bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternative training methods in soccer
Authors: Klatt Stefanie , Thönnißen Lukas , Fischer Tim , Sandmann Anton
Published: February 2025

The increasing level of physical fitness among soccer players necessitates the exploration of alternative training methods to enhance overall performance. Perceptual–cognitive skills are crucial for sport-specific capabilities such as decision making and reactive agility, enabling athletes to extract visual information from foveal, parafoveal, and peripheral vision. This study focuses on optimizing the utilization of peripheral vision in sports, addressing the demand for specialized training techniques and investigating additional avenues for practicing soccer-specific skills. This study assessed the impact of a 6-week intervention on the perceptual–cognitive performance of elite youth soccer players by examining peripheral perception, response time, and task-switching during soccer-specific motion execution. Outcomes were measured through a reactive agility test, a simulated decision-making task, and a maximal sprinting speed test. Using a pre–post design, 22 healthy male participants were divided into an experimental group and an active control group. The experimental group engaged in sport-specific tasks designed to enhance their perceptual–cognitive skills. Results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in reaction time during both the reactive agility test with and without a ball, an increase in the number of correct decisions in the simulated decision-making task, and a noteworthy enhancement in maximum sprinting speed, while handling a ball compared to the control group. While further research is needed to translate these findings into practical field settings, this study indicates that soccer-specific demands, extending beyond physical aspects, can be effectively targeted and improved.
Beyond governmentality: Towards a critical political economy perspective on responsible consumption
Authors: Bankel Robin , Solér Cecilia
Published: February 2025

The concept of consumer responsibilization challenges conventional thinking around responsible consumption, draws attention to its political dimensions, and situates the emergence of responsible consumers within the realm of neoliberal governance. In this article, we critique and amend the theoretical anchoring of consumer responsibilization in the concept of governmentality and the Foucauldian theory of power that underpins it. We argue that governmental theorizing implies flattening the power relationship between the state, the market and consumers, and that it thereby marginalizes and eclipses the top-down exercise of power under neoliberal governance. This produces theoretical inconsistencies in the transformative consumer literature on responsibilization that risk impeding theory development and silencing critical empirical trajectories. At worst, it may end up reifying the neoliberal governance it sets out to scrutinize. We draw on Karl Polanyi’s writings to advance a critical political economy perspective on consumer responsibilization designed to address these concerns. We develop these ideas by introducing the concept of “embedded responsibilization” to the field of consumer research. Theorizing responsible consumption as being embedded in the Polanyian sense will solidify consumer responsibilization as a theoretically consistent transformative research project and encourage necessary trajectories for empirical research on responsibilization.
Transformative advancements in visible-light-activated titanium dioxide for industrial wastewater remediation
Authors: Chauke N. M. , Ngqalakwezi A. , Raphulu M.
Published: February 2025

Water contamination is a pervasive global issue that endangers both human health and aquatic ecosystems, highlighting the critical need for sustainable and effective pollutant removal methods. This review examines the advancements in heterogeneous photocatalysis, with a particular focus on titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a promising material for wastewater treatment. Emphasizing visible light-driven TiO2 photocatalysis, the discussion explores its potential to overcome the limitations of conventional UV-driven systems, providing a more sustainable approach to water remediation. The key attributes of TiO2, including its high oxidizing power, photochemical stability, non-toxicity, and cost-effectiveness, are detailed alongside recent innovations aimed at enhancing its performance under visible light. The review critically analyzes synthesis techniques, photocatalytic mechanisms, and factors influencing efficiency, offering a comprehensive understanding of the state-of-the-art in this field. Challenges and future directions for optimizing TiO2-based systems, particularly their integration into real-world applications, are also explored, emphasizing environmental sustainability and scalability. This synthesis of current knowledge seeks to inspire innovative strategies for addressing the pressing global challenge of water pollution through advanced TiO2 photocatalytic technologies.

Graphical abstract
Surface structure analysis using visual high-resolution in situ process monitoring in laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Schmidt Jonathan , Merz Benjamin , Poka Konstantin , Mohr Gunther , Hilgenberg Kai
Published: February 2025

Parameter studies are a common step in selecting process parameters for laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M). Density cubes are commonly used for this purpose. Density cubes manufactured with varied process parameters can exhibit distinguishable surface structures visible to the human eye. The layer-wise process enables such surface structures to be detected during manufacturing. However, industrial visual in situ monitoring systems for PBF-LB/M currently have limited resolution and are incapable of reliably capturing small differences in the surface structures. In this work, a 65 MPixel high-resolution monochrome camera was integrated into an industrial PBF-LB/M machine together with a high-intensity LED (light-emitting diode) bar. Post-exposure images were taken to analyse differences in light reflection of fused areas. It is revealed that the grey-level co-occurrence matrix can be used to quantify the visual surface structure of nickel-based superalloy Inconel®939 density cubes per layer. The properties of the grey-level co-occurrence matrix correlate to the energy input and the resulting porosity of density cubes. Low-energy samples containing lack of fusion flaws show an increased contrast in the grey-level co-occurrence matrix compared to specimens with optimal energy input. The potential of high-resolution images for quality assurance via in situ process monitoring in PBF-LB/M is further discussed.
Production and characterization of charcoal briquettes from sesame stalks as an alternative energy source
Authors: Gebrezgabher Brhanu Teka , Desta Mulu Berhe , Belete Fentahun Abebaw
Published: February 2025

