Search Results (371)

Globalisation, accompanied by the rapid advancement of digital technologies, has become the bedrock of contemporary economies. However, the global digital divide has hindered many economies from enjoying the benefits of enhanced digitalisation. This study addresses the question: to what extent is there evidence of digital convergence or divergence among global economies, and what specific patterns of club clustering exist within the African continent? Employing a quantitative research design with secondary panel data from 123 countries (38 African), the study applies the Phillips and Sul convergence and club clustering algorithm to analyse digitalisation trends. The findings reveal that African countries exhibit significantly stronger within-club convergence dynamics than broader developing country groups, with Africa’s adjustment speed (σ = 2.5624) exceeding the Global South average (σ = 0.8394) by more than threefold. This indicates that African nations are following a similar ICT development trajectory and catching up with other global regions at an accelerated rate. However, the study identifies substantial digital inequality within Africa itself, as countries fail to converge to a single steady state, instead forming distinct convergence clubs. These results underscore that digitalisation follows a systematic and continuous process determined by both technological advancement and countries’ absorptive capacity to adopt these technologies. Full article

The deep integration of green finance and the digital economy serves as a critical lever for achieving the “dual carbon” goals and the “Digital China” strategy. This study constructs a “Technology–Capital–Environment” (TCE) analytical framework and integrates a coupling coordination degree model with a dynamic Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) approach. Based on panel data of the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration from 2014 to 2023, we investigate the synergistic development level, multiple pathways, and dynamic evolution between the two systems. Key findings include: (1) The coupling coordination degree of the two systems has steadily increased, yet significant spatial heterogeneity persists. The average annual growth rate of potential catch-up cities (3.37%) surpasses that of core leading cities (1.77%). (2) Four equifinal driving pathways are identified, which can be summarized into three patterns: technology-dominated institutional synergy, human capital–policy dual-core guidance, and technology–infrastructure synergistic driven. (3) Dynamic analysis reveals that pathways embedded with digital human capital and new infrastructure exhibit stronger resilience to shocks, whereas pathways reliant on institutional synergy demonstrate higher vulnerability. (4) Guangzhou and Shenzhen have already exhibited “ecosystem-level” synergistic characteristics, rendering existing configurational models limited in explanatory power. This study provides a theoretical foundation for promoting regionally differentiated deep integration of green finance and the digital economy and for building a resilience-oriented synergistic development system. Full article

Maintaining frequency regulation in interconnected power systems becomes increasingly difficult in the presence of nonlinear operating conditions. To address this issue, this study develops a hybrid load frequency control scheme in which a fuzzy fractional-order FOPI–FOPD controller is incorporated within a PIDF framework for a two-area LFC system. The controller parameters are optimized using the Dwarf Mongoose Optimization Algorithm (DMOA) and the Catch Fish Optimization Algorithm (CFOA), while the Integral of Time-Weighted Absolute Error (ITAE) is adopted as the performance criterion. The proposed strategy is examined under both linear and nonlinear scenarios, including the effects of Governor Dead Band (GDB) and Generation Rate Constraints (GRC). In the linear case, the DMOA-based design achieves an ITAE of 0.02939 with a tie-line settling time of 13.5478 s, whereas the CFOA-based design produces a bounded and convergent response with an ITAE of 0.03937 and a settling time of 14.4947 s. When GDB nonlinearity is introduced, the DMOA-tuned controller exhibits performance deterioration, yielding an ITAE of 0.1098 and a settling time of 19.0416 s, while the CFOA-tuned design shows more favorable time-domain performance with a lower ITAE of 0.05845 and a bounded settling time of 16.3595 s. These findings indicate that the CFOA-optimized PIDF–Fuzzy FOPI–FOPD controller provides an effective LFC solution under the examined nonlinear operating conditions. Full article

