bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical activated molybdenum oxides based multiphase heterostructures with high hydrogen evolution activity in alkaline condition
Authors: Xu Chao , Chang Pu , Liu Zongli , Guan Lixiu , Wang Xiaohu , Tao Junguang
Published: August 2023

Electrochemical activation is an effective method for synthesizing economically feasible heterogeneous hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts. Herein, we first synthesized MoO2-Co2Mo3O8 precatalyst, which was electrochemically activated to produce K2Mo3O10 within the original phase to form the heterogeneous structure. The electrochemically activated samples demonstrate exceptional HER activity in alkaline medium, which exhibit a low overpotential of 31 mV at current density of 10 mA cm−2 (135 mV at 100 mA cm−2), as well as a small Tafel slope of 34 mV dec−1. This is due to the creation of multiphase heterostructures that prompt interfacial interactions and accelerate charge transfer. Simultaneously, the creation of additional active sites increases their intrinsic activities. The combined effects collectively enhance the HER performance. The application of this method in the preparation of HER catalysts is still relatively unexplored, thus rendering our work a pioneering contribution to the field.
Mechanical properties of hockey sticks: practical introduction to elasticity
Authors: Pecháček Matěj , Šlégrová Leontýna , Šlégr Jan , Voglová Kateřina
Published: August 2023

An ordinary ice hockey stick is nowadays a sophisticated product made of composite material. In this article, we describe a simple measurement of the mechanical properties of hockey sticks using the three-point flexural test. This experiment can be used to support teaching about elasticity. We show how the properties of a hockey stick change after its repair and how these mechanical properties can be easily modelled using computer software, which can be a first introduction to the finite element method.
Dosimetry for radiobiological in vivo experiments at laser plasma-based proton accelerators
Authors: Reimold Marvin , Assenbaum Stefan , Bernert Constantin , Beyreuther Elke , Brack Florian-Emanuel , Karsch Leonhard , Kraft Stephan D , Kroll Florian , Nossula Alexej , Pawelke Jörg , Rehwald Martin , Schlenvoigt Hans-Peter , Schramm Ulrich , Umlandt Marvin E P , Zeil Karl , Ziegler Tim , Metzkes-Ng Josefine
Published: August 2023

Objective. Laser plasma-based accelerators (LPAs) of protons can contribute to research of ultra-high dose rate radiobiology as they provide pulse dose rates unprecedented at medical proton sources. Yet, LPAs pose challenges regarding precise and accurate dosimetry due to the high pulse dose rates, but also due to the sources’ lower spectral stability and pulsed operation mode. For in vivo models, further challenges arise from the necessary small field dosimetry for volumetric dose distributions. For these novel source parameters and intended applications, a dosimetric standard needs to be established. Approach. In this work, we present a dosimetry and beam monitoring framework for in vivo irradiations of small target volumes with LPA protons, solving aforementioned challenges. The volumetric dose distribution in a sample (mean dose value and lateral/depth dose inhomogeneity) is provided by combining two independent dose measurements using radiochromic films (dose rate-independent) and ionization chambers (dose rate-dependent), respectively. The unique feature of the dosimetric setup is beam monitoring with a transmission time-of-flight spectrometer to quantify spectral fluctuations of the irradiating proton pulses. The resulting changes in the depth dose profile during irradiation of an in vivo sample are hence accessible and enable pulse-resolved depth dose correction for each dose measurement. Main results. A first successful small animal pilot study using an LPA proton source serves as a testcase for the presented dosimetry approach and proves its performance in a realistic setting. Significance. With several facilities worldwide either setting up or already using LPA infrastructure for radiobiological studies with protons, the importance of LPA-adapted dosimetric frameworks as presented in this work is clearly underlined.
Modeling of magnetorheological dampers based on a dual-flow neural network with efficient channel attention
Authors: Li Jiahao , Luo Jiayang , Zhang Feng , Zhou Wei , Wei Xin , Liao Changrong , Shou Mengjie
Published: August 2023

Magnetorheological dampers (MRDs) are intelligent devices for semi-active control and are widely applied in vibration isolation. A high-fidelity modeling method is necessary to take full advantage of the controllable properties of MRDs. Therefore, a nested long short-term memory (NLSTM)-convolutional neural network-efficient channel attention (NLCE) modeling method based on a dual-flow neural network architecture is proposed herein. It uses the time, current, amplitude, frequency, displacement, and velocity as inputs and the damping force as the output. Extensive sinusoidal excitation experiments were conducted using a materials test system and two datasets (large and small sample numbers) were obtained. Five testing sets with different emphases were obtained from different experimental series. Four evaluation indexes were used for a quantitative comparison. First, after training with the large sample dataset, network ablation and comparison experiments were conducted based on a testing set-1. The mean absolute relative error (MARE) evaluation index decreased by 2.290% relative to that of the NLSTM (baseline), indicating that the NLCE method is optimal for predicting the motion characteristics of MRDs. Furthermore, after training with the small sample dataset, comparison experiments were conducted based on testing set-1 and testing set-2. The MAREs decreased by 3.984% and 0.871% relative to that of the NLSTM (baseline), respectively, indicating that the NLCE is also the best modeling method for small sample dataset. The visualization results from the above experiments verified the abilities of the NLCE modeling method for small sample-adaptation, fighting randomness, and identifying similarities. Finally, based on testing set-3, testing set-4 and testing set-5, the NLCE model trained with small sample datasets has high prediction accuracy in predicting the peak damping force (MAREs = 1.456%, 0.880%, and 1.482%, respectively), indicating a high prediction accuracy in the non-hysteretic region. Combining all of the experimental results shows that the NLCE is an effective method for predicting the motion characteristics of MRDs.
Non-Markovian quantum state diffusion for spin environments
Authors: Link Valentin , Luoma Kimmo , Strunz Walter T
Published: August 2023

