Search Results (2,350)

The global energy transition requires countries to rapidly expand renewable energy infrastructure, yet the factors associated with this transition remain comparatively underexplored in resource-dependent economies. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represents a particularly important case: despite their substantial role in global hydrocarbon markets, they are simultaneously pursuing renewable energy expansion and economic diversification. Examining this transition therefore offers insights not only for the GCC but also for other hydrocarbon-dependent economies facing similar diversification challenges. This study examines, for the first time, the association between tourism development and renewable energy capacity share across six GCC countries from 2014 to 2024. Unlike most existing studies that use renewable energy consumption as the dependent variable, this study focuses on renewable energy capacity share, which more directly reflects long-term infrastructure investment and commitment to the energy transition. Using a balanced panel of 66 observations, the empirical analysis tests for cross-sectional dependence, applies the second-generation cross-sectionally augmented IPS (CIPS) unit root test, and estimates alternative panel specifications, with the fixed-effects model selected as the preferred specification based on the Hausman test. The results show that tourism receipts and foreign direct investment are positively and significantly associated with renewable energy capacity share, while GDP per capita shows no robust significant association. These findings highlight the potential relevance of tourism development and foreign investment to renewable energy expansion in hydrocarbon-dependent economies and provide policy-relevant evidence for countries seeking to align economic diversification with the energy transition. Full article

Shifting dietary patterns is necessary to meet global environmental and health targets. Legumes represent a nutritious and viable protein source. Yet, consumption remains low among consumer groups due to low familiarity and inferior sensory perceptions. Sensory conditioning has proven effective in increasing acceptance of unfamiliar foods and may have applicability in shaping future legume preferences. The study compared Mere-Exposure, Flavor–Flavor and Flavor–Nutrient learning strategies in their effectiveness in increasing consumer preferences for legumes in a Danish adult sample (N = 70). Participants filled out a questionnaire before and after a three-week at-home meal intervention. Fava beans were used as the legume case, and all participants, were exposed to 12 fava bean test stimuli. Participants in the Mere-Exposure group experienced a significant increase in preferences, while the Flavor–Flavor and Flavor–Nutrient groups did not. The Mere-Exposure group also experienced an increase in liking of the appearance and flavor of fava beans. By showcasing the potential of a widely applicable sensory strategy, the study highlights how sensory conditioned learning might support the adoption of more sustainable foods in an adult sample. The results provide insights for health and nutritional personnel, researchers and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable diets. Full article

Food security has always been the leading priority of national strategic deployment. Given the dual background of the continuous upgrading of dietary structures and the rapid growth of the food delivery industry, takeaway staple food waste has become increasingly prominent. However, a gap remains in the existing literature concerning the diversification behavior of consumers’ staple food in the context of food delivery, while even less discussion involves the driving mechanism of diversified willingness to pay (WTP). Based on 1046 survey data points related to consumption behavior concerning food and beverage takeaway staple food, this paper systematically examined the main influencing factors of consumers’ variety-seeking behavior and their WTP for staple food diversification. The following findings were obtained. There is substantial consumer demand for staple food diversification: over 80% of respondents preferred varied staple options and showed positive WTP. Dietary knowledge exerts a consistently positive and significant influence on both staple food variety-seeking behavior and consumers’ WTP for multigrain rice. An intriguing age-related pattern emerges: older consumers exhibit stronger staple food variety-seeking behavior, yet they are less willing to pay a premium for multigrain rice. In addition, dietary knowledge and frugality awareness positively affect WTP for diversified staple food portions, but personal characteristics appeared to have no significant impacts on WTP for small portions of rice. These findings provide demand-side empirical evidence and policy implications for reducing takeaway staple food waste and consolidating the foundations of food security. Full article

