Search Results (3,167)

Background/Objectives: Older adults often face nutrition challenges due to mobility issues, chronic conditions, and limited access to adequate nutrition. Digital and technology-based interventions, including those with nutrition education, nutrition counseling and Medically Tailored Meals [MTMs], can help address these barriers. However, the extent and characteristics of such programs in the United States remain unclear. This scoping review aimed to map the existing evidence on digital and technology-based (“digi-tech”) nutrition interventions for older adults in the United States, with particular attention to the presence, characteristics, and gaps related to MTMs. Methods: This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR framework to map existing evidence on technology-enabled nutrition care interventions for older adults aged ≥ 60 years in the United States. Systematic searches were conducted across multiple databases, yielding 18,177 records. Following title and abstract screening, full-text review, and eligibility assessment, 16 intervention studies were included. Study designs comprised randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental and non-randomized studies, mixed-methods feasibility studies, pilot studies, and one retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Data were extracted on study design, population characteristics, intervention components, technology modalities, outcomes, feasibility, acceptability, and reported barriers. Results: Interventions varied in duration [8 weeks to ≥12 months] and content. Foci ranged from remote nutrition education and mobile app-based tracking to multicomponent interventions integrating exercise, nutrition counseling, health literacy, and meal delivery. Telehealth was the most commonly used technology modality, followed by mobile health applications, wearable devices, and online educational platforms. Most interventions reported high feasibility and acceptability, with improvements in diet quality, adherence to healthy eating patterns, clinical measures such as HbA1c and blood pressure, and functional performance. Common implementation barriers included declining technology use over time, digi-tech literacy, and access to devices or the internet. Notably, no studies evaluated a digi-tech-based MTMs intervention exclusively for older adults in the U.S. Conclusions: Digital and technology-based nutrition interventions show promise for improving dietary and health outcomes in older adults, but there is insufficient empirical evidence. Future research might develop and evaluate hybrid digi-tech intervention models that leverage the potential of digi-tech tools while addressing barriers to technology adoption among older adults. Full article

Soils, although fundamental to life on Earth through their provision of essential ecosystem services, remain underrepresented in global environmental education at primary and secondary levels. To address this gap, we developed two versions of an interactive soil awareness workshop for primary and secondary education. The shorter ‘Soil-Hour’ format includes an introductory lesson on soil and a quiz, while the ‘Soil-Day’ format incorporates a lesson, a brief soil sample investigation, a quiz, and a creative art activity. Both formats were designed around seven keywords: new, unusual, interesting, entertaining, competitive, digital, and rewarding. Assigning multiple roles to students encourages active participation. Implemented 16 times in various schools with a total of 361 participants, the workshops have been successful in sparking curiosity about soil, improving understanding of soils, and enhancing appreciation of the fundamental role of soils in the environment. Feedback from students and teachers was positive. Students’ responses largely confirmed expectations that they would be amazed by soil sounds, surprised by the range of soil ecosystem services, and intrigued by soil biodiversity. Initial findings support further development and refinement of these soil teaching and awareness-raising approaches at the primary and secondary levels to promote greater engagement with soil science in school curricula. Full article

This study evaluates China’s National Smart Education Platform (NSEP) as a national digital reform aligned with SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), yet evidence remains limited on whether such platforms reduce urban–rural gaps in real-world use and outcomes. A quantitative, stratified, random survey of students, teachers, and administrators used validated scales to measure perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), user satisfaction (US), behavioral intention (BI), engagement level (EL), learning outcomes (LO), and system quality (SQ). The measures demonstrated strong reliability. Hierarchical regression analyses supported an extended technology acceptance model (TAM): SQ, PEOU, and PU significantly predicted US and BI, with PU showing the strongest effect. Interaction effects indicated context-sensitive adoption and the results suggested a persistent rural disadvantage in adoption even after accounting for key predictors. Mediation analyses further showed that US and BI transmitted technology beliefs to LO. Nevertheless, urban–rural gaps remained evident, particularly in PEOU and SQ, and teachers consistently reported a lower PEOU than students and administrators. These findings suggest that NSEP has the potential to support SDG-oriented digital equity, but closing urban–rural gaps requires teacher-centered design, improved usability and system reliability, and targeted infrastructure and capacity-building support in rural contexts. Full article

