bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tunning the omnidirectional bandgap of nanoporous silicon using a semi-sinusoidal refractive index profile
Authors: Salem Mohamed Shaker , Abdelaleem Asmaa Mohamed , Nasr Gamal Madboly , Amin Mohamed
Published: November 2024

We report the theoretical comparison of the omnidirectional bandgap in a 1-D photonic crystal using sinusoidal and semi-sinusoidal refractive index profiles. It is found that the omnidirectional bandgap of the semi-sinusoidal profile widens and shifts to a higher wavelength range as a function of the asymmetric ratio of the profile. The asymmetric ratio plays an essential role in tunning the width of the omnidirectional bandgap due to the changed average refractive index and optical thickness. The semi-sinusoidal refractive index is experimentally achieved by changing the current waveform. Novel omnidirectional nanoporous silicon mirrors with an omnidirectional bandgap covering optical communication wavelength (1550 nm) were fabricated using a semi-sinusoidal current waveform. The experimental analogy was carried out by building up the multilayered dielectric structures of omnidirectional mirrors by anodic etching using a semi-sinusoidal current waveform. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical results investigated by the transfer matrix method. It was shown that the distorted current profile impacts the quality of the omnidirectional bandgap although it does not affect the porous size range.
Mechanical circulatory support reduces renal sympathetic nerve activity in an ovine model of acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Warnakulasuriya Tania , George Bindu , Lever Nigel , Ramchandra Rohit
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The use of circulatory assist devices has been shown to improve glomerular filtration rate and reduce the incidence of acute kidney injury in patients following acute cardiac pathology. However, the mechanisms of improvement in kidney function are not clear. We tested the hypothesis that mechanical circulatory support would result in a decrease in directly recorded renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mediate the improvement in renal blood flow (RBF) in a setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Methods

An anaesthetized ovine model was used to induce AMI (n = 8) using injections of microspheres into the left coronary artery in one group. The second group did not undergo embolization (n = 6). The effects of mechanical circulatory support using the Impella CP on directly recorded renal sympathetic nerve activity were examined in these two groups of animals.

Results

Injection of microspheres resulted in a drop in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 21 ± 4 mmHg compared to baseline values (p < 0.05; n = 8). This was associated with a 67% increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA; from 16 ± 5 to 21 ± 5 spikes/s; p < 0.05; n = 7). Impella CP support significantly increased MAP by 13 ± 1.5 mmHg at pump level 8 (p < 0.05) in the AMI group. Incremental pump support resulted in a significant decrease in RSNA (p < 0.05) in both groups. At pump level P8 in the AMI group, RSNA was decreased by 21 ± 5.5% compared to pump level P0 when the pump was not on.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that the improvement in kidney function following mechanical circulatory support may be mediated in part by renal sympathoinhibition.
Microfluidic technologies: buffer exchange in bioprocessing, a mini review
Authors: Carvell Tom , Burgoyne Paul , Fraser Alasdair R. , Bridle Helen
Published: November 2024

Buffer exchange is a common process in manufacturing protocols for a wide range of bioprocessing applications, with a variety of technologies available to manipulate biological materials for culture medium exchange, cell washing and buffer removal. Microfluidics is an emerging field for buffer exchange and has shown promising results with both prototype research and commercialised devices which are inexpensive, highly customisable and often have the capacity for scalability to substantially increase throughput. Microfluidic devices are capable of processing biological materials and exchanging solutions without the need for conventional processing techniques like centrifugation, which are time-consuming, unsuitable for large volumes and may be damaging to cells. The use of microfluidic separation devices for cell therapy manufacturing has been under-explored despite some device designs successfully being used for diagnostic enrichment of rare circulating tumour cells from peripheral blood. This mini-review aims to review the current state of microfluidic devices for buffer exchange, provide an insight into the advantages microfluidics offers for buffer exchange and identify future developments key to exploiting the technology for this application.
Development and characterization of PLA food packaging composite
Authors: Moldovan Andrei , Sarosi Ioan , Cuc Stanca , Prodan Doina , Taut Adrian Catalin , Petean Ioan , Bombos Dorin , Doukeh Rami , Nemes Ovidiu , Man Sorin Claudiu
Published: November 2024

This study focuses on the development of bioactive packaging materials by incorporating grape pomace and copper particles into polylactic acid (PLA) composites. The goal is to increase the shelf life of packaged foods while benefiting the health of consumers through the use of these active materials. 6 recipes of composite materials based on polylactic acid and Proviplast 2624 plasticizer were obtained. The additives added were: grape pomace, added at 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%, and copper particles, formed using PEG 600 + CuSO₄, added at 2%, 5% and 8%. Material characterization techniques: FTIR Spectroscopy, used to study the chemical structure. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): examined thermal transitions such as glass transition and melting temperatures. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG): evaluated thermal stability and degradation temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM): analyzed the surface morphology and structure. Mechanical tests: evaluated tensile strength, elongation at break and flexibility.

