bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural, dielectric, and electrochemical properties of pear-shaped CexLi2Zn0.5Mn0.5Ti3−xO8 supercapacitor: XRD and dielectric calculation
Authors: Abou Hammad Ali B , Magar Hend S , Cao Feng , El-Ashkar T Y Mansour , El Nahrawy Amany M
Published: November 2023

Complex nano-perovskite materials have recently gained attention as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their high capacitances. The crystalline structure, dielectric properties, and electrochemical properties of LiZn0.5Mn0.5Ti3-xCexO8 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, & 0.15) pear-shaped nanoceramics, which were prepared through sol–gel reactions and sintered at 800 °C for 3 h, were explored. The XRD proves the well-crystalline structure for the prepared nanoceramic with the diffraction peaks corresponding to the cubic LiZnTi3O8 phase, the doped samples appearing with new peaks are matched to the cubic CeO2 phase. The impact of the Ce3+ ratio in the Li2Zn0.5Mn0.5Ti3O8 pear-shaped nanostructure on the dielectric properties of the nanoceramics is apparent, as the conductivity increases with increasing frequency and temperature. The electrochemical attitude can be ascribed to the LiZn0.5Mn0.5Ti3O8 pear-shaped nanostructure under the effect of Ce3+ ions producing continuous internal rearrangement. The capacitance values for Li2Zn0.5Mn0.5Ti3O8 doped with different ratios (3, 5, 10, 15%) Ce3+ are changed from 41.58 to 38.28 F.g-1, at scan rate (10) mVs-1. High electrocatalytic properties of the LiZn0.5Mn0.5Ti3-xCexO8 nanoceramics is approved using cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Furthermore, the Electrochemical analysis indicates that LiZn0.5Mn0.5Ti3-xCexO8 nanoceramics promising for supercapacitors applications.
Scattering of a wave packet by the Pöschl-Teller potential well
Authors: Jiang Tsin-Fu
Published: November 2023

We investigate the scattering of a wave packet by the Pöschl-Teller potential in momentum representation. The scattering dynamics of the wave packet for a long-time evolution is feasible in this representation. With the wave function in momentum space, we can construct the time-dependent phase space Wigner function. The corresponding density function in coordinate space is then calculated through the Wigner function. The reflectionless wave packet for integer ν and partially reflected for non-integer ν are demonstrated by analyzing the Wigner function.
Initial states-induced complex behaviors in a memristive coupled Hopfield neural network model and its application in biomedical image encryption
Authors: Biamou Arsene Loic Mbanda , Kamdoum Tamba Victor , Kuate Guy Chance Gildas , Tagne François Kapche , Takougang Armand Cyrille Nzeukou , Fotsin Hilaire Bertrand
Published: November 2023

The multi-stable memristor is a type of memristor that can store multiple conductance states, optimizing information management and improving the efficiency of artificial neural networks such as Hopfield networks. It can improve the performance of Hopfield neural networks by minimizing the synaptic weight between neurons and increasing information storage capacity through its ability to store multiple levels of conductance. This paper presents and discusses a novel Hopfield neural network model composed of two non-identical sub-neural networks coupled by a flux-controlled multi-stable memristor (MCHNN) and its application in biomedical image encryption. Using analysis methods such as bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits, maximum Lyapunov exponent, and basins of attraction, we analyze the dynamics of the MCHNN model associated with coupling strength and initial states. Numerical results show that the proposed MCHNN model is capable of developing rich and complex dynamics, including chaos, double-bubble bifurcations, homogeneous and non-homogeneous coexisting attractors at different positions induced by initial states. To support the numerical results, the MCHNN model is implemented on a ATmega 2560 microcontroller. The results are in very good agreement with those obtained thoeretically and numerically. We exploit the interesting properties of the proposed MCHNN model to generate random bits for biomedical image encryption. We evaluate the robustness and efficiency of the designed image encryption algorithm by carrying out statistical tests and security analyses.
Quintessential α-attractor inflation:
a dynamical systems analysis
Authors: Alho Artur , Uggla Claes
Published: November 2023

The equations for quintessential α-attractor inflation
with a single scalar field, radiation and matter in a spatially flat
FLRW spacetime are recast into a regular dynamical system on a
compact state space. This enables a complete description of the
solution space of these models. The inflationary attractor solution
is shown to correspond to the unstable center manifold of a de
Sitter fixed point, and we describe connections between slow-roll
and dynamical systems approximations for this solution, including
Padé approximants. We also introduce a new method for
systematically obtaining initial data for quintessence evolution by
using dynamical systems properties; in particular, this method exploits
that there exists a radiation dominated line of fixed points with
an unstable quintessence attractor submanifold, which plays a role
that is reminiscent of that of the inflationary attractor solution
for inflation.
Oxygen vacancy in CoO/reduced graphene oxide composite for enhancing long-term effectiveness of photocatalytic CO2 reduction via mediating exciton
Authors: Wang Rui , Du Libo , Liu Yang , Gu Yueliang , Li Xiaolong , Li Yuehui
Published: November 2023

Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) has been expected to be an effective way to reduce carbon emissions. Designing photocatalytic materials with long-term effectiveness is the key of photocatalytic technology. In this work, CoO nanoparticles loaded on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) membranes on silicon substrate were in-situ fabricated by one-step method. The resulting materials can convert CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO) up to 70 h at a steady rate of ∼185 ± 30 µmol g−1 h−1 with a selectivity of nearly 100%. This material system contained rich oxygen vacancies and generated new oxygen vacancies during the photocatalytic process. Oxygen vacancies mediate the interactions with excitons: (i) promoting the dissociation of free excitons; (ii) leading to form bound excitons under the coupling effect with phonons, inhibiting the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes as well as enhancing the long-term effectiveness of photocatalytic CO2 reduction. We hope this work can provide valuable insights for the design and optimization of photocatalytic materials.
Recent DIII-D progress toward validating models of tungsten erosion, re-deposition, and migration for application to next-step fusion devices
Authors: Abrams T , Guterl J G , Abe S , Donovan D C , Bykov I , Johnson C A , Nichols J H , Elder J D , Ennis D A , Loch S D , Rudakov D L , Sinclair G , Skinner C H , Stangeby P C , Thomas D M , Unterberg E A , Wampler W R
Published: November 2023

Fundamental mechanisms governing the erosion and prompt re-deposition of tungsten impurities in tokamak divertors are identified and analyzed to inform the lifetime of tungsten plasma-facing components in ITER and other future devices. Various experiments conducted at DIII-D to benchmark predictive models are presented, leveraging the DiMES removable sample exposure probe capability and the Metal Rings Campaign, in which toroidally symmetric rows of tungsten-coated tiles were installed in the DIII-D divertor. In tokamak divertors, the width of the electric sheath is of the order of the main ion Larmor radius, and a vast majority of sputtered tungsten impurities are typically ionized within the sheath. Therefore, W prompt redeposition is mainly governed by the ratio of the characteristic ionization mean-free path of neutral tungsten to the width of the sheath. In-situ monitoring of the prompt redeposition of tungsten impurities in divertors is demonstrated via the use of WII/WI line ratios and the ionizations/photon (S/XB) method in L-mode discharges. Even with this relatively limited set of emission measurements, net erosion measurements were found to be a consistent upper bound to an analytic scaling based on the ratio of the W ionization length,

λ

iz

,

and the width of the magnetic sheath rather than the ratio of

λ

iz

and the W+ gyro-radius. In the far-scrape-off layer (SOL) of the ITER divertor, however, it is calculated that the measurement of photon emissions associated with the ionization of tungsten impurities up to

W

5
+

may be required. Finally, W deposition patterns on DiMES collector probes, interpreted via DIVIMP-WallDYN modelling, reveal the key roles of progressive W erosion/re-deposition staps and E × B drifts in regulating long-range high-Z material migration.
Challenges and solutions for the downstream purification of therapeutic proteins
Authors: Tang Shuo , Tao Jiaoli , Li Ying
Published: November 2023

The innovation in recombinant protein technology has brought forth a host of challenges related to the purification of these therapeutic proteins. This article delves into the intricate landscape of developing purification processes for artificially designed therapeutic proteins. The key hurdles include controlling protein reduction, protein capture, ensuring stability, eliminating aggregates, removing host cell proteins and optimizing protein recovery. In this review, we outline the purification strategies in order to obtain products of high purity, highlighting the corresponding solutions to circumvent the unique challenges presented by recombinant therapeutic proteins, and exemplify the practical applications by case studies. Finally, a perspective towards future purification process development is provided.
Horace: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Morgan Llewelyn
Published: November 2023

This book provides an introduction to the poetry of Horace (Q. Horatius Flaccus), a Roman poet active in the second half of the 1st century bce. It sketches the eventful period in which he lived and wrote, when a destructive civil war was giving way to peace established by the first emperor, Augustus, and describes the poetic works he composed over three decades with the support of Augustus and his right-hand man Maecenas. These works reflect these interesting circumstances, but they also represent an effort to reinvent longstanding poetic modes in a form suitable for Horace’s day. Thus his Odes give Rome for the first time a corpus of lyric poetry modelled on a Greek tradition of lyric verse that had thrived at least 400 years earlier, and in various ways promote a lyric ethos of peaceful sociability in Horace’s contemporary city, while his satires adapt the work of his great Roman predecessor in the form, Lucilius, a charismatic figure from the free Republic of a century earlier, for the rather different circumstances of the Augustan age. This is sophisticated poetry that is very alive to its own character and past, then, and elucidating this aspect clarifies what it has to say about circumstances in Horace’s Rome. After an introductory chapter setting the scene of Horace’s life, the rise of Augustus, and the role of literary convention, chapters are devoted to Horace’s Satires, Epodes, Odes, and Epistles, including the Ars Poetica, descriptions of the collections being illustrated with translated passages from the poems. A final chapter picks up on hints throughout the book of Horace’s remarkable popularity in modern times, the perception of the Roman poet as a model of good sense and a source of human consolation and pithy moral maxims, a reputation founded upon an appreciation of his consummate powers of memorable composition.
Exotic matter (and antimatter)
Authors: Close Frank
Published: November 2023

