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In recent years, games have emerged to offer new opportunities for studying socioenvironmental systems, and online games in particular offer a low-cost option for collecting rich data from diverse populations. Compared to the now well-established popularity of education games, research games remain uncommon outside of economics and social psychology; however, the emergence of technology that makes the development and deployment of games easier creates opportunities for new research communities. The following discussion has three specific objectives. The first is to introduce the reader to nonentertainment games applied to socioenvironmental topics. The second is to pose and address key practical questions that reveal both the unique research opportunities that games provide and some of the challenges to any future applications in socioenvironmental research. The third is to briefly discuss some new topics in which games can contribute to future socioenvironmental research. Although games will never replace existing data collection modalities, they offer an alternative that may be well-suited to the study of environmental conflict and nonuse values of environmental goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the term public service motivation (PSM) was coined 30 years ago, its theoretical development is still ongoing. One of these debates examines how to differentiate it from likeminded concepts. Recent theoretical development related to PSM focus on the salience of giving back to society, or non-identified beneficiaries, in contrast to individual users. To assess this distinction, empirical research is essential. Using a between-subjects vignette experiment among a representative sample of 1512 citizens in Catalonia (Spain), we test whether PSM can predict task preferences depending on the extent to which they are oriented to non-identified and identified beneficiaries. This article demonstrates that PSM is mainly oriented to society at large rather than individual users. The findings present evidence to confirm emerging PSM conceptualisations as well as highlight important implications for research and practice – especially with respect to public service job design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs about beliefs—second-order beliefs—about the differences between populations are important to understanding differences in outcomes between those populations. To study their potential impact, we develop an incentive-compatible experimental framework for eliciting beliefs (first-order) and beliefs about beliefs (second-order) about the differences in any measurable characteristic between any two populations. We implement the procedure to study beliefs about men's and women's performance on a math task and their choices in the ultimatum game. In the math task, 71% of participants believe that most men believe men outscore women. In contrast, 34% believe that most women believe men outscore women. Despite these differences in second-order beliefs with respect to math ability, we observe no such difference in first-order beliefs. On the other hand, we find no difference in participants' beliefs about men's and women's beliefs with respect to choices in the ultimatum game, which is consistent with our observation of no difference in first-order beliefs. These results have important labor market implications for the persistence of gender gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impacts of two AmeriCorps programs, Minnesota Reading Corps and Wisconsin Reading Corps, where AmeriCorps volunteers provide literacy tutoring to at-risk kindergarten through third-grade (K–3) students utilizing a response-to-intervention framework. This evaluation replicates a prior randomized controlled trial evaluation of the program 4 years later and for the first time evaluates the program model replicated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The results of the two evaluations showed that kindergarten and first-grade students who received a single semester of Reading Corps tutoring achieved significantly higher literacy assessment scores, and demonstrated meaningful and significant effects after a full-school year of the intervention for second- and third-grade students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As natural ventilation involves local and global interactions, the estimation of these interactions can be performed by many approaches. Such approaches, rather more experimental and numerical than analytical, often require a great deal of instrumentation and equipment, which results in higher demands on project budget and funding. The present work is devoted to comprehending the natural ventilation concept, and to assess the existing experimental techniques already implemented for past researchers in the estimation of the ventilation airflow rate due to the wind and thermal buoyancy effects. A brief review of modeling techniques is also presented. This will provide a strong theoretical grasp of the natural ventilation process as part of the main elements in the thermal behavior of buildings. Ultimately, these bases are intended to help choose the most suitable techniques to estimate the natural ventilation airflow rate. The adequate benefit-to-budget technique appears to be the airtightness tests (blower door tests), since empirical Equations relating the airflow directly to the pressure difference in the building for both cases: infiltrations (openings closed) and openings opened, can be obtained. Also, the location of the leakages can be identified without complications, and this technique has the potential to estimate in situ the airflow capacity and friction characteristics of the openings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does an individual's criminal record shape interactions with the state and society? This article presents evidence from a nationwide field experiment in the United States, which shows that prospective applicants with criminal records are about 5 percentage points less likely to receive information from college admission offices. However, this bias does not extend to race: there is no difference in response rates to Black and White applicants. The authors further show that bias is all but absent in public bureaucracies, as discrimination against formerly incarcerated applicants is driven by private schools. Examining why bias is stronger for private colleges, the study demonstrates that the private–public difference persists even after accounting for college selectivity, socio-economic composition and school finances. Moving beyond the measurement of bias, an