bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multilevel effects of urban form and urban functional zones on housing prices: evidence from open-source big data
Authors: Huang Guan , Qiao Si , Yeh Anthony Gar-On 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWhile the relationship between local housing prices and the urban form and distribution of urban functional zones in a single city is well-discussed, the conclusion is usually sensitive to a particular city context, and cross-city comparative study is limited. This study attempts to examine the influences of urban form and urban functional zone distribution on housing prices within and between cities after controlling the city-wide socio-economic and demographic differences. Based on multiple open-source big data, such as points-of-interest (POI) and historical housing transaction data, the hierarchical linear model is utilized to compare the housing market of 10 extra-large cities in China. Results indicate that the urban form and the urban functional zone distribution significantly influence housing prices after the socio-economic and demographic differences are controlled. For inter-city comparison, an urban form with high compactness, low centrality, low polycentricity, high density, and low dissimilarity in housing development is related to lower city-level housing prices. For intra-city, proximity to work centers, high-quality hospitals, and schools shows positive associations to housing prices.
Higher-Order Finite Element Methods for the Nonlinear Helmholtz Equation
Authors: Verfürth Barbara 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this work, we analyze the finite element method with arbitrary but fixed polynomial degree for the nonlinear Helmholtz equation with impedance boundary conditions. We show well-posedness and error estimates of the finite element solution under a resolution condition between the wave number k, the mesh size h and the polynomial degree p of the form “$$k(kh)^{p+1}$$

k

(
k
h
)

p
+
1

sufficiently small” and a so-called smallness of the data assumption. For the latter, we prove that the logarithmic dependence in h from the case $$p=1$$

p
=
1

in Wu and Zou (SIAM J Numer Anal 56(3):1338–1359, 2018) can be removed for $$p\ge 2$$

p
≥
2

. We show convergence of two different fixed-point iteration schemes. Numerical experiments illustrate our theoretical results and compare the robustness of the iteration schemes with respect to the size of the nonlinearity and the right-hand side data.
Beyond Language Barriers: Allowing Multiple Languages in Postsecondary Chemistry Classes Through Multilingual Machine Learning
Authors: Martin Paul P. , Graulich Nicole 
Published: February 2024

AbstractStudents who learn the language of instruction as an additional language represent a heterogeneous group with varying linguistic and cultural backgrounds, contributing to classroom diversity. Because of the manifold challenges these students encounter while learning the language of instruction, additional barriers arise for them when engaging in chemistry classes. Adapting teaching practices to the language skills of these students, for instance, in formative assessments, is essential to promote equity and inclusivity in chemistry learning. For this reason, novel educational practices are needed to meet each student’s unique set of language capabilities, irrespective of course size. In this study, we propose and validate several approaches to allow undergraduate chemistry students who are not yet fluent in the language of instruction to complete a formative assessment in their preferred language. A technically easy-to-implement option for instructors is to use translation tools to translate students’ reasoning in any language into the instructor’s language. Besides, instructors could also establish multilingual machine learning models capable of automatically analyzing students’ reasoning regardless of the applied language. Herein, we evaluated both opportunities by comparing the reliability of three translation tools and determining the degree to which multilingual machine learning models can simultaneously assess written arguments in different languages. The findings illustrate opportunities to apply machine learning for analyzing students’ reasoning in multiple languages, demonstrating the potential of such techniques in ensuring equal access for learners of the language of instruction.
The landscape scale of effect on the alpha and beta diversities of woody species in a semideciduous tropical forest
Authors: Juárez–Fragoso Mauricio A. , Perroni Yareni , Dáttilo Wesley , Gómez–Díaz Jorge A. , Guevara Roger 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Context
Most tropical forest landscapes are highly fragmented, have habitat patches varying in size and shape, and display different degrees of perturbation, but with high conservation values. Therefore, a major goal of landscape ecology is to discover the actual spatial scale at which landscape composition and structure affect biological processes and biodiversity.

Objective
This study aimed to determine the landscape scale of effect governing the α and β diversities of woody species in a highly fragmented, semideciduous tropical forest.

Methods
We recorded the diversity of woody species in 19 plots scattered across a highly fragmented, semideciduous tropical forest landscape. Then, we used CART algorithms to evaluate the effects of landscape attributes on the α and β diversities of such species across 100 scales (10–1000 m) and tested continuous effects with generalized additive models.

Results
The shape and size of habitat patches in the range of 250–470 m determined α diversity. As for β diversity, nestedness was affected by the shape of forest patches at 510 m, whereas landscape heterogeneity affected species turnover within 100 m buffers.

