Search Results (396)

This paper examines the theological, historical, and sociopolitical contours of American nationalism through a comparative study of Roman Catholics and Native Americans—two groups historically positioned as outsiders to the United States’ national self-conception, but into which Catholicism has successfully entered. It enquires into this success by establishing that American nationalism possesses a tripartite logic: (1) selective racial and religious superiority, (2) economic and military success read as divine blessing; and (3) advancing a teleological mission of global salvation. While white Roman Catholics were once viewed as anti-messianic threats, they eventually achieved integration by finding common enemies and warring to protect the American project and hierarchies, while Native Americans, by contrast, remain largely excluded, their presence disrupting foundational myths of nationalism. To evaluate this phenomena, Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is deployed, using the principles of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity to critique nationalism’s pillars of race, wealth, and militarism with a vision of the universal common good. In doing so, CST challenges any theological justification for exceptionalism, reclaims a global moral horizon, and refuses the role that Catholicism might play in US—or any—nationalisms. Full article

Climate change is fuelled by the continued growth of global carbon emissions, with the widespread use of fossil fuels being the main driver. To achieve a decarbonisation transition of the energy mix, the development of clean and renewable fuels has become crucial. Ammonia is seen as an important option for decarbonisation in the transport and energy sectors due to its zero-carbon emission potential and renewable energy compatibility. However, the high energy consumption and carbon emissions of the conventional Haber–Bosch method limit its sustainability. A green ammonia synthesis system was designed using ECLIPSE and Excel simulations in the study. Results show that at a recirculation ratio of 70%, the system’s annual total energy consumption is 426.22 GWh, with annual ammonia production reaching 8342.78 t. The optimal system configuration comprises seven 12 MW offshore wind turbines, integrated with a 460 MWh lithium battery and 240 t of hydrogen storage capacity. At this configuration, the LCOE is approximately £5956.58/t. It shows that incorporating renewable energy can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but further optimisation of energy storage configurations and reaction conditions is needed to lower costs. This research provides a reference for the industrial application of green ammonia in the transportation sector. Full article

The comprehensive (“universal”) PFAS ban proposed by the EU raises questions of a scientific, philosophical, regulatory, and policy nature. This overview scrutinizes the proposal and finds it wanting in each of these respects. The grouping of all PFAS is based on a methodology that is only loosely science based. The scientific data on PFAS do not support the open-ended definition and the drastic restrictions that would be imposed by the proposal. To illustrate the weak scientific basis, we look more closely at the immunotoxicity claims as found in a few landmark epidemiological papers. We find these claims not well-founded and methodologically lacking. Also, we scrutinize a few animal studies and comment on their results. Detecting PFAS in multiple matrices is briefly looked at. The analytical context of detectability, quantifiability, measurement precision, and reproducibility of results of PFAS present in especially complex matrices (e.g., foods, soil, waxes, and fats) poses quite the challenge. Experimental uncertainties are reported to be extremely high. Disregarding the key distinctions between hazard and risk and between potential hazard and hazard, the proposal treats all PFASs, broadly defined, as presenting hazards based on an assumed common property: persistence. On this and other grounds, including the requirement of “unacceptable risk”, the proposed ban fails to meet the requirements imposed by the REACH Regulation. From a public policy perspective, the costs of the proposal would appear to eclipse any advantages for human health and the environment. Thus, we conclude that the proposed PFAS ban is problematic from these key perspectives. Full article

Background: The study of psychophysiological responses to disgust-evoking stimuli has long been neglected in favour of other emotional stimuli, especially those evoking fear. While the basic cascade of responses to a frightening stimulus is relatively well-understood, psychophysiological responses to disgust-related threats, such as parasites or rotten food, are scarcely studied. Methods: Here, we aimed to assess skin resistance (SR) change as a measure of electrodermal response to visual cues that signal the presence of disgust-relevant threats. To this aim, we recruited 123 participants and presented them with one of the following varieties of disgust-relevant threats: disgust-evoking animals (e.g., parasites, worms), spoiled food, threat of pandemic, or pollution and toxicity. The latter two represented modern threats to test whether also these modern stimuli can initiate immediate automatic reaction. Results: We found significant differences between the categories: Participants responded with the highest probability to disgust-evoking animals (38%) and sneezing (52%), suggesting that only ancestral cues of pathogen disgust trigger automatic physiological response. Moreover, we found significant inter-sexual differences: women exhibited more SR change responses than men, and the amplitude of these responses was overall larger. Finally, we report a weak effect of subjectively perceived disgust intensity on reactivity to threat stimuli. Conclusions: We discuss heterogeneity of disgust-relevant threats, their adequate behavioural responses, and subsequent heterogeneity of respective SR responses. We conclude that large interindividual variability might eclipse systematic differences between participants with high or low sensitivity to disgust, and that subjectively perceived intensity of disgust is only a weak predictor of electrodermal response to its elicitor. Full article

