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The SIR Iber highlights the geographical location of Ibero-American universities by positioning them according to the indicators grouped into three main factors: research, innovation and social impact. The 2020 edition highlights the formation of three groups of countries according to the production capacity of higher education institutions. In group 1 we have: Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Colombia as Latin American countries that managed to publish more than 60,000 papers in the period 2014-2018. This paper analyzes and compares the indicators from the five (05) Latin American countries in group 1 of the SIR Iber 2020 referring to investment in I+S as a percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (PIB), the number of full-time equivalent researchers (Inv JCE), the production (%) of scientific works in the university education sector, to name a few. A conglomerate formed with the Normalized Impact (NI) of public and private IESs is presented, regarding the global average of citation, with the data published in the SIR IBER 2020 Report, and highlights that Chile has a normalized impact above the World average for both public and private IES publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study drew statistical studies between the increased use of information technology and paper consumption in the Brazilian market, using data for twenty years. Through the literature review on the topic and statistical tests, it was investigated whether corporate investments in information technology provided to reduce the consumption of certain types of papers. The results corroborate the earlier study, developed by Moraes Meirelles and Nacimiento (2010), which was analyzed in a period of six years, indicating that the use of IT did not bring benefit to the reduction of paper consumption. It is evident through this study that the values of IT investments by companies participating in this research had positive correlation with the fall in consumption of newsprint and writing paper type, indicating that, possibly, access to digital information through reduced the use of newspapers. It is also evident in the increased consumption of other types of paper such as newsprint and packaging, consumption increased along with IT investments, thus we can deduce that the easy access to computer equipment, including printers would lead to the printing of electronic files, as well as increased sales of electronic equipment tends to increase the use of packing paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to define a procedure useful to evaluate the potential environmental, social and economic benefits contained in paper and cardboard (or other recyclables), which are wasted in the unsorted fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW). To give a practical example, the procedure was applied to the 550 municipalities of the Campania region, in Southern Italy, but the developed procedure is applicable in any context in an 'urban mining' perspective. The procedure consists of five phases and uses two methodologies: one for the estimation of the composition analysis of the unsorted residual waste and another for the calculation of sustainability indicators able to measure the benefits wasted in the unsorted residual MSW. Six indicators were defined: two for the environment (carbon footprint and ecological footprint), two for the society (health footprint and occupational benefits) and two for the economy (economic profit and economic saving). The first methodology was developed by the regional environmental protection agency to update the MSW regional management plan. The second methodology is based on the use of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) through which it was possible to calculate the reference parameters useful for the calculation of the impacts (i.e., loss of benefits) for recycling, mechanical and biological treatment (MBT), incineration and landfilling of paper and cardboard contained in the unsorted residual waste. The obtained results confirmed the presence of such an enormous deposit of recyclable materials contained in the unsorted residual waste, which is a potential source, but not exploited, of environmental, social and economic benefits. For instance, the paper and cardboard 'urban mine' of Naples was greater than 16 million of euro (economic profit + economic saving), with a potential saving of around 11.4 million of kgCO 2 eq. (carbon footprint), 207 million of m2 (ecological footprint), 44 Disability Adjusted Life Years (health footprint), with a creation of 30 job positions in the waste management sector (occupational benefits). [Display omitted] • A procedure consisting of five phases was developed using two methodologies. • One methodology estimates the composition analysis of the unsorted residual waste. • Another methodology used a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. • Two indicators for the environment, two for the society and two for the economy. • The paper and cardboard 'urban mine' of Naples was greater than 16 million of euro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of BIOAGRO is the property of Revista BIOAGRO and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Self-excited chatter vibration is one of the most unexpected phenomena during the milling operation, which is always combined with time-varying and non-stationary characteristics. This paper presents a milling chatter detection approach combined with the time-frequency analysis (TFA) method and instantaneous frequency and energy aggregation characteristics of the chatter vibration in the milling process. A zoom synchrosqueezing transform (ZST)-based chatter identification approach and several chatter identification indicators are constructed for milling chatter identification. The TFA method ZST is