bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
(Dis)satisfaction with risk preferences
Authors: Thunström Linda , Mannberg Andrea , Gilbert Benjamin , Loewenstein George
Published: February 2025

A common assumption of models of decision making under risk is that people choose the level of risk they deem optimal for themselves. We, however, provide novel evidence that people systematically choose risk levels that they report as unsatisfactory. Data from three surveys show that around 50 percent of participants report dissatisfaction with the level of risk they take in life overall, and that a large majority of participants are dissatisfied with their risk taking in at least some subdomain of life. Significantly, for most (although not all) domains, far more of those who express dissatisfaction with their risk taking believe they take insufficient as opposed to excessive risks. Probing mechanisms, we find that internal factors (e.g., emotions) are more important determinants of unsatisfactory risk taking than external factors (e.g., constraints). Our findings suggest that choices under risk, like choices across time, may be explained by dual process theories that incorporate both deliberation and emotions. We also find a strong negative correlation between dissatisfaction with risk taking and life satisfaction. While our data do not enable us to establish causality, this finding provides suggestive evidence that dissatisfaction with risk taking may be consequential for subjective well-being.
We have never been Cartesian
Authors: Toon Adam
Published: February 2025

Humanism is the traditional approach in many disciplines, including history, philosophy, anthropology, and sociology. Humanists tend to assume that there is an important distinction between the knowing subject and the rest of the world. Posthumanism challenges this assumption, asking us to examine how the distinction between subject and object is constructed in the first place. To do so, posthumanists argue that we must abandon our traditional resources for understanding the knowing subject. In its place, we must adopt a radical new notion of agency that encompasses humans and nonhumans. This paper argues that, although posthumanism teaches us a valuable lesson, the real problem lies not with humanism, but with Cartesianism. To show this, I develop a new version of humanism by drawing on two anti-Cartesian strands within recent philosophy of mind: the extended mind thesis and mental fictionalism. The result is a view that allows us to retain our traditional resources for understanding the knowing subject, while recognising that the nature of that subject can change over time.
DustNet++: Deep Learning-Based Visual Regression for Dust Density Estimation
Authors: Michel Andreas , Weinmann Martin , Kuester Jannick , AlNasser Faisal , Gomez Tomas , Falvey Mark , Schmitz Rainer , Middelmann Wolfgang , Hinz Stefan
Published: February 2025

Detecting airborne dust in standard RGB images presents significant challenges. Nevertheless, the monitoring of airborne dust holds substantial potential benefits for climate protection, environmentally sustainable construction, scientific research, and various other fields. To develop an efficient and robust algorithm for airborne dust monitoring, several hurdles have to be addressed. Airborne dust can be opaque or translucent, exhibit considerable variation in density, and possess indistinct boundaries. Moreover, distinguishing dust from other atmospheric phenomena, such as fog or clouds, can be particularly challenging. To meet the demand for a high-performing and reliable method for monitoring airborne dust, we introduce DustNet++, a neural network designed for dust density estimation. DustNet++ leverages feature maps from multiple resolution scales and semantic levels through window and grid attention mechanisms to maintain a sparse, globally effective receptive field with linear complexity. To validate our approach, we benchmark the performance of DustNet++ against existing methods from the domains of crowd counting and monocular depth estimation using the Meteodata airborne dust dataset and the URDE binary dust segmentation dataset. Our findings demonstrate that DustNet++ surpasses comparative methodologies in terms of regression and localization capabilities.
The Effect of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process on Ti-6Al-4V Powder
Authors: Memu Firat , Durlu Nuri , Yagmur Aydin
Published: February 2025

Additive manufacturing with Ti-6Al-4V laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) processes offers significant advantages for producing high-performance components. Hence, powder reuse strategies are crucial for reducing manufacturing costs and environmental impact, and reliable part properties. This study investigates the influence of L-PBF processing on the properties of virgin, recycled, and spatter Ti-6Al-4V powders. Particle size distribution, morphology, microstructure, chemical composition, and microhardness were determined using a laser particle size analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and microhardness testing. Virgin powder exhibited a narrow size distribution and spherical morphology. Recycled powder showed a slightly broader distribution and increased irregularity, while spatter powder had a significantly broader distribution with large, irregular particles. Microstructural analysis revealed that all powders exhibited an acicular α′ martensite microstructure, while the presence of twins was unique to the virgin powders. The average α′ lath thickness was similar for virgin and spatter powders, with a slightly higher in the recycled powders. XRD confirmed the presence of the α′ phase, and dislocation density was highest in virgin powder and lowest in spatter powder. Microhardness measurements indicated a slight decrease in hardness for recycled powders and a wider range of hardness values for spatter powders compared to virgin powders.
Mapping the greenwashing research landscape: a theoretical and field analysis
Authors: Forliano Canio , Battisti Enrico , de Bernardi Paola , Kliestik Tomáš
Published: February 2025

