Search Results (2,041)

Background: In May 2011 the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as a possible human carcinogen mainly based on epidemiological studies about the association between mobile phone (MP) use and brain tumors. Considering that brain tumors have long latencies of around 30 years, it is unlikely that this association is due to an ‘initiating’ activity of MPs since virtually all studied brain tumor cases must have had already a covertly growing tumor when they started MP use. But there could be other adverse effects exerted by a MP when acting on later stages of malignant development. We propose that MP use acts adversely by increasing tumor growth rate and model it by an impact on the latency distribution shifting the age-incidence function to younger age. Methods: We calculate (1) relative risks (RRs) for MP use in comparison to the meta-analytic RR estimate for glioma in adults; (2) RRs for neuroepithelial childhood brain tumors in comparison to the findings of the MOBIkids study; and (3) hazard ratios in comparison to the results of the Million Women Study (MWS). Results: The meta-analytical odds ratio for glioma and long-term MP use in adults of 1.22 (95% confidence-interval: 1.02–1.46) could be explained by a shift in the age-incidence function by 32% of MP usage duration. Applying a 20% shift for childhood neuroepithelial brain tumors reproduced the ORs that were predominantly less than 1 in the MOBIkids study. For glioma risk in perimenopausal women in relation to long-term MP use in the MWS we found hazard-ratios close to 1 applying a 32% shift in the age-incidence function. Conclusions: The standard interpretation of relative risk estimates must be revised if exposure to the agent commenced after the malignant development has already started. All reported RR estimates of MP use can be reproduced by positing MP use increased tumor growth rate. However, since these results are obtained applying a modeling approach, further tests using epidemiological methods, which will be difficult or hardly feasible, or utilizing more promising laboratory methods are needed. Full article

Background: Digital exclusion remains a key barrier to equitable access to digital health services, particularly among individuals with visual impairment. Limited access to devices and digital literacy restricts participation in increasingly digital-first healthcare systems. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and exploratory service impact of a device recycling and digital inclusion pilot at a tertiary ophthalmic hospital. Materials and Methods: The six-month pilot at Moorfields Eye Hospital involved the refurbishment and distribution of donated electronic devices (laptops and mobile phones) alongside personalised digital literacy training delivered by trained volunteers. Twenty-two patients with visual impairment were enrolled; 18 completed the programme. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessed digital engagement and confidence across key domains. Paired data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Across 216 item-level engagement responses, the number of responses indicating daily engagement increased from 31 to 49. Mean self-reported confidence scores improved from 3.1 to 5.1 out of 10 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, V = 148, p = 0.0008; r = 0.81). Patients reported increased use of email, messaging, online forms, and General Practice (GP) appointment systems. Using secondary lifecycle data and modelled estimates, the reuse of refurbished laptops was associated with an indicative saving of approximately 5.3 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions. Conclusions: This service evaluation suggests that a multi-component intervention combining device provision with tailored support may improve digital engagement and confidence among patients with visual impairment. These findings support the feasibility of integrating digital inclusion initiatives within ophthalmology services, with potential co-benefits for environmental sustainability. Full article

Social media has become a significant factor in unhealthy consumption behaviors among adolescents, given the prevalent use of mobile phones and the internet. This study investigates the association between social media exposure and adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) preferences, as well as their consumption behavior. This study included 1517 adolescents across Henan Province, China, in 2025. We employ a mixed logit model, a hurdle model, and an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model to assess the association of social media exposure with adolescents’ SSB preferences and consumption behavior. The findings indicate that social media exposure is positively associated with adolescents’ overall preference for SSB products. Specifically, it is associated with a higher preference for carbonated drinks and beverages containing sweeteners and a lower preference for juice. Furthermore, the association between social media exposure and SSB preferences differs between urban and rural adolescents. Rural adolescents exposed to social media tend to show a lower willingness to forgo SSB options, whereas urban adolescents exposed to social media tend to show less sensitivity to price attributes. Additionally, social media exposure is positively associated with both the selection and consumption of SSBs among adolescents, which in turn are linked to health concerns such as overweight and obesity. Full article