used to characterize the time-varying and non-stationary characteristics of the chatter vibration. The zoom strategy is used to improve the time-frequency resolution and energy concentration of the obtained time-frequency distribution. From an energy aggregation characteristic perspective, 13 instantaneous frequency domain statistic indicators and an instantaneous energy ratio indicator based on the time-frequency distribution obtained by ZST are developed for milling chatter identification. Four groups of cutting tests with both end milling and peripheral milling are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the developed chatter identification indicators, and results show that the developed chatter identification indicators can effectively identify chatter in the milling process and are insensitive to the cutting parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on call centers, which have become a common means of communication with potential customers in various companies. Specifically, this paper analyzes call center data and the importance of assessing key indicators for evaluating call center performance. The questions this paper addresses are the criteria for evaluating call center quality and the methods for analyzing call center data. Previous research has shown the significance of call centers as the "face of the company," with the quality of their work reflecting how efficiently a company will serve its customers' requests in the future. The main goal of this paper is to fill a gap in previous research by identifying the main controlled key indicator for call center quality and to suggest ways to improve efficiency. By using analytical methods to examine call center data, this paper identifies the most important criteria for call center quality and provides recommendations for enhancing service quality. The main findings of this paper show the importance of call center operator performance in determining call center performance which affects company revenue. By evaluating key indicators such as the number of operators, this paper demonstrates how call centers can reduce service costs and improve efficiency. During the analysis using call center data for two years, it turned out that the company had expenses 1/3 of the total amount of maintenance compared to the previous year, which is not effective in terms of economy. Operational planning has a direct impact on operators' costs and the main cost component is the hourly cost of operators. If optimal planning turns out to be at least 10% better than the arrangement set in the call center, company will save a good amount. The significance of this paper lies in its potential to improve the quality of service in call centers and its contribution to the field of customer service management. By providing insight into the importance of call center efficiency, this research offers recommendations for predicting the optimal number of operators to improve the customer experience with reducing service costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy represents an effective way to address limited resources and mitigate the impact of human activity on the planet. To summarize the possible effect of circular economy implementation on business performance and its possible measurement, a systematic literature review on a final sample of 28 papers was conducted. The main findings reveal that the circular economy can help to improve business performance and that numerous indicators could be used to measure it, especially the balanced scorecard approach, which seems suitable for such classification (however, more research on this topic is needed). Additionally, it was revealed that the circular economy concept itself has no clear and generally used definition, which complicates the summarizing of the revealed indicators. To simplify future research, we proposed a research framework based on this systematic literature review and emphasized the research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas generate more than 70% of the world's climate change emissions, mainly CO2, produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. Climate change is increasing cities' exposure to climate hazards, such as heat waves or floods. Therefore, there is a need to improve risk management with the inclusion of climate resilience in urban policy design. Despite improved urban climate monitoring, there are still relatively few scientific publications on climate change adaptation in urban areas. Adaptation to climate change is not achieved through specific action, but rather through the adoption and continuous implementation of adaptation actions such as housing rehabilitation, green space management and protection measures for vulnerable groups. This variety of actions makes it difficult not only to identify different indicators, but also to use common benchmarks. Considering the role of municipalities in adapting to climate change, it is crucial to identify adaptation indicators that serve as a basis for decision making, as well as evaluation methods that allow the effectiveness of planned and implemented measures in municipalities. It can be used to determine which measures increase the level of adaptation or lead to poor adaptation. Therefore, monitoring indicators makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures, in addition to formulating new ones. This paper includes a literature review of existing index designed to address climate hazards and mitigate their impacts in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine closure is a growing concern in mining countries around the world due to the associated environmental and social impacts. This is particularly true in developing countries like South Africa where poverty, social deprivation and unemployment are widespread and environmental governance is not strong. South Africa has 230 