bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Urban patches of dry forest as refuges for ants and carabid beetles in a neotropical overcrowded city
Authors: Forero-Chavez Nataly , Arenas-Clavijo Anderson , Armbrecht Inge , Montoya-Lerma James 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCali is the third most prominent, and one of the most crowed, Colombian cities. It still harbours some tropical dry forest patches that can mitigate the impacts of the urban transformation; however, there is an almost total absence of information on the biological importance of these sites and their potential for future ecological restoration processes. To assess if they serve as important refuges for insect bioindicator species, we sampled five urban patches of tropical dry forest in the city, plus one nearby rural patch, using specific trapping procedures for ants and carabid beetles. Patch areas were variable, from 1 to 50 ha. We found that the smallest patch presented the highest ant richness, with a tendency towards generalists and a few unique species. Meanwhile, some specialist species were found in the rural patch. A total of 109 ant and 13 carabid species were recorded, including four new records of ants for Colombia. Results suggest that environmental variables favour the presence of generalist and opportunistic ants. Despite this, the high ant richness demonstrates that. Urban forest patches are important refuges for biodiversity. The low richness observed for carabids could be a sign of the challenges that urban forests face considering the ecological importance of beetles. The possible dangers of intensive internal use of these forests is discussed to prevent local extinctions, since the biggest forests are not necessarily conserving a higher richness. This work represents an important contribution to urban ecology in the region, with possibilities of further restoration in urban environments.
Methods for the separation of hydraulic retention time and solids retention time in the application of photosynthetic microorganisms in photobioreactors: a review
Authors: Keet Grant , Du Toit J. P. , Pott Robert William McClelland 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPhotosynthetic microorganisms have a wide range of biotechnical applications, through the application of their versatile metabolisms. However, their use in industry has been extremely limited to date, partially because of the additional complexities associated with their cultivation in comparison to other organisms. Strategies and developments in photobioreactors (PBRs) designed for their culture and applications are needed to drive the field forward. One particular area which bears examination is the use of strategies to separate solid- and hydraulic-residence times (SRT and HRT), to facilitate flow-through systems and continuous processing. The aim of this review is to discuss the various types of PBRs and methods which are currently demonstrated in the literature and industry, with a focus on the separation of HRT and SRT. The use of an efficient method of biomass retention in a PBR may be advantageous as it unlocks the option for continuous operation, which may improve efficiency, and improve economic feasibility of large-scale implementation of photosynthetic biocatalysts, especially where biomass is not the primary product. Due to the underexplored nature of the separation of HRT and SRT in reactors using photosynthetic microorganisms, limited literature is available regarding their performance, efficiencies, and potential issues. This review first introduces an overview into photosynthetic microorganisms cultivated and commonly exploited for use in biotechnological applications, with reference to bioreactor considerations specific to each organism. Following this, the existing technologies used for the separation of HRT and SRT in PBRs are explored. The respective advantages and disadvantages are discussed for each PBR design, which may inform an interested bioprocess engineer.
The impact of artificial intelligence on managerial attention allocation for discontinuous change: a conceptual framework
Authors: Mundlos Philip 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe early detection of discontinuous change plays a decisive role in the performance and competitiveness of organizations. Whether and how top managers perceive change is mostly determined by their attention. However, research has shown that many top managers are often unable to allocate their attention properly and may therefore react with inertia or not at all to relevant changes. This raises the question of how managerial attention can be influenced to make top managers more receptive to discontinuous changes. A promising approach to this problem may come from the growing research field on the impact of AI on strategic decision-making. In this paper, I provide a conceptual framework of how the use of AI might help top managers better focus their attention on discontinuous change. Based on a systematic literature review and an attentional model, I highlight factors that influence top managers' attention allocation and likely enhance or inhibit it through the use of AI. This allows me to derive propositions for the application of AI in discontinuous change detection that can serve as a starting point for future empirical research. My paper contributes to broadening the research field of AI in the area of managerial attention.
Quantile-based effect of energy, transport, and total environmental tax on ecological footprint in EU5 countries
Authors: Kartal Mustafa Tevfik 
Published: February 2024

AbstractConsidering a vast majority of application areas, the study investigates how environmental tax (ET) affects ecological footprint. In this context, the study examines the European Union Five (EU5) countries, considers ecological footprint (EF) as the proxy of the environment, uses ET as tax-based environmental measures by making both disaggregated (i.e., energy and transport) and aggregated level analysis, and performs novel nonlinear quantile-based approaches for the period from 1995/Q1 to 2021/Q4. The outcomes show that on EF (i) energy-related ET has only a declining effect at lower and middle quantiles in Germany and at lower quantiles in Italy, whereas it does not have a curbing effect in other countries; (ii) transport-related ET is not effective on EF in any country, which means that it does not have a curbing effect; (iii) total ET has a decreasing effect in only Germany; and (iv) the alternative method validates the robustness. Thus, the study demonstrates the changing effect of ET across countries, quantiles, and ET types in curbing EF. Hence, it can be suggested that Germany can go on relying further on energy-related ET practices to decrease EF, whereas there is a long way for the remaining EU5 countries as well as transport-related ET in curbing EF.
