Search Results (202)

Background/Objectives: Infant regulatory problems (RPs) are at risk of persisting and can contribute to later behavioral difficulties. Parenting stress has been identified as a risk factor associated with child RPs, but its mediating role has rarely been investigated in this context. The aim of the study was (1) to investigate whether RP symptoms were related to subsequent infant RP symptoms/toddler behavioral and emotional problems (BEPs) between two pediatric check-ups in the first 3 years of life and (2) to investigate the potential role of parenting stress as a partial mediator in the association of infant RPs and subsequent RPs/BEPs. Methods: Using data from a German cohort study (CoronaBaBY), associations between infant RPs at baseline and RPs/toddlers BEPs at follow-up (around 8 months later) were analyzed. Parenting stress was included as a mediation variable into the model. Results: In total, 725 parent–child dyads were analyzed. Mean infant age was 5.0 months (SD = 3.4). Elevated RP symptoms at baseline significantly predicted infant RP symptoms and BEPs at follow-up. Parenting stress at baseline significantly predicted feeding problems and BEPs at follow-up. Parenting stress partially mediated the associations between baseline infant RPs and follow-up RPs respectively BEPs in most models. Conclusions: Interventions should consider the partially mediating role of parenting stress, especially for the later development of BEPs. Research should aim to identify additional factors influencing infant regulatory problems and subsequent behavioral difficulties. Full article

The article presents an integrated RACI–AHP–BIM methodology that supports responsibility management, decision-making, and information management in complex construction projects delivered under the design–build model, with particular emphasis on conservation-orientated investments. The approach combines three complementary components: the RACI responsibility matrix, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and building information modeling (BIM). The methodology is validated on a higher-education conservation project using a BIM execution plan (BEP), scan-to-BIM procedures, and structured decision-making. The integration of RACI with BIM reduced accountability gaps and improved stakeholder coordination, while linking AHP with BIM data enabled data-driven design decisions using the BOCR model. The findings demonstrate measurable benefits, including clearer responsibility allocation, improved interdisciplinary coordination, and more transparent decision-making. The application of laser scanning and scan-to-BIM supported the creation of a digital model of historic elements for both design and future facility management. The main contribution is a holistic integration of RACI, AHP, and BIM into a unified methodology for conservation-orientated projects with high functional complexity, providing a reference framework for public-sector investment management. Full article

The aim of this study was to identify chemical formulations that stimulate Apis mellifera colony development by enhancing queen egg-laying under protein-supplemented conditions. Feeding trials were conducted in early spring, when natural food sources are scarce. The experiment was conducted in two Romanian apiaries and included four treatment groups. Three formulations included protein-enriched bee food: two standard variants and one supplemented with essential fatty acids. All were administered alongside behavioral stimulants (T1–T3). A fourth treatment served as a control, containing only protein-based food without brood pheromones or additional stimulants (T4). Pheromone blends were formulated based on brood-emitted volatiles identified by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS). The effects of the treatments were evaluated by measuring queen egg-laying and brood area development. Results showed that treatments based on brood ester pheromones (BEP)–T1 and a fatty acid blend (FAB)–T3 significantly stimulated queen egg-laying and brood production, with comparable performance and a slight advantage for T3. In contrast, combining BEP with a fatty acid-supplemented protein diet (T2) produced a moderate effect, consistent with regulated lipid intake in honey bee colonies. These findings indicate that brood-associated semiochemicals, combined with protein supplementation, can effectively stimulate colony growth. Full article

This paper presents a model-free Best Efficiency Point (BEP) tracking method for centrifugal pumps without head measurement or manufacturer-provided characteristic curves. The proposed approach combines a discrete finite-difference extremum-seeking control (ESC) scheme with an efficiency approximation proxy derived from measurable variables—namely, flow rate and electrical power. Under constant head conditions, the proxy function is analytically shown to be proportional to the true pump efficiency, enabling real-time BEP localization using only motor feedback signals. The ESC algorithm employs a sign-based gradient rule with adaptive step-size reduction to achieve rapid and stable convergence without mathematical models. A Python-based simulation using a Schneider SUB 15-0.5cv pump demonstrates that the method can track the BEP with negligible steady-state error (less than 0.1% efficiency deviation). The proposed framework offers a cost-effective solution for efficient optimization for mobile pumping applications in large water resources where installing head sensors is impractical. Full article

