bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Technological Innovations: From Early Warning to the Governance of Socio-technical Transformations
Authors: Heyen Nils B. , Friedewald Michael , Jochem Eberhard , Reiß Thomas , Thielmann Axel
Published: September 2024

Technology assessment (TA) is an interdisciplinary field of problem-oriented research generating knowledge primarily for decision-making processes in politics, economy, and society with regard to the opportunities, risks, and challenges of emerging technologies and socio-technical change. This chapter outlines the development of the field since its roots in the 1960s to date with a focus on Germany, the USA, and Europe. Based on a rough temporal division into three phases representing an expert-based, participatory, and pragmatic TA approach, respectively, we illustrate the field’s development by highlighting concrete projects and studies, reflecting on the (ever new) development of appropriate assessment methods and pointing to relevant thematic waves (“hype cycles”) of technology groups, such as energy, genetic, or information technologies. Finally, we discuss the impact and future challenges of TA given current socio-political trends and upcoming socio-technical transformations. We conclude that there is a clear need for new approaches of TA so that TA will remain a valuable instrument providing guidance in a complex and uncertain technological environment in the coming decades.
Understanding Promises from the Perspective of Argumentation: The Cases from Presidential Debates
Authors: Purwanto Dwi , Filia
Published: September 2024

Promises in political context, especially through the notion of commitment and intention, have captivated researchers in the field of linguistics and philosophy of language and mind in recent times. In a political context, promises may have other purposes, for gaining supports, besides declaring the sincere intention to do a future action. The notion would potentially flout Austin’s felicity conditions and Gricean maxim of quality, hence, proposing more challenges in identifying promises through the concept of intentionalism. This article aims to address the challenges by proposing a theoretical model of argumentative commitment. 161 utterances from the speeches of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who participated in the first to third rounds of the 2019 presidential election debates were used as data for further investigation. By using the 8 hypothetical conditions adapted from Searle’s 9 criteria of non-defective promise, a total of 50 argumentative commitments were extracted. Further analysis that was conducted confirmed that as a perlocutionary effect, the intention to commit in argumentative commitments is negotiable through the presence of other speech acts such as assertions, which were later called backings. Our findings then confirmed the presence of four kinds of backings, namely, assumptive, apprehensive, circumstantive, and resultative backings. From the findings, we argued that in a political context, promises, which are in the form of argumentative commitments, may consist of two elements, the commitment indicator and backings.
The Indonesian Assessment of Early Grade Reading (EGRA) and Beginning Reading Evaluation
Authors: Anjarningsih Harwintha
Published: September 2024

The importance of being able to read for children’s future is beyond doubt. In Indonesia, on the one hand, a standardized linguistically-based test is needed to identify reading milestones and the Tes Membaca Satu Menit (TMSM) is a pioneer in that respect. In other countries, such tests have existed for a long time, such as the Een Minuut Lesetest in the Netherlands. On the other hand, the Early Grade Reading Assessment had existed and been used before by education authorities and practitioners, although it needs to be informed by results of a standardized linguistically-based test. Therefore, this research asks the question whether the Reading Meaningful Words (RMW) subtest of the EGRA is sufficient to evaluate children’s decoding skills. The current investigation builds on previous research looking into the effects of orthographic depth, syllabic complexity, word length, and use of sub-lexical clusters in Bahasa Indonesia beginning reading. In the first month of the school year, third grade children’s (n = 15) reading performance is recorded on the TMSM and EGRA. Results show that the RMW subtest (n = 50 words) was read 99% correctly in less than 60 s by the third-grade participants. However, in the same time duration, the children are able to read on average 30 words correctly in the TMSM with some mistakes, namely producing words with at least 50% of the sounds in the target words (visual miscues), and regularizations of diphthongs, digraphs and consonant clusters. If the results of EGRA are used to inform educators and authorities in charge of curriculum development to map the stages of reading in Indonesian and devise methods of intervention for the children lagging behind in reading development, it is suggested that the EGRA is not sufficient. Item analysis shows that 40 of the words in the RMW subtest are disyllabic, 9 are trisyllabic, and only 6 of the words contain digraphs, 1 contain diphthongs, and none contains consonant clusters. Yet, three- or four-syllable words are also common in the children’s reading materials, and diphthongs, digraphs, and consonant clusters are common Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence (GPC) in the Indonesian orthography. The design of this subtest, hence, does not facilitate the children to show what they have and have not mastered. The key finding shows children’s reading milestones are influenced by word length and easiness of mapping between phonemes and graphemes and the EGRA needs to incorporate linguistically-based manipulations.
Bootstrapping mesons at large N: Regge trajectory from spin-two maximization
Authors: Albert Jan , Henriksson Johan , Rastelli Leonardo , Vichi Alessandro
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We continue the investigation of large N QCD from a modern bootstrap perspective, focusing on the mesons. We make the natural spectral assumption that the 2 → 2 pion amplitude must contain, above the spin-one rho meson, a massive resonance of spin two. By maximizing its coupling we find a very interesting extremal solution of the dual bootstrap problem, which appears to contain at least a full Regge trajectory. Its low-lying states are in uncanny quantitative agreement with the meson masses in the real world.
Three-loop evolution kernel for transversity operator
Authors: Manashov A. N. , Moch S. , Shumilov L. A.
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We calculate quantum corrections to the symmetry generators for the transversity operators in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) in the two-loop approximation. Using this result, we obtain the evolution kernel for the corresponding operators at three loops. The explicit expression for the anomalous dimension matrix in the Gegenbauer basis is given for the first few operators.
Stochastic contingency machines feeding on meaning: on the computational determination of social reality in machine learning
Authors: Groß Richard
Published: September 2024

