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Around a third of the total population of Europe suffers from mental disorders. The use of electroencephalography (EEG) together with Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to diagnose mental disorders has recently been shown to be a prominent research area, as exposed by several reviews focused on the field. Nevertheless, previous to the application of ML algorithms, EEG data should be correctly preprocessed and prepared via Feature Engineering (FE). In fact, the choice of FE techniques can make the difference between an unusable ML model and a simple, effective model. In other words, it can be said that FE is crucial, especially when using complex, non-stationary data such as EEG. To this aim, in this paper we present a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) focused on FE from EEG data used to identify mental disorders. Our SMS covers more than 900 papers, making it one of the most comprehensive to date, to the best of our knowledge. We gathered the mental disorder addressed, all the FE techniques used, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm applied for classification from each paper. Our main contributions are: (i) we offer a starting point for new researchers on these topics, (ii) we extract the most used FE techniques to classify mental disorders, (iii) we show several graphical distributions of all used techniques, and (iv) we provide critical conclusions for detecting mental disorders. To provide a better overview of existing techniques, the FE process is divided into three parts: (i) signal transformation, (ii) feature extraction, and (iii) feature selection. Moreover, we classify and analyze the distribution of existing papers according to the mental disorder they treat, the FE processes used, and the ML techniques applied. As a result, we provide a valuable reference for the scientific community to identify which techniques have been proven and tested and where the gaps are located in the current state of the art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The total demand for freight transport in Europe has increased significantly in recent decades, but most of it has been handled by road transport. To fulfil the modal shift targets set in the EU White Paper 2011, it will be necessary to double rail's market share from today's 18 %, by 2050. Translating this into reality means rail will have to handle 3 to 4 times the cargo volume it does today. With this in mind, the paper develops a vision of an efficient rail freight system in 2050. Methodology: To achieve the above objective, the research applies literature survey and group discussion methodology and applying a system approach. Keeping on board the EU Transport White Paper 2011 modal shift targets, as well as future freight demand and customer requirements, the current research attempts to answer the following three critical questions: Results: The authors find that the service quality can be improved by better planning, application of appropriate ICT-systems and adoption of an integrated supply chain approach. A more customer-orientated service can also be achieved by further deregulation of rail. There is also an urgent need for a faster implementation of Rail Freight Corridors (RFC). As well as liner trains, future rail freight services should be offering end-point trains, with semi/ fully automated loading/unloading equipment in hub-terminals, as well as terminals at sidings to improve the availability of intermodal operation. Conclusion: To offer a competitive price and reliable service, a reduction in operating costs will be vital by implementing a number of measures, including operation of heavier and longer trains, wider loading gauge, higher average speed, and better utilisation of wagon space and all assets. This will bring increased capacity, as well as better timetable planning, signalling systems and infrastructure improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Society of Radiology (ESR) established a Working Group on Value-Based Imaging (VBI WG) in August 2016 in response to developments in European healthcare systems in general, and the trend within radiology to move from volume- to value-based practice in particular. The value-based healthcare (VBH) concept defines 'value' as health outcomes achieved for patients relative to the costs of achieving them. Within this framework, value measurements start at the beginning of therapy; the whole diagnostic process is disregarded, and is considered only if it is the cause of errors or complications. Making the case for a new, multidisciplinary organisation of healthcare delivery centred on the patient, this paper establishes the diagnosis of disease as a first outcome in the interrelated activities of the healthcare chain. Metrics are proposed for measuring the quality of radiologists' diagnoses and the various ways in which radiologists provide value to patients, other medical specialists and healthcare systems at large. The ESR strongly believes value-based radiology (VBR) is a necessary complement to existing VBH concepts. The Society is determined to establish a holistic VBR programme to help European radiologists deal with changes in the evolution from volume- to value-based evaluation of radiological activities. Main Messages • Value-based healthcare defines value as patient's outcome over costs. • The VBH framework disregards the diagnosis as an outcome. • VBH considers diagnosis only if wrong or a cause of complications. • A correct diagnosis is the first outcome that matters to patients. • Metrics to measure radiologists' impacts on patient outcomes are key. • The value provided by radiology is multifaceted, going beyond exam volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the revolutionary new ways of communicating the written word when moving from the Medieval to Modern period in Europe, primarily the use of paper and moveable typeface printing and how these catalysed important cultural developments. A similar revolution has taken place in the last 50 years with the development of the internet. The article looks at how scientific publishing has changed with electronic publishing, including the development of Open Access. The journal Heritage Science is placed into this context. Especially important for scientific journals in an era when anyone can post anything on a webpage, is maintaining standards through high quality refereeing which distinguishes formal scientific literature from informal websites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe mainly at winter season the PM levels exceed air quality limits, which correlated with the operation of solid-fired boilers. More and more people are returning to using these devices due to energy shortage caused by the pandemic and regional conflicts. In addition, the phenomena of co-burning fuels and municipal waste in residential boilers in primarily fuel poverty households increases further the amount of pollutants in the atmosphere. This study aims to correlate the quantity and quality of air pollutants with the type of fuel (wood and wastes) burned. Combustion experiments were conducted using oak fuel mixed with three waste groups: (1) plastics (PP, HDPE, PET); (2) textiles (polyester—PES, cotton—COT); and (3) papers (cardboard—CARD, glossy coated paper—GCP, 84C/PAP). The addition of waste to wood fuel altered the morphology of emitted particles. While waste burning doesn't always increase particle quantity, it significantly raises PAH concentrations. A strong relationship exists between waste type, particle morphology, and PAH quality, where with lower molecular weight PAHs linked to tar agglomerates and higher ones to soot agglomerates with inorganic crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To investigate the methods and results used and conclusions found in available published papers on childhood overweight and obesity in Europe. SURVEYS:: This paper compares the two available published papers on the prevalence of child and adolescent overweight and obesity in Europe. The first paper was published in November 2003 and was based on 20 previously