Search Results (594)

Accurate land use/land cover (LULC) maps generated through cloud computing can support large-scale land management. Leveraging the rich resources of Google Earth Engine (GEE) is essential for developing historical maps that facilitate the analysis of regional LULC dynamics. We implemented the best-performing scheme on GEE to produce 30 m LULC maps for the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration (SPUA) and to detect LULC changes, while closely observing the spatio-temporal trends of landscape patterns during 2004–2024 using the Shannon Diversity Index, Patch Density, and other metrics. The results indicate that (a) Gradient Tree Boost (GTB) marginally outperformed Random Forest (RF) under identical feature combinations, with overall accuracies consistently exceeding 90.30%; (b) integrating topographic features, remote sensing indices, spectral bands, land surface temperature, and nighttime light data into the GTB classifier yielded the highest accuracy (OA = 93.68%, Kappa = 0.92); (c) over the 20-year period, cultivated land experienced the most substantial reduction (11,128.09 km²), accompanied by impressive growth in built-up land (9677.21 km²); and (d) landscape patterns in central and eastern SPUA changed most noticeably, with diversity, fragmentation, and complexity increasing, and connectivity decreasing. These results underscore the strong potential of GEE for LULC mapping at the urban agglomeration scale, providing a robust basis for long-term dynamic process analysis. Full article

Antiviral peptides (AVPs) are promising therapeutic candidates, yet the rapid growth of sequence data and the field’s emphasis on predictors have left a gap: the lack of an integrated view linking peptide chemistry with biological context. Here, we map the AVP landscape through interactive data mining using Half-Space Proximal Networks (HSPNs) and Metadata Networks (MNs) in the StarPep toolbox. HSPNs minimize edges and avoid fixed thresholds, reducing computational cost while enabling high-resolution analysis. A threshold-free HSPN resolved eight chemically and biologically distinct communities, while MNs contextualized AVPs by source, function, and target, revealing structural–functional relationships. To capture diversity compactly, we applied centrality-guided scaffold extraction with redundancy removal (90–50% identity), producing four representative subsets suitable for modeling and similarity searches. Alignment-free motif discovery yielded 33 validated motifs, including 10 overlapping with reported AVP signatures and 23 apparently novel. Motifs displayed category-specific enrichment across antimicrobial classes, and sequences carrying multiple motifs (≥4–5) consistently showed higher predicted antiviral probabilities. Beyond computational insights, scaffolds provide representative “entry points” into AVP chemical space, while motifs serve as modular building blocks for rational design. Together, these resources provide an integrated framework that may inform AVP discovery and support scaffold- and motif-guided therapeutic design. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) play a key role in the sustainable development of rural areas—yet they remain poorly quantified in planning practice. This study examines the relationship between the supply and demand of CES provided by various types of Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) in a rural landscape, using the municipality of Sosnowica (eastern Poland) as a case study. Landscapes such as forests, agricultural land, wetlands, and inland waters were evaluated using a set of biophysical and socio-economic indicators that reflect both their potential (supply) and actual use (demand) in terms of services such as recreation, landscape aesthetics, and cultural heritage. The findings reveal significant spatial disparities between CES supply and demand: forests and inland waters exhibit the highest supply potential, while agricultural land shows untapped opportunities in tourism and recreation. Wetlands, in particular, face notable service deficits—highlighting the need for targeted infrastructure and management interventions. Statistical analyses (Pearson correlation, Kruskal–Wallis test, Tukey HSD test) confirmed that the key factors shaping CES are accessibility and environmental attractiveness. The results indicate that CES mapping is a valuable tool for supporting sustainable rural planning, reinforcing local identity, counteracting depopulation, and stimulating socio-economic development. Full article

