bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of crosshead-guided lubrication systems for hydraulic fracturing plunger pumps
Authors: Kireev Sergey , Stepanov Valentin , Korchagina Marina
Published: November 2024

Efficient extraction of hard-to-recover hydrocarbon reserves requires impressive expenditures on the use of advanced technologies and energy-intensive equipment. Hydraulic fracturing technologies require the use of high-pressure pumps (105 and 138 MPa), and this determines the use of plunger pumps in these conditions. To relieve the radial load on the plunger seals, a crosshead layout of the drive part is used. The goal is to investigate crosshead (guide) load distribution throughout the crankcase and also the oil distribution in the crosshead-guide gap to find the most efficient design. The methods of simulation modeling of the kinematics of the crosshead and connecting rod group with the use of modal analysis were applied for the study. The analysis was performed taking into account the elastic properties of the crosshead, seal and connecting rod. The Reynolds-Stokes-Halerkin finite element method (R-SGFEM) with sliding boundary conditions was used to model and study hydrodynamic lubrication. A study was conducted for three types of oil channels on the crosshead: one longitudinal channel at the apex, one longitudinal channel and two transverse channels, one longitudinal channel and three transverse channels. Load distribution graphs were obtained for the contact area with respect to the oil-feeding hole in the guide. The obtained data make it possible to understand the nature of the crosshead sliding on the guide and evaluate the possibility of providing the hydrostatic mode in the friction knot at different types of the lubricant supply into the contact zone. The study showed one of the causes of increased wear of the bottom guide of the crosshead, which consists in insufficient non-drying ability of the lubricating layer and allowed to determine the parameters for further research and optimization of the node design.
Recovery of non-ferrous metals from Allarechensk waste dump by low-temperature roasting pathway
Authors: Goryachev Andrey , Kompanchenko Alena , Potapov Sergey , Makarov Dmitriy
Published: November 2024

Processing of Allarechensk technogenic deposit (Murmansk region, Russia) by the low-temperature roasting method in mixture with ammonium sulfate was carried out in a laboratory scale. The ore was grinded to various size classes, mixed with ammonium sulfate and the mixture was roasted in a muffle furnace under a static air atmosphere, varying the roasting temperature from 300 to 500 °C, roasting duration from 60 to 300 minutes. The roasted mixture was leached in heated distilled water with constant stirring for 40 minutes. Using a particle size class of -40 microns, a raw material to reagent ratio of 1:7, after roasting at a temperature of 400 °C at the water leaching stage the metals recovery was: Ni 91.5%, Cu 94.8%. Copper was extracted from the pregnant solution by the method of cementation on iron, and nickel was extracted by adding brucite (Mg(OH)2) to the solution.
Increasing the wear resistance of gears during laser hardening
Authors: Biryukov Vladimir
Published: November 2024

The paper presents the main results of metallographic studies and tribotechnical tests of steel for the production of 25CrMnTi gears. Quenching of the samples was performed using a defocused and oscillating beam normal to the processing speed vector. Friction and wear tests were performed on a friction machine according to the scheme: “a flat sample with laser hardening-the end of the sleeve of a counter-tile made of 40X steel”, when industrial oil I20 was dripped onto the surface of a sample hardened by a laser beam. It was found that the microhardness of the samples tempered with an oscillating beam was 620-680 HV, which is 60-90 HV higher than when quenched with a defocused beam and 3 times higher than the hardness of the base material. The cross-sectional area of the laser quenching paths with an oscillating beam was 1.65-1.92 times higher. than when processing with an unfocused beam. The sliding speed of samples hardened by an oscillating and defocused beam to jamming is 2 and 2.5 times and the wear resistance is 4.16 and 3.4 times higher, respectively, than 25CrMnTi steel.
Digital cyber-physical system for designing and manufacturing of conical end mill
Authors: Pivkin Petr , Nazarenko Ekaterina , Grechishnikov Vladimir , Kuznetsov Vladimir , Uvarova Lyudmila , Ershov Artem , Yazev Anton , Nadykto Alexey
Published: November 2024

Active development of digital cyber-physical systems for application the mechanical processing and design of new technologies opens up new opportunities for increasing the efficiency of control and monitoring. Cutting tool as general element of the technological system includes preparatory stages of its development consisting of different subsystems: subsystem for developing design methods; subsystem of CAD/CAM cutting tools (CT), subsystem for developing tool machining schemes; subsystem of automated production of CT, grinding multi-coordinate machine with CNC; subsystem of monitoring and control. Combine a digital twin with 3D computer vision, indicators of the tool machining process and the integration of the main parameters and indicators determined by combining data, knowledge about the grinding process, where the synergetic mechanism of communication of virtual and physical processes is revealed. Focusing on planning the process of disign conical end mills, a prototype tool is created to study potential scenarios for the application of the proposed cyber-physical in the intelligent prediction of the processing process at the stage of virtual shaping, which can provide an idea of the industrial implementation of the digital twin at enterprises in the machine tool industry.
Review of statistics on implementation of environmental innovations in the metallurgical complex
Authors: Zotov Maksim
Published: November 2024

