Search Results (5,331)

Mining activities in arid regions of China have led to severe environmental degradation, including soil erosion, vegetation loss, and contamination of soil and water resources. These impacts are particularly pronounced in abandoned mining areas, where the cessation of mining operations has left vast landscapes unrehabilitated. In response, the Chinese government has implemented a series of legal and regulatory frameworks, such as the “Mine Environmental Protection and Restoration Program”, aimed at promoting ecological restoration in these areas. However, the unique environmental conditions of arid regions, including water scarcity, extreme temperatures, and poor soil quality, present significant challenges to restoration efforts. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the ecological restoration of abandoned mining areas in China’s arid regions, focusing on the legal framework, restoration techniques, and evaluation systems. The restoration methods, their initiation timelines, monitoring systems, and the cost–benefit aspects of various strategies are critically reviewed alongside case studies from regions such as the Mu Us Desert and Qaidam Basin. Key strategies like phytoremediation, soil rehabilitation, and water resource management are assessed for their effectiveness, while challenges in enforcement, socioeconomic integration, and community engagement are discussed. This review concludes that while significant progress has been made, further improvements in restoration practices and evaluation systems are essential for long-term sustainability. Integration of socioeconomic indicators, community involvement, and advanced monitoring technologies are necessary for successful outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Canada’s long-term care (LTC) sector is struggling with a significant staffing crisis related to shortages, high-turnover rate, and challenging working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues and emphasized the need for improved mental health support for LTC staff. Understanding and addressing the wellbeing of staff is important for ensuring quality of care and promoting a positive work environment for a healthy workforce. This study explored staff experiences in Canadian LTC homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers staff-driven recommendations to support staff mental health and retention moving forward. Methods: We applied the Collaborative Action Research (CAR) methodology to explore practical strategies with LTC staff to inform actions for change. Sixteen staff members working in two large urban Canadian LTC homes were interviewed using remote videoconferencing and phone calls to conduct one-on-one interviews. Thematic analysis was performed. Results: Our analysis identified four themes: depletion, lack of support, providing resources and sense of community. The SUPPORT framework was created based on staff recommendations to improve LTC staff mental health and retention. Conclusions: Urgent attention is needed to support the LTC workforce through practice change and improved policy. The implementation of comprehensive frameworks such as SUPPORT can play a pivotal role in fostering staff resilience, enhancing job satisfaction, and promoting a healthy workforce for aged care. Full article

Abstract: Due to developments in vehicle engineering and communication technologies, vehicular networks have become an attractive and feasible solution for the future of electric, autonomous, and connected vehicles. Electric autonomous vehicles will require more data, computing resources, and communication capabilities to support them. The combination of vehicles, the Internet, and cloud computing together to form vehicular cloud computing (VCC), vehicular edge computing (VEC), and vehicular fog computing (VFC) can facilitate the development of electric autonomous vehicles. However, more connected and engaged nodes also increase the system’s vulnerability to cybersecurity and privacy breaches. Various security and privacy challenges in vehicular cloud computing and its variants (VEC, VFC) can be efficiently tackled using machine learning (ML). In this paper, we adopt a semi-systematic literature review to select 85 articles related to the application of ML for cybersecurity and privacy protection based on VCC. They were categorized into four research themes: intrusion detection system, anomaly vehicle detection, task offloading security and privacy, and privacy protection. A list of suitable ML algorithms and their strengths and weaknesses is summarized according to the characteristics of each research topic. The performance of different ML algorithms in the literature is also collated and compared. Finally, the paper discusses the challenges and future research directions of ML algorithms when applied to vehicular cloud computing. Full article

This study investigates the potential of biochar production from urban pruning waste as a sustainable solution within a circular economy framework. Urban green waste, often underutilized, typically increases landfill burden and greenhouse gas emissions. Converting pruning waste into biochar reduces landfill reliance while enabling stable carbon sequestration. Utilizing the circular triple-layered business model canvas (CTLBMC), biochar’s impact is evaluated across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. This structured analysis is based on a theoretical framework and uses secondary data to illustrate the model’s applicability. As a result of the conducted studies, it was found that biochar derived from urban green waste not only improves soil phytotoxicity and enables long-term carbon sequestration, but also offers economic benefits, including municipal cost savings in waste management and diversified revenue streams from biochar sales. Socially, biochar production promotes community engagement in sustainable practices and supports urban greening initiatives, enhancing local ecosystems. The findings suggest that biochar production, assessed through the CTLBMC framework, represents a viable circular business model. This approach provides significant environmental, economic, and social benefits over conventional disposal, offering valuable insights for policymakers, waste management professionals, and urban planners advancing circular economy solutions. Full article