This chapter tackles the concept of quarks beyond those found in the familiar protons, neutrons, and pions. A strange baryon consists of three quarks at least one of which is a strange quark, while a strange meson contains either a strange quark or a strange antiquark. The properties of the variety of strange particles led theorists to invent the concept of strangeness. The chapter explains how processes were favoured or disfavoured by computing how much strangeness each of the participating particles carried. It also considers the heavier charm bottom and top quarks and the three varieties of neutrino, which have exceedingly small masses compared to electron mass.
Humans and beasts: understanding ourselves
Authors: Annas Julia
Published: November 2023

This chapter references the narrative of Medea under the notion of Plato, stoicism, and accounts of human psychology and emotions. It provides a short overview of Medea's revenge. According to Stoics, emotions are themselves a kind of reason which the person determines to act on, so blind fury cannot lead to Medea’s carefully planned and self-aware revenge. On the other hand, Plato of Athens thinks psychological life is too complex to be accounted for purely in terms of reason and desire, and emotion is distinguished from reason. The chapter clarifies that there is no neutral way of presenting Euripides’ Medea so directors and actors have to make fundamental decisions as to how she is to be represented.
Reason, knowledge, and scepticism
Authors: Annas Julia
Published: November 2023

This chapter explores ancient thinking into the concepts of reason, knowledge, and scepticism. It starts with the assumptions of knowledge, wherein is expected to be a matter of being in the right relation to facts or information. Socrates assumed that Apollo's oracle meant that he is the most aware of his own ignorance after he was dubbed to be the wisest person. Meanwhile, Plato develops the most ambitious model for knowledge: mathematics. The chapter then elaborates on ancient scepticism being concerned with holding beliefs as with knowledge and is best thought of as an intellectual position concerning the powers of reason. It mentions how the empiricist theories of knowledge are the minority stream in ancient epistemology.
When did it all begin? (And what is it anyway?)
Authors: Annas Julia
Published: November 2023

This chapter looks into the history of ancient philosophy, which starts with the Greek philosophy of Thales who believed everything is water. Philosophy is often characterized as an explicit appeal to reason and argument. Due to Socrates, reasoned argument became the lifeblood of philosophy as it is only in the give and take of argument that people can achieve an understanding of the positions they hold and want to put forward to others. The chapter explores the philosophical legacy of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and many other philosophers. Ancient philosophy has played a most respected and occasionally influential role in the development of philosophy in Western European countries.
Cholinesterase inhibitors and falls, syncope and injuries in patients with cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ahuja Manan , Siddhpuria Shailee , Karimi Arian , Lewis Kaitlin , Wong Eric , Lee Justin , Reppas-Rindlisbacher Christina , Sood Emma , Gabor Christopher , Patterson Christopher
Published: November 2023

Background

Cholinesterase inhibitors are commonly used to treat patients with neurocognitive disorders, who often have an elevated risk of falling. Effective use of these medications requires a thoughtful assessment of risks and benefits.

Objective

To provide an update on previous reviews and determine the association between cholinesterase inhibitors and falls, syncope, fracture and accidental injuries in patients with neurocognitive disorders.

Methods

Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and AgeLine were systematically searched through March 2023 to identify all randomised controlled trials of cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine) in patients with cognitive impairment. Corresponding authors were contacted for additional data necessary for meta-analysis. Inclusion criteria consisted of adults ≥19 years, with a diagnosis of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, mild cognitive impairment or traumatic brain injury. Data were extracted in duplicate for the aforementioned primary outcomes and all outcomes were analysed using random-effects meta-analysis.

Results

Fifty three studies (30 donepezil, 14 galantamine, 9 rivastigmine) were included providing data on 25, 399 patients. Cholinesterase inhibitors, compared to placebo, were associated with reduced risk of falls (risk ratio [RR] 0.84 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.73–0.96, P = 0.009]) and increased risk of syncope (RR 1.50 [95% CI = 1.02–2.21, P = 0.04]). There was no association with accidental injuries or fractures.

