bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Die Größe der Placebo-Effekte in klinischen
Studien: Konsequenzen für die Praxis
Authors: Luomajoki Hannu , Morf Rita , Weiß Thomas
Published: December 2023

Zahlreiche Studien zu Placebo-Operationen bei Patient*innen mit
Beschwerden im Bereich des Knies, der Schulter und des Rückens
verdeutlichen, dass die Resultate ebenso positiv ausfallen wie bei
„echten" operativen Maßnahmen. Die wissenschaftliche
Evidenz belegt auch, dass manche Schmerzmedikamente nicht effektiver sind als
Placebo-Analgetika. Selbst in der Physiotherapie zeigen sich Placebo-Effekte. Es
ist wichtig zu betonen, dass diese Effekte moralisch nicht verwerflich sind. Im
Gegenteil: Sie können gezielt genutzt werden, um therapeutische
Fortschritte zu erzielen.
Performance analysis of a novel small-scale radial turbine with adjustable nozzle for ocean thermal energy conversion
Authors: Ge Yunzheng , Peng Jingping , Chen Fengyun , Liu Lei , Zhang Wanjun , Liu Weimin , Sun Jinju
Published: December 2023

Ocean thermal energy is acknowledged as one of the most promising ocean renewable energy sources in low latitude sea areas. In the ocean thermal energy conversion system, the turbine plays a significant role, and it is responsible for converting the working medium enthalpy into the shaft output power. The present study is focused on the performance analysis of a novel radial inflow turbine with an adjustable nozzle in the OTEC system in order to adapt to the changing operating conditions of the turbine, which vary with the change in seawater temperature. At the design point, the predicted overall isentropic efficiency is 86.5%, and the shaft output power is 15.3 kW, slightly higher than the expected 15 kW. Furthermore, a parametric study is performed, respectively, for the nozzle vane stagger angle and the nozzle-impeller radial clearance to explore the favorable geometric parameters for different conditions. The turbine’s overall efficiency increases slightly with deceasing nozzle-impeller radial clearance, and the variation of the nozzle vane stagger angle is much more influential on the turbine shaft power and overall efficiency. The optimum stagger angle point moves from 32° to 36° gradually with the increase in nozzle-impeller clearance. Finally, the feasibility of an adjustable nozzle for the turbine under off-design conditions was verified by combining the radial clearance and nozzle stagger angle.
Ghost imaging object recognition based on self-attention mechanism network
Authors: He Yunting , Yuan Sheng , Song Jiali
Published: December 2023

A network model based on the self-attention mechanism is proposed to address the difficulties in extracting features from ghost imaging targets, low recognition efficiency, and potential errors. First, a ghost imaging detection system is constructed using a laser, spatial light modulator, bucket detector, etc. The object is illuminated with speckles generated by the spatial light modulator. The detected data are then input into the self-attention mechanism network model for training. Experimental results show that for the handwritten digits in the experimental dataset, the highest accuracy and average accuracy of the self-attention mechanism network are 99.13% and 96.41%, respectively. This experiment demonstrates the potential of using the self-attention mechanism network for target recognition in ghost imaging, improving the speed of target recognition and significantly enhancing the accuracy of recognition.
A cGAL-UAS bipartite expression toolkit for
Caenorhabditis elegans
sensory neurons
Authors: Nava Stephanie , Palma Wilber , Wan Xuan , Oh Jun Young , Gharib Shahla , Wang Han , Revanna Jasmin S. , Tan Minyi , Zhang Mark , Liu Jonathan , Chen Chun-Hao , Lee James S. , Perry Barbara , Sternberg Paul W.
Published: December 2023

Animals integrate sensory information from the environment and display various behaviors in response to external stimuli. In
Caenorhabditis elegans
hermaphrodites, 33 types of sensory neurons are responsible for chemosensation, olfaction, and mechanosensation. However, the functional roles of all sensory neurons have not been systematically studied due to the lack of facile genetic accessibility. A bipartite cGAL-UAS system has been previously developed to study tissue- or cell-specific functions in
C. elegans
. Here, we report a toolkit of new cGAL drivers that can facilitate the analysis of a vast majority of the 60 sensory neurons in
C. elegans
hermaphrodites. We generated 37 sensory neuronal cGAL drivers that drive cGAL expression by cell-specific regulatory sequences or intersection of two distinct regulatory regions with overlapping expression (split cGAL). Most cGAL-drivers exhibit expression in single types of cells. We also constructed 28 UAS effectors that allow expression of proteins to perturb or interrogate sensory neurons of choice. This cGAL-UAS sensory neuron toolkit provides a genetic platform to systematically study the functions of
C. elegans
sensory neurons.
Heteromultimeric sarbecovirus receptor binding domain immunogens primarily generate variant-specific neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Zang Trinity , Osei Kuffour Edmund , Baharani Viren A. , Canis Marie , Schmidt Fabian , Da Silva Justin , Lercher Alexander , Chaudhary Pooja , Hoffmann Hans-Heinrich , Gazumyan Anna , Miranda Ileana C. , MacDonald Margaret R. , Rice Charles M. , Nussenzweig Michel C. , Hatziioannou Theodora , Bieniasz Paul D.
Published: December 2023

