Search Results (1,505)

Global progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains critically off track, with current trends indicating that only 17% of targets will be met by the deadline. As sustainability transitions increasingly depend on regional and institutional capacity, understanding heterogeneous transition pathways and resilience across territorial contexts is essential. This study investigates whether observed divergence in SDG performance reflects temporary setbacks or persistent structural regimes characterised by distinct institutional and technological configurations. Using panel data from over 160 countries (2019–2024), we employ annual latent class analysis to identify hidden structures in SDG performance across 15 goals, introducing intertemporal volatility as a dimension of development dynamics. We complement this with ordered logistic regression to examine structural determinants of regime membership, including governance quality, digital infrastructure, health investment, and macroeconomic indicators. Our analysis identifies three temporally stable development regimes—lagging, transitional, and leading—with fewer than 15% of countries transitioning between classes over the observation period. ANOVA results reveal that internet access and government effectiveness exhibit the most substantial between-regime differences. Ordered logit models indicate that governance quality and digital connectivity are the strongest correlates of regime membership (government effectiveness: β = 0.943, p < 0.001; internet penetration: β = 0.049, p < 0.001), whereas short-term GDP growth exerts negligible influence (p > 0.10). These findings challenge assumptions of linear convergence in sustainable development and provide a data-driven framework for evaluating transition dynamics across diverse territorial contexts. The results suggest that achieving the SDGs requires that deep structural constraints be addressed—particularly digital divides and institutional quality—through regionally targeted policy design rather than relying solely on incremental adjustments or economic growth. The identified regimes provide a basis for place-based targeting by distinguishing contexts where governance and digital capacity constraints are binding. Full article

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

Workspace digitalisation presents a transformative shift from traditional, physically bounded offices to virtual, technology-enabled environments. Digital technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things enable remote collaboration, data accessibility, and operational efficiency, thereby accelerating this transformation. Digital workspaces transcend geographical limitations, enabling a more flexible, inclusive, and adaptive work culture. They offer better work–life balance, with flexible options, reduced commuting time, and increased personal autonomy and control over commitments, compared to traditional workspaces. Despite these benefits, digitalisation creates cybersecurity, data privacy, and digital divide issues, where unequal access to digital tools and skills can exacerbate social and economic inequalities. The lack of physical interaction affects team cohesion and company culture. Hence, this paper explores these phenomena to uncover their implications and consider possible strategies to optimise workspace digitalisation, providing a comprehensive systematic review of extant literature within the study context, offering pragmatic insights and recommendations for workspaces. This study has found workspace digitalisation to be a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that provides flexibility, efficiency, and innovation, but also poses challenges that must be carefully managed. It postulates that as technology and work progress, a hybrid model that blends digital and traditional workspaces would be suited to each organisation’s needs and goals. Full article

Background/Objectives: The advent of the pandemic catalysed the global adoption of digital health services. In Spain, this transition has markedly influenced eHealth accessibility, particularly through mobile-based technologies. This study compares reported real-access experiences of users of digital health at two key moments—2018 (pre-pandemic) and 2025 (post-pandemic)—to identify how access determinants have evolved. Methods: The evolution of users who have accessed digital health resources and their characterization, including the specification of who uses websites and mobile applications, was analyzed using binary logistic regression models for each year. These models incorporated sociodemographic characteristics and patterns of device usage as predictors. Results: Access to digital health services increased significantly between 2018 and 2025. The proportion of the population using such services increased from 50.2% to 85.4%. The use of mobile applications grew from 24.4% to 80.2%. In 2018, access was linked to a wider range of factors, including age, education, municipality size, self-rated health, and computer or tablet use. In contrast, the 2025 model revealed a more concentrated set of determinants. Age emerged as the primary barrier, especially >65 years, reducing the likelihood of eHealth access. Meanwhile, frequent use of digital devices (e.g., computers, smartwatches) was positively correlated with accessing eHealth. Conclusions: The study reveals an increase in access to digital health services in Spain, accompanied by shifts in the factors influencing this access. Notwithstanding technological advances, the digital divide could persist as a major impediment to access for the groups mentioned earlier. This analysis suggests the need for targeted digital inclusion measures, especially as mobile platforms are becoming the main entry point to healthcare services. Full article

