Search Results (287)

Mamluk historiography is predominantly centred on the political actions of the ruling elite, particularly sultans and senior officials, whose careers and decisions are extensively documented in chronicles, biographical dictionaries, and autobiographical writings. In contrast, lower-ranking members of the ruling hierarchy appear only sporadically and occupy a structurally marginal position within historical narratives. Legendary and folkloric traditions are similarly marginalised, typically remaining outside the scope of official historiography and surviving primarily through oral transmission or in sources linked to socially and politically peripheral groups. Although a small number of reports attributed to lower-ranking mamluks are preserved in certain texts, they were largely ignored by Mamluk historians. This article examines Mamluk accounts of the legend of the “Green City” located in Tīh Banī Isrāʾīl (the Wilderness of the Children of Israel) in Sinai. The story is attributed to the Mamluks, who allegedly encountered the city while fleeing to Bilād al-Shām after the assassination of al-Amīr Fāris al-Dīn Aqṭāy by Sultan al-Muʿizz Aybak in 652/1254. Despite its proximity to this major political event, the narrative survives only in brief references by six historians across the entire Mamluk period (648–923/1250–1517). By analysing the transmission and marginalisation of this account, the article argues that the legendary narrative of the Green City offers a revealing case study of how extraordinary desert traditions were selectively incorporated into Mamluk historiography. A microhistorical and critical reading of the story further illuminates the interplay between oral testimony, desert knowledge, and the historiographical practices that shaped the preservation, adaptation, or omission of such narratives. Full article

The tortured and mutilated bodies of seven virgin martyrs stand side by side in an antependium woven around 1430 in Nuremberg. The Virgin Martyrs Tapestry is a striking representation of female saints’ martyrdoms that has yet to be fully analyzed for its potential contributions to discourses about hagiographic iconography, suffering and pain, religious constructs of gender, and sexualized violence in the fifteenth century. Nuanced interpretations of the iconography, with reference to images of Christ, enlighten and recontextualize the tapestry’s brutal depiction of the virgin martyrs. My analysis of the tapestry engages with this unusual presentation of virgin martyrs, stripped and statically accepting brutal torture that far exceeds their textual legends by weapons wielded by disembodied hands, as avenues for imitatio Christi. This interpretation considers the tapestry’s visual program, its enigmatic portrayal of torturing hands, late medieval attitudes toward pain and suffering, and the phenomenon of Christian women “becoming male” to transcend their femininity. Theologically and iconographically, the martyrs’ portrayals in the tapestry mirror the human and divine aspects of Christ. Full article

As Villanova University students navigate campus life, ghost stories tied to specific buildings, paths, and rituals circulate as grassroots spatial narratives. This article argues that these stories involving haunted halls, underground tunnels, and ritualized practices surrounding seals, arches, and fountains, function as forms of Radical Placemaking, through which students collectively reinterpret, appropriate, and sometimes resist the university’s officially sanctioned spatial order. Drawing on 162 student testimonies collected in 2019, translated into Spanish, and analyzed using topic modeling, co-occurrence mapping, and GIS visualization, the study demonstrates how vernacular stories encode lived experiences, informal knowledge, and alternative claims to campus space. Nine thematic clusters emerge, organized into three narrative domains: supernatural encounters anchored to institutional buildings (including Alumni Hall’s Civil War history, the St. Mary’s nun legend, and Tolentine Hall hauntings), ritual and tradition practices that reinscribe or subvert formal authority (the Corr Chapel arch, the Driscoll Hall seal ritual, and student ceremonies), and hidden-space narratives that imagine infrastructures beyond official visibility (such as underground tunnels linking campus buildings). Analysis of narrative transmission reveals uneven power relations: institutional channels circulate curated traditions aligned with university identity. Peer networks and personal experiences generate counter-mappings that privilege exploration, embodiment, and affect. Villanova’s ghost stories constitute spatial perceptions that enable students to assert belonging, contest institutional narratives, and produce place through collective storytelling within an evolving and hierarchically governed campus landscape. Full article

In built environmental design, incorporating building user participation and verifying indoor thermal performance at early design stages have become increasingly important. Although Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis is widely used to predict indoor thermal environments, its results are difficult for non-expert stakeholders to interpret, even when visualized using Mixed Reality (MR). Interpreting CFD visualizations in MR requires quantitative reasoning that explicitly cross-references visual features with legend information, rather than relying on prior color–value associations learned from natural images. This study investigates the capability of Vision–Language Models (VLMs) to interpret MR visualizations of CFD results and respond to user queries. We focus on indoor temperature distributions and airflow velocities visualized in MR. A novel dataset was constructed, consisting of MR images with CFD results superimposed onto real indoor spaces, paired with domain-specific question–answer annotations requiring legend-based reasoning. Using this dataset, a general-purpose VLM (Qwen2.5-VL) was fine-tuned. Experimental results show that the baseline model achieved less than 30% accuracy, whereas fine-tuning improved accuracy to over 60% across all categories while largely preserving general reasoning performance. These results demonstrate that domain adaptation enables VLMs to quantitatively interpret physical information embedded in MR visualizations, supporting non-experts’ understanding of built environmental design. Full article

