Search Results (272)

Reinforcement learning (RL) agents are increasingly deployed for voltage control in power distribution networks. However, their opaque decision-making creates a significant trust barrier, limiting their adoption in safety-sensitive operational settings. This paper presents XRL-LLM, a novel framework that generates natural language explanations for RL control decisions by combining game-theoretic feature attribution (KernelSHAP) with large language model (LLM) reasoning grounded in power systems domain knowledge. We deployed a Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) agent on an IEEE 33-bus network to coordinate capacitor banks and on-load tap changers, successfully reducing voltage violations by 90.5% across diverse loading conditions. To make these decisions interpretable, KernelSHAP identifies the most influential state features. These features are then processed by a domain-context-engineered LLM prompt that explicitly encodes network topology, device specifications, and ANSI C84.1 voltage limits.Evaluated via G-Eval across 30 scenarios, XRL-LLM achieves an explanation quality score of 4.13/5. This represents a 33.7% improvement over template-based generation and a 67.9% improvement over raw SHAP outputs, delivering statistically significant gains in accuracy, actionability, and completeness ($p<0.001$, Cohen’s d values up to 4.07). Additionally, a physics-grounded counterfactual verification procedure, which perturbs the underlying power flow model, confirms a causal faithfulness of 0.81 under critical loading. Finally, five ablation studies yield three broader insights. First, structured domain context engineering produces synergistic quality gains that exceed any single knowledge component, demonstrating that prompt composition matters more than the choice of foundational model. Second, even an open source 8B-parameter model outperforms templates given the same prompt, confirming the framework’s backbone-agnostic value. Most importantly, counterfactual faithfulness increases alongside load severity, indicating that post hoc attributions are most reliable in the high-stakes regimes where trustworthy explanations matter most. Full article

Axions and axion-like particles are compelling candidates for ultralight bosonic dark matter, forming coherent oscillating fields that can be probed by experiments known as haloscopes. A broad range of haloscope concepts has been developed, including resonant cavity haloscopes, lumped-element circuit detectors, and spin-based experiments, each sensitive to different axion couplings and mass ranges. Rather than attempting an exhaustive survey of all existing approaches, this comparative review provides a unified framework for the major haloscope classes, establishing a common language for the descriptions of signal generation, noise properties, analytical methodologies, and scanning strategies. Key properties of ultralight bosonic dark matter relevant for detection are summarized first, including coherence time, spectral linewidth, and stochasticity under the standard halo model. The discussion then compares cavity, Earth-scale, lumped-element, and spin haloscopes, focusing on expected signal shapes, dominant noise sources, and statistical frameworks for axion searches. Particular emphasis is placed on consistent definitions of signal-to-noise ratio and on how detector bandwidth, axion coherence, and noise characteristics determine optimal scan strategies. By systematically comparing operating principles and performance metrics across these detector families, this framework clarifies shared concepts as well as the essential differences that govern sensitivity in different mass and coupling regimes. The resulting perspective synthesizes current search methodologies and offers guidance for optimizing future haloscope experiments. Full article

