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The pulp and paper industry (PPI) has several opportunities to contribute to meeting prevailing climate targets. It can cut its own CO2 emissions, which currently account for 2% of global industrial fossil CO2 emissions, and it has an opportunity to produce renewable energy, fuels, and materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the decarbonization prospects of the PPI. The study provides insights on the magnitude of needed annual renewal rates for several possible net-zero target years of industrial fossil CO2 emissions in the PPI and discusses decarbonization opportunities, namely, energy and material efficiency improvement, fuel switching, electrification, renewable energy production, carbon capture, and new products. The effects of climate policies on the decarbonization opportunities are critically evaluated to provide an overview of the current and future business environment of the European PPI. The focus is on Europe, but other regions are analyzed briefly to widen the view. The analysis shows that there are no major technical barriers to the fossil-free operation of the PPI, but the sector renovates slowly, and many new opportunities are not implemented on a large scale due to immature technology, poor economic feasibility, or unclear political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector contributes to 40% of the total final energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in Europe, and these are set to increase in the coming years. International directives are pushing towards a decarbonisation roadmap to improve the quality of cities and the health of citizens. Buildings have a potentially central role in terms of energy transition as a means to produce and save energy. Photovoltaic shading devices (PVSDs) protect buildings from direct solar radiation and overheating while producing renewable electricity onsite and increasing the users' thermal comfort. Even though the potential of the PVSD is considerable, the sector is still unexplored, and few studies on the topic are available in the literature. This systematic review aims to present an exhaustive overview of the current literature on state-of-the-art PVSDs by analysing the scientific framework in terms of the status of the research. It presents a performance-based approach focusing on innovative products, PVSD design strategies, and energetic performance in distinct climate conditions and configurations. In particular, 75 articles and about 250 keywords were identified, selected, and analysed. The literature review serves as a basis for further R&D activities led by both the industrial and the academic sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plant species can impede the establishment and growth of native plants and affect several ecosystem properties. These properties include soil cover, nutrient cycling, fire regimes, and hydrology. Controlling invasive plants is therefore a necessary, but usually expensive, step in restoring an ecosystem. The sustainability of materials with an emphasis on the use of local resources plays an important role in the circular economy. The use of alternative fibers from invasive plants promotes local production in smaller paper mills that offer the protection of local species and the reduction of waste and invasive plants. A synthesis of the literature is needed to understand the various impacts of invasive plants and their practical control in the context of papermaking applications and to identify associated knowledge gaps. To improve our understanding of the practical application of invasive species in the paper industry, we reviewed the existing literature on invasive plant species in the area of fiber production, printability, coating solution production, dyes, and extracts, and collected information on the major invasive plant species in Europe and the methods used for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the increased risk of high heat release and asphyxiation (toxic gas poisoning) in the event of a fire involving polyurethane (PU)- and MDF-based building materials, which are commonly used in buildings. Among them, polyurethane (PU) building materials are very commonly used in buildings, except in Europe and some other countries, due to their excellent thermal insulation performance. Still, problems of short-term heat release and the spread of toxic gases in the event of a fire continue to occur. To overcome these problems, researchers are actively working on introducing various flame retardants into building materials. Therefore, in this study, we produced a laboratory-sized (500 mm × 500 mm) plate-like flame-retardant board that can be utilized as a building material with a lower heat release rate and a lower toxicity index. The material was made by mixing expanded graphite and ceramic binder as flame retardants in a material that is formulated based on the cellulose of waste paper, replacing the existing building materials with a hot-press method. According to the ISO-5660-1 test on the heat release rate of the plate-like flame-retardant board, the Total Heat Release (THR) value was 2.9 (MJ/m2) for 10 min, showing an effect of reducing the THR value by 36.3 (MJ/m2) compared to the THR value of 39.2 (MJ/m2) of the specimen made using only paper. In addition, the toxicity index of the flame-retardant board was checked through the NES (Naval Engineering Standards)-713 test. As a result, the test specimen showed a toxicity index of 0.7, which is 2.4 lower than the toxicity index of 3.1 of MDF, which is utilized as a conventional building material. Based on the results of this study, the cellulose fire-retardant board showed the effect of reducing the heat release rate and toxicity index of building materials in a building fire, which reduces the risk of rapid heat spread and smoke toxicity. This has the potential to improve the evacuation time (A-SET) of evacuees in fires. It is also important to show that recycling waste paper and utilizing it as the main material for building materials can be an alternative in terms of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop bio-based adhesives that can be used for various packaging papers. In addition to commercial paper samples, papers produced from harmful plant species in Europe, such as Japanese Knotweed and Canadian Goldenrod, were used. In this research, methods were developed to produce bio-based adhesive solutions in combinations of tannic acid, chitosan, and shellac. The results showed that the viscosity and adhesive strength of the adhesives were best in solutions with added tannic acid and shellac. The tensile strength with adhesives of tannic acid and chitosan was 30% better than with commercial adhesives and 23% for combinations of shellac and chitosan. For paper from Japanese Knotweed and Canadian Goldenrod, the most durable adhesive was pure shellac. Because the surface morphology of the invasive plant papers was more open and had numerous pores compared to the commercial papers, the adhesives penetrated the paper structure and filled the voids. There was less adhesive on the surface and the commercial papers achieved better adhesive properties. As expected, the bio-based adhesives also showed an increase in peel strength and exhibited favorable thermal stability. In summary, these physical properties support the use of bio-based adhesives use in different packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gene therapy brings opportunities to discover cures for diseases for which there are no adequate treatments. As most gene therapies target rare diseases, several challenges are associated with their clinical development, such as limited population size, lack of established clinical pathways for development, and sometimes the absence of validated endpoints. The objective of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the methodology and design of European clinical trials (CTs) utilising gene therapy medicinal products (GTMPs). Methods: A systematic search of online CT databases was performed using keywords to identify CTs conducted with GTMPs in Europe, published from 1 January 1995 to 31 July 2019. Results: The search identified 1571 CTs, of which 199 were identified as published articles. A total of 159 CTs remained following the elimination of duplicated CTs, non-gene therapy trials, and those conducted outside Europe. Of these, only nine CTs were randomised, double-blind, with or without parallel groups, and placebo-controlled. Conclusions: The analysed randomised CTs were conducted in accordance with Good clinical practice with low risk of bias across domains. Only one CT was identified with some concerns of bias due to lack of information regarding the randomisation process and changes in protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a parasitic infection of the central nervous system caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium, presents a diagnostic conundrum due to its rare and often nonspecific clinical manifestations. This paper aims to unravel the diagnostic mystery surrounding NCC, shedding light on its epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and the challenges encountered in its diagnosis. Despite being considered a rare disease, NCC is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide, underscoring its clinical significance. The complexity of NCC diagnosis lies in its diverse clinical presentations, which can range from headaches, dizziness, and seizures to more severe neurological cognitive deficits. This diversity often leads to misdiagnosis. Furthermore, the limitations of current diagnostic methods, including serological tests and neuroimaging, contribute to the diagnostic dilemma. This paper emphasises the need for improved diagnostic criteria and novel diagnostic tools to enable early and accurate detection of NCC. By enhancing our understanding of NCC, we can pave the way for better management strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes in this under-recognised disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: "To change the world, we must first change the way the babies are being born", said Michel Odent, the famous French obstetrician and pioneer of the "natural birth" movement. This quotable phrase has been widespread in activism campaigns, and it refers to a project for social change that goes beyond birth. Conceiving childbirth in the broader social context, it is not surprising that this emblematic quote inspires emancipatory struggles around birth. This paper results from a study of childbirth activism in different European contexts, where the author explores the emergence and modes of action of social movements advocating for the humanization of childbirth and women's rights in pregnancy and childbirth. (2) Methods: Starting from the analysis of the main characteristics of childbirth activism, in this paper the author briefly analyzes the cases of organizations from Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, as well as a campaign promoted by the European Network of Childbirth Associations (ENCA). The author mobilizes empirical data resulting from a triangulation approach, essentially based on documentary analysis, complemented by conversations and participant observation in different settings. (3) Results: Preliminary results show how childbirth activism is contributing to the construction of alternative conceptions of birth, challenging established paradigms. (4) Conclusion: In its differences and similarities, childbirth activism assumes distinct features, but it also has the ability to adapt and promote changes, depending on the specificities of the contexts where it operates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes anti-corruption research and the body of knowledge produced by researchers in Southeast Europe (SEE). It compares it to the extant global anti-corruption literature. We consider all available scientific outputs from the SEE region, indexed by the Elsevier Scopus bibliometric database, and employ the Elsevier SciVal software solution to analyze the productivity and impact of the regional anti-corruption research. We also consider the influence of international cooperation on regional scientific productivity and its impact. The bibliometric comparison of the global and regional research and the authors' qualitative assessment of these differences are performed. We also identify the implications and future research priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the precise dimensioning and effective testing of drivetrain components, it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of customer requirements, with a particular emphasis on customer stress on these components. An accurate interpretation of customer data is essential for determining representative customer requirements, such as load collectives. The automobile industry has faced challenges in analyzing large amounts of customer driving data to obtain representative load collectives as target values in durability design. However, due to technical limitations and cost constraints, collecting data from a large sample size is not feasible. The ongoing digitalization of the automotive industry, driven by an increasing number of connected vehicles, enhances data-based and customer-oriented development. This paper investigates representative customer load collectives using cloud data from over 40,000 customer vehicles to lay the groundwork for realizing robust requirement engineering. A systematic method for analyzing big data on the cloud was introduced. The derived component-specific damage distribution from these collectives adopts a unique approach, utilizing the 1% vehicle term instead of the common 1% customer term to represent typical customer stress. This study shows that the driven mileage and the number of vehicles are crucial factors in 1% vehicle analysis. An analysis of the characteristics of the 1% vehicle is conducted, followed by an exploration to determine the required vehicle quantity for obtaining stable results. The shape parameter of the damage distribution determines the necessary number of vehicles for a reliable conclusion. Additionally, a comparative analysis of market-specific customer requirements between the US and Europe is presented, and real usage differences in customer operations are explained using an operating point frequency heatmap. The information presented in this paper provides valuable input for optimizing durability design and conducting efficient, customer-oriented tests, resulting in significant reductions in development time and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suitability of industrial hemp (IH) as a source of fibres for European industrial-scale papermaking, including, in particular, European kraft pulp mills (EKMPs) (i.e., plants producing the predominant amount of virgin pulps in Europe), was discussed, considering the causal, cultivation, technological, and application aspects of this issue. The work showed that there are generally premises for using straw from nonwood crops in European papermaking. As for the IH, it was found that IH stalks are the best IH fibrous raw material for EKMPs. There are a few cultivation factors favouring the use of IH stalks in them and a few, though important (e.g., small cultivation areas), factors not conducive to this use. Most technological factors favour the use of IH stalks in EKPMs, apart from the large differences in the length of the IH bast and woody-core fibres. The analysis of application factors indicates lower usefulness of IH stalks than wheat, rye or triticale straws, stalks of Miscanthus × giganteus, Virginia mallow, and kenaf. This is due to the much greater availability of these cereal straws than IH and less variation in the fibre length of cereal straws, Miscanthus × giganteus, Virginia mallow, and kenaf than in IH stalks. The main conclusion from the conducted query is the statement that the presence of IH varieties with fibre lengths more similar to wood would reduce the number of technological and application factors unfavourable to their use in EKPMs and increase the competitiveness of hemp straw vs. wood as a raw material for European large-scale papermaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban waste heat recovery, in which low temperature heat from urban sources is recovered for use in a district heat network, has a great deal of potential in helping to achieve 2050 climate goals. For example, heat from data centres, metro systems, public sector buildings and waste water treatment plants could be used to supply 10% of Europe's heat demand. Despite this, at present, urban waste heat recovery is not widespread and is an immature technology. Based on interviews with urban waste heat stakeholders, investors interested in green investments, and experience from demonstrator projects, a number of recommendations are made. It is suggested that policy raising awareness of waste heat recovery, encouraging investment and creating a legal framework should be implemented. It is also recommended that pilot projects should be promoted to help demonstrate technical and economic feasibility. A pilot credit facility is suggested aimed at bridging the gap between potential investors and heat recovery projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The primary risk regarding Helicobacter pylori infection is that it is associated with gastric cancer. The lack of eradication of Helicobacter pylori has led to an increase in the prevalence of gastric cancer. We examined the literature from the year 2024 related to the Helicobacter pylori/gastric cancer association. Immunological studies increased, but they did not convince in the study of this infection. Most of the examined studies address the clinical treatment of this bacterium. However, to the same extent, other studies have investigated genetically individualized treatment. If, until now, clinical treatments have not yet been able to eradicate this bacterium, we recommend genetically individualized treatment. Numerous studies have been performed on Helicobacter pylori infection because of the high death rate linked to this illness and gastric cancer. An update on the key developments in recent years in the investigation of Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer is the goal of this review. Using the search term "Helicobacter pylori, gastric cancer", the PubMed database was searched. Only papers published in 2024 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Because case report papers were not part of our investigation, they satisfied the exclusion criteria. Most of the research on the variable genes of Helicobacter pylori is guided by genetics to determine potential treatments. Studies on clinical treatments for the eradication of H. pylori with promising therapeutic options are needed. We found the fewest studies related to the immunopathology of H. pylori infection, which is still unknown. In conclusion, priority should be given to this kind of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is part of a wider framework of index literature studies that have been conducted in the past few years. Some of these have had a focus on specific remote sensing (RS) technologies, while others have tackled specific threats to cultural heritage and landscapes. By considering both damages to heritage sites and technologies used for documentation and the monitoring of such occurrences, this paper unveils the current trends on a global scale in the study of the threats to heritage caused by both human-induced and natural hazards. Papers published by Europe-based researchers over the last 20 years using RS and Earth Observation (EO) techniques were surveyed alongside recommendations and programmatic documents issued by institutions in charge of heritage protection and management of several countries in Europe. Around 300 documents, including scientific articles (published from 2000 until 2022) and Grey literature (from 2008 and 2022), were analysed. The data collection and analysis were undertaken by a working group that was intentionally composed to bring together diverse perspectives and expertise, i.e., requirements of heritage professionals using RS and EO technologies, knowledge on technologies and their use in the field, and expertise in methodology implementation to support heritage management. The results highlight the type of hazards considered the most and the geographical distribution of the archaeological sites and monuments targeted by these studies; the countries the researchers are affiliated with; the types of RS and specifically satellite-based technologies used (and hence the type of data used); the tendencies of satellite data usage—visual interpretation, image processing, employment of machine learning, and AI; the technologies most applied by public institutions and practitioners; and many others. Recommendations and future trajectories are then outlined to efficiently reframe discrepancies between types of damage that have received the greatest attention in the literature and the most impactful ones in terms of the number of sites damaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind power is a valuable renewable energy source. However, the development of offshore wind farms is facing many challenges, including understanding their impacts on ecosystems and society, as well as knowledge gaps in research. In this study, a bibliometric analysis was performed with the aim of providing a comprehensive understanding of current global progress in offshore wind farm research. Three stages of development were considered for the analysis and comparison of research characteristics and outcomes. Based on the total number of scientific publications and the international collaboration ratio (ICR), Europe has been leading research in and the development of offshore wind power since the early 1990s. However, a fast-growing period of offshore wind farm development occurred after 2000, during which Europe and Asia in particular showed increases in ICR. The installation of offshore wind turbines may have non-negligible adverse impacts on marine ecosystems, especially in ecologically vulnerable regions or developing countries. Research and relevant studies should be integrated to investigate and reduce the ecological and environmental damage that results from offshore wind farm development. This paper presents a systematic evaluation of the global developmental trends in offshore wind farm research, which could help to characterize and guide future trends within this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has extensively examined the relationship between religion and accrual-based earnings management. However, there is currently little research on the relationship between religion and real (non-accrual) earnings management, especially in Europe. This paper aims to fill this research gap and examines whether and how the effect of religion could be linked with firms' real earnings management activities. Four hypotheses are developed and tested, with our results providing indications that the degree of overall religiosity is negatively and significantly associated with real earnings management. Furthermore, when investigating the effects of different religions in Europe, Christianity and Islam have the opposite impact on firms' real earnings management activities. Overall, our paper indicates that in European countries, the religious environment can mitigate firms' manipulations on earnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the possible roles of aggregators in the European electricity markets and the challenges and opportunities they face in participating in different market segments. Demand response (DR) is becoming increasingly important with the growth of renewable energy, and aggregators can play a critical role in balancing supply and demand in real time. This paper provides an overview of prices in electricity markets in which DR aggregators can participate and provides recommendations for aggregators regarding which markets to focus on. However, the regulatory framework for aggregators is still evolving in Europe, creating challenges for them to navigate different market designs, regulatory frameworks, and pricing mechanisms. Through a combination of literature review and data analysis, this paper aims to provide insights for aggregators on how to maximize profits and minimize risks in the European electricity market. The article achieves this by conducting an extensive analysis of various markets, comparing their essential attributes relevant to the functioning of aggregators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the most effective repellent against mosquitoes and ticks, concerns about skin irritation, rashes, and neurological problems in children have driven the search for natural alternatives. The aim of this research was to develop, manufacture, and test prototype stickers derived from invasive plant species in Europe. These labels contained a coating with encapsulated repellents made from essential oils to protect against mosquito bites and similar blood-sucking insects. Six samples of invasive plant species in Europe such as Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), goldenrod (Solidago gigantea), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) were coated with two essential oil mixtures (of geranium, lavender, and eucalyptus) and were encapsulated on solid carriers for prolonged evaporation. Analysis of the structural properties (weight, thickness, density, and specific volume) were carried out on the coated label samples. Analysis of surface properties (roughness and porosity), capillary absorption, and a comparison of time and evaporation of essential oils were also carried out. Scanning electron microscopy was performed on the samples and the solid carrier with different mixtures of essential oils. The Japanese knotweed sample, coated with a blend of geranium, lavender, and eucalyptus essential oils, showed the highest efficacy and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considered among the fastest-growing industries in the world, tourism brings immense benefits but also creates certain challenges. Conservation of natural resources is a stringent necessity, without which the extraordinary ecosystems' attributes that create the premises for nature-based tourism would reduce, alter, and subsequently disappear. The aim of the present review is twofold: gaining a general understanding of what nature-based tourism is and providing a systematic literature review of articles on nature-based tourism in European national and natural parks, with emphasis on their applicability. The articles included in the present review were selected based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The review accounts for research conducted between 2000 and 2021 and is divided into two sections: articles aimed at understanding tourists' behaviour and articles that are focused on other stakeholders or have the local communities in the foreground. While many studies are aimed at understanding tourists' behaviour as a means of improving parks' management, participatory strategies including local communities are often indicated as beneficial. The results of this paper can facilitate future research in the field and provide valuable knowledge to policymakers and any interested parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to present an innovative approach to addressing the challenges of smart mobility exploiting digital twins within the METACITIES initiative. We have worked on this issue due to the increasing complexity of urban transportation systems, coupled with the urgent need to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability in cities. The work presented in this paper is part of the project METACITIES, an Excellence Hub that spans a large geographical area, that of Southeastern Europe. The approach of the Greek innovation ecosystem of METACITIES involves leveraging digital twin technology to create intelligent replicas of urban mobility environments, enabling real-time monitoring, analysis, and decision making. Through use cases such as "Smart Parking", "Environmental Behavior Analysis on Traffic Incidents", and "Emergency Management", we demonstrate how digital twins can optimize traffic flow, mitigate environmental impact, and enhance emergency response; these use cases will be tested on a small scale, before deciding on implementation at a larger and more expensive scale. The final outcome is the METACITIES Architecture for smart mobility, which will be part of an Open Digital Twin Framework capable of evolving a smart city into a metacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current building envelope greening systems are not just areas covered with vegetation. Today's systems can maximise the functional contribution of vegetation to a building's performance and become part of a sustainable urban renewal strategy. The impact of the vegetation layer directly affects the building in its immediate vicinity, from the outside, while also having a significant impact on the indoor environment. Green roofs are the most widespread vegetated structures worldwide. This paper aims to demonstrate the behaviour of the temperature regime of an extensive green roof over a production hall and an administrative area in comparison to that of a roof without vegetation cover. In evaluating the results, a period with weather representative of winter and summer was selected to show the importance of seasonality. The fact that this is a new building, and that the extensive roof is not fully covered with vegetation, is very well reflected in the results, as the absence of a vegetated area significantly affects the temperature of as well as the heat flux through the roof structure. The dark colour of the substrate absorbs significantly more solar radiation than the light surface of the waterproofing, resulting in an increase in temperature and heat flux into the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic asset seeking foreign direct investment has undergone tremendous growth over the past decade. This paper first attempts to evaluate the location choice of such investments in Europe. We find that Chinese companies target strategic assets in Europe. The paper then moves to understand the efficacy of these investments in terms of the creation of strategic assets in the Chinese parent company. Our results show the intangible assets of Chinese domestic parent firms significantly increase in the wake of their investments. For greenfield investments, there is a longer time-lag in creation of intangible strategic assets than for acquisitions. However, greenfield investments result in a larger increase in intangible asset creation than acquisition investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in global average temperature, mainly due to the high rate of greenhouse gas emissions, has triggered severe global warming and climate change. In Europe, the building sector accounts for a significant portion of emissions and energy consumption, prompting attention on nearly-zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) and zero-carbon buildings, as they play a pivotal role in reaching the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Passive systems offer a promising solution, optimizing energy usage by better adapting buildings to their local climates. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of passive heating and cooling techniques, exploring their contributions to contemporary architecture and showcasing their features and adaptability across different climates. Furthermore, the link between traditional and bioclimatic architecture is assessed. Recent years have witnessed a surge in publications on bioclimatic solar passive strategies, reflecting an intensified debate on climate change. Europe leads research in this area, aligned with initiatives like the Green Deal and Fit for 55. While dynamic simulation software is widely utilized for energy efficiency analysis, there remains limited integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and life cycle analysis (LCA) tools, which could enhance holistic assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining a physically active lifestyle is a determinant factor of a healthy life and personal happiness. Meanwhile, physical inactivity remains a significant issue, resulting in negative consequences for public health. Objectives: This paper investigates the relationships between physical activity, physical inactivity, a healthy life, life expectancy, and personal happiness in European Union (EU) countries. Methods: This empirical study uses an artificial neural network and cluster analysis to analyze and interpret data from 27 EU countries. Artificial neural network analysis enables the assessment of the relationships between physical activity and inactivity, a healthy life, and personal happiness, while cluster analysis identifies groups of EU countries based on physical activity, healthy life, and personal happiness indicators. Results: The results show significant positive links between physical activity and improvements in healthy living and personal happiness. Conclusions: This study highlights considerable variations among EU countries regarding the levels of physical activity, healthy living, and personal happiness, emphasizing the importance of promoting physical activity to enhance public health and overall well-being. The findings suggest the need to develop customized policies that address country-specific factors and promote an active lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between urban waste recycling and innovation systems in Europe. Data from the Global Innovation Index for 34 European countries in the period 2013–2022 were used. To analyze the characteristics of European countries in terms of waste recycling capacity, the k-Means algorithm optimized with the Elbow method and the Silhouette Coefficient was used. The results show that the optimal number of clusters is three. Panel data results show that waste recycling increases with domestic market scale, gross capital formation, and the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), while it decreases with the infrastructure index, business sophistication index, and the average expenditure on research and development of large companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to explore climate change as a decisive element for the transition from feudalism toward capitalism and considers the Marxist transition debate as a framework. In order to avoid the deterministic trap, climate must be considered as a condition framing the historical possibilities in a dialectical relationship with human historical agents. Thus, this paper explores the interactions between medieval English society, focusing on land use and class relation, and the conditions imposed by nature, particularly the change in rainfall and the transformation of ecological conditions around the North Sea Basin, especially on England's east coast. Through the course of this research, we found out that the climate change that happened in the 14th century is one important condition for the rise of capitalism, as it creates certain pressures on both peasant and manorial economies that exacerbate their contradictions and sets a course for profound societal change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of farmers operating in a market economy is to maximize profit. In view of the changing political situation, the main social interest, in addition to food security, should be energy security. Here is a refined version of that sentence: This article examines the production efficiency of selected crops grown in the EU and how well their production can ensure both the economic security of the producers, i.e., the farmers, and Europe's energy security. In addition, it aims to determine which costs incurred in the production process have the greatest impact on productivity. The paper uses data obtained from the Cash Crop agricultural benchmarking database, covering 19 crops and 39 cost categories for each crop. The data (averaged for 2019–2021) came from 30 farms located in 11 EU member states. The DEA method and stepwise multiple regression were used. Research has shown that crops are already being grown in Europe that provide high energy efficiency in production without compromising farm performance (including oats, peas, and winter rye). Moreover, improving the