Hybrid railway assets such as workshops and depots combine building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP)/industrial, and linear infrastructure domains, increasing coordination complexity and challenging continuity from the Project Information Model (PIM) to the Asset Information Model (AIM). Although Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR), Asset Information Requirements (AIR), and the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) prescribe deliverables and processes, a persistent gap remains between documentary prescriptions and the auditable evidence needed to support traceable decisions within the Common Data Environment (CDE). This paper proposes an ISO 19650-aligned governance framework that operationalizes the EIR/AIR → BEP → CDE transition by: (i) structuring the asset using Functional Units (FUs) as a stable anchor for PIM → AIM continuity; and (ii) implementing a pre-Published Quality Gate that separates control into three non-substitutable dimensions (spatial, semantic, and data). The approach is implemented as a tool-neutral, reproducible workflow (inputs → checks → outputs → publish) and produces a minimal, persistent evidence package in the CDE (file-level report, package summary, publish/hold decision record, and Nonconformity Report (NCR)/BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) traceability), with explicit roles governing the Shared → Published transition. Across 22 Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), deliverables from two depot cases and multiple delivery states, All Gates Pass ranged from 25.0% to 44.4% depending on Case × State; overall, 14/22 deliverables (63.6%) would be held pending correction under the gate. Although validated on Spanish railway depots, the framework is grounded in ISO/openBIM standards and is designed for transferability to other international contexts and complex asset types where multidisciplinary federation and PIM → AIM continuity pose similar challenges. Full article

The transition towards circular economy is now a key strategy to address the environmental issues we are facing. Within this framework, biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from residual agricultural pyrolysis, can represent a sustainable and circular solution. This paper aims at evaluating the possibility of implementing a local biochar-production system as part of an economic and social strategy of the redevelopment of an abandoned rural site, Borgo di Perolla, in Tuscany, Italy. A cost–benefits analysis (CBA) was conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility of three different scenarios of production and strategies: Scenario 1 considers revenues solely from the production and sale of biochar and wood vinegar; Scenario 2 additionally includes potential income from the sale of voluntary carbon credits; and Scenario 3 incorporates biochar credits within the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS). For each scenario, three indicators were calculated: Net-Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Breakeven point (BEP). The most evident result that emerged is that the sale of biochar and its by-products alone is not sufficient to ensure the project’s economic sustainability, mainly due to high production costs. Only through carbon-credit-trading markets biochar becomes not only an environmentally strategic tool but also an economically rewarding one. In this sense, market infrastructures, such as the ETS, are essential for the dissemination of circular models, like biochar, that generate both environmental and economic benefits. Previous studies on biochar have largely focused on its application and associated benefits, while cost–benefit analyses have primarily examined its economic feasibility through the commercialization of biochar as a soil amendment, particularly within the United States context. The present work contributes to this literature in three main ways. First, it provides a site-specific and replicable CBA framework applied to a real territorial regeneration project (Borgo di Perolla), grounded in primary data collected through field surveys, stakeholder interviews, and expert validation. Second, the study explicitly compares multiple market-access scenarios within the same analytical framework, ranging from biochar-only sales to voluntary carbon markets, allowing for a clear identification of the economic thresholds at which biochar becomes financially sustainable. Third, and most importantly, the main contribution of this work lies in the explicit modeling of biochar integration into the EU Emissions Trading System. This paper extends the analysis to a regulated carbon market scenario, assuming the recognition of biochar-based carbon removals within the EU ETS framework. From a methodological perspective, the study quantitatively assesses how ETS price dynamics affect the profitability, internal rate of return, and break-even point of a biochar project over a long-term horizon. From a policy perspective, the analysis anticipates recent regulatory developments, such as the EU Regulation 2024/3012, on establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming, and carbon storage in products, by showing how biochar could function as a fully market-integrated climate technology. Full article

Francis turbines are renowned for their high efficiency and adaptability across a wide range of head and discharge conditions. However, internal mechanical friction losses (IMFLs), resulting from rotational frictional resistance between the rotating runner and the surrounding fluid, remain a significant obstacle to further performance optimisation. This study introduced a CFD-derived integral friction torque framework, validated through theoretical analysis, that enables the spatially resolved quantification of IMFLs in Francis turbine runners. Building on this framework, a comprehensive computational approach was established to quantify IMFLs in a Francis turbine runner using a CFD-derived integral torque method combined with a theoretical verification model. Three runner configurations were analysed: the original runner model (ORM), a modified runner (RM1) with selective exit height reduction, and a modified runner (RM2) with uniform exit height reduction. Transient simulations were conducted at the best efficiency point (BEP) using the shear stress transport (SST) k–ω turbulence model and a sliding mesh approach. The numerical results were verified using the theoretical model and systematically evaluated to assess IMFL mechanisms and runner performance. The findings demonstrate that variations in runner geometry significantly influence internal frictional resistance and turbine efficiency. Compared with ORM, both RM1 and RM2 reduced the rotational friction torque, with RM2 exhibiting the greatest improvement: a 2.83% reduction in total friction resistance torque, a 14.74% reduction in total power losses, and a 1% absolute increase in efficiency. These improvements are primarily attributed to reduced wall shear stress and a more uniform pressure distribution across the runner surface. Full article

