Search Results (1,116)

Large-scale transitions to eco-friendly vehicle fleets present complex capital budgeting challenges, requiring the integration of extensive operational data with financial modeling while balancing economic profitability and environmental sustainability. Traditional approaches often struggle to manage this complexity and quantify the inherent trade-offs. This study develops and applies an innovative integrated accounting-and-finance framework to evaluate the economic and environmental implications of green fleet transition projects, explicitly quantifying the trade-off between profitability and sustainability. Focusing on waste vehicle replacement of Iren Spa, a leading European multi-utility company, we employ the recently developed Split-Screen Approach, a unified accounting-and-finance framework grounded in the laws of motion and conservation. It automatically reconciles pro forma financial statements and generates internally consistent valuation metrics, eliminating the manual adjustments and inconsistencies of traditional models. Its built-in diagnostic checks and scalability for highly complex datasets overcome the manual adjustments and inconsistencies inherent in traditional financial models. We process 2303 inputs across multiple “green” scenarios. This methodology integrates an Engineering Model, describing fleet evolution, operating costs, and CO₂ reduction, with a HookUp Model, which serves to transform scenarios into well-defined projects. The latter model is then integrated with a Financial Model that generates pro forma financial statements, incorporates financing and payout policies, and assesses economic profitability through Net Present Value (NPV) and consistent accounting rates of return. Together, these elements form a robust framework for managing complex data integration and analysis. Our research reveals a fundamental trade-off: enhanced environmental sustainability (measured by Net Green Value, NGV), which quantifies CO₂ reduction, is achieved at the expense of economic profitability, measured by NPV. This financial sacrifice is captured by the Net Value Curve, a Pareto frontier, while the NPV-to-NGV ratio provides “shadow prices” for CO₂ reduction, revealing the financial cost per unit of sustainability gained. Based on 21 project scenarios and additional sensitivity analyses on financial inputs and energy prices, the results confirm a decreasing relationship between NGV and NPV. This study makes three main contributions: (1) it demonstrates the practical application of the Split- Screen Approach for capital budgeting under complexity, (2) it introduces the Net Value Curve framework as a useful tool for visualizing and quantifying the trade-off between profitability and sustainability, (3) it provides managers and policymakers actionable insights, supporting more informed decisions in green fleet transition planning where economic and environmental objectives may conflict. The findings provide managers and policymakers with a rigorous and transparent accounting-and-finance framework that enhances the reliability of capital budgeting decisions compared with traditional financial modeling, while offering a Paretian frontier for evaluating environmental trade-offs. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected Thailand’s economy, forcing many workers to return to their hometowns and engage in agricultural activities. Community-Based Tourism (CBT) has become a significant strategy to mitigate these effects by leveraging local cultural resources. This study aims to (1) assess the potential of cultural resources for tourism development in Koh Perd fishing village, Chanthaburi, Thailand, and (2) examine the determinants of revisit intentions among Thai tourists. To address the first objective, qualitative research was conducted through in-depth interviews with 15 Thai tourists, analyzed using coding analysis, while a quantitative survey of 400 respondents assessed the perceptions of cultural resources. The findings indicate that the village’s historic houses (Ruen Ran Kha) are perceived as the most valuable tourism assets, followed by cultural authenticity and aesthetics, respectively. For the second objective, data from 400 Thai tourists were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and multiple regression. The results reveal that destination attractions, marketing and accessibility, and safety and security are significant factors influencing revisit intentions. Full article

Soil erosion affects agricultural and environmental sustainability and needs to be addressed. The Cagayan de Oro River Basin (CDORB), one of the major river basins in the Philippines, provides economic, social, and environmental services to the city and municipalities inside the basin. More than 70% of the area of the river basin is devoted to various forms of agricultural production. Land cover critically influences erosion dynamics as vegetation reduces rainfall impact, enhances infiltration, and limits sediment transport. This study employs the Hydrologic Engineering Center–Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) integrated with the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) to evaluate soil erosion under different rainfall return periods (5, 10, 25, 50, 100 years) and four land cover scenarios: No Reforestation Intervention (NI), Maximum Forest Cover (MF), Slope-Based Land Use (SB), and Reforestation on Public Domain (PD). Model results showed that soil loss increased with rainfall intensity, with NI yielding the highest average erosion of 1443 t ha⁻¹. Conservation scenarios reduced erosion by up to 53% compared to NI. Among the conservation scenarios, MF, SB, and PD yielded average erosion of 21, 716, and 1304 t ha⁻¹, respectively. While the MF scenario had the least soil loss, no space was assigned for economic production. On the other hand, the SB approach offered the best balance, halving erosion across all rainfall return periods, but at the same time has sufficient space available for economic production. These findings demonstrate the scientific value of integrating HEC-HMS and MUSLE for event-based erosion modeling and highlight how comparing multiple land-cover scenarios can inform data-driven land use planning and policy formulation for sustainable watershed management. Full article

