Search Results (3,658)

Measuring national progress toward green transformation remains challenging due to fragmented assessment frameworks. This study develops and validates a Green Transformation Index that captures the capacity for sustainability transitions by integrating resource efficiency, innovation systems, and policy instruments. Using OECD Green Growth Indicators covering 58 economies from 2017 to 2025, we construct a composite index from 47 standardized indicators organized into three theoretically grounded dimensions. The GTI measures transformation capacity through innovation investment and policy frameworks rather than environmental outcomes. Results reveal substantial heterogeneity in transformation capacity with a Gini coefficient of 0.283, indicating persistent global inequality. Temporal analysis identifies a three-phase trajectory: consolidation from 2017 to 2019, acceleration during 2021 to 2023 driven by green recovery investments, and marked reversal in 2024 to 2025, highlighting vulnerability to economic shocks. Cluster analysis identifies four distinct pathways: innovation-driven, balanced integration, resource-first, and policy-led approaches. Critical findings show only 19 percent of countries demonstrate strong coordination between innovation investments and policy instruments, revealing significant governance fragmentation. Validation tests confirm the index effectively measures innovation capacity but shows weak correlation with emissions outcomes, underscoring the distinction between transformation inputs and environmental performance. Full article

Spatial disparities in housing values during the Great Depression reflect not only regional housing market conditions but also deeper inequalities in economic opportunity, social infrastructure, and environmental resilience that are central to place-based sustainability. Despite extensive research on housing inequality during this period, spatial disparities in housing values—particularly in relation to race beyond the neighborhood level—remain underexplored. This study examines county-level spatial disparities in housing values in the United States between 1930 and 1940, framing housing values as an indicator of place-based sustainability. Using spatial visualization, global and local spatial econometric models, and Multi-Scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR), we analyze how economic shocks, environmental stressors, and socioeconomic and demographic factors jointly shaped uneven housing outcomes across space. Our findings reveal distinct regional trends: higher housing values were concentrated in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast, while lower values prevailed in the Mountain and Southern regions. Housing values declined from 1930 to 1940, with the Dust Bowl intensifying losses in affected areas. Socioeconomic factors, such as higher illiteracy and unemployment rates, were associated with lower housing values, whereas higher retail sales per capita, a proxy for income, were linked to higher values. Housing values also varied significantly by racial and nativity composition, with persistent disparities disadvantaging Black and other minority populations relative to native White populations within the same regions. By quantifying spatial inequality and identifying uneven regional vulnerability and resilience during a major historical crisis, this study contributes a place-based sustainability perspective on long-term housing inequality and its structural roots. Full article

Hair loss is a common condition that affects a large number of people worldwide, impacting both men and women. Its development is closely linked to the function of hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs), which play a pivotal role in maintaining hair growth and follicle integrity. However, these cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress generated under psychological or environmental stressful conditions. Preserving the mitochondrial function and biological activity of HFDPCs is critical for preventing stress-related hair loss. This study investigated the protective and hair growth-promoting effects of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP), a naturally occurring organic acid with antioxidant potential, on HFDPCs exposed to H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress conditions. Treatment with 3-HP significantly enhanced cell viability and migration in H₂O₂-damaged HFDPCs. In addition, 3-HP reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and improved mitochondrial membrane potential as well as ATP production. Furthermore, 3-HP upregulated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression and activated hair growth-related signaling pathways, including the Wnt/β-catenin axis. Finally, treatment with 3-HP resulted in a significant enlargement of three-dimensional spheroids in H₂O₂-damaged HFDPCs. These findings suggest that 3-HP mitigates oxidative stress-induced damage and promotes hair follicle cell function, indicating its promise as a treatment option for improving oxidative stress-related hair loss conditions. Full article

