Conditioned Preference Research Articles

General versus spinal anesthesia in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the preferred treatment for the removal of large kidney stones, sized >20 mm. However, there is still an ongoing debate concerning the best anesthesia for PCNL. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between general and spinal anesthesia for PCNL. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis study. A systematic, electronic literature search was performed in several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar until July 1 st, 2022. The quality of the articles was examined using Crombie's Items (for non-randomized controlled trials(RCTs)) and Jadad Scale (for RCTs). The outcomes assessed were operation time, fluoroscopy time, length of stay, stone-free rate, overall complication rate, specific postoperative complications, cost, pain score, and postoperative analgesic requirement. The article selection was reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We assessed four RCTs and eight retrospective studies. Meta-analysis of selected studies was performed using the Review Manager 5.3. Results: General anesthesia resulted in fewer Clavien-Dindo grade II (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49 - 0.94; p=0.02), major complications (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.45 - 0.94; p=0.02, and lower transfusion rates (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.53 - 0.94; p=0.02). Whereas spinal anesthesia resulted in faster operation time (Mean Difference: -12.98; 95% CI: -20.56 - -5.41; p<0.001, fluoroscopy time (MD: -26.15; 95% CI: -42.79 - -9.50; p=0.002), reduced length of stay (MD: -0.47; 95% CI: -0.75 - 0.20; p<0.001), and lower postoperative analgesic requirement and cost. No significant difference in stone-free rate (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.92 - 1.26; p=0.37). PCNL performed using either general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia is equally safe and effective. Conclusions: Each method of anesthesia has its own advantages and disadvantages. The final choice between general and spinal anesthesia should be based on the patient's condition and surgical team preference.

Water containers and the preferable conditions for laying eggs by Aedes mosquitoes in Maros Regency, South of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

One of the factors that influence the development of mosquitoes is the water container. This study was performed to determine the relationship between the characteristics of water containers and the preferable conditions for laying eggs by Aedes sp. A single larva method was conducted during March 2019 in 300 houses in two villages (Turikale and Adatongeng) at Maros Regency, Indonesia. In total, 1,269 water containers were considered, and among them buckets were found to be the most common container. Logistic regression analysis showed that the type, container location, and weekly drainage were related to the presence of larvae/pupae in the Maros Regency (p-value < 0.05). Non-water containers, which are kept indoors and are not drained at least once a week, have a greater chance of breeding Aedes sp. More attention is given to non-water containers that are located inside the house. Prevention activities, especially draining water containers properly at least once a week ensures that they do not become breeding sites for Aedes sp. mosquitoes and helps to prevent the transmission of dengue viral fever.

Yükseköğretimde Çeşitliliği ve Kültürlere Duyarlı Pedagojiyi Teşvik Etmek

A student's contribution to and performance in the classroom should be taken into consideration when making decisions about their academic success, not their race, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, belief system, age, sexual preference, or physical or mental condition. Today, there is growing interest in culturally responsive education as a result of increasing student diversity and educators' efforts to provide a more inclusive and equitable educational experience that can respond to this diversity. This study aims to identify the pedagogical approaches and the cultural sensitivity of these approaches that determine how academics connect with, relate to, and teach their culturally and racially diverse students. The data from this phenomenological study were obtained through focus-group interviews with six faculty members working in various higher education institutions. The findings show that faculty members' knowledge of culturally responsive teaching and teaching strategies is inadequate. According to the participants, exams, crowded classrooms, teaching materials, and societal perceptions are the main barriers to achieving culturally responsive education. To reach all students and ensure their success, it is expected that this study will give faculty members insight into how to develop inclusive skills, positive attitudes, and culturally sensitive pedagogy.

