Search Results (2,358)

Protected area managers have long employed unregulated or dispersed camping policies that allow visitors to select and create campsites, frequently in flat areas where problems with campsite proliferation, expansion, severe resource impacts, social crowding, conflicts, and noise occur. This study fills a research gap by providing guidance based on recreation ecology studies and a US wilderness case study for evaluating and adopting a camping containment strategy in areas of higher use. Four efficient steps are described and illustrated involving campsite inventory, monitoring, and occupancy surveys, selection of preferred sustainable campsites, and implementation of a camping containment strategy and supporting practices. Case study findings are presented to illustrate the guidance and reveal the potential efficacy of implementing camping containment strategies that shift camping to preferred sustainable established or designated campsites as part of a visitor use adaptive management process. As demonstrated, such policies can accommodate heavy visitation with substantially reduced campsite numbers, aggregate area of camping impact, and an improved potential for higher quality social conditions. Full article

Within the LIFE PREPAIR project, the BAT-Tool Plus (released in February 2022) was developed to estimate ammonia (NH₃) and greenhouse gas emissions from intensive livestock farming in the Po-basin, a hotspot for agricultural air pollution. The tool applies a nitrogen mass balance approach, considering housing, storage, treatment, and land application phases, integrating EU Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards. The BAT-Tool includes high-resolution and tailored methodologies, allowing single farms and regional-scale simulations. In this study, the BAT-Tool was applied to the Po-basin using 2023 data from the National Livestock Database and regional statistics on manure management. The results show that around one-third of nitrogen excreted by livestock is lost as NH₃, confirming livestock as the dominant source of emissions compared to fertilizers. In this paper, ammonia emissions and nitrogen load to fields were estimated, analyzing potential reductions achievable with wider adoption of BAT. The BAT-Tool provides standardized, transparent estimates, supporting regulatory compliance, emission inventories, and policy planning. Its scalability from farms to district scale makes it a reference model for improving nitrogen management and reducing PM_2.5 precursors in northern Italy and potentially across the EU. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tinnitus lateralization, a perceptual characteristic often neglected in clinical assessment, may reflect underlying auditory plasticity. This study aimed to investigate whether changes in tinnitus lateralization following a multimodal neuromodulation protocol are associated with improved clinical outcomes, particularly regarding tinnitus severity and discomfort. Methods: A retrospective interventional study was conducted with 104 adults diagnosed with chronic tinnitus. All participants underwent a combined protocol involving transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), cervical transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and photobiomodulation (PBM) targeting auditory pathways. Clinical assessments included the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analog Scales (VAS) for loudness and discomfort, and lateralization reports before and after treatment. Lateralization patterns were categorized and compared using ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Linear models explored demographic and clinical predictors of symptom change. Results: Substantial changes in lateralization were observed post-treatment. Participants who shifted from bilateral to unilateral tinnitus or from unilateral to non-perception showed the greatest symptom reductions (p < 0.001). The Bilateral → Unilateral group presented the most marked THI reduction (−20.82 ± 7.12), while minimal changes were observed in the Bilateral → Bilateral group. Loudness and discomfort improvements followed similar trends. No significant influence of age or sex on clinical response was identified, whereas longer tinnitus duration showed a modest positive association with symptom improvement. Conclusions: Perceptual reorganization of tinnitus lateralization may serve as a clinical marker of response to neuromodulation. Tracking lateralization could provide a simple, cost-effective adjunct to outcome monitoring in tinnitus management. Full article

This study addresses the challenge of aligning inventory forecasting with sustainability and service level goals in re-order point systems. It introduces a semiparametric forecasting method based on exponential smoothing and M-estimation, designed to directly model reorder levels under fill rate (P2) constraints. The proposed approach is benchmarked against state-of-the-art techniques, including Generalized Autoregressive Score (GAS) models, volatility-adjusted smoothing, and DeepAR—a deep learning model for probabilistic time series forecasting. Using monthly demand data from the M3 competition, empirical evaluation demonstrates that the semiparametric method achieves high service level accuracy with low inventory and logistics costs, particularly under short lead times. DeepAR shows strong performance in minimizing inventory levels but tends to underestimate stock requirements under high service level targets. A hybrid strategy combining forecasts from multiple models proves robust across scenarios, reducing forecast risk. The findings highlight the potential of integrating traditional statistical methods with AI-based approaches to support resource-efficient inventory management. By minimizing excess stock and backorders, the proposed methods contribute to reducing environmental impact, offering practical solutions for organizations seeking to balance operational efficiency with sustainability. Full article

