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Copyright of Builder (1896-0642) is the property of PWB MEDIA Zdzieblowski sp.j. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The indoor home environment plays a crucial role in determining the outcome of respiratory diseases, including asthma. Researchers, clinicians, and patients would benefit from self-reported questionnaires to assess indoor home environmental exposures that may impact on respiratory health. Objective: To review self-reported instruments for assessing indoor home environmental exposures in asthma patients and to characterise their content, development, and psychometric properties. Design: A scoping review was conducted with content assessment. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Embase and PubMed using the key words housing quality, questionnaire and asthma and their index terms, covering articles published in English between January 2000 to July 2023. Articles in which questionnaires or single item questions were used to assess indoor home environmental exposures in asthma patients in middle- and high-income countries were included. We excluded articles in which the questionnaire required an interviewer or onsite observations and those conducted in low-income countries. Results: We screened 1584 articles to identify 44 studies containing self-reported questionnaires measuring indoor home environmental exposures. 36 studies (82%) were cross sectional, 35 (80%) had a sample size of greater than 1000 participants, and 29 (66%) were conducted in children. Most studies (86%, n = 38) had binary (yes/no) or multiple-choice responses. 25 studies (57%) included a recall period of 12 months. 32 studies (73%) had a response rate of greater than 50%. Dampness, biological exposures (e.g. mould), and second-hand tobacco smoke were the most assessed indoor home environmental exposures. Childhood asthma (54%, n = 24) and asthma symptoms (36%, n = 16) were the most examined asthma related outcomes. The exposure most associated with adverse asthma outcomes was exposure to damp (79%, n = 35). 13 studies (29%) had developed a self-reported instrument by adapting questions from previous studies and almost all instruments (n = 42 studies, 95%) had not been validated. Conclusions: The scoping review did not identify a comprehensive, validated self-reported questionnaire for assessing indoor home environmental exposures in patients with asthma. There is need to develop and validate a robust but pragmatic self-reported instrument, incorporating the findings from this review. Lay summary: Background: The home environment significantly affects respiratory diseases like asthma. To help researchers, doctors, and patients, there is a need for instruments that people can use to report environmental factors at home that might influence their asthma. Objective: The aim was to review self-reported instruments that asthma patients use to assess their home environments. The review looked at what these instruments measured, how they were developed, and how reliable they were. Design: The study used a scoping review, which provides an overview of the available evidence, and assessed the content of existing questionnaires. Methods: Researchers searched scientific articles in two major databases, Embase and PubMed. They looked for articles in English published since 2000. They included studies from middle- and high-income countries where people filled out questionnaires about their home environment's impact on asthma. They excluded studies needing an interviewer or on-site visits and those from low-income countries. Results: From 1584 articles, 44 studies were selected. Most studies (82%) were cross-sectional, meaning they looked at data from a single point in time. Four out of five studies included more than 1000 participants, and two thirds involved children. The questionnaires often had yes/no or multiple-choice questions and usually asked about conditions over the past year or more. Common topics were dampness, exposure to mould, and second-hand smoke. Almost three quarters of studies received a response from more than half of the participants they asked. Dampness was the factor most linked to worsening asthma. While many studies adapted questions from previous research, only one in 20 reported how they validated their questionnaires. Conclusions: The review did not find a single, well-validated questionnaire for assessing home environments in asthma patients. There is a need to develop a reliable and practical instrument based on these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhile there are an abundance of studies evaluating the effectiveness of Housing First programs, there is a recent surge in critical social science research that situates Housing First within broader debates about contemporary neoliberal homelessness governance. This paper provides clarity to this evolving and somewhat fragmented work by highlighting three main conceptualisations of critical Housing First research. First, it is interpreted as a technocratic global fast policy that, while appealing to policymakers and government officials, ultimately fails to address the structural causes of housing insecurity and homelessness. Second, it is viewed as an economic tool that prioritises housing for a narrow cohort of ‘chronic homeless’ that incur a high cost to scarce public resources. Third, it is seen as a disciplinary tactic that ignores people’s alternative expressions of home and compels them to abide by the norms of ‘independent living’ and the private rental market. We conclude with an assessment of this critical literature. Whilst acknowledging its key insights, we contend that its treatment of Housing First as yet another form of neoliberal homelessness governance and overreliance on Anglophone-country case studies risks reifying HF’s worst aspects and failing to adequately recognise its transformative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While there is a call for smart and sustainable housing in general and for older adults in particular, little attention is paid to identifying the determinants of such housing and their extent of influence on the quality of life (QoL) of older adults. This study addresses the above gap by re-defining the criteria for house quality assessment, taking into account new needs of older inhabitants, while concerning digital assistive technologies. Methods: This research uses various methods to identify and validate housing-related criteria and metrics, resulting in a transparent multi-criteria evaluation framework that accounts for the spatial needs of older adults. These include recommendations for multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM/A), expert workshop to develop new metrics and validate sub-criteria, expert survey to prioritize criteria and sub-criteria and interviews with three employees in the construction-services sector in the Netherlands, to gain knowledge on smart and healthy environments. Results and Discussion: The results show that age-friendliness of housing function is the most significant criterion, while availability of housing modifications for seniors most important sub-criterion. Our findings can benefit architects in designing improved age- friendly spaces, older adults in evaluating their