Search Results (3,126)

Global agriculture faces a dual imperative: increase food production to meet rising demand while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts and resource inefficiencies. Addressing this challenge requires repositioning ruminant nutrition as the intelligent nexus linking crop and livestock production within Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems (ICLS). In this role, nutrition becomes central to restoring ecological, nutritional, and economic synergies that have been fragmented by decades of agricultural specialization. While ICLS provides the ecological foundation, Precision Livestock Farming delivers the technological and analytical infrastructure necessary to operationalize integration at the individual-animal level. Real-time sensing, Internet of Things platforms, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) enable dynamic monitoring of animal physiology, behavior, and environmental interactions across scales. A key advancement in this evolution is the development of Hybrid Intelligent Mechanistic Models (HIMM), which integrate biologically grounded mechanistic models with data-driven AI approaches. By combining interpretability with adaptive learning, HIMM enhances predictive accuracy, extrapolative capacity, and decision transparency, enabling the creation of digital twins that simulate biological responses before management interventions are implemented. Such architectures extend precision nutrition beyond feed efficiency and methane mitigation to include nutrient density and product quality, thereby linking different ecosystem processes directly to human dietary needs. Integrating nutrition with advanced modeling and monitoring tools can help livestock systems move beyond static “net-zero” benchmarks toward sustainable strategies that are responsive to local production contexts. In this reframed paradigm, nutrition is not merely a production input but the central analytical framework that computationally links biological mechanisms, environmental stewardship, technological innovation, and human health within sustainable ruminant systems. Full article

Cape Coast is a prominent tourism destination in Ghana, distinguished by its historical landmarks, coastal ecosystems, and cultural heritage. Yet the city faces mounting threats from environmental hazards such as coastal erosion, flooding, extreme heat, and lagoon degradation, which directly compromise the sustainability of its tourism sector. Guided by the Sustainable Tourism Development Theory (STDT) and the Tourism Resilience and Adaptation Theory (TRAT), this study investigates the impacts of these hazards on tourism development, the effectiveness of current disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, and the roles of key stakeholders in building sectoral resilience. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with eighteen stakeholders comprising four policymakers, six community leaders, five tourism business operators, and three representatives from non-governmental organisations, alongside documentary analysis of four institutional reports. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that fragmented, reactive DRR strategies and weak stakeholder coordination undermine Cape Coast’s tourism resilience, and by showing how urban natural assets, a dimension largely neglected in existing tourism–DRR scholarship, are central to both hazard exposure and adaptive capacity. The findings call for integrated, ecosystem-based DRR frameworks that align governance mechanisms with sustainable tourism imperatives. Full article

The role of pedestrian movement in urban environments is often overlooked, despite its critical importance in supporting effective city functioning and long-term sustainability. While there has been growing scholarly interest in this area, research on pedestrian mobility remains fragmented across various disciplines and lacks a unified framework. For urban planners and designers to collaborate more effectively, a clearer understanding of the key themes shaping pedestrian mobility is needed. This paper addresses that gap by organizing and analysing existing research through a bibliometric review of 1934 articles published between 1994 and 2023 in the Web of Science database. This article explores the evolution of pedestrian mobility research between 1994 and 2023, highlighting key topics and potential future directions. The bibliometric analysis draws on a range of indicators, including published papers, citation data, journal impact factors, h-index scores, top-cited authors and papers, and regional trends in research output. Most importantly, science mapping was conducted using the SciMAT software, with co-occurrence networks helping to reveal how research themes have evolved over time. The extensive body of work on pedestrian mobility made it possible to develop a conceptual map that traces the field’s intellectual development. From this analysis, five key thematic areas were identified: health, methods, environmental–social, city, and mobility. Full article