Climate change is driving the need for forest management strategies that simultaneously enhance ecosystem resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation. Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), regulated in the European Union by the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), offer potential financial incentives for such management, but eligibility criteria—particularly biodiversity requirements—limit the applicability of certain species. This study assessed the ecological and economic outcomes of six alternative management scenarios for a 4.7 ha, 99-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand in western Hungary, comparing them against a business-as-usual (BAU) regeneration baseline. Using field inventory data, species-specific yield tables, and the Forest Industry Carbon Model, we modelled living and dead biomass carbon stocks for 2025–2050 and calculated potential CO₂ credit generation. Economic evaluation employed total discounted contribution margin (TDCM) analyses under varying carbon credit prices (€0–150/tCO₂). Results showed that an extended rotation yielded the highest carbon sequestration (958 tCO₂ above BAU) and TDCM but was deemed operationally unfeasible due to declining stand health. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) regeneration provided high mitigation potential (690 tCO₂) but was ineligible under CRCF rules. Grey poplar (Populus × canescens) regeneration emerged as the most viable option, balancing biodiversity compliance, climate adaptability, and economic return (TDCM = EUR 22,900 at €50/tCO₂). The findings underscore the importance of integrating ecological suitability, market regulations, and economic performance in planning carbon farming projects, and highlight that regulatory biodiversity safeguards can significantly shape feasible mitigation pathways. Full article

Efficient and reliable inventory management remains a challenge in modern warehouses, where manual counting is time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. We present an autonomous aerial–ground system for warehouse inventory data capture that operates without external infrastructure or prior mapping operations. A differential-drive unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) performs global localization and navigation from a simple 2D floor plan via 2D LiDAR scan-to-map matching fused in an Extended Kalman Filter. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) uses fiducial-based relative localization to execute short, autonomous take-off, follow, precision landing, and close-range imaging of high shelves. By ferrying the UAV between aisles, the UGV extends the UAV’s effective endurance and coverage, limiting flight to brief, high-value segments. We validate the system in simulation and real environments. In simulation, the proposed localization method achieves higher accuracy and consistency than AMCL, GMapping, and KartoSLAM across varied layouts. In experiments, the UAV reliably follows and lands on the UGV, producing geo-referenced imagery of high shelves suitable for downstream inventory recognition. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to describe how adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) perceive their diagnosis identity and examine its correlation with executive functions (EFs), self-management abilities, and quality of life (QoL). Methods: A total of 66 adolescents with ADHD, aged 12 to 18 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.84), completed self-report questionnaires, including the Illness Identity Questionnaire, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Self-Control and Self-Management Scale, and Pediatric QoL Inventory. We used ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests to assess differences in diagnosis identity domains and Pearson correlations to examine correlations between diagnosis identity, EFs, self-management, and QoL. Results: Adolescents reported significantly higher ADHD Acceptance feelings compared to Rejection, Engulfment, and Enrichment, F (2.38, 149.89) = 32.41, p < 0.001. Total diagnosis identity score was strongly associated with self-management (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). While no significant correlations were found with overall EF or QoL, significant associations did emerge with their sub-scores. Regression analyses indicated that self-monitoring, social QoL, and self-evaluation together explained 45% of the variance in diagnosis identity. The Engulfment dimension of identity was a significant negative predictor of executive functioning (R² = 0.15), self-management (R² = 0.35), and QoL (R² = 0.17). Conclusions: Promoting a positive diagnosis identity may improve functional and emotional outcomes in adolescents with ADHD. In turn, better functional and emotional outcomes may help them embrace a diagnosis identity that is more positive. Full article

The intermittent and lumpy demand of spare parts requires the choice of the right forecasting model among a variety of existing methods. Spare parts have an uneven lifecycle and mean time to failure for each individual item. As a result, they have a varied time of replacement, and consequently, a varied demand. This paper introduces a multi-cost function optimization approach that dynamically selects and adjusts forecasting models tailored to each spare part. The performance comparisons of the various demand forecasting methods led us to a new forecasting model, the Sfiris–Koulouriotis (SK) method, suited for highly lumpy and intermittent demand. A scaled version of the novel Stock-Keeping Unit-oriented Prediction Error Costs metric is also introduced. The composite negative-binomial–Bernoulli probability distribution for the stock control leveraged the replenishment policy. The best safety stock level is calculated for each individual item. Empirical validation in the automotive industry demonstrated that our approach significantly reduces safety stock while maintaining service levels, offering practical benefits for inventory management. Full article

