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Within-Family Association between Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Coparenting Support Spanning the First 9 Years of Child Life: A Dyadic, Cross-Lagged Approach
No full textPurpose: Although the link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and coparenting has been widely observed, little is known regarding the temporal dynamics of their association over time at the within-family level or among parent dyads. Guided by the family systems theory, this study combined the Autoregressive Latent Trajectory with Structured Residuals (ALT-SR) Model and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to delineate how IPV victimization and coparenting support relate to each other (i.e., spillover) and transmit across mothers and fathers (i.e., crossover) over time. Methods: Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted using longitudinal, dyadic data from 2,406 couples over 4 waves spanning the first 9 years of child life (i.e., child 1, 3, 5, and 9 years old). The data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). Results: Across waves and at the within-family level, both mothers’ and fathers’ earlier reports of IPV victimization unidirectionally and negatively predicted their partners’ later coparenting support. Mothers’ earlier IPV victimization also unidirectionally and negatively predicted their own subsequent coparenting support (reported by fathers). Fathers’ earlier coparenting support (reported by mothers) unidirectionally and negatively predicted mothers’ later IPV victimization rather than their own. No associations were identified between mothers’ coparenting support (reported by fathers) and their own or fathers’ IPV victimization. The association between IPV and coparenting support remained stable from infancy to middle childhood. Conclusions: Both spillover and crossover processes may apply to the link between IPV victimization and coparenting support within the family, offering some unique insights for the designs of interventions aimed at combating IPV and enhancing coparenting functioning
Electrical power potential of a wave energy converter using an active mechanical motion rectifier based power take-off
No full textFor wave energy converters (WECs), power take-off (PTO) design used to be all about increasing efficiency. Recently, more emphasis has been placed on the control execution capabilities of PTOs. The active mechanical motion rectifier (AMMR) is such a design that balances efficiency and controllability. However, the intrinsic nonlinearity brought by switching of its active clutches makes it difficult to evaluate the optimal power the PTO can achieve. This paper introduces a power evaluation method that can approximate the optimal power within tractable time. A larger control space is explored by making the control state-independent as a polynomial function of time. Periodical states are solved analytically under a symmetric switching scheme, leading to an analytical expression of the power in terms of the polynomial coefficients, which significantly speeds up the optimization process. This new method also enables the direct evaluation of electrical power output based on a linear modelling of the PTO drivetrain and the generator. A complete WEC model including an oscillating surge flap, the AMMR PTO, and a generator with a controllable load is represented as an equivalent circuit to analyze various mechanical and electrical responses of the device under regular waves. Particle swarm optimization is employed to find the optimal polynomial coefficients leading to the upper bound power potential. It is found that for the flap structure, an AMMR PTO increases electrical power by 10–30 % over a conventional PTO near the resonance period, where motion rectification is the most beneficial. Hardware-in-loop tests were performed on a small-scale PTO prototype, with damping control of the generator. Experimental results show 10–120 % power enhancement compared to a conventional mechanical PTO. This suggests the AMMR PTO can be particularly useful when reactive power is not available.</p
Fifth carpometacarpal dislocation accompanying fourth metacarpal fracture: an easily missed diagnosis
No full textBarriers to digital services trade: Evaluation of their restrictiveness with application of Brier Score
No full textResearch background:The improvement in digital transmission has driven the rapid development of digital services trade; however, it comes with more barriers to it. International comparisons of the restriction levels of digital services trade are crucial for promoting its liberalization, thereby obtaining economic gains. To provide a reliable measurement of barri ers to digital services trade, it is necessary to construct a reasonable evaluation index system and ensure the objectivity of the determination of measurement indicator weights. Purpose of the article: This study aims to develop a novel method for measuring the restrictiveness of barriers to digital services trade, revealing the current barriers to digital services trade in various economies. Methods: This study establishes an evaluation index system for barriers to digital services trade by using the Brier Score to screen original evaluation indicators. Then, based on the established evaluation index system, the