The rapid growth of e-commerce in South Africa has increased the demand for efficient last-mile delivery. Motorcycle delivery drivers play a crucial role in the last-mile delivery process to bridge the gap between retailers and consumers. However, these drivers face significant challenges that impact both logistical efficiency and their socio-economic well-being. This study critically analyzes media narratives on the safety and working conditions of motorcycle delivery drivers in the e-commerce sector in South Africa. The thematic analysis of newspaper articles identified recurring themes. This study reveals critical safety and labor vulnerabilities affecting motorcycle delivery drivers in South Africa’s e-commerce sector. Key findings include heightened risks of violence, hijackings, and road accidents, exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and safety gear. Coupled with low wages, job insecurity, and limited benefits, these conditions expose drivers to significant precarity. Policy interventions are urgently needed for driver safety and sustainable logistics. By integrating insights from multiple disciplines, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of the complex challenges within this rapidly growing sector.

High-risk pregnancies are a global concern, with maternal and fetal well-being at the forefront of clinical care. Pregnancy’s three trimesters bring distinct changes to mothers and fetal development, impacting maternal health through hormonal, physical, and emotional shifts. Fetal well-being is influenced by organ development, nutrition, oxygenation, and environmental exposures. Effective management of high-risk pregnancies necessitates a specialized, multidisciplinary approach. To comprehend this integrated approach, a comparative literature analysis using Atlas.ti software is essential. Findings reveal key aspects vital to high-risk pregnancy care, including intervention effectiveness, case characteristics, regional variations, economic implications, psychosocial impacts, holistic care, longitudinal studies, cultural factors, technological influences, and educational strategies. These findings inform current clinical practices and drive further research. Integration of knowledge across multidisciplinary care teams is pivotal for enhancing care for high-risk pregnancies, promoting maternal and fetal well-being worldwide.

The objective is to determine the impact of economic growth on the externalities of infrastructure investments for the Peruvian case for the periods from 2000 to 2022. The methodologies used are descriptive, explanatory and correlational, analyzing qualitative and mainly quantitative methods. Econometric software was used, and correlations of variables were created for each proposed hypothesis. The estimated model shows that all the independent variables have a significant t-statistic greater than 2 and a probability of less than 5%, which indicates that they are significant and explains the model. The R² is 98.02% which indicates that there is a high level of explanation by the independent variables to the LOG(RGDP). The results of the estimated models demonstrate the existence of a positive and significant relationship of investments in infrastructure and externalities on the growth of the non-deterministic component of real GDP, therefore, in a practical way, private and public investment has a positive effect on the non-deterministic growth of real GDP.

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different organic nutrient solutions and day of harvest on growth parameters, biomass and chemical composition of hydroponically grown sorghum red fodder. The experiment was a 3 × 2 factorial design comprising of 3 nutrient solutions (cattle, poultry and rabbit) and 2 harvesting regimes (8th and 10th day). Cattle, poultry and rabbit dungs were collected fresh and processed into nutrient solutions. Sorghum red seeds were treated, planted on trays, and irrigated twice per day with organic nutrient solution according to the treatments. Growth parameters which were investigated included fodder mat thickness, seedling height, leaf length and width, number of leaves, fresh and dry matter yield; and proximate composition. The results showed that sorghum red fodder irrigated with cattle manure nutrient solution (NS) harvested at 10 days was higher in all, except one (fodder mat thickness) of the growth parameters considered. The crude protein (CP) was highest and similar (P > 0.05) for Poultry NS harvested at 8 and 10 days, and Cattle NS at 10 days (13.13%, 12.67%, and 12.69% respectively). The ash content also favored Cattle NS at 10 days. Cattle NS at 10 days harvest was significantly (P < 0.05) the highest (7.00%), but comparable (P > 0.05) with Rabbit NS at 10 days for NDF. Fresh and DM yields were highest for Cattle harvested at 10 and 8 days respectively. The study recommends Cattle NS as hydroponic organic NS for sorghum red as it enhances fresh and dry matter yields, and nutritive values.

This study employs a transfer matrix, dynamic degree, stability index, and the PLUS model to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in forest land and their driving factors in Yibin City from 2000 to 2022. The results reveal the following: (1) The land use in Yibin City is predominantly characterized by cultivated land and forest land (accounting for over 95% of the total area). The area of cultivated land initially increased and then decreased, while forest land continued to decline and construction land expanded significantly. The rate of forest land loss has slowed (with the dynamic degree decreasing from −0.62% to −0.04%), and ecosystem stability has improved (the F-value increased from 2.27 to 2.9). The conversion of cultivated land to forest land is the primary driver of forest recovery, whereas the conversion of forest land to cultivated land is the main cause of reduction; (2) cultivated land is concentrated in the central and northeastern regions, while forest land is distributed in the western and southern mountainous areas. Construction land is predominantly located in urban areas and along transportation routes. Areas of forest land reduction are mainly found in the central and southern regions with rapid economic development, while areas of forest land increase are concentrated in high-altitude zones or key ecological protection areas. Stable forest land is distributed in the western and southern ecological conservation zones; (3) changes in forest land are primarily influenced by annual precipitation, elevation, and distance to rivers. Road accessibility and GDP have significant impacts, while slope, annual average temperature, and population density exert moderate influences. Distance to railways, aspect, and soil type have relatively minor effects. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management of forest resources and ecological conservation in Yibin City.