bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supersymmetry in the Seiberg–Witten theory: a window into quantum field theory
Authors: Vergouwen Sanne , De Haro Sebastian
Published: February 2025

We take supersymmetry in the Seiberg–Witten theory as a case study of the uses of (super)symmetry arguments in studying the ontology of four-dimensional interacting quantum field theories. Together with a double expansion, supersymmetry is a via media that helps to bridge the gap between the ontologies of an exact quantum field theory and its semi-classical limit. We discuss a class of states that exist at any value of the coupling, and whose properties such as mass, electric and magnetic charges, and spin quantum numbers can be precisely characterised at low energies. The low-energy theory is best presented as a one-dimensional complex manifold, equipped with metric and other structures: namely, the space of low-energy vacua, covered by three open regions that are interpreted as macroscopic phases. We discuss two cases of emergence: the emergence of the low-energy regime and the emergence between models at low energies, thereby highlighting the significance of the topology of the space of vacua for such cases of emergence.
Theatre of the Innova(c)tors: an interactive theatre tool to create transformative spaces
Authors: Polido Alexandra , Ehnert Franziska , Jossin Jasmin , Mascarenhas André
Published: February 2025

Complex sustainability challenges call for transformative spaces where participants are encouraged to move away from conventional thinking. Arts-based and embodied practices can enable new encounters with the world and new forms of meaning-making. We introduce the Theatre of the Innova(c)tors, an interactive theatre tool that encourages reflexivity and learning by creating transformative spaces. Inspired by the techniques of Theatre of the Oppressed, specifically Image Theatre, this tool engages diverse audiences and empowers participants. The Theatre of the Innova(c)tors can serve as a pedagogical innovation and intervention tool to explore different dimensions of care and can be applied in different communities, where it needs to be contextualised and customised to their specific needs.
Biobased Acrylate Composites with Enhanced Strength for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Wagner Nicole , McWherter Joseph
Published: February 2025

With the expanding use of polymers in additive manufacturing, sustainable resins for use in vat photopolymerization are required to reduce their environmental impact. One promising approach to achieve this is to incorporate biobased fillers that replace the acrylates in photopolymer resins as ‘green’ alternatives. In this study, photopolymer composites consisting of a methacrylate resin with varying calcium carbonate powder content between 0 and 50 wt.% were investigated. A digital light processing technique was used to fabricate tensile test specimens for mechanical testing. Good printability, dimensional accuracy, and good interlayer adhesion were observed for composite resin formulations that incorporated calcium carbonate up to 50 wt.%. Green parts were subsequently washed and exposed to ultraviolet radiation at various post-cure temperatures between 20 and 80 °C. Specimens were tested on an Instron universal testing machine to evaluate stress–strain characteristics, which included Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength at 0.2% offset, resilience, toughness, and percent elongation at break. Elevated calcium carbonate content and higher post-cure temperatures demonstrated higher Young’s modulus values, reaching 4297 MPa for 50 wt.% calcium carbonate at a post-cured temperature of 80 °C, indicating increased stiffness and resistance to elastic deformation under load for the compositions with increased biobased filler content. The ultimate tensile strength of the composite resin formulations was higher when exposed to elevated curing temperatures and remained between 22 and 32 MPa for all concentrations of calcium carbonate. The biobased composites evaluated in this study demonstrated that the modification of acrylate resins with biobased filler powders such as calcium carbonate is a feasible approach to sustainably enhance the mechanical properties of polymeric materials for additive manufacturing.
A conceptual framework for the contextualization of crop model applications and outputs in participatory research
Authors: Cheriere Timothée , Descheemaeker Katrien , Falconnier Gatien N. , Ganeme Aminata , Lairez Juliette , Sawadogo Hamado , Adam Myriam
Published: February 2025

Contextualization of generic scientific knowledge to context-specific farmer knowledge is a necessary step in farmers’ innovation process, and it can be achieved using crop and farm models. This work explores the possibility to simulate a large number of scenarios based on farmers’ descriptions of their environment and practices in order to contextualize the discussion for each participating farmer. It presents a novel framework consisting of six actions divided in three phases, namely, phase I—reaching out to the farmers’ world: (i) project initialization; (ii) determination of the agronomical question anchored in farmers’ context; (iii) characterization of the environment, the management options, and the indicators to describe the system under consideration; phase II—within researchers’ world: (iv) crop model parametrization; (v) translation of model outputs into farmer-proposed indicators; and phase III—back to farmers’ world: (vi) exploration of contextualized management options with farmers. Two communication tools are created during the process, one containing the results of simulations to feed the discussions and a second one to create a record of it. The usefulness of the framework is exemplified with the exploration of soil fertility management with manure and compost applications for sorghum production in the smallholder context of Sudano-Sahelian Burkina Faso. The application of the framework with 15 farmers provided evidence of farmers’ and agronomists’ understanding of options to improve cropping system performance with better organic amendment management. This approach allowed farmers to identify and relate to the scenarios simulated, but highlighted interrogations on how to adapt the crop model outputs to particular situations. Though applied on issues related to tactical change at field level, the framework offers the opportunity to explore broader issues with farmers, such as farm reconfiguration.
Postcards from Italy – The Art of Controlling Images of Cultural Goods Better Than Copyright Could
Authors: Sappa Cristiana , Bossi Ludovico
Published: February 2025

