Search Results (19,494)

The soybean–maize strip intercropping system enhances soybean yield while maintaining maize production, improving nitrogen use efficiency, and fostering intercropping mutualism. However, vigorous weed growth in warm and humid regions competes for nitrogen, while elevated soil temperatures accelerate nitrification, promoting nitrogen loss, especially during the peak nitrogen demand period of maize. Plastic film mulching, which conserves moisture, regulates temperature, and suppresses weeds, can improve the soil environment. A two-year field experiment was conducted with polyethylene (PE) films of various thicknesses (0.01, 0.014, 0.02 millimeters) and colors (black, white, silver-black) with an un-mulched control plot. Soil nitrogen content, microbial diversity, soil properties, and crop productivity were analyzed. The results indicated that plastic film mulching significantly altered soil nutrient availability and rhizosphere microbial community structures, while simultaneously enhancing crop productivity. The 0.014 mm black and white films performed best, showing a positive association with enhanced nitrogen transformation indices, which coincided with increased available nitrogen, biomass, and crop yield. However, long-term soil nutrient depletion remains a risk, suggesting the need for strategies like organic fertilizers or crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and ecological sustainability. Full article

Epistemology underpins the scientific method by clarifying what counts as knowledge, which forms of evidence are admissible, and how procedures can legitimately support conclusions. Under accelerated publishing conditions, these assumptions are often left implicit, which can weaken the inferential coherence of peer-reviewed manuscripts. This study aimed to model reviewers’ perceived epistemological deficiencies as a multidimensional construct with an overarching global component. A 14-item instrument covering four latent domains was administered to 183 peer reviewers from a Latin American academic network. A second-order structural equation model was estimated using SEM with DWLS (lavaan). The model showed excellent fit (CFI ≈ 1.00; RMSEA = 0.000; SRMR = 0.033) and strong factor loadings, indicating a coherent global factor alongside distinct domain-specific components. Reviewers’ accumulated experience was positively associated with the global factor (β = 0.047; p = 0.013), whereas the recent volume of reviews was not statistically significant (p = 0.254). These results suggest that epistemological scrutiny may reflect more stable evaluative competencies than short-term reviewing activity. The instrument can inform editorial rubrics and reviewer training aimed at strengthening problem–theory–method coherence and reflexive methodological justification. Because the measure captures perceptions within a single regional network, further validation across disciplines and cultural contexts is recommended. Full article

Intercultural Competence (IC) has gained prominence as a strategic priority in higher education; however, the socio-emotional mechanisms through which it develops in structured short-term academic mobility remain underexplored. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining the intercultural learning experiences of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students from Trakia University, Bulgaria, who participated in a two-week winter academic program in Zhuhai, China, hosted by the Beijing Institute of Technology. Employing a triangulated qualitative design that combines semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and content analysis of institutional discourse, the study foregrounds emotional regulation as a central process underpinning intercultural competence development. The findings indicate that navigating culturally unfamiliar situations and “disorienting dilemmas” within a multicultural co-living environment facilitated stable behavioral adaptations, including active listening, reflective pausing, empathy, and tolerance. These adaptations supported emotional well-being by reducing uncertainty and fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety within the multicultural learning community. Repeated emotional engagement with cultural difference enabled participants to internalize values of openness and mutual respect, contributing to the formation of intercultural attitudes that extended beyond the immediate learning context. These processes functioned as a feedback loop through which intercultural competence became integrated into participants’ emerging personal and professional identities. The study demonstrates that even short-term academic exchanges, when pedagogically structured and emotionally immersive, can foster meaningful intercultural learning, leadership readiness, and professional orientation. By highlighting emotional regulation as a pathway to emotional well-being (belonging and psychological safety) and to identity integration, the findings contribute to broader social science discussions on student well-being and identity formation in transnational higher education. Full article

