bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cosmological dynamics in f(R) gravity models through cosmographic energy conditions
Authors: Achi Tame , Singh Heisnam Shanjit
Published: June 2024

A proposed f(R) functional form’s constraints caused by energy conditions are presented. Raychaudhuri’s equation and the premise that gravity is attractive are both used to derive null and strong energy conditions for the proposed f(R) gravity model. Furthermore, the weak and dominant energy conditions are established by analysing the energy conditions induced by an effective energy-momentum tensor for the f(R)-theory of gravity. The most recent estimates of the cosmographic parameters that mimic Chaplygin gas-type dark energy are used on the parameters of a pair of f(R) models as a tangible extension of the energy conditions to the Robertson-Walker universe. It is found that under the various values of the coupling parameters the proposed f(R) model satisfy null, weak and dominant energy conditions while strong energy conditions are breached. Further, constraining the coupling parameters as a result of energy conditions, our analysis shows that the proposed model accurately captures the observed cosmic acceleration, as indicated by key parameters such as the effective equation of state (ω

eff
), and the deceleration parameter (q). Through a geometric analysis of cosmographic parameters, we observe deviations of f(R) gravity from the ΛCDM model. We identify distinct evolutionary pathways that resemble characteristics of either quintessence or Chaplygin gas dark energy across various epochs, indicating a dynamic rate of cosmic acceleration. Our findings highlight the significant influences of coupling parameters and initial conditions on the cosmic evolution.
Tuning band gaps in lead chalcogenides under pressure: implications for infrared detection applications
Authors: Sohrabikia Zeinab , Abedi Ravan Bahram , Jafari Mahmoud
Published: June 2024

This study employs first-principle calculations within density functional theory (DFT) to explore the structural, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of lead chalcogenides (PbS, PbSe, and PbTe). The investigation focuses on their potential application as infrared photodetectors, leveraging their narrow-band gap semiconductor characteristics. The influence of pressure on the band gap and various electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties is thoroughly analyzed. The calculated band gap values for PbS, PbSe, and PbTe are determined to be 0.29 eV, 0.18 eV, and 0.18 eV, respectively, aligning well with experimental data. Notably, the study reveals non-linear changes in band gap values under pressure, with phase transitions observed at specific pressure thresholds in PbS and PbSe, but not in PbTe. Under varying pressure conditions, the optical peaks shift towards lower energy levels with increased intensity. The static dielectric constant of PbS, PbSe, and PbTe exhibits distinct variations within pressure ranges of 0–8 GPa. Transport coefficients (S,σ, ke) are calculated using semi-classical Boltzmann theory across different temperatures and pressures, indicating that heavier compounds exhibit higher electrical and thermal conductivity values. At 300 K, the maximum ZT values are determined to be 0.85, 0.8, and 0.52 for PbS, PbSe, and PbTe, respectively. The study suggests enhanced thermoelectric properties of these structures at lower temperatures, particularly highlighting PbS and PbSe as promising candidates for thermoelectric applications below 500 K. Exploring the impact of pressure on the thermoelectric parameters of lead chalcogenides reveals interesting trends, with PbTe demonstrating higher thermoelectric efficiency under increased pressure compared to PbS and PbSe. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential applications and performance of lead chalcogenides in IR detection and thermoelectric systems.
Growth history and quasar bias evolution at z < 3 from Quaia
Authors: Piccirilli Giulia , Fabbian Giulio , Alonso David , Storey-Fisher Kate , Carron Julien , Lewis Antony , García-García Carlos
Published: June 2024

We make use of the Gaia-unWISE quasar catalogue, Quaia, to constrain the growth history out to high redshifts from the clustering of quasars and their cross-correlation with maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) lensing convergence. Considering three tomographic bins, centred at redshifts z̅i
= [0.69, 1.59, 2.72], we reconstruct the evolution of the amplitude of matter fluctuations σ
8(z) over the last ∼ 12 billion years of cosmic history. In particular, we make one of the highest-redshift measurements of σ
8 (σ
8(z = 2.72) = 0.22 ± 0.06), finding it to be in good agreement (at the ∼ 1σ level) with the value predicted by ΛCDM using CMB data from Planck. We also used the data to study the evolution of the linear quasar bias for this sample, finding values similar to those of other quasar samples, although with a less steep evolution at high redshifts. Finally, we study the potential impact of foreground contamination in the CMB lensing maps and, although we find evidence of contamination in cross-correlations at z ∼ 1.7 we are not able to clearly pinpoint its origin as being Galactic or extragalactic. Nevertheless, we determine that the impact of this contamination on our results is negligible.
The role of vectors in reheating
Authors: Garcia Marcos A.G. , Kaneta Kunio , Ke Wenqi , Mambrini Yann , Olive Keith A. , Verner Sarunas
Published: June 2024

