Search Results (7,786)

This study examines the relationship between national open educational resource (OER) policies and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) outcomes across 187 countries between 2015 and 2024, with particular attention to the moderating role of artificial intelligence (AI) readiness. Despite widespread optimism about digital technologies as catalysts for universal education, systematic evidence linking formal OER policy frameworks to measurable improvements in educational access and completion remains limited. The analysis employs fixed effects and difference-in-differences estimation strategies using an unbalanced panel dataset comprising 435 country-year observations. The research investigates how OER policies associate with primary completion rates and out-of-school rates while testing whether these relationships depend on countries’ technological and institutional capacity for advanced technology deployment. The findings reveal that AI readiness demonstrates consistent positive associations with educational outcomes, with a ten-point increase in the readiness index corresponding to approximately 0.46 percentage point improvements in primary completion rates and 0.31 percentage point reductions in out-of-school rates across fixed effects specifications. The difference-in-differences analysis indicates that OER-adopting countries experienced completion rate increases averaging 0.52 percentage points relative to non-adopting countries in the post-2020 period, though this estimate remains statistically imprecise (p equals 0.440), preventing definitive causal conclusions. Interaction effects between policies and readiness yield consistently positive coefficients across specifications, but these associations similarly fail to achieve conventional significance thresholds given sample size constraints and limited within-country variation. While the directional patterns align with theoretical expectations that policy effectiveness depends on digital capacity, the evidence should be characterized as suggestive rather than conclusive. These findings represent preliminary assessment of policies in early implementation stages. Most frameworks were adopted between 2019 and 2022, providing observation windows of two to five years before data collection ended in 2024. This timeline proves insufficient for educational system transformations to fully materialize in aggregate indicators, as primary education cycles span six to eight years and implementation processes operate gradually through sequential stages of content development, teacher training, and institutional adaptation. The analysis captures policy impacts during formation rather than at equilibrium, establishing baseline patterns that require extended longitudinal observation for definitive evaluation. High-income countries demonstrate interaction coefficients between policies and readiness that approach marginal statistical significance (p less than 0.10), while low-income subsamples show coefficients near zero with wide confidence intervals. These patterns suggest that OER frameworks function as complementary interventions whose effectiveness depends critically on enabling infrastructure including digital connectivity, governance quality, technical workforce capacity, and innovation ecosystems. The results carry important implications for how countries sequence educational technology reforms and how international development organizations design technical assistance programs. The evidence cautions against uniform policy recommendations across diverse contexts, indicating that countries at different stages of digital development require fundamentally different strategies that coordinate policy adoption with foundational capacity building. However, the modest short-term effects and statistical imprecision observed here should not be interpreted as evidence of policy ineffectiveness, but rather as confirmation that immediate transformation is unlikely given implementation complexities and temporal constraints. The study contributes systematic cross-national evidence on aggregate policy associations while highlighting the conditional nature of educational technology effectiveness and establishing the need for continued longitudinal research as policies mature beyond the early implementation phase captured in this analysis. Full article

