Search Results (1,352)

This study explores how demystifying Earth Observation (EO) through co-creation pathways and local language can enhance flood resilience and environmental governance in African informal cities. Using case studies from Maiduguri and Hadejia, Nigeria, the research employed a transdisciplinary mixed-methods design combining rapid evidence assessment, surveys, participatory workshops (n = 50 stakeholders) integrating simplified Sentinel-1/2 demonstrations, indigenous knowledge mapping, and pre-/post-engagement surveys on EO familiarity. Non-expert participants were trained to interpret satellite data using local language, linking distant teleconnections with local flood experiences. The findings revealed significant gains in EO literacy and improvements in interpretive confidence, gender-inclusive participation, and policy engagement. Localizing the curriculum enabled participants to translate technical EO concepts into locally meaningful narratives, fostering cognitive empowerment and practical application in flood preparedness and advocacy. The study demonstrates that data democratization is not only a matter of open access but also of open understanding. It advances a conceptual model linking Demystification, Literacy, Empowerment, Co-Production and Resilience, positioning EO as a social technology that bridges scientific and indigenous knowledge systems. The findings contribute to debates on decolonizing environmental science and propose a potential participatory framework for integrating EO into community-based adaptation, legal accountability, and policy reform across Africa’s rapidly urbanizing landscapes. Full article

Against the background of high-quality development and urban renewal in China, old residential communities have become key areas for improving spatial quality and quality of life. We used the entrance pavilion of Baoshengli North Community as a case study to explore how spatial design and layout can meet residents’ psychological and social needs. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, combining field observation, behavioral mapping, a questionnaire (Total = 105), in-depth interviews, and statistical analysis, a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) was conducted on spatial effectiveness and social functions. The results show that user-oriented spatial design, safety, esthetic quality, and inclusive functions significantly enhance residents’ spatial perception, willingness to use the space, and social interaction. Differentiated spatial preferences and potential conflicts among diverse resident groups were also identified. Targeted design interventions can effectively strengthen the connection between spatial use and subjective perception, and participatory and equitable strategies help promote social harmony and justice. This study enriches the post-occupancy evaluation system for the renewal of old communities from psychological and social dimensions, and provides practical references for user-centered, inclusive, and sustainable public space design in urban renewal practices. One limitation of this study is that data were collected over a single period, which restricts the analysis of seasonal impacts on spatial usage. Full article

Illegal artisanal and small-scale mining (galamsey) and climate stress jointly degrade ecosystems and livelihoods in Ghana. This paper demonstrates how community-driven governance can realign incentives toward environmental stewardship and inclusive livelihoods. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design—quantitative difference-in-differences followed by qualitative case analysis and Participatory Action Research—we evaluate a structured program combining vocational training, financial literacy, environmental stewardship, and governance alignment. We operationalize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) outcomes via transparent composite indices and triangulate survey, administrative, and focus group evidence. The study identifies conditions under which alternative livelihoods reduce participation in illegal mining, strengthen women’s economic agency, and improve adoption of climate-smart practices. Implications include practical guidance for program design (community delivery, matched incentives, oversight), policy (local climate finance and accountability mechanisms), and research (scalable indicators and rigorous impact evaluation in resource-dependent communities). Full article

Tropical cyclones rank among the most destructive natural hazards globally, posing significant threats to coastal ecosystems and communities. Mangrove forests, renowned for their ecological importance and coastal protection services, are vulnerable to these disturbances, suffering structural damage, habitat loss, and disruption of vital ecosystem functions. Conventional field-based assessment methods often fall short in capturing the rapid and widespread impacts of cyclones, particularly in remote or cloud-obscured regions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of remote sensing applications for monitoring cyclone-induced impacts on mangrove and coastal ecosystems worldwide. Through a systematic literature review of 74 peer-reviewed articles from 1990 to 2025, the study evaluates the utility of optical sensors, radar systems, and multi-sensor platforms in assessing inundation, vegetation damage, and ecosystem service loss. Key methodological advances such as time-series analysis, machine learning, and UAV-based validation are highlighted, alongside critical gaps including limited geographic coverage, weak validation practices, and minimal socio-economic integration. Notably, 75.4% of reviewed studies are concentrated in Asia, with Bangladesh and India alone accounting for 44.6% of the total literature, underscoring a pronounced geographic bias. The findings underscore the need for robust, near-real-time monitoring frameworks that combine satellite technologies with ground data and community engagement. Ultimately, the review advocates for an integrated, multi-sensor, and participatory approach to cyclone resilience, offering valuable insights for future research, disaster response planning, and sustainable mangrove management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adequate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, and treatment of reversible causes are essential for improving the survival of patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs). The Advanced Life Support (ALS) algorithm includes reversible causes for cardiac arrest. This study aimed to develop an interactive mobile checklist to identify reversible causes of OHCA (REBECCA) and evaluate their usability and usefulness among emergency physicians. Methods: This mixed-methods study was conducted at the Emergency Medical Service Vienna, Austria. All participants were emergency physicians from the Medical University of Vienna. An interactive mobile checklist was developed using a participatory design approach involving a focus group of 10 emergency physicians. Usability and applicability were assessed using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and evaluation outcomes. Results: Among the included participants, 70% were specialists with a median prehospital experience of 2.0 (1.0–4.3) years. Although most participants were confident about their level of professional experience with OHCA, 85% still found the checklist to be helpful. The majority of the participants preferred the digital checklist over the paper-based checklist and appreciated its integration with the point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) application. Although the participants did not communicate a significant need for further details on most causes, a small majority favored more information on intoxication and electrolyte disorders. Conclusions: The majority of the included emergency physicians found the REBECCA checklist helpful regardless of training level, whereas almost no physician needed further detailed information on the reversible causes. Our findings underscore the potential importance of future investigations aiming to reduce the cognitive load of emergency physicians during OHCA scenarios. Full article