Thermal property analyzes revealed that the additives acted as plasticizers, reducing the intermolecular forces between PLA chains, which decreased the glass transition temperature (Tg), cold crystallization temperature (Tcc) and melting temperature (Tm). The addition of grape pomace and copper particles decreased the degradation temperature of PLA composites, indicating a slight reduction in thermal stability. The transformation temperatures changed and the nature of the thermal transitions (exothermic or endothermic) varied with additive concentrations. Mechanical properties indicated a reduction in tensile strength with increasing additive concentration. Elongation at break and longitudinal modulus of elasticity increased significantly, especially with grape pomace, improving the flexibility of PLA. These changes indicate that the material can absorb more energy before breaking, making it more ductile and more suitable for flexible packaging applications. Increased flexibility and improved thermal resistance ensure that these materials can withstand the demands of packaging, handling and shipping. The combination of improved flexibility, thermal resistance and moderate tensile strength makes these PLA-based composites incorporated with grape pomace or copper particles, enhance the aspect of sustainability by recycling agricultural waste, making the material both ecological and functional, making it a viable option for active food packaging.
Ruijsenaars wavefunctions as modular group matrix coefficients
Authors: Di Francesco Philippe , Kedem Rinat , Khoroshkin Sergey , Schrader Gus , Shapiro Alexander
Published: November 2024

We give a description of the Hallnäs–Ruijsenaars eigenfunctions of the 2-particle hyperbolic Ruijsenaars system as matrix coefficients for the order 4 element $$S\in SL(2,{\mathbb {Z}})$$

S
∈
S
L
(
2
,
Z
)

acting on the Hilbert space of GL(2) quantum Teichmüller theory on the punctured torus. The GL(2) Macdonald polynomials are then obtained as special values of the analytic continuation of these matrix coefficients. The main tool used in the proof is the cluster structure on the moduli space of framed GL(2)-local systems on the punctured torus, and an $$SL(2,{\mathbb {Z}})$$

S
L
(
2
,
Z
)

-equivariant embedding of the GL(2) spherical DAHA into the quantized coordinate ring of the corresponding cluster Poisson variety.
Selbsteingeschätzte Versorgungsqualität des Diabetes
Authors: Buchmann Maike , Du Yong , Baumert Jens , Krause Laura , Weise Solveig , Heidemann Christin
Published: November 2024

Hintergrund

Menschen mit Diabetes sollten aktiv in ihre Behandlung eingebunden werden. Daher ist ihre Perspektive auf Komponenten der Versorgungsqualität in der Interaktion mit dem Behandlungsteam bedeutsam, z. B. in Bezug auf das Festlegen individueller Therapieziele.

Ziel

Im Rahmen einer bundesweiten, bevölkerungsbezogenen Befragung wurde die Versorgungsqualität aus der Perspektive von Menschen mit Typ-2-Diabetes ab 45 Jahren erfasst und im Zusammenhang mit soziodemografischen, krankheits- und versorgungsbezogenen Merkmalen analysiert, um daraus Verbesserungspotenziale abzuleiten.

Methoden

Die selbsteingeschätzte Versorgungsqualität wurde mithilfe des 9 Einzelkomponenten umfassenden Befragungsinstruments PACIC-DSF (Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care – DAWN short form) ermittelt. Ein höherer Mittelwert des PACIC-DSF-Scores bzw. der 9 Komponenten (Skala jeweils: 1–5) weist auf eine bessere selbsteingeschätzte Versorgungsqualität im letzten Jahr hin.

Ergebnisse

Die Versorgungsqualität des Typ-2-Diabetes wurde insgesamt als moderat eingeschätzt (2,4). Frauen, Menschen ab 80 Jahren und Menschen mit einer Diabetesdauer < 5 Jahren schätzten ihre Versorgungsqualität gegenüber den Vergleichsgruppen weniger gut ein. Eine Schulungsteilnahme, ärztliche diagnostische Maßnahmen, eine Medikation (v. a. Insulin) und Blutzuckerselbstkontrollen (v. a. mit Sensor) gingen mit einer besseren selbsteingeschätzten Versorgungsqualität einher. Mehr als die Hälfte der Befragten berichtete für die meisten PACIC-DSF-Komponenten, z. B. die Ermutigung zu einer Schulung sowie Fragen nach Nebenwirkungen der Medikamente und eigenen Behandlungszielen, diese selten oder nie im letzten Jahr erlebt zu haben.

Diskussion

Den Ergebnissen zufolge erscheint eine stärkere Implementation von Komponenten einer patientenzentrierten Behandlung notwendig. Personen mit kurzer Diabetesdauer und ohne Medikation könnten stärker eingebunden werden, z. B. nach ihren Behandlungswünschen gefragt werden. Diabetesschulungen und ärztliche diagnostische Maßnahmen könnten die Versorgungsqualität erhöhen.
Calibration of the Critical Velocity Description in Cold Spray
Authors: Wiehler L. , Capan J. , Arabgol Z. , Huang C. , List A. , Gärtner F. , Klassen T.
Published: November 2024

