bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon dioxide separation from natural gas using a supersonic nozzle
Authors: Mirzaie Mahshid , Lakzian Esmail , Kim Heuy Dong
Published: August 2024

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is often released in the process of natural gases and is one of greenhouse gases that are being treated as the most troublesome environmental issues. One of the promising ways to economically remove CO2 in natural gas processes is to use the technology of supersonic separation that makes use of non-equilibrium condensation in supersonic swirling flows in convergent-divergent nozzle using wet outlet. In the present study, the mixture of Methane (CH4) and CO2 was considered as natural gas. Two-dimensional convergent–divergent nozzle was employed to produce supersonic swirling flow with non-equilibrium condensation. The Peng–Robinson real gas model was used for the mixture gas. A nucleation equation and a droplet growth equation were incorporated into the governing equations of the compressible Navier–Stokes with the k-ω turbulence closure. The predicted results were verified and validated with existing experimental data. The convergent–divergent nozzle was varied to investigate its effect on the non-equilibrium condensation of CO2 in the mixture flow. The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method was applied to achieve the optimum case with amounts of wetness (the mass fraction of liquid CO2 to the summation of the mass fraction of liquid and vapor CO2 at the outlet of the nozzle) and kinetic energy. Three locations of wet outlets for the optimum case were analyzed. The results show that an increase in the divergent angle of the nozzle, swirling intensity, and inlet supply pressure results in more nucleation of CO2. However, the enhancement of mole fractions of CO2 decreases the nucleation rate and wetness. The exit wetness from wet outlets was increased with increasing distance from the throat.
Where the atomic nuclei are: Maurice Sendak, physics illustrator
Authors: Dahn Ryan
Published: August 2024

The first credited work of the famed children’s book author was a set of illustrations in a 1947 popular-science book about nuclear physics.
Evaluating anti-bullying training in surgery: surgeons’ perceptions from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Gretton-Watson Paul , Oakman Jodi , Leggat Sandra G.
Published: August 2024

Objective To evaluate how surgeons in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand perceive the effectiveness of the Operating with Respect (OWR) face-to-face training program in reducing workplace bullying. Methods A cross-sectional survey examined the perceived effectiveness of the Royal College of Surgeons’ (RACS) face-to-face OWR training and complementary interventions in reducing workplace bullying in surgical settings. The sample included supervisory surgeons, RACS committee members, and targeted educators. The survey instrument had 35 questions, including five related to the research question. In December 2020, the survey was distributed by RACS to all surgeons who undertook OWR training between April 2017 and December 2019. Likert scales and coded free text responses were used to explore the effectiveness of face-to-face OWR training and other interventions included in the 2015 RACS Action Plan. Results Of the 756 surveys sent, 252 were received. The face-to-face OWR training program was rated as moderately effective. RACS’s overarching approach to anti-bullying was almost equally important, highlighting the need to consider a broader ecosystem of reform. Conclusions This study finds the RACS full-day anti-bullying training moderately effective in reducing bullying in surgical workplaces. However, enhancing its impact requires a sustained, multi-faceted strategy, including broader policy reforms, accountability measures, and cultural changes, to foster a long-term respectful environment in surgical settings.
Hospital staff perspectives on the cost and efficiency of peripheral intravenous catheter use: a case study from three Australian hospitals
Authors: McFadden Kathleen , Rickard Claire M. , Brown Christine , Corley Amanda , Schults Jessica A. , Craswell Alison , Byrnes Joshua
Published: August 2024

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are required by most hospitalised patients. Difficult intravenous access (DIVA) makes insertion challenging, with poor patient outcomes, treatment delays and resource waste from multiple insertion attempts, often by multiple clinicians. This exploratory qualitative case study aimed to investigate how clinical and executive hospital staff view PIVC insertions for patients with DIVA from a cost and efficiency perspective. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from three large, urban Australian hospitals. Data was thematically analysed, with four themes generated: (1) PIVCs are not considered from a cost or resource use perspective; (2) resources required for successful PIVC insertion are variable and unpredictable; (3) limited funding and support exist for advanced skill and ultrasound-guided insertion; and (4) processes for PIVC training and competency are inefficient. Investment in advanced PIVC inserters (with ultrasound-guided cannulation skills, and ability to train and assess novice inserters), with clear escalation pathways to these clinicians may reduce inefficiencies and waste associated with difficult PIVC insertions.
Advances in smallholder large ruminant production and profitability in Southeast Asia over the past decade – lessons from the Mekong region: a review
Authors: Bush Russell D.
Published: August 2024

