Search Results (500)

Wildfires increasingly threaten the reliable operation of electric power systems due to climate-driven factors and expanding infrastructure. However, existing research remains fragmented, limiting the development of integrated resilience strategies. The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature on power system resilience under wildfire events, focusing on modeling approaches, operational strategies, and learning-based methods. This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A structured search was performed in the Scopus database (May 2025; updated January 2026). Studies published between 2016 and 2025 were screened in two stages using predefined eligibility criteria. Studies addressing power system operation under wildfire disturbances with optimization or learning-based methods were included, whereas purely ecological studies were excluded. Thirty studies were included. Data extraction and qualitative thematic synthesis were conducted across four analytical layers. Risk of bias was not formally assessed, and no meta-analysis was performed. Results show increasing research activity and a shift toward stochastic and data-driven methods. Optimization remains dominant, while reinforcement learning is emerging. Hybrid approaches that integrate optimization and learning-based methods are emerging as particularly promising solutions. However, the evidence is limited by methodological heterogeneity and lack of standardized validation. Full article

Geopolitical volatility and conflict are increasingly altering the operating conditions of maritime transport by affecting route feasibility, service reliability, port operations, regulatory compliance, and energy-related decisions. However, the relevant literature remains fragmented across smart port studies, shipping optimization research, cybersecurity analysis, and resilience-oriented discussions. This review addresses that fragmentation by examining smart port and shipping optimization as interdependent components of maritime resilience rather than as separate efficiency-oriented domains. Methodologically, the paper adopts a structured, semi-systematic review design combining bibliometric mapping and thematic synthesis to identify the evolution, thematic structure, and major research gaps of the field. The review shows that smart port research highlights the resilience value of real-time visibility, interoperable data exchange, dynamic terminal control, digital twins, and cyber-secure infrastructure, while shipping-optimization research emphasizes conflict-aware routing, schedule recovery, network redesign, capacity reallocation, and fuel-related decision support. At the same time, the literature provides only limited integration across the port–shipping interface, where resilience is actually produced through coordination between nodes, networks, and governance arrangements. Based on this synthesis, the paper argues that future research should move beyond isolated technical solutions and develop more integrated approaches that jointly address digitalization, operational adaptation, security, and decarbonization under geopolitical stress. The review contributes by clarifying the intellectual structure of this emerging field and by proposing a more system-oriented perspective on maritime resilience. Full article

Background: Chronic pain in children with cancer is a major challenge in pediatric palliative care. It results from the interaction of disease-related and treatment-related factors, psychological distress, and the child’s family and social environment. When poorly controlled, it can impair quality of life, emotional development, social functioning, and family well-being. This narrative review examines the challenges and management strategies for chronic pain in children with cancer from a pediatric palliative care perspective, with attention to pain mechanisms, assessment difficulties, and psycho-emotional influences. Methods: This narrative review was based on a structured literature search conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science for English-language articles published between January 2000 and October 2025. Of 135 records identified, 15 studies judged most relevant to the thematic scope of the review were included in the final synthesis. A PRISMA-based flowchart was used to illustrate study identification and selection without implying a formal systematic review. Results: Chronic pain in children with cancer emerged as a multidimensional problem requiring an integrated approach to assessment and management, and some studies suggest that 20–26% of childhood cancer survivors experience persistent pain. Pharmacological strategies, including opioids and adjuvant medications, remain central, while psychological, supportive, and non-pharmacological interventions may complement multimodal care. Conclusions: Chronic pain in children with cancer should be managed through an integrated, individualized, and child-centered approach that addresses the physical, emotional, social, and relational dimensions of suffering and may improve quality of life for both children and their families. Full article

