bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Preservation of Ageing Traditional Oil Paints on Wood Surfaces
Authors: Zárybnická L , Machová D , Dvořák L , Baar J , Mácová P , Kloiber M
Published: September 2024

Surface weathering of wood is the degradation progressive change of the outer layer over time due to exposure to environmental conditions. Traditional oil paints offer several advantages when used on exterior wood surfaces - good durability, smooth finish, moisture resistance, excellent coverage, and gloss. Oil paints have a long history of protecting exterior wood surfaces, potentially lasting 50 to 100 years with minimal maintenance. One negative effect of this traditional finish is surface oxidation. As part of the study, paints were applied to the surface of the wood either in one layer (lazure) or in multiple layers (opaque). The properties of the substrate also affect the resulting quality and durability. Therefore, another sorting element was included in the study: the type of wood processing (machine vs. handmade). The work aimed to compare the durability of prepared oil paints on a wooden surface. The prepared samples were exposed to weather conditions corresponding to the Central European climate for 6 years. The samples were then analysed for chemical changes using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle determination and digital optical microscopy to preserve the paint layer. Multi-layer painted wood showed minimal colour changes even after 6 years, but the influence of the processing method of the wood itself could not be demonstrated.
Experimental Investigation on Properties of Sugarcane Bagasse Fiberboard Manufactured with Different Techniques
Authors: Nabil Guirguis Marianne , Khalaf Omar , Micheal Amany
Published: September 2024

Within an ongoing research project investigating the use of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) to develop different building materials, this article adopts an experimental approach to determine the effect of the manufacturing technique on proposed composite fiberboards. Two different prototypes of composite fiberboards are developed using (SCB) as a natural fiber, and different matrices are tested. The epoxy resin and polyester resin are used as the alternative matrices. Fiberboards are proposed to be used as cladding boards or as internal furnishing units material instead of using MDF or HDF that exploit the usage of natural soft or hard wood that is unrecyclable, thus depleting the natural resources of our world. Different research articles tackle the characterization of various physical or mechanical properties of such natural fiber/synthetic matrix composites. However, this research focuses on the effect of the manufacturing technique on the various properties of relevance in accordance with the proposed function and use of the developed materials. The study parameters are the fiber size grading and the manufacturing processes. Two different manufacturing techniques are adopted; the press mold, and the vacuum infusion, to reach a maximum fiber volume fraction, good surface condition, and fewer voids. The developed panels are tested to determine the impact of the above-mentioned parameters on the physical and mechanical properties, and hence, a preliminary attempt to bridge the gap between research and industry is presented. Results show that the best strength results for tensile and bending strengths are for specimens made from fine fibers, epoxy matrix, and vacuum infusion technique.
1.3 μm higher order LP11 mode pulses in praseodymium-doped fluoride fiber laser
Authors: Ahmad Harith , Nizamani Bilal
Published: September 2024

This work demonstrated an LP11 mode pulse laser at O-band using praseodymium-doped fluoride fiber as a gain medium. The Q-switched laser was initially generated using antinomy-telluride/polyvinyl-alcohol (Sb2Te3/PVA) thin film, and the LP11 modes were analyzed using a beam profiler. The pulse laser was achieved at a pumped power of 273–303 mW. With the increase in pump power, the pulse repetition rate increased to a maximum of 60.2 kHz, and the pulse width decreased to a minimum of 2.86 μs. The operating wavelength of the Q-switched output was 1303.2 nm. The corresponding pulse energy and peak power also increased with the increase in pump powers to the maximum of 12.12 nJ and 4.24 mW. The higher-order modes were obtained after the fiber was offset between the single-mode fiber and the two-mode fiber (TMF). The TMF output was then connected to the multimode fiber, a collimator, and the scanning-slit optical beam profiler to observe the higher-order modes. A uniform two-lobe structure of higher-order LP11 modes was observed.
Sun’s magnetic field may have a surprisingly shallow origin
Authors: Dumé Isabelle
Published: September 2024

A new mathematical model indicates that the Sun’s magnetic field originates just 32,000 km below its surface, contradicting previous theories that point to much deeper origins.
Shipping going green
Authors: McKenzie James
Published: September 2024

James McKenzie looks at the global shipping industry which is making amazing progress on decarbonization.
The future of physics
Authors: Grozier Jim , Kemp Ian , Panesor Tajinder
Published: September 2024

A response to Matin Durrani’s interview with Keith Burnett, president of the Institute of Physics (June 2024).
Exams are too hard
Authors: Houchin Rachael , Tracey Charles
Published: September 2024

Concerns about the difficulty of A-level papers set by the AQA exam board following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oculomics: a window to the health of the body
Authors: Bounds Alistair
Published: September 2024