The global demand for protein in the form of red meat is growing, especially in Southeast Asia, with income and population growth driving an increase in global beef consumption projected to continue from 2023 to 2032. This provides incentive for smallholder large-ruminant producers to build on production improvements obtained over the past decade to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability. This review aims to provide an update on advances in smallholder large-ruminant production and profitability in Southeast Asia over the past decade, as well as highlight ongoing challenges that require further investment from governments and the private sector to meet the growing regional and global demand for protein that is safe for human consumption. Improvements are discussed in detail across the areas of health, production and welfare, using outputs from research for development projects across Southeast Asia, specifically Cambodia and Laos which have high proportions of population living below the national poverty line. Areas covered include nutrition, disease control, diversification and farmer engagement. Ongoing challenges and opportunities are also considered. Key improvements in smallholder large-ruminant production, health and welfare in Southeast Asia over the past decade include the introduction of strategies to improve nutrition through forage utilisation and disease control through vaccination and biosecurity as well as farmer engagement and diversification. However, major challenges continue in the areas of disease control and eradication, training, climate variability, gender empowerment and policy. Increasing global demand for red meat places smallholder large-ruminant producers throughout Cambodia and Laos in an ideal position to capitalise. To do this and gain improved regional food security requires ongoing investment in stakeholder training and adoption of appropriate strategies to ensure greater productivity from existing numbers and resisting increasing numbers in an environment with limited resources. Although the challenges for large-ruminant smallholders are substantial, the rewards for continual investment to improve health and production include increased household incomes and profitability as well as greater regional food security.
Breaking (musical) boundaries by investigating brain dynamics of event segmentation during real-life music-listening
Authors: Burunat Iballa , Levitin Daniel J. , Toiviainen Petri
Published: August 2024

The perception of musical phrase boundaries is a critical aspect of human musical experience: It allows us to organize, understand, derive pleasure from, and remember music. Identifying boundaries is a prerequisite for segmenting music into meaningful chunks, facilitating efficient processing and storage while providing an enjoyable, fulfilling listening experience through the anticipation of upcoming musical events. Expanding on Sridharan et al.’s [Neuron55, 521–532 (2007)] work on coarse musical boundaries between symphonic movements, we examined finer-grained boundaries. We measured the fMRI responses of 18 musicians and 18 nonmusicians during music listening. Using general linear model, independent component analysis, and Granger causality, we observed heightened auditory integration in anticipation to musical boundaries, and an extensive decrease within the fronto-temporal-parietal network during and immediately following boundaries. Notably, responses were modulated by musicianship. Findings uncover the intricate interplay between musical structure, expertise, and cognitive processing, advancing our knowledge of how the brain makes sense of music.
The ethnopragmatics of Akan leave-takings and farewells
Authors: Agyekum Kofi
Published: August 2024

The paper examines leave-takings and farewells as linguistic routines in Akan. It emerged from my previous works
on ethnopragmatics of Akan linguistic routines, namely apology, requests, greetings, thanking, advice, compliments, etc. This
paper adopted Weigand’s (2010) Mixed Game Model, which deals with dialogic action games. It employs qualitative approaches
including interviews, observation, and the recording of natural ethnographic events in the Akan society. These include closings
and farewells at funerals, durbars, visits, travelling, arbitrations, folksongs, etc. The paper discusses the ethnosemantics of
the leave-takings and farewell expressions. The findings of this paper will contribute to the use of dialogic action games in
discussing other linguistic routines. This study will help further research in leave-taking and farewell in other Ghanaian
languages.
Impact of plasma-modified pretreatment on the tensile properties of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites
Authors: Ye Bei , Lin Shiyun , Yu Lintao , Peng Chenyun
Published: August 2024

Low-temperature jet plasma modification technology is a surface treatment method designed to enhance the surface properties of materials without causing severe thermal damage. This technique modifies surface characteristics by creating plasma and utilizing ions and reactive groups within the plasma to chemically interact with the material’s surface. In this study, surface modification of carbon fibers was carried out by using low-temperature jet mixed oxygen plasma technology at treatment speeds of 25 mm/s, 50 mm/s, 100 mm/s, and 200 mm/s. Following the modification process, carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites were fabricated by using a hand-lay-up technique. Subsequently, the tensile properties of the carbon fiber composites were tested to evaluate the impact of the plasma treatment on their mechanical performance. The experimental results demonstrated a significant enhancement in the tensile properties of the composites when the carbon fibers were pretreated at a rate of 50 mm/s. This enhancement was evidenced by an impressive increase of 82.38% in tensile strength and 30.96% in tensile modulus compared to untreated samples. This signifies that low-temperature plasma treatment has a beneficial effect on enhancing the surface properties of carbon fibers and improving the performance of composites. This finding provides substantial support for the extensive application of carbon fiber composites.
Performance analysis and optimization of multi-energy complementary combined heat and power system considering the influence of time-of-use price
Authors: Ding Zeyu , Chen Lei , Rong Shimin , Wang Huijing , Zhang Fan , Tian Shijun
Published: August 2024

