bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovative Techniques in Agriculture: Transitioning From Traditional Farming to Precision and Hydroponic Agriculture
Authors: Manimozhi Rajalakshmi , Krishnamoorthy Gunasekaran
Published: February 2025

Precision agriculture and hydroponics are the main topics of this review, which examines the shift from conventional farming practices to modern innovations in agriculture. Despite the long history and significance of traditional agriculture, it is increasingly confronting challenges such as the need for sustainable food production, water scarcity, climate change, and environmental degradation. Precision farming maximizes agricultural yields while cutting resource consumption by 20%–30% by utilizing data‐driven methods such as satellite images, IoT‐enabled sensors, and AI algorithms. According to studies, installing precision irrigation systems can greatly lessen the environmental impact by increasing water‐use efficiency by up to nearly 40%. Based on data techniques for improving crop yields, minimizing environmental impact, and maximizing resource utilization are provided by precision agriculture. By conserving water, permitting nutrient recycling, and supporting urban and vertical farming, hydroponics is a soilless agricultural technique that offers a sustainable solution. The hydroponics market in India is also covered in this assessment, with an emphasis on its prospects for expansion and contributions to urban food security. The use of these novel methods promises an agricultural future that is more adaptable, effective, and environmentally friendly, solving the immediate problems of the present while ensuring future generations' access to food. This review investigates how hydroponic systems and precision agriculture can be combined to provide automated changes and real‐time nutrient monitoring. Such collaboration not only reduces labor costs and the environmental impact, but it also increases productivity by 25%–50%. These methods are used, for instance, by hydroponic farms in places like Singapore to grow fresh vegetables all year round in small areas, addressing the problem of urban food security.
Gastroenterology Training and Career in Women: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Manthopoulou Eleni , Catalan‐Serra Ignacio , Corsetti Maura , Nowak Andrea , Perugorria María Jesús , Simsek Cem , Ciacci Carolina
Published: February 2025

This review highlights gender gaps in training, career, and work‐life balance in gastroenterology. Stereotypes and biases toward women’s abilities and commitment to their careers can influence evaluations, advancement in gastroenterology training, and career progression. The findings indicate that lack of or limited access to mentorship and sponsorship, as well as support networks, can hinder the professional development of women. Moreover, results indicate that we must improve work‐life balance measures, for example offering flexible working hours and compensation and support for women during pregnancy, after childbirth, and motherhood. However, reports on such equity measures are scarce, and we lack scientific evidence of their impact. This review concludes that to reduce gender gaps and make a positive impact, we need educational and promotional programs and monitoring of their outcomes.
Modeling compaction effects on soil water retention across the full moisture range: Calibration and validation
Authors: Peters Andre , Tian Zhengchao , Heitman Joshua L. , Iden Sascha C. , Rolfes Lennart , Germer Kai , Lorenz Marco
Published: February 2025

Soil compaction leads to an increase in bulk density () and results in a shift in pore‐size distribution toward smaller pores. These changes alter the soil hydraulic properties (SHPs), that is, the water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity curve. Most existing models that address the impact of changes in on SHP have been confined to SHP models that consider only capillary water, neglecting water stored and transmitted within adsorbed films (noncapillary water). Recently, a new prediction model was developed that combines the Peters–Durner–Iden (PDI) SHP model system, which accounts for capillary and noncapillary water, with a prediction scheme for compaction effects. However, this new approach has yet to be calibrated and tested against data from soils with varying textures. The objective of this study was to calibrate and evaluate the new water retention model using a comprehensive dataset from the literature. Two different variants, which vary in the number of degrees of freedom have been tested. Remarkably, the variant with only one adjustable parameter, the one that shifts the pore‐size distribution by scaling the pressure head, was sufficient to accurately describe the data. All other parameters can either be fixed at the reference value or scaled based on straightforward physical reasoning. The model achieved low calibration errors (median root mean square error [RMSE]: 0.013; median mean error [ME]: 0.0014) and performed satisfactorily in validation (median RMSE: 0.025; median ME: −0.014). Based on our results, we hypothesize that the scaling approach is independent of the capillary saturation function and that this method might be applied to other models within the PDI system without new calibration.
Lacustrine Records of Past Seismic Shaking
Authors: Moernaut Jasper , Howarth Jamie , Kremer Katrina , Wils Katleen
Published: February 2025

