Search Results (233)

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have gained increasing attention as institutional mechanisms for improving the resilience of smallholder farming systems under changing climatic conditions. This study examines the role of FPOs in promoting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices, improved irrigation strategies, and sustainable land management in the arid region of Pali district, Rajasthan, India. A comparative assessment was conducted between FPO-associated member and non-member farmers to evaluate differences in climate change perception, adoption behaviour, and adaptive capacity. The study employed a mixed-methods research design using primary data collected from 408 farm households through structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant consultations. Descriptive statistics, mean comparison tests and regression analysis were used to examine adoption patterns and identify the major factors influencing farmers’ responses to climate risks. The findings indicate that delayed rainfall, rising temperatures, and increasing drought frequency are widely perceived by farmers as major threats to agricultural production. FPO membership was associated with higher levels of climate-risk awareness and greater reported adoption of CSA practices; however, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. Farmers linked with FPOs reported stronger uptake of improved and stress-tolerant crop varieties, crop diversification, mixed farming systems, agroforestry, soil moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, improved irrigation methods, and integrated pest management practices. Education, farm size, access to extension services, market linkages, and climate information were also found to significantly influence adoption decisions. The study highlights the important contribution of FPOs in reducing transaction costs, improving access to inputs, technical knowledge, credit and markets, and encouraging collective responses to climate stress. Strengthening FPO governance, expanding extension support, and targeting vulnerable farmer groups can substantially enhance climate resilience and support sustainable agricultural transitions in arid regions. The findings demonstrate that farmer organizations can serve as effective intermediary institutions linking household-level adaptation strategies with broader goals of irrigation efficiency, land management, and rural sustainability. Full article

Digital twin (DT) technology is attracting increasing interest as a potentially valuable tool for the future of agriculture. By offering a dynamic virtual representation of real agricultural systems, it opens up new possibilities for real-time monitoring, simulation, and decision support. In principle, such approaches could improve predictive capacity, optimize resource use, and support more responsive management strategies. However, agriculture cannot be treated as an engineered system, and this is where important challenges emerge. Agroecosystems are living, context-dependent, and inherently variable, shaped by diverse processes that remain only partly observable and often difficult to model. This makes their representation and prediction considerably more complex than in many industrial applications. In this review, we critically examine the conceptual foundations, architectural frameworks, and current applications of agricultural digital twins (ADTs), while also identifying key scientific and practical constraints that continue to limit their development. Particular attention is given to two recurring issues: the assumption that increasing data availability necessarily improves prediction, and the persistent gap between observable variables and the underlying biological and ecological processes that govern system behaviour. Drawing on conceptual figures and comparative analyses, we highlight important research gaps and argue for a shift in perspective. Rather than pursuing increasingly precise predictions, there is a need to develop digital twins that explicitly account for uncertainty and support more resilient forms of decision-making. In this context, the value of ADTs may lie less in predictive accuracy alone, and more in their ability to help decision-makers navigate complexity, variability, and change. Full article

Phase change materials (PCMs) are increasingly incorporated into façades and wall systems to enhance passive thermal regulation; however, their fire safety remains poorly understood. While PCMs effectively reduce cooling loads, limited data exist on their behaviour under real fire exposure. In this study, the thermal response of PCM-integrated concrete panels was investigated through two-dimensional finite element modelling using an apparent heat-capacity formulation that accounts for phase change, latent-heat absorption, and encapsulation softening. Simulations were performed under the ISO 834 standard fire curve and constant furnace exposures between 200 °C and 800 °C for 60 min to evaluate insulation performance and encapsulation stability. Results show that PCM melting at approximately 31 °C provides a 20–25 min delay in rear-face temperature rise under moderate fire exposure (≤400 °C), maintaining the rear-face temperature increase below 180 °C for one hour. Beyond 500 °C, the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) encapsulation softens near 95 °C, suppressing latent-heat storage and leading to rear-face temperatures between 260 °C and 360 °C. Comparative analyses indicate that organic PCMs lose effectiveness rapidly unless protected by at least a 25 mm concrete cover, whereas inorganic PCMs exhibit superior stability owing to their non-combustibility and endothermic dehydration behaviour. The results identify performance trends, thermal limitations, and design considerations for the investigated PCM–ABS–concrete assembly under the studied fire exposure conditions. The validated experimental–numerical framework provides insight into the thermal response of PCM-integrated concrete assemblies and supports future development of fire-resilient building-envelope components. Full article

Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly important concern within education systems worldwide, yet many initiatives remain centred on knowledge transmission rather than the everyday practices through which environmental responsibility is learned. This study examines Indonesian nature schools (Sekolah Alam), defined here as alternative schools that integrate the national curriculum with outdoor, experiential, character-based, and community-oriented environmental learning. Using a qualitative multi-case study of three schools in an urban and peri-urban Indonesian context, we interviewed 24 stakeholders, including principals, vice principals, teachers, and parents, to examine how ecological responsibility is understood, enacted, and perceived across school communities. Thematic analysis identified six interrelated dimensions: green education philosophy, experiential learning, ecological character formation, institutional support, community engagement, and perceived behavioural outcomes. The findings suggest that ecological responsibility is not produced by a single lesson or programme, but is perceived by stakeholders as emerging through mutually reinforcing institutional, pedagogical, and social practices. School leaders establish enabling conditions, teachers translate environmental values into daily experiential learning, and parents report reinforcing these practices in household contexts. The study contributes a socio-institutional framework for understanding environmental education as an embedded school cultures, while also acknowledging that claims about behavioural change are based on stakeholder perceptions rather than direct observation of students. Full article

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterised by chronic limb ischaemia and frequently coexists with metabolic comorbidities like diabetes mellitus. Surgical revascularisation performed to relieve symptoms of ischaemia induces an abrupt transformation from hypoxia toward normoxia. However, the early systemic behaviour of hypoxia-responsive angiogenic pathways during this period remains incompletely characterised. Methods: In this prospective, single-centre observational study, 26 patients undergoing elective above-knee femoropopliteal bypass for PAD were enrolled. Venous samples were collected preoperatively (T0), immediately postoperatively (T1), and 24 h after surgery (T2). Circulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1A) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were quantified, and their temporal changes were analysed. Exploratory subgroup analyses were also performed according to diabetes status. Results: Both circulating HIF-1A and VEGF declined significantly following revascularisation, with reductions detectable immediately postoperatively and persisting at 24 h. Baseline HIF-1A and VEGF concentrations were strongly correlated. While baseline biomarker levels did not differ by diabetes status, patients with diabetes exhibited an attenuated postoperative decline in circulating HIF-1A at 24 h, with a similar but non-significant trend observed for VEGF. Conclusions: Lower limb revascularisation for PAD is associated with a rapid and sustained decline in circulating hypoxia-responsive angiogenic markers, consistent with early resolution of hypoxia-driven signalling. Diabetes status was associated with altered postoperative biomarker trajectories, supporting further investigation of early perioperative angiogenic dynamics in PAD. Full article

To accurately assess foundation behaviour under urban conditions, it is essential to integrate geotechnical analysis with continuously evolving hydrogeological parameters. In rapidly developing cities such as Astana, long-term fluctuations in seasonal groundwater levels, salinity dynamics, and changes in soil permeability significantly influence stress–strain behaviour and structural settlement. This study employs multiple software tools, supported by detailed hydrogeological monitoring, laboratory testing, and integrated numerical simulations, to analyse the development of settlement and stress–strain characteristics for both the synagogue and the Independence Palace. The results show that between 2002 and 2020, groundwater salinity at the synagogue site increased from 1.10 g/L to 3.39 g/L, accompanied by a 23% rise in soil permeability. At the Independence Palace site, salinity reached 2.01 g/L, with an 18% increase in permeability. Numerical simulations conducted using GEO5, PLAXIS 2D, and LIRA SAPR revealed consistent trends but varying magnitudes of subsidence. PLAXIS 2D predicted settlement values approximately 15–25% higher than GEO5, while LIRA SAPR produced estimates 10–20% lower. Among the models, GEO5 demonstrated the closest agreement with field observations. The Independence Palace underwent relatively rapid stabilisation due to an effective drainage system, with consolidation occurring over approximately 100–150 days. In contrast, the synagogue experienced prolonged settlement over a period of 10–15 years, driven by high groundwater saturation and river recharge. These findings confirm that hydrochemical evolution plays a critical role in governing soil permeability. Consequently, cross-validation using multiple modelling platforms is essential, and long-term settlement assessments in complex hydrogeological environments must account for time-dependent changes in permeability. Full article

