Search Results (164)

Ongoing interest in the intersection of spirituality and health has prompted a need for integrated research. This report proposes a distinct approach in a model that allows for successful and harmonious cross-fertilization within these latter two areas of interest. Our work is especially pertinent to inquiries around the role of spirituality in mental health, with special attention to chronic pain conditions. The latter have become an open channel for novel avenues to explore the field of spirituality-based interventions within the arena of psychological inquiry. To address this, the authors developed and implemented the Church and Academia Model, a prototype for an innovative collaborative research project, with the aim of exploring the role of devotional practices, and their potential to be used as therapeutic co-adjuvants or tools to enhance the coping skills of patients with chronic pain. Keeping in mind that the church presents a rich landscape for clinical inquiry with broad relevance for clinicians and society at large, we created a unique hybrid research model. This is a new paradigm that focuses on distinct and well-defined studies where the funding, protocol writing, study design, and implementation are shared by experts from both the pastoral and clinical spaces. A team of theologians, researchers, and healthcare providers, including clinical pain psychologists, built a coalition leveraging their respective skill sets. Each expert is housed in their own environs, creating a functional network that has proven academically productive and pastorally effective. Key outputs include the creation and validation of a new psychometric measure, the Pain-related PRAYER Scale (PPRAYERS), an associated bedside prayer tool and a full-scale dissemination strategy through journal publications and specialty society conferences. This collaborative prototype is also an ideal fit for integrated knowledge translation platforms, and it is a promising paradigm for future collaborative projects focused on spirituality and mental health. Full article

In recent years, the number of fake news stories has significantly increased in the world of media, especially with the widespread use of social media. It has impacted several industries, including tourism. From a tourism point of view, the spread of fake news can contribute to the reduction of the popularity of a destination. It may influence travel decisions by discouraging tourists from visiting certain places and thus damage the reputation of the destination, contributing to economic loss. After a literature review on the communication aspect of fake news and a general introduction of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR), a research methodology to collect, identify, and analyse available research studies through a systematic procedure. The current SLR is based on the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases of existing literature on the topic of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. The study identifies, lists, and examines existing papers and conference proceedings from a vast array of disciplines, in order to give a well-rounded view on the issue of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. After selecting a total of 54 previous studies from more than 20 thousand results for the keywords ‘fake news’ and ‘tourism,’ we have analysed 39 papers in total. The SLR aimed to highlight existing gaps in the literature and areas that may require further exploration in future primary research. We have found that there is relatively limited academic literature available on the subject of fake news affecting tourism destinations, compared to studies focused on hospitality services. Full article

This study investigates the evolution and prospective directions of big data applications within the global digital economy over the past twelve years. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny and included 752 documents authored by 1748 scholars and published in 416 specialized journals and academic books between 2013 and 2024. The findings reveal that scholarly interest in this area peaked in 2024. Co-occurrence network mapping highlights three dominant thematic trends in the applicability of big data within the digital economy: technological innovations, conceptual frameworks, and the role of China. Influential academic publications—such as Sustainability, PLoS ONE, and the proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Information Technology and Quantitative Management—have played a pivotal role in advancing research in this domain. Moreover, leading institutions, including the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen University, and Guizhou University, have emerged as pivotal contributors to advancing research in this field. China is the primary driving force and key player in reshaping the digital economy through big data, a role that is expected to contribute to global technological advancement in the future. Full article

Every minute, vast amounts of video and image data are uploaded worldwide to the internet and social media platforms, creating a rich visual archive of human experiences—from weddings and family gatherings to significant historical events such as war crimes and humanitarian crises. When properly analyzed, this multimodal data holds immense potential for reconstructing important events and verifying information. However, challenges arise when images and videos lack complete annotations, making manual examination inefficient and time-consuming. To address this, we propose a novel event-based focal visual content text attention (EFVCTA) framework for automated past event retrieval using visual question answering (VQA) techniques. Our approach integrates a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model with convolutional non-linearity and an adaptive attention mechanism to efficiently identify and retrieve relevant visual evidence alongside precise answers. The model is designed with robust weight initialization, regularization, and optimization strategies and is evaluated on the Common Objects in Context (COCO) dataset. The results demonstrate that EFVCTA achieves the highest performance across all metrics (88.7% accuracy, 86.5% F1-score, 84.9% mAP), outperforming state-of-the-art baselines. The EFVCTA framework demonstrates promising results for retrieving information about past events captured in images and videos and can be effectively applied to scenarios such as documenting training programs, workshops, conferences, and social gatherings in academic institutions Full article