intervention designed to reduce discrimination is evaluated: whether an email from an advocate mitigates bias associated with a criminal record. No evidence is found that advocate endorsements decrease bureaucratic bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the unpredictable nature of extreme environments (including temperature, humidity, impact, and other factors), micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) solid-state fuze control modules have an urgent requirement for a MEMS solid-state switch (MEMS-S³). In particular, this switch must remain stable without any energy input after a state transition (i.e., it must be bistable). In this paper, a MEMS bistable solid-state switch (MEMS-bS³) is designed that is based on the concept of producing a micro-explosion. The reliable state switching of the MEMS-bS³ is studied via heat conduction theory and verified via both simulations and experimental methods. The experimental results show that these switches can produce micro-explosions driven by 33 V/47 μF pulse energy. However, the metal film bridge (MFB) structures used in this switch with smaller dimensions (80×20 μm², 90×30 μm², and 100×40 μm²) could not enable the switch to realize a reliable state transition, and the state transition rate was less than 40%. When the MFB dimensions reached 120×60 μm² or 130×70 μm², the state transition rate exceeded 80%, and the response time was on the μs-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests widespread misperception about the political views of others. Measuring perceptions often relies on instruments that do not separate uncertainty from inaccuracy. We present new experimental measures of second-order political beliefs. To carefully measure political (mis)perceptions, we have subjects report beliefs as probabilities. To encourage accuracy, we provide micro-incentives for each response. To measure learning, we provide information sequentially about the perception of interest. We illustrate our method by applying it to perceptions of vote choice in the 2016 presidential election. Subjects made inferences about randomly selected American National Election Study (ANES) respondents. Before and after receiving information about the other, subjects reported a probabilistic belief about the other's vote. We find that perceptions are less biased than in previous work on second-order beliefs. Accuracy increased most with the delivery of party identification and report of a most important problem. We also find evidence of modest egocentric and different-trait bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol's link with sexuality is long-standing and prominent. While research continues to document robust associations between drinking and sexual behavior, scientific attention now centers primarily on evaluating mechanisms and attendant theoretical frameworks to advance our understanding of how alcohol exerts a causal impact. We describe four domains with reliable evidence of alcohol effects: sexualized social perceptions, sexual arousal, sexual risk taking, and sexual assault. We consider three contextual frames: distal factors associated with encountering opportunities for alcohol-involved sex, proximal factors associated with alcohol's acute effects, and distal-proximal interactions. We then examine the empirical support for mechanisms embedded within four theoretical frameworks: alcohol disinhibition, alcohol expectancy, alcohol myopia, and emotion regulation. Support for disinhibition mechanisms is evident with sexual arousal only. Expectancy and myopia mechanisms enjoy support across domains and make up bases for integrative expectancy-myopia causal explanations. Emotion regulation mechanisms evidence preliminary support in risk taking and sexual assault. Implications and future directions are considered.

Thin hard layers deposited on cutting tools known as ‘coatings’ serve as a protective barrier against abrasion and adhesion wear, while also protecting against thermal and chemical processes that deteriorate the cutting performance of the tool. Coating properties including non-zero thickness, surface roughness, and chemical composition affect the cutting process significantly when compared to uncoated tools. The mechanical properties of coatings can be compared using specific, standardized measurement methods that provide indirect information about the behavior of the coating in a given application of the machining. In practice, it is necessary to evaluate the cutting ability by experimental testing of a given combination of cutting tool, workpiece, cutting conditions and cutting environment. This article discusses various experimental procedures that help to recognize the suitability of a coating for a particular application. These procedures can be applied alone, or in combination, as required by the cutting process. Each of these procedures have associated advantages and disadvantages, as described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gendered language is seemingly found everywhere in American politics. We test the impact that gendered language has on voter support for a candidate, using a validated dictionary of words rated as highly masculine or feminine. In three experimental studies, we find that the use of feminine language causes individuals to perceive political candidates as more liberal. Additionally, liberals tend to prefer candidates who use feminine language, and conservatives prefer candidates who use masculine language, regardless of the sex of the candidate. These effects are mostly mediated, however, by perceptions of candidate ideology caused by the use of language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: Career paths depend not only on individuals' own competitiveness but also on the competitiveness of others in a position to advocate for them. In this article, we study competitiveness when rewards accrue to another individual. In particular, we ask how female and male managers' competitiveness changes when rewards from competition accrue to their female or male protégés, relative to when they accrue to themselves. Using an experimental approach, we find that when rewards accrue to protégés, male and female managers are equally competitive because female managers increase their competitiveness. However, male managers compete more for male rather than female protégés. This gap disappears when male managers know their protégés' risk preferences, suggesting a novel intervention to ensure equity in the sponsorship process. Managerial Summary: Sponsorship is key to individuals' career development and firms' human capital strategy. In this experimental study simulating