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A new Begonia section Petermannia species, Begonia corazoniae Naive, discovered in the forest ecosystems of Davao Oriental, southeastern Mindanao, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. It closely resembles B. rieckei, but is easily recognized by having paniculate inflorescences with prominently winged ovary and capsule. A comprehensive morphological description, geographic distribution, ecology, phenology and a discussion of similar species is provided. In addition, we assessed this species as ‘Endangered' (EN B1(iii) + 2(iii)) following the criteria of the IUCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts between wildlife and humans are a major ecological issue. During migration, wildlife, especially wildebeest, often encounter significant environmental pressures from human activities. However, relatively few studies have been conducted to provide a concise, quantitative description of wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). In this study, we identified changes in the location of the wildebeest population over time in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. We then used a K-means algorithm (R2 = 0.926) to fit coordinates representing the changes in the location of the wildebeests to enable a quantitative representation of their migration routes. Subsequently, we developed an environmental stress model to assess the changes in environmental stresses faced by wildebeests along their migration routes. We proposed a model of "migratory ecological corridors and customized buffer zones" and determined the response coefficient T_res. We used the response coefficients T_res = 0.06, 0.09, and 0.12 as the critical values to categorize the areas along the routes into weak, medium, and strong response regions. Then, we set the width of the buffer zones on both sides of the routes as 5 km, 7 km, and 9 km, respectively, and evaluated the buffer effect. This type of model achieved a good effect of reducing the environmental pressure by 54.06%. The "Migratory Ecological Corridor and Customized Buffer Zone" model demonstrated a high degree of economic feasibility while showing good practicality in mitigating the environmental conflicts between humans and migratory wildlife. The variability in the environmental pressures across the region indicates that the Nairobi and Nakuru districts may be undergoing a particular stage of urbanization that unleashes potential threats to the migration of wildebeests. Further research is essential to assess the feasibility of larger buffer zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Finland, Woodland Key Habitats (WKH’s) are protected by the Finnish Forest Act. The Act defines the habitats included, and the Finnish Forest Centre has created interpretation recommendations for forestry professionals. New amendment of the Act was introduced in 2014 including new requirements related to the WKH’s: they must be small-sized or have minor forestry importance. Followingly, a new interpretation recommendation was written in 2018 aiming to clarify the previously subjective legislation, but it initiated new requirements for the habitats. In this study, we examined spatial data of WKH stream habitats during the years 2018–2021. We found that 5643 hectares of riparian WKH sites were removed from the Finnish Forest Centre’s data during 2018–2021. Our results show that the reason for removal varied and that in many cases, it was impossible to conclude. The results also showed that many current sites do not fulfil the requirements of the law or its interpretation. The contrast between current sites not fulfilling and removed sites fulfilling the requirements shows how problematic the law and its interpretation are in practice, challenging the protection of forest biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula in recent decades is considered to have become one of the serious threats to security and stability in East Asia in particular and the world in general. Being an endless topic of conversation is based on the politics applied by North Korea which makes the international world always alert. Indonesia is directly or indirectly one of the countries that will be affected by the Korean peninsula nuclear war. The impact of radiation from the Korean Peninsula nuclear war affects health impacts, environmental impacts and socioeconomic impacts. Buffer zones as one of the alternative steps to mitigate the impact of nuclear war. The method used in this research is a literature review that refers to the development of political issues between the North Korean and South Korean blocks, the theory of buffer zones that have been applied in warfare and studies of the impact due to nuclear radiation that has occurred. The purpose of this research is to mitigate and minimize the impact of the Korean peninsula nuclear war that will be received by the Indonesian region. From the results of the discussion, it can be concluded that the buffer zone is effective as an anticipation of the threat of nuclear war on the Korean peninsula because it can create a security and preparedness zone for the population and planning for strengthening infrastructure that supports the anticipation of the impact of nuclear war. The results of this study contribute to be used as a basic material for strategies to deal with nuclear war on the Korean peninsula.

Abstract Currently, global warming, invasive alien species and tourism development pose major threats to Natural World Heritage sites, and the strengthening of conservation methods and management programs in buffer zones is urgent for the sustainable development of sites. Agroforestry, as a nature-based solution, not only promotes the buffer zone to effectively maintain the Outstanding Universal Value of the heritage site, but also balances the relationship between the conservation of the heritage site and the economic development of the buffer zone, and effectively enhances the protection of the buffer zone in response to various threats. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive understanding of research trends, research focuses, and recent developments, regarding the conservation of natural heritage sites and buffer zone agroforestry development. Therefore, this study utilized the Scopus database along with Excel and Bibliometrix software to conduct a bibliometric analysis and explore and visualize popular research topics and foreword issues related to Natural World Heritage conservation and buffer zone agroforestry development. We discuss the current publication trends and quantity, keyword and abstract word frequencies, thematic maps and evolutions, journal productivity, national publication outputs, collaboration relationships, and contributing institutions. The research shows that the relationship between biodiversity conservation and agroforestry has been the focus of research in the field since 1992, and the development of agroforestry has contributed to biodiversity conservation in heritage sites. However, there have been fewer studies addressing the geomorphic and aesthetic value of agroforestry conservation, and little attention has been paid to buffer zone development. Based on this, this manuscript suggests that in the future, emphasis should be placed on the linkage between the development of buffer zones and heritage conservation, especially in the Karst World Heritage Sites with ecologically fragile, and that the role of agroforestry development in buffer zones should be strengthened in the promotion of ecological balance and sustainable development of the sites, to provide scientific references for the conservation and development of other geoheritage sites around the globe.

