bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural changes of muscle spindles in the multifidus muscle after intervertebral disk injury are resolved by targeted muscle activation
Authors: James Greg , Ahern Ben , Goodwin Wendy , Goss Ben , Hodges Paul
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Fibrosis of muscle spindles (sensory organs) in back muscles induced by intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration could limit transmission of muscle stretch to the sensory receptor and explain the proprioceptive deficits common in back pain. Exercise reduces back muscles fibrosis. This study investigated whether targeted muscle activation via neurostimulation reverses or resolves muscle spindle fibrosis in a model of IVD injury.

Methods

In eighteen sheep, lumbar (L)1–2 and L3-4 IVD degeneration was induced by partial thickness anulus fibrosis incision and a neurostimulator was implanted. After IVD-degeneration developed for 3 months, neurostimulation of the L2 nerve root activated multifidus in nine randomly selected animals. Multifidus muscle adjacent to the spinous process of L2 (non-stimulated) and L4 (stimulated) was harvested 3 months after activation. Muscle spindles were identified in Van Giessen’s-stained sections. Connective tissue spindle capsule thickness, and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the spindle, its periaxial fluid and sensory elements were measured. Immunofluorescence assays evaluated Collagen-I and -III.

Results

Multifidus muscle spindle capsule thickness and Collagen-1 were significantly less in the neurostimulation animals than IVD-injury animals at L4 (stimulated muscle) (P < 0.05), but not L2 (non-stimulated muscle). Spindle capsule thickness was less in lateral than medial regions. CSA of the muscle spindle and sensory elements was less in neurostimulated animals at L4.

Conclusion

Targeted multifidus activation reverses or prevents accumulation of connective tissue of the multifidus muscle spindle capsule caused by IVD injury. Reduced fibrosis should maintain sensory function of this important muscle mechanoreceptor and might provide an effective solution to resolve the commonly identified proprioceptive deficits in back pain and maintain healthy spine function.
Joule Effect in Electrically Aligned CNFs: Toward Fast Heating of Liquids
Authors: Franco-Bacca A. P. , Forero-Sandoval I. Y. , Pech-May N. W. , Alvarado-Gil J. J. , Cervantes-Alvarez F.
Published: January 2025

Efficient use of heating systems is necessary from an environmental and economic perspective. This work analyses the Joule effect and the thermal transport properties of carbon nanofibers dispersed in ethylene–glycol aligned by applying a constant AC electric field. We tested several weight fraction concentrations from 0.1 % to 1 % wt of carbon nanofibers. The evolution of temperature and electric current as a function of time was analyzed. The amount of heat generated was quantified using Joule's law equation, and we estimated the thermal conductivity as a function of the concentration before and after the voltage application. The dependence of the temperature increase on the concentration of carbon nanofibers and electric voltage was investigated. Our work explores the viability of using carbon nanofiber dispersed in ethylene glycol in developing intelligent fluids useful for heat generation and release, with applications in heat management systems, such as those used for deicing.
Intentions in interactions: an enactive reply to expressive communication proposals
Authors: Cuffari Elena C. , Figueiredo Nara M.
Published: January 2025

The search for origins of human linguistic behavior is a consuming project in many fields. Philosophers drawing on studies of animal behavior are working to revise some of the standard cognitive requirements in hopes of linking the origins of human language to non-human animal communication. This work depends on updates to Grice’s theory of communicative intention and Millikan’s teleosemantics. Yet the classic idea of speaker meaning on which these new projects rest presupposes coherent, stable, individual, internal, and prior intention as a cognitive or mental state, which is also the framework presupposed in theory of mind. This framework neglects the co-authored nature of communicative intentions and is thereby at odds with enactivist views of cognition. In this paper we draw on the idea of participatory sense-making alongside research on non-human animal communication to identify utterances—co-authored meaningful acts—as the token of communicative activity cross-species. Utterances by our definition are expressive, relational, and work without mindreading. In closing we propose the possibility of dialogical subjectivity, and engage with animal studies to show that some species exhibit its traits.
Age-specific effects of a sustained cognitive activity on perceived cognitive fatigue as well as single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance
Authors: Schlegel Martin , Weippert Matthias , Feldhege Frank , Knaack Franziska , Mittlmeier Thomas , Bruhn Sven , Behrens Martin
Published: January 2025