We explore various aspects concerning the role of vector bosons during the reheating process. Generally, reheating occurs during the period of oscillations of the inflaton condensate and the evolution of the radiation bath depends on the inflaton equation of state. For oscillations about a quadratic minimum, the equation of state parameter, w = p/ρ = 0, and the evolution of the temperature, T(a) with respect to the scale factor is independent of the spin of the inflaton decay products. However, for cases when w > 0, there is a dependence on the spin, and here we consider the evolution when the inflaton decays or scatters to vector bosons. We also investigate the gravitational production of vector bosons as potential dark matter candidates. Gravitational production predominantly occurs through the longitudinal mode. We compare these results to the gravitational production of scalars.
The entropic uncertainty preservation in non-Markovian environment via classical driving fields
Authors: Hajihoseinlou H , Ahansaz B
Published: June 2024

Uncertainty relations in terms of entropies were initially proposed to deal with conceptual shortcomings in the original formulation of the uncertainty principle and, hence, play an important role in quantum foundations. In quantum information theory, the preferred mathematical quantity to express the entropic uncertainty relation is the Shannon’s entropy. In this work, we investigate the effect of a classical driving field on entropic uncertainty lower bound (EULB). In this regard, we consider a particle as the quantum memory correlated with a measured particle, where during the interaction with the environment, the quantum memory is driven by the external classical field. Our result reveals that in the presence of the classical driving fields, the EULB is reduced and consequently, the measurement accuracy is increased.
Deep brain stimulation pulse sequences to optimally modulate frequency-specific neural activity
Authors: Farooqi Hafsa , Vitek Jerrold L , Escobar Sanabria David
Published: June 2024

Objective. Precise neuromodulation systems are needed to identify the role of neural oscillatory dynamics in brain function and to advance the development of brain stimulation therapies tailored to each patient’s signature of brain dysfunction. Low-frequency, local field potentials (LFPs) are of increasing interest for the development of these systems because they can reflect the synaptic inputs to a recorded neuronal population and can be chronically recorded in humans. In this computational study, we aim to identify stimulation pulse patterns needed to optimally maximize the suppression or amplification of frequency-specific neural activity. Approach. We derived DBS pulse patterns to minimize or maximize the 2-norm of frequency-specific neural oscillations using a generalized mathematical model of spontaneous and stimulation-evoked LFP activity, and a subject-specific model of neural dynamics in the pallidum of a Parkinson’s disease patient. We leveraged convex and mixed-integer optimization tools to identify these pulse patterns, and employed constraints on the pulse frequency and amplitude that are required to keep electrical stimulation within its safety envelope. Main results. Our analysis revealed that a combination of phase, amplitude, and frequency pulse modulation is needed to attain optimal suppression or amplification of the targeted oscillations. Phase modulation is sufficient to modulate oscillations with a constant amplitude envelope. To attain optimal modulation for oscillations with a time-varying envelope, a trade-off between frequency and amplitude pulse modulation is needed. The optimized pulse sequences were invariant to changes in the dynamics of stimulation-evoked neural activity, including changes in damping and natural frequency or complexity (i.e. generalized vs. patient-specific model). Significance. Our results provide insight into the structure of pulse patterns for future closed-loop brain stimulation strategies aimed at controlling neural activity precisely and in real-time.
Plastic scintillator fiber detectors for heavy ion trajectory reconstruction for the Super-FRS at FAIR
Authors: Czogalik M. , Nociforo C. , Alfonsi M. , Caesar C. , Galvis Tarquino J.A. , Heggen H. , Heil M. , Kurz N. , Minami S. , Savran D. , Simon H. , Winkler M.
Published: June 2024

At the FAIR facility, currently under construction at GSI (Darmstadt), a 1.5 AGeV uranium
beam with intensities up to 2.5 × 1011
238U/spill will impinge on a graphite
target at the entrance of the Super-FRS for the production of a wide range of rare isotopes by
projectile fission and fragmentation. The next generation in-flight magnetic separator Super-FRS,
operated up to a magnetic rigidity of 20 Tm with a large angular acceptance (Δθ =
± 40 mrad, Δϕ = ± 20 mrad) and momentum acceptance (Δ p/p = ± 2.5%),
requires a new generation of tracking detectors with a position resolution of 0.2 mm
(σx
) over large detector areas reaching up to 570 cm2. Besides gas detectors,
planar detectors made of scintillating fibers are an option worth investigating not only because
of the comparable material budget but especially for the fast response and high-rate capability. A
one-dimensional prototype consisting of 128 fibers with active area of 25.6 × 100 mm2 
coupled to Multi-Pixel-Photon Counters (MPPCs) and readout by FPGA TDC is described together with
some recent 197Au beam test results.
Calibration and validation measurements of the Extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometer
Authors: Gong Yiwei , Wen Zhiwen , Luo Peng , Song Shiyu , Huang Yuxuan , Ran Jianling , Tang Xiaoqin , Jiang Yue , Chen Zhiqiang , Xu Junkui
Published: June 2024

An Extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometer (EBSS) has been
developed to investigate the neutron spectra of the China initiative
Accelerator Driven System. This paper presents the design,
calibration, and validation measurements of the EBSS system using a
standard 241Am-Be neutron source and the cosmic ray
neutrons. The EBSS system was simulated using the PHITS code, and
the geometric structures were designed using the response functions
obtained by simulations. The EBSS system comprises of seven
polyethylene-only spheres and seven extended-range spheres encased
in lead, copper, or tungsten shells along with a bare 3He
proportional counter. To verify the accuracy of the simulated
response functions, the EBSS system was calibrated with
monoenergetic neutron beams of 565 keV at the China Institute of
Atomic Energy in Beijing. The EBSS system was used to measure
neutron count rates of the 241Am-Be neutron source and cosmic
ray neutrons. Subsequently, the measured neutron count rates were
converted into neutron spectra by the unfolding
software. Experimental findings demonstrate the precise capability
of the EBSS system to measure neutron spectra across a wide range of
neutron radiation fields.
Comment on ‘Critical points of Potts and O(N) models from eigenvalue identities in periodic Temperley–Lieb algebras’
Authors: Yang Yi , Zhou Shuigeng
Published: June 2024

We present an algorithm to compute the exact critical probability h(n) for an

n
×
∞

helical square lattice with random and independent site occupancy. The algorithm has time complexity

O
(

n
2

c
n

)

and space complexity

O
(

c
n

)

with c = 2.7459... and allows us to compute h(n) up to n = 24. Since the extrapolation result of h(n) is inconsistent with the current best estimation of pc
, we also compute and extend the exact critical probability

p
c

(
n
)

for an

n
×
∞

cylindrical square lattice to n = 24. Our calculation shows that the current best result of

p
c

=
0.592

746

050

792

10
(
2
)

by Jacobsen (2015 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor.
48 454003) is incorrect and the corrected value should be

0.592

746

050

7896
(
1
)

.
On the rationality and the code structure of a Narain CFT, and the simple current orbifold
Authors: Furuta Yuma
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we discuss the simple current orbifold of a rational Narain CFT (Narain RCFT). This is a method of constructing other rational CFTs from a given rational CFT, by ‘orbifolding’ the global symmetry formed by a particular primary fields (called the simple current). Our main result is that a Narain RCFT satisfying certain conditions can be described in the form of a simple current orbifold of another Narain RCFT, and we have shown how the discrete torsion in taking that orbifold is obtained. Additionally, the partition function can be considered a simple current orbifold with discrete torsion, which is determined by the lattice and the B-field. We establish that the partition function can be expressed as a polynomial, with the variables substituted by certain q-series. In a specific scenario, this polynomial corresponds to the weight enumerator polynomial of an error-correcting code. Using this correspondence to the code theory, we can relate the B-field, the discrete torsion, and the B-form to each other.
Path integrals, complex probabilities and the discrete Weyl representation
Authors: Polyzou W N
Published: June 2024

A discrete formulation of the real-time path integral as the expectation value of a functional of paths with respect to a complex probability on a sample space of discrete valued paths is explored. The formulation in terms of complex probabilities is motivated by a recent reinterpretation of the real-time path integral as the expectation value of a potential functional with respect to a complex probability distribution on cylinder sets of paths. The discrete formulation in this work is based on a discrete version of the Weyl algebra that can be applied to any observable with a finite number of outcomes. The origin of the complex probability in this work is the completeness relation. In the discrete formulation the complex probability exactly factors into products of conditional probabilities and exact unitarity is maintained at each level of approximation. The approximation of infinite dimensional quantum systems by discrete systems is discussed. The method is illustrated by applying it to scattering theory and quantum field theory. The implications of these applications for quantum computing is discussed.
Insights from number theory into the critical Kauffman model with connectivity one
Authors: Sheldon F C , Fink T M A
Published: June 2024

The Kauffman model of genetic computation highlights the importance of criticality at the border of order and chaos. The model with connectivity one is of special interest because it is exactly solvable. But our understanding of its behavior is incomplete, and much of what we do know relies on heuristic arguments. Here, we show that the key quantities in the model are intimately related to aspects of number theory. Using these links, we derive improved bounds for the number of attractors as well as the mean attractor length, which is harder to compute. Our work suggests that number theory is the natural language for deducing many properties of the critical Kauffman model with connectivity one, and opens the door to further insight into this deceptively simple model.
Complex dynamics and chaos control of a quantum Stackelberg game with heterogeneous players
Authors: Chen Ji
Published: June 2024

In this research article, we explore the complex dynamics of a quantum Stackelberg game and its chaos control involving players with heterogeneous expectations. We utilize the Iqbal & Toor scheme to quantize the classical Stackelberg game and observe that the first mover advantage is diminished in the quantum version of the game. By examining the game from an evolutionary perspective, where the leader firm employs bounded rational expectations and the follower firm adopts adaptive expectations, we discover that the quantum Stackelberg game exhibits complex behaviors, such as cyclic and chaotic states. The local stability of the quantum game depends on the initial state of the game. Additionally, the occurrence of chaos is delayed in the quantum game. To further investigate, we implement the time-delayed feedback method to control the chaos in the quantum game and demonstrate that the techniques used for controlling the classical game are still effective in the quantum game.
Current state of stimulated Brillouin scattering microscopy for the life sciences
Authors: Bilenca Alberto , Prevedel Robert , Scarcelli Giuliano
Published: June 2024

