Search Results (1,363)

The sustainability of global agricultural produce supply chains is crucial for ensuring global food security, fostering environmental protection, and advancing socio-economic development. This study integrates bibliometric analysis, knowledge mapping, and the ABCDE framework to conduct a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of 742 relevant articles from the Web of Science core database spanning January 2009 to July 2023. Initially, bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping reveal the annual progression of research on the sustainability of global agricultural produce supply chains, the collaborative networks among research institutions and authors, and the geographic distribution of research activities worldwide, successfully pinpointing the current research focal points. Subsequently, the ABCDE framework, constructed from the quantitative findings, helps us identify and comprehend the antecedents, barriers and challenges, impacts, and driving forces affecting the sustainability of these supply chains. The study identifies globalization and technological advancement as the primary forces shaping the sustainability of agricultural produce supply chains, despite them also posing challenges such as resource constraints and environmental pressures. Moreover, the application of innovative technologies, the optimization of organizational models, and active stakeholder engagement are key to propelling supply chains toward more sustainable development, exerting a profound impact on society, the environment, and the economy. In conclusion, this study suggests future research directions. The integrated methodology presented offers new perspectives and deep insights into the complexities of sustainable global agricultural produce supply chains, demonstrating its potential to foster knowledge innovation and practical applications, providing valuable insights for academic research and policy formulation in this domain. Full article

The prediction and monitoring of plant diseases and pests are key activities in agriculture. These activities enable growers to take preventive measures to reduce the spread of diseases and harmful insects. Consequently, they reduce crop loss, make pesticide and resource use more efficient, and preserve plant health, contributing to environmental sustainability. We illustrate the SMARTerra decision support system, which processes daily measured and predicted weather data, spatially interpolating them at high resolution across the entire Sardinia region. From these data, SMARTerra generates risk predictions for plant pests and diseases. Currently, models for predicting the risk of rice blast disease and the hatching of locust eggs are implemented in the infrastructure. The web interface of the SMARTerra platform allows users to visualize detailed risk maps and promptly take preventive measures. A simple notification system is also implemented to directly alert emergency responders. Model outputs by the SMARTerra infrastructure are comparable with results from in-field observations produced by the LAORE Regional Agency. The infrastructure provides a database for storing the time series and risk maps generated, which can be used by agencies and researchers to conduct further analysis. Full article

Emergency service facilities play a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of fire disasters in urban areas. This research article delves into the critical aspects of analyzing service coverage for emergency facilities in relation to fire disaster risk in Chiang Rai city—a strategic hub in northern Thailand. Focusing on fire disaster risk merchandise and shops, categorized by the type of hazardous materials they store and sell, this study leverages facility location data obtained through web scraping from Google Maps. Utilizing spatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GISs), this research evaluates the reachability of emergency services, assessing travel times and coverage efficiency. The findings reveal significant disparities, particularly within the critical 3 min response window, highlighting the need for strategic improvements. This study offers actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers, advancing the integration of spatial technology in urban disaster management to enhance public safety and resilience. Full article

On many maps, relief shading is one of the most significant graphical elements. Modern relief shading techniques include neural networks. To generate such shading automatically at an arbitrary scale, one needs to consider how the resolution of the input digital elevation model (DEM) relates to the neural network process and the maps used for training. Currently, there is no clear guidance on which DEM resolution to use to generate relief shading at specific scales. To address this gap, we trained the U-Net models on swisstopo manual relief shadings of Switzerland at four different scales and using four different resolutions of SwissALTI3D DEM. An interactive web application designed for this study allows users to outline a random area and compare histograms of varying brightness between predictions and manual relief shadings. The results showed that DEM resolution and output scale influence the appearance of the relief shading, with an overall scale/resolution ratio. We present guidelines for generating relief shading with neural networks for arbitrary areas and scales. Full article