Vaccination will likely be a key component of strategies to curtail or prevent future sarbecovirus pandemics and to reduce the prevalence of infection and disease by future SARS-CoV-2 variants. A “pan-sarbecovirus” vaccine, that provides maximum possible mitigation of human disease, should elicit neutralizing antibodies with maximum possible breadth. By positioning multiple different receptor binding domain (RBD) antigens in close proximity on a single immunogen, it is postulated that cross-reactive B cell receptors might be selectively engaged. Heteromultimeric vaccines could therefore elicit individual antibodies that neutralize a broad range of viral species. Here, we use model systems to investigate the ability of multimeric sarbecovirus RBD immunogens to expand cross-reactive B cells and elicit broadly reactive antibodies. Homomultimeric RBD immunogens generated higher serum neutralizing antibody titers than the equivalent monomeric immunogens, while heteromultimeric RBD immunogens generated neutralizing antibodies recognizing each RBD component. Moreover, RBD heterodimers elicited a greater fraction of cross-reactive germinal center B cells and cross-reactive RBD binding antibodies than did homodimers. However, when serum antibodies from RBD heterodimer-immunized mice were depleted using one RBD component, neutralization activity against the homologous viral pseudotype was removed, but neutralization activity against pseudotypes corresponding to the other RBD component was unaffected. Overall, simply combining divergent RBDs in a single immunogen generates largely separate sets of individual RBD-specific neutralizing serum antibodies that are mostly incapable of neutralizing viruses that diverge from the immunogen components.
Teaching culture in a competitive market
Authors: Benney Jonathan , Chan Philip Wing Keung , Gindidis Maria
Published: December 2023

In 2012, the White Paper Australia in the Asian Century urged governments across Australia to improve access to Asian studies in schools. Despite this, schools still struggle to maintain interest and success for secondary students, particularly those without an Asian family background. In response to the low numbers of non-Chinese-background students graduating from secondary schools with proficiency in Chinese language, the Victorian government launched a new Chinese Language, Culture, and Society subject in 2017. This study focuses on the teaching of this subject, which is taken in the last two years of secondary schooling during the pre-tertiary Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). Drawing upon interview data with administrators, teachers and students during the first years of its implementation, the article presents the views and challenges of stakeholders involved in this subject and argues that the inherent limitations of the VCE system will make it difficult for the new subject to achieve its stated aims.
English-medium instruction in multilingual university settings
Authors: Shao Lijie , Wilkinson Robert
Published: December 2023

To identify stakeholders’ conflicting interests regarding English-medium instruction (EMI) in multilingual
university settings, this cross-case study utilised part of the data from a larger project examining the perceptions and
experiences of stakeholders (i.e., students, teachers, and management) in business schools at a Chinese university and a Dutch
university. Semi-structured interview data from 20 second- and third-year students and 13 staff members comprising management and
teachers, both universities in total, were analysed using the ROAD-MAPPING framework. The results revealed conflicting interests
in both contexts but in different forms and with different causes. Students’ opinions at the Chinese university conflicted most
with teachers and management in terms of perceptions of counterparts’ English proficiency, while teachers at the Dutch university
revealed concerns about the position of the national language, Dutch, which was less emphasised by the administration. We discuss
these conflicting interests through the lens of Bourdieu’s capital theory, which posits a hierarchy of permanent conflicts in the
field of higher education. Drawing carefully on each case, we present generalised suggestions to inform EMI policy and practice
that could lessen conflicting interests among stakeholders.
Accessing the semantic and lexical information of constituents while typing compounds
Authors: Taikh Alexander , Gagné Christina , Spalding Thomas
Published: December 2023

A key question in research concerning the typing production of morphologically complex words is whether the whole
multimorphemic word is output ballistically or whether individual constituents are accessed during typing. To address this
question, we examined keystroke latencies during the production of English compounds (e.g., snowball) to test
whether the initiation and continued typing of each constituent (e.g., snow and ball) are
influenced by its linguistic properties (length, frequency, and semantic transparency). Participants identified and then typed a
compound word. We found that the initiation and continued typing of each constituent was influenced by the linguistic properties
of that constituent. However, the linguistic properties of the second constituent also influenced the typing latency of the final
letter of the first constituent, suggesting that production of the first constituent overlapped with accessing and planning the
keystrokes of the second constituent. The influence of the linguistic properties of the first constituent on its own initiation
and continued typing suggests that accessing and planning the keystrokes of the first constituent occurred as the compound word
was being identified. Our findings indicate that individual constituents are accessed during production and influence the typing
of compound words.
Phytosanitary management of ICARDA’s germplasm seed collections for safe movement and better future use
Authors: Kumari Safaa G. , Kumar P. Lava , Moukahel Abdulrahman , El-Miziani Inaam
Published: December 2023

