bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of inverting decades and units on the retention of two-digit numbers in working memory: a matter of the output mode
Authors: Hayek Maisam , Karni Avi , Eviatar Zohar
Published: November 2024

Number-word structure affects transcoding and relates to working memory capacity (WMc). We tested the relationship between the structure of number-words (inverted “Units-Decades (UD) format” or not “Decades-Units (DU) format”) and performance on the digit span task for recalling two-digit number-words presented verbally, using two modes of output. University students, native speakers of Arabic, who were also highly proficient in Hebrew, and native speakers of Hebrew, were asked to response by typing Arabic digits or recalling numbers verbally. Arabic and Hebrew speakers were equal in WMc for one-digit numbers in the two modes. However, when inversion was presented, performance was related to output and participants habits. In the typing response, both groups showed better performance for the DU format. In the native language (standard format), Arabic speakers (UD) remembered fewer numbers than Hebrew speakers (DU). Arabic speakers show inversion errors even in the noninverted format. For verbal responses, there were no differences between the groups in their standard format, and native speakers of Arabic weren’t affected by the format, while Hebrew speakers still preferred the DU format. Experience with inverted and noninverted language affected WMc but is also related to the output demands.
Antiassociative magmas
Authors: Mazurek Ryszard
Published: November 2024

A magma S is said to be antiassociative if $$(ab)c \ne a(bc)$$

(
a
b
)
c
≠
a
(
b
c
)

holds for any elements a, b, c of S. Antiassociative magmas lie at the opposite pole from associative ones, known as semigroups. In this paper, we study antiassociative magmas focusing on their properties and examples that can be seen from Cayley tables. We provide a test for the antiassociativity of a finite magma and give some general methods for constructing antiassociative magmas. We also characterize, describe, and count all antiassociative magma structures on a 3-element set, all their isomorphism classes, and all classes of equivalent magmas of this type.
ChatGPT vs Gemini: Comparative Accuracy and Efficiency in CAD-RADS Score Assignment from Radiology Reports
Authors: Silbergleit Matthew , Tóth Adrienn , Chamberlin Jordan H. , Hamouda Mohamed , Baruah Dhiraj , Derrick Sydney , Schoepf U. Joseph , Burt Jeremy R. , Kabakus Ismail M.
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4o, Google Gemini, and Google Gemini Advanced in generating CAD-RADS scores based on radiology reports. This retrospective study analyzed 100 consecutive coronary computed tomography angiography reports performed between March 15, 2024, and April 1, 2024, at a single tertiary center. Each report containing a radiologist-assigned CAD-RADS score was processed using four large language models (LLMs) without fine-tuning. The findings section of each report was input into the LLMs, and the models were tasked with generating CAD-RADS scores. The accuracy of LLM-generated scores was compared to the radiologist’s score. Additionally, the time taken by each model to complete the task was recorded. Statistical analyses included Mann–Whitney U test and interobserver agreement using unweighted Cohen’s Kappa and Krippendorff’s Alpha. ChatGPT-4o demonstrated the highest accuracy, correctly assigning CAD-RADS scores in 87% of cases (κ = 0.838, α = 0.886), followed by Gemini Advanced with 82.6% accuracy (κ = 0.784, α = 0.897). ChatGPT-3.5, although the fastest (median time = 5 s), was the least accurate (50.5% accuracy, κ = 0.401, α = 0.787). Gemini exhibited a higher failure rate (12%) compared to the other models, with Gemini Advanced slightly improving upon its predecessor. ChatGPT-4o outperformed other LLMs in both accuracy and agreement with radiologist-assigned CAD-RADS scores, though ChatGPT-3.5 was significantly faster. Despite their potential, current publicly available LLMs require further refinement before being deployed for clinical decision-making in CAD-RADS scoring.
SAT solving for variants of first-order subsumption
Authors: Coutelier Robin , Rath Jakob , Rawson Michael , Biere Armin , Kovács Laura
Published: November 2024

Automated reasoners, such as SAT/SMT solvers and first-order provers, are becoming the backbones of rigorous systems engineering, being used for example in applications of system verification, program synthesis, and cybersecurity. Automation in these domains crucially depends on the efficiency of the underlying reasoners towards finding proofs and/or counterexamples of the task to be enforced. In order to gain efficiency, automated reasoners use dedicated proof rules to keep proof search tractable. To this end, (variants of) subsumption is one of the most important proof rules used by automated reasoners, ranging from SAT solvers to first-order theorem provers and beyond. It is common that millions of subsumption checks are performed during proof search, necessitating efficient implementations. However, in contrast to propositional subsumption as used by SAT solvers and implemented using sophisticated polynomial algorithms, first-order subsumption in first-order theorem provers involves NP-complete search queries, turning the efficient use of first-order subsumption into a huge practical burden. In this paper we argue that the integration of a dedicated SAT solver opens up new venues for efficient implementations of first-order subsumption and related rules. We show that, by using a flexible learning approach to choose between various SAT encodings of subsumption variants, we greatly improve the scalability of first-order theorem proving. Our experimental results demonstrate that, by using a tailored SAT solver within first-order reasoning, we gain a large speedup in solving state-of-the-art benchmarks.
A Multicomponent Preventive Intervention in the Early Elementary Years: A Look at Academic and Social Adjustment Outcomes
Authors: Prinz Ronald J. , Smith Emilie P. , Tennie Brianna
Published: November 2024

