Search Results (4,224)

Background/Objectives: Shift work in healthcare professionals affects performance in high cognitive processing, especially in complex environments. However, the beneficial effects that working in complex environments may have on auditory–cognitive processing remain unknown. These professionals face increased challenges in decision-making due to factors such as noise exposure and sleep disturbances, which may lead to the development of enhanced auditory–cognitive resources. This study aims to investigate the associations between shift work and auditory–cognitive processing in middle-aged healthcare workers. Methods: Thirty middle-aged healthcare workers were equally allocated to a shift worker (SW) or a fixed-schedule worker (FSW) group. Performance on a cognitive test, and in pure-tone audiometry, speech in quiet and noise, and listening effort were used to explore whether correlations were specific to shift work. Results: Exploratory analyses indicated that shift workers tended to perform better in visuospatial/executive function, memory recall, memory index, orientation, and total MoCA score domains compared to fixed-schedule workers. In the SW group, hearing thresholds correlated with memory recall and memory index. In the FSW group, hearing thresholds correlated with orientation, memory index, and total MoCA score, while listening effort correlated with naming, and speech intelligibility in quiet correlated with total MoCA scores. Conclusions: These exploratory findings suggest that shift work may be linked to distinct auditory–cognitive patterns, with potential compensatory mechanisms in visuospatial/executive functions and memory among middle-aged healthcare workers. Larger, longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm whether these patterns reflect true adaptive mechanisms. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGS) are crucial for mitigating rising urban land surface temperatures (LST). Rapid urbanization presents unresolved questions regarding (a) seasonal variations in the spatial co-distribution of UGS and LST, (b) the temporal and spatial changes in UGS cooling, and (c) the dominant factors driving cooling effects during different periods. This study focuses on Beijing’s Fifth Ring Road area, utilizing nearly 40 years of Landsat remote sensing imagery and land cover data. We propose a novel nine-square grid spatial analysis approach that integrates LST retrieval, profile line analysis, and the XGBoost algorithm to investigate the long-term spatiotemporal evolution of UGS cooling capacity and its driving mechanisms. The results demonstrate three key findings: (1) Strong seasonal divergence in UGS-LST correlation: A significant negative correlation dominates during summer months (June–August), whereas winter (December–February) exhibits marked weakening of this relationship, with localized positive correlations indicating thermal inversion effects. (2) Dynamic evolution of cooling capacity under urbanization: Urban expansion has reconfigured UGS spatial patterns, with a cooling capacity of UGS showing an “enhancement–decline–enhancement” trend over time. Analysis through machine learning on the significance of landscape metrics revealed that scale-related metrics play a dominant role in the early stage of urbanization, while the focus shifts to quality-related metrics in the later phase. (3) Optimal cooling efficiency threshold: Maximum per-unit-area cooling intensity occurs at 10–20% UGS coverage, yielding an average LST reduction of approximately 1 °C relative to non-vegetated surfaces. This study elucidates the spatiotemporal evolution of UGS cooling effects during urbanization, establishing a robust scientific foundation for optimizing green space configuration and enhancing urban climate resilience. Full article

In recent decades, China has witnessed remarkable growth in housing construction, yet housing-related complaints have not declined significantly, highlighting the gap between housing quality and public expectations. Against this background, this study analyzes 32,277 national surveys to unpack residential satisfaction with green-livable communities in China. Entropy and standard-deviation weighting identified 16 priority indicators; artificial neural networks revealed weak direct influence of basic demographics on satisfaction, highlighting non-linear demand patterns. While 65–75% of respondents are satisfied with most attributes, significant city-level gaps persist—Beijing peaks near 90%, Chongqing falls below 50%. Dissatisfaction converges on three domains: infrastructure (parking, barrier-free access), building performance (leakage, noise, thermal defects) and smart systems (security, energy, health monitoring). Residents’ improvement priorities have shifted from basic shelter to health safety, smart technology, humanistic care and ecological amenities. A “basic-security + quality-upgrade” strategy is proposed: short-term repairs of common defects, medium-term smart-sustainable upgrades and long-term participatory governance. The findings not only enrich the theoretical framework of community satisfaction research but also provide practical guidance for enhancing community quality and meeting residents’ expectations in the context of China’s rapid urbanization and housing development. Full article