Germplasm exchange from international genebanks and breeding programs is vital for successful crop improvement programs. More than 10,000 different accessions of wheat, barley, lentil, faba bean, chickpea, grasspea, and pasture and forage crops are distributed by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) every year to around 70 countries. New accessions are added to the germplasm collections in the Center's genebank and utilized in the breeding programs. Recent years have witnessed an increasing global concern about the loss of plant genetic resources because of conflicts, human pandemic diseases, extreme weather events, pest and disease outbreaks, and natural calamities such as earthquakes, floods, etc., which led to disrupting access to germplasm and undermining social protection systems. Safety duplication of germplasm collections held in genebanks in other institutions, including international, regional, and national genebanks, as well as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV), is one of the essential measures to safeguard germplasm and also to replenish any lost accessions and resume use and distribution of seeds to users internationally. Germplasm distribution procedures are conducted per International Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary regulations to avoid the transboundary spread of seed-borne pests and pathogens. The ICARDA’s Seed Health Laboratory exercises maximum efforts to maintain the “phytosanitary clean” health status of germplasm during regeneration, conservation, distribution and ensure compliance with phytosanitary regulations in international germplasm distributions to guarantee minimum loss of genetic resources. These efforts include the development of new methods to detect and manage seed-borne pathogens. An increase in global awareness to preserve germplasm for current and future use is crucial to combat climate challenge, malnutrition, and food insecurity.
Effect of salinity stress and its potential application in enhancing phytochemical content of medicinal plants
Authors: Yan Lam Chi , Naharudin Nazatul Shima Binti , Tajidin Nor Elliza Binti , Kemat Nurashikin Binti
Published: December 2023

Medicinal plants are considered as high-value crops, particularly in the medicinal and pharmaceutical fields. The phytochemical constituents found in medicinal plants that possess therapeutic effects have henceforth driven continuous demand for the manufacturing of healthcare products that include these compounds as the main ingredients. Various agronomic practices in the cultivation of medicinal plants aim to increase the yield and phytochemical content. A thorough review on the implication of salinity stress on the growth and yield of medicinal plants were provided. The increased level of phytochemicals as a common physiological response to salinity stress was reported in various species of medicinal plants. The potential application of a tolerable level of salinity in the cultivation of medicinal plants as a strategy to increase the production of phytochemical compounds is also highlighted.
Singlet-triplets and excited triplets in trapped medium-body systems with particle number 3 ≤ N ≤ 13 and with spin-4 cold atoms
Authors: Liu Y M , He Y Z , Bao C G
Published: December 2023

The spin-textures of trapped medium-body cold systems of spin-4 atoms with the interaction dominated by the attractive λ = 4 channel (the two interacting spins are coupled to 4) have been studied via an exact diagonalization of the spin-dependent Hamiltonian under the single spatial mode approximation. Particle number N (3 ≤ N ≤ 13) is assumed. The eigenstates have been analyzed to find out the details of spin-structures and the inherent excitation modes, and the relation between all of them. The emphasis is to find out how the spectra depend on N. We found that the singlet-triplets (a 3-body subsystem where the three spins are coupled to zero) and various excited triplets are basic constituents and all the eigenstates are composed of them. For low-lying states, only a few particles are involved in the excitation modes, while the other particles would 3-by-3 keep themselves in singlet-triplets.
Critical current of a layered high-temperature superconductor with artificial pinning centers: the Monte Carlo simulation
Authors: Maksimova A N , Moroz A N , Rudnev I A , Pokrovskii S V , Kashurnikov V A
Published: December 2023

Current–voltage characteristics (EJ curves) and magnetic field dependences of the critical current have been calculated for a superconductor with artificial pinning in the form of submicron-sized holes and tilted radiation defects. Calculations have been performed within the framework of the three-dimensional model of a layered HTS by means of the Monte Carlo method. S-shaped features of the EJ curves have been observed for a sample with a rectangular lattice of holes. Such features have not occurred in calculations for HTSs with non-magnetic pinning centers before, but they have been observed in experimental studies. In this paper, the features occurred in magnetic fields close to 290 Gs (which is the lower critical field for the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-δ
superconductor at 1 K) and they were sensitive to the magnitude of the external magnetic field. In addition, the features were more prominent at temperatures below 30 K and in samples with weak intrinsic pinning, and they were connected with matching-like effects in the vortex system (i. e. a certain number of vortices being pinned on each hole, screening new vortices from entering the sample). For samples with tilted radiation defects, decreasing field dependences of the critical current have been obtained, showing weak maxima near the lower critical field of the superconductor. Calculations have shown that, at a fixed value of the external field, the critical current decreases with the increasing tilt angle of the defects.
Design criteria assessment of a magnetic nozzle
Authors: Chan Yung-An , Herdrich Georg
Published: December 2023