conducted surveys performed from 1992 to 2001. The other paper was published in January 2004 and was based on data from the WHO collaborative survey‘Health Behaviour in School Children’, which collected the data in 1997-1998 within a period of 9 months. Height and weight were included as optional questions and 13 European countries, Israel and United States participated. METHODS:: In both papers, body mass index (BMI) was used. In the first paper, measured BMI was used and prevalence of overweight was calculated using IOTF cutoff points. In the other paper, overweight and obesity prevalences were calculated from self-reported height and weight using an internal study reference standard. RESULTS:: The first paper found a north-south trend in overweight in Europe, whereas the second found a more equal distribution of overweight in European children. Thus, overweight was significantly increased among 13?y olds of both sexes in Finland, Ireland, and Greece, and in Portuguese girls. Among 15?y olds, the prevalence of overweight was significantly increased in Greek boys, and in Danish and Portuguese girls. On the contrary, in Lithuania, there was a significantly low prevalence of overweight among both ages and both sexes. CONCLUSION:: Critical reviews of the results of the two published papers show that the year of data collection, methods and use of appropriate statistics are of critical importance for the conclusion drawn from comparative epidemiological surveys on the prevalence of overweight.International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, S10-S15. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802822 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increasing level of recognition of the interaction between cultural mega-events and built heritage in recent years. While research has broadly identified the need to align strategies and visions, as well as involve heritage actors and local communities, there has not been a systematic investigation of the position of industrial heritage within this tableau. This paper examines in depth the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) programme, as it is one of the longest standing Capital of Culture programmes in the world and has a significant record of investment and urban transformation. In this paper, we survey and categorise the inclusion of industrial heritage within the ECoC programme in 36 host cities and regions spread across Europe. This research provides the most comprehensive understanding to date of the specific forms of interaction between industrial heritage and ECoCs to better understand the kinds of relationships that have taken place. We then explore in detail the projects and decisions made in the cases of the 2023 Elefsina, 2017 Pafos and 2008 Liverpool ECoCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The true problem for the future of the Euro is to get a wider statute for the European Central Bank (ECB) similar to those of other central banks, notably the Fed, to permit better monetary policy. This means the power to act as a lender of last resort or 'whatever it takes' (Draghi ). People consider this possibility tied to the political will of the main member states (Germany and the Netherlands, partly France). However, two other problems would remain unresolved if the Euro is to have full legitimacy as a paper money: a state behind it and a common Eurozone fiscal policy. This means a move to a political union, which is less possible than the approval of a new ECB statute. The existence of these problems does not mean that the Euro cannot survive, but that it depends on the will of both the market and the owner of official reserve denominated in Euro. It also depends on acceptance by member countries affected by the negative effects of not having a true and free lender of last resort and a targeted policy to resolve the weakness of the non-optimal currency area of the Eurosystem which preexisted the birth of the Euro. This is why the future of the Euro still lies in its past, not having found a consensus on what to do or leaders capable of filling the gap. Collapse is always possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are energy- and resource-hungry: their construction and use account for around 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions; they consume around 40% of all the energy produced; they are responsible for over 35% of the EU's total waste generation; and account for about 50% of all extracted (fossil) materials. Therefore, they present a significant challenge to meeting national and international Net Zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil resource use. The CircularB Project, is at the heart of this issue, which will underpin synergies of multi-scale circular perspectives (from materials, to components, to assets and built environments), digital transformation solutions, data-driven and complexity science, stakeholder behavioral science, and interdisciplinary capabilities towards achievable, affordable and marketable circular solutions for both new and existing buildings, for sustainable urban design, and for circular built environments across Europe. This paper contributes to the project by deriving new insights into the stakeholders' influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles in the implementation of circular economy concepts on existing building stocks in Europe, which represent over 90% of whole building assets. In order to identify and derive the insights, our study is rigorously based on (i) a robust critical literature review of key documentations such as articles, standards, policy reports, strategic roadmaps and white papers; and (ii) interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Uniquely, our work spans across all scales of CE implementation from materials, to products and components, to existing building stocks, and to living built environments. The findings point out the current challenges and obstacles required to be tackled. Inadequacies of financial incentives and governmental enforcement (via policy, legislation, or directive) are commonly found to be the most critical obstacles found throughout Europe. Circular economy is the global challenge and not just a single country can resolve the climate issue without the cooperation of other countries. The insights thus highlight the essential need for harmonized actions and tactical/pragmatic policies promoted and regulated by the European Commission, national and local governments who can dominate the influence, promote inter-relationship, and overcome the barriers towards circular economy much more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, environmental problems have gradually become the focus of world attention. In recent years, heat waves in many parts of Europe have increased ozone concentrations, fuelling ozone pollution. Therefore, this paper investigates the spatial and temporal distribution of tropospheric column ozone concentrations in South-western Europe, future trend changes, influencing factors, and potential source regions based on remotely sensed monitoring data from the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) from 2011 to 2021. The results show that the areas of high tropospheric column ozone concentrations are mainly concentrated in the northwest, Poland, and southeast coastal areas. At the same time, the monthly variation curve of column ozone concentration is bimodal. Trend change analyses indicate an upward trend in future column ozone concentrations in the southeastern part of the study area. The potential for increases also exists in parts of Germany, France, and Poland, which will need to be monitored. Random forest model projections found a slight decrease in column ozone concentrations in 2022 and 2023 of about 1–4 DU compared to tropospheric column ozone concentrations in 2021. The health risk assessment found that the number of all-cause premature deaths due to exposure to ozone was the highest in Germany. During the summer, when ozone pollution is high, the potential source area in the southeastern part of the study area is located at the border of the three countries, and