Search Results (403)

Wetlands provide flood storage, water-quality regulation, habitat, shoreline protection, and climate resilience, yet long-term wetland loss continues despite extensive federal and state laws. This paper examines persistence as an environmental governance problem rather than as a purely doctrinal legal question. Using Mississippi as a state-level case study, the study applies a qualitative environmental governance approach to legal, policy, agency, and public-permitting documents. The analysis focuses on jurisdiction, institutional fragmentation, permitting, enforcement capacity, monitoring and participation, and the integration of restoration with regulatory practice. The findings show that Mississippi has a substantial formal framework for wetland protection, but the framework remains spatially uneven: state authority is most visible in the coastal zone, while many inland wetlands depend more heavily on federal jurisdiction, interagency coordination, and administrative follow-through. The study argues that legal accumulation has not produced consistent conservation outcomes because fragmented authority, uneven enforcement, limited monitoring, and land-use pressure weaken implementation. To improve wetland protection, Mississippi should clarify post-Sackett inland coverage, strengthen interagency coordination, improve permit transparency and post-permit compliance tracking, invest in geospatial monitoring, and align restoration with regulation and land-use planning. Full article

Earthquakes remain a critical threat to global infrastructure. Recent catastrophic events, such as the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, underscore the vital necessity of rapid, accurate post-disaster building damage evaluations. Structural collapse under seismic loading leads to substantial loss of life and severe economic disruption, particularly in regions dominated by aging building stocks that predate modern seismic design codes. To address the limitations of conventional manual inspections, this study introduces a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) framework designed to automate and enhance post-earthquake structural assessments. Leveraging a heterogeneous dataset from the 2021 Haiti earthquake, which includes both categorical building attributes and post-disaster imagery, the proposed approach employs rigorous data preprocessing and exploratory analysis to identify key vulnerability indicators and resolve data inconsistencies. Independent predictive pipelines were developed utilizing state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms for tabular data and deep learning architectures for image analysis. Subsequently, a novel hybrid meta-classifier was implemented to fuse these distinct modalities. By integrating spatial and structural context with direct visual evidence of damage, the hybrid model is successful in estimating structural damage severity. Among all evaluated approaches, this multimodal framework significantly improved predictive reliability. The hybrid model achieved a classification accuracy of 89%, consistently outperforming isolated tabular and image-based models. These findings highlight the efficacy of multimodal data fusion in disaster analytics and suggest that AI-driven hybrid architectures can serve as robust, scalable decision support tools for structural engineers and emergency response agencies. Full article

This study explores the poetic formulation of justice and retribution in the Aqhat Epic. ˀIlu, the supreme god of Ugarit, designates the goddess ˁAnatu “impious in heart,” yet he neither prevents her murder of ˀAqhatu nor punishes her overtly. The narrative contains no judicial scene and no central governing deity who assumes the role of explicit divine adjudicator. Nevertheless, one may ask whether the story is shaped by a guiding mechanism of justice, comparable to certain biblical models of retribution, and what conception of retribution emerges from it, illuminating the relationship between gods and humans. The article highlights multiple instances showing that the narrative weaves a complex web linking transgression and consequence, in which acts of violence, desire, and rebellion give rise to corresponding consequences. These consequences manifest not only as visible punishments—such as the loss of the bow, the breaking of wings, and the curses upon implicated agents—but also in subtle reversals and ironic patterns accessible primarily to the audience. The moral order is neither absent nor declarative; rather, it is mediated through poetic formulations. Retribution unfolds on two interrelated levels: through overt narrative events and through a covert rhetorical structure that forges connections by means of repetition, key words, wordplay, and thematic symmetry. The study employs contextual close reading, supplemented by comments on the character roles. The conclusion reached is that the mechanism of measure-for-measure functions in the Aqhat Epic as a structuring narrative device, and that a sense of justice emerges through the convergence of human and divine agency. Full article

Bereavement in Southern Africa is not a private event. It is rather a shared and communal experience, shaped by rituals, faith, and relationships. In Botswana, mourning is influenced by Botho, a way of life that says, “I am because we are,” where a whole community carries the pain of loss together and takes responsibility for the bereaved. These communal rituals bring comfort, meaning and a sense of belonging, helping families accept death and move towards healing. Yet research also shows a harder side: many mourning practices are gendered and favors male gender. Widows often face long, strict rituals, social isolation and suspicion, rooted in patriarchy and ideas about impurity or danger, which can harm their emotional, social, and economic well-being. This article uses conceptual/theological analysis within pastoral theology and African relational ethics to examine these practices and to explore how churches and caregivers can honor culture while resisting injustice. Drawing on work of Botho African pastoral care and gender, it shows that the same communal systems that care can also exclude and marginalize widows. The article proposes a Gendered Botho Pastoral Care Model that calls Christian communities to sustain communal solidarity and shared mourning, challenge patriarchal and violent widowhood rites, reinterpret rituals in life-giving ways, and build resilience, dignity and agency for widows, so that mourning spaces become places of healing, justice and restored humanity Pastors for widows in Botswana and across Southern Africa. Full article

