bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Promoting student voice by involving vocational education students and staff in citizenship education development: a participatory action research study
Authors: Geurts Esther M. A. , Reijs Rianne P. , Leenders Hélène H. M. , Jansen Maria W. J. , Hoebe Christian J. P. A.
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Despite decades of school improvement efforts, maintaining lasting change in schools remains challenging. So far, traditional interventions have been unsuccessful in recognising schools’ unique and complex contexts, which is why a shift towards a more reciprocal, emergent, and contextualised approach is necessary. Objective: Our aim is to develop citizenship education with students and staff in vocational education and training (VET), which increases student voice and fits the complex school system. Methods: We involved students and staff in citizenship education development and identified relevant factors that influenced this process. This participatory action research (PAR) study used a retrospective design assessing logbook entries, observations, interviews, and focus group discussions collected between September 2020 and September 2023 in four study programmes from one VET institution in the Netherlands. Thematic analysis was used to code the datasources. Results: Collaboration between students and staff flourished while using the curriculum negotiation tool. Relevant factors influencing the process were: alignment between project and participants’ priorities and goals, receptivity to student and teacher voices, leadership engagement, and tensions and intentions about roles and responsibilities between participants. Conclusions: This study emphasises the promise of involving students and staff in educational development. When teachers startedworking collaboratively with students, many of their initial doubts decreased, which led to renewed motivation for becoming student voice advocates. PAR has the potential of starkly disrupting the existing status quo and breaking through ingrained patterns within complex systems to ensure influence for students from all levels of education.
Cost-effectiveness of data driven personalised antibiotic dosing in critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock
Authors: Broulikova Hana M. , Wallage Jacqueline , Roggeveen Luca , Fleuren Lucas , Guo Tingjie , Elbers Paul W.G. , Bosmans Judith E.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study provides an economic evaluation of bedside, data-driven, and model-informed precision dosing of antibiotics in comparison with usual care among critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Methods

This economic evaluation was conducted alongside an AutoKinetics randomized controlled trial. Effect measures included quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), mortality and pharmacokinetic target attainment. Costs were measured from a societal perspective. Missing data was multiply imputed, and bootstrapping was used to estimate statistical uncertainty. Differences in effects and costs were estimated using bivariate regression and used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.

Results

Patients in the intervention group had higher costs (€42,684 vs. 39,475), lower mortality (42% vs. 49%), more QALYs (0.184 vs. 0.153), and higher pharmacokinetic target attainment (69% vs. 48%). Only the difference for target attainment was found statistically significant. An additional €18,129, €55,576, and €123,493 needs to be invested to attain the targeted plasma levels for one more patient, to save one life and gain one QALY, respectively. The probability of cost-effectiveness for all effect outcomes is below 60% for most acceptable willingness-to-pay thresholds.

Conclusions

Data-driven personalised antibiotic dosing in critically ill patients as implemented in the AutoKinetics trial cannot be recommended for implementation as a cost-effective intervention.

Trial registration

The trial was prospectively registered at Netherlands Trial Register (NTR), NL6501/NTR6689 on 25 August 2017 and at the European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT), 2017-002478-37 on 6 November 2017.
The multifaceted benefits of Morus nigra L.: a pharmacological powerhouse
Authors: Özgür Mustafa , Uçar Aslı , Yılmaz Serkan
Published: January 2025

The black mulberry (Morus nigra L.), a member of the Moraceae family, is a resilient plant known for thriving in diverse climates. It is valued for its rich composition of both primary and secondary metabolites, which contribute to a wide range of health benefits. Among the most significant of these are anthocyanins, which are responsible for the plant's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Traditionally, Morus nigra has been widely used in Chinese and Indian medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent scientific studies have supported these traditional uses, highlighting the plant's potential in modern medicine. Specifically, Morus nigra has demonstrated positive effects on cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, and tissue protection. The fruit of the mulberry is rich in primary metabolites such as carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fatty acids, enhancing its nutritional value. Secondary metabolites, including flavonoids and phenolic compounds, are particularly important for their role in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Additionally, Morus nigra has shown promising antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects, influencing metabolic pathways related to insulin resistance and lipid regulation. Despite its many health benefits, caution is needed when using Morus nigra in supplement form, particularly in high doses. While the fruit is generally safe for consumption, studies on leaf extracts have revealed potential toxicity at elevated doses, emphasizing the need for careful dosage. Further research is essential to determine optimal intake levels and fully explore the plant's pharmacological potential.
An investigation of phonological predictors in Chinese developmental dyslexia using a machine learning approach
Authors: Ding Ning , Peng Peng , Tang Jiuqing , Ding Yiran , Zhao Jingjing
Published: January 2025

Phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatized naming (RAN), and verbal short-term memory (VSTM) deficits have been identified as risk factors for developmental dyslexia (DD) of alphabetic orthographies. Yet, these three facets of phonological skills in DD of Chinese, a logographic writing system, have rarely been investigated together. The present study aimed to investigate PA, RAN, and VSTM deficits in Chinese children with DD. We compared 128 third and fourth grade Mandarin-speaking Chinese children with DD aged between 8 and 11 years (mean age = 9.4 years, 73 male) and 135 age-matched controls on 7 phonological tasks, including 2 PA tasks (phoneme deletion and onset/rime deletion), 3 RAN tasks (digit, object, and color), and 2 VSTM task (spoonerism and digit span). A combination of logistic regression analysis and a machine learning approach with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) methods was employed for data analyses. Logistic regression analysis showed that similar to the results from DD in six European languages by Landerl and Ramus et al. (2013), phoneme deletion and RAN digits played major roles in predicting Chinese DD, while digit span played a minor role. SHAP analysis revealed that the most effective predictor tasks for Chinese DD are RAN pictures, phoneme deletion, and spoonerism. The results suggest important roles of RAN and PA and a minor role of VSTM in predicting Chinese DD. Findings have important implications for the diagnosis and remediation of Chinese DD.
Contextualization of Diabetes: A Review of Reviews from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Countries
Authors: Plebon-Huff Sieara , Haji-Mohamed Hubi , Gardiner Helene , Ghanem Samantha , Koh Jessica , LeBlanc Allana G.
Published: January 2025

Purpose of Review

The prevalence of diabetes is rising around the world and represents an important public health concern. Unlike individual-level risk and protective factors related to the etiology of diabetes, contextual risk factors have been much less studied. Identification of contextual factors related to the risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries may help health professionals, researchers, and policymakers to improve surveillance, develop policies and programs, and allocate funding.

Recent Findings

Among 4,470 potential articles, 48 were included in this review. All reviews were published in English between 2005 and 2023 and were conducted in over 20 different countries. This review identified ten upstream contextual risk factors related to type 1 and type 2 diabetes risk, including income, employment, education, immigration, race/ethnicity, geography, rural/urban status, built environment, environmental pollution, and food security/environment.

The ten upstream contextual risk factors identified this review may be integrated into diabetes research, surveillance and prevention activities to help promote better outcomes for people at risk or living with diabetes in OECD countries. Additional research is needed to better quantify the measures of associations between emerging key contextual factors and diabetes outcomes.
Dynamic behaviour of an eco-epidemiological model of fractional-order with a fear effect
Authors: Mani Deepak Nallasamy Prabhu , Shanmugam Muthukumar , Yavuz Mehmet , Muthuradhinam Sivabalan
Published: January 2025

In this paper, we propose a fractional-order prey-predator model with fear effects on the dynamic behavior of the populations. The model is used as a functional response of Holling type II in a non-delayed model. First, we prove several important results such as the existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of the solutions to the fractional-order dynamical system. Next, we discuss both the local and global stabilities of the fractional-order prey-predator model. The occurrence of Hopf bifurcation for fractional order is examined. Finally, the analytical solutions are confirmed through numerical simulations.
A Novel Hyperparameter Optimization Approach for Supervised Classification: Phase Prediction of Multi-Principal Element Alloys
Authors: Fatimi Syed Hassan , Wang Zidong , Chang Isaac T. H. , Liu Weibo , Liu Xiaohui
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a hyperparameter optimization approach is proposed for the phase prediction of multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) through the introduction of two novel hyperparameters: outlier detection and feature subset selection. To gain a deeper understanding of the connection between alloy phases and their elemental properties, an artificial neural network is employed, with hyperparameter optimization performed using a genetic algorithm to select the optimum hyperparameters. The two novel hyperparameters, outlier detection and feature subset selection, are introduced within the optimization framework, along with new crossover and mutation operators for handling single and multi-valued genes simultaneously. Ablation studies are conducted, illustrating an improvement in prediction accuracy with the inclusion of these new hyperparameters. A comparison with five existing algorithms in multi-class classification is made, demonstrating an improvement in the performance of phase prediction, thereby providing a better perception of the alloy phase space for high-throughput MPEA design.
A deep learning model to identify the initial parameters of dissimilar welded joints under impact fracture
Authors: Avilés-Cruz Carlos , Aguilar-Sánchez Miriam , Vargas-Arista Benjamin , Escudero-Celis Gabriel
Published: January 2025