The rapid global expansion of 5G technology has increased concerns regarding its potential health effects. Postural balance, a complex sensorimotor function reflecting central nervous system integrity, may be susceptible to electromagnetic field exposure. However, evidence on 5G effects on comprehensive balance outcomes remains limited. This randomized controlled pilot study investigated the effects of short-term exposure to 5G mobile phones on static and dynamic postural balance using computerized posturography. Nineteen healthy adults (mean age: 31 ± 7 years) participated in a randomized crossover design involving three conditions: 5-min exposure, 20-min exposure, and sham. Static and dynamic balance were assessed using the NeuroCom Balance Master, including the Unilateral Stance, Rhythmic Weight Shift, and Limits of Stability tests, which were performed immediately before and after each condition. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant interaction between exposure condition and time (pre vs. post) across all outcomes. Bayesian analyses provided support against detectable exposure-related interaction effects, although evidence for some time-related effects was inconclusive or varied across outcomes. These findings suggest that short-term 5G exposure did not produce detectable alterations in postural control under the experimental conditions tested. Full article

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) has been increasingly recognized as a psychological driver of problematic mobile phone use and sleep disturbances among young adults. However, existing research is fragmented, with limited integration of cognitive–affective and behavioral mechanisms within a unified theoretical framework. Drawing on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, a process-oriented framework in which problematic smartphone use mediates the association between FoMO and sleep quality, with sensation seeking examined as a boundary condition. Data from 1124 Chinese undergraduate students showed that FoMO was associated with poor sleep quality. Problematic smartphone use partially mediated this association, suggesting that FoMO is linked to sleep outcomes through both direct cognitive–affective processes and indirect behavioral pathways. Sensation seeking significantly strengthened the associations between FoMO and problematic smartphone use, as well as between problematic smartphone use and sleep quality, whereas it was not significantly associated with the direct FoMO-sleep link, indicating pathway-specific moderation primarily operating at the behavioral execution level. These findings provide empirical support for an I-PACE-based process model of FoMO-related sleep problems and highlight behavioral engagement processes as a key target for interventions among high-risk individuals. Full article

Background/objectives: Obesity is a multifactorial condition influenced by interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been widely linked to obesity risk, particularly the rs9939609 polymorphism, which is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and adiposity. However, evidence in adolescents remains inconsistent, and lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet may modify genetic risk. The objectives of this study were: (i) to examine the influence of environmental, genetic, physical activity, and dietary factors on the BMI and overweight-related variables of adolescents, and (ii) to assess the impact of the rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene on these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 206 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years. Body mass index (BMI), physical fitness, physical activity levels, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, mobile phone usage, and FTO rs9939609 genotyping from buccal swabs were collected. Results: No significant associations were found between the FTO genotype and BMI, or with physical activity, mobile phone usage and dietary habits. Boys showed higher physical fitness and physical activity levels than girls (p < 0.05). The only factor significantly associated with BMI was regular breakfast consumption: adolescents who habitually ate breakfast had a lower prevalence of overweight (χ² = 7.98, p = 0.005). Conclusions: The rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene was not associated with overweight in this adolescent cohort. The findings underscore the relevance of healthy behaviours, particularly regular breakfast consumption and physical activity, especially among boys, as factors potentially associated with lower prevalence of overweight during adolescence. Full article

