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The Belgian Friendship Building : from the New York's World Fair to a Virginia HBCU /
No full text"In their account of the design and history of the Belgian Friendship Building, a landmark of modernist architecture on the campus of Virginia Union University in Richmond, Kathleen James-Chakraborty, Katherine Kuenzli, and Bryan Clark Green tell a circuitous story spanning three continents and half a century. Originally constructed to serve as the Belgian Pavilion for the New York World's Fair of 1939-40, and one of only two surviving buildings from that exhibition, this large-scale prefabricated structure was designed by a group of architects under the direction of Henry van de Velde. It remained in the United States following the Nazi invasion of Belgium, when it was given to VUU by the Belgian government-in-exile to prevent its repatriation (and presumably its destruction). Its transportation to and reassembly on VUU's campus, and the dedication of its 161-foot tower to honor Robert L. Vann, an alumnus and pioneering editor of the Pittsburgh Courier, doubled the scale of the university's facilities and provided an important counterpoise to the statues on Monument Avenue. In this richly illustrated book, readers will learn about a modern albeit temporary structure that for eighty-plus years has towered over a city that historically embraced traditional architecture; a building whose expressed purpose, extolling European colonization, is seemingly incongruous at an HBCU whose faculty and students were in the vanguard of the civil rights movement in the 1960s; and a standing example of prewar modernism, eclipsing such lost landmarks as the Trylon and Perisphere, that has until now been all but forgotten in histories of American architecture"--Includes bibliographical references and index."In their account of the design and history of the Belgian Friendship Building, a landmark of modernist architecture on the campus of Virginia Union University in Richmond, Kathleen James-Chakraborty, Katherine Kuenzli, and Bryan Clark Green tell a circuitous story spanning three continents and half a century. Originally constructed to serve as the Belgian Pavilion for the New York World's Fair of 1939-40, and one of only two surviving buildings from that exhibition, this large-scale prefabricated structure was designed by a group of architects under the direction of Henry van de Velde. It remained in the United States following the Nazi invasion of Belgium, when it was given to VUU by the Belgian government-in-exile to prevent its repatriation (and presumably its destruction). Its transportation to and reassembly on VUU's campus, and the dedication of its 161-foot tower to honor Robert L. Vann, an alumnus and pioneering editor of the Pittsburgh Courier, doubled the scale of the university's facilities and provided an important counterpoise to the statues on Monument Avenue. In this richly illustrated book, readers will learn about a modern albeit temporary structure that for eighty-plus years has towered over a city that historically embraced traditional architecture; a building whose expressed purpose, extolling European colonization, is seemingly incongruous at an HBCU whose faculty and students were in the vanguard of the civil rights movement in the 1960s; and a standing example of prewar modernism, eclipsing such lost landmarks as the Trylon and Perisphere, that has until now been all but forgotten in histories of American architecture"-
Shariq A. Siddiqui, Rafeel Wasif, & Micah A. Hughes: Understanding Muslim Philanthropy
No full textUnderstanding belonging : a qualitative content analysis of low SES and ethnic-minority students' experiences at university
No full textHigher education institutions have recognized that traditional diversity interventions often fail to enhance student retention, being perceived as symbolic rather than transformative (Dobbin & Kalev, 2017; Vaccaro & Newman, 2022). In Flanders' open-access system, democratization remains incomplete, as ECM and low-SES students face enrollment and other challenges. Hence, non-academic factors gained importance, the focus has shifted towards fostering a sense of belonging (SoB) (Cureton & Gravestock, 2019; Rizzo et al., 2020). While belonging matters for all students, ECM-students experience greater concerns due to their social identities, which make them more vulnerable to negative stereotyping.This study builds on Ahn and Davis (2019) coding framework, which identifies four domains of belonging. We applied a longitudinal qualitative content analysis (QCA) on 69 in-depth interviews. The social domain was the most frequently coded comprising 46% of the QCA. Specifically, qualitative interpersonal relationships and representation with peers and educational staff have been identified as key factors contributing to an enhanced SoB (Ulmanen et al., 2016). The Personal Domain was the second most significant (27%) codes, indicating a strong connection between mental well-being and SoB. The Academic Domain, the third most important domain (23.4%) highlighted the significance of representation and social interactions with lecturers. This aligns with prior research showing that stigmatized identities, such as ethnicity or SES, can hinder SoB and create feelings of exclusion (Cureton & Gravestock, 2019; Graham et al., 2022).Higher education institutions have recognized that traditional diversity interventions often fail to enhance student retention, being perceived as symbolic rather than transformative (Dobbin & Kalev, 2017; Vaccaro & Newman, 2022). In Flanders' open-access system, democratization remains incomplete, as ECM and low-SES students face enrollment and other challenges. Hence, non-academic factors gained importance, the focus has shifted towards fostering a sense of belonging (SoB) (Cureton & Gravestock, 2019; Rizzo et al., 2020). While belonging matters for all students, ECM-students experience greater concerns due to their social identities, which make them more vulnerable to negative