bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘If I am Reminded of my Trauma, I will …’: Assessing Threat Expectancies for Being Confronted with Trauma Reminders
Authors: Kooistra Marike Jolien , van Minnen Agnes , Oprel Danielle , Schoorl Maartje , van der Does Willem , de Kleine Rianne
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Dysfunctional threat appraisal plays a key role in both the development and treatment of PTSD. It is unclear how these appraisals can best be measured. This study aimed to explore the specific negative outcome predictions held by patients with PTSD and to develop and validate the Threat Appraisal in PTSD Scale (TAPS).

Methods

We used data from a non-clinical (N = 309) and clinical sample (N = 125) to assess the psychometric properties of the TAPS.

Results

The TAPS had excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminative validity were adequate. The TAPS showed to be sensitive to change following treatment. The TAPS demonstrated incremental validity beyond general cognitions in predicting PTSD symptoms in the combined sample, but not in the patient sample. An exploratory factor analysis suggested three factors: ‘losing control’, ‘externalizing reactions’, and ‘physical reactions’, and patients seemed most concerned about outcomes related to ‘losing control’.

Conclusions

These findings imply that the TAPS could be clinically beneficial, enabling patients and therapists to recognize dysfunctional expectancies and tailor therapeutic interventions accordingly.
ChatGPT in Academia: University Students’ Attitudes Towards the use of ChatGPT and Plagiarism
Authors: Fajt Balázs , Schiller Emese
Published: February 2025

This mixed-methods study examines the integration of ChatGPT within academic discourse, focusing on its role in education. ChatGPT, an AI chatbot using the GPT model, offers significant benefits such as enhanced plagiarism detection and improved accuracy in academic work. However, it also presents ethical challenges related to academic integrity. The research explores factors influencing student adoption, including perceived usefulness, ease of use, overall attitude, and anxiety related to ChatGPT usage. Additionally, the study investigates how gender, educational context, and prior AI experience affect ChatGPT usage and perception among a sample of 607 Hungarian university students. It also examines the potential relationship between students’ willingness to use ChatGPT and their willingness to plagiarize. The findings reveal a generally positive attitude towards ChatGPT but also highlight concerns about potential misuse. This study aims to contribute to the responsible integration of AI in education by providing insights and recommendations to balance technological innovation with the preservation of academic integrity.
Conversational pressures at work: professional roles and communication in mental healthcare settings
Authors: Drożdżowicz Anna
Published: February 2025

What do we owe to each other when communicating? One area where these questions become immediately relevant is that of mental healthcare settings. Mental healthcare relies heavily on communication with patients/clients. However, it has been argued that patients/clients in mental healthcare settings are often vulnerable to various forms of epistemic injustice, e.g., by not being listened to, not being taken seriously, not being considered as a source of knowledge by healthcare professionals (e.g., Crichton et al., 2017; Scrutton, 2017; Kurs & Grinshpoon 2018; Kidd, Spencer& Carel 2023). The paper investigates normative aspects of communication in settings where interlocutors occupy specific social and professional roles. I focus on the conversational pressures account, recently proposed by Goldberg (2020), and communicative interactions in mental healthcare settings, where issues of epistemic injustice and deficient communication are of great importance. I suggest that professional roles in mental healthcare settings have an impact on the normative evaluation of interlocutors, as well as the conversational pressures they are under. I discuss whether and to what extent ethical and epistemic features of the social and professional contexts can be seen as providing a direct normative source for conversational pressures. I close by sketching a map of issues that require further investigation.
The scientific realism debate and consensus reporting
Authors: Pils Raimund
Published: February 2025

This article shows, through both theoretical analysis and empirical evidence, that there is an absence of consensus among philosophers of science, scientists, and science communicators regarding the correctness of realist versus anti-realist interpretations of scientific theories. It is argued that integrating this finding within the current prevalent norm of consensus reporting necessitates a reconsideration of how results from the natural sciences are reported. As such, the article advances a model for science reporting that more accurately represents the complexity of scientific expert opinions, thereby aligning more closely with the actual epistemic conditions within the scientific community.
Transforming Complex Water Quality Monitoring Data into Water Quality Indices
Authors: Shaaban Nashwa A. , Stevens David K.
Published: February 2025