In this paper, I reflect on the puzzle that machine learning presents to social theory to develop an account of its distinct impact on social reality. I start by presenting how machine learning has presented a challenge to social theory as a research subject comprising both familiar and alien characteristics (1.). Taking this as an occasion for theoretical inquiry, I then propose a conceptual framework to investigate how algorithmic models of social phenomena relate to social reality and what their stochastic mode of operation entails in terms of their sociality (2.). Analyzed through a theoretical lens that relies on central tenets of sociological systems theory, I find that machine learning implies a distinct epistemic transformation, based on how algorithmic modeling techniques process meaning as represented in data embedded in vector space. Building on this characterization, I introduce my conceptualization of stochastic technology as distinct from mechanistic technologies that rely on causal fixation (3.). Based on this understanding, I suggest that real-world applications of machine learning are often characterized by a constitutive tension between the stochastic properties of their outputs and the ways in which they are put to use in practice. Focussing on the large language models LaMDA and ChatGPT, I examine the epistemological implications of LLMs to account for the confusion of correlation and causality as the root of this tension. Next, I illustrate my theoretical conception by way of discussing an essay on image models by German media artist Hito Steyerl (4.). Following a critical reflection on Steyerl's characterization of Stable Diffusion as a “white box ”, I finally propose to conceive ofmachine learning-based technologies as stochastic contingency machines that transform social indeterminacy into contingent observations of social phenomena (5.) In this perspective, machine learning constitutes an epistemic technology that operates on meaning as extractable from data by means of algorithmic data modeling techniques to produce stochastic accounts of social reality.
Stochastic LPV MPC-based path following control for bevel-tip flexible needle with probabilistic constraints
Authors: Chen Jicheng , Qi Zhi , Zhang Hui , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: September 2024

This paper addresses the path-tracking problem for flexible needle control systems using a stochastic linear parameter varying (LPV) and model predictive control (MPC) strategy. Flexible needles operating in dynamic environments with non-uniform tissue density often deviate from ideal assumptions, resulting in non-standard models. The bicycle kinematics model for flexible needle motion control is transformed into an LPV model, improving accuracy and enabling more efficient control. The proposed stochastic LPV MPC approach aims to mitigate uncertainties arising from modelling errors and dynamic environmental factors, ensuring accurate trajectory tracking for the flexible needle. The sample and removal method is utilized to reformulate the probabilistic-constrained optimization problem for implementation. The contributions of this work lie in the application of stochastic LPV MPC to address the trajectory tracking problem in the presence of uncertainties. The simulation results illustrate the superior robustness of the stochastic LPV MPC approach, as evidenced by significantly smaller tracking errors across various scenarios.
Evaluation of PD-1 and interleukin-10-receptor expression by T lymphocytes in malignant and benign pleural effusions
Authors: Mosleh B. , Hammer B. , El-Gazzar A. , Kramer M. , Ayazseven S. , Bernitzky D. , Geleff S. , Idzko Marco , Gompelmann D. , Hoda M. A.
Published: September 2024

PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1)/PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) as well as IL-10 (interleukin-10)/IL-10R (interleukin-10 receptor) interactions play a major role in tumor immune evasion in various malignancies. Several studies investigated the expression of PD-1 on T lymphocytes in pleural effusions (PE) in patients with malignant diseases. However, results in malignant pleural effusions (MPE) compared to benign PE (BPE) are underreported. In this prospective study, 51 patients (median age 66 years, IQR 54–78, 47% male) with PE of malignant or benign origin at the Medical University of Vienna between March 2021 and November 2022 were enrolled and divided into three groups according to the cytological results (group 1: MPE [n = 24, 47%]; group 2: BPE in malignant disease [n = 22, 43%]; group 3: BPE in benign disease [n = 5, 10%]). In the cytological samples, T cells were analyzed for the expression of PD-1 and IL-10R via flow cytometry. In MPE, the proportion of PD-1+ T lymphocytes on CD4+ cells was significantly lower than in BPE (40.1 vs. 56.3 in group 1 vs. 3, p = 0.019). Moreover, a significantly lower expression of PD-1+ IL-10R+ CD8+ (9.6 vs. 35.2 in group 1 vs. 2, p = 0.016; 9.6 vs. 25.0 in group 1 vs. 3, p = 0.032) and a significantly higher expression of PD-1-IL-10R-CD8+ T lymphocytes (43.7 vs. 14.0 in group1 vs. 2, p = 0.045; 43.7 vs. 23.3 in group 1 vs. 3, p = 0.032) were observed in MPE when compared to BPE. The frequency of T cells expressing PD-1 and IL-10R on CD8+ T cells is significantly lower in MPE compared to BPE regardless of the underlying disease indicating a different microenvironment in PE driven by the presence of tumor cells. Our observation spotlights the possible involvement of PD-1 and IL-10R in MPE.
Comparison of the Transport of Reactive Nitrogen Plasma Species into Water Bulk vs. Aerosolized Microdroplets
Authors: Hassan Mostafa Elsayed , Janda Mário , Machala Zdenko
Published: September 2024

