bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TRUTH, TRUTHFULNESS AND THE BEGINNINGS OF ANCIENT GREEK HISTORIOGRAPHY: A CRITICAL RESPONSE TO BERNARD WILLIAMS
Authors: Kindt Julia
Published: February 2025

abstract

This article offers a critical evaluation of Bernard Williams’s influential account of ancient Greek historiography and the place of ancient Greek thought in the early history of ideas in his last book Truth and Truthfulness: An Essay in Genealogy (Princeton, 2002). It argues that such an evaluation is warranted now not only because Williams’s stance continues to influence how Herodotus and Thucydides are viewed by scholars outside of classical studies; more importantly, it also opens up the field of classical studies itself to a much needed engagement with those ideas from Williams’s influential study that can be productively applied to the study of Herodotus and Thucydides.

The first part consists of a critical appraisal of Williams’s views in light of current classical scholarship on early Greek historiography. The second part makes the case for why Herodotus rather than Thucydides would have served as the better example for Williams to explore the historical conditions and intellectual milieu that led to the emergence of truth and truthfulness as a problem in the Western historiographic tradition. Drawing on recent classical scholarship, the article shows that it was Herodotus, rather than Thucydides, who first conceived of the truth as a problem; that it was him rather than Thucydides who first grappled with sincerity and accuracy as the values that Williams identifies as fundamental to the truth-claims embedded in the historiographic tradition.

The article thus suggests that the history of truthfulness as a relational concept that binds together author and audience in a mutual contract of trust should start with him rather than Thucydides. It shows how Williams’s account of truth as a social value that binds author and audience together in a mutual contract of trust can be productively applied to the study of Herodotus’ Histories. A conclusion focuses on the role that has typically been attributed to the ancient world in genealogical accounts of the history of ideas.
Metastability of stratified magnetohydrostatic equilibria and their relaxation
Authors: Hosking D.N. , Wasserman D. , Cowley S.C.
Published: February 2025

Motivated by explosive releases of energy in fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas, we consider the nonlinear stability of stratified magnetohydrodynamic equilibria against two-dimensional interchanges of straight magnetic-flux tubes. We demonstrate that, even within this restricted class of dynamics, the linear stability of an equilibrium does not guarantee its nonlinear stability: equilibria can be metastable. We show that the minimum-energy state accessible to a metastable equilibrium under non-diffusive two-dimensional dynamics can be found by solving a combinatorial optimisation problem. These minimum-energy states are, to good approximation, the final states reached by our simulations of destabilised metastable equilibria for which turbulent mixing is suppressed by viscosity. To predict the result of fully turbulent relaxation, we construct a statistical mechanical theory based on the maximisation of Boltzmann's mixing entropy. This theory is analogous to the Lynden-Bell statistical mechanics of collisionless stellar systems and plasma, and to the Robert–Sommeria–Miller theory of two-dimensional vortex turbulence. Our theory reproduces well the results of our numerical simulations for sufficiently large perturbations to the metastable equilibrium.
Collateral damage of the energy transition? Investigating the avoidance of powerlines by the Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis in a German agricultural landscape
Authors: Klaus Sebastian , Liew Jia Huan , Müller Christian , Jechow Boris
Published: February 2025

We investigated Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis avoidance of powerlines and their pylons by assessing the spatial distribution of Skylark territories. We mapped territory centres in a central German agricultural landscape during 2020 and used Bayesian logistic regression models to test if distances from powerlines and pylons are predictive of the presence of territories. We also tested other possible predictors, namely, nearest distances from roads, vertical structures, wind energy plants, settlements, as well as the nearest pylon type and vegetation. Distances from the nearest road and settlement were positively correlated with the probability of territory occurrence. However, distance from powerlines and pylons were not significant predictors. Skylarks were also more likely to establish territories in areas where winter grain is present. We conclude that powerlines are unlikely to lead to significant habitat reduction for the Skylark that would impact local populations. We can, however, confirm avoidance behaviour towards roads and settlements, as well as a preference for areas with winter grain because the crop’s growth period coincides with the start of the breeding season, initially providing vegetation of a suitable height and coverage.
Wine and Portugal: A Brief History
Authors: Estreicher Stefan K.
Published: February 2025

This article discusses the history of wine in (what is now) Portugal, within the global history of the region. The Phoenicians brought wine and viticulture to the southern and western coasts of Iberia in the eighth century bce. The Romans expanded viticulture to the entire Peninsula in the late second century bce. Wine survived the ‘Barbarian’ invasions and centuries of Islamic rule. A revival of viticulture followed the capture of Lisbon by Afonso Henriques in 1147. In the early days of the age of exploration, Portugal developed trade routes to Africa, India, the Far East, and South America. The long-distance sailing was facilitated by the colonization of the Madeira and Açores (Azores) archipelagos. The wines produced there became famous, especially in England and North America. The fortification of wine in the late seventeenth century resulted in the emergence of modern Madeiras and Ports. Following the 1755 ‘Lisbon’ earthquake, Pombal imposed strict geographical delimitations and winemaking rules in the Douro. Napoleon’s Peninsular War devastated the Portuguese economy, and then viticulture was badly hit by oïdium and phylloxera, the First World War, the Great Depression, Prohibition, and the Second World War. Portuguese wines finally emerged on the world scene after the Salazar dictatorship.
CONFORMAL IMAGE REGISTRATION USING THE DISCRETIZED CAUCHY–RIEMANN EQUATIONS
Authors: TUFAIL M. Y. , GUL S.
Published: February 2025

