Search Results (6,049)

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide with increasing concern regarding its non-target impacts in coastal ecosystems and mariculture species. Here, we profiled acute physiological stress signatures of waterborne glyphosate exposure in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, integrating measured exposure concentrations, tissue residues, digestive and oxidative/innate immune biomarkers, and gut microbiota. After 24 h exposure, measured waterborne glyphosate confirmed the intended gradient (0.09 ± 0.02, 1.26 ± 0.09, and 4.49 ± 1.12 mg/L for low-, medium-, and high-dose treatments, respectively), and overt stress phenotypes with mortality occurred only at the high dose (36.67%), enabling separation of high-dose survivors (HS) and high-dose dead (HD) for downstream analyses. Tissue measurements showed low/background levels in controls, with compartment-specific distribution: the respiratory tree exhibited higher burdens at the medium dose, whereas coelomic fluid showed the highest burdens in HS at the 24 h endpoint. Functionally, most intestinal digestive enzymes were unchanged, but trypsin activity was consistently suppressed across exposed groups (p < 0.05). In coelomic fluid, oxidative stress responses were evident, with elevated MDA (L and M), reduced CAT (L, M, and HS), and reduced GSH-PX in HS (all p < 0.05), while SOD, GR, and lysozyme showed no significant changes. Gene sequencing of 16S rRNA (n = 3 per group) revealed significant shifts in community diversity/evenness (Shannon p = 0.0497; Simpson p = 0.0484) and beta diversity (PCo1 = 30.08%, PCo2 = 26.30%; PERMANOVA F = 1.816, p = 0.008), with LEfSe indicating discriminative taxa associated with exposure/outcomes. Collectively, these multi-level endpoints define an acute glyphosate stress signature in A. japonicus, linking internal dose distribution to oxidative disruption, impaired intestinal proteolysis, and microbiome restructuring. Full article

In the digital economy era, digital marketing has become a key strategy for firms seeking competitive advantage. However, its reliance on data has heightened exposure to cybersecurity risks. While existing research highlights the importance of digital transformation, less is known about how cybersecurity governance influences firms’ digital marketing activities. Drawing on signalling theory and the resource-based view, this study uses panel data from Chinese A-share listed firms during 2012–2023 to examine the impact of cybersecurity governance on digital marketing and its underlying mechanisms. The results show that effective cybersecurity governance significantly enhances firms’ digital marketing engagement. Mechanism analyses identify three channels. First, by preventing data breaches and negative incidents, firms enhance corporate reputation. Second, by creating a secure operating environment, cybersecurity governance strengthens risk-taking capacity and encourages marketing innovation. Third, by improving information disclosure and stakeholder communication, it alleviates information asymmetry. Heterogeneity analyses indicate that the positive effect is more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises, firms in eastern regions, and high-tech firms. This study fills a gap in the literature by linking cybersecurity governance path to digital marketing and contributes to research on its economic consequences. The findings also offer practical implications for strengthening internal governance to support external market activities. Full article

Agent-based systems built on large language models (LLMs) increasingly rely on complex internal reasoning processes, tool interactions, and memory mechanisms. However, the internal decision-making dynamics of such agents remain difficult to observe, analyze, and compare in a systematic manner. To address this limitation, we present AgentSec, a curated dataset of structured agent interaction traces designed to support the analysis of agent-level reasoning and action behaviors. The dataset consists of 30 deterministic and non-redundant scenario instances, each capturing a complete agent interaction session under a fixed and validated schema. Quantitatively, the 30 released sessions comprise 67 decision nodes and 45 tool calls (73.3% successful), with provenance graphs exhibiting an average depth of 4.53 (max 7) and a maximum branching factor of 3. Scenarios are organized according to a predefined taxonomy of agent behavioral patterns, including tool success and failure modes, fallback strategies, memory conflicts and overwrites, decision rollbacks, and provenance branching structures. Each scenario encodes a distinct analytical case rather than a parametric variation, enabling focused and interpretable study of agent decision-making processes. AgentSec provides detailed records of decision traces, tool calls, memory updates, and provenance relations, and is intended to facilitate reproducible research on agent behavior analysis, auditing, and evaluation. The dataset is released alongside its schema, scenario manifest, and validation tooling to support reuse and extension by the research community. Rather than serving as a large-scale performance benchmark, AgentSec is explicitly designed as a diagnostic and unit-test suite for auditing agent-level reasoning logic and provenance consistency under controlled structural conditions. Full article

