This article examines the Tangchaodun bema—a liturgical structure dating to the Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom in Xinjiang—as a regional manifestation of the architectural and theological tradition of the Church of the East, shaped over centuries of transmission and adaptation. Through comparative analysis of archaeological remains and liturgical texts from Syria, Mesopotamia, and Central Asia, the study argues that the Tangchaodun bema follows the ‘eastern-type bema’ model rooted in the East Syrian tradition. Its spatial configuration and ritual function reflect established Mesopotamian patterns, particularly in the mirroring of bema and sanctuary, while also incorporating localised features shaped by visual adaptation and intercultural contact. Bilingual inscriptions and iconographic traces further attest to this integration of tradition and regional context.

Rather than existing in isolation, the Tangchaodun bema forms part of a broader historical development in East Syriac ecclesiastical architecture. By positioning the site within this extended line of transmission, the article shows how sacred space operated as a medium of both theological continuity and cultural dialogue across Asia. In so doing, it offers new perspectives on the role of Christian architecture in the Tang to Yuan Dynasties and contributes to a more integrated understanding of the Church of the East in its easternmost reaches.

From the 1960s, the rising volatility of financial markets in the US troubled econometricians and bank managers alike. Both found it increasingly difficult to forecast savings deposit flows. This article explores these challenges by focusing on two developments. First, it analyzes the adjustment process among econometric models of the savings deposit market. I combine the analysis of the FMP model used by the Fed since 1970 and the deposit model of the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society (PSFS), thereby pioneering the historical analysis of econometric models built by private financial institutions. I find that economists failed to discover timeless determinants for deposit flows. Second, I explore how the conditions of the savings deposit market shaped the demand for macroeconomic forecast models, using the PSFS as a case study. I show that while the rising volatility led bank managers to seek sophisticated tools to predict deposit flows, the deregulation of the banking industry put the forecasting quality of macroeconomic models for individual banks to the test.

Hydrogen is a leading candidate for zero-emission propulsion in aviation, particularly when stored and utilised in its liquid form. However, key components such as composite cryogenic pressure vessels remain at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), requiring further investigation into their structural performance under realistic operational conditions. The present work aims to provide a validated numerical methodology for simulating the thermomechanical behaviour and the progressive damage evolution of composite cryogenic hydrogen tanks. The finite element framework incorporates ply-level failure criteria and stiffness degradation laws to capture intra-laminar damage mechanisms under combined pressure and temperature loads. The modelling approach is validated against experimental data from coupon-level open-hole tension tests and subcomponent-scale composite pipes burst tests, demonstrating strong correlation in terms of failure onset and progression.

The validated methodology is subsequently applied to a demonstrator, comprising a composite liquid hydrogen tank, subjected to three representative loading scenarios: internal pressure, cryogenic temperature and combined cryogenic-mechanical loading. Results reveal that matrix-dominated damage initiates near the cylinder – dome interfaces of the tank and propagates across the laminate, while fibre failure is not observed in the investigated load cases. This suggests that potential hydrogen leakage is the initial critical failure condition that occurs before any other important structural damage of the tank, highlighting the need for appropriate tank design. The performed study contributes to the understanding of structural integrity of composite cryogenic tanks and offers a computational basis for future design and certification efforts in hydrogen aviation systems.

This research communication aimed to describe the concentrations of major bone metabolic markers in colostrum from dairy cows on the day of calving and to clarify their associations with parity and the incidence of milk fever (MF). Forty-five Holstein cows were categorized into three groups based on parity: P1 (first calving; n = 18), P2 (second calving; n = 11) and P3 (third to sixth calving; n = 16). Within the P3 group, 6 cows developed MF within a few hours after calving (MF cows), whereas 10 showed no signs of MF (non-MF cows). Concentrations of osteoprotegerin (OPG), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (TRAP5b), cross-linked N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTx), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP or ALP3) and calcium (Ca) were measured. With increasing parity, serum concentrations of Ca, ALP3 and TRAP5b significantly declined (P < 0.001–0.05). Parity also significantly influenced colostral bone markers: colostral BAP was highest in the P2 group (P < 0.01). Among P3 cows, serum Ca concentrations were significantly lower in MF cows than in non-MF cows, although no significant differences were observed in colostral Ca concentrations. Although no statistically significant differences were detected in other colostral bone metabolic markers between MF and non-MF cows, colostral OPG concentrations tended to be higher in MF cows (P = 0.088). Across all 45 cows and within the P3 group, colostral OPG was moderately and positively associated with serum OPG, as well as with both colostral and serum NTx concentrations. In conclusion, colostral OPG concentration in parturient cows with three or more parities may serve as a useful indicator for reflecting the bone metabolic status of dairy cows with and without MF.

