Search Results (8,537)

Regional power load is an important basis for renewable energy accommodation, power grid capacity planning, and demand-side resource management. Its variation is jointly associated with meteorological conditions and industrial and consumption-related conditions, which may operate at different temporal scales. To address this issue, this study takes Shandong and Inner Mongolia as study areas and develops an hourly–monthly–annual multiscale analytical framework. Variational mode decomposition is first used to identify low-frequency trends, intraday cycles, intra-annual fluctuations, and high-frequency disturbances in load series. Pearson correlation and mutual information are then applied to characterize linear associations and more general statistical dependencies between load modes and meteorological, industrial, and consumption factors. Annual maximum load, annual electricity consumption, meteorological variables, and key socioeconomic indicators are further examined to describe the long-term regional backgrounds of load variation. The results show that (1) both regions exhibit evident multiscale load structures, and external-factor associations are concentrated in different load modes; (2) separate within-region hourly analyses show that meteorological associations in Shandong are mainly concentrated in the 24 h daily-cycle mode, particularly for radiation- and sunshine-related variables. In Inner Mongolia, meteorological associations are mainly observed in the low-frequency trend and daily-cycle modes; (3) at the monthly scale, meteorological associations in both regions are mainly distributed in the annual and intra-annual components, and many corresponding Pearson associations were retained by the unadjusted block-bootstrap analysis, whereas the socioeconomic associations retained by the same analysis were relatively sparse and localized; and (4) at the annual scale, meteorological and socioeconomic trajectories are presented only as descriptive regional context because only seven observations are available for each region. These findings indicate that decomposition can help identify the temporal components in which overall load–factor associations are concentrated and provide a descriptive basis for subsequent component-specific variable screening and regional load analysis. Full article

Background: Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Brazil faces persistent retention challenges despite growing demand for qualified workers. Although Self-Determination Theory (SDT) offers a framework for understanding motivation, dropout research has often emphasized individual and socioeconomic factors, giving less attention to institutional conditions. Methods: This critical narrative review synthesizes theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented literature on SDT, TVET, motivation, engagement, and dropout prevention, anchored mainly in Brazilian studies, educational statistics, and policy documents. A transparent, non-systematic search informed by SANRA organized the evidence around three institutional dimensions: curriculum, teaching practices, and student support and belonging. Complementary theories clarified the explanatory scope and limits of SDT. Results: Motivation in Brazilian TVET emerges as context-dependent and institutionally co-produced. Curricular organization, teaching practices, support structures, and equity policies may support or frustrate autonomy, competence, and relatedness and are associated with differences in engagement and vulnerability to dropout. The review proposes a three-level conceptual diagnostic architecture and five evidence-informed prevention axes. The architecture organizes candidate measures and contextual indicators; it is not an empirically validated predictive model. Conclusions: TVET dropout should not be interpreted solely as individual failure but may also be examined as a possible indicator of institutional motivational climate. The framework is calibrated to Brazilian TVET and requires prospective, multicenter, equity-sensitive validation against observed dropout outcomes before use for individual risk prediction or broader international adaptation. Full article

Consumers have become more interested in leading better and higher quality lives, and have become more aware of the health effects nutrition has on their body, stimulating the development of functional foods (FF), recognized for their ability to provide physiological benefits that go beyond conventional nutritional function. The evolution of this product category is supported by the progress of research on bioactive compounds and changing consumer preferences, but empirical evidence regarding the level of knowledge, acceptance and purchasing behavior of Romanian consumers remains insufficient. Meanwhile, technology in the food industry has evolved significantly in recent decades, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and consumers. Using empirical evidence from a survey carried out on the consumers in the region of Transylvania, the study uses a cross-sectional observational design and investigates the awareness of and the population’s differences in perception and attitude on FF products depending on the generations and socio-economic situations consumers belong to, and the impact FF have on the market. The analysis focuses on food choice behaviors, degree of trust in health benefits and factors influencing the decision-making process. The results show that consumers are not aware of the FF concept, but understand the relation between food choice behaviors and personal health and act accordingly. Results also show that older consumers are more aware of their health, and younger consumers are more influenced by trends. This paper can be of importance to consumers, entrepreneurs, food and technological industries, governments and universities. Full article

