Search Results (487)

Quantum network correlations are crucial for long-distance quantum communication, quantum cryptography, and distributed quantum computing. Detecting network steering is particularly challenging in complex network structures. We have studied the steering inequality criteria for a 2-forked 3-layer tree-shaped network. Assuming the first and third layers are trusted and the second layer is untrusted, we derived a steering inequality criterion using the correlation matrix between trusted and untrusted observables. In particular, we apply the steering criterion to three classes of measurements which are of special significance: local orthogonal observables, mutually unbiased measurements, and general symmetric informationally complete measurements. We further illustrate the effectiveness of our method through an example. Full article

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the B Impact Assessment (BIA) as a catalyst for integrating sustainability into industrial firms through a qualitative case study of LC Paper, the first B Corp-certified tissue manufacturer globally and a pioneer in applying BIA in the pulp and paper sector. Based on semi-structured interviews, organizational documents, and direct observation, this study examines how BIA influences corporate governance, environmental practices, and stakeholder engagement. The findings show that BIA fosters structured goal setting and the implementation of measurable actions aligned with environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic resilience. Tangible outcomes include improved stakeholder trust, internal transparency, and employee development, while implementation challenges such as resource allocation and procedural complexity are also reported. Although the single-case design limits generalizability, this study identifies mechanisms transferable to other firms, particularly those in environmentally intensive sectors. The case studied also illustrates how leadership commitment, participatory governance, and data-driven tools facilitate the operationalization of sustainability. By integrating stakeholder and institutional theory, this study contributes conceptually to understanding certification frameworks as tools for embedding sustainability. This research offers both theoretical and practical insights into how firms can align strategy and impact, expanding the application of BIA beyond early adopters and into traditional industrial contexts. Full article

The proliferation of social media has paradoxically facilitated the widespread dissemination of fake news, impacting individuals, politics, economics, and society as a whole. Despite the increasing scholarly research on this phenomenon, a significant gap exists regarding its dynamics in developing countries, particularly how predictors of fake news sharing interact, rather than merely their net effects. To acquire a more nuanced understanding of fake news sharing behavior, we propose identifying the direct and complex interplay among key variables by utilizing a dual analytical framework, leveraging Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for linear relationships and Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to uncover asymmetric patterns. Specifically, we investigate the influence of news-find-me orientation, social media trust, information-sharing tendencies, and status-seeking motivation on the propensity of fake news sharing behavior. Additionally, we delve into the moderating influence of social media literacy on these observed effects. Based on a cross-sectional survey of 1028 Haitian social media users, the SEM analysis revealed that news-find-me perception had a negative but statistically insignificant influence on fake news sharing behavior. In contrast, information sharing exhibited a significant negative association. Trust in social media was positively and significantly linked to fake news sharing behavior. Meanwhile, status-seeking motivation was positively associated with fake news sharing behavior, although the association did not reach statistical significance. Crucially, social media literacy moderated the effects of trust and information sharing. Interestingly, fsQCA identified three core configurations for fake news sharing: (1) low status seeking, (2) low information-sharing tendencies, and (3) a unique interaction of low “news-find-me” orientation and high social media trust. Furthermore, low social media literacy emerged as a direct core configuration. These findings support the urgent need to prioritize social media literacy as a key intervention in combating the dissemination of fake news. Full article

This paper presents an ethnographically informed analysis of research in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) surrounding the 2022 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP27) summit. I discuss the geopolitics and geopolitical disruptions of researching activism and activist lives in politically sensitive environments. As shown here, developing new methodological interventions plays a crucial role in understanding contextual methodological limitations, dealing with logistical challenges, and building authentic relationships with research participants. Here, I introduce counter-interviews as a methodological strategy to build trust and invest in researcher–participant relationships. This article draws on participant observation, conversations with environmental and climate activists and non-activists in Cairo prior to and after COP27 and in Sharm El-Sheikh during the second week of the summit, reflective field notes, and 20 semi-structured interviews conducted online between February and August 2023. Here, I use the term “environmental non-activism” to draw attention to the sensitivity, complexity, and fragility of political or apolitical environmental and climate action in an authoritarian context where any form of collective action is highly monitored, regulated, and sometimes criminalized by the state. The main argument of this paper is that examining interlocking power dynamics that shape and reshape the activist space in relation to the state is a requirement for understanding and researching the complexities and specificities of climate activism and non-activism in authoritarian contexts. Along with this argument, this paper invites climate education researchers to reevaluate what non-movements and non-activists in the Global South offer to their analyses of possible alternatives, socio-political change, and politics of hope (and to the broader field of activism in educational research, where commitment to disruption, refusal, and subversion play a key role. Full article

