bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The open effective field theory of inflation
Authors: Salcedo Santiago Agüí , Colas Thomas , Pajer Enrico
Published: November 2024

Abstract

In our quest to understand the generation of cosmological perturbations, we face two serious obstacles: we do not have direct information about the environment experienced by primordial perturbations during inflation, and our observables are practically limited to correlators of massless fields, heavier fields and derivatives decaying exponentially in the number of e-foldings. The flexible and general framework of open systems has been developed precisely to face similar challenges. Building on previous work, we develop a Schwinger-Keldysh path integral description for an open effective field theory of inflation, describing the possibly dissipative and non-unitary evolution of the Goldstone boson of time translations interacting with an unspecified environment, under the key assumption of locality in space and time. Working in the decoupling limit, we study the linear and interacting theory in de Sitter and derive predictions for the power spectrum and bispectrum that depend on a finite number of effective couplings organised in a derivative expansion. The smoking gun of interactions with the environment is an enhanced but finite bispectrum close to the folded kinematical limit. We demonstrate the generality of our approach by matching our open effective theory to an explicit model. Our construction provides a standard model to simultaneously study phenomenological predictions as well as quantum information aspects of the inflationary dynamics.
Q-operators are ’t Hooft lines
Authors: Costello Kevin , Gaiotto Davide , Yagi Junya
Published: November 2024

Abstract

We study ’t Hooft lines in four-dimensional holomorphic-topological Chern-Simons theory. We relate them to Q-operators in the theory of integrable systems. We give a physical interpretation of the fundamental TQ and QQ relations satisfied by Q-operators and conventional transfer matrices.
Ground State Energy of Dense Gases of Strongly Interacting Fermions
Authors: Fournais Søren , Ruba Błażej , Solovej Jan Philip
Published: November 2024

We study the ground state energy of a gas of N fermions confined to a unit box in d dimensions. The particles interact through a two-body potential with strength scaled in an N-dependent way as $$N^{-\alpha }v$$

N

-
α

v

, where $$\alpha \in \mathbb {R}$$

α
∈
R

and v is a function of positive type satisfying a mild regularity assumption. Our focus is on the strongly interacting case $$\alpha <1-\frac{2}{d}$$

α
<
1
-

2
d

. We contrast our result with existing results in the weakly interacting case $$\alpha >1-\frac{2}{d}$$

α
>
1
-

2
d

and the transition happening at the mean-field scaling $$\alpha =1-\frac{2}{d}$$

α
=
1
-

2
d

. Our proof is an adaptation of the bosonization technique used to treat the mean-field case.
In-Stent Restenosis in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Ultra-High-Resolution Photon-Counting Versus Third-Generation Dual-Source Energy-Integrating Detector CT Phantom Study in Seven Different Stent Types
Authors: Dachs Theresa-Marie , Hauck Sven R. , Kern Maximilian , Klausenitz Catharina , Hoffner Maximilian , Schernthaner Melanie , Abdel-Rahman Hanaa , Hannover Albert , Strassl Andreas , Steiner Irene , Loewe Christian , Funovics Martin A.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The visualization of peripheral in-stent restenosis using energy-integrating detector CT is challenging due to deficient spatial resolution and artifact formation. This study compares the first clinically available photon-counting detector CT to third-generation dual-source energy-integrating detector CT.

Materials and Methods

Nylon cylinders with central bores (4 mm, 2 mm), mimicking 75% and 95% stenoses, were placed inside seven different 8-mm diameter stents and filled with diluted contrast medium. Phantoms were scanned with photon-counting detector CT at slice thicknesses of 0.2 mm (available only in this scanner type), 0.5 mm, and 1.0 mm versus 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm in energy-integrating detector CT at matched CT dose indices. Contrast-to-noise ratios were calculated from attenuation rates. Residual lumen size was measured as full width at half-maximum. Subjective image quality was assessed by two independent blinded raters.

Results

Mean contrast-to-noise ratio was lowest in photon-counting detector CT at 0.2 mm slice thickness (0%, 75%, and 95% in-stent restenosis: 6.11 ± 0.6, 5.27 ± 0.54, and 5.02 ± 0.66) and highest at 1.0 mm slice thicknesses with similar measurements in photon-counting detector CT and energy-integrating detector CT (11.46 ± 1.08, 9.94 ± 1.01, 8.26 ± 1.0 vs. 3.34 ± 1.0, 9.92 ± 0.38, 7.94 ± 1.07). Mean full width at half-maximum measurements in photon-counting detector CT at 0.2 mm slice thickness for 0%, 75%, and 95% in-stent restenosis were 8.00 ± 0.37, 3.98 ± 0.34, and 1.92 ± 0.16 mm. Full width at half-maximum was least precise in 95% in-stent restenosis at 1.0 mm slice thickness with similar measurements between scanners (1.57 ± 0.33 vs. 1.71 ± 0.15 mm). Interrater correlation coefficient was 0.75 [95% CI: [0.53; 0.86]; subjective scores were best at 0.2 mm slice thickness in photon-counting detector CT (19.43 ± 0.51 and 19.00 ± 0.68).