In this study, using global liner shipping schedules, UNCTAD’s Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index and Liner Shipping Bilateral Connectivity Index, together with bilateral trade-value data for 2022–2024, we construct a multilayer weighted port-to-port network that explicitly embeds port-level cargo-handling and service organisation capabilities, as well as demand-side routing pressure, into node and edge weights. Building on this network, we apply CONCOR-based structural-equivalence analysis to delineate functionally homogeneous port clusters, and adopt a structural role identification framework that combines multi-indicator connectivity metrics with Rank-Sum Ratio–entropy weighting and Probit-based binning to classify ports into high-efficiency core, bridge-control, and free-form bridge roles, thereby tracing the reconfiguration of cluster-level functional structures before and after the Red Sea crisis. Empirically, the clustering identifies four persistent communities—the Intertropical Maritime Hub Corridor (IMHC), Pacific Rim Mega-Port Agglomeration (PRMPA), Southern Commodity Export Gateway (SCEG), and Euro-Asian Intermodal Chokepoints (EAIC)—and reveals a marked spatial and functional reorganisation between 2022 and 2024. IMHC expands from 96 to 113 ports and SCEG from 33 to 56, whereas EAIC contracts from 27 to 10 nodes as gateway functions are reallocated across clusters, and the combined share of bridge-control and free-form bridge ports increases from 9.6% to 15.5% of all nodes, demonstrating a thicker functional backbone under rerouting pressures. Spatially, IMHC extends from a Mediterranean-centred configuration into tropical, trans-equatorial routes; PRMPA consolidates its role as the densest trans-Pacific belt; SCEG evolves from a commodity-based export gateway into a cross-regional Southern Hemisphere hub; and EAIC reorients from an Atlantic-dominated structure towards Eurasian corridors and emerging bypass routes. Functionally, Singapore, Rotterdam, and Shanghai remain dominant high-efficiency cores, while several Mediterranean and Red Sea ports (e.g., Jeddah, Alexandria) lose centrality as East and Southeast Asian nodes gain prominence; bridge-control functions are increasingly taken up by European and East Asian hubs (e.g., Antwerp, Hamburg, Busan, Kobe), acting as secondary transshipment buffers; and free-form bridge ports such as Manila, Haiphong, and Genoa strengthen their roles as elastic connectors that enhance intra-cluster cohesion and provide redundancy for inter-cluster rerouting. Overall, these patterns show that resilience under the Red Sea crisis is expressed through the cluster-level rebalancing of core–control–bridge roles, suggesting that port managers should prioritise parallel gateways, short-sea and coastal buffers, and sea–land intermodality within clusters when designing capacity expansion, hinterland access, and rerouting strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: One of the pillars of optimal footballer performance is the gradual preparation of the body for physical exertion in terms of intensity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a structured warm-up and cool-down program on flexibility, perceived fatigue, and injury prevention in young football players. Methods: Participants were 60 junior football players (U17), with a mean age of 16.5 ± 0.5 years, mean height of 172.5 ± 6.7 cm, and mean body mass of 70.2 ± 6.4 kg. The participants were assigned to experimental (EXP; n = 30) and control (CON; n = 30) groups during 8 mesocycles. A 4-week training stimulus was applied in parallel, consisting of an author-designed exercise routine with a profiled intensity (warm-up and cool-down parts) for the EXP group and standard exercises for the CON group. Selected variables (motor, endurance, injuries) were assessed before, during, and after the intervention. Additionally, the profile of selected correlations was analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using t-tests with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: In the EXP group (post-test), a significant improvement in flexibility was observed in the forward trunk flexion test (d = 1.13 cm; p < 0.001; d_c2 = 1.05). Simultaneously, participants reported lower levels of subjective fatigue (RPE = 6.86 ± 0.82 points) compared to the CON group (p = 0.016; d_c = 0.46) and demonstrated fewer injuries during the annual cycle (0.97 ± 0.83 vs. 1.33 ± 0.66; p = 0.026; d_c = 0.48). Both groups showed a strong negative correlation between flexibility and the number of injuries in the annual cycle, training experience and the number of injuries, as well as training experience and RPE (all r_p > −0.50). A strong positive correlation was found between RPE and the number of injuries (r_p > 0.60). Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the structured warm-up and cool-down program significantly improved flexibility, reduced perceived fatigue, and decreased injury occurrence in the participants. Full article

