Search Results (3,990)

This study analyzes the evolution of Pakistan’s energy policies from 1990 to 2024, documenting their transition from a singular focus on generation capacity to an integrated approach prioritizing renewable energy and efficiency. Through a systematic literature review of 110 initially screened studies, with 50 meeting the inclusion criteria and 22 selected for in-depth analysis, we evaluated policy effectiveness and identified implementation barriers. Our methodology employed predefined criteria focusing on energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and climate impact, utilizing the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Early policies like the National Energy Conservation Policy (1992) and the Energy Policy (1994) emphasized energy security through generation capacity expansion while largely neglecting renewable sources and efficiency improvements. The policy landscape evolved in the 2000s with the introduction of renewable energy incentives and efficiency initiatives. However, persistent challenges include short-term planning, inconsistent implementation, and fossil fuels dependence. Recent framework like the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy (2019) and the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan (2020–2025) demonstrate progress toward sustainable energy practices. However, institutional, financial, and regulatory barriers continue to constrain effectiveness. We recommend that Pakistan’s energy strategy prioritize the following: (1) long-term planning horizon; (2) enhanced fiscal incentives; and (3) strengthened institutional support to meet global energy security and climate resilience standards. These measures would advance Pakistan’s sustainable energy transition while supporting both energy security and environmental objectives. Full article

Groundwater in the Qingshui River Plain of southern Ningxia is one of the main water sources for local domestic and agricultural use. However, due to the geological background of the area, 33.94% of the groundwater samples had fluoride concentrations that exceeded the WHO drinking water standards. To examine the spatial patterns and formation processes of fluoride in groundwater, researchers gathered 79 rock samples, 2618 soil samples, 21 sediment samples, 138 groundwater samples, and 82 surface water samples across the southern Qingshui River Plain. The collected data were analyzed using statistical approaches and hydrogeochemical diagrams. The findings reveal that fluoride levels in groundwater exhibit a gradual increase from the eastern, western, and southern peripheral sloping plains toward the central valley plain. Vertically, higher fluoride concentrations are found within 100 m of depth. Over a ten-year period, fluoride concentrations have shown minimal variation. Fluoride-rich rocks, unconsolidated sediments, and soils are the primary sources of fluoride in groundwater. The primary mechanisms governing high-fluoride groundwater formation are rock weathering and evaporative concentration, whereas cation exchange adsorption promotes fluoride (F⁻) mobilization into the aquifer. Additional sources of fluoride ions include leaching of fluoride-rich sediments during atmospheric precipitation infiltration and recharge from fluoride-rich surface water. Full article

The Erentaolegai silver deposit is located within the Derbugan metallogenic belt in the eastern segment of the Central Asia–Mongolia giant orogenic belt. The ore bodies are primarily hosted in the volcanic rocks of the Middle Jurassic Tamulangou Formation of the Mesozoic. The mineralization process of the deposit is divided into three stages: Stage I: Pyrite–Quartz Stage; Stage II: Sulfide–Quartz Stage; Stage III: Quartz–Manganese Carbonate Stage. This paper discusses the ore-forming fluids, ore-forming materials, and deposit genesis of the Erentaolegai silver deposits using fluid inclusions microthermometry, laser Raman spectroscopy, and H-O-S isotope analyses. Fluid inclusion microthermometry and laser Raman spectroscopy analyses indicate that the Erentaolegai silver deposit contains exclusively fluid-rich two-phase fluid inclusions, all of which belong to the H₂O-NaCl system. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in the three stages (from early to late) ranged from 257 to 311 °C, 228 to 280 °C, and 194 to 238 °C, corresponding to salinities of 1.91 to 7.86 wt%, 2.07 to 5.41 wt%, and 0.70–3.55 wt% NaCl equivalent, densities of 0.75 to 0.83 g/cm⁻³, 0.80 to 0.86 g/cm⁻³ and 0.85 to 0.89 g/cm⁻³. The mineralization pressure ranged from 12.2 to 29.5 MPa, and the mineralization depth was 0.41 to 0.98 km, indicating low-pressure and shallow-depth mineralization conditions. H-O isotope results indicate that the ore-forming fluid is a mixture of magmatic fluids and meteoric water, with meteoric contribution dominating in the late stage. The δ³⁴S values of metallic sulfides ranged from −1.8 to +4.0‰, indicating that the metallogenic material of the Erentaolegai silver deposit was dominated by a deep magmatic source. This study concludes that meteoric water mixing and subsequent fluid cooling served as the primary mechanism for silver mineral precipitation. The Erentaolegai silver deposit is classified as a low-sulfidation epithermal silver deposit. Full article

