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1. Individual differences in language acquisition: The impact of study abroad on native speakers learning English

   Wayland, Ratree; Meyer, Rachel; Vellozzi; Tang, Kevin (September 2025, Speech Coomunication)

   This study investigated the acquisition of lenition in Spanish voiced stops (/b, d, ɡ/) by native English speakers during a study-abroad program, focusing on individual differences and in昀氀uencing factors. Lenition, characterized by the weakening of stops into fricative-like ([β], [ð], [ɣ]) or approximant-like ([β̞], [ð̞], [ɣ̞ ]) forms, poses challenges for L2 learners due to its gradient nature and the absence of analogous approximant forms in English. Results indicated that learners aligned with native speakers in recognizing voicing as the primary cue for lenition, yet their productions diverged, favoring fricative-like over approximant-like realizations. This preference re昀氀ects the combined in昀氀uence of articulatory ease, acoustic salience, and cognitive demands. Individual variability in learners’ trajectories highlights the role of exposure to native input and sociolinguistic engagement. Learners bene昀椀tting from richer, informal interactions with native speakers showed greater alignment with native patterns, while others demonstrated more limited progress. However, native input alone was insuf昀椀cient for learners to internalize subtler distinctions such as place of articulation and stress. These 昀椀ndings emphasize the need for combining immersive experiences with targeted instructional strategies to address articulatory and cognitive challenges. This study contributes to the understanding of L2 phonological acquisition and offers insights for designing more effective language learning programs to support lenition acquisition in Spanish. 

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2. Time dependence of corrosion resistance in belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement concrete

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106099  

   Adnan, Tayyab; Bescher, Éric P; Thomas, Robert J (August 2025, Cement and Concrete Composites)

   This paper studies the time dependence of corrosion resistance in belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement concrete. BCSA is a hydraulic cement that sets rapidly and has a lower carbon footprint than portland cement (PC). Some studies suggest that BCSA concrete is highly susceptible to chloride-induced corrosion, but these claims are based on testing at 28 days. No later-age results have been reported. We con昀椀rm that BCSA cement concrete exhibits poor corrosion resistance when tested at 28 days, which can be attributed to an immature microstructure with weak resistance to chloride ingress and a pore solution that does not support passivation. We further show that corrosion resistance improves signi昀椀cantly as the BCSA system matures, achieving good corrosion resistance between 90 and 180 days. This improvement relates to the slow hydration of belite, which results in signi昀椀cant later-age microstructure re昀椀nement and probably alters the pore solution in a way that promotes or enhances steel passivation. 

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3. Interpreting floodplain heterogeneity: Using field data to understand unsupervised floodplain classifications.

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130508  

   Iskin, Emily; Wohl, Ellen (November 2023, Journal of hydrology)

   The dynamic environment of natural river 昀氀oodplains creates spatial heterogeneity that in昀氀uences 昀氀oodplain functions. Diverse human activities have homogenized natural 昀氀oodplains and reduced their functions across many river networks in the temperate latitudes. Consequently, quanti昀椀cation of 昀氀oodplain heterogeneity is needed to understand patterns of spatial heterogeneity on diverse 昀氀oodplains and to inform 昀氀oodplain restoration. We use a novel approach of spatially connecting 昀椀eld and remotely sensed data in order to interpret the output of, and build upon, a previous unsupervised classi昀椀cation work昀氀ow. We apply the method to three rivers in the US Paci昀椀c Northwest and the Altamaha River in the southeastern US and compare our results to a previous study. We 昀椀nd that 昀椀eld classi昀椀cations, relative topography, and NDVI are useful for interpreting results from the unsupervised classi昀椀cation work昀氀ow. The interpretations are visually interesting, but we propose that it is the heterogeneity within the groups that is vital to 昀氀oodplain functioning. Natural 昀氀oodplains in the Paci昀椀c Northwest and coastal Southeast have moderate to high evenness, moderate to high intermixing, and moderate aggregation; and aggregation and evenness similar to rivers in Colorado and Oklahoma, USA, but lower intermixing. We attribute lower intermixing at the Altamaha River to slower rates of lateral channel migration, and lower intermixing at the Hoh River to the different hydrologic and sediment regimes and less stable braided planform. The results show that the larger rivers in this study (Altamaha, Hoh, and Sol Duc Rivers) have spatial heterogeneity similar to beaver-modi昀椀ed and shortgrass prairie rivers in Colorado, whereas the more inland and smaller river (Lookout Creek) has spatial heterogeneity similar to the tallgrass prairie site (Sand Creek). From the results of an ad hoc sensitivity analysis, we suggest using the highest spatial resolution topographic data available, using aerial imagery/mosaics from the same sensor, and removing largest patch index from the suite of comparable indices. The metrics reveal similarities and differences between rivers in the United States, and indicate that discernable trends may arise from a meta study comparing heterogeneity from more rivers across the country. 

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4. Listening with one hemisphere: A review of auditory processing among individuals after hemispheric surgery

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.109019  

   Harford, Emily E; Smith, Erin D; Holt, Lori L; Abel, Taylor J (December 2024, Neuropsychologia)

   The human auditory system consists of both peripheral and central components, both of which play a role but contribute distinctly to overall auditory functioning and can be differentially impacted by pathophysiologic states. Hemispheric surgery (HS), a procedure used for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, involves com- plete disconnection of the auditory cortex in the operative hemisphere, leaving hearing acuity (peripheral function) intact but having heavy implications for auditory processing (central function). The literature describing pre- and post-operative auditory processing abilities of individuals who have undergone HS is sparse, but the research available provides evidence that several central auditory processes including auditory spatial analysis and temporal processing may be impacted. De昀椀cits noted in standardized testing within the clinical or research environment have concrete functional impacts that may be currently under-appreciated and could lead to under-utilization of appropriate therapeutic strategies and accommodations. This review describes the pro昀椀le of central auditory processing abilities in patients who have undergone HS by synthesizing available literature and incorporating research in other clinical populations to help 昀椀ll critical gaps in our understanding of how cerebral disconnection impacts the central auditory system. 

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5. Water Responsive Fabrics with Artificial Leaf Stomata

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s42765-023-00269-5  

   Lao, Lihong; Bai, Hedan; Fan, Jintu (January 2023, Advanced Fiber Materials)

   Abstract Due to fiber swelling, textile fabrics containing hygroscopic fibers tend to decrease pore size under wet or increasing humidity and moisture conditions, the reverse being true. Nevertheless, for personal thermal regulation and comfort, the opposite is desirable, namely, increasing the fabric pore size under increasing humid and sweating conditions for enhanced ventilation and cooling, and a decreased pore size under cold and dry conditions for heat retention. This paper describes a novel approach to create such an unconventional fabric by emulating the structure of the plant leaf stomata by designing a water responsive polymer system in which the fabric pores increase in size when wet and decrease in size when dry. The new fabric increases its moisture permeability over 50% under wet conditions. Such a water responsive fabric can find various applications including smart functional clothing and sportswear. Graphical Abstract 

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