The design of a hexagonal six-ridged waveguide (H6RWG) phased array antenna (PAA) element featuring a wide scan angle matched slotted horn aperture is presented for Ka-band satellite downlink in low Earth orbit non-terrestrial network applications. The proposed PAA element is evaluated against an open-ended waveguide (OEWG) PAA element and achieves a very low active reflection coefficient (ARC) of less than -18 dB and a total antenna efficiency greater than 84% over a wide bandwidth from 17.3 to 20.2 GHz with a $\pm$ 50$^\circ$ scan range. Specifically, the aperture of the H6RWG was designed to limit the variations in ARC during scanning, thereby minimizing load pulling of integrated active devices, as demonstrated with a power amplifier (PA) in a co-simulation. As a result, the power-added efficiency, output power, and linearity of the PA remained stable over the bandwidth and scan range. Compared to the OEWG PAA, the co-polarized system efficiency and equivalent isotropic radiated power are improved for most scan angles within the bandwidth, especially at high scan angles.

The Arctic, once a climate victim, is now becoming a climate stressor. The melting ice has brought us closer to climate tipping points and, simultaneously, has made oil reserves in the Arctic more accessible. As a result, a clash has emerged between scientific warnings and climate change obstruction (CCO) discourses that prioritise economic ambitions over climate concerns. This study investigates whether, despite scientific warnings, Norway defends further oil extraction in the Arctic, thus aligning with CCO discourses by prioritising economic interests over climate urgency. Based on a qualitative inductive approach, we analyse four official White Papers from the Norwegian government, identify their discursive patterns and contrast them with CCO discourses found in the literature. We found that the Norwegian government exhibits an affinity with six CCO discourses: 1) Non-Transformative Discourse, 2) Responsibility Deflection Discourse, 3) Discourse of the Common Good, 4) Discourse of Higher Priorities or Loyalties, 5) The Legal Discourse, and 6) The Discourse of Good Intentions. We conclude that the Norwegian government has constructed a narrative where the recognition of climate urgency does not mean the renouncement of its long-term petroleum interests and further oil extraction in the Arctic. This narrative, named here as the “green oil” narrative, uses renewable energies to electrify the oil industry, thus presenting renewables as an ally of oil expansion rather than a step toward a fossil fuel phase-out. Overall, Norway’s current narrative fails to address oil dependency, defending and justifying oil extraction in the Arctic.

With the Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, the European Union strives to address the negative externalities of companies that arise in the global economy. The new Directive follows the example of national lawmakers by requiring large companies operating in their own jurisdiction to manage adverse impacts on human rights and the environment. These due diligence laws affect companies beyond European borders by cascading due diligence standards down transnational ownership ties and value chains. They are shifting gears in the complex engine of the global economy and have considerable impacts on stakeholders in third countries. These extraterritorial implications raise the question of what limits international law places on relevant unilateral legislation. This article assesses the Directive against the law of jurisdiction and international comity arguing that unilateral due diligence laws are an appropriate way to address transnational sustainability challenges, provided lawmakers take adequate precautions.

This note establishes sharp time-asymptotic algebraic rate bounds for the classical evolution problem of Fujita, but with sublinear rather than superlinear exponent. A transitional stability exponent is identified, which has a simple reciprocity relation with the classical Fujita critical blow-up exponent.

This article examines the crucial yet underexplored role of indigenous peasant women in the struggle for agrarian reform and peasant liberation during the second half of the twentieth century in Latin America. Focusing on and re-examining the peasant movement of La Convención (Peru) and employing historical and anthropological methods, it argues that these women were far from peripheral actors. They actively engaged in unions, collective actions and even armed militias, performing both traditional and non-traditional gender roles to challenge the exploitative hacienda system and gender hierarchies. The article also analyses the impact of the Cold War on their rhetoric, alliances and broader struggle for social justice.