involvement of certain inputs results in improved production efficiency (e.g., through spending on agricultural consulting services). In addition, crop economic efficiency, as assessed by profit with and without subsidies, was found to be strongly correlated with production efficiency. This could indicate that subsidies do not play a key role in farm efficiency within the EU. Crop productivity remains a key factor in achieving economic and energy efficiency. The significance of the findings presented in connection with the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine has led to renewed interest in EU energy security, i.e., generating as much EU energy as possible for food and non-food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Oral cancer affects the mouth and throat areas. It is a major cause of death for older people in developed countries. This review looked at how living in rural areas influences oral cancer trends in these countries. The studies from these countries showed increasing rates of oral cancer in rural areas of the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Older people are more affected by these cancers than younger groups. The main risk factors are tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and HPV infections. People in rural areas often do not know much about HPV-related cancers. They also tend to use more tobacco and alcohol than city dwellers. Even in developed countries, living in rural areas can lead to shorter lifespans for oral cancer patients. This is mainly because it is harder for them to access specialized cancer treatment centres and advanced medical care. In summary, where people live can significantly impact their chances of surviving oral cancer, even in wealthy nations. Oral cancer is the general term used to describe cancers of the oral cavity and oropharyngeal region. These cancers are one of the leading causes of death in elderly residents within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries in the 21st century. This scoping review was carried out to assess the influence of rurality on oral cancer trends and patterns among OECD member countries. Four online databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched for studies that reported on oral cancer trends in rural and remote areas in OECD member countries. A total of 1143 articles were obtained initially; among them, 995 papers were screened to include 18 articles for this scoping review. Studies have reported increasing incidence and prevalence in the United States, Australia, Canada, and European countries wherein risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus (HPV) infections were associated with oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Awareness among people living in rural areas about HPV-related cancers was very low, while rates of tobacco and alcohol abuse were noted to be rising more rapidly than among their urban counterparts. Furthermore, the ageing population was most affected compared to the younger age groups of people with oral and oropharyngeal cancer that are prevalent in these regions. Overall, despite living in developed countries, rurality was noted to be a significant factor in the lower life expectancy of oral cancer patients, mainly due to the limited accessibility to tertiary cancer care centres and advanced medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper expands a methodology, originally formulated for calculating the firm-level business value of Information Technology (IT), to that for a whole sector and applies it experimentally for the transport sector using statistical databases for several countries in Europe. The term "business value" means the quantified impact of a given technology, in this case, Information Technology, on the productivity of a sector or firm as measured by a given "yardstick" (e.g., sales, revenue, and many others). This is important to know in order to justify investments in a given technology or technological sector and for policy formulation or regulation. This paper proposes a novel methodology for calculating the business value of IT in a given sector. This is the first time that such a task is attempted because in the past most research was focused on calculating the business value at firm-level. The suggested methodology is then applied by use of panel data from the statistical records of national statistics for the transport sector. The results show that infrastructural investment in Information Technology has an impact on the transport sector's output, in terms of its annual production value, of the order of 5–6%. Through sensitivity tests and a discussion of the results, it is estimated that the actual impact may probably be a bit higher but not much higher (in any case, something below the 10% figure). The application also shows that the suggested methodology can be applied for the estimation of the impact of any other technology or service on any given economic sector. Finally, a possible future conceptual model is presented for the expansion of the methodology to a more global and integrated level considering the interaction from other sectors as well as other technological and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the Positive Energy District Database (PED DB), a pivotal web tool developed collaboratively by the COST Action 'PED-EU-NET', in alignment with international initiatives such as JPI Urban Europe and IEA EBC Annex 83. The PED DB represents a crucial step towards sharing knowledge, promoting collaboration, reinforcing decision-making, and advancing the understanding of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) in the pursuit of sustainable urban environments. The PED DB aims to comprehensively map and disseminate information on PEDs across Europe, serving as a dynamic resource for sustainable urban development according to the objective of making the EU climate-neutral by 2050. Indeed, PEDs imply an integrated approach for designing urban areas—the districts—where a cluster of interconnected buildings and energy communities produce net zero greenhouse gas emissions, managing an annual local/regional overflow production of renewable energy. The paper describes the collaborative step-by-step process leading to the PED DB implementation, the current results and potentials of the online platform, and introduces its future developments towards a more user-friendly and stakeholders-tailored tool. The interactive web map offers a customizable visualizations and filters on multiple information related to PED case studies, PED-relevant cases, and PED Labs. Users can access detailed information through a table view, facilitating comparisons across different PED projects and their implementation phase. The paper offers insights and detailed analysis from the initial dataset that includes 23 PED cases and 7 PED-related projects from 13 European countries, highlighting the key characteristics of surveyed PEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Although Europe was not a primary centre of cattle domestication, the cattle expansion from the Middle East and subsequent development created a complex pattern of cattle breed diversity. Many isolated populations of local historical breeds still carry the message about the physical and genetic traits of ancient populations. Historical cattle diversity is currently at the intersection of two leading directions of genetic research. Firstly, it is archaeogenetics attempting to recover and interpret the preserved genetic information directly from archaeological finds. Secondly, it is collecting genomic information about the previous development of extant populations. The present paper aims to place selected archaeogenetic, genetic, and genomic findings in the picture of cattle history in Central Europe, as suggested by archaeozoological and historical records. The importance, actuality, and effectiveness of combining different approaches to each archaeological find, such as morphological characterization, interpretation of the historical context, and molecular data, are stressed. Although Europe was not a primary centre of cattle domestication, its expansion from the Middle East and subsequent development created a complex pattern of cattle breed diversity. Many isolated populations of local historical breeds still carry the message about the physical and genetic traits of ancient populations. Since the way of life of human communities starting from the eleventh millennium BP was strongly determined by livestock husbandry, the knowledge of cattle diversity through the ages is helpful in the interpretation of many archaeological findings. Historical cattle diversity is currently at the intersection of two leading directions of genetic research. Firstly, it is archaeogenetics attempting to recover and interpret the preserved genetic information directly from archaeological finds. The advanced archaeogenetic approaches meet with the population genomics of extant cattle populations. The immense amount of genetic information collected from living cattle, due to its key economic role, allows for reconstructing the genetic profiles of the ancient