Reducing alcohol consumption remains a global public health priority, with young adults representing an important target population for preventive strategies. This has increased interest in low- and non-alcoholic beers (LNABs) as alternatives to alcoholic beverages. However, relatively little is known about how sensory characteristics, emotional responses and consumption context jointly influence the acceptance of non-alcoholic beers among young consumers. This study investigated the sensory acceptance, consumption context, and emotional responses associated with LNABs among Romanian university students. A total of 673 participants (18–24 years) evaluated four commercially available LNAB products: one alcohol-free beer (0.0% ABV) and three flavored low-alcohol beers (1.9% ABV; grapefruit, lemon, and elderflower), using a 9-point hedonic scale, preference ranking, and a check-all-that-apply (CATA) emotional questionnaire. Flavored beers received significantly higher overall appreciation than the alcohol-free sample, with mean overall liking scores of 7.32 ± 1.54 for GLAB, 6.93 ± 1.61 for LLAB, and 6.89 ± 1.56 for ELAB, compared with 4.59 ± 2.00 for AFB (all p < 0.001). Aroma, fruity flavor, clarity, beer foam, and smell emerged as the principal drivers of consumer acceptance, whereas refreshing perception showed limited influence. Gender-related differences were generally small, although female participants assigned slightly higher ratings to sweetness, fruity flavor, clarity, and foam. Importantly, both genders expressed comparable acceptance of alcohol-free beer. Consumption was predominantly associated with social settings involving friends (66.7%) and family (34.8%). Emotional profiling revealed a predominance of positive emotions, particularly enjoyment (41.9%), happiness (35.1%), relaxation (34.0%), and achievement (21.2%). Preference data showed that 92.4% of respondents selected one of the flavored beers as their preferred sample, whereas only 5.2% preferred the alcohol-free beer. This study provides one of the first integrated evaluations combining sensory drivers, emotional profiling and consumption context to explain non-alcoholic beer acceptance among Romanian young adults. Full article

Background/Objectives: Conflict-driven displacement can disrupt food environments, health services, and caregiver practices, increasing the risk of unhealthy feeding behaviors among young children. Evidence from ethnic internally displaced populations (IDPs) in Myanmar remains scarce. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of unhealthy feeding practices among IDP mothers of children aged 6–23 months. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-method study was conducted among 617 mothers in Karen ethnic IDP camps in Myanmar. Structured interviews were used to assess mother-reported zero vegetable or fruit consumption (ZVF) and unhealthy food consumption (UFC) among children, and multivariable logistic regression identified associated factors. Subsequently, six focus group discussions explored contextual influences on feeding practices and were analyzed via thematic analysis. The findings were integrated using a joint display approach. Results: A total of 29.2% of children experienced ZVF, while 57.5% consumed unhealthy foods. Mothers who attended fewer than the recommended antenatal care (ANC) visits were more likely to report both ZVF (AOR = 1.968, 95% CI: 1.297–2.988) and UFC (AOR = 1.830, 95% CI: 1.265–2.649). Higher maternal decision-making autonomy was also associated with increased odds of ZVF (AOR = 1.757, 95% CI: 1.031–2.995) and UFC (AOR = 1.606, 95% CI: 1.040–2.481). Other associated factors included child age, household income, family structure, paternal employment, and household dietary practices. Qualitative findings identified six themes influencing feeding practices: “familiarity breeds acceptance”, “traditional beliefs and food restrictions”, “constrained local food environments”, “time constraints and convenience feeding”, “preference for sweet foods”, and “disrupted access to health and nutrition services”. Conclusions: Unhealthy feeding practices were common in this displaced population. Greater maternal decision-making autonomy was not necessarily associated with healthier feeding practices, highlighting the importance of nutrition literacy and supportive food environments. Community-based nutrition interventions may help improve complementary feeding practices in conflict-affected settings. Full article

This study investigates how social crowding (e.g., overcrowded environments) influences individuals’ preferences for different modes of shared consumption (sharing-in vs. sharing-out). While existing research has predominantly explored shared consumption through the perspective of non-psychosocial environmental factors (e.g., time scarcity), this study shifts the focus to psychosocial environmental factors by analyzing the underlying mechanism through which social crowding shapes preferences for these modes of shared consumption. We conducted one field experiment and three scenario-based laboratory experiments to manipulate social crowding (vs. non-social crowding) across three distinct contexts: (1) restaurant-based social scenarios, (2) shopping mall consumption contexts, and (3) beach tourism settings. Across these experiments, diverse categories of shared goods were employed to examine participants’ preferences for sharing-in versus sharing-out. The findings demonstrate that social crowding increases individuals’ preference for sharing with close friends (i.e., sharing-in), whereas non-social crowding enhances their preference for sharing with strangers (i.e., sharing-out). This relationship is mediated by psychological distance. Furthermore, resource mindset (scarcity vs. abundance) moderates this effect. Specifically, under a scarcity mindset, social crowding strengthens preferences for sharing-in, whereas under an abundance mindset, it promotes preferences for sharing-out. By conceptualizing shared consumption from a psychosocial environmental perspective, this research extends current understanding of how environmental social cues shape interpersonal consumption decisions and provides practical implications for collaborative consumption platforms, hospitality services, retail environments, tourism destinations, and public service design. Specifically, platform managers and service designers can strategically optimize spatial layouts and perceived crowding levels to strengthen social connectedness among close friends or foster positive interactions between strangers. Full article