Italian provisions on images of cultural goods may be reminiscent of copyright, in particular because they allow production and uses of such reproductions upon an authorisation, they impose fees for creating or exploiting them, and point out to the notion of integrity. However, the two sets of rules remain independent and autonomous, with a different purpose, subject matter and constitutional ground. National provisions are designed and interpreted in such a way that their outreach is broader than copyright. Therefore, they introduce a para- or quasi-copyright system, i.e. rules that are not necessarily accountable to third parties, affecting in this way the producers, users and reusers of potential images, as well as the material that is supposed to stay in the public domain. This is the main reason why it is crucial to study their legitimacy. This work studies Arts. 106–108 of the Italian Code on Cultural Goods and Landscape (ICCGL) limiting the ability to reproduce cultural goods, including when they embed a work of art, and this even when the latter is in the public domain. It explains why these written rules, based on a public property paradigm, may be criticized in a political and economic perspective, but are still compliant with higher norms, including EU rules on copyright and open data. In addition to that, the paper analyses the case law related to these provisions, it focuses in particular on the personality right on cultural good emerged in recent cases, and it explains why this prerogative raises concerns as to its consistency and compliance with higher norms. Finally, the article explains why a potential extraterritorial outreach of the provisions on images of cultural goods, as stated by an Italian Court, has to be challenged in different perspectives. It also clarifies costs and benefits of this solution, concluding on the operational implications on market operators and on the principle of non-discrimination.
On generalized q-de la Vallée Poussin means
Authors: Kórus Péter , Krasniqi Xhevat Z. , Szal Bogdan
Published: February 2025

First, we introduce the generalized q-de la Vallée Poussin means. Then, using these new means, we extend a result of Leindler (Acta Sci Math (Szeged) 29:147–162, 1968) and one of Duman (Constr Math Anal 4(2):135–144, 2021) on uniform summability of Fourier series. In addition, we use the same means to determine the degree of approximation of a

$$2\pi $$

2
π

-periodic function and its corresponding conjugate function in the norm of Hölder.
Corpus-Based Investigation of Proverbs: Challenges and New Directions
Authors: Kljajevic Vanja , Šarić Ljiljana
Published: February 2025

Proverbs are an important component of cultural literacy and thus they are often encountered in everyday life. Corpus-based studies of proverbs typically focus on proverb frequency. Here we address challenges in using general language corpora and corpus searches as a method for estimating proverb frequency. Using two general language corpora from Sketch Engine, HrWaC2.2 and NoTenTen17, to search for a semantic counterpart of the same proverb in Croatian and Norwegian, we explore various search options and their (dis)advantages, as well as the issue of proverb modifications that hinders attempts to obtain a reliable picture of proverb frequency in a corpus. Based on the corpus evidence, we provide insights into modification types of proverbs. Finally, we propose that an optimal search tool would consider a proverb’s features beyond frequency, such as its semantic class, syntactic complexity, and abstractness as contributors to its cognitive load, allowing a better selection of these expressions in clinical testing, education, research and entertainment.
Ménétrier Disease: A Scoping Review of Case Reports over the Last 10 Years
Authors: Baumeister Conrad , Hüneburg Julius
Published: February 2025

Objective

This scoping review aims to map existing recent case reports on Menetrier’s disease examining clinical features, treatment strategies, potential etiological factors, and other associations to enhance understanding and inform future research directions.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar for case reports on Menetrier’s disease published in English between January 2014 and October 2024. Eligible cases required histopathological confirmation, comprehensive clinical details, and unrestricted access, while pediatric cases and inaccessible records were excluded.

Results

Among 59 patients, 67.8% presented with Hypoalbuminemia, 37.3% were anemic. Regarding etiology, 20.3% tested positive for Helicobacter pylori suggesting a weaker link between the agent and Menetrier’s disease which highlights the need to explore other causes. 71.2% received pharmacological treatment of which 38% experienced full success, defined by both morphological and symptomatic improvements, while 66.6% experienced only symptomatic relief after treatment. Surgical Intervention was necessary for 35.6% of patients. The variability in clinical presentation and treatment outcomes, along with the lack of standardized approaches, implicate a need for further research to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for Ménétrier’s disease.