stereotyping.This study builds on Ahn and Davis (2019) coding framework, which identifies four domains of belonging. We applied a longitudinal qualitative content analysis (QCA) on 69 in-depth interviews. The social domain was the most frequently coded comprising 46% of the QCA. Specifically, qualitative interpersonal relationships and representation with peers and educational staff have been identified as key factors contributing to an enhanced SoB (Ulmanen et al., 2016). The Personal Domain was the second most significant (27%) codes, indicating a strong connection between mental well-being and SoB. The Academic Domain, the third most important domain (23.4%) highlighted the significance of representation and social interactions with lecturers. This aligns with prior research showing that stigmatized identities, such as ethnicity or SES, can hinder SoB and create feelings of exclusion (Cureton & Gravestock, 2019; Graham et al., 2022).C
Validation of HAND OA US inflammatory and structural damage score (HOUSE) for thumb-base joints : systematic review on truth and discrimination
No full textObjectives Recently, the HAND OA US Examination (HOUSE) inflammatory and structural damage scores were developed by the OMERACT US Working Group. However, the thumb base was not, or was only partly, included. This systematic review examines US scoring methods and scanning techniques assessing thumb-base OA, alongside existing evidence on validity, reliability and responsiveness.Methods A comprehensive search strategy in three different databases identified 30 eligible studies.Results In general, studies predominantly focused on US assessment of the CMC1 joint, with fewer investigating the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joint. Most studies utilized a semiquantitative scale for scoring structural and inflammatory features, aligning with the HOUSE scoring system. Validity was supported by a limited number of studies, with one demonstrating a positive association between US structural damage and radiographic damage, and another showing a similar association with function. Associations between US inflammatory features and pain were observed, albeit with some variability. Reliability was from moderate to good for the CMC1 joint but limited for the STT joint. Responsiveness varied across studies. The methodological quality of included studies varied, indicating areas for future research improvement.Conclusion While promising, additional research is necessary to validate the HOUSE scoring system and improve its clinical utility for thumb-base OA assessment. Future research should concentrate on optimal scanning positions and on the reliability and responsiveness of the HOUSE scoring system.Objectives Recently, the HAND OA US Examination (HOUSE) inflammatory and structural damage scores were developed by the OMERACT US Working Group. However, the thumb base was not, or was only partly, included. This systematic review examines US scoring methods and scanning techniques assessing thumb-base OA, alongside existing evidence on validity, reliability and responsiveness.Methods A comprehensive search strategy in three different databases identified 30 eligible studies.Results In general, studies predominantly focused on US assessment of the CMC1 joint, with fewer investigating the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joint. Most studies utilized a semiquantitative scale for scoring structural and inflammatory features, aligning with the HOUSE scoring system. Validity was supported by a limited number of studies, with one demonstrating a positive association between US structural damage and radiographic damage, and another showing a similar association with function. Associations between US inflammatory features and pain were observed, albeit with some variability. Reliability was from moderate to good for the CMC1 joint but limited for the STT joint. Responsiveness varied across studies. The methodological quality of included studies varied, indicating areas for future research improvement.Conclusion While promising, additional research is necessary to validate the HOUSE scoring system and improve its clinical utility for thumb-base OA assessment. Future research should concentrate on optimal scanning positions and on the reliability and responsiveness of the HOUSE scoring system.A
Feline mammary carcinomas are associated with an immunosuppressed vascularized and proliferative microenvironment
No full textDue to their aggressive presentation, feline mammary carcinomas (FMC) often have deadly consequences. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has a presumed critical role in the natural host defense against FMC development, but remains underinvestigated. To characterize the FMC TIME, 8 low grade and 21 high grade FMC were retrospectively collected. Immunohistochemical analysis of a set of complementary innate and adaptive immune cell markers, together with the von Willebrand factor (vWF)+ blood vessel density, the Ki67-based proliferation index and the hormonal receptor status allowed us to both spatially and quantitatively investigate the FMC TIME across tumor grades. Overall, higher abundancies of immune cells and more prominent vascularization were detected in high compared to low grade FMC. In contrast, a similar proliferation index was measured across FMC grades. Innate immune cells, i.e., HLA-DR+ antigen-presenting cells, CD163+ tumor-associated immunosuppressive macrophages and MPO+ tumor-associated neutrophils, mainly resided in the tumoral stroma forming an immunosuppressive border surrounding the tumor core. CD3+ T lymphocytes were able to populate the tumoral core, whereas CD20+ B lymphocytes clustered together, assumably in tertiary lymphoid structures, in the tumoral stroma. Unexpectedly, both low and high grade FMC were associated with the luminal (A and B) subtypes, mainly due to their progesterone receptor positivity.Collectively, our data identify that FMC are associated with an immunosuppressed, vascularized and proliferative TIME, which should be further explored for its (immune)therapeutic potential including that of anti-progestins.Due to their aggressive presentation, feline mammary carcinomas (FMC) often have deadly consequences. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has a presumed critical role in the natural host defense against FMC development, but remains underinvestigated. To characterize the FMC TIME, 8 low grade and 21 high grade FMC were retrospectively collected. Immunohistochemical analysis of a set of complementary innate and adaptive immune cell markers, together with the von Willebrand factor (vWF)+ blood vessel density, the Ki67-based proliferation index and the hormonal receptor status allowed us to both spatially and quantitatively investigate the FMC TIME across tumor grades. Overall, higher abundancies of immune cells and more prominent vascularization were detected in high compared to low grade FMC. In contrast, a similar proliferation index was measured across FMC grades. Innate immune cells, i.e., HLA-DR+ antigen-presenting cells, CD163+ tumor-associated immunosuppressive macrophages and MPO+ tumor-associated neutrophils, mainly resided in the tumoral stroma forming an immunosuppressive border surrounding the tumor core. CD3+ T lymphocytes were able to populate the tumoral core, whereas CD20+ B lymphocytes clustered together, assumably in tertiary lymphoid structures, in the tumoral stroma. Unexpectedly, both low and high grade FMC were associated with the luminal (A and B) subtypes, mainly due to their progesterone receptor positivity.Collectively, our data identify that FMC are associated with an immunosuppressed, vascularized and proliferative TIME, which should be further explored for its (immune)therapeutic potential including that of anti-progestins.C
Die Dativalternation im Deutschen vom Standpunkt der einzelsprachlich-funktionellen Syntax: Synchronie und Diachronie
No full textAbstract This article examines the alternation between the dative object construction (e.g. Der Kassierer gab dem Räuber das Geld aus der Kasse ‘The cashier gave the robber the money from the cash drawer’) and the prepositional object construction (e.g. Der Körper gibt Signale an den Kopf ‘The body sends signals to the head’) in German on the basis of synchronic and diachronic corpus data. The analysis adopts a language-specific functional perspective on grammatical structures along the lines of Eugenio Coserius “Funktionelle Syntax” approach, but also considers current developments in the discussion on argument structure constructions. Theoretically, the approach revolves around three key factors: i) the principled distinction between language-specific meaning (“signifié”), designation (reference) and text-meaning (“Sinn”, “sensus”); ii) a focus on language-specific grammatical functions and the different levels of grammatical structuring, including the Coserian account of “grammatical synonymy”, and iii) the distinction between the language system (“langue”) and normal (i.e. conventionalized) language use. On the empirical side, the study reports the findings of multivariate analyses of a large number of annotated sentences with four ditransitive verbs (geben ‘give’, übergeben ‘transfer, hand over, deliver’, senden ‘send’ and schicken ‘send’), which are analysed against the background of a layered model for the synchronic and diachronic account of the dative alternation in German. The model establishes the hierarchical relationship between a higher-level ‘constructeme’ (the ‘ditransitive construction’ in the narrow sense of the term), which is underspecified in terms of its language-specific expression and meaning, and two ‘allostructions’, the dative object construction and the prepositional object construction respectively, which are the constructional variants of the dative alternation. The model also accommodates the variation between the prepositions an and zu (‘to’) found with a number of ditransitive verbs in the prepositional object construction.Abstract This article examines the alternation between the dative object construction (e.g. Der Kassierer gab dem Räuber das Geld aus der Kasse ‘The cashier gave the robber the money from the cash drawer’) and the prepositional object construction (e.g. Der Körper gibt Signale an den Kopf ‘The body sends signals to the head’) in German on the basis of synchronic and diachronic corpus data. The analysis adopts a language-specific functional perspective on grammatical structures along the lines of Eugenio Coserius “Funktionelle Syntax” approach, but also considers current developments in the discussion on argument structure constructions. Theoretically, the approach revolves around three key factors: i) the principled distinction between language-specific meaning (“signifié”), designation (reference) and text-meaning (“Sinn”, “sensus”); ii) a focus on language-specific grammatical functions and the different levels of grammatical structuring, including the Coserian account of “grammatical synonymy”, and iii) the distinction between the language system (“langue”) and normal (i.e. conventionalized) language use. On the empirical side, the study reports the findings of multivariate analyses of a large number of annotated sentences with four ditransitive verbs (geben ‘give’, übergeben ‘transfer, hand over, deliver’, senden ‘send’ and schicken ‘send’), which are analysed against the background of a layered model for the synchronic and diachronic account of the dative alternation in German. The model establishes the hierarchical relationship between a higher-level ‘constructeme’ (the ‘ditransitive construction’ in the narrow sense of the term), which is underspecified in terms of its language-specific expression and meaning, and two ‘allostructions’, the dative object construction and the prepositional object construction respectively, which are the constructional variants of the dative alternation. The model also accommodates the variation between the prepositions an and zu (‘to’) found with a number of ditransitive verbs in the prepositional object construction.