This study provides a comprehensive overview of greenwashing research in business and management, focusing on its conceptual and theoretical foundations. Through a systematic literature review of 97 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science, we use bibliometric analysis to map the evolution of greenwashing studies and network analysis and identify four thematic clusters: (1) symbolic management and CSR communication, (2) environmental regulations and institutional complexity, (3) performance and sustainable practices, and (4) marketing, perception, and trust. Additionally, we perform a full-text analysis to map the theoretical frameworks employed across these clusters, revealing the dominance of macro-level theories (e.g., legitimacy, institutional, and stakeholder theories) and their cross-level interactions with meso- and micro-level approaches. By developing a multi-level theoretical framework, we provide a structured approach to understanding greenwashing across different analytical layers. Then, focusing on the theories used to investigate greenwashing, we identify some avenues for future research. This study has practical implications for understanding how greenwashing affects corporate governance, financial performance, and stakeholder trust, providing insights for enhancing transparency and accountability in sustainable business practices.
On isomorphisms of $$\mathcal{C}(K)$$ spaces and cardinal invariants of derivatives of K
Authors: Rondoš Jakub
Published: February 2025

We present a necessary condition for a pair of

$$\mathcal{C}(K)$$

C

(
K
)

spaces to be isomorphic in terms of topological properties of Cantor–Bendixon derivatives of K. This in particular gives completely new information about the perfect kernels of such K. In the process, we extend known lower estimates of the Banach–Mazur distance between a pair of spaces of continuous functions from the case of scattered compact spaces to a more general setting. Next, we apply this general result to deduce some new information about isomorphisms of spaces of continuous functions over Eberlein compacta of height ω + 1. Further, we show that isomorphisms of

$$\mathcal{C}(K)$$

C

(
K
)

spaces preserve the spread of K, and we also prove some new results for pairs of spaces of continuous functions whose Banach–Mazur distance is less than 3.
Optimization of Protein Extraction from Duckweed Using Different Extraction Processes
Authors: Maag Patricia , Cutroneo Sara , Tedeschi Tullia , Grüner-Lempart Sabine , Rauh Cornelia , Karslioglu Özlem Özmutlu
Published: February 2025

Despite its recent commercialization of duckweed, the extraction of high-quality protein presents challenges primarily in the efficiency of the extraction processes. In this study, conventional, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and ultrafiltration (UF) extraction techniques, were evaluated showing significant enhancements in protein yield, amino acid profile, and chlorophyll extraction. The highest protein release of 80.83% was achieved with a 40% amplitude applied for 10 min. UAE increased the protein yield substantially compared to conventional methods, achieving the highest yield of 41.30% with a moderate protein content of 50.91% in Lemna gibba protein concentrate. However, it comes at the cost of reduced protein purity and altered protein profiles due to co-extraction of other plant components. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that ultrasound methods improved the extraction of chlorophyll-binding proteins (LHCB1) but decreased the efficiency of extracting RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) subunits compared to non-ultrasound methods. Lysine and tryptophan were identified as limiting essential amino acids (EAA), except when ultrasound methods were applied, which raised the levels partially above the recommended amino acid score (AAS) threshold of 1 for adults. The study established a nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor for duckweed at ~ 5.8, aligning with RuBisCO-based calculations and providing a more accurate tool for future nutritional assessments of duckweed proteins.
Could the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index be a Marker for the Non-Dipper Pattern in Newly Diagnosed Hypertensive Patients?
Authors: Kaplangoray Mustafa , Toprak Kenan , Caglayan Cuneyt , Deveci Edhem , Celik Enes , Uyan Umut , Aydın Cihan
Published: February 2025

Systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), is associated with prognosis in coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), and acute myocardial infarction. This study investigated the relationship between SIRI and non-dipper hypertension. The study retrospectively included a total of 254 naive, newly diagnosed hypertensive individuals based on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), containing 166 dippers (DHT) and 88 non-dippers (NDHT). The SIRI value of all patients was calculated based on neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts. The average age of study population was 50.7 ± 9.4 years old, and the male ratio was 68.5%. Compared with DHT, patients in the NDHT group had higher SIRI, monocyte to HDL-C ratio (MHR), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and neutrophil count, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lymphocyte count were lower (p < 0.05). The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was higher in the NDHT group (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SIRI, LVMI, and HDL-C were independent predictor factors for NDHT. ROC curve analysis determined the optimal SIRI cut-off value for predicting NDHT diagnosis to be 2.41 (sensitivity 69.3%, specificity 64.5%, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.743; p < 0.001). The AUC values obtained for SIRI, MHR, NLR, PLR, HDL-C, and LVMI parameters in the ROC curve analysis were compared pairwise. The results demonstrated that SIRI’s discriminative capacity in predicting NDHT was superior to all other indices. SIRI is an independent and significant predictor factor for NDHT and is superior in predicting NDHT diagnosis compared with HDL-C, MHR, LVMI, NLR, and PLR.

