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I Told You So! Verbal cue beliefs are associated with truth detection, but not lie detection
No full textThis study aimed to 1) replicate and extend previous findings on the relationship between accurate beliefs about the diagnosticity of verbal deception cues and actual truth/lie discrimination as reported in Bogaard and Meijer (2017), and 2) examine the role of presentation modality. Participants (N = 246) listed their beliefs about deception cues and then judged the credibility of truthful and deceptive autobiographical statements presented in one of three modalities: audio-only, transcript, or audio-visual. As in the original study, participants provided continuous credibility ratings. In addition, we asked participants to make binary truth/lie judgments, allowing us to assess discrimination accuracy. We replicated the original finding, namely a small but significant positive correlation between accurate verbal cue beliefs and the credibility ratings of truthful, but not deceptive, statements. A small association was also observed between accurate cue beliefs and truth discrimination accuracy. Contrary to our expectations, modality did not significantly influence truth/lie discrimination or credibility judgments. These findings suggest that while cue knowledge may support the recognition of truthful statements, it does not aid in the identification of lies, nor does the presentation format substantially impact veracity judgments
Operando IR of Catalytic Reactions Under Microwaves at 5.8 GHz
No full textA new spectroscopic cell was designed for operando IR observation of heterogeneous catalysis under microwave irradiation. Oxidation of CO on Pt-H-BEA zeolite was performed under conventional and microwave heating at the same space velocity to assess the efficiency of microwave heating, which was confirmed by an infrared in-situ temperature scale. A temperature of 230-240°C was obtained after 2min microwave irradiation. Infrared monitoring evidences a moderate sintering of the platinum particles after microwave irradiation, probably due to hotspots on the metal. Infrared observation indicates a strong perturbation of electron density in the Pt particles by microwave during catalysis
The Political Determination of Gaza's Health System Destruction and Reconstruction and the Limitations of International Medical Deployments
Get PDFGaza's health system has been devastated by a confluence of political determinants that long predated the 2023–25 Israeli military assault and were dramatically intensified during it. Using historical, political economy, ethical, and health systems lenses, this article argues that settler colonialism, military occupation, and a protracted blockade created chronic shortages, workforce erosion, and institutional fragility, leaving services acutely vulnerable to targeted destruction of facilities and personnel. We examine the role and limitations of international medical deployments and field hospitals, which provided lifesaving care but operated under stringent access controls, supply interdictions, and security risks. Short rotations, poor continuity of care, and donor restrictions that discourage engagement with local authorities contributed to parallel systems, fragmentation, and dependency. We then identify four intersecting barriers to reconstruction: ongoing blockade and humanitarian access denials; lack of protection and accountability for attacks on health; governance fragmentation and the sidelining of Palestinian leadership; and donor fatigue amid politicised aid. The article proposes a justice‐centred pathway for recovery that prioritises accountability and reparations, an end to the blockade and occupation, inclusive Palestinian‐led governance, alignment of aid with national plans, avoidance of parallel structures through early transition to local ownership, workforce stabilisation, and long‐term partnerships. Without these political preconditions, reconstruction efforts will remain fragile and inequitable
Enhanced norfloxacin oxidation with an Fe(VI)/peroxydisulfate-quinone process: iron species-driven multi-oxidation, quinone-based regulation, and density functional theory analysis
No full textThe individual Fe(VI) as FeO4 2- or peroxydisulfate (PDS) oxidation process faces challenges of limited oxidation efficiency, excessive dosage consumption, and a narrow pH range. Fe is an important component in both Fe(VI) oxidation and PDS activation. We propose linking Fe in the combined Fe(VI)/PDS process to address the challenges of their individual processes. The contribution of Fe species to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the Fe(VI)/PDS process and the regulatory effects of quinones on Fe species in the Fe(VI)/PDS-benzoquinone (BQ) process were investigated. The reactive oxidation species generated by the Fe(VI)/PDS process included high-valency iron species such as Fe(VI), Fe(V), and Fe(IV); hydroxy radicals (∙OH), singlet oxygen (1O2), and SO4˙ˉ contributed differently