Background and Objectives: Rumors, disinformation, and fake news are problems of contemporary society. We live in a world where the truth no longer holds much importance, and the line that divides the truth from lies, between real news and disinformation, becomes increasingly blurred and difficult to identify. The purpose of this study is to describe this concept, to draw attention to one of the “pandemics” of the 21st-century world, and to find methods by which we can defend ourselves against them. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a sample of 442 respondents. Results. For 77.8% of the people surveyed, the concept of “fake news” is important in Romania. Regarding trust in the mass media, a clear dominance (72.4%) was observed among participants who have little trust in the mass media. Although 98.2% of participants detect false information found on the internet, 78.5% are occasionally deceived by the information provided. Of the participants, 47.3% acknowledged their vulnerability to disinformation. The main source of disinformation is the internet, as 59% of the interviewed subjects believed. As the best measure against disinformation, the study group was divided almost equally according to the three possible answers, all of which were considered to be equally important: imposing legal restrictions and blocking the posting of certain news (35.4%), imposing stricter measures for authors (33.9%), and increasing vigilance among people (30.5%). Conclusions. According to the statistics based on the participants’ responses, the main purposes of disinformation are propaganda, manipulation, distracting attention from the truth, making money, and misleading the population. It can be observed that the main intention of disinformation, in the perception of the study participants, is manipulation. Full article

With the rapid digital transformation of healthcare services in India, this study investigates the factors influencing the behavioral shift from traditional hospital visits to e-health consultations. The primary objective was to analyze patient attitudes, satisfaction, and perceived barriers to adopting virtual healthcare, especially in urban and semi-urban settings. Methods: The methodology adopted in the study was descriptive, and a convenience sampling technique was used for data collection because the feasible times of the patients’ availabilities were taken into consideration for data collection. Both primary and secondary data were collected using questionnaires and literature. A sample size of 385 participants was used in this study. Various statistical tools, such as frequency, ANOVA, and Chi-square tests, were used to test the hypotheses. Results: It was observed from ANOVA and Chi-square tests that the factors for switching from traditional consultation to e-health services have a positive association. It was found that integrating data through influencing factors significantly (p < 0.001) improved decisions on e-health services. Conclusion: This study highlights the shift from in-person to e-health consultations driven by convenience, flexibility, and pandemic-related needs while acknowledging barriers such as digital literacy, infrastructure gaps, and trust issues. It recommends strategies, such as secure platforms, training, and integrated care models, for a more inclusive digital health future. Full article

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is transforming agriculture by enabling data-driven plant disease monitoring and decision support. Soil-borne mosaic wheat virus (SBWMV) is a soil-transmitted virus disease that poses a serious threat to wheat production across multiple ecological zones. Due to the regional variability in environmental conditions and symptom expressions, accurately evaluating the severity of wheat soil-borne mosaic (WSBM) infections remains a persistent challenge. To address this, the problem is formulated as large-scale group decision-making process (LSGDM), where each planting plot is treated as an independent virtual decision maker, providing its own severity assessments. This modeling approach reflects the spatial heterogeneity of the disease and enables a structured mechanism to reconcile divergent evaluations. First, for each site, field observation of infection symptoms are recorded and represented using intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs) to capture uncertainty in detection. Second, a Bayesian graph convolutional networks model (Bayesian-GCN) is used to construct a spatial trust propagation mechanism, inferring missing trust values and preserving regional dependencies. Third, an enhanced spectral clustering method is employed to group plots with similar symptoms and assessment behaviors. Fourth, a feedback mechanism is introduced to iteratively adjust plot-level evaluations based on a set of defined agricultural decision indicators sets using a multi-granulation rough set (ADISs-MGRS). Once consensus is reached, final rankings of candidate plots are generated from indicators, providing an interpretable and evidence-based foundation for targeted prevention strategies. By using the WSBM dataset collected in 2017–2018 from Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington State border, the United States of America, and performing data augmentation for validation, along with comparative experiments and sensitivity analysis, this study demonstrates that the AI-driven LSGDM model integrating enhanced spectral clustering and ADISs-MGRS feedback mechanisms outperforms traditional models in terms of consensus efficiency and decision robustness. This provides valuable support for multi-party decision making in complex agricultural contexts. Full article