The insect threat to heritage objects can increase with climate change, increased travel, movement of goods and loan exhibitions. This study used catch from 30 heritage environments across Austria. Overall arthropod catch rate in storerooms was lower than in museums and libraries. Taxonomic richness of the ecosystem in the buildings was a product of building size, perhaps paralleling island biogeography. Heritage pests are distributed independently and follow environmental gradients, perhaps aligning with Henry Gleason’s continuum theory of ecological communities. Catch rates for some abundant pests are evenly distributed among buildings (e.g., Psocoptera booklice, Lepisma saccharinum common silverfish), but Tineola bisselliella, the webbing clothes moth, is unevenly distributed because some locations have large infestations. Rare species are unevenly distributed, as these are found in only a few buildings. A characteristic set of insect pests appear to dominate indoor heritage environments in Austria: Psocoptera, Lepismatidae silverfish, Tineola bisselliella webbing clothes moth and carpet beetles like Anthrenus spp. and Attagenus spp. These pests are also common in the interiors of heritage buildings in some other European countries. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) represents a model of adverse intrauterine programming associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders later in life. We examined the relationships between birth weight, catch-up growth, adipokine signaling, and early cardiometabolic risk in adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 80 term-born adolescents (40 FGR, 40 controls) matched for age and sex. Anthropometry, blood pressure, lipid profile, fasting glucose, adipokines (leptin, adiponectin), and ghrelin levels were assessed. Associations between birth weight, growth rate, adipokines, and cardiometabolic outcomes were analyzed. Results: Birth weight was not associated with adiposity, lipid profile, blood pressure, or glycemic status (p > 0.05). In contrast, catch-up growth in the FGR group was correlated with increased BMI (ρ = 0.680, p < 0.001), central adiposity (ρ = 0.714, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (ρ = 0.448, p = 0.0037) and diastolic blood pressure (ρ = 0.325, p = 0.0409). Mediation analyses showed that the current BMI largely explains the associations between catch-up growth and cardiometabolic risk, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference (β = 2.832 kg/m² per 1-unit increase in ΔZ; p < 0.001). The hypertensive effect of catch-up growth was amplified in overweight/obese adolescents (β = 8.13 mmHg; p = 0.006). Catch-up growth was independently associated with higher leptin (β = 220 ng/L; p = 0.022) and a higher leptin/ghrelin ratio (β = 2.330; p = 0.034). Conclusions: Postnatal growth acceleration, rather than fetal size alone, drives early cardiometabolic susceptibility following FGR through adiposity-mediated and endocrine pathways. Full article

The preslaughter phase for broiler chickens is distressing and can result in death prior to slaughter. The severity of this animal welfare concern warrants the exploration of the rates and risk factors. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize current knowledge on rates and associated farm, flock, and preslaughter risk factors for dead-on-arrivals (DOA). Peer-reviewed experimental or observational studies were included that were written in English, published between January 2014 and December 2024, and that reported broiler chicken DOA with rates or associated risk factors in Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. A total of 344 articles were identified, and 24 articles met the eligibility criteria. Mean DOA rates ranged from 0 to 0.85%. In total, nine on-farm or flock-level and 11 preslaughter risk factors were identified, which could be categorized under four major causes of DOA: poor health, distress, thermal stress, and trauma. The risk factors most commonly identified were journey duration and distance, season, ambient temperature, lairage duration, and body weight. The findings highlight multiple opportunities to reduce DOA, including greater consideration of flock characteristics in preslaughter decision making, growing flocks that are at reduced risk of DOA, improvements in catching and loading practices, and better alignment of preslaughter management with environmental conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Japan has experienced a marked decline in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage, reaching less than 1%, after the government suspended its proactive recommendation in 2013, following media reports of symptoms alleged to be adverse events caused by the vaccine. Although the recommendation was reinstated in 2022 after comprehensive safety reviews, vaccination rates have remained modest. We aimed to assess HPV vaccine acceptability and identify factors associated with acceptance among staff at a university hospital. Methods: We administered a web-based questionnaire in February 2024 to 2761 hospital employees, assessing demographic and professional characteristics, HPV-related knowledge, awareness about vaccine effectiveness, adverse events, and catch-up programs, as well as acceptability across four hypothetical scenarios reflecting publicly funded and self-funded vaccination programs. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with acceptability. Results: Among 1132 respondents (response rate 41.0%), acceptability exceeded 75% in the publicly funded scenarios but was approximately 45% in the self-funded scenarios. In multivariable analyses of the publicly funded scenarios, younger age, being a medical professional, greater HPV vaccine knowledge levels, and awareness about HPV vaccine effectiveness or catch-up vaccination were positively associated with acceptability; awareness about adverse events showed negative associations. In the self-funded scenarios, women were less likely to accept vaccination, but greater knowledge levels and awareness of catch-up vaccination remained positively associated with acceptability. Conclusions: These findings suggest that strategies tailored to specific population characteristics are important for improving HPV vaccine acceptability. Full article

