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  • Orlando Pride loans two players heading into second half of the season

    Orlando Pride loans two players heading into second half of the season

    ORLANDO, Fla. (July 2, 2025) — The Orlando Pride (8-4-1, 25 points) today announced the loans of two players: forward Amanda Allen has been loaned to Halifax Tides FC of Canada’s Northern Super League; and defender Bri Martinez has been loaned to Carolina Ascent FC of the USL Super League.

    Allen has appeared in 17 matches for the Pride and earned her first professional assist in the Pride’s season opener at Louisville during the 2024 season. Her assist came in the 86th minute of the match and helped level a game that saw the Pride battle back from a 2-0 deficit with 10 players.

    Martinez originally joined the Pride as a non-roster invitee during the 2023 preseason before signing with the Club. She has appeared in 27 matches for the Pride, including eight starts during the Pride’s 2024 Championship season. She made her professional debut on April 23, 2023, coming on as a substitute against the Kansas City Current.

    The loans for Allen and Martinez will run through the end of the 2025 season.

    TRANSACTIONS: Orlando Pride loans forward Amanda Allen to Halifax Tides FC of Canada’s Northern Super League through the end of the 2025 season; defender Bri Martinez to Carolina Ascent FC of the USL Super League through the end of the 2025 season.


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  • Alert issued as monsoon activity likely to intensify in most parts of Pakistan

    Alert issued as monsoon activity likely to intensify in most parts of Pakistan

    People passing through accumulated water on the road during rain in Lahore. — APP/File

    The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) has issued impact-based weather alerts across Pakistan ahead of severe weather expected from July 2 to 8.

    The alerts highlighted the growing risk of flash floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and urban flooding in different parts of the country.

    The current spell of low to moderate rains is likely to continue until July 5, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which oversees the NECO, said in a statement.

    An active southwest monsoon system, coupled with a westerly wave, is expected to enter the country, which would bring moderate to heavy rainfall and localised thunderstorms, it added.

    The most affected regions are upper catchments of major rivers, including central and lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the northeastern parts of Punjab, particularly Lahore.

    Due to the forecast, increased river flows are expected across the country. In particular, the Kabul River at Nowshera is likely to receive a surge due to swelling of its tributaries, such as the Swat River, Panjkora, Bara, and Kalpani Nullah.

    Inflows into Tarbela Dam may reach the low flood limit. Flash floods in riverine areas, especially where nullahs and local streams converge, may pose threats to nearby settlements.

    Simultaneously, the risks of glacial lake outburst floods and landslides have increased in Gilgit-Baltistan and KP, where ongoing high temperatures have accelerated glacier and snow melt.

    The situation is further aggravated by incoming moist currents and rainfall. Vulnerable glacial valleys and narrow mountain passes may face sudden GLOF events, flash floods, road blockages, and disruptions to infrastructure and tourism.

    In northeastern Punjab, including Lahore, Sialkot, and Narowal districts, local nullahs such as Aik, Deg, Bein, Basantar, and Palku may overflow, causing waterlogging and urban flooding in low-lying neighborhoods.

    In DG Khan and Rajanpur, hill torrents may also be activated, causing localised low-level flooding.

    The NDMA urged the public to take precautionary measures and asked residents in at-risk areas to avoid unnecessary travel, secure important belongings, and prepare for potential evacuation.

    Tourists are advised against visiting high-altitude and glacial regions during this period.

    Municipal and district administrations are instructed to ensure the readiness of flood response teams, the clearing of stormwater drains and nullahs, and the maintenance of rapid response capabilities.

    Motorists should avoid driving through flooded roads and underpasses, which can be hazardous even at shallow water levels.

    The authority encourages all citizens to stay informed through official advisories, safety instructions, and early warnings.


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  • The therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulati

    The therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulati

    Introduction

    Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) refers to a psychiatric condition marked by an intense preoccupation with bodily symptoms.1 These symptoms cause significant distress or disruption to daily life, evident through exaggerated and maladaptive cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions. For instance, an individual with SSD might exhibit chronic pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, or fatigue, alongside anxiety, catastrophizing thoughts, and avoidance behaviors.2 Estimates of the prevalence of SSD in the general population range from 6.7% to 17.4%, with an average frequency of 12.9%.1 Despite SSD’s elevated prevalence and strong association with detrimental functional consequences, such as diminished quality of life and increased healthcare utilization, research on interventions for its treatment and management remains sparse.3 As a result, healthcare providers continue to face challenges in providing adequate treatment for SSD.

    Pharmacotherapy is one of the important approaches in the treatment of SSD. Pharmacological treatment for SSD includes non-psychotropic medications (such as β-blockers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants for alleviating somatic symptoms), psychotropic medications, and herbal remedies (such as St. John’s wort). Psychotropic medications have been proven effective in treating some somatic symptoms, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) (eg, escitalopram, fluoxetine), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) (eg, venlafaxine), atypical antidepressants (eg, mirtazapine), and tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline).4 However, a significant number of individuals suffering from SSD do not attain a treatment response, which is characterized by a reduction in severity exceeding 50%, following treatment with antidepressant monotherapy administered at adequate doses and for an adequate duration.5 Additionally, antidepressants mainly improve mood and relieve somatic symptoms by regulating neurotransmitters such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and norepinephrine.5,6 However, patients with SSD may have more extensive neurotransmitter imbalances, including the dopamine (DA) system.7 Antipsychotic medications can regulate DA.8 Typical antipsychotic medications include chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, and pimozide. These drugs, among the earliest developed in the field of antipsychotic medications, primarily exert their effects by targeting DA D2 receptors but may also interact with other receptors.9 In the 1990s, new antipsychotic medications are developed, known as second-generation or “atypical” antipsychotic medications, such as quetiapine, aripiprazole, and risperidone.10 Risperidone, classified as an atypical antipsychotic, exhibits robust antagonistic effects on DA D2, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT1D, α1-, and α2-adrenergic receptors. It serves as an effective augmenting therapy for SSRI-resistant major depressive disorder. Furthermore, risperidone has the capability to counteract the SSRI-induced suppression of norepinephrine activity through its 5-HT2A antagonism.5 Paliperidone, which is the principal metabolite of risperidone, has demonstrated notable therapeutic benefits when used as an adjunctive treatment alongside citalopram in patients diagnosed with somatoform disorder.5 Compared with other second-generation antipsychotic medications, risperidone has relatively fewer adverse reactions.5 However, currently, antipsychotic medications are usually not used as monotherapy for SSD but are part of combination therapy, combined with other treatment methods to improve therapeutic efficacy.5