Prior research often portrays Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a coercive institutional force compelling firms to passively conform for legitimacy. More recent studies, however, suggest firms actively pursue CSR to gain sustainable competitive advantages. Yet, how and when CSR buffers firms against adverse shocks of crises remains insufficiently understood. This study addresses this gap by using multiple regression analysis to examine the buffering effects of CSR investments during the COVID-19 crisis, which severely disrupted capital markets and firm valuation. Drawing on signaling theory and CSR literature, we analyze the stock market performance of China’s A-share listed firms using a sample of 2577 observations as of the end of 2019. Results indicate that firms with higher CSR investments experienced significantly greater cumulative abnormal returns during the pandemic. Moreover, the buffering effect is amplified among firms with higher debt burdens, greater financing constraints, and those operating in regions with stronger social trust and more severe COVID-19 impact. These findings are robust across multiple robustness checks. This study highlights the strategic value of CSR as a resilience mechanism during crises and supports a more proactive view of CSR engagement for sustainable development, complementing the traditional legitimacy-focused perspective in existing literature. Full article

Biomonitoring often yields normal results in patients who report environmental sensitivities, such as in multiple chemical sensitivity. This study examined whether biomonitoring results influence disease attribution and perception. Patients over 18 presenting for the first time to the University Environmental Medicine Outpatient Clinic in Freiburg with suspected complaints linked to heavy metals, wood preservatives, pesticides, solvents, or mold spores were included. Illness perceptions were assessed before and after biomonitoring using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Of 358 patients, 51 met inclusion criteria; 3 showed relevant findings, and 15 did not attribute their symptoms to environmental causes at baseline. The remaining 33 patients were analyzed. After receiving a normal biomonitoring result, only seven patients (21%) altered their illness attribution. These individuals also reported milder perceived consequences, less personal control over the illness, and showed lower levels of somatization and compulsiveness than those who maintained their original attribution. Most patients remained convinced of an environmental cause despite unremarkable findings. This suggests that a substantial subset of patients is strongly attached to an environmental explanation for their symptoms, with stable attribution linked to higher psychological symptom burden and a belief in personal control over the illness. Full article

The consumption and farming of insects are gaining global attention as sustainable alternatives to conventional protein sources. Industrial processing of insects into powders or pastes complicates species identification, raising concerns about product authenticity, food safety, and potential fraud. In Western countries, particularly in Europe, the sector is expanding under a stringent regulatory framework, especially regarding rearing substrates, which hinders economic development. This study aimed to assess the species authenticity of commercial insect-based food and feed products and detect the presence of animal-derived DNA from unauthorized substrates. A total of 119 samples (pure insect meals and processed products) were collected from various origins. Species-specific real-time PCR assays targeted Tenebrio molitor, Hermetia illucens, Alphitobius diaperinus, Acheta domesticus, Bombyx mori, and Gryllodes sigillatus, alongside assays for ruminant, porcine, and poultry DNA. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) using metabarcoding confirmed and broadened species detection. Most samples contained the declared species; however, cases of mislabeling, substitution, and cross-contamination were observed. A few insect meals contained animal DNA which could suggest potential use of prohibited substrates. These findings highlight the urgent need for standardized authentication methods and improved transparency to ensure regulatory compliance, consumer trust, and sustainable development of the insect-based sector. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual health research involving young adolescents remains scarce despite rising rates of early sexual debut, pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in this population. We explored community stakeholders’ perspectives on engaging young adolescents in sexual health research in Western New York to inform strategies for engaging young adolescents in sexual health research. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2023. Seventeen community stakeholders, including health education teachers, youth counselors, and adolescent health providers, participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis, managed by MAXQDA 2020. The rigor and trustworthiness of the data were ensured through triangulation with observations, peer debriefing, team analysis, and respondent validation. Results: Participants were predominantly female (94.1%), 52.9% Black/African American, 41.2% White, and 5.9% Caucasian–Indian American, and aged 23–59 years. Four themes emerged: perspectives on conducting sexual health research with young adolescents, recruitment strategies, sexual health questions appropriate for young adolescents, and building readiness for participation in sexual health research. Participants reported the need for sexual health research with young adolescents and recommended building a trusting relationship and involving schools, parents, and trusted community organizations in the research process. Suggested research questions included those related to awareness of sex, STIs, available resources, experiences with sexual education, and desired support. The findings also revealed the need to initiate sexual health conversations early when children start asking questions, as a foundation for meaningful participation in sexual health research. Conclusions: The findings suggest that sexual health research with young adolescents is feasible and necessary, with implications for the design of developmentally appropriate sexual health research and interventions grounded in trust and community collaboration. Future research should explore the perspectives of caregivers and young adolescents to inform studies and programs that are attuned to young adolescents’ developmental needs. Full article