The citrus spiny whitefly, Aleurocanthus spiniferus Quaintance (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is an important pest of tea, Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Theales: Theaceae). Parasitic wasp, Encarsia smithi Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), is one of the dominant natural enemies of the whitefly. Generally, the whitefly produces four generations per year in Chinese tea plant growing areas. The wasp adult stages are basically synchronized with the nymphal stages of the whitefly. In an indoor Y-tube olfactometer bioassay, odors from both whitefly-pierced tea leaves and adjacent intact tea leaves significantly attracted the wasps, with elevated amounts of trans-2-hexenal and methyl salicylate (MeSA) detected from these two types of tea leaves. A four-arm olfactometer bioassay verified that these two compounds and their binary blends significantly attracted the wasps. Bud green sticky boards baited with trans-2-hexenal (10⁻² g mL⁻¹), MeSA (10⁻² g mL⁻¹), and five blends of trans-2-hexenal and MeSA (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1, respectively, v/v) at 10⁻² g mL⁻¹ in hexane solutions captured significantly more wasps than did the un-baited boards, with the 3:1 blend catching the highest number of wasps. To enhance whitefly parasitism by the wasps, from early April to early August, the Attractant 2 lures (each holding a total mass of 80 mg of the 3:1 blend) were hung on tea branches and refreshed every 30 days. Deployment of the controlled release synomone-based attractant lures resulted in 2–3 fold higher parasitism rates by the wasps in the treated plots/sections than those in the CK plots/sections during both the peak periods of whitefly pupae of generation 2 from late July to early August and generation 3 in late August. This study demonstrated that herbivore-induced tea volatiles can be formulated as a synomone-based lure for controlling the whitefly through attracting E. smithi in tea plantations. Full article

Background: Sleep deprivation may contribute to increased abdominal adiposity. Although weekend catch-up sleep is associated with various health outcomes, its role in abdominal adiposity remains unclear, particularly among female fixed-shift workers. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association of workday sleep deprivation and weekend catch-up sleep with abdominal adiposity indicators in Brazilian female fixed-shift workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 450 female fixed-shift workers aged ≥ 18 years from a large industrial group in Southern Brazil. Abdominal adiposity indicators linked to cardiovascular risk were assessed: waist circumference (WC ≥ 88 cm), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR > 0.5), weight-to-waist index (WWI ≥ 11), conicity index (C-Index ≥ 1.27), and WC & Body Mass Index (combined WC ≥ 88 cm and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). Workday sleep deprivation was defined as <6 h (h) of sleep on workdays, and weekend catch-up sleep (absolute difference between weekend and workday sleep duration) was defined as >2 h longer sleep on weekends vs. workdays. Associations were estimated using a Poisson regression with robust variance adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, reproductive, and occupational confounders. Results: The mean age was 34.9 ± 9.9 years. The prevalence rates of abdominal adiposity were 45.3% for WC, 47.6% for WHtR, 26.2% for WWI and C-Index, and 28.7% for WC&BMI. Workday sleep deprivation and weekend catch-up sleep were reported by 27.1% and 43.3% of the participants, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, workday sleep deprivation was consistently associated with higher abdominal adiposity: Prevalence Ratio (PR) = 1.37 (95% CI: 1.10–1.69) for WC; 1.25 (95% CI: 1.02–1.53) for WHtR; 1.48 (95% CI: 1.07–2.04) for WWI; 1.43 (95% CI: 1.03–1.99) for C-Index, and 1.59 (95% CI: 1.17–2.16) for WC&BMI. Longer weekend catch-up sleep was positively associated with WHtR (PR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03–1.49) and WC&BMI (PR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.04–1.85). Conclusions: Workday sleep deprivation was consistently linked to increased abdominal adiposity, whereas associations with longer weekend catch-up sleep were less consistent. These findings underscore the potential metabolic risk of insufficient sleep among female shift workers. Full article

Chemical soil properties contribute to the resilience of soil ecosystems. Healthy soils with optimal nutrient levels, balanced pH and good organic matter content are better able to withstand environmental stresses, such as drought, disease or pests. When comparing the chemical soil properties of temperate grassland and arable land, several differences can be observed due to differences in soil cover and management. Grasslands typically sequester more carbon, limit nitrogen leaching, and have lower nitrous oxide emissions and losses of phosphorus due to less soil disturbance and a more closed nutrient cycle. In contrast, arable land has higher nutrient losses through harvest, leaching, gaseous emissions and erosion due to regular tillage, frequent bare phases, and sequesters less carbon, typically due to higher mineralisation rates and lower nutrient returns. Monitoring and managing chemical soil properties, appropriate nutrient management, addition of organic matter such as organic fertilisers, inclusion of grassland phases and catch crops in crop rotations, incorporation of crop residues into the topsoil after harvest and further sustainable agricultural practices are essential to promote soil health. By optimising chemical soil properties, farmers and land managers can improve productivity, conserve natural resources and support the long-term sustainability of the soil ecosystem. Full article

