Comprehensive, comparable, and timely estimates of demographic metrics—including life expectancy and age-specific mortality—are essential for evaluating, understanding, and addressing trends in population health. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of timely and all-cause mortality estimates for being able to respond to changing trends in health outcomes, showing a strong need for demographic analysis tools that can produce all-cause mortality estimates more rapidly with more readily available all-age vital registration (VR) data. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) is an ongoing research effort that quantifies human health by estimating a range of epidemiological quantities of interest across time, age, sex, location, cause, and risk. This study—part of the latest GBD release, GBD 2023—aims to provide new and updated estimates of all-cause mortality and life expectancy for 1950 to 2023 using a novel statistical model that accounts for complex correlation structures in demographic data across age and time. We used 24 025 data sources from VR, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources to estimate all-cause mortality for males, females, and all sexes combined across 25 age groups in 204 countries and territories as well as 660 subnational units in 20 countries and territories, for the years 1950–2023. For the first time, we used complete birth history data for ages 5–14 years, age-specific sibling history data for ages 15–49 years, and age-specific mortality data from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems. We developed a single statistical model that incorporates both parametric and non-parametric methods, referred to as OneMod, to produce estimates of all-cause mortality for each age-sex-location group. OneMod includes two main steps: a detailed regression analysis with a generalised linear modelling tool that accounts for age-specific covariate effects such as the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and a population attributable fraction (PAF) for all risk factors combined; and a non-parametric analysis of residuals using a multivariate kernel regression model that smooths across age and time to adaptably follow trends in the data without overfitting. We calibrated asymptotic uncertainty estimates using Pearson residuals to produce 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) and corresponding 1000 draws. Life expectancy was calculated from age-specific mortality rates with standard demographic methods. For each measure, 95% UIs were calculated with the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. In 2023, 60·1 million (95% UI 59·0–61·1) deaths occurred globally, of which 4·67 million (4·59–4·75) were in children younger than 5 years. Due to considerable population growth and ageing since 1950, the number of annual deaths globally increased by 35·2% (32·2–38·4) over the 1950–2023 study period, during which the global age-standardised all-cause mortality rate declined by 66·6% (65·8–67·3). Trends in age-specific mortality rates between 2011 and 2023 varied by age group and location, with the largest decline in under-5 mortality occurring in east Asia (67·7% decrease); the largest increases in mortality for those aged 5–14 years, 25–29 years, and 30–39 years occurring in high-income North America (11·5%, 31·7%, and 49·9%, respectively); and the largest increases in mortality for those aged 15–19 years and 20–24 years occurring in Eastern Europe (53·9% and 40·1%, respectively). We also identified higher than previously estimated mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa for all sexes combined aged 5–14 years (87·3% higher in GBD 2023 than GBD 2021 on average across countries and territories over the 1950–2021 period) and for females aged 15–29 years (61·2% higher), as well as lower than previously estimated mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa for all sexes combined aged 50 years and older (13·2% lower), reflecting advances in our modelling approach. Global life expectancy followed three distinct trends over the study period. First, between 1950 and 2019, there were considerable improvements, from 51·2 (50·6–51·7) years for females and 47·9 (47·4–48·4) years for males in 1950 to 76·3 (76·2–76·4) years for females and 71·4 (71·3–71·5) years for males in 2019. Second, this period was followed by a decrease in life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, to 74·7 (74·6–74·8) years for females and 69·3 (69·2–69·4) years for males in 2021. Finally, the world experienced a period of post-pandemic recovery in 2022 and 2023, wherein life expectancy generally returned to pre-pandemic (2019) levels in 2023 (76·3 [76·0–76·6] years for females and 71·5 [71·2–71·8] years for males). 194 (95·1%) of 204 countries and territories experienced at least partial post-pandemic recovery in age-standardised mortality rates by 2023, with 61·8% (126 of 204) recovering to or falling below pre-pandemic levels. There were several mortality trajectories during and following the pandemic across countries and territories. Long-term mortality trends also varied considerably between age groups and locations, demonstrating the diverse landscape of health outcomes globally. This analysis identified several key differences in mortality trends from previous estimates, including higher rates of adolescent mortality, higher rates of young adult mortality in females, and lower rates of mortality in older age groups in much of sub-Saharan Africa. The findings also highlight stark differences across countries and territories in the timing and scale of changes in all-cause mortality trends during and following the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–23). Our estimates of evolving trends in mortality and life expectancy across locations, ages, sexes, and SDI levels in recent years as well as over the entire 1950–2023 study period provide crucial information for governments, policy makers, and the public to ensure that health-care systems, economies, and societies are prepared to address the world's health needs, particularly in populations with higher rates of mortality than previously known. The estimates from this study provide a robust framework for GBD and a valuable foundation for policy development, implementation, and evaluation around the world. Gates Foundation.