Conclusion

In phantom in-stent restenosis in 8 mm stents, we observed similar full width at half-maximum for photon-counting detector CT and energy-integrating detector CT in 0% and 75% in-stent restenosis, but at 95% in-stent restenosis, FWHM tended to be more accurate in smaller slice thicknesses in both scanners. Subjective image assessment yielded best results at 0.2 mm slice thickness in photon-counting detector CT despite lower contrast-to-noise ratio.

Graphical Abstract
A critical comparative study of the performance of three AI-assisted programs for bone age determination
Authors: Pape Johanna , Rosolowski Maciej , Pfäffle Roland , Beeskow Anne B. , Gräfe Daniel
Published: November 2024

Objectives

To date, AI-supported programs for bone age (BA) determination for medical use in Europe have almost only been validated separately, according to Greulich and Pyle (G&P). Therefore, the current study aimed to compare the performance of three programs, namely BoneXpert, PANDA, and BoneView, on a single Central European population.

Materials and methods

For this retrospective study, hand radiographs of 306 children aged 1–18 years, stratified by gender and age, were included. A subgroup consisting of the age group accounting for 90% of examinations in clinical practice was formed. The G&P BA was estimated by three human experts—as ground truth—and three AI-supported programs. The mean absolute deviation, the root mean squared error (RMSE), and dropouts by the AI were calculated.

Results

The correlation between all programs and the ground truth was prominent (R
2 ≥ 0.98). In the total group, BoneXpert had a lower RMSE than BoneView and PANDA (0.62 vs. 0.65 and 0.75 years) with a dropout rate of 2.3%, 20.3% and 0%, respectively. In the subgroup, there was less difference in RMSE (0.66 vs. 0.68 and 0.65 years, max. 4% dropouts). The standard deviation between the AI readers was lower than that between the human readers (0.54 vs. 0.62 years, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

All three AI programs predict BA after G&P in the main age range with similar high reliability. Differences arise at the boundaries of childhood.

Key Points

Question

There is a lack of comparative, independent validation for artificial intelligence-based bone age estimation in children.

Findings

Three commercially available programs estimate bone age after Greulich and Pyle with similarly high reliability in a central European cohort.

Clinical relevance

The comparative study will help the reader choose a software for bone age estimation approved for the European market depending on the targeted age group and economic considerations.
From coordinate subspaces over finite fields to ideal multipartite uniform clutters
Authors: Abdi Ahmad , Lee Dabeen
Published: November 2024

Take a prime power q, an integer $$n\ge 2$$

n
≥
2

, and a coordinate subspace $$S\subseteq GF(q)^n$$

S
⊆
G
F

(
q
)

n

over the Galois field GF(q). One can associate with S an n-partite n-uniform clutter $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
, where every part has size q and there is a bijection between the vectors in S and the members of $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
. In this paper, we determine when the clutter $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
is ideal, a property developed in connection to Packing and Covering problems in the areas of Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization. Interestingly, the characterization differs depending on whether q is 2, 4, a higher power of 2, or otherwise. Each characterization uses crucially that idealness is a minor-closed property: first the list of excluded minors is identified, and only then is the global structure determined. A key insight is that idealness of $$\mathcal {C}$$
C
depends solely on the underlying matroid of S. Our theorems also extend from idealness to the stronger max-flow min-cut property. As a consequence, we prove the Replication and $$\tau =2$$

τ
=
2

Conjectures for this class of clutters.
Perspectives on the quality of climate information for adaptation decision support
Authors: Baldissera Pacchetti Marina , Dessai Suraje , Risbey James S. , Stainforth David A. , Thompson Erica
Published: November 2024

We summarise the contributions to the Topical Collection on quality of climate information for adaptation decision support. Based on these contributions, we draw some further lessons for the development of high-quality climate information and services, bridging between a “credibility-first” paradigm (exemplified by top-down information provision from systematic downscaling or impact projections) and a “salience-first” paradigm (exemplified by user-led tailored information products or storylines) by looking to identify their respective strengths and use cases. We emphasise that a more nuanced collective understanding of the dimensions of information quality in climate information and services would be beneficial to users and providers and ultimately support more confident and effective climate adaptation decisions and policy-making.
Liberating the Postpartum Body: The Effects of Movement on Body Image Amongst Postpartum Ultra-Orthodox Women in Israel
Authors: Fine Gabrielle , Shuper Engelhard Einat
Published: November 2024

Body image is a major postpartum problem negatively correlated with postpartum depression. The present study tests this correlation amongst ultra-Orthodox women in Israel and analyses whether movement classes are effective in improving postpartum body image. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study followed two groups of ultra-Orthodox postpartum women (n = 45): one group that participated in movement classes (n = 23) and a comparison group that did not (n = 22). Results of the study found a negative correlation between depression and body image amongst ultra-Orthodox women (r(53) =  −0.342, p < .05) and a trend of movement classes positively affecting postpartum body image (t(43) = 1.388, p = .086). Furthermore, semi-structured interviews found three themes as to how movement 1. Regulates emotions, 2. Releases stress and 3. Places the mother at the centre. Discussion of the results highlights the importance of maintaining positive body image and emotional health in the postpartum period, and that, according to the perception of participants in this study, movement positively contributed to their sense of self and coping abilities. These connections are critical regarding ultra-Orthodox women, whose birth rate is significantly higher relative to broader society. The current study should serve as a basis for encouraging postpartum movement participation amongst ultra-Orthodox and other similar conservative religious sectors of society.
Surface instability driven by wetting-drying cycles hinders the colonization by biocrusts in Tabernas Desert
Authors: Rubio Consuelo , Lázaro Roberto
Published: November 2024