Pegmatite ores, the primary and technologically advanced lithium (Li)-bearing minerals, comprise various rare metal-based elements, including niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), tin (Sn), and beryllium. With increasing Li demand, global exploitation of pegmatite ores has generated vast tailings, mainly comprising quartz and feldspar. However, the process for comprehensively utilizing valuable minerals from pegmatite ores remains undeveloped, and the persistent gap between laboratory studies and industrial practice hinders the sustainable advancement of the pegmatite mineral processing industry. Herein, a comprehensive utilization beneficiation process was designed and validated at both laboratory- and pilot-scale levels. Locked-circuit flotation tests at the laboratory-scale on spodumene and feldspar yielded (i) an Li concentrate with an Li₂O grade of 5.80% and recovery of 88.62%, and (ii) a feldspar concentrate with a (K₂O + Na₂O) grade of 11.41% and good recoveries of K₂O (81.30%) and Na₂O (84.81%). In a 72 h continuous pilot-scale test, an Li flotation concentrate with an Li₂O grade of 5.72% and recovery of 86.78%, and a final Li concentrate with an Li₂O grade of 5.89% and recovery of 86.56% were obtained. Using Li flotation tailings as feed, a feldspar concentrate with a (K₂O + Na₂O) grade of 11.41% was obtained, achieving K₂O and Na₂O recoveries of >75%. The proposed process realizes nearly overall mineral recovery from the pegmatite ores, producing qualified concentrates of Li, Nb–Ta, Sn, feldspar, and quartz. In water reuse feasibility tests, ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄) was identified as the optimum flocculant at a dosage of 1000 g m⁻³. In the locked-circuit test with returned water, the consumption of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃), and EMT-12 (collector) was reduced by 18.75%, 3.33%, and 3.45%, respectively, while the flotation indices of the Li concentrate (Li₂O grade of 5.77% and recovery of 86.47%) were slightly lower than those in freshwater. In addition to increasing economic benefits, the process offers considerable reductions in tailings disposal, full utilization of multiple elements, and a potential decrease in water and reagent consumption. This study provides important guidelines for the mineral processing of Li pegmatite and other associated multimetallic ores. Full article

Background and Objectives: Early Childhood Caries affect children’s quality of life and overall health. This study aimed to assess the involvement of dentists in implementing early preventive measures, including fluoride use, for children aged 6–33 months. Materials and Methods: a multiple-choice questionnaire was distributed in six German states, consisting of two sections: Section I covered participant demographics and Section II included items on dental preventive measures for children. The questionnaire was adapted from a validated German-language source, reviewed by five experts at Kiel University, and tested in a focus group of 30 dentists. Descriptive statistics (mean ± SD or median [IQR]) and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to assess pediatric dentists (PD) and general dentists (GP) involvement in early dental preventive measures. Results: A total of 511 eligible questionnaires were returned (mean age 47 ± 11 year, 63.8% females, 36.7% PD). Both GP and PD routinely recommended a diagnostic dental visit (1 = never, 5 = always), with PD reporting higher frequency (GP: 4 [3–5], PD: 4.5 [4–5]; p = 0.001). Parental training in oral hygiene was performed significantly more often by PD (p < 0.01). PD also recommended tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste after the eruption of the first tooth more frequently than GP (GP: 5 [3–5], PD: 5 [4–5]; p = 0.06). Surprisingly, fluoride-free toothpaste was still recommended by a relevant number of respondents in both groups. Conclusions: PDs showed greater involvement in early caries prevention than GP. While most recommended fluoridated toothpaste, many still advised fluoride-free options, highlighting gaps in guideline adherence. Full article

