Search Results (638)

The construction industry in South Africa faces challenges with the current payment system used to manage progress payments. Contractors often experience delays in progress payments for completed works. These late payments stem from the improper management of progress payment procedures, namely, information, communication, and collaboration, as well as corruption. This study proposes the integration of common data environment (CDE) as it has emerged central in managing information, improving communication and collaboration in a transparent manner. However, the implementation of CDE is facing challenges in the industry. Therefore, the study aimed at developing a model based on the implementation of CDE to uphold efficiency in the management of payment systems for progress payments. A systematic review was conducted to examine the enabling factors, characteristics of CDE in managing progress payment challenges, and benefits of integrating a payment system in a CDE platform. Furthermore, the study utilised questionnaire surveys to purposively collect data from construction professionals who implemented CDE in their projects. From 201 valid questionnaire responses, a structural equation model was developed; testing for the reliability, validity, model fit, and hypotheses was conducted using AMOS and ADANCO. The findings revealed that enabling factors such as quality technology and quality assurance team are the strongest enablers, followed by training and policy. The findings further predict that CDE integration will improve the management of the payment system by 0.589. The study provides theoretical and practical guidance for researchers, policy makers, and construction professionals seeking to strengthen CDE-based payment system frameworks in South Africa. Furthermore, it is recommended to adopt the method of questionnaire surveys and SEM to validate variables and establish their influence on one another to improve generalisation. Full article

The use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in organizational contexts has grown rapidly, particularly in project management activities. Despite this expansion, a relevant methodological gap can be observed in the literature: the absence of psychometrically validated instruments capable of measuring the acceptability of these technologies prior to their effective adoption, especially in project-oriented governance contexts. Traditional technology adoption models predominantly focus on a posteriori assessment of individual use, providing limited support for prospective analyses that inform strategic decision-making and organizational coordination mechanisms. In response to this gap, this study aims to develop and validate a psychometric scale to indirectly measure the acceptability, through outcome beliefs and with behavioral predispositions serving as structural proxies of the latent construct of LLM use by project management teams, with a focus on a priori judgments that precede the effective adoption of the technology. The initial scale, composed of 17 items, underwent content validation and was administered to a sample of 154 project management professionals. The latent structure was examined through Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, resulting in the refinement of the instrument to 13 items distributed across two correlated factors. The results indicate that LLM acceptability is adequately represented by a bidimensional structure comprising the dimensions Intention/Predisposition and Trust/Perceived Benefit, both demonstrating high internal consistency and good statistical fit, and nomological validity evidenced by significant associations with respondents’ self-reported LLM usage frequency. These findings reinforce the conceptualization of acceptability as a prospective and multidimensional construct, relevant for supporting governance decisions and the adoption of artificial intelligence-based technologies in project-oriented organizational systems. The indirect measurement approach adopted here is theoretically grounded in the premise that a priori acceptability is not directly observable but is constituted by cognitive and dispositional beliefs formed prior to use. Full article

In water-limited areas, scientific irrigation scheduling is suggested as a valuable tool to optimize the amount and frequency of water required by crops. MOPECO, based on local data including soil texture, crop growth stages, climatic conditions, weather forecast and irrigation scheme characteristics, can be employed to define the optimal irrigation strategy. This tool was implemented within the SUPROMED project and tested in real farms managed by progressive farmers (leader farmers) who had been advised by the research team to monitor irrigation for seven major water-demanding crops (wheat, oat, onion, maize, olive, almond and pistachio). The obtained results were compared with conventional irrigation management as usually practiced by farmers (average farmers), based on their local experiences and knowledge, for the same crops growing in very similar conditions. Water use and energy efficiency use as well as irrigation cost and economic profitability were compared. The results showed that the advised irrigation scheduling provided an effective way to improve water and energy efficiency and increase yields and economic profitability with respect to current farm management. On average, the scientific method (MOPECO) reduced water consumption and energy use by 25.5% and 22%, respectively, achieving a 29% increase in yield and a reduction of 18% in water irrigation cost. The gross margin per hectare was also higher, increasing by 26%. The results also showed that, under advised management, the farmers’ income became more resilient to market price variability, allowing the farmers to have better economic viability. Based on these results, our study suggested that the adaptation of scientific models such as MOPECO to farmers’ requirements and their implementation through training activities could provide end users with a significant opportunity to improve the agronomic and economic efficiency of water and energy in arid regions. Full article