Metal anodes promise improvements in energy density and cost; however, their performance is determined within the first several nanometers at the interface. This review reports on how polymer-based artificial solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) are engineered to stabilize Li and aqueous-Zn anodes, and how these designs are now evaluated against operando readouts rather than post-mortem snapshots. We group the related molecular strategies into three classes: (i) side-chain/ionomer chemistry (salt-philic, fluorinated, zwitterionic) to increase cation selectivity and manage local solvation; (ii) dynamic or covalently cross-linked networks to absorb microcracks and maintain coverage during plating/stripping; and (iii) polymer–ceramic hybrids that balance modulus, wetting, and ionic transport characteristics. We then benchmark these choices against metal-specific constraints—high reductive potential and inactive Li accumulation for Li, and pH, water activity, corrosion, and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for Zn—showing why a universal preparation method is unlikely. A central element is a system of design parameters and operando metrics that links material parameters to readouts collected under bias, including the nucleation overpotential (η_nuc), interfacial impedance (charge transfer resistance (R_ct)/SEI resistance (R_SEI)), morphology/roughness statistics from liquid-cell or cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), stack swelling, and (for Li) inactive-Li inventory. By contrast, planar plating/stripping and HER suppression are primary success metrics for Zn. Finally, we outline parameters affecting these systems, including the use of lean electrolytes, the N/P ratio, high areal capacity/current density, and pouch-cell pressure uniformity, and discuss closed-loop workflows that couple molecular design with multimodal operando diagnostics. In this view, polymer artificial SEIs evolve from curated “recipes” into predictive, transferable interfaces, paving a path from coin-cell to prototype-level Li- and Zn-metal batteries. Full article

This study assesses and inventories agrodiversity within eleven representative oases of the pre-Saharan regions of Morocco, ecosystems that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and socio-economic pressures. The findings highlight the central role of fruit tree diversity in structuring and sustaining the resilience of oasis agroecosystems, complementing cereal and fodder crops. Special attention was given to the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a secondary but underutilized fruit species in Moroccan agriculture, which was found to hold a significant position in the surveyed oases. Farmer and community surveys identified five local denominations or varieties, including an original form known as “Guersmoum” or “Hamed,” distinguished by its spontaneous, non-cultivated character. This unique case exemplifies the remarkable coexistence between wild and domesticated forms, reflecting the complex dynamics between cultivated and wild biodiversity. The presence and use of this variety are closely linked to the production of a traditional local agri-food product, pomegranate molasses (“Amaghousse”), an artisanal know-how transmitted across generations and primarily preserved by women. The study documents several aspects of this practice, including processing techniques, yield ratios, and marketing channels, emphasizing both the economic and cultural significance of this local product. The discussion underscores the close interconnections between traditional knowledge, gendered practices, and the conservation of genetic diversity, showing how the promotion of local resources contributes not only to the preservation of agrodiversity but also to the maintenance of oasis cultural identities. Finally, the study highlights the broader implications of these findings for development initiatives, particularly through the recognition and promotion of distinctive local agri-food products, the integration of women in local conservation strategies, and the implementation of sustainable management approaches for fruit genetic resources. Full article

This paper presents an after-sales service optimization problem (ASOP) that integrates technician scheduling with spare parts inventory management, multi-day planning horizons, team coordination requirements, and customer satisfaction modeling. We developed a comprehensive mixed-integer programming model that simultaneously optimizes technician assignments, inventory allocation, team collaborations, and emergency response capabilities while maintaining service-level agreement (SLA) compliance. The model includes novel constraints for equipment availability, certification requirements, spare parts consumption, and dynamic customer priority adjustments. Computational experiments on test instances demonstrated 50.0% SLA compliance with 25.8% average technician utilization across 12 service requests, 6 technicians, and a 3-day planning horizon. The integrated approach achieved an 18% cost reduction compared to sequential optimization while improving the customer satisfaction scores by 13.9%. A sensitivity analysis revealed critical trade-offs between inventory holding costs, team coordination benefits, and service quality metrics. The proposed framework provides comprehensive decision support for modern after-sales service operations requiring integrated resource management. Full article