During their daily lives humans are often confronted with sustained cognitive activities (SCA) leading to state fatigue, a psychobiological state characterized by a decrease in cognitive and/or motor performance and/or an increase in perception of fatigue. It was recently shown that performing SCA can impair overground dual-task gait performance in older adults, but it is currently unknown whether there is a task- and/or age-specific modulation in gait performance during treadmill walking. Therefore, the effect of a SCA on single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance was investigated in young and old adults. Using a crossover design, spatio-temporal gait parameters of 24 young and 23 older healthy participants were measured using motion capturing during single- and dual-task (including three cognitive interference tasks: word list generation, arithmetic, and Stroop-task) treadmill walking before and after SCA (30 min Stroop-task) and a control task (reading). Moreover, cognitive fatigue, wakefulness, mood, and arousal were assessed. Although the SCA induced age-specific perceptual responses, no difference was found for cognitive performance during the Stroop-task. The cognitive interference task performance (word list generation, arithmetic, and Stroop-task) during walking on the treadmill did not decrease after the SCA. Single- and dual-task gait performance (e. g., step width and step length) specifically changed after the SCA and after the reading control task in both groups. Data indicate that perceived cognitive fatigue has an impact on single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance, with task- and age-specific differences. Although no general age-specific changes in single- and dual task gait performance following SCA were identified, perceived cognitive fatigue should be considered as an intrinsic risk factor for falls.
Attention-guided erasing for enhanced transfer learning in breast abnormality classification
Authors: Panambur Adarsh Bhandary , Bhat Sheethal , Yu Hui , Madhu Prathmesh , Bayer Siming , Maier Andreas
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers globally, necessitating effective early screening and diagnosis. This study investigates the effectiveness and generalizability of our recently proposed data augmentation technique, attention-guided erasing (AGE), across various transfer learning classification tasks for breast abnormality classification in mammography.

Methods

AGE utilizes attention head visualizations from DINO self-supervised pretraining to weakly localize regions of interest (ROI) in images. These localizations are then used to stochastically erase non-essential background information from training images during transfer learning. Our research evaluates AGE across two image-level and three patch-level classification tasks. The image-level tasks involve breast density categorization in digital mammography (DM) and malignancy classification in contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM). Patch-level tasks include classifying calcifications and masses in scanned film mammography (SFM), as well as malignancy classification of ROIs in CEM.

Results

AGE significantly boosts classification performance with statistically significant improvements in mean F1-scores across four tasks compared to baselines. Specifically, for image-level classification of breast density in DM and malignancy in CEM, we achieve gains of 2% and 1.5%, respectively. Additionally, for patch-level classification of calcifications in SFM and CEM ROIs, gains of 0.4% and 0.6% are observed, respectively. However, marginal improvement is noted in the mass classification task, indicating the necessity for further optimization in tasks where critical features may be obscured by erasing techniques.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the potential of AGE, a dataset- and task-specific augmentation strategy powered by self-supervised learning, to enhance the downstream classification performance of DL models, particularly involving ViTs, in medical imaging.
Recent trends in scientific research in chest radiology: What to do or not to do? That is the critical question in research
Authors: Hatabu Hiroto , Yanagawa Masahiro , Yamada Yoshitake , Hino Takuya , Yamasaki Yuzo , Hata Akinori , Ueda Daiju , Nakamura Yusei , Ozawa Yoshiyuki , Jinzaki Masahiro , Ohno Yoshiharu
Published: January 2025

Hereby inviting young rising stars in chest radiology in Japan for contributing what they are working currently, we would like to show the potentials and directions of the near future research trends in the research field. I will provide a reflection on my own research topics. At the end, we also would like to discuss on how to choose the themes and topics of research: What to do or not to do? We strongly believe it will stimulate and help investigators in the field.
Patch-Wise Deep Learning Method for Intracranial Stenosis and Aneurysm Detection-the Tromsø Study
Authors: Bernecker Luca , Mathiesen Ellisiv B. , Ingebrigtsen Tor , Isaksen Jørgen , Johnsen Liv-Hege , Vangberg Torgil Riise
Published: January 2025

Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) and intracranial aneurysms are prevalent conditions in the cerebrovascular system. ICAS causes a narrowing of the arterial lumen, thereby restricting blood flow, while aneurysms involve the ballooning of blood vessels. Both conditions can lead to severe outcomes, such as stroke or vessel rupture, which can be fatal. Early detection is crucial for effective intervention. In this study, we introduced a method that combines classical computer vision techniques with deep learning to detect intracranial aneurysms and ICAS in time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography images. The process began with skull-stripping, followed by an affine transformation to align the images to a common atlas space. We then focused on the region of interest, including the circle of Willis, by cropping the relevant area. A segmentation algorithm was used to isolate the arteries, after which a patch-wise residual neural network was applied across the image. A voting mechanism was then employed to identify the presence of atrophies. Our method achieved accuracies of 76.5% for aneurysms and 82.4% for ICAS. Notably, when occlusions were not considered, the accuracy for ICAS detection improved to 85.7%. While the algorithm performed well for localized pathological findings, it was less effective at detecting occlusions, which involved long-range dependencies in the MRIs. This limitation was due to the architectural design of the patch-wise deep learning approach. Regardless, this can, in the future, be mitigated in a multi-scale patch-wise algorithm.
From self-compassion to obsessive-compulsive symptoms: the mediator role of intolerance of uncertainty
Authors: Kaçar-Başaran Servet , Gökdağ Ceren
Published: January 2025

