Spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem services and their trade-offs and synergies against the background of the gully control and land consolidation project on the Loess Plateau,China

Studying the spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem services and their interrelationships on the Loess Plateau against the background of the gully control and land consolidation(GCLC)project has significant implications for ecological protection and quality development of the Yellow River Basin.Therefore,in this study,we took Yan'an City,Shaanxi Province of China,as the study area,selected four typical ecosystem services,including soil conservation service,water yield service,carbon storage service,and habitat quality service,and quantitatively evaluated the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services from 2010 to 2018 using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.We also analysed the relationship between the GCLC project and regional ecosystem service changes in various regions(including 1 city,2 districts,and 10 counties)of Yan'an City and proposed a coordinated development strategy between the GCLC project and the ecological environment.The results showed that,from 2010 to 2018,soil conservation service decreased by 7.76%,while the other three ecosystem services changed relatively little,with water yield service increasing by 0.56% and carbon storage service and habitat quality service decreasing by 0.16% and 0.14%,respectively.The ecological environment of Yan'an City developed in a balanced way between 2010 and 2018,and the four ecosystem services showed synergistic relationships,among which the synergistic relationships between soil conservation service and water yield service and between carbon storage service and habitat quality service were significant.The GCLC project had a negative impact on the ecosystem services of Yan'an City,and the impact on carbon storage service was more significant.This study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific evaluation of the ecological benefits of the GCLC project and the realization of a win-win situation between food security and ecological security.

Analysis of the Characteristics and Development Direction of Services Trade in Shandong Province of China

Shandong is a significant province for foreign trade in China;however,it still faces shortcomings in the development of its service trade,as outlined below.Firstly,the scale of service trade is limited.Shandong’s service trade volume ranked sixth in China in 2022,lagging considerably behind Shanghai,Guangdong,Beijing,Zhejiang,and Jiangsu.Secondly,the proportion of service trade in Shandong compared to the overall national services trade volume falls below the national average,with the per capita scale even lower than the national average.Thirdly,Shandong’s service trade accounts for less than 10% of the province’s foreign trade,which is 3 percentage points below the national average.The insufficient development of Shandong’s service trade is mainly attributed to the weak performance of its own service industry and the limited scale of attracting foreign services investment.Accelerating the development of producer services in Shandong,promoting the intelligent upgrading of consumer services,and continuously promoting reform and opening up in the service sector will be conducive to achieving high-quality development of services trade in Shandong.

Bolzano Traffic: An Example of Open ITS Deployment for Advanced Traveller Information Services

This paper aims to present the experience gathered in the Italian alpine city of Bolzano within the project“Bolzano Traffic”whose goal is the introduction of an experimental open ITS platform for local service providers,fostering the diffusion of advanced traveller information services and the future deployment of cooperative mobility systems in the region.Several end-users applications targeted to the needs of different user groups have been developed in collaboration with local companies and research centers;a partnership with the EU Co-Cities project has been activated as well.The implemented services rely on real-time travel and traffic information collected by urban traffic monitoring systems or published by local stakeholders(e.g.public transportation operators).An active involvement of end-users,who have recently started testing these demo applications for free,is actually on-going.

A Hybrid Machine Learning Approach for Improvised QoE in Video Services over 5G Wireless Networks

Video streaming applications have grown considerably in recent years.As a result,this becomes one of the most significant contributors to global internet traffic.According to recent studies,the telecommunications industry loses millions of dollars due to poor video Quality of Experience(QoE)for users.Among the standard proposals for standardizing the quality of video streaming over internet service providers(ISPs)is the Mean Opinion Score(MOS).However,the accurate finding of QoE by MOS is subjective and laborious,and it varies depending on the user.A fully automated data analytics framework is required to reduce the inter-operator variability characteristic in QoE assessment.This work addresses this concern by suggesting a novel hybrid XGBStackQoE analytical model using a two-level layering technique.Level one combines multiple Machine Learning(ML)models via a layer one Hybrid XGBStackQoE-model.Individual ML models at level one are trained using the entire training data set.The level two Hybrid XGBStackQoE-Model is fitted using the outputs(meta-features)of the layer one ML models.The proposed model outperformed the conventional models,with an accuracy improvement of 4 to 5 percent,which is still higher than the current traditional models.The proposed framework could significantly improve video QoE accuracy.

