Search Results (841)

There are some 300 naturally occurring nuclides. In addition, over 3000 radioactive isotopes have become known. The s(low) and r(apid) processes of neutron capture synthesize the nuclides heavier than iron. The synthesis, namely the increase in the atomic numbers Z, is actually governed by $\beta$ decays. A “flow” of successive neutron captures in the chart of the nuclides is intercepted by a nucleus whose $\beta$ decay half-life is short enough. In this review, I discuss the s-process exclusively. The neutron capture rate to be compared with the $\beta$ decay rate is represented by $\lambda =n_{\mathrm{n}}{v}_T<\sigma >$, where $n_{\mathrm{n}}$ is the neutron number density, $v_T$ is the neutron thermal velocity at the temperature T, and $<\sigma >$ is the Maxwellian averaged (around $v_T$) radiative neutron capture cross-section, which depends on the nucleus of interest. The classical analysis of the solar system abundances of nuclides leads to canonical combinations like $n_{\mathrm{n}}\sim {10}^8/{\mathrm{cm}}^3$ and $T\sim 3\times {10}^8$ K for the s-process. The s-process flow becomes intricate when the neutron capture and $\beta$ decay timescales are comparable, causing a branch of the flow. Subsequently, an evaluation of $\beta$ decay rates is required, which is difficult to do straightforwardly. In this review, I will discuss the historical developments and the current status of predicting $\beta$ decay rates under s-process environments (specified basically by temperature, density, and composition). Those conditions are inaccessible in the laboratory. Embedded in high-temperature environments, even a very massive atomic species could be highly ionized, and its atomic and nuclear excited states could be thermally populated. I will exemplify the consequent difficulties of $\beta$ decay rate evaluations for s-process studies. Full article

While South Africa’s recycling chain relies heavily on informal labour, the burden of non-fatal workplace injuries among landfill-based waste pickers remains poorly characterised. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-reported non-fatal workplace injuries and identify associated factors among informal waste pickers at landfill sites in Johannesburg, South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study at two purposively selected landfill sites in Johannesburg. Using convenience sampling, 354 waste pickers were enrolled (median age 34 years; 73.2% male). A structured questionnaire captured worker characteristics and self-reported injuries over the preceding six months. Robust (modified) Poisson regression was utilised to determine associations with self-reported workplace injury. Overall, 86.2% of participants reported at least one injury. Lacerations caused by contact with waste materials predominated (82.7%), followed by violence (20.5%) and needle-stick injuries (19.9%). Notably, 94.1% of participants reported using personal protective equipment (PPE), yet the injury prevalence was high. In the multivariable model, each additional year of landfill work experience was associated with a 1.0% higher prevalence of reported injury (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.01; 95% CI 1.01–1.02). Conversely, pickers aged 51 years and older had a 32% lower prevalence of injury than those aged 18–28 (aPR 0.68; 95% CI 0.51–0.90). To mitigate these risks, municipal authorities should implement mandatory safety training for site entry, provide industrial-grade, puncture-resistant PPE, and formalise the integration of landfill pickers into institutional occupational health frameworks. Full article