High intolerance of uncertainty (IoU) is a well-defined risk and maintenance factor for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Studies have identified different antecedents of IoU, adding low self-compassion to this list. High self-compassion may make it easier for people to cope with uncertain situations and reduce self-blame and control in these situations. Although the protective role of self-compassion in different psychopathologies has been examined, few studies have investigated its role in OCD. No study has investigated the importance of the relationship between self-compassion and IoU for OCD symptoms. Considering that individuals with high self-compassion tendencies do not impose negative feelings on themselves in the face of uncertainties and are more tolerant of them, the association between self-compassion and IoU might be necessary for OCD. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-compassion, IoU, and OCD symptoms and test the mediating role of IoU between self-compassion and OCD symptoms. Four hundred-one adults voluntarily participated in the study and completed measures about self-compassion, IoU, OCD, depression, and anxiety. Results demonstrated the negative correlation between self-compassion and IoU and OCD. Mediation analysis results confirmed the hypothesis that self-compassion was associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms through the IoU when controlling for depression and anxiety symptoms, gender, and age. Our findings were consistent with recent studies showing the importance of self-related psychological constructs for OCD. Low self-compassion is a feature that needs to be examined in this context as an essential initiator of obsessions and compulsions.
Quantification of Particle-Associated Viruses in Secondary Treated Wastewater Effluent
Authors: Wu Huiyun , Brighton Keegan , Chen Jiahao , Shuai Danmeng , Aw Tiong Gim
Published: January 2025

Viruses can interact with a broad range of inorganic and organic particles in water and wastewater. These associations can protect viruses from inactivation by quenching chemical disinfectants or blocking ultraviolet light transmission, and a much higher dosage of disinfectants is required to inactivate particle-associated viruses than free viruses. There have been only few studies of the association of viruses with particles in wastewater, particularly in secondary treated effluent. As secondary effluent is the source water to the reclaimed water treatment system, this study quantified indigenous enteric viruses, and viral indicators associated with particles in secondary effluents collected from five full-scale water reclamation facilities in the United States. Particle-associated viruses were enumerated using a sequential filtration followed by microfluidic digital PCR. This study showed that enteric viruses and viral indicators (crAssphage and pepper mild mottle virus, PMMoV) were attached to particles of different sizes in secondary effluent. Significantly higher concentrations of RNA viruses including PMMoV, norovirus, and enterovirus were detected in filtrate of the sequential filtration, which contained particles < 0.45 µm. DNA viruses including adenovirus and crAssphage were found to be more associated with larger particles in secondary effluent. Overall, high correlations were observed between viral indicators and enteric viruses, supporting the use of crAssphage and PMMoV to evaluate virus removal efficiency in water and wastewater treatment processes. The association of viruses with particles in wastewater has significant implications on wastewater treatment and disinfection processes as well as virus enumeration in wastewater.

Graphic Abstract
Unlocking landfill biogas potential: a feasibility study on sustainable energy in the UAE
Authors: Razaviarani Vahid , Pushparajan Anushka
Published: January 2025

Landfill biogas (LFB) projects present a promising solution for sustainable energy generation, yet their feasibility in arid climates remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the feasibility of generating biogas from landfill waste in the UAE, focusing on energy generation potential, economic viability, and environmental benefits. The study evaluates landfill biogas production using internal combustion engine and gas turbine technologies across three scenarios with varying methane content (40%, 50%, and 60% by volume). The results indicate that internal combustion engine technology demonstrates greater economic feasibility compared to the gas turbine technology, yielding a net present value of up to $83 million. Additionally, implementing landfill biogas to energy projects has the potential to power between 68,412 and 136,824 households while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 66% compared to existing waste management practices. However, the relatively high levelized cost of energy underscores the need for policy interventions and financial incentives to enhance project viability. By addressing this critical knowledge gap, the study provides a replicable framework for optimizing waste-to-energy (WTE) systems in arid environments and contributes actionable insights to global renewable energy efforts.
The need for smart microalgal bioprospecting
Authors: Labara Tirado Joan , Herdean Andrei , Ralph Peter J.
Published: January 2025

Microalgae’s adaptability and resilience to Earth’s diverse environments have evolved these photosynthetic microorganisms into a biotechnological source of industrially relevant physiological functions and biometabolites. Despite this, microalgae-based industries only exploit a handful of species. This lack of biodiversity hinders the expansion of the microalgal industry. Microalgal bioprospecting, searching for novel biological algal resources with new properties, remains a low throughput and time-consuming endeavour due to inefficient workflows that rely on non-selective sampling, monoalgal culture status and outdated, non-standardized characterization techniques. This review will highlight the importance of microalgal bioprospecting and critically explore commonly employed methodologies. We will also explore current advances driving the next generation of smart algal bioprospecting focusing on novel workflows and transdisciplinary methodologies with the potential to enable high-throughput microalgal biodiscoveries. Images adapted from (Addicted04 in Wikipedia File: Australia on the globe (Australia centered).svg. 2014.; Jin et al. in ACS Appl Bio Mater 4:5080–5089, 2021; Kim et al. in Microchim Acta 189:88, 2022; Tony et al. in Lab on a Chip 15, 19:3810–3810; Thermo Fisher Scientific INC. in CTS Rotea Brochure).

