Neurotransmitter analysis using liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection in the 21st century: Critical review from an analytical chemistry perspective.

Demystifying the rental vacancy rate measure: a critical review and policy implications

Purpose Street view analytics (SVA) is an emerging field focusing on the systematic analysis of street-level imagery to understand urban environments, which has rapidly advanced with the advent of vision language models (VLMs). Despite the significant advancements, a critical review of the applications of VLMs for SVA is lacking. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive literature review on VLM-enabled SVA. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-guided systematic literature review. After keyword retrieval, literature collection, thematic screening and a five-domain quality assessment (data representativeness, ground truth validity, model design and/or analytic rigor, validation and/or generalization and reporting and/or reproducibility), 69 VLM-enabled SVA studies (2020–2025) were selected. Five reviewers independently extracted and synthesized evidence, and inter-rater reliability was quantified to verify consistency. Findings The systematic analysis underscores the transformative potential of VLMs in SVA, emphasizing their multimodal data handling and open-domain knowledge integration. However, key challenges, while rooted in broader SVA limitations, manifest distinctly in VLM contexts: temporal dynamics, contextual reliance, annotation inconsistencies, computational demands and process transparency. Handling remains task-dependent, with future research focusing on city- and year-held-out temporal evaluation, robustness to street-level variability, retrieval-augmented generation for consistency, hybrid edge-cloud models and chain-of-thought prompting. Originality/value This study contributes to the field by synthesizing the latest development of VLMs for SVA, identifying avenues for future research and ultimately proposing an integrated workflow for enhancing VLMs' applications in SVA tasks.

The South African polity, since democracy, has witnessed significant shifts in state policy calling for the increasing professionalisation of the civil service in general through the National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Professionalisation Framework (NPF) for the public service. The rationale behind these has been to build a capable and efficient state. This article presents a critical review of literature pertaining to professionalisation of the civil service as it relates to the human settlements sector in South Africa, with a particular focus on the major causes of inefficiencies in service delivery. The article argues that beyond the calls for overall professionalisation, the human settlements professional project has a more specific history which has been a systemic response to sector deficiencies and constraints. Therefore, this study will necessarily consider existing policy frameworks, as well as selected empirical evidence on the professionalisation of human settlements in South Africa. The article examines international trends and local directions in professionalisation, as well as considering key leverage points for the domestication of an implementation framework to guide professionalisation in the arena of human settlements for enhanced service delivery, improved quality of household life, and economic progress. The main findings emphasise strong alignment between sector deficiencies and professionalisation objectives. The article argues for a more rapid advancement of professionalisation processes to address the significant systemic weaknesses across the human settlements sector, and suggests that these have created systemic barriers to effective service delivery of human settlements. The study takes care not to advance professionalisation as a panacea and highlights potential negative impacts of professionalisation efforts. The study highlights significant developments at the policy, institutional, and interorganisational level to nurture progress towards sector professionalisation. New organisations operating in dynamic networks and partnerships are emerging to collaborate to support sector-wide professionalisation efforts.

In light of recent advances in sports medicine and neurorehabilitation, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS)-including techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES)-show potential for enhancing sports performance and supporting rehabilitation. For this narrative critical review, we synthesized evidence from studies in which trained athletes and healthy individuals performed sports-related tasks. These studies were identified through a structured search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that NIBS can modulate neural activity to improve motor learning, skill acquisition, muscle strength, endurance, attention, decision-making, emotional regulation, and brain network plasticity, with a notable potential to accelerate the mastery of sport-specific skills essential for competitive success. Nevertheless, heterogeneity in study designs and stimulation protocols, alongside unresolved ethical concerns regarding athlete autonomy and fairness, continue to limit widespread adoption. While NIBS holds considerable promise for both athletic performance optimization and rehabilitation, further research is needed to clarify its mechanisms of action, standardize protocols, and establish robust ethical guidelines to safeguard athlete safety and integrity and fair competition.