Conclusion
While a previous study in a similar habitat reported effects at 800 m, the number, size, and shape of habitat patches in the current study accounted for the diversity of the focal plots within 100–510 m. Furthermore, CART effectively screened 100 scales, revealing which landscape attributes correlated the most with the diversity of woody plants. The findings provide valuable guidelines for conservation, restoration efforts, and public policies.
Mapping livestock grazing in semi-natural areas in the European Union and United Kingdom
Authors: Malek Žiga , Schulze Katharina , Bartl Hedwig , Keja Wim , Petersen Jan-Erik , Tieskens Koen , Jones Gwyn , Verburg Peter H. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Context
Livestock grazing throughout Europe has resulted in high diversity of semi-natural areas in past centuries. Currently, most low intensity grazing relying on semi-natural vegetation is found primarily in marginal lands. These areas still host a high-level of biodiversity but are subject to abandonment and agricultural intensification.

Objectives
Spatial information on areas where semi-natural vegetation is still grazed, and how contextual geographic conditions encourage or limit grazing is missing, hindering their protection. We present an interdisciplinary approach to map the spatial distribution of grazing in semi-natural areas of the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Methods
We first interviewed grazing experts from European countries, who provided us with estimates on grazing across selected land cover classes per environmental zone and Member State. Subsequently, we analysed the spatial distribution of grazing through maximum entropy modeling using pan-European in-situ data on grazing observations (using LUCAS, an EU wide land use survey) and a set of geographic characteristics representing the local socio-economic, terrain, soil and climatic context.

Results
The expert-derived estimates on grazing suggest that 20.6% (or 134 thousand km2) of semi-natural areas in the EU + UK are grazed, although with low livestock densities. In addition, we find that there is great variety across the region in the factors that explain the occurrence of grazing: while in some regions, farmers’ age and distance to markets are most important, in others terrain or climate are influencing the location of grazing. Finally, we were able to map both the grazing probability as well as actual spatial distribution of grazing on semi-natural areas for the whole of EU and UK.

Conclusions
These data can assist in prioritizing future conservation efforts in these unique land systems.
Rapid urban expansion and potential disaster risk on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in the 21st century
Authors: Yin Chenglong , Zhu Annah Lake , Zhou Qiang , Meng Fei , Chen Ruishan , Liu Fenggui , Chen Qiong , Guo Xiaona 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Context
Cities are still expanding in many parts of the world in the 21st century, especially in developing regions, where socioeconomic transition has triggered urbanization. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, characterized by its high elevation, developing economy, and fragile environment, has undergone rapid urbanization in the past twenty years, potentially heightening the region’s risk of geological and hydrometeorological disasters.

Objectives
This article examines the process of urbanization on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in order to better understand the relationship between urban expansion and population change and to explore whether geological and hydrometeorological disasters threaten urban expansion.

Methods
We created a high-resolution urban built-up boundary dataset from 2000 to 2020 based on remote sensing and GIS. By examining the spatio-temporal pattern of urban expansion and its population dynamics from 2000 to 2020 in 15 cities across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we quantified the urban expansion characteristics and explored the rising geological and hydrometeorological disaster risks urban areas face.

Results
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has experienced rapid and uneven urbanization in the past 20 years. The total expansion rate was over 252% – 1.48 and 2.81 times higher than that of China and the world, respectively. Urban expansion exceeded population growth in most cities throughout the whole period. The urban built-up areas and population of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau tended to concentrate in the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley of Qinghai Province and the Yarlung Zangbo River and its two tributaries of Tibet. High-density urban built-up areas and population distribution were exposed to geological and hydrometeorological disasters. The urban boundary dataset produced in this study has better accuracy than the other five existing datasets, for the given area and time range.

