Molecular characterization of diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas associated with hepatitis C virus infection

Summary Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐associated diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) displays peculiar clinicopathological characteristics, but its molecular landscape is not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological and molecular features of 54 patients with HCV‐associated DLBCL. The median age was 71 years. An underlying marginal zone lymphoma component was detected in 14.8% of cases. FISH analysis showed rearrangements involving BCL6 in 50.9% of cases, MYC in 11.3% and BCL2 in 3.7%. Lymph2Cx‐based assay was successful in 38 cases, recognizing 16 cases (42.1%) as ABC and 16 cases as GCB subtypes, while six resulted unclassified. ABC cases exhibited a higher lymphoma‐related mortality (LRM). Next‐generation sequencing analysis showed mutations in 158/184 evaluated genes. The most frequently mutated genes were KMT2D (42.6%), SETD1B (33.3%), RERE (29.4%), FAS and PIM1 (27.8%) and TBL1XR1 (25.9%). A mutation in the NOTCH pathway was detected in 25.9% of cases and was associated with worst LRM. Cluster analysis by LymphGen classified 29/54 cases within definite groups, including BN2 in 14 (48.2%), ST2 in seven (24.2%) and MCD and EZB in four each (13.8%). Overall, these results indicate a preferential marginal zone origin for a consistent subgroup of HCV‐associated DLBCL cases and suggest potential implications for molecularly targeted therapies.

Influence of keratinized mucosa width on the resolution of peri‐implant mucositis: A prospective cohort study

Background The prevalence of peri‐implant diseases, driven by biofilm accumulation and influenced by factors such as the width of keratinized mucosa (KM), underscores the need for understanding their etiology and management. Purpose To evaluate the association between the KM width and the clinical resolution of peri‐implant mucositis after mechanical therapy. Materials and methods Patients with an implant diagnosed with peri‐implant mucositis were allocated to two groups: wide band of KM (WKM ≥ 2 mm) and narrow/no band of KM (NKM < 2 mm). Data and submucosa biofilm were collected at baseline and at 8, 12, and 24 weeks after nonsurgical therapy. A Brunner–Langer model was estimated for longitudinal data to evaluate and compare changes in any clinical parameter throughout follow‐up between both groups. Furthermore, the microbial profiles were evaluated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results A total of 38 implants were analyzed. At 24 weeks, bleeding on probing was substantially reduced in both groups, reaching statistical significance ( p  < 0.001). Treatment resulted in 23.9% less effective in achieving success for NKM. As such, NKM reduced the odds of disease resolution by 80% compared to WKM. The rest of the explored clinical parameters yielded more favorable outcomes for WKM versus NKM. Neither the alpha nor the beta diversity of the microbial profiles were significantly modulated by KM. Conclusions KM width influences the clinical resolution of peri‐implant mucositis after mechanical therapy ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04874467?cond=keratinized%20mucosa&rank=8 , NCT04874467, 04/30/2021).

Board characteristics and firm resilience: Evidence from disruptive events

Research Question/Issue We study the contribution of board characteristics such as independence, size, busyness, and CEO duality, to firm resilience at times of firm‐specific crises. Research Findings/Insights Based on manually collected US data, we document that board‐related variables affect the short‐term market reactions around disruptive events. Board independence exacerbates the negative share price effect, whereas the converse is true for director busyness and board size. However, the negative impact of board independence is attenuated in complex firms. We do not find that CEO duality affects market reactions. By contrast, in the long run, we do not observe stable and significant relationships between board‐related variables and firm performance with the exception of a negative impact of board independence. Theoretical/Academic Implications Our paper contributes to different strands of the literature. First, it contributes to the literature on the effects of board characteristics by showing how they affect stock price reactions at the time of firm‐specific crises. Second, our results on board attributes provide a new take on the two monitoring and advisory functions of the board. Third, we add to the literature that measures the value of directors. More generally, the paper contributes to the literature on the role of corporate governance, and in particular the board of directors, in crises situations. Practitioner/Policy Implications We show that three board‐related attributes affect market reactions at the time of a firm‐specific shock. Board independence exacerbates the negative share price effect of disruptive events, whereas the reverse is true for director busyness and board size. These reactions imply that, in times of crisis, advice‐oriented boards fare better than monitoring‐oriented boards. More specifically, information flows less easily within independent boards. In addition, busy directors and large boards are more talented, respectively more effective in complex situations. However, these results do not hold for industry‐wide shocks.