at varying pH levels. PDS accelerated the conversion of Fe(VI) to Fe(V) and Fe(IV), which are more reactive, and facilitated their regeneration from Fe(III) and Fe(II). The Fe(II) concentration in the Fe(VI)/PDS process increased by 35.0 % after BQ addition, which enhanced PDS activation and shifted the dominant oxidizer from high-valency iron to ROS. In the Fe(VI)/PDS-BQ process, norfloxacin underwent oxidative degradation via piperazinyl ring degradation, defluorination, and quinolone group degradation, as evidenced by degradation byproducts and further supported by density functional theory calculations. The Fe(VI)/PDS-BQ process significantly reduced the toxicity of norfloxacin. A novel Fe(VI)/PDS-BQ process was developed with the potential to eliminate antibiotics from water and to identify the Fe-involved oxidation mechanism regulated by BQ addition and pH
Does Audit Quality Curb Real Earnings Management? New Insights From Quantile Regression in FTSE 350 Firms
No full textIn this article, we tend to investigate the effect of audit quality (AQ) on real earnings management (REM) among the nonfinancial listed UK firms. This article employs a sample of 145 UK firms listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) covering the period from 2010 to 2019. Utilising the quantile regression technique, we investigate how AQ (proxied by audit committee independence, financial expertise and the auditor fees ratio) affects REM, operationalised via abnormal operating cash flows, production costs and discretionary expenses. We employed the principal component analysis (PCA) to measure AQ and aggregate REM. The study finds a nonlinear relationship between AQ and REM, indicating that AQ restrains managers from engaging in various forms of REM. However, the results show that AQ is ineffective in mitigating aggregate REM. For robustness, we employed the modified Jones model as an alternative form of earnings management to measure discretionary accruals (AEM), yielding similar results. Our findings also confirm that UK managers switch from REM to AEM and vice versa. This study benefits UK firms, as it suggests strengthening their audit committees to curb REM effectively. For policymakers, the results indicate that strengthening AQ standards is crucial to enhancing the integrity of financial reporting. Unlike prior studies, we used the quantile regression approach instead of conventional regression techniques to clarify the mixed findings
Network meta-analyses in IBD: pitfalls and promise for clinicians
No full textNetwork meta-analysis (NMA) has seen an exponential rise in use over the past two decades, with publications in gastroenterology increasingly using this approach to inform guidelines, such as for colorectal cancer surveillance and inflammatory bowel disease management. However, alongside this growth comes a parallel risk: that methodological complexity and statistical misinterpretation may lead to misuse of the findings. As this paper outlines, NMAs can unintentionally mislead when clinical certainty is obscured by statistical hierarchy. To address these limitations, we present the promise of NMAs and a novel way of presenting NMA results, the GORDON Plot (Grade Of Results Diagram Of Network meta-analysis)
Oral microbiomes as forensic markers of origin and migration: Insights from an underrepresented population, Nigeria
No full textThe oral microbiome is shaped by environmental and host-associated factors, suggesting its utility for human profiling in forensics, particularly as an indicator of geographic origin and human migration. Using high-throughput sequencing and machine learning models, the predictive ability of the oral microbiome was assessed to determine the country of origin of the donors, using samples of individuals across 6 countries. The impact of migration on the predictive ability of the oral microbiome was also assessed through a longitudinal study of Nigerian migrants over a six-month period following migration. By analysing the oral microbiome at various time points during this timeframe, this study explores the influence of migration on the oral microbiome to provide insights into its applicability in forensic investigations. Our findings demonstrate that distinct microbial profiles correlate with the six geographic regions assessed in this study. Furthermore, the longitudinal sampling of Nigerian migrants revealed initial shifts in their microbiome profile, followed by a recovery to the original microbiome profile of Nigerian locals, observed after six months. These results highlight the forensic potential of the oral microbiome for geographic origin attribution, in migration tracking, and for providing intelligence information useful for forensic purposes
Surrogate-assisted cyclic performance optimisation of direct air capture using amine-functionalised metal–organic frameworks
