Search Results (298)

The maritime sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by disruptive technologies and global decarbonization objectives, placing new demands on Maritime Education and Training (MET) systems. Equipping maritime professionals with competencies for low-carbon shipping is now as critical as technological advancement itself. This study examines how disruptive technologies can be effectively integrated into MET frameworks to support environmental sustainability, using Panama as a representative case study of a major flag and maritime service state. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a structured literature review, expert surveys, and a multi-criteria decision-making analysis based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings reveal a significant misalignment between existing MET curricula and the competencies required for decarbonized maritime operations. Key gaps include limited training in alternative fuels, emissions measurement and reporting, energy-efficient technologies, digital analytics, and regulatory compliance. Stakeholders also reported fragmented training provision, uneven access to emerging technologies, and weak coordination between academia, industry, and regulators, particularly in developing contexts. The results highlight the urgent need for curriculum reform and stronger cross-sector collaboration to align MET with evolving technological and regulatory demands. The study provides an applied, evidence-based framework for MET reform, with insights transferable to other systems facing similar decarbonization challenges. Full article

The One Health framework highlights the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, requiring interdisciplinary and multisectoral collaboration to address complex global health challenges. This scoping review protocol aims to guide the systematic mapping on how studies and policy initiatives have incorporated socioecological interconnections within the One Health paradigm, following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and the PRISMA Scr checklist. The experimental design includes searches in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, Health Systems Evidence, Social Systems Evidence, and Google Scholar for the period from 2004 to 2025. The strategy, developed with librarian support and peer reviewed, includes terms in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Pilot searches retrieved 5333 PubMed and 470 LILACS records. Eligible documents must explicitly present two or more of the six One Health dimensions: policies to strengthen health systems; antimicrobial resistance; food safety; environmental health; emerging and re-emerging zoonotic epidemics and pandemics; endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases. A standardized tool was developed for data extraction, synthesizing in narrative, tabular, and graphical formats. The protocol’s utilization will provide comprehensive mapping of practices and policies, identifying achievements, barriers, and knowledge gaps to inform future strategies and strengthen global health governance. Full article

The widening digital divide within the Global Critical Mineral Resource Supply Chain (GCMRS) 4.0 creates significant barriers to cross-border governance and operational efficiency. To quantify and address this disparity, this study identifies 20 Critical Success Factors (CSFs) through expert interviews with 15 industry specialists in South Korea. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework integrating Fuzzy DEMATEL, Analytic Network Process (ANP), and the Choquet integral is developed to map causal relationships and determine factor weights. The empirical results reveal a distinct ‘technology-first’ dependency. Specifically, Scalable Technical Solutions and Cloud Computing Access emerge as the primary driving forces with the highest global weights, while Digital Investment Subsidies serve as the central hub for resource allocation. Unlike generic governance models, this study provides a quantifiable decision-making basis for policymakers. It demonstrates that bridging the hard infrastructure gap is a prerequisite for the effectiveness of soft collaborative mechanisms in the critical mineral sector. Full article

This study explores how social innovation and multi-level governance (MLG) can enhance regional resilience and help overcome the Middle-Income Trap (MIT) through cooperative, community-driven strategies. Focusing on Hungarian self-governments, it examines twinning partnerships—formal relationships between settlements—as potential catalysts of social innovation and regional cohesion. A nationwide questionnaire survey (Number of settlements surveyed: 409; representative by settlement type) conducted between 2024 and 2025 evaluated the motivations, intensity and impacts of these partnerships. The findings reveal that intraethnic twinning networks are more socially active and locally grounded, strengthening community identity and civic participation, even though they provide limited direct economic benefits. By fostering trust, collaboration, and cross-border interaction, these partnerships act as effective platforms for social innovation, supporting more inclusive and territorially integrated development across Central and Eastern Europe. Full article

The Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation and disseminating knowledge within the agricultural sector. This paper proposes a framework for strengthening AKIS in Greece. The study adopts a multi-actor approach, incorporating perspectives from farmers, researchers, policymakers, advisory services, and other relevant stakeholders. A structured questionnaire, administered online from December 2022 to March 2023, gathered responses from 61 senior managers across AKIS actors. By exploring their perceptions and opinions, this study aims to identify challenges and opportunities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of AKIS in Greece. The findings contribute to policy dialogue and offer strategic directions for reinforcing collaborative innovation in the agricultural sector. Full article

Emerging and re-emerging viruses continue to pose major threats to public health. Their ability to adapt, cross species barriers, and spread rapidly can trigger severe outbreaks or even pandemics. Strengthening preparedness with comprehensive and efficient strategies is therefore essential. Here, we explore the key components of viral outbreak preparedness, including surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity, prevention and control measures, non-pharmaceutical interventions, antiviral therapeutics, and research and development. We emphasize the increasing importance of genomic surveillance, wastewater-based surveillance, real-time data sharing, and the One Health approach to better anticipate zoonotic spillovers. Current challenges and future directions are also discussed. Effective preparedness requires transparent risk communication and equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted both the promise of next-generation vaccine platforms and the necessity of maintaining diagnostic capacity, as early testing delays hindered containment efforts. Countries adopted various non-pharmaceutical interventions: risk communication and social distancing proved to be the most effective, while combined workplace infection-prevention measures outperformed single strategies. These experiences highlight the importance of early detection, rapid response, and multisectoral collaboration in mitigating the impact of viral outbreaks. By applying best practices and lessons learned from recent events, global health systems can strengthen resilience and improve readiness for future viral threats. Full article

This study explores the core competencies required for sales and marketing roles in the rapidly evolving NEV sector. Adopting an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, it employs a big data-driven approach to construct a competency framework: web crawlers collected NEV-related recruitment data across over 20 major Chinese cities, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model identified core competency items, and a multi-dimensional consensus scoring process via the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) refined the framework. The resulting validated model comprises nine thematic clusters, reflecting a shift from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales’ traditional skill set. Beyond enriching conventional competencies (customer reception, sales service, CRM, sales support), it highlights emerging capabilities: live-streaming/short-video marketing, digital media operations, and ecosystem-oriented resource collaboration. Further, NGT-based multi-dimensional evaluations (frequency, importance, difficulty) generated a four-quadrant matrix, offering actionable guidance for vocational education and corporate training (VET) curriculum design. Theoretically, this study redefines digital-era automotive sales roles: not mere product sellers, but core actors in user experience co-creation and ecological value integration, which enriches discourse on sales role evolution. Full article

One Health envisions integrated governance across human, animal, and environmental systems to prevent and respond to complex health threats. Despite its global endorsement, One Health implementation often falters due to institutional fragmentation, power asymmetries, and ethical tensions that erode trust and cooperation. This paper proposes the integration of medical-bioethics mediation within One Health governance as a structured, relational mechanism to manage conflict, foster ethical deliberation, and strengthen trust between sectors and communities. We develop a conceptual framework to apply the mediation principles of neutrality, confidentiality, respect, and shared problem-solving beyond clinical ethics toward multisectoral One Health contexts. The framework is illustrated through domain-specific examples from zoonotic disease control, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental health. Medical bioethics mediation can advance conflict transformation, ethical reflection, participatory decision-making, and policy alignment, thereby supporting transparent negotiation of values and institutionalized dialogue of different One Health actors. Future research should pilot mediation-based governance models and assess their effects on intersectoral trust, collaborative capacity, and integrated health outcomes. Full article