Satisfying the diverse electricity-consumption needs of heterogeneous users is central to refined operation in competitive retail markets. Existing package-recommendation methods remain limited by subjective specification of cluster numbers, incomplete representation of fuzzy preferences, and the absence of reliable package matching for new users without historical package-interaction records. This study develops an application-oriented personalized recommendation framework that integrates an adaptive Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), a Weighted Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Hesitant Fuzzy Element (WIVIHFE)-based preference representation, and a similarity-based recommendation mechanism. K-means++ initialization and a comprehensive clustering evaluation metric (CEM) are first incorporated into the GMM to improve clustering stability and determine the number of user groups adaptively. Multi-attribute package evaluations are then mapped into five-dimensional WIVIHFE coordinates, where expert support weights represent differences in the credibility of evaluation information. Finally, Gaussian-kernel similarity transfers the package preferences of comparable historical users to a new user and yields expected-satisfaction rankings. In the case study, the proposed method achieved a root mean square error of 0.076 and a mean absolute error of 0.058, outperforming the benchmark configurations considered. This study provides a data-driven solution for cold-start package matching and differentiated marketing in electricity retail markets. Full article

Horchata, the traditional tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) beverage from Valencia (Spain), is nutritious and rich in antioxidants, yet its consumption remains largely local and tied to its original flavor. This work explored cocoa as a route to diversify horchata and enhance its functional value: natural and alkaline cocoa powders were added at 0.5–3% to obtain 20 formulations that were characterized in terms of their physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties. Cocoa contributed soluble solids and modified color and pH without altering the beverage’s Newtonian behavior and markedly increased its phenolic content (up to ca. 6-fold) and antioxidant capacity (up to ca. 9-fold) with 3% of natural cocoa. Following a sequential study design, biological activity was first evaluated using concentrations compatible with the C. elegans model and, for the first time, the antioxidant potential of cocoa-flavored horchata was validated in vivo under UV-induced oxidative stress. The cocoa-flavored beverage lowered nematode lethality to a level statistically indistinguishable from the unexposed control, indicating its capacity to alleviate oxidative stress and enhance resistance to an environmental challenge. Subsequently, consumer acceptance was evaluated, revealing high overall acceptance. The 3% natural cocoa beverages received the highest preference scores and exhibited the highest polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacities among the formulations evaluated. Overall, cocoa incorporation effectively modified the physicochemical, functional and sensory characteristics of tiger nut beverages, while selected natural cocoa formulations showed biological activity in the C. elegans model under the experimental conditions evaluated. Full article

Background: The transition towards a more sustainable global economy requires meaningful changes in the way organisations purchase products across industrial value chains. Whilst extensive research has explored sustainable consumption within the business-to-consumer (B2C) space, comparatively little research has examined the antecedents of sustainable purchasing intent within business-to-business (B2B) environments. Existing literature has predominantly focused on individual behavioural determinants, and has under-explored the organisational, informational and product-level antecedents that shape sustainable purchasing decisions within industrial contexts. Objectives: This research explores the antecedents of sustainable purchasing intent within the chemical and ingredients value chain, and develops a novel integrated framework, the Business-to-Business Sustainable Buying Behaviour (B2B-SBB) Model, capable of explaining sustainable purchasing intent within the B2B setting. Methods: An abductive, mixed-methods, single-case study design was adopted, set within the customer base of a global chemical and ingredient distributor. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with purchasing professionals across six end-market segments, and a quantitative survey generated 57 complete responses from a global customer base. Qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis, and quantitative data through descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Rank testing. Results: The findings indicate that organisational antecedents, including buying centre process and responsibilities, corporate sustainability commitments, and information flow, exert materially greater influence on B2B sustainable purchasing intent than individual behavioural antecedents. Product sustainability claim variables emerge as a distinct and material antecedent, with a strong and statistically significant preference for third-party assured claims over self-declared claims. A structural value–action gap is also observed between publicly stated sustainability commitments and observed purchasing behaviour. Conclusions: The findings indicate that sustainable purchasing intent within the B2B chemical value chain is best understood through an integrated framework combining individual, organisational, environmental, product sustainability and information-flow antecedents. The proposed B2B-SBB Model provides such a framework, and offers both theoretical extension of existing scholarship and practical application for organisations seeking to accelerate the adoption of more sustainable products within industrial value chains. Full article

