bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interconnected Lamellar 3D Semiconductive PCP for Rechargeable Aqueous Zinc Battery Cathodes
Authors: Lin Zirui , Otake Ken‐ichi , Kajiwara Takashi , Hiraide Shotaro , Nurhuda Maryam , Packwood Daniel , Kadota Kentaro , Sakamoto Hirotoshi , Kawaguchi Shogo , Kubota Yoshiki , Yao Ming‐Shui , Horike Satoshi , Sun Xiaoqi , Kitagawa Susumu
Published: January 2025

2D electronically conductive porous coordination polymers/metal–organic frameworks (2D EC‐MOFs) of M‐HHTPs (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexahydroxytriphenylene; M = Co, Ni, Cu, etc.) have received extensive attention due to their ease of preparation, semiconductive properties, and tunability based on the choice of metal species. However, slight shifts between layers attenuate their specific surface area and stability. In this study, the metal‐ion bridge strategy is newly adopted and a vanadyl counterpart of M‐HHTP is synthesized with a chemical formula of (VO)3(HHTP)2, hereafter referred to as VO‐HHTP. The semiconductor VO‐HHTP has a vertical interconnection by octahedral VO6 chains and exhibits a relatively high specific surface area (ca. 590 m2 g−1) compared to other 2D EC‐MOFs. Motivated by its redox activity and porous nature, VO‐HHTP is applied as the cathode material in rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries (RAZBs). VO‐HHTP demonstrates a high capacity of 240 mAh g−1 and excellent rate capability, even with a reduced amount of conductive agent, surpassing the performance of the previous EC‐MOFs. Furthermore, its stable structure ensures long‐term cycling stability, addressing a common issue in previous EC‐MOFs. The work contributes to the development of new concepts in both the design of π‐conjugated EC‐MOFs and the study of cathode materials for RAZBs.
A Sustainable Hydrogel‐Based Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Coupled to an Integrated Supercapacitor for Direct Indoor Light‐Energy Storage
Authors: Domenici Sara , Speranza Roberto , Bella Federico , Lamberti Andrea , Gatti Teresa
Published: January 2025

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things ecosystem has increased the need for sustainable, cost‐effective energy sources for indoor low‐power devices. Indoor photovoltaics offer a solution by harnessing ambient indoor lighting, with dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) emerging as strong candidates for these applications. When it comes to indoor environments, there is an increased demand for nontoxic and nonflammable solvents for electrolytes. The use of water‐based electrolytes is a promising way to address these issues, while ensuring the eco‐friendliness and sustainability of these devices. Herein, a DSSC system is employed featuring an aqueous gel electrolyte composed of xanthan gum, a biosourced polymer, and an iodide/triiodide redox couple. The performances of the cells are characterized under LED lighting, reaching efficiencies up to 3.5% in indoor conditions, and then integrated with an electric double‐layer capacitor, also based on a xanthan gum gel electrolyte, resulting in a fully aqueous device for indoor light‐energy harvesting and storage with an overall photoelectric conversion and storage efficiency of 1.45%.
Structural Stressing State Characteristics for Unbonded Prestressed Concrete Continuous Slabs Under Different Fire Conditions
Authors: Yang Chuan , Dong Yuli , Qi Jianquan , Duan Jintao , Zhang Dashan
Published: January 2025

This paper reveals the general working law of unbonded prestressed concrete (UPC) continuous slabs under different fire conditions by applying the structural stressing state theory. Firstly, the experimental deflection data are transformed into generalized work of force (GWF) values to represent the structural stressing state and the corresponding characteristic parameters. Then, the Mann–Kendall criterion is adopted to detect the mutation points where the characteristic parameter curves show a trend change with increasing temperature. Accordingly, it is verified that the evolutions of stressing state modes also present the corresponding mutation characteristics. The stressing state mutations reveal the linear‐elastic branch (LEB) points, elastoplastic branch (EPB) points, and failure starting (FS) points of the continuous slab's working process, complying with the natural law from quantitative change to qualitative change of a system. Finally, the formula is fitted to calculate the failure loads with a verification, and the existing failure loads were redefined to provide a new and valuable reference for analyzing the working behavior of UPC continuous slabs in fire.
Review of Cold‐Formed Steel Z‐Section Beams: Design Approaches and Performance Analysis
Authors: Siva Koppala , J Visuvasam , Srikanth Darla
Published: January 2025