We introduce an exact open system method to describe the dynamics of quantum systems that are strongly coupled to specific types of environments comprising of spins, such as central spin systems. Our theory is similar to the established non-Markovian quantum state diffusion theory, but for a spin bath instead of a Gaussian bath. The method allows us to represent the time-evolved reduced state of the system as an ensemble average of stochastically evolving pure states. We present a comprehensive theory for arbitrary linear spin environments at both zero and finite temperatures. Furthermore, we introduce a hierarchical expansion method that enables the numerical computation of the time evolution of the stochastic pure states, facilitating a numerical solution of the open system problem in relevant strong coupling regimes.
Analysis of atomic-clock data to constrain variations of fundamental constants
Authors: Sherrill Nathaniel , Parsons Adam O , Baynham Charles F A , Bowden William , Anne Curtis E , Hendricks Richard , Hill Ian R , Hobson Richard , Margolis Helen S , Robertson Billy I , Schioppo Marco , Szymaniec Krzysztof , Tofful Alexandra , Tunesi Jacob , Godun Rachel M , Calmet Xavier
Published: August 2023

We present a new framework to study the time variation of fundamental constants in a model-independent way. Model independence implies more free parameters than assumed in previous studies. Using data from atomic clocks based on87Sr,171Yb+and133Cs, we set bounds on parameters controlling the variation of the fine-structure constant,α, and the electron-to-proton mass ratio,µ. We consider variations on timescales ranging from a minute to almost a day. In addition, we use our results to derive some of the tightest limits to date on the parameter space of models of ultralight dark matter and axion-like particles.
Probing non-standard neutrino interactions with interference: insights from dark matter and neutrino experiments
Authors: Park Jong-Chul , Tomar Gaurav
Published: August 2023

Neutrino-electron scattering experiments play a crucial role in investigating the non-standard interactions of neutrinos.
In certain models, these interactions can include interference terms that may affect measurements.
Next-generation direct detection experiments, designed primarily for dark-matter searches, are also getting sensitive to probe the neutrino properties.
We utilise the data from XENONnT, a direct detection experiment, and Borexino, a low-energy solar neutrino experiment, to investigate the impact of interference on non-standard interactions.
Our study considers models with an additional U(1)
B-L
, including U(1), U(1)
L
e
-
L
µ
, and U(1)
L
e
-
L
τ
, to investigate the impact of interference on non-standard neutrino interactions. We demonstrate that this interference can lead to a transition between the considered non-standard interaction models in the energy range relevant to both the XENONnT and Borexino experiments.
This transition can be used to distinguish among the considered models if any signals are observed at direct detection or neutrino experiments.
Our findings underscore the importance of accounting for the interference and incorporating both direct detection and solar neutrino experiments to gain a better understanding of neutrino interactions and properties.
The self-confinement of electrons and positrons from dark matter
Authors: Regis Marco , Korsmeier Michael , Bernardi Gianni , Pignataro Giada , Reynoso-Cordova Javier , Ullio Piero
Published: August 2023

Radiative emissions from electrons and positrons generated by dark matter (DM) annihilation or decay are one of the most investigated signals in indirect searches of WIMPs.
Ideal targets must have large ratio of DM to baryonic matter. However, such “dark” systems have a poorly known level of magnetic turbulence, which determines the residence time of the electrons and positrons and therefore also the strength of the expected signal. This typically leads to significant uncertainties in the derived DM bounds.
In a novel approach, we compute the self-confinement of the DM-induced electrons and positrons. Indeed, they themselves generate irregularities in the magnetic field, thus setting a lower limit on the presence of the magnetic turbulence.
We specifically apply this approach to dwarf spheroidal galaxies.
Finally, by comparing the expected synchrotron emission with radio data from the direction of the Draco galaxy collected at the Giant Metre Radio Telescope, we show that the proposed approach can be used to set robust and competitive bounds on WIMP DM.
Spectral and polarimetric characterization of the Gas Microchannel plate Pixel Detector
Authors: Feng Huan-Bo , Liu Hong-Bang , Xie Yan-Jun , Fan Zong-Wang , Wang Dong , Liu Shu-Lin , Liu Qian , Li Hang-Zhou , Xie Fei , Liang En-Wei
Published: August 2023

