bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Text Simplification on Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension in L1 English Speakers
Authors: Klein Keren Gruteke , Shubi Omer , Frenkel Shachar , Berzak Yevgeni
Published: February 2025

Text simplification is a common practice for making texts easier to read and easier to understand. To which extent does it achieve these goals, and which participant and text characteristics drive simplification benefits? In this work, we use eye tracking to address these questions for the first time for the population of adult native (L1) English speakers. We find that 42\% of the readers exhibit reading facilitation effects, while only 2\% improve reading comprehension accuracy. We further observe that reading fluency benefits are larger for slower and less experienced readers, while comprehension benefits are more substantial in lower comprehension readers, but not vice versa. Finally, we find that high-complexity original texts are key for enhancing reading fluency, while large complexity reduction is more pertinent to improving comprehension. Our study highlights the potential of cognitive measures in the evaluation of text simplification and distills empirically driven principles for enhancing simplification effectiveness.
Perinatal smoking in mothers and fathers: Longitudinal associations with infant birth outcomes.
Authors: Weller Emmelyn , Aarsman Stephanie R , Teague Samantha , Greenwood Christopher , Youssef George Joseph , Mattick Richard , Elliott Elizabeth , Allsop Steve , Burns Lucinda , Najman Jake , Jacobs Sue , Olsson Craig , Hutchinson Delyse
Published: February 2025

Background: Parental smoking in pregnancy is an established risk for poorer infant health outcomes, yet knowledge on the impacts of smoking in the preconception and periconception periods is limited. Objective(s): This study examined the association between parental smoking at preconception, periconception and across pregnancy with infant birth outcomes.Study Design: Pregnant women and partners from the longitudinal Triple B Pregnancy Cohort Study (1,620 mothers; 820 fathers) were assessed across the perinatal period, and infants were assessed at birth. Associations were examined between maternal and paternal smoking at preconception (3 months pre-pregnancy), periconception (conception to pregnancy awareness), and during pregnancy (trimesters one, two and three), with hospital recorded infant birth statistics (low birth weight, prematurity, small head circumference, small-for-gestational age (SGA), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission).Results: Smoking was reported by 20% of mothers prior to conception, reducing to 10% post-pregnancy awareness. The frequency of partner smoking was stable across preconception and pregnancy (24%). Maternal preconception and periconception smoking were both associated with higher odds of infant admission to NICU (aOR = 1·74; aOR = 1·80, respectively). Periconception smoking was also associated with higher odds of prematurity (aOR = 2·05). Smoking in pregnancy was associated with higher odds of infant low birth weight (aOR = 2·77 to 3·53), prematurity (aOR = 2·79 to 3·78), SGA (aOR = 2.52 to 2·76), and admission to NICU (aOR = 2·21 to 2·40). Limited evidence was found for associations between maternal smoking and small head circumference. There was also limited evidence that perinatal smoking in fathers was associated with adverse infant outcomes, however, our sample of fathers comprised fewer daily smokers which may have impacted power to detect effects. Conclusion: Findings underscore the importance of earlier smoking cessation support for parents prior to, and during the early weeks of pregnancy, to reduce the harmful impacts of smoking on families.
Impact of Acute Stress Exposure on Reactivity to Loss of Control Over Threat
Authors: Dudziak Michalina , Smeets Tom , Vervliet Bram , Beckers Tom
Published: February 2025

Uncontrollable negative events yield increased stress responses compared to situations over which we have control. Previous studies have assessed the impact of uncontrollability of threat on stress reactivity. Less is known about whether and how acute stress exposure influences how we react to uncontrollable threats. Until now, research has primarily focused on investigating the lack of control despite the idea that losing control may cause greater distress and be more clinically relevant. The current study aims to investigate whether acute stress exposure impacts reactivity to a subsequent loss of control over threat. Ninety-six participants will be equally and randomly allocated to a stress or a no-stress group. Participants will undergo an acute stress induction or a non-stressful procedure, followed by a behavioral loss-of-control task. The loss-of-control task is designed to effectively induce control followed by a subsequent loss of control over aversive electrical stimulation. We hypothesize that participants exposed to acute stress will show stronger biological and psychological responses to the loss of control over threat than those in the no-stress group, as expressed in salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase assays, blood pressure measurements, and self-report ratings. In addition, we will assess biological sex, general perceived stress, and childhood adversity as factors that might moderate the relation between acute stress exposure and reactivity to loss of control. Investigating the sensitizing effect of acute stress on the reaction to a loss of control could offer valuable insights into their role in the development and maintenance of anxiety and stress-related disorders.
The Mediating Role of Physical Activity and Dietary Behavior in the Relationship between Family Affluence and Mental Well-being: an Interventional Effects Approach
Authors: Loeys Tom , Poppe Louise , Dierckens Maxim , Moerkerke Beatrijs
Published: February 2025