an organizational setting, we investigate one aspect of sponsorship and ask whether managers' and protégés' genders affect managers' willingness to compete on behalf of their protégés. We find that when the rewards from competition accrue to protégés, female managers increase their competitiveness and eliminate the gender competitiveness gap present when rewards accrue to managers themselves. This suggests that, from a competitiveness standpoint, female and male managers are equally strong sponsors. However, male managers compete more for male, relative to female, protégés. This gap disappears when male managers have information about protégés' risks preferences, suggesting a novel approach that organizations can implement to reduce discrimination in sponsorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic substrates, such as food waste (FW) present in municipal solid waste (MSW), is a biological alternative that contributes to the meeting of Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 by producing both digestate (soil conditioner) and methane (renewable energy). In this regard, the methods used to quantify methane production are important to examine. Through a bibliometric analysis (2008–2020) in Scopus and Scielo databases, two different methods—experimental and theoretical—were identified: Experimental methods include volumetric, manometric as well as other experimental methods. Due to their simplicity and low cost of implementation, volumetric methods are the most widely used, particularly in developing countries. It was also found that gas chromatography is used mainly as a complementary method to estimate biogas composition. Theoretical methods may overestimate methane production because they assume that all organic matter is degraded. Furthermore, variables such as the reactor volume, headspace, barrier solution (i.e., acidic, or alkaline), and particle size, among others, should be further studied, to standardize quantification methods and compare results between studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Footwear production is subject to the variability inherent in any process, and producers often need to apply tools that allow them to make the right decisions. This work documents the process to optimize the buffer allocation in a shoe manufacturing line minimizing the cycle time in the system, applying a metamodeling approach. It was found that the Front sewing operation, and the interaction between the Lining sewing operation and the assembly operation have the greatest effect on the flow time of the product within the process; the optimum assignment of spaces follows a non-uniform arrangement on the line saturating the slower stations; the cycle time follows a non-linear behavior vs. the total number of spaces (N) in the line. For a certain value of N, the cycle time reaches a minimum value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle separation has received much attention in recent years due to its widespread use in various sciences such as engineering, medicine, and biotechnology. Separation of blood cells, detection of cancer cells, separation, and manipulation of particles of different sizes are among the applications of particle separation in the biomedical field. Lab-On-a-Chip (LOC), micro-total analytic systems (µTAS), and point-of-care diagnostics (POC) are some applications of microfluidic devices. Hence, microfluidics is an interdisciplinary area and has numerous applications in biomedical, chemistry, medicine, disease diagnostics, electronics industry, etc. The use of microfluidic devices has been the focus of attention in the last few decades. These devices have many advantages such as high efficiency, low cost, and environmental compatibility. The unique features of microfluidic devices have led to the use of a variety of techniques for rapid separation of particles with high efficiency. Many progresses have been made over the last two decades in particle separation. The performance of the devices used for separation of particles is evaluated according to the separation time, separation efficiency, and its applications. High separation accuracy can be achieved in continuous microfluidic devices since the volume of fluid in microfluidic devices is very low and their use is characterized by several advantages including low cost and short analysis time. In general, particle separation is performed using both active and passive methods. In the active methods, an external force is used as the driving force and in the passive ones, the particle separation is based on the geometry of the device without the use of external force. Active separation is carried out using magnetic, electrical, acoustic, optic and thermal forces. Passive separation methods for particle size-based separation, filtration, Zweifach-Fung effect, inertia, and Dean vortex as well as microwave separation. In the present work, the active and passive separation methods are described and the governing equations (small-scale flow) and necessary assumptions are considered. Also, the methods of fabrication of microfluidic devices are discussed.

This study presents droplet diameter distributions downstream of a Counterflow nozzle for atomization of water and four non-Newtonian liquids, with a Flow-Blurring nozzle used as a reference. The test liquids were aqueous solutions of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% by weight) and had zero shear viscosity values in the range 13.8 – 1280 mPas. Rheological measurements show significant shear-thinning behavior accompanied by viscoelasticity, as quantified by a characteristic time scale for capillary thinning, as well as increasing levels of storage and loss moduli with polymer concentration. Droplet diameters were measured using a Particle Digital Image Analysis technique combined with diffuse back-lit shadowgraphy. High-speed imaging suggests that at the higher weight concentrations, the near-field structure of the spray has a tree-like structure similar to that observed in effervescent atomization. Long filaments with droplets at their end are visible, attesting to the extensional stresses in the fluid. At lower concentrations, the spray emerges as a cloud of ligaments and droplets that rapidly disintegrate, accompanied by a gas core. Further downstream, beads-on-a-string structures are seen, corresponding to capillary instabilities. An unusual non-monotonic behavior of the Sauter Mean Diameter(SMD) is observed in the downstream direction, which may be the result of an experimental pitfall associated with the assumption of spherical geometry, along with the motion of beads-on-a-string structures from