A model to assess the design criteria for a convergent-divergent magnetic nozzle is provided. This model is based on an ideal single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic flow assumption to evaluate the acceleration and detachment in the magnetic nozzle. A thermodynamic correlation of plasma internal energy during the propagation in a magnetic nozzle is presented. The result reveals the limitation of a magnetic nozzle on the conversion of internal energy to kinetic energy, where an upper limit of around 19% is derived, assuming plasma undergoes ideal conditions. In addition, criteria derived from the model also point out that a threshold on magnetic flux density exists to prevent the occurrence of flow discontinuity during propagation along the magnetic nozzle. The result hints at the essential role of the electric field on the acceleration processes of a magnetic nozzle, which can potentially be the key to overcoming the limitation of a magnetic nozzle’s performance.
Feasibility of macroscopic parameters for NS to DSMC solver switching in micronozzle simulations
Authors: Kumar M Ashok , Shine S R
Published: December 2023

Enhancing the design and performance of micronozzles could lead to novel applications and advancements in propulsion systems, making the exploration of micronozzles crucial for the future. This paper critically examines the feasibility of utilizing macroscopic property-based Kn as indicator for defining the breakdown region during the transition from the NS solver to the DSMC solver in micronozzle simulations. The aim is to specify a parameter that can be calculated from both NS and DSMC simulations, making it suitable for implementation in hybrid simulations that dynamically switch between the two solvers. The results show that the density-based Kn accurately represents the continuum breakdown, and it exhibits an earlier breakdown compared to pressure and temperature-based Kn values. The study also analyzes the rarefaction effects and introduces the rarefaction parameter (RP), quantifying the increase in Kn for a unit change in the non-dimensionalized distance. The findings demonstrate that at very low exit pressures, the rarefaction effects increase rapidly as the flow moves towards the nozzle exit, leading to a transition from the continuum to the rarefied regime. The hybrid NS-DSMC simulations show good agreement with experimental data, validating the proposed approach. Additionally, the research examines the effect of back pressure on the RP and identifies the transition regime based on the slope of the RP curve. Therefore, the manuscript provides detailed insights into novel elements, such as the quantification of rarefaction within the nozzle using the RP, the classification of the nozzle into different regimes (continuum, slip, and transition), the definition of an easily obtainable parameter for switching between NS and DSMC methods, and an examination of the contributions of the shear stress term and heat addition term to non-equilibrium conditions.
Autonomous piecewise damping Josephson junction jerk oscillator: microcontroller implementation, controls, and combination synchronization
Authors: Sriram Balakrishnan , Ayena Wenceslas Senakpon Coami , Ngongiah Isidore Komofor , Ainamon Cyrille , Karthikeyan Anitha
Published: December 2023

This paper evaluates the microcontroller implementation, offset boosting control, suppression of chaos, and combination of three types of synchronization in the autonomous piecewise damping Josephson junction (JJ) jerk oscillator (APDJJJO). The APDJJJO exhibits vast shapes of chaotic behaviors, bistable limit circles, bistable period-2-oscillation, and the coexistence of regular and chaotic behaviors exposed by numerical simulations. The microcontroller realization scheme of APDJJJO validates simulated dynamics. Proceeding, two constants are outlined in the rate equations of APDJJJO to achieve the linear offset boosting of constants based on the second and third state variables, respectively. The polarity of the chaotic signal of the second or third state variable can be flexibly altered by changing any of the two introduced constants while the other constant is kept at zero. When the two constants are equal, the second and third state variables can swap between bipolar and unipolar signals flexibly by altering the unique constant parameter. Moreover, theoretical probing is performed to validate the efficacy of the configured single controller engrossed in subduing chaos in APDJJJO. Lastly, the combination of three types of synchronization between two chaotic APDJJJO are analytically and numerically investigated.
Analysis and Simulation Test of Electromagnetic Disturbance Mode Conversion in Secondary Circuit of Substation
Authors: Dong Zhiwei , Zhang Weidong , Ni Huiyang , Yang Song , Liu Zhonglu , Xu Yuhang
Published: December 2023