Amid the accelerating waves of global digitalization and the deepening interplay of cultural diversity, urban creative spaces have become pivotal arenas for the digital creative industry—yet a systematic, cross-culturally robust tool for assessing their sustainability remains conspicuously absent. Here, we address this gap by constructing a multi-dimensional evaluation framework derived from a systematic literature review, comprising five primary dimensions—AIGC technology integration, cultural heritage preservation, the economic benefits of the digital cultural industry, ecological synergy and social inclusiveness, and governance and policy support—along with 20 secondary indicators. To enhance methodological rigor, we integrate the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (IFAHP) to determine indicator weights while mitigating the subjective biases inherent in traditional approaches and employ the TOPSIS method to quantitatively assess and rank the creative spaces of five representative cities: London, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Berlin. Our findings reveal that London leads in comprehensive sustainability, followed closely by Shanghai, with sensitivity analysis confirming the high robustness of the rankings. The originality of this work lies in reconceptualizing AIGC not as a conventional digital instrument but as a core transformative driver embedded within the evaluation architecture, while the application of IFAHP substantially enhances the scientific validity and methodological reliability of the assessment. This research provides an operational diagnostic tool and actionable optimization pathways for advancing the sustainability of urban creative spaces worldwide, offering practical implications for fostering cultural innovation, bridging the digital divide, promoting social inclusiveness, and informing evidence-based urban governance policies. Full article

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) represent a growing global health burden, affecting nearly one in ten adults worldwide. CKD is associated with high morbidity, premature mortality, reduced quality of life and enormous healthcare costs, and is primarily driven by dialysis and kidney transplantation. The silent and progressive nature of CKD means that most patients are diagnosed late, when irreversible damage has already occurred and costly kidney replacement therapies (KRT) become necessary. Dialysis services are resource-intensive, requiring significant infrastructure, specialized staff, and consumables, which makes them especially challenging to sustain in low- and middle-income countries. Traditional models of nephrology, care center-based dialysis and fragmented follow-up are increasingly inadequate in meeting the demands of a rising CKD population. These challenges highlight the urgent need for innovative approaches that enhance efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and expand access. Objective: This review aims to analyze the current landscape of information and communication technology (ICT) applications in nephrology and to evaluate how digital innovations are reconfiguring kidney therapy. Specifically, it seeks to identify the major ICT tools that are currently in use, assess their clinical and operational impact, and discuss their role in creating more sustainable, patient-centered kidney care models. This study reviews and analyzes ICT tools that are reconfiguring nephrology, including remote monitoring, AI, wearables, patient engagement apps and data dashboards. Methods: Narrative and scoping review of recent innovations in nephrology, including remote patient monitoring (RPM), telehealth, artificial intelligence (AI) analytics, wearable sensors, and clinical decision support platforms. Results: ICT tools such as Sharesource, Versia, telenephrology platforms, medical assistant for Chronic Care Service (MACCS), AI-based predictive analytics, wearable devices and patient engagement apps have improved patient outcomes, adherence, and early detection of complications. Key metrics include technique survival, hospitalization rate, patient-reported outcomes, workflow efficiency, and prediction accuracy. The relevant literature describing the potential of digital health technologies, including ICT platforms, artificial intelligence tools, and remote monitoring systems, to transform nephrology care was retrieved and screened for inclusion in this narrative review. Conclusions: ICT has shifted nephrology from reactive to proactive care, enhancing accessibility, patient empowerment and clinical efficiency. Future directions include precision nephrology, fully wearable kidneys, AI integration and large language models for education and triage. Challenges include digital divide, regulatory heterogeneity, cost and the need for long-term evidence. Full article

This study employs bibliometric analysis, utilizing the visualization tools CiteSpace 6.3.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.18, to systematically examine 8727 documents from the Web of Science Core Collection (2000–2024) related to “resilient cities” and “urban resilience.” It explores the evolution of resilient city research, current international trends, practical developments in China, and future directions. The study addresses key questions concerning the theoretical foundations of resilient cities, research advances in the security field, China’s implementation pathways, and emerging trends. Findings indicate that resilient city discourse has evolved from a narrow focus on engineering-based disaster prevention toward a multidimensional, socio-ecological–economic adaptive system. This progression can be divided into three phases: the theoretical foundation period (2000–2008), the technological integration period (2009–2018), and the complex crisis response period (2019–present). Internationally, practices are increasingly centered on climate change adaptation, supported by multi-level governance frameworks such as the MCR2030 initiative. China demonstrates a “dual-track” approach that combines policy-driven initiatives with localized innovations, advancing through international pilot projects, domestic policy experimentation, and grassroots exploration. The study also highlights differences between Chinese and Western research in perspectives, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks. Future resilient city development is expected to emphasize systematization, digitalization, and equity, leveraging technologies such as digital twins and artificial intelligence while fostering community participation and multi-scale collaborative governance. By systematically outlining the theoretical evolution and practical logic of resilient cities, this study offers insights for urban resilience building in developing countries and provides a methodological reference for enhancing resilience capabilities across different administrative levels. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are becoming increasingly integrated into the everyday lives of children, influencing how they learn, communicate, and develop emotionally. As AI assumes a more central role in children’s digital ecosystems, AI literacy—the ability to understand, engage with, and make informed decisions about AI systems—is no longer a luxury but a developmental necessity. This review explores how AI literacy intersects with children’s mental health, particularly through the lens of socioeconomic status. Drawing on Digital Capital Theory and Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage Theory, the paper examines how inequalities in access to AI-related resources shape the emotional and psychological experiences of children. It argues that while AI literacy can enhance well-being across all social groups, its impact is especially transformative for children from low-income backgrounds. Children from middle- and high-income families often experience modest emotional gains from AI engagement, having already benefited from consistent digital exposure and support. In contrast, low-income children—who often begin with limited access and lower confidence—stand to gain disproportionately in terms of emotional resilience, self-esteem, and digital confidence when their AI literacy improves. The review concludes with policy and practice recommendations that prioritize equitable access and tailored interventions, especially for underserved populations who have the most to gain from both the cognitive and emotional benefits of AI literacy. Full article

