bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discrimination in games under the veil of ignorance
Authors: Laruelle Annick , Rocha André
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we study descriptive norms under the veil of ignorance in symmetric coordination and anti-coordination games. We consider a finite population formed by different types of individuals. Players observe the type of their opponent but play under the veil of ignorance, i.e., act as if they did not know their own type. The question that we address is whether in such a symmetric environment a discriminating norm may arise. We show that there exist symmetric Nash equilibria in which players discriminate by acting differently according to the type of opponent that they face in anti-coordination games, while no such equilibrium exists in coordination games. Whenever individuals display a discriminating behavior, it is equally adopted by all agents, including by the individuals of the discriminated group. However, discrimination has a limit: the maximum number of groups where the treatment differs is three.
A novel method for semi-quantitative detection of HPV16 and HPV18 mRNA with a low-cost, open-source fluorimeter
Authors: Kundrod Kathryn A. , Natoli Mary E. , Smith Chelsey A. , Coole Jackson B. , Chang Megan M. , Novak Emilie Newsham , Chiao Elizabeth , Stier Elizabeth A. , Montealegre Jane R. , Scheurer Michael E. , Castle Philip E. , Schmeler Kathleen M. , Richards-Kortum Rebecca R.
Published: February 2025

Despite global calls to eliminate cervical cancer, rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality remain high in resource-limited settings, where it is challenging to implement and sustain screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs. The presence of high-risk HPV mRNA in cervical cells is a sensitive and specific biomarker of cervical precancer. Yet, current testing methods are too costly and complex for use in resource-limited settings. Here, we present a novel method for semi-quantitative detection of HPV16 and HPV18 mRNA with minimal infrastructure requirements. The assay relies on isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) with real-time fluorescence readout, demonstrated on rugged, portable, and affordable instruments. We demonstrate adapting the assay from DNA detection to RNA detection, characterizing the test with samples of increasing biological complexity, and ultimately establishing a limit of detection of 1000 HPV16 or HPV18 transcripts per reaction with RNA extracted from cell lines. HPV16 and HPV18 mRNA assays were used to test total RNA from 11 patient samples; results for 10 samples (91%) agreed with the gold standard of RT-qPCR. To reduce cost, the assay was demonstrated with multiplexed detection of HPV16 and HPV18 DNA, validated with a reaction volume that was reduced from 50 to 5 µL with DNA and RNA, and performed using a low-cost, portable reader with DNA and RNA. With incorporation of point-of-care-friendly sample preparation and detection of additional genotypes, this test has the potential to expand global access to HPV testing.
A process monitoring microreactor assembly for real-time reaction analysis using inline near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics
Authors: Mahler Lukas , Desel Pascal , Sladkov Marcel , Roppertz Andreas , Mayer Christian , Jaeger Martin
Published: February 2025

The occurrence of highly exothermic and potential runaway reactions represents a significant hazard to workers, facilities, and the surrounding ecosystem. Due to their high reaction velocity, these reactions often prove difficult to monitor. In many instances, the recorded data result from several single-quantity sensors, such as temperature and pressure sensors. Yet, deviations from the anticipated process, and thus potentially hazardous reaction parameters, may only be identified by the combination of the sensor data, leaving the cause of the deviations unexplained. In this study, a custom-built microreactor in combination with in-line near-infrared spectroscopy and off-line gas chromatography was employed to allow monitoring of the acid-catalyzed esterification of acetic acid and methanol. Using a near-infrared spectrometer in conjunction with partial least squares regression models, reactant and product concentrations could be determined at various residence times and temperatures. This approach enabled the safe and efficient investigation of previously unexamined parameter ranges and the expansion of the design space of experiments. The near-infrared spectra were subjected to principal component analysis classification in order to obtain additional qualitative information. The conversions and space–time yields of the microreactor could be calculated from the obtained data. The values indicated that the microreactor design delivered yields up to twice as high as those of commonly used batch reactors. This study hence demonstrates the efficacy of spectroscopic methods for reaction monitoring in microreactors and their potential for application in micro process analytical technologies.

Graphical Abstract
A decade of reproductive abnormalities in pelagic ostracods observed at the entrance to a changing Arctic
Authors: Chen Emily Yi-Shyuan , Trudnowska Emilia , Wold Anette , Boehnke Rafał , Błachowiak-Samołyk Katarzyna
Published: February 2025