A weldment is the joining of two elements; therefore, they function as a single unit. However, a “defective weldment” refers to a welded structure that is deficient and weak, resulting in failure at the joint. The aim of the study is to find the initial shielded metal arc welding parameters under which two different steels, AISI 4140 and AISI 1018, were welded from fractures obtained by Charpy impact test. The three initial welding parameters are the type of filler material (AWS E8018 and AWS E9018 electrodes), the application or not of heat treatment, and the number of welding passes (2 or 3). To achieve the above, circular specimens have been designed for testing in the impact machine, allowing for the capture of fracture images from which attributes are extracted through a deep learning model. One novel aspect is the proposed methodology for designing circular specimens with a welded joint in the center with a machined notch to induce fracture under impact loading, allowing the weld penetration to be measured with the naked eye. The other innovative aspect is the deep learning model designed from scratch, consisting of 6 feature extraction layers, a flattening layer, and 4 fully connected classification layers; the model provides a

$$100\%$$

100
%

identification of the weld parameters, similar to how a fingerprint identifies its owner; it is also independent of subjective expert opinion, and it is efficient, effective, and low cost.
A Quantum Framework for Combinatorial Optimization Problem over Graphs
Authors: Shi Meng , Wu Sai , Li Ying , Yuan Gongsheng , Yao Chang , Chen Gang
Published: January 2025

Combinatorial optimization problems over graphs, such as the traveling salesman problem, longest path problem, and maximum independent set problem, are well-known for being computationally costly, some even NP-hard problems. In this paper, we propose a general quantum algorithm framework searching for approximate solutions to combinatorial optimization problems with linear objective functions. Our framework provides APIs (application programming interfaces) that enable developers to encode weighted graph structures onto quantum circuits and utilize variational algorithms to generate approximate solutions. One key advantage of our framework is that it allows developers to design new graph algorithms for the graph problem represented as linear combinations of edge weights without requiring expertise in quantum programming. Besides, it only uses a logarithmic level of quantum bit scale, making our framework work on quantum computers with limited physical resources. Our experimental results demonstrate that our framework can provide good approximations for the traveling salesman problem compared to current quantum algorithm.
A Dual Approach to Detecting Iron Ions and Analyzing Water Quality
Authors: Paramparambath Sreedevi , Oflaz Kamil , Geetha Mithra , El-Azazy Marwa , El-Shafie Ahmed S. , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar
Published: January 2025

This research establishes the foundation for developing an IoT (internet of things)-enabled sensor developed for the rapid and precise detection of Fe ions (Fe+ 3 and Fe+ 2) in drinking water. The investigation incorporates the utilization of Phenol red (PR), Universal indicator (UI), and Eriochrome black T (EBT) dyes, revealing their effectiveness in Fe ion detection. UV-visible tests and calibration graphs determined remarkably low average detection limits and exhibited stability at varying temperatures. Their exceptional sensitivity and selectivity across all Fe ionic states are crucial for continuous monitoring and on-site testing, making them well-suited for practical applications. Moreover, the limit of detection (LOD) of Fe ions in dyes are found to be 0.0189 mM for PR dye, 0.2 mM for UI, and 0.192 mM for EBT dye solution. Validation of the procedure was achieved right through fabrication of a 3D-printed tool. The integration of RGB (Red Green Blue) analysis with the 3D-printed prototype enabled the assessment and detection of iron ions (Fe+ 3 and Fe+ 2), visually represented in a unique RGB chart. This technical progress involves notable implications for Fe detection, demonstrating its ability for using in evaluating environmental and health conditions. Additionally, this novel approach can replace well established sophisticated instruments due to their rapidity and selectivity.
Assessing carbon emissions of facility agriculture involving photovoltaic greenhouses – insights from table grapes cultivation
Authors: Li Yichun , Li Shuyue , Luo Yaru , Wang Xuecai , Zhang Hengcheng , Zhang Yuquan W. , Song Shiren
Published: January 2025

Taking climate actions is of increasing importance. The agricultural sector is exploring its carbon neutrality transition pathway. Current relevant studies paid limited attention to agricultural products such as table grapes. This study takes table grapes cultivation in Shanghai as a case study, employing the life cycle assessment (LCA) to account for the carbon emissions and environmental impacts of five different conditions, including open field, simple greenhouse, continuous greenhouse, continuous greenhouse with photovoltaic power, and improved continuous greenhouse with photovoltaic power. Utilizing both observation and simulation data, the SimaPro software is applied to analyze the LCA carbon and environmental footprints of table grapes cultivation. The results show that simple greenhouse grapes exhibit the lowest level of carbon emissions (452 kgCO2-eq/mu-year), and meanwhile the most economical. Moreover, improved greenhouse utilizing photovoltaic power (1.26 × 103kgCO2-eq/mu-year) exhibits higher carbon emissions, however with lower levels of environmental toxicity due to utilizing grapevines for organic fertilizers. Thus, simple greenhouse grapes would score best if considering carbon emissions only, while the improved greenhouse model holds greater potential as a form of modernized facility-based agriculture. Furthermore, this study suggests that for the broader facility agriculture, using low carbon structure materials would serve as the level to reduce carbon footprints.
Method for extracting elemental sulfur in environmental water and its application to blue tide samples from Tokyo Bay, Japan
Authors: Sugahara Shogo , Higa Hiroto , Iwama Mitsuki , Nakamura Yoshiyuki , Inoue Tetsunori , Senga Yukiko , Egawa Michiko , Seike Yasushi
Published: January 2025