The study reconsiders the architectural production associated with Russian Suprematism (which was speaking of “the supremacy of pure artistic sensation” rather than the veritable figurative depiction of real-life subjects) in the early Soviet period as a coherent and conceptually rigorous mode of speculative world-making rather than as a marginal or unrealized appendix to avant-garde art history and theory. By examining the architectural propositions articulated by Kazimir Malevich and then elaborated by his younger colleagues Lazar Khidekel, Ilya Chashnik, and Nikolai Suetin, the study advances the claim that Russian Suprematist architecture constituted an epistemic experiment aimed at redefining the very ontological premises of architecture. Far from functioning as a mere transposition of abstract pictorial language into three-dimensional form, Suprematist planits, architectons, and aerocentric projects operated as instruments for thinking spatiality beyond terrestrial gravity, anthropocentric utility, and historical typology. Situating these projects within the intellectual horizon of Russian cosmism and early aerospace thought, the article demonstrates how Suprematist architecture intersected with contemporary philosophical, scientific, and technological discourses that envisioned humanity’s active participation in the reorganization of cosmic space. The architectural imagination of Suprematism emerges here as inseparable from broader debates on excitation, non-objectivity, transformation of matter, and the reconfiguration of human corporeality. Through close analysis of formal strategies, pedagogical frameworks, and theoretical writings, the paper reveals the internal plurality of avant-garde Suprematist architectural inquiry, ranging from ecological proto-urbanism and hovering settlements to magnetic and cruciform spatial systems. Ultimately, the paper argues that the historical non-realization of these projects should not be interpreted as a failure but as an intrinsic feature of their speculative methodology. Suprematist architecture is thus redefined as an anticipatory practice whose unresolved propositions continue to resonate with contemporary discussions on space habitation, planetary design, ecological responsibility, and post-human architectural thought, challenging inherited assumptions about the scope and function of architecture as such. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Modern neuro-oncologists encounter a major challenge when dealing with glioblastomas located in the dominant hemisphere’s temporo-basal area, because their invasive nature disrupts the proximity to eloquent cortical areas (language and speech), as well as skull base venous structures, which can lead to a quick decline in function from the disruptions in these networks and the disconnection of corridor-level pathways. This manuscript illustrates the application of metric-based phenotyping, anatomically defined imaging, and venous-anchored microsurgical techniques that can aid in preserving the remaining functional reserve in patients with dominant hemisphere glioblastomas and demonstrate measurable outcomes through longitudinal follow-up data. Case Presentation: A 48-year-old right-handed male patient presented with a four-week history of progressively worsening symptoms consistent with a dominant hemisphere syndrome, resulting in a significant decrease in his independence (mRS 0 → 4; BI 55/100; IADL 2/8). His symptoms included non-fluent expressive aphasia with a marked inability to generate words and respond to verbal cues (BNT 8/30; SF 4 WPM). Additionally, he experienced prolonged lateralizing hemisensory decompensation and corticospinal tract dysfunction. Imaging studies revealed a large multiloculated cystic lesion located in the left temporo-basal region. The lesion displayed a thick irregular peripheral enhancement pattern with mural nodules and septa, and surrounding T2 hyperintensity extending into the temporal associative white matter, indicating disruption of the lexical–semantic networks and corridor-level tracts. Utilizing continuous SSEPS/MEPs during surgery, a skull base parallel ventral temporal corridor was developed to allow decompression of the cyst first, followed by cyst evacuation, inside-out cytoreduction, subpial dissection, and specific preservation of both superficial and deep temporal veins using selective capsular preservation at venous interface locations where necessary. Postoperative CT scans performed on POD #3 and POD #7 indicated stable decompression without hemorrhage or hydrocephalus complications, followed by rapid quantitative improvement in NIHSS (8 → 2), MoCA (18 → 26), BNT (8 → 26), SF (4 → 12), mRS (2 at discharge, 1 at follow-up), BI (85 at discharge, 95 at follow-up), and IADL (6/8 at discharge, 8/8 at follow-up). Histopathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of glioblastoma. Conclusions: This case study supports a model of a network- and vein-constrained glioblastoma of the dominant hemisphere in the temporo-basal region that can result in substantial restoration of language capabilities and preservation of functional reserves for additional therapies using venous-anchored subpial microsurgical approaches. The use of objective and quantifiable measures of phenotyping and longitudinal follow-up tracking could provide a reproducible method for measuring the degree of recovery of the affected network(s) and establishing safe boundaries for temporal glioma surgery. Full article

Cognitive impairment persists in people with HIV (PWH) despite effective combination antiretroviral therapy, possibly as a result of persistent alterations in white matter microstructural abnormalities in the brain. Noninvasive tensor-valued diffusion MRI (dMRI) is sensitive to microstructural integrity; thus, it may contribute to the understanding of HIV-associated cognitive impairment. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 31 healthy controls (HCs) and 24 PWH underwent 3T MRI and neurocognitive assessment. Tensor-valued dMRI metrics, including microscopic fractional anisotropy (µFA) and isotropic, anisotropic, and total mean kurtosis (MKi, MKa, MKt), and conventional DTI and DKI metrics (FA, MD, and MK) were evaluated across six functionally defined brain networks. Compared with HCs, PWH exhibited reduced FA, µFA, and MKa in the dorsal default mode and anterior salience networks, along with increased MKi in the salience network and decreased MKi in the executive control network, with moderate effect sizes. Compared with HCs, PWH performed significantly worse on measures of learning, memory, and language, but showed no differences in executive function, attention, or processing speed. Additionally, significant associations and interactions between dMRI metrics and HIV status were observed, particularly for MKi and attention, executive function, and processing speed across the default mode, salience, and executive control networks. These preliminary findings underscore tensor-valued dMRI as a sensitive biomarker of network-specific neurocognitive vulnerability in HIV. Full article