Using of agricultural residues for briquette production attracts the attention of many researchers to overcome the problems related to the usage of fossil fuels as an energy source. This study focused on the production of briquettes from sesame stalks as an alternative fuel in Cement industries. The briquettes were produced from carbonized sesame stalks using paper waste, cow dung, and a mixture of cow dung and paper waste binders. The data analysis of the charcoal briquettes was carried out using two-way ANOVA without replication using Microsoft Excel. The binder ratio and binder types have a significant effect on the density and shatter resistance. Briquettes made using carbonized sesame stalks have the highest density of 1.133 g/cm3 at 5% of cow dung binder. The highest shatter resistance having a value of 91.00% was found in carbonized briquette prepared using 25% cow dung binder. Six briquettes were selected for proximate and calorific value analysis. The highest heating value of the produced briquettes was 4794.38 kcal/kg at 5% of cow dung binder, which has moisture, ash, fixed carbon, and volatile matter of 6.54, 14, 30.7, and 48.76% respectively. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur contents of a briquette, which has the highest heating value, were recorded at 46.34, 2.50, 50.89, 0.27, and 0.00% respectively. Production of a briquette from carbonized sesame stalks using 5% cow dung binder is suitable from economic and environmental points of view.
Effects of the physisorption properties of human hair-derived activated carbon as a potential electrode for symmetric supercapacitor
Authors: Adam Rashed A. M. , Tarimo Delvina J. , Maphiri Vusani M. , Mirghni Abdulmajid A. , Fasakin Oladepo , Manyala Ncholu
Published: February 2025

Herein, human hair-derived activated carbon (HH-AC) with remarkable physisorption properties such as high surface area and well-balanced micro- and mesopores, is synthesized by chemical activation method using potassium hydroxide (KOH). The activated carbon is synthesized at different ratio of charred human hair and activator as 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 for HH AC(11), HH-AC(12) and HH-AC(13), respectively. These activated materials are characterized by a powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Laser Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and
$$\:{\text{N}}_{2}$$
adsorption/desorption isotherms. To examine the influence of the micro-mesopore ratio with high surface area on supercapacitor behavior, all samples are tested in a three-electrode using 2.5 moles of potassium nitrate (2.5 M KNO3) as electrolyte solution. The results show that HH-AC(12) sample which has micro to mesopore-balanced
$$\:(50:50)\:$$
exhibited superior electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of
$$\:215\:\text{F}\:{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
and
$$\:125.8\:\text{F}\:{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
in the negative and positive potential, respectively at
$$\:1\:\text{A}\:\:{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
. The sample HH-AC(11), which is dominated by micropores, showed lower rate capability and specific capacitance despite the huge surface area.Whereas the HH-AC(13) sample with mostly mesopores achieved higher rate capability compared to the others. The HH-AC(12) is further examined in a 2-electrode setup to form a symmetric device. The results show a specific energy of
$$\:16\:\text{W}\text{h}\:\text{k}{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
and a specific power of
$$\:375\:\text{W}\:\text{k}{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
at
$$\:0.5\:\text{A}\:{\text{g}}^{-1}$$
. The device demonstrates outstanding capacitance retention of
$$\:97\text{\%}$$
after 10,000 cycles. Thus, ACs with micro to mesopores-balanced are potential candidates for supercapacitor applications.
Functioning, But Not Necessarily Adaptive: Unravelling the Adaptive and Maladaptive Teachers’ Emotion Regulation
Authors: Jiang Wenyan , Yin Hongbiao
Published: February 2025

Emotion regulation is crucial in teachers’ daily functioning, yet not all teachers can effectively manage emotions in every context. Exploring and comparing the adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation of teachers may help delve into the nuances and challenges of teacher’s daily work. This qualitative case study involved 12 teachers in Chinese schools, using thematic analysis to identify teachers’ specific strategy use in their adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation at work. Two themes, adaptive and maladaptive teacher emotion regulation, each containing four specific strategies were generated from the data. Notably, three strategies were reported with both adaptive and maladaptive use, depending on how they were implemented in what context and for what goal. This finding differs from most of the research that identified a particular strategy as adaptive/maladaptive (e.g., suppression as maladaptive strategy) and reveals the complexity of the relationship between teachers' emotion regulation strategies and adaptiveness.
Multi-scenario simulation of land use change and its impact on ecosystem services in the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China
Authors: Zhang Xuebin , Liu Yanni , Yin Junfeng , Shi Peiji , Feng Haoyuan , Shi Jing
Published: February 2025