This study investigates the coordinated impact of a synchronous condenser (SC), battery energy storage system (BESS), and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) on enhancing voltage and frequency stability in a modified IEEE 9-bus power system under severe disturbances. The aim is to quantify the individual and combined contributions of these technologies during both fault ride-through (FRT) and load-increment events. The methodology includes dynamic modelling of all three devices in DIgSILENT PowerFactory. The SC is represented as a synchronous machine with inertia and AVR-based voltage control; the BESS employs converter-based active power and frequency-droop control; and the STATCOM provides fast reactive power injection through a dual-loop voltage regulator. Key indicators include nadir (minimum frequency), Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF), steady-state deviation, voltage sag depth, and recovery characteristics. Results indicate distinct roles for each device. The SC increases inertia and improves damping, but it also introduces small, well-damped oscillations. The BESS significantly enhances frequency stability by mitigating nadir, reducing RoCoF, and accelerating recovery, with negligible effect on voltage regulation. The STATCOM substantially reduces voltage sag and speeds up voltage recovery, but it does not influence frequency behaviour. When combined, the hybrid SC–BESS–STATCOM system demonstrates strong complementarity: the SC supports inertia, the BESS stabilizes active-power imbalance, and the STATCOM ensures fast reactive-power compensation. Full article

Urban navigation in dynamic environments remains a challenging problem for blind and visually impaired users due to the presence of unpredictable obstacles and the limitations of conventional navigation systems, which rely primarily on static map-based information and lack real-time environmental awareness. This paper presents a real-time sensor-driven navigation system based on a multi-agent architecture incorporating a reinforcement-learning navigation policy for assistive mobility in urban environments. The proposed system integrates GPS-based global localization with vision-based perception to enable continuous fusion of global route planning and local obstacle detection. This integration allows the system to dynamically adjust navigation strategies in response to changing environmental conditions. The architecture is designed as a modular multi-agent system comprising agents for perception, navigation, sensor fusion, personalization, safety arbitration, interface management, and system monitoring. The reinforcement learning component formulates local navigation as a sequential decision-making problem, where the navigation policy is trained to balance path efficiency, obstacle avoidance, and safety constraints through interaction with simulated environments. Prototype implementation is developed and evaluated in both simulation and controlled real-world scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system shows improved obstacle avoidance performance and navigation stability under the evaluated conditions while maintaining low-latency responsiveness compared to baseline navigation approaches. The system also exhibits robust behaviour under varying environmental conditions, supporting its potential applicability to assistive navigation tasks in controlled urban environments. The proposed approach contributes to a scalable architecture that integrates a reinforcement-learning navigation policy within a multi-agent coordination framework and real-time sensor perception, providing a foundation for the development of intelligent and deployable assistive navigation systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: This intervention study compared the impact of the PA-100 AST System (PA-100) with the standard of care on antibiotic-prescribing behaviour for community-acquired urinary tract infections in a Spanish primary care setting. Methods: Women seeking care for symptoms of uncomplicated urinary tract infections were recruited based on the last digit of their regional personal identification number in a control (no PA-100 result available) or intervention (PA-100 result available) arm. Differences in antibiotic-prescribing behaviour were analysed using Fisher’s exact test, with the sample size powered to detect a change in prescription in ≥6% of patients. Results: Availability of the PA-100 revealed resistance to fosfomycin in 21.5% of confirmed infections. This significantly shifted prescription away from fosfomycin towards nitrofurantoin and amoxycillin/clavulanic acid (p < 0.001). In accordance with local guidelines, fosfomycin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic in the control arm (65.9%), whereas a significantly lower rate (37.7%) was observed in the intervention arm. Conclusions: The PA-100 shows potential to support antimicrobial stewardship by enabling targeted antibiotic treatment at the first visit and improving care in primary care settings. Full article

