Increase In Population Research Articles

Ethical and Legal Protection of Drinking Water Resources in Islamic Jurisprudence (with Emphasis on Drinking Water Resources in Kabul)

Water is a vital resource for all living beings. The increase in population and decrease in rainfall in many cities around the world have led to serious water scarcity and pollution of wells and water resources in countries. The expansion of industrial production has resulted in the release of pollutants into surface and groundwater in cities and farmlands of countries. Therefore, this research has been conducted in a library way to examine the views and solutions of Islamic jurisprudence on resolving the problems and preserving the health of drinking water resources and wells, especially in Kabul. The findings of this research are that to preserve the health of water resources, a legal or spatial boundary between neighboring wells or farmers is required to be 500 meters in soft land, but in hard land, at least 250 meters between them is necessary to prevent the resulting damages. However, the distance between a well and a septic tank is 2.5 meters in hard land, and at least 7 cubits or 3.5 meters in soft areas. This is to purify water pollutants and prevent the resulting damages to neighbors. The legal boundary approach has been stated to compensate for the damage caused by a well or a water canal. Moral boundary means the growth of human responsibility to prevent water and environmental pollution in Islamic jurisprudence. Natural pollutant filters for well and canal water are the elements of soil, sand, abundant or flowing water, and oxygen present in water in Islamic jurisprudence.

Importance of Eco-Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Climate Action and LowCarbon Transition in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Nigeria

Climate change poses socio-economic, legal and environmental vulnerabilities such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, loss of property and livelihood, increase poverty rate and a threat to public health. These impacts are said to only intensify with projected increase in population and global economic growth. Hence, global consensus advocate for decarbonisation and low carbon transition in all economic sectors as an effective mitigation strategy for climate change. In an attempt to lower carbon emissions, leading cooperation’s and organizations have focused on mitigation projects that regulate activities of cooperate actors and big CO2 emitters such as the oil and gas conglomerates. However, the United Nation Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) promotes a transformative bottom-up approach to address climate change via localism and citizen participation to educate and train eco-entrepreneurs or ecopreneurs who participate and engage in strategic entrepreneurship projects designed to actively decarbonize economies. These ecopreneurs generate home-grown sustainabilityfocused small and medium scale eco-enterprises (SMEEs), also called energy citizens, ecological citizens, energy communities and co-operatives that can develop sustainable business model innovations, nature-based services and solutions, sustainable business management strategies, technologies and green jobs needed to drive the low carbon transition in key CO2 -emitting economic sectors such as the energy, agriculture, transportation, waste management, food, tourism, building and architecture and fashion industries. This article examines the characteristics, nature and benefits of eco-entrepreneurship as a tool for advancing climate action and low carbon energy transition. Using Nigeria as a case study, a profile of the barriers slowing the growth of eco-entrepreneurship is identified within the PESTEL framework. Furthermore, drawing examples from the U.K. governance landscape and portfolio, recommendations on a transformative yet contextual strategy captured in the five transformative features (diversity, connectivity, polycentricity, redundancy and directionality) are made to interrogate and overcome entrepreneurial ecosystem barriers towards successfully supporting the rapid growth of eco-entrepreneurship.

Potential Sites for Rainwater Harvesting Focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