With the increase in climate-change-related hazardous events alongside population concentration in urban centres, it is important to provide resilient cities with tools for understanding and eventually preparing for such events. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques have increasingly been employed to model susceptibility of hazardous events. This study consists of a systematic review of the ML/DL techniques applied to model the susceptibility of air pollution, urban heat islands, floods, and landslides, with the aim of providing a comprehensive source of reference both for techniques and modelling approaches. A total of 1454 articles published between 2020 and 2023 were systematically selected from the Scopus and Web of Science search engines based on search queries and selection criteria. ML/DL techniques were extracted from the selected articles and categorised using ad hoc classification. Consequently, a general approach for modelling the susceptibility of hazardous events was consolidated, covering the data preprocessing, feature selection, modelling, model interpretation, and susceptibility map validation, along with examples of related global/continental data. The most frequently employed techniques across various hazards include random forest, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines. This review also provides, per hazard, the definition, data requirements, and insights into the ML/DL techniques used, including examples of both state-of-the-art and novel modelling approaches. Full article

In recent years, the growing interest in food as a central component of heritage preservation has been paired with a reflection on the sustainability of food systems. At the same time, place-based food governance has undergone processes of hybridization, opening up to a wider range of stakeholders. We argue that ecomuseums can positively contribute to the promotion of sustainable food systems that can preserve cultural heritage without undermining the development of healthy food systems. To discuss this hypothesis, we conducted an exploratory study to assess the current diffusion and food-related practices of ecomuseums in the Mediterranean area. Integrating the information of existing databases with online research of new institutions, we mapped a large sample of ecomuseums and carried out a Web Content Analysis. The main results of the research are a geolocalized map of Mediterranean ecomuseums and their activities and an index assessing their capacity to engage users on relevant topics through their webpages. The results highlight the existence of an unbalanced distribution of experiences, and the potential for growth, especially in the east and south of the Mediterranean countries. Full article

Taking into account the growing increase in the political and social interest in childbirth, it is critical to identify and explore the instruments that allow and enhance its humanization today. The use of vocalization seems to be a powerful and empowering tool for a positive birthing experience when used by women in labour. A scoping review will be developed to map the evidence and knowledge about women’s vocalization in the first and second stages of labour using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The search will be carried out on the Web of Science, EBSCOhost Research Platform (selecting Academic Search Complete, MedicLatina, Cinahl plus with full text, Medline with full text), Willey Online Library, PubMed and Scopus. The National Register of Theses and Dissertations and the Open Scientific Repository of Portugal will also be taken into account. Three reviewers will conduct data analysis, extraction and synthesis independently. The outcomes pretend to be a source for identifying the use of vocalization by women in labour, in order to guide further research on the subject. This study was prospectively registered with the Open Science Framework on the 21 May 2024, with registration number DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/Z58F4. Full article

Timely forecast of atmospheric pollutants fallout due to accidental fires can provide decision-makers with useful information for effective emergency response, for planning environmental monitoring and for conveying essential alerts to the population to minimize health risks. The SAPERI project (Accelerated simulation of accidental releases in the atmosphere on heterogeneous platforms—from its Italian initials) implements a modeling chain to quickly supply evidence about the dispersion of pollutants accidentally released in the atmosphere, even in the early stages of the emergency when full knowledge of the incident details is missing. The SAPERI modeling chain relies on SPRAY-WEB, a Lagrangian particle dispersion model openly shared for research purposes, parallelized on a GPU to take advantage of local or cloud computing resources and interfaced with open meteorological forecasts made available by the Meteo Italian SupercompuTing PoRtAL (MISTRAL) consortium over Italy. The operational model provides a quantitative and qualitative estimate of the impact of the emergency event by means of a maximum ground level concentration and a footprint map. In this work, the SAPERI modeling chain is tested in a real case event that occurred in Beinasco (Torino, Italy) in December 2021, mimicking its use with limited or missing local input data as occurs when an alert message is first issued. An evaluation of the meteorology forecast is carried out by comparing the wind and temperature fields obtained from MISTRAL with observations from weather stations. The concentrations obtained from the dispersion model are then compared with the observations at three air quality monitoring stations impacted by the event. Full article