The textile and clothing industry has historically exerted a significant negative impact on the environment. Excessive water consumption, chemical pollution, and soil degradation are just a few of the pressing environmental concerns linked to this sector. Addressing these issues has become a priority not only for regulatory bodies, at the National and European levels, but also for the industry itself. More recently, growing attention has turned to reducing the huge volume of waste generated by consumers’ unbridled purchase of clothing. In this context, the Circular Economy (CE) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) have emerged as complementary approaches for improving product circularity, transparency, and traceability. However, in the textile and clothing sector, their effective implementation also depends on consumer participation in practices such as prolonged use, repair, reuse, and responsible end-of-life management. This article presents EcoProve, a gamified platform designed to encourage consumer engagement with CE practices through smart wardrobe management. The platform allows users to register garments, track usage, record maintenance and repair actions, and document sharing, donation, remaking, and recycling activities. These functionalities aim both to promote more sustainable clothing-related behaviours and to support the structured recording of use phase data relevant to DPP-oriented lifecycle information. This study reports the development and pilot validation of the platform with end users. The results suggest positive effects on environmental awareness, perceived understanding of sustainable textile-related practices, and initial self-reported changes in habits associated with clothing use and disposal. The findings support the potential of gamified digital platforms to foster consumer participation in CE systems in the textile and clothing sector while also indicating the need for broader and longer-term evaluations. Full article

The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into sustainability initiatives has intensified interest in its potential to influence behaviour and advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, a persistent gap between sustainability intentions and actual behaviours continues to constrain meaningful outcomes. This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the extent to which AI reduces or reinforces this intention–behaviour gap across multiple levels of influence. Following PRISMA guidelines, 48 studies were analysed, capturing AI interventions across environmental, social, and economic sustainability domains and spanning internal, strategic, value chain, and system-level contexts. The findings show that AI operates as a conditional behavioural mechanism rather than a uniformly positive solution. At the internal level, AI-enabled interventions, including nudges, feedback systems, and decision support tools, are associated with improved behavioural alignment, particularly in domains linked to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). However, at organisational and system levels, AI frequently reinforces sustainability decoupling by enabling optimisation, reporting, and symbolic compliance without corresponding behavioural change. The study proposes a multi-level conceptual model of AI-mediated behavioural sustainability, demonstrating that AI’s effectiveness depends on contextual, organisational, and institutional conditions that determine whether it supports substantive or symbolic sustainability outcomes. Full article

Rotating machinery is essential in industrial applications, where early fault detection is critical to prevent catastrophic failures. Shafts are mainly vulnerable to imbalances and cracks; these last ones pose a severe risk as they can lead to sudden failure if not identified during their early stages. Cracks induce progressive stiffness reduction, altering the system’s mechanical properties and affecting the forces transmitted to the supports. This study analyses the effects of cracks on a rotating shaft using experimental data. Vibration signals from accelerometers mounted on the supports are processed to identify changes in the shaft’s response. The methodology focuses on distinguishing crack-induced alterations for different imbalance scenarios by analysing key signal features. A statistical detection algorithm and the extracted feature analysis are exploited for crack identification before a critical failure occurs. The results highlight the distinct impact of cracks on the shaft’s dynamic behaviour and demonstrate effective strategies for early detection. While different features highlight the presence of the crack differently, all successfully contribute to detecting the damage. This study provides an analysis of a novel experimental case study for crack detection, enhancing both safety and economic sustainability of rotating machinery. Full article

