bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of synthesis techniques on the gas sensing properties of TiO2/SiC/CoFe2O4 nanocomposites as gas sensor
Authors: Khan Meenu , Aamir Lubna , Rathore Deepshikha , Albaqawi H. S. , Othman A. A. M. , Mitra Supratim
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the impact of two distinct methodologies on the structural, morphological, and gas sensing properties of TiO2/SiC/CoFe2O4 (TSC) nanocomposites determined using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), LCR meter, and gas sensing unit respectively. The TiO2/SiC/CoFe2O4 nanocomposites were synthesized using chemical co-precipitation method (C-TSC) and the solid state method (G-TSC). The Scherrer formula was used to calculate the average grain size of C-TSC and G-TSC, which was estimated to be 8 ± 2 nm and 10 ± 2 nm, respectively. The formation of TSC nanocomposites was confirmed by XRD, SEM, and EDX analysis. The response (%) toward ethanol and NH3 gas was tested as a function of flow rate (ppm) and temperature from room temperature (28 °C) to 300 °C. The response (%) was observed to be increasing with increasing temperature and three intermediate temperatures were found. The response and recovery time were also measured with varying gas concentrations. The long-term stability of devices was tested up to 30 days and less variation in result was found, which confirms stability of sensor. The material synthesized using chemical co-precipitation method (C-TSC) shows better properties than G-TSC.
Word order change in German infinitival complementation
Authors: De Cesare Ilaria , Bosch Sina , Felser Claudia , Demske Ulrike
Published: November 2024

The present article discusses whether processing factors might play a role in the reduction of word order
variability in German infinitival complements of control verbs, connecting evidence from a diachronic corpus study to processing
considerations and psycholinguistic findings. We show that intraposition, a linearization pattern that has been claimed to be
costly in comprehension due to both center-embedding and temporary ambiguity, became less frequent in language use over time.
Findings from language production experiments show that present-day German speakers avoid producing intraposition patterns even
following repeated exposure to this pattern. Taken together, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that processing
factors can influence the distribution of word order variants. Looking at the diachronic dimension, however, reveals that the
effect of processing factors can be modulated by sociolinguistic factors and the impact of language modality.
Navigating the Global Dietary Transition and Its Impact on Planetary and Human Health: The Role of Middle-Income Countries
Authors: He Pan
Published: November 2024

This case study examines global dietary transitions and their impact on environmental sustainability, nutritional well-being, and socio-economic inequalities, focusing on middle-income countries (MICs) like China, India, Brazil, Turkey, and Mexico. As economic expansion, urbanization, and cultural shifts drive changes in eating habits, MICs encounter both advantages and disadvantages. The study explores how socio-economic transformation influences dietary preferences, resulting in increased consumption of processed foods and animal-based products, linked to rising non-communicable diseases and environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion. It delves into the influence of cultural heritage and social norms on dietary practices, alongside the impact of Western dietary patterns and media. Additionally, the case study underscores the role of governmental strategies in fostering sustainable and nutritious diets through policies that support local agriculture and public health. It also investigates contributions from the private sector and emphasizes the significance of community-driven and grassroots movements in promoting sustainable dietary habits and reinforcing food security. This study aims to provide insights into the interconnection between dietary transitions, their environmental and nutritional impacts, and the socio-economic drivers and disparities within and across MICs, offering guidance for sustainable development and public health improvement.

Information

© The Author 2024
Activation of lysosomal Ca2+ channels mitigates mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress
Authors: Feng Xinghua , Cai Weijie , Li Qian , Zhao Liding , Meng Yaping , Xu Haoxing
Published: November 2024

Elevated levels of plasma-free fatty acids and oxidative stress have been identified as putative primary pathogenic factors in endothelial dysfunction etiology, though their roles are unclear. In human endothelial cells, we found that saturated fatty acids (SFAs)—including the plasma-predominant palmitic acid (PA)—cause mitochondrial fragmentation and elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. TRPML1 is a lysosomal ROS-sensitive Ca2+ channel that regulates lysosomal trafficking and biogenesis. Small-molecule agonists of TRPML1 prevented PA-induced mitochondrial damage and ROS elevation through activation of transcriptional factor EB (TFEB), which boosts lysosome biogenesis and mitophagy. Whereas genetically silencing TRPML1 abolished the protective effects of TRPML1 agonism, TRPML1 overexpression conferred a full resistance to PA-induced oxidative damage. Pharmacologically activating the TRPML1–TFEB pathway was sufficient to restore mitochondrial and redox homeostasis in SFA-damaged endothelial cells. The present results suggest that lysosome activation represents a viable strategy for alleviating oxidative damage, a common pathogenic mechanism of metabolic and age-related diseases.
Anomalous Quantum Dynamics in Lossy Nonlocal System
Authors: Qiao Liwei , Zhang Wei , Shi Kaiye
Published: November 2024

