bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of non-destructive test method with ultrasonic for testing of flexural strength (Modulus of Rupture) on ceramic tile
Authors: Nugroho Wijayanto Agung , Bayumurthy Rashonda Raafi’u , Praptana  , Wahyudi Kristanto , Pribadi Bangun
Published: February 2025

One of the tests carried out to determine the quality of ceramic tiles is the flexural strength test (Modulus of Rupture, MOR). So far, the flexural strength test method for ceramic tiles is usually carried out by destructive tests that break the ceramic tiles until they break, which takes a long time and generates ceramic waste. Currently, the use of the non-destructive (NDT) method in the ceramics quality test is growing. The NDT method is a method of testing the quality of solid objects without damaging the object. This study aims to estimate ceramic tiles flexural strength (MOR) without damaging them. The method in this research uses ultrasonic testing to find the longitudinal velocity and transverse velocity of sound in ceramic so that it can be used to calculate the value of Young’s modulus (E) of ceramic tiles. The value of flexural strength (MOR) was obtained from testing the fracture strength of ceramic tiles. After the values of Young’s modulus (E) and flexural strength (MOR) were obtained, a linear regression test was performed to obtain the equation of the relationship between Young’s modulus (E) and flexural strength (MOR). Obtained results or formulas for flexural strength (MOR) through linear regression test, namely flexural strength (MOR) = 0.0068E - 182.69. The flexural strength test (MOR) validation results using the linear regression equation obtained an average flexural strength (MOR) value with the NDT method of 56.65 N/mm2 with an average error of 2.3%. So, it can be concluded that Young’s modulus of ceramic tiles was successfully determined using non-destructive ultrasonic testing by measuring its longitudinal velocity and transverse velocity to measure the flexural strength (MOR) value.
Analysis of the influence of perforation angle to improve the performance of acoustic perforated panels
Authors: Suyatno  , Al Mahdani Mokhammad Mehdi , Prajitno Gontjang
Published: February 2025

Passive Noise Control (PNC) is the most commonly used method due to its ease and wide range of application. However, for noise that dominates at certain frequencies, it is necessary to modify PNC materials to achieve noise reduction at the desired frequency. One such modification is the use of perforated materials. With the correct configuration, it is possible to reduce noise at the desired (tunable) frequency. However, most perforations available in the market primarily focus on the perforation percentage. In fact, another factor that affects the performance of perforated materials is the length of the perforation neck. For relatively thin materials, the way to increase the length of the perforation neck is by drilling at a specific angle. Therefore, in this study, the design and simulation of perforated panels with hole angles of 0°, 10°,15°, and 20° were conducted. The design is a circular panel with a diameter of 100 mm and air gap of 10 mm. The parameters simulated are Sound Absorption (α) and particle velocity. Results show that the resonant frequency lower with the increasing perforation angle. Then sound absorption coefficient with 20° angle perforation is higher than the other. Furthermore, it can increase the sound absorption in lower frequency.
Effect of carbon from Siwalan shell as a microwave absorbing material at X-Band Frequency
Authors: Abdullah Mohammad , Nuraini Umi , Hamid Abdul , Taufiqqurrachman  , Budi Santiko Arief
Published: February 2025

Studies on natural carbon derived from Siwalan coconut shells for use as radar-absorbing materials have been effectively carried out. Shells of Siwalan coconuts are burned and refined to a size of 200 mesh to create the carbon material. According to the sample’s exothermic-endothermic reaction as determined by DTA-TGA testing, the calcination temperature is 500°C for two hours. The crystal structure and carbon bonds are determined using XRD and FTIR analysis. When the carbon material is combined with the ship paint and applied to ASTM 36 steel, the VNA test yields the material’s absorption value. There are two methods for applying the coating: single-layer and multilayer. Samples A, B, and C of the single-layer coating have a carbon weight composition of 10%, 20%, and 30%, respectively, and a paint thickness of 3 mm. A multilayer coating consists of three layers, each with a thickness of 1 mm and composition changes of 10%, 20%, and 30%. Samples A, B, C, and D had reflection loss values in the X-band range of −38.9 dB at 10.28 GHz, −17.5 dB at 10.44 GHz, −21.5 dB at 10.68 GHz, and −23.3 dB at 910.2 GHz. It demonstrates how the proportion of carbon influences the material’s ability to absorb radar waves and how a multilayer coating can optimize that number.
Enhancing resolution of raster-scan photoacoustic imaging using Enhanced Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Networks (ESRGAN)
Authors: Rifai Rochan , Putra Utama Handi , Astina Tasmara Fikhri , Mitrayana  , Widyaningrum Rini , Agung Rakhmadi Frida , Sa’adah Nurul , Walhikmah Rima
Published: February 2025