Background: Approximately half of U.S. adults have ≥1 cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Exercise is universally recommended as a first-line lifestyle therapy to prevent and treat CVD. Objective: We will conduct a feasibility and pilot efficacy randomized controlled trial to test the usability and user satisfaction of an evidence-based digital health tool we developed for physicians—the Prioritizes Personalizes Prescribes EXercise algorithm (P3-EX)—to treat patients with CVD risk factors (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07238556). Methods: We will recruit 24 physicians who do not prescribe written exercise prescriptions (ExRx) from two local CT hospitals. Physicians will recruit two patients each (N = 48); both patients must have CVD risk factors. Each physician will deliver a P3-EX ExRx to one patient (n = 24) and the Physical Activity Vital Sign ExRx to the other patient (n = 24) in a random sequence crossover design. Physicians and patients will rate the feasibility and acceptability of each ExRx method using validated questionnaires. Patients will perform their ExRx for 12 weeks and complete an exercise diary to monitor exercise adherence with weekly virtual oversight by Research Assistants. Before and after the exercise intervention, we will measure patient CVD risk factors and physical activity levels via accelerometry. Results: This trial has received Institutional Review Board approval (E-HHC-2025-0198) and will begin in January 2026, with findings published in 2027. Conclusions: This protocol provides the scientific rationale and methodology to test P3-EX within a real-world clinical setting, to inform the feasibility of using P3-EX as a digital health support tool by physicians, and preliminary efficacy of P3-EX to improve patient cardiovascular health and physical activity levels. Full article

In fixed orthodontic treatment, brackets are orthodontic attachments bonded to the tooth enamel, and their placement and removal may affect the underlying enamel surface. Enamel degradation is a critical factor for oral health, as it reduces the mechanical strength of teeth and increases susceptibility to caries and erosion. Accurate diagnosis of enamel changes is therefore essential for the evaluation of preventive and restorative treatments. In this study, enamel degradation was investigated via two integrated methods: energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and surface roughness measurement. The experimental protocol was performed in three stages: before bracket bonding, after bracket removal, and after applying a remineralization treatment. The experimental design included a repeated-measures structure, with stage (baseline, post-debonding, post-remineralization) as the within-tooth factor and bracket type (sapphire vs. metallic) as the between-tooth factor. Given the violation of the variance homogeneity assumption, group comparisons were ultimately performed using Welch ANOVA followed by Games–Howell post hoc tests, with Bonferroni-adjusted values used for pairwise comparisons. The presence of orthodontic brackets can influence enamel mineralization because the bonding and debonding procedures modify the enamel surface microtopography. These procedures can generate microcracks and surface irregularities, which may affect mineral exchange between enamel and the surrounding environment. In our study, bracket removal led to a significant decrease in the mean atomic percentages of Ca (from 32.65% to 16.37% for sapphire) and P (from 16.35% to 8.60% for sapphire), accompanied by a sharp increase in surface roughness. After remineralization, Ca and P levels increased, while roughness decreased. However, neither the mineral content nor the surface topography fully returned to the initial values, indicating that remineralization achieved only a partial recovery of enamel integrity. These findings highlight that the integrated EDS approach and roughness analysis offer a promising descriptive framework for assessing enamel degradation and monitoring the effectiveness of remineralization therapies. The generated mathematical model provides a powerful descriptive framework for the in vitro data obtained, correlating roughness with mineral composition and treatment stage. However, such a high goodness-of-fit (R² > 0.98) should be interpreted cautiously due to the risk of overfitting. Therefore, rigorous external validation is mandatory before this model can be considered a reliable predictive tool. It also highlights the importance of enamel remineralization therapies after orthodontic treatment, but also the importance of choosing personalized treatment strategies adapted to the enamel type. Full article

This paper introduces a biological surface that is resistant to erosion under liquid–solid two-phase flow. Numerical simulations are used to study the erosion of smooth and ribbed shells by particles. The results show that when the flow direction is perpendicular to the direction of the shell ribs, the total erosion rate of the ribbed shell is 29.08% lower than that of the smooth shell, and the impact velocity of particles with a diameter of 0.5 mm on the ribbed shell is 15.91% lower than that on the smooth shell. This phenomenon occurs because a low-velocity flow field is formed in the grooves of the ribbed shell, which causes the particles to decelerate for some time before impacting the shell. This ribbed structure may provide design ideas for equipment that is susceptible to erosion. Full article