Fish production faces various challenges throughout its cycle, from rearing to consumption. Organic acids have emerged as an effective fish feed and meat treatment solution. They promote health and well-being, control pathogens, improve digestion, and contribute to food preservation. This study was therefore carried out to evaluate the evolution of publications on the use of organic acids in aquaculture over time, identifying the leading journals, authors, countries, and relevant organizations associated with the publications and determining the keywords most used in publications and research trends on this type of accommodation using bibliometric analysis. For this analysis, the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases were used, with the keywords and Boolean operators “organic acid*” AND (“pathogens” OR “microorganism*” OR “bacteria” OR “fungi”) AND (“fish” OR “fry” OR “pisciculture”). Ninety-six articles were found in 44 journals, with the participation of 426 authors and 188 institutions, from 1995 to 2024. The most crucial publication source with the highest impact factor was the journal Aquaculture, with 14 articles, 2 of which were written by the most relevant author, Koh C., who received the highest number of citations and had the highest impact factor among the 426 authors. China had the most scientific production, with 26 publications on organic acids in aquaculture. However, Malaysia was the country that published the most cited documents, a total of 386. The most relevant affiliation was the University of Sains Malaysia, which participated in the publication of eight articles. The 10 most frequent keywords were fish, organic acids, citric acid, article, bacteria, growth, microorganisms, Oncorhynchus mykiss, animals, and digestibility. The results indicate increased publications on the benefits of using organic acids in aquaculture, highlighting their effectiveness as antibacterial agents and promoters of zootechnical development. However, gaps still require more in-depth research into the ideal dosages, mechanisms of action, and long-term impacts of these compounds. Full article

The construction industry is moving towards the era of industry 4.0; 5.0 with Building Information Modelling (BIM) as the tool gaining significant traction owing to its inherent advantages such as enhancing construction design, process and data management. However, the integration of BIM presents risks that are often overlooked in project implementation. This study aims to develop a novel amalgamated dimensional factor (Techno-organizational Aspect) that is set out to identify and align appropriate management strategies to these risks. Firstly, it encompasses an in-depth analysis of BIM and risk management, through an integrative review approach. The study utilizes an exploratory-based review centered around journal articles and conference papers sourced from Scopus and Google Scholar. Then processed using NVivo 12 Pro software to categorise risks through thematic analysis, resulting in a comprehensive Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS). Then qualitative content analysis was employed to identify and develop management strategies. Further data collection via online survey was crucial for closing the research gap identified. The analysis by mixed method research enabled to determine the risk severity via the quantitative approach using SPSS (version 29), while the qualitative approach linked management strategies to the risk factors. The findings accentuate the crucial linkages of key strategies such as version control system that controls BIM data repository transactions to mitigate challenges controlling transactions in multi-model collaborative environment. The study extends into underexplored amalgamated domains (techno-organisational spectrum). Therefore, a significant contribution to bridging the existing research gap in understanding the intricate relationship between BIM implementation risks and effective management strategies. Full article