populations backwards. The present paper aims to place selected archaeogenetic, genetic, and genomic findings in the picture of cattle history in Central Europe, as suggested by archaeozoological and historical records. Perspectives of the methodical connection between the genetic approaches and the approaches of traditional archaeozoology, such as osteomorphology and osteometry, are discussed. The importance, actuality, and effectiveness of combining different approaches to each archaeological find, such as morphological characterization, interpretation of the historical context, and molecular data, are stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Constant technological development of modern imaging has led to substantial improvement in management and decision-making in the diagnostic and prognostic process of many different neoplasms. This also applies to cervical cancer. The main evidence, providing the base of recently updated ESGO-ESTRO-ESP recommendations (2023) on the management and treatment of cervical cancer, has been evaluated and reviewed in this paper. Ultrasound has been suggested as a valid alternative to MRI in primary diagnostic workup of cervical cancer if performed by an expert sonographer. Additionally, CT or PET/CT exhibits a substantial role in assessing the extrapelvic spread of the disease in locally advanced cases or when suspicious lymph nodes are detected. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the role of different imaging techniques in staging settings, displaying a focused interest in the use of ultrasound. Following the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) joint guidelines (2018) for the management of patients with cervical cancer, treatment decisions should be guided by modern imaging techniques. After five years (2023), an update of the ESGO-ESTRO-ESP recommendations was performed, further confirming this statement. Transvaginal/transrectal ultrasound (TRS/TVS) or pelvic magnetic resonance (MRI) enables tumor delineation and precise assessment of its local extent, including the evaluation of the depth of infiltration in the bladder- or rectal wall. Additionally, both techniques have very high specificity to confirm the presence of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes but fail to exclude them due to insufficient sensitivity to detect small-volume metastases, as in any other currently available imaging modality. In early-stage disease (T1a to T2a1, except T1b3) with negative lymph nodes on TVS/TRS or MRI, surgicopathological staging should be performed. In all other situations, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with CT (PET-CT) is recommended to assess extrapelvic spread. This paper aims to review the evidence supporting the implementation of diagnostic imaging with a focus on ultrasound at primary diagnostic workup of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zootoxins are produced by venomous and poisonous species and are an important cause of poisoning in companion animals and livestock in Europe. Little information about the incidence of zootoxin poisoning is available in Europe, with only a few case reports and review papers being published. This review presents the most important zootoxins produced by European venomous and poisonous animal species responsible for poisoning episodes in companion animals and livestock. The main zootoxin-producing animal species, components of the toxins/venoms and their clinical effects are presented. The most common zootoxicoses involve terrestrial zootoxins excreted by the common toad, the fire salamander, the pine processionary caterpillar, and vipers. The lack of a centralized reporting/poison control system in Europe makes the evaluation of the epidemiology of zootoxin-induced poisonings extremely difficult. Even if there are many anecdotal reports in the veterinary community about the exposure of domestic animals to terrestrial and marine zootoxins, the number of published papers regarding these toxicoses is low. Climate change and its consequences regarding species distribution and human-mediated transportation are responsible for the emerging nature of some intoxications in which zootoxins are involved. Although new venomous or poisonous animal species have emerged in regions where they were previously unreported, zootoxins produced by native species remain the main concern in Europe. The diversity of poisonous and venomous animal species and the emerging nature of certain poisonings warrant the continuous update to such knowledge by veterinary professionals and animal owners. This review offers an overview about zootoxin-related poisonings in domestic animals in Europe and also provides important information from a health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new underwater pumped storage hydropower concept (U.PSH) that can store electric energy by using the high water pressure on the seabed or in deep lakes to accomplish the energy transition from fossil to renewable sources. Conventional PSH basically consists of two storage reservoirs (upper and lower lake) at different topographical heights. It needs special topographic conditions, which are only limitedly available in mountain regions. Furthermore, due to the lack of acceptance and the environmental impact, new conventional PSH projects are very unlikely to be built in larger numbers in Europe in the near future. The presented solution solves these issues by placing the storage system on the seabed, thus having other geographical requirements. It operates as follows: in contrast to well-known conventional PSH plants, which use two separated water reservoirs of different heights, the U.PSH concept uses the static pressure of the water column in deep waters by installing a hollow concrete sphere in deep water. Storage of electricity is achieved by using a reversible pump in the hollow sphere. Upon opening a valve, water flows into the sphere, driving a turbine/generator, thereby discharging the storage device. In order to re-charge, the water is pumped out of the sphere against the pressure of the surrounding water. The power and energy, respectively, are proportional to the surrounding water pressure at the seabed. The amount of energy stored depends on the water depth and the volume of the spheres. The spheres need a cable connection to the shore or to a close-by floating transformer station (e.g., an offshore wind plant). No other connections such as pipes are needed. The functional principle of this energy storage technology, its state of the art, its storage capacity and the shape and size of the required spheres are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A result of the pandemic is an urgent need for data collaborations that empower the clinical and scientific communities in responding to rapidly evolving global challenges. The ICU4Covid project joined research institutions, medical centers, and hospitals all around Europe in a telemedicine network for sharing capabilities, knowledge, and expertise distributed within the network. However, healthcare data sharing has ethical, regulatory, and legal complexities that pose several restrictions on their access and use. To mitigate this issue, the ICU4Covid project integrates a federated learning architecture, allowing distributed machine learning within a cross-institutional healthcare system without the data being transported or exposed outside their original location. This paper presents the federated learning approach to support the decision-making process for ICU patients in a European telemedicine network. The proposed approach was applied to the early identification of high-risk hypertensive patients. Experimental results show how the knowledge of every single node is spread within the federation, improving the ability of each node to make an early prediction of high-risk hypertensive patients. Moreover, a performance evaluation shows an accuracy and precision of over 90%, confirming a good performance of the FL approach as a prediction test. The FL approach can significantly support the decision-making process for ICU patients in distributed networks of federated healthcare organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various studies have been conducted in the fields of sustainable operations management (SOM), optimization, and wastewater treatment, yielding unsubstantiated recovery. In the context of Europe's climate neutrality vision, this paper reviews effective decarbonization strategies and proposes sustainable approaches to mitigate carbonization in various sectors such as buildings, energy, industry, and transportation and how these interlink with wastewater management. The study also explores the role of digitalization in decarbonization and reviews policies that can direct governments' actions towards a climate-neutral society. This paper presents a review of optimization approaches applied in the fields of science and technology, incorporating modern optimization techniques based on various peer-reviewed published research papers. It emphasizes non-conventional energy and distributed power-generating systems along with the deregulated