This study aims to quantify the extent to which poor households receiving cash support from the Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP) allocate their income across major spending categories, mainly consumption, savings, household-level investment, and cash transfers for community participation. The analysis utilises a nationally representative panel dataset of 1642 respondents, collected between 2013 and 2017. A Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM) approach was employed to model four financial behaviours: (i) saving, (ii) consumption, (iii) investment, and (iv) social transfers as a proxy for community participation. The independent variables include the monetary benefits received by individuals over different periods, alongside demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education level, and area of residence (rural–urban), which were controlled in the analysis. The findings reveal a positive and statistically significant effect of the direct cash support provided by the VUP on increased consumption, and marginal effects on individual savings and investment behaviours. However, the data do not provide sufficient evidence to conclusively establish a relationship between participation in the VUP and cash transfers for community participation. The study recommends the intensification of efforts to engage in saving as way to build resilience, and further suggest a periodic increase in the VUP benefits’ size to cushion inflation effects. Full article

This study presents the ClimEmpower framework, a user-driven approach to enhancing climate resilience across five climate-vulnerable regions in Southern Europe: Costa del Sol (Spain), Central Greece, the Troodos Mountains (Cyprus), Osijek-Baranja County (Croatia), and Sicily (Italy). The project employs a region-specific methodology that integrates climate risk assessments, stakeholder engagement through Communities of Practice (CoPs), and the development of innovative climate services tailored to local needs. These regions, characterized by unique environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities, face shared hazards such as droughts, heatwaves, and floods, alongside region-specific challenges like salinization and biodiversity loss. ClimEmpower identifies critical gaps in high-resolution data, cross-sectoral collaboration, and capacity-building efforts, underscoring barriers to effective adaptation. This work aims to provide a foundational resource, offering a comprehensive overview of the current situation, including needs, gaps, priorities, and expectations across the target regions. By establishing this baseline, it facilitates future research and comparative analyses, contributing to the development of robust, region-specific resilience strategies. The ClimEmpower framework offers scalable and replicable solutions aligned with the European Green Deal’s climate resilience goals, advancing adaptation planning and providing actionable insights for broader European initiatives. Full article

In the context of digitalizing healthcare systems, digital health sources (DHSs) aim to enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services by leveraging technology. Multiple types of DHSs are increasingly established in healthcare, providing direct and wide communication between pediatric patients, parents, and healthcare professionals. Therefore, they are considered promising key tools to improve pediatric disease monitoring and management. At the same time, DHSs have been associated with several issues and risks, such as those related to data sharing, privacy, and the cultural readiness of the users. Yet, discussions in the literature have mostly focused on technical considerations and a user-friendly design. In contrast, the contribution of DHSs to treatment engagement in pediatric populations and data sharing has only partially been discussed. On this basis, we provide an overview of the available digital health technologies and their application in the pediatric population with chronic suppurative lung diseases; we describe the effectiveness in health-related outcomes, discuss possible challenges, and propose some recommendations that may overcome barriers in their everyday use. Full article

This study constructs an analytical framework to assess the effectiveness of collaborative governance in smart communities, focusing on six key elements: collaborative subjects, funding sources, community participants’ literacy, community-specific systems, community culture, and supporting facilities. Using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) on 20 typical cases of community governance, the study identifies that collaborative subjects and supporting facilities are necessary conditions for achieving effective community governance. Community culture and community participants’ literacy are recognized as sufficient conditions for effective collaborative governance involving multiple subjects in smart communities. The study also identifies several pathways to enhance the effectiveness of collaborative governance in smart communities, including the subject-–culture-embedded pathway, technology–resource-driven pathway, and system–talent-led pathway. These pathways highlight the integration of community-specific cultural elements and the leveraging of modern technologies to foster stakeholder engagement, enhance decision-making processes, and improve service delivery. The findings suggest that robust community culture and literacy, combined with advanced technological infrastructure and diverse funding sources, significantly contribute to the success of collaborative governance initiatives. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between these factors, the study offers valuable insights into the construction of smart communities and proposes strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of collaborative governance. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable urban development and the knowledge economy, emphasizing the crucial role of innovation, technology, and community engagement in shaping the future of smart cities. Full article

