Evaluation Of Candidates Research Articles

Dissecting Acute Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Therapeutic Responses of Steatotic Liver Disease Using Primary Mouse Liver and Blood Cells in a Liver-On-A-Chip Model.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is hallmarked by hepatic steatosis, cell injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. This study elaborates on a multicellular biochip-based liver sinusoid model to mimic MASLD pathomechanisms and investigate the therapeutic effects of drug candidates lanifibranor and resmetirom. Mouse liver primary hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, Kupffer cells, and endothelial cells are seeded in a dual-chamber biocompatible liver-on-a-chip (LoC). The LoC is then perfused with circulating immune cells (CICs). Acetaminophen (APAP) and free fatty acids (FFAs) treatment recapitulate acute drug-induced liver injury and MASLD, respectively. As a benchmark for the LoC, multiplex immunofluorescence on livers from APAP-injected and dietary MASLD-induced mice reveals characteristic changes on parenchymal and immune cell populations. APAP exposure induces cell death in the LoC, and increased inflammatory cytokine levels in the circulating perfusate. Under FFA stimulation, lipid accumulation, cellular damage, inflammatory secretome, and fibrogenesis are increased in the LoC, reflecting MASLD. Both injury conditions potentiate CIC migration from the perfusate to the LoC cellular layers. Lanifibranor prevents the onset of inflammation, while resmetirom decreases lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and increases the generation of FFA metabolites in the LoC. This study demonstrates the LoC potential for functional and molecular evaluation of liver disease drug candidates.

Identifying the Sylvian Triangle on CT angiography: A technique for detecting distal middle cerebral artery occlusions.

Medium vessel occlusions (MeVOs), defined as occlusion of the M2/M3 and A2/A3 segments of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery, can be challenging to visualize on CT angiography (CTA) and MR angiography (MRA), given the anatomic complexity of the mid- and distal intracranial vasculature and smaller vessel caliber (Leary MC, Kidwell CS, Villablanca JP, et al. Validation of computed tomographic MCA "dot" sign: an angiographic correlation study. Stroke 2003; 34: 2636-2640; Luijten SPR, Wolff L, Duvekot MHC, et al. Diagnostic performance of an algorithm for automated large vessel occlusion (LVO) detection on CTA. J Neurointerv Surg 2022; 14: 794-798). In turn, the appearance of a sudden vessel cutoff in these vascular distributions on CTA or MRA is not always straightforward and may represent true occlusion, variant anatomy, and/or artifact (Leary MC, Kidwell CS, Villablanca JP, et al. Validation of computed tomographic MCA "dot" sign: an angiographic correlation study. Stroke 2003; 34: 2636-2640; Luijten SPR, Wolff L, Duvekot MHC, et al. Diagnostic performance of an algorithm for automated LVO detection on CTA. J Neurointerv Surg 2022; 14: 794-798). Given the importance of rapidly establishing an accurate diagnosis in the setting of stroke, combined with recent clinical trials and movements promoting the efficacy of endovascular therapeutic approaches to treat MeVOs, it remains imperative to detect such occlusions accurately and quickly on imaging. In turn, we present five imaging patterns of the Sylvian Triangle on sagittal reformatted images from CTA Head examinations, which our practice has utilized to assess patency of the M2 and M3 divisions. This approach is rapidly deployable and can be utilized by radiology and non-radiology healthcare providers alike, thus facilitating rapid and accurate diagnosis of MeVO, timely evaluation of candidacy for endovascular therapy, and ultimately supporting favorable door-to-intervention time and successful patient outcomes.

Rethinking the impact of pretransplant malignancy on eligibility for double lung transplantation (DLT): An analysis of 23,291 recipients.