The review of cold‐formed steel (CFS) Z‐section beams focuses on various design approaches, including analytical, numerical, and experimental methods. It also analyzes their performance under different loading conditions, highlighting their efficiency in structural applications. CFS Z‐section beams are widely used in construction for their high strength‐to‐weight ratio. The analysis covers the structural properties, applications, and advancements in both lipped and unlipped Z‐sections, focusing on recent research findings. The review highlights the importance of optimizing design techniques to improve the accuracy of predictions related to web crippling capacity, bending, and torsional strength. Theoretical and experimental investigations, including FEA, are discussed to assess the reliability of existing design codes like the direct strength method (DSM). The study reveals that while DSM offers a solid foundation, it requires further refinement to address limitations, particularly in high‐strength steel applications. Overall, this review emphasizes how crucial it is to carry out more research on the behavior and functionality of CFS Z‐section beams to guarantee their safe and efficient usage in building applications. Consequently, the findings from this review are analyzed alongside existing methodologies, showcasing areas where the proposed approaches can improve performance and enhance predictive accuracy in design and application.
Axial Compression Performance of Square Steel Tube Steel Fiber Concrete Columns
Authors: Jia Shichao , Xu Xiao , Yang Anqi , Hao Wenxiu
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the influence of microsteel fibers on the axial compressive properties of concrete‐filled square steel tubes (CFSSTs). Axial compression experiments and finite element analysis (FEA) were conducted on 10 specimens with varying steel fiber volume contents, steel tube wall thicknesses, and slenderness ratios to examine the failure modes, load–displacement curves, and ultimate bearing capacities of steel fiber‐reinforced concrete‐filled square steel tubes (SCFSSTs). Parameters such as force, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and Poisson's ratio were assessed. The experimental results indicated that the addition of microsteel fibers can delay damage to the core concrete and buckling of the steel tubes. Specifically, increasing the volume content of steel fibers from 0% to 1.2% enhanced the ductility coefficient by 70%. Concurrently, both the energy dissipation and bearing capacities were improved as the steel fibers enhanced the postpeak performance of the CFSST. FEA was performed using the ABAQUS software to establish a steel fiber model. The FEA results were found to be consistent with the experimentally obtained load–displacement curves, and a parameter analysis was performed for further study. Finally, the applicability and accuracy of the four current international codes for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity of SCFSST were evaluated.
Science Triggers and Situational Interest in Everyday Family Life
Authors: Vivante Irit , Vedder‐Weiss Dana
Published: January 2025

Interest in science is critical for science learning. The family plays a major role in supporting the development of children's interest in science by eliciting and fostering interest and engagement with science content and practice. This study characterizes triggers for interest in science in everyday family life and measures the duration of resulting engagement manifesting situational interest. In an insider researcher‐ethnography of one family, we collected video and audio recordings of science‐related interactions using fixed 24/7 audio and video cameras in the house and Go‐Pro cameras outdoors. We identified 397 science interest‐triggering events and classified them along three dimensions: (1) the connection between the stimulus and the object of interest (direct, indirect, or unidentified); (2) the design of the stimulus (designed or undesigned); (3) the attention to the stimulus (self‐noticed or mediated). We found most triggers were direct (87%) and undesigned (82%), and they were equally mediated and self‐noticed (50%–50%). Moreover, although designed triggers were relatively rare, they elicited longer situational interest than undesigned triggers. Interaction analysis of two illustrative events showed that this difference was related not only to features of the trigger design but also to the way participants co‐constructed the interaction around it. The study's findings underscore the significance of developing targeted triggers for science learning in family contexts and providing parents with practical strategies to leverage undesigned triggers.
Effect of Semen Collection in the Metabolite and Hormonal Content of Rabbit Seminal Plasma
Authors: Álvarez‐Rodríguez Manuel , García‐Calvo Laura , Gardela Jaume , Ruiz‐Conca Mateo , Olvera‐Maneu Sergi , Martín‐San Juan Adrián , López‐Béjar Manel , Martinez‐Pastor Felipe , Vicente‐Carrillo Alejandro
Published: January 2025

Blood serum (BS) and seminal plasma (SP) share a plethora of compounds that might present an individual and/or temporal concentration variation. We aimed to determine whether BS and SP concentrations of albumin, calcium, citrate, creatinine, fructose, glucose, lactate, total protein, urea, zinc, cortisol, anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and testosterone are related to weekly collections in New Zealand White (NZW) adult rabbit bucks. During a 12‐week study, blood samples were obtained at the beginning and the end of the study period, and semen samples were taken twice a week from four NZW adult rabbit bucks, starting at 6–7 months of age. After semen collection, the sperm motility was subjectively assessed, and SP was obtained by centrifugation. BS and SP were evaluated for the above‐mentioned metabolites using a Biosystems BA400 automated analyser with commercial‐specific kits or enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits, assessing the effects of the male and time of collection. In addition, a correlation analysis aimed at disclosing associations between parameters in BS and SP was performed. Male effect was not significant for BS, but it was significant for SP albumin, citrate, fructose, glucose, lactate and total protein. In addition, all the correlations in BS were positive, whereas they were more balanced in SP, being close to half of the correlations. In conclusion, variations of some metabolites (albumin, citrate, fructose, glucose, lactate and total protein) appear to be potential biomarkers for rabbit SP, although further studies should test their usefulness for sperm fertility assessment.
The Illegality Defence: Lessons from Investment Arbitrations Involving the Western Balkans
Authors: Penushliski Ilija Mitrev
Published: January 2025