This work presents the experimental study of the transport of typical air plasma long-lived reactive nitrogen species (RNS: HNO2, NO2, and NO) into deionized water and compares them with the most typical reactive oxygen species (ROS: H2O2 and O3). RONS are generated either by external sources or by a hybrid streamer-transient spark plasma discharge, in contact with bulk water or aerosol of charged electrospray (ES) or non-charged nebulized microdroplets with a large gas/plasma-water interface. It was found that NO’s contribution to NO2¯ ion formation was negligible, NO2 contributed to about 10%, while the dominant contributor to NO2¯ ion formation in water was gaseous HNO2. A higher transport efficiency of O3, and a much higher formation efficiency of NO2¯ from gaseous NO2 or HNO2 than predicted by Henry’s law was observed, compared to the transport efficiency of H2O2 that corresponds to the expected Henry’s law solvation. The improvement of the transport/formation efficiencies by nebulized and ES microdroplets, where the surface area is significantly enhanced compared to the bulk water, is most evident for the solvation enhancement of the weakly soluble O3. NO2¯ ion formation efficiency was strongly improved in ES microdroplets with respect to bulk water and even to nebulized microdroplets, which is likely due to the charge effect that enhanced the formation of aqueous nitrite NO2¯ ions when NO2 or HNO2 are transported into water. Comparisons of the molar amounts of O3, H2O2, and NO2¯ formed in water by hybrid streamer-transient spark plasma discharge with those obtained with single RONS from the external sources enabled us to estimate approximate concentrations of gaseous concentrations of HNO2, NO2, O3, and H2O2. The medium or highly soluble gaseous HNO2 or H2O2, with a low concentration of < 10 ppm are sufficient to induce the measured aqueous NO2¯ or H2O2 amounts in water. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the transport mechanism of gaseous plasma RONS into water that can optimize the design of plasma–liquid interaction systems to produce efficient and selected aqueous RONS in water.
An early Transcriptomic Investigation in Adult Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Under Treatment with Nusinersen
Authors: Liguori Maria , Bianco Annalisa , Introna Alessandro , Consiglio Arianna , Milella Giammarco , Abbatangelo Elena , D’Errico Eustachio , Licciulli Flavio , Grillo Giorgio , Simone Isabella Laura
Published: September 2024

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare degenerative disorder with loss of motor neurons caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. Nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved for SMA treatment to compensate the deficit of the encoded protein SMN by modulating the pre–mRNA splicing of SMN2, the centromeric homologous of SMN1, thus inducing the production of a greater amount of biologically active protein. Here, we reported a 10-month transcriptomics investigation in 10 adult SMA who received nusinersen to search for early genetic markers for clinical monitoring. By comparing their profiles with age-matched healthy controls (HC), we also analyzed the changes in miRNA/mRNAs expression and miRNA-target gene interactions possibly associated with SMA. A multidisciplinary approach of HT-NGS followed by bioinformatics/biostatistics analysis was applied. Within the study interval, those SMA patients who showed some clinical improvements were characterized by having the SMN2/SMN1 ratio slightly increased over the time, while in the stable ones the ratio decreased, suggesting that the estimation of SMN2/SMN1 expression may be an early indicator of nusinersen efficacy. On the other hand, the expression of 38/147 genes/genetic regions DE at T0 between SMA and HC like TRADD and JUND resulted “restored” at T10. We also confirmed the dysregulation of miR-146a(-5p), miR-324-5p and miR-423-5p in SMA subjects. Of interest, miR-146a-5p targeted SMN1, in line with experimental evidence showing the key role of astrocyte-produced miR-146a in SMA motor neuron loss. Molecular pathways such as NOTCH, NF-kappa B, and Toll-like receptor signalings seem to be involved in the SMA pathogenesis.
Estimating the Effects of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in Italy
Authors: Insolda Debora , Matarrese Marco Maria , Frangiamore Francesco
Published: September 2024

