Search Results (99)

The sustainable development of teaching expertise in research-intensive universities remains a critical global challenge. This study investigates the distinctive characteristics of expert teachers—exemplary faculty in research universities—addressing their developmental trajectories and motivational mechanisms within prevailing incentive systems that prioritize research productivity over pedagogical excellence. Employing grounded theory methodology, we conducted iterative coding of 20,000-word interview transcripts from 13 teaching-awarded professors at Chinese “Double First-Class” universities. Key findings reveal the following: (1) Compared to the original K-12 expert teacher model, university-level teaching experts exhibit distinctive disciplinary mastery—characterized by systematic knowledge structuring and cross-disciplinary integration capabilities. (2) Their developmental trajectory transcends linear expertise acquisition, instead manifesting as a problem-solving continuum across four nonlinear phases: career initiation, dilemma adaptation, theoretical consciousness, and leadership expansion. (3) Sustainable teaching excellence relies fundamentally on teachers’ professional passion, sustained through a virtuous cycle of high-quality instructional engagement and external validation (including positive student feedback, institutional recognition, and peer collaboration). Universities must establish comprehensive support systems—including (a) fostering a supportive and flexible learning atmosphere, (b) reforming evaluation mechanisms, and (c) facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration through teaching development communities—to institutionalize this developmental ecosystem. Full article

With the rapid pace of urbanization, cities are increasingly facing severe challenges related to environmental pollution, ecological degradation, and climate change. Extreme climate events—such as heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall, and wildfires—have intensified public concern about sustainability, environmental protection, and low-carbon development. Ensuring environmental preservation while maintaining residents’ quality of life has become a central focus of urban governance. In this context, evaluating green indicators and predicting urban greenness is both necessary and urgent. This study incorporates international frameworks such as the EU Green City Index, the European Green Capital Award, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to assess urban sustainability. The Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm is employed to predict the green level of cities and to develop multiple optimized models. Comparative analysis with traditional models demonstrates that XGBoost achieves superior performance, with an accuracy of 0.84 and an F1-score of 0.81. Case study findings identify “Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Person” and “Per Capita Emissions from Transport” as the most critical indicators. These results provide practical guidance for policymakers, suggesting that targeted regulations based on these key factors can effectively support emission reduction and urban sustainability goals. Full article

The quality of rice, one of the most important food crops in the world, is directly related to people’s dietary experience and nutritional health. With the improvement in living standards, consumer requirements for the taste quality of rice are becoming increasingly strict. Japonica rice occupies an important position in rice production due to its rich genetic diversity and excellent agronomic characteristics. In this study, LJ433, JY653, LJ218, LJ177, LY66, and LX21, which are mainly popularized in northern China and have different taste values, were selected as the experimental subjects, and YJ219, which won the gold award in the third China high-quality rice variety taste quality evaluation, was taken as the control (CK). Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and spectral analysis were adopted as the main detection techniques. The effects of free water (peak area increased by 13.24–86.68% when p < 0.05), bound water, appearance characteristics (such as chalkiness, which decreased by 18.48–86.48%), and chemical composition (amylose content decreased by 3.76–26.47%) on the taste value of rice were systematically analyzed, and a multi-dimensional “appearance–palatability–nutrition” evaluation system was constructed. The experimental results indicated that increasing the free water content, reducing the chalkiness and chemical component content could significantly improve the taste value of rice (p < 0.05). The results of this research provide a theoretical basis for breeding new high-yield and high-quality rice varieties and have guiding significance for the practice of rice planting and processing. Full article