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are sophisticated monitoring systems that gather environmental data via wireless sensors. Numerous wireless sensors that have been placed to monitor and gather data on a particular environment make up these networks. Typically, a base station or central node wirelessly collects the data prior to analysis. As the battery in wireless sensors is both non-replaceable and non-rechargeable, it represents a key element. As a result, optimizing energy consumption in WSN has become a growing concern. One of the key challenges is consequently the creation of effective protocols for communication in WSNs. In this article, we provide a novel MSA (Mosquito Swarm Algorithm) technique for cluster formation and data routing. Simulations indicate that our proposed algorithm conserves the energy of the nodes and keeps them running for a greater number of survival rounds compared to LEACH (Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy) by a difference of 70.14%, PSO-R (Particle Swarm Optimization with routing) by a difference of 4.76%, and BA-R (Bat Algorithm with routing) by a difference of 2.52%. Our algorithm provides the highest throughput, surpassing LEACH by approximately 6.38%, PSO-R by almost 1%, and BA-R by 12.67%. Simulations indicate that our algorithm is highly effective at extending network longevity and increasing throughput, making it the preferred option to lower energy consumption in WSNs. Full article

The growing demand for natural aggregates and continued stockpiling of steel slag have increased interest in using steel slag aggregate (SSA) in road engineering. However, delayed hydration of free calcium oxide (f-CaO) and free magnesium oxide (f-MgO), porous and rough surfaces, and the potential release of hazardous elements constrain its long-term application. This review compares aging treatment, surface modification, direct carbonation, microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP), and combined treatments from a raw-material heterogeneity and defect-oriented perspective. Their effectiveness is strongly condition-dependent. Aging treatment can control volume expansion, but reaction depth and treatment uniformity remain limited. Surface modification can reduce water absorption and improve interfacial performance but cannot eliminate internal expansive phases. Direct carbonation and MICP can stabilize reactive phases, refine pore structures, and reduce the mobility of some elements, but are limited by mass transfer and equipment requirements, and by mineralization uniformity and ammonium by-product management, respectively. Combined treatments can address multiple defects but increase process complexity, resource consumption, and quality-control requirements. Because material properties and evaluation methods vary among studies, reported performance gains should not be directly used for technology ranking. Instead, technology selection should follow the framework of “raw-material characteristics–dominant defects–preferred technology–engineering boundaries”. From a life-cycle perspective, sustainability depends on balancing resource and environmental benefits against additional treatment burdens. Near-term implementation should integrate raw-material classification, process monitoring, long-term durability and dynamic leaching verification, and the progressive incorporation of key performance and environmental indicators into road-material specifications and engineering acceptance criteria. Full article

Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) have gained traction in recent years as key instruments for the democratization of energy systems and the promotion of localized, sustainable energy production and consumption. The implementation of RECs has been underpinned by a variety of software programs and algorithms. This paper presents a systematic literature review of such methods following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology; moreover, following the PRISMA nomenclature, the review includes 420 reports, grouped into 311 unique studies, evaluating the literature according to REC development phases, methodological approach, software functions, openness, interoperability, and decision-support capabilities. Results show that most contributions focus on the modelling phase, specifically feasibility study and REC design, while stakeholder engagement, construction, and long-term operation remain less developed. Comprehensive software programs are mainly available for simulation and techno-economic analysis, whereas tools developed specifically for REC operation, monitoring, energy sharing, or decision support are often prototypes or case-specific implementations. These findings provide guidance for researchers, REC developers, policymakers, and community stakeholders seeking to select, improve, or regulate digital tools for RECs. Full article