The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula in recent decades is considered to have become one of the serious threats to security and stability in East Asia in particular and the world in general. Being an endless topic of conversation is based on the politics applied by North Korea which makes the international world always alert. Indonesia is directly or indirectly one of the countries that will be affected by the Korean peninsula nuclear war. The impact of radiation from the Korean Peninsula nuclear war affects health impacts, environmental impacts and socioeconomic impacts. Buffer zones as one of the alternative steps to mitigate the impact of nuclear war. The method used in this research is a literature review that refers to the development of political issues between the North Korean and South Korean blocks, the theory of buffer zones that have been applied in warfare and studies of the impact due to nuclear radiation that has occurred. The purpose of this research is to mitigate and minimize the impact of the Korean peninsula nuclear war that will be received by the Indonesian region. From the results of the discussion, it can be concluded that the buffer zone is effective as an anticipation of the threat of nuclear war on the Korean peninsula because it can create a security and preparedness zone for the population and planning for strengthening infrastructure that supports the anticipation of the impact of nuclear war. The results of this study contribute to be used as a basic material for strategies to deal with nuclear war on the Korean peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, global warming, invasive alien species and tourism development pose major threats to Natural World Heritage sites, and the strengthening of conservation methods and management programs in buffer zones is urgent for the sustainable development of sites. Agroforestry, as a nature-based solution, not only promotes the buffer zone to effectively maintain the Outstanding Universal Value of the heritage site, but also balances the relationship between the conservation of the heritage site and the economic development of the buffer zone, and effectively enhances the protection of the buffer zone in response to various threats. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive understanding of research trends, research focuses, and recent developments, regarding the conservation of natural heritage sites and buffer zone agroforestry development. Therefore, this study utilized the Scopus database along with Excel and Bibliometrix software to conduct a bibliometric analysis and explore and visualize popular research topics and foreword issues related to Natural World Heritage conservation and buffer zone agroforestry development. We discuss the current publication trends and quantity, keyword and abstract word frequencies, thematic maps and evolutions, journal productivity, national publication outputs, collaboration relationships, and contributing institutions. The research shows that the relationship between biodiversity conservation and agroforestry has been the focus of research in the field since 1992, and the development of agroforestry has contributed to biodiversity conservation in heritage sites. However, there have been fewer studies addressing the geomorphic and aesthetic value of agroforestry conservation, and little attention has been paid to buffer zone development. Based on this, this manuscript suggests that in the future, emphasis should be placed on the linkage between the development of buffer zones and heritage conservation, especially in the Karst World Heritage Sites with ecologically fragile, and that the role of agroforestry development in buffer zones should be strengthened in the promotion of ecological balance and sustainable development of the sites, to provide scientific references for the conservation and development of other geoheritage sites around the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pellet burners, although they are commonly used devices, require high-quality fuels and yet are characterized by relatively high levels of CO and NO emissions and their variability. This article presents a combustion study of an original biomass burner that separates air into primary for biomass gasification and secondary for oxidizing the gasification products, with ducts placed in the housing of the burner. This study introduces a new burner design that separates air into primary and secondary streams within an integrated burner housing, aiming to optimize biomass combustion efficiency and reduce harmful emissions. Two burner designs were proposed, with a high secondary air nozzle (HCrown) and a low secondary air nozzle (LCrown). These two burners were compared with a typical retort burner (Ret). The LCrown burner reduced particulate matter emissions by 36% and CO emissions by 74% with respect to a typical retort burner. This study showed that the distance of the secondary air nozzles from the gasifying part has a significant impact on the operation of the burner and the possibility of reducing emissions of CO and NO. These results highlight the potential of the innovation to significantly improve combustion quality while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Chen and Liang previous work, a model, together with its well-posedness, was established for credit rating migrations with different upgrade and downgrade thresholds (i.e. a buffer zone, also called dead band in engineering). When positive dividends are introduced, the model in Chen and Liang (SIAM Financ. Math. 12, 941–966, 2021) may not be well-posed. Here, in this paper, a new model is proposed to include the realistic nonzero dividend scenarios. The key feature of the new model is that partial differential equations in Chen and Liang (SIAM Financ. Math. 12, 941–966, 2021) are replaced by variational inequalities, thereby creating a new free boundary, besides the original upgrading and downgrading free boundaries. Well-posedness of the new model, together with a few financially meaningful properties, is established. In particular, it is shown that when time to debt paying deadline is long enough, the underlying dividend paying company is always in high grade rating, that is, only when time to debt paying deadline is within a certain range, there can be seen the phenomenon of credit rating migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of agricultural non-point source pollution has attracted global attention. A buffer zone is an effective, eco-friendly, and economically feasible remediation ecosystem to reduce the impact of agricultural non-point source pollution on water bodies. They can effectively remove pollutants in agricultural drainage through physical processes (infiltration, filtration, deposition, etc.), plant absorption and assimilation, and microbial processes, improving the water quality of water bodies. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current studies on using buffer zones to remediate agricultural non-point source pollution, with a focus on the key affecting factors for pollutant removal efficiencies. The main factors included buffer zone width, vegetation type, slope, seasonal variation, soil variation, and vegetation density. The influencing mechanisms of these factors on the pollutant removal efficiencies of buffer zones were also discussed. This review can serve as a reference for a deep understanding of buffer zones and help optimize their design and management in real ecological remediation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The buffer zones between urban protected areas (UPAs) and their cities play a significant role in managing and protecting UPAs. However, they are also the frontier of conflicts due to complex functionality and a large number of stakeholders. Besides ensuring the buffer zone's function of protecting the UPA, it is also vital to understand how it can fulfill the diverse needs of multiple interest groups residing in or utilizing this area. To address the significant social science research gap in UPA buffer zone management, we establish a conceptual framework and explore how the public's overall satisfaction with the buffer depends on five essential buffer zone qualities, namely environmental quality, connectivity, infrastructure, cultural, and visual quality. We focus on China's Urban Scenic and Historic Areas (USHA), a major type of UPA with high cultural, social, and esthetic values. Using the buffer of Shugang-Slender West Lake Scenic and Historic Area in Yangzhou City as the case study, we conducted intercept and online surveys (n = 499), investigating the perceptions of three user groups—residents, businesses, and tourists. The results indicate high overall satisfaction for all three groups. Environmental, visual, and cultural qualities were rated higher than connectivity and infrastructure quality. Residents generally showed the highest satisfaction and tourists the lowest. For all three groups, environmental quality, connectivity, and infrastructure quality significantly influenced overall satisfaction, while cultural and visual quality did not. This suggests that the public expects the buffer zone to serve as high-quality multi-functional open spaces that enhance the quality of life while providing recreation, service, and transportation functions. Besides direct planning and management advice to China's UPAs and other countries with similar contexts, our study offers a transferable framework for incorporating social perceptions and highlights their significance in informing the functional planning of UPA buffer zones for public welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian elephants in Thailand face threats from anthropogenic activities such as foraging for non-timber forest products (NTFP), livestock ranching, and expansion of agricultural areas. These threats to their habitats lead to human-elephant conflicts (HEC) and endanger the survival of Asian elephants. This study assesses seasonal changes in elephant densities by comparing habitats inside and outside a protected area and analyzing the impact of human activities on elephant habitat use in a buffer zone of the Huai Kha Khaeng World Heritage Site. We surveyed elephant densities using 130 sample plots, employing the dung count method and categorizing surveyed plots by forest types, environmental factors, and anthropogenic activities. Surveys conducted seven times (from October 2018 to September 2019) captured seasonal changes in NTFP, livestock ranching, and agricultural activities. Anthropogenic activities affecting elephant habitat use were examined using a mixed-effect model. Seasonal variations significantly impacted elephant densities across surveys, averaging 0.63 individuals/km². High densities (1.05–1.27) occurred outside the protected area in the dry season while lower densities (0.09–0.36) were recorded in the rainy season. During April-May and October-November, elephants favored areas with NTFP utilization, coinciding with villagers' foraging periods, potentially intensifying HEC. Elephants avoided buffer areas with intense livestock activity from the late dry season to the end of the rainy season but favored open areas, crop fields, and fruit orchards during the dry season. Recommendations include strict enforcement to remove livestock, implementing seasonal guidelines for NTFP harvesting, and prioritizing wildlife habitat management within the protected area. These measures are crucial for mitigating human-elephant conflicts, conserving elephant habitats, and fostering coexistence between local communities and elephants in the buffer zones of the world heritage site.

The courtyard house is a typical design plays a significant role in shaping traditional house’s physical layout, and climatic condition. The architectural characteristics of a traditional courtyard house led to a comprehensive clarification of its spatial and mass organization. Historically, the Erbil citadel has served as a symbol of Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan's capital. In addition, buffer zones around the citadel are defined by UNESCO to be within the World Heritage list. This study aims to analyze the spatial and geometrical characteristics of traditional courtyard houses in Erbil City. Then, it examines similarities and differences among the various architectural styles and explores the main key architectural elements. A qualitative inductive content analysis was used involving drawings, photographs. The findings show the variations in the house spatial- mass composition. The study concluded that three-sided courtyards, wooden doors, traditional windows, Arches, and brick ornamentation are the most common architectural components in traditional houses.

This paper explores the notion of the hills-valley divide in Manipur, focusing on the divide between Meitei people and hill tribes and its consequences on ethnic conflict. It examines the hills-valley divide through secondary data such as articles, news reports, and talks. The Meiteis, the largest community, enjoy power in all aspects of life. Due to poor representation in the Legislative Assembly, tribals have a lesser voice in decision-making. Moreover, since funds are allocated by population size, dwellers have a natural advantage over hill people. The existing hills valley divide and development inequality lead to misunderstanding between the tribals and the non-tribals in Manipur. The tribals of Manipur came up with different demands for developing their respective areas and safeguarding their identity. However, their demands were never fulfilled by the Meitei-led Manipur government. The state government tried to change the law to alienate tribal land in a very well-planned manner. This creates inter-ethnic tensions, and tribal political problems have remained unresolved. This paper suggests that the state must formulate policies for Manipur's moral and emotional integration by proportionately diversifying developmental infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This quality assurance study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to describe the profile of patients aged 65 years and older admitted to a transition unit in a long-term care (LTC) facility and to evaluate the impact of admission modalities, compliance with screening and hand hygiene practices, risk of COVID-19, and time to access a geriatric rehabilitation unit (GRU). Methods: A prospective study was conducted using administrative and medical records from three Montreal public LTC facilities offering a rehabilitation program for 312 patients admitted between May 2020 and February 2021. The results are reported for the entire sample and compared according to the mode of admission. Results: The incidence of COVID-19 during the transition unit stay was estimated to be 11 cases or 3.5% in 14 days. Assessment of screening compliance showed deficiencies for 41.3% of patients, and the frequency of hand hygiene audits was not strictly adhered to. More COVID-19 cases were recorded in patients admitted to the transition unit by bed availability than in the cohort mode. The time to access a rehabilitation unit was 7.2 days or 23.5% shorter for patients admitted by bed availability. Conclusions: The study, conducted from a continuous practice improvement perspective, showed that the implementation of a transition unit in the LTC facilities helped control the transmission of COVID-19, but also revealed flaws in screening and hand hygiene practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taman Safari Indonesia Bogor is a buffer zone for the Mountain Gede Pangrango National Park conservation forest area and is one of the habitats for the Javan surili (Presbytis comata), but there is no research data on wild Javan surili populations. The object of research is to find out how many populations of Javan surili are in the TSI Bogor forest area. The