bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost-effective biodiversity protection through multiuse-conservation landscapes
Authors: Peura Maiju , Eyvindson Kyle , Burgas Daniel , Mönkkönen Mikko , Raatikainen Kaisa J. , Kotiaho Janne S. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Context
Intensive land use and exploitation of natural resources are the main direct drivers of biodiversity loss. Transformative changes in land management are called for as conservation and management actions have not been sufficient to support the viability of species populations. It has been proposed that to solve the sufficiency problem one could segregate the landscape into an intensively managed part, and into so-called multiuse-conservation landscapes that aggregate set asides with managed areas for multiple uses.

Objectives
We describe a scenario analysis where we evaluate the effects and cost-efficiency of transforming the boreal forest from intensively managed production landscapes progressively towards multiuse-conservation landscapes.

Methods
We simulated Finnish boreal forests under various managements and optimized management to produce six scenarios to reveal the ecological, economic, climate and management regime implications of multiuse-conservation landscapes. Ecological effects explored included habitat availability and metacommunity capacity of dead wood dependent species.

Results
Increasing the area of set aside and multiuse management increased the habitat availability and metacommunity capacity as well as climate benefits but caused economic losses in terms of timber revenues. Pooling the set asides and multiuse management areas together into the same landscapes reduced the economic losses, had negligible added climate benefits and produced mixed biodiversity effects: pooling decreased habitat availability but increased metacommunity capacity across all landscapes.

Conclusions
Changing land management and aggregating conservation efforts can be a cost-efficient way to protect biodiversity. Our results suggest biodiversity benefits in landscapes where the set aside and multiuse is aggregated. Careful spatial planning can also alleviate the conflicts between ecological and economic values of land.
Assessing pollinator habitat suitability considering ecosystem condition in the Hannover Region, Germany
Authors: Hinsch Malte , Zulian Grazia , Stekker Stefanie , Rega Carlo , Nabuurs Gert-Jan , Verweij Peter , Burkhard Benjamin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Context
Habitat suitability for pollinator species is an important indicator for pollination ecosystem service potential, i.e. for biodiversity and crop provision. Modelling habitat suitability using an expert- and process-based models such as ESTIMAP-pollination is a common and accepted approach to spatially analyse pollination service potential and to make recommendations for planning.

Objectives
However, the suitability as a pollinator habitat depends not only on the land use type. It is also important to consider the condition of the habitat. For this reason, ecosystem condition information was used as a parameter for ESTIMAP modelling for the first time. Ecosystem condition data was used besides the commonly (in ESTIMAP) used information from expert assessments and from land use data.

Methods
As parameters for ecosystem condition, the management intensity in agro ecosystems, the management of forests and the proportion of green space in urban areas were included and affected the modelled habitat suitability for wild bees.

Results
Not all ecosystem types of the region were equally affected by the inclusion of the ecosystem condition parameter in the model. The most affected types were agricultural areas, such as arable and horticultural biotopes, whose suitability values decreased by 25.7%. As a result, areas with low suitability account for 41% of the region and 76.6% of the agro ecosystems. In forest, shrubs and woody plants land use types, the suitability decreased respectively by 4.3 and 6%. On the other hand, urban ecosystems in the city of Hannover were characterised by relatively good habitat suitabilities, especially in the proximity of wide urban forests. In 3.4% of the agricultural land, measures to support pollinators have been established. 1.6% of these measures are located in areas with low suitability.