The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP) serves as a crucial ecological barrier in China and Asia, exerting profound influences on global climate and biodiversity conservation. Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (hereinafter referred as Gannan Prefecture), located on the northeastern edge of the QXP, represents a fragile alpine ecosystem in which land use change significantly impacts ecosystem services (ESs). This study established a comprehensive framework, utilizing the Patch-generating Land-Use Simulation (PLUS) model coupled with the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model to predict land use patterns under the natural development scenario, cultivated land protection scenario, and ecological protection scenario for Gannan Prefecture by 2030 and evaluated four critical ESs: habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), soil retention (SR), and carbon storage (CS). The primary aim is to elucidate the impacts of dynamic land use change on ESs. The results revealed that, from 2000 to 2020, HQ exhibited minimal variation, whereas CS experienced a slight decline. Conversely, WY and SR showed significant improvements. Under the natural development scenario, construction land was projected to increase by 4247.74 hm2, primarily at the expense of forest land. The cultivated land protection scenario anticipated an increase in farmland by 2634.36 hm2, which was crucial for maintaining food security. The ecological protection scenario predicted a notable expansion of forest land, accompanied by a restrained development rate of construction land. The ecological protection scenario also showed an increase in the ecosystem service index (ESI), encompassing 26.07% of the region. Forest land and grassland emerged as the primary contributors to ESs, while construction land substantially impacted WY. Water bodies exhibited minimal contribution to ESs. This study enhanced the understanding of land use change impacts on ESs in fragile and high-altitude ecosystems, offering essential theoretical frameworks and practical direction for forthcoming ecological policy and regional planning endeavors.
Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus and patient-centred outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Wang Teng , Goh Jing Xin , Seth Shrey , Do Linda Le , Tesfaye Wubshet , Sud Kamal , Van Connie , Small Fatima , Tarafdar Surjit , Castelino Ronald L.
Published: February 2025

Background

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) is a debilitating symptom that can significantly impact patients’ daily activities and quality of life. This systematic review aimed to assimilate the latest evidence on the relationship between CKD-associated pruritis and patient-centred outcomes.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted to identify relevant studies in PubMed, Medline and Embase via OVID, CINAHL, and Web of Science from 2000 to June 2024. Quality appraisal and subsequent data extraction were performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools and a modified extraction form derived from JBI.

Results

The review included 29 studies with a total of 147,174 CKD patients, including those on haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). The most frequently reported patient-centred outcomes included quality of life (n = 21), sleep quality (n = 17), anxiety/depression (n = 11) and mortality (n = 7). There was a paucity of data on patients in the pre-dialysis stages, those undergoing PD, and following a conservative (non-dialytic) pathway. The impact of CKD-associated pruritus on outcomes was contingent on the severity of CKD-associated pruritus. There was an association between increased medication usage, decreased compliance with HD treatments and higher rates of hospitalisation in patients experiencing severe pruritus.

Conclusion

Our review underscores the pernicious impact of CKD-associated pruritus on patient outcomes and emphasises the importance of effective management to improve patient-centred outcomes. Additional investigations are warranted among patients undergoing PD, those in pre-dialysis stages, and on conservative (non-dialytic) pathways, to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of CKD-associated pruritus in these patient groups.

Graphical abstract
Development of a Universal Prompt as a Scalable Generative AI-Assisted Tool for USMLE Step 1 Style Multiple-Choice Question Refinement in Medical Education
Authors: Cho Youngjin , Park Grace L. , Waite Gabi N. , Mudigonda Abhijay , Szarek John L.
Published: February 2025

We developed a generative artificial intelligence (genAI)-assisted tool enabling learners to receive feedback on, revise, and clone multiple-choice questions aligned with learning objectives. Initially designed as a custom GPT, we adapted it to a universal prompt for platform-agnostic, equitable access. This innovation exemplifies readily adaptable genAI-enhanced learning driven by pedagogy.
Innovation and productivity: the recent empirical literature and the state of the art
Authors: Mairesse Jacques , Mohnen Pierre , Notten Ad
Published: February 2025

This paper reviews the empirical work that has been done over the period 2013–2023 on the topic of innovation and productivity. A visual graph based on keywords shows the main areas that have been investigated. The literature review is organized around the way the link between innovation and productivity has been analyzed, the data that have been used, and the evidence that has been obtained. The paper ends with suggestions of future research on the topic.
Direct electron transfer and direct bioelectrocatalysis of sarcosine oxidase on Ti3C2Tx MXene hybrid interface
Authors: Lorencová Lenka , Hrončeková Štefánia , Kasák Peter , Jerigová Monika , Orovčík Ľubomír , Tkáč Ján
Published: February 2025