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is an important part of the European Union's strategies under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It contributes to the development of rural areas through both public and private investments. However, in the short term, there can be ambiguous effects of European funds in these areas. The aim of this paper is to examine the short-term dynamic effects of the EAFRD on the economy of the Italian regions and their agricultural sector. Using a Structural Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model on a panel of 21 NUTS-2 regions, over the period 1995–2018, we find significant positive impacts on both regional economic activity, agricultural sector output and private investment in the agricultural sector. However, EAFRD spending causes temporary job losses in the agricultural sector, highlighting the effects of labour substitution by investments in innovation. The effects are more pronounced in regions with larger agricultural sectors and become stronger after the 2003 Fischler reform.
India's Journey towards Cross-Border Insolvency Law Reform
Authors: Goswami Debaranjan , Godwin Andrew
Published: September 2024

This article examines India's journey towards a cross-border insolvency regime and its draft law on cross-border insolvency. The article analyses the areas of convergence and divergence between India's draft law and the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency and identifies the factors behind the divergences. The article concludes that the implementation of a cross-border insolvency regime is crucial for India to ensure coordination in cross-border insolvency proceedings and thereby attract foreign investment. The analysis of the reasons behind the divergences suggests that four areas of divergence are particularly relevant: the structure of existing legal institutions; the reciprocity requirement; restrictions on the rights of access of foreign representatives; and the historical practice of the Indian courts to follow the principle of territorialism. The success of the Indian cross-border insolvency regime will very much depend on the ability of the adjudicating authorities to overcome territorialism and embrace the principle of modified universalism.
Influence of mineral composition and firing temperature on the micro- and mesoporosity of replicate archaeological ceramics
Authors: Cayme Jan-Michael C. , Palm Rasmus , Somelar Peeter , Vahur Signe , Leito Ivo , Oras Ester
Published: September 2024

The role of micro- and mesopores of archaeological ceramics in preserving ancient biomolecules is not well established. To understand the formation of these nano-sized pores in ceramics, reference pottery briquettes were made using two different clay types (illitic and kaolinitic clays), two different tempers (sand and chalk), and two different firing temperatures (600 and 800°C). The mineral content of the briquettes was determined by quantitative X-ray diffraction, and the micro- and mesopores were characterized with the N2 adsorption method. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, the adsorbed volume near liquefaction, and application of non-local density functional theory (NLDFT) were used on the N2 adsorption data to determine specific surface areas, specific pore volumes, and pore-size distributions. Values of the micro- and mesoporosity parameters of most of the briquettes were approximately proportional to the initial clay content and unrelated to temper; the proportionality factors were much larger for illitic clay than for kaolinitic clay. When chalk-tempered briquettes were fired at the higher firing temperature of 800°C, the parameters were no longer proportional to the initial clay content; they decreased in most briquettes formed of illitic clay due to reaction of the clay with lime, and they increased in briquettes formed of kaolinitic clay due mostly to the porosity of unreacted lime. Micropore volumes in briquettes formed mostly of illitic clay were substantial: of the order of 5 mm3 g−1. The work presented here forms a basis for future studies to establish a plausible mechanism of organic residue absorption and preservation in ancient ceramics.
Dietary cholesterol increases body levels of oral administered vitamin D3 in mice
Authors: Kühn Julia , Schutkowski Alexandra , Rayo-Abella Lina-Maria , Kiourtzidis Mikis , Nier Anika , Brandsch Corinna , Stangl Gabriele I.
Published: September 2024

Vitamin D and cholesterol share the same intestinal transporters. Thus, it was hypothesized that dietary cholesterol adversely affects vitamin D uptake. The current studies investigated the influence of cholesterol on the availability of oral vitamin D. First, 42 wild-type mice received a diet with 25 µg/kg labelled vitamin D3 (vitamin D3-d3), supplemented with either 0% (control), 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0% or 2.0% cholesterol for four weeks to investigate vitamin D uptake. In a second study, 10 wild-type mice received diets containing 0% (control) or 1% cholesterol over four weeks to determine cholesterol-induced changes in bile acids. Finally, we investigated the impact of cholesterol versus bile acids on vitamin D uptake in Caco-2 cells. Surprisingly, dietary cholesterol intake was associated with 40% higher serum levels of vitamin D3-d3 and 2.3-fold higher vitamin D3-d3 concentrations in the liver compared to controls. The second study showed that cholesterol intake resulted in higher concentrations of faecal bile acids (control: 3.55 ± 1.71 mg/g dry matter; 1% dietary cholesterol: 8.95 ± 3.69 mg/g dry matter; P < 0.05) and changes in the bile acid profile with lower contents of muricholic acids (P < 0.1) and higher contents of taurodeoxycholic acid (P < 0.01) compared to controls. In-vitro analyses revealed that taurocholic acid (P < 0.001) but not cholesterol increased the cellular uptake of vitamin D by Caco-2 cells. To conclude, dietary cholesterol seems to improve the bioavailability of oral vitamin D by stimulating the release of bile acids and increasing the hydrophobicity of bile.
Workers’ healthy eating practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship with physical activity and quality of life
Authors: Oliveira Alana do Nascimento , Stangarlin-Fiori Lize , Medeiros Caroline Opolski
Published: September 2024

