Current Inventory Research Articles

Features Selection based on Enhanced KNN to Predict Raw Material Needs on PT. SANM

Raw material inventory must be able to meet production needs. So it is necessary to plan / predict raw material needs in the following month to determine the raw material inventory. Currently PT. SANM uses a manual counting method, the expenditure of raw materials for six months, then deducts the current raw material inventory. As a result, there are raw materials that are over order or lacking, which causes production to be constrained. The manual calculation method is not effective enough to meet the raw material inventory. In this research, the researcher proposes an algorithm which is contained in Data Mining, that is Enhanced KNN using GWO to predict raw material needs. Because GWO and Enhanced KNN algorithms give the results are easy to understand, have good accuracy compared to other machine learning methods, can cover the trapped problem from KNN traditional and capable of improving the accuracy using feature selection method. The method used in this study is to compare Enhanced KNN with and without GWO that gives a significant increase in the accuracy value by 16.5%, from 44.6% to 61.1%.

A study regarding the parameters that influence the growth rate of Salix alba

The inventory and evaluation of growth rates for afforested surfaces is extremely important in estimating production levels and in determining the wood quantities that can be harvested. The present research was realized in southeast Romania, on a surface that contains 375h of afforested fields. The monitored surfaces are situated in Hanu-Conachi Independenta Forest, at a relatively low altitude. The study took into account only the surfaces afforested with willow (Salix alba) and extended between 2010 and 2015. The afforested surfaces’ consistency and age were evaluated based on direct observations and measurements. The used numerical analysis on different optimization methods was selected from amongst the most used series from the specialty literature. Our results have shown that evaluations of estimated production growth rates can vary significantly when different statistical analyses and numeric methods are used. By using numerical optimizing models, computer simulations can offer precise estimations regarding growth rates, and consequently, for the efficiency of a given forest inventory. Common numerical interpolation methods or the usage of neuronal networks do not always lead to consistent results. Specific numeric methods are preferable for a better evaluation of growth rates and current inventory. In addition, investments in computer simulation methods and software should be encouraged in order to reach a permanent inventory, improve the efficiency of exploitation operations, and sustain environmental protection.

AN APPLICATION OF MACHINE LEARNING TO SHIPPING EMISSION INVENTORY

The objective of this study is to develop a shipping emission inventory model incorporating Machine Learning (ML) tools to estimate gaseous emissions. The tools enhance the emission inventories which currently rely on emission factors. The current inventories apply varied methodologies to estimate emissions with mixed accuracy. Comprehensive Bottom-up approach have the potential to provide very accurate results but require quality input. ML models have proven to be an accurate method of predicting responses for a set of data, with emission inventories an area unexplored with ML algorithms. Five ML models were applied to the emission data with the best-fit model judged based on comparing the real mean square errors and the R-values of each model. The primary gases studied are from a vessel measurement campaign in three modes of operation; berthing, manoeuvring, and cruising. The manoeuvring phase was identified as key for model selection for which two models performed best.

Development of exhaust emission factors for vessels: A review and meta-analysis of available data

The maritime sector is characterized by high contribution in the emission of harmful pollutants such as NO X , PM, and SO X . The sector is making decisive steps to drastically reduce its environmental footprint by applying new technology and fuels as a reaction to the increasingly stringent emissions regulatory framework. In order to calculate the contribution of shipping to current emission inventories and to project future developments under different policy scenarios reliable and diversified emission factors have to be developed. In this context the present paper develops a new set of emission factors for ships, based on a review and statistical processing of shipping emission measurements available in literature. To offer significant resolution and versatility for use under different operating conditions, the developed emission factors are expressed as a function of the ship engine load. These emission factors are also distinguished according to the engine and fuel types that are met in practice. The absolute values of the developed emission factors highlight the emission performance of ships per pollutant, while the load dependent functions produced reveal how this emission performance of ships changes under various operating conditions. Finally, a comparison of the developed load dependent emission factors with modal emission factors retrieved from literature is performed specifically for NO X emissions. This comparison indicates the differences and similarities between the two methods as a measure of uncertainty in the estimation of emissions using the proposed emission factor dataset. • Α new set of emission factors developed for vessels. • Shipping emissions vary with engine load. • Engine and fuel type affect the performance of specific pollutants. • Tier standards affect ship engines Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) performance. • Particulate Matter (PM) analysis based on speciation.