Graphical Abstract

Relationship between SIRI and non-dipper hypertension. Can inflammation-based hematological parameters serve as an alternative to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in the diagnosis of non-dipper hypertension? LAd Left Atrium Diameter; HDL-C High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol; LDL-C Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol; NLR Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio; PLR Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio; SIRI Systemic İnflammatory Response İndex; LVMI Left Ventricular Mass İndex; MHR Monocyte To Hdl-C Ratio
Characterization of lncRNAs contributing to drug resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Siahestalkhi Ehteram Khademi , Demiray Aydin , Yaren Arzu , Demiray Atike Gökçen , Tan Seçil , Akça Hakan
Published: February 2025

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the second leading cause of death among women with gynecological cancers, particularly in high-income countries. Despite significant advancements in molecular oncology and an initially positive response to primary chemotherapy, the development of drug resistance remains a major challenge in the effective management of EOC. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative biological markers that can enable early diagnosis and provide more accurate predictions of recurrence risk in ovarian cancer patients. This study investigated the expression profiles of seven specific long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)—SNHG7, TUG1, XIST1, PRLB, TLR8-AS1, ZFAS1, and PVT1—associated with epithelial ovarian cancer and their relationship with drug resistance. To achieve this, drug-resistant subtypes of aggressive EOC cell lines, including carboplatin/paclitaxel-resistant OVCAR3 and SKOV3 lines, were developed. The expression profiles of the selected lncRNAs were quantitatively analyzed using RT-qPCR across various ovarian cancer cell lines and in serum samples from 25 patients before chemotherapy, six months after treatment, and 23 healthy controls. The findings revealed that the target lncRNAs were significantly upregulated under drug-resistant conditions and in post-chemotherapy serum samples, suggesting their involvement in a complex regulatory network. These results highlight the critical roles of lncRNAs in the progression and treatment response of EOC, positioning them as potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment stratification. Identifying reliable lncRNA biomarkers could enable the early detection of patients at risk for developing drug resistance, thereby facilitating personalized treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and survival rates.
Taxonomic implications of leaf anatomy in Thai Smilax (Smilacaceae)
Authors: Kladwong Pornchai , Chantaranothai Pranom , Simpson David A.
Published: February 2025

Observations and phenetic analyses of the leaf anatomy of 23 Smilax species from Thailand were carried out to assess the utility of anatomical characters in elucidating the taxonomy of the genus. The outline of the petiole in transverse section is circular or elliptic. The abaxial outline of the midrib is rounded, acute or attenuate. Parenchymatous, sclerenchymatous and sclereid cells are observed in ground tissues. The number of vascular bundles ranged from 8 – 27 in the petioles and 2 – 11 in the midribs. The vascular bundles are surrounded by sclerenchymatous or parenchymatous cells. The mesophyll consists of 1 – 4 cell layers in the palisade part and 3 – 10 cell layers in the spongy part. Papillae are observed on the abaxial leaf surfaces of some species. Idioblast cells containing raphides are usually found in the ground tissue of the petioles, midribs and mesophylls. Epidermal cells are jigsaw-like or irregular in shape. Prismatic crystals are observed in the leaf epidermis. Stomata are anomocytic. The phenetic study was based on 11 anatomical characters using Principal Components Analysis and Discriminant Analysis to demonstrate the suitability of the classification of the studied species. Significant characteristics are the marginal outlines and the numbers of vascular bundles of the petioles, the abaxial outlines of the petioles and midribs, the numbers of cell layers of the spongy mesophyll, epidermal cell shapes and lamina types (amphistomatic or hypostomatic). The species are classified into three groups. Group I comprises three species, S. blumei, S. leucophylla and S. ovalifolia. Group II comprises 10 species, S. bracteata, S. china, S. glabra, S. luzonensis, S. microphylla, S. pertenuis, S. polyandra, S. polyacantha, S. seisuiensis and S. verticalis. Group III comprises 10 species, S. asiatica, S. calophylla, S. extensa, S. hemsleyana, S. inversa, S. lanceifolia, S. megacarpa, S. myosotiflora, S. perfoliata and S. prolifera. Descriptions of the groups and keys to the species within each group, based on the anatomical characters, are provided. Our analyses suggest that further investigation of the anatomical groups, using taxa from a broader distributional range, will be needed to clarify the relationships between the groups and the currently recognised sections.
Postbiotic Supplementation Increases Amino Acid Absorption from Plant-Based Meal: A Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study
Authors: Florez Christine M. , Zaragoza Javier , Prather Jessica , Parra Mandy , Davis Jaci , Vargas Amie , Ross Audrey , Jäger Ralf , Purpura Martin , Guglielmetti Simone , Tinsley Grant M. , Taylor Lem
Published: February 2025

