Relative Shift Research Articles

How can Community Music Help Address Loneliness in Contexts of Social Marginalisation? Insights From Two Music for Social Connection Programs.

This study explores how participatory music programs can help build social connection for people experiencing loneliness in contexts of social marginalisation. Loneliness is a growing, global public health issue with social and structural drivers. There is an urgent need to investigate innovative approaches to programming that go beyond opportunities for social contact to address the multiple domains of loneliness. Designed collaboratively with two social sector organisations in an urban context in Australia, this study presents outcomes from two community programs that involved groups of people experiencing or at risk of loneliness engaging in music together. Using a qualitative methodology that included semi-structured and brief interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observation, researchers identified positive shifts in relation to social loneliness (related to social contact), emotional loneliness (related to social bonds and meaningful connections), and existential loneliness (related to community connection and acceptance) for participants of the music programs. This study contributes to an urgent gap in understanding effective programming to support people experiencing loneliness and bolsters emerging evidence about the role arts can play in strengthening health, community and social sector efforts to address inequity.

The Impact of China/US Trade Friction on China's Electronic Product Exports

China and the United States, as leading global powers, have faced ongoing trade disputes. From 2003 to 2005, the U.S. triggered several trade frictions with China, marking a period of significant conflict. In 2018, the Trump administration’s trade war reignited tensions, and these frictions have since evolved alongside shifts in international relations. Recently, the U.S. imposed restrictive measures on Chinese exports, affecting China's electronics sector-a vital component of its high-tech industry and economic growth.This study analyzes data on Chinese electronics exports in the context of these trade tensions, using a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to assess changes over the past decade. The results show a statistically significant positive impact of U.S.-China trade friction on China’s electronics exports, despite the challenges posed by restrictive U.S. policies. Ultimately, this study emphasizes that while trade conflicts may strain relations, balanced policies and open communication are essential to avoid further escalation. Both countries could benefit from a cooperative approach, recognizing the advantages of mutual trade development.

Probing Aromaticity with Supersonic Jet Spectroscopy: A Case Study on Furan, Thiophene, and Selenophene.

Aromaticity is a century-old concept that is even introduced in high school textbooks. However, the determination of the order of aromaticity of molecules as simple as furan, thiophene, and selenophene is still challenging. This work describes how different theoretical and experimental methods posit different aromaticity orders. To benchmark the theoretical results and arrive at a conclusion, mass-selective electronic and vibrational spectroscopy of these five-membered heterocycles under isolated supersonic-jet-cooled conditions was necessary. Since the aromaticity order can be unveiled from the magnitude of the electron density in the ring, we used hydrogen bonding as a probe. The experimental results revealed that selenophene forms the strongest π-hydrogen bond, suggesting that selenophene is the most aromatic, followed by thiophene and furan. It is concluded that gauge-including magnetically induced currents (GIMIC) and relative 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts are better parameters to determine the aromaticity order in a similar class of molecules.

Inter-center comparison of proton range verification prototypes with an anthropomorphic head phantom**F. Hueso-González and J. Berthold share first authorship. J. Verburg and C. Richter share last authorship. P. Wohlfahrt was essential for the work conception, treatment planning design and equalization, and for the transatlantic transport of the phantom.

Objective. To compare in reproducible and equalized conditions the performance of two independent proton range verification systems based on prompt gamma-ray detectors from two different proton therapy centers.Approach. An anthropomorphic head phantom with calibrated stopping power, serving as ground truth, was irradiated with comparable treatment plans, spot positions and energies in both facilities. Clinical beam current, tumor contour and dose were used. The absolute range measurement was compared to the expected value according to the ground truth. The statistical precision was assessed by repeating each measurement ten times. Sensitivity to relative range shifts was evaluated by introducing 2 mm and 5 mm plastic slabs on half of the field.Main results. The resulting absolute range accuracy was within 2.4 mm in all cases. Relative range shifts were detected with deviations lower than 14%.Significance. The performance of both systems was deemed worthy of clinical application for the detection of range deviations. This study represents the first comparison of independent prompt gamma-ray-based proton range verification systems under equalized conditions with realistic treatment fields and beam currents.

