Dimethyl ether (DME) and methyl formate (MF) are promising synthetic renewable fuels for energy systems aiming to enable circular energy conversion and storage. High hydrogen content, combined with a low boiling point, positions them as potential candidates for efficient on-site hydrogen generation and direct PEM fuel-cell applications. However, the lack of an efficient anode catalyst is the main bottleneck to the widespread adoption of these fuels. Herein, we developed an efficient metallic tin-supported bi-metallic and tri-metallic (Sn@PtxPd1-xSn1.8) catalysts (X = 0–1), synthesized by electro-deposition and galvanic replacement reaction, for complete electro-conversion of DME and MF. By precisely tuning the platinum-to-palladium ratio, while keeping the total active metal content fixed, we were able to control the electro-catalytic reactivity and elucidate the specific role of each element in the anodic process. The multi-metal dendritic catalyst demonstrated a substantial negative shift in the onset potential, high –COad tolerance, unprecedented catalytic activity enhancement, and high stability under prolonged potential cycling. The high current activity (620mAmgPGM-1 for MF and 165 mAmgPGM-1 for DME) was attributed to the cooperative effect of individual atoms on the catalyst surface. Herein, platinum provides adsorption and dehydrogenation sites, palladium promotes cleavage of the C–O–C backbone, and tin, along with the palladium atom, facilitates oxidative removal of poisoning.
This study examined how religious and secular social entrepreneurs' (SEs) social and perceived role identities shape their prosocial motivations and resource mobilization strategies. The findings revealed that religious SEs were motivated by strong in-group commitment, viewing their role as a sacred calling and seeing God as an active, transcendent stakeholder. They employed a communal-personal others orientation, characterized by a community-driven logic. Conversely, secular SEs were motivated by universal social justice values and a self-chosen calling. They employed a communal-impersonal others orientation, with a strong emphasis on mission-driven logic. These findings clarify theoretical links between SE identities, prosocial motivations, and behaviors.
Urbanization is accelerating rapidly, particularly across Asia and Africa. Since 2000, sustainable urbanization (SU) has been central to global policy agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. This study employs bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine 1913 Scopus-indexed articles (2000–2024), addressing three research questions: (1) What scholarship trends have emerged in sustainable urbanization and urban informality (SU-UI) research over the last 25 years? (2) Are manifestations of urban informality (UI) in the Global South (GS) primarily associated with limitations in formal planning frameworks or governance deficiencies, and what are the possible ways forward? (3) In the global agenda on sustainability, which primarily aims to address urbanization challenges, how much progress have cities around the world made towards SU? China, the United States, and the United Kingdom are the most productive contributors to SU-UI scholarship, while research on UI from India and on SU from China carries considerable global influence. Formal planning frameworks in many developing countries exhibit limited alignment with local urban dynamics, generating sociospatial challenges, while governance arrangements in the GS require reform to better reflect global sustainability objectives. Cities in the Global North (GN) demonstrate comparatively greater progress towards SU, offering context-dependent lessons for the GS. Future research directions include the investigation of southern-inclined planning and governance approaches, spatial analyses of SU-UI using geographic information systems methodologies, and how emerging post-2030 global development frameworks may reshape research priorities and policy directions in SU-UI.
This study investigates global ionospheric variability using Global Total Electron Content (GTEC), defined as the spatial average of daily averaged Global Ionospheric Maps derived from the International GNSS Service. The analysis spans from 2010 to 2024, covering Solar Cycle 24 and the rising phase of Solar Cycle 25, and incorporates geomagnetic indices (Dst and Kp). Spectral, statistical, and wavelet-based techniques are applied to characterize long-term periodicities, storm-time perturbations, and phase relationships between ionospheric and geomagnetic parameters. Spectral analysis reveals persistent periodicities near 27 days, corresponding to the synodic solar rotation period, together with pronounced semiannual and annual modulations associated with seasonal solar-magnetospheric coupling. Time-resolved analysis shows that the quasi-27-day signal drifts slightly around the nominal solar rotation period depending on solar cycle phase but exhibits only weak correlation with geomagnetic storm occurrence. Three geomagnetic storms (25-27 October 2011; 25-30 May 2017; and 10-11 May 2024) are examined to investigate magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling under different solar conditions. Wavelet coherence analysis indicates that Dst generally leads GTEC variability, whereas Kp and GTEC exhibit partial in-phase coherence during storm main phases. Mean phase angles derived for these events confirm consistent magnetosphere-to-ionosphere causal ordering. During the 10-11 May 2024 superstorm, GTEC increased to about 8.2 TECU before undergoing rapid depletion despite continued geomagnetic disturbance. This transition is attributed to enhanced Joule heating and a reduced thermospheric O/ ratio. Overall, the results show that global TEC variability reflects both recurrent solar periodicities and transient storm-time processes.
Although alexithymia has been widely studied in clinical contexts, its relevance to motivational dynamics such as passion has yet to be fully understood. Building on the Dualistic Model of Passion that distinguishes between harmonious and obsessive passion, the present studies examined how alexithymia, attachment orientations, and mindfulness are associated with different forms of passion. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted on a total of 648 participants. Study 1 (N = 375 adults) tested whether alexithymia would mediate the associations between attachment anxiety/avoidance and passion orientations. Study 2 (N = 263 undergraduates) examined whether mindfulness would mediate the association between alexithymia and passion. Validated self-report scales were used, and mediation analyses were conducted. In Study 1, alexithymia mediated the associations between both attachment anxiety and avoidance and obsessive passion, and between avoidant attachment and harmonious passion. In Study 2, mindfulness mediated the association between alexithymia and obsessive passion, but not harmonious passion. Taken together, the findings from these two separate studies provide complementary evidence for distinct but theoretically related pathways linking attachment, alexithymia, mindfulness, and passion. The results highlight the importance of considering alexithymia as an explanatory variable linking attachment-related vulnerabilities to motivational orientations. They also provide indications that mindfulness may be associated with maladaptive forms of passion. Alexithymia may play a key role in the associations between attachment orientations and obsessive passion, with mindfulness potentially mediating these links. These findings provide insights into the emotional dynamics associated with passion.