The rapid warming of the Arctic Ocean is driving significant shifts in ecosystem dyamics, from species-level morphological changes to changes in community composition. Within the Arctic pelagic community, Ostracoda is an understudied zooplankton group that exhibits distinct sexually dimorphic features, including carapace shape, size, frontal and reproductive organs, and antennae. During analyses of a zooplankton time series collected each summer from 2010 to 2019 in the Fram Strait, the main gateway between the north Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, all four dominant pelagic ostracod species (Boroecia maxima, B. borealis, Discoconchoecia elegans, and Obtusoecia obtusata) displayed reproductive abnormalities in the form of pseudopenises that otherwise had distinct female features. Out of the total analyzed material of 4,137 adult and pre-mature A-1 stages individuals, 646 A-1 stage individuals, or 15.6% of the population, exhibited pseudopenises. All observed abnormalities were confined to the A-1 stage with no variant adults recorded. The primary difference between these pseudopenises and normal male penises was the lack of muscle bands and sperm duct required for reproductive functionality. However, a few A-1 females had pseudopenises with signs of these bands and ducts developing, suggesting a potential transition to true intersexuality. Monitoring this phenomenon in ostracods is crucial because it can have population-wide reproductive consequences. Furthermore, widespread intersexuality could complicate the interpretation of ecological trends in the changing Arctic.
Understanding the role of micro-organisms in the settlement of coral larvae through community ecology
Authors: Turnlund Abigail C. , O’Brien Paul A. , Rix Laura , Webster Nicole , Lurgi Miguel , Vanwonterghem Inka
Published: February 2025

Successful larval recruitment is essential to the growth of coral reefs and therefore plays a key role in the recovery of degraded reefs worldwide. The rising intensity and frequency of environmental disturbance events and their effect on the establishment of new corals is outpacing the natural capacity of coral reefs to recover. To counter this, restoration programmes are increasingly turning to interventionist approaches to enhance coral recruitment, including mass-breeding corals in aquaria for subsequent deployment in the field. Coral sexual propagation has the potential to generate large numbers of genetically diverse coral recruits, but widespread application is still limited by the ability to reliably guarantee the successful settlement of coral larvae. Identifying the origins of biochemical cues that enhance coral settlement is a prerequisite to improving coral larval settlement on key locations and substrates. Microbial biofilms and microbes associated with crustose coralline algae have been shown to induce coral larval settlement, yet the specific taxa and mechanisms involved are poorly understood. In this review we synthes current literature on microbial settlement cues and the challenges associated with untaizengling the origin of individual cues originating within complex microbial communities. Furthermore, we call attention to the importance of interrogating microbial interactions with a holistic community approach to further our knowledge of both coral larval settlement inducers and inhibitors. Obtaining a better understanding of microbial interactions associated with coral settlement will lead to more effective approaches to restoration, from engineering inductive microbial communities to synthesising biochemical cues that can support coral larval settlement for aquaculture and reef recovery.
Analysis of the surprise question as a tool for predicting death in neonates
Authors: Asenjo Silvia , Soler-Garcia Aleix , Morillo-Palomo Ana , Habimana-Jordana Anna , Guillen Montserrat , Bolancé Catalina , Navarro-Vilarrubí Sergi
Published: February 2025

The Surprise Question “Would you be surprised if the patient died in the next 12 months?” lacks pediatric research, particularly in neonatal patients. Our study aims to analyze the Surprise Question’s predictive ability in neonates and explore pediatricians’ views on palliative care patient identification. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to June 2023, including all newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a pediatric tertiary hospital and its pediatricians. Patients with less than a year since admission were excluded from final analyses. Recorded variables included patient demographics and condition, pediatricians’ profile and opinions regarding the Surprise Question, and palliative care patient identification. The Surprise Question was formulated to one or more pediatricians per neonate at admission, 7 days of life, and 28 days of life, with patient status recorded after 12 months to elaborate a confusion matrix of prognostic test results. A total of 51 pediatricians participated. Most felt they had limited criteria for identifying palliative care patients (55%), believed the Surprise Question could be useful (77%), and predicted death (75%). The Surprise Question was answered at least in one out of the three moments for 262 neonates (61% male and at least 36% preterm), with sufficient sample at each moment to study its predictive ability. High negative predictive values were consistent, with higher positive predictive value at 7 days (26%).

Conclusions

The Surprise Question is a promising tool for predicting neonatal outcome and could guide professionals in initiating palliative care discussions. The 7-day mark appears more suitable for this application.

What is Known:
• Previous research has established the Surprise Question as a valuable tool for predicting death in adults. However, limited research exists on its use in pediatric patients and its role remains unexplored in the neonatal period.

What is New:
• The study evaluates the Surprise Question as a tool for predicting death within the first year of life when applied in the neonatal period. It offers insights into its predictive ability and most suitable time for its application. This study sheds light on its applicability in neonatal care, offering a valuable tool for early identification and referral to palliative care.
Bariatric surgery and relevant comorbidities: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wunker Claire , Kumar Sunjay , Hallowell Peter , Collings Amelia , Loss Lindsey , Bansal Varun , Kushner Bradley , Zoumpou Theofano , Kindel Tammy Lyn , Overby D. Wayne , Chang Julietta , Ayloo Subhashini , Sabour Andrew F. , Ghanem Omar M. , Aleassa Essa , Reid Adam , Rodriguez Noe , Haskins Ivy N. , Hilton L. Renee , Slater Bethany J. , Palazzo Francesco
Published: February 2025

Background

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States, and with this, has come an increasing volume of metabolic surgery operations. The ideal management of obesity-associated medical conditions surrounding these operations is yet to be determined. This review sought to investigate the routine use of intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) with cholecystectomy during or after a bypass-type operation, the ideal management of post-sleeve gastrectomy gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and the optimal bariatric operation in patients with known inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods

Using medical literature databases, searches were performed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized comparative studies from 1990 to 2022. Each study was screened by two independent reviewers from the SAGES Guidelines Committee for eligibility. Data were extracted while assessing the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 Tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for RCTs and cohort studies, respectively. A meta-analysis was performed using random effects.