Globally, grasslands, savannas, and wetlands are degrading rapidly and increasingly being replaced by woody vegetation. Woody Plant Encroachment (WPE) disrupts natural landscapes and has significant consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and key ecosystem services. This review synthesizes findings from 159 peer-reviewed studies identified through a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review to evaluate the drivers of WPE, its ecological impacts, and the remote sensing (RS) approaches used to monitor it. The drivers of WPE are multifaceted, involving interactions among climate variability, topographic and edaphic conditions, hydrological change, land use transitions, and altered fire and grazing regimes, while its impacts are similarly diverse, influencing land cover structure, water and nutrient cycles, carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and broader implications for ecosystem resilience. Over the past two decades, RS has become central to WPE monitoring, with studies employing classification techniques, spectral mixture analysis, object-based image analysis, change detection, thresholding, landscape pattern and fragmentation metrics, and increasingly, machine learning and deep learning methods. Looking forward, emerging advances such as multi-sensor fusion (optical– synthetic aperture radar (SAR), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)–hyperspectral), cloud-based platforms including Google Earth Engine, Microsoft Planetary Computer, and Digital Earth, and geospatial foundation models offer new opportunities for scalable, automated, and long-term monitoring. Despite these innovations, challenges remain in detecting early-stage encroachment, subcanopy woody growth, and species-specific patterns across heterogeneous landscapes. Key knowledge gaps highlighted in this review include the need for long-term monitoring frameworks, improved socio-ecological integration, species- and ecosystem-specific RS approaches, better utilization of SAR, and broader adoption of analysis-ready data and open-source platforms. Addressing these gaps will enable more effective, context-specific strategies to monitor, manage, and mitigate WPE in rapidly changing environments. Full article

This study introduces the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Measurement Framework (SDG-AMF), a novel analytical tool used to systematically evaluate the relationships between digitalization and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unlike the United Nations (UN) E-Government Development Index (EGDI) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Digital Government Indicators (DGIs) frameworks, the proposed SDG-AMF links digitalization indicators to specific SDG outcomes using proxy-based time-series analysis. The SDG-AMF provides a unified, statistically grounded approach that connects digital development with measurable sustainability outcomes. Using direct, high-quality time-series data (2010–2024) from internationally recognized sources, the framework maps key digitalization indicators such as Internet penetration, e-government maturity, research and development (RD) expenditure, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and gender participation in information and communication technology (ICT) to the selected SDG targets (SDGs 4, 5, 8, 9, and 16). Through correlation and regression analyses, the study identifies enabling and inhibiting relationships, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s strengths in digital infrastructure and e-government maturity while emphasizing areas for improvement, such as civic participation and RD intensity. Comparative benchmarking with digitally advanced economies underscores Saudi Arabia’s strengths in Internet penetration and e-government maturity, while gaps in RD investment are identified. The SDG-AMF provides policymakers with a replicable roadmap and scalable model to align foundational connectivity and governance reforms with advanced digital transformation, facilitating progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals worldwide. This research contributes original methodological insights and equips stakeholders with practical tools to monitor, compare, and accelerate SDG progress in the digital era. Full article

