Search Results (1,723)

The core predicament of energy transition lies not in the availability of clean technologies, but in whether an economy possesses the institutional capacity and social foundation to systematically regulate its carbon-energy metabolic processes. Drawing upon co-evolutionary theory from evolutionary economics, this paper constructs a composite indicator of Low-Carbon Green Energy Eco-Co-evolution (LCEE) encompassing three functional dimensions: efficiency advancement, kinetic energy replacement, and boundary adherence. Concurrently, by integrating innovation ecosystem theory with inclusive development theory, we propose the concept of “Inclusive Potential of Regional Innovation Ecosystems” (IEP), characterizing the systemic potential for transforming innovation outcomes into social welfare across four dimensions: Knowledge Matrix Abundance (KMF), Cultural Capillary Permeation (CCP), Technological Community Succession (TCS), and Social Root Nourishment (SRN). Taking China’s 2016 intellectual property (IP) powerhouse construction pilot as the institutional prototype of Industrial Intellectual Property Upgrading Reform (IPR), we incorporate IPR, IEP, and LCEE into a unified causal analytical framework, proposing a testable transmission logic of ‘institutional supply → ecological development → co-evolutionary synergy. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provincial-level administrative regions over 2010–2022, we employ a Spatial Durbin Difference-in-Differences (SDM-DID) model to identify the direct and spatial spillover effects of IPR on LCEE, and embed a Double Machine Learning (DML) framework to test the mediating mechanism of IEP while controlling for high-dimensional nonlinear interference. The findings reveal that IPR exerts a significant and robust direct promoting effect on LCEE, generating positive spatial spillovers to neighboring regions through the public disclosure of patent information. IEP significantly promotes local LCEE, yet its spatial spillover lacks statistical support due to structural conflicts in inter-dimensional transmission attributes. IEP plays a significant partial mediating role between IPR and LCEE, with the indirect effect accounting for over one-third of the total effect, a finding robust to alternative machine learning algorithms, sample split adjustments, and exclusion of contemporaneous competing policies. Sub-path tests reveal that KMF bears the strongest mediating efficacy, serving as the primary transmission channel, while CCP exhibits full mediation—the institutional effect on LCEE in the cultural dimension depends almost entirely on the mediating transformation through the public cultural service system. Heterogeneity analysis further demonstrates full mediation in the Low-Carbon Green Energy Eco-Kinetic Replacement (KER) dimension, indicating that the institutional catalytic effect on clean energy substitution must be realized through IEP transformation. This paper provides empirical evidence for the proposed causal pathway through which institutional public goods indirectly enhance the synergistic quality of carbon-energy transition via the inclusive potential of innovation ecosystems, providing theoretical foundations and policy implications that, while grounded in China’s institutional context, may offer valuable reference points for emerging market economies facing similar dual pressures of technological constraints and green transition. Full article

This paper presents a pilot educational workflow that couples 3D remote sensing with heritage-driven pedagogy by engaging architecture master’s students in the documentation and digital archiving of Transylvanian cultural sites. Using terrestrial and mobile 3D scanning, students documented multiple typologies—wooden churches (Târgușor, Tioltiur), historical ensembles (Mociu, Coplean), industrial sites (1 Mai–Luduș, Vânătorilor–Luduș), and an urban street segment (Potaissa)—to generate dense point clouds that served as the basis for geometric reconstruction, semantic interpretation, and condition assessment. The study describes how the characteristics of different construction systems (timber, brick, stone, mixed structures) relate to point-cloud quality, survey coverage, and subsequent CAD/BIM drafting, with attention to the qualitative reading of minor deformations in wooden churches and of degradation patterns in masonry and industrial buildings. We also consider how artefacts in the data (noise, occlusions, registration errors) affect scene understanding and the interpretation of derived observations relevant to condition assessment and, prospectively, to monitoring. For the Tioltiur dual-sensor case, the TLS and SLAM datasets were compared through an internal CloudCompare registration check (final RMS 0.1121 on 50,000 points, fixed scale 1.0 and theoretical overlap 100%), surface-density displays (r = 0.005 for the Z+F dataset and for the GeoSLAM dataset), fitted-wall-plane readings (dip values around 89 deg. and 85 deg.) and a longitudinal section documenting roof/vault deformation. Beyond technical performance, the paper examines the self-reported formative impact on students’ digital skills and their understanding of cultural values, arguing that participation in 3D data acquisition, processing, and interpretation positions them as co-creators of a living digital archive. Pre- and post-workshop questionnaires (n = 13 each) are analysed descriptively—counts, percentages and medians with interquartile ranges—because the two instruments are unmatched and carry no shared identifier, so no paired test is applied; post-workshop self-ratings of technical competence, heritage understanding, archival awareness and collaboration were consistently high (medians 4–5), with uneven access to VR the main gap. By connecting point-cloud-based documentation workflows with heritage education, the project outlines a transferable, monitoring-ready baseline model in which 3D remote sensing supports both careful documentation and the transmission of regional identity and cultural meaning in architectural training. As an exploratory pilot with a small, self-reported sample, the study reports descriptive and qualitative findings rather than validated metric or statistical results. Full article