Wuyi Shuixian tea, a premium oolong tea known for its complex floral-fruity aroma, exhibits significant quality variations across different grades. This study systematically analyzed the aroma characteristics and key fragrant compounds of four grades (Grand Prize SA, First Prize SB, Outstanding Award SC, and Non-award SD) using headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), odor activity value (OAV) analysis, and multivariate statistical methods. A total of 159 volatile compounds were identified, with similar compound categories but distinct concentration gradients between grades. OAV-splitting analysis (based on OAV ≥ 1 as the threshold for aroma activity) identified β-ionone (fruity), octanal (fatty), and linalool (floral) as core aroma-active contributors, as their OAV values significantly exceeded 10 in awarded grades (SA, SB, SC), indicating dominant roles in sensory perception. Notably, linalool, a floral marker, showed a concentration gradient (SA > SB > SC) and was absent in SD, serving as a critical determinant of grade differentiation. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) further distinguished awarded grades (SA, SB, SC) by balanced fruity, floral, and woody notes, while SD lacked floral traits and exhibited burnt aromas. This classification was supported by hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) of volatile profiles and principal component analysis (PCA). Electronic nose data validated these findings, showing strong correlations between sensor responses (W5S/W2W) and key compounds like hexanal and β-ionone. This study elucidates the molecular basis of aroma-driven quality grading in Wuyi Shuixian tea, providing a scientific framework for optimizing processing techniques and enhancing quality evaluation standards. The integration of chemical profiling with sensory attributes advances precision in tea industry practices, bridging traditional grading with objective analytical metrics. Full article

This study investigates the integration of resilience attributes—flexibility, environmental comfort, and ecological adequacy—into social housing projects developed between 2013 and 2023 in architectural competitions in Brazil and Portugal. The research aims to evaluate the presence and quality of these attributes in awarded proposals and to assess the alignment between design solutions and the Terms of Reference (TRs) of the competitions, identifying regulatory gaps and providing recommendations to enhance future guidelines. Methodologically, the study applies a multi-criteria matrix, adapted to different climatic and socio-cultural contexts, to conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 120 projects. The results show average to good performance in categories such as Environmental Comfort and Typologies, but significant weaknesses in Water and Waste Management, Energy Efficiency, and the use of Low-Impact Materials. The findings highlight the need for TRs to incorporate more specific resilience guidelines, including strategies for water reuse, energy efficiency, and adaptive capacity. The main contribution of this research is to provide a detailed diagnostic and propose evidence-based recommendations to improve architectural competitions for social housing, fostering more resilient and sustainable solutions aligned with contemporary challenges. The originality lies in the systematic analysis of how resilience concepts can be operationalized from the early design stages. Full article

In 2023, the Italian Bracigliano sweet cherries were awarded the important European label PGI. However, reliable information on the compositional and nutraceutical quality of this product is still relatively undefined and fragmented. Therefore, we investigated fresh Bracigliano PGI cherries (Pallaccia, Spernocchia, and Principe varieties) via HRMAS NMR spectroscopy in the semi-solid state, even though it represents an innovative and powerful technique that is still drastically unexplored. We demonstrated the HRMAS NMR suitability for this fruit type as well as identified the primary metabolome of studied Bracigliano PGI types. Moreover, chemometric techniques (ANOVA, PCA, and PLS-DA) permitted the significant definition of a variety-specific compositional fingerprint. HRMAS data were associated with the assessment of chemical and nutraceutical quality parameters. Importantly, in all studied varieties, a relatively high content of total phenols and antioxidant agents was detected, with Pallaccia cherries resulting as the healthiest ones. The heatmap clusterization revealed interesting correlations between HRMAS-NMR data and important quality parameters. Our results confirm the role of HRMAS in food chemistry and invite the creation of a spectral database of Bracigliano sweet cherries, useful to conduct traceability studies, protect consumers from frauds, and bolster the producers in promoting and certifying the quality of their products. Full article

The publication of Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening: A Systematic Review-Driven Consensus Guideline from the United States Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) presents the challenge of implementation. CFF is prepared to partner with stakeholders to enhance newborn screening (NBS) practices. Through funding provided to the Center for Public Health Innovation (CPHI), the CFF has helped establish two genetic testing resource centers to help states implement CFTR sequencing within the NBS algorithm. CPHI, with CFF funding, is facilitating quality improvement collaboratives that unite CF clinicians and NBS staff nationwide to share best practices in laboratory methods, communication, and education. CFF continues to fund the Screening Improvement Program Award for Optimizing the Diagnosis of Infants and has developed a toolkit to help CF care teams collaborate with NBS programs on guideline implementation. Together, these initiatives aim to support states and CF providers in adapting their algorithms and processes. By identifying current best practices to improve timeliness, sensitivity, and equity in CF NBS, CFF seeks to promote better outcomes for all individuals with CF. Recognizing the competing demands on state public health departments, CFF is committed to partnering with stakeholders to ensure meaningful improvements in CF NBS. Full article