dwellings and researchers from the field of architecture in selecting most relevant method for their study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic binders are always necessary for the fabrication of advanced ceramics by 3D-printing, which are mainly discharged from the ceramic green bodies through a thermal debinding process. Thermal debinding process of organic binders thus has a significant impact on the quality of 3D-printed green bodies and is crucial for fabricating high-quality advanced ceramics to implement applications. Theory and practice in the thermal debinding process of the representative 3D-printed green bodies were reviewed. Based on the composition and function of organic binders, the heat removal methods of different molecular weight organic binders were compared. The interaction between organic binders and ceramic particle surface and the effect of degreasing atmosphere on thermal degradation of organic binders were discussed. Then the thermal debinding process was divided into three stages and the development of the green body structure was described. Three mass transfer channels were analyzed: liquid was transferred by the capillary force, vapor diffused in the liquid phase, and vapor diffused or permeated through the pore nets. Origin causes of the defects such as cracks and distortion lying in the thermal debinding process and the previous steps were analyzed and some control measures were put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper theoretically and empirically explores the Linder conjecture (the home market effect [HME] in terms of trade pattern) in the environmental sector. Using a general equilibrium model for a two‐country, two‐sector economy, we demonstrate the existence of a strong/weak HME and highlight the crucial role of trade costs in the HME. Empirically, by utilising a data set of international air purifier trade and PM2.5 concentration, we investigate the causal relationship between environmental demand and trade patterns. The results show that for every 1% rise in PM2.5, the exports and net exports of air purifiers increase by 4.337% and 3.835%, respectively. We also illustrate that the strong secondary magnification effect exists in the environmental sector, especially among developing countries. In conclusion, a country with a larger environmental home demand tends to be a net exporter of environmental products. It provides a new path for high‐polluting countries to upgrade their traditional manufacturing towards an environmentally friendly economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The country of Jordan is committed to sustainable development goals and public well-being but faces challenges such as high rates of poverty and disaffection, exacerbated by the influx of refugees. This study aimed to evaluate housing-related happiness factors and provide recommendations for integrating these metrics into sustainable housing evaluations. We conducted qualitative interviews and used interpretative phenomenological analysis, grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, to understand Jordanian residents' perspectives on their housing conditions. The research design emphasized capturing the subjective experiences of residents and the meanings they assign to their housing environments. Our findings indicate that social integration and community bonds are crucial for housing happiness, emphasizing cultural continuity, place attachment, social belonging, and dignity. These insights highlight the importance of considering social and psychological outcomes in sustainable housing initiatives, often overshadowed by economic and ecological metrics. We propose recommendations to enhance sustainable housing policies by focusing on social sustainability, contributing to the growing trend of incorporating social and psychological outcomes in green building evaluations. This study offers a framework for future sustainable housing projects to ensure they address the social and psychological needs of residents, thereby improving overall community well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, aiming to reveal preschool children's mental models of their environment, was carried out with the participation of 225 children aged 36–72 months attending 8 different preschool education institutions. It is based on qualitative research designed around a case study. The Word Association Test and Drawing were used as the data collection tools. In the study, it was observed that 36-48-month-old children mostly focused on the visuals they saw in the park (garden) and traffic in their environmental drawings, and in addition to these visuals, 49-60-month-old children included the forest in their environmental drawings, and 61-72-month-old children included home and school in their environmental drawings. The most prominent environments/elements observed with both data collection tools were the house, traffic, park, and sky for the 36– 48-month-old children; house, traffic, park, sky, and rural-village for the 49–60-month-old children; and house, traffic, park, sky, rural-village, forest and nearby settlement (market, store, etc.) for the 61–72-month-old children. The common elements that children associate with the environment in their mental models are the concepts of house, traffic, park, and sky. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges faced by the Labour party in governing with a broad electoral coalition. The 2024 general election saw Labour winning a majority with minimal changes in its overall popular vote by strategically gaining votes where they were most needed and losing votes where they could afford to do so. Age has become a key dividing line in British politics, with younger voters being more likely to back Labour. However, Labour lost support among under-25-year-olds, who turned to the Green party instead. Class has lost its relevance as a marker of voting behavior, with upper-middle-class voters now more likely to vote Labour than working-class voters. Other demographic factors, such as income and ethnicity, have also declined in importance. Labour's support is primarily based on competence rather than ideology, with voters believing that Labour would run the country more competently than the Conservatives. Labour now faces the challenge of balancing the differing expectations and priorities of its diverse coalition. The party needs to decide what it stands for and how to tie together groups of voters with varied interests and priorities. It must also address the perception that there is no difference between the two main political parties. Labour's identity has been challenged by the fact that wealthier voters are now more likely to vote for the party than working-class voters. Despite this, Labour voters across different income levels are in favor of income redistribution and have similar views on the welfare state. However, they differ in their priorities, with financially struggling voters prioritizing easing the cost of living, while [Extracted from the article]