The woody flora of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India - A checklist

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region.

The Enactment and Critique of International Accounting Standard Two

Harmonising the International Accounting Standards/International Financial Reporting Standards (IAS/IFRS) globally has been the objective of national boards that seek to eliminate existing differences. The harmonisation project has been substantially efficient in realising the IFRS in emerging economies. However, concerning the international accounting standard two, the existence of different inventory valuation methods in literature is one of the dilemmas confronting the application of IAS 2 in many nations globally. This study through a comprehensive literature review discusses and present a critique on the international accounting standard two to afford insight that will be beneficial to both scholar and standard setters. The findings reveal a formidable contribution of the current asset inventory on companies and compliance levels in South Africa. Furthermore, these findings supplement prevailing body knowledge on IAS two and the value relevance of accounting inventories. Highlighting key critiques on the IAS 2 prescriptions and application internationally and also revealing the standards own crucial flaws and strengths and on companies.
 
 Received: 6 May 2021 / Accepted: 23 August 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

Abiotic degradation of field wheat straw as a notable source of atmospheric carbonyls in the North China Plain

Carbonyl compounds (carbonyls) play a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry, but their atmospheric sources are not fully identified. Here we show unexpectedly high carbonyl emissions from extensive field returning wheat straw over the North China Plain (NCP). The emission rates of carbonyls exhibit distinct diurnal variations with the noontime peak value of total carbonyls greater than 135 μg∙kg−1 (dry straw weight) ∙h−1. The carbonyl emission is mainly attributed to biomass abiotic degradation processes that are affected by air temperature and sunlight intensity. Given that the photolysis of carbonyls is the major primary source of ROx radicals in the troposphere, carbonyl emissions would lead to increasing atmospheric oxidants. The mean daytime O3 concentration over the NCP increases by 12.3% when coupling carbonyl emissions from wheat straw with the current emission inventory through the model simulation. It might be one of the important reasons for the occurrence of the most serious O3 pollution in June when winter wheat is intensively harvested in the region. Further studies are warranted to explore the influence of field returning wheat straw on regional air quality.

On the Fate of Interstellar Objects Captured by Our Solar System

Abstract With the recent discoveries of interstellar objects Oumuamua and Borisov traversing the solar system, understanding the dynamics of interstellar objects is more pressing than ever. These detections have highlighted the possibility that captured interstellar material could be trapped in our solar system. The first step in rigorously investigating this question is to calculate a capture cross section for interstellar objects as a function of hyperbolic excess velocity, which can be convolved with any velocity dispersion to compute a capture rate. Although the cross section provides the first step toward calculating the mass of alien rocks residing in our solar system, we also need to know the lifetime of the captured objects. We use an ensemble of N-body simulations to characterize a dynamical lifetime for captured interstellar objects and determine the fraction of surviving objects as a function of time (since capture). We also illuminate the primary effects driving their secular evolution. Finally, we use the resulting dynamical lifetime function to estimate the current inventory of captured interstellar material in the solar system. We find that capture from the field yields a steady-state mass of only ∼10−13 M ⊕, whereas the mass remaining from capture events in the birth cluster is roughly 10−9 M ⊕.

Dynamic modeling and controlling of a spent nuclear fuel storage pool under periodic operation and station blackout conditions

The Fukushima incident provided the lesson that spent fuel storage pool (SFSP) require adequate analysis of thermal performance. This study aims to investigate the dynamic behaviors of SFSP under normal- and station blackout (SBO) conditions. The well-mixed approach is utilized and considers the heat and mass transfer processes in developing a dynamic model using Stella software. This dynamic model is validated against experimental data undertaken at the G.A. Siwabessy Reactor SFSP. The model’s predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental data, with a mean relative deviation (MRD) of 0.0085%–0.042% and a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0006–0.0047. The simulation results show that the cooling system requires additional time operation in the planned addition of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The survival time under SBO without human intervention for current inventory, addition of 120 SNF, and 60-years reactor operation are 142 days, 104.4 days, and 45.8 days, respectively.