Since the term ‘first-generation college student’ (FGCS) garnered increased attention in the 2000s, many institutions have implemented programming specifically for FGCS (e.g., bridge programs, first-year seminars). FGCS should be key stakeholders who inform programming. As such, qualitative research is needed to elevate FGCS voices. To date, little research has examined adjustment and well-being in FGCS. This study included qualitative interviews (approximately 30 min) concerning adjustment and well-being in FGCS (N = 24; 79% female, M age = 19, 92% White), defined as students whose parents have not completed a four-year bachelor’s degree. Participants’ responses were coded according to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory levels, to account for the multi-layered systems (e.g., family, high school, university, peers) that impact their risk and resilience before and during college. One central theme was how seeking help from family, peers, and university resources promoted resilience. Conversely, individual risk factors (e.g., low socioeconomic status; insufficient guidance) interacted with the high school environment and economic landscape of higher education to confer risk. Overall, many challenges (e.g., mental health) improved over time. Students made recommendations for both high school and university staff about how to best support FGCS, which have implications for programming at the high school and university level. Full article

Rapid growth in photovoltaic (PV) development has intensified competition between renewable energy expansion and land resources, highlighting the importance of integrating PV growth with spatial planning toward carbon neutrality. This study addresses the lack of township-level evidence by integrating spatio-temporal analysis, the Optimal Parameter Geodetector (OPGD), and the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to investigate the evolution, driving mechanisms, and future spatial patterns of PV development. Taking Xintai City as a case study, this research examines PV development from 2010 to 2022 and simulates future spatial patterns under natural development (ND) and carbon neutrality (CN) scenarios. Results show that PV development entered a rapid expansion stage after 2015, characterized by leapfrog growth and increasing spatial agglomeration. The centroid of PV patches shifted eastward, whereas the centroid of PV area migrated westward, indicating differentiated spatial evolution between the number and scale of PV facilities. PV development was jointly shaped by climatic conditions, socioeconomic factors, and land availability, with interactions among multiple factors substantially enhancing spatial heterogeneity. Scenario simulations revealed that PV development continued under both scenarios, while the CN scenario promoted more concentrated expansion in coal subsidence areas and inefficient industrial and mining lands, thereby helping alleviate potential conflicts with cultivated land protection. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing low-conflict land resources and strengthening spatial coordination between renewable energy development and land management to support sustainable low-carbon development in resource-based cities. Full article

Background/Objectives: Timely identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is essential for access to early intervention; however, diagnostic delay remains a persistent challenge. Methods: This scoping review synthesized evidence from eight studies (>24,000 participants), most conducted in the Southeast region, on diagnostic pathways, screening practices, and barriers to ASD identification in Brazil, following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Results: Across studies, mean age at diagnosis frequently exceeded 48–60 months, while the interval between first caregiver concern and diagnosis ranged from 24 to 36 months, with tertiary-care samples reporting diagnostic ages approaching 79 months. Diagnosis was predominantly specialist-driven, with limited involvement of primary care providers (PCPs). Later identification was associated with reliance on the public health system in a multinational analysis that included Brazil, while geographic concentration of specialized services and socioeconomic inequalities were identified as reported barriers across the included studies. Race/ethnicity was rarely reported. Delays emerged from interacting multilevel barriers, including limited caregiver awareness, dismissal of parental concerns, inconsistent developmental surveillance, fragmented referral pathways, and shortages of specialists. Structural inequities, particularly geographic disparities and urban concentration of services, compounded these challenges. Conclusions: The evidence suggests delayed ASD diagnosis in Brazil reflects systemic gaps in care organization rather than isolated clinical factors. Strengthening PCP-based developmental surveillance and improving referral coordination are key strategies to reduce preventable delays and promote earlier access to intervention. Full article