Levees with double-layered foundations are characterized by a weakly permeable upper layer and a highly permeable sand layer beneath, which makes them susceptible to internal erosion, particularly backward erosion piping (BEP). Therefore, locating BEP channels before the failure of a levee is crucial for ensuring the safety of levee projects. In this study, a novel method is proposed for detecting BEP channels efficiently. This method involves applying the successive linear estimator (SLE) to fuse multipoint measured voltage to characterize the inner levee structure. Therefore, the BEP channels can be recognized from the details of the levee structure. This method is named three-dimensional geostatistical electrical resistivity tomography (3D GERT) in this study. To validate the performance of GERT, a custom-developed indoor sandbox device was used for physical BEP conductivity detection tests, and the results were analyzed via the SLE to assess the accuracy of channel engraving. The tests revealed that the surface sand was initially expelled from the piping exit, followed by the formation of a concentrated piping channel that extended upstream. The erosion depth at the piping exit was observed to be deeper than that of the main channel. This study demonstrated that 3D GERT, when the SLE was used as the inversion algorithm, detected BEP channels and achieved an internal erosion dimension deviation of less than 25.5% and a positional erosion dimension deviation within 16.5%. The accuracy of the SLE in mapping BEP channels improved with the use of a more comprehensive electrode distribution and an increased number of electrodes, thus yielding a more precise representation of the channel scale and pattern. The coefficient of determination (R²) between the acquired data and the simulated data generated by 3D GERT was greater than 0.85, demonstrating the capability of the simulated values to track and reproduce the variation trends observed in the acquired data. Thus, the SLE, when used as the inversion algorithm for 3D GERT, reliably represents BEP channels. Full article

The present exploratory study investigates how pre-primary and primary student teachers (STs) at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) perceive the impact of bilingual education programs (BEPs) on children’s learning experience. Specifically, it examines student teachers’ views on the benefits and challenges of implementing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in pre-primary and primary education and explores whether there are differences between the opinions of the two groups. The analysis is based on data from six items of a structured questionnaire, validated in previous studies and completed by 170 prospective pre-primary and primary teachers at the UAM. The results suggest a shared perception among STs that BEPs enrich the learning experience of students in both pre-primary and primary education. Most STs recognize that CLIL enhances language proficiency and supports cognitive development, although they also point to insufficient teacher training and the low motivation of children with learning difficulties as major challenges. While no major differences emerged between the views of pre-primary and primary STs, subtle variations point to the existence of two distinct trainee profiles that determine their views on BEPs and that would require further mid-term investigation. The findings highlight areas for targeted support in teacher training programs. Full article

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play crucial roles in the growth and survival of microorganisms. However, the lack of effective evaluation for extraction methods has limited further investigations and applications of EPS. This study established a quantitative assessment system for algal EPS thermal extraction methods based on extraction yield, cell integrity, and EPS chemical properties. An extraction efficiency parameter (ε) was introduced to quantify the relationship between EPS yield and cell rupture. Thermal treatment proved to be an effective approach for algal EPS extraction. Using the proposed evaluation system, the extraction methods for EPS of Microcystis were compared and optimized, including the following treatments: NaOH, NaCl, and buffer solutions (borate, phosphate, Tris-HCl). The results demonstrated that heating at 55 °C for 30 min with borate buffer achieved the highest extraction efficiency for EPS, with an ε value of 11.06 ± 1.13. In contrast, NaOH treatment at 60 °C for 30 min resulted in 30.4% cell rupture and the lowest ε value (9.7 ± 0.81). Furthermore, the modeled cell rupture rates aligned with flow cytometry and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy analyses. The EPS extraction evaluation system developed in this study was empirically validated as a robust tool for optimizing extraction protocols for algal EPS. Full article

The Congo Basin peatlands, the world’s largest tropical peatland complex, are critical for global carbon storage yet remain poorly understood from a human dimension’s perspective. This study explores the perceptions, lifestyles, and knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples and local communities around Lake Tumba, Democratic Republic of Congo, to identify practices supporting peatland conservation. Using a mixed-methods approach—household surveys (n = 320), focus groups, and statistical analyses including chi-square tests and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA)—the study reveals a predominantly Indigenous agrarian society with limited formal education and strong reliance on peatlands for food (93.7%), construction materials (79.0%), and medicines (75.9%). While regulating services such as carbon storage were seldom recognized, traditional ecological knowledge was evident in sacred species protection, ritual plant and animal uses, and intergenerational knowledge transfer, mainly father-to-son. However, 95.3% of respondents cited religion as the main barrier to this transmission. MCA confirmed that livelihoods, village status, and ritual practices form an integrated socio-cultural system aligned with conservation. These findings stress the role of endogenous governance in sustaining peatland-compatible lifestyles. Conservation efforts should move beyond carbon-centered or top-down approaches to reinforce land tenure, traditional governance, and knowledge transmission, thereby protecting both peatlands and the cultural identities sustaining them. Full article