Estimating organic aerosol emissions from cooking in winter over the Pearl River Delta region, China

Cooking is an important source of organic aerosols (OA), particularly in urban areas, but it has not been explicitly included in current emission inventories in China. This study estimated the organic aerosol emissions from cooking during winter over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, China. Using the retrieved hourly cooking organic aerosol (COA) concentrations at two sites in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, population density, and daily per capita COA emissions, we determined the spatial and temporal distribution of COA emissions over the PRD region based on two approaches by treating COA as non-volatile (NVCOA) and semi-volatile (SVCOA), respectively. By using the estimated COA emissions and the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) model, we reproduced the diurnal cycles of COA concentrations at the PolyU site in Hong Kong and Panyu site in Guangzhou. We also resolved the different patterns of COA between weekdays and weekends. The mean COA concentration during wintertime over the urban areas of the PRD region was 0.7 μg m−3 and 0.9 μg m−3 for the NVCOA and SVCOA cases, respectively, contributing 5.1% and 6.9% to the urban OA concentrations. The total COA emissions in winter over the PRD region were estimated to be 3.5 × 108 g month−1 and 3.8 × 108 g month−1 for the NVCOA and SVCOA cases, respectively, adding 34.8% and 37.8% to the total primary organic aerosol emissions. Considering COA emissions in the model increased the mean regional OA concentrations by 4.6% and 7.4% for the NVCOA and SVCOA cases, respectively. Our study therefore highlights the importance of cooking activities to OA concentrations in winter over the PRD region.

Application of Pandemic Intelligence in Dynamic Data in Taiwan.

Taiwan was successful in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in 2020. One major factor in this success was the compilation and provision of comprehensive information about the pandemic. The present study proposes a pandemic intelligence system that provides data on the number of epidemic prevention professionals in each county and city, as well as daily confirmed cases, the demographics of the confirmed cases, and available resources (negative-pressure room beds and artificial ventilation apparatuses) in hospitals. Furthermore, the system provides the location of pharmacies selling masks and their current inventories, as well as the distribution of crowds at popular tourist destinations and social-distance monitoring. The most frequently used map layer in the thematic map of the pandemic is that of crowd distribution during the study period from March 2020 until the end of the same year. The case study used in this investigation for applying the system is represented by the 4-day weekend for Tomb-Sweeping Day of 2020. Through the real-time analysis of dynamic data and the integration of intelligence, the system offers a clear insight into changes in relevant information and, thus, enables the preemptive deployment of control measures by the county/city governments regarding pandemic management.

A 30-year update of the climbers and vascular epiphytes inventory of the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (La Araucanía, Chile): a database.

