Search Results (12,782)

The present study seeks to synthesize the scientific evidence from the last decade (2015–2025) regarding the transition from inequality in technological access toward social stratification mediated by automated decision-making systems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the SPIDER model, a corpus of 74 high-impact records from Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and PsycINFO was examined. The results reveal an exponential growth in scientific production since 2018, marking a shift from infrastructure-based inequality toward a systemic stratification mediated by algorithmic opacity. Three critical sectors of exclusion are categorized: the socio-health nexus, the labor market, and the educational ecosystem. Methodologically, quantitative algorithmic auditing predominates (58%), although mixed sociotechnical approaches have increased by 25% since 2021 to capture experiences of intersectional vulnerability. The study concludes that AI acts as an active agent of social reproduction, necessitating a transition toward “Algorithmic Justice” and “Human-Centric Governance.” Finally, a “Reinstating AI” framework is proposed to democratize technological development and mitigate systemic biases, offering a roadmap for researchers and policymakers in the pursuit of technological sovereignty. Full article

For more than seventy years, mathematics—particularly the calculus sequence—has defined both the rigor and the exclusivity of engineering education in the United States. While this structure was historically instrumental in professionalizing engineering, it has also produced unintended consequences: restricted access, misalignment with contemporary engineering practice, and persistent inequities in participation and degree attainment. This commentary argues that mathematics must be reimagined not as a barrier or filter, but as a gateway that enables engineering learning, persistence, and innovation. Building on The Engineering Mindset Report and decades of research in engineering education, learning sciences, and curricular reform, we examine how mathematics became a gatekeeping mechanism, assess its current impacts, and propose a framework for redesigning engineering mathematics around context, modularity, technology, and equity. We advocate for accessible, flexible, and technology-enabled pathways that emphasize modeling, data analysis, and conceptual understanding over procedural endurance. Such an approach has the potential to broaden participation, improve student success, and better align engineering education with the realities of 21st-century professional practice. Full article

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) versus Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) on cognitive function and psychological well-being three months post-surgery. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational cohort study involved 150 patients undergoing surgical treatment for BPH; 132 patients (66 HoLEP, 66 TURP) completed baseline and 3-month follow-up evaluations. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) served as the primary measure of cognitive function, while the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) functioned as a secondary measure. The Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were utilized to assess individuals’ mental states. We employed repeated-measures General Linear Models, adjusted for age and educational attainment, to examine temporal variations. Results: Baseline demographic, clinical, cognitive, and psychological characteristics were comparable among the groups. The modified analysis revealed no significant interaction between time and surgical procedure for MoCA (p = 0.405), indicating that both groups exhibited comparable cognitive trajectories. No significant differences were seen between the groups in the adjusted MoCA scores (p = 0.162). A minor, statistically insignificant temporal effect was observed (p = 0.058; partial η² = 0.028). Educational attainment independently forecasted cognitive performance (p = 0.024). The MMSE demonstrated a slight temporal effect (p = 0.015) with no interaction of approaches. Anxiety and depressive symptoms persisted uniformly and comparably among the groups. Conclusions: Three months post-surgery, neither HoLEP nor TURP was associated with a notable deterioration in cognitive performance. The surgical modality did not independently influence cognitive trajectory after adjusting for demographic variables. Contemporary endoscopic BPH surgery appears to be neurocognitively safe during the medium-term postoperative period. Full article