Effective team formation strategies must account for baseline behavioral diversity within student populations, yet most approaches apply uniform parameters regardless of section characteristics. This exploratory, quasi-experimental study proposes a context-sensitive framework for Team Role Experience and Orientation (TREO)-based team formation across two sections of a road geometric design course (N = 77 civil engineering undergraduates). We systematically evaluated 80 team formation configurations per section (16 thresholds × 5 group sizes) to maximize structural differentiation between role-balanced and role-redundant teams. Baseline diagnostics revealed substantial differences in role diversity, justifying independent optimization. Section A (role-redundant) achieved strong structural separation, whereas Section B (role-diverse) showed weak or negative separation across all configurations, reflecting limitations in achieving consistent complementarity contrasts. Post-project surveys assessed perceived role complementarity, team dynamics, and performance. Across both sections, perceptual differences between conditions were small and non-significant, indicating that structural role differentiation does not automatically translate into subjective team experience. However, perceptual trends varied systematically by baseline diversity, highlighting the moderating role of section composition. These findings emphasize the importance of diagnostic indices (R_ef, IDR) for selecting and interpreting team formation strategies and support the use of adaptive, context-sensitive approaches in engineering education. Full article

Background/Objectives: Preterms often experience unnecessary delays in discharge. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce length of stay (LOS) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: In this before-and-after intervention study on preterms (28 + 0–33 + 6 weeks gestation), we compared NICU outcomes (LOS, postmenstrual age (PMA) and weight at discharge, and readmission within 7 days) from pre-intervention (2013–2015) and post-intervention (2016–2017) periods. The intervention included discharge planning, standardized checklists, parental education, and team-based coordination. Results: We analyzed 377 infants. In post-interventional group, there was a reduction in LOS and PMA at discharge (31.45 ± 19.05 vs. 26.8 ± 15.8 days, p = 0.01 and 35.93 ± 1.84 vs. 35.43 ± 1.27 weeks, p < 0.01, respectively) without significant differences in discharge weight and readmission rates. Conclusions: QI interventions were significantly associated with shorter LOS for preterms. Standardized discharge procedures may improve outcomes and resource utilization in NICUs. Full article

Background: Caregivers often seek medical assistance when their child experiences podiatric medical ailments. Podiatric medical diseases such as ingrown toenails, callosities, warts, metatarsus varus, and hallux valgus frequently occur in children and adolescents. However, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation are often based on empirical experiences; thus, as a first endeavor, clinical and epidemiologic mapping of podiatric medical diseases in children is warranted. We describe the prevalence of common foot conditions—callosities, ingrown toenails, hallux valgus, metatarsus varus, and warts—among Danish schoolchildren aged 6 to 16 years. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated foot conditions in children in first (aged 6–8 years), fifth (aged 10–12 years), and ninth (aged 14–16 years) grades. The clinical status of the feet was examined by teams of two podiatric physicians each. Specifically, we evaluated deformities of the foot, foot pathologies, and their anatomical localization. Results: Of 501 children (1002 extremities) evaluated, 417 had one or more of the investigated foot deformities or pathologies. We found 266 various foot pathologies among Danish schoolchildren. Metatarsus varus (53%) and callosities (46%) were the most frequently occurring foot conditions. The prevalence of foot pathologies of ingrown toenails and warts was 14% and 12%, respectively. The prevalence of ingrown toenails, metatarsus varus, and hallux valgus increased with age. Conclusions: This study found that foot pathologies such as warts and ingrown toenails and conditions such as metatarsus varus and callosities are common in Danish primary school students. These findings of high prevalences of foot pathologies and conditions motivate future research projects to clarify how this affects general health and subsequently the relation to pain, health challenges, socioeconomics, and quality of life. Full article