Conformal image registration has always been an area of interest among modern researchers, particularly in the field of medical imaging. The idea of image registration is not new. In fact, it was coined nearly 100 years ago by the pioneer D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, who conjectured the idea of image registration among the biological forms. According to him, several images of different species are related by a conformal transformations. Thompson’s examples motivated us to explore his claim using image registration. In this paper, we present a conformal image registration (for the two-dimensional grey scaled images) along with a penalty term. This penalty term, which is based on the Cauchy–Riemann equations, aims to enforce the conformality.
Spanish Validation of the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST): A Cost-effective Stress Induction Protocol
Authors: Santos-Carrasco Daniel , De La Casa Luis Gonzalo
Published: February 2025

The rise of stress studies has led to the existence of multiple stress induction protocols. However, cultural differences in stress reactivity are often overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to validate the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST) in the Spanish population. A sample of 96 young adult participants was divided into an experimental group and a control group based on whether they were exposed to the MAST or a non-stressful control task. State anxiety and positive and negative affects were measured before and immediately after the protocol, while physiological stress (blood pressure and heart rate) was monitored throughout the experiment. The experimental group exhibited an increase in state anxiety, negative affect, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures after the MAST protocol. Participants with higher psychopathological risk presented higher scores of psychological stress than those with lower risk. Finally, it was found that participants with higher mathematical performance exhibited lower anxious reactivity following stressor exposure. Our results confirm the efficacy of the MAST and its validation for use in the Spanish population.
Cannabidiol reshapes the gut microbiome to promote endurance exercise in mice
Authors: Chen Si , Lee Yu-Bin , Song Mi-Young , Lim Changjin , Cho Hwangeui , Shim Hyun Joo , Kim Jong-Suk , Park Byung-Hyun , Kim Jeon-Kyung , Bae Eun Ju
Published: February 2025

Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive compound from Cannabis, has various bioactive functions in humans and animals. Evidence suggests that CBD promotes muscle injury recovery in athletes, but whether and how CBD improves endurance performance remains unclear. Here we investigated the effects of CBD treatment on exercise performance in mice and assessed whether this effect involves the gut microbiome. CBD administration significantly increased treadmill running performance in mice, accompanied by an increase in oxidative myofiber composition. CBD also increased mitochondrial biogenesis and the expression of associated genes such as PGC-1α, phosphorylated CREB and AMPK in muscle tissue. Interestingly, CBD altered the composition of the gut microbiome, and antibiotic treatment reduced the muscle endurance-enhancing effects of CBD and mitochondrial biogenesis. We isolated Bifidobacterium animalis, a microbe increased by CBD administration, and named it KBP-1. Treatment with B. animalis KBP-1 in mice resulted in improved running performance. Whole-genome analysis revealed that B. animalis KBP-1 presented high expression of genes involved in branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, expression of branched-chain amino acid release pumps and metabolism of lactic acid. In summary, our study identified CBD and B. animalis KBP-1 as potential endurance exercise-promoting agents.
A humanized NOVA1 splicing factor alters mouse vocal communications
Authors: Tajima Yoko , Vargas César D. M. , Ito Keiichi , Wang Wei , Luo Ji-Dung , Xing Jiawei , Kuru Nurdan , Machado Luiz Carlos , Siepel Adam , Carroll Thomas S. , Jarvis Erich D. , Darnell Robert B.
Published: February 2025

NOVA1, a neuronal RNA-binding protein expressed in the central nervous system, is essential for survival in mice and normal development in humans. A single amino acid change (I197V) in NOVA1’s second RNA binding domain is unique to modern humans. To study its physiological effects, we generated mice carrying the human-specific I197V variant (Nova1

hu/hu
) and analyzed the molecular and behavioral consequences. While the I197V substitution had minimal impact on NOVA1’s RNA binding capacity, it led to specific effects on alternative splicing, and CLIP revealed multiple binding peaks in mouse brain transcripts involved in vocalization. These molecular findings were associated with behavioral differences in vocalization patterns in Nova1

hu/hu
mice as pups and adults. Our findings suggest that this human-specific NOVA1 substitution may have been part of an ancient evolutionary selective sweep in a common ancestral population of Homo sapiens, possibly contributing to the development of spoken language through differential RNA regulation during brain development.
Biochemical analyses of cystatin-C dimers and cathepsin-B reveals a trypsin-driven feedback mechanism in acute pancreatitis
Authors: Modenbach Jana Marielle , Möller Christina , Asgarbeik Saeedeh , Geist Norman , Rimkus Niklas , Dörr Mark , Wolfgramm Hannes , Steil Leif , Susemihl Anne , Graf Leonie , Schmöker Ole , Böttcher Dominique , Hammer Elke , Glaubitz Juliane , Lammers Michael , Delcea Mihaela , Völker Uwe , Aghdassi Ali Alexander , Lerch Markus M. , Weiss Frank Ulrich , Bornscheuer Uwe T. , Sendler Matthias
Published: February 2025