and regulated environment. Additionally, this paper critically reviews the performance and capability of the micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) process in the treatment of dye wastewater. The review presents evidence of the simultaneous removal of co-existing pollutants and explores the feasibility and efficiency of biosurfactants instead of chemical surfactants. Lastly, the paper proposes a novel Firm–Regulator–Consumer-Technology Enablers/Facilitators interaction framework to study operations, decisions and interactive cooperation considering the relationships between the four agents through a comprehensive literature review of SOM. The proposed framework provides support for exploring future research opportunities and holistic sustainability initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of tax administrations (TAs) is usually described as their capacity to complete activities with the minimum of resources engaged. Accordingly, tax administration performance is a multifaceted phenomenon, and measuring and benchmarking its performance against other countries or regions remains a puzzle for researchers and practitioners. This paper introduces a new approach for measuring tax administration performance using the Composite I-Distance Indicator (CIDI) based on 11 individual performance measures from 35 European tax administrations over two consecutive years (2018–2019). For the given scores of tax administrations, we conducted a correlation analysis with (a) tax evasion loss and (b) the fiscal deficit of countries in which these tax administrations operate, aiming to assess the strength of the statistical relationship between these variables. The study highlights Denmark and the Netherlands as exemplary models for tax administration, with "Revenue Collection" being identified as a crucial driver of excellence and "Operational Performance" (such as "e-filing" and "on-time filing") forming critical aspects of TA efficiency. Also, the study finds a negative correlation between tax avoidance and tax administration performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) constitutes the most common cause of death worldwide. In Europe alone, approximately 4 million people die annually due to CVD. The leading component of CVD leading to mortality is myocardial infarction (MI). MI is classified into several types. Type 1 is associated with atherosclerosis, type 2 results from inadequate oxygen supply to cardiomyocytes, type 3 is defined as sudden cardiac death, while types 4 and 5 are associated with procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting, respectively. Of particular note is type 1, which is also the most frequently occurring form of MI. Factors predisposing to its occurrence include, among others, high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the blood, cigarette smoking, chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). The primary objective of this review is to elucidate the issues with regard to type 1 MI. Our paper delves into, amidst other aspects, its pathogenesis, risk assessment, diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, and interventional treatment options in both acute and long-term conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As towering wooden edifices (≥8 stories) become a rapidly expanding and promising field, they provide substantial environmental and economic advantages throughout their entire lifespans, leading to their increasing popularity, especially in the European context. Similar to various other construction forms, spatial efficiency is a vital design criterion in timber buildings to guarantee the viability of a project. Currently, there is no thorough study on spatial efficiency in these towers in Europe, which is home to the majority of the world's timber towers. This paper examined data from 56 cases to improve comprehension of the planning factors affecting space efficiency in these buildings. The main findings showed that the average space efficiency across the analyzed examples was documented at 82%, with deviations spanning from 70% to 90%, the average core area to gross floor area (GFA) ratio was determined to be 11%, ranging from 4% to 21%, and no substantial difference was noted in the impact of core arrangements on space efficiency, and parallel findings were observed for forms and construction materials. This article aspires to provide architectural designers with essential perspectives, assisting and directing them in the conception and realization of upcoming ventures both across Europe and internationally in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Renewable Energy Community (REC) in Europe promotes renewable energy sources (RESs), offering social, economic, and environmental benefits. This new entity could alter consumer energy relationships, requiring self-consumption, energy sharing, and full utilization of RESs. Modernizing energy systems within the REC requires addressing self-consumption, energy sharing, demand response, and energy management system initiatives. The paper discusses the role of decentralized energy systems, the scenarios of the REC concept and key aspects, and activities involving energy generation, energy consumption, energy storage systems, energy sharing, and EV technologies. Moreover, the present work highlights the research gap in the existing literature and the necessity of addressing the technological elements. It also highlights that there is no uniform architecture or model for the REC, like in the case of microgrids. Additionally, the present work emphasizes the role and importance of technological elements in RECs, suggesting future recommendations for EMS, DSM, data monitoring and analytics, communication systems, and the software or tools to ensure reliability, efficiency, economic, and environmental measures. The authors also highlight the crucial role of policymakers and relevant policies, which could help in implementing these technological elements and show the importance of the RECs for a sustainable energy shift and transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of energy demand in buildings is one of the key challenges in contemporary construction. To this end, the application of structural and material partitioning solutions that provide a high level of thermal insulation and the employment of technical installations with high energy performance have become widespread. However, there are a number of other factors that can reduce energy demand. These include the optimal use of heat gains from solar radiation. An aspect that is often discussed in the literature is the overheating of buildings due to excessive heat gains from solar radiation. This article is a case study showing the impact of the orientation of a single-family passive house on its heating energy demand. The building under consideration is located in Central Europe. External climate parameters measured directly at the site during experimental examinations were used for the calculations. This paper adopts six calculation options, considering the different orientations of the glazed façade. As the simulations showed, the effect of solar radiation on the energy demand between two extreme options of glazing orientation, that is south and north-facing orientation, reached 4.7% of the annual energy demand for heating, while for the option corresponding to the actual location of the building and the option involving south-facing windows, the difference was 0.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper aims to systematically review the impact of legislative framework changes in North America and Europe on adolescent cannabis use. It not only seeks to examine the prevalence of adolescent marijuana use following legislative changes but also to identify the driving forces behind fluctuations in use and to address the gaps left by previous studies. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in selected databases. After screening English-language publications dating from 2013 to 2023 (n = 453 studies), 24 met the inclusion criteria. Articles were considered if they analyzed the impact of legislative changes on adolescent cannabis use in countries across North America and Europe. Synthesis: The overall findings suggest an inconsistency regarding the prevalence of cannabis use among youth and adolescents following policy changes. The effects of modifications in cannabis policies on marijuana consumption are complex and influenced by various factors. These include the details of legislation, societal perspectives, enforcement methods, socioeconomic status, and cultural background. Conclusions: The results of this analysis reveal a nuanced reality. Although research suggests a rise in cannabis use after legalization, there are variations in the outcomes observed. This highlights the significance of considering context and demographics. Moreover, studies shed light on how specific policy changes, such as depenalization, can affect cannabis use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, oil prices and financial stock markets have always had a complex relationship. This paper analyzes the interactions and co-movements between the oil market (WTI crude oil) and two major stock markets in Europe and the US (the Euro Stoxx 50 and the SP500) for the period from 1990 to 2023. For that, I use both the time-varying and the Markov copula models. The latter one represents an extension of the former one, where the constant term of the dynamic dependence parameter is driven by a hidden two-state first-order Markov chain. It is also called the dynamic regime-switching (RS) copula model. To estimate the model, I use the inference function for margins (IFM) method together with Kim's filter for the Markov switching process. The marginals of the returns are modeled by the GARCH and GAS models. Empirical results show that the RS copula model seems adequate to measure and evaluate the time-varying and non-linear dependence structure. Two persistent regimes of high and low dependency have been detected. There was a jump in the co-movements of both pairs during high regimes associated with instability and crises. In addition, the extreme dependence between crude oil and US/European stock markets is time-varying but also asymmetric, as indicated by the SJC copula. The correlation in the lower tail is higher than that in the upper. Hence, oil and stock returns are more closely joined and tend to co-move more closely together in bullish periods than in bearish periods. Finally, the dependence between WTI crude oil and the SP500 stock index seems to be more affected by exogenous shocks and instability than the oil and European stock markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in, and in dialogue with, Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida's Luanda, Lisboa, Paraíso of 2018, this paper interrogates a particular time and place of coloniality and racial capital's reproduction of Black fungibility in late twentieth-century Portugal, after formal decolonization in Africa and in the wake of Black migratory waves from the post/neo-colony (Angola in this case) to the former metropolis. Almeida's novel provides a literary intervention in grappling with the economic and institutional reinvention of anti-Blackness in Europe after settler colonialism, while also imagining and inscribing modes of Black being within and beyond the materialities of white supremacy. Towards this end and against the racial, gendered, and ableist logics of capital, the Black body in Almeida's novel becomes a site through which the relationships between humans and matter as well as mind and body are decolonially revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies and classifies the essential constraints that must be addressed to allow U-space traffic autonomous guidance. Based on an extensive analysis of the state of the art in robotic guidance, physics of flight, flight safety, communication and navigation, uncrewed aircraft missions, artificial intelligence (AI), social expectations in Europe on drones, etc., we analyzed the existing constraints and the information needs that are of essential importance to address the identified constraints. We compared the identified information needs with the last edition of the U-space Concept of Operations and identified critical gaps between the needs and proposed services. A high-level methodology to identify, measure, and close the gaps is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is among the most valuable conifers in Europe for ecological and economic reasons. Throughout the course of history, primarily in the 20th century, its share in stands has been declining due to ill-suited management practices, especially clear-cut management, air pollution (SO2 and NOX emissions), and wildlife-induced damage. This literature review compiles findings from 338 scientific papers. It describes futures for silver fir and its distribution, ecological requirements, threats and diseases, seed production and nurseries, and forest management practices with emphasis on ongoing climate change. Based on recent knowledge of fir ecology and population dynamics, small-scale shelterwood and selection management have been introduced in fir stands, which have also stabilized them. Fir is an essential species for maintaining high stability and biodiversity, especially on planosols and in waterlogged habitats. Owing to its shade tolerance and environmental plasticity, it can coexist very well with many tree species in mixtures, which can increase the productive potential of stands within the natural range in Europe. The average stand volume of mature fir stands ranges from 237–657 m3 ha−1. For its successful natural regeneration, it is essential to reduce cloven-hoofed game and thus prevent bud browsing damage. The attractiveness of fir in terms of heavy browsing is the highest of all conifers (52% damage). On the other hand, fir is a species relatively resistant to bark stripping and the spread of secondary rot compared with Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Under global climate change, fir is expected to shift to higher elevations with sufficient precipitation, while in the southern part of its natural range or at lower elevations, outside water-influenced habitats, it is likely to decline. Climate change is intricately linked to the heightened prevalence of forest pathogens with significant damage potential in Europe, necessitating careful consideration and strategic adaptation within management practices of fir forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an attempt at establishing an association between crime levels and prison populations across European countries. We observe that the situation in Central and Eastern European countries differs distinctly from the rest of Europe. Building on this, we offer justification that is methodologically based on correlations and regressions of country incarceration rates on crime rates, with reference to governance indicators. Our cross-sectional analysis uses data on crime and prisoner rates by offence from Eurostat and SPACE for the year 2018. The paper's empirical analysis is preceded by a discussion of the challenges faced when attempting to compare crime between countries in Europe. A review of research focused on relationships between incarceration and crime follows, with the emphasis on the deterrence effect and the prison paradox. Typically, this stream of research uses microdata covering a single country or limited to a smaller geographic area. International comparisons are rare, and are usually based on time series and trend analyses. The quantitative approach applied here is based on recognizing two clusters of countries: the Central and Eastern European (CEE) cluster and the Western European (WE) cluster. We show that the observation of higher prisoner rates and lower crime rates for CEE countries is confirmed with regression analysis. Our study encompasses four types of offences: assault, rape, robbery, and theft. The final section of the paper presents an attempt to incorporate Worldwide Governance Indicators into the analysis of the association between incarceration and crime rates. The results confirm that crime rates in WE countries are distinctly higher than in CEE countries, while incarceration rates in WE are significantly lower than in CEE countries. We think this is due to a higher percentage of crimes being reported and the greater accuracy of police statistics in WE countries. The prison population in each country is largely determined by its criminal and penal policies, which differ substantially between CEE and WE countries (e.g., in terms of frequency of imposing prison sentences and the length of imprisonment). These tendencies result in higher incarceration rates in CEE countries, despite lower crime rates when compared to WE countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionospheric anomalies before an earthquake may be related to earthquake preparation. The study of the ionospheric anomalies before an earthquake provides potential value for earthquake prediction. This paper proposes a method for detecting ionospheric total electron content (TEC) anomalies before an earthquake, taking the MS 7.8 earthquake in Türkiye on 6 February 2023 as an example. First, the data of four ground-based GNSS stations close to the epicenter were processed by using the sliding interquartile range method and the long short-term memory (LSTM) network. The anomaly dates detected by the two methods were identified as potential pre-earthquake TEC anomaly dates after eliminating solar and geomagnetic interference. Then, by using the sliding interquartile range method to process and analyze the CODE GIM (Center for Orbit Determination in Europe, Global Ionospheric Map) data from a global perspective, we further verified the existence of TEC anomalies before the earthquake on the above TEC anomaly days. Finally, the influence of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) on the TEC anomaly disturbance was excluded. The results show that the ionospheric TEC anomalies on January 20, January 27, February 4, and February 5 before the Türkiye earthquake may be correlated with the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]