The impact of technological innovations on the environmental Kuznets curve: evidence from EU-27
Authors: Ercan Hamdi , Savranlar Buket , Polat Melike Atay , Yıgıt Yuksel , Aslan Alper 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe EKC hypothesis expresses the inverted U-shaped relationship between per capita income and environmental quality. In the literature, the role of technological innovations and income inequality on pollution is a relatively recent discussion in the studies testing the EKC hypothesis. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of technological innovations, income inequality, exports, urbanization, and growth on CO2 emissions in EU-27. In addition, while investigating this relationship, exports and urbanization are also considered and panel vector autoregression (PVAR) analysis is applied for the 2005–2019 period. According to the coefficient estimation results, while income inequality, exports, and urbanization increase pollution, technological innovations contribute to environmental quality. Also, the results demonstrated that the EKC hypothesis is invalid in these countries and there is a U-shaped relationship between growth and emissions. The causality test results revealed the presence of unidirectional causality running from all explanatory variables to CO2 emissions. Moreover, impulse-response graphs demonstrated that the reply of emissions to the shocks in the explanatory variables is similar to the long-run coefficient results. In conclusion, all available empirical evidence for this relationship highlights that income inequality and technological innovations should be considered in policy-making processes to ensure environmental quality in EU-27 countries.
Exploring the potential of the carbon credit program for hedging energy prices in Brazil
Authors: Palazzi Rafael Baptista , Quintino Derick David , Ferreira Paulo Jorge Silveira , Bekun Festus Victor 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe transition to a low-carbon economy is imperative to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate pollution emissions. This preposition also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs-13), which highlight the climate change action. In this vein, Brazil has implemented the Decarbonization Credit (CBIOS) program to incentivize biofuel production and promote environmental sustainability through carbon credit emissions. To this end, the present study evaluates the effectiveness of the CBIO contract as a hedging tool for investors in the face of energy price fluctuations and decarbonization efforts. Specifically, we employ conditional dynamic correlation (DCC-GARCH) and optimal hedge ratio (HR) techniques to assess the relationship between CBIO and the futures and spot prices of sugar, oil, and ethanol. Our findings suggest that the current CBIO contract is not an effective hedge against energy spot and future prices. However, our analysis identifies a strengthening correlation between ethanol traded in Chicago and CBIO over time, highlighting the potential for an underlying contract to serve as an effective hedging tool in the future. Our study adds to the existing literature on carbon pricing mechanisms and their impact on financial markets, emphasizing the importance of sustainable energy policies and their potential to mitigate the risks associated with energy price volatility and decarbonization efforts.
An informative short-term study on the impacts of a triclocarban/weathered multi-walled carbon nanotube-adsorbed complex to benthic organisms
Authors: Weise Katrin , Beil Stephan , Schwanebeck Klemens , Ion Alina Catrinel , Berendonk Thomas Ulrich , Jungmann Dirk 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFreshwater organisms are suitable models to study the fate of environmental pollutants. Due to their versatile and everyday use, many environmental pollutants such as triclocarban (TCC) or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) enter environmental compartments very easily. TCC is known as a disinfectant and is declared as a highly aquatic toxicant. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are used, e.g., in the automotive industry to improve plastic properties. Both TCCs and MWCNTs can pose major pollution hazards to various organisms. In addition, these substances can bind to each other due to their tendency to interact via strong hydrophobic interactions. Therefore, a short-term test was conducted to investigate the effects of the individual chemicals TCC and weathered MWCNTs (wMWCNTs) on a benthic biofilm and a grazing organism, Lymnaea stagnalis. Furthermore, the two compounds were coupled by an adsorption experiment resulting in a coupled complex formation (TCC + wMWCNTs). L. stagnalis showed no effects in terms of mortality. For benthic biofilm, the coupling test (TCC + wMWCNTs) showed a decrease of 58% in chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration. The main effect could be attributed to the wMWCNTs’ exposure alone (decrease of 82%), but not to presence of TCC. The concentration range of Chl-a upon TCC exposure alone was comparable to that in the control group (32 and 37 µg/cm2). With respect to the particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration, very similar results were found for the solvent control, the TCC, and also for the TCC + wMWCNTs group (3, 2.9, and 2.9 mg/cm2). In contrast to the control, a significant increase in POC concentration (100%) was observed for wMWCNTs, but no synergistic effect of TCC + wMWCNTs was detected.
