Search Results (1,440)

Viral zoonoses represent a critical intersection of global health, ecology, and ethical issues. Pathogens that pass from animals to humans. This review examines the complex landscape of viral zoonoses, including their mechanisms, impact, and mitigation strategies. We begin with insights into the historical context and significance of these diseases and then explore spillover mechanisms influenced by genetic, ecological, and anthropogenic factors. This review covers the host range, transmission dynamics, and immunological barriers, including viral detection, adaptation, and immune evasion. Genomic insights have revealed the genetic determinants of host switching and adaptation, illuminating the dynamics of viral spillover events. We emphasize the anticipation and prevention of zoonotic events, highlighting surveillance, early warning systems, and the “One Health” approach. Using case studies of outbreaks such as Ebola, avian influenza, and COVID-19, this review examines the real-world consequences of zoonotic diseases. We then discuss interventions, including mitigation strategies and vaccination, and their ethical and social implications. Drawing on past outbreaks, we provide recommendations for the future, aiming to balance human health, conservation, and animal welfare. This review aims to inform professionals, academics, and policymakers by offering a multidisciplinary perspective on the complex world of viral zoonoses and strategies to protect global health. Full article

This study addressed the persistent limitation of discontinuous and labor-intensive compost monitoring procedures by developing and field-validating a low-cost sensor system for monitoring oxygen (O₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄) under tropical windrow conditions. In contrast to laboratory-restricted studies, this framework integrated rigorous calibration, multi-layer statistical validation, and process optimization into a unified, real-time adaptive design. Experimental validation was performed across three independent composting replicates to ensure reproducibility and account for environmental variability. Calibration using ISO-traceable gas standards generated linear correction models, confirming sensor accuracy within ±1.5% for O₂, ±304 ppm for CO₂, and ±1.3 ppm for CH₄. Expanded uncertainties (U₉₅) remained within acceptable limits for composting applications, reinforcing the precision and reproducibility of the calibration framework. Sensor reliability and agreement with reference instruments were statistically validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland–Altman analysis. Validation against a reference multi-gas analyzer demonstrated laboratory-grade accuracy, with ICC values exceeding 0.97, ANOVA showing no significant phase-wise differences (p > 0.95), and Bland–Altman plots confirming near-zero bias and narrow agreement limits. Ecological interdependencies were also captured, with O₂ strongly anticorrelated to CO₂ (r = −0.967) and CH₄ moderately correlated with pH (r = 0.756), consistent with microbial respiration and methanogenic activities. Nutrient analyses indicated compost maturity, marked by increases in nitrogen (+31.7%), phosphorus (+87.7%), and potassium (+92.3%). Regression analysis revealed that ambient temperature explained 25.8% of CO₂ variability (slope = 520 ppm °C⁻¹, p = 0.021), whereas O₂ and CH₄ remained unaffected. Overall, these findings validate the developed sensors as accurate and resilient tools, enabling real-time adaptive intervention, advancing sustainable waste valorization, and aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12 and 13. Full article

Growing concerns about sustainability highlight the need to understand not only rational but also neurocognitive mechanisms that shape consumer decisions. This study examines how discrete emotions—such as empathy, moral satisfaction, and responsibility—interact with reflective cognitive control to influence green purchase intention, with neural loyalty functioning as a mediating mechanism. Grounded in dual-process theory, the proposed model is empirically tested through PLS-SEM using data from 276 consumers in Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic, actively engaged with ecological products. The results demonstrate that both emotional and cognitive dimensions significantly predict purchase intention, while neural loyalty partially mediates these relationships, transforming temporary reactions into stable behavioral patterns. These findings suggest that bridging the intention–behaviour gap in sustainable consumption requires the integration of affective engagement, rational evaluation, and loyalty consolidation. The study contributes to sustainable marketing literature by positioning neurocognitive drivers as key antecedents of pro-environmental behaviour and by offering practical insights for designing interventions that effectively convert green intentions into consistent actions. All structural relationships were statistically significant (p < 0.05), confirming the robustness of the proposed model. Full article

