Search Results (550)

The National Park Service conducted an amphibious battlefield survey in 2023 of the Agat and Asan Beach Units of War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Guam. This exploratory project used a multidisciplinary approach to further understanding of the 1944 Battle of Guam, one of the most significant invasions of the Pacific Theater during World War II. As part of the project, the team located and documented blast features created by U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Teams during the removal of obstacles placed on and near the landing beaches by the Japanese as deterrents. The discovery of these blast features was guided by archival research and documented through photogrammetry, bathymetry, and RTK GNSS surveys. The blast features represent intentional modification to the seafloor and were examined in archaeological and ecological contexts. This article discusses the discovery and documentation of the blast features, the long-lasting impact of World War II on the island, the value of integrating cultural and natural resource studies, and implications for maritime heritage research and management. This article concludes with considerations for future directions for archaeological and multidisciplinary research focused on seafloor modification. Full article

This article offers a formal analysis of the paradoxes, dilemmas and strategic interactions explored in Liu Cixin’s trilogy The Three-Body Problem. Several games, such as the survival game, the deterrence game, the first contact game, and the big bang game, provide the foundations of cosmic sociology. Full article

We developed an automated system to address orchard crop damage caused by Formosan macaques, a problem where traditional deterrent methods have proven to be ineffective. The system integrates an Internet Protocol camera with a You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLOv5) object detection model, which was trained on an augmented 6000-image dataset featuring a simulated monkey puppet in an indoor setting to validate its real-time identification capability through simulation. Upon target detection, a high-power laser, controlled via the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport protocol, is actuated to perform dynamic and non-invasive repelling. A web-based Human–Machine Interface (HMI) is provided, allowing users to remotely monitor and adjust strategies. This system offers a low-cost, highly efficient, and scalable solution for smart agriculture, with potential for expansion to other scenarios requiring a high degree of security and defense, such as warehouses and construction sites. Full article

This paper analyses the existing international refugee framework in light of the emergence of alternative so-called ‘safe and legal routes’ devised by the UK government—in particular, the bespoke Ukraine visa schemes—and considers the practical implementation of a Safe Passage Visa programme in the UK. It will consider how safe routes may benefit at-risk people when provided alongside the protection afforded under the Refugee Convention. It will also evaluate the persistent failure of UK government policy that focuses on deterrent-only aims but has been unsuccessful in reducing irregular journeys to the UK. The paper will then explore the case for a ‘Safe Passage Visa’, focusing on the practical challenge of implementation and the potential impact of its development on the workings of the asylum system in the UK, including the potential reduction in irregular entry and other benefits. The paper argues that there is an imperative need to take action to safeguard and protect human lives in transit whilst asserting that this must be conducted in a way that complements and enhances the principles enshrined in the Refugee Convention. Full article

This study examines how Saudi consumers evaluate the commodification of cultural symbols in fashion amid intensified heritage branding and symbolic market expansion. It addresses a gap in the literature on internal cultural commodification, where tensions surrounding authenticity, legitimacy, and commercialization emerge within the same cultural community rather than across clearly separate cultural groups. Drawing on a culturally grounded application of the Theory of Planned Behavior and related literature on consumer ethnocentrism and moral evaluation, the study investigates how perceived authenticity, perceived cultural appropriation, ethical sense, and consumer ethnocentrism shape attitudes toward cultural commodification and purchase intention in the Saudi fashion context. Data were collected through an Arabic-language questionnaire-based survey of Saudi consumers (N = 552) using a non-probability purposive sampling approach. The measurement model employed reflective scales adapted from prior literature and was assessed for reliability and validity. To strengthen methodological rigor, the analysis also considered common method bias diagnostics. The proposed relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping. The findings indicate that perceived authenticity is positively associated with attitudes toward cultural commodification and relates to purchase intention primarily through attitudes. Perceived cultural appropriation is negatively associated with both attitudes and purchase intention, suggesting both a direct deterrent effect and an indirect pathway via attitudes. Consumer ethnocentrism shows a negative association with purchase intention and a weaker negative association with attitudes, while its moderating role appears statistically significant but limited in magnitude. Ethical sense displays a more complex pattern, combining negative indirect effects through evaluative pathways with a positive direct association with intention, consistent with qualified rather than purely restrictive participation in symbolic consumption. The study contributes to the literature by clarifying how consumer responses to heritage-based fashion commercialization are shaped by representational, ethical, and normative evaluations in a non-Western setting. Practically, it suggests that fashion brands operating in Saudi heritage markets should manage authenticity claims, symbolic legitimacy, and appropriation risk with greater cultural and ethical sensitivity. Full article