Cognitive offloading—delegating cognitive work to external tools—is basic to human cognition, but generative AI (GenAI) amplifies it radically: entire cognitive products can now be produced on request. This sharpens a question about agency over one’s own thinking: when cognition is habitually offloaded, does its product still feel like one’s own? We surveyed 239 pre-service teachers, operationalizing the felt loss of cognitive ownership as concern over the erosion of teaching-design subjectivity (TSC)—the metacognitive appraisal that AI-assisted work is not genuinely one’s own and that independent capacity is declining. Guided by the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, we tested whether AI anxiety/fear of missing out (affective) and impulsivity (self-regulatory) relate to this concern through behavioral GenAI dependency—habitual offloading. In a structural equation model with bias-corrected bootstrapping, dependency strongly predicted TSC and partially mediated the effect of AI anxiety; impulsivity raised dependency but showed a suppression pattern (a positive indirect effect offset by a null total effect), and the model explained 35% of the variance in the concern. Habitual offloading—that is, GenAI dependency—rather than generic AI use, accompanies the metacognitive loss of cognitive ownership. Full article

This paper extends the post-factual polity framework into AI infrastructure and public administration systems theory. It asks how proprietary analytical platforms alter the state’s capacity to produce, audit, and contest the categories through which risk, threat, eligibility, fraud, and deviance become actionable. Using a structured documentary case analysis of Palantir Technologies across United States agencies and allied jurisdictions, the study applies three diagnostic markers—categorical opacity, contestation displacement, and substitutive dependency—to examine the migration of sovereign classification into vendor-controlled infrastructure. The research gap was identified through an integrative review of public administration, AI governance, algorithmic accountability, systems theory, surveillance studies, and Palantir scholarship. The analysis distinguishes AI epistemic capture from ordinary IT vendor lock-in: the former concerns not merely technical dependence or high exit costs but the loss of public capacity to define and contest consequential administrative categories. The paper argues that administrative law, procurement reform, and algorithmic impact assessment remain necessary but insufficient when agencies lack substitutive capacity. It specifies untangling as a systems-level task involving capacity reconstruction, categorical repatriation, contractual restructuring, and procurement reorientation. Hybrid intelligence is advanced as a post-untangling architecture that embeds machine processing within contestable, accountable, and legally governed human judgment. The contribution is diagnostic, methodological, and design-oriented for AI systems governance. Full article

This study aims to assess the impact of the October 2023 Gaza War on water and sanitation systems and propose actionable solutions for effective management. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative). Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews, targeted questionnaires, and direct field observations. Secondary data were gathered from reports by international organizations (UNRWA, OCHA, WHO), Palestinian authorities, academic research, in addition to satellite imagery and Geographic Information System (GIS) data for damage assessment. The results showed that the institutional level of emergency preparedness before the war varied significantly. Despite the existence of pre-developed emergency plans (mean score 3.26, relative weight 65.28%, p = 0.0355), there were significant shortcomings in practical staff training (mean score 2.64, relative weight 52.83%, p = 0.006), logistical readiness, and the activation of international partnerships. The study also revealed major challenges faced in providing water and sanitation services during the war, including fuel and resource shortages, safety risks for field teams, weak coordination with security agencies, lack of materials and equipment, insufficient emergency funding, coordination gaps, staff displacement, communication breakdowns, difficulty accessing water sources, area division and blockade, and loss of personnel. Specifically, the inability to access water sources was a critical challenge (mean score 4.30, relative weight 86.04%, p < 0.0001), as was indiscriminate shelling impacting field team safety (mean score 4.19, relative weight 83.77%, p < 0.0001) and lack of materials and equipment (mean score 4.15, relative weight 83.02%, p < 0.0001). Residents reported water availability only every 10–15 days, and over 70% of water and sanitation systems were damaged. While funding proposals were being prepared (mean score 3.26, relative weight 65.28%, p = 0.02), weaknesses in reporting systems and coordination of roles were observed (mean score 2.55, relative weight 50.94%, p < 0.0001). The research contributes to guiding local and international efforts towards reconstruction, enhancing resilience, and ensuring the provision of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation for the affected population, thereby reducing the risks of waterborne diseases and improving public health. Full article