In 2023 medical tech firm Occuity won a business start-up award from the Institute of Physics for its ground-breaking ophthalmic and disease-screening technologies. Alistair Bounds explores the power of the eye in screening for diseases and introduces the company’s work developing advanced methods to detect chronic diseases.
A comparative evaluation of IoT electronic solutions for energy harvesting
Authors: Avallone Guerino , Landi Giovanni , Granata Veronica , La Notte Luca , Palma Alessandro Lorenzo , Sdringola Paolo , Puglisi Giovanni , Pagano Sergio , Barone Carlo
Published: September 2024

This review synthesizes the current scenario of Internet of Things (IoT) electronic solutions for energy harvesting, presenting an extensive analysis of existing technologies, trends, and emerging paradigms. The study examines various energy harvesting methods, including solar, vibration, and thermal technologies, and evaluates their efficiency, scalability, and applicability to indoor IoT applications. Special emphasis is placed on the integration of power storage systems, with a comparative assessment of traditional batteries, supercapacitors, and hybrid configurations. In addition to exploring energy sources, the review investigates strategies to optimize IoT device power consumption. This encompasses an examination of low-power design techniques such as impedance matching circuits, rectifiers, voltage multipliers, and DC-DC or AC-DC converters, along with an exploration of sleep modes and wake-up mechanisms. Communication protocols within the IoT domain are scrutinized for their energy efficiency, analyzing the trade-offs between data transmission overhead and power consumption. The study further explores techniques for aggregating energy from multiple sources within energy harvesting systems. This comprehensive investigation significantly contributes to existing knowledge by providing insights into the intricacies of energy-harvesting devices.
Property | Equity
Authors: McFarlane Ben
Published: September 2024

This chapter argues that equitable property rights are best seen as distinct in form from both legal property rights and personal rights. Peter Birks’ taxonomy can ultimately be seen as focused on identifying the events that give rise to particular types of right. The chapter explains that Birks’ scheme for private law fails to accord sufficient weight to the distinctiveness of equitable property rights, effectively overlooking the possibility of a third type of right: what might be called ‘persistent rights’. The chapter notes that one achievement of equity has been bypassing the crucial borderline between property rights and personal rights.
Property | Unjust Enrichment
Authors: Scott Helen
Published: September 2024

This chapter outlines the borderline between property and unjust enrichment, which varies between different legal cultures. It discusses enrichment by interference with the claimant's right in the civilian tradition, in accordance with German, South African, and Scottish law, before contrasting enrichment by interference with the claimant’s right in English law. The chapter notes that German law accords extensive protection to the security of third party receipts through its treatment of unauthorised dispositions. The chapter claims that what could plausibly be dealt with as instances of unjust enrichment in English law are dealt with in the German law of property. It explains that the exclusion of restitution for wrongs from common law unjust enrichment diminishes the scope of the category.
Borderlines in Private Law: A Response
Authors: Stevens Robert
Published: September 2024

This chapter responds to and draws unifying themes out of all the other chapters in the collection. It reviews the extent of each of the borderlines in private law mentioned in the book and responds to a number of the claims contained within it. The chapter provides an overview of the interplay and application of the central concepts of contracts, torts, property, equity, and unjust enrichment. It also offers a principled critique of the UK Supreme Court’s recent decision in Guest v Guest. It expresses the hope that, in the fullness of time, the courts will abolish the doctrine of proprietary estoppel.
Domenico Gabrielli (1651/1659–1690)
Authors: Wilson Miranda
Published: September 2024

The cello originated during the Baroque era. The youngest member of the violin family, it went through many variations in size and string tuning before instrument builders and string manufacturers reached a consensus. The earliest solo cello repertoire comes from seventeenth-century Bologna with the pioneering Ricercare of Domenico Gabrielli. After that, the cello rose in popularity across Europe. It superseded the viola da gamba in popularity in France, where Jean-Baptiste Barrière composed his four books of sonatas. In Germany, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Suites created a cello repertoire as complex and distinguished as that of the violin. In Italy, traditions of virtuosity in Baroque cello playing culminated in the sonatas and concertos of Antonio Vivaldi.
Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805)
Authors: Wilson Miranda
Published: September 2024

By the late eighteenth century, improvements to cello technique made the instrument the equal of the violin in terms of virtuosity. The prolific cellist-composer Luigi Boccherini bridged the Baroque and Classical style periods with demanding sonatas and concertos that further extended the cello technique, often requiring the cellist to play in the highest registers. In the Austro-Hungarian lands, cello concertos by Joseph Haydn showcased the top European players at the courts of music-loving aristocrats. All over Europe, developments in playing technique gave the cello additional credibility as a solo instrument for concertos and sonatas. Ludwig van Beethoven, whose friends included the best cellists of his day, gave the cello equal footing with the piano in his landmark A major sonata.
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Authors: Wilson Miranda
Published: September 2024

