Search Results (329)

Single-atom catalysts supported by two-dimensional materials have been widely used in the electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Defects are inevitably generated during the preparation of two-dimensional materials. In this study, six Fe–N₄-doped graphene catalysts (CAT1–CAT6) containing single carbon vacancy defects were designed and calculated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The stability, catalytic activity and product selectivity of these catalysts for CO₂RR to C₁ products CO, HCOOH, CH₃OH and CH₄ were discussed and compared with the defect-free Fe−N₄-doped graphene catalyst (CAT0). The results show that CAT1–CAT6 all exhibit excellent thermodynamic and electrochemical stabilities. The possible reaction pathways for CO₂ reduction to different C₁ products were systematically investigated. The CAT2, CAT3 and CAT6 exhibit high selectivity for HCOOH, whereas the products of CAT1, CAT4 and CAT5 are HCOOH, CH₃OH and CH₄, the same as those of CAT0. Moreover, these six catalysts more effectively suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) compared to CAT0, indicating that the defect improves the catalytic selectivity of CO₂RR. Among all of the catalysts, CAT2 demonstrates the most prominent catalytic activity and selectivity toward the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). The large distortion of Fe−N₄ in *HCOO with CAT2 contributes to the lower limiting potential U_L. We hope that the finding that the large distortion of Fe−N₄ could lower the limiting potential will provide theoretical insights for the design of more efficient CO₂RR electrocatalysts. Full article

Grounded in the person–environment fit theory and an identity-based perspective, this study investigated the relationship between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding, focusing on the mediating role of future work self-salience and the moderating role of the growth mindset. We suggest that perceived overqualification as a person–job misfit would negatively impact employees’ salient hoped-for work identities, representing a low level of future work self-salience. The diminished salience of a future work self leads employees to hide their knowledge. Furthermore, the growth mindset exacerbates the negative impact of perceived overqualification. We conducted a three-wave survey with 482 employees from knowledge-intensive industries. The results revealed that perceived overqualification boosted knowledge hiding by decreasing employees’ future work self-salience. The growth mindset enhanced the negative relationship between perceived overqualification and future work self-salience. Thus, the indirect effect of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding via future work self-salience was more significant for those with a stronger growth mindset. Our findings contribute to the literature on person–job fit and knowledge behavior while providing practical insights for managing and guiding talented employees in knowledge management. Full article

These notes are an informal overview of techniques related to deformation theory in the context of physics. Beginning from motivation for the concept of a sheaf, they build up through derived functors, resolutions, and the functor of points to the notion of a moduli problem, emphasizing physical motivation and the principles of locality and general covariance at each step. They are primarily aimed at those who have some prior exposure to quantum field theory and are interested in acquiring some intuition or orientation regarding modern mathematical methods. A couple of small things are new, including a discussion of the twist of $\mathcal{N}=1$ conformal supergravity in generic backgrounds at the level of the component fields and a computation relating the two-dimensional local cocycle for the Weyl anomaly to the one for the Virasoro anomaly. I hope they will serve as a useful appetizer for the more careful and complete treatments of this material that are already available. Full article

Spinfoam theories propose a well-defined path-integral formulation for quantum gravity, and it is hoped that they will provide the dynamics of loop quantum gravity. However, it is computationally hard to calculate spinfoam amplitudes. The well-studied Euclidean Barrett–Crane model provides an excellent setting for testing analytical and numerical tools to probe spinfoam models. We explore a data-driven approach to accelerating spinfoam computations by showing that the vertex amplitude is an object that can be learned from data using deep learning. We divide the learning process into a classification and a regression task: Two networks are independently engineered to decide whether the amplitude is zero or not and to predict the precise numerical value, respectively. The trained networks are tested with several accuracy measures. The classifier in particular demonstrates robust generalisation far outside the training domain, while the regressor demonstrates high predictive accuracy in the domain it is trained on. We discuss limitations, possible improvements, and implications for future work. Full article

