bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-Memory
Authors: Lazou Patricia
Published: February 2025

This article approaches the process of aesthetic creation that involves physical performance practices. It focuses on how memory, performative action, and space interact with each other and how the past can be perceived differently. The research process focuses on building a "sensory" approach that delves into the communication between space, body, memory, and history. It does not prioritise content but rather integrates history and its narration through performative action, emphasising the significance of memory and its continuity. The shift from research to performance can recall the connection between experience and memory. As the bodies reframe their historical perception of the event in the present moment, they gain a sense of unity. As the performance highlights the importance of using art to speak about history in today's society, empowering its members' relationships.
Study protocol for identifying resting brain functional connectivity markers of response to continuous Theta Burst Stimulation and cathodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in patients with schizophrenia with persistent auditory hallucinations
Authors: Sreeraj Vanteemar S. , Goyal Nishant , Shenoy Sonia , Balachander Srinivas , Arumugham Shyam Sundar , Parlikar Rujuta , Bagali Kiran Basawaraj , Chithra Uppinkudru , Sinha Preeti , Purohith Abhiram Narasimhan , Roy Chandramouli , Shivakumar Venkataram , Udupa Kaviraja , Thennarasu Kandavel , Shreekantiah Umesh , Praharaj Samir K. , Muralidharan Kesavan , Thirthalli Jagadisha , Mehta Urvakhsh Meherwan , Venkatasubramanian Ganesan
Published: February 2025

Background Schizophrenia is one of the most burdensome psychiatric disorders. Novel neuromodulatory techniques including cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS) and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are increasingly being used in alleviating the auditory verbal hallucinations that are persisting despite adequate antipsychotic treatment. Brain connectivity modulation by stimulating the left temporoparietal junction is thought to mediate these effects. The differential neurobiological mechanisms and efficacy of these two neuromodulation techniques are not known. We are unaware of any systematic studies that can guide clinicians in choosing between the two techniques. This protocol describes a parallel-arm, double-blind, randomized cross-over study to identify resting brain functional connectivity markers of response to cTBS and c-tDCS persistent auditory hallucinations to improve the efficacy of interventions. Methods Two hundred and ten consenting patients with schizophrenia with persistent auditory hallucinations will be randomly assigned to receive 15 days (30 sessions) of c-tDCS+sham-TBS or sham-tDCS+cTBS over the left temporoparietal region at three study centres. After a gap of 2-4 weeks, non-responders to the intervention will cross-over to the other arm. Clinical assessments, neurocognitive assessments, and multimodal investigations (magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, heart rate variability, investigative transcranial magnetic stimulation-transcranial direct current stimulation, gene polymorphisms) will be conducted at baseline and repeated after the end of both phases of the trial. A differential pre-treatment resting brain functional connectivity signal will identify responders to cTBS or c-tDCS. Registration Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2021/05/033783) registered on 25/05/2021.
Aspartame in the Diet: A Contribution to the Debate on Safety and Health Impact
Authors: Biernikiewicz Milena , Biernikiewicz Julia , Wilewska Anna , Pomirski Bartosz , Pomirska Agata , Borowiec Agnieszka , Alabrudziński Konstanty , Borowiec Kinga , Kwaśniewska Paulina , Hovsepyan Artur
Published: February 2025

Introduction
Global sugar consumption remains at alarmingly high levels, far exceeding World Health Organization recommendations. This raises the question of whether sweeteners, as low-sugar substitutes, can become a key solution to help people switch to healthier alternatives. WHO guidelines suggest limiting free sugars to less than 10% of daily energy intake, with further benefits for reducing it to below 5%. Such changes can improve overall health and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Among many sugar substitutes, aspartame is one of the most widely used synthetic sweeteners.
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to review the health effects of aspartame, focusing on its safety, cancer risk, impact on metabolism, obesity, diabetes, and other long-term effects. This paper aims to present scientific evidence on aspartame’s safety, including studies supporting its use and those raising concerns. It also discusses potential risks, especially for individuals with phenylketonuria, and provides expert recommendations for its consumption.
Conclusion
Aspartame, a widely used sugar substitute, has caused controversy due to concerns about its long-term health effects, such as potential cancer and neurodegenerative risks. However, most health organizations consider aspartame safe when consumed in moderation. Despite some studies linking it to health issues, there is insufficient evidence to confirm these risks in humans. People with phenylketonuria should avoid aspartame, but for most, it is safe within recommended daily intake limits.
Materials and methods: Our review is based on an analysis of material collected in 'Pubmed', 'Google Scholar' and other scientific articles using the keywords: aspartame, aspartame safety, aspartame controversy.
The Impact of Physical Activities on Male Fertility: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kapla Albert , Černohorská Alicja , Bednarczyk Daria , Białeta Julia , Siembab Karolina , Rowińska Katarzyna , Jurkiewicz Michalina , Garbarczyk Wiktor , Pysiewicz Wiktoria , Napieralska Agnieszka
Published: February 2025