Background/Objectives: Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma is typically administered inpatient (IP) to monitor for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Because cilta-cel toxicities are typically delayed, outpatient (OP) administration (infusion and early monitoring) is being explored. We synthesized available evidence on OP and IP administration. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 5 August 2025, supplemented by conference and gray literature searches. Eligible studies of adults with multiple myeloma receiving cilta-cel reported efficacy, safety, resource use, costs, and/or quality-of-life outcomes; findings were synthesized descriptively due to heterogeneity. Results: Seventy-four records (56 studies) were included; 90 patients received OP cilta-cel. OP clinical evidence (primarily three real-world studies) showed high response rates (ORR: 95%; median follow-up 4.6 months) and reported 1-year PFS and OS of 86% and 96%. In IP studies, median ORR was 91%, with median 1-year PFS 76% and median 1-year OS 85%. Any-grade CRS and ICANS occurred in 79–84% and 17–22% of OP patients (largely low grade); IP cohorts reported a median ICANS incidence of 17% (range 5–23%). Most OP patients were later hospitalized (86–93%), but stays were shorter (median 4–6.5 days) than in an IP cohort (median 19 days). Comparisons were unadjusted and may reflect selection differences. One modeling-based economic analysis estimated savings of ~$19,000 per OP-treated patient. Conclusions: OP cilta-cel appears feasible for selected patients and may reduce costs without compromising outcomes. Findings are descriptive and hypothesis-generating and prospective multicenter studies are needed to define long-term safety, durability, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. Full article

The inherently high-voltage-length product (V_πL) of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulators in the O-, C-, and L-telecom bands restricts further scaling of photonic integrated circuits’ bandwidth density, driving their migration toward shorter operating wavelengths. Nevertheless, the corresponding grating couplers, as critical optical input/outputs (optical I/Os) interfaces, remain largely undeveloped. Here, we demonstrate an 850 nm TFLN grating coupler designed based on topological unidirectional guided resonance (UGR). By breaking C₂ symmetry of the unit cell and precisely tailoring its geometry, we achieve unidirectional upward radiation with a 63.7 dB up/down intensity ratio. Subsequent apodization of groove widths and periods enables precise control of the electrical field distribution in both real and momentum spaces. This yields a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-matched, highly fabrication-tolerant TFLN grating coupler that attains, to the best of our knowledge, the highest simulated coupling efficiency of −0.6 dB without mirrors or hybrid materials. This work delivers a high-efficiency, layout-flexible, and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible optical I/Os solution for short-wavelength TFLN modulators with low V_πL. It offers substantial engineering value and broad applicability for on-chip light source integration and high-bandwidth-density short-reach optical interconnects. Full article

There are many stories in the Hebrew Bible that depict prominent Jews in the epicentre of a foreign imperia, and biblical scholarship essentially classifies every such narrative as court tales in terms of genre. Notwithstanding nuances and sub-categorisations (e.g., court contest and court conflict, wisdom court legend, success story of the wise courtier), to have one catch-all genre designation is imprudent and amorphous. This paper argues, using Formkritik and Gattungskritik, for three subgenres whereby foreign royal stories may be distinguished. One type of tale involves a foreign king who is either sleepless (Dan 6, Esth 6) or dreams (Gen 41, Dan 2 and 4); in the former, a king intervenes favourably for Jews in distress, while in the latter, the king’s dreams are interpreted by a wise Jewish courtier. Another type of tale is the imperial banquet, where an intoxicated gentile king orders the death of a high official (Dan 5, Esth 1, 5/7); this is wrought by a woman who exploits the king’s wine-induced disposition to effect lethal action with disastrous repercussions for the kingdom. Still another type of tale is the court tale proper; these episodes, however, are restricted to the courtly etiquette and decorum of courtiers who sagaciously advise the king, alongside its tensions with monotheism (Dan 3; Esth 3). As a result of this preliminary investigation, the typical setting of the political centre of the foreign imperium in Hebrew Bible narratives comprises three subgenres: court tales, banquet tales, and bedchamber tales. Since genres are determined by the common story forms, each distinct genre is scientifically determined by corresponding distinct narrative structures, vocabulary, and outcomes. Thus, what is proposed is a more illuminating distinction to the wide array and nebulous conglomeration of biblical stories involving Jews in prominent spaces within the foreign king’s court. Furthermore, the implications of the contended three subgenres involve calcifying religious practices, which become vital expressions of Judaism in the Second Temple period. Full article