An innovative way to combat water scarcity brought on by population increase and climate change is rainwater harvesting (RWH), particularly in arid and semiarid areas. Currently, Pakistan is facing major water issues due to underprivileged water resource management, climate change, land use changes, and the sustainability of local water resources. This research aims to find out the suitable sites and options for RWH structures in the Quetta district of Pakistan by integrating the depression depth technique, Boolean analysis, and weighted linear combination (WLC) with hydrological modeling (HM), multicriteria analysis (MCA), a geographic information system (GIS), and remote sensing (RS). To find suitable sites for RWH, a collection of twelve (12) thematic layers were used, including the slope (SL), land use land cover (LULC), subarea (SA), runoff depth (RD), drainage density (DD), lineament density (LD), infiltration number (IFN), distance from built-up area (DB), distance from roads (DR), distance from lakes (DL), maximum flow distance (MFD), and topographic wetness index (TWI). The Boolean analysis and WLC approach were integrated in the GIS environment. The consistency ratio (CR) was calculated to make sure the assigned weights to thematic layers were consistent. Overall, results show that 6.36% (167.418 km2), 14.34% (377.284 km2), 16.36% (430.444 km2), 18.92% (497.663 km2), and 18.64% (490.224 km2) of the area are in the categories of very high, high, moderate, low, and very low suitability, respectively, for RWH. RWH potential is restricted to 25.35% (666.86 km2) of the area. This research also identifies the five (5) best locations for checking dams and the ten (10) best locations for percolation tanks on the streams. The conducted suitability analysis will assist stakeholders in selecting the optimal locations for RWH structures, facilitating the storage of water, and addressing the severe water scarcity prevalent in the area. This study proposes a novel approach to handle the problems of water shortage in conjunction with environmental and socioeconomic pressures in order to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Analysis of the Impact of Population Ageing on China's Economy

Abstracts: This paper is based on the background of population aging in China's society and economy, in order to study how aging affects China's economy and how to cope with its impact. The paper is based on a literature survey and a case study approach to the topic of labor markets, the silver economy, and the consumption of the elderly population. The results of the study show that the labor force receives a larger ripple effect and that an increase in the aging population inevitably leads to a decrease in the labor force. The silver economy is a senior-centered economy driven by aging, and the aging of the population has increased the burden on society and the government. The Chinese government needs to introduce an appropriate security system for the aging population to facilitate the integration of the elderly into society and to guide the changes that need to be made in all sectors to cope with the aging of the population.

Biogenic fabrication of spinel nickel ferrite imprinted on Bifurcaria bifurcata Macro-Alga activated carbon for the adsorption of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole

The rise in globalization and industrialization has led to an increase in population, increasing improperly treated discharge containing dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides etc in the water bodies. This has led to the need to remove these contaminants from water sources. The NiFe@BBAL adsorbent was developed and analyzed using various techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, and XPS. The effectiveness of the NiFe@BBAL in adsorbing Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and metronidazole (MET) in water was tested. The adsorption of CIP and MET, both individually and in mixtures, was studied. The kinetic sorption experiments showed that the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model, with a higher R2 of 0.9934 for MET compared to 0.9916 for CIP. This suggests that the rate-limiting step is chemisorption. The primary adsorption mechanisms for both CIP and MET were hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions, while CIP also involved electrostatic and metal complexation interactions. The NiFe@BBAL effluent showed no toxic effects on bacteria, indicating that no harmful material was leached in the effluent. The NiFe@BBAL demonstrated excellent performance and stability in removing 97.64% CIP and 97.62% MET in single contaminant experiments, and 57.33% CIP and 70.69% MET in cocktail mixture experiments. This can be attributed to the smaller structure of MET compared to CIP, allowing it better access to the active site, leading to higher adsorption. Furthermore, the repeated use of the adsorbent proved to be stable in the removal of CIP and MET over five cycles, demonstrating that the material is sustainable and suitable for large-scale experiments.

Use of Remote Focus Groups to Improve Inclusive Design Practice

This study examines the use of remote focus groups to obtain wheeled mobility device user’s ideas regarding Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs). Given the global increase in the aging population and disabled people, inclusive design is essential for accessible transportation. Using remote focus groups, this research collected statements from nine wheeled mobility device users about their design preferences, needs, and challenges with SAVs. Participants attended four virtual sessions featured with presentations and videos of SAVs. Discussions were video recorded in Zoom, with transcripts reviewed for accuracy. Data analysis included cleaning, coding, and assessing interrater reliability using the ICC. The findings not reported here highlighted the diverse needs and preferences of participants, emphasizing the importance of collecting information from this group early in the design process. This study shows well-planned remote focus groups can be an effective tool to gather human factors system design information from user populations that face transportation barriers.