This study examines the mechanisms through which ecological public art influences pro-environmental behavior, addressing the urgent challenges of the global ecological crisis and sustainable urban development. Using the 5th Shanghai Urban Space Art Season (SUSAS) as a case study, a serial multiple mediation model was established, with ecological public art perception as the independent variable, environmental psychological ownership and ecological awareness as mediators, and pro-environmental behavior as the dependent variable. Based on 326 valid responses, structural equation modeling (SEM), which integrates confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis, demonstrates that ecological public art perception significantly enhances pro-environmental behavior. Environmental psychological ownership and ecological awareness function not only as independent mediators but also jointly constitute a serial mediation pathway. The findings reveal a multidimensional process whereby ecological public art enhances pro-environmental behavior through “perceptual activation–emotional identification–cognitive enhancement–behavioral transformation”. Building on these insights, the study proposes intervention strategies focusing on multi-sensory integration, emotional narrative, digital technology application, and community-based practices to reinforce the role of ecological public art in urban environmental governance and sustainable development. Overall, this research advances the theoretical understanding of the social functions of public art and offers a valuable perspective for fostering ecological awareness and action. Full article

This paper advances a novel bio-cognitive framework for understanding how urban peripheries function as disabling environments that systematically undermine human flourishing. Drawing on recent theoretical developments in predictive processing, 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enactive, and extended), and biology, we propose that marginalization in urban contexts emerges not merely from socio-economic deprivation but from fundamental disruptions to cognitive, physiological, and embodied processes. Our analysis illustrates how peripheral spaces operate as neuro-affective ecologies that constrain agency through the breakdown of sensorimotor coupling, the generation of persistent prediction errors, and the activation of chronic stress responses. We argue that environmental features characteristic of urban peripheries, such as fragmented infrastructure, limited affordances, and unpredictable spatial configurations, create conditions where the dynamic interplay between body, brain, and environment systematically impairs inhabitants’ capacity for effective action and adaptation. This bio-cognitive perspective challenges conventional approaches that frame peripheries primarily through geographic or policy lenses, instead revealing how spatial injustice also operates at the intersection of neural, bodily, and environmental processes. Our framework contributes to emerging debates on spatial justice by providing a scientifically grounded account of how built environments become constitutively disabling, offering new conceptual tools for policy interventions that address the embodied and cognitive dimensions of urban inequality. The implications extend beyond urban planning to fundamental questions about how environments shape human potential and the ethical imperatives of creating spaces that support rather than constrain human flourishing. Full article

Timely and accurate monitoring of lakes’ water quality is crucial for assessing regional ecological health and implementing targeted conservation activities. Compared with traditional in situ water quality measurement methods, satellite remote sensing technology is more cost-effective and convenient, and also enables long-term time-series monitoring. This study utilizes Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery, selects East Juyan Lake as the study area, and employs measured water quality data from 30 in situ sampling points as training and testing samples. Using the correlation coefficient, root mean square error, and mean absolute error as evaluation metrics, a Grid Search-based XGBoost machine-learning method is applied to invert the concentration of total phosphorus (TP), a key parameter for water quality assessment. The experiments demonstrate that: (1) The XGBoost model, after parameter tuning via Grid Search, achieved the highest inversion accuracy, with R², RMSE, and MRE values of 0.856, 0.017, and 7.20%, respectively; The average TP concentration retrieved for the lake was 0.231 mg/L. This method requires minimal manual setting of numerous training parameters, reducing human intervention. (2) The spatial distribution shows that TP is primarily enriched in the deeper central and eastern parts of the lake, while concentrations are relatively lower in the near-shore vegetation zones and the western shallow water areas. The findings provide a significant reference for remote sensing monitoring of lake water quality and can be used to predict and regulate salinity, eutrophication, and similar conditions in comparable lakes. Full article

