Search Results (398)

The present study analyzes individual differences in the facilitative processing of grammatical gender by heritage speakers of Spanish, asking whether these differences correlate with lexical proficiency. Results from an eye-tracking study in the Visual World Paradigm replicate prior findings that, as a group, heritage speakers of Spanish show facilitative processing of gender. Importantly, in a follow-up within-group analysis, we test whether three measures of lexical proficiency—oral picture-naming, verbal fluency, and LexTALE—predict individual performance. We find that lexical proficiency, as measured by LexTALE, predicts overall word recognition; however, we observe no effects of the other measures and no evidence that lexical proficiency modulates the strength of the facilitative effect. Our results highlight the importance of carefully selecting tools for proficiency assessment in experimental studies involving heritage speakers, underscoring that the absence of evidence for an effect of proficiency based on a single measure should not be taken as evidence of absence. Full article

Managing finances in a supply chain today is not as straightforward as it once was. The world is constantly shifting—markets fluctuate, risks emerge unexpectedly—and companies are continually trying to stay one step ahead. In all this, financial resilience has become more than just a strategy. It is a survival skill. In our research, we examined how newer technologies (such as blockchain and the Internet of Things) can make a difference. The idea was not to reinvent the wheel but to see if these tools could actually make financing more transparent, reduce some of the friction, and maybe even help companies breathe a little easier when it comes to liquidity. We employed two optimization methods (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO)) to achieve a balanced outcome. The goal was lower financing costs, better liquidity, and stronger resilience. Blockchain did not just record transactions—it seemed to build trust. Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT) provided companies with a clearer picture of what is happening in real-time, making financial outcomes a bit less of a guessing game. However, it gives financial managers a better chance at planning and not getting caught off guard when the economy takes a turn. Full article

Traditional manual crack inspection methods often face limitations in terms of efficiency, safety, and consistency. To overcome these issues, a new approach based on autonomous robotic systems has gained attention, combining robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced sensing technologies. However, most existing reviews focus on individual components in isolation and fail to present a complete picture of how these systems work together. This study focuses on robotic crack detection and proposes a structured framework that connects three core modules: the physical platform (robots and sensors), the cognitive core (crack detection algorithms), and autonomous action (navigation and planning). We analyze key technologies, their interactions, and the challenges involved in real-world implementation. The aim is to provide a clear roadmap of current progress and future directions, helping researchers and engineers better understand the field and develop smart, deployable systems for infrastructure crack inspection. Full article

The experimentation of agricultural robots has been increasing in recent years, both in greenhouses and open fields. While agricultural robots are inherently useful for automating various farming tasks, their presence can also be leveraged to collect measurements along their paths. This approach enables the creation of a complete and detailed picture of the climate conditions inside a greenhouse, reducing the need to distribute a large number of physical devices among the crops. In this regard, choosing the best visiting sequence of the Points of Interest (PoIs) regarding where to perform the measurements deserves particular attention. This trajectory planning has to carefully combine the amount and significance of the collected data with the energy requirements of the robot. In this paper, we propose a method based on Deep Reinforcement Learning enriched with a Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm for determining the best trajectory an agricultural robot must follow to balance the number of measurements and autonomy adequately. The proposed approach has been applied to a real-world case study regarding a greenhouse in Verona (Italy) and compared with other existing state-of-the-art approaches. Full article

This research focuses on the ideological sphere of criminals with the highest status in the Russian Federation. This ideological sphere was studied in literary sources of various kinds on the basis of repeatability (the existence of linguistic facts) and averaging (external and internal confrontation of sources). It is suggested that, in speech, there exist some selective overinterpretations of world religions that neglect basic elements of the traditional law-abiding picture of the world and that are directly based on literary fiction instead of the scientific literature. On the other hand, there can be some search for faith connected with the belief in spiritual knowledge from the dead, divine beings, and God. Full article

