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Encyclopedia, Volume 5, Issue 3 (September 2025) – 42 articles

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14 pages, 447 KiB  
Entry
Adult Play with Character Toys
by Katriina Heljakka
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030127 - 19 Aug 2025
Definition
Character toys are toys identifiable by name, personality, and visual traits. They represent specific characters derived from or associated with popular culture. This entry explores adult engagement with character toys, or toy play, through a multidisciplinary lens, emphasizing playability, materiality, affect, creativity, [...] Read more.
Character toys are toys identifiable by name, personality, and visual traits. They represent specific characters derived from or associated with popular culture. This entry explores adult engagement with character toys, or toy play, through a multidisciplinary lens, emphasizing playability, materiality, affect, creativity, and sociocultural meaning. Drawing on earlier toy research on dolls, action figures, figurines, and soft toys—those with a face and assigned personality—it considers how adults collect, customize, create stories, and critique societal conditions through toys for personal enrichment, identity work, and community formation. The toy play of adults is framed as a legitimate and complex form of self-expression and cultural participation that intersects with object play, creative fandoms, and political resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
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20 pages, 272 KiB  
Entry
Philosophical Genealogy
by Brian Lightbody
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030126 - 19 Aug 2025
Definition
Philosophical genealogy constitutes a mode of inquiry that investigates either (a) the historical emergence of contemporary ideas, institutions, religions, moral norms, and even affective dispositions by tracing them to the intersection of diverse and often heterogeneous historical practices, beliefs, customs, and technologies or [...] Read more.
Philosophical genealogy constitutes a mode of inquiry that investigates either (a) the historical emergence of contemporary ideas, institutions, religions, moral norms, and even affective dispositions by tracing them to the intersection of diverse and often heterogeneous historical practices, beliefs, customs, and technologies or (b) demonstrates how a phenomenon could have emerged by providing a pragmatic reconstruction of the object under investigation. The following entry endeavors to explore various formulations of the genealogical method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Arts & Humanities)
60 pages, 41709 KiB  
Review
Epidemiology of Poliomyelitis in the United States and Its Recognition as an Infectious Disease from the Mid-19th Century to the Early 20th Century
by Douglas J. Lanska
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030125 - 19 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study reviews the role of epidemiology in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century, which led to recognition that poliomyelitis is an infectious disease and set the stage for subsequent developments in virology and immunology, the development of [...] Read more.
This study reviews the role of epidemiology in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century, which led to recognition that poliomyelitis is an infectious disease and set the stage for subsequent developments in virology and immunology, the development of inactivated and live attenuated polio vaccines, and a dramatic worldwide decrease in poliomyelitis mortality and morbidity. Epidemiological studies in the United States were systematically reviewed from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Isolated cases and scattered small outbreaks of poliomyelitis in the mid-19th century led to epidemics of increasing size by the end of the century, causing public consternation, especially as the disease was considered “new” and had a predilection for young children. By the 1890s, the seasonal pattern of epidemics suggested that poliomyelitis might have an infectious etiology, but direct evidence of communicability or contagiousness was lacking, so an infectious etiology was not widely suspected until the early 20th century. Reports of bacterial isolations from spinal fluid and postmortem tissues suggested that poliomyelitis might be a bacterial disease, and simultaneous outbreaks of paralytic disease in humans and animals suggested a possible zoonotic basis. Although experimental studies showed that it was theoretically possible for flies to serve as vectors of poliovirus, and occasional cases of polio were likely caused by fly-borne transfer of poliovirus from human feces to human food, a fly abatement field trial showed convincingly that flies, whether biting or non-biting, could not explain the bulk of cases during polio epidemics. In conclusion, the early application of epidemiological evidence beginning in the late 19th century strongly suggested the infectious nature of the disease, distinct from previously identified conditions. Subsequent advances in virology and immunology from 1909 to 1954 proved that poliomyelitis was a viral disease with no natural animal host and made feasible the development of an inactivated trivalent poliovirus vaccine by Salk, and, subsequently, a live-attenuated trivalent poliovirus vaccine by Sabin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medicine & Pharmacology)
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13 pages, 493 KiB  
Entry
Archard’s Law: Foundations, Extensions, and Critiques
by Brian Delaney and Q. Jane Wang
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030124 - 15 Aug 2025
Viewed by 216
Definition
Archard’s wear law is among the first and foremost wear models derived from contact mechanics that relates key operating conditions and material hardness to sliding wear through a multifaceted wear coefficient. This entry explores the development, generalization, and critique of the Archard model—a [...] Read more.
