bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The study of the animal remains from the Neferhotep Complex (17th–20th Dynasty, Valley of the Nobles, Luxor, Egypt)
Authors: Cilli Jacopo , Menozzi Oliva , Capasso Luigi , D’Anastasio Ruggero
Published: July 2023

The Tombs of the Nobles are located in ancient Thebes (modern Luxor, Egypt) and are primarily the site of elite burials. One such is the monumental funerary complex of Neferhotep, which is characterised by several tombs arranged around a central court: TT49, TT187, TT362, TT363, and TT347, which have been already excavated, while TT348 is still closed. They are dated from the end of the XVIII Dynasty (fourteenth–thirteenth century BC) to the Ramessid Period (twelfth–eleventh century BC), with phases of reuse mainly in the Third Intermediate Period and in the Ptolemaic age. From the late eighteenth century, they functioned as storerooms and stables for the houses built above them in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. A large number of artefacts, such as pottery, shabtis, fragments of cartonnage, amulets, offerings have been found, as well as human remains belonging to at least 136 individuals. Among these finds 112 specimens of animal bones have also been attested. The remains seem to belong to three different groups: ancient votive mummies, linked to the cult of the god Amun-Ra; modern domestic animals dated to the modern phases of reuse of the tombs; and scavengers, which entered the tombs in search for food. The zooarchaeological studies complete the multidisciplinary analysis of the Neferhotep complex and provide new information about the use and reuse of the Theban tomb from ancient to modern times.
“Reflective practice” in physical education
Authors: Serwe-Pandrick Esther , Jaitner David , Engelhardt Sophie
Published: July 2023

Physical education (PE) is rooted in a historically evolved subject culture that goes largely unquestioned in everyday teaching and learning. It is characterized by a normative primacy of movement practices, placing it in a precarious relationship with the intellectual practices required by sports pedagogy and school curricula. The present case study is based on praxeological classroom research and examines how didactic interferences between intellectual reserves and movement reserves are represented in the principle of “reflective practice” in PE. To reconstruct key orientations toward the interfering practices of teaching and learning that guide teachers’ actions, we conducted six expert interviews in a PE development project in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) and analyzed the interview data based on the coding procedure of grounded theory. The reconstructed orientations guiding PE teachers’ actions can be described according to three key dimensions: On the temporal level, one key interference is the scarcity of time for movement. On the spatial level, the space of the gymnasium often stands in the way of establishing and routinizing intellectual practices. On the media level, the use of written forms in PE classes appears to be regarded as a requirement that is imposed upon teachers and that should be kept to a minimum. The results are particularly relevant to research on the institutional professionalization of PE teachers.
Empagliflozin: a potential anticancer drug
Authors: Wu Wenwen , Wang Yanyan , Xie Jun , Fan Shaohua
Published: July 2023

Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, is a highly effective and well-tolerated antidiabetic drug. In addition to hypoglycemic effects, empagliflozin has many other effects, such as being hypotensive and cardioprotective. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress effects in diabetic nephropathy. Several studies have shown that empagliflozin has anticancer effects. SGLT2 is expressed in a variety of cancer cell lines. The SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin has significant inhibitory effects on certain types of tumor cells, such as inhibition of proliferation, migration and induction of apoptosis. In conclusion, empagliflozin has promising applications in cancer therapy as a drug for the treatment of diabetes and heart failure. This article provides a brief review of the anticancer effects of empagliflozin.
Copyright Law in the European Union, the United States and China
Authors: Hutukka Päivi
Published: July 2023

This study juxtaposes copyright law in the European Union (EU), the United States (US) and the People’s Republic of China (China). After mapping major differences and similarities in copyright law between the three jurisdictions, possible reasons will be explored for the divergence and convergence detected. Findings indicate that many of the similarities as well as differences in copyright law can be attributed to international harmonization and, more specifically, to the Berne Convention. Convergence, both through congruence and pressure, and economic concerns explain why China’s copyright law has become strikingly similar in recent decades to copyright law in the EU and the US, despite vast historical and cultural differences. The differences are due, inter alia, to the underlying theoretical differences in copyright doctrine and different underlying aims of copyright protection, resulting in differing stances on the role and existence of moral rights. The divide between common law and civil law with regard to the role of statutory law and case law, respectively, is also relevant. Surprisingly, although China leans more towards the civil-law end of the continuum between civil law and common law, the underlying rationale for copyright and the role of precedent show some traits central to a common-law country, bringing China in those respects closer to the US than to the EU. However, like most EU Member States, but unlike the US, China recognizes the existence of moral rights, as required by the Berne Convention.
Emergency shelter materials under a complex non-linear diophantine fuzzy decision support system
Authors: Shams Maria , Almagrabi Alaa O. , Abdullah Saleem
Published: July 2023