Background/Objectives: Physical and mental health symptoms commonly affecting children are often under-addressed given the limited availability of pediatric behavioral healthcare. Training school providers (e.g., nurses, mental health professionals) to address these concerns is a promising strategy to explore, considering the unique level of accessibility afforded by school settings. While our earlier work augmented school providers’ pain management skills, providers desired more comprehensive training and youth support tools. Our team of interdisciplinary academic researchers and community partners will bridge this gap by developing the PURSUIT (Preventing Use of Substances for the Underserved with Innovative Technology) provider training program and companion online self-management platform for youth and caregivers. This protocol paper describes our planned approach to developing, implementing, and evaluating the PURSUIT program. Methods: We will draw from evidence-based cognitive–behavioral, trauma-focused, and mindfulness protocols to develop a comprehensive provider training program and interactive online self-management platform for youth and caregivers. Content areas will include core cognitive–behavioral strategies and specific skills for pediatric pain management, trauma-focused care, and substance use prevention. Innovative technological approaches, such as live and animated videos, will be used to promote user engagement. Academic and community partners will have roles in material co-development. Outcomes of this project will include the PURSUIT training program and self-management platform feasibility and acceptability (e.g., completion/engagement rates, quantitative/qualitative reports), as well as the impact of the training program on provider knowledge and the impact of the self-management platform on youth/caregiver outcomes. Conclusions: Interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement will be critical to developing and evaluating a provider training program and youth/caregiver self-management platform. Full article

Introduction: HPV vaccination rates for adolescents in the United States are below recommended levels. The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) guides pediatric clinics on how to implement evidence-based strategies to increase HPV vaccination rates. These strategies comprise the adoption of (1) immunization champions, (2) provider assessment and feedback, (3) continuing education, and (4) prompts, (5) parent reminders, and (6) parent education. The AVP systems-based intervention has demonstrated increased HPV vaccination rates in large urban pediatric clinic networks. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using an online decision support tool, the AVP Implementation Tool (AVP-IT), to implement AVP strategies in safety-net clinics to improve healthcare for the medically underserved in Texas. Methods: AVP immunization clinic staff champions in four urban safety-net clinics completed tailored Action Plans within the AVP-IT to guide strategy implementation, received webinar training from the research team commensurate to each AVP strategy, and participated in monthly monitoring calls with AVP-IT project staff over a 33-month period from 2022 to 2024. Results: All clinics made progress toward full implementation of AVP strategies. Interrupted time series (ITS) trend analysis demonstrated that AVP-IT implementation was associated with an immediate boost in HPV vaccine initiation rates (p < 0.001) and that long-term trends (ITS slopes) were significant for HPV, MCV4, and Tdap vaccines despite low post-COVID-19 pandemic rates (p < 0.001). Vaccination rates using raw data (mean differences) were not longitudinally significant except for older youth aged 13–17 years. Conclusions: The AVP-IT promises accessible and practical decision support to implement strategies to increase HPV vaccination rates in safety-net clinics. Scale-up in these clinics will require leadership support, technical assistance, and EHR optimization. Full article

As intelligent construction technology advances, new projects have become more technology-intensive, collaborative, and multi-objective. Traditional team formation methods based on people’s experience can no longer meet their complex management needs. This study reframes team formation as a multi-objective optimization problem to maximize person–job fit and team collaboration. By introducing a hierarchical penalty mechanism for structured resumes and performing semantic feature extraction on unstructured text via the BERT-base-Chinese model, we develop a job competency model, quantify person–job fit with cosine similarity, and assess team collaboration through MBTI theory and a project-specific scoring framework. An improved algorithm, CSCD-NSGA-II, is proposed, which combines K-means clustering and a modified crowding distance, to maintain solution diversity under constraints. It improves HV by 1.55% and reduces SP by 10.81% compared to the standard NSGA-II. Validation using real projects, simulated data, and algorithm comparisons demonstrates that CSCD-NSGA-II generates teams more efficiently than manual methods. Survey results indicate improved role diversity and the feasibility of collaboration, along with similar task adaptability. The algorithm also outperforms NSGA-II, MOPSO, and SPEA2, supporting intelligent team formation in modern construction. Full article

