Search Results (4,492)

Rural property rights reform is considered paramount for mobilizing land resources and promoting rural entrepreneurship. However, the outcomes of tenure clarification depend on the role of the land in household livelihoods. The study focuses on China’s homestead rights confirmation and examines its effects on farmer entrepreneurship. The analysis is based on data from 2337 households in Jiangsu Province from the 2020 China Land Economic Survey. The application of Probit and endogenous switching Probit models yielded the following finding: confirming homestead rights reduces the probability of farmer entrepreneurship by approximately 11.4 percentage points. This decline can be attributed to several factors, including a decrease in homestead utilization, a shift towards lower-investment-risk preferences, an increase in entrepreneurial risk perception, and a contraction in entrepreneurial social networks. Collectively, these factors contribute to a reshaping of households’ risk evaluation and asset allocation. The negative impact is primarily observed among households with higher dependency ratios, poorer housing conditions, older heads of household, and those residing in less developed areas. The findings indicate that the consequences of property rights confirmation are characterized by institutional and functional specificity, thereby underscoring the necessity for measures that promote land transfer, exit, and risk-sharing to harmonize tenure reform with entrepreneurship. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early intervention is associated with improved outcomes for young children with developmental delays, yet many with mild delays are ineligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Early Discovery (ED) Program addressed this gap by providing short-term, targeted intervention for children ages 0–5 who did not qualify for publicly funded services. This study evaluated program outcomes across intervention types. Methods: During 2024–2025, 342 families completed the ED Program, receiving one of the following: speech-language (68%), general developmental (12%), occupational (14%), or behavioral (6%) intervention across 8–20 sessions. Eligibility required Miami-Dade residency and ineligibility for IDEA-funded services. Standardized pre- and post-intervention assessments were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and group comparisons. Results: Most households reported incomes <$70,000 (71%), with many experiencing additional risk factors including prematurity (15%), public or no insurance (47%), limited English proficiency (21%), and single-caregiver households (30%). Overall, 85% of children met criteria for improvement. Improvement rates varied by child ethnicity. No statistically significant differences were observed by child age, race, gender, prematurity, insurance status, caregiver demographics, household characteristics, or intervention type. Sensitivity analyses largely confirmed the primary findings, with ethnicity no longer significant and younger age emerging as a significant predictor of improvement. Conclusions: Findings suggest short-term, targeted intervention may support developmental progress among young children with mild delays who would otherwise remain unserved. Community-based programs such as ED may play a critical role in advancing developmental equity by reaching children with developmental and socioeconomic risk factors prior to school entry. Full article

The retrofit of existing residential buildings plays a critical role in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in the building sector. However, previous retrofit evaluations often fail to account for the age-related thermal and lighting requirements of residents in aging residential buildings, thereby overlooking the substantial behavioral heterogeneity that shapes retrofit effectiveness. This study evaluates the comprehensive performance of different building envelope retrofit strategies, considering occupants’ thermal and visual comfort, from the perspectives of energy efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental sustainability. First, age-specific differences in occupancy patterns, thermal preferences, and lighting requirements between elderly and non-elderly comparison group occupants were systematically extracted from the literature. Then, a typical high-rise residential building was modeled in EnergyPlus to serve as the reference building, within which the differentiated occupant behavior models were implemented, and the pre-retrofit condition was defined as the baseline scenario. Next, six commonly applied exterior wall insulation materials and different glass configurations and window frames were parameterized and evaluated under varying insulation thicknesses and remaining building service life scenarios. Finally, the energy-saving performance, economic benefits, and carbon reduction potential of envelope retrofit measures were quantitatively assessed across three primary functional zones (bedroom, living room, and study), using area-normalized indicators. The results indicate that, in the retrofit of existing residential buildings, bedrooms and study rooms exhibit greater retrofit benefits than living rooms, primarily due to longer occupancy durations and higher heating demand. In terms of retrofit strategies, exterior wall insulation consistently outperforms window retrofitting in energy-saving potential, with energy-saving rates of approximately 3.2–4.3% depending on functional zone, material type, and insulation thickness. Among the evaluated materials, vitrified microbead insulation performs best overall in terms of energy, economic, and carbon benefits at 40–60 mm thickness. These findings support occupant-informed, low-carbon retrofit decision-making for existing residential buildings. Full article