We investigate the relationship between family affluence, an indicator of socio-economic status, and the mental well-being of approximately 20,000 children and young adults in Flanders, using data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. To understand this relationship, we assess the mediating roles of physical activity and dietary behavior.Traditional mediation analysis approaches, such as the parallel mediation model within the Baron and Kenny framework, have been criticized for producing path-specific effects that lack clear causal interpretation. In contrast, the counterfactual framework for causal inference introduced natural direct and indirect effects, enhancing clarity around the assumptions required for effect identification. However, natural effects face practical limitations: they may provide limited insights into real-world interventions and are difficult to identify when multiple mediators share unmeasured common causes or when the causal structure is unclear.In this paper, we address these challenges using interventional direct and indirect effects, which require fewer assumptions for identification and offer greater relevance for policy interventions. Our analysis demonstrates robust evidence for the mediating role of physical activity in the association between family affluence and mental well-being. In contrast, the mediating role of dietary behavior is less substantiated. These findings indicate that interventions aimed at enhancing physical activity among children and young adolescents with low socio-economic status could potentially improve their mental well-being.
Characterizing response quality in surveys with multi-item scales: A unified framework
Authors: Bhaktha Nivedita , Silber Henning , Lechner Clemens M.
Published: February 2025

Self-administered surveys are widely used in research across diverse disciplines. One of the major concerns for researchers working with self-administered surveys is the quality of the survey responses. Low-quality responses threaten the validity and replicability of studies and can lead to spurious within-group variability, lower reliability, and potential errors during hypothesis testing. To characterize response quality in a given dataset and detect potentially problematic responses or respondents, the recent literature has proposed many response quality indicators. However, this literature is scattered and suffers from a lack of conceptual and terminological clarity, which limits the practical utility of the indicators that have been proposed. This paper aims to contribute to overcoming these problems. Based on a structured review of existing response quality indicators, we propose a unifying conceptual framework for response quality issues in multi-item surveys. This framework proposes a tripartite distinction between (1) response styles, (2) insufficient effort responding, and (3) invalid responding. It also delineates the relationship between different response quality indicators and the response quality issue(s) they measure. The framework thus establishes a common theoretical point of reference and unified terminology for future work on response quality.
How Do Positive and Negative Shocks Jointly Shape Educational and Labor Market Outcomes? The Case of Education Reforms in Vietnam
Authors: Wu Hanbo
Published: February 2025

Current research on education reform has focused chiefly on positive shocks that intend to equalize educational opportunity, while negative shocks that impede school access have rarely been investigated. What would happen to someone exposed simultaneously to both types of shocks? I tackle this question in the context of Vietnam, where a universal primary education reform (a positive shock) and an introduction of tuition fee for secondary education (a negative shock) took place within a short time but affected different cohorts. Analyses of census data suggest four key findings. (1) The negative shock decreased individual years of schooling, whereas the positive shock increased it. (2) The beneficial effect of the positive shock predominates over the adverse effect of the negative shock, resulting in an overall improvement in educational attainment for those exposed to both shocks. (3) The favorable joint effect on schooling is more pronounced for socioeconomically disadvantaged rural residents, women, and ethnic minorities. (4) The two shocks together enhanced intergenerational educational persistence, but their effects on labor market outcomes are complex.
Farming and Ranching through Wildfire: Producers' Critical Role in Fire Risk Management and Emergency Response
Authors: Pinzón Natalia , Galt Ryan , Roche Leslie , Schohr Tracy , Shobe Brian , Koundinya Vikram , Brimm Katie , Powell Jacob
Published: February 2025

Wildfires increasingly threaten California’s agricultural sector, posing serious risks to farming, ranching, and food systems. We conducted a survey of 505 California farmers and ranchers affected by wildfires between 2017 and 2023. Main findings show that wildfires’ impacts on producers are extensive and range from mild to catastrophic, with both short and long-term repercussions, regardless of their exposure level. Producers play a central role in community emergency wildfire risk response and management by reducing fuel loads, creating defensible space, and leveraging their fire management expertise for themselves and their neighbors. Many producers lack a robust financial safety net, particularly among vulnerable populations, pointing to the need to increase access to recovery resources including insurance and disaster assistance programs. We find an urgent need for policy reforms, improved support, targeted extension programs, and integrated coordination mechanisms. Producers are our overlooked allies in building widespread wildfire resilience. Enhanced collaborative efforts among producers, fire professionals, and agricultural support organizations are thus imperative to co-create and implement strategies that ensure the long-term sustainability and economic viability of California’s agricultural communities.
The Tools of Racial Disenfranchisement: Lessons from 135,457 Individual Voter Records
Authors: Wehner Joachim , de Kadt Daniel
Published: February 2025

