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The paper analyzes the monthly day equivalent levels, Lday (06–22 h) and night equivalent levels, Lnight (22–06 h) values observed in year 2015 and 2016 for the 70 locations whereby continuous noise monitoring is conducted under the National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN). The study exclusively analyzes the ambient noise data acquired for 25 locations in commercial zone, 12 in industrial, 16 in residential and 17 in silence zones. The analysis of (Lday–Lnight) for 70 locations under observations reveals that 10 dB night time adjustment in day-night average sound level descriptor is not appropriate in such a scenario and as such it is recommended to use day-night average sound level and day-eveningnight average sound level descriptors without any 10 dB night time adjustment or 5 dB evening time adjustments. The analysis and conclusions of the present study shall be very useful for developing single value noise descriptor correlating the noise annoyance and health effects in Indian perspectives.

In recent years, inventory has been critical due to the production cost and overstock risk related to the expiration date and the fluctuation price risk. This study's minimization of overstock and price fluctuation in the warehouse used a hybridized artificial neural network (ANN) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to produce an optimum model. The variables, such as average demand, reorder point, order quantity, factor service level, safety stock, and average inventory level, were used to obtain the optimal condition of the average inventory levels to maximize the profit. Then, the type of inventory system that guarantees the minimum risks in managing the inventory would be selected. The result shows that the data has a mean of 39.2 units, and the standard deviation (SD) was 12.9. This means that the order quantity is 20.2 units, the average inventory level is 57.3, and the average demand is 39. These conditions used the factor z, which is 97% service level. This study concludes that the optimum average inventory level is 91 units, the order quantity is 11 units with the maximum average profit is$1098, and the peak fluctuation condition maximum profit is $ 1463 when the average inventory level is 7.3, and the inventory policy system used to minimize the risk is the continuous review policy type. The study could be beneficial to reduce production costs and enhance overall profitability and operational efficiency in the sector by mitigating the risks associated with excessive inventory and price volatility while also minimizing the potential for expired inventory.

Since the original Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) for alcohol consumption as part of the Global Burden of Disease Study for 1990, there had been regular updates of CRAs for alcohol from the World Health Organization and/or the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. These studies have become more and more refined with respect to establishing causality between dimensions of alcohol consumption and different disease and mortality (cause of death) outcomes, refining risk relations, and improving the methodology for estimating exposure and alcohol-attributable burden. The present review will give an overview on the main results of the CRAs with respect to alcohol consumption as a risk factor, sketch out new trends and developments, and draw implications for future research and policy.

We present a review and analysis of the conservation status and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threat categories of all 360 currently recognized species of extant and recently extinct turtles and tortoises (Order Testudines). Our analysis is based on the 2018 IUCN Red List status of 251 listed species, augmented by provisional Red List assessments by the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG) of 109 currently unlisted species of tortoises and freshwater turtles, as well as re-assessments of several outdated IUCN Red List assessments. Of all recognized species of turtles and tortoises, this combined analysis indicates that 20.0% are Critically Endangered (CR), 35.3% are Critically Endangered or Endangered (CR+EN), and 51.9% are Threatened (CR+EN+Vulnerable). Adjusting for the potential threat levels of Data Deficient (DD) species indicates that 56.3% of all data-sufficient species are Threatened. We calculated percentages of imperiled species and modified Average Threat Levels (ATL; ranging from Least Concern = 1 to Extinct = 8) for various taxonomic and geographic groupings. Proportionally more species in the subfamily Geoemydinae (Asian members of the family Geoemydidae) are imperiled (74.2% CR+EN, 79.0% Threatened, 3.89 ATL) compared to other taxonomic groupings, but the families Podocnemididae, Testudinidae, and Trionychidae and the superfamily Chelonioidea (marine turtles of the families Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) also have high percentages of imperiled species and ATLs (42.9-50.0% CR+EN, 73.8-100.0% Threatened, 3.44-4.06 ATL). The subfamily Rhinoclemmydinae (Neotropical turtles of the family Geoemydidae) and the families Kinosternidae and Pelomedusidae have the lowest percentages of imperiled species and ATLs (0%-7.4% CR+EN, 7.4%-13.3% Threatened, 1.65-1.87 ATL). Turtles from Asia have the highest percentages of imperiled species (75.0% CR+EN, 83.0% Threatened, 3.98 ATL), significantly higher than predicted based on the regional species richness, due to much higher levels of exploitation in that geographic region. The family Testudinidae has the highest ATL (4.06) of all Testudines due to the extinction of several species of giant tortoises from Indian and Pacific Ocean islands since 1500 CE. The family Testudinidae also has an ATL higher than all other larger polytypic families (≥ 5 species) of Reptilia or Amphibia. The order Testudines is, on average, more imperiled than all other larger orders (≥ 20 species) of Reptilia, Amphibia, Mammalia, or Aves, but has percentages of CR+EN and Threatened species and an ATL (2.96) similar to those of Primates and Caudata (salamanders).

