Search Results (7,822)

Biofilms are structured microbial communities that pose significant challenges to food safety and quality within the food-processing industry. Their formation on equipment and surfaces enables persistent contamination, microbial resistance, and recurring outbreaks of foodborne illness. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on biofilm formation mechanisms, genetic regulation, and the unique behavior of multi-species biofilms. The review evaluates modern detection and monitoring technologies, including PCR, biosensors, and advanced microscopy, and compares their effectiveness in industrial contexts. Real-world outbreak data and a global economic impact analysis underscore the urgency for more effective regulatory frameworks and sanitation innovations. The findings highlight the critical need for integrated, proactive biofilm management approaches to safeguard food safety, reduce public health risks, and minimize economic losses across global food sectors. Full article

This study focuses on Shanghai, a pioneer city in China’s community renewal practices. In recent years, community renewal driven by civic participation has become a prominent research topic, leading to the emergence of numerous exemplary cases in Shanghai. However, field investigations revealed that many projects have experienced varying degrees of physical deterioration and a decline in spatial vitality due to insufficient maintenance, reflecting unsustainable outcomes. In response, this study examines a bottom-up community renewal project led by the research team, aiming to explore how broad civic participation can promote sustainable community renewal. A multidisciplinary approach incorporating perspectives from ecology, the humanities, economics, and sociology was used to guide citizen participation, while participatory observation methods recorded emotional shifts and maintenance behavior throughout the process. The results showed that civic participatory actions under the guidance of sustainability principles effectively enhanced citizens’ sense of community identity and responsibility, thereby facilitating the sustainable upkeep and operation of community spaces. However, the study also found that bottom-up efforts alone are insufficient. Sustainable community renewal also requires top-down policy support and institutional safeguards. At the end, the paper concludes by summarizing the practical outcomes and proposing strategies and mechanisms for broader application, aiming to provide a reference for related practices and research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes mellitus (DM) management and is strongly recommended in the American Diabetes Association (ADA)’s guidelines. This study aims to investigate the self-reported physical activity levels of individuals with DM in Germany, as well as the barriers and facilitators they encounter. Methods: Individuals with type 1 DM (T1DM) and type 2 DM (T2DM) were asked to fill out an online questionnaire that was partly based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results: The questionnaire was completed by 338 persons with either T1DM (57.1%) or T2DM (42.9%) (females: 56.2%, males: 42.0%, gender diverse persons: 1.8%) of all age groups (at least 18 years). In total, 80.5% of respondents were aware of the current physical activity recommendations. Among the respondents, 58% reported meeting the recommendations for endurance-type physical activity, while only 30.5% reported meeting those for strength training. The three most frequently cited barriers to physical activity were lack of time, lack of motivation and current state of health. Supporting factors included coverage of costs, availability of exercise programs in close proximity to the patient’s home and target group specific exercise programs. Conclusions: The results imply that many individuals with DM in Germany do not meet ADA’s physical activity recommendations, especially considering that self-reports often overestimate actual behavior. In particular, the actual number of individuals who regularly engage in strength training may be too low. There is a clear need to better communicate the benefits of different forms of physical training and to provide physical activity programs aligned with patients’ individual needs. Full article

The introduction of mobile banking is essential in today’s financial sector, where technological innovation plays a critical role. To remain competitive in the current market, businesses must analyze client attitudes and perspectives, as these influence long-term demand and overall profitability. While previous studies have explored general adoption behaviors, limited research has examined how individual factors such as social influence, lifestyle compatibility, financial technology self-efficacy, and perceived usage cost affect mobile banking adoption among specific generational cohorts. This study addresses that gap by offering insights into these variables, contributing to the growing literature on mobile banking adoption, and presenting actionable recommendations for financial institutions targeting younger market segments. Using a structured questionnaire survey, data were collected from both users and non-users of mobile banking among the Gen Z population in the United States. The regression model significantly predicts mobile banking adoption, with an intercept of $-0.548$ ($p < 0.001$). Among the independent variables, perceived cost of usage has the strongest positive effect on adoption ($B=0.857$, $\beta =0.722$, $p < 0.001$), suggesting that adoption increases when mobile banking is perceived as more affordable. Social influence also has a significant positive impact ($B=0.642$, $\beta =0.643$, $p < 0.001$), indicating that peer influence is a central driver of adoption decisions. However, self-efficacy shows a significant negative relationship ($B=-0.343$, $\beta =-0.339$, $p < 0.001$), and lifestyle compatibility was found to be statistically insignificant ($p=0.615$). These findings suggest that reducing perceived costs, through lower fees, data bundling, or clearer communication about affordability, can directly enhance adoption among Gen Z consumers. Furthermore, leveraging peer influence via referral rewards, Partnerships with influencers, and in-app social features can increase user adoption. Since digital self-efficacy presents a barrier for some, banks should prioritize simplifying user interfaces and offering guided assistance, such as tutorials or chat-based support. Future research may employ longitudinal designs or analyze real-life transaction data for a more objective understanding of behavior. Additional variables like trust, perceived risk, and regulatory policies, not included in this study, should be integrated into future models to offer a more comprehensive analysis. Full article