In recent years, foreign investors have increasingly resorted to international arbitration against the Western Balkan States. In a number of such arbitrations, the respondent States have raised an illegality defence, arguing that the applicable treaties bar access to arbitration to investors who have obtained their investments illegally. This defence strategy has generally proven unsuccessful. This chapter aims to distill the lessons from publicly available awards in which the Western Balkan States have raised an illegality defence. It surveys the approaches taken by tribunals in those disputes and considers the types of illegalities that have been deemed to deprive an investor of access to arbitration, when such illegality must have occurred, and what State conduct may weaken the State’s illegality defence.
Utility of minimally invasive percutaneous arthrodesis of the sacroiliac joint for the treatment of low back pain: systematic review of the literature
Authors: Acevedo-Gonzalez Juan Carlos , Lacouture-Silgado Isabella
Published: January 2025

Background

The surprising increase observed in recent years in the use of minimally invasive sacroiliac joint arthrodesis techniques as a treatment for low back pain justifies an objective review of this results.

Purpose

carry out a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the clinical results of patients with low back pain treated with percutaneous arthrodesis of the SIJ.

Study design

Systematic review.

Methods

Systematic search of the medical literature. The words used in the Search were: “Hollow screw system”, “percutaneous sacroiliac joint stabilization”, “sacroiliac joint”, “minimally invasive”, “sacroiliac pain”, “sacroiliac dysfunction”. With logical connectors such as “and”, “not” and “or”.

Databases

Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, Ovid, EBSCO host and google scholar. The search extended from the beginning of the databases until September 2024. The “Rayyan” program was used to collect the information and facilitate the analysis process.

Inclusion criteria

Systematic review from the literature, clinical trials, observational studies and case series. They followed PRISMA principles.

Results

661 articles were found, of which 108 articles were duplicates. The criteria (Inclusion/Exclusion) were applied to the 553 articles identified based on the independent reading of the summaries by each of the authors on the Rayyan platform and 434 articles were excluded. The 119 selected articles were completely reviewed to finally obtain 102 articles included in the review. Epidemiological data were extracted into an Excel table, methodological and related to clinical results and safety of procedures made. The Prisma checklist for systematic reviews was applied in each article. The epidemiological quality of the articles was evaluated based on the checklists STROBE and CONSORT. The results regarding clinical improvement were overwhelming. However, most of the studies were sponsored by industry and with a limited population and follow-up not always prolonged.

Conclusions

Although the clinical results regarding the effectiveness of SIJ fusion are forceful for their effectiveness, we recommend considering some aspects for their analysis and especially long-term studies.
Type D personality and social inhibition: drivers of cardiovascular risk and reduced physical activity in psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Yetişir Ayşegül , Sariyildiz Aylin , Coskun Benlidayi Ilke , Özbek Süleyman
Published: January 2025

Background

To evaluate the presence of type D personality and its association with metabolic syndrome (MetS), cardiovascular disease risk, and level of exercise in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Material and method

This cross-sectional study included patients with PsA (n = 84) and healthy controls (n = 74). Sociodemographic data, laboratory parameters, and disease-related parameters were recorded. We evaluated the presence of type D personality with the total 14 items of the type D Personality Scale, the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) indicating 10-year cardiovascular disease risk as low, moderate, and high, the presence of MetS, and physical activity levels by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF).

Results

The median age of patients with PsA was 53.5 (17) years, 73.8% were female, and the disease duration was 7 (12) years. Compared to controls, patients with PsA exhibited higher FRS and increased frequency of MetS, type D personality, and its domains (social inhibition and negative affectivity) (p < 0.05 for all). Patients with type D personality had even a higher frequency of MetS and lower levels of moderate-intensity exercise than those without type D personality (p = 0.020 and p = 0.027). Patients with social inhibition had higher FRS, a higher frequency of MetS, and lower levels of moderate-intensity exercise (p < 0.05 for all) compared to those without social inhibition. MetS showed a significant positive correlation with social inhibition, waist circumference, and FRS (Spearman’s rho were 0.244, 0.444, and 0.555, respectively), and a negative correlation with IPAQ-SF total metabolic equivalent (Spearman’s rho was -0.214).

Conclusion

Patients with type D personality and social inhibition had a higher frequency of MetS and low levels of moderate-intensity exercise, whereas patients with social inhibition had a higher FRS. It is essential to assess PsA patients’ cardiac risk factors, type D personality, and social inhibition, as well as provide exercise advice.