The distribution of emergency shelter materials in emergency cases around the world is a hard task, the goal of this research is to offer a Complex Non-linear Diophantine Fuzzy (C-NLDF) decision-making model for earthquake shelter construction. Essentially, the article is divided into three sections to acquire acceptable and precise measures in emergency decision-making situations. First, we present the Complex Non-Linear Diophantine Fuzzy Set (CN-LDFS), a new generalization of the complex linear Diophantine fuzzy set (CLDFS) and q-linear Diophantine fuzzy set (q-LDFS), as well as explore its key aspects. Furthermore, aggregation operators are useful for aggregating uncertainty in decision-making issues. As a result, algebraic norms for CN-LDFSs are produced based on certain operational laws. In the second section of the work, we offer a series of averaging and geometric aggregation operators under CN-LDFS that are based on defined operating laws. In the final section of the work, under complex Non-linear Diophantine fuzzy information, the ranking algorithms based on suggested aggregation operators are present to address the case study regarding emergency situation of earthquakes. In comparison section, results of existing and proposed operators explore the effectiveness of proposed methodologies and provide accurate emergency measures to address the global uncertainty about the construction of emergency shelters in earthquakes.
An efficient discrete artificial bee colony algorithm with dynamic calculation method for solving the AGV scheduling problem of delivery and pickup
Authors: Zhang Xujin , Sang Hongyan , Li Zhongkai , Zhang Biao , Meng Leilei
Published: July 2023

To meet the production demand of workshop, this paper proposes an efficient discrete artificial bee colony (DABC) algorithm to solve a new automatic guided vehicle (AGV) scheduling problem with delivery and pickup in a matrix manufacturing workshop. The goal is to produce a AGV transportation solution that minimizes the total cost, including travel cost, time cost, and AGV cost. Therefore, a mixed integer linear programming model is established. To improve the transportation efficiency, a dynamic calculation method is developed. In the DABC algorithm, a heuristic algorithm and a median based probability selection method are used. For improving the quality of the solutions, four effective neighborhood operators are introduced. In the local search, a rule is given to save the operation time and a problem-based search operator is proposed to improve the quality of the best individual. Finally, a series of comparison experiments were implemented with the iterative greedy algorithm, artificial bee colony algorithm, hybrid fruit fly optimization algorithm, discrete artificial bee colony algorithm, improved harmony search, and hybrid genetic-sweep algorithm. The results show that the proposed DABC algorithm has high performance on solving the delivery and pickup problem.
Emerging Atomic Layer Deposition for the Development of High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Karimzadeh Sina , Safaei Babak , Yuan Chris , Jen Tien-Chien
Published: July 2023

With the increasing demand for low-cost and environmentally friendly energy, the application of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as reliable energy storage devices in electric cars, portable electronic devices and space satellites is on the rise. Therefore, extensive and continuous research on new materials and fabrication methods is required to achieve the desired enhancement in their electrochemical performance. Battery active components, including the cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator, play an important role in LIB functionality. The major problem of LIBs is the degradation of the electrolyte and electrode materials and their components during the charge‒discharge process. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is considered a promising coating technology to deposit uniform, ultrathin films at the atomic level with controllable thickness and composition. Various metal films can be deposited on the surface of active electrodes and solid electrolyte materials to tailor and generate a protective layer at the electrode interface. In addition, synthesis of microbatteries and novel nanocomplexes of the cathode, anode, and solid-state electrolyte to enhance the battery performance can all be attained by ALD. Therefore, the ALD technique has great potential to revolutionize the future of the battery industry. This review article provides a comprehensive foundation of the current state of ALD in synthesizing and developing LIB active components. Additionally, new trends and future expectations for the further development of next-generation LIBs via ALD are reported.

Graphical Abstract
Centrally acting antihypertensives and alpha-blockers in people at risk of falls: therapeutic dilemmas—a clinical review
Authors: Welsh T. J. , Mitchell A.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim of this clinical review was to summarise the existing knowledge on the adverse effects of alpha-blockers and centrally acting antihypertensives, the effect these may have on falls risk, and guide deprescribing of these medications.

Methods

Literature searches were conducted using PubMed and Embase. Additional articles were identified by searching reference lists and reference to personal libraries. We discuss the place of alpha-blockers and centrally acting antihypertensives in the treatment of hypertension and methods for deprescribing.

Results

Alpha-blockers and centrally acting antihypertensives are no longer recommended for the treatment of hypertension unless all other agents are contraindicated or not tolerated. These medications carry a significant falls risk and non-falls risk-associated side effects. Tools to aid and guide de-prescribing and monitoring of the withdrawal of these medication classes are available to assist the clinician including information on reducing the risk of withdrawal syndromes.