Background: Youth with disabilities remain among the most overlooked groups in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) discourses, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, their SRHR needs are often ignored. This reflexive article aims to illuminate and recenter the experiences and perspectives of youth with disabilities living in Gulu City and Gulu District, Northern Uganda, exploring what matters to them regarding SRHR and their broader life aspirations. Methods: We adopted a qualitative, reflexive and participatory approach. Data were collected among six Ugandan young co-researchers with different disabilities (physical, visual, hearing, and albinism), who interacted with two Ugandan research assistants and a Canadian researcher involved in a larger SRHR research project. They engaged in in-person and virtual WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams exchanges over weeks, with the support of three Ugandan Sign Language interpreters. We thematically analyzed data, informed by the Intersectionality-based Policy Analysis and Structural Health Vulnerabilities and Agency frameworks. Results: Our analysis revealed four main findings: (1) the persistent feeling of social discrimination, stigma, and exclusion, including from parents, (2) inaccessible SRHR information and services, and knowledge gaps, (3) gender- and disability-based violence, and (4) youth with disabilities’ aspirations for SRHR and in life. Conclusions: The voices of youth with disabilities in Gulu underscore the value of disability equity-focused research. They reminded us that they are intelligent, capable, and thoughtful citizens with agency whose SRHR and broader well-being must be acknowledged and respected. Their perspectives carry critical implications for SRHR programming, policy, and research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Health Promotion Centres (HPCs) in Slovenia represent a European best practice for integrated prevention and health promotion. This study explores the feasibility of adapting the Slovenian HPC model to Bergamo Province, Lombardy, considering local population needs and health system characteristics. Methods: We conducted a qualitative feasibility and policy analysis based primarily on documentary review, complemented by a webinar, a study visit to Slovenia, and expert consultations (conducted in two group discussions) with professionals from ATS (Agenzia Tutela della Salute) Bergamo and local ASST (Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale) providers. Data were analysed using the PIET-T framework (Population–Intervention–Environment–Transfer). Results: Eight key elements define the Slovenian model: (1) governance and stewardship; (2) structural financing; (3) standardized service portfolio; (4) systematic preventive referrals; (5) integration with primary care and screening; (6) multidisciplinary teams with codified training; (7) community outreach and equity orientation; and (8) information systems and reporting. While Bergamo shares similar demographic and epidemiological profiles, differences in behavioral risk factors, project-based financing, fragmented initiatives, and limited digital integration necessitate adaptation. The comparative assessment highlighted key areas requiring contextual adaptation, including financing mechanisms, organisational coordination, workforce capacity, digital interoperability, and approaches to equity. Conclusions: The Slovenian HPC experience demonstrates the potential of integrated, community-based health promotion. Its adaptation to Lombardy appears feasible if core components are preserved and tailored to local governance, population, and health system conditions. These organisational features may be particularly relevant for time-dependent conditions, such as acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, by potentially supporting more timely risk-factor management and coordination across diagnostic and emergency pathways. Rather than a blueprint for reform, this experience offers useful insights to reinforce prevention and health promotion within the ongoing territorial care reform in Lombardy. Full article

Cybersecurity teams rely on signature-based scanners such as Loki, a command-line tool for scanning malware, to identify Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), malicious artifacts, and YARA-rule matches. However, the raw Loki log output delivered as CSV or plaintext is challenging to interpret without additional visualization and correlation tools. Therefore, this research discusses the creation of a web-based dashboard that displays results from the Loki scanner. The project focuses on processing and displaying information collected from Loki’s scans, which are available in log files or CSV format. DIGITRACKER was developed as a proof-of-concept (PoC) to process this data and present it in a user-friendly, visually appealing way, enabling system administrators and cybersecurity teams to monitor potential threats and vulnerabilities effectively. By leveraging modern web technologies and dynamic data visualization, the tool enhances the user experience, transforming raw scan results into a well-organized, interactive dashboard. This approach simplifies the often-complicated task of manual log analysis, making it easier to interpret output data and to support low-budget or resource-constrained cybersecurity teams by transforming raw logs into actionable insights. The project demonstrates the dashboard’s effectiveness in identifying and addressing threats, providing valuable tools for cybersecurity system administrators. Moreover, our evaluation shows that DIGITRACKER can process scan logs containing hundreds of IOC alerts within seconds and supports multiple concurrent users with minimal latency overhead. In test scenarios, the integrated Loki scans were achieved, and the end-to-end pipeline from the end of the scan to the initiation of dashboard visualization incurred an average latency of under 20 s. These results demonstrate improved threat visibility, support structured triage workflows, and enhance analysts’ task management. Overall, the system provides a practical, extensible PoC that bridges the gap between command-line scanners and operational security dashboards, with new scan results displayed on the dashboard faster than manual log analysis. By streamlining analysis and enabling near-real-time monitoring, the PoC tool DIGITRACKER empowers cyber defense initiatives and enhances overall system security. Full article