Local and interareal alpha and low-beta band oscillation dynamics underlie the bilateral field advantage in visual working memory.

Visual working memory has a limited maximum capacity, which can be larger if stimuli are presented bilaterally vs. unilaterally. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this bilateral field advantage are not known. Visual working memory capacity is predicted by oscillatory delay-period activity, specifically, by a decrease in alpha (8 to 12Hz) band amplitudes in posterior brain regions reflecting attentional deployment and related shifts in excitation, as well as a concurrent increase of prefrontal oscillation amplitudes and interareal synchronization in multiple frequencies reflecting active maintenance of information. Here, we asked whether posterior alpha suppression or prefrontal oscillation enhancement explains the bilateral field advantage. We recorded brain activity with high-density electroencephalography, while subjects (n= 26, 14 males) performed a visual working memory task with uni- and bilateral visual stimuli. The bilateral field advantage was associated with early suppression of low-alpha (6 to 10Hz) and alpha-beta (10 to 17Hz) band amplitudes, and a subsequent alpha-beta amplitude increase, which, along with a concurrent load-dependent interareal synchronization in the high-alpha band (10 to 15Hz), correlated with hit rates and reaction times and thus predicted higher maximum capacities in bilateral than unilateral visual working memory. These results demonstrate that the electrophysiological basis of the bilateral field advantage in visual working memory is both in the changes in attentional deployment and enhanced interareal integration.

A Stacked Neural Network Model for Damage Localization.

Traditional vibration-based damage detection methods often involve human intervention in decision-making, therefore being time-consuming and error-prone. In this study, we propose using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to detect patterns in the structural response and create accurate predictions. The features extracted from the response signal are the Relative Frequency Shifts (RFSs) of the first eight weak-axis bending vibration modes, and the predictions refer to the damage location. To increase the accuracy of the predictions, we propose a novel stacked neural network approach, capable of detecting damage locations with high accuracy. The dataset used for training involves, as input data, the RFSs calculated with an original method for numerous damage locations and severities. The following models were used as building blocks for our stacked approach: Multilayer Perceptron, Recurrent Neural Network, Long Short-term Memory, and Gated Recurrent Units. The entire beam was thus split into segments and each network was trained in this stacked model on one beam segment. All results obtained with the models are also compared to a standard neural network trained on the entire beam. The results obtained show that the model that performs the best contains 14 stacked two-layer feedforward networks.

Emergence of metabolic coupling to the heterotroph Alteromonas promotes dark survival in Prochlorococcus

Abstract Prochlorococcus is found throughout the euphotic zone in the oligotrophic open ocean. Deep mixing and sinking while attached to particles can, however, transport Prochlorococcus cells below this sunlit zone, depriving them of light for extended periods of time. Previous work has shown that Prochlorococcus by itself cannot survive extended periods of darkness. However, when co-cultured with a heterotrophic microbe and subjected to repeated periods of extended darkness, Prochlorococcus cells develop an epigenetically inherited dark-tolerant phenotype that can survive longer periods of darkness. Here we examine the metabolic and physiological changes underlying this adaptation using co-cultures of dark-tolerant and parental strains of Prochlorococcus, each grown with the heterotroph Alteromonas under diel light:dark conditions. The relative abundance of Alteromonas was higher in dark-tolerant than parental co-cultures, while dark-tolerant Prochlorococcus cells were larger, contained less chlorophyll, and were less synchronized to the light:dark cycle. Meta-transcriptome analysis revealed that dark-tolerant co-cultures undergo a joint change, in which Prochlorococcus undergoes a relative shift from photosynthesis to respiration, while Alteromonas shifts towards using more organic acids instead of sugars. Furthermore, the transcriptome data suggested enhanced biosynthesis of amino acids and purines in dark-tolerant Prochlorococcus and enhanced degradation of these compounds in Alteromonas. Collectively, our results demonstrate that dark adaptation involves a strengthening of the metabolic coupling between Prochlorococcus and Alteromonas, presumably mediated by an enhanced, and compositionally modified, carbon exchange between the two species.