This scientometric review examines the evolution and scope of invasive (blood and tissue) and non-invasive (faeces, hair, and saliva) sampling in terrestrial mammal population genetics, with particular emphasis on the comparability of observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), and the inbreeding coefficient (Fis) between studies published from 1985 to 2026. Searches in Web of Science and Scopus, filtered under PRISMA/PRISMA-S criteria, yielded a compendium of articles analysed with Bibliometrix and VOSviewer 1.6.20 to quantify temporal production, keyword evolution, collaborative networks, and publication outlets. Searches in Web of Science and Scopus, filtered under PRISMA/PRISMA-S criteria, yielded a broad corpus of 145 articles for general scientometric analyses, of which 85 met the eligibility criteria for the focused analysis of Ho, He, and Fis. The field shows steady growth (annual rate ≈ 6.1%), substantial authorship and international collaboration, and increasing thematic diversity. Adoption of non-invasive sampling has accelerated, broadening spatial and taxonomic coverage, but also increasing exposure to DNA degradation and genotyping error when laboratory quality control is insufficient. Across the literature, reporting of quality control practices (e.g., extraction blanks, negative PCR controls, multi-tube replication, and error-rate estimation) has improved over time but remains inconsistent. Comparisons indicate that differences in Ho, He, and Fis between invasive and non-invasive sampling are generally modest once marker system and species are taken into account. These findings indicate that quality control and transparency in reporting, rather than invasiveness per se, are the main factors determining comparability among studies. The scientometric patterns also reveal a methodological transition from microsatellites to SNP-based and reduced representation approaches, with implications for synthesis across marker types. Overall, this review identifies geographic and taxonomic biases in research effort and highlights the need for standardised reporting of DNA quality indicators, inclusion thresholds, and validation protocols to strengthen genetic monitoring in mammalian conservation. Full article

Rural schools present distinctive social, material, and pedagogical conditions that shape how pre-service teachers (PSTs) experience mentoring during teaching practice. This systematic review synthesised empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025 to examine how mentor teachers in rural South African schools contextualise their mentoring. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 21 qualitative and mixed-methods studies were analysed using thematic synthesis. Findings show that mentoring remains predominantly apprenticeship-based, emphasising classroom control and syllabus coverage rather than the development of responsive pedagogies. Limited modelling was observed in digital technology integration, formative assessment, culturally responsive teaching (CRT), and restorative classroom management. This review proposes a framework for context-based mentoring grounded in pedagogical content knowledge for mentoring (PCK-M) and recommends structured mentor development, university-school partnerships, and explicit coaching tools to strengthen PST professional learning in rural contexts. Through responsive, context-based mentoring, this approach ensures that pre-service teachers develop the skills, confidence, and contextual understanding needed to thrive in rural classrooms. Full article

Clay-based composite materials offer a low-carbon pathway for improving the environmental performance of the construction sector while maintaining relevance for architectural and heritage applications. A structured qualitative literature review was conducted, supported by thematic classification and exploratory bibliometric mapping (VOSviewer), based on peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 relevant to the topic of clay minerals, stabilization, fibers, polymers, alkali activation, properties, performance, and applicability in architecture. According to the results obtained from the synthesized literature, it is seen that clay-based composites achieve performance improvement through complementary mechanisms: fiber reinforcement improves ductility, crack behavior, and energy absorption, polymer modification helps improve cohesion and water resistance and alkali activation transforms calcined aluminosilicate precursors into high-strength binding systems. The synthesis identifies three dominant performance mechanisms governing clay-based composites. Selected alkali-activated clay composite materials are reported to exhibit compression strengths higher than 60 MPa, and certain optimized systems may be able to provide lower thermal conductivity and lower levels of carbon emission in comparison with ordinary cement-based materials. The contribution of this paper lies in the synthesis of these material modification techniques and resulting performance aspects for their applicability in architecture, clarifying the potential of clay-based composites for sustainable construction, heritage compatible interventions, and future material development. By integrating material science with architectural applications, this study identifies the potential of clay-based composites for sustainable and heritage-compatible approaches to contribute to sustainable and circular construction practices, while also outlining key challenges and future research directions focused on optimization, large-scale implementation, and heritage-compatible innovation. Full article

