bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neo‐Endogenous Local Development, Tourism, and International Immigration in El Hierro, Spain
Authors: Mendoza Cristóbal , Domínguez‐Mujica Josefina , Parreño‐Castellano Juan Manuel , Moreno‐Medina Claudio
Published: September 2024

This article studies the role of international immigrants on enhancing economic and social diversity in El Hierro, potentially attracting more people, investment, and valorising local communities. It emphasizes the key characteristics of immigrants´ entrepreneurs, including their diverse backgrounds as lifestyle/labour immigrants, competence in languages, typically low initial capitalization and often lack of prior entrepreneurial experience. Despite initial limited professionalization, these entrepreneurs introduce innovations in services and products and cultivate social capital within the local community, particularly among other foreign‐born immigrants, and through transnational networks. This social capital is built upon personal relationships and mutual trust, promoting horizontal integration among businesses. These factors contribute to making the island a prime example of neo‐endogenous development in left‐behind areas. Yet, a high dependence on personal networks and local economic assets may affect negatively local development which needs more formalized and institutionalized support to create business environments for collaboration among stakeholders.
An evaluation of diethylhexyl phthalate free top & bottom in‐line blood collection set with a new soft housing filter
Authors: Danilova Elena , Ezligini Farshid , Stöckel Connie , Asakawa Masafumi , Hetland Geir
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives

Di (2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer must be removed from polyvinylchloride (PVC) medical devices due to toxicity. DEHP/PVC blood bags were shown to provide stable quality under blood component production and to create good storage conditions for red blood cells concentrate (RBC). It is important that substitution of the DEHP maintains the RBC quality during storage, which should be achieved with Di (isononyl) cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (DINCH), although substitution of the plasticizer has been challenging.

Materials and Methods

A DEHP‐free Top & Bottom in‐line RBC set was validated in a tertiary hospital blood bank facility. Volunteer blood donors were randomly allocated for blood collection into DINCH/PVC or DEHP/PVC set. The groups were additionally divided according to additive solution/filter combination: PAGGS‐M + DINCH/PVC filter (only with DINCH/PVC set), and SAG‐M + DINCH/PVC filter and SAG‐M + DEHP/PVC filter (only with DEHP/PVC set). Processing and storage effects were assessed in all components.

Results

RBC concentrates, platelet concentrates and plasma that was processed and stored in DEHP‐free set fulfilled European requirements for quality. The cells stored in PAGGS‐M after filtration through DEHP‐free PVC filter showed the same low haemolysis compared with conventional set at 49 days of storage. Platelets stored in DINCH/PVC bag provided a sufficient quality of platelets after 7 days of storage. Plasma maintained the coagulation factors during 12 months of storage.

Conclusion

A new DINCH/PVC set allows production of blood components of satisfactory quality in DEHP‐free environment.
The effects of climatic and non-climatic factors on malaria mortality at different spatial scales in western Kenya, 2008–2019
Authors: Nyawanda Bryan O. , Khagayi Sammy , Obor David , Odhiambo Steve B. , Beloconi Anton , Otieno Nancy A. , Bigogo Godfrey , Kariuki Simon , Munga Stephen , Vounatsou Penelope
Published: September 2024

Background

Malaria mortality is influenced by several factors including climatic and environmental factors, interventions, socioeconomic status (SES) and access to health systems. Here, we investigated the joint effects of climatic and non-climatic factors on under-five malaria mortality at different spatial scales using data from a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in western Kenya.

Methods

We fitted Bayesian spatiotemporal (zero-inflated) negative binomial models to monthly mortality data aggregated at the village scale and over the catchment areas of the health facilities within the HDSS, between 2008 and 2019. First order autoregressive temporal and conditional autoregressive spatial processes were included as random effects to account for temporal and spatial variation. Remotely sensed climatic and environmental variables, bed net use, SES, travel time to health facilities, proximity from water bodies/streams and altitude were included in the models to assess their association with malaria mortality.

Results

Increase in rainfall (mortality rate ratio (MRR)=1.12, 95% Bayesian credible interval (BCI): 1.04–1.20), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (MRR=1.16, 95% BCI: 1.06–1.28), crop cover (MRR=1.17, 95% BCI: 1.11–1.24) and travel time to the hospital (MRR=1.09, 95% BCI: 1.04–1.13) were associated with increased mortality, whereas increase in bed net use (MRR=0.84, 95% BCI: 0.70–1.00), distance to the nearest streams (MRR=0.89, 95% BCI: 0.83–0.96), SES (MRR=0.95, 95% BCI: 0.91–1.00) and altitude (MRR=0.86, 95% BCI: 0.81–0.90) were associated with lower mortality. The effects of travel time and SES were no longer significant when data was aggregated at the health facility catchment level.