Purpose: Access to assistive technology (AT) is a fundamental human right and a critical component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the scarcity of trained professionals remains a significant barrier to AT service provision. This study evaluates the effectiveness and perceived usefulness of the Assistive Technology Training Program (ATTP), a specialized continuing education initiative designed to build workforce capacity among rehabilitation and healthcare professionals. Methods: A convergent mixed methods design was used to analyze quantitative pre/post-test scores and qualitative focus group open-ended responses. Quantitative data were gathered from 386 participants across 11 MENA countries using a pre- and post-test assessment of AT knowledge. Qualitative utility and participant satisfaction were assessed through a 5-point Likert scale survey evaluating content relevance, trainer expertise, and facilities. Association tests (ANOVA and t-tests) were conducted to identify factors influencing knowledge gain. Results: Participants demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in AT knowledge, with the overall mean score increasing from 3.67 ± 1.13 to 7.50 ± 1.25 (p < 0.001). High levels of satisfaction were reported, with 92% of participants rating the training as “Very Good” or “Excellent” regarding its relevance to clinical needs. Association tests revealed that professional background (p < 0.001), employment status (p = 0.0017), level of education (p = 0.011), and prior training experience (p = 0.026) were significant factors in the magnitude of improvement, although all subgroups achieved significant learning gains. Qualitative thematic analysis per the focus group discussions using the WHO-GATE 5 P framework identified three major themes: (1) Structural Challenges: Issues with Products and Provision point toward a need for better infrastructure and localized supply chains. (2) Human Capital: Personnel barriers emphasize that training shouldn’t just be for professionals, but should extend to caregivers as well. (3) Systemic and Social Change: Policy and People focus on the “soft” side of AT moving toward user-involved guidelines and fighting social stigma to ensure rights are upheld. Conclusions: The ATTP is an impactful educational intervention that significantly enhances the foundational competencies of healthcare professionals in the MENA region. By addressing knowledge gaps and fostering practical skills, the program serves as a preliminary model that demonstrates potential for building regional capacity and supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #3 related to health and wellbeing and SDG #4 related to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. Further research is required to evaluate its long-term scalability and clinical impact. Full article

Education is very important for a society’s economic, social, and cultural growth. However, educational systems still have structural problems that make it hard for students to stay in school and achieve academic success. One of the most significant problems in education is student dropout. This situation is especially impactful in high school, where its effects extend beyond the school and into long-term social and economic outcomes. This paper proposes an approach to identify data-driven indicators of dropout risk by using supervised learning and optimization methods. Our proposal consists of a supervised feature-weighted metric learning strategy that improves class separability in distance-based classifiers by reweighting features based on label information. To achieve the best possible k-nearest neighbors classification accuracy, we formulate metric learning as an optimization problem. Moreover, to optimize our proposal, we considered population-based, gradient-free metaheuristics. Furthermore, our proposed method preserves the original feature space to improve neighborhood relationships in contrast to traditional preprocessing or dimensionality reduction methods, which are important for educational outcomes. Actual school records from a high school in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, Mexico, were used to conduct the experimentation to assess our proposal. Based on the experimental results, we observe an improvement in classification performance, with accuracy increasing from about 0.87 to 0.98. For statistical support, we applied a nonparametric Friedman test, which showed that these improvements are statistically significant. Hence, our proposal could be a useful and scalable method for educational data and support strategies for early identification of students at risk of dropout. Full article

National risks constitute an important but still underexplored dimension of sustainable development, particularly in countries exposed to institutional fragility, demographic decline, and geopolitical uncertainty. This study identifies and prioritizes the ten most significant risks facing Bulgaria’s development over the next decade, with particular attention to their fiscal and macro-financial transmission channels. The analysis is based on a structured expert survey conducted among 82 specialists from academia, business, research institutions, civil society, and public practice. Respondents assessed 32 potential risks according to likelihood and impact using a five-point scale. A combined priority index was constructed as the product of mean likelihood and mean impact scores. The results show that the most significant risks are concentrated around institutional and systemic vulnerabilities, especially distrust in the rule of law, ineffective healthcare, disinformation, corruption, crisis of statehood, demographic decline, and deterioration in education and infrastructure. The findings indicate that these risks affect Bulgaria’s long-term development through five main fiscal and macro-financial channels: higher sovereign risk premia, expenditure pressure, weaker revenue capacity and investment efficiency, labor market deterioration, and broader financial fragility. The study contributes to the literature on sustainability governance, sovereign resilience, and fiscal sustainability by showing that national resilience depends not only on the management of external shocks, but also on the institutional capacity of the state to absorb long-term structural pressures. The practical applicability of the study lies in the possibility and necessity of conducting a content analysis of the main strategic documents for the country’s development in order to establish the extent to which the identified main risks are reflected in them, as conclusions about the situation and as countermeasure policies. Full article