Disaster resilience has become a key focus of risk reduction efforts, but measuring it remains complex due to differences in hazards, development paths, and data systems. This study modifies the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) approach, based on the Disaster Resilience of Place (DROP) framework, to evaluate community resilience in Serbia and highlight regional differences. An initial list of 186 indicators was created from international BRIC studies and resilience research, then tailored to Serbian conditions through contextual review and data checks. Indicators were normalized using min–max scaling (0–1), and indicators with negative orientation were inverted to ensure that higher values indicate greater resilience. Scores for each dimension were calculated as equally weighted averages across six areas: social, economic, social capital, institutional, infrastructural, and environmental. The overall BRIC index was derived as the average of these dimension scores. Z-scores facilitated the classification of resilience levels and the comparison between regions. The results show clear regional disparities: in the complete model, Belgrade has the highest resilience (BRIC = 0.557), while Southern and Eastern Serbia have the lowest (BRIC = 0.414). Patterns across dimensions show that Belgrade excels in social and economic capacity but lags in environmental indicators; Vojvodina has the strongest institutional and infrastructural capacity; and Šumadija and Western Serbia perform best in environmental indicators. Correlation analysis revealed multicollinearity, leading to the removal of 14 redundant indicators and the refinement to a set of 57. After this reduction, regional rankings change, with Vojvodina (BRIC = 0.530) and Šumadija and Western Serbia (BRIC = 0.522) emerging as higher-resilience regions, while Southern and Eastern Serbia remain the least resilient (BRIC = 0.456). The adapted BRIC-DROP model offers a clear, locally relevant tool for mapping resilience and guiding targeted policies in Serbia, enabling region-specific efforts to address structural resilience gaps. Full article

To achieve efficient development of medium-depth and shallow high-rank coalbed methane in the Qinshui Basin of Shanxi Province, the authors focused on the microscopic methane release mechanism. Through scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and isothermal adsorption experiments, the pore structure, distribution patterns, and influence of hydration effects in this type of coal were revealed. It was clarified that the ineffective utilization of “bound-state” methane within nanopores is the key factor leading to low productivity and efficiency in coalbed methane development. Further, based on molecular simulations, the competitive adsorption characteristics between water and methane molecules were quantified, indicating that about 78% of the methane in the internal pores of 4 nm coal molecular clusters cannot be desorbed through pressure reduction. Meanwhile, the production enhancement mechanism of hydraulic fracturing on coal seam depressurization, permeability enhancement, reduction in low-speed diffusion distance, and enhancement of high-speed linear flow was clarified. Through large-scale pad water injection and stepwise slow production increase, the coal seam can be fully communicated, the reservoir effectively stimulated, and the adsorbed methane sufficiently released. This paper establishes a “channeled” fracturing concept and its supporting technological system for medium-depth and shallow high-rank coal, which has been successfully applied in field operations. The pilot well group achieved stable daily production exceeding 50,000 cubic meters per day, laying a solid foundation for the continuous and stable production increase in medium-depth and shallow high-rank coalbed methane in the Qinshui Basin. Full article

This study examined how social media content influences value co-creation among organic product consumers through the mediating roles of environmental awareness, green truth, and environmental attitude. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, social media content is conceptualized as a stimulus, environmental awareness, green trust, and environmental attitude as internal organism states, and value co-creation as the behavioral response. A cross-sectional quantitative design was applied using a 20-item questionnaire administered to 739 organic-product consumers. Data were analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that social media content does not directly affect value co-creation but significantly influences environmental awareness, green trust, and environmental attitude. Environmental awareness and green trust positively affect both environmental attitude and value co-creation, and environmental attitude emerges as the strongest direct predictor of value co-creation. These findings confirm the mediating role of cognitive and attitudinal mechanisms in transforming digital sustainability content into collaborative consumer behavior. This study contributes to the literature on sustainable consumption by integrating communication, cognitive, and attitudinal variables in a single explanatory model. Practically, the findings suggest that sustainability communication strategies in digital environments should prioritize credibility and environmental knowledge to foster consumer participation in value co-creation. Full article