Conclusion

Despite the relatively small size of the HDSS, there was spatial variation in malaria mortality that peaked every May–June. The rapid decline in malaria mortality was associated with bed nets, and finer spatial scale analysis identified additional important variables. Time and spatially targeted control interventions may be helpful, and fine spatial scales should be considered when data are available.
Effects of a combined exercise and dietary intervention on clinical outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer: the Physical Activity and Dietary intervention in OVArian cancer (PADOVA) randomized controlled trial
Authors: Brouwer Calvin G , Hartman Yvonne A W , Stelten Stephanie , Kenkhuis Malou-Floor , van Lonkhuijzen Luc R C W , Kenter Gemma G , Kos Milan , van de Ven Peter M , Driel Willemien J van , Winkels Renate M , Bekkers Ruud L M , Ottevanger Petronella B , Hoedjes Meeke , Buffart Laurien M
Published: September 2024

Objective

Chemotherapy treatment modifications can impact survival in patients with ovarian cancer, particularly when the relative dose intensity falls below 85%. Exercise and dietary interventions may benefit treatment tolerability. This study aimed to explore the effects of a combined exercise and dietary intervention on secondary outcomes of the Physical Activity and Dietary intervention in OVArian cancer (PADOVA) trial, specifically relative dose intensity and progression-free survival.

Methods

81 patients with ovarian cancer were randomized into a combined supervised exercise and dietary intervention during (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy or a usual care control group. Relative dose intensity was calculated as the ratio of delivered dose intensity (dose per actual time) to the standard dose for six chemotherapy cycles. The effect on relative dose intensity was analyzed using logistic regression and Bayesian posterior probability of correctly identifying the best study arm. The effect on progression-free survival was examined using Cox regression.

Results

The proportion of patients achieving a relative dose intensity ≥85% was 74.4% in the intervention group compared with 61.5% in the control group (OR 2.04, 95% CI 0.75 to 5.84). The Bayesian posterior probability that the intervention group had a higher proportion of patients with a relative dose intensity ≥85% was 88.4%. Intervention effect on progression-free survival was not statistically significant (HR 1.63, 95% CI 0.82 to 3.23). At 18 months, the proportion of patients without disease progression was 73% in the intervention group and 51% in the control group.

Conclusion

The proportions of patients with ovarian cancer with a relative dose intensity ≥85% and an 18-month progression-free survival were numerically higher in the intervention group compared with the control group, but these differences were not statistically significant. The higher proportions and the 88.4% probability that intervention is superior to usual care for clinical outcomes support future studies on exercise and dietary interventions with a focus on clinical outcomes as primary endpoints.

Trial registration number

Registered in the Netherlands Trial Registry (NTR6300).
Novel scoring system incorporating lipoproteins to predict outcomes of epithelial ovarian cancer patients
Authors: Tang Song , Zheng Fang , Chen Kelie , Niu Yizhen , Fu Zhiqin , Wu Yihua , Xia Dajing , Lu Weiguo
Published: September 2024

Objective

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. While common prognostic factors are identified, the impact of serum lipoproteins remains controversial. This retrospective cohort study aims to investigate the association between specific lipoprotein levels and prognosis.

Methods

Clinical data of 420 participants with epithelial ovarian cancer registered at Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, between January 2014 and April 2021 were included. Cox regression analyses and Kaplan–Meier methods were used to assess prognosis, estimated by hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). A novel prognostic model incorporating lipoproteins was developed for evaluating the prognosis. Meta-analysis was applied to assess the impact of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on prognosis.

Results

Among 420 patients, those in advanced stages exhibited higher low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p=0.008) and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p<0.001), with no significant differences in total cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Elevated LDL-C level was significantly associated with worse overall survival (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.58; p=0.010) and progression free survival (HR 1.94; 95% CI 1.46 to 2.58; p<0.001), whereas higher HDL-C level was linked to better overall survival (HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.85; p=0.004) and progression free survival (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.46 to 0.81; p<0.001). A novel prognostic model, low density lipoprotein cholesterol-high density lipoprotein cholesterol-fibrinogen-lactate dehydrogenase-prealbumin-Fe-stage (LH-FLPFS), was established to enhance prognostic predictive efficacy. The meta-analysis further suggested that higher LDL-C level was associated with worse overall survival (HR 1.82; 95% CI 1.39 to 2.38; p<0.001).

Conclusions

In this study, preoperative LDL-C and HDL-C levels emerged as potential prognostic factors for ovarian cancer. Establishment of a novel prognostic model, LH-FLPFS, holds promise for significantly improving prognostic predictive efficacy.
Angiotensin receptor blocker attacks armored and cold tumors and boosts immune checkpoint blockade
Authors: Mei Jie , Chu Jiahui , Yang Kai , Luo Zhiwen , Yang Jiayue , Xu Junying , Li Qing , Zhang Yan , Zhang Qinglin , Wan Mengyun , Xue Ningyi , Ding Junli , Zhu Yichao , Cai Yun , Yin Yongmei
Published: September 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has made remarkable achievements, but newly identified armored and cold tumors cannot respond to ICB therapy. The high prevalence of concomitant medications has huge impact on immunotherapeutic responses, but the clinical effects on the therapeutic outcome of armored and cold tumors are still unclear.