Background: Dermatological conditions represent a leading cause of global nonfatal disease burden, accounting for approximately 42.9 million disability-adjusted life years annually. Their complex pathogenesis is increasingly understood through the skin–brain–exposome axis, a bidirectional neuroimmunological and environmental communication network. The study aims to synthesize the neurobiological mechanisms of the skin–brain–exposome axis with macroscopic sociodemographic modifiers, clinical manifestations, and evidence-based psychodermatological interventions. Methods: A narrative review was conducted, following a structured search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (from inception to February 2026), yielding 54 sources. Mechanistic and interventional data (including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses) were integrated with large-scale population-based epidemiological findings, anchored by a recent cross-sectional Polish cohort of 27,000 adults. Results: Psychological distress is associated with hyperactivation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and peripheral neurogenic inflammation (e.g., Substance P, corticotropin-releasing hormone), exacerbating stress-sensitive conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and chronic pruritus. External exposome factors (urbanization, pollution) and sociodemographic variables (education, gender) may modify biological risk and diagnostic capture rates, frequently generating an epidemiological diagnostic paradox. Randomized trials support that psychotherapeutic interventions, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), effectively disrupt the physical itch–scratch–stress cycle and improve disease-specific quality of life, serving as evidence-based adjunctive strategies in comprehensive care. Conclusions: Effective dermatological management requires targeting both the cutaneous barrier and the psychological exposome. Integrating routine psychosocial screening and stratified behavioral interventions into standard clinical care is essential for addressing the neuroimmune chronicity of inflammatory skin diseases. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between 24-h movement behavior composition and estimate cardiorespiratory fitness in school-aged children using compositional data analysis, and to model the theoretical differences in estimated cardiorespiratory fitness associated with isotemporal reallocations of time between movement behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 222 schoolchildren aged 8 to 12 years (mean age 9.94 ± 0.69 years), with most participants aged 10 years. Twenty-four-hour movement behaviors were assessed objectively using wrist-worn accelerometers, and cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated from the 20 m shuttle run test using the Léger equation. Daily time-use composition was analyzed using isometric log-ratio coordinates and adjusted linear regression models were fitted. Estimated differences in cardiorespiratory fitness associated with 30-min isotemporal reallocations between behaviors were then modeled. Results: The 24-h movement behavior composition was significantly associated with estimated cardiorespiratory fitness. In isotemporal models, reallocating 30 min from sedentary behavior to sleep was associated with the largest modeled difference in estimated cardiorespiratory fitness, whereas other reallocations showed smaller estimated differences depending on the behavior displaced. Age was positively associated with estimated cardiorespiratory fitness, while sex showed a limited association. Bivariate analyses revealed weak or inconsistent associations, supporting the value of the compositional approach for capturing the interdependent nature of daily time use. Conclusions: Twenty-four-hour movement behavior composition was associated with estimated cardiorespiratory fitness in school-aged children. These findings support the use of compositional approaches to examine sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity jointly. However, given the cross-sectional design and the modeled nature of the reallocations, the estimated differences should be interpreted cautiously and not as direct causal or physiological effects. Full article

The phase-out of carbon-intensive power generation systems has posed a multifaceted governance challenge for carbon-reliant regions in Europe. Despite highlighting the significance of fair and inclusive distribution and decision-making within the framework of the Just Transition Development Plan, empirical evidence is rather limited as regards the affected workers’ evaluative perceptions of the relevant transition management in impacted regions. The present research investigates the determinants shaping workers’ perceptions of Just Transition management in Western Macedonia, a major post-lignite region in Greece. Using original survey data collected from 189 workers, the analysis develops four composite indices, which capture perceptions of institutional readiness, expectations about economic transition outcomes, views on environmental and health implications, as well as levels of awareness, participation, and trust in the Just Transition Development Plan (SDAM, in Greek). The analysis employs a baseline cross-sectional Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, combined with an interaction model designed to assess whether the impact of participatory governance varies with economic expectations. The results demonstrate that awareness, participation, and perceived credibility of the transition plan have a strong and statistically significant positive impact on workers’ perceptions of transition management, whereas institutional readiness, workers’ perceptions of broader regional economic prospects during the transition, and environmental or health implications do not significantly contribute to shaping respondents’ evaluations. The research provides micro-level empirical evidence, based on individual workers’ perceptions, while the economic expectations captured refer to broader regional economic trajectories during the transition. From a sustainability perspective, the findings suggest that workers’ evaluations of transition management are more strongly associated with participatory governance, transparency, and stakeholder engagement than with the specific regional economic expectations captured in the survey. Consequently, sustainable transition management must encompass not only environmental objectives but also inclusive and credible governance processes that foster social acceptance and regional resilience. Full article

This study explores the drivers of economic growth in the BRICS economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—over the period 1994–2024, focusing on the roles of digital infrastructure and financial development. Using a balanced panel, we examine how internet connectivity and access to credit shape growth, both independently and in combination, while accounting for gross fixed capital formation, urbanization, and government expenditure. Given the macro-panel structure, which exhibits heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and cross-sectional dependence, we employ robust estimation techniques, including Driscoll–Kraay standard errors (DKSE), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE). To capture potential heterogeneity across different growth scenarios, we further apply the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) as a robustness check. Our findings show that both internet connectivity and financial development consistently promote economic growth across all main specifications. Importantly, the interaction between these two factors is also significant, indicating that the benefits of digital infrastructure are stronger in countries with deeper financial systems, and vice versa. Among the control variables, capital accumulation and government spending positively contribute to growth, while urbanization exhibits a negative association, reflecting the structural challenges of rapid urban expansion. MMQR results confirm that these relationships hold across low-, medium-, and high-growth periods, highlighting their broad relevance. These findings highlight the synergistic role of technological and financial development and underscore the importance of integrated policies to sustain long-term, inclusive growth in the BRICS economies. This study suggests that policymakers should adopt integrated strategies that enhance digital connectivity, deepen financial development, and support productive public investment to sustain inclusive and resilient economic growth. Full article

