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This study explores the innovative reuse of end-of-life (EoL) wind turbine blade (WTBs) parts as floats for photovoltaic (PV)-floating systems. In response to the growing concerns about EoL WTB waste, this study applies circular economy principles to repurpose high-value composite materials. By transforming a segment of an Enercon E40 WTB into a float for a PV-floating system, this study not only provides a sustainable solution to EoL composites, but also contributes to the development of renewable energy. The article describes the design of the PV-floating system and the lessons learned from its construction. It also provides an outlook on how such a system can be further scaled up.

People regularly encounter situations in which they have to engage in tasks they find boring or irrelevant, in which case their autonomy—the need to act in ways that are meaningful for oneself—is impeded. When there is no motivational support available, individuals need to find ways to overcome their motivational barriers by themselves. Applying autonomy-regulation strategies may be effective for increasing autonomy and particularly the more adaptive types of motivation (i.e., intrinsic and internalized). Testing this idea, we investigated whether individuals apply self-supportive strategies to boost their feelings of autonomy and motivation in two studies via cross-sectional survey samples (overall N = 2,344). We analyzed how autonomy regulation strategies were associated with theoretically related variables via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). In Study 1, the self-reported use of autonomy regulation strategies was strongly positively associated with intrinsic and internalized types of motivation, weakly positively correlated with introjected avoidance motivation, and not associated with external motivation. In Study 2, we introduced two dilemmas concerning motivational problems individuals face when engaging in tasks and being assigned a task, respectively. Results indicate that individuals report using general strategies of autonomy regulation to achieve fulfillment of autonomy and intrinsic motivation, next to more specific autonomy regulation strategies regarding specific dilemmas. Our results show that it would be worthwhile to investigate if stimulating individuals to use autonomy regulation strategies would positively affect their motivation (e.g., in job or study contexts), and that in doing so, it is important to consider both specific context effects on autonomy regulation as well as individual preferences for general strategies used to regulate one's autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat. This randomized controlled trial evaluates the impact of experiential virtual reality (VR) versus information provision via VR or leaflet on prudent antibiotic use. A total of 249 (239 analyzed) participants were randomized into three conditions: VR Information + Experience, VR Information, or Leaflet Information. All participants received AMR information, while those in the VR Information + Experience condition additionally engaged in a game, making treatment decisions for their virtual avatar's infection. Participants in the VR Information + Experience condition showed a significant increase in prudent use intentions from baseline (d = 1.48). This increase was significantly larger compared to the VR Information (d = 0.50) and Leaflet Information (d = 0.79) conditions. The increase in intentions from baseline remained significant at follow-up in the VR Information + Experience condition (d = 1.25). Experiential VR communication shows promise for promoting prudent antibiotics use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term operation of the supporting surfaces of large-sized parts, in particular tubular units of thermal power plants, leads to the destruction of the contact surfaces. Moisture penetrates into the formed discontinuities, and the vibrations present in the equipment in use rapidly increase the gap, reaching values of 10–15 mm. The authors of this article proposed the application of a composite layer of multimetal 1018 material without performing additional preparatory operations, ensuring the mandatory penetration of the material into the body of the supporting surface. This depth provides additional stability by maintaining boundary conditions. To determine the rational thickness of the composite layer, mathematical modeling of static loading of samples with different thicknesses in a wide range of values (from 2 mm to 12 mm) was performed. It was determined that the effective implementation of the developed technology was possible due to an increase in the load-bearing capacity of the composite material by creating additional grooves, or artificially creating grooves by welding, in the body of the part with a depth of 2.5–3 mm. The optimal excess of the composite was 1.0–1.5 mm. The proposed technology increases the stability of the composite layer up to three times and allows restoration without the use of mechanical treatment. The increase in the maximum stress values was 770 MPa, compared to the standard technology of 205 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typical empirical study involves choosing a sample, a research design, and an analysis path. Variation in such choices across studies leads to heterogeneity in results that introduce an additional layer of uncertainty, limiting the generalizability of published scientific findings. We provide a framework for studying heterogeneity in the social sciences and divide heterogeneity into population, design, and analytical heterogeneity. Our framework suggests that after accounting for heterogeneity, the probability