11180 Background: The outcomes for double lung transplant recipients with a history of pretransplant malignancy (PreTM) have not been extensively studied in a large, multicenter database. Given the rising need for transplants among older patients with a history of cancer and the improving outcomes of DLT, this study aimed to analyze recipient outcomes in the modern era. Methods: This study evaluated the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry for adult DLT performed between 2005 and 2023. Patients with a history of previous or multi-organ transplants, and those with donors who had a history of malignancy, were excluded. Propensity-score matching was used to compare patients with or without PreTM. Posttransplant malignancies (PostTM) were classified into cutaneous and non-cutaneous types. The primary outcomes were overall and PostTM-free survival. Results: Of the 23,291 DLT recipients, 1,870 recipients (8.0%) had a history of PreTM, which was classified into twelve types. Patients with PreTM experienced worse overall (HR 1.20 [95% CI 1.12-1.29], p<0.001) and PostTM-free survival (HR 1.32 [95% CI 1.24-1.41], p<0.001). After propensity-score matching for age, sex, and race, the differences in overall survival between the two groups were diminished (HR 1.05 [95% CI 0.97-1.13], p=0.229). Although PostTM-free survival was still worse in the PreTM group, this difference was not observed after excluding cutaneous PostTM (HR 1.06 [95% CI 0.99-1.15], p=0.116). The incidence of PostTM of the same PreTM type among patients with PreTM was 13.5% (253/1870), which was not higher than the incidence of de novo PostTM incidence among patients without PreTM (p=0.633). Conclusions: Patients with PreTM show similar overall survival rates after DLT as those without PreTM, despite a higher incidence of PostTM, mainly cutaneous. Importantly, there is no increased risk of the original cancer type recurring in PreTM patients compared to the risk of de novo malignancy. These findings highlight the necessity for a more nuanced evaluation of transplant candidacy to prevent premature exclusion of PreTM patients from potentially life-saving surgeries. [Table: see text]

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO BETTER OVERALL EVALUATIONS WHEN APPLYING FOR A JOB? SOCIABILITY OR COMPETENCE? THE ROLES OF TRAIT AND WORK SETTING IN GAINING POSITIVE OVERALL EVALUATIONS

Job candidate evaluation is relevant for any organization, however the factors which lead to positive evaluations have been argued upon by researchers, mainly stating their differing opinions on the context of the job and the climate of the organization. This paper investigates whether trait and setting have an impact on candidate evaluation, and if they do, which factor has the most influence. The study used a 2x2 experimental between-subjects design, with overall evaluation as the measured variable. Trait was measured through sociability and competence. Setting was defined as either working from home or at the company office. The hypotheses of the paper were the following; Candidates scoring higher on sociability will receive more positive overall evaluations, this relationship will be stronger for those candidates who are expected to work physically from the office. 267 participants completed a questionnaire assessing their decision in hiring a candidate who is high in sociability or competence, while also including the job setting as an influencing factor in this model. After analyzing the data, it was found that sociability does in fact lead to more positive overall evaluations. The results led to the conclusion, that the candidate who was more sociable rather than competent was chosen by raters. Setting did not have a significant interaction effect with trait, concluding that working remotely, or at the company office does not affect the respondent’s choice on preferring sociability over competence in a potential candidate.

Partisan and/or Gender Homophily: The Influence of Social Identity-Based Elaboration on Political Candidate Evaluation

Employing social identity theory, this study explores the interaction of gender and party variables in political elections. We used an experimental approach with a two (man/woman) x two (Republican/Democrat) design, in which participants viewed a political website, to assess the influence of shared and competing identities in candidate evaluations as well as the mechanisms of influence. Upholding previous findings, we found that a candidate’s partisan identity carried significantly more weight than their gender identity. Extending previous findings, results reveal that shared identities increase feelings of homophily, which biases elaboration about the candidate. This identity-biased elaboration influences attitudes and voting decisions.

#165 Substantial variation in the evaluation of kidney transplant recipient candidates prior to waitlisting: a worldwide scoping review