Conclusions

This scoping review identifies critical research gaps in Ménétrier’s disease, including the need for further investigation into genetic predispositions, the role of etiological agents, treatment efficacy of emerging therapies, and the timing of surgical interventions, alongside the importance of cancer surveillance.
Benefit–cost analysis in the 5.9 GHz band
Authors: Hazlett Thomas
Published: February 2025

In 2020 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revisited a spectrum allocation decision it made in 1999. The Agency found that frequencies set aside for specific technologies used by vehicles – Intelligent Transportation Services (ITS) – had been left largely unused. It crafted new rules, shifting 45 MHz of the 75 MHz allocation to newly designated wireless services focusing on Wi-Fi applications, while leaving the remaining (40% of bandwidth) reserved for ITS. The FCC decision was premised on a cost–benefit analysis performed by the agency, supported by two similar studies submitted by outside interests. Yet, upon examination, the cost–benefit calculations prove stunningly uncompelling. In their economic logic, their understanding of existing market data and their use of FCC policy, fundamental errors render net benefit estimates irrelevant to decision-making. In particular, the value of marginal products (VMPs) as well as the opportunity costs of rival allocations are ignored. These failings are stunning, both on their own and given that the FCC, in its reallocation, critiqued its 1999 decision as socially unproductive – and yet deployed just the same basic methodological format, relying on FCC administrative determinations to select favored business models for supplying wireless services.
Catch me if you can: Using machine learning and behavioral interventions to reduce unethical behavior
Authors: Hauser Oliver P. , Greene Michael , DeCelles Katherine
Published: February 2025

We report the results of a field experiment designed to increase honest disclosure of claims at a U.S. state unemployment agency. Individuals filing claims were randomized to a message (‘nudge’) intervention, while an off-the-shelf machine learning algorithm calculated claimants’ risk for committing fraud (underreporting earnings). We study the causal effects of algorithmic targeting on the effectiveness of nudge messages: Without algorithmic targeting, the average treatment effect of the messages was insignificant; in contrast, the use of algorithmic targeting revealed significant heterogeneous treatment effects across claimants. Claimants predicted to behave unethically by the algorithm were more likely to disclose earnings when receiving a message relative to a control condition, with claimants predicted to most likely behave unethically being almost twice as likely to disclose earnings when shown a message. In addition to providing a potential blueprint for targeting more costly interventions, our study offers a novel perspective for the use and efficiency of data science in the public sector without violating citizens’ agency. However, we caution that, while algorithms can enable tailored policy, their ethical use must be ensured at all times.
Learning Modern Greek in nineteenth-century Paris: K. B. Hase's student notes on Amiras’ translation of Costin, History of the Kingdoms and Princes of Moldavia
Authors: Barton William M. , Shadrin Lev , Hrynevych Mariia
Published: February 2025

This article offers the first detailed study of a manuscript preserving notes from the Modern Greek course held in 1801-2 by Jean-Baptiste-Gaspard d'Ansse de Villoison in Paris. The notebook was kept by Karl Benedikt Hase, later Professor of Modern Greek at the French École de langues orientales vivantes, during his attendance of Villoison's course as a student. The article sketches first the historical context of the notebook, before an analysis of its contents, and finally a comparison with Hase's later published work on the primary text at its core, Amiras’ Greek translation of Costin's History of Moldavia.
Deep learning modeling of manufacturing and build variations on multistage axial compressors aerodynamics
Authors: Bruni Giuseppe , Maleki Sepehr , Krishnababu Senthil K.
Published: February 2025

Applications of deep learning to physical simulations such as Computational Fluid Dynamics have recently experienced a surge in interest, and their viability has been demonstrated in different domains. However, due to the highly complex, turbulent, and three-dimensional flows, they have not yet been proven usable for turbomachinery applications. Multistage axial compressors for gas turbine applications represent a remarkably challenging case, due to the high-dimensionality of the regression of the flow field from geometrical and operational variables. This paper demonstrates the development and application of a deep learning framework for predictions of the flow field and aerodynamic performance of multistage axial compressors. A physics-based dimensionality reduction approach unlocks the potential for flow-field predictions, as it re-formulates the regression problem from an unstructured to a structured one, as well as reducing the number of degrees of freedom. Compared to traditional “black-box” surrogate models, it provides explainability to the predictions of the overall performance by identifying the corresponding aerodynamic drivers. The model is applied to manufacturing and build variations, as the associated performance scatter is known to have a significant impact on

$ \mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_2 $

emissions, which poses a challenge of great industrial and environmental relevance. The proposed architecture is proven to achieve an accuracy comparable to that of the CFD benchmark, in real-time, for an industrially relevant application. The deployed model is readily integrated within the manufacturing and build process of gas turbines, thus providing the opportunity to analytically assess the impact on performance with actionable and explainable data.
The Impact of EU Nanotechnology Risk Regulation on Non-EU Countries: The Case of Israel’s Policy Reform for Cosmetic Products
Authors: Justo-Hanani Ronit
Published: February 2025