Testing for germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutations in patients with HER2-negative early breast cancer soon after diagnosis and before surgery (early testing) can influence surgical decisions, targeted adjuvant treatment access, and preventative care for relatives. The objective of this study was to identify evidence gaps in economic analyses of gBRCA testing in breast cancer. We conducted a targeted literature review using MEDLINE to identify cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of gBRCA testing in patients with breast or ovarian cancer published January 2014-April 2024. Ovarian cancer models were included given that gBRCA status also impacts treatment and family member decisions. To evaluate the comprehensiveness of these studies, we mapped components against value elements relevant to genetic testing, synthesized from published frameworks and literature. A total of 26 CEAs of gBRCA testing were identified. Most studies (n = 17) assumed gBRCA testing increased risk-reducing surgeries (RRS), eight assumed gBRCA testing would guide poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) use, and only one considered both. None assessed the value of early vs. late testing. We identified 21 value elements relevant to genetic testing; 15 CEAs included cascade testing, five included work productivity, and two included patient costs. When comparing gBRCA testing to no testing (n = 19), most studies concluded testing was cost-effective (n = 14). No CEAs have assessed the value of early gBRCA testing or comprehensively modeled downstream impacts to RRS and PARPi use with consideration for broader value elements. Further studies are needed to assess the full value of early gBRCA testing strategies.

Behavioural finance through faith presents a visionary approach to shaping the future economic landscape of India by leveraging its rich cultural heritage and demographic dividend. This paper delves into the core principles and strategies of religious economy, aiming to elucidate its potential as a transformative framework for sustainable development and prosperity. This paper examines the role of traditional Indian temples as centres of community, education, and economic activity, proposing ways to harness their potential for socio-economic empowerment. The findings of this paper contribute to the research area exploring the sustainability, economic and social benefits accrued from the spiritual economy for the future development of billion dollars Viksit Bharat.

Background: Stigma experiences challenge Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) adolescents. Such an impact causes complications in their self-management behaviour and identity formation. Aim: To critically synthesise, analyse, interpret and reflect on research regarding the experiences of T1DM adolescents and stigma through identifying the types of stigma experienced and the impact they have on T1DM adolescents. Method: Three scholarly databases were used to identify scientific data, which was subjected to a screening process using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method of extraction and analysis. One hundred and nine articles were scanned, yet 14 eligible articles were included in the review. Using thematic analysis, the experiences of T1DM adolescents and stigma were consolidated, improving our understanding of the interactive nature of stigma. Results: T1DM adolescents experience social, enacted, internal and self-stigma. These experiences result in suboptimal T1DM self-management and the non-disclosure of a T1DM diagnosis. Negative effects associated with stigma experiences are linked to challenges in T1DM identity integration and decreased wellness. A diagram was developed to explain the continuous interactive nature of stigma. Conclusion: Stigma experiences may have a negative impact on adolescents in the absence of support structures and appraisal strategies. Contribution: Within a primary care setting, practitioners are empowered to comprehend the stigmas experienced by T1DM adolescents. Through this knowledge, adolescents may be educated to cope with such experiences without compromising their T1DM self-management or their psychosocial development. Academically, the model can assist future researchers in understanding the relationships that exist between stigmas while informing opportunities for interventions in curbing the effects of stigma.

Biochar, a carbon-enriched material derived from pyrolyzed biomass, has evolved from an ancient farming practice into a mature carbon sequestration technology, emerging as a pivotal strategy for achieving carbon neutrality. Nevertheless, heterogeneous production methodologies, multifactorial interactions, and diverse application scenarios pose significant challenges in establishing reliable assessment frameworks for practical implementation. From the perspective of biochar lifecycle and supplemented by data analysis, this critical review focuses on the key influencing factors of biochar applied in three main carbon-negative areas (including soil, construction, and carbon absorption), along with their influence mechanisms, challenges, and further prospects. In addition, the study evaluates machine learning applications in biochar research, highlighting their predictive optimization capabilities for tuning operational parameters and guiding precise application. These computational advances establish a paradigm shift toward precision-controlled biochar deployment in heterogeneous environmental systems.