Degradation Effects in Li4Ti5O12-Based Cells─Learning from Electrode Potential Profiles.

Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) is a promising negative electrode active material for high-power applications of lithium-ion batteries due to its structural and dimensional stability, high safety properties, and rate capability. However, there are still challenges regarding the cyclic aging behavior of LTO-based cells, especially when it comes to the origin of gas evolution that needs to be resolved in order to enable an optimized cell design and prolonged cycle life. Using a three-electrode setup provides operando insights into the cyclic aging behavior of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM111)||LTO cells. The results demonstrated that an initial slight increase in specific capacity followed by an intense decrease after 40 cycles could be attributed to a relative shift of the individual electrode potential profiles caused by loss of lithium inventory and associated electrolyte consumption during cyclic aging. By using higher formation temperatures, the capacity decrease, an associated loss of lithium inventory, and continuous electrolyte consumption were successfully suppressed. Moreover, the results suggested that gas evolution in Li4Ti5O12-based cells majorly originates from the reductive decomposition of moisture residues and the electrolyte at the Li4Ti5O12 electrode surface.

Content Analysis of Brief Telephonic Conversation with Parents of Children with Cleft Lip and Palate During Sustained Anticipatory Guidance Sessions.

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) represents complex congenital anomalies that necessitate a comprehensive approach to care, involving multiple healthcare disciplines. The primary aim of the study is to explore the content of periodic telephone support calls between parents/caregivers of children with CLP and pediatric dentist during sustained anticipatory guidance. The qualitative analysis was conducted with the available telephonic recordings that was obtained from the STOP database. 40 recordings of 8 children were used for this study. The recorded interviews were translated and transcribed verbatim and analysed using the thematic content analysis method. The four major themes that were addressed by the dentist were the general health of the baby, oral health and development, surgery-related concerns and emotional support. It was also observed that the parents demonstrated a positive shift in oral health related behaviour significantly improving their child's oral hygiene practices. The telephonic support calls offer valuable insights into the concerns and topics the parents of children with CLP are eager to discuss. These calls not only address general concerns, receiving emotional support from the professionals, demonstrate the health related behavior shift that takes place during SAG and reassures parents of their support.

Characterization and Inversion Method of Relative Permeability of Emulsion Flooding.

Relative permeability curves are one of the crucial factors that control the behavior of multiphase flow in petroleum reservoirs. Accurate prediction of the relative permeability curve involving emulsification and emulsion transport in emulsion flooding is vital to enhancing heavy oil recovery. In this study, a relative permeability characterization model including the emulsification mechanism and emulsion transport is developed, in which residual oil saturation and end-point permeability for water are parametrized as functions of emulsion concentration and capillary number. Based on the built characterization model, an inversion method (ensemble Kalman filter) is used to estimate the relative permeability curves of emulsion flooding. The inversion results of four sets of emulsion flooding experiments show that the errors of end points between the Johnson-Bossler-Neumann method and inversion method are less than 10%. For the continuous emulsification process in the in situ emulsion flooding tests, the inversed relative permeability curves shift between the upper and the inferior limits of the permeability. The error of residual oil saturation between the inversion and the experiment is less than 10%. In summary, this study demonstrates the feasibility of using the characterization model and inversion method to infer the relative permeability curves of emulsion flooding, which can aid in the predictions of multiphase flow in heavy oil reservoirs.