Elites worldwide have used a variety of indirect tools to exclude specific racial groups from the electorate when laws or constitutions prevented them from doing so directly. Yet because voter registers rarely capture race, how these tools affect the composition of the electorate remains unclear. We contribute foundational micro-evidence from newly digitized archival data for all 135,457 voters registered in the Cape Colony (South Africa) in 1903, including their racial classification. We examine franchise restrictions introduced by Prime Minister Cecil Rhodes a decade earlier, and find they reduced registered voters of color by at least one third relative to white voters, likely shifting crucial election outcomes. Tracing how race, class, and geography intersect at the individual level, we find increased property requirements had the largest impact. This reveals a trade-off between the breadth and precision of different tools of racial disenfranchisement, with consequences for the socioeconomic composition of the electorate.
Micropolarization: performances of antagonism and struggles for recognition during the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Revers Matthias , Coleman Stephen
Published: February 2025

This article theorizes how political divisions permeate social interaction, transforming the political into the personal in everyday life. Drawing on affective polarization research, we highlight the central role of identification and emotions in shaping political in-groups and out-groups. Moving beyond conventional measures of cross-group resentment, we conceptualize polarization as the lived experience of political antagonism. We argue that polarization materializes through struggles for recognition, shaped by the perception and processing of political conflict as it circulates through public communication channels. Adopting a performance-theoretical lens, we connect the symbolic language, emotions, and misrecognition in micropolarization to the broader public drama of political conflict. Using interview data on family and friendship disputes related to COVID-19 vaccination denial in the UK and Germany, we examine how public conflicts manifest in interpersonal relationships. This study suggests a research agenda that explores interactional dynamics across online and offline spaces, diverse social groups, and varying levels of relational involvement, offering a deeper understanding of the micro-foundations of political polarization.
The Data Availability Policies of Political Science Journals
Authors: Rainey Carlisle , Roe Harley
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the data availability policies posted on the websites of a broad collection of political science journals. We code the policies of 221 political science journals, and we find that only 20% of these journals require researchers to share their data and/or code as a condition of publication. While requirements to share data and code are common among the most visible political science journals, these policies remain relatively rare in the discipline more broadly. In prioritizing reforms to improve openness and reproducibility in political science, we suggest remaining mindful of the relative rarity and simple effectiveness of requiring authors to share their data and code.
Language Training, Refugees’ Healthcare Integration, and the Next Generation’s Health
Authors: Dang Thang
Published: February 2025

Exploiting a policy reform mandating participation in a 300-hour language trainingcourse in Norway, I investigate the multigenerational health effects of a comprehensivelanguage training program. I document the significant positive impacts of the program,not only on the long-term integration of refugees into the healthcare system but alsoon the health of the next generation. The program improves the cumulative use ofprimary care services for 12 years after arrival by 44%. This increase is proposed topartially work through refugees’ increased labor market attachment and economicsuccess. The program also results in spillover benefits for the health at birth of thechildren of refugees with 21–49% decreases in premature birth, low birth weight, andshort birth length. These intergenerational effects probably operate via significantimprovements in the home environment and maternal care during pregnancy.
Civilisational Foundations of the State in Iran
Authors: Belov V. I.
Published: February 2025

In this study, the author Special attention is paid to the views of IRI seeks to identify and analyze the civiliza- leaders (R. Khomeini, A. Khamenei), Islamic tional foundations and characteristics of the ideologists on the nature of power and govstate in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). ernance in Islam, the purpose and priorities of the Islamic state; analysis of the Iranian initiative ‘dialogue of civilizations’ and Iran’s place in the world integration processes, such as BRICS. It is shown that in the era of profound transformation of the world order, the current paradigms and instruments of state power, primarily geopolitical, are becoming obsolete, and the demand for a civilizational approach is growing. In this context, the question of the nature of the state and the limits of its participation in global processes is actualized.  In the centre of attention is the problem of conformity of the state as an instrument for the implementation of the original mission of the Iranian people. The methodological basis of the study was a comprehensive approach, historical, comparative and comparative methods of analysis were applied to identify the peculiarities of the state and civilization in Iran in the context of considering the main cultural and religious characteristics of this country. It was concluded that achieving integrity (Tawhid) in the comprehensive development strategy of the country is one of the challenges facing the Islamic Republic of Iran today.
Eurasianism in Turkey: A Look at Russia and the Formation of Its Own Paradigm
Authors: Avatkov V. A. , Guzaerov R. I.
Published: February 2025