Conclusions
The results show that ecosystem condition is, in addition to land use type, an important parameter to indicate habitat suitability for pollinators. Especially for ecosystem types with varying habitat suitabilities, such as agro ecosystems, the implementation of ecosystem condition parameters is recommendable. However, the selection of suitable ecosystem condition indicators still requires further research and concise definitions.
On Survival of Coherent Systems Subject to Random Shocks
Authors: Goyal Dheeraj , Kamal Hazra Nil , Finkelstein Maxim 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe consider coherent systems subject to random shocks that can damage a random number of components of a system. Based on the distribution of the number of failed components, we discuss three models, namely, (i) a shock can damage any number of components (including zero) with the same probability, (ii) each shock damages, at least, one component, and (iii) a shock can damage, at most, one component. Shocks arrival times are modeled using three important counting processes, namely, the Poisson generalized gamma process, the Poisson phase-type process and the renewal process with matrix Mittag-Leffler distributed inter-arrival times. For the defined shock models, we discuss relevant reliability properties of coherent systems. An optimal replacement policy for repairable systems is considered as an application of the proposed modeling.
Frequency-response curves for rate-independent hysteretic mechanical responses of complex shape
Authors: Capuano Raffaele , Vaiana Nicolò , Rosati Luciano 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe illustrate the performances of a brand new hysteretic model, recently proposed and denominated VRM+D, to characterize the nonlinear response of mechanical systems endowed with quite complex hysteretic behaviors. To this end, we combine the VRM+D with a continuation procedure based on Poincaré maps developed by Lacarbonara et al. in 1999. In this way, the steady-state response, as well as stability and bifurcation, of a large class of mechanical systems can be analyzed. In particular, we show the effectiveness of the VRM+D, in conjunction with the Poincaré map-based continuation procedure, in accurately predicting periodic solutions of the above-mentioned systems independently of the form of the hysteresis loop shapes. Furthermore, we draw some general considerations on the potential applications of the proposed approach in different fields of engineering to get an improved understanding of the dynamics of hysteretic mechanical systems subjected to cyclic loading.
Whittle index approach to multiserver scheduling with impatient customers and DHR service times
Authors: Aalto Samuli 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe consider the optimal scheduling problem in a multiserver queue with impatient customers belonging to multiple classes. We assume that each customer has a random abandonment time, after which the customer leaves the system if its service has not been completed before that. In addition, we assume that the scheduler is not able to anticipate the expiration of the abandonment times but only knows their distributions and how long each customer has been in the system. Many papers consider this scheduling problem under Poisson arrivals and linear holding costs assuming further that both the service times and the abandonment times have exponential distributions. Even with these additional assumptions, the exact solution is known only in very few special cases. To tackle this tricky problem, we apply the Whittle index approach. Unlike the earlier papers, which were restricted to exponential service times, we allow the service time distributions for which the hazard rate is decreasing. The Whittle index approach is applied to the discrete-time multiserver queueing problem with discounted costs. As our main theoretical result, we prove that the related relaxed optimization problem is indexable and derive the corresponding Whittle index explicitly. Based on this discrete-time result, we develop a reasonable heuristic for the original continuous-time multiserver scheduling problem. The performance of the resulting policy is evaluated in the M/G/M setup by numerical simulations, which demonstrate that it, indeed, gives better performance than the other policies included in the comparison.
Forest waste composting—operational management, environmental impacts, and application
Authors: Silva Maria Elisabete Ferreira , Saetta Raffaella , Raimondo Roberta , Costa José Manuel , Ferreira José Vicente , Brás Isabel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn Portugal, the number of fires and the size of burnt areas are rising dramatically every year, increasing with improper management of agroforestry wastes (AFRs). This work aims to study the composting of these wastes with minimal operational costs and understand the environmental impact and the compost application on burnt soil. Thus, a study of life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out based on windrow composting processes, considering the avoided environmental impacts associated with the end-product quality and its application as an organic amendment. Three composting piles were made with AFRs from the Residual Biomass Collection Centre (RBCC) in Bodiosa (Portugal). Sewage sludges (SS) from an urban wastewater treatment plant were used as conditioning agent. One pile with AFRs (MC) and another with AFRs and SS (MCS) were managed according to good composting practices. Another pile with the AFRs was developed without management (NMC), thus with a minimal operational cost. Periodically, it was measured several physical and chemical parameters according to standard methodologies. Eleven environmental impacts of compost production, MC and MCS, were analyzed by a LCA tool, and their effect on the growth of Pinus pinea was evaluated, using peat as reference. Composting evolution was expected for both piles. Final composts, MC and MCS, were similar, complying with organic amendment quality parameters. Compost NMC, with no operational management, showed the highest germination index. Piles MC and MCS showed similar environmental impacts, contributing to a negative impact on global warming, acidification, and eutrophication. Greater growth was obtained with application of MCS, followed by MC, and finally, peat. Composting is a sustainable way to valorize AFRs wastes, producing compost that could restore burnt soils and promote plant growth and circular economy.
Graphical Abstract
Impact of tropical storms on the banking sector in the British Colonial Caribbean
Authors: Huesler Joel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of four historical tropical storms on the Colonial Bank’s operations in the British Caribbean between 1922 and 1927. By employing a high-frequency data set of bank transactions, this study reveals how these severe shocks influenced the banking activities of clients. The findings reveal a multifaceted and significant impact of tropical storm strikes on the banks’ operations, particularly a surge in borrowing via overdrafts of current accounts. Moreover, the study reveals the multifaceted nature of such storms’ impact on the bank’s functionality, with affected branches demonstrating an uptick in deposits and savings as a strategy to mitigate funding shocks. The results of the econometric analysis indicate that the impact of such storms on banks’ functionality during the early 20th century was significant and multidimensional. It highlights the critical role that the Colonial Bank plays in facilitating recovery from these devastating events and contributes to the existing literature by studying multiple shocks at different geographical locations and time frames.
What Do We Teach to Engineering Students: Embedded Ethics, Morality, and Politics