Background
Semen quality appears to have declined over the past decades but reasons for this decline are unresolved. It may seem that an increase in the share of a sedentary lifestyle, at least due to the way of working or spending free time, and a decrease in the share of physical exercises during everyday activities may have an impact on this.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of physical activity, special types of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle with sperm parameters in a population of men. Another issue discussed is the negative impact of exercise on fertility, as well as injuries in the perineal region—some of which directly affect organs, surrounding tissues (such as nerves), and regulatory mechanisms like hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Materials and Methods
This study was conducted as a comprehensive literature review based on scientific articles and research papers accessed through two primary databases: PubMed and Google Scholar. Relevant articles were selected using predefined keywords and phrases related to the study's topic. The search was limited to articles published in English between 1991 and 2023 to ensure the relevance and accuracy of the data. Duplicates, non-peer-reviewed sources, and studies lacking methodological transparency were excluded. The collected data were analyzed and synthesized to provide an up-to-date overview of the topic.
Conclusion
The authors argue that the generally positive impact of exercise on male fertility can be demonstrated on many levels. However, moderation in training load is necessary, as excessive training volume can lead to hormonal regulation issues or simply result in injury in the groin area.
Associations between physial activity and thyroid function
Authors: Ślusarska Aleksandra , Błasiak Paulina , Mikołajec Patryk , Bilecka Barbara , Mędyk Jolanta , Wirkijowska Małgorzata , Patarocha Yauheniya , Rogulski Michał , Huk Ruslan
Published: February 2025

Disorders related to thyroid hormone regulation are among Poland’s leading reasons for endocrinological consultations. The diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid dysfunction primarily rely on blood tests, including the measurement of TSH, fT3, and fT4 hormone levels, as well as antibodies specific to autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as anti-TPO, anti-Tg, and anti-TSHR. These tests are also useful in evaluating the impact of various factors on thyroid metabolism. In our study, we analyzed the effect of physical activity on thyroid function, taking into account specific population groups and particular disease entities.
Adaptation of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5
Authors: Valencia Pablo D. , De la Rosa-Gómez Anabel , Barba-Sánchez Alan Ernesto , Hernández-Posadas Alejandrina , Hernandez-Jiménez María Jesús
Published: February 2025

The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a recognized instrument for assessing the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Previous studies suggest that the PCL-5 measures a unidimensional construct while capturing the seven specific dimensions of the so-called "hybrid model." While shorter versions of the PCL-5 have been suggested, none have explicitly tested their unidimensionality or covered all seven aspects of the hybrid model. This study employed exploratory and confirmatory methods to develop a brief 7-item version of the PCL-5 involving1,337 individuals seeking psychological support in Mexico. The sample was randomly distributed, using the first half to create the new short version and the second to test this and other previously proposed versions. This 7-item version and Price et al.'s (2014) 4-item version demonstrated satisfactory fit,  and the one used in the present research,  showing higher reliability (ω = .83) compared to Price et al.'s (ω = .73). Both versions demonstrated consistent performance across sexes. The adaptation of the scale presented here displayed stronger correlations with depression, anxiety, and worry. More closely resembling those of the longer PCL-5, in contrast to Price et al.'s version. The short PCL-5 may prove useful for measuring PTSD symptoms in situations where administering the lengthier PCL-5 is impractical. Future investigations should explore the performance of these short versions across different populations.
Code and Data Repository for Convergence Analysis of Stochastic Kriging-Assisted Simulation with Random Covariates
Authors: Li Cheng , Gao Siyang , Du Jianzhong
Published: February 2025

The goal of this repository is to illustrate the the convergence behaviors of stochastic kriging-assisted simulation with random covariates.
Source Theory: A Tractable and Positive Ambiguity Theory
Authors: Baillon Aurélien , Bleichrodt Han , Li Chen , Wakker Peter P.
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces source theory, a new theory for decision under ambiguity (unknown probabilities). It shows how Savage’s subjective probabilities, with source-dependent nonlinear weighting functions, can model Ellsberg’s ambiguity. It can do so in Savage’s framework of state-contingent assets, permits nonexpected utility for risk, and avoids multistage complications. It is tractable, shows ambiguity attitudes through simple graphs, is empirically realistic, and can be used prescriptively. We provide a new tool to analyze weighting functions: pmatchers. They give Arrow–Pratt-like transformations but operate “within” rather than “outside” functions. We further show that ambiguity perception and inverse S probability weighting, seemingly unrelated concepts, are two sides of the same “insensitivity” coin.

This paper was accepted by Manel Baucells, behavioral economics and decision analysis.