The rapid evolution of smart transportation systems necessitates the integration of advanced sensing technologies capable of supporting the real-time, reliable, and cost-effective monitoring of road infrastructure. Fiber-optic sensor (FOS) technologies, given their high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and suitability for harsh environments, have emerged as promising tools for enabling intelligent transportation infrastructure. This review critically examines the current landscape of classical mechanical and electrical sensor realization in monitoring solutions. Focus is also given to fiber-optic-sensor-based solutions for smart road applications, encompassing both well-established techniques such as Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors and distributed sensing systems, as well as emerging hybrid sensor networks. The article examines the most topical physical parameters that can be measured by FOSs in road infrastructure monitoring to support traffic monitoring, structural health assessment, weigh-in-motion (WIM) system development, pavement condition evaluation, and vehicle classification. In addition, strategies for FOS integration with digital twins, machine learning, artificial intelligence, quantum sensing, and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms are analyzed to highlight their potential for data-driven infrastructure management. Limitations related to deployment, scalability, long-term reliability, and standardization are also discussed. The review concludes by identifying key technological gaps and proposing future research directions to accelerate the adoption of FOS technologies in next-generation road transportation systems. Full article

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are central to sustainable development in transition economies, yet their financial fragility often limits resilience and the capacity to invest in innovation and responsible practices. Despite growing interest in SME, financial health and its role in sustainability, empirical evidence from small transition economies like Montenegro remains scarce, particularly on how liquidity and profitability dynamics underpin conditions for SDG-aligned growth. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how core financial indicators—cash position, capital structure, and working capital efficiency—affect liquidity and profitability among 345 Montenegrin SMEs across manufacturing, services, and trade. Using OLS and robust regression models, results reveal that a higher cash-to-revenue ratio and moderate leverage significantly enhance both short-term solvency and profitability, while working capital efficiency shows nuanced effects and sector-specific patterns emerge in capital-intensive industries. These findings highlight financial management as a foundation for SME resilience, creating financial preconditions for innovation and digital investments in aligned with SDGs (goals 8, 9, 12). Policy recommendations focus on improving finance access and financial literacy to foster innovation-driven, sustainable SME models aligned with the 2030 Agenda. Full article

Background: Cold chain distribution in Agri-Biotech supply chains faces serious challenges due to strict time windows, high temperature sensitivity, and conflict between different operational objectives, and conventional static approaches are unable to address these complexities. Methods: In this study, an integrated decision support framework is presented that combines multi-objective fuzzy modeling and an adaptive digital twin to simultaneously manage logistics costs, product quality degradation, and service time compliance under operational uncertainty. Key uncertain parameters are modeled using triangular fuzzy numbers, and the digital twin dynamically updates the decision parameters based on operational information. The proposed framework is evaluated using real industrial data and comprehensive computational experiments. Results: The results show that the proposed approach is able to produce stable and balanced solutions, provides near-optimal performance in benchmark cases, and is highly robust to demand fluctuations and temperature deviations. Digital twin activation significantly improves the convergence behavior and stability of the solutions. Conclusions: The proposed framework provides a reliable and practical tool for adaptive planning of cold chain distribution in Agri-Biotech industries and effectively reduces the gap between advanced optimization models and real-world operational requirements. Full article

Background: Port digital transition is central to competitiveness and sustainability, yet existing frameworks devoted to such transition toward smart port are descriptive, technology-centered, or weak on data governance. This study designs and empirically refines a comprehensive and novel ten-step roadmap relative to existing Port/Industry 4.0 models, synthesized from 14 partial frameworks that each cover only subsets of the transition, by considering data governance and consolidating cost, time, and impact in the selection step. Methods: We synthesized recent Industry 4.0 and smart port-related frameworks into a normalized sequence of steps embedded in the so-called roadmap, then examined it in an exploratory case of a technology deployment project in a Canadian port using stakeholder interviews and project documents. Evidence was coded with a step-aligned scheme, and stakeholder feedback and implementation observations assessed whether each step’s outcomes were met. Results: The sequence proved useful yet revealed four recurrent hurdles: limited maturity assessment, uneven stakeholder engagement, ad hoc technology selection and integration, and under-specified data governance. The refined roadmap adds a diagnostic maturity step with target-state setting and gap analysis, a criteria-based selection worksheet, staged deployment with checkpoints, and compact indicators of transformation performance, such as reduced logistics delays, improved energy efficiency, and technology adoption. Conclusions: The work couples theory-grounded synthesis with empirical validation and provides decision support to both ports and public authorities to prioritize investments, align stakeholders, propose successful policies and digitalization supporting programs, and monitor outcomes, while specifying reusable steps and indicators for multi-port testing and standardized metrics. Full article