Reliable seismic hazard analysis builds upon a robust reconstruction of spatiotemporal rupture variability over multi-millennial timescales. Lacustrine sediment sequences can provide long and complete records of strong seismic shaking due to the generally continuous nature of subaqueous sedimentation, allowing for high record sensitivity, continuity and accurate age control. Seismic shaking, which can originate from different seismic sources in a region, is typically recorded as in-situ deformation structures or deposits resulting from subaqueous mass-wasting, lake water oscillations or earthquake-related processes in the catchment of the lake. Several calibration methods have been developed to relate the type and size of lacustrine sedimentary earthquake imprints to ground shaking parameters for recent events. By integrating multi-lake records with other paleoseismic archives, this quantitative information enabled evaluation of the possible location, extent and magnitude of prehistoric earthquakes. This chapter introduces the principles of quantitative lacustrine paleoseismology and illustrates its value by three comprehensive case studies from intraplate, transform and subduction zone settings.
Phase diagram from nonlinear interaction between superconducting order and density: toward data-based holographic superconductor
Authors: Kim Sejin , Kim Kyung Kiu , Seo Yunseok
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We address an inverse problem in modeling holographic superconductors. We focus our research on the critical temperature behavior depicted by experiments. We use a physics-informed neural network method to find a mass function M (F
2), which is necessary to understand phase transition behavior. This mass function describes a nonlinear interaction between superconducting order and charge carrier density. We introduce positional embedding layers to improve the learning process in our algorithm, and the Adam optimization is used to predict the critical temperature data via holographic calculation with appropriate accuracy. Consideration of the positional embedding layers is motivated by the transformer model of natural-language processing in the artificial intelligence (AI) field. We obtain holographic models that reproduce borderlines of the normal and superconducting phases provided by actual data. Our work is the first holographic attempt to match phase transition data quantitatively obtained from experiments. Also, the present work offers a new methodology for data-based holographic models.
Exact surface energies and boundary excitations of the Izergin-Korepin model with generic boundary fields
Authors: Lu Pengcheng , Cao Junpeng , Yang Wen-Li , Marquette Ian , Zhang Yao-Zhong
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The Izergin-Korepin model is an integrable model with the simplest twisted quantum affine algebra U

q
(

$$ {A}_2^{(2)} $$

A
2

2

) symmetry. Applying the t-W method, we derive the homogeneous zeroes Bethe ansatz equations and the corresponding zeroes patterns of the Izergin-Korepin model with generic integrable boundaries. Based on these results, we analytically compute the surface energies and boundary excitations in different regimes of boundary parameters of the model. It is shown that in some regimes, correlation effect appears between two boundary fields.
Spondylodiscitis relevant tissue concentrations of cefuroxime - a large animal microdialysis study
Authors: Bastian Jake Paul Lawrence , Hvistendahl Magnus A. , Høy Kristian , Stilling Maiken , Bue Mats
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Spondylodiscitis is a serious condition requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy. Relevant pharmacokinetic tissue understanding of antibiotics in a spondylodiscitis setting is limited. The study aimed to investigate cefuroxime concentrations in the L4/L5 intervertebral disc, lumbar bone, paravertebral muscle and subcutaneous tissue using microdialysis.

Methods

Eight pigs received 1,500 mg of cefuroxime by intravenous bolus infusion over 10 min. Prior to cefuroxime administration, microdialysis catheters were placed in the L4/L5 intervertebral disc, lumbar bone, paravertebral muscle and adjacent subcutaneous tissue for sampling across an 8-h dosing interval. Plasma samples were obtained for reference. Based on prior time-kill modelling for cefuroxime, 40% of the dosing interval with concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (40% T > MIC) for Staphylococcus aureus was chosen as the primary endpoint.

Results

The 40% T > MIC target exposure was surpassed in all investigated compartments in 5/8 pigs at the lowest MIC-target of 1
$$\:\mu\:$$
g/mL. None of the pigs achieved the 40% T > MIC at the clinical breakpoint MIC for S. aureus of 4
$$\:\mu\:$$
g/mL. Mean %T > MIC was comparable across the spondylodiscitis relevant tissues at MICs of 1 (range: 43–60%), 2 (range: 30–38%)
$$\:,$$
and 4
$$\:\mu\:$$
g/mL (range: 16–26%).

Conclusion

Short-infused cefuroxime dosing standards may under-treat S. aureus spondylodiscitis, increasing the risk of inadequate bacterial killing and resistance development. Given the severity of spondylodiscitis, alternate clinical dosing strategies for cefuroxime may be necessary, such as shorter dosing intervals or prolonged/continuous infusion.
Genetic risk factors for periodontitis: a genome-wide association study using UK Biobank data
Authors: Gao Chenyi , Iles Mark M. , Bishop David Timothy , Larvin Harriet , Bunce David , Wu Bei , Luo Huabin , Nibali Luigi , Pavitt Susan , Wu Jianhua , Kang Jing
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Periodontitis is linked with many health conditions, but its genetic basis is not yet understood. This genome-wide association study (GWAS) aimed to investigate the genetic variants associated with periodontitis.