Funding: H. Bleichrodt acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [Project PID2022-142356NB-I00 financed by Grant MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER] and from the Consellería de Innovación Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital de la Generalitat Valenciana [Grant Prometeo/2021/073].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.03307 .
The Role of Grandmotherâ€™s Grandparenting on Family Harmony: a Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Fauziah Nailul , Suryanto Suryanto , Hendriani Wiwin
Published: February 2025

Grandparenting could have a positive and negative effect on family harmony. This study aims to better understand the influence of grandmotherâ€™s grandparenting role towards family harmony. This phenomenological study used data derived from interviewing and observing five participants. The data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenology. The findings of this study found nine themes: the meaning of grandchildren for grandmother, the reason of grandmothers parenting, grandmothers way of parenting, the effect of familyâ€™s social economics, the relationship of grandmothers with family members, grandmothers problem solving to overcome family conflict, grandmothers role in the family, the emotional bonding between grandmother and grandchildren, Grandmothers feelings while grandparenting. The grandmothersâ€™ parenting role could positively and negatively influence family harmony, depending on the meaning of grandchildren for the grandmothers. When the grandmother could accept the grandchildren, it will make the grandmother happy and affect family harmony.
Gender Role Orientation and Marriage Adjustment as Factors Affecting Gender Role Conflict of Pastorsâ€™ Husbands
Authors: Brahmana Karina Meriem Beru
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of gender role orientation and marriage adjustment on the emergence of gender role conflict of pastorsâ€™ husbands. This research uses a non-experimental quantitative research method and is analyzed using SEM-PLS (Structural Equation Model-Partial Least Squares). This study uses three scales, namely The Gender-role Conflict Scale developed by O'Neil., et al (1986) to measure gender role conflict, Sex Role Orientation Inventory (SROI) developed by Tomeh (1978) to measure orientation of gender roles, and The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) from Spanier (1976) used to measure marriage adjustment. The subjects in this research are husbands of GBKP pastors totaling 79 people. Based on the hypothesis testing, it is revealed that marital adjustment influences gender role conflict in pastorsâ€™ husbands, whereas gender role orientation does not affect the pastor husband's gender role conflict. Researchers who are interested in examining gender role conflicts in men are expected to be able to include other variables that have not been studied in this research, such as spirituality, religiosity, coping strategies, cultural influences, etc., in order to enrich and develop the science of psychology, especially social psychology.
Dowry-Related Aggression and Mental Health Concomitants among Educated Women in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Taalia , Ã–sterman Karin , BjÃ¶rkqvist Kaj
Published: February 2025

AbstractÂ The aim of the study was to investigate victimization from dowry-related aggression and mental health concomitants in a sample of educated women in Pakistan. A questionnaire was completed by 569 women. The mean age was 31.4 years (SD 9.1). The questionnaire included two scales for measuring dowry-related aggression and four scales for measuring mental health concomitants. Â The levels of victimization from dowry-related aggression were relatively low in the sample. Aggression carried out by the husband and the mother-in-law correlated highly with each other. The most common single act by both husbands and mothers-in-law was forcing the wife to give her gold to her mother-in-law or sister-in-law. Women who were more than average victimised from dowry-related aggression had significantly higher scores on anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and somatisation. Aggression carried out by the mother-in-law showed higher predictive power on all four mental health concomitants than aggression by the husband. Somatic symptoms of the daughter-in-law showed the highest association with aggression carried out by the mother-in-law. Victimization from dowry-related aggression was strongly associated with negative mental health outcomes. Aggression carried out by the mother-in-law was more strongly associated with them than aggression carried out by the husband.
Multilingualism in Nigeria: A socio-linguistic investigation of Ewan Alufohai’s The Moto-Boy
Authors: Okugbe Monday A. , Ambrose Lynda
Published: February 2025

This study is a socio-linguistic examination of Ewan Alufohai’s The Moto-Boy. The text is a Nigerian novel, pre-occupied with the challenges facing road transportation and those involved in the business. This paper, therefore, attempts to explore the interplay of the linguistic variables of function, use and usage of contextualization and Nigerianization of Nigerian English (NE) in the text, by exemplifying these with some empirical data, drawn from the text. Adopting the sociolinguistic theoretical model, derived from the systemic functional (SF) approach, the selected data in the text are subjected to analytical investigation, to show that Nigeria is a multilingual society. The study reveals that language variations employed in the text, are reflections of the uniqueness and peculiarities of the diverse cultures inherent in Nigeria, with a view to underlying the indispensability of multiple language situation in a multilingual society. The analysis of the features of language variations in the text selected, is aimed at enhancing communication in Nigeria’s diverse cultural setting. Therefore, the findings in the study shows that the use of creative language variations in the text enhances readers’ deep understanding of their meanings in the context of use.
The humour in Indonesia EFL classroom: A qualitative study
Authors: Purwanti Eko , Fitria Ulinnuha  , Gendroyono Gendroyono
Published: February 2025