Groundwater systems are intrinsically linked to climate, with changing conditions significantly altering recharge, storage, and discharge processes, thereby impacting water availability and ecosystem integrity. Critical knowledge gaps persist regarding groundwater equilibrium timescales, water table dynamics, and their governing factors. This study develops a novel remote sensing framework to quantify factor controls on groundwater–climate interaction characteristics in the Heihe River Basin (HRB). High-resolution (0.005° × 0.005°) maps of groundwater response time (GRT) and water table ratio (WTR) were generated using multi-source geospatial data. Employing Geographical Convergent Cross Mapping (GCCM), we established causal relationships between GRT/WTR and their drivers, identifying key influences on groundwater dynamics. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) further quantified the relative contributions of climatic (precipitation, temperature), topographic (DEM, TWI), geologic (hydraulic conductivity, porosity, vadose zone thickness), and vegetative (NDVI, root depth, soil water) factors to GRT/WTR variability. Results indicate an average GRT of ~6.5 × 10⁸ years, with 7.36% of HRB exhibiting sub-century response times and 85.23% exceeding 1000 years. Recharge control dominates shrublands, wetlands, and croplands (WTR < 1), while topography control prevails in forests and barelands (WTR > 1). Key factors collectively explain 86.7% (GRT) and 75.9% (WTR) of observed variance, with spatial GRT variability driven primarily by hydraulic conductivity (34.3%), vadose zone thickness (13.5%), and precipitation (10.8%), while WTR variation is controlled by vadose zone thickness (19.2%), topographic wetness index (16.0%), and temperature (9.6%). These findings provide a scientifically rigorous basis for prioritizing groundwater conservation zones and designing climate-resilient water management policies in arid endorheic basins, with our high-resolution causal attribution framework offering transferable methodologies for global groundwater vulnerability assessments. Full article

Optimizing water resource utilization is a critical challenge to meet the dramatic increase in food demand. Therefore, continuous studies to minimize water demand for plants are highly needed. This study aims to employ HYDRUS (2D/3D) software to simulate the effects of continuous and intermittent water flow on soil water distribution under a subsurface point source. The constant parameters included loamy sand soil, a water application time of 30 min, and an emitter discharge of 3.41 L/h. The variable parameters consisted are two pipe depths (25 cm and 35 cm), three ratios of ON:OFF times (1ON:1OFF, 1ON:3OFF, and 1ON:5OFF), and five water application cycles (WF1C, WF2C, WF3C, WF4C, and WF5C, with WF1C as for the continuous water flow). The results revealed that, in 30 min of water application, continuous water flow and ON:OFF ratios of 1ON:1OFF and 1ON:3OFF achieved maximum water retention in the vicinity of the emitter. In 60 min, increasing cycles enhanced retention for 1ON:1OFF and 1ON:3OFF, yet the 1ON:5OFF time ratio achieved the highest water content near the emitter. In 120 min, the 1ON:1OFF ratio showed an insignificant effect with cycle variations, but 1ON:3OFF and 1ON:5OFF exhibited increased retention. Similarly, in 180 min, 1ON:1OFF was unaffected by cycles, whereas 1ON:3OFF and 1ON:5OFF significantly improved retention. After 360 min, all treatments displayed equal water retention relative to the emitter position. Also, the results revealed that increasing water application cycles and ON:OFF time ratios lead to more holding soil water content, especially at soil levels of 20, 30, and 40 cm. These results affirm that positioning the emitters line at 25 cm enhances water retention more effectively than at 35 cm. Ultimately, statistical analysis confirmed that the combination of pipe depth, water application cycles, and ON:OFF ratios significantly affects the retention of soil water content in the vicinity of the emitter. 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

This qualitative case study explores Missouri-based consumers’ ethical beliefs regarding restaurant sourcing from minority farmers. Guided by the Hunt–Vitell theory of ethics (H-V model), it applies the model in a new context: culturally inclusive restaurant sourcing. Based on 15 semi-structured interviews conducted between September 2024 and October 2024, the study explores how ethical beliefs shape dining intentions. Participants generally viewed support for minority farmers as ethically appropriate. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes: (1) community-oriented social values (e.g., social responsibility toward local businesses); (2) cultural identity (e.g., traditional farming methods); (3) consumer values—food-oriented (e.g., quality); (4) consumer values—people-oriented (e.g., financial support for ethical sourcing); (5) trust-building mechanisms (e.g., sourcing transparency); and (6) barriers (e.g., lack of awareness). These findings highlight limited consumer awareness of minority farmers and the need for transparent communication and cultural education. The study contributes theoretically by extending the H-V model to the intersection of ethics, culture, and restaurant sourcing. Practically, it offers guidance for restaurant managers, marketers, and policymakers to support minority farmers, build trust, and promote inclusive and socially responsible dining. One key limitation of this study is its reliance on a small, Missouri-based consumer sample, which limits generalizability and excludes perspectives from other stakeholders. However, as a regional case study, it provides important depth and contextual insight into an underexplored aspect of sustainable sourcing. This study also highlights the need for multi-stakeholder engagement to advance equity in the food system. Full article