(1) Background: SMART spinal implants combine biomechanical stabilization with embedded sensors for continuous in vivo monitoring of spinal loading and implant behaviour. This systematic review summarizes current SMART implant technologies in spinal surgery and evaluates their potential clinical applications. (2) Methods: A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus in December 2025. Two independent reviewers screened studies using predefined criteria, with data extracted on implant design, sensor type, study model, and application; risk of bias was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation tool. (3) Results: Thirty-four studies met inclusion criteria, including sensor-integrated posterior rods and fixators (n = 16), vertebral body replacements (n = 6), intervertebral cages or disc space sensors (n = 7), and other configurations (n = 5). Devices were tested in human, cadaveric, and animal models. Most systems used strain-based sensors to quantify implant loading, while few employed accelerometers or pressure sensors. Reported results demonstrated activity- and posture-dependent load changes, and several studies indicated potential for monitoring spinal fusion progression by monitoring load trends. (4) Conclusions: Overall, SMART spinal implants primarily support biomechanical monitoring and show promise for real-time assessment of implant performance, though further studies correlating sensor data with clinical outcomes are required. Full article

Smart feedlots are increasingly adopting Precision Livestock Farming technologies to enable continuous, individual-animal monitoring and more proactive management in intensive beef production systems. This narrative review synthesises evidence from approximately 350 academic publications, of which 117 are formally cited, complemented by industry deployments and the authors’ experience in smart feedlot system development. We cover enabling digital infrastructure (power, sensing networks, wireless connectivity, and gateways), animal identification and sensing (RFID, automated weighing, wearables, and pen-side sensors), machine vision (RGB, thermal, and multispectral imaging from fixed and mobile platforms), and AI-based analytics and decision support for health, welfare, performance, and environmental management. Across the literature, key components have progressed beyond proof-of-concept toward operation under commercial constraints. Reported outcomes include reduced reliance on routine pen-rider observation and yard handling, earlier triage of emerging morbidity risk and behavioural change, and more standardised welfare auditing. Vision-based methods are repeatedly validated against trained human scorers in both on-farm and abattoir contexts, while automated weighing and image-based liveweight estimation support higher-frequency growth monitoring with low single-digit percentage error in representative studies. Precision feeding and targeted supplementation are associated with improved feed utilisation and reduced resource wastage, although effectiveness and adoption vary across animal classes and production stages. We identify priorities for robust, scalable deployment: resilient communications in harsh environments, appropriate edge–cloud partitioning under intermittent connectivity, and interoperable multi-sensor data fusion to deliver trustworthy alerts and actionable insights. Persistent barriers remain cost, durability, maintenance burden, integration and interoperability, data governance, and workforce capability. Full article

Adolescent vaping has become a persistent health and behavioural challenge in schools, yet many institutions lack reliable tools to detect and respond to concealed e-cigarette use. This study addresses this problem by evaluating the real-world performance of a low-cost “Internet of Things” (IoT) vape detection system deployed across 37 high-risk restroom and change-room locations at a large Australian Independent school. The aim was to determine whether an IoT-based environmental monitoring platform could accurately identify vaping events, support timely staff intervention, and provide actionable insights into student behaviour patterns. A longitudinal case study design was used, collecting continuous particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) data at one-minute intervals over an 18-month period, where PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ refer to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤ 2.5 µm and ≤10 µm, respectively, reported in micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³. Threshold-based alerting, cloud-based data processing, and school-led Closed-circuit television (CCTV) verification were combined to assess detection accuracy, temporal trends, and operational responses. The system recorded more than 300 vaping-related incidents, with clusters aligned to predictable times of day and higher prevalence among senior students. Operational detection performance was high, with alert events characterised by rapid, concurrent PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ excursions consistent with vaping-related aerosol profiles, although staff responsiveness declined over time due to alert fatigue and competing priorities. A major environmental smoke event demonstrated the need for context-aware logic to reduce false positives. The findings demonstrate that real-time aerosol monitoring is not only technically reliable but also highly effective in detecting vaping within school environments. These perspectives help explain why user engagement, alert fatigue, and institutional follow-through are as critical as sensor accuracy itself. Ultimately, the effectiveness of vape detection relies on strong organisational commitment, well-defined response workflows, and alignment with broader wellbeing and policy strategies. When these elements are in place, such systems can evolve from simple detection tools into intelligent, integrated components of school health governance. Full article