Preventive exercise and physical rehabilitation promote long‐term potentiation‐like plasticity expression in patients with multiple sclerosis

Background and purpose Loss of long‐term potentiation (LTP) expression has been associated with a worse disease course in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RR‐MS) and represents a pathophysiological hallmark of progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS). Exercise and physical rehabilitation are the most prominent therapeutic approaches to promote synaptic plasticity. We aimed to explore whether physical exercise is able to improve the expression of LTP‐like plasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods In 46 newly diagnosed RR‐MS patients, we explored the impact of preventive exercise on LTP‐like plasticity as assessed by intermittent theta‐burst stimulation. Patients were divided into sedentary or active, based on physical activity performed during the 6 months prior to diagnosis. Furthermore, in 18 patients with PMS, we evaluated the impact of an 8‐week inpatient neurorehabilitation program on clinical scores and LTP‐like plasticity explored using paired associative stimulation (PAS). Synaptic plasticity expression was compared in patients and healthy subjects. Results Reduced LTP expression was found in RR‐MS patients compared with controls. Exercising RR‐MS patients showed a greater amount of LTP expression compared with sedentary patients. In PMS patients, LTP expression was reduced compared with controls and increased after 8 weeks of rehabilitation. In this group of patients, LTP magnitude at baseline predicted the improvement in hand dexterity. Conclusions Both preventive exercise and physical rehabilitation may enhance the expression of LTP‐like synaptic plasticity in MS, with potential beneficial effects on disability accumulation.

Coordinated monitoring and mergers and acquisitions

This paper shows that coordinated monitoring by institutional investors affects how firms behave in the M&A market. We employ the spatial dimension of geographic links between major institutions as a proxy for interaction and information exchange—a process that determines the effectiveness of investor monitoring over firm management. Using data over the last 30 years, we show that the returns to acquiring shareholders are significantly higher, and M&A activity is significantly more intense when institutions coordinate better their monitoring efforts. Our results are robust to series of tests to gauge their sensitivity to different model specifications and estimation procedures.

Preliminary Characterization of the Desolination Project Demo Plant: Design and Off-Design Operability

STROBE-X High Energy Modular Array (HEMA)

The High Energy Modular Array (HEMA) is one of three instruments that composethe STROBE-X mission concept. The HEMA is a large-area, high-throughputnon-imaging pointed instrument based on the Large Area Detector developed aspart of the LOFT mission concept. It is designed for spectral timingmeasurements of a broad range of sources and provides a transformative increasein sensitivity to X-rays in the energy range of 2--30 keV compared to previousinstruments, with an effective area of 3.4 m$^{2}$ at 8.5 keV and an energyresolution of better than 300 eV at 6 keV in its nominal field of regard.

The Wide Field Monitor (WFM) of the China-Europe eXTP (enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry) mission

The eXTP mission is a major project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS),with a large involvement of Europe. Its scientific payload includes fourinstruments: SFA, PFA, LAD and WFM. They offer an unprecedented simultaneouswide-band Xray timing and polarimetry sensitivity. A large European consortiumis contributing to the eXTP study, both for the science and theinstrumentation. Europe is expected to provide two of the four instruments: LADand WFM; the LAD is led by Italy and the WFM by Spain. The WFM for eXTP isbased on the design originally proposed for the LOFT ESA M3 mission, thatunderwent a Phase A feasibility study. It will be a wide field of view X-raymonitor instrument working in the 2-50 keV energy range, achieved withlarge-area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs), similar to the ones used for the LADbut with better spatial resolution. The WFM will consist of 3 pairs of codedmask cameras with a total combined field of view (FoV) of 90x180 degrees atzero response and a source localisation accuracy of ~1 arc min. The main goalof the WFM is to provide triggers for the target of opportunity observations ofthe SFA, PFA and LAD, in order to perform the core science programme, dedicatedto the study of matter under extreme conditions of density, gravity andmagnetism. In addition, the unprecedented combination of large field of viewand imaging capability, down to 2 keV, of the WFM will allow eXTP to makeimportant discoveries of the variable and transient X-ray sky, and provideX-ray coverage of a broad range of astrophysical objects covered under'observatory science', such as gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts,gravitational wave electromagnetic counterparts. In this paper we provide anoverview of the WFM instrument, explaining its design, configuration, andanticipated performance.

Excitation and detection of coherent nanoscale spin waves via extreme ultraviolet transient gratings

P70 Exposure to DORIS ≥50% of time and to LLDAS ≥60% of observation time exhibit the best combination of feasibility and protection against adverse outcomes in moderate-to-severe SLE