Genetic studies show that Iranians, despite linguistic and regional differences, share a deep ancestral continuity rooted in the Iranian plateau. Language shifts have occurred without major population changes, and all major Iranian groups belong to a shared genetic family. This unity supports a democratic and inclusive national identity, where diversity strengthens rather than divides.

Globally, 3 billion people rely on solid biomass fuel for their everyday cooking, most often using inefficient cooking practices, leading to high exposure levels of household air pollution. This is subsequently associated with negative health and climate impact. Further, the inefficient use of biomass fuels applies pressure on natural forests, resulting in deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and

Environmental variation has long been considered a key driver of evolutionary change, predicted to shape different strategies, such as genetic specialization, plasticity, or bet-hedging to maintain fitness. However, little evidence is available with regards to how the periodicity of stressors may impact fitness across generations. To address this gap, I conducted a reciprocal split-brood experimen

Background: Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE) was founded to serve Rwanda’s rural low-income population, providing subsidized cancer diagnosis and treatment with transport stipends for the lowest-income patients. We examined whether travel distance to BCCOE was associated with advanced-stage diagnoses and treatment completion. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using medic

The origin and evolution of sponges have attracted interest, not only because they are among the most basal metazoans, but also because they act as important ecological engineers in the ocean. Previous research suggested that sponge groups diversified quickly during the Cambrian Series 2, while Terreneuvian sponge fossils are conspicuously rare and poorly substantiated. Yet, an increasing number o

Aim: There is a knowledge gap regarding which patients with anorectal malformations (ARMs) are at highest risk of anorectal prolapse (AP), and which risk factors predispose to AP in ARM. The aims of the study were to define the frequency of AP after ARM reconstruction, and explore risk factors. Method: Data from the ARM-Net registry inserted between 2007 and 2023 were used. Inclusion criteria were

Background: Complementary prognostic markers are needed in thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) to aid patient stratification and determine the most appropriate follow-up strategies. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of blood-based inflammatory markers in a large cohort of surgically treated TET patients. Material and Methods: A total of 743 TET patients who underwent s

Accelerated deterioration of the constituting materials is important for the long-term performance of bridges or any other load-bearing structure with several-decades-long service life. In addition to the economic consequences due to increased maintenance and repair needs, severe deterioration can lead to catastrophic collapses with possible injuries, life losses, and impairments to infrastructure

The emergency department is a stressful environment, in which physicians are required to make fast and accurate diagnostic assessments amidst an ever increasing flood of clinical information, including a growing body of medical knowledge. Meanwhile, the digitization of medical health records in combination with recent breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence is ushering in a new era of precision m

We introduce the special issue, ‘Trust in and through Academic Development’, which includes papers and reflections written by 26 authors from seven different countries. These collected papers demonstrate that trust-building is an integral part of academic developers’ practice, serving as an anchor in uncertain and turbulent times. Based on the research presented in this issue and elsewhere, we def

Global food supply chains are unprepared for the increasing number and severity of the expected environmental, social and economic shocks in the coming years. The price-setting process of commodities is directly impacted by such shocks, influencing consumer behavior regarding food choice and consumption. Both the market and advances in precision agriculture drive increased production and consumpti

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to food insecurity in developed countries. Despite adequate levels of agricultural production, consumers experienced demand-induced scarcity. Understanding the effects on nutrition and the environment is limited, yet critical to informing ecologically embedded mitigation strategies. To identify mitigation strategies, we investigated wheat flour and egg ret

Effluent water from food processing retains considerable heat energy after emission from treatment systems. Heat recovery technologies that may be appropriate for implementation in the food processing industry have been widely explored, and selection of the most suitable methodologies has been pursued. A four-stage framework is introduced in this paper to evaluate the potential recoverability of w

Purpose: Idea of circular economy defies the classical “make-use-dispose” approach of linear economic model. In the context of health-care industry, it relies heavily on the supply chain practices implemented by industry stakeholders. The purpose of this study is to explore such relationships, study their structure and put it across for attaining sustainability at large. Design/methodology/approac

In the current competitive scenario, SMEs need to adopt advanced technology in order to comprehend the dynamics of Industry 4.0 and the sustainable operations for operational excellence. The present study discusses the relationship between Industry 4.0 with sustainable operations and operational excellence. A research model is proposed and assessed through structural equation modelling (SEM). The

Food loss and waste are major issues in the food industry, and they affect all stages of the food supply chain (FSC). Food loss and waste are linked to environmental deterioration, economic loss, and an increase in hunger. Therefore, the food industry requires sustainable consumption and production (SCP) to reduce losses and waste. The circular economy (CE) concept has become a popular strategy fo

Background: This research aims to identify how blockchain technology could support the ecological embeddedness of the coffee supply chain. Ecological embeddedness is a subset of the circular economy (CE) that demands legitimacy through design changes to product, production and/or packaging for benefits to economic actors and the environment. This is in contrast with legitimacy as a public relation