Raster-scan photoacoustic imaging often faces challenges with low resolution and extended acquisition times, limiting its effectiveness in biomedical applications. Traditional interpolation methods, such as nearest-neighbor, Bilinear, and Bicubic, do not fully address these issues, resulting in residual blurring and artifacts. This study investigates the use of Enhanced Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Networks (ESRGAN) to enhance the resolution of raster-scan photoacoustic images. We compare ESRGAN with conventional interpolation techniques to assess improvements in image quality. Our analysis, based on metrics including Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM), Laplacian Variance, Edge Density, and Spectral Energy, shows that ESRGAN outperforms traditional methods. ESRGAN achieves a lower FWHM, indicating finer detail and sharpness, while conventional methods, which are nearest-neighbor, bilinear, and bicubic, exhibit higher FWHM values and more blurring. Visual inspections confirm that ESRGAN images are significantly clearer and more detailed compared to those produced by traditional methods. These findings highlight ESRGAN’s effectiveness in enhancing the image quality of raster-scan photoacoustic imaging.
Synthesis and characterization of Nasicon (Natrium Super Ionic Conductor) as a sodium ion battery solid electrolyte (Composition X= 1,3; 1,4; 2,3 and 2,4)
Authors: Jahiding M , Milen Y , Variani V I , Mashuni
Published: February 2025

NASICON is a solid electrolyte with prospects in developing secondary batteries. However, it has a drawback, namely low ionic conductivity, making it less efficient when used in sodium-ion batteries. To overcome the weaknesses of NASICON, one way can be to apply the solid-state synthesis method of NASICON in the form (Na1+xZr2SixP3-xO12) derived from Na2CO3, ZrO2, SiO2 and NH4H2PO4 by varying the variable x in the composition of NASICON, where x equals with 1.3; 1.4; 2,3 and 2,4 were chosen to obtain the maximum conductivity of the NASICON solid electrolyte with a calcination time range of 10 and 5 hours at temperatures of 1100 and 1250°C. This study aims to determine the crystal structure of NASICON obtained using XRD analysis, morphology and elemental content using SEM analysis, and conductivity using the four-point probe method. The results showed that the characterization of XRD on NASICON with variations x = 1.3 and 1.4 obtained rhombohedral crystal structures while variations x = 2.3 and 2.4 obtained monoclinic crystal structures, with a crystal size of 8.4143 nm respectively, 8.4145 nm, 8.4146 nm, and 8.4147 nm. While the morphology and elemental composition using SEM showed that the distribution of particles in the sample was not uniform, and there were different porosity sizes for each variation of the x variable. The conductivity obtained using the four-point probe method showed that the ionic conductivity of the NASICON sample was 5.1183 x 10−5 Scm−1; 5.56588 x 10-5 Scm−1; 12.0302 Scm−1, and the maximum conductivity was obtained 15.6349 Scm−1, at variation x = 2.4. So that the variations x = 2.3 and 2.4 are very well used for applications in the manufacture of NASICON solid electrolytes.
Engineering geology characteristics in the Wado Hydropower 50 MW Waterway Tunnel, Sumedang Regency of West Java Province in Indonesia
Authors: Putranindya Erlangga , Setiawan Hendy , Prakasa Eka Putra Doni , Danardi Luki
Published: February 2025

The waterway tunnel at Wado Hydropower 50 MW applies underground tunneling construction with a diameter of 6 meters and a tunnel length of 1.860 meters. In 2019, PT Waskita Karya conducted the planning stage for the waterway tunnel at Wado Hydropower. In this research, an evaluation of the engineering geology condition comprised of five aspects, including geomorphology, lithology, geological structure, groundwater level and rock mass quality of the research area. This research was conducted through geological surface mapping, core sample subsurface analysis, laboratory tests, and rock mass classification. Geological surface mapping was carried out on 1,5 x 2,5 kilometers in a waterway tunnel area to acquire the geomorphology, lithology, and geological structure data. Core box samples were analyzed from six core samples obtained along the tunnel for the rock mass quality and groundwater level. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the physical, mechanical, and mineralogical variations of the rocks and soils. Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological Strength Index (GSI) are two methods that were used in the analysis of rock mass quality. As a result, the geomorphological condition of the research area was classified into moderate and steep volcanic hill slopes. Meanwhile, the lithological condition comprised of andesite breccia I and andesite breccia II units. Geological structures of dextral faults were found at one observation station, and there was a topographic alignment pattern in the research area. Groundwater level was at 327-357 meters which is above the waterway tunnel elevation of 315-313 meters above sea level. Finally, the rock mass in the research area consists of poor, fair, and good qualities with RMR values ranging between 36.0 to 63.6 and GSI values of 30.0 to 84.7. In conclusion, the rock mass classification of the research area was affected by the lithological and weathering conditions.
Synthesis and characterization of lithium nickel cobalt aluminum cathode material from beverage can waste extracts
Authors: Ratnasari Dewi , Supriyanto Agus
Published: February 2025

Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (LNCA) is a lithium-ion battery (Li-ion) cathode material with high working potential and energy density. Beverage cans could be utilized as a cathode constituent by extracting it and using it as an alum. This study aims to determine the aluminum concentration and characterize the LNCA cathode from the beverage can extract waste. Using the can deconstruction method, the results obtained aluminum metal content of 4413.87 mg/l, in percentage form, is 30.91%. The construction of LNCA cathodes was carried out using the coprecipitation method on NCA 1 (LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05) and NCA 2 (LiNi0.80Co0.13Al0.07) materials. The XRD results indexed to JCPDS card 87-1562 show a hexagonal structure. Crystal sizes of NCA 1 and NCA 2 are 19.718 nm and 14.634 nm, respectively. NCA 1 has a smaller R-value compared to NCA 2, which indicates that NCA 1 has a more stable atomic structure than the NCA 2 material. SEM morphological structure showed that the more homogeneous particles were NCA 1. The average particle sizes of NCA 1 and NCA 2 were 4.871 μm and 4.922 μm, respectively. FTIR analysis showed stretching bands due to the presence of CO32- anion caused by direct contact of the sample powder with air during material preparation.
Dirac Oscillator in the presence of pseudoharmonic potential in the spinning cosmic string spacetime
Authors: Faisal Farid Gusti , Wibawa B.S.H. , Suparmi A. , Cari C.
Published: February 2025

The Dirac equation is the gateway for relativistic quantum mechanics which evolved into the Quantum Field Theory. We study the Dirac oscillator as an exactly soluble model in the context of many particle models in relativistic quantum mechanics. To investigate the gravitational effects on the model we use cosmic strings as topological defects of spacetime. Cosmic strings are linear topological defects that generated by spontaneously symmetry breaking shortly after Big Bang. Pseudoharmonic potential is type of anharmonic potential that has been used to describe interaction of some diatomic molecules. In this paper, we examine the effects of gravitational fields produced by topological defects on the motion of the Dirac Oscillator in the presence of the pseudoharmonic potential. In this work, we solved the energy using Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method. This method is very useful to study various types of potentials in molecular systems. The research aims to obtain energy level spectrum of the system under the influence of cosmic strings and pseudoharmonic potential. We obtain the energy spectrum of the oscillator as a function of the various physical parameters, such as the oscillator’s frequency, string density, and quantum numbers. Then, we explore the influences of potential, string density, and string rotation on the system.
Structural, magnetic, and antibacterial investigation of natural iron based cobalt ferrite nanoparticles via co-precipitation
Authors: Fatimah Azzahro Siti , Thabib Mubarok Ahmad , Husein Sanjani Abdillah , Riyatun  , Utari  , Putra Prasetya Nurdiyantoro , Purnama Budi
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the synthesis of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles from fine sediment, highlighting their potential applications biomedicine as antibacterial agents. The sediment was extracted using a magnetic separator, followed by nanoparticle synthesis via the coprecipitation method, with annealing temperatures varied at 100°C, 200°C, 300°C, 400°C, and 600°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the successful formation of cobalt ferrite, exhibiting a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, as indicated by ICDD data number 22-1086. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) demonstrated strong hysteresis curves at 100°C and 200°C, while higher annealing temperatures resulted in variations in saturation magnetization and coercivity. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed particle distributions that suggest potential antibacterial activity. Overall, the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized at 200°C and 300°C show considerable promise for use as antibacterial agents.
A Review on Seismic Vulnerability Assessment with Emphasis on Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Joseff Bendaña Mary , Paulo Bersamina Juan
Published: February 2025

Earthquake-prone regions like the circum-Pacific belt necessitate proactive measures to mitigate seismic risks. This study explores the synergy between Seismic Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) for enhanced infrastructure resilience. The researchers integrate machine learning algorithms with diverse sensors, including seismometers and accelerometers, to analyze vibration data for non-destructive testing. This multifaceted approach, encompassing ground-penetrating radar for subsurface analysis and acoustic emission/ultrasonic testing for internal assessment, refines SHM precision for pre-emptive vulnerability identification in various materials and configurations. By analyzing existing SVA studies focused on SHM, the authors ad-dress current gaps in monitoring practices, aiming to create more robust, scalable, and adaptable solutions for diverse structures and environments. The research dissects various SHM methods, analyzes their parameters and prototypes, and examines challenges in extant structure assessments. The authors propose com-prehensive strategies and solutions to bridge research gaps, leveraging non-destructive methods like the rebound hammer test and ferro scanning alongside computer-aided structural design software and strategic retrofitting. The authors aim to advance SHM for effective and interdisciplinary seismic risk mitigation strategies through collaborative efforts across academia, industry, and government sectors.
Development of a road defect inspection system (AI–RDIS) using AI deep learning technology
Authors: Chang Jia-Ruey , Lin Kun-Hu , Liu Chia-Ming , Yang Po-Sen
Published: February 2025