Coupling Coordination Analysis of Cropland Intensification and Agroecosystem Services:Evidence from Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province,China

One of the greatest challenges in the agroecosystem is to improve cropland intensification while preserving agroecosystem services.While many studies have investigated the effect of cropland intensification on agroecosystem service,the interactive coupling and coordination among these factors remain largely unexplored.In view of this,this study performed a case study of the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province,China and constructed comprehensive evaluation models to quantify the cropland intensification and agroecosystem service in this area.Balance analysis and the coupling coordination degree model were used to evaluate the interactive relationship between cropland intensification and agroecosystem service,and statistical analysis and spatial autocorrelation were used to analyze the spatial characteristics and potential mechanism of the coupling coordination.Results show that both the cropland intensification and agroecosystem service in the study area were relatively low yet gradually increased from 2000 to 2020.Agroecosystem service lag was identified as the dominant unbalanced development type.Improving the supply capacity of agroecosystem services plays a key role in the balanced development of cropland in the Loess Plateau.The coupling coordination degree between cropland intensification and agroecosystem service ranges from basic coordination to serious incoordination.Therefore,cropland intensification practices in the area should be optimized to enhance this coordination degree.An upward trend was also observed in the coupling coordination degree from2000 to 2020.The withdrawal of marginal cropland in the Grain for Green program is one of the most important reasons for this trend,especially for the northern region.Around 83.6%of the high-high clusters are concentrated in the southern region of the Loess Plateau,whereas 70.5%of the low-low clusters are distributed in the northern region.These clustering characteristics are mainly attributed to the environmental suitability of these areas for agriculture and their degree of economic development.

Spatiotemporal variations of ecosystem services and driving factors in the Tianchi Bogda Peak Natural Reserve of Xinjiang,China

Nature reserves play a significant role in providing ecosystem services and are key sites for biodiversity conservation.The Tianchi Bogda Peak Natural Reserve(TBPNR),located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China,is an important ecological barrier area in the temperate arid zone.The evaluation of its important ecosystem services is of great significance to improve the management level and ecological protection efficiency of the reserve.In the present study,we assessed the spatiotemporal variations of four ecosystem services(including net primary productivity(NPP),water yield,soil conservation,and habitat quality)in the TBPNR from 2000 to 2020 based on the environmental and social data using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.In addition,the coldspot and hotspot areas of ecosystem services were identified by hotspot analysis,and the trade-off and synergistic relationships between ecosystem services were analyzed using factor analysis in a geographic detector.During the study period,NPP and soil conservation values in the reserve increased by 48.20%and 25.56%,respectively;conversely,water yield decreased by 16.56%,and there was no significant change in habitat quality.Spatially,both NPP and habitat quality values were higher in the northern part and lower in the southern part,whereas water yield showed an opposite trend.Correlation analysis revealed that NPP showed a synergistic relationship with habitat quality and soil conservation,and exhibited a trade-off relationship with water yield.Water yield and habitat quality also had a trade-off relationship.NPP and habitat quality were affected by annual average temperature and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),respectively,while water yield and soil conservation were more affected by digital elevation model(DEM).Therefore,attention should be paid to the spatial distribution and dynamics of trade-off and synergistic relationships between ecosystem services in future ecological management.The findings of the present study provide a reference that could facilitate the sustainable utilization of ecosystem services in the typical fragile areas of Northwest China.

Impacts of multi-scenario land use change on ecosystem services and ecological security pattern: A case study of the Yellow River Delta

The Yellow River Delta(YRD), a critical economic zone along China's eastern coast, also functions as a vital ecological reserve in the lower Yellow River. Amidst rapid industrialization and urbanization, the region has witnessed significant land use/cover changes(LUCC), impacting ecosystem services(ES) and ecological security patterns(ESP). Investigating LUCC's effects on ES and ESP in the YRD is crucial for ecological security and sustainable development. This study utilized the PLUS model to simulate 2030 land use scenarios, including natural development(NDS), economic development(EDS), and ecological protection scenarios(EPS). Subsequently, the InVEST model and circuit theory were applied to assess ES and ESP under varying LUCC scenarios from 2010 to 2030. Findings indicate:(1) Notable LUCC from 2010 to 2030, marked by decreasing cropland and increasing construction land and water bodies.(2) From 2010 to 2020, improvements were observed in carbon storage,water yield, soil retention, and habitat quality, whereas 2020–2030 saw increases in water yield and soil retention but declines in habitat quality and carbon storage. Among the scenarios, EPS showed superior performance in all four ES.(3) Between 2010 and 2030, ecological sources, corridors, and pinchpoints expanded, displaying significant spatial heterogeneity. The EPS scenario yielded the most substantial increases in ecological sources,corridors, and pinchpoints, totaling 582.89 km^(2), 645.03 km^(2),and 64.43 km^(2), respectively. This study highlights the importance of EPS, offering insightful scientific guidance for the YRD's sustainable development.