The article is devoted to the analysis of the development of the Eurasian thought in Turkey. The analysis of the works of Turkish specialists devoted to Russian Eurasianism shows that they pay special attention to a number of points. Firstly, they indicate the naturalness of such an ideological thought for Russia, which seeks to become the leading state of Eurasia and oppose itself to Western countries. Secondly, the great role of V.V. Putin’s coming to power, under whose leadership the country began to transform its foreign policy, devoting more and more time to the post-Soviet space, is noted. A distinctive feature of Tur- kish researchers’ analysis of Russian Eura- sianism was an attempt to present it in a negative way. There is a tendency to present Russia’s Eurasian policy as “neo-imperial”, seeking to take control of this geography. The problem of misunderstanding Eurasianism by Turkish researchers and incorrect interpretation of Russia’s actions and messages in relation to Eurasia is obvious. The development of Eurasian thought in Turkey itself is due to a narrow understanding of Eurasia within the framework of the Caucasus and Central Asia. A number of currents of Eurasianism were formed, including nationalist, multiculturalist and Western Eurasianism. The nationalist understanding of Eurasianism has become prevalent in Turkish scientific discourse. As a result, Eurasianism began to be associated with pan-Turkism and Turkey’s policy towards Turkic states and peoples. Turkish researchers emphasize the importance of the Turkic states within Eurasia and their key role in this geography, which can be the basis for increasing their role in this region. This circumstance determines Turkey’s more active policy in the “Turkic world” in order to gain regional leadership in it. Turkish Eurasianism, devoid of basic concepts and principles, could not form into an adequate ideology or country within the framework of the country’s foreign policy.
The Graphic Basis of the Mongolian World: Language Policy and the Current Situation of Mongolian Vertical Writing
Authors: Tregubova D. D.
Published: February 2025

The article is a brief excursion into the history of the Mongolian vertical script (Mongol bichig, or Mongolian Uyghur – the Uyghur alphabet adapted to the Mongolian language in the 13th century), which passed through a number of attempts of reforming and adaptation to the spoken languages of peoples in different historical periods, but has survived to this day as a relevant communicative means, a universal method of communication between the Mongolian peoples and an element of national culture. The processes of translation of the languages of the Mongolian peoples into the Latin alphabet and Cyrillic alphabet, occurring in the 1920s–1940s in the USSR and the Mongolian People’s Republic, are touched upon. The problems of restoration of traditional vertical writing as the official graphic basis, as well as its revival in the art of calligraphy, the popularity of which has increased sharply in recent years are also considered. A review of modern language situations in the main regions of traditional Mongolian writing distribution – Russia, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia of China – shows that the ancient written tradition has not died out and, adapting to various conditions and realities of language policies pursued in the interests of states, is successfully taking on new forms , having a positive impact on the preservation and development of national languages today.
Ethnoracial Composition of US Macroregions Population in the Early 21st Century: Quantitative Analysis of Intergroup Interaction
Authors: Imangulov R. I.
Published: February 2025

The article provides an assessment of the current ethnoracial composition of the US population in structural and territorial aspects based on US Census data from 2000, 2010 and 2020. To describe the model of ethnoracial development in the United States, the author introduces the index of group distance in society, taking into account intergroup marriage preferences, and the index of interracial integration of the population, based on the calculation of social distances between racial groups. Intergroup distance of racial groups is calculated on the basis of data on multiple origins of origin, as the resulting characteristics of the most important type of interaction between different groups – marriage. Based on the calculated values of the intergroup distance index, a diagram of the modern racial and ethnic organization of the US population is proposed, reflec- ting the specifics of the ethnic development of the state. Two opposing trends in the transformation of the ethnoracial structure of the US population are identified: ethnic development according to the “melting pot” principle among the representatives of the “old immigration” within racial groups and in “contact zones” and the fragmentation of society according to the “salad bowl” principle. For macroregions of the United States, in accordance with the calculated values o f the index of interracial integration of the population for 2010, the prevailing options for ethnoracial development are indicated in accordance with the deve- lopment of assimilation processes, or, conversely, fragmentation of society. Further, based on the data from the 2010 and 2020 censuses, a quantitative assessment of the transformation of intergroup marital interaction in the macroregions of the United States was made. In conclusion, the results of the quantitative analysis of intergroup marital interaction are correlated with the potential risks of local or large-scale interracial conflicts in macroregions of the United States. The greatest risks of social and political destabilization are found the states that are part of macroregions with a low index of interracial integration and, accordingly, high social tension: the states of the Southeast and Northeast of the Center and the South Atlantic.
The Concept of "Civilization State” as a Direction in the Development of Civilizational Theory
Authors: Feofanov K. A.
Published: February 2025

The article is devoted to the concept of “civilization state” as a di­rection in the development of civilizational theory. It analyzes the history of scientific application of the concept of civilization, the content, composition and structure of civilizations, historical and geopolitical determinants of the confrontation between the West and Russia, the deepening of the civilizational confrontation “West - Rus­sia” in the 21st century, the phenomena of “nation state” and “civilization state”, the civilizationally determined trends of transformation of the modern world or­der. Initially used to describe the social and political life in different countries, at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries civilization theory became an independent scientific direction. Its breakthrough achievement was the understanding of history as a mul­titude of local civilizations with unique specificity. The analysis of the content, composition and structure of local civi­lizations, their subsystems and elements united into unique integral conglomerates became a promising direction of civiliza­tion research. Historical and geopolitical determinants of the confrontation between the West and Russia, its deepening in the 21st century are explored. Particular atten­tion is paid to “nation states” and “civili­zation states” as terms widely used in con­temporary civilizational theory, reflecting different civilization-determined ways of domestic and foreign policy behavior of the states. Assumptions are formulated about their further coexistence and interaction, upcoming transformations of the world or­der, and the new stage in the development of civilizational theory.
Chinese Law and Its International Projection
Authors: Alferova E. V. , Skurko E. V.
Published: February 2025