Field study on pregnant women's thermal preference in different trimesters in winter

This study investigated the differences in the thermal preferences of pregnant women during various trimesters and the factors influencing these preferences. The survey was conducted in a hospital waiting room, encompassing the testing of thermal environmental parameters, and the distribution of questionnaires to pregnant women. These questionnaires encompassed various aspects, including basic information, thermal responses, pregnancy diseases, and more. In total, 1388 questionnaires were collected, distributed across the first trimester (225 participants), second trimester (498 participants), and third trimester (665 participants). The findings revealed a notable shift in the thermal preferences of pregnant women as their pregnancies progressed, transitioning from a preference for warmer conditions to a preference for cooler environments. Specifically, the mean thermal preference scores for the first, second, and third trimesters were 0.82, −0.27, and −1.76, respectively. These shifting preferences were associated with various factors, including pregnancy diseases, pre-pregnancy body mass index (PBMI), and exercise habits. Notably, hyperthyroidism, a higher PBMI, and regular exercise were correlated with a preference for cooler conditions, whereas hypothyroidism, anemia, a lower PBMI, and rare exercise were associated with a preference for warmer environments. Furthermore, it was observed that the actual neutral temperatures for pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters were 20.3 °C, 19.5 °C, and 19 °C, respectively. By contrast, the predicted neutral temperatures were 23.5 °C for the first and third trimesters and 23.4 °C for the second trimester. This indicated that the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model tended to underestimate the acceptability that pregnant women experienced in colder environments. Given the unique thermal preferences of pregnant women, further research is essential to refine thermal comfort parameters and the PMV model tailored specifically to this demographic.

Reconstruction of a Genome-Scale Metabolic Model of Scenedesmus obliquus and Its Application for Lipid Production under Three Trophic Modes.

Green microalgae have emerged as beneficial feedstocks for biofuel production. A systems-level understanding of the biochemical network is needed to harness the microalgal metabolic capacity for bioproduction. Genome-scale metabolic modeling (GEM) showed immense potential in rational metabolic engineering, utilizing biochemical flux distribution analysis. Here, we report the first GEM for the green microalga, Scenedesmus obliquus (iAR632), a promising biodiesel feedstock with high lipid-storing capability. iAR632 comprises 1467 reactions, 734 metabolites, and 632 genes distributed among 7 compartments. The model was optimized under three different trophic modes of microalgal cultivation, i.e., autotrophy, mixotrophy, and heterotrophy. The robustness of the reconstructed network was confirmed by analyzing its sensitivity to the biomass components. Pathway-level flux profiles were analyzed, and significant flux space expansion was noticed majorly in reactions associated with lipid biosynthesis. In agreement with the experimental observation, iAR632 predicted about 3.8-fold increased biomass and almost 4-fold higher lipid under mixotrophy than the other trophic modes. Thus, the assessment of the condition-specific metabolic flux distribution of iAR632 suggested that mixotrophy is the preferred cultivation condition for improved microalgal growth and lipid production. Overall, the reconstructed GEM and subsequent analyses will provide a systematic framework for developing model-driven strategies to improve microalgal bioproduction.

Surface reconstruction of copper foil via electrochemical etching to proliferate CH4 production from CO2 electroreduction

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (eCO2R) to CH4 is a prospective approach for producing high value-added fuels. In this work, an effective approach was proposed by surface reconstruction using copper foil to facilitate eCO2R to CH4. The copper foil surface reconstruction was achieved via electrochemical etching in dilute phosphoric acid. Comprehensive characterizations suggested that the crystallinity and chemical binding energy states of the copper foil were well preserved after surface reconstruction, but the arrangement of copper atoms on the surface was adjusted. Etching time for 80 s was the most preferable condition, obtaining a uniform valley pattern structure with abundant grain boundaries, reporting the highest CH4 Faraday efficiency of 68.84% which was an order of magnitude higher compared to green foil counterpart. The relevant partial current density, CH4 production rate, and half-cell power conversion energy were measured to be −16.32 mA cm−2, 0.174 μmol s−1 cm−2, and 28.8% respectively from eCO2R at −1.3 V (vs. RHE). The in-situ ATR-IR spectroscopy confirmed that the surface reconstructed copper foil can significantly strengthen the adsorption of the *CO intermediate, facilitating its further hydrogenation to produce CH4 instead of dimerization to give C2 products. This work expanded the method of surface modification for copper foil via electrochemical etching and realized the regulation of geometric morphology on catalyst surface to obtain the desired performance for CO2 electroreduction reaction.