Architecture can be very influential in enabling health and wellbeing in the residential built environment. In arid regions, health-supportive design would consider major environmental hazards, such as heat and dust, as well as social and cultural factors that influence household size and composition. Under current and projected conditions, the effects of climate change will increase, presenting opportunities and challenges to architects to demonstrate and deliver best practice in climate-appropriate and culturally appropriate housing design. This paper brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers to identify the current and future needs for tropical semi-arid zone design with a focus on Indigenous communities in northern Central Australia. In a narrative review of the literature and exploratory fieldwork, current and projected impacts of climate change on housing, health, energy systems and behavioural practices are explored in a holistic way. Our findings demonstrate the growing awareness of climate-related issues for remote Indigenous housing but also the lack of place-based studies that might inform adaptation strategies. Overwhelmingly, there is limited understanding of local lived experiences that may be highly significant for developing resilience in a changing climate. Consideration of the beliefs, values and practices of Indigenous people will be integral to design solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PLANARCH - Design & Planning Research is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In developing nations such as Nigeria, the housing industry lacks appropriate and highquality housing. One of the housing development concepts and shelter delivery systems in practice in developing nations Nigeria inclusive are public, private and public–private. These three delivery strategies involves in mass housing production, although the bulk of these mass housing are not sustainable. This study examines at the conditions of mass housing delivered by the public, public–private, and private sectors in Ilorin, Nigeria. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches were employed for the study and both primary and secondary data were utilised. Multistage sampling technique was adopted to sample 27% of the 4166 households' population. A set of questionnaire was administered to 1125 household heads, from 895 houses of the Public, 203 of public–private–partnership and 27 of private developers. Data were evaluated with descriptive statistics and multiple analyses of variance (MANOVA) to get the variation in housing elements condition based on the three-delivery strategy. According to the study, private had walls with highest percentage of very good (41.0%), good conditions (51.6%), and public had walls with 33.1% very good, 36.6% good conditions. However, 13.0% of PPP wall are in poor condition, and 80.1% of walls are only fair, comparisons of the condition of housing elements in the three strategies revealed that all the parameters of houses were found to have significant differences with p values reported for the comparison were observed to be less than 0.05 confidence level (p < 0.05). The study suggests among others that public–private partnership delivery strategy should be given more attention by the government to ensure good quality delivery and sustainability of mass housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of depopulation and residential dynamics in Teruel, a province emblematic of the aging and depopulation issues prevalent in many inland regions of Spain and Europe. Through an in-depth examination utilizing official statistics, academic studies, and reports, this study highlights the demographic structure, historical evolution, and current trends in Teruel. Key patterns of population change and their implications for urban and rural planning are identified. The analysis covers population density, vital balances, and household distribution, with a special focus on the significant role of the foreign population. Additionally, the challenges associated with vacant housing and the management of unused land are discussed, proposing revitalization strategies for the built environment in rural settings through sustainable housing initiatives. This study aims to contribute to the discourse on sustainable development of small cities and rural areas, offering integrated solutions that not only enhance living conditions but also encourage balanced and sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Special-Issue Editors introduce the Strategic Management Conference in Latin America (SMLA) and three exemplary articles that emerged from it. The articles feature research on important Macromarketing topics, including sound and sustainable housing policies, farmers' adaptation to climate change, and crisis management and adaptation. Macromarketing has a rich, if perhaps under-reported, tradition of research on the interactions among markets, marketing and society in Latin America. This special issue is intended to provide a forum for such research and to inspire further participation in the Macromarketing discourse among Latin American scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One way in which governments foster sustainable homebuilding and housing is by subsidizing single homes' investment in sustainability technologies. The problem with these programs is that they incentivize inefficient investment by supporting technologies that make technical and economic sense on a small scale. Furthermore, this arrangement constitutes a flawed marketing system, producing a limited impact on global well-being and sustainability in the long term, as it rules out more efficient sustainability technologies. This paper addresses these shortcomings by designing a public policy proposal based on a contract between the government and homeowners that incentivizes the adoption of collective sustainable technologies, changing the marketing system with a shift in the behavior of a dominant actor, the government. Results indicate that an equilibrium in which the homeowners choose to participate in the new collective program in exchange for a subsidy is feasible and stable. Moreover, the generalization of the proposed program may generate a new way to incentivize the more efficient use of sustainable home technologies in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alxa League, located in the western part of Inner Mongolia, China, frequently suffers from sandstorms. Such dusty conditions result in sharp increases in respirable particulate matter (PM10) concentration in outdoor and indoor environments, posing a significant health risk to local inhabitants. Vernacular dwellings in this area feature a specific floor plan that includes an entrance space to safeguard indoor air quality during sandstorms while being compatible with the local climate. This study utilises CONTAM, a multizone indoor air quality and ventilation analysis computer program, and field measurements to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of the entrance space in protecting indoor air quality against ambient PM10 pollution under both dusty and normal conditions. The simulation results reveal that the entrance space can effectively mitigate PM10 pollution in the middle room, lowering the average concentration from 47.0 μg/m3 to 37.5 μg/m3 during dust periods. However, PM10 pollution may increase in the entrance space, reaching an average concentration of up to 70.0 μg/m3. Experimental outcomes align with the simulated results. Given that construction