Catchment asymmetry in the Tabernas Desert suggests a relatively greater instability in the sunnier hillslope in a very early stage of catchment development due to abiotic factors, which would hinder the biocrust colonization. In the absence of erosion, such a difference in stability between opposite hillslopes could be due to differences in wetting-drying cycles. To verify this, as biocrust types assumed as successional stages are associated with different microhabitats, the surface movements of three types of physical crusts (Structural, Depositional and Island) and four biocrust types, representative of different stages of succession (Incipient, Cyanobacteria, Squamarina and Lepraria), were analyzed based on the distances calculated between markers placed on a grid on the soil surface. Two sample groups were analyzed: in situ samples, with four plots per crust type, and ex situ, with four unaltered samples per crust type extracted from the field site to control the effect of slope angle, orientation, trampling by animals, etc. Physical crusts showed greater surface instability compared to biocrusts, and this instability was influenced by the amount and frequency of precipitation. Biocrusts were more stable and elastic to surface movements, often recovering their initial position, and this stability increased throughout succession. Furthermore, the results showed that reducing instability (when sediment deposition ceases) favors colonization. Our results support the hypothesis that, in absence of erosive events, larger surface instability due to wetting-drying cycles hinders biocrust colonization on the relatively sunnier hillslopes with physical crusts; however, it is unknown where (or when) biocrust can develop.
The effects of individual and team resilience on psychological health and team performance: a multi-level approach
Authors: Singh Jasmeet , Michaelides George , Mellor Nadine , Vaillant Damien , Saunder Laurence , Karanika-Murray Maria
Published: November 2024

The challenges that individuals and teams face in complex and unstable environments can negatively affect individuals’ psychological health and team performance. In such contexts, resilience becomes an essential resource for both teams and individuals. It is therefore important to develop a comprehensive approach of resilience at work. The aim of this study is to examine the concurrent and differential effects of individual and team resilience, at both the within-group and between-group levels, on team performance and psychological health (i.e., operationalised as stress and subjective well-being). A cross-sectional survey of 530 employees nested within 68 teams was conducted. Multilevel Structural Equation Modelling analyses indicated that both individual resilience and team resilience at the within-group level were related to psychological health and team performance. Individual resilience was more strongly related to psychological health than to team performance, while the opposite was the case for team resilience. At the between-group level, individual resilience was related to psychological health, while team resilience was related to team performance. These findings suggest that resilience comprises of several components that are equally important but in different ways. Having resilient individuals in a team matters more for psychological health and ensuring that teams sustain a resilient group dynamic is more important for team performance.
The effects of spondylodiscitis on the inflammation burden in infective endocarditis
Authors: Ulas Esen , Duffels Mariëlle , Drexhage Olivier , Germans Tjeerd , Wagenaar Jiri , Umans Victor
Published: November 2024

Background

This study investigates the effects of spondylodiscitis on the inflammation burden in infective endocarditis patients.

Methods

A prospective, observational study was conducted between September 2018 and October 2022 in a non-surgical teaching hospital. Patients with a definite or possible and treated as infective endocarditis were recruited from the Alkmaar Endocarditis Team meetings. Spondylodiscitis was diagnosed based on symptoms and radiological findings. The inflammation burden was defined as the area under the C‑reactive protein (CRP) curve.

Results

174 consecutive patients with infective endocarditis were included (mean age 73 years, 34.5% female). Concomitant spondylodiscitis was present in 32 patients (18%), frequently associated with Streptococcus species (38%). At admission, the mean level of CRP was significantly higher in patients with concomitant spondylodiscitis (p = 0.004). The median CRP area under the curve was significantly higher in spondylodiscitis patients (4.2 × 106 min.mg/l [1.2 × 105 − 1.6 × 107 min.mg/l] vs 2.0 × 106 min.mg/l [8.7 × 104 − 1.6 × 107 min.mg/l], p < 0.001). This difference remained during the whole treatment period. At 6 months of follow-up, rates of mortality and relapse of infective endocarditis were not significantly different.