Results

Routine use of IOC was associated with a significantly decreased rate of common bile duct injury and a trend towards decreased intraoperative complications, perioperative complications, and mortality. The rates of reoperation, postoperative pancreatitis, cholangitis, and choledocholithiasis were low in the routine use of the IOC group, but no non-routine use studies evaluated these outcomes. After sleeve gastrectomy, GERD-specific quality of life was significantly higher in the surgically treated group compared to the medically treated group. Bypass-type operations had worse outcomes of IBD sequelae than sleeve gastrectomy, including pain, patient perception, and fistula formation. Sleeve patients had lower mortality and fewer short- and long-term complications.

Conclusions

Low-quality data limited the conclusions that were drawn; however, trends were observed favoring the routine use of IOC during cholecystectomy for patients with bypass-type anatomy, surgical treatment of GERD post-sleeve gastrectomy, and sleeve gastrectomy in IBD patients. Future research proposals are suggested to further answer the questions posed.
Security analysis of the Wi-Fi Easy Connect
Authors: Chatzisofroniou George , Kotzanikolaou Panayiotis
Published: February 2025

Wi-Fi Easy Connect is a protocol introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance, as the core replacement of the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). It aims to facilitate user-friendly provisioning methods, such as scanning a QR code, or leveraging a short-range wireless protocol like Near-Field Communication and Bluetooth. In this paper, we thoroughly examine the security and privacy properties of Wi-Fi Easy Connect (version 3.0); an exhaustive assessment that has not been previously conducted to the best of our knowledge. In addition to uncovering security issues, we identified key aspects of the specification’s design that surprisingly may increase, rather than decrease the attack surface for malicious actors, when compared to its predecessor, WPS. All our findings have been shared with the Wi-Fi Alliance, and the responses regarding action items or risk acceptance have been considered in our analysis. Finally, we analyzed hostapd, the most popular software implementation of Wi-Fi Easy Connect, and we uncovered an implementation issue that allowed an attacker to subvert future connections, highlighting the risks when implementations do not fully adhere to the protocol’s design specifications. Our analysis illustrates the danger of introducing security and privacy vulnerabilities in protocols, when protocol design favors usability versus security.
Reusability of Bayesian Networks case studies: a survey
Authors: Babakov Nikolay , Sivaprasad Adarsa , Reiter Ehud , Bugarín-Diz Alberto
Published: February 2025

Bayesian Networks (BNs) are probabilistic graphical models used to represent variables and their conditional dependencies, making them highly valuable in a wide range of fields, such as radiology, agriculture, neuroscience, construction management, medicine, and engineering systems, among many others. Despite their widespread application, the reusability of BNs presented in papers that describe their application to real-world tasks has not been thoroughly examined. In this paper, we perform a structured survey on the reusability of BNs using the PRISMA methodology, analyzing 147 papers from various domains. Our results indicate that only 18% of the papers provide sufficient information to enable the reusability of the described BNs. This creates significant challenges for other researchers attempting to reuse these models, especially since many BNs are developed using expert knowledge elicitation. Additionally, direct requests to authors for reusable BNs yielded positive results in only 12% of cases. These findings underscore the importance of improving reusability and reproducibility practices within the BN research community, a need that is equally relevant across the broader field of Artificial Intelligence.
Plasma therapy: a novel intervention to improve age-induced decline in deudenal cell proliferation in female rat model
Authors: Asmaz Ender Deniz , Ceylani Taha , Genc Aysun İnan , Sertkaya Zeynep Tuğçe , Teker Hikmet Taner
Published: February 2025