This study investigates the theological function of the contemporary worship song “The Blessing” by addressing the following guiding research question: in what ways does “The Blessing” function as a form of prophetic declaration and communal prayer in contemporary congregational worship? Drawing on frameworks from Pentecostal theology, lyrical theology, and performative speech-act theory, this study analyzes how the song’s language, structure, and performance embody Spirit-enabled proclamation and intercession. Engaging Rice’s Evagrian–LAPT grammar, Glenn Packiam’s theology of worship as encounter, and Steven Félix-Jäger’s model of New Testament prophecy, the textual analysis focuses on the song’s present-tense verbs of divine action and its lyrical constructions. Scripturally grounded in Numbers 6:24–26, “The Blessing” operates as a sung benediction that invokes God’s blessing, sanctification, divine favor and protection, covenantal presence, and peace. The repetitive use of “Amen” functions as a communal seal of affirmation, turning passive reception into active, prophetic participation when sung. This study contends that the song exemplifies how contemporary congregational song serves as primary theology—Spirit-inspired, embodied, and sounded—where proclamation and prayer are nurtured in lived worship. Ultimately, “The Blessing” functions as a pneumatological and ecclesial act of sung prophecy and intercession—an instance of primary theologizing that nurtures the worshiping community and mediates a Spirit-empowered encounter with divine hope. Full article

The presence of hope significantly influences how youth interpret possibilities and commit to future-oriented action. This qualitative study investigates how fifteen Black emerging adults, ages eighteen to twenty-five, living in a major United States urban city on the East Coast, describe their aspirations, goal-setting strategies, and responses to personal and structural challenges. Participants were categorized as connected or disconnected based on their engagement in school, work, or training programs. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis of interviews, the research identified key differences in agency, emotional orientation, and access to guidance between the two groups. Connected participants often described clear, structured goals supported by networks of mentorship and opportunity. Disconnected participants expressed meaningful hope, yet described fewer supports and greater uncertainty in achieving their goals. These findings highlight how consistent exposure to guidance and structured environments strengthens future orientation and internal motivation. These results deepen our understanding of how young people experience hope across diverse contexts and show that mentorship, intentional goal setting, and greater access to opportunity play a vital role in sustaining hopeful thinking during the transition to adulthood. Full article

In this paper, we derive novel results concerning third-order differential subordinations for meromorphic functions, utilizing a newly defined linear operator that involves the inverse of the Legendre chi function in conjunction with the Mittag-Leffler identity. To establish these results, we introduce several families of admissible functions tailored to this operator and formulate sufficient conditions under which the subordinations hold. Our study presents three fundamental theorems that extend and generalize known results in the literature. Each theorem is accompanied by rigorous proofs and further supported by corollaries and illustrative examples that validate the applicability and sharpness of the derived results. In particular, we highlight special cases and discuss their implications through both analytical evaluations and graphical interpretations, demonstrating the strength and flexibility of our framework. This work contributes meaningfully to the field of geometric function theory by offering new insights into the behavior of third-order differential operators acting on p-valent meromorphic functions. Furthermore, the involvement of the Mittag-Leffler function positions the results within the broader context of fractional calculus, suggesting potential for applications in the mathematical modeling of complex and nonlinear phenomena. We hope this study stimulates further research in related domains. Full article

