ABSTRACT Scholars recognise the importance of applied learning in online courses and reinforcement of twenty-first century skills related to learning, literacy, and life. The inquiry-based learning framework (IBL), which provides structure and guidance for student-driven learning, can be used to support online applied learning activities, such as case study development. This study examined students’ experience creating case studies as a form of applied learning in an online course using the IBL framework. Students completed a qualitative questionnaire at the end of the project to assess their experience. Analysis resulted in four primary themes: information processing, self-directed inquiry, skill development, and future applications, which align with the three pillars of twenty-first century skills. The results of this study indicate that IBL provides an effective framework for incorporating applied learning in the form of case study development in an online course, which facilitates students’ engagement and promotes further development of twenty-first century skills.

Open conversion after failed endovascular aortic aneurysm repair in the twenty-first century.

Decoding salivary gland tumor complexities through omics integration: A systematic analysis across the 21st century.

Advances and challenges in the valorization of mine tailing wastes as sustainable geopolymers: a bibliometric analysis from circular economy perspective since the 21st century

ABSTRACT Glacier surface albedo is a crucial variable that controls the energy balance of glacier surfaces, and a decrease in surface albedo can accelerate glacier melting. However, the current global glacier albedo, its large-scale associated factors, and its future changes remain poorly understood. Here, we estimated the current glacier surface albedo changes and forecasted future variations. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) revealed that the global glacier albedo decreased by 10.6 ± 4.1% from 2000 to 2020. This negative glacier albedo trend is statistically associated with increasing glacier surface temperature, changing precipitation phase, and regionally variable deposition of black carbon and dust, while process-based indicators further suggest an increasing persistence and intensity of low-albedo surface conditions during the ablation season. Furthermore, the global glacier albedo is expected to continuously decrease until 2100, with reductions ranging from 5.4% to 19.4% relative to 2020, based on the Climate Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and machine learning. Additionally, this finding implies the threat of worldwide glacier mass loss within this century under ongoing global climate change. The research findings reveal the detailed changes in global glacier albedo throughout the 21st century, which is crucial for advancing our understanding of global glacier dynamics.

Over the past two decades, despite significant fluctuations in China's soybean planting area, high-resolution assessments quantifying the spatially heterogeneous and nonlinear impacts of compounding economic, climatic, and policy drivers remain scarce. To fill this gap, this study uses satellite remote sensing data (2000–2022) to map 1 km gridded soybean areas across China’s three main producing regions: the Northeast China Plain (NEP), Huang-Huai and Middle-Lower Yangtze Plains (HH-MLYP), and Sichuan Basin (SCB). Integrating yield and cost‒price data, we calculated the comparative economic benefit (CEB) between soybean and maize. A random forest model with SHapley additive explanations (SHAP) quantified the contributions of CEB, climatic, and topographical variables. Results revealed that CEB, growing season precipitation, and growing degree days were the most influential drivers, explaining 14.88%, 14.47%, and 13.70% of area variation, respectively. These impacts exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity: economic factors dominate in the NEP, whereas climate is more critical in the HH-MLYP and SCB. Subsidy policies effectively expanded planting in the NEP, despite diminishing marginal effects. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing planting strategies and designing targeted subsidies.

Green water will deviate the planetary boundary twice by the end of the 21st Century