BackgroundPlant species diversity may be seriously threatened in ecotone zones under global climate change. Therefore, keeping updated inventories of indicator species seems to be a good strategy for monitoring wild areas located in these strips. The database comes from an inventory of climbers and vascular epiphytes conducted in the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument, a small protected area (89 hectares) located in Chile's Mediterranean-temperate phytogeographic region, within the boundaries of the city of Temuco, La Araucaína Region.The data represent the update of the first inventory carried out between 1980 and 1984. In this current contribution, data collection was carried out in 27 quadrats using the trails as transects. The data provide the record of 45 species (16 climbers, 15 epiphytes and 10 trees), including two accidental epiphytes (Acerpsudoplatanus L. and Gavileaodoratissima (L.) Endl. ex Griseb.), two species that can be found as epiphytes or terricolous (Hymenophyllumtunbrigense (L.) Sm. and Nerteragranadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce) and one species (Chusqueaquila Kunth) that can be found as terricolous and climber. Species of interest were recorded on live trees (n = 51), snags (n = 9), stumps (n = 4), fallen log (n = 5) and on the forest soil (n = 17).The most abundant climbers were Hydrangeaserratifolia (Hook. & Arn.) F. Phil. (n = 77 stems), Lapageria rosea Ruiz & Pav. (n = 70 stems), Raukauavaldiviensis (Gay) Frodin (n = 48 stems) and Cissusstriata Ruiz & Pav. (n = 33 stems). In contrast, the most abundant epiphytes were Hymenophyllumplicatum Kaulf. (n = 1728 fronds) and Hymenophyllumtunbrigense (L.) Sm. (n = 2375 fronds). These latter two species represent the highest frequency and abundance in the whole inventory, respectively. Several ecosystem traits are, in fact, new reports since the first inventory was conducted in 1980-1984; for example, the presence of the filmy fern Hymenophyllumtunbrigense, the record of the climber Elytropuschilensis , fallen logs or the species-host relationship. Accordingly, the database is made available in this manuscript.New informationThis study updates the climbers and vascular epiphyte species list in the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument, a small patch of forest under severe anthropogenic pressure. This protected area is characterised by floristic elements of the Mediterranean and temperate phytogeographic region of Chile, in a zone where forests have been severely deforested. The database includes the record of 45 species – including six species that were not recorded in the first inventory – in 211 records.The main novelty of this contribution is the systematic classification of species, on ten traits rarely reported in a floristic inventory: (i) species taxonomic identity (as usual), (ii) species abundance (number of stems and fronds), (iii) habit (herb, shrub, subshrub, tree), (iv) growth form (accidental epiphyte, epiphyte, vine, liana, terricolous), (v) climbing mechanism (tendrils, adhesive roots, twining, scrambling), (vi) microhabitat (fallen log, footpath slope, soil, stump, trunk), (vii) host species (where appropriate), (viii) host condition (live, woody debris, snag), (ix) host diameter at breast height (DBH) and (x) target species found over 2.3 m on trees.Thirty years after the first inventory conducted between 1980 and 1984, the climber assemblage has remained relatively stable over time, although there are some differences in species composition. Specifically, the climber Elytropuschilensis are recorded in the current inventory, but the Mitrariacoccinea (recorded in the first inventory) is not present. On the other hand, the epiphyte assemblage showed an increase in the species richness of filmy ferns, with five previously unrecorded species: Hymenophyllumcuneatum, H.dicranotrichum, H.pectinatum, H.peltatum and H.tunbrigense. One of the novel features was the presence of Sarmientascandens and Synammiafeuillei on a Pinusradiata D. Don tree. Additionally, the introduced species Acerpseudoplatanus is included, which is new to the Chilean vascular plant catalogue. All these data are available in the present manuscript.

Contemporary glacial lakes in the Peruvian Andes

Glacier recession in response to climate warming has resulted in an increase in the size and number of glacial lakes. Glacial lakes are an important focus for research as they impact water resources, glacier mass balance, and some produce catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Glaciers in Peru have retreated and thinned in recent decades, prompting the need for monitoring of ice- and water-bodies across the cordilleras. These monitoring efforts have been greatly facilitated by the availability of satellite imagery. However, knowledge gaps remain, particularly in relation to the formation, temporal evolution, and catastrophic drainage of glacial lakes. In this paper we address this gap by producing the most current and detailed glacial lake inventory in Peru and provide a set of reproducible methods that can be applied consistently for different time periods, and for other mountainous regions. The new lake inventory presented includes a total of 4557 glacial lakes covering a total area of 328.85 km2. In addition to detailing lake distribution and extent, the inventory includes other metrics, such as dam type and volume, which are important for GLOF hazard assessments. Analysis of these metrics showed that the majority of glacial lakes are detached from current glaciers (97%) and are classified as either embedded (i.e. bedrock dammed; ~64% of all lakes) or (moraine) dammed (~28% of all lakes) lakes. We also found that lake size varies with dam type; with dammed lakes tending to have larger areas than embedded lakes. The inventory presented provides an unparalleled view of the current state of glacial lakes in Peru and represents an important first step towards (1) improved understanding of glacial lakes and their topographic and morphological characteristics and (2) assessing risk associated with GLOFs.

Gender-Specific Differences in Depressive Behavior Among Forensic Psychiatric Patients

BackgroundWomen are almost twice as likely to develop depression than men, but men commit suicide more often. One explanation for this paradox is that current depression inventories do not fully capture typical male symptoms of depression. Several studies showed that most depression symptoms in men are masked by externalizing behaviors, such as aggressiveness, addiction, and risky behavior. Here, we explored the differences in depression symptoms between men and women in a forensic psychiatric sample.MethodsWe screened 182 forensic psychiatric patients and selected a matched sample (21 women and 21 men). External symptoms of depression were assessed with the Gender-Sensitive Depression Screening (GSDS) and internal symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory Revision.ResultsAlthough externalizing behaviors were similar in both groups, we found a significant relationship between external and internal depression symptoms only in men. In addition, male forensic patients with a history of suicide had higher scores in the GSDS, whereas female patients with a history of suicide had higher scores in the Beck Depression Inventory Revision.DiscussionThe finding that the GSDS detected depression symptoms in men indicates that this instrument might be useful for developing assessments to prevent suicide in forensic practice.