When it comes to inspiring and sustaining action for the environment, identity matters. This review examines environment-related identity terms to clarify terminology and support discourse. A literature search was conducted in Scopus for peer-reviewed articles published from 2020 through to 31 July 2025. Articles were included if they discussed one of 15 environment-related identity terms in the title, abstract, or keywords and engaged conceptually with the term. Articles were excluded if the term appeared only in searchable fields, was used in a non-individual context, or was not substantively engaged with. Drawing on 919 articles, the review maps how identity terms are defined in the literature. The result is a three-dimensional framework encompassing connection to nature, pro-environmental orientation in everyday life, and public/political environmental engagement. Findings highlight that identity terms are often inconsistently defined, with substantial overlap. Results are limited to articles with identity terms in searchable fields and explicit definitions, potentially omitting implicit or operationalised uses. To address inconsistencies, we propose three identity terms, ecological identity, environmental steward, and environmental activist, each corresponding to one of the identified dimensions above. Clarifying this language can strengthen academic discourse and help individuals locate themselves within it, keeping identities motivating amid accelerating environmental degradation. Full article

This study explores how demystifying Earth Observation (EO) through co-creation pathways and local language can enhance flood resilience and environmental governance in African informal cities. Using case studies from Maiduguri and Hadejia, Nigeria, the research employed a transdisciplinary mixed-methods design combining rapid evidence assessment, surveys, participatory workshops (n = 50 stakeholders) integrating simplified Sentinel-1/2 demonstrations, indigenous knowledge mapping, and pre-/post-engagement surveys on EO familiarity. Non-expert participants were trained to interpret satellite data using local language, linking distant teleconnections with local flood experiences. The findings revealed significant gains in EO literacy and improvements in interpretive confidence, gender-inclusive participation, and policy engagement. Localizing the curriculum enabled participants to translate technical EO concepts into locally meaningful narratives, fostering cognitive empowerment and practical application in flood preparedness and advocacy. The study demonstrates that data democratization is not only a matter of open access but also of open understanding. It advances a conceptual model linking Demystification, Literacy, Empowerment, Co-Production and Resilience, positioning EO as a social technology that bridges scientific and indigenous knowledge systems. The findings contribute to debates on decolonizing environmental science and propose a potential participatory framework for integrating EO into community-based adaptation, legal accountability, and policy reform across Africa’s rapidly urbanizing landscapes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Long-term chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) is a common occupational exposure among high-altitude workers, particularly miners in northern Chile. This condition consists of working several days above 2500 m followed by rest at sea level, maintaining this cycle for years, which generates physiological alterations. This study analyzed associations among anthropometric indices and biomedical conditions in miners chronically exposed to long-term CIHH. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 120 healthy Chilean male miners working at altitudes above 4400 m under a 7-day work/7-day rest schedule. Eligibility required ≥5 years of CIHH exposure and absence of cardiopulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes, or oxygen therapy use. The assessments at altitude included oxygen saturation (SpO₂), blood pressure, heart rate, hematological parameters, metabolic parameters, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); measurements were obtained 18 h after arrival at altitude. WHR, BMI, SpO₂, and biomedical variables were collected following standardized procedures. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were performed with Student’s t-test or the Wilcoxon test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Normality assumption was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. The association between WHR and SpO₂ was estimated using linear regression, with WHR scaled so that one unit corresponds to a 0.1-unit increase. Adjusted models included BMI, age, and years working under CIHH. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. All statistical analyses were performed in the R programming language. Results: Mean SpO₂ was 89.07 ± 0.50% and mean WHR was 0.94 ± 0.01. In unadjusted comparisons, workers with WHR > 0.94 had lower SpO₂ than those below the threshold (88.8 ± 0.54 vs. 90.41 ± 0.50; p = 0.031). In adjusted models, the WHR–SpO₂ association was small and imprecise (β per 0.1-unit WHR = −0.67 pp; 95% CI −2.08 to 0.74). Hemoglobin showed an independent association with SpO₂, while other metabolic variables did not materially contribute. Conclusions: SpO₂ showed a modest inverse association with WHR in long-term CIHH workers. Even small saturation decreases may matter at high altitude. Combined WHR–SpO₂ monitoring may aid occupational surveillance, though longitudinal studies are needed to establish meaningful risk thresholds. Full article

This article examines the exchange of ideas between Merton and Ruether on creation. Merton’s sacramental views and Ruether’s eco-feminist perspectives rooted in an incarnational spirituality can serve as a corrective to those who regard the Earth as an object of consumerism, which leads to the degradation and the desacralization of matter. I will examine how the way out offered by Merton and Ruether reflects an integral eco-spirituality responsive to and in resonance with the supreme reality that permeates everything. As Rosemary Ruether, Sallie McFague, Elizabeth Johnson, and other Christian eco-feminists have described in metaphorical language, the world may be conceived of as a kind of self-giving activity of God’s body in feminine terms. According to this view, a constant birth of life is taking place in a universe ultimately rooted in the cosmic womb of divine love to which Ruether referred as the Great Mother. I will show examples of their writings where both Merton and Ruether highly emphasized the importance of seeing the good creation reflecting God’s love for all creatures. I will conclude by pondering on the ecological implications of their writings, where they address the environmental threats that global warming and climate change caused by humans pose to Mother Earth. Full article