Natural grasslands are among the most endangered habitats in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe due to the agricultural intensification, land abandonment and afforestation, urban expansion, and the loss of traditional low-intensity management, on which their biodiversity depends. One way to increase the number of natural grasslands is by integrating them into urban green infrastructure as a nature-based solution to enhance ecological resilience and urban livability: diverse grassland systems support pollinators, improve soil structure and stormwater infiltration, mitigate urban heat and provide restorative, experience-rich public spaces. The aim of the study is to explore opportunities and barriers to integrating different types of grasslands into the green infrastructure of Latvian cities, with a primary focus on public perceptions and institutional aspects of urban grassland implementation and management. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining resident surveys, interviews with municipal experts—territorial development specialists, planners and maintenance managers—and comparative policy analysis. Results show that although residents acknowledge the ecological benefits of urban grasslands, they prefer them in peripheral or underused areas rather than in city centres and residential zones, as these areas are often aesthetically perceived as “untidy” or neglected, conflicting with cultural norms that favour short, intensively mown lawns and raising concerns about insects. Acceptance increases through communication and participatory practices. Municipal approaches range from structured maintenance guidelines, including delayed mowing, biomass removal, and invasive species control, to flexible experimentation. The study contributes scientifically grounded insights into governance, perception, and management interfaces critical for mainstreaming socially accepted urban grasslands. Full article

Adaptive reuse has emerged to become a tool for implementing the understanding of sustainability in the domain of architectural conservation, as it encourages the continued usage of old buildings as means of reducing environmental impact, as well as preserving socio-cultural capital while generating economic income. However, in its practice, the decisions regarding granting meanings, interpretation, and preserving memories within adaptation processes are dominated by expert-driven approaches that inadequately incorporate stakeholder values or intangible heritage dimensions. To this end, this study aims to contribute to the current debate by adopting a participatory co-evaluation framework that integrates both authenticity perspectives and sustainability dimensions using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for evaluating adaptive reuse alternatives for an abandoned prefabricated wooden heritage building. Stakeholder priorities were drawn through a workshop and transformed into normalized weights using the Simos technique. Four design alternative typologies—namely, Continuity, Cultivation, Differential, and Optimization—were assessed and compared against 20 performance indicators across heritage, social, ecological, and economic criteria using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Indicator-level analyses and sensitivity tests (±10% and ±20% weight variations) were applied to confirm the robustness of rankings. The results from the best-performing alternative demonstrated the trade-offs between heritage authenticity and sustainability objectives, as well as demonstrating how combining participatory methods with quantitative evaluation can support evidence-based decision-making for adaptive reuse. The applied integrated framework helps bridge the gap between heritage theory and practice by combining authenticity, participation, and sustainability in one analytical approach, supporting evidence-based decisions for adaptive reuse. Full article

