Search Results (4,956)

In response to flood risks, nature-based solutions are increasingly recommended as resilience strategies. Wetlands are proposed as natural levers given their regulatory properties. This represents another way of promoting wetlands and, consequently, a call for their conservation. However, for nature-based solutions to be implemented effectively, residents’ perceptions and practices must be taken into account. To this end, in the flood-prone Greater-Nokoué region, this study highlighted residents’ perceptions and practices on the issue. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among 430 wetland residents with diverse socio-demographic profiles, who were either new or long-term residents living near wetlands (swamp formations and water bodies). The main results show that nearly half of the residents recognise the usefulness of wetlands in flood management. Both positive and negative perceptions are influenced by socio-demographic factors (gender, age, level of education) and residential factors (duration of residence near wetlands). Despite this fairly positive perception, wetlands are underused in flood management. Similarly, nature-based solutions are not exploited in alternative flood management approaches. Full article

The transition toward more sustainable crop protection under the European Green Deal has accelerated the adoption of biopesticides, which are widely considered safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Botanical biopesticides derived from plant extracts, essential oils, and secondary metabolites are increasingly used in both conventional and organic agriculture. However, their growing use raises important questions regarding human health risks. Botanical biopesticides are complex mixtures of bioactive compounds whose composition and toxicological profiles can vary substantially depending on plant chemotype, extraction method, and manufacturing processes. This review critically examined the toxicological properties of botanical biopesticides and evaluated their regulatory assessment within the European Union (EU) framework. Particular attention is paid to scientific uncertainties, gaps in toxicological data, challenges in hazard characterization of complex mixtures, and limitations of current human exposure assessments. The review also considered how regulatory practices, user behavior, and risk perception may influence real-world exposure and potential health outcomes. By integrating experimental toxicology studies, EU risk assessment documents, and evidence on agricultural use patterns, this review assessed whether reduced intrinsic toxicity of botanical biopesticides translates into lower human health risk under current regulatory frameworks and agricultural practices. The findings underscore the need for strengthened toxicological evidence, harmonized regulatory approaches, and improved risk communication to ensure that the use of botanical biopesticides remains aligned with good agricultural practice and human health protection. Full article

Ultra-endurance running presents significant physiological demands, with adequate nutritional intake being critical for optimal preparation, performance, and recovery. However, athletes of this sport often consume an insufficient diet. Semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually with ten recreational ultra-endurance runners (age mean ± standard deviation 46 ± 12 years; eight male, two female), all with experience competing in ultra-endurance events, to explore their ultra-endurance experience, dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, and gastrointestinal symptom management. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed in accordance with the COM-B model and the Theoretical Domains Framework. Themes were defined under each of the three COM-B model components: Capability: (1) knowledge and skills, (2) the intention–behaviour challenge; Opportunity: (1) facilitators and barriers to optimal nutrition, (2) information sourcing and learning; and Motivation: (1) drivers of nutrition behaviours, (2) risk perceptions’ influence on fuelling strategies. Participants demonstrated strong psychological capability, that is, awareness of nutrition’s importance, yet limited behavioural regulation to translate this knowledge into practice. Nutrition strategies were largely self-directed, relying on peers and social media over professional support. Fear of gastrointestinal symptoms and time pressures further shaped dietary decisions. These findings emphasise the importance of evidence-based nutrition guidance to support performance and recovery while minimising gastrointestinal symptom risk. For practitioners and self-coached athletes, recommendations should reflect the practical realities and competing demands of ultra-endurance runners’ daily lives and be feasible within real-world settings. Full article

Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) is increasingly discussed as a potential supplement to climate-change mitigation, yet public and stakeholder judgments remain sensitive to knowledge, framing, and perceived risks. We examined how a structured university classroom module on SRM reshaped student perceptions using a matched pre–post survey design. Participants were students enrolled in an English-taught global climate change course (N = 106); 103 students provided valid matched responses after applying pre-specified exclusion rules. Self-rated SRM knowledge increased substantially after the module (mean change +0.47 on a 1–3 scale; Wilcoxon signed-rank p (Holm-adjusted) < 1 × 10⁻⁷; Cohen’s dz = 0.67). Support for SRM research remained moderately positive but did not increase (pre mean 3.76 to post mean 3.54 on a 1–5 scale). In contrast, support for stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) deployment declined (pre mean 3.42 to post mean 2.95; p (Holm-adjusted) = 0.0084; dz = −0.33), and preferences shifted away from prioritizing climate intervention toward low-carbon development (mean change −0.68 on a 1–5 priority scale; p (Holm-adjusted) = 0.0001; dz = −0.45). Post-lecture models indicated that perceived benefits versus risks was the most consistent correlate of support across outcomes. Open-ended responses most frequently emphasized feasibility, unintended consequences, governance, and moral hazard. Overall, students largely endorsed SRM research as valuable while becoming more cautious about deployment and political prioritization, suggesting that balanced, structured instruction can sharpen sensitivity to evidence, uncertainty, and potential trade-offs that students also weighed in the survey. Full article

Background: Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants in food products, including edible salt. Their presence raises concerns due to potential health impacts and the lack of regulatory frameworks in many countries, including Ecuador. This study represents the first systematic assessment of the occurrence of MPs in commercial salts marketed in Guayaquil and assesses public awareness and willingness to pay for contaminant-free salt. Methods: A total of 45 salt samples covering marine, table, rock, pink, and blue salt, were collected from supermarkets and local stores in Guayaquil. Microplastics were extracted through filtration and oxidative digestion and characterized morphologically under a stereomicroscope. Polymer composition was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, a digital survey was administered to 435 residents to gauge consumer awareness and perceptions. Results: Microplastics were detected in 100% of the salt samples analyzed. Rock and marine salts showed the highest concentrations (>900 items/Kg). Fibers, particularly blue ones, were the predominant morphology, and FTIR analysis identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamides, and natural fibers. Survey results indicated that only 51.5% of respondents had prior knowledge of microplastic contamination, but 85.7% expressed willingness to pay more for safer salt, and 95.4% supported regulatory measures. Full article

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare systems worldwide, including mental health services. While AI holds promise for improving efficiency and addressing workforce shortages, its role in psychiatry remains complex due to the central importance of empathy, clinical judgment, and ethical responsibility. Understanding clinicians’ perceptions is essential for guiding responsible AI implementation, particularly in culturally specific settings such as Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among psychiatrists and family medicine physicians in Saudi Arabia between October and December 2025. The survey questionnaire was adapted from previously published instruments to assess perceptions of AI’s impact on mental health professions, the likelihood that AI could fully replace clinicians in ten core psychiatric tasks, expected timelines for replacement, and views on the balance between AI’s benefits and risks. Descriptive statistics, subgroup comparisons, and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze factors associated with higher perceived AI replacement likelihood. Results: A total of 100 physicians participated (mean age, 43.3 ± 8.9 years; 47% female). Most respondents anticipated that AI would lead to slight (45.0%) or substantial (43.0%) changes in professional roles. Perceptions varied by task: administrative tasks were most replaceable (clinical documentation, 4.03 ± 0.95; 79% likely), diagnostic/assessment tasks showed mixed perceptions (40–58%), high-risk diagnostics (suicidal/homicidal thoughts) were largely resistant (2.73–2.82; 8–30%), and relational tasks including empathetic care were least replaceable (24% likely). Physicians currently using AI tools reported significantly higher AI replacement likelihood scores, a finding that remained significant after adjustment. Overall, 64.0% of participants believed that the benefits of AI in mental health care outweighed its potential risks. Conclusions: Mental health professionals in Saudi Arabia largely view AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for clinicians. Clear boundaries remain around tasks requiring empathy and ethical judgment. These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive, clinician-led, and ethically grounded AI integration strategies that strengthen, rather than undermine, the human foundations of mental health care. Full article

For Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), recognizing traffic lights and signs is critical for safety because perception errors directly affect navigation decisions. Real-world disturbances such as glare, rain, dirt, and graffiti, as well as digital adversarial attacks, can lead to dangerous misclassifications. Current research lacks (i) temporal continuity (stable detection across consecutive frames to prevent flickering misclassifications), (ii) multi-field-of-view (FoV) sensing, and (iii) integrated defenses against both digital and natural degradation. This paper presents two principal contributions: (1) a three-layer defense framework integrating feature squeezing, inference-time temperature scaling (softmax $\tau$ = 3 without distillation training), and entropy-based anomaly detection with sequence-level temporal voting; (2) a 500 sequence dual-FoV benchmark (30k base frames, 150k with perturbations) from aiMotive, Waymo, Udacity, and Texas sources across four operational design domains. The unified defense stack achieves 79.8% mAP on a 100-sequence test set (6k base frames, 30k with perturbations), reducing attack success rate from 37.4% to 18.2% (51% reduction) and high-risk misclassifications by 32%. Cross-FoV validation and temporal voting enhance stability under lighting changes (+3.5% mAP) and occlusions (+2.7% mAP). Defense improvements (+9.5–9.6% mAP) remain consistent across native 3D (aiMotive, Waymo) and projected 2D (Udacity, Texas) annotations. Preliminary recapture experiments (n = 15 scenarios) show 2.5% synthetic–physical ASR gap (p = 0.18), though larger validation is needed. Code, models, and dataset reconstruction tools are publicly available. Full article

Addressing the challenges of cooperative navigation for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in dynamic unknown environments, this paper proposes a collaborative method based on Joint Cognition and Risk Perception (JCRP). The method employs a sequential cooperative framework, where a pioneer UAV constructs a transferable environmental map, while successor UAVs integrate this prior knowledge with real-time perceptions to form a joint cognitive representation. A dynamic trust mechanism quantitatively evaluates cognitive reliability, enabling risk-aware path planning that balances safety and efficiency. Simulations and physical experiments demonstrate that JCRP reduces the path length of follower UAVs by approximately 41.39% and improves the safe decision ratio by 10.9 percentage points over baseline methods. These results validate the method’s robustness in complex scenarios, such as maze-like environments, highlighting its potential for applications in search-and-rescue. Full article

Adolescence is established as a critical period for the onset of substance use and addictive behaviours. Sports participation can act as a protective factor that coexists with risk and protective variables. This study aims to analyse the association between habits, risk perception and lifetime and annual alcohol consumption and gambling at distinct stages of adolescence and to establish risk profiles. Cross-sectional study with the participation of 914 federated footballers selected by cluster sampling. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, consumption, risk perception and habits were collected. Descriptive analyses, χ², principal component analysis, K-means and ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Two main components were extracted that explained 54.3% of the variance (KMO = 0.69). Four clusters were obtained, showing transitions between them. The WLE and AWU variables were established as risk factors for consumption (OR > 1), while the protective risk perception variables (OR < 1) varied according to the stage and consumption analysed. Full article

Climate change has intensified the need for adaptation in urban environments, yet its integration into historic urban squares, where recreational activities were heavily concentrated, has remained underexplored. In this context, the study examined the square located between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, which is also defined as an urban recreation area and a focal point of culture-based tourism, during periods of extreme weather conditions and high flows of both local (n = 152), and international tourists (n = 236), evaluating it through different spatial activity typologies. A total of 388 participants were surveyed at 25 survey points within the square, while meteorological parameters were obtained from meteorological stations. The findings showed that the lowest level of heat stress across all typologies corresponded to “slight heat stress,” while user responses varied according to spatial characteristics. In movement spaces, the absence of shading elements increased both heat stress and shade demand, whereas in stationary spaces, the presence of trees reduced heat stress but preferences for lower air humidity persisted even under shaded conditions. Sky openness was not identified as a direct determinant of thermal sensation, with meteorological and perceptual factors proving more influential. PET explained approximately 65% of the variation in MTSV among tourists, compared to 55% among local residents. Across typologies, only increases in air temperature negatively affected thermal satisfaction. Moreover, tourists perceived the square more holistically and reported higher satisfaction compared to locals, whose environmental demands were distinct. These results highlighted the importance of spatial activity typologies in shaping thermal experience and underlined the necessity of design strategies that extended beyond heat-mitigation measures. Holistic and flexible approaches that accounted for user profiles, activity types, and intensity of use were found to be essential for improving thermal comfort in historic urban squares with diverse spatial configurations. Full article