Relationships between water quality and mosquito presence and abundance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) are emerging in response to climate and land use changes. As mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) habitat selection is often contingent on water availability for egg and larval development, studies have recognized water quality also influences larval habitats. However, underlying species-, genera-, and mosquito level preferences for water quality conditions are varied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify, characterize, appraise, and synthesize available global data on the relationships between water quality and mosquito presence and abundance (MPA); with the goal to further our understanding of the geographic expansion of MBD risks. A systematic review was conducted to identify studies investigating the relationships between water quality properties and MPA. Where appropriate, random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to provide pooled estimates for the association between the most reported water quality properties and MPA. The most reported water quality parameters were pH (87%), nitrogen concentrations (56%), turbidity (56%), electrical conductivity (54%), dissolved oxygen (43%), phosphorus concentrations (30%), and alkalinity (10%). Overall, pH (P = 0.05), turbidity (P < 0.0001), electrical conductivity (P = 0.005), dissolved oxygen (P < 0.0001), nitrogen (P < 0.0001), and phosphorus (P < 0.0001) showed significantly positive pooled correlations with MPA, while alkalinity showed a nonsignificant null pooled correlation (P = 0.85). We observed high heterogeneity in most meta-analyses, and climate zonation was shown to influence the pooled estimates. Linkages between MPA and water quality properties will enhance our capacity to predict MBD risks under changing environmental and land use changes.

Relaxing and stimulating ambient odors influence preferences for musical tempo

It has recently been shown that relaxing and stimulating odors distort time perception by slowing down or speeding up the pacemaker of the internal clock. Since individuals tend to prefer musical tempo at the rate of the pacemaker, we examined whether relaxing and stimulating ambient odors could bias tempo preference in a study in which the musical stimuli were unfamiliar pleasant musical excerpts. Participants listened to pairs of excerpts played at slightly different tempi and had to indicate which one they preferred. We hypothesized that participants exposed to a relaxing odor (strawberry) would prefer the slower excerpts while participants exposed to a stimulating odor (lemon) would prefer the faster excerpts. As expected, the findings showed that participants in the control (no odor) condition preferred the slower of the fast-tempo pairs of excerpts and the faster of the slow-tempo pairs, indicating a preference bias for moderate tempo. Preferences in both odor conditions differed significantly from those in the control condition such that no such preference bias was observed. There was an interaction between tempo and odor such that participants showed no preference for the slower of the fast-tempo pairs of excerpts in the presence of a lemon odor, and no preference for the faster of the slow-tempo pairs in the presence of a strawberry odor. To our knowledge, this is the first time it has been shown that odors can alter the rate of the pacemaker without participants being conscious of the presence of an olfactory stimulus in the environment.

Ideal water temperature environment for giant Marimo (Aegagropila linnaei) in Lake Akan, Japan

Aegagropila linnaei is a filamentous green algal species that often forms beautiful spherical shapes called "lake balls" or "Marimo". A. linnaei were once globally distributed around the world, but the population has been declining for several decades. Lake Akan, in Japan, is now the only lake in the world with a colony of giant Marimo (over 20 cm in diameter). Here we show the net growth rate of Marino resulting from photosynthesis and decomposition based on laboratory experiments, MRI analysis, and quantitative element analysis, which show the decomposition rate, the maximum annual Marimo diametric growth rate, and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, respectively. We found an explicit dependence of the decomposition rate of Marimo on the cumulative water temperature, with a threshold of 7 °C. MRI analysis showed a high correlation among a Marimo's diameter, surface thickness, and annual diametric growth rate. Moreover, the C/N ratio was high in the exterior side of the surface thickness, indicating that this layer is the main growth area for photosynthesis. These results suggest that the central cavity and the surface thickness represent the change in the growth environment such as water temperature and light intensity. Between the 1980s and the present, Between the 1980s and the present, the cumulative water temperature has increased from about 1250 to about 1600 °C-days. Therefore, the maximum surface thickness has decreased by approximately 1 cm, as estimated by water temperature records and annual diametric growth rates10. As a measure to preserve preferable conditions for colonies of giant Marimo in the face of global warming, the flow of low-temperature river water into Marimo colonies should be protected.