operating mines located in diverse natural and social settings. Over 6 million people live in urban and rural mining host communities who will be significantly affected by mine closure. The national, provincial and local governments need guidance in identifying high-risk areas and relevant policy and programmatic interventions. This paper describes the development of a quantitative mine closure risk rating system that assesses the likelihood of mine closure, the risk of social impact and the risk of environmental impact of mine closure for every operating mine in the country. The paper visualises the high likelihood of closure and environmental impacts for numerous coal and gold mines, and the significant social risks in the deprived rural platinum and chrome mining areas. The rating system was tested with 10 mines and 19 experts, and the resulting maps are communicated in an online South African Mine Closure Risk and Opportunity Atlas. The risk ratings could be used in mine closure planning and management by mining companies, consultancies, governments and affected communities. While this risk rating system has been designed for South Africa, the methodology and framework could be applied to any mining country in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science titled "Farm animal welfare and climate change: methods of assessment and mitigation." The editorial highlights the intersection of farm animal welfare and climate change as a critical area of concern in veterinary sciences. It emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to protect animal well-being and the environment. The editorial introduces a research topic that explores the relationship between farm animal welfare and climate change, focusing on assessment methods and mitigation strategies. The research papers included in the topic cover various aspects such as genetic merit in dairy heifers, thermal well-being of dairy calves, physiological response of pigs to heat stress, effects of transportation stress on piglets, and the unique adaptations of yaks in harsh environments. The interdisciplinary nature of the research presented underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies to address the challenges arising from the intersection of farm animal welfare and climate change. The editorial concludes by emphasizing the role of the veterinary community in promoting sustainable and humane livestock farming practices. [Extracted from the article]

Since the beginning of the 1990s, many researchers and several organizations concerned with development- and environment-related issues have devised methods to evaluate sustainable development at national and international scales. To that effect, they have identified sustainable development indicators. To date, however, very little work has focused on industrial activities. This paper presents a semi-quantitative method allowing evaluation of the environmental aspect to sustainable development, with an application on the environmental performance of the effluent treatment procedure of a paper mill. Eight environmental indicators for sustainable development are considered for evaluation. These indicators are linked to the strategic requirements for sustainable development as stated in the Bruntdland Commission. They are also acknowledged by many authors and organizations. The environmental performance evaluation on the effluent treatment procedure of the paper mill under study shows that this activity meets a relative degree of sustainability. This evaluation allows the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the effluent treatment with respect to sustainable development.Key words: indicators, sustainable development, measure, environmental performance, biologic treatment, effluents, paper mills.[Journal translation]Depuis le début des années 1990, plusieurs chercheurs et différents organismes préoccupés par les questions de développement et d'environnement mettent au point des méthodes pour évaluer le développement durable à l'échelle nationale ou internationale. Pour ce faire, ils ont identifié des indicateurs de développement durable. Cependant, très peu de travaux se sont concentrés à date sur les activités industrielles. Cet article présente une méthode semi-quantitative permettant l'évaluation du volet environnemental du développement durable avec application à la performance environnementale de la filière de traitement des effluents d'une papetière. Huit indicateurs environnementaux de développement durable sont retenus pour les fins de l'évaluation. Ces indicateurs sont rattachés aux impératifs stratégiques de développement durable énoncés par la Commission Bruntdland. Ils sont aussi reconnus par plusieurs auteurs et organismes. L'évaluation de la performance environnementale de la filière de traitement des effluents de la papetière étudiée montre que cette activité rencontre un degré relatif de soutenabilité. L'évaluation permet d'identifier les forces et les lacunes que comporte la filière de traitement des effluents en regard du développement durable.Mots clés : indicateurs, développement durable, mesure, performance environnementale, traitement biologique, effluents, papetières. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a hot topic in the field of library and information, the research on topic recognition and trend prediction has been paid close attention by academic circles. This paper uses a systematic literature review, bibliometric analyses and classification methods. Through a systematic literature review, 96 studies about topic identification and evolution prediction models are selected from the CNKI database. By using VOSviewer to conduct bibliometric analyses, the key research content and themes are revealed. Through the classification method, EXCEL is used to summarize models and algorithms used in the literature comprehensively. It is found that topic identification models and algorithms can be divided into four categories: ① Topic model based on LDA and related derivative models. ② Machine learning and deep learning methods. ③ Methods based on reference relation. ④ Text mining methods. Trend prediction models and algorithms mainly cover two categories: ① deep learning or machine learning models and algorithms based on time sequence; ② link prediction algorithms based on complex network. At the same time, we have also summarized the common index system involved in each study and the way to evaluate the effectiveness of the method, thus this paper comprehensively reveals the application progress in academic circles of topic identification and prediction models and algorithms from the last 10 years and beyond, based on the CNKI database. The purpose is to determine the most popular models and algorithms applied in research, generalize the corresponding indicator systems and validation methods, and finally provide references for model choice or evaluation when identifying and predicting topics in the future. Thus, this paper can help us to understand the overall progress made in text analysis research, and provides a useful reference for selecting and applying the appropriate models, algorithms and indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical farming has gained increased attention in recent years due to its capacity to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production in terms of water consumption and soil and fertilizer usage. In the literature, many works describe and evaluate applications of vertical farming. However, no work addresses the issue of classifying the KPIs for vertical farming and highlights both the most assessed aspects and the lack of evaluations. The main contribution of this study is to conduct a literature review to identify and classify the KPIs used in vertical farming. To this aim, we first proposed a methodology to define the KPI categories. Then, we identified the KPIs used in the literature, and we classified them according to the defined categories. Finally, we analyzed the obtained results. As a result, a collection of 78 KPIs were compiled and organized into the proposed categories. The analyses on the frequency of the KPIs allow us to conclude that the KPIs related to productivity are the most used as compared to those related to sustainability and quality. Furthermore, very few papers perform a cross-category evaluation. This study underscores the necessity for a more balanced consideration of productivity, quality, and sustainability in the context of vertical farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to analyse the functioning of territorial agri-food chains through an institutional lens. The approach tries to explore the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors on the capacity to respond to complex transition challenges. Our working hypothesis is that agri-food supply chains are embedded in the territory they belong to, economic performances and market competitiveness are strongly influenced by a combination of organisational capabilities and good governance solutions. These topics are developed by examining the innovative socioeconomic features of two of the largest world and European supply chains: the processing tomato supply chains of Northern Italy and Extremadura (Spain), both representing most of the processed tomato national production, governed by an overarching organisation gathering producers and processing firms on a parity basis, characterised by an innovative path developed to face the changing conditions of policies and markets. The paper shows how governance capabilities and their implications on the competitiveness and chain’s performance need to be explored by combining qualitative and quantitative analysis and indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the application of nanostructured materials in construction, such as concrete, paint, coatings, glass, renders, plasters, thermal insulation, steel, and even sensors, has become increasingly prevalent. However, previous studies and reports have raised concerns about the ecotoxicity and long-term impact of nanomaterials on human health and the environment. National and international legislation and regulations are struggling to keep up with the rapid development of nanomaterials, taking into account their unique characteristics and essential requirements for application and commercialization. This paper, based on existing standards for conventional materials and bibliometric networks of papers focused on nanomaterials, conducts a critical review and proposes relevant indicators for the application of nanomaterials in the construction sector. These indicators should be mandatory and are divided into environmental, human health, and economic perspectives, providing a risk assessment framework for applying nanomaterial-based constructive solutions oriented to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diets, but also overall food environments, comprise a variety of significant factors with direct and indirect impacts on human health. Eco-Regions are geographical areas with a territorial approach to rural development, utilizing organic food and farming practices, and principles and promoting sustainable communities and food systems. However, so far, little attention has been given to quantifying aspects of the health of citizens living in these sustainable transition territories. The project "Indicators for Assessment of Health Effects of Consumption of Sustainable, Organic School Meals in Eco-Regions" (INSUM) aims to identify and discuss research approaches and indicators that could be applied to effectively measure the somatic, mental, and social health dimensions of citizens in Eco-Regions, linked to the intake of organic foods in their diets. In this paper, we focus on the somatic (physical) health