Search Results (1,923)

Regionally, nationally, and globally, new churches are formed. This continues to divide the church due to traditions, theological, doctrinal matters, and denominational practices. In Africa—and Zimbabwe in particular—the formation of neo-Pentecostal denominations and prophetic movements exacerbates antagonism and division among Christians, posing a threat to the unity of the Body of Christ. Consequently, it is necessary to explore ways in which churches can find one another to promote unity among Christians, and this raises the need for local ecumenism. Christianity and the church are always found in specific cultural settings. Church life is guided by both its understanding of mission and the cultural context it operates. As churches need to be united, there is a need to explore ways in which the church can navigate its mission and cultural dynamics to promote unity. This article investigates the challenges and the missio-cultural factors that facilitate ecumenism among the Karanga people in Mberengwa, Zimbabwe. Mberengwa, a rural district in Zimbabwe, predominantly Karanga, presents a unique context where diverse Christian traditions coexist, often with varying degrees of tension and cooperation. This article examines the extent to which the complexity of ecumenism affects church cooperation in Mberengwa, Zimbabwe, and beyond, thereby exploring the cultural and missional factors that can promote church cooperation. Full article

Rural roads are critical for connecting isolated communities to essential services such as education and health and administrative services, as well as production and market opportunities in low-income countries. More than 70% of movements of people and goods in Sub-Saharan Africa are heavily reliant on rural transport systems, using both motorised but mainly alternative means of transport. However, rural roads often suffer from poor construction due to the use of low-strength, in situ soils and limited financial resources, leading to premature failures and subsequent traffic disruptions with significant economic losses. This study investigates the use of rice husk ash (RHA), a waste byproduct from rice production, as a sustainable supplement to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) for soil stabilisation in order to increase durability and sustainability of rural roads, hence limit recurrent maintenance needs and associated transport costs and challenges. To conduct this study, soil samples collected from Mulungushi, Zambia, were treated with combinations of 6–10% OPC and 10–15% RHA by weight. Laboratory tests measured maximum dry density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC), and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values; the main parameters assessed to ensure the quality of road construction soils. Results showed that while the MDD did not change significantly and varied between 1505 kg/m³ and 1519 kg/m³, the OMC increased hugely from 19.6% to as high as 26.2% after treatment with RHA. The CBR value improved significantly, with the 8% OPC + 10% RHA mixture achieving the highest resistance to deformation. These results suggest that RHA can enhance the durability and sustainability of rural roads and hence improve transport systems and subsequently improve socioeconomic factors in rural areas. Full article

Background/Objectives: Improving health outcomes for Indigenous people by strengthening the cultural safety of care is a vital challenge for the health sector. University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH), academic centres based in regional, rural, and remote (RRR) locations across Australia, are uniquely positioned to foster a culturally safe rural health workforce through training, education, and engagement with Indigenous communities. This narrative review examines the contributions of UDRHs to health workforce issues through analysis of their publications focused on Indigenous health. Methods: Research articles relating to workforce were identified from an established database of UDRH Indigenous health-related publications published 2010–2021. Results: Of 46 articles identified across the 12 years, 19 focused on developing the understanding and cultural safety skills of university students studying in a health field, including campus-based Indigenous health education and support for students undertaking rural clinical placements. Twelve articles investigated cultural safety skills and recruitment and retention of the rural health workforce. Fifteen articles focused on Indigenous people in the health workforce, examining clinical training and resources, and the enablers and barriers to retaining Indigenous students and workers. Conclusions: This analysis highlights the sustained efforts of UDRHs to improve Indigenous health through multiple areas within their influence, including curriculum design, health student training on campus, and rural placement opportunities to transform understanding of Indigenous strengths and disadvantages and rural health workforce development. A continuing effort is needed on ways UDRHs can support Indigenous health students during their studies and while on placement, how to improve cultural safety in the health workforce, and ways to better support Indigenous health professionals. Full article