The lifestyle of the population has undergone significant changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have influenced alterations in dietary habits and overall well-being among workers. This study aimed to evaluate healthy eating practices and their relationship with the workers’ quality of life and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional investigation involving workers in the city of Curitiba, southern Brazil. The study was conducted through the application of an online questionnaire. The data were evaluated using non-parametric tests and fitting a logistic regression model. A total of 123 workers participated in the study, most of them male (53.2%), aged between 31 and 40 years (42.2%), with a predominance of workers with postgraduate degrees (62.6%, n = 77), and the majority of workers (68.2%, n = 84) were performing their professional activities remotely for at least one day during the week, and 73.2% (n = 90). It was observed that 52.8% had excellent healthy eating practices, and the older their age and the greater the practice of physical activity (time and frequency), the better the workers’ healthy eating practices. When assessing quality of life, the lowest average score for healthy eating practices was in the domain of social relationships. A direct relationship of older age, social relationships, and the practice of physical activity with the best individuals’ healthy eating practices was detected. Considering that remote work continues to be adopted post-pandemic, evaluating the dietary practices, physical activity, and quality of life of workers is necessary to understand this new labour phenomenon.
Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Refugees in the Czech Republic and Poland
Authors: Macková Lucie , Zogata-Kusz Agnieszka , Filipec Ondřej , Medová Nikola
Published: September 2024

One of the most immediate effects of the Russian war against Ukraine was the unprecedented influx of Ukrainian refugees in some countries. This article analyzes temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in two countries—the Czech Republic and Poland, which represent the countries most exposed to immigration from Ukraine. The authors compare the political and legal response of both countries to the institute of temporary protection to reveal similarities and differences in the scope, tools, and nature of temporary protection, including causes and consequences. Both countries go beyond the minimum standards set in the EU Temporary Protection Directive and differ in their approach to its implementation. The authors claim that although the concept of temporary protection has expanded with the current situation, it allows significant benefits in allowing fast-track integration into the labor market, which aligns with the concept of refugees’ “deservingness.” However, the duration of temporary protection is a major limitation to refugees’ integration due to the emphasis on voluntary return to the country of origin.
Turkish foreign policy during the Iranian oil crisis, 1951–1953
Authors: Özkan Fulya
Published: September 2024

This article analyzes Turkish foreign policy during the Iranian oil crisis of 1951–1953 and argues that Turkey shaped its policy based on Cold War politics. While Turkey cared less for Iran’s nationalization of oil, it was more concerned about the political implications of the crisis. At the beginning of the crisis, Turkey was focused on guaranteeing its own NATO membership. After joining NATO in 1952, the country assumed a more active role in the crisis. As the coalition behind Premier Dr Mohammad Mosaddegh dissolved, Turkey became more concerned about both the internal situation in Iran and the broader Middle Eastern context following the July 21, 1952 events in Iran and the 1952 Egyptian coup. The strongest opposition to Mosaddegh came from Ayatollah Abul Qassim Kashani who was both an important religious figure and the speaker of the Majlis. Turkey was concerned about Kashani’s politics of a “third bloc” and supported Mosaddegh’s pro-American position. Keeping Mosaddegh in power was in line with Turkey’s general Middle Eastern policy which aimed at forming a Western-oriented regional defense organization. This article will analyze the shaping of Turkish foreign policy towards the Iranian oil crisis within the context of this regional rivalry.
Material and Digital Archives: The Case of Wills
Authors: Smith Harry , Vine Emily
Published: September 2024

The range of digital sources available to historians has expanded at an enormous rate over the last fifty years; this has enabled all kinds of innovative scholarship to flourish. However, this process has also shaped recent historical work in ways that have not been fully discussed or documented. This article considers how we might reconcile the digitisation of archival sources with their materiality, with a particular focus on the probate records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC). The article first considers the variety of digital sources available to historians of the United Kingdom, highlighting the particular influence of genealogical companies in shaping what material is available, how it has been digitised and how those sources are accessed. Secondly, we examine the PCC wills’ digitisation, what was gained and what was lost in that process, notably important material aspects of the wills. This article does not seek to champion archival research in opposition to digitally based scholarship; instead, we remind historians of the many ways in which the creation of sources shape their potential use, and call on historians to push for improvements in the United Kingdom’s digital infrastructure to avoid these problems in future.
A Christian Yoga
Authors: Régamey P. R.
Published: September 2024

As for the means employed by classical yoga there can be no question of reviewing them here. We must, to begin with, insist on their extreme seriousness, which gives food for thought.

