Search Results (1,467)

Informal STEM education programs (ISEs) can be a successful vehicle for addressing the underrepresentation of girls in STEM by expanding their views of what constitutes science and debunking stereotypes related to who succeeds in STEM careers. Research has demonstrated how in-person ISEs provide opportunities for girls to engage in hands-on, authentic science experiences, interact with diverse women role models, and understand the real-world application of STEM to improve their STEM identity development (i.e., STEM competence, performance, self and external recognition, and sense of belonging within STEM). But few studies have focused on STEM identity development in online spaces. Our study addresses this gap through a mixed methods study that investigates how an online program (Brite), held in 2023, influenced the STEM identities of the participating girls. Our results highlight the aspects of the online program that improved the STEM identity for participants as well as lessons learned for future programs. The influential programmatic pieces were role model interactions and the supportive Brite community that included program educators, the other girls, and the Brite facilitators, which helped girls feel inspired and motivated to continue along their STEM identity trajectories. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services are intangible benefits people gain from ecosystems that enhance well-being. However, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment indicates that about 70% of cultural ecosystem services are degraded or unsustainably used. To mitigate this decline, many regions and policies promote the assessment and mapping of cultural ecosystem services. Since 2005, related research and publications have increased, yet place-based cultural ecosystem services assessments remain limited. This study aims to clarify key aspects of cultural ecosystem services assessment, including categories, methods, and case study area types. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method, this study systematically reviewed 163 articles on place-based cultural ecosystem services assessment from Web of Science and Scopus from 2010 to September 2024. The results show diverse ecosystem types, assessment categories, and methods, with urban ecosystems most frequently studied. Fourteen cultural ecosystem service categories were identified based on term definitions and relevance. Non-monetary methods, such as questionnaires and social media data, were most commonly applied. Future research trends will focus on spatial visualization and mapping of supply and demand of cultural ecosystem services, emphasizing public perception. These findings provide planners and decision-makers with more detailed and specific information to better manage, design, and develop regions in a sustainable and culturally sensitive way. Full article

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with distinct visual attention patterns that provide insight into underlying social-cognitive mechanisms. Methods: This systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42023429316), conducted per PRISMA guidelines, synthesizes evidence from 14 peer-reviewed studies using eye-tracking to compare oculomotor strategies in autistic children and typically developing (TD) controls. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct up to March 2025. Study inclusion criteria focused on ASD versus TD group comparisons in individuals under 18 years, with key metrics, fixation duration and count, spatial distribution, saccadic parameters systematically extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool, revealing high heterogeneity in both index tests and patient selection. Results: The results indicate that autistic children exhibit reduced fixation on socially salient stimuli, atypical saccadic behavior, and more variable spatial exploration compared to controls. Conclusions: These oculomotor differences suggest altered mechanisms of social attention and information processing in ASD. Findings suggest that eye-tracking can contribute valuable information about heterogeneous gaze profiles in ASD, providing preliminary insight that may inform future studies to develop more sensitive diagnostic tools. This review highlights visual attention patterns as promising indicators of neurocognitive functioning in ASD. Full article