Conclusions

Centrally acting antihypertensives and alpha-blockers increase the risk of falls through a variety of mechanisms—principally by increasing the risk of hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, arrhythmias and sedation. These agents should be prioritised for de-prescribing in older frailer individuals. We identify a number of tools and a withdrawal protocol to aid the clinician in identifying and de-prescribing these medications.
Primary adrenal insufficiency due to bilateral adrenal hemorrhage-adrenal infarction in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome: case presentation and review of the literature
Authors: Bouki K. , Venetsanaki V. , Chrysoulaki M. , Pateromichelaki A. , Betsi G. , Daraki V. , Sbyrakis N. , Spanakis K. , Bertsias G. , Sidiropoulos P. I. , Xekouki Paraskevi
Published: July 2023

Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a rare disease which represents the end stage of a destructive process involving the adrenal cortex. Occasionally it may be caused by bilateral adrenal hemorrhagic infarction in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We herein report the challenging case of a 30-year-old female patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and secondary APS who was admitted to the emergency department (ED) due to fever, lethargy, and syncopal episodes. Hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hyperpigmentation, shock, altered mental status, and clinical response to glucocorticoid administration were features highly suggestive of an acute adrenal crisis. The patient’s clinical status required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), where steroid replacement, anticoagulation, and supportive therapy were provided, with a good outcome. Imaging demonstrated bilateral adrenal enlargement attributed to recent adrenal hemorrhage. This case highlights the fact that bilateral adrenal vein thrombosis and subsequent hemorrhage can be part of the thromboembolic complications seen in both primary and secondary APS and which, if misdiagnosed, may lead to a life-threatening adrenal crisis. High clinical suspicion is required for its prompt diagnosis and management. A literature search of past clinical cases with adrenal insufficiency (AI) in the setting of APS and SLE was conducted using major electronic databases. Our aim was to retrieve information about the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of similar conditions.
Instant testing and non-contact diagnosis for photovoltaic cells using K-means clustering and associated hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Attia Eslam Ali , Mahmoud Alaaeldin , Fedawy Mostafa , El-Sharkawy Yasser H.
Published: July 2023

Renewable energy, particularly solar energy, has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. However, the integrity of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells can degrade over time, necessitating non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT-NDE) for quality control during production and in-service inspection. Hyperspectral (HS) imaging has emerged as a promising technique for defect identification in PV cells based on their spectral signatures. This study utilizes a HS imager to establish a diffuse reflectance spectra signature for two groups of PV cells: working and non-working. A non-contact photoluminescence imaging-based methodology is employed, using a halogen lamp as an illumination source to replicate sunlight. Our findings reveal that non-working PV regions can be differentiated from working regions within the 400–600 nm wavelength range, with an optimal candidate peak frequency of 450 nm. To accurately group active PV regions in the constructed HS images at 450 nm, we employ an image processing strategy that combines K-means clustering (K-mc) with contour delineation. Specifically, K-mc with K = 8 is used to efficiently and precisely group active PV regions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed approach and compare it with traditional infrared (IR) imaging techniques. This imaging clustering approach can be implemented using a conventional camera and a 450 nm wavelength filter for NDT-NDE on exterior-mounted PV panels. Overall, the proposed HS imaging technique, coupled with K-mc, offers a rapid and effective means of identifying defects in PV cells, outperforming conventional IR imaging techniques. This advancement contributes to increased efficiency and extended lifespan of solar PV panels.
Topological defects strengthened nonradical oxidation performance of biochar catalyzed peroxydisulfate system
Authors: Miao Xiaozeng , Chen Xiliang , Wu Wenhao , Lin Daohui , Yang Kun
Published: July 2023

Nonradical oxidation based on peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation has attracted increasing attention for selective degradation of organic pollutants. Herein, topological defects were introduced into biochar (BC) via removing N atoms in N-doped BC (NBC) in an attempt to improve the nonradical catalytic performance. Compared to the pristine BC and NBC, the introduction of topological defects could achieve up to 36.6- and 8.7-times catalytic activity enhancement, respectively. More importantly, it was found that the catalytic activity was dominated by topological defects, which was verified by the significant positive correlation between the pseudo-first-order rate constants and the content of topological defects. Theoretical calculations suggested that topological defects enhanced the electron-donating ability of BC by reducing the energy gap, which made the electrons transfer to PDS molecules more easily. As a result, holes were generated after the carbon defects lost electrons, and induced a nonradical oxidation process. Benefiting from the merits of nonradical oxidation, the developed BC/PDS system showed superior performance in removing electron-rich contaminants in the presence of inorganic anions and in the actual environments. This study not only provides a potential avenue for designing efficient biochar-based catalysts, but also advances the mechanism understanding of nonradical oxidation process induced by carbon defects.