At present, metal ore mining and metallurgical production makes a significant contribution to the economy of many countries, creates added value, jobs, and develops related industries. At the same time, there are also negative consequences, which are expressed in significant pollution of atmospheric air, water sources, soil. This, in turn, affects the ecosystem of regions, countries and the world as a whole. In this regard, the solution of environmental safety issues, both in the process of production and in the process of using products and services are among the priorities. Therefore, it is necessary at all stages of life to improve and develop new methods of production, extraction, which would meet environmental standards. This can be ensured through the introduction of innovations, including environmental ones. The paper analyzes statistical data on the introduction of environmental innovations in the selected industries.
Field tests of the mobile lidar for tropospheric ozone sensing on horizontal (inclined) and vertical paths
Authors: Nevzorov Alexey , Tuzhilkin Dmitry , Nevzorov Aleksey
Published: November 2024

The results of field tests of the mobile lidar for ozone sensing on horizontal (inclined) and vertical paths are presented. The lidar operates on the basis of the differential absorption and scattering method at wavelengths of 299/341 nm and allows receiving lidar signals on a trace up to ~18 km long. The lidar was installed on an isothermal van with an autonomous power supply system. Field tests were conducted on the territory of Tomsk. An example of field measurements is given and the result of lidar sensing is presented.
About smart measuring (metering) systems for monitoring harmful emissions
Authors: Fedkova Tatiana , Gloukhov Dmitry
Published: November 2024

The article examines the forms of implementation of online monitoring of atmospheric emissions from industrial enterprises used in modern practice. The principal composition and some prospects for the implementation of existing advanced domestic developments, as well as “best world practices” at Russian industrial enterprises, are assessed, taking into account the example of a three-level environmental monitoring system in the Chelyabinsk region.
The impact of heat and wind on the environment of cities with hot climate
Authors: Giyasov Botir , Giyasov Ruslan
Published: November 2024

Due to the rapid growth of the national economies, the architecture of cities is improving and acquiring a diverse and complex typology. Large cities and megalopolises are built up with high-rise buildings, the population density increases, the transport infrastructure is being developed and improved. As a result, unfavorable environmental conditions begin to form in the urban spaces. The formation of the environment in cities with a hot climate, which are a popular destination for tourism and recreation, deserve special attention. The peak of active use of the urban space in hot tourist regions occurs in the summer. Active recreation and tourist flows contribute to the intensity of traffic and increase the anthropogenic load on the city. Additionally, the growing density of contemporary buildings and structures causes pollutants to accumulate in the urban environment, preventing natural air exchange. The southern cities’ mesoclimatic features have been examined. Urban expansion is often associated with conditions that worsen air exchange and contribute to the deterioration of the air environment. Based on the graphic-analytical computation of insolation, the contribution of solar radiation to improving air exchange and the environment has been established.
Loading sequence impact of loam and clay on mining dump truck capacity
Authors: Dubinkin Dmitry , Ismailova Shakhnaz , Yalyshev Alexey
Published: November 2024

The paper presents the determination of the load factor of a mining dump truck, taking into account the characteristics of the rock and the load. The parameters of mining equipment and loading schemes of loam and clay on the loading platform of a 240-tonne capacity dumper are analyzed. Models of mining equipment and simulation model of the process of loading loam and clay into the loading platform of the dump truck are developed. Simulation modelling by the method of discrete elements of the process of loading loam and clay into the loading platform of a dump truck was carried out and the values of the weight of the load were obtained both by a single bucket and as a whole in the loading platform. Validation of the obtained results of simulation modelling of the process of loading loam and clay is carried out by comparing the obtained models and the actual geometry of the loam and clay cap in the loading platform of the off-highway truck with a carrying capacity of 240 tones. The dependence of the weight of the load in the loading area of the dump truck with the capacity of 240 t on the number of buckets when loading with the excavators Komatsu PC 2000 and EKG-35 is presented. The influence of the loading sequence of loam and clay on the load capacity utilization factor of the off-highway truck is shown.
Framework development for software functionality in Uzbekistan’s block route centralization system
Authors: Ametova Elnara
Published: November 2024

The article notes the relevance of the use of the latest scientific and technical developments, in transportation management justified by the need to increase the intensity of train traffic and ever-increasing freight turnover while maintaining the safety of train traffic. The solution of actual innovative tasks on the application of electronic devices in railway automation and telemechanics devices will allow to increase the level of transportation safety. Digital information processing and frame modeling techniques were used to achieve this goal. The method of microelectronic implementation of blocks of the set group of the route relay centralization system functional purpose is considered. To formalize the description of blocks of the set group, the method of role frames has been developed, which allows to obtaining of unified information and mathematical support for microprocessor blocks of the set group that control the switching of points, the operation of shunting, and trainset signals. The software purpose of the coupled point control unit is to constantly survey the slot descriptions to determine a positive or negative response. Change of state〖g〗_“PU1,” g_“MU1” indicates the beginning of the procedure for setting a route passing through this point. Changes in the state of the variable g_“NKN,” g_“KN” control units of shunting and trainset signals determine the directions of the software when setting routes. The use of role frame models allowed to optimize the software structure of microcontrollers used to replace the relay contact hardware of the route relay centralization system.
Searches for Rare Decays at CMS
Authors: Chen Kai-Feng
Published: November 2024