Conclusions
This study will not only provide a scientific reference for urban development research and future urban planning on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau at the regional scale, but will also contribute to research on the urbanization process of the plateau and mountainous regions on a global scale, raising awareness of geological and hydrometeorological disaster risk prevention in these areas worldwide
Epistemic (in)justice, social identity and the Black Box problem in patient care
Authors: Khan Muneerah , Ewuoso Cornelius 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis manuscript draws on the moral norms arising from the nuanced accounts of epistemic (in)justice and social identity in relational autonomy to normatively assess and articulate the ethical problems associated with using AI in patient care in light of the Black Box problem. The article also describes how black-boxed AI may be used within the healthcare system. The manuscript highlights what needs to happen to align AI with the moral norms it draws on. Deeper thinking – from other backgrounds other than decolonial scholarship and relational autonomy – about the impact of AI on the human experience needs to be done to appreciate any other barriers that may exist. Future studies can take up this task.
Hybrid time-spatial video saliency detection method to enhance human action recognition systems
Authors: Gharahbagh Abdorreza Alavi , Hajihashemi Vahid , Ferreira Marta Campos , Machado J. J. M. , Tavares João Manuel R. S. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSince digital media has become increasingly popular, video processing has expanded in recent years. Video processing systems require high levels of processing, which is one of the challenges in this field. Various approaches, such as hardware upgrades, algorithmic optimizations, and removing unnecessary information, have been suggested to solve this problem. This study proposes a video saliency map based method that identifies the critical parts of the video and improves the system’s overall performance. Using an image registration algorithm, the proposed method first removes the camera’s motion. Subsequently, each video frame’s color, edge, and gradient information are used to obtain a spatial saliency map. Combining spatial saliency with motion information derived from optical flow and color-based segmentation can produce a saliency map containing both motion and spatial data. A nonlinear function is suggested to properly combine the temporal and spatial saliency maps, which was optimized using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The proposed saliency map method was added as a preprocessing step in several Human Action Recognition (HAR) systems based on deep learning, and its performance was evaluated. Furthermore, the proposed method was compared with similar methods based on saliency maps, and the superiority of the proposed method was confirmed. The results show that the proposed method can improve HAR efficiency by up to 6.5% relative to HAR methods with no preprocessing step and 3.9% compared to the HAR method containing a temporal saliency map.
Hybrid Prompt Recommendation Explanation Generation combined with Graph Encoder
Authors: Wang Tianhao , Wu Sheng , Yi Fen , Kuang Lidan , Wang You , Zhang Jin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractRecommendation systems have been effectively utilized in various fields, but their internal decision-making methods are still largely unknown. This opaque decision-making method can greatly affect users’ trust in the recommendation system. Therefore, finding a way to explain the reasons for model decisions has become an urgent task. Previous studies often used LSTM and other models to generate recommendation explanations and explain the reasons for recommendations in text form. However, traditional methods cannot effectively use the ID information of users and items, and the text generated is highly repetitive. To solve this problem, this paper uses the method of prompt learning combined with a graph encoder to design a recommendation explanation generation model. In order to narrow the semantic gap between the ID information of users and items and natural language and capture high-level interaction information, this paper designs a graph encoder based on user similarity to learn the interactive semantic information of user and item IDs, and to construct a continuous prompt. Then, the discrete prompt composed of discrete features of users and items is combined with the continuous prompt to construct a hybrid prompt to input into the pre-trained model to generate the recommended explanation. This paper experiments on three publicly available datasets and compares them with several state-of-the-art methods to demonstrate the personalization and text quality of the generated explanations.
Chinese aid and democratic values in Latin America
Authors: Freytag Andreas , Kautz Miriam , Wolf Moritz 
Published: February 2024

AbstractInternational economic engagement has been increasingly framed in terms of liberal democratic values. Specifically, Chinese aid has been at the center of this debate. Since Chinese aid comes with “no strings attached,” a popular narrative is that Chinese aid poses a challenge to conditional aid, thus weakening democracy promotion. This study aims to deepen our understanding of how democratic values are shaped by international economic engagement. Drawing on the Latinobarometro Household Survey, we use an instrumental variable approach to test the effect of Chinese aid on attitudes toward democracy in 18 Latin American countries on the national and regional level. We find that Chinese aid has a non-negative effect on support for democracy. We also find that individuals who have a positive attitude towards China are more likely to value democracy. In contrast, positive attitudes towards the USA have no robust impact on support for democracy.
Theoretical study of the formation of pyrazole and indazole carbamic acids
Authors: Ferrer Maxime , Alkorta Ibon , Elguero Jose 
Published: February 2024