    In recent years, the combined application of neuromodulation techniques and pharmacotherapy has provided new ideas for the treatment of SSD.11 Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of noninvasive brain stimulation, has the capability to modulate the neural excitability of specific brain regions, which has been applied in the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.12 It has few side effects and is considered a promising intervention for improving symptoms in patients with SSD.13 rTMS has good efficacy in modulating targeted neural activity and further alleviating symptoms, so an increasing number of studies are focusing on examining the effects of rTMS on negative symptoms and cognitive deficits in patients with SSD.13 Xue Li et al report that rTMS combined with family intervention and risperidone has a synergistic effect in the treatment of schizophrenia, especially in improving positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive function.14 Additionally, data from Rui Li et al show that rTMS combined with risperidone treatment may affect the brain-gut-microbiota axis by regulating the gut microbiota in patients with chronic schizophrenia, thereby participating in the therapeutic effect.11 Given this, this study aimed to explore the application effect of rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication (risperidone) in SSD.

    It is worth noting that patients with SSD often have comorbid symptoms such as anxiety and depression and may have central nervous system dysfunction.2,15 Neurotransmitter imbalance may be one of the mechanisms leading to symptoms and requires further study. It is well known that DA receptors are widely expressed in the body and function in both peripheral and central nervous systems.16 Their dysfunction is associated with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.17 Furthermore, high levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the medial prefrontal cortex play an important pathophysiological role in the generation of somatic symptom disorders.18 Meanwhile, 5-HT abnormalities are also considered a key biological cause of somatic symptoms.5 On the other hand, data from Bumhee et al showed that patients with SSD have higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) compared with healthy controls, and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and IL-6 have a complete mediating inhibitory effect on the relationship between the functional connectivity strength of the default mode network and depression levels.19 Against this background, we included studies on neurotransmitters and inflammatory markers to comprehensively evaluate the biological effects of rTMS combined with risperidone on SSD. By analyzing changes in neurotransmitters such as DA, GABA, 5-HT, and inflammatory markers, we can reveal the potential mechanisms of combination therapy and provide a scientific basis for the treatment of SSD.

    Materials and Methods

    Ethics Statement

    All experimental procedures were approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, and patients or their families provided informed consent and signed an informed consent form. This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.

    Subjects and Grouping

    Ninety patients with SSD admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from May 2023 to May 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Inclusion criteria: Patients who met the diagnostic criteria for SSD in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition20 and the Chinese Classification and Diagnostic Criteria for Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition, and had a Patient Health Questionnaire-15 score ≥ 5; patients aged 18–75 years; patients who had not received antipsychotic medication or rTMS within the past 6 months; patients on the 17-Item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD)21 score ≥ 17 points before treatment. Exclusion criteria: Patients with severe physical diseases (including stroke, malignant tumors, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, end-stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, myocardial infarction, etc) or brain organic diseases; patients with a history of schizophrenia, mania, and depression associated with various types of organic lesions; patients with epilepsy, acute-phase cerebrovascular accidents, intracranial infections, and intracranial presence of metal or other foreign bodies; patients with suicidal behavior or suicidal ideation; patients with allergies or sensitivities to all the medications used in the study; and women who were pregnant or breastfeeding.

    Depending on the treatment regimen, the enrolled patients were divided into the medication and combination groups, with 45 cases each. The medication group was treated with low-dose antipsychotic medication, while the combination group received low-dose antipsychotic medication combined with rTMS.

    Treatments

    Patients in the medication group were treated with low-dose antipsychotic medication, specifically risperidone (Janssen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xi ‘an, China; State Drug Administration H20010309), administered orally at an initial dose of 0.5 mg twice daily, with the dose adjustable to 1.5 mg within one week, for a treatment cycle of 8 weeks. The combination group received low-dose antipsychotic medication combined with rTMS. Specific methods: The antipsychotic medication regimen was identical to that of the medication group. YRDCCY-1 transcranial magnetic stimulator (Yi Ruide Medical Equipment New Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China) was used for the treatment, with an output pulse frequency range of 0–100 Hz and a peak stimulation intensity range of 1.5–6 Tesla. Specific operations: The patient was laid on the magnetic therapy bed, relaxed systemically, with the “8”-shaped coil placed on the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The treatment was stimulated with an intensity of 1Hz frequency and 80% motor threshold, delivering 800 pulses per session, lasting 20 minutes per session, once daily for 5 consecutive days, followed by a 2-day break. This cycle was continued for 8 weeks.

    Observation Parameters

    General data: General demographic information such as gender, age, years of education, ethnicity, marital occupation, and place of residence of the study subjects were collected through a retrospective case system.

    Anxiety and depression: The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA)22 was used to assess patients’ psychological states. The scale includes 14 items, such as anxious mood, fear, and cognitive function, scored on a 0–4 scale (0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe, 4 = very severe), with a maximum score of 56. The HAMD-17 scale was used to assess the depressive symptoms in both groups of patients. This scale consists of 17 items covering aspects such as depressed mood, guilt, and suicidal thoughts, and is divided into five factors: anxiety somatization, weight, cognitive disturbance, retardation, and sleep disturbances. Each question has a different scoring standard, and the corresponding score is selected based on the patient’s response. The total score is then calculated.

    Clinical efficacy: HAMD-17 was utilized to evaluate the treatment response. A reduction rate of ≥ 75% before and after treatment was considered clinical remission, 25–74% was considered effective, and < 25% was considered ineffective. The total effective rate was calculated as [(number of clinical remissions + effective cases) / total number of cases × 100%]. The reduction rate was calculated as [(pre-treatment HAMD-17 score – post-treatment HAMD-17 score) / pre-treatment HAMD-17 score × 100%].