In cold spray, successful bonding occurs when particle impact velocities exceed the critical velocity. The description of the critical velocity includes temperature upon impact and material properties, relying on tabulated data of bulk material. However, rapid solidification of powder particles during gas atomization results in higher strengths than reached by respective bulk materials, causing an underestimation of the critical velocity. Thus, a readjustment of the semiempirical calibration constants can supply a more accurate prediction of the requested spray conditions for bonding. Using copper and aluminum as examples, experimentally determined particle strengths for various particle sizes were 43% and 81% higher than those of the corresponding soft bulk materials. Cold spraying was performed over a wide range of parameter sets, achieving deposition efficiencies (DE) ranging from 2% to 98%. DEs were plotted as a function of particle impact velocities and temperatures, as calculated by a fluid dynamic approach. By using DEs of 50%, the critical velocities of the different powders and the corresponding semiempirical constants were determined. The results reveal material-dependent differences in the mechanical pre-factor. This allows a more precise description of individual influences by particle strengths on critical velocities and enhances the understanding and prediction of coating properties.
The management of paediatric acute liver failure: results from an international multi-centre survey across Europe
Authors: Alexander Emma C , Malham Mikkel , Lenz Dominic , Grazioli Serge , Jørgensen Marianne Hørby , Deep Akash ,   On behalf of the Liver Failure Working Group of the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) and the Acute Liver Failure working group of the European Reference Network (ERN) Rare-Liver
Published: November 2024

Background

Paediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is a rare condition with high morbidity and mortality. The liver transplant era, and improvements in medical management, have transformed outcomes. However, differences in aetiology, management, experience and resources are reported across single-centre case series. This study aimed to survey current practices in the critical care of children with PALF across Europe.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey of PICUs in European countries was created and distributed by the Liver Failure Working Group of the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) and ERN Rare-Liver. Participants were intensivists and hepatologists across PICUs in Europe. The survey was distributed using the EUSurvey platform April-June 2023.

Results

25 centres from 16 countries participated (response rate 66% of 38 relevant centres). Most centres (56%, n = 14) managed 1–6 cases of PALF per year. Therapeutic strategies varied across the participating centres. Overall, 80% (n = 20) routinely prescribed antibiotics. Invasive intracranial pressure monitoring was practiced by 20% (n = 5) of centres; cerebral perfusion pressure was targeted by 68% of centres (n = 17). All centres used renal replacement therapy (88% for hyperammonaemia, 50% hepatic encephalopathy); 64% (n = 16) made use of plasma exchange. Most centres used the King’s College Hospital Criteria (68%, n = 17) for listing.

Conclusions

This survey across Europe highlighted varied aetiologies in different settings, and variations in key aspects of management, for patients with PALF. International collaboration is needed to standardise guidelines to improve equity of access to treatment, and to foster research collaborations to improve outcomes, for this high-risk patient group.
Convolutional kernel-based classification of industrial alarm floods
Authors: Manca Gianluca , Fay Alexander
Published: November 2024

Alarm flood classification (AFC) methods are crucial in assisting human operators to identify and mitigate the overwhelming occurrences of alarm floods in industrial process plants, a challenge exacerbated by the complexity and data-intensive nature of modern process control systems. These alarm floods can significantly impair situational awareness and hinder decision-making. Existing AFC methods face difficulties in dealing with the inherent ambiguity in alarm sequences and the task of identifying novel, previously unobserved alarm floods. As a result, they often fail to accurately classify alarm floods. Addressing these significant limitations, this paper introduces a novel three-tier AFC method that uses alarm time series as input. In the transformation stage, alarm floods are subjected to an ensemble of convolutional kernel-based transformations (MultiRocket) to extract their characteristic dynamic properties, which are then fed into the classification stage, where a linear ridge regression classifier ensemble is used to identify recurring alarm floods. In the final novelty detection stage, the local outlier probability (LoOP) is used to determine a confidence measure of whether the classified alarm flood truly belongs to a known or previously unobserved class. Our method has been thoroughly validated using a publicly available dataset based on the Tennessee-Eastman process. The results show that our method outperforms two naive baselines and four existing AFC methods from the literature in terms of overall classification performance as well as the ability to optimize the balance between accurately identifying alarm floods from known classes and detecting alarm flood classes that have not been observed before.
Critical security research and the war on terror: From the margins to the mainstream?
Authors: Jarvis Lee , Lister Michael
Published: November 2024

Contemporary reckoning with the catastrophic outcomes of the post-9/11 era opens important questions for the future of counterterrorism policy. It also raises significant issues for thinking through the future priorities and purposes of security scholarship. In this article we make two core claims. First, recent years have seen considerable mainstreaming of ostensibly critical ideas on (counter)terrorism within political debate, media commentary, and – crucially – security policy. Second, such ideas – including around the futility of ‘war’ on terror; the ineffectiveness of torture; the unstable framing of threats such as radicalisation; and the inefficiency of excessive counterterrorism expenditure – were widely dismissed as lacking in policy relevance, even being utopian, when articulated by critically oriented scholars. This development, we argue, raises important ontological questions around the ending of security paradigms such as the war on terror. It also prompts vital political, epistemological, and normative questions around the status of overtly critical scholarship when its ideas and recommendations achieve wider currency.
Regular Schur labeled skew shape posets and their 0-Hecke modules
Authors: Kim Young-Hun , Lee So-Yeon , Oh Young-Tak
Published: November 2024

Assuming Stanley’s P-partitions conjecture holds, the regular Schur labeled skew shape posets are precisely the finite posets P with underlying set

$\{1, 2, \ldots , |P|\}$

such that the P-partition generating function is symmetric and the set of linear extensions of P, denoted

