Search Results (4,807)

Compound crises of heritage cities in the global south led to the destruction of both physical and intangible assets, as well as the processes and relationships that sustain them; nevertheless, while there is more awareness regarding the importance of intangible heritage, regeneration approaches after the crisis period still focus on tangible losses, while the intangible cultural aspects are often overlooked in planning, especially under conditions of restricted field access. This paper proposes a remote-first CESSOP diagnostic model (CSDM), integrating CES and SOP in four decision-focused products: Crisis Pressure Profile (CPP), Biocultural Asset Map (BAM), CESSOP Vulnerability Matrix (CSVM), and modeling and Action Typology and Priority Pathways (ATPP), rather than adopting an existing framework. The Cultural Ecosystem Services and Sense of Place Diagnostic Model (CESSOP Diagnostic Model). The CSDM is new; it is a theoretically constructed, theoretically grounded, crisis-sensitive diagnostic methodology designed for heritage cities under conditions of data scarcity and restricted field access. This approach includes aspects of document research, open-source data, environmental morphological intelligence, social networks and remote participation inputs, supported with embedded confidence rating. The methodology is illustrated by a study of old Sana’a, Yemen, and it is applied in cases when there are few opportunities for direct observation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Body image is influenced by body weight, sociocultural norms, and weight-related behaviours. Migration has been associated with changes in body ideals, potentially through acculturation processes. This study investigated body image perception, weight status, and related behavioural and psychological factors among a group of African immigrant women living in Italy, comparing them with an Italian comparison group. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 131 women (60 African immigrants; 71 Italians). Body image perception was assessed using the Thompson and Gray silhouette scale. BMI-based weight status was derived from self-reported weight and height and compared with perceived weight status. Body dissatisfaction was calculated as the discrepancy between perceived and ideal body image. Additional measures included appearance-related anxiety (PASTAS), self-esteem, life satisfaction, physical activity, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Results: Immigrant women had significantly higher body weight and BMI (p < 0.001) and differed in distribution across weight status categories (p = 0.001). Although body dissatisfaction did not differ significantly between groups, immigrant women selected larger ideal body figures (p < 0.001). They also showed lower agreement between BMI-based and perceived weight-status, and higher appearance-related anxiety on the PASTAS Non-Weight subscale (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in self-esteem, life satisfaction, or adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Immigrant women were more likely to be sedentary (38.3% vs. 4.2%) and reported lower levels of physical activity (active: 25.0% vs. 54.9%). Conclusions: Compared with the Italian comparison group, African immigrant women in this study showed a greater prevalence of overweight and obesity, preference for larger body ideals, lower agreement between BMI-based and perceived weight status, and lower physical activity levels. Given the cross-sectional design and the characteristics of the recruited samples, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than evidence of causal relationships. They support the need for culturally sensitive strategies to improve weight awareness and promote healthy lifestyles among African immigrant women. Full article

This study analyzes how the integration of native maize cultivation, cultural identity, and technological innovation can promote sustainable and experiential tourism in rural Mexico. The research was conducted in the community of Llano de Guadalupe, Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca. The participatory Action Research process progressed through institutional coordination, participatory diagnosis, biofertilization training, monitoring activities, and community dissemination phases conducted between 3 March 2025 to 25 May 2026. The methodological process included institutional coordination, participatory diagnosis, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, field observations, and the implementation of agroecological practices based on biofertilization. An AI-assisted illustrated field notebook was co-designed to support intercultural education, knowledge exchange, and community participation. The study also incorporated collaborative storytelling, seed preservation practices, and the co-design of sustainable tourism routes grounded in local gastronomy, biodiversity, and agricultural traditions. Preliminary impact indicators showed the expansion of participation from two pilot producers to 54 local producers after community dissemination activities. Findings indicate that the integration of traditional ecological knowledge with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can strengthen community empowerment, intergenerational learning, and sustainable livelihoods while preserving biocultural heritage. The proposed circular framework connects ecological, social, cultural, and economic subsystems by transforming agroecological practices into educational and tourism assets. The results suggest that Indigenous and rural communities can lead sustainable destination development when supported through participatory governance, inclusive education, and context-sensitive technological innovation. The Tlaxiaco case offers a transferable framework for sustainable rural development that contributes to food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, environmental stewardship, and local economic resilience. Full article

The growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday life has generated debate regarding its impact on language services, where tools such as Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly being integrated. Framed as an exploratory and preliminary study, this article examines how a self-selected sample of 60 language-service professionals working in European contexts perceive the adoption of AI, particularly LLMs, in relation to professional practices, quality, ethical concerns, and emerging competence requirements. An embedded mixed-methods design was adopted, combining descriptive quantitative analysis with the thematic analysis of open-ended responses. The findings suggest a cautious and selective adoption of LLMs. While respondents recognise potential advantages related to speed, productivity, and support for specific tasks, they also identify persistent limitations concerning quality, terminology, contextual adequacy, cultural sensitivity, and the need for human revision. Respondents also report concerns about professional devaluation, changing work conditions, and the need for reskilling, particularly in relation to general translation and AI-assisted workflows. At the same time, some participants identify opportunities for innovation, enhanced human oversight, and the revaluation of specialised expertise. Overall, the study suggests that, from the perspective of the surveyed professionals, AI is contributing to the reconfiguration of language-service practices, while reinforcing the continued importance of human judgement, linguistic expertise, ethical responsibility, and critical engagement with AI-generated outputs. Full article

Designing products that feel simple and intuitive while remaining efficient to manufacture and meaningful across cultures remains a key challenge in contemporary product development. Although minimalist design has achieved commercial success, most methodologies fail to systematically connect aesthetic intentions with engineering, usability, and production realities. This study proposes a four-phase iterative framework—Framing, Translation, Materialisation, and Experience that integrates human-centred design, simplicity heuristics—including ‘SHE’ (Shrink, Hide, Embody) tactics, quantitative aesthetic measurement, Design for X methods, and cross-cultural considerations to operationalise minimalist principles such as formal reduction, seriality, and industrial materiality. An empirical case study applied the framework to three competing automotive interior concepts through image-based evaluation by 113 respondents. Results provided preliminary evidence that a balanced hybrid approach consistently outperformed both traditional button-heavy and extreme single-screen minimalist designs across measures of usability, sense of order, trust, and user recommendation. Findings confirm that effective minimalism does not merely remove elements but strategically redistributes complexity into interface logic, production systems, and material quality. The framework offers designers a structured yet flexible path to create manufacturable, user-validated, and culturally sensitive minimalist products. Full article

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains a major cause of acute liver failure and drug withdrawal from the market. Recently developed three-dimensional (3D) hepatic in vitro systems exhibit improved functionality and drug sensitivity compared with conventional two-dimensional cultures. These 3D models range from simple physiologic-like culture systems to advanced bioreactors with dynamic flow to provide sufficient nutrients and consistent drug exposure. However, whether dynamic perfusion improves sensitivity and reproducibility of hepatotoxicity testing remains unclear. Here, we developed a tailor-made perfusion platform to support volumetric bioprinted hepatic constructs for hepatotoxicity testing. The constructs consist of intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids (ICOs) differentiated towards hepatocyte lineage and embedded in a gelatin methacryloyl bioresin. For toxicity evaluation, the hepatocyte-like ICO constructs were exposed to prolonged subtoxic acetaminophen treatment (10 mM, 7 days). The perfusion system effectively maintained and enhanced hepatocyte differentiation, evidenced by upregulated hepatic markers under perfused conditions compared to static controls. Testing of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity revealed that the perfused constructs displayed elevated cellular injury, with markedly higher liver injury markers relative to controls. Collectively, this study demonstrates the successful application of perfusion-based 3D model culture and highlights its potential as a more physiological platform for hepatotoxicity risk assessment in drug discovery and regenerative medicine. Full article

Rapid detection and quantification of epidemiologically important Salmonella enterica serovars are critical for poultry surveillance, food safety monitoring, and risk-based intervention strategies. This study performed comprehensive analytical validation together with a preliminary field-based diagnostic performance evaluation of GenoPATHX™, a multiplex probe-based qPCR platform designed for the simultaneous detection and quantification of priority Salmonella serovars in poultry-associated matrices. The platform consists of two multiplex panels, designated the Chicken Key Performance Indicator (CKPI) and Turkey Key Performance Indicator (TKPI), each designed to detect priority poultry-associated Salmonella serovars together with a genus-level S. enterica marker. Analytical performance was evaluated for amplification efficiency, linearity, limit of detection (LoD₉₅), limit of quantification (LoQ), repeatability, intermediate precision, analytical specificity (inclusivity/exclusivity), robustness, matrix effects, and performance in artificially inoculated matrices. Diagnostic performance was further assessed using naturally contaminated poultry environmental samples. The assay demonstrated robust amplification performance in both singleplex and multiplex formats, with high linearity (R² = 0.987–0.999) and LoD₉₅ values ranging from 60 to 545 genome equivalents per reaction. Complete analytical inclusivity and high exclusivity were achieved for the evaluated isolate panel. In field samples, the direct GenoPATHX™ workflow demonstrated 81.0% sensitivity, 91.3% specificity, and substantial agreement with the USDA-FSIS reference culture method (κ = 0.73). Overall, GenoPATHX™ exhibited robust analytical performance and enabled rapid, same-day quantitative detection of priority Salmonella serovars in poultry-associated matrices, supporting its application for poultry surveillance and food safety monitoring. Full article