Rare decays are suppressed in the Standard Model, making them intriguing avenues for exploring new physics beyond the current theoretical framework. Many new physics models could potentially emerge from the study of these decays, providing the insights how the Standard Model could be extended. This proceeding presents the latest studies on rare B meson and τ lepton decays, specifically $$ {B_{(s)}^0} $$ → µ+µ− and τ → 3µ, using data collected by the CMS experiment. Additionally, recent observations of η 4µ and J/ψ 4µ decays are discussed.
Results from the T2K+NOvA Joint Analysis
Authors: Mikola Veera
Published: November 2024

T2K and NOvA experiments are two long-baseline experiments currently collecting data to study neutrino oscillations, which is a phenomenon where the observed neutrino flavor differs from that produced initially. This stems from neutrino mass and flavor states mixing. The T2K experiment is based in Japan with a peak neutrino energy of 0.6 GeV and a baseline length of 295 km, and the NOvA experiment in the USA with a peak neutrino energy of 2 GeV across a baseline of 810 km. Combining results of these two experiments can give further insight into the observed degeneracies in the oscillation parameter space as they complement each other in detector design and analysis methods. A joint analysis combining the 2020 datasets from both experiments into a unified framework was released earlier this year using detailed likelihoods and consistent statistical treatment.
Neutrino Program at Fermilab - Enhancing proton beam power and accelerator infrastructure
Authors: Sudeshna Ganguly
Published: November 2024

The upcoming long baseline neutrino experiments aim to enhance proton beam power to multi-MW scale and utilize large-scale detectors to address the challenge of limited event statistics. The DUNE experiment at LBNF will test the three neutrino flavor paradigm and directly search for CP violation by studying oscillation signatures in the high intensity νµ (anti-νµ) beam to νe (anti-νe) measured over a long baseline. Higher beam power and improved accelerator up-time will enhance neutrino flux for the neutrino program by increasing the number of protons on target. LBNF/DUNE, as well as PIP-II upgrade and Accelerator Complex Evolution (ACE) plan, play a vital role in this effort. The scientific potential of ACE plan extends beyond neutrino physics, encompassing endeavors such as the Muon Collider, Charged Lepton Flavor Violation (CLFV), Dark Sectors, and exploration of neutrinos beyond DUNE. In the era of higher-power accelerator operation, research in target materials and beam instrumentation is crucial for optimizing design modifications. This abstract discusses Fermilab ACE, the science opportunities it provides, and how Fermilab is pushing the limits of proton beam power and accelerator infrastructure. By tackling neutrino beam challenges and exploring research and development ideas, we are advancing our understanding of fundamental particles and their interactions.
Quantum decoherence and CP violation at Protvino to ORCA experiment
Authors: Bera Chinmay , K N Deepthi
Published: November 2024

In this work, we study the impact of the environmental decoherence at Protvino to ORCA (P2O) experiment which has a substantial baseline of 2595 kilometres. We simulate this experiment assuming different phenomenological models and considering energy dependency of decoherence parameter, $${\gamma \, {\propto }\, E_v^n} $$. Here, Ev is the neutrino energy and n = 0, ±1, ±2. We estimate the sensitivity of P2O experiment to obtain the upper bounds on y parameters in each of these cases. Additionally, we use these bounds to illustrate the effect of environmental decoherence on mass hierarchy (MH) and CP violation (CPV) sensitivity of this experiment.

We have noted that P2O poses the strong bound on γ ≤ 1.89 × 10-24 GeV (90% CL) for the case of n = 0. Moreover, we observed that while the MH sensitivity has not changed significantly in all the cases, CP violation sensitivity increased above the standard case for all true values of δCP.
Theory on CKM and heavy quark decay
Authors: Witzel Oliver
Published: November 2024

The combination of precise experimental measurements and theoretical predictions allows to extract Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix elements or constrain flavor changing processes in the standard model. Focusing at theoretical predictions, we review recent highlights from the sector of heavy charm and bottom quark decays. Special emphasis is given to nonperturbative contributions due to the strong force calculated using lattice QCD.
Precision measurements of B-meson decays at ATLAS
Authors: Biros Marek
Published: November 2024

The precise measurement of the CP-violating phase ϕs, the average decay width Γs and the difference between the widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates ΔΓs is presented in the $${B_s^0} $$ → J/ψϕ decay channel. Data of pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV are used, corresponding to 80.5 fb−1 of integrated lu-minosity collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in years 2015–2017. Results are statistically combined with the previous measurement with 19.2 fb−1 data with 7 and 8 TeV energy. The measured values are:

ϕs = −0.087 ± 0.036 (stat.) ± 0.021 (syst.)

Γs = 0.6703 ± 0.0014 (stat.) ± 0.0018 (syst.)

