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The precipitation of minerals, in particular carbonates, is a widespread phenomenon in all ecosystems, where it assumes a high relevance both from a geological and biogeochemical standpoint. Most carbonate rocks are of biological origin and made in an aquatic environment. In particular, bioprecipitation of carbonates is believed to have started in the Mesoproterozoic Era, thanks to a process often driven by photosynthetic microorganisms. Nevertheless, an important contribution to carbonate precipitation is also due to the metabolic activity of heterotrophic bacteria, which is not restricted to specific taxonomic groups or to specific environments, making this process a ubiquitous phenomenon. In this framework, the relationship between carbonatogenic microorganisms and other living organisms assumes a particular interest. This study aims to isolate and identify the culturable heterotrophic bacterial component associated with the coenosarc of Corallium rubrum in order to evaluate the occurrence of strains able to precipitate carbonates. In particular, the study was focused on the identification and characterisation of bacterial strains isolated from a coral coenosarc showing a high carbonatogenic capacity under laboratory conditions. Samples of C. rubrum were taken in the coastal waters of three Italian regions. The concentration of the aerobic heterotrophic microflora colonising C. rubrum coenosarc samples spanned from 3 to 6∙10⁶ CFU/cm². This variation in microbial populations colonising the C. rubrum coenosarc, spanning over 6 orders of magnitude, is not mirrored by a corresponding variability in the colony morphotypes recorded, with the mean being 5.1 (±2.1 sd). Among these bacteria, the carbonatogenic predominant species was Staphylococcus equorum (93% of the isolates), whereas Staphylococcus xylosus and Shewanella sp. accounted only for 3% of isolates each. All these strains showed a remarkable capacity of precipitating calcium carbonate, in the form of calcite crystals organised radially as well crystalised spherulites (S. equorum) or coalescing spherulites (Shewanella sp.). S. xylosus only produced amorphous precipitates of calcium carbonate. All bacterial strains identified were positive both for the production of urease and carbon anhydrase in vitro at 30 °C. It seems that they potentially possess the major biochemical abilities conducive to Ca²⁺ precipitation, as they showed in vitro. In addition, all our carbonatogenic isolates were able to hydrolyse the phytic acid calcium salt and then were potentially able to induce precipitation of calcium phosphates also through such a mechanism. Full article

Contemporary muralism has gained increasing cultural and social relevance in recent years, becoming a prominent form of urban artistic expression. However, its outdoor exposure makes it highly vulnerable to environmental degradation, raising significant challenges for long-term preservation. While solar radiation is widely recognized as a main agent of deterioration, the impact of rainfall has received comparatively little attention. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the durability of commercial protective coatings applied to modern paints (alkyd, acrylic, and styrene-acrylic) under simulated rain exposure. The ageing protocol replicates approximately 10 years of cumulative rainfall in Central-Southern Europe. A key innovation of this research is the use of a custom-built rain chamber, uniquely designed to expose a large number of samples simultaneously under highly uniform and controlled rain conditions. The system ensures reproducible exposure through a precision-controlled moving platform and programmable rain delivery. A comprehensive set of analytical techniques was employed to assess morphological, chemical, and functional changes in the coatings and paints before and after ageing. Results highlight the limited performance of current protective materials and the need for more effective solutions for the conservation of contemporary outdoor artworks. Full article