Graphical abstract
Wearable Biodevices Based on Two-Dimensional Materials: From Flexible Sensors to Smart Integrated Systems
Authors: Sun Yingzhi , He Weiyi , Jiang Can , Li Jing , Liu Jianli , Liu Mingjie
Published: January 2025

The proliferation of wearable biodevices has boosted the development of soft, innovative, and multifunctional materials for human health monitoring. The integration of wearable sensors with intelligent systems is an overwhelming tendency, providing powerful tools for remote health monitoring and personal health management. Among many candidates, two-dimensional (2D) materials stand out due to several exotic mechanical, electrical, optical, and chemical properties that can be efficiently integrated into atomic-thin films. While previous reviews on 2D materials for biodevices primarily focus on conventional configurations and materials like graphene, the rapid development of new 2D materials with exotic properties has opened up novel applications, particularly in smart interaction and integrated functionalities. This review aims to consolidate recent progress, highlight the unique advantages of 2D materials, and guide future research by discussing existing challenges and opportunities in applying 2D materials for smart wearable biodevices. We begin with an in-depth analysis of the advantages, sensing mechanisms, and potential applications of 2D materials in wearable biodevice fabrication. Following this, we systematically discuss state-of-the-art biodevices based on 2D materials for monitoring various physiological signals within the human body. Special attention is given to showcasing the integration of multi-functionality in 2D smart devices, mainly including self-power supply, integrated diagnosis/treatment, and human–machine interaction. Finally, the review concludes with a concise summary of existing challenges and prospective solutions concerning the utilization of 2D materials for advanced biodevices.
Silver and Titanium Oxides Coated on g-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Mixture of Brilliant Green-Congo Red Dyes and Ciprofloxacin Antibiotic Under Visible Light Irradiation
Authors: Prabakaran E. , Pillay K.
Published: January 2025

Silver and titanium oxides coated graphitic carbon nitride (Ag2O/TiO2/g-C3N4) nanocomposite was created by a single-step thermal polymerization. The Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) methods, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), photoluminescence (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were within the numerous techniques used to characterize this nanocomposite. Both the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum and the Tauc plot indicated that the Ag2O/TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite had a lower electron-hole pair recombination rate and lower band gap energy. The coating of Ag2O and TiO2 on g-C3N4 was verified by TEM. The Ag2O/TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite was used in the photocatalytic degradation of a Brilliant green (BG)-Congo red (CR) dye combination and ciprofloxacin (CIP) antibiotic under visible light irradiation. According to the research, under visible light irradiation, the Ag2O/TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite photocatalytic activity simultaneously degraded a mixture of BG-CR dyes, with BG (93%) and CR (85%) degrading percentages in 70 min and CIP (82%) degrading in 120 min. Superoxide and hydroxyl radicals were primarily responsible for the degradation of BG and CR dyes under visible light irradiation, whereas holes and hydroxyl radicals were investigated as important oxidative species in the photocatalytic degradation of CIP utilizing the Ag2O/TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite.

Graphical Abstract
Mehrdeutigkeit im oder Mehrdeutigkeit trotz Kontext?
Authors: Werner Martina , Krotz Elke , Rastinger Nina C.
Published: January 2025

Sowohl in der historischen Linguistik als auch in der Mediävistik treten gelegentlich Fälle von sprachlicher Ambiguität auf, die aus unterschiedlichen Gründen innerhalb der jeweiligen Disziplin zu entsprechenden Diskussionen über die angemessene Interpretation des jeweiligen Beleges führen. Ausgehend vom Forschungsstand zu sprachlicher Ambiguität am Beispiel der Ambiguität relationaler Adjektive beschäftigt sich der folgende Beitrag mit der Frage der Mehrdeutigkeit von Adjektiven im Althochdeutschen anhand einer Auswahl von Beispielen aus dem Referenzkorpus Altdeutsch (ReA), die zunächst aus formalen Gründen im Hinblick auf eine relationale und qualitative Lesart mehrdeutig sind und im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes Relational Adjectives in the History of German (RAHiG; gefördert vom FWF, P32415) auf Basis einer speziell dafür entwickelten Methode ermittelt wurden. Im Beitrag sollen, ausgehend von der linguistischen Identifikation ambiger Beispiele, mit Hilfe literaturwissenschaftlicher Methodologie verschiedene Typen von Mehrdeutigkeit bei relationalen Adjektiven herausgearbeitet werden und hierbei die Rolle von sprachlichem vs. außersprachlichem Wissen diskutiert werden.
Estimation of powder factor in mine blasting: feasibility of tree-based predictive models
Authors: Jahed Armaghani Danial , Hayati Mohammad , Momeni Ehsan , Dowlatshahi Mohammad Bagher , Asteris Panagiotis G.
Published: January 2025