Supplementation of probiotic strains can enhance the absorption of amino acids from protein in the gut. The purpose of this study was to assess if supplementation of a multi-strain probiotic or a postbiotic, consisting of the same strains, would alter the absorption of individual and total amino acids following ingestion of a plant-based meal. Sixteen male participants consumed either probiotic (PRO) or postbiotic (cells inactivated by γ-irradiation; POST), both consisting of L. paracasei LP-DG® (CNCM I-1572) plus L. paracasei LPC-S01 (DSM 26760), or a placebo (PLA) for 2 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design study separated by a 4-week washout period. During the testing session, blood samples were taken at baseline, 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180-min post-ingestion of a plant-based vegan burger patty. Plasma amino acid levels were analyzed, and percent changes from baseline were assessed using linear mixed-effects models, with the PLA condition as the reference group. There was statistically significant POST condition-by-time interactions for percent changes in alanine, asparagine, citrulline, cystine, glycine, methionine, proline, and total amino acids (p < 0.05, for all). Additionally, there was a statistically significant condition (PRO) by time interactions for cystine (p = 0.02). Two weeks of POST supplementation resulted in significant improvements in amino acid absorption profiles for various individual amino acids and total amino acids compared to PLA. This is the first study to report improved amino acid absorption from a mixed macronutrient meal following a period of postbiotic supplementation.
Virtual Cancer Genomics: An Accessible and Effective Approach to Research Training for Undergraduates
Authors: Gerace Erica L. , Wojiski Sarah
Published: February 2025

To diversify the cancer research workforce, it is necessary to broaden the accessibility of audience appropriate training programs. Cancer research training opportunities for undergraduates are often geographically bound and have limited enrollment capacities. To address this problem, the Genomic Education team at The Jackson Laboratory designed a free, 2-week, virtual short course in cancer genomics open to students across the USA. Each summer students learn foundational concepts in cancer genomics while gaining valuable exposure to a range of careers in the field. We developed recruitment strategies prioritizing students who are underrepresented in research and successfully scaled the course without compromising the student experience by creating tiered levels of engagement and flexibility through a mix of synchronous and interactive asynchronous activities. This approach accommodates students who work or are otherwise unable to participate in mentored research away from their home institution. In addition to 1-h live sessions designed for didactic content delivery and interaction with researchers and clinicians, the course offers participants in the highest tier of engagement collaboration in small groups on an inquiry project at the intersection of cancer genomics and patient care. Formal assessment of student attitudes indicates significant benefits and gains from participation in this course. Greater than ninety percent of surveyed students indicated the course was an effective way to learn about cancer genomics, had a positive effect on their interest in science, and provided clarification of their career path, which attests to the value of creating accessible training formats for undergraduates who wish to engage in biomedicine.
Alternative proofs of the GNKD and KKMS lemmas: a game-theoretic underpinning
Authors: Khan M. Ali , McLean Richard P. , Uyanik Metin
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we provide alternative proofs of fundamental results of Walrasian general equilibrium theory, and of cooperative game theory, by viewing them as results pertaining to a two-person qualitative or a one-person generalized game: in short, by giving them a game-theoretic underpinning. Under the first category, we have the Gale–Nikaido–Kuhn–Debreu (GNKD) lemma in mind, and under the second, the Knaster–Kuratowski–Mazurkiewicz–Shapley (KKMS) lemma.
Using an AI-Nurse to Help Teach Graduating Medical Students to Take Overnight Call
Authors: Weaver Christina , Caputo Nicholas J. , Yost Connor , Hauert Scott A.
Published: February 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help prepare graduating medical students for responding to nursing texts, something few interns are prepared to do on day 1 of residency. An AI-nurse could enhance that preparation by paging and corresponding with fourth-year medical students, requesting urgent orders during an overnight on-call simulation.
Multi-physics simulation of a material extrusion-based additive manufacturing process: towards understanding stress formation in the printed strand
Authors: Lukhi Mehul , Mittermeier Christoph , Kiendl Josef
Published: February 2025

