Search Results (226)

The relationship between ecosystem services (ESs) and human well-being (HWB) is a central issue of sustainable development. However, current research often relies on qualitative frameworks or indicator-based assessments, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between natural environment and human acquisition, which still needs to be strengthened. As an element transferred in the natural–society coupling system, carbon can assist in characterizing the dynamic interactions within coupled human–natural systems. Carbon, as a fundamental element transferred across ecological and social spheres, offers a powerful lens to characterize these linkages. This study develops and applies a novel analytical framework that integrates carbon flow as a unifying metric to quantitatively assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of the land use and land cover change (LUCC)–ESs–HWB nexus in Guizhou Province, China, from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: (1) Ecosystem services in Guizhou showed distinct trends from 2000 to 2020: supporting and regulating services declined and then recovered, and provisioning services steadily increased, while cultural services remained stable but varied across cities. (2) Human well-being generally improved over time, with health remaining stable and the HSI rising across most cities, although security levels fluctuated and remained low in some areas. (3) The contribution of ecosystem services to human well-being peaked in 2010–2015, followed by declines in central and northern regions, while southern and western areas maintained or improved their levels. (4) Supporting and regulating services were positively correlated with HWB security, while cultural services showed mixed effects, with strong synergies between culture and health in cities like Liupanshui and Qiandongnan. Overall, this study quantified the coupled dynamics between ecosystem services and human well-being through a carbon flow framework, which not only offers a unified metric for cross-dimensional analysis but also reduces subjective bias in evaluation. This integrated approach provides critical insights for crafting spatially explicit land management policies in Guizhou and offers a replicable methodology for exploring sustainable development pathways in other ecologically fragile karst regions worldwide. Compared with conventional ecosystem service frameworks, the carbon flow approach provides a process-based, dynamic mediator that quantifies biogeochemical linkages in LUCC–ESs–HWB systems, which is particularly important in fragile karst regions. However, we acknowledge that further empirical comparison with traditional ESs metrics could strengthen the framework’s generalizability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Access to specialized care for patients with cognitive impairment in remote areas is often limited. Despite the increasing adoption of telemedicine, standardized guidelines have not yet been specified. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive protocol for the specialized neurological, neuropsychological, and neuropsychiatric assessment of patients with cognitive disorders in remote areas through telemedicine. Methods: We analyzed data from (i) a comprehensive literature review of the existing recommendations, reliability studies, and telemedicine models for cognitive disorders, (ii) insights from a three-year experience of a specialized telemedicine outpatient clinic for cognitive movement disorders in Greece, and (iii) suggestions coming from dementia specialists experienced in telemedicine (neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists) who took part in three focus groups. A critical synthesis of the findings was performed in the end. Results: The final protocol included: technical and organizational requirements (e.g., a high-resolution screen and a camera with zoom, room dimensions adequate for gait assessment, a noise-canceling microphone); medical history; neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neuropsychological assessment adapted to videoconferencing; ethical–legal aspects (e.g., data security, privacy, informed consent); clinician–patient interaction (e.g., empathy, eye contact); diagnostic work-up; linkage to other services (e.g., tele-psychoeducation, caregiver support); and instructions for treatment and follow-up. Conclusions: This protocol is expected to serve as an example of good clinical practice and a source for official telemedicine guidelines for cognitive disorders. Ultimate outcomes include the potential enhanced access to specialized care, minimized financial and logistical costs, and the provision of a standardized, effective model for the remote diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. This model could be applied not only in Greece, but also in other countries with similar healthcare systems and populations living in remote, difficult-to-access areas. Full article