Unplanned urbanization and economic development can deteriorate water quality (WQ) and alter its beneficial usage. Continuous monitoring of biotic and abiotic parameters describing the WQ is essential to track changes and classify water resources to protect public health. Various invest significant effort, money, and time in monitoring programs. Using data from those sources is challenging due to the large number of observations, and inconsistencies in sampling time, date, stations, and gaps. This study aims to design different water quality index (WQI) models to provide policymakers, stakeholders, and water managers with a more comprehensive assessment by converting complex datasets from over 10 years, processed with the statistical software R, into consistent data sets. These datasets are then transformed into small principal components. WQ datasets of lakes and reservoirs in the western USA were chosen as case studies. The strategy of data processing is explained, and the results organized as a descriptive summary of the 12,000 observations for 31 parameters are discussed. Outputs of principal component analysis (PCA) are used to create relative and absolute WQI models for water irrigation usage and protecting cold- and warm-water species of game fish. Weighted arithmetic water quality indices are applied, and the relation between different models is examined.
Transcriptomic profiling of senescence effects on blood–brain barrier-related gene expression in brain capillary endothelial cells in a mouse model of paclitaxel-induced chemobrain
Authors: Patai Roland , Kiss Tamas , Gulej Rafal , Nyul-Toth Adam , Csik Boglarka , Chandragiri Siva Sai , Shanmugarama Santny , Tarantini Stefano , Ungvari Anna , Pacher Pal , Mukli Peter , Yabluchanskiy Andriy , Csiszar Anna , Ungvari Zoltan
Published: February 2025

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), commonly referred to as “chemobrain,” is a frequent and debilitating side effect experienced by cancer survivors treated with paclitaxel (PTX). Preclinical models have shown that PTX promotes cerebromicrovascular endothelial cell senescence, leading to chronic blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation. Conversely, the elimination of senescent cells through senolytic therapies has been shown to restore BBB integrity, reduce neuroinflammation, and alleviate PTX-induced cognitive impairment. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that PTX-induced endothelial senescence alters gene expression patterns associated with BBB integrity. To investigate this, we analyzed a scRNA-seq dataset from the brains of mice treated with a clinically relevant PTX regimen alongside vehicle-treated control mice. We identified capillary endothelial cells by their distinct transcriptomic profiles and matched these profiles to known transcriptomic markers of cellular senescence. Our analysis confirmed that PTX induces senescence in capillary endothelial cells and revealed significant transcriptional alterations linked to impaired BBB function. In senescent endothelial cells, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) highlighted downregulated pathways associated with cell junction assembly and upregulated pathways involved in extracellular matrix remodeling and inflammatory signaling, including Vitronectin (VTN) and Pleiotrophin (PTN) pathways. Additionally, cell–cell communication analysis revealed reduced Junctional Adhesion Molecule (JAM) signaling, further implicating senescence in BBB disruption. These findings highlight endothelial senescence as a driver of BBB dysfunction through transcriptional changes and altered intercellular signaling. The enrichment of VTN and PTN pathways in the senescent state indicates a shift toward vascular remodeling and inflammation, exacerbating microvascular fragility and BBB disruption. Supported by prior experimental findings, this study suggests that targeting endothelial senescence and its downstream effects could mitigate PTX-induced BBB dysfunction and associated cognitive impairments. These results advance our understanding of CICI pathogenesis and provide a foundation for developing therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving vascular integrity.
The title of the manuscript: reorienting social relationships in the journey with cancer: a qualitative study
Authors: Erden Sengul , Yıldız Ahmet
Published: February 2025

Cancer threatens millions of lives each year affecting individuals as well as their loved ones in multifaceted ways. Given the far-reaching effects of the disease, the study focuses on how cancer survivors’ treatment experiences transform their perspectives on their social relationships. The data consisted of face-to-face interviews with 17 cancer patients in Turkey. The purposive sampling method was used to identify potential participants for the study and the snowball sampling method was used to reach the participants. The analysis was based on the transformative learning theory, which revealed two main themes concerning the participants’ social networks; (i) transformation in the existing social relations, and (ii) construction of new social networks and changing relationship dynamics. The findings revealed the support received from their social networks was a crucial factor in helping participants’ cope with cancer-related challenges which prompted critical reflection on their social relationships and led to perspective transformation. The participants reorganized their existing relationships, and the disease was a determining factor in their new social relationships. In their new social networks, they developed a more helpful attitude towards others, especially cancer patients. This study is critical in enabling adult educators to understand the social dynamics of transformative learning, and guide healthcare professionals in planning supportive and holistic healthcare services for patients with similar experiences.
Regional Specialization as a Driver of Potential and Realized Absorptive Capacity and Business Innovation
Authors: Sánchez-García Eduardo , Martínez-Falcó Javier , Marco-Lajara Bartolomé , Ruiz-Fernández Lorena
Published: February 2025

This research aims to study the influence of regional agglomeration on business innovation and the effect of absorptive capacity as a mediating variable in this relationship. The investigation has been developed using a sample of 197 firms of the energy sector, from which were obtained primary data that was analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique. The findings evidence that the degree of agglomeration of a region positively influences business innovation, while the acquisition and assimilation of new knowledge do not impact it directly but rather through its transformation and successful application by firms. In this respect, knowledge absorption competences can drive the innovation outcomes exhibited by firms situated in specialized regions. Thus, it is concluded that companies operating in specialized environments should strive to boost their knowledge absorption capabilities to maximize the benefits of their location. In this regard, managers and policymakers must be aware of the importance of fostering the agglomeration of energy enterprises and the development of their internal absorptive capacity, both potential and realized, which drives the existence of specialized knowledge and its effective leverage to promote business innovation, promoting the creation of hubs of concentrated expertise and enhancing regional competitiveness.
Moral Hermeneutics in R&D Teams: Making Sense of Conflicting Responsibilities in Technological Innovation
Authors: Innocenti Marco
Published: February 2025