The increasing accumulation of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) waste poses significant environmental challenges, calling for effective and scalable recycling strategies. In this work, a solvent-assisted cold mixing process was employed to incorporate very high amounts of GFRP (up to 75 wt%) into recycled expanded polystyrene (ePS). The composites were deeply characterized, with particular attention to the role of particle size distribution and filler content. The results demonstrated that GFRP granulometry played a key role in determining composite performance. Intermediate particle sizes (0.25 mm) provided the best balance between dispersion, interfacial interaction, and mechanical properties, whereas excessively fine fractions introduced defects and reduced impact resistance (from 0.7 to 2.0 kJ/m² going from dust to 0.25 mm at 75 wt%). Notably, the solvent-assisted approach has been widely recognized as an effective strategy to ensure homogeneous dispersion even at high filler contents, allowing subsequent melt processing without re-agglomeration. Recycled composites retained most of their chemical and mechanical properties after reprocessing, with only moderate performance losses mainly related to fiber fragmentation. Overall, this study demonstrates an effective and sustainable route for the simultaneous valorization of ePS and GFRP waste, enabling the production of highly loaded composites with preserved functionality and improved resource efficiency. Full article

Sleep is crucial to infant development, and excessive sleep disturbances are associated with adverse outcomes for both infants and their caregivers. There is limited information on the longitudinal development of sleep (e.g., duration, fragmentation, etc.) from birth to 6 months of age. New technologies, which include real-time environmental sensing and responses, have the potential to overcome many of the traditional limitations on infant sleep monitoring. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing aggregated activity logs from a commercially available IoT (Internet of Things) bassinet to derive traditional sleep metrics (longest sleep stretch, total night sleep, and sleep efficiency), as well as novel metrics related to infant fussing and impacts of the bed’s ability to deliver responsive motion and sound. A total of 26,187 infants (1000–8000 per night) were included in this analysis. A data-driven approach was utilized to define the temporal boundaries of each night, divide each night into periods of sleep and fussing, and identify appropriate nights for inclusion. The derived data provide, in unprecedented resolution, a detailed longitudinal view of infant sleep in this specific population. Our results generally align with previous studies of traditional sleep metrics; however, they also demonstrate a methodological framework for descriptive or comparative monitoring of sleep and soothing, and uniquely characterize dyadic interactions that are not well-captured by traditional metrics. For example, the bassinet’s activity logs indicate not only the proportion of fussing episodes that are resolved without caregiver intervention (e.g., removal), but also reflect the delay between fussing and the need for caregiver intervention. Further evaluation of this sensor-enabled, responsive technology in relation to sleep and fussing is merited. Full article

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a transformative tool in cancer diagnostics, enabling the non-invasive detection of tumor-derived DNA fragments released into the bloodstream through cellular lysis or active secretion. ctDNA measurement has demonstrated its clinical usefulness, including early cancer detection, identification of resistance mechanisms, and screening of asymptomatic individuals. In addition to prognosis, ctDNA analysis is increasingly used to guide adaptive treatment strategies by detecting minimal residual disease and tracking tumor evolution in real time. Recent advances in artificial intelligence are poised to further enhance the clinical impact of ctDNA, transforming it from a passive monitoring biomarker into a dynamic molecular sensor integrated into predictive clinical decision models. However, broad implementation of ctDNA-based assays in routine practice requires rigorous prospective validation, cross-platform standardization, and regulatory approval to unlock its full potential in precision oncology. Full article