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) microscopy is a nonlinear all-optical imaging method that provides mechanical contrast based on the interaction of laser radiation and acoustical vibrational modes. Featuring high mechanical specificity and sensitivity, three-dimensional sectioning, and practical imaging times, SBS microscopy with (quasi) continuous wave excitation is rapidly advancing as a promising imaging tool for label-free visualization of viscoelastic information of materials and living biological systems. In this article, we introduce the theory of SBS microscopy and review the current state-of-the-art as well as recent innovations, including different approaches to system designs and data analysis. In particular, various performance parameters of SBS microscopy and its applications in the life sciences are described and discussed. Future perspectives for SBS microscopy are also presented.
𝐿²-spectrum, growth indicator function and critical exponent on locally symmetric spaces
Authors: Wolf Lasse , Zhang Hong-Wei
Published: June 2024

In this short note we observe, on locally symmetric spaces of higher rank, a connection between the growth indicator function introduced by Quint and the modified critical exponent of the Poincaré series equipped with the polyhedral distance. As a consequence, we provide a different characterization of the bottom of the

L
2

L^2

-spectrum of the Laplace-Beltrami operator in terms of the growth indicator function. Moreover, we explore the relationship between these three objects and the temperedness.
Introducing the Poetics and Polemics of Muslim Prayer in the United States
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter introduces the poetics and polemics of Muslim prayer in the United States. It discusses how prayer is a core practice for Muslims that connects them to God, yet can also lead to discomfort and fear of discrimination when performed publicly. Through poetry and personal narratives, the chapter explores Muslims’ diverse relationships with prayer—from fond childhood memories learning to pray, to challenges praying publicly and finding accommodations, to spiritual meaning found in the act. It portrays prayer as an intimate ritual that anchors identity, but one that must adapt to fit American life. The chapter argues studying prayer illuminates how Muslims interpret and apply their faith in the US context.
Surveying Muslim Prayer in American Public Life
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter provides an examination of Muslim prayer in American public life, shedding light on various aspects of this practice. It reveals that a significant number of Muslims engage in daily prayer, although safety concerns and discomfort may deter some individuals from praying in public settings. The results of a survey of U.S. Muslims indicate that Muslims are less likely to engage in public prayer individually, but are more inclined to participate in group prayers or utilize designated prayer spaces. Unfortunately, public prayer often exposes Muslims to potential discrimination, despite the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. The pervasive issue of Islamophobia further influences the willingness of Muslims to engage in public prayer. Consequently, the landscape surrounding Muslim prayer experiences ongoing transformations with the emergence of new developments. By delving into prayer practices, one gains valuable insights into how Muslims interpret and navigate their faith amidst numerous challenges. Furthermore, the chapter situates prayer practices within the complex and contentious debates surrounding public expressions of religious beliefs.
Prayer and Religious Accommodations in Schools, Universities, and the Workplace
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter examines how Muslim students and employees in the United States navigate religious accommodations for prayer in public schools, universities, and workplaces. It finds uneven support, with private institutions often more accommodating than public ones wary of church-state issues. University students increasingly demand proper prayer spaces, catalyzed by rising Islamophobia. Low-wage Muslim workers struggle for basic accommodations, sometimes suing factories denying requests. Outcomes depend on interpretations of the law and employer willingness. Understanding prayer accommodation illuminates how Islamic ritual practice is both accepted and contested in public American life as Muslims assert their rights. The chapter contextualizes Muslim efforts amid broader debates about secularism, religious freedom, and discrimination.
Religious Leaders and Prescriptions around Muslim Prayer Practices
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter explore debates among Muslim religious leaders and scholars regarding the prescriptions for prayer practices, particularly within non-Muslim societies such as the United States. It uncovers a wide spectrum of opinions ranging from strict adherence to the allowance of flexibility. Traditionalist scholars staunchly advocate for normative practices without considering contextual factors and circumstances. Moderate scholars demonstrate adaptability by tailoring rulings to accommodate the needs of Muslim minorities, permitting certain exceptions. The chapter critically examines the approaches of renewalists who craft new interpretive frameworks and contrasts them with traditionalists who rely on established jurisprudence. It argues that the lived realities of Muslims often diverge from the scholarly opinions, highlighting the ongoing efforts of Muslims to navigate and integrate their ritual obligations within the secular context of American society. By understanding these debates, one gains a deeper insight into the multifaceted strategies adopted by Muslims in their endeavor to maintain religious observance in an ever-evolving cultural landscape.
Prayer as Protest and Protest as Prayer
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter examines how prayer intersects with protest for US Muslims. It argues prayer takes on political meaning in public spaces, asserting Muslim identity and belonging. Prayer protests defy Islamophobia, build solidarity, and raise awareness. Examples include border gatherings, Black Lives Matter (BLM) vigils, travel ban rallies, and more. Prayer embodies theology and beliefs, merging the sacred and mundane. For activists, incorporating prayer rituals lends spirituality to dissent. Understanding protest prayer illuminates creative ways Muslims integrate faith into civic engagement and navigate tensions. The chapter contextualizes Muslim experiences within broader histories of prayer, politics, and activism in the United States.
Ideology Critique and the Critique of Morality
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter offers a critical reconstruction of Marx’s “ideology” concept, arguing that ideology is best understood as theory mediated by a given economic class’s perspective on the conflict between itself and opposing class(es). As such, the “ideology” concept does not point to a rigid opposition of “true” and “false.” However distorting, the bourgeoisie’s perspective cannot lose complete contact with reality without endangering that class’s capacity to manipulate the world to its ends. However clarifying and liberatory, the proletariat’s perspective cannot entirely overcome its own material basis as a product of capitalist society, except by winning the struggle for a future beyond capitalism. Such a society would be one in which a shared, intersubjective, universal human perspective could supplant previous, fractured class consciousnesses, creating the possibility for nonideological and fully objective human consciousness of our natural and social world.
“Bourgeois” Freedom and Equal Right
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter explains how, on Marx’s view, “bourgeois” freedom, equality, and property only retain their validity within a specific form of activity under capitalism—commodity exchange. Abstracting from the rest of social existence under capitalism, it is possible to believe that the worker is truly free insofar as she effects her will through contract; truly equal, because she receives in exchange for her labor power a wage of ostensibly equivalent value; and truly protected in her right to property, disposing of her labor power as she wills. However, outside this realm of abstraction, one notices the worker is not truly free, but compelled to sell her labor power so that she might continue to live. As these illusions of bourgeois morality become less tenable, we understand the real situation of the worker and the real economic relations of capitalist society more concretely.
Marx’s Critiques of Rival Moral Theories
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter presents Marx’s critiques of Christianity, Kantianism, Utilitarianism, and Malthusianism, four of the ethical perspectives to which he gives special attention in his writings. Central to Marx’s criticism of the rival views is that they each in their own way flee from materialism and into a realm of ahistorical ideal abstraction. In doing so, they frequently, paradoxically, command behavior that makes a really existing better world less likely if not outright impossible to achieve. They frequently prohibit precisely those actions and that behavior that would be necessary for the antagonism, alienation, domination, subjection, and suffering of our present world to be overcome. In this way, they function to prevent the very same norms and values they extol from ever actually being universally instantiated.
“No Particular Wrong”
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter analyzes Marx’s comments on the “abolition” of morality. For Marx, the proletariat is unique in the complete coincidence of class interest with universal, human interest. In pursuing its emancipation from the dehumanizing reach of capital, the proletariat constitutes the practical resolution of the most pressing ethical problem of our time. In this sense, workers’ self-emancipatory activity presages the “abolition of morality” that Marx foresees as a consequence of any future transition to a fully developed communist society, with its resolution of the contradictions between private interest and public good, and its forging of those conditions within which we might realize in practice the treatment of every person as an end in themselves. This chapter takes up Marx’s engagements with Aristotle’s De Anima, demonstrating how these indicate the kind of “human sense” that Marx thought might emerge in the wake of abstract moral theory.
Coda
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This very brief chapter discusses the radical legacy of philosopher Angela Davis. It details her experiences as a professor in the University of California system during the late 1960s, where she was targeted by the Board of Regents due to her Communist Party membership. This chapter highlights the importance of continuing to defend academic freedom in the face of state repression today. The challenges that scholars face, which prevent a serious and productive engagement with Marx’s ideas, come not only from conflicting theoretical commitments and internecine disputes over method, but also from the exercise of legal, economic, and political power aimed squarely at preventing it. Free scholarly inquiry therefore requires engagement with the world both inside and outside of the academy to secure the conditions of its possibility.
The ‘full-flowing stomach’: unwholesome food, climate, and colonialism in King Lear and Kristian Levring’s The King is Alive
Authors: Swanner Seth
Published: June 2024