Doctoral training in applied computing and information systems is the structured development of a researcher’s capacity to produce original, rigorous, and scholarship that is relevant to practice, supported through doctoral supervision, which provides academic guidance for research design decisions, progress management, scholarly quality, and researcher development. In this setting, Design Science Research (DSR) is a methodology that generates knowledge through the purposeful design and evaluation of an artifact intended to address a defined problem. In parallel, Action Research (AR) generates knowledge through collaborative, iterative cycles of planned action and critical reflection conducted with stakeholders in real settings. Bringing both traditions together, Action Design Research (ADR) integrates DSR and AR by developing and evaluating artifacts through participatory cycles focused on intervention while maintaining explicit expectations of rigor and contribution. These approaches are often used in international or study abroad research contexts, which are research environments spanning national, cultural, institutional, or governance boundaries and therefore require adaptive methods, careful ethical attention, and sustained stakeholder engagement. This synthesis results in an integrated methodological framework that positions Action Design Research as a supervisory scaffold for doctoral training in applied computing and information systems. The framework integrates Design Science Research and Action Research within an iterative cycle embedded in dialogical supervision and ethical reflexivity. It contributes a structured model for aligning methodological rigor, doctoral learning, and practical impact in complex and international research environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: To identify and prioritize adolescents’ motivations for alcohol consumption using a participatory qualitative approach. Methods: We conducted a concept mapping study with 39 adolescents aged 15–16 years from a public secondary school in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Participants generated statements in response to a focal question about reasons for drinking, grouped them into categories, and then rated each statement according to perceived frequency and importance using a five-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 41 statements were generated and organized into eight clusters: peer approval, influence, enjoyment, experimentation, fun, disinhibition, social pressure, and coping. Motivations related to fun, peer dynamics, and disinhibition received the highest ratings for both frequency and importance. In contrast, motivations linked to advertising, social media, and influencers were rated lowest. A strong positive association was observed between perceived importance and reported frequency across statements. Conclusions: Adolescents identified enjoyment and peer dynamics as the primary motivations for alcohol use, emphasising the significance of social influences in adolescent drinking behaviours. Despite the necessity for cautious interpretation of findings due to the context-specific nature of the sample, the results suggest that prevention efforts may benefit from the promotion of alcohol-free social environments, the strengthening of social-emotional skills, and the involvement of adolescents in preventive initiatives. Full article

Although smart-city benchmarking has produced many indices and rankings, cities still lack a practical way to assess whether successful initiatives can be transferred across institutional contexts and converted into implementable urban roadmaps. In this study, we aimed to develop and empirically test a paired donor–recipient “problem–solution” methodology that bridges comparative city analysis with implementation readiness gap assessment, addressing the persistent disconnect between smart-city benchmarking and actionable transfer guidance. The smart-city ecosystem was decomposed into eight functional dimensions covering digital foundations, service platforms, finance and procurement, innovation capacity, governance, legal adaptability, and citizen participation. The method was applied to the Ottawa-Astana pair using a systematic desk-based analysis of publicly available strategic documents, legislation and policy frameworks, and implementation materials (e.g., roadmaps, program guidelines, departmental plans, and monitoring outputs). Data were analyzed using a structured gap analysis algorithm employing a three-level qualitative compliance scale (Full Compliance, Partial Compliance, and Non-compliance) to assess recipient city status against donor benchmarks across all eight functional dimensions. The results reveal Astana’s partial compliance with the Ottawa benchmark, with moderate readiness and pronounced “hard-soft” asymmetry; that is, greater progress in regard to infrastructure and platforms, but persistent gaps in adaptive regulation, experimentation-friendly legal instruments, and participatory governance. These findings suggest that progressing toward a Smart City 2.0 model requires prioritizing regulatory sandboxes, adaptive procurement pathways for pilots, and scalable civic-tech mechanisms alongside continued investment in talent and innovation ecosystems—understood here as interconnected networks of universities, technology parks, civic-tech communities, and incubation infrastructure that collectively sustain capacity for technology absorption and local adaptation. The proposed paired framework is replicable and supports phased, actionable transfer roadmaps for policymakers. Full article

Introduction: Obesity is a well-established risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Obesity-related complications can be managed through nutritional therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgical interventions, each capable of achieving weight loss of over 10%. Understanding patient preferences and the factors that influence treatment choices is crucial to enhancing adherence and effectiveness. This sub-study aimed to identify the factors shaping patient preferences for nutritional therapies in the context of available pharmacological and surgical options. Methods: A participatory action study recruited 43 patients aged 18–75 years with a BMI greater than 35 kg/m² and obesity-related complications, including metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Participants viewed a 60-min informational video outlining treatment options before taking part in one-to-one interviews. Data were analysed using reflective thematic analysis. Results: This sub-study focuses on patients who expressed distinct attitudes toward nutritional therapy. Of the participants, 47% preferred nutritional therapy, 41% chose pharmacotherapy alone, and 6% selected a combination of pharmacotherapy and nutritional therapy. Five themes emerged to explain the preference for nutritional therapy: patient satisfaction, the personalised approach, effectiveness, empowerment, and side effects. Discussion: Nutritional therapies were still the most popular choice of many patients, suggesting there remain unmet needs of patients and that it should not be assumed that large majorities of patients with obesity only want pharmacotherapies or surgical therapies. Conclusion: Ensuring patients receive comprehensive information and regular guidance from nutritional experts is likely to further strengthen engagement. Full article

