Search Results (1,314)

Background: Participation in physical and sports activities is essential for the overall health of persons with disabilities (PWD). However, these individuals encounter multiple environmental and contextual barriers limiting sports engagement. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the perceived barriers to sports participation among PWD in Chile using a socio-ecological framework, evaluating differences by sex and sports practice status while adjusting for potential demographic confounders. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was conducted with a convenience sample of 245 PWD. Perceptions across four socio-ecological dimensions (intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community) were measured using the short Spanish version of the Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments (BPAQ-MI). Non-parametric Mann–Whitney U tests were performed as primary bivariate analyses due to non-normal data distribution, followed by Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) models controlling for age and sex. Results: Bivariate analyses showed no significant differences by sex. When comparing sports participants versus non-participants, athletes perceived significantly lower barriers in the organizational ($U=5357, p<0.001, r=0.286$) and community ($U=6216, p=0.020, r=0.172$) dimensions. After adjusting for age and sex via ANCOVA, sports practice remained a significant independent predictor of lower organizational barriers ($F=7.814, p=0.006, {\eta }_p^2=0.032$), and a significant interaction between sports practice and sex was identified in the community dimension ($F=4.671, p=0.032, {\eta }_p^2=0.019$). Community-level barriers were rated highest across all groups. Conclusions: Sports participation is associated with a lower perception of organizational barriers, even when controlling for age. The prominent community-level obstacles underscore the need for targeted, context-specific public policies that enhance accessibility and inclusive infrastructure. Full article

Multilingual students’ repertoires are often framed either as resources for participation or as possible sources of difficulty, yet their situated use in special education remains underexamined. This study investigated how students in German special schools for social, emotional and behavioral development (SEBD) mobilized migration-related multilingual repertoires to address practical interactional problems and how situational conditions shaped the functions and consequences of these practices. A multi-sited ethnography was conducted in six SEBD special schools in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region (North Rhine-Westphalia) between April 2024 and March 2025. Data comprised participant observation, written and talking fieldnotes, and informal ethnographic conversations. They were analyzed through a constant-comparative approach informed by reflexive grounded theory. Six recurring practice types were grouped into four result domains: Participation and Meaning-Making, Relational Positioning and Communicative Accessibility, Affective Mobilization and Counter-Positioning, and Navigation of Institutional Language Orders. Repertoire use had no fixed inclusive, disruptive, or resistant function. Its meaning emerged within interaction and changed with participation structures, public visibility, adult comprehension, and peer responses. In SEBD settings, migration-related linguistic marking and behavioral interpretation could reinforce one another. Multilingual practices should therefore be analyzed sequentially and situationally rather than treated as direct indicators of competence or disturbance. Full article

Amid China’s pursuit of ecological civilization and high-quality development, a central policy challenge lies in designing environmental governance instruments that can simultaneously deliver ecological improvement and socially inclusive outcomes. Using the National Forest City (NFC) program as a representative urban ecological governance initiative, this study examines the relationship between place-based environmental certification and urban inclusive green growth (IGG) in China. Drawing on panel data from 290 prefecture-level cities over the 2000–2023 period, this study exploits the staggered rollout of the NFC program and estimates its relationship with urban inclusive green growth using a multi-period difference-in-differences framework. The results show that NFC designation is associated with a statistically significant increase in cities’ IGG performance, and this relationship remains robust across a series of alternative specifications and placebo tests. Dimension-specific estimates further show significant positive associations with economic performance, social equity, and environmental quality. Further analyses reveal pronounced heterogeneity in the estimated relationship. The positive association between NFC designation and inclusive green growth is stronger in non-resource-based cities, cities located in southern China, and core urban areas, suggesting that local development conditions and structural constraints play an important role in shaping the observed relationship. Employment-related analysis provides evidence consistent with broader city-level employment expansion as one potential pathway associated with the NFC–IGG relationship. Moreover, the positive association between NFC designation and IGG is stronger in cities with greater population mobility and where local governments place greater emphasis on innovation, underscoring the importance of complementary institutional and demographic conditions. By explicitly linking ecological governance, labor-market outcomes, and inclusive growth, this study contributes to the policy-oriented literature on urban sustainability. The findings suggest that environmental certification programs such as the NFC may provide a governance framework for connecting ecological objectives with inclusive development goals. Beyond the Chinese context, the results offer transferable insights for cities seeking to design environmental governance strategies that move beyond symbolic greening toward more integrated and socially inclusive sustainability transitions. Full article