This article considers Kristian Levring’s 2000 film The King is Alive from a radically open historicist methodology, analysing the film as a product of multiple interleaved archives. An adaptation of King Lear, the film’s relevant archive includes documents from the English Renaissance like the early modern recipe books and seventeenth-century medical treatises that this article uncovers. Yet because The King is Alive was filmed in an abandoned German mining colony in the Namib desert, the archive must also include accounts of the colonialist ‘Scramble for Africa’ more than two centuries after King Lear was written. The methodological deftness of history-as-adaptation allows us to see the film’s anxieties about food that rest at the nexus of these two archives. Shakespeare’s play worries about liminal foods—species-specific foods, foods that fail to nourish, and foods that become poison—but the film updates these concerns to implicate Western imperialism and global capitalism. Surrounded (and, in one instance, killed) by potentially botulistic cans of carrots that remain after the German occupation, the characters in the film must grapple with the toxic leftovers of colonialism, including Shakespeare’s playtext. The film thus asks its audience to consider further archives related to the imperialist roots of the invention of canning, the discovery of vitamins, and the export of Shakespeare as a ‘civilizing’ figure. Finally, the film gestures to the foodway challenges exacerbated by both capitalism and climate change, becoming a palimpsest of archives from across multiple temporalities: a Shakespearean past, a colonialist present, and a warming future.
The Power of Caricature, Caricatures of Power
Authors: Haywood Ian
Published: June 2024