Indonesia faces significant challenges in meeting food security targets due to rapid agricultural land loss, with approximately 1.22 million hectares of rice fields converted between 1990 and 2022. Therefore, this study developed a prediction model for the loss of rice fields by 2030, incorporating land productivity attributes, specifically rice cropping intensity/RCI, using geospatial technology—a novel method with a resolution of approximately 10 m for quantifying ecosystem service (ES) impacts. Land use/land cover data from Landsat images (2013, 2020, 2024) were classified using the Random Forest algorithm on Google Earth Engine. The prediction model was developed using a Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network and Markov Cellular Automata (MLP-NN Markov-CA) algorithms. Additionally, time series Sentinel-1A satellite imagery was processed using K-means and a hierarchical clustering analysis to map rice fields and their RCI. The validation process confirmed high model robustness, with an MLP-NN Markov-CA accuracy and Kappa coefficient of 83.90% and 0.91, respectively. The present study, which was conducted in Indramayu Regency (West Java), predicted that 1602.73 hectares of paddy fields would be lost within 2020–2030, specifically 980.54 hectares (61.18%) and 622.19 hectares (38.82%) with 2 RCI and 1 RCI, respectively. This land conversion directly threatens ES, resulting in a projected loss of 83,697.95 tons of rice production, which indicates a critical degradation of service provisioning. The findings provide actionable insights for land use planning to reduce agricultural land conversion while outlining the urgency of safeguarding ES values. The adopted method is applicable to regions with similar characteristics. Full article

This study, taking Anhui Province as a case study, systematically evaluated the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of six ecosystem services (biodiversity maintenance, water yield, carbon fixation, vegetation net primary productivity (NPP), soil retention, and crop production) from 2000 to 2020 through the integration of multi-stakeholder decision-making preferences and the Marxan model. Four conservation scenarios (ecological security priority, social benefit orientation, minimum cost constraint, and balance synergy) were established to explore the spatial optimization pathways of ecological protection zones under differentiated policy objectives. The findings indicated that: (1) The ecosystem services in Anhui Province exhibited a “low north and high south” spatial gradient, with significant synergies observed in natural ecosystem services in the southern Anhui mountainous areas, while the northern Anhui agricultural areas were subjected to significant trade-offs due to intensive development. (2) High service provision in the southern Anhui mountainous areas was maintained by topographic barriers and forest protection policies (significant NPP improvement zones accounted for 50.125%), whereas soil–water services degradation in the northern Anhui plains was caused by agricultural intensification and groundwater overexploitation (slight soil retention degradation covered 24.505%, and water yield degradation areas reached 29.766%). Urbanization demonstrated a double-edged sword effect—the expansion of the Hefei metropolitan area triggered suburban biodiversity degradation (significant degradation patches occupied 0.0758%), while ecological restoration projects promoted mountain NPP growth, highlighting the necessity of synergizing natural recovery and artificial interventions. (3) Multi-scenario planning revealed that the spatial congruence between the ecological security priority scenario and traditional ecological protection redlines reached 46.57%, whereas the social benefit scenario achieved only 12.13%, exposing the inadequate responsiveness of the current conservation framework to service demands in densely populated areas. This research validated the technical superiority of multi-objective systematic planning in reconciling ecological protection and development conflicts, providing scientific support for optimizing ecological security patterns in the Yangtze River Delta region. Full article

Ecological risk refers to the potential threat that landscape changes pose to ecosystem structure, function, and service sustainability, while ecological security emphasizes the ability of regional ecosystems to maintain stability and support human well-being. Developing an Ecological Security Pattern (ESP) provides a strategic approach to balance ecological protection and sustainable development. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of landscape ecological risk in the Tarim Basin and surrounding urban areas in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, from 2000 to 2020. Using a combination of the InVEST model, landscape connectivity index, and circuit theory-based modeling, we identify ecological source areas and simulate ecological corridors. Ecological source areas are categorized by their ecological value and connectivity: primary sources represent high ecological value and strong connectivity, secondary sources have moderate ecological significance, and tertiary sources are of relatively lower priority but still vital for regional integrity. The results show a temporal trend of ecological risk declining between 2000 and 2010, followed by a moderate increase from 2010 to 2020. High-risk zones are concentrated in the central Tarim Basin, reflecting intensified land-use pressures and weak ecological resilience. The delineated ecological protection zones include 61,702.9 km² of primary, 146,802.5 km² of secondary, and 36,141.2 km² of tertiary ecological source areas. In total, 95 ecological corridors (23 primary, 37 secondaries, and 35 tertiary) were identified, along with 48 pinch points and 56 barrier points that require priority attention for ecological restoration. Valuable areas refer to those with high ecological connectivity and service provision potential, while vulnerable areas are characterized by high ecological risk and landscape fragmentation. This study provides a comprehensive framework for constructing ESPs in arid inland basins and offers practical insights for ecological planning in desert–oasis environments. Full article