regions of high to low shear. The spatial variation of the SMD indicates that, compared to Newtonian liquids atomized using this nozzle geometry, secondary atomization plays a more dominant role in determining the far-field droplet diameter distribution. The SMD is expressed as a weak function of the ratio of viscoelastic relaxation time to the visco-capillary scale characterizing ligament thinning. • Visco-elastic fluids are atomized using a counterflow nozzle with flow blurring as a reference. • Shadowgraphic images show viscoelastic inhibition of droplet fission. • Droplets of mean diameter less than 75 μ m are produced for all polymer solutions studied. • Mean diameters are correlated using air–liquid mass flow ratio and time scales for visco-capillary and visco-elastic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New computational methods for bearing capacity and fracture damage morphology of composite stiffened panel with debonding defect were investigated. • Three specimens with 100 mm debonding defect were manufactured, and NDT was performed to ensure that the specimens had only pre-debonding defect. These methods can provide reference and guidance for similar tests. • The fracture morphology of the specimen's fracture was analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) • The accuracy of finite element simulation model is verified by strain assurance criterion (SAC). • Novel nonlinear numerical constitutive equations of failure load and buckling load were established in the theoretical analysis, fully considering the effects of the width and length of debonding defect on bearing capacity. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the calculation method and failure mechanisms of composite stiffened panel with pre-damage. The pre-debonding specimen's failure process is performed by a universal testing machine (UTM) and the failure mechanisms are analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Together with cohesive zone model (CZM), the finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the damage evolution of the specimens. In addition, a novel theoretical method is proposed to calculate the bearing capacity of composite stiffened panels. It is found that the failure mode simulated by FEM is consistent with the experimental analysis. Compared with the experimental values, the maximum result error of FEM and theoretical method is 7.9 %. This paper provides a reference for the research of composite stiffened panels with debonding defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce Mouse Tracking for Reading (MoTR) a new incremental processing measurement tool that can be used to collect word-by-word reading times. In a MoTR trial, participants are presented with text, which is blurred, except for a small region around the tip of the mouse. Participants must move the mouse to reveal and read the text. Mouse movement is recorded, and, using a postprocessing pipeline we present, can be analyzed to produce scanpaths as well as word-by-word reading times. We validate MoTR in two suites of experiments. In the first experiment, we collect data for the English-language Provo Corpus (Luke and Christianson, 2018). We analyze scanpaths and show that participants interpolate between two types of strategies for reading during a MoTR trial – sometimes they fixate on individual words, somewhat akin to eye-tracking, while other times they produce a more constant pass over the text, slowing down in response to processing difficulties. Taking these strategies into account, we show that the word-by-word reading times produced by our data analysis pipeline correlate well with previously collected eye-tracking data for this corpus, and that these correlations are higher than those produced by SPR data, which we also collect for the corpus. Furthermore, we demonstrate that there is a linear relationship between by-word MoTR values and word-level surprisal values, as has been previously shown for eye-tracking data (Smith and Levy, 2013). In the second experiment, we assess whether MoTR can be used to study sentence processing phenomena in targeted psycholinguistics experiments. Using materials from Witzel et al. (2012), we show that MoTR can reveal English speakers' preferences for low attachment during online sentence comprehension. We argue that MoTR presents a compelling tradeoff between multiple experimental considerations: It is cheap to run and can be presented in a browser enabling the collection of data over the internet. It is more naturalistic than some alternative processing measures, allowing participants to skip words and regress to previous sentence regions. Finally, it has good sensitivity, detecting signatures of psycholinguistic processing behaviors from a relatively small number of participants. • Mouse tracking with a blur and spotlight (MoTR) can be used to record reading patterns. • Word-by-word reading times from MoTR and eye-tracking are well-correlated. • A word's information content is linearly related to its reading time in MoTR. • MoTR reading times reveal previously-studied psycholinguistic processing preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air leakages in buildings' envelopes can lead to an over-consumption of energy and to additional issues such as moisture damage and poor indoor environment. The leakage air flow rate is usually assessed at the building scale using a pressurization test and leakage locations are commonly detected by infrared thermography or smoke. However, little is known about the air paths within wall assemblies, despite the need for detailed experimental data to validate numerical models for the coupled heat, moisture and pollutants transfers. One of the reasons is the difficulty to find adapted and robust experimental methods. In this paper, three experimental laboratory approaches are tested on simple light-wall assembly configurations: the implementation of three-dimensional grids of thermocouples and relative humidity sensors within the wall, and the use of a micro-particle tracer. The results are compared with each other as well as with numerical simulations. It was found that thermocouple grid has limited intrusiveness, good accuracy and response time but results are subject to flow fluctuations. Moreover, heat capacity and conductive transfer within materials complicate the correlation between heat and air transfers. Humidity sensors grid avoids the latter issue but is intrusive, overestimating air dispersion. The micro-particle tracer has the advantage of being non-intrusive and less impacted by flow fluctuations but its ability to track the air flow is strongly linked with the insulation