Aging is associated with a disruptive decline in gastrointestinal health leading to decreased duodenal cell proliferation ultimately affecting the digestive and absorptive capacity of intestines in all species. This study investigates the novel application of blood plasma therapy to enhance duodenal cell proliferation associated with aging. In the presented study, the effects of middle aged plasma therapy on the aged rat duodenum were investigated. For this purpose, using a randomized controlled design, Female Wistar rats (aged 12–15 months) (n:7) were treated with heterologus pooled plasma (0.5 mL per day for 30 days, infused intravenously into the tail vein) collected from middle aged (6 months old, n:28) rats during all stages of the estrous cycle. The groups were divided into three as the Experimental group (aged 12–15 months) receiving middle aged plasma, the control group (aged 12–15 months) not receiving treatment, and the middle aged rat (6 months) as the positive control group. At the end of the experiment, each group’s duodenum were collected, fixed, and analyzed using histological techniques for morphometric parameters. Additionally cell proliferation density and proliferation index were determined by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The finding of the study suggests that plasma therapy significantly improves cell proliferation, villus height (µm), crypt depth (µm), total mucosal thickness (µm), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (µm), and surface absorption area (mm2) in the experimental group compared to control. Likewise, we determined that middle aged plasma application supports cell proliferation. However, further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and potential clinical applications of this innovative approach.
Investigating teachers’ attitude toward integration of ChatGPT in language teaching and learning in higher education
Authors: Stan Maria Magdalena , Dumitru Cristina , Bucuroiu Florentina
Published: February 2025

Understanding teachers’ perspectives is essential for successful technology adoption as technology plays an increasingly important role in education. The aim of this study is to explore the nuanced dynamics of using natural language processing models such as ChatGPT in higher education settings. Understanding the complexity of teachers’ attitudes is crucial for the creation of supportive environments that enable them to embrace technology as a meaningful enhancement to language teaching. While chatbots have gained popularity in various fields, such as tourism and medicine, their use in the higher education sector, especially in Romanian universities, has not yet been sufficiently explored. The study consisted of a focus group with 15 teachers. This led to qualitative findings with practical implications for language teaching. The benefits of incorporating ChatGPT into language teaching, such as immediate correction, real-time practice and continuous learning, were found to have a positive impact on learning outcomes. In addition, the teachers found ChatGPT to be a valuable tool for organizing their work, providing an efficient means of managing language tasks and assessments, and contributing to a more efficient classroom process.
The SALSA Questionnaire: creation and validation of a tool to assess people’s self-perceived barriers and facilitators to follow a sustainable and healthy diet
Authors: Muñoz-Martínez J. , Cañete-Massé C. , Cussó-Parcerisas I. , Carrillo-Álvarez E.
Published: February 2025

A transition towards sustainable and healthy diet(SHD) is crucial for both population and planetary health. However, changing consumer’s behaviour is challenging due to the many factors influencing food choices. Tools that comprehensively assess these factors are paramount, yet none are available in Spain. Hence, we created and validated the SALSA questionnaire to capture self-perceived barriers and facilitators for SHD. The process involved three phases: First, item development combining insights from a scoping review and content validity with experts(n = 9) and the target population(n = 38); Second, scale development by pre-testing the questionnaire(n = 4), administering it through an online survey to two samples(Dimensionality-Sample, n = 516; Reliability-Sample, n = 61), and applying exploratory factor analysis for factors extraction and item reduction; Third, scale evaluation by testing its dimensionality through confirmatory factor analysis, its reliability through Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega, and intra-class correlation coefficient, and construct validity through discriminant validity, convergent validity, and correlation analysis. Results yielded a questionnaire with 27 items grouped into four dimensions: personal factors, sociocultural factors, external factors, and meat and plant-based meat alternatives. The psychometric analysis revealed that the SALSA questionnaire is a reliable instrument to identify behavioural determinants.
Genetic diversity and population structure of Gracilaria flabelliformis (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta) in the Mexican Atlantic based on the RuBisCo spacer region
Authors: Cuevas Sánchez Estefany , Núñez Resendiz María Luisa , Dreckmann Kurt M. , Hernández Oscar E. , Sentíes Abel
Published: February 2025

The family Gracilariaceae is the most diverse group in the order Gracilariales, comprising 243 taxonomically accepted agarophyte species. Gracilaria stands out as the most representative genus due to its species richness with the significant overlap of characters. Given its economic potential, a robust set of discriminative characters is essential, as the quality and market value of the phycocolloids they produce vary significantly. Gracilaria flabelliformis, noted for its extensive distribution along the Atlantic and high intraspecific phenotypic plasticity, is prevalent across all Mexican coastal states. This study assessed the genetic diversity of G. flabelliformis populations across the Mexican Atlantic using molecular sequences from the RuBisCo spacer region to investigate potential genetic variation. From the 124 specimens examined, the analysis revealed a genetic structure, statistically supported, reflected in 10 haplotypes divided into two subgroups (R1, like the ancestor, R6 and R7; and R2, R3 and R4) interconnected by haplotypes R8, R9, and R10. Additionally, a bottleneck effect between Veracruz and the Yucatan Peninsula suggested a decrease in haplotypic diversity and genetic isolation. While haplotype R1 was present in all populations, suggesting a historical connectivity between regions, further studies are necessary to fully understand the implications of these findings on the conservation and management of G. flabelliformis.
An Insight Into Unveiling Nano Luminescence for Industrial Dye Detection
Authors: Safamariyam E. , Synumol K. P. , Panicker Anu Jayanthi , Sha Mizaj Shabil , Roshan Shabnam , Dakua Sarada Prasad , Chandrasekar Vaisali , Singh Ajay Vikram , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar
Published: February 2025