Objectives: This study investigates the presence of crowding-in or crowding-out effects of long-term care insurance (LTCI) on older adults’ care in Korea. Additionally, it examines the influence of old-age income security and private systems, including private transfer income and private health insurance, on these effects. The analysis focuses on three aspects: family-provided care, private non-family care, and total care expenses. Methods: This study conducted logistic and linear regression. Logistic regression was used to examine the likelihood of receiving family-provided and private non-family care, while linear regression analyzed factors associated with total care expenditures. Results: The results reveal a crowding-in effect for family care, as greater utilization of public LTCI is positively associated with family-provided care. However, the relationship between public LTCI and private non-family care was not statistically significant, suggesting that the crowding-in effect on private care systems remains limited. Lastly, LTCI utilization was significantly associated with higher care expenditures. It is noteworthy that the current public LTCI in Korea has low coverage, resulting in insufficient care provision. Consequently, there is growing activity in the private care sector. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for a more integrated approach to long-term care in Korea, balancing public, private, and family care resources. To achieve quality integrated long-term care for older people, policymakers should focus on expanding public LTCI coverage while fostering coordination between family caregivers and professional care services, ensuring a comprehensive and high-quality care system that meets the diverse needs of Korea’s aging population. Full article

With the nationwide completion of China’s large-scale Poverty Alleviation Relocation (PAR) initiative in 2020, the government’s poverty alleviation efforts have officially entered the “post-poverty era”. However, many regions still lack well-established sustainable development mechanisms and face a potential risk of returning to poverty. To better stabilize the achievements of poverty alleviation, this study examines the potential risk of returning to poverty after the first Five-Year Transition Period (2021–2025) from a livelihood space perspective and proposes optimization directions for PAR policies in future poverty reduction efforts. Research findings indicate that simply altering geographical conditions is insufficient to achieve stable poverty alleviation. The production space of relocated populations is vulnerable to the stability and precision in resource supply, which may lead to recurring poverty due to policy discontinuities and administrative preferences. Meanwhile, improvements in living spaces are constrained by imbalances in household income and expenditure. This study also found that, on the one hand, changes in residential patterns break the original boundaries of administrative villages by incorporating migrants from different villages into concentrated communities, leading to the expansion of weak-tie networks while, on the other hand, the relocation process disrupts some of the migrants’ original strong-tie networks, and the concentration and clustering of impoverished groups in relocation communities further lead to the contraction of these networks. Additionally, the unique characteristics of relocation communities generate exorbitant governance costs and population management difficulties that far exceed the service provision and administrative capacities of community organizations. In the long run, this situation proves detrimental to normalized community governance and dynamic poverty relapse monitoring and interventions. Accordingly, this study proposes relevant policy recommendations from the following four aspects, i.e., strengthening endogenous development capacity, improving social security mechanisms, expanding social support networks, and enhancing organizational governance capabilities, aiming to provide both a theoretical basis and a decision-making reference for future poverty alleviation efforts. Full article

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) is growing exponentially in public entities, contributing to the improvement of the design and provision of services, as well as to the internal management and efficiency of public institutions. However, the potential of artificial intelligence systems for the public sector also entails a set of risks related, among other areas, to privacy, confidentiality, security, transparency or bias and discrimination. The Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), when auditing public services and policies, must adapt their human and technological resources to this new scenario. This paper analyses the implications of AI penetration in the public sector, as well as the challenges that these technological developments pose to SAIs to improve effectiveness and efficiency in their auditing tasks. This paper presents a conceptual and exploratory analysis, informed by documentary evidence and case illustrations. Given the dynamic evolution of AI research, the findings should be interpreted as a contribution to ongoing debates, rather than definitive conclusions. It also reviews the status of the audits of systems based on algorithms carried out by some SAIs. Full article