The multi-energy complementary system can meet the increasingly abundant and diversified energy consumption needs of users and, at the same time, help to improve energy utilization efficiency, reduce environmental pollution, and optimize the balance of energy supply and demand. In this paper, a multi-energy complementary cogeneration system with a gas turbine distributed photovoltaic, gas boiler, and heat storage tank is proposed, and the operation scheduling optimization model of the system is constructed. Aiming to minimize the comprehensive cost of economy and carbon emission, the model adopts a linear programming method to optimize the operation scheduling of multi-energy complementary systems. Taking a multi-energy complementary cogeneration system as an example, the key equipment of the system is optimized under three different scenarios with different time-of-use prices, and the influence of time division of time-of-use electricity price on the comprehensive cost of the system is analyzed. The results show that the time division method, which is more in line with the system net load curve, can effectively reduce the comprehensive cost of the complementary system and increase the consumption space of new energy.
Study on characteristics of the resistivity parameter and its coupling model of Chazangcuo copper-lead-zinc deposits based on microscopic analysis
Authors: Wei Shenyun , Wang Jianguo , Hu Jian , Li Yan , Wang Zhinan
Published: August 2024

The resistivity exploration has made a great contribution to prospecting at the macro level, but the resistivity exploration at the micro level is relatively weak. In this paper, the corresponding resistivity is analyzed through a geochemical element test, temperature and pressure test, water content and porosity test, and the resistivity parameter model of the rock and ore is established based on the response surface. The main conclusions and understandings obtained are as follows: with the increase of Cu-Pb-Zn content, the rock-ore resistivity shows an obvious decreasing trend, with sphalerite resistivity (72.8×10−2 Ω·m) > pyrite resistivity (32.5×10−2 Ω·m) > galena resistivity (76.5×10−3 Ω·m) > chalcopyrite (11.3×10−3 Ω·m). The resistivity increases with the temperature, showing a quadratic term function trend increases. The resistivity decreases with the increase of pressure, decreasing rapidly at the beginning of loading and gradually slowing down. The resistivity decreases rapidly with the increase of water content and porosity in an exponential function trend. The degree of influence of four factors, temperature, pressure, porosity, and water content, on the resistivity of the ore samples, is the order of water content, porosity, pressure, and temperature. The coupled model of resistivity of Cu-Pb-Zn ores established by multivariate quadratic regression analysis is more reliable, and the predicted value of rock and ore resistivity is more consistent with the test data.
Characterization of temperature rise of carbon ceramic brake disc
Authors: Zhang Zhenxian , Zheng Shize
Published: August 2024

Carbon ceramic can be utilized in the manufacture of new brake discs for trains with high speed as a new composite material. In this article, temperature rises of C/C-SiC discs in emergency braking are simulated using conducting the front-head train model containing brake discs, and simulation results are analyzed with those of steel brake discs. With 400 km/h braking speed, the temperature peak of carbon ceramic disc can reach 1098.56 K at 86.3 s under braking conditions of emergency.
Mechanical simulation analysis of an electric scroll compressor
Authors: Yao Wenxu , Liu Mingli , Gong Chaoyue , Zhao Tengshan , Gao Yidan
Published: August 2024

As a precision automotive component, electric scroll compressors have high requirements for reliability. In order to save the cost of environmental testing and shorten the market cycle of new products, the modal parameters of a compressor are measured, and the first six modal parameters are obtained. Secondly, the simplified finite element model of the compressor is established, modal analysis is carried out, and the modal frequency error obtained by the two methods is controlled within a reasonable range to ensure the accuracy of the modeling. Finally, based on the established simulation model, the structural response and stress of the compressor under various working conditions, such as sinusoidal vibration and random vibration, are analyzed, and the extreme values of displacement and stress are obtained. The results show that the structural design of the compressor meets the requirements of the environmental test of on-board equipment. The test and simulation methods used in this paper also have certain reference significance for other mechanical equipment.
Numerical Investigation of Sediment Erosion in Guide Vanes of Francis Turbine with Experimental Validations
Authors: Shrestha Suprim , Bijukchhe Pawan Lal , Poudel Ravi , Chitrakar Sailesh , Thapa Bhola , Guo Zhiwei , Qian Zhongdong
Published: August 2024

Serving as crucial elements within the distributor of Francis turbines, guide vanes aid in converting pressure energy into velocity energy. Additionally, they are responsible for directing water into the runner at the appropriate angle and quantity. The existence of a clearance gap in the guide vanes leads to the development of a leakage flow due to the pressure variation between the two sides. This leakage flow develops into a vortex, which interacts with sediment-laden flow and causes erosion of the guide vane as well as the runner. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of erosion patterns in the guide vanes of a 2-kW model Francis turbine. Employing a dual approach that combines both experimental and computational methods, the investigation focuses on the impact of clearance gaps on erosion. The numerical study focuses on two cases, one incorporating a 2 mm clearance gap on the hub side of the guide vane and the other without the clearance gap. Both studies report erosion initiating from the mid-section and extending to the trailing edge at the suction side of the guide vane. Noteworthy is the leakage flow from the pressure side to the suction side of the blade, which, when converging with the main flow, disturbs the primary flow pattern and forms vortices, leading to erosion. This research also shows that the results from both the experimental and numerical analyses are in agreement.
Effect of the leakage flow through guide vanes on the erosion pattern and performance of Francis runner
Authors: Shrestha Kushal , Thapa Bhola , Chitrakar Sailesh
Published: August 2024