Conclusion

In patients with neurocognitive disorders, cholinesterase inhibitors were associated with decreased risk of falls, increased risk of syncope and no association with accidental trauma or fractures. These findings will help clinicians better evaluate risks and benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors.
Impact Earth! Protecting the UK and further afield from impacts by Near-Earth objects
Authors: Burchell M J , Collins G C , Vasile M
Published: November 2023

Mark Burchell, Gareth Collins and Massimiliano Vasile report on an RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting dedicated to investigating the effects of potentially hazardous objects colliding with the Earth
The nature, drivers and equity consequences of informal payments for maternal and child health care in primary health centres in Enugu, Nigeria
Authors: Ogbozor Pamela Adaobi , Hutchinson Eleanor , Goodman Catherine , McKee Martin , Onwujekwe Obinna , Balabanova Dina
Published: November 2023

In Nigeria, most basic maternal and child health services in public primary health-care facilities should be either free of charge or subsidized. In practice, additional informal payments made in cash or in kind are common. We examined the nature, drivers and equity consequences of informal payments in primary health centres (PHC) in Enugu State. We used three interlinked qualitative methods: participant observation in six PHC facilities and two local government area (LGA) headquarters; in-depth interviews with frontline health workers (n = 19), managers (n = 4) and policy makers (n = 10); and focus group discussions (n = 2) with female service users. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo 12. Across all groups, informal payments were described as routine for immunization, deliveries, family planning consultations and birth certificate registration. Health workers, managers and policy makers identified limited supervision, insufficient financing of facilities, and lack of receipts for formal payments as enabling this practice. Informal payments were seen by managers and health workers as a mechanism to generate discretionary revenue to cover operational costs of the facility but, in practice, were frequently taken as extra income by health workers. Health workers rationalized informal payments as being of small value, and not a burden to users. However, informal payments were reported to be inequitable and exclusionary. Although they tended to be lower in rural PHCs than in wealthier urban facilities, participant observation revealed how, within a PHC, the lowest earners paid the same as others and were often left unattended if they failed to pay. Some female patients reported that extra payments excluded them from services, driving them to seek help from retail outlets or unlicensed health providers. As a result, informal payments reduced equity of access to essential services. Targeted policies are needed to improve financial risk protection for the poorest groups and address drivers of informal payments and unfairness in the health system.
Artificial Intelligence: Where Do You Fit In?
Authors: Runciman Brian
Published: November 2023

Brian Runciman, Editor ITNOW, refl ects on AI's rich history and explores what it tells us about tomorrow's technology.
Leadership
Authors: Hall Jon G
Published: November 2023

As an IT leader, there will always be a role for you as the 53rd card in the pack irrespective of what the current generation of AI can do. This sounds cryptic, but thankfully Professor of Problem Science and Computing at the Open University, Jon G. Hall, explains.
Skills-Based Volunteering
Authors: Donaghy Dave
Published: November 2023

Dave Donaghy CITP examines the potential for skills-based volunteering to help address the digital divide, and looks at ways for organisations and individuals to get involved.
Leading Cyber Security in the UK Civil Nuclear Sector
Authors: Piggin Richard
Published: November 2023

Dr Richard Piggin CEng MBCS believes, when it comes to cyber security leadership in the civil nuclear sector, that strategy scope should cover the entire cyber environment.
Upskilling a New Generation of Digital Technologists
Authors: Jackson Jonathan
Published: November 2023

Jonathan Jackson is Programme Lead for the Digital and Technology Solutions Professional (BSc) degree apprenticeship programme at Buckinghamshire New University. Here he shares his insights about apprenticeships and their potential to help close the UK digital skills gap, following five years of experience working with forward-thinking employers.
Not taking sick leave for gynecologic cancer treatment is negatively associated with returning to the same workplace
Authors: Nakamura Keiichiro , Matsuoka Hirofumi , Kubo Kotaro , Shirakawa Shinsuke , Ida Naoyuki , Haraga Junko , Ogawa Chikako , Okamoto Kazuhiro , Nagao Shoji , Masuyama Hisashi
Published: November 2023

Background

Gynecologic cancers are one of the most common types of malignancies in working-age women. We aimed to determine the factors that impede women from returning to the same workplace after treatment for such cancers.

Methods

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on 194 women who underwent treatment for gynecologic cancer at the Okayama University (≥1 year after cancer treatment and <65 years of age). We performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the relationship between returning to the same workplace and not taking sick leave.