Background: 3D-printed resin composite and hybrid ceramic materials are widely used in prosthetic dentistry for their esthetic, mechanical advantages, and digital compatibility, though their surface properties may be affected by drinking habits. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of a carbonated nutritional beverage multivitamin drink (Oronamin C) on the surface microhardness, roughness, solubility, and color changes in a recently introduced 3D-printed resin composite (Permanent Crown Resin), hybrid ceramic material (Vita Enamic) and a nanohybrid resin composite (Luna). Methods: A total of 120 disk-shaped specimens were distributed according to the type of material into three groups (n = 40). These were divided into four subgroups of specimens for each test (n = 10). The specimens were examined before and after immersion in Oronamin C solution for 12 days. Results: The results showed that there was no significant change in surface microhardness and surface roughness in both 3D-printed resin composite and hybrid ceramic after immersion, while microhardness decreased significantly in the nanohybrid resin composite with an increase in surface roughness. Solubility increased significantly in the nanohybrid and 3D-printed resin composites, but not in the hybrid ceramic. All materials presented clinically acceptable color changes, with mean values lower for both nanohybrid and hybrid ceramic. Conclusions: This study concluded that the hybrid ceramic and 3D-printed resin composite exhibited good stability after Oronamin C beverage exposure, whereas the nanohybrid resin composite exhibited the most impairment among all materials. All materials demonstrated clinically acceptable color changes. Full article

Background: As populations age and digitalization accelerates globally, understanding whether digital inclusion can enhance the economic well-being of older adults is critical for achieving sustainable development. However, empirical evidence on the mechanisms linking digital life to sustainable income among older populations remains limited. Design: This study utilizes data from the 2023 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), comprising 3127 respondents aged 55 and older. We employ ordinary least squares (OLS) regression with city fixed effects, instrumental variable estimation, and mediation analysis to examine the impact of digital life on income and its underlying mechanisms, with a focus on sustainability outcomes. Results: Digital life significantly enhances income levels among older adults, a finding robust to endogeneity and sensitivity checks. Heterogeneity analysis shows stronger effects for rural seniors, those in western regions, and older women. Mediation analysis reveals that digital engagement boosts income through four pathways—employment, material capital, social capital, and human capital—each contributing to the economic sustainability of aging populations. Conclusions: Digital inclusion serves as a mechanism to transform seniors’ dormant assets into productive capital, thereby promoting sustainable income and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Policies should prioritize targeted digital literacy training, age-friendly platform design, and integration with social protection systems to foster inclusive and sustainable aging societies. Full article

The Metaverse has become a central concept in the evolution of digital transformation, but its current development is marked by conceptual ambiguity, technological fragmentation and the limited presence of structured frameworks for the systematic assessment of its maturity. The Metaverse is currently approached from partial perspectives that often focus on virtual worlds rather than conceptualizing it as a multidimensional digital ecosystem. This study proposes a multidimensional model of Metaverse maturity divided into three stages (Emergent, Developed and Integrated) and five analytical dimensions (experience, interoperability, standardization, technology and resources). The model is based on a systematic literature review of the academic and non-academic sources. It aligns these dimensions systematically with the layered architecture of the Metaverse and formalizes their interdependence through a structured impact-mapping procedure. This maturity model offers an analytical tool for comparing contexts and sectors, identifying bottlenecks, and guiding strategic planning. It establishes a conceptual framework for future empirical validation and sector-specific applications. Full article