synergistic management is recommended. In exploring the correlation between the influencing factors and ozone, it was found that there is a significant difference between the long-time and short-time series. In addition, the pathway analysis shows that the population size, distribution density, and forested area in southwestern Europe may be more sensitive to the production of tropospheric ozone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive shift to working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic triggered discussions about its potential impact on the future demand for office space and the risk it poses to the performance of office markets. Against this background, the goal of this paper is to investigate the link between working from home and the evolution of key indicators of office occupier markets across Europe over the past three decades. Based on the data from Eurostat and CBRE, the paper uses panel regression to investigate the temporal as well as cross-sectional relationships between the share of the workforce working from home and office rents and vacancy rates in major cities. The results are interesting in several ways. Firstly, changes in the share of employees working from home did not appear to have any significant impact on the evolution of rents or vacancy rates over time. However, occasional homeworking was significant in explaining cross-sectional differences in office market indicators. Moreover, contrary to the initial expectations, higher share of employees occasionally working from home appeared to be associated with stronger performance of the respective office market. As explanation, the paper proposes a hypothesis that this was due to working from home being only one aspect of broader changes in the office work environment and related socio-economic trends that had a net beneficial effect on office occupier markets. Although the results refer to historical developments and may not be fully applicable to the current context of the pandemic, they highlight the need to consider working from home in a broader perspective of office occupier trends and ways of working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The energy markets of Southeastern Europe largely depend on fossil fuels. Energy prices are lower in this region than in the rest of Europe, while the energy transition is relatively delayed. This paper aims at summarizing the obstacles to the civic energy transition in Southeastern Europe and the future prospects for its success. Results: In Southeastern Europe, there are great concerns about the uncertainty of the energy transition process and its outcomes. There is a lot of apprehensions that the transition could drift away from the citizens and end up in the hands of large-scale solar and wind farms entirely. In other words, citizens may be completely excluded from participating in the energy transition. Renewable energy cooperatives can serve as a crucial vehicle for organizing and engaging citizens in the energy transition. They can also be used as a lever of civic influence. This influence is crucial for ensuring a fair transition. The research methodology on cooperative development includes a literature review and a survey conducted with 240 participants. The participants were local government officials, members of NGOs, businesses, scholars, and citizens. The paper summarizes the answers to the questions which the authors considered essential for deepening our understanding of citizens' attitudes on a (just) energy transition. The results show that the public awareness about the energy transition has increased. In addition, participants have demonstrated a willingness to take action, both as individuals and through cooperative efforts. However, they have also shown a great level of mistrust in the government, mainly due to perceived corruption and lack of transparency. Generally speaking, they have doubts that the energy transition can be completed in a fair and timely manner within their national context. Conclusions: This paper provides insight into the current state of affairs and the prospects for the energy transition based on the attitudes of the citizens in Southeastern Europe. The paper argues that energy cooperatives should be employed as a training ground for the citizens, since, through joint actions, their trust in each other can be regained, rehearsed, and restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of Europe's building stock consists of facilities built before 2001, presenting a substantial opportunity for energy efficiency improvements during their operation and maintenance phase. Digitalizing these buildings with digital twin technology can significantly enhance their energy efficiency. Reviewing the applications and trends of digital twins in this context is beneficial to understand the current state of the art and the specific challenges encountered when applying this technology to older buildings. This study focuses on the application of digital twins in building operations and maintenance (O & M), emphasizing energy efficiency throughout the building lifetime. A systematic process to select 21 pertinent use-case studies was performed, complemented by an analysis of six enterprise-level digital twin solutions. This was followed by an overview of general characteristics, thematic classification, detailed individual study analyses, and a comparison of digital twin solutions with commercial tools. Five main applications of digital twins were identified and examined: component monitoring, anomaly detection, operational optimization, predictive maintenance and simulation of alternative scenarios. The paper highlights challenges like the reliance on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the need for robust data acquisition systems. These limitations hinder the implementation of digital twins, in particular in existing buildings with no digital information available. It concludes with future research directions emphasizing the development of methods not solely reliant on BIM data, integration challenges, and potential enhancements through AI and machine learning applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-Based Solutions concepts and practices are being used worldwide as part of attempts to address societal challenges but have also been criticised for not dealing with deeper transformations needed to face urgent issues including biodiversity loss, climate change and inclusion. In this paper, we explore how an inclusive, integrated and long-sighted approach, emphasising a more radical integration of nature within cities, might support the transformations needed to endure major contemporary challenges. Addressing important emerging critiques of Nature-Based Solutions, we consider the potential of a more incisive form of Nature-Based Thinking (NBT) in cities, based on more holistic perspectives. The paper draws on a reflective and iterative research process that engaged both the research and practice communities through a symposium and a series of futures workshops that together explored the potential of NBT to develop future nature-cities relations in Europe and Latin America. The results of the reflective process suggest that notions of nature with people—not for people— new organisational structures, and the intention and capacity to apply long-term perspectives, are needed when planning for NBS interventions aimed at sustainable urban development. This includes developing a cultural-structural change based on new and inclusive understandings of human–nature relations, and novel governance paradigms that allow cross-sectoral coordination and engagement of local stakeholders beyond formal organisational structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the report produced by the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research, and Energy regarding biotechnological methods to improve performance in biotechnology field in Europe. Suggestions proposed by the committee; Needs to create seed-stage financial resources; Response of European Parliament European Commission on the report; Concern regarding the prospects of the report.