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lessons can be challenging, particularly for students with limited English proficiency. In Indonesia, creating a relaxed classroom environment is essential for effective language acquisition. Consequently, teachers often incorporate humour as a pedagogical strategy. Despite its potential benefits, the use of humour in EFL classrooms remains underexplored. This study aims to identify the types of humour employed by teachers and examine students' responses to these humorous interventions. Utilizing a qualitative approach with a descriptive research design, this study was conducted in the English Language Education Department of a private university in Yogyakarta. Data were collected through three classroom observations and interviews with six third-year students. The findings reveal six types of humour used in the classroom: 1) teasing, 2) self-disparaging humour, 3) lesson-related humour, 4) sarcasm, 5) hilarious comments, and 6) gestures. Additionally, the study identifies seven student responses to teachers' humour: 1) fostering enjoyable learning activities, 2) stimulating student interest, 3) reducing classroom anxiety, 4) assisting comprehension of materials, 5) motivating class participation, 6) alleviating tension and boredom, and 7) enhancing student engagement. Based on these findings, it is recommended that humour be integrated into EFL classrooms due to its numerous benefits for both students and teachers, as well as its positive impact on the learning environment.
High school students' perceptions of using social media in learning English: A quantitative study
Authors: Ayudia Fauziah  , Djoko Sutrisno
Published: February 2025

The main aim of this research is to investigate how secondary school students understand the usefulness of social media in English language learning. The research design used in this research is quantitative research, and data was collected through closed surveys and given to 31 students from SMKN 1 Bantul, Yogyakarta. The questionnaire contains 18 items representing the cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions of social media use in ELT. Based on these findings, students generally have a positive attitude toward using social media to learn English. By providing interesting and easily accessible content, social media is useful in improving students' English skills. Listening and reading skills can be significantly improved by using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. These results suggest that the diverse sources of stimulation and conducive interactive contextual practices offered by social media support learners' needs while presenting challenges with exposure to non-standard language or distractions that may occur during its use.
Memories of My Nursery
Authors: Faulks Ben
Published: February 2025

Ben Faulks, best known as Mr Bloom from CBeebies, shares some memories about going to nursery as a young child
working with mixed ages: Puppet masters
Authors: Tassoni Penny
Published: February 2025

Puppets come in a variety of forms and have versatile uses across the age ranges, explains Penny Tassoni, with pointers on how to get the best out of them
C is for ‘campaigns’
Authors: Weinstein Nicole
Published: February 2025

The past centenary saw the rise of nursery schools, which are now under threat. By Nicole Weinstein
D is for dressing-up
Authors: Rawstrone Annette
Published: February 2025

The benefits of dressing-up and the joy that children find in it have long been recognised, but some attitudes and approaches have changed. By Annette Rawstrone
buying and selling: Middle ground
Authors: Morton Katy
Published: February 2025

The childcare market in 2024 was ‘active’ with ‘increased appetite’ from medium nursery groups, Katy Morton reports
First report of invasive species Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) associated with Citrus plantation in Turkey
Authors: KAYDAN MEHMET BORA , ERKILIÇ LERZAN
Published: February 2025

Hibiscus mealybug or Spherical mealybug Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead, 1894) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), is an invasive and highly polyphagous insect pest which is historically known to heavily effect citrus production in other citrus producing regions. It has similarly negatively impacted citrus groves in several countries. In this study it is reported that N. viridis is infesting citrus plants in Antalya-Turkey For the first time in Turkey. The species has potential to rapidly spread across citrus growing areas in Turkey. An identification key and new additional locality records for the currently known Pseudococcidae species are provided and discussed.
A new species of Neosophia Guimarães, 1982 (Tachinidae, Dexiinae, Cordyligasterini), with an updated identification key
Authors: SANTIS MARCELO DOMINGOS DE , MENGUAL XIMO
Published: February 2025

Cordyligasterini (Diptera, Tachinidae) are a New World tribe that has eight genera, including Neosophia Guimarães, 1982, which is an exclusive Neotropical genus with, until now, three described species from Brazil and Costa Rica. Herein, a new species of Neosophia, N. bella sp. nov., is described based on specimens of both sexes collected in Ecuador. In addition, a new generic diagnosis and an updated identification key to all known Neosophia species are given.
Lyapunov-like transformations on the tensor product of nuclear pairs of proper cones
Authors: Anbarasan Shanmugapriya , Arumugasamy Chandrashekaran
Published: February 2025