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterised by self-digestion of the pancreas by its own proteases. This pathophysiological initiating event in AP occurs inside pancreatic acinar cells where intrapancreatic trypsinogen becomes prematurely activated by cathepsin B (CTSB), and induces the digestive protease cascade, while cathepsin L (CTSL) degrades trypsin and trypsinogen and therefore prevents the development of AP. These proteases are located in the secretory compartment of acinar cells together with cystatin C (CST3), an endogenous inhibitor of CTSB and CTSL. The results are based on detailed biochemical analysis, site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulations in combination with an experimental disease model of AP using CST3 deficient mice. This identifies that CST3 is a critical regulator of CTSB and CTSL activity during AP. CST3 deficient mice show a higher intracellular CTSB activity resulting in elevated trypsinogen activation accompanied by an increased disease severity. This reveals that CST3 can be cleaved by trypsin disabling the inhibition of CTSB, but not of CTSL. Furthermore, dimerised CST3 enhances the CTSB activity by binding to an allosteric pocket specific to the CTSB structure. CST3 shifts from an inhibitor to an activator of CTSB and therefore fuels the intrapancreatic protease cascade during the onset of AP.
The CXCL8/MAPK/hnRNP-K axis enables susceptibility to infection by EV-D68, rhinovirus, and influenza virus in vitro
Authors: Yang Qingran , Guo Haoran , Li Huili , Li Zhaoxue , Ni Fushun , Wen Zhongmei , Liu Kai , Kong Huihui , Wei Wei
Published: February 2025

Respiratory viruses pose an ongoing threat to human health with excessive cytokine secretion contributing to severe illness and mortality. However, the relationship between cytokine secretion and viral infection remains poorly understood. Here we elucidate the role of CXCL8 as an early response gene to EV-D68 infection. Silencing CXCL8 or its receptors, CXCR1/2, impedes EV-D68 replication in vitro. Upon recognition of CXCL8 by CXCR1/2, the MAPK pathway is activated, facilitating the translocation of nuclear hnRNP-K to the cytoplasm. This translocation increases the recognition of viral RNA by hnRNP-K in the cytoplasm, promoting the function of the 5′ untranslated region in the viral genome. Moreover, our investigations also reveal the importance of the CXCL8 signaling pathway in the replication of both influenza virus and rhinovirus. In summary, our findings hint that these viruses exploit the CXCL8/MAPK/hnRNP-K axis to enhance viral replication in respiratory cells in vitro.
Coupling of cell shape, matrix and tissue dynamics ensures embryonic patterning robustness
Authors: Moghe Prachiti , Belousov Roman , Ichikawa Takafumi , Iwatani Chizuru , Tsukiyama Tomoyuki , Erzberger Anna , Hiiragi Takashi
Published: February 2025

Tissue patterning coordinates morphogenesis, cell dynamics and fate specification. Understanding how precision in patterning is robustly achieved despite inherent developmental variability during mammalian embryogenesis remains a challenge. Here, based on cell dynamics quantification and simulation, we show how salt-and-pepper epiblast and primitive endoderm (PrE) cells pattern the inner cell mass of mouse blastocysts. Coupling cell fate and dynamics, PrE cells form apical polarity-dependent actin protrusions required for RAC1-dependent migration towards the surface of the fluid cavity, where PrE cells are trapped due to decreased tension. Concomitantly, PrE cells deposit an extracellular matrix gradient, presumably breaking the tissue-level symmetry and collectively guiding their own migration. Tissue size perturbations of mouse embryos and their comparison with monkey and human blastocysts further demonstrate that the fixed proportion of PrE/epiblast cells is optimal with respect to embryo size and tissue geometry and, despite variability, ensures patterning robustness during early mammalian development.
Archaean green-light environments drove the evolution of cyanobacteria’s light-harvesting system
Authors: Matsuo Taro , Ito-Miwa Kumiko , Hoshino Yosuke , Fujii Yuri I. , Kanno Satomi , Fujimoto Kazuhiro J. , Tsuji Rio , Takeda Shinnosuke , Onami Chieko , Arai Chihiro , Yoshiyama Yoko , Mino Yoshihisa , Kato Yuki , Yanai Takeshi , Fujita Yuichi , Masuda Shinji , Kakegawa Takeshi , Miyashita Hideaki
Published: February 2025

Cyanobacteria induced the great oxidation event around 2.4 billion years ago, probably triggering the rise in aerobic biodiversity. While chlorophylls are universal pigments used by all phototrophic organisms, cyanobacteria use additional pigments called phycobilins for their light-harvesting antennas—phycobilisomes—to absorb light energy at complementary wavelengths to chlorophylls. Nonetheless, an enigma persists: why did cyanobacteria need phycobilisomes? Here, we demonstrate through numerical simulations that the underwater light spectrum during the Archaean era was probably predominantly green owing to oxidized Fe(III) precipitation. The green-light environments, probably shaped by photosynthetic organisms, may have directed their own photosynthetic evolution. Genetic engineering of extant cyanobacteria, simulating past natural selection, suggests that cyanobacteria that acquired a green-specialized phycobilin called phycoerythrobilin could have flourished under green-light environments. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the common ancestor of modern cyanobacteria embraced all key components of phycobilisomes to establish an intricate energy transfer mechanism towards chlorophylls using green light and thus gained strong selective advantage under green-light conditions. Our findings highlight the co-evolutionary relationship between oxygenic phototrophs and light environments that defined the aquatic landscape of the Archaean Earth and envision the green colour as a sign of the distinct evolutionary stage of inhabited planets.
Future climate change and the distributional shift of the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus
Authors: Van de Vuurst Paige , Gohlke Julia M. , Escobar Luis E.
Published: February 2025