Methods

In this research, using large-scale transcriptomics datasets, the expression and potential biological functions of angiotensin II receptor 1 (AGTR1), the target of angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), were investigated. Next, the roles of ARB in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment cells were defined by a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. In addition, the clinical impacts of ARB on ICB therapy were assessed by multicenter cohorts and meta-analysis.

Results

AGTR1 was overexpressed in armored and cold tumors and associated with poor response to ICB therapy. ARB, the inhibitor for AGTR1, only suppressed the aggressiveness of tumor cells with high AGTR1 expression, which accounted for a very small proportion. Further analysis revealed that AGTR1 was always highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and ARB inhibited type I collagen expression in CAFs by suppressing the RhoA-YAP axis. Moreover, ARB could also drastically reverse the phenotype of armored and cold to soft and hot in vivo, leading to a higher response to ICB therapy. In addition, both our in-house cohorts and meta-analysis further supported the idea that ARB can significantly enhance ICB efficacy.

Conclusion

Overall, we identify AGTR1 as a novel target in armored and cold tumors and demonstrate the improved therapeutic efficacy of ICB in combination with ARB. These findings could provide novel clinical insight into how to treat patients with refractory armored and cold tumors.
Intratumoral CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells promote the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Wang Jiawei , Liang Yuan , Xue Ao , Xiao Jian , Zhao Xinyu , Cao Shuqing , Li Pengyu , Dong Jiacheng , Li Yuan , Xu Zekuan , Yang Li
Published: September 2024

Background

Stage IV gastric cancer is a highly heterogeneous and lethal tumor with few therapeutic strategies. The combination of programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors and chemotherapy is currently the standard frontline treatment regimen for advanced gastric cancer. Nevertheless, it remains a great challenge to screen the beneficiaries of immunochemotherapy and expand indications for this treatment regimen.

Methods

We conducted a pathological assessment to ascertain the importance of tertiary lymphoid structures based on the tissue samples collected from patients with stage IV gastric cancer (n=15) both prior to and following immunochemotherapy treatment. Additionally, we used spatial (n=10) and single-cell transcriptional analysis (n=97) to investigate the key regulators of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). Multiplex immunofluorescence and image analysis (n=34) were performed to explore the association between tumor-infiltrating CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells and TLSs. The relationship between CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells and the responsiveness to immunotherapy was also evaluated by multiplex immunofluorescence and image analysis approaches (n=15). Furthermore, we explored the intrinsic characteristics of CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells through various experimental techniques, including quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, western blot, and flow cytometry.

Results

We found that responders exhibited higher levels of TLSs and CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells in biopsy tissues prior to immunochemotherapy compared with non-responders. Following conversion therapy, responders also had a higher percentage of mature TLSs and a higher number of CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T cells in surgical resections. Moreover, we discovered that vitamin B6in CD160+CD8+T cells could reduce the ubiquitination modification of HIF-1α by MDM2, thereby attenuating the degradation of HIF-1α. Consequently, this led to the transcriptional upregulation of CXCL13 expression, facilitating the recruitment of CXCR5+B cells and the formation of TLSs.

Conclusion

The number and maturity of TLSs, along with the extent of CXCL13+CD160+CD8+T-cell infiltration, might function as potential indicators for assessing the effectiveness of immunotherapy in treating gastric malignancies. Furthermore, our research suggests that vitamin B6could enhance the secretion of CXCL13 by CD160+CD8+T cells by reducing the degradation of HIF-1α. Additionally, we demonstrate that vitamin B6supplementation or targeting pyridoxal kinase could substantially improve the efficacy of immunotherapies for gastric cancer.
Fully coupled finite strain consolidation analysis for soft clay treated by prefabricated horizontal drain with vacuum and heat preloading
Authors: Liu Yang , Li An , Wu Peichen , Li Penglin , Yin Jian-Hua , Zheng Jun-Jie
Published: September 2024

This paper established a one-dimensional fully coupled finite strain consolidation analysis for soft clay treated by thermal prefabricated horizontal drain under vacuum and heat preloading with the consideration of thermal elastic viscoplastic (TEVP) behaviours of soft clay. First, the governing equations for finite strain consolidation, heat conduction, and heat convention process have been carefully derived based on the well-established Gibson’s finite strain consolidation theory and one-dimensional TEVP constitutive model. Secondly, the accuracy and reliability of the numerical method and good performance have been verified with a benchmark case and three physical model tests. Then, the improvement of consolidation efficiency rate was defined and used to study the effect of three variables on consolidation efficiency. Last but not least, a graphical user interface was provided to support researchers and engineers in utilizing the proposed numerical method for conducting consolidation analysis of soft soil treated in the same or similar fashion.
In Vitro α‐Amylase and α‐Glucosidase Inhibitory Potential of Green Banana Powder Extracts
Authors: Klomsakul Pongsathorn , Chalopagorn Pornchanok
Published: September 2024