This study investigated the impact of recreational use on trails in the Atlantic Forest (Ubatuba Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil) using physical, chemical and geochemical indicators. Five trails with different morphological characteristics were selected, and paired samples were collected from the trail surface (TR) and trail-side slope (TA). The statistical approach combined local analyses for each trail with global clustering (n = 19) using Student’s t-test, along with multivariate modeling through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation. The analysis included physical attributes (bulk density, particle size and porosity), chemical attributes (pH, organic matter and macronutrients) and geochemical compositions (major oxides and trace elements determined by XRF). The overall results reveal systematic compaction in the trail surface (TR), with bulk density increasing from 1.32 g/cm³ (TA) to 1.37 g/cm³ (TR) (p = 0.038), and total porosity decreasing from 47.26% to 45.34% (p = 0.016). In contrast, the geochemical oxide composition (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃) remained stable (p > 0.05), indicating the resilience of the mineral matrix. However, significant local dynamics (p < 0.05) in K₂O and MgO were observed in more preserved trails, associated with surface compaction and fragmentation of the litter layer, and phosphorus showed strong dependence on organic matter (r = 0.85). Multivariate analysis indicates that degradation is predominantly physical and micromorphological at the local scale, with bulk density and porosity being the most sensitive indicators for environmental monitoring. Full article

Global freshwater salinization endangers aquatic species, yet its impacts on crustaceans remain poorly understood. This study investigated the hepatopancreatic response of Eriocheir sinensis to carbonate alkalinity stress (0, 4.375, 8.75, 17.5, and 35 mmol/L) over 24, 48, and 96 h, integrating histology, ultrastructure, gene expression (RT-qPCR), and non-specific immune enzyme assays. Histopathological and ultrastructural analyses revealed concentration- and time-dependent damage, including vacuolization, hepatic tubule disintegration, nuclear condensation, mitochondrial reduction, and loss of cellular integrity. Molecular analysis demonstrated upregulation of genes associated with the TLR2-MyD88-NF-κB pathway and inflammatory genes (LITAF, IL-16), alongside increased HSP70 expression, confirming severe inflammation and cellular stress. Furthermore, apoptosis was induced via upregulated Bax and Caspase-3, downregulated Bcl-2, and DNA fragmentation. Non-specific immune responses in the hepatopancreas exhibited dynamic changes: acid phosphatase (ACP) was initially activated at low alkalinity but inhibited at high concentrations, while alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity increased at 96 h. Notably, the hepatopancreas proved more sensitive to this stress than the hemolymph. Collectively, carbonate alkalinity causes multidimensional hepatopancreatic injury in E. sinensis through structural disruption, inflammation mediated by TLR2-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes, apoptosis induction, and immune enzyme dysregulation, posing a significant threat to crab health in salinized waters. Full article

Hungary is experiencing more frequent and severe droughts due to climate change, with 60% of its arable land in the vulnerable Great Hungarian Plain. Drought events in 2012 and 2022 reduced maize yields by more than 50% in some regions. This review synthesizes studies (2000–2025) on remote sensing capabilities, climate change impacts, and farmer adaptation in Hungarian agriculture. Remote sensing technologies (Sentinel, Landsat, MODIS) and indices (NDVI, VCI, LST, TCI) achieve high accuracy (often >80%) in drought detection under validated conditions, yet technical and financial barriers limit uptake among smallholder farmers. Climate projections indicate that a 2 °C temperature rise by 2050 will expand drought-affected areas. Farmer adaptation varies sharply by farm size: large farms (>100 ha) adopt precision agriculture (65% uptake), while smallholders (<10 ha) rely on crop rotation and drought-resistant varieties. Although substantial support is provided through the EU Common Agricultural Policy, institutional fragmentation and weak extension services—which reach only 32% of farmers—undermine its effectiveness. Bridging this gap requires integrating accessible remote sensing tools with targeted smallholder support and reformed extension services. Full article