Background: Despite well-documented adverse impact on both systemic and oral health, tobacco smoking remains a persistent issue in military populations. It contributes to the global burden of tobacco use and is often perceived as a means of coping with stress in military settings. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tobacco use among military marines, its impact on oral health, and their level of knowledge regarding smoking, as well as to identify variables associated with their smoking habits. Thus, it provides a basis for implementing appropriate tobacco cessation and harm reduction strategies, particularly within the military. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of tobacco use among military marines, despite generally high levels of knowledge regarding tobacco smoking. A knowledge gap was still evident in relation to smoking behavior. The most frequently reported oral health impacts among smokers were tooth staining, halitosis, and taste impairment. Duration of military service and level of knowledge were significantly associated with smoking behavior. Materials and methods: A validated and reliable online survey was administered to collect socio-demographic data, including age, education level, and length of military service. The survey also assessed smoking status, smoking behavior, its impact on oral health, and participants’ knowledge of smoking-related risks. Data were analyzed descriptively, and associated factors were examined using multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 475 military marines participated in the study. Of these, 44.8% were current smokers, 25.7% were former smokers, and 29.5% had never smoked. Overall, 71% of participants demonstrated good knowledge of smoking-related risks. The most commonly reported oral health impacts were halitosis, tooth staining, and impaired taste. Smoking status did not differ significantly by age (p = 0.095) or education level (p = 0.610), but differed significantly by length of military service (p < 0.05) and level of knowledge (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis using multinomial logistic regression indicated that length of military service was a significant predictor of smoking behavior (p = 0.005; 95% CI: 0.282–0.800), with 1–5 years of service emerging as the most influential category. Based on the odds ratio, individuals with 11–15 years of service had a 1.8-fold higher likelihood of smoking. Conclusions: Despite a generally good level of knowledge regarding the health risks of smoking, the prevalence of tobacco use remains high among military marines. The most commonly reported oral health impacts were tooth staining, halitosis, and impaired taste. Length of military service and level of knowledge regarding smoking were identified as significant factors associated with smoking status. Full article

This study investigates the determinants of economic growth in the Next-11 economies over the period 1996–2024, with particular emphasis on the roles of structural, institutional, and human capital factors. Using a comprehensive panel dataset for eleven emerging economies, the analysis employs three robust estimation techniques—Driscoll–Kraay Standard Errors (DKSEs), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLSs), and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSEs)- to address common econometric issues such as heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and cross-sectional dependence. The empirical results reveal that industrial output, energy consumption, human capital, institutional quality, and foreign direct investment significantly contribute to economic growth. Among these factors, industrial output and energy consumption exhibit particularly strong and consistent positive effects across all estimation methods, highlighting the importance of structural transformation and energy availability in supporting economic expansion. In contrast, trade openness shows a negative and statistically significant relationship with economic growth in most model specifications, suggesting that structural constraints, import dependence, and limited domestic productive capacity may restrict the growth benefits of external integration in these economies. The study also explores the conditional effects of foreign direct investment through interaction terms with human capital and institutional quality. The findings indicate that the growth-enhancing impact of foreign investment depends significantly on domestic absorptive capacity, particularly the availability of skilled labor and effective governance structures. These results emphasize the importance of complementary policies aimed at strengthening education systems, improving institutional quality, and enhancing regulatory effectiveness. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest that the Next-11 economies should prioritize industrial development, energy infrastructure expansion, human capital investment, and institutional reforms to maximize the benefits of globalization and foreign investment. Overall, the study contributes to the literature by providing robust empirical evidence on the interconnected roles of structural, institutional, and human capital factors in shaping economic growth in emerging economies. Full article

Uncontrolled scrap tire fires represent high-intensity episodic emission events that pose severe toxicological threats to urban environments. This study employs atmospheric dispersion modelling to quantify the impact of a tire stockpile fire on a distal educational receptor, evaluating two distinct dynamic stages of the event: an initial high-intensity open flame scenario (E1, 4 h) and a prolonged smouldering/suppression scenario (E2, 6 h), induced by firefighting interventions. Results reveal extreme pollutant loading at the receptor site during E1, with PM₁₀ and SO₂ concentrations peaking at 23,766 ${\displaystyle \frac{\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{g}}{{\mathrm{m}}^3}}$ and 7821 ${\displaystyle \frac{\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{g}}{{\mathrm{m}}^3}}$ respectively, indicating an immediate risk of acute respiratory distress. The organic fraction was dominated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (8691 ${\displaystyle \frac{\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{g}}{{\mathrm{m}}^3}}$) and a ∑16 PAHs flux of 313.9 ${\displaystyle \frac{\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{g}}{{\mathrm{m}}^3}}$. Toxicological assessment identified Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) as the primary driver of health hazards, contributing approximately 70% to the carcinogenic risk profile. A critical disparity was observed between Mutagenic Equivalency (MEQ) of 18.32 and Toxic Equivalency (TEQ) of 15.37, suggesting that standard monitoring significantly underestimates the biological threat to sensitive paediatric populations. These findings demonstrate that acute, oxygen-limited tire combustion creates a concentrated toxic slug of high-molecular-weight PAHs. The study underscores the necessity of integrating mutagenicity-based models into emergency response protocols to accurately safeguard vulnerable communities against the long-term toxicological legacy of elastomer thermolysis. Full article

