bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using policy scenarios to assess challenges and opportunities for reaching restoration targets in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
Authors: Shennan-Farpón Yara , Soterroni Aline C , Scarabello Marluce , Visconti Piero
Published: June 2024

Brazil’s Atlantic Forest is a global restoration hotspot. Most of the remaining forest areas are degraded and separated by large cities, and agricultural lands essential for national food security. Brazil’s restoration agenda is defined by multiple national and global restoration targets and policies, including Brazil’s Native Vegetation Protection Law (No. 12,651/2012) also known as the Forest Code, which sets minimum levels of native vegetation to be maintained or restored in rural properties. In this study we simulate the impacts of alternative restoration policies addressing targets for Brazil, and explore their impacts on selected terrestrial species and agricultural development potential in the Atlantic Forest biome. Our results show several policy options could result in different restoration amounts and spatial distributions being implemented between 2020 and 2050, but trade-offs between agriculture, biodiversity and rural livelihoods differ. Compared to the baseline scenario (implementation of the Forest Code), a scenario which focuses restoration on small farms (not mandated to undergo restoration under the current legislation) could increase forest area by 6.7 Mha across the biome (139% more than with the Forest Code), while a scenario which maximizes biodiversity gains could lead to an additional 3.9 Mha by 2050 (81% more compared to the Forest Code). We find that our restoration scenarios still allow cropland expansion and an increase in cattle herd, while pasturelands decrease. There are relatively small agricultural production losses under the alternative restoration scenarios when compared to the baseline (up to 14.4%), meaning that cattle ranching intensification is critical to enable large-scale restoration to co-exist with agricultural production. Our scenarios suggest that ambitious restoration targets in the Atlantic Forest biome (up to 15.5 Mha, consistent with existing regional initiatives) could be feasible with necessary improvements in pasture yield and a focus on scaling up support and developing restoration policies for smallholder farmers.
The potential to increase food system resilience by replacing feed imports with domestic food system byproducts
Authors: Sandström Vilma , Kastner Thomas , Schwarzmueller Florian , Kummu Matti
Published: June 2024

Many key feed commodities used in livestock and aquaculture production are highly traded in global agricultural markets. The dependence on these imported inputs may create vulnerabilities for importing countries when disturbances in global trade flows occur. Replacing feed imports with domestic food system byproducts—i.e. secondary products from crop, livestock and aquaculture processing—offers a solution to decrease trade dependency, increase food system resilience, and contribute to environmental sustainability. The potential impacts of such replacements on global food-trade patterns—and consequently on heightened self-sufficiency—remain largely unexplored. In this study, we assessed the material flows in the global feed trade at the country level and estimated the potential to replace imported feeds with more efficient use of domestic food system byproducts. We focus on three key feed groups in both livestock and aquaculture production: cereals, oilseed meals and fishmeal. We show that, at the global level, 19% of cereal, 16% of oilseed meals, and 27% of fishmeal feed imports can be replaced with domestic food system byproducts without affecting animal productivity. The high-input animal production countries in East and Southeast Asia, Western Europe, and North America show the highest potential. This study highlights the commodities and areas with the most potential to guide and inform decisions and investments to build more local and circular livestock and aquaculture production that would be more resilient to several kinds of shocks. Replacing feed imports with food system byproducts can increase food system resilience. Nevertheless, larger sustainability strategies, such as dietary change and reducing food loss and waste, should be implemented to ensure a transition towards more sustainable food systems.
Climate change in the Canary/Iberia upwelling region: the role of ocean stratification and wind
Authors: Vázquez Rubén , Parras-Berrocal Iván M , Cabos William , Sein Dmitry , Mañanes Rafael , Bolado-Penagos Marina , Izquierdo Alfredo
Published: June 2024

The Canary/Iberia region (CIR), part of the Canary Current Upwelling System, is well-known for its coastal productivity and crucial role in enriching the oligotrophic open ocean through the offshore transport of the upwelled coastal waters. Given its significant ecological and socio-economic importance, it is essential to assess the impact of climate change on this area. Therefore, the goal of this study is to analyze the climate change signal over the CIR using a high-resolution regional climate system model driven by the Earth system model MPI-ESM-LR under RCP8.5 scenario. This modelling system presents a regional atmosphere model coupled to a global ocean model with enough horizontal resolution at CIR to examine the role of the upwelling favourable winds and the ocean stratification as key factors in the future changes. CIR exhibits significant latitudinal and seasonal variability in response to climate change under RCP8.5 scenario, where ocean stratification and wind patterns will play both complementary and competitive roles. Ocean stratification will increase from the Strait of Gibraltar to Cape Juby by the end of the century, weakening the coastal upwelling all year long. This increase in stratification is associated with a freshening of the surface layers of the North Atlantic. However, modifications in the wind pattern will play a primary role in upwelling source water depth changes in the southernmost region of the CIR in winter and in the north of the Iberian Peninsula in summer. Wind pattern changes are related to the intensification of the Azores High in winter and to a deepening of the Iberian thermal low in summer months.
The quantum Rabi model: towards Braak’s conjecture
Authors: Rudnick Zeév
Published: June 2024