$\Sigma _L(P)$

, is a left weak Bruhat interval in the symmetric group

$\mathfrak {S}_{|P|}$

. We describe the permutations in

$\Sigma _L(P)$

in terms of reading words of standard Young tableaux when P is a regular Schur labeled skew shape poset, and classify

$\Sigma _L(P)$

’s up to descent-preserving isomorphism as P ranges over regular Schur labeled skew shape posets. The results obtained are then applied to classify the

$0$

-Hecke modules

$\mathsf {M}_P$

associated with regular Schur labeled skew shape posets P up to isomorphism. Then we characterize regular Schur labeled skew shape posets as the finite posets P whose linear extensions form a dual plactic-closed subset of

$\mathfrak {S}_{|P|}$

. Using this characterization, we construct distinguished filtrations of

$\mathsf {M}_P$

with respect to the Schur basis when P is a regular Schur labeled skew shape poset. Further issues concerned with the classification and decomposition of the

$0$

-Hecke modules

$\mathsf {M}_P$

are also discussed.
Second-order analysis of hypersonic boundary-layer stability
Authors: Grasso Francesco , Gloerfelt Xavier
Published: November 2024

The dominant mode instability in hypersonic boundary-layer transition is the so-called second-mode instability, which has a peculiar nature strongly coupled with thermoacoustic phenomena. In linear stability theory, the unstable wave is associated with one of the two eigenvalues that originate from the acoustic branches, referred to as slow and fast modes. Interestingly, the unstable mode (slow or fast) reaches its maximum amplification as the other mode (fast or slow) attains a minimum. The phase velocity of the two modes is then very close, and this phenomenon is called synchronization. The aim of the present study is to unravel the physical mechanism that explains the second-mode growth. To that aim, second-order nonlinear equations are written for the disturbances given by linear stability. In this framework, entropy, kinetic energy and temperature energy budgets are obtained up to second order. The budgets are scrutinized for various Mach numbers and for adiabatic and cold-wall thermal conditions. Perturbation entropy budgets clearly show the process is a reversible one. An energy exchange between kinetic energy and temperature energy of the weakly nonlinear modes is driven by pressure–dilatation terms. As underlined in previous studies, the unstable mode experiences an alternate heating and cooling near the wall, which is shown to be a rather nonlinear process. The change in fluctuating thermal energy in the form of a dilatational wave is sustained by pumping disturbance kinetic energy through the pressure–dilatation term, the direction of the conversion being driven by the relative phase between pressure and dilatation. This process is similar for the slow and fast modes, the unstable mode being amplified and the other being damped. No change in the process has been noted at the location of the synchronization, suggesting that the modes have the same nature but evolve independently.
Linear stability analysis of a vertical liquid film over a moving substrate
Authors: Pino Fabio , Mendez Miguel A. , Scheid Benoit
Published: November 2024

The stability of liquid-film flows is essential in many industrial applications. In the dip-coating process, a liquid film forms over a substrate extracted at a constant speed from a bath. We studied the linear stability of this film considering different thicknesses

$\hat {h}$

for four liquids, spanning an extensive range of Kapitza numbers (

$Ka$

). By solving the Orr–Sommerfeld eigenvalue problem with the Chebyshev–Tau spectral method, we calculated the threshold between growing and decaying perturbations, investigated the instability mechanism, and computed the absolute/convective threshold. The instability mechanism was studied by analysing the perturbations’ vorticity distribution and the kinetic energy balance. It was found that liquids with low

$Ka$

(e.g. corn oil,

$Ka = 4$

) are stable for a smaller range of wavenumbers compared with liquid with high

$Ka$

(e.g. liquid zinc,

$Ka = 11\,525$

). Surface tension has a stabilising and a destabilising effect. For long waves, it curves the vorticity lines near the substrate, reducing the flow under the crests. For short waves, it fosters vorticity production at the interface and creates a region of intense vorticity near the substrate. In addition, we discovered that the surface tension contributes to both the production and dissipation of perturbation's energy depending on the

$Ka$

number. Regarding the absolute/convective threshold, we identified a window in the parameter space where unstable waves propagate throughout the entire domain (indicating absolute instability). Perturbations affecting Derjaguin's solution (

$\hat {h}=1$

) for

$Ka<17$

and the Landau–Levich–Derjaguin solution (

$\hat {h}=0.945 Re^{1/9}Ka^{-1/6}$

), are advected by the flow (indicating convective instability).
Numerical invariants on twisted noncommutative polyballs: curvature and multiplicity
Authors: Popescu Gelu
Published: November 2024

The goal of this paper is to show that the theory of curvature invariant, as introduced by Arveson, admits a natural extension to the framework of

${\mathcal U}$

-twisted polyballs

$B^{\mathcal U}({\mathcal H})$

which consist of k-tuples

$(A_1,\ldots, A_k)$

of row contractions

$A_i=(A_{i,1},\ldots, A_{i,n_i})$

satisfying certain

${\mathcal U}$

-commutation relations with respect to a set

${\mathcal U}$

of unitary commuting operators on a Hilbert space

${\mathcal H}$

. Throughout this paper, we will be concerned with the curvature of the elements

$A\in B^{\mathcal U}({\mathcal H})$

with positive trace class defect operator

$\Delta_A(I)$

. We prove the existence of the curvature invariant and present some of its basic properties. A distinguished role as a universal model among the pure elements in