Nineteenth-century solidarity among French composers led to new directions in the cello repertoire. The mercurial First Cello Concerto of Saint-Saëns exerted noticeable influence over the Spanish-inflected Cello Concerto of Lalo and the late Romantic (or early Impressionist) melodic and harmonic language of Fauré’s beloved Élégie. In turn, Fauré’s work may be considered the direct predecessors of the more modernist styles of Debussy. Even if the Impressionist and neo-Baroque language of Debussy’s Cello Sonata seems far removed from the diatonic Élegie, the composer himself acknowledged Fauré’s impact on his work. With its subtle allusions to French patriotism, Debussy’s late-in-life wartime composition combines old and new by assimilating past styles into post-tonal melody and harmony.
Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967)
Authors: Wilson Miranda
Published: September 2024

Three composers from Eastern Europe, Zoltán Kodály, György Ligeti, and Sofia Gubaidulina, withstood political turbulence in their Communist homelands to become leaders in their field. Their music for solo cello conveys highly individualistic musical languages. Kodály’s sonata, a titanic work demanding transcendent grasp of the technique, integrates material from his Hungarian folk song collections.Ligeti’s sonata, a much shorter work, augments an early single-movement composition with a follow-up movement in his mature style. Gubaidulina’s Ten Preludes, which began life as technical etudes, combine seemingly oppositional forces such as mathematical and religious symbolism to create new forms and structures while simultaneously extending the cello technique.
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)
Authors: Wilson Miranda
Published: September 2024

The minimalist movement of the 1960s began as a kind of experimental music in the United States. Minimalist composers reacted against the atonal styles of the avant-garde through the use of non-functional diatonicism, repetitive patterns, the use of drones, and other means of limiting musical materials. Several American minimalist composers looked to Asian religions for spiritual and musical influence, but their European counterparts had no need of this, turning instead to their own devout religious beliefs. These composers became known as the holy minimalists. In his Spiegel im Spiegel for cello and piano, the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt uses repetition to convey the idea of infinite reflection. John Tavener, in The Protecting Veil, uses minimalist techniques to chronicle the story of a miraculous vision of the Virgin Mary.
Beyond wingbeats: dispersal capacity and morphophysiological determinants in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Calixto Eduardo S , Paula-Moraes Silvana V , Reisig Dominic D , Santos Abraão A , Reay-Jones Francis P F
Published: September 2024

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest impacting numerous economic crops. This impact is facilitated by its long-range dispersal capacity, which can lead to the colonization of new cultivated areas in the agricultural landscape and the potential spread of insecticide-resistant populations. Despite these negative implications, it is unclear how ecological and morphological factors influence H. zea flight capacity. Here, we investigated the dispersal capacity and morphophysiological determinants of the flight performance of H. zea. Tethered flight mill experiments were conducted to examine the impact of mating status, age [young (2-day-old), middle-aged (3- to 6-day-old), or old (7- to 9-day-old)], and sex on the flight capacity of moths under controlled conditions. We found that the flight capacity was not influenced by mating status or the number of mature eggs. Males flew faster than females, and middle-aged moths’ flight had higher performance (speed, time, and distance) than young and old moths. Body size and wing-to-thorax ratio negatively influenced the moth flight time. Male’s body size was larger than females, but they had a smaller forewing area and smaller wing-to-thorax ratio. Middle-aged moths exhibited the highest likelihood of engaging in migratory movements (> 10 km). Finally, oogenesis-flight syndrome was not detected, confirming the hypothesis of facultative migration in this species. Our results enhance our understanding of the factors influencing the flight behavior of H. zea, which can be used to predict the long-range capacity of infestation of this species, and the spread of resistance genes to management tools, such as insecticides and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins expressed in transgenic crops.
Novel methods to construct a representative sample for surveying California’s unhoused population: the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness
Authors: Wesson Paul , Graham-Squire Dave , Perry Eve , Assaf Ryan D , Kushel Margot
Published: September 2024

Existing literature on people experiencing homelessness (PEH) draws on non-representative samples from service providers, populations with comorbidities, or areas with disproportionately high sheltered homelessness, leading to bias. Nearly a third of PEH in the US and over half of unsheltered PEH live in California. We designed a rigorous state-representative survey of PEH to investigate the antecedents of homelessness, understand health, and inform policy solutions.

The multistage design randomized at three levels: county, venue, and individual. Stratifying the state into eight regions, we sampled one county per region to reflect statewide demographics. Within counties, sampled venues matched the expected proportion of sheltered and unsheltered residents. Within venues, interviewers randomly sampled individuals. We adjusted for nonresponse and incorporated poststratification to benchmarks. In parallel, respondent-driven sampling reached subpopulations through social networks who may otherwise have been under-sampled. Our community-engaged study yielded 3200 quantitative surveys. We purposively sampled 365 participants for qualitative interviews. Demographic estimates match those found in the PIT with the added strength of statistical inference.