Archard’s wear law is among the first and foremost wear models derived from contact mechanics that relates key operating conditions and material hardness to sliding wear through a multifaceted wear coefficient. This entry explores the development, generalization, and critique of the Archard model—a foundational model in wear prediction. It outlines the historical origins of the model, its basis in contact plasticity, and its use of a constant wear coefficient. The discussion highlights modern efforts to extend the model through variable exponents and empirical calibration. Key limitations such as the oversimplification of wear behavior, exclusion of factors like sliding velocity, and scale sensitivity are examined through both theoretical arguments and experimental evidence. The critiques reflect the model’s constrained applicability in diverse wear conditions across varied operating conditions and material phenomena. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Engineering)
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16 pages, 277 KiB  
Entry
Innovation: Between Ambiguity and Clarity
by Rotem Rittblat
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030123 - 14 Aug 2025
Viewed by 259
Definition
This entry addresses the ongoing challenge of defining innovation within the social sciences, particularly in organizational theory. It conceptualizes innovation as a dynamic and embedded organizational phenomenon. Innovation is central to contemporary discourse, yet it remains fluid, contested, and context-dependent. Rather than viewing [...] Read more.
This entry addresses the ongoing challenge of defining innovation within the social sciences, particularly in organizational theory. It conceptualizes innovation as a dynamic and embedded organizational phenomenon. Innovation is central to contemporary discourse, yet it remains fluid, contested, and context-dependent. Rather than viewing innovation as a fixed technical process, the entry examines how it emerges through shifting configurations of meaning, organizational structures and institutional environment. It draws on institutional, processual, and configurational perspectives. These perspectives emphasize the role of ambiguity and clarity as co-existing forces that shape innovation across multiple levels. The entry aims to clarify this ambiguity through a synthesis of typologies, theoretical frameworks, and empirical insights. In doing so, it offers a configurational lens on how innovation is shaped and interpreted across diverse organizational and institutional contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
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14 pages, 1626 KiB  
Entry
Harnessing Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Entrepreneurial Innovation: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategic Implications
by Harry Ph. Sophocleous
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030122 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 699
Definition
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the entrepreneurial landscape by reshaping how start-ups and established firms ideate, operate, and compete. This entry explores the intersection of these technologies with entrepreneurship, highlighting how they enhance decision-making, customer insights, and operational efficiency. While [...] Read more.
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the entrepreneurial landscape by reshaping how start-ups and established firms ideate, operate, and compete. This entry explores the intersection of these technologies with entrepreneurship, highlighting how they enhance decision-making, customer insights, and operational efficiency. While the benefits are substantial, integrating these technologies presents challenges related to data ethics, privacy, algorithmic bias, sustainability, accessibility, and implementation complexity. Through analysis of current literature, critical perspectives, and illustrative case studies, this entry emphasises the need for strategic alignment, ethical considerations, and adaptive organisational cultures. The entry contributes to existing research by synthesising trends, critiquing over-optimistic narratives, and suggesting a conceptual framework for future empirical inquiry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era)
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10 pages, 3050 KiB  
Entry
One Health Observatories—The Example of Southeast Asia
by Claire Lajaunie and Serge Morand
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030121 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 211
Definition
One Health Observatories operationalize the One Health approach. The One Health Joint Plan of Action drafted by the Quadripartite (WHO, FAO, WOAH, and UNEP) insists on the need to strengthen scientific evidence-based knowledge and its translation into data for evidence, technical tools, protocols, [...] Read more.
One Health Observatories operationalize the One Health approach. The One Health Joint Plan of Action drafted by the Quadripartite (WHO, FAO, WOAH, and UNEP) insists on the need to strengthen scientific evidence-based knowledge and its translation into data for evidence, technical tools, protocols, guidelines, and information and surveillance systems for the effective implementation of One Health at all levels. One Health Observatories are crucial for this task. Drawing from the experience of the existing One Health Observatory in Thailand—a unique, on-the-ground initiative—we outline the key features of this model for potential replication in other regions or countries. Such observatories play a critical role in advancing ecosystem-based innovations and locally adapted solutions, which are necessary to improve the prevention of disease transmission at the interface between human, animal, and ecosystem health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of One Health)
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8 pages, 179 KiB  
Entry
Jung’s Legacy in Depth Psychology
by Daniel Boscaljon
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030120 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 439
Definition
This entry provides a brief introduction to some of the main aspects of the work of C.G. Jung, followed by a description of how his work was developed by others during his lifetime and afterward. This entry provides an overview of the Jungian [...] Read more.
This entry provides a brief introduction to some of the main aspects of the work of C.G. Jung, followed by a description of how his work was developed by others during his lifetime and afterward. This entry provides an overview of the Jungian tradition in Depth Psychology. It begins with a discussion of how Jung’s ideas differed from those of Freud and opened a distinct tradition of analytic (Jungian) psychology. By identifying the other influential people who contributed to the amplification of Jung’s work, this article then details how these ideas expanded beyond the work of training analysts to become a more influential, impactful, and widespread phenomenon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
11 pages, 214 KiB  
Entry
Scientific Misinformation
by Alessandro Siani
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030119 - 11 Aug 2025
Viewed by 578
Definition
Scientific misinformation refers to false, misleading, or inaccurate information that contradicts, ignores, or misrepresents established scientific evidence or consensus. It can stem from accidental misunderstanding or ignorance of facts, as well as from their deliberate distortion (generally referred to as “disinformation”). Unlike rigorous [...] Read more.