This study investigated the proximate composition and inhibitory potential of hot water and ethanolic extracts of the pulp, peel and whole fruit of green banana (Musa sapientum) on α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase. Bioactive compounds were identified using GC‐MS analysis. In addition, the cytotoxic effect on human gingival fibroblast (hGF) was evaluated using the sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay. The results showed that the peel of green banana had the highest amount of ash (10.05%), fat (2.83%), protein (3.64%) and total dietary fibre (36.62%). The carbohydrate content of the whole fruit (81.79%) and pulp (81.50%) was higher than that of the peel (71.90%). The moisture content of the pulp (13.08%) was higher than that of the peel (11.58%) and whole fruit (11.30%). The ethanolic green banana peel extract showed a good inhibitory effect of α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase with the concentration necessary for 50% inhibition (IC50) of 0.512 and 0.100 mg·mL−1, respectively. The α‐glucosidase inhibitory effect of the ethanolic green banana peel extract and the hot water green banana peel extract was not significantly different from that of acarbose (IC50 0.108 mg·mL−1). GC‐MS analysis of the ethanolic green banana peel extract revealed fatty acids and fatty acid ester (9‐octadecenamide (Z), octadecanamide and other compounds). The ethanolic peel extract exhibits a significant noncytotoxicity effect on hGF cells at concentrations ranging from 0.0001 to 1.0 mg·mL−1.
Optimizing the Synthesis of Novel Calcium Carbonate/Cobalt Oxide Nanocomposite With Highest Antifungal Activity
Authors: Fallahnia Nima , Salmani Mobarakeh Mohammad , Sarabikia Hasti , Safaei Mohsen
Published: September 2024

Today, the rise of opportunistic infections and their resistance to current antifungal drugs has led to the inevitable need to produce effective antimicrobials at a reasonable cost. This study aimed at producing a calcium carbonate/cobalt oxide nanocomposite with the most excellent antifungal activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans). Thus, nine experimental designs using the Taguchi technique were utilized to discover the greatest combination of parameters for antifungal activity. The colony‐forming unit (CFU) method was used to test the produced nanocomposites’ antifungal properties against C. albicans. The results indicated that the synthesized nanocomposite in optimal conditions (20 mg/mL of calcium carbonate, 3 mg/mL of cobalt oxide, and 90 min of stirring time) could inhibit the growth of C. albicans by more than 74%. Various analyses were applied to determine the structural properties of the calcium carbonate/cobalt oxide nanocomposite, and its constituents revealed the fabricated nanocomposite’s desirable properties. In the study, the nanocomposite was an efficient antifungal agent that might be employed in various fields, including medicine, dentistry, and life sciences.
Effects of Sodium Acetate Supplementation on Growth, Hematologic and Plasma Biochemical Parameter, Lipid Deposition, and Intestinal Health of Juvenile Golden Pompano Trachinotus ovatus Fed High‐Lipid Diets
Authors: Xun Pengwei , Zhuang Siling , Yao Handong , Su Jinhao , Yang Yukai , Shu Hu , Yu Wei , Lin Heizhao
Published: September 2024

Experimental diets were formulated including the suitable lipid level (10%, PC), the high‐lipid level (16%, HL), and HL containing sodium acetate diets (HS). Three diets were fed golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) (initial body weight: 12.88 ± 0.03 g) for 8 weeks. The results showed HL diets significantly increased hepatosomatic index (HSI) and abdominal fat percentage (ASF), aggravated liver lipid deposition, and caused blood metabolic disorder and liver damage (P < 0.05). Moreover, the fish fed HL diets significantly decreased intestinal villus number (VN) and muscular layer thickness (MLT) (P < 0.05), accompanied with an increased trend in the relative abundance of intestinal pathogenic bacteria such as Mycoplasma and Photobacterium. However, the fish fed HS diets significantly decreased the HSI and AFP, relieved hepatic lipid deposition, improved blood and liver metabolism, and intestinal morphology in comparison to the fish fed HL diets (P < 0.05). More importantly, sodium acetate addition improved intestinal microbiota by inhibiting the proportion of pathogens (Mycoplasma and Vibrio) and increasing the abundance of probiotics (Bacteroidales_S24-7_group_norank, Cetobacterium, Bacteroides, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group). Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between these bacteria (Mycoplasma, Vibrio, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Bacteroidales_S24-7_group_norank, Bacteroides, and Cetobacterium) and main physiological indices. In conclusion, sodium acetate improved blood performance, alleviated hepatic lipid deposition induced by HL diets, and boosted the growth and intestinal health for golden pompano.
MXene‐Assisted Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Doped Strontium Titanium Nanoparticles
Authors: Manzoor Muhammad Qaiser , Irfan Syed , Anwar-ul-Haq  , Shi Xuyang
Published: September 2024