Dye, a major contaminant from the textile, paper, and pulp industries, is a serious environmental and human health hazard. Because of their low cost, environmental friendliness, and sustainability, semiconductor nanoparticles are among the most effective photocatalysts for detecting dyes in wastewater. Quantum dots (QDs), particularly Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), have received a lot of attention due to their unique optical and electrical properties, making them excellent for applications such as sensing and detection. This paper describes a unique microwave-assisted method for synthesising CQDs in ambient reaction conditions, providing a fast, scalable, and passivation-free alternative to traditional methods. The CQDs were characterised using SEM, XRD, FTIR, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, and photoluminescence, which confirmed their uniform size distribution and outstanding optical characteristics. The CQDs had detection limits of 0.413 ppm for cresol red and 0.847 ppm for cresol purple, indicating great sensitivity and selectivity over a wide pH range. These findings propose a new, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative for tackling water pollution and its detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems, hence increasing the use of Carbon QDs in environmental restoration.
Discriminatory Climate and School Adjustment in Ethnically Minoritized Adolescents and Majority Adolescents: An Investigation of the Mediating Role of Teaching Quality
Authors: Heppt Birgit , Schwarzenthal Miriam , Scharf Jan
Published: February 2025

Discriminatory teacher beliefs and behaviors, as reflected in a discriminatory climate, are negatively related to student adjustment, but little is known about the classroom processes contributing to this relationship. This study investigated the role of teaching quality as a mechanism behind the associations between a discriminatory climate at school and students’ school adjustment. The study used PISA data collected in Germany in 2018 (N = 2947; M
age = 15.47 years, SD = 0.65; 48.4% girls) and included ninth graders (1) from ethnically minoritized groups that are highly stigmatized (i.e., with heritage from Turkey, the SWANA region, sub-Saharan Africa, and Kurdish areas; n = 198), (2) from other ethnically minoritized groups (n = 445), and (3) from the ethnic majority (n = 2304). The students in Group 1 reported a more discriminatory climate at school than the other student groups did. Multilevel analyses revealed that a discriminatory climate was negatively related to all three indicators of school adjustment (i.e., reading comprehension, reading motivation, and school belonging). Adolescents who perceived a stronger discriminatory climate experienced lessons as less structured and more disruptive, highlighting the mediating role of classroom management in the relationship between discriminatory climate and adolescents’ school adjustment. Thus, a discriminatory climate at school hampers adolescents’ educational outcomes not only directly, but also via teachers’ instructional behavior in class.
Glutamate/GABA/glutamine ratios in intact and ischemia reperfusion challenged rat brain subregions, the effect of ischemic preconditioning
Authors: Baranovicova Eva , Kalenska Dagmar , Lehotsky Jan
Published: February 2025

The proper function of the brain is entirely dependent on intact neurotransmission, where glutamate (Glu) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the two most present neurotransmitters. Maintenance of these neurotransmitters pools is strictly relying on the de novo synthesis of glutamine in astrocytes. Cerebral ischemic events disrupt the balance in uptake and re-synthesis, altering Glu, GABA, and glutamine (Gln) levels. We focused on the determining of the ratios of glutamate, GABA and glutamine in the brain of rats in the intact state, the early changes and temporal development of changes towards the recovery after disruption of balance by global cerebral ischemia. Animals underwent 15 min of global cerebral ischemia, and changes in Glu/GABA/Gln ratios in the hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum were assessed at 3 h, 24 h, and 72 h post-reperfusion using high-resolution NMR. Ischemic preconditioning was also used to induce tolerance. In an intact rat brain, glutamate level was about twice that of glutamine in all substructures, about sevenfold compared to GABA in the hippocampus and cortex, and almost eightfold compared to GABA in the cerebellum. There were three to four times as much glutamine compared to GABA. After severe cerebral ischemia, Glu/Gln as well as GABA/Gln ratios extensively dropped in early reperfusion (3 h) and gradually increased in 72 h reperfusion time, however, only the Glu/Gln ratio recovered to the level of controls. Glu/GABA ratio remained in all three reperfusion times over the level of control animals. We observed a decrease in glutathione NMR peak in brain tissue homogenates after ischemia. The obtained data suggest the accelerated accumulation of intraparenchymal glutamate after ischemia, which was even more pronounced in the preconditioned animals three days after an ischemic event. The postischemic GABA level restoration did not achieve the level before ischemia in 72 h reperfusion, which could be one of the limiting factors in the complete postischemic GABA transmission recovery. Presented data may be of advantage not only when comparing glutamate and GABA homeostasis and neurotransmission, but also for glutamine reserve display as neurotransmitter precursor and ammonia transfer buffer in glutamate/GABA/glutamine cycle within the intact brain substructures as well after ischemic insult in rats.
Bias, Norms, and Function: comments on Thomas Kelly’s Bias: a Philosophical Study
Authors: Johnson Gabbrielle M.
Published: February 2025