Silicon–germanium (Si-Ge) avalanche photodiodes (APDs), fully compatible with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) processes, are critical devices for high-speed optical communication. In this work, we propose a three-terminal Si-Ge APD on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate based on device simulation studies. The proposed APD employs a separate absorption and multiplication structure, achieving an ultra-low breakdown voltage of 6.8 V. The device operates in the O-band, with optical signals laterally coupled into the Ge absorption layer via a silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) waveguide. At a bias of 2 V, the APD exhibits a responsivity of 0.85 A/W; under a bias of 6.6 V, it achieves a 3-dB optoelectronic (OE) bandwidth of 51 GHz, a direct current gain of 27, and a maximum gain–bandwidth product (GBP) of 1377 GHz. High-speed performance is further confirmed through eye-diagram simulations at 100 Gbps non-return-to-zero (NRZ) and 200 Gbps four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4). These results clearly show the strong potential of the proposed APD for optical communication and interconnect applications under stringent power and supply voltage constraints. Full article

Multiparty quantum private comparison (MQPC) aims to determine the equality relationship of inputs from multiple participants while maintaining the confidentiality of these inputs. Current MQPC protocols primarily focus on utilizing d-level quantum states, which limits feasible implementation. To address this issue, we introduce an MQPC protocol that utilizes n-particle Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) state to enable private comparison while preserving the secrecy of individual inputs. A semi-honest third party (TP), adhering to protocol specifications but potentially curious about private data, generates and distributes GHZ state qubits to all participants. Each party encodes their secret input through rotation operations on their allocated qubits and returns the modified state to the TP, which then performs single-particle quantum measurements to derive the outcomes without accessing the raw inputs. The protocol’s sequence distribution method yields a high qubit efficiency of 1/n, outperforming many existing MQPC protocols. Security analysis confirms resilience against external adversaries employing quantum attack strategies and collusion attempts among participants. Simulations using IBM Qiskit validate the feasibility of the protocol, which relies on GHZ state preparation, single-qubit operations, and single-particle quantum measurements. Full article

Increasingly, scholars have been researching how ESG ratings appear to impact the returns of a merger as well as the expected synergies of the merger. This paper adds to the literature by using a non-linear method to test the impact that ESG ratings, differences in ESG ratings between the acquirer and the target, and ESG components have on the deal premium. We find overwhelming evidence, using multiple deal premium measurements, of an inverted U-shaped relationship between the target’s ESG scores at the time of the announcement and the deal premium. Moreover, we find some evidence that differences between the ESG scores of the acquirer and the target also impact the deal premium but in a U-shaped relationship. Finally, our results show that the social scores of both the acquirer and the target impact the deal premium, again in an inverted U-shaped manner, as does the governance rating of target, but only in relatively smaller deals. Full article

Background: Post-COVID-19 condition (‘long COVID’) involves fluctuating symptoms across multiple organ systems and disability or functional loss, which may be episodic, continuous, or permanent. Qualitative research is essential to capture lived experiences and explain how social and health system contexts may influence improvement, recovery, and service use. We synthesised perspectives from people living with long COVID and healthcare professionals to inform service design and policy. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for studies published between 1 January 2020 and 19 August 2025. Eligible studies reported qualitative data from adults with long COVID (≥12 weeks after acute infection) and/or healthcare professionals in any setting. We excluded non-qualitative, non-primary, or non-English reports. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted, and appraised studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. Data were synthesised thematically. The protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework. Findings: Of 1544 records screened, 49 studies met the inclusion criteria: 41 involving patients, two involving professionals, and six involving both. Eight patient themes (including symptom burden, identity disruption and stigma) and four professional themes (including recognition, care coordination and holistic care models) were identified. Recognition emerged as a cross-cutting mechanism: validation and consistent pacing guidance facilitated engagement and safer activity, whereas invalidation and inconsistent advice were associated with distress, avoidance, and disengagement. Trajectories showed gradual expansion of multidisciplinary care models, but major capacity and equity gaps persisted. Most studies had low methodological concerns, although heterogeneity in populations and settings was substantial. Interpretation: Long COVID is a chronic, biological condition that also intersects with social and psychological dimensions, and may present with episodic, continuous, or progressive trajectories. Healthcare services must prioritise early validation, provide consistent pacing and relapse prevention guidance, expand access to multidisciplinary and peer-supported rehabilitation, integrate mental healthcare, strengthen coordinated pathways, and support graded return to work. Explicit attention to equity is required to avoid widening disparities. Full article