We establish a density one version of Braak’s conjecture on the fine structure of the spectrum of the quantum Rabi model, as well as a recent conjecture of Braak, Nguyen, Reyes-Bustos and Wakayama on the nearest neighbor spacings of the spectrum. The proof uses a three-term asymptotic expansion for large eigenvalues due to Boutet de Monvel and Zielinski, and a number theoretic argument from uniform distribution theory.
Signals of detailed balance violation in nonequilibrium stationary states: subtle, manifest, and extraordinary
Authors: Zia R K P
Published: June 2024

The evolution of physical systems are often modeled by simple Markovian processes. When settled into stationary states, the probability distributions of such systems are time independent, by definition. However, they do not necessarily fall within the framework of equilibrium statistical mechanics. Instead, they may be non-equilibrium steady states (NESS). One distinguishing feature of NESS is the presence of time reversal asymmetry (TRA) and persistent probability current loops. These loops lead naturally to the notion of probability angular momenta, which play a role on the same footing as the noise covariance in stochastic processes. Illustrating with simulations of simple models and physical data, we present ways to detect these signals of TRA, from the subtle to the prominent.
Duality for the multispecies stirring process with open boundaries
Authors: Casini Francesco , Frassek Rouven , Giardinà Cristian
Published: June 2024

We study the stirring process with N − 1 species on a generic graph

G
=
(
V
,

E

)

with reservoirs. The multispecies stirring process generalizes the symmetric exclusion process, which is recovered in the case N = 2. We prove the existence of a dual process defined on an extended graph

G
~

=
(

V
~

,

E

~

)

which includes additional sites in

V
~

∖

V

where dual particles get absorbed in the long-time limit. We thus obtain a characterization of the non-equilibrium steady state of the boundary-driven system in terms of the absorption probabilities of dual particles. The process is integrable for the case of the one-dimensional chain with two reservoirs at the boundaries and with maximally one particle per site. We compute the absorption probabilities by relying on the underlying

g
l

(
N
)

symmetry and the matrix product ansatz. Thus one gets a closed-formula for (long-ranged) correlations and for the non-equilibrium stationary measure. Extensions beyond this integrable set-up are also discussed.
Application of Nanobubbles in Floating Kinetics Models for Efficient Oil Removal from Produced Water
Authors: Daud M F C , Khamidun M H , Mohamed R M S R , Ali U F M , Razi M A M
Published: June 2024

The primary objective of this study was to gain insight into the kinetics mechanism involved in the removal of oil from produced water using nanobubbles. A small-scale device called Solari - N MBG 0.35, manufactured by Solari Energy Limited, was employed to generate nanobubbles. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of varying nanobubble concentrations on oil removal. The results revealed that at initial of contact time led to enhanced oil removal. This improvement was attributed to factors such as increased interfacial energy, improved mixing, and enhanced contact between the nanobubbles and oil droplets. However, after a 30-minute duration, the efficiency of oil removal reached a plateau due to the presence of smaller and more stable residual oil droplets. To analyze the nanobubble flotation process, the study employed five distinct models using experimental data. These models included the first-order model, first-order model with a rectangular distribution, fully mixed factor model, improved gas/solid adsorption model, and second-order model. Statistical analyses were performed, considering parameters such as coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). The fully mixed factor model, improved gas/solid adsorption model, and second-order model demonstrated excellent fitting performance at different contact times. These findings deepen our understanding of the oil removal efficiency of nanobubbles, emphasizing the significance of factors like concentration, contact time, and the selection of appropriate kinetic models. The study provides valuable insights into the application of nanobubbles in flotation processes and underscores the importance of selecting suitable models based on specific conditions and particle sizes.
Spatial and temporal analysis of marine water pollution in Port Klang: Developing a GIS database for assessing patterns and trends.
Authors: Supardi I H K , Abdullah N M , Tugi A , Ismail B H
Published: June 2024

This study focuses on the assessment of marine water quality in Port Klang, with a particular emphasis on the spatial and temporal analysis of water quality parameters. The research investigates the sources of water pollution in the area, including industrial waste, non-point sources, heavy metals, and land use. The study utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) and the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation technique to map marine water quality parameters and analyze their spatial distribution. Additionally, a temporal analysis is conducted to identify trends, seasonal variations, and irregularities in water quality over an eight-month period. The study reveals TSS and O&G exceeding the allowable limits in certain locations. However, the analysis demonstrates a decreasing trend in TSS and O&G concentrations over time, indicating positive developments in water quality. The findings underscore the importance of continued monitoring and the implementation of pollution control measures to ensure sustainable and healthy marine water ecosystems in Port Klang.
Detection of mainland Kedah’s shoreline changes (2013-2020); a case study
Authors: Wan-Afnizan W M , Al-Qadami E H H , Razi M A M , Aminon N A , Mahamud M , Aziz A
Published: June 2024