Background: The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in May 2023 marked a transition from disruption to recovery and rebuilding of health systems. The WHO African Region entered this period with declining routine immunization coverage, widening inequities, and fragile surveillance systems. We conducted a critical narrative synthesis of post-PHEIC recovery and the transformation of immunization systems in the region from 2023 to 2025. Methods: We thematically analyzed publicly available data from the WHO and other sources using a systems-oriented framework covering immunization coverage, equity, vaccine introductions, disease control, governance, financing, and data systems. Results: Regional coverage for most antigens was restored to 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 2024, e.g., three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccines at 76%. However, progress remains insufficient to meet the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) target of 90% coverage. In addition, there were 6.7 million zero-dose children in the 2024 birth cohort (6.3% higher than the 6.3 million in 2019), concentrated in a few countries. The IA2030 target is a 50% reduction in the number of zero-dose children by 2030, compared to 2019. Recovery initiatives have restored services, while accelerated introductions (e.g., malaria vaccines introduced in 20 new countries in 2024–2025) signal renewed system momentum. Yet, progress has plateaued at pre-pandemic levels, reflecting structural constraints rather than sustained transformation. Concurrently, recurrent outbreaks of measles, yellow fever, and other vaccine-preventable diseases highlight persistent immunity gaps and surveillance limitations. Structural constraints (including financing fragility, subnational inequities, and system fragmentation) continue to limit sustained progress. Conclusion: This study offers important insights that can inform immunization policymaking in the WHO African Region and beyond. Current post-PHEIC trends reflect recovery without transformation. Achieving IA2030 targets will require a shift from broad coverage expansion to precision delivery approaches that prioritize zero-dose and underserved populations. Immunization must be positioned as a central pillar of primary health care and health security systems. Full article

The Mediterranean Sea is both a global biodiversity hotspot and the world’s most heavily invaded marine region, where non-indigenous species arrivals are accelerating under intensifying shipping, Suez Canal traffic, aquaculture, and climate warming. Yet, despite rapidly growing research activity, a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific literature on Mediterranean marine invasions has been lacking. This study provides the first Mediterranean-wide combined bibliometric and topic-modeling analysis of invasive marine species research, using 3521 unique documents retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. We quantify temporal growth in publications and citations, map the conceptual structure of the field through co-citation, co-word, and topic modeling, and reveal pronounced regional and thematic biases. Latent Dirichlet Allocation resolves 13 coherent topics, dominated by first records of non-native species, invasive macroalgae, alien species diversity, and ecological impacts, with strong signals for Lessepsian migration and climate-driven range shifts, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean. Spatial and thematic analyses reveal pronounced regional biases, with invasion hotspots in the Aegean and Levantine seas contrasted by comparatively sparse coverage of western and central sub-basins, and notable gaps in predictive modeling and socioeconomic assessments. The results underscore the need to rebalance effort toward under-studied regions and themes, while leveraging existing collaboration networks and methodological advances to support MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) implementation, International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments, and broader ecosystem-based management. The reproducible framework presented here offers a baseline for periodically tracking research evolution and guiding adaptive, transboundary governance of Mediterranean marine bio-invasions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) remains a leading cause of disability worldwide and exhibits substantial biological heterogeneity that is not adequately captured by current symptom-based diagnostic systems. While the classical monoamine hypothesis has historically guided antidepressant development, it does not fully account for variability in treatment response, delayed therapeutic onset, or the persistence of cognitive and anhedonic symptoms. Converging evidence from molecular, neuroimaging, and translational studies increasingly implicates glutamatergic dysregulation and impaired neuroplasticity as key mechanisms in depressive pathology. This narrative review aims to integrate monoaminergic and glutamatergic perspectives within a dimensional framework that may help explain clinical heterogeneity and inform mechanism-based treatment strategies. Methods: A narrative synthesis of the literature was conducted using major biomedical databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Preclinical studies, neuroimaging investigations, biomarker research, randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses examining monoaminergic dysfunction, glutamatergic signaling, neuroplasticity pathways, and rapid-acting antidepressants were reviewed and thematically integrated. Results: Evidence indicates that depressive syndromes may reflect varying contributions of monoaminergic dysregulation and glutamatergic–neuroplastic impairment. Monoaminergic disturbances interact with inflammatory and neuroendocrine processes, including cytokine-driven activation of the kynurenine pathway. In parallel, alterations in glutamatergic signaling, glial function, and BDNF–TrkB–mTOR pathways contribute to synaptic atrophy and network dysfunction. Rapid-acting antidepressants such as ketamine, esketamine, and dextromethorphan–bupropion provide clinical proof-of-concept that direct engagement of synaptic plasticity mechanisms can accelerate symptom improvement, particularly in treatment-resistant depression. Conclusions: Integrating monoaminergic and glutamatergic mechanisms within a “monoamine–glutamate continuum” offers a conceptual framework for understanding depressive heterogeneity and treatment response. Multimodal approaches combining clinical phenotyping with inflammatory, neuroimaging, and molecular markers may ultimately support mechanism-informed precision psychiatry strategies in major depressive disorder. Full article