Regional Digital Financial Services Security Clinic for Asia Pacific Region

April 24-25, Seoul, Republic of Korea The International Telecommunication Union(ITU) is organizing the Regional Digital Financial Services Security Clinic for Asia Pacific Region on April 24-25, 2024 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The event is being jointly held with FNSV Korea and the Korean Fintech Center.

Diversified Elderly Care Services to Promote the Silver Economy

China is striving to build an elderly-friendly society,with comfortable living facilities,convenient transportation,and accessible leisure services.THE Chinese path to modernization entails the modernization of a huge population.Part of this,as was declared at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC),means China will pursue a proactive national strategy in response to population aging,and develop elderly care programs and services.To actively respond to population aging,there is more to care than just the physical health of the elderly.Their needs are multi-level and diverse.To some extent,it’s fair to say that a society’s happiness is largely dependent on whether or not the elderly are happy.The silver economy,which meets the needs of the elderly for a better life,therefore has enormous development potentials.

Discussion on Cultural Integration and Educational Services for International Students from the Perspective of Situational Communication

From the perspective of situational communication,this paper aims to explore how to promote cultural integration and provide better educational services for international students in China.This paper first analyzes the basic assumptions and key factors of situational communication based on international students in China.Secondly,the relationship between situational communication and cultural integration and educational services for international students in China is discussed in depth.Additionally,the role of situational communication in educational services for international students in China,such as promoting cross-cultural communication,solving language barriers,and enhancing mutual understanding,is proposed.Lastly,from the perspective of situational communication,an optimization path of educational services and cultural integration for international students in China is proposed,including the provision of diversified educational resources,the enhancement of cross-cultural communication,and the establishment of an effective communication mechanism.This study expands the perspective of educational services for international students in China,provides a new theoretical framework and practical path,and offers a reference for promoting cultural integration and improving educational services for international students in China.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Community Pharmacy Services on Rational Medication Use in Elderly Patients with Hypertension and Diabetes

Objective:To explore the effect of community pharmacy services on rational medication use in elderly patients with hypertension and diabetes.Methods:Between November 2022 and December 2023,80 elderly patients with hypertension and diabetes were selected and randomly divided into a control group(routine medication guidance)and an observation group(community pharmacy services),with 40 subjects each.The medication effect scores,blood pressure,blood sugar levels,and quality of life scores before and after intervention were compared between the two groups.Results:Comparison of pharmaceutical knowledge,medication compliance,and safe medication behavior scores showed that the observation group had higher scores as compared to the control group(P<0.05);blood pressure(systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,heart rate)and blood sugar(fasting blood glucose,2 h postprandial blood glucose,glycated hemoglobin)index levels were compared,and the observation group’s index levels were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05);the scores of physical health,mental health,social relationships,and environment in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Community pharmacy services improved the rational medication effect of elderly patients with hypertension and diabetes,and improved their blood pressure,blood sugar control levels,and quality of life.

Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Future Scenario Simulation of the Trade-offs and Synergies of Mountain Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Dabie Mountains Area, China

Mountain ecosystems play an essential role in supporting regional sustainable development and improving local ecological environments. However, economic development in mountainous areas has long been lagging, and multiple conflicts related to resource assurance, ecological protection, and economic development have emerged. An accurate grasp of the current status and evolutionary trends of mountain ecosystems is essential to enhance the overall benefits of ecosystem services and maintain regional ecological security. Based on the In VEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) model, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services(ES) in the Dabie Mountains Area(DMA) of eastern China. The Markov-PLUS(Patch-generating Land Use Simulation) model was used to conduct a multi-scenario simulation of the area's future development. Water yield(WY) and soil conservation(SC) had overall increasing trends during 2000-2020, carbon storage(CS)decreased overall but slowed with time, and habitat quality(HQ) increased and then decreased. The ecological protection scenario is the best scenario for improving ES in the DMA by 2030;compared to 2020, the total WY would decrease by 3.77 × 10^(8) m^(3), SC would increase by 0.65 × 10^(6) t, CS would increase by 1.33 × 10^(6) t, and HQ would increase by 0.06%. The comprehensive development scenario is the second-most effective scenario for ecological improvement, while the natural development scenario did not have a significant effect. However, as the comprehensive development scenario considers both environmental protection and economic development, which are both vital for the sustainable development of the mountainous areas, this scenario is considered the most suitable path for future development. There are trade-offs between WY, CS, and HQ, while there are synergies between SC, CS, and HQ. Spatially, the DMA's central core district is the main strong synergistic area, the marginal zone is the weak synergistic area, and trade-offs are mainly distributed in the transition zone.