A simple method for determining elemental sulfur in environmental water was developed and applied to seawater samples collected immediately after the occurrence of blue tides in Tokyo Bay. To investigate the concentration and extraction methods, artificial elemental sulfur was quantitatively produced by oxidizing a sulfide solution with an iodine solution, then used as a standard reagent in the experiments. To concentrate the elemental sulfur in the water sample, glass filter paper (GF/F) was used to filter and collect the elemental sulfur. The elemental sulfur was then extracted using n-hexane, the main component of petroleum ether; however, the recovery of elemental sulfur from the wet glass filter paper was low, and remained so even when the glass filter paper was dried. We, therefore, used a mixture of n-hexane and an acetone solvent, which is a hydrophilic organic solvent, for extraction and succeeded in recovering more than 90% of the elemental sulfur from the wet glass filter paper. Using this solvent mixture, we extracted and quantified elemental sulfur from seawater samples collected after the occurrence of blue tide, and detected 0.36–0.38 mgS L–1 of elemental sulfur in the near-surface layer. We also found that the elemental sulfur concentrations were higher in the surface layer than in the bottom layer. Therefore, we demonstrated that the quantification of elemental sulfur is important to better understand the blue tide phenomenon.

Graphical abstract
Aircraft resilience to GNSS jamming and impact on ADS-B quality indicators
Authors: Pleninger S. , Hospodka J. , Steiner J. , Lukeš P. , Topková T. , Pilmannová T. , Kraus J.
Published: January 2025

The presented research investigates the impact of interference on the performance of aircraft Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers with a specific focus on the behaviour of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) position quality indicators. Several experiments were performed with different aircraft types, such as Airbus, Boeing, Beechcraft King Air B350 or Tecnam, and using various intensities of GNSS jamming. The behaviour of various quality indicators, such as the Navigation Integrity Category, Navigation Accuracy Category, Source Integrity Level and System Design Assurance transmitted in different types of ADS-B messages, is analysed. We investigate not only situations where the quality indicators drop to zero, but also the complete evolution of the changes in the indicators as a function of the increasing power of the jamming signal. Based on the analysis of changes in the ADS-B quality indicators, the estimation of the most likely interference signal power required to discontinue the tracking of an already acquired GPS L1 Coarse/Acquisition signal is made. Additionally, the interference signal power to prevent re-acquisition is also estimated. The findings improve the understanding of interference effects and can support the development of robust interference mitigation techniques in aviation applications.
A systematic review on how primary care electronic medical record data have been used for antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: Cheah Ron , Chen Caroline , Capurro Daniel , Manski-Nankervis Jo-Anne , Rozova Vlada , Thursky Karin
Published: January 2025

Objective:

This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence from current literature to describe how Electronic Medical Record (EMR) primary care data have been used for antimicrobial stewardship activities internationally.

Design:

Systematic literature review.

Methods:

We searched Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 1, 2013 to September 23, 2023 to retrieve studies that included concepts of “antimicrobial stewardship,” “primary care,” and “electronic medical records.” We used narrative synthesis to classify and interpret results. Data were grouped and tabulated by similar themes and concepts, including strengths, facilitators, barriers, and limitations for antimicrobial stewardship.

Results:

A total of 265 articles were identified from the initial search, of which 34 full-text articles from 10 countries met all criteria and were included in the review. Six categories of EMR data use were identified from the studies, these were for: assessing antimicrobial prescribing quality, measuring the effectiveness of an intervention, analyzing antimicrobial prescribing trends, assessing patient and provider characteristics in prescribing, evaluating novel tools or measures, and measuring specific conditions and outcomes. Facilitators of use of EMR data were generally well-described across the studies reviewed; however, barriers were not. Barriers described were centered around EMR system design and technical challenges in data extraction. Completeness of EMR data was the most consistently described limitation.

Conclusions:

Our study highlights the range of uses of EMR data in supporting AMS in primary care internationally, and its strengths, facilitators, and barriers to use.
Generic stabilizers for simple algebraic groups acting on orthogonal and symplectic Grassmannians
Authors: Rizzoli Aluna
Published: January 2025

We consider faithful actions of simple algebraic groups on self-dual irreducible modules and on the associated varieties of totally singular subspaces, under the assumption that the dimension of the group is at least as large as the dimension of the variety. We prove that in all but a finite list of cases, there is a dense open subset where the stabilizer of any point is conjugate to a fixed subgroup, called the generic stabilizer. We use these results to determine whether there exists a dense orbit. This in turn lets us complete the answer to the problem of determining all pairs of maximal connected subgroups of a classical group with a dense double coset.
Abelian supplements in almost simple groups
Authors: Costantini Mauro , Lucchini Andrea , Nemmi Daniele
Published: January 2025