Fear extinction is foundational to exposure therapy; therefore, the study of strategies to optimize fear extinction is relevant for clinical practice. This article provides a critical review of translational research on pharmacological enhancement of fear extinction, concentrating mostly on d-cycloserine, the agent with the most extensive evidence base across levels of analyses. Despite early promise, results across preclinical, human laboratory, and clinical trials have been mixed. We identify factors that may account for these inconsistent findings, including differences in study design, selection of subjects, sample size, and measurement approaches. We emphasize the need for a rigorous mechanistic research agenda that both assesses extinction processes-acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval-as distinct mechanistic targets and examines the relation between changes in these fear extinction processes and clinical outcomes. Finally, we discuss opportunities to advance translational research in this area by leveraging extant collaborative infrastructures to improve the quality, the efficiency, and ultimately the availability of effective clinical strategies.

When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, unprecedented policy responses ensued in higher education, with Canadian post-secondary institutions (PSIs) rapidly adopting radical measures, including campus closures, masking requirements, and vaccine mandates. These policies were widely justified as evidence-based, ethical, and legal. This critical scoping review examined the COVID-19 policy responses at five Ontario PSIs. Using Carol Bacchi’s What is the Problem Represented to Be? approach, we explored how problems were framed, decisions made, and ethical principles invoked. Data included publicly available policy documents, union statements, and legal decisions. PSIs represented the problem as one of a deadly, “equal opportunity” virus, demanding maximum compliance with public health directives, particularly vaccination. This framing dominated governance practices, often sidelining collegial decision-making in favor of executive authority and ad hoc committees. Claims of a scientific consensus were central to policy justification, despite initial and growing evidence—such as low infection fatality rates among young adults, the strength of natural immunity, the failure of vaccines to stop transmission, and reports of vaccine-related adverse events—challenging that framing. Equity, diversity, and inclusivity were frequently invoked to support these policies, yet the same measures often excluded individuals with diverse needs and applied exemptions inconsistently. The COVID-19 response in Canadian PSIs reflected not a true consensus but an illusion of consensus, produced through the foreclosure of debate and suppression of dissent—patterns at odds with the normative values of higher education.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are now embedded across therapeutic contexts, from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) Talking Therapies to widely used platforms like ChatGPT. Whether welcomed or not, these systems are increasingly used for both patient care and everyday support, sometimes even replacing human contact. Their capacity to convey empathy strongly influences how people experience and benefit from them. However, current systems often create an “AI empathy gap”, where interactions feel impersonal and superficial compared to those with human practitioners. This paper, presented as a critical narrative review, cautiously challenges the prevailing narrative that empathy is a uniquely human skill that AI cannot replicate. We argue this belief can stem from an unfair comparison: evaluating generic AIs against an idealised human practitioner. We reframe capabilities seen as exclusively human, such as building bonds through long-term memory and personalisation, not as insurmountable barriers but as concrete design targets. We also discuss the critical architectural and privacy trade-offs between cloud and on-device (edge) solutions. Accordingly, we propose a conceptual framework to meet these targets. It integrates three key technologies: Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for long-term memory; feedback-driven adaptation for real-time emotional tuning; and lightweight adapter modules for personalised conversational styles. This framework provides a path toward systems that users perceive as genuinely empathic, rather than ones that merely mimic supportive language. While AI cannot experience emotional empathy, it can model cognitive empathy and simulate affective and compassionate responses in coordinated ways at the behavioural level. However, because these systems lack conscious, autonomous ‘helping’ intentions, these design advancements must be considered alongside careful ethical and regulatory safeguards.

Abstract Miranda warnings were introduced to safeguard individuals during custodial interrogation by ensuring they are informed of their constitutional rights. While the first four prongs—such as the rights to silence and counsel—have been extensively examined, the fifth prong, which permits suspects to reassert or modify an initial decision during questioning, has received comparatively limited attention. This review addresses that gap by applying Wells’s framework, which distinguishes between estimator variables—factors outside the control of the legal system (e.g., suspect mental health, education, legal experience)—and system variables—factors within the control of law enforcement (e.g., Miranda delivery, interview conditions, invocation protocols). Understanding how these variables shape decision-making across the course of an interrogation offers useful insight into how suspects engage with their rights in practice. Certain procedural elements—such as the clarity of warnings or the ability to revisit prior decisions—can influence whether protections are effectively upheld. Ensuring that suspects have a fair opportunity to understand and apply their rights at all stages of interrogation is central to both constitutional compliance and professional practice. By identifying areas where procedural improvements could further support these goals, this paper offers practical recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of custodial interviews. Attention to the fifth prong offers law enforcement professionals an opportunity to strengthen both investigative outcomes and the broader aims of justice.