While coastal zones support economic and social development, they also face prominent contradictions between shoreline utilization and ecological protection. This study proposed an innovative conflict-coordination framework for constructing living shorelines, aiming to identify and mitigate multi-dimensional conflicts in coastal engineering. The framework introduced a four-dimensional conflict analysis structure encompassing policy, social environment, ecological environment, and technical capacity, thereby extending beyond traditional single-dimensional or ecological-only assessments. Furthermore, it integrated the Comprehensive Conflict Index (CCI) with a multi-objective coordination model that couples three core indicators (e.g., whole-life-cycle carbon emissions, comprehensive impact intensity, and the living shoreline index) to achieve synergistic optimization among lower carbon emission, less human intervention, and higher ecological function objectives. Applied to an ecological restoration and seawall ecologization project in Zhenhai District, Ningbo, the results demonstrated that the framework helped constructing living shorelines by effectively reducing comprehensive conflict intensity with 21.2%, decreasing total carbon emissions with 60.2%, and significantly improving both the living shoreline index and multi-objective coordination level. Compared to traditional coastal zone assessment methods, these findings highlighted the differentiated advantages of the proposed framework in quantifying conflict sources, enhancing coordination among multi-objectives, and providing scientific support for living shoreline construction and sustainable coastal management. Full article

Background: There is a growing gap between the increasing prevalence of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and the limited availability of developmental services. This raises an urgent need for effective and accessible intervention models. Hybrid intervention offers an innovative and practical solution, yet evidence regarding its feasibility and efficacy for children remains limited. This study aimed to adapt an evidence-based occupational therapy (OT) intervention model for remote delivery and to examine its feasibility and preliminary efficacy among children with NDDs. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental pre–post, mixed-methods design, children aged 5–8 years with NDDs were recruited from child development units in southern Israel. The intervention comprised 12–15 weekly video-conference sessions utilizing the Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach. Standardized outcome measures assessed feasibility and preliminary efficacy. Focus groups with parents and therapists explored facilitators and barriers to implementation. Results: Of the 26 participants enrolled, 14 children (71% boys) completed the intervention and reported high satisfaction. Clinically significant improvements were observed in personal goal training, reported by both children (80%) and parents (73.68%). Content analysis identified three key themes: parents’ engagement, ecological intervention, and technological literacy. Conclusions: Tele-CO-OP intervention was found to be feasible for children with NDDs and showed potential to improve occupational performance in personal goals. Findings provide a practical foundation for developing hybrid OT services as a valuable complement to in-person care for this growing population. Full article

The fragile ecosystem of desert and desertification-prone regions (D & DPRs) in China is highly sensitive to climate change, landuse intensification, and human interventions such as deforestation and overgrazing. In response, large-scale ecological restoration programs have been implemented over the past decades, yet their effect and cost-effectiveness remain insufficiently understood. Here, by applying multi-source remote sensing data, employing the Geodetector model, and developing a Return on Investment (RI) index, we established a framework to quantify the ecological restoration effect and assess the cost-effectiveness of the ecological restoration programs launched in China’s D & DPRs. The results indicated that a marked shift in ecosystem dynamics occurred in 1999. A comparison of the pre-restoration (1982–1998) and post-restoration (1999–2020) periods revealed that the restoration and degradation occur simultaneously, with the proportions increasing by 15.5% and 21%, respectively. Spatially, the identified ecological restoration effect was concentrated in the northern Loess Plateau, the northeastern Inner Mongolia Plateau, and the Hexi Corridor, which were strongly linked to population, land management strategies and infrastructural accessibility. However, the cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that higher levels of ecological investment did not necessarily lead to greater ecological restoration effect. Instead, restoration efficiency varied substantially across different ecological and socio-economic contexts. These findings suggest that ecological restoration in China’s D & DPRs is not a uniform process but is contingent on social-ecological characteristics and investment strategies. Our results emphasize the need for adaptive, region-specific approaches to optimize restoration efforts and ensure the sustainable management of China’s D & DPRs. Full article