Soil corrosion is a critical durability and cost factor for metallic foundations in photovoltaic (PV) power plants, yet it is still addressed with fragmented criteria compared with atmospheric corrosion. This paper reviews the main soil corrosivity drivers relevant to PV installations—moisture and aeration dynamics, electrical resistivity, pH and buffer capacity, dissolved ions (notably chlorides and sulfates), microbiological activity, hydro-climatic variability and geological heterogeneity—highlighting their coupled and non-linear effects, such as differential aeration, macrocell formation and corrosion localization. Building on this mechanistic basis, an engineering-oriented methodological roadmap is proposed to translate soil characterization into durability decisions. The approach combines soil corrosivity classification according to DIN 50929-3 and DVGW GW 9, tiered estimation of hot-dip galvanized coating consumption using AASHTO screening, resistivity–pH correlations and ionic penalty factors, and verification against conservative NBS envelopes. When coating life is insufficient, a traceable steel thickness allowance based on DIN bare-steel corrosion rates is introduced to meet the target service life. The framework provides a practical and auditable basis for durability design and risk control of PV foundations in heterogeneous soils. The proposed framework shows that, for soils exceeding AASHTO mild criteria, zinc corrosion rates may increase by a factor of 1.3–1.7 when chloride and sulfate penalties are considered, potentially reducing coating service life by more than 40%. The methodology proposed enables designers to estimate the penalty factors for sulfates ($f_p\left({SO}_4^{2-}\right)$) and chlorides ($f_p\left({Cl}^{-}\right)$) in each specific project, calculating the appropriate values of $K_{{SO}_4^{2-}}$ and $K_{{Cl}^{-}}$ using electrochemical techniques—ER/LPR and EIS—to estimate the effect of the soluble salts content in the ${Zn}_{Corr Rate}$, not properly catch by the proxy indicator $V_{corr}\left(ER, pH\right)$ when sulfate and chloride content are over AAHSTO limits for mildly corrosive soils. Full article

Background and Objectives: Evidence on motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is scarce and inconsistent. The association of motor impairments with autism severity and intelligence remains insufficiently studied. We aimed to examine motor performance parameters in children with ASD compared with typically developing (TD) peers. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 26 children with ASD, aged 4–10 years, was recruited from specialized centers in KSA, alongside 27 age- and sex-matched TD children. For the ASD group, severity (Childhood Autism Rating Scale, CARS-2) and intelligence quotient (Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale, SB5) were extracted from medical records. CARS-2 score was utilized to categorize children with ASD into two groups (mild-to-moderate and severe groups). All study children were assessed for gross and fine motor skills using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), balance, muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. Results: ASD groups recorded significantly lower scores in all MABC-2 component areas when compared to the TD group (p < 0.001). Aiming and catching percentile was significantly lower in the severe ASD group compared to the mild-to-moderate group (p = 0.05). Furthermore, children with ASD exhibited increased hypermobility, predominantly at the elbow joints, reduced grip strength, shorter distance in the modified 6 min walk test, and lower standing long-jump performance (p < 0.001) when compared to TD group; however, no significant difference was recorded between the ASD groups. Spearman correlation revealed that aiming and catching was negatively correlated with autism severity (CARS-2) (r = −0.38, p = 0.05) and positively with IQ (r = 0.51, p = 0.03). Aiming and catching was positively correlated with grip strength (r = 0.55, p = 0.003), endurance (r = 0.58, p = 0.002), and jump distance (r = 0.44, p = 0.03), while balance was positively correlated with grip strength (r = 0.44, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Children with ASD exhibit significant impairments in gross and fine motor performance compared with TD peers, accompanied by hypermobility, reduced strength, and diminished endurance. Notably, aiming and catching ability correlated with both IQ and autism severity as well as specific motor parameters, suggesting its potential as a clinical marker of motor–cognitive interaction in ASD. Full article