Cogent indicated prevention with young children at risk for early onset conduct problems needs to address multiple domains of influence in school and home settings. A multicontextual preventive intervention (MPI) spanning grades one and two was conducted in schools serving economically disadvantaged communities and evaluated separately for boys and girls. The cluster randomized design evaluated children nested within schools receiving either the MPI (6 schools), which consisted of after-school reading-mentoring, home-based family, peer coping-skills, and classroom components, or a control condition (6 schools) involving a school-wide conflict management program without targeted intervention. Drawn at the end of kindergarten based on elevated behavioral difficulties and first-grade attendance at one of the 12 schools, the two subsamples consisted of 193 boys and 171 girls (63% in households with annual income < $15,000; 95% Black children). Extensive fidelity data indicated that the MPI components were well implemented. The two post-intervention third-grade outcomes in this report are academic performance and social/behavioral adjustment. The analyses involved a linear mixed effects model controlling for school. The key finding for the male subsample was that the MPI produced greater overall and language-arts/reading achievement, measured by report cards for the entire third-grade school year, compared with the control group. MPI-control differences did not emerge for externalizing problems and social competence assessed via teacher and parent report. In the face of elevated risk and poverty, the study underscored the importance of contributions from community-based reading-mentors, positive and inclusive classrooms, and nurturing family contexts in achieving academic gains.
Constructing General Human Agency Indicators (GHAIs) and a General Personal Agency Scale (GPAS)
Authors: D’Italia Michael Joseph , Okulicz-Kozaryn Adam
Published: November 2024

Despite its importance for the social sciences, human agency remains an ambiguous and underoperationalized construct. After engaging prior research to articulate clear criteria for defining agency and synthesize a multidimensional conceptual framework for human agency, this study develops and validates preliminary General Human Agency Indicators (GHAIs) to measure subconstructs within that framework. Utilizing the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) dataset, we aggregated a list of 30 survey items previously used in agency research and conducted an iterative process of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item elimination to reduce that list to a set of 9–13 items with a strong, consistent factorial structure. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we identified two bifactor models that demonstrated good fit: a nine-item General Personal Agency scale (GPAS) and a nine-item GHAIs tool combining six items from the GPAS with three measuring agency achievement. Initial evidence for the construct validity of the tools was produced through tests of internal consistency and correlational analysis, indicating that the proposed GPAS and GHAIs effectively measure personal agency, intrinsic agency, instrumental agency, and agency achievement.
Optimisation of Animal Handing and Timing of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose PET Tumour Imaging in Mice
Authors: Hesketh Richard L. , Lewis David Y. , Brindle Kevin M.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

In humans, 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) tumour-to-background contrast continues to increase long after a typical uptake period of 45 – 60 min. Similar studies have not been performed in mice and the static imaging time point for most studies is arbitrarily set at 30 – 60 min post-injection of [18F]FDG. Ideally, static PET imaging should be performed after the initial period of rapid uptake but this period has not been defined in mice, with previous dynamic studies in mice being limited to 60 min. This study aimed to define the kinetics of [18F]FDG biodistribution over periods of 3 – 4 h in different murine tumour models, both subcutaneous and autochthonous, and to further refine fasting and warming protocols used prior to imaging.

Procedures

Dynamic [18F]FDG PET-CT scans lasting 3 or 4 h were performed with C57BL/6 J and Balb/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous EL4 murine T-cell lymphoma and Colo205 human colorectal tumours, respectively, and with transgenic Eμ-Myc lymphoma mice. Prior to [18F]FDG injection, four combinations of different animal handling conditions were used: warming for 1 h at 31 °C; maintenance at room temperature (20 – 24 °C), fasting for 6 – 10 h and a fed state.

Results

Tumour mean standardised uptake value (SUVmean) peaked at 147 ± 48 min post injection in subcutaneous tumours and 74 ± 31 min in autochthonous Eμ-Myc lymphomas. The tumour-to-blood ratio (TBR) peaked at 171 ± 57 and 83 ± 33 min in subcutaneous and autochthonous Eμ-Myc tumours, respectively. Fasting increased tumour [18F]FDG uptake and suppressed myocardial uptake in EL4 tumour-bearing mice. There was a good correlation between tumour SUVmean and Ki calculated using an input function (IDIF) derived from the inferior vena cava.

Conclusions

Delayed static [18F]FDG-PET imaging (> 60 min) in both autochthonous and subcutaneous tumours in improved tumour-to-background contrast and increased reproducibility.
Psychological Flexibility and Compassion Training for Equality in Organizations: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Diversity and Inclusion Intervention
Authors: Wolgast Sima Nurali , Wolgast Martin , af Sandeberg Karin Andén , Wasif Hira , Hoff Eva
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Discrimination and prejudice are prevalent in workplaces worldwide, but there are few empirically validated interventions for combating racial bias in organizational settings. This study aims to evaluate an intervention consisting of experiential exercises derived from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). The objective is to address psychological processes influential in promoting inclusive and equal workplaces in relation to race/ethnicity.

