Human Well-being Research Articles

Technology beyond Biology; Isn't It Time to Update WHO's Definition of Health?

Technology is increasingly shaping human life, particularly in healthcare, where recent advancements have revolutionized patient care. Despite these advances, the World Health Organization's (WHO) definition of health remains rooted in traditional notions, raising questions about its adequacy in light of technological progress. This paper explores the conceptual and practical limitations of the current definition and argues for its revision to encompass the role of technology in health. This paper examines the evolving landscape of healthcare technology and its philosophical implications, drawing on theories such as the Extended Health Hypothesis and the Extended Mind Hypothesis. It claims that health extends beyond traditional biological boundaries and includes the influence of technology on well-being. This paper advocates for a re-examination of the WHO definition of health to reflect the integral role of technology in modern healthcare. Recognizing technology as part of health necessitates a broader conceptual framework that acknowledges the interconnectedness of biology, technology, and human well-being. Given technology's transformative role in healthcare, this paper argues for a revaluation of the WHO's definition of health to encapsulate the evolving relationship between technology and human well-being. At the end, we propose a new definition recognizing that health is a dynamic state of physical, mental, social, and technological well-being, wherein individuals can achieve optimal quality of life through the harmonious integration of biological, psychological, and technological factors. This state encompasses not only the absence of disease but also the effective utilization of advanced technologies.

Preservation of Biodiversity and Sustainability of Ecosystem

Sustainable agriculture and biodiversity have a significant impact on human well-being, ecological resilience, and food security. They are closely related aspects of the future of our planet.It promotes the stability and functioning of ecosystems, providing numerous ecosystem services vital for agriculture, including pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, and genetic resources for crop breeding. Biodiversity provides ecosystem services strengthening agricultural productivity and resilience. For instance, pollinators like bees and butterflies facilitate the reproduction of many crops, while natural predators help control pest populations, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Sustainable agriculture, on the other hand, seeks to meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. However, modern agricultural practices have often led to the degradation of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, and the erosion of genetic diversity in crops and livestock. These problems have been exacerbated by deforestation, overuse of agrochemicals, and monocropping. In the long term these practices harm the environment and endanger food security by reducing the system's ability to adapt to changing conditions. Sustainable agricultural practices, by enhancing farming methods such as crop rotation, agroforestry, and organic farming, can support and enhance biodiversity by preserving habitat diversity. Conservation of native species, implementation of agro-ecological practices, and support for small-scale farmers are important steps towards achieving a harmonious coexistence between agriculture and biodiversity. There is a need of collaboration across all sections of society from intergovernmental agreements down to local community action for tackling the biodiversity catastrophe. People may learn more about local ecosystems and develop a greater regard and appreciation for them by reestablishing a connection with nature and inspiring others to do the same. UNDP sustainable development goal-15 aims to protect the biodiversity by sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystem.

Environmental Sustainability of Pile Construction Activities in Nigeria; Strategies and Best Practices

: Pile construction activities is a multifaceted activity among the construction activities that are performed by heavy machines, materials and energy sources generating environmental impacts associated with pilling activities such as carbon emissions, noise, heavy vibration, soil instability and groundwater pollution. Sustainable piling construction guarantees that the whole piling process meets environmental sustainability and ultimately human health and wellbeing. Data were gathered through a questionnaire survey administered to construction professionals including engineers, project managers, surveyors, and builders. Out of the 50 questionnaires distributed, 41 responses were analyzed. The study employed the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank the effectiveness of various strategies in mitigating environmental impacts. The findings underscore the critical role of introducing low-emission machinery and optimizing operational hours in reducing carbon emissions. Noise management was most effectively achieved through alternative pile installation methods combined with regular equipment maintenance. Maintaining adequate setbacks from structures and employing controlled installation techniques were identified as essential strategies to mitigate vibration. Addressing soil instability was found to rely heavily on thorough site investigations and the implementation of effective ground stabilization techniques and preventing groundwater pollution requires the proper use of drilling fluids and diligent site management. These findings contributed to the development of environmentally sustainable practices in pile construction, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive strategies to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of such activities in Nigeria.