The application of material extrusion methodologies in the fabrication of thermoplastic components frequently entails many notable challenges, such as shrinkage, warpage, and delamination. During the extrusion process, there is an uneven cooling gradient between the layers. As a result, this causes a component to be distorted. This deformation is observed as the corners of a component rise above the printing bed. However, printing a single-layer strand and then submerging it in hot water results in a noticeable distortion. This issue is explained, and it is investigated using simulations and experiments. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a numerical simulation of the extrusion process, with a specific emphasis on analyzing the stresses in the printed strand. The simulations are conducted utilizing the finite element approach, where the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method is employed to solve the free surface. Stress analysis entails solving the non-isothermal thermo-mechanical flow problem. The material extrusion process is simulated using generalized Newtonian and viscoelastic models. The present work aims to examine the spatial distribution of stresses inside the printed strand and its corresponding cross-sectional area. This study investigates the impact of several printing process parameters on stresses in the printed strand, including bed temperature, nozzle temperature, and printing speed. An experimental investigation was undertaken to examine the influence of printing speed on the degree of bending shown by the printed strand, with the aim of corroborating the results obtained through simulation. This study’s findings provide valuable insights into the stresses experienced by the printed strand.
TextSavvy: Exploring the Effectiveness of a Text Messaging Adjunct to a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training Intervention
Authors: Hodgins James P. , Mazzone Erica , Franklin Emma , Greenberg Shayna R. , Morrell Holly E. R. , Boustani Maya M.
Published: February 2025

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for adolescent mental health concerns with potential as a preventative approach for at-risk youth. Automated text messaging, a low-cost and widely accessible technology, may enhance treatment engagement and further support youth mental health outcomes. However, the effectiveness of automated text messaging as a delivery format for DBT-informed content has not been extensively studied. This quasi-experimental study evaluated a six-week DBT-based skills training program with one group receiving twice-daily psychoeducational and supportive text messages (n = 37) and a historical control group receiving the intervention only (n = 39). Psychoeducational messages included DBT skill explanations aligned with session content. Supportive messages provided reminders, connection to local resources, and encouragement. Measures of attendance, perceived learning, DBT skill usage, and clinical outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression, emotion regulation) were collected. Text messaging was associated with improved session attendance (p < .01) and perceived learning mid-intervention (ps < .05), although no significant differences were observed in DBT skill use or clinical outcomes. Effect sizes for attendance and perceived learning were moderate (Cohen’s d = .57–.61). Qualitative feedback indicated that participants found the text messages helpful, particularly for enhancing attendance, reinforcing DBT skills, and boosting motivation and mood. While text messaging shows promise for increasing engagement in adolescent mental health interventions, its impact on clinical outcomes and skill use remains unclear. Further research is needed to optimize the use of text messaging as a supportive tool in youth DBT interventions, utilizing more rigorous experimental designs.
Semi-supervised self-training for COVID-19 misinformation detection: analyzing Twitter data and alternative news media on Norwegian Twitter
Authors: Frisli Siri
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates the dissemination of COVID-19 misinformation on Twitter within the context of the Norwegian media landscape, characterized by high levels of trust in the media, yet experiencing an increasing influence of alternative news sources. Using a semi-supervised self-training approach for text classification, a dataset of 426,262 tweets is analyzed, identifying approximately 5.11% as misinformation. The study reveals that misinformation tweets receive heightened engagement, particularly in retweets, and originate predominantly from a small group of users. Furthermore, while misinformation tweets are more likely to link to alternative news media sites, these sites represent only a minor fraction of the overall links shared. The analysis highlights distinct temporal patterns, with misinformation activity spiking during significant events such as the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Norway and the emergence of the Omicron variant. This research underscores the complexity of misinformation dynamics in a high-trust media environment and emphasizes the need for effective strategies to combat misinformation, particularly from alternative news media that challenge conventional narratives while often propagating falsehoods. Overall, the findings contribute valuable insights into the interplay between social media, alternative news sources, and misinformation dissemination during a global pandemic.
The embira bark fiber: a sustainable Amazon tape
Authors: Tavares Sheron S. , de Mendonça Neuba Lucas , Lopera Henry Colorado , Monteiro Sergio Neves , Meyers Marc André
Published: February 2025

The embira bark fiber is routinely used in Brazil to construct simple structures because of its ease of extraction, flexibility, and considerable strength. It plays an important role, somewhat similar to duct tape, and is commonly used for temporary repairs and tying objects. The flexible bark is removed from the tree by making two cuts into it and manually pulling off the fibrous structure. Three similar but distinct embira bark fibers are characterized structurally and mechanically: embira branca, embira capa bode, and embira chichá. The bark separates readily into strips with thicknesses between 0.3 and 1 mm, enabling it to be twisted and bent without damage. The structure consists of aligned cellulose fibers bound by lignin and hemicellulose. Thus, it is a natural composite. The tensile strength of the three fibers varies in the range of 25 to 100 MPa, with no clear difference between them. There is structural and strength consistency among them. The mechanical strength of embira branca is measured for different fiber bundle diameters and is found to increase with decreasing diameter. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that degradation of the fibers initiates at 250 °C, consistent with other lignocellulosic fibers. X-ray diffraction identifies two major components: the monoclinic crystalline structure of cellulose and an amorphous phase; the crystallinity index is approximately 50%. The tensile strength shows significant variation, a characteristic of biological materials; this can be significantly improved by selective growing of embira-bearing trees.
Advanced Hybrid Reasoning and Transfer Learning on Multimodal Data with Transformers
Authors: Barua Arnab , Uddin Ahmed Mobyen , Begum Shahina
Published: February 2025