In the past, road contractors primarily used vehicle-mounted equipment for routine road defect inspections, and inspectors logged and communicated their findings in writing or over the phone. Over time, the shortening of inspection periods, expansion of inspection areas, and diversity of inspection operations fueled the advancement of technologies used for road defect inspections. In recent years, emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have been adopted to assist in this work. This paper introduces the ongoing efforts in Taipei City, Taiwan, since 2016 to collect road defect images using vehicle-mounted equipment. The city’s road contractor incorporated the You Only Look Once (YOLO) algorithm, which utilizes deep learning for road defect image training, and launched the AI Road Defect Inspection System (AI–RDIS). The system was tested to evaluate the applied deep learning algorithms and the performance of defect recognition. Currently, Taipei City employs the AI–RDIS to automatically recognize road defects in daily road defect inspections.
A new compact electron detector with REELS, EPES and elastic peak imaging capabilities for SEM
Authors: Staib P
Published: February 2025

A new energy analyser to be used as add-on in SEM with multiple operating modes is described. It uses a high energy resolution of the retarding field to combine high energy resolution with high sensitivity and small size in order to fit inside the microscope vacuum chamber. The electron optical transmission of retarding mesh is obtained from computer simulations of the electron trajectories and a general formula for calculating the energy resolution is deducted. The analyser can perform as secondary electron detector for scanning imaging with energy filtering capability. The elastic peak is fully energy resolved so that recoil energy losses of light elements are measured and mapped. REELS measurements are shown to illustrate the high dynamic range and sensitivity of the system. The analyser is also sensitive to photons when the analyser energy is set above the primary beam energy, thus repelling all electrons and the detector gain increases correspondingly. Cathodoluminescent sample areas are mapped and soft X-rays are detected increasing the detector sensitivity up to single photon detection.
Focussed beams for use in EBSD
Authors: Winiarski B
Published: February 2025

Focussed beams (electrons, ions, and photons) are at the forefront of today’s and future scientific and engineering advanced research instruments. The beams are typically used for six purposes: imaging, detection, deposition, implantation, milling/ablation, and polishing. There are plethora of detectable and useful signals coming from the beam irradiated matter. One of the signals is electron diffraction and scattering on a crystal planes used by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method. This surface superficial probing technique is sensitive to surface contamination, amorphisation, and lattice distortions, thus requires damage-free sample surface preparation techniques. The advent of coupled multi-beam commercial instruments (DualBeams, CrossBeams and TriBeams) allowed for integration of sample surface preparation techniques, i.e., site specific (cross-sections, serial sections, thin lamellas, micro- and nano-pillars, etc.), and large areas (cross-sections and surface polishing), and beam excited signal detection/quantification methods, i.e., EBSD, EDS, WDS, SIMS, Raman, LIBS, etc. This paper attempts to bring closer the current state-of-the-art of focussed beams systems for use in EBSD technique in Materials Science.
Visual object tracking via kernelized correlation filter and grey prediction
Authors: Lv Mingming , Xu Qian , Geng Xinxin , Fang Jiwen
Published: February 2025

Due to the effects of deformation, scale changes and background interference, visual tracking has always been one of the challenging problems. In recent years, kernelized correlation filter (KCF) has attracted much attention. However, the tracking accuracy of KCF tracker is poor when the object fast motion, heavy occlusion and scale variation appear. Herein, this reason is analyzed that the KCF tracker generates candidate patches of object according to its location in the last frame. By establishing grey prediction model of object motion, we produce the candidate patches around the predicted location. Moreover, we apply an adaptive strategy to update model and employ a simple mechanism for scale estimation. We conduct our tracker on some tracking benchmarks, including OTB2013, VOT2016 and UAV123. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed tracking method has good and stable results.
Multi-response optimization of acoustical characteristics of polyvinylidene difluoride porous foams by using Taguchi Grey relational analysis
Authors: D M Nivedhitha , S Jeyanthi
Published: February 2025

In the current scenario, the need for lightweight modern porous composites is felt in the field of engineering for noise-controlling applications. However, the efficiency of conventional and currently adopted porous materials is restricted to low-frequency ranges, limiting their practical application in broader acoustic environments. To address this, polymer-based piezoelectric materials such as polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) in porous structures are gaining excellent responses from the research community. However, limited works were conducted to determine the optimal parameters for fabricating open-cell PVDF foams and to establish the acoustic characteristics of open-cell PVDF foams. Hence, the current study aims to establish the optimal processing parameters that can facilitate fabrication of open-cell PVDF foams with effective acoustic performance based on the Taguchi L9 approach. The fabricated PVDF samples were tested under the 500–4000 Hz frequency range. Based on the experimental results, it was noticed that the foam sample with 9 grams of NaCl, 40 min of processing time, 220 °C processing temperature, and 12 h of dissolution time had achieved a porosity of 95.6% and sound absorption coefficient value of 0.656 when compared with the other compositions. Further, the optimal process limitations were identified using Taguchi-based Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The statistical results showed that trial 9 achieved the optimized response. This experimental study established open-cell porous PVDF foams as a potential sound absorber to control cabin noise in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Abelian varieties that split modulo all but finitely many primes
Authors: Florit Enric
Published: February 2025

Let

A
A

be a simple abelian variety over a number field

k
k

such that

E
n
d
(
A
)