Urban sustainability research has increasingly emphasized the role of environmental conditions in shaping the quality of life; however, the empirical evidence for intermediate cities in developing countries remains limited, particularly from the perspective of citizens’ perceptions. This study examines the relationship between the perceived severity of environmental problems and the perceived quality-of-life deterioration in Culiacán, Mexico, an intermediate city characterized by climatic vulnerability and institutional constraints. Based on 552 face-to-face surveys, of which 546 contained complete information for index construction, a cross-sectional and predominantly quantitative design was employed. The environmental perception and quality-of-life deterioration indices were constructed as simple arithmetic averages from Likert scale items, without assuming a single latent construct. The quality-of-life deterioration index captures the perceived negative conditions affecting well-being rather than the quality of life itself; therefore, higher values indicate a greater perceived deterioration. A bivariate ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the association between both indices. The results show a positive and statistically significant relationship (β = 0.486, p < 0.001), with R² = 0.220, indicating that a greater perceived environmental severity is associated with a greater perceived deterioration of well-being. The water-related issues, particularly drought and water contamination, emerge as the most critical concerns. These findings highlight the relevance of environmental perceptions in urban well-being assessments in intermediate cities. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early-phase clinical trials (EPCTs) focus on safety and preliminary efficacy, often assessed by RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours) tumour response. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is rarely evaluated in EPCTs and may not align with radiological outcomes. Methods: The PEARLER (Patient Experience in Early-Phase Cancer Clinical Trials) study evaluated the demographics, tumour response, HRQoL, and therapy type in two early-phase trial units in Australia between August 2023 and 2024. Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline and follow-ups. The Global Health Status (GHS) score was selected as the primary HRQoL measure. Tumour response was assessed using RECIST 1.1. Spearman correlation and Kruskal–Wallis testing assessed the associations between RECIST, cross-sectional GHS change (ΔGHS; follow-up minus baseline), and therapy types. Multilevel models were used to evaluate longitudinal GHS values per RECIST category. Results: Of 122 patients recruited to the PEARLER study, 74 patients had paired RECIST and HRQoL data (complete response (CR) n = 0; partial response (PR) n = 15; stable disease (SD) n = 39; progressive disease (PD) n = 20). The median change in GHS was zero across RECIST groups, with broad individual variability. Notably, 18 of 54 patients (33.3%) with stable or responding disease experienced HRQoL decline. Meanwhile, 10 of 20 (50%) patients with PD experienced stable or improving HRQoL. The best RECIST response and ΔGHS showed a weak but statistically significant negative relationship (Spearman ρ = −0.28, p = 0.017), with the Kruskal–Wallis test demonstrating χ² = 6.20 (p = 0.045), indicating modest group differences driven by the deterioration in PD patients. The multilevel model demonstrated a lower GHS in patients with PD, with no statistically significant interaction of GHS change over time with the RECIST response (p = 0.226). Conclusions: HRQoL change is largely independent of radiologic tumour response and therapy type in EPCT participants. Patients experienced a HRQoL decline despite tumour response. Incorporating patient-reported outcomes alongside RECIST and safety outcomes is important to fully capture the impact of investigational therapies and guide patient-centred trial designs. Full article