Climate change is jeopardizing global food security, with at least 713 million people facing hunger. To face this challenge, legumes as common beans could offer a nature-based solution, sourcing nutrients and dietary fiber, especially for rural communities in Latin America and Africa. However, since common beans are generally heat and drought susceptible, it is imperative to speed up their molecular introgressive adaptive breeding so that they can be cultivated in regions affected by extreme weather. Therefore, this study aimed to couple an advanced panel of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) × tolerant Tepary bean (P. acutifolius A. Gray) interspecific lines with Bayesian regression algorithms to forecast adaptation to the humid and dry sub-regions at the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where the common bean typically exhibits maladaptation to extreme heat waves. A total of 87 advanced lines with hybrid ancestries were successfully bred, surpassing the interspecific incompatibilities. This hybrid panel was genotyped by sequencing (GBS), leading to the discovery of 15,645 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Three yield components (yield per plant, and number of seeds and pods) and two biomass variables (vegetative and seed biomass) were recorded for each genotype and inputted in several Bayesian regression models to identify the top genotypes with the best genetic breeding values across three localities on the Colombian coast. We comparatively analyzed several regression approaches, and the model with the best performance for all traits and localities was BayesC. Also, we compared the utilization of all markers and only those determined as associated by a priori genome-wide association studies (GWAS) models. Better prediction ability with the complete SNP set was indicative of missing heritability as part of GWAS reconstructions. Furthermore, optimal SNP sets per trait and locality were determined as per the top 500 most explicative markers according to their β regression effects. These 500 SNPs, on average, overlapped in 5.24% across localities, which reinforced the locality-dependent nature of polygenic adaptation. Finally, we retrieved the genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) and selected the top 10 genotypes for each trait and locality as part of a recommendation scheme targeting narrow adaption in the Caribbean. After validation in field conditions and for screening stability, candidate genotypes and SNPs may be used in further introgressive breeding cycles for adaptation. Full article

Urban–rural integration realises the coordinated development and prosperity of urban and rural areas as a whole by optimising the allocation of resources and the flow of factors, and its connotations have been extended from a single dimension to multiple dimensions such as people, land and industry. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region has a typical “Core–Periphery Structure”, and this paper took the 187 county units within the region as the research object, taking into account indicators of development and coordination to construct an evaluation index system of urban–rural integration of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region counties in the dimensions of “people–land–industry”. Global principal component analysis was used to measure the evolutionary pattern of the urban–rural integration level between 2005 and 2020, and its spatiotemporal drivers were analysed by using the Geographical and Temporal Weighted Regression model (GTWR). The results of the study show that (1) the level of urban–rural integration in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region showed an increasing trend during the 15-year study period, the high-value areas of urban–rural integration were mainly distributed in Beijing and the Bohai Rim region in the eastern part of the Tianjin–Hebei region, and the level of urban–rural integration of the peri-urban county units of the city was better than that of the remote counties and cities as a whole. (2) In terms of spatial agglomeration, all dimensions were characterised by significant spatial agglomeration. The degree of agglomeration was categorised as urban–rural comprehensive integration (U-RCI) > urban–rural industry integration (U-RII) > urban–rural land integration (U-RLI) > urban–rural people integration (U-RPI). (3) In terms of spatial and temporal driving factors for urban–rural integration, the driving role of U-RPI, U-RLI and U-RII for U-RCI has gradually weakened during the past 15 years, and urban–rural integration in the counties shifted from a single role to a more central coordinated and multidimensional driving role. Full article

Co-infections of Orthopoxviruses (OPVs), such as vaccinia virus (VACV) and monkeypox virus (MPXV), and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be associated with severe outcomes. Serro’s dairy region, located in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, is an endemic area for VACV, where zoonotic outbreaks affect rural communities. This epidemiological context is especially relevant for at-risk populations, such as people living with HIV (PLHIV). This study aimed to assess the presence of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against OPV in PLHIV in this endemic setting. Serum samples were collected from 177 PLHIV in treatment at the specialized service between December 2021 and August 2022. VACV and MPXV NAbs were measured using the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and VACV-infected cells. The overall occurrence of OPV NAbs was 27.7%. NAbs were higher in individuals born before 1980 (53.3%) than those born after 1980 (1.1%). Among anti-VACV-seropositive individuals, 40.8% also had MPXV NAbs, suggesting cross-immunity. These findings indicate the circulation of VACV in PLHIV and highlight the increased susceptibility to OPV infections among individuals born after the cessation of smallpox vaccination. The results reinforce the importance of continued surveillance of OPV, especially in endemic regions and vulnerable populations. Full article