STAGES OF TECHNICAL REVOLUTION AND ITS SOCIO-PHILOSOPHICAL IMPORTANCE

This article examines the transformative discoveries in production, industry, and technology from the 17th to the 20th centuries, highlighting their profound impact on human life. General Background: The period marked a pivotal shift in economic and political relations, often referred to as the "big bang" of European industrialization, which catalyzed unprecedented advancements. Specific Background: Key developments in manufacturing machinery, automation, and computing are analyzed, revealing a trajectory of revolutionary change that reshaped labor, productivity, and societal structures. Knowledge Gap: Despite extensive research on individual technological innovations, there is a lack of comprehensive studies connecting these advancements to broader socio-economic transformations. Aims: This article aims to bridge this gap by situating technological progress within the context of evolving economic and political frameworks. Results: Findings indicate that the interplay between technological innovation and socio-economic change facilitated the emergence of new economic paradigms, contributing to both local and global shifts in power dynamics. Novelty: This study introduces a holistic perspective that integrates technological advancements with the evolution of economic relations, offering a fresh lens through which to understand the interconnectedness of industry and society. Implications: The insights gained from this research have significant implications for contemporary discussions on the relationship between technology and socio-economic development, suggesting that current technological trends may similarly reshape future economic landscapes.

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of Yb2Pt2Pb under multi-extreme conditions

ABSTRACT Structural and magnetic properties of the Shastry-Sutherland material Yb2Pt2Pb were studied in single-crystalline form under pressures up to 10 GPa, magnetic fields up to 17 T, and temperatures down to 0.3 K. Surprisingly robust magnetic order is observed with the Néel temperature T N = 2.1 K stable up to 8.1 GPa. Indication of an additional magnetic phase formation can be traced in resistivity data for magnetic field along the c-axis exceeding the (pressure-dependent) metamagnetic transition. The related anomaly shifts to higher temperatures with increasing field, merging T N at the tricritical point. Experiments with μ0 H // [110] revealed the pressure stabilization of observed magnetic phases with respect to the magnetic field. The crystal-structure type is stable up to 10 GPa, without any sign of symmetry change, exhibiting moderate volume compressibility with bulk modulus B = 116(13) GPa, in good agreement with B = 118 GPa provided by the density functional theory.

A case study of railway curve squeal radiated from both the outer and inner wheel

This case study is presented after observations were made that partially contrast the prevailing picture of railway curve squeal given in the literature. These are observations with significance both for modelling and condition monitoring. The current case study will be followed by a subsequent investigation focused on the validation and application of a simulation model to investigate root-causes for curve squeal at the Stockholm metro. Curve squeal in a 213 m radius curve on the Stockholm metro is studied. Data includes track characteristics (rail profile, rail roughness and gauge width) and noise measured at the trackside as well as by two vehicles equipped with an on-board mounted noise monitoring system. The current case study contrasts field measurements of curve squeal reported in the literature by a relative shift of emitted noise towards higher frequencies. Wayside noise measurements in the studied curve during a few hours showed squeal generation for all vehicle passages with dominating 1/3 octave band centre frequencies in the range between 6.3–15.8 kHz. Noise data measured during one year of regular traffic of two vehicles equipped with a monitoring system were obtained. The occurrence of curve squeal was analysed through an implementation of the curve squeal detection algorithm in operation at the Stockholm metro. This algorithm was also applied to search for events of squeal noise radiation from the outer wheel. Results show emissions of squeal noise from the inner and outer wheel for 65 % and 8 % of the vehicle passages through the studied curve, respectively. Further, the occurrence of curve squeal radiated from the inner wheel was found to increase by 10 % after rail grinding. In the literature, squeal radiated from the outer wheel is described as having an intermittent character with magnified spectral components in the frequency range between 5–10 kHz. In contrast, the current work presents sustained tonal squeal generated from the outer wheel with similar noise characteristics as typically related to ordinary curve squeal.