Background: Exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (Ex-CBT) is widely seen as the gold-standard treatment for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, minoritized youth are underrepresented in efficacy studies, raising questions about the applicability of Ex-CBT to minoritized youth. Effectiveness data suggest systematic adaptation of Ex-CBT to address youth culture and context is likely needed, and many clinicians make adaptations and augmentations in practice. However, research on the specific strategies clinicians use to address their youth clients’ culture and context within anxiety and OCD treatment is lacking. In the current study, we assess practice-based adaptations, augmentations, and process-based approaches utilized when delivering treatment to youth for OCD and anxiety in public mental health clinics. Methods: We conducted qualitative interviews with 16 clinicians from both specialty anxiety and general mental health clinics serving youth with anxiety or OCD in the public mental health system. Participating clinicians had a mean age of 32.19 (SD = 5.87) and 69% of therapists identified as female; 69% identified as White, 25% identified as Asian, and 6% as Black or African American. In qualitative interviews, clinicians shared how they addressed clients’ culture and context (e.g., social identities, stressors and strengths related to social identities and lived environment). Thematic analysis identified the strategies clinicians employed to address culture and context. Results: Clinicians reported incorporating culture and context through process-based approaches (e.g., building trust gradually, considering clients’ social identity stressors, engaging in self-awareness to facilitate cultural responsiveness) and through culturally adapting and augmenting treatment to promote person-centered care. Core strategies included proactive and ongoing assessment of clients’ cultural and contextual factors, adapting exposures and augmenting Ex-CBT with strategies such as case management and discussion of cultural context, and taking a systems-informed approach to care. Conclusions: Examining practice-based adaptations, augmentations, and process-based approaches to treatment for minoritized youth with OCD or anxiety can inform efforts to understand what comprises person-centered culturally responsive Ex-CBT. Empirical testing of identified strategies is a needed area of future research. Full article

As part of contemporary urban culture, murals support place making and city identity. While much attention has been paid to their role in activating public space during daylight hours, their presence after dark remains largely unexamined. This paper analyzes how mural content interacts with night-time illumination. The research draws on case studies, photographs, luminance measurements, and lighting simulations. It evaluates how existing lighting systems support or undermine the legibility and impact of commercial murals in urban environments. It explores whether standardized architectural lighting guidelines suit murals, how color and surface affect visibility, and which practices improve night-time legibility. The study identifies a gap in existing lighting strategies, noting that uneven lighting distorts intent and reduces public engagement. In response, a new design tool—the Floodlighting Content Readability Map—is proposed to support artists and planners in creating night-visible murals. This paper situates mural illumination within broader debates on creative urbanism and argues that lighting is not just infrastructure, but a cultural and aesthetic tool that extends the reach and resonance of public art in the 24 h city. It further emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and a multi-contextual perspective—encompassing visual, social, environmental, and regulatory dimensions—when designing murals in cities. Full article

Sociotechnical systems (STSs) are generally assumed to be systems that incorporate humans and technology, strongly depending on a sustainable equilibrium between the following nondeterministic social context ingredients: social structures, roles, and rights, as well as the designers’ Holy Grail, the deterministic nature of the underlying technical system. The fact that the relevant social concepts are more mature than the supporting technologies qualifies the digital transformation of sociotechnical systems as a reengineering rather than an engineering endeavor. Preserving the social mission throughout the digital transformation process in varying social contexts is mandatory, making the digital twins (DT) methodology application a contemporary research hotspot. In this research, we combined continuous transformation STS theory principles, an observer-based system-of-sociotechnical-systems (SoSTS) architecture model, and digital twinning methods to address common STS context representation challenges. Additionally, based on model-driven systems engineering methodology and meta-object-facility principles, the research specifies the universal meta-concepts and meta-modeling templates, supporting the creation of arbitrary sociotechnical systems’ external context digital twins. Due to the inherent diversity, significantly influenced by geopolitical, economic, and cultural influencers, a higher education external context specialization illustrates the reusability potentials of the proposed universal meta-concepts. Substituting higher-education-related meta-concepts and meta-models with arbitrary domain-dependent specializations further fosters the proposed universal meta-concepts’ reusability. Full article