This review article assesses three new books on the “Golden Age” of caricature in Britain and the United States: Tim Clayton’s James Gillray: A Revolution in Satire (2022), Amanda Lahikainen’s Money and Materiality in the Golden Age of Graphic Satire (2022), and Alison M. Stagg’s Prints of a New Kind: Political Caricature in the United States, 1789-1828 (2023). The article considers how satirical cartoons simultaneously educated and entertained the public about important issues, such as political corruption, nation building, and the perils of a credit economy based on paper money.
Comparison of software packages for detecting unannotated translated small open reading frames by Ribo-seq
Authors: Tong Gregory , Hah Nasun , Martinez Thomas F
Published: June 2024

Accurate and comprehensive annotation of microprotein-coding small open reading frames (smORFs) is critical to our understanding of normal physiology and disease. Empirical identification of translated smORFs is carried out primarily using ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq). While effective, published Ribo-seq datasets can vary drastically in quality and different analysis tools are frequently employed. Here, we examine the impact of these factors on identifying translated smORFs. We compared five commonly used software tools that assess open reading frame translation from Ribo-seq (RibORFv0.1, RibORFv1.0, RiboCode, ORFquant, and Ribo-TISH) and found surprisingly low agreement across all tools. Only ~2% of smORFs were called translated by all five tools, and ~15% by three or more tools when assessing the same high-resolution Ribo-seq dataset. For larger annotated genes, the same analysis showed ~74% agreement across all five tools. We also found that some tools are strongly biased against low-resolution Ribo-seq data, while others are more tolerant. Analyzing Ribo-seq coverage revealed that smORFs detected by more than one tool tend to have higher translation levels and higher fractions of in-frame reads, consistent with what was observed for annotated genes. Together these results support employing multiple tools to identify the most confident microprotein-coding smORFs and choosing the tools based on the quality of the dataset and the planned downstream characterization experiments of the predicted smORFs.
VISH-Pred: an ensemble of fine-tuned ESM models for protein toxicity prediction
Authors: Mall Raghvendra , Singh Ankita , Patel Chirag N , Guirimand Gregory , Castiglione Filippo
Published: June 2024

Peptide- and protein-based therapeutics are becoming a promising treatment regimen for myriad diseases. Toxicity of proteins is the primary hurdle for protein-based therapies. Thus, there is an urgent need for accurate in silico methods for determining toxic proteins to filter the pool of potential candidates. At the same time, it is imperative to precisely identify non-toxic proteins to expand the possibilities for protein-based biologics. To address this challenge, we proposed an ensemble framework, called VISH-Pred, comprising models built by fine-tuning ESM2 transformer models on a large, experimentally validated, curated dataset of protein and peptide toxicities. The primary steps in the VISH-Pred framework are to efficiently estimate protein toxicities taking just the protein sequence as input, employing an under sampling technique to handle the humongous class-imbalance in the data and learning representations from fine-tuned ESM2 protein language models which are then fed to machine learning techniques such as Lightgbm and XGBoost. The VISH-Pred framework is able to correctly identify both peptides/proteins with potential toxicity and non-toxic proteins, achieving a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.737, 0.716 and 0.322 and F1-score of 0.759, 0.696 and 0.713 on three non-redundant blind tests, respectively, outperforming other methods by over $10\%$ on these quality metrics. Moreover, VISH-Pred achieved the best accuracy and area under receiver operating curve scores on these independent test sets, highlighting the robustness and generalization capability of the framework. By making VISH-Pred available as an easy-to-use web server, we expect it to serve as a valuable asset for future endeavors aimed at discerning the toxicity of peptides and enabling efficient protein-based therapeutics.
Fast and Easy Simultaneous Determination of Riboflavin, Folic Acid, All-Trans-Retinol and α-Tocopherol in Human Serum by LC/MS/MS for Bariatric Patients
Authors: Urinovska Romana , Sistik Pavel , Buzga Marek , Stejskal David
Published: June 2024

The aim of this study was to develop and validate methods for the determination of vitamins B2, B9, E and A in serum using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (MS) detection. Vitamin analysis was performed using an ultra performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem MS. The compounds were separated on a BEH C18 RP column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 μm) using a gradient elution with an analysis time of 10 min. Sample preparation included protein precipitation with ethanol. The concentration range in human serum was as follows: riboflavin 5–1000 nmol/L, folic acid 2.5–250 nmol/L, α-tocopherol 0.5–100 μmol/L and all-trans-retinol 25–2500 nmol/L. Accuracy and precision were validated according to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, with coefficients of variation ranging from 3.1–11.7% and recoveries from 94.4–107.5%. Routine monitoring of the complex range of vitamins in bariatric medicine is still not common. This is despite the fact that patients are at risk for glitch deficits, especially of a neurological nature. An analytical method that allows for the complex measurement of both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins is important and necessary for the clinical monitoring of bariatric patients. The method we have described could benefit both clinical practice and nutritional research.
Is There a Chinese School of IR Theory?
Authors: Katzenstein Peter J
Published: June 2024