The Palearctic region is characterised by high endemism in the west and east, and a low endemism centre. The endemic lineages occurring at the two ends are largely distinct, and eastern endemics are typically associated with humid climates and forests, representing the start of a continuum from temperate to tropical forest groups and leading to Indo-Malay endemics. In contrast, western Palearctic endemics are typically associated with arid or seasonally dry (Mediterranean) climates and vegetation. Those lineages occurring in the central Palearctic are typically of western origin. Here, we use phylogenetic age (older than 34 million years (My)) to define a list of tetrapod and vascular plant lineages endemic to the western and central Palearctic, map their distributions at the ecoregion scale, and combine these maps to illustrate and understand lineage richness and endemism patterns. Sixty-three ancient lineages were recovered, approximately half of them reptiles, with several herbaceous and shrubby angiosperms, amphibians, and rodents, and single lineages of woody conifers, insectivores, and birds. Overall, we show high lineage richness in the western Mediterranean, eastern Mediterranean, and Iran, with the highest endemism values recorded in the western Mediterranean (southern Iberian Peninsula, southern France). This paints a picture of ancient lineage survival in areas of consistently dry climate since the Eocene, but also in association with persistent water availability (amphibians in the western Mediterranean). The almost complete absence of ancient endemic bird lineages is unusual and perhaps unique among the world’s biogeographic regions. The factors accounting for these patterns include climate since the end of the Eocene, micro-habitats and micro-climates (of mountain terrain), refugia, and patchiness and isolation (of forests). Despite their aridity adaptations, some of the lineages listed here may be tested under anthropogenic climatic change, although some may extend into the eastern Palearctic. We recommend using these lineages as flagships for conservation in the study region, where their uniqueness and antiquity deserve greater recognition. Full article

The liturgical reforms of the mid-twentieth century had major impacts on not only the forms of liturgies in the Western church but also on liturgical theology. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, the Anglican province in the United States, along with several dioceses across the world, represents the culmination of these developments in that jurisdiction. Among its revolutionary suggestions is the reservation of Holy Baptism for certain occasions: the Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saints’ Day or the Sunday following, the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, and the visitation of a bishop. Many liturgical guides emphasize the advantages of observing these so-called “baptismal feasts,” but none treat them in any lengthy manner. Do the different occasions for baptism have something specific to say about what baptism is? How do the appointed lectionary readings shed light on baptism, and vice versa? In this article, I will explore these feasts and especially their assigned lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary. I will show that when read with a liturgical hermeneutics, the appointed scriptures and, therefore, the baptismal feasts themselves paint a comprehensive picture of a contemporary baptismal theology. Full article

Background: During childhood and adolescence, personality development is continuous. Younger people—defined in this study as high-school students aged 14 to 18—are particularly receptive to change. The health behaviors formed during this period can significantly influence health in later life. Therefore, families and schools play a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. In our research, we examined the relationship between psychosocial resources (social support and school resources) and the regularity and intensity of physical activity. Methods: In this study, “appropriate physical activity” refers to the level and intensity of activity recommended by the World Health Organization—namely, at least 60 min per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for adolescents. We conducted our cross-sectional research in Hungary, Western Transdanubia, using convenience sampling among high-school students (n = 331). Data collected with a self-edited and standardized questionnaire (MSPSS, HBSC school resources and school social support) were analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 22 program with a t-test, ANOVA and χ² test (p < 0.05). Results: In the case of the time spent on physical activities per week, boys (p < 0.05) and younger people (p < 0.05) showed a much more favorable picture. Examining the intensity of regular physical activity among students who belonged to the appropriate range, the average values of family social support were significantly higher (p < 0.05), but this association was not observed for social support from friends or significant others (p > 0.05). The amount of movement was not differentiated by support from others (p > 0.05). The level of attitude towards their school was higher among students who performed physical activity of the appropriate quality and quantity (p < 0.05). Teachers’ assessment of school performance and the quality of the relationship with teachers showed a correlation with physical activity performed at the appropriate intensity (p < 0.05). Conclusions: We found a positive effect of family and school resources on the regularity and intensity of physical activity, which draws attention to strengthening the partnership between family and school, improving the school atmosphere and social support within the school, increasing students’ attachment to their institution. The combination of these resources can help children lead a more active and healthier life, which has a beneficial long-term impact on their physical and mental well-being. The cooperation between parents and schools is crucial in supporting young people in adopting a healthy lifestyle. Full article