At their basis are ‘curbs’ and ‘disciplines’ such as non-violence (ahimsa) and chastity. In the logical scheme of yoga these are only the preliminary dispositions for entry upon the Royal Way itself. It is generally said of them that they are not peculiar to yoga but common to all spiritual codes of conduct, that the equivalent is to be found in Christian asceticism. This is certainly true in principle. But why is it that, except for rare exceptions, they can scarcely be said to transform man in our Christian West, whereas they seem in general much more effective among the Indian adepts of yoga? It is to these simple ‘curbs’ and ‘disciplines that classical doctrine attributes the most extraordinary ‘powers ‘. For instance the normal effect, perhaps topical enough, of ahimsa is to make a man so peaceful that animals, instead of running away from him or attacking him, feel the radiance of his goodwill and gentleness and come to him; the true practitioner of non-violence meditates quietly in the jungle.
‘Al Myghty And Al Mercyable Queene’
Authors: Baker Aidan
Published: September 2024

Learned critics have so learnedly and so critically examined and analysed Chaucer, both the man and his works, that it is easy for us to forget that we have more in common with him than many even of his greatest critics have. For like us he was a Catholic. More fortunate than us, he lived at a time when England was Catholic. It was in Chaucer's own lifetime that the Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury spoke for all special inheritance, and her own Dowry, as we are commonly called, ought surpass all other Christian nations in the fervour of our praise and devotion.’
Our Lady as Patroness of the Dying
Authors: Guinan Alastair
Published: September 2024

The ancient cry that there is nothing new under the sun seems often justified in the mind of the student pondering on the history of the devotional spirit. Perhaps nowhere, however, is the truth which underlies the apparently hyperbolic character of this dictum less understood than in the minds of those zealous for this or that movement or cause which powerfully appeals to them.
Adaptation in France: II
Authors: Dubois J. M.
Published: September 2024

Since the religious life consists essentially in seeking the perfection of charity, by following the evangelical counsel, through the practice of the three great vows, and of certain observances, it is clear that vows and observances provide a convenient framework for assembling the facts and experiences conditioning the adaptation we wish to discuss. Although this may seem a little artificial, we will nevertheless consider in succession: Obedience, Poverty, Virginity, and several of the major observances which accompany all religious life, and indeed every authentic striving towards God: silence, prayer, enclosure study and government.
Simple Steps Towards Mental Prayer
Authors: Hollings Michael
Published: September 2024

Stand on tiptoe and you will reach Heaven', says St Francis of Sales, and perhaps that is a good I description for us to begin with in thinking about prayer. Because the raising of the mind and heart to God so often gives us that insecure sense of being on tiptoe, reaching over the top of that high cupboard in the hall; we are quite sure it is there, that thing we are looking for, only we cannot quite see—and we cannot quite reach—and perhaps that little extra of the tiptoe will get our fingers onto it. There! We felt it! Just the merest touch, and now it has gone again! Silly of us to try, really; everyone said we were fools and should not do it; much better give it up before we strain, ourselves or overbalance—or shall We have one more try?
A Sermon Preached At The Burial Of Father Jerome Rigby, O.P., At Hawkesyard Priory, 8th April, 1948
Authors: Vaxn Gerald
Published: September 2024

There is a verse from the New Testament which begins with that same word. Unless: ‘Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth great fruit’. We have been stricken in recent times with especially grave losses, the deaths of those who in a special sense could be called the builders of the English Dominican Province of today: Fr Bede Jarrett through his years of provincialate, Fr Vincent McNabb through the leadership and inspiration of his teaching and his personality, Fr Hugh Pope through his work for the studies of the Province. Grains of wheat. They died in God as they had lived in God; and so from their deaths as from their lives new life is given to us. And now another builder is taken from us, and taken at a time when his wisdom and strength and prudence were most urgently needed, so that those of us who lived with him and depended upon him feel very lost; and yet his building too is not in vain but will go on, because Christ lived in him, and when he built the house it was the Lord that built it.
The Spiritual Sense of Scripture
Authors: Bullough Sebastian
Published: September 2024

During the last ten years or so there has been a greatly increased awakening, among Christians all over the world, to the importance of the spiritual sense of Scripture, to the value of the symbolic approach to Scripture, and to a consciousness of the influence of biblical symbolism upon the spiritual life of the Christian. The fact that the deliberations of this meeting are devoted to a study of the relationship of Scripture to the spiritual life is one more witness to this renewed interest. It is all the more important that we should have in our minds clear ideas about the nature of the spiritual sense, especially in view of the neglect of such studies during the nineteenth century and until recent times, and also because of the accusation of fancifulness which is easily levelled against its exponents in the present, as it was in the earlier ages of the Church. Furthermore, great prudence is needed in a spiritual exposition, as the recent papal encyclicals have warned us, so that any irresponsible fancies may be avoided.
Give us This Day our Daily Bread
Authors: Steuart R. H. J.
Published: September 2024