Background and Objectives. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) or vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is largely preventable in settings where prevention of MTCT (PVT) strategies are consistently implemented. Romania represents a particular epidemiological context, as individuals from the historical pediatric HIV cohort have now reached reproductive age. This study assessed current PVT outcomes in northeastern Romania and explored the remaining circumstances in which transmission still occurs. Materials and Methods. We performed a retrospective observational analysis at the Regional HIV/AIDS Center of Iași (“Sfânta Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases), including all pregnant women living with HIV and their HIV-exposed infants followed between 2023 and 2025. Maternal data comprised age, place of residence, origin from the Romanian pediatric cohort, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and HIV RNA viral load in the third trimester. Obstetric characteristics, delivery mode, neonatal antiretroviral prophylaxis, and infant HIV RNA PCR results during follow-up up to 18–24 months were also evaluated. Results. A total of 61 HIV-positive pregnant women and 53 HIV-exposed infants were included. Viral suppression during pregnancy was documented in 59 women (96.7%), while two cases of detectable viremia in late pregnancy were linked to poor ART adherence. All women delivered by elective cesarean section, and all infants received neonatal antiretroviral prophylaxis, with Raltegravir added in selected higher-risk situations. Overall, MTCT was 3.8% (2/53). No transmission events were recorded in 2023 or 2024; both cases occurred in 2025 (15.4% of infants born that year) and exclusively in the context of maternal viremia. Women originating from the historical pediatric HIV cohort accounted for 31.1% (19/61) of pregnancies, and no transmission was observed among their infants. Conclusions. In northeastern Romania, PVT programs remain highly effective when maternal viral suppression is achieved. Residual transmission was confined to situations of maternal viremia driven by ART non-adherence, highlighting the continued importance of adherence support during pregnancy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Wound healing is a complex biological process involving coordinated interactions among inflammatory cells, growth factors, extracellular matrix components, and resident tissue cells. Despite significant advances in experimental research, translation of these findings into clinical practice remains limited, partly due to the lack of reproducible and ethically accessible human wound models. Pilonidal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the sacrococcygeal region, is frequently treated by surgical excision with healing by secondary intention. The resulting open wound provides a unique opportunity to study the natural progression of human tissue repair. Methods: This narrative review examines current knowledge on wound-healing physiology, commonly used experimental wound models, and clinical studies related to pilonidal disease. Evidence from experimental, translational, and clinical literature was evaluated to explore the potential of open pilonidal excision wounds as a standardized human model for wound-healing research. Results: Following open excision, healing typically occurs within 4–10 weeks through the classical phases of inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. During this period, the wound remains externally accessible, allowing repeated clinical observation and serial collection of tissue samples, wound fluid, and exudate. This accessibility facilitates investigation of key biological processes, including angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, epithelial migration, cytokine signaling, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Compared with in vitro systems and animal models, the open pilonidal wound offers direct insight into human wound biology under clinically relevant conditions. Conclusions: Open pilonidal excision wounds constitute a reproducible and ethically feasible in vivo human model for translational wound-healing research. This model may support biomarker discovery and contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies for impaired healing and chronic wounds. Full article

This cross-sectional study included 112 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years residing in Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, recruited using a community-based quota sampling approach. Locomotive syndrome (LS) was assessed using the two-step test and classified according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association criteria. Physical activity was evaluated using the Thai version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire across work-related, transportation-related, and recreational domains. Frailty and cognitive status were assessed using the Thai version of the FRAIL questionnaire and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations. The prevalence of LS was 74.1%, with 37.5%, 33.0%, and 3.6% in participants classified as having LS stages 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Transportation-related physical activity was significantly associated with lower odds of LS. Frailty and mild cognitive impairment frequently coexisted with LS but were not independently associated with LS after adjustment for age and sex. Transportation-related physical activity emerged as a key protective factor, highlighting the importance of habitual mobility in daily life. Our findings suggest that LS overlaps with, but is not identical to, frailty and cognitive decline in relatively robust community settings. Early screening and mobility-related physical activity may be crucial in preventing functional decline in rapidly aging societies. Full article

