: August 2024

Abstract: This article highlights the global impact of child, early, and forced Marriage (CEFM) on millions of women and children annually. Examining regions like Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, this article exposes the multifaceted consequences of the practice, including denial of basic human rights, education disruption, and health risks. It explores the nexus between CEFM and other detrimental consequences like female genital mutilation, revealing a complex interplay of factors. The author advocates for a feminist approach, emphasizing women's agency and challenging patriarchal norms as the most effective strategy. This piece calls for urgent, coordinated efforts to eradicate CEFM, emphasizing the critical role of feminist framing for lasting change.
Hoped-For Selves: Using Possible Selves to Explore the Career and College-Going Aspirations for Gang-Involved Latino Boys
Authors: Huerta Adrián
Published: August 2024

Gang-involved children dream of becoming respected members of society through professional careers, educational degrees or credentials, and socioeconomic mobility. This qualitative study used hoped-for selves as the theoretical grounding for exploring the career and college-going aspirations of 28 middle- and high-school gang-involved Latino boys attending three urban alternative schools. Findings centered on the career and college-going aspirations of the two—and four-year institution educational credentials needed for social mobility. This article aims to help K-12 and higher education faculty, practitioners, researchers, and administrators considering working with ganginvolved youth to understand better how to support this marginalized group’s educational needs and improve pathways into careers and postsecondary education systems.
Evolutions of a ring Airy vortex beam and a ring Pearcey vortex beam in turbulent atmosphere and a comparative analysis of their channel efficiencies and OAM spectra
Authors: Singh Shakti , Mishra Sanjay Kumar , Mishra Akhilesh Kumar
Published: August 2024

An optical vortex beam propagating through turbulent atmosphere encounters distortions in the wavefront that result in modal scattering. Abruptly autofocusing (AAF) beams with orbital angular momentum have gained significant attention due to their non-diffracting and self-healing nature. These warrant understanding of the behavior of these beams through turbulent atmosphere absolutely necessary. With this intuition, in the present work we investigate the behavior of two AAF beams, namely the ring Airy vortex beam (RAVB) and ring Pearcey vortex beam (RPVB) through the turbulent atmosphere in two cases—multiplexed and non-multiplexed. We propagate multiplexed as well as non-multiplexed RAVB and RPVB in different levels of turbulent atmosphere. In the non-multiplexed case, channel efficiency declines for both beams with increase in mode numbers. In the multiplexed case, increasing the gap between the mode sets results in a decrease in channel efficiency. We also report that in weak atmospheric turbulence RAVB outperforms RPVB in terms of channel efficiency. We use the optical transformation sorting (log-polar) method to demultiplex the optical beams at the output. Furthermore, we investigate and compare the orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectra of both beams in different levels of atmospheric turbulence and at different propagation distances. The comparison reveals that the spectra of RPVB are more dispersive as compared to those of RAVB.
FLUID: a fluorescence-friendly lipid-compatible ultrafast clearing method
Authors: Wang Zizheng , Xiao Xiao , Zhou Ziwen , Chen Yunyin , Xia Tianqi , Sheng Xiangyi , Han Yiping , Gong Wei , Si Ke
Published: August 2024

Many clearing methods achieve high transparency by removing lipid components from tissues, which damages microstructure and limits their application in lipid research. As for methods which preserve lipid, it is difficult to balance transparency, fluorescence preservation and clearing speed. In this study, we propose a rapid water-based clearing method that is fluorescence-friendly and preserves lipid components. FLUID allows for preservation of endogenous fluorescence over 60 days. It shows negligible tissue distortion and is compatible with various types of fluorescent labeling and tissue staining methods. High quality imaging of human brain tissue and compatibility with pathological staining demonstrated the potential of our method for three-dimensional (3D) biopsy and clinical pathological diagnosis.
Multi-objective optimization of dynamic VO2 metagrating: broadband polarization-independent transmission modulator
Authors: Kim Kyuho , Choi Taewon , Choi Sungwook , Kim Hansol , Lee Yong Wook , Kim Sun-Je , Lee Byoungho , Jeong Yoonchan
Published: August 2024

In this paper, a novel thermo-optic metagrating based on phase-change material (vanadium dioxide, VO2) is proposed for broadband, polarization-independent, and non-dispersive transmission modulation at the telecommunication wavelengths. In the pursuit of concurrent attainment of multiple performance objectives, nanostructured VO2 metagratings are optimized numerically using inverse design algorithms. Notably, adjoint optimization pertaining to both phases of VO2 facilitates better modulation capabilities within free-form shaped VO2 metagratings compared to shape-optimized methods with predetermined designs. It is verified that the free-form metagrating modulator achieves broad bandwidth (∼300 nm), large modulation depth (>0.8) and non-dispersive transmittance (∼0.2), and polarization independent operation. The design ensures polarization-independence, verified through both simulations and experiments. Experimental validation included fabricating VO2 metagratings and measuring their performance across varying temperatures. The results demonstrate agreement with theoretical predictions, highlighting the device's potential for applications in next-generation spatial light modulators, optical routers, and three-dimensional optical scanning sensors. This study underscores the promising capabilities of VO2-based metagratings in dynamic optical modulation and broadband telecommunication applications.
PENTAGON: Physics-enhanced neural network for volumetric flame chemiluminescence tomography
Authors: Jin Ying , Zhu Sunyong , Wang Shouyu , Wang Fei , Wu Quanying , Situ Guohai
Published: August 2024

This study proposes a physics-enhanced neural network, PENTAGON, as an inference framework for volumetric tomography applications. By leveraging the synergistic combination of data-prior and forward-imaging model, we can accurately predict 3D optical fields, even when the number of projection views decreases to three. PENTAGON is proven to overcome the generalization limitation of data-driven deep learning methods due to data distribution shift, and eliminate distortions introduced by conventional iteration algorithms with limited projections. We evaluated PENTAGON using numerical and experimental results of a flame chemiluminescence tomography example. Results showed that PENTAGON can potentially be generalized for inverse tomography reconstruction problems in many fields.
Experimental research on strain distribution measurement of PC beams based on weak grating array sensing technology
Authors: Nan Qiuming , Lin Xinyan , Yue Lina , Liu Fang , Li Sheng , Li Kai , Liang Xiaodan , Li Yuanyuan
Published: August 2024

The strain and deformation of bridges are important parameters to reflect the state of bridge structures. The traditional measurement methods are to obtain the partial strain of a bridge by point strain sensor or to obtain the deformation of some special bridge positions by static level and other methods. These methods can not realize the continuous distributed measurement of bridge stress state. The grating array is a new sensing technology with the characteristics of large capacity, long distance, distribution, and high precision. In this paper, the grating array strain optical cable is installed on PC (pre-stressed concrete) beams to conduct loading and unloading experiments under various working conditions compared with other measurement methods. The experimental results show that the grating array strain sensing technology can realize the distributed measurement of bridge strain, and offer a what we believe is a novel approach to bridge health monitoring.