Scientific misinformation refers to false, misleading, or inaccurate information that contradicts, ignores, or misrepresents established scientific evidence or consensus. It can stem from accidental misunderstanding or ignorance of facts, as well as from their deliberate distortion (generally referred to as “disinformation”). Unlike rigorous scientific evidence, misinformation typically lacks a credible evidential basis and does not rely on the scientific method. Often spread through mass media, social networking platforms, or informal communication, scientific misinformation can undermine public trust in science, influence health and policy decisions, and contribute to confusion or harmful behaviours at both personal and societal levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
10 pages, 262 KiB  
Entry
Wigner Functions
by Michael te Vrugt
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030118 - 11 Aug 2025
Viewed by 286
Definition
Wigner functions are a distribution function on phase space that allow to represent the state of a quantum-mechanical system. They are in many ways similar to classical phase space probability distributions, but can, in contrast to these, be negative. A description of a [...] Read more.
Wigner functions are a distribution function on phase space that allow to represent the state of a quantum-mechanical system. They are in many ways similar to classical phase space probability distributions, but can, in contrast to these, be negative. A description of a quantum system in terms of Wigner functions is equivalent to the more widely used one in terms of density operators or wave functions, but has advantages in visualizing properties of a quantum state and in studying the quantum–classical transition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Applications of Quantum Mechanics)
11 pages, 240 KiB  
Entry
Naturalistic Faces and Faces in Paintings: An Overview
by Paulo Ventura and Francisco Cruz
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030117 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 311
Definition
Faces are the most important social signal in our society. Nevertheless, there is a problem with faces: they are all made up of the same features in the same general order (the eyes are above the nose, which is above the mouth). To [...] Read more.
Faces are the most important social signal in our society. Nevertheless, there is a problem with faces: they are all made up of the same features in the same general order (the eyes are above the nose, which is above the mouth). To process faces one uses a special kind of processing, which is holistic, considering the integration of the face’s features and their relative distances. One may distinguish the recognition of known faces and the processing of unfamiliar faces. Face processing abilities may be lost due to either a lesion or developmental reasons, i.e., prosopagnosia. To further explore these reasons, one could consider pictorial representations of faces—such as faces in paintings. These are particularly interesting because different art styles differ in how realistic/distorted they are relative to real faces, which allows for exploring people’s sensitivity to face-likeness. In a way, individuals are not sensitive to face-likeness. In face matching part–whole tasks, performance does not differ across art styles. Still, individuals are not fully impervious to distortion: early markers of face processing (N170 component) are sensitive to face-likeness, with more realistic (vs. distorted) art styles eliciting responses more in line with those of real faces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Arts & Humanities)
16 pages, 387 KiB  
Review
Narrative Approaches in Science Education: From Conceptual Understanding to Applications in Chemistry and Gamification
by Gregorio Jiménez-Valverde
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030116 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 552
Abstract
Narrative methods are increasingly recognized in science teaching for their potential to deepen conceptual understanding and foster meaningful connections to scientific content. This review explores their educational significance by examining three main formats—historical narratives, realistic fiction, and science fiction or fantasy—highlighting how each [...] Read more.
Narrative methods are increasingly recognized in science teaching for their potential to deepen conceptual understanding and foster meaningful connections to scientific content. This review explores their educational significance by examining three main formats—historical narratives, realistic fiction, and science fiction or fantasy—highlighting how each can render complex scientific principles more accessible and memorable. Special attention is given to chemistry education, a field where abstract, multilevel concepts often pose significant challenges for students. Furthermore, the review explores the integration of narratives into gamified environments, examining how storytelling functions as both a motivational engine and a cognitive scaffold to support deeper learning in science. Finally, the review proposes directions for future research, underscoring the need for empirically grounded narrative resources that balance imaginative appeal with scientific accuracy across diverse educational settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
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18 pages, 309 KiB  
Review
Geographical Indication Labels for Food Products: A Literature Review
by Bella Crespo-Moncada, Guiomar Denisse Posada-Izquierdo, Jorge Velásquez-Rivera, John Molina-Villamar and Rosa María García-Gimeno
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030115 - 5 Aug 2025
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Geographical Indication labels are an increasingly popular alternative among producers and governments seeking to protect the products and producers of their countries. This trend has grown due to the opening of markets and consumers’ increasing desire to know the origin of the products [...] Read more.