Genome-editing technology has advanced significantly since the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9). While CRISPR–Cas9 has become widely used in academic research, its social implementation has lagged due to unresolved patent disputes and slower progress in gene function analysis. To address this, new approaches bypassing direct gene function analysis are needed, with bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) playing crucial roles. NGS is essential for sequencing the genome of target species, but challenges such as data quality, genome heterogeneity, ploidy, and small individual sizes persist. Despite these issues, advancements in sequencing technologies, like PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) long reads and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C), have improved genome sequencing. Bioinformatics contributes to genome editing through off-target prediction and target gene selection, both of which require accurate genome sequence information. In this review, I will give updates on the development of genome editing and bioinformatics technologies with a focus on the rapid progress in genome sequencing. Full article

Plant-based products are gaining increasing popularity, making a vegetarian diet a fundamental part of nutrition among many social groups. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of selected vegetarian products available on the Polish market and their homemade counterparts. Additionally, consumer preferences and dietary behaviors regarding vegetarian diets and products available on the Polish market were analyzed. The consumer evaluation of the intensity of selected sensory attributes using the five-point scale method showed that, among the hummus samples, the natural hummus received the highest rating among all the tested products. In the falafel group, the homemade falafel received the highest scores. The consumer preference assessment using the ranking method, which considered the taste of the products, indicated that traditional hummus received the highest scores. In the falafel group, the highest number of points was awarded to the homemade falafel and the chickpea–spelt falafel. The majority of respondents declared that the taste of the tested products was a very important quality determinant. The choice of plant-based products made by consumers primarily depends on individual dietary preferences. The key determinant influencing consumers when selecting plant-based products is taste, which plays a crucial role in their decision to repurchase. Full article

Cerebral plasticity is the ability of the brain to change and adapt in response to experience or learning. Its hallmarks are developmental flexibility, complex interactions between genetic and environmental influences, and structural–functional changes comprising neurogenesis, axonal sprouting, and synaptic remodeling. Studies on brain plasticity have important practical implications. The molecular characteristics of changes in brain plasticity may reveal disease course and the rehabilitative potential of the patient. Neurological disorders are linked with numerous cerebral non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), in particular, microRNAs; the discovery of their essential role in gene regulation was recently recognized and awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2024. Herein, we review the association of brain plasticity and its homeostasis with ncRNAs, which make them putative targets for RNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics. New insight into the concept of brain plasticity may provide additional perspectives on functional recovery following brain damage. Knowledge of this phenomenon will enable physicians to exploit the potential of cerebral plasticity and regulate eloquent networks with timely interventions. Future studies may reveal pathophysiological mechanisms of brain plasticity at macro- and microscopic levels to advance rehabilitation strategies and improve quality of life in patients with neurological diseases. Full article

Out-of-home meals are characterized by poor nutritional quality, and their intake has been linked to adverse health outcomes. Therefore, national and local government initiatives have been implemented in the UK to promote healthier out-of-home meals. However, there is limited evidence of their effectiveness. This study evaluated the fat content and fatty acid profile of takeaway meals from ‘standard’ and from Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC)-approved takeaway outlets. Meals from 14 ‘standard’ and 13 ‘HCC-awarded’ takeaways (74 meals and 26 side dishes) were analyzed for total fat and fatty acid composition. No statistically significant differences in total fat, saturated, and trans fatty acids per 100 g and per portion between HCC and standard meals were observed, except for donner kebabs. Over 70% of all meals contained more than the recommended 30% of daily fat intake from a single meal. Some meals could provide more than 50% of the recommended total fat and SFAs intake. Despite businesses participating in the healthier out-of-home meal initiative, there has not been a significant improvement in the nutritional quality of the meals they offer. Further research to develop effective approaches to support independent takeaway businesses in offering meals with improved nutritional quality is warranted. Full article