Digital transformation is frequently argued to improve how agricultural businesses compete, coordinate, and capture value in markets, yet evidence remains limited of how regional innovation ecosystems shape farms’ digital readiness and how this readiness translates into accounting-relevant outcomes. This study addresses that gap by linking regional innovation capacity, observed farm digital readiness, and accounting performance within a single regional analytical framework. Using cross-sectional data for 180 EU NUTS2 regions (2023), we estimate a moderated mediation model with formative constructs based on harmonized secondary indicators. This study is original in shifting the analysis from the farm or firm level to the regional scale and in operationalizing digital readiness through observable uptake of precision technologies, robotics, livestock-management machinery, internet access, and management information systems. Regional innovation capacity is positively associated with farmers’ digital readiness, and digital readiness is positively associated with accounting performance in the baseline specification. The indirect pathway from innovation capacity to accounting performance via digital readiness is significant, consistent with digital readiness acting as a transmission channel through which ecosystems relate to measurable economic outcomes. Managerial composition conditions these relationships: the share of managers under 40 weakens both the ecosystem-to-digital link and the digital-to-performance link, while female managerial share shows only marginal moderation of the first stage and no significant moderation of the second. The findings provide a basis for future multilevel research and place-based policies and advisory actions aimed at strengthening digital uptake where regional innovation capacity is weaker. Full article

A system of initial teacher education must incorporate instruments capable of capturing the complexity of professional learning. In this context, national diagnostic assessments have become central mechanisms for monitoring outcomes in initial teacher education. This study examines student performance in Initial Teacher Education in Physical Education (ITEPE) programs using the themes assessed by the National Diagnostic Assessment (NDA) 2024, comparing achievement levels and analyzing differences according to the type of higher education institution in Chile. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and comparative design was employed, using official data from 1102 students enrolled in all Chilean universities offering the program. Descriptive and nonparametric inferential analyses were conducted to examine differences by sex and type of institution. The results show relatively homogeneous performance across standards, with higher percentages of achievement in dimensions related to didactic organization and assessment, and lower results in the standard associated with understanding student characteristics. Although statistically significant differences were identified according to administrative dependency, the effect sizes were small. Consequently, the NDA is positioned as a formative input to guide contextualized curricular improvements rather than as a mechanism for institutional ranking. Full article

Interpretability in corporate financial risk profiling must support not only predictive performance but also governance-oriented decision-making. This study proposes a three-class financial risk assessment workflow for B2B settings and introduces Risk-Weighted Uncertainty-Conditioned Feature Importance (RW-UCFI) as a post-explanation prioritization framework. RW-UCFI is not a new attribution method; rather, it reorganizes existing explanation outputs according to class sensitivity, predictive uncertainty, and asymmetric risk relevance. The empirical analysis uses a single cross-sectional dataset of 954 Indonesia Stock Exchange-listed firms with organizationally provided Low Risk, Medium Risk, and High Risk labels. A stacked ensemble model is used as the explanatory substrate, followed by calibration analysis, uncertainty analysis, and governance-oriented explainability aggregation. On the held-out validation set, the model achieved an accuracy of 0.7487 and a macro ROC-AUC of 0.8630. Repeated stratified validation indicated moderately stable aggregate performance, although class-level reliability remained uneven, with High Risk recall emerging as the weakest and most variable component. The original model showed the most favorable probability reliability among the evaluated variants, whereas temperature scaling and one-vs-rest isotonic regression did not improve calibration. Uncertainty analysis further showed that the most uncertain cases concentrated substantially more misclassifications and High Risk misses; the top 30% most uncertain cases captured 52.1% of all errors and 43.8% of High Risk misses. RW-UCFI produced a materially different feature-priority structure from standard global SHAP ranking, suggesting that explanation outputs may become more decision-relevant for governance-oriented review when contextualized by uncertainty and asymmetric risk conditions in the present setting. Full article

A three-body classical trajectory Monte Carlo method is used to investigate state-specific electron capture from H₂O by highly charged ions. The radial and momentum distributions of the target electron are modeled using a one-center molecular orbital wave function. Total single-electron capture cross sections, as well as cross sections for capture into specific $nl$-states, are calculated for the highly charged ion projectiles, C⁶⁺, N⁷⁺, Ne¹⁰⁺, and Ar¹⁸⁺, at relative collision energies ranging from 0.01 keV/amu to 50 keV/amu. Comparisons of relative $n$-state capture populations and total single-electron capture cross sections are made with experimental results. The results show a marked improvement in the prediction of relative $n$-states populated, with the overall single-electron single capture cross sections being slightly low compared with experimental values. Overall, this method of calculating $nl$-states of the captured electron appears to be a promising approach for those wishing to model X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) emissions from comets bombarded by solar wind ions, and fusion researchers trying to determine the effects of impurities in Tokomak reactors. Full article