Persistent racial and ethnic disparities in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are incompletely explained by genetic susceptibility, obesity, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors, suggesting that additional biological mechanisms may link environmental exposures to metabolic disease risk. Increasing evidence indicates that the exposome, encompassing environmental exposures across the life course, may influence long-term metabolic health through molecular mechanisms that integrate environmental signals with host biology. This Review synthesizes epidemiological, experimental, and mechanistic evidence on the gut microbiota–host epigenetic axis and its potential role in linking environmental exposures to population differences in T2DM susceptibility. Gut microbial dysbiosis alters the production and metabolism of short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and tryptophan-derived metabolites. These microbial metabolites can modulate host signaling and epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA activity, which may influence the expression of genes involved in glucose homeostasis, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. Conversely, host epigenetic programs may influence intestinal barrier integrity and immune responses, thereby potentially affecting the gut microbial ecosystem, highlighting the reciprocal nature of host–microbiota interactions. We further examine how diet, psychosocial stress, environmental pollutants, and socioeconomic conditions may shape the microbiota–epigenetic axis across diverse populations, providing a framework for understanding differences in metabolic susceptibility without attributing disparities to intrinsic biological variation. However, direct human evidence linking the gut microbiota–host epigenetic axis to racial and ethnic disparities in T2DM risk remains limited, and much of the current framework is based on mechanistic studies, animal models, and associative human data rather than direct causal evidence. Further research in diverse human populations is needed to validate these pathways and establish their contribution to T2DM disparities. This framework may inform biomarker discovery, stratification, precision nutrition, and microbiome-targeted interventions and generate hypotheses for equitable prevention and personalized management of T2DM across diverse populations. Full article

Over the past two decades, the world has experienced a significant and relentless increase in environmental degradation, measured through carbon emissions (CO₂). These emissions have been one of the persistent global concerns. South Africa boosts abundance of natural resources and some of the world’s most substantial mineral deposits, endowments in the form of precious metals, diamonds and gold. The paper aims to examine the impact of socio-economic and energy-related factors on environmental degradation from a South African perspective. Using multivariate annual data spanning from 1991 to 2022, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) was employed to determine both short-run and long-run impact of financial development (FD), renewable energy (RE), non-renewable energy (NRE), unemployment rate (UNE), economic growth (GDPPC), and population growth (PoPG) on CO₂ emission. The results show that NRE remains a dominant driver for environmental degradation, while RE is positively associated with emissions under current system conditions. FD exhibits short-run emission-intensity but long-run mitigation effects. The results suggest a need for relevant policymakers to prioritize coal displacement, stimulate economic growth and promote access to green financing, and related technologies and consumption, to enhance and promote environmental quality in South Africa. The conclusion is that South Africa’s energy-economy nexus is still at a transitional stage, where targeted policy intervention and structural reform are essential to accelerate the shift towards a low-emission economy. Future research can extend the analytical depth by exploring asymmetries, disaggregating fossil fuels, and incorporating broader environmental indicators. Full article

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems are being reshaped by climate variability and human interventions, but increases in individual ecosystem indicators do not necessarily translate into coherent gains in ecosystem multifunctionality. Inner Mongolia is a representative region for examining this issue because it spans a sharp transition from humid forested mountains to arid grassland, desert, and plateau systems and serves as an important ecological security barrier in northern China. Using multi-source remote sensing, meteorological, ecological observation, land-use, and socioeconomic data, we assessed changes in net primary productivity, soil conservation, water conservation, habitat quality, and a comprehensive ecological benefit index from 2001 to 2020. We found that ecosystem service capacity did not follow a uniform recovery trajectory. High values were persistently concentrated in the northeastern forested mountains, whereas western arid regions remained the main low-value areas. Temporal changes also differed among indicators: soil conservation increased most clearly, water conservation fluctuated strongly between years, NPP varied unevenly among ecological regions, and habitat quality changed only slightly at the regional scale. The integrated index further revealed a contrast that single indicators could not fully capture: the Loess Plateau–Loess Hilly Subregion and the Yinshan Mountains showed the strongest gains in comprehensive ecological benefits, whereas the Greater Khingan Mountains, despite having the highest baseline value, showed a decline. Spatial explanatory-factor analysis indicated that vegetation water consumption and precipitation showed high conditional spatial explanatory power for NPP, water conservation, habitat quality, and CEBI, whereas soil conservation was more strongly associated with nonlinear enhancement among factors; these q-statistics represent spatial associations rather than independent causal effects. These findings support region-specific management: maintain the stability of high-value northeastern forests, match restoration density to water availability in western drylands, and evaluate grazing and erosion-control measures using multiple services rather than vegetation greenness alone. Full article