filtration properties and the flow velocity. Overall this method seems to provide the best results but it is also the most complex and time-consuming one. • Comparison of 3 experimental approaches to study air leakage paths inside walls. • Thermocouples have limited intrusiveness, good accuracy and response time. • The link between temperature mapping and velocity fields is not straightforward. • Humidity sensors are strongly intrusive, overestimating the air dispersion. • Best results obtained with fluorescein, but it is the most complex method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bio-slurry technology constitutes an ecologically benign methodology for remediating organically contaminated soil, consonant with contemporary environmental stewardship tenets. Copious research on bio-slurry technology for soil remediation has come to fruition. This study proffers an overview of the current status and advancement of academic inquiry on bio-slurry technology. For the inaugural instance, this dissertation synthesizes and evaluates bio-slurry remediation through the lens of technical composition, cardinal factors, practical applications encompassing laboratory studies and pilot/comprehensive studies, in addition to constraints in research. Emphasis is conferred on the influences of microorganisms, soil water ratio, soil type and constitution, surfactants, and operational parameters on remediation efficacy. Additionally, the virtues of coupling bio-slurry technology with other technologies are explicated. Germane perspectives and suggestions concerning research trajectories and practical bio-slurry technology applications are presented, with respect to process parameters, experimental limitations, real-time detection techniques, post-remediation soil reuse, microbial diversity, field applications, and control systems. [Display omitted] • Current bio-slurry knowledge including processes, influencing factors, and combined technologies is summarized. • Organic contaminated soil remediation case studies utilizing bio-slurry are reviewed. • Organic contaminant degradation relies on microorganisms, soil water ratios, soil types and compositions, and surfactants. • Current work limitations and future bio-slurry research trajectories are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expanding role of renewable energy sources in the electricity market share implies the increasing role of hydropower and the exploitation of unharnessed hydraulic potential, in the scope of sustainability and net zero emissions. Hydro-turbine design practices are expected to expand beyond achieving high efficiency goals, to multi-objective criteria ranging from efficient reversible operation to fish-friendly concepts. The present review paper outlines fundamental characteristics of hydropower, summarizing its potential impact toward aquatic life. Estimates of lethality for each damage mechanism are discussed, such as barotrauma, blunt impact and shearing, along with relevant advances in experimental techniques. Furthermore, numerical techniques are discussed, ranging from simple particle tracking to fully coupled six-degree-of-freedom tracking, which can be used to investigate candidate designs and their fish-friendly performance, presenting their advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, a link to the individual damage mechanisms is established, to proposed holistic performance metrics, useful for providing estimates of fish-friendliness of a given hydropower installation. Finally, recent developments and design practices for fish-friendly turbine concepts are presented.

One of the most important parameters that indicate the energy performance of a window system is the thermal transmittance (U-value). Many research studies that deal with numerical methods of determining a window’s U-value have been carried out. However, the possible assumptions and simplifications associated with numerical methods and simulation tools could increase the risk of under- or over-estimation of the U-value. For this reason, several experimental methods for investigating the U-value of windows have been developed to be used either alone or as a supplementary method for validation purposes. This review aims to analyze the main experimental methods for assessing the U-value of windows that have been published by national and international standards or as scientific papers. The analysis criteria include the type of the test in terms of boundary conditions (laboratory or in situ), the part of the window that was tested (only the center of glazing or the entire window), and the data analysis method (steady-state or dynamic). The experimental methods include the heat flow meter (HFM) method, guarded hot plate (GHP) method, hot box (HB) method, infrared thermography (IRT) method, and the so-called rapid U-value metering method. This review has been set out to give insights into the procedure, the necessary equipment units, the required length of time, the accuracy, the advantages and disadvantages, new possibilities, and the gaps associated with each method. In the end, it describes a set of challenges that are designed to provide more comprehensive, realistic, and reliable tests.

Photodetector spectral responsivity is usually affected by photosensitive surface temperatures. The Photosensitive Surface Temperatures (PSTs) of the long wavelength-type InGaAs detector used in the Polarized Scanning Atmospheric Corrector (PSAC), which adopts an active Constant-Current Cooling (CCC) scheme, can be changed with ambient temperature. To correct this responsivity temperature characteristic, a Responsivity Temperature Dependence Correction (RTDC) model was established with parameters obtained using an instrument-level experiment. Moreover, a detector-level experiment under ambient conditions was also explored to acquire model parameters. The instrument-level and detector-level experimental results show that the responsivity of a PSAC 2250 nm channel operating on orbit (PST ≈ −65 °C) with a 35 °C PST difference is reduced by approximately 1.2% and 1.5% compared with a laboratory-based radiometric test (PST ≈ −30 °C). The 1.08% responsivity change (−61 °C < PST < −38 °C) in the temperature drift simulation experiment is reduced to approximately 0.38% and 0.34%, respectively. The consistency between the two experimental results preliminarily verifies the substitutability of this detector-level experiment for this type of detector. The RTDC experiments are applicable to other spaceborne remote sensors. The detector-level experiment explored herein provides a reference for realizing RTDC under ambient temperature conditions at low costs.