Biodiversity loss poses a threat to corporate performance and social welfare. Biodiversity disclosure enables investors to evaluate firms’ biodiversity status. However, it remains unclear whether and how biodiversity disclosure affects capital market efficiency. In this paper, we employ a binary variable derived from a word-frequency analysis of annual reports to determine whether a firm has disclosed biodiversity information. Using a panel of Chinese listed companies from 2011 to 2022, we provide robust evidence that Companies that disclose biodiversity information have experienced sustained improvements in stock liquidity. Furthermore, the effect is significantly amplified after the 2020 UN Biodiversity Summit, suggesting that investors respond positively to biodiversity disclosure. Channel analysis reveals that higher inventory turnover reinforces this positive effect, while greater financing constraints and higher management ownership weaken it. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that this effect is more pronounced among firms with higher environmental information asymmetry, lower supply chain transparency, and lower patient capital. This study sheds light on how biodiversity disclosure affects market efficiency and offers important insights for future research and policy. Full article

To optimize operations and raise their performance, many industries have used the Theory of Constraints (TOC) methodology. The effective management of the constraints that prevent businesses from achieving their goals is described in the Theory of Constraints, which Goldratt developed in the 1980s. Increased restricted contribution margin, decreased inventory levels, and lower operating costs are the key points of the Theory of Constraints. Therefore, by effectively allocating enterprise resources, profitability can be increased. This study’s goal is to locate and eliminate the significant constraints standing in the way of a company’s accomplishment of their objectives, raising productivity and, consequently, firm profitability. A furniture company in the Maharashtra Region undertook the Theory of Constraints practice for this reason. Full article

This review analyzes how recent electric-vehicle LCAs have been carried out, emphasizing goals and scope, functional units, system boundaries (cradle-to-grave and well-to-wheel), and attributional versus consequential modeling rather than reporting outcomes. Using a systematic search of studies mainly from 2018–2025, it maps common tools and data sources (Ecoinvent, GREET, GaBi, and regional inventories) and summarizes LCIA practices, underscoring the need to report versions, regionalization, and assumptions transparently for comparability. Uncertainty studies are uneven: sensitivity and scenario analyses are common, while probabilistic approaches (e.g., Monte Carlo) are less used, indicating room for more consistent, multi-parameter uncertainty analysis. The results show that outcomes are context-dependent: BEVs deliver the largest life-cycle GHG cuts on low-carbon grids with improved battery production and end-of-life management; PHEVs and HEVs act as transitional options shaped by real-world use; and FCEV benefits depend on low-carbon hydrogen. Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics and solar-powered vehicles are promising yet under-studied, with performance tied to local irradiance, design, and grid evolution. Future research suggests harmonized reporting, more regionalized and time-aware modeling, broader probabilistic uncertainty, and comprehensive LCAs of VIPV/SPV and circular pathways to support policy-ready, comparable results. Full article

This study utilizes data from the eighth and ninth Chinese National Forest Inventories of Qinghai Province to establish a climate-sensitive transfer matrix growth model for natural forests in Qinghai Province. The model considers tree species diversity (S_d), size diversity (D_c), mean annual temperature (MAT), and mean annual precipitation (MAP) and their impacts on tree growth, mortality, and recruitment. Additionally, the forest stand growth and development were predicted under different climate scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP8.5) for the next 50 years. The results show that the number of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) and White birch (Betula platyphylla Sukaczev) trees per hectare gradually decreases, but the stock volume continues to increase. The number of trees per hectare remains relatively stable (from 2235 to 855), with stock volume increasing annually for the first 30 years of the simulation and then stabilizing (from 76.96 to 798.02). Other tree species groups exhibit a continuous annual increase. Comparing the changes in stock volume and tree numbers under three different climate scenarios, there was no significant difference, and the overall trend remained similar. The finding fills a gap in the research on climate-sensitive transfer matrix growth models for natural forests in Qinghai Province. Compared to single-tree and whole-stand models, this model can predict forest stand growth more quickly and effectively, providing a reliable reference for future forest management. It helps formulate policies to address climate change and promote the sustainable development of forest health. This achievement will contribute to a better understanding of future forest stand growth trends, offering valuable insights for sustainable forest management. Full article