${\mathcal U}$

-twisted polyballs is played by the standard

$I\otimes{\mathcal U}$

-twisted multi-shift S acting on

$\ell^2({\mathbb F}_{n_1}^+\times\cdots\times {\mathbb F}_{n_k}^+)\otimes {\mathcal H}$

. The curvature invariant

$\mathrm{curv} (A)$

can be any non-negative real number and measures the amount by which A deviates from the universal model S. Special attention is given to the

$I\otimes {\mathcal U}$

-twisted multi-shift S and the invariant subspaces (co-invariant) under S and

$I\otimes {\mathcal U}$

, due to the fact that any pure element

$A\in B^{\mathcal U}({\mathcal H})$

with

$\Delta_A(I)\geq 0$

is the compression of S to such a co-invariant subspace.
The History of Trade Unionism and Working Class Politics as Social Movement History: Three Volumes on the Nordic Countries
Authors: Knotter Ad
Published: November 2024

In the past twenty years or so, the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland) have seen a “renewal” in labour history. Thanks to exchanges outside the Nordic sphere and the “global turn” in labour history, new questions have been raised and topics addressed. Increased attention has been paid to the variations of labour and labour relations (including coerced labour), to working lives and the workplace, and to gender. The studies under review in this essay testify to the ongoing evolution of labour movement history in the Nordic countries in recent years.
Governing on par with states: Private power and practices of political normalisation
Authors: Uribe Juanita
Published: November 2024

The involvement of private actors in global policymaking has received significant scholarly attention in IR. Existing accounts have shown how entities such as corporations, businesses, and philanthropies build their authority to become legitimate actors and shape global politics. This paper argues that contemporary global dynamics, such as the financialisation of development and the rise of multistakeholderism, have ushered in a trend where private actors are not only seen as legitimate delegated authorities but also embraced as fully fledged political equals indispensable for addressing societal problems. To understand this shift, it is necessary to move beyond an examination of legitimation strategies to interrogate, instead, how private actors shape what are seen as ‘apt’ or ‘deviant’ ways of knowing and acting upon problems. Through an examination of what I call ‘political normalisation’ in the field of global food governance, I show how through concrete practices – individualising social problems, defining institutional aptness, and cultivating the landscape – private actors not only cultivate a perception of themselves as rightful global governors but also shape the parameters of what rightful governing ought to be. More broadly, this shift invites us to further complicate the public–private divide and assess the novel ways through which private actors ‘do’ politics.
Improved bounds for five-term arithmetic progressions
Authors: LENG JAMES , SAH ASHWIN , SAWHNEY MEHTAAB
Published: November 2024

Let
$r_5(N)$
be the largest cardinality of a set in
$\{1,\ldots,N\}$
which does not contain 5 elements in arithmetic progression. Then there exists a constant
$c\in (0,1)$
such that
\[r_5(N)\ll \frac{N}{\exp\!((\!\log\log N)^{c})}.\]
Our work is a consequence of recent improved bounds on the
$U^4$
-inverse theorem of J. Leng and the fact that 3-step nilsequences may be approximated by locally cubic functions on shifted Bohr sets. This, combined with the density increment strategy of Heath–Brown and Szemerédi, codified by Green and Tao, gives the desired result.
Seeds consumed by three sympatric species of threatened Sporophila seedeaters: lessons for conservation and grassland restoration
Authors: Franz Ismael , Vizentin-Bugoni Jeferson , Repenning Márcio , Rovedder Cristiano E. , Boldrini Ilsi I. , Fontana Carla S.
Published: November 2024

Resource partitioning is a critical mechanism underlying the coexistence of close relative species that feed on similar resources. Based on foraging data, we built a plant–seedeater interaction network for three sympatric species of Neotropical seedeaters – namely Tropeiro Seedeater Sporophila beltoni, Black-bellied Seedeater Sporophila melanogaster, and Tawny-bellied Seedeater Sporophila hypoxantha, and tested to what extent the three species shared resources. The interaction network was non-nested and modular, forming three modules, each one comprising one seedeater species and their most consumed plants, indicating the existence of resource partitioning. Modules may result from multiple non-exclusive factors, including differences among seedeater species in habitat use, bill sizes, feeding habits, structure of vegetation for nesting, and abiotic factors that influence plant composition. Our results indicate that the effective conservation of these species requires the protection of areas that include the three distinct subsets of plants used by these birds during the breeding season and also indicates which plants may be used for the restoration of grasslands in the region.
Investigate prompt gamma profiles using a collimator-based camera for in-vivo monitoring of distal dose and tumour localisation in proton therapy of non-small cell lung cancer: a Monte Carlo simulation study
Authors: Rohollahpour Elham , Taleshi Ahangari Hadi , Raghavi Sajjad
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Lung cancer ranks high among the causes of mortality in cancer patients, as per the most recent World Health Organization report. Proton therapy offers a precise approach to treating lung cancer by delivering protons with high accuracy to the targeted site. However, inaccuracies in proton delivery can lead to increased toxicity in healthy tissues. This study aims to investigate the correlation between proton beam dose profiles in lung tumours and the scattered gamma particles.