Lyapunov-like transformation/matrix on a cone appears in the theory of dynamical systems and linear complementarity problems. The set of all Lyapunov-like transformations on a proper cone in a finite dimensional inner product space is the Lie algebra of the automorphism group of that cone. The dimension of this Lie algebra is called the Lyapunov rank. A pair of proper cones is said to be a nuclear pair if one of them is simplicial. In this paper, we find the Lyapunov rank and Lyapunov-like transformations on the tensor product of nuclear pairs of cones. Further, we prove that the space of Lyapunov-like transformations on the tensor product of a nuclear pair is the tensor product of the spaces of Lyapunov-like transformations on the individual cones. As a consequence, given a nuclear pair $(K_1,K_2)$, we describe the space of Lyapunov-like transformations on the cone of positive operators between $K_1$ and $K_2$.
Expressions of anger in the Arabic Gulf dialects
Authors: Al-Sayadi Magdalena
Published: February 2025

Anger or irritation is one of many human emotions
on which all interpersonal interactions depend.
Frustration can be expressed in words, but
sometimes also in single sounds, characteristic of
a given cultural area or language. In this work,
I discuss the topic of phrases expressing natural
emotions related to anger in Arabic. I am particularly
interested in the Arabian Gulf area and
countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
Arabic is the official language in over twenty
Arab countries, but I have been always focusing
my attention on the dialects of the Arabian
Peninsula. This area is the cradle of the Arabic
language and the fastest growing economically,
which influences dialectal changes, including:
influence of the English language. Numerous
stays in the Gulf countries allowed me to collect
the necessary examples, which will be analysed
syntactically and lexically.
As for accepting immigrants … – an analysis of valuations and emotions in online comments (selected examples)
Authors: Benenowska Iwona
Published: February 2025

The source of obtaining research material was
the online forum netkobiety.pl. The main objective
of the research was an attempt to determine
the manner and direction of valuing immigrants
in the comments on the above-mentioned forum,
and to describe the synergistic emotional (and
ethical) elements accompanying communicative
interaction. Elements of axiolinguistic methodology
were correlated with the Oldenburg concept
of the “third place”, “e-expressive forms of participation”
(e-women) in the (post)Habermasian
ideal of inclusive (online) discursive practices.
In the examples analyzed, the following types
of valuation were distinguished: lexical-phraseological
(most represented), grammatical,
connotational and textual, as well as expressing
an emotional attitude to reality, naming feelings.
Negative valuation of immigrants prevailed in
the comments (86 %).
The repertoire of attitudes, emotions and feelings
presented was diverse, including not only (felt or
aroused) fear, but also disregard, contempt, aggression;
unethical labeling, stereotyping leading
to discredit and stigmatization.
Twelve important emotions – conceptualizing children’s inner experiences in therapeutic stories
Authors: Rypel Agnieszka
Published: February 2025

The aim of the article is to show how adults influence
or want to influence the development of
children’s representations of emotions, using the
example of developing the ability to recognize,
name and control affects in children aged eight
to twelve. The analysis material is a collection of
therapeutic stories addressed to recipients of this
age. Each text presents a different emotion: pride,
shame, jealousy, joy, fear, helplessness, satisfaction,
sadness, surprise, longing, compassion
and anger. The category of emotional discourse
is used to analyze the ways of conceptualizing
emotions. It enables the explanation of the context
in which emotions arise and the analysis of
the emotional lexicon, which consists of words
or word combinations used for naming emotions,
their symptoms (facial expressions, motor
expressions and physiological reactions of the
body), as well as actions, behaviors and sensations
related to emotions. The article also discusses
elements of conceptualizations created by
adults for children, such as visual and metaphorical
representations of emotions, as well as the
way of presenting basic and mixed emotions.
Multi-grid parallel ptychographic algorithm for frequency-resolved optical gating
Authors: Ding Fucai , Zhu Ping , Jafari Rana , Gong Zezhao , Yi Youjian , Zhang Xuejie , Zhang Dongjun , Ouyang Xiaoping , Xie Xinglong , Zhu Jianqiang , Trebino Rick
Published: February 2025

The ptychographic reconstruction algorithm is a commonly utilized method for pulse phase retrieval due to its super-resolution and robustness, allowing it to retrieve pulses from incomplete traces. However, the algorithm's performance can be hindered by occasional convergence stagnation caused by local minima in the gradient descent strategy. To address this issue, we propose a pulse reconstruction approach for frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG), which employs a multi-grid flexible sampling and parallel extended ptychographic iterative engine (ePIE), ultimately converging to the global FROG trace. The approach can effectively escape from the local minima and demonstrates extremely stable convergence without any prior information. We demonstrate, numerically and experimentally, that this approach can converge well to the correct pulse, especially for complex pulse reconstruction, even in cases of high noise and highly incomplete traces.
Diode-pumped Sm:YLF laser at 605 nm and 648 nm
Authors: Kaneda Yushi , Tanaka Hiroki , Temyanko Valery
Published: February 2025