The Gas Microchannel plate Pixel Detector (GMPD) is used to
measure X-ray polarization in astrophysical sources, and is the
prototype of the Low Energy Polarimeter Detector (LPD) in the
POLAR-2 project. The choice of the detector's gas mixture has a
profound impact on its sensitivity to polarized X-rays. Here, we
present the characteristics of the GMPD filled with a mixture of
40% He and 60%DME at 0.8 atm. Using Bragg diffraction, we
generated nearly fully polarized and monochromatic X-rays at an
angle of approximately 45°, and for the first time, we
measured the modulation factor and spectral capability at energies
of 2.98 keV, 4.51 keV, 6.40 keV, and 8.05 keV. The energy
resolution measured is 18% at 6.40 keV, inversely proportional
to the square root of the X-ray energy. The measured modulation
factors were close to those obtained for the GPD developed by
INFN-Pisa and INAF/IASF-Rome, reaching approximately 0.5 above
6 keV, allowing a comparison of the sensitivity of the GMPD and
GPD.
Acceptance tests of Hamamatsu R7081 photomultiplier tubes
Authors: Akindele O.A. , Bernstein A. , Boyd S. , Burns J. , Calle M. , Coleman J. , Collins R. , Ezeribe A.C. , He J. , Holt G. , Jewkes K. , Jones R. , Kneale L. , Lewis P. , Malek M. , Mauger C. , Mitra A. , Muheim F. , Needham M. , Paling S.M. , Pickard L. , Quillin S. , Rex J. , Scovell P.R. , Shaw T. , Smith G.D. , Soos G. , Toth C. , Valder S. , Wade B. , Willett H. , Wilson S.
Published: August 2023

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are traditionally an integral part of large underground experiments as they measure the light emission from particle interactions within the enclosed detection media. The BUTTON experiment will utilise around 100 PMTs to measure the response of different media suitable for rare event searches. A subset of low-radioactivity 10-inch Hamamatsu R7081 PMTs were tested, characterised, and compared to manufacture certification. This manuscript describes the laboratory tests and analysis of gain, peak-to-valley ratio and dark rate of the PMTs to give an understanding of the charge response, signal-to-noise ratio and dark noise background as an acceptance test of the suitability of these PMTs for water-based detectors. Following the evaluation of these tests, the PMT performance agreed with the manufacturer specifications. These results are imperative for modeling the PMT response in detector simulations and providing confidence in the performance of the devices once installed in the detector underground.
Benefits of Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Breast Tissue Expansion: Literature Review and Case Series
Authors: Clausen-Oreamuno Christine , Perez-Rodrigo Silvia , Stillaert Filip B J L , Tejerina Antonio , Tejerina Alejandro , Shellock Frank G
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer results in up to 1.6 million new candidates for yearly breast reconstruction (BR) surgery. Two-stage breast reconstruction surgery with the use of a tissue expander (TE) is a common approach to reconstructing the breast after mastectomy. However, a common disadvantage encountered with the traditional breast TE is the magnetic injection port, which has been reported to cause injuries in patients undergoing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Therefore this type of breast TE is labeled “MR unsafe.” Recent technological advances have incorporated radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the TE to allow for the location of the injection port without magnetic components, resulting in an MR-conditional TE. This paper aims to review the information regarding the safety profile of TEs with magnetic ports and to gather distinct clinical scenarios in which an MR-conditional TE benefits the patient during the BR process. A literature review ranging from 2018 to 2022 was performed with the search terms: “tissue expander” OR “breast tissue expander” AND “magnetic resonance imaging” OR “MRI.” Additionally, a case series was collected from each of the authors’ practices. The literature search yielded 13 recent peer-reviewed papers, and 6 distinct clinical scenarios were compiled and discussed. Most clinicians find MRI examinations to be the state-of-art diagnostic imaging modality. However, due to the preexisting risks associated with TEs with magnetic ports, the MRI labeling classification should be considered when deciding which TE is the most appropriate for the patient requiring MRI examinations.

Level of Evidence: 4
Investigating cortico-striatal beta oscillations in Parkinson’s disease cognitive decline
Authors: Hnazaee Mansoureh Fahimi , Litvak Vladimir
Published: August 2023

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Corticostriatal beta oscillation changes associated with cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease’ by Paulo et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad206).
Immunological Monitoring in Hepatitis C Virus Controlled Human Infection Model
Authors: Shoukry Naglaa H , Cox Andrea L , Walker Christopher M
Published: August 2023

Controlled human infection model trials for hepatitis C virus represent an important opportunity to identify correlates of protective immunity against a well-characterized inoculum of hepatitis C virus and how such responses are modified by vaccination. In this article, we discuss the approach to immunological monitoring during such trials, including a set of recommendations for optimal sampling schedule and preferred immunological assays to examine the different arms of the immune response. We recommend that this approach be adapted to different trial designs. Finally, we discuss how these studies can provide surrogate predictors of the success of candidate vaccines.
Commemorative Architecture, Periclean Athens and the Polish Revolution of 1791: Auguste de Choiseul-Gouffier’s Parthenon-Inspired Temple for Warsaw
Authors: Getka-Kenig Mikołaj
Published: August 2023