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly integrated into Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems for applications such as surveillance, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and logistics. These missions demand reliable and secure communication between UAVs and cloud platforms for command, control, and data storage. However, UAV communication channels are highly vulnerable to eavesdropping, spoofing, and man-in-the-middle attacks due to their wireless and often long-range nature. Traditional cryptographic schemes either impose excessive computational overhead on resource-constrained UAVs or lack sufficient robustness for cloud-level security. To address this challenge, we propose a dual-layer encryption architecture that balances lightweight efficiency with strong cryptographic guarantees. Unlike prior dual-layer approaches, the proposed framework introduces a context-aware adaptive lightweight layer for UAV-to-gateway communication and a hybrid post-quantum layer for gateway-to-cloud security, enabling dynamic cipher selection, energy-aware key scheduling, and quantum-resilient key establishment. In the first layer, UAV-to-gateway communication employs a lightweight symmetric encryption scheme optimized for low latency and minimal energy consumption. In the second layer, gateway-to-cloud communication uses post-quantum asymmetric encryption to ensure resilience against emerging quantum threats. The architecture is further reinforced with optional multi-path hardening and blockchain-assisted key lifecycle management to enhance scalability and tamper-proof auditability. Experimental evaluation using a UAV testbed and cloud integration shows that the proposed framework achieves 99.85% confidentiality preservation, reduces computational overhead on UAVs by 42%, and improves end-to-end latency by 35% compared to conventional single-layer encryption schemes. These results confirm that the proposed adaptive and hybridized dual-layer design provides a scalable, secure, and resource-aware solution for UAV-to-cloud communication, offering both present-day practicality and future-proof cryptographic resilience. Full article

Moray (Cusco, Peru) represents one of the most sophisticated examples of Inca agricultural engineering, where architecture, environmental management, and constructive systems converge to generate controlled microclimates for agricultural experimentation. Recognized as an important archaeological heritage site, Moray provides valuable insight into ancestral Andean strategies for adapting agriculture to complex high-altitude environments. However, the site is increasingly exposed to environmental pressures associated with climatic variability, soil erosion, structural collapses, and tourism intensity. This study aims to analyze the relationship between microclimates, geometric design, and constructive sustainability of the Moray archaeological complex through integrated spatial, functional, and constructive analyses, supported by digital tools such as Google Earth Pro, AutoCAD 2023, SketchUp 2023, and environmental simulations developed by Andrew Marsh. The research examines the geometric configuration of the circular terraces, which present radii between 45 and 65 m, heights ranging from 3 to 5 m, and slope variations between 14% and 48%, generating temperature gradients of 12–15 °C between upper and lower levels. These conditions enabled the Incas to experiment with and adapt diverse ecological species across different thermal zones. The study also evaluates the irrigation and infiltration systems composed of gravel, sand, and stone layers that ensured soil stability and moisture regulation. Climate data from SENAMHI (2019–2024) indicate that Moray is located in a semi-arid meso-Andean environment, reinforcing its interpretation as an ancestral environmental laboratory. The results demonstrate Inca mastery in integrating environmental design, hydrological engineering, and agricultural experimentation while also identifying current conservation challenges related to erosion processes, structural deterioration, and tourism pressure. This research contributes to understanding Moray as a climate-sensitive heritage system, offering insights relevant to contemporary strategies for sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, and heritage conservation in Andean regions. Full article

Wildland firefighting involves prolonged, high-intensity physical work performed under hot, variable, and operationally demanding conditions, placing firefighters at substantial risk of heat-related illness. This paper synthesizes current evidence on the mechanisms, contributing factors, and management of heat stress in wildland firefighting, with a specific focus on physiologically and operationally relevant considerations aligned with NIOSH, NFPA, and USFS guidelines. Heat stress is conceptualized as a cumulative process resulting from the interaction of metabolic heat production, environmental heat load, protective clothing, and individual susceptibility. Key environmental contributors include high ambient temperatures, humidity, and solar and fire-related radiant heat, while occupational demands such as sustained heavy work, extended shift durations, limited recovery, and the thermal burden of personal protective equipment further exacerbate risk. Individual factors—including fitness, hydration status, acclimatization, fatigue, and underlying health conditions—modify heat tolerance and vulnerability. This review highlights evidence-based exposure management strategies tailored to wildland fire operations, including work–rest cycles, heat acclimatization protocols, and practical cooling interventions, and addresses the operational constraints that shape their implementation. This paper further emphasizes the role of standardized training programs in prevention, early symptom recognition, and rapid response. Together, these integrated approaches provide a focused framework for reducing heat-related morbidity and enhancing wildland firefighter safety. Full article