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability, and aphasia is among its most common and debilitating sequelae. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and advanced diffusion imaging techniques enable the assessment of white matter integrity and provide clinically relevant measures in post-stroke aphasia. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of studies applying DTI or advanced diffusion imaging to investigate structural connectivity in adults with post-stroke aphasia (PSA). PubMed, CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase were searched, and eligible studies were synthesized according to their diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic focus. Results: Ninety-five studies were included. Of these, 59 were classified as diagnostic, 17 as prognostic, and 19 as therapeutic. Most studies employed conventional DTI (n = 77), while a growing body of research utilized advanced diffusion models, including CSD, DSI, and DKI (n = 18). Conclusions: This comprehensive synthesis demonstrates the evolution of diffusion imaging in PSA research. While conventional DTI has provided foundational insights, advanced diffusion methods offer superior characterization of complex fiber architecture and improved clinical–anatomical correlation. Diffusion-derived markers of dorsal and ventral language pathways were consistently associated with language performance, while connectome-level analyses highlighted the importance of preserved global network architecture for recovery. Continued efforts are needed to translate diffusion imaging findings into clinical applicable biomarkers to guide personalized aphasia rehabilitation, with greater use of advanced methods. Full article

The Quantum Omni-Synthesis (QOS) framework is inspired by the cosmological constant problem, the dark sector, and the tension that arises when gravity is treated as purely geometrical while quantum fields remain defined on a fixed background. QOS adopts the working hypothesis that the dominant components of the dark sector correspond to two complementary energetic tendencies already familiar from known physics: confining, binding-dominated behavior and dispersive, propagating behavior. For clarity of interpretation, these are referred to as implosive and explosive energy, respectively. This terminology is not intended to redefine cosmological dark matter or dark energy, but to provide an effective language for tracking how different forms of energy contribute to localization, propagation, and gravitational coupling across scales. QOS postulates that every field configuration admits a decomposition of its local energy density into these two complementary components. A dimensionless scalar quantity, the Quantized Gravity Coupling Parameter $\varsigma \left(x\right)$, quantifies the local fraction of implosive energy. Spacetime curvature in QOS is generated primarily by the implosive fraction, while explosive energy contributes to propagation and vacuum activity without sourcing gravity at the same strength. In this paper, a field-theoretical realization of this idea is presented for a single real scalar field. A QOS-modified Lagrangian is introduced in which the kinetic term is weighted by a factor $A(\psi ,\nabla \psi )=1-{\varsigma }^2(\psi ,\nabla \psi )$ that encodes the local balance between gradient and potential energy. From this Lagrangian, the nonlinear field equation and the corresponding energy momentum tensor are derived in full generality, including the effects of the functional dependence of A on the field and its derivatives. An effective Ricci tensor is constructed as $R_{\mu \nu }^{\mathrm{eff}}=R_{\mu \nu }+f_{\mu \nu }$, where the correction $f_{\mu \nu }$ is expressed in terms of derivatives of $\mathsf{\Phi }=ln(1-{\varsigma }^2)$ and arises from the energetic weighting rather than an independent scalar degree of freedom. The resulting QOS field equation couples this scalar sector to curvature without introducing a separate Brans–Dicke-like field. Full article

Safety science has developed extensive taxonomies for categorizing human performance failures but lacks equivalent vocabulary for describing successful work performance, leaving practitioners without adequate language to discuss adaptive practices that enable successful work under varying conditions. This study developed a worker-centered framework for categorizing procedural adaptations through empirical research at a petrochemical facility. The research employed three-phase convergent validation: Phase 1 captured behavioral data through video observation of 1422 procedural steps; Phase 2 documented differences between Work-As-Imagined and Work-As-Done using the Skip-Order-Action Framework with subject matter expert interpretation; Phase 3 evaluated emerging patterns through worker interviews. Analysis revealed that 32.9% of procedural steps showed adaptations, yet all tasks were completed successfully. Three distinct categories emerged from convergent evidence: routine adaptations represent normalized workplace practices; efficiency adaptations optimize workflow while maintaining safety standards; and safety adaptations exceed prescribed requirements through additional verification. The resulting Routine-Efficiency-Safety (RES) framework provides practical vocabulary for Safety-II implementation, enabling organizations to distinguish between different types of procedural adaptations and their functions, moving beyond binary compliance assessments toward learning-focused conversations about successful work practices. Full article