Rapid, point-of-care detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 remains an unmet clinical need, as culture and molecular methods are slow and poorly suited to decentralized or emergency settings. A label-free, monolithic aptasensor biochip was fabricated in a standard 65 nm CMOS process, featuring three aptamer-functionalized gold sensing pads with matched reference pads for differential readout. A 37-mer DNA aptamer targeting the E. coli O157:H7 lipopolysaccharide was immobilized via thiol–gold self-assembled monolayer chemistry. Binding events were transduced into surface-potential shifts, amplified by an on-chip analog front-end (~100 V/V gain, 101.5 µW), and evaluated using calibration standards, patient specimens, and hospital environmental samples, with fluorescence microscopy for validation. The sensor achieved 47.42 mV/decade sensitivity across 1–10,000 CFU/mL, an IUPAC detection limit near 3.74 CFU/mL, and an empirical LOD of about 11 CFU/mL, with outputs tracking bacterial load and ~5.7% matrix-related deviation. Hospital samples were detectable to 28 CFU/mL. Because the patient-derived and hospital-acquired cohorts (n = 10 and n = 6, respectively) were assembled for pilot analytical and matrix-tolerance characterization rather than for diagnostic-accuracy determination, these results establish detectability and matrix robustness in real clinical and environmental specimens rather than clinical diagnostic sensitivity or specificity, which will require a larger, prospectively enrolled cohort in future work. Sensor kinetics followed Langmuir-type adsorption, saturating within 16–25 min for target pathogens versus slower responses for non-target strains. Selectivity tests against six bacterial species showed discrimination, with cross-reactivity decreasing from related E. coli pathotypes to Enterobacteriaceae to Gram-positive species. Inter-pad variability stayed below 1.5 mV, supporting this compact, low-power platform for scalable, enrichment-free point-of-care pathogen detection. Full article

Background: Tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the abnormal hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, leading to disrupted neuronal connectivity and progressive brain dysfunction. Despite their clinical relevance, most in vitro models have focused primarily on molecular and cellular aspects, with limited emphasis on alterations in network dynamics and functional connectivity. Methods: We developed an in vitro tauopathy model based on mouse primary neuronal cultures, enabling the investigation of network-level alterations under controlled conditions. We compared three experimental groups: untreated control cultures, cultures exposed to extracellular wild-type tau, and cultures treated with pathological tau (pTau) isolated from the sarkosyl-insoluble fraction of P301S (+/−) transgenic mice. To increase susceptibility to tau-induced pathology, all conditions were additionally transduced with adeno-associated viral vectors encoding human P301L tau. To quantify for damage, spontaneous neuronal activity was monitored throughout network maturation—from day in vitro (DIV) 7 to 16—using fluorescence calcium imaging, and multiple metrics describing network dynamics and functional organization were compared at DIV 12. Results: We observed that exposure to pTau did not induce overt cytotoxicity or major disruptions in global network dynamics, although a mild increase in network bursting activity was observed. Longitudinal analysis of network maturation further revealed largely similar developmental trajectories across experimental groups, with only subtle and persistent differences in bursting-related activity in pTau-treated cultures. Conclusions: We propose that the early developmental stage of the cultures, together with the intrinsic bursting and ongoing synaptic plasticity of primary neuronal networks, masks subtle pathological effects. This may limit the sensitivity of two-dimensional in vitro systems to detect network-level dysfunction, suggesting that more mature or structurally complex models, such as brain organoids, may be required to reveal robust functional deficits. Full article