Under ideal conditions, the electromagnetic interference experienced by the secondary circuit is manifested as a common mode. However, due to circuit imbalance, common mode disturbance is converted into differential mode disturbance, thereby presenting a danger to the normal functioning of secondary equipment. The investigation measured the distribution ratio of common mode voltages and differential mode voltages at the ports of secondary equipment during switching operations. A computational circuit model of the secondary circuit was established by using multi-conductor transmission line theory. The mechanisms and influencing factors of transformation from common mode to differential mode were analyzed, and a simulation test was carried out in a substation to explore the conversion law under impedance imbalance. The results showed that the differential mode voltage of the secondary equipment port was greater than the common mode voltage when the circuit breaker was in operation. Common-differential mode conversion in the secondary loop was predominantly caused by an imbalance in circuit structure and extraneous parameters. Differential mode disturbance generated by switch field side imbalance had a greater impact than that generated by protection chamber side imbalance. As the degree of imbalance increased, the differential mode voltage also increased.
Investigation on the balance of Electricity and Quantity of Shanxi as an Electric Power Transmission base
Authors: Chen Jie , Zheng Xiaoming , Deng Jiaojiao , Wang Yao , Jing Yongming
Published: December 2023

With the proposal of a dual-carbon target, the issue of electricity balance may become a key limit to the efficient development of renewable energy in the Shanxi power grid. Therefore, the analysis of the Power and Peak Balance of the Shanxi Power Grid has become increasingly important. This paper constructed a mathematical mold for power and electricity balance. Then, with the traditional method with the platform method by comparing, the results of Shanxi’s electricity balance were analyzed. In the end, the feasibility of the platform method is applied in this paper. The results show the result of electricity and quantity of Shanxi electric power.
Optimal Configuration for Soft Open Point Based on Scenario Generation of Wind Power and Photovoltaic Output
Authors: Song Jiaming , Miao Xiren , Zhao Dan
Published: December 2023

Soft Open Point (SOP) is a new type of fully controlled power electronic device. The use of SOPs can greatly improve the efficiency, flexibility, and controllability of distribution networks. However, considering that SOPs are expensive and have high maintenance costs, the installation capacity and location of SOPs need to be optimized. In this paper, we propose an SOP optimization configuration method considering the stochasticity and correlation of wind and PV power generation. First, considering the uncertainty and negative correlation of wind and PV power output, the probability density distribution function is generated using Copula theory and historical data. Then, the optimal location of the SOPs is determined by a cluster discovery algorithm and the Power Loss Sensitivity Index (PLSI). Finally, the capacity of the SOP is determined by minimizing the integrated cost of the network over a year, and the capacity of the SOP is solved by the conic curve programming method. The superiority of the proposed method is verified in this study at the IEEE-33 node test system.
EnSysta: A novel architecture of multi-source energy harvesting system
Authors: Zhang Junqin , Nian Yongyao , Wang Haili
Published: December 2023

Passive sensing and computing system derived from the combination of environmental capacitive technology and sensing technology, such system obtains energy from the environment for sensing, computing, and wireless communication, has the advantages of energy self-supply, autonomous operation, long-term independent maintenance-free operation, and are the future development trends of Internet of Things technology. But at present, the passive system obtains energy from a single source and the conversion efficiency is low. At present, there are no low-power devices and hardware architectures designed for passive systems, resulting in computing, sensing, and communication power consumption exceeding the capability limit. Therefore, the core problem that restricts the development and application of passive systems is “limited energy”, which further leads to the problems of “short communication distance”, “poor perception” and “inefficient computation”. This paper intends to systematically study the problem of “limited energy”, starting from three aspects of “energy collection”, “energy management” and “energy utilization”, and proposes that “multi-energy source compound energy collection” is energy “open source”, “energy management based on load task model and energy model matching” and “adaptive load task execution planning” is energy “throttling”. This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic solution and research idea for solving the “energy-limited” problem of passive sensing and computing systems and provides strong support for the maturity and application of passive system technology.
Control Optimization of Air Supply System Based on Asymptotic Method Identification
Authors: Liu Yang , Pan Lei
Published: December 2023

In order to optimize the control quality of the air supply system aiming at its multi-disturbance, based on the historical operation data of the boiler air supply control system of a 300 MW unit, this paper adopts a two-stage identification method based on asymptotic theory and establishes an accurate model and simulation system of the air supply system. Based on the model established by asymptotic identification, we design a constrained Model Predictive Control with Kalman Filter state estimation and an Active Disturbance Rejection Control based on extended state disturbance observation two optimization schemes. The simulation based on field data shows that both schemes can be considered to possess comparatively higher practicability in the optimization of the air supply control system.
Research on mechanical fault diagnosis method of high voltage circuit breaker based on new measurement
Authors: Dang Junpeng , Chang Peng , Sun Peng , Li Bo , Yang Chuanxu , Li Songlin
Published: December 2023