This research examined the domain of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) by analyzing the impact of scholarly work and thematic prevalence, as well as focusing attention on vehicles, their technologies, cybersecurity, and related scholarly technologies. This was performed by examining the scientific literature indexed in the Scopus database. This study analysed 2919 documents published between 2018 and 2025. The findings indicated that the highest and most significant journal was derived from IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, with significant standing to the growth of communication and computing on vehicles with edge computing and AI optimization of vehicular systems. In addition, important PST research conferences highlighted the growing interest in academic research in cybersecurity for vehicle networks. Sensor networks, pose forensics, and privacy-preserving communication frameworks were some of the significant contributing fields marking the significance of the interdisciplinary nature of this research. Employing bibliometric analysis, the literature illustrated the multiple channels integrating knowledge creation and innovation in ITS through citation analysis. The outcome suggested an increasingly sophisticated research area, weighing technical progress and increasing concern about security and privacy measures. Further studies must investigate edge computing integrated with AI, advanced privacy-preserving linguistic protocols, and new vehicular network intrusion detection systems. Full article

Adolescents’ performance in high-stakes standardized examinations plays a pivotal role in shaping their educational trajectories. This longitudinal study investigated whether parental attendance at parent–teacher conferences (PTCs) during early adolescence is associated with students’ performance in standardized examinations required for high school and college entrance. Drawing on data from the Taiwan Youth Project, we analyzed responses from 1294 ninth-grade students and 524 twelfth-grade students with available exam results. Parental participation in PTCs was recorded in both seventh and eighth grades, along with two other types of school-based involvement and covariates, such as parental education level, household income, students’ birth order, prior academic rank, peer relationships, parental support, and parental expectations. Hierarchical linear modeling was employed to control for individual and school-level variables. The results showed that parental attendance at PTCs in eighth grade was associated with higher scores on high school entrance exams in ninth grade. Furthermore, attending PTCs in both seventh and eighth grades was significantly associated with better performance in college entrance exams in twelfth grade (β = 3.02, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that sustained parental engagement in PTCs contributes to improved academic performance in adolescence. Policies that promote equitable and continued parent–teacher collaboration may support long-term student success. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the fashion, textile, and clothing industries by enabling automated assessment of garment quality, condition, and recyclability, addressing key challenges in sustainability. This systematic review explores the applications of AI in evaluating clothing quality and condition within the framework of a circular economy, with a focus on supporting second-hand clothing resale, charitable donations by NGOs, and sustainable recycling practices. A total of 135 research resources were identified through searching academic databases including Google Scholar, Springer, ScienceDirect, IEEE, Taylor and Francis, and Sage journals. These publications were subsequently refined down to 49 based on selected inclusion criteria. The selection of these sources from diverse databases was undertaken to mitigate any potential bias in the selection process. By analyzing the effectiveness and challenges of related peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and technical reports, this study highlights state-of-the-art methodologies such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), hybrid models, and other machine vision systems. A critical aspect of this review is the examination and analysis of datasets used for model development, categorized and detailed in a comprehensive table to guide future research. Whilst the findings emphasize the potential of AI to enhance quality assurance in second-hand clothing markets, streamline textile sorting for donations and recycling, and reduce waste in the fashion industry, they also highlight gaps in the available datasets, often due to limited size and scope. The types of textiles captured were most commonly swatches of fabric, with 20 studies examining these, whereas whole garments were less frequently studied, with only 7 instances. This review concludes with insights into future research directions and the promising use of AI within fashion and textiles to facilitate a transition to a circular economy. This project was supported through RMIT University’s School of Fashion and Textiles internal seed funding (2024). Full article