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) aims to enhance the quality of life of children with life-limiting conditions and their families through individualized, interdisciplinary support. Among this population, children with neurological diseases represent a substantial and growing group, often facing prolonged disease courses, cognitive impairment, and high prognostic uncertainty. Effective communication is central to PPC; however, it remains deeply influenced by cultural, religious, and spiritual frameworks that shape family perceptions of illness, suffering, and decision-making. This narrative review explores communication strategies in PPC, with a specific focus on children with neurological conditions, highlighting conceptual foundations, cross-cultural variations, and emerging best practices. Key findings highlight the importance of culturally humble approaches, family-centered communication models, and structured tools, such as co-designed advance care planning and dignity therapy, to enhance communication. Additionally, the review highlights the presence of ethical and interdisciplinary challenges, particularly in neonatal and neurology settings, where misaligned team messaging and institutional hesitancy may compromise trust and timely referral to palliative care. Future research, policy, and clinical education priorities should advocate for models that are inclusive, ethically grounded, and tailored to the unique trajectories of neurologically ill children. Integrating cultural competence, team alignment, and family voices is essential for delivering equitable and compassionate PPC across diverse care settings. Full article

The intersection of religion and education in the United States dates to colonial times, as do attempts by religious institutions and individuals to regulate educational content. After a prominent retreat by religious fundamentalists following the Scopes Monkey Trial, conservative Christians have once again entered political debates about educational content in the form of modern culture wars issues. Both conservatives and liberals have attempted to punish educators for political comments made in class, but the influence of religion on individual attitudes has yet to be examined. In this article, we use an original survey experiment to examine individuals’ propensity to punish a professor who makes politically charged comments in class. We also assess whether religious individuals are more likely to punish professors for comments disparaging conservatives or liberals. We find that high-attending religious individuals, including both Evangelicals and Catholics, are more likely to support punishing the professor. However, we find that the propensity to punish is not related to the target of the professor’s comments. These findings suggest a resurgence of religious interest in education as a cultural issue at the individual, and not just institutional, level and a coalition between Evangelicals and Catholics on this issue. Full article

Foodborne illness caused by bacterial pathogens is a global health concern and results in millions of infections annually. Therefore, food products typically undergo several processing stages, including sanitation steps, before being distributed in an attempt to remove pathogens. However, many sanitation methods have compounding effects on the color, texture, flavor, and nutritional quality of the product or do not effectively reduce the pathogens that food can be exposed to. Some bacterial pathogens particularly possess traits and tactics that make them even more difficult to mitigate such as biofilm formation. Non-thermal plasma sanitation techniques, including plasma-treated water (PTW), have proven to be promising methods that significantly reduce pathogenic bacteria that food is exposed to. Published work reveals that PTW can effectively mitigate both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial biofilms. This study presents a novel analysis of the differences in antimicrobial effects of PTW treatment between biofilm-forming gram-positive bacteria, commonly associated with foodborne illness, that are sporulating (Bacillus cereus) and non-sporulating (Listeria monocytogenes). After treatment with PTW, the results suggest the following hypotheses: (1) that the non-sporulating species experiences less membrane damage but a greater reduction in metabolic activity, leading to a possible viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, and (2) that the sporulating species undergoes spore formation, which may subsequently convert into vegetative cells over time. PTW treatment on gram-positive bacterial biofilms that persist in food processing environments proves to be effective in reducing the proliferating abilities of the bacteria. However, the variance in PTW’s effects on metabolic activity and cell vitality between sporulating and non-sporulating species suggest that other survival tactics might be induced. This analysis further informs the application of PTW in food processing as an effective sanitation method. Full article

Artificial intelligence technologies, particularly machine learning and computer vision, are being increasingly utilized to preserve, restore, and create immersive virtual experiences with cultural artifacts and sites, thus aiding in conserving cultural heritage and making it accessible to a global audience. This paper examines the performance of Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), especially Style-Based Generator Architecture (StyleGAN), as a deep learning approach for producing realistic images of Egyptian monuments. We used Sigmoid loss for Language–Image Pre-training (SigLIP) as a unique image–text alignment system to guide monument generation through semantic elements. We also studied truncation methods to regulate the generated image noise and identify the most effective parameter settings based on architectural representation versus diverse output creation. An improved discriminator design that combined noise addition with squeeze-and-excitation blocks and a modified MinibatchStdLayer produced 27.5% better Fréchet Inception Distance performance than the original discriminator models. Moreover, differential evolution for latent-space optimization reduced alignment mistakes during specific monument construction tasks by about 15%. We checked a wide range of truncation values from 0.1 to 1.0 and found that somewhere between 0.4 and 0.7 was the best range because it allowed for good accuracy while retaining many different architectural elements. Our findings indicate that specific model optimization strategies produce superior outcomes by creating better-quality and historically correct representations of diverse Egyptian monuments. Thus, the developed technology may be instrumental in generating educational and archaeological visualization assets while adding virtual tourism capabilities. Full article