End(A)

is noncommutative. We show that

A
A

splits modulo all but finitely many primes of

k
k

. We prove this by considering the subalgebras of

E
n
d
(

A

p

)
⊗

Q

End(A_{\mathfrak p})\otimes \mathbb {Q}

which have prime Schur index. Our main tools are Tate’s characterization of endomorphism algebras of abelian varieties over finite fields, and a Theorem of Chia-Fu Yu on embeddings of simple algebras.
Introduction: Data Retention in the EU and Beyond
Authors: Kosta Eleni , Kamara Irene
Published: February 2025

The issue of regulation of data retention in the European Union has been part of the European policy agenda for more than 25 years. Following the CJEU decision in Digital Rights Ireland, which invalidated the EU Data Retention Directive, several actions were taken at EU Member State level, albeit not direct invalidations of the national data retention laws, transposing the annulled Data Retention Directive. Those actions eventually led to CJEU preliminary rulings and the resulting rich CJEU case-law on data retention, which lies at the core of this book. Chapter 1 provides the Introduction to the edited volume by offering the background to data retention in the EU an overview of the rationale, structure and the key findings of the chapters of the edited volume, as well as a comment on the recent developments in Ireland and Belgium, after the La Quadrature du Net ‘II’ judgment.
Data Retention as a Matter of Constitutional Law
Authors: Bassini Marco
Published: February 2025

Chapter 22 aims to provide a critical overview of a selection of judgments made by Member States’ constitutional courts on data retention. It claims that the relationship between EU law and national law plays a key role in the solutions adopted from time to time by constitutional courts. It outlines a variety of approaches that are reflected in the decisions taken by constitutional courts both before and after Digital Rights Ireland, looking at the interaction with the attempt made by the Court of Justice of the European Union to model a new legal regime applicable to data retention in the absence of a comprehensive legal framework in European Union law.
When Minds Converse
Authors: Pettit Philip
Published: February 2025

We are distinguished as a species by how we deliberate with one another and within ourselves about what judgments to form, what conclusions to draw, and what perceptions to trust; and about how we ought to treat our fellows, when we ought to hold ourselves or others to account, and what constitutes our identity as persons. Do these capacities come from our nature alone? Or are they skills that our nature has allowed us to master in the exercise of practices that are primarily social and only mental in the second place? This book argues for the society-first view of the human mind and soul. It does so by relying on a counterfactual but empirically informed genealogy to explore how such practices and skills would evolve without planning among certain humanoid counterparts. The main idea is this: that equipped to employ even a simple sort of language, those humanoids would more or less inevitably come to make judgments, practice reasoning and probe perception, that they would be led to make commitments and evaluations, hold themselves and one another to their values, and assume the status and relationships of persons. The argument consists in an extended thought experiment, an imaginative philosophical narrative, in which those developments are derived and documented. It may not teach a lesson about the precise origin of those capacities in our own kind, but it promises to tell us a lot about their nature and role in human as well as humanoid life.
Introduction
Authors: Winters Ben
Published: February 2025

The Introduction addresses the music historiographical challenge implicit in Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s move from Europe to Hollywood in the mid-1930s. How do we tell this story without falling into modernist oppositions between high art and mass culture, distorting historical evidence to fit already-decided-upon conclusions, or relying on a simplified understanding of film scoring that sees it as simply a continuation of operatic practices? The Introduction suggests Korngold scholarship needs a reappraisal that seeks to correct many of the myths that have surrounded the composer and his work in Hollywood. These myths include Korngold’s supposed disdain for mechanical assistance when composing and conducting his scores, and the elevated status of the contractual terms under which he worked for Warner Bros. The Introduction promises to address them (alongside other myths) in the chapters that follow. It ends with an outline of the book’s contents.
Korngold, the Hollywood Dramatist
Authors: Winters Ben
Published: February 2025

Chapter 4 explores Korngold’s use of associative themes in his film scores, and suggests that film offered Korngold opportunities to deploy his dramatic gifts in ways that were distinct from the world of opera. It then highlights some of the myriad ways in which he transformed thematic material for musico-dramatic purposes, before exploring the important use of non-thematic music in his scores. Lastly, the way in which Korngold used thematic and non-thematic material alike to support aspects of the continuity editing practices of Classical Hollywood is examined. This is a clear way in which opera and a film as dramatic genres can be distinguished and, taken with the differences in dramatic technique, suggests that the rather simplified equivalence between opera and film seized upon by many commentators overlooks many of the specific challenges and opportunities that film offers.
Korngold between Two Worlds
Authors: Winters Ben
Published: February 2025

Chapter 6 explores three composer-centered films that have the ability to not only challenge standard distinctions between narrative sources of music in film (as explored in Chapter 5) but also prompt questions about the relationship between film scoring and concert music. In blurring distinctions between these two worlds, the chapter suggests these films offered Korngold a navigable route back to the concert hall. Moreover, it suggests that Korngold’s post-Hollywood works, by placing film-score material front and center in a sustained and committed manner, bring Hollywood film culture and music of the concert hall together in provocative ways that call into question assumptions audiences may have about the place and value of mass culture. The chapter argues that these works actively partake in a reframing of concert-hall culture in a way that is in dialogue with, rather than in opposition to, mass culture.
Business Letters and the Oral Exchange of Information
Authors: Talbott Siobhan
Published: February 2025