As an important green infrastructure, urban greenways can provide a range of socio-ecological benefits and play an important role in improving the urban ecological environment and enhancing the quality of living. Currently, the relationship between service quality and the actual benefits of greenways has not been sufficiently explored in urban greenway research. This study introduces the concept of “efficiency”, determines service efficiency and service effectiveness as the evaluation dimensions, selects 4 first-level indicators and 12 second-level indicators to evaluate the service efficiency of greenways, and constructs an evaluation model using a combination of subjective and objective assignments. This study uses the overall service effectiveness index and the efficiency–effectiveness balance index to measure the overall performance of the greenway space in the hope of revealing the key factors and reasons that affect the service effectiveness of the greenway and providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the planning and management of the greenway. Using ArcGIS network analysis technology, image semantic segmentation technology, a questionnaire survey, network text analysis, and other methods to quantify the indicators, this paper conducts an empirical study on four municipal greenways in Nanjing. This research shows that the factors affecting the service effectiveness of greenways mainly include the landscape environment, greenway functions, transportation conditions, and supporting facility factors. The contradiction between the single-function positioning and the variety of user needs is the main reason for the imbalance between the efficiency and effectiveness of urban greenways. This study provides a new path to quantify greenway service effectiveness and enriches the greenway evaluation theory. Full article

This study develops and provides psychometric validity of a new multidimensional measure of connection to nature (CTN)—the DEEP Connection to Nature Scale. Addressing limitations of existing scales, the new scale attempts to emphasize self-integration with nature while capturing the three commonly accepted aspects of connection to nature—Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral. Using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses across a sample of 1152 and 657 adults, respectively, a four-factor structure was validated: Depth of identity, Emotional connection, Experiential connection, and Presence within nature. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity with existing CTN measures, and predictive validity for pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Notably, the DEEP CTN Scale explained more variance in PEB (30%) compared to two widely used unidimensional measures. Specifically, people who are high Emotional connection and high Presence within nature report more PEB. These relationships remain robust when controlling for relevant covariates. As a point of comparison, predictive validity was conducted with a composite score of psychological well-being. People who are high in Presence within nature and low in Emotional connection report higher well-being. In sum, the DEEP CTN scale is a psychometrically sound, theory-driven measure that addresses key limitations of previous scales. As such, we hope it offers researchers and practitioners a tool to better understand and cultivate meaningful connections with nature. Full article

By focussing on the emotional and affective dimensions of borders, this article suggests integrating the negative emotions that the European Union (EU) states’ border politics aim to instil—including fear, anxiety and trauma—with the positive emotions that the dream of a life in Europe encourages. Drawing upon the psychological and philosophical approaches to hope, this article highlights the centrality of hope in shaping agency, stimulating alternative visions, and overcoming difficulties. What is the impact of hope and daydreams in shaping migrants’ decision to engage with risky journeys? To what extent might the dream of Europe counterbalance the EU’s securitarian technologies? This article introduces and explores the processes of b/ordering and the role that emotions, as spatially grounded, play in it. This article will ultimately contend that, once confronted with the uncertainties of long and risky journeys and the prospect of a bright and dreamed future, the latter often prevails. Under this scenario, states’ deterrent systems might not be as effective as hoped, as the dream of Europe overrides the fear and anxiety that EU states’ border security aims to generate. Full article

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been widely utilized over the past three decades due to their broad applications, yet synthetic methods for their preparation remain limited. A promising approach for NHC generation involves the thermolysis of NHC adducts. Herein, we report the synthesis of NHC pentafluorobenzene adducts featuring an o-carboranyl group in the backbone (2), which, unlike previously studied systems, resists thermal decomposition. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate the discrepancy, revealing that the decomposition reaction is kinetically controlled. For widely studied NHC systems like IMes and SIMes, the activation barriers were calculated to be 246.3 kJ/mol and 267.3 kJ/mol, respectively, aligning with reactions requiring heating. In contrast, the o-carborane system exhibited a significantly higher barrier of 320.5 kJ/mol, primarily due to the structural influence of the o-carborane backbone. Further analysis indicates that delocalization of π-electrons from the backbone into the NHC’s p-orbitals lowers the activation barrier, whereas delocalization into an exo-NHC ring increases it. These findings provide new insights into the thermal generation of NHCs and we hope it can offer guidance for future NHC design and synthesis. Full article