This study investigates the impact of organic agriculture on farmers’ conservation behaviors, focusing on a sample of 816 households in the Chinese Crested Ibis habitats of Yang County, Shaanxi Province, China. Employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we analyzed the ecological feedback mechanisms bridging agricultural practices and species protection outcomes. The results identify two primary pathways through which organic agriculture fosters conservation: (1) Enhanced perceived benefits directly drive conservation behaviors, with significant path coefficients for ecological benefits (0.105, p < 0.05) and overall benefits (0.290, p < 0.001). (2) Government regulations fortify ecological cognition and conservation efforts (0.123, p < 0.001). Notably, while ecological cognition alone exhibited no direct behavioral impact, ecological emotions emerged as a critical mediator (0.153, p < 0.001). These mechanisms align with the remarkable recovery of the Crested Ibis population—from near extinction to over 7000 individuals—since the reserve’s establishment in 1981. Ultimately, this study highlights organic agriculture’s capacity to generate a positive ecological feedback loop, wherein economic viability and emotional connections to conservation mutually reinforce sustainable behaviors. The findings underscore that personal emotional investment in environmental stewardship is a stronger behavioral catalyst than cognitive understanding alone. This research offers robust empirical evidence to inform policy designs that harmonize agricultural livelihoods with biodiversity goals through targeted organic agriculture incentives and emotionally engaging ecological education programs. Full article

Background/Objectives: The colonisation of Australia around 250 years ago left a significant enduring impact on the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Vitamin D may play a role in modulating mental health as its receptors are present in the brain regions associated with mood and behaviour regulation. We aimed to conduct an exploratory study to investigate associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale 5 (K5) [low/moderate vs. high/very high psychological distress] among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2012–2013 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey. Binary logistic regression was used to test associations between serum 25(OH)D concentration and K5, adjusting for age, sex, education, remoteness, socioeconomic status, season, alcohol intake, and smoking (n = 1983). Results: There was no association between serum 25(OH)D concentration and K5 in the total population. In our exploratory analyses, higher serum 25(OH)D concentration (per 10 nmol/L) was significantly associated with 10% lower odds of high/very high levels of psychological distress among females. When stratified by remoteness, higher serum 25(OH)D concentration (per 10 nmol/L) was significantly associated with 11% lower odds of high/very high levels of psychological distress among those living remotely. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest no association between serum 25(OH)D and K5 among the total population, but with some exploratory evidence of differences by sex and remoteness. Given the high prevalence of low vitamin D status among this population, promoting adequate vitamin D status remains an important public health issue. Full article

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has emerged as a key priority in contemporary education systems, emphasizing the need to equip learners with the knowledge and competencies required to address complex environmental and societal challenges. Mathematics education can play an important role in achieving these goals by enabling students to analyse data, interpret real-world problems, and develop critical thinking skills related to sustainability issues. However, despite the growing interest in sustainability-oriented mathematics education, limited empirical evidence exists on how structured mathematical modelling interventions influence pre-service primary teachers’ perceptions, modelling orientation, and confidence in designing sustainability-based mathematics lessons. This study investigates the impact of sustainability-oriented mathematical modelling activities on pre-service primary teachers’ perceptions of integrating sustainability into mathematics education. The study employed a quasi-experimental design involving 68 pre-service primary teachers enrolled in a mathematics education course at a university. Participants engaged in a six-week intervention consisting of modelling activities based on real-world sustainability contexts, including water consumption, energy use, waste management, and sustainable transportation. Data were collected using a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire examining participants’ perceptions of sustainability integration, mathematical modelling, and teaching confidence. Statistical analyses, including reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, effect size estimates, and correlation analysis, as well as multiple regression analysis, were conducted to examine the impact of the intervention. The results indicate significant improvements in participants’ perceptions of sustainability-oriented mathematics teaching and their confidence in designing modelling-based sustainability activities. The largest improvement was observed in teaching confidence, while mathematical modelling perception emerged as a significant predictor of teaching confidence. The findings suggest that mathematical modelling can serve as an effective pedagogical approach for integrating sustainability topics into mathematics education and preparing future teachers to connect mathematical reasoning with real-world environmental challenges. The study contributes to the growing body of research at the intersection of mathematics education, teacher education, and sustainability education by providing empirical evidence on the potential of modelling-based learning for supporting sustainability-oriented teaching practices. More specifically, it shows how mathematical modelling can function as a concrete pedagogical mechanism for translating Education for Sustainable Development into primary mathematics teacher education. Full article