Mechanical stress is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA). However, much remains to be elucidated regarding how chondrocytes sense and respond to mechanical stress (stress sensing and response factors). Additionally, it still remains unclear whether there are defensive responses and mechanisms to protect against pathological agents and mechanical stress in articular cartilage tissue. This study was designed to determine whether repetitive mechanical force, at physiologic levels, affects the expression of factors regulating autophagy such as the autophagy-related proteins ATG5, Beclin-1, and Parkin, and the autophagy process as well as cellular activity in cultured chondrocytes. Three-dimensional cultured tissue was generated from human chondrocytes using a collagen sponge scaffold. After physiological mechanical loading of the 3D cell–collagen sponge construct, comparative analyses of expression levels of ATG5, Beclin-1, and Parkin were performed in human chondrocytes. Chondrocyte activity and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis for detecting autophagy process were also analyzed with or without repetitive compressive loading. In chondrocytes, 60 min or 180 min repetitive compressive loading significantly decreased the expression of ATG5, Beclin-1 and Parkin in comparison with the non-loading group. TEM analysis indicated that, in normal chondrocytes of the non-loading group, the autophagy process was shown to be progressing. In contrast, repetitive loading decreased the number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in chondrocytes. In addition, numerous degenerated organelles that had not undergone autophagy were observed within the chondrocytes under repetitive loading. The ATG5 and Beclin-1 proteins are known to play crucial roles in regulating cellular autophagy. Furthermore, repetitive mechanical loading caused a decreased expression of Parkin, a mitophagy regulator in chondrocytes. Our results indicate for the first time that a decrease in mitophagy, as well as cellular autophagy, in response to mechanical stress, even at the physiologic level, leads to the accumulation of defective mitochondria and abnormal cellular proteins, resulting in reduced chondrocyte activity and affecting the maintenance of cartilage tissue homeostasis, ultimately contributing to the progression of OA. Full article

In this study, pathogenic bacteria were isolated from diseased Pelteobagrus fulvidraco collected from a yellow catfish farm in northern China. The recovered isolate was subjected to Gram staining, transmission electron microscopy observation, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and whole-genome sequencing, followed by systematic analyses of its antimicrobial resistance, pathogenicity and genomic characteristics. Combined with artificial infection assays and multiple comparative verifications, the pathogen was identified as Vibrio mimicus. Clinical observation of naturally infected fish revealed that superficial skin ulcers of varying severity constituted the hallmark clinical sign of this disease. Genomic analysis uncovered major virulence-related genes, including tlh, vmh and tdh, as well as key antimicrobial resistance genes such as crp and ugd. Artificial infection trials confirmed the strong virulence of this isolate against P. fulvidraco, with distinct clinical manifestations triggered by injections of bacterial suspensions at different concentrations. Mortality was first observed in the high-dose group at 2–3 days post-injection, yet no cutaneous ulceration was detected at this stage. The peak incidence and mortality occurred between 3 and 7 days post-challenge, with diseased fish exhibiting lesions identical to those seen in naturally infected individuals. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the isolate was determined to be 1.72 × 10⁵ CFU/mL. Growth gradient assays across varying temperatures and pH values identified the optimal culture conditions for this strain: 33 °C and pH 8.5. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that the isolate was highly susceptible to piperacillin, norfloxacin, roxithromycin, azithromycin, furazolidone, ceftriaxone and tetracycline, whereas it displayed high-level resistance to compound sulfamethoxazole and clindamycin. Collectively, this work lays a scientific foundation for the isolation, identification and comprehensive research of Vibrio mimicus-induced ulcerative disease in yellow catfish. Full article