Graphical Abstract
Aging Earth
Authors: Jewusiak Jacob
Published: July 2023

Alarmist demography often situates older people as natural disasters: images of the 'gray flood' and 'silver tsunami' imbue senescence with the destructive force of climatic proportions. This Element focuses on the demographic dread arising from the relative shift in younger and older populations: not of a world lacking children, but of one catastrophized by the overabundance of the old and aging. Drawing on examples of science fictional sterility dystopias, Aging Earth challenges the privilege of youth in ecocritical thought and practice, especially the heteronormative urgency to address climate change for the sake of children and future generations. By decoupling the figurative connection between futurity and children, senescent environmentalism attunes itself to the contingency of non-linear and non-teleological futures: drawing together the delicacy of ecosystems on the brink with the structural precarity of older people, queers, and people of color.
Speech pathologists' perspectives on the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices with people with acquired brain injury and reflections from lived experience
Authors: Mackey Jan , McCulloch Helen , Scheiner Grace , Barker Anj , Callaway Libby
Published: July 2023

Background:

Communication changes following acquired brain injury (ABI) may necessitate use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Speech pathologists regularly assist people with ABI and their families with AAC assessment and recommendations, as well as education and training on AAC use. To date, there has been no Australian research investigating the perspectives of speech pathologists working in the field of ABI and AAC. This research aimed to 1) Explore speech pathologists’ insights regarding enablers and barriers to considerations and uptake, and ongoing use, of AAC by people with ABI and 2) Understand their perspectives on AAC acceptance, abandonment and rejection.

Method:

A qualitative research design, with semi-structured interviews, was used with seven speech pathologists working across three Australian states. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed. To triangulate results, the lived experience reflections of one co-author, who has an ABI and uses AAC, were drawn on.

Results:

Seven themes were identified, relating to four of the five domains of the World Health Organization’s assistive technology model. These included that AAC should be person-centred, with consideration of both products and personnel required, and with effective policy aiding AAC trial, uptake and use.

Conclusion:

This research has highlighted considerations for AAC use by people with ABI, from the perspective of speech pathologists and aided by lived experience reflections. Speech pathologists need to understand the breadth of products, and good practice service steps, to ensure successful AAC use and skill development. Listening to the perspectives of people with ABI is central to that understanding.
How subcultures emerge
Authors: Tureček Petr , Kozák Michal , Slavík Jakub
Published: July 2023

Sympatric speciation is typically presented as a rare phenomenon, but urban subcultures frequently emerge even in the absence of geographic isolation. Is there perhaps something that culture has but biological inheritance does not that would account for this difference? We present a novel model that combines assortative interaction and multidimensional inheritance. Our computer simulations show that assortment alone can lead to the formation of cohesive clusters of individuals with low within-group and large between-group variability even in the absence of a spatial separation or disruptive natural selection. All it takes is a proportionality between the variance of inputs (cultural ‘parents’) and outputs (cultural ‘offspring’). We argue that variability-dependent inheritance cannot be easily accomplished by genes alone, but it may be the norm, not the exception, in the transmission of culture between humans. This model explains the frequent emergence of subcultures and behavioural clustering in our species and possibly also other cultural animals.
Prospective comprehensive evaluation of an elastic-band beard cover for filtering facepiece respirators in healthcare workers
Authors: Williams Daryl Lindsay , Kave Benjamin , Bodas Charles , Begg Fiona , Roberts Megan , Ng Irene
Published: July 2023

Objective:

To undertake a healthcare-based multimodal evaluation of the combination of filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) with the elastic-band beard cover technique, including quantitative fit test (QNFT) results, skills assessment, and usability assessment.

Design and setting:

We conducted a prospective study through the Respiratory Protection Program at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from May 2022 to January 2023.

Participants:

Healthcare workers who required respiratory protection and could not shave for religious, cultural, or medical reasons.

Intervention:

Online education and personal face-to-face training on the use of FFR with the elastic-band beard cover technique.

Results:

Among 87 participants (median beard length 38 mm; interquartile range [IQR], 20–80), 86 (99%) passed 3 QNFTs consecutively with the elastic-band beard cover under a Trident P2 respirator and 68 (78%) passed 3 QNFTs consecutively with a 3M 1870+ Aura respirator. The first QNFT pass rate and the overall fit factors were significantly higher when using the technique than without the elastic-band beard cover. Most participants displayed a high skill level in their donning, doffing, and user seal-check techniques. Of 87 participants, 83 (95%) completed the usability assessment. The overall ease of use, comfort, and overall assessment were rated highly.

Conclusions:

The elastic-band beard cover technique can provide safe and effective respiratory protection for bearded healthcare workers. The technique was easily taught, comfortable, well tolerated and accepted by healthcare workers, potentially allowing them full participation in the workforce during pandemics with airborne transmission. We recommend further research and evaluation of this technique in a broader health workforce.
Situation in Uganda (Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen) (Judgment on Appeal) (Int'l Crim. Ct. App. Chamber)
Authors: Traldi Arthur
Published: July 2023

On December 15, 2022, the International Criminal Court's Appeals Chamber unanimously confirmed Dominic Ongwen's convictions for crimes against humanity and war crimes and, by majority vote, confirmed his sentence of twenty-five years' imprisonment.
Fairness is based on quality, not just quantity
Authors: Zenkić Jay , Millet Kobe , Mead Nicole L.
Published: July 2023