Updates on Avifauna Community in Tasik Meranti, Wang Kelian, Taman Negeri Perlis

The information and status of the avifauna community that resides in Tasik Meranti, Wang Kelian, Taman Negeri Perlis are mostly outdated since the last survey conducted was 20 years ago. Therefore, the study aims to update the status and establish a checklist to compare the bird species present within the vicinity of Tasik Meranti, Wang Kelian, Taman Negeri Perlis. The survey was conducted during a short expedition held on 15-18 August 2019. Based on the field observation, a total of 20 species of birds from 14 families were recorded. The recent survey recorded an additional 18 bird species from 8 families, totalling the current inventory of 45 bird species from 24 families. Species from the family Pycnonotidae dominated the site with six species, namely Pycnonotus finlaysoni, Pycnonotus brunneus, Pycnonotus plumosus, Pycnonotus goiavier, Iole charlottae and Pycnonotus simplex. The high number of species present from the family Pycnonotidae may be due to the availability of food resources. Out of 45 species of birds in the current checklist, three species are listed as near threatened and one species as vulnerable based on the IUCN Red List. Therefore, the result documents the importance of the site for the avifauna community. Therefore, further studies are needed to understand the avifauna population dynamics in Taman Negeri Perlis.

Environmental life cycle impact of off-grid rural electrification with mini grids in West Africa

Mini grids for off-grid electrification have attracted high interest in West Africa and a massive deployment is expected in the region in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030). Due to the lack of literature analyzing the environmental impact of mini grid electrification in West Africa, life cycle assessments considering current mini grid technologies in the region (100% PV, hybrid PV-diesel and 100% diesel), battery choice (lead-acid and Li-ion) and village size (small village and large village) were calculated in each of the 15 countries belonging to ECOWAS based on current technology life cycle inventories and economic and solar resource indicators. Results analyzed 18 different life cycle environmental indicators, with 100% PV mini grids outperforming PV-diesel and 100% diesel mini grids in most of these indicators. Indeed, greenhouse gas emissions of 100% PV mini grids were 0.10–0.16 kgCO2eq/kWh and energy paybacks were of 4.3–7.1 years, strikingly lower than the equivalent values for hybrid PV-diesel mini grids (0.14–0.71 kgCO2eq/kWh and 5.9–35.5 years), 100% diesel mini grids (1.14 kgCO2eq/kWh) and the national grid electricity in this region (0.37–0.73 kgCO2eq/kWh).

Ecological Forecasting of Industrial Dust Emissions: Problems and Solutions

The results of the study of the levels of atmospheric air pollution by solid particles with different approaches to the accounting of dust and the analysis of the sufficiency and validity of permissible emission standards are presented. On the example of an operating enterprise, taking into account the current inventory, a comparative analysis of the levels of exposure to solid chemicals and the sum of all dusts (TSP) was performed. It is established that the dust factor at the total emission, forms the values of the maximum concentrations 2 times more than the individual chemical components. The presented results confirm the need to review the existing approaches to the regulation of emissions of solid components, including the inclusion in the system of the assessment of the sufficiency of emissions by the criterion of the total impact of dust in general. A correctly estimated level of total dust exposure will allow to exclude an unacceptable level of exposure to solid industrial emissions at the initial stage of the formation of project and environmental documentation (NDV projects).

The architecture and perception of the hermitage (1770-1860)