Background/Objectives: Verbs are considered to be more abstract than nouns, as they represent actions, states, and events, which are less tangible, more flexible in their meaning and thus less univocally specified. It has been suggested that children acquire abstract concepts based on their linguistic contexts of use, making use of semantic and syntactic cues. By contrast, according to theories of embodied cognition, conceptual knowledge is based on physical and perceptual interaction with the world. The present study investigates whether the verbal and the visual modality produce similar or different results in the processes of construction and reactivation of novel verbs, corresponding to new compositional abstract concepts, in children of different ages. In Experiment 1, the acquisition of the concept was determined based on the quality of verbal explanation; in Experiment 2, participants were asked to decide whether a visual representation fitted the concept or not. Thus, response modality could be either explicit or implicit, and either congruent or incongruent with respect to learning modality. Methods: In Experiment 1, 100 children from grade 1 to 5 were asked to explain the meaning of verbs introduced via verbal or visual instances. In Experiment 2, 15 children aged 8 to 10 had to judge pictures as (not) being examples of previously verbally or visually presented novel verbs. Results: The results of Experiment 1 show more accurate explanations after verbal presentation across all grades. In Experiment 2, verbal presentation was no longer associated with more accurate matching responses, but rather with slower decision times. Conclusions: Modality congruence, explicitness and linguistic (semantic and syntactic) factors were all shown to play a role, which is discussed in a developmental perspective. Full article

Recent advancements in Mobile Eye-Tracking (MET) technology have enabled the detailed examination of visitors’ embodied visual behaviors as they navigate exhibition spaces. This study employs MET to investigate visual attention patterns in an archeological museum, with a particular focus on identifying “hotspots” of attention. Through a multi-phase research design, we explore the relationship between visitor gaze behavior and museum learning experiences in a real-world setting. Using three key eye movement metrics—Time to First Fixation (TFF), Average Fixation Duration (AFD), and Total Fixation Duration (TFD), we analyze the distribution of visual attention across predefined Areas of Interest (AOIs). Time to First Fixation varied substantially by element, occurring most rapidly for artifacts and most slowly for labels, while video screens showed the shortest mean latency but greatest inter-individual variability, reflecting sequential exploration and heterogeneous strategies toward dynamic versus static media. Total Fixation Duration was highest for video screens and picture panels, intermediate yet variable for artifacts and text panels, and lowest for labels, indicating that dynamic and pictorial content most effectively sustain attention. Finally, Average Fixation Duration peaked on artifacts and labels, suggesting in-depth processing of descriptive elements, and it was shortest on video screens, consistent with rapid, distributed fixations in response to dynamic media. The results provide novel insights into the spatial and contextual factors that influence visitor engagement and knowledge acquisition in museum environments. Based on these findings, we discuss strategic implications for museum research and propose practical recommendations for optimizing exhibition design to enhance visitor experience and learning outcomes. Full article

This study investigates how China’s affordable housing policies have shaped the real estate market, using data from 35 major cities between 2010 and 2023. By analyzing housing prices, sales, and investment trends with advanced statistical methods, we found that increasing the supply of affordable housing significantly slows down rising home prices, especially in cities with high housing costs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these policies also helped stabilize the market by boosting housing sales and reducing price volatility. Our research highlights regional differences: affordable housing works best in economically developed eastern cities to curb prices, while in less-developed central and western areas, it may temporarily increase prices due to land competition. We also show that affordable housing absorbs demand from low- and middle-income buyers, easing pressure on commercial housing markets over time. This study provides practical insights for policymakers to design targeted housing strategies, optimize land use, and enhance urban resilience during crises, like pandemics. By combining real-world data with robust analysis, we offer a clearer picture of how housing security policies can balance market stability and affordability in rapidly urbanizing economies. Full article

Measuring and comparing religious freedom across countries and over time requires reliable and valid data sources. Existing religious freedom datasets are either based on the coding of qualitative data (such as the Religion and State Project or the Pew Research Center), on expert opinions (V-Dem or the World Watch List) or on surveys (Anti-Defamation League). Each of these approaches has its strengths and limitations. In this study, we present the Violent Incidents Database (VID), a complementary tool designed to collect, record, and analyze violent incidents related to violations of religious freedom based on media reports and other public sources. We critically describe the criteria and process for selecting, coding and verifying the incidents, as well as the categories and indicators used to classify them. We also compare the VID with other existing religious freedom datasets and show how the VID provides a complementary picture of the nature and dynamics of religious freedom violations. We offer a preliminary analysis of the data collected through the end of 2024 with selected figures for data visualization. We conclude by discussing anticipated improvements for the VID as well as its potential applications for policy makers, advocates, and practitioners. Full article