Geographical Indication labels are an increasingly popular alternative among producers and governments seeking to protect the products and producers of their countries. This trend has grown due to the opening of markets and consumers’ increasing desire to know the origin of the products they purchase. A bibliographic review was conducted, including studies on the feasibility of applying quality labels, the associated challenges, and examples. This review identifies the processes involved in obtaining Designation of Origin and presents a positive perspective on their application. It was concluded that obtaining a differentiated quality label can improve production and quality of life, provided that it is the result of an evaluation of the area’s context and the main actors in production chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemistry)
19 pages, 940 KiB  
Review
An Exploration of U.S. Nutritional Diet Policies: A Narrative Review for Transformation Toward Sustainable Food Systems
by Ana Daniela Gonzalez-Alvarez, Asma Tahir Awan and Manoj Sharma
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030114 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Background: Current food systems contribute significantly to poor public health and environmental degradation. With increasing rates of chronic disease and undernutrition globally and in the United States of America (U.S.), transforming food systems toward sustainability is a critical public health priority. Objectives: This [...] Read more.
Background: Current food systems contribute significantly to poor public health and environmental degradation. With increasing rates of chronic disease and undernutrition globally and in the United States of America (U.S.), transforming food systems toward sustainability is a critical public health priority. Objectives: This narrative review aimed to summarize U.S. policies from the past decade relevant to sustainable food systems, focusing on four domains—availability, accessibility, affordability, and desirability—proposed by the 22nd Annual Harvard Nutrition Obesity Symposium. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, U.S. Congress websites, and Google searches. Studies and policies published between 2013 and 2023 that addressed at least one of the four domains were included. Policies were reviewed according to their alignment with the policy lifecycle framework, encompassing formulation through implementation. Results: A review of the final 632 articles explained that, despite growing interest in sustainable food systems, there is a lack of comprehensive U.S. policies that address the four domains in an integrated manner. Most initiatives were limited in scope, often school-based, and not explicitly sustainability-focused. Food availability and accessibility policies exist but remain fragmented, while affordability and desirability domains are severely underrepresented. Few laws or bills have been enacted or evaluated for population-level or environmental outcomes. Conclusions: Transforming U.S. food systems requires more robust evidence-based policy development and evaluation. There is an urgent need for integrated multisectoral policy frameworks to ensure health, equity, and sustainability across all food system domains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Food and Food Culture)
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21 pages, 2168 KiB  
Review
Homeownership and Working-Class Suburbs in Barcelona
by David Hernández Falagán, Manel Guàrdia, José Luis Oyón and Maribel Rosselló
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030113 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 568
Abstract
In comparative analyses, specific features of the Spanish welfare and housing systems have often been emphasized. The case of Barcelona illustrates the extent to which these features are the result of a long-standing historical trajectory and the decisive impact of the challenges and [...] Read more.
In comparative analyses, specific features of the Spanish welfare and housing systems have often been emphasized. The case of Barcelona illustrates the extent to which these features are the result of a long-standing historical trajectory and the decisive impact of the challenges and policy responses adopted during Franco’s lengthy, dark, and gloomy regime. This period marked a significant shift, not only due to the persistent shortage of social rental housing, but also because of the early consolidation of a homeownership culture and its dominance in working-class suburban areas—a legacy that is completely different from that of the welfare states of Western Europe. Through a review of the literature and the analysis of primary sources, ongoing research on Barcelona seeks to clarify the factors and processes that led to this transformation, as well as its evolution during the democratic period, within an international context of economic liberalization and the dismantling of the welfare state. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
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18 pages, 273 KiB  
Review
Incorporation of E-Waste Plastics into Asphalt: A Review of the Materials, Methods, and Impacts
by Sepehr Mohammadi, Dongzhao Jin, Zhongda Liu and Zhanping You
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030112 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 313
Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive review of the environmentally friendly management and reutilization of electronic waste (e-waste) plastics in flexible pavement construction. The discussion begins with an overview of e-waste management challenges and outlines key recycling approaches for converting plastic waste into asphalt-compatible [...] Read more.
This paper presents a comprehensive review of the environmentally friendly management and reutilization of electronic waste (e-waste) plastics in flexible pavement construction. The discussion begins with an overview of e-waste management challenges and outlines key recycling approaches for converting plastic waste into asphalt-compatible materials. This review then discusses the types of e-waste plastics used for asphalt modification, their incorporation methods, and compatibility challenges. Physical and chemical treatment techniques, including the use of free radical initiators, are then explored for improving dispersion and performance. Additionally, in situations where advanced pretreatment methods are not applicable due to cost, safety, or technical constraints, the application of alternative approaches, such as the use of low-cost complementary additives, is discussed as a practical solution to enhance compatibility and performance. Finally, the influence of e-waste plastics on the conventional and rheological properties of asphalt binders, as well as the performance of asphalt mixtures, is also evaluated. Findings indicate that e-waste plastics, when combined with appropriate pretreatment methods and complementary additives, can enhance workability, cold-weather cracking resistance, high-temperature anti-rutting performance, and resistance against moisture-induced damage while also offering environmental and economic benefits. This review highlights the potential of e-waste plastics as sustainable asphalt modifiers and provides insights across the full utilization pathway, from recovery to in-field performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Sustainable Ground and Air Transportation)
11 pages, 226 KiB  
Entry
Gender and Digital Technologies
by Eduarda Ferreira and Maria João Silva
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030111 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 500
Definition
This entry explores the multifaceted intersections of gender and digital technologies, offering a comprehensive analysis of how structural inequalities are reproduced, contested, and transformed in digital contexts. It is structured into six interrelated sections that collectively address key dimensions of gendered digital contexts. [...] Read more.