Interactions among humans, livestock, and wildlife within disturbed ecosystems, such as those impacted by climate change, can facilitate pathogen spillover transmission and increase disease emergence risks. The study of future climate change impacts on the distribution of free-ranging bats is therefore relevant for forecasting potential disease burden. This study used current and future climate data and historic occurrence locations of the vampire bat species Desmodus rotundus, a reservoir of the rabies virus to assess the potential impacts of climate change on disease reservoir distribution. Analyses included a comprehensive comparison of different climate change periods, carbon emission scenarios, and global circulation models (GCMs) on final model outputs. Models revealed that, although climatic scenarios and GCMs used have a significant influence on model outputs, there was a consistent signal of range expansion across the future climates analyzed. Areas suitable for D. rotundus range expansion include the southern United States and south-central portions of Argentina and Chile. Certain areas in the Amazon Rainforest, which currently rests at the geographic center of D. rotundus’ range, may become climatically unsuitable for this species within the context of niche conservatism. While the impacts of rabies virus transmitted by D. rotundus on livestock are well known, an expansion of D. rotundus into novel areas may impact new mammalian species and livestock with unexpected consequences. Some areas in the Americas may benefit from an assessment of their preparedness to deal with an expected D. rotundus range expansion.
Non-dikarya fungi share the TORC1 pathway with animals, not with Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Barua Drishtee , Płecha Magdalena , Muszewska Anna
Published: February 2025

Target of rapamycin (TOR), discovered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase acting as a regulatory hub between the cell and its environment. Like mammals, in fungi, the TOR complex 1 (TORC1) pathway is essential for coordinating cell growth in response to nutrient availability. The activation of TORC1 is similar in yeast and mammals, while its inhibition is more complex in mammals. This divergence of TORC1 regulation opens the question of how common are the yeast and mammalian variants in the fungal kingdom. In this work, we trace the evolutionary history of TORC1 components throughout the fungal kingdom. Our findings show that these fungi contain the mammalian-specific KICSTOR complex for TORC1 inhibition. They also possess orthologs of serine, arginine and methionine sensors of TORC1 pathway that orchestrate the response to nutrient starvation in mammals. The Rheb-TSC mediated activation of mammalian TORC1 that was lost in Saccharomycotina was also conserved in non-Dikarya. These findings indicate that the TORC1 pathway in non-Dikarya fungi resembles mammalian TORC1. Saccharomycotina lost many of the inhibitory components and evolved alternate regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, our work highlights the limitations of using S. cerevisiae as a fungal model while putting forward other fungi as possible research models.
HDL-ACO hybrid deep learning and ant colony optimization for ocular optical coherence tomography image classification
Authors: Agarwal Shivani , Dohare Anand Kumar , Saxena Pranshu , Singh Jagendra , Singh Indrasen , Sahu Umesh Kumar
Published: February 2025

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) plays a crucial role in diagnosing ocular diseases, yet conventional CNN-based models face limitations such as high computational overhead, noise sensitivity, and data imbalance. This paper introduces HDL-ACO, a novel Hybrid Deep Learning (HDL) framework that integrates Convolutional Neural Networks with Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) to enhance classification accuracy and computational efficiency. The proposed methodology involves pre-processing the OCT dataset using discrete wavelet transform and ACO-optimized augmentation, followed by multiscale patch embedding to generate image patches of varying sizes. The hybrid deep learning model leverages ACO-based hyperparameter optimization to enhance feature selection and training efficiency. Furthermore, a Transformer-based feature extraction module integrates content-aware embeddings, multi-head self-attention, and feedforward neural networks to improve classification performance. Experimental results demonstrate that HDL-ACO outperforms state-of-the-art models, including ResNet-50, VGG-16, and XGBoost, achieving 95% training accuracy and 93% validation accuracy. The proposed framework offers a scalable, resource-efficient solution for real-time clinical OCT image classification.
A computational framework to study the etiology of grandiose narcissism
Authors: Löschner Deborah M. , Schoemann Martin , Jauk Emanuel , Herchenhahn Lena , Schwöbel Sarah , Kanske Philipp , Scherbaum Stefan
Published: February 2025