Aviation maintenance is a high-risk work environment in which worker safety and operational safety must be managed simultaneously. This study develops and validates a dual-domain safety culture framework for aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) employed by U.S. Part 121 airlines. The framework distinguishes between two complementary dimensions of safety culture: Maintenance Occupational Safety Culture (MOSC), which emphasizes AMTs’ physical safety and protection from workplace hazards, and Maintenance-Based Aviation Safety Culture (MASC), which focuses on organizational practices that prevent maintenance errors and support overall aviation safety. A quantitative survey of AMTs (n = 240) was administered, and data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The measurement model demonstrated acceptable fit indices and reliability. SEM findings indicate that trust has a significant positive effect on both MOSC and MASC, whereas fear exerts a negative effect, though statistically non-significant. These results highlight the central role of trust in strengthening safety culture in aviation maintenance, while suggesting that fear may only marginally undermine safety-related perceptions. The validated framework further emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in enhancing both AMT well-being and operational safety. Overall, this research advances understanding of safety culture in aviation maintenance by treating occupational and aviation safety as distinct yet interrelated domains, offering practical guidance for industry leaders, safety managers, and regulators seeking to improve safety outcomes by cultivating trust. Full article

This study investigates managers’ perceptions of digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption within the framework of Industry 4.0, emphasizing the relationship between technological modernization, organizational culture, and sustainability. Drawing on empirical data collected in 2025 from 150 Romanian companies ’managers by applying a structured questionnaire, followed by a multivariate analytical approach supported by the Benjamini–Hochberg correction, the research identifies critical managerial perceptions that influence the success of digital transformation. The findings show that managers recognize digitalization as a strategic opportunity for process optimization and competitiveness. At the same time, they perceive it as a structural challenge driven by legacy systems, financial constraints, and limited digital competencies. Similarly, managers view AI as a valuable tool for data analysis and market forecasting, while also expressing concerns related to ethical, technical, and cybersecurity risks. The study further reveals managerial ambivalence toward Industry 4.0. Although automation and IoT are considered inevitable for maintaining competitiveness, their implementation remains constrained by logistical and cultural barriers. By integrating technological, organizational, and human dimensions, this research contributes to the literature on sustainable digital transformation. It provides an in-depth understanding of how managerial perceptions mediate the balance between innovation, responsibility, and long-term resilience. Finally, the results offer actionable insights for policymakers and business leaders seeking to align digitalization and AI initiatives with sustainable development objectives. Full article

This multi-university, multi-disaster study examined associations among prior trauma exposure, disaster exposure, and post-disaster life stressors with mental health outcomes, as well as the potential protective roles of a perceived altruistic community, post-disaster social support exchanges, and changes in world beliefs. University students in disaster-affected areas of the mainland United States and Puerto Rico (N = 666; 77.5% female; M age = 21.26) completed an online survey assessing disaster exposure, post-disaster life stressors, perceptions of community unity, social support exchanges, post-disaster changes in world beliefs, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSS), depression, and anxiety. Younger age emerged as a risk factor for depression and anxiety, and Black participants reported higher PTSS than White participants. Greater lifetime trauma exposure, experiencing the hurricanes in Puerto Rico or the California wildfires (compared to mainland hurricanes), and reporting more post-disaster life stressors were each associated with elevated PTSS, depression, and anxiety symptoms. In contrast, a stronger sense of an altruistic community was associated with lower levels of these symptoms. More positive post-disaster changes in beliefs about the world were related to lower PTSS and depression, whereas greater involvement in social support exchanges was associated with higher PTSS. Findings underscore the importance of identifying both risk and protective factors that shape young adults’ post-disaster adjustment. Full article