Sense of coherence as a protective factor of health related quality of life in Iranian older adults

Sense of coherence supports human well-being by using internal and external resources to cope with stress and maintain health. The study was conducted in Qom, Iran from June to October 2022 explored the relationship between sense of coherence and quality of life in elderly Iranians. 300 older adults from a retirement center entered the study via the convenience sampling. Questionnaires of socio-demographic information, quality of life, and sense of coherence were used to collect and analyze the data. The analysis was done using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis. The majority of participants were male (77.3%) and married (88.7%), and they had a mean age of 64.4 (SD = 5.72) years. Comprehensibility (β = 0.15; P = 0.024), manageability (β = 0.19; P = 0.001), and meaningfulness (β = 0.20; P = 0.001) were associated with better quality of life after controlling for socio-demographic variables. The results indicated that the sense of coherence significantly predicts the quality of life among older adults. Future research should further investigate these findings in diverse populations and work towards developing effective interventions to enhance the quality of life of older adults.

Enhancing human well-being through cognitive and affective pathways linking landscape sensation to cultural ecosystem services

ContextLandscape sensation is essential for the delivery of cultural ecosystem services (CESs), yet the pathways through which these services are delivered remain inadequately understood. Exploring how people obtain CESs from landscapes facilitates better understanding of the tradeoffs and synergies between ecosystem services and landscape sustainability.ObjectivesThis study aimed to elucidate the sensory pathways that links landscape attributes to CESs, focusing on the roles of cognitive and affective experiences.MethodsWe analyzed social media comments for the measurement scale of cognition. We employed partial least squares structural equation modeling to integrate sensation, cognition, affect, and satisfaction, using questionnaire data (n = 503).ResultsCognitive comprehensions and affective responses play a crucial role in interpreting CESs while sensory experiences do not directly determine people’s satisfaction with CESs. The effective pathways are achieved through the sole mediator of cognition or by serial mediators of cognition and affect. Of the two mediators, cognition has a more profound mediating effect than affect.ConclusionsBoth physical and biological components, such as landscape sensory attributes, as well as cognitive and affective responses, influence human-nature interactions. These components should be considered when promoting the sustainability of human-dominated landscapes.

Simply the green: Urban refuges

Large refugia and small refuges have always been crucial for species survival, particularly during periods like the Ice Age. When their original habitats became uninhabitable, they provided important shelters in space and time. Drawing from a biological and philosophical perspective, we propose creating and preserving refuges as socio-ecological solutions in an epoch primarily shaped by human activity, the Anthropocene. Our focus lies on green refuges within urban settings, given that urbanization is one of the large drivers of insect decline and has adverse effects on humans, such as increased heat. Refuges can be beneficial for both biodiversity and human well-being.After clarifying the relevant terminology on four levels of abstraction, we conducted a systematic biological literature review - as a case study. Here, we summarize the current state of research on the effects of unmown refuges on insects and spiders. The mere existence of refuges proved beneficial for arthropods, with over 70 % of studies reporting positive responses among these species.While insects and spiders have specific habitat requirements, humans are able to create a habitable environment for themselves. However, ecological crises for humans and arthropods are increasing, as are human populations. Therefore, refuges offer a way to address both ecological and social challenges simultaneously, enhancing biodiversity and human well-being.

Sensing perceived urban stress using space syntactical and urban building density data: A machine learning-based approach

Human well-being is an essential criterion in achieving smart and sustainable cities. Given the significant influence of stress on individuals physical and mental health, various approaches have been proposed to examine the subjective experience of stress induced by the urban built environment and its effects on human well-being. Nevertheless, conducting assessments on a large scale continues to be a significant obstacle, particularly in today's context of rapid urbanization. This study utilized advancements in Machine Learning (ML) to develop a method for measuring perceived stress by analyzing urban building density, space syntactic characteristics, and visual features of the built environment. Through the utilization of ML models, a predictive approach has been developed that can capture the perceived stress levels of urban dwellers. The results are verified with public survey data, with R2 reaching 0.698 obtained by evaluating the mean stress scores of 25 districts in Seoul city. The findings demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively measure perceived stress, enabling urban planners to analyze the spatial pattern of perceived stress and the influence of the built environment on this perception. This work expands current approaches, which concentrate solely on parks, open spaces, or streetscapes, by developing a more comprehensive predictive model for measuring perceived stress levels in various urban areas.