This entry explores the multifaceted intersections of gender and digital technologies, offering a comprehensive analysis of how structural inequalities are reproduced, contested, and transformed in digital contexts. It is structured into six interrelated sections that collectively address key dimensions of gendered digital contexts. It begins by addressing the gender digital divide, particularly in the Global South, emphasizing disparities in access, literacy, and sociocultural constraints. The second section examines gendered labor in the tech industry, highlighting persistent inequalities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, employment, and platform-based work. The third part focuses on gender representation in digital spaces, revealing how algorithmic and platform design perpetuate biases. The fourth section discusses gender bias in AI and disinformation, underscoring the systemic nature of digital inequalities. This is followed by an analysis of online gender-based violence, particularly its impact on marginalized communities and participation in digital life. The final section considers the potentials and limitations of digital activism in advancing gender justice. These sections collectively argue for an intersectional, inclusive, and justice-oriented approach to technology policy and design, calling for coordinated global efforts to create equitable digital futures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
11 pages, 378 KiB  
Entry
The Application of Viscoelastic Testing in Patient Blood Management
by Mordechai Hershkop, Behnam Rafiee and Mark T. Friedman
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030110 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 515
Definition
Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving patient outcomes through targeted anemia treatment that minimizes allogeneic blood transfusions, employs blood conservation techniques, and avoids inappropriate use of blood product transfusions. Viscoelastic testing (VET) techniques, such as thromboelastography (TEG) and [...] Read more.
Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving patient outcomes through targeted anemia treatment that minimizes allogeneic blood transfusions, employs blood conservation techniques, and avoids inappropriate use of blood product transfusions. Viscoelastic testing (VET) techniques, such as thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), have led to significant advancements in PBM. These techniques offer real-time whole-blood assessment of hemostatic function. This provides the clinician with a more complete hemostasis perspective compared to that provided by conventional coagulation tests (CCTs), such as the prothrombin time (PT) and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), which only assess plasma-based coagulation. VET does this by mapping the complex processes of clot formation, stability, and breakdown (i.e., fibrinolysis). As a result of real-time whole-blood coagulation assessment during hemorrhage, hemostasis can be achieved through targeted transfusion therapy. This approach helps fulfill an objective of PBM by helping to reduce unnecessary transfusions. However, challenges remain that limit broader adoption of VET, particularly in hospital settings. Of these, standardization and the high cost of the devices are those that are faced the most. This discussion highlights the potential of VET application in PBM to guide blood-clotting therapies and improve outcomes in patients with coagulopathies from various causes that result in hemorrhage. Another aim of this discussion is to highlight the limitations of implementing these technologies so that appropriate measures can be taken toward their wider integration into clinical use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medicine & Pharmacology)
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16 pages, 489 KiB  
Review
A Scoping Review of Psychometric Instruments Measuring Teachers’ Resilience
by Athena Daniilidou and Christos Pezirkianidis
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030109 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 352
Abstract
Over the past two decades, rising concerns about teacher stress and professional sustainability have fueled the development of instruments assessing teacher resilience. This review aims to map the existing resilience assessment tools specifically designed for educators, evaluating their theoretical frameworks, psychometric soundness, and [...] Read more.
Over the past two decades, rising concerns about teacher stress and professional sustainability have fueled the development of instruments assessing teacher resilience. This review aims to map the existing resilience assessment tools specifically designed for educators, evaluating their theoretical frameworks, psychometric soundness, and contextual relevance. Twelve instruments were analyzed through an extensive literature review of peer-reviewed studies published over the past twenty years, including general, preservice, EFL, and teacher-specific scales for special education. Findings reveal a progression from early instruments emphasizing intrapersonal traits to current tools incorporating ecological and contextual dimensions. While several scales demonstrate satisfactory reliability and cross-cultural applicability, many still suffer from conceptual limitations, insufficient cultural adaptation, or marginal psychometric robustness. This review concludes that despite significant advances, future research must prioritize culturally grounded frameworks, broader subgroup validation, and advanced psychometric methodologies to ensure accurate, inclusive, and practical assessments of teacher resilience across diverse educational settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
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19 pages, 298 KiB  
Entry
Resilience, Adversity, and Social Supports in Childhood and Adolescence
by Val Livingston, Breshell Jackson-Nevels, Brandon D. Mitchell and Phillip M. Riddick
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030108 - 28 Jul 2025
Viewed by 673
Definition
More than 50 years ago, children were viewed as naturally resilient and often labeled invulnerable or invincible. Resilience is now understood to be the result of dynamic interactions between individual, familial, social, and environmental systems, decentralizing the focus from the individual to the [...] Read more.