Material and methods:

The study utilised the Gate simulation software to simulate proton beam radiation and an imaging system for prompt gamma imaging during proton therapy. An anthropomorphic Non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) cardiac and torso (NCAT) phantom was employed to replicate lung tumours of various sizes. The imaging system comprised a multi-slit collimation system, CsI(Tl) scintillator arrays and a multichannel data acquisition system. Simulations were conducted to explore the relationship between prompt gamma detection and proton range for different tumour sizes.

Results:

Following 60 MeV proton irradiation of the NCAT phantom, the study examined the gamma energy spectrum, identifying peak intensities at energies of 2.31, 3.8, 4.44, 5.27 and 6.13 MeV. Adjustments to the proton beam source tailored to tumour sizes achieved a coverage rate of 98%. Optimal energies ranging from 77 to 91.5 MeV were determined for varying tumour volumes, supported by dose distribution profiles and prompt gamma distribution illustrations.

Discussion:

The study evaluated the viability of utilising 2D gamma imaging with a multi-slit collimator scintillation camera for real-time monitoring of dose delivery during proton therapy for lung cancer. The findings indicated that this method is most suitable for small lung tumours (radius ≤ 12 mm) due to reduced gamma emission from larger tumours.

Conclusion:

While the study demonstrates promising results in range estimation using prompt gamma particles, challenges were encountered in accurately estimating large tumours using this method.
Democracy and Direct Legislation during the French Second Republic
Authors: Rubinelli Lucia
Published: November 2024

This article analyzes how direct popular legislation was discussed in France from 1850 to 1852. It is during the Second Republic that the idea of directly involving the people in the law-making process becomes a concrete proposal. It is extensively debated by left republican thinkers such as Ledru-Rollin, Rittinghausen and Considerant to argue, against Proudhon and Blanc, that political representation is, in fact, not democratic. Instead, they claimed that real democracy would require a sharp distinction between legislation and administration and the consequent direct involvement of the people in lawmaking through their participation in local assemblies, tasked with both drafting and approving legislative proposals of general import. These competing understandings of democracy, as theorized through debates about popular legislation in the mid-nineteenth century, foreground some of the fundamental challenges of representative politics and question the role of knowledge and expertise in legitimizing democratic procedures in the age of mass politics.
Desert Specters: Commemoration and Myth in Doctor Atomic and Oppenheimer
Authors: Gatdula Anna B.
Published: November 2024

This article explores the cultural commemorations of J. Robert Oppenheimer through the lenses of opera and film, specifically focusing on Christopher Nolan's film Oppenheimer (2023) and Peter Sellars and John Adams's opera Doctor Atomic (2005/2018). It engages with Michel-Rolph Trouillot's theories on history and mythmaking to analyze how these cultural productions function as acts of commemoration that sanitize and mythicize historical processes. The revival of Oppenheimer as a mythic figure reflects a broader societal negotiation with the legacy of nuclear technology and its implications in the twenty-first century. Both the opera and the film reify a political and ideological attachment to the U.S. nuclear complex. Furthermore, this article critically examines the production settings of “Doctor Atomic” at the Santa Fe Opera and Nolan's on-location filming in New Mexico. It argues that these settings add a ritualistic valence to the narrative, enhancing the mythic portrayal of Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project. Through a detailed analysis of narrative strategies and media affordances, this study reveals how contemporary depictions of historical figures and events shape and sustain national myths that support an ongoing attachment to the nuclear complex.
Four-element LC-baluns for power matching arbitrary impedances
Authors: Jepsen Rasmus Alexander , Ardenkjær-Larsen Jan Henrik , Zhurbenko Vitaliy
Published: November 2024

Six four-element balun topologies are introduced that enable complex impedance matching in addition to common-mode rejection. Design equations for these topologies are presented. Three of these networks are universal, while the other three are capable of performing only specific impedance transformations. Examples of these networks were designed and fabricated along with a traditional lattice balun network for an operating frequency of 300 MHz. These networks were verified through extensive electromagnetic simulations and by measuring the fabricated networks. The fabricated novel network examples were able to achieve common-mode rejection ratios above 20 dB, power wave reflection coefficients below −20 dB, and insertion losses of approximately 0.1 dB; these results were similar to or better than the performance of the fabricated traditional lattice balun. The design example networks also provided power matching and low insertion loss over a greater bandwidth compared to the fabricated traditional network. These networks will allow for the footprints of lumped-element balun circuitry to be reduced, which is particularly useful in integrated circuit design. These topologies are also expected to further increase radio-frequency (RF) circuit design flexibility by offering more alternative realizations.
Large Igneous Provinces May Have Leaked Cryptic Carbon
Authors: Ware Skyler
Published: November 2024

Dissolved carbon dioxide may have bubbled up from magma far below the surface, contributing to prolonged warming.
Enhanced Cross‐Shelf Exchange by the Eddies Associated With Plume Front
Authors: Zu Tingting , Cai Zhongya , Qu Lixin , Hetland Robert D. , Huang Caijing , Luo Lin , Wang Dongxiao
Published: November 2024