Against the backdrop of global climate change, remote subtropical mountainous power grids face severe operational challenges due to their fragile infrastructure and complex climatic conditions. However, existing research has insufficiently addressed load forecasting in data-sparse regions, particularly lacking systematic analysis of the “meteorology–load–failure” coupling mechanism. To address this gap, this study focused on 10 kV distribution lines in a typical subtropical monsoon region of southern China. Based on hourly load and meteorological data from 2016 to 2025, we propose a two-stage hybrid model combining “Random Forest (RF) feature selection + Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) time series forecasting”. Through deep feature engineering, composite, lagged, and interactive features were constructed. Using the RF algorithm, we quantitatively identified the core drivers of load variation across different time scales: at the hourly scale, variations are dominated by historical inertia (with weights of 0.5915 and 0.3757 for 1-h and 24-h lagged loads, respectively); at the daily scale, the logic shifts to meteorological triggering and cumulative effects, where the composite feature load_lag1_hi_product emerged as the most critical driver (weight of 0.8044). Experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid model significantly improved forecasting accuracy compared to the full-feature LSTM benchmark: on a daily scale, RMSE decreased by 13.29% and MAE by 16.67%, with R² reaching 0.8654; on an hourly scale, R² reached 0.9687. Furthermore, correlation analysis with failure data revealed that most grid faults occurred during intervals of extremely low load variation (0–5%), suggesting that “chronic stress” from environmental exposure in hot and humid conditions is the primary cause, with lightning identified as the leading external threat (26.90%). The interpretable forecasting framework proposed in this study transcends regional limitations. It provides a strategic “low-cost, high-resilience” prototype applicable to power systems in humid-subtropical zones worldwide, particularly for developing regions facing the dual challenges of data sparsity and climate vulnerability. Full article

Background: The human gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining health throughout the lifespan, and age-related alterations in its composition and diversity have been implicated in numerous chronic and neurodegenerative conditions. However, the combined effects of aging, dementia, and shared living environments on gut microbial communities remain incompletely understood. Methods: This study included 56 older adults residing in a nursing home, of whom 29 had been diagnosed with dementia. Gut microbiota composition was characterized by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. Microbial diversity was assessed using alpha- and beta-diversity metrics, and differences in amplicon sequence variants (ASVs)/features were determined. Analyses adopted some covariates as potential confounders variables including age, sex, frailty status, drug use, and time spent in the nursing home. Results: Alpha diversity was significantly higher in older adults compared with younger, while beta-diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial community structures between age groups. In older individuals, Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla, whereas Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota declined with advancing age. Notably, older adults exhibited an increased relative abundance of Euryarchaeota, a phylum encompassing Archaea, predominantly methanogens involved in anaerobic carbon dioxide reduction to methane. In subjects with dementia, marked compositional shifts were detected, resulting in a distinct microbial signature. Dementia was associated with a significant enrichment of Actinobacteriota, Euryarchaeota, and Proteobacteria, alongside a depletion of Bacteroidota and Firmicutes. Overall, different bacterial genera mostly belonging to the Firmicutes phylum were associated both with aging and dementia. Conclusions: Results show age-related remodeling of the gut microbiota, with a stable core of common taxa and distinct individual-specific signatures. These shifts reflect both host factors and life-long environmental conditions. Dementia-related changes seem to correlate with increased inflammatory species, thus suggesting the effect of vulnerability in microbiota changes in subjects sharing living environment and diet. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder in which oxidative stress represents a final common pathway linking diverse genetic and environmental insults to dopaminergic neuron loss. This review synthesizes evidence on how the commonly observed pathological changes in PD converge on excessive reactive oxygen species generation and redox imbalance. We present an overview on these pathways and key PD-linked genes that perturb mitochondrial quality control, lysosomal function, and inflammatory signaling, reinforcing oxidative stress. The major classes of redox-targeted therapeutic strategies under preclinical and clinical evaluation are outlined. Although many candidates show robust target engagement and neuroprotection in models, clinical trials have frequently yielded neutral or modest results, highlighting challenges related to brain delivery, off-target effects, optimal treatment window, and the fact that oxidative stress alone may be necessary but not sufficient to drive human disease progression. In the current paper, beyond cataloguing oxidative pathways, we explain the role of etiologic heterogeneity on biochemical target engagement and clinical outcomes. We outline subtype-enriched trial strategies and rational combination approaches. Targeting oxidative stress–related pathways thus remains a promising avenue for disease modification in PD, provided that future interventions are mechanistically informed and adapted to patient-specific redox vulnerabilities. Full article