Recent years have seen frequent heavy rainfall events in Japan, often linked to Baiu fronts and typhoons. These events are exacerbated by global warming, leading to an increased frequency and intensity. As floods represent a serious threat to sustainable urban development and community resilience, this study contributes to sustainability-focused risk reduction through integrated analysis. This study focuses on the 2 June 2023 heavy rain disaster in Toyohashi City, Japan, which caused extensive damage due to flooding from the Yagyu and Umeda Rivers. Using numerical models, this study accurately reproduces flooding patterns, revealing that high tides amplified the inundation area by 1.5 times at the Yagyu River. A resident questionnaire conducted in collaboration with Toyohashi City identifies key trends in evacuation behavior and disaster information usage. Traditional media such as TV remain dominant, but younger generations leverage electronic devices for disaster updates. These insights emphasize the need for targeted information dissemination and enhanced disaster preparedness strategies, including online materials and flexible training programs. The methods and findings presented in this study can inform local and regional governments in building adaptive disaster management policies, which contribute to a more sustainable society. Full article

This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Consumption Values through a mixed-methods approach (structured interview and structural equation model) to investigate cross-platform disposal behaviors for idle clothing on social media and second-hand platform ecosystems. The study reconstructs traditional theoretical variables: psychological motivation dimension (platform-enabled green attitude, social circle environmental demonstration, and cross-platform behavioral control) and perceived value dimension (functional integration value perception, socialized emotional empowerment, and community identity value). Key findings: Cross-platform behavioral control is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention. In the value dimension, emotional value has the strongest direct impact on disposal intentions, functional integration is key to enhancing behavioral control, and community identity value most significantly impacts the platform-enabled green attitude and the social circle environmental demonstration. Finally, proposing a governance framework of “technological empowerment–emotional resonance–identity motivation”, offering theoretical foundations for optimizing platform interoperability and formulating digital environmental policies. Full article

The rapidly changing dynamics of the digital age reshape the addiction relationship that high school students establish with technology. While smartphones remove boundaries in terms of communication and access to information, their usage triggers a source of anxiety and nomophobia. The increase in students’ anxiety levels because of their over-reliance on mobile phone use leads to significant behavioral changes in their mental health, academic performance, social interactions and financial dependency. This study examined the nomophobia levels of high school students according to selected socio-demographic indicators. Using the relational screening model, the multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 884 participants: 388 from Science High School and 496 from Anatolian High School (459 female, 425 male, Mage = 16.45 ± 1.14 year). Independent sample test and One-way ANOVA were applied. Depending on the homogeneity assumption of the data, Welch values were considered, and Tukey tests were applied as a second-level test from post hoc analyses. Comprehensive analyses of nomophobia levels revealed that young individuals’ attitudes towards digital technology differ significantly according to their demographic and behavioral characteristics. Variables such as gender, physical activity participation, grade level and duration of smartphone use are among the main factors affecting nomophobia levels. Female individuals and students who do not participate in physical activity exhibit higher nomophobia scores. Full article

According to the literature, the advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) has increased individual exposure to scams, turning fraud victimization into a significant concern. While prior research has primarily focused on socio-demographic predictors of fraud victimization, this study adopts a behavioral perspective that is grounded in the Signal Detection Theory (SDT) to investigate the likelihood determinants of individuals becoming fraud victims. Using survey data of 671 Indonesian respondents analyzed with the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), we explored the roles of vigilance and financial literacy in moderating the relationship between fraud exposure and victimization. Our findings substantiate the notion that higher exposure to fraudulent activity significantly increases the likelihood of victimization. The results also show that vigilance negatively moderates the relationship between fraud exposure and fraud victimization, suggesting that individuals with higher vigilance are better at identifying scams, thereby decreasing their likelihood of becoming fraud victims. Furthermore, financial literacy is positively related to vigilance, indicating that financially literate individuals are more aware of potential scams. However, the predictive power of financial literacy on vigilance is relatively low. Hence, while literacy helps a person sharpen their indicators for detecting fraud, psychological, behavioral, and contextual factors may also affect their vigilance and decision-making. Full article