Grandiose narcissism is characterized by ambivalent interaction behavior (i.e., grandiose self-presentation and rivalrous devaluation of others) and strong oscillations in self-esteem over time. In the light of emotional and social problems associated with these self-esteem regulation patterns and the increasing prevalence of narcissistic tendencies, causal and formalized models for prevention and intervention are needed. Here, we present a computational model of narcissistic self-esteem regulation implementing established, verbal theories of narcissism to identify key etiological and disorder-maintaining mechanisms. Across four studies, we show that parental praise and overvaluation lead to typical grandiose-narcissistic behavioral patterns (i.e., entitled self-presentation and rivalry) and strong self-esteem oscillations. Underlying these phenomena, we identify two maintaining mechanisms that offer targets for intervention and empirical falsification: tolerance development, characterized by an ever-increasing desire for social recognition, and a vicious cycle of rivalry, characterized by the frequent use of other-devaluing behavior and massive drops in self-esteem.
Investigation of the mechanism of chenodeoxycholic acid in treating acute lung injury through network pharmacology and experimental validation
Authors: He Chong , Jiang Mengmeng , Xiong Qian , Huang Zuoxi
Published: February 2025

Network pharmacology and molecular simulation techniques were employed to predict the potential targets and signaling pathways of chenodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of acute lung injury. Subsequently, its therapeutic effects on acute lung injury were preliminarily validated using animal experiments. The target of Chenodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of acute lung injury was predicted using network pharmacology. Key active ingredients and core targets were further validated using molecular docking studies. Lipopolysaccharide was used to establish a mouse model of acute lung injury to study the effect of chenodeoxycholic acid on acute lung injury. A total of 73 potential targets of Chenodeoxycholic acid for the treatment of acute lung injury were identified, primarily HSP90AA1, STAT3, HSP90AB1, EP300, and NFKB1. These core targets influence pathways associated with bile secretion, prostate cancer, and receptor activation in chemical carcinogenesis. These targets modulate various processes, including steroid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and intracellular receptor signaling pathways, thus contributing to the treatment of acute lung injury. Molecular docking results indicated that Chenodeoxycholic acid exhibited strong binding affinity for the core targets, with docking energies ranging from −5.6729 to −7.4138 kcal/mol. The reliability of the results was further verified by molecular dynamics simulations. Results from animal experiments demonstrated that Chenodeoxycholic acid effectively ameliorated pathological injury to lung tissue in mice with acute lung injury, decreased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.01), and increased levels of IL-10 (P < 0.01). The mRNA expression levels of EP300, HSP90AB1, MTOR, and STAT3 were inhibited, while the mRNA expression level of NR1H4 was significantly increased (P < 0.01). Chenodeoxycholic acid can effectively improve acute lung injury.
Development of a sustainable portable Archimedes screw turbine for hydropower generation
Authors: Khan Nouman , Sarwar Muhammad Kaleem , Rashid Muhammad , Abbasi Hafiz Kamran Jalil , Haider Saif , Tariq Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman , Nadeem Abdullah , Zulfiqar Muhammad Ahmad , Salem Ali , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Okasha Abdelaziz M. , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: February 2025

Portable hydropower turbines are turbines with a scale below 5 kW and which can be carried from one place to another easily by hand due to their light weight. This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of Archimedes Screw Turbine (AST) as an improved portable hydro-power turbine (PHPT) to address shortcomings in available portable turbines. The design of Archimedes screw hydro-power turbine is mainly concerned with screw geometry, which is determined by a variety of internal and external characteristics, including its length, external and internal diameter, Pitch of blades, and Number of the blades, which were 80 cm, 18 cm, 9.53 cm, 18 cm and two number of blades respectively. The turbine was manufactured from stainless steel material according to design parameters and installed in the laboratory. Experimental testing was performed at different discharges (Q) of 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7 ft3/s and at the angle of inclination of 22, 30, 45, and 55° of screw shaft to measure power outputs and overall efficiencies. The maximum overall efficiency obtained was 70% at a flow rate of 0.5 ft3/s and at an angle of inclination of 30°. The power output at maximum overall efficiency was 42 watts and hydraulic efficiency was 75.5%. At the flow rate of 0.3 ft3/s and an angle of inclination of 55°, the turbine produced a minimum power output of 22.8 watts and an overall efficiency of 39.4%.Experimentation revealed that the flow rate (Q) and inclination of the turbine shaft affect the turbine Power output (Po) and overall efficiency (ηo). This study helps to manufacture small AST on a large scale, to utilize small flows of water, and to evaluate the possibilities of AST as an appropriate portable hydro-power generation turbine. Further research and experimentation are needed to assess whether 3D printing can be effectively scaled for broader implementation in low-resource areas.
Ultraviolet Spectral Transfer Based on Convolutional Variational Autoencoder Model for Detecting Chemical Oxygen Demand in River
Authors: Zhang Duo , Bai Hongyi , Sun Laijun , Han Zibo , Zhang Shihao
Published: February 2025

The spectral data shift generated using two different ultraviolet (UV) instruments to detect chemical oxygen demand (COD) in rivers often invalidates existing predictive models. To solve this problem, this study...
Functionalization of a versatile fluorescent sensor for detecting protease activity and temporally gated opioid sensing
Authors: Sescil Jennifer , Fiel Hailey , Havens Steven M. , Fu Emma , Li Xingyu , Kroning Kayla E. , Solowiej Isabel , Li Peng , Wang Wenjing
Published: February 2025

Genetically encoded fluorescent sensors have been widely applied to detect cell signaling molecules and events.
Interaction of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles with Bovine Serum Albumin: Physicochemical Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Rathee Jyoti , Kishore Nand
Published: February 2025