Background: Oral health during adolescence is a key determinant of long-term well-being and health equity. Despite widespread recognition of its importance, disparities in knowledge, motivation, and access to care persist. This study was conducted in Salt (Catalonia, Spain), a municipality with a population of approximately 33,000, characterized by a low average household disposable income (€12,512 per capita) and a high proportion of immigrant residents (37.76%). These sociodemographic characteristics may influence adolescents’ oral health behaviour, perceptions, and access to dental care. The study aimed to explore adolescents’ knowledge, habits, and attitudes towards oral health in this context, with barriers and protective factors, to inform community-based health promotion strategies. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using focus group discussions with Spanish adolescents aged between 12 and 16, following ethical approval and informed consent from legal guardians. Data were systematically analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The adolescents had moderate oral health literacy, with basic knowledge of dental caries and prevention, but notable gaps in their knowledge regarding systemic consequences and complementary resources. Oral health behaviours and practices were shaped by social, economic, and normative influences, while parental involvement, community support, and school-based initiatives emerged as key assets for the promotion of oral health. Conclusions: While adolescents in Salt show awareness of oral hygiene, structural, motivational, and informational barriers limit comprehensive oral health practices. Interventions should move beyond knowledge-based education towards culturally adapted, participatory, and asset-based approaches to promote sustainable improvements in adolescent oral health. Full article

Background: Quilombola communities, Afro-descendant Brazilian rural settlements with collectivistic culture, have suffered historical invasions and non-legalization of their territories, exposure to environmental degradation/hazards, and educational and health care deprivation by the government. Global climate changes have increased sea levels and the occurrence of floods. This study presents original empirical findings from ongoing qualitative fieldwork in Quilombola communities in Southern Brazil that were severely affected by the 2024 floods, focusing on post-disaster quality of life, health impacts, and community coping strategies. These dimensions remain underexamined in public health and environmental justice research. Methods: Guided by interdisciplinary frameworks of environmental racism, intersectionality, and critical disaster studies, flooding is analyzed not as a natural hazard, but as a socially produced risk shaped by racialized territorial exclusion, historical marginalization, and chronic governance failures. Data were generated by household testimonies, community observations, and assessments of governmental disaster responses. Results: Fragmented disaster management, unequal access to infrastructure, and limited participatory governance mechanisms intensified vulnerability, constrained adaptive capacity, and exacerbated health inequities among Quilombola populations. Despite these constraints, communities demonstrated strong resilience grounded in traditional knowledge, local solidarity networks, and collective agency. Conclusions: The study underscores the urgent need for equity-centered environmental governance and inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies to address healthy aging inequities. Full article

Public Open Spaces (POSs) on university campuses play a vital role in promoting student well-being, fostering social interaction, and enhancing academic engagement. Yet, in Indian technical institutions, these spaces are often underutilized due to poor design integration, lack of thermal comfort, and minimal user-centered planning. This study applies the Campus Open Space Index (COSI) to assess the functionality, inclusivity, and experiential quality of POSs at two premier Indian institutions, IIT Delhi and IIT Roorkee. COSI evaluates campus POSs across five dimensions: Physical Planning, Engagement, Need Perception & Behavior, Thermal Comfort, and Management. Through a mixed-methods approach involving surveys (n = 522), field observations, and spatial mapping, six open spaces from each campus were analyzed. The aspect-wise COSI results indicate that IIT Delhi performs better in Management (75.84%) and Thermal Comfort (60.56%), while IIT Roorkee performs better in Engagement (71.68%); both campuses show deficits in universal accessibility and climate responsiveness. The study reveals that POS effectiveness depends not only on spatial layout but also on user behavior, comfort, and perceived safety. COSI provides a replicable and scalable assessment model that supports data-driven decision-making for campus planners and administrators. This research advocates for participatory, student-centric planning approaches to transform campus POSs into more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable environments aligned with educational and social goals. Full article

The ACE-funded project Clay and Augmented Reality (CAR) explored how the combination of tactile and digital media might activate embodied memory, foster art expression, and stimulate new forms of creative learning. The project investigated memory recollection by integrating clay sculpting with immersive Augmented Reality (AR), focusing on psychoanalysis and participatory art research. The created multisensory environment was a significant element in reconnection with early-life experiences. Six workshops engaged over 40 participants in memory-mapping through AR interfaces and tactile activities. Extensive theoretical and methodological research focuses on theories of Freud, Polanyi, Ettinger, and art practice of Hepworth, integrating embodied making with experimental technologies, including 3D scanning, ARvid/HoloLens experiences, and qualitative feedback analysis. The outcome is a hybrid repository of over 120 memory-informed artefacts titled My Mother and I, presented on the sketchfab platform. The collection showcases intergenerational memory, imprints of intangible and visual storytelling. During the research, the significance of slowness, play, and relational presence was underlined as conditions for memory activation. It concludes that memory lives in gesture, spatial perception and given care, and that hybrid arts-based methods offer new epistemologies of healing, creativity and pedagogical inquiry. CAR presents a model for participatory research that bridges physical and digital realms in deeply human ways. Full article