Key Points•Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a prevelant rheumatologic disease that is frequently accompanied by comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).•It is crucial to evaluate patients with PsA for CVD risk factors.•Patients with type D personality demonstrate lower engagement in moderate-intensity exercise and a higher frequency of MetS. Socially inhibited PsA patients showed elevated Framingham Risk Scores and MetS rates, as well as reduced levels of moderate-intensity exercise.•Beyond assessing cardiac risk factors, it is important to assess personality traits and offer tailored exercise recommendations for comprehensive PsA management.
Human pressure may pose a threat to Mediterranean Golden Eagle’s (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) nestlings’ welfare
Authors: Ciot Laura , Carbajal Annaïs , Gamonal Talens Javier , Peláez Marta , Ortega Martín Pablo , Navarro Hernández Enrique , Lopez-Bejar Manel
Published: January 2025

Mediterranean Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) are crucial for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem they live in. Human presence and some human activities are recognized as major disturbance factors affecting their welfare. In the present study, we evaluated through the measurement of feather corticosterone (CORTf), the welfare state of nestlings subjected to different levels of human pressure. Nestlings were sampled in different locations in Spain and Portugal for two consecutive years (2018, 2019). CORTf levels were higher in groups of individuals living in most populated areas and positively correlated with the proximity to airports, suggesting that human presence and noise pollution generated by aircraft may be a source of stress for developing eaglets, affecting their physiological state. CORTf levels were also related to mortality, finding low mean levels in individuals dying in the short-run. Finally, the relation between CORTf and other commonly used stress indicators such as the intensity of the color of the hue of cere and the number of fault bars in the tail of the nestlings was investigated. Considering the hue of cere, a significant negative strong correlation with the corticosterone levels in nestlings was found in samples from 2018 suggesting that nestlings in poorer nutritional conditions may present higher stress levels, whereas no correlation with the number of fault bars was found.
Recent advancements of nonlinear dynamics in mode coupled microresonators: a review
Authors: Wang Xuefeng , Shi Zhan , Yang Qiqi , Chen Yuzhi , Wei Xueyong , Huan Ronghua
Published: January 2025

Due to scale effects, micromechanical resonators offer an excellent platform for investigating the intrinsic mechanisms of nonlinear dynamical phenomena and their potential applications. This review focuses on mode-coupled micromechanical resonators, highlighting the latest advancements in four key areas: internal resonance, synchronization, frequency combs, and mode localization. The origin, development, and potential applications of each of these dynamic phenomena within mode-coupled micromechanical systems are investigated, with the goal of inspiring new ideas and directions for researchers in this field.
Loschmidt echo for deformed Wigner matrices
Authors: Erdős László , Henheik Joscha , Kolupaiev Oleksii
Published: January 2025

We consider two Hamiltonians that are close to each other,

$$H_1 \approx H_2 $$

H
1

≈

H
2

, and analyze the time decay of the corresponding Loschmidt echo

$$\mathfrak {M}(t):= |\langle \psi _0, \textrm{e}^{\textrm{i} t H_2} \textrm{e}^{-\textrm{i} t H_1} \psi _0 \rangle |^2$$

M

(
t
)

:
=
|

⟨

ψ
0

,

e

i
t

H
2

e

-
i
t

H
1

ψ
0

⟩

|

2

that expresses the effect of an imperfect time reversal on the initial state

$$\psi _0$$

ψ
0

. Our model Hamiltonians are deformed Wigner matrices that do not share a common eigenbasis. The main tools are new two-resolvent laws for such

$$H_1$$

H
1

and

$$H_2$$

H
2

.
Evolution of Human Pair Bonds as a Consequence of Male-Biased Mating Sex Ratios?
Authors: Nitschke Matthew C. , Kumar Viney , Milliner Katrina E. , Hawkes Kristen , Kim Peter S.
Published: January 2025

Compared to our closest primate relatives, human life history involves greater longevity, which includes a distinctive postmenopausal life stage. Given mammalian reproductive physiology in which females build a finite stock of cells that can become oocytes early in life, which then continuously deplete mostly through cell death while males produce new sperm throughout adulthood, the postmenopausal stage makes the sex ratio in the fertile pool, called the adult sex ratio (ASR), male biased. Additionally, this affects a more fine-grained ratio, the operational sex ratio (OSR), defined as the ratio of males to females currently able to conceive. Here, we construct an ODE model in which males compete for paternities using either a multiple-mating or mate-guarding strategy. Our focus is on investigating the differences of strategy choice between populations with varying life histories, which include a distinct post-fertile stage for adult females. By simulating the system, we determine the dominant strategy and its dependence on various parameter combinations. Our results show that an increase in OSR and ASR correlates well with a change in the dominant strategy from multiple mating to guarding.
Ring Augmentation of the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis of 5-Year Follow-Up Results
Authors: Jense Marijn T. F. , Bruinsma Floris F. E. , Nienhuijs Simon W. , Liem Ronald S. L. , de Mheen Perla J. Marang-van , Greve Jan Willem M. , Boerma Evert-Jan G.
Published: January 2025

Background

The ring-augmented Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (raRYGB) has been reported to result in higher long-term weight loss compared to regular Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). However, the type of ring used varied within studies, leading to heterogeneity in reported results. Therefore, this study compares the 5-year results of RYGB with and without ring augmentation using a specific prefabricated gastric ring.

Methods

All consecutive patients from a single center who received primary raRYGB between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2018, with complete 5-year follow-up data were included and compared to a propensity score matched cohort receiving RYGB in the same period from the Dutch Audit for Treatment of Obesity. To ensure fair effect estimation of placing a ring, only RYGB procedures with alimentary and biliopancreatic limb lengths similar to those of the raRYGB were considered eligible. The primary outcome was percentage total weight loss (%TWL). Secondary outcomes included recurrent weight gain (RWG), obesity complication improvement, and complications.