Cereblon mediates macrophage differentiation and microglial phagocytosis by regulating calpain protease activity

Autoimmune diseases encompass over 80 distinct types, affecting approximately 7.6–9.4 % of the population globally. The intricate interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental triggers complicates early diagnosis and intervention. Abnormal macrophage differentiation and proliferation have been identified as key contributors to the pathogenesis of these conditions, though the precise molecular pathways remain poorly understood. Recent studies suggest that cereblon (CRBN), a target for immunomodulatory drugs like thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide, may offer therapeutic potential for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study, quantitative proteomics revealed that CRBN downregulated the calpain regulatory subunit, calpain small subunit 1 (CAPNS1), in macrophages. Subsequent biochemical assays demonstrated that CRBN modulated calpain activity, impacting autophagy processes during macrophage differentiation and microglial phagocytosis. Histological evaluation of CRBN-deficient mice indicated a marked increase in microglial populations in the brain. These findings highlight potential therapeutic targets and present new avenues for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Realizing multiband states with ultracold dipolar quantum simulators

The manipulation of dipolar interactions within ultracold molecular ensembles represents a pivotal advancement in experimental physics, aiming at the emulation of quantum phenomena unattainable through mere contact interactions. Our study uncovers regimes of multiband occupation which allow to probe more realistic, complex long-range interacting lattice models with ultracold dipolar simulators. By mapping out experimentally relevant ranges of potential depths, interaction strengths, particle fillings, and geometric configurations, we calculate the agreement between the state prepared in the quantum simulator and a target lattice state. We do so by separately calculating numerically exact many-body wave functions in the continuous space and single- or multiband lattice representations, and building their many-body state overlaps. Our findings reveal that for shallow lattices and stronger interactions above half filling, multiband population increases, resulting in fundamentally different ground states than the ones observed in simple lowest-band descriptions, e.g., striped vs checkerboard states. A wide range of probed parameter regimes in its turn provides a systematic and quantitative blueprint for realizing multiband states with two-dimensional quantum simulators employing ultracold dipolar molecules. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Restoring historical moose densities results in fewer wolves killed for woodland caribou conservation

AbstractWoodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are declining across much of their distribution in Canada in response to habitat alteration, leading to unsustainable predation, particularly by wolves (Canis lupus). Habitat alteration can benefit the primary prey species of wolves (moose [Alces alces] and deer [Odocoileus spp.]) by creating early seral conditions that contain more of their preferred food types. This increase in primary prey populations results in elevated wolf abundance and heightened predation pressure on caribou. In response to the elevated wolf populations and the risks to caribou, managers have reduced wolf abundance in key areas. Ecological theory suggests that reducing wolf abundance would release moose from the top‐down effects of wolf predation, potentially allowing moose populations to grow. Elevated moose abundance thus has the potential to cause wolf populations to rebound quickly each year following reductions, suggesting a possible link between moose abundance and the number of wolves killed for caribou conservation. To test this idea we used a unique management situation in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, where lethal wolf removals were annually conducted across specific southern mountain caribou population ranges and, in some places, moose populations were concurrently reduced via liberalized hunting. We used indices of moose abundance and wolf removal data to test the hypothesis that reducing moose populations to a historical abundance target by hunting leads to fewer wolves killed for caribou conservation. After controlling for habitat quality, wolves removed per km2 was 3.2 times lower in areas with reduced moose density ( = 1.55 wolves/1,000 km2 ± 0.33 [SE]) than in those without reduced moose density ( = 5.02 wolves/1,000 km2 ± 0.52). However, the average number of wolves removed per year decreased under both conditions. After 9 years, there was a 35% reduction in the predicted difference in the annual removal between areas with and without moose reduction. Our results suggest that policies that do not reduce or stabilize moose abundance will result in the removal of more wolves to increase caribou abundance. Like wolf reductions, moose reductions can also be controversial and affect local harvesters. Thus, understanding the consequences of actions that support caribou recovery is essential to supporting evidence‐based policy discussions.

