Search Results (241)

This article explores how Afro-Colombian rural communities in the Caribbean region reclaim their territorial rights through the social construction of habitat. Drawing on four years of participatory action research with the Ma-Majarí Community Council in El Níspero, Montes de María, the study analyzes how traditional housing practices—rooted in ancestral knowledge, oral traditions, and collective memory—function as tools of cultural affirmation, political resistance, and re-peasantization in a post-conflict context. The research highlights the strategic role of Life Plans (Planes de Vida) as instruments of self-governance and territorial justice, challenging extractive development models and institutional neglect. Through visual ethnography, architectural surveys, and community-led housing initiatives, the study reveals how Afro-rural architecture embodies autonomy, resilience, and the right to remain in territory. Housing is not merely a physical structure but a living system of identity, memory, and future-making. This work contributes to broader debates on rural social movements, ethnodevelopment, and post-conflict reconstruction, proposing an architecture of recognition that centers cultural specificity and community agency. Full article

Background: Immunisation remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for preventing infectious diseases in children. Despite global progress, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to face challenges in achieving equitable immunisation coverage. Gender-related disparities, rooted in sociocultural and structural inequalities, significantly influence the prevalence of zero-dose and under-immunised children in the region. This review critically examines the gender-associated barriers to routine childhood immunisation in SSA to inform more inclusive and equitable health interventions. Methods: A critical literature review was conducted generally following some steps of the PRISMA-P and CRD guidelines. Using the Population–Concept–Context (PCC) framework, studies were selected that examined gender-related barriers to routine immunisation for children under five in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comprehensive searches were performed across PubMed, Google Scholar, and relevant organisational websites, targeting articles published between 2015 and 2025. A total of 3683 articles were retrieved, with 24 studies ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the findings. Results: Four major themes emerged: (1) women’s empowerment and autonomy, including limited decision-making power, financial control, and the impact of gender-based violence; (2) male involvement and prevailing gender norms, where patriarchal structures and low male engagement negatively influenced vaccine uptake; (3) socioeconomic and structural barriers, such as poverty, geographic inaccessibility, maternal workload, and service availability; and (4) education, awareness, and health system responsiveness. Conclusions: Gender dynamics have a significant impact on childhood immunisation outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Future policies must integrate these insights to improve immunisation equity and reduce preventable child morbidity and mortality across the region. Full article

Background/Objectives: Vaccination uptake in Ethiopia is deeply shaped by gender norms, with women serving as primary caregivers but often limited by low autonomy, while men typically control household decisions but remain less engaged in child health. This study examines gendered influences on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance to inform future strategies. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted in four regions of Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, Afar, and Tigray). Quantitative data were collected from 992 caregivers through multistage stratified sampling procedure, whereas qualitative data were collected from 26 in-depth interviews, 24 exit interviews and 11 key informant interviews and were analyzed thematically guided by the WHO Behavioural and Social Drivers framework. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the associations. Results: The result highlighted that the proportion of caregivers who reported willingness to vaccinate their child with all recommended vaccines was high (93.5%) and more likely among those with higher education, family support, religious support, and frequency of health worker contact. However, 51.1% of caregivers displayed some degree of vaccine hesitancy, with higher prevalence among males. Hesitancy was linked to traditional beliefs and norms that assign vaccination responsibility to mothers, urban residence, and being employed, while secondary education, family support, and religious support were protective. While acceptance is high, hesitancy persists. Gender roles, education, social support, and health worker engagement influence immunization outcomes. Conclusions: The study highlighted that expanding immunization across all age groups and reducing persistent hesitancy requires a shift toward gender-responsive strategies including integrating a gender perspective into the immunization programs that address traditional norms and misinformation. Full article