(1) Background: The global educational landscape increasingly necessitates pedagogical approaches capable of addressing complex socio-environmental challenges. While STEAM education is widely adopted, its contribution to the 2030 Agenda and Global Competence requires further theoretical consolidation. This study proposes a reconceptualization of STEAM as a Transformative STEAM Framework, explicitly aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 5, and 10, as well as the development of Global Competence. (2) Methods: Guided by PRISMA 2020 principles for study retrieval, a search for peer-reviewed research, literature reviews, and relevant institutional documents conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC yielded a final corpus of 32 studies (2014–2024). A multi-layered methodological design was applied, integrating a Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) framework for conceptual evaluation alongside a hybrid thematic synthesis to ensure rigorous data coding. (3) Results: The findings indicate that STEAM bolsters Global Competence by fostering intercultural interaction and critical thinking, demonstrating robust alignment with quality education (SDG 4) and gender equality (SDG 5). However, significant gaps remain concerning broader structural inequalities (SDG 10) and the paucity of validated, multidimensional assessment tools for evaluating Global Competence. (4) Conclusions: This review establishes a conceptual framework that positions STEAM as a catalyst for equity and the 2030 Agenda. To realize its transformative potential, future research must explicitly address the reduction in inequalities and develop robust assessment mechanisms. Full article

Background: Cephalosporins, widely used β-lactam antibiotics, are becoming significant environmental pollutants, primarily due to their high use and persistence. They are released into the environment mainly through wastewater treatment plants, agricultural runoff, and hospital discharge, with particularly high concentrations recorded in effluents. Conventional wastewater treatment methods have inadequate removal efficiency, while advanced treatments, such as ozonation, activated carbon adsorption, and advanced oxidation processes, although more efficient, may produce toxic by-products. Recent studies emphasize the importance of improved detection and monitoring techniques and advocate for stricter effluent regulations. Despite growing research attention, important knowledge gaps remain, including limited long-term field monitoring, insufficient data on environmentally realistic exposure scenarios, and incomplete assessment of transformation-product toxicity. Methods: The search strategy used the SCOPUS and PUBMED databases with the keywords “cephalosporin” AND “aquatic environment”, resulting in 341 records. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 110 peer-reviewed English-language studies meeting predefined thematic inclusion criteria and relevant to the occurrence, environmental fate, ecotoxicological effects, antimicrobial resistance, and removal of cephalosporins in aquatic environments were included in the narrative synthesis. Results: The literature on cephalosporins in aquatic environments has expanded significantly from 1978 to 2025, prompted by concerns about pharmaceutical contamination and antibiotic resistance. Studies from 2016 to 2025 used advanced and multidisciplinary monitoring techniques, revealed key pollution sources such as wastewater treatment plants and hospitals, and correlated antibiotic residues with resistance genes, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and mitigation efforts. Ecotoxicological and fate studies further indicate that transformation processes may generate products with altered or increased toxicity, complicating environmental risk assessment. Conclusions: The literature shows increasing attention to cephalosporins in aquatic environments, reporting associations with antimicrobial resistance and adverse effects on aquatic organisms, including potential toxicity from transformation products. This review highlights the need for integrated monitoring, standardized toxicity assessment, and improved treatment strategies within a One Health framework. Full article