Land Use Changes and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Domestic Water Consumption in the Northern Slope of Tianshan Mountains

Rapid population growth and subsequent urbanization pose significant challenges of water shortage in arid regions. As an important area along the One Belt and One Road line, the Northern Slope of Tianshan Mountains (NSTM) has suffered from water shortages owing to rapid urbanization in recent decades. To conserve water resources and protect the ecosystem, understanding the temporal and spatial variations of the domestic water consumption, availability, and its influencing factors is essential. According to water resource regionalization and its characteristics in NSTM, it was divided into three sections, namely the west section, the middle section, and the east section. In addition, this work characterized the temporal and spatial variation of domestic water consumption in NSTM with a focus on the understanding of the influence of urbanization on domestic water consumption from 1990 to 2020 based on three sections. The results showed that during this period of time, construction land use increased by 2256 km2 corresponding to the population increase of 158.58 × 104. Subsequently, the total domestic water consumption increased from 7.55 × 107 m3 in 1990 to 2.60 × 108 m3 in 2020. The eastern section demonstrated steady growth, while the western and middle sections experienced larger fluctuations in domestic water consumption. Urbanization has been identified as a significant factor influencing the shift in domestic water consumption. This study offers a scientific foundation for the sustainable management of water resources in arid areas.

Urbanization Rapidity and Its Impact on Shuklagandaki Municipality

This study examines the trends and causes of urbanization as well as how they affect Nepal's Shuklagandaki Municipality, which is urbanizing quickly. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study incorporates data from both qualitative and quantitative sources. Quantitative information was gathered from field survey and qualitative data were collected from public reports, census records, and government statistics to examine demographic and economic developments in the municipality during the previous 20 years. Through in-depth interviews with important stakeholders, such as public servants, company owners, and community leaders, qualitative data were acquired. Regression analysis and other descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis process. The results show that throughout the past 20 years, Shuklagandaki Municipality has had notable increase in both demographic and economic metrics. Urban expansion was primarily driven by population increase and economic development; infrastructural improvements, while significant, were secondary. The necessity for planning and policy initiatives that support sustainable growth while attending to the needs and well-being of present and future inhabitants is highlighted by the difficulties and possibilities brought about by the fast urbanization. The article finishes with a summary of the key results, a discussion of the research limitations, and references for future research topics to fill in the gaps in the body of knowledge and address unresolved issues with urban expansion in Shuklagandaki Municipality.

Emergency nurses' attitude and related factors toward geriatric: A cross-sectional study

Aging and the consequent disabilities are major concerns in contemporary society. The last century has witnessed a significant increase in the elderly population, particularly in developing countries, thereby heightening the need to address the issues this demographic faces. Understanding nurses' attitudes towards geriatric and the factors influencing these attitudes is crucial for predicting and, if necessary, modifying the behavior of emergency department nurses. This study aims to determine the emergency nurses' attitudes and related factors toward geriatric. This cross-sectional analytical study targeted nurses working in the emergency departments of medical training centers in Rasht. A total of 190 nurses were selected using the census sampling method. Data collection involved a two-part questionnaire: one section capturing demographic characteristics and the other utilizing Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People scale. The study revealed that the average age of the nurses was 34.41 (standard deviation [SD]=6.37) years. Among the 190 nurses, 171 (90.0%) were women, 105 (70.0%) were married, and 178 (93.7%) held bachelor's degrees. The average length of professional experience among participants was 8.87 (SD=5.24) years, with 7.24 (SD=4.31) years spent in emergency departments. The mean attitude score towards geriatric was 136.24 (SD=10.47), indicating a generally unfavorable attitude. Supervisors exhibited a significantly more positive attitude toward geriatric than regular nurses (P=0.035). No statistically significant relationship was found between the nurses' attitudes and their personal or occupational variables (P<0.05). The findings indicate that nurses generally hold unfavorable attitudes toward geriatric. Given the critical importance of providing high-quality care to this population, developing strategies to improve nurses’ attitudes towards geriatrics is imperative.