    Quality of life: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) (SF-36)23 was used for assessment. The survey included four functional domains: physical, social, psychological, and daily living. Each domain is scored out of 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life for the patient.

    Adverse reactions: The occurrence of adverse reactions including fatigue, drowsiness, anorexia, nausea, xerostomia, and dizziness, were compared.

    Neurotransmitters levels: Before treatment (admission day 2) and after treatment (8 weeks of treatment), 5 mL of cubital vein blood was collected with an EDTA blood collection tube. Blood samples should be processed within 2 hours; otherwise, they must be stored at −80°C, with strict avoidance of multiple freeze–thaw cycles. The levels of GABA, 5-HT, and DA were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).24 ELISA kits for GABA (CB10292-Hu), 5-HT (CB10030-Hu), and DA (CB10524-Hu) were purchased from Coibo Biotechnology (Shanghai, China).

    Inflammatory factor levels: Levels of CRP, IL-1β, and IL-10 were measured using ELISA. ELISA kits for CRP (CB10116-Hu), IL-1β (CB10347-Hu), and IL-10 (CB13566-Hu) were available from Coibo.

    Statistical Processing

    Data were processed using SPSS 26.0 software. The normality of measurement data was tested using the Shapiro–Wilk method, and all data conformed to a normal distribution. Additionally, the measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (Mean ± SD). Comparisons between groups used independent sample t-tests, and within-group comparisons used paired sample t-tests. Numeration data were expressed as [number of cases (n)], and analyzed using chi-square tests, with Yates’ correction applied to small sample sizes. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

    Results

    General Data

    Baseline data differences between the two groups were analyzed, revealing no statistically significant differences in age, gender, disease duration, marital status, ethnicity, residence, or education level (P > 0.05), indicating comparability (Table 1).

    Table 1 Comparison of General Data in the Two Groups

    HAMA and HAMD Scores

    There was no notable difference in HAMA and HAMD scores between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, HAMA and HAMD scores in both groups decreased compared to pre-treatment levels (P < 0.05). Post-treatment improvements in HAMA and HAMD scores were better in the combination group than in the medication group (Table 2).

    Table 2 Comparison of HAMA and HAMD Scores Before and After Treatment in the Two Groups

    SF-36 Scores

    There was no significant difference in SF-36 scores between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, SF-36 dimension scores in both groups increased (P < 0.05), with the combination group’s scores higher than the control group’s (P < 0.05) (Table 3).

    Table 3 Comparison of SF-36 Scores Before and After Treatment Between the Two Groups

    Clinical Efficacy

    The total effective rate in the medication group was 84.44% (38/45), while the total effective rate in the combination group was 97.78% (44/45). According to the chi-square test, the total effective rate in the combination group was higher than that in the medication group (P = 0.026) (Table 4).

    Table 4 Comparison of Clinical Efficacy Between the Two Groups

    Occurrence of Adverse Reactions

    The medication group and the combination group showed no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions such as fatigue, drowsiness, anorexia, xerostomia, nausea, and dizziness (all P > 0.05) (Table 5).

    Table 5 Comparison of the Incidence of Adverse Reactions Between the Two Groups

    Neurotransmitters Levels

    There was no significant difference in GABA, 5-HT, and DA levels between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, GABA and 5-HT levels in both groups increased compared to pre-treatment levels, while DA levels decreased, with the combination group’s levels higher/lower than the medication group’s (Table 6).

    Table 6 Comparison of Neurotransmitters Levels Between the Two Groups Before and After Treatment

    Inflammatory Factor Levels

    There was no remarkable difference between the pre-treatment levels of CRP, IL-1β, and IL-10 between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, CRP and IL-1β levels in both groups decreased compared to pre-treatment levels, while IL-10 levels increased, with the combination group’s levels lower/higher than the medication group’s (Table 7).

    Table 7 Comparison of Inflammatory Factor Levels Between the Two Groups Before and After Treatment

    Discussion

    SSD is common in primary health care institutions, and diagnosis and treatment are often challenging.1 Therefore, this study evaluated the therapeutic effects of rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication in patients with SSD. The results showed that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication has significant advantages in improving anxiety and depression, enhancing quality of life, and regulating neurotransmitter levels, and inflammatory factors in the treatment of SSD.

    Specifically, the improvement in HAMA and HAMD scores in the combination group was better than that in the medication group, indicating that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication is more effective in improving anxiety and depressive symptoms. Additionally, the SF-36 scores in the combination group were higher than those in the medication group, indicating that combination therapy is more effective in improving quality of life. Meanwhile, the total effective rate in the combination group was higher than that in the medication group, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups, revealing that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication is superior to monotherapy in overall efficacy and does not increase the risk of adverse reactions. Studies have reported that rTMS leads to a greater reduction in depressive symptoms than medication, which is further reflected in higher rates of response and remission. Additionally, rTMS results in a more substantial decrease in anxiety and anhedonia symptoms compared to switching antidepressants.25 Furthermore, in the study of Ren et al, intermittent theta burst-rTMS (iTBS-rTMS) demonstrates a favorable therapeutic effect in patients with methamphetamine use disorder, with improvements in both depression and impulsivity. These enhancements are strongly associated with the therapeutic efficacy of iTBS-rTMS.26