What is the relationship between Chinese migrants and China? Can modern Chinese migration be compared to colonization? This article examines how Chinese intellectuals in the first half of the twentieth century grappled with these questions through their writings in Dongfang zazhi (东方杂志, 1904–1948) and Nanyang yanjiu (南洋研究, 1928–1944). It shows that although these intellectuals acknowledged the territorial dimensions of Chinese migration—particularly in Southeast Asia—they defined colonization through the European model and stressed the fundamental differences between Chinese migration and Western or Japanese colonialism. Their perspectives also evolved over time, from initially advocating colonization and racial vitality in the early twentieth century, to proclaiming a different path after the Republican Revolution in 1911, and later to reimagining post-Second World War Chinese migration as not just a nationalist project but also a movement of decolonization and localization. The article highlights the case of Li Changfu, a pioneering scholar whose writings epitomized these evolving perspectives and illustrated the efforts among Chinese intellectuals to move beyond both the Western colonial framework and the China-centred national model in formulating a world-historical approach. Yet their attempts also revealed enduring tensions, including the tendency to essentialize Chinese identity even as they sought to break from colonial and national paradigms and construct new narratives. Their engagement with the ‘colonial question’ offers fresh insight into contemporary historiographical debates over the role of colonialism and empire-buiding in Chinese history.

Iodine deficiency is now a significant public-health concern in the UK. Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS; 2019–2023) shows that several population groups are now classified as mildly iodine deficient, including women of childbearing age. This is a change from previous NDNS data where these groups were iodine sufficient. As iodine is needed for thyroid-hormone production, which are essential for brain development, iodine deficiency prior to, and during, pregnancy may have implications for child cognition – including lower IQ. However, the evidence base for the health effects of mild deficiency is not as strong as in severe deficiency. The WHO recommends salt iodisation to control iodine deficiency in a population, but such a policy was never introduced in the UK and iodised salt is not widely available. While UK milk is rich in iodine and is the principal source, the rise in popularity of plant-based milk alternatives may increase the risk of iodine deficiency. It may be necessary to give personalised advice to those with low iodine intake, but identify those at risk is challenging owing to a lack of a biomarker for iodine in an individual. Population-wide approaches may be required in the UK – for example, fortification of bread with iodised salt or mandatory iodine fortification of plant-based dairy alternatives. This review will critically discuss (i) the data on iodine deficiency in the UK (ii) the evidence base for the health implications of mild deficiency and (iii) the potential public-health solutions.

In the UK, approximately 64,000 individuals are living with an ileostomy. This surgery creates an opening in the abdominal wall (stoma), allowing for diversion of egesta into a disposable pouch. This procedure impacts nutrient absorption meaning people living with an ileostomy may be subject to sub-optimal nutrition, often compounded by the low-fibre diet – which is frequently encouraged post-operatively. This review explores the restrictive dietary patterns of this population and their effects on nutrition and quality of life, alongside current approaches to improve dietary management and health outcomes. Dietary restriction beyond the post-operative period is frequently reported, with avoidance of high-fibre foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) being most prevalent. These long-term dietary changes are presumed to impact nutritional status, with current evidence suggesting diminished bone mineral density and vitamin B12. High-output stoma (HOS) and dehydration are significant issues for people living with an ileostomy, and dietary management of stoma output and other ileostomy-related symptoms is a major contributor to food avoidance. The efficacy of oral rehydration solutions (ORS) in management of HOS is well-established; however, due to high concentrations of glucose and sodium, the palatability of such treatments is poor, impacting patient adherence. Encouragingly, personalised dietary advice has shown some positive effects on both quality of life and nutritional outcomes for people living with an ileostomy. However, a greater understanding of dietary management is needed, and there remains scope to improve current dietary advice and enable people living with an ileostomy to benefit from a more complete and unrestricted diet.

Biliary atresia is a rare bile duct disease resulting in intestinal bile salt depletion due to poor bile flow. Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplementation is widely recommended and used as the main dietary management in infants, however evidence for its use is limited and there is uncertainty regarding the optimal percentage (proportion of total fat that is MCT) and dose (grams/kilogram/day, g/kg/d). The aim was to review the evidence for the impact of MCT on fat absorption, growth, nutritional status and clinical outcomes in infants with biliary atresia and the optimal nutrition profile of MCT supplementation. A scoping review found that the mostly observational, historic evidence for MCT supplementation pointed to greater fat absorption during MCT supplementation compared to no supplementation, but also some evidence of a risk of essential fatty acid deficiency with very high MCT percentage. Only six studies have investigated MCT percentages and only three reported MCT dose. One analysis of MCT in the largest cohort of biliary atresia patients ever presented (n = 200), found no association between MCT percentage with growth, nutritional status or clinical outcomes. Counterintuitively, there was an unexpected inverse association between MCT dose and growth. A possible interpretation was that increased MCT was a consequence of poor growth rather than a cause, as infants either drank more or dietitians prescribed more MCT as fat malabsorption worsened. In conclusion, MCT is widely recommended, however, the evidence for its use is lacking and there remains uncertainty about the optimum percentage and dose for infants with biliary atresia.