Shoreline erosion and accretion are natural processes that involve the gradual change in the shape and position of coastlines due to the movement of water, sediment, and geological factors. These processes have significant implications for coastal environments, ecosystems, and human activities. Therefore, it is essential to frequently assess the shoreline changes for effective coastal management, sustainable development, and safeguarding valuable ecosystems. In the present study, shoreline condition along mainland Kedah (109 km) was investigated through remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) techniques. The assessment was performed over the period of 7 years (2013 and 2020) by analysing the satellite images captured by Landsat-8 satellite Operational Land Imager (OLI) at 15 m resolution. Preprocessing was established by performing image geometric correction and registration. Next, the Support Vector Machines (SVMs) toolbox was used for image classification to define the water and non-water fields. Later, the shoreline was extracted from the classified images and overlaid in a geodetic base in ArcGIS software to detect shoreline changes. The results showed that the majority of mainland Kedah’s shoreline did not experience extensive erosion or accretion at which 54% of the shoreline (58.8 km) was found to be stable. Erosion was observed at 6 locations with a total length of 10.1 km (9% of the total shoreline length) which was mainly concentrated in the non-protected areas. On the other hand, shoreline accretion was observed at 19 locations with a total length of 40.1 km (37% of the total length). It is worth highlighting that the erosion areas were concentrated in the southern part of the coastline, while the accretion areas were distributed between the middle part and the north side of mainland Kedah’s shoreline.
Application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for a safer roof inspection at high rise building
Authors: Hishsan N A B , Salleh A M , Zin N A A M
Published: June 2024

A roof must be inspected regularly since it needs to be durable and structurally solid and sound. Roof inspection may be dangerous since many buildings are tall and large. This study focused to carry out visual inspection for high-rise structure using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), determine the defects of Tunku Tun Aminah Library’s (TTAL) roof through photos taken by UAV and evaluate the suitability of UAV for roof inspection. A DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone was used to fly over the roof of Tunku Tun Aminah Library (TTAL) in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). Photographs was collected during the flight, and all photos are checked and processed to recombine the distinct images using Agisoft Metashape software in order to find the defects on TTAL’s roof. The results of analysis showed that there were seven (7) defects on the roof. The condition of the roof was evaluated using Condition Survey Protocol 1 (CSP1) Matrix which got the overall condition of TTAL’s roof is 5.6 (yellow) which shows the roof is in a fair condition. Knowing the condition of the roof only from photos of an UAV indicates that UAV is suitable to use for roof inspection. This study shows the difference between inspecting by conventional method and using UAV. The study conclude that UAV may be deployed in a way besides the conventional method and proposed a safer and time saving method for roof inspection.
Thermal comfort of student in classroom with elevated set point air-conditioner temperature: objective and subjective measurement
Authors: Abdul Rahim S N , Zakaria M A , Yasin M N , Hanipah M H
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the impact of high set point air conditioning temperature of 27°C on the thermal comfort of students in educational spaces, specifically in a classroom at Tun Hussein Onn University Malaysia. Both objective and subjective measurements were conducted to assess thermal comfort. Objective measurements included air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and mean radiant temperature, while subjective measurements involved surveys to gather the student’s feedback. Based on the objective measurement, the estimated indoor condition was ‘slightly warm condition’ with average Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) value ranging from +0.7 to +0.9. Meanwhile, direct response from the students’ showed that most of the time they felt comfortable and accept the indoor condition. However, maintaining a 27°C set point temperature during learning process will affecting their learning focus and acceptance rate. It was found out that slightly warm sensation along with slightly higher mean radiant temperature and relative humidity and slightly lower air speed, contributed to the influence on student learning activities in the classroom.
Prediction model of hydraulic conductivity for sedimentary residual soil mixed bentonite as compacted clay liner
Authors: Khalid N , Mukri M , Zain N H M , Zainuddin A N , Kamarudin F
Published: June 2024

This paper describes a development of regression model on predicting the hydraulic conductivity value for sedimentary residual soil mixed bentonite. The data for required parameter for model development was based on the laboratories testing such as compaction testing and hydraulic conductivity testing. The multiple linear regression model (MLR) was selected to develop a hydraulic conductivity model (k-model). The empirical model was developed based on the 45 datasets from experimental studies encompassing range of maximum dry density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC), effective stress and bentonite content. The model developed in this study has met the conditions and has been verified according to the statistical validity requirements. The result shows that the fitted regression model has the reasonably good regression model for R2 = 79%. Meanwhile, the validation shows the small deviation discrepancy from Mean Square Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) with a determination coefficient, R2 = 82%. In conclusion, the develop k-model in this study present a good prediction for hydraulic conductivity value.
Influence of Particle Size for Malaysia Peat to The Cyclic Triaxial Loading Parameters
Authors: Zainorabidin A , Zulkefle S N A , Ang K A , Mohamad H M , Basri K , Agung M A P
Published: June 2024