Introduction: Prelacteal feeding, the practice of giving newborns substances other than breast milk within the first few days of life, remains a common yet harmful practice in many low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. No evidence in Ethiopia indicates that mHealth can help improve prelacteal feeding. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of mobile health (mHealth) intervention on reducing prelacteal feeding practices and improving antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) utilization among mothers in South Ethiopia. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial (CRT) was conducted in rural areas of South Ethiopia. A total of 20 clusters were selected using simple random sampling for intervention (mHealth) and control groups, each containing 340 women. Mothers in the intervention group received automated weekly SMS messages and reminders on exclusive breastfeeding, prelacteal feeding risks, ANC, and PNC. Mothers were only selected if they could read, write, and use mobile phones. Results: The mHealth intervention significantly reduced prelacteal feeding practice (AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.06–0.58); p < 0.05). Higher ANC visits related to decreased prelacteal feeding (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.21–0.39; p < 0.001). The log count of ANC visit increased by 0.14 among intervention groups (IRR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06–1.25; p < 0.001). The PNC time was delayed 2.05 days among controls (β = −2.05, 95% CI: −2.66–−1.42; p < 0.001). Maternal and partner education, postnatal time, and ANC visits influenced prelacteal feeding. Conclusions: This finding might suggest that mHealth can reduce prelacteal feeding practices and improve maternal healthcare behaviors such as ANC attendance and timely PNC. These findings highlight the potential of mobile health interventions in promoting healthy maternal and infant practices in rural settings, where healthcare access is limited. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impacts of such interventions on maternal and child health outcomes. Multi-level analysis reduced variability. However, an unexplained variance could be reduced by including more cluster-level variables. Full article

As mobility and transport activities declined during the COVID-19 lockdowns, transactions and operations became increasingly dependent on digitalisation. This shift reduced the need for carbon-emissions-intensive fossil-fuel-based transportation. Using a panel of thirteen (13) Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries over the period 2002–2021, the analysis captures financial inclusion through indicators of ATM density and commercial bank accessibility, while digital inclusion is measured using mobile phone subscriptions and internet penetration. On this basis, it investigates the effects of (a) financial and (b) digital inclusion, and (c) the moderation of financial and digital inclusion on transport-related carbon emissions. Employing the Panel Two-Stage Estimated Generalised Least Square (EGLS) analysis on data obtained from the World Bank database and Our World in Data, the findings reveal statistically significant outcomes. Increasing ATM accessibility, commercial bank branch accessibility and mobile phone subscription rates are associated with reduced transport-related emissions. In contrast, enhanced internet access does not contribute to transport-related carbon emissions. Moderation analyses further indicate that the interaction of the accessibility of ATMs or commercial bank branches with internet access do not lead to a further reduction in carbon emissions than the individual ones but might have a slightly opposing direction (that still do not annihilate the individual effects). Findings show that only the moderation of ATM accessibility and mobile subscriptions reduce transport-related carbon emissions further than the individual effects. Taking the economic development of most SADC countries in the last 20 years into account, the study recommends strategic investment in advanced digital innovations, particularly linked with mobile devices, to strengthen digital banking efficiency and improve customer service while supporting emission-reducing pathways. Full article

The Indonesian government should seriously consider the use of renewable energy, given the natural potential that can still be utilized as an environmentally friendly power source. The utilization of renewable energy can be achieved by harnessing available natural resources. Pico hydro power plants (PLTPHs) can serve as an alternative electricity generator for use in Indonesia due to the existing natural potential. The output from this power plant can be utilized directly or stored in batteries. Directly measuring the generator’s performance on-site is deemed less effective. Therefore, a monitoring system is introduced as a solution to allow remote monitoring and display parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, and power of the generator online. This system is designed to display the micro hydro generator’s output parameter data on the Blynk application. The display on the Blynk application can be monitored via a connected mobile phone. Testing of the monitoring system was carried out by comparing two sets of measurements: one through the PZEM-004T sensor system and the other through a kWh meter (Kilowatt-hour meter). For the AC output from the battery with a 12-watt lamp load (tested 4 times), the reading error values obtained were a voltage reading error of 0.2%, a current reading error of 19.4%, a frequency reading error of 0.67%, and a power reading error of 18.2%. Full article