Auguste de Choiseul-Gouffier’s design for the Temple of Providence in Warsaw, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s capital, is the earliest known evidence of European fascination with the Parthenon as a model for modern commemorative architecture. However, it was this proposal’s specific political context which makes it especially interesting from the perspective of classical reception studies. It was an artistic reaction of an aristocratic philhellene to the destructive tendencies of the French Revolution on the eve of the Bourbon monarchy’s abolition. The choice of the Parthenon was expressive of Choiseul-Gouffier’s admiration for the idealized heritage of ancient aristocratic republicanism and its alleged relevance to the political culture of the modern ‘republic’ of Poland-Lithuania.
Signalling need for care: a neglected functional role of medical treatment
Authors: de Barra Mícheál , Hakimy Kawthar , de Bruin Marijn
Published: August 2023

Background and Objectives

While the primary goals of medical treatment are typically to shorten illness or relieve symptoms, we explore the idea that an important additional goal for some patients is to communicate their needs. Drawing on signalling theory, we argue that undergoing treatments can help patients legitimize their illness and thereby enable access to crucial support during convalescence.

Methods and Results

Four pre-registered within-subjects experiments (n = 874) show that participants are more inclined to provide care to people who undergo treatment, especially when that treatment is painful. Results show this incentivizes the use of antibiotic treatments for viral infections as well as drug treatments for mental illness. A cross-sectional study of 194 chronic pain patients shows that those who experience stigma and doubt over the legitimacy of their illness are more likely to accept aversive treatments. Furthermore, two experiments (n = 653) indicate that subtle manipulations of one’s sense of social support may increase willingness to accept treatment.

Conclusions and Implications

These results indicate that people make decisions to provide care in part based on the presence or absence of treatment and furthermore that patients’ treatment decision-making is informed by the social consequences of their choices. Signalling theory may help explain the surprising longevity of some ineffective and costly medical procedures.
From plasma triglycerides to triglyceride metabolism: effects on mortality in the Copenhagen General Population Study
Authors: Johansen Mia Ø , Afzal Shoaib , Vedel-Krogh Signe , Nielsen Sune F , Smith George Davey , Nordestgaard Børge G
Published: August 2023

Aims

It is unclear whether higher triglyceride metabolism per se contributes to mortality separate from elevated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and body mass index. This study tested the hypotheses that higher triglyceride metabolism, measured as higher plasma glycerol and β-hydroxybutyrate, is associated with increased all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer, and other mortality.

Methods and results

This study included 30 000 individuals nested within 109 751 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study. During a median follow-up of 10.7 years, 9897 individuals died (2204 from cardiovascular, 3366 from cancer, and 2745 from other causes), while none were lost to follow-up. In individuals with glycerol >80 µmol/L (highest fourth) vs. individuals with glycerol <52 µmol/L (lowest fourth), the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.22–1.40). In individuals with β-hydroxybutyrate >154 µmol/L (highest fourth) vs. individuals with β-hydroxybutyrate <91 µmol/L (lowest fourth), the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.18 (1.11–1.26). Corresponding values for higher plasma glycerol and β-hydroxybutyrate were 1.37 (1.18–1.59) and 1.18 (1.03–1.35) for cardiovascular mortality, 1.24 (1.11–1.39) and 1.16 (1.05–1.29) for cancer mortality, and 1.45 (1.28–1.66) and 1.23 (1.09–1.39) for other mortality, respectively. Results were robust to exclusion of first years of follow-up, to stratification for covariates including plasma triglycerides and body mass index, and to further adjustments.

Conclusion

This study observed an increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer, and other mortality with higher triglyceride metabolism. This was not explained by higher plasma triglycerides and body mass index. The hypothesis studied in the present paper should be further validated by isotope flux studies.
Prognostic role of sarcopenia on major adverse cardiac events among patients who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Won Mi Hwa , Yun Kyeong Ho , Kim Heeseon , Son Youn-Jung
Published: August 2023

Aims

We investigated the prevalence of sarcopenia and its influence on 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

This retrospective medical record review using purposive sampling was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital in Korea. Medical records of a total of 303 patients (≥40 years) who underwent successful PCI between January 2014 and December 2020 were analysed. We retrospectively assessed sarcopenia at initial admission. Sarcopenia was assessed by a sarcopenia index based on a ratio of serum creatinine to serum cystatin C. MACE rates were evaluated within l year after PCI. A Kaplan–Meier analysis with a log-rank test was performed to compare the time with 1-year MACE event-free survival between groups with and without sarcopenia. Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to assess sarcopenia’s influence on MACE. The prevalence of sarcopenia and 1-year MACE after PCI were 24.8 and 8.6%, respectively. We found that sarcopenia at admission (hazard ratio, 3.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.22–7.38, P = 0.017) was significantly associated with 1-year MACE among patients after PCI.