Background/Objectives: This systematic review examines neuroplasticity-informed approaches to learning under cognitive load, synthesizing evidence from functional imaging, brain stimulation, and educational technology research. As digital learning environments increasingly challenge learners with complex cognitive demands, understanding how neuroplasticity principles can inform adaptive educational design becomes critical. This review examines how neural mechanisms underlying learning under cognitive load can inform the development of evidence-based educational technologies that optimize neuroplastic potential while mitigating cognitive overload. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we synthesized 94 empirical studies published between 2005 and 2025 across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. Studies were selected based on rigorous inclusion criteria that emphasized functional neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG), non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS, TMS), and educational technology applications, which examined learning outcomes under varying cognitive load conditions. Priority was given to research with translational implications for adaptive learning systems and personalized educational interventions. Results: Functional imaging studies reveal an inverted-U relationship between cognitive load and neuroplasticity, with a moderate challenge in optimizing prefrontal-parietal network activation and learning-related neural adaptations. Brain stimulation research demonstrates that tDCS and TMS can enhance neuroplastic responses under cognitive load, particularly benefiting learners with lower baseline abilities. Educational technology applications demonstrate that neuroplasticity-informed adaptive systems, which incorporate real-time cognitive load monitoring and dynamic difficulty adjustment, significantly enhance learning outcomes compared to traditional approaches. Individual differences in cognitive capacity, neurodiversity, and baseline brain states substantially moderate these effects, necessitating the development of personalized intervention strategies. Conclusions: Neuroplasticity-informed learning approaches offer a robust framework for educational technology design that respects cognitive load limitations while maximizing adaptive neural changes. Integration of functional imaging insights, brain stimulation protocols, and adaptive algorithms enables the development of inclusive educational technologies that support diverse learners under cognitive stress. Future research should focus on scalable implementations of real-time neuroplasticity monitoring in authentic educational settings, as well as on developing ethical frameworks for deploying neurotechnology-enhanced learning systems across diverse populations. Full article

Lead climbing and bouldering have witnessed a surge in popularity, particularly highlighted by their inclusion in prestigious events like the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. This systematic review aims to comprehensively assess existing literature on injury risk factors and prevention programs specific to these disciplines. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus up to November 2023. Methodological quality was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Data synthesis involved qualitative analysis. Of 463 screened records, 7 studies were included, encompassing data from over 4000 climbers. The literature consistently indicates that overuse injuries—particularly to the fingers and shoulders—are more prevalent than acute injuries in adult population. However, evidence for specific risk factors is inconclusive and contradictory. Reported associations for higher skill level, age, and use of preventive measures (e.g., taping) were inconsistent across studies. Further research employing rigorous methodologies and long-term follow-up is warranted to elucidate injury mechanisms in lead climbing and bouldering. These investigations are crucial for informing clinical practice and developing sport-specific injury prevention strategies aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of athletes in these disciplines. Future studies should focus on standardizing injury definitions and assessment methods and explore targeted preventive measures to address the unique risks associated with these sports. Full article

Multimodal question answering (QA) involves integrating information from both visual and textual inputs and requires models that can reason compositionally and accurately across modalities. Existing approaches, including fine-tuned vision–language and prompting, often struggle with generalization, interpretability, and reliance on task-specific data. In this work, we propose a Mixture-of-Reasoning Agents (MiRA) framework for zero-shot multimodal reasoning. MiRA decomposes the reasoning process across three specialized agents—Visual Analyzing, Text Comprehending, and Judge—which consolidate multimodal evidence. Each agent operates independently using pretrained language models, enabling structured, interpretable reasoning without supervised training or task-specific adaptation. Evaluated on the ScienceQA benchmark, MiRA achieves 96.0% accuracy, surpassing all zero-shot methods, outperforming few-shot GPT-4o models by more than 18% on image-based questions, and achieving similar performance to the best fine-tuned systems. The analysis further shows that the Judge agent consistently improves the reliability of individual agent outputs, and that strong linear correlations (r > 0.95) exist between image-specific accuracy and overall performance across models. We identify a previously unreported and robust pattern in which performance on image-specific tasks strongly predicts overall task success. We also conduct detailed error analyses for each agent, highlighting complementary strengths and failure modes. These results demonstrate that modular agent collaboration with zero-shot reasoning provides highly accurate multimodal QA, establishing a new paradigm for zero-shot multimodal AI and offering a principled framework for future research in generalizable AI. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutritional patterns influence the gut–brain axis and immune signaling with potential consequences for depression and anxiety. We conducted a review focused on clinically meaningful psychiatric outcomes (symptom severity/diagnosis) to synthesize recent evidence (2020–2025) on Mediterranean-style dietary interventions; ultra-processed food (UPF) exposure; and psychobiotic/prebiotic strategies, integrating mechanistic insights relevant to practice. Methods: Searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2020–October 2025) combined terms for diet, Mediterranean diet (MD), UPF, microbiota, probiotics, psychobiotics, depression, and anxiety. Eligible designs were randomized/controlled trials (RCTs), prospective cohorts, and systematic reviews/meta-analyses reporting clinical psychiatric outcomes in adults. We prioritized high-quality quantitative syntheses and recent RCTs; data were extracted into a prespecified matrix and synthesized narratively. Results: Recent systematic reviews/meta-analyses support that MD interventions reduce depressive symptoms in adults with major or subthreshold depression, although large, long-term, multicenter RCTs remain a gap. Exposure to UPF is consistently associated with higher risk of common mental disorders and depressive outcomes in large prospective cohorts. Psychobiotics (specific probiotic strains and prebiotics) show small-to-moderate benefits on depressive symptoms across clinical and nonclinical samples, with heterogeneity in strains, dosing, and duration. Mechanistic reviews implicate microbiota-derived metabolites (short-chain fatty acids) and immune–inflammatory signaling (including tryptophan–kynurenine pathways) as plausible mediators. Conclusions: Clinically, emphasizing Mediterranean-style dietary patterns, reducing UPF intake, and considering targeted psychobiotics may complement standard psychiatric care for depression. Future work should prioritize adequately powered, longer RCTs with standardized dietary protocols and microbiome-informed stratification to clarify responders and mechanisms. Full article