The transmission of trauma across generations has traditionally been explained through genetic, epigenetic, familial, and attachment-based mechanisms. While these approaches have generated valuable insights, they remain insufficient for explaining the persistence of psychological vulnerability in contexts where the original traumatic event has disappeared but maladaptive patterns continue to emerge across generations. This paper introduces the Contextual Resonance Theory of Psychopathology (CRTP), a novel cognitive–systemic framework proposing that transgenerational trauma is maintained through the recursive reproduction of trauma-shaped environments rather than exclusively through biological inheritance. According to this model, traumatic experiences generate adaptive cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses that become embedded within family narratives, relational structures, institutional practices, and cultural expectations. Over time, these adaptations evolve into self-maintaining contextual systems that continuously communicate threat, unpredictability, and hypervigilance to subsequent generations. The theory introduces the concepts of contextual traumatic inertia, distributed psychopathology, and recursive contextual resonance to explain how vulnerability becomes socially reproduced even in the absence of direct trauma exposure. Drawing on predictive processing, ecological psychology, systems theory, and contemporary trauma research, the paper proposes that psychopathology emerges from persistent interactions between individuals and pathogenic environments rather than solely from intrapsychic dysfunction. Furthermore, a complementary mechanism termed corrective recontextualization is proposed as a pathway for reversing transgenerational vulnerability through repeated exposure to safe, predictable, and psychologically restorative contexts. The framework offers an integrative perspective capable of bridging cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychopathology, trauma studies, and mental health intervention research. Clinical, educational, organizational, and societal implications are discussed, alongside future directions for empirical validation and neurocognitive investigation. Full article

Plant-based traditional medicine underpins primary health care across rural areas, yet its long-term continuity depends on both the transmission of local knowledge and the management of the plant resources that sustain this practice. This study aimed to identify medicinal plant species in Colcamar district (Amazonas, Peru) that combine high cultural importance with deficient reported environmental management, using a sustainability-oriented cultural–environmental prioritisation index. An observational, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in five annexes of Colcamar district. Household heads and traditional medicine practitioners (n = 87) were interviewed during a single ethnobotanical field campaign in 2025, generating 1038 plant-informant records for 102 species with taxonomic identification and at least one valid plant-informant record. Cultural importance was estimated using the relative frequency of citation (RFC). Environmental management was assessed using a custom instrument of 11 indicators evaluated through exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and intraclass correlation by informant. The factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution (KMO = 0.786; 50.6% of variance explained): socio-economic valuation and environmental management. Internal consistency was acceptable for the total scale (alpha = 0.826) and for each retained factor (alpha ≥ 0.85). Three indicators with intraclass correlation below 0.10 (source of acquisition, cultivation technique, and agroecosystem practices) varied across species and were used to build the environmental management index (EMI). Hierba santa (Cestrum auriculatum Lindl.) showed the highest cultural importance (RFC = 0.540), whereas pava (Petiveria alliacea L.) showed the lowest environmental management (EMI = 0.250), defining priority groups for management intervention. Exploratory regression suggested an unconfirmed trend towards higher socio-economic valuation among expert informants, although this finding should be interpreted cautiously because the global model was not statistically significant and only seven informants were classified as experts. The index should be interpreted as a sustainability-oriented prioritisation tool rather than as a direct ecological estimate of population status, regeneration, or harvesting pressure. Full article