The article analyzes the effects of psychosocial interventions on adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment among vulnerable populations in Romania. The study includes 4104 patients from disadvantaged groups (rural, injecting drug users, homeless), beneficiaries of a national multidisciplinary support program. Multivariate analyses conducted on drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) patients within this cohort identified some predictors of therapeutic success, such as extrapulmonary diagnosis, peer-to-peer educational support, and a higher level of education. At the same time, men, occupationally inactive people and those in the initial phase of treatment at project entry showed lower adherence. The results support the integration of psychosocial interventions in TB management. Full article

Choosing a rural destination today often comes down to one thing: how authentic it feels. In countries like Romania, where tradition is still woven into daily life, travelers are looking for something real and sustainable—but what exactly does that mean? And how can we measure it? This study takes a different approach. We created an Authenticity Index using fuzzy logic, a method that makes space for in-between answers and soft boundaries. It helped us capture how people actually perceive things like local food, architecture, and natural scenery—without forcing their opinions into rigid categories. We tested the index with real guest feedback from rural accommodation. The results showed that guests consistently valued sensory experiences—like nature and food—more than activities that required deeper cultural involvement, such as workshops or folk demonstrations. Instead of just producing a number, the index turned out to be a guide. It gives hosts a better idea of what really matters to their guests—even when those preferences are not always easy to define. More than that, it brings together what theory says with what visitors actually feel, supporting more sustainable tourism practices. And in rural tourism, that connection can make all the difference. Full article

China’s rapid urbanization has given rise to the phenomenon of “urban villages”, which are often regarded as chaotic fringe areas in traditional studies. With the rise of the concept of resilient cities, the value of urban villages as potential carriers of sustainable development has been re-examined. This study adopted research methods such as field investigations, in-depth interviews, and conceptual sampling. By analyzing the interlinked governance relationship between Xiamen City and the urban villages in the Bay Area, aspects such as rural housing improvement, environmental governance, residents’ feedback, geographical pattern, and spatial production were evaluated. A field investigation was conducted in six urban villages within the four bays of Xiamen. A total of 45 people in the urban villages were interviewed, and the spatial status of the urban villages was recorded. This research found that following: (1) Different types of urban villages have formed significantly differentiated role positionings under the framework of regional governance. Residential community types XA and WL provide long-term and stable living spaces for migrant workers in Xiamen; tourism development types DS, HX, BZ, and HT allow the undertaking of short-term stay tourists and provide tourism services. (2) These urban villages achieve the construction of their resilience through resisting risks, absorbing policy resources, catering to the expansion of urban needs, and co-construction in coordination with planning. The multi-cultural inclusiveness of urban villages and their transformation led by cultural shifts have become the driving force for their sustainable development. Through the above mechanisms, urban villages have become the source of resilience and sustainability of healthy cities and provide a model reference for high-density urban construction. Full article

The objective of this study is to design, develop, and analyze a tri-wheeled trolley integrated with a motor that incorporates adjustable and foldable features. The purpose of a trolley is to allow users to easily transport items from one place to another. However, problems arise when transporting objects across challenging surfaces, such as up a flight of stairs, using a conventional cart. This innovation uses multiple engineering skills to determine and develop the best possible design for a stair-climbing trolley. A tri-wheel mechanism is integrated into its motorized design, meticulously engineered for adjustability, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of staircase dimensions. The designed trolley was constructed considering elements and processes such as a literature review, conceptual design, concept screening, concept scoring, 3D modelling, engineering design calculations, and simulations. The trolley was tested, and the measured pulling force data were compared with the theoretical calculations. A graph of the pulling force vs. load was plotted, in which both datasets showed similar increasing trends; hence, the designed trolley worked as expected. The development of this stair-climbing trolley can benefit people living in rural areas or low-cost buildings that are not equipped with elevators and can reduce injuries among the elderly. The designed stair-climbing trolley will not only minimize the user’s physical effort but also enhance safety. On top of that, the adjustable and foldable features of the stair-climbing trolley would benefit users living in areas with limited space. Full article