This article analyzes the significance of regional autonomy in Nigeria and its impact on both national integration processes and governance issues, based on the empirical argument for the autonomy of ethnically diverse regions. This study entails a content and thematic analysis derived from in-person interviews. To address the modification of Nigeria’s government and political structures, several research objectives target the specific problems of national assimilation and recommend regional autonomy. On the other hand, an argument is made that the patterns of governance and political representation in Nigeria have been pervaded by regionalism and integration issues particular to the nation. This research describes these issues through personal perspectives based on interactions with the state and political representation. We conclude that regional autonomy influences national integration and governance in Nigeria. It is vital for policymakers to immediately implement a clear-cut framework for the national integration of regional autonomy and to strengthen the Nigerian governance system on issues of resource allocation inequalities. Full article

Introduction: Cancer is one of the evils of the current era and is considered a global public health problem. This disease has repercussions for the lives of patients in several dimensions, namely, physical, emotional, and psychosocial. Thus, it is believed that elements such as resilience, symptomatology, and self-care are related, as the disease and its treatments can have repercussions that extend beyond the clinic. Background/Objectives: We aimed to determine the relationship between symptom clusters and the mindful self-care of people with cancer in palliative care. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 125 palliative care patients diagnosed with malignant neoplasms. The research was carried out at a reference hospital in Brazil, located in the western region of the state of Santa Catarina, specializing in antineoplastic treatment. The data were collected between May and August 2023 from hospitalized patients. Three instruments were employed to obtain data: a sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS-BR), and the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS). For data analysis, descriptive statistics were used to characterize the participants, Student’s T-test was used for the other parametric tests, and variables with statistical evidence were selected for a linear regression model. Results: A statistically significant association was found between mindful self-care and symptoms of pain, tiredness, drowsiness, shortness of breath, depression, and malaise, with sleepiness being the only predictor of changes in this variable. Conclusions: Mindful self-care influences patients’ experience of symptoms, especially drowsiness, which predicts changes in self-care. Encouraging these practices reduces discomfort, enhances autonomy, and guides professionals in personalized care. Full article

Amid growing global interest in culturally responsive education, integrating local knowledge into higher education curricula has become a key focus of reform, especially in culturally distinct regions. This qualitative study investigates how universities in Aceh, Indonesia, implement curriculum innovation by embedding local cultural, ecological, and philosophical values within the national Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) framework. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 100 participants, including lecturers, curriculum developers, and education policymakers, this study explores both the opportunities and constraints surrounding this integration process. Local knowledge was incorporated through thematic modules on adat (customary law), oral literature, and traditional ecology, as well as community-based learning and assessment methods such as reflective journals and participatory mapping. Key challenges included limited institutional guidelines, inadequate pedagogical training, and accreditation systems prioritizing standardized indicators over local relevance. Despite challenges, factors such as faculty autonomy, leadership support, and community collaboration have fostered innovative practices. This study provides empirically grounded insights into how local knowledge can strengthen higher education in underrepresented and culturally diverse contexts. Full article

The growing reliance on autonomy in uncrewed aircraft systems (UASs) necessitates a real-time solution for assured contingency landing management during in-flight emergencies. This paper presents a novel gradient-guided search algorithm for risk-aware emergency landing trajectory generation with a wing-lift UAS loss-of-thrust use case. This framework integrates a compact four-dimensional discrete search space with aircraft kinematic and ground-risk cost. A multi-objective cost function is employed, combining flight envelope feasibility, optimal descent, and overflown population risk terms. To ensure discrete search convergence, a constrained hypervolume definition is introduced around the destination. A holding pattern identification algorithm is defined to minimize risk during the necessary flight path angle-constrained descent to final approach. Planner effectiveness is validated through randomly generated case studies over a region of Long Island, NY, under steady wind conditions. Benchmark comparisons with a 3D Dubins solver demonstrate the approach’s improved risk mitigation and acceptable real-time computation overhead. Future development will focus on integrating collision avoidance into the discrete search-based landing planner. Full article