In October 2020, the International Coalition to Eliminate Hepatitis B Virus (ICE-HBV) updated the biomarker framework; they underscored major advances in the understanding of viral and immunologic markers, yet highlighted persistent gaps in their clinical integration. This is particularly the case in low- and middle-income regions, where HBV remains a substantial public health problem, including in the pediatric population. To synthesize contemporary evidence, a structured literature search was performed across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Classical biomarkers—including HBeAg, HBV DNA, and quantitative HBsAg—remain central for disease staging and therapeutic monitoring, while emerging markers enhance precision in risk stratification: HBcrAg, which correlates strongly with intrahepatic cccDNA activity and virological rebound after NA discontinuation; serum HBV RNA, which offers additional insight into transcriptional activity, which is particularly relevant for RNA-targeted therapies; and quantitative anti-HBc (qAnti-HBc), which reflects stronger humoral imprinting and more competent HBV-specific immune memory, and is consistently associated with fewer ALT flares and reduced virological rebound at end of treatment. Despite these advances, assay standardization, genotype-related variability, and limited pediatric data constrain broad clinical application. Integrating classical and emerging biomarkers into personalized therapeutic algorithms offers substantial potential for refining treatment decisions, predicting post-treatment outcomes, and advancing HBV elimination strategies in diverse clinical settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dynamic remodeling of the zona pellucida (ZP) is a fundamental biochemical and structural process during human preimplantation development; however, its quantitative characterization and clinical relevance remain incompletely defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate dynamic ZP thinning as a functional marker of embryo developmental competence and to examine its relationship with follicular fluid (FF) biomarkers and clinical pregnancy. Methods: This prospective observational study included 47 IVF cycles performed at a single center, yielding 64 transferred blastocysts with complete time-lapse data. ZP thickness was measured from fertilization to 120 h post-fertilization using time-lapse imaging. Two quantitative parameters were derived: the relative thinning ratio (Δrel) and the linear thinning rate (slope). FF concentrations of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9), hyaluronic acid (HA), and syndecan-4 (Syn4) were quantified by ELISA. Embryo-level associations with spontaneous blastocyst hatching were assessed using logistic regression and multivariate analyses, while patient-level models evaluated predictors of clinical pregnancy. Results: Embryos that underwent spontaneous hatching exhibited significantly greater Δrel than non-hatching embryos (p < 0.001). Δrel remained the strongest predictor of hatching in multivariable models (AUC = 0.91). Among FF biomarkers, only GDF-9 showed a positive association with spontaneous hatching. At the patient level, higher Δrel values of transferred embryos were associated with clinical pregnancy (OR 3.65, p = 0.009), whereas FF biomarkers and assisted hatching showed no significant association. Conclusions: Dynamic ZP thinning quantified by Δrel represents a promising indicator of embryo developmental competence. The concordance between embryo-level hatching behavior and patient-level clinical pregnancy suggests potential clinical relevance of ZP dynamics as an integrative embryological marker, warranting validation in larger cohorts. Full article

Background: Cardiothoracic surgery is among the most technologically advanced and resource-intensive medical specialties, placing it at the intersection of rapid digital innovation and growing demands for environmental sustainability. Addressing these parallel pressures requires integrated strategies that reconcile clinical excellence with ecological responsibility. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes PubMed-indexed literature published over the past two decades, supplemented by relevant policy documents and guidelines. The review examines digital transformation and sustainability initiatives in cardiothoracic surgery through the lens of the twin transformation framework, which conceptualizes digitalization and sustainability as interdependent and mutually reinforcing processes. Results: Key domains of digital transformation include artificial intelligence and big data-driven decision-making, robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques, digital twins and simulation-based training, telemedicine and remote monitoring, and interoperable electronic health records. Sustainability-related themes encompass the substantial environmental burden of operating rooms, green surgical practices, sustainable procurement, and hospital-level decarbonization strategies. Emerging evidence suggests that aligning digital technologies with sustainability objectives can improve clinical outcomes, enhance operational efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. However, current evidence is largely derived from pilot studies and single-center experiences. Conclusions: Twin transformation offers a coherent and forward-looking framework for the future evolution of cardiothoracic surgery, demonstrating that digital innovation and sustainability can be synergistic rather than competing goals. While significant challenges remain—including high implementation costs, limited long-term data, and fragmented regulatory frameworks—integrating digital health technologies with sustainable practices represents a promising pathway toward high-quality, efficient, and environmentally responsible cardiothoracic care. Full article