Functional appliances constitute a common treatment approach for skeletal Class II malocclusion. However, evidence regarding the effects of appliance design and manufacturing workflows on treatment outcomes remains limited. This study aimed to compare the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue effects of conventionally fabricated, prefabricated, and digitally designed functional appliances. A total of 28 growing patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion were retrospectively assessed and evenly assigned to four treatment groups: Twin Block, PowerScope, Invisalign Mandibular Advancement, and digitally designed Herbst. Skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue parameters were evaluated using lateral cephalometric radiographs obtained before (T0) and after treatment (T1). Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA, repeated-measures ANOVA, and the Kruskal–Wallis test. All treatment modalities demonstrated significant sagittal improvement, characterized by reductions in ANB and Wits values and increases in SNB angle and mandibular length (Co–Gn). The Twin Block appliance showed a significantly greater increase in mandibular length compared with the other groups (p = 0.037). Dentoalveolar adaptations were more pronounced in the PowerScope and Invisalign Mandibular Advancement groups. In conclusion, within the limitations of this retrospective pilot study, functional appliances with different design and manufacturing characteristics appear to produce distinct skeletal and dentoalveolar response patterns, and digitally designed systems may represent clinically effective alternatives for the treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion; however, these findings should be considered preliminary and interpreted with caution. Full article

Plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are widely used as insect attractants for population monitoring, offering an efficient and eco-friendly approach to pest management. Since thrips are the dominant pest species in alfalfa fields, this study aimed to identify a suitable attractant trap design that could be employed to monitor Odontothrips loti and Frankliniella occidentalis. The field experiment showed that p-Menth-8-en-2-one, dispensed through PE (Polyethylene) vials positioned at the top of the alfalfa canopy, attracted the most thrips, with the optimal concentrations of 1 µg/µL for O. loti and 50 µg/µL for F. occidentalis, respectively. When both species occur in alfalfa, PVC pipes dispensing p-Menth-8-en-2-one at a concentration of 1 µg/µL provide an effective attractant for both species, offering an indication of presence and relative abundance. Understanding the incidence and abundance of both species in the field provides growers an opportunity to target treatments to protect crops before significant damage occurs, reduce insecticide overuse, and support integrated pest management strategies for these two high-impact pests. Full article

The piston pin operates under severe mechanical and thermal conditions, making accurate lubrication prediction essential for engine durability. This study presents a comprehensive digital engineering framework for piston pin bearings, built upon a fully coupled thermo-elasto-hydrodynamic (TEHD) formulation. The framework integrates: (1) a Reynolds-equation hydrodynamic solver with temperature-/pressure-dependent viscosity and cavitation; (2) elastic deformation obtained from FEA (finite element analysis)-based compliance matrices; (3) a break-in module that iteratively adjusts surface profiles before steady-state simulation; (4) a three-body heat transfer model resolving heat conduction, convection, and solid–liquid interfacial heat exchange. Applied to a heavy-duty diesel engine, the framework reproduces experimentally observed behaviors, including bottom-edge rounding at the small end and the slow unidirectional drift of the floating pin. By integrating multi-physics modeling with design-level flexibility, this work aims to provide a robust digital twin for the piston-pin system, enabling virtual diagnostics, early-stage failure prediction, and data-driven design optimization for engine development. Full article