The use of underwater vehicles, either remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), has become increasingly relevant in the operation and maintenance (O&M) routines of offshore wind farms. This article provides a critical review of how these platforms are being integrated into inspection and maintenance tasks, contributing not only to safer and more precise operations but also to greater autonomy in challenging marine environments. Beyond the technical and operational aspects, this review highlights their growing connection with artificial intelligence, digital twins, and multi-robot collaboration. The studies analyzed indicate a progressive shift away from conventional methods, traditionally dependent on crewed vessels and manual inspections, toward more automated, sustainable, and integrated approaches that align with the environmental and social commitments of the offshore wind sector. Finally, emerging trends and persisting obstacles, notably energy autonomy, are discussed, outlining the requirements for consolidating a robust, connected, and sustainability-oriented model for offshore maintenance. Full article

Climate change has intensified the frequency, scale, and interconnection of disasters, challenging the resilience of urban social–ecological systems. Progress remains fragmented because studies on climate adaptation, disaster risk, and resilience often evolve in isolation. Using an integrated methodological approach that combines bibliometric and knowledge mapping analyses of 2396 climate change, 1228 disaster risk, and 989 climate-related disaster risk publications (1994–2024) from the Web of Science Core Collection, this study explores global trends, collaboration networks, and thematic evolution. Results show that (1) disaster risk research remains centered on emergency management; (2) climate change resilience emphasizes adaptive governance and nature-based transformation; and (3) climate-related disaster studies increasingly address compound hazards and cross-sectoral feedback. Synthesizing these strands, this study develops a Dynamic Resilience Framework integrating multi-level feedbacks, governance coordination, and spatiotemporal coupling across robustness, redundancy, transformability, and learnability. The framework identifies future research priorities in multi-risk governance, urban transformability, and justice-oriented adaptation. Full article

A concurrent mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the factors influencing COVID-19 prevention and control behaviors and to describe the management model implemented in Mae Sai District, a Thai–Myanmar border community, from June 2022 to May 2023. Mae Sai reported 21,890 confirmed cases and 12 deaths during the pandemic, underscoring the severity of the outbreak and the need for an effective local management model. Quantitative results indicated that attitudes, social support, participation, and service accessibility significantly influenced preventive behaviors among the general public. Among volunteers, perception and attitude were also significant, whereas only social support and participation were influential among government officials. The management model identified in this study demonstrated effectiveness through its coordinated multisectoral operations, high community compliance, and rapid cross-border communication. The model consisted of five components: emergency preparedness drills, organizational management through district and subdistrict disease control centers, a unified incident command system led by the district chief, coordinated domestic and international operations, and enforcement of control measures at formal checkpoints, natural crossings, and within communities. Successful implementation depended on strong collaboration among government agencies, volunteers, private organizations, local communities, and partners in Myanmar. This framework may serve as a practical guideline for managing other communicable diseases and enhancing preparedness for future health threats. Full article

Background/Objectives: Antibiotic shortages are a growing problem which harms patient safety, increases healthcare costs, and accelerates antibiotic resistance. Based on the example of Sweden, the paper aims to illustrate and discuss how an organized collaboration platform can devise several policy interventions against shortages of antibiotics for human use. Methods: We describe how the multi-sectoral collaboration Platinea (Platform for Innovation of Existing Antibiotics) first identified, structured, and prioritized the causes of antibiotic shortages, and then identified and prioritized a set of policy solutions matching these causes. The specific methods applied include expert elicitation, interactive workshops, focus groups, and multi-criteria decision processes. Results: After an overview of about 60 causes of antibiotic shortages, we relate them to 10 prioritized solutions including, e.g., increased inventories, central coordination, integrated IT systems, increased unit prices, yearly fixed payments, and Nordic collaboration in purchasing and production. Conclusions: We propose a process with six steps to devise policy solutions by involving a multi-sectoral stakeholder group: open brainstorming of the problem’s causes, framing them into a clear structure, selecting and prioritizing key causes, matching causes and solutions, and devising prioritization mechanisms about emerging solutions. This approach can be applied to other national contexts and similar policy issues. Full article