ΔΓs = 0.0657 ± 0.0043 (stat.) ± 0.0037 (syst.).

Moreover, a study estimating the ATLAS detector performance in measuring the CP-violating phase ϕs after the HL-LHC upgrade is presented.
Asymmetric Self-interacting Dark Matter and Neutrino Mass via Dirac Leptogenesis
Authors: Dutta Manoranjan , Narendra Nimmala
Published: November 2024

We propose a framework to address the observed baryon asymmetry considering neutrinos as Dirac particles and dark matter to be self-interacting. The Standard Model is extended by U(1)B−L × U(1)D symmetry. In addition to the three right-handed neutrinos, the Standard Model particle content is extended by two more fermion fields; one of them is a S U(2) singlet and the other one is S U(2) doublet, both charged under the extended symmetry. A Z2 symmetry is imposed under which the doublet is positive while the singlet is negative. The singlet, being the lightest dark sector particle, acts as the dark matter. The U(1)D symmetry of the dark sector is spontaneously broken and the corresponding gauge boson Z′ not only mediates the self-interaction among dark matter particles, but also facilitates the annihilation of the symmetric component of dark matter. CP-violating out of equilibrium decay of another heavy Z2 odd S U(2) scalar doublet N into leptonic and dark sectors produce the observed baryon asymmetry and dark matter density. Moreover, Z′ also mixes with the standard model Z-boson opening up a portal for the direct detection of dark matter.
Principales causes d’ulcères de la cornée chez le chien et le chat
Authors: Jongh Olivier
Published: November 2024

Les ulcères de cornée constituent un des plus grands motifs de consultation en ophtalmologie chez le chien et le chat. Ils admettent des causes variées, mais d’importance inégale dans ces deux espèces. Il en découle une démarche rigoureuse avec un choix pertinent des examens complémentaires. Les causes infectieuses, mécaniques, dysimmunitaires, les déficits lacrymaux, les anomalies cornéennes concomitantes et les causes iatrogènes et neurogènes sont étudiées successivement. Elles conditionnent, en effet, le succès thérapeutique.
Spatial Decay Estimates for the Moore-Gibson-Thompson Heat Equation
Authors: SHI Jincheng
Published: November 2024

In this article, the Moore-Gibson-Thompson heat equation in three-dimensional cylindrical domain are studied. Using a second order differential inequality, we obtain that the solution can decay exponentially as the distance from the entry section tends to infinity. Our result can be seen as a version of Saint-Venant principle.
Relevanz von seltenen Hauttumoren – kutane Sarkome
Authors: Jochims Franziska , Ziemer Mirjana
Published: November 2024

Sarkome der Haut sind maligne Neoplasien, die von mesenchymalen Zellen der Kutis und oberen Subkutis ausgehen. Sie sind getrennt von den i.d.R. wesentlich aggressiveren Weichteilsarkomen tiefer gelegener Strukturen zu betrachten, da sie sich im biologischen Verhalten, ihrer Prognose und damit verbunden den therapeutischen Maßnahmen deutlich unterscheiden.

In Deutschland werden im Krebsregister keine Zahlen zur Inzidenz kutaner Sarkome erfasst. Gemäß einer aktuellen Erhebung 4 deutscher Hauttumorzentren scheint jedoch das atypische Fibroxanthom mit rund 50% der Fälle den größten Anteil der kutanen Sarkome auszumachen. Weitere 20% verteilen sich auf das Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans und das pleomorphe dermale Sarkom. Seltener treten Kaposi-Sarkome, Angiosarkome, Leiomyosarkome, Liposarkome oder neurogene Sarkome der Haut auf. Aufgrund der in den letzten Jahren erfolgten Diagnoseschärfung des atypischen Fibroxanthoms/pleomorphen dermalen Sarkoms hat sich der Anteil letztgenannter deutlich erhöht, zugleich hat sich im Zuge der effizienten antiretroviralen Therapie der Anteil HIV-assoziierter Kaposi-Sarkome entscheidend verringert.

Zur Diagnosesicherung ist eine tiefe Inzisionsbiopsie und die histologische Aufarbeitung unter Einbezug immunhistochemischer Marker und z.T. auch molekularpathologischer Untersuchungen notwendig.

Eine für alle kutanen Sarkome geltende einheitliche Klassifikation und Stadieneinteilung gibt es nicht.

Das primäre Therapieziel ist, soweit möglich und sinnvoll, die komplette Exzision des Primärtumors bevorzugt mit mikroskopisch kontrollierter Chirurgie.