activities exacerbate desertification and frequent sandstorms, the above findings help identify the optimal design strategies for energy-efficient green vernacular dwellings in the targeted desert area, promoting environmental harmony and addressing climate change challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home education is a growing but relatively unknown and understudied phenomenon in Italy. This study offers an empirical contribution to surface the key familial characteristics, parental rationales, and pedagogic practice of home education in this national context. As part of a larger mixed-methods research project, the findings of a survey administered to 91 home-educating parents/carers (representing 142 home-educated students) are presented. The study reveals that over half of the respondents commenced home-educating in 2020 or later, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resonates with trends observed nationally and internationally, showing a recent significant upsurge in home education. Despite the importance of the pandemic as a contingent factor, the decision to home-educate among these parents was mostly driven by pedagogical and social concerns. The desire to provide a more personalised, child-centred, and “better-quality” education was key among this study population. Also, they were attracted to home education to embrace a more flexible and family-first lifestyle. Remarkably, religious-based motivations exerted only a modest influence. Regarding pedagogical practices, nearly half of the participants opted for a collective educational arrangement, while the remaining half opted for a home-based or individual approach at the family level. Most participants reported a preference for a “semi-structured” approach in planning their educational activities. They drew inspiration from a broad and eclectic mix of philosophies and pedagogic practices, with Montessori and Steiner being the most prevalent. In discussing the implications of this study, the paper lays the groundwork for future research in this national context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (Allo-HCT) and conditioning, patients are typically placed in isolated hospital rooms to prevent neutropenic infections. Since 1998, we've offered an alternative: home care for patients living within a one to two-hour drive of the hospital. In Sweden this approach includes daily visits by an experienced nurse and daily phone consultations with a unit physician. When necessary, patients receive transfusions, intravenous antibiotics, and total parenteral nutrition at home. Our initial study report compared 36 home care patients with 54 hospital-treated controls. Multivariate analysis found that home care patients were discharged earlier to outpatient clinics, required fewer days of total parenteral nutrition, had less acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grade II-IV, and lower transplantation-related mortality (TRM) and lower costs. Long-term follow-up showed similar chronic GVHD and relapse rates in both groups, with improved survival rates in the home care group. A subsequent comparison of 146 home care patients with hospital-treated controls indicated that home care and longer home stays were associated with lower grades of acute GVHD. Home care was found to be safe and beneficial for children and adolescents. Over two decades, 252 patients received home care post-Allo-HCT without any fatalities at-home. Ten-year outcomes showed a 14% TRM and a 59% survival rate. In 2020, an independent center confirmed the reduced risk of acute GVHD grades II-IV for patients treated in home care. Here, we report for the first time that home care patients also demonstrate a less inflammatory systemic cytokine profile. We found higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-5, IL-13, GM-CSF, and G-CSF, but lower VEGF in hospital-treated patients, which may contribute to acute GVHD grades II-IV. In conclusion, home-based treatment following Allo-HCT yields multiple promising clinical outcomes and improved systemic inflammatory markers, which may contribute to less development of life-threatening GVHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe current home participation (frequency, involvement) and caregiver's desire for change in home participation of children and adolescents with Down syndrome, as well as home environmental factors, and to explore the associations of personal and environmental factors with current participation and caregiver's desire for change. Method: Eighty‐two caregivers (mean age = 45 years 10 months) of children and adolescents with Down syndrome (mean age = 10 years 7 months) were surveyed about the child's home participation and environmental factors using the Participation and Environment Measure‐Children and Youth. Furthermore, children's personal and environmental factors were collected. Results are reported using descriptive analysis and correlations (Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and Mann–Whitney U test) to describe the relationship between current participation and caregiver's desire for change, with personal and environmental factors as ordinal and nominal variables respectively (p < 0.05). Results: Children's participation was highest with regard to personal care management and lowest with regard to school‐related activities. Most caregivers desired change in homework and household chores. Greater frequency was associated with male sex, caregiver less rigorous social distancing due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, and children receiving therapies. Greater involvement was associated with younger age in children and higher environmental support. Older age in children was associated with caregiver's greater desire for change. Interpretation: Personal and environmental factors correlated with participation in specific ways. Creative strategies to promote participation that consider caregiver's wishes should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) who undergo open-heart surgery are at risk of developmental impairment, including motor delay, which contributes to parental concerns. Additionally, parents experience prolonged stress associated with their child's disease. There is a lack of early motor interventions in infants with CHD accounting for parental burdens. We developed a family-tailored early motor intervention (EMI-Heart), aiming to promote motor development in infants with CHD and family well-being. The primary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the study design and the intervention. The secondary aim was to evaluate differences between the intervention and the control group in motor outcomes and family well-being at baseline (3–5 months), post-treatment (6–8 months), and at follow-up (12 months). Method: In this single-centre feasibility randomized control trial (RCT), infants with CHD after open-heart surgery without genetic or major neurological comorbidities were randomly allocated to EMI-Heart or the control group (standard of care). EMI-Heart's key elements promote postural functional activities and encourage parental sensitivity to infants' motor and behaviour cues. Infants assigned to EMI-Heart received nine sessions of early motor intervention at home, in the hospital, and online for a duration of 3 months by a paediatric physiotherapist. We performed descriptive statistics for feasibility and secondary outcomes. Results: The recruitment rate was 59% (10/17), all participating families completed the study (10/10), and the intervention duration was 3.9 months (± 0.54), including nine intervention sessions per family. Median acceptability to parents was 3.9 (1 = not agree–4 = totally agree, Likert scale). The paediatric physiotherapist considered the intervention as feasible. The comparison of motor outcomes did not show differences between groups. However, we detected improved reliable change scores in family well-being outcomes for families of the intervention group compared to the controls. Conclusions: Our research indicates that EMI-Heart is a feasible intervention for infants with CHD after open-heart surgery. The intervention was highly acceptable both to parents and to the paediatric physiotherapist. Online treatment sessions offer a valuable alternative to home and hospital visits. This feasibility RCT provides a foundation for a future full trial. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCTT04666857. Registered 23.11.2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults with difficulties finding affordable housing have increasingly been choosing to rent in the private sector and share housing with unknown individuals. Shared living arrangements allow these young single tenants to reduce their housing expenses while enjoying a shared lifestyle that encourages social interaction with a diverse group of housemates. However, physical proximity does not guarantee social proximity, as people may encounter undesirable housemates. Using a rich dataset of shared housing tenancies in Shanghai, China, this study examines how the characteristics of housemates influences tenants’ decision to terminate their shared housing tenancy before its expiration. Our results show that the similarity of housemates in age, gender, occupation, and birthplace reduces the probability of an early termination of the shared tenancy. The impact of housemate similarity measured in the four dimensions is further augmented by tenants’ bargaining power and individual characteristics. Since early tenancy termination increases the vacancy rate in shared housing, sharing with undesirable housemates incurs significant social costs. This study sheds light on how residents living in proximity can share urban space effectively to facilitate sustained shared housing tenancies and suggests the need for policy solutions that are tailored to the needs of shared housing renters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group homes have been an important option for people with intellectual disabilities leaving the family home or institutions. They were one focus of the Royal Commission on Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disabilities. Much evidence was collected about harm experienced by people in group homes through submissions, and dedicated and other hearings about disability services more generally. In its Final Report the Commission considered group homes to be both a flawed model and subject to weak implementation similar to that identified across the Australian disability service system more generally. This article describes the Commission's approach to group homes, the evidence heard, and its conclusions; and critiques its stance, processes, and recommendations, identifying links to the NDIS Review published after the Commission's Report in 2023. The Commission's recommended reforms to practice, and replacement of group homes with alternative options reflect current policy directions, but raise issues that will be important for implementation; including; uncertainty about alternatives to group homes, the risk of alternatives not having better outcomes and thus the loss of good services, risk of neglecting quality of support practice in new alternatives and recurrence of institutional practice in them, and potential negative impacts on existing residents of signalling group homes as a flawed model. The Commissions' approach missed opportunities for appreciative enquiry about conditions that lead to good outcomes in some group homes. The article concludes by considering the benefits for people with intellectual disabilities of singling out long-term residents and people with complex or high support needs, together with the potential for a quicker pace of change that may result from the Commission's work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My commentary situates Desiree Fields' lecture within a long‐standing movement that, paying attention to real estate data and techniques of property, turned the housing market into a theoretical machine. I understand her intervention as a fourth and pivotal conceptual moment in the study of housing markets and inequalities for the discipline of geography, for it brings racial capitalism and settler colonialism as theoretical starting points to analyse the political economy of housing in the era of digital property technologies. As such, her lecture opens up a welcome, ambitious, yet also uncertain terrain to advance global urban theory under platform capitalism and stimulate relational approaches in housing studies. Discussing the regularities through which race, technology and property shape housing and wealth inequalities across variegated sites of market‐making provides a conceptual horizontality that acknowledges the United States as a testing ground, rather than a ground truth, for the production of geographical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors such as Home Literacy Environment (HLE), screen time, and parental executive functions (EF) may influence the development of the child's EF. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of these factors on behavioral and neurobiological measures of EF in 4-year-old children. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected while children performed the Attention Network Task (ANT), showing a smaller difference between incongruent and congruent conditions is related to better EF abilities. Data were analyzed using an Event-Related Potential (ERP) technique focusing on the N200 and P300 components (reflecting executive control and orienting attention, respectively). N200 and P300 differences (delta) between amplitudes and latencies for the incongruent and congruent conditions were computed and correlated with child EF skills, HLE, screen exposure, and parental EF. Screen exposure was associated with lower EF in children and their parents. Additionally, smaller differences between N200 amplitudes and latencies for the incongruent vs. congruent conditions were associated with higher HLE scores. In contrast, greater differences between P300 amplitudes and latencies were related to longer screen time. HLE was positively associated with EF's neurobiological (EEG) and behavioral measures, and screen time was negatively associated with these measures. This study also highlights the important relationship between parental EF (i.e., family predisposition) and EF's neurobiological and behavioral measures in their children. Better executive functions (EF) in children are related to better EF in their parent. Higher screen time was related to lower EF in the parents and