Materials and methods

This study utilised UK Biobank participants of European descent. Individuals were categorised as “having periodontitis” if they self-reported having ‘painful gums’, ‘bleeding gums’ or ‘loose teeth’ (n = 68,482), or as “controls” for those without these symptoms (n = 307,342). We conducted GWAS of this binary periodontitis phenotype using logistic regression models with PLINK2.0 adjusting for age, sex and the first 15 principal components to account for population stratification.

Results

There were 376,611 participants (mean baseline age = 57 ± 7.9 SD) included in the GWAS, and four significant loci were identified: rs775476621 on chromosome 11 (Odds Ratio, OR[T]: 3.08, p = 1.01 × 10− 8), rs751014048 on chromosome 11 (OR[G]: 3.07, p = 1.04 × 10− 8), rs149922301 on chromosome 4 near gene RP11-61G19.1 (OR[A]: 1.18, p = 2.71 × 10− 8) and rs368467810 on chromosome 6 near gene HIST1H3L (OR[TTTA]: 0.96, p = 3.88 × 10− 8).

Conclusions

Within the current limitations, such as self-reported phenotype and older age of the study population, four loci were detected for periodontitis that have not previously been linked with this condition. Further exploration of the function of these loci may contribute to improved understanding of periodontitis aetiology and subsequent drug development.

Clinical relevance

These findings offer new targets for future research to investigate the genetic impact on periodontitis and aid the future understanding of periodontitis pathology and the disease’s progression.
The diagnostic performance of automatic B-lines detection for evaluating pulmonary edema in the emergency department among novice point-of-care ultrasound practitioners
Authors: Ienghong Kamonwon , Cheung Lap Woon , Gaysonsiri Dhanu , Apiratwarakul Korakot
Published: February 2025

Purpose

B-lines in lung ultrasound have been a critical clue for detecting pulmonary edema. However, distinguishing B-lines from other artifacts is a challenge, especially for novice point of care ultrasound (POCUS) practitioners. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of automatic detection of B-lines using artificial intelligence (Auto B-lines) for detecting pulmonary edema.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on dyspnea patients treated at the emergency department between January 2023 and June 2024. Ultrasound documentation and electronic emergency department medical records were evaluated for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of auto B-lines in detection of pulmonary edema.

Results

Sixty-six patients with a final diagnosis of pulmonary edema were enrolled, with 54.68% having positive B-lines in lung ultrasound. Auto B-lines had 95.6% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92–0.98) and 77.2% specificity (95% CI: 0.74–0.80). Physicians demonstrated 82.7% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.79–0.97) and 63.09% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.58–0.69).

Conclusion

The auto B-lines were highly sensitive in diagnosing pulmonary edema in novice POCUS practitioners. The clinical integration of physicians and artificial intelligence enhances diagnostic capabilities.
Defining and generating multi-level and uncertainty-wise test oracles for cyber-physical systems
Authors: Valle Pablo , Arrieta Aitor , Han Liping , Ali Shaukat , Yue Tao
Published: February 2025

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) blend digital and physical processes. CPS software is the key to realizing their functionalities. This software needs to evolve to deal with different aspects, such as the implementation of new functionalities or bug fixes. Because of this, design–operation methods, colloquially known as “DevOps,” are paramount to be adopted within these systems. During DevOps phases, automating test execution at design time is a key enabler of streamlined software development and software quality improvement. Likewise, monitoring whether a CPS is behaving as expected at operation is similarly important. In DevOps, test oracles play an important role in enabling automated testing, ensuring the reliability of software deployments, providing feedback to developers, etc. However, defining and generating test oracles in the context of DevOps practices in CPSs need to accommodate aspects specific to CPSs, such as their time-continuous behavior and inherent uncertainties. To this end, in this paper, we propose a domain-specific language (DSL) to ease the definition of test oracles and an automated solution for generating a microservice encapsulating the defined test oracles, which is compatible with a DevOps ecosystem for CPSs. We evaluated our DSL with two industrial case study systems and 9 open-source CPSs. Our evaluation results suggest that our DSL can model around 98% of the requirements of these systems through test oracles. Furthermore, it is possible to generate a microservice to be applicable at different test levels within less than 20 min, being fast enough to be adopted in practice.
Automated Grading of Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) Using a Dual-Stream CNN Model with Deep Supervision
Authors: Chen Guangjie , Su Lixian , Wang Shuxin , Liu Xiaoqing , Wu Wenqian , Zhang Fandong , Zhao Yijun , Zhu Linfeng , Zhang Hongbo , Wang Xiaohao , Yu Gang
Published: February 2025