Background/Objectives: The social importance of health literacy (HL) is widely understood, and its measurement is the subject of various studies. Due to the recent pandemic, several instruments for measuring HL about COVID-19 have been proposed in different countries, including the HLS-COVID-Q22 questionnaire. The diversity of cultures and languages necessitates the cross-cultural adaptation of this instrument. Thus, the present study translates, adapts, and validates the psychometric properties of the HLS-COVID-Q22 questionnaire to provide its cross-cultural adaptation from English to Spanish (Peru). Methods: As part of ensuring that the final questionnaire accommodates the cultural nuances and idiosyncrasies of the target language, the following activities were carried out: (a) a survey of 40 respondents; and (b) a focus group with 10 participants, followed by expert approval. In addition, the validity and reliability of the health instrument have been ascertained through a further pilot test administered to 490 people in the city of Tacna in southern Peru. Results: The resulting questionnaire helps measure HL in Peru, aiding better-informed decision-making for individual health choices. Conclusions: The presence of such a tool is advantageous in case of similar global health emergencies, when the questionnaire can be made readily available to support a promotion of strategies towards better self-care. Moreover, it encourages other Latin American stakeholders to adjust the instrument to their own cultural, language, and socio-economic contexts, thus invigorating the regional and global expansion of the HL study network. Full article

One of the most important features of Metschnikowia pulcherrima is its strong antimicrobial activity against phytopathogens, which makes it a suitable candidate for use in biocontrol during crop cultivation. However, the mechanisms of its antimicrobial activity are not currently well understood. In this study, we used metabolomic methods to investigate the possible mechanisms of antimicrobial activity by M. pulcherrima against phytopathogenic fungi. First, we tested the antimicrobial activity of five selected isolates against eleven phytopathogenic molds. Based on the results, selected yeast–pathogen co-cultures were cultivated on liquid and solid media. The supernatants from the liquid co-cultures were analyzed using the UHPLC-QToF-UHRMS and MS/MS methods. Co-culture growth on solid agar media was examined using the LARAPPI/CI MSI method. The yeast exhibited strong antagonism toward the mold phytopathogens. The LARAPPI/CI MSI method revealed the presence of various compounds with potential antifungal activity. The complex UHPLC-QToF-UHRMS analysis confirmed that the metabolic response of M. pulcherrima depends on specific yeast–pathogen interactions. Full article