Conclusion

The prevalence of spondylodiscitis in non-referred patients with infective endocarditis was 18%. Endocarditis patients with spondylodiscitis had an increased inflammation burden at and during admission. This difference in normalisation of CRP levels was particularly apparent in the final phase of antibiotic treatment but not related to infectious complications. Despite an augmented inflammation burden, spondylodiscitis was not associated with mortality, cardiac surgery or infectious relapse.
A two-pronged approach: utilising sports governing bodies’ statutes and equal treatment legislation to achieve equality of treatment in women’s football
Authors: Carrick Sarah
Published: November 2024

Women’s football is currently growing at an exponential rate in terms of participation, viewing, engagement and commercialisation. More people than ever before are involved in women’s football, whether it be from watching, to buying merchandise or investing. However, in spite of this growth, female athletes are consistently subjected to subpar treatment when compared with that of their male counterparts. This inequality includes adequate pre-tournament and match preparation, access to medical treatment and appropriate research, professional training facilities, broadcasting and refereeing standard and professional coaching staff. Thus, this lack of equality is not confined to one area and includes all aspects of professional sport. In order to achieve parity in terms of treatment, female athletes can employ a two-pronged approach. The first is to utilise the regulatory frameworks of FIFA and the International Olympic Committee which guarantee protection and respect for human rights, as well as protection from discrimination on the basis of gender. By evoking the dispute resolution mechanisms of the governing bodies and indeed the Court of Arbitration for Sport, athletes can seek remedy for these inequalities by virtue of the fact FIFA are breaching their own statutes. Should this approach not provide appropriate redress, athletes can employ a strictly legal method by relying on domestic equal treatment legislation, whether in the EU or beyond, in order to achieve equal treatment in employment by virtue of a reliance on domestic laws and legal systems.
Dominated and absolutely summing operators on the space $$\,C_{rc}(X,E)$$ of vector-valued continuous functions
Authors: Nowak Marian
Published: November 2024

Let X be a completely regular Hausdorff space and E and F be Banach spaces. Let

$$C_{rc}(X,E)$$

C

rc

(
X
,
E
)

denote the Banach space of all continuous functions

$$f:X\rightarrow E$$

f
:
X
→
E

such that f(X) is a relatively compact set in E, and

$$\beta _\sigma $$

β
σ

be the strict topology on

$$C_{rc}(X,E)$$

C

rc

(
X
,
E
)

. We characterize dominated and absolutely summing operators

$$T:C_{rc}(X,E)\rightarrow F$$

T
:

C

rc

(
X
,
E
)

→
F

in terms of their representing operator-valued Baire measures. It is shown that every absolutely summing

$$(\beta _\sigma ,\Vert \cdot \Vert _F)$$

(

β
σ

,
‖
·

‖
F

)

-continuous operator

$$T:C_{rc}(X,E)\rightarrow F$$

T
:

C

rc

(
X
,
E
)

→
F

is dominated. Moreover, we obtain that every dominated operator

$$T:C_{rc}(X,E)\rightarrow F$$

T
:

C

rc

(
X
,
E
)

→
F

is absolutely summing if and only if every bounded linear operator

$$U:E\rightarrow F$$

U
:
E
→
F

is absolutely summing.
Valorization of Fish Processing by-Products: Biological and Functional Properties of Bioactive Peptides
Authors: Ghalamara Soudabeh , Brazinha Carla , Silva Sara , Pintado Manuela
Published: November 2024

Purpose of Review

This review explores the potential of fish by-products as a source of bioactive peptides for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Focusing on their diverse bioactive and functional properties, it offers insights into their industrial utilization, contributing to a better understanding of their applications.

Recent Findings

Fish processing by-products, including wastewater and solid residues, serve as valuable sources of bioactive peptides exhibiting a remarkable range of biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antihypertensive properties. These peptides exhibit a wide range of functional properties, such as solubility, water holding, fat binding, foaming, and emulsifying capacities. Moreover, they show significant potential for various industrial applications.

Bioactive peptides derived from fish by-products are attracting interest in multiple industries due to their diverse biological activities and functional properties. These peptides have emerged as a valuable and largely untapped resource, as they can be extracted from underutilized, or waste materials generated during fish processing operations.

Graphical Abstract
Preserving physician ethics in the era of autonomous AI
Authors: Feldman Edward , De Cremer David
Published: November 2024

For this commentary we explore the how and why of a looming responsibility shift to autonomous AI in medicine and the potential unintended consequence of reducing doctors’ sense of obligation to preserve ethics. In exploring this proposition, we address the difficulties of relying upon intelligent machines to uphold ethics and we offer suggestions on how policymakers and medical educators might prevent ethics degradation caused by the alignment of doctors with autonomous AI.
Therapeutic potential and agricultural benefits of curcumin: a comprehensive review of health and sustainability applications
Authors: Anas Muhammad , Falak Aliza , Khan Amjid , Khattak Waseem Ahmed , Nisa Syeda Gul , Aslam Qaindeel , Khan Khalid Ali , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Fahad Shah
Published: November 2024

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), the plant from which curcumin is derived, is renowned for its wide range of therapeutic and agricultural benefits. Curcumin, the key bioactive compound, is highly valued for its potent anti-provocative, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, which contribute to its effectiveness in treating various human diseases and improving plant resilience to environmental stresses. The therapeutics potential of curcumin is notable owing its abilities to combat microbes act as an oxidant and reduce inflammation. Its effectiveness in treating a range of human disease such as tumor, cardiac problems, and brain degenerative ailments stems from its ability to modulate various cellular process and signaling pathways. Despite its low bioavailability, innovations in delivery system such as nanoparticles and liposomal formulations, have enhanced its therapeutic efficacy by improving solubility and systemic absorption. In agriculture, curcumin's antimicrobial properties provide a natural alternative to chemical pesticides, offering protection against pathogens and enhancing plant resilience to specific environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, and oxidative stress. Nanotechnology applications have furthered these benefits by facilitating the efficient uptake and distribution of curcumin within plant tissues, promoting growth and stress tolerance. This review also highlights curcumin's nutritional benefits, including its impact on gut health and metabolic syndrome. Synergistic interactions with dietary nutrients can amplify its health benefits, making it a valuable dietary supplement. However, ongoing research is needed to fully understand curcumin's mechanisms of action and long-term safety. Overall, curcumin holds promise as a versatile agent in both medical and agricultural fields, supporting sustainable practices and advancing health outcomes. Future research should focus on optimizing curcumin formulations and translating preclinical findings into clinical successes.