Results

In total, 592 matched patients were analyzed. raRYGB was associated with higher %TWL at 5 years (31.5% versus 28.0%, β = 3.59, 95% CI [2.09–5.09], p < 0.01) and lower odds on RWG (odds ratio = 0.56, 95% CI [0.38–0.83], p < 0.01). Improvement of obesity complications and short-term complication rates were comparable in both groups. After 5 years, 13 patients (4%) had experienced ring-related complications needing reoperation.

Conclusions

At 5 years, raRYGB was associated with higher %TWL and lower odds on RWG. The occurrence of ring-related complications was limited.
Workaholism and job performance: testing indirect relationships via work engagement and poor sleep quality
Authors: Molinaro Danila , González-Romá Vicente , Spagnoli Paola
Published: January 2025

Among the most important outcomes related to workaholism for its implications for both organizations and employees is job performance. However, previous studies that have analyzed this relationship report inconsistent results. Drawing on achievement motivation theory and the work, non-work, and sleep model, the present study aims to understand why workaholism is related to job performance through two opposing paths: a motivational path, in which workaholism is indirectly and positively related to job performance via work engagement, and a recovery path, where workaholism is indirectly and negatively related to job performance through poor sleep quality. The hypothesized relationships were investigated by testing a structural equation model with Mplus 8 on 389 Italian workers (60.9% women; Mage = 38.40 years; SD = 11.54 years). The results showed a significant indirect effect of workaholism on job performance through both work engagement and poor sleep quality, thus supporting the two hypothesized mediating mechanisms. Although the study’s cross-sectional design and self-reported measures represent limitations, our results help uncover two opposing mechanisms linking workaholism to job performance. Theoretically, we further advanced our knowledge about the complex relationship between these two variables by providing empirical evidence on the indirect positive (via work engagement) and negative (via poor sleep quality) relationships that workaholism has on job performance. From a practical perspective, interventions should be implemented to assess workaholism risk, promote work engagement, and prevent poor sleep quality using recovery strategies for employees.
Wheat dust and extracted rapeseed scrap biochar: a comprehensive characterization and assessment of potential utilization in the context of the circular economy
Authors: Kwoczynski Zdenka , Burdová Hana , Al Souki Karim Suhail , Čmelík Jiří
Published: January 2025

The current utilization of wheat dust (WD) and hexane-extracted rapeseed scrap (RS) in Central Europe is inefficient and non-ecological. Therefore, it is necessary to identify an appropriate waste treatment that supports the principles of the circular economy. For this reason, the aforementioned wastes were pyrolyzed, resulting in the production of biochars, which are commonly used as absorbents or soil amendments. These biochars were then steam activated, characterized, and evaluated for potential further suitable and sustainable utilization. The structure, porosity, specific surface area, and composition of bound functional groups, nutrients, toxic elements, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pH were analyzed as important parameters for biochar applications. RS biochar contained high concentrations of nutrients (N 75.9, P 21.5, K 15.1, C 603, Ca 14.3, Mg 8.31, S 5.40 g·kg−1 wt. all). The CEC was remarkably high 87.0 cmol·kg−1 for the RS biochar. The SSA value increased in fivefold in both samples upon activation (11.0 m2·g−1 for WD biochar and 0.8 m2·g−1 for RS biochar). The pore depth increased in accordance with activation temperature. Alkanes, aromatics, and oxygenated groups were detected on the biochars surfaces, yet more evident in WD. WD biochar could be used as an adsorbent for organic pollutants because its structure, surface area, and representation of functional group predict high adsorption efficiency, especially after activation. Raw RS biochar is more suited to utilization as a soil amendment, due to its high concentration of nutrients. These utilizations of biochar support the circular economy, eliminate pollution, improve soil properties, and reduce the need for industrially produced fertilizers and sorbents.

Graphical abstract
A fractional hybrid function composed of block-pulses and fractional Fibonacci polynomials for solving multiterm fractional variable-order differential equations
Authors: Postavaru Octavian , Toma Antonela
Published: January 2025

This paper presents the development of a fractional hybrid function composed of block-pulse functions and Fibonacci polynomials (FHBPF) for the numerical solution of multiterm variable-order fractional differential equations. By replacing

$$x\rightarrow x^{\alpha }$$

x
→

x
α

in FHBPF and utilizing incomplete beta functions, we construct the method with a focus on fractional derivatives in the Caputo sense and fractional integrals in the Riemann–Liouville sense. A key advantage of the proposed method is its exact computation of the Riemann–Liouville fractional integral operator. Using the Newton–Cotes collocation method, we transform the differential equations into systems of algebraic equations, which are then solved with traditional techniques such as Newton’s iterative method. An error analysis method is also introduced. Several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and simplicity of the approach, highlighting its efficiency even for relatively small base sizes.
Emigration States
Authors: Withers Matt
Published: January 2025

