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Transnational Content Creators, Cross-Platform Cross-Border Practices and Global Social Media Entertainment
No full text© 2025 Ziying MengThis thesis investigates transnational creators’ content production, cross-platform and cross-border practices across multiple Chinese and US-based digital services, including but not limited to Bilibili, Douyin and ByteDance’s ecosystem, TikTok, Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book, RED, or rednote), Weibo, Weixin/WeChat, Instagram, and YouTube. These creators are mobile between China and another country, whose transnational experiences play a role in content production and platform operations. They also move between the seemingly parallel universes of the wanghong (internet celebrity) industry built around Chinese platforms, and the broader global social media entertainment (SME) driven by US-based platforms.
Building on creator and influencer studies and platform studies literature, this thesis examines how transnational content creators exercise agency in navigating platform infrastructures, markets, governance and cultures in increasingly multiplatform globalising digital environments. Through a creator-centric, cross-platform perspective, I employ digital ethnography as the main approach, collecting data through autoethnography to reflect my creator experience across platforms, online and offline participant observations, in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 creators worldwide, cross-platform walkthroughs, and qualitative content analysis on creators’ videos and posts on their online accounts.
Findings illustrate that transnational creators exercise agency in navigating the technological, commercial, political and sociocultural aspects of platforms through their cross-platform, cross-border practices characterised by sensitivity, adaptability and negotiation. Becoming a creator requires one to sense and swiftly adapt to rapid changes in multiplatform globalising environments. These changes include creators’ evolving creative desires and values, platforms’ algorithmic systems, labour conditions in the industries, audiences, and regulations across Chinese and US-based platforms. To survive and cope with algorithmic power, creators develop cross-platform sensitivity and algorithmic adaptability while navigating volatile online visibility. Their cross-platform labour, characterised by the paradox of empowerment and precarity, reveals a risk management strategy to mitigate platform dependency and maintain creative autonomy. Becoming a global wanghong creator also requires one to negotiate multiple layers of betweenness and manage tensions between national and global contexts. Together, transnational creators’ platform practices help us understand user agency in a liminal, often contradictory, environment of the evolving wanghong industry and SME
Statin effects on the lipidome: Predicting statin usage and implications for cardiovascular risk prediction
No full textStatin therapy is a highly successful and cost-effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Adjusting for statin usage is crucial when exploring the association of the lipidome with CVD to avoid erroneous conclusions. However, practical challenges arise in real-world scenarios due to the frequent absence of statin usage information. To address this limitation, we demonstrate that statin usage can be accurately predicted using lipidomic data. Using three large population datasets and a longitudinal clinical study, we show that lipidomic-based statin prediction models exhibit high prediction accuracy in external validation. Furthermore, we introduce a re-weighted model, designed to overcome a ubiquitous limitation of prediction models, namely the need for predictor alignment between training and target data. We demonstrated that the re-weighted models achieved comparable prediction accuracy to ad hoc models which use the aligned predictor between training and target data. This innovation holds promise for significantly enhancing the transferability of statin prediction and other ‘omics prediction models, especially in situations where predictor alignment is incomplete. Our statin prediction model now allows for the inclusion of statin usage in lipidomic analyses of cohorts even where statin use is not available, improving the interpret-ability of the resulting analyses
Life Cycle Analysis of Particleboard Made of Corn Stalk and Citric Acid at Laboratory Scale