Identifying PTSD sex-based patterns through explainable artificial intelligence in biometric data

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that arises from exposure to traumatic events, affecting various aspects of human well-being. The complexity and variability of symptoms pose challenges for accurate diagnosis and monitoring, exacerbated by accessibility barriers. In response, alternative methodologies leveraging biometric data have emerged, such as facial movements, speech, or voice-to-text transcriptions, and analyzing them using Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques. Numerous studies have explored the presence or absence of PTSD, yet few have concentrated on either explicable indicators or distinctions among these indicators, such as the patient’s sex. This research used an XAI algorithm to identify patterns related to PTSD in three biometric data sets: facial movements, speech, and voice-to-text transcriptions. Such biometric data are grouped by sex. Utilizing the DAIC-WOZ database, this study involves feature selection and characterization. Experiment configurations addressed participant segmentation, feature reduction, and standardization. Training phases employed machine-learning classification algorithms with their corresponding performance evaluation. The interpretability stage explored the relationship between input features and class output. The findings reveal that among the three biometric data sets evaluated in this work (facial movements, speech, and voice-to-text transcriptions), speech characterization is the most effective in identifying PTSD indicators, suggesting a uniform speech pattern associated with breathy and tense voice and weak phonation in PTSD patients. Sex-specific analysis enhances prediction performance, revealing distinctions in the associated speech features. The Women’s model prioritizes tense voice and vocal volume variations, reduced glottal closure, and interrupted phonation. Conversely, the Speech-Men model reflects reduced resonance, making the voice thinner and weaker, indicating altered vocal quality. As for facial movements, sex-specific characteristics are not evident, but some features focused on lips are associated with PTSD. Similarly, PTSD is related to alertness, determination, and anxiety in both women and men. In conclusion, using an XAI algorithm to differentiate sex-based patterns in biometric data contributes to a better understanding of PTSD indicators, offering potential advancements in personalized diagnostic strategies.

Land-Based Carbon Effects and Human Well-Being Nexus

In light of international climate agreements and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a growing need to enhance the understanding of the linkages among land use/cover change (LUCC) and its carbon effects (CEs), as well as human well-being (HW). While existing studies have primarily focused on the impacts of LUCC on CEs or ecosystem services, there remains a gap in systematically elucidating the complex relationships among LUCC, CEs, and HW. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the nexus between land-based CEs and HW, examining: (1) the correlation between LUCC and CEs, encompassing methodologies for investigating LUCC CEs; (2) the association between CEs and HW, introducing the concept of “low-carbon human well-being” and evaluation framework; and (3) the proposed framework of “LUCC-CEs-HW,” which delves into the intricate connections among three elements. The study identifies research gaps and outlines potential future directions, including assessments of LUCC CEs and low-carbon HW, exploration of the “LUCC-CEs-HW” nexus, and the development of standardized measurement approaches. Key opportunities for further investigation include establishing a unified evaluation index system and developing scalable methods. This paper elucidates the relationships among LUCC, CEs, and HW, offering insights for future works.

Synergistic impacts of technological advancement and environmental hazards on social change and human well-being in South Asia

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the challenges in attaining these goals are always an eye-catching research theme for academics, politicians, and stakeholders around the world. Subjective well-being (SWB) is one of the central SDGs but is under-researched so far. Addressing this concern is crucial to maintaining societal welfare and promoting the realization of a sustainable future. Hence, this study explores the determinants of SWB with a particular focus on technological advancement and environmental damage. The paper examines SWB determinants in six South Asian nations from 2005 to 2022 using the cross-sectional augmented auto-regressive distributed lag model. The conclusions demonstrated that technology advancement improved SWB in the long term. Meanwhile, environmental deterioration has no appreciable short-term effects and harms SWB in the long term. This study adds to the field by examining how technological advancement and environmental deterioration explain SWB in South Asian economies. The study recommends policies that aim at improving innovations and reducing CO2 emissions.