    In addition, this study highlighted that the levels of GABA and 5-HT in the combination group were higher than those in the medication group, and the level of DA was lower than that in the medication group, indicating that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication is more effective in regulating neurotransmitter levels. According to previous results, the serum levels of 5-HT in both the acupuncture + rTMS combination group and the rTMS-only group are found to be higher post-treatment compared to their pre-treatment levels.27 In the study by Feng et al, after rTMS treatment, the GABA levels are notably elevated.28 A study reveals that antipsychotic medications such as risperidone may regulate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors through the glycogen synthase kinase 3β-β-catenin signaling pathway and/or the activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein 1, and the regulation of GABAₐR may also be related to these signaling pathways.29 Thomas et al’s study shows that risperidone affects motor activity and neural activity in mice, especially having a significant impact on neural oscillations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, by blocking DA receptor D2R and regulating the activity of serotonin receptors (5-HT₁AR and 5-HT2AR).30 Based on the results of this study, there is a synergistic mechanism in neurotransmitter regulation when risperidone is combined with rTMS. Risperidone, as a D2 receptor antagonist, can block excessive DA activity in the mesolimbic system to alleviate positive symptoms,14 while rTMS activates glutamatergic neurons in the prefrontal cortex through high-frequency stimulation, promoting DA release and enhancing prefrontal-striatal circuit function. The combined treatment may partially counteract the inhibitory effect of risperidone on DA, thereby optimizing DA metabolic balance. Additionally, risperidone indirectly increases synaptic 5-HT levels by blocking 5-HT2A receptors, and rTMS stimulates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to increase 5-HT release into the limbic system. The synergy of the two may increase 5-HT concentrations in relevant brain regions, thereby improving anxiety and depressive symptoms. On the other hand, rTMS can enhance GABAergic interneuron activity to inhibit prefrontal cortex hyperactivity, and risperidone can indirectly regulate DA-GABA interactions to enhance GABAergic inhibition. The combined treatment can more effectively reduce prefrontal cortex excitability and reduce anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

    Meanwhile, this study also observed that the levels of CRP and IL-1β in the combination group were lower than those in the medication group, and the level of IL-10 was higher than that in the medication group, indicating that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication is more effective in regulating inflammatory marker levels. In line with the results of the present study, in the study of Yang et al, deep rTMS reduced microglial activation at the lesion sites and normalized cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) in regions affected by cuprizone.31 Based on the results of this study, rTMS may activate the vagus nerve-cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, inhibit microglial activation, and reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-1β). Although risperidone does not directly have anti-inflammatory effects, it may inhibit microglial M1 polarization by regulating the DA signaling pathway. When combined, the two may synergistically reduce peripheral blood CRP and IL-1β levels and increase the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

    Limitation

    This study preliminarily revealed the efficacy of rTMS combined with risperidone in the treatment of SSD in improving anxiety and depression, enhancing quality of life, regulating neurotransmitter levels, and inflammatory factors. However, this study also has some limitations. For example, we did not perform sample size calculation, and the sample size was small, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the 8-week observation period in this study may not be sufficient to assess the long-term efficacy and potential delayed effects of rTMS combined with risperidone treatment. The lack of long-term follow-up may not allow for the assessment of symptom recurrence rates and drug dependence after treatment.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, this study confirms that rTMS combined with low-dose antipsychotic medication is superior to monotherapy in improving anxiety and depression, enhancing the quality of life, regulating neurotransmitter levels, and inflammatory factors in the treatment of somatic symptom disorder, with fewer side effects and significant clinical efficacy. This study provides a new direction for the treatment of SSD, and it is hoped that the treatment regimen can be further optimized to benefit more patients in the future. Importantly, future research should further verify the mechanisms and long-term safety of combination therapy by expanding the sample size, extending the follow-up period, and controlling confounding factors (such as treatment adherence, social support systems, etc). Additionally, the treatment of SSD requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including psychiatry, neurology, and psychology. The multidisciplinary collaborative treatment model can integrate the advantageous resources of various disciplines to provide patients with more personalized and comprehensive treatment plans and improve the overall treatment level of SSD.

    Ethical Statement

    All experimental procedures were approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, and informed consent was signed by patients’ families.

    Consent to Participate

    Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

    Funding

    No funds, grants, or other support was received.

    Disclosure

    The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest for this work.

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    29. Pan B, Lian J, Deng C. Chronic antipsychotic treatment differentially modulates protein kinase A- and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta-dependent signaling pathways, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors in nucleus accumbens of juvenile rats. J Psychopharmacol. 2018;32(11):1252–1263. doi:10.1177/0269881118788822

    30. Gener T, Tauste Campo A, Alemany-González M, et al. Serotonin 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A) and dopamine D(2) receptors strongly influence prefronto-hippocampal neural networks in alert mice: contribution to the actions of risperidone. Neuropharmacology. 2019;158:107743. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107743

    31. Yang L, Su Y, Guo F, et al. Deep rTMS mitigates behavioral and neuropathologic anomalies in cuprizone-exposed mice through reducing microglial proinflammatory cytokines. Front Integr Neurosci. 2020;14:556839. doi:10.3389/fnint.2020.556839

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  • ‘A young fella like me doesn’t want to make traditional paintings’: how Indigenous art swept the UK | Indigenous art

    ‘A young fella like me doesn’t want to make traditional paintings’: how Indigenous art swept the UK | Indigenous art

    Seemingly out of nowhere, Indigenous art is everywhere. We’ve gone decades – centuries, really – in this country with barely any exhibitions dedicated to the work of Indigenous artists, but recently, everything’s changed. Galleries, museums and institutions across the UK are hosting shows by artists from communities in South America, Australia, the US and Europe at an unprecedented rate.

    Tate Modern in London is putting on its first-ever major solo show by a First Nation Australian artist in July, with a Sámi artist from Norway taking over the Turbine Hall in October. There are shows by Native American artists at Camden Art Centre in London and Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery, while painters and weavers from the Amazon and Argentina are coming to Manchester’s Whitworth and Bexhill-on-Sea’s De La Warr Pavilion.

    Speculative apparatus 2 for the work of nohkompan by Duane Linklater. Photograph: Courtesy Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver. Photo: Toni Hafkenscheid.

    This explosion in attention is at least partly thanks to the 2024 Venice Biennale. The most recent edition of the art world’s ultimate taste-making event was a big, bold celebration of Indigenous art on a scale most western audiences had never encountered before. It was, quite appropriately and relatively humorously, called Foreigners Everywhere.

    The usual Jeff Koons-ian glitz, hazy figuration, hyper-academic conceptualism and postmodern abstraction of the contemporary art world was swapped for tapestries from South America, mythological drawings from northern Canada and swirling, mesmerising paintings from rural Australia.