Addressing the challenges in 3D reconstruction of large-scale open-pit mines, such as dramatic terrain undulations, complex texture features, and the difficulty of balancing geometric accuracy with real-time rendering efficiency using traditional methods, this paper proposes a high-fidelity reconstruction framework integrating UAV multi-modal data with the state-of-the-art 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) architecture. First, an integrated air-ground multi-modal data acquisition system is established. Using a UAV equipped with LiDAR and a high-resolution camera, high-quality geometric and textural data of the mining area are acquired through terrain-adaptive flight planning. Second, to tackle the VRAM bottlenecks and loose geometric structures inherent in original 3DGS for large scenes, we adopt the advanced CityGaussianV2 architecture as our core reconstruction engine. By leveraging its divide-and-conquer parallel training strategy, 2DGS planar geometric constraints, and Decomposed Gradient Densification (DGD) mechanism, this framework effectively overcomes memory limitations and significantly enhances the geometric sharpness of slope crests and toes. Finally, engineering validation was conducted at Kambove Mining. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves centimeter-level geometric accuracy, a real-time web rendering frame rate exceeding 60 FPS, and a model storage compression rate of over 90%. The digital twin control platform built upon this model successfully achieves deep fusion and visual scheduling of multi-source heterogeneous data, providing a novel technical path for constructing high-precision reality-based foundations for smart mines. Full article

Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into mathematics education holds significant potential to enhance learning outcomes; however, its effectiveness in resource-constrained higher education contexts remains uneven due to persistent digital divide barriers. This quantitative study investigates how socioeconomic status shapes first-level (technology access) and second level (digital skills and institutional support) digital divide barriers, and how these factors relate to students’ perceptions of AI-driven mathematics learning. Grounded in van Dijk’s digital divide theory, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 121 undergraduate mathematics students at a historically disadvantaged higher education institution. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Chi-square analyses were employed to examine associations among socioeconomic status, access, skills, institutional support, and AI perceptions. The findings indicate that material access barriers, such as limited devices and internet connectivity, remain prevalent among disadvantaged students but show weak or inconsistent associations with perceptions of AI. In contrast, institutional support demonstrates a statistically significant positive relationship with students’ perceptions of AI training (r = 0.212, p < 0.05), highlighting its central role in shaping readiness for AI-enhanced learning. Overall, the results suggest that second-level digital divide factors, particularly structured institutional support, are more influential than access alone in determining students’ engagement with AI in mathematics education. The study implies the need for universities to move beyond infrastructure provision toward comprehensive and sustained institutional strategies that foster confidence, guided engagement, and equitable AI adoption. Full article

Background/Objectives: The achievement of stable and functional occlusal contacts represents a key objective of orthodontic treatment, particularly in growing patients. Evidence comparing the effectiveness of these two modalities in establishing adequate occlusal contacts in growing patients remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate and compare occlusal contact characteristics following clear aligner therapy (CAT) and fixed orthodontic therapy (FAT). Methods: Twenty-four growing patients (<18 years with permanent dentition) were included in the study and divided into two groups: 12 patients treated with fixed appliances and 12 treated with clear aligners. Post-treatment digital dental scans were analyzed to assess occlusal contacts. Contacts were calculated as the minimum distance between upper and lower arches using a color-map analysis. The following outcomes were evaluated: Maximum Contact Point (MCP), occlusal contact surface (OCS, ≤50 μm from MCP), near occlusal contact surface (NOCS, ≤350 μm), half mm (≤0.5 mm), and one mm (≤1 mm). Total occlusal contacts, antero-posterior distribution, left–right asymmetry, and single-tooth contacts were assessed. Results: The FAT group showed higher total occlusal contact values in OCS compared to the CAT group (p < 0.05). Statistical difference was also observed in the antero-posterior ratio, with FAT presenting fewer anterior contacts in OCS, NOCS, half-mm, and one-mm measurements (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between groups in terms of left–right asymmetry or post-treatment single-tooth contacts, except for the second premolar, which exhibited higher contacts in the FAT group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Fixed orthodontic treatment is more effective than aligners in achieving adequate occlusal contacts, with differences limited to tight contacts and antero-posterior occlusal distribution. Full article

Background/Objectives: The increasing use of digital manufacturing techniques in prosthodontics has raised concerns regarding the long-term esthetic performance of provisional restorations. This in vitro study aimed to compare the color stability of provisional restorations fabricated by additive (3D-printed) and subtractive (milled) manufacturing techniques after immersion in common staining beverages. Methods: Eighty polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based specimens (16 × 1 mm) were fabricated and divided into two groups: additive (n = 40) and subtractive (n = 40). Each group was immersed in coffee, red wine, green tea, or cola for 60 and 120 h at 37 °C. Color measurements were recorded using a spectrophotometer in the CIE LCh* system, and color differences (ΔE₀₀) were calculated using the CIEDE2000 formula. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Results: Additively manufactured specimens showed significantly higher color change (ΔE₀₀) values than subtractively milled specimens across all immersion media and time intervals (p < 0.05). Red wine and coffee caused the greatest discoloration, whereas cola produced the least effect. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, additive manufacturing resulted in lower color stability than subtractive fabrication. Subtractive PMMA materials exhibited superior optical behavior, suggesting their suitability for long-term provisionalization in esthetically demanding clinical situations. Full article