Peat is a partially decomposed soil with volumes of plant structures with high moisture content. The morphology of peat combines the definition of the structural arrangement of soil particles that are associated with its element mainly fibres, moistures and pore structures. The understanding of peat’s performance including its particle size is essential to understand but difficult to interpret. Laboratory-based research by the cyclic triaxial test was implemented to determine the cyclic loading parameters (cyclic shear modulus, G and damping ratio, D) using samples sized 50mm by 100mm height from three different locations. The samples were performed under different effective stresses (25kPa, 50kPa, 100kPa) and frequencies (0.1Hz, 1Hz, 3Hz). Wet analysis from the particle size distribution test was used to evaluate and analyse the relationships between the cyclic loading parameters and peat’s particle size effects. As a result, the particle sizes of Malaysian peat samples were significantly related to the performance of G and D behaviour in the cyclic loading test. Through this analysis, an understanding of the variability of particle sizes for Malaysian peat was contributed originally from the degree of decomposition itself that can alter the behaviour of cyclic loading parameters in an advanced test.
What influences parents’ decisions to use sustainable mode (public bus) with their children? A case study in Batu Pahat, Johor
Authors: Mohd Yahya N A S , Ahmad Termida N , Daniel B D , Othman M H
Published: June 2024

Malaysia is facing a challenge on how to improve the quality of public transportation system along with the city’s urbanization since public transport is one of the sustainable approaches to minimise the use of private vehicles on road that mainly contributes to CO2 emissions that affect the environment, negatively. The lack of public transport services has become a barrier for people to access all the facilities and socialize among the community. Studies on the use of public transport by children are rarely discussed and has lack of attention among community. Thus, this study aims to determine parents’ perceptions in using sustainable mode such as public bus with children in terms of accessibility, affordability, safety and comfortability, as well as to analyse the subjective factors affecting parents’ decisions to use public bus with their children based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The survey method via questionnaire has been distributed through face-to-face (self-administered questionnaire) and online method (via Google Form) among 100 adults (aged 18 and above, and married) who lives in Batu Pahat, Johor. Then, the data were analyzed by applying Mean Score Method and multiple linear regression analysis using Microsoft Excel. The results show that safety is the main aspect influencing parents’ decisions to use public buses with their children. In addition, Attitudes and Perceived Behavioural Control are found to be the significant components influencing Intention, and the Intention influences parents’ decisions to use public bus with children for all activity types.
Strength and heat emissions performance of high strength concrete containing fine metakaolin & palm oil fuel ash as partial cement replacement
Authors: Abu Bakar M N R , Ismail M H , Che Rahim N A N , Majid M A , Md Noor N , George A F
Published: June 2024

Cement production significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2). In addition to the CO2 emissions from cement production, the increase in palm oil fuel ash (POFA), which is the by-product of the palm oil industry, can also contribute to environmental pollution. This study carried out on POFA and metakaolin (MK) as a partial cement replacement can reduce the problem of greenhouse and environmental effects. Apart from that, it can also increase the level of concrete strength. The slump and compressive strength tests were carried out first on concrete that uses fine metakaolin (FMK) only as a partial cement replacement to obtain an optimum value of FMK. Thus, the optimum FMK content found in this study was 20%. Next, slump tests, compressive strength tests, and heat of hydration tests were carried out on samples containing FMK and POFA content as a partial cement replacement up to 40% of the total cement replacement. The POFA content starts at 5%, followed by 10%, 15%, and 20%. In addition to that, FMK content of 20% and superplasticizer (SP) of 2% were constant for all design mixes. The workability of concrete decreases with the inclusion of FMK and POFA as partial cement replacements and 2% of SP as a constant. However, the strength of concrete containing 20% FMK and 5% POFA as partial cement replacement has given better compressive strength than ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete up to 14.07% at 28 days. Additionally, it is found that the exact amount of 20% FMK and 5% POFA enables concrete to be reduced to 5.54% in peak temperature compared to OPC concrete. Furthermore, the formation of C-S-H gel was increasingly generated and able to fill in the gaps in concrete when the POFA content increased, thus making the concrete denser and stronger than the control series.
Mechanical and thermal performance of pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) as admixture in Interlocking Compressed Earth Brick (ICEB)
Authors: Razman R , Dzulkiflee N A , Saifulbahri N H , Hassan C S , Hanipah M H , Yasin M N , Abdullah N F , Ng J L
Published: June 2024