    One Golden Lion, the Biennale’s top prize, was awarded to Kamilaroi/Bigambul Australian artist Archie Moore, who created a dizzyingly celestial family tree, detailing 65,000 years of ancestry in chalk on black walls – a near endless journey through familial time and space.

    The other Golden Lion went to Mataaho Collective, a group of Māori women from New Zealand, for an installation of crisscrossing strands of fabric straps that cast interlocking shadows as you entered the main exhibition. Arguably the greatest accolades in art, both awarded to Indigenous artists.

    Which isn’t to say that all of this attention and praise is a totally new phenomenon. “Australian First Nations’ art has been receiving international attention for decades and is no longer considered just a niche market or as specialised art,” says Kelli Cole, a Warumungu and Luritja curator who’s organising Tate Modern’s big summer celebration of the art of the late Emily Kam Kngwarray.

    Aboriginal art and its distinctive dot painting-style first started making waves in the wider art world in the 1970s, and has steadily grown in popularity – and acceptance – ever since. Kngwarray’s huge, seemingly abstract paintings and textiles (also currently on display in a smaller exhibition at Pace Gallery in London) have all the hallmarks of what audiences associate with Aboriginal art: dots and lines in bright whites, earthy ochres and sun-drenched yellows, intersecting and weaving together to create dreamy, hallucinatory visions of wide open terrain and ancestral lands, or what Aboriginal people call “Country”.

    Gorgeous, chaotic … Sin título (Untitled) by Santiago Yahuarcani. Photograph: Crisis Gallery/© Santiago Yahuarcani

    For a lot of viewers, part of the appeal of Aboriginal art is the superficial similarities to western abstraction, but the work has deeper meaning. “The dot painting style is a sophisticated visual language derived from Country. It’s a practice informed by generations of deep knowledge, designed to communicate vital information,” says Cole. “For First Nations people, Country is not just land; it’s a living entity, encompassing spiritual, social and geographical origins, inextricably linked to identity and responsibility. Artists like Kngwarray visually articulate this profound connection, inviting global audiences to understand art not as detached objects, but as expressions of custodianship, belonging and a continuous reciprocal relationship with ancestral lands.”

    Younger Indigenous Australian artists, however, have moved away from the more traditional approach of painters such as Kngwarray. “I have a lot of respect for the old people – their strong culture, their knowledge and their art – but a young fella like me doesn’t want to make traditional paintings,” says Vincent Namatjira, a Western Aranda artist whose satirical, political approach to portraiture has seen him receive both praise (he was the first Indigenous winner of the Archibald prize for Australian portraiture) and a hefty amount of controversy.

    He comes from a long line of artists – his great-grandfather was the hugely influential watercolourist Albert Namatjira – and uses his joyful, colourful portraits to lampoon the wealthy and powerful, taking aim at British royalty, Captain Cook and Australian billionaires (one of whom, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, tried to have his “unflattering” portrait of her removed from an exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia last year and “permanently disposed of”).

    Namatjira also uses his work to celebrate important figures in his community. “For me, portraying these Indigenous heroes is about equal recognition. I want to make sure that Indigenous leaders are properly recognised and acknowledged. My three daughters are all growing up now and I want them, and other Aboriginal kids, to be able to see these strong examples of Indigenous leadership, to feel proud and empowered.”

    ‘Unflattering’ …. a portrait of Gina Rinehart donated to NGA and a portrait of Gina Rinehart by Australian artist Vincent Namatjira Composite: National Gallery of Australia / EPA

    His political approach is one that resonates with a lot of Indigenous North American artists. Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith – a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana who died earlier this year – currently has a show at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London, and an exhibition due to open at Fruitmarket in Edinburgh in November. Her work combined pop appropriation, mixed-media modernism and Indigenous culture “to remind viewers that Native Americans are still alive”.

    Duane Linklater, an Omaskêko Ininiwak artist from Ontario, Canada, with a show opening at Camden Art Centre this month, makes minimal installations intended to “create space for Indigenous presence in every moment”. Art, for many Indigenous people, is a tool of resistance, and a way of affirming their existence.

    Claudia Alarcón is an Indigenous artist from the La Puntana community of Wichí people in northern Argentina, where she leads a collective called Silät, bringing together 100 female weavers to create colourful tapestries filled with references to animals and nature. There are footprints, eyes, trees, all arranged into stunning, abstract geometric compositions. Their work is on show at Cecilia Brunson Projects in London and the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

    Claudia Alarcón and Silät Tayhin at De La Warr Pavilion. Photograph: Claudia Alarcón & Silät: Tayhin, 2025, Installation View, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-On-Sea. Photography: Rob Harris

    “We chose the name Silät because it is a word in our language which can be translated as ‘message’ or ‘announcement’,” she says. “For us, it is a message of presence. It is a manifestation, like a whisper, of the strength of our knowledge. Our weavings are a proclamation that we continue to defend our memory, our territory, united. Indigenous existence is constantly under threat. We are walking a new path, telling new stories, but all of this is part of the long-standing defence of our culture, which is always present. Always.”

    Defence is important, because Indigenous lands are under critical threat from exploitative commercial parties, and also more widely from climate change. Santiago Yahuarcani – a leader of the Aimeni clan of the Uitoto in Peru whose exhibition at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester opens this month – addresses that threat head-on in his work, with gorgeous, chaotic canvases that paint nature in a constant, violent battle with man, lamenting the brutal destruction of the Amazon, and calling desperately for change.

    It’s an approach shared by Norwegian Sámi artist Máret Ánne Sara, whose previous work has seen her place a pile of bloodstained, bullet-pierced reindeer skulls outside the Norwegian parliament. She will be taking on the Turbine Hall commission at Tate Modern in October. “I fear the path we’re currently walking globally, as a human species, is failing,” she says. “The understanding that nature sustains life is fading from human consciousness. I’m trying to puncture the reality that we’ve been sold. I believe that Indigenous philosophy can offer collective strategies to protect life for the future; to rethink and re-understand our place within a larger system.”