We report on diode-pumped Sm3+:YLF lasers at 605 nm and 648 nm. Using a 3-W pump laser diode at 401 nm, we obtained 263 mW and 548 mW of total extracted powers at 605 nm and 648 nm, corresponding to slope efficiencies versus absorbed pump power of 11% and 22%, respectively.
High-peak-power nanosecond pulsed red laser at 657 nm based on the Nd:YLF dual-crystal scheme
Authors: Zhao Hui , Dai Shibo , Wang Yisen , Li Keyin , Li Yongyao , Li Zhen , Chen Zhenqiang
Published: February 2025

We demonstrated a high-peak-power nanosecond pulsed Nd:YLF dual-crystal-based red laser by intracavity frequency-doubling with a type-I critical phase-matched BIBO crystal. With the aid of the elaborately designed L-shaped resonator and the linearly polarized pump, excellent mode matching and high pump absorption efficiency have been substantiated. Under the incident pump power of 82.7 W, laser emission at 657 nm was realized with the maximum output power of 6.3 W at a repetition rate of 4 kHz. And the average beam quality factor was detected to be M2 = 1.68. The pulse energy was scaled up to 3.45 mJ at the repetition rate of 1 kHz, corresponding to a pulse duration of 45 ns and a peak power of up to 77 kW. Additionally, the wavelength could be tuned from 656.3 nm to 657.1 nm after inserting an etalon, with the spectral linewidth all less than 0.05 nm.
Single-frequency pump-enhanced monolithic MgO:PPLN optical parametric oscillator and vortex beam generation
Authors: Zhao Gang , Wang Fei , Li Chen , Meng Jun , Liu Gaoyou , Liu Zhaojun
Published: February 2025

We present a pump-enhanced monolithic optical parametric oscillator (OPO) capable of W-level single-frequency mid-infrared (MIR) output and optical vortex beam generation. Utilizing a Gaussian pump and a pump-enhanced cavity design, the monolithic OPO achieved a maximum idler output power of 1.4 W and a tuning range of 3016–3200 nm. The OPO maintained single-frequency operation with a linewidth of 218 kHz at W-level output. Due to thermal effects, the OPO had an RMS power stability of 0.7% over one hour and long-term mode-hop-free performance. When pumped with an optical vortex, orbital angular momentum could be effectively transferred to the idler or signal beam, achieving maximum idler or signal vortex powers of 0.6 W or 1.8 W, respectively. Additionally, idler vortex generation was demonstrated across the entire tuning range.
Impact of resonator shape and embedding on the scattering characteristics of TiO2 nanoarrays
Authors: Kjellberg Mikko Erik , Ravishankar Ajith Padyana , Anand Srinivasan
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the optical properties of TiO2 nanostructure arrays, focusing on how structural parameters and embedding in a low-refractive-index medium influence their behavior. Using multipolar analysis, we examined scattering and reflectance properties, revealing significant changes when embedded in PDMS, including redshifts, peak splitting, and decoupling of Mie resonances and Rayleigh anomalies. These effects led to sharper scattering peaks and increased quality factors. Additionally, we demonstrate that the sidewall angle of the nanoresonators plays a crucial role in tuning the optical response. Reducing the sidewall angle enhances scattering efficiency, introduces new resonance peaks, and modifies the coupling between electric and magnetic dipole resonances, leading to tunable reflectance properties. The findings demonstrate the potential for tuning optical responses, opening new possibilities for designing TiO2 nanostructures tailored for advanced photonic applications such as structural colors, sensing, and light harvesting.
A collaborative climate vulnerability assessment of California marine fishery species
Authors: Frawley Timothy , Provost Mikaela , Bellquist Lyall , Ben-Aderet Noah , Blondin Hannah , Brodie Stephanie , Buil Mercedes Pozo , Jacox Michael , Bograd Steven J. , Hazen Elliott L. , McGonigal Huff , Ramey Kirsten
Published: February 2025

Climate change and the associated shifts in species distributions and ecosystem functioning pose a significant challenge to the sustainability of marine fisheries and the human communities dependent upon them. In the California Current, as recent, rapid, and widespread changes have been observed across regional marine ecosystems, there is an urgent need to develop and implement adaptive and climate-ready fisheries management strategies. Climate Vulnerability Assessments (CVA) have been proposed as a first-line approach towards allocating limited resources and identifying those species and stocks most in need of further research and/or management intervention. Here we perform a CVA for 34 California state-managed fish and invertebrate species, following a methodology previously developed for and applied to federally managed species. We found Pacific herring, warty sea cucumber, and California spiny lobster to be three of the species expected to be the most sensitive to climate impacts with California halibut, Pacific bonito, and Pacific hagfish expected to be the least sensitive. When considering climate sensitivity in combination with environmental exposure in both Near (2030–2060) and Far (2070–2100) Exposure climate futures, red abalone was classified as a species with Very High climate vulnerability in both periods. Dungeness and Pacific herring shifted from High to Very High climate vulnerability and Pismo clam and pink shrimp shifted from Moderate to Very High climate vulnerability as exposure conditions progressed. In providing a relative and holistic comparison of the degree to which state-managed marine fishery species are likely to be impacted as climate change progresses, our results can help inform strategic planning initiatives and identify where gaps in scientific knowledge and management capacity may pose the greatest risk to California’s marine resource dependent economies and coastal communities.
The Neuropathy Tracker—A mobile health application for ambulatory and self-administred assessment of neuropathy
Authors: Bardram Jakob E. , Westermann Mads , Makulec Julia G. , Ballegaard Martin
Published: February 2025

Peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological disease and is a common complication of diabetes or cancer treatment. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving the treatment of e.g., diabetic foot ulcers. However, neuropathy detection and monitoring requires examination of the motor and sensory systems and needs to be carried out in a clinical setting by trained professionals, leading to waiting time and delayed treatment. This paper presents the Neuropathy Tracker which is a Mobile Health (mHealth) tool for ambulatory self-assessment of neuropathy, which can be done by the patient at home. The app was designed in an iterative user-centered design (UCD) process involving neurologists, patients, and healthy subjects, thereby ensuring a high degree of clinical validity and usability. The assessment methodology in the app applies state-of-the-art neuropathy assessment methods and the app embodies a user-friendly and systematic assessment flow that guides the patient through the self-assessment. The Neuropathy Tracker tool was subject to a small feasibility study (N = 17), which showed a statistically significant (Pearson correlation ρ = 0.86, p < 0.05) but moderate (Concordance Correlation Coefficient (ρc) = 0.69) concurrent validity when compared with a standard clinical assessment method. All patients were able to complete the self-assessment without any help. As such, the technical and user experience design of the Neuropathy Tracker presents a stable mHealth tool that may be feasible for ambulatory self-assessment of neuropathy. Further clinical validation studies are, however, warranted before it is used in the clinical treatment of neuropathy.
Factors influencing emergency dental care utilization among resettled Syrian refugee parents in Ontario: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Baba Rhea , AlHusseini Noara , Zangiabadi Safoura , Tamim Hala
Published: February 2025

Regular dental visits are crucial for maintaining optimal oral health, yet adequate access to oral healthcare services remains a significant challenge for refugee populations, including resettled Syrian refugees in Ontario. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with visiting the dentist only for emergency care among resettled Syrian refugee parents in Ontario. A cross-sectional study of 540 Syrian refugee parents, who had resided in Ontario for an average of four years and had at least one child less than 18 years of age, was conducted from March 2021 to March 2022. Information about visiting the dentist only for emergency reasons was gathered through the question, “How often do you usually visit the dentist?” Respondents who indicated that they visit the dentist only for emergency care were categorized as “yes.” Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between each of the sociodemographic-, migration-, and health-related factors with the primary outcome of visiting the dentist only for emergency. 73% of respondents reported visiting the dentist only for emergencies. Factors associated with emergency dental visits included dental insurance, number of children, and self-rated oral health. Individuals without dental insurance, higher number of children, and poorer self-rated oral health were more likely to seek emergency dental care. These findings highlight the barriers to regular dental visits among Syrian refugees in Ontario and underscore the need for more inclusive and accessible dental care services for such vulnerable population to enhance their oral health outcomes.
Association between mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels in patients with heart failure
Authors: Mashitani Yuto , Ogawa Kazuo , Funaki Ryuji , Tanaka Yoshiro , Oh Takuya , Tanaka Toshikazu D. , Nagoshi Tomohisa , Minai Kosuke , Kawai Makoto , Yoshimura Michihiro
Published: February 2025

Hypoxia leads to increased purine metabolism in tissues, resulting in increased serum uric acid levels, and may also cause impaired uric acid excretion in the kidneys and intestinal tract. However, the relationship between hypoxia and serum uric acid levels in patients with heart failure remains largely unexplored. Because mixed venous oxygen saturation is an acute indicator of systemic oxygenation, in this study, we investigated the relationship between mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels. This retrospective analysis included 386 patients with heart failure who underwent cardiac catheterization at our institution. The relationship between mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels was examined by single regression analysis. Stratified regression analysis, structural equation modeling, and partial correlation analysis were used to examine the effects of eight factors known to influence mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels. The single regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels (P<0.001). Significant negative correlations were also observed in many subgroups in the stratified analysis, in the path diagram based on structural equation modeling, and in the partial correlation analysis. These results suggest that there may be a direct relationship between mixed venous oxygen saturation and serum uric acid levels that is not mediated by any known factor.
Nurses’ perception of anticipated nursing care: A qualitative research
Authors: Dehghani Khadijeh , Bagheri Imane , Dadgari Atena , Salmani Naiire
Published: February 2025

Background

Anticipated nursing care is provided significantly earlier than expected by nurses, caregivers, and other healthcare staff for patients. This type of care is influenced by many factors and is followed by various positive and negative consequences. Accordingly, the present study sought to explore nurses’ perceptions of anticipated nursing care.

