Search Results (43)

Global refugee flows’ increasing scale and complexity pose significant challenges to national education systems. Turkey, hosting one of the largest populations of refugees and individuals under temporary protection, faces unique pressures in ensuring equitable educational access for refugee students. Addressing these challenges requires a shift from linear, fragmented interventions toward holistic, systemic approaches. This study applies a Community-Based System Dynamics (CBSD) methodology to explore the systemic barriers affecting refugee students’ participation in education. Through structured Group Model Building workshops involving teachers, administrators, and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) representatives, a causal loop diagram (CLD) was collaboratively developed to capture the feedback mechanisms and interdependencies sustaining educational inequalities. Five thematic subsystems emerged: language and academic integration, economic and family dynamics, psychosocial health and trauma, institutional access and legal barriers, and social cohesion and discrimination. The analysis reveals how structural constraints, social dynamics, and individual behaviors interact to perpetuate exclusion or facilitate integration. This study identifies critical feedback loops and leverage points and provides actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to design sustainable, systems-informed interventions. Our findings emphasize the importance of participatory modeling in addressing complex societal challenges and contribute to advancing systems thinking in refugee education. Full article

To enhance interaction with the host tissue and protect the metal surface, various surface treatments can be applied to dental implants. This study aimed to produce layer-by-layer (LbL) films by alternated immersion of the titanium sample into polyacrylic acid (PAA) and chitosan solutions, obtaining a PAA/chitosan bilayer architecture, seeking to improve the corrosion resistance. For this purpose, 03 experimental groups (n = 05) were performed: Ti-Cp (as control), Ti-Cp+8 bilayers PAA/chitosan, and Ti-Cp+12 bilayers PAA/chitosan. The corrosion behavior was assessed by using open-circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization curves (PPcs) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques, conducted in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution at a controlled temperature of 25 ± 1 °C. The samples were characterized morphologically and structurally by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques before and after the corrosion tests. The electrochemical results significantly highlight the beneficial influence of coatings based on PAA/chitosan in enhancing the corrosion resistance of titanium. These findings not only corroborate the feasibility of using alternative materials for the protection of titanium but also open new possibilities for the development of innovative coatings that can be applied within the biomedical sector, serving as mediators for medicinal purposes, particularly in osteoconductive interventions. Full article

Recycling plastic waste has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century. One of the biggest challenges in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling is the requirement to return bottles in their original, undeformed state. This necessitates storing large volumes of waste and takes up substantial space. Therefore, this paper seeks to address this issue and introduces a novel AIoT-based infrastructure that integrates the PET Bottle Identification Algorithm (PBIA), which can accurately recognize bottles regardless of color or condition and distinguish them from other waste. A detailed study of Azure Custom Vision services for PET bottle identification is conducted, evaluating its object recognition capabilities and overall performance within an intelligent waste management framework. A key contribution of this work is the development of the Algorithm for Citizens’ Trust Level by Recycling (ACTLR), which assigns trust levels to individuals based on their recycling behavior. This paper also details the development of a cost-effective prototype of the AIoT system, demonstrating its low-cost feasibility for real-world implementation, using the Asus Tinker Board as the primary hardware. The software application is designed to monitor the collection process across multiple recycling points, offering Microsoft Azure cloud-hosted data and insights. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating this prototype on a large scale at minimal cost. Moreover, the algorithm integrates the allocation points for proper recycling and penalizes fraudulent activities. This innovation has the potential to streamline the recycling process, reduce logistical burdens, and significantly improve public participation by making it more convenient to store and return used plastic bottles. Full article

The antennal sensilla serve as a crucial olfactory organ, enabling insects to detect semiochemicals and adjust their host-seeking and oviposition behaviors accordingly. Monolepta signata (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), has emerged as a significant agricultural pest that affects key economic crops such as maize and cotton. Despite the development of various control methods based on volatile stimulation, there is still limited documentation on the sensilla involved in olfaction. In this study, the ultrastructure of the sensilla, especially the olfactory sensilla on the antennae of both males and females, was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three types of olfactory sensillum types, including trichodea, basiconica, and coeloconica, and four non-olfactory sensilla including chaetica, campaniformia, auricillica, and Böhm bristle were observed. Sensilla trichodea and basiconica on the antennae of M. signata were further classified into two subtypes according to their morphology. For the first time, the pores on the sensilla trichodea, basiconica, and coeloconica cuticular walls were observed in this species, suggesting that they are involved in semiochemical perception. This study contributes new insights into the olfactory system of M. signata, which can be integrated with other molecular, genetic, and behavioral research to establish a comprehensive understanding of its physiological functions. Full article