The non-Hermitian skin effect and edge burst reflect the vital role of spatial boundaries in non-Hermitian systems from both static and dynamic perspectives. In this study, we investigate a non-Hermitian dissipative lattice with nonlocal coupling and demonstrate many interesting static and dynamic phenomena. In the case of global coupling with all sites coupled with each other, we observe anomalous hopping resonance, where a quantum walker initially placed at a single site almost completely escapes from the boundary of the system regardless of its initial position. In the case of non-global coupling, which is infinite-range coupling, the interplay between nonlocal hopping and the non-Hermitian skin effect results in the emergence of local bulk modes exhibiting a multipartite density distribution. The presence of local bulk modes induces the nontrivial dynamics of a quantum walker, which features multiple peaks of lost probability in spatially separated domains. Our findings demonstrate unique properties induced by nonlocal coupling in non-Hermitian systems.
Synthesis and characterization of p-CuO/n-ZnO heterostructured composite thin films for the detection of formaldehyde gas
Authors: Yadav Sarika , Nagaraju P , Begum Sameena , Swathi M , Krishna Kurugundla Gopi , Ojha J K , Turpu G R
Published: November 2024

We report the synthesis and characterization of pure CuO and CuO–ZnO nanostructured composite thin films sprayed on particle-free glass substrates using chemical spray pyrolysis method. The films were systematically analyzed through microstructural, morphological, chemical, and gas-sensing studies. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the films, with a predominant monoclinic phase along the (002) direction. Key structural parameters, such as crystallite size, dislocation density, strain, and the number of crystallites per unit area, were reported from XRD analysis. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed a bundled-like morphology witha uniform particle distribution, enhancing the surface area for effective gas interaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that Cu and Zn ions existed predominantly in the 2+ oxidation state, contributing to the films’ reactivity. Significantly, the gas sensing studies were investigated with static liquid distribution method, highlighting the remarkable performance of the 30 wt.% CuO–ZnO composite thin film. This composite exhibited a substantial response to 5 ppm formaldehyde at ambient conditions, showing a recovery time of 22 s and a response time of 15 s. These findings underscore the potential of CuO–ZnO composites for efficient formaldehyde gas sensing applications, marking a notable advancement in the field of environmental monitoring.
Examining mechanics problem-solving strategies among engineering students at a selected public university in Rwanda
Authors: Theogene Niyomufasha , Ntivuguruzwa Celestin , Mugabo Leon Rugema
Published: November 2024

This paper presents the findings of research conducted at a selected university in Rwanda aiming to evaluate the mechanics of problem-solving strategies among engineering students. Problem-solving is an important component of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education as well as in everyday life. To enhance the development of problem-solving skills, researchers and curriculum creators must develop problem-solving strategies for solving mechanics problems and for improving engineering students’ performance in physics classroom tasks. The study investigated engineering students’ strategies for their mechanics problem-solving using a mixed-methods research approach that includes questionnaires, interviews, and tests. A purposive sample of 99 students was chosen, with 20 students and three instructors randomly selected for interviews. Findings revealed that students heavily rely on algebraic equations, neglecting visual representations in mechanics problem-solving. Challenges identified include limited familiarity with alternative representations, difficulties transitioning between them, and a constrained understanding of their interrelationships. Recognizing these practices and strategies informs the design of more effective pedagogical interventions. Incorporating the best problem-solving strategies in physics education is a potential avenue to bolster problem-solving skills and deepen comprehension of mechanics concepts among engineering students.
Superscattering of light: fundamentals and applications
Authors: Wang Chan , Chen Xuhuinan , Gong Zheng , Chen Ruoxi , Hu Hao , Wang Huaping , Yang Yi , Tony Low , Zhang Baile , Chen Hongsheng , Lin Xiao
Published: November 2024

Superscattering, theoretically predicted in 2010 and experimentally observed in 2019, is an exotic scattering phenomenon of light from subwavelength nanostructures. In principle, superscattering allows for an arbitrarily large total scattering cross section, due to the degenerate resonance of eigenmodes or channels. Consequently, the total scattering cross section of a superscatterer can be significantly enhanced, far exceeding the so-called single-channel limit. Superscattering offers a unique avenue for enhancing light–matter interactions and can enable numerous practical applications, ranging from sensing, light trapping, bioimaging, and communications to optoelectronics. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent progress and developments in the superscattering of light, with a specific focus on elucidating its theoretical origins, experimental observations, and manipulations. Moreover, we offer an outlook on future research directions in superscattering, including potential realizations of directional superscattering, scattering-free plasmonic superscattering, enhancement of free-electron radiation and the Purcell effect via superscatterers, inelastic superscattering, and superscattering of non-electromagnetic waves.
The edge states of one-dimensional spin-