This paper investigates the short-term predictability of daily crude oil price movements by employing a multi-method analytical framework that incorporates both econometric and machine learning techniques. Utilizing a dataset of 21 financial and commodity time series spanning ten years of trading days (2015–2024), we explore the dynamics of oil price volatility and its key determinants. In the forecasting phase, we applied seven models. The meta-learner model, which consists of three base learners (Random Forest, gradient boosting, and support vector regression), achieved the highest R² value of 0.532, providing evidence that our complex model structure can successfully outperform existing approaches. This ensemble demonstrated that the most influential predictors of next-day oil prices are VIX, OVX, and MOVE (volatility indices for equities, oil, and bonds, respectively), and lagged oil returns. The results underscore the critical role of volatility spillovers and nonlinear dependencies in forecasting oil returns and suggest future directions for integrating macroeconomic signals and advanced volatility models. Moreover, we show that combining multiple machine learning procedures into a single meta-model yields superior predictive performance. Full article

Gulf War Veterans (GWVs) presenting with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea (IBS-D) often exhibit concurrent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). All Veterans’ Affair physicians are required to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation by maintaining yearly training. In a previous study for IBS-D (3), we identified significant vitamin D deficiency (VDD), with an average level of 19 ng/mL. This includes those with and without PTSD, TBI, showing depression and anxiety symptoms. Since VDD is associated with PTSD, and all veterans not on supplementation were found to be VDD (>90%) at our facility, we investigated a possible association between VDD and these neuropsychological conditions. While age and body mass index (BMI), seasons, and demographic locations are known to affect vitamin D levels, we found no correlation between these factors and VDD in the PTSD group and those with IBS-D. In the TBI group, VDD did correlate with BMI. Multiple deployments appeared to have a minor negative effect on vitamin D levels (a 11–13% contribution) in veterans with either PTSD or TBI. Although these veterans showed signs of inflammation with elevated minor C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (4.7 mg/L), there was a negative correlation between CRP and vitamin D to suggest that inflammation is not the primary cause of PTSD or TBI. Following daily vitamin D treatment, vitamin D levels returned to a normal average of 30 ng/mL (less than 30 ng/mL is abnormal). Treatment had no effect on serum calcium levels, but did lead to a resolution of depression, anxiety, TBI, and PTSD symptoms in the majority of patients. These findings suggest that correcting VDD in GWVs visiting GI clinics with co-occurring PTSD and TBI had reduced psychological symptoms. Replacing vitamin D is a simple strategy to implement, rather than increasing neurotrophic medications in some patients. Full article

Reverse Logistics (RL) plays a fundamental role in supply by addressing returns, undelivered or damaged products, exchanges, and environmental concerns, directly contributing to more sustainable supply chain practices. Although firms recognize the importance and benefits of this concept, their supply chain remains focused on direct logistics, often overlooking RL’s potential to enhance sustainability performance. The aim of this article is to analyse the interaction between the barriers that challenge or prevent the implementation of RL in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). First, a literature review identified 22 barriers to developing RL in SMEs. Then, through experts’ opinions gathered in a Focus Group (FG), an Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) model was used to understand the hierarchy relations between barriers, and a Matrix Cross Impact Matrix Multiplication (MICMAC) analysis was carried out to aggregate the barriers in four categories according to their influencing power and dependence. Applying the methodology to the Portuguese case resulted in an ISM model with seven hierarchical levels and a MICMAC diagram without dependent barriers. Moreover, six key barriers emerged, namely, Lack of adequate organizational structure and support for RL practices, Lack of corporate social responsibility, Complexity of the operation, Lack of shared understanding of best practices, Difficulty with members of the supply chain, and Lack of support from supply chain players, which proved to be the most critical as they are positioned at the highest hierarchical levels of the ISM model and fall within the independent variable quadrant of the MICMAC analysis, thus revealing a strong driving power over the other barriers. The findings highlight that overcoming these barriers is crucial for SMEs to unlock the full sustainability potential of RL and transition towards supply chain models that are greener through a reduced carbon footprint, improved resource efficiency, and the adoption of circular economy practices. Academically, this research advances the literature by applying the ISM–MICMAC approach to SMEs, offering novel insights into the structural role of barriers in reverse logistics implementation. Full article