Despite the growing importance of green building projects, limited research has explored the factors influencing intergenerational knowledge transfer (IGKT) in this context. As green building projects are increasingly characterized by high environmental standards, technological complexity, and interdisciplinary collaboration, effective knowledge transfer from older to younger employees becomes crucial for ensuring the success and sustainability of these projects. This study addresses this gap by systematically examining the key factors influencing IGKT in green building projects, applying an integrated Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology. Firstly, twelve factors were identified across five dimensions: transfer subjects, inter-subject relationships, transfer objects, transfer channels, and transfer context. Based on expert input, a direct influence matrix was constructed, and centrality and cause degrees were calculated to distinguish causal and result factors. Subsequently, the ISM method was employed to classify the key factors hierarchically and develop a multi-level structural model of their interaction paths. Results show that organizational support climate ranked highest in both centrality and influence, while digital transformation capacity emerged as a key driver in green project environments. Surface-level factors (e.g., knowledge absorption and transmission capability) were highly susceptible; intermediate factors (e.g., motivation, knowledge distance) acted as bridges; and deep-level factors (e.g., knowledge complexity and embeddedness), though lower in centrality, posed long-term structural constraints. This study provides valuable insights for enhancing IGKT and fostering effective cross-generational collaboration, which is essential for advancing sustainable practices in the green building sector. Full article

The Small Island Developing States (SIDSs) in the Latin American and Caribbean region remain among the most vulnerable to climate change, as increasingly frequent and severe disasters threaten infrastructure, human life, and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing these risks requires urgent regional and localized approaches grounded in coordinated climate risk assessment, anticipatory action, and Earth observation science-informed modeling with key support from a strong global community of practice. However, barriers remain to achieving local adaptation measures, including global action measures that conclude before local uptake of climate resilience practices are realized, reinforcing cycles of project impermanence. In this paper, we detail a Jamaica-focused case study that articulates such barriers impeding science and data-informed disaster risk reduction strategies, policies, and durable project implementation. The case study was a longitudinal co-development initiative led by a team of Jamaican and international interdisciplinary, cross-sector experts on climate-related disasters in SIDS. Using principles of co-design, discourse analysis, and systems thinking, the study underscores the need for a place-based framework that centers relevant sectors of society and often-marginalized voices as foundational to bottom-up climate resilience. The resulting Relationship and Place-Based Framework offers a model for localized climate science and technology development and ethical international collaboration for climate action that emphasizes local ownership and self-determination, as bottom-to-top feedback loops are key for managing multi-hazard dynamics and residual risks. Full article

Background: Childhood obesity is a pressing global health challenge. Analyzing the efficacy of interventions is crucial to mitigate its impact and inform effective public health policies. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of interventions (SRI) targeting school-aged children with obesity. Our goal was to identify the key components that contribute to the success of integrated interventions addressing diet/nutrition (D/N), physical activity (PA), and socioemotional skills. Methods: The Cochrane Collaboration methodology and the PRISMA statement were followed. The SRI included the following criteria, established a priori: studies that addressed obesity in school-aged children, including one or more interventions related to physical activity (PA), diet/nutrition (D/N), or socioemotional skills. Following the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) framework, we searched six digital databases using relevant keywords and MeSH terms. The Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess article quality via “function group string” methods. Finally, a thematic synthesis of the SRI findings was conducted. The protocol for this study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD4202454214). Results: Initial screening yielded 127 articles. Following critical appraisal with the MMAT, studies with inadequate methodology, solely descriptive designs, unclear results, or interventions shorter than six months were excluded. Ultimately, 10 studies remained, eight of which included two of the three components of interest (D/N or PA). Conclusions: In this overview, many interventions were presented for the prevention of overweight and obesity in school-age children; however, methodological and standardized limitations still exist that hinder the establishment of effective interventions. Engaging families and teachers as active participants in interventions significantly enhanced effectiveness in both the D/N and PA domains. However, an analysis of current interventions highlights a stark gap in multisectoral and integrated approaches to tackling childhood obesity. This presents a remarkable opportunity for future initiatives to move beyond fragmented efforts and embrace a holistic model that unites families, schools, and communities to promote healthy lifestyles. Full article