dimension. A two-day workshop was held to discuss suitable methodology with an interdisciplinary, international group of experts. The results showed the limitations of commonly used tools for measuring dietary intake (e.g., relying on the memory of participants), and nutritional biomarkers (e.g., variations in correlations with specific intakes) for research understanding dietary intake and the health effects of diets. To investigate the complexity of this issue, the most suitable approach seems to be the combination of traditional markers of physical and mental health alongside emerging indicators such as the microbiome, nutrigenomics, metabolomics, or inflammatory biomarkers. Using new, digital, non-invasive, and wearable technologies to monitor indicators could complement future research. We conclude that future studies should adopt systemic, multidisciplinary approaches by combining not only indicators of somatic and mental health and social wellbeing (MHSW) but also considering the potential benefits of organic diets for health as well as aspects of sustainability connected to food environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper arises from an ONRR project on "New technologies and methodologies for traceability, quality, safety, measurements and certifications to enhance the value and protect the typical traits in agrifood chains". It has a first aim of performing an exhaustive review pertaining to the construction of indicators of the quality and safety of agrifood products, creating information systems dashboards of unidimensional and multidimensional indicators and applying such indicators, in the context of consumer choices and decisions of policy-makers and firms. Since it has been found that the literature offers no single proposal linking all such aspects, a second central and innovative aim is to propose an original step-by-step procedure for integrating information systems of statistical indicators for citizens, institutions and policy-makers with a specific focus on new technologies and methods for traceability, quality and safety of agrifood systems. The final output is a smart and user-friendly online database that is an absolute innovation on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the continuous degradation of the global environment, ecological restoration has become a primary task in global environmental governance. In this process, remote sensing technology, as an advanced monitoring and analysis tool, plays a key role in monitoring ecological restoration. This article reviews the application of remote sensing technology in ecological restoration monitoring. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the literature in the field of ecological remote sensing, it systematically summarizes the major in-orbit spaceborne and airborne sensors and their related products. This article further proposes a series of evaluation indicators for ecological restoration from four aspects: forests, soil, water, and the atmosphere, and elaborates on the calculation methods for these indicators. In addition, this paper also summarizes the methods for evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration, including subjective evaluation, objective evaluation, and comprehensive evaluation methods. Finally, we analyze the challenges faced by remote sensing technology in evaluating ecological restoration effectiveness, such as issues with the precision of indicators extraction, the limitations of spatial resolution, and the diversity of evaluation methods. This review also looks forward to future ecological restoration technologies, such as the potential applications of integrated aerospace and terrestrial remote sensing, multi-data fusion, and machine learning technologies. This study reveals the effectiveness of remote sensing technology in ecological restoration monitoring, aiming to provide efficient tools and innovative strategies for future remote sensing monitoring and assessment of ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a rhetorical level, the SDGs provide a unified global agenda, and their targets and indicators are believed to drive action for social and environmental transformation. However, what if the SDGs (and their specific goals and indicators) are more of a problem than a solution? What if they create the illusion of action through a depoliticised and technical approach that fails to address fundamental dilemmas of politics and power? What if this illusion continues to reproduce poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? This paper addresses these questions through a focus on SDG 6.5.1 – the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM), measured on a 0-100 scale through a composite indicator. The paper presents an empirical analysis of SDG 6.5.1 reporting in Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, and the UK, drawing on research from the Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub. An evidence review and series of expert interviews are used to interrogate the local politics of IWRM measurement, specifically three dilemmas of global composite indicator construction: (1) reductive quantification of normative and contested processes; (2) weak analysis of actually existing institutional capability, politics, and power; and (3) distracting performativity dynamics in reporting. The paper concludes that SDG 6.5.1 is an example of a 'fantasy artefact', and that in all countries in this study, IWRM institutions are failing to address fundamental and 'wicked' problems in water resources management. We find little evidence that these numbers, or the survey that gives rise to them, drive meaningful reflection on the aims or outcomes of IWRM. Instead, they tend to hide the actually-existing political and institutional dynamics that sit behind the complexity of the global water crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiency generally translates to better financial performance and profitability and, thus, is often taken into account when analyzing activity of the banking sector. The sustainability approach adds social and environmental effects to the economic ones. Even though there have been studies on the different facets of the sustainable banking and its dimensions, it is important to discuss the integration of the sustainability concept with banking efficiency and financial performance measures. The objective of this research is to identify the prevailing indicators of sustainable banking in the presence of considerations on bank financial performance and efficiency. Such indicators can be used in multiple frameworks directed towards specific goals. Therefore, this paper also discusses the notions of the sustainable banking alongside the used methods used to handle the sustainability indicators. Thus, this paper presents the comprehensive review of sustainable banking linked to financial performance and efficiency, where indicators, and methods are analyzed in an integrated manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bankarstvo Magazine is the property of Association of Serbian Banks and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of the paper is to apply the theoretical principles of performance evaluation in local public administration to the practical work of Ilfov County Council. To achieve this objective, the theoretical aspects necessary for the case study are presented. The concepts of efficiency, effectiveness and economy in the public sector, the factors influencing these concepts, and their control and evaluation are analysed in the paper. Performance management is presented at both general and specific levels. Indicators are used to measure the performance of a public service. Performance indicators are useful tools for decision-makers and officials involved in public policy-making in central government, as they give them a detailed (and closeup) picture of the existing situation and allow them to adapt their initiatives to the realities of the moment and set feasible and measurable targets. The stages of the decision-making process are presented, as well as the analysis of the performance of the local public administration activity within the Ilfov County Council from the point of view of the theoretical aspects presented above. To this end, the Council's strategic objectives, the decisions taken to achieve the objectives and the way in which they are achieved in both quantitative and qualitative terms are presented. The paper is based on a study of public administration legislation and on articles and treatises. The type of research is APPLIED, and in terms of objectives it is a DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH. Considering that I will use efficiency, time and qualitative and quantitative indicators, the research will be PLURIDISCIPLINARY but equally QUANTITY TYPE RESEARCH. As the data analyzed will reflect the evolution of the indicators in view, we will have a DIACRONIC RESEARCH located at the international level, being at the same time a DOCUMENTARY research. In view of the considerations set out above, the theme chosen for the research is very topical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth justice services around the world are under increasing pressure to find new and more effective ways of working with young people. One way forward is to implement a more compassionate approach to service delivery that embraces the idea of 'trauma-informed practice'. And yet, substantial variation has been observed in how a trauma-informed approach has been defined and understood by practitioners, with idiosyncratic implementation evident across different systems and only limited evidence that this results in reductions in subsequent re-offending. In this paper we argue that the success of efforts to work in more trauma-informed ways cannot be judged using recidivism data alone and that there is a need to identify key indicators of the effectiveness of any traumainformed approach. We present the case for implementing trauma-informed youth justice and outline key features of the approach. We then present a logic model that articulates key components and identifies short-and longer-term outcomes that can be measured to assess the overall performance of a service. The article concludes with a discussion of the current evidential status of traumainformed youth justice, identifying areas of current strength and those where further work is needed to develop the evidence base, including the need to demonstrate the hypothesized association between short-term trauma-informed practice outcomes and the longer-term goal of preventing re-offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapidly expanding field, sustainable agriculture aims to produce food and energy for people today and future generations. The sustainability concept is different in every field; thus, the indicators are unique in any area and country. Sustainable agriculture contains three main dimensions: economic, environmental, and social. Sustainable agriculture has been the focus of researchers for the past twenty-five years and has attracted much attention. Many researchers tried to identify these dimensions, but there is a lack of new research concerned with grouping all indicators together. Moreover, the indicators will change every year, so the indicators list needs to be frequently updated. This study follows the protocol for SALSA (Search, Appraisal, Synthesis, and Analysis) and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Web of Science (WoS) was used for the literature search. A total of 101 indicators were found from previous studies for the three dimensions: social, environment, economic. In order to measure the most important indicators for sustainable agriculture, the paper