More than 50 years ago, children were viewed as naturally resilient and often labeled invulnerable or invincible. Resilience is now understood to be the result of dynamic interactions between individual, familial, social, and environmental systems, decentralizing the focus from the individual to the global society. Experiences with adversity may emanate from the youth’s family environment, their community, the school system, and larger structural challenges related to poverty, discrimination, health disparities, and educational inequities. Youth experiences with adversity, trauma, and tragedy have the potential to negatively impact youth well-being, with consequences manifesting across the lifespan. Children and adolescents generally hold limited power to change their circumstances and are often ill-equipped to resolve the adverse or traumatic experiences occurring within their ecosystem. The value of social supports in the young person’s ability to be resilient has been affirmed. This understanding is particularly important for children growing up in poverty or in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) where significant challenges occur as a result of economic and social disadvantage. Resilience at the individual level is unlikely to eliminate macrolevel issues. Developing and deploying strategies to enhance the ability of youth to rebound from adversity represents a positive step at the micro level, but the larger issues of economic and social disadvantage are unlikely to change without macro-level interventions. Glancing toward the future, traumatized youth may grow into traumatized adults without appropriate interventions and changes in social policies, programs, and protections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
12 pages, 206 KiB  
Entry
Spiritual Intelligence: A New Form of Intelligence for a Sustainable and Humane Future
by Gianfranco Cicotto
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030107 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 771
Definition
Spiritual intelligence (SI) is defined as a unique form of hermeneutic–relational intelligence that enables individuals to integrate cognitive, emotional, and symbolic dimensions to guide their thoughts and actions with reflection, aiming for existential coherence rooted in a transcendent system of meaning. It functions [...] Read more.
Spiritual intelligence (SI) is defined as a unique form of hermeneutic–relational intelligence that enables individuals to integrate cognitive, emotional, and symbolic dimensions to guide their thoughts and actions with reflection, aiming for existential coherence rooted in a transcendent system of meaning. It functions as a metacognitive framework that unites affective, cognitive, and symbolic levels in dialog with a sense of meaning that is considered sacred or transcendent, where “sacred,” in this context, refers inclusively to any symbolic reference or value that a person or culture perceives as inviolable, fundamental, or orienting. It can derive from religious traditions but also from ethical, philosophical, or civil visions. It functions as a horizon of meaning from which to draw coherence and guidance and which orients the understanding of oneself, the world, and action. SI appears as the ability to interpret one’s experiences through the lens of values and principles, maintaining a sense of continuity in meaning even during times of ambiguity, conflict, or discontinuity. It therefore functions as a metacognitive ability that brings together various mental functions into a cohesive view of reality, rooted in a dynamic dialog between the self and a value system seen as sacred. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
14 pages, 243 KiB  
Entry
COSO-Based Internal Control and Comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management: Institutional Background and Research Evidence from China
by Hanwen Chen, Shenghua Wang, Daoguang Yang and Nan Zhou
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030106 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 897
Definition
China’s internal control framework follows the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) framework, emphasizing enterprise risk management and encompassing financial reporting, operations, compliance, and strategies. The authors review research that uses the COSO-based Internal Control Index to assess internal control quality among all publicly [...] Read more.
China’s internal control framework follows the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) framework, emphasizing enterprise risk management and encompassing financial reporting, operations, compliance, and strategies. The authors review research that uses the COSO-based Internal Control Index to assess internal control quality among all publicly listed firms in China. Unlike the binary classification of internal control weaknesses under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 404, this continuous index captures more nuanced variations in internal control effectiveness and provides two key advantages over traditional assessment of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR). First, while financial reporting can enhance a firm’s monitoring and decision-support systems, the underlying information is determined by operations. Thus, internal control over operations has a greater impact on a firm’s performance than ICFR. While U.S.-based research argues that the effects of ICFR extend to operations, the COSO-based index includes operational controls, allowing for a more direct study of internal control effects. Second, many U.S. corporations fail to report internal control weaknesses, particularly during misstatement years. In contrast, the COSO-based index, compiled by independent scholars, avoids managerial incentives to withhold negative internal control information. Covering institutional background and research evidence from China, the authors survey a wide range of internal control studies related to various aspects of enterprise risk management, such as earnings quality, crash risk, stock liquidity, resource extraction, cash holdings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate innovation, receivable management, operational efficiency, tax avoidance, and diversification strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
23 pages, 351 KiB  
Entry
Evolutionary Mismatches Inherent in Elementary Education: Identifying the Implications for Modern Schooling Practices
by Kathryne Gruskin, Anthony J. Caserta, Julia Colodny, Stephanie Dickinson-Frevola, Ethan Eisenberg, Glenn Geher, Mariah Griffin, Aileen McCarthy, Sonia Santos, Shayla Thach and Nadia Tamayo
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030105 - 21 Jul 2025
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Definition
For the majority of human history, humans lived in sustenance hunter–gatherer tribes. Due to rapid cultural evolution in the past few thousand years, our biological evolution has not kept up, and many of the adaptations are, as a result, better suited to ancestral [...] Read more.