Conclusion

Expanding knowledge of sarcopenia among cardiovascular nurses may aid in early recognition of patients at risk of sarcopenia. Our finding implies that the sarcopenia index based on serum creatinine and cystatin C may be available as a prognostic factor for MACE in patients undergoing PCI. Future studies should be conducted to prospectively validate the sarcopenia index with a multi-centre, large sample.
Telemedicine as a tool for continuing medical education
Authors: Maria Ana Rita J , Serra Helena , Castro Maria G , Heleno Bruno
Published: August 2023

Background

There is a growing interest in the use of digital technologies to foster learning in the health professions, along with the drive to expand teleconsultations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore whether telemedicine between levels of care can act as continuous medical education (CME) tool for general practitioners (GPs) and hospital consultants at the referral cardiology department.

Methods

This qualitative study was embedded in an organizational case study of the introduction of a new service model in the Portuguese health system. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and pseudonymized. The transcribed interviews were stored, coded, and content analysis was performed in MAXQDA.

Results

A total of 11 physicians were interviewed. GPs and cardiologists recognized that telemedicine between levels of care could act as a CME tool. Although they departed with different expectations, telemedicine helped them collaborate as a multidisciplinary team, exchanging feedback about clinical decisions, and constructing knowledge collaboratively. Telemedicine also supplemented existing learning meetings. The consequences of technology adoption may be viewed as a result of the actors involved (including the technology itself), characteristics of the context (including the organization), and an interaction between such factors.

Conclusion

Teleconsultations can be a learning opportunity for the health professionals involved. Our findings suggest that, in the context of the Portuguese health system, telemedicine as a CME tool helped to build multidisciplinary teams which exchanged feedback and constructed shared knowledge to improve patients’ outcomes. It also helped to identify practice-changing contents to be included in face-to-face educational meetings.
Gripwise Versus Jamar: The Challenge of a New Dynamometer Assessing Handgrip Strength
Authors: Villain Cédric , Lebaube Soazig , Kremer Corinne , Chavoix Chantal , Fournel François , Briant Anaïs R , Beauplet Bérengère
Published: August 2023

Background

Sarcopenia diagnosis is partly based on handgrip strength (HGS) assessment. The gold-standard dynamometer for this measurement is the Jamar. The electronic Gripwise is a smaller and lighter one, and its measurements are correlated with the Jamar’s in laboratory tests. Our study aimed to confirm this correlation in aged patients.

Methods

This monocenter cross-sectional study was performed in patients of 65 years and older admitted at the University Hospital. Participants were assessed either in a seated or bedridden position, randomly allocated to begin the measurements with the Jamar or the Gripwise.

Results

Among 649 aged inpatients assessed for eligibility, 348 were included (mean age: 79 ± 9; 52% females). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92–0.94, p < .001) for the maximum value measured with both devices and 0.94 (95% CI 0.93–0.95, p < .001) for the mean values. However, there was a significant difference in detecting low values (<16 kg in women, <27 kg in men), found in 48% of patients with Jamar, and 71% with Gripwise (p < .001). Thus, we determined alternate cutoffs for diagnosing HGS low values with the Gripwise (<12 kg in women, <22 kg in men), further validated in a supplementary validation population (n = 70). The diagnostic performances of these alternative cutoffs were high (93% sensitivity and 87% specificity in women; 94% sensitivity and 96% specificity in men).

Conclusions

The correlation of the Gripwise with the Jamar was confirmed in aged inpatients. However, lower values recorded with the Gripwise require alternate cutoffs for a relevant low HGS diagnosis.
Critique of Ontological Militarism
Authors: Furtado Henrique Tavares
Published: August 2023

War metaphors permeate the world we live in. From wildlife documentaries (natural war) to the curbing of academic freedom (war on woke), it seems that anything can be described in an essential likeness to warfare. Drawing on Lacanian psychoanalysis, this paper investigates the ubiquity of war metaphors in critiques of violence within Critical Security Studies and International Political Sociology. The analysis focuses on three concepts recently advanced as alternatives to the shortcomings of securitization theory and its reliance on a mythological idea of liberal peace: fighting, martial politics, and struggles. The paper investigates how each of these concepts is built in relation to war metaphors and explains this as revealing of an underlying symptom, a form of ontological militarism, which these alternatives to securitization cannot properly work through. It advances the concept of ontological militarism as the attribution of heuristic privilege to war turning it into the cypher of all social relations by investment in an assumed indistinction between war/peace and war/struggle. The paper invites critiques of liberal civility in International Relations (IR) to take seriously the point whereby the resort to war metaphors becomes the symptom of an inability to escape the symbolic horizons of a violent militaristic order.
Lacanian Biopolitics of COVID-19
Authors: Burgess J Peter
Published: August 2023