The current study shows a direct electron transfer (DET) and direct bioelectrocatalysis of the sarcosine oxidase (SOx) on the screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified by a hybrid bionanocomposite composed of chitosan (CS) and Ti3C2Tx MXene for the first time. A detailed electrochemical investigation revealed a pair of redox peaks at SPCE/CS-MXene/SOx, i.e. an anodic peak at a potential value of approx. -0.7 V and a cathodic peak at a potential value of approx. -1.0 V at pH 7.0, displaying direct electron transfer of SOx. Further experiments showed homogeneous DET with SOx not to be strongly adsorbed on the interface; this might be a prerequisite for keeping the enzyme active towards catalysis. The DET of SOx is not reversible with the maximal current observed at pH 7.0. It can also be concluded that scan rate significantly influences the redox behaviour of SOx and that at scan rates above 0.3 V s−1 the redox behaviour of SOx is quite stable with I
pc/I
pa achieving a stable value of -1.55. In addition, detailed analysis revealed that the enzyme exhibited E
1/2 of -(0.781 ± 0.003) V at pH 7.0. Direct bioelectrocatalysis is more effective at pH 7.0 than at pH 9.0, achieving a high maximal current of -7.57 × 10−5 A at a potential value of -663 mV upon the addition of 1 mM sarcosine. Furthermore, direct bioelectrocatalysis of SOx is highly reproducible when examined using six different SPCE electrodes.
Use of mobile phone sensing data to estimate residence and occupation times in urban patches: human mobility restrictions and the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in Hermosillo, Mexico
Authors: Ramírez-Ramírez L. Leticia , Montoya José A. , Espinoza Jesús F. , Mehta Chahak , Akuno Albert Orwa , Bui–Thanh Tan
Published: February 2025

Understanding the impact of population mobility on the spread of infectious diseases is crucial for designing effective interventions. Traditional models, such as origin-destination matrices, often lack the spatial and temporal resolution needed to accurately capture these dynamics. This study addresses this gap by introducing a novel methodology to estimate time-varying occupancy patterns across urban zones (patches) using geospatial data from mobile phones. By leveraging Brownian bridge models at an inhabitant-patch level, we construct a residence-occupation matrix (ROM) that represents the fraction of time individuals spend in each urban patch. We apply this approach to real-world data from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings show that even small shifts in local mobility patterns can significantly alter the epidemic’s trajectory, highlighting the importance of high-resolution mobility data in modeling infectious disease spread. These changes can be patch-specific, and their contribution to the overall evolution depends on the mobility dynamics and population sizes within each patch. The proposed ROM serves as a key input for multi-patch epidemiological models, that in turn, can provide more realistic epidemic forecasts, facilitating the evaluation of the effectiveness of patch-specific and global mobility restrictions, and improving the estimation of epidemiological parameters of such models in related research. Additionally, the ROM framework can be adapted to other patch-based models modeling various phenomena influenced by human mobility.
Impacts of electrogenerated chemiluminescence mechanism on the emission spectra and intensities
Authors: Ishimatsu Ryoichi
Published: February 2025

In this mini-review, recent progress in electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) reported by our group is mainly introduced. First, the general principles of ECL and standard molecules for ECL are described, and then the ECL properties of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules, pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPYs (PPABs), pyrene (Py) and its derivative, Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes are introduced. The ECL efficiency of TADF molecules is increased by spin up-conversion from the T1 to S1 state, and that of PPABs is incremented kinetically due to the slower rate for the T1 state formation than the S1 state formation. The excimer formation mechanism of Py and its derivative in ECL is discussed. It is shown that very sharp ECL spectra can be obtained from Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes. Furthermore, intense ECL for binary mixed systems using Ir(ppy)3 and electron donor or acceptor molecules is described. These results provide insight into how the ECL mechanism affects emission intensity, efficiency, and spectrum.

Graphical abstract
Patterns of antimicrobial use among hospitalized Veterans with and without a penicillin-class allergy
Authors: Liu Funnce , Hoang-Nguyen Hang , Ham Erin , Eastment McKenna C. , Tulloch-Palomino Luis G.
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To explore the progress that the Veterans Health Administration has made to minimize the impact of the penicillin (PCN) allergy label, we determined the proportion of Veterans who reported a PCN-class allergy at the time of hospitalization and described antibiotic use in hospitalizations with and without a PCN-class allergy.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Participants:

National sample of 6,541,299 acute care admissions between 2011 and 2022.

Methods:

We calculated the prevalence of PCN-class allergies on admission and used Poisson regression to compare patterns of antibiotic use between hospitalizations with and without a PCN-class allergy.