Method

A sample of 123 employees was randomized to an intervention or a comparison condition. The intervention involved exercises designed to increase compassion and empathic perspective-taking, decrease psychological inflexibility related to prejudiced thoughts and racial attitudes, and enhance participants’ commitment to organizational values. Participants in the intervention group were compared to those participating in traditional diversity and inclusion lectures, which served as the comparison condition.

Results

The study found that participants in the flexibility and compassion condition showed a significant increase in self-reported compassion. The results also showed a significant decrease in the participants’ inflexibility in relation to prejudiced and stigmatizing thoughts. However, no significant differences between the conditions were found regarding the endorsement of racist attitudes or empathic perspective-taking.

Conclusions

This study adds to the important but limited literature on effective diversity training in organizations. It suggests that methods derived from ACT and CFT may improve workplace diversity and inclusion interventions by increasing compassion and reducing the impact of prejudiced and stigmatizing thoughts on behavior.

Preregistration

The study was not preregistered.
SID/SIEDP expert consensus on optimizing clinical strategies for early detection and management of wolfram syndrome
Authors: Frontino Giulio , Delvecchio Maurizio , Prudente Sabrina , Sordi Valeria Daniela , Barboni Piero , Di Giamberardino Alessandra , Rutigliano Alessandra , Pellegrini Silvia , Caretto Amelia , Cascavilla Maria Lucia , Bonfanti Riccardo , D’Annunzio Giuseppe , Lombardo Fortunato , Piemonti Lorenzo
Published: November 2024

Wolfram Syndrome (WFS) is a rare, multisystemic, degenerative disease leading to premature death. Clinical and genetic heterogeneity makes WFS diagnosis and management challenging. The Italian Society of Diabetes (SID) and the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (SIEDP) convened an expert panel of professional healthcare practitioners to provide up-to-date knowledge about the pathophysiology, clinical presentation and treatment of WFS, and recommendations for the earlydetection and optimal disease management. The consensus recommends the revision of diagnostic protocols to include genetic testing and comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations to ensure accurate diagnosis of WFS, advocates for personalized management plans tailored to the unique needs of each patient, with an emphasis on exploring new potential drug therapies. A holistic care model that addresses the medical, psychological, and social challenges faced by patients with WFS and their families is strongly endorsed. The opinion underscores the importance of educating healthcare professionals about WFS to enhance early diagnosis and intervention, aiming to improve outcomes for patients through practical and evidence-based clinical strategies.
Fe/Co-modified Enteromorpha bio-hydrochar enhanced anaerobic digestion of chicken manure with sulfadimethazine: focusing on synergistic mechanism and microbial community succession
Authors: Liu Yutong , Peng Ziyu , Hu Zhengguang , Xue Hanhan , Qiao Junpeng , Niu Qigui
Published: November 2024

Residual antibiotics in chicken manure may interfere with the stability of anaerobic digestion (AD) and inhibit resource utilization efficiency. In this study, we aimed to enhance chicken manure bio-methanation in AD with high-concentration of sulfamethazine (SMZ) by adding metal (Fe, Co)-modified Enteromorpha-based hydrochar (Co-HC, Fe-HC). The results showed that Fe-HC and Co-HC increased the degree of acidogenesis by 1.25 times and 1.58 times, respectively. The maximum protein concentration in EPS was increased by 47.64% and 72.5% after adding Fe-HC and Co-HC. However, only Co-HC demonstrated notable improvements in both methane production and SMZ removal efficiency. Electrochemical analysis showed that Co-HC possessed a richer variety of oxygen and nitrogen functional groups, along with superior electron exchange capabilities compared to Fe-HC. Furthermore, microbiological assessments revealed that Co-HC enriched syntrophic bacteria (such as Syntrophomonas and Mesotoga), facilitating direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and subsequently enhancing biomethane production. The abundance of genes involved in electron transfer increased significantly with Co-HC, with a maximum increase of 75.86% in Co1.5-HC treatment. Additionally, the elimination of antibiotic resistance genes (sul1, sul2) increased by 65.66% in the Co1.5-HC treatment. This study offers a theoretical foundation and empirical support for the synergistic improvement of livestock and poultry manure containing high antibiotic concentrations, thereby helping to overcome challenges posed by recalcitrant substances.

Graphical Abstract
Assessment of therapeutic response to photodynamic therapy with the Zn-Phthalocyanine RLP068/Cl versus topical Clindamycin in patients affected by Hidradenitis Suppurativa: a comparative clinical pilot study
Authors: Rosi E. , Prignano F. , Viola S. , Venturini M. , Pimpinelli N. , Calzavara-Pinton P.
Published: November 2024

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin disorder characterized by painful inflammatory nodules and abscesses, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life. Current treatment strategies, including topical antibiotics, often yield limited efficacy and pose risks of antibiotic resistance. Photodynamic therapy has emerged as a potential option, with RLP068/Cl (ELKOFAST®, non-sterile formulation) showing promising efficacy due to its broad-spectrum bactericidal activity. We conducted a pilot study assessing the therapeutic response to photodynamic therapy with RLP068/Cl versus topical clindamycin gel in patients affected by hidradenitis suppurativa of Hurley score I, II, and III. Results revealed higher efficacy of photodynamic therapy in combination with RLP068/Cl, particularly in mild cases. Its efficacy remains reliable even in more severe cases when combined with adalimumab. The observed faster lesion improvement and pain relief were ascribed to the bactericidal effects of RLP068/Cl against Gram+ and Gram− bacteria. Furthermore, photoactivated RLP068/Cl was well tolerated with no adverse events reported. Therefore, photodynamic therapy following RLP068/Cl application represents a novel therapeutic option for hidradenitis suppurativa with potential implications for antibiotic stewardship in dermatology.

