Search Results (363)

This study investigates the use of a Random Forest (RF), an artificial intelligence (AI) model, to estimate the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) over Central Amazonia from climatic elements data collected during the GoAmazon experiment, held in 2014 and 2015, as it is a key metric for air quality, weather forecasting, and climate modeling. The novelty of this study lies in estimating PBLH using only surface-based meteorological observations. This approach is validated against remote sensing measurements (e.g., LIDAR, ceilometer, and wind profilers), which are seldom available in the Amazon region. The dataset includes various meteorological features, though substantial missing data for the latent heat flux (LE) and net radiation (Rn) measurements posed challenges. We addressed these gaps through different data-cleaning strategies, such as feature exclusion, row removal, and imputation techniques, assessing their impact on model performance using the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and $r^2$ metrics. The best-performing strategy achieved an RMSE of 375.9 m. In addition to the RF model, we benchmarked its performance against Linear Regression, Support Vector Regression, LightGBM, XGBoost, and a Deep Neural Network. While all models showed moderate correlation with observed PBLH, the RF model outperformed all others with statistically significant differences confirmed by paired t-tests. SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values were used to enhance model interpretability, revealing hour of the day, air temperature, and relative humidity as the most influential predictors for PBLH, underscoring their critical role in atmospheric dynamics in Central Amazonia. Despite these optimizations, the model underestimates the PBLH values—by an average of 197 m, particularly in the spring and early summer austral seasons when atmospheric conditions are more variable. These findings emphasize the importance of robust data preprocessing and higtextight the potential of ML models for improving PBLH estimation in data-scarce tropical environments. Full article

Cervical cancer remains a major health burden among women in sub-Saharan Africa, where screening is often limited. Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection is the principal cause, highlighting the need for accurate molecular diagnostics. This cross-sectional study evaluated the analytical performance of one mRNA assay, APTIMA^® HPV assay (APTIMA mRNA), and two DNA-based assays, the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV assay (Abbott DNA) and Seegene Allplex™ II HPV28 assay (Seegene DNA), in 527 cervical samples from a South African tertiary hospital, focusing on 14 shared HR-HPV genotypes. Seegene DNA yielded the highest detection rate (53.7%), followed by Abbott DNA (48.2%) and APTIMA mRNA (45.2%). APTIMA mRNA showed a strong agreement with Abbott DNA (87.9%, κ = 0.80), 89.9% sensitivity, 91.2% NPV, and the highest accuracy (AUC = 0.8804 vs. 0.8681). The agreement between APTIMA mRNA and Seegene DNA was moderate (83.4%, κ = 0.70), reflecting target differences. Many DNA-positive/mRNA-negative cases likely represent transient infections, though some may be latent with reactivation potential, warranting a follow-up. In resource-constrained settings, prioritizing transcriptionally active infections through mRNA testing may enhance screening efficiency and reduce burden. Scalable, cost-effective assays with strong clinical utility are essential for broadening access and improving cervical cancer prevention. Further studies should assess the integration of mRNA testing into longitudinal screening algorithms. Full article

The formation mechanism of Virtual Reality (VR) Immersive Experience (VRIE) is notably complex; this study aimed to dynamically decode its underlying drivers by innovatively integrating Flow Theory and Privacy Calculus Theory, focusing on Perceptual-Interactive Fidelity (PIF), Consumer Willingness to Immerse in Technology (CWTI), and the applicability of Loss Aversion Theory. To achieve this, we analyzed approximately 30,000 user reviews from Amazon using Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and regression analysis. The findings reveal that user attention’s impact on VRIE is non-linear, suggesting an optimal threshold, and confirm PIF as a central influencing mechanism; furthermore, CWTI significantly moderates users’ privacy calculus, thereby affecting VRIE, while Loss Aversion Theory showed limited explanatory power in the VR context. These results provide a deeper understanding of VR user behavior, offering significant theoretical guidance and practical implications for future VR system design, particularly in strategically balancing user cognition, PIF, privacy concerns, and individual willingness. Full article

Grounded in health behavior theory, this study examined patterns of preventive health behavior in a culturally diverse, multilingual region of northern Italy using data from a representative population survey (n = 2090). Preventive behaviors were assessed using the 16-item Good Health Practices (GHP-16) scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified five behavioral profiles, ranging from ‘Globally Low Engagers’ to ‘Comprehensive High Engagers’. Binary logistic regression compared ‘Globally Low Engagers’ to ‘Broadly Moderate Preventers’, examining predictors including gender, age, education, language, chronic disease status, health literacy (HLS-EU-Q16), patient activation (PAM-10), mistrust of health information, living situation, and healthcare employment. The results showed that men, younger adults, individuals with low patient activation, those living alone, and respondents with high mistrust of health information had higher odds of belonging to the low engagement group. Health literacy and language group membership were not significantly associated with the profile membership. Item-level comparisons revealed gender differences in information-seeking, oral hygiene, and dietary behaviors, with men reporting lower engagement. These findings support a segmentation-based understanding of preventive health behavior and highlight the need to address personal capacities and contextual barriers in interventions while challenging assumptions of uniformly higher female health vigilance. Full article