This study adopts a hermeneutic, practice-based approach to Responsible Innovation to explore how a reflective and proactive attitude can be implemented in a start-up context. We hypothesised that a moral hermeneutics framework - rooted in post-phenomenology and theories on technology-induced value change - could provide a way to understand how practitioners in a start-up make sense of the different kinds of responsibilities in their work, balancing professional demands and standards of excellence with broader ecological and social commitments. Using in-depth interviews with the team members of a start-up R&D laboratory, we explored how they interpret their responsibilities-as-(moral)-obligations. Our findings suggest that the syntactical ways team members make sense of the relationship between these responsibilities can be useful for understanding how reflexivity can surface in this environment. We conclude by proposing that less conciliatory interpretations of conflicting responsibilities may lead to a collective search for practical solutions addressing these tensions, as long as it is embedded in a collective dialogue involving the other members’ moral perspectives and technical expertise.
Case report. Benigne urethrale poliepen op kinderleeftijd
Authors: Vermeulen Marlous L. E. , Klijn Aart J. , van der Horst E. H. J. R. , Scheepe Jeroen R. , Lammers Rianne J. M.
Published: February 2025

Samenvatting

Een benigne urethrale poliep is een zeldzame aandoening op kinderleeftijd die kan leiden tot mictieklachten en/of hematurie. De differentiële diagnose is uitgebreid en bevat onder andere rhabdomyosarcoom. We presenteren vier casussen uit Nederland met een benigne poliep. De klachten en leeftijden variëren. De oorzaak is niet duidelijk. Mogelijk is er sprake van een restant van de buizen van Müller, maar omdat een urethrale poliep ook bij meisjes kan voorkomen, is deze verklaring omstreden. De afwijking bevindt zich meestal ter hoogte van de colliculus en wordt histologisch beschreven als fibro-epitheliale poliep. Als een maligniteit onwaarschijnlijk is, heeft een transurethrale resectie de voorkeur. Cystoscopie wordt gebruikt als diagnosticum en behandeling. Een recidief wordt niet beschreven.
The Search for an Optimal Framework for Licensing Standard-Essential Patents: Is Collective Licensing a Solution?
Authors: Opany Fidelice
Published: February 2025

The emergence of new technological paradigms, particularly the Internet of Things, has given rise to doubts about whether the current framework for licensing standard-essential patents (SEPs) will be effective in the near future. Consequently, there is a renewed interest in exploring multilateral licensing schemes. One such proposal seeks to establish a public quasi-pool Agency to administer SEP licensing by issuing licences, and collecting and distributing royalties among SEP holders. This article analyses the suitability of the said Agency. It finds that the envisaged Agency could improve SEP licensing by, inter alia, alleviating patent holdout and patent holdup, and reducing transactions costs. Weighed against the pursued general interests, i.e. improving SEP licensing and promoting the dissemination of standardised technologies across the EU, we find that licensing SEPs via the envisioned Agency is unlikely to disproportionately interfere with the fundamental rights of patentees.
Data-driven measurement performance evaluation of voltage transformers in electric railway traction power supply systems
Authors: Li Zhaoyang , Sun Muqi , Zhu Jun , Luo Haoyu , Wang Qi , Hu Haitao , He Zhengyou , Wang Ke
Published: February 2025

Critical for metering and protection in electric railway traction power supply systems (TPSSs), the measurement performance of voltage transformers (VTs) must be timely and reliably monitored. This paper outlines a three-step, RMS data only method for evaluating VTs in TPSSs. First, a kernel principal component analysis approach is used to diagnose the VT exhibiting significant measurement deviations over time, mitigating the influence of stochastic fluctuations in traction loads. Second, a back propagation neural network is employed to continuously estimate the measurement deviations of the targeted VT. Third, a trend analysis method is developed to assess the evolution of the measurement performance of VTs. Case studies conducted on field data from an operational TPSS demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in detecting VTs with measurement deviations exceeding 1% relative to their original accuracy levels. Additionally, the method accurately tracks deviation trends, enabling the identification of potential early-stage faults in VTs and helping prevent significant economic losses in TPSS operations.
Operator Solutions of the Multi–valued Operator Equation $$A = BXC$$
Authors: Sandovici Adrian
Published: February 2025

Assume that A, B and C are three linear relations on certain linear spaces. The main objective of this note is to present some necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the solutions X of the operator equation

$$A = BXC$$

A
=
B
X
C

. The obtained characterizations extend and complete some known operator factorization results due to R.G. Douglas, Z. Sebestyén and D. Popovici.
On extreme value theory-based estimation of surface quality for metal additive manufacturing
Authors: Nikfar Mohsen , Irfan Shehzaib , Baugh Loren , Mahmood Samsul , Ahmad Nabeel , Liu Jia , Jackson Robert L. , Schulze Kyle , Shao Shuai , Silva Daniel F. , Vinel Alexander , Shamsaei Nima
Published: February 2025