Results

The median age at diagnosis was 49.0 years, and the median time from cancer treatment to questionnaire completion was 3.8 years. Not returning to the same workplace was positively associated with not being regularly employed (P = 0.018), short work time per day (P = 0.023), low personal income (P = 0.004), not taking sick leave (P < 0.001), advanced cancer stage (P = 0.018) and long treatment time (P = 0.032). Interestingly, not taking sick leave was strongly associated with not returning to the same workplace in the multivariable analysis (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Not taking sick leave likely was negatively associated with returning to the same workplace after the treatment for gynecologic cancer. Therefore, we suggest that steps be taken to formally introduce a sick leave system over and above the paid leave system in Japan.
I can’t breathe: Difficult intubations
Authors: Montrief Tim
Published: November 2023

Management of the difficult airway remains one of the highest-risk procedures commonly performed by emergency medicine physicians, and awake fiberoptic intubation is an important yet clinically underutilized procedure in this context. If a difficult airway is predicted, but the patient has a normal oxygenation and mental status, awake fiberoptic intubation is the airway management technique of choice. Early preparation is key, focusing on airway desiccation with glycopyrrolate, nasal vasoconstriction, and adequate topicalization with lidocaine throughout the upper airway, with or without mild sedation. The decision to use an oral versus a nasal approach is dictated by the patient’s airway anatomy, the clinician’s experience, and the availability of equipment and resources in the department.
Hot and shocky: Distributive/septic shock
Authors: Aydin Ani , Mathews Kusum S.
Published: November 2023

This chapter reviews the most common form of distributive shock, septic shock, and its management. It discusses the significance of early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock, and how the incorporation of portions of this algorithmic approach to septic shock treatment has led to a significant reduction in the mortality associated with this disease over the past 20 years. This chapter also examines current guideline recommendations and approaches to the treatment of septic shock, including fluid resuscitation, vasopressor use, and additional adjuncts, with a focus on a targeted resuscitation using available markers. Finally, it discusses the future of septic shock treatment, including a more tailored and individualized resuscitation to reverse and prevent further end-organ hypoperfusion.
Cardiac arrest and ED ECLS/ECPR
Authors: Augustin Katrina , Becker Torben
Published: November 2023

Cardiac arrest is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries, with over 500,000 arrests a year in the United States alone. In refractory cardiac arrest where conventional ACLS therapies prove inadequate, extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can lead to early stabilization, allowing time for diagnosis and potentially life-saving interventions in patients who may otherwise not survive. ECLS is able to temporarily replace heart and lung function by providing circulatory support and/or gas exchange, thus providing a bridge to recovery or more definitive long-term treatments. This emerging treatment, with additional training and expertise, falls within emergency physicians’ scope of practice. Outcomes of ECLS are promising, with increased neurologically intact survival in these patients when compared to conventional CPR.
I’m bleeding!: Hemorrhagic resuscitation
Authors: Strickler Samantha
Published: November 2023

Hypovolemic shock secondary to bleeding is the most common type of shock in trauma. Rapid recognition of hemorrhagic shock is imperative due to its high mortality. Initial efforts should focus on damage control resuscitation, which emphasizes balanced resuscitation; early administration of blood products; and prevention of hypothermia, metabolic acidosis, and hypocalcemia. Tranexamic acid, an anti-fibrinolytic agent, has been shown to improve overall mortality and mortality due to hemorrhage from trauma when administered early (<3 hours). During damage control resuscitation, a definitive treatment plan for ongoing hemorrhagic shock needs to be determined. Definitive treatment may include going to the operating room for damage control surgery, going to the interventional radiology suite for angioembolization, or transfer to a trauma center for additional resources.
Endocrine emergencies
Authors: Holt Daniel , Ellender Timothy J.
Published: November 2023

Emergencies related to disorders of the endocrine system are frequently encountered in the emergency department. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes and the potential morbidity and mortality associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), emergency providers must be able to identify and treat DKA as well as evaluate and manage the precipitating factors and conditions. Although there have been improvements in the management of DKA, the mortality remains between 1% and 5%. Therefore, emergency providers must be fluent in the cornerstones of care for these patients, including fluid rehydration, repletion of insulin, and management of electrolyte derangements. This chapter also provides information about a variety of other endocrine disorders, each with different presentations, requiring varying evaluations and management strategies.
Corticogeniculate Feedback and Visual Processing
Authors: Usrey W. Martin
Published: November 2023

Neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) relay feedforward visual signals from the retina to the cortex. These same neurons also receive extensive feedback input from the cortex. Although corticogeniculate feedback is the single greatest source of synaptic input to LGN neurons, researchers are just beginning to gain an understanding of how corticogeniculate feedback affects visual processing. Results from an increasing number of studies provide important insight into both the organization and function of corticogeniculate feedback. These results demonstrate that feedback projections are organized into parallel streams and can influence both the spatial and temporal properties of visual responses in the LGN, which ultimately affects the signals communicated to the cortex. Importantly, the corticogeniculate pathway cannot be understood when viewed in isolation, as it is an integral part of a geniculo-cortico-geniculate circuit that interconnects the thalamus and the cortex for visual processing.
Auditory Thalamic Nuclei, Cell Types, and Parallel Pathways
Authors: Llano Daniel A.
Published: November 2023