Biological invasions provide a unique window into community assembly. While classic theory predicts that native species must differentiate their niches to coexist with an invader, the actual outcomes under intense pressure are complex. Our study examines community reassembly under extreme pressure from the invasive ant Solenopsis invicta. We found that while native species do differentiate themselves from the invader, the overwhelming competition constrains this process, forcing survivors into a narrow, shared functional space. This constrained niche differentiation produces a pattern of community-level functional convergence, a process where functionally dissimilar communities become more similar under intense environmental filtering, as survivors are forced into a narrow, shared niche space. The capacity for these rapid, adaptive niche shifts is rooted in intraspecific trait variation (ITV). We also identified a dynamic feedback loop through density-dependent phenotypic plasticity in the invader. By showing how the foundational process of niche differentiation leads to a convergent outcome under extreme pressure, our work clarifies the rules of community assembly in an increasingly invaded world. Full article

Effective carbon emission control at the provincial level is essential for advancing the high-quality development of the national economy under the “dual carbon” targets. Although Hubei Province is endowed with abundant natural resources and significant potential for sustainable growth, it still faces considerable challenges in industrial and energy restructuring. Therefore, improving carbon emission efficiency (CEE) is imperative. This study thoroughly analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of CEE in Hubei Province. Furthermore, the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) were applied to analyze the determinants of changes in CEE. The results indicate that significant disparities in CEE exist across Hubei Province, with the eastern region exhibiting the highest efficiency and the central region the lowest. The year 2016 represented a turning point, as Moran’s I increased from −0.0006 in 2016 to 0.5134 in 2017, indicating a shift in the spatial pattern of CEE from a weak and insignificant spatial autocorrelation to a strong positive spatial autocorrelation. In addition, the CEE in Hubei Province demonstrated a “siphon effect” and exhibited pronounced polarization. Based on these findings, region-specific policies are proposed. The eastern region should optimize its industrial structure and strengthen urban governance. The western region should leverage its clean energy advantage and enhance carbon sink capacity. The central region should advance low-carbon industrial transformation and coordinated governance to prevent core cities from transferring resources and pollution to surrounding areas. Full article

Late spring frosts represent a major threat to grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), a risk increasingly exacerbated by climate change-driven shifts in phenology. To explore sustainable strategies for frost mitigation, this study investigated the effect of a natural polysaccharide-based biogel, derived from carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.), on the molecular response of grapevine buds exposed to severe cold stress. To this aim, a preliminary RNA-Seq analysis was carried out to compare the transcriptomes of biogel-treated frozen buds (BIOGEL), untreated frozen buds (NTF), and unstressed controls (TNT). The transcriptomic analysis revealed extensive reprogramming of gene expression under freezing stress, highlighting the involvement of pathways related to membrane stabilization, osmotic adjustment, and metabolic regulation. Interestingly, the biogel treatment appeared to attenuate the modulation of several cold-responsive genes, particularly those associated with membrane functionality. Based on these preliminary transcriptomic data, twelve candidate genes, representative of the functional classes affected by biogel treatment, were selected for qRT-PCR validation. The expression patterns confirmed the RNA-Seq trends, further suggesting that biogel application might mitigate the typical transcriptional activation induced by frost, while supporting genes involved in cellular protection and integrity maintenance. The overall analyses suggest that the biogel may act through a dual mechanism: (i) providing a physical barrier that reduces cold-induced cellular damage and stress perception, and (ii) promoting a selective adjustment of gene expression that restrains excessive defense activation while enhancing membrane stability. Although further field validation is required, this natural and biodegradable formulation represents a promising and sustainable tool for mitigating late frost injuries in viticulture. Full article