Lignocellulosic agricultural residues represent a rich source of potential feedstock for biorefinery applications, but their valorization remains challenging. The white-rot fungus Irpex lacteus J2 exhibited a promising degradation effect, but its molecular mechanisms of lignocellulose degradation remained largely uncharacterized. Here, we performed high-quality whole-genome sequencing and untargeted metabolomic profiling of I. lacteus J2 during the degradation of corn straw as the sole carbon source. The assembled I. lacteus J2 genome contained 14,647 protein-coding genes, revealing a rich genetic repertoire for biomass degradation and secondary metabolite synthesis. Comparative genomics showed high synteny (mean amino acid sequence identity 92.28%) with I. lacteus Irplac1. Untargeted metabolomic analysis unveiled a dynamic metabolic landscape during corn straw fermentation. Dominant metabolite classes included organic acids and derivatives (27.32%) and lipids and lipid-like molecules (25.40%), as well as heterocyclic compounds (20.41%). KEGG pathway-enrichment analysis highlighted significant activation of core metabolic pathways, with prominent enrichment in global metabolism (160 metabolites), amino acid metabolism (99 metabolites), carbohydrate metabolism (24 metabolites), and lipid metabolism (19 metabolites). Fermentation profiles at 3 and 15 days demonstrated substantial metabolic reprogramming, with up to 210 upregulated and 166 downregulated metabolites. Correlation analyses further revealed complex metabolic interdependencies and potential regulatory roles of key compounds. These integrated multi-omics insights significantly expand our understanding of the genetic basis and metabolic versatility, enabling I. lacteus J2 to efficiently utilize lignocellulose. Our findings position I. lacteus J2 as a robust model strain and provide a valuable foundation for developing advanced fungus-based strategies for sustainable bioprocessing and valorization of agricultural residues. Full article

This study examines the evolution and current challenges of Catholic Higher Education (CHE) in South Korea within the context of globalization and neoliberal educational reform. It explores how Korean Catholic universities balance their distinctive mission with intensifying pressures for competitiveness, external validation, and adaptation to secular academic norms. Drawing on P. Boudieu’s field theory and H. Richard Niebuhr’s typology of Christian responses to culture, the analysis frames the ways institutions of Korean CHE navigate the sometimes contrary currents of their institutional aims—simultaneously striving for academic excellence and maintaining Catholic identity. Case studies of three major Korean Catholic universities illustrate how leadership and curricular programs reflect the ongoing negotiation between mission-driven imperatives and market demands. The paper contends that living within this tension is not a sign of deficiency. It can actually be a source of resilience and innovation. The Korean experience of CHE offers insights for Catholic universities facing similar dilemmas globally, suggesting that engaging proactively with the seemingly contrary paradoxical demands can sustain the integrity of mission while fostering adaptive capacity amid the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. Full article

Traditions in connection with foods do not just refer to the kinds of food consumed, but also to the place and society they originated from and the ways the items to be consumed were obtained and prepared. There is a tendency to believe that what people ate in former times was more natural, nutritionally superior and generally healthier than what we include in our diets nowadays. Although this is true for some foods, it is not correct for all foods and one needs to be critical and accept that even in the past some, dangerously unhealthy and nutritionally deficient food items and diets existed and that in our modern society we avoid various foods for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, in addition to age-old methods to preserve foods and make them palatable, we developed new ways to increase the shelf life of our food products and learned to improve taste and quality of some of our foods. Some dishes and ingredients are used to highlight important occasions and commemorative events. This paper critically evaluates the nutritional and cultural significance of traditional foods and explores the factors influencing their acceptance or rejection among contemporary consumers. By re-evaluating the cultural and nutritional roles of traditional foods, this paper contributes to ongoing discussions on health, identity, and sustainability in the global food landscape. Moreover, it functions as a conceptual lens to help decide which of the traditional foods and beverages to keep, modify, or discard. Full article

This study examines intergenerational transmission of Russian within the U.S. Russophone diaspora in the wake of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It addresses: (1) parents’ motivations and practices surrounding intergenerational language transmission; and (2) challenges faced by Russian-speaking families in today’s shifting sociopolitical landscape. The study draws on semi-structured Zoom interviews with 16 Russian-speaking parents in the United States, each raising children aged 3–15 and representing four different immigration periods, from the early 1990s to 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Findings reveal that heritage language maintenance is shaped not only by linguistic choices, but also by political and ethical considerations. While all parents continue to view Russian as a source of identity, cultural capital, and familial cohesion, many also actively disassociate the language from its sociopolitical ties to the aggressor state. Shared aspirations for bilingualism are tempered by internal and external pressures, including children’s growing agency, family dynamics, challenges of immigrant life, and war-driven fractures within the diaspora. This study contributes to research on heritage language maintenance and family language policies by exploring how global geopolitical events are negotiated through intimate, everyday language practices in immigrant households. Full article