Background/Objectives: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean diet, has attracted research interest because olive-derived phenolics demonstrate potential anticancer activity in experimental models. This review summarizes evidence concerning whole EVOO, phenolic-enriched EVOO, olive phenolic extracts, and the isolated compounds hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, oleocanthal, and oleacein. Methods: A structured narrative search of PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted for literature published between 2015 and 2025. Evidence was reviewed for breast, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, bone, oral, liver, gastric, hematological, and brain cancers. Comparatively limited evidence concerning cervical, endometrial, ovarian, melanoma, non-melanoma skin, and thyroid cancers was summarized separately. Results: The molecular evidence was derived primarily from cell culture and animal studies using isolated phenolics and concentrated extracts. Preclinical studies indicate that EVOO phenolics may demonstrate anticancer activity through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of metastasis, anti-angiogenic activity, and modulation of key signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, p53, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition-related pathways. Most molecular and pathway-level evidence was obtained using isolated phenolic compounds in cell culture or animal models, whereas evidence directly examining whole EVOO consumption was largely observational and substantially more limited. Experimental studies also reported that oleocanthal induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization, whereas hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein promoted mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, preclinical combination studies suggested enhanced tumor-cell sensitivity to selected chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunotherapeutic agents. However, these effects have not been established in patients. Human evidence remains limited mainly to observational dietary associations and small exploratory interventions, with no conclusive demonstration of cancer prevention or therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions: Isolated EVOO-derived phenolic compounds demonstrated promising anticancer mechanisms in preclinical models. However, these results should not be directly extrapolated to dietary EVOO because experimentally administered doses, bioavailability, metabolism, and food-matrix interactions differ substantially from human dietary exposure. Therefore, well-designed studies using chemically characterized EVOO, pharmacokinetic investigations, and controlled human trials are required before dietary or clinical recommendations can be made. Full article

The larvae of wood-boring insects often cause damage to wooden buildings, furniture, and objects of cultural heritage. A fundamental practical challenge in assessment and conservation is reliably distinguishing between active and inactive infestations—a distinction that conventional visual inspection methods cannot always resolve with confidence. We present a selection of experiments for the implementation of acoustic emission (AE) measurement methods for these inspections, spanning from highly controlled laboratory settings to practical field tests. An overview explains the physical principles of structure-borne sound emission by feeding larvae and the AE sensors and other instrumentation used (AMSY-6 stationary system and the single-channel Insect Activity Detection System, IADS). Laboratory experiments with standardized small specimens containing single larvae of Hylotrupes bajulus are described in detail, examining the influence of temperature, sensor coupling method, and sensor-to-larva distance on detection reliability. Verification experiments on large structural timber with unknown infestation levels demonstrated the practical applicability of the method and enabled qualitative localization of larval activity. Field applications in historic buildings, churches, and cultural heritage objects are presented and discussed. The results confirm that AE sensors can reliably detect larval activity of H. bajulus in standardized specimens at signal-to-noise ratios clearly distinguishable from negative controls. Sensor sensitivity decreases significantly with distance, with reliable detection up to approximately 30 cm under the tested conditions. Although interpretive expertise in wood biology, infestation assessment, and conservation expertise remains essential, the results indicate that AE sensors can indeed be used to detect larval activity inside wood in a non-destructive way in a broad range of field and laboratory applications and across a range of conditions. Full article

