Forward Look Research Articles

Molecular profiling in MPN: who should have it and why?

Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of blood cancers that result from somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem cells, causing constitutive activation of JAK-STAT signaling pathways with consequent overproduction of 1 or more myeloid lineages. The initiating event in MPN pathogenesis is a genetic mutation, and consequently molecular profiling is central to the diagnosis, risk stratification, and, increasingly, monitoring of therapy response in persons with MPN. In this review we summarize current approaches to molecular profiling of classical MPNs (essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis), using illustrative clinical case histories to demonstrate how genetic analysis is already fully integrated into MPN diagnostic classification and prognostic risk stratification. Molecular profiling can also be used in MPN to measure response to therapy both in clinical trials and increasingly in routine clinical practice. Taking a forward look, we discuss how molecular profiling in MPN might be used in the future to select specific molecularly targeted therapies and the role of additional genetic methodologies beyond mutation analysis.

Finance Research and the UN Sustainable Development Goals – An analysis and forward look

The relationship between academic finance research and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) has gained increasing attention over recent years. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between the UN SDGs and scholarly output in financial journals from 2010 to 2022. Utilizing a framework that combines fuzzy matching, bibliometric analysis, and topic modelling techniques, the research traces the evolution of finance research and its alignment with the UN SDGs. Our findings indicate that academic finance research is unevenly spread across the SDG’s. Key areas around the natural world, sustainability and climate change are underresearched. The implications of our study are significant for both academic scholars and policymakers, suggesting a need for strategic redirection in research priorities to better support global sustainability initiatives in the future.

Modal ordered shape factors as radar feature set

AbstractThe characteristic polarisation states form a second layer feature set by reflecting shape attributes about that target, enabling better identification performance of the resonance signature. These shape factors reflect a structure's curvature extent, dihedral degree between corners, and the axial ratio between principal axes by determining two characteristic angles associated with the null polarisation state and a ratio of the optimum maximum and minimum received powers, respectively. However, the accuracy of the shape factors degrades with a poorly estimated resonance signature caused by noise, missing resonance due to occlusion or ambiguity in late time onset. Thus, the authors aim to reduce the effect of these problems using an ensemble average to filter noise and enhance the signal strength, properly selecting a modal order to ensure modal consistency of the signature and decay sum (DS) to select the late time onset properly to avoid missing resonance within the polarisation matrix. Finally, a paradigm of two jetfighters validated the factors' discriminative potential across an azimuth plane of low depression angle. The results showed that a DS around 0.4 improves the estimated factors over most resonance modes and azimuth directions. At most target aspects, the first‐order shape factors consistently predicted a dominant parallel wedge‐shaped structure, while the second‐order shape factors consistently predicted a trough‐shaped structure; finally, the third‐order factors revealed wedge‐shape attributes at forward look aspects but trough‐shaped attributes at backward look aspects.

A Forward Look from the Society's Present and Past Presidents.

A Forward Look from the Society's Present and Past Presidents.

Finance Research and the UN Sustainable Development Goals – an analysis and forward look

Finance Research and the UN Sustainable Development Goals – an analysis and forward look

A forward look at the alteration of the weather forecast by artificial intelligence

Most modern weather forecasts are accomplished by atmospheric simulations based on physics models. This method requires a lot of processing time due to the massive amount of computing work. Meanwhile, accuracy faces a limit due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere. As machine learning gets better and becomes more involved in society, which has been an accelerated trend in recent years, some machine learning-based weather forecast models have been developed. This paper provides a forward-looking study of the potentials of machine learning in terms of theoretical abilities, shown advantages, and possible alterations in the field of weather forecasting based on existing literature and data. Explanations and discussions of two outstanding machine learning-based models, MetNet-2 and Pangu, are provided. Based on the results of tests of these two models, machine learning has good advantages that can be largely applied in the field of weather forecasting and other atmosphere-related work. Machine learning-based methods are likely going to replace physics models in most parts, while physics knowledge is still valuable in this field as it can help with the training of machine learning models and improve performance.