The role of hydropower as a renewable energy source is well understood. However, due to the geological characteristics of certain regions, hydropower systems there are facing a unique challenge of excessive sedimentation in rivers. A significant number of research works were performed in the past, which focused on the effects of sediments on the turbine components, that includes reduction in efficiency of the turbine and increase in the erosion wear. Experimental studies of erosion in laboratory conditions are usually limited by several characteristics that affect erosion and complications of handling sediments. As a result, these investigations are normally carried out in a simplified apparatus. This study focuses on using a non-recirculating type of sediment erosion test rig, where a model of Francis turbine is used for experimental investigations. Previous studies have shown that in the case of Francis turbines, erosion occurs in the clearance gap of guide vanes, which increases the size of the gap. The flow from the pressure side of the guide vane is driven into the suction side due to the pressure difference between the two sides. This leakage flow ultimately develops into a vortex filament and hits the runner blades towards the hub and shroud. In this study, the erosion pattern of the runner blades towards these locations are studied by using color coatings. A clearance gap of 4 mm has been created in the guide vane and the consequent impact on the erosion and efficiency of the turbine are studied. The objective is to isolate the effects of leakage flow on erosion in the runner inlet, as well as the overall performance of the Francis turbine. The effect has been observed in terms of increased flow rate, decreased efficiency and erosion in the leading edge of the runner.
Ultrasonic degassing of total dissolved gas supersaturated, flowing water in a laboratory flume
Authors: Ludwig Kuhn W. , Solemslie Bjørn Winther , Hihn Jean-Yves , Dahlhaug Ole Gunnar
Published: August 2024

Artificial total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation is a potentially lethal threat to the aquatic ecology downstream of hydropower plants. The severity of this threat dependents on the actual saturation level as well as on the duration of the event. Natural degassing is highly influenced by the river’s morphology and characteristics, and is in most cases insufficiently slow. To protect fish and aquatic invertebrates from gas bubble disease, a direct consequence of TDG supersaturation, the use of ultrasonic degassing to mitigate TDG supersaturation is investigated. In this process, a high-power ultrasonic field is introduced into the water, leading to an immediate reduction of the TDG saturation level. Experiments are conducted at the Waterpower Laboratory at NTNU, Norway. Within an open flume, water is channeled past an ultrasonic transducer, which introduces an acoustic field with a frequency of 20 kHz. The flow rate in the flume is adjustable, and two different flow rates are tested. In addition, the dependency of the degassing process on the acoustic power is investigated. Results indicate a strong dependency on the acoustic power, with the highest tested powers resulting in the largest reduction in TDG saturation level. The flow velocity appears to have a positive effect on the degassing efficiency as well, even though this effect is minor compared to the effect of the acoustic power. A continuous effect of the acoustic degassing in form of a gas bubble cloud leading to increased liquid-gas mass transfer is observed.
Hydrogen energy storage system integrated with the surplus energy from Hydropower plant in the context of Nepal: A parametric study
Authors: Lama Lakshman , Thapa Biraj Singh , Baral Bivek , Thapa Bhola
Published: August 2024

With the search for emission-free energy sources, hydrogen is considered a reliable alternative to store energy from renewable sources like wind, solar, thermal, and hydropower. Hydrogen has minimal environmental implications and can be stored and transported whenever there is an energy demand that other intermittent sources cannot suffice. This project aims to study the integration of hydropower with a hydrogen production and storage plant in Nepal to utilize excess energy supply that will exceed the country’s demand shortly. The excess power from the hydropower will be used to produce hydrogen from the water coming out from the tailrace. This water will also be a coolant for cooling the hydrogen before passing to the storage unit. This parametric analysis shows the effect of variation in the hydrogen inlet pressure before it enters the compressor unit and the impact of variation in storage tank pressure on the energy and exergy efficiency of the overall hydrogen production and storage system. In the first case, the inlet pressure varies from 0 to 20 MPa at three different constant storage pressures 40 MPa, 60 MPa, and 90 MPa. An increase in inlet pressure gradually increases energy and exergy efficiencies, but an increase in storage pressure lowers this efficiency. The reduction is more significant at a high value of inlet pressure. In the second case, the storage pressure varies between 20-80 MPa with constant inlet pressure at 0.1 MPa, 1 MPa, and 5 MPa. The increase in storage pressure gradually reduces efficiency, whereas the higher inlet pressure has higher efficiency. Hydrogen fills the gap between supply and demand of energy, so considering hydrogen production with multiple-stage compression and integration of three sources of energy: wind, solar, and hydropower has an excellent prospect for consistent and low carbon emission solutions.
On the top-dimensional cohomology of arithmetic Chevalley groups
Authors: Brück Benjamin , Santos Rego Yuri , Sroka Robin
Published: August 2024

Let

K

\mathbb {K}

be a number field with ring of integers

O

\mathfrak {O}

and let

G

\mathcal {G}

be a Chevalley group scheme not of type

E

8

\mathtt {E}_8

,

F

4

\mathtt {F}_4

or

G

2

\mathtt {G}_2

. We use the theory of Tits buildings and a result of Tóth on Steinberg modules to prove that

H

v
c
d

(

G

(

O

)
;