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a urinary system disorder characterized by the abnormal flow of urine from the bladder back into the ureters and kidneys, often leading to renal complications, particularly in children. Accurate grading of VUR, typically determined through voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), is crucial for effective clinical management and treatment planning. This study proposes a novel multi-head convolutional neural network for the automatic grading of VUR from VCUG images. The model employs a dual-stream architecture with a modified ResNet-50 backbone, enabling independent analysis of the left and right urinary tracts. Our approach categorizes VUR into three distinct classes: no reflux, mild to moderate reflux, and severe reflux. The incorporation of deep supervision within the network enhances feature learning and improves the model’s ability to detect subtle variations in VUR patterns. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method effectively grades VUR, achieving an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 and a patient-level accuracy of 0.84. This provides a reliable tool to support clinical decision-making in pediatric cases.
The provenance of trans/gender: on the subject’s willful disappearance from the record
Authors: Wynholds L.
Published: February 2025

In recent years, health and government information systems have made gender variance more visible and countable in the records. However, being counted has created novel forms of vulnerability for transgender and gender-diverse populations. This paper explores the complexity of records in exposing vulnerabilities of marginalization, illustrating how recordkeeping practices may contribute to erasure and stigma and reproduce systems of social disenfranchisement. The paper introduces the concept of ‘hostile recordkeeping practices’ as a critical analytical lens to articulate observations of marginalization in recordkeeping environments, to discuss indicators of bias, and to develop mechanisms for surfacing issues of trauma, violence, stigma, and repair. Using examples from the published literature, the paper discusses the importance of understanding social interactions which exacerbate marginalization within recordkeeping practices. Based on a case study, the paper argues that the dangers trans and gender-diverse individuals routinely encounter in recordkeeping practices necessitate additional analytical inquiry into hostile recordkeeping practices. The case study contributes to discussions of ethics of care for records for marginalized populations and includes interactional considerations, ethical considerations and historical contexts embedded in recordkeeping systems. The paper closes with an argument for the need to adapt existing recordkeeping practices to safeguard against hostile uses, systemic bias and structural violence. Future archival and medical discourses alike need to engage with the situation(s) of creation, the acts of recording, and, most importantly, personal agency in the negotiations of allowable uses for the records for marginalized populations.
The Ties that Bind or Those That Tear US APART? Co-CEO Constellations and ESG Performance in Family Firms
Authors: Ponomareva Yuliya , Paolone Francesco , Cambrea Domenico Rocco , Goergen Marc
Published: February 2025

While the prevailing perspective on executive leadership has emphasized the effectiveness of a unified command structure, family firms frequently adopt shared leadership structures, such as dyads, triads, or larger co-CEO constellations. Given the widespread use of such structures in family firms, it becomes imperative to understand how family involvement in the firm shapes the dynamics of co-CEO constellations and their implications for firm outcomes. Drawing upon the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, we propose that the salience of extended SEW concerns increases the costs associated with a shared leadership structure. These elevated costs, in turn, result in adverse environmental, social, and governance (ESG) outcomes. Our empirical analysis, based on panel data from 76 Italian firms listed on the Milan Stock Exchange during 2003–2020, suggests that family firms employing a co-CEO structure tend to exhibit lower ESG performance, while a positive relationship emerges in nonfamily firms. We theorize and find empirical support that the negative effect for family firms stems from family-induced cognitive diversity, manifested via the inclusion of both family and nonfamily members or family members from different generations in the co-CEO constellation. Importantly, we identify a key mitigating factor: when one of the co-CEOs also holds the position of the board chair, the negative impact of the co-CEO structure on ESG performance is mitigated and even turns positive. These findings advance our understanding of how family involvement in the shared leadership structure shapes a firm’s ethical orientation, having important implications for the governance of family firms.
Understanding security tactics in microservice APIs using annotated software architecture decomposition models – a controlled experiment
Authors: Genfer Patric , Serbout Souhaila , Simhandl Georg , Zdun Uwe , Pautasso Cesare
Published: February 2025

While microservice architectures have become a widespread option for designing distributed applications, designing secure microservice systems remains challenging. Although various security-related guidelines and practices exist, these systems’ sheer size, complex communication structures, and polyglot tech stacks make it difficult to manually validate whether adequate security tactics are applied throughout their architecture. To address these challenges, we have devised a novel solution that involves the automatic generation of security-annotated software decomposition models and the utilization of security-based metrics to guide software architectures through the assessment of security tactics employed within microservice systems. To evaluate the effectiveness of our artifacts, we conducted a controlled experiment where we asked 60 students from two universities and ten experts from the industry to identify and assess the security features of two microservice reference systems. During the experiment, we tracked the correctness of their answers and the time they needed to solve the given tasks to measure how well they could understand the security tactics applied in the reference systems. Our results indicate that the supplemental material significantly improved the correctness of the participants’ answers without requiring them to consult the documentation more. Most participants also stated in a self-assessment that their understanding of the security tactics used in the systems improved significantly because of the provided material, with the additional diagrams considered very helpful. In contrast, the perception of architectural metrics varied widely. We could also show that novice developers benefited most from the supplementary diagrams. In contrast, senior developers could rely on their experience to compensate for the lack of additional help. Contrary to our expectations, we found no significant correlation between the time spent solving the tasks and the overall correctness score achieved, meaning that participants who took more time to read the documentation did not automatically achieve better results. As far as we know, this empirical study is the first analysis that explores the influence of security annotations in component diagrams to guide software developers when assessing microservice system security.
Teacher-Student Interactions of Autistic Adolescents: Relationships between Teacher Autonomy Support, Structure, Involvement and Student Engagement
Authors: Esqueda Villegas Fernanda , van der Steen Steffie , van Dijk Marijn , Esqueda Villegas David Alejandro , Minnaert Alexander
Published: February 2025