Background: Climate change is increasingly altering the distribution and burden of infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa, where ecological diversity, fragile health systems, and widespread poverty heighten vulnerability. The One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, provides a useful framework for addressing these climate-sensitive health challenges; its application in the region remains limited. Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines and synthesized evidence from 30 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2025, identified through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Results: Studies consistently showed that rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events shifted malaria transmission into highland zones, modified schistosomiasis risk through changes in snail habitats, and drove diarrheal outbreaks following flooding. While One Health initiatives such as Ghana’s Climate-Smart One Health framework and university-led programmes in East Africa demonstrated promise, their impact remained constrained by donor dependence, institutional silos, and limited policy integration. Conclusions: To enhance climate resilience, national strategies need to integrate climate-informed surveillance, predictive modelling, and One Health governance. Future research should extend beyond malaria and schistosomiasis, incorporate longitudinal data, and establish standardized metrics for assessing One Health interventions. Full article

This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesise spatially relevant environmental, demographic, and socio-economic factors associated with vector-borne diseases (VBDs) in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), a region particularly vulnerable due to its ecological and climate diversity. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted in March 2025 with no time restrictions, yielding 3008 records. After applying the inclusion criteria, 21 studies were selected for analysis. Environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and land cover were consistently associated with increased burden of malaria, dengue, and lymphatic filariasis, while associations with elevation and flooding were mixed or inconclusive. Demographic factors, including population density and household composition, were found to be associated with disease occurrence, although the direction and the strength of these associations varied. Three studies reported a negative association between population density and disease outcomes, including lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa and dengue in New Caledonia. Spatial socioeconomic factors such as low income, unemployment, and limited education were positively correlated with disease burden, particularly lymphatic filariasis and dengue. These findings underscore the importance of spatial determinants in shaping VBD transmission across PICTs and highlight the utility of spatial risk mapping to inform geographically targeted vector control strategies. Notably, infrastructure, health care access, and intra-island mobility remain underexplored in the literature, representing critical gaps for future research. Strengthening surveillance through spatially informed public health planning is essential to mitigate disease burden in this climate-sensitive and geographically dispersed region. Full article

The Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTOs) represent an emerging framework for monitoring, simulating, and predicting ocean dynamics, supporting a range of applications relevant to understanding and responding to the global climate system. By integrating large-scale, multi-sourced datasets with advanced numerical models, DTOs provide a powerful tool for climate science. This review examines the role of machine learning (ML) in advancing DTOs applications, addressing the limitations of traditional methodologies under current conditions of increasing data availability from satellites, in situ sensors, and high-resolution numerical models. We highlight how ML serves as a versatile tool for enhancing DTOs capabilities, including real-time forecasting, correcting model biases, and filling data gaps where conventional approaches fall short. Furthermore, we review surrogate models that aim to complement or replace traditional physical models, offering increasing accuracy and the appeal of much faster inference for forecasts, and the insertion of hybrid models, which couple physics-based simulations with ML algorithms and are proving to be continuously improving in accuracy for complex oceanographic tasks as bigger datasets become available and methodologies evolve. This paper provides a comprehensive review of ML applications within DTOs, focusing on key areas such as water quality and marine biodiversity, ports, marine pollution, fisheries, and renewable energy. The review concludes with a discussion of future research directions and the potential of ML to foster more robust and practical DTOs, ultimately supporting informed decision-making for sustainable ocean management. Full article

This study develops a theory-integrated Virtual Reality (VR) information platform for designing age-friendly residential units, addressing the intersection of population aging and digital transformation. Unlike studies emphasizing post-implementation outcomes, it focuses on the input-stage logic of design by embedding human cognition, emotion, and behavior into spatial reasoning. Grounded in environmental behavior theory, the research constructs a housing model that reflects older adults’ perceptual and behavioral responses to spatial configurations such as layouts, circulation, lighting, and visual coordination. Space is redefined as an experiential medium that evokes emotional resonance, fosters empathy, and bridges theoretical reasoning with practical design outcomes. The proposed VR platform integrates aging, behavioral, and design sciences into an intelligent guide functioning as both an educational and evaluative system, enabling interactive and scenario-based exploration of spatial experiences. Following design-based and developmental research principles, this study represents a preliminary phase within an ongoing framework, establishing a robust conceptual foundation for future empirical validation. It highlights that the robustness of the developmental process is as crucial as learning outcomes, reinforcing the importance of theoretical integration in sustainable, human-centered housing design for super-aged societies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Many studies in the literature are increasingly focusing on how genes influence the development of individual behaviors and personality traits through genome sequencing. Most research indicates that complex behaviors and their characteristics are influenced by multiple genes, highlighting the crucial role of genetic studies in this field. Behavioral genetics, as a scientific discipline, investigates how genetic factors shape individuals’ behaviors and personality traits. The concepts of violence and aggression, observable in various contexts, have been extensively studied, with a particular focus on the underlying causes of these behaviors. In sports, where physical strength plays a significant role, regulations designed to prevent violent behaviors and aggressive attitudes contribute to the establishment of appropriate behavior patterns and discipline. Methods: This study aims to identify correlations between polymorphisms found in athletes and their responses to questionnaires, focusing on candidate genes known to influence personality and behavior traits, such as catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), serotonin transporter (5-HTT), monoamine oxidase (MAO-A), and serotonin 1A transporter (5-HT1A). A total of twenty licensed athletes participated in the study. Participants completed three standardized instruments: the Sportsmanship Behavior Scale (27 items), the Sports Emotion Scale (22 items), and the Anger-Control Scale (34 items). Following the acquisition of informed consent, buccal swab samples were collected for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis targeting the COMT, MAO-A, 5- HT1A, and 5-HTT genes. Subsequent to sample collection and questionnaire administration, statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationships among behavioral measures and genetic variants. Results: Overall, the findings point to gene-specific patterns in 5-HTT, MAO-A, and COMT, while no clear pattern emerged for 5-HT1A. Conclusions: Ultimately, this study provides an early exploration of aggression-related genetic patterns within the context of forensic sciences, highlighting preliminary trends and potential associations that may inform the design of future research. Full article

Accurate environmental monitoring in outdoor and indoor settings is critical for exposure assessment in environmental and public health research. Conventional methods, predominantly relying on high-end instruments or laboratory analyses, face limitations in real-world applications due to their high cost and inflexibility. Recent advances in low-cost sensor technologies have enabled more adaptable monitoring. This study systematically reviews research utilizing low-cost sensors for environmental monitoring in real-world settings across China. A literature search was performed using the Web of Science database, resulting in the inclusion of 43 eligible studies out of 31,003 initially identified records. These studies primarily investigated air pollution (17 studies), noise (14), light (7), and water pollution (5). Results reveal that air and noise pollution were the most extensively examined factors. Nevertheless, the reviewed studies exhibited notable shortcomings, including limited geographical/thematic coverage, inadequate reliability validation, small sample sizes (typically under 100 participants), and short durations (often under one month). This review discusses these challenges and suggests future research directions. By synthesizing current practices and identifying gaps, this work offers valuable insights to guide the design of future sensor-based environmental monitoring projects and inform the selection of suitable sensors. Full article