research method used the line transect method by collecting data on the number of individuals, the number of groups, the sex ratio, and the age structure. The research was conducted at four observation locations with a duration of three months, observations were made from 06.00 WIT to 17.00 WIT, and four repetitions were carried out on each observation path, the results obtained were a total of 16 Javan surili individuals found which were divided into one group, and the estimated population density is 0.06 individuals/hectare. The sex composition of male and female Javan surili in the TSI Bogor forest area is 1:6 where there are more female Javan surili than male Javan surili, and for the age structure of the Javan surili the most are in the adult age class with a percentage of 43.75%, juvenile 31.25%, and the percentage of infent by 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online 3D bin packing problem(3D-BPP) is widely used in the logistics industry and is of great practical significance for promoting the intelligent transformation of the industry. The heuristic algorithm relies too much on manual experience to formulate more perfect packing rules. In recent years, many scholars solve 3D-BPP via deep reinforcement learning(DRL) algorithms. However, they ignore many skills used in manual packing, one of the most important skill is workers put the item aside if the item is packed improperly. Inspired by this skill, we propose a DRL algorithm with a buffer zone. Firstly, we define the wasted space and the buffer zone. And then, we integrate them into the DRL algorithm framework. Importantly, we compare the bin utilization with di erent thresholds of wasted space and di erent buffer zone sizes. Experimental results show that our algorithm outperforms existing heuristic algorithms and DRL algorithms.

The human - wildlife relationship within the boundary zone of protected biodiversity conserved areas has led to different forms of conflicts. The study undertaken in the Old Oyo National park (Nigeria) support zone areas was aimed at evaluating and determining the level of damage, and the economics loss to farmers due to a human-wildlife conflict. The research identified the locals’ attitude to wildlife conservation management and proposed a mitigating strategy for human interaction with the wildlife. Data were collected by the combination of social survey methods which involved participatory techniques such as on-site field observation, a household survey questionnaire (n =120), a key informant interview, and focus group discussions. Data were presented using a descriptive statistical test to extract information on the socio-economic conditions, including major conflicting animals, crop loss, main season of conflict, and also about the local techniques to mitigate the Human-Wildlife Conflict, the perceptions and attitudes of local people towards the effectiveness of mitigation approaches. Results revealed that the proximity of farmland to the national park is a factor determining the damage caused by the wild animals. It has also revealed that local peoples’ attitude to wildlife conservation was positive. Nevertheless, as far as farm produce was destroyed, more than 50% of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the park management efforts and its conflict resolution strategy. We have suggested that the meaningful involvement of the local community in the conservation administration from bottom to top levels, including an awareness campaign program will contribute towards a reduction of conflicts. The outcomes of the study will assist in changing the perceptions towards conservation in relation to the human development in the communities surrounding the protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly complex dynamics of urban planning require an innovative approach to land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments. Traditionally, these disciplines have provided a critical foundation for sustainable urban development, but the current acceleration of change requires renewed attention to technology and innovation. The integration of advanced territorial data is emerging as a key element to enrich the analysis and mapping of the landscape. This type of data allows for an updated and objective view of reality, providing urban planners and decision makers with a dynamic tool to quickly adapt to evolving urban needs. The use of new technologies increases the accuracy and effectiveness of these analyses, enabling more efficient and sustainable urban planning. This article explores how innovation and technology are transforming the field of land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments and provides real-life examples of how advanced territorial data can be used to model the landscape more accurately in the case of Umbria, a region in Italy characterised by a rich cultural history and picturesque landscapes. Umbria, with its unique geography and delicate environmental balance, provides a fertile ground for exploring how the implementation of territorial databases can contribute to the responsible management of industrial activities. This case study represents an important first step in applying a QGIS and Python geoprocessing approach to these issues. The methodology starts with the creation of territorial data and includes a post-processing phase using Python. This integrated approach not only provides an updated and objective view of the landscape but also represents the first instance in the literature of a study applied to such a small and environmentally rich region as Umbria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The national security of a country is closely tied to the welfare of its border residents. The unsettled boundary dispute between India and China in Eastern Ladakh has far-reaching consequences for the well-being of the border residents in Ladakh. This analysis seeks to comprehend how this geopolitical disagreement has impacted the socio-cultural and economic activities. The research methodology incorporated includes data from books, journals, internet sources, and field interviews related to the subject. The findings of this study indicate that the socio-economic conditions of the border residents have been adversely affected by the ongoing boundary conflict between the two nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As adivided capital city, Nicosia and its Buffer Zone have attracted attention across political, social, cultural, and academic spheres since the 1974 division of Cyprus. The Buffer Zone's physical and symbolic presence reflects the ongoing struggle for reunification and the challenges of tension in a confined space. The crossing points in the Buffer Zone serve as bridges, facilitating movement and interaction between the communities. Thus, contested spaces require comprehensive, context-sensitive approaches that foster inclusive dialogues, and seek innovative spatial arrangements to promote sustainable peace and shared understanding. The paper proposes a placemaking process approach that serves as a transformative tool to tackle the difficulties associated with contested spaces and strive towards their comprehensive revitalisation. 