Future European agriculture should achieve high productivity while limiting its impact on the environment. Legume-supported crop rotations could contribute to these goals, as they request less nitrogen (N) fertilizer inputs, show high resource use efficiency and support biodiversity. However, legumes grown for their grain (pulses) are not widely cultivated in Europe. To further expand their cultivation, it remains crucial to better understand how different cropping and environmental features affect pulses production in Europe. To address this gap, we collected the grain yields of the most cultivated legumes across European countries, from both published scientific papers and unpublished experiments of the European projects LegValue and Legato. Data were integrated into an open-source, easily updatable dataset, including 5229 yield observations for five major pulses: chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), field pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). These data were collected in 177 field experiments across 21 countries, from 37° N (southern Italy) to 63° N (Finland) of latitude, and from ca. 8° W (western Spain) to 47° E (Turkey), between 1980 and 2020. Our dataset can be used to quantify the effects of the soil, climate, and agronomic factors affecting pulses yields in Europe and could contribute to identifying the most suitable cropping areas in Europe to grow pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the contribution of built cultural heritage to the quality of life in peripheralised small and medium-sized towns (SMTs). While the scientific discourse on peripheralised towns and regions is largely focused on development threats and challenges, this paper highlights heritage as an endogenous resource with the potential to promote a high quality of life in peripheralised towns. A case study covering ten historic towns at the German–Polish border constitutes the basis of the research presented in this paper. Qualitative focus group workshops have been conducted in each town to get detailed insights into the heritage-related quality of life. It appears that under specific conditions, heritage contributes to the quality of life in peripheralised SMTs. This contribution is more pronounced on emotional terms, i.e. regarding meaningful constitutions of place and social cohesion. Practical domains of quality of life related to urban functions or the economy benefit less from the towns' heritage. It follows that the heritage ressources themselves are no warranty for an enhancement of the quality of life in peripheralised SMTs. Exploiting their potential remains context dependent, and peripheralised SMTs are faced with particular socio-spatial challenges in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) faces challenges that affect its persistence, including the revival of national populism in many EU member states. Studies have shown that individuals with immigration histories identify less strongly with Europe than individuals without immigration histories. Therefore, fostering a strong identification with Europe is more relevant than ever. This paper will explore the possible historical roots of different levels of identification and examine if differing access to learning opportunities can explain the difference. Drawing on data from the German sample of the International Civic and Citizenship Study 2016, this paper aims to determine the relevance of individual variables and learning opportunities for the development of students' identification with Europe. Multilevel analyses at individual and classroom level were conducted introducing different independent variables. Results show that having no immigration history from outside the EU, being Christian or atheist, and learning about Europe at school are predictors of a stronger level of identification with Europe. The effect of having an immigration history from outside the EU loses significance when socio-economic status classroom composition is entered into the model. We conclude that differences in identification are not due to different access to learning opportunities, but likely due to personal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In addition to the other uses for macroalgae, since the 1970s, there has been interest in using macroalgae as a source of biofuels, due to the high rates of productivity and intrinsic advantages over other biofuel crops such as not requiring land use or significant freshwater input. A wide range of conversion processes exist but anaerobic digestion was one of the first demonstrated and is still a widely proposed conversion pathway. To be economically viable and scalable within Europe, the industry will need to be based on a small number of fast growing, high-yielding European macroalgae species. There is a wide body of scientific work on the conversion of seaweeds to biofuel via anaerobic digestion. Main text: These studies demonstrate that the efficiency of this conversion pathway is highly variable between species, processing techniques, composition and digestor conditions. In this paper, we review this body of work specifically linking it to candidate species for European macroalgae bio-energy cultivation with the aim to promote the future development of the European macroalgal cultivation sector and allow for a better alignment with the requirements for biofuel production from macroalgae. Conclusions: Overall, anaerobic digestion of seaweed offers opportunities for large-scale energy production which avoids some of the issues that have faced previous generations of biofuels, but there are a number of key challenges to overcome to ensure wider adoption and economic viability. (1) Optimising the biomass production to ensure an economic and uniform feedstock with the composition optimised to increase desirable characteristics such as sugar content and the carbon and nitrogen ratio and to reduce inhibitory factors such as halogenated secondary metabolites, sulphur and heavy metals. (2) Improving conversion rates through co-digestion, pre-treatments and tailored microbial communities, using scalable and economically feasible technology. (3) Developing tailored microbial communities capable of utilising the diverse polysaccharides in seaweed feedstock and being tolerant of the saline conditions associated with them. Addressing these issues will deliver significant benefits towards the development of a bio-energy industry based on the anaerobic digestion of cultured seaweeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the ethical and legal challenges encountered during the GATEKEEPER Project and how these challenges informed the development of a comprehensive framework for future Large-Scale Pilot (LSP) projects. GATEKEEPER is a LSP Project with 48 partners conducting 30 implementation studies across Europe with 50,000 target participants grouped into 9 Reference Use Cases. The project underscored the complexity of obtaining ethical approval across various jurisdictions with divergent regulations and procedures. Through a detailed analysis of the issues faced and the strategies employed to navigate these challenges, this study proposes an ethical and legal framework. This framework, derived from a comparative analysis of ethical application forms and regulations, aims to streamline the ethical approval process for future LSP research projects. By addressing the hurdles encountered in GATEKEEPER, the proposed framework offers a roadmap for more efficient and effective project management, ensuring smoother implementation of similar projects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising employment uncertainty featured by higher risks of being temporarily employed or unemployed is often seen as the driving force behind delayed and declined partnering in Western countries. However, such an employment–partnering relationship is contextualized by labour market institutions and thus could diverge across countries over time. This paper aims to investigate how country-level variations in labour market regulations moderate individual-level effects of unstable employment on union formation, including the transitions into marriage or cohabitation unions. Using comparative panel data for 26 countries from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (the years 2010–2019), our multilevel fixed effects models showed that temporary employment and unemployment negatively affected the probability of union formation for single women and men in Europe. Moreover, the negative relationship between unstable employment and union formation was reinforced when labour market reforms were stimulating insider–outsider segregations or decreasing welfare provisions. Specifically, stricter employment protection legislations and higher coverage rates of collective bargaining agreements could reinforce the negative effects of temporary employment and unemployment on union formation, while more generous provisions of unemployment benefits could buffer such negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This thematic collection contains eight papers mostly presented at the 2016 AOGS meeting in Beijing. Four papers describe historical earthquake studies in Europe, Japan, and China; one paper uses modern instrumental data to examine the effect of giant earthquakes on the seismicity rate; and three papers describe paleoseismological studies using tsunami deposit in Japan, marine terraces in Philippines, and active faults in Himalayas. Hammerl (Geosci Lett 4:7, 2017) introduced historical seismological studies in Austria, starting from methodology which is state of the art in most European countries, followed by a case study for an earthquake of July 17, 1670 in Tyrol. Albini and Rovida (Geosci Lett 3:30, 2016) examined 114 historical records for the earthquake on April 6, 1667 on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea, compiled 37 Macroseismic Data Points, and estimated the epicenter and the size of the earthquake. Matsu'ura (Geosci Lett 4:3, 2017) summarized historical earthquake studies in Japan which resulted in about 8700 Intensity Data Points, assigned epicenters for 214 earthquakes between AD 599 and 1872, and estimated focal depth and magnitudes for 134 events. Wang et al. (Geosci Lett 4:4, 2017) introduced historical seismology in China, where historical earthquake archives include about 15,000 sources, and parametric catalogs include about 1000 historical earthquakes between 2300 BC and AD 1911. Ishibe et al. (Geosci Lett 4:5, 2017) tested the Coulomb stress triggering hypothesis for three giant (M~9) earthquakes that occurred in recent years, and found that at least the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman and 2011 Tohoku earthquakes caused the seismicity rate change. Ishimura (2017) re-estimated the ages of 11 tsunami deposits in the last 4000 years along the Sanriku coast of northern Japan and found that the average recurrence interval of those tsunamis as 350-390 years. Ramos et al. (2017) studied ~ 1000-year-old marine terraces on the west coast of Luzon Island, Philippines, and interpreted that coral boulder on top of the terrace was transported by the tsunami. Arora and Malik (Geosci Lett 4:19, 2017) compiled the paleoseismological data from trenches excavated along the Himalaya arc and argued that grouping of multiple events occurring within several decades would lead to an overestimation of seismic hazard scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What determines the differences in economic performance across European regions? In addressing this question, this paper takes inspiration from two different approaches. One approach highlights the role of capability-building, of a technological or social nature, while another perspective emphasizes the potential advantages of proximity and, hence, a relatively diversified economic structure, for regional economic performance. The paper argues that the impacts of capability-building and diversification on regional economic development need to be assessed jointly. Using information for 261 regions at NUTS2 level in 27 European countries in the 2000s, novel data sources are exploited to construct measures of technological and social capabilities, which are combined with indicators of related and unrelated variety in the analysis of regional economic dynamics. The results suggest that capability-building play a key role in regional economic development while the results for diversification are more mixed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on European leaders' approval of the policy document on competitiveness, growth and unemployment prepared by Jacques Delors. Creation of 15 million jobs in the European Union as the paper's aim; Importance of research and development (R&D) to economic recovery; Target of increasing spending on R&D; Setting up of a `Task Force on European Information Infrastructure.'