The present study investigates the interaction of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with the transport protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) in terms of thermodynamic signatures, employing both spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques....
Maximizing methanol selectivity over the microporous FeS-1 catalyst via aqueous-phase partial oxidation of methane with H2O2
Authors: Venugopal Balashanmugam , Kaisare Niket S. , Selvam Parasuraman
Published: February 2025

This study demonstrates that the FeS-1 serves as a highly effective catalyst for methane oxidation with H2O2 in water, exhibiting superior methanol selectivity compared to the analogous FeZSM-5 and Fe–ZSM-5 catalysts.
Phenylcarbazole-stabilized palladium catalysts for efficient acetylene hydrochlorination
Authors: Ali Shahid , Wang Lu , Yan Haijun , Dang Lei , Yang Chao , Wang Jide , Sun Hui , Li Xiaofei , Wu Ronglan , Liang Changhai
Published: February 2025

Pd-based/SAC catalysts modified with 9-phenylcarbazole (PCz) achieved 99.9% C2H2 conversion and over 99% VCM selectivity with minimal deactivation. PCz stabilized Pd(ii) particles and enhanced catalytic efficiency, as confirmed by DFT simulations.
Indian lychee honey ameliorates hepatic glucose uptake by regulating the ChREBP/Glut4 axis under insulin-resistant conditions
Authors: Ghosh Chandrachur , Kundu Tathagata , Pathak Tiyasa , Saini Saakshi , Das Neeladrisingha , Saini Surendra , Sircar Debabrata , Kumar Prabhat , Roy Partha
Published: February 2025

Many traditional treatments include honey owing to its magnificent health beneficiary effects.
Harnessing DFT and Machine Learning for Accurate Optical Gap Prediction in Conjugated Polymers
Authors: Liu Bin , Yan Yunrui , Liu Mingjie
Published: February 2025

Conjugated polymers (CPs), characterized by alternating σ and π bonds, have attracted significant attention for their diverse structures and adjustable electronic properties. However, predicting the optical band gap (Egapexp) of...
Promoting transcellular traversal of the blood–brain barrier by simultaneously improving cellular uptake and accelerating lysosomal escape
Authors: Zhang Li , Li Weibin , Xu Zhen , Mao Zhennan , Yang Mengqian , Wang Caixia , Liu Zhihong
Published: February 2025

A pH-sensitive nanocarrier coated with a brain metastatic tumor cell membrane (CA-iRGD-CS@M) is designed to enhance the drug delivery across the BBB by simultaneously improving cellular uptake and accelerating lysosomal escape.
Numerical modelling of non-premixed hydrogen blended combustion in a 3D-combustor with jet optimisation
Authors: Okolo Michael E. , Adebayo David S. , Oduoza Chike F.
Published: February 2025

The use of modular combustion systems with multiple jets is an efficient and reliable solution for combined heat and power applications in the transition to clean and renewable energy for power generation in addressing climate change challenges.
Robust Cu(0) active sites stabilized by high surface pH gradient for ultra-low-potential HMF oxidation
Authors: Chen Honglei , Li Yanming , Huang Zeyu , Wang Lan , Li Changli , He Jingfu
Published: February 2025

The HMFOR active potential window can be regulated by controlling the formation of the OH− depletion region on high-roughness catalysts.
UV Organic Photodetector Employing Dithienylethene as a Photochromic tuner
Authors: Wang Jianing , Zhang Xiaopeng , Yan Minming , Xu Tianhe , Xu Hong , Chen Hong , Yan Hao , Yan Chaoyi , Huang Wei , Meng Hong
Published: February 2025

Organic photodiodes (OPDs), crucial components in logical circuits, have perpetually attracted considerable attention. Nonetheless, the development of multifunctional diodes, especially those capable of adapting to light variations, remains a formidable...
Making the Invisible Visible: Asian American Speech-Language Pathologists' Experiences in Their Path to the Profession
Authors: Jin Jingyu Linna , Baylor Carolyn
Published: February 2025

Purpose:

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of Asian American speech-language pathologists (SLPs) during their graduate training.

Method:

This was a qualitative phenomenological study. Participants were 26 SLPs who self-identified as Asian American. All participants graduated from accredited master's programs in speech-language pathology in the United States and currently work clinically with adult populations. Participants attended one individual semistructured interview via videoconference to share their experiences being Asian in speech-language pathology. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns and themes from the interview data.

Results:

Three themes were derived from the participant interviews that reflect the Asian American SLPs' past experiences as graduate students and trainees. The first theme revealed the participants' motivations and affirmations for choosing the SLP career path. The second theme describes the expectations of mutual investment between the Asian American students' commitment to professional training and their training programs' support in their professional growth. The last theme talks about the social aspects of their trainee experiences that influenced their sense of belonging.

