Search Results (11,880)

Public open spaces play a vital role in supporting social connection and leisure among residents, enhancing quality of life while contributing to both economic growth and environmental health. The rapid global urbanization underscores the critical link between urban environments and human health, which demands focusing on sustainable, health-conscious urban planning. Accordingly, Public and green spaces are vital in this context, as recognized by global agendas like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 11.7. This research aims to objectively evaluate the availability of public open spaces (POS) in Alexandria, Egypt. This study will utilize Geographic Information System (GIS) to formulate a methodology that incorporates spatial data analysis for quantifying public open spaces and assessing the proportion of the population with convenient access to these areas, evaluating their coverage, service area isochrones, spatial distribution, and proximity to residential areas. The study will benchmark its findings against global standards to expose critical spatial inequalities within cities of the Global South. The primary aim is to present evidence-based recommendations for sustainable urban public space design, tackling availability and accessibility issues to improve the well-being of Alexandria’s expanding urban population. This research offers a scientific foundation to inform policy and decision-making focused on creating more equitable, healthier, and resilient urban environments. Full article

Enhancing the social dimension of sustainability is essential for improving the livability of informal settlements, yet its evaluation is often constrained by the absence of reliable socio-economic data. This study addresses this challenge by demonstrating how a rigorous, form-based analysis can be utilized to interpret the social potential embedded within the physical structure of informal settlements. Focusing on the Saadi neighborhood in Shiraz, Iran, the research applies a validated four-part morphological framework—integrated with Space Syntax principles—to examine how specific spatial configurations create conditions supportive of social interaction and territorial security. Rather than attempting to measure social sustainability directly, the study conceptualizes physical morphology as a tangible proxy through which socially supportive spatial conditions can be inferred. The analysis reveals three critical morphological drivers: (1) a fine-grained urban fabric that directly enhances walkability and co-presence; (2) a low vertical profile that ensures visual permeability and informal surveillance; and (3) semi-private residential clusters that function as defensible space. These findings highlight how the physical form of informal settlements contains an underlying social logic that can be systematically decoded. The paper concludes that form-based analysis provides a replicable pathway for identifying the spatial scaffolding that supports community life, offering valuable insights for socially oriented upgrading strategies in data-scarce contexts. Full article

Cyber–physical systems (CPS) in healthcare represent a deep integration of computational intelligence, physical medical devices, and human-centric data, enabling continuous, adaptive, and personalized care. These systems combine real-time measurements, artificial intelligence (AI)-based analytics, and networked medical devices to monitor, predict, and optimize patient health outcomes. A key development in the field of CPS is the emergence of patient digital twins (DTs), virtual models of individual patients that simulate biological, behavioral, and social parameters. Using AI, DTs analyze complex medical and social data (genetics, lifestyle, environment, etc.) to support precise diagnosis and treatment planning. The implications of the bibliometric findings suggest that the field emerges from the conceptual phase, justifying the article’s emphasis on both the proposed architectures and their clinical validation. However, most research was conducted in computer science, engineering, and mathematics, rather than medicine and healthcare, suggesting an early stage of technological maturity. Leading countries were India, the United States, and China, but these countries did not have a high number of publications, nor did they record leading researchers or affiliations, suggesting significant research fragmentation. The most frequently observed Sustainable Development Goals indicate an industrial context. Reflecting insights from medical and social research, AI-based DT systems provide a holistic view of the patient, taking into account not only physiological states but also psychological and social well-being. These systems promote personalized therapy by dynamically adapting treatment based on real-time feedback from wearable sensors and electronic medical records. More broadly, CPS and DT systems increase healthcare system efficiency by reducing hospitalizations and supporting remote preventive care. Their implementation poses significant ethical and privacy challenges, particularly regarding data ownership, algorithm transparency, and patient autonomy. Full article

Urbanicity is a recognized determinant of mental health, yet conventional measures such as population density or the rural–urban divide often fail to capture the complex realities of informal settlements in low- and middle-income countries. This paper conceptualizes neighborhood effects through the lived experiences of young women in Kampala, Uganda, drawing on participatory research from the NIH-funded TOPOWA study. Using community mapping and Photovoice, participants identified neighborhood features that shape wellbeing, including sanitation facilities, drainage systems, alcohol outlets, health centers, schools, boda boda stages (motorcycle taxis), lodges, religious institutions, water sources, markets, and recreational spaces. These methods revealed both stressors—poor waste management, flooding, violence, gendered harassment, crime, and alcohol-related harms—and protective resources, including education, places of worship, health centers, social networks, identity, and sports activities. We argue that urbanicity in slum contexts should be understood as a multidimensional construct encompassing deprivation, fragmentation, exclusion, and resilience. This reconceptualization advances conceptual clarity, strengthens the validity of mental health research in low-resource settings, and informs interventions that simultaneously address structural risks and promote community assets. The case of Kampala demonstrates how participatory evidence can reshape the understanding of neighborhood effects with implications, for global mental health research and practice. Full article