Brief Admission by Self-referral (BA), a standardized crisis intervention for individuals with repeated self-harm or suicidal behavior, was adapted for adolescents from 13 years in Region Skåne, Sweden, in 2018. BA aims to offer access to support based on autonomy and has been associated with reduced need of emergency care. Interviews with adolescents and legal guardians have pointed to BA as valuable and challenging, and professional support as key. This study aims to describe healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) experiences of BA for adolescents with self-harm at risk of suicide. Interviews six years after implementation with fourteen HCPs from outpatient and inpatient psychiatric care were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. BA was perceived as valuable caretaking without taking over, promoting mental growth and agency by being brief and granting access. It was described as offering relief to families and HCPs, although perceived to lack a sufficient level of legal guardian participation. Key work processes included being grounded in leadership and outpatient treatment. Challenges included system inflexibility and fitting BA into the physical care context. The results of this study may support future implementation of BA for adolescents with self-harm at risk of suicide and add guidance around potential pitfalls. Full article

The study investigates a hybrid energy system integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels, micro-CHP units, battery storage, and thermal storage to meet the winter energy demands of a residential building in Bacău, Romania. Using real-world experimental data from amorphous, polycrystalline, and monocrystalline PV panels, C++ Model 1 simulates building energy needs and PV system performance under varying irradiance levels. The results show that PV systems alone cannot meet the total winter demand, with polycrystalline slightly outperforming monocrystalline, yet still falling short. A second computational model (C++ Model 2) simulates hybrid energy flow, demonstrating how the CHP unit and storage systems can ensure off-grid autonomy. The model dynamically manages energy between components based on daily irradiance scenarios. The findings reveal critical thresholds for PV surplus, optimal CHP sizing, and realistic battery and thermal storage needs. This paper provides a practical framework for designing efficient, data-driven hybrid solar–CHP systems for cold climates. The novelty lies in the integration of real-world PV efficiency data with a dynamic irradiance-driven simulation framework, enabling precise hybrid system sizing for winter-dominant regions. Full article

This study aims to investigate a fundamental yet largely overlooked question: “Does investing in transportation infrastructure positively impact farms’ agricultural gross income?” It is examined based on the role of transportation infrastructure in ensuring equal access to market opportunities in the context of the widening regional economic disparity in Korea. The main novelty of this study lies in its attempt to introduce an accessibility measure for evaluating the benefits of transportation infrastructure in a rural setting, which has been limitedly applied in urban-centered studies. To accomplish this task, multilevel and spatial econometric models were employed to evaluate the ex-post impact of transportation accessibility on agricultural gross income from the perspectives of farmers, primarily, and rural autonomies, subsequently. This study found that the continuation of the current direction of transportation policy—without substantial consideration for agriculture as an industry and rural areas as living spaces—can intensify the economic alienation of agriculture and rural areas. This study concludes that opportunities for market access provided by the immense public investments in transportation infrastructure should be fairly distributed to farmers and rural autonomies to promote balanced regional development in Korea. Full article

In the automotive domain, object detection is pivotal for enhancing safety and autonomy through the identification of various objects of interest. However, insights into the influential image pixels in the detection process are often lacking. Recognizing these significant regions within the image not only enriches our qualitative understanding of the model’s functionality but also empowers us to refine and optimize its performance. Employing Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), we present an XAI component in this paper. This component explains the predictions made by a pre-trained object detection model for a given image by generating heatmaps that highlight the most critical regions in the image for the detected objects. Full article

Background/Objectives: Upper limb amputation presents considerable physical and psychological challenges, especially in young, active individuals. This case study outlines the rehabilitation journey of a 33-year-old patient, an Italian national Paralympic snowboard cross athlete, who underwent elective transradial amputation followed by advanced surgical and prosthetic interventions. The objective was to assess the combined impact of upper limb Targeted Sensory Reinnervation (ulTSR) and the Adam’s Hand prosthetic system on functional recovery and user satisfaction. Methods: After a partial brachial plexus injury caused complete paralysis of his right hand, the patient opted for transradial amputation. He subsequently underwent ulTSR, performed by plastic surgeon, Alexander Gardetto, MD, which involved rerouting sensory nerves to defined regions of the residual limb in order to reestablish a phantom limb map. This reinnervation was designed to facilitate improved prosthetic integration. The Adam’s Hand, a myoelectric prosthesis with AI-based pattern recognition, was selected for its compatibility with TSR and intuitive control. Outcomes were evaluated using the OPUS questionnaire, the DASH, and patient feedback. Results: ulTSR successfully restored meaningful sensory input, allowing intuitive and precise control of the prosthesis, with minimal cognitive and muscular effort. The patient regained the ability to perform numerous activities of daily living such as dressing, eating, lifting, and fine motor tasks—which had been impossible for over 15 years. OPUS results demonstrated significant improvements in both function and satisfaction. Conclusions: This case highlights the synergistic benefits of combining ulTSR with user-centered prosthetic technology. Surgical neurorehabilitation, paired with advanced prosthetic design, led to marked improvements in autonomy, performance, and quality of life in a high-performance amputee athlete. Full article