Background: The ability of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to analyse brain structural patterns in various kinds of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), has drawn a lot of interest recently. One emerging technique in this field is brain age prediction, which estimates biological age to identify ageing patterns that may serve as biomarkers for such disorders. However, a significant problem with most of the GNNs is their depth, which can lead to issues like oversmoothing and diminishing gradients. Methods: In this study, we propose SAGEFusionNet, a GNN architecture specifically designed to enhance brain age prediction and assess PD-related brain ageing patterns using T1-weighted structural MRI (sMRI). SAGEFusionNet learns important ROIs for brain age prediction by incorporating ROI-aware pooling at every layer to overcome the above challenges. Additionally, it incorporates multi-layer feature fusion to capture multi-scale structural information across the network hierarchy and auxiliary supervision to enhance gradient flow and feature learning at multiple depths. The dataset utilised in this study was sourced from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. It included a total of 580 T1-weighted sMRI scans from healthy individuals. The brain sMRI scans were parcellated into 56 regions of interest (ROIs) using the LPBA40 brain atlas in CAT12. The anatomical graph was constructed based on grey matter (GM) volume features. This graph served as input to the GNN models, along with GM and white matter (WM) volume as node features. All models were trained using 5-fold cross-validation to predict brain age and subsequently tested for performance evaluation. Results: The proposed framework achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of $4.24\pm 0.38$ years and a mean Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (PCC) of $0.72\pm 0.03$ during cross-validation. We also used 215 PD patient scans from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database to assess the model’s performance and validate it. The initial findings revealed that out of 215 individuals with Parkinson’s disease, 213 showed higher and 2 showed lower predicted brain ages than their actual ages, with a mean MAE of 13.36 years (95% confidence interval: 12.51–14.28). Conclusions: These results suggest that brain age prediction using the proposed method may provide important insights into neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

This article presents a comparative study of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and articles authored by professional journalists, focusing on the perspective of a Kazakhstani audience. The analysis was conducted based on several key criteria, including the structure of the article, writing style, factual accuracy, citation of sources, and completeness of the information. The study spans a variety of topics, such as politics, economics, law, sports, education, and social issues. The results indicate that AI-generated articles tend to exhibit greater structural clarity and neutrality. On the other hand, articles written by journalists score higher in terms of factual accuracy, analytical depth, and the use of verified sources. Furthermore, the research explores the significance of journalistic ethics in ensuring transparency and information completeness in content production. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the importance of upholding rigorous journalistic standards when integrating AI into media practices. Full article

Validating the potential of multi-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for multi-layer and profile soil moisture (SM) estimation modeling, we conducted an airborne multi-frequency SAR joint observation experiment (AMFSEX) over the Liao River Basin in China. The experiment simultaneously acquired airborne high spatial resolution quad-polarization (quad-pol) SAR data at five frequencies, including the Ka-, X-, C-, S-, and L-band. A preliminary “vegetation–soil” parameter estimation model based on the multi-frequency SAR data was established. Theoretical penetration depths of the multi-frequency SAR data were analyzed using the Dobson empirical model and the Hallikainen modified model. On this basis, a water cloud model (WCM) constrained by multi-polarization weighted and penetration depth weighted parameters was used to analyze the estimation accuracy of the multi-layer and profile SM (0–50 cm depth) under different vegetation types (grassland, farmland, and woodland). Overall, the estimation error (root mean square error, RMSE) of the surface SM (0–5 cm depth) ranged from 0.058 cm³/cm³ to 0.079 cm³/cm³, and increased with radar frequency. For multi-layer and profile SM (3 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, 40 cm, 50 cm depth), the RMSE ranged from 0.040 cm³/cm³ to 0.069 cm³/cm³. Finally, a multi-input multi-output regression model (Gaussian process regression) was used to simultaneously estimate the multi-layer and profile SM. For surface SM, the overall RMSE was approximately 0.040 cm³/cm³. For multi-layer and profile SM, the overall RMSE ranged from 0.031 cm³/cm³ to 0.064 cm³/cm³. The estimation accuracy achieved by coupling the multi-source data (multi-frequency SAR data, multispectral data, and soil parameters) was superior to that obtained using the SAR data alone. The optimal SM penetration depth varied across different vegetation cover types, generally falling within the range of 10–30 cm, which holds true for both the scattering model and the regression model. This study provides methodological guidance for the development of multi-layer and profile SM estimation models based on the multi-frequency SAR data. Full article