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for major depressive disorder but may cause transient neurological and motor side effects. Limited evidence exists regarding acute balance disturbances following treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate short-term changes in balance following the first ECT session in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Methods: In this prospective observational repeated-measures study, twenty-two participants diagnosed with MDD were enrolled according to the inclusion criteria, such as being between the ages of 18–65, being diagnosed with major depression, and receiving ECT for the first time. The exclusion criteria were a diagnosis of any vestibular or neurological disease. The balance of the participants was evaluated with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The same physiotherapist performed the assessments before, at the 1st hour after ECT, and at the 24th hour after ECT. Results: Mean BBS scores were 55.04 ± 1.78 before ECT, 40.22 ± 2.54 at 1 h, and 54.86 ± 1.64 at 24 h after treatment. Balance decreased significantly at 1 h compared with baseline (mean difference: +14.82 points, p < 0.001) and improved significantly by 24 h (mean difference: −14.64 points, p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between baseline and 24-h measurements (p = 0.640). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a transient impairment in balance performance during the first hour following electroconvulsive therapy. Although fall risk was not directly assessed, careful monitoring and patient-safety precautions may be considered during early post-treatment mobilization. Full article

Background and Objectives: Reconstruction of extensive acetabular bone defects in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains technically demanding and is associated with a high risk of complications. Custom-made three-dimensional (3D)-printed implants have emerged as a patient-specific option for managing severe bone loss, particularly in Paprosky type 3A and 3B defects. The aim of this multicentre study was to evaluate the early clinical, radiographic, and surgical outcomes following single-stage reconstruction using custom-made 3D-printed acetabular implants. Materials and Methods: This retrospective multicentre study included 62 patients treated between 2021 and 2024 at four orthopaedic departments. All patients had Paprosky type 3A (n = 34) or 3B (n = 28) acetabular defects and underwent reconstruction with custom-made 3D-printed implants. A minimum clinical follow-up of 6 months was required for inclusion. Preoperative computed tomography was used for implant design and surgical planning. Clinical assessment included pain using the Visual Analogue Scale, functional evaluation using the Harris Hip Score and Karnofsky Performance Scale, mobility, range of motion, and use of orthopaedic aids. Radiographic evaluation included plain radiographs and computed tomography. Standardised functional and CT outcome assessments were performed during the first 6 months after surgery, whereas the mean overall follow-up represented subsequent clinical surveillance. Mean follow-up was 27 months. Results: All patients had undergone multiple previous surgical procedures before implantation of the custom-made prosthesis. The interval between primary arthroplasty and implantation of the custom-made implant ranged from 9 to 31 years. During follow-up, improvements in pain, mobility, and functional performance were observed across the entire cohort. The reported functional and CT outcomes refer to the standardised 6-month assessment period. Radiographic evaluation demonstrated satisfactory implant positioning and restoration of hip biomechanics. Progressive radiographic findings suggestive of implant integration were observed during follow-up. The most common complications were postoperative wound-healing disorders and prosthetic dislocation, particularly in patients with more extensive bone defects. Conclusions: Single-stage reconstruction using custom-made 3D-printed implants appears to be a feasible treatment option for patients with Paprosky type 3A and 3B defects, resulting in improvements in pain, mobility, and functional performance. Radiographic assessment suggested stable implant fixation and progressive implant integration during early follow-up. However, postoperative wound-healing disorders, infection, and prosthetic dislocation remain clinically relevant complications, particularly in patients with more extensive bone defects. Further studies with longer follow-up are required to determine long-term implant durability, implant survivorship, and functional outcomes. Full article