The paper analyzes the evolution and strategy development for sustainable community-based ecotourism (CBET) in the commune of Hoa Bac in Central Vietnam. It is based on a pilot project carried out from 2019 to 2025 within the scope of a larger research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the research line ‘Sustainable Urban Regions’. As a key component of the overall research approach, the goal of this pilot project along the Cu De River valley in the vicinity of the city of Da Nang has been a culturally adapted and ecologically sensitive tourism model that leads to income and socio-economic improvement, environmental protection and a decentralized low-impact infrastructure. The results of six years of qualitative longitudinal participatory research based on community workshops, interviews and surveys, direct observations as well as participatory field activities show how transformations in natural, cultural, human, social, financial and built capitals have shaped the transition from resource-dependent livelihoods to a diversified ecotourism economy. By mobilizing and empowering the local community, partly belonging to the Co Tu ethnic minority, sustainable development emerged not from isolated interventions but from a structured process of interlinked development strategies including cultural revitalization, environmental preservation, locally adapted agroforestry, skills and capacity development, cooperative governance, decentralized infrastructure, and income diversification. The study demonstrates that stakeholder and community empowerment, appropriately designed governance models (in this case the establishment of a tourism cooperative), targeted capacity development and knowledge transfer can strengthen the resilience and long-term sustainability of ecologically sound and culturally adaptive community-based tourism initiatives. Overall, the lessons learned from the research in Hoa Bac contribute to designing and implementing a holistic approach to CBET in rural settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sleep health is a key determinant of physical and psychological well-being, yet poor sleep quality remains common, particularly among women. Sociodemographic inequalities and culturally patterned pre-sleep behaviours may contribute to sleep disturbances, but their combined role in Mediterranean populations is still insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine sleep quality and its associations with sociodemographic characteristics and pre-sleep habits among adult women living in Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 785 Spanish adult women aged 18–64 years. Sleep quality was assessed using the Spanish version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Additional questionnaire items collected information on sociodemographic variables and pre-sleep habits, including meal timing, stimulant consumption, physical activity, bedtime routines, screen exposure, and sleeping alone or with company. Data were analysed using chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, Spearman’s correlations, and principal component analysis. Results: The mean global PSQI score was 7.5 (SD = 3.01), indicating mildly impaired sleep quality overall. Age showed the largest association with global PSQI score (ε² = 0.052, p < 0.001), followed by income (ε² = 0.010, p = 0.016). Frequent nocturnal awakenings were the most common sleep disturbance, whereas sleep medication use was uncommon. Older age and lower income were associated with poorer sleep outcomes, including shorter sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, and higher global PSQI scores. Higher education and health-related training were generally associated with more favourable sleep profiles. Pre-sleep habits such as late dinners, stimulant use, and evening screen exposure were highly prevalent but showed weak and non-significant associations with global PSQI scores. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional sample, poorer sleep quality was associated with selected sociodemographic characteristics, whereas isolated pre-sleep behaviours showed weak or non-significant associations with global PSQI scores. Given the study design and non-probability sampling, these findings should be interpreted as associations and generalized with caution. They may inform future studies and support the development of gender-sensitive, non-pharmacological sleep-health strategies that consider socioeconomic and cultural context. Full article

Resource-based cities in Northwest China face increasing ecological, geotechnical, and socio-economic challenges caused by long-term mining, including subsidence, slope instability, waste rock accumulation, soil erosion, industrial decline, and settlement deterioration. Post-mining land reuse is constrained by geological safety, foundation stability, slope safety, drainage capacity, erosion risk, and waste rock dump stability, yet existing restoration studies often separate engineering remediation from landscape reuse, industrial pathway selection, and long-term governance. Taking a mining area in City A, Gansu Province, as a case study, this paper develops a geotechnical constraint-based ecology–landscape–economy framework for post-mining land reuse and sustainable human settlement improvement. Unlike conventional reclamation approaches that mainly emphasize engineering remediation, vegetation recovery, or single-function land reuse, this study integrates geotechnical constraints, land-unit classification, pathway-specific compatibility assessment, and capital–space coupling into a planning-scale decision-support framework. Post-mining land was classified into five units, and their compatibility with three restoration plus industrial pathways was assessed using five indicators: geological safety, ecological sensitivity, land-use availability, landscape and cultural value, and industrial operation potential. The results indicate that backfilled mining voids and reclaimed platforms are most suitable for modern agriculture, tailings ponds and subsidence waterbodies for cultural tourism and wellness, and waste rock dump platforms and other stable, low-sensitivity open land for new energy development. A capital–space coupling mechanism is further proposed to link restoration, support, and development zones with government funds, corporate capital, social capital, green finance, and industrial income. This framework provides a planning-scale engineering-suitability screening tool for sustainable post-mining land transformation. Full article

Pathogenic bacterial infections remain a persistent global public health crisis. However, traditional clinical detection methods—such as culture-based assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)—are often time-consuming and labor-intensive, and they lack sufficient sensitivity for low-abundance pathogens, hindering rapid point-of-care diagnosis. With label-free, ultra-sensitive molecular fingerprinting, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has emerged as a powerful tool for rapid pathogen identification. This review summarizes the evolution of SERS-based bacterial detection from fundamental nanomaterials to integrated clinical diagnostic platforms. The article explores four core dimensions: functional integration and enrichment strategies of colloidal probes; structural design and multifaceted capture mechanisms of solid substrates; synergistic advantages of microfluidic systems in enabling automated “sample-to-answer” architectures; and the translational potential of SERS-based lateral flow assays (LFAs) for robust point-of-care testing (POCT). This review reveals a research shift from maximizing electromagnetic enhancement toward overcoming matrix effects in clinical samples and ensuring robustness. In synergy with microfluidics, LFAs, and AI, SERS technology is bridging the bench-to-bedside gap, offering a roadmap for next-generation decentralized, high-precision diagnostics. Full article