Drilling and blasting is a process frequently used in rock-surface and deep excavation. For a proper drilling plan, accurate prediction of the amount of explosive material is essential to reduce the environmental effects associated with blasting operations. This study introduces a series of tree-based models, namely extreme gradient boosting machine (XGBoost), gradient boosting machine (GBM), adaptive boosting machine (AdaBoost), and random forest (RF), for predicting powder factor (PF) values obtained from blasting operations. The predictive models were constructed based on geomechanical characteristics at the blasting site, blasting pattern parameters, and rock material properties. These tree-based models were designed and tuned to minimize system error or maximize accuracy in predicting PF. Subsequently, the best model from each category was evaluated using various statistical metrics. It was found that the XGBoost model outperformed the other implemented techniques and exhibited outstanding potential in establishing the relationship between PF and input variables in the training set. Among the input parameters, hole diameter received the highest significance rating for predicting the system output, while the point load index had the least impact on the PF values.
A Review of 25 Spontaneous and Dynamic Facial Expression Databases of Basic Emotions
Authors: Kim Hyunwoo , Bian Yifan , Krumhuber Eva G.
Published: January 2025

Most prior research on basic emotions has relied upon posed, static displays that do not accurately reflect the facial behavior seen in everyday life. To address this gap, the present paper aims to highlight existing facial expression databases (FEDBs) that feature spontaneous and dynamic displays of the six basic emotions. To assist readers in their decisions about stimulus selection, we comprehensively review 25 FEDBs in terms of three key dimensions: (a) conceptual features which reflect thematic approaches in database construction and validation, i.e., emotional content and elicitation procedures, encoder demographics, measurement and elicitation techniques; (b) technical features which concern technological aspects in stimulus development, i.e., stimulus numbers and duration, frame rate, and resolution; and (c) practical features which entail information about database access and potential ethical restrictions. Finally, we outline some of the remaining challenges in stimulus generation and make recommendations for future research.
Biochar application to soils can regulate soil phosphorus availability: a review
Authors: Zhang Lixin , Chang Lei , Liu Huijia , de Jesús Puy Alquiza María , Li Yuefen
Published: January 2025

Phosphorus (P) is essential for basic natural processes and can limit the productivity of entire ecosystems. However, agricultural lands worldwide currently suffer from P deficiency. The application of P fertilizers is not only poorly utilized, but also results in the gradual accumulation of P. Biochar, a substance produced by the pyrolysis of biomass under low oxygen levels, is frequently used as a soil amendment. It provides P in a form that is readily available for plant uptake, and thus addresses both short- and long-term soil P deficiencies. In this paper, we systematically reviewed relevant studies on “biochar and soil” or “biochar and soil P” published in the past decade (2013–2023). A synthesis of the reported results revealed that analyzing the effect of biochar on soil P through changes in soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities has gradually emerged as a prominent area of research in recent years. The purpose of this study was to analyze the differential effects of biochar addition on soil P availability, including the clarification of the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that although biochar application generally exerts a positive effect on soil P availability, there are differences in the extent of effects based on application conditions. Shifting to mechanisms, biochar application not only directly increases the available phosphorus (AP) content of soil, but also indirectly influences soil P availability via changes in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. To summarize, biochar application can affect soil P availability to different degrees through direct or indirect pathways.

Graphical Abstract
Kant on the History and Development of Practical Reason
Authors: Lenczewska Olga
Published: January 2025

This Element's focus is Kant's history of human reason: his teleological vision of the past development of our rational capacities from their very emergence until Kant's own 'age of Enlightenment.' One of the goals is to connect Kant's speculative account of the very beginning of rationality – a topic that has thus far been largely neglected in Kantian scholarship – to his well-known theory of humankind's progress. The Element elucidates Kant's hopes with regard to reason's future progress and his guidelines for how to achieve this progress by unifying them with his vision of reason's past. Another goal is to bring more attention to Kant's essay 'Conjectural Beginning of Human History,' where this account is presented, and to show that this unusual text does not stand in conflict with Kant's philosophy and is not merely tangentially related to it, but illuminates and complements certain aspects of his critical philosophy.
Population attributable fractions for risk factors for childhood anaemia: Findings from the 2017 Togo Malaria Indicator Survey
Authors: Ohene-Agyei Phyllis , Ndoadoumgue Aude Laetitia , Bana-Ewai Essossimna , Yaya Issifou , Nambiema Aboubakari
Published: January 2025

