Search Results (1,099)

The article introduces the Hylomorphism Inventory (HI), a new instrument designed to measure lay beliefs about the soul–body relationship that are congruent with the Aristotelian–Thomistic framework of hylomorphism. Although research on intuitive ontology has predominantly focused on dualist and monist models, the hylomorphic perspective—central to Catholic anthropology yet difficult to articulate in everyday cognition—remains largely unexplored. Drawing on research in intuitive anthropology, we conceptualize hylomorphic beliefs as endorsing the human person as a psychophysical unity in which the soul functions as the organizing form of the body. Using a theory-driven approach and expert evaluation, we developed an initial 10-item scale and tested it in a nationwide online sample of Polish adults (n = 407). Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), supported by nonparametric Mokken scaling, converged on a primarily unidimensional 9-item solution with high internal consistency (α = 0.89, ordinal α = 0.91, ω ≈ 0.90). Validity analyses revealed that HI scores were strongly associated with beliefs emphasizing the integration of body, mind, and soul, but only weakly related to their mere endorsement as components. This pattern suggests that what distinguishes hylomorphism at the psychological level is not belief in the soul per se, but belief in the unity of the human person. The HI provides a parsimonious tool for differentiating lay anthropological models and enables empirical investigation of how hylomorphism-congruent beliefs relate to moral reasoning, spiritual practices, and broader psychological functioning. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early-onset epilepsy is associated with a high risk of developing drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), often manifesting as developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). This study aimed to characterize the incidence, syndromes, comorbidities, and etiology of early-onset DRE in Estonia. Methods: This study is a continuation of our earlier nationwide, population-based investigation and included all children with early-onset epilepsy (seizure onset before two years) who developed drug resistance in Estonia between 2013 and 2017 (n = 37). Cases were identified at the country’s only two pediatric neurology departments, ensuring nationwide coverage. Clinical data, electroencephalography, neuroimaging, genetic investigations (chromosomal microarray, single-gene tests, gene panels, exome/genome sequencing), and etiology were analyzed overall and by epilepsy type or syndrome. Results: A total of 37 children with early-onset DRE were included. The incidence of early-onset DRE was 26.5 per 100,000 person-years, peaking in the first year of life (36.1). Drug resistance developed in 43% within six months and 65% within one year. DEEs accounted for 76% of cases, most commonly infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS/West syndrome, 35%). Structural abnormalities were observed in 49% of cases (50% of DEEs), most commonly congenital brain malformations (22%). Pathogenic genetic findings were identified in 41% overall (43% of DEEs). The etiology was established in 78% of children with DRE. Among DEEs, it was found in all Dravet syndrome patients (100%) and 62% of those with IESS/West syndrome. Global developmental delay/intellectual disability occurred in 86%, and motor impairment in 46%. Conclusions: Early-onset DRE, often presenting as DEE, has high incidence, progresses rapidly to drug resistance, and causes substantial comorbidities. Full article

Power battery enterprises are a key link in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain. However, studies analyzing the investment layout of power battery enterprises from a micro perspective are relatively scarce. This study takes Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) as a case and employs various spatial analysis methods and an optimal parameter-based geographical detector (OPGD) to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of its investment layout from 2020 to 2024. The results indicate that CATL’s investment center has shifted from Jiangxi to Hubei, and the spatial expansion axis has changed from a northwest–southeast to a southwest–northeast direction. The investment layout has evolved from a “one core with two secondary cores” structure to a “provincial dual core, multi-core outside the province” structure and, ultimately, to a nationwide networked pattern. By 2024, CATL’s investment network covered the southeastern coast, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), the Pearl River Delta (PRD), central China, and southwestern regions. County-level spatial autocorrelation analysis shows that the investment agglomeration effect has continuously strengthened (with the global Moran’s I increasing from 0.006 to 0.025). High–high agglomeration areas gradually expanded from the southeastern coast to Xiamen and several provinces in central and western China, while high–low agglomeration areas, as early signals of investment diffusion, initially expanded and then contracted. The driving mechanism analysis reveals that fiscal support (q = 0.668), industrial structure upgrading (q = 0.585), tax burden (q = 0.543), and economic development (q = 0.536) are the primary factors driving investment layout, with significant synergistic effects between these factors. The synergy between industrial structure upgrading and clean energy supply stands out as particularly prominent. These findings contribute to optimizing the spatial layout of the NEV industry and promoting regional economic development. Full article