This study presents a system framework by which cloud resources are utilized to analyze crop germination status in a 2U CubeSat. This research aims to address the onboard computing constraints in nanosatellite missions to boost space agricultural practices. Through the Espressif Simple Protocol for Network-on-Wireless (ESP-NOW) technology, communication between ESP-32 modules were established. The corresponding sensor readings and image data were securely streamed through Amazon Web Service Internet of Things (AWS IoT) to an ESP-NOW receiver and Roboflow. Real-time plant growth predictor monitoring was implemented through the web application provisioned at the receiver end. On the other hand, sprouts on germination bed were determined through the custom-trained Roboflow computer vision model. The feasibility of remote data computational analysis and monitoring for a 2U CubeSat, given its minute form factor, was successfully demonstrated through the proposed cloud framework. The germination detection model resulted in a mean average precision (mAP), precision, and recall of 99.5%, 99.9%, and 100.0%, respectively. The temperature, humidity, heat index, LED and Fogger states, and bed sprouts data were shown in real time through a web dashboard. With this use case, immediate actions can be performed accordingly when abnormalities occur. The scalability nature of the framework allows adaptation to various crops to support sustainable agricultural activities in extreme environments such as space farming. Full article

Although intensive farming practices have greatly increased food production, they have undermined the soil ecosystem services on which agriculture depends. Biochar application in soils is increasingly gaining worldwide acceptance as a means of addressing these environmental challenges while enhancing agricultural productivity. Biochar offers dual benefits that support food security and ecological well-being through enhanced soil fertility and plant nutrition. These benefits include water retention, promotion of soil microbial functioning, carbon sequestration, and nutrient absorption, among others. In spite of these known benefits, many studies continue to emphasize the roles biochar plays in enhancing soil health and crop yields but often neglect the influence of biochar characteristics, which are key in optimizing these soil ecosystem services. Thus, it is important to understand how biochar characteristics influence soil in supporting, regulating, and provisioning ecosystem services. This review offers a comprehensive and integrative assessment on how biochar’s characteristics influence key soil ecosystem services rather than examining each service individually. The focus is on how biochar feedstock material and pyrolysis temperature determine the characteristics of generated biochar and how these characteristics influence biochar’s efficacy in supplying soil ecosystem services and nutrient dynamics for enhanced crop yields. Full article

Cloud computing has the potential to accelerate the digital journey of railways. Railway systems are big and complex, involving a lot of parts, like trains, tracks, signaling systems, and control systems, among others. The application of cloud computing technologies in the railway industry has the potential to enhance operational efficiency, data management, and overall system performance. Cloud management is essential for complex systems, and the automation of management services can speed up the provisioning, deployment, and maintenance of cloud infrastructure and applications by enabling visibility across the environment. It can provide consistent and unified management over resource allocation, streamline security processes, and automate the monitoring of key performance indicators. Key railway cloud management challenges include the lack of open interfaces and standardization, which are related to the vendor lock-in problem. In this paper, we propose an approach to design the railway cloud resource management as a service. Based on typical use cases, the requirements to fault and performance management of the railway cloud resources are identified. The main functionality is designed as RESTful services. The approach feasibility is proved by formal verification of the cloud resource management models supported by cloud management application and services. The proposed approach is open, in contrast to any proprietary solutions and feature scalability and interoperability. Full article

This study examined how agricultural biodiversity can build climate change resilience and food security in Greece. The aims of this study were to identify and examine the role of genetic, species, ecosystem, and functional diversity in enhancing agricultural resilience against climate volatility. Data were collected from 384 agricultural specialists in Greece using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey technique. The self-administered questionnaire elicited information on the perceived effectiveness of different types of biodiversity in sustaining yield stability for crops, pest and disease control, soil conservation, and nutrient cycling. The hypotheses of this study were tested using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that genetic diversity decreases crop yield risks, species diversity lowers pest and disease vulnerability, ecosystem diversity impacts to soil and water conservation, and functional diversity can optimize nutrient cycling and ecosystem services. The regression analysis was able to explain 62.1% of the variability in agricultural resilience, underlining the importance of the conservation of biological diversity in the provision of food. This study points to the need for bio-diversity management in agriculture to address the impacts of climate change and support productivity in food production. Full article