Let G be an almost simple group with socle
$G_0$
. In this paper we prove that whenever
$G/G_0$
is abelian, then there exists an abelian subgroup A of G such that
$G=AG_0$
. We propose a few applications of this structural property of almost simple groups.
A cone conjecture for log Calabi-Yau surfaces
Authors: Li Jennifer
Published: January 2025

We consider log Calabi-Yau surfaces
$(Y, D)$
with singular boundary. In each deformation type, there is a distinguished surface
$(Y_e,D_e)$
such that the mixed Hodge structure on
$H_2(Y \setminus D)$
is split. We prove that (1) the action of the automorphism group of
$(Y_e,D_e)$
on its nef effective cone admits a rational polyhedral fundamental domain; and (2) the action of the monodromy group on the nef effective cone of a very general surface in the deformation type admits a rational polyhedral fundamental domain. These statements can be viewed as versions of the Morrison cone conjecture for log Calabi–Yau surfaces. In addition, if the number of components of D is no greater than six, we show that the nef cone of
$Y_e$
is rational polyhedral and describe it explicitly. This provides infinite series of new examples of Mori Dream Spaces.
The role of double‐layer vortex rings with the local swirl in the rapid transition to turbulent flows in Richtmyer–Meshkov instability with reshock
Authors: Yan Zheng , Chen Zhu , Li Zhiyuan , Wu Junfeng , Fan Zhengfeng , Yu Changping , Li Xinliang , Wang Lifeng
Published: January 2025

In this paper, we study the rapid transition in Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) with reshock through three-dimensional double-layer swirling vortex rings. The rapid transition in RMI with reshock has an essential influence on the evolution of supernovas and the ignition of inertial confinement fusion, which has been confirmed in numerical simulations and experiments in shock-tube and high-energy-density facilities over the past few years. Vortex evolution has been confirmed to dominate the late-time nonlinear development of the perturbed interface. However, few studies have investigated the three-dimensional characteristics and nonlinear interactions among vortex structures during the transition to turbulent flows. The coexistence of co-rotating and counter-rotating vortices is hypothesized to induce successive large-scale strain fields, which are the main driving sources for rapid development. The three-dimensional effect is reflected in the presence of local swirling motion in the azimuthal direction, and it decreases the translation velocity of a vortex ring. Large-, middle- and small-scale strain fields are employed to describe the development process of RMI with reshock, e.g. vorticity deposited by the reshock, formation of the coexistence of the co-rotating and counter-rotating vortices, iterative cascade under the amplification of the strain fields and viscous dissipation to internal energy. This provides theoretical suggestions for designing practical applications, such as the estimation of the hydrodynamic instability and mixing during the late-time acceleration phase of the inertial confinement fusion.
Synthetically generated text for supervised text analysis
Authors: Halterman Andrew
Published: January 2025

Large language models are a powerful tool for conducting text analysis in political science, but using them to annotate text has several drawbacks, including high cost, limited reproducibility, and poor explainability. Traditional supervised text classifiers are fast and reproducible, but require expensive hand annotation, which is especially difficult for rare classes. This article proposes using LLMs to generate synthetic training data for training smaller, traditional supervised text models. Synthetic data can augment limited hand annotated data or be used on its own to train a classifier with good performance and greatly reduced cost. I provide a conceptual overview of text generation, guidance on when researchers should prefer different techniques for generating synthetic text, a discussion of ethics, a simple technique for improving the quality of synthetic text, and an illustration of its limitations. I demonstrate the usefulness of synthetic training through three validations: synthetic news articles describing police responses to communal violence in India for training an event detection system, a multilingual corpus of synthetic populist manifesto statements for training a sentence-level populism classifier, and generating synthetic tweets describing the fighting in Ukraine to improve a named entity system.
Scholar Activism: When Our Bodies Stand by Our Ideas
Authors: Picq Manuela L.
Published: January 2025

Should it feel good to get an award for scholar activism? As well-intentioned the recognition of my activism is, it misses the point of what activism is by singling out one person, especially a scholar. The danger with claiming scholar activism as heroic is twofold. First, it makes activists exceptional, implying that society may rely on exceptional individuals instead of valuing the collective work. Second, it glorifies the activism of scholars, as if it were more valuable than that of others while ignoring the hierarchies that empower and protect academia. Instead, we must normalize scholar activism, sharing the load and using our bodies as shields. We’ll join the work of activism in constellation and value the power of emotions, embodying our ideas as we grow into activist scholars.
Early Holocene interaction of aeolian, alluvial, and lacustrine processes in a dune-dammed valley in the central Nebraska Sand Hills
Authors: Mahoney Gosia , Mandel Rolfe D. , Hanson Paul R. , Fritz Sherilyn C.
Published: January 2025