    Lumping such an incredibly diverse array of artists into one big, sweeping “Indigenous art” bracket is obviously problematic. But there are themes that connect these communities, and to an extent their art, around the world. “I see myself as part of something larger. I know there are other groups, with other languages, who are my brothers and sisters, with whom we share a history of struggle, and also of pain,” says Alarcón. “What matters most is to keep fighting for our rights and our memories, which are also the rights of our territory.”

    Whether in Norway, Peru, Canada or Australia, Indigenous artists are united not just by a shared connection to the land and its custodianship, but by having survived centuries of colonial subjugation, capitalist exploitation and ongoing climate annihilation. Proof of their endurance will be written across the walls of galleries across the UK this year, in powerful, political and often incredibly beautiful art.

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  • Earth’s weather satellites just spent 10 years watching Venus — here’s what they found

    Earth’s weather satellites just spent 10 years watching Venus — here’s what they found

    Imaging data from Japan’s Himawari-8 and -9 meteorological satellites have been successfully used to monitor temporal changes in Venus’ cloud-top temperature, revealing unseen patterns in the temperature structure of various waves. A team led by the University of Tokyo collated infrared images from 2015-25 to estimate brightness temperatures on day to year scales. The results demonstrate that meteorological satellites can serve as additional eyes to access the Venusian atmosphere from space and complement future observations from planetary missions and ground-based telescopes.

    The Himawari-8 and -9 satellites, launched in 2014 and 2016, respectively, were developed to monitor global atmospheric phenomena through use of their multispectral Advanced Himawari Imagers (AHIs). The University of Tokyo team led by visiting researcher Gaku Nishiyama saw the opportunity to use the cutting-edge sensor data for spaceborne observations of Venus, which is coincidentally captured by the AHIs near the Earth’s rim.

    Observing temporal temperature variations in the cloud tops of Venus is essential to understand its atmospheric dynamics and related phenomena, such as thermal tides and planetary-scale waves. Obtaining data for these phenomena presents multiple challenges, as Nishiyama explained. “The atmosphere of Venus has been known to exhibit year-scale variations in reflectance and wind speed; however, no planetary mission has succeeded in continuous observation for longer than 10 years due to their mission lifetimes,” he said. “Ground-based observations can also contribute to long-term monitoring, but their observations generally have limitations due to the Earth’s atmosphere and sunlight during the daytime.”

    Meteorological satellites on the other hand appear suited to fill this gap with their longer mission lifetimes (the Himawari-8 and -9 satellites are scheduled for operation until 2029). The AHIs allow multiband infrared coverage, which has been limited in planetary missions to date, essential for retrieving temperature information from different altitudes, along with low-noise and frequent observation. Aiming to demonstrate this potential to contribute to Venus science, the team investigated the observed temporal dynamics of the Venusian atmosphere and provided a comparative analysis with previous datasets. “We believe this method will provide precious data for Venus science because there might not be any other spacecraft orbiting around Venus until the next planetary missions around 2030,” said Nishiyama.

    The team first established a data archive by extracting all Venus images from the collected AHI datasets, identifying 437 occurrences in total. Taking into account background noise and apparent size of Venus in the captured images, they were able to track the temporal variation in cloud-top temperature during the periods where the geostationary satellite, Venus and the Earth lined up in a row.

    The retrieved temporal variations in brightness temperatures were then analyzed on both year and day scales and compared for all infrared bands to investigate variability of thermal tides and planetary-scale waves. Variation in thermal tide amplitude was confirmed from the obtained dataset. The results also confirmed change in amplitude of planetary waves in the atmosphere with time, appearing to decrease with altitude. While definitive conclusions on the physics behind the detected variations were challenging due to the limited temporal resolution of the AHI data, variations in the thermal tide amplitude appeared possibly linked to decadal variation in the Venus atmosphere structure.

    In addition to successfully applying the Himawari data to planetary observations, the team was further able to use the data to identify calibration discrepancies in data from previous planetary missions.

    Nishiyama is already looking at implications of the study beyond Venus’ horizon. “I think that our novel approach in this study successfully opened a new avenue for long-term and multiband monitoring of solar system bodies. This includes the moon and Mercury, which I also study at present. Their infrared spectra contain various information on physical and compositional properties of their surface, which are hints at how these rocky bodies have evolved until the present.” The prospect of accessing a range of geometric conditions untethered from the limitations of ground-based observations is clearly an exciting one. “We hope this study will enable us to assess physical and compositional properties, as well as atmospheric dynamics, and contribute to our further understanding of planetary evolution in general.”

    Funding: This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP22K21344, 23H00150, and 23H01249, and JSPS Overseas Research Fellowship.

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  • CM Maryam Nawaz inspects Murree field hospital

    CM Maryam Nawaz inspects Murree field hospital

    Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday made a surprize visit to inspect a field hospital near Murree.
     
    During the visit, which was made while CM was returning from Murree, she thoroughly reviewed the medical facilities available at the field hospital.
     
    The chief minister interacted with the doctors and medical staff of the hospital and inquired about the operational aspects of the facility. She also interacted with patients and their families, who shared their experiences regarding the medical services provided by the hospital . The chief minister specifically asked about the free provision of medical tests and medicines.
     
    During her visit, a citizen while appreciating the initiative said that the hospital was greatly benefiting the people.

    “The field hospital is a remarkable step as it is greatly benefiting elderly women and patients”, he said.

    “We could never have imagined receiving treatment facilities at our doorstep without going through the hardship of traveling difficult routes to a hospital”, said another patient.
     
    Maryam Nawaz said that for the convenience of the public, the field hospital has now reached their doorstep. She further highlighted that over 12.5 million patients have benefited from field hospitals and Clinic on Wheels.
     
    CM reaffirmed her commitment to serving humanity as her party’s manifesto.
     
    The Chief Minister announced plans to further expand the scope of field hospitals and Clinic on Wheels.
     
    “Healthcare facilities are a fundamental right of the people, and we will fulfill our public responsibilities”, she added.