Enhancing climate action in OECD countries: the role of environmental policy stringency for energy transitioning to a sustainable environment

Climate change affects the world economy, environment, and human well-being, jeopardizing overall sustainability. The escalating impacts of climate change emphasize the necessity to assess the moderating influence of environmental policy stringency (EPS) on the association of energy transition (ET) and GHG emissions from 1990 to 2020 across 36 OECD countries. Further, this study incorporates the direct impact of energy transition (ET), environmental-related technology (ERTs), green innovation (INV), and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on GHG emission. For this purpose, study employs an extensive range of econometric techniques, including DOLS, FMOLS, CCR, and MMQR approaches to evaluate data attributes. The findings of MMQR demonstrate that interaction of ET*EPS contributes to lower GHG emissions from −0.271% to −0.300% across all quantiles (20th to 80th). This indicates that the implementation of environmental policies fosters adoption of energy transitions to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, particularly to reduce GHG emissions. Further, environmental-related technologies (ERTs) and green innovation (INV) decrease GHG emissions by 0.15%–0.13% and 0.967%–2.049%, respectively, across all quantiles, thus encouraging environmental sustainability. The heterogeneous effect of ERTs is due to varying levels of adoption of environmental technologies in sample countries. The findings highlight the crucial need for integrating environmental policy strictness and energy transition measures to effectively mitigate GHG emissions. It highlights the significance of adaptive, responsive policies that are in line with SDGs 7 & 13, which concentrate on sustainable energy practices and integrated climate action in OECD economies.Graphical

Doing ethics with microbes: toward a queer feminist posthuman framework for bioethics.

The Centre for the Social Study of Microbes (CSSM) at University of Helsinki, Finland is a Wellcome-funded hub for creating new approaches to human-microbial relations. Most urgently, the complex relations between microbes, antimicrobial resistance (in its human-health centered definition, understood as infection and disease now uncurable by antibiotics, threatening human life and wellbeing), animals, environments and climate emergency require new theoretical and methodological approaches. These include a variety of research interest from global fermentation practices and cultures to microbial bioremediation techniques, from aquatic microbes to urban gardens. A key orientation of CSSM is also combining ethnography with artistic and performative practice such as felting, painting, installation, sculpture and audiovisual means, to gain a deeper, more sensory and embodied perspective of our shared lives with microbes. As their agency exists outside textuality, new experimental methodology is needed to engage with it. Thinking with microbes invites many ethical issues that often remain unaddressed in medical and scientific approach. As one of such contributions, we suggest a new framework for bioethics. In a conceptual analysis, a queer feminist posthuman framework aims for radical reorientation of human exceptionalism for more-than-human justice while keeping existing social justice issues between groups of people, such as vulnerabilities cascading around gender and sexual variance, in the same framework. Both a theoretical and practical initiative, seeking to forge solidarity between justice movements, this framework could ground policies relevant to a broader bioethical and philosophical research community, and social scientists studying microbes. This open letter discusses this work at the CSSM.

Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR Analysis in Cockroach Parasitoid Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg).

Parasitoid wasps play a crucial role in the efficient control of pests, a substantial menace to human health and well-being. Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) stands out as the most effective egg parasitoid wasp for controlling American cockroaches, but accurate and stable reference genes for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of T. hagenowii genes are still lacking. In this study, we assessed seven candidate nuclear genes, including α-tubulin (α-TUB), elongation factor-1-alpha (EF-1α), β-actin (Actin), ribosomal protein 49 (RP49), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and elongation factor 2 (EF2) of T. hagenowii. By analyzing expression stability with four algorithms (Delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper), as well as comprehensive ranking with RefFinder, we identified α-TUB as the most stable reference gene for the larval, pupal, female adult, and male adult stages. Subsequently, we estimated the transcript levels of vitellogenin (Vg) and cuticle protein (CP) after normalization with α-TUB across various developmental stages. Significantly higher expression levels of CP and Vg were observed in pupae and female adults, respectively, consistent with previous findings in other insects. This study offers a reliable reference gene for normalizing transcription levels of T. hagenowii genes.