This paper examines the farming systems and operational structures in the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM), Greece and constructs a typology of farms based on structural, operational, and socio-economic characteristics. Agriculture remains a vital pillar of the regional economy, particularly in the context of RWM’s ongoing transition to a post-lignite development model. Using farm-level data from the 2018 Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified four latent dimensions of farm heterogeneity—income and productivity, asset base, land size, and labour structure. Hierarchical and K-means cluster analysis revealed three distinct farm types: (1) medium-sized, high-efficiency farms with moderate reliance on subsidies (30% of the sample); (2) small-scale, family farms with modest productivity and limited capitalisation (48%); and (3) large, asset-rich farms exhibiting structural inefficiencies and lower output per hectare (22%). These findings highlight structural vulnerabilities, particularly the predominance of undercapitalised smallholdings, and provide a data-driven foundation for Thdesigning differentiated policies that support farm resilience, generational renewal, and sustainable rural development. Full article

(1) Background: This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate family patterns of paternal and maternal responses to adolescents’ discrete emotions (happiness, sadness, and anger) and examined the relationship between these profiles and demographic factors, as well as adolescents’ emotion adjustment (emotion regulation and depressive symptoms). (2) Methods: A sample of 666 adolescents reported parental responses and their emotional adjustment; their mothers provided family information. (3) Results: (a) The LPA identified four profiles for adolescent happiness, including high enhancing but low dampening and neglect from both parents (Consistent Supportive); low enhancing but high dampening and neglect from both parents (Consistent Unsupportive); low to moderate scores on each response from both parents (Consistent Disengaging); and high maternal dampening and neglect but relatively low scores on the paternal response (Inconsistent). There were two profiles for sadness (Consistent Supportive, Consistent Unsupportive) and three for anger (Consistent Supportive, Consistent Unsupportive, Consistent Disengaging). (b) Parents with boys, higher incomes, better education, and greater marital satisfaction were likely to be classified into the Consistent Supportive profile across emotions. (c) When adolescents perceived their parents with the Consistent Supportive profile, they would show the best emotional adjustment; while for parents with the Inconsistent profile (for happiness) and the Consistent Unsupportive profile, the adolescents had the poorest outcome. Interestingly, adolescents who perceived their parents as fitting the Consistent Disengaging profile (especially for anger) exhibited comparatively less adverse adjustment. (4) Implications: A person-centered approach highlights different patterns of emotion socialization, underscores the importance of fostering parental cooperation and supportive responses to adolescents’ happiness, and suggests that joint disengagement from anger may promote healthier emotional development. Full article

Climate change disrupts lives globally and poses significant challenges to mental health. Although several scales assess climate anxiety, many either conflate symptoms with coping responses or fail to adequately capture the core symptomatology of anxiety. Hence, this study aimed to develop and validate the Brief Anxiety Scale for Climate Change (BACC), a self-report measure designed to assess symptoms of climate anxiety. A preliminary pool of 21 items was generated based on the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and climate-related stress. Study 1 (n = 300) explored the factor structure via an exploratory factor analysis while Study 2 (n = 400) independently validated the structure via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Analyses of the internal consistency, content validity, and discriminant validity helped refine the scale to a final 13-item version with two factors: cognitive and functional impairment. The CFA results indicated that all the fit indices met the recommended thresholds, and the final version demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92). Additionally, latent correlations revealed that climate anxiety was moderately associated with generalized anxiety and depression. The BACC was developed to identify individuals in the community who experience climate anxiety beyond an adaptive level, thereby promoting sustainable mental health in the context of climate change. These findings suggest that the BACC is a promising tool for assessing climate anxiety. With better identification, mental health professionals, community practitioners, and policymakers can utilize the scale to develop climate-sensitive public health programs and tailored intervention strategies. Full article