This study examines the interrelated challenges of climate change and energy poverty across two distinct industrial regions: Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén in Hungary and Zarqa in Jordan. Both areas face unemployment and low-income levels, as well as environmental legacies of industrial activity; however, they differ significantly in their energy policies and infrastructure development. Using 2025 survey data, we develop indices of energy poverty, financial poverty, and climate perceptions, aligned with OECD guidelines. Regression analysis indicates that the model accounts for approximately 40% of the variance in energy poverty. Notably, heightened perceptions of climate change are associated with increased reports of energy hardship, suggesting that economically deprived households possess greater climate risk awareness. Resilience capacities, including adaptive skills, income stability, and community support, are found to substantially mitigate energy poverty. Income and employment status also play protective roles, underscoring the importance of economic resources. The impact of financial poverty varies markedly, being negligible in Hungary but severe in Jordan due to structural and infrastructural constraints. Our findings underscore the need for tailored, inclusive policy interventions that emphasize energy efficiency and retrofitting in Hungary and promote financial support and the adoption of renewable energy in Jordan. Integrating principles of energy justice into climate resilience strategies is crucial for promoting equitable and sustainable energy transitions, mitigating local vulnerabilities, and enhancing overall household resilience. Full article

Coral reefs provide immense ecosystem and economic value, supporting biodiversity, fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection worth billions annually. However, widespread degradation from thermal stress, storms, disease, and human impacts has caused significant coral cover and reef structure loss, increasing coastal vulnerability and economic risks. While coral loss is well-documented, degradation of underlying reef infrastructure and surrounding seafloor changes remain poorly understood. This study addresses this knowledge gap by quantifying seafloor elevation and volume changes across 234.2 km² of the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) reef tract using historical bathymetric and modern lidar (light detection and ranging) data collected from two periods with distinctly different disturbance regimes: 1935–2002 (frequent storms and major coral loss) and 2002–2016 (few storms and persistently low coral cover). Analysis of over 25,000 data points revealed substantial elevation and volume loss during 1935–2002 (−0.1 ± 0.8 m; 13.6 × 10⁶ m³ net loss), shifting to minimal gains by 2002–2016 (0.0 ± 0.3 m; 1.6 × 10⁶ m³ net gain). Despite this shift, benthic cover data showed continued declines in stony coral, with increases in macroalgae and octocorals, indicating that limited reef accretion persists even with reduced storm activity. Spatial analyses highlighted variable accretion and erosion patterns across habitats and subregions, underscoring the limitations of localized measurements for ecosystem-wide assessments. Our findings demonstrate the value of integrating historical and modern datasets for regional reef monitoring, establishing baselines for restoration planning, and emphasizing the need for continued high-resolution monitoring to guide adaptive management amid ongoing environmental change. Full article

This review examines the status, challenges, and future trajectories of global mussel aquaculture within the blue food system. Despite steady production growth, mussels’ relative contribution to total bivalve output has significantly declined over recent decades due to disproportionate expansion of oyster, clam, and scallop sectors. A major geographical production shift has occurred, with Asia, spearheaded by China, emerging as the dominant region, supplanting traditional European producers while the Americas rapidly ascend. China’s overwhelming dominance in overall bivalve production starkly contrasts with its underdeveloped mussel sector, where growth lags behind other bivalves despite substantial absolute increases, reflecting a fundamental restructuring of species composition. The industry faces interconnected sustainability constraints: persistent vulnerabilities in spat supply stemming from environmental variability, hatchery limitations, and disease transmission risks; escalating environmental stressors including climate change impacts, harmful algal blooms, pollution, and pathogens; structural flaws in value chains characterized by fragmented production, market volatility, and underutilized byproducts; and governance challenges related to spatial access and licensing inefficiencies. This review advocates for a comprehensive strategy to boost the mussel aquaculture. These encompass advancing hatchery technology and genetic breeding programs, implementing ecosystem-based management such as multi-trophic systems and AI-enhanced environmental monitoring, restructuring value chains through producer cooperation and high value product diversification, and establishing science-based spatial planning frameworks with streamlined governance. Addressing these challenges holistically is critical to position mussel farming as a resilient pillar of sustainable blue food production capable of reconciling ecological integrity with economic viability and social equity. Full article

Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease represents the most prevalent inherited peripheral neuropathy with a broad range of clinical manifestations, inheritance patterns, and causative genes. The primary pathological hallmark is progressive degeneration, predominantly affecting sensory and motor neurons, leading to prominent sensory deficits and progressive motor impairments. While neuropathy-causing mutations in the ubiquitously expressed small heat shock protein HSPB1 account for a subset of axonal CMT cases, the mechanisms underlying the selective vulnerability of peripheral neurons remain poorly understood. In this review, we synthesize emerging evidence to reframe HSPB1-related CMT as a prototypical gene–environment interaction disorder. The unique anatomical exposure and high metabolic demands of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) render it particularly vulnerable to HSPB1 mutation-mediated homeostatic collapse, which manifests through three interconnected pathological axes: proteostatic disturbance, cytoskeletal dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Crucially, these deficits converge to impair the stress adaptability of peripheral neurons, creating a maladaptive feedback loop wherein environmental stressors exacerbate intrinsic vulnerabilities. We further propose a phase-specific therapeutic framework that prioritizes early intervention during the clinically silent yet biologically active prodromal stage, when targeted modulation of the HSPB1 chaperone interactome and remodeling neural homeostasis may forestall neurodegeneration. This therapeutic paradigm shift from symptomatic management to preclinical neuroprotection underscores the imperative for precision medicine approaches in future CMT intervention. Full article

Leafy green vegetables provide important nutrients for human growth; however, human health is highly compromised through consumption of vegetables contaminated by heavy metals. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in five different leafy green vegetables and soils and determine the human health risks that may arise from consuming those vegetables from Tonga town in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Soils and five edible leafy vegetables (i.e., lettuce, cabbage, rape, pumpkin leaves, and spinach) were assessed for bio-concentration factor, daily intake of metals, health risk, and target hazard quotient across the study sites. The Si, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, and Fe concentrations were high in the soils. In general, vegetables exhibited elevated Ca, Fe, Si, Al, and Sr levels, although spinach had high Na concentrations. The bioconcentration factor showed the following trends: Mg > B > Si > V for trace metals and Cr > Co > Mn > Ni > B for heavy metals in lettuce, spinach, and pumpkin leaves. The human risk index for all vegetables showed that all metals were not likely to induce any health hazards to humans, and the target hazard quotient for B, Si, V, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Pb showed potential for substantial health risk hazard. The findings of this study generally reveal that the concentrations of the analysed metals exceeded the permissible limits established by the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agricultural Organisation. Given the high levels of metals detected in the soil and vegetables within the study area, it is important to investigate the potential implications for human health and mitigate both acute and chronic health challenges associated with heavy metal exposure. Furthermore, this study will guide policymakers in developing improved regulations and safety standards for agricultural practices and environmental protection, particularly for vulnerable peri-urban and rural communities. Full article

Women in resource-scarce communities navigate daily scarcity, structural neglect, and gendered violence, leaving profound but often invisible impacts on mental and reproductive health. Women play an active role in the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) space; they provide water, food, and household security daily. This study investigates how chronic deprivation across the WEF nexus shapes experiences of psychological distress, reproductive vulnerability, and social marginalization in South African settings: Lorentzville, a migrant urban informal settlement, and Mqanduli, a peri-urban Eastern Cape community. Using ethnographic methods, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory observation, and an analytical framework combining structural violence and feminist political ecology, we show that insecurity over water, energy, and food constrains reproductive autonomy, amplifies self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, and drives coping and adaptation strategies such as informal work, transactional sex, and fragile social support networks. These strategies, while mitigating immediate risks, cannot fully offset systemic harms. By foregrounding women’s lived experiences, this study extends the WEF nexus framework to include embodied, emotional, and reproductive dimensions, linking historical legacies of colonial and apartheid neglect to contemporary inequities. The findings offer critical insights for integrated health, social, and resource policy interventions that center on gender, care, and justice within environmental, wellbeing, and livelihood. Full article