Brier Score is used to hierarchically determine the weights of evaluation indicators. Additionally, it compares the barriers to digital services trade from the total evaluation index and the evaluation index in five policy areas. Findings & value added: Comparative analyses show that most economies have restrictive policies in digital services trade, and they are mainly implemented through two policy areas: infrastructure and payment system. In these two areas, economies face barriers related to digital infrastructure, discriminatory access to payment settlement methods. We also make methodological contributions by using a novel method to measure the restrictiveness of barriers to digital services trade. To the best of our knowledge, no study has integrated the Brier Score with trade policy analysis. Our method improves the overall trade restriction evaluation capability of the evaluation index system and ensures that the weights reflect the level of trade restrictions on the measurement indicators.</p
Exosomes in cancer nanomedicine: biotechnological advancements and innovations
Full text linkExosomes, as natural intercellular messengers, are gaining prominence as delivery vehicles in nanomedicine, offering a superior alternative to conventional synthetic nanoparticles for cancer therapeutics. Unlike lipid, polymer, or metallic nanoparticles, which often face challenges related to immunogenicity, targeting precision, and off-tumor toxicity, exosomes can effectively encapsulate a diverse range of therapeutic agents while exhibiting low toxicity, favorable pharmacokinetics, and organotropic properties. This review examines recent advancements in exosome bioengineering over the past decade. Innovations such as microfluidics-based platforms, nanoporation, fusogenic hybrids, and genetic engineering have significantly improved loading efficiencies, production scalability, and pharmacokinetics of exosomes. These advancements facilitate tumor-specific cargo delivery, resulting in substantial improvements in retention and efficacy essential for clinical success. Moreover, enhanced biodistribution, targeting, and bioavailability—through strategies such as cell selection, surface modifications, membrane composition alterations, and biomaterial integration—suggests a promising future for exosomes as an ideal nanomedicine delivery platform. We also highlight the translational impact of these strategies through emerging clinical trials. Additionally, we outline a framework for clinical translation that focuses on: cargo selection, organotropic cell sourcing, precision loading methodologies, and route-specific delivery optimization. In summary, this review emphasizes the potential of exosomes to overcome the pharmacokinetic and safety challenges that have long impeded oncology drug development, thus enabling safer and more effective cancer treatments.published_or_final_versio
Enabling FAIR data stewardship in complex international multi-site studies: Data Operations for the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia Program
No full textModern research management, particularly for publicly funded studies, assumes a data governance model in which grantees are considered stewards rather than owners of important data sets. Thus, there is an expectation that collected data are shared as widely as possible with the general research community. This presents problems in complex studies that involve sensitive health information. The latter requires balancing participant privacy with the needs of the research community. Here, we report on the data operation ecosystem crafted for the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia project, an international observational study of young individuals at clinical high risk for developing a psychotic disorder. We review data capture systems, data dictionaries, organization principles, data flow, security, quality control protocols, data visualization, monitoring, and dissemination through the NIMH Data Archive platform. We focus on the interconnectedness of these steps, where our goal is to design a seamless data flow and an alignment with the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles while balancing local regulatory and ethical considerations. This process-oriented approach leverages automated pipelines for data flow to enhance data quality, speed, and collaboration, underscoring the project’s contribution to advancing research practices involving multisite studies of sensitive mental health conditions. An important feature is the data’s close-to-real-time quality assessment (QA) and quality control (QC). The focus on close-to-real-time QA/QC makes it possible for a subject to redo a testing session, as well as facilitate course corrections to prevent repeating errors in future data acquisition. Watch Dr. Sylvain Bouix discuss his work and this article: https://vimeo.com/1025555648.</p
Experiential Transmediality in the Classroom