Combined adsorption and electrochemical oxidation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) using graphite intercalated compound
Authors: Trzcinski Antoine P. , Harada Kouji 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a bioaccumulative synthetic chemical containing strong C–F bonds and is one of the most common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected in the environment. Graphite intercalated compound (GIC) flakes were used to adsorb and degrade PFOA through electrochemical oxidation. The adsorption followed the Langmuir model with a loading capacity of 2.6 µg PFOA g−1 GIC and a second-order kinetics (3.354 g µg−1 min−1). 99.4% of PFOA was removed by the process with a half-life of 15 min. When PFOA molecules broke down, they released various by-products, such as short-chain perfluoro carboxylic acids like PFHpA, PFHxA, and PFBA. This breakdown indicates the cleavage of the perfluorocarbon chain and the release of CF2 units, suggesting a transformation or degradation of the original compound into these smaller acids. Shorter-chain perfluorinated compounds had slower degradation rates compared to longer-chain ones. Combining these two methods (adsorption and in situ electrochemical oxidation) was found to be advantageous because adsorption can initially concentrate the PFOA molecules, making it easier for the electrochemical process to target and degrade them. The electrochemical process can potentially break down or transform the PFAS compounds into less harmful substances through oxidation or other reactions.
Environmental impact assessment of the coal yard and ambient pollution
Authors: Kucbel Marek , Raclavská Helena , Slamová Karolina , Šafář Michal , Švédová Barbora , Juchelková Dagmar , Růžičková Jana 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study investigates the vertical distribution of pollutants emitted from coal yards using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Vertical concentration measurements of black carbon (BC) and particulate matter (PM) in a range of 1 m to 100 m above ground level (AGL) in the central coal yard showed clear spatial patterns and gradients of these pollutants. In addition, measurements were taken at specific heights (1 m, 30 m AGL, and 60 m AGL) at seven locations approximately 3 km from the yard. Thirteen measurements were carried out during the non-heating period under similar weather conditions. The measured BC concentrations decreased significantly with increasing altitude, with ground-level concentrations reaching 1.88 ± 0.61 µg/m3 and decreasing by over 46% at 80 m AGL. Similarly, PM10 concentrations at 60 m AGL decreased by 21.7%, with values of 25.99 ± 9.24 µg/m3 measured near the ground level and 16.52 ± 8.31 µg/m3 at 60 m AGL. The maximum coal particle pollution from the coal depot ranges from 500 to 1,000 m. The study showed a significant decrease in BC concentrations with height above the coal yard surface. Concentrations of PM10 and PM10-TSP showed a complex distribution influenced by local emissions and long-range particle transport. Meteorological factors, especially wind speed and direction, significantly influenced the pollutant dispersion. In addition, higher pollutant concentrations were measured during dry periods than after rainfall. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the dispersion patterns and potential impacts of coal dust, enabling the implementation of targeted mitigation strategies and improved pollution control measures.
A strain-hardening macro-element model for pile groups under vertical–horizontal-moment loading
Authors: Iodice Chiara , Iovino Maria , Di Laora Raffaele , de Sanctis Luca , Mandolini Alessandro 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPile foundations supporting wind turbines, silos, elevated water tanks or bridge piers are frequently subjected to multi-component loads, which may lead to significant rotations and settlements compromising the safe operation of the structure. The prediction of these displacements is of major concern and can be easily carried out using force-resultants plasticity models, also referred to as ‘macro-elements’, stemming from the idea of describing the foundation behaviour by a single upscaled constitutive relationship between generalized forces and displacements. When properly formulated, they can reproduce key aspects of the mechanical response of the foundation at low computational cost as compared to numerical analysis. To this end, a new macro-element for pile groups formulated in the classical framework of strain-hardening elasto-plasticity is presented and discussed. The required model parameters can be calibrated by closed-form equations and additional few data of numerical and/or experimental nature. The proposed mathematical framework is finally validated against the results of centrifuge tests and 3D finite element analyses.
The Educational Affordances and Challenges of ChatGPT: State of the Field
Authors: Crompton Helen , Burke Diane 
Published: February 2024

AbstractChatGPT was released to the public in November 30, 2022. This study examines how ChatGPT can be used by educators and students to promote learning and what are the challenges and limitations. This study is unique in providing one of the first systematic reviews using peer review studies to provide an early examination of the field. Using PRISMA principles, 44 articles were selected for review. Grounded coding was then used to reveal trends in the data. The findings show that educators can use ChatGPT for teaching support, task automation, and professional development. These were further delineated further by axial sub codes. Eight student uses were 24/7 support, explain difficult concepts, conversational partner, personalized feedback and materials, provide writing support, offer self-assessment, facilitate engagement, and self-determination. In addition to be affordances of the AI, the data from the articles also showed limitations to ChatGPT and misuses, specifically, inaccuracies and hallucinations, potential bias, and tool limitations. Misuses are plagiarism and cheating, privacy issues and spread of false information. This study is a springboard for researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders in understanding the emerging state of the field of ChatGPT.