Don't let us make any mistake: we are ordered to make this prayer of petition. Go to God as to your absolute All—your father, brother, creator. I must turn to him as the lover of souls—as one who loves me beyond the dreams of imagination; who has only one care for me, that the best may be mine; who longs for me. ‘As the hart panteth’ (I am not afraid to put that the other way round) so does God long for me. People complain ‘I can't meditate I can't pray'. That is often another way of saying ‘I’m not interested enough'. Is it possible that I have not got enough interest in it? Am I sure that I really want it enough?
The Naked Intent
Authors: Pepler Conrad
Published: September 2024

In general the higher reaches of the spiritual life are characterised by a method in prayer of praying without a method. Human methods are human activities. In the passive type of prayer the activity is divine so that the method is God's method, the plan of which the soul can only guess. At the same time spiritual guides must give some indication as to the best way of co-operating in this divine method, and The Cloud of Unknowing as well as teaching the soul how to ‘nought’ itself in order to allow God to work freely, also suggests the type of human co-operation which is least likely to hinder the divine work. This may be called the method of prayer inculcated by The Cloud. It amounts to the reduction of all prayers to the most comprehensive and the least articulated. The long ex tempore monologues in which some people indulge while on their knees, a monologue which considers all the various attributes of God and his wonderful deeds and activities, has to be undertaken for the sake of instruction in faith.
Forging a Lineage: Kinship, Mobility, and the Zildjian Cymbal
Authors: Wozniak Audrey M.
Published: September 2024

Renowned for its 400-year-old Ottoman/Turkish/Armenian past and produced by “America's oldest family-run business,” the Zildjian cymbal is paradoxically rendered an unremarkable “humble object” in its assumed inclusion in orchestras and bands around the world. Tracing the lineages of the Zildjians and their cymbals through historical documentation, ethnography, and the materiality of the instruments themselves, I first discuss the cymbal's shifting musical contexts and functions in Ottoman Janissary mehter bands, European orchestras, American jazz bands, and many other ensembles over the past four centuries, as well as the role of the Zildjians in this musical expansion. Then, I examine how twentieth-century negotiations of Zildjian kinship emerged in contentions over the authenticity and ownership of cymbal production. Finally, I consider how the assimilatory pressures of nation-states shaped narratives of cymbal production as well as the Zildjians’ mobilities, particularly in the context of the ethnoracialization of minority populations in the late Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic as well as the struggle of Armenian migrants to the United States to be recognized as valid U.S. American citizens at the turn of the twentieth century. By approaching the cymbal itself as the main interlocutor of this exploration, I aim to foreground the ways in which cymbals have sounded and resounded the mobility and kinships of its human creators. In doing so, I regard musical instruments as essential mediators of histories of cultural and musicological development as well as constructions of human identity and relationship, glimpsing how such objects may both reify and unsettle our epistemologies and the institutions of modern life.
New Approach to Early Maladaptive Schemas and its Relationship with Alcohol use Disorder. Role of Psychopathology and Prognostic Variables
Authors: Rubio-Escobar Enrique , Sión Ana , Esteban Rodríguez Laura , Jurado-Barba Rosa , Maldonado Sánchez Daniel , Armada Víctor , Osset Bárbara , Arias Horcajadas Francisco , Rubio Valladolid Gabriel
Published: September 2024