Neben den Leitlinien für das Kaposi-Sarkom, das Angiosarkom und das Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans sind in den letzten Jahren weitere Leitlinien für das atypische Fibroxanthom/pleomorphe dermale Sarkom und das superfizielle Leiomyosarkom entwickelt worden, die den Umgang mit diesen Erkrankungen im klinischen Alltag erheblich erleichtert haben.
Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor for Pharmaceutical and Chemical Applications
Authors: Li Junhua , Zhou Yibo , Zhou Hanqi , Liu Fengfan , Zhang Fuli
Published: November 2024

In the fields of drug synthesis and fine chemicals, the traditional kettle-type reactor with a small heat exchange area and the microreactor which is easy to clog, are not suitable for the reaction with fast reaction speed, large heat release, and high solid content. However, the continuously stirred reactor has the advantages of high mass and heat transfer efficiency, high reaction safety, and not easy to be clogged, and therefore, has a great potential for application. This paper reviews the research progress of continuous agitation reactors in organic synthesis, drug crystallization, and biocatalysis, hoping to provide a reference for applications of continuous agitation reactors in the pharmaceutical and chemical fields.
Boron-Containing Compounds as Antimicrobial Agents to Tackle Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Huang Zongkai , Bai Lang , Liu Jie , Luo Youfu
Published: November 2024

Bacterial infections, especially those caused by drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, are crucial diseases that damage human health. In recent decades, several important boron-containing drugs have been marketed as anticancer agents or anti-infective adjuvants. Among them, vaborbactam revitalizes the antibacterial effects of meropenem against bacteria by inhibiting β-lactamases, opening a new field for addressing bacterial resistance. In this article, the chemical features of boron atoms and the typical antibacterial agents and adjuvants of boron-containing compounds are reviewed. In this work, boron-containing agents are classified into four categories according to their action mechanisms: β-lactamase inhibitors, leucyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors, LexA self-cleavage inhibitors, and NorA efflux pump inhibitors. This review provides actionable insights for addressing the increasingly severe drug-resistant infections of bacterial pathogens.
Calcific Enthesitis of Lateral Patellofemoral Ligament: A Rare Cause of Anterolateral Knee Pain
Authors: Mettu Sindhura , Shirodkar Kapil , Henderson Robert , Iyengar Karthikeyan P. , Botchu Rajesh
Published: November 2024

Hydroxyapatite deposition disease is a common musculoskeletal pathology that often affects rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder joint. Here, we present the first documented case of acute calcific enthesitis involving the lateral patellar retinaculum, specifically the lateral patellofemoral ligament (LPFL). A 35-year-old male presented with insidious onset atraumatic pain persisting for 3 months on the lateral aspect of the knee, intensifying over the past week. Clinical examination revealed focal tenderness in the anterolateral region of the knee, with no signs of patellar instability. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, which revealed thickening and calcification within the LPFL and perilesional edema, further confirmed on computed tomography and ultrasonography. Patient was managed successfully with barbotage with complete resolution of symptoms. This case highlights the importance of considering calcification of LPFL in the differential diagnosis of anterolateral knee pain and underscores the importance of different imaging modalities for prompt diagnosis.
Electrochemical transformation of 2D materials to their quantum dots
Authors: Isaac Bikash Ranjan , Pillai Vijayamohanan K.
Published: November 2024

The term two-dimensional (2D) material refers to a single layer of monatomic units or molecules that reveals distinct electrical and optical properties and has received much attention recently due to its immense application potential. For example, graphene as a monolayer has captured intense efforts during the past decade, and other 2D materials like transition metal dichalcogenides, phosphorene, borophene, bismuthene, and stanene have also evolved for various applications such as nanoelectronics, hydrogen storage, supercapacitors, and solar cells. More recently, their heterostructures including Janus layers have also emerged with several exceptional electronic properties. Although there are several ways of synthesizing quantum dots of these exciting materials, electrochemical methods are especially relevant for preparing 2D materials (often in a size-controlled manner) from suitable precursors. More importantly, hetero-atom doping could also be carried out at room temperature when these materials are prepared by applying electric field without any major change in the morphology or size distribution after doping. With this disposition, we summarize the essential experimental methodology and a few mechanistic insights for the electrochemical synthesis of quantum dots from different 2D materials. This topic has not been discussed unambiguously in the past, lacking the proper motivation to emphasize the importance of controlling the electric field, substrate electrodes, precursors, and the role of counter ions during the synthesis. In this review, we concisely discuss the synthesis of such 0D materials by electrochemical methods, the mechanism, advantages, and limitations in comparison with other methods, along with the benefits ensued for a few selected applications. The genre of this category of work has always been intriguing despite the fact that only a few other groups are involved in the synthetic methodology, making the topic an everchanging field of exciting applications ranging from flexible power sources for wearable electronics to green electrocatalysts for sustainability and nano-sensors for biological applications.
Relationship status and sexual health service engagement among young people in the United Kingdom: a cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Large Jack , Vieira Selma , Sargeant Cora , Scholfield Clare , Armstrong Heather L.
Published: November 2024