Surface macrotexture is of major interest for barrier-free routing, particularly for wheelchair travellers, because it relates to the functional properties of pavements, such as loss of energy through tyre-rolling resistance or vibrational discomfort. These functional properties are difficult to assess. The measurement and characterization of pavement macrotexture, therefore, is a promising approach to support safe route choice for wheelchair travellers and to provide comparative quality criteria for inclusive urban infrastructure management and planning. We use 3D point clouds from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and suggest a set of surface roughness parameters tailored to assess the accessibility of urban pavements at the micro-level. We explore the sensitivity of the parameters to point cloud resampling and apply them to a real-world dataset with eleven different pavements. In spite of value variation related to scanning $distance$ and $coverage$, our results indicate that combining median-based versions of Average Roughness and Simulated Texture Depth together with parameters tailored to quantify the depth and proportion of joints and the roughness of the contact area facilitates the grouping and comparison of surfaces regarding barrier-free mobility. The results of this work will be integrated into a framework for accessibility analysis and barrier-free routing. Full article

Workplace phubbing (being ignored during an interaction because a colleague is attending to a mobile phone) is increasingly common in clinical settings and may function as a subtle interpersonal stressor relevant to nursing teamwork, occupational well-being, and cooperative functioning. This cross-sectional survey examined associations between perceived workplace phubbing and self-reported job performance (overall, in-role, and extra-role). It tested whether resilience and perceived phubbing norms were related to performance. Nurses and nurse assistants from six public hospitals in Northern Greece provided eligible questionnaires (N = 338). In the primary overall-score models, being phubbed was positively associated with total and in-role performance but not with extra-role performance. In secondary dimension-level models, perceived phubbing norms were positively associated with all three performance outcomes, whereas feeling ignored and interpersonal conflict were not independent predictors. Resilience was positively associated with total, in-role, and extra-role performance. The GSBP total × resilience interaction was statistically significant only for in-role performance; however, simple-slope interpretation indicated attenuation of a positive association at higher resilience rather than buffering of an adverse association. Overall, resilience appeared to function as an independent correlate of perceived work performance rather than as evidence of the hypothesized buffering of a negative phubbing–performance association. These findings suggest that workplace phubbing should be understood as a context-dependent interpersonal phenomenon rather than a uniform performance risk. Clarifying digital-attention norms and protecting inclusive communication during key clinical interactions may support teamwork, psychosocial climate, and occupational well-being among nurses. Full article

Robotics serves as a key enabler in disability support by offering new pathways to augment social work practice and enhance autonomy, safety, and inclusion for persons with disabilities (PWDs). In this study, an interdisciplinary team executed a socio-technical investigation that integrated robotics engineering, artificial intelligence, rehabilitation sciences, and social work. It was examined how assistive and socially interactive robots, including mobility robots, cognitive-assistive systems, exoskeletons, telepresence units, and socially assistive humanoids, must be embedded within disability services to improve functional independence, strengthen care continuity, and address increasing workforce demands. A comprehensive research design was adopted by combining a systematic literature review and technical benchmarking of robot capabilities with qualitative inputs gathered from co-codesign workshops involving PWDs, caregivers, and social workers. To test these applications, the team evaluated three pilot domains: home-based independent living support, community-based rehabilitation, and social-work-led remote engagement utilizing telepresence robotics. The results demonstrate that these robotic interventions improved independent task completion by 22–41% and reduced caregiver burden by 18–34%. Furthermore, the data revealed significant gains in communication and emotional engagement for individuals with cognitive or speech impairments. While robotics cannot replace social workers, these technologies meaningfully complement care delivery when practitioners develop them through ethical, participatory, and contextually sensitive frameworks. Ultimately, this paper highlights clear pathways toward scalable, inclusive robotic support systems that align engineering innovation with person-centered social work values. Full article

This study examines social media communication in Kenya to assess how dryland pastoral concerns are represented in national climate policy dialogues. Approximately 80% of Kenya’s land area consists of drylands that support pastoral livelihoods, yet recurring droughts and increasingly variable rainfall threaten these social-ecological systems. Although Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) emphasizes adaptation, progress is typically measured using national indicators that may overlook local priorities. We analyzed digital communications from pastoral nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, newspapers, and government agencies using an adaptation pathways framework to examine links among climate risks, governance, and decision-making. Five themes emerged: water security, rangeland degradation and mobility, climate communication, gender and social inclusion, and climate finance. Kenya has developed relatively strong national climate policies, but social media reveals a persistent implementation gap between national policy and local pastoral priorities. Pastoral communities consistently emphasize Indigenous and local knowledge, women’s leadership, community participation, and locally appropriate adaptation strategies. Social media provides a novel source of evidence for identifying these local priorities and informing more participatory, place-based climate adaptation. Full article

Heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils and urban green spaces has become a major environmental concern, threatening ecosystem functioning, food safety, and sustainable land management. Silicon-based growing media have emerged as an environmentally friendly approach for reducing metal mobility while enhancing plant establishment in contaminated environments. Despite growing research interest, a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanisms, effectiveness, and practical applications of silicon-amended growing media across diverse plant systems remains lacking. This systematic review addresses this gap by synthesizing current evidence following the PRISMA 2020 framework. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar identified 247 publications published between 2010 and 2025, of which 32 peer-reviewed studies met the predefined inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. The reviewed literature demonstrates that silicon incorporation into growing media improves substrate functionality by modifying physicochemical properties, immobilizing heavy metals, regulating metal transport within plants, strengthening antioxidant and osmo-protective defense systems, preserving photosynthetic activity, and improving nutrient acquisition and water-use efficiency. Furthermore, silicon influences molecular signaling pathways and promotes beneficial rhizosphere interactions that collectively enhance plant resilience under metal stress. Among the evaluated materials, silicon nanoparticles consistently exhibited greater remediation efficiency than conventional silicon sources because of their higher surface reactivity and improved bioavailability. Overall, silicon-based substrate engineering represents a multifunctional and sustainable strategy for mitigating heavy metal contamination while improving the performance of agricultural crops and urban vegetation. Future research should focus on validating these findings under long-term field conditions, optimizing silicon formulations for different substrate types and contamination scenarios, evaluating environmental safety, and integrating silicon-based technologies into climate-resilient agricultural practices and urban green infrastructure. Full article

This paper aims to evaluate the usability and user experience of ad hoc augmented reality systems in the learning experience of mechanical engineering students, focusing on fluid machinery education. Three mobile augmented reality applications were developed to support teachers in explaining the main parts of an impeller blade and its fluid interaction, integrating computer-aided design (CAD) models with velocity and pressure maps derived from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. By providing multiple means of representation, these tools were developed to support the explanation of complex 2D concepts without requiring specialized hardware. The obtained results revealed that the usability of the developed applications, assessed through the System Usability Scale (SUS), was remarkably effective. Furthermore, the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) showed that the average scores for each evaluation criterion were highly positive, especially in the “Stimulation” and “Novelty” areas. Accurate statistical analyses revealed that students’ feedback was not influenced by users’ familiarity with virtual and augmented reality tools. In conclusion, since no objective learning gains were evaluated, this investigation’s outcomes indicate that the developed applications provide an engaging tool with high usability and positive user experience, framing inclusive education as a fundamental design rationale rather than an empirically demonstrated outcome and laying the groundwork for future studies to objectively measure cognitive impact. Full article

This study examined how environmental expectation gaps, defined as discrepancies between older adults’ expectations before admission and their actual experiences after admission, are associated with residential adaptation in nursing homes. Survey data from 613 residents of six public and private inclusive nursing homes in Changchun, China, were analyzed using structural equation modeling and bias-corrected bootstrapping. Expectation gaps in safety and mobility convenience, privacy and autonomy, environmental comfort, and spatial cognition and familiarity were significantly associated with emotional adaptation, with spatial cognition and familiarity showing the strongest relationship. Support for activities and social interaction was positively associated with relationship formation but negatively associated with communal-living adaptation. Residential adaptation followed a sequential process from emotional adaptation to relationship formation, acceptance of institutional living, and adaptation to communal living. Bootstrap analysis further showed that several environmental expectation gaps were indirectly associated with later adaptation outcomes through this sequential process, with some direct and indirect relationships operating in opposite directions. These findings demonstrate that environmental expectation gaps are associated with residential adaptation through differentiated and interconnected pathways, extending nursing home evaluation beyond facility conditions and satisfaction alone. Full article