ANALYSIS OF SELECTED COUNTRIES ACCORDING TO THEIR ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY CLUSTER ANALYSIS K-MEANS METHOD

In this study, countries (Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uzbekistan) were clustered based on their energy consumption for the years 2000 and 2021. In line with the objectives of the study, data on nuclear energy, coal consumption, oil consumption, natural gas consumption, hydropower consumption, and renewable energy consumption were used to represent energy consumption. The clustering analysis revealed differences between countries in the clusters formed between 2000 and 2021. The transition of countries such as Iran, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Luxembourg from Cluster 1 in 2000 to Cluster 2 in 2021 illustrates the complexity of changes in energy consumption patterns. Factors underlying these changes include changes in energy policies, economic conditions, international relations, and technological advances. Similarly, the transition of countries such as Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom from Cluster 2 in 2000 to Cluster 1 in 2021 can be attributed to various factors such as changes in energy policies, economic growth or stagnation, technological progress, shifts in international trade relations, and environmental considerations.

Fair Games—Curating New Music

The authors of “Defragmentation: Curating Contemporary Music,” a special issue of the Darmstädter Beiträge zur Neuen Musik published in 2019, considered all aspects of any given artistic event as fair game for curation. They suggested that not only could the choice of pieces, soloists, conductors, and ensembles be (re)tooled (including even site-specific aspects), but the roles of the musicians and audience and even value regimes could be instrumentalized to accord with the artistic demands of the curator. In her introduction to the special issue, Dorothee Richter argued that curation should be a “practice that is deeply involved in the politics of display, politics of site, politics of transfer and translation, and regimes of visibility.” If we understand politics with Jacques Rancière as “giving form to the social,” then Richter suggests that every thinkable manner in which people relate can, and should, be weighed when programming a concert. Curators need to reflect and act upon the way relationships in our world are displayed, the interplay involved on site, the participation or lack thereof of an audience, the participants’ ability to understand, enjoy, and be entertained, and even the audience’s and presenter’s perceived positions in society and how they play out in concert. Writing as a performer-researcher, a cultural-sociologist, and a musicologist, and drawing on previous research in the visual arts, we discuss the impact of the curator within the European new music world. We question the curator’s central role and probe shifts in power relations between festival directors, receptive venues, and performing ensembles. In our view, the rise of the curator in the new music world leads us in at least two distinct directions. First, as in the visual arts world, the individual curator may assume the role of the new protagonist, displacing the performing artists from their throne. When this occurs, curating takes place in a game of mutual competition, distinction, and exploitation, in which illustration of an abstract idea or concept prevails over musical experience. Alternatively, curating may become a collective affair and responsibility along the lines of commoning principles, in which curating returns to its etymological roots as a form of caring for each other and for both the tradition and the future of music.

Finite Nuclear Size Effect on the Relativistic Hyperfine Splittings of 2s and 2p Excited States of Hydrogen-like Atoms

Hyperfine splittings play an important role in quantum information and spintronics applications. They allow for the readout of the spin qubits, while at the same time providing the dominant mechanism for the detrimental spin decoherence. Their exact knowledge is thus of prior relevance. In this work, we analytically investigate the relativistic effects on the hyperfine splittings of hydrogen-like atoms, including finite-size effects of the nucleis’ structure. We start from exact solutions of Dirac’s equation using different nuclear models, where the nucleus is approximated by (i) a point charge (Coulomb potential), (ii) a homogeneously charged full sphere, and (iii) a homogeneously charged spherical shell. Equivalent modelling has been done for the distribution of the nuclear magnetic moment. For the 1s ground state and 2s excited state of the one-electron systems H1, H2, H3, and He+3, the calculated finite-size related hyperfine shifts are quite similar for the different structure models and in excellent agreement with those estimated by comparing QED and experiment. This holds also in a simplified approach where relativistic wave functions from a Coulomb potential combined with spherical-shell distributed nuclear magnetic moments promises an improved treatment without the need for an explicit solution of Dirac’s equation within the nuclear core. Larger differences between different nuclear structure models are found in the case of the anisotropic 2p3/2 orbitals of hydrogen, rendering these excited states as promising reference systems for exploring the proton structure.