Impact of slope farmland use change on ecosystem services value in China,2000-2020

Slope farmland is an important component of farmland resources in China.The utilization and change of slope farmland have significant effects on ecosystems,and understanding the impact of slope farmland change on ecosystem services(ESs)is critical for effective land utilization and ecosystem protection.This study aims to analyze slope farmland changes in China between 2000 and 2020 and quantify the impact of these changes on ESs by the use of a land use dynamic attitude study,and an ecosystem services value(ESV)equivalent.Results show that the area of slope farmland in China was mainly concentrated on slopes of 2°-6°,and exhibited a downward trend between 2000 and 2020.There were significant differences in the spatial distribution of the farmland,which was mainly located in the Taihang,Qinling,Wushan,and Xuefeng mountains.ESV increased by$179.235 million due to the conversion between slope farmland and forest,grassland,and construction land from 2000-2010.Conversely,from 2010 to 2020,ESV decreased by$2613.919 million due to the conversion of forest and grassland to slope farmland as well as the conversion of slope farmland to construction land.

Economic Assessment of Selected Regulatory Ecosystem Services (RES) in the Elgeyo and Nyambene Watersheds Ecosystems in Kenya

Evidence of increased valuation of ecosystem services (ES) globally is significant. However, most of these studies focus on marketed subsets of ES at national and international levels. Ecosystems differ in spatial scale, biophysical and ecological structure, and functionality. This requires conducting studies at the local level to understand how, for example, the watershed ecosystem contributes to humanity locally and nationally. This study focuses on selected regulatory ecosystem services (RES) in Kenya’s catchment area ecosystems (Elgeyo and Nyambene). Field-based sampling and Landsat imagery with secondary information were used to generate biophysical and ecological data. The study used market price-based, cost-based, and unit transfer methods for RES valuation. The study estimates the total value of the six selected regulatory ecosystem services (RES) at KES 41.4 billion (US$386.7 million) and KES 14.73 billion (US$137.71 million) for Elgeyo and Nyambene, respectively. This equates to KES 1.64 million (US$15,331.19) and KES 2.72 million (US$25,375) per hectare per year. Extrapolating the study estimates to the national level, the country’s regulatory ecosystem services would range from US$18.4 billion to US$30.45 billion annually. This equates to between 16.7% and 27.7% of Kenya’s GDP in 2021, underscoring the importance of watersheds to the national economy.

Dynamic Service Discovery, Composition and Reconfiguration in a Model Mapping Business Process to Web Services

In any organization where SOA has been implemented, all of the web services are registered in UDDI and users’ needs are served by using appropriate web services. So in this paper, we will try to discover a service from repository first that can provide the required output to the user. The process becomes difficult when a single service is not able to fulfill a user’s need and we need a combination of services to answer complex needs of users. In our paper, we will suggest a simpler approach for dynamic service composition using a graph based methodology. This will be a design time service composition. This approach uses the functional and non-functional parameters of the services to select the most suitable services for composition as per user’s need. This approach involves “service classification” on the basis of functional parameters, “service discovery” on the basis of user’s need and then “service composition” using the selected services on the basis of non-functional parameters like response time, cost, security and availability. Another challenge in SOA implementation is that, once the composition has performed, some services may become faulty at runtime and may stop the entire process of serving a user’s need. So, we will also describe a way of “dynamic service reconfiguration” in our approach that will enable us to identify and replace a faulty service that is violating the SLA or is not accessible anymore. This service reconfiguration is done without redoing or reconfiguring the entire composition. In the end, to simulate the proposed approach, we will represent a prototype application built on php 5.4 using My SQL database at backend.

Spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of ecosystem services in Central Asia

Land use/land cover(LULC)change and climate change are two major factors affecting the provision of ecosystem services which are closely related to human well-being.However,a clear understanding of the relationships between these two factors and ecosystem services in Central Asia is still lacking.This study aimed to comprehensively assess ecosystem services in Central Asia and analyze how they are impacted by changes in LULC and climate.The spatiotemporal patterns of three ecosystem services during the period of 2000-2015,namely the net primary productivity(NPP),water yield,and soil retention,were quantified and mapped by the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach(CASA)model,Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)model,and Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE).Scenarios were used to determine the relative importance and combined effect of LULC change and climate change on ecosystem services.Then,the relationships between climate factors(precipitation and temperature)and ecosystem services,as well as between LULC change and ecosystem services,were further discussed.The results showed that the high values of ecosystem services appeared in the southeast of Central Asia.Among the six biomes(alpine forest region(AFR),alpine meadow region(AMR),typical steppe region(TSR),desert steppe region(DSR),desert region(DR),and lake region(LR)),the values of ecosystem services followed the order of AFR>AMR>TSR>DSR>DR>LR.In addition,the values of ecosystem services fluctuated during the period of 2000-2015,with the most significant decreases observed in the southeast mountainous area and northwest of Central Asia.LULC change had a greater impact on the NPP,while climate change had a stronger influence on the water yield and soil retention.The combined LULC change and climate change exhibited a significant synergistic effect on ecosystem services in most of Central Asia.Moreover,ecosystem services were more strongly and positively correlated with precipitation than with temperature.The greening of desert areas and forest land expansion could improve ecosystem services,but unreasonable development of cropland and urbanization have had an adverse impact on ecosystem services.According to the results,ecological stability in Central Asia can be achieved through the natural vegetation protection,reasonable urbanization,and ecological agriculture development.