Money laundering remains a critical challenge for financial systems because of the complex, hidden, and interlinked nature of illicit financial transaction networks. Understanding how these networks respond to targeted disruption is essential for exposing structural vulnerabilities and refining existing anti-money laundering (AML) prevention and intervention strategies. This study involves a social network analysis (SNA)-based resilience framework to evaluate the robustness of financial transaction networks through targeted node removal. In this approach, a network is represented as a directed graph, where nodes correspond to accounts and edges represent transactions. Centrality measures (i.e., degree, closeness, betweenness and pagerank), which capture local influence, global reach, and control over information flow, are applied to identify the most influential nodes. Network resilience is assessed by analyzing the variation in the size of the Largest Connected Component (LCC) under progressive node removal. An adaptive LCC-based resilience strategy is used, starting with large batches of nodes and gradually moving to smaller ones until the LCC drops below 50% of its original size, allowing for a more detailed analysis near the fragmentation threshold. The findings reveal that Betweenness centrality is the most effective metric in disrupting network connectivity under targeted attack scenarios, both outflow- and inflow-based analyses. Specifically, targeting only the top 2% of nodes by Betweenness centrality collapses the network’s core, reducing the Largest Connected Component (LCC) to 60% of its original size. In contrast, random attack strategy exhibit limited impact on overall network resilience compared to targeted approaches. Our findings provide actionable AML insights, showing that resilience-driven targeting of structurally critical accounts can effectively fragment money laundering networks and support more focused interdiction strategies. Full article

The Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei Steindachner, 1864) is a potamodromous species that displays migratory movements, with adults moving upstream during spring to spawn, followed by downstream migration in autumn by both adults and juveniles to feed and inhabit more productive river stretches. Increasing river fragmentation due to dam construction and operation causes a loss of connectivity and suitable habitat, which can affect this natural behaviour. In a tributary of River Douro, River Tua, a 108 m high dam, was recently built (i.e., Foz Tua dam in 2017) at only 1.1 km from the river mouth, leaving the upstream spawning area inaccessible. To evaluate the species behavioural response to this impact, a passive acoustic telemetry array was deployed in the study area, and between 2018 and 2023, 120 tagged fish had their movements tracked. The results showed two different behavioural profiles in the same population with migratory (42.5%) and resident (54.0%) individuals. During this period, a specific experimental study was developed to evaluate the response of a subset of 90 fish, captured upstream of the Foz Tua dam and translocated to an alternative downstream Douro tributary (River Pinhão, ~20 km downstream from River Tua). From these, 66.7% remained at the release site, whilst 23.3% returned to the river of origin, i.e., River Tua. From the returned fraction, 28.6% of the tagged fish maintained this migratory behaviour between both rivers in the following years. Generalized Additive Models were used for each of the two behavioural profiles observed in this study, to identify which environmental variables were associated with the presence of the tagged barbels downstream the Foz Tua dam. Ecological flow, temperature and day-period were some of the predictors explaining the use of this river stretch downstream of Foz Tua dam. This study substantially updates the available information regarding this species’ movement patterns at large spatial and temporal scales, contributing to enhancement of management and conservation programs for potamodromous species, in highly impounded and fragmented rivers. Full article

Introduction: Artificial infrastructure interrupts river longitudinal connectivity, preventing the free flow of water, matter, energy, and organisms through the system, altering the habitat and impacting freshwater biodiversity. Freshwater fishes are especially sensitive to this threat, since they are constrained to the limits of the river network. Transversal obstacles, such as dams and weirs, hinder their movements upstream and downstream and fragment populations. Longitudinal connectivity can be simply measured as the proportion of connected river length in a basin. However, other indices have been suggested more recently, measuring connectivity as the proportion of connected elements of interest (e.g., populations of a species) in a river basin. Objective: The aim of this work was to study (1) the degree of connectivity of native freshwater fish species populations in eleven Spanish river basins and (2) the impact of artificial river fragmentation in these basins on population connectivity. Methodology: Fish populations’ location and size were estimated through sampling presence data, and completed using the predicted occurrence of each species in a river basin, calculated through Species Distribution Models (SDMs). To estimate the degree of connectivity between populations of each species, the Population Connectivity Index (PCI) was calculated under two scenarios: the “current” scenario, considering all the artificial obstacles fragmenting the river network and their specific passabilities, and the “natural” scenario, considering that all the artificial obstacles in the river network were completely passable. Results: Native freshwater fish populations are severely fragmented in Spanish rivers, with a mean current PCI of 9.8% across species and river basins. The impact of artificial fragmentation is high, causing a mean decrease in PCI of 52 percentage points across species and river basins. Moreover, although the impact of artificial river fragmentation is high in all river basins, it is important to point out that there are significant differences between river basins attributed to their size and the specific traits of the ichthyofauna inhabiting them. Conclusions: The degree of connectivity in a river basin varies depending on the elements of interest considered. Therefore, incorporating ichthyofauna into the decision-making process is essential to improve the effectiveness of river restoration actions. Full article