    Hundreds of citizens gathered along the roadside as soon as the news of CM’s arrival at the hospital went viral.


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  • Who are Bob Vylan? The British punks who had their US visas revoked for anti-IDF chants | Glastonbury 2025

    Who are Bob Vylan? The British punks who had their US visas revoked for anti-IDF chants | Glastonbury 2025

    Until this week, the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan were largely unknown by mainstream audiences, despite having a UK top 20 album and an award from British rock magazine Kerrang! for album of the year. Now they’ve made headlines around the world after frontman Bobby Vylan led a crowd at Glastonbury in chants of “death, death to the IDF”.

    The chant was met with widespread condemnation in the UK. Glastonbury festival said the remarks “crossed a line” and characterized the chant, which targeted the Israel Defense Forces, as antisemitic. Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said the chant was “appalling” and said groups “making threats or inciting violence” should not be given a platform.

    The incident sparked particular outrage because the chant was interpreted as a call for the death of Israeli soldiers. Frontman Bobby Vylan, in an Instagram post on Tuesday, clarified that he was not “for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people”. He wrote: “We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.”

    But Avon and Somerset police, who organize policing for Glastonbury, have launched a criminal investigation into whether the comments amounted to a criminal offense.

    On Monday, the duo, from Ipswich, in the east of England, gained international attention when US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said their US visas had been revoked. The group had planned a US tour in the autumn.

    “The [state department] has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants,” Landau wrote on X. “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”

    The incident is the latest in a series of controversies over the line between criticism of Israeli action in Gaza, which the UN likens to a genocide, and antisemitism. Some see Bob Vylan’s remarks as a incitement to violence against Jews globally, while others see it as valid political speech.


    Who are Bob Vylan?

    The duo, who released their debut album in 2020, go by the aliases Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and Bobbie Vylan, the drummer. Interviewed in the Guardian in 2024 they told Jason Okundaye they deliberately obfuscate their identities to resist what they see as a surveillance state, although Bobby’s real name, Pascal Robinson-Foster, has been widely reported since this weekend.

    Robinson-Foster began his artistic career as a teenager, as a performance poet and grime artist sometimes called Nee-Hi. He was involved in local community outreach projects, mentoring young people in Ipswich and was invited to perform at the Black and Asian Police Association Conference in 2005. He began Bob Vylan after meeting his bandmate in a London bar in 2017 (neither are Bob Dylan fans; they just thought the name was funny).

    The duo make politically charged music that combines elements of punk, grime, reggae and indie. Much of it is of a sunny, rebellious disposition, with a strong anti-establishment thrust. On 2022’s Take That, for example, Robinson-Foster raps “give Churchill’s statue the rope and see if it floats … Yeah, let the bitch drown, got the gammons all feeling sick now, wipe my backside with a St George’s flag.”

    The group have tackled a number of progressive topics in their music, including food poverty, sexism, exploitative landlords and institutional racism.

    Bob Vylan at Glastonbury at the weekend. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

    But the movement for Palestinian freedom has always been central to their project. Robinson-Foster told the Guardian in 2024 he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15 and remembers a “feeling of people coming together and using their voice”. He has criticized other bands associated with the left for not being more outspoken on Palestine.

    Bob Vylan are still an underground group with a relatively small fanbase, but they have released four albums, each more successful than the last. Earlier in 2025 they appeared at Coachella for the first time, a sign of their increasing global popularity.

    The Glastonbury set, on the West Holts stage, was supposed to be a crowning moment of this success. They were playing before Kneecap, the Irish alternative punk act with whom they share political values and an eagerness to court controversy. Many in the audience brought Palestinian flags – as they did to almost every act at the festival – and the stage’s backdrop showed messages such as “United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict’.”

    On Monday, Israel killed at least 30 people at a busy Gaza cafe, and last week killed 18 more at a food distribution centre dispensing flour. Israel has killed at least 61,000 Palestinians since the Hamas terrorist attacks of 7 October, in which an estimated 1,139 Israelis were killed.

    At one point Robinson-Foster told the crowd: “Sometimes we have to get our message across with violence, because that’s the only language some people speak, unfortunately.” But it was the chants of “death to the IDF” that led Glastonbury to publicly apologize and the US state department to act.


    Why is the US state department banning musicians?

    Since the beginning of the Trump administration there has been a draconian crackdown on immigrants, with Ice agents empowered to arrest students and legal migrants on the streets. Amid the crackdown, a number of musicians have complained about increased difficulties in touring the US. In March, members of British punk rock band UK Subs were denied entry into the US, which their bassist Alvin Gibbs said he suspected was due in part to their vocal and frequent opposition to Trump.

    Also in March, Canadian artist Bells Larsen, who is trans, had to cancel a US tour after receiving legal advice that because US Citizenship and Immigration Services now only recognizes two “biological sexes – male and female” he would not be able to travel. Larsen had already changed his gender marker on his Canadian passport.

    Kneecap lost their US visas after they were dropped by their visa sponsor and booking agent Independent Artist Group (IAG). That move came after the group’s April Coachella performance, where they displayed messages such as “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” and “Fuck Israel. Free Palestine.” They say they are currently looking for a new visa sponsor.

    But the incident with Bob Vylan appears to be the first time the US state department has publicly announced it is banning a musical act because of political statements. The group have also been dropped by their agents.

    New York immigration attorney and music lawyer Matthew Covey told NPR that reports of “unprecedented Ice enforcement” are prompting artists to bow out of US tours.


    What have people said about the Glastonbury incident?

    As well as Glastonbury and Keir Starmer, Bob Vylan have been criticized by politicians and the BBC. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said it was “clear” the duo were “inciting violence and hatred” and should be prosecuted. In the UK, freedom of speech is not protected in the same way as the US, and incitement laws criminalise encouraging a crime.

    The UK’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, has condemned the BBC for streaming the performance unedited, called the group’s actions “vile Jew-hatred” and said that the group had “couch[ed] their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary”.

    Kneecap perform at Glastonbury at the weekend. Photograph: Maja Smiejkowska/Shutterstock

    But a number of musicians and commentators have said that the outrage is disproportionate.