The ecological environment of urban lakes affected by human activities is deteriorating rapidly. As a source and sink of pollutants in the lake environment, sediments have become the focus of environmental assessments. At present, most of the studies only conduct pollution assessments on surface sediments. In this study, taking the typical urban lakes GanTang Lake and NanMen Lake (G&N Lake) as the background, not only is the planar spatial distribution of their nutrient elements, seven kinds of heavy metals, and As analyzed in detail, but risk assessments are also carried out on the pollution conditions at different depths. The causes of pollution at different depths are analyzed. It is found that in this lake, with the increase in depth, the pollution situation decreases slightly, but the pollution of nutrient elements is severe. There is severe pollution of nutrient elements at a depth of up to 1 m in the whole lake sediment. In the sediments with a depth of up to 1 m, more than 90% of the areas in the whole lake are at or above the moderate pollution level of Hg, and more than 70% of the areas are under slight pollution of Cd, resulting in the ecological risk level of the whole lake being at or above the high-risk level. Urban lake sediment management is inherently complex, driven by multifaceted factors where intensive anthropogenic activities constitute the primary pollution source. This research provides insights to guide restoration strategies and sustainable development policies for lacustrine ecosystems. Full article

This paper is a case study of supporting students in developing their Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) literacy as well as guiding them to use it ethically, appropriately, and responsibly in their studies. As part of the study, a law coursework assignment was designed utilising a four-step Problem, AI, Interaction, Reflection (PAIR) framework that included a problem-solving task that required the students to use GAI tools. The students were asked to use one or two GAI tools of their choice early in their assessment preparation to research and were given a set questionnaire to reflect on their experience. They were instructed to apply Gibbs’ or Rolfe’s reflective cycles to write about their experience in the reflective part of the assessment. This study found that a GAI-enabled assessment reinforced students’ understanding of the importance of academic integrity, enhanced their research skills, and helped them understand complex legal issues and terminologies. It also found that the students did not rely on GAI outputs but evaluated and critiqued them for their accuracy and depth referring to primary and secondary legal sources—a process that enhanced their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Full article

Waste tires (WTs) constitute a potentially significant source of pollution, and the large quantities that are disposed of require proper handling. Pyrolysis has emerged as an environmentally friendly and effective method for WT treatment. In the present study, the cyto-genotoxic and toxic effects of untreated and acid-treated pyrolytic tire char (PTC_UN and PTC_AT, respectively) were investigated. The cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay, using human lymphocytes, and the Aliivibrio fischeri bioluminescence assay were used for the assessment of cyto-genotoxicity and ecotoxicity, respectively. According to the results, both PTC_UN and PTC_AT exhibited genotoxicity at all concentrations tested (2.5, 5, and 10 μg mL⁻¹), which was more pronounced in the case of PTC_AT. Cytotoxicity induction was reported for PTC_UN and PTC_AT at all concentrations. Both demonstrated a relatively low potential for ecotoxicity induction against A. fischeri. Since the cyto-genotoxic and toxic effects of PTC_AT seemed to be more pronounced, the toxic profile of tire char should be investigated in depth before selecting the appropriate applications, thereby avoiding detrimental effects in the environment and humans alike. Full article