Results:

The prevalence of PCN-class allergies on admission decreased from 12.99% to 11.20%. Use of cefazolin and non-pseudomonal third-generation cephalosporins increased regardless of PCN-class allergy status (“PCN-class allergy only” +11.46%, “No antibiotic allergy” +4.92%). The prevalence ratio (PR) for antibiotic use in hospitalizations with a PCN-class allergy compared to hospitalizations without antibiotic allergies, decreased for anti-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents (1.26 [1.25, 1.28] to 1.15 [1.13, 1.17]), carbapenems (1.59 [1.54, 1.65] to 1.47 [1.41, 1.53]), and aztreonam (23.89 [22.45, 25.43] to 17.57 [15.90, 19.42]); and increased for fluoroquinolones (1.58 [1.56, 1.60] to 2.15 [2.09, 2.20]).

Conclusions:

Prevalence of PCN-class allergies is declining and narrow-spectrum βL use is rising among hospitalized Veterans. Prescribing differences are decreasing between hospitalizations with and without a reported PCN-class allergy, except for aminoglycosides, clindamycin, and fluoroquinolones. These findings can serve to identify areas of focus for future analyses or interventions related to the impact of the PCN allergy label on antibiotic selection.
Strategies, personnel, and diversity of pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs in the United States: Strategies and composition of US pediatric ASPs
Authors: Manice Christina S. , Plattner Alexander S. , Leshem Edan , Newland Jason G. , Nakamura Mari M.
Published: February 2025

Objective:

We sought to characterize US pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), including their hospital demographics, staffing, funded full-time equivalents (FTEs) by hospital size, and relative emphasis on recommended stewardship strategies. We examined the self-reported characteristics of ASP personnel with regard to discipline, race, ethnicity, gender identity, and years of experience in antimicrobial stewardship.

Design:

Descriptive two-part survey.

Setting:

Pediatric ASPs at hospitals participating in Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship (SHARPS), a pediatric quality improvement collaborative of >70 children’s hospitals.

Participants:

Survey distributed to 82 US pediatric ASPs, excluding hospitals without pediatric ASPs. Part I completed by ASP leader (physician or pharmacist). Part II distributed to ASP team members.

Methods:

Part I addressed hospital demographics, ASP funding, and program choices related to the CDC’s 2019 Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Part II requested that participants anonymously self-identify race, ethnicity, gender identity, training, and duration of ASP experience. Descriptive statistics performed.

Results:

Sixty-two ASPs responded: 61 (98%) with formal ASP, 40 (65%) from freestanding children’s hospitals. 40 (65%) co-led by an ASP physician and pharmacist. 60 (97%) reported dedicated inpatient physician FTE, 57 (92%) dedicated inpatient pharmacist FTE. Most programs (35 [58%]) reported inadequate staffing support. The 125 ASP professionals who completed Part II predominantly self-reported as White (89 [71%]), with fewer self-reporting as Asian (9 [15%]) or Black (4 [3%]).

Conclusion:

US pediatric ASPs have achieved substantial progress in meeting the CDC Core Elements, but many report insufficient resources. We identified underrepresentation in the ASP workforce.
Can autocratic power influence the media in democracies? Evidence from China's expulsion of American journalists
Authors: Lai Ruilin
Published: February 2025

Can autocratic governments influence foreign media? This study finds that political pressures from autocrats can motivate the media in democracies to tone down their negativity. Exploiting China's sudden expulsion of American journalists in March 2020, I show that US news outlets targeted by the expulsion adopted a more positive tone toward China in their subsequent coverage, compared to outlets that were not targeted. Further analyses confirm that the observed pattern is not due to unexpelled outlets presenting more negative coverage of China, and that the expulsion has similar chilling effects on media outlets that could have been affected. The findings highlight the overt threats autocracies pose to media freedom, a fundamental pillar of democratic societies.
Geology and microstructural evolution of syn- to late-tectonic granitoids from Capo Vaticano Promontory (southern Calabria, Italy)
Authors: Russo Damiano , Fiannacca Patrizia , Fazio Eugenio , Cirrincione Rosolino , Mamtani Manish A.
Published: February 2025

This study presents new field and microstructural constraints into the batholith architecture and supra- to subsolidus evolution of late Variscan granitoids at Capo Vaticano Promontory, part of the ∼13 km-thick Serre Batholith in southern Italy. A field survey, assisted by petrographic analyses, produced the first geological map of the area (1:140,000 scale), detailing magmatic unit relationships and their petro-structural features. A migmatitic border zone (MBZ) marks the transition from lower-crustal paragneisses to the deepest emplaced granitoids. The oldest, deepest granitoids are strongly to moderately foliated amphibole-biotite tonalites and quartz diorites, transitioning to biotite tonalites and quartz-diorites (BT), which can be subdivided into strongly to moderately foliated (BTs) and weakly foliated to unfoliated (BTw). Clear intrusive contacts mark the passage from BTw to overlying weakly foliated-unfoliated porphyritic muscovite-biotite granodiorites and granites (PMBG). The study also revealed: a) a northern sector with a continuous batholith cross-section and b) a southern sector with an irregular distribution of the magmatic units due to post-Variscan tectonics. Microstructures document late Variscan deformation starting at suprasolidus conditions (e.g., quartz chessboard patterns and submagmatic fractures in plagioclase) and evolving through progressively high- to low-temperature subsolidus stages (e.g., feldspar bulging, quartz recrystallization, mica kinking) for all the magmatic units. Continuous supra- to subsolidus deformation associated with a well-developed fabric suggests tectonic control on the emplacement and cooling of early tonalites/quartz diorites, while the emplacement of the porphyritic granitoids has occurred during waning tectonic activity stages in the framework of the post-collisional evolution of the south-western Variscan Belt.
Porina dolichoepiphylla (lichenized Ascomycota: Porinaceae), a new species of foliicolous lichen from Mindanao Island with an updated checklist of Porina species in the Philippines
Authors: Taer Ermalene C. , Aptroot André , Amoroso Victor B. , Mohagan Alma B. , Coritico Fulgent P. , Dal Forno Manuela
Published: February 2025