This paper explores the ‘criminalisation’ of asylum in recent UK law and policy, most notably the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act (NABA) and 2023 Illegal Migration Act (IMA), and the ways in which this framework has fed through into recent legislative and policy measures. Whilst the development and expansion of criminal offences relating to irregular entry and arrival may be considered the most overt form of ‘criminalising’ people on the move, in this paper it is argued that the criminalisation of asylum in the UK today should not only be understood through the prism of crimmigration measures which are expressly penal in nature, but also through an array of measures which, although framed as administrative and civil, are similarly punitive in character and serve the criminal punishment rationale of retribution and deterrence. The legislative framework of the NABA 2022 and IMA 2023 has paved the way for this progressive ‘criminalisation’ by sanctioning those arriving irregularly to the UK to claim asylum. This trend has been continued in recent law and policy, and progressively expanded in a manner that increasingly sanctions refugees for the very fact of having claimed asylum in the UK. Full article

This paper explores the ethical dimensions of violence in sporting contexts, proposing that violence can be a virtue when characterized by controlled physicality. While society often views violence negatively, the paper argues that within rule-governed sports, certain forms of violence are morally permissible, strategically valuable, and essential to upholding the integrity of the game. Drawing on Suitsian terms and Kantian ethics, the paper develops a theory of lusory violence, distinguishing it from uncontrolled physicality or unmitigated violence. By examining the roles of enforcers in hockey, the development of MMA, and the ethics of sport jiu-jitsu, the paper suggests that violence is acceptable within a lusory framework only when it is purposive, strategically relevant, and constrained by rules that prioritize technical skill over raw damage. Ultimately, the paper argues that the ability to modulate violent behaviour represents a form of moral development, framing virtuous violence as a necessary tool for maintaining natural justice and personal excellence within specific sporting environments. Yet, virtuous violence is subordinate to technique, justice, and other defining elements of sports. Full article

China’s carbon neutrality plan centers on a carbon trading policy system integrating market economy, guidance, regulation, command-and-control, and fiscal measures into an inter-domain synergy. Based on the system science methodology, by leveraging the gray system evaluation method and the multiple regression model, a carbon neutrality policy analysis system has been formed. This paper constructs a policy synergy model to examine its role in achieving net-zero goals. This article measures the policy synergy and effectiveness of China’s carbon neutrality goals in different years through policy evaluation theory and coupling models. Results show China’s net carbon emissions have passed through three cycles—rapid rise, gradual growth, and slow decline—while policy synergy peaked in 2011, 2014, and 2016, aligning with changes in emission growth rates. The significance of this discovery indicates the pulse effect of China’s green policies. In key starting years such as the 12th and 13th Five-Year Plans, China has invested a significant amount of green policy resources. Synergy levels vary by measure: When applying market economy tools, the deterrent effect of command-and-control should be reduced; command-and-control should be paired only with regulation; fiscal measures should be balanced against guidance to avoid counteracting effects. Internal equilibrium between measures is crucial, with mandatory and flexible tools configured separately to maximize policy effectiveness for net-zero emissions. This study expands the quantitative research on policy coordination and effectiveness analysis. At the same time, it provides policy-level guidance and optimization for the realization of the carbon neutrality goal, avoiding the waste and redundancy of policy resources Full article