No full textResearch on particleboard fabrication using non-wood biomass as an alternative to wood particles is steadily increasing due to environmental awareness. Information on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of particleboards made of non-wood biomass and non-formaldehyde adhesives is scarce. This research presents the life cycle assessment (LCA) of particleboard fabrication made from corn stalk particles and citric acid in Indonesia and Australia at laboratory scale. Cradle-to-gate boundaries were applied with the fabrication steps involving particle preparation, citric acid solution preparation, the mixing of adhesive and particle, a hot-pressing process, and a final production process. The functional unit is a particleboard with 282 mm × 208 mm × 12 mm dimensions. The life cycle inventory data were obtained from particleboard sheet fabrication on a lab scale. Southeast Asia (Indonesia) and Southern Australia (Victoria) conditions were adopted for geographical background processes, using data from the Ecoinvent V.3.10 database. LCA calculation was conducted using the OpenLCA V.2.1.1 software. The environmental impacts were calculated using the ReCiPe Midpoint 2016 methodology. The results showed that oven drying and pre-treatment drying contributed the most to energy consumption in both regions, accounting for 97.14% at the Indonesian site and 96.49% at the Australian site. The environmental impacts in the Australian context showed higher values in 10 out of 18 categories. The five highest environmental impacts were terrestrial ecotoxicity (5.50 × 102 kg 1,4-DCB in Indonesia, 6.37 × 102 kg 1,4-DCB in Australia), global warming (2.72 × 102 kg CO2 eq in Indonesia, 2.49 × 102 kg CO2 eq in Australia), human non-carcinogenic toxicity (4.65 × 102 kg 1,4-DCB in Indonesia, 4.18 × 102 kg 1,4-DCB in Australia), water consumption (2.50 × 102 m3 in Indonesia, 4.62 × 102 m3 in Australia), and fossil resource scarcity (7.34 × 101 kg oil eq in Indonesia, 6.86 × 101 kg oil eq in Australia). Implementing solar drying and sourcing raw materials from farms closer to the production site could reduce energy consumption by up to 48.57% in Indonesia and 48.24% in Australia. These findings underscore the high energy demand of drying and the importance of site selection in particleboard production
“I’m telling you things nobody wants to hear”: Pablo Chill-E, Chilean trap & música urbana between material excess and urban realism
No full textThis article explores how Pablo Chill-E’s career as a trap and música urbana artist creates a poetics of contradiction that is profoundly linked to the contemporary Chilean experience. This contradiction addresses the tension between, on one hand, the artist’s articulation of a fierce critique of the Chilean neoliberal present as one increasingly characterized by inequality and corruption, and on the other, the appeal to materialistic discourses which are centred on the glorification of individual entrepreneurship as an expression of hip-hop’s “capitalist realism”(Fisher 2009, 16-20). This article focusses on a selection of songs to argue that Chill-E’s seemingly contradictory materialist aesthetic of excess combines with a visceral urban realism that reveals the fault-lines of Chile’s neoliberal experiment and gives voice to those marginalised by it.
Open access: https://doi.org/10.53689/cp.v7i1.28
Development and psychometric evaluation of a patient-reported symptom index for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: the NMIBC-SI
No full textBackground and objective: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a chronic condition requiring frequent follow-up with endoscopic examinations, tumour resections and intravesical treatments. In this clinical context, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have enormous potential to inform treatment assessment and recommendations for NMIBC. We aimed to develop and evaluate a patient-reported NMIBC Symptom Index (NMIBC-SI) to facilitate clinical research and enhance care. Methods: NMIBC-SI items were developed based on existing literature and qualitative interviews with patients and clinicians, and evaluated in two field tests: item reduction, using NMIBC-SI data from 220 patients on active treatment from nine Australian centres; reliability and validity evaluation of item-reduced version using NMIBC-SI data from 232 patients from five countries. Results: NMIBC-SI assesses disease and treatment-related symptom burden and two treatment-specific side-effects (cystoscopy, intravesical BCG/Chemotherapy). Composite analysis supported a single composite model including core symptom and cystoscopy index items (Intravesical index items were not tested due to small sample). Test-retest reliability was strong (range 0.894–0.91). As expected, the NMIBC-SI was able to discriminate between no treatment and any treatment groups, and no treatment and chemo/BCG groups, providing evidence towards validity. Conclusions and clinical implications: NMIBC-SI assesses patients’ self-reported symptom burden and can be used to evaluate NMIBC treatments from the perspective of patients. The NMIBC-SI is acceptable to patients and has evidence for reliability and validity. Future validation work with patients with greater symptom burden is warranted