This commentary on Thomas Kelly’s Bias: A Philosophical Study compares his Norm-Theoretic Account, which defines bias as involving systematic deviations from genuine norms, with the Functional Account of Bias, which instead conceptualizes bias as a functional response to the problem of underdetermination. While both accounts offer valuable insights, I explore their compatibility and differences, arguing that the Functional Account provides a more comprehensive understanding of bias by offering deeper explanatory insights, particularly regarding bias’s origins and purpose.
Fuel on the Fire: Has the Politics of COVID-19 Accelerated Secularization in America?
Authors: Campbell David E. , Layman Geoffrey C. , Green John C.
Published: February 2025

Politics increasingly shapes Americans’ social orientations, including their religious affiliations and levels of religiosity. Less is known about whether politics affects secularism—an affirmative embrace of secular worldviews and identities. Drawing on an original panel survey from 2017 to 2021 plus two survey experiments, this paper investigates whether the political debate over public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically vaccines, has driven greater secularization in the United States. Specifically, has exposure to the public debate over COVID-19 vaccines led more Americans to embrace a secular worldview? Both observational and experimental data suggest that the debate over pandemic policies and attitudes about that debate have increased individuals’ secularism. This effect is greatest among Democrats, which we show is related to their greater embrace of pro-science attitudes.
Preferences for energy efficient cars in New Delhi: a discrete choice experiment exploring regulatory and non-regulatory interventions
Authors: Sharma Charu Grover , Bansal Sangeeta , Martinez-Cruz Adan L.
Published: February 2025

Tackling India’s contribution to global carbon emissions is a priority from both national and international perspectives. Energy efficiency gains in Indian’s transportation sector have been suggested as a promising way to mitigate carbon emissions. The Indian government is considering fuel efficiency labels for new passenger cars. Via a discrete choice experiment, this paper investigates how regulatory and non-regulatory interventions can be used to boost adoption of energy efficient cars in India. It estimates New Delhi’s car buyers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a car displaying a best-efficiency label (which is about 54 to 85% more fuel efficient as compared to a usual car) to be 6 thousand USD or about 30% of what respondents would be willing to pay for a new car. However, the informational nudge embedded in labeling systems may not be enough to boost uptake of efficient cars. Thus, via a split-sample approach, it further investigates the potential of combining non-regulatory interventions—labeling system and peer effects—with a driving restrictions regulation. WTP for a best-efficiency label car increases by over 100% to 13.46 thousand USD under a driving restrictions regulation. The difference in WTP for a best-efficiency label across driving restrictions and no driving restrictions scenarios reflect regulatory costs faced by car drivers. By including an interaction effect between best-efficiency label and mileage in the econometric specifications, we show that these costs depend on the actual mileage of the car under consideration—with lower regulatory costs as actual efficiency improves. A latent class logit specification suggests that around 40% to 52% of respondents—labeled extrinsically-motivated adopters—would be responsive to peer effects.
Transforming local governance: using system leverage points to conceptualize sustainability transformations
Authors: Nerland Rita , Solbu Gisle , Hansen Kristin , Nilsen Heidi Rapp
Published: February 2025

Despite the global call for sustainability transformations, researchers and practitioners struggle to achieve this goal. One promising avenue is to use concepts from systems theory, particularly system leverage points, to understand and accelerate transformation processes. This paper addresses how public decision-makers and politicians at different levels of local government understand sustainability transformations and the implications of this understanding for their governance. Furthermore, we investigate how the leverage point framework can aid in conceptualizing local governments’ transformation processes. The empirical basis is a series of focus group interviews with public decision-makers and politicians in Norway. Using system leverage points as a conceptual boundary object between transformation theory and practical sustainability interventions, we find that these interview subjects are addressing the urgency of the transformative change needed and view the gap between knowledge and action as a prominent challenge. We discuss and introduce the notion of a “space of leverage”—reflecting that sustainability interventions act in an interlinked space of possibility that spans sectors and governance levels. On this basis, we propose three recommendations for governing deliberate transformations: (1) establishing new means for collaboration that integrate system perspectives; (2) establishing a shared sustainability vision across government administration and politics; and (3) evaluating the current management system, emphasizing system leverage points. Our study responds to the calls for research that engages with the “how” of transformations and elucidates how the leverage point framework can be used to understand a current transformation process at the local level.
Synthesis of Monoclinic ZrO2-Supported Cu/ZnO for Methanol Production from Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Bol Ömer Egemen , Behmenyar Gamze , Akgün Mesut
Published: February 2025