Background Sexual health service engagement is important for the healthy sexual development of young people. Further, as later adolescence and early adulthood are critical periods for relationship development, sexual health needs may vary across this period and be associated with relationship status. Methods A total of 468 participants, aged 16–25 years (mean age: 19.7 years) and living in the United Kingdom, completed an anonymous, online survey about their sexual health service use. To explore how relationship status is associated with engagement for five different sexual health services, we conducted chi-squared and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results In general, engagement with sexual health services was low: 28.2% reported accessing free condoms, 21.4% reported STI testing, and 9.4% had used relationship advice services. Among women only, 57.2% had accessed services to start the pill and 19.6% had done so for pregnancy testing. Among all participants, those in relationships were more likely to have accessed sexual health services for free condoms (aOR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.59). Among female participants, those in relationships were more likely to have accessed sexual health services to start the pill (aOR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.45, 3.36) and for pregnancy testing (aOR: 3.86, 95% CI: 2.20, 6.78). There were no differences by relationship status for accessing sexual health services for STI testing or relationship advice. Conclusions Health care providers and relationship and sexual education providers should encourage all young people to engage with sexual health services, while also recognising that sexual health needs are likely to vary depending on relationship status.
Calcineurin-fusion facilitates cryo-EM structure determination of a Family A GPCR
Authors: Xu Jun , Chen Geng , Wang Haoqing , Cao Sheng , Heng Jie , Deupi Xavier , Du Yang , Kobilka Brian K.
Published: November 2024

Advances in singe-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have made it possible to solve the structures of numerous Family A and Family B G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in complex with G proteins and arrestins, as well as several Family C GPCRs. Determination of these structures has been facilitated by the presence of large extramembrane components (such as G protein, arrestin, or Venus flytrap domains) in these complexes that aid in particle alignment during the processing of the cryo-EM data. In contrast, determination of the inactive state structure of Family A GPCRs is more challenging due to the relatively small size of the seven transmembrane domain (7TM) and to the surrounding detergent micelle that, in the absence of other features, make particle alignment impossible. Here, we describe an alternative protein engineering strategy where the heterodimeric protein calcineurin is fused to a GPCR by three points of attachment, the cytoplasmic ends of TM5, TM6, and TM7. This three-point attachment provides a more rigid link with the GPCR transmembrane domain that facilitates particle alignment during data processing, allowing us to determine the structures of the β2adrenergic receptor (β2AR) in the apo, antagonist-bound, and agonist-bound states. We expect that this fusion strategy may have broad application in cryo-EM structural determination of other Family A GPCRs.
A speed limit on tachyon fields from cosmological and fine-structure data
Authors: Dias J.D.F. , Schöneberg Nils , Vacher Léo , Martins C.J.A.P. , Vinzl Samy
Published: November 2024

The rolling tachyon is a non-canonical scalar field model well motivated in string theory which naturally predicts variations of the fine-structure constant. Such variations can in principle lead to interesting observable consequences, but they can also lead to extremely tight constraints on these kinds of models. In this work we subject the rolling tachyon model evolving in a variety of potentials to current data and show that most cosmologically interesting evolutions are already strongly excluded. We find |1 + w
0| < 10-3 from cosmological data and |1 + w
0| < 10-9 from fine-structure data, leaving the rolling tachyon to either play a role almost entirely equivalent to a cosmological constant or that of a test field. We also find that in most of the allowed parameter space the field evolves very slowly, allowing its evolution to be approximated as an equivalent canonical scalar field.
Human-caused ocean warming has intensified recent hurricanes
Authors: Gilford Daniel M , Giguere Joseph , Pershing Andrew J
Published: November 2024

Understanding how rising global air and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) influence tropical cyclone intensities is crucial for assessing current and future storm risks. Using observations, climate models, and potential intensity theory, this study introduces a novel rapid attribution framework that quantifies the impact of historically-warming North Atlantic SSTs on observed hurricane maximum wind speeds. The attribution framework employs a storyline attribution approach exploring a comprehensive set of counterfactuals scenarios—estimates characterizing historical SST shifts due to human-caused climate change—and considering atmospheric variability. These counterfactual scenarios affect the quantification and significance of attributable changes in hurricane potential and observed actual intensities since pre-industrial. A summary of attributable influences on hurricanes during five recent North Atlantic hurricane seasons (2019–2023) and a case study of Hurricane Ian (2022) reveal that human-driven SST shifts have already driven robust changes in 84% of recent observed hurricane intensities. Hurricanes during the 2019–2023 seasons were 8.3 m s−1 faster, on average, than they would have been in a world without climate change. The attribution framework’s design and application, highlight the potential for this framework to support climate communication.
Power and Powerlessness in Union Ireland
Authors: O’Neill Ciaran
Published: November 2024

Life in a Palliative State an exploratory book that challenges assumptions about who might have been powerful, or powerless, in Union Ireland. It decentres sectarian division, popular and parliamentary politics, and the tradition of physical-force nationalism and emphasizes transnational phenomena, a settler colonial diaspora, and minority groups on the island. Departing from the conventional focus on political leaders like Parnell and De Valera, the book concentrates on the everyday dynamics of power and resistance during the Union. Structured as interlocking essays spanning the long nineteenth century, the book begins by defining the power structures that governed Ireland. Subsequent chapters examine the governance of Ireland, the development of infrastructure, and the mapping of its population and territory. Drawing on feminist theories of power, the book also explores marginalised groups and their agency within Irish society, debunking the myth of Irish ‘ungovernability.’ One is the Irish diaspora, positioned as both a resource and a threat within the wider context of European settler colonialism. By analysing the diaspora’s influence and the phenomenon of remittances, the book challenges prevailing notions of powerlessness. By tracing a geographical journey from East to West, the book questions traditional representations of authenticity and colonisation.
Introduction
Authors: O’Neill Ciaran
Published: November 2024