The culture of care to enhance laboratory animal personnel well-being: a scoping review.

There has been intense focus on improving the quality of animal research in recent times. An emerging concept of a 'culture of care' has been proposed as another important pillar to enhance scientific quality, with staff well-being being a critical aspect. Professionals working with research animals can face moral and psychological burdens and are at risk of experiencing work-related stress. However, data on the global prevalence of stress in this population is limited. Equally, it is not clear how these stresses manifest, and what impact they might have on an individual's workplace performance and research quality. The purpose of this review was to identify work-related stress, its prevalence, and map evidence on strategies to mitigate stresses. We also set out to identify studies assessing the association between work-related stress and research quality. A systematic search was conducted across four databases, in addition to hand searching relevant references. We included peer-reviewed publications describing work-related stress, culture of care and laboratory animal professionals. A total of 49 publications were included for data mapping. Compassion fatigue was the most frequently described work-related stress, and its prevalence across Europe and North America is likely to be widespread. Multiple strategies to mitigate compassion fatigue and work-related stress were put forward, however, limited empirical evidence was available to assess success. Moreover, no studies reported empirical data linking work-related stress with research quality, despite several publications stating the case. Further population-specific research and measured assessments are urgently needed to deliver culture of care programmes to improve human well-being, animal welfare and research quality.

Perspectives on Advancing Multimodal Learning in Environmental Science and Engineering Studies.

The environment faces increasing anthropogenic impacts, resulting in a rapid increase in environmental issues that undermine the natural capital essential for human wellbeing. These issues are complex and often influenced by various factors represented by data with different modalities. While machine learning (ML) provides data-driven tools for addressing the environmental issues, the current ML models in environmental science and engineering (ES&E) often neglect the utilization of multimodal data. With the advancement in deep learning, multimodal learning (MML) holds promise for comprehensive descriptions of the environmental issues by harnessing data from diverse modalities. This advancement has the potential to significantly elevate the accuracy and robustness of prediction models in ES&E studies, providing enhanced solutions for various environmental modeling tasks. This perspective summarizes MML methodologies and proposes potential applications of MML models in ES&E studies, including environmental quality assessment, prediction of chemical hazards, and optimization of pollution control techniques. Additionally, we discuss the challenges associated with implementing MML in ES&E and propose future research directions in this domain.

Assessing the impact of climate change on Vector-Borne Diseases: Strategies for Prevention and Control

Climate change is occurring on a worldwide scale. Human wellbeing, beach front networks, food creation, water supplies, and air quality are as of now being influenced by this change. Over 17% of all infectious sicknesses are vector-borne. There is growing information regarding how vector-borne diseases are impacted by climate change. In request to address the ramifications of climate change on VBDs in India through this paper, we assembled optional information in September 2022 from books, studies, diaries, and distributed articles on this significant subject. This exposition will give a speedy outline of how the main vector-borne diseases in India are evolving epidemiologically.

Biophilic Urbanism's Impact on Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities

This research systematically reviews and synthesizes existing literature on the impact of biophilic urbanism on sustainability, aiming to elucidate its effects on urban environments across both environmental and social dimensions. Biophilic urbanism, which integrates natural elements into urban settings, is explored for its potential to address the challenges of urbanization, including environmental degradation and social inequality. The review aggregates findings from diverse studies to offer a comprehensive understanding of how biophilic principles contribute to urban sustainability, highlighting both the benefits and obstacles associated with their implementation. A key focus of this research is the identification and critical analysis of challenges in adopting biophilic urbanism, such as economic, social, and practical barriers. Addressing these challenges is crucial for developing effective strategies to enhance the adoption of nature-integrated design principles in urban planning. In parallel, the research explores the opportunities presented by biophilic urbanism, emphasizing its potential to improve environmental health, community well-being, and urban resilience. The research employs a qualitative methodology, including a thorough literature review and content analysis, to investigate the role of biophilic urbanism in sustainable urban development. It examines potential solutions to environmental and financial challenges, aiming to provide insights that inform future research, policy-making, and urban planning practices. In conclusion, biophilic urbanism is posited as a transformative approach to urban design, offering a framework that integrates natural systems to promote ecological health and human well-being. By aligning with contemporary sustainability objectives, this approach contributes to creating resilient and livable urban environments. Despite facing economic and implementation barriers, strategic solutions and innovative funding mechanisms can facilitate the broader integration of biophilic urbanism into urban planning, supporting global sustainability goals and enhancing the quality of urban life.