Nowadays, the use of Interlocking Compressed Earth Bricks (ICEB) has taken a dominant position in the construction industry due to the constant quest to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that are harmful to the environment. ICEB is a brand-new, alternative technique that has been created to enhance the green attributes of conventional bricks. As opposed to conventional brick, ICEB are manufactured using a compression method and thus do not need to be fired, thereby reducing carbon emissions. The compaction process and the content of the stabiliser added to the mixes give the ICEB its strength. This study focuses on determining the effect of pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) inclusion and mix ratio on the ICEB performance. Three (3) distinct PALF percentages of 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 percent were investigated. All ICEB samples were tested for compressive strength and water absorption at ages 3, 7 and 28, while the optimal ratio was further investigated in term of its thermal properties. It was found that the ICEB with 0.10 percent PALF contents has a maximum compressive strength that is greater than the minimum requirement specified in BS3921:1985 (5 N/mm2), but the water absorption exceeds the permitted limit of 15% based on MS 76:1972. Whereas ICEB with a PALF content of 0.1 percent has a good heat conductivity value which is k-value 0.201, while for the heat resistance value, R-value is 0.622. It is proved that PALF-ICEB perform well compared to ICEB without any admixture with k-value and R-value is 0.724 and 0.173, respectively. This study could be useful to serve as a guide for the PALF-ICEB’s mix design.
Computational study on lightweight concrete beam incorporating palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and mussel shell ash (MSA) as partial cement replacement
Authors: Goh W I , Kamaruddin S , Mutalib A N , Rahman A F , Mohamad N
Published: June 2024

The combination both palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and mussel shell ash (MSA) have a high potential in improving the foamed concrete strength at the same time reduce the cement usage. Instead of accommodating costly disposal cost process, this residue can be transform into other noble practice. Finite element analysis (FEA), a high-end computational analysis that applied in this studies as the alternative method in estimating the flexural behaviour of the foamed concrete beam in term of ultimate load, load-deflection profile and cracking failure distribution which completed by using ABAQUS. Therefore, a research was undertaken to construct a computational model of a foamed concrete beam integrating partial cement replacement with 20% POFA and 10% MSA. The aim of this research is to model the foamed concrete beam by ABAQUS software and to study the flexural behaviour of foamed concrete beam subjected to transverse load using finite element analysis. In terms of ultimate load, load deflection profile, and cracking, the flexural behaviour of a foamed concrete beam was observed and documented. Following that, validation was performed to compare the results of the experimental study in terms of ultimate load-deflection. The experimental and simulation findings differed somewhat, with an error of 5.34 percent and 10.80 percent for the control and POFA + MSA beam, respectively. From this study, it was proven that FEA utilising ABAQUS was capable of accurately predicting the flexural behaviour of structural components.
Utilisation of industrial waste materials in the production of geopolymer concrete
Authors: Farrag S , Abushammala M F M , Al-Balushi I
Published: June 2024

Cement production is one of the primary sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Oman produces around 1.5 million tons of industrial waste annually, of which more than 1.2 million tons are slag and Fly Ash from the mining industry. This study aims to utilize the waste materials stagnating in landfills to develop an alternative to OPC (OPC) concrete. GPC is an innovation in building materials that replaces cement in concrete with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and Fly Ash. This study used compressive strength to compare the two types of concrete. The test results were obtained after seven days, fourteen days, and twenty-one days using six different mixed concrete designs. The results indicated that the compressive strength of GPC altered along with the mix proportions. The best mix proportion of 25% Fly Ash and 75% GGBS reached 41 MPa within seven days, significantly higher than OPC concrete. Finally, GPC can be used as an alternative to OPC concrete with the potential to reduce the pollution from producing Portland cement, offering a greener approach to the construction industry as a sustainable material.
High-density geopolymer using slag and Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA)-based geopolymer concrete: Engineering properties.
Authors: Alnahhal A M , Rushdi Amir M A , Alengaram U J , Tarek M , Mat Desa S , Idris Ibrahim M S
Published: June 2024

This research aims to determine high density geopolymer concrete, utilising abundance industrial waste material such as FA, GGBS and POFA as binder content of the concrete producing high density geopolymer concrete. This will provide for a more sustainable alternatives and eco-friendly option for construction structure. The concrete tested for various testing to assess its quality and engineering properties such as density, compressive strength and some of durability tests such as water absorption and sorptivity. The results indicated that the compressive strength of the POFA/slag-based concrete was in range of 33 to 45 MPa, whereas the density was found about 2700 kg/m3. The increase of POFA replacement the increase of the water absorption.
Exploring the Effects of Reinforcement Ratio on Concrete Rigid Pavement Structure in Malang, Indonesia: Experimental Study and Analysis
Authors: Rasidi Nawir , Aditya Candra , Mudjanarko Sri Wiwoho
Published: June 2024