The viability and host-seeking behavior of Strongyloides larvae are significantly influenced by soil conditions, emphasizing the critical role of environmental control in disease management. This is particularly relevant given the growing concerns about drug resistance resulting from mass chemotherapy or the use of chemical nematicides. Strongyloides stercoralis was effectively inactivated by exposure to 50 °C for both 12 and 24 h (long-term exposure). Strongyloides ratti was inactivated by 50 °C for 20 min (short-term exposure), 9% saline for 50 min, and a combination of 4% saline and 40 °C for 50 min. The combined treatment successfully inactivated S. ratti in four soil mediums using 5% saline at a central temperature of 40 °C. Thermotaxis responses to noxious heat revealed attraction at 40 °C, increased localized searching at 45 °C, and complete inactivation at 50 °C. Larvae migrating within agar at 45 °C were more readily inactivated. Long-range heat attraction at 5 cm resulted in the inactivation of up to 50% of incoming larvae; however, heat-high concentration saline traps at 3 cm distance proved ineffective. Thermal–saline agar trapping demonstrated promise for larval removal in sand, loam, and laterite soils. This method offers a promising approach to larval removal while minimizing hazards to non-target organisms. Full article

Olfaction is crucial for insect activities such as host seeking, foraging, oviposition, and predator avoidance. While olfactory proteins have been identified across several insect species, their specific functions are largely enigmatic. In this study, we investigated the olfactory proteins of the Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella Olivier. A total of 165 presumptive olfactory genes were identified in the antennal transcriptome of S. cerealella, encompassing 33 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 10 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 58 odorant receptors (ORs), 41 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 21 gustatory receptors (GRs), and 2 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). BLASTX and a phylogenetic analysis showed a high similarity of these genes to the orthologs in other model insects. A qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that ScerOBP15 and ScerOBP23 are specifically and highly expressed in antennae, exhibiting male-biased expression patterns. Moreover, molecular docking revealed their strong binding affinity to the wheat volatiles n-heptadecane and geranyl acetone. Also, the potential active sites within ScerOBP15 and ScerOBP23 that engage with these volatiles have been identified, implying a possible role in host localization. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying the behavioral responses of S. cerealella to wheat odors, enhance our comprehension of their olfactory processes, and pave the way for the development of highly specific and sustainable pest management strategies. Full article

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs: Meloidogyne sp.) are among the most devastating plant pathogens. Their chemotaxis-driven host-seeking activity is critical for RKNs’ infection success. Using attractants derived from bacterial volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to interrupt the host-seeking is promising for the management of RKNs. However, little is known about how BVOCs contribute to the attractiveness of RKNs. Here, we provide a first evaluation of the attractive potential of taxonomically diverse bacteria from different environments and assemble a previously unidentified repertoire of bi-attractive bacteria to M. incognita and Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the attraction strength of the preferred bacteria to the nematodes was positively correlated with the abundance and amounts of ketones in the BVOC profiles. This suggested that ketones are key for BVOC-mediated attraction. In our behavioral experiments using ketone compounds, we provide evidence that the attractiveness of the nematodes to the preferred bacteria arises specifically from ketone odor cues, a phenomenon not reported previously. This study demonstrates for the first time that a specific ketone blend naturally occurring within the BVOC profiles from the preferred bacteria serves as a key odorant regulating their enhanced attraction toward the nematodes. We used genetic methods to show that the AWC^ON neurons are important for worms to sense the ketones derived from the preferred bacteria and drive attraction to these bacteria. Our study may serve as a platform for a better understanding of the chemical and neuronal basis for ketone-mediated bacteria–nematode interactions and the development of new BVOCs as attractants in RKNs’ management. Full article

Background: Aedes species transmit arboviral diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. The diseases cause severe sickness, mortality, and economic losses. This study describes the biting hour and host-seeking behavior of Ae. aegypti and Ae. vittatus in three towns. Recently, chikungunya and dengue infections were reported in the study sites. Methods: Biting hour and host-seeking behaviors of Ae. aegypti and Ae. vittatus were studied from June to September 2023, in Genda-Wuha, Kokit, and Metema-Yohannes towns, Metema district, Northwest Ethiopia. CDC-LT traps were set running indoors and outdoors for 24 h closer to humans sleeping inside unimpregnated mosquito nets. At the same time, CDC-LT traps were set running overnight closer to domestic animals’ shelters located within a 50-m radius of the main residence. Mosquitoes trapped in CDC-LT were collected every hour. The study was conducted four times in each town during the wet season. A chi-square test was employed to examine biting hour and host-seeking behavior. Results: Aedes aegypti was observed to be highly exophilic and active during the daylight hours. Aedes aegypti exhibited a peak biting rate between 07:00 and 08:00 with the biting rate of 4.5/person/hour followed by from 17:00 pm to 18:00 pm with the biting rate of 3.75/person/hour. The hourly biting rate of Ae. aegypti differed significantly. Its peak indoor biting rate was from 19:00 to 20:00 with the rate of 2.00 bites/person/hour followed by from 08:00 to 09:00 with the rate of 1.50 bites/person/hour and the biting rates differed significantly across the hours (F = 240.046; p = 0.001). Aedes vittatus also exhibited a biting rate similar to that of Ae. aegypti. Both Ae. aegypti and Ae. vittatus were abundantly collected from nearby human sleeping arrangements than from the shelters of cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. The highest proportions of Ae. aegypti (91.21%) and Ae. vittatus (89.87%) were unfed. Conclusions: Aedes aegypti and Ae. vittatus exhibited peak biting rates during morning and early night hours that aligned with the active daily routine practices of the local community. This could potentially expose the inhabitants to viral diseases transmitted by Ae. aegypti and Ae. vittatus. Full article