The integration of sustainability into strategic management (SSM) has drawn increased academic interest, yet the literature is conceptually fragmented and lacks a cohesive framework that systematically describes the integration of SSM. This study seeks to fill this gap and uncover the essential strategic dimensions, driving forces, and influencing variables that shape the integration of SSM and planning. This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Through the application of established search parameters and content analysis methodologies, 30 relevant studies are identified and examined. Under a management theory lens, this study synthesizes the literature using a systematic search method and thematic classification approach. The results show that the interaction between internal capabilities and external pressures leads to the formation of sustainable integration. Stakeholder participation, operational integration, governance and leadership commitment, strategy alignment, and sustainability performance evaluation are important factors. The findings also point to important enabling and limiting variables, including the lack of defined measures, regulatory uncertainties, and resource constraints. This study proposes a structured conceptual framework that connects organizational integration mechanisms, strategic drivers, and sustainable results based on these discoveries. This work contributes to the literature on sustainability-oriented strategic management by offering a theory-driven synthesis and highlighting important boundary conditions. It also provides practical implications for practitioners and researchers alike. Full article

There is a correlation between colonial histories and contemporary migration practices, and this paper examines these transnational enduring connections. Using a qualitative thematic synthesis of existing interdisciplinary sources, this paper argues that the politics of space, migration, and identity in the present cannot be fully comprehended without tracing their colonial genealogies. The findings demonstrate that colonial migrations in all forms (forced, enslaved, or settled) formed transnational genealogies that determine who moves, who is stopped, who belongs, and who is an outsider. The paper concludes that understanding current migration politics, spatial inequalities, and identities requires an appreciation of transnational genealogies that connect the past to the present. The paper suggests that colonial history is more than a background but a framework that sets the conditions within which migration occurs today. This paper contributes to showing that family functions as a neglected site where genealogies are transmitted and contested across generations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Single-parent families represent a growing and particularly vulnerable family structure within community and primary health care contexts. These families often experience cumulative burdens related to caregiving overload, socioeconomic constraints, social isolation, and fragmented support networks, which directly affect health and well-being. This integrative review aimed to synthesize and critically analyse direct and conceptually transferable evidence relevant to Family Health Nursing interventions supporting single-parent families in community and primary health care contexts, identify existing knowledge gaps, and inform the development of a relational empowerment model. Methods: An integrative literature review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed across three electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus) covering publications from 2020 to 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed empirical studies and reviews addressing nursing or health interventions relevant to single-parent families in community or primary health care contexts. Data were extracted and synthesized thematically, with attention to theoretical frameworks, intervention characteristics, and reported outcomes. Results: Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis revealed four main thematic domains: (1) caregiving burden and psychosocial vulnerability, (2) access to and coordination of community-based resources, (3) nurse–family relational processes, and (4) empowerment-oriented nursing interventions. Theoretical underpinnings frequently included family systems perspectives, the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models, and empowerment-oriented frameworks. Conclusions: Nursing interventions for single-parent families in community health settings should prioritise relational empowerment approaches that acknowledge family diversity, contextual vulnerability, and dynamic caregiving demands. The proposed relational empowerment model offers a practice-informed framework to guide Family Health Nursing interventions, education, and policy development, supporting more responsive and equitable care for single-parent families. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is widely used in crime scene investigation (CSI), yet its practical application, evidential limits, and interpretive role are often discussed in fragmented or technique-focused terms. This systematic literature review examines how BPA is used in CSI, with emphasis on its operational functions, interpretive scope, and scientific robustness. Methods: The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in Scopus using predefined Boolean strings. After screening, eligibility assessment, and manual review, 18 peer-reviewed research articles published between 1996 and 2026 were included. Data were extracted systematically and analysed using thematic synthesis. Results: The findings show that BPA is applied in CSI as an integrated evidential pathway rather than as a single analytical procedure. Its uses include bloodstain detection and documentation, geometric reconstruction through trajectory and area-of-origin analysis, differentiation of mechanisms and sources to prevent misclassification, activity-level inference based on transfer and contact phenomena, and temporal reasoning related to trace formation. The review also highlights the role of validation infrastructures, including blood substitutes, animal analogues, and computational methods, which support training, experimentation, and reproducibility under ethical and practical constraints. Across the literature, reconstruction accuracy is shown to be sensitive to documentation quality, measurement assumptions, environmental conditions, and contextual limitations. Conclusions: Overall, BPA contributes to CSI by enabling structured, context-aware interpretation of blood evidence while remaining subject to measurement assumptions, contextual influences, and cognitive factors that may affect reconstruction outcomes. Its evidential value lies not only in reconstructing events, but also in supporting transparent, testable, and defensible forensic reasoning. Full article