Youth pastoral care is a part of the Church’s pastoral mission directed towards men and women who can be categorised as young people. Young people were the central theme of the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, held in Rome from 3 to 28 October 2018, under the motto Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment. Based on an analysis of the preparatory and final documents of the Synod—particularly the Preparatory Document, Instrumentum Laboris, Final Document, Christus Vivit—as well as relevant scientific analyses and interpretations, we have identified the most significant societal challenges facing the youth, along with the key guidelines and recommendations of the Synod for working with them. The motivation for writing this article arises from the fact that the Synod on Youth, which took place in Rome from 3 to 28 October 2018, under the theme “Youth, Faith, and Vocational Discernment,” did not generate significant interest within the Church in Croatia. This is evidenced by several indicators: the responses of young people to the questionnaire sent to all bishops’ conferences were never published; there has been a lack of relevant commentary, articles, or academic studies on the Synod; and among the many pre- and post-synodal documents, only “Christus vivit” has been translated into Croatian. Given that youth ministry plays an important role in the pastoral activities of the Church in Croatia, we sought to explore whether, and to what extent, the core recommendations of the Synod on Youth continue to be reflected in current pastoral work with young people in the country. Our approach involved analysing the pre- and post-synodal documents from the Synod on Youth to identify key recommendations for youth ministry. We then examined the current youth pastoral programs in seven (arch)dioceses, as well as the pastoral plans of the Youth Office of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, through the lens of the Synod’s main recommendations. Analytical, descriptive, and critical methods were used in the research. The analysis of the aforementioned youth pastoral programs confirmed that the most important guidelines and recommendations of the Synod, although some only partially, are integrated into youth pastoral care in Croatia. Full article

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current state of research on robotic technologies in sports, with a specific emphasis on skiing. Using a systematic review methodology, I conducted an extensive search for relevant academic articles and conference papers across several databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE. A predefined set of keywords guided the search process, leading to an initial collection of 327 papers. After applying specific selection criteria, 24 studies were identified as most relevant to the topic. These selected works were analyzed in detail, covering various key aspects of robotics in skiing, from biomechanical modeling to robotic ski systems. The findings underscore the growing interest in this interdisciplinary field while also highlighting significant research gaps, particularly in stability control, real-time terrain perception, and snow–surface interaction. Overall, the review concludes that while promising developments exist, the field is still in its early stages and would benefit greatly from interdisciplinary collaboration and more robust real-world experimentation. Full article

Traditional academic discourse has long prioritized published sources—such as monographs, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and legal or regulatory documents—as the sole authoritative references for scientific inquiry. While these sources undoubtedly provide a validated foundation of disciplinary knowledge, they also represent the codification of past insights and often lag behind emerging developments. This paper critically examines the limitations of this conventional epistemic framework and argues for its deliberate extension. In an era characterized by rapid information dissemination and knowledge creation across diverse platforms, a significant proportion of relevant expertise now resides outside the boundaries of traditional literature. Insights from domain experts, practitioners, real-time media (e.g., news reports, podcasts, video content), original data collection, experimental inquiry, and scholarly dialog increasingly constitute valuable sources of scientific knowledge. Drawing a parallel to data-driven disciplines, where historical records are complemented by real-time analytics and user-derived insights, this article outlines the categories of such contemporary knowledge that warrant academic recognition and proposes rigorous methodologies for their systematic integration into scholarly work. Full article

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), we are pleased to present the abstracts submitted for the SCS 7th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) headquarters in Murcia, Spain, on 9–11 October 2024, and comprised several invited sessions by international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention, and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training–competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition and biomechanics, among others. The conference also included practical workshops by renowned academics and practitioners on eccentric training, change of direction ability, and strength and power training in professional team sports, combat sports, and ergospirometry and exercise prescription in specific populations. Finally, the event disseminated up-to-date strength and conditioning research by providing practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their most recent findings. All abstracts presented at the SCS 7th Annual Meeting can be found in this Conference Report. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gender disparity is prevalent in urology and other surgical specialties, with under-representation of females in both academic and professional settings, including in the Persian Gulf region. To investigate female participation in Persian Gulf urological conferences over the past three years, focusing on abstract presenters, faculty, speakers, and moderators. Methods: Data were collected from three major conferences: the 34th Saudi Urological Conference (SUA), the Urological Asian Association and Emirates Urological Conference (UAA-EUSC), and the 11th Emirates Urological Conference and 18th Pan Arab Continence Society Conference (EUSC-PACSC). The gender of the presenters and faculty was identified using genderize.io, faculty images, and Google searches. Statistical analyses, including chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, were conducted to assess gender disparities. Results: Out of 536 abstracts, 13.25% were presented by females, with significant variation across conferences (p = 0.018). Female representation was lowest in the basic sciences category (3.13%) and highest in the other category (35.29%) (p = 0.01). Abstract to publication rates did not differ significantly between genders. Male dominance was noted among faculty members (94.21% male), speakers (96.44% male), and moderators (98.98% male), with no significant gender distribution differences across roles (p = 0.1762). Conclusions: This study highlights significant gender disparities at Persian Gulf urological conferences, particularly in leadership roles and research presentations. Recommendations include promoting female leadership, supporting mentorship programs, and ensuring gender diversity in conference management and speaker line-ups to foster a more inclusive environment. Full article