Dietary habits and all-cause mortality risk in the adult population. Results of a 6-year prospective follow-up of the ESSE-RF study cohort

Dietary habits affect the risk of all-cause mortality (ACM) in the adult population according to prospective studies.Aim. To assess the effect of dietary habits on the ACM risk in the Rus­sian population.Material and methods. The prospective cohort included represen­ta­tive samples of 10 Russian regions (n=17175, 6767 men and 10408 wo­men aged 25-64 years), examined in 2012-2014 as part of the ESSE-RF study. Dietary habits were studied based on the consumption rate of the main food groups. The vital status of the cohort was updated every 2 years. The follow-up period was 6 years. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to analyze overall survival (OS). Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the ACM risk.Results. In the Russian population, an increase in OS is associated with daily consumption of vegetables/fruits, dairy products (milk, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese), and the presence of the Heal­thy Eating Model (HEM) in the diet. A decrease in OS is associated with excess salt intake (ESI) in the diet, the habit of adding salt to pre­pared foods, and daily consumption of pickles (p<0,05). Among men, an increase in OS is observed with daily consumption of fruits/ve­ge­tables, cheese, and HEM, while a decrease is observed with daily consumption of pickles, general ESI, and the habit of adding salt to foods (p<0,05). In women, daily consumption of red meat, liquid dairy products, cheese, and sweets is associated with an increase in OS (p<0,05). The risk of ACM in the general population and among men increases with ESI — relative risk (RR)=1,31 [1,06-1,61] (p=0,012) and 1,41 [1,06-1,87] (p=0,017), respectively, adding salt to food — RR=1,34 [1,09-1,65] (p=0,006) and 1,5 [1,13-1,98] (p=0,005) and daily consumption of pickles — RR=1,48 [1,02-2,14] (p=0,039) and 1,5 [1,01-2,54] (p=0,045). In women, regular consumption of red meat — RR=0,7 [0,49-0,99] (p=0,043), liquid dairy products — RR=0,68 [0,5-0,93] (p=0,015) and cheese — RR=0,64 [0,46-0,9] (p=0,011) were associated with an ACM decrease.Conclusion. An ACM risk increase in the general population and among men is associated with excess salt intake, and a decrease in ACM risk in women is associated with the regular inclusion of red meat and dairy products in the diet.

Revealing pest patterns: A comparative spatial distribution analysis of insect threats in Kharif rice across the key agricultural regions in the Eastern India.

This study investigates the spatial distribution and aggregation patterns of major insect pests in Kharif rice fields during the 2023 growing season in Eastern India. The analysis focuses on key pests such as yellow stem borer (YSB), gall midge, green leaf hopper (GLH), and brown planthopper (BPH), as well as rice thrips, caseworm, whorl maggot, Gundhi bug, grasshopper, and leaf folder. Using statistical indices, this study aims to understand pest behavior across Standard Meteorological Weeks (SMWs) to better inform pest control strategies. The study reveals significant clustering and aggregation patterns among the pests. YSB exhibited variance-mean ratio (VMR) values between 1.14 (40th SMW) and 1.96 (31st SMW), with dispersion parameter (K) values ranging from 0.57 to 21.65, and a peak index of dispersion of 132.66 (43rd SMW). Similarly, gall midge showed VMR values from 6.19 to 10.48, whereas GLH and BPH recorded VMR ranges of 1.19 to 132.10 and 1.01 to 1.50, respectively. These spatial distribution trends were confirmed through values for Iwao's patchiness index and Taylor's power law, indicating strong pest aggregation in specific areas. The results underscore the need for region-specific integrated pest management strategies that take into account pest clustering and environmental factors influencing pest distribution. Although an S-curve pattern of infestation-showing gradual population increases, rapid peaks, and eventual decline-was observed, the primary focus remains spatial patterns, which are critical for optimizing pest management and improving rice crop sustainability in the region. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Biomass Energy from Agricultural Waste: Evaluating Groundnut Vines and Pumpkin Straws for Combustion Performance