1
2

-like noninteracting periodic systems under the most compactly supported Wannier-type functions
Authors: Chen Shou-Long
Published: November 2024

A hallmark of topological insulators is topologically protected edge states, which are determined by topological invariants defined under Bloch functions. Of course, not all edge states are stable, and they are independent of topological invariants. And in a recent study, it was found that even stable protected gapless edge states cannot be explained by bulk topological invariants in two-dimensional (2D) systems. Motivated by this idea, we carried out a thorough study in one-dimensional (1D) spin-

1
2

-like noninteracting periodic systems and found that all edge states can be explained by the most compactly supported Wannier-type functions (MCWTFs). All the answers are contained in the flat-band Hamiltonian defined by MCWTFs. Edge states can be obtained by solving special equations using the parameters of MCWTFs. Symmetries are the special solutions of these equations, and we have proved the relationship between zero-energy edge states and symmetry analytically in partial cases, which was only a well-known result in the past. By solving the equations, we also find that not all zero-energy edge states are determined by symmetry, which is beyond the current framework. Through numerical verification, we show that these zero-energy edge states, like those protected by symmetry, are not affected by the energy spectrum of the system, so they are only related to the Bloch functions. We also derive special properties of zero-energy edge states protected by chiral symmetry from the perspective of MCWTFs, which are consistent with the previous literature. Finally, we do a test in the 2D case and find the connection between the Chern number and the Wannier functions. Our results show that compared with topological invariants, the origin of the edge state can be understood more comprehensively from the perspective of Wannier functions.
Exotic hybrid pseudopotentials at finite temperature and chemical potential*
Authors: Zhang 张 Le 乐 , Cai 蔡 Fei-Yang 飞扬 , Chen 陈 Xun 勋
Published: November 2024

Using gauge/gravity duality, we studied the exotic hybrid pseudopotentials at finite temperature and chemical potential. The Σ hybrid meson can be described by a model including an object called "defect'' on a string linking the quark and antiquark. The

hybrid potential at zero temperature and chemical potential was first proposed by Andreev and is perfectly described. In this study, we extended the aforementioned model to finite chemical potential and compared the separate distance and pseudopotentials of

and

. Unlike the

ground state, the

hybrid pseudopotentials no longer exhibit Coulomb-like behavior at short distances. In addition, temperature and chemical potential have a significant impact on the

hybrid pseudopotentials. The screen distances and hybrid pseudopotentials of

significantly decrease when increasing temperature and chemical potential. We represented the melting diagram of

and

in the

plane and confirmed that the quark-antiquark pair in

excited state is easier to melt than that in

ground state.
Safety of non-invasive brain stimulation in patients with implants: a computational risk assessment
Authors: Karimi Fariba , Cassarà Antonino M , Capstick Myles , Kuster Niels , Neufeld Esra
Published: November 2024

Objective. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methodologies, such as transcranial electric stimulation (tES) are increasingly employed for therapeutic, diagnostic, or research purposes. The concurrent presence of active/passive implants can pose safety risks, affect the NIBS delivery, or generate confounding signals. A systematic investigation is required to understand the interaction mechanisms, quantify exposure, assess risks, and establish guidance for NIBS applications. Approach. We used measurements, simplified generic, and detailed anatomical modeling to: (i) systematically analyze exposure conditions with passive and active implants, considering local field enhancement, exposure dosimetry, tissue heating and neuromodulation, capacitive lead current injection, low-impedance pathways between electrode contacts, and insulation damage; (ii) identify risk metrics and efficient prediction strategies; (iii) quantify these metrics in relevant exposure cases and (iv) identify worst case conditions. Various aspects including implant design, positioning, scar tissue formation, anisotropy, and frequency were investigated. Main results. At typical tES frequencies, local enhancement of dosimetric exposure quantities can reach up to one order of magnitude for deep brain stimulation (DBS) and stereoelectroencephalography implants (more for elongated passive implants), potentially resulting in unwanted neuromodulation that can confound results but is still 2–3 orders of magnitude lower than active DBS. Under worst-case conditions, capacitive current injection in the active implants’ lead can produce local exposures of similar magnitude as the passive field enhancement, while capacitive pathways between contacts are negligible. Above 10 kHz, applied current magnitudes increase, necessitating consideration of tissue heating. Furthermore, capacitive effects become more prominent, leading to current injection that can reach DBS-like levels. Adverse effects from abandoned/damaged leads in direct electrode vicinity cannot be excluded. Significance. Safety related concerns of tES application in the presence of implants are systematically identified and explored, resulting in specific and quantitative guidance and establishing basis for safety standards. Furthermore, several methods for reducing risks are suggested while acknowledging the limitations (see section 4.5).
The indirect global warming potential of methane oxidation in the IPCC’s sixth assessment report
Authors: Muñoz Ivan , Schmidt Jannick , Weidema Bo P
Published: November 2024