The Air-front Smart City (ASC) concept is proposed to address the stagnation of industries in developed countries and stimulate economic growth in developing countries while maintaining a higher quality of life for people and contributing to decarbonization and overall United Nations SDGs in an existing study. However, no studies have been conducted to assess ASC policies. Therefore, this study integrates the integrated accessibility index into the quality of life (QOL) and quality of business (QOB) evaluation models to assess the startup ecosystem in Aichi, Singapore, and Munich within the ASC concept. The study uses survey data conducted in Aichi to estimate monetary values of QOL and QOB component indicators, calculates the integrated accessibility indices, and estimates QOL and QOB. Furthermore, the study sets scenarios to assess the impacts of living and business urban policies in Aichi. Additionally, the study using Aichi parameters compares the startup ecosystem in Singapore and Munich. The result shows that the key drivers of startup attraction are corporate tax rate, economic growth, and safety; enhancing these indicators directly increases startups’ QOB, business partners, and residents’ QOL. It was found that QOB in Singapore is comparatively higher, whereas QOL is higher in Aichi. Full article

The FOCUS mission is an integrative project developed at the Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Argentina, featuring a constellation of small satellites equipped with X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors. Designed with autonomous orbit control, the mission enables Interferometric SAR (InSAR) applications for critical infrastructure monitoring, providing scalable and cost-effective global observation capabilities. This paper presents the modeling, design, and numerical evaluation of the Attitude and Orbit Determination and Control System (AODCS) for the FOCUS mission. The analysis incorporates realistic constraints, including actuator saturation, sensor noise, underactuation effects, and hardware limitations—specifically regarding magnetorquer magnetic moments, reaction wheel capacities, and propulsion unit impulse bounds. Utilizing the NASA 42 attitude and orbit simulator, numerical simulations were conducted to assess stability, pointing accuracy, and agile maneuver tracking through specialized guidance laws. The results confirm that the proposed AODCS architecture achieves stable, responsive performance and supports continuous orbit maintenance, ensuring adequate target acquisition per orbit. Additionally, the selection of star trackers allows achieving a secondary objective through the detection of Resident Space Objects. Full article

The Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), through the process of snow accumulation, to snowmelt, to streamflow runoff, provides a critical water source to approximately 40 million residents in the Southwestern United States. Given the importance of late fall–winter–early spring (October, November, December, January, February, March, or ONDJFM), cumulative precipitation, future estimates of ONDJFM cumulative precipitation, and potential drought occurrence would provide a benefit to water managers and planners. Previous research efforts successfully reconstructed (extended the period of record) the regional April 1st Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) in the UCRB using tree-ring chronologies and reconstructed climate (El Niño–Southern Oscillation or ENSO). The current research efforts differ by (a) incorporating future [Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 5-8.5] predictions of ONDJFM cumulative precipitation (in lieu of April 1st SWE) at a single station location (Kendall R.S.) in the UCRB; (b) reconstructing ONDJFM cumulative precipitation (in lieu of April 1st SWE) using tree-ring chronologies and ENSO; and (c) evaluating an alternative reconstructed ENSO index. The reconstructed record, recent past observations, and future (SSP 5-8.5) ONDJFM cumulative precipitation were then combined to provide a paleo perspective of future drought. Results indicate that extreme ONDJFM cumulative precipitation drought periods projected for the ~2040s were exceeded in the reconstructed record. A pattern of alternating wet and dry conditions was also identified, consisting of a wet (pluvial) period in the 2030s, followed by drought conditions in the 2040s, and another wet period in the 2050s. Many of the extreme future wet (pluvial) periods exceeded those in the recent record and reconstructed record. Full article