Surveys and essays towards research perspectives on complex systems

This editorial is dedicated to presenting the papers published in a special issue focused on modeling, qualitative analysis and simulation of the collective dynamics of systems in engineering and life sciences. All papers have a minor or major reference to living, i.e. complex systems, and a critical analysis of the overall content of the issue is proposed, leading to a forward look at research perspectives. This paper first defines the goals of the issue. Then, a brief description of the scientific contribution of the papers published in this issue is given. Finally, a look into the future is proposed.

Physiological Barriers and Strategies of Lipid-Based Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Drug Delivery.

Lipid-based nanoparticles (LBNPs) are currently the most promising vehicles for nucleic acid drug (NAD) delivery. Although their clinical applications have achieved success, the NAD delivery efficiency and safety are still unsatisfactory, which are, to a large extent, due to the existence of multi-level physiological barriers in vivo. It is important to elucidate the interactions between these barriers and LBNPs, which will guide more rational design of efficient NAD vehicles with low adverse effects and facilitate broader applications of nucleic acid therapeutics. This review describes the obstacles and challenges of biological barriers to NAD delivery at systemic, organ, sub-organ, cellular, and subcellular levels. The strategies to overcome these barriers are comprehensively reviewed, mainly including physically/chemically engineering LBNPs and directly modifying physiological barriers by auxiliary treatments. Then the potentials and challenges for successful translation of these preclinical studies into the clinic are discussed. In the end, a forward look at the strategies on manipulating protein corona (PC) is addressed, which may pull off the trick of overcoming those physiological barriers and significantly improve the efficacy and safety of LBNP-based NADs delivery.

A forward look to perspectives: Comment on “What is life? Active particles tools towards behavioral dynamics in social-biology and economics”, by B. Bellomo, M. Esfahanian, V. Secchini, and P. Terna

A forward look to perspectives: Comment on “What is life? Active particles tools towards behavioral dynamics in social-biology and economics”, by B. Bellomo, M. Esfahanian, V. Secchini, and P. Terna

Forward looking sonar applications for unmanned vehicles

Unmanned vehicles have the potential to greatly expand our ability to observe dynamic ocean environments. Whereas distributed acoustic sensors can monitor discrete measurement points in time and space, autonomous maritime platforms provide increased flexibility. Acoustic principles are a key component of this functionality and forward looking sonar (FLS) systems can acquire acoustically derived data products while enabling better informed autonomy behaviors based on enhanced situational and environmental awareness. This paper explores applications of forward look sonar technology when integrated with underwater vehicles. Utility of both interferometric and two-dimensional acoustic data products are examined to illustrate the impact on technologies associated with navigational drift mitigation and ocean observation. Results from sonar platform integration and in-water acquisition for development of an underwater terrain-aided navigation (UTAN) particle filter, an acoustic enabled simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm, obstacle avoidance techniques, and seabed observations are presented.

New horizons in hearing conditions.

Hearing conditions such as hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis are highly prevalent in the population and can severely impact communication and quality of life. Hearing is affected by multiple factors, including heredity, noise exposure, age, sex, ear disorders and lifestyle factors. Globally, hearing loss affects over 80% of adults aged 80years and older, is often experienced in combination with other long-term health conditions and is a mid-life risk factor for dementia. To form a themed collection, we searched Age and Ageing for articles on hearing conditions published from 2000 onwards. This resulted in 22 articles included within the collection. They examined a range of important topics related to hearing healthcare and research, including noise-induced hearing loss, health service quality and safety, psychological and psychosocial consequences of hearing loss and co-morbidities of hearing loss. All articles reported on hearing loss; there were no published articles with a primary focus on other hearing conditions such as tinnitus or hyperacusis, on the health of older people from the Deaf community or on users of Cochlear implants, suggesting key gaps in knowledge and targets for future research. This New Horizons article highlights novel directions in research and practice and takes a forward look at how research into hearing conditions may develop in years to come. It highlights opportunities for the growth of patient-centred research and hearing healthcare supported by the better integration of health and care services as well as cross-speciality working to include common co-morbid health conditions.