Low-noise pavements (LNPs) are increasingly important under Green Public Procurement policies, yet public administrations still lack clear guidance on selecting pavement types based on noise-related externalities. Although traffic noise generates substantial societal costs—affecting health, education, and property values—these external burdens are often overlooked or excluded from traditional pavement appraisal and investment decisions, leading to systematically underestimated life cycle costs (LCC). This study develops an integrated framework to monetise traffic-noise impacts within an LCC perspective by combining health effects (Disability-Adjusted Life Years, DALYs), property-value capitalisation (willingness to pay, WTP), and noise-induced educational losses. The system limit is intentionally restricted to noise-related externalities during pavement operations, while agency, user, and vehicle operating costs are excluded. A comprehensive review of existing monetisation approaches is provided, and a new unified method is proposed. The framework is applied to a case study from the LIFE SNEAK project on Via La Marmora (Florence, Italy), comparing existing, acoustically non-optimised, and acoustically optimised surfaces. The results showed that the LIFE SNEAK pavement significantly alleviated the burden of noise on public health and education costs, which were 34% and 33% lower than in the baseline scenario, respectively, with a welfare surplus of +€2.38 million over the ten-year period. In particular, it was noted that the most important economic contribution of LNPs stems from the WTP approach. This study provides clear evidence that noise externalities play a considerable role in long-term pavement cost estimates, thereby supporting the systematic inclusion of these costs in LCC analyses. The proposed method puts forward a practical approach to support the selection of noise-sensitive, sustainable, and socially responsible road pavements. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is a rare disorder of agency and complex motor control characterized by involuntary, apparently purposeful limb movements experienced as outside voluntary control. Pontine hemorrhage is an uncommon substrate, and its manifestations may overlap with sensory ataxia and other post-stroke movement disorders. Case Presentation: An 86-year-old right-handed man developed right-sided alien hand phenomena after a left pontine hemorrhage. Examination showed dysarthria, limited left gaze, diplopia, preserved muscle strength, marked right-sided proprioceptive impairment, a thalamic-hand-like posture, impaired spatial control, involuntary levitation, intermanual conflict, and purposeful-appearing rubbing movements when distracted. The diagnosis was based on loss of agency and autonomous limb behavior that could not be explained by sensory ataxia alone. Serial CT demonstrated an interval reduction in the size of the pontine hemorrhage; a representative thalamic level CT showed no evident thalamic hemorrhage or gross structural lesion, although a small CT occult ischemic lesion could not be excluded. Repeat MRI was not completed because of severe claustrophobia and anesthesia risk. EEG, formal neuropsychological testing, and standardized functional scales were unavailable. The NIHSS, assessed 15 days after admission to our hospital, was 6 points. No specific pharmacological treatment was initiated. Cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation was recommended, but transportation difficulties prevented regular attendance. Approximately three months after discharge, physician relatives reported resolution of abnormal movements and improved independent gait; no formal post-discharge examination was performed. Conclusions: Pontine hemorrhage may rarely be associated with mixed AHS phenomenology. Disruption of ascending proprioceptive and sensorimotor pathways is plausible, but the absence of advanced imaging and neurophysiological assessment precludes definitive anatomical or causal conclusions. Full article

This study investigates carbon monoxide (CO) emission potential and kinetics in two biowaste composting facilities, one of which implements process hermetization in a closed hall, in accordance with the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for Waste Treatment, representing a more sustainable waste management approach due to the reduction in uncontrolled gaseous emissions to the environment. The flux chamber method was used to measure cumulative CO concentrations before and after compost turning across 10 compost piles located either indoors or outdoors. Maximum cumulative CO concentrations (C_COmax) and CO production rate constants (k) were calculated. Results indicate that indoor composting leads to significantly higher net CO emissions, both before and after pile turning. In all indoor piles, cumulative CO concentrations exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1 h and 8 h exposure limits. Post-turning cumulative CO levels reached over 3000 mg CO·m⁻³, with averages ranging from above 15 to over 70 mg CO·m⁻³. These levels pose a serious health risk, potentially causing headaches, collapse, or even loss of consciousness in workers after approximately two hours of exposure. Additionally, compost turning in closed systems resulted in slower CO production, prolonging exposure. The study demonstrated that, although BAT-compliant enclosed systems are beneficial for the environment and support sustainable waste management practices, they may create hazardous conditions for workers. Therefore, continuous monitoring of gas concentrations is essential in closed composting facilities to ensure that environmentally sustainable waste treatment technologies are implemented together with adequate occupational safety measures, supporting a more comprehensive and balanced approach to sustainability. Full article

As emerging infectious diseases and human–wildlife interactions increasingly transcend political boundaries, the ability to detect patterns, compare data, and respond in a coordinated manner depends on the availability of interoperable, well-structured data systems. Wildlife health data are often collected by diverse stakeholders—including field biologists, wildlife rehabilitators, hunters, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories—using inconsistent methods, terminology, and levels of detail. Data stored in isolated systems results in duplication, information loss, and barriers to integration. This paper describes the design and development of the Shared Wildlife Health Information System (SWHIS), an online database system designed to facilitate wildlife health data management. Development incorporated continuous stakeholder feedback, including input from state wildlife management agencies, to ensure the system aligned with real-world workflows and user needs. Launched in October 2022, SWHIS is supported by a dedicated development team with a growing suite of tools to meet diverse user needs. Priority features under development include a mobile field application, a public reporting tool, and an event alerting system. By improving data standardization, accessibility, and long-term preservation, systems like the SWHIS strengthen wildlife health surveillance capacity and support timelier, evidence-based decision-making across jurisdictional boundaries. Full article