A new Philippine foliicolous species, Porina dolichoepiphylla, was discovered from the central part of Mindanao Island, and is described and illustrated here. This new species is characterized by conspicuously longer ascospores, a feature shared only with P. virescens within the Porina epiphylla subgroup but can be distinguished from the latter by its hairless surface, as well as rough thalli with primordia of perithecia. Porina dolichoepiphylla sp. nov. is known only from the type locality on Mt Kitanglad, growing along the frond of Asplenium vittaeforme in a shady lower montane forest. An updated checklist of Porina species in the Philippines with a taxonomic key to the foliicolous species of the Porina epiphylla subgroup is also provided. The discovery of the new lichen species highlights the importance of continued exploration and documentation efforts within the Philippine archipelago.
Leucistic Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) observations in Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Authors: Anderson Morgan E. , Levinson Parker M. , Rotella Jay J.
Published: February 2025

Pigmentation and colouration are important to animal fitness. Colourations convey important information and impact predation risk, thermoregulation and mate selection. There are many cases of hypopigmentation across the animal kingdom, and leucism is a common form. We observed a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pup with cream-coloured fur, light skin and white nails multiple times in 2022 in Erebus Bay, Antarctica. The pup was observed 1 year later as a generally healthy yearling. This is the first documentation of a leucistic seal within this well-studied population and the second documentation of such colouration in this species. This seal offers a potential opportunity to observe the effects of hypopigmentation in Antarctic true seals.
Assessing the 1921–1922 federal financial rescue: the War Finance Corporation Bank lending program
Authors: Butkiewicz James L. , Solcan Mihaela
Published: February 2025

The 1920–1 recession did not transpire entirely without federal intervention, as commonly believed. Following lending by several Federal Reserve banks, the federally chartered War Finance Corporation (WFC) lent to support exports and shortly after the recession, it lent aggressively to assist banks in agricultural regions, as numerous bank suspensions resulted from the agricultural depression of the early 1920s. Bank suspensions decreased markedly in 1922 to the lowest annual total during the 1921–33 period. This article assesses the impact of WFC lending on bank suspensions, and to what extent the WFC's provision of liquidity helped to resolve the existing difficulties.
Caregivers influence preferred place of death for patients with an advanced cancer
Authors: Malhotra Chetna , Murali Shravya , Chaudhry Isha
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Family caregivers influence realization of home death among advanced cancer patients. However, little is known about the caregiver factors influencing patients’ preferred and actual place of death. We aimed to assess caregiver factors associated with both caregivers’ and patients’ preferred place of death, and the association between their preferred and actual place of death.

Methods

From a prospective cohort of 600 patients with stage IV solid malignancy, and 311 caregivers, we analyzed data for 227 patient–caregiver dyads of deceased patients who responded to the question on preferred place of death for patients at least once within the last 3 years before death. We assessed the association of patients’ and caregivers’ preferred place of death for patients with caregivers’ competency, employment, relationship quality with the patient, their relationship with the patient, family support, and the presence of a domestic helper. We controlled for relevant patient factors and utilized the actor–partner interdependence framework for analysis.

Results

Overall, 67% patients and 74% caregivers preferred a home death for patients during the last 3 years prior to patient’s death. Patients whose caregivers reported greater caregiving competency were more likely to prefer a home death (average marginal effect: 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.003–0.04). Spousal caregivers were less likely to prefer a home death (−0.10 (−0.19, −0.004)). Caregivers lacking family support were more likely to prefer an institutional death (0.04 (0.002–0.08)). While caregivers’ preferences had a marginally significant association with patients’ actual place of death (p-value < 0.10), we did not find any association between patients’ preferred and actual place of death.