The stratigraphic record of the Early Holocene in the Nebraska Sand Hills suggests dry climatic conditions and periods of sustained aeolian activity, which resulted in several well-documented instances of sand dunes blocking river drainages in the western Sand Hills. Here, we present evidence that drainage blockage by migrating sand dunes also occurred in the central Sand Hills, where precipitation is higher and dune morphology differs. The South Fork Dismal River valley contains a sequence of aeolian, alluvial, and lacustrine sediments that record a gradual rise of the local water table following a sand dune blockage of the river valley around 11,000 years ago. After the initial development of a wetland, a lake formed and persisted for at least 2000 years. Increased groundwater discharge due to a warm, moist climate in the region after 6500 years ago likely caused the breaching of the dune dam and eventually resulted in the decline of the local water table. Through a careful examination of the intricate relationships between ground water, surface water, and sand movement in a dune field setting, we discuss the hydrologic system's complex response to climate change. We use diatoms to reconstruct the lacustrine environment and optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating to provide chronological control, based on a careful evaluation of the strengths and limitations of each method in varied depositional environments.
Exit Polls in Canada: A Methodological Note
Authors: Bodet Marc André , Laflamme Lydia , Brie Evelyne , Ouellet Catherine
Published: January 2025

Despite their numerous advantages, exit polls are not a common tool in the study of Canadian electoral behaviour. In this methodological note, we use data from two pilot projects to test small-scale exit polls’ accuracy when estimating party support. We mobilize exit-polling data collected in the 2018 Quebec provincial election (four voting locations) and the 2019 federal election in Quebec (two voting locations). We focus on chance error and bias error in small samples. Results obtained using parametric linear models suggest that small sample exit polls achieve relatively precise estimations. We do find, however, that right-of-the-centre parties’ vote share tends to be underestimated. These findings shed light on the strengths and shortcomings of small-scale exit polls in Canada.
What Happened to Nancy Jackson? A Riddle of Race and Resistance on the Southern Frontier
Authors: Walker Anders
Published: January 2025

In 1788, Andrew Jackson acquired an enslaved woman named Nancy. According to most accounts, Nancy followed Jackson from Jonesborough, Tennessee to Nashville and lived out the rest of her days at the Hermitage. Except she did not. A close review of the legal record suggests that Nancy never made it to Nashville and either left Jackson somewhere along the Wilderness Road or died at his hands trying to escape. Her act of resistance, this article posits, may have profoundly affected Jackson's views of race and sex on the southern frontier.
Southern Revival: Mario Costa, Operetta and Neapolitan Song
Authors: Rindom Ditlev
Published: January 2025

Naples suffered a significant loss of political and economic power following Italian unification, a decline seemingly echoed by the collapse of its opera buffa tradition. Yet Naples played a central role in generating an Italian operetta tradition across entertainment venues both old and new, with canzone napoletana becoming a key feature of operettas composed (and performed) across Italy. This article explores the crucial contribution of Naples and the Neapolitan song tradition to the development of Italian operetta, focusing particularly on composer Mario Costa. Neapolitan operetta, I argue, reveals the complex interplay between regional, national and international practices and discourses in constructions of ‘native’ Italian operetta, while exposing the generic and aesthetic ambiguity of Italian operetta within shifting hierarchies and changing repertoires c.1900. At the same time, the study of key figures such as Costa can revise and reorientate musical narratives of Liberal Italy that have typically focused on opera, the Giovane Scuola and the North.
Evaluation of an updated educational intervention on nutritional care to prevent undernutrition among older adults in primary health care
Authors: Berggren Erika , Sandlund Christina , Samuelsson Liisa , Lundh Lena
Published: January 2025

Aim:

The aim of this study was to evaluate district nurses’ perceived and factual knowledge about nutritional care after an updated and expanded educational intervention. Furthermore, we aimed to compare the outcomes of the revised and the original educational intervention.

Background:

In-depth knowledge of nutritional care is a prerequisite to supporting older adults’ well-being and health. District nurses’ actual knowledge of the nutrition care process, older adults’ need for food, and palliative care in diverse phases of disease is therefore of utmost importance. An updated and expanded educational intervention meeting these needs was evaluated.

Methods:

A study-specific questionnaire about nutritional care was used before and after the educational intervention. Participants (n = 118) were district nurses working in primary health care in Region Stockholm. Additionally, a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design was used to assess differences in learning outcomes of the revised intervention compared with the original intervention.

Findings:

District nurses who completed the questionnaire had worked in health care for about 18 years and as district nurses for 5 years after their specialist examination. After the revised educational intervention, significant improvements were found in all statements concerning perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care, while questions about factual knowledge showed significant improvements in three of the four questions.

Comparison between the revised and the original intervention revealed no differences in most areas of perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care. Additionally, in half of the areas assessed, factual knowledge improved more after the revision than after the original educational intervention, including the maximum length of overnight fast and the type of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) that should be prescribed.