This study provides empirical evidence of tax-induced profit-shifting by multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Morocco, an underexplored developing country context characterized by notable tax arbitrage potential. Using a micro-level panel dataset of foreign-owned subsidiaries from 2014 to 2023, we employ a pseudo-ordinary least squares (POLS) framework to examine how corporate income tax (CIT) differentials affect subsidiaries’ earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). The results indicate that higher CIT differentials significantly reduce reported profits, supporting the indirect evidence on corporate profit-shifting behaviour. Our findings also document that the effect of the CIT differential on EBIT is moderated by firm capitalization. However, contrary to investment distortion theory, subsidiaries do not reduce investment in response to higher effective capital costs. This study also assesses the impact of Morocco’s implementation of BEPS, the COVID-19 shock, and institutional quality indicators on subsidiaries’ reported EBIT. The findings highlight the strategic role of capital structure and governance in shaping MNCs’ tax-motivated behaviour. This study contributes to the literature on international taxation and corporate finance and offers important policy implications for developing economies seeking to balance revenue integrity, investment incentives, and robust anti-avoidance enforcement. Full article

This study investigates the sensitivity of an urban parameterization scheme of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). The model sensitivity is tested during the period April–May 2020 over the greater Paris region. The parent domain covers Europe with a 12 km horizontal resolution, with a nested one covering the greater Paris region with a 3 km horizontal resolution. A multi-layer urban scheme called Building Effect Parameterization coupled with the Building Energy Model (BEP-BEM) was applied in two simulations: (1) BEP-BEM Paris, with urban options tailored for the Paris region, which were derived from Earth Observation data, and (2) BEP-BEM Europe, which uses an updated urban parameter table with an estimated average profile for European cities. These two simulations were compared with observations and a WRF simulation using a simple urban parameterization (BULK approach). BULK and multi-layer urban scheme experiments present a similar general error for April, underestimating temperature, while the BEP-BEM runs overestimate temperature for May. The simulation with the advanced tailored urban parameterization over Paris appears to have the best overall performance in this 2-month period. Full article

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo represents both a biodiversity hotspot and the ancestral homeland of the Indigenous Mbuti and Efe peoples, whose livelihoods and knowledge systems are closely tied to forest resources. This study investigates how Indigenous knowledge and practices contribute to sustainable resource management under conditions of rapid socio-cultural transformation. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining socio-demographic surveys (n = 80), focus group discussions, floristic inventories, and statistical analyses (ANOVA, logistic regressions, chi-square, MCA). Results show that hunting, fishing, gathering, and honey harvesting remain central livelihood activities, governed by customary taboos and restrictions that act as de facto ecological regulations. Agriculture, recently introduced through intercultural exchange with neighboring Bantu populations, complements rather than replaces traditional practices and demonstrates emerging agroecological hybridization. Nevertheless, evidence of biodiversity decline (including local disappearance of species such as Dioscorea spp.), erosion of intergenerational knowledge transmission, and increased reliance on monetary income indicate vulnerabilities. Multiple Correspondence Analysis revealed a highly structured socio-ecological gradient (98.5% variance explained; Cronbach’s α = 0.977), indicating that perceptions of environmental change are strongly coupled with demographic identity and livelihood strategies. Floristic inventories confirmed significant differences in species abundance across camps (ANOVA, p < 0.001), highlighting site-specific pressures and the protective effect of persistent customary norms. The findings underscore the resilience and adaptability of Indigenous Peoples but also their exposure to ecological and cultural disruptions. We conclude that formal recognition of Indigenous institutions and integration of their knowledge systems into co-management frameworks are essential to strengthen ecological resilience, secure Indigenous rights, and align conservation policies with global biodiversity and climate agendas. Full article

Background: Suicide was the leading cause of death among young Australians aged 15–24 years old in 2023, with 392 lives lost. The continued high numbers of youth suicide demand urgent exploration of alternative approaches to suicide intervention in this population. The United Kingdom-based suicide service Maytree offers an innovative short-term stay for people experiencing suicidal thoughts. Grounded by the Maytree model-of-care, the aim of the current study was to co-design a short-stay service responsive to the specific needs of suicidal young people. Methods: Semi-structured and focus group interviews with young people (n = 38), caregivers (n = 11) and key local stakeholders (n = 26) in Perth, Western Australia. Results: Deductive and inductive thematic analysis identified 8 core themes: benefits, service design, staffing, operations, referrals, challenges and safety, measures of success, and language. Endorsement of the Luminos model as beneficial to young people experiencing thoughts of suicide was nearly unanimous. Conclusions: These findings provide actionable insights for the development of alternative, youth-informed suicide support services. Full article