Equitable access to sports facilities is essential for promoting residents’ well-being, yet existing studies mostly rely on large spatial analytical units, limiting the ability to identify intra-unit disparities in accessibility and equity. This study develops a building-scale framework for assessing sports facility accessibility from a spatial equity perspective, incorporating building volume-weighted population distribution and quantification of multi-type facility service capacity for precise demand and supply estimation. Taking the Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, as the study area, the study assesses the accessibility of residential buildings using the Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (G2SFCA) method and evaluates spatial equity using the Lorenz curve and local Moran’s I. Results indicate a moderate level of equity in overall facility provision (Gini coefficient = 0.288), alongside substantial inter-type disparities, with Gini coefficients ranging from 0.330 to 0.800. Accessibility clusters exhibit pronounced scale variability, ranging from a few buildings to hundreds of buildings, with small clusters embedded within larger clusters of opposite accessibility. These fine-grained patterns are largely obscured in conventional aggregated-unit analyses, underscoring the necessity of building-scale assessment. Results provide a basis for precise allocation of both facility quantity and facility types, supporting efficient decision-making for urban planning and management. Full article

Against the background of high-quality development and urban renewal in China, old residential communities have become key areas for improving spatial quality and quality of life. We used the entrance pavilion of Baoshengli North Community as a case study to explore how spatial design and layout can meet residents’ psychological and social needs. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, combining field observation, behavioral mapping, a questionnaire (Total = 105), in-depth interviews, and statistical analysis, a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) was conducted on spatial effectiveness and social functions. The results show that user-oriented spatial design, safety, esthetic quality, and inclusive functions significantly enhance residents’ spatial perception, willingness to use the space, and social interaction. Differentiated spatial preferences and potential conflicts among diverse resident groups were also identified. Targeted design interventions can effectively strengthen the connection between spatial use and subjective perception, and participatory and equitable strategies help promote social harmony and justice. This study enriches the post-occupancy evaluation system for the renewal of old communities from psychological and social dimensions, and provides practical references for user-centered, inclusive, and sustainable public space design in urban renewal practices. One limitation of this study is that data were collected over a single period, which restricts the analysis of seasonal impacts on spatial usage. Full article

The global mental health issue is becoming increasingly prominent. The fair supply of psychological therapeutic landscape spaces in urban high-density residential areas is a core path to ensuring the physical and mental health of residents and maintaining social health equity. This study takes the theory of spatial justice as the core framework, selects 20 typical high-density residential areas in Shijiazhuang City as empirical samples, and collects basic data through structured questionnaire surveys and on-site observations to explore the justice dilemma, evaluation system, and group demand differentiation characteristics of psychological therapeutic landscape spaces in high-density residential areas. The research results show that there are three core injustice problems in the psychological therapeutic landscape spaces of high-density residential areas: insufficient spatial inclusiveness, lack of ecological space justice, and incomplete facilities and management systems. Residents’ evaluations of the spatial justice of therapeutic landscapes can be divided into four dimensions: practical, ecological, social, and management. Among them, the ecological dimension is the core dimension that residents pay the most attention to. Individual characteristics such as gender, age, identity category, community activity duration, and governance participation willingness have a significant impact on residents’ evaluations of spatial justice. This study constructs an evaluation system for the spatial justice of therapeutic landscape spaces suitable for high-density residential areas, providing theoretical support and practical guidance for the planning, design, and optimization and renewal of fair and inclusive psychological therapeutic landscapes in high-density residential areas in northern China. At the same time, it provides a scientific basis for the construction of healthy cities and the practical application of spatial justice in the field of human settlements. Full article