There is an increasing consensus that climate change undermines human security by exacerbating existing challenges, acting as a “threat multiplier”. Bangladesh is a climate hot spot due to its geographical location, dense population and vulnerable socio-economic infrastructure. Although there is an increasing number of studies on the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh, aggregated research that combines this evidence and provides a comprehensive overview is lacking. The aim of this research is to thoroughly investigate the characteristics of the academic literature on the complex pathways through which climate variability affects different components of human security in Bangladesh, allowing for determination of the trends and research gaps, as well as whether they lead to conflict or cooperation. We used a systematic mapping methodology to search and screen 1839 publications in Web of Science, including 320 publications for the final synthesis. We found a predominant research focus on rural areas, especially in the southwestern region, with declining crop yield, economic loss, migration, water shortage, food scarcity and health hazards being the highlighted impacts of climate change for Bangladesh. The impacts on food, economic, environmental, health and water security have been well studied, but we found significant research gaps in some human security components, especially energy security. Women and the economically disadvantaged are disproportionately affected, and the causal pathways between conflict or cooperation and the ever-changing climate lack research efforts, implying a dire need to focus on under-researched areas before they become more complex and difficult to address. Policies and interventions should prioritise climate-resilient agricultural practices and infrastructure in high-risk areas, building local capacities and integrating climate risk assessments into urban planning, considering the high influx of environmental migrants. This systematic map provides a foundation for future longitudinal studies, establishes a baseline for this era for future comparisons and serves as a reliable database for relevant stakeholders and policy makers. Full article

Objectives: With the increasing prevalence of diabetes and frailty among older adults, there is an urgent need for precision medicine that incorporates comprehensive geriatric assessments, including frailty detection. This scoping review aims to map and synthesize the available evidence on validated tools for detecting pre-frailty and frailty in community-dwelling elderly individuals with diabetes and outpatient diabetes patients. Specifically, it addresses: (1) What validated tools are available for detecting pre-frailty and frailty in this population? (2) How are these tools associated with outcomes such as glycemic control, hypoglycemia, and metabolic phenotypes? (3) What gaps exist in the literature regarding these tools? Methods: The review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines, conducting a systematic search across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria focused on studies involving individuals aged 70 years and older with diabetes, emphasizing tools with predictive capacity for disability and mortality. Results: Eight instruments met the inclusion criteria, including the Frailty Index, Physical Frailty Phenotype, and Clinical Frailty Scale. These tools varied in domains such as physical, psychological, and social aspects of frailty and their association with glycemic control, hypoglycemia, and metabolic phenotypes. The review identified significant gaps in predicting diabetes-related complications and their clinical application. Conclusions: Routine management of older adults with diabetes should incorporate frailty detection, as it is crucial for their overall health. Although widely used, the reviewed tools require refinement to address the unique characteristics of this population. Developing tailored instruments will enhance precision medicine, leading to more effective, individualized interventions for elderly individuals with diabetes. Full article

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is linked to altered nutritional status due to increased catabolism, leading to muscle mass loss. This study aims to identify and map available evidence regarding multidisciplinary interventions focused on prevention, diagnosis and nutrition education, as well as the role of diet, to prevent and manage malnutrition in patients with COPD. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Cochrane, PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. This study adhered to the Arksey and O’Malley framework and JBI methodology. Results: Of the 1761 records identified, 15 were included. Evidence suggests that the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and Mini Nutritional Assessment are the most suitable screening scale. Guidelines have highlighted that personalized nutritional counseling is a very common intervention as it allows for a consideration of all physical, psychological, and social aspects of the patient. Conclusions: The role of healthcare professionals is crucial in the early identification of nutrition-related issues and in educating patients about the prevention and management of malnutrition, both in hospital and community settings. Key aspects include early malnutrition detection, personalized counseling and patient education, and a multidisciplinary approach. These findings provide a foundation for developing of targeted patient educational initiatives to improve the nutritional management of COPD patients. Full article