In the context of rural sustainability and poverty alleviation within the developing world, a key dilemma facing the international community is to identify suitable strategies and mechanisms to bring multiple stakeholders together to work in efficient and sustainable ways. This paper focuses on the Public–Private–Producer Partnership (4P), a model that involves cooperation between government agencies, business firms, and small-scale producers to foster mutual trust and enhance collaboration through infrastructure development and capacity building in the agricultural value chain. Drawing on evidence from China, Indonesia, Rwanda, Ghana, and Nigeria, this study examines the impact of 4P on crop productivity, agricultural infrastructure, market access, stakeholder empowerment, employment, the land tenure system, and household income. This paper combines value chain analysis, Theory of Change mapping, and both qualitative and quantitative evaluation techniques to assess how the 4P model functions in different institutional and ecological contexts. While the model promotes inclusive growth, it also faces challenges such as price volatility, insufficient long-term sustainability, and limited integration of smallholder farmers into formal value chains. The paper discusses policy implications for improving the 4P model’s effectiveness in poverty alleviation and local economic development, highlighting the importance of better governance structures, financial mechanisms, and market stability. This paper sheds new light on inclusive, justified, and sustainable collaboration mechanisms for participatory agencies and individuals. Full article

The Hyakuzahōdan Kikigakishō (百座法談聞書抄, hereafter Hyakuza 百座), compiled in the late Heian period, is an important Buddhist document that records a hundred-day lecture series on the Lotus Sutra (法華経). While previous scholarship has recognized the constructed nature of the text as a kikigaki (聞書), it has predominantly focused on content analysis, implicitly treating the text as a transparent window into the actual preaching event. To move beyond this limitation, this study proposes the analytical framework of dual performativity and, drawing on Diana Taylor’s theory of the archive and the repertoire, reexamines the text’s generative logic and political implications. This study argues that the Hyakuza embodies two interrelated forms of performance: first, the performativity of the hōdan (法談) as a live ritual, understood as a repertoire performance that constructs immediate authority through body, voice, and situational dynamics; second, the performativity of the kikigaki as textual construction, understood as an archival performance that transforms the ephemeral oral event into an authoritative, transmissible text through formulaic rhetoric, localized adaptation, and systematic arrangement. Integrating methodologies from textual history, rhetorical analysis, ritual theory, and intellectual history, this study demonstrates that the Hyakuza is not a neutral transcript of sermons but a meticulous, intentional act of writing with two fundamental aims: on a cultural level, to hierarchically integrate shinbutsu shūgō (神仏習合) through narrative appropriation; on a social level, to symbolically bind Buddhist merit with the institutional identities of aristocrats such as naishinnō (内親王), ultimately serving the self-affirmation internal cohesion, and cultural demarcation of the elite community from the masses, while simultaneously contributing to the state’s project of constructing a unified ideology in the late Heian period. By examining both cross-civilizational universal logic and specific historical context, this study reveals how the Hyakuza’s dual performativity produces and categorizes knowledge narratives while embedding political power dynamics, offering a critical path for the study of kikigaki-genre literature from discourse analysis to politics of textuality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Assistive technologies are commonly used as a compensatory strategy for individuals with neurological conditions. However, several negative factors have been associated with their use, leading to their non-use or interruption. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the potential of the Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment (ATD-PA) as an outcome measure to identify psychosocial and user-perceived factors associated with the non-use or interruption of assistive technology, particularly mobility devices. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional and non-experimental design was employed, as no variables were manipulated. The sample was selected using non-probability convenience sampling and consisted of 80 participants, of which 14 participants discontinued or interrupted the use of assistive technology. An ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire was administered, along with the Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment, based on the Matching Person and Technology (MPT) model. Results: Factors related to non-use or interruption appeared to be associated with higher perceived levels of global health, self-care, and physical well-being. Findings from the ATD-PA, used as an indicator of subjective satisfaction, showed strong associations between the perceived level of loss and the need for assistive technologies in domains such as comfort, self-care, and general health (r = 0.72–0.90). The perceived benefit of the device was closely linked to knowledge of its use, safety, fit with personal habits, and perceived capability and stamina (r = 0.69–0.94). Comfort using the device was mainly reported in familiar environments such as with family and friends. In contrast, comfort in broader community contexts did not demonstrate meaningful associations. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with Lauer’s model of non-use and highlight the importance of psychosocial determinants such as perceived health, safety, support, and contextual comfort in understanding the interruption or non-use of assistive technology, in line with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework. The ATD-PA shows potential as an outcome-oriented tool to support follow-up and the early identification of risk factors for non-use. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand usage patterns over time. In Spain, the lack of standardized outcome evaluation protocols and systematic follow-up processes underscore the need for structured monitoring strategies in assistive technology provision. Full article