Electronic nose (EN) technology, based on electrochemical sensor arrays, has emerged as a rapid and objective tool for aroma characterization in food systems. This study investigated factors influencing cat food preference using physicochemical analysis, texture measurement, preference testing, and EN technology. Nine (9) commercial cat foods from three brands (A: premium; B and C: medium price) with different flavors were evaluated. Proximate analysis revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in most nutrients, except crude fiber (CF) (p < 0.05), which was higher in lower-priced cat foods. Shear force showed a positive correlation with consumption (r = 0.72), while CF was negatively correlated (r = −0.52). Preference tests indicated that Brand A was most preferred, followed by Brand C, while Brand B was least preferred. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified variability in individual cat preferences, and one outlier cat was excluded. Discriminant analysis of EN data showed clear separation by brand rather than flavor, suggesting brand-related aroma profiles can be monitored rapidly through the digital odor fingerprint. Cat food acceptance is mainly driven by texture, CF content, and aroma rather than macronutrient composition. The results of the EN evaluation of cat food samples revealed the same group similarities and differences as the 8-month preference test performed with cats. Similar to this study, EN classification models can be developed using food preference data and the digital aroma fingerprints of foods. After validations, the EN models can be used as an effective tool to monitor the quality and assess new diets according to the known preferred odor fingerprint. Full article

Alcohol consumption has been increasingly associated with alterations in the gut microbiota and its metabolic activity; however, evidence regarding microbiota-derived metabolites remains fragmented. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the effects of alcohol consumption on gut microbiota-derived metabolites in humans and non-human primates. The review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included studies published between 2012 and 2026. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for human studies and the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) Risk of Bias tool for non-human primate studies. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising four non-human primate studies and eight human studies. Alcohol exposure was consistently associated with metabolomic alterations across multiple biological matrices. Recurrent findings included reductions in short-chain fatty acids, alterations in tryptophan-derived metabolites, changes in phenolic and aromatic amino acid-related compounds such as hippuric acid, and disturbances in bile acid and purine metabolism. Findings regarding microbial diversity and taxonomic composition were more heterogeneous, with several studies reporting reduced abundances of Faecalibacterium and related butyrate-producing taxa. Studies evaluating abstinence suggested partial recovery of both microbial and metabolomic alterations. Overall, the available evidence suggests that alcohol consumption is associated with alterations across several microbiota-related metabolic pathways, highlighting candidate metabolites that may contribute to alcohol-related pathophysiology and serve as potential translational biomarkers. Full article

Background: Oral cancer remains a major global health concern, with increasing incidence and mortality, especially in developing countries. Public awareness is crucial for early detection and improved outcomes. Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, recognition of risk factors and early signs, screening behavior, and care-seeking preferences among patients attending a university dental hospital in Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional, facility-based survey included 1360 volunteer patients who attended the Faculty of Dentistry between January and December 2025. Consecutive sampling was used to include all eligible and consenting individuals. A structured questionnaire assessed participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, oral cancer awareness, knowledge of symptoms and risk factors, screening history, and lifestyle habits. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was oral cancer awareness (measured by the question “Have you ever heard of oral cancer?”). Secondary outcomes included knowledge of risk factors and early clinical signs, screening history, preferred healthcare contact for suspected oral cancer, and lifestyle factors (tobacco and alcohol). Associations between sociodemographic variables and oral cancer awareness were also evaluated. Results: The sample consisted of 1360 participants (56.4% female; mean age: 33.44 ± 14.60 years; range: 18–70). Of the 1377 questionnaires collected, 1360 were complete and included in the final analysis (questionnaire completion rate: 98.8%). Breast cancer was the most recognized cancer (96.9%), whereas only 50.8% of participants had heard of oral cancer. Dentists (39.4%) were the primary source of information. Tobacco use (92.2%) and alcohol consumption (80.3%) were the most frequently identified risk factors, whereas only 58.3% recognized human papillomavirus as a risk factor for oral cancer. In univariate analyses, oral cancer awareness was significantly associated with age, marital status, education level, monthly income, occupation, alcohol use, and the timing of the most recent dental visit (p < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression, undergraduate education (OR = 2.008, 95% CI: 1.135–3.553), higher monthly income (>100,000 TRY vs. <25,000 TRY, OR = 2.398, 95% CI: 1.571–3.658), alcohol use (OR = 1.521, 95% CI: 1.082–2.139), and a dental visit within the previous year (OR = 4.130, 95% CI: 1.590–10.730) remained independently associated with oral cancer awareness. Conclusions: Oral cancer awareness in this study population was limited. The findings suggest that targeted educational strategies may be beneficial for improving oral cancer awareness. Strengthening dentists’ preventive role and promoting education through social media may help improve oral cancer awareness and facilitate earlier detection. Full article