The purpose of this research is to examine employee perceptions regarding the implementation of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) practices in financial institutions, with a comparative focus on urban and rural banks in the Republic of Serbia. The study investigates how employees assess environmental, social, and governance aspects of ESG, as well as their own role in applying these principles in everyday work. The results reveal statistically significant differences between the two groups; employees in urban banks report greater engagement, more access to training, and stronger involvement in ESG decision-making. These findings suggest the existence of more developed institutional support, infrastructure, and organisational culture in urban banks. In contrast, employees in rural banks highlight the need for enhanced training, clearer ESG guidance, and improved oversight mechanisms. The study underlines the importance of investing in employee development and internal communication, particularly in rural contexts, to improve ESG outcomes. By focusing on employee-level perceptions, this research contributes to the understanding of how organisational and geographic factors influence the implementation of ESG-related practices in financial institutions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Senior nurses in Taiwan shoulder layered responsibilities shaped by professional roles, gendered expectations, and family duty. Although Taiwan faces a persistent shortage of experienced clinical nurses, limited research has explored how long-serving nurses sustain identity and commitment across decades of caregiving. This study examines how senior staff nurses understand their journeys of becoming—and remaining—nurses within a culturally and emotionally complex landscape. Methods: Interviews were conducted between May 2019 and September 2023 in locations chosen by participants, with most sessions face-to-face and others undertaken via video conferencing during COVID-19. This narrative inquiry involved in-depth, multi-session interviews with five female senior staff nurses born in the 1970s to early 1980s. Each participant reflected on her life and career, supported by co-constructed “nursing life lines.” Thematic narrative analysis was conducted using McCormack’s five-lens framework and Riessman’s model, with ethical rigor ensured through reflexive journaling and participant validation. Results: Three overarching themes emerged: (1) inner strength and endurance, highlighting silent resilience and the ethical weight of caregiving; (2) support and responsibility in relationships, revealing the influence of family, faith, and relational duty; and (3) role navigation and professional identity, showing how nurses revisit meaning, self-understanding, and tensions across time. Participants described emotionally powerful moments, identity re-connection, and cultural values that shaped their paths. Conclusions: These narratives offer a relational and culturally embedded understanding of what it means to sustain a career in nursing. Narrative inquiry created space for reflection, meaning-making, and voice in a system where such voices are often unheard. Identity was not static—it was lived, reshaped, and held in story. Full article

Brain organoid technology has revolutionized in vitro modeling of human neurodevelopment and disease, providing unprecedented insights into cortical patterning, neural circuit assembly, and pathogenic mechanisms of neurological disorders. Critically, human brain organoids uniquely recapitulate human-specific developmental processes—such as the expansion of outer radial glia and neuromelanin—that are absent in rodent models, making them indispensable for studying human brain evolution and dysfunction. However, a major bottleneck persists: Extended culture periods (≥6 months) are empirically required to achieve late-stage maturation markers like synaptic refinement, functional network plasticity, and gliogenesis. Yet prolonged conventional 3D culture exacerbates metabolic stress, hypoxia-induced necrosis, and microenvironmental instability, leading to asynchronous tissue maturation—electrophysiologically active superficial layers juxtaposed with degenerating cores. This immaturity/heterogeneity severely limits their utility in modeling adult-onset disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and high-fidelity drug screening, as organoids fail to recapitulate postnatal transcriptional signatures or neurovascular interactions without bioengineering interventions. We summarize emerging strategies to decouple maturation milestones from rigid temporal frameworks, emphasizing the synergistic integration of chronological optimization (e.g., vascularized co-cultures) and active bioengineering accelerators (e.g., electrical stimulation and microfluidics). By bridging biological timelines with scalable engineering, this review charts a roadmap to generate translationally relevant, functionally mature brain organoids. Full article

This study employs a mixed method. In-depth interviews and observational studies are among the data collection approaches used in qualitative research. The quantitative method measures the weight of respondents’ answers to the distributed questionnaire. The questionnaire, containing 82 items, was distributed to 202 tourists to collect their perceptions based on the 4A tourist components. The results indicate that tourists’ perceptions of attractions, accessibility, and ancillary services are generally positive. In contrast, perceptions of amenity services are less favorable. Using the scores from IFAS, EFAS, and the I-E matrix, the total weighted scores for IFAS and EFAS are 2.68 and 2.83, respectively. The appropriate strategy for BTV is one of aggressive growth in a position of strengths and opportunities. The study highlights key techniques, including the application of information technology in service and promotion, the strengthening of community and government roles, the development of infrastructure and facilities, the utilization of external resources, sustainable innovation, and the encouragement of local governments to issue regulations for halal tourism villages. By identifying drivers and barriers from an economic, environmental, social, and cultural perspective, the SWOT analysis results help design strategies that can make positive contributions to the development of sustainable, community-based halal tourism and digital information in the future. Full article