Blockchain technology has rapidly evolved beyond cryptocurrencies, underpinning diverse applications such as supply chains, healthcare, and finances, yet its security vulnerabilities remain a critical barrier to safe adoption. However, attackers increasingly exploit weaknesses in consensus protocols, smart contracts, and network layers with threats such as Denial-of-Chain (DoC) and Black Bird attacks, posing serious challenges to blockchain ecosystems. We conducted anomaly detection using two independent datasets (A and B) generated from simulation attack scenarios including hash rate, Sybil, Eclipse, Finney, and Denial-of-Chain (DoC) attacks. Key blockchain metrics such as hash rate, transaction authorization status, and recorded attack consequences were collected for analysis. We compared both class-balanced and imbalanced datasets, applying Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) to improve representation of minority-class samples and enhance performance metrics. Supervised models such as Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Logistic Regression consistently outperformed unsupervised models, achieving high F1-scores (0.90), while balancing the training data had only a modest effect. The results are based on simulated environment and should be considered as preliminary until the experiment is performed in a real blockchain environment. Based on identified gaps, we recommend the exploration and development of multifaceted defense approaches that combine prevention, detection, and response to strengthen blockchain resilience. Full article

Reliable, high-resolution emission inventories are essential for accurately simulating air quality and for designing evidence-based mitigation policies. Yet their performance over Japan—where transboundary inflow, strict fuel regulations, and complex source mixes coexist—remains poorly quantified. This study therefore benchmarks four widely used anthropogenic inventories—REAS v3.2.1, CAMS-GLOB-ANT v6.2, ECLIPSE v6b, and HTAP v3—by coupling each to WRF-Chem (10 km grid) and comparing simulated surface PM₂.₅, SO₂, CO, and NO_x with observations from >900 stations across eight Japanese regions for the years 2010 and 2015. All simulations shared identical meteorology, chemistry, and natural-source inputs (MEGAN 2.1 biogenic VOCs; FINN v1.5 biomass burning) so that differences in model output isolate the influence of anthropogenic emissions. HTAP delivered the most balanced SO₂ and CO fields (regional mean biases mostly within ±25%), whereas ECLIPSE reproduced NO_x spatial gradients best, albeit with a negative overall bias. REAS captured industrial SO₂ reliably but over-estimated PM₂.₅ and NO_x in western conurbations while under-estimating them in rural prefectures. CAMS-GLOB-ANT showed systematic biases—under-estimating PM₂.₅ and CO yet markedly over-estimating SO₂—highlighting the need for Japan-specific sulfur-fuel adjustments. For several pollutant–region combinations, absolute errors exceeded 100%, confirming that emissions uncertainty, not model physics, dominates regional air quality error even under identical dynamical and chemical settings. These findings underscore the importance of inventory-specific and pollutant-specific selection—or better, multi-inventory ensemble approaches—when assessing Japanese air quality and formulating policy. Routine assimilation of ground and satellite data, together with inverse modeling, is recommended to narrow residual biases and improve future inventories. Full article

The stacking arrangement of layered covalent organic frameworks (LCOFs) critically influences their structure and function. We present a fully ab initio-based workflow to characterize stacking disorder in COF-1, combining simulated powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) with stacking energy landscape analysis. By comparing PXRD patterns of idealized eclipsed, inclined, serrated, and staggered stacking with experiment, we rule out periodic high-symmetry motifs. A comprehensive “PXRD reference guide” links specific diffraction features to slip directions and magnitudes, providing a blueprint for the interpretation of experimental data of slipped structures. Quantum-mechanical potential energy surfaces reveal multiple symmetry-equivalent minima separated by small barriers. This makes diverse slip configurations thermally accessible and large-scale stacking disorder inevitable. Nevertheless, as staggered configurations are found to be energetically disfavored, open pore channels prevail despite the disorder. From the energy landscapes, we construct static disordered models using Boltzmann-weighted probabilities, where also the question is addressed, which energies should be used for actually calculating the Boltzmann weights. Simulated PXRD patterns from these models excellently reproduce experimental peak positions, shapes, and stacking distances, suggesting the dominance of disordered stacking not only in COF-1. Full article