The present study aims to evaluate and compare some of the main indicators characterizing Bulgarian linden honey depending on the geographical origin. A total of 18 samples were collected from the six regions of Bulgaria, with 3 samples from each region taken from different producers during the 2023 harvest. The physicochemical indicators: hydroxymethylfurfural content, diastase activity, pH, color, water content and electrical conductivity, as well as organoleptic and pollen characteristics, were analyzed. Antioxidant activity was also investigated by several methods: total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compounds by the Glories method, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical activity, CUPRAC (Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity), iron-reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) assay, and radical scavenging capacity in terms of ABTS•+, ORAC (oxygen radical antioxidant capacity). Differences were found depending on the region. All the studied honeys from the Northern Central Region contained higher Tilia sp. pollen. In the Southwestern Region, Tilia sp. pollen was not detected in any of the honey samples. The highest sensory score was awarded to linden honey from the Northern Central Region. An overall assessment ranks linden honey from the Northern Central region, the richest in linden forests, as the highest quality among the six studied regions. Another key finding was that 39% of linden honey labeled or declared as monofloral linden honey on the Bulgarian market does not meet the established criteria for monofloral honey. Full article

The Automatic Essay Scoring (AES) task aims to automatically evaluate the quality of papers through machines, thereby reducing the burden on teachers and improving the fairness of grading. Although pretrained models perform well in natural language processing (NLP) tasks, in the AES field, large pretrained language models like BERT have not shown greater advantages than other deep learning models such as CNN. Existing research has often analyzed articles as a whole, ignoring the differences in the importance of information in each part of the article. In response to this issue, this article proposes a new framework based on BERT, which adopts a multi-scale key information weighting method, focusing on important information at the token, sentence, paragraph, and document scales to express the semantic content of core ideas more effectively. In addition, this article enhances the model’s ability to identify key information through data augmentation techniques. The evaluation results using quadratic weighted kappa (QWK) indicate that the framework outperforms existing mainstream models on the Public Automatic Student Assessment Award (ASAP) dataset. Full article

The project “Optimizing Selection Pressures and Pest Management to Maximize Cultivation Yield” (OSPREY, award #DE-EE08902) was undertaken to enhance the annual productivity, stability, and quality of algal production strains for biofuels and bioproducts. The foundation of this project was the year-round cultivation of a Nannochloropsis strain across three outdoor systems in California, Hawaii, and New Mexico. We aimed to leverage environmental selection pressures to drive strain improvement and use metagenomic techniques to inform pest management tools. The resulting dataset includes environmental and biological parameters from these cultivation campaigns, captured in a single CSV file. This dataset aims to serve a wide range of end users, from biologists to algal farmers, addressing the scarcity of publicly available data on algae cultivation. Further data releases will include 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and shotgun sequencing datasets. Full article

Making cities health-promoting places is an evolving theme. Numerous studies confirm the health-promoting qualities of contact with nature and problems resulting from the deprivation of access to public green spaces. Easy access to safe and inclusive public green spaces is still one of the long-lasting problems of urbanized areas around the globe. It is one of the sustainable development goals, SDGs, proposed by the UN: 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Point 11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities. The major question is how to implement this goal in practice and design cities to provide easy access to safe and inclusive public green spaces. One of the important concepts for sustainable urban development is the urban block, Macrolot, coined by Christian de Portzamparc, which led to the new urban morphology of eco-neighborhoods in France. It combines the traditional, walkable urban grid with the Le Corbusier vision for a healthy modernist city offering daylight, fresh air, and greenery for everyone. Among the advantages of this particular urban morphology are the increased presence of green spaces and possibilities for placemaking. Studying the effects of the urban form of the Macrolot is of great significance for sustainable urban development. In this study, five neighborhoods—three eco-neighborhoods from France designed according to the open urban block, Macrolot urban morphology, ZAC Massena, ZAC Trapeze, and ZAC Clichy-Batignolles, and two award-winning developments from Poland, Riverview and Ostoja Wilanów—were chosen as case studies. The application of the Macrolot concept to sustainable urban planning and design and the possibilities for operationalization of the SDG—11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable—are discussed. This study offers valuable evidence to inform urban planning and design. Full article