This paper reports a comparative analysis of energy transition policies in Hong Kong, London, and Melbourne, highlighting their approaches to achieving carbon neutrality. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, the study combines desktop research and policy analysis to examine secondary data from academic literature and policy reports. A structured policy analysis was developed to compare the strategies of each city, focusing on legislative tools, regulatory mechanisms, and decarbonization goals. The findings reveal that, while all three cities aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy transition policies, they adopt different strategies shaped by their socio-economic contexts. Hong Kong emphasizes regulatory measures like the Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance, London uses market-based instruments such as carbon pricing, and Melbourne prioritizes community engagement and renewable energy integration. Despite progress, challenges remain, including compliance with standards, funding, and public awareness. Recommendations include developing benchmarking strategies, fostering public–private partnerships, and investing in education. This analysis provides actionable insights for future policy development, emphasizing adaptability and innovation in combating climate change and fostering sustainable urban environments. Full article

With environmental changes, sustaining watershed ecosystem services requires understanding community perceptions and preferences. Integrated approaches considering community perceptions, climate change, and land use cover change are crucial. We address a study gap by combining climate change and land use cover change data with an analysis of community perceptions to evaluate the watershed ecosystem services situation in Nepal’s Khageri Khola Watershed. Data from in-depth stakeholder interviews (n = 16), household perception surveys (n = 440), and participant observations (n = 5) were supplemented by meteorological and land use cover change data. Descriptive analysis, index value calculation, Spearman’s Rho correlation, and chi-square statistics were used to understand linkages between socio-demographics, climate change perceptions, watershed ecosystem services importance, and changes in watershed ecosystem services supply. The Mann–Kendall test, Sen’s slope calculation, and land use cover change analysis considered temperature, precipitation, and land use. Among watershed ecosystem services, communities prioritized drinking water as the most important and biodiversity support as the least important. Watershed ecosystem services exhibited decreasing trends, with soil fertility and productivity notably high (89%) and natural hazard control low (41%). Significant alignment existed between community perceptions and local climate indicators, unlike the incongruity found with land use cover changes, especially regarding water bodies. Socio-demographic factors influenced community perceptions. Policy recommendations include analyzing watershed-level community demand and preferences, integrating community perceptions with climate change and land use cover change data in decision making, engaging communities, equitable sharing of the benefits generated by watershed ecosystem services, and considering socio-demographic and topographic diversity in tailoring management strategies. Full article

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) has emerged as a vital framework for integrating sustainable water management into urban planning, tackling the increasing challenges posed by urbanization and climate change. WSUD aims to align water systems with natural ecosystems by minimizing runoff, improving water quality, and promoting biodiversity while also offering recreational and aesthetic benefits for urban residents. While the environmental advantages of WSUD are well-established, its social and economic aspects warrant more in-depth exploration. This review analyses the social and economic impacts of WSUD, focusing on its effects on community well-being, property values, infrastructure costs, and public engagement. It also discusses the significance of citizen perceptions, socio-economic equity, and financing mechanisms in the adoption of WSUD. The findings highlight the necessity for interdisciplinary approaches and policy reforms that incorporate social and economic considerations into WSUD planning to ensure long-term success and sustainability. This analysis aims to enhance understanding of how WSUD can contribute to resilient, equitable, and sustainable urban communities. Full article

Background/Objectives: This article emphasizes the comprehensive importance of vaccination, exploring its role in disease prevention, addressing growing concerns around vaccine hesitancy, and underscoring the crucial need for high vaccination coverage rates. Methods: Our review examines EU-level and national policies on vaccination, utilizing EU sources, with a specific focus on regulatory and policy documents. Vaccination calendars in the EU were reviewed through the ECDC Vaccine Scheduler webpage. The parameters of this literature review were further selected in collaboration with an Emory Health sciences librarian using the following search terms: healthcare providers, communication, public health, informed consent, and bioethics. Results: The analysis of limited articles on community engagement, moral and political philosophy, and public health ethics informs the ethical consideration of informed consent in public health interventions. Countries exhibit varying relationships between their vaccination programs and society, with technocratic and populist influences shaping vaccination policies. Conclusions: Europe demonstrates diversity in vaccination policies, with availability, funding, and scheduling reflecting distinct approaches to vaccination. Full article