The growing demand for energy storage has drawn considerable attention to devices such as supercapacitors, which currently lack high energy density but depict high power density and long cycle life. In this work, we have synthesized La0.3Sr0.7Ti0.5Fe0.5O3 (LSTF) nanoparticles and Ti3C2‐MXene‐modified LSTF nanoparticle hybrid to study the effect of MXene on electrochemical properties of the nanoparticles. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy analysis showed that the hybrid structure retained all the major peaks of the nanoparticles and the MXene, which showed its successful synthesis. The morphological analysis was done utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which verified that the nanoparticles had been adsorbed and/or agglomerated onto the MXene sheets. The electrochemical analysis showed that with the addition of MXene into the nanoparticles, the specific capacitance tested via cyclic voltammetry increased from 225.6 Fg‒1 to 419.5 Fg‒1 at the scan rate of 2 mVs-1, which makes the hybrid a suitable electrode material for supercapacitors. The value of specific capacitance for the hybrid tested via galvanostatic charge‐discharge showed an increased value of 23 Fg‒1 at the current density of 1 Ag-1. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that the hybrid contains –O functional groups coming from MXene, which causes an increase in electrochemical activity at the electrode surface, resulting in enhanced capacitance.
Multifocal Osteomyelitis in an Adolescent Patient With Cat Scratch Disease
Authors: Topçu Burcu , Usluer Gönüllü Hale , Yeşilbaş Osman , Polat Suma Pınar , Soysal Ahmet
Published: September 2024

Cat scratch disease (CSD) typically presents as a self‐limiting lymphadenopathy associated with a cat bite or scratch and commonly affects children and young adults. Atypical manifestations, involving the eyes, nervous system, heart, liver, spleen, skin, and musculoskeletal system, could be severe and difficult to diagnose, and they could occur in 5%–20% of the cases. Herein, we report an unusual case of CSD with multifocal osteomyelitis. A 15‐year‐old girl presented with right axillary lymphadenopathy. Since she had a history of cat scratch, azithromycin was started for CSD. Two days later, she was readmitted to our hospital with severe back pain which required differential diagnosis. Lumbar spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multifocal vertebral osteomyelitis. The patient was hospitalized, and then teicoplanin and cefotaxime were added to the azithromycin therapy. After excluding the possible other causes, the definitive diagnosis of osteomyelitis secondary to CSD was made upon the combination of the MRI scan findings of the vertebrae, histopathological investigation of excisional right axillary biopsy, positron‐emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and Bartonella henselae serologies. Atypical manifestations of CSD are widely variable; therefore, it should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of severe musculoskeletal pain and osteomyelitis.
“National Sovereignty”: Problems of Defining the Concept and Content of Artistic Consciousness in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Ospanova Rysgul , Ishpekbayev Zhanatbek , Ospanova Bayandy , Shulanbekova Gulzhanar , Shakharman Gulzhihan
Published: September 2024

This article examines the concept of national sovereignty – the right of a nation to self-determination and autonomy. Drawing on the theories of popular sovereignty and social contract, the authors trace how the idea emerged that nations united by identity could claim legitimate political authority over themselves. A key milestone was the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which codified the territorial sovereignty of nation-states. The authors analyse how eighteenth- and nineteenth-century nationalism transformed national sovereignty into a powerful force fuelling revolutions and movements against foreign domination. It explores how national sovereignty was exercised through the historical examples of France, Germany and the formation of a sovereign Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. While national sovereignty is based on self-determination, its exercise has led to both the assertion of independence and ethnic conflict and confrontation over national identity. The article concludes with an assessment of how theories of national sovereignty continue to emphasize autonomy and self-governance, but must be balanced with contemporary international norms and a system of global interdependence. National sovereignty remains one of the basic tenets underlying the nation-state system.
Made by the Hands of God: Human Dignity in Hilary of Poitiers’s Exegesis of Ps 118:73a LXX
Authors: Contini Sara
Published: September 2024

In his commentary on Psalm 118(LXX):73a, “Your hands made me and fashioned me” (Tract.118Ps. 10.1–8), Hilary of Poitiers provides a unique perspective on the creation of humanity and on its exceptional dignity. I will examine key aspects of Hilary’s exegesis of this verse, namely, the identification of the hands of God, the interpretation of the two verbs “made” and “fashioned”, and the connections with Genesis 1:26 and 2:7. I will also compare Hilary’s interpretation of Ps 118:73a to the views expressed by other authors such as Theophilus, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian, Ambrose, and Didymus, with the purpose of contextualising Hilary’s novel understanding of human dignity within the larger framework of Early Christian interpretations of Genesis.
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 regulates the intestinal habit in adults with chronic constipation: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Salo E. , Roche D. , Gomez-Martinez V.B. , Cruz-Domenech J.M. , Garcia-Mora L.G. , Gabernet-Castello C. , Freixenet N.
Published: September 2024