The Deputy Editor has explained in his editorial the reason for this review. I found it a challenging but very rewarding project. The overall quality of papers was so good that it was very difficult to select the necessarily few which space would allow me to review. Inevitably I am influenced by my particular interests, and hence very many excellent papers will not be discussed; failure to discuss a paper is not a reflection on its quality or importance. Criticisms of papers again reflect my own prejudices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clouds are important factors when projecting future climate. Unfortunately, future cloud fractional cover (the portion of the sky covered by clouds) is associated with significant uncertainty, making climate projections difficult. In this paper, we present the European Cloud Cover dataset, which can be used to learn statistical relations between cloud cover and other environmental variables, to potentially improve future climate projections. The dataset was created using a novel technique called Area Weighting Regridding Scheme to map satellite observations to cloud fractional cover on the same grid as the other variables in the dataset. Baseline experiments using autoregressive models document that it is possible to use the dataset to predict cloud fractional cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar incorporation into soil has shown potential, in enhancing nitrogen fertilizer (N-fertilizer) efficacy and soil organic carbon content (SOC). This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by investigating the effects of biochar addition over a seven-year period (2014–2020) on inorganic N, SOC, and pH in Haplic Luvisol. The research involved a rain-fed field experiment, with a crop rotation comprising spring barley, maize, spring wheat, and pea. Biochar, applied at the rates of 0, 10, and 20 t ha−1 in 2014, was reapplied to specific plots in 2018. Biochar was also combined with N-fertilizer at three level (N0, N1, and N2). Results showed a significant interactive influence of biochar and N-fertilizer combination on NO3− and NH4+ contents. Intriguingly, the addition of 10 t biochar ha−1 consistently decreased soil inorganic N levels across most of the examined months. Increasing biochar application rates led to a significant rise in pH, establishing a clear, negative correlation between soil pH and inorganic N content. Biochar significantly increased SOC compared to the control, particularly after the reapplication in 2018. However, this effect showed a diminishing trend over time. The study suggests that incorporating biochar treatments may enhance N-fertilizer effectiveness. However, the long-term implications of biochar application with N-fertilizer on N mineralization are specific to individual soil and biochar combinations. Except the application of 20 t ha−1 biochar at N2 in 2019, biochar did not affect the crop yields. Studied soil properties, including those influenced by biochar had nuanced impact on different aspects of crop yield. Article Highlights: Biochar obtained from mixed paper fiber sludge and the grain husks resulted in a significant increase of SOC over 7 years. Biochar aging resulted in a decrease in pH one year after its application in 2015 and 2019. The combination of N-fertilizer with biochar caused an improvement in soil inorganic N content in 2014 and reapplication in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers recent experiments in art and artificial intelligence that crystallize around training algorithms to generate artworks based on datasets derived from the Western art historical canon. Over the last decade, a shift towards the rejection of canonicity has begun to take shape in art historical discourse. At the same time, algorithmically enabled practices in the US and Europe have emerged that entrench the Western canon as a locus and guarantor of aesthetic value. Operating within the epistemic framework of a "view from nowhere," this tendency in generative art inherits the coloniality of both art history and artificial intelligence. Producing "art histories from nowhere," this tendency conflates the conceptual category of visual art with the histories of Western cultural production. It reproduces a set of aesthetic values that entrench the mythology of the artist-genius and his imputed whiteness and masculinity; the extolment of innovation and novelty as self-evident virtues; disembodied Cartesian models of knowing and sensing; and the erasure of contributions that have been occluded from canonical visibility. As we encounter systems trained on particular visions of art history and of the artist, how might we remain attentive to the specific lens through which they are taught to see? This essay addresses that question by bringing the coloniality of recent experiments into view, bridging data feminisms and decolonial studies to formulate alternative visions of encounters between art and AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural forest expansion (NFE), that is, the establishment of secondary forest on non-forested land through natural succession, has substantially contributed to the widespread expansion of forests in Europe over the last few decades. So far, EU policies have largely neglected the potential of NFE for meeting policy objectives on restoration. Synthesising recent interdisciplinary research, this paper assesses the challenges and opportunities of NFE in view of contributing to European forest and ecosystem restoration. Specifically, we discuss the potential for supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and forestry and economic use, summarize the current knowledge about societal perceptions and the policymaking on NFE, and make policy recommendations to better use the potential of NFE. We conclude that NFE has the potential to contribute to the European restoration policy agenda if local contexts and possible trade-offs are properly considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of all emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most debated topic in contemporary society because it promises to redefine and disrupt several sectors. At the same time, AI poses challenges for policymakers and decision-makers, particularly regarding formulating strategies and regulations to address their stakeholders' needs and perceptions. This paper explores stakeholder perceptions as expressed through their participation in the formulation of Europe's AI strategy and sheds light on the challenges of AI in Europe and the expectations for the future. Our analysis reveals six dimensions towards an AI strategy; ecosystems, education, liability, data availability sufficiency & protection, governance and autonomy. It draws on these dimensions to construct a desires-realities framework for AI strategy in Europe and provide a research agenda for addressing existing realities. Our findings contribute to understanding stakeholder desires on AI and hold important implications for research, practice and policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sustainable energy transition of a country is complex and long-term process, which requires decision-making in all stages and at all levels, including a large number of different factors, with different causality. The main objective of this paper is the development of a probabilistic model for decision-making in sustainable energy transition in developing countries of SE Europe. The model will be developed according to the specificities of the countries for which it is intended—SE Europe. These are countries where energy transition is slower and more difficult due to many factors: high degree of uncertainty, low transparency, corruption, investment problems, insufficiently reliable data, lower level of economic development, high level of corruption and untrained human resources. All these factors are making decision-making more challenging and demanding. Methods: Research was done by using content analysis, artificial intelligence methods, software development method and testing. The model was developed by using MSBNx—Microsoft Research's Bayesian Network Authoring and Evaluation Tool. Results: Due to the large number of insufficiently clear, but interdependent factors, the model is developed on the principle of probabilistic (Bayesian) networks of factors of interest. The paper presents the first model for supporting decision-making in the field of energy sustainability for the region of Southeastern Europe, which is based on the application of Bayesian Networks. Conclusion: Testing of the