The impact of the European Union (EU) in strengthening nanotechnology risk regulation in non-EU countries is still an under-researched topic. This article focuses on the EU’s influence on its trading partners, using the case study of Israel, which in 2023 adopted restrictions on nanotechnology in cosmetics products following the EU. It is argued that EU risk regulation have been both a trigger and a formative factor for the development of Israeli nanomaterials restrictions. The importance and economic interdependence in the EU market for cosmetics has prompted a response from Israeli policymakers. In addition, the EU regulatory capacity through its expertise and sanctioning authority have influenced the Israeli regulatory agenda. The article shows that the impact of EU regulation also coincided with domestic economic factors, concerns about technology policy and policymakers’ preference for stringent standards. Israel’s risk regulation of nanomaterials in cosmetics provides a useful case study for analyzing the EU’s regulatory impact on its trading partners. Once again, stricter EU’s health and safety regulation drives those of its trading partner upward.
Furstenberg systems of pretentious and MRT multiplicative functions
Authors: FRANTZIKINAKIS NIKOS , LEMAŃCZYK MARIUSZ , DE LA RUE THIERRY
Published: February 2025

We prove structural results for measure-preserving systems, called Furstenberg systems, naturally associated with bounded multiplicative functions. We show that for all pretentious multiplicative functions, these systems always have rational discrete spectrum and, as a consequence, zero entropy. We obtain several other refined structural and spectral results, one consequence of which is that the Archimedean characters are the only pretentious multiplicative functions that have Furstenberg systems with trivial rational spectrum, another is that a pretentious multiplicative function has ergodic Furstenberg systems if and only if it pretends to be a Dirichlet character, and a last one is that for any fixed pretentious multiplicative function, all its Furstenberg systems are isomorphic. We also study structural properties of Furstenberg systems of a class of multiplicative functions, introduced by Matomäki, Radziwiłł, and Tao, which lie in the intermediate zone between pretentiousness and strong aperiodicity. In a work of the last two authors and Gomilko, several examples of this class with exotic ergodic behavior were identified, and here we complement this study and discover some new unexpected phenomena. Lastly, we prove that Furstenberg systems of general bounded multiplicative functions have divisible spectrum. When these systems are obtained using logarithmic averages, we show that a trivial rational spectrum implies a strong dilation invariance property, called strong stationarity, but, quite surprisingly, this property fails when the systems are obtained using Cesàro averages.
A telehealth approach to central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention activities in nursing homes: the SAFER lines program
Authors: Singh Raveena D. , Bahadori Bardia , Tjoa Tom , Alsharif Mohamad N. , Nourollahi Shereen , Chang Justin , Mauricio Amarah , Bethlahmy Jessica , Rashid Syma , Saavedra Raheeb , Ashbaugh Isabel Y. , Tam Steven , Gohil Shruti K.
Published: February 2025

Objectives:

To evaluate the impact of a mobile-app-based central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention program in nursing home residents with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs).

Design:

Pre-post prospective cohort study with baseline (September 2015–December 2016), phase-in (January 2017–April 2017), and intervention (May 2017–December 2018). Generalized linear mixed models compared intervention with baseline frequency of localized inflammation/infection, dressing peeling, and infection-related hospitalizations. Cox proportional hazards models compared days-to-removal of lines with localized inflammation/infection.

Setting:

Six nursing homes in Orange County, California.

Patients:

Adult nursing home residents with PICCs.

Intervention:

CLABSI prevention program consisting of an actionable scoring system for identifying insertion site infection/inflammation coupled with a mobile-app enabling photo-assessments and automated physician alerting for remote response.

Results:

We completed 8,131 assessments of 817 PICCs in 719 residents (baseline: 4,865 assessments, 422 PICCs, 385 residents; intervention: 4,264 assessments, 395 PICCs, 334 residents). The intervention was associated with 57% lower odds of peeling dressings (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.28–0.64, P < .001), 73% lower local inflammation/infection (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13–0.56, P < .001), and 41% lower risk of infection-related hospitalizations (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.42–0.83, P = .002). Physician mobile-app alerting and response enabled 62% lower risk of lines remaining in place after inflammation/infection was identified (HR 0.38, CI: 0.24–0.62, P < .001) and 95% faster removal of infected lines from mean (SD) 19 (20) to 1 (2) days.