While environmental awareness is crucial for ecological governance, its sociocultural foundations across different macro-institutional contexts remain underexplored. This study compares the sociocultural correlates of environmental awareness in China and Singapore—two developmental states with state-centric governance but distinct institutional configurations. Integrating Sociocultural Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this exploratory study analyzes World Values Survey data Wave 7 using ordered logistic and probit models. We identify three key patterns. First, both nations exhibit a pervasive “attitude-behavior gap,” with cognitive environmentalism significantly outpacing actual civic action. Second, universally, social trust is correlated with environmental attitudes, while political action and religiosity are positively linked to actual behavior. Third, distinct institutional mechanisms emerge: China reflects a “state-dependent environmentalism” where attitudes are associated with post-materialist values and institutional deterrence, and behavioral participation is strongly related to government trust. Conversely, Singapore displays an “institutionalized civic environmentalism,” where routine political action shows a strong positive association with environmental attitudes—an association neutralized in China. These findings demonstrate that pathways to ecological sustainability in developmental states are structurally divergent, necessitating context-specific governance interventions. Full article

Objectives: Clinical trials are essential for therapeutic innovation in rheumatology. A recent decline in clinical trial activity in Hungary has highlighted the need to better understand patient experiences and motivations. This study assessed patient satisfaction and motivation in clinical trials, compared these with routine specialist care, and evaluated healthcare professionals’ motivations. Methods: In this single-center, cross-sectional study, 129 patients completed self-administered questionnaires (61 trial participants and 68 receiving routine care) primarily using a 6-point Likert scale; additionally, 21 healthcare professionals rated their motivations on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS 0–10). Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests, and continuous variables using paired two-tailed t-tests. Results: The main drivers of trial participation were physician recommendations (100%) and trust in the treating physician (100%). Access to novel therapies (98%), closer monitoring (83%), and additional diagnostic procedures (95%) were also significant motivators. Trial participants reported significantly higher satisfaction compared with routine care in terms of consultation time (97% vs. 36%, p < 0.001), staff availability (95% vs. 41, p < 0.001), assistance (93% vs. 36%, p < 0.001), and visit organization (98% vs. 34%; p < 0.001). Overall satisfaction with routine care remained high in both groups. In the control group, fears of disease worsening and the burden of frequent visits were key deterrents. Among healthcare professionals, access to innovative treatments was the strongest motivator, while administrative workload and documentation demands were the primary barriers. Conclusions: Clinical trial participation is associated with high patient satisfaction, driven by physician–patient trust and structured, personalized care. Reducing administrative burdens may be crucial for sustaining clinical research in academic settings. Full article

Third-party punishment involves bystanders voluntarily incurring costs to punish norm violators, thereby maintaining social norms and cooperation. While prior research shows reduced punishment when the bystander and violator are friends, less is known about how the violator–victim relationship affects such punishment. Based on deterrence theory, punishment serves both to sanction violations and deter future threats. Accordingly, using the Dictator Game–third-party punishment paradigm across five experiments with a primary adult sample, this study investigated the impact of social relationships on third-party punishment, examined the mediating role of threat perception, and validated the applicability of deterrence theory within the context of third-party punishment. A pilot experiment confirmed that bystanders punish friends less than strangers. Experiment 1 showed that when the bystander and violator were friends, punishment was stronger if the violator and victim were also friends. Experiment 2 showed that congruent social relationships (e.g., all parties are friends) elicit greater punishment than incongruent ones. Experiment 3 demonstrated that threat perception mediates this effect: consistency increases threat perception, which in turn heightens punishment. In summary, consistency of social relationships increases third-party punishment, mediated by elevated threat perception. These findings support the use of deterrence theory in third-party punishment contexts and deepen our understanding of how social relationships shape punitive behavior. Full article