Q

)
=
0

H^{{vcd}}(\mathcal {G}(\mathfrak {O}); \mathbb {Q}) = 0

if

O

\mathfrak {O}

is Euclidean.
Well-being of the Workforce
Authors: Anthony Bethany F , Spencer Llinos H , Bryning Lucy , Lloyd-Williams Huw , Lawrence Catherine L , Edwards Rhiannon T
Published: August 2024

Chapter 5 focuses on the well-being and well-becoming of the workforce. Happy people work more effectively and are less at risk of avoidable ill-health, disability, and premature death. Mitigating risk factors such as mental health problems and health-harming lifestyle choices can improve employee health and well-being, creating substantial savings to the UK National Health Service (NHS), employers, and government. In this chapter, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model is applied to the workplace to help us think about the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that focus on employee health and well-being, reduce presenteeism and absenteeism, and improve rates of retention and productivity. This chapter is structured around dimensions of good work, such as: pay and benefits; contracts; work-life balance; job design and the nature of work; relationships at work; employee voice; and health and well-being. The chapter concludes with curiosity questions for the reader to consider.
Diversifying Health Economics to Provide a Life-course Lens on Health, Well-being, and Well-becoming
Authors: Edwards Rhiannon T , Lawrence Catherine L , Makanjuola Abraham
Published: August 2024

This final chapter revisits concepts of well-being and well-becoming, how they are beginning to be used in health economics and puts forward a range of ideas for future research and policy support. This chapter also presents ‘The well-being and well-becoming wheel’ infographic, which explains the concept of well-becoming for the purpose of health economics research and policy support within a life-course model. The chapter sets out an agenda for research priorities in health economics to further the use of a well-becoming lens in the use of evidence in public policy. We present global priorities for health economics research with an increased emphasis on sustainability and climate change as a fundamental basis for future human well-being and well-becoming. The chapter concludes with curiosity questions for the reader to consider.
Fanatic
Authors: Ungemah Joe
Published: August 2024

There are fanatics all around us. From ultramarathon runners who push their bodies to the breaking point to the humble bottle collector who digs up old privies to find the perfect specimen, these individuals are amazing. Far from traditional connotations of fanatics being strange or extreme, this book argues that fanaticism can bring us joy and interest to the world. Through interviews and direct experience, this book captures stories of real-world fanatics who discovered something they were passionate about and made it core to their self-concept. The types of fanaticisms profiled are wide-ranging, from the highly social to the esoteric, and sometimes directed at resolving regrets or coping with trauma. A set of common motivations emerged, spanning the social, physical, cognitive, and emotive psychological domains, that when combined make a particular passion sticky and core to the fanatic’s identify. To become a fanatic, individuals demonstrate both an openness to new experiences and commitment to stick with it. For all the benefits that fanaticism provides, it can pose a risk to healthy living if it becomes all encompassing. To help understand where that line is and what to do about it, interviews were held with experts in clinical and sport psychology, as well as others who use fanaticism proactively to build social connections and understanding. With nearly an unlimited range of topics that could seed fanaticism, this book argues that we are all a fanatic about something or at least have the potential to become one.
Shakespeare Unlearned
Authors: Zucker Adam
Published: August 2024

Shakespeare Unlearned dances along the borderline of sense and nonsense in early modern texts, revealing overlooked opportunities for understanding and shared community in words and ideas that might in the past have been considered too silly to matter much for serious scholarship. Each chapter pursues a self-knowing, gently ironic study of the lexicon and scripting of words and acts related to what has been called ‘stupidity’ in work by Shakespeare and other authors. Each centers on significant, often comic situations that emerge—on stage, in print, and in the critical and editorial tradition pertaining to the period—when rigorous scholars and teachers meet language or characters or plotlines that exceed and at times entirely undermine the goals and premises of scholarly rigor. And each suggests that a framing of putative ‘stupidity’ pursued through lexicography, editorial glossing, literary criticism, and pedagogical practice can help us put Shakespeare and semantically obscure historical literature more generally to new communal ends. Words such as ‘baffle’ in Twelfth Night or ‘twangling’ and ‘jingling’ in The Tempest, and characters such as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Holofernes the pedant, might in the past have been considered unworthy of critical attention—too light or obvious to matter much for our understanding of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. This book’s meditation on the limits of learnedness and the opportunities presented by a philology of stupidity argues otherwise.
On Pedantry
Authors: Zucker Adam
Published: August 2024

Chapter 2 introduces and eventually reframes the figure that has, since the beginning of the sixteenth century, been the butt of satire about scholarly stupidity: the pedant. Using texts by Montaigne, Charron, Donne, and others to locate the meaning of the pedant figure, and ending with a detailed analysis of Jonson’s 1616 folio Works, this chapter shows how the discourse and performance of ‘pedantry’ both in early modern culture and in the critical tradition works to elide the communal potential of obscurity in art. It attempts to restore that potential, arguing for the ethical power of difficult historical literature in our own classrooms and offering a needed reevaluation of Jonson’s familiar reputation as the overweening pedant of the Shakespearean stage.
Twangling Instruments
Authors: Zucker Adam
Published: August 2024