Conclusions:

A mobile-app-based CLABSI prevention program decreased the frequency of inflamed/infected central line insertion sites, improved dressing integrity, increased speed of removal when inflammation/infection were found, and reduced infection-related hospitalization risk.
Dāʾūd al-Qayṣarī in Ilkhanid Tabriz: New evidence
Authors: Bonmariage Cécile
Published: February 2025

This paper revisits the usual narrative of Dāʾūd al-Qayṣarī's life, bringing to light evidence of his stay in Ilkhanid Tabriz. Recent studies mention a connection with Ilkhanid Iran, where he would have met his master ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Qāshānī, but present no substantiated details as to when and where this happened and how these events fit in his life. A document held at the Bodleian, corroborated by evidence from other manuscripts, shows that the common narrative of Qayṣarī's life (in which links with Iran are almost entirely absent) is untenable, and presents evidence of Qayṣarī's presence in Ilkhanid Tabriz. These new elements invite us to revise our perception of Qayṣarī's oeuvre, in particular the idea that it was written under the auspices of the nascent Ottoman power, and further investigate the intellectual scene in Tabriz in the last years of the reign of Abu Saʿīd and of his vizier Ghiyāth al-Dīn.
Review of Maziar Behrooz - Iran at War: Interactions with the Modern World and the Struggle with Imperial Russia
Authors: Morrison Alexander
Published: February 2025

This compact book offers a closely researched account of the early years of the Qajar dynasty and state, whose political development was permanently marked by the territorial struggle with the Russian Empire in the South Caucasus in its first three decades. Behrooz's work builds on Muriel Atkin's classic Russia and Iran 1780–1928 (1980), and although unlike Atkin he does not make use of any sources in Russian, the range of Persian-language material he draws upon is much greater, and the two books complement each other well. The first two chapters effectively set the political scene, providing a review of the circumstances of Aqa Muhammad Khan's rise to power, his struggle with the Zand rulers of Shiraz, and the extensive preparations he made to secure the succession of his nephew, Baba Khan Jahanbani, the future Fath Ali Shah. These bore fruit when Aqa Muhammad Shah was murdered by his own servants in Shusha in 1797. Significantly, this took place during a campaign to subdue Qarabagh. The central figure of the book, and of the wars against Russia, is Fath Ali's son Abbas Mirza, but a particular strength of Behrooz's account is his close understanding of the family and intertribal relationships among the Qajar elite, as well as of the petty dynasties that ruled in Qarabagh, Iravan, Badkubeh (Baku), and Derbent in this period.
Development of Large Language Models: Copyright Law Perspectives for Research Institutions and Research Libraries
Authors: Ørstavik Inger Berg
Published: February 2025

This article discusses European copyright law as applied to the development and training of generative AI and natural language processing in public interest research institutions and libraries. The article focuses on the scope of the new exceptions from copyright law for text and data mining (TDM) for research purposes and discusses them from the perspective of research ethics and principles of open science in publicly financed research. The public interest mission of research institutions and libraries includes the open dissemination of research results but the exceptions from copyright are focused only on the training phase in AI development. Regulation on data transparency is fragmented. The article finds that while new exceptions open for developing language models under research institutions and libraries’ public interest mission to preserve national languages, the regulation is not adapted to principles of research ethics and open science, and legal uncertainty remains.
“El estado es algo que decepciona”: La conciencia jurídica en medio de la insatisfacción institucional
Authors: Feddersen Mayra , Wilenmann Javier , Cavieres Julia , Gambardella Maite , Rochow Diego
Published: February 2025

A través del lente de la conciencia jurídica, este trabajo analiza la insatisfacción institucional en el marco de un profundo escepticismo hacia las instituciones formales, particularmente en el contexto de la sociedad chilena post-Octubre de 2019. El artículo busca investigar la relación entre la expresión de una profunda antipatía hacia el estado y la postura que los individuos manifiestan con respecto a la legalidad. El trabajo reporta los hallazgos derivados de 12 grupos focales categorizados por edad, género, y locación. Encontramos que, a pesar de los sentimientos negativos prevalentes que albergan las personas hacia estas instituciones, los participantes continúan usando el lenguaje del derecho, expresando su insatisfacción como derechos formales frustrados o por una falta de aplicación de la ley con respecto a las élites corruptas. Concluimos que la existencia de una brecha entre las expectativas normativas y el agudo rechazo por su incumplimiento por parte de actores institucionales abre una estructura de oportunidades para la emergencia de formas más autoritarias de poder estatal.
REVENUE AND CLEARING MODELS FOR CBDC
Authors: Duncan Alfred , Mainente Joao Pedro
Published: February 2025

This paper reviews two important design choices for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). First, how CBDC intermediaries should be compensated for their services. Second, how payments from traditional banks into CBDC wallets should be cleared. Both of these design choices have important implications for the financial stability of the banking system.
Vox Populi: Popular Support for the Popular Initiative
Authors: LEEMANN LUCAS , EMMENEGGER PATRICK , WALTER ANDRÉ
Published: February 2025