Establishing a link between complex courtyard spaces and thermal comfort: A major advancement in evidence-based design

Amidst climate change, the importance of climate-adaptive design in architecture and landscape design has surged, particularly in residential courtyards, where optimizing the microclimate is paramount to residents' well-being. Traditional spatial indices, however, fall short in accurately characterizing complex courtyards and local spatial features. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces pixel-level spatial indicators that effectively overcome these constraints. These indicators are implemented using computational geometry algorithms such as Ray Tracing, Flood Fill, and A*, enabling simulation of various courtyard spatial indicator maps. We also utilize Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-based rapid thermal comfort simulation technology to generate thermal comfort maps. By applying data mining methods such as Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Pearson correlation, and Nearest-neighbor interpolation, we explore the relationships between spatial indicators and thermal comfort, ultimately identifying key indicators and determining the guiding thresholds and influencing trends corresponding to heat discomfort frequency. Six key indicators and th emerge: Building View Factor (BVF), indicating building coverage visibility (prefer above 0.11); Solar Beam Fraction (BEAM), illustrating Summer solstice sun shading condition (prefer below 0.78); Averaged View Factor (AVF), showing overall visibility (prefer below 0.40); Directional Sky View Factor (DSVF(W)), reflecting sky visibility in a specific orientation (prefer below 0.73); Tree View Factor (TVF), denoting tree coverage visibility (prefer above 0.18); and Plan Water Ratio (PWR), signifying water surface proportion (aim for below 0.44). These insights, integrated into design tools, contribute to evidence-based microclimate regulation strategies, thereby enhancing urban residents' thermal comfort and overall well-being.

The status of breeding Red-throated Divers Gavia stellata and Black-throated Divers Gavia arctica in Kintyre, Scotland, 2016–2020

ABSTRACT Capsule An onshore wind farm monitoring programme carried out across Kintyre, Scotland from 2016 to 2020 provided an insight into the status of the area’s breeding Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata and Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica populations and their current threats. Aims This study provides an example of targeted monitoring undertaken for a renewables development which can inform conservation decision-making at a population and species level. The aims were to: (i) determine the population status of the breeding diver populations; (ii) determine whether the Cour Wind Farm, or other wind farms in Kintyre, have had any effects on the populations; and (iii) identify the most likely conservation threats to breeding divers within Kintyre. Methods Annual breeding diver surveys across Kintyre recorded presence, breeding activity and productivity. Within the Cour Wind Farm site carcass searches were conducted to record any incidences of diver collisions with wind turbines. Results Divers were recorded on approximately one third of waterbodies monitored in each year. The current Kintyre breeding populations are estimated to be 18–23 Red-throated Diver pairs, and between two and six Black-throated Diver pairs. The Kintyre Red-throated Diver population appears to have lower productivity rates than the UK average. Predation and interspecific competition may be limiting breeding success. No Black-throated Divers were observed to have successfully bred in Kintyre from 2016 to 2020, which may be partly due to a shortage of waterbodies with preferred conditions for nesting. No diver collisions were recorded during carcass searches and there is no evidence to suggest that the Cour Wind Farm is influencing the numbers or distribution of divers. Conclusion The Kintyre Red-throated Diver population may be, and the Black-throated Diver population is likely to be, in unfavourable condition. Opportunities for conservation should be considered, particularly to manage waterbodies so that they are optimal for breeding.

In vitro culture of wild Vanda tricolor Lindley seeds from Kintamani, Bali, as initial step for conservation

Vanda tricolor is an endemic orchid from Indonesia that can be found in Bali. As part of Orchidaceae, Vanda tricolor is facing the same problem as other orchid species, their seeds have various requirements for germination which causes a low germination rate. Preventing this endangered orchid from extinction with tissue culture not only maintains the genetic diversity but also understanding the growth factors of this very species. The aim of this research was to analyze how sterilization, medium, and light affect the germination of V. tricolor. Wild V. tricolor pod from Buahan Village, Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Bali, was sterilized with 2g/L fungicide, 1,05% and 0,79% NaClO; while seeds were sterilized with 1,05% NaClO. The seeds from these two different sterilization methods were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, Vacin and Went (VW) medium, Organic 1 (O1) medium, and Organic 2 (O2) medium, then half of them were placed under LED light and the rest were kept on dark. Each one of the sixteen treatment combinations was replicated six times. Seed sterilization with 1,05% NaClO showed better results than pod sterilization. Seeds started to germinate 3 weeks after sown with the highest germination rate occurred on seeds cultured on MS medium under LED light. This study revealed tissue culture with different treatments will aid to understand the preferred germination condition for wild Vanda tricolor and support its conservation.