Background: Chronic noncommunicable diseases account for nearly 80% of global deaths and are strongly associated with insulin resistance (IR). One of the most significant clinical findings of the past two decades is that the molecular mechanisms underlying immune and metabolic systems have been evolutionarily conserved across species. Methods: This study included 34 volunteers (19 men and 15 women). Demographic data were collected using validated questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist-to-hip ratio, and body composition assessed by tetrapolar bioimpedance) were obtained directly. Laboratory analyses included fasting glucose and insulin, glycated hemoglobin, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, organic aciduria, and additional biochemical markers assessed using standard methods. Group comparisons were performed using parametric or nonparametric statistical tests according to data distribution, as specified in the figure legends. Results: The primary analyses focused on identifying early metabolomic alterations associated with insulin resistance in individuals whose conventional biochemical parameters were within laboratory reference ranges. Individuals with a TG/HDL ratio > 2 and increased urinary kynurenate excretion exhibited a 3.6-fold higher relative risk of insulin resistance, while elevated insulin levels combined with urinary α-ketoisovalerate were associated with a 2.7-fold increased risk. Significant differences in plasma insulin, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR were observed between healthy and diseased individuals (p < 0.05), indicating early metabolic dysfunction preceding clinical disease onset. Conclusions: Metabolomic biomarkers serve as reliable indicators of subclinical metabolic disturbances, revealing significant risks in major metabolic pathways even in individuals with conventional exams within normal limits. Early detection through these metabolomic markers may enable personalized interventions aimed at preserving cellular function and systemic metabolic balance. Full article

In this study, which focuses on animal symbolism in Alevi–Bektashi menakıpnames (hagiographies), the objective was to investigate animal symbolism, which is not unfamiliar but not fully understood. In this context, the study examined Abdal Musa Velayetnamesi, Menakıbu’l Kudsiyye, Demir Baba Velayetname, Hacı Bektaş Veli Velayetname, Hacım Sultan Menakıpname, Koyun Baba Velayetname, Otman Baba Velayetname, Saltıkname, Seyyid Ali Sultan Velayetname, Şuaceddin Veli Velayetname, and Veli Baba Menakıpname. This study, which aims to reveal the animals featured in Alevi–Bektashi menakıpnames and the symbolic perceptions attributed to them, uses phenomenology (the study of phenomena) from qualitative research designs. Within the scope of the research, data was collected through secondary sources, and elements considered meaningful and thought to contain animal symbolism were identified and presented in the findings section through direct and indirect transfers. The analysis revealed that the following animals are used as symbolic animals in the aforementioned menakıpnames and menkıbes: horse, deer, sheep, ram, lion, wolf, dog, pig, crane, pigeon, rooster, snake/dragon, salamander, crocodile, fish, and ox. Although animals such as wolves and sheep have taken on different functions and symbolic meanings under the influence of Islamic tradition, all other animals have retained their symbolic meanings in Turkish mythology in Alevi–Bektashi legends. Full article

Understanding how learners process data visualizations with seductive details is essential for improving comprehension and engagement. This study examined the influence of task-relevant and task-irrelevant seductive details on attentional distribution and comprehension in the context of data story learning, using COVID-19 data visualizations as experimental materials. A gaze-based methodology was applied, using eye-movement data and saliency maps to visualize learners’ attentional patterns while processing bar graphs with varying embellishments. Results showed that task-relevant seductive details supported comprehension for learners with higher visuospatial abilities by guiding attention toward textual information, while task-irrelevant details hindered comprehension, particularly for those with lower visuospatial abilities who focused disproportionately on visual elements. Working memory capacity emerged as a significant predictor of attentional distribution. Additionally, repeated exposure to data visualizations enhanced participants’ ability to recognize visualization types, improving efficiency and reducing reliance on legends and supplementary text. Overall, this study highlights the cognitive mechanisms underlying visualization processing in data story learning and provides practical implications for education, human–computer interaction, and adaptive technology design, emphasizing the importance of tailoring visualization strategies to individual learner differences. Full article

Evidence indicates that seminal plasma (SP) has pregnancy-favorable biological effects, but there is no definitive proof that exposure to SP increases pregnancy rates in assisted reproductive techniques. We previously showed that this discrepancy may be due to male stress altering SP composition. This study investigated the association between male stress biomarkers in saliva, serum and SP and key determinants of female fertility in women exposed to their partner’s SP during the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle. The prospective pilot study included couples with tubal infertility who had unprotected intercourse during the ICSI cycle, supplemented by intravaginal SP injection on the oocyte retrieval day. Salivary cortisol and seminal noradrenaline were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous systems. Seminal interleukin-18 was measured using LegendPlex™ technology. Cluster analysis of male stress biomarkers identified two neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) phenotypes, characterized by signs of acute (phenotype-1) and chronic (phenotype-2) stress. Women with NEI phenotype-2 partners had fewer collected, mature, and fertilized oocytes, thinner endometrium, and significantly lower pregnancy rates (18.2%) compared to those with NEI phenotype-1 partners (84.6%). These data may suggest a dual role for SP in female fertility, depending on the type of male stress. Full article