This chapter outlines the main arguments and parameters of the study. It interrogates the existing historiography and explains the theoretical influences in the book. These range from feminist readings of power by Hannah Arendt to Amy Allen, and work by Robert A. Dahl, Mark Haugaard, Antonio Gramsci, and Michel Foucault.
The Irish Settler Colonial Diaspora
Authors: O’Neill Ciaran
Published: November 2024

The Irish diaspora was and is deeply connected to patterns of European settler colonialism, indigenous dispossession, and the exploitation of material and economic resources globally. The presence of hyphenated Irish people worldwide maps almost directly onto the map of the European colonial project, yet the Irish diaspora is rarely—if ever—conceived of as a settler colonial one. Exploring the Irish diaspora’s dual role as both a resource and a potential threat, this chapter situates it within the context of European settler colonial diasporas. It analyses the significance of remittances and female diaspora networks, arguing for the diaspora’s latent power and threat as a constant feature of Union Ireland.
Marginalized Religion and the Law in the Roman Empire
Authors: Janssen K P S
Published: November 2024

The Roman Empire’s approach to religion has traditionally been described in ambiguous terms. On the one hand, Rome has often been regarded as almost proverbially tolerant, as well as highly flexible in its dealings with the diverse range of religious cults and practices within its territories. On the other hand, the Roman religious landscape was not without its limits, and there were certain groups who found themselves, for one reason or another, on the outside. Within scholarship, however, the legal interactions between such groups and the Roman authorities have widely been studied in isolation. This book instead takes a comparative approach, and investigates how members of various marginalized religious groups were embedded in, and interacted with, the wider Roman legal system. It compares and contrasts the legal treatment of private diviners, Jewish communities, and early Christians, and in doing so aims to provide a broader perspective on the legal treatment of marginalized religion in the Roman world. The study suggests that the known interactions between these respective groups and the Roman authorities are best understood within the wider context of Roman law and administration, and argues that they furthermore shared a number of important characteristics. While the treatment these groups received was certainly not in all respects identical, the procedural, socio-political, and ideological mechanisms that underpinned the relevant legal measures were nonetheless conspicuously similar.
Judaism in Roman Legal Measures
Authors: Janssen K P S
Published: November 2024

Chapter 3 deals with the legal treatment of Jewish communities during both the republican and imperial periods. It discusses the extent to which members of these communities were perceived as a religious group, before discussing Roman legal measures dealing with Judaism in more detail. Throughout this chapter, it is argued that interactions between Jewish communities and the Roman authorities, whether positive or negative, were the result of repeated negotiation, often at the initiative of Jewish communities themselves in response to particular difficulties, and were therefore overwhelmingly local in nature. In these negotiations, precedents and established ancestral customs played an important part, as did the availability of institutions and leadership structures, like elite embassies, the high priests, and the kings of Judea, that were recognizable to the Roman authorities. In addition, measures were repeated with some frequency, sometimes soon after they were originally issued, which suggests that they could easily fall into disuse and could be subject to renegotiation. While the available sources suggest that the Romans often sided with Jewish communities, it should be noted that the legal position of Jewish communities was hardly consistently favourable, and that they were often subjected to the debates about the extent to which they ‘belonged’ within the cities of the Graeco-Roman world. In addition, the transregional connections between different Jewish communities not only allowed for the exchange of useful precedent but also contributed to the implementation of the famous Jewish Tax, which stands as a clear sign of Judaism’s complex position.
Conclusion
Authors: Janssen K P S
Published: November 2024

The Conclusion outlines the main points of comparison between the various case studies and analyses the underlying factors that collectively shaped the legal treatment of marginalized religion in the Roman Empire. It argues that the known legal interactions between the Roman authorities and divination, Judaism, and early Christianity shared a number of important characteristics, which ultimately found their basis in the workings of Roman law and administration. While the legal treatment of these marginalized religious groups, then, was certainly not identical, it nevertheless emerged from the same legal and administrative framework and was shaped by the same underlying mechanisms, structures, and principles.
The Epigraphic Habit in Post-Conquest Hispania
Authors: Houten Pieter
Published: November 2024

This chapter considers the epigraphic habit in relation to the self-governing communities of the early imperial Iberian Peninsula. The entanglement of juridical status, monumentality, epigraphic output, and research bias poses a challenge for interpreting the data relevant for Latinization. However, by turning to macro-level analyses, we can discern general patterns that can be refined by case studies focusing on regions and epigraphic text and material types (for example, the milestones of Bracaraugustanus). The chapter shows that the spread of the epigraphic habit is the result of an interplay between the status of communities and their understanding, or interpretation, of the epigraphic habit. Neighbouring communities tended to engage in intercity rivalry, and those with supra-regional function also tended to compete with communities further away. In order to untangle research bias and diagnose the various factors motivating the epigraphic habit, we must enhance the data further, adding more precise geospatial information.
Literacy in Gaul
Authors: Feugère Michel , Anna Willi
Published: November 2024