Verbal exchange of information was commonplace, but many of these oral exchanges were immediately lost from record as they were not committed to paper. Drawing on merchants’ correspondence and letter-books, this chapter pieces together the role of oral conversations in several aspects of business transactions. It examines records of direct exchanges, but also considers the spread of commercial information, the role of conversation in ‘rumour’ and establishing reputation, gossip and idle talk, and the spaces and places in which such conversations took place. Importantly, these ‘conversations’ were part of broader communications circuits operating within a specific business culture. By exploring the relationships between written and oral forms of communication, this chapter investigates how information was shared orally among business networks in the early modern British Atlantic world and situates these information-sharing practices within a broader model of communication and information exchange.
Lyrics/Ballads
Authors: Miller Peter
Published: February 2025

Chapter 1 focuses on genre difference, arguing that a prosodic tension between lyrics and ballads structures William Wordsworth’s 1798 collection Lyrical Ballads. Though Wordsworth’s poetry has often been seen as paradigmatically lyrical, many early readers of Lyrical Ballads found the collection oddly bifurcated into poems in unrhymed blank verse and poems in rhyming four-beat lines. These early readers, moreover, tended to interpret this prosodic difference in terms of the difference between a “higher species” of versification and a more primitive folk form. Recovering the ethnographic tensions bound up in Wordsworth’s prosody, this chapter presents lyricism and balladry as co-constitutive generic modes in the poet’s work. It tests this claim against Wordsworth’s Prelude, a long autobiographical poem that is neither a ballad nor a lyric but allied to both genres, before concluding by analyzing an allusion to Wordsworth in the music of Taylor Swift.
Modernist Grooves
Authors: Miller Peter
Published: February 2025

Chapter 4 argues that Ezra Pound’s dual commitment to poetry’s acoustic and visual form appears in his work as a groove, a troping of verbal performance as the obverse of material inscription. Despite the poet’s antipathy toward the phonographs and gramophones transforming popular culture during modernism, many of his critical writings characterize musical and poetic rhythm using technical language associated with modern sound recording. “Rhythm is a form cut into TIME,” Pound writes in his ABC of Reading, evoking the spatial dynamics of early phonograph recordings that cut their analog sound files into wax. Through readings of The  Cantos and his opera Le Testament de Villon, this chapter suggests that, far from rejecting prosody as an irredeemably Victorian concern, Pound’s work transfigures it for an age of modern media.
Paper Records
Authors: Miller Peter
Published: February 2025

Chapter 5 argues that Langston Hughes’s 1961 book Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz instructs the reader in a media-oriented prosodic analysis. The most visually ornate of Hughes’s books, Ask Your Mama features pinkish-beige paper, blue and black ink, marginal musical cues, and a set of “Liner Notes” that suggest the book is also, paradoxically, a vinyl record. On one hand, these paratextual features underscore the work’s bookishness, its status as a silent printed object. On the other hand, these same features invite collaborative multimedia performance of a kind that traditional prosodic analysis is ill-equipped to evaluate. With this dual operation, Hughes ironizes idealized notions of Black folk lyricism that his work often stands in for, while also expanding the reader’s sense of Black performativity beyond the physical media and historical contexts of his book’s original production.
Accountability after Economic Crisis
Authors: Kovras Iosif
Published: February 2025

Accountability after Economic Crisis examines how different nations responded to the 2008 global financial crisis, one of the most severe economic downturns in modern history. The book seeks to understand why some countries took decisive steps to hold those responsible for the crisis accountable, while others did not. It explores why certain accountability efforts succeeded in some countries but failed in others, raising the question of whether there is a best method for managing accountability in times of economic turmoil. The book introduces an innovative framework to explain cross-country variations in accountability policies. It identifies three distinct mechanisms: retribution (prosecuting those at fault), truth recovery (establishing commissions of inquiry), and official acknowledgment (issuing formal apologies). These mechanisms are analyzed through four post-2008 case studies—Iceland, Greece, Ireland, and Cyprus—alongside an examination of the United States during the Great Depression. The framework is tested and refined through these cases and is supported by more than 120 interviews with policymakers involved in these processes.