Traditional centralized energy grids struggle to meet urban areas’ increasingly complex energy demands, necessitating the development of more sustainable and resilient energy solutions. Smart microgrids offer a decentralized approach that enhances energy efficiency, facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources, and improves urban resilience. This study follows a systematic review approach, analyzing the literature published in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and industry reports between 2011 and 2025. The research draws from academic publications of energy institutions alongside regulatory reports, examining actual smart microgrid deployments in San Diego, Barcelona, and Seoul. Additionally, this article provides real-world case studies from New York and London, showcasing successful and unsuccessful smart microgrid deployments. The Brooklyn Microgrid in New York demonstrates peer-to-peer energy trading, while London faces regulations and funding challenges in its decentralized energy systems. The paper also explores economic and policy frameworks such as public–private partnerships (PPPs), localized energy markets, and standardized regulatory models to enable microgrid adoption at scale. While PPPs provide financial and infrastructural support for microgrid deployment, they also introduce stakeholder alignment and regulatory compliance complexities. Countries like Germany and India have successfully used PPPs for smart microgrid development, leveraging low-interest loans, government incentives, and regulatory mechanisms to encourage innovation and adoption of smart microgrid technologies. In addition, the review examines new trends like the utilization of AI and quantum computing to optimize energy, peer-to-peer energy trading, and climate resilient design before outlining a future research agenda focused on cybersecurity, decarbonization, and the inclusion of new technology. Contributions include the development of a modular and scalable microgrid framework, innovative hybrid storage systems, and a performance-based policy model suited to the urban environment. These contributions help to fill the gap between what is possible today and what is needed for future sustainable urban energy systems and create the foundation for resilient cities of the next century. Full article

Over the past 30 years, Romanian Educational Research (RER) has strived to enhance its global visibility. This study examines the evolution and structure of RER through a bibliometric analysis of 10,396 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1975 to 2024. The results reveal fluctuating productivity, with growth driven by national and international initiatives, and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conference papers dominate research output, while articles and reviews are less frequent. Although domestic sources offer valuable publication opportunities, increasing visibility in high-impact journals is essential for international recognition. Universities across various regions contribute significantly, with research intensive institutions producing the bulk of articles and reviews. Five primary research clusters emerged, including studies on student performance factors, digital transformation in education, curriculum development and students’ skills, competency-based education and teacher training, as well as advancements in teaching, learning, and assessment practices. The study highlights the importance of international collaborations, particularly with institutions in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, to boost the worldwide impact of Romanian research. These findings provide insights into the current state of RER and suggest that fostering international partnerships and leveraging local strengths can enhance its global presence and contribute to academic diversity. Full article

Background: We aim to evaluate the effect of the Nordic Walking program on the quality of life and functionality of individuals with intellectual disabilities; Methods: The NORDIN-JOY study is designed as a multicenter, randomized crossover trial. Participants in the experimental group will engage in a Nordic Walking intervention, while those in the control group will participate in a Fit 5-Fitness Cards intervention. Both physical training programs will consist of two 60 min sessions per week over a three-month period. The study will assess measures of quality of life and physical fitness. Additionally, the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of both programs, as well as the average weekly physical activity levels during the six months following the intervention, will be evaluated; Results: The results of this study are anticipated to provide valuable insights into the effects of structured exercise interventions on individuals with intellectual disabilities. These findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences; Conclusions: This protocol seeks to establish evidence on the impact of exercise programs in individuals with intellectual disabilities. The findings have the potential to inform specific recommendations for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and policymakers, promoting physical activity as a cost-effective strategy for improving care and quality of life in this population. Full article