46622 research outputs found
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Explainable Artificial Intelligence
No full textThis open access five-volume set constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second World Conference on Explainable Artificial Intelligence, xAI 2025, held in Istanbul, Turkey, during July 2025. The 96 revised full papers presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 224 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Volume I: Concept-based Explainable AI; human-centered explainability; explainability, privacy, and fairness in trustworthy AI; and XAI in healthcare. Volume II: Rule-based XAI systems & actionable explainable AI; features importance-based XAI; novel post-hoc & ante-hoc XAI approaches; and XAI for scientific discovery. Volume III: Generative AI meets explainable AI; Intrinsically interpretable explainable AI; benchmarking and XAI evaluation measures; and XAI for representational alignment. Volume IV: XAI in computer vision; counterfactuals in XAI; explainable sequential decision making; and explainable AI in finance & legal frameworks for XAI technologies. Volume V: Applications of XAI; human-centered XAI & argumentation; explainable and interactive hybrid decision making; and uncertainty in explainable AI
A New Blueprint for Brain Health
No full textThis open access book presents an integrative vision to achieve better brain health. Across the globe is a growing awareness of the impact of neurological conditions and mental health on wellbeing. Also as populations age, the number of people impacted by brain health conditions also grows, shining a light on the need for brain health “solutions” that are sustainable. Although the knowledge of what is working for a variety of brain health conditions continues to expand, we need to realize that not all solutions will come from medical research. What is needed to address brain health in a more sustainable way is a better understanding of the care that community provides and how a vision of better brain health will be found by deepening our understanding of the role of community and elevating the value of their contributions. Community organizations provide frontline care and have a tangible understanding of the needs that accompany the populations above. This means they are well equipped to provide local and accessible care. Community is a place in which brain health solutions can be delivered in a sustainable, effective, efficient, equitable and person-centered way. As such, the knowledge community organizations can contribute to the bigger picture of health care is important. This project responds to the need to better understand community care by highlighting how the role of evaluative thinking in the community sector can help us generate evidence to navigate towards better brain health futures. By first recognizing and then supporting community-led care, we can expand how we view and receive care. Along these lines, the book moves from a view of healthcare as being only delivered in hospitals and clinics to recognizing the continuum of care and integration of healthcare options. It provides a space for stories of health care solutions that indeed have connected health to the social and the community sectors. By exploring community interventions that have been integrated with biomedical/neuroscientific solutions, we will learn how integrated sustainable solutions can be created. The role of evaluation in helping facilitate the creation of such solutions also will be explored. This project is a partnership between the Ontario Brain Institute and the Evaluation Centre for Complex Health Interventions and reflects our collective learnings from our work in developmental evaluation and brain health
Uprisings in Bahrain and Syria
No full textThe book explores the transformation and eventual dismissal of the reform intentions following the 2011 Uprisings, highlighting the shift toward survival struggles and the normalization of authoritarian regimes. It features diverse perspectives from activists, political leaders and ordinary citizens in Bahrain and Syria, humanizing the narrative by showcasing personal experiences related to the Uprisings. This book examines the complex dynamics of sectarian identities during pivotal state formation processes and uprisings, analyzing how securitization and de-securitization have influenced political landscapes in Bahrain and Syria. Additionally, the book provides essential historical context for understanding the emergence of the Arab Uprisings by tracing the roots of political discontent, sectarian tensions, and socioeconomic grievances. A deep historical analysis, the book will serve as a valuable resource for academics, students and policymakers in Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, politics and international relations
Bridging the Gap Between AI and Reality
No full textThis open access book constitutes selected papers of the proceedings of the Third International Conference on Bridging the Gap between AI and Reality, AISoLA 2025, which took place in Rhodes, Greece, in November 2025. The papers included in this book focus on the following topics: AI assisted programming; digital humanities; approaches of using formal methods and ai in health care; models for trustworthy autonomous systems; responsible and trusted AI; safe autonomous vehicles; statistical model checking; verification and learning for assured autonomy; verification for neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence
Central European Presidents, Prime Ministers, and War
No full textThis open access book provides an in-depth exploration of how presidents, prime ministers, and their cabinets manage relationships and make decisions in times of international crises. The authors focus particularly on war and its effect on executive dualism and presidential activism. This systematic analysis concentrates on four Central European countries – Poland, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia – and examines the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as earlier conflicts: the Kosovo crisis (1999), the Iraq War (2003), the Russo-Georgian War (2008), and Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the emergence of separatist “republics” in eastern Ukraine (2014). All these conflicts had a major political impact on the political landscape of Central Europe, often empowering presidents, who represent the state externally and influence foreign and security policies
Shaping Circular Transitions in the Built Environment
No full textThis open access book explores how to operationalise circular economy principles in the built environment by turning barriers into enablers of systemic change. Drawing on research from the COST Action CircularB, it examines technical, regulatory, economic, and cultural obstacles while highlighting the enabling role of digital tools, innovative business models, and harmonised indicators. The book examines how circularity is integrated into European and national policies, public procurement, and urban strategies, offering a comparative analysis of best practices and policy gaps. It also addresses the need for standardised terminology and frameworks to support the integration of circularity in design, assessment, and construction. Featuring a curated glossary of over 400 terms, the book fosters shared understanding across disciplines. Combining critical analysis with actionable insights, it equips professionals and policymakers with tools to support a regenerative and resource-efficient transition in the construction and urban sectors
The Russia-Ukraine War and its Origins
No full textThis open access book examines the Russia-Ukraine war and its origins. Based on analysis of a large number of primary and secondary sources, it provides a systematic analysis of this crucial war, its nature, outcome, possibility of peaceful settlement, violence against civilians, and origins. The book examines the role of such factors as the NATO accession of Ukraine, Russian imperialism, democracy, genocide, and the far-right in the start of the war and traces the conflict escalation ladder, which culminated in this war, to preceding violent conflicts in Ukraine, in particular, the Euromaidan, the Maidan massacre, the Russian annexation of Crimea, and the war in Donbas. The Russia-Ukraine war is the most significant armed conflict of the 21st century in the entire world and in Europe since World War Two in terms of countries involved, casualties inflicted, and actual and potential impact in the world. This book analyzes the involvement of different conflict parties, such as the Ukrainian, Russian, and Western governments, Donbas separatists, and the far right, in this crucial war and in the Euromaidan, the Maidan massacre, the Russian annexation of Crimea, and the war in Donbas, and the nature of these conflicts. This book also examines support for pro-Western/pro-nationalist and pro-Russian/pro-communist political parties and presidential candidates and attitudes towards separatism and joining the European Union, NATO, and the union with Russia in regions of Ukraine in parliamentary and presidential elections and surveys since the Euromaidan