Background/Objectives: Socioeconomic indicators and geographic factors influence pediatric cancer outcomes, but evidence in Romania is limited. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 6247 patients aged 0–19 years diagnosed with cancer and recorded in the Romanian National Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Registry between 1 January 2010, and 31 December 2024. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to estimate the survival probabilities across four strata of regional and county socioeconomic categorization and two strata of community marginalization status. Unadjusted and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for sex, age group, primary cancer type (ICCC-3), tumor behavior, and geographical residence. Subgroup analyses assessed the association between rurality and pediatric cancer survival, irrespective of community marginalization status. Results: Survival probabilities were consistently lower among patients residing in more socioeconomically disadvantaged regions, counties, and marginalized communities (log-rank p ≤ 0.0001). In the most deprived strata, 5-year survival for regions, counties, and communities was 69.86% (95% CI: 67.49–72.10), 67.47% (95% CI: 63.32–71.26), and 65.51% (95% CI: 61.33–69.35), respectively. In adjusted models, residence in the least deprived regions (HR = 0.783, 95% CI = 0.744–0.952) and counties (HR = 0.749, 95% CI = 0.620–0.905) was associated with improved survival, a 22% and 25% lower risk of death, respectively, compared with residence in the most deprived categories. Community marginalization was associated with lower survival outcomes in unadjusted analyses, but was not significant after adjustment. Rural residence was associated with a 44% higher risk of death (HR = 1.436, 95% CI = 1.304–1.582), with a 5-year survival of 66.76% (95% CI: 64.91–68.53) among rural patients, compared with 75.93% (95% CI: 74.28–77.48) in urban patients. Conclusions: This is Romania’s first pediatric cancer survival study to evaluate persistent social and geographical disparities. Survival outcomes were consistently lower in more socioeconomically disadvantaged regions and counties, while the findings suggest that rural residence may explain the observed differences in survival at the community level. Policymakers and health systems in Romania should focus on covering pediatric cancer patients with appropriate proximity services across the entire national territory, thus enabling all patients to get timely access to quality care. Full article

This study investigates the impacts of human activities and climate variability on hydrologic alterations in the Mobile River and Perdido River Basins of Alabama. The research uses a machine learning approach, specifically cubist models, to quantify and predict changes in flow duration curves (FDCs) under both historical (1980–2009) and future climate scenarios. Future climate projections include the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP2 4.5 and SSP5 8.5), evaluated for two future periods: 1980–2069 and 1980–2099. The models incorporate a wide range of covariates, including basin geomorphology, aquifer characteristics, land cover, water storage, environmental factors, solar radiation, census data, and water use data. Under the baseline period (1980–2009), most level 12 hydrologic unit codes (HUC12s) in both basins showed alterations, with substantial differences observed between pre- and post-alteration FDCs. The model performance varied, with a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency between 0.91 and 0.95 for testing and between 0.98 and 0.99 for training during the baseline period. Future projections under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios generally differed significantly from baseline conditions across all flow regimes (p < 0.05). In contrast, SSP2 4.5 showed comparatively limited statistical significance, while SSP5 8.5 exhibited significant departures from baseline conditions across all flow regimes, reflecting the greater influence of high-emissions climate forcing on projected hydrologic alterations. Overall, the RCP scenarios projected more widespread statistically significant changes than the corresponding SSP scenarios at the same forcing level, particularly when comparing RCP4.5 with SSP2-4.5, while both RCP8.5 and SSP5-8.5 consistently indicated greater hydrologic alterations than their moderate-emissions counterparts. These findings highlight the importance of considering different flow regimes when assessing the impacts of climate variability on streamflow. This study contributes to the understanding of hydrologic alterations in the Mobile River and Perdido River Basins, providing insights for water resource management and ecological conservation efforts in the region. Full article

Background: This study aimed to identify the factors associated with self-reported visual difficulty and uptake of spectacle/contact lens correction among women of reproductive age in Malawi. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey data. Outcomes were self-reported visual difficulty and use of spectacles/contact lenses. Age, residence, region, education, and marital status were examined as associated variables. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Chi-square tests, multinomial and binary logistic regression models were used to assess associations. Results: The analysis included 5634 women aged 15–49 years; 78.3% lived in rural areas, and 62.4% had primary education. Self-reported visual difficulty was significantly associated with region, age, residence, education, and marital status (all p ≤ 0.004). Reported use of spectacle/contact lenses was also associated with these factors. Increasing age was associated with higher odds of reporting “some difficulty” seeing (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.06–1.09). Compared with women in the Southern region, those from the Northern (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5–2.9) and Central regions (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.1) had higher odds of reporting visual difficulty, with stronger associations for “a lot of difficulty” in the Central region (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.1–8.6). Urban residence was associated with higher odds whereas being married/living together, divorced/separated, or widowed was associated with lower odds. Conclusion: Self-reported visual difficulty and use of spectacles/contact lenses varied by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Targeted strategies to improve access to affordable eye care may reduce barriers to uptake of corrective services and reduce visual impairment among women in Malawi. Full article