Anaemia continues to be a major public health challenge in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study estimated the proportion of anaemia cases that could be potentially prevented among children aged 6-59 months in Togo. Data from the 2017 national Malaria Indicator survey in Togo, the last one conducted to date, was used for this study. Maternal, child and household data were collected using a standard questionnaire administered face-to-face by trained interviewers. Haemoglobin tests were conducted for children and their mothers. A total of 2796 children were included in the analyses. The prevalence of anaemia was 75.0% (95% confidence interval, CI: 72.5-88.0). Factors associated with childhood anaemia were: age [(adjusted prevalence ratio, aPR=1.46 (CI: 1.37-1.56) for 6-23 months and aPR=1.23 (1.14-1.32) for 24-42 months, ref: 43-59 months], a later birth order (≥4th position) [aPR=1.11 (1.03-1.19), ref: 1st-2nd position], malaria in children [aPR=1.30 (1.22-1.38)], maternal age ≤25 [aPR=1.17 (1.08-1.27), ref: ≥35 years], maternal anaemia [aPR=1.13 (1.07-1.19)], lack of maternal education [aPR=1.10 (1.02-1.18), ref: ≥secondary], number of children under 5 in household [aPR=1.07 (1.00-1.14) for ≥3, ref: 0-1], unimproved sanitation facilities [aPR=1.12 (1.02-1.22)] and low/middle household incomes [aPR=1.16 (1.04-1.30) and aPR=1.13 (1.01-1.26), respectively, ref: high]. The population-attributable fraction was estimated at 8.2% (6.3-10.1%) for child-related modifiable factors, 11.1% (5.7-16.3%) for maternal-related factors, 15.8% (8.6-22.5%) for household-related factors, and 30.9% (24.0-37.2%) for the combination of all modifiable factors. This study highlighted a high prevalence of childhood anaemia in Togo and showed that a high proportion of this could be prevented.
An Institute of Residual Studies? Nkrumah and the “Afroepistemic” Origins of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana
Authors: Adotey Edem
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the development of the University of Ghana’s Institute of African Studies (IAS), arguing that the landscape of decolonial epistemology is more complex than is often assumed. Drawing on new archival documents it maps out the different landscape of ideas regarding its decolonial origins — phase one (1948–50), phase two (1954–61), and phase three (1960–63) — not only to elucidate problems of defining what decolonial work should entail but also as a historical study of how people associated with the IAS contributed to defining and activating a decolonial project. It shows Nkrumah’s specific instrumentality to its emergence through an African-centred or “Afroepistemic” approach to African Studies. It also highlights how the decolonial imperative was shaped by different historical moments.
Symplectic particle-in-cell methods for hybrid plasma models with Boltzmann electrons and space-charge effects
Authors: Li Yingzhe
Published: January 2025

We study the geometric particle-in-cell methods for an electrostatic hybrid plasma model. In this model, ions are described by the fully kinetic equations, electron density is determined by the Boltzmann relation and space-charge effects are incorporated through the Poisson equation. By discretizing the action integral or the Poisson bracket of the hybrid model, we obtain a finite dimensional Hamiltonian system, for which the Hamiltonian splitting methods or the discrete gradient methods can be used to preserve the geometric structure or energy. The global neutrality condition is conserved under suitable boundary conditions. Moreover, the results are further developed for an electromagnetic hybrid model proposed by Vu (J. Comput. Phys., vol. 124, issue 2, 1996, pp. 417–430). Numerical experiments of finite grid instability, Landau damping and resonantly excited nonlinear ion waves illustrate the behaviour of the numerical methods constructed.
Is Money a Public Good?
Authors: Cordelli Chiara
Published: January 2025

Why has contemporary political theory been silent on money? The answer Stefan Eich provides in his brilliant book The Currency of Politics begins with John Rawls. Rawls’s silence on money and monetary policy is, for Eich, mostly a result of indifference—an indifference that reflected the fact that Rawls took for granted a “confident postwar context” characterized by affluence and a relatively stable international monetary system (181). The real “silent revolution,” as Eich calls it (20, 177), comes after Rawls. By the 1980s, the international monetary regime undergoes drastic changes, including the lifting of capital controls and the rise of central bank independence. As Eich insightfully argues, this depoliticization of money was itself a political strategy. By letting consequential economic decisions remain outside the realm of political contestation, states tried to avoid excessive pressures. According to Eich, major political theorists, including Jürgen Habermas and Michael Walzer, fell prey to this neoliberal logic. In part because of the inflationary demands that a democratization of the economy would imply, such thinkers grew skeptical of the possibility of any such democratization. The disappearance of money from political theory was one of the consequences of this more general turning away from economic democracy (197–99).
The Impoverishment of Metaphysics in Pontus de Tyard’s Premier and Second Curieux
Authors: Trottmann Christian
Published: January 2025

Pontus de Tyard may be well known as a poet of la Pléiade, also as the bishop of Chalon-sur-Saône towards the end of his life, yet throughout all these, he was a philosopher. He played an important part in the Royal Academy in promoting philosophy in the French language, being one of the first to write in French. His metaphysics is a good example of the poverty of philosophy in the Renaissance. His first philosophical works were devoted to the arts: Solitaire premier (1552) and Solitaire second (1555). Metaphysics appears for the first time in the Second Curieux (1578), when De l’Univers ou Discours de la nature du Monde et de ses parties, published 20 years prior, was divided into two parts. Hence one of the first metaphysics in French was born of physics and astronomy. There are three characters in Tyard’s Curieux: Curieux gathering all opinions he can find, Hieromnime expressing an orthodox theology, and Solitaire proposing in first person generally skeptical philosophical conclusions. The metaphysics of the future-bishop sometimes resemble a cabinet of curiosities, but with a theological guardrail. For metaphysical reasons, Tyard overpasses geocentrism and infinite universe to a universe in expansion of modern sciences.
Attribution of 2022 August Heavy Precipitation Event in South Korea Using High‐Resolution Pseudo Global Warming Simulations: Sensitivity to Vertical Temperature Changes
Authors: Kwon Daeun , Min Seung‐Ki , Lee Minkyu , Seo Ga‐Yeong , Son Seok‐Woo
Published: January 2025