Treatment with probiotics can help manage chronic constipation by softening the stools and possibly acting synergistically with front-line treatments. We assessed the efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 in maltodextrin as a food supplement in regulating the intestinal habit of subjects with chronic constipation with type 1 or 2 stools on the Bristol scale index and/or less than three stools per week. A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in subjects aged 18 and over with chronic constipation. The study enrolled forty-six subjects who were randomised one-to-one to receive the potential probiotic in maltodextrin (n = 23) or a placebo (n = 23). Investigators assessed changes in intestinal habits by analysing the mean number of weekly stools and the stool types according to the Bristol Scale. Patients reported constipation symptoms with PAC-SYM (patient assessment of constipation – symptoms), and the impact on quality of life with PAC-QoL (patient assessment of constipation – quality of life) and GI-QLI (gastrointestinal quality of life index). Patients on the intervention group showed a greater tendency to normalise the type of stools than those in the placebo group. This difference towards regular stool types (type 3 and 4) was statistically significant at weeks 8 and 12 relative to week 4 (P-values = 0.006 and 0.027, respectively). The proportion of constipated patients in the experimental group dropped over time, while the rate slightly increased in the placebo group in a statistically significant manner at week 12 relative to week 4 (). Overall, the present study shows oral intake of B. animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 in maltodextrin for 12 weeks improves intestinal habits in subjects with chronic constipation. Our study provides evidence to the efficacy and safety use of this formulation as an effective tool for improving stool consistency in constipated patients.

The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05980988.
Subliminal Stimuli Generated in Films through Successive Frames: A Quantitative Assessment
Authors: Sanz-Aznar Javier , Caballero-Molina Juan José , Tarragó-Mussons Anna , Rey-Benito Endika , Consuegra-Fernandez Marta
Published: September 2024

Although numerous theoretical references have been made to subliminal stimuli in filmmaking, no quantitative studies to date have sought to specify their temporal limits. Since the 1920s, several filmmakers have aimed to elicit an emotional impact on the viewer through the inclusion of isolated frames, which supposes the minimum possible temporal extension in films. Through two experiments, this study analysed the threshold between subliminal and supraliminal stimuli in films containing potential subliminal stimuli comprising one to four frames, played at frame rates of 25, 30, and 60 frames per second. The first experiment involved asking participants to view a film excerpt, including these stimuli, and then answer a survey. The second required participants to identify potentially subliminal stimuli whilst viewing a film clip. The stimuli analysed could not be defined as subliminal for 100% of viewers for any number of frames per frame rate, but were predominantly unidentified for one-frame stimuli in films played at 24 or 30 frames per second, and one- to three-frame stimuli in films played at 60 frames per second. Furthermore, three- and four-frame stimuli at 24 and 30 frames per second were found to be supraliminal, whilst the results for two-frame stimuli played at 24 or 30 and four-frame stimuli played at 60 frames per second were inconclusive. Future research is needed to analyse the effect of the nature of the image used as a stimulus and its location within a shot or in a cut between shots.
The Inner Reformation of Reformational Philosophy: Responses to Geertsema and Van Woudenberg
Authors: Zuidervaart Lambert
Published: September 2024

This article responds to reviews of my recent books by Henk Geertsema and René van Woudenberg. First, it explains the method of critical retrieval and reviews my criticisms of Herman Dooyeweerd on the topics of religious antithesis and transcendental critique. Next, I take up questions concerning my social philosophy, epistemology, and conception of truth. Then, in an appendix, I respond to Geertsema’s allegations that I have misunderstood Dooyeweerd. Throughout, the article shows how my work aims to contribute to the inner reformation of Reformational philosophy.
“Surging Tide at Dusk”: Translingual Poetics between Italy and Australia
Authors: Loda Alice
Published: September 2024

This study delves into the realm of translingual poetics by examining the works of two Italian-Australian authors: Paolo Totaro and Enoe Di Stefano. Having migrated to Australia at different times—Di Stefano in 1949 and Totaro in 1963—both authors have developed remarkable literary paths that foreground their ability to move fluidly across different languages and cultures. This research adds to the ongoing critical discourse surrounding the relational and transformative nature of translingual writing, which has gained increasing recognition in literary scholarship. More specifically, this study aims to make theoretical-critical contributions in two key areas. First, it seeks to advance the discussion on literary translingualism in settler colonial contexts, and specifically in the Australian one. Second, it aims to further explore the translingual trajectory that historically permeates the landscape of Italophone and Australian literatures. This contribution aims to advance the analysis of the generative potential of translingual dynamics within the poetic field and across a transnational and transcultural trajectory.
Writing about Dutch Migration to Australia: Language, Belonging, and Identity
Authors: van Beukering Jorien
Published: September 2024

Australia has a long history of linguistic contact with the Netherlands and the Dutch language dating from the 1600s. After the Second World War some 160,000 Dutch-speaking migrants settled in Australia from the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies. This article examines Dutch migrants’ personal stories of migration to Australia in the second half of the twentieth century and interrogates authors’ usage of the Dutch and English languages in their writing. By examining three Dutch-Australian publications that reflect on twentieth-century migration journeys—Theodora Biesheuvel’s Dutch Treat: For All Those Who Left Their History Behind Them (2014); Corry, Pierre, and Peter de Haas’s Finding Our Place in the Sun: A True Story (2021); and the collection Our Story: Experiences of the Dutch in Queensland (2001), edited by Rob-Jan Mijnarends and Annelies Zeissink—this article investigates how these writers negotiate belonging and identity in multilingual and multicultural Australia through their use of the Dutch and English languages in their writing.
Australian Multilingual Literature in the Twenty-First Century: A Survey
Authors: Besemeres Mary
Published: September 2024