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted using content analysis on twelve nurses from different internal and surgical wards of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran from November 2022 to September 2023The participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the nurses and analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis method.

Results

Data analysis revealed four main categories and eleven subcategories. The main categories included early and priority care with two subcategories, scope of anticipated care with four subcategories, predictors of anticipated care with three subcategories, and outcomes of anticipated care with two subcategories.

Conclusions

Based on the findings, it is suggested that nursing managers must focus on the antecedents of anticipated care and address strategies to improve the working conditions of nurses, changing routine procedures for providing care and the doctor-nurse interaction, developing and organizing training programs on clinical reasoning, decision-making and time management for nurses.
HypE-GA based study on optimal design of standard floor facade windowing of high-rise office buildings facing energy saving in heating, cooling and lighting
Authors: Zhang Weixiang , Sui Jieli
Published: February 2025

The quantitative design on area and location of building façade’s windows has a significant impact on interior light and heat environment, which is also very instructive for preliminary and remodeling design of buildings. However, previous studies paid more attention to the thermal insulation construction and shading based on design parameters from the perspective of designers, but neglected the fact that the geometric properties of the windows themselves are equally important for building energy efficiency. Secondly, the weak interactivity and algorithmic limitations of traditional simulation platforms prevent rapid access to ideal design strategies. Therefore, this paper takes the standard floor of a high-rise office building as the research object in cold region−Yantai, facing façade windowing design, the three building performance objectives of each office unit−Annual Cooling Energy Consumption (AC), Annual Heating Energy Consumption (AH) and Annual Lighting Energy Consumption (AL)−are simulated and single/multi-objective optimized by relying on Ladybug and Honeybee (LB + HB) platform and Hypervolume Estimation Genetic Algorithm (HypE-GA) to obtain the genome of Pareto−Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), Window Height (WH) and Sill Height (SH)−at the lowest of each performance objective in order to determine the most energy-efficient façade windowing expression. The results show that AH and AC, their sum of quantities remains stable, are main energy consumption sources of office buildings, while the change of AL is more likely to have an impact than the others’ on Annual Totaling Energy Consumption (AT). The analysis points out that different windowing strategies can be adopted for different performance objectives. To reduce AC, priority is given to windowing on the east and north facade, with East Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWRE) at 0.2 ~ 0.3 and North Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWRN) at 0.3 ~ 0.5; to reduce AH, windows on the west and north facade should not be opened, and the remaining facades should be opened in small areas; to reduce AL, WWR> 0.7 is appropriate for each facade, and should be considered to matching a higher SH or WH; From AT, the average WWR in the single-objective and multi-objective optimization results are similar, so it is suggested that the WWR of each facade of office buildings in Yantai area is WWRE = 0.47, North South Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWRS) = 0.46, West Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWRW) = 0.18 and WWRN = 0.54. In addition, this paper proposes a method that can quickly find the Pareto optimal solution by clustering analysis on optimized results through Origin in multi-objective HypE-GA optimization study.
A new method for the reproducible development of aptamers (Neomers)
Authors: Meehan Cathal , Hamilton Erika L. , Mansour Chloé G. , Lecocq Soizic , Drake Cole J. , An Yisi , Rodrigues Emily , Penner Gregory
Published: February 2025

The development of aptamers has been almost exclusively performed based on the SELEX method since their inception. While this method represents a powerful means of harnessing the in vitro evolution of sequences that bind to a given target, there are significant constraints in the design. The most significant constraint has been the reliance on counter selection on off-targets to drive specificity. Counter selection has not been as effective at driving aptamer specificity as the presence of immune tolerance, the capacity of the immune system to remove antibodies that bind to host targets, is for antibody development. This deficiency has constrained the commercial efficacy of aptamers to date. These limitations have been addressed with our design of a novel platform for aptamer identification. This new design is based on what we refer to as a Neomer library with sixteen random nucleotides interspersed with fixed sequences. The fixed sequences are designed to minimize the potential for hybridization, such that secondary structure is driven by the random nucleotides. The use of sixteen random nucleotides reduces the possible library sequences to 4.29 ×  109. This enables the application of the same sequences to either the same target or different targets while maintaining a high level of structural diversity. In effect, this introduces the capacity for reproducibility in aptamer selection and an in-silico approach to replicating immune tolerance. We provide here an overview of the new method and a description of the performance of aptamers selected for interleukin 6 developed using this approach.