    Australian punk group Amyl and the Sniffers, who also played Glastonbury, said Bob Vylan and Kneecap were being unfairly singled out when pro-Palestinian sentiment was the central theme of the 250,000-strong festival. They said: “The British media in a frenzy about Bob Vylan and Kneecap, but artists all weekend at Glastonbury, from pop to rock to rap to punk to DJs, spoke up on stage, and there were tons of flags on every streamed set. Trying to make it look like just a couple of isolated incidents and a couple of ‘bad bands’ so it appears the public isn’t as anti-genocide as it is.”

    Writing in the Guardian, columnist Owen Jones compared the chant by Vylan with the killing by Israeli forces of hundreds of Palestinians seeking food. “How morally lost is a society in which a chant against a genocidal foreign army provokes a political and media firestorm, but the intentionally starved, unarmed human beings being mowed down on the orders of the IDF high command do not?” he asked.

    Pascal-Robinson has defended the chants on Instagram, writing: “We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction … The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time [the UK government] spend answering for their criminal inaction. We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first. We will not be the last. And if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up too. Free Palestine.”

    The Guardian has contacted Bob Vylan for comment.


    This article was amended on 2 July 2025. A previous version incorrectly stated Bob Vylan released five albums.


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  • FBR offers free mobile registration to overseas Pakistanis – ARY News

    1. FBR offers free mobile registration to overseas Pakistanis  ARY News
    2. PTA introduces tax-free mobile registration for overseas Pakistanis  The Express Tribune
    3. UAE: Pakistanis offered tax-free mobile registration when visiting home country  Khaleej Times
    4. Overseas Pakistanis can now register mobiles tax-free for 120 days; here’s how  travelsdubai.com
    5. Overseas Pakistanis offered 120-day tax-free mobile registration  Geo.tv

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  • Charge on the Go With This $18 Baseus Portable Battery Pack 4th of July Deal

    Charge on the Go With This $18 Baseus Portable Battery Pack 4th of July Deal

    Shopping for the best Fourth of July deals can be exhausting, but we’ve found one deal that you don’t need to think about. All you need to do is place your order before it’s too late — we’re that confident it’s a bargain you don’t want to miss. This deal gets you a $22 discount, slashing the price of a Baseus portable battery pack to just $18 for a limited time. You do need to clip the on-screen coupon to get the best price, so make sure to do that when ordering.

    This portable battery pack has plenty of features worth shouting about, not least the built-in USB-C cable for charging your phone and more. That’s joined by a USB-C port and a USB-A port for additional charging options, too.

    Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

    A handy display shows you the battery pack’s current charge state, and the large 10,000mAh battery means you can charge your devices and accessories on the move.

    In terms of power, you can fast-charge phones and more thanks to support for 22.5 watts of charging power, while the battery pack itself can also be fast-charged, too.

    CHEAP LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK

    Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

    Why this deal matters

    No matter how good the batteries in our tech toys get, they’re always going to need to be charged eventually. Invariably, that seems to happen when we’re away from a charger, which is where this battery pack comes in. At this price, it’s worth having one in your bag just in case you need it — you’ll thank us the first time that you do.


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  • Magnetic Fields Reverse Momentum in Magnetovortical Matter

    Magnetic Fields Reverse Momentum in Magnetovortical Matter

    Angular momentum is a fundamental quantity in physics that describes the rotational motion of objects. In quantum physics, it encompasses both the intrinsic spin of particles and their orbital motion around a point. These properties are essential for understanding a wide range of systems, from atoms and molecules to complex materials and high-energy particle interactions.

    When a magnetic field is applied to a quantum system, particle spins typically align with or against the field. This well-known effect, known as spin polarization, leads to observable phenomena such as magnetization. Until now, it was widely believed that spin played the dominant role in how particles respond to magnetic fields. However, new research challenges this long-held view.

    In this vein, Assistant Professor Kazuya Mameda of Tokyo University of Science, Japan, in collaboration with Professor Kenji Fukushima of School of Science, The University of Tokyo and Dr. Koichi Hattori of Zhejiang University, found that under strong magnetic fields, the orbital motion of magnetovortical matter becomes more significant than spin effects, leading to reversing the overall direction of angular momentum. The study will be published in Physical Review Letters on July 01, 2025.

    “It was previously believed that most microscopic phenomena in a magnetic field were governed by spin angular momentum—a physical quantity characterizing the intrinsic rotational motion of microscopic particles,” explains Dr. Mameda. “However, this study found that in a strong magnetic field, orbital motion can overwhelm spin effects, reversing the direction of rotational motion from what was previously believed.”

    The researchers studied fermionic systems—specifically Dirac fermions— subjected to both strong magnetic fields and rotation. By ensuring gauge invariance and thermodynamic stability in their theoretical framework, they demonstrated that orbital contributions to bulk properties can exceed spin contributions.

    Unlike spin, which aligns with the magnetic field, the orbital angular momentum aligns according to Lenz’s law—opposite to the direction of the magnetic field. As the magnetic field intensifies, the charge density from the orbital-rotation coupling and orbital angular momentum grow twice the magnitude of their spin counterparts, but with opposite sign.

    This reversal in total angular momentum reshapes our understanding of magnetovortical matter and links its behavior to a broader class of quantum effects known as anomaly-induced transports. The findings also pave the way for simulations using lattice QCD—a powerful computational tool for studying strongly interacting particles such as quarks and gluons under extreme conditions.

    The discovery that a strong magnetic field can reverse angular momentum in quantum systems challenges established theories. It highlights the previously underestimated role of orbital motion, showing it to be more influential than spin in certain regimes. This insight could spark advances in groundbreaking technologies, particularly in orbitronics, a field dedicated to manipulating the orbital motion of electrons.

    “Total angular momentum reversal under strong magnetic fields has been overlooked across fields from materials science to astrophysics. Our findings redefine the foundational physics of modern physics and point to new frontiers in orbitronics—where controlling electron orbital motion could lead to innovative device applications,” concludes Dr. Mameda.

    /Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

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