Graphical abstract
The weak Ramsey property and extreme amenability
Authors: Bartoš Adam , Bice Tristan , Dasilva Barbosa Keegan , Kubiś Wiesław
Published: November 2024

We extend the Kechris–Pestov–Todorčević correspondence to weak Fraïssé categories and automorphism groups of generic objects. The new ingredient is the weak Ramsey property. We demonstrate the theory on several examples including monoid categories, the category of almost linear orders and categories of strong embeddings of trees.
Increasing subsequences, matrix loci and Viennot shadows
Authors: Rhoades Brendon
Published: November 2024

Let

${\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}$

be an

$n \times n$

matrix of variables, and let

${\mathbb {F}}[{\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}]$

be the polynomial ring in these variables over a field

${\mathbb {F}}$

. We study the ideal

$I_n \subseteq {\mathbb {F}}[{\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}]$

generated by all row and column variable sums and all products of two variables drawn from the same row or column. We show that the quotient

${\mathbb {F}}[{\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}]/I_n$

admits a standard monomial basis determined by Viennot’s shadow line avatar of the Schensted correspondence. As a corollary, the Hilbert series of

${\mathbb {F}}[{\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}]/I_n$

is the generating function of permutations in

${\mathfrak {S}}_n$

by the length of their longest increasing subsequence. Along the way, we describe a ‘shadow junta’ basis of the vector space of k-local permutation statistics. We also calculate the structure of

${\mathbb {F}}[{\mathbf {x}}_{n \times n}]/I_n$

as a graded

${\mathfrak {S}}_n \times {\mathfrak {S}}_n$

-module.
Improved use of antibiotics following implementation of antimicrobial stewardship in a neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Karelsdottir Arna Yr , Oskarsdottir Thorunn , Hoffritz Olof Eir , Thorkelsson Thordur , Haraldsson Asgeir , Thors Valtyr
Published: November 2024

Introduction:

Inappropriate antibiotic use in infants can have multiple adverse effects and contribute to the development of bacteria resistant to antimicrobials. Antimicrobial stewardship programs can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an antimicrobial stewardship program implemented in 2017 in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at The Children’s Hospital Iceland.

Materials and methods:

The study included all infants who were admitted to the NICU during the study period (January 1st 2012–October 31st 2020). Data was collected from hospital records. Three periods were defined: preimplementation (2012–2014), peri-implementation (2015–2016) and postimplementation (2017–October 2020). Antibiotic use was quantified using days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 bed days (BD). For statistical analysis the pre- and postimplementation periods were compared.

Results:

Antibiotics were administered in 38.6% (1372) of admissions to the NICU during the study period. Antimicrobial use per year decreased from 584.6 to 317.1 DOT/1000 BD per year (P < 0.001). Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics decreased significantly. The average number of BD per month decreased from 297.8 to 220.9 BD/month (P = 0.0096). There were no significant changes in the length of stay for each infant or the proportion of readmissions or retreatment.

Conclusion:

Increased awareness of appropriate use of antimicrobials in the NICU led to shorter treatments and less use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. No increase in adverse effects such as readmissions or retreatment was observed.
Flagellum pumping efficiency in shear-thinning viscoelastic fluids
Authors: Barrett Aaron , Fogelson Aaron L. , Forest M. Gregory , Gruninger Cole , Lim Sookkyung , Griffith Boyce E.
Published: November 2024

Microorganism motility often takes place within complex, viscoelastic fluid environments, e.g. sperm in cervicovaginal mucus and bacteria in biofilms. In such complex fluids, strains and stresses generated by the microorganism are stored and relax across a spectrum of length and time scales and the complex fluid can be driven out of its linear response regime. Phenomena not possible in viscous media thereby arise from feedback between the swimmer and the complex fluid, making swimming efficiency co-dependent on the propulsion mechanism and fluid properties. Here, we parameterize a flagellar motor and filament properties together with elastic relaxation and nonlinear shear-thinning properties of the fluid in a computational immersed boundary model. We then explore swimming efficiency, defined as a particular flow rate divided by the torque required to spin the motor, over this parameter space. Our findings indicate that motor efficiency (measured by the volumetric flow rate) can be boosted or degraded by relatively moderate or strong shear thinning of the viscoelastic environment.
Investigation of the relationship of sleep disorder occurring in fibromyalgia with central nervous system and pineal gland volume
Authors: Çiçek Fatih , Uçar İlyas , Seber Turgut , Ülkü Demir Fatma Gül , Çiftçi Ali Türker
Published: November 2024

Objective:

Mechanisms of sleep disorders in fibromyalgia (FM) patients, such as insomnia, early morning awakenings and poor quality sleep, have not yet been proven and no consistent and effective treatment is yet available. The aim of this study was to investigate the pineal gland volume and the relationship between total fibre count, total fibre volume and total fibre length of the spinoreticular tract involved in regulation of sleep and wakefulness in terms of the mechanism of sleep disturbance.