Chemically revised conducting polymers with inflammation resistance for intimate bioelectronic electrocoupling.

Conducting polymers offer attractive mixed ionic-electronic conductivity, tunable interfacial barrier with metal, tissue matchable softness, and versatile chemical functionalization, making them robust to bridge the gap between brain tissue and electronic circuits. This review focuses on chemically revised conducting polymers, combined with their superior and controllable electrochemical performance, to fabricate long-term bioelectronic implants, addressing chronic immune responses, weak neuron attraction, and long-term electrocommunication instability challenges. Moreover, the promising progress of zwitterionic conducting polymers in bioelectronic implants (≥4 weeks stable implantation) is highlighted, followed by a comment on their current evolution toward selective neural coupling and reimplantable function. Finally, a critical forward look at the future of zwitterionic conducting polymers for in vivo bioelectronic devices is provided.

Cross-diffusion models in complex frameworks from microscopic to macroscopic

This paper deals with the micro–macro derivation of models from the underlying description provided by methods of the kinetic theory for active particles. We consider the so-called exotic models according to the definition proposed in [ N. Bellomo, N. Outada, J. Soler, Y. Tao and M. Winkler, Chemotaxis and cross diffusion models in complex environments: Modeling towards a multiscale vision, Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci. 32 (2022) 713–792]. The first part of the presentation focuses on a survey and a critical analysis of some phenomenological models known in the literature. We refer to a selection of case studies, in detail, the transport of virus models, social dynamics, and Keller–Segel in a fluid. The second part shows how a Hilbert-type approach can be developed to derive models at the macroscale from the underlying description provided by the kinetic theory of active particles. The third part deals with the derivation of macroscopic models corresponding to the selected case studies. Finally, a forward look into the future research perspectives is proposed.

Getting There and Staying There: A Forward Look at Women’s Career Development

In the following rejoinder, we respond to Betz, Phillips, Flores, and colleagues’ reactions to Fouad et al.’s major contribution (2023 [this issue]) on women’s career development. Particularly, we respond to comments highlighting the importance of studying individual differences along intersectional lines in explaining vocational behavior. We contend that this level of nuance in understanding people’s career decisions is necessary in order to build a diverse vocational science capable of informing multiple levels of intervention.

A Review of Single-Stage Multiport Inverters for Multisource Applications

Conventional power electronic interfaces for multisource applications always need multiple conversion stages as intermediate dc-dc power conversion stages are inevitably installed for matching the different dc voltage levels and regulating the power distribution among dc sources. Dually, single-stage multiport inverter for multisource applications enables direct connection from the dc source to ac side without an extra conversion stage and has witnessed an upward trend in recent years. The salient advantages of single-stage multiport inverters comprise fewer power losses, fewer passive filters, and higher system efficiency. To capture the advancement in the field, the article reviews various single-stage multiport inverters for multisource applications, offers a comprehensive understanding of the current development of this configuration, and provides an insightful forward look at potential research issues of single-stage multiport inverters. This article presents various state-of-art single-stage multiport topologies as well as their applications and comparisons. In addition, systemic topology derivation methods of single-stage multiport inverters are discussed to provide inspiration for exploring new topologies. Moreover, the main challenging issues of this topology such as modulation, control, and energy management strategies are analyzed and summarized. Finally, some open questions and future trends of single-stage multiport inverters are also discussed to motivate future research and explore new alternatives.

Current Status of Perioperative Therapy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer and Future Directions.

Cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy has been a standard of care in the perioperative management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer for years, but several novel therapies are under active investigation. This review aims to provide an update on recent relevant literature and a forward look at the future landscape of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients who opt for radical cystectomy. The recent approval of nivolumab as adjuvant therapy established a new treatment option for high-risk patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer after radical cystectomy. Several phase II studies of chemo-immunotherapy combinations and immunotherapy alone have reported pathological complete responses in the 26-46% range, including studies in cisplatin-ineligible patients. Randomized studies of perioperative chemo-immunotherapy, immunotherapy alone, and enfortumab vedotin are ongoing. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer remains a challenging disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality; however, increasing options in systemic therapy and an increasingly personalized approach to cancer treatment suggest continued future improvements in patient care.