Reasoning is a vital process in machine learning (ML), involving making inferences and drawing conclusions based on data. This capability is important for developing intelligent systems which can understand and predict complex patterns. The study investigates reasoning through two distinct methodologies: multimodal reasoning and transfer learning based reasoning. In the first approach, multimodal reasoning is used with a semi-supervised method to label unlabelled datasets. In the second approach, transfer learning has been used to transfer knowledge of data from one model to another. Both approaches are demonstrated using unlabelled vehicular telemetry data. During processing, three sets of telemetry data are used to extract features separately through the autoencoder. These features are then clustered and aligned to create labelled and unlabelled datasets. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm achieved over 98% test accuracy when applied to the labelled datasets and was then used to predict labels for the unlabelled datasets, which were later added to the labelled dataset to form three datasets for further processing. In transfer learning, a transformer model specifically designed to handle continuous features is developed. Labelled datasets are applied to the transformer model, one after the other, resulting in three final models, with each model achieving over 80% accuracy. The model’s prediction confidence is also validated using conformal learning, where the final models achieved over 80% accuracy. The transformer model is also separately trained on the datasets and compared with traditional ML models, outperforming the others by achieving an accuracy of 98%. By building on the groundwork laid by this study, future research can push the boundaries of what is possible with reasoning approaches, opening up new paths for scientific exploration and practical applications in different fields.
Young People’s Hopes and Aspirations in a ‘Clever and Creative’ City During the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Goring James , Kelly Peter , Brown Seth , Noonan Meave
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we draw on the outcomes of a longitudinal, video-based study (2021–2023) of 40 + young people’s aspirations and their education, training and employment pathways in the regional centre of Geelong (Australia) — a ‘deindustrialising’ place being rebranded as ‘clever and creative’. In these contexts, there is much community, business and policy concern to develop the hopes and aspirations of disadvantaged young people for the jobs that will characterise ‘clever and creative’ futures. Many of these concerns focus on the production of an idealised, abstract ‘figure’ (Haraway 2008; Threadgold 2020) of the ‘aspirational young person’. Our aim, in part, is to unsettle these abstract ‘truths’ about young people and their hopes and aspirations by presenting a version of the stories of two young people, James and Emilie, who were interviewed in the first and second year of this project during 2021 and 2022. Drawing on posthumanist and feminist studies of techno-science, we will argue that young people’s hopes and aspirations are more productively understood as being shaped by a range of human and non-human others, in multispecies ‘entanglements’ (Haraway 2016), and as emerging from the embodied, affective dimensions of historical disadvantage and crisis that are reproduced in neo-liberal capitalist economies.
The Ambivalence of Solidarity and the Language of Law
Authors: Binder Seán , Ramji-Nogales Jaya , Trombetta Isabella
Published: February 2025

What is the relationship between solidarity and international migration law? For migrants facing a contemporary politics of nationalism and xenophobia, solidarity offers the potential to transcend borders, reshaping the popular imaginary and potentially the law. This essay presents a conversation between a legal scholar, a solidarian, and a social scientist, exploring the challenges that must be carefully navigated to avoid replicating prevailing power hierarchies and undermining existing humanitarian ethics. It engages with three questions: whether international law can further solidarity with migrants; whether human rights law can address the risk that solidarity will replicate existing power hierarchies; and whether solidarity downgrades existing international legal obligations toward migrants, rendering them optional benevolent acts toward “outsiders” rather than legal duties toward “insiders.” The essay contends that a viable path forward must recognize both the ambivalence of solidarity and international law's shortcomings in enabling solidarity.
A review of implementation aspects and sustainability in the prevention of hospital onset bacteremia
Authors: Garcia Robert , Septimus Edward J. , LeDonne Jack , Sturm Lisa K. , Moureau Nancy , DeVries Michelle , DeBaun Barbara
Published: February 2025