Abstract As the global demand for renewable energy sources increases, sea wave energy converters have emerged as a promising solution for harnessing the power of ocean waves. This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of ocean and sea wave energy harvesting with a focus on some key aspects of wave energy converters, including different types of converters and power take-off systems, a critical review of control methods, challenges and limitations of extracting sea wave power, and the potential for integration with other renewable energy resources like wind turbines. In this paper, a wide range of wave energy converters is considered, with a focus on their operational principles, benefits, and drawbacks. Additionally, various power take-off systems are discussed, highlighting their structure and efficiency in converting the captured wave energy into electricity. Furthermore, this review examines the control strategies employed to maximize the extracted power and protect the system from potential damage caused by harsh ocean conditions. The challenges of implementing wave energy converters, including environmental impact, economic feasibility, and technical constraints, are also addressed, along with potential solutions to address related issues. Finally, prospects, including harvesting wave energy from an array of converters, developing strategies to integrate wave energy converters with other renewable energy resources such as wind energy and solar power, and innovative construction of wave harvesters, are examined. The future research directions and areas of progress are outlined.

Cocoa is a key tropical crop with profound environmental, social, and economic implications throughout its value chain. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been widely employed to assess these impacts; however, most applications remain fragmented and focus primarily on environmental dimensions. This review addresses the issue related to which phases of the cocoa life cycle generate the most significant environmental impacts and how LCA methodological choices, such as the definition of system boundaries, functional units, and data sources, influence the integration of socioeconomic dimensions. A systematic literature review of 33 LCA studies published between 2008 and 2025 was conducted. The dominant categories, impact indicators, and boundary conditions were identified by applying the PRISMA methodology and cluster analysis. Results show that cultivation involves high water consumption, especially in conventional monocultures, while processing is the most energy-intensive due to machinery and transport demands. Most studies adopt cradle-to-gate system boundaries and rely heavily on secondary databases, that is, pre-existing datasets from LCA repositories like Ecoinvent or GaBi, which provide generic or averaged inventory data rather than specific measurements for each case, such as those obtained in the field of study. Overall, LCA helps identify environmental hotspots and guide decisions, but is limited by data gaps and poor integration of social and economic factors. Advancing toward comprehensive assessments requires region-specific datasets, sensitivity analyses, and hybrid frameworks, including UNEP/SETAC Social LCA guidelines, to fully integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions of cocoa value chains.

Qualitative methods are central to implementation research. Qualitative research provides rich contextual insight into lived experiences of health and illness, healthcare systems and care delivery, and complex implementation processes. However, quantitative methods have historically been favored by editors and reviewers who serve as gatekeepers to scientific knowledge. Thus, we underscore that editors and reviewers must be familiar with the underlying principles and strengths of qualitative methods to avoid perpetuating inappropriate evaluation criteria that hinder qualitative research dissemination and funding opportunities. We aim to help authors and researchersprovide sufficient details to dispel misperceptions and editors and reviewers tobetter evaluate studies using qualitative methods to maximize dissemination for high-impact implementation research. We convened a panel of six researchers with extensive experience in: designing, conducting, and reporting on qualitative research in implementation science and other healthcare research; training and mentoring others on qualitative methods; and serving as journal editors and manuscript/grant peer reviewers. We reviewed existing literature, published and unpublished reviewer critiques of qualitative grants and manuscripts, and discussed challenges facing qualitative methodologists when disseminating findings. Over the course of one year, we identified candidate topics, ranked each by priority, and used a consensus-based process to finalize the inventory and develop written guidance for handling each topic. We identified and dispelled 10 common misperceptions that limit the impact of qualitative methods in implementation research. Five misperceptions were associated with the application of inappropriate quantitative evaluation standards (subjectivity, sampling, generalizability, numbers/statistics, interrater reliability). Five misperceptions were associated with overly prescribed qualitative evaluation standards (saturation, member checking, coding, themes, qualitative data analysis software). For each misperception, we provide guidance on key considerations, responses to common critiques, and citations to appropriate literature. Unaddressed misperceptions can impede the contributions of qualitative methods in implementation research. We offer a resource for editors, reviewers, authors, and researchers to clarify misunderstandings and promote more nuanced and appropriate evaluation of qualitative methods in manuscripts and grant proposals. This article encourages a balanced assessment of the strengths of qualitative methods to enhance understandings of key problems in implementation research, and, ultimately, to strengthen the impact of qualitative findings.