Background: Most penicillin allergy labels are documented in early childhood and result from events of low risk for allergy. In Germany, evidence-based strategies to evaluate the likelihood of a true penicillin allergy are still lacking. As general practitioner input is indispensable regarding required resources for the implementation of successful delabeling strategies in outpatient care, a mixed-methods study in Baden-Württemberg, Germany explored untapped delabeling potential and conditions for successful initiatives based on their experiences, to support preservation of penicillin as a treatment option and prevent resistance development. Methods: A cross-sectional convergent mixed-methods study was conducted with an online survey and semi-structured interviews. The survey link and invitation to participate in an interview was sent to randomly selected publicly available e-mail addresses. Survey data were analyzed descriptively. Qualitative data were analyzed inductively based on thematic analysis. Results: n = 101 survey questionnaires and n = 15 interviews were analyzed regarding relevance, experiences, framework conditions, and potential approaches to delabeling. All participants with limited recollection of the index reaction. Most participants considered delabeling a highly relevant topic in general practice. Delabeling efforts were discouraged by lack of time, expertise, and remuneration, and uncertainty due to missing guidelines. Taking a sufficient medical history and, if necessary, subsequent testing were seen as one approach to delabeling. For a standardized approach in primary care, patient and care provider education, precise guideline recommendations, and delabeling expert teams were suggested. Conclusions: The findings mirror aspects already identified in international research. A nationwide survey with general practitioners could confirm that addressing necessary resources and systemic adjustments would support effective penicillin allergy delabeling in outpatient care. Full article

Thermal conductivity is a key input parameter in geotechnical and shallow geothermal engineering, directly influencing the design, efficiency, and long-term performance of ground heat exchangers, energy piles, and ground-source heat pump systems. Reliable parameterisation of this property in sandy soils remains challenging due to nonlinear interactions between water content, bulk density, and soil structure. This study develops a machine-learning-based workflow for robust parameterisation of thermal conductivity in quartz-rich sands using a large, internally consistent laboratory dataset comprising 1716 samples, including 1455 moist measurements used for modelling, obtained from nationwide site investigations. Air-dry specimens were identified as laboratory-induced drying states and excluded to restrict the analysis to hydro-mechanical conditions representative of typical shallow subsurface environments. Several regression algorithms representing different modelling strategies were evaluated within a unified and reproducible framework and benchmarked against selected classical empirical formulations. Model performance was assessed using standard accuracy metrics together with diagnostics describing the functional stability of predicted thermal-conductivity surfaces. The results reveal a systematic trade-off between predictive accuracy and functional consistency, indicating that models optimised for accuracy may produce functionally unstable and less suitable parameterisations for engineering applications. Accuracy-optimised models frequently produce locally irregular parameter fields, whereas more strongly regularised models yield smoother and physically more coherent response surfaces. The proposed workflow supports reliable thermal-property parameterisation for geotechnical design and shallow geothermal modelling. Full article

The expansion of China’s digital economy (DE) has begun to reshape agricultural production in ways that extend beyond efficiency gains, raising important questions about its implications for the long-term sustainable intensification of cultivated land use (SCU). Drawing on panel data from 31 provincial-level regions between 2011 and 2023, this study examines how digital development influences cultivated land sustainability from the perspectives of productivity, resource efficiency, and system resilience. The results indicate that digital advancement is closely associated with higher land productivity and more efficient input use, with digital industrialization playing a particularly pronounced role. Its contribution to land system resilience, however, appears more limited, likely because ecological stability and structural risk-buffering mechanisms respond slowly to technological change. Further analysis suggests that agricultural industrialization (AID) and Rural financing capacity (RFC) function as important transmission channels through which digital development shapes land-use outcomes. Notably, the effects are not uniform. The influence of digital development becomes more evident after 2015, when digital infrastructure and policy support deepened nationwide. Regional differences are also apparent: while the eastern region has already absorbed much of the early digital dividend, stronger marginal gains remain possible in central and western China, where agricultural modernization and digital integration are still unfolding. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening rural digital infrastructure, enhancing farmers’ digital capabilities, and improving digitally enabled financial services to support sustainable land use, particularly in less-developed regions. Full article

Modern agriculture must combine profitability with environmental protection and food safety by using advanced knowledge and continuously introducing new technologies. The study aimed to evaluate the diversification of precision farming in Poland and identify limitations to its development. The study used literature reviews and two secondary data sources: the Local Database of the Central Statistical Office (GUS) regarding the share of farms using precision farming solutions by voivodeship and the nationwide precision farming survey conducted by the Polish Space Industry Foundation. The survey included 432 agricultural producers from across Poland. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, cluster analysis, and a chi-squared (χ²) test. Existing research shows that advanced precision farming technologies in Poland have been implemented only on a limited number of farms. This is due to limited knowledge among agricultural producers, the small scale of production on most farms, and high investment costs. These technologies include equipping farms with sprayers for strip application of plant protection products during sowing or planting, precision irrigation or weed control, variable-dose fertilizers or plant protection products, and soil sampling for analysis. The use of precision farming technologies varies regionally. They are primarily used on large farms located in western and northern Poland. The study’s results may be helpful to decision-makers in agricultural policy and to agricultural producers. Full article