Growing awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues drives a significant transformation in the global business environment, making sustainability an urgent necessity and a source of competitive advantage. However, despite advances in research, there are still significant gaps in how these practices can confer competitive advantages to startups. We seek to fill this gap by conducting a systematic literature review on the competitive advantages of sustainable startups. We used the PRISMA 2020 protocol to conduct a comprehensive search in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, which led to the inclusion of 44 articles in the final review. The results indicate that sustainable startups align economic and environmental benefits, promote continuous innovation, attract investment, mitigate regulatory risks, and adapt quickly to market changes. The analysis reveals that adopting advanced technologies and circularity strategies is critical to operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. In addition, this study has mapped gaps in the literature, identifying key areas for future research into the competitive advantages of sustainable startups. Full article

Several mining-related pollutions, industrial waste, and soil deterioration define South Africa’s environmental landscape. These have led to the consumption of unhealthy food, contaminated agricultural products, and polluted water. The polluted environment has been linked to numerous diseases among the populace, thus making environmental remediation an important issue in South Africa. Phytoremediation has been identified as a biological method for the restoration of polluted environments naturally and holistically. Therefore, it is vital to evaluate the level of phytoremediation-related research in South Africa in pursuit of a way out of environmental pollution. Thus, the purpose of this study was to map phytoremediation-related research in South Africa from inception to 2022. Statistical records from the Web of Science Core Collection were analyzed with the bibliometric package in RStudio, while mapping was performed via VOSviewer. Our study showed a low annual growth rate of publication (4.49%). The analysis uncovered that the 39 documents analyzed were written by 112 authors, and the first document was featured in the Journal of Geochemical Exploration in 1997. Kirkham, MB and Liphadzi, MS are the most relevant authors. USA has the strongest collaboration with South Africa, while the International Journal of Phytoremediation, the South African Journal of Botany, and Water SA are the most relevant journals. The result of this study can guide upcoming researchers and policymakers, together with essential facts for enhancing the restoration of the polluted environment in the country. Full article

Neurodegenerative diseases significantly impact individuals’ nutritional status. Therefore, nutritional education plays a crucial role in enhancing the understanding of food and nutrition, preventing or minimizing malnutrition, promoting well-being, and empowering patients and caregivers. Educommunication is a methodology that utilizes communication as a pedagogical tool, with the potential to positively enhance the teaching–learning process. This study aims to identify and map educommunication strategies designed to educate caregivers and patients with neurodegenerative diseases about food and nutrition. Methods: This scoping review followed the JBI Institute Reviewer’s Manual. The search was conducted between June 2022 and March 2023 in databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: Out of 189 studies identified, 29 met the eligibility criteria, and only 3 were suitable for inclusion in this review. Conclusion: Studies using educommunication for food and nutrition education are scarce. Despite the limited number of studies included in this review, various educommunication strategies utilizing communication and information technologies were used. Educommunication strategies can facilitate knowledge acquisition in food and nutrition and change behaviors, resulting in health benefits for the participants. More studies on this subject are needed. Full article

In the age of digitalization and big data, cooling systems in data centers are vital for maintaining equipment efficiency and environmental sustainability. Although many studies have focused on the classification and optimization of data center cooling systems, systematic reviews using bibliometric methods are relatively scarce. This review uses bibliometric analysis to explore the classifications, control optimizations, and energy metrics of data center cooling systems, aiming to address research gaps. Using CiteSpace and databases like Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE, this study maps the field’s historical development and current trends. The findings indicate that, firstly, the classification of cooling systems, optimization strategies, and energy efficiency metrics are the current focal points. Secondly, this review assesses the applicability of air-cooled and liquid-cooled systems in different operational environments, providing practical guidance for selection. Then, for air cooling systems, the review demonstrates that optimizing the design of static pressure chamber baffles has significantly improved airflow uniformity. Finally, the article advocates for expanding the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate data collection and energy efficiency analysis, it also calls for the global standardization of energy efficiency metrics. This study offers new perspectives on the design, operational optimization, and performance evaluation of data center cooling systems. Full article