This study analyzes domestic tourism mobility in Spain using aggregated and anonymized mobile phone data, with a particular focus on the outbound market of the municipality of Madrid and its territorial redistribution between September 2019 and September 2025. Using experimental statistics from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), a monthly series of origin–destination flows to all Spanish municipalities was constructed, harmonizing the municipal database and incorporating intensive indicators to improve inter-territorial comparability. The spatiotemporal dynamics were integrated into a Space–Time Cube (monthly resolution), and Emerging Hot Spot Analysis (EHSA) was applied to classify the persistence, intensification, or attenuation of high- and low-intensity clusters. Additionally, the grouping of time series allowed for the identification of seasonal patterns associated with coastal, urban, and nearby inland destinations. The results show: (i) a synchronous disruption in the spring of 2020 linked to COVID-19; (ii) a staggered recovery beginning in 2021, consolidating in 2023–2025; and (iii) a dual structural pattern, with a strong concentration of volumes in large urban and coastal hubs, along with high relative intensities in small municipalities in the ring surrounding Madrid. EHSA identifies intensifying hotspots in established coastal systems (Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca) and cooling or attenuated dynamics in parts of the inland region, consistent with the reconfiguration of the “tourism radius” following the pandemic. Limitations arising from statistical confidentiality and the representativeness of the source are discussed, and future research directions are proposed based on the integration of the information with expenditure and transportation data and on spatiotemporal modeling to support destination planning and management. Full article

Phishing messages have evolved from simple fraud templates into socially engineered texts that exploit anxiety, trust, relational obligation, and culturally embedded norms. In Korean phishing messages, attackers frequently combine institutional authority, family or acquaintance framing, requests for cooperation, and urgency cues to induce concrete victim actions such as money transfer, link clicking, phone contact, app installation, or credential submission. However, prior studies have largely emphasized binary phishing detection while offering limited interpretability regarding how such messages mobilize social and cultural persuasion strategies. This study proposes a culturally aware large language model framework for analyzing social engineering tactics in Korean phishing messages. The framework is built on a multidimensional codebook that represents the message text, phishing label, tactic type, relation type, requested action, cultural lever, and evidence span, enabling structured and explainable analysis beyond simple classification. To operationalize this framework, an OpenChat-based model is fine-tuned with QLoRA to generate structured outputs that jointly predict the phishing status and socially relevant attributes, while evidence-span supervision is incorporated to improve grounding and explanation consistency. The evaluation examines not only phishing-detection performance but also attribute-level prediction accuracy, evidence alignment, parsing reliability, and human-rated usefulness and trustworthiness. By integrating the cultural context, relational framing, and evidence-grounded explanation into LLM-based phishing analysis, this study provides an interpretable analytical framework for Korean phishing messages and an evidence-grounded basis for analyst-supportive phishing triage. On the 82-sample authoritative clean hold-out split, Model D produced error-free label predictions and achieved 0.841 exact-match core and 0.886 span-F1. However, because the evaluation used a single 82-sample internal hold-out split and no independent external corpus, these results should be interpreted as feasibility evidence under leakage-controlled conditions rather than as proof of deployment-level robustness or cross-domain generalization. The main contribution of this study is therefore not improved binary detection over strong lexical baselines, but the structured and evidence-grounded representation of Korean phishing persuasion tactics for analyst-supportive triage. Full article

In recent years, augmented reality has become a popular method of spatial data visualization, both via the most popular and basic plane-based method and more advanced automatic positioning of visualizations based on predefined real-world locations. The aim of this study is to provide new insights into geolocated 3D visualizations in AR using a visual positioning system (VPS). VPS technology enables the creation of visualizations that can be displayed with high accuracy directly on a specific area of interest. This approach is especially well-suited to cultural heritage preservation, as it can be used to visualize destroyed buildings or archaeological sites. The result of the study is a mobile application created using the Unity game engine, which allows users to access AR visualizations as well as additional context in the form of pop-up texts or photographs. Thanks to the display of AR visualization directly at the chosen location, the user can better understand the context of the whole scene. This is because it is a more immersive experience than simply viewing a 3D model on a computer or mobile phone screen. Full article