Graphical abstract
Investigation of impact of community environment factors on the residents’ visiting rate to outdoor venues in South China
Authors: Feng Chao , Lou Siwei , Zou Yukai , Huang Yu
Published: November 2024

Understanding the activity patterns of urban residents is crucial for urban community design and urban energy forecasting. Predicting the visitation rates of different types of locations is a important issue because urban residents can only be in one place at a time. Achieving accurate predictions of outdoor public space visitation rates is equivalent to predicting the upper limit of the number of visitors to other buildings. Previous similar studies usually rely on survey methods such as questionnaires and GPS positioning. These methods have some drawbacks, such as small sample sizes and inaccurate data. In this paper, we used mobile signaling to investigate the park visit rates of residents in different communities in Guangzhou. In accordance with Chinese tradition, we define a community as a residential community, which consists of multiple residential units and a set of basic service facilities and management structures that are sufficient to meet the daily needs of residents. We found that the park visit rate of a community is closely related to the characteristics of the community itself. The park visit rate is positively correlated with the average LST (land surface temperature) of the communities, the average distance between the community and the large park, and the building coverage rate, while it is negatively correlated with the vegetation coverage rate, the average surface reflection rate, the convenience of transportation, and the per capita green space area. Given the different travel habits of urban residents on weekdays and weekends, we also used multiple linear regression to establish prediction models for community park visitation rates on weekdays and weekends.
Improving the method for calculating carbon emissions from waste incineration: confirmed with carbon-14 testing of flue gas
Authors: Ma Yifei , He Pinjing , Lü Fan , Zhang Hua
Published: November 2024

An improved method was developed to calculate direct emissions from seven municipal solid waste incineration plants by adjusting the physical compositions of waste by invoking the proportion of co-incinerated waste and the bottom ash yield. The fossil carbon fractions of the waste components were determined by carbon-14 (14C) testing. Based on the improved method, direct emissions were in the range of 222–610 kg CO2-eq/t waste, corresponding to reductions of 3.4–221 kg CO2-eq/t waste compared with the method without waste composition adjustment. The 14C contents of the flue gas before and after gas cleaning were tested to validate the improved method, and indicated fossil CO2 emissions of 249–446 and 233–405 kg CO2-eq/t waste, respectively. The direct emissions obtained by the improved method were closer to the results of 14C testing, due to more accurate estimations of the actual waste composition. The method was further combined with a life cycle analysis of the waste incineration process, obtaining total carbon emissions in the range from –33.2 to 483 kg CO2-eq/t waste. The findings provide a new means of accurately calculating carbon emissions from waste incineration.

Graphical Abstract
A case study on the effect of contaminated inlet tubes on the accuracy of mid-cost optical particle counters for the ambient air monitoring of fine particles
Authors: Dinh Trieu-Vuong , Park Byeong-Gyu , Lee Sang-Woo , Baek Da-Hyun , Choi In-Young , Kim Jo-Chun
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the impact of the long-term use of inlet-heated tubes on the performance of mid-cost optical particle counters (OPCs) for ambient air monitoring of fine particles (PM2.5). Two OPCs, equipped with inlet-heated tubes, were deployed over a 6-month period, with a beta attenuation monitor (BAM) serving as the reference device. The performance of the OPCs using the same inlet tubes for the first 3 months was compared to their performance after the frequent replacement of clean tubes during the final 3 months. The correlation coefficients (r2) for the 1 h and 24 h average PM2.5 concentrations between the OPCs and the BAM were lower with long-term contaminated tubes (0.82 < r2 < 0.93) compared to clean tubes (r2 > 0.93). The relative mean errors and biases significantly increased over time with contaminated tubes. Temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed were found to have an insignificant effect (r2 < 0.1) on the performance of the two OPCs with inlet-heated tubes over the 6-month period. The relative average PM2.5 error when using clean tubes was less than 4%. These findings highlight the importance of inlet-heated tubes in improving OPC performance, particularly for mitigating humidity effects.