According to decades of research, whether negotiations succeed depends on how much of the stake each person will get. Yet, real-world stakes often consist of resources that vary on quality, not just quantity. While it may appear obvious that people should reject qualitatively inferior offers, just as they reject quantitatively unequal offers, it is less clear why. Across three incentive-compatible studies (N = 1,303) using the ultimatum game, we evaluate three possible reasons for why people reject qualitatively unequal negotiation offers (that are 50% of the stake): fairness, mere inequality, or badness. Data across the three studies are consistent with the fairness account. Casting doubt on the possibility that people reject qualitatively unequal offers merely because they are ‘bad’, Studies 1 and 2 found that participants were more likely to reject the same coins when these were inferior (e.g., 200 × 5¢ coins) to the negotiation partner’s coins (e.g., 5 × $2 coins) than when both parties received the same undesirable coins (e.g., both received 200 × 5¢ coins). Supporting a fairness explanation, rejection rates of the qualitatively inferior offer were higher when the proposal came from a human (vs. a computer), suggesting that rejection stemmed in part from a desire to punish the negotiation partner for unfair treatment (Study 3). Nevertheless, some participants still rejected the unequal offer from a computer, suggesting that mere inequality matters as well. In sum, the findings highlight that quality, not just quantity, is important for attaining fair negotiation outcomes.
Global stability analysis of elastic aircraft in edge-of-the-envelope flow
Authors: Houtman Jelle , Timme Sebastian
Published: July 2023

Shock buffet on wings is a phenomenon caused by strong shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction resulting first in self-sustained flow unsteadiness and eventually in a detrimental structural response called buffeting. While it is an important aspect of wing design and aircraft certification, particularly for modern transonic air transport, not all of the underlying multidisciplinary physics is thoroughly understood. Building upon a single-discipline shock-buffet stability study, this work now investigates the impact of an elastic structure in these extreme flow conditions. Specifically, a triglobal stability analysis of a fluid–structure coupled system is presented, utilising the implicitly restarted Arnoldi method with a sparse iterative Krylov solver and novel preconditioner. Asymmetry resulting from a static aeroelastic simulation based on a finite-element model of the underlying geometry in a wind tunnel modifies the global modes of the earlier fluid-only symmetric full-span analysis. A flutter stability analysis at wind-tunnel flow conditions below shock-buffet onset finds no instability in the structural degrees-of-freedom, whereas in shock-buffet flow with globally unstable fluid modes additional marginally unstable structural (and fluid) modes emerge. The developed stability tool for coupled analysis is instrumental in identifying those physically relevant and strongly coupled modes where a standard pk-type (p being eigenvalue and k reduced frequency) flutter analysis fails. With the complementary computation of adjoint eigenmodes, the core of the instability is pinpointed to a relatively small wing area which may help to effect the control and delay of this detrimental transonic unsteadiness. We contribute to the question on how the presence of the elastic wing structure impacts on the otherwise pure aerodynamic three-dimensional shock-buffet dynamics.
A conceptual model of multi-scale formation processes of open-air Middle Paleolithic sites in the arid Negev desert, Israel
Authors: Oron Maya , Roskin Joel , Avni Yoav , Porat Naomi , Aladjem Emil , Yegorov Dmitry , Vardi Jacob , Hovers Erella
Published: July 2023

Open-air surface accumulations and scatters of material cultural remains often are perceived as less-reliable archaeological archives, where it is difficult to distinguish anthropogenic versus geogenic formation processes or to assess their specific effects on the integrity of archaeological records. Here we analyze the depositional histories of three Middle Paleolithic open-air sites in the Negev desert of Israel, combining archaeological and geomorphological methods to create a conceptual model of multi-scale effects on the archaeological remains. Relying on the long research history in archaeology and geomorphology in the Negev, we show that integration of archaeological and geomorphological methodologies provides nuanced insights to our understanding of the archaeological record. The links established between regional and local geomorphic processes and lithic taphonomy by applying such a multi-scale analysis further allow back-tracking environmental processes from flint taphonomic attributes. Placing each site within the range of regional and local processes of exposure and burial by using informed and critically evaluated data helps to create a robust regional archaeological data base. We suggest that our approach is useful in other arid zone contexts and may have implications for understanding Pleistocene population movements across such regions.
The association of childhood trauma with depressive and negative symptoms in recent onset psychosis: a sex-specific analysis
Authors: Enthoven Anne-Sophie D. , Gangadin Shiral S. , de Haan Lieuwe , Veling Wim , de Vries Erik F. J. , Doorduin Janine ,   HAMLETT and OPHELIA Consortium, Begemann Marieke J. H. , Sommer Iris E. C.
Published: July 2023

Background

Childhood trauma may impact the course of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), specifically in relation to the increased severity of depressive or negative symptoms. The type and impact of trauma may differ between sexes. In a large sample of recent-onset patients, we investigated the associations of depressive and negative symptoms with childhood trauma and whether these are sex-specific.