316.4: Thirty seven degrees Celsius is preferable temperature condition for long-term culture of porcine islets

316.4: Thirty seven degrees Celsius is preferable temperature condition for long-term culture of porcine islets

Thermodynamic approach for hydrogen production from the steam reforming reaction of aromatic hydrocarbons (BTX)

This study investigates the preferred reaction conditions through thermodynamic analysis to produce hydrogen from the steam reforming of BTX, a mixture of benzene (C6H6), toluene (C7H8), and xylene (C8H10). A thermodynamic equilibrium analysis employing the minimization of Gibbs free energy was used to investigate the effects of temperatures (200–1000 °C), S/C ratios (0.5–4.0), and pressure (1–20 atm) on the molar fraction at equilibrium, conversion (C6H6, C7H8, C8H10), selectivity (C, CO, CO2, CH4), moles (H2 and CH4), and H2 yield. The steam reforming of BTX is a complex process that involves various reactions such as steam reforming, cracking, carbon formation, and water-gas shift reactions. It was confirmed that cracking does not occur above 700 °C, and carbon deposition does not form with S/C ratio higher than 3.0. In addition, the steam reforming reaction of BTX was found to be favorable at low pressure. To minimize undesirable reactions, such as cracking and carbon deposition, and enhance hydrogen production, the optimal conditions were identified as S/C ratio of 3.0, temperature of at least 700 °C, and atmospheric pressure. This research contributes valuable insights into the steam reforming of BTX, highlighting the optimal conditions that maximize hydrogen production while minimizing unwanted reactions. By identifying these conditions, the study underlines the importance and innovation in the hydrogen production field, potentially guiding future research and industrial applications.

Preparation and Application of Amino-Terminated Hyperbranched Magnetic Composites in High-Turbidity Water Treatment.

In order to separate the colloidal in high-turbidity water, a kind of magnetic composite (Fe3O4/HBPN) was prepared via the functional assembly of Fe3O4 and an amino-terminal hyperbranched polymer (HBPN). The physical and chemical characteristics of Fe3O4@HBPN were investigated by different means. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed that the characteristic absorption peaks positioned at 1110 cm-1, 1468 cm-1, 1570 cm-1 and 1641 cm-1 were ascribed to C-N, H-N-C, N-H and C=O bonds, respectively. The shape and size of Fe3O4/HBPN showed a different and uneven distribution; the particles clumped together and were coated with an oil-like film. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) displayed that the main elements of Fe3O4/HBPN were C, N, O, and Fe. The superparamagnetic properties and good magnetic response were revealed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis. The characteristic diffraction peaks of Fe3O4/HBPN were observed at 2θ = 30.01 (220), 35.70 (311), 43.01 (400), 56.82 (511), and 62.32 (440), which indicated that the intrinsic phase of magnetite remained. The zeta potential measurement indicated that the surface charge of Fe3O4/HBPN was positive in the pH range 4-10. The mass loss of Fe3O4/HBPN in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) proved thermal decomposition. The -C-NH2 or -C-NH perssad of HBPN were linked and loaded with Fe3O4 particles by the N-O bonds. When the Fe3O4/HBPN dosage was 2.5 mg/L, pH = 4-5, the kaolin concentration of 1.0 g/L and the magnetic field of 3800 G were the preferred reaction conditions. In addition, a removal efficiency of at least 86% was reached for the actual water treatment. Fe3O4/HBPN was recycled after the first application and reused five times. The recycling efficiency and removal efficiency both showed no significant difference five times (p > 0.05), and the values were between 84.8% and 86.9%.

Investigating comprehensive effects of depuration salinity and duration on posterior anhydrous living-preservation of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Depuration and anhydrous living-preservation are two important and consecutive steps during the circulation of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and two main factors in depuration, salinity and duration, are pivotal to posterior anhydrous living-preservation of C. gigas. In this work, the comprehensive effects of depuration salinity (26–38 g/L) and duration (0–72 h) on anhydrous living-preservation at 4 °C for 7 days were investigated in regard of mortality, biochemical indexes (fatty acids profile analysis, glycogen) and proteome changes as well. The results showed that the mortality of C. gigas increased obviously with 72 h depuration and especially with 20 % salinity fluctuation, concomitantly accompanying metabolism disorder. Furthermore, alterations in salinity and duration resulted in 381 different expression proteins (DEPs), which were gotten more involved in the pathways related to amino acid metabolism. Taken together, it was suggested that duration < 48 h and salinity fluctuations lower than 10 % were the preferred conditions for anhydrous living-preservation.