Methanol is produced via syngas, and the catalysts used are based on Cu/Zn/Al. There is no catalyst yet to produce methanol from carbon dioxide with high performance. In this study, zirconia-supported copper/zinc-based catalysts with gallium and lanthanum promoters were synthesized via incipient wetness impregnation (IWI), sol–gel (SG), and deposition–precipitation (DP) with various configurations. The samples were characterized via BET, SEM, H2-TPR, and XRD and tested for methanol production. On the BET analysis, the samples synthesized via DP method yielded the highest surface area with 51.282 m2/g. H2-TPR analysis showed that samples were reduced ideally at 250°C. The incipient wetness impregnation method was found to have several disadvantages, while sol–gel and deposition–precipitation methods yielded uniformly dispersed oxide species on the support material, and the copper and zinc species’ particle sizes strongly affected the catalytic performance of the sample as the XRD results indicated. The DP method gave the highest performance in producing methanol, and the 33Cu25Zn3Ga/MZ–DP catalyst sample acquired with the ideal amount of gallium addition as promoter was found to be giving the highest yield of methanol among all the samples (0.329 g g
catalyst
−1 h−1) at 250°C, 4 MPa, and 6000 h−1.
Rehabilitation and Long Term Outcomes Including Return to Work or Sport Following Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Lamb Christopher J. , Ahmad Aamir , Biedermann Brett M. , Lin Eric H. , Kotlier Jacob L. , Cruz Christian A. , Petrigliano Frank A. , Liu Joseph N.
Published: February 2025

Purpose of Review

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has become an excellent surgical option for patients suffering from various shoulder pathologies including rotator cuff arthropathy, inflammatory arthritis and proximal humerus fractures. The goals of this operation are to reduce pain, restore function, and allow patients to be able to return to both work and sport. This article provides insight into the return to work and sport of patients who have undergone reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

Recent Findings

Recent literature has demonstrated that patients who have undergone reverse total shoulder arthroplasty demonstrate high rates of return to work and sport. Variations in patient age, sex, work intensity, type of sport and rehabilitation protocols can also play a factor in being able to return to work and sport.

Patients who have undergone reverse total shoulder arthroplasty are able to return to work and sport in a timely manner. A structured rehabilitation protocol, appropriate patient selection and excellent communication between surgeon and patient is crucial to achieve a successful return to work and sport.
Personal ornament in transition. Final Paleolithic – Mesolithic data from the Iberian Mediterranean Region (16.5 – 7 ky cal. BP)
Authors: Soler Mayor Begonya , Pardo-Gordó Salvador , Pascual Benito Josep Ll. , Balcázar Campos Nicole , Avezuela-Aristu Bárbara , Vadillo Conesa Margarita , Aura Tortosa J. Emili
Published: February 2025

The present study aims at a better understanding of personal ornaments during the Late Paleolithic and Mesolithic transitions. The approach consists of a combination of the shell beads and pendants from Santa Maira (Alacant) and the information from the Mediterranean façade of the Iberian Peninsula, including the Ebro valley, allowing a systematic evaluation of species richness from a spatio-temporal perspective. An assessment of access to the source and its impact on diversity was also carried out. The results show a continuity between the Late Paleolithic and the Epipaleolithic, as well as a period of cultural break with the Mesolithic. Similar patterns have been documented during the same periods from lithic production studies and may indicate a change in social interactions and/or cultural boundaries.
Identification of salinization processes in coastal aquifers using a fuzzy logic and data mining based methodology: study case in a Mediterranian coastal aquifer (Spain)
Authors: Renau-Pruñonosa Arianna , Esteller M. Vicenta , Aroba Javier , Grande José Antonio , Morell Ignacio , de la Torre M. Luisa , García-Menéndez Olga , Ballesteros Bruno J.
Published: February 2025

In coastal aquifers, the seawater intrusion can mask the effects of salinity regional groundwater flows, connate waters mobilization or contaminant process. Therefore, to discriminate between all the processes that have taken place in the coastal aquifer, is a complex task. Normally, traditional hydrogeochemical methods (e.g., Piper and Durov) together with statistical multivariate techniques (e.g., cluster and factorial analysis) and other methods (e.g., ionic deltas and isotopic studies) have been used to understand the hydrogeochemistry of aquifers and to confirm previous hypothesis. This paper presents a characterization of the salinization process in coastal aquifers, by means a fuzzy logic and data mining based methodology, which has not been used before for this purpose in a coastal aquifer. The proposed fuzzy methodology is based on the use of the data mining computer tool Predictive Fuzzy Rules Generator (PreFuRGe). The results have been obtained by processing groundwater samples analyses with PreFuRGe. The parameters used for the experimentation have been: temperature, electric conductivity, redox potential, total dissolved solids, silicon dioxide, oxidability, major ions (chloride, sulphate, bicarbonate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), and minor ions (arsenic, bromide, lithium, boron, strontium, chromium and fluoride). The application of this method has made it possible to differentiate several overlapping hydrogeochemical processes, such as seawater intrusion, the entry of high salinity regional groundwater flows with high concentrations of strontium, magnesium, lithium and sulphates, and the effect of contamination from agricultural activities, with the presence of nitrates. The qualitative obtained results in this paper have been compared to previous research carried out in the same coastal aquifer, and it is proved that the used fuzzy methodology is a powerful tool for discriminating between overlapping geogenic and anthropogenic processes in coastal aquifers.
Efficiency analysis of irrigation ditches over different land uses in the Andean region of Ecuador: implication for nature-based water management strategies
Authors: Matovelle Carlos , Mudarra Matías , Andreo Bartolomé
Published: February 2025