Dilaton shifts, probability measures, and decomposition

Abstract In this paper we discuss dilaton shifts (Euler counterterms) arising in decomposition of two-dimensional quantum field theories with higher-form symmetries. Relative shifts between universes are fixed by locality and take a universal form, reflecting underlying (noninvertible, quantum) symmetries. The first part of this paper constructs a general formula for such dilaton shifts, and discusses related computations. In the second part of this paper, we comment on the relation between decomposition and ensembles.

The Perceived Impact of Social Media on Family and Social Relationships in Saudi Arabia

This article endeavors to investigate the effect of technology adoption on the social changes acknowledged in the realms of Saudi Arabia in the context of the issue that has recently seen a ginormous usage of internet access, particularly in the last decade. Adopting a mixed methods approach, 300 young people aged between 18 and 30 years were sampled from two universities and one high school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who later took part in both questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. The objective entailed implying that web browsing caused temporal shifting, thus making real-time social communication distanced, and revealing any changes in the traditional values/norms. The study indicates a significant shift in women's social relations in KSA, with internet usage allowing them to break traditional norms and alter cultural acceptance and social relationships.

Gelatin-Coated High-Sensitivity Microwave Sensor for Humidity-Sensing Applications.

In this paper, the humidity-sensing characteristics of gelatin were compared with those of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) at L-band (1 ~ 2 GHz) microwave frequencies. A capacitive microwave sensor based on a defected ground structure with a modified interdigital capacitor (DGS-MIDC) in a microstrip transmission line operating at 1.5 GHz without any coating was used. Gelatin is a natural polymer based on protein sourced from animal collagen, whereas PVA is a high-sensitivity hydrophilic polymer that is widely used for humidity sensors and has a good film-forming property. Two DGS-MIDC-based microwave sensors coated with type A gelatin and PVA, respectively, with a thickness of 0.02 mm were fabricated. The percent relative frequency shift (PRFS) and percent relative magnitude shift (PRMS) based on the changes in the resonant frequency and magnitude level of the transmission coefficient for the microwave sensor were used to compare the humidity-sensing characteristics. The relative humidity (RH) was varied from 50% to 80% with a step of 10% at a fixed temperature of around 25 °C using a low-reflective temperature and humidity chamber manufactured with Styrofoam. The experiment's results show that the capacitive humidity sensitivity of the gelatin-coated microwave sensor in terms of the PRFS and PRMS was higher compared to that of the PVA-coated one. In particular, the sensitivity of the gelatin-coated microwave sensor at a low RH from 50% to 60% was much greater compared to that of the PVA-coated one. In addition, the relative permittivity of the fabricated microwave sensors coated with PVA and gelatin was extracted by using the measured PRFS and the equation was derived by curve-fitting the simulated results. The change in the extracted relative permittivity for the gelatin-coated microwave sensor was larger than that of the PVA-coated one for varying the RH.

Effects of Externally Applied Stress on Multiphase Flow Characteristics in Naturally Fractured Tight Reservoirs

Externally applied stress on the rock matrix plays a crucial role in oil recovery from naturally fractured tight reservoirs, as local variations in pore pressure and in-situ tension are expected. The published literature severely lacks in evaluations of the characteristics of hydrocarbons, displaced by water, in fractured reservoirs under the action of externally applied stress. This study intends to overcome this knowledge gap by resolving complex time- and stress-dependent multiphase flow by employing a coupled Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver. Extensive three-dimensional numerical investigations have been carried out to estimate the effects of externally applied stress on the multiphase flow characteristics at the fracture–matrix interface by adding a viscous loss term to the momentum conservation equations. The well-validated numerical predictions show that as the stress loading increases, the porosity and permeability of the rock matrix and capillary pressure at the fracture–matrix interface decrease. Specifically, matrix porosity decreases by 0.13% and permeability reduces by 1.3% as stress increases 1.5-fold. Additionally, stress loading causes a decrease in fracture permeability by up to 29%. The fracture–matrix interface becomes more water-soaked as the stress loading on the rock matrix increases, and thus, the relative permeability curves shift to the right.