The article presents a re­view of the book by M.F. Staiano “Chinese Law and Its International Projection: Buil­ding a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”, published in Singapore in 2023. The book under review examines the pecu­liarities of the Chinese law, the evolution of which is influenced by national reforms and international law. On the one hand, the Chi­nese legal system is based on the traditional values of the Chinese culture. national law and the norms and principles of internatio­nal law included in this system, on the other hand, the internal change in the Chinese law and the projects proposed by China to build a “Community with a shared future” and “Belt and Road Initiative” reflect the “feedback”, i.e. the impact of the postulates of the Chinese law on the development of international law and international relations in order to create a “Common future for mankind”. In its inter­national relations, China, implementing va­rious programs and action plans, is guided by its own hierarchical system of values and the importance of friendly relations with a par­ticular state and international organizations. The author, based on Confucian philosophy and the attitudes of the Chinese Commu­nist Party, tries to understand how and why this way the People's Republic of China ope­rates in the field of international relations. The concept of creating a “Community with a shared future” suggests building interna­tional relations based on common interests, the “comprehensive rule of law”; it promotes the establishment of a new multipolar world order to protect fundamental rights, interna­tional fairness and justice.
Dynamics of active landslide along central Himalayan route: A case study of Guthitar landslide, Dhankuta, Nepal
Authors: Dahal Bhim Kumar , Gautam Puskar Raj , Adhikari Basanta Raj , Lamichhane Suraj
Published: February 2025

Landslides in the Nepal Himalayas are a common phenomenon because of the coupling effect of seismo-tectonic activities and the Asian Monsoon. Understanding landslides in this complex environment, particularly the behavior of active large landslides, is vital for sustainable infrastructure development. This study conducted comprehensive slope investigations, including geological, geophysical, and geotechnical investigation, along with instrumentation using inclinometers and a raingauge station, to identify the causes and mechanisms of failure at the active landslide slope at Guthitar on the Dharan-Dhankuta road.  This landslide is active since 1987 but the movement has intensified from 2020 onwards. The detailed investigation reveals that the landslide exhibits multiple shallow-seated and deep-seated failure surfaces, some of which extend to the ground. Slope stability was modeled and analyzed using the Limit Equilibrium and Strength Reduction Methods. The results indicate multiple slip surfaces, with some discrepancies compared to field investigations, underscoring the limitations of numerical methods and the critical role of field monitoring systems. Furthermore, a comparison of rainfall data with deformation patterns from slope monitoring clearly demonstrates that prolonged rainfall increases the rate of movement by threefold. Thus, continuous landslide monitoring is essential to understand the mechanisms and triggers, enabling the implementation of effective landslide management strategies in the Himalayas.
Lithostratigraphy of the Siwalik Group from the Arjun Khola section, Dang district, Mid-western Nepal
Authors: Chaudhary Anil Datta , Adhikari Purushottam , Paudayal Khum Narayan
Published: February 2025

The fluvial sedimentary succession of the Siwalik Group is well exposed along the Inner Churia Range, bounded by the Deukhuri Dun valley to the south and the Dang Dun valley to the north, in the Arjun Khola section, mid-western Nepal. The lithostratigraphy of the succession is divided into the mudstone dominated Lower Siwalik, the sandstone dominated Middle Siwalik and the conglomerate dominated Upper Siwalik based on the lithological variation between mudstone and sandstone, grain size, texture and the distribution of the Siwalik sediments in three belts, which separated by the Central Churia Thrust (CCT) and the Arjun Khola Thrust (AKT) along the section. The magnetostratigraphic data and lithological characters are correlated with the measured thickness, indicate the Lower Siwalik was deposited between 12.5 and 10.98 Ma in the central belt and 12.83-11.5 Ma in the northern belts. Similarly, the Middle Siwalik of central and northern belts were deposited in 10.98-8.36 Ma and 11.5-8.9 Ma respectively. The lithological variation of the study area with other parts of the Siwalik sediments indicates that the study area was deposited in a small river system and represent an interfluve setting of a major river system.
Assessment of arsenic contamination in groundwater of the Rajpur Municipality, Rautahat District, Nepal
Authors: Alam Md. Asif , Mishra Kiran , Shrestha Suman Man , Chaudhari Satyam Kumar
Published: February 2025