Conclusions:

There were similarities between the Asian American SLP trainee experiences and experiences of underrepresented and minoritized students from speech-language pathology and other health professions reported in the literature. Two key aspects distinct to Asian Americans and speech-language pathology were the sense of belongingness created by the social environment and the perceived tie of speech and linguistic proficiency and clinical competence. Findings contribute to how educators, leaders, and researchers can support inclusion of Asian Americans pursing speech-language pathology.
Barium and europium abundances in high- and low-α halo stars
Authors: Wang Guangmei , Li Ji , Chang Zhengxue , Shi Jianrong , Li Zichuan , Tian Miao , Cui Wenyuan
Published: February 2025

Prior studies have found that there are two distinct halo populations with a clear separation in α/Fe known as the high-α and low-α populations. Certain other elements, such as C/Fe O/Fe and Na/Fe as well as Cu/Fe also show a clear distinction between the high- and low-α halo populations. However, the abundance ratios, such as Li/Fe and Mn/Fe are indistinguishable between these two halo populations. This work is aim at determining the abundances of barium and europium for a sample of halo stars, including 29 high-α and 19 low-α halo stars, and to investigate the distributions of Ba/Fe and Eu/Fe . We also present the fraction of barium isotopes with an odd mass number ( in the sample stars to estimate the relative contribution of the r- and s-processes to the abundance of Ba. The abundance ratios of Ba/Fe and Eu/Fe were determined by the spectral synthesis method based on the high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) spectra collected from the ESO/ST-ECF Science Archive of VLT/UVES and NOT/FIES spectrographs. Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) effects were also considered. The value was estimated by fitting the profile of the Ba II resonance line at λ,4554,Å. The NLTE effect is needed to be included to fully capture the line profiles for both Ba II and Eu II however, the NLTE corrections for the barium and europium are different. For Ba, the NLTE corrections are negative compared to the results of thermodynamic equilibrium, except the star with lowest metallicity, and they become smaller with decreasing of Fe/H . For Eu, the NLTE corrections are positive and independent of stellar metallicity. It is found that both the abundances of Ba/Fe and Eu/Fe in the high- and low-α halo stars are mixed together. Although the Eu/Ba ratios cannot be distinguished clearly between the high- and low-α halo populations, stars with Eu/Ba ≥ 0.7,dex can only be found in the low-α population. Similar to Eu/Ba the ratios of cannot be separated among the high- and low-α halo populations, although the stars with the highest (≥ 0.4) can only be seen in the low-α stars with Eu/Ba ≥ 0.7,dex. Our results indicate that both the Ba/Fe and Eu/Fe ratios are indistinguishable among the high- and low-α halo stars, while Eu/Mg is able to separate the two halo populations well. Combining the highest Eu/Ba and ratios, as well as the lower α/Fe in some low-α halo stars, we can infer that the r-process is dominating in these low-α halo stars and they are likely to have been accreted from dwarf galaxies as proposed by previous studies.
WR + O binaries as probes of the first phase of mass transfer
Authors: Nuijten Marit , Nelemans Gijs
Published: February 2025

Wolf-Rayet (WR) and O-star binaries can be the progenitors of X-ray binaries and double black hole binaries. Their formation is not yet fully understood, however. For observed WR+O systems, we aim to infer whether the mass transfer started on the main sequence ( C ase A) or later ( C ase B). We also calculated (limits on) the mass-transfer efficiency β, that is, the fraction of transferred mass that is accreted, and the parameter γ, which denotes the fraction of angular momentum of the binary that is lost per unit mass in units of the average angular momentum of the binary per unit mass. We inferred the possible values for the initial masses based on the observed WR masses and models for WR from the literature. With these initial primary masses, we created a grid of possible periods and secondary masses for which we determined the values that β and γ would have taken for either C ase A or C ase B mass transfer. Based on this, we also determined the case of mass transfer that is most likely for each system. Taking into account the progenitor distribution of WR+O binaries, we find that highly non-conservative C ase A mass transfer seems to be the most likely scenario for the majority of systems as this can explain 14 out of 21 systems . The angular momentum loss is likely relatively high (typically γ > 1 Our finding that most systems in our sample experienced Case A mass transfer contradicts the expectation that most massive binaries go through C ase B mass transfer. This suggests that post-case-B systems are significantly underrepresented in the observed WR+O binary population either intrinsically or due to severe selection effects
The GAPS Programme at TNG. LXVII. Detection of water and a preliminary characterisation of the atmospheres of the two hot Jupiters: KELT-8 b and KELT-23 Ab
Authors: Basilicata M. , Giacobbe P. , Brogi M. , Amadori F. , Pacetti E. , Baratella M. , Bonomo A.S. , Biazzo K. , Turrini D. , Mancini L. , Sozzetti A. , Andreuzzi G. , Boschin W. , Cabona L. , Colombo S. , D'Arpa M.C. , Guilluy G. , Lanza A.F. , Malavolta L. , Manni F. , Naponiello L. , Pinamonti M. , Pino L. , Sicilia D. , Zingales T.
Published: February 2025