Broadened width of high chlorophyll concentration band with wavy structures, patches, and filaments are often observed along the western coastal next to the Pearl River Estuary over the northern South China Sea shelf during the transition period from winter to summer monsoon. Whereas, there is no such wide band in other seasons. By using a high‐resolution numerical model, we reveal that the complex structure and wider band of high coastal chlorophyll concentration results from the smaller scale eddies (about 20–50 km in diameter) associated with buoyant plume‐induced salinity front and density fronts, which are roughly along the 30 and 50 m isobaths, respectively. Two trains of eddies are formed along the fronts by the baroclinic instability triggered by frequently alternating winds over the fronts during the period of monsoon transition. The influences of these two trains of eddies are extended in the cross‐shelf direction by their interactions, and they can temporally enhance the cross‐shelf flow and material exchange. They serve as an efficient pathway to link the inner shelf toward the continental slope.
Characteristics of the Dissimilar Turbulent Transport Processes of Heat and Momentum During Wind‐Wave Dynamical Interactions
Authors: Zhang Jinlong , Dong Yuhong , Shen Lian
Published: November 2024

Heat and momentum transport processes are studied through direct numerical simulations of air‐water two‐phase flows with surface waves under wave‐wind couplings. Three wave age cases, sea state changing from wind sea to swell, are analyzed to investigate the roles of surface waves in the turbulent transport of heat and momentum, which are examined by decomposing the statistics into the plane‐averaged, wave‐coherent, and turbulent‐induced components. Under wind sea conditions, a dissimilarity in turbulent transfer between heat and momentum is observed in the near‐surface region. This discrepancy arises from the enhanced countergradient heat transport on the leeward side, which is caused by wave‐coherent structures. The surface waves induce phase‐dependent variations in the temperature and flow structures, reducing the scale of temperature structure. This reduction further results in a weaker contribution of ejections and sweeps to heat transfer. In contrast, momentum transport is predominantly downgradient on the leeward side due to the large‐scale flow structure. This difference in coherent structures leads to the dissimilar transport between heat and momentum. Under lower‐frequency swell conditions, surface waves induce an upward momentum that enhances the vortical structures near the wave surface. The transfer efficiency of turbulent momentum and heat gradually reaches equilibrium, after which both transport processes become more analogous.
Orbital (Hydro)Climate Variability in the Ice‐Free Early Eocene Arctic
Authors: Fokkema Chris D. , Brinkhuis Henk , Peterse Francien , Sluijs Appy
Published: November 2024

Early Eocene (∼56–48 Ma) climates are useful to investigate polar climate dynamics in the absence of ice. We explore early Eocene orbital variability of Arctic climate using sediments recovered by the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX). High resolution records of lipid biomarkers (GDGTs; 2‐kyr) and palynological assemblages (5‐kyr) in the ∼4 m interval below Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (∼54 Ma) show cyclic signals related to ∼20‐kyr precession, ∼40‐kyr obliquity, and ∼100‐kyr eccentricity. Biomarkers indicate obliquity and precession variability representative of sea surface temperature (SST) variations up to ∼1.4 and ∼0.5°C, respectively. Peak SSTs coincide with an elevated supply of pollen and spores and increased marine productivity. This implies an orbital control on precipitation and terrestrial nutrient supply to the Arctic Basin. Assuming that SST maxima correspond to Arctic insolation maxima (precession minima/obliquity maxima), precipitation maxima also correspond to insolation maxima, implying regional hydrological processes as a forcing rather than variations in meridional water transport, contrasting Pleistocene Arctic hydrology. The relative amplitudes of precession and obliquity in the SST record match that of local insolation between spring and fall, corroborating a seasonal GDGT bias. The reconstructed complete orbital imprint refutes a bias to one end of the orbital variability. Eccentricity‐related SST variability was ∼0.8°C, ∼2–3 times higher than synchronous variability in the deep ocean, and 3–4 times higher than similar variations in the tropics. This confirms eccentricity‐forced global temperature variability and that this had pronounced polar amplification, despite the absence of ice‐albedo feedbacks.
Long COVID syndrome in children: neutrophilic granulocyte dysfunction and its correlation with disease severity
Authors: Kovács Fanni , Posvai Tamás , Zsáry Eszter , Kolonics Ferenc , Garai Réka , Herczeg Vivien , Czárán Domonkos , Takács Johanna , Szabó Attila József , Krivácsy Péter , Csépányi-Kömi Roland
Published: November 2024

Background

Many children suffer from lingering symptoms after COVID-19, known as long COVID syndrome (LCS), otherwise called Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC). Despite extensive research, the prevalence of symptoms, its impact on quality of life, and underlying mechanisms still need to be fully understood. As neutrophilic granulocytes play an essential role in COVID-19, and their prolonged disruption was found to cause immunological diseases, we hypothesized their ongoing disturbed functionality in LCS.

Methods

We studied 129 children with LCS, 32 convalescent children (CG+), and 8 uninfected children (CG−). Online questionnaires and in-person examinations assessed symptoms, quality of life, and functioning (QoL-F). Effector functions of neutrophilic granulocytes obtained from the venous blood of 29 LCS and 17 CG+ children were also investigated.

Results

Persistent fatigue was the most common symptom in children with LCS, while both control groups complained about anxiety most frequently. LCS children experienced significantly more symptoms, impairing their QoL-F compared to CG+. Neutrophilic granulocyte dysfunction was found in LCS children, with decreased superoxide-producing activity and phagocytosis compared to CG+. The number of complaints of children with LCS correlated significantly with altered neutrophil effector functions.