We compare the observational properties of rotation-powered binary millisecond pulsars (BMSPs) in the Galactic Field with various companion types. First, BMSPs with diverse companion types exhibit different properties in the relation of binary orbital period versus companion mass, and in the spin period distribution of neutron stars (NSs), etc., implying multiple origins of BMSPs. Second, BMSPs with companions of CO/ONeMg white dwarfs (CO-BMSPs) show fewer sources than those with companions of Helium white dwarfs (He-BMSPs), which may result from the different evolutionary histories or accretion efficiencies in their progenitors. Third, BMSPs with main-sequence companions (MS-BMSPs) and ultra-light companions or planets (UL-BMSPs) are mostly eclipsing sources that are detected in both radio and $\gamma$-ray bands (i.e., radio+$\gamma$ sources), implying that they may be younger systems and share a faster average spin period and higher average accretion rate than CO-BMSPs/He-BMSPs. We propose that the predecessors of MS-BMSPs may share a short binary orbital distance with low-mass companion stars of $M_{\mathrm{c}}\sim 0.5$–$0.8{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$, which induces an efficient binary accretion process, and ultimately leaves a BMSP with a main-sequence companion due to the low efficiency of its hydrogen burning. Lastly, radio+$\gamma$ He-BMSPs share a faster average spin period of NSs than radio-only He-BMSPs. Meanwhile, these two groups of sources share similar companion mass distributions, implying the $\gamma$-ray evaporation effect may not obviously strip the companion mass of He-BMSPs during ∼0.3 Gyr, which may be due to the strong gravitational potential energy of the white dwarf companions. Full article

As we enter the final year of the second extended mission of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), it is time to reflect on what the TESS mission has contributed to the advancement of astronomy. Thousands of papers based on TESS data have already been published, making it a challenge to select the ones we mention or summarise in this review. As the title suggests, this paper focuses on variable stars, that is, phenomena that causes a star’s brightness to change. We discuss all the major classes of extrinsic and intrinsic variables, from planetary transits to pulsating stars, excluding only the longest-period ones, which are not well suited for the typical time spans of TESS time-series observations. TESS has provided significant and interesting data and results for all these variable types. We hope that this selection successfully demonstrates the diverse applicability of TESS in variable star research. Full article

Atorvastatin (ATV), a widely used statin, exhibits both cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects. Apigenin (API), a natural flavonoid, also demonstrates potent anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel stability-indicating reverse-phase HPLC method for the simultaneous quantification of ATV and API in standard solutions and dual ATV–API-loaded self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS). Quality by Design (QbD) approach was used to define the quality target product profile (QTPP), critical quality attributes (CQAs), and identify critical method parameters (CMPs) through risk assessment. A central composite design (CCD) evaluated the effects of organic phase ratio, buffer pH, and flow rate on chromatographic responses, including retention time, tailing factor, and resolution. Separation was achieved using an Agilent Eclipse XDB C-18 column (5 µm, 4.6 × 150 min) with a mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0.1 M ammonium acetate buffer (pH 7.0) in a 40:60 (v/v) ratio, UV detection at 266 nm, and a flow rate of 0.4 mL/ min. The method met ICH and USP (2021) validation criteria, showing excellent linearity (0.1–10 µg/mL), precision, accuracy, and specificity. No interference from SMEDDS excipients or degradation products during stability studies was observed. This validated method offers a reliable tool for formulation development and routine analysis of ATV and API combinations Full article

Lifting hooks equipped with safety latches are critical terminal components of lifting machinery. The safety condition of this component is a crucial factor in preventing load dislodgement during lifting operations. To achieve intelligent monitoring of the hook and the safety latch, precise identification of these components is a crucial initial step. In this study, we propose an improved YOLOv8s detection model called YOLO-HOOK. To reduce computational complexity while simultaneously maintaining precision, the model incorporates an Efficient_Light_C2f module, which integrates a Convolutional Gated Linear Unit (CGLU) with Star Blocks. The neck network utilizes Multi-Scale Efficient Cross-Stage Partial (MSEICSP) to improve edge feature extraction capabilities under complex lighting conditions and multi-scale variations. Furthermore, a HOOK_IoU loss function was designed to optimize bounding box regression through auxiliary bounding boxes, and a piecewise linear mapping strategy was used to improve localization precision for challenging targets. The results of ablation studies and comparative analyses indicate that the YOLO-HOOK secured mAP scores of 90.4% at an Intersection over Union (IoU) threshold of 0.5 and 71.6% across the 0.5–0.95 IoU span, thereby eclipsing the YOLOv8s reference model by margins of 4.6% and 5.4%, respectively. Furthermore, it manifested a paramount precision of 97.0% alongside a commendable recall rate of 83.4%. The model parameters were reduced to 9.6 M, the computational complexity was controlled at 31.0 Giga Floating-point Operations Per Second (GFLOPs), and the inference speed reached 310 frames per second (FPS), balancing a lightweight design with excellent performance. These findings offer a technical approach for the intelligent recognition of hooks and safety latches during lifting operations, thus aiding in refining the safety management of lifting operations. Full article