126 different NGOs participated as stakeholders in the Ledra Street Crossing Point and answered the Likert scale survey after the reliability check. The aim of this paper is to identify a successful placemaking process diagram for contested spaces as an analytical framework. The diagram establishes important criteria and their correlations for the placemaking process. It identifies sociability alongside uses and activities as key imperatives for successful placemaking process in contested contexts: social networks, sharing space use, multifunctionality, and public space usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an extended credit migration model with asymmetric fixed boundaries and multiple ratings, for a more precise depiction of credit changes in the real world. A model with three ratings is established and analyzed as an example, and then the results are generalized to a general multirating form model. We prepare the model meaningfully by arranging the asymmetric boundaries in a suitable order. A PDE system problem is deduced, and the existence and uniqueness of the solution for the problem are obtained using PDE techniques, which further ensure the rationality of the model. Due to the flexible configuration of asymmetric boundaries, the multirating model has various types of structures in the buffer zones where the credit rating keeps its original state. For instance, the two buffers in the three-rating model may be separated, connected, or intersected, as presented in the numerical results for different boundary parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of the Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) is a momentum for businesses in East Kalimantan as a buffer zone to encourage economic growth. However, there are several issues related to the quality of human resources and technical and non-technical skills, weaknesses in capturing opportunities, and lack of innovation. Businesses need to be continuously developed in terms of both quality and skills, especially in digital behavior as a contributor to business performance. Therefore, this study examines factors that are directly and indirectly related to business performance. This research empirically predicts that digital experience and digital literacy can influence digital behavior. Furthermore, this study proposes the relationship between digital experience, digital literacy, and digital behavior to business performance. This study was conducted by taking samples in the IKN buffer zone. Subject was conducted on 80 business owners in Somber Small Industry Center. Data analysis in this study used Warp-PLS. Results of hypothesis testing show that digital literacy has a positive and significant effect on digital behavior. Digital experience has a significant effect on digital behavior. Furthermore, digital behavior has a significant effect on business performance. Partially, digital behavior significantly mediates the relationship between digital literacy and digital experience on business performance. The implications of this study indicate that digital information literacy, service availability, visual quality and access stability are needed to encourage operational performance, management and support performance. Future research recommendations are to examine digital literacy and digital experience variables that have a direct effect on business performance.

Pellet burners, although they are commonly used devices, require high-quality fuels and yet are characterized by relatively high levels of CO and NO emissions and their variability. This article presents a combustion study of an original biomass burner that separates air into primary for biomass gasification and secondary for oxidizing the gasification products, with ducts placed in the housing of the burner. This study introduces a new burner design that separates air into primary and secondary streams within an integrated burner housing, aiming to optimize biomass combustion efficiency and reduce harmful emissions. Two burner designs were proposed, with a high secondary air nozzle (HCrown) and a low secondary air nozzle (LCrown). These two burners were compared with a typical retort burner (Ret). The LCrown burner reduced particulate matter emissions by 36% and CO emissions by 74% with respect to a typical retort burner. This study showed that the distance of the secondary air nozzles from the gasifying part has a significant impact on the operation of the burner and the possibility of reducing emissions of CO and NO. These results highlight the potential of the innovation to significantly improve combustion quality while simultaneously reducing environmental impact.

Abstract Karst World Heritage Site (KWHS) combines high-grade landscape resources and a fragile ecological environment. As an essential tool for heritage conservation and maintaining local interests, its buffer zone is primarily located in remote villages, a crucial and challenging area for rural revitalization. The conflict between heritage conservation and development is particularly acute at the site. How to deal with the relationship between the heritage site’s OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development and realize the synergy between the two subsystems? Few studies have focused on it. There is an urgent need to explore the synergistic mechanism of the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Accordingly, this study takes the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS, one of the 'South China Karst' series of heritage sites, as a case study. The coupling coordination degree model, gray correlation analysis (GCA), and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis are used. The results show that: (1) There is a synergistic effect between the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS's OUV conservation and its buffer zone's tourism industry development, showing a favorable trend. The mean value of the coupling coordination degree increased from 0.57 in 2015 to 0.63 in 2020, and the overall situation improved from barely coupling coordination state to primary coupling coordination. (2) Influenced by the main driving factors, such as NDVI, landscape dominance, government support for tourism development, tourists' satisfaction, and residents' support, the coupling coordination of the four tourist scenic areas in the study area differed slightly in 2015 and 2020. Yaoshan Ancient Village Scenic Area is the highest in both years, increasing from 0.69 to 0.81, followed by the Mengliu Buyi Scenic Area (0.59), Wanmu Meiyuan Scenic Area is relatively stable with a slight increase, and Lianshanwan Scenic Area (0.45) is the lowest. (3) The four dimensions of ecological resources, policy drivers, economy drivers, and social facilitators work together to create a synergistic mechanism between the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Future research can promote synergy between the two by formulating a comprehensive plan, encouraging sustainable tourism, establishing a diversified tourism industry, strengthening heritage education and training, enhancing community participation, and reinforcing stakeholder cooperation.

All development indices are changing due to increased exploitation of nature and growing economies in developing countries. This situation may increase the intensity of conflict between humans and wild species, such as large carnivores. Despite the increasing intensity of human-wildlife conflicts and the existing compensation scheme that compensates for the loss, most losses to human-wildlife conflicts are not reported to authorities. Thus, this study was conducted in the Banke National Park of Nepal to explore possible factors influencing the propensity to report losses. All 197 surveyed participants reported suffering from crop raids by wild animals, and 80 respondents (40.60 %) reported livestock depredation. Results revealed that socio-economic factors, such as age (β = 1.99, SE = 1.61), gender (β = -0.56, SE = 0.28), employment (β = -1.10, SE = 0.68), family size (β = 1.54, SE = 0.54), and conflict with certain species including Bengal tiger (β = 0.48, SE 0.24), leopard (β = 0.92, SE 0.35), elephant (β = 0.58, SE 0.34), and monkey (β = 0.56, SE 0.27), were statistically significant at p values ≤ 0.01, ≤ 0.05, and ≤ 0.10, in influencing the likelihood of reporting a loss. Except for gender and employment, all other factors positively influenced the likelihood of reporting a loss. These findings could be considered while formulating/executing policy guidelines for compensation or any policy related to protected areas to improve reporting rates. This study can also initiate future studies in other protected or forested areas globally.