In the Inner Mongolia Plateau Lake Zone (IMP), situated in China’s semi-arid region, its lake water storage change plays a critical role in wetland ecosystem conservation and regional water security through its lake water storage dynamics. To investigate long-term lake water storage (LWS) changes, this study proposes a novel lake monitoring framework that reconstructs historical lake level time series and estimates water level variations in lakes without altimetry data. Using multi-source satellite data, we quantified LWS variations (2000–2021) across 109 lakes (≥5 km²) on the IMP and examined their spatiotemporal patterns. Our results reveal a net decline of 1.21 Gt in total LWS over the past two decades, averaging 0.06 Gt/yr. A distinct shift occurred around 2012: LWS decreased by 10.82 Gt from 2000 to 2012 but increased by 9.61 Gt from 2013 to 2021. Spatially, significant LWS reductions were concentrated in the central and eastern IMP, resulting from intensive water diversion and groundwater exploitation. In contrast, increases were observed mainly in the western and southern regions, driven by enhanced precipitation and reduced aridity. The findings improve understanding of lake dynamics in semi-arid China over the last two decades and offer technical guidance for sustainable water resource management. Full article

Background/Objectives: It has been postulated that sex differences in certain types of verbal abilities arise from sex-dimorphic patterns of hemispheric activation, and that these patterns might be modulated by circulating levels of sex hormones. The aim of this study was to explore the activational effects of sex hormones (throughout the menstrual cycle) on both verbal performance and functional hemispheric asymmetries (qEEG laterality) in three types of verbal tasks: sex-differentiated (verbal fluency and semantic decision) vs. sex-neutral (verbal reasoning) tasks. Methods: A group (n = 32) of healthy young women was tested twice, once during the mid-luteal (high levels of circulating sex hormones) and once during the early follicular (low levels of sex hormones) phases of the menstrual cycle. A comparable group of healthy young men (n = 32) was tested once. EEG was continuously recorded. The differences in alpha power on homologous sites of the left and right hemispheres were then calculated. Results: We found a clear congruence between performance on a task and laterality score: for sex-differentiated tasks, the activational effects of sex hormones were observed in both performance and laterality scores, while there were neither performance nor laterality scores shifts throughout the menstrual cycle for the sex-neutral task. Interestingly, measures of functional asymmetry were higher in the luteal compared to the menstrual phase. Conclusions: These findings suggest that sex hormones modulate verbal performance through their influence on hemispheric asymmetry. Full article

Population growth, urbanization, improved infrastructure, and climate change are reshaping land use systems worldwide, creating spatial trade-offs between economic development, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage. In Ladakh, Himalayan India, mass tourism and recent political changes have triggered a particularly rapid transition from traditional subsistence farming to market-oriented production, raising concerns about the sustainability of changing land management practices, cultural identity, and growing dependence on external inputs. To disentangle these concerns, we investigated land use changes, development patterns, and socio-economic drivers over the past 40 years. To this end we merged Landsat-based remote sensing data with household surveys in two contrasting, urbanizing regions—the Union Territory’s capital Leh and its more remote, third largest town of Diskit. Spatially explicit land cover maps for three periods of the 1970s, the 2000s, and the 2020s revealed an eightfold increase in residential area in Leh, with 41.7% of agricultural land converted to urban use, compared to a twofold increase and only 1.7% farmland loss in Diskit. Expansion of urban land use in Leh occurred in all directions across multiple land use types, while in Diskit, it remained localized to previously unused land. Survey data on socio-economic parameters showed a production shift toward goods demanded by tourism and the military, the latter being linked to border tensions with China and Pakistan. The divergent dynamics highlight the need for integrated spatial planning and scenario analysis to balance globalization-driven development with the conservation of cultural landscapes and ecosystem services. We recommend ecotourism-based strategies as an optimized pathway toward sustainable and multifunctional land systems in mountain regions. Full article