The extent to which autistic students are provided with autonomy-support, structure and involvement during the teacher-student interaction has been under-researched. Few studies have focused on autistic secondary school students and even fewer have used observations to analyze their interactions. In this research, we aimed to understand the interaction dynamics between autistic students and their teachers in the Netherlands and Mexico; two countries committed to inclusive education. Six teacher-student dyads from five mainstream secondary schools in the Netherlands and seven teacher-student dyads from one school in Mexico participated. We used a fine-grained observational method to describe the classroom interactions, systematically coded from the lens of Self-Determination Theory. To study the interaction as a whole and co-occurring teacher and student behaviors (rather than breaking it down into separate parts), we used State Space Grids. Teacher-student interactions varied widely. In general, Dutch and Mexican teachers provided much structure in the classroom, which (in many cases) coincided with the active engagement of autistic students. At the same time, autistic students in both countries received little autonomy-support. However, when these students received autonomy-support, they responded with more engagement. In contrast, both engaged and disengaged student behaviors occurred when the teacher showed involvement. The desired patterns of interaction were not observed in all teacher-student pairs. Our findings indicate that teachers in both countries are missing opportunities to be autonomy-supportive. This contextual factor was minimally observed in the teacher-student interactions, particularly when compared to the levels of structure and involvement provided during lessons.
Does the bioeconomy literature provide a balanced view of sustainability?
Authors: Virgolino Julia Lessa Feitosa , Holden Nicholas M.
Published: February 2025

Bioeconomy has emerged as a route to sustainability, but it is not inherently sustainable. Given the ambition of bioeconomy policies around the world, it is crucial for scientific literature to offer balanced evidence about sustainable practices across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This study analysed bioeconomy research over the last 50 years to identify which aspects of sustainability have been prioritized and overlooked. The alignment of bioeconomy literature with the ‘Aspirational Principles and Criteria for a Sustainable Bioeconomy’ defined by FAO was assessed to understand if there is a balance of evidence among environmental, social, and economic interests, or whether specific sustainability considerations are emphasized. Eight critical research gaps emerged: bioeconomy impact on food security, water usage, inclusive consultation, land rights, policy coherence, system resilience, risk assessment, and sustainable consumption practices.
Self-esteem at the intersection of sex, SES, and immigrant origin
Authors: Barzoki Meysam H. , Kiviruusu Olli , Skogberg Natalia
Published: February 2025

Background: Individuals from disadvantaged groups in society are at heightened risk of experiencing low self-esteem. However, limited research has explored self-esteem at the intersection of sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and immigrant origin. Method: This study examines self-esteem among 91,560 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years in Finland, drawing on data from the nationwide School Health Promotion Study. The analysis focuses on how sex, SES, and immigrant origin intersect to influence self-esteem. Results: An analysis of variance revealed large effect sizes for sex, medium effect sizes for SES, and very small effect sizes for immigrant origin on self-esteem. Girls, adolescents from lower SES backgrounds, and 1st generation immigrant and multicultural students exhibited lower self-esteem compared to their peers. A three-way interaction analysis showed that while both boys and girls who were 1st generation immigrants with low SES had the lowest self-esteem, 1st generation immigrant boys from low SES backgrounds were particularly vulnerable to low self-esteem relative to other boys. Conclusion: The independent and interactive effects of sex, SES, and immigrant origin are discussed within the context of Finland, a country known for its relatively low economic and gender inequality. These findings highlight specific groups of adolescents who may be at greater risk of low self-esteem.
Insights into School Connectedness: Validation of a Scale in Spanish Adolescents and Relationship with Mental Health Indicators
Authors: Lucas-Molina Beatriz , Pérez-Albéniz Alicia , Díez-Gómez Adriana , Fonseca-Pedrero Eduardo
Published: February 2025