Surface roughness of additively manufactured metal parts has significant impacts on the part’s performance (e.g., fatigue resistance) and poses a significant roadblock to the wider adoption of metal additive manufacturing. This work aims to show that, in some cases, it is possible to estimate the depth of the deepest valley of an additively manufactured part with a relatively high accuracy using either only line measurements from a contact profilometer (and limited areal scans used for calibration) or areal scans from optical areal scanners of a considerably smaller area of the same specimen or even another specimen produced in the same batch under the same conditions. Both problems are approached by employing the block-maxima method from extreme value theory, whereby the underlying distribution of the depth of individual valleys is modeled with a Gumbel distribution. The experimental results from additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V specimens demonstrate that the proposed methods can produce estimates that significantly outperform more straightforward benchmarks (e.g., simply using linear parameters for areal ones), and the proposed methods achieve a relatively accurate estimation with mean errors of 5–15%. The proposed methodology can contribute to enabling a cheaper and more efficient way to quantify and estimate surface roughness, consequently facilitating a more efficient investigation of its impacts on mechanical performance (especially fatigue) and the quality control of additively manufactured parts.
Topological and iterated structures of the superposition operator on Fock spaces
Authors: Felke Yonas Eshetu , Mengestie Tesfa , Takele Mollalgn Haile
Published: February 2025

We characterize various topological structures of the weighted superposition operator on Fock spaces. The global homeomorphism property of the operator is described by its ray-invertibility condition. We further consider its iterated structures and prove that the operator is power bounded if and only if it is mean ergodic. However, Fock spaces do not support cyclic weighted superposition operators, and as a result, no orbit of the operator forms a frame. We also identify a condition under which the operator preserves frames and Riesz bases. Finally, we examine the semigroups generated by the operator. In the end, we investigate the semigroups of the operator. This work provides a systematic investigation of a wide range of properties of the operator, and can serve as a valuable exposition, illustrating the interplay between fundamental operator-theoretic concepts in both linear and nonlinear analysis.
AI Meets the Eye of the Storm: Machine Learning-Driven Insights for Hurricane Damage Risk Assessment in Florida
Authors: Arachchige Sameera Maha , Pradhan Biswajeet
Published: February 2025

Due to Florida’s exposure to hurricanes originating from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, hurricane risk assessments serve as a critical tool for mitigating potential impacts. This is the first novel study to develop a machine learning based risk assessment for hurricane induced flood damage, which demonstrates the potential of granular building level insurance data from 1985 to 2024, enriched with remote sensing derived variables. The stacked ensemble machine learning model predicted hurricane flood damage with an MAE of 11.3% at a granular ZIP Code Tabulation Area level (ZCTA). The model’s explainability tools determined that building property value was a significant predictor of hurricane damage, as it correlated with property size, complex architectural design, and proximity to waterfront locations, all of which affect potential repair costs. Other predictive factors include construction year, occupancy type, and flood zone designation. Partial dependency plots (PDPs) identified that northwest Florida is particularly susceptible to hurricane damage, attributed to the Gulf of Mexico’s warm and shallow waters than eastern Florida’s cooler Atlantic conditions and steep ocean floor. Miami’s significant coastal urbanisation, rendered it a hotspot despite southeast Florida’s overall low hurricane risk. Similarly Jacksonville in north-eastern Florida was identified as a hotspot due to compounded flooding from storm surge and nearby river systems. Partial dependency plots also quantified the significant positive impact of 1970s building code regulation. Future studies should examine coastal morphology, landfall angle, and proximity to barrier islands. A study limitation is that insurance data may be an imperfect representation of Florida, due to underinsurance and inability to afford insurance.
Plasma modification of the structural, morphological, and catalytic activity of Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2 core–shell system
Authors: Gangan Amr , Fahmy Alaa , Shaban Seham A. , El-Bahy Zeinhom M.
Published: February 2025