This study examines the anthropogenic influences on the heavy precipitation event that occurred in early August 2022, South Korea, using a pseudo global warming (PGW) method with a convection‐permitting model. Pseudo global warming experiments for counterfactual natural non‐warming conditions (NAT) were conducted by removing anthropogenic warming patterns from the observations. The anthropogenic warming patterns were estimated from the differences between Coupled Model Inter‐comparison Project Phase 6 historical and historical natural‐only simulations. Two NAT experiments were performed by using the multi‐model mean of all nine models (NATT) and the three models with weaker upper tropospheric warming (NATW). The results show that atmospheric moisture is reduced in both NAT experiments compared to the current‐condition experiments, but that enhanced convective instability due to upper tropospheric cooling offsets the effect of moisture reduction, resulting in similar precipitation responses. This compensation effect becomes weak in NATW, indicating the important role of the vertical profile of anthropogenic warming pattern in PGW‐based attribution experiments.
Exceptional Equatorial Extension of Extreme Indian Ocean Dipole Cooling: Shaping Effect From Strong El Niño
Authors: Xie Mingmei , Wang Jia‐Zhen , Zhang Lei , Chen Zhaohui
Published: January 2025

The extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole (EXpIOD) peaking in 2023 boreal fall exhibited the strongest variations in sea level and subsurface temperature in the eastern Indian Ocean (IO), and the most equatorially westward extension of cooling observed during the satellite era to date. Its pattern resembled the 1997 EXpIOD, contrasting with other coastally‐concentrated EXpIODs. Here we show that the distinctive air‐sea responses of equatorial EXpIODs stem from the energetic central IO zonal winds fueled by concurrent strong El Niños, which were absent in other cases. The exceptionally strong easterly anomaly generates prominent nonlinear vertical advection cooling the central IO, with nonlinear zonal advection and the Ekman feedback playing supportive roles. Current coupled models can capture this Pacific shaping effect, despite with divergent strengths. Under strong El Niño's inter‐basin forcing, the westward extension of cooling has profound implications for regional hydrology and coral ecology, and warrants closer attention in future predictions.
In Situ Characterization of Dust Storms and Their Snow‐Darkening Effect Over Himalayas
Authors: Chandel Amit Singh , Sarangi Chandan , Rittger Karl , Hooda Rakesh K. , Hyvärinen Antti‐Pekka
Published: January 2025

In this study, we used satellite observations to identify 10 typical dust‐loading events over the Indian Himalayas. Next, the aerosol microphysical and optical properties during these identified dust storms are characterized using cotemporal in situ measurements over Mukteshwar, a representative site in Indian Himalayas. Relative to the background values, the mass of coarse particles (size range between 2.5 and 10 μm) and the extinction coefficient were found to be enhanced by 400% (from 24 ± 15 to 98 ± 40 μg/m3) and 175% (from 89 ± 57 Mm−1 to 156 ± 79 Mm−1), respectively, during these premonsoonal dust‐loading events. Moreover, based on the air mass trajectory, these dust storms can be categorized into two categories: (a) mineral dust events (MDEs), which involve long‐range transported dust plumes traversing through the lower troposphere to reach the Himalayas and (b) polluted dust events (PDEs), which involve short‐range transported dust plumes originating from the arid western regions of the Indian subcontinent and traveling within the heavily polluted boundary layer of the Gangetic plains before reaching the Himalayas. Interestingly, compared to the background, the SSA and AAE decrease during PDEs but increase during MDEs. More importantly, we observe a twofold increase in black carbon concentrations and the aerosol absorption coefficient (relative to the background values) during the PDEs with negligible changes during MDEs. Consequently, the aerosol‐induced snow albedo reduction (SAR) also doubles during MDEs and PDEs relative to background conditions. Thus, our findings provide robust observational evidence of substantial dust‐induced snow and glacier melting over the Himalayas.
Changes in the Dominant Contributions of Nitrate Formation and Sources During Haze Episodes: Insights From Dual Isotopic Evidence
Authors: Xiao Hong‐Wei , Chen Tian‐Shu , Zhang Qi‐Jie , Wang Rong , Xiao Hao , Xu Yu , Guan Wen‐Kai , Long Ai‐Min , Xiao Hua‐Yun
Published: January 2025