A new virtual reality-based test battery is now under development as part of an aptitude test and skill development project to support human resource assessment. This test space focuses on the subjects' virtual rotation skills. Namely the ability to both internally visualize and to manipulate the spatial orientation of a 3D cube with specific configurable parts missing. This paper includes a detailed description of the test space, the logged variables, the methods for the virtual rotations, and the possible configurations.

This research study examines the current status of green energy-specific financial literacy in Latin America, exploring the relationship between financial knowledge and investment decision-making in renewable energy. The study indicates that while Latin America has made tremendous strides in the uptake of renewable energy, with the region increasing its renewable capacity by 51% between 2015 and 2022, there remains a significant gap in financial literacy specific to green energy investments. The findings project that enhancing green energy financial literacy can significantly accelerate the region's transition to sustainable energy systems and assist in reaching the net-zero goals of 15 Latin American countries. The report concludes with a recommendation to policy makers, financial institutions, and educational institutions to introduce tailored financial literacy programs that address green energy investment knowledge gaps in the region.

The education process, which includes teachers and students, as well as the teaching environment in general, has drawn the attention of the education process due to desirable characteristics such as the educational function, which is distinguished by evolution in its performance methods, scalability, coherence, cost savings, and efficiency. Over the last several decades, e-teaching has varied from the traditional education style, where teachers encounter many difficulties while implementing the traditional education style. Researchers have arrived at conclusions regarding the variables that influence teachers’ acceptance of e-teaching by asking respondents to fill out questionnaires, conduct interviews, collect relevant information, and analyze the data obtained. In addition, colleges and universities have been searching for innovative ways to make education readily available to learners and make teaching easier for teachers. Despite the great importance of e-teaching in Iraq to support higher education and human development in contemporary ways, the implementation of e-teaching resists multiple challenges in Iraq. The proposed work can summarize these challenges as the few lecturers and trainers who provide training courses in preparing electronic lectures, information and communications technology infrastructure, electronic lectures and educational materials, tutors, and technical expertise. This paper aimed to identify factors determining the effect of activating e-teaching in Iraq. The research will elaborate on the concept of e-teaching in Iraq and discuss its importance and impacts with significant emphasis on Iraq. The current work concludes that e-teaching in Iraq has made meaningful progress in three universities.

This research paper examines the complex relationship between green and renewable energy sector financial literacy and its impact on inequality and environmental degradation in Mexico. Through interdisciplinarity that engages environmental justice theory, financial inclusion frameworks, and sustainable development perspectives, this research reveals how limited financial literacy in renewable energy technologies consolidates socioeconomic inequalities while advancing environmental degradation. The research concludes that intense financial literacy programs to renewable energy literacy, combined with comprehensive policy frameworks, are essential to providing just energy transitions, which address both environmental and social justice concerns in Mexico's path toward sustainable development.