The role of feelings of belonging at school in adolescents’ academic and psychological functioning is well established. This study aimed to validate the School Connectedness subscale from the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) School Climate Survey for secondary school students in Spain. This subscale encompasses the three key dimensions traditionally associated with school belonging. The internal structure of the scale and its measurement invariance across sex and age groups were examined. Additionally, new sources of validity evidence related to psychological adjustment were analyzed. A total of 1774 students aged 14–18 years (M = 15.70; SD = 1.26; 53.7% females) participated in the study. The results confirmed the three-factor structure of the scale, consistent with the theoretical framework proposed. Furthermore, measurement invariance was supported across sex and age groups. School connectedness was positively correlated with personal well-being and self-esteem, and negatively correlated with suicidal behavior, depressive symptoms, and emotional and behavioral problems. The resulting School Connectedness Scale is a brief, easy, and reliable tool for assessing this construct in adolescents. The findings have practical implications for assessing and promoting belongingness in educational settings.
Integrating Cloud-Based Geospatial Analysis for Understanding Spatio-Temporal Drought Dynamics and Microclimate Variability in Rajasthan: Implications for Urban Development Planning
Authors: Nathawat Ritu , Singh Suraj Kumar , Sajan Bhartendu , Pareek Monika , Kanga Shruti , Đurin Bojan , Kantamaneni Komali , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: February 2025

This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of drought and microclimate variability in Rajasthan, India, from 2010 to 2022 using the Standardized Drought Composite Index (SDCI). The SDCI integrates the Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) to assess drought severity. Remote sensing data from MODIS and CHIRPS were processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) for large-scale, continuous drought monitoring. The results reveal significant drought conditions in 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022, with southeastern districts like Kota, Bundi, and Baran experiencing SDCI values below 0.2, indicating severe drought. Arid regions, including Jaisalmer, Barmer, and Bikaner, consistently exhibited extreme drought (SDCI < 0.1) due to low annual precipitation (less than 250 mm). In contrast, semi-humid regions like Udaipur and Ajmer showed variable drought intensities linked to localized climatic factors. Temperature-related vegetation stress was particularly high during pre-monsoon periods, affecting agricultural productivity. The spatial analysis highlights significant regional disparities in drought severity, emphasizing the need for tailored, location-specific drought management strategies. Incorporating green infrastructure, such as urban forests and permeable pavements, is recommended to mitigate the impacts of drought and desertification. This study underscores the utility of cloud-based geospatial tools for drought monitoring and resource planning, providing critical insights for sustainable urban and agricultural development. Future research could refine the SDCI methodology and integrate socio-economic factors to enhance drought resilience.
Cerchar abrasivity test and its applications in rock engineering: A review
Authors: Zhang Guangzhe , Thuro Kurosch , Song Zhengyang , Dang Wengang , Bai Qingsheng
Published: February 2025

Abrasiveness as an intrinsic property of rocks defines the extent of wear or loss when interacting with other materials. In engineering sectors like hard rock mining and tunnelling, comprehending rock abrasiveness holds paramount importance due to its direct effect on tool wear during excavation. Among the diverse methods for assessing rock abrasiveness, the Cerchar abrasivity test emerges as the most widely used approach. Over time, the Cerchar test has garnered substantial attention from scholars, who have delved into the factors influencing test results due to testing conditions and examined the connection between the physical-mechanical parameters of rocks and their abrasiveness. Recent advancements in testing instrument have expanded our ability to measure additional parameters during rock cutting or drilling, yielding fresh insights for abrasiveness assessment, tool wear prediction, tool performance evaluation and rock excavatability estimation. The Cerchar abrasivity test, coupled with recent developments in testing instrument and parameter measurement, holds promising potential for enhancing our comprehension of rock abrasiveness and its practical implications. This review systematically traces the evolution of the test. It commences with an overview of the test origin and progression, emphasizing its pivotal role in assessing rock abrasiveness. Furthermore, it consolidates and categorizes the research contributions from various scholars regarding the test. This includes enhancements and refinements of the testing apparatus, as well as investigations into various testing orientations and their effects on different types of rocks. Moreover, this review illuminates the broader applications and interdisciplinary possibilities of this test, not only in material science but also in tribology. It underscores how the insights gleaned from the Cerchar test can be extrapolated to diverse areas of research beyond the scope of rock engineering.
Molecular mapping of candidate genes in determining red color of perilla leaf
Authors: Xie Guanwen , Zhang Yuxuan , Xiao Shen , Wu Duan , Wang Hongbin , Shen Qi
Published: February 2025

Perilla frutescens is a traditional medicinal plant and functional food in Asian communities, characterized by distinct red and green leaf types that have significant phenotypic and medicinal implications. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling anthocyanin synthesis in this species remain unclear. Genetic analysis serves as a powerful tool for investigating the pivotal genes and regulatory mechanisms governing anthocyanin accumulation in red and green perilla. In this study, an F2 segregation population was constructed from a hybrid of red and green perilla, and representative samples were subjected to mix-sequencing using BSA-seq and BSR-seq. A 6.0 Mb candidate region on chromosome 8 was identified, pinpointing PfMYB113b, PfC4H1, and PfF3H as key genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. The insertion of a repeat sequence in the promoter of PfMYB113b leads to alterations in gene expression levels. Furthermore, PfMYB113b regulates the transcription of PfC4H1 and PfF3H, thereby influencing anthocyanin synthesis. These findings enhance our understanding of the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying leaf coloration in perilla.
Lost Letters
Authors: Morieux Renaud
Published: February 2025