Rigid pavement, known for its superior stiffness compared to flexible asphalt pavements, demands thorough scrutiny of deflection characteristics. Insufficient evaluations of concrete quality, slab thickness, and reinforcement levels can result in significant deflection issues, including slab cracks, pumping, and pavement faulting. This study seeks to evaluate deflection behavior in rigid pavement, considering various reinforcement ratios through experimental analysis using a monotonic static line load. A rectangular concrete slab is placed on soil with a specific California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value to provide support. Reinforcement ratios vary from the smallest to the largest values. Concrete quality is denoted by fc’ with a specified MPa value, and steel quality is indicated as fy with a predetermined MPa value. The findings indicate that deflection in rigid pavement is influenced by the reinforcement ratio, with higher ratios leading to reduced deflection for a given load. The most pronounced deflection is observed in rigid pavement with a particular reinforcement ratio, subjected to a specific load and stress, resulting in a specific deflection magnitude. The relationship between deflection and stress is characterized by sharp and gentle increments in deflection within different stress ranges, as described by proposed linear equations.
Deforestation drivers in northern Morocco: an exploratory spatial data analysis
Authors: Boubekraoui Hamid , Maouni Yazid , Ghallab Abdelilah , Draoui Mohamed , Maouni Abdelfettah
Published: June 2024

Formulating effective policies to address or mitigate deforestation requires a comprehensive understanding of the contributing factors. This study examines the drivers of deforestation from 2001 to 2020 in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (TTA) region, a northern Moroccan area distinguished by the country’s highest deforestation rate. Through an extensive review of existing literature and employing Geist and Lambin’s deforestation framework, we identified five key causes: infrastructure extension, agricultural expansion, logging, wildfires as direct causes, and demographic factors as an indirect cause. Data on deforestation and its contributing factors were sourced from diverse databases, including Global Forest Change (GFC), Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD), Burned Area Product (MODIS Fire_CCI51), World Population, Forest Proximate People (FPP), and National Forest Inventory (NFI) datasets. Pixel-level analysis of GFC data indicated that wildfires are the primary driver of deforestation in the region, accounting for 35.2%, followed by agricultural expansion (30.6%), logging (13.2%), and infrastructure extension (10.1%). The remaining 10.9% of losses were attributed to other disturbances, such as illegal extraction, pests, and dieback. Spatial patterns were further analyzed through Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) methods at a 1 km2 gridded scale, revealing strong clustering for all studied factors. Spatial relationships were explored using the bivariate local Moran’s index, which highlighted the highest spatial dependence between deforestation and fires (I = 0.21). Correlations between deforestation and other factors, including agricultural expansion, logging, infrastructure extension, and demographic pressure, were assessed at 0.18, 0.17, 0.08, and 0.05, respectively. Landscape pressures (LSP), encompassing deforestation, agricultural expansion, fires, infrastructure extension, and demographic pressure, were analyzed using the local Geary index, revealing a positive correlation in approximately 59% of spatial units. Last, a composite map of LSP clusters and an explanatory diagram illustrating dominant patterns in the TTA region were generated based on the results from local Geary’s multivariate and local Moran’s univariate tests.
Strategies of flowering plants to avoid pollen collection by undesirable flower visitors. A commentary on ‘High toxin concentration in pollen may deter collection by bees in butterfly-pollinated Rhododendron molle’
Authors: Ruedenauer Fabian A
Published: June 2024

This article comments on:

Hui-Hui Feng, Xiao-Wen Lv, Xiao-Chen Yang and Shuang-Quan Huang, High toxin concentration in pollen may deter collection by bees in butterfly-pollinated Rhododendron molle, Annals of Botany, Volume 134, Issue 4, 1 October 2024, Pages 551–559 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcae047
SlowMoMan: a web app for discovery of important features along user-drawn trajectories in 2D embeddings
Authors: Deol Kiran , Weber Griffin M , Yu Yun William
Published: June 2024

Motivation

Nonlinear low-dimensional embeddings allow humans to visualize high-dimensional data, as is often seen in bioinformatics, where datasets may have tens of thousands of dimensions. However, relating the axes of a nonlinear embedding to the original dimensions is a nontrivial problem. In particular, humans may identify patterns or interesting subsections in the embedding, but cannot easily identify what those patterns correspond to in the original data.

Results

Thus, we present SlowMoMan (SLOW Motions on MANifolds), a web application which allows the user to draw a one-dimensional path onto a 2D embedding. Then, by back-projecting the manifold to the original, high-dimensional space, we sort the original features such that those most discriminative along the manifold are ranked highly. We show a number of pertinent use cases for our tool, including trajectory inference, spatial transcriptomics, and automatic cell classification.

Availability and implementation

Software: https://yunwilliamyu.github.io/SlowMoMan/; Code: https://github.com/yunwilliamyu/SlowMoMan.
In between Participatory Practice Research and Practitioner Research—Concepts in Transition
Authors: Uggerhøj Lars , Andersen Maja Lundemark
Published: June 2024

The article focuses on the possibilities and challenges when using two defined types in practice research: Practitioner Research and Participatory Practice Research and how positions in between defined approaches can be helpful for both researchers and practitioners in social work. As a part of the analyses, the article discusses central concepts and methodological questions in practice research. The aim is to illustrate the needed and challenging practice research ‘shuttle’ between academic traditions/demands, practice needs and learning processes and, in this way, contribute to a methodological innovation that enables genuine co-production among social work practitioners, service users and researchers. The exemplified research design has deliberately been developed to push the boundaries of integrating research and practice in professional settings, to address questions of access to participation for practitioners and service users in research and subsequently to reflect different perceptions and genres of knowledge outputs. The approach shown in this article is based on theoretical, methodological elements and on a specific research project where the researchers worked together with a department of social services and where both researchers and practitioners turn out to be positioned ‘in between’ the types.
Imagining identity in Meta’s metaverse: a genealogy of imagined future realms in computer culture
Authors: Katachie Solomon , Kessler Asher
Published: June 2024