Conclusion:

The intervention was successful in increasing knowledge about nutritional care, nutritional counselling, food adaptation, and prescribing ONS in an individually tailored way. In-depth knowledge supports usability in clinical practice. Nevertheless, we need to follow-up and understand how increased knowledge about undernutrition and ONS prescription are implemented in primary health care when caring for older adults’ desires and needs.
ELders AT Ease (ELATE): a description of adapting cognitive behaviour therapy for treating mental health issues in nursing homes
Authors: Koder Deborah , Bhar Sunil , Armstrong Renee , Joffe Ryan , Silver Mark , Linossier Jenny , Collins Rebecca , Dunkerley Sofie , Waloszek Joanna
Published: January 2025

Despite high levels of depression and anxiety, there is relatively little attention to psychological treatment approaches to mental health issues for older adults living in nursing homes. Recent studies support the use of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in this population and here we aim to highlight how CBT can be successfully adapted and implemented with beneficial results. The ELders AT Ease (ELATE) program is a unique service delivery model illustrating delivery of CBT with older adults living in nursing homes. The six modules forming the program, based on CBT, are described. A systems wide approach to delivery is emphasised and illustrated through two clinical case descriptions. Innovative mental health programs can have positive benefits for both residents and staff and support the use of CBT in this vulnerable and under-served client group.

Key learning aims

(1)

Knowledge of the content and application of CBT for older adults living in nursing homes.

(2)

Understanding of CBT session structure as applied to older adults living in nursing homes.

(3)

Recognising and utilising specific strategies to highlight a systemic approach as central to implementing CBT strategies, such as behavioural activation and reminiscence, with considered involvement by staff and family.
Holy day surveys and political attitudes in Israel
Authors: Ridge Hannah M.
Published: January 2025

Researchers regularly use large survey studies to examine public political opinion. Surveys running over days and months will necessarily incorporate religious occasions that can introduce variation in public opinion. Using recent survey data from Israel, this study demonstrates that giving surveys on religious occasions (e.g., the Sabbath, Hannukah, Sukkot) can elicit different opinion responses. These effects are found among both religious and non-religious respondents. While incorporating these fluctuations is realistic in longer-term surveys, surveys fielded in a short window inadvertently drawing heavily on a holiday or holy day sample may bias their findings. This study thus urges researchers to be cognizant of ambient religious context when conducting survey studies.
Subduction‐Related Volcanic Activity as a Proxy for Global Subduction Flux Over the Past Billion Years, and Its Correlation With Geomagnetic Superchrons
Authors: Besse Jean , Gallet Yves
Published: January 2025

We investigate the frequency of subduction‐related volcanic events over the past billion years. Our analysis reveals distinct peaks and troughs interpreted as significant fluctuations in global subduction flux. This approach has the advantage of being independent of paleogeographic reconstructions. However, it does not provide information on the spatial distribution of thermal heterogeneities at the core‐mantle boundary. This likely explains why the long‐term evolution of global subduction flux does not correlate in any simple way with the frequency of geomagnetic polarity reversals throughout the Phanerozoic. As an additional parameter, we suggest focusing on how variations in the Earth's inertia, due to changing subduction configurations over time, influence the thermal conditions at the core‐mantle boundary and, consequently, the magnetic reversal frequency.
Steering Geophysical Research Letters Forward: A Focus on Excellence and Global Inclusivity
Authors: Karnauskas Kristopher
Published: January 2025

Meet the new Editor-in-Chief of Geophysical Research Letters and discover his plans to shape the journal’s role in advancing the Earth and space sciences.
Diurnal timing of physical activity in relation to obesity and diabetes in the German National Cohort (NAKO)
Authors: Stein Michael J. , Weber Andrea , Bamberg Fabian , Baurecht Hansjörg , Berger Klaus , Bohmann Patricia , Brenner Hermann , Brummer Julian , Dörr Marcus , Fischer Beate , Gastell Sylvia , Greiser Karin Halina , Harth Volker , Hebestreit Antje , Heise Jana-Kristin , Herbolsheimer Florian , Ittermann Till , Karch André , Keil Thomas , Kluttig Alexander , Krist Lilian , Michels Karin B. , Mikolajczyk Rafael , Nauck Matthias , Nimptsch Katharina , Obi Nadia , Pischon Tobias , Pivovarova-Ramich Olga , Schikowski Tamara , Schmidt Börge , Schulze Matthias B. , Steindorf Karen , Zylla Stephanie , Leitzmann Michael F.
Published: January 2025

Background

Physical activity supports weight regulation and metabolic health, but its timing in relation to obesity and diabetes remains unclear. We aimed to assess the diurnal timing of physical activity and its association with obesity and diabetes.

Methods

We cross-sectionally analyzed hip-worn accelerometry data from 61,116 participants aged 20–75 in the German National Cohort between 2015 and 2019. We divided physical activity into sex- and age-standardized quartiles of total morning (06:00–11:59), afternoon (12:00–17:59), evening (18:00–23:59), and nighttime (00:00–06:00) physical activity. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated associations of physical activity timing with obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) and diabetes (self-reported or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%). We accounted for sex, age, study region, education, employment, risky alcohol use, smoking, night shift work, and sleep duration.