Human pressures and global change are threatening water resources. Circumstances vary in each location; therefore, finding solutions that address local issues helps achieve comprehensive water management strategies. In the Andean basins, the pre-Inca cultures used nature-based water management techniques to deal with the dry seasons. This knowledge and these techniques have been recognized as a strategy to increase water security. Additionally, they have been unconsciously applied to improve hydrological conditions in areas affected by extreme land-use changes. Water sowing and harvesting techniques have been used to manage territories dedicated to livestock and agriculture. This research evaluates three traditional infiltration ditch systems on two types of land use (páramo and cultivated pastures) in the Andean region of Azuay (Ecuador). The objective was to establish the potential for better management of water resources in dry seasons. Eosin-traced water diverted through channels or ditches, infiltrated into the soil, was retained for an average of 31 days in the páramo soil and from 90 to 111 days in the cultivated pasture soil. Controlled water infiltration contributes to effective water management by retaining water in the soil for extended periods. We conclude that nature-based systems perform better on soils with higher water retention capacity. These techniques are suitable for managing water in areas where land changes have reduced water storage potential.
The effect of gas and liquid phase composition on miscibility through interfacial tension measurements of model oils in compressed CO2
Authors: Ahmadyar Sonya , Samara Hanin
Published: February 2025

Carbon dioxide (CO2) injection is a promising strategy for reducing CO2 emissions while enhancing oil recovery. Efficient hydrocarbon displacement requires accurate knowledge of Interfacial Tension (IFT) and Minimum Miscibility Pressure (MMP). This study focuses on investigating the IFT and MMP using the pendant drop along with the vanishing interfacial tension (VIT) method in binary systems comprising CO2 + n-Decane, CO2 + n-Hexadecane, and ternary systems of CO2 + (n-Decane + n-Hexadecane) at 313.15 K and 333.15 K as a function of pressure. Furthermore, a novel adaptation of the pendant drop method is presented to investigate the influence of n-Decane concentration in the gas phase on the IFT and MMP of CO2 + n-Hexadecane and of CO2 + (n-Decane + n-Hexadecane) systems. The density of the respective CO2-saturated alkanes is measured and reported at conditions relevant to the work. The pressure has an inverse relation with IFT, while the influence of temperature depends on the pressure range investigated, and higher MMP is obtained at higher temperatures. Moreover, the molecular weight of the hydrocarbon phase correlates positively with IFT and MMP. The MMP of CO2 + n-Decane, CO2 + (n-Decane + n-Hexadecane) and CO2 + n-Hexadecane systems is 8.7, 9.3 and 13.4 MPa at 313 K, and 10.6, 12.3 and 17.3 MPa at 333 K, respectively. Lastly, the enrichment of the CO2 phase with n-Decane results in further IFT reduction and consequently a lower MMP is obtained for CO2 + (n-Decane + n-Hexadecane) and CO2 + n-Hexadecane systems which is favourable for enhancing the efficiency of processes pertaining CO2-enhanced oil recovery.
Applicable and generalizable machine learning for intelligent welding in automotive manufacturing
Authors: Wang Peng Edward , Ghassemi-Armaki Hassan , Pour Masoud , Zhao Xijia , Ma Junjie , Sattari Kianoosh , Carlson Blair
Published: February 2025

This review paper examines the application and challenges of machine learning (ML) in intelligent welding processes within the automotive industry, focusing on resistance spot welding (RSW) and laser welding. RSW is predominant in body-in-white assembly, while laser welding is critical for electric vehicle battery packs due to its precision and compatibility with dissimilar materials. The paper categorizes ML applications into three key areas: sensing, in-process decision-making, and post-process optimization. It reviews supervised learning models for defect detection and weld quality prediction, unsupervised learning for feature extraction and data clustering, and emerging generalizable ML approaches like transfer learning and federated learning that enhance adaptability across different manufacturing conditions. Additionally, the paper highlights the limitations of current ML models, particularly regarding generalizability when moving from lab environments to real-world production, and discusses the importance of adaptive learning techniques to address dynamically changing conditions. Case studies like virtual sensing, defect detection in RSW, and optimization in laser welding illustrate practical applications. The paper concludes by identifying future research directions to improve ML adaptability and robustness in high-variability manufacturing environments, aiming to bridge the gap between experimental ML models and real-world implementation in automotive welding.