This is the first large representative study of PEH, beyond a single county, to draw inference on a large population that did not depend on service utilization. Our methods may inform future efforts to understand homelessness.
Symptoms and Diabetes among Chinese Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults with Prediabetes: A National Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Weiwei , Zhang Chen , Song Yongfeng , Wang Gang , Lv Xiaozhen , Zhong Xia
Published: September 2024

We aimed to assess the association between depressive symptoms and the risk of transition from prediabetes to diabetes. We included 3,956 adults with prediabetes aged 45 years and above in 2011. Participants with a ten-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) score of 10 or higher were classified as having depressive symptoms. Incident diabetes was defined as a self-reported physician diagnosis of diabetes, or treatment with glucose-lowering medication in 2013, 2015, or 2018. Among 3, 956 participants (mean age was 59.53 years old and 53.29% were female), the proportion of depressive symptoms was 36.50% in 2011. During the 24,831 person-years of follow-up, 458 participants developed diabetes and the incidence rate was 18.44 (95% CI 16.83 to 20.21) per 1000 person-years. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a higher risk of incident diabetes (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.59). In addition, the association was in a dose-response fashion (P trend < 0.001). Compared with the CES-D <10 group, the HRs (95% CI) were 1.21 (0.98 to 1.49) in the 10≤ CES-D <21 group, and 1.95 (1.38 to 2.75) in the CES-D ≥ 21 group. Depressive symptoms were shown as an independent risk factor for the progression from prediabetes to diabetes.
Single World Intervention Graphs (SWIGs): A Practical Guide
Authors: Bezuidenhout Dana , Forthal Sarah , Rudolph Kara , Lamb Matthew R
Published: September 2024

This article offers a comprehensive and user-friendly guide to visualizing causal theories using Single World Intervention Graphs (SWIGs). We begin with a discussion of the potential outcomes approach to causality and limitations of using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) under this framework. We then introduce SWIGs as a simple but powerful tool for integrating potential outcomes explicitly into causal diagrams. The article provides a step-by-step guide on transforming DAGs into SWIGs that includes practical insights into constructing SWIGs under various scenarios such as confounding, mediation, and sequential randomization. Highlighting the utility of SWIGs in practice, we illustrate their application in identifying the g-formula, showcasing their capacity to make causal estimands visually explicit. This article serves as a resource for epidemiologists and researchers interested in expanding their causal inference toolkit.
Segmentation of supragranular and infragranular layers in ultra-high-resolution 7T ex vivo MRI of the human cerebral cortex
Authors: Zeng Xiangrui , Puonti Oula , Sayeed Areej , Herisse Rogeny , Mora Jocelyn , Evancic Kathryn , Varadarajan Divya , Balbastre Yael , Costantini Irene , Scardigli Marina , Ramazzotti Josephine , DiMeo Danila , Mazzamuto Giacomo , Pesce Luca , Brady Niamh , Cheli Franco , Saverio Pavone Francesco , Hof Patrick R , Frost Robert , Augustinack Jean , van der Kouwe André , Eugenio Iglesias Juan , Fischl Bruce
Published: September 2024

Accurate labeling of specific layers in the human cerebral cortex is crucial for advancing our understanding of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Building on recent advancements in ultra-high-resolution ex vivo MRI, we present a novel semi-supervised segmentation model capable of identifying supragranular and infragranular layers in ex vivo MRI with unprecedented precision. On a dataset consisting of 17 whole-hemisphere ex vivo scans at 120 $\mu $m, we propose a Multi-resolution U-Nets framework that integrates global and local structural information, achieving reliable segmentation maps of the entire hemisphere, with Dice scores over 0.8 for supra- and infragranular layers. This enables surface modeling, atlas construction, anomaly detection in disease states, and cross-modality validation while also paving the way for finer layer segmentation. Our approach offers a powerful tool for comprehensive neuroanatomical investigations and holds promise for advancing our mechanistic understanding of progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
Employer branding and monopsony power in the labour market: a vignette experiment
Authors: Detilleux Céline , Deschacht Nick
Published: September 2024

Many firms engage in marketing efforts to improve their image as an employer (employer branding [EB]). This article re-conceptualises EB as an instrument used by firms to increase their monopsonistic power (Robinson, 1933), that is, the power of firms to set wages below the level that would be expected in a competitive labour market. To test this hypothesis, we perform a vignette experiment using original data collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk in which we randomly vary wage offers at employer-branded and not-branded firms. Our results indicate that employer-branded firms possess more monopsonistic power, particularly over male workers. We conclude by arguing that the wage-setting power of firms not only arises from illegal practices and clear aberrations of the economic system—as is the dominant discourse—but also from certain legal and widely accepted business practices.
Vieussens’ arterial ring forming a coronary–pulmonary artery fistula with large aneurysmal dilatation: a case report
Authors: Moriyama Shuji , Nakata Kosuke , Doi Hideki , Matsumura Toshiyuki , Fukui Toshihiro
Published: September 2024

Background

Vieussens’ arterial ring (VAR) is an embryonic conotruncal ring remnant that represents a rare vascular anomaly involving a connection between the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left anterior descending artery (LAD). We describe a unique case of VAR associated with large aneurysmal dilatation, which presents as the formation of a fistula between the coronary artery and pulmonary artery.