This study examines arsenic contamination in groundwater wells in the Rajpur Municipality, Rautahat District, Nepal. Susceptibility of arsenic effects in the Terai region is the main reason to select Rautahat District  for the study. Forty-five samples of groundwater wells were collected from nine wards (Pipra Bhagwanpur, Phatuha Maheshpur, Damarchuk, Rajpur Farhadwa, Kudiya, Akolwa, Baluwa, and Bairiya) in shallow wells (<50 m, 80%) and deep wells (>50 m, 20%). The depths of the wells ranged from 7.6 to 82.4 m. The arsenic in 28.9% of the groundwater wells were within World Health Organization (WHO), 2017, drinking water quality guideline value of 0.010 mg/L. The samples of 80.0% of groundwater wells were within Nepal drinking water quality standard (NDWQS), 2022, for arsenic of 0.050 mg/L. The arsenic, iron, and manganese concentrations were in the range of below the detection limit (BDL) to 0.220 mg/L, BDL to 6.30 mg/L, and 0.04 to 1.50 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, the mean concentrations of arsenic, iron, and manganese were recorded as 0.040 mg/L, 0.78 mg/L, and 0.39 mg/L, respectively. The low Oxidation Reduction potential (ORP) in most of the groundwater wells indicates that the mobilization of arsenic, iron, and manganese in the groundwater is favorable in reducing environment. A slight positive correlation between pH and arsenic implies that arsenic mobilization is favorable at high pH. Similarly, the slight negative correlation between arsenic and depth of the groundwater wells visualizes elevated levels of arsenic in the shallow groundwater wells. There are positive correlations between arsenic, iron, and manganese. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) indicates common natural sources for these metals. Spatial distribution patterns reveal elevated levels of EC, iron, manganese, and arsenic in many wells, indicating high mineralization.
Geological study of the Khutti Khola Watershed, Siraha District, eastern Nepal
Authors: Acharya Manjari , Dhungana Sumitra , Khadka Goma , Sah Ram Bahadur , Paudayal Khum Narayan , Paudyal Kabi Raj
Published: February 2025

This study presents a detailed geological mapping at a 1:25,000 scale, aiming to establish the stratigraphy and geological structures of Khutti Khola Watershed, Lahan and Dhangadhi Municipalities, Siraha district. The Sub-Himalayan rock sequence of the study area is divided into the Lower Siwalik, Middle Siwalik, and Upper Siwalik units. The Middle Siwalik is further subdivided into the Middle Siwalik 1 and the Middle Siwalik 2. Structurally, the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) divides the Terai Plain to the southern section and the Siwalik Group to the northern section. The Terai plain is subdivided into the Bhabar Zone and the Middle Terai in the studied section.Lithologically, the study area is characterized by sedimentary rocks, including siltstone, variegated mudstone, and fine-to coarse-grained sandstone.  Features like the slickensides on sandstone, shear zones with many landslides, fault breccias, and sudden topographic breakages are field evidence to locate the MFT in the field. The sandstone in the Lower and the Middle Siwalik are classified as Feldspathic Wacke while those in the Upper Siwalik are as Lithic Arenite.
Mineralogy and texture of the eastern part of the Palung Granite, Lesser Himalaya, central Nepal
Authors: K C Binod , Sapkota Sujan , Maharjan Subarna , Bhattarai Arjun , Paudyal Kabi Raj , Paudel Lalu Prasad
Published: February 2025

Geological mapping of the granite body along the Kulekhani-Palung area was carried out and the geological boundary of the granite body was well-traced out in 1:25,000 scales. This study investigates the mineralogical and textural characteristics of the Palung Granite, located in the Lesser Himalaya region of central Nepal, with the primary objective of classifying the granitic massif. Field observations, hand sample analysis, binocular observation of individual grains and thin section studies were carried out to assess the mineralogy and texture of the rocks. The Palung massif reveals four distinct types of granites, each showing diverse mineralogical compositions and textures. These granites contain various minerals, including quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase, muscovite, biotite, and tourmaline. Through mineralogical analysis, the granites within the Palung massif were identified as coarse-to-medium-grained quartz-rich granite and pegmatites, coarse-grained feldspar-rich granite with biotite and tourmaline, coarse-to-medium-grained muscovite-tourmaline granite, and coarse-grained biotite-tourmaline granite with a porphyritic texture. Classification according to the QAP system of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) categorizes these granites into quartz-rich granitoid, monzogranite, granodiorite, tonalite, and quartz monzodiorite. The contact between the granite and surrounding country rocks varies from sharp to irregular.
Spatial analysis of causative factors for landslide susceptibility mapping in parts of Makwanpur District, central Nepal
Authors: Silwal Champak Babu , Sigdel Ashok , Subedi Pratima , Acharya Subash , Chamlagain Deepak
Published: February 2025