Long-term geoelectrical monitoring of landslides in natural and engineered slopes

Developments in time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technology are transforming our ability to monitor the subsurface due to purpose-built monitoring instruments, advances in automation and modeling, and the resulting improvements in spatial and temporal resolution. We describe the development of a novel ERT-based remote monitoring system called PRIME that integrates new low-power measurement instrumentation with data delivery, automated data processing and image generation, and web-based information delivery. Due to the sensitivity of ERT to hydrologic processes in the near surface, we focus on the application of PRIME for moisture-driven landslide monitoring. Case examples are considered of landslides in engineered and natural slopes, including those impacting geotechnical assets in rail and highways, where slope hydrology is seen to be controlled by lithology, vegetation, fissuring, and drainage structures. We conclude by taking a forward look at emerging developments in ERT monitoring relating to hardware, software and modeling, and applications.

(Invited) Towards the Physical Reliability of 3D-Integrated Systems: Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopic (BDS) Studies of Material Evolution and Reliability in Integrated Systems

In this talk, we present an overview of our current research focus in developing non-destructive metrology for monitoring reliability issues in 3D-integrated electronic systems. Working closely with the semiconductor industry, we have been looking at various performance limiting phenomena in 3D-interconnects, the associated dielectrics, and advanced packaging for integrated circuits.The talk will identify some common reliability concerns, and identify some metrology gaps, for 3-D integrated systems. We will introduce a suite of microwave-based Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopic (BDS) techniques and show how these non-destructive metrologies can serve as early warning monitors for reliability issues. These techniques are based on the application of high frequency microwaves, to probe impedance changes due to material and structural changes in integrated circuits under various external stress. For example, we will also discuss the combination of BDS with scanning probe infrastructure to create the Scanning Microwave Microscopy (SMM) technique, which has been used to detect buried artifacts and characterize metallic contacts. We further illustrate the capabilities of the BDS-based techniques with case studies of three potential reliability issues in 3D IC.We conclude with a forward look at the future metrology and standards needs 3-D interconnects and the associated advanced packaging.

Government Accounting in Pakistan: transition from a Legacy system to the New Accounting Model

ABSTRACT This research aims to describe and assess the historical development of government accounting in Pakistan; and to analyse the distinctive elements of each stage of development that contributed to the dynamics of change. Prior studies have overlooked public sector accounting as researchers have focused more on Pakistan’s private sector. We find, in the first instance, a transition in the government accounting of the country from a Legacy system to the New Accounting Model. A thematic analysis of the archival data further reveals that the system has passed through the stages of Dependency, Stepping-stone, and Modernisation with a forward look to Standardisation. Beyond accounting history, our results are deemed to be useful to accounting education, policy, and practice.

Virus models in complex frameworks: Towards modeling space patterns of SARS-CoV-2 epidemics

This paper deals with the micro–macro-derivation of virus models coupled with a reaction–diffusion system that generates the dynamics in space of the virus particles. The first part of the presentation focuses, starting from [N. Bellomo, K. Painter, Y. Tao and M. Winkler, Occurrence versus absence of taxis-driven instabilities in a May–Nowak model for virus infection, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 79 (2019) 1990–2010; N. Bellomo and Y. Tao, Stabilization in a chemotaxis model for virus infection, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. S 13 (2020) 105–117], on a survey and a critical analysis of some phenomenological models known in the literature. The second part shows how a Hilbert type can be developed to derive models at the macro-scale from the underlying description delivered by the kinetic theory of active particles. The third part deals with the derivation of macroscopic models of various virus models coupled with the reaction–diffusion systems. Then, a forward look to research perspectives is proposed.