Graphical Abstract
Clustering and chaotic motion of heavy inertial particles in an isolated non-axisymmetric vortex
Authors: Nath Anu V.S. , Roy Anubhab
Published: November 2024

We investigate the dynamics of heavy inertial particles in a flow field due to an isolated, non-axisymmetric vortex. For our study, we consider a canonical elliptical vortex – the Kirchhoff vortex and its strained variant, the Kida vortex. Contrary to the anticipated centrifugal dispersion of inertial particles, which is typical in open vortical flows, we observe the clustering of particles around co-rotating attractors near the Kirchhoff vortex due to its non-axisymmetric nature. We analyse the inertia-modified stability characteristics of the fixed points, highlighting how some of the fixed points migrate in physical space, collide and then annihilate with increasing particle inertia. The introduction of external straining, the Kida vortex being an example, introduces chaotic tracer transport. Using a Melnikov analysis, we show that particle inertia and external straining can compete, where chaotic transport can be suppressed beyond a critical value of particle inertia.
A Figurine Wearing a Sleeveless Coat from Sandy, Bedfordshire
Authors: Henry Richard , Henig Martin , Haslam Rebecca , Capon Les
Published: November 2024

In 2018, the AOC Archaeology Group unearthed a unique Roman figurine in Sandy, Bedfordshire, likely an offering in a domestic shrine or lararium. The figurine features a distinctive Gallic cloak, similar to those found on copper-alloy figurines in Trier and Cambridgeshire and on numerous relief sculptures. It may be related to the hooded garment known as the birrus mentioned in Diocletian's Edict on Maximum Prices of a.d. 301, including the expensive Birrus Britannicus.
Exploring the roles of ideal L2 writing self, growth L2 writing mindset, and L2 writing grit in L2 writing achievement among EFL learners
Authors: Fathi Jalil , Pawlak Mirosław , Hejazi S. Yahya
Published: November 2024

Considering the undeniable importance of examining the role of domain- and skill-specific individual difference factors in second-language (L2) writing research, this study examined the possible roles of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners’ ideal L2 writing self and growth L2 writing mindset in their L2 writing grit, which may in turn contribute to their L2 writing achievement (WA). Data were collected from 532 English-major students selected via convenience sampling by administering a questionnaire to measure their growth L2 writing mindset, ideal L2 writing self, and L2 writing grit. The International English-Language Testing System (IELTS) academic writing tasks 1 and 2 were used as measures of the learners’ L2 WA. The psychometric properties of the scales were investigated and verified through confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed that ideal L2 writing self and L2 writing grit directly predicted L2 WA. Additionally, growth L2 writing mindset and ideal L2 writing self predicted L2 WA through the mediation of L2 writing grit. This study highlighted the importance of domain- and skill-specific individual difference factors in L2 WA and the vital necessity of considering them in L2 writing instruction.
“The Sickness of Hope Deferred”: Infrastructure and Temporality in Bleak House
Authors: Narayan Govind
Published: November 2024

This essay argues that infrastructures in Charles Dickens's Bleak House (1853) effect temporal accelerations and protractions, as opposed to being connective tissues for spatial and social networks. Reading the law enacted at the court of Chancery and the British Empire's maritime networks, two instances of the novel's many infrastructures, this paper traces infrastructures’ time warps: perpetual deferrals of justice, denials of coevalness to colonial subjects, and accelerations of death for Richard Carstone and other characters. Infrastructures’ temporal transformations reveal how temporalities of varying rhythms are held together under a veneer of uniform linearity by the realist novel's generic attributes like serialized publication and Esther's marriage plot. Attention to this fraught temporality, the author argues, enables readers to glean the extent to which the claims of colonized and subaltern subjects suffuse the novel's narrative voice.
Care Communities versus Human Infrastructure
Authors: Schaffer Talia
Published: November 2024

Victorian assumptions about care infrastructure differed profoundly from our own. Accustomed to local care communities, Victorian writers like Charles Dickens and Samuel Richard Bosanquet resisted the advent of standardized, centralized, institutional care for the poor and sick. While they acknowledged the need for widespread help, they fought to provide care through personal charity based on intimate knowledge, not governmental edict. Comparing their care infrastructure with ours can help remind us of the risks of institutional indifference and the value of care relations.
“Fellow Passengers to the Grave”? Dickens and the London Necropolis Railway
Authors: Kirkby Nicola
Published: November 2024

In its dynamism and shared imaginative scope, popular fiction could provide a creative foundation for “not-yet-achieved” infrastructural projects. By insisting on the moral value of seeing others as “fellow-passengers to the grave,” Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843) anticipates the London Necropolis Railway. Designed to relieve pressure on the capital, this purpose-built funeral railroad and cemetery opened in Brookwood, Surrey, in 1854. Through a fantasy that invokes locomotive hearses, Dickens humanizes the notion of a steam-powered funeral apparatus. He advocates for burial beyond the city by contrasting Tiny Tim's restful end in a “green place” with Scrooge's horrifying, “walled-in,” urban grave. Dickens's enduring Christmas story appeals to what could be and eases the imaginative leap required of those entrusting their loved ones to a novel postmortem infrastructure that was built to last.
Introduction: Reading Infrastructure in the Time of the Glitch
Authors: Aslami Zarena , Watson Tim
Published: November 2024