that the tested hypothesis is true for the average population, design, and analysis path can be much lower than implied by nominal error rates of statistically significant individual studies. We estimate each type's heterogeneity from 70 multilab replication studies, 11 prospective meta-analyses of studies employing different experimental designs, and 5 multianalyst studies. In our data, population heterogeneity tends to be relatively small, whereas design and analytical heterogeneity are large. Our results should, however, be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of studies and the large uncertainty in the heterogeneity estimates. We discuss several ways to parse and account for heterogeneity in the context of different methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many people, COVID‐19 vaccination now informs social identity, triggering prejudice and discrimination toward those with a different vaccination status. As this may jeopardize social cohesion, we investigated the effects of three brief, theory‐informed interventions for reducing ingroup bias in a preregistered experimental intervention study in Germany, assigning vaccinated participants (N = 2016) to one of four conditions: crossed categorization (emphasizing commonalities between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals), recategorization (framing vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals as members of a superordinate ingroup), counter‐stereotypic categorization (encouraging participants to think about mismatched stereotypes), or a control condition (no intervention). As compared to the control condition, crossed categorization and counter‐stereotypic categorization were found to reduce (evaluative) ingroup bias but the observed effects were weak and mostly diminished when controlling for demographic characteristics and vaccination status identification. Overall, the results indicate that none of the three interventions substantially reduced prejudice and discrimination toward the unvaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research helps to clarify the relation between pandemic fatigue (PF) and vaccination intentions (VI). Theoretically, two patterns seem plausible. First, as with any other health protective measure, PF might reduce the motivation to get vaccinated. Second, PF might increase the motivation to get vaccinated because vaccination reduces the number of (other) health protective measure needed. We tested these two opposing predictions and further explored the moderating role of trust in pandemic-relevant institutions on the link between PF and VI in two large-scale survey studies from Denmark and Germany (collected between 2020 and 2021; total N > 22,000). Data was analyzed using multiple regression models. Analyses reveal a negative link between PF and VI that is less pronounced for people high in trust. Results remain stable when accounting for covariates and quadratic trends. Thus, trust might buffer the negative relation between PF and VI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given its importance for the emergence of intergroup conflict, the development of other-regarding preferences toward in-group and out-group members has received increasing attention from various disciplines. The present study investigates children's other-regarding preferences toward in-group and out-group members when allocating resources with positive and negative valence. The 6- and 8-year-olds' (N = 92) task was to allocate resources to themselves versus to an in-group or an out-group member. They demonstrated prosociality more frequently toward in-group than toward out-group recipients and more frequently when positive rather than negative resources were involved. Whereas the importance of the recipient's group membership increased with participants' age, the importance of resource valence decreased. Furthermore, older children, but not younger ones, were more prosocial toward in-group than out-group members in the allocation of negative resources. These findings help to understand the psychological determinants and the ontogenetic origins of other-regarding preferences toward in-group versus out-group members and, hence, individual engagement in intergroup conflict.

Vaccination provides direct protection for the vaccinating individual and indirect protection for other, unvaccinated individuals via herd immunity. Still, some people do not get vaccinated-either because they cannot (e.g., due to health conditions) or they don't want to (e.g., due to vaccine hesitancy). We investigate whether non-vaccinators' level of responsibility for not being vaccinated affects individuals' motivation to vaccinate and, thus, to indirectly protect non-vaccinators. In Study 1 (N = 101), the intention to vaccinate increased (Cohen's d = 0.99) when non-vaccinators were described as willing but unable to get vaccinated (low responsibility) compared to when they were able but unwilling to get vaccinated (high responsibility). Study 2 (N = 297) replicated this finding with regard to vaccination behavior in an interactive vaccination (I-Vax) game (OR = 2.38). Additionally, knowing about non-vaccinators' low responsibility also increased the willingness to vaccinate compared to when there was no information on non-vaccinators' level of responsibility. Amplified levels of social welfare concerns in the case of non-vaccinators' low responsibility mediated the latter effect. This finding informs effective communication strategies for improving the vaccination rates., Author(s): Robert Böhm [sup.1] , Nicolas W. Meier [sup.1] , Marina Groß [sup.1] , Lars Korn [sup.2] [sup.3] , Cornelia Betsch [sup.2] [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 0728 696X, [...]