The deployment of green hydrogen production is increasingly considered a strategic opportunity for energy-exporting countries. However, beyond technological and environmental aspects, large-scale industrial projects may generate complex and uncertain social and economic impacts at the regional level. This study investigates the potential social implications of introducing a green hydrogen production plant in the Department of Paysandú, Uruguay, using a System Dynamics modeling approach. It proposes an initial system model designed to establish a foundational Modeling and Simulation framework. The model explicitly represents feedback mechanisms linking public finance, education, labor competencies, productivity, and social behavior impact, allowing the exploration of long-term socio-economic trajectories under alternative institutional and policy conditions. It is used as an exploratory decision-support tool to assess conditional pathways, trade-offs, and risks. Results indicate that positive social outcomes, such as human capital accumulation and regional income growth, are possible but not automatic; they depend critically on governance capacity, fiscal sustainability, labor market coordination, and social acceptance, and may be attenuated or delayed under adverse scenarios. While this framework provides a strategic engineering lens on the social dimension, it represents a first step toward a comprehensive decision-making tool. The study analyzes a complex system by integrating energy, production, economic, social, and environmental aspects from strategic engineering lens and contributes to the literature by integrating social dimension and institutional constraints into a Modeling and Simulation framework applied to green hydrogen industrialization, offering insights into policy design under uncertainty in emerging energy-export contexts. Full article

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) has significant hurdles due to individual differences in ovarian response during controlled ovarian stimulation. The Asn680Ser polymorphism of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) is linked to varying ovarian sensitivity to FSH. However, its relationship with intrafollicular redox signalling remains unclear. Nitric oxide (NO) is a crucial compound that functions inside follicles and participates in angiogenesis, steroidogenesis, and oocyte competence. This prospective observational research classified women undergoing IVF into Asn allele carriers (Asn/Asn and Asn/Ser) and Ser/Ser homozygotes, according to the FSHR Asn680Ser polymorphism. The groups were assessed according to follicular fluid nitric oxide metabolites (NO₂-NO₃), fertilisation results, ovarian response indicators, and hormonal profiles. No substantial variation was seen between baseline and trigger-day hormone levels. In contrast, Ser/Ser individuals had a significantly higher total count of recovered oocytes, an elevated number of metaphase II oocytes, and enhanced fertilisation outcomes relative to carriers. The Ser/Ser group demonstrated increased intrafollicular NO₂-NO₃ concentrations. This difference was not statistically significant. These results link FSH receptor genetics to functional follicular competence, indicating that the FSHR Asn680Ser polymorphism is associated with differing ovarian responsiveness during IVF and may affect intrafollicular nitric oxide bioavailability. Full article

Background: This paper addresses the need to clarify and highlight the vital roles non-state actors play in strengthening the disaster management ecosystem, drawing on knowledge and experience across sectors and entities. The objective is to underscore the irreplaceable roles of non-state actors in disaster response and the need for shared capacities through the coordination, adoption, and application of agreed-upon protocols across actors and contexts. The research’s ultimate goal is to provide policymakers, crisis managers, non-state actors, and volunteer coordinators with a comprehensive overview of the functional areas, competencies, and capacities of civic organisations across all phases of disaster management. Integrating these organisations into existing governmental crisis management systems offers an opportunity to enhance community resources and capacities through unified communication and interoperability protocols based on existing technical and ethical standards. Methods: The research reviews academic literature, legal and policy frameworks, and grey literature, including recommendations and experiences documented in a repository of 140 CORDIS EU-funded initiatives that illustrate expert and institutional opinions on disaster management. The manuscript also relies on secondary data analyses presenting the opinions collected from 50 participants in an interactive group exercise on the role of non-state actors and volunteers. It further draws on aggregated knowledge from nine consultative workshops involving 20 civic and governmental organisations, synthesising practices, formal standards, robust coordination frameworks, and command-and-control system rules into an innovative voluntary disaster response protocol for non-state actors and volunteers. The findings demonstrate the value of non-state actors in disaster management and how gaps in their engagement can create opportunities to strengthen the disaster management ecosystem by enhancing the cohesion of capacities and resources. Compared with international standards (INSARAG, etc.), a protocol incorporating technical and integrity norms in an accessible, adaptable format emphasises the importance of integrating non-state actors into the formal disaster crisis management system. Conclusions: Establishing a set of standards for coordinated awareness and response, facilitated by continuous communication of roles and competencies among disaster responders at both local and international levels, is essential for the sustainable mitigation of negative impacts before, during, and after emergencies or catastrophic events. Full article