Traditional multi-criteria decision-making methods often operate on the assumption of symmetry, presupposing that the positive impact of a criterion’s presence is perfectly complementary to the negative impact of its absence. However, in real-world decision problems, this relationship is frequently asymmetric; some criteria act merely as “delighters,” while others represent “must-have” constraints. This study proposes a novel methodology, the Presence–Absence Synthesis (PAS) Method, which addresses this asymmetry by treating the “Presence Effect” and “Absence Effect” of criteria as two independent dimensions. The method is built upon intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) to effectively model the uncertainty and hesitation inherent in expert evaluations. The applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated through a real-world workforce management problem aimed at assigning employees to the most suitable tasks based on their competencies in a retail store. In the study, the suitability scores derived from the PAS method are integrated into a mathematical optimization model for weekly employee scheduling, presenting a two-stage decision support framework. The results and comparisons with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method reveal that the PAS method more effectively distinguishes critical competency gaps (i.e., criteria with high absence effects), leading to more realistic task assignments and a measurable reduction in operational risks, such as skill mismatches and infeasible schedules. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis confirms that the proposed model yields consistent and robust results under varying conditions. Beyond the retail context, the proposed PAS framework is applicable to a wide range of decision-making problems, including healthcare staff allocation, project team formation, supplier selection, and other resource allocation settings where their presence cannot compensate for the absence of critical criteria. Full article

Rapid urban growth in many Global South cities strains waste systems and slows the shift to circular economy (CE) practice. Colombo, Sri Lanka, exemplifies this challenge, where overstretched state-led services coexist with neighborhood groups, NGOs, and informal collectors driving circular activities. This study adopts a layered social network diagnostic framework to examine how community-based waste management networks operate and how they might be reshaped to enable a city-wide CE. Using survey and interview data from 185 actors, information-sharing, collaboration, and resource-exchange networks are analyzed separately and in combination. The results reveal three principal findings: (i) Social-capital forms operate largely in parallel, with limited conversion between information, collaboration, and material exchange; (ii) the network exhibits “thin bridges and thick clusters,” in which a small number of NGO hubs mediate most cross-cluster connectivity; (iii) layers operate with mismatched coordination logics, producing gaps between awareness, collective action, and resource mobilization. As a result, ideas circulate widely but rarely translate into joint projects, local teams coordinate effectively yet remain isolated, and material flows depend on a narrow and fragile logistics spine. By diagnosing these structural misalignments, this study demonstrates a key novelty: scalable circular economy adoption depends not only on technology and policy but also on the design and alignment of underlying coordination networks. Full article

Salmonella spp. is a pathogenic microorganism linked to eggs and egg products. In-shell eggs are not required to be pasteurized in any country before they reach the consumer. The use of an emerging technology known as radio frequency has been successfully used to inactivate this pathogen inside in-shell eggs and claim pasteurization standards (5 - log reduction). The objective of this manuscript was to conduct the engineering cost of egg processing using a radio frequency pasteurizer and compare the processing cost to conventional thermal pasteurization for in-shell eggs. The ARS-patented radio frequency pasteurizer was used (40.68 MHz, 35 W) to pasteurize eggs in 24.5 min. The conventional thermal pasteurization (56.7 °C) required 60 min for the same level of inactivation. The techno-economic analysis (TEA) included information from stakeholders, egg processors and equipment manufacturers and was used together with energy balances and some key assumptions. Calculations for the engineering cost were made based on the required energy for each system, showing that the radio frequency required a third of the total cost of electricity to pasteurize eggs in a year compared with thermal, based on utilities costs in PA. Other utilities such as water and steam were also minor for radio frequency pasteurization. After two years of operation, the projected additional cost of processing is ~USD 0.19 per egg for the radio frequency system, compared with USD 0.22 per egg for conventional thermal treatment, largely due to volume-based amortization of capital costs and lower annual operating costs for the RF process. Radio frequency thus could be an option to pasteurize eggs in farms from PA and potentially in other states, using the system developed by our research team, while reducing energy consumption and increasing return on investment. Full article