Enhancing farmers’ digital literacy is both an inevitable requirement for adapting to the digital age and an important measure for promoting the sustainable development of livestock and poultry manure resource utilization. This study surveyed and obtained data from 1047 farm households in Ningxia and Gansu, two provinces in China that have long implemented livestock manure resource utilization policies, from December 2023 to January 2024, and employed the binary probit model to analyze how digital literacy influences farmers’ willingness to adopt two livestock manure resource utilization modes, as well as to analyze the moderating role of three policy regulations. This paper also explores the heterogeneous results in different village forms and income groups. The results are as follows: (1) Digital literacy significantly and positively impacts farmers’ willingness to adopt both the “household collection” mode and the “livestock community” mode. For every one-unit increase in a farmer’s digital literacy, the probability of farmers’ willingness to adopt the “household collection” mode rises by 22 percentage points, and the probability of farmers’ willingness to adopt the “livestock community” mode rises by 19.8 percentage points. After endogeneity tests and robustness checks, the conclusion still holds. (2) Mechanism analysis results indicate that guiding policy and incentive policy have a positive moderation effect on the link between digital literacy and the willingness to adopt the “household collection” mode. Meanwhile, incentive policy also positively moderates the relationship between digital literacy and the willingness to adopt the “livestock community” mode. (3) Heterogeneity analysis results show that the positive effect of digital literacy on farmers’ willingness to adopt two livestock manure resource utilization modes is stronger in “tight-knit society” rural areas and in low-income households. (4) In further discussion, we find that digital literacy removes the information barriers for farmers, facilitating the conversion of willingness into behavior. The value of this study is as follows: this paper provides new insights for the promotion of livestock and poultry manure resource utilization policies in countries and regions similar to the development process of northwest China. Therefore, enhancing farmers’ digital literacy in a targeted way, strengthening the promotion of grassroots policies on livestock manure resource utilization, formulating diversified ecological compensation schemes, and establishing limited supervision and penalty rules can boost farmers’ willingness to adopt manure resource utilization models. Full article

Water is essential for ecological balance, environmental sustainability, and food security, particularly in arid regions where effective water management increasingly depends on farmer cooperation. The Samarkand region of Uzbekistan, known for its favorable climate and leading role in grape production, is facing rising drought conditions. This study explores the factors influencing grape farmers’ willingness to collaborate on water management in the districts of Ishtikhan, Payarik, and Kushrabot, which together produce 75–80% of the region’s grapes. A quantitative survey of 384 grape-producing households was conducted across 19 county citizens’ gatherings (38.7% of such gatherings), and structural equation modeling was employed to analyze a framework consisting of four dimensions: norms, environmental concerns, economic barriers, and the intention to adopt sustainable practices. The results indicate that norms and environmental concerns positively influence collaboration, suggesting a collective orientation toward sustainability. In contrast, economic barriers such as high costs and limited financial capacity significantly hinder cooperative behavior. Furthermore, a strong individual intention to adopt sustainable practices was associated with a greater likelihood of collaboration. These findings highlight the critical drivers and constraints shaping collective water use in agriculture and suggest that targeted policy measures and community-led efforts are vital for promoting sustainable water governance in drought-prone regions. Full article

The present study focuses on the attractiveness and perceived value of differentiated quality labels, such as the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), for agri-food products from Extremadura (Spain). In doing so, it addresses a gap in the scientific literature concerning consumer behavior toward products bearing these certifications. The results show that awareness of these quality schemes is significantly higher among middle-aged and older individuals, underscoring the need for more modern and targeted communication strategies. The findings highlight the strategic role of agri-food marketing in promoting certified products and emphasize the importance of bridging the generational gap in consumer education. Overall, differentiated quality schemes are perceived as strategic tools to enhance the competitiveness of local products, strengthen cultural identity, and foster sustainable rural economies. Furthermore, this study identifies a negative relationship between the consumption of certified products and the awareness of certification and a positive relationship with the willingness to pay a premium. Consumers with greater awareness tend consume these products less, although they are more willing to pay higher prices for items bearing quality labels. Full article