For the majority of human history, humans lived in sustenance hunter–gatherer tribes. Due to rapid cultural evolution in the past few thousand years, our biological evolution has not kept up, and many of the adaptations are, as a result, better suited to ancestral conditions than they are to modern conditions. This is known as evolutionary mismatch. While evolutionary mismatches can be seen across many facets of contemporary human life (e.g., diet, exercise, online communication), evolutionary mismatches are particularly pervasive in our elementary schools. Due to the critical nature of social learning and cultural transmission, there is a long history of learning that has shaped the evolved learning mechanisms of children. Rather than learning from hands-on, collaborative experiences as was typical for our ancestors, children today often learn in age-segregated classrooms through passive instruction and standardized curricula. In this entry, eight common school-related issues are identified and the associated evolutionary mismatch is outlined. The goal is to provide educators with a model of how an evolutionary lens can be used to better understand, and potentially improve, modern schooling systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Behavioral Sciences)
12 pages, 212 KiB  
Entry
Intensifying Instruction: A Conceptualization for Individualizing Effective Instruction
by Timothy E. Morse
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030104 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 330
Definition
Intensifying instruction involves adapting alterable instructional variables to create a more individualized intervention from that which has been presented. Importantly, the intensified instruction is based on a reasoned hypothesis that it will be more effective than prior instruction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)
12 pages, 238 KiB  
Entry
Postoperative Fever in the Digestive Oncology Patient
by Jaime Ruiz-Tovar, Deisi Yanira Ramírez-Zárate, Gilberto Gonzalez and Carolina Llavero
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030103 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 586
Definition
Fever above 38 °C is a common phenomenon in the first few days after any major surgery. In many cases, it is caused by the inflammatory response triggered by surgical aggression, which subsides spontaneously. However, fever can also be indicative of a complication. [...] Read more.
Fever above 38 °C is a common phenomenon in the first few days after any major surgery. In many cases, it is caused by the inflammatory response triggered by surgical aggression, which subsides spontaneously. However, fever can also be indicative of a complication. The differential diagnosis should include infectious and non-infectious conditions. In patients in the postoperative period following oncologic surgery, the tumor process itself may also cause the onset of fever. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medicine & Pharmacology)
16 pages, 358 KiB  
Entry
Inclusive Music Education in the Digital Age: The Role of Technology and Edugames in Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs
by Alessio Di Paolo and Michele Domenico Todino
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030102 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 711
Definition
Inclusive music education refers to the use of musical experiences and practices as tools for promoting participation, equity, and meaningful engagement among all learners, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Music education has long been recognized not only for its value in [...] Read more.
Inclusive music education refers to the use of musical experiences and practices as tools for promoting participation, equity, and meaningful engagement among all learners, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Music education has long been recognized not only for its value in emotional expression and cultural transmission but also for its cognitive and relational benefits. This entry examines the inclusive and transformative potential of music, highlighting how it can foster equitable, accessible, and culturally relevant learning environments. Drawing from pedagogy, neuroscience, and educational technology, the entry explores how music contributes to cognitive, emotional, and social development, with a focus on learners with SEN. It emphasizes the importance of early exposure to music, the strong connections between music and language acquisition, and the need to challenge persistent misconceptions about innate musical talent. The findings demonstrate that when supported by digital tools and educational games, music education becomes a powerful driver of inclusion, enhancing participation, relational dynamics, and cognitive engagement. The entry concludes by advocating for a reimagining of music not as a secondary subject, but as a foundational component of holistic and inclusive education, capable of building more empathetic, connected, and equitable societies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
35 pages, 7510 KiB  
Entry
Aircraft Wings and Morphing–Evolution of the Concepts
by Sérgio M. O. Tavares, Pedro V. Gamboa and Paulo M. S. T. de Castro
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030101 - 14 Jul 2025
Viewed by 950
Definition
This encyclopedia entry provides an updated appreciation of the evolution of morphing aircraft wings, organized as follows: first, lift concepts are briefly examined; second, patents related to lift enhancement are discussed, showcasing existing technology and its evolution; finally, several technologies for morphing wings [...] Read more.