Background: Youth with disabilities remain among the most overlooked groups in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) discourses, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, their SRHR needs are often ignored. This reflexive article aims to illuminate and recenter the experiences and perspectives of youth with disabilities living in Gulu City and Gulu District, Northern Uganda, exploring what matters to them regarding SRHR and their broader life aspirations. Methods: We adopted a qualitative, reflexive and participatory approach. Data were collected among six Ugandan young co-researchers with different disabilities (physical, visual, hearing, and albinism), who interacted with two Ugandan research assistants and a Canadian researcher involved in a larger SRHR research project. They engaged in in-person and virtual WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams exchanges over weeks, with the support of three Ugandan Sign Language interpreters. We thematically analyzed data, informed by the Intersectionality-based Policy Analysis and Structural Health Vulnerabilities and Agency frameworks. Results: Our analysis revealed four main findings: (1) the persistent feeling of social discrimination, stigma, and exclusion, including from parents, (2) inaccessible SRHR information and services, and knowledge gaps, (3) gender- and disability-based violence, and (4) youth with disabilities’ aspirations for SRHR and in life. Conclusions: The voices of youth with disabilities in Gulu underscore the value of disability equity-focused research. They reminded us that they are intelligent, capable, and thoughtful citizens with agency whose SRHR and broader well-being must be acknowledged and respected. Their perspectives carry critical implications for SRHR programming, policy, and research. Full article

This study addresses the issue of missing basic data and insufficient accuracy in predicting runoff and non-point-source pollution in the Heilongjiang region of China using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Based on the China Ground Climate Data Daily Dataset (V3.0) and SPAW soil characteristic calculation formula, and assisted by the Python V3.0 language for data processing and computation, new high-precision weather generators and soil attribute databases suitable for the Heilongjiang region of China were established. The weather generator is based on daily data and contains detailed meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, rainfall, etc., used to characterize the periodic changes in meteorological elements. And the differences and fluctuations outside this change curve were also retained in the basic construction of the weather generator. The soil database covers various parameters, such as soil type, texture, structure, nutrient content, organic matter content, etc., enabling the SWAT model to better simulate hydrological and pollutant transport processes in the soil. Additionally, point-source input data, including various industrial and domestic wastewater discharge situations, were collected and organized to improve data quality. Furthermore, a series of agricultural management measures were developed based on the use of fertilizers and pesticides for simulation, providing an important basis for analyzing non-point-source pollution using the SWAT model. By comparing the different results of the simulation using optimized databases, it is shown that the above work improved the simulation accuracy of the SWAT model in predicting runoff and pollution load in Heilongjiang, China. The NSE of runoff simulation increased from 0.923 to 0.988, and the NSE of ammonia nitrogen and CBOD simulation increased from 0.852 and 0.758 to 0.930 and 0.902, respectively. It is expected that these efforts will provide strong data support for subsequent research and provide a theoretical basis for government decision-makers to build scientifically rigorous and effective pollution control strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) often require radiotherapy which may damage both cortical and subcortical brain tissue. We examined voxel-based and region-based gray matter volume (GMV) alterations and explored their relation to cognitive functioning. Methods: Using T1-weighted MR imaging, intelligence scores from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), and domain scores for language, learning, and memory, complex attention and cognitive flexibility were investigated in 18 of 21 assessed PFT survivors and 21 matched controls. GMV was quantified with voxel-based and region-based volumetry, compared among groups (controls versus survivors, irradiated versus non-irradiated survivors), and correlated with cognitive performance. Results: Survivors showed reduced GMV in two voxel-based clusters, located in the left occipital fusiform area and the left pallidum. Region-based analyses showed lower GMV in survivors located in subcortical areas, while higher GMV was observed in the left inferior temporal region. Survivors who received craniospinal radiation exhibited reductions in GMV in bilateral thalami, right ventral diencephalon, and central corpus callosum, and higher GMV in the bilateral middle temporal regions. Compared to controls, survivors scored lower for all cognitive domains, except for complex attention and cognitive flexibility. Amongst survivors, the GMV of the bilateral thalami and right ventral diencephalon correlated positively with working memory. Conclusions: Overall, PFT survivors demonstrated both alterations in GMV and cognitive functioning, with the most pronounced GMV deviations found in those treated with craniospinal radiation. Reduced GMV was associated with poorer cognitive performance. Full article