Pulsed DC plasma-liquid interaction was used to prepare Ag-doped Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2 (PP-FST) core–shell in a very short time compared to conventional methods. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and Ti(IV) isopropoxide precursors were employed as sources of SiO2 and TiO2, respectively, under the influence of plasma-liquid interaction using silver metal electrodes. TEM images and EDS mapping proved the successful formation of Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2 core–shell structure without the detection of Ag NPs on the PP-FST surface. This proposed the dispersion of Ag NPs within TiO2 lattice during the synthesis process using the plasma-liquid technique. The XRD patterns show an increase of the crystallinity of the sample after exposure to plasma. Furthermore, structural and optical properties were studied using XPS and UV–Vis, respectively. The synthesized FST core–shell exhibited outstanding light absorption capabilities which may be attributed to the strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect at the interface of the Ag nanoparticles and the TiO2 semiconductor. This interaction lowers the energy band gap of PP-FST to 2.05 eV, compared to 2.73 eV for FST. The specific surface area determined by BET analysis was 53.9 m2/g for PP-FST, whereas it was 34.1 m2/g for FST. Moreover, the activity of both the plasma-prepared and conventionally synthesized FST core–shell nano-catalysts was evaluated for the removing of toxic dyes such as Acid Orange 142 (AO). The degradation efficiency significantly increased to 99.6% for PP-FST compared to 80% for FST, highlighting the effect of plasma treatment.
PhytoCluster: a generative deep learning model for clustering plant single-cell RNA-seq data
Authors: Wang Hao , Fu Xiangzheng , Liu Lijia , Wang Yi , Hong Jingpeng , Pan Bintao , Cao Yaning , Chen Yanqing , Cao Yongsheng , Ma Xiaoding , Fang Wei , Yan Shen
Published: February 2025

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology enables a deep understanding of cellular differentiation during plant development and reveals heterogeneity among the cells of a given tissue. However, the computational characterization of such cellular heterogeneity is complicated by the high dimensionality, sparsity, and biological noise inherent to the raw data. Here, we introduce PhytoCluster, an unsupervised deep learning algorithm, to cluster scRNA-seq data by extracting latent features. We benchmarked PhytoCluster against four simulated datasets and five real scRNA-seq datasets with varying protocols and data quality levels. A comprehensive evaluation indicated that PhytoCluster outperforms other methods in clustering accuracy, noise removal, and signal retention. Additionally, we evaluated the performance of the latent features extracted by PhytoCluster across four machine learning models. The computational results highlight the ability of PhytoCluster to extract meaningful information from plant scRNA-seq data, with machine learning models achieving accuracy comparable to that of raw features. We believe that PhytoCluster will be a valuable tool for disentangling complex cellular heterogeneity based on scRNA-seq data.
Neurocognitive difficulties in trauma-exposed adults with metabolic syndrome: no influence of PTSD status or PTSD and metabolic syndrome comorbidity
Authors: Suliman Sharain , van den Heuvel Leigh , Bröcker Erine , Seedat Soraya
Published: February 2025

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often co-occur and both may compromise cognition, owing in part to common underlying mechanisms. Few studies have investigated the additive effects of these disorders on cognitive performance. Our aims were to compare cognitive performance between patients with PTSD and trauma-exposed controls (TEC) and investigate the additive effects of MetS factors on cognition.

Methods

In this case–control study, we included 474 adult participants, 236 with PTSD and 238 TEC. Demographic, neuropsychiatric, metabolic-related, and neurocognitive assessments were undertaken and MANCOVAs performed controlling for age. Cognitive domains (immediate and delayed memory, attention, language, visuospatial performance, working memory and global cognition) were the dependent variables in the analysis. Patient status and presence/absence of MetS or MetS components were independent variables, in each model.

Results

Patients with PTSD did not demonstrate worse cognitive performance than TEC on the neurocognitive domains assessed, and the presence of MetS in patients with PTSD did not alter this finding. Individuals with MetS also did not demonstrate worse cognition when compared to those without MetS. When we looked at individual MetS features, higher BMI was associated with poorer visuospatial performance,

Conclusions

These findings contrast with many previous studies showing worse neurocognitive performance related to both PTSD and MetS. Further investigation is required to establish the contribution of MetS to cognitive deficits in those with PTSD. Generalisability and inferences regarding the directionality of associations are limited.
Evaluating the performance of porous asphalt mixtures with polymer-modified and unmodified bitumen
Authors: Amanda Mirani Trie , Mauliana Risma , Rahman Taqia , Suparma Latif Budi
Published: February 2025

Porous Asphalt (PA), with its open-graded structure and high air voids, offers excellent water permeability, reducing runoff, noise, and heat from the pavement. However, it has low strength and durability and is prone to clogging, as its large pores can be filled with particles from various sources. This study aims to evaluate the performance of PA mixtures incorporating polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) to enhance these properties, compared to mixtures with unmodified bitumen. For this purpose, PA mixtures with styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) as the PMB and unmodified bitumen Pen grade 60/70, with varying porosities (12%, 16%, 20%), were evaluated. A range of critical performance parameters, including stability, flow, durability, permeability, clogging resistance, and skid resistance, were assessed to determine the overall effectiveness of each mixture. The results show that PA mixtures with PMB exhibit better Marshall Stability, flow, and resistance to aggregate loss, as seen in the lower mass loss in the Cantabro test. These improvements are due to PMB’s enhanced adhesion and elasticity. Additionally, PA mixtures with PMB have significantly higher permeability compared to those with unmodified bitumen, likely because PMB helps maintain air voids during compaction. These mixtures also show better clogging resistance, with higher remaining permeability after 10 cycles, and improved skid resistance due to better aggregate retention and surface texture. Overall, PA mixtures with PMB outperform those with Pen 60/70 in key performance areas, enhancing both mechanical and functional properties, and offering more sustainable solutions.
Tariffs and corporate political activity: a survey experiment on US businesses
Authors: Dolan Lindsay R. , Kubinec Robert M. , Nielson Daniel L. , Zhang Jiakun Jack
Published: February 2025