With original survey data from Iceland and experimental findings, the book provides an in-depth exploration of the political and institutional factors that shaped the accountability responses. It offers a comprehensive analysis of how countries confront the legacies of economic crises.
Accountability after Economic Crisis
Authors: Kovras Iosif
Published: February 2025

The chapter introduces the central themes and theoretical puzzles of post-crisis accountability. In particular, it explores why some countries implement a proactive accountability agenda after economic crises, while others do not. It focuses on three distinct approaches to accountability: retributive justice through prosecutions, truth recovery via commissions of inquiry, and official acknowledgment through public apologies. Despite the growing demand for accountability following the 2008 financial crisis, responses varied significantly across countries. The chapter sets up a novel analytical framework to analyze these variations, drawing on insights from political economy, comparative politics, public administration, and transitional justice. The core puzzles addressed include why certain nations pursue proactive accountability measures, why some truth recovery mechanisms succeed while others fail, and how cultural contexts influence the likelihood and form of official apologies. It also outlines the book’s methodological approach, which includes in-depth case studies of the ‘most crucial’ cases, with cross-country comparative analysis coupled with rich empirical data from a survey and a conjoint experiment to assess the impact of these accountability mechanisms.
Who’s Sorry Now?
Authors: Kovras Iosif
Published: February 2025

In the aftermath of the 2008 financial meltdown, why did politicians issue apologies for their role in the crisis in some European countries but not in others? Post-crisis apologies or their lack are obviously relevant to the politics of crisis management, but the literature has largely avoided the issue. This chapter begins to fill some of the research gaps by looking at the differences between European countries in their formal reactions to the 2008 crisis, specifically their use of apologies as a political strategy. The chapter begins by conceptually examining definitions of apologies; then, it reviews a broad interdisciplinary literature on post-crisis apologies and presents alternative explanations of who apologizes and why. The chapter argues that although the struggle for political survival is universal in times of economic stress, the political cost/gain associated with apologies is mediated by the political culture. Drawing on the concept of ‘cultural equilibria’, and insights from cultural psychology, the chapter shows how political culture shapes different expectations of the repertoire of political responses in dealing with blame and responsibility after crisis, with a focus on apologies.
The End of Student Politics?
Authors: Ramzy Farah
Published: February 2025

This book has demonstrated that because of their historical role as pillars of the modern nation state, universities in Egypt will continue to be politically and socially relevant locations, regardless of the forms or shapes of the politics they generate. Beyond the specificities of the Egyptian context, this book contributes to the broader reflection on student politics namely by showing the articulation of past and current socio-economic structures in the production of student politics. This book also argues for factoring in political events side by side with the reflection on the impact of neoliberalism on students, and calls for the exploration of how the authoritarian variants of neoliberalism affect students. Finally, experimenting with various approaches and conceptions of politics and politicization in addition to examining student spaces side by side, this book proposes a definition not only of student politics, but of ‘politics’ among students.
Palm phytoliths in subarctic Canada imply ice-free winters 48 million years ago during the late early Eocene
Authors: Siver Peter A , Reyes Alberto V , Pisera Andrzej , Buryak Serhiy , Wolfe Alexander P
Published: February 2025

Background and aims

Phytoliths are microscopic siliceous structures produced in specific tissues by many plant families. The morphological features of phytoliths are diagnostic for many plant taxa, and given their inorganic composition often become part of the fossil record. We use phytolith remains from lacustrine sediments to document the conclusive presence of Arecaceae (palms) in subarctic Canada during the late early Eocene (48 Ma).

Methods

Palm phytoliths and aquatic microfossils were extracted from lacustrine mudstones in a drill core taken from the Giraffe kimberlite pipe locality using a combination of acid and oxidation treatments under low heat. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify, examine, and image the microfossils.

Key Results

Spherical echinate-shaped palm phytoliths with cone-shaped surface tubercles, likely belonging to the tribe Trachycarpeae (subfamily Coryphoideae), were uncovered in 45 strata over a 37-meter section of core. We further document in-situ linear arrays of phytoliths, or stegmata, from partially-decomposed palm foliage. Additionally, four aquatic organisms, largely restricted to warm subtropical and tropical localities today, were also uncovered in the same strata harboring the palm phytoliths.

Conclusions

The presence of palm phytoliths allows inference of a warm regional climate during the late early Eocene, with mean cold-month temperatures above freezing despite prolonged winter darkness. This conclusion is supported by the presence of multiple warm water aquatic organisms that grew extensively in the maar lake. Our findings will help to document the extent and timing of perennial ice formation in the northern hemisphere during the Cenozoic. Finally, the discovery of stegmata documents that this morphological trait had evolved by early Eocene
Ruptured ovarian dermoid causing chemical peritonitis: a case report
Authors: Chandar Vrinda , Samuel Joel Kevin Raj , Singh Ajay Kumar
Published: February 2025

Spontaneous rupture of ovarian dermoid cysts is uncommon. We describe a case of a 32-year-old female who presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain and distension. The patient was discovered to have a ruptured dermoid cyst which caused chemical peritonitis and was managed surgically.
May Measurement Month 2022: An analysis of blood pressure screening results from Georgia
Authors: Tsinamdzgvrishvili Bezhan , Trapaidze Dali , Sturua Lela , Grdzelidze Nino , Abesadze Tamar , Mebonia Nana , Gogilashvili Nino , Chikovani Nino , Beruashvili David , Nikachadze Angelina , Beaney Thomas , Kerr Gabriele , Poulter Neil R
Published: February 2025

The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was carried out in Georgia in 2022 with the aim of raising awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Here, we report on the findings of the campaign.