Inner Mongolia is an important energy producer and the sixth-largest grain-supplying region in China. To address crucial water security challenges, the spatiotemporal variations in terrestrial water storage (TWS) and groundwater storage (GWS) in semiarid Inner Mongolia from April 2002 to January 2025 were evaluated on the basis of the synergistic use of multisource data, including satellite gravimetry, hydrological models, and meteorological data. There was a loss of TWS in Inner Mongolia (−1.69 ± 0.17 mm/year), which was caused mainly by the depletion of groundwater (−4.90 ± 0.12 mm/year), and it offset a slight increase in surface water (+3.21 ± 0.19 mm/year). Marked declines were clustered mainly in the central/southern regions (e.g., Ordos: GWS of −10.20 ± 0.19 mm/year), whereas the northeastern region (e.g., Hulun Buir) experienced an increase (+5.09 mm/year), which was related to abundant rainfall. Notably, the declining trend of GWS across all of Inner Mongolia before 2022 (−5.49 ± 0.17 mm/year) achieved an unprecedented reversal after 2022 (+17.80 ± 0.21 mm/year), indicating the significant influence of policy interventions and precipitation changes. In the central/eastern agro-pastoral zones, water loss was driven mainly by human-related activities such as coal mining and farming; in contrast, aridity in the west was worsened by climate variability. Therefore, it is crucial to formulate urgent water redistribution strategies, promote efficient irrigation methods, and improve monitoring systems for the purpose of protecting energy and food security and strengthening ecological adaptability in the context of climate change. Full article

Neurorehabilitation has become increasingly data-enabled, yet the conditions that most strongly modulate recovery, sleep consolidation, circadian alignment, medication ecology, and social–environmental context are rarely captured or acted upon. This opinion paper argues that an exposome perspective, defined as the cumulative pattern of external and internal exposures and their biological imprints across the life course, is not ancillary to rehabilitation but foundational to making therapy learnable, timely, and equitable. We propose a pragmatic model that centers on a minimal exposure dataset collected in minutes and interpreted at the point of care. Two clinical exemplars illustrate feasibility and utility. First, sleep and circadian rhythms: brief actigraphy and standardized reporting can make daily alertness windows visible, allowing teams to align high-intensity sessions to receptive states and to justify environmental adjustments as clinical interventions. Second, anticholinergic burden: a simple, trackable index can be integrated with functional goals to guide deprescribing and optimize cognitive availability for training. Implementation hinges less on new infrastructure than on workflow design: a short intake that surfaces high-yield exposures; embedding targets, e.g., sleep efficiency thresholds or anticholinergic load reductions, into plans of care; enabling secure import of device data; and training staff to interpret rhythm metrics and burden scores. We outline a parallel research agenda comprising pragmatic trials of bundled, exposure-informed care; longitudinal cohorts with time-stamped exposure streams; and causal methods suited to time-varying confounding, all under explicit equity and ethics safeguards. By measuring a few modifiable exposures and linking them to routine decisions, neurorehabilitation can convert context from a source of unexplained variance into actionable levers that improve outcomes and narrow unjust gaps in recovery. Full article

Against the backdrop of global economic digital transformation and the rapid flow of creative factors, innovation spaces, as the key carriers of inventive activities, drive high-quality development in urban agglomerations. This study develops a three-dimensional framework of “Spatial Structure–Factor Synergy–Institutional Drivers” to uncover the evolution of innovation spaces and industrial shifts in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration, China. Methodologically, spatial econometric techniques were applied to capture both the overall concentration and spatial disparities of innovation. Spatial Gini and variation coefficients measured innovation clustering, while standard deviation ellipses and location entropy identified spatial linkages among high-tech innovation clusters. Geographically weighted regression models explored spatial heterogeneity in influencing factors, and a policy intensity index was constructed to assess the effectiveness of differentiated policy interventions in optimizing innovation resources. Key findings include the following: (1) Innovation spaces are spatially polarized in a “core–periphery” pattern, yet require cross-regional collaboration. Concurrently, high-tech industries demonstrate a gradient structure: central cities leading in R&D, sub-central cities driving industrial applications, and node cities achieving specialized development through industrial transfer. (2) The driving mechanisms exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity: economic density shows diminishing returns in core areas, whereas R&D investment and ecological quality demonstrate increasingly positive effects, with foreign investment’s role evolving positively post-institutional reforms. (3) Regional innovation synergy has formed a preliminary framework, but strengthening sustainable policy mechanisms remains pivotal to advancing market-driven coordination and dismantling administrative barriers. These findings underscore the importance of integrated policy reforms for achieving balanced and high-quality innovation development in administratively coordinated urban agglomerations like BTH. Full article