Energy demand has risen significantly in developing countries due to rapid population growth and increase in economic activities such as industrialization, automation manufacturing and digitalization. Dependency on conventional sources of energy in both rural and peri-urban is high. Traditional energy resources lead to environmental degradation due to carbon oxide release leading global warming and deforestation which results to hydrological decline; therefore, need to come up with renewable resources from other sources such as agricultural wastes to meet the demand and solve environmental pollution problems. This study carried out an investigation on combustion and performance analysis of pumpkin straws and groundnut vines to establish their energy potential. ASTM standards were used to determine the proximate and ultimate properties. This analysis revealed moisture content (8.7-12.4%), volatile matter (63-69%), fixed carbon (11.5-18.5%), ash content (6.3-8.2%), Sulphur (0.09-0.13%), nitrogen (1.02-1.03%), oxygen (5.01-55.88%), carbon (41.8-43%) and hydrogen (5.96-6.3%). Calorific values for the briquettes were above 4389 kCal, which is above most biomass. The density and compressive strength were above 0.63 g/cm3 and 17N/mm2 respectively from compaction pressure of 150, 250 and 350 kg/cm2. The burning time was between 4 and 5.3 min, showing an increase with compaction pressure, burning rate ranged between 4.3 and 2.9 g/min, a decrease with compaction pressure increase. The specific fuel consumption portrayed an inverse relationship with calorific value and a direct relationship with compaction pressure, ranging between 166 to 176 grams per litre. Temperature-weight analysis revealed thermo stability of this feedstock, portraying resemblance to proximate analysis. Having exhibited close relationship to other agricultural wastes used for fuel, groundnut vines and pumpkin straws are a solution to environmental degradation by reducing deforestation and emissions. It is recommended that further research on mixing this feedstock with other agricultural wastes as well as making and testing of pellets be carried out to maximize energy output.

Bottom-up effects of nutrient solutions on grape-grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) interaction.

Fertilizers generally influence the nutritional quality or defense ability of the plants, which can indirectly cause an increase in populations of herbivorous insect pests such as grape phylloxera, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Homoptera: Phylloxeridae, Fitch). The effects of nutrient solutions on grape-grape phylloxera interactions were analyzed using five concentrations (nitrogen content: 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180mg/L) of Hoagland's nutrient solution to irrigate Vitis vinifera L. × Vitis labrusca L. (Kyoho). Life table variables and life history variables showed a hump-shaped or an inverted hump-shaped curve as nutrient input level increased. Sixty microgram per liter treatment resulted in the greatest longevity and egg incubation, shortened the nymph duration and significantly increased the adult lifespan. Overall, both excessive and insufficient nutrient inputs curbed growth and multiplication of D. vitifoliae. These results provide a theoretical basis for vineyards for amending fertilizer inputs to prioritize the prevention and control of this pest.

Surface water dynamics of Africa: Analysing continental trends and identifying drivers for major lakes and reservoirs