Case summary

An 80-year-old Japanese woman presented with an asymptomatic mediastinal mass that was incidentally detected on computed tomography. Subsequent imaging over 2 years revealed the progression of the two masses connecting the RCA to the LAD measuring 8 × 7 mm and 28 × 21 mm in diameter. Transthoracic echocardiography identified a cystic lesion anterior to the right ventricular outflow tract, and colour Doppler imaging confirmed flow into the pulmonary artery. Furthermore, coronary angiography revealed a large aneurysm arising from the LAD, with an efferent vessel communicating with the pulmonary artery. Surgical intervention involved resection of the aneurysms and closure of the coronary–pulmonary artery fistula, which yielded favourable postoperative outcomes.

Discussion

Vieussens’ arterial ring is a rare but clinically significant anomaly with varied presentations; the incidence of VAR remains uncertain. In this case, surgical resection and closure of the fistula were performed to mitigate the risk of rupture and to address the potential haemodynamic consequences. Understanding and documenting such cases will contribute to refining treatment approaches and improving patient care in cardiovascular medicine.
Bede and Gregory of Tours: A Reconsideration
Authors: Merrington John
Published: September 2024

Although the Historiae of Gregory of Tours (composed in the late sixth century) has frequently been invoked as an influence on Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (composed circa 731), no detailed study of this connection has hitherto been attempted. This article first addresses the manuscript tradition of the Historiae, demonstrating that there were at least two versions of Gregory’s text in circulation in Bede’s time, and that it matters significantly which version Bede encountered. It then compares the two texts in order to assess the case that Bede was influenced by his reading of the Historiae, firstly in analysing some of the sections of the Historia Ecclesiastica where Bede might have drawn on historical material from it, and secondly by considering the case for influence between the two authors at a structural and thematic level. It emerges that Bede almost certainly did not have access to a full ten-book version of the Historiae at the time of writing the Historia Ecclesiastica, but that his reading of the shorter, ‘B’ recension of Gregory’s text helped him to develop the scope of his own work as a geographically bounded Church history. The article concludes by arguing that Bede’s accomplishment as a historian should be located in the context of a historiographical renaissance that was already underway in the post-Roman west.
Ventricular arrhythmias in acute heart failure: a clinical consensus statement of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care, the European Heart Rhythm Association, and the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology
Authors: Gorenek Bulent , Wijnmaalen Adrianus P , Goette Andreas , Mert Gurbet Ozge , Porter Bradley , Gustafsson Finn , Dan Gheorghe-Andrei , Ector Joris , Stuehlinger Markus , Spartalis Michael , Gosau Nils , Amir Offer , Chioncel Ovidiu
Published: September 2024

Patients presenting with or alerting emergency networks due to acute heart failure (AHF) form a diverse group with a plethora of symptoms, risks, comorbidities, and aetiologies. During AHF, there is an increased risk of destabilizing the functional substrate and modulatory adding to the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) already created by the structural substrate. New VAs during AHF have previously identified patients with higher intra-hospital and 60-day morbidity and mortality. Risk stratification and criteria/best time point for coronary intervention and implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, however, are still controversial topics in this difficult clinical setting. The characteristics and logistics of pre-hospital emergency medicine, as well as the density of centres capable of treating AHF and VAs, differ massively throughout Europe. Scientific guidelines provide clear recommendations for the management of arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure. However, the incidence, significance, and management of arrhythmias in patients with AHF have been less studied. This consensus paper aimed to address the identification and treatment of VAs that complicate the course of patients who have AHF, including cardiogenic shock.
Revisiting the role of the spindle assembly checkpoint in the formation of gross chromosomal rearrangements in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Yao Yue , Yin Ziqing , Rosas Bringas Fernando R , Boudeman Jonathan , Novarina Daniele , Chang Michael
Published: September 2024

Multiple pathways are known to suppress the formation of gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs), which can cause human diseases including cancer. In contrast, much less is known about pathways that promote their formation. The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which ensures the proper separation of chromosomes during mitosis, has been reported to promote GCR, possibly by delaying mitosis to allow GCR-inducing DNA repair to occur. Here, we show that this conclusion is the result of an experimental artifact arising from the synthetic lethality caused by the disruption of the SAC and loss of the CIN8 gene, which is often lost in the genetic assay used to select for GCRs. After correcting for this artifact, we find no role of the SAC in promoting GCR.
Anisotropy and XKS splitting from geodynamic models of double subduction: testing the limits of interpretation
Authors: Kruse Jan Philipp , Rümpker Georg , Link Frederik , Duretz Thibault , Schmeling Harro
Published: September 2024