Is there a Chinese School of International Relations (IR) Theory? My answer to this question is ambivalent. Although a Chinese school of IR theory does not exist in the singular, it does exist in the plural. If “birds of a feather flock together,” then the difference in approaches taken by Chinese scholars is as relevant as is the fact that the scholars are all Chinese. The Tsinghua School and moral realism share much with classical realism. Cultural relationalism also offers a distinctive Chinese approach as do Gongsheng/symbiotic and tianxia approaches. That said, Chinese IR scholarship shares with IR scholarship in America, Europe, and the rest of the world its firm anchor in the Newtonian mechanical worldview of the late 19th century. Natural sciences, such as quantum mechanics and scientific cosmology, meanwhile concluded long ago that Newtonianism offers an often practicable yet constricted view of the world. In contrast, the humanities operate with a worldview fully consonant with 20th century physics. It is the social sciences and the analysis of IR which continues to adhere to the mechanical worldview common in the late 19th century—in China and the rest of the world. In both “China” and “the West” IR, scholars are tapping their canes against the pavement, seeking to fathom what will happen next. If historians and semantic modelers are right, like the future, the past is never distant. Always open to reinterpretation, it is like the future—unpredictable.
Macrophage-derived FGFR1 drives atherosclerosis through PLCγ-mediated activation of NF-κB inflammatory signalling pathway
Authors: Wang Lintao , Luo Wu , Zhang Suya , Zhang Junsheng , He Lu , Shi Yifan , Gao Li , Wu Baochuan , Nie Xiaoyan , Hu Chenghong , Han Xue , He Chaoyong , Xu Biao , Liang Guang
Published: June 2024

Aims

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerotic lesions show increased levels of proteins associated with the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) pathway. However, the functional significance and mechanisms governed by FGFR signalling in AS are not known. In the present study, we investigated fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) signalling in AS development and progression.

Methods and results

Examination of human atherosclerotic lesions and aortas of Apoe−/− mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) showed increased levels of FGFR1 in macrophages. We deleted myeloid-expressed Fgfr1 in Apoe−/− mice and showed that Fgfr1 deficiency reduces atherosclerotic lesions and lipid accumulations in both male and female mice upon HFD feeding. These protective effects of myeloid Fgfr1 deficiency were also observed when mice with intact FGFR1 were treated with FGFR inhibitor AZD4547. To understand the mechanistic basis of this protection, we harvested macrophages from mice and show that FGFR1 is required for macrophage inflammatory responses and uptake of oxidized LDL. RNA sequencing showed that FGFR1 activity is mediated through phospholipase-C-gamma (PLCγ) and the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) but is independent of FGFR substrate 2.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence of a new FGFR1–PLCγ–NF-κB axis in macrophages in inflammatory AS, supporting FGFR1 as a potentially therapeutic target for AS-related diseases.
Accelerated aging and altered subclinical response to ozone exposure in young, healthy adults
Authors: Weston William C , Bind Marie Abèle , Cascio Wayne E , Devlin Robert B , Diaz-Sanchez David , Ward-Caviness Cavin K
Published: June 2024

Ozone exposure induces a myriad of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes in humans. Although advanced age and chronic disease are factors that may exacerbate a person’s negative response to ozone exposure, there are no molecular biomarkers of susceptibility. Here, we examine whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) is associated with responsiveness to short-term ozone exposure. Using data from a crossover-controlled exposure study (n = 17), we examined whether EAA, as measured in lung epithelial cells collected 24 h after clean air exposure, modifies the observed effect of ozone on autonomic function, cardiac electrophysiology, hemostasis, pulmonary function, and inflammation. EAA was assessed in lung epithelial cells extracted from bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, using the pan-tissue aging clock. We used two analytic approaches: (i) median regression to estimate the association between EAA and the estimated risk difference for subclinical responses to ozone and (ii) a block randomization approach to estimate EAA’s effect modification of subclinical responses. For both approaches, we calculated Fisher-exact P-values, allowing us to bypass large sample size assumptions. In median regression analyses, accelerated epigenetic age modified associations between ozone and heart rate–corrected QT interval (QTc) (${{\hat \beta }}$= 0.12, P-value = 0.007) and between ozone and C-reactive protein (${{\hat \beta }}$ = −0.18, P = 0.069). During block randomization, the directions of association remained consistent for QTc and C-reactive protein; however, the P-values weakened. Block randomization also revealed that responsiveness of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) to ozone exposure was modified by accelerated epigenetic aging (PAI-1 difference between accelerated aging-defined block groups = −0.54, P-value = 0.039). In conclusion, EAA is a potential biomarker for individuals with increased susceptibility to ozone exposure even among young, healthy adults.
Vago-splenic signal transduction of cardioprotection in humans
Authors: Lieder Helmut Raphael , Paket Umut , Skyschally Andreas , Rink Andreas D , Baars Theodor , Neuhäuser Markus , Kleinbongard Petra , Heusch Gerd
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims

The spleen serves as an important relay organ that releases cardioprotective factor(s) upon vagal activation during remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) in rats and pigs. The translation of these findings to humans was attempted.