In facility tomato production, the excessive application ratio of ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) often leads to root acidification and calcium-magnesium antagonism. Although amide nitrogen (urea-N) has better buffering properties, it needs to be hydrolyzed before utilization, resulting in a lag effect. Previous studies have mostly focused on a single nitrogen source or a fixed proportion, and there is still a lack of systematic evidence on the nitrogen supply effects of different nitrogen application combinations at different growth stages of tomatoes. Therefore, in this experiment, tomato cultivar ‘Jingfan 502’ was used. All treatments received the same total nitrogen concentration (15 mM), but the nitrogen was supplied as different combinations of ammonium nitrogen (AN) and amide nitrogen (UN). Six AN–UN ratio treatments were designed: CK (0% AN, 0% UN), T1 (100% AN, 0% UN), T2 (0% AN, 100% UN), T3 (25% AN, 75% UN), T4 (50% AN, 50% UN), and T5 (75% AN, 25% UN). T3 (25% NH₄⁺ + 75% urea) increased single-plant yield by 64.04% and 5.10%, and total N, P, K, and Mg accumulation by 29.0% and 20.7%, relative to T1 and T2. In addition, compared to T1 and T2, the nitrogen fertilizer uptake rate of the T3 treatment increased by 17.00% and 24.90%, respectively, and the electrical conductivity (EC) increased by 27.04% and 44.84%, respectively. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) showed that enzyme activities, total N and electrical conductivity were positively linked to microbial communities in T3 and T4, whereas communities in CK, T1, T2 and T5 correlated with nutrients and pH. Under controlled pot conditions, T3 optimizes the rhizosphere micro-environment, enhances microbial abundance and nutrient uptake, and provides a theoretical basis for precise N management in tomato. Full article

Background/Objectives: Providing children with information about their treatment can help reduce uncertainty and anxiety associated with hospital procedures. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an app designed to prepare young children and their parents for a hearing examination in a playful and engaging way. Methods: This exploratory study adopted a participatory design approach. Children, parents, and clinicians co-created the app, and evaluations were conducted through focus group meetings, dialogue meetings, and surveys. Results: Children, parents, and clinicians evaluated the app positively. Findings indicated that children who used the app before their hearing examination met audiologists’ expectations to a greater extent than those who did not. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups regarding satisfaction with the examination, the children’s sense of safety, or parents’ prior knowledge of the procedure. The study also revealed implementation challenges: only 20% of children visiting the department had used the app beforehand, and funding for ongoing maintenance was not adequately addressed. Conclusions: Preparing children for hearing examinations with an app appears promising. However, to ensure the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of digital healthcare solutions, challenges related to implementation and maintenance must be considered in future studies. Full article

Mycelium-based composites are self-grown biodegradable materials, made using agricultural residue fibers that are inoculated with fungi mycelium. The mycelium forms an interwoven three-dimensional filamentous network, binding every fiber particle together to create a rigid, lightweight composite material. Although having potential in packaging and in the construction industry, mycelium composites encounter molding limitations due to fiber size and oxygen access which hinder design capabilities and market engagement. To cope with these limitations, this study reports an alternative way to form mycelium composite using cut precultivated mycelium composite panels, laminated to biologically fuse into a unique assembly. By controlling the growth conditions of the mycelium network, it is possible to adjust physical properties such as flexural strength and strain energy density. These mycelium composite panels were fabricated from hemp fibers and Ganoderma lucidum mushroom. Seven different growth conditions were tested to increase layer adhesion and create the strongest assembly. Three-point flexural tests were conducted on ten samples extracted from each assembled panel triplicate set. The data collected in this study suggested that cultivating an opaque layer of mycelium on the surface of the panel before stacking can enhance total strain energy density by approximately 60%, compared to a single-layer mycelium composite of identical size. In addition, this eliminates abrupt material failure by dividing failure behavior into multiple distinct stages. Finally, by layering multiple thinner layers, the resulting mycelium composite could contain even higher mycelium proportions exhibiting augmented mechanical properties and higher design precisions opening market possibilities. Full article