proposes an appropriate set of indicators, as well as providing the previous papers analyzed by year of publication, continent, and topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, general characteristics related to the supply chain of compressed natural gas (eng. CNG - Compressed Natural Gas) are given. Compressed natural gas is stored in a compressed gas state in tanks (bottles), in contrast to liquefied natural gas (eng. LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas) in which natural gas is stored in liquid form. The production and storage of compressed natural gas is somewhat cheaper compared to liquid natural gas, with the fact that the storage volumes are different. From all of this, there is a need to analyze the supply chain with CNG from the aspect of the compression process, transportation and storage costs. This paper describes the process of exploitation of CNG as a fuel for the conditions of functioning of the supply chain in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Real data related to the process of compression, transportation and storage of natural gas were taken from the company: "Prvo gasno društvo" D.O.O. Zvornik. The paper analyzed the indicators of the chain like energy efficiency, CO2 emissions and production cost reduced per 1 kWh of energy expressed in the lower heat value (LHV) of the distributed fuel. Also, a short comparison of the supply chains by CNG, wood pellets and chips as fuels is presented by the MCDM method. From the aspect of transport logistics, CNG has significantly better predispositions compared to other supply chains of pellets and wood chips, taking into account the energy efficiency of its process as well as the cost of supply logistics itself. However, CNG belongs to the category of fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) is one of the most important indicators of the Research and Development area, part of Science and Technology and Digital Society branch on the data navigation tree of the EUROSTAT Database. In this paper we analyzed the evolution of GERD in Romania and EU countries on the last ten years with the available data (2013-2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest challenges of our time is monitoring the rapid environmental changes taking place worldwide at both local and global scales. This requires easy-to-use and ready-to-implement tools and services to monitor and quantify aspects of bio- and geodiversity change and the impact of land use intensification using freely available and global remotely sensed data, and to derive remotely sensed indicators. Currently, there are no services for quantifying both raster- and vector-based indicators in a "compact tool". Therefore, the main innovation of ESIS/Imalys is having a remote sensing (RS) tool that allows for RS data processing, data management, and continuous and discrete quantification and derivation of RS indicators in one tool. With the ESIS/Imalys project (Ecosystem Integrity Remote Sensing—Modelling and Service Tool), we try to present environmental indicators on a clearly defined and reproducible basis. The Imalys software library generates the RS indicators and remote sensing products defined for ESIS. This paper provides an overview of the functionality of the Imalys software library. An overview of the technical background of the implementation of the Imalys library, data formats and the user interfaces is given. Examples of RS-based indicators derived using the Imalys tool at pixel level and at zone level (vector level) are presented. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of the Imalys tool are discussed in detail in order to better assess the value of Imalys for users and developers. The applicability of the indicators will be demonstrated through three ecological applications, namely: (1) monitoring landscape diversity, (2) monitoring landscape structure and landscape fragmentation, and (3) monitoring land use intensity and its impact on ecosystem functions. Despite the integration of large amounts of data, Imalys can run on any PC, as the processing and derivation of indicators has been greatly optimised. The Imalys source code is freely available and is hosted and maintained under an open source license. Complete documentation of all methods, functions and derived indicators can be found in the freely available Imalys manual. The user-friendliness of Imalys, despite the integration of a large amount of RS data, makes it another important tool for ecological research, modelling and application for the monitoring and derivation of ecosystem indicators from local to global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture intensification has driven the loss of biodiversity at a global level. The implementation of strategies to conserve and promote biodiversity in agricultural areas can be favoured by adequate assessment methods that foster the awareness of decision makers about the impact of management practices. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of assessment methods of the overall biodiversity in agricultural systems, focusing on the quantitative methods applied, indicators of biodiversity, and functionalities. It was concluded that compensation effects and difficulties in interpretation are associated with currently common methodologies of composite indicator calculation to assess biodiversity performance. This review allowed for the identification and critical analysis of current methodologies for biodiversity assessments in the agricultural sector, and it highlighted the need for more implementation-oriented approaches. By providing recommendations on what should be considered when formulating biodiversity assessment methods, this study can contribute to the formulation of appropriate assessment frameworks for agricultural management policies and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]