Traditional villages serve as the material carriers of traditional Chinese culture. Their cultural spaces, as concentrated reflections of rural humanistic spirit, face multiple crises, including the rupture of intergenerational transmission, functional decline, and spatial isolation. In mountainous counties, where the terrain is complex, resources are scattered, and locations are peripheral, the challenges of protecting and revitalizing cultural spaces are especially acute, yet holistic understanding at the county scale remains insufficient. Focusing on the 25 nationally listed traditional villages in Suichang County, Zhejiang Province, this study selected four representative villages as case studies: Hengkeng (steep-slope mountain), Caihe (gentle-slope hilly), Dushan (mountain-enclosed valley), and Changlian (river-valley plain). We established a comprehensive framework integrating a qualitative “text–space mutual corroboration” interpretation with space-syntax accessibility and isovist-based visibility analysis. The results demonstrate that cultural space nodes exhibit systematically higher accessibility and visibility than ordinary residences, and the coupling between the two dimensions differs sharply by type. Specifically, lineage culture spaces display high–high synergy; religious belief spaces show a low-accessibility–high-visibility mismatch; ritual education spaces occupy a moderate-accessibility–low-visibility position; meanwhile, basic livelihood and daily life spaces are accessibility-dominated. Furthermore, geographical type governs the coupling mode, shifting from linear mismatch on steep slopes, through axial synergy on gentle hills and centripetal aggregation in valleys, to axial serialization on plains. Based on these findings, four adaptive-reuse strategies are distilled. Complemented by a baseline information database and a prospective intelligent-evaluation framework, they provide transferable methodological guidance for planning and revitalizing the cultural spaces of traditional villages in mountainous counties. Full article

The Buddhist Wheel of Life (bhavacakra) circulated from Tibet to Europe through Catholic missionary scholarship, becoming part of wider intellectual and artistic exchanges between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. This study examines the depiction of the Wheel of Life in Agostino Giorgi’s Alphabetum Tibetanum (1762) and its possible influence on Zahari Zograf’s Wheel of Life mural (1849–1850) at the Transfiguration Monastery in Bulgaria. The presence of a copy of Giorgi’s engraving in Zograf’s collection raises questions concerning the transmission of Buddhist iconographic motifs and their role within Orthodox visual culture. The study employs an interdisciplinary approach combining historical, theological, and iconographical analysis with cross-religious comparison, informed by Raimon Panikkar’s concept of homeomorphic equivalence. The findings demonstrate that a historical channel of transmission between Tibet, Italy, and Bulgaria can be documented and that notable formal and compositional parallels exist between the Buddhist and Orthodox Wheels of Life. However, the available evidence is insufficient to establish direct artistic influence. Instead, the comparison shows that the two images function as homeomorphic equivalents, fulfilling analogous cosmological, moral, eschatological, and soteriological roles within different religious traditions. The case study further demonstrates how religious iconographic motifs circulated across cultural boundaries while preserving their distinct doctrinal identities. Full article

At the height of the second Trump presidency, the elaboration of violence in Latiné/x immigrant communities has taken a familiar discursive shape: as disappearance. The enforced disappearance, a name for the arrest, detention, and abduction of persons, followed by denial of the act(s), has been leveled against numerous Black and brown communities. From legal concessions granting immunity to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to racially profile individuals, to a widespread surge in deportations, detentions, and deaths, there is a need for culturally congruent and flexible forms of solidarity that honor waywardness. For if disappearance is an attack on and through visibility, clandestine communication plots and echolocates resistance at the periphery of visibility’s enforcement. In this essay, I forward clandestine communication as a theory and tactical stratagem that maps the transmission of vernacular discourse according to fugitive strategy. Stratagems articulate tactics of trickery often found in gossip/chisme/kikis, redaction strategies, sonic upheaval, and whisper networks. But as a theory, clandestine communication charges community-engaged research with being actively political by considering the theoretical, methodological, analytical, and material tactics of fugitivity as significant to the ways we identify power and resistance in our communities. In drawing from queer, trans*, and feminist of color (QTFOC) genealogies, clandestine communication denotes flexible forms of solidarity that scaffold these fugitive vernacular practices. This theoretical paper thinks with Latiné/x immigrant communities by arguing that community defense initiatives, such as neighborhood defense workshops and rapid response networks, outline participatory and ephemeral (or less visible) ways that vernacular communities can co-create clandestine networks of care. Ultimately, this essay calls for greater consideration to be given to the everyday, defiant ways that community-engaged research is premised on the pragmatism of trust and hiddenness. Full article