Over the past 50–60 years, numerous studies have revealed the auditory thalamus to be a highly heterogeneous structure that sits at the crossroads between brain regions that process primarily the acoustic aspects of sound and those that process the cognitive and emotional aspects. In all mammalian species that have been investigated, the auditory thalamus (more commonly known as the medial geniculate body, or MGB) contains 3 primary nuclei, each with partially overlapping inputs, outputs, and cellular properties. These nuclei delineate at least 3 parallel pathways of information flow between the auditory midbrain and cortex. Modern circuit-dissection approaches have revealed both similarities and differences between the auditory thalamus and other sensory thalamic regions, as will be discussed. This chapter reviews what is known about these pathways through the auditory thalamus, linking decades-old studies with more modern work, and poses questions that may help propel further understanding of this critical structure.
Layer 6 Corticothalamic Neurons in the Somatosensory System
Authors: Brown Solange P.
Published: November 2023

Standard models of the somatosensory cortex primarily focus on 2 major types of corticothalamic neurons: corticothalamic neurons with cell bodies located in layer 5 (L5 CThNs) and corticothalamic neurons with cell bodies located in the deepest cortical layer, layer 6 (L6 CThNs). In these models, L6 CThNs form a feedback loop with the principal primary somatosensory thalamic nucleus, the ventral posterior nucleus. However, L6 CThNs are made up of a diversity of cell types which form parallel pathways with the thalamus. A number of functions have been ascribed to L6 CThNs, including sculpting the receptive field properties and the temporal structure of the responses of thalamic and cortical neurons, gating sensory information, regulating an animal’s arousal state, and integrating input from brain areas related to motor and higher cognitive functions, but the relationship between these many functions and the classes of L6 CThNs implicated remains poorly understood. This chapter primarily compares 3 major classes of L6 CThNs found in the whisker-associated somatosensory cortex of rodents, the barrel cortex. These L6 CThN subtypes are among the most well studied and serve as a model system for L6 CThNs in other sensory cortical areas and in other mammalian species.
Thalamocortical Contributions to Neural Dynamics and Behavior
Authors: Jaramillo Jorge , Guo Zengcai V.
Published: November 2023

Neurons in the frontal cortex exhibit intricate dynamics during cognitive functions such as perception, motor planning, and decision-making. Recent studies have demonstrated contributions from non-sensory thalamic nuclei to cortical neural dynamics underlying cognitive and sensorimotor computations. In a memory-guided motor-planning task, interactions between motor thalamus and frontal cortex maintain low-dimensional cortical dynamics (dynamical modes). In this chapter, the authors propose a circuit-level computational framework, whereby interaction between excitatory and inhibitory assemblies in the cortex support dynamical modes, while subcortical structures, including the basal ganglia and brainstem, modulate thalamocortical circuits to control these dynamical modes for successful behavior. The authors review results supporting this computational framework and outline open questions for future work.
Thalamic Contribution to Cortical Network Functions
Authors: Hwang Kai , Shine James M.
Published: November 2023

Distributed neural activity supports a broad range of perceptual, motor, and cognitive functions. Discovering how brain systems implement this behavioral repertoire is critical for elucidating the neural basis of human cognition. Traditionally, many higher-order and complex cognitive functions such as executive function, decision-making, and working memory are thought to be mediated by the structure and dynamics of the cortical system. However, accumulating evidence suggests that the thalamus likely plays an important yet underappreciated role. This chapter first reviews human neuropsychology findings that demonstrated the necessity of the human thalamus for complex cognitive functions. The authors then review the organization of thalamocortical connectivity, and summarize how thalamocortical interactions can influence local and large-scale brain network functions. In conclusion, they summarize the role of thalamocortical interactions in regulating brain network dynamics subserving cognitive functions.
Postnatal Development of the Thalamocortical Circuit and of Sensory-Driven Cortical Activity
Authors: Karayannis Theofanis
Published: November 2023

The development of thalamic inputs to the cortex begins in embryogenesis, but continues through the first few postnatal weeks in rodents, the animals this chapter is focused on. The formation of the mature thalamocortical circuit is a very dynamic process that rests on transient interactions that are often thought of as structural and functional scaffolds, which later processes build on. It begins with the innervation of transient populations of early born neurons in the subplate and marginal zone by thalamic axons, interactions which are crucial for the proper formation and maturation of cortical circuits. A plethora of genetic programs have been identified that organize the development of thalamocortical projection patterns both at the pre- and the postsynaptic side. Nevertheless, the role of sensory-driven activity cannot be overstated, since manipulations at the sensory organ, the pathway that carries sensory-driven information, or at the level of the cortex, drastically alter the assembly of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits. Ultimately, sensory inputs assist in creating and reorganizing cortical circuits over the course of the first postnatal weeks that allow for the extraction of finer detail of environmental information.
Connecting Neural Dynamics and Computation Across Spatial and Temporal Scales
Authors: Mease Rebecca A. , Shea-Brown Eric , Fairhall Adrienne L.
Published: November 2023