This is a base investigation in which the objective of estimating the Approximate Sustainability Index (IAS) in La Paz, San Ramón, Costa Rica was set. To collect data, a housing census was applied between August 2016 and March 2017. The IAS result was 0.7856. The results reflected that eight indicators have a very acceptable condition, three indicators were acceptable, two indicators in a regular condition and one of the indicators is in a totally unacceptable condition. The social parameter obtained the lowest partial index with 0.583, the environmental and economic parameters share a value of 0.875, while the institutional parameter reached 0.75. The research marks a starting parameter for future studies that allow monitoring sustainability in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored farmers' perceptions of the causes and consequences of human-carnivore conflict in Maze National Park, Ethiopia. We selected 225 household heads randomly from five villages for interview using survey questionnaires. We identified the five villages randomly from the 16 that border the park. The majority (75.1%) of the respondents had a negative perception towards the park and the carnivores due to livestock depredation. Overall, 1142 livestock depredation were reported over 3 years (2017-2019). Cattle, sheep and goats were reportedly the most depredated animals. The numbers of livestock depredated significantly varied among villages and predators. Farmers perceived lions as the major livestock depredator followed by leopards and spotted hyaenas and they perceived that proximity, poor livestock husbandry and low natural prey density were the main causes of livestock depredation. The distance of the household holdings to the park was correlated negatively with the depredation level. Farmers use guarding, cut-and-carry systems and dogs to reduce carnivores' predation. Allocating enough spatial differences between the park and the villages and altering the timing and frequency with which livestock grazing overlaps with the diurnal activities of carnivores may lead to a win-win outcome promoting coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecosystem service of carbon sequestration provided by the forest cover describes the process of capturing atmospheric carbon and its incorporation into plant biomass through photosynthesis. The mapping of this service in conservation units is of fundamental importance to highlight the contribution of protected areas to human well-being. In this sense, the present study aims to map the ecosystem service of carbon sequestration provided by the native forest vegetation of the Pau-Ferro State Park and the Buffer Zone in the municipality of Areia, in the state of Paraíba. For this, the CO2flux index was used, which results from the integration between the NDVI and sPRI indices. The carbon sequestration capacities mapped by the index range from not relevant to high, with low capacity predominant in the zone, while medium capacity is majority in the Conservation Unit. The information generated through the techniques used reinforces the contribution of space in carbon cycling, functioning as a sink. On the other hand, vegetation degradation can increase emission rates and turn the area into a source. In this sense, the importance of protected forest areas for maintaining carbon sequestration and storage is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) are common in locations where human settlements and wildlife ecosystems intersect. Conflict between people and wildlife is a significant conservation issue that is challenging to resolve. Therefore, this research aims to reveal the trends, status, and patterns of HWC in the Buffer Zone (BZ) of Chitwan National Park (CNP) from July 2012 to July 2021. Primary data were collected through household surveys, key informant interviews (KIIs), direct observation, and secondary data from park offices, the Buffer Zone User Committee (BZUC), and institutions through reports, documents, and booklets. Our study shows crop raiding was the most common and notable problem, followed by livestock depredation, with 4416 documented cases. According to the report, elephants are the biggest conflict-causing species, accounting for 37.86% of overall losses. HWC occurrences peaked in 2018, accounting for 23.41% of total incidents from July 2012 to July 2021. During the research period, victims of HWC received compensation totaling -0.805 million US dollars (106641196.00 Nepalese rupees). Autumn is identified as the greatest season for HWC, owing to paddy harvesting, which draws animals. Most people believe that the population density of wildlife increases in the park due to positive human participation. By adopting a participatory management approach to conservation, the park has the potential to increase the number of locals who benefit from it significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In geographical terms, historic cities possess an inertia in regard to the modification of urban function. This explains why buildings may change over time, but the location of the functions remains. For over a thousand years, the city of Valencia has concentrated the commercial activity of its historic centre around the building of the Lonja de la Seda, its surrounding buildings, and its adjacent spaces, streets and squares. Recent constructions coexist with centuries-old buildings, witnesses to the transformations of this urban enclave, which has retained its commercial function. Although the Lonja de la Seda was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1996, its surroundings, despite being of interest and closely linked to the protected building, were not. This article analyses the history and evolution of the built fabric and urban spaces of this complex, which represents the nerve centre for commerce in the city of Valencia. This text presents research based on studies carried out directly on the buildings in this context by the authors, as well as indirect examinations of documentation from the archives and the existing bibliography. The aim of this study is to showcase how combining material and documentary studies can lead to a broader definition of the tangible and intangible values of cultural heritage. This, in turn, could lead to the comprehensive enhancement of the historic city, where historic residential fabric and notable buildings are merely manifestations of the process for the construction of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osun River, a UNESCO heritage site is currently under threat to unregulated mining activity along its course. Through remote sensing techniques, this study aimed to evaluate mining severity (number and size of mine pits) which was acquired and used to quantify landscape changes and degradation in water quality (turbidity) along the river. Studies were carried out using data for years 2020–2022 covering 2-km and 5-km buffer areas of the river's watershed. High-resolution Google Earth imagery and Landsat 8 imagery (OLI) were used for land-use land-cover assessment and computation of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) respectively. The mining severity assessment for 2022 revealed a total of 32 mining pits within the 5-km buffer zone, where 21 mining pits (65.63%) of the