Greenhouse-gas emission (GHG) metric values for methane in the sixth assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) include the indirect effect associated to the oxidation of methane to CO2. An analysis of the figures provided by the IPCC reveals they assume that in average 75% of methane is ultimately oxidized to CO2, while the remaining 25% is converted to intermediate degradation products, most notably formaldehyde, which are removed from the atmosphere via wet and dry deposition and treated by the IPCC as a potential carbon sink in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In this short article, we present a critique of this assumption, based on existing knowledge about the environmental fate of methane’s degradation products. We conclude that any assumption other than full degradation of methane to CO2 in a rather short time frame is questionable, whereby the default CO2 yield from this oxidation, as far as GHG metrics are concerned, should be 100%. We re-calculate values for the global warming potential (GWP) metric in accordance with our findings, resulting in an increase in GWP100 from 29.8 and 27.0–30.40 and 27.65 kg CO2-equivalents/kg fossil and biogenic methane, respectively. Although we only present the implications in terms of GWP, our proposal is conceptually valid for other GHG metrics as well.
The effect of day-to-day temperature variability on agricultural productivity
Authors: Zou Zhixiao , Li Chaohui , Wu Xudong , Meng Zheng , Cheng Changxiu
Published: November 2024

With rising extreme weather events due to climate change, the impact on agricultural production has become increasingly severe. Yet, there has been a significant gap in research that assesses the influence of day-to-day temperature variability on agricultural productivity on a global scale. Our study addresses this gap by exploring the effects of day-to-day temperature variability and the change of rainfall patterns on agricultural productivity worldwide from 1961 to 2018. The results reveal that day-to-day temperature variability not only has a direct, negative impact on agricultural total factor productivity (TFP), but also influences it by modulating the effects of monthly average temperatures and wet days. One unit increase of day-to-day temperature variability leads to a 2% decrease in TFP. Day-to-day temperature variability neutralizes the impact of monthly average temperature on TFP, while exacerbating the impact of wet days on TFP. Furthermore, extreme rainfall events result in a consistent negative marginal effect across all countries/seasons/rainfall intervals. This study also identifies differentiated impacts across countries with varying income levels. Low-income regions’ TFP demonstrates markedly significant sensitivities to both monthly average temperatures and daily temperature fluctuations, which means less resilient. Furthermore, the impacts of general and extreme rainfall are comparatively less pronounced in high-income countries, indicating higher resilience to climate variability in these regions and a relative vulnerability to extreme weather events in low-income regions. Our findings illuminate the intricate and multifaceted role that daily temperature variability plays in agricultural productivity, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the heterogeneous impacts of climate change on agriculture and contributing insights into the broader discourse on climate resilience and agricultural sustainability.
q-Identities for parafermion theories
Authors: Bouwknegt Peter , Chern Shane , Han Bolin
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we will prove a series of q-identities suggested by the realisation of certain conformal field theories involving the so-called ‘coupled free fermions.’ We will consider q-series arising from coupled free fermions constructed by the parafermion coset construction as well as from scaled root lattices, and some interesting relations between the two.
Effect of heat treatment process on microstructure and properties of copper modified 1Cr11MoNiW1VNbN
Authors: Liang Yan , Lou Chaohang , Hu Jiahao
Published: November 2024

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Cu element content and heat treatment process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 1Cr11MoNiW1VNbN martensitic heat-resistant steel. Microstructure was characterized by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), tensile testing machine and impact testing machine were used to test the mechanical property. The results show that with the increase of Cu content, the precipitation of Cu-rich phase in the steel increases, while the formation of δ-ferrite and coarse carbides decreases, which significantly improves the strength of the material. When the Cu content is 2.14%, the tensile strength at 600 °C reached 542 MPa and the yield strength reached 484 MPa after normalizing at 1000 °C and tempering at 700 °C. With the increase of the normalizing temperature, the strength of the test steel decreases slightly, and the impact energy improved significantly.
Atmospheric pressure plasma jet deposition of TiO2 layer on alumina/epoxy to improve electrical properties
Authors: SONG 宋 Yanze 岩泽 , ZHAO 赵 Jinjian 晋剑 , ZHENG 郑 Bowen 博闻 , XIE 谢 Zihao 子豪 , LIANG 梁 Guishu 贵书 , XIE 谢 Qing 庆
Published: November 2024