Against the backdrop of the “dual carbon” strategy and digital rural development, examining the impact of farmers’ digital literacy on the adoption and efficiency of green agricultural technologies can provide micro-level evidence and actionable policy insights for advancing the green transformation of agriculture. Through a systematic literature review and thematic analysis of 52 eligible studies, this study identifies a significant triple role of digital literacy—as an enabler, a mediating mechanism, and a potential barrier—in the adoption of green agricultural technologies. While digital literacy significantly facilitates technology adoption, its positive effects are constrained by a “capacity gap” arising from limited digital skills, low literacy levels, and inadequate digital infrastructure. Technology adoption demonstrates distinct stratification: digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) exhibit high penetration but superficial utilization; green production technologies are largely limited by capital availability; and precision agriculture, intelligent systems, and blockchain applications remain primarily at the pilot or demonstration stage. Furthermore, the interaction between digital literacy and technology adoption enhances agricultural efficiency by reducing income disparities, fostering rural entrepreneurship, and improving green total factor productivity (GTFP). This review highlights the importance of targeted policies and further research to address the capacity gap, realize sustained efficiency gains, and promote digital empowerment as a pathway to sustainable agricultural transformation. Full article

Digital rural construction (DRC), as a crucial intersection of the rural revitalization strategy and the construction of Digital China, is a key path to addressing the imbalance and inadequacy in the urban–rural income gap (URIG). Based on provincial panel data from 2011 to 2023, this paper systematically examines the relationship and mechanism of action between the two using an econometric model. This study finds that DRC significantly reduces the URIG overall, and this effect is achieved through increasing urbanization levels, accelerating employment, and promoting social consumption. Spatial effect tests indicate that DRC has a spatial spillover effect; construction in one province reduces the URIG in neighboring provinces. Further research shows that, against the backdrop of human capital level acting as a threshold variable, the effect of DRC on the URIG exhibits an inverted “U”-shaped characteristic, first increasing and then decreasing. Therefore, this paper proposes countermeasures and suggestions, including constructing a digital-enabled urban–rural integration mechanism, promoting cross-regional coordinated development of DRC, and implementing a tiered and categorized digital literacy improvement project. Full article

This study proposes a functional framework to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of e-learning content creation by systematically integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. While previous research on e-learning has primarily focused on systems and infrastructure, little attention has been given to content creation. To address this gap, we present a five-step methodology: (1) conducting a systematic literature review of existing e-learning development frameworks; (2) proposing a content-specific framework centered on instructors and technical support roles; (3) outlining a detailed task-based content creation process; (4) identifying and classifying commercial AI tools applicable to each functional unit; and (5) comparing the tools based on their strengths, limitations, and suitability. The proposed framework includes eight key functional stages, ranging from lesson planning to editing, automation, and final review. For each stage, AI tools such as ChatGPT, Synthesia, MidJourney, and Grammarly are evaluated and mapped to the corresponding workflow phase. The findings suggest that integrating AI tools into content creation can significantly reduce production time and cost, improve instructional quality, and lower e-learning sector entry barriers. This study contributes a conceptual model and practical strategies for leveraging AI in scalable, high-quality digital education environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although numerous studies have examined associations between screen time and early language development, less is known about how screen exposure interacts with developmental stage, digital content quality, and parental mediation across childhood and adolescence, particularly with respect to pragmatic communication. This study aimed to address these gaps by examining the joint associations of screen time, content composition, and parental mediation with multiple linguistic and pragmatic domains across a broad age range. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 286 Romanian participants aged 5–19 years, grouped into four developmental stages. Measures included daily screen time, proportion of educational versus recreational content, parental mediation practices, and standardized assessments of vocabulary, verbal fluency, grammatical competence, and pragmatic communication. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, 4 × 3 factorial ANOVAs (age group × screen-time category), and multiple linear regression. Results: Higher levels of screen exposure were consistently associated with lower performance across all linguistic and pragmatic domains (r = −0.19 to −0.28, all p < 0.01). Participants viewing >2 h/day showed significantly weaker outcomes than those with ≤1 h/day, particularly in semantic and phonemic fluency and pragmatic communication (p < 0.001). Educational content correlated positively with linguistic scores, whereas recreational content showed negative associations. Parental mediation emerged as a significant positive predictor. In the regression model (R² = 0.42), age (β = 0.47), parental mediation (β = 0.21), and educational content (β = 0.18) predicted better linguistic performance, while screen time (β = −0.29) predicted lower performance. Conclusions: The findings indicate that associations between digital media use and linguistic and pragmatic performance vary across developmental stages and contextual factors. Rather than screen time alone, digital content quality and parental mediation are associated with differences in communicative performance. These results highlight the value of a nuanced, developmentally informed perspective when considering children’s digital media environments. Full article