This chapter deploys the philology of stupidity to illuminate a hitherto-unnoticed set of classical intertexts for several key passages in The Tempest, showing that the voices of Caliban and other laboring characters in the play echo with the sounds of nonsensical song lyrics and with Tudor humanist translations of Seneca and Virgil. The chapter pays close attention to the word ‘twangling,’ which, with its onomatopoeic obviousness, links the play’s interest in nonsemantic sound to translations of The Aeneid and their own noisy styles. No one has ever really glossed the word ‘twangling’ before, but this chapter demonstrates how the traditional tools of the philologist might usefully operate in concert with the unlearned energy of linguistic and musical noise, providing a new perspective on The Tempest and on Caliban’s radical voice that contributes to postcolonial editorial and educational contexts. This chapter also includes an analysis of Richard Stanihurst’s remarkably noisy, overlooked 1582 translation of The Aeneid, and critiques its dismissal by English literary scholars in light of its unlearned energies.
Superconductivity
Authors: Solymar Laszlo , Walsh Donald , Syms Richard
Published: August 2024

Explains the phenomenon of superconductivity, starting with a review of observable effects including the critical temperature Tc defining the onset of superconduction and the expulsion of the magnetic field at this temperature (the Meissner effect). Presents a detailed theoretical explanation firstly in terms of classical thermodynamics and then using quantum mechanics (the Landau-Ginzberg theory). Describes the resulting band structure, and explains likely effects at junctions between materials. Introduces superconducting devices in the form of the Josephson junction and the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Discusses practical applications of superconductivity including high-field magnets, switches and memory elements, magnetometers, and magnetically levitating trains. Reviews the properties of high-temperature (high-Tc) superconductors, and other potential new superconductors. Introduces the idea of quantum computers as an alternative to conventional computers and describes their implementation using the superconducting qubit.
The Whig Interpretation of Thirteenth-Century England
Authors: Coss Peter
Published: August 2024

Chapter 1 introduces the standard interpretation of the mid-thirteenth-century ‘crisis’ in England which stems in large measure from the seminal work of R. F. Treharne. It identifies the characteristics of what the author contends to be the Whig interpretation of thirteenth-century England, including constitutionalism, the concept of revolution and its implications, idealism, the growth and expression of national feeling, and the idea of a common enterprise. It deals also with the extensions of and modifications to the Treharne framework by the late F. M. Powicke and by contemporary scholars including, pre-eminently, John Maddicott and David Carpenter. An alternative approach is then introduced, as the subject of this book. This approach emphasizes the exercise of power, material and social resources, networks of various kinds, contemporary values, and political culture. The chapter ends by introducing the dimensions to the reassessment that will follow in more detail in subsequent chapters.
The Angevin Legacy and the Kingship of Henry III
Authors: Coss Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter deals with the political legacy bequeathed to Henry III by the Angevins and the quality of his own kingship. Attention is paid first of all to the king’s minority and its effects upon him, looking at factionalism, royal patronage, at the legacy of ‘great councils’, and at the ceremony and grandeur of kingship. It then turns to the system of government, stressing the role of the courts and of the sheriffs. Royal finances are discussed and the issue of consent to taxation. The chapter then turns to the royal character and to the king’s attitude towards public authority. Symbolism and glitter are given particular attention. The chapter closes with perceptions of the king and the use of contemptuous language towards him.
Flexible resource allocation optimization model considering global K-means load clustering and renewable-energy consumption
Authors: Jiao Jie , He Puyu , Zhang Yuhong , Zhang Jiyuan , Long Zhuhan , Liu Hanjing
Published: August 2024

Vigorously developing flexible resources in power systems will be the key to building a new power system and realizing energy transformation. The investment construction cost and operation cost of various flexible resources are different, and the adjustment ability is different in different timescales. Therefore, the optimization of complementary allocation of various resources needs to take into account the economy and adjustment ability of different resources. In this paper, the global K-means load clustering model is proposed and the 365-day net load is reduced to eight typical daily net loads by clustering. Secondly, a two-level optimization model of flexible resource complementary allocation considering wind power and photovoltaic consumption is constructed. The flexible resources involved include the flexible transformation of thermal power, hydropower, pumped storage, energy storage, and demand response. The upper-layer model optimizes the capacity allocation of various flexible resources with the minimum investment and construction cost as the goal and the lower layer optimizes the operating output of various units with the minimum operating cost as the goal. The results of the example analysis show that the flexible capacity of thermal power units has nothing to do with the abandonment rate of renewable energy. As the abandonment rate of renewable energy decreases, the optimal capacity of pumped storage, electrochemical energy storage, and hydropower units increases. When the power-abandonment rate of renewable energy is 5%, the optimal allocation capacity of thermal power flexibility transformation, pumped storage, electrochemical energy storage, hydropower unit, and adjustable load in Province A is 5313, 17 090, 5830, 72 113, and 4250 MW, respectively. Under the condition that the renewable-energy abandonment rate is 0, 5%, and 10% respectively, the configured capacity of pumped storage is 20 000, 17 090, and 14 847 MW, respectively.
Perceptual training improves audiovisual integration by enhancing alpha-band oscillations and functional connectivity in older adults
Authors: Ren Yanna , Chen Peng , Li Yan , Zhou Zhenhua , Dong Yanping , Li Shujing , Qian Runqi , Yang Jiajia , Wu Jinglong , Yang Weiping
Published: August 2024