Woven into the fabric of Meta’s Metaverse, and core to its selling point, is a social imaginary of a new realm within our grasp, one in which individuals are imagined to possess greater control over their positionings and social markings. This liberational promise underlying Meta’s metaverse is inherited from past visions of the future within the history of American computer culture. Employing a genealogical approach, we investigate some advertisements for imagined new realms at various points in that history—The Whole Earth Catalog (WEC), an ad campaign for cyberspace, and Meta’s “Are We There Yet”—focusing on how identity is (re)constructed in each.
Black Lady meets Mammy: Analyzing the emergent televisual trope of the Black Lady therapist
Authors: Cerja Cecilia L , Bernabo Laurena E
Published: June 2024

This article explores the recent trend of Black women playing therapists in U.S. television programs to understand how these programs negotiate the controlling images of two seemingly unrelated tropes: the Mammy and the Black Lady. Using sociocultural analysis of two programs featuring a Black Lady Therapist (BLT) from the past decade, we argue the BLT typically functions as a “false positive” representation and she is, in fact, a plastic character whose race is generally reinforced through a combination of boundary violations and asexuality. We aim to articulate how BLTs in television programming rely on and reinforce intersectional oppressions against Black women while simultaneously recognizing the ways their presence serves to advance progressive representations of Black women. Exceptions to these patterns point to the potential for more meaningful representations of Black women professionals on television.
Safety evaluation and sublethal effect of broflanilide on Aphidius gifuensis
Authors: Yang Han-Zhi , Zhang Sen-Wen , Yang Hong , Ding Bo , Zhang Chao , He Li , Yang Mao-Fa
Published: June 2024

Ensuring the safety of insecticides to natural enemy insects of pests is crucial for integrating chemical and biological control strategies. Broflanilide, a novel meta-diamide insecticide, exhibits high insecticidal activity against Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). To integrate chemical and biological control against M. persicae, we assessed the toxicity of broflanilide to Aphidius gifuensis, and evaluated its safety and sublethal effects. The LC10, LC25, and LC50 values of broflanilide against A. gifuensis were 0.733 mg/L, 1.613 mg/L, and 3.852 mg/L, respectively. The selectivity toxicity ratio of broflanilide to A. gifuensis was 1.516, indicating higher toxicity to M. persicae compared to A. gifuensis. The risk quotient of broflanilide to A. gifuensis adults was 6.18. The percent reduction in the emergence of the parasitoid pupae was −1.15, with a risk grade of 1. The sublethal concentration of broflanilide had no significant influence on the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), and mean fecundity (F) of A. gifuensis in the F1 generation. The mean generation time (T) increased by 0.51 days and 0.39 days in the LC10 and LC25 treatments, respectively; the difference between LC10 treatment and the control was significant, while the difference between LC25 treatment and the control was not significant. The results showed that the sublethal concentration of broflanilide did not have a significant inhibitory effect on the population growth of A. gifuensis.
Energy Tax Exemptions and Industrial Production
Authors: Gerster Andreas , Lamp Stefan
Published: June 2024

This paper investigates the impact of a large electricity tax exemption on production levels, employment and input choices in the German manufacturing industry. For two policy designs, we show that exempted plants increase their electricity use. This effect is larger under a notched exemption policy, where passing an eligibility threshold yields infra-marginal benefits, compared to a policy without such benefits. We detect no significant impact of the exemptions on production levels, export shares and employment. Using counterfactual simulations, we document that notched policies substantially distort firms’ production input choices when financial stakes are high and compliance costs are low.
Genetic counselling legislation and practice in cancer in EU Member States
Authors: McCrary J Matt , Van Valckenborgh Els , Poirel Hélène A , de Putter Robin , van Rooij Jeroen , Horgan Denis , Dierks Marie-Luise , Antonova Olga , Brunet Joan , Chirita-Emandi Adela , Colas Chrystelle , Dalmas Miriam , Ehrencrona Hans , Grima Claire , Janavičius Ramūnas , Klink Barbara , Koczok Katalin , Krajc Mateja , Lace Baiba , Leitsalu Liis , Mistrik Martin , Paneque Milena , Primorac Dragan , Roetzer Katharina M , Ronez Joelle , Slámová Lucie , Spanou Elena , Stamatopoulos Kostas , Stoklosa Tomasz , Strang-Karlsson Sonja , Szakszon Katalin , Szczałuba Krzysztof , Turner Jacqueline , van Dooren Marieke F , van Zelst-Stams Wendy A G , Vassallo Loredana-Maria , Wadt Karin A W , Žigman Tamara , Ripperger Tim , Genuardi Maurizio , Van den Bulcke Marc , Bergmann Anke Katharina
Published: June 2024

Background

Somatic and germline genetic alterations are significant drivers of cancer. Increasing integration of new technologies which profile these alterations requires timely, equitable and high-quality genetic counselling to facilitate accurate diagnoses and informed decision-making by patients and their families in preventive and clinical settings. This article aims to provide an overview of genetic counselling legislation and practice across European Union (EU) Member States to serve as a foundation for future European recommendations and action.