Conclusion

Neutrophil dysfunction in children with LCS may be part of the disease pathogenesis or a predisposing factor.

Impact

Using online questionnaires validated during in-person medical examinations and including two different control groups, our study compellingly supports and adds to previous clinical observations in the field.

Our study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and characteristics of pediatric LCS, highlighting the significant quality of life and functioning impairment compared to control groups.

By detecting neutrophilic granulocyte dysfunction in children with LCS, we shed light on a previously overlooked pathophysiological component of the condition.

We demonstrate a significant correlation between clinical symptoms and superoxide production, further enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pediatric LCS.
Population genomics of Plasmodium ovale species in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Carey-Ewend Kelly , Popkin-Hall Zachary R. , Simkin Alfred , Muller Meredith , Hennelly Chris , He Wenqiao , Moser Kara A. , Gaither Claudia , Niaré Karamoko , Aghakanian Farhang , Feleke Sindew , Brhane Bokretsion G. , Phanzu Fernandine , Kashamuka Melchior Mwandagalirwa , Aydemir Ozkan , Sutherland Colin J. , Ishengoma Deus S. , Ali Innocent M. , Ngasala Billy , Kalonji Albert , Tshefu Antoinette , Parr Jonathan B. , Bailey Jeffrey A. , Juliano Jonathan J. , Lin Jessica T.
Published: November 2024

Plasmodium ovale curtisi (Poc) and Plasmodium ovale wallikeri (Pow) are relapsing malaria parasites endemic to Africa and Asia that were previously thought to represent a single species. Amid increasing detection of ovale malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, we present a population genomic study of both species across the continent. We conducted whole-genome sequencing of 25 isolates from Central and East Africa and analyzed them alongside 20 previously published African genomes. Isolates are predominantly monoclonal (43/45), with their genetic similarity aligning with geography. Pow shows lower average nucleotide diversity (1.8×10−4) across the genome compared to Poc (3.0×10−4) (p < 0.0001). Signatures of selective sweeps involving the dihydrofolate reductase gene have been found in both species, as are signs of balancing selection at the merozoite surface protein 1 gene. Differences in the nucleotide diversity of Poc and Pow may reflect unique demographic history, even as similar selective forces facilitate their resilience to malaria control interventions.
Elastic and magnetic characteristics of nano-spinel ferrite Co0.5 MgxCu0.5−xFe2O4
Authors: Fakhry F. , Shaheen E. , El-Dosoky H. , Meaz T. M. , Mubark M. , El-Shater R.
Published: November 2024

Wet-chemical co-precipitation was used to create Co0.5MgxCu0.5−xFe2O4 nano-ferrites (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4). XRD, FT-IR, HRTEM, and EDX analyses were used to confirm each sample’s single-phase spinel cubic crystal structure. The crystallite size was calculated from the XRD data and determined to be between (11.1570 and 16.1457 nm), with a lattice constant between (8.359 to 8.387Å). The two absorption bands found in the FTIR data were utilized to show metal cation and oxygen bond stretching at tetrahedral and octahedral positions, as well as to calculate the elastic moduli. The elemental composition and structural behavior of every sample were examined using FE-SEM and EDS. The magnetic parameters were also estimated based on the VSM data, the contribution of magnetic anisotropy (K), and the magnetic interaction by Neel’s and Y-K-type magnetism modify as the Mg2+ ion substitution increases, thus we must consider how this variation in cation distribution affects all of these factors. As per the ferromagnet theory, ions originating from the magnetic tetrahedral A and octahedral B sites engage in super-exchange interactions with one another. Anti-ferromagnetic alignment occurs as a result (MB-MA). Magnetization occurs as a result.
Predicting executive functioning from walking features in Parkinson’s disease using machine learning
Authors: Piet Artur , Geritz Johanna , Garcia Pascal , Irsfeld Mona , Li Frédéric , Huang Xinyu , Irshad Muhammad Tausif , Welzel Julius , Hansen Clint , Maetzler Walter , Grzegorzek Marcin , Bunzeck Nico
Published: November 2024

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by motor and cognitive deficits. While previous work suggests a relationship between both, direct empirical evidence is scarce or inconclusive. Therefore, we examined the relationship between walking features and executive functioning in patients with Parkinson’s disease using state-of-the-art machine learning approaches. A dataset of 103 geriatric Parkinson inpatients, who performed four walking conditions with varying difficulty levels depending on single task walking and additional motor and cognitive demands, was analyzed. Walking features were quantified using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system positioned at the patient’s lower back. The analyses included five imputation methods and four regression approaches to predict executive functioning, as measured using the Trail-Making Test (TMT). Multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) in combination with support vector regression (SVR) reduce the mean absolute error by about 4.95% compared to baseline. Importantly, predictions solely based on walking features obtained with support vector regression mildly but significantly correlated with Δ−TMT values. Specifically, this effect was primarily driven by step time variability, double limb support time variability, and gait speed in the dual task condition with cognitive demands. Taken together, our data provide direct evidence for a link between executive functioning and specific walking features in Parkinson’s disease.