This is a review of multilingual literature published in Australia since ca. 2000. It errs on the side of inclusiveness, to convey the basic details of as many relevant titles as possible to an international scholarly audience which may know little about Australian writing, let alone multilingual literature produced in Australia.
Old Stories, New Words – Multilingualism in a Colonised Space/Place
Authors: Edwards Natalie , Hogarth Christopher , Dank Debra
Published: September 2024

An experienced educator in various states of Australia, Debra Dank has recently found considerable acclaim as a writer. Her memoir, We Come With This Place, won a record-breaking four state awards in New South Wales in 2023 and was shortlisted for the national Stella prize for writing by Australian women in all genres. A plurivocal, polyphonic memoir from the Gudanji country in north-eastern Australia, Dank’s work is an outgrowth from a PhD dissertation in narrative theory and semiotics. In this interview, Dank discusses her linguistic heritage, which combines Standard Australian English with several Indigenous languages of Australia. She also outlines her perception of the place that Indigenous languages hold in the popular imagination in Australia and her attempts to challenge understandings of Indigenous linguistic history. In particular, she develops several new terms to help understand the interactions and impact of languages and cultures upon one another in Australia over thousands of years.
Towards an Ethics of Linguistic Accuracy in Literature
Authors: Rosenwald Lawrence A.
Published: September 2024

This Forum, appearing in each issue of the Journal of Literary Multilingualism, aims to continue the conversation started in the very first issue, where we collected articles which assessed and debated the field of Literary Multilingualism Studies. The Forum is a space for shorter, more informal reflections on the field and its future: position papers, dialogues between scholars, roundtable discussions, responses to articles within the journal, and responses to recent multilingualism conferences or events. We welcome proposals for contributions, particularly from marginalized perspectives or on neglected aspects of literary multilingualism. Please contact us directly to discuss ideas.

For this Forum, we invited Lawrence A. Rosenwald to review his thoughts on the role of what he calls “linguistic accuracy” in multilingual literature through an ethical lens. To what extent does it matter whether literary works accurately represent how languages are used, such as in the representation of protagonists’ speech? In his analysis of a wide range of examples, Rosenwald argues that accuracy does indeed matter – with inaccuracy immediately raising problems of cultural representation.

— Juliette Taylor-Batty and Till Dembeck, Forum Moderators
The 2021 Child Tax Credit in U.S. Historical Context
Authors: Greenstein Robert
Published: September 2024

When the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was created in 1997, its financial benefits were unavailable to families that did not earn enough to owe federal income tax. It has since evolved into a measure that provides partial benefits to millions of children in low-income working families but still leaves out children in families with extremely low or no earnings. In 2021, the credit was enlarged for one year, with full benefits provided to the poorest children. Ten states have also recently instituted state CTCs that provide full benefits to the poorest children. This history of CTC expansion contrasts with the erosion of cash assistance “spending programs”—including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), unemployment insurance, and state general assistance—while being consistent with a larger pattern of tax-credit expansions. Both the CTC and Earned Income Tax Credit have repeatedly been expanded, and various other new benefits have been created as tax credits.
The Effects of the 2021 Child Tax Credit on Poverty
Authors: Bitler Marianne P.
Published: September 2024

The 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was a noticeable increase in government support to families with children: it provided more cash, it was not tied to work requirements, and the full amount of the potential benefit was paid by families even if the credit exceeded taxes owed (whereas previously, the maximum amount it could cover was less than the full amount if it exceeded taxes and receipt required earnings). I evaluate its effects on poverty, showing that the expansion contributed to a large decline in child poverty in 2021—and a subsequent rise in 2022, when the benefit expired. I also explain why we cannot yet determine a precise causal effect: we cannot yet account for the behavioral changes among beneficiaries that the expanded CTC may have provoked, and annual census poverty measures may not yet fully account for the tax credits that individuals receive. I discuss attendant issues in theoretical and technical detail, arguing that it will take time to establish a full accounting of the program’s effects.
Spending Responses to the Child Tax Credit Expansions
Authors: Fisher Jonathan , Schild Jake , Johnson David S.
Published: September 2024

This article summarizes research literature that has studied how people used the advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments that were disbursed by the IRS in 2021. Four primary findings emerge. The ways in which families used the advance CTC payments varied: during the first few months the payments were being distributed, families reported paying down debt more frequently; and in the final months of the payments, families reported more frequent spending. Families primarily used the monthly CTC on household necessities and child-related spending. There was heterogeneity in the spending response across income and race. Lastly, the CTC helped families deal with rising inflation. We discuss these four findings from the extant research in detail.
Employment and Labor Supply Responses to the Child Tax Credit Expansion: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Schanzenbach Diane Whitmore , Strain Michael R.
Published: September 2024