developed model showed certain characteristics, discussed in paper. The application of developed model will make it possible to predict the short-term and long-term consequences that may occur during energy transition by varying these factors. Recommendations are given for further development of the model, based on Bayesian networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides novel evidence on the importance of the phenomenon of poverty and its heterogeneity across European countries. We analyze the determinants of poverty in Europe and their evolution over time by disentangling the role of genuine state dependence and heterogeneity. We apply alternative dynamic probit models accounting for endogenous initial conditions and correlated random effects to the pre-Great Recession period of 2005–2008 and the post- Great Recession period of 2015–2018 using EU-SILC longitudinal datasets for a sample of European countries in order to estimate genuine state dependence and uncover the role of observable and unobservable factors in determining the risk of poverty. Our findings suggest that the degree of genuine state dependence is relevant in Europe and that it increased slightly from pre- to post-Great Recession. This suggests that measures aimed at lifting individuals out of poverty, including cash transfers, have become even more important during the Europe 2020 decade. Our analysis also reveals that Europe is characterized by an increasing scarring effect of poverty, the trend of which has been exacerbated in the post-recession period. The analysis at the country level clarifies why the evolution of genuine state dependence was heterogeneous. While a clear pattern within macro-regions does not emerge, we find an association between country-level variation in genuine state dependence and some macroeconomic indicators. Finally, our results suggest that the protective role of higher education has diminished over time, while the role of employment stability and of childcare provision during early childhood has become even more important in the post-recession period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a letter signed by European university libraries which asked science-journal publishers how they plan to keep prices affordable. Details about the letter; Response from publishers; Views of Derk Haank of Elsevier Science; Lack of market forces in the research publications industry; View that scientists need to change their attitudes towards publishing.

Background: In 2015, one of the largest healthcare companies in the world committed to phasing out from all its products and processes worldwide any substances declared by the European Chemicals Agency to be of very high concern. Since then, extended practical experience was gained in the phasing out of substances of concern. Results: We report in detail on a company-wide programme to phase out substances of concern, the challenges of and the approaches to the phase-out. The paper provides concrete ideas of how to address the legitimate urge to remove substances of concern from economic activities in a holistic way, taking into account the broad diversity of aspects of sustainability. The present paper also reviews the regulatory and societal environment in which substances of concern are being phased out. The paper attempts to contribute to the ongoing discussion of how to improve the chemicals policy in Europe and beyond. Conclusions: Phasing out substances of concern, substance selection for new products and processes, and the avoidance of regrettable substitutions while maintaining the pace of genuine innovation will stay a major challenge for our industry in the years ahead whereby not only toxicological and ecotoxicological hazards have to be considered in the selection and deselection of substances, but also other sustainability criteria characterising the entire life cycle will play an increasingly important role. Legislators and industry need to pay more attention to how this is implemented while avoiding slowing down innovation, making essential products unnecessarily more expensive, and further pushing material production out of highly regulated countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the negative loop caused by the interaction between pessimistic estimates of potential output and the effects of fiscal policy in Europe during 2008–2014. We argue that policymakers' reliance on overly pessimistic views of potential output led to a large adjustment in fiscal policy. Contractionary fiscal policy, via hysteresis effects, caused a reduction in potential output that in part validated the original pessimistic forecasts and led to a second round of fiscal consolidation. The paper concludes by discussing alternative frameworks for fiscal policy that could avoid this negative loop in future crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented Reality in education can support students in a wide range of cognitive tasks–fostering understanding, remembering, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating learning-relevant information more easily. It can help keep up engagement, and it can render learning more fun. Within the framework of a multi-year investigation encompassing primary and secondary schools across Europe, the ARETE project developed several Augmented Reality applications, providing tools for user interaction and data collection in the education sector. The project developed innovative AR learning technology and methodology, validating these in four comprehensive pilot studies, in total involving more than 2,900 students and teachers. Each pilot made use of a different Augmented Reality application covering specific subjects (English literacy skills, Mathematics and Geography, Positive Behaviour, plus, additionally, an Augmented Reality authoring tool applied in a wide range of subjects). In this paper, we introduce the datasets collected during the pilots, describe how the data enabled the validation of the technology, and how the approach chosen could enhance existing augmented reality applications in data exploration and modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the volatility transmission between European Global Systemically Important Banks (GSIBs) and implied stock market volatility. A Dynamic Conditional Correlation Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity model is applied to determine the dynamic correlation between returns of Europe's GSIBs and the world's most prominent measure of market "fear", the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX). The results identify a higher negative co-relationship between the VIX and GSIB returns during the COVID-19 period compared with the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), with one-day lagged changes in the VIX negatively Granger-causing bank returns. The asymmetric impact of changes in implied volatility is examined by quantile regressions, with the findings showing that in the lower quartile–where extreme negative bank returns are present–jumps in the VIX are highly significant. This effect is more pronounced during COVID-19 than during the GFC. Additional robustness analysis shows that these findings are consistent during the periods of the Swine Flu and Zika virus epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air transport has been identified as one of the primary means whereby COVID-19 spread throughout Europe during the early stages of the pandemic. In this paper we analyse two categories of methods – dynamic network markers (DNMs) and network analysis-based methods – as potential early warning signals for detecting and anticipating COVID-19 outbreaks in Europe on the basis of accuracy regarding the daily confirmed cases. The analysis was carried out from 15 February 2020, around two weeks before the first COVID-19 cases appeared in Europe, and 1 May 2020, approximately two weeks after all the air traffic in Europe had been shut down. Daily European COVID-19 information sourced from the World Health Organization was used, whereas air traffic data from Flightradar24 has been incorporated into the analyses by means of four alternative adjacency matrices. Some DNMs have been discarded since they output multiple time series, which makes it very difficult to interpret their results. The only DNM outputting a single time series does not emulate the COVID-19 trend: it does not detect all the main peaks, which means that peak heights do not match up with the increase in the number of infected people. However, many combinations of network analysis based methods and adjacency matrices output