A public debate has raged in Europe and the Americas for the last year, almost as predictable in its substance as in its form: Has the suppression of individual liberties, in the form of lockdowns, curfews, imposed mask-wearing, and vaccination justified by and indeed legitimated by the sanitary crisis? On virtually all levels of public debate, positions have been formulated on the right (or responsibility) of public authorities to require citizens to take measures in the name of their own personal health and the health of others. In International Studies, biopolitics has become the go-to concept for both analyzing and politicizing the COVID-19 pandemic. Three variants of biopolitical analysis dominate, overlapping, and mutually dependent: those stemming the insights of Foucault’s late work, those inspired by Agamben’s Homo Sacer, and those that extended the global analysis of Hardt and Negri. In a recently published book, The Inverse of Biopolitics, Laurent interprets biopolitics in an alternative vein, finding in the final phase of Lacan’s teaching, beginning around 1970, a preoccupation with the “speaking body,” condensed in the hybrid term parlêtre, both speaking-being and being-speaking. This article draws out the implications of this alternative conceptualization of biopolitics for the analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reassembling the Social in the Study of Religion and International Relations
Authors: Henne Peter S
Published: August 2023

Research into religion and international relations (RIR) has come incredibly far in the decades since 9/11. However, a tension remains in this research program, as neopositivist scholars simultaneously argue religion both has an independent effect on and interacts with international politics. This has raised critiques of religion’s importance. Relational work in international relations—inspired by scholars such as Bourdieu, LaTour, and Tilly—provides a means to overcome this obstacle. While some works on RIR have drawn on this tradition, it has yet to be systematized. In this review article, I discuss three recent books that highlight both the limits of the current approach to RIR and the potential to move it forward by drawing on relational analyses. I also provide guidelines for adjusting future work in this research program.
Ancient Conceptions of the Human Uterus: Italic Votives and Animal Wombs
Authors: Bubb Claire
Published: August 2023

The numerous votive uteri found across the central Italian peninsula from the fourth to first centuries BCE are puzzlingly evocative of the human simplex uterus, which is visually distinct from the bicornuate uteri characteristic of most other mammals. However, human dissection is not attested for this time and place, while animal butchery was common. This article uses modern veterinary anatomical imagery to argue that animal uteri — specifically as they appear when pregnant — were indeed models underlying the votive depictions. Some of the variant forms of the votives are highly evocative of various features of the pregnant bicornuate uterus. Further, medical views on the human uterus throughout classical antiquity were informed by animal uteri. Taken together, the visual and textual evidence indicate that animal models were inextricably integrated into ancient conceptions of the human uterus across the classical world, including in the production of the Italic votives in question.
The Strontian Intrusive Complex: Petrography, Thermobarometry and the Influence of Titanite on Residual Melt Chemistry
Authors: Matthews Thomas J , Loader Matthew A , Wilkinson Jamie J , Buret Yannick , Large Simon J E , Birt Elliott A
Published: August 2023

Although the evolution of residual melts in magmatic systems controls their eruptability and ore-forming potential, their compositions are obscured in plutonic rocks by a protracted near-solidus evolution and the absence of interstitial glass. Here, we trace the evolution of residual melt compositions in rocks from the Strontian Intrusive Complex, Scotland, using the trace element chemistry of amphiboles, and titanites which are intergrown with amphibole rims. Laser ablation mapping reveals an abrupt change in certain trace elements in the amphibole rims, with sharp increases in Eu/Eu* and Sr/Y, and decreases in rare earth elements, Ta, Nb, and Ta/Nb ratios. Core-rim variations in these elements in titanite show the same variations as in amphibole, but are more gradual. By reconstructing the crystallisation sequence of the Strontian magmas using textural observations and thermobarometric estimates, we determine that amphibole cores crystallised prior to titanite saturation, but amphibole rims crystallised simultaneously with titanite. Using the trace element composition of the mineral phases and their modal abundance in the rock, with comparison to the whole-rock chemistry, we determine that titanite hosts the majority of the rare earth and high field strength element budget of the rocks. We therefore propose that the onset of titanite crystallisation had a profound effect on the trace element composition of late-stage residual melts at Strontian, which were inherited by the amphibole rims and subsequent titanites. This is supported by Rayleigh fractional crystallisation modelling, which demonstrates that the composition of amphibole rims cannot be explained without the influence of titanite. We therefore show that the saturation of trace element-rich phases in magmas represents a significant geochemical event in the petrogenesis of intermediate to silicic magmas. This has implications for provenance studies that attempt to reconstruct bulk rock compositions from mineral compositions, as the residual melts from which those minerals crystallise can be driven to significantly different compositions from the host magma by late-stage accessory phase crystallisation.
Case law on foreign trust recognition in Spain
Authors: Botello Hermosa Pedro Ignacio , Malumian Nicolas
Published: August 2023

As Spain has no trust regulations at a national level and did not sign the Hague Convention on Trust Recognition, most regions of Spain have forced heirship rules and—based on the Supreme Tribunal case of 2008—it is usually understood that Spain does not recognize foreign trusts. However, the analysis of the case law since 2008 shows a different scenario. If a Spanish settlor establishes an inter vivos foreign trust, such trust is considered legal and recognized. Furthermore, if the foreign trust is challenged by the heirs of the said Spanish settlor who argue there is a violation of forced heirship rules, such claims could only prosper once the trust is terminated and it can be proven there is an actual violation of forced heirship rules.
Public Pre-Primary and Maternal Employment in Algeria: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
Authors: Krafft Caroline , Lassassi Moundir
Published: August 2023