The 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion increased government benefits to families, and especially to families with the lowest incomes. Economic theory predicts that this policy intervention would have led to a reduction in labor supply among adults in those families. Our review of available research suggests that employment within broadly defined demographic groups was not reduced by the 2021 CTC changes. However, we see some evidence that employment was reduced among unmarried mothers with relatively low levels of education and young children—the demographic group that was most affected by the CTC expansion.
The Effects of the 2021 Child Tax Credit on Racial and Ethnic Inequalities in Well-Being
Authors: Hardy Bradley , Hokayem Charles
Published: September 2024

Evidence from the temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in 2021 suggests it helped to reduce family poverty, lessen food hardship, and increase families’ financial expenditures on children across race and ethnicity. We review recent evidence on the impacts of the CTC on differences in well-being across race and ethnicity, including differences in access to the tax credit, how families used the tax credit, and the food insecurity and mental health circumstances of those families. We supplement our review of extant research with an analysis of racial income inequality using nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey: we find that the 2021 CTC expansion is associated with lowered Black–white and Hispanic–white income inequality in the bottom half of the income distribution, particularly at the 10th and 25th percentiles.
What We Learned from the 2021 Child Tax Credit Expansion
Authors: Smeeding Timothy M.
Published: September 2024

The 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) greatly increased the amount of financial support that families received from the credit and guaranteed the fully refundable benefit to all lower-income families with children, while continuing to pay half of the annual benefits monthly. Child poverty fell to its lowest level ever (5.2 percent) after the expansion but returned to its pre-pandemic level (12.4 percent) in 2022 upon the expansion’s elimination. Notwithstanding the fact that a number of research questions about the exact effects of the 2021 expansion are yet to be answered, the articles in this volume present a strong case for a continued economic and social investment in the form of a longer-term child allowance. This summary discusses a number of key design issues for policies that aim to reduce child poverty, and I argue for research that can further substantiate the effects of a fully refundable CTC.
The Consequences of the 2021 Child Tax Credit Expansion: An Introduction to the Volume
Authors: Curran Megan , Hoynes Hilary , Parolin Zachary
Published: September 2024

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 temporarily transformed the Child Tax Credit (CTC) into a more generous cash benefit that was more frequently distributed to families with children in the U.S. From July to December 2021, the families of more than 90 percent of U.S. children received monthly cash payments of up to $250 per child (or $300 per young child under six); and at tax time in 2022, families received lump-sum tax refunds of up to $1,500 per child (or $1,800 per young child). Many of these families had not previously had access to the full credit because their incomes were too low. The temporary expansion was not made permanent, and the CTC returned to its pre-expansion structure in 2022. This volume evaluates the effects of the 2021 CTC expansion, and this introduction provides broad context around the expansion, elaborates on the goals for the volume, and previews the volume’s subsequent contributions.
Rapid Desensitization to Antitumoral Agents. Result from a Retrospective Study, DESARCh
Authors: Tessari Roberto , Ossato Andrea , Realdon Francesca , Montresor Valentina , Giovagnoni Giuseppe , Giannini Michele , Gandini Debora , Modena Alessandra , Inno Alessandro , Gori Stefania
Published: September 2024

Antitumoral drugs (ADs) can induce drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs). Rapid drug desensitization (RDD) protocols represent an important option to mitigate recurrent DHRs thus allowing the safe administration of ADs at therapeutic doses. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the effectiveness of the RDD protocols performed at our institution. The “DESARCh” study was a retrospective, observational study that included consecutive patients who underwent RDD protocols from January 2011 to December 2022 at IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria in Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy. The RDD protocol consisted of a 5-step protocol with 5 different concentrations of the drugs at 1:1, 1:10, 1:100, 1:1,000 and 1:10,000 dilution given intravenously over a 1-hour infusion each, with concentrations increasing from the most diluted to the most concentrated form, preceded by a 30-min premedication regimen. A total of 66 RDD protocols were administered to 25 female patients with ovarian (64%; n = 16/25), breast (12%; n = 3/25), endometrium (8%; n = 2/25), cervix (8%; n = 2/25), uterine (4%; n = 1/25) and fallopian tubes (4%; n = 1/25) cancers. A known history of atopy/allergy was reported by 36% (n = 9/25) of patients. Patients received RDD protocols because of DHRs to carboplatin (n = 23/66, 34.85%), paclitaxel (n = 18/66, 27.27%), pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (n = 3/66, 4.55%), and trastuzumab (n = 22/66, 33.33%). DHRs were mild-moderate, severe and life-threatening in 60.72%, 28.57% and 10.71% of cases, respectively. The success rate of RDD protocols, defined as the rate of complete administration of full target dose with no breakthrough reactions, was 81.82% (n = 54/66). Success rate was lower for carboplatin compared to other drugs (65.22% vs 90.7%; P = .017678). The RDD protocol used in our institution was found to be safe, with a meaningful success rate. However, further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of DHRs and to enhance effectiveness, particularly for patients experiencing DHRs to platinum compounds. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Verona and Rovigo (Italy) with approval number 15476 on 10/03/2023 and it was registered with the Register of Observational Studies of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) (available since 31 January 2023), with ID n. 109, on 28/02/2023 ( https://www.aifa.gov.it/en/registro-studi-osservazionali ).