In gas-insulated lines, basin-insulators can accumulate charge under non-uniform electric fields, distorting the field distribution and potentially causing surface flashover, which threatens the stability of power systems. In this study, Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ) technology was used to deposit TiO2 on the surface of alumina/epoxy (Al2O3/EP) composites. The impact of deposition of TiO2 layer on the surface morphology and chemical composition of Al2O3/EP was studied using testing methods such as Scanning Electron Microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer. It was found that APPJ creates a dense, rough Ti-O layer on the Al2O3/EP surface, which bonds tightly with the substrate. The efficacy of APPJ was found to depend on processing time, with optimal results observed at 3 min, DC and AC flashover voltages increased by 29.6% and 15.7%, respectively. TiO2 layer enhances the conductivity of the resin and shallows trap levels. Through the synergistic effects of various factors, surface charges are efficiently dissipated and evenly distributed. This study not only reveals the physicochemical process of TiO2 deposition via APPJ but also integrates surface characteristics with electrical performance. The findings offer a new strategy to enhance surface flashover voltage and ensure equipment safety.
Unveiling the nonclassicality within quasi-distribution representations through deep learning
Authors: Chen Hong-Bin , Liu Cheng-Hua , Lai Kuan-Lun , Tseng Bor-Yann , Lo Ping-Yuan , Chen Yueh-Nan , Yu Chi-Hua
Published: November 2024

To unequivocally distinguish genuine quantumness from classicality, a widely adopted approach focuses on the negative values of a quasi-distribution representation as compelling evidence of nonclassicality. Prominent examples include the dynamical process nonclassicality characterized by the canonical Hamiltonian ensemble representation (CHER) and the nonclassicality of quantum states characterized by the Wigner function. However, to construct a multivariate joint quasi-distribution function with negative values from experimental data is typically highly cumbersome. Here we propose a computational approach utilizing a deep generative model, processing three marginals, to construct the bivariate joint quasi-distribution functions. We first apply our model to tackle the challenging problem of the CHERs, which lacks universal solutions, rendering the problem ground-truth (GT) deficient. To overcome the GT deficiency of the CHER problem, we design optimal synthetic datasets to train our model. While trained with synthetic data, the physics-informed optimization enables our model to capture the detrimental effect of the thermal fluctuations on nonclassicality, which cannot be obtained from any analytical solutions. This underscores the reliability of our approach. This approach also allows us to predict the Wigner functions subject to thermal noises. Our model predicts the Wigner functions with a prominent accuracy by processing three marginals of probability distributions. Our approach also provides a significant reduction of the experimental efforts of constructing the Wigner functions of quantum states, giving rise to an efficient alternative way to realize the quantum state tomography.
A robust approach for balancing the color and light integrity of underwater images
Authors: Rani Sangeeta , Agrawal Subhash Chand , Jalal Anand Singh
Published: November 2024

As light travels under the deep water, it scatters and is absorbed, resulting in a loss of intensity and altered color perception—a phenomenon known as underwater light attenuation. Images captured under these low light conditions suffered from color distortions, as you go deeper, colors fade in this order: red, orange, and yellow, while green and blue become more prominent. The red channel experiences significant attenuation due to the scattering properties of light under the deep water. As a consequence, deep water images often display noticeable color casts. Researchers encounter various challenges when enhancing low-light underwater images, such as reduced contrast, detail loss, artifacts, noise, and color distortion. In this paper, we present a novel Adaptive Color and Light Correction (ACLC) method for color correction and an Intuitionistic Fuzzy Generator (IFG) for enhancing low-light underwater images. The proposed Adaptive Color and Light Correction (ACLC) method tackles color casts on individual pixels by considering the scene depth. The proposed Intuitionistic Fuzzy Generator (IFG) method balances the image contrast by computing an intuitionistic fuzzy image representation using the proposed IFG approach. Experimental results reveal that the proposed approach significantly improves the color quality and contrast of the output image. The proposed ACLC and IFG methods exceed existing underwater color correction and low-light image enhancement techniques in visual and quantitative evaluations, as evidenced by extensive experimentation on well-established underwater image datasets, such as UIEB, Ocean dark, and LSUI.
Molecular quantum chemical data sets and databases for machine learning potentials
Authors: Ullah Arif , Chen Yuxinxin , Dral Pavlo O
Published: November 2024

The field of computational chemistry is increasingly leveraging machine learning (ML) potentials to predict molecular properties with high accuracy and efficiency, providing a viable alternative to traditional quantum mechanical (QM) methods, which are often computationally intensive. Central to the success of ML models is the quality and comprehensiveness of the data sets on which they are trained. Quantum chemistry data sets and databases, comprising extensive information on molecular structures, energies, forces, and other properties derived from QM calculations, are crucial for developing robust and generalizable ML potentials. In this review, we provide an overview of the current landscape of quantum chemical data sets and databases. We examine key characteristics and functionalities of prominent resources, including the types of information they store, the level of electronic structure theory employed, the diversity of chemical space covered, and the methodologies used for data creation. Additionally, an updatable resource is provided to track new data sets and databases at https://github.com/Arif-PhyChem/datasets_and_databases_4_MLPs. This resource also has the overview in a machine-readable database format with the Jupyter notebook example for analysis. Looking forward, we discuss the challenges associated with the rapid growth of quantum chemical data sets and databases, emphasizing the need for updatable and accessible resources to ensure the long-term utility of them. We also address the importance of data format standardization and the ongoing efforts to align with the FAIR principles to enhance data interoperability and reusability. Drawing inspiration from established materials databases, we advocate for the development of user-friendly and sustainable platforms for these data sets and databases.
Morphology
Authors: Ballesteros Bernardo
Published: November 2024