In an effort to draw scholarly attention to non-monumental epigraphy, and so-called instrumentum in particular, this contribution explores the relationship of inscribed small finds and literacy among the provincial population in Gaul. Using the epigraphic module of the online database Artefacts as a basis, the authors discuss two case studies: the environment of production and the so-called speaking objects. The results demonstrate how instrumentum can shed a light on a wide range of literacies in different contexts and for different purposes, exposing linguistic subtleties and regional phenomena that are crucial to our understanding of literacy and language use in ancient communities. However, as the authors highlight, there is a need for more awareness among scholars of the varied nature of inscribed small finds and their correct recording in databases, in order to enable their contextualization in future research.
Prenatal exposure to residential greenness, fetal growth, and birth outcomes: a cohort study in New York City
Authors: Heo Seulkee , Afanasyeva Yelena , Liu Mengling , Mehta-Lee Shilpi , Yang Wenqing , Trasande Leonardo , Bell Michelle L , Ghassabian Akhgar
Published: November 2024

Findings for greenspace’s impacts on birth outcomes are largely dependent on vegetation indexes. Examinations are needed for various greenspace indicators given varying pathways for fetal development. This prospective cohort study assessed the impacts of prenatal greenspace exposure on preterm birth (PTB), term low birthweight (TLBW), birthweight, and estimated fetal weight (EFW) for pregnant women in the New York City area, 2016–2023 (n=2765). Longitudinal greenspace exposure was measured for residential histories during pregnancy using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) for 1000m buffers and four park metrics, namely, the total number, sum of area, and the accessibility of parks within residential buffers (500 m) and the distance to the closest park. Multivariable regression models were used to estimate the associations for quartiles of exposure (with the first quartile [Q1] as reference). Greenspace exposure was not associated with TLBW, birthweight, or EFW. Odds ratios of PTB for the Q2, Q3, and Q4 EVI exposure groups compared to the Q1 group were 0.65 (95% CI: 0.43–0.98), 0.51 (0.32–0.80), and 0.56 (0.35–0.90), respectively. PTB risks decreased in higher exposure groups (Q2–Q4) of the total park number. Results indicate the benefits of prenatal greenspace exposure for fetal maturity and neonatal outcomes.
Historicising the Monstrous: Georges Bataille’s ‘Les écarts de la nature’ (1930), Pronatalism and French Eugenics in the Interwar Period
Authors: Persson Disa
Published: November 2024

In 1930, six teratological illustrations of children, victims of infant mortality or stillborn, appeared in the avant-garde magazine Documents. Nuancing the deconstructionist reception of the journal, this essay historicises Documents’ ‘monstrous’ children, returning them to the visual culture of interwar France to reinterpret their criticality. Once resituated within such an image economy, the avant-garde strategy that emerges hinges not on an ability to displace signification but on the legibility of an anxiety-laden motif, radically repurposed. Indeed, permeated by fears of impending depopulation, the image of the infant occupied charged territory in Third Republican France. Consequently, French eugenicists too anchored their rhetoric in this anguished terrain. When Documents intervened in France’s longstanding obsession with the child, its ideological currency was agitated. The political programme that it upheld was subverted. As Georges Bataille joyously announced alongside the teratological illustrations, all eugenics proved was that each ‘individual’, unable to meet its ultra-utopian ideals, is ‘a monster’.
RiceSNP-BST: a deep learning framework for predicting biotic stress–associated SNPs in rice
Authors: Xu Jiajun , Gao Yujia , Lu Quan , Zhang Renyi , Gui Jianfeng , Liu Xiaoshuang , Yue Zhenyu
Published: November 2024

Rice consistently faces significant threats from biotic stresses, such as fungi, bacteria, pests, and viruses. Consequently, accurately and rapidly identifying previously unknown single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the rice genome is a critical challenge for rice research and the development of resistant varieties. However, the limited availability of high-quality rice genotype data has hindered this research. Deep learning has transformed biological research by facilitating the prediction and analysis of SNPs in biological sequence data. Convolutional neural networks are especially effective in extracting structural and local features from DNA sequences, leading to significant advancements in genomics. Nevertheless, the expanding catalog of genome-wide association studies provides valuable biological insights for rice research. Expanding on this idea, we introduce RiceSNP-BST, an automatic architecture search framework designed to predict SNPs associated with rice biotic stress traits (BST-associated SNPs) by integrating multidimensional features. Notably, the model successfully innovates the datasets, offering more precision than state-of-the-art methods while demonstrating good performance on an independent test set and cross-species datasets. Additionally, we extracted features from the original DNA sequences and employed causal inference to enhance the biological interpretability of the model. This study highlights the potential of RiceSNP-BST in advancing genome prediction in rice. Furthermore, a user-friendly web server for RiceSNP-BST (http://rice-snp-bst.aielab.cc) has been developed to support broader genome research.