Powassan virus (POWV) is an emerging tick-borne virus that causes severe meningoencephalitis in the United States, Canada, and Russia. Serology is generally the preferred diagnostic modality, but PCR on cerebrospinal fluid, blood, or urine has an important role, particularly in immunocompromised patients who are unable to mount a serologic response. Although the perceived poor sensitivity of PCR in the general population may be due to the biology of infection and health-seeking behavior (with short viremic periods that end before hospital presentation), limitations in assay design may also contribute. Genome sequences from clinical POWV cases are extremely scarce; PCR assay design has been informed by those available, but the numbers are limited. Larger numbers of genome sequences from tick-derived POWV are available, but it is not known if POWV genomes from human infections broadly mirror genomes from tick hosts, or if human infections are caused by a subset of more virulent strains. We obtained viral genomic data from 10 previously unpublished POWV human infections and showed that they broadly mirror the diversity of genome sequences seen in ticks, including all three major clades (lineage I, lineage II Northeast, and lineage II Midwest). These newly published clinical POWV genome sequences include the first confirmed lineage I infection in the United States, highlighting the relevance of all clades in human disease. An in silico analysis of published POWV PCR assays shows that many assays were optimized against a single clade and have mismatches that may affect their sensitivity when applied across clades. This analysis serves as a launching point for improved PCR design for clinical diagnostics and environmental surveillance. Full article

The identification of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) involved in host location by Oides leucomelaena (O. leucomelaena Weise, 1922, Coleoptera, Galerucinae) is significant for its biological control. Tools in the NCBI database were used to compare and analyze the transcriptome sequences of O. leucomelaena with OBP and other chemosensory-related proteins of other Coleoptera insects. Subsequently, MEGA7 was utilized for OBP sequence alignment and the construction of a phylogenetic tree, combined with expression profiling to screen for candidate antennae-specific OBPs. In addition, fumigation experiments with star anise volatiles were conducted to assess the antennae specificity of the candidate OBPs. Finally, molecular docking was employed to speculate on the binding potential of antennae-specific OBPs with star anise volatiles. The study identified 42 candidate OBPs, 8 chemosensory proteins and 27 receptors. OleuOBP3, OleuOBP5, and OleuOBP6 were identified as classic OBP family members specific to the antennae, which was confirmed by volatile fumigation experiments. Molecular docking ultimately clarified that OleuOBP3, OleuOBP5, and OleuOBP6 all exhibit a high affinity for β-caryophyllene among the star anise volatiles. We successfully obtained three antennae-specific OBPs from O. leucomelaena and determined their high-affinity volatiles, providing a theoretical basis for the development of attractants in subsequent stages. Full article

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have become so pervasive in our environment and daily lives that it is impossible to avoid contact with such compounds, including pregnant women seeking to minimize exposures to themselves and their unborn children. Developmental exposure of humans and rodent models to bisphenol A (BPA) and other EDCs is linked to increased anxiogenic behaviors, learning and memory deficits, and decreased socio-sexual behaviors. Prenatal exposure to BPA and other EDCs leads to longstanding and harmful effects on gut microbiota with reductions in beneficial bacteria, i.e., gut dysbiosis, and such microbial changes are linked to host changes in fecal metabolites, including those involved in carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis, and neurobehavioral alterations in adulthood, in particular, social and cognitive deficits. Gut dysbiosis is increasingly being recognized as a key driver of a myriad of diseases, ranging from metabolic, cardiovascular, reproductive, and neurobehavioral disorders via the gut-microbiome–brain axis. Thus, EDCs might induce indirect effects on physical and mental health by acting as microbiome-disrupting chemicals. Findings raise the important question as to whether pregnant women should consume a probiotic supplement to mitigate pernicious effects of EDCs, especially BPA, on themselves and their unborn offspring. Current studies investigating the effects of maternal probiotic supplementation on pregnant women’s health and that of their unborn offspring will be reviewed. Data will inform on the potential application of probiotic supplementation to reverse harmful effects of EDCs, especially BPA, in pregnant women unwittingly exposed to these compounds and striving to give their offspring the best start in life. Full article