Objectives: The physical and physiological characteristics of padel players are essential for appropriate training load prescription; however, this area remains underexplored. Therefore, this hypothesis-driven study aimed to analyse physical and physiological differences in male padel players according to playing side. A secondary objective was to observe the influence of training volume on these parameters. Methods: Fourteen high-level male players competing in professional circuits or top-level regional competitions participated in this cross-sectional study using directional (one-tailed) testing. Results: Vertical jump performance differed significantly between the countermovement jump (CMJ) and the Abalakov jump (ABK) (p < 0.001), with lower values in the CMJ (40.98 cm) compared with the ABK (46.96 cm). Isometric handgrip strength showed significant inter-limb differences (p < 0.001), with greater force in the dominant hand (49.08 kg) than in the non-dominant hand (44.22 kg). Mean completion time in the agility t-test was 10.40 s (95% CI: 10.06–10.74 s). The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test showed a mean distance of 404.28 m, corresponding to an estimated VO₂max of 50.79 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹. Playing side significantly affected Yo-Yo performance and estimated VO₂max (p = 0.036), with higher values in left-side players. Although no significant differences were found in handgrip strength according to playing side. As expected, weekly training frequency did not significantly influence any variable. Conclusions: These findings help characterise the physical and physiological profile of high-level padel players and provide practical reference values to support training prescription and performance monitoring. Full article

The accelerating transformation of the tourism and hospitality industry requires higher education institutions to equip graduates with market-aligned competencies, yet the effectiveness of hospitality education programs across national contexts remains underexplored. This study examines the alignment between students’ perceived competencies and curricular emphasis in tourism and hospitality education in South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Data were collected from 650 final-year undergraduate students using a structured questionnaire based on the Student Competency Self Evaluation Scale (SCSES). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified five core competency domains: Financial Management, Strategic Planning, Leadership, Communication, and Cultural Awareness. Curriculum structures were examined by classifying institutional course offerings into standardized competency clusters. The findings show that students in Singapore reported the highest levels of self-perceived competencies, particularly in financial management and strategic planning, while South Korean students reported the lowest across all domains. Curriculum analysis indicates that programs in South Korea emphasize operational training, those in Singapore focus on managerial and interdisciplinary competencies, and those in Hong Kong prioritize business management, with limited emphasis on personal and soft skills. These findings highlight gaps in competency alignment and provide practical implications for curriculum enhancement, particularly in South Korean tourism and hospitality education programs. Full article

To enhance the performance of deep image prior, we propose a novel image denoising model that embeds an anisotropic diffusion tensor into the total generalized variation model and combines it with the deep image prior. The proposed tensor weights deep gradients and guides gradient orientation, which effectively preserves sharp edges. We solve the corresponding minimization problem using the augmented Lagrangian method and the alternating direction method of multipliers. Experimental results show that the proposed method can remove noise while suppressing staircase artifacts and enhancing edge structures, yielding restored images with clearer edge details. Both quantitative metrics and visual comparisons show consistent improvements over competing methods across multiple noise levels, with more pronounced advantages in edge preservation. Full article