Centring Indigenous peoples in knowledge exchange research-practice by resetting assumptions, relationships and institutions
Authors: Weir J. K. , Morgain R. , Moon K. , Moggridge B. J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractKnowledge exchange is a broad and consequential undertaking, analysed by diverse scholars, and rapidly growing as a field of academic practice. Its remit is to strengthen ties between research generators and users to support better material outcomes for society. This review paper considers how this increasingly codified academic field might engage with the research-practice concerns identified in the Indigenous and decolonial literature. We do so by bringing the two literature sets together for analysis, noting they are not mutually exclusive. We reveal how addressing discrimination towards Indigenous peoples from within the knowledge exchange field requires a fundamental reconsideration of the biases that run through the field’s structures and processes. We prioritise two connected framing assumptions for shifting—jurisdictional and epistemological. The first shift requires a repositioning of Indigenous peoples as political–legal entities with societies, territories, laws and customs. The second shift requires engagement with Indigenous expert knowledge seriously on its own terms, including through greater understanding about expert knowledge creation with nature. These shifts require taking reflexivity much further than grasped possible or appropriate by most of the knowledge exchange literature. To assist, we offer heuristic devices, including illustrative examples, summary figures, and different questions from which to start the practice of knowledge exchange. Our focus is environmental research practice in western Anglophone settler-colonial and imperial contexts, with which we are most familiar, and where there is substantial knowledge exchange literature.
Inter- and transdisciplinary reasoning for action: the case of an arts–sciences–humanities intervention on climate change
Authors: Poliseli Luana , Caniglia Guido 
Published: February 2024

AbstractInter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) approaches represent promising ways to address complex global challenges, such as climate change. Importantly, arts–sciences collaborations as a form of inter and transdisciplinarity have been widely recognized as potential catalysts for scientific development and social change towards sustainability. However, little attention has been paid to the process of reasoning among the participants in such collaborations. How do participants in arts–science collaboration reason together to overcome disciplinary boundaries and to co-create interventions? This article investigates how inter- and transdisciplinary reasoning (or ITD reasoning) unfolded in a collaboration involving experts from the natural sciences, humanities, and the arts. We studied how collaborators reasoned through different understandings and experiences of climate change as well as through multiple ways of fostering motivation to take action via two co-designed artworks, HOMONEXUS (a participatory textile and acoustic installation) and GLACIER NEX US (a performance staging a dialogue between a melting glacier and a glaciologist). Our conclusions are threefold: (i) ITD reasoning can increase participants’ capacity to navigate often-unpredictable situations by cross-fertilizing ideas and overcoming blind-spots; (ii) humanities in arts–science collaborations can foster a more nuanced understanding of the differences and similarities of different knowledge systems as well as a deeper ecological understanding of sustainability problems; and (iii) the aesthetic experiences stimulated by arts–science interventions may help to raise awareness about the climate emergency and sustainable actions by providing pleasant and positive or dazzling and negative aesthetic experiences.
Effect of Surface Roughness and Chemical Composition of Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steels on Electrochemical Polishing-Induced Martensitic Transformation
Authors: Chae Junyoung , Gwon Hojun , Jeong Chanwoo , Lee Hyukjae , Lee Guihyung , Cho Hyungjun , Kim Sung-Joon , Han Heung Nam 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHerein, we analyzed the martensitic transformation kinetics during electrochemical polishing (EP) for stainless steel specimens with varying surface roughness and austenite stability. Martensite fraction measurement demonstrated that specimens with higher surface roughness and lower austenite stability exhibited relatively higher levels of martensitic transformation. To understand these phase transformation characteristics, the amount of charge build-up on the specimen surface during EP was calculated using COMSOL Multiphysics simulations for specimens with different surface roughness. The effect of charge build-up-induced stress was analyzed using previously published first-principles calculations. We found that specimens with higher surface roughness accumulated more charge build-up, resulting in greater stress and a martensitic transformation driving force. Furthermore, the critical energy required for the martensitic transformation was calculated using Thermo-Calc for specimens with different austenite stabilities. We demonstrated that the martensitic transformation kinetics during EP could be explained in terms of austenite stability, similar to the stress-induced martensitic transformation.
Graphical Abstract