Green FinTech involves facilitating sustainable payments, banking, and investment; nevertheless, it is subject to consumer trust and perceptions of ‘green’ value. The literature on this topic is fragmented, with information systems literature typically considering trust as a broad acceptance construct, while sustainable literature considers it as a risk of ‘greenwashing’ without integrating credibility into adoption models. This systematic review aggregates 15 empirical studies and addresses five research questions. RQ1 examines the theoretical models applied to examine trust in green/sustainable FinTech adoption. RQ2 examines the conceptualization and measurement of trust across different contexts, distinguishing institutional/provider trust, platform/tech trust, and sustainability claim credibility trust. RQ3 examines the function of trust within behavioral models (predictor, mediator, moderator). RQ4 examines methodological characteristics and quality indicators (research design, sampling frame, reliability, and bias). RQ5 examines the direct relationship between trust and adoption intention using meta-analysis. The systematic review follows a set of PRISMA guidelines, where we searched Scopus and Web of Science (2015–2026) and applied an RQ-based coding scheme to peer-reviewed articles. Measures of trust varied significantly (unidimensional, integrity–competence–benevolence, and technology-specific scales), limiting cross-study comparability. Using random effects, we found a significant positive relationship between trust and intention (pooled standardized direct path coefficient β = 0.27, 95% CI [0.14, 0.41]) with considerable heterogeneity (I² = 88%) and a wide prediction interval including near-zero effects. Literature essentially endorses trust as a significant yet context-dependent construct, emphasizing the necessity for measurement standardization, a more distinct differentiation between sustainability trust and general platform trust, regular reporting of reliability and bias assessments, and focused evaluations of boundary conditions (e.g., environmental skepticism, regulatory framework, and FinTech type). Full article

The pre-prepared meal industry is a vital engine for food sector upgrading in China. This study investigates the key drivers of consumer purchasing decisions and identifies strategic pathways to support high-quality industry development. Grounded in behavioral decision theory and the stimulus–organism–response framework, we propose two central research questions: (1) What are the dominant determinants of consumer purchase intention for pre-prepared meals? and (2) How do these determinants interact in nonlinear and asymmetric ways to shape final decisions? To address these questions, we analyzed 805 valid questionnaires collected in Jilin Province using an integrated machine learning framework. Data quality and validity were ensured through baseline balance tests, and sample imbalance was corrected using the SMOTE–Tomek algorithm. Six models, including Random Forest (RF) and XGBoost, were optimized via Gaussian process-based Bayesian optimization. The RF model achieved optimal performance on the test set, with an F1 score of 0.907, an AUC of 0.928, and a prediction accuracy of 0.876. To enhance model interpretability, Mean Decrease Impurity (MDI) was integrated with the SHAP framework. Our findings reveal that: (1) purchase decisions are predominantly willingness-driven, with behavioral tendency—especially recommendation willingness—accounting for over 72% of predictive importance; (2) rational considerations, such as convenience and channel accessibility, serve as foundational enablers; and (3) recommendation willingness exhibits a significant S-shaped nonlinear threshold, where a shift to “relatively willing” marks a critical marketing intervention window. SHAP force plot analysis further uncovers an asymmetric decision logic: high willingness can compensate for perceived product shortcomings, whereas the absence of core intention functions as a non-compensatory barrier. Theoretically, these findings synthesize machine learning outputs with classical behavioral models (e.g., the Theory of Planned Behavior and Prospect Theory) by empirically quantifying bounded rationality and nonlinear activation mechanisms. These findings suggest that enterprises should transition from traffic-centric to retention-oriented strategies by leveraging word-of-mouth and proximity-based channels. Moreover, establishing a collaborative governance system is essential to mitigate risk perception and ensure long-term industry prosperity. Full article