Methods

A total of 187 first-episode psychosis patients in remission (Handling Antipsychotic Medication: Long-term Evaluation of Targeted Treatment study) and 115 recent-onset SSD patients (Simvastatin study) were included in this cross-sectional study (men:n= 218; women:n= 84). Total trauma score and trauma subtypes were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form; depressive and negative symptoms were rated using the Positive And Negative Symptoms Scale. Sex-specific regression analyses were performed.

Results

Women reported higher rates of sexual abuse than men (23.5%v.7.8%). Depressive symptoms were associated with total trauma scores and emotional abuse ratings in men (β: 0.219–0.295;p≤ 0.001). In women, depressive symptoms were associated with sexual abuse ratings (β: 0.271;p= 0.011). Negative symptoms were associated with total trauma score and emotional neglect ratings in men (β: 0.166–0.232;p≤ 0.001). Negative symptoms in women were not linked to childhood trauma, potentially due to lack of statistical power.

Conclusions

Depressive symptom severity was associated with different types of trauma in men and women with recent-onset SSD. Specifically, in women, depressive symptom severity was associated with childhood sexual abuse, which was reported three times as often as in men. Our results emphasize the importance of sex-specific analyses in SSD research.
NARRATOLOGY IN THE PRACTICE SESSION MODEL OF ELLIOTT CARTER'S STRING QUARTET NO. 5
Authors: Carey Christian
Published: July 2023

Elliott Carter's programme notes for his String Quartet No. 5 describe it as being about the embodiment of human interaction within the rehearsal process. This article develops this concept, evaluating the musical figures that are foreshadowed by the fragments that Carter suggests are rehearsal outtakes. Certain motives are reiterated and developed through slight variations, thus exemplifying the rehearsal process, and perhaps the editorial process, in detail. Interactions within this model are suggestive of the character types that Carter has delineated in his previous string quartets, notably No. 2. Using the Practice Session model also alludes to the real-life circumstances of the preparation of previous quartets by ensembles, and anecdotes about the Juilliard Quartet's rehearsals for the premiere of the String Quartet No. 3 can enhance a narratological understanding of the No. 5's construction. Finally, String Quartet No. 5 is considered as an example of one of the transitional works that initiate Carter's late style and its consolidation of material; its use of all-interval chords, their subsets and supersets reflects the constructive elements of human interaction that Carter has stressed as a principal thematic element.
BETWEEN AUDIATION AND EKPHRASIS: PASCAL DUSAPIN'S ‘FALSE TRAILS’
Authors: Metcalf Thomas
Published: July 2023

This article investigates the prolific deployment of images in Pascal Dusapin's scores of the mid to late 1990s. Using Edwin Gordon's concept of ‘audiation’ and Siglind Bruhn's concept of ‘musical ekphrasis’, as well as Neal Curtis’ ideas on the agency and liveness of images, interdisciplinary interpretations of three Dusapin works are offered, using the score image as the main analytical starting point. Beginning with his Piano Études and Loop, these analyses will demonstrate how the score images, derived from the study of ‘catastrophe theory’, prefigure the control of various musical parameters relating to the relationship of variables in this mathematical concept and its forms. An analysis of String Quartet No. 4, notable for its use of both a score image (of a machine) and textual quotation (from Samuel Beckett's Murphy), will then demonstrate how the visual can interact with the verbal to construct a plurality of musical metaphors. The article concludes by positing that Dusapin's elusiveness on the role and function of the images within his work could amount to what W. T. J. Mitchell describes as ‘ekphrastic fear’: an anxiety that the composer's success amalgamating image and music might have broken down the ontological boundary between them.
VOICE WITHOUT SPEAKER: HUMAN SPEECH SYNTHESIS IN ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTAL CONTEXTS
Authors: Chen Andrew
Published: July 2023

This article provides an overview of compositional practices that invoke representations of the human voice by acoustic means, without the presence of actual human speakers, and, in identifying the limitations and deficiencies of extant practice, proposes a new method or methodological basis for achieving the same phenomenon, to different ends. Clarence Barlow's seminal synthrumentation method forms a central point of discussion; when considered alongside the work of, among others, Mayuzumi, Grisey and Ablinger, it becomes clear that, in existing synthrumental (or instrumental synthesis) practices, the innate inharmonic components of target material for reproduction have largely been discarded or overlooked. After a brief overview of the basic linguistic and perceptual features of speech, a new method designed to evoke whispered speech, with inharmonicity in mind, is demonstrated.
Reverting to Restraint: A Keynesian Intermezzo and Neoliberalism in the Netherlands (1971–1977)
Authors: Harmsma Jonne
Published: July 2023