Landslides pose a persistent and severe risk, frequently resulting in substantial harm to both people and infrastructures in Nepal. Understanding the underlying cause-and-effect dynamics of these events is crucial for effective mitigation measures to minimize their impacts. This research delves into assessing the susceptibility to landslides in the Thaha, Bhimphedi, Kailash, and Indrasarobar  Rural Municipalities of the Makawanpur district. Considering the area's predisposition to landslides and soil erosion, exacerbated by the highly dissected topography and monsoon rainfall, this region is critically important for landslide susceptibility mapping. Using the satellite and aerial images, an inventory of 230 landslides was prepared. A total of nine landslide influencing factors including slope, aspect, curvature, distance to road, distance to stream, landuse/landcover, topographic position index, lithology, and lineament density were integrated to produce the landslide susceptibility index using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Landslide susceptibility map thus generated was divided into five classes ranging from very low to very high susceptible zones. Validation of the susceptibility map was done using the landslide inventory, where the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve indicated a success rate of 0.727, demonstrating a commendable accuracy in predicting landslide occurrences. Similarly, the landslide density along with different susceptibility classes also indicate better performance to predict the susceptible zone. This susceptibility map can be very useful for planning the effective landslide disaster response and mitigation in the study area.
Creep Properties of Carbon and Nitrogen Free Austenitic Alloys for USC Power Plants
Authors: Muneki S. , Okubo H. , Abe F.
Published: February 2025

Various carbon and nitrogen free martensitic alloys were produced for the application which required long time creep properties at high temperatures. But they were easy transformed to austenite phase before the creep tests because of low Ac1 temperature. In this paper, a new attempt has been demonstrated using carbon and nitrogen free austenitic alloys strengthened by intermetallic compounds. We choose Fe-12Ni-9Co-10W-9Cr-0.005B based alloy. Furthermore, we discussed about creep characteristics among the wide range of the testing conditions more over 700°C and steam oxidation resistance to confirm the possibility of the alloys for the future USC power plants under the severe environments.
Development of High Strength HCMA (1.25Cr-0.4Mo-Nb-V) Steel Tube
Authors: Nakashima T. , Miyata K. , Hirata H. , Igarashi M. , Iseda A.
Published: February 2025

Improvement of thermal efficiency of new power plants by increasing temperature and pressure of boilers has led us to the development of high creep strength steels in the last 10 years. HCMA is the new steel with base composition of 1.25Cr-0.4Mo-Nb-V-Nd, which has been developed by examining the effects of alloying elements on microstructures, creep strength, weldability, and ductility. The microstructure of the HCMA is controlled to tempered bainite with low carbon content and the Vickers hardness value in HAZ is less than 350Hv to allow the application without preheating and post weld heat treatment. The HCMA tube materials were prepared in commercial tube mills. It has been demonstrated that the allowable stress of the HCMA steel tube is 1.3 times higher than those of conventional 1%Cr boiler tubing steels in the temperatures range of 430 to 530°C. It is noted that creep ductility has been drastically improved by the suitable amount of Nd (Neodymium)-bearing. The steam oxidation resistance and hot corrosion resistance of the HCMA have been proved to be the same level of the conventional 1%Cr and 2%Cr steels. It is concluded that the HCMA has a practical capability to be used for steam generator tubing from the aspect of good fabricability and very high strength. This paper deals with the concept of material design and results on industrial products.
Investigating the Strain Limits of Cold Formed, High Temperature Austenitic Materials for Fabricating USC Boiler Components
Authors: Mohn Walt , Stanko Greg
Published: February 2025

The construction of highly efficient Ultra Supercritical (USC) boiler systems to operate with steam temperatures up to 760°C (1400°F) and with steam pressures up to 34.5 MPa (5000 psi) will require the use of advanced high temperature, high strength materials. As part of a 5-year project to qualify advanced boiler materials for USC power plants, a number of austenitic materials have been selected for further development and use in USC boiler systems, including alloys 230, 740, CCA 617, HR6W, and Super 304H. In one task of this project, boiler fabrication guidelines appropriate for the use of these alloys were investigated. Because it is recognized that cold formed and mechanically strained austenitic materials can degrade in material creep strength, a study to investigate the limits of strain and temperature exposure for the USC alloys was undertaken. An objective of this work was to determine for each USC alloy a relationship between the level of cold strain and the conditions of time and temperature that will cause recrystallization and significant microstructural change. The ultimate goal of this work was to determine limits of strain, due to cold forming, that can be tolerated before heat treatment is required, similar to those limits provided for the austenitic materials (e.g., 300-series stainless steels, alloy 800H) in Table PG-19 in Section I of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This paper will describe the technical approach for 1) preparing specimens having discrete cold strains ranging from about 1 to 40 percent, 2) exposing these strained specimens for selected times at various elevated temperatures, 3) identifying the onset of recrystallization in the microstructures of the exposed specimens, and 4) establishing a useful engineering method to predict conditions for the onset of recrystallization in the USC alloys using the experimental results.
Creep Properties and Strengthening Mechanisms In 23Cr-45Ni-7W (HR6W) Alloy and Ni-Base Superalloys For 700°C A-USC Boilers
Authors: Semba H. , Okada H. , Igarashi M.
Published: February 2025