This article examines the entangled relationship between hagiographic memory, liturgical space, and sacred landscape in the rock-cut monastic settlements of Cappadocia. Drawing on archeological, iconographic, and acoustic analyses, this article argues that the morphology of these sanctuaries—shaped by volcanic tuff and carved over centuries—was not only functional but performed a theological and mnemonic function. The spatial arrangement of apses, naves, and funerary chambers encoded rituals and commemorative acts, while painted iconographies mediated doctrinal meaning and cosmic orientation. Furthermore, this study situates Cappadocia within broader traditions of monastic hagiography, tracing how carved architecture preserved saintly narratives, communal memory, and devotional performance. By engaging with recent debates in heritage theory, the article also contends that these monastic landscapes continue to act as living archives, sustaining religious and cultural identities beyond their historical moment. The study thus contributes to emerging interdisciplinary discussions on sacred space, material devotion, and the performativity of memory in medieval Christian monasticism. Full article

This paper explores the concept of diasporic hybridity through Hanshan’s (Cold Mountain) life and poetry during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Departing from traditional diaspora models of forced migration, Hanshan’s voluntary exile from the Confucian-dominated capital to the spiritually diverse Tiantai Mountain reveals how internal dislocation can foster hybrid religious identities. Through a close reading of his poetry and spiritual journey, this study argues that Hanshan embodies the Chinese philosophy of Hehe (和合), which is a model of religious pluralism grounded in “harmony through difference.” By integrating Homi Bhabha’s “third space” theory and Arjun Appadurai’s “diaspora landscape,” the paper demonstrates how Hanshan’s engagement with Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism presents a dynamic framework for understanding interreligious dialog. Hanshan’s hybrid spiritual identity thus offers a transhistorical lens for reimagining religious pluralism in both historical and contemporary contexts. Full article

The traditional Arab-Islamic urban fabric of Riyadh, with its emphasis on privacy, social cohesion, and environmental adaptation, was radically disrupted when the 1970s Doxiadis master plan was implemented, transforming the city into a car-dependent gridiron design. The shift led to ever-spreading sprawl, reduced pedestrian-friendliness, and eroded local identity. Using Hegelian dialectics methodology, this paper proposes integration of fused grid theory and urban Islamic fractals geometry in the urban fabric of the city. Specifically for Riyadh, the proposed changes encourage urban quadrant nesting, change of block scale and layout, fractal landscape integration, and multi-modal permeability. These adaptations are intended to increase connectivity, reduce crash rates, minimize impacts on the environment, enhance walkability, and elevate overall quality of life. Full article

Macau’s Ching Chau Hill, as a composite entity of modern industrial heritage and natural cultural landscape, faces the dual challenges of conservation and regeneration. This study takes Ching Chau Hill as a case study, integrating structural equation modeling (SEM) with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and combining the theory of the creative class, to construct an evaluation model of “industrial heritage-creative perception-cultural innovation.” Through questionnaire surveys, data from the creative class were collected, and SEM was employed for path analysis and hypothesis testing, while GIS was used for spatial analysis and visualization. This study systematically explores the creative perception pathways of industrial heritage value from the perspective of the creative class and its driving mechanisms for cultural inheritance and innovation. This study found that the retention rate of industrial structures (73%) and the “sacred-industrial” axis formed by the integrity of the spatial sequence (β = 0.58) together constitute the core of the material attachment path, and there is a significant threshold for the site identity effect: when the material authenticity score exceeds the 3.5 critical point, the identity value jumps by 37.8%, which provides a quantitative basis for the precise protection of “ruin aesthetics”. In the process of transforming cultural inheritance into innovative practice, the participation in creative activities showed a mediating effect of 72.1%, and the driving efficiency of co-creation activities was ten times higher than that of ceremonial guided tours, confirming the core position of “learning by doing” in heritage revitalization. The results show the following: (1) the creative class’s perception of the aesthetic uniqueness and historical memory of Ching Chau Hill’s industrial heritage significantly and positively influences their recognition of its creative value; (2) spatial accessibility and environmental atmosphere are key geographical factors affecting creative perception; (3) recognition of creative value effectively drives the innovative transformation of cultural heritage by stimulating participation willingness and innovative ideas. This study provides a strategy basis with both theoretical depth and practical guidance value for the revitalization and utilization of industrial heritage in post-industrial urban renewal. Full article