The European Union’s developing rural development plan places digital and precision agriculture at the centre of agricultural modernisation and economic development. This article examines how agricultural practices in rural EU regions are being influenced by smart technology, such as drones, IoT sensors, satellite-based research, and AI-driven platforms, through an analysis of recent data from sources across the European Union. This study applies a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of strategic policy documents and EU databases, to evaluate the ways in which precision agriculture reduces input consumption, increases productivity, reduces labour shortages and rural area depopulation, and improves sustainability. By investing in infrastructure, developing communities for data exchange, and organising training for farmers, European policies such as the Strategic Plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the SmartAgriHubs initiative, and the AgData program actively encourage the transition to digital agriculture. Cyprus is analysed as a case study to show how targeted investments and initiatives supported by the EU can help smaller countries, with limited natural resources, to realise the benefits of digital transformation in agriculture. A special focus is placed on how solutions adapted to agro-climatic and socioeconomic conditions can contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, attracting young people to get involved in this field and opening up new economic opportunities. The results of previous research indicate that digital agriculture not only improves productivity but also proves to be a strategic mechanism for attracting and retaining young people in rural areas. Thus, this work additionally contributes to the broader goal of the European Union—the development of smart, inclusive, and sustainable rural areas, in which digital technologies are not only seen as tools for efficiency but also as key means for integrated and long-term rural development. Full article

The future of marine sustainability depends on public understanding and trust in the policy recommendations that emerge from scientific research. For common pool marine resource decisions made by the people who depend on these resources for their food, employment, and economic future, understanding the current status of these marine systems and change is essential to ensure these resources will persist into the future. As such, the informal learning infrastructure is essential to increasing marine science literacy in a changing world. This mixed-methods research study analyzed the distribution and accessibility of marine science education and research across Alaska’s five geographic regions. Using the PRISMA framework, we synthesized data from 198 institutions and analyzed peer-reviewed literature on marine ecosystems to identify geographic and thematic gaps in access to informal science learning and research focus. In parallel, we undertook geospatial analysis and resource availability to describe the distribution of resources, types of informal learning infrastructure present across the state, regional presence, and resources to support informal marine science learning opportunities. Findings from this multifactor research revealed a concentration of resources in urban hubs and a lack of consistent access to learning resources for rural and Indigenous communities. The configurative literature review of 9549 publications identified topical underrepresentation of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, as well as a lack of research on seabirds across all regions. Considered together, these results recommend targeted investments in rural engagement with marine science programming, culturally grounded partnerships, and research diversification. This review concludes that disparities in learning resource support and government-funded priorities in marine wildlife research have created conditions that undermine the local people’s participation in the sustainability of sensitive resources and are likely exacerbating declines driven by rapid change in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. Full article

Background/Objectives: Against the backdrop of increasing global aging and the trans-formation of family structures, grandparental caregiving has become commonplace, and its impact on the mental health of older persons is of great concern. Methods: Based on data from the 2023 Xi’an Jiaotong University Urban and Rural Elderly Family Support and Psychological Condition Survey, this study analyzed the impact of grandparental care-giving behaviors on the mental health of the elderly through the Psychological Condition Measurement Scale (PCMS), and comprehensively assessed the presence, intensity, and heterogeneous impact of grandparental caregiving behaviors by gender by applying linear regression modeling, the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method, and the Instrumental Variables Method (IVM). Results: Grandparental care has a significant positive effect on the mental health of older people, but this positive effect diminishes as the intensity of care increases. The results of the sub-sample estimation show that grandparental caregiving has a positive effect on men’s and low-intensity caregiving on women’s mental health, but high-intensity caregiving has a negative effect on women’s mental health. In addition, in-tergenerational financial support and intergenerational emotional comfort play an im-portant mediating role between grandparental caregiving and the mental health of older persons, in line with the explanatory framework of intergenerational exchange theory. Conclusions: It is recommended that the Government support grandparental care for the elderly at the financial, social security, and policy levels; that society build a diversified system of elderly care services and strengthen public childcare services; and that families establish a value identity of two-way support. Full article