Aiming at the problem that the detection of a single signal is difficult to accurately and comprehensively reflect the mechanical failure of the circuit breaker operating mechanism, the VS1 (VBM7) -12 high-voltage circuit breaker is selected as the experimental object in this paper. The coil current signal is collected by a sensor based on new measurements, and the fault diagnosis method of high-voltage circuit breaker is studied from the acquisition, preprocessing, and feature extraction of vibration signal and sound signal, combined with artificial intelligence algorithm. The research shows that the application of electro-acoustic joint features can effectively enhance the precision of fault diagnosis of high-voltage circuit breakers, and verify the feasibility and superiority of the mechanical fault diagnosis method of high-voltage circuit breakers based on new measurements.
Aerobic metabolic scope mapping of an invasive fish species with global warming
Authors: Quattrocchi Giovanni , Christensen Emil , Sinerchia Matteo , Marras Stefano , Cucco Andrea , Domenici Paolo , Behrens Jane W
Published: December 2023

Climate change will exacerbate the negative effects associated with the introduction of non-indigenous species in marine ecosystems. Predicting the spread of invasive species in relation to environmental warming is therefore a fundamental task in ecology and conservation.

The Baltic Sea is currently threatened by several local stressors and the highest increase in sea surface temperature of the world’s large marine ecosystems. These new thermal conditions can further favour the spreading of the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), a fish of Ponto-Caspian origin, currently well established in the southern and central parts of the Baltic Sea. This study aims to assess the thermal habitat suitability of the round goby in the Baltic Sea considering the past and future conditions. The study combines sightings records with known physiological models of aerobic performance and sea surface temperatures. Physiological models read these temperatures, at sighting times and locations, to determine their effects on the aerobic metabolic scope (AMS) of the fish, a measure of its energetic potential in relation to environmental conditions. The geographical mapping of the AMS was used to describe the changes in habitat suitability during the past 3 decades and for climatic predictions (until 2100) showing that the favourable thermal habitat in the Baltic Sea has increased during the past 32 years and will continue to do so in all the applied climate model predictions. Particularly, the predicted new thermal conditions do not cause any reduction in the AMS of round goby populations, while the wintertime cold ranges are likely expected to preserve substantial areas from invasion.

The results of this research can guide future monitoring programs increasing the chance to detect this invader in novel areas.
A high-quality pseudo-phased genome for Melaleuca quinquenervia shows allelic diversity of NLR-type resistance genes
Authors: Chen Stephanie H , Martino Alyssa M , Luo Zhenyan , Schwessinger Benjamin , Jones Ashley , Tolessa Tamene , Bragg Jason G , Tobias Peri A , Edwards Richard J
Published: December 2023

Background

Melaleuca quinquenervia (broad-leaved paperbark) is a coastal wetland tree species that serves as a foundation species in eastern Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. While extensively cultivated for its ornamental value, it has also become invasive in regions like Florida, USA. Long-lived trees face diverse pest and pathogen pressures, and plant stress responses rely on immune receptors encoded by the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) gene family. However, the comprehensive annotation of NLR encoding genes has been challenging due to their clustering arrangement on chromosomes and highly repetitive domain structure; expansion of the NLR gene family is driven largely by tandem duplication. Additionally, the allelic diversity of the NLR gene family remains largely unexplored in outcrossing tree species, as many genomes are presented in their haploid, collapsed state.

Results

We assembled a chromosome-level pseudo-phased genome for M. quinquenervia and described the allelic diversity of plant NLRs using the novel FindPlantNLRs pipeline. Analysis reveals variation in the number of NLR genes on each haplotype, distinct clustering patterns, and differences in the types and numbers of novel integrated domains.

Conclusions

The high-quality M. quinquenervia genome assembly establishes a new framework for functional and evolutionary studies of this significant tree species. Our findings suggest that maintaining allelic diversity within the NLR gene family is crucial for enabling responses to environmental stress, particularly in long-lived plants.
Nazism, Fascism, and Genocide as Themes in ZANU and ZAPU Propaganda during the War against Rhodesia, 1965–1980
Authors: Pattenden Hugh
Published: December 2023

This article considers how the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU)—the two main African nationalist groups in the rebel British colony of Rhodesia—sought to undermine the White minority government of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) era in Rhodesia by denouncing it in their propaganda as “Nazi,” “fascist,” and “genocidal.” The author argues that ZANU and ZAPU built on ideas already put forth in the international arena. In doing so, they were able to develop the conception of colonialism as a fascist and genocidal system of government. Charges of fascism and genocide, as well as antiracism and anticolonialism, were central to ZANU’s and ZAPU’s political platform and their historical narrative of colonialism. The White population of Rhodesia, however, was proud of their record during the Second World War, and for African nationalists to equate them with the Nazis was to upend a major aspect of their identity. Through a discussion of these issues, this article studies the important role that these concepts played in one of the most significant anticolonial conflicts of the postwar period.
Beliefs about antibiotics, perceptions of antimicrobial resistance, and antibiotic use: initial findings from a multi-country survey
Authors: Jones Annie S K , Chan Amy H Y , Beyene Kebede , Tuck Chloe , Ashiru-Oredope Diane , Rutter Victoria , Horne Rob
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To examine public beliefs about antibiotics, AMR, and knowledge of antibiotic use, and how these relate to self-reported antibiotic use.