No full textThe experience of transmediality in the classroom can mean “the application of storytelling techniques combined with the use of multiple platforms to create an immersive learning landscape which enables multivarious entry and exit points for learning and teaching” (Fleming, 2013). Its popularity with higher education pedagogies and research is highly attributed to advances in digital technologies, with which teaching and learning can take place in a hybrid environment, where the onsite-online boundary becomes blurred (Tombleson, 2024). This presentation aims to revisit and revitalize the classroom as a space originally constructed for face-to-face teacher-student and student-student interactions. As creative writing and media communications teachers, we argue that even when digital technologies play a secondary role, we can still experience a transmedial learning environment in the classroom without sacrificing students’ engagement and learning motivation. In this presentation, we focus on two cases where the co-authors designed and delivered what they call here “transmedial lectures”. Both lectures aimed at immersing students in experiencing transmediality creatively by involving them in sequences of interrelated and interactive activities, where digital technologies were used primarily to facilitate communication in a mass lecture attended by more than a hundred students. We did not see this experiential transmediality as transgressing traditional and digital media boundaries. Instead, we promoted the idea that experiential transmediality transgresses any and all boundaries. In one case, for example, the lecturer assigned students into groups, where they started with assembling a poetry collage, using it as the basis for a mixed-media installation and, subsequently, a stage performance. In an intensively interactive environment like this, students discovered the meaning of transmediality through hands-on, collaborative tasks, necessitating face-to-face interactions with both each other and the lecturer. Through these case studies, it is hoped that we teachers, whilst navigating the ever-expanding arena of educational technologies, and especially in light of recent advances in AI, reconsider the value of an experiential transmediality that goes beyond virtual engagement, where digital technologies are only one of the many pedagogical tools available to the contemporary educator.ReferencesFleming, L. (2013). Expanding learning opportunities with transmedia practices: Inanimate Alice as an exemplar. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 5(2), 370-377. https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-5-2-3Tombleson, B. (2024). Transmedia learning: a literature review. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 33(2), 255-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2024.2310681</p
Isospin Symmetry Breaking in the 71Kr and 71Br Mirror System
No full textIsospin symmetry is a fundamental concept in nuclear physics. Even though isospin symmetry is partially broken, it holds approximately for most nuclear systems, which makes exceptions very interesting from the nuclear structure perspective. In this framework, it is expected that the spins and parities of the ground states of mirror nuclei should be the same, in particular for the simplest systems where a proton is exchanged with a neutron or vice versa. In this Letter, we present evidence that this assumption is broken in the mirror pair 71Br and 71Kr system. Our conclusions are based on a high-statistics decay study of 71Kr and on state-of-the-art shell model calculations. In our work, we also found evidence of a new state in 70Se, populated in the -delayed proton emission process which can be interpreted as the long sought coexisting 0+ state.</p
Cholangitis is associated with liver fibrosis in choledochal cyst patients [Oral presentation]
No full textPurpose: Most choledochal cyst patients carry favourable prognosis post-surgery, a minority may experience liver fibrosis. This study explores the use of liver transient elastography to monitor for any progression of liver fibrosis and evaluate potential risk factors.Method: Seventy patients with choledochal cyst received surgery between 2000-2022. Operative details, biochemical profiles, episodes of cholangitis, and contrast studies for biliary reflux were evaluated. A single experienced operator performed liver stiffness measurements using FibroScan for all patients, with 6.7 kilopascal (kPa) taken as the upper limit of normal.Results: At least one set of liver fibrosis score by FibroScan was obtained from 42 patients, with initial measurement at median 71 months post-operatively. Median fibrosis score was 4.26 kPa (IQR 3.5-5.3 kPa). Four patients (9.5%) had measurements compatible with fibrosis (6.9-10.8 kPa) and post-operative episodes of cholangitis (50% vs 7.9%, pThe liver was found to be more stiff in patients with reflux into biliary tree upon contrast studies (3.87 vs 4.89, p=0.049) and those with post-operative episodes of cholangitis (4.38 vs 7.47, pTwelve patients who demonstrated fibrotic features in intraoperative liver biopsy showed subsequent recovery with comparable fibrosis scores as those with no previous histological fibrosis (4.26 vs 4.99, p=0.143). Serial liver stiffness measurements were performed for seventeen patients at a mean of 45 months, none has shown progression to liver fibrosis. Conclusion: Cholangitis imposes higher risk of fibrosis in choledochal cyst patients as evidenced by the detrimental effect on liver stiffness. Effort should be made to prevent cholangitis. Serial testing of transient liver elastography can acts as a non-invasive tool to closely monitor for any progression to liver fibrosis. published_or_final_versio