This study delved into the intricate ways in which host-guest interaction influences tourist citizenship behavior (TCB), focusing specifically on two key dimensions: interaction quantity and interaction quality. By drawing on social exchange theory and cognitive appraisal theory, we constructed an integrated model that illustrates the relationship between host-guest interaction and TCB, with experiential value and place attachment serving as mediating factors. Our data were gathered from 499 visitors to Mount Taishan national forest park, and the analysis was conducted using Spss and Amos software. The results revealed that the quality of host-guest interaction has a significant and positive influence on tourists’ overall experiential value, which in turn fosters TCB. Additionally, the evaluation of experiential value triggers a deeper sense of place attachment among tourists towards the destination, further encouraging TCB. The quantity of host-guest interaction did not exert a significant influence on tourist citizenship behavior. These findings offer practical insights for destinations seeking to enhance their competitiveness and sustainability by optimizing host-guest interactions. Full article

Engineering requires more bachelor’s degree graduates to meet the growing demand for engineering skills globally. One way to address this demand is increasing student degree completion, which is lower than higher education in general. In particular, Black, Latino/a/x, and Indigenous (BLI) students are less likely to complete an engineering degree than their peers. BLI students experience a host of unwelcoming behaviors in engineering environments that contribute to departure without their intended degree. Improving environments to support belonging may offer one solution. Through an ecological belonging intervention, we seek to improve continued enrollment and increase belonging. Quasi-experimental methods were used in a second-semester engineering programming course. Surveys collected before and after an intervention combined with institutional data were used to test the moderation effects of the intervention on continued enrollment in engineering during the semester following the intervention. BLI students who were enrolled in intervention treatment sections were more likely to be enrolled in engineering the following fall. The intervention treatment increased belonging such that control section participants were less likely to continue to be enrolled in engineering. While research to assess the efficacy and mechanisms of the intervention is ongoing, the intervention offers promising results to address attrition, particularly for BLI students. Full article

This study evaluated the impact of combining house screens with long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) on mosquito host-seeking, resting, and biting behavior. Intervention houses received house screens and LLINs, while control houses received only LLINs. Centre for Disease Control light traps, pyrethrum spray collections and human landing catches were used to assess the densities of indoor and outdoor host-seeking, indoor resting, and biting behavior of malaria vectors in 15 sentinel houses per study arm per sampling method. The protective efficacy of screens and LLINs was estimated through entomological inoculation rates (EIRs). There were 68% fewer indoor host-seeking Anopheles funestus (RR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.20–0.51, p < 0.05) and 63% fewer An. arabiensis (RR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.22–0.61, p < 0.05) in screened houses than unscreened houses. There was a significantly higher indoor biting rate for unscreened houses (6.75 bites/person/h [b/p/h]) than for screened houses (0 b/p/h) (χ² = 6.67, df = 1, p < 0.05). The estimated indoor EIR in unscreened houses was 2.91 infectious bites/person/six months, higher than that in screened houses (1.88 infectious bites/person/six months). Closing eaves and screening doors and windows has the potential to reduce indoor densities of malaria vectors and malaria transmission. Full article

Intimate Partner Domestic Violence (IPDV) has been reported to be high in minorities across the US. Among minorities, refugees and immigrants encounter particular barriers that may influence their responses to IPDV. This scoping review examined three decades of literature (1980–2022) on resettled married Afghan and Arab refugee women’s attitudes and behaviors toward IPDV in their host countries, aiming to explore gaps in the research, practice, and policy recommendations. Based on the Arksey and O’Malley model, our scoping review conducted extensive searches in SCOPUS, PubMed, PsychInfo, CINAHL, the Web of Science, the Directory of Open Access Journals, and the Embase databases. Searches identified articles that examined resettled Afghan and/or Arab refugees’ responses to IPDV in Western countries. The search identified 439 unique citations; 17 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The major findings included acculturative changes in refugee attitudes and behaviors and in stakeholders’ perspectives. Significant attitudinal changes (acknowledgment, silence, justification, or IPDV disapproval) contrasted with less behavioral changes (help-seeking behaviors, or action plans), or changes in barriers to actions, and with a resistance to change in stakeholders (cultural norms and beliefs, the community patriarchal normalization of violence, service providers’ unfamiliarity with client diversity and refugee cultures) in supporting women’s decision-making regarding IPDV. Not a single article made explicit policy recommendations. Full article