Current techniques for characterizing cybersickness (visually induced motion sickness) in virtual environments rely on qualitative questionnaires. For interactive graphics to create visual experiences that enhance the illusion of presence while mitigating cybersickness, interactive measures are needed to characterize cybersickness. In this paper, we acquire EEG signals from participants as they experience vection-induced cybersickness and compare those signals to a baseline. Our study shows that there is a correlation between the participant-reported cybersickness (as measured by movements of a joystick) and brain EEG signals. Through independent component analysis, we separate those signals which are a result of cybersickness from other sources (such as eye blinks). Our user study finds that there is a highly correlative and statistically significant Delta- (1.0–4.0 Hz), Theta- (4.0–7.0 Hz), and Alpha-wave (7.0–13.0 Hz) increase associated with cybersickness in immersive virtual environments across participants. Establishing a strong correlation between cybersickness and EEG-measured brain activity provides us with the first step toward interactively characterizing and mitigating cybersickness in virtual environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrofoils are a current hot topic in the marine industry both in high performance sailing and in new passenger transport systems in conjunction with electric propulsion. In the sailing community, the largest impact is seen from the America's cup, where boats are sailed at more than 50 knots (over 100 km/h) with 100% "flying" time. Hydrofoils are also becoming popular in the Olympics, as in the 2024 Olympic games 5 gold medals will be decided on foiling boats/boards. The reason for the increasing popularity of hydrofoils and foiling boats is the recent advances in composite materials, especially in their strength to stiffness ratio. In general, hydrofoils have a very small wetted surface area compared to the wetted surface area of the hull. Therefore, after "take-off" speed, the wetted surface area of the hull, and consequently the resistance of the boat, is reduced considerably. The larger the weight of the boat and crew and the higher the speeds, the greater the loads on the hydrofoils will be. The current research investigates the interaction effects between the fluid and structure of the ZP00682 NACRA 17 Z-foil. The study is carried out both experimentally, in SSPA's cavitation tunnel, and numerically using a fully coupled viscous solver with a structural analysis tool. The experimental methodology has been used to validate the numerical tools, which in turn are used to reverse engineer the material properties and the internal stiffness of the NACRA 17 foil. The experimental flow speed has been chosen to represent realistic foiling speeds found in the NACRA 17 class, namely 5, 7, and 9 m/s. The forces and the deflection of the Z-foil are investigated, showing a maximum deflection corresponding to 24% of the immersed span. Finally, the effects of leeway and rake angles on the bending properties of the Z-foil are investigated to assess the influence of different angles in sailing strategies, showing that a differential rake set-up might be preferred in search for minimum drag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a vital electrochemical reaction for energy conversion that has fascinated the interest of materials researchers to promote active and cost-effective electrocatalysts with improved reaction kinetics. Numerous, researches have been undertaken to achieve the desired characteristic cathode materials to revolutionize energy conversion devices including fuel cells and metal-air batteries (where ORR occurs). More importantly, the evaluation of electrocatalyst efficiency for ORR using typical electrochemical experiments, data collection, and analysis must be performed systematically and uniformly. This review provides a systematic guide to assess the electrochemical efficiency because it includes standard and widely recognized experimental protocols for each electrochemical technique, as well as easy-to-follow lab procedures and a detailed analysis of essential kinetic ORR parameters with a theoretical framework. The major function of each electrode in cyclic voltammetry, hydrodynamic linear scan voltammetry with rotating disc electrodes, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for ORR were demonstrated, as well as the construction of a three-electrode electrochemical cell. By following standard protocols and experimental procedures, an aspiring electrochemist would be capable to enforce fundamental and advanced electrochemical techniques much efficiently in their understanding of ORR kinetics evaluation. [Display omitted] • This review provides crucial insights and information on electrochemistry of ORR. • Overview on electrochemical techniques, measurements and calculation procedures. • The desired experimental approach for evaluating ORR electrocatalyst efficiency. • A beginner's guide to perform cathodic ORR for fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key factors distinguishing democracies from non-democracies is the process by which political decisions are made. Central to democratic thought is the idea that policy made in a procedurally fair manner is more legitimate than policy that violates central tenets of procedural fairness. A large number of studies from social psychology show that procedural fairness matters in citizens' evaluations of the success and legitimacy of various outcomes. Despite this observation, most political science literature focuses on the outcomes rather than the process of policy-making. Using survey experiments we find that procedural arrangements are an important factor in citizens' judgement of policy outcomes. Specifically, we find that fair procedural arrangements increase outcome legitimacy to the extent that citizens perceive them to be fairer. Our findings suggest that policy-makers need to pay more attention to procedural arrangements when designing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can compete with endogenous hormones and bind to the orthosteric site of nuclear receptors (NRs), affecting normal endocrine system function and causing severe symptoms. Recently, a series of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been discovered to bind to the allosteric sites of NRs and induce similar effects. However, it remains unclear how diverse EDCs work in this new way. Therefore, we have systematically summarized the allosteric sites and underlying mechanisms based on existing studies, mainly regarding drugs belonging to the PPCP class. Advanced methods, classified as structural biology, biochemistry and computational simulation, together with their advantages and hurdles for allosteric site recognition and mechanism insight have also been described. Furthermore, we have highlighted two available strategies for virtual screening of numerous EDCs, relying on the structural features of allosteric sites and lead compounds, respectively. We aim to provide reliable theoretical and technical support for a broader view of various allosteric interactions between EDCs and NRs, and to drive high-throughput and accurate screening of potential EDCs with non-competitive effects.