Authors: Ferdman Avigail , Ratti Emanuele 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn the past few years, calls for integrating ethics modules in engineering curricula have multiplied. Despite this positive trend, a number of issues with these ‘embedded’ programs remains. First, learning goals are underspecified. A second limitation is the conflation of different dimensions under the same banner, in particular confusion between ethics curricula geared towards addressing the ethics of individual conduct and curricula geared towards addressing ethics at the societal level. In this article, we propose a tripartite framework to overcome these difficulties. Our framework analytically decomposes an ethics module into three dimensions. First, there is the ethical dimension, which pertains to the learning goals. Second, there is the moral dimension, which addresses the moral relevance of engineers’ conduct. Finally, there is the political dimension, which scales up issues of moral relevance at the civic level. All in all, our framework has two advantages. First, it provides analytic clarity, i.e. it enables course instructors to locate ethical dilemmas in either the moral or political realm and to make use of the tools and resources from moral and/or political philosophy. Second, it depicts a comprehensive ethical training, which enables students to both reason about moral issues in the abstract, and to socially contextualize potential solutions.
Dancing program and young children’s social development
Authors: Kotaman Hüseyin , İnceoğlu Seval Ördek , Kotaman Şeyma 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe purpose of the study was to investigate impact of dancing program on early childhood children’s pro-social skills, aggression and shyness. Treatment group applied eight weeks long dancing program which contained two dance activities for each week. Control group had not applied the dance program. Forty-five children from treatment and 62 children from control group participated the study. Teachers rated their children’s social skills before and after the dancing program. Findings showed that treatment children’s pro-social skills significantly increased from pretest to posttest and aggression and shyness scores significantly decreased from pretest to posttest. Similar findings were not detected for control group. Two groups’ posttest minus pretest differences for three sub dimension compared and comparison revealed significant difference in favor of treatment group. These findings pointed the dancing program which was developed by investigators as a practical intervention tool to promote young children’s social skills.
The Effect of Water Injection on a Naturally Aspirated Spark-Ignited Engine
Authors: Kim Woojae , Chung Jongwon , Kim Junghyun , Myung Cha-Lee , Lee Kyeonghyeon , Park Jongbum , Min Kyungdoug 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWater injection (WI) is a well-known technique to mitigate knocking phenomena, reducing the in-cylinder gas temperature with a high heat of vaporization and specific heat of water. In this study, the effect of WI directly into the cylinder on fuel efficiency was investigated using a 2.0 L naturally aspirated (NA), four-cylinder, port fuel injection (PFI)-spark-ignited (SI) engine. Spray visualization of water injection by a commercial gasoline direct-injection (GDI) injector was performed to elucidate the water evaporation characteristics. In engine experiments, combustion characteristics were analyzed by adjusting the WI timing and amount. Synergistic effects with other gas dilution techniques, such as EGR and Lean burn, were also investigated. The spray image of WI showed poor evaporation of water compared to gasoline, even at high fuel temperatures. The optimal timing of WI was advanced up to the early intake stroke due to the harsh conditions of NA engines for water evaporation compared to turbocharged engines. With the combination of EGR, the optimal WI timing was advanced by the compression stroke, and further fuel efficiency improvement was achieved. In lean combustion, WI can improve both combustion stability and fuel efficiency.
Cultural versus demic diffusion in agricultural expansions according to three definitions of dispersal distances
Authors: Bancells Pere , Fort Joaquim 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMathematical models of agricultural spread use distances between birthplaces of parents and their children (often called “birthplace distances”). However, the difficulty to find those distances for pre-industrial farmers has often led to the use of other kinds of distances. One example is the distance between the birthplace and the place of residence of each individual (“residence distances”). Another example is the separation between the birthplaces of parents (“mating distances”). It is poorly known to what extent the latter two distances are valid approximations to birthplace distances. In order to address this question, we have prepared a database with the three distances for a specific pre-industrial agricultural population (the Yanomamö). For the spread of the Neolithic in Europe, all three kinds of distances yield spread rates consistent with the archaeological data, as well as cultural effects below 50% (so demic diffusion was more important than cultural diffusion). The three kinds of distances also yield estimations for the percentage of early farmers who interbred with hunter-gatherers that are consistent with the corresponding estimation from genetics. There is wide agreement for the cultural and demic effects in other expansions of agriculture and/or herding (the spread of the Neolithic in Asia, Bantu, and Khoikhoi expansions; the spread of rice in Asia, etc.) and using distances measured for other populations. We conclude that estimates are largely insensitive to the kind of distances used. This implies that the conclusions drawn so far in the literature using these three kinds of distances are robust.
Transmission of Viruses from Restroom Use: A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Authors: Abney Sarah E. , Higham Ciara A. , Wilson Amanda M. , Ijaz M. Khalid , McKinney Julie , Reynolds Kelly A. , Gerba Charles P. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractRestroom use has been implicated in a number of viral outbreaks. In this study, we apply quantitative microbial risk assessment to quantify the risk of viral transmission by contaminated restroom fomites. We estimate risk from high-touch fomite surfaces (entrance/exit door, toilet seat) for three viruses of interest (SARS-CoV-2, adenovirus, norovirus) through eight exposure scenarios involving differing user behaviors, and the use of hand sanitizer following each scenario. We assessed the impacts of several sequences of fomite contacts in the restroom, reflecting the variability of human behavior, on infection risks for these viruses. Touching of the toilet seat was assumed to model adjustment of the seat (open vs. closed), a common touch point in single-user restrooms (home, small business, hospital). A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted for each exposure scenario (10,000 simulations each). Norovirus resulted in the highest probability of infection for all exposure scenarios with fomite surfaces. Post-restroom automatic-dispensing hand sanitizer use reduced the probability of infection for each virus by up to 99.75%. Handwashing within the restroom, an important risk-reduction intervention, was not found to be as effective as use of a non-touch hand sanitizer dispenser for reducing risk to near or below 1/1,000,000, a commonly used risk threshold for comparison.
Feasibility analysis of arterial CT radiomics model to predict the risk of local and metastatic recurrence after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer
Authors: Lv Huawang , Zhou Xiaozhou , Liu Yuan , Liu Yuting , Chen Zhiwen 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To construct a radiomics-clinical nomogram model for predicting the risk of local and metastatic recurrence within 3 years after radical cystectomy (RC) of bladder cancer (BCa) based on the radiomics features and important clinical risk factors for arterial computed tomography (CT) images and to evaluate its efficacy.