Methods:

This study included only female cases, 31 with fibromyalgia and 31 controls. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality. Tractography of targeted pathway from brain diffusion MR images was calculated in Diffusion Studio Imaging (DSI) Studio programme and the volume of the pineal gland was calculated in ITK-SNAP programme.

Results:

The mean volume of the pineal gland was higher in control group (218.84 ± 64.45 mm3) than in fibromyalgia group (174.77 ± 48.65 mm3), which was statistically significant (p = 0.004). However, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups in total spinoreticular tract (TSRT), total volume (TSRTV), TSRT fractional anisotropy, TSRT mean diffusion, TSRT axial diffusion and TSRT radial diffusion of spinoreticular tract, which is involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it is thought that the endocrine system may be more related to sleep disturbance in individuals with FM than central nervous system. Therefore, we believe that it may be more appropriate to work on the endocrine system rather than neural system in the treatment of sleep disturbance in patients with FM.
WALLABY Pilot Survey: Public data release of ∼ 1800 H i sources and high-resolution cut-outs from Pilot Survey Phase 2
Authors: Murugeshan C. , Deg N. , Westmeier T. , Shen A. X. , For B.-Q. , Spekkens K. , Wong O. I. , Staveley-Smith L. , Catinella B. , Lee-Waddell K. , Dénes H. , Rhee J. , Cortese L. , Goliath S. , Halloran R. , van der Hulst J. M. , Kamphuis P. , Koribalski B. S. , Kraan-Korteweg R. C. , Lelli F. , Venkataraman P. , Verdes-Montenegro L. , Yu N.
Published: November 2024

We present the Pilot Survey Phase 2 data release for the Wide-field ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY (WALLABY), carried-out using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). We present 1760 H i detections (with a default spatial resolution of 30′′) from three pilot fields including the NGC 5044 and NGC 4808 groups as well as the Vela field, covering a total of

$\sim 180$

deg

$^2$

of the sky and spanning a redshift up to

$z \simeq 0.09$

. This release also includes kinematic models for over 126 spatially resolved galaxies. The observed median rms noise in the image cubes is 1.7 mJy per 30′′ beam and 18.5 kHz channel. This corresponds to a 5

$\sigma$

H i column density sensitivity of

$\sim 9.1\times10^{19}(1 + z)^4$

cm

$^{-2}$

per 30′′ beam and

$\sim 20$

km s

$^{-1}$

channel and a 5

$\sigma$

H i mass sensitivity of

$\sim 5.5\times10^8 (D/100$

Mpc)

$^{2}$

M

$_{\odot}$

for point sources. Furthermore, we also present for the first time 12′′ high-resolution images (“cut-outs”) and catalogues for a sub-sample of 80 sources from the Pilot Survey Phase 2 fields. While we are able to recover sources with lower signal-to-noise ratio compared to sources in the Public Data Release 1, we do note that some data quality issues still persist, notably, flux discrepancies that are linked to the impact of side lobes associated with the dirty beams due to inadequate deconvolution. However, in spite of these limitations, the WALLABY Pilot Survey Phase 2 has already produced roughly a third of the number of HIPASS sources, making this the largest spatially resolved H i sample from a single survey to date.
Challenging Classical Music’s Genre Conventions: Findings from a Project on Youth Voice in Instrumental Education
Authors: BULL ANNA
Published: November 2024

This article explores classical music education through analysing findings from a project on embedding ‘youth voice’ within instrumental teaching and learning. Drawing on theorizations of classical music as a genre, I describe how the young people in this project saw classical music’s genre conventions as working against a youth voice approach. The article also outlines the ways in which youth voice was shaped through social relations in this space as well as the ‘institutional ecology’ of music education. I argue that embedding youth voice approaches in instrumental education will only be effective if the genre itself is open to transformation.
Perugino's Sistine Chapel Altarpiece: The Papal Liturgy and Pope Sixtus IV's Promotion of the Marian Cult
Authors: Kuziow Shannon E.
Published: November 2024

This article presents the first sustained study of Pietro Perugino's destroyed “Assumption of the Virgin” altarpiece commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV for the Sistine Chapel. My analysis reconstructs the frescoed altarpiece's ritual setting and relates it to imagery associated with Sixtus's promotion of the controversial Immaculate Conception feast. The altarpiece's ties to the Immaculate Virgin intensified during the 1483 Assumption feast, which marked the chapel's inauguration. The Assumption represented a salient event in Rome's liturgical calendar, and I demonstrate how the altarpiece allowed Sixtus to temporarily expand a local communal feast to include an expression of papal privilege and authority.
Inferno, Purgatory, and Gehinnom: Shared Cosmographic Spaces in Italian-Jewish Descriptions of Hell
Authors: Kallenbach Avi
Published: November 2024