No full textDirect Air Capture (DAC) using solid sorbents has emerged as a promising technology for achieving net-negative CO₂ emissions and meeting global climate targets. Among the available sorbent materials, amine-functionalised metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained significant attention due to their tuneable structures and strong affinity for CO₂ under ambient conditions. In particular, mmen-Mg2(dobpdc) has demonstrated exceptional CO₂ uptake capacity, making it a strong candidate for DAC applications. However, its process-level performance optimisation under realistic operating conditions remains insufficiently explored. This study introduces the first comprehensive multi-objective optimisation of a temperature–vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA) process employing the amine-functionalised metal–organic framework mmen-Mg₂(dobpdc) as the sorbent for direct air capture (DAC) of CO₂. The optimisation simultaneously targets minimisation of energy consumption and maximisation of CO₂ recovery and productivity, while ensuring high product purity, thereby providing new insights into the process–material interactions governing DAC performance. To achieve this, a validated dynamic temperature vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA) model was developed in Aspen Adsorption, integrated with a surrogate artificial neural network (ANN) and optimised using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II). This approach facilitates efficient multi-objective optimisation of key process variables, significantly reducing computational time from approximately 350 days to two hours. The resulting Pareto fronts reveal clear trade-offs between specific energy consumption (SEC), recovery, and productivity at purities above 95 %. The optimised design achieved a 37 % increase in recovery, a threefold improvement in productivity, and a 14.9 % reduction in SEC, at the cost of a modest 3 % decrease in CO₂ purity (from 98 % to 95 %) compared to the base case. Moreover, the study highlights the strong influence of ambient temperature on process performance, showing that mmen-Mg2(dobpdc) exhibits enhanced CO₂ uptake below 8 °C, demonstrating its suitability for DAC operation in cool climates
mmWave-Based Crowd Sensing for Metaverse Applications
No full textThe growing adoption of the Metaverse raises critical challenges in real-time crowd sensing, where traditional vision-based systems struggle to balance high-resolution monitoring with user privacy. Cameras and other optical sensors, while effective in tracking movement and interactions, inherently capture personally identifiable information, creating ethical and legal concerns. This paper explores the use of millimetre-wave (mmWave) radar technology as a privacy-preserving, high-resolution solution for real-time crowd sensing in Metaverse applications. Recognising the limitations of traditional monitoring methods, such as visual surveillance and mobile-based tracking, this study presents a simulation-based framework for evaluating mmWave-enabled visitor tracking within a museum-style environment. A MATLAB-based simulator models realistic human mobility and sensor data, incorporating error models obtained from an experimental precision analysis of mmWave sensors. A combination of DBSCAN and K-Means clustering is then applied to estimate crowd formations, density, and mobility flows. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of mmWave in identifying dynamic crowd behavior while preserving user anonymity, highlighting its potential for immersive digital twins, XR experiences, and intelligent environment management in Cyber-Physical-Social Systems that underpin the Metaverse
On the use of Virtual Agents in EduVerse: A Survey of Embodied Virtual Agent Types and Future Research Directions in Edu Verse Applications
No full textIn today's world, the concept of agents has been widely adopted across multiple domains and disciplines. One of the fields in which this term became significantly popular is the field of computing and computer science. One emerging sub-field of computing is Virtual Worlds, and with the advancements of technology, the concept of Metaverse. When the concept of Metaverse is used in the domain of education, it is typically referred to as the EduVerse. As technology advances and Metaverse applications are becoming popular with the general public, the role of embodied virtual agents is becoming increasingly relevant. While various types of virtual agents have been developed and studied across different domains in the scientific literature, there remains a lack of synthesized understanding regarding their use in educational virtual environments and, to an extent, in EduVerse applications. Building on this notion, this paper attempts to address these gaps and provides a narrative review of agents in the domain of computer science and AI, a survey of the most frequently used types of embodied virtual agents in the context of education, synthesizes their potential when they are used in different applications, and finally this paper discusses potential future research directions on using embodied virtual agents in EduVerse applications