Hydrological behavior plays a critical role in seasonally dry forest ecosystems, as it underpins water availability for multiple productive activities, including forestry, agriculture, grazing, and urban supply. This study evaluated the hydrological effects of thinning treatments in a semi-arid oak–pine forest of Chihuahua, Mexico, using a Before–After–Control–Impact (BACI) design. Three Micro-catchments (MC) with initially comparable tree density and canopy cover were monitored during the rainy seasons of 2018 (pre-thinning) and 2019 (post-thinning). Thinning treatments were applied at 20% and 60% canopy cover in two MC, while a third remained unthinned as a 100% control. Precipitation and surface runoff were recorded at the event scale, and data were analyzed using Weibull probability models with a log link to capture the frequency and magnitude of runoff events. Precipitation patterns were broadly comparable across years, although 2018 included an extreme storm event (59 mm). In contrast, runoff volumes in 2019 were lower despite marginally higher seasonal rainfall, reflecting the absence of large storms. Statistical modeling indicated that for each additional millimeter of precipitation, mean runoff increased by approximately 12%, although thinning significantly altered baseline conditions. Relative to 2018, mean runoff ratios were 0.087 in the 100% canopy catchment, 0.296 in the 60% treatment, and 0.348 in the 20% treatment, suggesting that reduced canopy cover retained proportionally more runoff than the control. BACI contrasts confirmed that thinned catchments maintained higher proportions of runoff than the unthinned control, although statistical significance was marginal for the 20% canopy treatment. Overall, the study provides ecohydrological insights relevant to the management of semi-arid forest ecosystems. Full article

Background: Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic disturbances, including an altered tryptophan (Trp) catabolism through the kynurenine pathway (KP). Since the KP is closely linked to immune activity, energy metabolism, and hepatic function, modulating its flux through lifestyle interventions has gained interest as a potential therapeutic strategy. Objective: This exploratory study aimed to investigate the impact of a structured 12-week weight loss program (WLP) on serum KP metabolites in a sample of Mexican women with obesity. Methods: This study involved a pre–post-intervention design conducted in twenty-four women with clinically diagnosed obesity from the Mexican Navy who underwent a structured 12-week weight loss program combining a hypocaloric diet with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise; no control group was included. Anthropometric parameters, serum biochemistry, and circulating levels of Trp, kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), and 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) were assessed before and after intervention. Psychological assessments of anxiety and depression were also conducted in a subset of participants. Results: The WLP significantly reduced body weight, BMI, fat mass, fasting insulin, and C-reactive protein levels. Serum concentrations of Trp, KYN, and KYNA decreased, while 3-HK showed a non-significant upward trend. Enzymatic indexes revealed a significant increase in the 3-HK/KYN ratio and a decrease in the KYNA/3-HK ratio, suggesting a shift toward kynurenine monooxygenase (KMO) branch. Notably, higher KYNA-related ratios were inversely associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These findings position the KP as a responsive metabolic interface potentially linking improvements in body composition, liver function, and psychological status during structured weight loss efforts. Full article

Façades account for approximately 15–20% of a building’s embodied carbon, making them a key target for material decarbonization. While bio-composites are increasingly explored for façade insulation, cladding systems remain dominated by carbon-intensive materials such as aluminum and fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs). This paper presents findings from a study investigating the use of food-waste-derived bulk fillers in bio-composite materials for façade cladding applications. Several food-waste streams, including hazelnut and pistachio shells, date seeds, avocado and mango pits, tea leaves, and brewing waste, were processed into fine powders (<0.125 μm) and combined with a furan-based biobased thermoset resin to produce flat composite sheets. The samples were evaluated through mechanical testing (flexural strength, stiffness, and impact resistance), water absorption, freeze–thaw durability, and optical microscopy to assess microstructural characteristics before and after testing. The results reveal substantial performance differences between waste streams. In particular, hazelnut and pistachio shell fillers produced bio-composites suitable for façade cladding, achieving flexural strengths of 62.6 MPa and 53.6 MPa and impact strengths of 3.42 kJ/m² and 1.39 kJ/m², respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of food-waste-based bio-composites as low-carbon façade cladding materials and highlight future opportunities for optimization of processing, supply chains, and material design. Full article