total mining activities occurred within the 2-km buffer zone. The severity assessment in terms of both the number of mines and the land area covered revealed an extensive physical mining activity, with severe impacts on surface water quality. The predominantly irregular shapes of the mine pits, indicated by the mean perimeter-to-area ratio (X̅=0.22), linear regression (y = 0.1351x + 0.6102), and coefficient of determination (R2=0.88), portend challenges for post-mining reclamation, including erosion control and terrain stabilization. The declining trend in the upper limit NDWI values over the 3 years, 2020, 2021, and 2022 (0.053, 0.017, and −0.084476 respectively), indicates a significant reduction in water quality, plausibly associated with the heightened mining activity within the 2-km buffer areas of the river. The escalating habitat degradation and imminent effects on drinking water quality and biodiversity health underscore the pressing implications of unchecked mining, eroding the ecological and cultural significance of the Osun-Oshogbo Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Urgent governmental action is crucial to enforce mining regulations, curbing these threats, and preserving the site's ecological and cultural importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to analyze the climate comfort and assess the recreational potential of river basins for the development of rural tourism in Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan. The ArcGIS 10.5 software was applied to conduct tourist and recreational studies in the target watersheds. Methodologically, the research included two stages. The first one comprised an overview of the available data on local hydrology, terrain (slope degrees), and climatic factors. The efforts allowed creating four thematic maps based on ArcGIS 10.5 SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographical Mission) imagery of the basins in question. The second stage revealed the tourist and recreational efficiency of river massifs, specifically allowed evaluating the recreational use of rivers as per the proposed methodology. It was found that surface water bodies are not used effectively enough in rural tourism development in the region, i.e. that this type of touristic services has not yet progressed due to numerous issues hindering their spreading, including the underdeveloped social and engineering rural infrastructure, poor quality of road network and transport communications. All these lead to low attractiveness, diminish the effectiveness of rural ecology preservation measures, as well as complicate the organization and creation of proper tourist accommodations. To analyze the possibilities of rural tourism development in specific areas, a special tourist and recreational assessment was carried out within the framework of the research. According to climate index characteristics, the dynamics of the region’s climatic favorability was determined with the main conclusion that it is the poor infrastructure development in Aktobe Region settlements that prevents a full scale expansion of rural tourism in the target river basins

ABSTRACT The institution of biological value areas through the creation of Natural Protected Areas is an essential tool for protecting the country’s environmental resources to face advanced anthropic development in natural areas, either to increase agriculture production or for economic growth. Environmental vulnerability studies combined with geotechnological tools have been vital to identifying the most vulnerable areas and consequently help Conservation Units protection. This study aimed to analyze environmental vulnerability at the buffer zone of Itabira Natural Monument (MONAI) in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil. The necessary methodological steps for this study were as follows: a) Photointerpretation of land use; b) Anthropic variables selection; c) Application of Euclidean distance function in variables vector images; d) Application of fuzzy membership function in variables raster images; e) Application of Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP); and f) Spatial classification of environmental vulnerability around MONAI. Land use conflicts reveal a relevant presence of pasture areas, representing 49.80% of the buffer zone. This fact corroborates with its Euclidean distance value, which showed the lowest linear value, 836 meters. Eight anthropic variables have been incorporated, highlighting crops, urban areas, exposed soil and pasture. Jenks natural breaks defined five vulnerability classes. According to the results, 57.14% of the entire MONAI buffer zone is represented by the high and very high classes. The outdated law creation of MONAI and the need for a management plan result in a vulnerable buffer zone. The present study can support management plan formulation and assist MONAI’s buffer zone delimitation.

Currently, the monitoring of rocky desertification(RD) is concentrated in the karst area, whereas the study in red-bed areas is rare. In this paper, we present a multi-scale classification framework for RD monitoring based on spectral-spatial features. At the pixel scale, we explored several spectral indices based on spectral statistics and separability analysis of land cover samples. The homogeneous land covers were classified by the decision rules from the selected spectral indices (such as NDIOI, NRRI and NDGI); At the patch scale, RD classes were further distinguished by spatial decision rules based on multiple neighborhood features including proximity, linear density, and buffer distance. The method was applied on an OLI image over the red-bed area of northwestern Jiangxi, south central China, and validated using ground-based observations. The experimental results of verification and comparison are satisfactory. This work demonstrates a methodological supplement to the monitoring of red bed RD.

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a Critically Endangered species found in Nepal and India. In Nepal, gharials are distributed in Chitwan and Bardia National Parks. Gharials are highly threatened due to various and severe anthropogenic activities. In this study, we assess the attitude, perception and willingness of a range of stakeholders living around Chitwan National Park to participate in gharial conservation. We conducted semi-structured questionnaire surveys with open ended questions. We interviewed national park officials (n = 8), local community group members (n = 54), hoteliers (n = 12), conservation partners (n = 5), local elected representatives (n = 38), fishing community members (n = 14), fishing net sellers (n = 15) and students (n = 9). Our study revealed that respondents are familiar with existing conservation awareness activities and expressed their willingness to participate in gharial conservation activities which can be capitalized on for future conservation initiatives for gharials. Further, we suggest to concentrate efforts particularly on local representatives, fishing net sellers and river dependent communities. These efforts include community level gharial knowledge sharing and interaction program, school teaching program, participating community in gharial conservation and its habitat management intervention and livelihood programs.