This study aimed to project heat- and cold-related respiratory morbidity throughout the 21st century. The baseline impact of heat and cold was estimated using a semi-parametric model, including an exposure metric derived from remote-sensing and monitoring station data. Attributable fractions (AFs) of respiratory morbidity were estimated from 2020 to 2100, accounting for adaptation (30%) and population fertility scenarios (low and high). We also projected the effect estimates by adjusting for greenness (NDVI) in the modeling process. Cold-related AFs were higher than heat-related AFs under all scenarios, however the cold effect declined, while the heat effect increased throughout the century, particularly under RCP8.5. The cold-related AF was statistically significant in 2020-2029 (AFRCP2.6: 46.8%; 95% CI: 0.91, 60.29, AFRCP4.5: 47.01%; 95% CI: 2.56, 59.4, AFRCP8.5: 46.62%; 95% CI: 0.93, 59.97), while there was big uncertainty in other decades and for heat-related estimates. Accounting for adaptation substantially reduced both heat and cold-related AFs, with a higher reduction for cold. Adjustment for greenness slightly reduced the uncertainty of cold-related estimates. Overall, climate change is likely to shift the burden of respiratory morbidity from cold -related to heat-related extremes in future. Adaptation measures and urban greening strategies should be considered when developing climate-related health adaptation plans.

The transition toward sustainability has become the major challenge of the twenty-first century. The transport sector is responsible for nearly one-quarter of carbon dioxide emissions, and the core of current decarbonization strategies is electrification. This study develops an analytical model to explain how fleet operators determine the optimal mix of internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EVs) under various policy and behavioral influences. Unlike classical firm models focusing solely on profit maximization, the proposed framework reflects the evolving corporate behavior in the sustainability era, where firms derive utility from both economic performance and their environmental and social standing. By extending a risk-adjusted Cobb–Douglas utility function to incorporate environmental awareness and uncertainty, the model explains how carbon taxation, decarbonization subsidies, perceived risk influence fleet composition. The results indicate that carbon taxes discourage ICE usage, subsidies and infrastructure investments accelerate electrification, environmental awareness amplifies these effects. Beyond economic incentives, the findings highlight the strategic importance of ESG commitments and risk management in corporate decision-making during the Sustainability era. This model contributes by developing a theoretical framework that integrates microeconomic optimization, behavioral economics, and policy design, providing guidance for both firms and regulators in advancing sustainable transportation systems.

Digital Technologies for Healthy Longevity: A Policy Agenda from the Einstein Circle on Inclusive, Data-Driven Ageing Societies.

Over the past decade in Sweden, there has been a growing political and media discussion on the expansion of illegal drug markets. Although research has increased, few studies have examined how former drug users perceive the situation. This study explores former drug users perspectives on the illicit drug market in the 21st century. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 former drug users and four main themes were identified: (1) the violent environment, (2) the escalation of organized crime, (3) the ease of access to illegal drugs and (4) diverse perspectives on policy and prevention. There was a consensus among the interviewees that there has been an increase in organized crime and violence in the illegal drug market and that the availability of drugs in Sweden has increased during the 21st century. However, there were diverse opinions regarding drug policy and legislation. More research is needed on lived experience and attitudes to drug policy in Sweden.

Nitrogen pollution represents a critical challenge in the 21st century, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to industrial nitrogen fixation. Diazotrophic bacteria, which uniquely convert dinitrogen (N2) into bioavailable forms, offer a promising solution through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). These bacteria typically perform nitrogen fixation under nitrogen-limited conditions. Over the past 50 years, extensive research has elucidated the molecular mechanisms and regulatory pathways governing BNF. Recent microbiome studies have revealed that wild rice accessions harbor a greater abundance of diazotrophic bacteria, whereas a substantial proportion of these beneficial microbes have been lost in modern cultivated varieties. Advancements in synthetic biology have enabled the engineering of nitrogen‑exporting diazotrophs, potentially reducing dependence on industrial nitrogen fertilizers. This review emphasizes the importance of targeted research to develop customized diazotrophic microbes in conjunction with synthetic microbial community that can serve as nitrogen exporters for rice. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of identifying rice cultivars that are particularly responsive to these microbial interventions. Finally, it provides a comprehensive roadmap addressing key challenges and opportunities in deploying BNF to supplement plant nitrogen nutrition and advance sustainable agriculture.