The mutational landscape and functional effects of noncoding ultraconserved elements in human cancers
No full textThe mutational landscape of phylogenetically ultraconserved elements (UCEs), especially those in noncoding DNAs (ncUCEs), and their functional relevance in cancers remain poorly characterized. Here, we perform a systematic analysis of whole-genome and in-house targeted UCE sequencing datasets from more than 3000 patients with cancer of 13,736 UCEs and demonstrate that ncUCE somatic alterations are common. Using a multiplexed CRISPR knockout screen in colorectal cancer cells, we show that the loss of several altered ncUCEs significantly affects cell proliferation. In-depth functional studies in vitro and in vivo further reveal that specific ncUCEs can be enhancers of tumor suppressors (such as ARID1B) and silencers of oncogenic proteins (such as RPS13). Moreover, several miRNAs located in ncUCEs are recurrently mutated. Mutations in miR-142 locus can affect the Drosha-mediated processing of precursor miRNAs, resulting in the down-regulation of the mature transcript. These results provide systematic evidence that specific ncUCEs play diverse regulatory roles in cancer
Vitamin D Supplementation Is Associated with Inflammation Amelioration and Cognitive Improvement in Decompensated Patients with Cirrhosis
No full textBackground/Objectives: Decompensated cirrhosis is characterized by systemic inflammation and innate and adaptive immune dysfunction. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a prevalent and debilitating condition characterized by cognitive disturbances in which ammonia and inflammation play a synergistic pathogenic role. Extraskeletal functions of vitamin D include immunomodulation, and its deficiency has been implicated in immune dysfunction and different forms of cognitive impairment. The aim was to assess changes in cognitive function and inflammation in decompensated patients with cirrhosis receiving vitamin D supplementation. Methods: Patients with cirrhosis discharged from decompensation in two tertiary hospitals in Spain (from September 2017 to January 2020) were assessed before, at 6 and 12 months after vitamin D supplementation. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery and neuroinflammatory markers were examined. In a subgroup of patients, peripheral immune blood cells were analyzed. Results: Thirty-nine patients were recruited. Of those, 27 completed the 6 months evaluation and were analyzed [age 62.4 ± 11.3 years; 22 men; Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) 11.7 ± 4.0; prior overt HE 33%; median 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) plasma level 12.7 µgr/L] and 22 achieved 12 months assessment. At baseline, learning and memory (R = 0.382; p = 0.049) and working memory (R = 0.503; p = 0.047) subtests correlated with plasma 25OHD levels. In addition, processing speed (R = -0.42; p = 0.04), attention (R = -0.48; p = 0.04), Tinnetti balance (R = -0.656; p < 0.001) and Tinnetti score (R = -0.659; p < 0.001) were linked to neuroinflammation marker IL-1β. Patients with lower 25OHD had a greater proportion of TH1cells at baseline and a larger amelioration of IL-1β and IL-6 following supplementation. An improvement in working memory was found after 25OHD replacement (46.7 ± 13 to 50 ± 11; p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study supports that vitamin D supplementation modulates low-grade inflammation in decompensated cirrhosis providing cognitive benefits, particularly in working memory
Prevalence of co-occurring forms of intimate partner violence against women aged 15–49 and the role of education-related inequalities: analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys across 49 low-income and middle-income countries
No full textBackground: Women experiencing co-occurring forms of intimate partner violence (IPV; ie, physical, sexual, and/or psychological) often face more severe psychological and health consequences than those experiencing a single form. However, research on IPV co-occurrence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains limited. This study examines the prevalence of IPV co-occurrence in LMICs and its education-based inequalities. Methods: Data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys in 49 LMICs (2011–2023) were used. Our primary outcome was IPV co-occurrence, defined as a woman aged 15–49 ever experiencing any two or three forms of physical, sexual, or psychological IPV from her partner within the past