Probabilistic estimation of comprehensive utility based on user preference and network condition for network selection in future in HetNet

Probabilistic estimation of comprehensive utility based on user preference and network condition for network selection in future in HetNet

Handling qualitative conditional preference queries in SPARQL: possibilistic logic approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the need for new approaches in locating items that closely match user preference criteria due to the rise in data volume of knowledge bases resulting from Open Data initiatives. Specifically, the paper focuses on evaluating SPARQL qualitative preference queries over user preferences in SPARQL.Design/methodology/approachThe paper outlines a novel approach for handling SPARQL preference queries by representing preferences through symbolic weights using the possibilistic logic (PL) framework. This approach allows for the management of symbolic weights without relying on numerical values, using a partial ordering system instead. The paper compares this approach with numerous other approaches, including those based on skylines, fuzzy sets and conditional preference networks.FindingsThe paper highlights the advantages of the proposed approach, which enables the representation of preference criteria through symbolic weights and qualitative considerations. This approach offers a more intuitive way to convey preferences and manage rankings.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates the usefulness and originality of the proposed SPARQL language in the PL framework. The approach extends SPARQL by incorporating symbolic weights and qualitative preferences.

The role of thermal tolerance in determining elevational distributions of four arthropod taxa in mountain ranges of southern Asia.

Understanding the role of thermal tolerances in determining species distributions is important for assessing species responses to climate change. Two hypotheses linking physiology with species distributions have been put forward-the climatic variability hypothesis and the climatic extreme hypothesis. The climatic variability hypothesis predicts the selection of individuals with broad thermal tolerance in more variable climatic conditions and the climatic extreme hypothesis predicts the selection of individuals with extreme thermal tolerance values under extreme climatic conditions. However, no study has tested the predictions of these hypotheses simultaneously for several taxonomic groups along elevational gradients. Here, we related experimentally measured critical thermal maxima, critical thermal minima and thermal tolerance breadths for 15,187 individuals belonging to 116 species of ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders from mountain ranges in central and northern Pakistan to the limits and breadths of their geographic and temperature range. Across all species and taxonomic groups, we found strong relationships between thermal traits and elevational distributions both in terms of geography and temperature. The relationships were robust when repeating the analyses for ants, grasshoppers, and spiders but not for beetles. These results indicate a strong role of physiology in determining elevational distributions of arthropods in Southern Asia. Overall, we found strong support for the climatic variability hypothesis and the climatic extreme hypothesis. A close association between species' distributional limits and their thermal tolerances suggest that in case of a failure to adapt or acclimate to novel climatic conditions, species may be under pressure to track their preferred climatic conditions, potentially facing serious consequences under current and future climate change.

Evolution of Semi-Kantian Preferences in Two-Player Assortative Interactions with Complete and Incomplete Information and Plasticity

We model the evolution of preferences guiding behavior in pairwise interactions in group-structured populations. The model uses long-term evolution theory to examine different interaction scenarios, including conditional preference expression upon recognition of the partner’s type. We apply the model to the evolution of semi-Kantian preferences at the fitness level, which combine self-interest and a Kantian interest evaluating own behavior in terms of consequences for own fitness if the partner also adopted this behavior. We seek the convergence stable and uninvadable value of the Kantian coefficient, i.e., the weight attached to the Kantian interest, a quantitative trait varying between zero and one. We consider three scenarios: (a) incomplete information; (b) complete information and incomplete plasticity; and (c) complete information and complete plasticity, where individuals not only recognize the type of their interaction partner (complete information), but also conditionally express the Kantian coefficient upon it (complete plasticity). For (a), the Kantian coefficient generally evolves to equal the coefficient of neutral relatedness between interacting individuals; for (b), it evolves to a value that depends on demographic and interaction assumptions, while for (c) there are generally multiple uninvadable types, including the type whereby an individual is a pure Kantian when interacting with individuals of the same type and applies the Kantian coefficient that is uninvadable under complete information with zero relatedness when interacting with a different typed individual. Overall, our model connects several concepts for analysing the evolution of behavior rules for strategic interactions that have been emphasized in different and sometimes isolated studies.