This reviews the historical evolution of our understanding of the familial gastrointestinal cancer syndromes. It begins centuries ago with the appreciation of the gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes and the relationship between adenomatous polyps and cancer. However, it was not until 1991 that the APC gene was cloned and linked to familial adenomatous polyposis. Mutated oncogenes and inactivated tumor suppressor genes were discovered in the 1970s, and it was appreciated by the late 1980s that these genetic alterations occurred sequentially during the evolution of gastrointestinal tumors. During the exploration of this process, it was unexpectedly recognized in the early 1990s that hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers had a specific mutational signature that was the result of inactivation of the DNA mismatch repair system. This disease involved a unique group of mutational targets, distinctive pathways to tumor development, and the remarkable recognition in the 21st century of novel and highly effective therapeutic approaches to tumor control. Mixed in with these discoveries was the appreciation of multiple unique hamartomatous polyposis syndromes. The progress made over the past 50 years is remarkable and highlights the rapid evolution of new technologies and insightful research.

ABSTRACT This article explores the concept of a successful, or convincing, forgery. What makes a forgery successful and why? Drawing from a range of high-profile and lesser-known cases of forgery from the eighteenth to twenty-first centuries, this article examines the dominant notions of success in forgery and challenges the assumptions that uphold them. It demonstrates that although the conditions that enable the creation of a successful forgery are multifaceted and vary considerably, what exactly constitutes a successful forgery is inextricably linked with its capacity to deceive. However, by decentring the importance of deception in the makings of a successful forgery, this article makes space for thinking about the bad, childish fakes that occupy the lower ends of the antiquities market in particular as successful and in what capacity. It concludes by arguing that bad fakes, much like bad art or bad movies, can simultaneously embody multiple and at times radically divergent notions of success unrelated to their ability (or inability) to deceive.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most transformative technologies of the twenty-first century, reshaping economies, industries, and societies. The rapid development of large language models, multimodal systems, cloud infrastructures, and intelligent agents has elevated several organizations to the forefront of this technological revolution. Among them, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, NVIDIA, and Microsoft have established themselves as influential architects of the intelligent era through their distinctive contributions to research, hardware, software ecosystems, and enterprise applications. This editorial examines the historical evolution, strategic roles, organizational functions, competitive advantages, and future trajectories of these five leading companies. Particular attention is devoted to their technological innovations, commercial ecosystems, ethical considerations, and long-term visions. Through SWOT analysis, the article evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by each organization in an increasingly competitive environment. The study further explores the emergence of agentic AI, robotics, personalized intelligence, and artificial general intelligence (AGI), which are expected to define the next phase of technological advancement. Despite differences in organizational philosophy and business models, these companies share a common mission of expanding the capabilities of intelligent systems and integrating AI into healthcare, education, hospitality, finance, transportation, and scientific discovery. Their collaborations and rivalries are likely to determine the pace and direction of innovation over the coming decades. Understanding these organizations provides valuable insights into the technological forces that are shaping the future of humanity and the emergence of a new intelligent civilization.

Twenty-first-century skills-such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, digital literacy, and innovation-are among the core competencies required for future health managers to function effectively within the complex and technology-driven structure of modern healthcare systems. The purpose of this study was to determine the 21st-century skill levels of undergraduate Health Management students in Türkiye and to examine whether these skills significantly differ according to demographic (gender, age, year of study) and academic (academic achievement and accreditation status) variables. This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were collected via an online survey from 565 undergraduate Health Management students across Türkiye. The Multidimensional 21st Century Skills Scale, consisting of five subdimensions, was used as the data collection instrument. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analysis were performed to analyze the data. A significance level of p < .05 was adopted. The overall 21st-century skill levels of the students were found to be above average. The highest mean scores were observed in the Career Consciousness and Information and Technology Literacy dimensions, whereas the lowest means were obtained in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Critical Thinking and Problem Solving subdimensions. Regarding gender, a significant difference was found only in the Career Consciousness dimension in favor of female students (p < .05). In general, increases in age and year of study were associated with higher 21st-century skill levels. Academic achievement produced significant differences particularly in Information and Technology Literacy and Critical Thinking skills. While no significant differences were found regarding the official accreditation status of universities, students' perceived accreditation revealed significant differences in certain skill dimensions. Multiple regression analysis indicated that age and perceived accreditation were significant predictors of overall 21st-century skills. Health Management students demonstrated strong profiles in career awareness and digital competencies, yet showed areas for development in critical thinking, innovation, and leadership. The findings suggest the importance of revising Health Management curricula in alignment with 21st-century skills, expanding experiential and project-based learning opportunities, and designing educational strategies that foster students' innovation and entrepreneurship capacities.