Background/Objectives: The nursing profession is experiencing a global shortage of nurses. Early-Career Nurses (ECNs) assist in addressing the shortage; however, a significant number are leaving their workplaces and the profession. The aim of the review is to explore the factors that impact early-career nurses thriving at work, including their motivation and intention to stay in employment and the profession. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. The objectives, analysis, and inclusion and exclusion criteria were informed by PRISMA for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to ensure accurate and complete reporting of findings. The target population were ECNs who are in the first five years of practice. Databases including CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched to identify the literature on ECN thriving between 1985 and 2025. Titles, abstracts, and full texts of the identified studies were screened by two independent reviewers, and thematic analysis was undertaken to analyse the data. Results: A total of 190 studies was initially identified, and after screening and review, a total of 16 articles met the inclusion criteria and explored factors related to thriving and retention. Key themes identified within the literature that contribute to ECNs thriving at work encompass the work environment, work–life balance, and education, where generational differences may also create unique nuances between ECNs. Conclusions: ECNs encounter many challenges in the early stages of their nursing career. Organisational support may be responsive and provide conducive work environments that nurture growth, career development, and thriving for ECNs. However, future research is needed to further confirm drivers of thriving, along with understanding the impact of targeted interventions to better support ECN thriving and retention. Future search will include stakeholders to validate the findings. Full article

Cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic syndrome (CKMS) represents the intricate interconnection of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic disorders, with systemic inflammation now recognized as a key driver of both pathogenesis and prognosis. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the prognostic value of inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with CKMS. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were conducted to identify studies published between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2025, following the recognition of CKMS as a distinct syndrome in December 2023. Eligible studies included adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with CKMS, that assesses one or more inflammatory markers and reported prognostic outcomes such as mortality or disease progression. Data extracted included study characteristics, biomarker types, outcome measures, and key findings. In addition to longitudinal cohorts, we included a small number of cross-sectional studies and treated them as association (non-prognostic) evidence analyzed in a separate stream from prognostic cohorts. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool. Due to considerable variability in prognostic outcomes, follow-up durations, and inflammatory indices, a meta-analysis was not feasible. Instead, a narrative synthesis was undertaken to summarize the evidence, identify consistent associations, and emphasize the need for standardized approaches and biomarker validation in future CKMS research. Analysis was conducted in line with the SWiM guidelines. Thirteen studies (n = 13) comprising 282,016 participants (100,590 males; 97,295 females) were included from 1404 initial records. Five of the studies were cross-sectional, providing information on associations rather than prognostic outcomes. Most were large-scale cohort studies conducted in the USA and China. Frequently assessed biomarkers included systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (hs-CRP/HDL-C), dietary inflammatory index (DII), and triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index. Elevated levels of these biomarkers were consistently associated with higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, CKMS progression, and adverse metabolic outcomes. This review highlights systemic inflammation as a critical and associated marker of CKMS prognosis. Inflammatory biomarkers may assist in hypothesis generation, but clinical utility remains to be established pending standardized adjustment and external validation. Because CKMS has only recently been operationalized, we limited inclusion to studies published from 1 January 2024 onward, enhancing definitional comparability but narrowing the evidence base and potentially emphasizing early-adopter regions (predominantly the U.S. and China). Accordingly, these findings should be interpreted as early signals that require replication in diverse settings and confirmation through longitudinal and interventional studies to inform integrative CKMS management strategies. Across observational studies, the certainty of evidence is low to moderate due to indirectness and imprecision; findings should be treated as associational signals pending external validation. Full article