Karst World Heritage Site (KWHS) combines high-grade landscape resources and a fragile ecological environment. As an essential tool for heritage conservation and maintaining local interests, its buffer zone is primarily located in remote villages, a crucial and challenging area for rural revitalization. The conflict between heritage conservation and development is particularly acute at the site. How to deal with the relationship between the heritage site's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development and realize the synergy between the two subsystems? Few studies have focused on it. There is an urgent need to explore the synergistic mechanism of the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Accordingly, this study takes the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS, one of the 'South China Karst' series of heritage sites, as a case study. The coupling coordination degree model, gray correlation analysis (GCA), and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis are used. The results show that: (1) There is a synergistic effect between the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS's OUV conservation and its buffer zone's tourism industry development, showing a favorable trend. The mean value of the coupling coordination degree increased from 0.57 in 2015 to 0.63 in 2020, and the overall situation improved from barely coupling coordination state to primary coupling coordination. (2) Influenced by the main driving factors, such as NDVI, landscape dominance, government support for tourism development, tourists' satisfaction, and residents' support, the coupling coordination of the four tourist scenic areas in the study area differed slightly in 2015 and 2020. Yaoshan Ancient Village Scenic Area is the highest in both years, increasing from 0.69 to 0.81, followed by the Mengliu Buyi Scenic Area (0.59), Wanmu Meiyuan Scenic Area is relatively stable with a slight increase, and Lianshanwan Scenic Area (0.45) is the lowest. (3) The four dimensions of ecological resources, policy drivers, economy drivers, and social facilitators work together to create a synergistic mechanism between the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Future research can promote synergy between the two by formulating a comprehensive plan, encouraging sustainable tourism, establishing a diversified tourism industry, strengthening heritage education and training, enhancing community participation, and reinforcing stakeholder cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new threshold model to deal with the asymmetry and leverage effect in the volatility of financial time series. Our model generalizes the classical threshold stochastic volatility model. By introducing a new flexible and smooth regime-switching mechanism, we avoid the sudden jump in the log-volatility imposed by the classical model. More precisely, we propose a new threshold model that we call Buffered Threshold Stochastic Volatility (BTSV) model. After the definition of our model, we derive a sufficient condition for the strict stationarity of the model. Then, we develop a Sequential Monte Carlo method to estimate the parameters. Next, we analyse the performance of the proposed method through a simulation study. Finally, we apply our new methodology to model the Honeywell International Inc and Standard and Poor Composite 500 stock market indices. This empirical analysis shows that BTSV model is a competitive alternative for the asymmetry modelling in financial returns analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The melt electrowriting (MEW) has broad applications in regenerative medicine and micro-nano electronics. It is an efficient micro-nano scale additive manufacturing technology; however, the fiber jet lag effect of MEW limits the deposition precision and resolution of fiber shape. In this study, the principle of the jet lag effect is studied to overcome the defect of printed structure distortion and improve the ability to print complex structures. A mathematical model of trailing fiber trajectory is established. The study covers jet lag and liquid rope coiling analysis at different speeds. A strategy is adopted by introducing a buffer zone at the corner of the printing structure. The printing path is subdivided and optimized to suppress the influence of jet lag. The results show that the deposited fibers' corner radius is around 63.81±5.66 ìm, which is significantly smaller than that of unoptimized groups. Finally, by utilizing the improved printing paths, the high-precision and complex structures are printed, which demonstrates the feasibility of optimizing the buffer zone for the MEW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, with the development of marine space around the world, friction between maritime traffic and various marine activities is intensifying. In particular, different recommendations are being made for the buffer zone between offshore wind farms and maritime traffic, as the criteria vary significantly. In order to respond to these changes in marine space, conducted this study on the change of maritime traffic patterns before and after the installation of floating LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) in marine facilities and apply it to future changes in maritime traffic patterns. The maritime traffic data was based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and it was targeted at cargo ships and tankers with regular traffic patterns. A trajectory and spatial analysis were performed based on the AIS in the marine space. As a result of analyzing the globally maritime traffic patterns targeting the location of the installation complex of LiDARs, it can be confirmed that the existing maritime traffic patterns change into three maritime traffic patterns. Furthermore, the study employed the Hausdorff-distance algorithm for clustering analysis, categorizing vessels with similar trajectories. This approach facilitated a locally analysis of the buffer zone associated with individual LiDAR, considering the length of the vessels. As a result, it was analyzed that each vessel navigated at different buffer zone depending on the size of the vessel, and it is possible for safe navigation and forecast the future maritime traffic patterns.

[Introduction] The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of real "wake effect" of adjacent offshore wind farms on generation loss. [Method] The method is established with the wake scene classification based on the actual arrangement of wind farms under different wind direction and the real wake power loss of adjacent wind farms (with a spacing of more than 20D) in operation are analyzed, based on the actual SCADA data of wind turbines in large offshore wind farms and the measured wind data of LIDAR in the same period. [Result] The results show that: for the large-scale offshore wind farms with regular arrangement, the power generation normalization of the actual SCADA data can better reflect the distribution characteristics of offshore wind energy resources and the difference of power generation capacity; Under the condition of highly centralized wind direction, the adjacent wind farms in the downwind are obviously affected by the "wake effect" of the upwind wind farm; The buffer zones with different distances of adjacent wind farms have an obvious effect on the recovery of wind speed which affected the power generating capacity. The power generating capacity can be improved but if the buffer zone can reach enough distance; In different scenes of this case, the buffer zone distance is between 23D and 44D, and the power loss of wake decreases by 27%~4%. [Conclusion] This work can provide guidance for the planning of offshore wind power base and the optimization design of large offshore wind frams.