Plant-based traditional medicine underpins primary health care across rural areas, yet its long-term continuity depends on both the transmission of local knowledge and the management of the plant resources that sustain this practice. This study aimed to identify medicinal plant species in Colcamar district (Amazonas, Peru) that combine high cultural importance with deficient reported environmental management, using a sustainability-oriented cultural–environmental prioritisation index. An observational, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in five annexes of Colcamar district. Household heads and traditional medicine practitioners (n = 87) were interviewed during a single ethnobotanical field campaign in 2025, generating 1038 plant-informant records for 102 species with taxonomic identification and at least one valid plant-informant record. Cultural importance was estimated using the relative frequency of citation (RFC). Environmental management was assessed using a custom instrument of 11 indicators evaluated through exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and intraclass correlation by informant. The factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution (KMO = 0.786; 50.6% of variance explained): socio-economic valuation and environmental management. Internal consistency was acceptable for the total scale (alpha = 0.826) and for each retained factor (alpha ≥ 0.85). Three indicators with intraclass correlation below 0.10 (source of acquisition, cultivation technique, and agroecosystem practices) varied across species and were used to build the environmental management index (EMI). Hierba santa (Cestrum auriculatum Lindl.) showed the highest cultural importance (RFC = 0.540), whereas pava (Petiveria alliacea L.) showed the lowest environmental management (EMI = 0.250), defining priority groups for management intervention. Exploratory regression suggested an unconfirmed trend towards higher socio-economic valuation among expert informants, although this finding should be interpreted cautiously because the global model was not statistically significant and only seven informants were classified as experts. The index should be interpreted as a sustainability-oriented prioritisation tool rather than as a direct ecological estimate of population status, regeneration, or harvesting pressure. Full article

The discharge of metal-rich mining effluents and waste into marine environments represents a significant environmental challenge, with impacts extending from coastal to deep-sea ecosystems. This study presents a scoping review conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines to identify, classify, and synthesise evidence on the effects of large-scale mining waste disposal in coastal and marine settings. Searches of Web of Science, Scopus, and relevant grey literature sources yielded 147 eligible publications from an initial dataset of 563 records. The evidence reviewed enabled the identification of 81 distinct impacts systematically grouped into nine primary categories spanning physical, geotechnical, hydrodynamic, geochemical, biological, ecological, and socio-economic dimensions. Marine tailings deposits behave as dynamic systems that facilitate the transport of contaminants beyond disposal sites through processes such as plume dispersion, sediment resuspension, turbidity currents, and porewater exchange. Geochemical reactions and geotechnical failures can increase environmental vulnerability, a risk further exacerbated by ocean warming, acidification, and changing circulation patterns. Beyond highlighting the need for precautionary, integrated, and adaptive management approaches, this review provides the first comprehensive global inventory of impact categories and assessment factors associated with marine mining waste disposal, establishing a reference framework to guide future research, environmental management, regulatory evaluations, and industry decision-making. Full article

Learner progression policy in South Africa is intended to promote inclusive education by reducing grade repetition and preventing learner dropout, yet its implementation remains contested, particularly in under-resourced schooling contexts. Drawing on teacher agency and socio-ecological theories, this study explored teachers’ perceptions and experiences of learner progression policy in five underperforming secondary schools in Limpopo Province. A qualitative interpretivist design was employed, with data generated through open-ended questionnaires from eleven purposively selected teachers and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings reveal that, while teachers support progression as a mechanism for promoting access and reducing exclusion, they express significant concern about learners advancing without foundational knowledge, contributing to cumulative learning deficits. Teachers employ strategies such as differentiated instruction and extra lessons, yet these efforts are constrained by large class sizes, limited time, and inadequate resources. The study highlights the central role of teacher experience and professional judgment in mediating policy implementation, alongside the influence of socio-economic factors on learner outcomes. The study concludes that learner progression requires substantially stronger support structures, including structured academic support, robust monitoring systems, and improved alignment between policy intentions and classroom realities, to be effective. By foregrounding teachers’ perspectives from under-resourced contexts, the study contributes to ongoing debates about the persistent tension between inclusion and academic quality, offering implications for strengthening inclusive education in South Africa and similar contexts. Full article