Coprophagous flies can convert livestock manure into protein-rich larval biomass for animal feed, but manure-based rearing raises biosafety concerns. This study characterized the internal bacterial community dynamics across development in Aldrichina grahami and Boettcherisca peregrina reared on swine manure, aiming to identify developmental stages with a lower microbial hazard profile. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of pooled internal samples, we analyzed communities from third-instar larvae, dispersing-stage larvae, pupae at multiple time points, and newly emerged adults. Developmental stage strongly structured bacterial composition and altered richness in both species. Communities were dominated by Bacillota and Pseudomonadota, reflecting substrate origin, with pronounced turnover during metamorphosis and stage-specific dominance patterns, indicating developmental filtering rather than uniform microbial clearance. Crucially, dispersing larvae did not show the marked dominance signatures seen in later pupal or adult stages, supporting this stage as a pragmatic harvest window with a comparatively lower microbial-hazard indicator profile. Since downstream processing such as drying or heating will further reduce viable hazards, stage selection serves as an effective upstream control to lower the initial hazard burden entering production. Full article

Effective water resource management requires understanding the causal mechanisms driving water quality dynamics, yet extracting actionable insights from complex multivariate monitoring data remains a persistent challenge. This study presents CEcBaN (CCM-ECCM-Bayesian Networks), a decision-support tool that integrates Convergent Cross Mapping (CCM) for detecting dynamical coupling, Extended CCM (ECCM) for identifying temporal lags and causal directionality, and Bayesian network (BN) modeling for probabilistic scenario-based inference. The tool was designed to enable managers and researchers without programming expertise to reconstruct causal networks from routine monitoring data, distinguish direct from indirect effects, and evaluate intervention scenarios. CEcBaN was validated using four synthetic datasets with known causal structures, achieving superior specificity (0.83) and edge count accuracy (25% error) compared to Transfer Entropy (0.47 specificity, 139% error), Granger causality (0.82, 39% error), and the PC algorithm (0.83, 46% error). Application to Lake Kinneret, Israel, demonstrated the tool’s utility across three water quality challenges: (1) nitrogen cycling, where the nitrification pathway was reconstructed and seasonal stratification was identified as a key modulator (accuracy 0.931); (2) thermal dynamics, where a transition from atmosphere-driven to internally regulated heat transfer during stratification was revealed (2.1-fold increase in coupling strength); and (3) cyanobacterial bloom prediction, where prior phytoplankton community composition provided a 4–6-week early warning window (accuracy 0.846). CEcBaN advances causal inference in water resource management by making these analytical methods accessible through an intuitive interface. Full article

Universities play a strategic role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through community engagement, particularly within medical education. This study examines medical students’ involvement in volunteering activities and evaluates how such engagement contributes to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 499 students from the Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timișoara, using a structured questionnaire assessing perceived community impact, soft skills development, motivation for volunteering, sustainability orientation, and institutional support. Results indicate a high level of availability and prior participation in volunteering, reflecting strong internalization of public health and social responsibility values. While no significant differences were observed between volunteers and non-volunteers regarding perceived community impact (SDG 3), volunteer experience was significantly associated with higher levels of soft skills development and motivation (SDG 4). Strong positive correlations were identified between perceived community impact and motivational, educational, and sustainability related dimensions. The intensity of involvement was modestly associated with sustainability orientation and institutional support. Despite high motivation, students reported limited structured institutional frameworks for sustained engagement. The findings suggest that medical volunteering functions as a dual mechanism, strengthening professional competencies while reinforcing community health orientation. Institutionalizing structured outreach programs, particularly in underserved areas, could enhance long-term impact and align medical education more effectively with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Full article