This encyclopedia entry provides an updated appreciation of the evolution of morphing aircraft wings, organized as follows: first, lift concepts are briefly examined; second, patents related to lift enhancement are discussed, showcasing existing technology and its evolution; finally, several technologies for morphing wings and the role of UAVs as testbeds for many innovative concepts are highlighted. The background of morphing wings is presented through a recap of lift concepts and the presentation of representative patents that describe the evolution of leading-edge and trailing-edge devices, such as flaps, slats, spoilers, and control surfaces. Although these topics are not usually detailed in reviews of morphing wings, they are deemed relevant for this encyclopedia entry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Engineering)
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11 pages, 615 KiB  
Entry
Partially Ordered Sets in Socio-Economic Data Analysis
by Marco Fattore and Lucio De Capitani
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030100 - 11 Jul 2025
Viewed by 434
Definition
A partially ordered set (or a poset, for short) is a set endowed with a partial order relation, i.e., with a reflexive, anti-symmetric, and transitive binary relation. As mathematical objects, posets have been intensively studied in the last century, [...] Read more.
A partially ordered set (or a poset, for short) is a set endowed with a partial order relation, i.e., with a reflexive, anti-symmetric, and transitive binary relation. As mathematical objects, posets have been intensively studied in the last century, coming to play essential roles in pure mathematics, logic, and theoretical computer science. More recently, they have been increasingly employed in data analysis, multi-criteria decision-making, and social sciences, particularly for building synthetic indicators and extracting rankings from multidimensional systems of ordinal data. Posets naturally represent systems and phenomena where some elements can be compared and ordered, while others cannot be and are then incomparable. This makes them a powerful data structure to describe collections of units assessed against multidimensional variable systems, preserving the nuanced and multi-faceted nature of the underlying domains. Moreover, poset theory collects the proper mathematical tools to treat ordinal data, fully respecting their non-numerical nature, and to extract information out of order relations, providing the proper setting for the statistical analysis of multidimensional ordinal data. Currently, their use is expanding both to solve open methodological issues in ordinal data analysis and to address evaluation problems in socio-economic sciences, from multidimensional poverty, well-being, or quality-of-life assessment to the measurement of financial literacy, from the construction of knowledge spaces in mathematical psychology and education theory to the measurement of multidimensional ordinal inequality/polarization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)
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11 pages, 4942 KiB  
Field Guide
Paleopathology in Bone Material from the Anthropology Laboratory of the University of Granada
by Miguel C. Botella, Meriem Khaled and José Gijón
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030099 - 7 Jul 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
The Field Guide “Paleopathology Collection at the University of Granada” includes one of the most important collections of human bone remains that present anomalies or specific characteristics that can be used to determine the existence of diseases, accidents or malformations in each subject’s [...] Read more.
The Field Guide “Paleopathology Collection at the University of Granada” includes one of the most important collections of human bone remains that present anomalies or specific characteristics that can be used to determine the existence of diseases, accidents or malformations in each subject’s life, as well as the probable cause of death. The collection consists of several thousand skeletons or parts of them. It is located at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Granada and has been created and managed by Professor Miguel C. Botella López, founder and director of the Anthropology Laboratory of the University of Granada, between 1971 and 2024. Professor Botella is the author of the diagnoses made for each specimen from different geographical areas of Spain in a time period ranging from the Neolithic to the present day. The collection is of special interest to students and professionals in medicine, archaeology, criminology or law. Full article
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16 pages, 334 KiB  
Entry
Data Structures for 2D Representation of Terrain Models
by Eric Guilbert and Bernard Moulin
Encyclopedia 2025, 5(3), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5030098 - 7 Jul 2025
Viewed by 436
Definition
This entry gives an overview of the main data structures and approaches used for a two-dimensional representation of the terrain surface using a digital elevation model (DEM). A DEM represents the elevation of the earth surface from a set of points. It is [...] Read more.
This entry gives an overview of the main data structures and approaches used for a two-dimensional representation of the terrain surface using a digital elevation model (DEM). A DEM represents the elevation of the earth surface from a set of points. It is used for terrain analysis, visualisation and interpretation. DEMs are most commonly defined as a grid where an elevation is assigned to each grid cell. Due to its simplicity, the square grid structure is the most common DEM structure. However, it is less adaptive and shows limitations for more complex processing and reasoning. Hence, the triangulated irregular network is a more adaptive structure and explicitly stores the relationships between the points. Other topological structures (contour graphs, contour trees) have been developed to study terrain morphology. Topological relationships are captured in another structure, the surface network (SN), composed of critical points (peaks, pits, saddles) and critical lines (thalweg, ridge lines). The SN can be computed using either a TIN or a grid. The Morse Theory provides a mathematical approach to studying the topology of surfaces, which is applied to the SN. It has been used for terrain simplification, multi-resolution modelling, terrain segmentation and landform identification. The extended surface network (ESN) extends the classical SN by integrating both the surface and the drainage networks. The ESN can itself be extended for the cognitive representation of the terrain based on saliences (typical points, lines and regions) and skeleton lines (linking critical points), while capturing the context of the appearance of landforms using topo-contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Earth Sciences)
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