Adults aged ≥ 18 years were recruited opportunistically at 274 sites, across the country. Three seated BP readings were taken for each participant, along with completion of a questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg or being on antihypertensive medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on antihypertensive medication with a BP <140/90 mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate any missing BP readings. In total, 4269 were screened, with a mean age of 57.4 years and 63.0% of whom were female. Of all participants, 2904 (68.0%) had hypertension, of which 2601 (89.6%) were aware, and 2570 (88.5%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 1009 (39.3%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 34.7% had controlled BP.

The MMM campaign in Georgia identified significant numbers of participants with inadequately treated hypertension. Despite increased awareness among the population, effective hypertension management still requires significant improvement and a increase in the number of controlled cases in the country.
Respiratory syncytial virus: health burden, disease prevention and treatment- recent progress and lessons learned
Authors: Brüssow Harald
Published: February 2025

Respiratory syncytial virus, a negative sense single stranded RNA virus of the Pneumoviridae family, represents the most important pathogen of lower respiratory tract infections in young infants causing yearly epidemics. RSV is also an important respiratory viral pathogen for older subjects, which is second only to seasonal influenza virus infections. RSV represents a substantial public health burden with respect to morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. Prevention and treatment options would therefore lessen the global disease burden. A formalin-inactivated RSV vaccine in the 1960s induced an enhanced disease upon exposure to natural RSV. After this tragical vaccine failure, it took nearly five decades of intensive research before prevention tools were approved by health authorities. The lead was taken by passive immunity approaches with injected monoclonal antibodies directed against the fusion protein F of RSV. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of the F protein revealed pre- and post-fusion conformations. Subsequently, structure based antigen engineering of the F protein paved the way for development of a prophylactic vaccine. In 2023, RSV vaccines were approved for maternal vaccination to protect young infants by placental transfer of antibodies and for vaccination in older subjects. Antiviral drugs which target the RSV fusion process, the RSV replicase or the cytoplasmic viral factories are in development. Important research papers leading to these developments are reviewed here.

Importance

RSV, as an endemic virus infection, does not itself represent a pandemic threat. Since respiratory viruses have caused several pandemics, claiming millions of lives, the lessons learned from RSV research might contribute to pandemic preparedness.
BAHD acyltransferase from dragon fruit enables production of phyllocactin in engineered yeast
Authors: Glitz Christiane , Dyekjær Jane Dannow , Mattitsch Sophia , Babaei Mahsa , Borodina Irina
Published: February 2025

Microbial fermentation can provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional plant extraction to produce natural food colours. Betalains are a class of yellow to red water-soluble pigments. Even though over 80 betalain variants are known, betanin is the only betalain available as a food colourant on the market. Many variants are acylated, which can enhance their stability and change the hue, but very few acyltransferases responsible for the acylation are known. Therefore, we mined the transcriptomes of Celosia argentea var. cristata and Hylocereus polyrhizus for BAHD acyltransferases, enzymes likely involved in betalain acylation. In vivo screening of the enzymes in betanin-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that the acyltransferase HpBAHD3 from H. polyrhizus malonylates betanin, forming phyllocactin (6′-O-malonyl-betanin). This is the first identification of a BAHD acyltransferase involved in betalain biosynthesis. Expression of HpBAHD3 in a Yarrowia lipolytica strain engineered for high betanin production led to near-complete conversion of betanin to phyllocactin. In fed-batch fermentation, the strain produced 1.95 ± 0.024 g/L phyllocactin in 60 h. This study expands the range of natural food colourants produced through microbial fermentation and contributes to elucidating the biosynthesis pathway of acylated betalains.
A reference dataset of O-GlcNAc proteins in quadriceps skeletal muscle from mice
Authors: Jaiswal Ruchi , Liu Yimin , Petriello Michael , Zhang Xiangmin , Yi Zhengping , Fehl Charlie
Published: February 2025

A key nutrient sensing process in all animal tissues is the dynamic attachment of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Determining the targets and roles of O-GlcNAc glycoproteins has the potential to reveal insights into healthy and diseased metabolic states. In cell studies, thousands of proteins are known to be O-GlcNAcylated, but reference datasets for most tissue types in animals are lacking. Here, we apply a chemoenzymatic labeling study to compile a high coverage dataset of quadriceps skeletal muscle O-GlcNAc glycoproteins from mice. Our dataset contains over 550 proteins, and > 80% of the dataset matched known O-GlcNAc proteins. This dataset was further annotated via bioinformatics, revealing the distribution, protein interactions, and gene ontology (GO) functions of these skeletal muscle proteins. We compared these quadriceps glycoproteins with a high-coverage O-GlcNAc enrichment profile from mouse hearts and describe the key overlap and differences between these tissue types. Quadriceps muscles can be used for biopsies, so we envision this dataset to have potential biomedical relevance in detecting aberrant glycoproteins in metabolic diseases and physiological studies. This new knowledge adds to the growing collection of tissues with high-coverage O-GlcNAc profiles, which we anticipate will further the systems biology of O-GlcNAc mechanisms, functions, and roles in disease.