Methods

National legislative databases of all 27 Member States were searched using terms relevant to genetic counselling, translated as appropriate. Interviews with relevant experts from each Member State were conducted to validate legislative search results and provide detailed insights into genetic counselling practice in each country.

Results

Genetic counselling is included in national legislative documents of 22 of 27 Member States, with substantial variation in legal mechanisms and prescribed details (i.e. the ‘who, what, when and where’ of counselling). Practice is similarly varied. Workforce capacity (25 of 27 Member States) and genetic literacy (all Member States) were common reported barriers. Recognition and/or better integration of genetic counsellors and updated legislation and were most commonly noted as the ‘most important change’ which would improve practice.

Conclusions

This review highlights substantial variability in genetic counselling across EU Member States, as well as common barriers notwithstanding this variation. Future recommendations and action should focus on addressing literacy and capacity challenges through legislative, regulatory and/or strategic approaches at EU, national, regional and/or local levels.
Trends in gestational diabetes in Iceland before and after guideline changes in 2012: a nationwide study from 1997 to 2020
Authors: Ontiveros Jamie , Gunnarsdóttir Jóhanna , Einarsdóttir Kristjana
Published: June 2024

Internationally accepted diagnostic criteria recommendations for gestational diabetes (GDM) in 2010 resulted in a rise in global prevalence of GDM. Our aim was to describe the trends in GDM before and after Icelandic guideline changes in 2012 and the trends in pregestational diabetes (PGDM). The study included all singleton births (N = 101 093) in Iceland during 1997–2020. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of GDM overall and by maternal age group, as well as overall risk of PGDM, according to time period of birth. The overall prevalence of GDM by time period of birth ranged from 0.6% (N = 101) in 1997–2000 to 16.2% (N = 2720) in 2017–2020, and the prevalence of PGDM ranged from 0.4% (N = 57) in 1997–2000 to 0.7% (N = 120) in 2017–2020. The overall relative GDM prevalence rate difference before and after 2012 was 380%, and the largest difference was found among women aged <25 years at 473%. Risk of GDM increased in 2017–2020 (PR 14.21, CI 11.45, 17.64) compared to 1997–2000 and was highest among women aged >34 years with PR 19.46 (CI 12.36, 30.63) in 2017–2020. Prevalence rates of GDM and PGDM increased during the study period. An accelerated rate of increase in GDM was found after 2012, overall, and among all maternal age groups. Women aged >34 years had the greatest risk of GDM throughout all time periods, while women aged <25 years appear to have a higher relative rate difference after 2012.
A biological circuit to anticipate trend
Authors: Frank Steven A
Published: June 2024

Organisms gain by anticipating future changes in the environment. Those environmental changes often follow stochastic trends. The steeper the slope of the trend, the more likely the trend’s momentum carries the future trend in the same direction. This article presents a simple biological circuit that measures the momentum, providing a prediction about future trend. The circuit calculates the momentum by the difference between a short-term and a long-term exponential moving average. The time lengths of the two moving averages can be adjusted by changing the decay rates of state variables. Different time lengths for those averages trade off between errors caused by noise and errors caused by lags in predicting a change in the direction of the trend. Prior studies have emphasized circuits that make similar calculations about trends. However, those prior studies embedded their analyses in the details of particular applications, obscuring the simple generality and wide applicability of the approach. The model here contributes to the topic by clarifying the great simplicity and generality of anticipation for stochastic trends. This article also notes that, in financial analysis, the difference between moving averages is widely used to predict future trends in asset prices. The financial measure is called the moving average convergence–divergence indicator. Connecting the biological problem to financial analysis opens the way for future studies in biology to exploit the variety of highly developed trend models in finance.
Historic doubts about the survival of the Princes in the Tower after 1485
Authors: Hicks Michael
Published: June 2024

This note assesses Philippa Langley’s four proofs for the survival of the two Princes in the Tower after 1485. Neither the Lille document nor supporting evidences prove that Lambert Simnel was really Edward V rather than Edward, earl of Warwick. The Gelderland manifesto recounting the escape of Richard, duke of York and the pretender’s pledge to Duke Albert of Saxony were propaganda as necessary for the imposter Perkin Warbeck as for the real prince. The blemishes of Warbeck’s body cannot be shown to identify him as the younger prince. While useful additions to the continental plots against Henry VII, these new evidences do not prove that either prince lived beyond the reign of Richard III.