The trade war with China has cost US producers and consumers hundreds of billions of dollars since 2018. Yet relatively few US businesses took action to oppose it. This study reports the results of an elite survey experiment on business political activity toward trade policy. Researchers presented business managers with information about the input costs of the new tariffs to their bottom line—information that most subjects acknowledged that they lacked—and invited them to take political action to express support or opposition to these tariffs. The results suggest that the novel information on economic costs did not significantly increase managers’ propensity to contact members of Congress, donate to political campaigns, sign petitions, or join social media groups. We also found that the firm’s political culture (liberal or conservative) did not significantly influence the effectiveness of the treatment. However, descriptive analysis showed that firm political culture was strongly related to the company’s support for the trade war, suggesting that these preexisting political beliefs were resistant to new information provided in our experiment even if that information could affect the company’s bottom line.
Silent Voices or More than a Feeling? January 6th Insurrection and Racialized (Non)Attitudes
Authors: Martinez Conner , Ramírez Ricardo
Published: February 2025

When do survey respondents choose to withhold feelings on questions related to polarizing and democratically important events such as the January 6th insurrection? While extant research has shown that “don’t know” responses or skipped questions in survey research function as a way to avoid expressing a socially undesirable opinion or feeling, no work has explored how nonresponses may be impacting our understanding of the American public’s support for the January 6th insurrection. Through analysis of the nonresponse answers within the 2022 Health of Democracy Survey, we show that a persistent pattern of item nonresponse was present among all racial groups asked to provide their feelings toward insurrectionists, and that women were significantly more likely to refuse sharing their feelings—warm or cold. Additionally, we find that although racialized feelings previously linked with support of the insurrection (racial resentment, racial affect, and white replacement theory) were not significantly related to January 6th item nonresponse, racial attitudes did hold an important relationship with January 6th item nonresponse among Non-Whites. Our results therefore highlight the importance of the intersection of race and gender in conversations about democratic norms, racial attitudes, and withholding views about highly politicized and polarizing events.
Reconciling Canada Day? Canada Day Cancellation Statements in 2021
Authors: Raphael Daisy , Funk Christine
Published: February 2025

This article examines statements issued by municipal governments, local organizations, and Indigenous communities that cancelled Canada Day celebrations in 2021, following news confirming physical evidence of unmarked graves at former residential schools. We argue that the statements reflect political logics of the past, present, and future, including dominant national narratives of liberal multiculturalism, residual logics of white nationalism, and emergent, transformative projects of Indigenous-defined reconciliation and resurgence. Through dominant narratives, the policy of cancelling Canada Day is presented as an expression of Canadian values, while settler-colonialism is obscured. Meanwhile, the residual white nationalism of the post-Confederation movement surfaces as statements tend to speak to an imagined normative Canadian subject who—only temporarily—suspends their celebration of the nation-state. Finally, the statements evidence emergent political forces, including Indigenous articulations of transformative reconciliation, resistance to settler-colonialism, and expressions of sovereignty, which signal the potential for major shifts in practices of national celebration in Canada.
Are delusions and/or referentiality associated with aberrant reward prediction error (RPE) signaling? Evidence from fMRI using a probabilistic monetary reward task
Authors: García-León María Ángeles , Fuentes-Claramonte Paola , Gee Abigail , Ramiro-Sousa Nuria , Soler-Vidal Joan , Salgado-Pineda Pilar , Torres Llanos , Jaurrieta Nuria , Sánchez-Pérez Manel , Panicali Francesco , Inarejos Clemente Emilio J. , Raduà Joaquim , Sarró Salvador , Salvador Raymond , McKenna Peter J. , Pomarol-Clotet Edith
Published: February 2025

Background

According to the aberrant salience proposal, reward processing abnormality, specifically erroneous reward prediction error (RPE) signaling due to stimulus-independent release of dopamine, underlies delusions in schizophrenia. However, no studies to date have examined RPE-associated brain activations in relation to this symptom.

Methods

Seventy-eight patients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and 43 healthy individuals underwent fMRI while they performed a probabilistic monetary reward task designed to generate a measure of RPE. Ratings of delusions and referentiality were made in the patients.

Results

Using whole-brain, voxel-based analysis, schizophrenia patients showed only minor differences in RPE-associated activation compared to healthy controls. Within the patient group, however, severity of delusions was inversely associated with RPE-associated activation in areas including the caudate nucleus, the thalamus and the left pallidum, as well as the lateral frontal cortex bilaterally, the pre- and postcentral gyrus and supplementary motor area, the middle cingulate gyrus, and parts of the temporal and parietal cortex. A broadly similar pattern of association was seen for referentiality.