Inorganic nitrate (NO3−), a crucial component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), has not shown a consistent decrease, despite an obvious decrease of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and PM2.5. The atmospheric oxidation process for nitrate formation has been deemed a key factor in pollution; however, the changes of sources and oxidation pathways during a particular haze episode require further investigation. Here, daily dual isotopes (δ15N and δ18O) were used to quantify the sources and oxidation pathways of nitrate formation in Qingdao, a port city in Northern China, from September 2017 to February 2018. This study also includes a detailed introduction to two haze episodes. δ15N and δ18O results show that both fractions of nocturnal oxidation for nitrate formation and NOx from coal combustion were lower in warmer season and higher in colder season. The fractions increased with increasing PM2.5 under low PM2.5 concentration while the fractions were not significantly changed under higher PM2.5 concentration, dominated by nocturnal oxidation (70.6% ± 9.7%) and coal combustion (66.1% ± 18.2%), respectively. The haze episode 1 was attributed to smoke transported over long distances, which provided a large amount of aerosol particles to absorb more locally formed gaseous HNO3 or N2O5. In this episode, meteorological and air quality factors, nitrate sources, and formation mechanism did not obviously change. Haze episode 2 was caused by unfavorable meteorological factors that enhanced local nitrate accumulation. As pollution worsened, the oxidation pathway shifted from OH oxidation to N2O5 hydrolysis, and the primary source changed from coal combustion to more vehicle exhaust.
Polariton lattices as binarized neuromorphic networks
Authors: Sedov Evgeny , Kavokin Alexey
Published: January 2025

We introduce a novel neuromorphic network architecture based on a lattice of exciton-polariton condensates, intricately interconnected and energized through nonresonant optical pumping. The network employs a binary framework, where each neuron, facilitated by the spatial coherence of pairwise coupled condensates, performs binary operations. This coherence, emerging from the ballistic propagation of polaritons, ensures efficient, network-wide communication. The binary neuron switching mechanism, driven by the nonlinear repulsion through the excitonic component of polaritons, offers computational efficiency and scalability advantages over continuous weight neural networks. Our network enables parallel processing, enhancing computational speed compared to sequential or pulse-coded binary systems. The system’s performance was evaluated using diverse datasets, including the MNIST dataset for image recognition and the Speech Commands dataset for voice recognition tasks. In both scenarios, the proposed system demonstrates the potential to outperform existing polaritonic neuromorphic systems. For image recognition, this is evidenced by an impressive predicted classification accuracy of up to 97.5%. In voice recognition, the system achieved a classification accuracy of about 68% for the ten-class subset, surpassing the performance of conventional benchmark, the Hidden Markov Model with Gaussian Mixture Model.
Optical Fresnel zone plate flat lenses made entirely of colored photoresist through an i-line stepper
Authors: Yamada Ryohei , Kishida Hiroyuki , Takami Tomohiro , Rittaporn Itti , Matoba Mizuho , Sakurai Haruyuki , Konishi Kuniaki
Published: January 2025

Light manipulation and control are essential in various contemporary technologies, and as these technologies evolve, the demand for miniaturized optical components increases. Planar-lens technologies, such as metasurfaces and diffractive optical elements, have gained attention in recent years for their potential to dramatically reduce the thickness of traditional refractive optical systems. However, their fabrication, particularly for visible wavelengths, involves complex and costly processes, such as high-resolution lithography and dry-etching, which has limited their availability. In this study, we present a simplified method for fabricating visible Fresnel zone plate (FZP) planar lenses, a type of diffractive optical element, using an i-line stepper and a special photoresist (color resist) that only necessitates coating, exposure, and development, eliminating the need for etching or other post-processing steps. We fabricated visible FZP lens patterns using conventional photolithography equipment on 8-inch silica glass wafers, and demonstrated focusing of 550 nm light to a diameter of 1.1 μm with a focusing efficiency of 7.2%. Numerical simulations showed excellent agreement with experimental results, confirming the high precision and designability of our method. Our lenses were also able to image objects with features down to 1.1 μm, showcasing their potential for practical applications in imaging. Our method is a cost-effective, simple, and scalable solution for mass production of planar lenses and other optical components operating in the visible region. It enables the development of advanced, miniaturized optical systems to meet modern technology demand, making it a valuable contribution to optical component manufacturing.
NEMS generated electromechanical frequency combs
Authors: Rahmanian Sasan , Mouharrar Hamza , Abdelrahman Rana , Akbari Masoud , Shama Yasser S. , Musselman Kevin , Muñoz-Rojas David , Basrour Skandar , Abdel Rahman Eihab
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a novel technique for low-power generation of frequency combs (FC) over a wide frequency range. It leverages modal interactions between electrical and mechanical resonators in electrostatic NEMS operating in air to provide a simple architecture for FC generators. A biased voltage signal drives the electrical resonator at resonance which is set to match an integer submultiple of twice the mechanical resonator’s resonance. Experimental results demonstrate that the NEMS displacement exhibit more than 150 equidistant peaks in the case of a 2:1 modal interaction and more than 60 equidistant peaks in the case of a 1:1 modal interaction. In both cases, the Free Spectral Range (FSR) was equal to the mechanical resonance frequency. Comparison between the FCs generated by the 2:1 and 1:1 modal interactions demonstrate the superiority of the former in terms of bandwidth and stability. The superior phase coherence of the FC generated via the 2:1 modal interaction was demonstrated via time-domain analysis. Our technique has the flexibility to generate multiple frequency combs and to fine-tune their FSR depending on the number of mechanical modes accessible to and the order of the activated modal interaction. It can be integrated into portable devices and is well aligned with modern miniaturization technology.