This article addresses the explicit utilization of Christian discourse about hell and purgatory within the writings of sixteenth-century Italian Jewry. The vast majority of Jewish texts about hell (gehinnom) from the period ignore Christian discourse on the topic or only allude to it obliquely. Three unpublished Hebrew sources, two of them drawn from informal marginalia, demonstrate a more open approach, in which the infernal cosmography and terminology of Christianity are consciously and explicitly appropriated. These sources not only serve as important case studies for Jewish understandings of hell during the period but also can shed broader light on the types of cultural maneuvering that characterized Jewish cultural life in the Christian milieu of Cinquecento Italy.
The Class Ceiling in Politics
Authors: FOLKE OLLE , RICKNE JOHANNA
Published: November 2024

Prior studies have documented that working-class individuals rarely become parliamentarians. We know less about when in the career pipeline to parliament workers disappear, and why. We study these questions using detailed data on the universe of Swedish politicians’ careers over a 50-year period. We find roughly equal-sized declines in the proportion of workers on various rungs of the political career ladder ranging from local to national office. We reject the potential explanations that workers lack political ambition, public service motivation, honesty, or voter support. And while workers’ average high school grades and cognitive test scores are lower, this cannot explain their large promotion disadvantage, a situation that we label a class ceiling. Organizational ties to blue-collar unions help workers advance, but only to lower-level positions in left-leaning parties. We conclude that efforts to improve workers’ numerical representation should apply throughout the career ladder and focus on intra-party processes.
Causal association of plasma n-3 PUFA with peptic ulcer disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Dai Zebin , Wang Qinjian , He Bingbing , Shi Fang , Chen Wei , Jiang Qingxi , Zhou Dan , Xue Zhanxiong , Yang Bo
Published: November 2024

Dietary n-3 PUFA may have potential benefits in preventing peptic ulcer disease (PUD). However, data from observational epidemiological studies are limited. Thus, we conducted a Mendelian randomisation analysis to reveal the causal impact of n-3 PUFA on PUD. Genetic variants strongly associated with plasma levels of total or individual n-3 PUFA including plant-derived α-linolenic acid and marine-derived EPA, DPA and DHA were enrolled as instrumental variables. Effect size estimates of the n-3 PUFA-associated genetic variants with PUD were evaluated using data from the UK biobank. Per one sd increase in the level of total n-3 PUFA in plasma was significantly associated with a lower risk of PUD (OR = 0·91; 95 % CI 0·85, 0·99; P = 0·020). The OR were 0·81 (95 % CI 0·67, 0·97) for EPA, 0·72 (95 % CI 0·58, 0·91) for DPA and 0·87 (95 % CI 0·80, 0·94) for DHA. Genetically predicted α-linolenic acid levels in plasma had no significant association with the risk of PUD (OR = 5·41; 95 % CI 0·70, 41·7). Genetically predicted plasma levels of n-3 PUFA were inversely associated with the risk of PUD, especially marine-based n-3 PUFA. Such findings may have offered an effective and feasible strategy for the primary prevention of PUD.
Renaissance Self-Fashioning after 44 Years: Hybridity, Conversos, Individuation, and littérature totale
Authors: Terry-Roisin Elizabeth
Published: November 2024

While Stephen Greenblatt’s 1980 book, Renaissance self-fashioning: from More to Shakespeare, was methodologically innovative within the field of literary criticism, his work also grew from the roots of Jacob Burckhardt’s old cultural history, and his method of new historicism developed alongside the new cultural history. Although certain parts of Burckhardt’s arguments have been discarded, the work of Greenblatt and others has continued to build upon his foundation. Courtiership, anxiety, and the relationship between outward and interior identities, text and context, hybridity, and individuation are all useful concepts for constructing less monolithic understandings of early modern identities. With a European scale, this article traces early modern historiography and literary criticism from the nineteenth century to 2024 and introduces historical examples of identity formation from early modern England, France, Iberia, the Italian peninsula, and the Holy Roman Empire. The article reflects upon early modern examples of self-fashioning in the light of Burckhardt, the Annales, Greenblatt, and others who have contributed to our understanding of agency and identity up to the present day, arguing that these historians and literary scholars have worked together to answer questions that are fundamentally psychological in nature.
Improving diets and multimorbidity prevention
Authors: Bhatia Tazeem , Cullum Adrienne
Published: November 2024

In 2023, the UK government announced a Major Conditions Strategy, publishing ‘The case for change and our strategic framework’, which set out the focus on cancers, diabetes, dementia, mental ill health, musculoskeletal disorders, CVD and chronic respiratory diseases. Together, these conditions account for 60% of total disability-adjusted life years lost to early death or ill health in England, and one in four adults has at least two (multimorbidity). This review considers some of the key dietary risks for these major conditions and population policies that may improve diets and reduce risks. UK Government dietary recommendations, based on independent risk assessment and advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, are encapsulated in the national food model, the Eatwell Guide. Based on key sources of dietary data – chiefly consumption data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and consumer purchase data from Kantar – most people do not meet dietary recommendations. This review considers how science and evidence inform health improvement policy. This includes policies that encourage healthier food choices, such as labelling and public procurement standards to those that minimise the impact of the less healthy choice such as sugar and salt reduction and reformulation. The review also considers nutritional approaches to managing some non-communicable diseases. Given the role nutrition and excess weight play in the onset, prognosis and quality of life for those living with one or more of the major conditions, there are huge potential gains from even small dietary improvements across population groups.
Henneguya patriciai n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) parasitizing Leporinus friderici (Bloch 1794) from Tartarugalzinho river, eastern Amazon
Authors: Amaral de Carvalho Abthyllane , de Oliveira Nascimento Lilia Suzane , Pantoja dos Reis Luize Cristine , da Silva Ferreira Roger Leomar , Morais Saturo Cardoso , Geise Elane Guerreiro , Videira Marcela Nunes , Matos Edilson Rodrigues
Published: November 2024