Climate change poses significant challenges to viticulture worldwide, with Eastern European vineyards experiencing increased water stress due to rising temperatures, irregular precipitation patterns, and prolonged drought periods. These climatic shifts hurt vine phenology, grape quality, and overall productivity. In response, adaptive irrigation strategies such as Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) have gained attention for optimizing water use while preserving grape quality. Concurrently, the adoption of smart agriculture technologies—including soil moisture sensors, automated weather stations, remote sensing, and data-driven decision support systems—enables precise monitoring and real-time management of vineyard water status. This review synthesizes recent studies from Eastern Europe, emphasizing the necessity of integrating climate adaptation measures with intelligent irrigation management to enhance vineyard resilience and sustainability under increasing climate variability. Full article

In recent years, European cities have implemented numerous initiatives to reduce the use of resources and improve the resilience of climate change by promoting shifts toward the circular economy (CE). This comparative case study investigated the results of the applications of the CE model in the built environment from two different national approaches and perspectives of strategic planning in capitals that represent the “old” (Copenhagen) and “new” (Ljubljana) European Union (EU) member states. This paper introduces the original methodology to assess the implementation of the strategic approaches in the adaptation of the CE in architecture and urban design using a set of 10 selecting indicators. Although both cities have ambitious strategic goals and are undertaking actions aimed at shifting to the CE, they are driven by different motivations (climate crisis vs. urban revitalization and zero waste policy) and exhibit different implementation patterns (top-down systemic/institutional vs. gradual/sectoral). The results highlight the key role of a comprehensive approach to CE implementation, particularly the development of institutional frameworks and dedicated infrastructure and digital tools for transition management, the involvement of external stakeholders in the circular vision, wide-range educational activities, and the promotion of CE initiatives. However, limitations resulting from the lack of a comprehensive and standardized measurement framework pose a challenge to effectively accelerate progress in the shift toward a CE in the built environment. The main contributions of this study are: (1) to identify and verify the methods and strategies undertaken by European cities for the adaptation of a CE in the built environment and (2) demonstrate the different dimensions, levels, and the most relevant factors in the strategic management of the processes of transformation toward the CE. In addition, recommendations for future implementations based on CE systems are indicated. Full article

In response to the persistent failures of traditional election polling, this study introduces the Decentralized Prediction Market Voter Framework (DPMVF), a novel tool to empirically test and quantify the predictive capabilities of Decentralized Prediction Markets (DPMs). We apply the DPMVF to Polymarket, analysing over 11 million on-chain transactions from 1 September to 5 November 2024 against aggregated polling in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election across seven key swing states. By employing Cross-Correlation Function (CCF) for linear analysis and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) for non-linear pattern similarity, the framework provides a robust, multi-faceted measure of the lead-lag relationship between market sentiment and public opinion. Results reveal a striking divergence in predictive clarity across different electoral contexts. In highly contested states like Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, the DPMVF identified statistically significant early signals. Using a non-parametric Permutation Test to validate the observed alignments, we found that Polymarket’s price trends preceded polling shifts by up to 14 days, a finding confirmed as non-spurious with a high confidence (p < 0.01) and with an exceptionally high correlation (up to 0.988) and shape similarity. At the same time, in states with low polling volatility like North Carolina, the framework correctly diagnosed a weak signal, identifying a “low-signal environment” where the market had no significant polling trend to predict. This study’s primary contribution is a validated, descriptive tool for contextualizing DPM signals. The DPMVF moves beyond a simple “pass/fail” verdict on prediction markets, offering a systematic approach to differentiate between genuine early signals and market noise. It provides a foundational tool for researchers, journalists, and campaigns to understand not only if DPMs are predictive but when and why, thereby offering a more nuanced and reliable path forward in the future of election analysis. Full article