Background: Implant therapy is a standard of care for long-term tooth replacement. While high survival rates have been reported for implants placed by specialists, data on outcomes achieved by Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents remain limited. Objectives: To evaluate the clinical performance and complication rates of dental implants placed and restored by AEGD residents under faculty supervision, and to identify factors influencing outcomes after at least one year in function. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for implants placed between April 2012 and December 2021 at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health. Only implants with ≥1-year follow-up were included. Data included demographics, medical history, smoking status, oral hygiene, peri-implant health, and prosthetic outcomes. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between risk factors and complications. Results: Among 262 implants that survived ≥1 year, the complication rate was low: screw loosening occurred in 8.4%, crown issues in 3.4%, abutment or screw fractures in 0.4%, and early peri-implantitis in 11.5%. Examiner satisfaction was high for esthetics (82.8%) and occlusion (85.9%), and over 80% of patients rated their outcomes between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale. Diabetes and high plaque index were significant predictors of peri-implantitis. Conclusions: Implants placed and restored by AEGD residents under structured faculty supervision achieved low complication frequencies, and strong patient satisfaction comparable to specialist outcomes. Full article

Background: Despite universal infant hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, declining circulating anti-HBs levels are increasingly observed in young healthcare professionals, a high-risk group for occupational exposure. Although several studies have evaluated HBV antibody persistence in healthcare workers, data specifically addressing newly incorporated medical residents in the Spanish context remain limited. This study evaluated baseline anti-HBs levels and serological response to a vaccination booster dose in medical residents at a Spanish tertiary hospital. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal observational study was conducted among medical residents attending the Preventive Medicine Service of Hospital Universitario San Cecilio (Granada, Spain) between 2021 and 2024. Anti-HBs antibody titers were obtained at baseline and ≥10 mIU/mL were considered the conventional protective threshold. Residents with anti-HBs < 10 mIU/mL received an Engerix-B booster followed by repeat serology. Demographic and occupational variables were analyzed. Measles serostatus was collected for comparisons. Results: A total of 275 residents were included (mean age 25.4 years, SD = 2.3 years; 64% females). Baseline serology showed anti-HBs levels < 10 mIU/mL in 53.1% of participants. Lower baseline anti-HBs levels were associated with younger age (adjusted OR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.64–0.88) and earlier residency year (R1–R2) (adjusted OR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.13–0.61). Among 116 residents receiving a booster, 94.8% achieved anti-HBs ≥ 10 mIU/mL after booster administration. Measles serology was negative in 54.6% of participants. Conclusions: More than half of newly incorporated medical residents had anti-HBs levels below the conventional protective threshold (10 mIU/mL), yet almost all demonstrated a strong anamnestic response, supporting the persistence of immunological memory despite reduced circulating antibody concentrations. Systematic baseline screening combined with targeted booster vaccination appears to be an effective strategy to ensure occupational protection. Further research incorporating cellular immunity markers may refine future vaccination policies and booster strategies. Full article

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a global health challenge, especially among homeless people. Early prediction of diabetes can reduce treatment costs and improve interventions. This study aimed to identify predictors of diabetes among homeless adults by utilizing artificial intelligence and providing recommendations for diabetes prevention. Methods: A case-control study of 150 homeless adults in Giza, Egypt (99 diabetes cases and 51 controls), analyzed 43 variables collected through interviews and physiological measures, with missing data imputed. Feature selection using recursive feature elimination and univariate and correlation analyses reduced the predictors to 13 variables. The class imbalance was addressed using synthetic minority over-sampling on the training set. Six models and a stacking ensemble with XGBoost as a meta-learner were evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation and performance metrics, including the accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC-ROC. Results: The key predictors included BMI, systolic blood pressure, triceps skinfold thickness, waist circumference, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, diastolic blood pressure, age, medication adherence, educational level, marital status, duration of residence, and diabetes knowledge. Individual classifiers achieved a moderate performance (accuracy: 56.7–70.0%, F1-score: 0.686–0.781). The stacking ensemble substantially outperformed individual models, achieving a 95.45% accuracy, a 100% precision, a 93.75% recall, a 0.968 F1-score, and a 0.979 AUC-ROC on the test set. Conclusions: Machine learning models can reliably predict diabetes. The proposed hybrid stacking model outperformed conventional classifiers in terms of the prediction performance, highlighting the benefits of ensemble learning and sophisticated resampling strategies in dealing with imbalanced medical data. It is recommended that healthcare institutions integrate AI-powered diagnostic assistance technology into clinical processes to aid in the early detection and treatment of diabetes. Full article