Neural dynamics are remarkably diverse, even at the level of isolated neurons. How can we characterize these dynamics systematically, and begin to build theories of how they combine to determine collective dynamics and signal processing in networks? This chapter reviews a general approach of characterizing complex, nonlinear dynamics of neurons in terms of filters that describe how neurons transform their inputs into spike trains, with an emphasis on findings from cortex and thalamus. This reveals distinct “prototypes” of neural dynamics with different computational roles. The authors then review general results on how computational differences at the single neuron level can drive distinct patterns of collective dynamics and collective signal processing in networks.
Thalamus, Thalamocortical Networks, and Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Dalrymple-Alford John C. , Anderson Tim J. , Melzer Tracy R.
Published: November 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) presents as a movement disorder diagnosis accompanied by a diverse range of non-motor signs. Cognitive impairment, through to highly prevalent dementia (PDD), is among the most debilitating of these symptoms. This chapter summarizes issues concerning disease progression and its neuropathology, and emphasizes post-mortem and neuroimaging evidence on the thalamus and related thalamocortical changes. Thalamocortical function across multiple thalamic nuclei is affected by PD and may have a critical influence on many non-motor signs. Important and unanswered questions concern the nature of and temporal and spatial spread of thalamus-related neuropathology and their impact on disease progression. This is relevant for prodromal PD, the evolution of symptoms post-diagnosis, and a better understanding of different clinical phenotypes, including their management and potential treatment strategies.
Visuospatial and Motor Deficits Following Pulvinar Lesions
Authors: Wilke Melanie , Kagan Igor
Published: November 2023

Most concepts of goal-directed behavior and cognition emphasize cortico-cortical interactions within large-scale networks. However, many, if not all, direct connections between cortical areas are paralleled by a trans-thalamic cortico-pulvino-cortical route, whose importance has been demonstrated by electrophysiological and lesion studies in monkeys and humans. In most literature, the pulvinar is conceived as a “visual” thalamic nucleus, with proven contributions to higher-order visual functions related to visual attention, feature binding, and processing of emotional stimuli. At the same time, the expansion of its dorsal portion in primates, in particular in humans, and its anatomical connectivity with frontoparietal regions suggests an important role in higher-order motor functions such as eye-hand coordination and manual prehension. In this chapter, the authors review electrophysiological, imaging, lesion, and human patient studies showing that pulvinar function goes well beyond its subscribed role in visual attention and might be more appropriately conceived as a multimodal integrator underlying visually guided saccades and reach-grasp behavior. A specific focus will lie on lesion-induced visuospatial and reach-grasp deficits in monkeys and humans.
Psychosis across persons 1: Minority ethnic groups and migration
Authors: Ven Els van der
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides an overview of evidence on and candidate explanations for variations in the incidence of psychotic disorder by ethnic group, migrant status, region of origin, and region of destination. In 2019, the United Nations estimated global migration at nearly 300 million international migrants or about 3.5% of the world population, a number that has been steadily increasing. Europe and Asia each hosted more than 80 million international migrants (~55% of the total), North America hosted around 60 million (~20%), and Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Oceania hosted the smallest numbers, with percentages of 10 or less. Given the growing mobility of populations, the health of migrants is a critical public health issue. In light of this, it is a concern that migrants experience higher rates of mental health problems. In particular, there is a long history of research showing that certain migrant and minority populations have a higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder compared with host populations. This chapter provides an overview of the empirical evidence on risk of psychosis risk across migrant and ethnic minority groups, and concludes by considering the implications of the evidence to date.
Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: Incidence and risks
Authors: Del-Ben Cristina Marta , Shuhama Rosana , Menezes Paulo Rossi
Published: November 2023

Brazil, a country of continental extension, has its history marked by social and economic inequalities and struggles to develop science with few resources, but with quality. Among the few Brazilian studies already done on the epidemiology of psychosis is STREAM, discussed in this chapter. The STREAM (Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses Translational Research: Environment and Molecular Biology) study in Ribeirão Preto, the capital city of the 13th Regional Health Department of the State of São Paulo. It aimed to estimate the incidence of psychosis in the Ribeirão Preto catchment area, comprised of 26 municipalities, and to investigate possible interactions between social and biological factors in the occurrence of psychotic disorders. The São Paulo Research Foundation funded the study. It looks at the mental health services, the Psychosis Early Intervention Programme, and examines the results in the context of what needs to be done in the future.
Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Krupchanka Dzmitry , Winkler Petr , Germanavičius Arunas , Pfeiffer Jan , Höschl Cyril , Plevachuk Oksana , Suvalo Orest
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides an overview of mental healthcare and the current state of deinstitutionalization in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It begins with putting care into context, with the history of the Soviet Union’s views on psychiatry and the socioeconomic landscape being considered, i.e. during the second half of the twentieth century, psychiatry in CEE was influenced by constraints imposed on it by the Soviet Union. Psychiatry in the USSR was systematically involved in the political repression of opponents of the regime. It then goes on to provide three case studies to highlight both similarities and differences in mental healthcare, focusing on Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and the Republic of Lithuania.
Mental health in intellectual disability across cultures
Authors: McCarthy Jane , Daffi Manji , Jesu Amala , McPartland Michael
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides an overview of psychiatric illness in people with intellectual disability (ID) across countries and cultures. Most of the evidence on the mental health needs of people with ID is from the UK and most prevalence rates are reported in those of White ethnicity. Although there has been research undertaken in Australia and Canada, these are similarly in mainly homogeneous populations. The limited evidence base, available currently indicates that people with ID from ethnic minority communities are less likely to have a clinical diagnosis of a mental illness. The majority of research in Asia has been conducted in India, which has found a wide variation in reported prevalence. This variation may in part be explained by a lack of culture-specific diagnostic tools. For Latin America and the African continent, the evidence is almost non-existent on the mental health needs of people with ID, with one explanation being that economic resources are very limited, such that the needs of people with disability become a low priority.
Intellectual disability services in Africa
Authors: Bakhiet Aisha M. , Eyeoyibo Mo , El Tahir Mohamed O.
Published: November 2023