Guestworker migration has become an increasingly prominent feature within the economic landscape of the Asia-Pacific. Longstanding regional disparities have underscored the emergence of fragile remittance economies where a structural reliance on labour-export has offered an unsustainable 'fix' for stubborn developmental challenges. Combining political-economic and Foucauldian frames of analysis, this Element reconciles the macroeconomic contradictions of remittance economies with the political logics bound up in emigration policymaking, contending that new modalities of governance have emerged in the transition from developmental to emigration states. Comparing the policy histories of four diverse remittance economies in the region – Myanmar, the Philippines, Samoa, and Sri Lanka – it frames emigration policies as complex, inward-facing interventions that simultaneously promote and constrain mobility to address counterpoised economic and political pressures. Important variations are explored though the example of gendered migration bans, whereby emigration states have situated women's bodies as sites for resolving contextually specific social tensions accompanying labour-export.
On Believing and Being Convinced
Authors: Silva Jr. Paul
Published: January 2025

Our doxastic states are our belief-like states, and these include outright doxastic states and degreed doxastic states. The former include believing that p, having the opinion that p, thinking that p, being sure that p, being certain that p, and doubting that p. The latter include degrees of confidence, credences, and perhaps some phenomenal states. But we also have conviction (being convinced simpliciter that p) and degrees of conviction (being more or less convinced that p). This Element shows: how and why all of the outright doxastic states mentioned above can be reduced to conviction thresholds; what degrees of conviction fundamentally are (degreed reliance-dispositions); why degrees of conviction are not credences; when suspending a belief is compatible with continuing to believe; and the surprising extent to which Kant endorsed the theory of conviction that emerges in this Element.
Can Intersectionality Save Us? Phallogocentric Feminisms and the Desire for Identity
Authors: Shohadaei Setareh
Published: January 2025

This paper engages with a series of recent literatures that examine how feminist and queer movements have become agents of nationalism, neoliberalism, and global wars. I argue that, while the critique of intersectionality has attempted to curtail the reproductions of such violence within feminism, it too has not been able to resist cooptations into nationalist and capitalist forms of power. Developing an epistemological critique of intersectionality, I arrive at an analysis of identity politics as an elemental identification with phallic power that erases the feminine. Building on the works of Elizabeth Grosz, Wendy Brown, and Luce Irigaray, I suggest that at the core of such feminist alliances with domination lies an unresolved relation to feminine desire as the desire for a non-identitarian politics.
Manifestation of screech modes in non-axisymmetric jets
Authors: Mazharmanesh Soudeh , Nogueira Petrônio A.S. , Weightman Joel , Edgington-Mitchell Daniel
Published: January 2025

This study identifies two previously unrecognised screech modes in non-axisymmetric jets. Spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) of ultra-high-speed schlieren images reveals a bi-axial flapping mode in a rectangular jet and a quasi-helical mode in an elliptical jet. To educe the complex three-dimensional structure of these new modes, SPOD is performed on datasets from different viewing perspectives, produced by rotating the nozzle with respect to the schlieren path to an azimuthal angle

$\theta$

. The bi-axial flapping mode is strongly antisymmetric from any perspective. However, the SPOD eigenvalue at the screech frequency (

$\lambda _s$

) varies with

$\theta$

and the axial distance of the SPOD domain from the nozzle lip. This mode most closely resembles a flapping mode in the minor-axis plane close to the nozzle lip and a wagging mode in the major-axis plane further downstream. This transition from flapping to wagging at the same frequency correlates with the axis switching defined by the shock-cell structure in the mean flow. The quasi-helical mode in the elliptical jet is characterised by an antisymmetric structure present in the SPOD spatial modes whose eigenvalue

$\lambda _s$

is insensitive to both

$\theta$

and the axial domain. These findings indicate that the spatial evolution of the mean flow in non-axisymmetric jets may allow them to support a range of additional screech modes that differ significantly from those supported by the original three-dimensional shape of the jet.
Parsing reward sensitivity reveals distinct relationships with energy intake, metabolic markers, physical activity and fitness
Authors: Kiive Evelyn , Katus Urmeli , Eensoo Diva , Villa Inga , Mäestu Jarek , Veidebaum Toomas , Harro Jaanus
Published: January 2025