The environmental effects of green finance policies involve complex systemic interactions across multiple levels, yet existing studies often adopt fragmented analytical approaches. Drawing on the multi-level perspective (MLP), this study conceptualizes the environmental impacts of Green Finance Reform and Innovation Pilot Zones (GFRIPZs) as a process of systemic green transformation involving interactions among landscape, regime, and niche levels. Using panel data of 287 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2012 to 2022, this study applies a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to evaluate the environmental impacts of GFRIPZs. The results show that GFRIPZs significantly reduce both PM_2.5 concentrations and CO₂ emissions. Mechanism analyses based on multiple mediation models and GSEM reveal pollutant-specific differences in underlying channels. Green technological innovation (GTI) constitutes one observable pathway for PM_2.5, whereas the policy effect is more closely associated with energy structure adjustment for CO₂. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that PM_2.5 mitigation is stronger in colder cities, while CO₂ reduction is more pronounced in developed cities. These findings reveal pollutant-specific mechanisms of green finance and offer policy implications for developing countries seeking to promote systemic green transformation. Full article

Chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) refer to a set of chronic pain disorders that frequently co-occur and may involve partially overlapping mechanisms. The U.S. National Institutes of Health currently recognizes ten COPCs: fibromyalgia, painful temporomandibular disorders, chronic low back pain, chronic migraine headache, chronic tension-type headache, irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, vulvodynia, and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. When multiple COPCs coexist, they are associated with a disproportionate multimorbidity burden, including greater pain, poorer psychological well-being, functional limitations, disability, fatigue, sleep disturbances, diminished quality of life, and increased healthcare utilization. Despite their impact, COPCs remain under-recognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. Combining structured literature searches and citation tracking with narrative syntheses, this review examines comorbid relationships, the burden of multimorbidity, and potentially overlapping nociplastic mechanisms. By adopting a multimorbidity-based perspective rather than a one-disease, one-treatment approach, it highlights barriers to care—including limited clinical awareness, under-recognition of additional COPCs, limited mechanistic understanding, and fragmented care—and proposes integrated strategies emphasizing prevention, systematic screening, mechanism-informed assessment, and coordinated, patient-centered multimodal management. Full article

Sensory impairment affects over 1.3 billion people worldwide, yet the field still lacks a mechanistically specified theoretical framework explaining how communication inaccessibility contributes to stress-related health disparities in these populations. Existing models remain fragmented, addressing biological, psychological, and social factors in isolation rather than as interconnected systems. This concept paper presents the Communication-Endocrine-Stress Adaptive Regulation (CESAR) Model, an integrative biopsychosocial framework that integrates communication access, social support, stress regulation, and neuroendocrine function into a unified causal pathway. The CESAR model proposes that sensory impairment creates communication barriers may reduce social support, increase perceived stress, dysregulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and ultimately impact reproductive health and psychological well-being. This integrative framework synthesizes evidence from disability studies, stress physiology, and communication sciences to provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for understanding adaptation in sensory-impaired populations. The model incorporates feedback loops, moderating factors (sex, age, impairment type, duration), and environmental contexts (accessibility policies, healthcare access) that influence adaptive outcomes. By proposing specific causal pathways and testable hypotheses, the CESAR model provides a roadmap for future empirical research and targeted interventions that address the root causes of health disparities in sensory-impaired populations rather than merely treating symptoms. Full article