Background: Healthcare policy in the United Kingdom recognizes that teenagers and young adults (TYAs: 16–24 years at diagnosis) require specialist care. In England, Principal Treatment Centers (PTCs) exist, delivering enhanced care exclusively within the PTC or as ‘joint care’ with designated hospitals (DHs). Central to this is the TYA multidisciplinary team (MDT) and an outreach model coordinating care between hospitals. We previously reported similar outcomes regardless of care location. Aims: To compare TYA experiences of care with healthcare professionals’ perspectives of the service they deliver. Methods: Mixed methods across England and Wales were used. The TYA-MDT identified TYAs who then received a postal invite to a cross-sectional survey capturing experiences of places of care, treatment, healthcare professional support (HCP), mental health, sexuality/fertility, clinical trials and care coordination. Comparisons were made based on exposure to care in a specialist TYA environment within 6 months of diagnosis: all-TYA-PTC (all care in the TYA-PTC, n = 70, 28%), no-TYA-PTC (no care in the TYA-PTC (n = 87, 35%): care delivered in a children/adult unit only), and joint care (care in a TYA-PTC and in a children’s/adult unit, n = 91, 36%). HCP perspectives were captured by rapid ethnography. Results: A total of 250/1056 (24%) TYAs participated. Overall, 200 (80%) rated their teams as excellent/good for helping them prepare for treatment. No evidence of significant differences existed between categories of care for proportions receiving support from key TYA-related professionals: TYA cancer nurse specialists (all-TYA-PTC n = 58, 91%; joint care n = 71, 88%; no-TYA-PTC n = 64, 82%) and social workers (all-TYA-PTC n = 30, 55%; joint care n = 36, 48%; no-TYA-PTC n = 28, 38%). A trend of diminishing support from youth support co-coordinators existed (all-TYA-PTC 63%; joint care 49%; no-TYA-PTC 40%, p = 0.069). This may explain why few differences in patient experiences existed across categories of care. Forty-nine HCPs participated. They were more critical in their interpretation of care, highlighting inequity in resources and challenges in some pathways and coordination. Conclusions: Similar access to age-appropriate support across care settings is likely to reflect recruitment methods. When TYAs are known to the MDT, age-appropriate care can be mobilized beyond TYA units, which could explain the equitable outcomes observed across different care locations in young people who responded to the survey. Nevertheless, gaps persist in communication and coordination, particularly within joint care models, and in the involvement of allied health professionals such as dieticians and physiotherapists, whose input is essential for rehabilitation and return to normal life. Strengthening these areas will require continued investment in workforce capacity and digital infrastructure to support genuinely coordinated, developmentally appropriate TYA cancer care. Full article

This study examines how socio-economic and demographic factors influence electric vehicle (EV) adoption in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Using 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census data and EV registration records, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted at the postcode level. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was applied to identify key determinants of EV uptake. The final model demonstrates strong explanatory power (R² = 0.819%). Results indicate that economic status, captured through a combined income and mortgage indicator, is the strongest predictor, associated with an approximately 101.7% increase in EV registrations for each standard deviation increase. Vehicle ownership density also shows a strong positive effect (an 80.9% increase). In contrast, areas with higher reliance on active transport exhibit a statistically significant negative association with EV adoption. Additional factors, including age, education, and occupational composition (managers and professionals), show moderate positive effects. These findings highlight persistent socio-economic disparities in EV uptake and suggest that targeted policy interventions are required to support a more equitable transition to sustainable transport. Full article

Differential ionization in C${}^{6+}+$He collisions is investigated using the single- and two-center wave-packet convergent close-coupling (WP-CCC) method for projectile energies of 1–6 MeV/u. We present three types of singly differential cross-sections (SDCSs) as functions of the ejection angle, ejection energy, and projectile scattering angle. The two-center framework incorporates couplings across all channels as well as electron correlations. Overall, both the single- and two-center WP-CCC results agree well with existing experimental and theoretical data (apart from the first Born ones) for the SDCS as a function of electron energy and the SDCS as a function of ejection angle, laying a foundation for investigation of doubly and fully differential ionization cross-sections. The cross-sections differential in the projectile scattering angle are presented for the first time. Full article