Tetanus is a life-threatening, vaccine-preventable disease caused by tetanospasmin and tetanolysin, which are potent neurotoxins produced by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium. Due to the widespread presence of spores in the environment, the disease cannot be eradicated. However, global tetanus prevention initiatives have contributed to a significant decline in tetanus incidence worldwide. Aiming to present the tetanus trends in Romania, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the tetanus surveillance data. During the study period (2010–2023), 97 cases of tetanus were reported in Romania (median: 6.5; IQR: 5–7) with an average incidence rate of 0.03 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 0.02–0.04; range: 0.01–0.09). The highest incidence rates were recorded among people aged 1 to 14 years old (0.09 per 100,000 inhabitants, 95% CI: 0.06–0.13; range: 0.00–0.20), male (0.05 per 100,000 inhabitants; 95% CI: 0.03–0.06; range: 0.03–0.12), and from rural areas (0.05 per 100,000 inhabitants; 95% CI: 0.03–0.08; range: 0.01–0.17). A decline in the number of tetanus cases of 7% by year was observed, which is supported by the statistical analysis showing a p-value of 0.005 (IRR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88–0.98). However, the same decline in tetanus incidence was not supported by the statistical analysis (IRR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.44–1.98; p = 0.9). Forty-seven tetanus deaths were recorded, with an average case fatality ratio of 42% (95% CI: 25.62–57.92; range: 0–100), showing a decreasing trend of 9% by year (IRR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.89–0.93). Although the annual number of tetanus cases in Romania has shown a slight downwards trend, its situation has remained relatively stable, as shown by the tetanus incidence. Moreover, the case fatality rate continues to be high. Therefore, our study emphasizes the importance of achieving high vaccination uptake among children and adolescents, raising awareness of the importance of booster doses in adults, and improving the management of tetanus-prone wounds. Full article

This study investigates the complex dynamics of new-type urbanization in resource-based county-level cities, using Wuan City in Hebei Province, China, as a representative case. As China pursues a high-quality development agenda, cities historically dependent on resource extraction face profound challenges in achieving sustainable and inclusive urban growth. This research employs a multi-method approach—including Theil index analysis, industrial shift-share analysis, a Cobb–Douglas production function model, and a composite urbanization index—to quantitatively diagnose the constraints on Wuan’s development and assess its transformation efforts. Our empirical results reveal a multifaceted situation: while the urban–rural income gap has narrowed, rural income streams remain fragile. The shift-share analysis indicates that although Wuan’s traditional industries have regained competitiveness, the city’s economic structure is still burdened by a persistent negative structural component, hindering diversification. Furthermore, the economy exhibits characteristics of a labor-intensive growth model with inefficient capital deployment. These underlying issues are reflected in a comprehensive urbanization index that, after a period of rapid growth, has recently stagnated, signaling the exhaustion of the city’s traditional development mode. In response, Wuan attempts an “industrial transformation-driven new-type urbanization” path. This study details the three core strategies being implemented: (1) incremental population urbanization through development at the urban fringe and in industrial zones; (2) in situ urbanization of the existing rural population; and (3) the cultivation of specialized “characteristic small towns” to create new, diversified economic nodes. The findings from Wuan offer critical, actionable lessons for other resource-dependent regions. The case demonstrates that successful urban transformation requires not only industrial upgrading but also integrated, spatially aware planning and robust institutional support. We conclude that while Wuan’s model provides a valuable reference, its strategies must be adapted to local contexts, emphasizing the universal importance of institutional innovation, human capital investment, and a people-centered approach to achieving resilient and high-quality urbanization. Full article