From the Christian heartland of Europe emerged the techno-scientific culture borne from the Enlightenment movement. Prior to this cultural outlook that severed culture from its foundational roots in religion, it was the case that religion was not only a crucial agent in the shaping of culture, but in many ways, the heart of culture. With secular rationality and its underscoring of the techno-scientific mindset, a growing privatization of religion has become the acceptable ethos of contemporary Western culture. Secularism, largely understood in terms of a naked public sphere, is increasingly perceived to be the only form of rationality that can guarantee societal cohesion and the democratic spirit. But as Ratzinger pointed out in his 1993 Hong Kong Address to the Doctrinal Commissions of the Bishops Conferences of Asia, this Western understanding of culture that is governed by a hermeneutic of suspicion towards religion, and which seeks to replace the heart of culture with autonomous reason a la Kant, ends up leaving culture in a winter land of existential frostiness. By depriving culture of its roots in the transcendental dimensions of human experience, much of the wisdom and riches that have been accumulated in the pre-techno-scientific cultures—regarding fundamental questions such as “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “What is the meaning of life?”, “What happens when I die?”, “Does life make sense?”, “Do I have a destiny?” and more—are now left to the manufactured logic of the techno-scientific with its anthropological reductionism that fails to offer the big picture of the cultural outlook that did not construe the scientific and the technological as antithetical to religion. This essay seeks to unpack the arguments Ratzinger made in this Address at Hong Kong, with the hope that this theological exegesis of the Hong Kong lecture could once again offer an invitation to the world of the techno-scientific, the world of secular rationality, to open up to the world of faith, so that together, the breadth and depth of the human culture would once again flourish in its greatness. Full article

Rain is a typical meteorological event that affects the visual appeal of outdoor pictures. The presence of rain streaks severely blurs image details, negatively impacting subsequent computer visual tasks. Due to the challenge of acquiring authentic photographs of rainfall, most deraining methods have been developed using generated samples. However, the inherent differences between generated and real data lead to poor generalization performance in practical applications. This study proposes a semi-supervised single-image rain removal approach using Transformer and wavelet transform. It fully utilizes the feature information of rainy images, addressing the issue that current methods focus too much on network structure innovation while neglecting rain streak features. The algorithm leverages the directional properties of wavelet transform to decompose rainy images into multi-scale components, with networks of varying sizes generating rain streak maps across different directions and scales. By combining supervised and unsupervised training in a semi-supervised system, the model improves deraining performance and generalization capability. Additionally, a residual detail recovery network restores fine-grained image details, further enhancing the deraining effect in real-world scenarios. Comprehensive tests on multiple standard datasets show that the proposed approach outperforms current methods, confirming its effectiveness in practical applications. Experimental results on common datasets demonstrate that it performs better than advanced rain removal algorithms. The method’s superiority is further validated by the PSNR and SSIM values of 34.86 dB and 0.961 on the Rain1200 synthetic dataset, and the NIQE and PIQE values of 11.52 and 9.13 on the RealRain dataset. Full article

The high cost and difficulty of collecting real-world foggy scene images mean that automatic driving datasets produce limited images in bad weather and lead to deficient training in automatic driving systems, causing unsafe judgments and leading to traffic accidents. Therefore, to effectively promote the safety and robustness of an autonomous driving system, we improved the CycleGAN model to achieve dataset augmentation of foggy images. Firstly, by combining the self-attention mechanism and the residual network architecture, the sense of hierarchy of the fog effect in the synthesized image was significantly refined. Then, LPIPS was employed to adjust the calculation method for cycle consistency loss to make the synthetic picture more similar to the original one in terms of perception. The experimental results showed that the FID index of the foggy image generated by the improved CycleGAN network was reduced by 3.34, the IS index increased by 15.8%, and the SSIM index increased by 0.1%. The modified method enhances the generation of foggy images, while retaining more details of the original image and reducing content distortion. Full article