This article focuses on an exceptional primary source—nearly eighty letters addressed to the crew of a single French ship captured during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) but never read, as their still-sealed envelopes attest. Letters to sailors, which helped maintain relations endangered by distance and uncertainty over whether they would return, offer clues to the resilience of familial bonds in wartime. Rather than interpreting these documents as a sign of the emergence of the nuclear family and modern intimacy, they are here approached as an object of social history. This correspondence played a key role in the circulation of information and the survival of familial unity. Letters were not markers of personal, private, and intimate exchanges, but rather part of the very fabric of complex social relations structured by both family ties and neighborliness. Both their writing and their reading engaged multiple individuals well beyond their signatory and their addressee. Ultimately, the article highlights, in their very materiality, the social dynamics that formalized the expression of emotions.
Dimensions of Time in a Ritual Drama
Authors: McKenzie Isabel Yaya
Published: February 2025

Holding on precariously to their small steeds, the Spanish conquerors attempt to break through the ranks of Atahualpa’s army, whose men defend on foot the fate of the Inca Empire. The scene is messy, at once tense and playful owing to the performers’ advanced state of inebriation. This choreography, which plays out the tragic events of 1532, has been reenacted on various patronal festivals throughout the central Peruvian Sierra since the first half of the seventeenth century. Although nowadays these reenactments may vary in configuration from one place to the next, all are financed by lay volunteers and include masses, processions, drinking, banquets, collective dances, fights, musical entertainment, and occasionally a bullfight. These festive performances are part of a connected history of the circulation and reconfiguration of representations of moros y cristianos (Moors and Christians) in the Iberian world. This article attempts to grasp the institutional dynamics, at the intersection between politics and religion, that have ensured the success and longevity of these performances in the Andes. It also questions the texture of this long time-span and its articulation with other temporalities. Based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Chiquián (Áncash), the analysis focuses on the temporalities of the ritual: What past, present, and future horizons are woven into these performances’ frameworks of interaction?
There’s More to Debt Than Meets the Eye
Authors: Trivellato Francesca
Published: February 2025

On the first landing of the staircase, there is a door with a name tag: “D. Graeber.” I am inside an eighteenth-century Venetian palazzo, Ca’ Corner della Regina, which since 2011 has been turned into an exhibition space by the Fondazione Prada (the contemporary art foundation of the famous fashion brand). From 1834 to 1969 the palazzo was home to the municipal pawnshop, called Monte di pietà after the lending institutions for the poor established in the fifteenth century by Franciscan friars in various Italian cities, although not in Venice. These Franciscan lenders were partly conceived to counteract Jewish pawnbrokers. Monte di pietà is also currently the title of an immersive installation housed in the same palazzo, designed by the Swiss conceptual artist Christoph Büchel and timed to coincide with the Sixtieth Venice Art Biennale, which runs from April to November 2024.
Enhancements and next steps for the G7 Hiroshima AI Process: Toward a common framework to advance human rights, democracy and rule of law
Authors: Habuka Hiroki , Socol de la Osa David U.
Published: February 2025

This article focuses on the G7’s Hiroshima AI Process (HAIP) and its flagship document, the Hiroshima Code of Conduct, as pivotal elements in shaping global artificial intelligence (AI) governance. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of AI regulations in G7 member states, the article demonstrates a high degree of interoperability between these national frameworks and the Code of Conduct’s principles. The article proposes concrete steps to translate these principles into actionable policies at the G7 level and develops strategic adjustments to incorporate them into national standards. The article then proposes enhancements to the Code of Conduct, including the development of a common AI governance vocabulary, robust risk management frameworks, life cycle standards harmonization, effective stakeholder engagement mechanisms, specific redress mechanisms for AI harms and guidelines for government AI use to ensure democratic principles and human rights are upheld. Ultimately, this research aims to strengthen the G7’s role in leading a global AI landscape characterized by the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.
Adopting Technological Innovations to Enhance Disaster Event Response
Authors: Leone Ryan Michael , Rainwater-Lovett Kaitlin , Hanfling Dan
Published: February 2025