Rationale and objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) significantly affects visual function, especially convergence and eye movements, impacting tasks such as reading. The objective was to investigate preliminarily the impact of the use of digital visual training in PD patients with associated convergence insufficiency (CI). Materials and methods: Pre–post pseudo-experimental pilot study to evaluate the impact of a novel digital therapy system (video game for use on a mobile phone or tablet) in 13 patients with PD and CI, with a mean age of 67 years. A comprehensive visual assessment was performed before and after a 6-week home-based visual rehabilitation, including measurement of near point of convergence (NPC), near positive fusional vergence (PFV), oculomotor tests (NSUCO and King-Devick tests), and symptom assessments with two validated questionnaires (CISS and SQVD). Results: Treatment adherence was variable, ranging from 0.8% to 124.7%. Despite this, significant improvements were found after therapy in break (p = 0.022) and recovery points of the NPC (p = 0.007), as well as break (p = 0.003) and recovery points in near PFV (p < 0.001). In the NSUCO test, the total score improved significantly from 23.9 ± 4.2 to 26.2 ± 3.7 after therapy (p = 0.003). Furthermore, a significant reduction in the total King-Devick test time was observed, decreasing from 79.4 ± 28.8 s to 69.0 ± 21.5 s with therapy (p = 0.034). Finally, symptom questionnaire scores also decreased significantly with therapy (CISS p = 0.037, SQVD p < 0.001). Conclusions: The digital vision therapy system evaluated seems to improve oculomotor control and reduce visual symptoms associated with CI in PD patients. Studies with larger sample sizes and a control group are needed to fully validate the therapeutic effectiveness of this tool. Full article

The carriage of portable electronic devices (PED) powered by lithium-ion batteries in the aircraft cabin today is a fact. Passengers carry several such batteries in mobile phones, tablets, laptops, e-cigarettes, power banks, etc. Even though rare, there is a remaining risk that a Li-ion battery experiences thermal runaway. This typically results in the emission of smoke and gas as well as the emergence of flames and fire, thus posing a threat to safe operation. To meet this challenge, procedures have been defined, and additional mitigation means have emerged on the market. This study presents an anonymized assessment of additional mitigation means. For this, manufacturers provided samples of their product on a voluntary basis to test the potential to contain a Li-ion battery fire. Furthermore, handling was evaluated by a panel of cabin crew members. As a result, a series of recommendations for additional mitigation means and procedures was derived. Full article

This study analyses visitor dynamics in the municipality of Rascafría, located within the El Paular Valley cultural landscape in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain). Rather than conducting a landscape value analysis, the research serves as a diagnostic test of the complementarity and divergence between two data sources: official visitor records from the National Park and experimental statistics derived from mobile phone geolocation data provided by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). The methodology combines GIS-based cartographic representation with a battery of indicators to characterize the spatiotemporal structure of tourist flows. A central finding is the complementation between the two sources: INE mobile phone data exclude intra-provincial visitors from the Madrid region, which official records show constitute approximately 78% of total visitation. Consequently, mobile data portray an artificially national and international market profile (weighted average distance ≈ 211 km) that contradicts the well-documented proximity-based excursionism dominant in the area, evidencing a critical bias in INE data. The Spearman correlation (r = 0.64) between the two sources confirms that mobile data capture the general seasonal pattern but not the volume or the local nature of demand. The results underscore the potential of geolocated data for understanding non-metropolitan tourism structures, while simultaneously serving as a cautionary guide for heritage managers: “smart” data sources require heavy supplementation with traditional on-the-ground counting methods to accurately reflect the reality of proximity-based heritage consumption. The paper contributes a high-value methodological assessment for researchers and practitioners seeking to integrate experimental statistics into the management of protected cultural landscapes. Full article