As a representative large shallow freshwater lake in China, Lake Taihu has suffered from persistent cyanobacterial blooms for a long time. Although intensive restoration actions have been carried out and caused visible improvements, the long-term evolution path and inner driving mechanisms of its ecosystem are still not fully made clear. Based on long-term monitoring data during 2011 to 2024, this study aims to characterize temporal dynamics of the aquatic environment, find out key drivers that shape community succession, and offer a scientific foundation for effective lake management. A series of data about hydrometeorological factors, physicochemical water quality indexes, and biological community data was analyzed by using the Mann–Kendall trend test, Pettitt change-point test, Redundancy Analysis, and correlation heatmaps. The results show that the Taihu ecosystem has experienced a notable regime shift in the past 14 years. First, nitrogenous nutrients reacted quickly to external emission reductions, showing a notable monotonic decline; in comparison, Total Phosphorus and Cyanobacterial Density followed a non-linear “U-shaped” path, with a notable shift happening in 2020, which marks the change from a “deterioration phase” to a “recovery phase.” Second, correlation analysis has confirmed that the lake is mainly phosphorus-limited, and a clear “decoupling” between nitrogen levels and algal outbreaks has taken place. Third, the “10-year Fishing Ban” (initiated in 2020), together with sustained phosphorus control, reduced the competitive exclusion of phytoplankton by cyanobacteria, promoting the recent rebound in biodiversity. This study points out that Lake Taihu has passed a tipping point of ecological restoration, shifting from a turbid “algae-dominated state” to a stable state with higher biodiversity. Future management strategies should put first the mitigation of internal phosphorus loading and adaptive management against extreme climatic events. Full article

Osteoarthritis (OA) has emerged as a significant public health crisis in Latin America, with prevalence rates in Mexico doubling over the last two decades. Despite this growing burden, current management in underrepresented populations —defined here as groups facing structural barriers to care, including rural or remote communities, uninsured individuals, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups —is hindered by a critical mismatch between international guidelines and regional healthcare realities. This narrative review, synthesized under the SANRA framework, evaluates the last 20 years of evidence to address the structural and clinical barriers that sustain a 50% diagnostic gap at the primary care level and high rates of inadequate pain relief. Using Mexico as a primary case study, we move beyond conventional symptomatic treatment to explore the complex interplay of central sensitization, neuroinflammation, and metabolic phenotypes, factors often overlooked in standardized protocols. By identifying the limitations of current pharmacological reliance and the underutilization of non-pharmacological interventions, this work proposes a strategic shift toward a multidisciplinary, patient-centered model. We outline a translational roadmap that integrates multi-omic research with personalized therapeutic strategies, emphasizing the need for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines tailored to the socioeconomic and genetic contexts of Latin American patients. Ultimately, this review serves as a call to action to bridge the healthcare disparity gap, offering a framework for innovative, integrative care to transform long-term clinical outcomes in developing healthcare systems. Full article

Background: This study aims to examine the level of awareness, attitudes (including stigma and discrimination), and behaviors related to tuberculosis among the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan to identify priorities for raising awareness and reducing stigma. Methods: The study interviewed 2400 people from six regions of Kazakhstan using stratified random sampling based on gender and age. Respondents were chosen from cities and villages, including RK citizens over 18 who could answer questions. Additionally, 400 people with HIV, 200 drug users, 200 internal migrants, and 500 health workers were interviewed. Recruitment was done through profile organizations and the snowball method, with all participants giving informed consent. Results: The study showed different levels of knowledge about tuberculosis (TB) in Kazakhstan. Radiography was the most commonly known detection method (71–91%). Awareness of sputum testing was highest among drug users (84%) and HIV patients (77%), but lower among internal migrants (39%). Internal migrants had the most uncertainty about TB tests (17%). Stigmatizing views of TB patients existed, with 28–38% believing most people reject them. Among healthcare workers, only 38. 8% correctly identified the G-Xpert test for TB and rifampicin resistance, and over one-third misunderstood the Mantoux test’s purpose. Conclusions: The findings show a need for focused educational efforts to boost TB awareness and lessen stigma, especially among internal migrants and the general public. Vulnerable groups, like PLHIV and PWUD, have higher awareness but still encounter major barriers. Improving healthcare workers’ knowledge about TB diagnostics is also crucial. Specific communication strategies and policies are needed to improve TB detection, reduce social stigma, and improve healthcare access for at-risk groups in Kazakhstan. Full article