ABSTRACT The Khasi community is a tribal community in the North-Eastern Region of India. Due to the intersection of many political, geographical, historical and cultural factors, the Khasi people exist at the margin of the power discourse in India and as such the Khasi LGBT+ community is being rendered doubly invisible due to this intersection. Moreover, heteropatriarchy and nationalism have effectively silenced queerness. This paper aims to show how queer people resist against heteropatriarchy’s systemic invisibilization of queerness. This paper argues that due to the prevalence of heteropatriarchy, only certain types of sexual and gender norms are permitted. Society assumes that such sexualities are nothing but Western imports and have no place among the Khasi. This paper shows how a Khasi identity is constructed which results in the silencing of the queer people. Queer visibility, however, resurges in the 21st century and queer people adopt different modes against such systemic discrimination. One of them is through writing in blogs. Another is through queer solidarity get together where queer people “queerify” well known mainstream establishments and through gay pride march. While these acts are not without detractors, they finally bring homosexuality into the limelight, disrupting community’s identity.

Lumbar Puncture in the 21st Century: an Imaging-Based Primer to Determine Procedural Safety.

Land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is a major source of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, yet projections remain scarce. Here, we use the reduced-complexity Earth system model OSCAR to generate national LULCC carbon emission trajectories through 2100, across 150 socioeconomic and policy-relevant scenarios. Deforestation and forest regrowth dominate variability in LULCC carbon emission, with policy timing and ambition exerting strong control. Ending gross deforestation by 2030 yields large, persistent removals (about -30 Pg C by 2100), whereas net forest area balance still emits 4-9 Pg C. The strongest sinks are projected to emerge in China and Indonesia, while Brazil and the Democratic Republic of the Congo dominate global sources. The accompanying open dataset enables country-level scenario assembly and policy evaluation. Our findings underscore that early and ambitious land governance, particularly in tropical regions, is essential for transforming the land sector into a durable carbon sink aligned with global temperature goals.

In recent years, wildfires have shifted from a seasonal ecological disturbance to a persistent atmospheric crisis. Fire catalysts vary from agricultural encroachment in Brazil and Bolivia to stratospheric pyroconvection in Australia and conflict-induced ignitions in Ukraine, and from forest fragmentation in Amazon rainforests to Australia’s ‘Black Summer’ fires. Together, these events have a cumulative impact on the systemic destabilisation of the global carbon cycle. Future projections suggest a rapid shift of critical carbon sinks into net atmospheric sources. Projections for the late twenty-first century indicate that Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) and Fire Weather Index (FWI) values will continue to rise, extending burn windows into previously protected high-altitude refugia and carbon-dense peatlands. To mitigate this escalating threat, global management must move beyond reactive suppression towards an integrated framework that bridges the "science-management gap". This requires the implementation of high-resolution AI predictive models alongside proactive policies such as peatland re-wetting, adaptive silviculture and socioeconomic protection for vulnerable rural populations. Ultimately, ensuring resilience in an increasingly flammable world requires a transboundary approach that treats wildfire emissions as global, rather than only national, incidents. In this review, the authors discuss various risk factors associated with forest fires in different regions of the Earth, as well as their assessment and prediction using modern AI-ML technologies to reduce losses from such disasters.