Numerous studies on perceptual training exist, however, most have focused on the precision of temporal audiovisual perception, while fewer have concentrated on ability promotion for audiovisual integration (AVI). To investigate these issues, continuous 5-day audiovisual perceptual training was applied, during which electroencephalography was performed in response to auditory-only (A), visual-only (V) and audiovisual (AV) stimuli before and after training. The results showed that the perceptual sensitivity was greater for training group than for control group and was greater in the posttest than in the pretest. The response to the AV stimulus was significantly faster in the posttest than in the pretest for the older training group but was significantly greater for A and V stimuli for the younger training group. Electroencephalography analysis found higher P3 AVI amplitudes [AV-(A + V)] in the posttest than in the pretest for training group, which were subsequently reflected by an increased alpha (8–12 Hz) oscillatory response and strengthened global functional connectivity (weighted phase lag index). Furthermore, these facilitations were greater for older training groups than for younger training groups. These results confirm the age-related compensatory mechanism for AVI may be strengthened as audiovisual perceptual training progresses, providing an effective candidate for cognitive intervention in older adults.
A ‘twice closed’ patent foramen ovale: a case report of percutaneous management of a residual interatrial shunt in a patient with persistent migraine symptoms
Authors: Rizza Vincenzo , Belli Martina , Stella Stefano , Montorfano Matteo , Agricola Eustachio
Published: August 2024

Background

Residual interatrial shunt following percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is a rare complication that can be associated with persistent migraine.

Case summary

A 32-year-old woman with a history of percutaneous PFO closure due to a previous coronary paradoxical embolism and a condition of drug-refractory migraine underwent transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) to investigate further recurrent migraine attacks. A partial displacement of a PFO occluder device was found, and it was successfully treated through the fluoroscopic and TOE-guided positioning of a second occluder in overlap with the previous one. The patient reported no more migraine attacks at the 6-month follow-up visit.

Discussion

Residual interatrial shunt should be suspected in patients with persistent migraine and a history of percutaneous PFO closure. Fluoroscopic and TOE-guided closure of residual interatrial shunt with a second PFO occlude device seems to be a safe and clinically effective strategy to manage persistent migraine.
Attitudes to Pedlars and Street Traders in Late Eighteenth-Century England: ‘Commercial Hatred’ or Anti-Jewish Prejudice?
Authors: Smilg Jeremy
Published: August 2024

The late eighteenth century saw intense debate over the status of pedlars. In 1785, Pitt imposed a tax on shopkeepers and attempted to placate them by suggesting that he would ban the economic competition they faced from pedlars. It was only thanks to the support of manufacturers that pedlars were saved from economic destitution. Following the eventual repeal of the legislation, the spotlight moved to the itinerant tradesmen of London. The work of Patrick Colquhoun, a magistrate, highlighting Jewish street traders in London, led to proposed legislation which would have identified all Ashkenazi Jews in England and created a board with the power to levy a tax on the Jewish community. This article seeks to explain the complexity and inadequacy of the pedlars’ licensing legislation. It considers both economic and class conflicts and the anti-Jewish prejudices behind both debates. The article argues that the national debate over the tax on shopkeepers was a question of economic conflict and that anti-Jewish stereotypes played a limited role. In contrast, it argues that the debate over tradesmen in London was heavily influenced by anti-Jewish sentiments which were particularly powerful in the City of London. The debates highlight both the nature of economic conflict in late eighteenth-century England and the way in which anti-Jewish prejudice led to the proposal of legislation identifying and stigmatising the Jewish community.
Closing the gap? Results-based financing and socio-economic-related inequalities in maternal health outcomes in Zimbabwe
Authors: Makate Marshall , Mahonye Nyasha
Published: August 2024

The results-based financing (RBF) programme, first implemented in Zimbabwe in 2011 and gradually expanded to other districts, aimed to address disparities in maternal health outcomes by improving the utilization of health services. This study leverages the staggered rollout of the programme as a quasi-experimental design to assess its impact on asset wealth-related inequalities in selected maternal health outcomes. The objective is to determine whether RBF can effectively reduce these disparities and promote equitable healthcare access. We employ an extended two-way fixed effects (ETWFE) model to exploit temporal variation in RBF implementation as well as individual-level variation in birth timing for identification. Utilizing pooled cross-sectional and nationally representative data from the Zimbabwe demographic and health surveys collected between 1999 and 2015, our analysis reveals significant reductions in relative and absolute maternal health inequalities, especially in the frequency and timing of prenatal care, delivery by caesarean section and family planning. Specifically, the RBF programme is associated with reductions in disparities for completing at least four or more prenatal care visits (−0.026, P < 0.01), first-trimester prenatal care (−0.033, P < 0.01), delivery by caesarean section (−0.028, P < 0.005) and family planning (−0.033, P < 0.005). Additionally, the programme is associated with improved prenatal care quality, as evidenced by progress on the prenatal care quality index (−0.040, P < 0.01). These effects are more pronounced among lower socio-economic groups in RBF districts, highlighting RBF’s potential to promote equitable healthcare access. Our findings advocate for targeted policy interventions prioritizing expanding access to critical maternal health services in underserved areas and incorporating equity-focused measures within RBF frameworks to ensure inclusive and effective healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe and other low-income countries.
Long-term measurements reveal a 100-day lag between peaks in phytoplankton chlorophyll and benthic bacterial abundance in the Fram Strait
Authors: Ramondenc Simon , Iversen Morten H , Soltwedel Thomas
Published: August 2024