As organizations become increasingly digital, the environmental impact of digital infrastructures is gaining growing attention within ESG agendas. However, many organizations still struggle to translate digital infrastructure data into clear, measurable, and reliable ESG reporting outcomes. This study develops and empirically tests a socio-technical model explaining how organizations achieve ESG measurement and reporting readiness through sustainable computing practices. Drawing on a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 312 respondents from government, private, and educational organizations in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region, the study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and multi-group analysis (MGA). The findings reveal that organizational drivers are the strongest predictors of sustainable computing practices, while organizational barriers exert significant negative effects on adoption. Sustainable computing practices play a critical mediating role by enabling organizations to transform fragmented digital data into structured and credible ESG reporting systems. Sectoral differences further highlight the influence of institutional contexts on adoption pathways. The study contributes by positioning sustainable computing as a foundational organizational capability that bridges digital transformation and ESG reporting, offering both theoretical insights and practical implications for enhancing ESG measurement and reporting readiness. Full article

Türkiye possesses significant marble reserves, making marble mining a crucial industry with notable environmental effects due to high energy and fuel consumption. This study assesses the environmental impacts of marble production through a life cycle assessment (LCA) focused on a quarry in Burdur and a cutting plant in Denizli, Türkiye. The analysis covers quarry operations, on-site transport, transportation to the plant, and final processing. Following the cradle-to-gate approach, it includes A1 (raw material sourcing), A2 (transportation), and A3 (production) stages as specified in EN 15804. The LCA was performed using GaBi Education 8.0 software, applying the ReCiPe 2016 v1.1 impact assessment method. Besides evaluating the current system, three scenarios were devised to lessen environmental impacts: solar energy (Scenario A), biodiesel (Scenario B), and a combination of solar and biodiesel (Scenario C). These were compared to the baseline system. The findings reveal that the current system’s climate change impact is 43.97 kg CO₂-eq, while Scenario C’s impact drops to 32.72 kg CO₂-eq, a reduction of about 25.6%. Scenario C achieved the greatest reduction in climate impact, with electricity and diesel consumption, water, and chemicals used in processing being the main contributors to environmental impacts. Full article

Background: Jordan is increasingly recognized as a climate-vulnerable setting in the region, yet evidence on the psychosocial dimensions of climate change among young adults remains limited. Led by the Jordan Center for Disease Control, this study assessed climate change perceptual awareness and climate-related anxiety among university students and explored perceptions of climate impacts at global and national levels. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey conducted between April and May 2025, 1305 students were recruited from universities across Jordan using a questionnaire incorporating the 15-item Climate Change Perceptual Awareness Scale and the 13-item Climate Change Anxiety Scale. Results: Awareness of climate change and global warming was high (87% and 96%, respectively), yet only 23% were familiar with Jordan’s National Climate Change Policy 2022–2050. In regression analyses, higher climate anxiety was associated with female sex, married status, larger household size, diagnosed mental health conditions, and central-region university enrolment. Higher perceptual awareness was associated with female sex, older age, and the recognition of multidimensional climate impacts. Students identified heatwaves, drought, and forest fires as principal environmental threats, and respiratory and heat-related illnesses as foremost health concerns. Conclusions: Our findings position climate change as not only an environmental concern, but also as an educational, psychological, and public health priority. To support effective adaptation and resilience, climate awareness must be translated into informed engagement and action. Integrating climate and climate-health education into university curricula, improving youth-responsive communication of national climate strategies, and creating formal pathways for youth participation in climate governance are essential investments in Jordan’s climate resilience, health security, and long-term sustainable development. Full article