Results

High afternoon (top vs. bottom quartile, OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.33–0.38) and evening physical activity (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.42–0.48) showed lower obesity odds than high morning activity (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66–0.76), whereas nighttime activity increased obesity odds (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.48–1.68). Associations were similar for diabetes, with the lowest odds for afternoon (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.42–0.53), followed by evening (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.50–0.62) and morning activity (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.89), and higher odds for nighttime activity (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.29–1.58). Findings were not modified by employment status, night shift work, and sleep duration.

Conclusions

Our cross-sectional findings require longitudinal corroboration but suggest afternoon and evening activity provide greater metabolic health benefits than morning activity, while nighttime activity is discouraged.
Non-invasive assessment of intracranial compliance in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: an MRI-ICP study
Authors: Sassani Matilde , Mitchell James L. , Yiangou Andreas , Davies Nigel , Sawlani Vijay , Mollan Susan P. , Wagshul Mark E. , Sinclair Alexandra J.
Published: January 2025

Background/objectives

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a disease which threatens vision and causes disabling headaches, affecting women of childbearing age with obesity. It is characterised by raised intracranial pressure (ICP), measured invasively either with lumbar punctures or intracranially-inserted monitors. There is an unmet clinical need to develop non-invasive means to assess ICP. This study aims to utilise the MRI-ICP imaging technique to measure intracranial compliance index and assess its suitability as surrogate biomarker of ICP.

Subjects/methods

Nine IIH patients and ten age, sex, and body mass index matched healthy controls were recruited. All participants underwent lumbar puncture, visual assessments, detailed headache phenotyping, and MRI-ICP scans to calculate intracranial compliance index at baseline. Following treatment, patients were invited to attend a one-year visit when all assessments were repeated.

Results

There was significant (p = 0.017) reduction in intracranial compliance index in IIH (mean = 1006.0 cc/mmHg/cm, SD = ± 384.6 cc/mmHg/cm) compared to controls (mean = 1493.0 cc/mmHg/cm, SD = ± 411.8 cc/mmHg/cm), inversely correlating with lumbar puncture opening pressure (r = −0.502, p = 0.029). A significant inverse correlation between compliance index and headache disability was also found (r = −0.458, p = 0.049) and a trend for an association between lower compliance index and increased frequency of headaches (r = −0.430, p = 0.066). This latter became significant (p = 0.018) after accounting for use of analgesics. Following successful treatment, compliance index was increased in all patients at one year (mean of differences = 380.7 cc/mmHg/cm, p = 0.031).

Conclusions

This is the first study to apply the MRI-ICP technique longitudinally in IIH. It illustrates reduced intracranial compliance index in IIH, correlating with opening pressure and headache disability and ameliorating with treatment.
The closing longevity gap between battery electric vehicles and internal combustion vehicles in Great Britain
Authors: Nguyen-Tien Viet , Zhang Chengyu , Strobl Eric , Elliott Robert J. R.
Published: January 2025

Electric vehicles are increasingly being adopted in Great Britain and other parts of the world, driven by the perception that they offer a cost-effective alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles while reducing emissions. However, a key element that underpins this perception is the longevity of electric vehicles, which remains relatively under researched. Here we show that although early battery electric vehicles (BEVs) exhibited lower reliability than internal combustion engine vehicles, rapid technological advancements have allowed newer BEVs to achieve comparable lifespans, even under more intensive use. Longevity is also found to be impacted by engine size, location and make of vehicle. We provide parameter estimates for life mileage that can be used to update life cycle assessment and total cost of ownership studies of different vehicle powertrains. Our results also shed light on BEV diffusion patterns, fleet replacement strategies and end-of-life treatment planning, including the increasingly important debate around BEV battery recycling and second-life options.
Cryo-EM structure of the NDH–PSI–LHCI supercomplex from Spinacia oleracea
Authors: Introini Bianca , Hahn Alexander , Kühlbrandt Werner
Published: January 2025

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) dehydrogenase (NDH) complex is crucial for photosynthetic cyclic electron flow and respiration, transferring electrons from ferredoxin to plastoquinone while transporting H+ across the chloroplast membrane. This process boosts adenosine triphosphate production, regardless of NADPH levels. In flowering plants, NDH forms a supercomplex with photosystem I, enhancing its stability under high light. We report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the NDH supercomplex in Spinacia
oleracea at a resolution of 3.0–3.3 Å. The supercomplex consists of 41 protein subunits, 154 chlorophylls and 38 carotenoids. Subunit interactions are reinforced by 46 distinct lipids. The structure of NDH resembles that of mitochondrial complex I closely, including the quinol-binding site and an extensive internal aqueous passage for proton translocation. A well-resolved catalytic plastoquinone (PQ) occupies the PQ channel. The pronounced structural similarity to complex I sheds light on electron transfer and proton translocation within the NDH supercomplex.