Abstract Background and Aims Before patients with end stage kidney disease can undergo kidney transplantation, their suitability is assessed through a transplantation work-up. Several international guidelines have outlined the most important factors in determining patient suitability for kidney transplantation, but there is little agreement among them and it is unclear whether their recommendations have been adopted into clinical practice. Variation in the evaluation of kidney transplant recipient candidates could contribute to inefficiency and inequality in accessing the transplant waiting list and kidney transplantation. Therefore, the standardization of pre-waitlisting practice patterns is desirable and in line with recommendations from Europe [1] and the US [2]. An overview of publications on pre-waitlisting practices for kidney transplantation is needed to increase the transparency of kidney transplant recipient candidacy evaluation and is a first step towards the standardization of pre-waitlisting procedures. To date, such an overview has not been performed. Therefore, our aim was to conduct a scoping review on the evaluation of kidney transplant recipient candidates prior to waitlisting, investigating: (a) the content of the transplantation work-up; (b) contraindications to waitlisting; and (c) the organization of the transplantation work-up. Method A systematic search was conducted in Ovid Medline and Ovid EMBASE in collaboration with a medical information specialist. Studies reporting practice patterns on the evaluation of adults receiving their first kidney graft from a deceased donor were included. Studies were excluded if they only reported: on pediatric patients; from the perspective of the patients; practice patterns following waitlisting; COVID-19-related changes to practice patterns; and results from novelty screening methods used to evaluate kidney transplant recipient candidates without evidence that these methods were also used in clinical practice. Results Results from 40 studies were summarized, of which a majority were conducted in Europe (n = 11) and the US (n = 21). The content of the transplantation work-up varied widely between studied centers. Results show that the presence of a written transplantation work-up was common in the US, UK, and Norway, while in other countries, the presence of a written transplantation work-up protocol was not reported. Common domains within the transplantation work-up included screening for infections, heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and malignancy. A wide range of contraindications to waitlisting were reported. The criteria for contraindications related to obesity and age/frailty varied between studied centers and appear to have changed over time. In general, the organization of the transplantation work-up (e.g. the referral process, the transplant care team, and the use of multidisciplinary meetings) was comparable across studied centers, but differences were observed in the way the transplantation work-up was carried out. Conclusion This is the first review summarizing practice patterns related to the evaluation of kidney transplant recipient candidates prior to waitlisting. Results showed substantial variation in the evaluation of kidney transplant recipient candidates and pre-waitlisting practice patterns globally. These findings contribute to increasing the transparency of pre-waitlisting practice patterns, as was endorse by EU and US recommendations. In turn, this may aid in standardizing criteria used to evaluate kidney transplant recipient candidates prior to waitlisting, which could improve kidney transplantation access and outcomes.

Men of Color, Linked Fate, and Support for Women of Color Candidates

Abstract Scholars are increasingly interested in “of color” identities. Yet, studies of “of color” identities have neglected attention to the gendered identities of men who could be categorized as “of color.” Meanwhile, women of color are playing a growing role in US politics as candidates and elected officials but are underrepresented in comparison with their presence in the population. We investigate whether Black and Latino men express a “men of color” linked fate and whether it has implications for support for women candidates of color. We seek to understand how Black and Latino men’s gender, race, and “of color” identities impact their evaluations of women candidates who are Black, Latina, and “of color” to better understand coalitional possibilities across gender and race lines. We find that Black and Latino men subscribe to “men of color” linked fate, with political consequences.

#1349 Importance of malnutrition and frailty in kidney transplant waiting list

Abstract Background and Aims Malnutrition and frailty predict postoperative complications. Recently, in an effort to assess nutritional status modified quantitative subjective global assessment (QSGA) systems have been devised in which scores are assigned for items or components of the SGA. This prospective study evaluated relationship QSGA and frailty assessment methods in patients waiting for kidney transplantation. Method We operated a fully quantitative scoring system consisting of 7 variables: weight changes, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional capacity, comorbidity, subcutaneous fat, and sign of muscle wasting. Each component was assigned a score from 1 (normal) to 5 (very severe). The sum of all seven components in this malnutrition score lies between 7 (normal) and 35 (severely malnourished). To evaluate frailty status, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Revised Risk Analysis Index (RAI), Karnofsky Frailty Score, Hand Grip Strength (HGS) methods were used. Three hundred and sixty patients (143 women and 217 men) were randomly selected from kidney transplant waiting list. Patients were aged between 21 and 82 years (56 ± 12.8) and had undergone hemodialysis for between 0 and 240 months (33.3 ± 34.6). Results The malnutrition score of each patient was assessed by a dietitian within 5-10 min. Pearson correlation coefficients showed positive correlation between the QSGA score and duration of hemodialysis (r = +0.52), age (r = +0.21), EPTS (+0.29) and RAI ((+0.25). QSGA showed negative correlation with Karnofsky score (r = −.30), SPPB (r = −.40), HGS (r = −.20). Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation between QSGA score and the combination of duration of hemodialysis, severity of RAI index, BMI and SPPB (R2 = 0.32, p = 0.00). Conclusion In addition to frailty assessment, the QSGA system may be additional method for evaluation of patients on the kidney transplant waiting list. More comparative studies are required to confirm the validity of this scoring system in nutritional evaluation of renal transplant candidates.

Opacity in classic and derivational optimality theory: Tiberian Hebrew Spirantization and Polisho-Raising

Classic Optimality Theory treats phonological computation as a one-step parallel evaluation of output candidates. Such an approach does not handle well phonological opacity, in which the context of phonological processes is obscured on the surface. This article shows two examples of phonological opacity: Tiberian Hebrew Spirantization and Polish o-Raising. While these mappings are impossible to account for in classic OT, they are readily analyzed using the framework of Derivational OT.