good results (with high accuracy and 20-day advance forecasts), with only minor differences from one to another. The number of edges and the network density methods are slightly better when dynamic flight frequency information is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) technology adoption provides a basis to accelerate their growth ambitions and to enhance their value-creation activities for disruptive and competitive purposes. However, we have a limited understanding of how MSMEs engage in new technology adoption for value-creation purposes. Integrating the determinants of technology adoption and entrepreneurial mindset—cognition and opportunity recognition—the purpose of our paper is to examine what factors determine MSME technology adoption. Set in the Danube region of Europe we focus on MSMEs in the automotive, electronics and IT sectors that are traditionally characterized by the relatively rapid uptake of high-performance computing (HPC). As a new technology, HPC combines infrastructure and applications that are highly complex and can be deployed in an array of contexts to address market-based opportunities. Employing fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, we find the potential presence of a complementary relationship between the technological, organisational, and environmental factors and the entrepreneurial mindset for technology adoption among MSMEs for value creation. We find that cognition is not a necessary condition for technology adoption and opportunity recognition is. Furthermore, we unveil that opportunity recognition combined with organisational or environmental factors can enable technology adoption among MSMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the condition (water quality, biodiversity, hydromorphology) of small water bodies presents a challenge for the relevant authorities in terms of time and resources (labour and financial) due to the extensive length of the stream network or the sheer number of small standing water bodies. Citizen science can help address information gaps, but the effort required should not be underestimated if such projects are to generate reliable and sustained data collection. The overall aim of this paper is to propose a framework for operationalisation of citizen science targeting collection of data from small water bodies. We first consider the data gaps and the elements (water chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology) to be addressed, in order to define where citizen science could best make an impact. We review examples of tools and methods that are appropriate for small water bodies, based on experience from a selection of freshwater citizen science projects, and the support that is needed for effective and sustained small water body projects across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation in Europe shows natural fluctuations that differ considerably between seasons and geographical regions. A number of studies have linked local or seasonal rainfall variability to various long-distance air pressure differences in north–south or west–east direction. This paper presents the first continent-wide analysis of European rainfall variability on a month-by-month and country-by-country basis. We calculated Pearson r values for unsmoothed monthly rainfall data of 39 European countries over the period 1950–2019 with five potential climatic drivers, namely the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the North Sea Caspian Pattern (NCP), and two indices of Mediterranean Oscillation (MOI2, WeMOI). For a variety of countries and months we found substantial and statistically significant r values of up to r = 0.7 and more. The dynamic temporal-spatial evolution of the Pearson correlations was mapped out across the continent, tracking the gradual or abrupt expansion, displacement and subsequent waning of the various effects over the course of the year. The correlation analysis was complemented by best subset multiple regression, controlling for intercorrelation of the potential drivers. Our results may help to improve short- to midterm rainfall prognoses in Europe and provide important calibration data for the further refinement of climate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information about the call for papers for the journal. The authors note that the role of business in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been narrowed and has been severed from its ethical roots. Relevant experts are invited to submit papers that will broaden the scope of CSR research, especially in Europe where business ethics have traditionally rested on solid social and public ethics. The call for papers is addressed to a broad, interdisciplinary group of experts and the selected papers will be published as a special issue of the "Journal of Business Ethics."

Grandparents, and in particular grandmothers, are an important source of informal child care for their grandchildren in most developed countries. The literature shows how these informal transfers of care can help promote female labor participation. However, less is known about how working-age grandmothers are combining care with their own labor participation. In this paper, I use data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe and analyze to what extent child care is provided by grandmothers in ten European countries and how grandmothers are combining this task with paid work. I also revisit the question of whether the child care provided by grandmothers is encouraging the labor participation of their offspring. The empirical approach takes into account the simultaneity of labor market decisions and caregiving activities while controlling for grandmother's unobserved heterogeneity on their willingness to provide care to their grandchildren. I find a negative and significant effect of participating in the labor market on the probability of taking care of the grandchildren on a regular basis. I also find evidence that, for some countries, the child care provided by working-age grandmothers has a positive effect on the labor participation of their daughters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social protection refers to resources and strategies to deal with social risks, such as poverty or obligations and needs of care, which might impede the realization of life chances and well-being. Previous research has shown that migrants are particularly affected by challenges when accessing or providing social protection, because of unfamiliar welfare regulations in the immigration country and their family and friends being located in various locations, calling for an investigation of gendered dynamics in transnational spaces. In this special issue we aim to advance these vital debates by elucidating the social consequences of the articulation and organization of formal and informal social protection across borders for different actors involved through a joint investigation of gender and transnationality as key dimensions of social inequality. More specifically, the papers collected in this special issue are devoted to investigating the link of formal and informal dimensions of transnational social protection and showing its impact on unequal life chances of mobile people in Europe. This introduction frames the articles collected in this special issue from an inequality perspective, thereby pointing to the ways in which gender and transnationality interact with other dimensions of inequality in the field of social protection, which currently constitutes one of the most vital issues in the field of migration scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many options for the utilization of biogas in different energy sectors (power, heat, mobility). The technical possibilities of using biogas are more diverse than the actual business models applied in the biogas industry. This paper shows the possible utilization pathways of biogas, divided into coupled power and heat generation, direct utilization and upgrading to a gas of a higher value. Subsequently, an overview of the business models discussed is given by a systematic literature review. The latter shows that the investigation of biogas business models is focused mainly on the last decade and has increased slightly over time. The regions of investigation can be found worldwide, with a clear focus on Europe. Direct use is studied mainly in the Asian and African regions. In the European context, a shift from investigating combined heat and power use to upgrading the biogas produced is evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the