The chapter offers a detailed analysis of the formal structure (morphology) of divine assembly scenes in Sumero-Akkadian and early Greek epic. It argues that both corpora, taken as a whole, lend themselves to systematic treatment under the same critical lenses, since the poetic technique overlaps to a considerable degree. In both traditions, similar formal patterns frequently relate to similar narrative and characterization effects. The analysis brings together more than seventy scenes and examines patterns of beginning (§1), central speech (§2), and resolutions (§3). It also discusses how poets achieve large-scale intratextual connections contributing to the structuring effects examined in Chapter 2 (§4). This chapter’s analysis preludes the discussion of cross-cultural transmission in Chapter 5. Importantly, the widespread character of the Greek conventions suggests that they are profoundly rooted in the oral tradition of Hellenic epic.
Divine Assemblies and Cosmic History
Authors: Ballesteros Bernardo
Published: November 2024

The chapter starts the book’s thematic comparisons by interrogating the relation between the divine assembly, human actors and the mythical history of the cosmos in Babylonian and Greek epic. While hymnic praise poetry conventionally depicts an idealized closeness of the divine assembly, narrative poetry tends to stress its distance from humans, and frequently conceptualizes the stories told in terms of a lost primeval proximity to the gods. But whereas the earlier proximity to the gods of Babylonian culture heroes was treasured and longed for, previous contact with the gods is normally seen as harmful in Greek epos. The chapter explores the implications of the principal mismatch between Babylonian and early Greek cosmic histories: whereas the Trojan war happens before the violent end of the age of heroes, the Gilgameš saga is situated after the flood catastrophe. It also includes comparisons of the notion of human-divine banquets and sexual proximity.
Distance and Proximity
Authors: Ballesteros Bernardo
Published: November 2024

The chapter continues the comparison of the relation between divine assemblies and human actors, especially rulers and culture heroes, by looking at Sumerian narratives on Gilgameš, Lugalbanda and Adapa, the Akkadian Gilgameš Epic, and the Homeric epics. Divine disagreement entails suffering for mortals (Gilgameš narratives, Iliad), and divine harmony a positive outcome of the narrative (Odyssey, other Sumerian poems). The chapter includes sections on Sumerian narratives, especially the Death of Bilgames (§1); the complex narrative-theological trajectories drawn by divine assemblies in SB Gilgameš (§2); the relation of Zeus and the divine assembly to Agamemnon and Hector in the Iliad (§3); a comparison of SB Gilgameš and the Iliad (§4); the Odyssey in conjunction with Sumero-Akkadian culture heroes (§5). Though the divine assembly sanctions the limits and suffering of humankind, it consistently promotes the achievements of civilization in connection with kingship and ritual.
Conclusion
Authors: Ballesteros Bernardo
Published: November 2024

The book’s Conclusion summarizes the key results of the investigation. It touches on the value of a systematic, large-scale comparison, and on the question of literary transmission from the Near East to Greece, including methodological considerations on intertextuality, polygenesis, diffusion and hybridity. It highlights that more comparative research is needed into the oral/written interface in early Greece and the Near East. Concerning religious history, it stresses that the gods of Babylonian and early Greek epic are different inasmuch as they reflect different socio-political conceptions, but similar in advocating the values of moderation and trust.
Propertius, Maecenas, and Cynthia triumphant
Authors: Franklinos T E
Published: November 2024

This chapter considers poems 3.8–10. Read alongside one another, and against the background of Propertius’ earlier poems in Book 3 and previous books, this group of elegies underscores his continued rôle as a poeta–amator. Poems 3.8 (on a lovers’ rixa) and 3.10 (on Cynthia’s birthday) are shown to engage intratextually in a poetics of repetitiveness that reinforces Propertius’ ongoing implication in an amorous discourse; night as an important time for the elegist throughout his corpus is discussed. 3.8 and 3.10, celebrating Propertius’ and Cynthia’s continued amatory and metapoetic relationship, frame 3.9. This poem, addressed to Maecenas, implies that the poet’s ethical choice to live as a lover and to write of love is married to his composition of elegiac poetry; this is articulated through seafaring imagery that combines the onward progress of poetic composition familiar from didactic verse with the Callimachean poetics of water, already explored in 3.3.
Antimicrobial-producing microorganisms in fungus-farming ants: a critical review on insights into a natural biological defense with biotechnological potential
Authors: Maurice-Lira Jorge Víctor , Romero-Nápoles Jesús , Pérez-Cárcamo Jorge , Martínez-Cerón Dánae Mercedes , Flores-Maldonado Karla Yolanda , Morales-Rodríguez Simón , Pérez-Moreno Jesús
Published: November 2024