The hermitage is a little researched and understood garden ornament. The hermitage as a place of solitary retreat occurs from antiquity to the late nineteenth century because it appealed to people in different periods and could be easily adapted to the specific wishes of the noble, religious or intellectual owner and the taste of the age. This article presents new research into the hermitage on Dutch country estates, based on an analysis of for sale notices, primary source research (mainly travellers’ tales) and a review of the literature. The hermitage was a widespread phenomenon in the Netherlands. The current inventory has almost tripled the number of known country-estate hermitages from 36 to over a hundred. Thanks to this new, larger data set it was possible to make more accurate statements about the period in which the hermitage was popular, about its distribution in the Netherlands, its location in the garden, its appearance and its significance.
 A search through digitally accessible newspapers led to the discovery of many slightly later, smaller hermitages. And whereas Gelderland had previously been regarded as the foremost hermitage province, in light of current knowledge that perception has now swung in favour of Holland. This has also served to accentuate the bourgeois character of the hermitage: it was most prevalent on the country estates of urban regents, located close to the city. Hermitages were initially regarded as a rarity, later as a regular feature of landscape-style private parks, although they were never the most important ornament of such parks. Research has revealed that the location was nearly always isolated. The interior was austere, usually consisting of one or more chairs, a bench or bed, a skull or coffin, an hourglass, books and a (wooden) hermit doll. Evidence suggesting that the hermitage design was highly standardized can also be found in descriptions of hermit’s huts in travel reports.
 Contrary to what is often assumed, the popularity of the hermitage suggests that the Dutch were not immune to Romanticism. The fact that the sources provide so little evidence of cynicism vis-à-vis the phenomenon of the hermitage and the hermit supports this thesis. However, the hermit’s hut satisfied a more universal need than mere romanticism: throughout history rooms have been created to which people – usually members of the elite – could withdraw. In that sense the hermitage was a counterpart of the cabinet or study. What remained after the exalted emotions and ideas of Romanticism had subsided, was the walk to the hermitage and, upon arrival, the tranquillity and the view. The Dutch hermitage is in every respect a reflection of the Dutch country estate: both were primarily bourgeois, widespread, urban, and modest in size and furnishing.

Where the Methane Is-Insights from Novel Airborne LiDAR Measurements Combined with Ground Survey Data.

Airborne LiDAR measurements, parallel controlled releases, and on-site optical gas imaging (OGI) survey and pneumatic device count data from 1 year prior, were combined to derive a new measurement-based methane inventory for oil and gas facilities in British Columbia, Canada. Results reveal a surprising distinction in the higher magnitudes, different types, and smaller number of sources seen by the plane versus OGI. Combined data suggest methane emissions are 1.6-2.2 times current federal inventory estimates. More importantly, analysis of high-resolution geo-located aerial imagery, facility schematics, and equipment counts allowed attribution to major source types revealing key drivers of this difference. More than half of emissions were attributed to three main sources: tanks (24%), reciprocating compressors (15%), and unlit flares (13%). These are the sources driving upstream oil and gas methane emissions, and specifically, where emerging regulations must focus to achieve meaningful reductions. Pneumatics accounted for 20%, but this contribution is lower than recent Canadian and U.S. inventory estimates, possibly reflecting a growing shift toward more low- and zero-emitting devices. The stark difference in the aerial and OGI results indicates key gaps in current inventories and suggests that policy and regulations relying on OGI surveys alone may risk missing a significant portion of emissions.

"Tissue Handling" in Thoracic Surgery - Results of a Delphi Expert Consensus Conference of the German Society for Thoracic Surgery

The aim of this working group of the German Society for Thoracic Surgery (DGT) was to develop an expert consensus based on the Delphi method to define "tissue handling" and depict intraoperative handling of specific anatomical structures during thoracic surgery. Invited experts (thoracic surgery specialists; n = 93) completed two consecutive rounds of electronic Delphi questions on four main topics: transection of lung parenchyma, dissection/separation of pulmonary vessels, angioplasty/vascular anastomoses, and bronchus settling closure/plasty/anastomosis. Consensus was set at ≥ 75% agreement. At the subsequent expert conference, the results of the Delphi surveys were discussed and TED voting was used to try to reach consensus. In each case, 66 (71%) answers were given in the first round of questions and 33 (35%) in the second round. Disputed questions were evaluated again by a final vote at the expert conference (54 participants; average participation 55%). The term "tissue handling" includes all procedures for dissection, transection, sealing, and reconstruction of various autologous tissues in the context of thoracic surgery (100% consensus). Similarly, the term "angioplasty expansion" was defined with a 97% consensus. Consensus was reached mainly for the technique of transecting the lung parenchyma using stapling suture devices, the recommendation of covering anastomoses as well as bronchial stump after pretreatment (> 75%). This expert consensus describes for the first time the concept of tissue handling in thoracic surgery. Furthermore, this Delphi process led to a comprehensive current inventory of different intraoperative procedures in German thoracic surgery with derived consensual recommendations for tissue handling of lung parenchyma, vessels and bronchial structures.