their preschool-age children. Poorer EF in a child (manifested by lower differences between N200 amplitudes and latencies for incongruent vs congruent conditions during the attention/inhibition task) was negatively correlated with home interactions involving reading and writing (assessed as Home Literacy Environment). Poorer EF in the child (manifested by lower differences between P300 amplitudes and latencies for incongruent vs congruent conditions) was positively associated with screen time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecovillages, communities in which people integrate self-built houses, shared facilities, organic farming, composting, and self-governance into everyday practices, serve as laboratories for ongoing experiments in sustainable living. While topics like sustainability, simple living, and making are well discussed in the HCI community, we aim to investigate what socio-environmental issues are identified in ecovillages and how and with which ethos makers address these issues in their making practices. In this paper, we present findings from an ethnographic investigation around sustainable making by focusing on the endeavours of three ecovillages and highlighting their ethos to draw out lessons for HCI researchers. We discuss the relationship between making practices and sustainability from four aspects: space, material, network, and meaning, and provide lessons and implications for the HCI community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive exploration, rooted in a literature review, aiming to elucidate the nexus between Creating Shared Value (CSV) and the determinants of sustainable business performance. In the contemporary business landscape, environmental sustainability has evolved beyond a moral responsibility and become a strategic business opportunity for modern companies. The methodology employed in this study involves conducting an extensive literature review. Through the analysis of existing literature, the research synthesizes insights into the relationship between CSV and sustainable business performance. The focus is on theoretical exploration, elucidating the connections between green entrepreneurial orientation, green innovation, and green marketing strategies in the context of sustainable business practices. The literature review reveals that environmental sustainability significantly shapes contemporary business strategies. The emergence of CSV as a business strategy underscores the integration of corporate success with positive contributions to society and the environment. The synthesized results highlight the theoretical relationships between green entrepreneurial orientation, green innovation, and green marketing strategies with sustainable business performance. Building upon the results, the discussion interprets the implications of the identified relationships and their significance in the realm of sustainable business strategies. This article enriches the academic literature by providing a conceptual framework for understanding sustainable business strategies. Additionally, the findings offer practical support for businesses in formulating sustainable strategies, guidance on integrating green innovation, and serve as a valuable reference for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The provision of sustainable housing should factor energy efficiency, the use of sustainable building methods and materials and address the current associated barriers. This consideration triggered an ongoing study in UK which has so far conducted a bibliometric analysis of 275 papers using the VOSviewer software. More papers have been published in the last 5 years compared to the previous 15, and the UK is less engaged in successful collaborations in comparison to other economically developed nations. The lesser use of innovation in the UK has been identified. Also, the uses of sustainable methods and materials in residential housing are not fully exploited for achieving energy efficiency. A future research direction emerging is the potential to study the combined impact of using innovative materials and methods to achieve greater energy efficiency in UK housing provision. Through technological innovations and the need to move from fossil fuels (for example, through the use of heat pumps) a new approach can move the UK closer to achieving net-zero in housing provision and operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The agri-food sector has been identified as one of the most significant contributors to environmental degradation and emissions. Thus, in order to respond to the societal demand for cleaner and greener products, in recent years, the food industry has been striving to identify and apply more sustainable practices to minimize the negative impact on the environment. Within the agri-food sector, one of the industries requiring efforts to mitigate its environmental footprint is the tomato processing industry, which represents an important industry within the Italian industrial food processing sector. Efficient utilization of resources and adoption of innovative methods in the production lines of the tomato processing industry can be envisaged as strategic measures to increase sustainability. This study aims to discuss the results of the case study in which an Italian tomato processing company has been analyzed by applying the LCA methodology. Method: Foreground data were obtained from the tomato processing facility located in southern Italy, and Ecoinvent database was the source of background data. The assessment was carried out by SimaPro software using ReCiPe 2016 (V1.03). The feasible conservation strategies in the production line have been evaluated through water-energy nexus simulation by SuperPro Designer® before the implementation, and different scenarios have been evaluated by SimaPro to decrease the environmental load. Results and conclusion: This study demonstrates that the production of 1  kg of peeled tomatoes and tomato puree leads to greenhouse gas emissions of 0.083  kg CO2 eq and 0.135  kg CO2 eq, respectively. A deeper analysis to evaluate the contribution of the different tomato processing stages indicated that the thermal units are the main ones responsible for adverse effects on the environment, and any improvement in their performance can be seen as an unmissable opportunity. The conservation strategies identified resulted in considerable water (23.4%), electricity (14.7%), and methane (28.7%) savings and, consequently, in 16 and 19% reduction of global warming potential in peeled tomato and tomato puree production lines, respectively. These findings provide new insights for tomato processing companies wishing to adopt more sustainable processing practices, reducing their environmental impact to a considerable extent and improving their economic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global population of adults aged 60 and above surpassed 1 billion in 2020, constituting 13.5% of the global populace. Projections indicate a rise to 2.1 billion by 2050. While Hospital-at-Home (HaH) programs have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional routine hospital care, showing initial benefits in metrics such as lower mortality rates, reduced readmission rates, shorter treatment durations, and improved mental and functional status among older individuals, the robustness and magnitude of these effects relative to conventional hospital settings call for further validation through a comprehensive meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was executed during April–June 2023, across PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to include both RCT and non-RCT HaH studies. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager (version 5.4), with Forest plots and I2 statistics employed to detect inter-study heterogeneity. For I2 > 50%, indicative of substantial heterogeneity among the included studies, we employed the random-effects model to account for the variability. For I2 ≤ 50%, we used the fixed effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted in patients with different health conditions, including cancer, acute medical conditions, chronic medical conditions, orthopedic issues, and medically complex conditions. Results: Fifteen trials were included in this systematic review, including 7 RCTs and 8 non-RCTs. Outcome measures include mortality, readmission rates, treatment duration, functional status (measured by the Barthel index), and mental status (measured by MMSE). Results suggest that early discharge HaH is linked to decreased mortality, albeit supported by low-certainty evidence across 13 studies. It also shortens the length of treatment, corroborated by seven trials. However, its impact on readmission rates and mental status remains inconclusive, supported by nine and two trials respectively. Functional status, gauged by the Barthel index, indicated potential decline with early discharge HaH, according to four trials. Subgroup analyses reveal similar trends. Conclusions: While early discharge HaH shows promise in specific metrics like mortality and treatment duration, its utility is ambiguous in the contexts of readmission, mental status, and functional status, necessitating cautious interpretation of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the intricate web of plant–animal interactions, granivore birds can play a dual antagonist–mutualist role as seed predators and dispersers. This study delves into the ecological significance of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) as seed disperser by endozoochory. A sample of individual droppings and faecal pools were collected from a communal roost in central Spain to examine the presence of seeds. Seed viability was determined using the tetrazolium test. Our findings revealed that around 22% of the analysed droppings contained seeds, contradicting the prevalent notion of house sparrow solely as seed predator. Viability tests demonstrated that 53.9% of the defecated seeds were viable, although it varied between plant species, including those from fleshy‐fruited common fig and five species of dry‐fruited herbs. This study challenges the traditional perspectives on the ecological role of the house sparrow, and glimpses on their contribution to seed dispersal. Understanding the nuanced roles of granivore species like the house sparrow is crucial for developing holistic conservation and management strategies in urban and agricultural landscapes. Future studies are encouraged to unravel the actual role of this cosmopolitan species as disperser of a likely broad spectrum of wild, cultivated and exotic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Universal accessibility is one of the most active lines of intervention for people with disabilities and older adults. This accessibility has become a topic of growing interest regarding home access and use. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to create and validate a home assessment tool: the HESA II. Methods: The study was conducted in four phases: (1) agreement on variables by an expert panel; (2) development of 90 items according to the AOTA framework; (3) pilot test with n = 20; and (4) final study with 156 subjects where confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Results: The tool consisted of 85 items divided into five subscales related to each of the main spaces of Spanish homes: living room; kitchen; bedroom; and bathroom. Conclusions: The tool demonstrates good psychometric properties of reliability. The HESA II assesses home accessibility based on limitations in activity and participation restriction of the evaluated person as per the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health rather than on a diagnosis, making it applicable to a wide range of groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content moderation practice of deplatforming, i.e., the removal of undesired actors, has become common on social media platforms such as YouTube. Our study aims to examine the impact of deplatforming on prominent far-right channels on YouTube. In our study, we are particularly interested in the deplatforming of prominent far-right channels such as Alex Jones, James Allsup, or Red Ice TV to understand the impact deplatforming has on them. To do so, we analyze two datasets: We check whether 11,198 YouTube channels have been removed in 22 months between 2018 and 2019 and for what reason. We then focus on the far right and check whether the deplatformed far-right channels have found a new home on the alternative video platform BitChute. The time frame for this study includes the removal of some critically important far-right figures. Our analysis shows that deplatforming effectively minimizes the reach of disinformation and extreme speech, as alternative platforms allowing this kind of content cannot mitigate the negative effect of being deplatformed on YouTube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on sustainable housing is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Empirical research, however, does not acknowledge the existence of a comprehensive and unified approach to sustainable housing goals. It is still unclear if the mindset toward sustainable housing is rooted enough among various stakeholder groups to allow going beyond the concept of energy-efficient developments. That is why the study focuses on examining the perception of sustainable housing goals among future home buyers. The analysis presented in this paper comprises two stages. First, the analytical hierarchy process is used to assess the relative importance of the three main dimensions of sustainable housing, which are: economic, ecological, and social dimensions. Secondly, based on the emerged clusters, willingness to pay for the improvement of the chosen parameters of the residential building is verified. Regarding the adopted research approach, four homogeneous groups of future home buyers have been identified, namely ecologically oriented, socially oriented, cost-saving oriented, and mixed. The results of the study also reveal that the most appealing to future home buyers are the ecological and economic aspects, while the social ones still require further research. The article contributes to a better understanding of the process of sustainable housing development among potential home buyers, and what may be relevant to different stakeholders engaged in the process of sustainable development. Each of the stakeholder groups, starting from households via developers and policy-makers to academia, plays a specific role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of