Since the 21st century, Russia has pursued the construction of world-class universities as a core reform goal in higher education, aiming to address the inadequacies of its post-Soviet higher education system in adapting to international competition. This study systematically examines the historical evolution, strategic framework, key characteristics, and practical challenges of Russia’s efforts over more than two decades. Russia’s practice has gone through three distinct stages: foundational construction (2003–2012), marked by joining the Bologna Process and establishing federal and national research universities; in-depth advancement (2012–2020), driven by initiatives such as the “5–100 Plan,” Global Education Program, and regional flagship universities; and adjustment and optimization (2020–present), represented by the “Priority-2030” plan. These efforts have formed a strategic framework centered on system construction, internationalization, balanced development, and operational support. Key characteristics of Russia’s practice include the integration of strategic stability and tactical flexibility, the complementarity of tiered and classified development, and the coordination of government leadership and university autonomy. However, challenges persist, such as underperformance in global rankings, insufficient funding, uneven resource distribution, and severe talent drain. Full article

This study examines the impact of public data openness on environmental welfare performance using a quasi-natural experimental approach based on the establishment of prefecture-level city public data openness platforms. Our findings reveal that public data openness significantly improves urban environmental welfare performance. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis highlights that public data openness can play a more positive role in cities in eastern China, cities with greater fiscal autonomy, and cities where local governments place greater emphasis on environmental protection. Mechanism analysis demonstrates that public data openness enhances environmental welfare performance through stricter environmental regulatory constraints, industrial structure upgrading, increased public participation and supervision, and advancements in innovation and entrepreneurship. Extensive analysis shows that public data openness within a spatial framework can significantly enhance environmental welfare performance in the region. However, this process will generate a triple “siphon effect” that inhibits improvements in urban environmental welfare performance in surrounding areas. Additionally, this effect exhibits a certain degree of geographical attenuation influenced by economic interdependence, with an attenuation boundary of 1000 km. This study injects internet and big data thinking into ecological civilization construction, endowing it with new models, new scenarios, and new momentum, and providing a brand-new approach to sustainable development practices. Full article

Background: Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) is an essential aspect of the sustainability of the healthcare workforce, intimately connected to employee well-being, job fulfillment, and the standard of patient care. This research sought to evaluate WRQoL among healthcare employees in Greek public hospitals, concentrating on the influence of demographic and work-related factors in a healthcare system affected by prolonged economic and public health crises. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1022 staff members from 23 hospitals in the 1st Health Region of Attica, utilizing the validated Work-Related Quality of Life Scale (WRQoL). Data were analyzed using non-parametric tests, including Chi-square and Linear-by-Linear Association analyses. Results: The findings showed that 44.3% of employees experienced low WRQoL, with the lowest ratings found among younger workers, those on temporary contracts, and individuals working in pediatric hospitals. Holding a leadership position, being over 40 years old, and having a permanent job were linked to notably greater well-being and job satisfaction. A significant portion of participants viewed the working conditions and autonomy as insufficient, particularly in demanding institutional environments. Conclusions: These results emphasize the necessity for focused policy measures to enhance working conditions, guarantee job stability, and reinforce organizational support structures. Tackling structural shortcomings in the healthcare system is crucial for protecting workforce stability and the standard of public health services. Full article