second half of 2020, many European governments responded to the resurging transmission of SARS-CoV-2 with wide-ranging non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). These efforts were often highly targeted at the regional level and included fine-grained NPIs. This paper describes a new dataset designed for the accurate recording of NPIs in Europe's second wave to allow precise modelling of NPI effectiveness. The dataset includes interventions from 114 regions in 7 European countries during the period from the 1st August 2020 to the 9th January 2021. The paper includes NPI definitions tailored to the second wave following an exploratory data collection. Each entry has been extensively validated by semi-independent double entry, comparison with existing datasets, and, when necessary, discussion with local epidemiologists. The dataset has considerable potential for use in disentangling the effectiveness of NPIs and comparing the impact of interventions across different phases of the pandemic. Measurement(s) Government non-pharmaceutical interventions against Covid-19 Technology Type(s) Interpretation by researchers Sample Characteristic - Organism Homo sapiens [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing up in socio-economic disadvantage has important and long-lasting effects on children's lives. Children from disadvantaged households often fall behind in many areas of well-being and development, with effects that continue to limit their opportunities and outcomes – including their health and labour market outcomes – long after they reach adulthood. Drawing on Europe-wide survey data from 27 countries, this paper explores how childhood socio-economic disadvantage affects later adult labour market and health outcomes and evaluates the country-level GDP-equivalent cost of childhood disadvantage due to lost employment, lost earnings, and lost health, as well as the costs of lost government revenue and extra benefit spending. Results point to large costs for societies from childhood socio-economic disadvantage, totalling on average the equivalent of 3.5% of GDP annually. We also show that the labour market penalties linked to childhood disadvantage are often smaller in countries with lower absolute levels of disadvantage. While not causal evidence, these associations suggest much of the impact of childhood disadvantage in adulthood can be mitigated with the right environment and policy set up in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our current approaches to resource management are not sustainable. Businesses typically follow a linear approach where resources are not well utilized. Maritime ports are part of the problem, as they need to optimize the use of resources and generate negative externalities. However, they can also be important drivers of sustainability if they effectively transition to Circular Economy (CE). In this study, eight principles of CE and ten CBMs, are discussed and used to analyze ports in three areas of intervention. This paper analyzes current CE practices in European ports and the potential to adopt Circular Business Models (CBMs) to create value for port stakeholders and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drivers and barriers to CE were analyzed, and the level of development was assessed. The ports studied are in Europe and are generally regarded as Maritime Industrial Ports (MIP). The methodology includes a Semi-Systematic Literature Review (SSLR) and a SWOT analysis to examine CE practices in maritime ports. This methodology helped enhance the analysis of Drivers and Barriers to CE transition. This study concludes that ports are developing circular practices and business models on the technical and biological flows, but the level of implementation is moderated to low. Six drivers for adopting CE principles were identified, including European ports' experience in circular activities and the Quality & Environmental Management System (EMS). In addition, seven barriers to CE were highlighted, including the diversity of port characteristics and the different interests and ambitions of port stakeholders that make it difficult to standardize measurements and transition to circularity. Circular development goals in ports should be integrated, and development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The findings and implications of this study will help Port Authorities (PA) in the strategy, policy development, and implementation of CBMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standards and Codes of Practice for designing new constructions and for assessing and strengthening existing ones are usually based on uniform hazard maps, where different Limit States (LSs) are associated with different hazard-exceedance probabilities. This approach yields non-homogeneous LS-exceedance probabilities across a territory, thus failing to achieve the goal of uniform risk throughout a territory. Such lack of uniformity stems from estimating the probability of failure using capacity and demand models. If the capacity of new constructions—or the capacity increase of strengthened existing constructions—are designed based on a prescribed hazard-exceedance probability, then the seismic risk depends on both the structure (depending on the design philosophy and corresponding design objectives), through the capacity model, and the location, through the hazard model. The aim of this study is threefold. First, it provides a seismic probability assessment formulation and a risk-targeted intensity measure based on a linear model in log–log coordinates of the hazard, under the assumption of log-normal capacity and demand. The proposed framework introduces a factor that multiplies the code hazard-based demand to account either for intentional (from design) over-capacity or for undesired (e.g., in existing constructions) under-capacity. Second, this paper shows an application to peak ground accelerations in Europe considering parameters taken from Standards and Codes of Practice. The developed framework is used to determine the risk-target levels of peak ground acceleration used for design in Europe, for both new and existing constructions. Third, the obtained target risk levels are used to determine a risk-based intensity modification factor and a risk-based mean return period modification factor, which can be readily implemented in current Standards to achieve risk-targeted design actions, with equal LS-exceedance probability across the territory. The framework is independent of the chosen hazard-based intensity measure, be it the commonly used peak ground acceleration or any other measure. The results highlight that in large areas of Europe the design peak ground acceleration should be increased to achieve the proposed seismic risk target and that this is particularly significant for existing constructions, given their larger uncertainties and typical low capacity with respect to the code hazard-based demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several recent studies suggest that the home advantage, that is, the benefit competitors accrue from performing in familiar surroundings, was—at least temporarily—reduced in games played without spectators due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These games played without fans during the Pandemic have been dubbed 'ghost games'. However, the majority of the research to date focus on soccer and no contributions have been provided for indoor sports, where the effect of the support of the fans might have a stronger impact than in outdoor arenas. In this paper, we try to fill this gap by investigating the effect of ghost games in basketball with a special focus on the possible reduction of the home advantage due to the absence of spectators inside the arena. In particular, we test (i) for the reduction of the home advantage in basketball, (ii) whether such reduction tends to disappear over time, (iii) if the bookmakers promptly adapt to such structural change or whether mispricing was created on the betting market. The results from a large data set covering all seasons since 2004 for the ten most popular and followed basketball leagues in Europe show, on the one hand, an overall significant reduction of the home advantage of around 5% and no evidence that suggests that this effect has been reduced at as teams became more accustomed to playing without fans; on the other hand, bookmakers appear to have anticipated such effect and priced home win in basketball matches accordingly, thus avoiding creating mispricing on betting markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]