Non-motorized mobility networks increasingly serve as critical infrastructure for sustainable regional development that integrates recreational, environmental, and transportation functions across diverse geographical contexts. To enhance the spatial planning efficiency and support evidence-based policy development, this study develops a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based analytical framework to evaluate the connectivity and accessibility of Korea’s integrated non-motorized mobility system. The model systematically maps 606 walking courses, 60 cycling routes, and 66 water activity sites nationwide, and examines their spatial relationships with major transportation hubs, including Korea Train e-Xpress (KTX) stations and airports within 20–30 km buffer zones. Using proximity analysis, connectivity mapping, and origin–destination (OD) cost matrix modeling, the framework identifies intermodal distance structures and spatial integration patterns. The analysis reveals a hybrid network configuration characterized by localized multimodal clustering alongside regional accessibility gaps, with urban–coastal regions demonstrating stronger connectivity than inland–rural areas. This study proposes a data-driven Korean mobility network framework that integrates walking, cycling, and water routes with the existing transportation infrastructure. These findings demonstrate how GIS-based tools can support evidence-based sustainable mobility policies and regional tourism planning on a national scale. Full article

The access and benefit sharing (ABS) concept was originally intended to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of biological resources and traditional knowledge for research and development (R and D). Many anecdotal studies suggest that global regulatory models are failing to deliver expected outcomes, with increasing calls to rethink ABS governance. Through the first nationwide survey of Australian scientists, this article aims to fill a significant gap in empirical research about biological resource user perspectives on the effectiveness of ABS regulation. The survey results include insights into: (a) the nature and diversity of bioscience activities; (b) bioscience researcher engagement with benefit sharing and ABS procedures; (c) perspectives of effectiveness (impacts and efficiency); and (d) ideas for regulatory reform. The study finds that participants support benefit sharing goals but generally perceive current approaches to ABS to be ineffective. Highlighting a thriving benefit sharing culture in R and D but low levels of engagement with ABS processes, the study reveals insights into motivations for benefit sharing and indicators of effectiveness for regulatory regimes. The findings offer lessons for countries that are developing ABS measures to achieve conservation, sustainable use, and equity outcomes. Full article

This study assesses the technical feasibility of utilizing aggregated domestic freezers in Turkey as a distributed resource for frequency regulation. A dynamic thermal–electrical model was developed to simulate freezer responses under frequency deviation scenarios representative of real-world grid conditions. The modeled sample of 100,000 deep freezers (80 W each) can deliver approximately 3.2 MW of instantaneous down-regulation under a 40% initial duty cycle. Extrapolating to the estimated 4.7 million eligible freezers nationwide yields a total potential headroom of roughly 150–225 MW, depending on duty-cycle assumptions. The compressor duty cycle and allowable temperature range were identified as key factors influencing both regulation capacity and endurance. Although linear reference temperature control enabled effective participation in FCR-N within the simulated timeframes, it also led to cycle synchronization and peak loads following disturbances. Implementing strategies such as randomized reconnection delays could mitigate these effects. The wide availability of domestic freezers, minimal consumer impact, and broad geographic distribution suggest that this resource represents a promising complement to existing frequency regulation assets, particularly in enhancing grid stability amid increasing renewable energy penetration. Full article

Background: Hospital nutrition is an essential component of patient care; however, the nutritional quality of meals in Polish hospitals has raised concerns for many years. In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Health implemented a nationwide pilot program, “Good Meal in the Hospital,” to improve nutritional quality by developing and implementing a model tailored to patients’ needs. This study aimed to assess the compliance of hospital-standard diets with the program’s assumptions. Methods: Ten-day menus from ten hospitals across different regions of Poland (a total of 100 menus) were analyzed. A quantitative assessment of energy and nutritional values was conducted by calculating the average daily intake of energy and selected nutrients (protein, carbohydrates including sugars (mono- and disaccharides), fat, saturated fatty acids, fiber, and salt) and comparing these with national recommendations for hospital diets for adults. In parallel, a qualitative assessment of ten menu structure criteria was performed using a binary scoring system (0/1). Results: None of the analyzed hospitals met all quantitative and qualitative criteria simultaneously. All hospitals complied with recommendations for protein and carbohydrate content, whereas the most frequent deviations concerned excessive intake of fat, saturated fatty acids, and salt. Qualitative scores ranged from 6 to 10 points, with the most significant shortcomings related to the frequency of legumes and fish. A particularly noteworthy finding was the discrepancy between qualitative and quantitative compliance of the menus. Conclusions: The fact that none of the analyzed hospitals met all program criteria simultaneously indicates the limited effectiveness of its implementation in its current form. Full article