Methods

Remote ischaemic conditioning or electrical auricular tragus stimulation (ATS) were performed in 10 healthy young volunteers, 10 volunteers with splenectomy, and 20 matched controls. Venous blood samples were taken before and after RIC/ATS or placebo, and a plasma dialysate was infused into isolated perfused rat hearts subjected to global ischaemia/reperfusion.

Results

Neither left nor right RIC or ATS altered heart rate and heart rate variability in the study cohorts. With the plasma dialysate prepared before RIC or ATS, respectively, infarct size (% ventricular mass) in the recipient rat heart was 36 ± 6% (left RIC), 34 ± 3% (right RIC) or 31 ± 5% (left ATS), 35 ± 5% (right ATS), and decreased with the plasma dialysate from healthy volunteers after RIC or ATS to 20 ± 4% (left RIC), 23 ± 6% (right RIC) or to 19 ± 4% (left ATS), 26 ± 9% (right ATS); infarct size was still reduced with plasma dialysate 4 days after ATS and 9 days after RIC. In a subgroup of six healthy volunteers, such infarct size reduction was abrogated by intravenous atropine. Infarct size reduction by RIC or ATS was also abrogated in 10 volunteers with splenectomy, but not in their 20 matched controls.

Conclusions

In humans, vagal innervation and the spleen as a relay organ are decisive for the cardioprotective signal transduction of RIC and ATS.
TURN-ON OF INACTIVE GENES BY PROMOTER RECRUITMENT IN ESCHERICHIA COLI: INVERTED REPEATS RESULTING IN ARTIFICIAL DIVERGENT OPERONS
Authors: Charlier Daniel , Severne Yvonne , Zafarullah Muhamad , Glansdorff Nicolas
Published: June 2024

We have characterized two rearrangements consisting of inverted repeats of the argE gene. The promoters (p) of argE and of argCBH face each other over an internal operator. The rearrangements were obained as reactivations of argE in a strain harboring an argEp deletion on a ?darg prophage. In both cases the repeat included argE and argCBHp on either side of a unique sequence; the result is a divergent operon in which each copy of argCBHp reads into the adjacent argE repeat. In one case, the pair of repeats adjoins the silent parental gene, forming a triplication (← → ←). The other rearrangement consists of a single argE palindrome, but the whole prophage is rearranged into an inverted repeat, analogous to certain λdv's. Both structures could be explained by breakage of a replication fork passing argE and by inaccurate rejoining of strands. The λdv-like rearrangement would result from breakage at both replication forks of a phage or prophage replicating during transient release of immunity. The triplication would imply breaking of a chromosomal replication fork, formation of a cyclic intermediate by recombination between the daughter duplex molecules and reinsertion into the parental argE gene. Formation of a triplication by replication errors involving appropriate strand switchings and branch migrations can not be excluded however.
The coalescent process in models with selection
Authors: Kaplan N L , Darden T , Hudson R R
Published: June 2024

Statistical properties of the process describing the genealogical history of a random sample of genes are obtained for a class of population genetics models with selection. For models with selection, in contrast to models without selection, the distribution of this process, the coalescent process, depends on the distribution of the frequencies of alleles in the ancestral generations. If the ancestral frequency process can be approximated by a diffusion, then the mean and the variance of the number of segregating sites due to selectively neutral mutations in random samples can be numerically calculated. The calculations are greatly simplified if the frequencies of the alleles are tightly regulated. If the mutation rates between alleles maintained by balancing selection are low, then the number of selectively neutral segregating sites in a random sample of genes is expected to substantially exceed the number predicted under a neutral model.
SELECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF A SPONTANEOUS ALIEN CHROMOSOME TRANSLOCATION IN WHEAT
Authors: Jan Chao-Chien , Dvořák Jan , Qualset Calvin O , Soliman Khairy M
Published: June 2024

A wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend Thell) disomic addition line (2n = 6x = 44), SH1-152-2, with a pair of Elytrigia pontica (Podp.) Holub 2n = 10x = 70 [syn. Agropyron elongatum (Host) P.B.] chromosomes controlling blue aleurone color was crossed with a short-statured spring wheat ‘Sonora 64’ (T. aestivum). Isoline pairs of blue-disomic addition lines and nonblue euploid lines were produced by selecting plants segregating for blue aleurone for 12 generations. Nineteen of 20 blue aleurone lines were 2n = 44 addition lines, and one had 2n = 42 chromosomes. Several lines of evidence showed that this line had a spontaneous translocation in which the β arm of wheat chromosome 4A was replaced by an Elytrigia chromosome arm carrying the blue aleurone gene. The Elytrigia chromosome in SHI-152-2 appeared to be homologous with E. pontica chromosome 4el1, which also carries the blue aleurone gene. It was concluded that the spontaneous translocation originated from simultaneous misdivision of univalents and subsequent reunion at the centromere of chromosome arm 4Aα with the Elytrigia chromosome arm.