ABSTRACT Africa has the most dynamic demographic development worldwide. Current projections predict a population of > 3 billion people by the end of the century. Sub-Saharan Africa alone will likely see a 40% increase in population between 2020 and 2050. Although it is well known that large parts of Africa are in a constant state of water stress, its surface water resources remain understudied. This study analyses long-term trends of surface water in Africa. It identifies causal impacts on major lakes and reservoirs for the timeframe 2003–2020, as well as dynamic and causal similarities between the various lakes. For this, a set of daily time series based on Earth observation is employed. Global WaterPack data is used for a daily uninterrupted time series of the continent’s surface water area. Additionally, an array of relevant independent variables, namely precipitation, total evapotranspiration, groundwater, soil moisture, and gross primary productivity (GPP) in different land use areas is analysed. For causal identification, the Peter and Clark Momentary Conditional Independence algorithm is used. Findings show that > 42% of African countries and > 34% of African ecoregions experience shrinking surface water area. Over 80% of investigated surface water bodies are driven by the surface water in their upstream subbasins and GPP in agriculturally used areas. About 85% of investigated lakes are significantly driven by agricultural usage, often in the form of water abstraction, as referenced regional studies confirm. Our analysis demonstrates the feasibility of conducting causal analyses of surface water dynamics using Earth observation data. Dynamically similar lakes are often impacted by the same drivers, forming regional lake clusters. Considering the causes identified may greatly help adapt strategies for sustainable development. A causality analysis to identify drivers of surface water dynamics has, to our knowledge, never been performed before on this scale and at such high temporal resolution.

Predicting the long-term effects of electronic cigarette use on population health: a systematic review of modelling studies

ObjectiveTo systematically review and synthesise the findings of modelling studies on the population impacts of e-cigarette use and to identify potential gaps requiring future investigation.Data source and study selectionFour databases...

Seal of approval: Public preferences for the conservation of endangered Saimaa ringed seal

In species conservation, various options for conservation measures typically exist, yet their implementation may lead to conflicts among different population groups. Heterogenous preferences toward conservation measures often stem from the utilization of natural resources, whether for livelihood or recreational purposes. This study, focusing on the Saimaa ringed seal, a symbol of nature conservation in Finland, examines both population size and conservation measures. We distinguish the stated preferences between recreational visitors to Lake Saimaa, fishers at the lake, and individuals residing in other parts of Finland without direct use of the lake. To measure preferences, we utilize a choice experiment that incorporates both population size and the most promising conservation measures as attributes. The findings reveal significant variations in willingness-to-pay estimates between visitors and non-visitors, as well as between fishers and non-fishers. Interestingly, all population groups expressed a preference for a moderate increase in the seal population and a small extension of conservation measures, rather than opting for a substantial extension of measures. This insight emphasizes the importance of considering diverse stakeholder perspectives when designing and implementing species conservation strategies.

Incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Quality of Life in Smart Cities

Rapid urbanization and low residential resources in cities are serious issues that are making city life difficult day by day. The development of smart cities is becoming a need of the present era due to the swift increase in population and environmental issues globally. Smart cities are being introduced in different regions of the world with the incorporation of latest technologies. The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the tools that can be used in smart building and cities. AI technologies are transforming public safety, trash management, healthcare, traffic control, and resource management, making cities more sustainable, effective, and responsive to their citizens' demands. There are still lack of awareness in some areas of the world on the efficacy of smart building and construction that is impacting negatively on the economy and growth of those countries.; such as Pakistan is one of those countries that is facing serious challenges due to increased population, urban migration, and poor management of natural resources. The need of planning smart strategies for smart building is very crucial to manage population and housing issues. Smart buildings and cities provide unique and convenient facilities to its residents so that they can contribute positively towards the economy of country. This paper focuses at important areas where AI has the most effects in order to investigate how integrating AI improves quality of life in smart cities. The aim is to highlight artificial intelligence's contribution to improving urban operations, streamlining resource management, and advancing sustainability. Additionally, potential concerns about privacy, data security, and fair access will be discussed. In order to show how AI-driven innovations like predictive analytics, machine learning, and IoT-enabled systems are changing the urban environment, the study synthesizes existing research and real-world examples. The evaluation also covers how AI promotes smart government, tailored urban services, and citizen involvement. The conclusion emphasizes that although AI has great potential to improve the quality of life in smart cities, implementation of the technology must be done in a balanced way to prioritize inclusive policies and ethical concerns for the general welfare of residents.