Significance of results

Caregivers play a crucial role in shaping patients’ preferred and actual place of death. Supporting caregivers, particularly spousal caregivers, and enhancing their caregiving competency could potentially help achieve a home death for the patient.
Career lessons from economists’ life stories: Brian J. Loasby as an Exemplar
Authors: Cañibano Carolina , Earl Peter E. , Muñoz Félix-Fernando
Published: February 2025

This paper derives career lessons for economists by examining the unusual career of Brian J. Loasby in terms of Loasby’s own key ideas. Loasby’s early career ran into difficulties after he chose to become a postgraduate for lifestyle rather than career reasons, with his insufficiently ambitious reference standards resulting in unduly narrow search for both options and new connections. His eventual success came because of a path-dependent process whereby he developed an organizing framework that was conducive to finding problems and making intellectual connections. It was a process in which making personal connections also had a key role, though some intellectual connections that he earlier failed to make resulted from trusting other people. In the market for contributions to knowledge, his way of branding and positioning his work in relation to management decision-making and the growth of knowledge gave it a wider appeal than would have been the case if he had aligned himself with a particular school of thought or ‘heterodox economics’ in general.
Inclusive national innovation systems: rethinking institutions in the light of inclusion imperatives
Authors: Casadella Vanessa , Tahi Sofiane
Published: February 2025

National innovation systems (NISs) have been important in the literature since the 1990s for highlighting the institutional performance of economies and promoting economic development. Inclusion in systemic innovation activities is an emerging area of research. However, the definition of inclusion within innovative activities remains unclear and is associated with numerous forms and characteristics depending on the context visited. Our work highlights the conceptual gap that exists around the notion of inclusive innovation by characterising three forms of inclusion in relation to innovation activities. We thus set out, in the form of a typology, three distinct framings which enable us to identify three different levels associated with specific institutional mechanisms and forms of inclusion. This typology makes it possible to identify appropriate innovation policies, depending on how inclusive innovation is characterised (low, medium, and high). It also helps to clarify the inclusive nature of innovation in NIS approaches.
Compact continuous class-F/class-F−1 power amplifiers utilizing one-port CRLH transmission lines for broadband harmonic matching
Authors: Tsuji Eri , Aonuma Soshi , Tanaka Shinichi
Published: February 2025

We present continuous Class-F (CCF) and continuous Class-F−1 (CCF−1) power amplifiers (PAs) with compact circuit sizes. The output matching network (OMN) of a continuously harmonic-tuned PA must accommodate varying load impedance conditions across a wide frequency range, spanning from the fundamental frequency up to the 2nd and 3rd harmonic frequencies. This requirement typically leads to LPF-type OMNs with a significant circuit area overhead, thereby limiting the applicability of the broadband PAs. In this paper, we propose utilizing a one-port composite right-/left-handed transmission line to control the harmonic loads, while the fundamental loads are managed by a moderately sized LPF. This resulted in a notable reduction in PA size by nearly an order of magnitude. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this design approach through the fabrication of 2-GHz-band GaN HEMT PAs operating in CCF and CCF−1 modes. While both PAs exhibited high-efficiency (>70%) operational bandwidths at a state-of-the-art level, we also elucidate key design considerations specific to each PA operation mode.
The Dark Side of the Self: When Family is Highly Related to Mental Health Deterioration
Authors: Ertema Merjema , Sanchez-Sosa Juan Carlos , Garcia Oscar F. , Villarreal-Gonzalez Maria Elena , Garcia Fernando
Published: February 2025

This study aims to empirically test whether family has a unique significance for the self that cannot be captured by the social self alone. Specifically, it examines whether family self-concept, compared to social self-concept, is more closely related to family-specific indicators (i.e., parent–child communication and family functioning) as well as to indicators of emotional maladjustment like mental health deterioration (i.e., psychological distress and depressive symptoms). The sample comprised 4,953 Mexican adolescents, including 2,551 men (51.5%) and 2,402 women, aged 14–17 years (M = 15.60, SD = 0.92). Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to evaluate the proposed big five-dimensional self-concept model. Cohen’s d confidence intervals, derived from the shared variance of Pearson’s r correlations, were analyzed to relate self-concept dimensions to parent–child communication, family functioning, and mental health deterioration. Results from factorial confirmatory analysis showed that the five-dimensional oblique model (i.e., academic, social, emotional, physical, and family, as different from social) provided a better fit than competing unidimensional and orthogonal models. Correlation analyses showed that family self-concept was significantly associated with both parent–child communication and family functioning, as well as with psychological distress (d = −1.10, confidence interval [CI] −1.21 to −1.02) and depressive symptoms (d = −1.24, CI −1.31 to −1.22). These findings add evidence that family is not accurately represented within the social self-concept. Furthermore, perceiving oneself as unloved and undervalued at home (i.e., low family self-concept) is strongly associated not only with dysfunctional family processes but also with mental health deterioration.
Voter Preferences for Ethnoracial Minority Candidates: The Role of Policy Alignment and Shared Identity
Authors: Igarashi Akira , Ono Yoshikuni
Published: February 2025