The nineteenth century is the period when so many of the infrastructures on which we rely for the transmission and distribution of ideas, people, and goods were, on one hand, established and standardized and, on the other, contested and transformed in practice. We argue that literary and cultural scholars of the nineteenth century can make major contributions to the transhistorical and transimperial work of critical infrastructure studies. The pieces in this special issue give us a picture of Victorian infrastructure that we have loosely organized into four major themes: Water and Waste; Death and Bodies; Periods and Punctuation; and Care and Aid. Whether close-reading literary representations of infrastructure or close-reading literature as infrastructure, these essays collectively show how Victorian literature moved people. Our contributors address the following questions, among others: How did the material structures that moved people, goods, and ideas make people feel? How did people's feelings, libidinal energies, and practices affect how infrastructures were imagined, designed, built, used, and transformed—in literature and in the world?
Exploring the Influence of Masculine Norms on Suicidal Ideation and Help-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Benakovic Ruben , Liddle Sarah , Scurrah Katrina , Tsindos Georgia , Reynolds Kate , King Kylie
Published: November 2024

Abstract: Background: Men account for 75% of all suicide deaths in Australia. Societally dominant masculine norms have been theorized to be linked with suicidality and reduced help-seeking. However, evidence is needed to establish this relationship further. Aims: To further understand the relationships between 11 masculine norms, suicidal ideation, and mental health help-seeking behavior longitudinally in Australian males. Method: We analyzed data from a cohort of 8,214 males (aged 18–55 years), using logistic regression to examine if conformity to any of the 11 masculine norms measured by the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI-22) at Wave 1 was associated with suicidal ideation and help-seeking at Wave 2. Results: Analyses revealed that being in the high conformity group for the norm of emotional control at Wave 1 was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation longitudinally. Being in the low conformity group for the global construct of masculine norms and the specific norms of emotional control and power over women was associated with higher rates of mental health help-seeking behavior longitudinally. Limitations : The CMNI-22 scale’s limited construct validity and the use of a single-item measure for suicidal ideation may have restricted the accurate capture of masculine norms and suicidal behaviors in Australian men. Conclusion: These results provide support for the contention that suicidality is a profoundly gendered phenomenon by showing an association between masculine norms and suicidal ideation in men. These norms should be a point of focus of male suicide prevention initiatives.
Constrained Projections Indicate Less Delay in Onset of Summer Monsoon over the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea
Authors: Cheng Yifeng , Wang Lu , Chen Xiaolong , Zhou Tianjun , Turner Andrew , Wang Lijuan
Published: November 2024

The summer monsoon onset over the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea signals the beginning of the Asian summer monsoon, critical for local fisheries, agriculture and livelihoods, so communities are concerned about its potential changes under global warming. Previous projections have suggested a delay, but the extent of this delay remains uncertain, undermining the reliability of the projections. Here, we show a significant correlation between the projected shift in Bay of Bengal/South China Sea monsoon onset and present‐day sea surface temperature (SST) simulation over the western Pacific (WP). This emergent relationship arises from the spread of the precipitation response over the western‐central Pacific to WP SST, as more precipitation induces stronger tropical upper‐tropospheric warming, increasing westerly vertical shear near South Asia, and facilitating the onset delay. The rectified projections indicate that the delayed shift is almost halved compared to raw projections, and the intermodel uncertainty is reduced by 30%.
Global Prediction of Flash Drought Using Machine Learning
Authors: Xu Lei , Zhang Xihao , Wu Tingtao , Yu Hongchu , Du Wenying , Zhang Chong , Chen Nengcheng
Published: November 2024

Flash droughts are rapidly developing extreme weather events with sudden onset and quick intensification. Global prediction of flash droughts at sub‐seasonal time scales remains a great challenge. Current state‐of‐the‐art dynamic models subject to large errors and demonstrate low skills in global flash drought prediction. Here, we develop a machine learning‐based framework that uses meteorological forecasts as inputs to predict global root‐zone soil moisture and flash droughts from 1 day to 2 week lead times. The results indicate that 33% and 24% global flash drought onset and termination events can be correctly predicted by machine learning at 7 day lead time, versus 19% and 11% fractions by state‐of‐the‐art dynamic model. The developed machine learning model demonstrates substantial improvements over dynamic model in global soil moisture prediction, and thus enhances global flash drought forecasting skills in space and time. The presented framework may benefit global flash drought prediction and early warning at sub‐seasonal scales.
Erosional Response to Pleistocene Climate Changes in the Brazilian Highlands
Authors: Godard Vincent , Siame Lionel L. , Salgado Andre A. R. ,   ASTER Team
Published: November 2024

Plio‐Quaternary climatic changes are considered to be a key driver of landscape evolution, but many unresolved questions remain, such as the extent of the impact of major climatic shifts such as the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition (MPT). Various geochronological methods are available to infer changes in surface processes over the Plio‐Quaternary, and Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides (TCN) have proven to be one of the most efficient tools to reconstruct paleo‐denudation. Implementing these approaches requires very specific conditions, such as well‐preserved and extensive sediment sequences. Developing alternative methods to document the evolution of denudation is thus of major interest to retrieve information on the evolution of denudation in places where recent detrital sediment records are absent. We explore the evolution of landscape erosion over a 1 Ma timescale in an intra‐cratonic setting, the Espinhaço mountain range (Brazil), with a new data set of detrital cosmogenic nuclide concentrations (26Al–10Be). We observe a systematic disequilibrium in the 26Al/10Be ratio, which we interpret as resulting from the combination of soil mixing and a significant increase in the intensity of surface processes, close to the MPT. We discuss the different scenarios with respect to available local and global data concerning the relationships between climate evolution and erosion over this time period. Our results have important implications for the interpretation of the denudation rates derived from TCN concentrations under steady states assumption, in landscapes with low erosion rates, which have a long memory for surface processes history.
Novel pharmacologic inhibition of lysine-specific demethylase 1 as a potential therapeutic for glioblastoma
Authors: Shinjo Keiko , Umehara Takashi , Niwa Hideaki , Sato Shin , Katsushima Keisuke , Sato Shinya , Wang Xingxing , Murofushi Yoshiteru , Suzuki Miho M. , Koyama Hiroo , Kondo Yutaka
Published: November 2024