Background: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is identified by a significant decrease in blood pressure upon standing from a seated or supine position. A reduction in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg within three minutes of standing meets the criteria for clinical diagnosis. We hypothesized that venous outflow obstruction from jugular valvular dysfunction or extrinsic compression of the left brachiocephalic vein may cause OH. Improving venous return and reducing venous congestion of the autonomic pathways through endovascular intervention could alleviate symptoms. Methods: This retrospective review included six male patients (aged 63–87) with medically refractory OH who underwent venograms revealing jugular, brachiocephalic, or subclavian vein stenosis. Patients were treated with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting. Blood pressure was measured in supine, seated, and standing positions before and immediately after the procedure, with multiple readings per position (total n = 117 for supine-standing comparisons). Statistical analysis used Welch’s t-test to compare pre- and post-procedural systolic blood pressure disparities. Results: The patients showed improved post-procedural blood pressure and reduced OH symptoms. The average supine-standing systolic disparity decreased from 38.68 mmHg preoperatively to 24.61 mmHg postoperatively (p = 0.024). The seated-standing disparity was insignificant, possibly due to autonomic compensation. Patients also reported relief from associated symptoms like headaches, tinnitus, and vertigo. Conclusions: These findings suggest venous outflow obstruction may contribute to OH, and venoplasty/stenting can mitigate symptoms, potentially reducing reliance on medications with adverse effects. Further studies should explore the role of Venous Outflow Obstruction Disorders in neurological conditions. Full article

Flooding events have increased in frequency and severity worldwide in recent years, a trend that has been made worse by human activity and climate change. Floods are one of the world’s most dangerous natural catastrophes because of the serious risks they represent to property, human life, and cultural heritage. The necessity for efficient flood management techniques to reduce the growing dangers is what motivated this study. It specifically examines the flood risk in the Garyllis River Basin in Cyprus, a region recognized for it high susceptibility to extreme weather conditions Adopting an integrates approach that combines modeling tools and techniques, such as remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and hydraulic modeling, along with multiple data types of data and in situ measures, this study evaluates flood risk and proposed shelters and escapes routes for the worst-case scenarios. The research utilizes the open-access software HEC-RAS to simulate the spatio-temporal progression of surface water depth and water velocity for different return periods. The vulnerability levels are enumerated through a weighted linear combination of relevant factors, in specific population density and age distribution, according to the last official government reports. Exposure levels were calculated in terms of land value. For each flood component, all factors are assigned equal weighting coefficients. Subsequently, flood risk levels are assessed for each location as the product of hazard, vulnerability, and exposure levels. The validity of the proposed methodology is assessed by comparing the critical points identified during in situ visits with the flood risk level estimates. As a result, escape routes and refuge areas were proposed for the worst-case scenario. Full article

Commercial buildings and shopping malls face rising electricity costs and increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices. This paper presents the first long-term, multi-site empirical validation of Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) deployment in Thai retail facilities, providing robust evidence for tropical, motor-heavy load contexts. The study evaluates the engineering, economic, and environmental performance of an AVR with an autotransformer core under real operating conditions. High-resolution measurements were collected before and after AVR installation, using Class 0.2s analyzers and a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) across multiple branches during a four-month monitoring campaign (February–May). Results indicate that a modest voltage reduction of 8.06% yielded a 12.02% decrease in active power demand, a 6.22% current reduction, and a 2.26% improvement in power factor. The greatest savings occurred in HVAC (8.19%) and refrigeration loads (8.20%), while lighting loads remained nearly unchanged. Economically, the system delivered ~177 kWh/day savings, equivalent to 262,212 THB/year, with a simple payback of 2.67 years and an ROI of 37.5%. Environmentally, the AVR reduced 36.6 tCO₂/year (±5%), aligning with Thailand’s Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP) 2018–2037 and Carbon Neutrality Roadmap and offering additional potential for T-VER monetization. These findings confirm AVR technology as a scalable, standards-compliant, and high-return retrofit solution for commercial facilities in tropical climates. Full article