Public transport is vital for social and economic life, but many people with disabilities still face exclusion due to both physical and psychosocial barriers. This study examined how psychosocial barriers influence public transport travel behavior among people with mobility, vision, and hearing disabilities in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. A quantitative survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire among 214 respondents. The results showed that fear of crime, lack of personal safety, anxiety when travelling alone or to unfamiliar places, and negative treatment by drivers and co-passengers are major deterrents to public transport use. Psychosocial barriers were significantly associated with travel behavior and a strong preference for private cars as well as ride-hailing services. Group comparisons revealed that individuals with vision disabilities experience significantly higher levels of transport-related fear compared to other groups. People with mobility and vision disabilities are more affected by negative attitudes from co-passengers compared to people with hearing disabilities. Psychosocial barriers are associated with low trip frequencies for non-essential activities, indicating suppressed travel. The study concludes that achieving inclusive urban mobility requires addressing psychosocial barriers alongside physical accessibility to ensure safe, dignified, and independent travel for people with disabilities. Full article

Vernonia amygdalina Delile (Asteraceae), commonly known as bitter leaf, is a tropical shrub that may potentially serve as a biopesticide against the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a key pest of potatoes. The beetle’s behavioral response to the methanolic leaf extract of V. amygdalina was evaluated in this study. Using no-choice, dual-choice, and wind-tunnel assays under laboratory conditions, we evaluated responses of larvae and adults to potato leaf discs treated with V. amygdalina extract in a randomized complete block design, measuring feeding behavior, leaf damage levels, and remaining leaf area. The results showed that V. amygdalina had no biocidal effects against the beetle, as no mortality was incurred. However, dose-linked antifeedant effects were evident in both no-choice and dual-choice arenas. Vernonia amygdalina minimized leaf-area loss most effectively at the highest concentration, especially against the larvae. The extract showed no olfactory repellency but acted as an antifeedant, possibly through contact or taste (gustatory) receptors. The consistent behavioral avoidance at higher concentrations suggests that V. amygdalina acts as a form of deterrent against the Colorado potato beetle. Full article

Armed conflict management increasingly demands new normative and strategic frameworks that preserve human life while maintaining effective deterrence capabilities. This study develops a multidisciplinary framework for rethinking armed conflict through the concept of just peace, integrating theology, ethics, law, technology, and empirical communication analysis. The research analyzes 7957 YouTube videos from NATO, the United Nations, and the Vatican, published over two years, employing semantic network analysis, modularity-based community detection, and sentiment analysis to identify emerging discourse patterns around peace, technology, and regulatory complexity. The findings suggest that contemporary socio-technological conditions are increasingly framed in ways that open a discursive space for rethinking conflict management beyond exclusive reliance on large-scale lethal force. Positive messaging correlates with higher audience engagement, while concepts such as law, ethics, religion, and technical standards emerge as interconnected regulatory domains. The study concludes that just peace is not naïve pacifism but a strategic, normatively grounded reorientation in contemporary deterrence thinking. Effective implementation requires integrated regulatory frameworks combining legal norms, ethical principles, religious values, and technical standards. The evolving technological landscape may allow deterrence systems to move beyond exclusive reliance on lethal force toward more humane and efficient conflict-management mechanisms. Full article

This study quantifies spatial patterns and socio-economic drivers of wildlife-related losses at the agricultural–conservation interface in north-eastern South Africa. Using structured interviews with 249 farmers across five localities (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal), 173 respondents reported wildlife incursions. Crop damage was dominated by primates vervet monkeys and chacma baboons while leopards were the principal game/livestock predator. Subsistence households bore the heaviest burden: they accounted for most crop-raiding reports. They faced heightened food-security risks, whereas commercial operations suffered larger monetary losses but had greater capacity to deploy deterrents. Irrigation was associated with increased conflict incidence, and electrified fencing reduced losses for some subsistence farms but was not uniformly effective in high-risk localities. Larger household size correlated with greater exposure to incursions than small households. We recommend targeted, locality-specific, multi-species mitigation: prioritise support and maintenance for effective deterrents in vulnerable communal areas, integrate community engagement and monitoring, and align conservation policy with livelihood resilience to reduce inequitable impacts. Full article