AbstractA theoretical study of the formation of carbamic acids of pyrazole and indazole has been carried out using DFT computational methods. The effects of the substituents and the solvent (using explicit and implicit solvent models) have been considered. In addition, the deprotonation of the carbamic acid and its influence on the stability of the system has been calculated. In the neutral systems, only the formation of indazole-1-carbamic acid derivatives is favored vs. the non-covalent complexes between pyrazole or indazole with CO2. The deprotonation of the carbamic acid highly stabilizes the system preventing its dissociation.
Assistive Technology as Affective Scaffolding
Authors: Candiotto Laura , Stapleton Mog 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we argue that the affective experience that permeates the employment of Assistive Technology (AT) in special needs education is crucial for the integration of AT. “AT integration” generally means the fluid and automatic employment of AT for fulfilling certain tasks. Pritchard et al. (2021) have proposed a more specific conceptualisation of AT integration by saying that AT is integrated when it is part of the user’s cognitive character. By discussing their proposal, we argue that the user’s affective experience is crucial for AT integration. To better appreciate the relevance of the affective experience in AT integration, we suggest shifting the perspective from the functionalist extended cognition framework, as Pritchard et al. (2021) propose, to affective scaffoldings. In doing so we focus on the feeling of agency as the key experience to consider for understanding what AT does to the agent. We will put forth the hermeneutical tool of “phenomenal transformation” to explain how and why AT as an affective scaffolding can support the fundamental “I can” of the experience.
Influence of environmental and intrinsic factors on the flowering success and petal morphology of Pulsatilla patens and the hybrid Pulsatilla patens × vernalis in Finland
Authors: Jutila H. , Parisy B. , Loehr J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCombatting the biodiversity crisis through management and conservation requires specific information on the basic biology of species in decline. The Eastern pasqueflower, Pulsatilla patens, has declined drastically in Europe and in Finland is currently confined to a few locations. The aim of this study was to assess which factors influence fitness-related traits of P. patens and a hybrid species P. patens × vernalis. To this end we recorded morphological and environmental variables over a three-year period on individually marked P. patens and hybrid individuals in eight locations in southern Finland. The number of flowers decreased significantly each year for P. patens while for the hybrid there was first an increase and then decrease. Hybrids produced on average more flowers than P. patens individuals and the share of flowering individuals was higher in hybrids than in pure pasqueflowers. In general, for both P. patens and the hybrid, larger plant diameter, cooler and drier conditions and greater canopy openness positively affected number of flowers and flowering probability, although some species-specific differences were evident with a preference for greater canopy density for P. patens than the hybrid. Although our results support current conservation practices of creating more open environments to benefit flowering of P. patens, there also appears to be a limit to the amount of direct sunlight P. patens will tolerate, thus warranting caution. At present, the hybrid does not appear to be of immediate concern to the endangered P. patens, although continued monitoring of the populations is recommended.
Antiepileptic Strategies for Patients with Primary and Metastatic Brain Tumors
Authors: Newton Herbert B. , Wojkowski Jenna 
Published: February 2024

Opinion statementSeizure activity is common in patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors, affecting more than 50% of cases over the course of their disease. Several mechanisms contribute to brain tumor–related epilepsy (BTRE), including a pro-inflammatory environment, excessive secretion of glutamate and an increase in neuronal excitatory tone, reduction of GABAergic inhibitory activity, and an increase in 2-hydroxygluturate production in isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant tumors. After a verified seizure in a brain tumor patient, the consensus is that BTRE has developed, and it is necessary to initiate an antiepileptic drug (AED). It is not recommended to initiate AED prophylaxis. Second- and third-generation AEDs are the preferred options for initiation, due to a lack of hepatic enzyme induction and reduced likelihood for drug-drug interactions, especially in regard to neoplastic treatment. The efficacy of appropriate AEDs for patients with BTRE is fairly equivalent, although some data suggests that levetiracetam may be slightly more active in suppressing seizures than other AEDs. The consensus among most Neuro-Oncology providers is to initiate levetiracetam monotherapy after a first seizure in a brain tumor patient, as long as the patient does not have any psychiatric co-morbidities. If levetiracetam is not tolerated well or is ineffective, other appropriate initial AED options for monotherapy or as an add-on anticonvulsant include lacosamide, valproic acid, briviracetam, lamotrigine, and perampanel.
Energy efficient noise error pattern generator for guessing decoding in bursty channels
Authors: Zhou Qiang , Zhan Ming , Zhang Jiangwu , Yu Kan , Wu Fang , Pang Zhibo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFor the hard guessing random additive noise decoding Markov order (GRAND-MO) algorithm, it is crucial to develop an efficient noise error patterns (NEPs) generator to facilitate its application in bursty channels. This paper proposes a practical hardware realization by generating the NEPs in a sequential manner. Based on classification of the four types of NEPs, we propose to iteratively calculate the “1" and the “0" permutations in the same time. Then, the novel “0" permutation regularization and bit flipping techniques are employed, through which the generation of the four types of NEPs is uniformed at the same way. Moreover, the proposed NEPs generator can generate all NEPs by using the “1" burst parameters, and is suitable for the guessing decoding of any linear block codes. Built on field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation and comparison with existing benchmark, we show the proposed NEPs generator is a power-efficient architecture for realization. This work presents a new solution for the hardware implementation of the NEPs generator in GRAND-MO.