Methods

Two hundred and fifty participants from 23 countries completed a cross-sectional, online survey assessing beliefs about antibiotics and AMR, knowledge of antibiotics, and antibiotic use. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests and Spearman’s ρ correlations were used to understand relationships between outcomes.

Key findings

Respondents generally viewed antibiotics positively, with particularly strong beliefs regarding their benefit (M = 16.48 out of 20, SD = 2.62) and few concerns regarding their harm (M = 3.98 out of 10, SD = 1.82). Greater benefit beliefs about antibiotics were associated with fewer concerns about their overuse (P < .0001) and harm (P < .0001). Stronger perceived importance of AMR was associated with greater beliefs about the benefits of antibiotics (P = .006), greater concerns about their overuse (P = .009), and increased knowledge of appropriate use (P = .006). Those who reported inappropriately using their last antibiotics had greater concerns about overuse (P = .12) and less knowledge regarding appropriate use (P = .015), compared to those who did not.

Conclusions

Generally, the public tends to view antibiotics as having strong benefits and have few concerns about their harm, which may have implications for inappropriate use. These initial findings highlight beliefs that could be targeted in messages to reduce inappropriate demand for antibiotics.
Kingdoms of Those Who Draw the Bow
Authors: Miller Bryan K.
Published: December 2023

This chapter illustrates the wide variety of geographies, economies, and cultures of Inner Asia during the centuries leading up to the Xiongnu Empire. Particular attention is given to the peer pastoral polities within these regions that fostered diverse agro-pastoral economies and developed complex hierarchical kingdoms such as the Pazyryk of the Altai Mountains. By detailing the array of practices that afforded both the means of political differentiation between steppe factions and the modes of salient affiliation among disparate steppe societies, this chapter further elucidates the networks and institutions developed during the early first millennium bce that provided a robust foundation for the formation of an empire by the Xiongnu regime.
Conclusion
Authors: Zori Davide
Published: December 2023

The book’s final chapter draws together the main conclusions about the Vikings to sum up the answers to two key questions: “who were they, and what did they want?” In this age and at an unprecedented scale, Scandinavians moved beyond their borders. Fueling this dynamic period was an unparalleled glorification of Scandinavian voyagers, commemorated at home with monumental runestones and through poems and sagas that exalted their exploits. In their overseas endeavors—facilitated by new ship technology and driven by an ideology that encouraged worldly deeds—they were the ultimate opportunists. They sought new wealth abroad at an unprecedented scale, and through a combination of strategies that included expansionist settlement, warfare, and trade. The interactions with people overseas helped bring profound change to Scandinavia as towns flourished, Christianity arrived, and royal kingdoms emerged. The final chapter also reviews the main methodological conclusions of the book. The case studies in each chapter together show the importance of a critical, interdisciplinary approach for achieving an understanding of the Vikings. When the independent data sets extracted from the written sources, archaeology, and scientific testing are analyzed independently and then juxtaposed, new arenas for analysis emerge. The encounters among the data sets result in confirmation, contradiction, and complementarity (the “three Cs”). Armed with new scientific tools to combine with historical and archaeological methods, we are better equipped than ever before to come to know the people who lived during the Viking Age.
Multisystemic Therapy
Authors: Eisenberg Daniel , Raghavan Ramesh
Published: December 2023

As a complement to the previous chapters featuring preventive programs, this chapter illustrates how treatment services can also represent strong investments in children’s mental health. Multisystemic therapy (MST) is a high-intensity, multimodal intervention that shifts the focus of the problem from the child to the ecosystem surrounding the child: the family, peers, school, and variety of services that need to be coordinated. MST has some of the most comprehensive and robust evidence of any intervention for children’s mental health. And yet, as in the case of other innovations such as the fluorescent light bulb, progress in adopting MST in communities across the United States has been slow. This chapter examines why MST represents a strong investment and why it nevertheless has encountered substantial resistance to wider dissemination and implementation.
Trusts, Property, and Rights
Authors: McFarlane Ben
Published: December 2023

This chapter looks both at what the concept of property can tell us about the operation of the trust, and what consequences the operation of the trust may have for a legal system’s concept of property. It is argued that the subject matter of a trust is better thought of as particular rights, rather than as property, and that a practically useful concept of property, or ownership, should be capable of including a trustee, as there is a significant, and not merely technical, sense in which a trustee is entitled to the trust ‘property’. While there is much existing analysis of the nature of the rights of beneficiaries, understanding the foundations of the trust also requires a focus on the rights of trustees.
Disrupted Development in the Congo
Authors: Radley Ben
Published: December 2023