Coal and coal seam gas mining have impacts on the water and sediment quality in the proximity of the mining areas, increasing the concentrations of heavy metals downstream of the mine discharge points. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of coal mining on the environment in the Sydney region, by investigating macroinvertebrates and chlorophyll as indicators of industrial pollution and environmental impairment. The study revealed changes in abundance, taxonomic richness, and pollution sensitive macroinvertebrate groups. A statistical evaluation of the aquatic life was performed and a correlation of the contaminants with the presence of a community in the ecosystem were studied. The environmental sustainability of the investigated rivers and streams with water chemistry affecting the biological system was assessed. A non-uniformity in the changes were observed, indicating a difference in the tolerance level of different invertebrates.

The problems of finite-time analysis and design for a class of discrete-time switching dynamics Markovian jump linear systems (SD-MJLSs) with time-varying delay are investigated in this study. The considered systems could be viewed as Markovian jump linear systems governed by a piecewise-constant transition probability matrix, which is subject to a high-level average dwell time (ADT) switching. The time delay is considered as time varying and has a lower and upper bound. First, sufficient conditions, which guarantee the stochastic finite-time boundedness of the underlying systems, are presented by employing the ADT approach. These conditions are not only dependent on the delay upper bound but also the delay range. Then, a finite-time weighted l2 gain of such delay SD-MJLSs is obtained to measure the disturbance attenuation capability over a fixed time interval and the design of the stabilising controller is further given. Moreover, an improved controller design method, which could provide efficiency and practicability, is further developed. Finally, a numerical example is given to verify the potential of the developed results.

We describe the diversified National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) set up across 7 major cities of India and covering 70 stations for continuous noise monitoring throughout the year. The annual average Lday (06–22 h) and Lnight (22–06 h) values observed in 2015 for these 70 locations are described. Of these, 25 locations are in commercial zones, 12 in industrial, 16 in residential and 17 in silence zones. Each city has 10 noise monitoring stations installed for analysing environmental noise pollution levels round the clock (24 × 365 h). The long-term noise monitoring shows that ambient noise levels are very high compared to the recommended standards for some sites and thus noise abatement measures are essentially required for controlling these levels. The present study is focused on evaluation, analysis and reporting of environmental noise pollution in seven major cities of India and is instrumental in planning for the noise abatement measures for controlling noise pollution in these cities. Such a noise monitoring network established in India is unique and one of the largest noise monitoring networks of its kind across the globe.

PurposeWith the aim of shedding new light on the characteristics of human capital in its relationship with organizational innovation, this paper develops a novel theoretical and empirical exploration of the characteristics of human capital, both executives' experience and employees' average education level, as well as the moderating effect of female ownership, on two different aspects of organizational innovation.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from the World Bank's China private manufacturing enterprise questionnaire survey. The study employs regression analysis of a logistic model using 1,598 samples, because the dependent variable of an organization's innovation index is a binary variable.FindingsUsing World Bank survey data of Chinese private manufacturing enterprises, the authors find that executives' experience has a significantly positive effect on process innovation. Female ownership strengthens the relationship between executives' experience and process innovation. Moreover, the results indicate that employees' average educational level has a significantly positive effect on product innovation. Female ownership strengthens the relationships between employees' average educational level and organizational innovation including product innovation and process innovation. This study highlights the importance of simultaneously testing the effects of human capital and gender heterogeneity on organizational innovation activities.Originality/valueThis study explores the impact of human capital on organizational innovation activities in the context of the Chinese manufacturing industry. Moreover, organizational innovation activities are divided into two aspects: product innovation and process innovation. This study separately discusses the effect of human capital on these two kinds of innovation in detail. Finally, female ownership is selected as a moderating variable, and it is demonstrated that interactions of female owners with executives' experience and employees' average educational level have a positive impact on increasing different kinds of organizational innovation. The authors identify new boundary conditions for the domain of female research that are sorely lacking in the present literature.

Background: Conclusions that can be drawn from earlier studies on noise and children’s blood pressure are limited due to inconsistent results, methodological problems, and the focus on school noise exposure. Objectives: To investigate the effects of aircraft and road traffic noise exposure on children’s blood pressure and heart rate. Methods: Participants were 1283 children (age 9–11 years) attending 62 primary schools around two European airports. Data were pooled and analysed using multilevel modelling. Adjustments were made for a range of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Results: After pooling the data, aircraft noise exposure at school was related to a statistically non-significant increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Aircraft noise exposure at home was related to a statistically significant increase in blood pressure. Aircraft noise exposure during the night at home was positively and significantly associated with blood pressure. The findings differed between the Dutch and British samples. Negative associations were found between road traffic noise exposure and blood pressure, which cannot be explained. Conclusion: On the basis of this study and previous scientific literature, no unequivocal conclusions can be drawn about the relationship between community noise and children’s blood pressure.

The paper describes the noise monitoring data acquired from the pilot project on the establishment of National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) across seven major cities in India for continuous noise monitoring throughout the year. The annual average L (06-22 h) and L (22-06 h) values observed in year 2011-2014 for the 35 locations under study in which 14 locations are in commercial zone,5 in Industrial, 7 in residential and 9 in silence zones are described. The long-term noise monitoring shows that ambient noise levels have marginally increased for 29 sites (82.9%) since past four years. The present study is focused on evaluation and analysis of environmental noise pollution at 35 noise monitoring sites in seven major cities of India and shall be instrumental in planning for the noise abatement measures for controlling the noise pollution in these sites.