This article aims to understand Muslim voting trends in the United Kingdom through a study of the movement that called itself The Muslim Vote. Drawing on interviews and other publicly available primary material, it uses Social Movement Theory to analyse the movement that emerged in the post-7 October 2023 landscape. It argues that voter fatigue with both the Labour and Conservative Parties, due to their failure to address acute economic issues in the UK, as well as both parties’ support for Israel, created opportunities for TMV to emerge. Consequently, TMV mobilised resources, including decades of political experience and a new emerging group of politically educated youth, to help power its campaign. It also demonstrates how TMV used common frames of reference for Muslims, such as the Ummah, aided by social media apps, shining light on Israel’s actions in Palestine to engage Muslims across the UK. In highlighting some of the nascent successes of TMV’s efforts in co-ordination with local Muslim groups, whereby independent candidates came to power, it demonstrates that TMV has the latent ability to reshape Muslim political identity if it were to continue its momentum. Through this enquiry, it finally lends itself to the literature that examines Muslim voting trends in the UK and Europe. Full article

Protein identity and functional roles within the cell provide the landscape of proteomics and other high-throughput technologies. However, not all protein sequences are cataloged with an identity or a functional protein family. The lack of identity and functional role of a set of proteins are collectively named as the dark proteome. Key structural features are, for example, ordered sequences (with a defined structural arrangement) and disordered sequences (presenting one or more intrinsically disordered stretches). Here, we reanalyzed eight proteomic datasets and the subset of the “unknown” proteome of S. lycopersicum to describe if there is a relationship between disorder, length, and tissue-specific abundance of proteins with key structural features in the relation of ordered/disordered abundance in the protein sequences. Intriguingly, we unveil that from the S. lycopersicum proteome, the “unknown” subset represents around 10% only. We further cataloged dark proteome in terms of ordered and disordered sequences and found that proteins with disorder represent around 23% of the total “unknown” proteins. Also, we describe an amino acid composition and sequence length enrichment both, in the ordered and disordered fraction of the dark proteome. Finally, we describe that proteins within the dark proteome can be related to a specific location and abundance in an organ or tissue. An unknown protein sequence presenting a combination of specific length and degree of disorder can be explored with other biotechnological alternatives to improve responses or tolerate abiotic stress, also serving as sensors during development or ripening stages. These findings suggest an opportunity to study “protein darkness” in terms of disorder and functional associations. Full article

This study investigates the intertwined relationships and ideological visions of Max Nordau, Ignác Goldziher, and Abraham Shalom Yahuda, focusing on the evolution of modern Jewish scholarship, identity, and political affiliation around the turn of the twentieth century. Drawing on a diverse range of primary sources—including Nordau’s correspondence to Goldziher, Goldziher’s diaries, and contemporary press materials—it analyzes the complex dynamics among these three figures, each representing distinct biographical trajectories and ideological commitments. Particular emphasis is placed on Yahuda’s career in Madrid, his engagement with Sephardism, and his dual identity that positioned him as a unique intermediary between Eastern and Western Jewry. The study further explores Yahuda’s involvement with the Zionist movement and his stance on the Arab-Jewish question, highlighting his role in fostering Jewish–Arab cultural dialogue amid Zionist and assimilationist tensions. Ultimately, this research aims to elucidate how Jewish self-narratives were negotiated and transformed within the intellectual and political landscapes of the era, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of Jewish modernity at the dawn of the twentieth century. Full article

This study investigates the social processes of place-making, sense of place, and place branding within the context of private art museums in Eastern China, highlighting their role in fostering social interaction and contributing to urban sustainability. By examining the relationship between exhibition design, interactive features, and audience engagement, the research demonstrates how these museums act as cultural spaces that not only display art but also facilitate dialog, community building, and cultural reflection. Using a mixed methods approach, including surveys and case studies, this study explores how private art museums employ place-making strategies to create immersive environments that blur the boundaries between art, architecture, and visitors. These museums enhance emotional engagement, promote cultural understanding, and support sustainable cultural identities within urban spaces. The findings reveal that through thoughtful design and community-centered programming, private art museums in Eastern China contribute to the social sustainability of urban areas by creating spaces that are both culturally and emotionally resonant. Furthermore, the place branding of these museums positions them as dynamic cultural landmarks, reinforcing their significance in the urban landscape and fostering ongoing social interaction. Full article