year. We categorised IPV co-occurrence into four subtypes: co-occurrence of (1) physical and sexual IPV, (2) physical and psychological IPV, (3) sexual and psychological IPV, and (4) all three forms of IPV. We analysed the prevalence of IPV co-occurrence and its subtypes by women's education levels, calculating odds ratios to assess inequalities. Nonparametric restricted cubic splines were used to explore nonlinear relationships between education and IPV. Findings: The study included a total of 344,661 women. The weighted prevalence of IPV co-occurrence varied widely across countries—from 2.4% in Armenia to 38.9% in Papua New Guinea. Overall, women with no education were most at risk, experiencing an adjusted prevalence of 14.3% (95% CI: 13.3–15.2), compared to 11.8% (95% CI: 10.8–12.9) among those with primary education, 9.9% (95% CI: 9.3–10.6) for secondary education, and 5.3% (95% CI: 4.5–6.2) for higher education. The prevalence of IPV co-occurrence involving sexual IPV was highest among women with primary education, with 4.1% (95% CI: 3.4–4.8) reporting concurrent physical and sexual violence, compared to 1.5% (95% CI: 1.1–1.9) to 3.7% (95% CI: 3.2–4.1) among other education levels. Interpretation: IPV co-occurrence remains high, particularly among women with little or no education. Education-focused interventions are urgently needed to reduce IPV risk and its severe impact. However, the findings may be influenced by potential reporting biases and cross-country variability in IPV measurement methodologies, which may limit generalizability. Funding: The China National Natural Science Foundation (Grant numbers 72203119) and The Research Fund, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University
Social and emotional traits and characteristics of wellbeing and resilience gained from participation in instrumental music in an Australian secondary education context
No full textThis study sought to identify social and emotional traits and characteristics of wellbeing and resilience gained from participation in instrumental music in secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. This involved exploring student perceptions concerning learning experiences and relationships in instrumental music lessons and ensemble activity in Australian (Victorian) secondary school contexts. The extra-curricular Australian context of weekly instrumental lessons during school, and ensemble engagement beyond class time aims to provide engaging and developmental learning. This qualitative study used interviews with n = 32 final year secondary school students across six well-established music schools (n = 3 Government; 3 = Independent) to examine student perceptions of wellbeing and resilience derived from secondary school instrumental music experience. The study reports students' phenomenological lived experience accounts across four facets: the learning relationship, positive emotion, accomplishments and belonging, providing the basis to analysing perceptions of student wellbeing and resilience. Elements including teacher support, social connectedness, self-esteem and music department musicking ecologies highlight the complex and fragile nature of senior instrumental music students’ experiences in instrumental learning, engagement and school music communities, their self-esteem and social connection with peers. This study points to social and cultural elements affecting sustained music learning, engagement, and wellbeing
Gene reactivation upon erosion of X chromosome inactivation in female hiPSCs is predictable yet variable and persists through differentiation
No full textFemale human induced pluripotent stem cells frequently undergo X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) erosion, marked by X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) RNA loss and partial reactivation of the inactive X (Xi). This overlooked phenomenon limits our understanding of its impact on stem cell applications. Here, we show that XCI erosion is frequent and heterogeneous, leading to the reactivation of several X-linked genes. These are primarily located on the short arm of the X chromosome, particularly near escape genes and within H3K27me3-enriched domains, with reactivation linked to reduced promoter DNA methylation. Interestingly, escape genes further increase their expression from Xi upon XCI erosion, highlighting the critical role of XIST in their dosage regulation. Importantly, global (hydroxy)methylation levels and imprinted regions remain unaffected, and analysis of trilineage commitment and cardiomyocyte formation reveals that XCI erosion persists across differentiation. These findings underscore the need for greater awareness of the implications of XCI erosion for stem cell research and clinical applications