Water is increasingly acknowledged as a limited and strategically critical resource, particularly in regions where hydrological imbalances are structurally persistent. Across Europe, countries such as Spain, Turkey, Italy, and Greece face recurrent water scarcity driven by precipitation regimes characterized by low annual rainfall, pronounced temporal variability, and marked spatial heterogeneity. In response to rising water demand associated with tourism, agricultural intensification, and sustained demographic pressures, Spain has implemented a series of national water-management strategies over the past two decades. Notably, the National Hydrological Plan, enacted in July 2005, introduced more than one hundred immediate actions focused on modernizing hydraulic infrastructure and reinforcing the country’s desalination capacity. Furthermore, the Royal Decree issued in December 2007 established a comprehensive regulatory framework to promote and standardize water reuse practices nationwide. Within this context, reverse osmosis has emerged as a central technology for the desalination of seawater and brackish water, as well as for advanced water-reclamation applications. This work presents a consolidated examination of Spain’s water-resource management framework, drawing on historical material and recent advances to outline the current context of desalination and water reuse. It presents operational performance data from several full-scale reverse osmosis facilities, and reviews recent technological developments in the field, including newly engineered membrane modules, innovative system architectures, and the latest generation of large-diameter RO elements. Together, these advancements illustrate the evolving role of membrane-based desalination and water reuse in supporting water security in semi-arid regions. Full article

The relationship between economic development and residents’ perceived urban well-being remains an important question in urban research. This study examines whether the relationship between GDP and city-level satisfaction exhibits non-linear patterns or plateau effects. Using the 2024 nationwide Urban Physical Examination (UPE) resident survey in China, this study assesses how city economic level relates to perceived urban well-being, proxied by city-level overall satisfaction. The survey was conducted in April–June 2024 in the main urban districts of 47 cities, using 499,500 valid questionnaires. We aggregate satisfaction to the city level, match it with GDP and key city characteristics, and estimate the GDP–satisfaction association using restricted cubic splines (RCS) to test for potential non-linearity. Across unadjusted and covariate-adjusted models (accounting for population scale and density, industrial structure, fiscal capacity, and regional effects), results show a robust positive association between economic level and satisfaction, while nested-model tests provide no evidence that spline terms improve fit over a linear specification within the observed GDP range. Substantial dispersion around the fitted curve indicates that GDP is an enabling capacity rather than a sufficient condition, pointing to cross-city differences in how effectively resources are converted into lived urban quality. We propose using GDP-adjusted satisfaction benchmarking within the UPE cycle to identify underperforming cities and prioritize targeted governance and renewal actions. Full article

A multi-dimensional quantitative assessment of high-quality development (HQD) in China’s livestock industry and the identification of its main constraints are essential to understanding its current stage and future direction. Guided by global sustainability targets and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an evaluation system was constructed by this study. This system integrates five key aspects: product safety, output efficiency, resource conservation, environmental friendliness, and regulatory effectiveness. Using provincial panel data from China for 2013–2022, this research applies the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, kernel density estimation (KDE), and an obstacle degree model for analysis, the goal is to support food security and foster environmentally sustainable growth. The findings indicate the following: (1) Notable inter-provincial disparities exist in the HQD of China’s livestock industry, revealing a spatial pattern of “leading in the east, stable in the center, and lagging in the west.” (2) The nationwide evolution exhibits a “convergence followed by divergence” pattern: from 2013 to 2017, the primary peak of the KDE rose and its width narrowed; from 2018 to 2022, the primary peak declined and its width widened, indicating that inter-provincial disparities first narrowed and then expanded. At the regional level, the development pattern is characterized by eastern polarization, central stability, and western lock-in. (3) Obstacle factor analysis identifies product safety and environmental friendliness as the principal constraints on HQD in the livestock industry. Addressing these bottlenecks is crucial for ensuring the supply of livestock products (SDG 2: Zero Hunger), promoting resource conservation and green production (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production), and alleviating the ecological and environmental pressures of the livestock industry (SDG 15: Protection of Terrestrial Ecosystems). The challenges related to resources, the environment, and quality safety confronting China’s livestock industry are common among developing countries. Consequently, the evaluation framework established in this study can offer methodological references for relevant nations. Full article

China’s dual-carbon targets necessitate a transition toward a greener, safer, and more efficient energy system; however, substantial disparities persist across provinces. This study evaluates high-quality energy development across 30 Chinese provinces (2011–2022) under the dual-carbon agenda and identifies differentiated transition pathways. Using a PCA-TOPSIS framework with regional pattern classification, we find an “east-high, west-low, central-dip” spatial structure and a nationwide improvement trend over time. Beijing and Guangdong remain persistent leaders, whereas the central region is the primary weak link. Green energy and energy innovation are the strongest contributors to provincial performance, highlighting the importance of clean supply and technological capability. Policy implications emphasize differentiated approaches: strengthen innovation leadership in the east, accelerate structural upgrading and clean substitution in central and resource-dependent provinces, and improve infrastructure and market integration to unlock renewable advantages in the west. Full article