The sulfo-Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas (sulfo-EMP) pathway enables Escherichia coli to utilize sulfoquinovose, (SQ) a sulfonated sugar derived from plant sulfolipids, as a carbon source. This pathway is encoded by the yih gene cassette. However, structural and functional diversity of this cassette across E. coli strains has not been fully characterized. We identified two structural variants of the yih cassette across E. coli and Shigella strains: a long form (ompL-yihOPQRSTUVW) and a truncated short form (yihTUVW). Both forms occupy the same genomic location but differ in orientation and are scattered across the phylogenetic tree, suggesting frequent recombination events. Transcriptome analyses revealed that only the long cassette, as found in E. coli K-12 MG1655, is transcriptionally induced during growth on sulfoquinovose. The short cassette, found in E. coli Nissle 1917 and other host-adapted strains, showed no differential expression. Despite this, both strains grew comparably on sulfoquinovose, indicating different metabolic adaptation strategies. Gene expression profiling revealed shared stress responses but distinct central metabolic patterns. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays further demonstrated that the transcription factor YihW from Nissle 1917 binds its DNA targets with lower affinity than the homolog from K-12 and shows weaker sulfoquinovose-dependent dissociation. Full article

The eighteenth century marked a peak period of globalization, during which Chinese porcelain emerged as a pivotal commodity in global material culture. This study focuses on a distinctive category, Chinese armorial porcelain, as a transcultural and hybridity artefact exchanged between High Qing China and Britain. Drawing on a multidisciplinary approach that combines close visual analysis with theoretical insights from material culture studies, postcolonial theory and consumer sociology, this study examines the evolving design language of these hybrid wares. It offers, for the first time, a systematic typology of Chinese decorative patterns on armorial porcelain and traces their compositional shifts over time. The analysis reveals a gradual Europeanization of these objects, corresponding to changing European perceptions of China—from a space of cultural fascination to a subordinated Orientalist otherness. At the same time, these porcelains register significant shifts in British social values, taste hierarchies, and consumption practices. Crucially, this study foregrounds the role of Chinese patterns, long treated as peripheral, as active agents in visual and cultural negotiation. Full article

Introduction: Mpox emerged as a multi-country outbreak in 2022 and disproportionately affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Stigma is known to exacerbate health crises by discouraging testing, treatment, and vaccination. This review aimed to explore stigma associated with Mpox among GBMSM from July 2022, when mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern. Methods: The PICO framework guided this narrative review. A search was conducted across the following databases from inception to June 2025: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science. The literature had to be empirical, peer-reviewed research that focused on mpox-related stigma in GBMSM. Results: Forty-seven studies were included in this review. The following themes were derived: (1) healthcare experiences, (2) media influence, (3) internalised and anticipated stigma, (4) public health messaging, (5) community responses, and (6) psychosocial impact. Healthcare experiences were marked by anticipated discrimination; many GBMSM delayed testing or vaccination for fear of being disclosed or labelled promiscuous. This was especially apparent in contexts where same-sex relationships are criminalised, leading some men to self-medicate or seek clandestine services. Media analyses revealed that social and traditional platforms often amplified blame and homophobia, though community-led counter-messaging helped shift narratives. Internalised and anticipated stigma resulted in shame, concealment of symptoms, avoidance of care, and heightened anxiety. Public health messaging that framed mpox as a behaviour-linked rather than identity-linked risk was more acceptable, and flexible vaccination strategies (e.g., offering less conspicuous injection sites) increased uptake. Stigma contributed to psychosocial distress and may have impeded outbreak control. Conclusions: Mpox-related stigma among GBMSM operates at individual, community, and structural levels, echoing patterns from the HIV era. Effective mitigation requires rights-based, destigmatising communication, culturally competent care, and collaboration. Addressing stigma is vital to controlling future outbreaks and ensuring equitable healthcare access. Full article