Globally, employment rates of women remain substantially below those of men. Since women disproportionately care for children, policies that offer care alternatives or lower the cost of care, should, theoretically, increase women's employment. This paper tests whether public pre-primary education can increase women's employment, using a natural experiment in Algeria. Education reforms in Algeria substantially expanded public pre-primary, targeting children aged five. The paper uses data from 2006 (early in the expansion), 2012, and 2018 (after pre-primary had substantially expanded). The analyses use a discontinuity in whether children are eligible for pre-primary, based on their birthdates, to identify the effect of pre-primary on women's employment. Increased pre-primary education did not increase and may have actually decreased women's employment. One potential explanation for these findings is the half-day schedule of pre-primary may be difficult to reconcile with employment. Negative effects are concentrated among women living in nuclear families, who lack alternative caregivers.
Fungicide-Resistant Botrytis in Forest Nurseries May Impact Disease Control in Norway Spruce
Authors: Nielsen Katherine Ann Gredvig , Skårn Magne Nordang , Talgø Venche , Pettersson Martin , Fløistad Inger Sundheim , Strømeng Gunn Mari , Brurberg May Bente , Stensvand Arne
Published: August 2023

Gray mold, caused by Botrytis spp., is a serious problem in Norway spruce seedling production in forest nurseries. From 2013 to 2019, 125 isolates of Botrytis were obtained from eight forest nurseries in Norway: 53 from Norway spruce seedlings, 16 from indoor air, 52 from indoor surfaces, and four from weeds growing close to seedlings. The majority of isolates were identified as B. cinerea, and over 60% of these were characterized as Botrytis group S. B. pseudocinerea isolates were obtained along with isolates with DNA sequence similarities to B. prunorum. Fungicide resistance was assessed with a mycelial growth assay, and resistance was found for the following: boscalid (8.8%), fenhexamid (33.6%), fludioxonil (17.6%), pyraclostrobin (36.0%), pyrimethanil (13.6%), and thiophanate-methyl (50.4%). Many isolates (38.4%) were resistant to two to six different fungicides. A selection of isolates was analyzed for the presence of known resistance-conferring mutations in the cytb, erg27, mrr1, sdhB, and tubA genes, and mutations leading to G143A, F412S, ΔL497, H272R, and E198A/F200Y were detected, respectively. Detection of fungicide resistance in Botrytis from Norway spruce and forest nursery facilities reinforces the necessity of employing resistance management strategies to improve control and delay development of fungicide resistance in the gray mold pathogens.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi Associated with Root Rot of Field Pea in North Dakota and the Effects of Temperature on Aggressiveness
Authors: Gargouri Jbir Taheni , Zitnick-Anderson Kimberly , Pasche Julie S. , Kalil Audrey K.
Published: August 2023

Fusarium root rot is an important disease of field pea (Pisum sativum var. sativum L.) that occurs everywhere pea is grown, causing yield loss of up to 75%. Fusarium root rot is caused by a complex of Fusarium species, most notably Fusarium solani in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and F. avenaceum in the northern Great Plains of the United States and Canada. F. oxysporum f. sp. pisi (Fop) was frequently isolated from peas exhibiting root rot symptoms in North Dakota during recent surveys. Fop causes wilt (races 1, 5, and 6) and near wilt (race 2) on pea. However, its contribution to pea root rot remains unclear. Fop race was determined for isolates from North Dakota pea root rot surveys. ND Fop isolates were evaluated for root rot pathogenicity and aggressiveness at standard and elevated temperatures. Results from greenhouse wilt assays indicated that all Fop races exist in North Dakota, with race 2 most prevalent among the 25 North Dakota isolates evaluated. Root rot evaluations conducted at 21/18°C and 25/19°C day/night temperatures demonstrated that most Fop isolates were as aggressive or more aggressive than F. solani and F. avenaceum under both temperature regimes. Aggressiveness of Fop isolates tended to increase at elevated assay temperatures. Results from these experiments indicate that Fop may be an important contributor to the root rot complex of field pea in North Dakota and should be considered in integrated pest management strategies, including pea breeding efforts to improve resistance to Fusarium root rot.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Meta-analysis of proton pump inhibitor use and the risk of developing gastric cancer or colorectal cancer
Authors: Liu Ke , Wang Yong-Hong , Wang Jun , Chen Bing , Luo Na , Gong Juan
Published: August 2023