The main function of symbiotic actinobacterias in fungus-farming ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) is to protect the cultivated fungus against the pathogenic fungus Escovopsis spp. The microorganisms with the highest antimicrobial potential are actinobacterias, specifically Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces. These actinobacterias have demonstrated greater aggressiveness against the pathogen compared to other free-living actinobacterias, suggesting a selective process for strains with greater effectiveness in controlling the mycoparasite. Hypotheses explaining the coevolution between attinis and actinobacterias suggest that Pseudonocardia is a specialist symbiont that has coevolved with attinis, while Streptomyces is a mutualist recurrently adopted from the environment. In addition to actinobacterias, other microbial groups such as yeasts and bacteria with antimicrobial potential have been reported. The diversity of biomolecules synthesized by attini microsymbionts suggests that the microbiota of these insects could be an underexplored source of biotechnological resources with potential for combating agricultural and clinical diseases. This review addresses the antimicrobial potential of the microbiome associated with fungus-farming ants, and also analyzes aspects of coevolution, eco-physiological roles, and the diversity of microorganisms with antimicrobial potential.
New horizons in hospital-associated deconditioning: a global condition of body and mind
Authors: Welch Carly , Chen Yaohua , Hartley Peter , Naughton Corina , Martinez-Velilla Nicolas , Stein Dan , Romero-Ortuno Roman
Published: November 2024

Hospital-associated deconditioning is a broad term, which refers non-specifically to declines in any function of the body secondary to hospitalisation. Older people, particularly those living with frailty, are known to be at greatest risk. It has historically been most commonly used as a term to describe declines in muscle mass and function (i.e. acute sarcopenia). However, declines in physical function do not occur in isolation, and it is recognised that cognitive deconditioning (defined by delayed mental processing as part of a spectrum with fulminant delirium at one end) is commonly encountered by patients in hospital. Whilst the term ‘deconditioning’ is descriptive, it perhaps leads to under-emphasis on the inherent organ dysfunction that is associated, and also implies some ease of reversibility. Whilst deconditioning may be reversible with early intervention strategies, the long-term effects can be devastating. In this article, we summarise the most recent research on this topic including new promising interventions and describe our recommendations for implementation of tools such as the Frailty Care Bundle.
ViralPrimer: a web server to monitor viral nucleic acid amplification tests’ primer efficiency during pandemics, with emphasis on SARS-CoV-2 and Mpox
Authors: Deutsch Norbert , Dosztányi Zsuzsanna , Csabai István , Medgyes-Horváth Anna , Pipek Orsolya Anna , Stéger József , Papp Krisztián , Visontai Dávid , Erdős Gábor , Mentes Anikó
Published: November 2024

Accurate pathogen identification is crucial during outbreaks, especially with the emergence of new variants requiring frequent primer updates. However, resources for maintaining up-to-date verification of primer sequences are often limited, which poses challenges for reliable diagnosis and hinders potential monitoring efforts based on genome sequencing. To address this, we introduce ViralPrimer, a web server facilitating primer design, SARS-CoV-2 and Mpox variant monitoring, and adaptation to future threats. ViralPrimer aims to enhance diagnostic accuracy with its comprehensive primer database, mutation analysis assistance, and user primer upload feature. Its adaptable design allows monitoring of other rapidly mutating pathogens, contributing to broader public health protection efforts.

Availability and implementation

ViralPrimer is freely accessible and open to all users with no login requirement at https://viralprimer.elte.hu/. The application is hosted on a DJANGO v3.2.13 web server, with a PostgreSQL database, and the frontend was implemented using jQuery v3.6.0, vanilla JavaScript vES6, and Bootstrap v5.1.
Challenging charitable oppression: Social working in supportive housing
Authors: Browne Nicole Laurenne
Published: November 2024

This article provides an autoethnographic analysis of my experiences of administrating and supporting transitional housing programs in Canada. Using anti-colonial, critical race feminist, critical disability studies, and mad studies framings, the article aims to highlight the sharp contrast between social work values and social care practice in housing work. I direct my gaze as a researcher toward myself as a social worker, exploring my experience social working in practice. A creative non-fiction approach to storytelling is used based directly on my experiences social working in supportive housing. These creative non-fiction pieces were analysed to draw out relevant themes. Themes include the discourse of dangerousness, challenging charitable oppression, and reproducing colonial carceral structures. The narratives are followed by analyses which demonstrate harms perpetuated in the neoliberalist social care landscape in Canada. My analysis is based on anti-colonial, critical race feminist, critical disability studies, and mad studies framings. Challenges discussed include interdisciplinary social care practice with those experiencing significant barriers to housing and the ethical implications of working under a charitable organization, along with suggestions for countering dominant ableist, sanist, and Eurocentric practice.
High-volume injections in Achilles tendinopathy: a systematic review
Authors: Hassan Rifat , Poku Daryl , Miah Nafisa , Maffulli Nicola
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is common, particularly in runners. High-volume injections (HVIs) may be beneficial in the management of AT compared to other conservative management options, including exercise regimens, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, and extracorporeal shockwave therapy. The published research on the effectiveness of HVI in the treatment of AT was evaluated in this systematic review.