Virtual interactivity in marketing has evolved significantly in recent decades, becoming an essential tool for effectively connecting with consumers in digital environments. Through interactive digital platforms, brands can generate a two-way dialogue with their customers, allowing them to obtain instant feedback and adapt their strategies quickly and effectively. This not only improves but also contributes to strengthening brand love and fostering long-term loyalty. In this context, this research aimed to analyze the effect of virtual interactivity on customer loyalty and WOM through multiple sequential mediation paths, considering the elements of relationship marketing and examining the cognitive (trust–commitment), communicational (communication–conflict management), and experiential (brand love–WOM) mechanisms that operate in digital consumer–brand interactions. A cross-sectional and explanatory study was conducted, considering 417 frequent customers of brands who also follow brands on social media. Participants included women (60.7%) and men (39.3%), ranging in age from 19 to 52 years (M = 30.9 and SD = 6.0). Data were collected using a self-report form on virtual interactivity, relationship marketing, WOW, customer loyalty, and brand love, yielding an appropriate measurement model (α = between 0.791 and 0.908; CR = between 0.791 and 0.916; AVE = between 0.679 and 0.845) which was statistically analyzed using PLS-SEM. The hypotheses confirmed the proposed model, observing the effect of virtual interactivity on important brand factors. This research provides valid results linked to the digital world in banking contexts. Full article

Infectious disease outbreaks amplify the influence of stressors on psychological conditions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the disturbing influence of COVID-19 outbreak-related information and the influence of trust on the Serbian healthcare system and COVID-19 preventive measures on anxiety and depression. An anonymous online questionnaire assessing the demographic information, disturbance level and causes, and levels of anxiety and depression has been distributed to the participants, divided into student and non-student groups. The non-student group was further divided into healthcare, military, and education workers. Anxiety and depression levels, as well as the level of decreased trust in COVID-19-related preventive measures, were higher among students compared to non-students (p = 0.011). Higher anxiety and depression levels, and higher influence of the COVID-19 outbreak on those levels, were observed in education and healthcare workers, compared to military personnel. Medical doctors reported a higher level of trust in the healthcare system compared to nurses (p = 0.023). Trust in the healthcare system increased more frequently compared to the pre-vaccination period among medical doctors, compared to nurses (p = 0.040). Higher anxiety and depression and lower public trust levels in students and workers in education and the healthcare sector indicate a need to focus on these important society members during public health emergencies. Full article

This study aims to analyze, through structural equation modelling, the interaction between the variables of congruence, trust, commitment, satisfaction and word of mouth (WOM) in the context of a virtual sporting event, determining the significant relationships between these variables and their ability to predict participants’ future intentions. A structured questionnaire based on previously validated scales was applied to a sample of participants of the Medellín Virtual Marathon. The data obtained were analyzed using structural equation modelling to examine the relationships between the variables studied. The results confirm that congruence significantly influences trust and commitment, while trust mediates its relationship with commitment, satisfaction and WOM. Furthermore, it is observed that commitment has a direct impact on satisfaction and WOM, with satisfaction being the most relevant predictor of recommendation intentions. The model used showed an adequate fit, and the instrument used presented satisfactory psychometric properties. These findings underline the importance of strengthening the congruence between participants’ identity and event branding, promoting trust through positive experiences and leveraging WOM as a key promotional tool for e-sport events. This study contributes to academic knowledge by exploring the interactions between these variables in the context of virtual sport events, offering valuable information for decision-making in the management and promotion of this type of event. Full article

In light of the changing demands of the labor market and the digital orientation of today’s student population, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of a digital game-based intervention as a tool for enhancing team adaptation and social perception in an academic environment. This research was designed as an experiment involving 90 university students who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 45) or a control group (n = 45). The experimental group participated in a multiplayer cooperative MOBA-type game, in which each participant assumed a specific team role. Before and after the intervention, participants completed a standardized questionnaire focused on team dynamics, including trust, orientation towards shared goals, and mutual awareness. The results from the Wilcoxon test and Mann–Whitney U test revealed statistically significant improvements in identifying team members’ strengths and weaknesses, a reduction in the perceived lack of trust, and an increased orientation toward shared goals. The findings confirm that a digital gaming environment can activate key mechanisms of team dynamics and may serve as an effective tool for supporting the adaptation of young employees in practice. Future research should include more diverse samples and incorporate objective observation alongside self-assessment. Full article