The convergence of medical and technological developments has continued to transform the delivery of medical care in disaster environments, incorporating advances from telecommunications to physiologic monitoring, artificial intelligence, and computer vision. However, unless the interconnected nature of these developments is conceptualized with a proper framework, there is a risk of overlooking applications, developing silos, and limiting interoperability between innovations. To develop such a framework, this piece integrated a review of current literature, expert insights, and global market trends to propose 4 categories of innovations: (1) Enabling Technologies, (2) Signal Acquisition, (3) Data Utilization, and (4) Applications. Applications can be further subdivided into 4 use cases: (1) Disease and Injury Surveillance and Detection, (2) Population Protection, (3) Responder Protection, and (4) Disease and Injury Management. Practitioners, policymakers, and private sector counterparts can utilize this framework to change their clinical practices, allocate funds in a stepwise fashion, or prioritize development projects, respectively.
Cellular calcium homeostasis and regulation of its dynamic perturbation
Authors: Brownlee Colin , Wheeler Glen L.
Published: February 2025

Calcium ions (Ca2+) play pivotal roles in a host of cellular signalling processes. The requirement to maintain resting cytosolic Ca2+ levels in the 100–200 nM range provides a baseline for dynamic excursions from resting levels that determine the nature of many physiological responses to external stimuli and developmental processes. This review provides an overview of the key components of the Ca2+ homeostatic machinery, including known channel-mediated Ca2+ entry pathways along with transporters that act to shape the cytosolic Ca2+ signature. The relative roles of the vacuole and endoplasmic reticulum as sources or sinks for cytosolic Ca2+ are considered, highlighting significant gaps in our understanding. The components contributing to mitochondrial, chloroplast and nuclear Ca2+ homeostasis and organellar Ca2+ signals are also considered. Taken together, a complex picture of the cellular Ca2+ homeostatic machinery emerges with some clear differences from mechanisms operating in many animal cells.
Fairness According to Whom? Divergent Perceptions of Fairness among White and Black Americans and Its Effect on Trade Attitudes
Authors: LOBO DANIEL , BRUTGER RYAN
Published: February 2025

Racial divides in American attitudes toward trade are often explained by labor market discrimination and traits like nationalism. However, recent research shows that perceptions of fairness, particularly “asymmetric fairness” concerns about “falling behind” other countries, significantly shape these attitudes. We theorize that linking these perspectives offers new insights. Drawing on critical race theory and cognitive psychology, we theorize that Black Americans, unlike their white counterparts, do not view trade through the lens of asymmetric fairness. Since Black Americans have not benefited from the same social, economic, and political privileges, they are less concerned with “falling behind” and instead focus on fairness as equality. This leads them to evaluate trade agreements through a “principled fairness” lens, contributing to support for trade policies that benefit both the home and foreign country, as opposed to prioritizing an “America First” trade agenda. We test this theory in a national survey experiment and find strong support.
LUCIAN’S PRINCIPLES OF HISTORICAL COMPOSITION IN LIGHT OF ANCIENT RHETORICAL THEORY
Authors: Dror Roee
Published: February 2025

This article explores Lucian’s treatise, How to Write History, in the context of ancient rhetorical and literary theory. While situated within the domain of historiography, the treatise prioritizes issues related to literary composition, such as the linguistic register and content selection deemed fitting for the historical genre. Through comparisons with critics and theoreticians like Aristotle and Demetrius, this study re-evaluates Lucian’s instructions for preface writing and other stylistic guidelines throughout the work. The conclusions highlight Lucian’s innovative approach to historical composition, influenced by rhetorical and literary theory yet reshaped to fit his vision of history and its purpose. Additionally, the examination reveals Lucian’s strategic use of rhetorical and literary theory in critiquing not only writing style but also issues intrinsic to history.
HOW DID CLEON DRESS FOR THE ASSEMBLY? ARISTOPHANES, PEACE 685–7 AND ATHÊNAIⓞN POLITEIA 28.3
Authors: Tordoff Robert
Published: February 2025

This article argues that a joke about the demagogue Hyperbolus in Aristophanes’ Peace (685–7) can be illuminated by a reconsideration of the meaning of the little-attested word περιζωσάμενος in the Aristotelian Constitution of the Athenians (Athênaiôn Politeia 28.3), where it describes how Cleon dressed in an unconventional manner when appearing before the assembly. In recent translation of and commentary on the Aristotelian text there appears to have been no investigation of the meaning of περιζωσάμενος in Greek comedy: readers are informed that Cleon either hitched up his (unspecified) clothing or somehow fastened his cloak to allow him to make gestures with both hands. However, the philological and material-cultural evidence presented here points to something more specific and more dramatic. Elsewhere in classical and later Greek the word περιζώννυσθαι means belting or knotting something around the waist and is most frequently found in contexts of manual labour. Here, it is argued that the import of Athênaiôn Politeia 28.3 is that Cleon spoke to the assembly dressed for work in his family’s tannery—a powerful symbol of his allegiance to the manual-labouring demos and his antagonism towards the aristocratic elite. It is to his unconventional self-fashioning that Aristophanes alludes in Peace when he jokes that after Cleon’s death the naked demos has wrapped itself (περιεζώσατο) in Hyperbolus, the new leader of the people.