In line with recent studies revealing the role of neoliberalism in Dutch post-war history, this article highlights the influence of neoliberal ideas during the first half of the 1970s. In addition to a clear orientation towards supply-side economic policies and a firm tradition of fixed budgetary rules, the author emphasises the importance of Dutch monetarism in guiding Central Bank policies and prioritising monetary objectives such as price stability, fixed exchange rates and balance of payment equilibrium over Keynesian policy goals. A short-lived Keynesian intermezzo of countercyclical demand-management commenced in March 1974, after which rules-based, stability- and supply-side economic, financial and monetary policies started to regain the upper hand in 1976.
Extraction and Analysis of Three‐Dimensional Morphological Features of Centimeter‐Scale Rocks in Zhurong Landing Region
Authors: Li Y. , Xiao Z. , Ma C. , Zeng L. , Zhang W. , Peng M. , Li A.
Published: July 2023

China's first Mars rover, Zhurong, has carried out an exploration mission in southern Utopian Planitia. As rocks and their three‐dimensional (3D) morphology are essential for studying the geological characteristics of the Martian surface, this paper presents an approach for automatically extracting 3D rocks from stereo rover images. With our approach, 6,185 cm‐scale rocks are extracted using the Zhurong NaTeCam images, with the F1‐score achieving 91.86%. Approximate 3D morphological features are then calculated for each rock, and the statistical result shows that small rocks in centimeters make up the majority. Comparative morphological analyses of rocks in different areas show that landscape type affects the number of rocks but has no clear relationship to the proportions of rocks of different sizes. The outcrops of sedimentary rocks, the predominant type of rocks in the Zhurong landing area, and the float rocks are distributed differently regarding all morphological features, making the size‐frequency distribution of rocks around craters significantly different from other areas. Further comparative analysis with the Bonneville crater ejecta rocks extracted from the Spirit rover data is also conducted. Some similarities between the Zhurong outcrop rocks and the Bonneville crater ejecta rocks are found in 2D compactness. Meanwhile, the Bonneville crater ejecta rocks have a more scattered distribution in sphericity than both the float and outcrop rocks in the Zhurong landing area, indicating that the shapes of the Bonneville crater ejecta rocks may be more diverse. In addition, the sphericity is found to converge with height for rocks in both landing areas.
The Fate of Nitrogen During Agricultural Intensification in East Africa: Nitrogen Budgets in Contrasting Agroecosystems
Authors: Tully K. L. , Hickman J. E. , Russo T. A. , Neill C. , Matata P. , Nyadzi G. , Mutuo P. , Palm C. A.
Published: July 2023

The intensification of agricultural systems in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) is necessary to reduce poverty and improve food security, but increased nutrient applications in smallholder systems could have negative consequences for water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and air quality. We tracked nitrogen (N) inputs and measured maize (Zea mays) biomass, grain yields, N leaching, and nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide fluxes from a clayey soil in Yala, Kenya and a sandy soil in Tumbi, Tanzania, with application rates of 0, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1 yr−1 over two cropping seasons. Maize yields were 4.5 times higher in Yala than Tumbi, but yields plateaued at both sites with fertilizer applications at or above 100 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Partial N budgets in Yala were typically negative, meaning more N was exported in maize biomass plus grain or lost from the system than was added in fertilizer. In Tumbi, N budgets were negative at lower fertilizer levels but positive at higher fertilizer levels. At both sites most (96%) of the N was lost through maize biomass/grain removal and N leaching. Fertilizer additions at or less than 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1 on these two contrasting sites resulted in minor gaseous N losses, and fertilizer additions less than 200 kg N ha−1 yr−1 caused relatively little change to N leaching losses. This indicates that the modest increases in fertilizer use required to improve maize yields will not greatly increase cropland N losses.
Taking a Fine-Grained Approach to Investigating Climate’s Impact on Crops
Authors: Palmer Jane
Published: July 2023

Studying the effects of variable weather on all three aspects of production—planting, harvesting, and yield—can help farmers and policymakers build resilience to climate change.
Superresolution structured illumination microscopy reconstruction algorithms: a review
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhong Suyi , Hou Yiwei , Cao Ruijie , Wang Wenyi , Li Dong , Dai Qionghai , Kim Donghyun , Xi Peng
Published: July 2023

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) has become the standard for next-generation wide-field microscopy, offering ultrahigh imaging speed, superresolution, a large field-of-view, and long-term imaging. Over the past decade, SIM hardware and software have flourished, leading to successful applications in various biological questions. However, unlocking the full potential of SIM system hardware requires the development of advanced reconstruction algorithms. Here, we introduce the basic theory of two SIM algorithms, namely, optical sectioning SIM (OS-SIM) and superresolution SIM (SR-SIM), and summarize their implementation modalities. We then provide a brief overview of existing OS-SIM processing algorithms and review the development of SR-SIM reconstruction algorithms, focusing primarily on 2D-SIM, 3D-SIM, and blind-SIM. To showcase the state-of-the-art development of SIM systems and assist users in selecting a commercial SIM system for a specific application, we compare the features of representative off-the-shelf SIM systems. Finally, we provide perspectives on the potential future developments of SIM.
On-demand light-driven release of droplets stabilized via a photoresponsive fluorosurfactant
Authors: Cheng Guangyao , Xiao Qinru , Kuan Chit Yau , Ho Yi-Ping
Published: July 2023