From human cohorts to plant cohorts: The potential of plants in epidemiological studies

Cohort studies are traditionally focused on human participants. The emergence of the “Planetary Health” and “One Health” paradigms has expanded the scope of cohort studies to include animal participants. Despite this, plants remain largely overlooked in traditional biomedical research. This gap prompts the introduction of the concept of a “plant cohort,” which involves treating plants as participants in cohort studies. By collecting comprehensive data on plant characteristics and biosamples, plant cohorts may assist in enhancing our understanding of the interactions between plants, ecosystems, and human health. However, establishing plant cohorts presents unique challenges, including interdisciplinary collaboration and data collection methods. Nonetheless, the potential contribution of plant cohorts to environmental health and human well-being may warrant further exploration and research.

Balancing Act: Reassessing the Canadian Government Environmental Priorities in the Wake of the Sydney Tar Ponds Disaster

"Does the government of Canada care about us, or even this land?" is a sentiment often voiced by many Sydney, Nova Scotia locals. Here, there is growing concern that the Canadian government's approach to environmental issues may be overly centred on human health, neglecting the vital dimension of animal health. While the Canadian government is known to prioritize human wellbeing as can be seen during the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires and the 2013 Alberta floods, it is equally crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of ecological systems, wherein the welfare of animals plays a pivotal role. As Canada grapples with pressing environmental challenges like wildfires in British Columbia and depleting salmon populations on the Atlantic Coast, there is a predominant need for a paradigm shift in the government's approach—one that places equal emphasis on safeguarding both human and animal health. Throughout history, the Canadian government has been recognized for prioritizing the mitigation of human health concerns over those related to animal health, exemplified by the case of the Sydney Tar Ponds. The government's remediation efforts for the Tar Ponds were grossly inadequate, as they failed to sufficiently mitigate environmental hazards, focusing solely on human hazards, a pattern evident in many of their previous interventions. The holistic cleanup necessary for the preservation of aquatic life and the environment was missing, which raises concerns about the potential resurgence of animal and human health concerns in the future.

Spatial-temporal coupling coordination relationship between well-being and technological innovation: Panel evidence from China

Since the dawn of the industrial era, the relationship between human well-being and technological in-novation has become increasingly close. This study explores this intricate relationship to understand how technological advancements can be harnessed to promote sustained and improved well-being for all. Focusing on China as a case study, this study considers both human well-being and technological innovation as key research objects. An evaluation index system for well-being is established by leveraging the spatial Durbin model and existing literature. This study empirically calculates well-being levels and conducts a classification analysis of the coupling and coordination between well-being and technological innovation across 31 provinces and cities. Additionally, the factors driving the coupling and coordination relationships are further clarified. The results reveal that (1) the coordination between well-being and technological innovation varies significantly between provinces but, overall, is gradually increasing; (2) a significant positive correlation exists between well-being and the coupling and coordination of scientific and technological innovation, and the spatial aggregation of the coupling and coordination development is gradually strengthening; and (3) several key factors influence this relationship. Rationalisation of the industrial structure, inclusive digital finance, talent concentration, and consumption rate all yield positive and significant impacts. Conversely, government intervention appears to negatively influence the coordination between these two crucial aspects. Based on this study's results, a series of policy recommendations are proposed to coordinate the development of well-being and technological innovation.