Since the turn of the century, low-income African countries have undergone a process of mining industrialization led by transnational corporations. The process has been sustained by an African Mining Consensus uniting international financial institutions, African governments, development agencies, and various strands of the academic literature. The Consensus position is that mining industrialization can drive transformative processes of social and economic development in low-income African settings. For this, state-owned enterprises and local forms of labour-intensive mining are deemed unsuitable. The former is characterized as corrupt and mismanaged, and the latter as an inefficient, subsistence activity with links to conflict financing. The Consensus holds, instead, that mining industrialization should be led by the superior expertise and efficiency of transnational corporations. Disrupted Development in the Congo reveals the fragile foundations on which this Consensus rests. Through an in-depth case study of mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ben Radley details how foreign corporations have been prone to mismanagement, inefficiencies, and rent-seeking, and implicated in fuelling conflict and violence. He also documents how structural impediments to the transformative effects of mining industrialization in low-income African countries occur irrespective of ownership and management structures. Based on the findings presented, Radley urges a move away from the market-led logics underpinning the Consensus. In the mining sector itself, he argues that efforts to mechanize labour-intensive forms of local mining better meet the needs of low-income African economies for rising productivity, labour absorption, and the domestic retention of the value generated by productive activity than the currently dominant but disruptive foreign corporate-led model.
Disarticulation and alienation
Authors: Radley Ben
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this chapter is to question the strength of the influential policy claim, emanating from the global value chains literature, that recent industry restructuring has rendered the African mining enclave an outdated remnant of the past. It does so by documenting the degree of articulation between the Congolese economy and foreign-owned mining in South Kivu during the twentieth century and how the turn to corporate outsourcing since the 2000s has affected this articulation. The core argument of the chapter is that the advanced technological frontier of mining in the twenty-first century has led to a heightened level of disarticulation and alienation between Banro’s Twangiza mine and the surrounding Congolese economy compared to earlier eras of foreign-owned mining in South Kivu.
Marginalization and conflict
Authors: Radley Ben
Published: December 2023

The major argument put forward in this chapter is that, contrary to the hopes of African Mining Consensus proponents, the return of foreign-owned industrial mining to South Kivu has led to an intensification of local conflict rather than its alleviation. As a result of Banro’s arrival, the dynamic domestic accumulation associated with labour-intensive forms of domestic-owned mining in South Kivu has been subjected to processes of displacement, subversion, and suppression. By disrupting efforts at locally led mining industrialization and inducing a decrease in the volume of locally available mining labour, Banro’s entry into South Kivu’s pre-existing mining economy has led to a general deterioration in local conditions. This, in turn, has given rise to new forms of protest, violence, and killings as different groups of local actors have sought to resist their newfound marginality.
From Closed to Open Quantum Systems
Authors: Eichler Alexander , Zilberberg Oded
Published: December 2023

In this chapter, we generalize our treatment of quantum systems by allowing them to be coupled to an environment at a finite temperature, similar to what we discussed for classical systems in chapter 4. The time evolution of many open quantum system can be calculated using the Lindblad master equation. We study various effects of the thermal environment on the quantum harmonic oscillator, and then continue to include driving by an external force
The Quantum Parametric Oscillator
Authors: Eichler Alexander , Zilberberg Oded
Published: December 2023

In this chapter, we include a Duffing nonlinearity and a parametric pump in our quantum oscillator, and study their effects in the limit of a small number of particles occupying the system. We find that the nonlinearity can turn the oscillator into an effective two-level system, and that parametric pumping gives rise to cat states. An external force can be used to induce Rabi oscillations between even and odd cat states, similarly to Rabi oscillations in a two-level system. We conclude with a brief outlook onto systems of coupled quantum parametric oscillators
Inscriptional Modernism
Authors: Goldschmidt Nora
Published: December 2023

The Old Round Reading Room of the British Library, then housed in the British Museum in Bloomsbury, was a major site of literary modernism in London in the 1910s and a crucial working space for Pound, H. D., and later Richard Aldington. At the time, the entrance to the library was reached through ‘The Hall of Greek and Roman Inscriptions’, and it was the treasures in this room (many of them damaged or fragmentary) which formed the backdrop to some of the most crucial experiments in modernism, from Pound’s advice to all new poets to write like ‘weather-bit granite’ to H. D.’s first experiments in Imagism. From inscriptions on stone, the chapter then turns to inscriptions on paper and to the intense modernist interest in the collection of epigrams – a genre that originated in inscription – found in the Greek Anthology. H. D.’s unpublished essays show that she saw the Anthology as a collection of ‘fragments and references to lost fragments’, whose gaps and omissions she exploited in her poetry, while for Ezra Pound, the collection was reinvented as an inscriptional prototype, itself anthologized and mediated over centuries, for the kinds of fragmented poetics he would develop in the Cantos.