LiNO₃-NaNO₃-KNO₃-NaNO₂ has a relatively low phase-change temperature, making it suitable for low-temperature heat utilization systems. This study focuses on the performance optimization of the quaternary molten salt to advance its applicability. A series of nanocomposites consisting of nano-SiO₂/MgO and the quaternary salt are prepared. Core thermophysical properties, including phase transition behaviors and thermal transport parameters, are quantified. The incorporation of nano-SiO₂/MgO induces moderate adjustments to the melting point and latent heat yet demonstrates an obvious enhancement in specific heat capacity. Optimal doping at 0.7 wt.% SiO₂ and 0.3 wt.% MgO yields a molten-state specific heat of 1.51 J/(g·K), representing a 6% increase over the undoped base salt (1.42 J/(g·K)). By combining the thermal diffusivity properties of the samples, this study found that the doping of nanoparticles typically induces new structures in molten salts that tend to enhance the specific heat capacity while simultaneously reducing thermal diffusivity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare institutions, similar to other service providers, should prioritize their clients—in this case, patients—to effectively meet their needs. However, fulfilling this objective becomes increasingly challenging due to numerous factors. Therefore, this study explores student patient satisfaction by examining the effects of environmental quality dimensions (Internal Spaces, External Spaces, And Social Environment) and green practices, as well as investigating how environmental knowledge moderates the relationship between green practices and patient satisfaction. Methods: Given the latent nature of the variables investigated, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. Some variables were conceptualized as hierarchical constructs comprising higher-order and lower-order components. Before testing the relationships among variables, reliability and validity assessments were performed. For this purpose, the SmartPLS 4 software was used. Since the focus of the research was on students’ health in general, the sample consisted of 280 students from the University of Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia). Results: Among the three environmental quality dimensions, only the Social Environment had a significant and positive influence on patient satisfaction. Furthermore, the green practices emerged as a significant determinant of patient satisfaction. However, the moderating effect of environmental knowledge on this relationship was found to be non-significant. Conclusions: This research underscores the significance of patient satisfaction as a critical objective for healthcare institutions. Special attention should be directed toward enhancing positive interactions between medical staff and patients and adopting green practices. Consequently, certain managerial aspects related to human resource management (such as adequate staffing and organization of personnel) should be considered. In addition, issues concerning financial challenges and benefits regarding the implementation of green practices in healthcare were presented. Full article

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), also referred to as nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections, are a significant cause of death worldwide, with hand hygiene being the most powerful means to tackle them. The present study had a twofold aim: first, to assess the level of knowledge and the degree of compliance with hand hygiene practices based on healthcare workers’ self-reports; second, to evaluate whether behavioral economics techniques, specifically a poster combining an image and an informational message, designed according to the published literature, can increase the level of healthcare workers’ compliance with hand hygiene. Factors that potentially affect compliance were also examined. This study involved distributing a questionnaire to healthcare workers in Greek public hospitals, from which 314 completed responses were collected during the last quarter of 2023. Participants were randomly and evenly assigned to an intervention group that received a nudging poster or to a control group, which did not. Self-reported compliance with hand hygiene practices was high, based on two latent variables derived through exploratory factor analysis, although knowledge of germ transmission was moderate, as reflected in the relevant knowledge question scores. However, nudging had no statistically significant effect on hand hygiene behavior. Compliance was associated with several factors, including gender, age, work experience, profession, perceived adequacy of available hygiene-related resources, and perceived consequences of nosocomial infections on patient outcomes. Full article

The present study aimed to adapt and validate the Adult Hope Scale (AHS) for the Romanian population, addressing a gap in culturally appropriate instruments for measuring dispositional hope. Based on Snyder’s theoretical model, the AHS was translated, culturally adapted, and administered to 663 Romanian adults. Psychometric evaluation included internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.84 for the eight positively worded items), test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.39 for the full scale), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and assessments of convergent and discriminant validity. The two-factor model of the scale (agency and pathways) was confirmed, with significant item loadings and a strong correlation between the two latent factors (r = 0.717). Convergent validity was supported by moderate correlations with the Brief Resilience Scale (r = 0.36–0.45), while discriminant validity was indicated by low correlations with the Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = 0.18–0.20). Demographic analyses revealed higher hope levels in women and engineers, with significant differences by gender (p = 0.00018), education (p = 0.031), and profession (p = 0.008). Despite moderate temporal stability and one weakly performing item, the Romanian AHS demonstrates strong psychometric properties, making it a valid and reliable tool for assessing hope in research and clinical settings. Full article