Addressing the needs and rights of sex workers for HIV healthcare services in the Philippines

The right to health for all people means that healthcare services and programs are available,accessible,and acceptable for everyone in need.However,certain groups in the society may be marginalized from their needed healthcare services.In this regard,this paper discusses the challenges in providing HIV-related services to sex workers,a group that remains marginalized in Philippine society.

Accessibility and utilization of healthcare services among diabetic patients:Is diabetes a poor man’s ailment?

Diabetes is a non-communicable ailment that has adverse effects on the individual’s overall well-being and productivity in society.The main objective of this study was to examine the empirical literature concerning the association between diabetes and poverty and the accessibility and utilization of medical care services among diabetic patients.The diabetes literature was explored using a literature review approach.This review revealed that diabetes is an ailment that affects all individuals irrespective of socioeconomic status;however,its prevalence is high in low-income countries.Hence,despite the higher prevalence of diabetes in developing countries compared with developed countries,diabetes is not a poor man’s ailment because it affects individuals of all incomes.While the number of diabetic patients that access and utilize diabetes medical care services has increased over the years,some personal and institutional factors still limit patients’access to the use of diabetes care.Also,there is a lacuna in the diabetes literature concerning the extent of utilization of available healthcare services by diabetic patients.

Forest use suitability:Towards decision-making-oriented sustainable management of forest ecosystem services

Management of forest lands considering multi-functional approaches is the basis to sustain or enhance the provi-sion of specific benefits,while minimizing negative impacts to the environment.Defining a desired management itinerary to a forest depends on a variety of factors,including the forest type,its ecological characteristics,and the social and economic needs of local communities.A strategic assessment of the forest use suitability(FUS)(namely productive,protective,conservation-oriented,social and multi-functional)at regional level,based on the provision of forest ecosystem services and trade-offs between FUS alternatives,can be used to develop management strategies that are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the forest.The present study assesses the provision of multiple forest ecosystem services and employs a decision model to identify the FUS that sup-ports the most present and productive ecosystem services in each stand in Catalonia.For this purpose,we apply the latest version of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support(EMDS)system,a spatially oriented decision support system that provides accurate results for multi-criteria management.We evaluate 32 metrics and 12 as-sociated ecosystem services indicators to represent the spatial reality of the region.According to the results,the dominant primary use suitability is social,followed by protective and productive.Nevertheless,final assignment of uses is not straightforward and requires an exhaustive analysis of trade-offs between all alternative options,in many cases identifying flexible outcomes,and increasing the representativeness of multi-functional use.The assignment of forest use suitability aims to significantly improve the definition of the most adequate management strategy to be applied.

Stress perceptions of nurses serving in home healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic:A qualitative research

Objective:To investigate the stress perceptions of nurses serving in home healthcare services during COVID-19.Methods:This study was qualitative research with a phenomenological design.Data were collected and recorded through in-depth interviews with 6 nurses working in MuşState Hospital,Home Healthcare Services Unit using a form consisting of 12 questions on an online platform between May 2021 and July 2021.The audio recordings were transcribed by the researcher and content analysis was performed by creating codes,categories,and themes.Results:The interviews yielded 10 categories and 59 sub-codes.These codes were addressed under the theme of"COVID-19 pandemic".Under this main theme,nurses expressed the problems they experienced in issues such as stress,support mechanisms,and family and social problems during COVID-19.They mentioned that they experienced high stress in this process,as well as social isolation and negative thoughts of society about them and that they could not spare time for themselves and their families.Conclusions:Nurses working in home healthcare services frequently express negativities such as high stress,isolation from society,and increased workload.Therefore,actions should be taken to raise awareness of society on these issues,increase the number of personnel,conduct more research,and share the results with the public.