The leadership of the university teacher has the most important role in the development of the educational institution and society. Universities are facing rapid societal changes and the need for innovative pedagogical approaches, including the potential for faculty members to emerge as leaders both within and beyond their classrooms, becomes increasingly salient. Teacher leadership in this context represents a collaborative ethos, where educators engage in shared decision making, curriculum development, and pedagogical innovation, thereby enhancing both academic and institutional outcomes. University teachers play a crucial role in achieving the 4th Sustainable Development Goal by leveraging their leadership skills to provide inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education. Teacher leadership and student satisfaction are considered to be interconnected but, in turn, teacher leadership is influenced by teacher disposition. The intricate interplay between professor leadership and student satisfaction within higher education institutions (HEIs) reveals significant implications for both faculty and student experiences. This study investigated two aspects: firstly, the effect of teacher dispositions, especially motivation, communication, conscientiousness, teacher efficacy and willingness to learn, teacher leadership, and secondly, how teacher leadership affects student learning satisfaction. A survey was developed using questionnaire structural equation analysis using SmartPLS 4.0. Three hundred eighty-nine students studying in public universities in Mongolia participated in the survey. The research results show that teacher dispositions such as motivation, communication, and conscientiousness positively affect teacher leadership. In addition, it was proven that teacher leadership positively affects student learning satisfaction. Full article

This study explored the role of digital platforms in shaping gender dynamics within Christian religious leadership in Nigeria. Historically, religious leadership in Nigerian Christianity has been predominantly male-dominated, with women often relegated to subordinate roles despite their significant contributions as preachers, healers, and founders. The advent of digital platforms has introduced a new paradigm, offering both male and female leaders with avenues to expand their communication, authority, and influence. Utilizing mediatization theory, this research investigated how online spaces allow women to bypass traditional patriarchal structures, engage broader audiences, and influence religious narratives. Through in-depth interviews with twenty religious leaders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and comment analysis from online community interactions, the study identified eight main themes that reveal the complex interactions between gender, authority, and influence in both digital and offline contexts. The findings suggest that while digital platforms provide women with increased visibility and opportunities, male leaders retain a higher level of authority and reach, even in online spaces. The study highlights the dual nature of digital media as both liberating and limiting for female leaders, presenting an environment where empowerment coexists with persistent gendered expectations. This research contributes to understanding how digital platforms impact gendered access to religious authority, revealing the ongoing struggle for gender equality within Christian leadership in Nigeria. Full article

Background: Promoting physical activity among people living with dementia is critical to maximise physical, cognitive and social benefits; yet the lack of knowledge, skills and confidence among health professionals, informal care partners and people with dementia deters participation. As the initial phase of a larger feasibility study, co-design was employed to develop a new model of community care, ‘Changing the Focus’, to facilitate the physical activity participation of older people living with mild dementia. Methods: Co-design methodology was utilised with nine stakeholders (with experience in referring to or providing physical activity programs and/or contributing to policy and program planning) over three workshops plus individual interviews with four care partners of people with dementia. Insights were gathered on the physical activity for people with mild dementia, referral pathways were explored and ‘personas’ were developed and refined. Materials and resources to support exercise providers and referrers to work effectively with people with mild dementia were finalised. Results: Three ‘personas’ emerged from the co-design sessions, aligned with stages of behaviour change: (1) hesitant to engage; (2) preparing to engage; and (3) actively engaged. Referral pathway discussions identified challenges related to limited resources, limited knowledge, access constraints and individual factors. Opportunities were classified as using champions, streamlining processes, recognising triggers for disengagement, influencing beliefs and attitudes, and means of communication. Conclusion: This study captured the views of physical activity referrers and providers and informal care partners in an inclusive and iterative manner. The use of co-design ensured a robust approach to facilitating participation in formal and informal physical activity options for people living with mild dementia. This study has provided the necessary framework from which to develop and test training and resources for the next stage of intervention (a feasibility trial) to improve physical activity participation for people with dementia. Full article