This paper explores the historical relationship between refugee administration and refugees’ negotiations over citizenship through an analysis of Hmong refugees’ experiences in the United States. During the Vietnam War, approximately 50,000 Hmong soldiers were mobilized into the CIA-backed guerrilla unit as part of US anti-communist operations. Following the communist victory in 1975, Hmong refugees from Laos fled to Thailand and were later resettled in the United States. Previous scholarship primarily focused on either the legal dimension of Hmong naturalization or their process of Americanization. Studies on refugee incorporation and military naturalization have likewise interpreted citizenship as a legal status granted by the state. However, recognition as citizens extends beyond a legal membership unilaterally conferred by the nation-state. This article instead inquires how Hmong refugees in the United States negotiated over competing forms of citizenship and social recognition after the Secret War, and how the US government selectively incorporated those claims through militarized and other conditional forms of inclusion. To answer these questions, this paper approaches citizenship as a contested arena negotiated by the state and refugees themselves. Integrating legal and social history, the analysis examines both the top-down citizenship framework promoted through the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act and the bottom-up citizenship practices advanced by Hmong communities. Drawing on archival materials ranging from Congressional records to local organizational documents in Minnesota, this study shows that veterans’ organizations set the basis of belonging on their wartime sacrifice, women’s and community organizations emphasized legal protection and social reproduction, and exile organizations sustained attachments across multiple homelands. This research also demonstrates that the United States eventually recognized Hmong belonging primarily through narratives of military loyalty and geopolitical usefulness. Ultimately, this research enriches the historiography of broader immigration, citizenship, and military studies by reconceptualizing refugee incorporation as a contested process of recognition rather than a linear path to national membership, while relativizing contemporary worldviews surrounding refugee protection, immigrant soldiers, and military naturalization. Full article

Mental health professionals’ perspectives on transdiagnostic mobile interventions for Emotional Disorders (EDs) remain underexplored, despite their potential role in integrating ecological interventions into psychological care. This study examined the usability, acceptability, perceived clinical utility, and implementation potential of EmoGuia, a smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Intervention grounded in the Unified Protocol. Using the Consensual Qualitative Research framework, focus groups involving nine therapists and researchers were conducted following a one-week app trial. Thematic findings identified 13 categories across three domains: (1) target population, (2) satisfaction and app experience, and (3) perceived utility. Usability was additionally assessed via the System Usability Scale (SUS). Participants perceived EmoGuia as intuitive, simple, and suitable for young adults with mild-to-moderate anxiety or depressive symptoms. It was perceived as useful for fostering emotional awareness, reinforcing therapeutic content, and preventing dropout. Recommended improvements included personalized feedback, simplified language, and better notification management. SUS scores indicated high perceived usability (M = 79.4; SD = 12.1). These findings support EmoGuia as a promising low-intensity, adjunctive tool for early intervention in EDs and provide implementation-relevant guidance for its iterative refinement. Patient-inclusive longitudinal studies are needed to establish acceptability, engagement, feasibility, and clinical effectiveness. Full article

This systematic review examines the mediating role of financial technology (FinTech) in the relationship between financial development and economic development across African economies. It draws on 34 empirical studies published between 2019 and 2026, identified through a structured search of six electronic databases, namely Scopus, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, DOAJ, SciELO, and ERIC. The search was supplemented by manual reference screening. The review synthesises evidence on how digital financial innovations, including mobile money, digital banking, and electronic payment systems, expand financial inclusion and influence economic outcomes. Grounded in Financial Intermediation Theory, Financial Development Theory, Financial Inclusion Theory, and the Technology Acceptance Model, the review provides a coherent framework for understanding FinTech as a structural mediator rather than an independent growth driver. Studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT, 2018). The findings indicate that FinTech significantly amplifies the positive effects of financial development on economic growth, poverty reduction, and financial inclusion, though these effects are often nonlinear and context-dependent. Institutional quality, regulatory frameworks, and technological infrastructure emerge as critical moderating conditions. This review contributes to the literature by providing the first systematic synthesis that explicitly classifies included studies by their capacity to formally test mediation versus those that imply indirect mechanisms, offering a more precise account of the FinTech–financial development–economic development nexus in Africa. The findings yield targeted policy recommendations for central banks, financial regulators, commercial banks, telecommunications providers, and government policymakers. Full article