Direct democratic institutions are often introduced by popular vote, but there is little research on what motivates voters to support these new instruments. Using a unique dataset on the ideological positions of voters and members of parliament, this article examines support for the introduction of the initiative right in a popular vote. We find that voters support the initiative right when they are inadequately represented in parliament. Moreover, the analysis shows that the voting behavior is consistent with voters understanding the strategic implications of adopting the popular initiative. We demonstrate that voters support its adoption if they are ideologically more proximate to the median voter than they are to the median legislator. Finally, the article shows that ideological distance matters for voters of the ruling party as well, which helps explain why a majority of voters support a political institution that limits the ruling party’s room for maneuver.
Does Administrative Burden Influence Support for a Low-Income Child Care Supplement? Evidence from a Survey Experiment
Authors: Yang Yang , Hopkins Vincent
Published: February 2025

The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Plan promises to help low-income parents, especially women, participate in the economy. But even under this plan, care will be too expensive for many families. Several provinces offer targeted subsidies to reduce fees—unfortunately, these benefits are often hard to access and their popularity with voters is unclear. Using a pre-registered survey experiment (N=821), this research note investigates support for a hypothetical child care supplement to help low-income families. Overall, we find strong support for such an initiative, but little enthusiasm to pay for it through new income taxes. We then manipulate the ease of accessing this benefit. We find little evidence that burdensome child care benefits are more popular than easily accessible benefits. If anything, burdensome benefits reduce support. We then briefly consider how partisanship influences support. We conclude with timely recommendations for government and discuss the need for accessible child care benefits.
Right-angled Artin groups and the cohomology basis graph
Authors: Flores Ramón , Kahrobaei Delaram , Koberda Thomas , Coz Corentin Le
Published: February 2025

Let Γ be a finite graph and let

$A(\Gamma)$

be the corresponding right-angled Artin group. From an arbitrary basis

$\mathcal B$

of

$H^1(A(\Gamma),\mathbb F)$

over an arbitrary field, we construct a natural graph

$\Gamma_{\mathcal B}$

from the cup product, called the cohomology basis graph. We show that

$\Gamma_{\mathcal B}$

always contains Γ as a subgraph. This provides an effective way to reconstruct the defining graph Γ from the cohomology of

$A(\Gamma)$

, to characterize the planarity of the defining graph from the algebra of

$A(\Gamma)$

and to recover many other natural graph-theoretic invariants. We also investigate the behaviour of the cohomology basis graph under passage to elementary subminors and show that it is not well-behaved under edge contraction.
The Disappearance of Self-Determination from the League of Nations Covenant, January–February 1919
Authors: Malcomson Scott L.
Published: February 2025

After Woodrow Wilson’s speech to Congress in February 1918, ‘self-determination’ was expected to be a guiding concept for a post-imperial order once the Great War had ended. Yet when the Covenant of the League of Nations was negotiated at the Paris Peace Conference, the phrase was removed. Why and by whom? The existing literature offers little answer. This article argues that Wilson fought for inclusion of both the phrase ‘self-determination’ and the substance of it but was convinced to remove both by his own advisers and members of the British delegation. These men had an agenda at variance with Wilson’s, one focused on solidifying wartime transatlantic co-operation into a post-war governance model that would strengthen the British imperial position and bring the US into support of it. That agenda could not accommodate Wilsonian self-determination. Its resulting disappearance effectively reversed the post-imperial sense of wartime statements on self-determination made by Wilson and David Lloyd George. Anti-colonial movements, as the Paris negotiators knew, had taken inspiration from those promises. Their hopes for an organized dismantling of the imperial order were disappointed. Only after four decades of political violence would the pre-war order be replaced by one that better resembled Wilson’s abandoned vision.
Self-adaptive differential evolution-based coati optimization algorithm for multi-robot path planning
Authors: Zhu Lun , Zhou Guo , Zhou Yongquan , Luo Qifang , Huang Huajuan , Wei Xiuxi
Published: February 2025

The multi-robot path planning problem is an NP-hard problem. The coati optimization algorithm (COA) is a novel metaheuristic algorithm and has been successfully applied in many fields. To solve multi-robot path planning optimization problems, we embed two differential evolution (DE) strategies into COA, a self-adaptive differential evolution-based coati optimization algorithm (SDECOA) is proposed. Among these strategies, the proposed algorithm adaptively selects more suitable strategies for different problems, effectively balancing global and local search capabilities. To validate the algorithm’s effectiveness, we tested it on CEC2020 benchmark functions and 48 CEC2020 real-world constrained optimization problems. In the latter’s experiments, the algorithm proposed in this paper achieved the best overall results compared to the top five algorithms that won in the CEC2020 competition. Finally, we applied SDECOA to optimization multi-robot online path planning problem. Facing extreme environments with multiple static and dynamic obstacles of varying sizes, the SDECOA algorithm consistently outperformed some classical and state-of-the-art algorithms. Compared to DE and COA, the proposed algorithm achieved an average improvement of 46% and 50%, respectively. Through extensive experimental testing, it was confirmed that our proposed algorithm is highly competitive. The source code of the algorithm is accessible at: https://ww2.mathworks.cn/matlabcentral/fileexchange/164876-HDECOA.
Celebrating 30 years of the international network of agencies for health technology assessment (INAHTA)
Authors: Merlin Tracy , Werkö Sophie Söderholm , Rüther Alric , Schuller Tara , Hailey David
Published: February 2025