The Amazon basin has the largest number of fish in the world, and among the most common fishes of the Neotropical region, the threespot (Leporinus friderici) is cited, which in relation to its microparasitic fauna, has described only 1 species of the genus Henneguya, Henneguya friderici. The Myxozoa class is considered an obligate parasite, being morphologically characterized by spores formed by valves connected by a suture line. This study describes a new species of Henneguya sp. in the Amazon region for L. friderici. This parasite was found in the host's pyloric caeca and caudal kidney, with mature spores with a total spore length of 38.4 ± 2.5 (35.9–40.9) μm; the spore body 14.4 ± 1.1 (13.3–15.5) μm and 7.3 ± 0.6 (6.7–7.9) μm wide. Regarding its 2 polar capsules, they had a length of 5.1 ± 0.4 (4.7–5.5) μm and a width of 2.0 ± 0.1 (1.9–2.1) μm in the same pear-shaped, and each polar capsule contained 9–11 turns. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses denote that this is a new species of the genus Henneguya.
Identification of optimum scopes of environmental drivers for schistosome-transmitting Oncomelania hupensis using agent-based model in Dongting Lake Region, China
Authors: Huang Junhui , Wang Jiamin , Gong Yanfeng , Xu Ning , Zhou Yu , Zhu Liyun , Shi Liang , Chen Yue , Jiang Qingwu , Zhou Yibiao
Published: November 2024

Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis), the sole intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum, greatly influence the prevalence and distribution of schistosomiasis japonica. The distribution area of O. hupensis has remained extensive for numerous years. This study aimed to establish a valid agent-based model of snail density and further explore the environmental conditions suitable for snail breeding. A marshland with O. hupensis was selected as a study site in Dongting Lake Region, and snail surveys were monthly conducted from 2007 to 2016. Combined with the data from historical literature, an agent-based model of snail density was constructed in NetLogo 6.2.0 and validated with the collected survey data. BehaviorSpace was used to identify the optimal ranges of soil temperature, pH, soil water content, and vegetation coverage for snail growth, development and reproduction. An agent-based model of snail density was constructed and showed a strong agreement with the monthly average snail density from the field surveys. As soil temperature increased, the snail density initially rose before declining, reaching its peak at around 21°C. There were similar variation patterns for other environmental factors. The findings from the model suggested that the optimum ranges of soil temperature, pH, soil water content and vegetation coverage were 19°C to 23 °C, 6.4 to 7.6, 42% to 75%, and 70% to 93%, respectively. A valid agent-based model of snail density was constructed, providing more objective information about the optimum ranges of environmental factors for snail growth, development and reproduction.
A living reasonable account: on the status of Timaeus’ eikōs logos (again)
Authors: Petrucci Federico M.
Published: November 2024

Is an account of hair or nails as negotiable as one of the Demiurge? It should not be. The aim of this paper is to supplement existing interpretations of Timaeus’ eikōs logos in order to provide well-grounded answers to this and similar questions. More specifically, I shall demonstrate that Timaeus’ account cannot be confined to a single epistemological field, namely that of unstable likeliness, because it exhibits a much more nuanced and graduated structure, just as do the realities it deals with, and, as a whole, leaves minimal room for refutation and scepticism.
Investigation of the effect of serotonin-activated semen washing medium on sperm motility at the molecular level: a pilot study
Authors: Moshfeghi Elnaz , Yilmazer Yasemin , Dogan Sinem , Aydin Turgut , Findikli Necati , Ozbek Tulin
Published: November 2024

In Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), efficient sperm preparation is vital for successful fertilization, with washing media enhancing the process. This pilot study examines the molecular-level impact of a new serotonin-containing sperm-washing medium (Prototype) on sperm motility and ROS metabolism, comparing it with commercially available media (Origio and Irvine). Semen samples from thirty-one individuals underwent preparation using the swim-up method post-semen analysis. Each sample was separately washed with the Prototype, Origio and Irvine mediums. ROS formation was determined through flow cytometric, and AT2R and PRDX2 protein levels, associated with sperm motility, were assessed via Western blot. Statistical evaluation compared the findings among the three outlined media. Significant differences were found among three washing media in terms of total and progressive motility. The Prototype medium showed the highest increase in both total (66%) and progressive motility (59%), while the control group exhibited the lowest increases (41% and 27.7%, respectively). Regarding ROS levels, the prototype (11.5%) and Origio (10.7%) groups demonstrated a notable decrease, contrasting with Irvine (25.8%). Molecular assessment revealed a significant elevation in AT2R protein levels in the prototype medium (59%), compared to other media. Additionally, an increase in PRDX2 protein levels was observed in the prototype medium, although this didn’t reach statistical significance. Serotonin-activated washing media for sperm preparation can be a suitable choice for selecting high-quality sperm in ART. A broader molecular analysis with a larger sample size is required to explore the mechanisms and effectiveness of using a serotonin-containing sperm-washing medium in routine ART.
‘Are You Really Anglicans?’ Reflections on Church Planting, Innovation and Ecclesiastical Authority in the Church of England
Authors: Cockayne Joshua
Published: November 2024