V658 Car is the first known eclipsing binary system involving a classical Be star and an sdOB companion, offering a unique opportunity to study disk physics and binary interactions in unprecedented detail. From TESS data and multi-color observations from the comissão para a colaboração entre profissionais e amadores collaboration, we analyze the system’s color–magnitude diagram and compare it with radiative transfer models that include the Be star, its circumstellar disk, and the sdOB companion. While the stellar eclipses are well reproduced, two features observed in the multi-color photometry challenge the current modeling paradigm: the discrepancy between the observed reddening and the modeled blueing during the first attenuation phase and the complete lack of modeled attenuation around the second stellar eclipse. These issues highlight the need for more sophisticated modeling approaches to capture the complex interplay between disk opacity and binary dynamics. Full article

The Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) is one of the most productive and influential photometric sky surveys in the history of observational astronomy. Originally designed to detect dark matter through gravitational microlensing events, OGLE has evolved into a cornerstone of time-domain astrophysics, delivering three decades of two-band, high-cadence observations of approximately two billion stars across the Galactic bulge, disk, and Magellanic System. This review summarizes OGLE’s key contributions to variable star research, including the discovery, classification and characterization of pulsating stars, eclipsing, ellipsoidal, and rotating variables, or irregular and eruptive stars. Particular emphasis is placed on the OGLE Collection of Variable Stars (OCVS), a publicly available and systematically expanded dataset that has become a fundamental resource for studies of stellar variability and evolution, Milky Way and other galaxies structure, microlensing, compact objects, exoplanets and more. The synergy between OGLE and other major sky surveys, including ASAS, ASAS-SN, ATLAS, Gaia, KMTNet, MACHO, MOA, TESS, PLATO, or ZTF further amplifies its scientific reach. Full article

Focusing on the discovery of new $\delta$ Scuti and $\gamma$ Doradus stars, we analyzed the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) light curves for 193,940 A-F stars selected from four legacy catalogs—the Henry Draper Catalogue (HD), the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Star Catalog, the Positions and Proper Motions Catalog (PPM), and the Bonner Durchmusterung (BD, including its extensions). Through visual inspection of light curve morphologies and periodograms, combined with evaluation of stellar parameters, we identified over 51,850 previously unreported variable stars. These include 15,380 $\delta$ Scuti, 18,560 $\gamma$ Doradus, 28 RR Lyrae stars, 260 heartbeat candidates, and 2645 eclipsing binaries, along with thousands of other variable types. Notably, over 4145 variables exhibit hybrid $\delta$ Scuti-$\gamma$ Doradus pulsations, and more than 380 eclipsing binaries feature pulsating primary components. This study reveals a substantial population of bright, previously undetected variables, providing a valuable resource for ensemble asteroseismology, binary evolution studies, and Galactic structure research. Our results also highlight the surprising richness in variability still hidden within well-known stellar catalogs and the continued importance of high-precision, time-domain surveys such as TESS. Full article

The variability of B-type stars offers valuable insights into the interiors of stars and the processes that drive pulsation and rotation in massive stars. In this study, we present the classification of the variability of 197 B-type stars observed in various Kepler/K2 campaigns, including 73 newly classified stars from Campaigns 13–18. For these stars, we derived atmospheric and evolutionary parameters using space-based photometry and ground-based spectroscopy. We obtained spectroscopic data for 34 targets with high-resolution instruments at OPD/LNA, which were supplemented by archival LAMOST spectra. After correcting for instrumental systematics, we analyzed the light curves using Fourier transforms and wavelet decomposition to identify both periodic and stochastic signals. The identified variability types included SPB stars, $\beta$ Cephei/SPB hybrids, fast-rotating pulsators, stochastic low-frequency variables, eclipsing binaries, and rotational variables. We also revised classifications of misidentified stars using Gaia astrometry, confirming the main-sequence nature of objects once considered subdwarfs. Our results indicate that hot-star variability exists along a continuum shaped by mass, rotation, and internal mixing rather than distinct instability domains. This study enhances our understanding of B-type star variability and supports future asteroseismic modeling with missions like PLATO. Full article