Rewards are rewarding owing to their hedonic or metabolic value. Individual differences in sensitivity to rewards are predictive of mental health problems but may reflect variation in metabolic types. We have assessed the association of two distinguishable aspects of reward sensitivity, openness to rewards (the striving towards multiple rewards) and insatiability by reward (the strong pursuit and fixation to a particular reward), with measures of metabolism and activity in a longitudinal study of representative birth cohort samples. We used data of the Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study (original n = 1238) collected at age 15, 18 and 25. Reward sensitivity and physical activity were self-reported during a laboratory visit, when also blood sampling, measurement of blood pressure, height and weight, aerobic exercise testing and the diet interview, after the participants had kept food diary, took place. In the younger cohort, physical activity was also assessed by accelerometry at age 18 and 25. Across adolescence and young adulthood, openness to rewards was positively associated with physical activity and negatively with blood pressure and serum levels of glucose, insulin and cholesterol levels. In contrast, insatiability by reward was positively associated with serum triglyceride levels and negatively with energy intake and cardiorespiratory fitness. In conclusion, the two facets of reward sensitivity have a fairly different association with a variety of metabolic and health-related measures. This may explain the variable findings in literature, and suggests that individual differences in reward sensitivity are part of a complex physiological variability, including energy expenditure profiles.
Dating Apps and the Digital Sexual Sphere
Authors: KUGELBERG ELSA
Published: January 2025

The online dating application has in recent years become a major avenue for meeting potential partners. However, while the digital public sphere has gained the attention of political philosophers, a systematic normative evaluation of issues arising in the “digital sexual sphere” is lacking. I provide a philosophical framework for assessing the conduct of dating app corporations, capturing both the motivations of users, and the reason why they find usage unsatisfying. Identifying dating apps as agents intervening in a social institution necessary for the reproduction of society, with immense power over people’s lives, I ask if they exercise their power in line with individuals’ interests. Acknowledging that people have claims to noninterference, equal standing, and choice improvement relating to intimacy, I find that the traditional, nondigital, sexual sphere poses problems to their realisation, especially for sexual minorities. In this context, apps’ potential for justice in the sexual sphere is immense but unfulfilled.
A critical review of English medium instruction (EMI) teacher development in higher education: From 2018 to 2022
Authors: Wang Kailun , Yuan Rui , De Costa Peter I.
Published: January 2025

The past few years have witnessed an emergent growth of both academic and practical works on English medium instruction (EMI) teachers' professional development. This paper presents a critical analysis of 30 empirical studies on EMI teacher development in a wide range of higher educational settings from 2018 to 2022. Through a systematic process of paper selection and review, we have identified three general routes to EMI teacher development, namely: (1) formal training activities; (2) opportunities for teacher collaboration; and (3) self-initiated practices. For each route, we presented a critical appraisal of their design and implementation, as well as reported gains and challenges. Meanwhile, we also conducted a critical analysis of the methodological issues pertaining to the selected papers. Overall, we argue that EMI teacher development in higher education is largely construed as a hybrid, contested, and transformative enterprise featured by EMI teachers' constant boundary-crossing at different levels to seek professional growth in linguistic, pedagogical, cultural, and psychological domains. During this process, EMI teachers may encounter conflicted dispositions, power asymmetries, and individual contradictions. Such a process thus requires EMI teachers to rethink, reexamine, and reflect critically on their accustomed preconceptions and practices, in order to facilitate transformation and achieve sustainability in the long run. The review also presents implications for EMI teachers, teacher educators, policymakers, and researchers on effectively facilitating EMI teacher development in higher education.
Critical Raw Materials, the Net-Zero Transition and the ‘Securitization’ of the Trade and Climate Change Mitigation Nexus: Pinpointing Environmental Risks and Charting a New Path for Transnational Decarbonization
Authors: Leonelli Giulia Claudia
Published: January 2025

The exercise of environmental ‘leverage’ via trade-related measures and trade in environmental goods offers opportunities to tackle the climate crisis and advance transnational decarbonization. Inward-looking, adversarial, and short-term national security-centred approaches, however, are disrupting the trade and climate change mitigation linkage. This article employs the race for critical raw materials and US and EU strategies to promote the net-zero transition at the domestic level as case studies to illustrate the environmental pitfalls of the ‘securitization’ of the trade and climate change mitigation nexus. The article demonstrates that the pursuit of strategic dominance in key net-zero sectors, attempts to exclude systemic rivals and reshore supply chains, opportunistic forms of friendshoring and loose agreement on regulatory means jeopardize recourse to environmental ‘leverage’ and undermine decarbonization at both national and transnational levels. This analysis casts a light on the inherent tension between national security and climate change mitigation. Taking stock of these findings, the article advocates a radically different approach to the governance of the trade and climate change mitigation nexus.
Contesting US hegemony: Pan-American infrastructure and South American visions of global transportation, 1880s–1890s
Authors: Peters Mario
Published: January 2025

This article examines the significance of mobility and transportation infrastructure in the early development of pan-Americanism and the formation of a vision of global transportation in South America in the late nineteenth century. Focusing on the 1880s and 1890s, I explore the connection between transportation and the economic and cultural expansionism of the United States, pan-American debates on intercontinental steamship service and an inter-American railroad, and South American approaches to international transportation, which both included and transcended the Americas. My case study contributes to scholarship on the global history of mobility and transportation by showing how, despite the intention of the United States to establish hemispheric exclusivity and hegemony, transportation became a subject of multilateral cooperation. South American experts and diplomats, I argue, renegotiated and reinterpreted the meaning of pan-American infrastructure, integrating it into a broader vision of global transportation that positioned their countries more prominently in worldwide traffic networks.
What is the historical relationship between psychology and sleep science?
Authors: Wolfson Amy R. , Homer Kate , Cruickshank Jared , Chugg Carter , Davis Elijah , Boris Nathan , Larson Alyssa , Duraccio Kara M. , Kay Daniel B.
Published: January 2025