Workplace contextual emotions are structured ways of emotionally thinking about specific cues in the context that employees share within their organization. These dynamics reflect how employees emotionally interpret and respond to organizational environments. Contextual emotions may shape working relationships into different types of toxic emotional dynamics (e.g., claiming, controlling, distrusting, provoking) or, conversely, positive emotional dynamics (i.e., exchanging), thus setting the emotional tone that affects employees’ actions and their level of comfort/discomfort. The present study uses latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subpopulations of employees who may experience differing levels of both positive and negative emotional dynamics (i.e., different configurations of emotional patterns of workplace behavior). Moreover, it examines whether the emergent profiles predict work-related (i.e., job satisfaction, burnout) and health-related outcomes (i.e., sleep disturbances, physical and mental health). Using data from 801 Italian employees, we identified four latent profiles: “functional dynamics” (low toxic emotions and high exchange), “dialectical dynamics” (co-existence of medium toxic emotions and medium exchange), “mild dysfunctional dynamics” (moderately high toxic emotions and low exchange), and “highly dysfunctional dynamics” (extremely high toxic emotions and extremely low exchange). Moreover, employees in the dialectical, mild dysfunctional, and highly dysfunctional groups reported progressively higher levels of poor health outcomes and progressively lower levels of satisfaction, whereas the functional group was at low risk of stress and was the most satisfied group. The theoretical and practical implications of the LPA-classified emotional patterns of workplace behavior are discussed in light of the relevance of identifying vulnerable subpopulations of employees diversely exposed to toxic configurations of emotional/relational ambience. Full article

This study explored teacher agency and its impact on the motivation and perceptions of the teaching profession. This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, in which questionnaires were administered to a sample of 574 basic school teachers in Ghana. Structural equation modeling (SEM), a multivariate statistical technique for analyzing complex relationships among latent constructs, was employed to examine the direct, indirect, and moderated effects among the study variables, thereby ensuring accurate and reliable results. This study found that the motivation and perception factors have a strong positive impact on teacher agency. The moderator analysis showed that intrinsic career value was a significant predictor of teacher agency for both male and female teachers. The results also indicated the significant moderating effect of age on the relationship between intrinsic career value and teacher agency. Additionally, the findings revealed that perception factors partially mediate the relationship between motivation factors and teacher agency. However, this study is limited by its cross-sectional design and focus on public basic school teachers in Ghana, suggesting the need for future research to include longitudinal approaches, broader geographic representation, and private school contexts. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications are addressed. Full article

Objective: Utilizing the Health Care Access Barriers (HCAB) Theoretical Framework, this study examined latent profiles of barriers to prenatal care among pregnant women in Alabama and whether these profiles mediate or moderate the relationship between pregnancy intentionality and early prenatal care initiation. Methods: An explanatory mixed-method design was employed, integrating quantitative analysis of Alabama Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 data (2016–2021) with qualitative insights from expert interviews. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified subgroups based on reported barriers. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between pregnancy intentionality and early prenatal care initiation, controlling for covariates. A Firth-penalized multivariable logistic regression model tested interaction effects. Results: Planned pregnancy was associated with higher odds of early prenatal care initiation (OR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.49, 1.23], p = 0.286), though this association was not statistically significant. Barrier profiles did not significantly moderate or mediate the relationship. The interaction term was nonsignificant (OR = 5.19, 95% CI [0.22, 828.94], p = 0.309), and the mediation pathway was also not supported (indirect effect = 0.012, p = 0.518). Expert interviews emphasized ongoing systemic and cognitive barriers that hinder timely access. Conclusions: Although pregnancy intentionality was not a statistically significant predictor of early prenatal care initiation, qualitative findings highlighted persistent barriers that continue to constrain access. These results underscore the need for multilevel strategies to address informational and logistical challenges. Future research should evaluate additional pathways that influence care-seeking behaviors. Full article

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a critical global health issue which disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries. In Chile, the Arica and Parinacota region experiences high CC mortality and low Papanicolaou (Pap) test coverage, with indigenous Aymara women facing significant screening barriers. Understanding health beliefs surrounding CC prevention is essential for improving adherence, particularly in under-represented populations. This study assesses the psychometric properties of the CPC-28, an instrument measuring beliefs about CC and Pap testing, among Aymara women in Chile. A cross-sectional survey of 299 Aymara women (25–64) was conducted using stratified probabilistic sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the CPC-28’s six-factor latent structure, demonstrating strong model fit (CFI = 0.969, TLI = 0.965, RMSEA = 0.058). Reliability indices ranged from acceptable to excellent (α = 0.585–0.921; ω = 0.660–0.923). Moderate correlations emerged between severity, susceptibility, and perceived benefits of Pap testing, although CPC-28 results did not predict adherence. These findings support CPC-28’s validity evidence for Aymara women but highlight cultural influences on screening behaviors. Structural barriers, including language and healthcare inaccessibility, are likely to affect perceived susceptibility. Future research should explore indigenous perspectives and socio-cultural determinants of Pap testing, incorporating mixed-method approaches to identify culturally relevant interventions and improve screening adherence. Full article