Existing research suggests that ethnoracial majority voters favor coethnic candidates over those from ethnoracial minorities due to stereotypical inferences about policy positions based on ethnic group and shared group identity. This study examines whether coethnic bias can be mitigated when ethnic minority candidates adopt policy positions favorable to ethnoracial majorities and share a common group identity with them. We conducted a pre-registered survey experiment with Japanese voters, using vignettes that varied a hypothetical candidate’s origin, name, and migrant policy proposals. Our findings indicate that ethnoracial majority respondents do not necessarily disfavor ethnic minority candidates. Furthermore, policy positions and shared identity do not mitigate candidate preferences. However, this null result is driven by heterogeneous responses to the candidates’ ethnic origins based on perceived threats. Voters who perceive higher threats from ethnoracial minorities are more likely to negatively evaluate ethnic minority candidates, whereas those perceiving lower threats tend to evaluate them positively.
A Warming Climate Is Shifting Eurasian Drought Conditions
Authors: Derouin Sarah
Published: February 2025

Researchers use tree ring records to help reconstruct hydroclimate patterns and isolate drivers of drought.
Deep learning enhanced light sheet fluorescence microscopy for in vivo 4D imaging of zebrafish heart beating
Authors: Zhang Meng , Li Renjian , Fu Songnian , Kumar Sunil , Mcginty James , Qin Yuwen , Chen Lingling
Published: February 2025

Time-resolved volumetric fluorescence imaging over an extended duration with high spatial/temporal resolution is a key driving force in biomedical research for investigating spatial-temporal dynamics at organism-level systems, yet it remains a major challenge due to the trade-off among imaging speed, light exposure, illumination power, and image quality. Here, we present a deep-learning enhanced light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) approach that addresses the restoration of rapid volumetric time-lapse imaging with less than 0.03% light exposure and 3.3% acquisition time compared to a typical standard acquisition. We demonstrate that the convolutional neural network (CNN)-transformer network developed here, namely U-net integrated transformer (UI-Trans), successfully achieves the mitigation of complex noise-scattering-coupled degradation and outperforms state-of-the-art deep learning networks, due to its capability of faithfully learning fine details while comprehending complex global features. With the fast generation of appropriate training data via flexible switching between confocal line-scanning LSFM (LS-LSFM) and conventional LSFM, this method achieves a three- to five-fold signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement and ~1.8 times contrast improvement in ex vivo zebrafish heart imaging and long-term in vivo 4D (3D morphology + time) imaging of heartbeat dynamics at different developmental stages with ultra-economical acquisitions in terms of light dosage and acquisition time.
Progress on intelligent metasurfaces for signal relay, transmitter, and processor
Authors: Qian Chao , Tian Longwei , Chen Hongsheng
Published: February 2025

Pursuing higher data rate with limited spectral resources is a longstanding topic that has triggered the fast growth of modern wireless communication techniques. However, the massive deployment of active nodes to compensate for propagation loss necessitates high hardware expenditure, energy consumption, and maintenance cost, as well as complicated network interference issues. Intelligent metasurfaces, composed of a number of subwavelength passive or active meta-atoms, have recently found to be a new paradigm to actively reshape wireless communication environment in a green way, distinct from conventional works that passively adapt to the surrounding. In this review, we offer a unified perspective on how intelligent metasurfaces can facilitate wireless communication in three manners: signal relay, signal transmitter, and signal processor. We start by the basic modeling of wireless channel and the evolution of metasurfaces from passive, active to intelligent metasurfaces. Integrated with various deep learning algorithms, intelligent metasurfaces adapt to cater for the ever-changing environments without human intervention. Then, we overview specific experimental advancements using intelligent metasurfaces. We conclude by identifying key issues in the practical implementations of intelligent metasurfaces, and surveying new directions, such as gain metasurfaces and knowledge migration.
Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice
Authors: Yuan Miao , Li Fei , Xue Feng , Wang Yang , Li Baoqiang , Tang Rongyu , Wang Yijun , Bi Guo-Qiang , Pei Weihua
Published: February 2025

To understand the complex dynamics of neural activity in the brain across various temporal and spatial scales, it is crucial to record intracortical multimodal neural activity by combining electrophysiological recording and calcium imaging techniques. This poses significant constraints on the geometrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the electrodes. Here, transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes with small feature sizes are developed and validated for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging in the hippocampus of freely moving mice. A micro-etching technique and an oxygen plasma pre-treating method are introduced to facilitate large-area graphene transfer and establish stable low-impedance contacts between graphene and metals, leading to the batch production of high-quality microelectrodes with interconnect widths of 10 μm and recording sites diameters of 20 μm. These electrodes exhibit appropriate impedance and sufficient transparency in the field of view, enabling simultaneous recording of intracortical local field potentials and even action potentials along with calcium imaging in freely moving mice. Both types of electrophysiological signals are found to correlate with calcium activity. This proof-of-concept work demonstrates that transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes are promising tools for multimodal neuroscience research.