Repeated measurements of benthic and pelagic parameters in the rapidly changing Arctic Ocean provide a unique insight into spatial and interannual trends and changes in the ecosystem. Here, we compiled biogenic and biogeochemical measurements collected from sediment cores at the Long-Term Ecological Research Observatory HAUSGARTEN located in the Fram Strait. A total of 21 stations were visited yearly over a period of 18 years (2002–2019). The time series highlighted an increase in bacterial numbers for samples collected 50 days after the peak phytoplankton bloom. Although bacterial abundances were not bathymetric depth-dependent when viewed across all years, we observed a seasonal trend in benthic microbial abundance closely related to the timing of the phytoplankton bloom with a time-lag of 100 days between the surface phytoplankton peak and the peak in bacterial abundance in the sediment. Considering the residence time of phytoplankton in the upper ocean and the water depth, we estimated an average settling velocity for phytodetritus of 30 m.d−1, which is similar to previous observations from Fram Strait. This suggests that settling organic matter promotes vertical microbial connectivity and benthic bacterial abundance in the deep ocean, shaping the microbial biogeography, diversity, and biogeochemical processes.
Improvement in the 95-95-95 Targets Is Accompanied by a Reduction in Both the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission Rate and Incidence in China
Authors: Ye Jingrong , Lan Yun , Wang Juan , Feng Yi , Lin Yi , Zhou Ying , Liu Jinjin , Yuan Dan , Lu Xinli , Guo Weigui , Zheng Minna , Song Xiao , Zhou Quanhua , Yang Hong , Zheng Chenli , Guo Qi , Yang Xiaohui , Yang Kai , Zhang Lincai , Ge Zhangwen , Liu Lifeng , Yu Fengting , Han Yang , Huang Huihuang , Hao Mingqiang , Chen Qiang , Ling Xuemei , Ruan Yuhua , Dong Yuan , Zhou Chang , Liu Xuangu , Bai Jianyun , Tong Xue , Gao Ya , Yang Zhengrong , Wang Ao , Wei Wei , Mei Fanghua , Qiao Ruijuan , Luo Xinhua , Huang Xiaojie , Chen Jing , Hu Fengyu , Shen Xin , Tan Wei , Tu Aixia , Zhang Xinhui , He Shufang , Ning Zhen , Fan Jixiang , Liu Cong , Xu Conghui , Ren Xianlong , Sun Yanming , Li Yang , Liu Guowu , Li Xiyao , Li Jie , Duan Junyi , Huang Tao , Liu Shuiqing , Yu Guolong , Wu Donglin , Shao Yiming , Pan Qichao , Zhang Linglin , Su Bin , Wu Jianjun , Jiang Tianjun , Zhao Hongxin , Zhang Tong , Chen Faqing , Cai Kun , Hu Bing , Wang Hui , Zhao Jin , Gao Baicheng , Sun Wei , Ning Tielin , Li Jianjun , Liang Shu , Huo Yuqi , Fu Gengfeng , Chen Xin , Li Feng , Xing Hui , Lu Hongyan
Published: August 2024

Background

In 2016, China has implemented the World Health Organization's “treat all” policy. We aimed to assess the impact of significant improvements in the 95-95-95 targets on population-level human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission dynamics and incidence.

Methods

We focused on 3 steps of the HIV care continuum: diagnosed, on antiretroviral therapy, and achieving viral suppression. The molecular transmission clusters were inferred using HIV-TRACE. New HIV infections were estimated using the incidence method in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control HIV Modelling Tool.

Results

Between 2004 and 2023, the national HIV epidemiology database recorded 2.99 billion person-times of HIV tests and identified 1 976 878 new diagnoses. We noted a roughly “inverted-V” curve in the clustering frequency, with the peak recorded in 2014 (67.1% [95% confidence interval, 63.7%–70.5%]), concurrent with a significant improvement in the 95-95-95 targets from 10-13-<71 in 2005 to 84-93-97 in 2022. Furthermore, we observed a parabolic curve for a new infection with the vertex occurring in 2010.

Conclusions

In general, it was suggested that the improvements in the 95-95-95 targets were accompanied by a reduction in both the population-level HIV transmission rate and incidence. Thus, China should allocate more effort to the first “95” target to achieve a balanced 95-95-95 target.