Our time is one of permacrisis, affecting the economy, the environment, and everything in between. In this context, UK higher education faces an existential crisis, where the university sector has been transformed into a marketplace, turning students into consumers and limiting the critical potential of education. In moving beyond these limits, this article explores Democracy in Action (DinA), a final-year undergraduate module offered in a UK university that creates spaces for critical and transformative education through democratic theory and practice. Grounded in traditions of transformative learning, community-based pedagogies, academic activism, and prefiguration, DinA positions students as democratic agents working in solidarity with staff and the wider community. Drawing on in-depth interviews with students, we analyse the interplay between theory and practice to understand how learning can be understood as a form of democratic participation. The article makes an original contribution to the fields of democratic education and critical university studies by offering a novel framework for integrating academic activism, community-based learning, and prefiguration in higher education. We show how students’ experiences of building community, campaign planning, and prefiguring change generate not only deep transformative learning but also new forms of civic agency and collective action. We argue that, through community organising, students embark on a process of learning that involves three key transformative moments: effecting a perspectival shift from the individual to the common, foregrounding the activist dimensions of democratic politics, and envisioning the world we want through prefiguration. This pedagogical model demonstrates that higher education can become a space of lived democratic possibility, where hope, critique, and collective transformation are not only imagined but enacted. Full article

The European Commission promotes the inclusion of green infrastructure (GI) in spatial planning across member states. For strategic GI planning to be effective and ensure long-term sustainability and functionality, it must involve collaboration among relevant actors at all governance levels. However, less attention has been given to the required tools and decision-making processes necessary to foster such collaboration (particularly at regional scale) that determine the success of GI implementation. This study addresses this gap by analyzing two strategic planning projects carried out at the regional level within the Vallei en Veluwe and the Arnhem–Nijmegen regions (The Netherlands) and in Galicia (Spain). The aim was to explore the role of stakeholders in the strategic GI planning process and identify factors that promote their effective collaboration by using an analytical framework based on qualitative interviews and grounded theory (GT). The findings provide insights into how stakeholders influence decision-making and outcomes, highlighting the factors that foster their active participation, commitment, and collaboration. Trust-building initiatives, continuous communication throughout the process, network creation, hopeful narratives, as well as inclusive, flexible, and adaptable frameworks were identified as key elements for implementing sustainable GI strategies. Full article

This paper examines the intersection between entrepreneurship government policy and managerial theory. The context chosen for this study is India. India has experienced a significant global geopolitical shift that is coinciding with India’s domestic policy reforms and notable domestic initiatives. Since 2014, India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has seen a significant increase in the number of startups and unicorns. This paper presents arguments that the confluence of global realignments, such as the diversification of supply chains away from China and increasing interest in the Indo-Pacific region, along with domestic initiatives like “Make in India”, “Startup India”, and digitalization drives, along with massive investments in infrastructure improvements, have made India a desirable destination for entrepreneurial activity. By examining these factors through the lens of three theories—resource-based view, global value chain, and innovation ecosystem theory—this paper identifies key opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs across various sectors. It is hoped that this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of India’s evolving entrepreneurial landscape. In addition, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors can benefit from this article to understand the opportunities and challenges India poses in order to contribute to India’s continued economic growth and its emergence as a global entrepreneurial powerhouse. Finally, this paper helps to bridge the gap between economic policy and management theory. Full article

In this duoethnography, we examine our own experiences of multiracial fatherhood to disrupt metanarratives about race, multiraciality, and privilege. By synthesizing critical multiracial theory and critical race parenting, we advance three propositions of critical multiracial parenting to attend to the permanence of (mono)racism, the shifting salience of multiraciality across time and space, and the possibilities of expansive pedagogical approaches to challenge racial rigidity. We weave together and disrupt each other’s narratives by presenting two scenes of multiracial fatherhood, complicating our understanding and assumptions of White privilege, multiracial identity, and generational proximity to an interracial union. Our hope is that our duoethnography is not a beginning nor an end; rather, we call on readers to continually add their voices to disrupt and complicate how whiteness works in family systems and multiraciality discourses. Full article