Incretin-based therapies, including glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, have revolutionized the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Recent evidence suggests these agents may influence athletic performance through effects on body composition, energy metabolism, and cardiovascular function. This narrative review critically evaluates whether incretin therapies could constitute doping under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) criteria. We narratively reviewed the literature on incretin pharmacology, metabolic effects relevant to athletic performance, and anti-doping regulations, searching PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using terms including “GLP-1 receptor agonists”, “DPP-4 inhibitors”, “doping”, “athletic performance”, “WADA”, and “sports pharmacology”, without date restrictions. GLP-1 RAs (semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide, exenatide) induce substantial weight loss (predominantly fat mass) but also reduce lean mass by 20–30% of total weight loss. Preclinical studies demonstrate enhanced exercise endurance, mitochondrial biogenesis, and glucose uptake via GLP-1R/AMPK signaling. However, clinical trials show no consistent improvement in physical performance in humans. Currently, incretin therapies are not listed on the WADA Prohibited List. While incretin therapies offer theoretical performance-enhancing potential through weight management and metabolic optimization, current evidence does not support classification as doping agents. Continued surveillance is warranted as misuse patterns emerge. Full article

This article examines the later life experiences of women who participated in the revolutionary period in Cork city and county who did not go on to marry. Many within this cohort of Cork female activists experienced poverty, ill health, economic dependency and loneliness in the aftermath of the revolutionary period. Their unmarried status left these women particularly vulnerable in a patriarchal state structured—legally, economically and culturally—on an essentialist view of the married, childbearing woman. The invisibility of adult dependency in Ireland was summed up in the 1926 Census of Population report: ‘no account is taken in this inquiry of adults who may be supported out of the household income’. Mary Daly notes the ‘high proportion of the population working within a family economy which had little reliance on money incomes and waged employment’. This may, as she states, ‘have reduced the numbers exposed to the blunt instrument of unemployment’ in the context of the 1930s depression. However, the emotional and psychological effects of economic dependency have not been considered in any depth. The lack of statutory benefits for lower-class single women who were unable to access paid employment and who did not have the requisite social insurance stamps meant that they faced a vista of poverty and dependency on charity and family members. The latter were often begrudging and indisposed to assume the financial burdens of those who they often deemed economically ‘unproductive’. This article argues that, in so many cases, financial dependency resulted in the loss of agency and autonomy for unmarried women. Full article

This paper investigates how religious narratives are transformed under the conditions of the Anthropocene by reinterpreting the biblical mandate of dominion as a condition of post-dominion. The Anthropocene designates a historical situation in which human agency has attained planetary dimensions, thereby seemingly fulfilling the scriptural command to “subdue” the Earth. Yet this fulfillment proves profoundly paradoxical. Human domination over nature increasingly destabilizes the ecological conditions of human existence itself. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological disruption reveal that the logic of mastery rebounds upon humanity, producing forms of self-subjugation through unintended consequences of technological and economic power. The paper argues that the Anthropocene dissolves the classical distinction between nature and culture and confronts religious thought with hybrid ecological realities that mediate human agency and responsibility. By introducing the concept of post-dominion, the paper develops a theological framework emphasizing dependency, restraint, humility, and care as central categories for rethinking religion and ethics in the Anthropocene. Full article

This article examines how teachers in Early Years and Primary Education experience and negotiate democratic risk when enacting democratic pedagogy. Drawing on qualitative data generated through participatory research in Portugal and Croatia within the Horizon Europe AECED project, the study analyses reflections, dialogical exchanges, and collaborative inquiry processes from 33 participants across four cases. Democratic risk is conceptualised as situations in which teachers perceive that democratic pedagogical action may expose them to uncertainty, loss of control, professional scrutiny, or relational tension. The findings identify three interrelated themes: (1) democratic risk as pedagogical, professional, relational, and institutional exposure; (2) the negotiation of legitimacy and accountability; and (3) participatory research as a professional learning ecology supporting teacher agency. Rather than functioning merely as a barrier, democratic risk emerges as an inherent condition of democratic pedagogy and a key site for the development of professional judgement and agency. The article contributes to research on democratic education by introducing democratic risk as an empirically grounded analytic concept and by demonstrating how teacher agency is enacted relationally within professional and institutional contexts. It further highlights the role of participatory research in supporting teachers to navigate the tensions inherent in democratic practice. Full article