(1) Background: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration in secondary education remains a critical challenge despite substantial investments in teacher training and infrastructure. This study investigated ICT certification levels, implementation patterns, and barriers among Greek secondary school teachers to understand the disconnect between policy aspirations and classroom realities. (2) Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed with 108 secondary teachers (61.1% female; mean age 47.3 years; 70.4% with >10 years’ experience) in the Prefecture of Ilia, Greece (response rate: 87.7%). Participants were permanent secondary school teachers employed in public schools during the 2021–2022 academic year; substitute teachers and private school staff were excluded. A three-section structured questionnaire was developed through literature review, expert validation (n = 3), and pilot testing (n = 10). Section A assessed demographics (5 items), Section B measured perceived barriers using a 7-item Likert scale, and Section C assessed implementation practices using a 10-item frequency scale (Cronbach’s α = 0.942). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and correlation analyses. (3) Results: While 74.1% of teachers held Level A certification, only 25.9% achieved Level B, with overall implementation remaining moderate (M = 2.92/5.00). Leadership support deficiency emerged as the primary barrier (76.9%), followed by inadequate technical support (74.1%). Younger teachers (24–35 years) demonstrated significantly higher ICT implementation than their older colleagues (56+ years), and teachers with less experience showed greater implementation frequency than veteran teachers—a finding that paradoxically challenges the “digital natives” assumption, given the barriers they face. Teachers preferred flexible Internet resources to formal educational software, indicating strategic adaptation to institutional constraints. Key limitations include convenience sampling, cross-sectional design, self-reported measures, and regional specificity. (4) Conclusions: The certification–implementation gap reveals that individual competencies cannot overcome unsupportive institutional environments. Effective ICT integration requires systemic transformation, encompassing leadership development, technical support, and structural reforms beyond traditional teacher training approaches. Full article

Thailand is globally recognized for its tourism potential and rich diversity of cultural and natural heritage. Community-based tourism (CBT), in particular, holds significant promise for inclusive and sustainable development. However, CBT initiatives across the country remain fragile in the face of uncertainty, whether from pandemics, climate events, or market shifts, and are often constrained by fragmented practices and the absence of a shared service development framework that addresses sustainability tensions. This study addresses that gap by developing and validating a sustainability-oriented new service development (NSD) process comprising five phases and sixteen steps, tailored specifically for CBT under uncertainty. Through expert interviews and iterative action research in two contrasting Thai communities, the process was refined to include tools for place identity, customer analysis, service testing, and adaptive planning. The framework enables CBT communities to move from ad hoc efforts to structured, resilient, and market-aligned service practices. Expert validation confirmed its effectiveness and adaptability, while also recommending digital transformation and financial integration as future directions. This process offers a pathway for improving CBT outcomes in Thailand, and a potentially adaptable framework for CBT development across diverse contexts in uncertain tourism environments. Full article