The analysis of the splitting signature of XKS phases is crucial for constraining seismic anisotropy patterns, especially in complex subduction settings such as outward-dipping double subduction. A natural example of this is found in the Central Mediterranean, where the Apennine and the Dinaride slabs subduct in opposite directions, with the Adriatic plate separating them. To assess the capability of XKS-splitting analysis in revealing anisotropic seismic properties, such as fast polarization directions and shear wave anisotropy (in per cent), we use three-dimensional numerical geodynamic models combined with texture evolution simulations. In these models, two identical outward-dipping oceanic plates are separated by a continental plate. Using the full elastic tensors – directly derived from the texture evolution simulations – we compute anisotropic seismic properties and synthetic teleseismic waveforms. From these waveforms synthetic observables are determined, including apparent splitting parameters (fast polarization directions and delay times) and splitting intensities. Based on these observables, we (1) derive models for a single anisotropic layer (one-layer model), (2) identify regions with significant depth-dependent anisotropic seismic properties, and (3) perform inversions at selected locations in terms of two anisotropic layers (two-layer model).

We consider two geodynamic models: one with a strong (M1) and one with a weak (M2) continental plate. Model M1 exhibits significant retreat of the subducting plates with no horizontal stretching of the continental plate, whereas Model M2 shows less retreat, substantial horizontal stretching, and detachment of the subducting plates. These different subduction styles result in distinct flow and deformation patterns in the upper mantle, which are reflected in the anisotropic seismic properties. In Model M1, the fast polarization directions below the continental plate are predominantly trench-parallel, whereas in Model M2, they are mostly trench-normal. In most regions of both models, the one-layer models are sufficient to resolve the anisotropic seismic properties, as these properties are nearly constant with depth. However, for both models, we identify some isolated regions – primarily near the tips of the subducting plates and beneath the continental plate – where fast polarization directions exhibit significant variations with depth. Inverting the apparent splitting parameters in these regions yields multiple two-layer models at each location that excellently fit the observables. However, their anisotropic seismic properties can vary significantly, and not all these two-layer models adequately approximate the true depth variations. This ambiguity can be partially reduced by selecting two-layer models in which the summed shear wave anisotropy closely matches that of one of the one-layer models, as these models better capture the true variations.
Three-dimensional joint inversion of surface wave dispersion and gravity data using a petrophysical approach: an application to Los Humeros Geothermal Field
Authors: Carrillo Jonathan , Pérez-Flores Marco A , Calò Marco
Published: September 2024

We present a method to jointly invert surface wave dispersion data and gravity measurements for 3-D shear wave velocity and density models. We implemented a petrophysical approach to combine the kernels of both methodologies in a single process. The synthetic experiments show that jointly inverted models recover shear wave velocity and density better than separate inversions. In particular, density models benefit from the good vertical resolution of surface wave dispersion data, while shear velocity models benefit from the good lateral resolution of gravity data. We also proposed two methods to stabilize the solution when using high-grade polynomials. We applied the methodology to the Los Humeros Geothermal area to demonstrate its applicability in a complex geological scenario. Compared with separate inversion, the joint inversion contributes to enhancing key aspects of the geothermal system by (i) delimitating better the geometry of the caldera deposits in the first 0–2.8 km deep by increasing the vertical resolution in density, (ii) delimitating better the lateral borders of low-Vs bodies at different depths interpreted as a part of a complex magmatic chamber system and (iii) estimating the local shear wave velocity–density relationship that conforms to other known relationships for sedimentary and igneous rocks but with some differences that bring us additional information.
Revisiting the 1934Mw 8.2 Bihar–Nepal earthquake—Simulation of broadband ground motions
Authors: Basu Jahnabi , KP Sreejaya , Raghukanth S T G
Published: September 2024