This study examines the evolution of the Yellow River Basin’s urban corporate network from 2003 to 2023, aiming to understand how intercity connectivity and decision-making authority have developed. Using headquarters–subsidiary linkages of listed firms, we measure connectivity and control of cities within the urban system and employ spatial error models to identify their main determinants. The results show that the network has become denser and more geographically inclusive, especially in the middle and lower reaches. However, a clear hierarchy remains, and upstream integration stays limited. Community structures are anchored by capitals, and multi-core patterns strengthen over time. Coastal hubs in Shandong handle the most significant volumes of ties, while interior capitals such as Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Xi’an, and Taiyuan concentrate authority—a contrast that has intensified since 2013. Connectivity and control often diverge, and disparities in both have increased. Administrative rank remains the strongest predictor of a city’s position, although its influence has decreased as factors such as openness, development, producer services, and innovation have gained importance. Transportation accessibility and human capital consistently support both connectivity and control, while government intervention initially restricts network roles but becomes less influential over time. These findings suggest that intercity corporate linkages have expanded, yet decision-making authority has not dispersed and remains concentrated in a small set of capitals. Governance that coordinates across provinces is necessary to ensure that increasing linkages translate into shared economic opportunities while protecting the basin’s fragile ecological environment. Full article

Fears regarding the future of coral reefs are reflected in a growing scientific effort, worldwide, to help corals survive and adapt to the impacts of climate change through new management strategies. To be viable, these strategies must not only be ecologically beneficial and technically feasible; they must be developed in partnership with Indigenous peoples and sensitive to the needs and aspirations of local communities, stakeholders and broader publics. This paper synthesizes insights from a comprehensive program of qualitative and quantitative social research, conducted through Australia’s Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, exploring local community and public perspectives on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and the prospect of assisted adaptation. While the results of this research indicate strong support for prospective interventions to help the GBR, they also demonstrate that local communities and the broader Australian public hold multiple visions for the GBR’s future and engage in careful processes to imagine and evaluate assisted adaptation. We discuss the implications of this complexity for the development of technically robust and socially responsible adaptation intervention in the GBR, emphasizing the opportunities it presents for robust and inclusive dialogue, knowledge building, and governance around these strategies. Community and public support, we conclude, is contingent on moving beyond the seemingly straightforward question of whether or not people support intervention and towards forms of engagement that allow space for social and cultural diversity and the co-creation of ethically grounded adaptation pathways. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity remains a critical public health concern in Greece, particularly among socioeconomically vulnerable groups. This study conducted a secondary analysis of five large-scale epidemiological datasets to examine the association between energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) and obesity in children in need. Methods: Data were compiled from five nationally or regionally representative studies (Genesis, ToyBox, Healthy Growth, ENERGY, and Feel4Diabetes) involving children aged 1–12 years. Stratified and subgroup analyses were performed to examine associations between weight status and EBRBs, including dietary habits, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Determinants of EBRBs were also analysed using the socio-ecological model framework. Results: Children in need demonstrated a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity compared to the general child population. Key risk factors for EBRBs included frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet snacks, and high screen time. Protective behaviours associated with lower obesity risk included regular breakfast consumption, adequate sleep duration, and physical activity. Determinants of high-risk EBRBs were primarily interpersonal and, to a lesser extent, individual and community-level factors. Conclusions: These findings highlight the disproportionate burden of childhood obesity among vulnerable populations and identify modifiable behaviours and determinants that can inform targeted interventions. These results provide a robust evidence base to guide national public health policies, including the development of school- and community-based obesity prevention programmes aligned with the goals of Greece’s National Action Against Childhood Obesity. Prioritising children in need in such initiatives is essential to reduce health inequities and improve long-term health outcomes. Full article