Background/Objectives: Some of the sub-district health promotion hospitals (SHPHs) have transferred to local administrative organizations (LAOs). This may impact dental services and oral health of children aged 0–12 years. This study aimed to investigate and compare the dental services and oral health conditions of children aged 0–12 years between transferred and non-transferred SHPHs in northern Thailand. Methods: The study was a retrospective cohort study. Data on dental service provision and oral health conditions were retrieved using secondary data from the national health security office between 2017 and 2021. The data were analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and unpaired t-test. Results: Overall, the findings revealed that transferred SHPHs generally provided fewer dental services than non-transferred SHPHs. Regarding oral health conditions, transferred SHPHs reported a statistically significantly higher prevalence of dental caries compared to non-transferred SHPHs at the age of 3 years (31.3% vs. 22.2%), the age of 5 years (51.2% vs. 30.7%), and the age of 12 years (37.1% vs. 30%), respectively. Transferred SHPHs have higher decayed, missing, and filled teeth mean scores compared to non-transferred SHPHs in children aged 3 years (mean diff: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3 to 0.7) and 12 years (mean diff: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5). Conclusions: Transferred SHPHs have lower dental service provision but higher oral health problems than non-transferred SHPHs. Close monitoring for the dental service provision and oral health among children aged 0–12 years is needed, especially in the area of responsibility of the transferred SHPHs. Full article

Background: Although forest therapy services in South Korea have demonstrated mental and physical effects, there is no established system for forest therapy prescriptions. To this end, it is necessary to devise a systematic model for the introduction of forest therapy prescriptions by linking the existing forest therapy infrastructure and medical services. Therefore, this study aimed to derive the components and application plans needed to devise a forest therapy prescription model for the spread of medical-linked forest therapy services and to secure a forest therapy prescription infrastructure. Methods: To this end, Korean and foreign cases of prescription models and healthcare service provision systems were analyzed to derive the necessary components for prescription models. Subsequently, a Focus Group Interview (FGI) was conducted with eight experts in the fields of forest therapy and welfare, psychiatry, and health and nursing, and opinions were derived regarding the conception and empirical application of the forest therapy prescription model through content analysis. Results: As a result of the study, five components (clear role-sharing and a collaboration system, a continuous system, customized service provision, various technologies and content, and a database-based prescription system) were derived from cases of prescription models and healthcare service provision systems according to field. Furthermore, the FGI identified three primary topics: stakeholders’ scope and role, procedures and effectiveness, and additional considerations. Each was categorized into eight sub-categories relevant to the design of the forest therapy prescription model. Conclusions: These results can be used as basic data for devising a systematic Korean forest therapy prescription model in which forest therapy and medical services are linked, providing a foundation for personalized forest therapy prescriptions to be implemented. Full article

The assessment of ecosystem service (ES) supply–demand relationships is critical for addressing regional sustainable development challenges, yet systematic studies integrating spatial drivers analysis and multiscenario forecasting in rapidly urbanizing mountainous regions remain scarce. This study focuses on Chongqing as a representative case to investigate spatial patterns, driving mechanisms, and future trajectories of ES supply–demand dynamics. Through spatial quantification of four key ES (food provision, water retention, soil conservation, carbon fixation) and statistical analysis of socioeconomic datasets from 2010 to 2020, geographical weighted regression modeling was employed to identify spatially heterogeneous drivers. Long-term projections (2030–2060) were developed using climate–economy integrated scenarios reflecting different global development pathways. The results demonstrate three principal findings: First, while regional ecosystem quality maintains stable with an improved supply–demand ratio (0.260 to 0.320), persistent deficits in carbon fixation capacity require urgent attention. Second, spatial mismatches exhibit intensifying polarization, with expanding deficit zones concentrated in metropolitan cores and their periurban peripheries. Third, thermal-hydrological factors (aridity index, temperature) coupled with land intensification pressures emerge as dominant constraints on ES supply capacity. Scenario projections suggest coordinated climate mitigation and sustainable development strategies could maintain the supply–demand ratio at 0.189 by 2060, outperforming conventional development pathways by 23.5–41.2%. These findings provide spatial decision support frameworks for balancing ecological security and economic growth in mountainous megacities, with methodological implications for cross-scale ES governance in developing regions. Full article