The 1934 Mw 8.2 Bihar–Nepal earthquake was one of the devastating earthquakes, which made seismologists realize the importance of proper seismic hazard analysis and design aspects in India. The event occurred way before proper seismic networks were implemented and hence there are no recorded ground motions available for this event. This study, thus aims to generate possible ground motions for the 1934 Mw 8.2 Bihar–Nepal event. The complex geographical features, ambiguous source information and lack of ground motion data make the simulation and validation of ground motions very difficult. In this regard, the broad-band (BB) ground motions are simulated and validated for the most recent well-documented Himalayan event, that is, the 2015 Mw 7.9 Nepal earthquake in order to calibrate the model and simulation methodology. For this purpose, the computational model is presented for a region of 1000 km × 670 km (longitude 80–89 °E and latitude 23–30 °N) in the Indo-Gangetic Basin to simulate the low-frequency (LF) ground motions using spectral element method. These deterministically simulated LF ground motions are combined with stochastically simulated high-frequency (HF) ground motions based on an improved seismological model . The seismic moment and dimensions of the rupture plane are used to generate ten samples for the finite fault source model having different slip distribution along the rupture plane as a random field. The BB ground motions (0.01–25 Hz) are obtained by merging LF and HF ground motions in the time domain by matching them at a frequency of ∼0.3 Hz. Such BB results are simulated at a grid of stations and at locations where modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) values are available. The estimated MMI values and the observed MMI values are compared to emphasize the efficacy of the model. The maximum PGA estimated from the simulated ground motions in horizontal and vertical directions are observed to be 0.48 g and 0.4 g. Further, 5 per cent damped response spectra and spectral amplification are analysed concerning the sediment depth of the Indo-Gangetic Basin. The results from the study can serve as inputs for dynamic analysis and the design of earthquake-resistant structures across different locations in the Indo-Gangetic Basin.
Navigating Inventiveness Assessment in Taiwan: Insights from Recent Court Decisions
Authors: Huang George J H , Huang Sandy
Published: September 2024

The assessment of patent inventiveness in Taiwan is a multi-faceted endeavor, influenced by a confluence of legal standards and court practices. This opinion aims to elucidate the principles governing inventiveness assessment, dissect relevant court decisions and unravel the practical implications for applicants and patentees.

This opinion includes the following.

1. An overview of inventiveness assessment: a foundational overview of the criteria and standards underpinning inventiveness assessment in Taiwan is provided.

2. Analyses of recent cases in different technical fields: delving deeper, we navigate through a series of recent case analyses spanning diverse technical fields, including the chemical, mechanical and pharmaceutical sectors. Through meticulous examination of court judgments, we discern the nuanced approaches employed in evaluating inventiveness across various fields.

3. Suggestions according to the cases: finally, based on the court judgments we provide our suggestions and strategies in various aspects for applicants and patentees.

In synthesis, although the framework on inventive step in the current Taiwan Patent Examination Guidelines is clear, its implementation in court rulings varies depending on the specific technical field in Taiwan. Patents in different technical fields often have distinct logical considerations and focal points in the assessment of inventive step. Therefore recent landmark court decisions in Taiwan on inventiveness in various technical fields are introduced, and our specific recommendations are presented, in order to offer readers clearer guidance.
The role of the skin in the atopic march
Authors: Tang Xin , Li Mei
Published: September 2024

Atopic diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD), food allergy (FA), asthma, and allergic rhinitis (AR) are closely related to inflammatory diseases involving different body sites (i.e. the skin, airway, and digestive tract) with characteristic features including specific IgE to allergens (so-called “atopy”) and Th2 cell-mediated inflammation. It has been recognized that AD often precedes the development of other atopic diseases. The progression from AD during infancy to FA or asthma/AR in later childhood is referred to as the “atopic march” (AM). Clinical, genetic, and experimental studies have provided evidence that allergen sensitization occurring through AD skin could be the origin of the AM. Here, we provide an updated review focusing on the role of the skin in the AM, from genetic mutations and environmental factors associated with epidermal barrier dysfunction in AD and the AM to immunological mechanisms for skin sensitization, particularly recent progress on the function of key cytokines produced by epidermal keratinocytes or by immune cells infiltrating the skin during AD. We also highlight the importance of developing strategies that target AD skin to prevent and attenuate the AM.
Risk of anxiety disorders in men with prostate cancer: a national cohort study
Authors: Crump Casey , Stattin Pär , Brooks James D , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Sieh Weiva
Published: September 2024

Background

Men with prostate cancer (PC) may experience significant psychosocial distress from physical symptoms, treatment side effects, or fear of recurrence. However, little is known about the long-term risk of anxiety disorders in men with PC.

Methods

A national cohort study was conducted of 180 189 men diagnosed with PC during 1998-2017 and 1 801 890 age-matched population-based control men in Sweden. Anxiety disorders were ascertained from nationwide outpatient and inpatient records through 2018. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and prior psychiatric disorders. Subanalyses explored differences by PC treatment during 2005-2017.

Results

In 7.8 million person-years of follow-up, 94 387 (5%) men were diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Men with high-risk PC had a nearly 2-fold higher risk of anxiety disorders than control men without PC (adjusted HR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.87 to 2.05). This risk was highest in the first 3 months after PC diagnosis (adjusted HR = 2.99, 95% CI = 2.49 to 3.59) but remained significantly elevated 10 or more years later (adjusted HR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.35 to 1.74). Those treated only with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) had the highest risk of anxiety disorders (adjusted HR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.93 to 2.25). Men with low- or intermediate-risk PC had a modestly increased risk (adjusted HR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.34 to 1.44).