Early maladaptive schemas (EMS), dysfunctional patterns of thought and emotions originated during childhood, latent in most mental disorders, might play a role in the onset of alcohol use disorder (AUD), although their impact on prognosis remains unknown. Our aim is to determine the presence of EMS in patients with AUD and their role in the psychopathology and course of addiction (relapse and withdrawal time). The sample included 104 patients and 100 controls. The diagnosis of AUD was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) criteria, EMS were determined with the Young Schema Questionnaire in its Spanish version (YSQ–S3) and psychopathology with Symptom Checklist–27 (SCL–27). AUD group showed significantly higher scores in emotional deprivation, confused attachment, emotional inhibition and failure schemas. In addition, vulnerability schema correlated (> 0.500) with all subscales of SCL–27. Whereas social isolation, insufficient self-control and grandiosity schemas correlated with a higher number of relapses. But it was the grandiosity and punishment schemas that correlated with shorter abstinence time. These findings suggest that EMS are overrepresented in the AUD population and some correlate with psychopathology and worse AUD outcomes.
Perceived Strengths and Difficulties in Children and Adolescents With Chronic Physical Health Conditions
Authors: Pinquart Martin
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Theoretical Background: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is often used for screening of psychological problems in children with chronic physical health conditions (CPHC). Objective: The present meta-analysis tested (a) whether the SDQ scores of young people with CPHC show elevated psychological symptoms and lower prosocial behavior compared with healthy peers or test norms, (b) which conditions are associated with the strongest increase in symptoms, and (c) whether results vary by sample and study characteristics. Method: Studies that compared SDQ scores between young people with CPHC and healthy peers or test norms or that provided sufficient information for a comparison with established normative data or sociodemographically equivalent healthy groups from that country, and if studies were published or made available online before July, 2023, were included in the meta-analysis. Study quality was evaluated with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A systematic search in the electronic databases Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, Web of Science, and the SDQ database resulted in 605 studies of 217,440 children and adolescents with CPHC that were included in random-effects meta-analyses. Results: There were, on average, small-to-moderate elevations in total difficulties (parent/self-report: g = .52/.31) and the four problem scales as well as slight reductions in parent reports on prosocial behavior ( g = -.17). Elevations in parent- and self-reports on emotional symptoms ( g = .48/.31) and peer problems ( g = .43/.26) were significantly stronger than elevations in conduct problems ( g = .30/.10) and hyperactivity–inattention ( g = .33/.13). In addition, children with cerebral palsy (parent/self-report of total problems: g = .82/.66), chronic fatigue syndrome ( g = .82/.66), and epilepsy ( g = .95/.40) showed above-average elevations in psychological symptoms. Stronger effect sizes were found, among others, in older children and in the case of a later age at onset. Direct comparisons of the results of published and unpublished studies on self-rated SDQ found some evidence for a possible publication bias, while results of published and unpublished studies did not vary when parent ratings were used. With regard to limitations, only few studies were available on teacher ratings and from non-Western countries. Illness-specific analyses were impossible for rarely assessed conditions, such as cystic fibrosis and spina bifida. Discussion and Conclusion: It is concluded that children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other conditions affecting the brain should be, in particular, screened for psychological problems. Symptom overlap of some CPHC with the Emotional Symptoms scale has to be considered when interpreting the data.
Exploring Subsurface Water Conditions in Dutch Canal Dikes During Drought Periods: Insights From Multiyear Monitoring
Authors: Strijker Bart , Heimovaara Timo J. , Jonkman Sebastiaan N. , Kok Matthijs
Published: September 2024

Canal dikes in low‐lying polders, as well as in other regions worldwide, are critical infrastructure for flood protection and water management. The subsurface water conditions can cause dike failures during excessive rainfall and prolonged periods of drought. There is a lack of multi‐year monitoring of subsurface water conditions in canal dikes and an insufficient understanding of their geohydrological behavior. This study provides and analyses a novel multiyear data set of soil moisture and hydraulic heads (from February 2020 until March 2023) from a monitoring network covering various canal dikes with different characteristics in the western Netherlands. The data, including two extremely dry summers, highlight the impact of meteorological variations on the subsurface water conditions. Non‐hydrostatic hydraulic head levels were observed during droughts that can be detrimental to dike stability and that are often not accounted for in safety assessments for drought situations. The effectiveness of various meteorological drought indicators applied to subsurface water conditions was evaluated: the precipitation deficit is the most reliable measure and outperforms the standardized drought indicators (SPEI and SPI). The drought recovery of dikes was analyzed to understand seasonal transitions and the sequence of different failure mechanisms, during dry and wet situations. This analysis also reveals differences between meteorological, soil moisture, and groundwater droughts, highlighting soil's storage capacity after drought and the limitations of meteorological drought indicators as proxies for soil moisture and groundwater. The insights from this study enhance assessments, inspection procedures and the identification of weak spots of dikes and other earthworks of infrastructure.
Synergistic Utilization of Spaceborne SAR Observations for Monitoring the Baltic Sea Flow Through the Danish Straits
Authors: Elyouncha Anis , Broström Göran , Johnsen Harald
Published: September 2024

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has emerged as a key instrument in oceanography due to its high spatial resolution and sensitivity to ocean surface dynamics. The main limitation of a single spaceborne SAR is the long repeat cycle (e.g., 12 days for Sentinel‐1), which hinders its capability to monitor the temporal evolution of oceanic processes. The principal objective of this study is to demonstrate the potential of spaceborne SAR to monitor the temporal variation of ocean surface circulation. This is assessed using the Baltic Sea flow through the Danish strait Fehmarn Belt as a case study. In order to overcome the temporal sampling limitation, data from three satellites are combined, namely Sentinel‐1A, Sentinel‐1B and TanDEM‐X. The average revisit time achieved by combining the three satellites is 1.2 days. Two months of opportunistic SAR data (June and July 2020) covering the Fehmarn Belt are used. The radial surface current derived from SAR is compared to ocean model and in situ data. It is shown that the dominant processes that govern the circulation in the Fehmarn Belt exhibit time scales larger than 2 days. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that SAR effectively captures the synoptic‐scale features (time scales larger than 2 days) of the Baltic Sea circulation, thereby enabling monitoring the temporal variations of flow dynamics. Comparison of the SAR‐derived radial surface current against in situ measurements yields comparable bias (0.08 m/s) and correlation coefficient (R  0.75) but lower standard deviations and rms errors (0.15 m/s) than those exhibited by the ocean model (0.31 m/s).