Advancing vaccine development: Evaluation of a mannose-modified lipid nanoparticle-based candidate for African swine fever p30 mRNA vaccine eliciting robust immune response in mice

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) continues to pose significant economic and pandemic risks. Consequently, discovering new, efficient vaccines is crucial. Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have emerged as promising candidates, providing minimal risk of insertional mutagenesis, high safety profiles, effectiveness, rapid scalability in production, and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we have developed an ASF p30 mRNA vaccine candidate (mRNA/Man-LNP) employing mannose-modified lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The mRNA/Man-LNP exhibited effective antigen presentation and facilitated dendritic cells (DCs) maturation. Notably, it elicited strong IgG titers and activated CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in immunized mice, all while adhering to stringent biosafety standards. This investigation demonstrates that mRNA/Man-LNP can trigger both humoral and cellular immune responses, suggesting its potential as a potent and promising vaccine candidate for controlling African swine fever (ASF).

The Greater Effects of Sexual Harassment: A Conjoint Analysis Assessing Variation in Political Scandal Effects on Candidate Evaluations in the UK

The Greater Effects of Sexual Harassment: A Conjoint Analysis Assessing Variation in Political Scandal Effects on Candidate Evaluations in the UK

Choosing asylum seekers from afar: the case of Lebanon-France humanitarian corridors

This article explores the mechanisms of the French humanitarian corridors in Lebanon, examining the stages of evaluation and selection of candidates for this program. The author develops a network approach by presenting the interrelation-ships between the signatory associations of the HC and the French authorities. With the development of legal channels at European level, the author presents the context in which these HC were created. The concept of vulnerability, used in the assessment of candidates for the corridors, is then examined and explained at the various stages of selection, based on a fieldwork in Lebanon. The vulnerability evaluation carried out by the associations and then by the French authorities tends to legitimize the delivery of a form of asylum from afar, outside the borders of the European Union.

The Effect of Elite Cues on Policy Attitudes through the Lens of Affective Polarization in Taiwan

The personalization of politics and elite polarization have attracted considerable scholarly attention. We conducted an online experimental survey on policy proposals and voters’ evaluations of candidates during the 2020 Taiwanese presidential election. We see an elite effect on voters’ policy attitudes when controlling for party-related factors. The effect shows up as a negative cue but not as a positive cue. Moreover, the negative effect varies by candidate. These findings suggest that in policy attitude formation, opposition to a candidate has a stronger effect than liking a candidate. Overall, this study extends our understanding of the elite effect from the perspective of personalized politics with evidence from the Taiwanese electoral context. This information is critical not only for understanding the political consequences of polarization but also for understanding how it relates to opinion formation among citizens.

Clinical Practice Guideline: Age-Related Hearing Loss Executive Summary.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a prevalent but often underdiagnosed and undertreated condition among individuals aged 50 and above. It is associated with various sociodemographic factors and health risks including dementia, depression, cardiovascular disease, and falls. While the causes of ARHL and its downstream effects are well defined, there is a lack of priority placed by clinicians as well as guidance regarding the identification, education, and management of this condition. The purpose of this clinical practice guideline is to identify quality improvement opportunities and provide clinicians trustworthy, evidence-based recommendations regarding the identification and management of ARHL. These opportunities are communicated through clear actionable statements with an explanation of the support in the literature, the evaluation of the quality of the evidence, and recommendations on implementation. The target patients for the guideline are any individuals aged 50 years and older. The target audience is all clinicians in all care settings. This guideline is intended to focus on evidence-based quality improvement opportunities judged most important by the Guideline Development Group (GDG). It is not intended to be a comprehensive, general guide regarding the management of ARHL. The statements in this guideline are not intended to limit or restrict care provided by clinicians based on their experience and assessment of individual patients. The GDG made strong recommendations for the following key action statements (KASs): (KAS 4) If screening suggests hearing loss, clinicians should obtain or refer to a clinician who can obtain an audiogram. (KAS 8) Clinicians should offer, or refer to a clinician who can offer, appropriately fit amplification to patients with ARHL. (KAS 9) Clinicians should refer patients for an evaluation of cochlear implantation candidacy when patients have appropriately fit amplification and persistent hearing difficulty with poor speech understanding. The GDG made recommendations for the following KASs: (KAS 1) Clinicians should screen patients aged 50 years and older for hearing loss at the time of a health care encounter. (KAS 2) If screening suggests hearing loss, clinicians should examine the ear canal and tympanic membrane with otoscopy or refer to a clinician who can examine the ears for cerumen impaction, infection, or other abnormalities. (KAS 3) If screening suggests hearing loss, clinicians should identify sociodemographic factors and patient preferences that influence access to and utilization of hearing health care. (KAS 5) Clinicians should evaluate and treat or refer to a clinician who can evaluate and treat patients with significant asymmetric hearing loss, conductive or mixed hearing loss, or poor word recognition on diagnostic testing. (KAS 6) Clinicians should educate and counsel patients with hearing loss and their family/care partner(s) about the impact of hearing loss on their communication, safety, function, cognition, and quality of life. (KAS 7) Clinicians should counsel patients with hearing loss on communication strategies and assistive listening devices. (KAS 10) For patients with hearing loss, clinicians should assess if communication goals have been met and if there has been improvement in hearing-related quality of life at a subsequent health care encounter or within 1 year. The GDG offered the following KASas an option: (KAS 11) Clinicians should assess hearing at least every 3 years in patients with known hearing loss or with reported concern for changes in hearing.