Conclusions

In this large national cohort, men with PC had substantially increased risk of anxiety disorders, especially those with high-risk PC and treated only with ADT. Men with PC need close monitoring for timely detection and treatment of anxiety symptoms, particularly shortly after PC diagnosis.
Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations and Bildungsroman literature: a guidebook for journeying home, seeing places anew, and encountering Land-based education
Authors: Stickney Jeff
Published: September 2024

Guarding against reliance on his own biography and romantic tendencies in Bildungsroman literature, I draw parallels to Ludwig Wittgenstein’s use of the journey trope and place-based inquiry in the Philosophical Investigations, as an exploration of concept development and confusion that exhorts and guides readers in traversing the borderlands of their own cultural–linguistic practices. l recall Wittgenstein’s journey in search of himself: his retreat from Cambridge to a remote hut in Norway, leading him on a philosophical search for meaning. This self-transformative (Bildung) process of writing the Philosophical Investigations offers new ways for thinking the concept of ‘place’: not the bounding limit of things/beings; rather, working through the linguistic turn in philosophy, as potentially meaningful ‘sites’ in conceptually familiar/unfamiliar landscapes of native languages. The Investigations also carries ancient Heraclitian and Homeric tropes of homecoming and authenticity: ‘searching ourselves’ and ‘becoming who we are’, as found in Wittgenstein’s call to ‘know our way about’—rediscovering the grammatical order operating out of view but pervading the world as we see and know it, as well as setting its limits. Awareness of different languages of place is crucial to appreciating Indigenous discourses of Land-based education—a topic central to discussions of incorporating Indigenous knowledge while decolonizing education. Rethinking Bildungsroman literature in postcolonial terms—through the lens of reconciliation, renaissance, and resurgence —I call for careful listening to Indigenous peoples’ storied landscapes instead of fact-checking them: recognizing their sovereign right to self-govern their own education and resources. The goal is not to assess the truths of Land-based education, as in some epistemological inquiries, nor to make them accessible as pedagogical resources or instruments for non-Indigenous educators. The aim rather is to promote respect for its deep, nearly inaccessible context within Indigenous grammars and ways of life.
Multi-omics exploration of the involvement of ABA in identifying unique molecular markers for single and combined stresses in tomato plants
Authors: Pardo-Hernández Miriam , García-Pérez Pascual , Lucini Luigi , Rivero Rosa M
Published: September 2024

Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence that plant responses to combined abiotic stresses are unique and cannot be inferred from studying plants exposed to individual stresses. Understanding how adaptative plant mechanisms integrate from stress perception to biochemical and physiological adjustments is a major challenge in abiotic stress signaling studies. Considering abscisic acid (ABA) as a key regulator in plant abiotic stress responses, ABA-deficient plants (flc) exposed to single or combined salinity and heat stresses were evaluated and different -omics analyses were conducted. Significant changes in biomass, photosynthesis, ions, transcripts, and metabolites occurred in mutant plants under single or combined stresses. Exogenous ABA application in flc mutants did not fully recover plant phenotypes or metabolic levels but induced cellular reprogramming with changes in specific markers. Multi-omics analysis aimed to identify ABA-dependent, ABA-independent, or stress-dependent markers in plant responses to single or combined stresses. We demonstrated that studying different -omics as a whole led to the identification of specific markers for each stress condition that were not detectable when each -omic was studied individually. These findings may be utilized to enhance crop resilience to heat waves, salinity, and their combination, contributing to addressing food security challenges in a climate change scenario. Future exploration of the transcriptomic, ionomic, and metabolomic data presented in this study could lead to the identification of new pathways and genes associated with ABA signaling processes.
Small-scale signatures of primordial non-Gaussianity in k-nearest neighbour cumulative distribution functions
Authors: Coulton William R , Abel Tom , Banerjee Arka
Published: September 2024

Searches for primordial non-Gaussianity in cosmological perturbations are a key means of revealing novel primordial physics. However, robustly extracting signatures of primordial non-Gaussianity from non-linear scales of the late-time Universe is an open problem. In this paper, we apply k-Nearest Neighbour cumulative distribution functions, kNN-CDFs, to the quijote-png simulations to explore the sensitivity of kNN-CDFs to primordial non-Gaussianity. An interesting result is that for halo samples with $M_\mathrm{ h}\langle 10^{14}$ M$_\odot$ $h^{-1}$, the kNN-CDFs respond to equilateral PNG in a manner distinct from the other parameters. This persists in the galaxy catalogues in redshift space and can be differentiated from the impact of galaxy modelling, at least within the halo occupation distribution (HOD) framework considered here. kNN-CDFs are related to counts-in-cells and, through mapping a subset of the kNN-CDF measurements into the count-in-cells picture, we show that our results can be modelled analytically. A caveat of the analysis is that we only consider the HOD framework, including assembly bias. It will be interesting to validate these results with other techniques for modelling the galaxy–halo connection, e.g. (hybrid) effective field theory or semi-analytical methods.