Sociolinguistic competence (SC) has been recognised as essential for Communicative Language Teaching since the 1970s and features prominently in policy documents like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Research demonstrates that explicit, systematic instruction effectively develops learners’ SC. While the academic case for SC in language teaching remains strong, we identify significant weaknesses and barriers to its implementation in contemporary EFL teacher education. These challenges span three key domains: integration into secondary-school and higher-education curricula, teacher cognition, and classroom practice—specifically how and how often SC is taught in EFL contexts across different regions and schools. While our findings have relevance for EFL contexts globally, we use Austria as a case study to illustrate these challenges and opportunities. Based on a review of existing theoretical, methodological, and empirical work, we formulate five critical research questions across these three domains. We conclude that comprehensive mixed-methods research triangulating curriculum, teacher cognition, and classroom practice is essential for transforming SC from a curricular ideal into classroom reality, equipping learners with communicative skills required for navigating increasingly diverse linguistic landscapes. Full article

Cryptocurrencies are widely recognised for catalysing distributed ledger technologies and tokenisation, innovations that are transforming payment systems globally. However, their role as money is often contested and the subject of intense academic and policy debate. Nevertheless, new taxonomies of money allocate a unique place for cryptocurrencies. Described based upon a few high-level features, cryptocurrencies, except for stablecoins, are assumed to be a uniform group that can indeed be studied and categorised as such. Moreover, the logic of their creation is often looked at from a broad decentralisation and disintermediation perspective and remains ambiguous and questionable at best. This paper reports the findings of a clinical investigation into the top 30 cryptocurrencies representing 95.5% of the total crypto market capitalisation. This study is primarily concerned with their logic of creation, and how they compare with that of fiat money and central bank digital currencies. The findings reveal that, unlike fiat money, and CBDCs, crypto mechanics depict a diverse assortment of logics. The evidence suggests that despite widespread technical innovations, the crypto ambition to provide an alternative to centrally controlled debt-based fiat money has managed to add a combination of transaction validation, mathematical guesswork, pseudo-randomness, and size dependent probability as alternative logics of creation and allocation. While centrally managed bank-controlled debt-based fiat money leaves a lot to be desired, protocol-managed, code-controlled, size-dependent probabilistic money does not seem like much of an upgrade. This paper addresses the limits of tokenisation as a transformational tool and argues that cryptocurrencies may have helped trigger improvements in the technology of money, but not in its logic of creation. Indeed, to compete in the emerging monetary landscape it has helped create, i.e., the ubiquitous tokenisation of debt and debt-based fiat money, the crypto revolution will have to extend its value proposition beyond technology and pseudo-randomness. Full article

Protected area management plays a crucial role in conserving biodiversity, especially in areas where increasing demand for natural resources is associated with fast-growing human populations, such as West Africa. Investigating the perceptions of people with first-hand knowledge of protected area management provides important insights about biodiversity conservation, wildlife law enforcement, and human activities to inform adaptive management. Using 442 semi-structured interviews, we assessed the perceptions of park rangers and local residents in and around Fazao-Malfakassa National Park in Togo, West Africa, which was managed by the non-profit Franz Weber Foundation from 1990 to 2015, and since 2015 has been managed by the government of Togo. Both rangers and residents reported significant economic concerns following the park’s transfer from private to state management, with salary declines negatively affecting rangers and declines in community development projects and income-generating activities negatively affecting residents. Law enforcement capacity and resources also declined under state management, severely undermining the ability of rangers to curb illegal activities in the park, especially poaching and the destruction of trees to harvest wild honey and produce commercial charcoal. All rangers and most residents who had experience with both private and state park management preferred private management. There is an urgent need to increase surveillance and law enforcement capacity in the park to combat poaching and other illegal activities, and to engage local communities in the park’s long-term protection. To this end, rangers and residents are calling for change, and specifically recommend returning the park to competent private management to safeguard Togo’s last large refuge for nature and wildlife. Full article