Water-in-oil droplets have emerged as promising microreactors for high-throughput biochemical analysis due to their features of reduced sample consumption and automated operation. For a typical screening application, droplets are often trapped for continuous monitoring of the reaction over an extended period, followed by the selective retrieval of targeted droplets based on the after-effect of biochemical reactions. While techniques for droplet trapping are well developed, retrieval of targeted droplets mainly demands complicated device fabrication or sophisticated control. Herein, facile and rapid selective droplet release is achieved by utilizing a new class of photoresponsive fluorosurfactant based on plasmonic nanoparticles. The intense photothermal response provided by this novel photoresponsive fluorosurfactant is capable of vaporizing the fluorocarbon oil at the droplet interface under laser illumination, resulting in a bubble releasing a trapped droplet on demand. A fully automated fluorescence-activated droplet release platform has also been developed to demonstrate its potential for droplet-based large-scale screening applications.
Physical symptoms and brain morphology: a population neuroimaging study in 12,286 pre-adolescents
Authors: Estévez-López Fernando , Kim Hannah H. , López-Vicente Mónica , Legerstee Jeroen S. , Hillegers Manon H. J. , Tiemeier Henning , Muetzel Ryan L.
Published: July 2023

Physical symptoms, also known as somatic symptoms, are those for which medical examinations do not reveal a sufficient underlying root cause (e.g., pain and fatigue). The extant literature of the neurobiological underpinnings of physical symptoms is largely inconsistent and primarily comprises of (clinical) case-control studies with small sample sizes. In this cross-sectional study, we studied the association between dimensionally measured physical symptoms and brain morphology in pre-adolescents from two population-based cohorts; the Generation R Study (n = 2649, 10.1 ± 0.6 years old) and ABCD Study (n = 9637, 9.9 ± 0.6 years old). Physical symptoms were evaluated using continuous scores from the somatic complaints syndrome scale from the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). High‐resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was collected using 3-Tesla MRI systems. Linear regression models were fitted for global brain metrics (cortical and subcortical grey matter and total white matter volume) and surface-based vertex-wise measures (surface area and cortical thickness). Results were meta-analysed. Symptoms of anxiety/depression were studied as a contrasting comorbidity. In the meta-analyses across cohorts, we found negative associations between physical symptoms and surface area in the (i) left hemisphere; in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and pars triangularis and (ii) right hemisphere; in the pars triangularis, the pars orbitalis, insula, middle temporal gyrus and caudal anterior cingulate cortex. However, only a subset of regions (left lateral orbitofrontal cortex and right pars triangularis) were specifically associated with physical symptoms, while others were also related to symptoms of anxiety/depression. No significant associations were observed for cortical thickness. This study in preadolescents, the most representative and well-powered to date, showed that more physical symptoms are modestly related to less surface area of the prefrontal cortex mostly. While these effects are subtle, future prospective research is warranted to understand the longitudinal relationship of physical symptoms and brain changes over time. Particularly, to elucidate whether physical symptoms are a potential cause or consequence of distinct neurodevelopmental trajectories.
The pharmacological bases for repurposing statins in depression: a review of mechanistic studies
Authors: De Giorgi Riccardo , Rizzo Pesci Nicola , Rosso Gianluca , Maina Giuseppe , Cowen Philip J. , Harmer Catherine J.
Published: July 2023

Statins are commonly prescribed medications widely investigated for their potential actions on the brain and mental health. Pre-clinical and clinical evidence suggests that statins may play a role in the treatment of depressive disorders, but only the latter has been systematically assessed. Thus, the physiopathological mechanisms underlying statins’ putative antidepressant or depressogenic effects have not been established. This review aims to gather available evidence from mechanistic studies to strengthen the pharmacological basis for repurposing statins in depression. We used a broad, well-validated search strategy over three major databases (Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO) to retrieve any mechanistic study investigating statins’ effects on depression. The systematic search yielded 8068 records, which were narrowed down to 77 relevant papers. The selected studies (some dealing with more than one bodily system) described several neuropsychopharmacological (44 studies), endocrine-metabolic (17 studies), cardiovascular (6 studies) and immunological (15 studies) mechanisms potentially contributing to the effects of statins on mood. Numerous articles highlighted the beneficial effect of statins on depression, particularly through positive actions on serotonergic neurotransmission, neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, hypothalamic-pituitary axis regulation and modulation of inflammation. The role of other mechanisms, especially the association between statins, lipid metabolism and worsening of depressive symptoms, appears more controversial. Overall, most mechanistic evidence supports an antidepressant activity for statins, likely mediated by a variety of intertwined processes involving several bodily systems. Further research in this area can benefit from measuring relevant biomarkers to inform the selection of patients most likely to respond to statins’ antidepressant effects while also improving our understanding of the physiopathological basis of depression.