Background: Women’s empowerment has been significantly associated with improved child health outcomes. Cambodia, amid a rapid socioeconomic transition, offers a critical setting to examine how advancements in women’s empowerment over the past decade have influenced child immunization completion within the first two years of life. Methods: Data from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2010, 2014, and 2021–22, encompassing 9222 women with recent births, were analyzed. Empowerment was measured across literacy and information access, employment, and decision-making domains. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between empowerment factors and completion of oral polio (OPV), diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP), pneumococcal conjugate (PCV), and measles–rubella (MR) vaccines, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results: Between 2010 and 2022, women’s empowerment in Cambodia improved significantly, marked by higher literacy rates, nearly half of women completing primary education, and expanded digital access, with 82.4% owning mobile phones and approximately 50% using the internet daily. While non-working women slightly increased, agricultural employment declined by 20%, and cash earnings rose from 48.7% to 82.5%. Most women participated in major household decision-making, either independently or jointly. Completion rates for OPV, DTP, and PCV ranged from 79% to 83%, while just over half of children were fully vaccinated against measles. Higher maternal education and cash earnings were positively associated with OPV, DTP, and PCV completion but negatively associated with measles vaccination. Women in agricultural work were less likely to complete measles vaccination for their children than non-working women. Joint decision-making regarding the use of respondents’ income was associated with a higher likelihood of measles non-completion (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.13–4.51), whereas joint decision-making about respondents’ health care was associated with a higher likelihood of measles completion (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21–0.83). Conclusions: Women’s empowerment remains a key determinant of vaccination outcomes in Cambodia. The distinct pattern observed for measles suggests that vaccines scheduled for older ages encounter greater structural and behavioral barriers. To overcome these challenges, strategies should focus on enhancing defaulter tracking, implementing reminder systems, expanding outreach and catch-up programs, and improving the convenience of vaccination services. Full article

The Mediterranean Sea is recognized for its high biodiversity but is also a hotspot for pollution. In this study, fish samples of four native marine species were collected from wild catches to determine contaminants such as Anisakis parasites and heavy metals, including nickel, lead, copper, zinc, and chromium, within local marine fish species. The detection of Anisakis parasites was performed by a visual inspection and a digestion method. Metal analysis was carried out on skin, muscle, viscera, and bones of fish, using Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. This study demonstrated that Boops boops was the least infested species by Anisakis parasite, while Scomber colias was the most infested, with Sardinella aurita and Trachurus trachurus showing a lower infestation rate. Pearson correlation statistics revealed that infestation correlated with fish size but not with maturity or sex. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that the carnivorous species were more prone to Anisakis infestation than the omnivorous species. The maximum levels of copper, nickel, chromium, lead, and zinc content in fish tissues were 13.2 ± 0.11, 19.5 ± 0.02, 19.9 ± 0.01, 28.8 ± 0.09, and 184.87 ± 0.63 µg/g, respectively. PCA revealed that heavy metal contamination does not discriminate between fish species and sex, as opposed to tissue type and location of catch. Some metals, such as zinc and lead, seem to accumulate more in muscle rather than the other tissues. These findings indicate that Anisakis infestation and heavy metal analysis should be monitored and extended beyond the current EU requirements. Full article

Preterm birth has evolved from being an acute neonatal challenge to a lifelong health determinant, as advances in neonatal care have markedly improved the survival of very and extremely preterm infants. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological and mechanistic evidence linking preterm birth with heightened cardiometabolic risk across the life course. In adulthood, individuals born preterm demonstrate increased rates of heart failure, ischemic heart disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes. Beneath these overt clinical outcomes lies a distinct phenotype characterized by increased adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and atypical growth trajectories, with rapid catch-up growth amplifying long-term risk. Mechanistic pathways highlight adipose tissue maldevelopment, predisposing to metabolic syndrome, alongside cardiac maldevelopment with reduced ventricular size, impaired diastolic function, and diminished exercise capacity. Furthermore, vascular growth arrest, impaired elastin synthesis, and nephron deficiency contribute to sustained elevations in blood pressure, establishing an early substrate for hypertension and cardiovascular remodeling. These alterations reflect the developmental origins of health and disease, whereby early-life disruption of growth and maturation exerts lasting effects on organ structure and function. Collectively, the evidence identifies adults born preterm as a growing yet under-recognized patient population with a unique clinical and biochemical profile and accelerated vulnerability to non-communicable diseases. Greater awareness among pediatric and adult physicians, structured transition of care, and targeted prevention strategies are urgently needed to mitigate early cardiometabolic morbidity and optimize long-term health outcomes in this high-risk group. Full article