Conclusions

According to this study, while patients with schizophrenia as a group do not show marked alterations in RPE signaling, delusions and referentiality are associated with reduced activation in parts of the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia, though not specifically the ventral striatum. The direction of the changes is on the face of it contrary to that predicted by aberrant salience theory.
Redirecting revenues from law enforcement fines, forfeitures, and related fees to fund local nonprofits: a policy design proposal
Authors: Kang Inkyu , Choi Su Young
Published: February 2025

Monetary sanctions in law enforcement, including fines, forfeitures, and related fees, are susceptible to exploitation by agencies for self-serving profit motives. However, a key challenge in addressing this issue is disentangling the agencies’ profit-driven motives from their genuine commitment to upholding law and order. Against this backdrop, this study examines a novel policy design proposal: redirecting revenues from law enforcement to fund local nonprofits. This approach seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest without restricting the use of monetary sanctions as a tool for law enforcement, while simultaneously channeling revenues toward community benefits. Experimental evidence based on a representative sample of US adults (n = 1,030) further highlights this approach’s potential to improve public perceptions of, and attitudes toward, law enforcement agencies. The study concludes by discussing the broader implications of this proposal for the political economy of law enforcement, as well as key considerations and potential challenges for its implementation.
The Logic of Partial RMB Internationalization: PRC Perspectives on “Financial War”
Authors: Freymann Eyck , Heng Calvin
Published: February 2025

Drawing on untapped, open-source commentaries from elite Chinese commentators, we show that since 2018, China has become fixated on preparations for a potential “financial war” with the United States. China appears to have adjusted its renminbi (RMB) internationalization strategy – and broader approach to financial regulation – accordingly. China's perceived vulnerability to dollar sanctions increases the urgency of RMB internationalization but also makes it unacceptably risky to liberalize the capital account. The sources suggest that China's solution is to pursue partial RMB internationalization by keeping the capital account tightly regulated while encouraging trade partners to sign up for RMB settlement platforms. As more foreign banks sign up for RMB payment systems, China is gaining confidence that its financial system could weather the sudden imposition of dollar sanctions. However, China remains vulnerable in principle to a “monetary sniping” attack on the offshore RMB market.
Ship navigable route framework extraction using high-density searching from AIS big data
Authors: Gao Miao , Bi Jinqiang , Kang Zhen , Chen Shuai , Shi Peiru , Zeng Xi , Zhang Anmin
Published: February 2025

Research findings based on the data of current automatic identification systems (AISs) can only be applied to some parts of navigation research owing to their insufficient mining depth. Previously, route planning research has been based on the waypoint and corresponding optimised algorithm without considering the actual navigation situation and sailing habits. The planned route considerably differs from the actual sailing route, and the application result is undesirable. A novel solution to support the route planning problem has been introduced owing to the large accumulation of AIS big data. In this study, the ship navigable route framework (SNRF) which is reflected by real data via mining AIS big data serves as the basic network for the planned maritime route. This study uses the concept of manifold distance based on AIS big data to build a maritime SNRF through high-density searching. It can provide basic theoretical support for actual navigation distance calculation, route planning and route accessibility inspection in the future.
A biocultural hypothesis of human–environment mediations and biodiversity increase
Authors: Rivera-Núñez Tlacaelel , Ford Anabel , Barrera-Bassols Narciso , Casas Alejandro , Fargher-Navarro Lane , Nigh Ronald
Published: February 2025

The relationship between ecosystem disturbance and biodiversity levels has been a central focus of ecological research for the past half-century. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis, which suggests that maximum biodiversity is achieved through the coexistence of early and late successional species, however, has been challenged for its lack of clarity regarding the intensity, duration and extent of disturbances. This Perspective article advocates for a broader biocultural framework to move from the notion of disturbance to an understanding of human–environment mediations. Our proposed biocultural hypothesis acknowledges that, in certain cultural contexts, interventions by Homo sapiens at different environmental scales – mainly at the landscape level – can generate peaks in beta and gamma biodiversity compared to reference ecosystems. We illustrate these human–environment mediations through studies conducted in the biocultural region of Mesoamerica and comparative research findings, particularly from the Amazon Basin and West and Central Africa. In our conclusions, we discuss the need to establish collaborative research programmes around the proposed biocultural hypothesis, addressing management and institutional actions that will strengthen the engagement of Indigenous people and rural local communities with their historical territories that we name ‘Priority Biocultural Areas’.
‘Utrum physiologia sit prima philosophia’: Metaphysics and science in Tommaso Campanella
Authors: Ponzio Paolo
Published: February 2025