Service provision and models of care for people with intellectual disability vary significantly between African countries. Social and cultural challenges, including stigma, have a huge impact on levels of care across Africa. Furthermore, wars, limitation of resources, and variation between public and private provision in some countries have also appeared to influence the care provided to their respective populations. However, raising awareness seems to inform policies in health, social care, education, and vocational provisions in some countries. This chapter explores the models of care in a group of countries to highlight the current provision and approaches to care and identify challenges faced by people with intellectual disability in Africa. The key strengths and limitations in intellectual disability care in African countries are also discussed.
Synthetic X-ray emission from white dwarf accreting planetary material
Authors: Estrada-Dorado S , Lora V , Toalá J A , Esquivel A , Guerrero M A , Maldonado R F , Chu Y-H
Published: November 2023

The emission of hard X-rays associated with white dwarfs (WDs) can be generated by the presence of a stellar companion, either by the companion’s coronal emission or by an accretion disc formed by the material stripped from the companion. Recent studies have suggested that a Jupiter-like planet can also be a donor of the material whose accretion on to the WD can generate hard X-rays. We use the guacho code to reproduce the conditions of this WD–planet scenario. With the example of the hard X-ray WD KPD 0005+5106, we explore different terminal wind velocities and mass-loss rates of a donor planet for a future network of simulations to investigate the luminosity and the spectral and temporal properties of the hard X-ray emission in the WD–planet systems. Our simulations show that the material stripped from the planet forms a disc and accretes on to the WD to reach temperatures high enough to generate hard X-rays as usually seen in X-ray binaries with low-mass companions. For high terminal wind velocities, the planet material does not form a disc, but it rather accretes directly on to the WD surface. The simulations reproduce the X-ray luminosity of another X-ray accreting WD (G 29-38), and only sometimes reaches the hard X-ray luminosity of KPD 0005+5106. The X-ray variability is stochastic and does not reproduce the period of KPD 0005+5106, suggesting that the additional physical processes (e.g. hot spots resulting from magnetic channelling of the accreting material) need to be explored.
Introduction
Authors: Alonso-Minutti Ana R.
Published: November 2023

This introductory chapter characterizes Mario Lavista as a relational composer and his music as a social space. Lavista’s music intersects with the other arts, especially poetry and painting. The different references present in Lavista’s music—musical or otherwise—interact with each other in a multiform affective communion made possible through their echoes and reflections bouncing back and forth between them. Therefore, the book’s titular metaphor mirrors of sounds can be particularly useful in addressing the relational affective powers at play in Lavista’s music. Undertaking analysis as a subjective exercise rooted in affective processes, the chapter draws attention to the sociality of emotions that surfaces when entering the social space of Lavista’s music and examines the intertextual dimension at play. This chapter includes a brief sketch of the composer’s life and the book’s overarching goals.
Riotous Nations
Authors: Varma Rashmi
Published: November 2023

The Partition of the Indian sub-continent into India and Pakistan in 1947 on the eve of their independence from British colonial rule has come to be figured as the founding wound of the two nation states in the political, literary, and cultural imagination of South Asia. In the violence that preceded and accompanied the formation of borders between India and Pakistan, more than ten million people were displaced, more than a million perished, and tens of thousands of women were abducted as families, communities, and neighbourhoods were torn asunder. This chapter reads the figure of the riot in short stories about the communal violence that engulfed India and Pakistan during the Partition of 1947. It approaches the riot through a dialectical reading of what Benjamin called ‘the empty homogeneous time’ of the nation and the ‘profane’ time of revolutionary upsurge. The chapter also argues for the salience of the short story genre as it formally registers the dissonance and displacement caused by widespread rioting in the lead-up to, and aftermath of, the Partition.