Duocarmycin SA Reduces Proliferation and Increases Apoptosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells In Vitro.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy that is characterized by an expansion of immature myeloid precursors. Despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis of AML patients remains poor and there is a need for the evaluation of promising therapeutic candidates to treat the disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of duocarmycin Stable A (DSA) in AML cells in vitro. We hypothesized that DSA would induce DNA damage in the form of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and exert cytotoxic effects on AML cells within the picomolar range. Human AML cell lines Molm-14 and HL-60 were used to perform 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), DNA DSBs, cell cycle, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation unit (CFU), Annexin V, RNA sequencing and other assays described in this study. Our results showed that DSA induced DNA DSBs, induced cell cycle arrest at the G2M phase, reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in AML cells. Additionally, RNA sequencing results showed that DSA regulates genes that are associated with cellular processes such as DNA repair, G2M checkpoint and apoptosis. These results suggest that DSA is efficacious in AML cells and is therefore a promising potential therapeutic candidate that can be further evaluated for the treatment of AML.

Cost-effective evaluation of Aptamer candidates in SELEX-based Aptamer isolation

Aptamers are short, single-stranded nucleic acids with high affinity and specificity for various targets, making them valuable in diagnostics and therapeutics. Their isolation traditionally involves a time-consuming and costly process called SELEX. While SELEX methods have evolved to improve binding and amplification, the crucial step of aptamer identification from sequencing data remains expensive and often overlooked. Common identification methods require modification of aptamer candidates with labels like biotin or fluorescent dyes, which becomes costly and cumbersome for high-throughput sequencing data. This paper presents an efficient and cost-effective approach to streamline aptamer identification. It employs asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to generate modified single-stranded DNA copies of aptamer candidates, simplifying the modification process. By using excess modified forward primers and limited reverse primers, this method reduces costs since only unmodified candidates need to be synthesized initially. The approach was demonstrated with an IgE protein aptamer and successfully applied to identify aptamers from a pool of 12 candidates against a monoclonal antibody. The validity of the results was further confirmed through the direct synthesis of fluorophore-conjugated aptamer candidates, yielding consistent outcomes while reducing the cost by threefold. This approach addresses a critical bottleneck in aptamer discovery by significantly reducing the time and cost associated with aptamer identification, facilitating aptamer-based research and making aptamers more accessible for various applications in diagnostics and therapeutics.

Blockchain Based Placement Management System And Job Recommendation Using Content-Based Filtering

The integration of blockchain technology with placement management systems and job recommendation mechanisms presents a robust solution for enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and security of the recruitment process. This paper proposes a Blockchain-based Placement Management System (BPMS) coupled with Content-Based Filtering (CBF) techniques to streamline the job matching process for both job seekers and recruiters. The BPMS leverages the decentralized nature of blockchain to ensure immutable records of job listings, candidate profiles, and transactional data, thereby reducing the risk of fraudulent activities and ensuring data integrity. Smart contracts are utilized to automate various aspects of the recruitment process, such as job application submissions, candidate evaluations, and offer acceptance, facilitating trustless interactions between parties.In parallel, the CBF approach is employed to provide personalized job recommendations to candidates based on the analysis of their skills, qualifications, and preferences. By analyzing the content of job descriptions and candidate profiles, the system generates tailored recommendations that match the expertise and interests of the candidates, improving the likelihood of successful placements.The proposed system offers several advantages over traditional placement management systems, including increased transparency, reduced operational costs, minimized bias in job recommendations, and enhanced security of sensitive data. Through the synergy of blockchain technology and content-based filtering techniques, the BPMS aims to revolutionize the recruitment industry by fostering trust, efficiency, and fairness in the job market.