housing in the achievement of prosperity from a capabilities perspective. Prosperity, according to Jackson (Prosperity without growth: economics for a finite planet, Earthscan, Oxford, 2009), is built on Amartya Sen's notion of capabilities for flourishing. Then, in the pursuit of understanding the role of housing as an enabler of capabilities for the achievement of prosperity, this paper investigates the gaps in the views/concepts of housing through comparisons of the ten central capabilities, the right to adequate housing, and meanings of home. Data from a recent qualitative study in rural and urban Kenya is used for empirical analysis as a way to develop a localised application of the discussion. Looking through the lens of the Capabilities Approach brought a useful framework that made it possible to capture human and social housing values that are many times neglected. In that sense, the paper explores housing both as the physical conditions of the house and as the social and psychological dynamics that construct the meanings of home. The research demonstrated that the extent to which housing enables the enjoyment of capabilities for flourishing increases or diminishes insofar housing acknowledges and incorporates both material and non-material functions. Hopefully, this exercise can serve to inform and enrich future localised housing design, research and policy, where a more comprehensive understanding and conceptualisation of housing seems imperative: Housing, as House + Home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a zinc‐air flow battery (ZAFB) as an environmentally friendly and inexpensive energy storage system is investigated. For this purpose, an optimized ZAFB for households is designed based on the most recent publications, and an economic and ecological analysis of the system is carried out. The results show that the customer price of the designed ZAFB is estimated at ≈5000 € and is thus about one‐third lower than the quoted price for a comparable vanadium flow battery (VFB). The carbon footprint (CF) analysis shows that especially the alkaline electrolyte and the silver‐containing gas diffusion electrode have a high share of the greenhouse gas emissions of the ZAFB system. However, the CF is 41% lower than that of the VFB, highlighting the great potential of the ZAFB as an alternative home storage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing global awareness of the application of sustainability and its importance in preserving resources and the ability of future generations to access them, implementing sustainability has become a necessary issue. The housing sector is considered one of the largest energy consumers. Multiple reasons, such as displacement, forced deportation, and a continuation of the conflict, increased the need for housing to shelter the needy. Non-governmental organizations played an important role in helping the needy by establishing housing projects to shelter them. These projects are considered unsustainable for many reasons, such as assault on agricultural land, cutting down trees, not treating wastewater, the absence of sustainable housing principles, etc. This paper aims to address the problem by finding basic points that contribute to developing a sustainable housing policy that can be applied to future shelter projects. To reach the goal of the research, quantitative data was used to find out the opinions of housing and shelter specialists through a questionnaire that was designed according to data summarized from previous studies and formulated according to the five axes of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was then presented to 100 participants, after which the data was analyzed according to the application of the Social Statistical Package (SPSS) and the results were discussed. Providing recommendations for the importance of sustainable housing policies to achieve sustainable shelter, the establishment of a higher council for housing, updating laws, securing appropriate land, encouraging scientific research, and abolishing taxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on evaluating modular house construction projects, which is a critical segment within sustainable building practices. Despite the significant advantages of modular construction, such as enhanced resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact, existing research often overlooks its unique attributes and constraints. Our objectives were to identify crucial parameters for a comprehensive evaluation of modular construction, particularly emphasizing sustainability, and to explore how an advanced conversational AI tool, ChatGPT, can assist in modular building assessments. We employed the Delphi method to define these parameters and integrated ChatGPT to develop a robust assessment methodology. This approach allowed us to harness AI-driven insights to enrich the evaluation process. Our findings suggest that ChatGPT delivers high-quality results comparable to those produced by experts in modular building assessments. ChatGPT formulated a detailed description of the evaluation scale for each criterion, effectively outlining the guidelines for evaluating modular house projects. To illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed methodology, we applied it to a real-world modular house project in Lithuania, demonstrating how this approach can significantly contribute to advancing sustainable construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the evolving landscape of modern living in South Korea, which has the widespread apartment complexes that have emerged from the efficiencycentric approaches of industrial capitalism. It explores the paradigm shift in the 21st-century capitalist society, which now values creativity and individual expression over functionality and uniformity. This shift has led to a noticeable disparity between the monotonous spatial composition of mass-produced housing and the dynamic, creative lifestyles of contemporary residents. The research method involves a comprehensive analysis of both lifestyle and architectural magazines, providing insights into the changing preferences and lifestyles of residents, as well as the perspectives of professionals. The study aimed to highlight the changing nature of residential spaces and the design strategies, moving away from the conventional utility-focused designs, towards environments that foster creativity and reflect the individuality of inhabitants. Key findings indicate a growing public preference for residential spaces that are versatile, creatively stimulating, and aligned with the multifaceted nature of modern lifestyles. Contrasting these views, architectural experts emphasize the fundamental values of living, advocating for spaces that connect residents with nature and enrich everyday experiences through sensory engagement. The study concludes that while there is a divergence in perspectives between the general public and architectural specialists, both recognize the necessity for sustainable housing solutions. These solutions should cater to contemporary societal changes while preserving essential life values, thereby overcoming the limitations of the prevalent apartmentcentric urban housing model in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]