The development of materials technologies for piping and tubing in advanced ultrasupercritical (A-USC) power plants operating at steam temperatures above 700°C represents a critical engineering challenge. The 23Cr-45Ni-7W alloy (HR6W), originally developed in Japan as a high-strength tubing material for 650°C ultra-supercritical (USC) boilers, was systematically investigated to evaluate its potential for A-USC plant applications. Comparative research with γ-strengthened Alloy 617 revealed that the tungsten content is intimately correlated with Laves phase precipitation and plays a crucial role in controlling creep strength. Extensive creep rupture tests conducted at temperatures between 650-800°C for up to 60,000 hours demonstrated the alloy's long-term stability, with 105-hour extrapolated creep rupture strengths estimated at 88 MPa at 700°C and 64 MPa at 750°C. Microstructural observations after creep tests and aging confirmed the material's microstructural stability, which is closely linked to long-term creep strength and toughness. While Alloy 617 exhibited higher creep rupture strength at 700 and 750°C, the materials showed comparable performance at 800°C. Thermodynamic calculations and microstructural analysis revealed that the Laves phase in HR6W gradually decreases with increasing temperature, whereas the γ' phase in Alloy 617 rapidly diminishes and almost completely dissolves at 800°C, potentially causing an abrupt drop in creep strength above 750°C. After comprehensive evaluation of creep properties, microstructural stability, and other reported mechanical characteristics, including creep-fatigue resistance, HR6W emerges as a promising candidate for piping and tubing in A-USC power plants.
VM12, a New 12%Cr Steel for Application at High Temperature in Advanced Power Plants: Status of Development
Authors: Gabrel J. , Zakine C. , Lefebvre Bo. , Vandenberghe B.
Published: February 2025

The T/P91 and T/P92 steel grades were developed as a result of a demand of high creep strength for advanced power plants. Nevertheless, their operating temperature range is limited by their oxidation performance which is lower compared with usual 12%Cr steels or austenitic steels. Moreover, the new designed power plants require higher pressure and temperature in order to improve efficiency and reduce harmful emissions. For these reasons, Vallourec and Mannesmann have recently developed a new 12%Cr steel which combines good creep resistance and high steam-side oxidation resistance. This new steel, with a chromium content of 12% and with other additional elements such as cobalt, tungsten and boron, is named VM12. Manufacturing of this grade has been successfully demonstrated by production of several laboratory and industrial heats and rolling of tubes and pipes in several sizes using different rolling processes. This paper summarizes the results of the investigations on base material, including creep tests and high temperature oxidation behavior, but also presents mechanical properties after welding, cold bending and hot induction bending.
A New Improvement of Inconel Alloy 740 for USC Power Plants
Authors: Xie Xishan , Zhao Shuangqun , Dong Jianxin , Smith G. D. , Baker B. A. , Patel S. L.
Published: February 2025

A new nickel-base superalloy, Inconel alloy 740, is being developed for ultra-supercritical (USC) boiler applications operating above 750°C, designed to meet critical requirements for long-term high-temperature stress rupture strength (100 MPa for 105 hours) and corrosion resistance (2 mm/2 × 105 hours). Experimental investigations revealed key structural changes at elevated temperatures, including γ coarsening, γ' to η transformation, and G phase formation. To enhance strengthening effects and structural stability, researchers conducted a systematic optimization process based on thermodynamic calculations, implementing small adjustments to several alloying elements and designing modified alloy compositions. Comprehensive testing examined the long-term structural stability of these modifications, with investigations conducted up to 5,000 hours at 750 and 800°C, and 1,000 hours at 850°C. Mechanical property and oxidation resistance tests compared the modified alloys with the original Inconel alloy 740, yielding preliminary results that demonstrate minimal modifications can improve stress rupture strength while maintaining corrosion resistance. Microstructural examinations further confirmed the enhanced thermal stability of the modified alloy, positioning Inconel alloy 740 as a promising candidate for USC boiler applications at 750°C or higher temperatures.
Materials Qualification for 700 °C Power Plants
Authors: Chen Qiurong , Stamatelopolous Georg-Nikolaus , Helmrich Andreas , Heinemann Josef , Maile K. , Klenk A.
Published: February 2025

Components exposed to the highest temperatures and mechanical loading in 700°C power plants are predominantly manufactured from nickel-based alloys, with ongoing material development for boiler and turbine components in this challenging temperature regime. This paper presents comprehensive investigations of various components, including tubing, membrane walls, and thick-walled structures constructed from nickel-based alloys. Qualification programs for boiler components have demonstrated the applicability of Alloy 617, with similar extensive programs and investigations currently underway for Alloy 263 and Alloy 740. Researchers have conducted detailed experiments and investigations to optimize and qualify welding consumables, aiming to transfer critical knowledge directly to component manufacturing processes. Recognizing the complexity of material performance, the study emphasizes the necessity of long-term material qualification, which extends beyond traditional creep behavior assessments to include detailed investigations of deformation capabilities following extended aging periods. These comprehensive evaluations are crucial for ensuring the reliability and performance of advanced high-temperature power plant components under extreme operational conditions.