Methods
Preoperative CT datasets of 134 BCa patients (24 recurrent) who underwent RC were collected and divided into training (n = 93) and validation sets (n = 41). Radiomics features were extracted from a 1.5 mm CT layer thickness image in the arterial phase. A radiomics score (Rad-Score) model was constructed using the feature dimension reduction method and a logistic regression model. Combined with important clinical factors, including gender, age, tumor size, tumor number and grade, pathologic T stage, lymph node stage and histology type of the archived lesion, and CT image signs, a radiomics-clinical nomogram was developed, and its performance was evaluated in the training and validation sets. Decision curve analyses (DCA) the potential clinical usefulness.

Results
The radiomics model is finally linear combined by 8 features screened by LASSO regression, and after coefficient weighting, achieved good predictive results. The radiomics nomogram developed by combining two independent predictors, Rad-Score and pathologic T stage, was developed in the training set [AUC, 0.840; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.743–0.937] and validation set (AUC, 0.883; 95% CI 0.777–0.989). The calibration curve showed good agreement between the predicted probability of the radiomics-clinical model and the actual recurrence rate within 3 years after RC for BCa. DCA show the clinical application value of the radiomics-clinical model.

Conclusion
The radiomics-clinical nomogram model constructed based on the radiomics features of arterial CT images and important clinical risk factors is potentially feasible for predicting the risk of recurrence within 3 years after RC for BCa.
Stabilization of Expansive Clays with Basalt Fibers and Prediction of Strength by Machine Learning
Authors: Sert Sedat , Arslan Eylem , Ocakbaşı Pınar , Ekinci Ekin , Garip Zeynep , Özocak Aşkın , Bol Ertan , Ndepete Cyrille Prosper 
Published: February 2024

AbstractExpansive clays with high plasticity need to be stabilized to prevent hazards that may arise due to the extreme volume changes experienced with moisture fluctuations. Utilizing a kind of natural and eco-friendly sustainable fiber named as basalt fiber into the soils has become a new issue that needs to be expanded in scope. In this paper, a high plastic soil was stabilized by these natural basalt fibers to reduce possible soil-induced disasters. Basalt fibers in different lengths were mixed into the clay at varied amounts. Due to the soil’s sensitivity to water, the samples were prepared at distinct water contents, 2 on the dry and 3 on the wet side of the optimum. To question whether the strength loss due to the moisture change can be regained with basalt fibers or not, the strength tests were performed on both natural and stabilized samples. Through the tests, it was revealed that the strength of the expansive clays can be enhanced up to 280% at a fiber content of 2%. The highest strength was obtained at approximately 880 kPa by mixing 24 mm fibers with 15% water at 1 and 2% ratios. As anticipated, the long fibers (24 mm) supplied a real reinforcement even at high water contents. In addition, the obtained data set was used to train machine learning algorithms (linear, ridge, lasso, support vector, decision tree) that have just started to be applied in geotechnical engineering. Results have proved that, the decision tree regression outperformed the stress and strain with 0.85 R-squared (R2) in stress and 0.91 R2 in strain estimation. Additionally, it was revealed from the feature importance analyses that water content has an importance of approximately 85% on stress and up to 97% on strain.