Transgenerational effects of water-soluble polymers on daphnia magna at environmentally relevant concentrations : the role of multigenerational plasticity
No full textThe widespread use of water-soluble polymers (WSPs) like polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) across multiple industrial and household uses has recently raised concerns about their environmental persistence and potential toxicity to aquatic organisms. Despite being excluded from regulatory oversight, recent studies suggest possible ecological risks associated with sub-lethal exposures to these polymers. In this context, this study investigates the transgenerational effects of PEG and PVA on Daphnia magna, focusing on both life-history parameters and epigenetic modifications at the environmentally relevant concentration of 1 μg/L. Through continuous exposure experiments, spanning three generations (from F0 to F3), and “recovery” groups, where only the parental generation (F0) was exposed, our results reveal significant reductions in the number of newborns and reproductive parameters in the F0 generation exposed to PEG but not in subsequent generations. This suggests a multigenerational plasticity in Daphnia through a compensatory or acclimation reproductive response over time. Global cytosine methylation patterns also showed a significant initial increase in the F0 generation exposed to PEG, which decreased in later generations, indicating a possible epigenetic mechanism underlying observed reproductive effects. In contrast, PVA exhibited no significant changes in both life history parameters and methylation but showed a global methylation trend suggesting its likely epigenetic influence. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive risk assessments of WSPs, particularly their potential for inducing long-term (epigenetic) effects, influencing reproductive functions across generations and how increased plasticity may affect responses against novel other stressors.The widespread use of water-soluble polymers (WSPs) like polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) across multiple industrial and household uses has recently raised concerns about their environmental persistence and potential toxicity to aquatic organisms. Despite being excluded from regulatory oversight, recent studies suggest possible ecological risks associated with sub-lethal exposures to these polymers. In this context, this study investigates the transgenerational effects of PEG and PVA on Daphnia magna, focusing on both life-history parameters and epigenetic modifications at the environmentally relevant concentration of 1 μg/L. Through continuous exposure experiments, spanning three generations (from F0 to F3), and “recovery” groups, where only the parental generation (F0) was exposed, our results reveal significant reductions in the number of newborns and reproductive parameters in the F0 generation exposed to PEG but not in subsequent generations. This suggests a multigenerational plasticity in Daphnia through a compensatory or acclimation reproductive response over time. Global cytosine methylation patterns also showed a significant initial increase in the F0 generation exposed to PEG, which decreased in later generations, indicating a possible epigenetic mechanism underlying observed reproductive effects. In contrast, PVA exhibited no significant changes in both life history parameters and methylation but showed a global methylation trend suggesting its likely epigenetic influence. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive risk assessments of WSPs, particularly their potential for inducing long-term (epigenetic) effects, influencing reproductive functions across generations and how increased plasticity may affect responses against novel other stressors.A
A market analysis on data ecosystem initiators and their value propositions in different ecosystems
No full textThe concept of data ecosystems is proposed as a solution to organise and manage increasingly complex data processes. A common narrative found in literature is that, using an ecosystem approach, an increased amount of data will be available, of higher quality, and this will lead to an increase in innovation. Even though these benefits seem promising at first, data ecosystems are not standard practice yet. A critical look at the way the market is implementing this concept is needed. A market analysis was performed on the different services that initiate and support data ecosystems. Three main ecosystem types, based on their scope, were identified: (1) single-organisation ecosystems, (2) application domain specific ecosystems, and (3) cross- domain ecosystems. Challenging these benefits of data ecosystems, this market analysis revealed that achieving the innovation potential and actual data reuse remains a challenge, especially for more broadly scoped ecosystems. Consequently, a successful data ecosystem implementation will require a critical assessment of its data reuse and innovation potential.The concept of data ecosystems is proposed as a solution to organise and manage increasingly complex data processes. A common narrative found in literature is that, using an ecosystem approach, an increased amount of data will be available, of higher quality, and this will lead to an increase in innovation. Even though these benefits seem promising at first, data ecosystems are not standard practice yet. A critical look at the way the market is implementing this concept is needed. A market analysis was performed on the different services that initiate and support data ecosystems. Three main ecosystem types, based on their scope, were identified: (1) single-organisation ecosystems, (2) application domain specific ecosystems, and (3) cross- domain ecosystems. Challenging these benefits of data ecosystems, this market analysis revealed that achieving the innovation potential and actual data reuse remains a challenge, especially for more broadly scoped ecosystems. Consequently, a successful data ecosystem implementation will require a critical assessment of its data reuse and innovation potential.A