This paper seeks to grapple with questions of polity and innovation in the Church of England and specifically to explore the place of non-parochial forms of church within this tradition of Anglicanism. The paper begins by outlining recent developments within the Church of England around the ‘mixed ecology’ and church planting, before summarizing Alison Milbank’s recent critique of these changes. Then, building on in example of the Guild Churches Act from London Diocese in the mid-twentieth century, it is argued that within a commitment to Anglican polity there lies a vision for creativity in mission which might sometimes mean the pursuing non-parochial forms of ministry.
Late Miocene Uplift and Exhumation of the Lesser Himalaya Recorded by Clumped Isotope Compositions of Detrital Carbonate
Authors: Ryb U. , Ponton C. , France‐Lanord C. , Yoshida K. , Eiler J. M.
Published: November 2024

The Himalaya orogen evolved since the Eocene as the Tethyan‐, Greater‐, Lesser‐ and Sub‐Himalaya thrust sheets were uplifted and exhumed in sequence. Reconstructing the provenance of sediment in Himalayan River systems can inform on stages in the tectonic history of the orogen. Here, we analyze the oxygen, carbon and “clumped” isotope compositions of carbonate minerals from Himalayan bedrock, Ganga River sediments and Bengal Fan turbidite deposits. We demonstrate that river sediments consist of a mixture of Himalayan‐derived and authigenic calcite precipitated in the river system. The relative abundance and clumped isotope apparent temperatures of detrital calcite in turbidite deposits decreased between the Late Miocene and Pliocene, while chemical weathering intensity did not increase during this interval. Considered together, these results reflect the establishment of the Lesser Himalaya as an important carbonate sediment source for Himalayan rivers, driven by the uplift and exhumation of this thrust sheet.
Optimal Atmospheric Heat Sources for the Interannual Variability of South Asian Summer Monsoon
Authors: Lu Tong , Hu Kaiming , Huang Gang , Wang Ya
Published: November 2024

Using a Green's function‐like approach, this study identifies optimal atmospheric heat sources for the two leading modes of South Asian Summer Monsoon (SASM) interannual variability. Optimal heating for the first mode, characterized by a lower‐level anomalous anticyclone over northern Bay of Bengal (BOB), is distributed over the Arabian Sea and tropical eastern Indian Ocean (EIO)‐Maritime Continent, with cooling over the BOB‐western North Pacific. In contrast, heating over the tropical southwestern Indian Ocean and equatorial Atlantic, along with cooling over the tropical EIO‐western Pacific, optimally drives the second mode, featuring an anomalous anticyclone over central‐northern India. El Niño/Southern Oscillation indirectly influences SASM by triggering heat sources resembling these optimal patterns. Other sea surface temperatures (SSTs), like those over equatorial Atlantic, can also generate similar heating structures, causing corresponding SASM anomalies. This suggests that the impact of SST modes on SASM depends on the similarity of induced heat sources to optimal patterns.
Estimation of Recovery Efficiency in High‐Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Considering Buoyancy Flow
Authors: Gao H. , Zhou D. , Tatomir A. , Li K. , Ganzer L. , Jaeger P. , Brenner G. , Sauter M.
Published: November 2024

With their high storage capacity and energy efficiency as well as the compatibilities with renewable energy sources, high‐temperature aquifer thermal energy storage (HT‐ATES) systems are frequently the target today in the design of temporally and spatially balanced and continuous energy supply systems. The inherent density‐driven buoyancy flow is of greater importance with HT‐ATES, which may lead to a lower thermal recovery efficiency than conventional low‐temperature ATES. In this study, the governing equations for HT‐ATES considering buoyancy flow are nondimensionalized, and four key dimensionless parameters regarding thermal recovery efficiency are determined. Then, using numerical simulations, recovery efficiency for a sweep of the key dimensionless parameters for multiple cycles and storage volumes is examined. Ranges of the key dimensionless parameters for the three displacement regimes, that is, a buoyancy‐dominated regime, a conduction‐dominated regime, and a transition regime, are identified. In the buoyancy‐dominated regime, recovery efficiency is mainly correlated to the ratio between the Rayleigh number and the Peclet number. In the conduction‐dominated regime, recovery efficiency is mainly correlated to the product of a material‐related parameter and the Peclet number. Multivariable regression functions are provided to estimate recovery efficiency using the dimensionless parameters. The recovery efficiency estimated by the regression function shows good agreement with the simulation results. Additionally, well screen designs for optimizing recovery efficiency at various degrees of intensity of buoyancy flow are investigated. The findings of this study can be used for a quick assessment and characterization of the potential HT‐ATES systems based on the geological and operational parameters.