The aquatic pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida SRW-OG1 is responsible for substantial mortality in Epinephelus coioides and many other cultured fish species. This study investigates the contribution of trpE to the pathogenicity of A. salmonicida SRW-OG1 in E. coioides. Specifically, trpE encodes a key enzyme in tryptophan biosynthesis; however, its function in regulating virulence in A. salmonicida remains uncertain. Phenotypic assays indicate that deletion of trpE markedly impaired bacterial growth and significantly reduced multiple virulence-associated traits, including swimming motility, biofilm formation, chemotaxis, hemolytic activity, and extracellular enzyme activity. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ΔtrpE mutant lacked flagella, indicating that trpE is involved in flagellar formation or maintenance. In an E. coioides infection model, fish infected with ΔtrpE showed a cumulative survival rate of 48.3%, whereas those infected with the wild-type SRW-OG1 suffered 100% mortality. The ΔtrpE mutant also exhibited reduced bacterial loads in target organs (liver, head kidney, and spleen), while pretreatment with ΔtrpE provided 53.3% protection against a subsequent wild-type challenge. Transcriptomic analysis identified 616 differentially expressed genes, mainly enriched in pathways including flagellar assembly, bacterial chemotaxis, two-component systems, quorum sensing, and biofilm formation. Metabolomic analysis further showed a significant decrease in N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone, an acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signal in the ΔtrpE mutant. These findings suggest that trpE contributes to mesophilic A. salmonicida SRW-OG1’s virulence by partially affecting quorum-sensing signal production and motility-related pathways. The attenuated phenotype and protective effect of ΔtrpE indicate its potential as a live attenuated vaccine candidate for controlling A. salmonicida infection in aquaculture. Full article

Post-disaster housing deficiencies compromise long-term habitability due to rigid reconstruction models that restrict spatial flexibility. Following the 2004 tsunami, the Moken preserved traditional dwelling characteristics, but standardized models provided after the 2019 fire introduced unadaptable layout constraints. While these structures did not directly destroy traditional living patterns, their framework limited necessary spatial extensions based on changing family needs. To inform responsive shelter design, this study investigated Moken construction culture through measured surveys across 20 surviving households, analyzing structural relationships and functional zoning between the main house and its extensions. Empirical results reveal six distinct typologies of spatial transformation built around a traditional nine-post core axis, with expanded footprints averaging 32.44 m². These configurations utilize front zones for social use, lateral zones for storage, and rear zones for sleeping quarters. The study concludes that integrating fluid indigenous habits with localized physical constraints remains a critical necessity, advocating for a flexible core house framework that permanently utilizes traditional construction knowledge and localized spatial parameters to secure the continuous transmission of traditional building skills across generations. Full article

This study aimed to synthesize copper(I) iodide nanoparticles (CuI NPs) through a green route using taxo (banana passion fruit) extract as a natural capping and stabilizing agent, and to evaluate their antimicrobial performance against microorganisms isolated from concrete, together with a preliminary cytotoxicity screening. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). UV–Vis spectra recorded in the 200–704 nm range showed a strong absorption band at 224 nm, consistent with electronic transitions associated with nanostructured CuI. FTIR analysis revealed extract-derived biomolecules adsorbed on the nanoparticle surface, with bands assigned to aliphatic C–H, aromatic moieties, and C–O/C–O–C vibrations, supporting the formation of an organic capping layer. DLS analysis showed a mean hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 32 nm in aqueous suspension, whereas TEM revealed particle sizes ranging from 13 to 42 nm. XRD confirmed a predominantly cubic CuI phase, while SEM–EDS identified Cu and I as the main elements, with minor signals attributed to residual organic coating and/or trace species from the synthesis medium. The CuI NPs exhibited antimicrobial activity against microorganisms isolated from medium-strength concrete, producing inhibitory effects at all tested concentrations (0.014, 0.0087, and 0.0035 mol/L). Preliminary cytotoxicity screening using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in human foreskin fibroblast (HFF), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7), and human glioblastoma (U251) cell lines showed dose- and time-dependent reductions in metabolic viability. The 1.0 mol/L formulations, particularly the precipitated fraction, produced stronger cytotoxic effects, whereas the 0.1 mol/L formulations, especially the residual fraction, preserved comparatively higher metabolic viability. Overall, these findings suggest that taxo-mediated CuI NPs are promising antimicrobial candidates for concrete biodeterioration control, while further colloidal and biological studies are required to better define their behavior under cell-culture conditions and optimize their safe application. Full article