Sources of data

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed when conducting this systematic review. The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and OVID were thoroughly searched, from inception to 13 September 2023, for articles assessing HVI for AT.

Areas of agreement

A total of 10 studies with 460 participants met the inclusion criteria. HVI typically consisted of saline, local anaesthetic, and corticosteroids. HVI combined with corticosteroids demonstrated immediate and long-term improvements in ankle function. Compared to HVI without corticosteroids, HVI with corticosteroids exhibited greater, early improvements in pain and function, with no significant differences at later follow-up points. Significant reductions in tendon thickness and neovascularity were also found with HVI treatment over time.

Areas of controversy

No adverse events were reported with HVI, despite the use of corticosteroids.

Growing points

HVI is an effective and safe modality, particularly in the short term, to significantly reduce pain and discomfort in the Achilles tendon, especially when supplemented with corticosteroids.

Areas timely for developing research

More robust randomized controlled trials, with longer-term follow-ups and homogeneity, are needed to fully establish its efficacy for AT.
T1-weighted MRI texture analysis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients stratified by the D50 progression model
Authors: Parnianpour Pedram , Steinbach Robert , Buchholz Isabelle Jana , Grosskreutz Julian , Kalra Sanjay
Published: November 2024

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, presents challenges in predicting individual disease trajectories due to its heterogeneous nature. This study explores the application of texture analysis on T1-weighted MRI in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stratified by the D50 disease progression model. The D50 model, which offers a more nuanced representation of disease progression than traditional linear metrics, calculates the sigmoidal curve of functional decline and provides independent quantifications of disease aggressiveness and accumulation. In this research, a representative cohort of 116 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was studied using the D50 model and texture analysis on MRI images. Texture analysis, a technique used for quantifying voxel intensity patterns in MRI images, was employed to discern alterations in brain tissue associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This study examined alterations of the texture feature autocorrelation across sub-groups of patients based on disease accumulation, aggressiveness and the first site of onset, as well as in direct regressions with accumulation/aggressiveness. The findings revealed distinct patterns of the texture-derived autocorrelation in grey and white matter, increase in bilateral corticospinal tract, right hippocampus and left temporal pole as well as widespread decrease within motor and extra-motor brain regions, of patients stratified based on their disease accumulation. Autocorrelation alterations in grey and white matter, in clusters within the left cingulate gyrus white matter, brainstem, left cerebellar tonsil grey matter and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, were also negatively associated with disease accumulation in regression analysis. Otherwise, disease aggressiveness correlated with only two small clusters, within the right superior temporal gyrus and right posterior division of the cingulate gyrus white matter. The findings suggest that texture analysis could serve as a potential biomarker for disease stage in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with potential for quick assessment based on using T1-weighted images.
Olfactory stimulation with multiple odorants prevents stress-induced cognitive and psychological alterations
Authors: Bandiera Bruno , Natale Francesca , Rinaudo Marco , Sollazzo Raimondo , Spinelli Matteo , Fusco Salvatore , Grassi Claudio
Published: November 2024

Acute and chronic stress markedly affects behavior by triggering sympathetic nervous system activation and several hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-dependent responses. Brain regions of the limbic system are responsible for the regulation of stress response, and different reports have demonstrated that their activity can be influenced by olfactory stimuli. Here we report that, in mice exposed to acute restraint stress, olfactory stimulation employing a combination of three odorants, i.e. vanillin, limonene and green odor (trans-2-hexenal and cis-3-hexenol) decreased anxiety behavior, assessed in the elevated plus maze, and halted recognition and spatial memory deficits, as appraised in two different object recognition tasks. Of note, when applied singularly, the same odorants were unable to block the detrimental effects of stress. We also found that the multiple odorants stimulation prevented the development of depressive symptoms assessed by the sucrose splash test and forced swim test in an experimental model of depression, i.e. mice exposed to a chronic unpredictable stress paradigm, and reduced interleukin 1β levels in the prefrontal cortex of depressed mice. Collectively, our data indicate that olfactory stimulation counteracts the detrimental effects of acute and chronic stress on mood regulation and cognitive functions, thus representing a potential tool for the treatment of stress-induced disorders.