It is not often that international collaborations are sustained for any significant period, let alone for three decades. However, despite relying on largely voluntary contributions of individuals within its member institutions, the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) has not only been an example of sustained collaboration over 30 years but also an example of how an initially modest collaboration can grow and thrive. Current and former serving Chairs and secretariat of the Network have come together to review network documents and outputs and reflect on the history of INAHTA, since its inception in Paris in 1993. Building on the paper from Hailey et al 2009 that documented the growth of the network after 15 years, we have considered and documented the factors that we believe have helped sustain the network and enable it to flourish in the subsequent 15 years. We have also considered the various challenges experienced along the way, as these too can aid in making a collaboration stronger. Future directions for the network have also been contemplated, given the evolving nature of HTA and the regional collaborations that have recently emerged. We hope that by sharing the lessons learned from this living example of international global collaboration relationships between like-minded organizations can be similarly fostered and enhanced into sustainable collaborations, for the benefit of all.
Modeling the relationship between online L2 motivational self-system and EFL learners’ virtual exchange self-regulations: the mediator and moderator roles of L2 grit
Authors: Rahimi Amir Reza , Sevilla-Pavón Ana
Published: February 2025

While previous studies in computer-assisted language learning have extensively explored sociolinguistic factors, such as cultural competence, important psycholinguistic factors such as online L2 motivational self-system, L2 grit, and online self-regulation in relation to virtual exchange (VE) have remained widely unexplored. To address this gap, a study was conducted with 92 Spanish English as a foreign language learners who exchanged language and culture with Cypriot and Irish students and responded to questionnaires adapted for the study context, as part of the SOCIEMOVE (Socioemotional Skills Through Virtual Exchange) Project. The partial least squares structural equation modeling approach showed that language learners who set positive personal goals for the future and evaluate their current learning progress in VE can regulate their learning in it. Interestingly, the sign of authenticity gap was found in the study context, since learners’ motivation to learn in VE was higher compared to their previous language learning contexts, resulting in more effort and consistency of interest in setting their goals, evaluating their progress, and asking for help from others. Furthermore, learners’ L2 grit moderated and mediated the correlation between learners’ online motivation and online self-regulation, indicating that VE success requires long-term perseverance of effort and consistency of interest. Accordingly, a new conceptual framework for VE was developed. In addition, one of the main implications is that teachers who employ VE should focus more on learners’ current needs and the goals they wish to achieve when exchanging information rather than only focusing on their accomplishments based on the course syllabus.
Migrants’ digital skills development: Engaging with and creating digital cultural activities on the ENACT web app
Authors: Satar Müge , Seedhouse Paul , Kharrufa Ahmed , Ganassin Sara , Dooly Melinda , Buitrago Peña Johanna , Öztekin Elifcan , Akcan Sumru , Haznedar Belma
Published: February 2025

Migrants encounter multiple challenges, such as learning new languages and adapting to a new life. While digital technologies help them learn, limited research has been conducted on their digital skills development. In this article, we report on migrants’ digital skills development while learning language through culture using a web app developed by an EU-funded project that aimed to promote social cohesion through a two-way exchange of knowledge and skills. Forty-six migrant and 43 home community members in Finland, Spain, Türkiye, and the UK participated in intercultural and intergenerational pairs to engage with and co-create interactive digital cultural activities in multiple languages. Participants’ digital, linguistic and cultural gains were measured before and after the workshops. We report on participants’ digital skills, measured by a digital competence self-assessment tool developed based on DigComp, and interviews with the participants. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analysed deductively using the categories of the DigComp framework. Findings indicate statistically significant improvement in migrants’ self-reported digital skills. Highest gains were in the competency area of digital content creation. Comparison of migrants’ digital skill development with that of home community members did not show any statistically significant differences, supporting our argument against the deficiency perspective towards migrant populations. Interview data suggested overall positive evaluations and highlighted the role of the web app instructions for content creation. We conclude with suggestions for further research and argue for inclusive pedagogies, emphasising how both community members learned from and with each other during the workshops.
Unexpected cardiac interventions including takedown after Glenn surgery: analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database
Authors: Behm Nicole , Mehta Rittal , Yerebakan Can , Deshpande Shriprasad R.
Published: February 2025

Background:

Glenn procedure carries low morbidity and mortality within stages of single-ventricle palliation. However, some patients with Glenn failure need a stage reversal, while others require unanticipated surgical interventions. Our understanding of perioperative factors and outcomes associated with such unexpected interventions is extremely limited.