Psychologists and psychological research have shaped sleep and circadian science for over a century. Yet, psychology has not fully embraced sleep as a core area of inquiry, and sleep medicine has not distinctly acknowledged the foundational role psychology plays in understanding sleep and circadian rhythms. This Question Paper invites submissions exploring psychology’s profound impact on the study, measurement and intervention strategies in sleep and circadian science, as well as reciprocal influences. Manuscripts may include historiographies of key contributors, laboratory milestones, theoretical advancements and methodological innovations within a historical context. We aim to capture the full scope of sleep psychology from its origins to a vision of its future.
Comparison of the risk scoring systems in long term restenosis due to percutaneous interventions to the superficial femoral artery
Authors: Karakayalı Muammer , Artac Inanç , Ilis Doğan , Omar Timor , Arslan Ayca , Guzel Ezgi , Karabag Yavuz , Rencuzogullari Ibrahim
Published: January 2025

Summary: Background: Percutaneous superficial femoral interventions remain the preferred method of treatment for superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease. Nevertheless, long term restenosis continues to be a major limitation of percutaneous interventions. In this context, the objective of this study is to compare the efficacies of CHA2DS2-VASc, CHA2DS2-VASc-HS, ATRIA, ATRIA-HSV, and HATCH risk scoring systems in predicting long-term (5 years) restenosis due to percutaneous interventions to the superficial femoral artery. Patients and methods: The sample of this retrospective study consisted of 545 peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients with a percutaneous intervention to the SFA. Of these patients, 362 and 183 were included in the group of PAD patients without long-term (5 years) SFA restenosis (Group 1) and in the group of PAD patients with long-term SFA restenosis (Group 2). The efficacies of CHA2DS2-VASc, CHA2DS2-VASc-HS, ATRIA, ATRIA-HSV, and HATCH risk scoring systems in predicting the development of long-term SFA restenosis were comparatively analyzed. Results: CHA2DS2-VASc, CHA2DS2-VASc-HS, ATRIA, ATRIA-HSV, and HATCH risk scores all increased with long-term SFA restenosis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that all five risk scoring systems successfully predicted long-term SFA restenosis, whereas the paired ROC curve analysis revealed that CHA2DS2-VASc-HS scores of >4 had the best prognostic power in predicting long term SFA restenosis. Conclusions: The study findings indicated that the CHA2DS2-VASc-HS score was an independent predictor of the development of SFA restenosis. The CHA2DS2-VASc-HS risk scoring system, which is the modified version of CHA2DS2-VASc, outperformed the CHA2DS2-VASc, HATCH, ATRIA, and ATRIA-HSV, the modified version of ATRIA, risk scoring systems in predicting long-term (5 years) SFA restenosis.
Comparison of ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy in intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism
Authors: Pinsdorf David , Messiha Daniel , Knuschke Ramtin , Petrikhovich Olga , Lortz Julia , Jánosi Rolf Alexander , Rassaf Tienush , Rammos Christos
Published: January 2025

Summary: Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) can result in high mortality. Early risk stratification and treatment are critical for individualized management. In patients with intermediate-high-risk (IHR) PE, guidelines recommend to consider a percutaneous catheter-directed treatment (CDT). While different techniques are available, comparisons between treatments regarding right ventricular (RV) function and outcome are still scarce. This study aimed to compare changes in RV function as well as outcomes in patients with IHR PE after CDT with ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (USAT) as compared to large-bore mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Patients and methods: This is a retrospective, single-center study in IHR PE, diagnosed in accordance with the ESC Guidelines. All patients underwent a CDT either with USAT (EKOS, Boston Scientific) or MT (FlowTriever System, Inari). Right heart function (RV/LV ratio, TAPSE) was assessed via transthoracic echocardiography before and after CDT as well as interventional characteristics and postinterventional hospital stay were compared. Results: From June 2022 to April 2024, 26 patients (35% female; aged 61.2±15.2 years) were diagnosed with IHR PE and underwent CDT. 14 patients (53.8%) were treated with USAT and 12 patients (46.2%) with MT. The mean procedural time was 40.4±19.8 minutes for USAT and 104±32.2 minutes for MT. RV/LV ratio was improved in both groups (change from baseline USAT –0.48±0.25; MT –0.36±0.13). TAPSE increased by 6.95±3.7 mm in USAT and by 9.8±4.6 mm in MT. Major bleeding (defined as BARC ≥ 3a) occurred only in three patients of the USAT group. The 90-day mortality rate was 0% in both groups. Conclusions: In patients with IHR PE both USAT and MT lead to an improved RV function without mortality within 90 days. Further randomized data have to discriminate the differential impact of novel tools for the treatment of IHR PE.