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A) is a pivotal epigenetic enzyme that contributes to several malignancies including malignant glioma. LSD1 is a flavin adenine dinucleotide dependent histone demethylase that specifically targets histone H3 lysine (K) 4 mono- (me1) and di-methylation (me2) and H3K9me1/2 for demethylation. Herein we report the development of an LSD inhibitor, S2172, which efficiently penetrates the blood-brain barrier. S2172 effectively suppresses LSD1 enzymatic activity, resulting in the depletion of cell growth both in vitro in glioma stem cells (GSCs) (mean half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 13.8 μM) and in vivo in a GSC orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Treatment with S2172 robustly reduced the expression of the stemness-related genes MYC and Nestin in GSC cells. Consistent with this, chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing revealed a significant S2172-dependent alteration in H3K4me2/H3K4me3 status. Furthermore, we identified 284 newly acquired H3K4me2 peak regions after S2172 treatment, which were encompassed within super-enhancer regions. The altered H3K4me2/H3K4me3 status induced by S2172 treatment affected the expression of genes related to tumorigenesis. Our data suggest that targeting LSD1 with S2172 could provide a promising treatment option for glioblastomas, particularly due to targeting of GSC populations.
ΔNp63α promotes radioresistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through the PLEC-KEAP1-NRF2 feedback loop
Authors: Tao Jin , Mao Mian , Lu Yuhai , Deng Liyuan , Yu Shuhan , Zeng Xiaofei , Jia Weikun , Wu Zhiqiang , Li Chenghua , Ma Ruidong , Chen Hu
Published: November 2024

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive cancers and is highly prevalent in China, exhibiting resistance to current treatments. ΔNP63α, the main isoform of p63, is frequently amplified in ESCC and contributes to therapeutic resistance, although the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report that ΔNP63α is highly expressed in ESCC and is associated with radioresistance by reducing ROS level. Furthermore, ΔNP63α plays a critical role in radioresistance by directly transactivating the expression of PLEC. PLEC competitively interacts with KEAP1, resulting in the release of NRF2 from KEAP1 and its translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus, where it activates gene expression to facilitate ROS elimination. Additionally, radiotherapy-induced ROS also activates ΔNP63α expression via NRF2. Pharmacologic inhibition of NRF2 effectively improves radiosensitivity in nude mice. Collectively, our results strongly suggest that the ΔNp63α/PLEC/NRF2 axis plays a key role in radioresistance in ESCC, indicating that targeting NRF2 is a promising therapeutic approach for ESCC treatment.
“I’m quite proud of how we’ve handled it”: health professionals’ experiences of returning additional findings from the 100,000 genomes project
Authors: Stafford-Smith Bethany , Gurasashvili Jana , Peter Michelle , Daniel Morgan , Balasubramanian Meena , Bownass Lucy , Brennan Paul , Cleaver Ruth , Clowes Virginia , Costello Philandra , DeSouza Bianca , Dubois Louise , Harrison Rachel , Hawkes Lara , Jones Elizabeth A. , Kraus Alison , McEntagart Meriel , Somarathi Suresh , Taylor Amy , Tripathi Vishakha , Chitty Lyn S. , Hill Melissa
Published: November 2024

Participants in the 100,000 Genomes Project (100kGP) could consent to receive additional finding (AF) results, individual variants relating to genes associated with susceptibility to cancer and familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In the study reported here, qualitative interviews were used to explore the experiences of National Health Service (NHS) professionals from across England who were tasked with returning over 80,000 “no AF” results and 700 positive AF results to 100kGP participants. Interviews were conducted with 45 professionals from a range of backgrounds, including Genetic Counsellors, Clinical Geneticists, FH Clinical Nurse Specialists and Clinical Scientists. Interviews were analysed using a codebook thematic analysis approach. Returning AF results has been a significant endeavour, with challenges for pathways, administrative processes and clinical and laboratory time when the capacity of NHS services is already stretched. Professionals discussed going “above and beyond” to prioritise patient care through pathway design, additional clinics, overtime, longer appointments and provision of follow-up appointments. Professionals also described facing practical and emotional challenges when returning AFs. Benefits for patients from receiving AFs in the 100kGP were highlighted and professionals were generally positive about offering clinically actionable AFs within routine NHS clinical care. Professionals were, however, cautious around the implementation of AFs into routine care and felt more research and discussion was needed to determine which AFs to offer, approaches to consent and communication of results, costs and the potential strain on NHS capacity and resources. Further consultation is required with careful review of pathways and resources before offering AFs in clinical practice.