The emerging perspectives and implementation aspects presented in this review article outline infection prevention core components supported by recent research relevant to the mitigation of Hospital Onset Bacteremia and Fungemia in a surveillance setting that includes expanded efforts to all vascular access devices.
TENSOR PRODUCTS OF d-FOLD MATRIX FACTORIZATIONS
Authors: SHENG RICHIE , TRIBONE TIM
Published: February 2025

Consider a pair of elements f and g in a commutative ring Q. Given a matrix factorization of f and another of g, the tensor product of matrix factorizations, which was first introduced by Knörrer and later generalized by Yoshino, produces a matrix factorization of the sum

$f+g$

. We will study the tensor product of d-fold matrix factorizations, with a particular emphasis on understanding when the construction has a non-trivial direct sum decomposition. As an application of our results, we construct indecomposable maximal Cohen–Macaulay and Ulrich modules over hypersurface domains of a certain form.
An elliptic operator with a nonlocal term: maximum principle, principal eigenvalue, and applications to a logistic equation with indefinite weight
Authors: Cintra Willian , dos Anjos Ismael Oliveira
Published: February 2025

In this work, we consider a class of uniformly elliptic operators with a nonlocal term and mixed boundary conditions in bounded domains. We establish the existence of a principal eigenvalue and provide a result that offers both sufficient and necessary conditions for the validity of the maximum principle. As a consequence of these findings, we conduct a detailed study of an eigenvalue problem with an indefinite weight, as well as establish existence and uniqueness results for a logistic-type equation and prove some blow-up results.
Two dynamical approaches to the notion of exponential separation for random systems of delay differential equations
Authors: Kryspin Marek , Mierczyński Janusz , Novo Sylvia , Obaya Rafael
Published: February 2025

This paper deals with the exponential separation of type II, an important concept for random systems of differential equations with delay, introduced in Mierczyński et al. [18]. Two different approaches to its existence are presented. The state space X will be a separable ordered Banach space with

$\dim X\geq 2$

, dual space

$X^{*}$

, and positive cone

$X^+$

normal and reproducing. In both cases, appropriate cooperativity and irreducibility conditions are assumed to provide a family of generalized Floquet subspaces. If in addition

$X^*$

is also separable, one obtains an exponential separation of type II. When this is not the case, but there is an Oseledets decomposition for the continuous semiflow, the same result holds. Detailed examples are given for all the situations, including also a case where the cone is not normal.
Dancing for Snow: Tourism, Entrepreneurship, and Race in the American West
Authors: Denison Brandi
Published: February 2025

Starting in 1960, ski resorts in the American West invited American Indian dancers to perform snow dances to address low snowfall. The first documented snow dance was associated with the 1960 Winter Olympics at Lake Tahoe, and snow dances have occurred throughout the twenty-first century, including a 2012 dance at the Vail Ski Resort. In most instances, ski resorts declare the dance successful when snow falls. These snow dances and the related rain dances are best understood in the context of white tourism to the American West and its settler-colonial legacy. I argue that these weather dances are the products of a dynamic relationship between white-owned businesses and American Indian performers in the arid American West, and they have produced racialized ideas of the “sacred”—specifically, an authentic experience that connects settler-colonists to the natural world, facilitated through American Indian spiritual practices. This connection often increases the profitability of businesses that exploit the natural world but also provides an opportunity to express Indigenous communicative agency. I situate the settler-colonial notion of the sacred alongside Indigenous ritual practice, entrepreneurship, and self-determination, using newspapers and anthropological reports.
Universal enough: the politics of nomenclature in seventeenth-century selenography
Authors: Pineda de Ávila Nydia
Published: February 2025

Selenography was both a practice and a tool which developed through optical instrumentation in the seventeenth century. As a practice, it was the process of creating composite graphical depictions of the Moon through skill and sustained telescopic study. As a paper-based tool, the focus of this article, a selenography was a stabilized visualization and codified template for making, organizing and communicating lunar-based astronomical observations. The template's key observation and notation device was its system of named Moon spots, or lunar nomenclatures. Such systems varied significantly in different sites of knowledge making. Through the close study of two naming schemes produced and exchanged in Counter-Reformation contexts by Michael van Langren (1645) and Giovanni Battista Riccioli in collaboration with Maria Francesco Grimaldi (1651), this essay argues that selenographies were conceived with an eye to ideals of universal standardization for collective and even global observation. In practice, however, different forms of universality, revealing distinct local agendas tied to political and religious priorities, were materialized in each competing scheme.
Disparities in accelerated brain aging in recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia
Authors: Joo Sung Woo , Lee Junhyeok , Han Juhyuk , Kim Minjae , Kim Yeonwoo , Lee Howook , Jo Young Tak , Shin Jaewook , Lee Jungsun , Lee Won Hee
Published: February 2025

Background

Patients with schizophrenia experience accelerated aging, accompanied by abnormalities in biomarkers such as shorter telomere length. Brain age prediction using neuroimaging data has gained attention in schizophrenia research, with consistently reported increases in brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD). However, its associations with clinical symptoms and illness duration remain unclear.