The concentration of police resources in stable crime hotspots has proven effective in reducing crime, but the extent to which police can disrupt dynamically changing crime hotspots is unknown. Police must be able to anticipate the future location of dynamic hotspots to disrupt them. Here we report results of two randomized controlled trials of near real-time epidemic-type aftershock sequence (ETAS) crime forecasting, one trial within three divisions of the Los Angeles Police Department and the other trial within two divisions of the Kent Police Department (United Kingdom). We investigate the extent to which (i) ETAS models of short-term crime risk outperform existing best practice of hotspot maps produced by dedicated crime analysts, (ii) police officers in the field can dynamically patrol predicted hotspots given limited resources, and (iii) crime can be reduced by predictive policing algorithms under realistic law enforcement resource constraints. While previous hotspot policing experiments fix treatment and control hotspots throughout the experimental period, we use a novel experimental design to allow treatment and control hotspots to change dynamically over the course of the experiment. Our results show that ETAS models predict 1.4–2.2 times as much crime compared to a dedicated crime analyst using existing criminal intelligence and hotspot mapping practice. Police patrols using ETAS forecasts led to an average 7.4% reduction in crime volume as a function of patrol time, whereas patrols based upon analyst predictions showed no significant effect. Dynamic police patrol in response to ETAS crime forecasts can disrupt opportunities for crime and lead to real crime reductions.

Purpose: To present a novel methodical approach to compare visibility of percutaneous needles in ultrasound images. Methods: A motor‐driven rotation platform was used to gradually change the needle angle while capturing image data. Data analysis was automated using block‐matching‐based registration, with a tracking and refinement step. Every 25 frames, a Hough transform was used to improve needle alignments after large rotations. The method was demonstrated by comparing three commercial needles (14G radiofrequency ablation, RFA; 18G Trocar; 22G Chiba) and six prototype needles with different sizes, materials, and surface conditions (polished, sand‐blasted, and kerfed), within polyvinyl alcohol phantom tissue and ex vivo bovine liver models. For each needle and angle, a contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) was determined to quantify visibility. CNR values are presented as a function of needle type and insertion angle. In addition, the normalized area under the (CNR‐angle) curve was used as a summary metric to compare needles. Results: In phantom tissue, the first kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility and the polished 1 mm diameter stainless steel needle the smallest (0.704 ± 0.199 vs. 0.154 ± 0.027, p < 0.01). In the ex vivo model, the second kerfed needle design had the largest normalized area of visibility, and the sand‐blasted stainless steel needle the smallest (0.470 ± 0.190 vs. 0.127 ± 0.047, p < 0.001). As expected, the analysis showed needle visibility peaks at orthogonal insertion angles. For acute or obtuse angles, needle visibility was similar or reduced. Overall, the variability in needle visibility was considerably higher in livers. Conclusion: The best overall visibility was found with kerfed needles and the commercial RFA needle. The presented methodical approach to quantify ultrasound visibility allows comparisons of (echogenic) needles, as well as other technological innovations aiming to improve ultrasound visibility of percutaneous needles, such as coatings, material treatments, and beam steering approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Political ecology has largely been reactive. • Political ecology should be more proactive. • Experimentation helps political ecology address ongoing and future issues. • Storytelling is a useful method for engaging climate knowledge. • This paper includes lessons for doing experimental political ecology scholarship. Political ecology emphasizes critique, and, through critique, its ability to better understand nature-society relations. Recently, calls have been made from within the sub-discipline to move beyond critique, and towards engaging nature-society relations more experimentally. This paper asks: is it possible for political ecology to be less reactive and more proactive? Rather than studying events that have already happened, is it possible to study events currently happening or that have not yet happened? This paper is an attempt to do political ecology more experimentally by staging an intervention and studying its outcomes. Given the abstract nature of climate change, and given storytelling's capacity for helping people make sense of the world around them, this project combined political ecology analysis and storytelling, resulting in an experimental process of collaborative climate knowledge production in regions, and with people, central to the changing climate. Research for this paper took place over fourteen months in Appalachia and Alaska, climate-vulnerable regions with economies tied to fossil fuel industries and with culturally rich storytelling traditions. The aim of this paper is threefold. First, I will examine political ecology scholarship that already engages with experimentation as a way of making the case for a more experimental political ecology. Second, I will discuss the process and outcomes from my experimental research, namely that storytelling is a meaningful way of building climate knowledge. Finally, by outlining the challenges of doing this research, this paper ends with lessons for future iterations of more experimental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the evolutionary approach, this paper proposes that certain universal cognitive mechanisms (parochial altruism) underlie engagement and involvement in terrorism. Parochial altruism is the tendency to perceive and behave in ways that favour ingroups and disfavour outgroups in light of particular intergroup cues, whilst incurring some kind of personal cost in order to effect that bias. New data is generated by implementing an experiment and using a student sample to investigate certain features of parochial altruism. Findings indicate that sensitivity to parochial altruism varies