The annual cumin and perennial fennel are economically important medicinal crops of cold dry regions of Pakistan. We hypothesized that the cumin, which produces 2–3 times less biomass, will respond to lower rates of mixture of biochar with synthetic NPK fertilizer or manure, compared to fennel. The NPK, poultry manure and their mixture with wood-derived or cow manure-derived biochars were applied for three consecutive years. No positive relation between application rate of biochar-mixed fertilizers and yield of both crops was observed over three years of study, except that manure-derived biochar-NPK mixture had a positive relation (R²  = 0.99, P = 0.01) with the yield of fennel only during the third year. Significant positive influences of biochar-based fertilizers compared to control were observed for cumin and fennel of third year cropping. The co-amendment of NPK (0.14 kg ha⁻¹) with manure-derived biochar (6.6 t ha⁻¹) consistently increased the yield of cumin during the first two years of cropping, as opposed to NPK fertilizer. Cumin had a greater seed:stover biomass ratio when it received the co-amendment of wood-derived biochar with NPK or poultry manure. Our findings indicate that there is some potential for biochar-fertilizer amendments to improve the growth of these high-value medicinal crops.

The paper deals with the mediumship and the retro-cognitive and precognitive patterns in identification of collective individuation. We attend to show the relationships between the artistic visions (pictures) of Csontváry the Hungarian genius. We continue the discussion with the general hidden mystical theological system of the picture¹¹This paper is dedicated to the blessed memory of Dr. Rezsö Pertorini and Dr. Anthony Storr. Thanks for the inspiration to Dr. Katalin Gellér.

The escalating threat of climate change has placed carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the forefront of global environmental policy. The relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and information technology (IT) is crucial in shaping international climate change strategies. This study investigates the impact of information technology, trade globalisation (TG), and economic complexity (EC) on CO2 emissions in BRICS countries using panel data from 1996 to 2018. The analysis applies the CUP-FM estimator to assess long-run relationships and the Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test to evaluate directionality. The results show that information technology significantly reduces CO2 emissions. This effect is primarily driven by the promotion of the service sector, reduced material use, and improved energy efficiency. In contrast, trade globalisation has an inconsistent impact. While it can lower emissions through technology diffusion and efficiency gains, it can also increase them due to Scale Effects and the relocation of polluting industries. This study also identifies a U-shaped relationship between economic complexity and CO2 emissions, indicating that emissions initially rise with complexity but decline as innovation and clean production practices improve. These findings suggest that developing digital infrastructure and green technologies and trade Globalisation can promote sustainable development in BRICS economies. Therefore, policymakers should prioritise strengthening the IT environment, fostering international trade partnerships, and integrating clean technologies to balance economic growth with environmental protection.

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are essential natural resources with applications in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and pesticides. With growing consumer preferences for natural products, the global trade of MAPs (HS code: 1211) has grown significantly. This study analyzed global MAP market trends using export and import data from the International Trade Center (ITC) from 2010 to 2023. During this period, global export and import values surged by 97.8 % and 98.1 %, reaching $4.18 billion and $4.25 billion, respectively, in 2023. China and India emerged as key exporters, with India achieving a 240 % growth in export value, while the United States, Germany, and Japan were leading importers due to high domestic demand and advanced processing infrastructure. HS 121190, comprising plants for perfumery, pharmacy, and pest control, accounted for over 90 % of total trade value, ranking as the 976th most traded product globally in 2022. MAPs prices vary by origin, with vanilla ($115–255.39/kg) as the most expensive and arugula ($0.12/kg) the cheapest. Certifications like WHO-GACP and GMP are critical for quality assurance, traceability, and market competitiveness. Challenges include overharvesting, habitat destruction, trade barriers, and inconsistent quality control, necessitating sustainable cultivation, advanced processing technologies, and harmonized regulations. While Asia-Pacific, led by China and India, dominates production due to biodiversity and supportive policies, Europe and North America focus on value-added re-export. This study underscores the pivotal role of MAPs in global trade. It also provides actionable insights for stakeholders to optimize strategies, embrace sustainability, and capitalize on the expanding demand for these versatile plants.