Among the numerous compounds released as a result of human activities, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have attracted particular attention due to their widespread detection in human biological samples and their accumulation across various ecosystems. While early research primarily focused on their effects on reproductive health, it is now evident that EDCs may impact neurodevelopment, altering the integrity of neural circuits essential for cognitive abilities, emotional regulation, and social behaviors. These compounds may elicit epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation, that result in altered expression patterns, potentially affecting multiple generations and contribute to long-term behavioral phenotypes. The effects of EDCs may occur though both direct and indirect mechanisms, ultimately converging on neurodevelopmental vulnerability. In particular, the gut–brain axis has emerged as a critical interface targeted by EDCs. This bidirectional communication network integrates the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. By altering the microbiota composition, modulating immune responses, and triggering epigenetic mechanisms, EDCs can act on multiple and interconnected pathways. In this context, elucidating the impact of EDCs on neurodevelopmental processes is crucial for advancing our understanding of their contribution to neurological and behavioral health risks. Full article

Background: Emotional abuse is both prevalent and underrecognized particularly in culturally complex settings like India. Adolescents, being in a critical developmental phase, are especially vulnerable to the long-lasting psychological effects of emotional abuse. This qualitative literature review aims to synthesize findings from primary studies that explore the lived experiences of emotional abuse among Indian adolescents and identify emerging patterns across sociocultural contexts. Method: Electronic databases, including DOAJ, Google Scholar, ProQuest, JSTOR, Pubmed, PsycNet, and SCOPUS, were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English up to March 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised qualitative or mixed-methods research focusing on emotional abuse among adolescents aged 12–20 in Indian contexts. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) was used for quality assessment. Results: Five major thematic domains were identified across the included studies: (1) Family as a primary site of emotional abuse; (2) Gendered experiences of abuse; (3) Cultural normalization and silence; (4) Psychological and emotional consequences; and (5) Coping and resilience among adolescents. These themes reflect shared experiences of emotional abuse shaped by cultural, familial, and gender-based expectations. Conclusions: This review highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and culturally sensitive interventions addressing emotional abuse in Indian adolescents. The findings suggest that parents, educators, and policymakers must recognize emotionally harmful behaviors and implement prevention-oriented strategies, particularly through non-violent communication and adolescent mental health support frameworks. Full article

Background: Faced with the profound impact of major infectious diseases on public life and economic development, humans have long sought to understand disease transmission and intervention strategies. To better explore the impact of individuals’ different coping behaviors—triggered by changes in their psychological security due to public information and external environmental changes—on the spread to infectious diseases, the model will place greater emphasis on quantifying psychological factors to make it more aligned with real-world situations. Methods: To better understand the interplay between information dissemination and disease transmission, we propose a two-layer network model that incorporates psychological safety factors. Results: Our model reveals key insights into disease transmission dynamics: (1) active defense behaviors help reduce both disease spread and information diffusion; (2) passive resistance behaviors expand disease transmission and may trigger recurrence but enhance information spread; (3) high-timeliness, low-fuzziness information reduces the peak of the initial infection but does not significantly curb overall disease spread, and the rapid dissemination of disease-related information is most effective in limiting the early stages of transmission; and (4) community structures in information networks can effectively curb the spread of infectious diseases. Conclusions: These findings offer valuable theoretical support for public health strategies and disease prevention after government information release. Full article

This paper proposes a hierarchical cooperative tracking control method for multi-missile formations under dynamic event-triggered mechanisms, addressing parameter uncertainties and saturated overload constraints. The proposed hierarchical structure consists of a reference-trajectory generator and a trajectory-tracking controller. The reference-trajectory generator considers communication and collaboration among multiple interceptors, imposes saturation constraints on virtual control inputs, and generates reference trajectories for each receptor, effectively suppressing aggressive motions caused by overload saturation. On this basis, a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) combined with a sliding-mode disturbance observer is adopted to estimate unknown external disturbances and unmodeled dynamics, and the finite-time convergence of the disturbance observer is proved. A tracking controller is then designed to ensure precise tracking of the reference trajectory by missile. This approach not only reduces communication and computational burdens but also effectively avoids Zeno behavior, enhancing the practical feasibility and robustness of the proposed method in engineering applications. The simulation results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. Full article