Hot Jupiters are among the most suitable targets for atmospheric studies. Expanding the number of hot gaseous giant planets with atmospheric characterisations can improve our understanding of the chemical-physical properties of their atmospheres, as well as the formation and evolution of these extreme planets. In this work, we use high-resolution spectroscopy in the near-infrared (NIR) to search for chemical signatures in the atmosphere of the two hot Jupiters KELT-8,b eq K) and KELT-23,Ab eq =1,561±20,K) and present a first characterisation of their atmospheric properties. We measured the transmission spectrum of each target with the near-infrared (NIR) high-resolution spectrograph GIANO-B at the TNG. We searched for atmospheric signals by cross-correlating the data with synthetic transmission spectra. To characterise the chemical-physical properties of the atmosphere of both planets, we ran two different atmospheric retrievals for each dataset: a retrieval assuming chemical equilibrium and a `free-chemistry' retrieval, in which the abundance of each molecule could vary freely. We detect water vapour ( H2O ) in the atmospheres of both KELT-8,b and KELT-23,Ab with a signal-to-noise ratio of S/N = 6.6 and S/N = 4.2, respectively. The two retrievals indicate a water-rich atmosphere for both targets. In the case of KELT-8,b, we determine a water volume mixing ratio of H_2O a metallicity of M/H $,dex, and a sub-solar C/O ratio (C/O ≤0.30, at $2,σ$). For KELT-23,Ab, we find H_2O M/H $,dex, and C/O ratio ≤0.78 (at $2,σ$). The constraints on the metallicity and C/O ratio are based on the assumption of chemical equilibrium. Comparing these atmospheric chemical properties with those of the host stars, we suggest that for both planets, the accretion of gaseous material occurred within the H2O snowline in a pebble-rich disk enriched in oxygen due to sublimation of water ice from the inward-drifting pebbles. We investigated the atmosphere of KELT-8,b and KELT-23,Ab for the first time, finding water vapour in both of them and placing first constraints on their properties. These two planets are promising targets for future high- and low-resolution observations.
Resolving spatial and temporal shock structures using LOFAR observations of type II radio bursts
Authors: Morosan D.E. , Jebaraj I.C. , Zhang P. , Zucca P. , Dabrowski B. , Gallagher P.T. , Krankowski A. , Vocks C. , Vainio R.
Published: February 2025

Collisionless shocks are one of the most powerful particle accelerators in the Universe. In the heliosphere, type II solar radio bursts are signatures of electrons accelerated by collisionless shocks launched at the Sun. Spectral observations of these bursts show a variety of fine structures often composing multiple type II lanes. The origin of these lanes and structures is not well understood and has been attributed to the inhomogeneous environment around the propagating shock. Here, we aim to determine the large-scale local structures near a coronal shock wave using high-resolution radio imaging observations of a complex type II radio burst observed on 3 October 2023. By using inteferometric imaging from the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), combined with extreme ultraviolet observations, we investigate the origin of multiple type II lanes at low frequencies (30--80 MHz) relative to the propagating shock wave. We identify at least three radio sources at metric wavelengths corresponding to a multi-lane type II burst. The type II burst sources propagate outwards with a shock driven by a coronal mass ejection. We find a double radio source that exhibits increasing separation over time, consistent with the expansion rate of the global coronal shock. This suggests that the overall shock expansion is nearly self-similar, with acceleration hotspots forming at various times and splitting at a rate proportional to the shock's expansion. Our results show the importance of increased spatial resolution in determining either the small-scale spatial properties in coronal shocks or the structuring of the ambient medium. Possible shock corrugations or structuring of the upstream plasma at the scale of 10^5 km can act as hotspots for the acceleration of suprathermal electrons. This can be observed as radiation that exhibits double sources with increasing separation at the same expansion rate as the global shock wave.
MAISTEP: A new grid-based machine learning tool for inferring stellar parameters. I. Ages of giant planet host stars
Authors: Kamulali J. , Nsamba B. , Adibekyan V. , Weiss A. , Campante T. L. , Santos N.C.
Published: February 2025

Our understanding of exoplanet demographics partly depends on their corresponding host star parameters. With the majority of exoplanet-host stars having only atmospheric constraints available, robust inference of their parameters (including ages) is susceptible to the approach used. The goal of this work is to develop a grid-based machine learning tool capable of determining the stellar radius, mass, and age using only atmospheric constraints. We also aim to analyse the age distribution of stars hosting giant planets. Our machine learning approach involves combining four tree-based machine learning algorithms (random forest, extra trees, extreme gradient boosting, and CatBoost) trained on a grid of stellar models to infer the stellar radius, mass, and age using effective temperatures, metallicities, and Gaia-based luminosities. We performed a detailed statistical analysis to compare the inferences of our tool with those based on seismic data from the APOKASC (with global oscillation parameters) and LEGACY (with individual oscillation frequencies) samples. Finally, we applied our tool to determine the ages of stars hosting giant planets. Comparing the stellar parameter inferences from our machine learning tool with those from the APOKASC and LEGACY, we find a bias (and a scatter) of -0.5% (5%) and -0.2% (2%) in radius, 6% (5%) and -2% (3%) in mass, and -9% (16%) and 7% (23%) in age, respectively. Therefore, our machine learning predictions are commensurate with seismic inferences. When applying our model to a sample of stars hosting Jupiter-mass planets, we find the average age estimates for the hosts of hot Jupiters, warm Jupiters, and cold Jupiters to be 1.98 Gyr, 2.98 Gyr, and 3.51 Gyr, respectively. Our machine learning tool is robust and efficient in estimating the stellar radius, mass, and age when only atmospheric constraints are available. Furthermore, the inferred age distributions of giant planet host stars confirm previous predictions -- based on stellar model ages for a relatively small number of hosts, as well as on the average age-velocity dispersion relation -- that stars hosting hot Jupiters are statistically younger than those hosting warm and cold Jupiters.