Methods:

Patients who underwent unexpected surgery after the Glenn procedure between January 2010 and December 2019 within the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) were identified with a subgroup analysis of those reverting to stage I physiology. Patient’s requiring reversal to stage I palliation were matched 1:5 with controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for reintervention.

Results:

A total of 16,913 patients underwent Glenn procedure with 1221 (7.2%) requiring unexpected cardiac surgical intervention and 95 (0.56%) patients required takedown to a stage I. Significant clinical and operative risk factors were identified for such unexpected interventions.

The overall mortality after Glenn procedure was 1.2%, while mortality after unexpected reintervention was 6.6% at 30 days and after Glenn takedown was 27.5% at last follow-up. Unexpected surgical intervention and right ventricular dominance were significant risk factors for mortality.

Conclusion:

Unexpected reinterventions, including need for takedown after the Glenn procedure, are associated with significantly higher mortality. Further studies should focus on improving our patient selection, understanding the risk factors mechanistically, including impact of the right ventricle as systemic ventricle in order to avoid need for unexpected surgical interventions.
Augmentation of the skeletal muscle pump alleviates preload failure in patients after Fontan palliation and with orthostatic intolerance
Authors: Hebson Camden L. , Wall Kevin M. , Roby Kevin V. , Borasino Polly F. , Gould Sara J. , Chaviano Kelli N. , Kane Austin M.
Published: February 2025

While the pathophysiology affecting patients after Fontan palliation versus those with orthostatic intolerance is quite different, a common therapeutic approach exists. Exercise training, specifically augmenting the lower extremity skeletal muscle pump, improves the suboptimal haemodynamics of “preload failure” and thus clinical outcomes for each patient group. In this review, we will describe the problematic physiology affecting these patients, examine the anatomy and haemodynamics of the skeletal muscle pump, and finally review how exercise benefits both groups of patients through augmentation of musculovenous force.
The anti-politics of food in South Africa: Transformation, accountability and the nutrition policy subsystem
Authors: Moyo Busiso Helard , Thow Anne Marie , Kroll Florian , Drimie Scott
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To examine power and governance arrangements in food and nutrition policy formulation and agenda-setting in South Africa

Design:

Analysis of the policy implementation environment and in-depth interviews were conducted focussing on: existing policy content and priorities across food system sectors; institutional structures for cross-sectoral and external stakeholder engagement; exercise of power in relation to food system policies; and opportunities to strengthen action on nutrition.

Setting:

South Africa

Participants:

Interviews were conducted with 48 key stakeholders involved in the food and nutrition policy sphere: government sectors relevant to food systems (n=21), the private sector (n=4), academia (n=10), NGOs (n=11) and farmers (n=2).

Results:

This study found that there are power dynamics involved in shaping the planning agenda that is inadvertently generating a food system that undermines the right to food. The concept of nutrition governance remains poorly defined and applied in different ways and usually based on a relatively narrow interpretation – therefore limiting policy coherence and coordination. South Africa has strong legal institutions and practices, and social policies that support public provisioning of food, but a non-interventionist approach to the food system.

Conclusions:

The right to food and nutrition, as outlined in the South African Constitution, has not yet been effectively utilized to establish a robust normative and legal basis for tackling the dual challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition. Currently, the governance of the food system is grappling with substantial obstacles, balancing the influence of powerful stakeholders who uphold the status quo against its responsibilities for food justice.
Multi-Purpose Green Industrial Policy and the WTO: An Unavoidable Clash?
Authors: Fang Mandy Meng
Published: February 2025

Amid a new era of disruption spawned by looming climate threats and significant geopolitical tensions, an increasing number of countries have favored a more robust green industrial policy (GIP) to reduce carbon emissions and achieve other economic, political, and geostrategic objectives. The use of multi-purpose GIPs not only raises questions regarding the policies' compatibility with the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules but also, more broadly, profoundly implicates the interface between energy, trade, and the environment. This article selects China, the United States, and the European Union as case studies and provides a thorough analysis of the specific text and context of their GIPs to identify the new trends that deviate from past practices in order to capture the policy transformation. It highlights the disruptively adverse implications of the multi-purpose GIPs on the multilateral trading system. However, the WTO has an opportunity to mitigate such disruptions and avoid a seemingly unavoidable clash by facilitating international cooperation and coordination in the design and implementation of multi-purpose GIPs, particularly among major clean energy producer countries. In doing so, the WTO can strengthen its credibility and stability while also minimizing the misalignment of the diverse objectives and ensuring the decarbonization efforts will not undermined.