This essay considers the philosophy of Tommaso Campanella by examining it in light of a metaphysics conceived from the relationship between history, science, and experience. The desire to reform scientific knowledge beyond Aristotelian boundaries, integrating history and experience as the foundations of science, leaves Campanella’s philosophy still steeped in the logical distinctions between natural science and metaphysics. After all, Campanella positioned the entire philosophy of nature as an intermediate knowledge capable of uniting logic and metaphysics. Nevertheless, his metaphysics breathes the cultural atmosphere of early modernity, which, while referencing the past, looks towards a future still uncertain, balancing between ancient concepts and new meanings that will eventually be attributed to the vocabulary of modern metaphysical language.
Impacts of ocean acidification on the palatability of two Antarctic macroalgae and the consumption of a grazer
Authors: Oswalt Hannah E. , Amsler Margaret O. , Amsler Charles D. , McClintock James B. , Schram Julie B.
Published: February 2025

Increases in atmospheric CO2 have led to more CO2 entering the world’s oceans, decreasing the pH in a process called ’ocean acidification’. Low pH has been linked to impacts on macroalgal growth and stress, which can alter palatability to herbivores. Two common and ecologically important macroalgal species from the western Antarctic Peninsula, the unpalatable Desmarestia menziesii and the palatable Palmaria decipiens, were maintained under three pH treatments: ambient (pH 8.1), near future (7.7) and distant future (7.3) for 52 days and 18 days, respectively. Discs of P. decipiens or artificial foods containing extracts of D. menziesii from each treatment were presented to the amphipod Gondogeneia antarctica in feeding choice experiments. Additionally, G. antarctica exposed to the different treatments for 55 days were used in a feeding assay with untreated P. decipiens. For D. menziesii, extracts from the ambient treatment were eaten significantly more by weight than the other treatments. Similarly, P. decipiens discs from the ambient and pH 7.7 treatments were eaten more than those from the pH 7.3 treatment. There was no significant difference in the consumption by treated G. antarctica. These results suggest that ocean acidification may decrease the palatability of these macroalgae to consumers but not alter consumption by G. antarctica.
Developmental trajectories of conduct problems from childhood to adolescence: Early childhood antecedents and outcomes in adolescence
Authors: Colins Olivier F. , Fanti Kostas A. , Hellfeldt Karin , Frogner Louise , Andershed Henrik
Published: February 2025

Children and adolescents display varying trajectories of conduct problems (CP), but it is unclear if these CP trajectories can be distinguished by childhood antecedents and adolescent outcomes. Therefore, we tested if child- and environmental-level risk factors predict CP trajectory membership and if CP trajectories are associated with developmental outcomes in adolescence. Six waves of data (teacher-, parent- and child self-reports) were used from 2,045 children. General growth mixture modeling identified four CP trajectories (waves 2–5): childhood-persistent, childhood-limited, adolescent-onset, and low CP. Relative to the adolescent-onset CP trajectory, wave 1 child- and environmental-level risk factors increased the likelihood of being in the childhood-persistent CP trajectory, though all but two (callous-unemotional traits and non-intact family) antecedents lost significance after controlling for wave 1 conduct problems. Few significant differences emerged in risk factors when comparing childhood-persistent and childhood-limited CP trajectories. Individuals identified in the adolescent-onset and childhood-persistent CP trajectories faced a higher risk for later maladjustment than those in the childhood-limited CP trajectory, whereas the adolescent-onset and childhood-persistent CP trajectories only differed in three out of 13 outcomes. Overall, findings indicate that individuals with CP are at risk for later maladjustment, but predicting the childhood-persistent trajectory of CP in young children is difficult.
How Credit Policy Ends: Central Bankers and the Rise and Fall of Credit Controls in Italy, 1973–1983
Authors: Lupi Mattia
Published: February 2025

Since 2008, growing scepticism about the ability of market forces to ensure financial stability and environmental sustainability has revived interest in credit controls. Credit controls were common in Europe before the ‘neoliberal turn’ of the 1980s. However, the decline in support for these policies in the 1970s is not well understood. This article examines Italy's shift away from credit controls, focusing on the role of central bank economists and the Bank of Italy's monetary policy ideas. By analysing the discourse and research of central bankers from 1973 to 1983, the article shows that persistent fiscal deficits were the main driving force behind both the introduction and the subsequent abolition of credit controls. It also highlights the influence of a new generation of economists, such as Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa and Mario Monti, on Italian economic policy, providing a case study that contextualises the economic ideas shaping policy making in the European Monetary Union.
How do Persons With Dementia Suffer?
Authors: Karlawish Jason
Published: February 2025

This essay argues that suffering in persons with dementia is more than a matter of personal experience. It is knowable by others and does not need to rely on the reports of the patient to affirm it. It is even possible for a person to claim not to be suffering—“I’m doing fine”—but for others to conclude to the contrary—“You are suffering.” A key property of this objective account is the caregiver observes the suffering. This observation is a product of the work of caregiving and this work relies on perceiving and supporting the mind of the person living with dementia. When that work of mind support is successful, it creates a feeling of being at home. When it is not, suffering ensues.