Methods

We developed brain age prediction models using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 10,938 healthy individuals. The models were validated on an independent test dataset comprising 79 healthy controls, 57 patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, and 71 patients with chronic schizophrenia. Group comparisons and the clinical associations of brain-PAD were analyzed using multiple linear regression. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values estimated feature contributions to the model, and between-group differences in SHAP values and group-by-SHAP value interactions were also examined.

Results

Patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and chronic schizophrenia exhibited increased brain-PAD values of 1.2 and 0.9 years, respectively. Between-group differences in SHAP values were identified in the right lateral prefrontal area (false discovery rate [FDR] p = 0.022), with group-by-SHAP value interactions observed in the left prefrontal area (FDR p = 0.049). A negative association between brain-PAD and Full-scale Intelligence Quotient scores in chronic schizophrenia was noted, which did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons.

Conclusions

Brain-PAD increases were pronounced in the early phase of schizophrenia. Regional brain abnormalities contributing to brain-PAD likely vary with illness duration. Future longitudinal studies are required to overcome limitations related to sample size, heterogeneity, and the cross-sectional design of this study.
Politics of the Imagination: Francesco Guicciardini and the Conditions of Effective Government
Authors: Rasmussen Esben Korsgaard
Published: February 2025

This article explores Francesco Guicciardini’s concept of the imagination and argues that it plays a vital, yet hitherto unexplored, role in his political thought. What are called “imaginary conceptions” determine the effects that different governmental strategies have upon a given society. As these both affective and cognitive conceptions are tied to shared, symbolic representations, understanding informal aspects of political life becomes a crucial aspect of Guicciardini’s construal of effective government. To understand these aspects it is necessary to reconstruct the historical genesis of the communal representations as it determines the specificity of the society under consideration. The historical contingency of a society’s imaginary conceptions forces political theory to “imaginatively construct” the institutional forms it suggests, rather than “discover” them among the exempla of the past. The centrality of contingent, imaginary conceptions to political reality leads Guicciardini to break with former Renaissance conceptions of exemplarity.
Advertising, Piano Culture, and the Changing Middle Class in Urban Galicia, 1911–1921
Authors: Burks Drew P.
Published: February 2025

In the years between the turn of the century and the outbreak of World War I, business directories listed four commercial piano storefronts in Kraków and an even more impressive nine in Lwów, though the actual number was even higher. Additionally, each of the cities boasted multiple local piano factories. The presence of these factories and storefronts indicates an established market for the buying and selling of pianos in the two major urban centers of Austrian Galicia in the years prior to the war. While piano advertising continued both during and after the war, this was not necessarily an indicator of a lack of change. The instability and increasing inflation of the period served as a catalyst, forcing some owners to sell their pianos, while other citizens may have had the opportunity to capitalize on the economic situation, buying these status symbols for their households. The persistence of private piano classified advertisements for those hoping to buy and sell pianos throughout the war years was a symptom of social and cultural change within the middle class in urban Galicia. This article situates the dynamics of the region’s persistent piano marketplace alongside contemporary socio-political and economic trends to highlight an important indicator of social mobility amidst the widespread impact of World War I.
Iron status and risk of iron disorders in neonates: A narrative review of recent studies in animal models
Authors: Wang Xiuying , Lipiński Paweł , Ogłuszka Magdalena , Starzyński Rafał Radosław
Published: February 2025

The iron regulation mechanisms are not exactly the same between adulthood and the early postnatal period. Also, neonatal iron status is different in full-term versus preterm infants because the prenatal/gestational period, when hepatic iron accumulates, is shortened. Newborns, especially premature infants, are at high risk of iron deficiency due to inadequate iron stores, which constitute the primary source of iron to satisfy the neonate’s increasing iron requirements. In addition, frequent blood transfusions and congenital hemochromatosis may induce iron overload in the affected neonate. To understand the cause of neonatal iron deficiency/overload and to promote the development of effective therapeutic interventions in humans, different animal models have been generated by genetic engineering, low/high-iron diets, phlebotomy/transfusion, and surgical manipulation. These models use various laboratory and domestic animals to study iron imbalance. They serve as surrogate models for experiments that are ethically or practically unfeasible to conduct on human neonates. Although an animal model for studying neonatal iron disorders may not fully replicate the complexities of human diseases, it is designed to model specific aspects of these conditions. Combined data from multiple models can help offset the limitations inherent in each individual model. In this review, we outline approaches to induce neonatal iron disorders, current animal models of full-term and preterm neonates, and recommendations for diagnosis.