To evaluate the relationship between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and the risk of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer by using meta-analysis. Computer search PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI and Wanfang database to obtain relevant literature on the use of PPI and the risk of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, extract relevant data, and use Stata14.0 for Meta-analysis. A total of 24 articles were included, including 12 articles for gastric cancer and 12 articles for colorectal cancer. A total of 5 313 749 persons were included in the study and analysis. Meta-analysis results showed that the risk of gastric cancer in PPI users was significantly increased [risk ratio (RR) = 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.33–2.75)], and the regional subgroup analysis results showed that in Europe [RR = 2.01, 95% CI (0.92, 3.09), P < 0.05] and Asia [RR = 2.15, 95% CI (1.16, 3.14), P < 0.05] This risk is higher, and Asia is higher than Europe. The risk of colorectal cancer is slightly increased [RR = 1. 22, 95% CI (1.03, 1.40, P < 0.05], and the regional subgroup analysis results show that in Europe [RR = 1.05 95% CI (0.98, 1.12), P < 0.05] and Asia [RR = 1.18, 95% CI (1.10, 1.27), P < 0.05]. This risk is low, but Asia is higher than Europe. The use of PPI significantly increases gastric cancer However, the risk of colorectal cancer is not significantly increased. The risk of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer in the population using PPI in Asia is higher than that in Europe.
Feasibility of Lantern Using WhatsApp to Improve Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence
Authors: Ismail Rita , Yona Sri , Nurachmah Elly , Khariroh Syamilatul , Sujianto Untung , Santoso Windu , Bangun Sulistyo Asmoro , Voss Joachim G.
Published: August 2023

This pilot study tested the feasibility of Lantern program, an adherence program to HIV medications using WhatsApp, a secure social media messaging application from Meta, for a smartphone-based platform to enhance medication-taking adherence of antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV in Indonesia. Thirty participants were recruited for this 8-week study. We recruited persons if they had taken antiretroviral therapy for at least 3 months prior to the study, had a smartphone, Internet access, and could use Lantern with WhatsApp. Here, we report the results from the focus group discussions, with the participants evaluating the qualitative aspects of the experiences. The WhatsApp platform was found to be safe, practical, and relatively inexpensive and provided confidentiality for the participants. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: the study motivated participants to take their antiretroviral therapy medications on time, they still set medication reminder alarms, and being in the study made them feel supported. The Lantern program indicated good feasibility and acceptability for adherence to antiretroviral therapies among people living with HIV. Future research should examine on how community organizations and healthcare providers can take advantage of the WhatsApp program to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapies.
Cross-sectional Analysis of Health Behavior Tracking, Perceived Health, Fitness, and Health Literacy Among Active-Duty Air Force Personnel
Authors: Gardner Cubby L. , Raps Stephanie J. , Kasuske Lalon
Published: August 2023

There is a paucity of evidence connecting health literacy, perceived wellness, self-reported fitness activity, or military readiness to wearable devices. Moreover, we do not currently know the prevalence and impact of health tracker device use in the active-duty Air Force population. This prospective cross-sectional survey assessed self-reported fitness activity, health-related quality of life, health literacy, and health behavior tracking practices and preferences among active-duty Air Force service members. Four hundred twenty-eight respondents completed an online survey, with 247 selecting tracking a health behavior and 181 selecting that they did not track a health behavior. Demographic characteristics of the sample showed no significant differences in age, sex distribution, or mode of service. We found that there were no significant differences in self-reported aerobic and strength training frequency, health literacy, or health-related quality of life. More than half of nontracking respondents either had not considered or had no interest in tracking health behaviors. Nearly three-quarters of tracking respondents tracked more than one health behavior. Further research could explore the extent to which these technologies improve fitness, health outcomes, and overall readiness in the military, involving longitudinal studies tracking fitness improvements and health outcomes among service members using wearable devices.
A synthesis of meta-analyses of mindfulness-based interventions in pain
Authors: Sharpe Louise , Richmond Bethany , Menzies Rachel E. , Forrest Daniel , Crombez Geert , Colagiuri Ben
Published: August 2023

Mindfulness interventions have become popular in recent decades, with many trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on pain. Although many meta-analyses provide support for MBIs, the results are more mixed than they at first appear. The aim of this umbrella review was to determine the strength of evidence for MBIs by synthesizing available meta-analyses in pain. We conducted a systematic search in 5 databases and extracted data from published meta-analyses as the unit of analysis. For each outcome, we reported the range of effect sizes observed across studies and identified the largest meta-analysis as the “representative” study. We separately analysed effect sizes for different pain conditions, different types of MBIs, different control groups, and different outcomes. We identified 21 meta-analyses that included 127 unique studies. According to Assessment of Multiple Systematic Review ratings, the meta-analyses ranged from very strong to weak. Overall, there was an impact of MBIs on pain severity, anxiety, and depression but not pain interference or disability. When conditions were considered in isolation, only fibromyalgia and headache benefited significantly from MBIs. Mindfulness-based interventions were more efficacious for pain severity than passive control conditions but not active control conditions. Only pain severity and anxiety were affected by MBIs at follow-up. Overall, our results suggest that individual meta-analyses of MBIs may have overestimated the efficacy of MBIs in a range of conditions. Mindfulness-based interventions likely have a role in pain management but should not be considered a panacea.