Abstract LB365: Generation of a novel severely immunodeficient Sprague Dawley rat model for xenograft studies

Abstract The recombinant-activating gene 2 (Rag2) plays a critical role in the recombination of the immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes during the maturation of T and B cells. Loss of Rag2 protein leads to a lack of functional T and B cells, which eliminates the adaptive immune response. However, Rag2 deficiency alone may not guarantee the success of xenograft implantation, due to NK cells and other innate cells remaining. Il2rg is a key component of several cytokine receptors involved in differentiation and/or function of numerous adaptive and innate immune cells, including NK cells, mast cells, basophils, and dendritic cells. To generate a more severely immunodeficient rat model, both the Rag2 and Il2rg genes were knocked out in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats; this model was termed B-SDG rats. The immune profile and organ weights of thymus and spleen were investigated in B-SDG rats in comparison with Rag2-/- and wild-type SD rats. The spleen weights of both Rag2-/- and B-SDG rats were similar, but significantly reduced compared to wild-type SD rats. Notably, the thymus weights of B-SDG male rats were significantly smaller than those of Rag2-/- males. The immune cell profiles in thymus, spleen and blood were next evaluated by flow cytometry. A complete lack of B and T cells was observed in both Rag2-/- and B-SDG rats. B-SDG rats lacked CD161+ NK cells in the spleen and blood, which were maintained in Rag2-/- rats. Dendritic cells, monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils were detected in all strains. In vivo xenograft implantation with human lung, bladder, breast, pancreas, acute monocytic and myelomonocytic leukemia tumor cell lines was next evaluated in B-SDG rats, which demonstrated successful engraftment. Furthermore, several efficacy studies were performed in B-SDG rats, including cisplatin chemotherapy on human breast invasive ductal carcinoma cell (HCC1954) and human large cell lung cancer cell (NCI-H460) xenografts, and a HER2-targeting ADC therapy was tested in B-SDG rats harboring human non-small cell lung cancer tumors (NCI-H1975). Taken together, these data confirm that B-SDG rats provide a powerful immunodeficient model for preclinical in vivo evaluation of novel drug candidates. Citation Format: Yanhui Nie, Meiqi Zhang, Wanling Zhong, Jia Feng, Bahetiyaer Huwatibieke, Zhaoxue Yu. Generation of a novel severely immunodeficient Sprague Dawley rat model for xenograft studies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB365.

How is your loyalty programme going? A framework for a loyalty programme performance indication system

One of the root causes of the failure of membership programmes introduced by many companies is the lack of a systematic performance evaluation framework that can design, monitor and evaluate membership programmes tailored to the company’s own circumstances. This paper proposes a loyalty programme performance evaluation framework called MemPIS to help use the loyalty programme as a strategic platform for digital customer management and to provide a standard for optimising a company's loyalty programme. Using the MemPIS framework, this paper emphasises profitability, stability, growth potential and activeness of membership when evaluating programmes from a financial perspective, and suitability of tier design, reward design, point design and membership operation for the evaluation of programmes from a non-financial perspective. After developing candidate evaluation indicators and measurable matrixes for each evaluated subject, these are applied to a Korean cosmetics company to test the practical validity of the research and to suggest improvements to the membership programme to the company. Weights for all evaluative perspectives, subjects and indicators evaluated were calculated through AHP analysis. This research found that MemPIS can not only reveal the problems of a company's membership programme, but also suggest directions for improvement in the future.

The role of psychology and neuropsychology in pediatric epilepsy surgery evaluation

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological problems affecting 470,000 children in the United States. While most youth will achieve seizure freedom using medication, up to a third will continue to have seizures and are therefore considered to have drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Children and adolescents with epilepsy are at higher risk of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional disorders. Youth with DRE are at even greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems impacting quality of life and may need to pursue surgical interventions, including resective surgery or device implantation. Due to advances in the evaluation of candidates and surgical options, epilepsy surgery is more effective and has become second-line treatment for youth with DRE. This paper highlights the importance of exploring, assessing, and treating psychological and neuropsychological factors throughout the three phases of the epilepsy surgery process and ways pediatricians can support youth and families.