across individuals, according to sex, group size, and feelings of vulnerability. Some individuals are more sensitive to perceiving and responding to threatening outgroups, which is relevant to the radicalisation process. It is proposed that in certain conditions, such as the presence of radicalisation risk factors, those most sensitive to parochial altruism may be more open to perceptions of threat to the ingroup, extremist ideology, and more likely to engage in violent actions than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the aeroacoustic interactions of small hovering rotors, using both experiments and computations. The experiments were conducted in an anechoic chamber with arrays of microphones setup to evaluate the azimuthal and polar directivity. The computational methodology consists of high fidelity detached eddy simulations coupled to the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings equation, supplemented by a trailing edge broadband noise code. The aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of a single rotor are investigated first. The simulations capture a Reynolds number effect seen in the performance parameters that results in the coefficient of thrust changing with the RPM. The acoustic analysis enables the identification of self-induced noise sources. Next, dual side-by-side rotors are studied in both counter-rotating and co-rotating configurations to quantify the impact of their interactions. Higher harmonics appear due to the interactions and it is verified that the counter-rotating case leads to more noise and a less uniform azimuthal directivity. Difficulties that arise when trying to validate small rotor calculations against experiments are discussed. Comparisons of computational and experimental results yield further insight into the noise mechanisms that are captured by each methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental method (EM) involves a set of procedures that can be used by different sciences to answer research questions, refute or corroborate hypotheses. In the present work, we conducted a systematic review of review articles published in Portuguese that focused on explaining the EM. We use the SciELO and Google Scholar databases, without restricting the articles publication date. We included 64 articles after applying the eligibility criteria. Using content analysis, we synthesized information from these articles that favor the conduction of experimental studies and the critical evaluation of their methods. Additionally, we point out gaps such as the lack of papers on statistics applied to the EM and the use of qualitative techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental assessment has been made of the influence of electro-erosive modification modes for worn working surface of an cutter on the restoration of its cutting ability. The paper provides basic information on dental cutters. The provisions of the experimental research methodology are described, including a description of a device for modifying the worn surface of a dental cutter and a device for determining its cutting ability. Experimental data are presented and analyzed that reflect an effect on restoration of a cutting ability of a worn surface of a dental cutter, voltage of a storage capacitor and number of holes applied to it during its modification. Rational modes of modifying a worn-out surface of a dental mill that provide the greatest recovery of its cutting ability have been determined in the paper. It has been shown that with increasing voltage, the energy of the electric discharge acting on the treated surface increases, which leads to the formation of a single hole of a larger size on it, including metal flows along its edge that extend beyond the initial contour of the worn cutter teeth. These metal flows on the modified surface of the cutter play the role of peculiar cutting and deforming elements. It has been revealed that in the process of modifying the worn surface of the cutter, it is necessary to ensure that there is no overlap of the holes formed on it, i.e. the distance between the centers of adjacent holes should be greater than or equal to the size of metal deposits at their edges. In this case, the metal flows retain their original shape and have the highest height at these pulse parameters, which ensures a higher cutting ability of the modified cutter surface than when the holes are overlapped.

The interaction forces, attraction (suspension) and repulsion (levitation) between a permanent magnet and diferent bulk Yttrium-based superconductors were carried out with an automatic system developed in our group, which is reproducible, reliable and low cost. Two superconducting samples of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) prepared by solid-state reaction method (S) and by the melt-textured growth method (MTG) were used. Both samples were characterized by XRD technique and presented the characteristic peaks and intensity relations of the YBCO-123 superconducting phase. Oxygen deficiencies δ > 0,15 and δ < 0,10 for the S and MTG samples respectively, were observed. Both samples displayed diferent hysteresis behavior in the Force (F) vs. Distance (z) measurements when they were field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC). This behavior agrees with hysteresis loops observed in magnetization measurements. Both levitation and suspension phenomena were observed in the MTG sample with large hysteresis loops of the force. On the contrary, the S sample with small hysteresis loops did not show a suspension force, only displayed a slight levitation force.

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to review the book of Christoph Lütge and Matthias Uhl (2021) entitled Business ethics. An economically informed perspective (Oxford University Press). Design/methodology/approach: The approach followed is to give an overview of the book’s content, appraise the positive contribution followed by some critical questions for further discussions. Findings/results: The key finding is that the book, indeed, contributes to establish ethics with an economic method as a novel approach. Practical implications: Practical implications are found in both the approach to global ethics and especially to risk management design. Originality/value: The value of the book lies in its use as a handbook at a graduate level and as a guide to managers to implement corporate-level ethics.