Background: Timely hepatitis B vaccine birth-dose (HepBV-BD) vaccination is a cornerstone strategy for preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Although hepatitis B vaccination coverage in China has improved substantially, evidence regarding long-term district-level spatiotemporal inequalities in timely birth-dose vaccination remains limited, particularly in western China. This study assessed spatiotemporal disparities in hepatitis B vaccination coverage across Chongqing, China, from 2016 to 2025. Methods: This ecological descriptive study used district- and county-level vaccination surveillance data from the Chongqing Immunization Information Management System. Temporal trends in HepBV-BD, timely birth-dose (TBD), HepBV2, and HepBV3 coverage were analyzed. Regional disparities, interregional inequalities, and spatial clustering were assessed using Global Moran’s I and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). Results: All vaccination indicators improved substantially during the study period. TBD coverage increased from 81.9% to 95.4%, whereas HepBV3 coverage increased from 83.7% to 98.7%. TBD coverage was strongly positively associated with HepBV3 coverage(r = 0.95, p < 0.001). Mountainous ethnic minority regions consistently exhibited the lowest TBD coverage despite marked improvement over time. Absolute interregional inequality decreased from 30.8 to 8.4 percentage points. Although Global Moran’s I was not statistically significant, LISA analysis identified persistent localized low-coverage clusters in southeastern mountainous regions and emerging high–high clusters in northern Chongqing. Conclusions: Hepatitis B vaccination coverage in Chongqing improved markedly between 2016 and 2025, accompanied by declining geographic inequality. Nevertheless, persistent spatial inequities in timely birth-dose vaccination remained in mountainous ethnic minority areas. Continued monitoring of spatial inequalities, together with strengthened primary healthcare capacity, culturally tailored health education, and equitable resource allocation, may help support geographically targeted immunization strategies and accelerate progress toward the WHO goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Full article

The paper presents a methodological framework for the integration, semantic organization and web-based dissemination of heterogeneous 3D archeological datasets. In particular, the study investigates strategies for model optimization, interoperability, multilevel information architecture and scientific visualization of complex archeological sites. The research builds upon an analysis of current workflows for 3D data acquisition, optimization, and dissemination, as well as a critical assessment of existing approaches to digital heritage communication. The proposed workflow supports the integration of datasets acquired at different spatial scales, from urban contexts to architectural elements and individual artifacts, enabling semantic correlation between geometric data and interpretative content. Alongside the technical aspects of model optimization, interoperability and web-based visualization, the research also examines the transmission of tangible and intangible cultural values during the transition from the physical environment to the digital domain. These technical and theoretical aspects are treated as complementary dimensions of a single methodological framework, ensuring consistency of the project in terms of data processing, accessibility, scientific rigor, and heritage interpretation. The workflow proposed is applied to the specific case of the walls of Pompeii, where the complex physical reality of the archeological site is accompanied by intangible characteristics, such as ancient techniques of warfare and siege. Using 3D models created during previous phases of the SCORPiò-NIDI project, the resulting web-based system provides layered access to information, facilitating both scientific analysis and dissemination activities while maintaining traceability of sources and clarity between acquired data and reconstructed hypotheses. The proposed framework contributes to current research on structured digital environments for Cultural Heritage and offers transferable methodologies for the management and dissemination of complex archeological datasets. Full article

The digital economy is profoundly reshaping the global economic landscape; however, its impact on the innovation capacity of cultural and tourism integration—particularly within developing regions—remains insufficiently empirically tested. Utilizing panel data from 43 cities in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (2009–2023), this study constructs indices for the digital economy and the innovation capacity of cultural and tourism integration using the entropy weight method. Employing a two-way fixed effects model, instrumental variable approach (using lagged variables and historical interaction terms), and mediation effect models, we empirically examine the impact, transmission mechanisms, and heterogeneity across city scales. The findings reveal that: (1) The digital economy significantly enhances the innovation capacity of cultural and tourism integration, with a benchmark regression coefficient of 0.683 (significant at the 1% level). (2) Mediation analysis indicates two transmission pathways—enhancing development potential of culture and tourism and promoting digitalization of cultural and tourism enterprises—with mediating effects accounting for 15.95% and 2.62%, respectively. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows a significant negative effect in megacities (coefficient = −1.3726, significant at the 10% level), contrasting with positive effects observed in super-large and large cities. This study elucidates the differentiated pathways through which the digital economy empowers cultural–tourism integration innovation, providing empirical evidence for tailored digital–cultural–tourism policies across cities of varying sizes, with implications for other developing regions exhibiting similar urban hierarchies. Full article