This critical review aims to analyse Natalie Haynes’ novel Olhar petrificante: a história da Medusa (2023), whose translation into Portuguese was accomplished by Marcelo Barbão. Regarding the limitations of this paper, the overview of startling literary aspects raises one of several possible approaches. In Brazil, Jangada Publisher executed a memorable job of delivering Natalie Haynes’ 342-page book layout in high quality. Previously, Pan Macmillan Publisher first published it in English in September 2022. The award-winning British author has published numerous best-selling Greek myth books in both the USA and the UK. Her extensive list of literary books includes A Thousand Ships (2023) and The Children of Jocasta (2018), among others.

Over the past decade, police services in the British Isles have consistently reported high numbers of sworn female officers. To explore factors behind this success, this study provides a critical review of publicly accessible official data and reports related to the progress of female police in the British Isles. The review encompasses a 10-year period, spanning 2014 to 2023. For 2023, the representation of women in policing in Northern Ireland was 31.9%, 28.4% in the Republic of Ireland, 34.3% in Scotland and 34.7% in England and Wales. Across the study period there was a consistent upward trend in female police numbers, women moved in large numbers into specialist areas, and they were increasingly represented at middle and senior management levels. The secondary literature indicated that a variety of factors might have been influential in achieving the relatively high proportion of females within the ranks of police services in the British Isles. These included numerical targets, mentoring, flexible employment and other support strategies. Our analysis revealed that quantitative data on male/female applications and outcomes were largely unavailable for recruitment, promotions and wellbeing. Further, data on deployment, discrimination and sexual harassment were also scarce. Based on this study, it was concluded that official sources on gender equity strategies remain vague, leaving considerable uncertainty about how the British Isles has achieved its success. Greater transparency about ‘what works’ in gender equity approaches, strategies and programmes is needed. This is essential to build an evidence informed body of knowledge and best practice, with lessons for police agencies across the world who strive to achieve similar gender equity outcomes.

Since the 1960s, Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) has been studied as a significant development in urban space provision. Through a review of key studies (1980–2023), this paper traces how POPS scholarship has changed from fundamental critiques of privatization to evidence-based assessment of spatial practices. The analysis reveals three phases in the literature's development, demonstrating a shift from early concerns about intrinsic problems of private control to accepting POPS as a distinct type of public space requiring its systematic evaluation. The geographical expansion of research has explored how different cultural, institutional, and urban contexts shape the implementation of POPS and scholarly approaches to studying them.

Cancer survivors have been considered individuals who have completed anti-tumor treatment and are in "remission". However, the definition is increasingly seen as insufficient due to a significant number of patients living with chronic or stable disease, as a result of advanced therapies, and according to a recent definition, "survivors" are all people living with and beyond cancer. Breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers are the most frequent tumors diagnosed in Europe with an increasing population of survivors. The longer life expectancy has made it necessary to assess the health status, comorbidities, and complications in cancer patients, mainly in the age range of 20-50 years. In particular, the long-lasting hormonal therapies in hormone-sensitive tumors and the immunotherapies, that are changing the cancer clinical scenario, have opened a broad landscape of late endocrine/metabolic toxicities. The aim of the present manuscript is to evaluate the late endocrine-metabolic complications in survivors of young adult or adult-onset cancers in the most prevalent tumors, analyzing risk factors for endocrine/metabolic disease, attempting to provide a indications for long-term surveillance and treatment strategies. This paper highlights the importance of recognizing endocrine and metabolic complications, as well as identifying key risk factors that can suggest a more effective surveillance and management.