In the current context, where global ecological governance overly relies on technological intervention while neglecting the role of social and cultural resources, intangible cultural heritage (ICH), as a carrier of traditional ecological wisdom, is facing a crisis of inheritance disruption in the process of modernization. The ecological governance value it contains has not been effectively explored and integrated, resulting in a dual predicament of ecological protection and cultural inheritance. This study employs quantitative empirical methods to explore the characteristics of the synergistic development of Chinese ICH transmission and green governance, empirically test the benefits and regional differences of the synergy, and evaluate the promoting role of the digitalization process. The core conclusions are that (1) the synchronized evolution of the ICH transmission and green governance manifests itself as slowly but unequally gradual, with path dependency, club convergence across top performers, and spatially radiating demonstration effects; (2) the synergistic effects of the ICH transmission and green governance give rise to social, environment, and market benefits, but synergistic effects are culturally and regionally heterogeneous; and (3) the digital-intelligent transformation plays a multiplier effect in the process of generating multiple benefits through the synergy of ICH transmission and green governance. Full article

While previous research suggests that innovation capability can enhance sustainable operational performance in sustainable supply chain management practices, empirical insights into the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain limited. Drawing on dynamic capability theory, this study investigates how innovation capability influences sustainable operational performance within the context of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs). Utilizing matched survey data and objective performance metrics from 276 fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing firms in China, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping techniques to test the mediating roles of business platforms and community building. The findings reveal that novelty-centered innovation capability has a significant positive effect on sustainable operational performance, with business platforms serving as a partial mediator in this relationship. In contrast, value-centered community building neither directly influences sustainable operational performance nor mediates the effect of innovation capability. Furthermore, the mediating effect of business platforms is found to be stronger than that of community building. This research presents a novel empirical framework that distinguishes the operational effectiveness of digital platforms in social community building within AFNs, providing managers with a strategic roadmap for prioritizing innovation investments to achieve sustainability. Full article

Context: Paediatric palliative care in Romania is underdeveloped and unevenly distributed, which creates major difficulties in accessing services for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The lack of a dedicated national strategy, the shortage of specialised staff, and socio-economic barriers exacerbate the vulnerability of these groups. Objectives: This study aimed to explore parents’ and caregivers’ experiences, to analyse the perspectives of public institutions and NGOs involved in supporting these children, and to identify the main barriers and facilitators in accessing paediatric palliative care. Material and Method: Given that all data were collected exclusively through focus group discussions, this study employed a qualitative design based on three focus groups guided by a semi-structured interview guide. The analysis was conducted using MAXQDA software, which enabled the coding and synthesis of emerging themes. Participants were parents/caregivers of children with life-limiting illnesses, representatives of public institutions, and members of relevant NGOs in Bacău County, Romania. Purposive sampling was used to capture diverse and experience-based perspectives, resulting in a total of 24 participants across three focus groups—parents and caregivers (n = 11), public institution representatives (n = 7), and NGO representatives (n = 6). No individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results: The analysis highlighted a complex typology of medical, emotional, social, educational, and spiritual needs of children and their families. Parents reported experiences of abandonment in the curative system, emphasising the importance of pain control, safety, and community support. Public institutions acknowledged the lack of skills and inter-sectoral coordination, while NGOs pointed to structural barriers and the low visibility of these children. Major needs include access to specialised care, psychological support, respite services for carers, financial and administrative assistance, education, and spiritual counselling. A significant obstacle is the lack of up-to-date statistical data needed to inform public policy. Conclusions: Paediatric palliative care should be considered a national priority through the development of a dedicated strategy, the expansion of specialised services, and the strengthening of partnerships between the public and non-governmental sectors. An integrated, child- and family-centred approach addressing the medical, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of care is essential. The results highlight the need for continuous staff training, information campaigns, and community support mechanisms to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of life of children with life-limiting illnesses. Full article

Background/Objectives: Behavioral inhibition (BI) has been extensively studied as an early-appearing risk factor for adverse developmental outcomes. One pathway through which BI may confer risk is via reduced competence to interact effectively with peers. Research demonstrating concurrent relations between BI and social competence supports this pathway, yet not all inhibited children experience social difficulties. This study adopted a person-centered approach to examine heterogeneity of temperament traits within a highly inhibited preschool sample and to identify how broader temperament traits contribute to variability in social functioning. Methods: Parents of preschoolers (N = 254) who met criteria for BI (≥85th percentile on the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire) completed measures of their child’s temperament (Children’s Behavior Questionnaire) and social competence (Social Skills Improvement System). Latent Profile Analysis was conducted using six temperament traits reflecting regulation and reactivity (anger, attentional focusing, inhibitory control, high-intensity pleasure, perceptual sensitivity, and approach). Profile differences in social competence were examined using multivariate analyses controlling for age and gender. Results: A three-profile solution emerged: Regulated, Unregulated and Angry, and Typical BI. Profile membership accounted for almost 37% of the variance in social skills scores. The Regulated group, marked by high attentional and inhibitory control and low anger, demonstrated the strongest social skills and lowest internalizing and externalizing problems. The Unregulated and Angry group, characterized by high anger and poor regulation, exhibited the greatest social difficulties. BI level itself did not significantly differentiate profiles or predict social competence. Conclusions: Findings underscore that BI is not a uniform risk factor but joins with other temperamental traits to shape social outcomes. Level of BI did not differentiate profiles or relate to social functioning, highlighting the importance of considering co-occurring regulatory and reactive traits to explain variability in outcomes among inhibited children. Identifying specific temperamental constellations may enhance early identification and inform targeted interventions for socially at-risk inhibited children. Full article

Amid accelerating global high-density urbanization, two pressing challenges have emerged: shrinking green space supplies in built-up areas and growing demand for residents’ emotional well-being. Notably, green spaces’ recreational function plays a pivotal role in alleviating emotional distress. This study aims to systematically assess Green Space Recreation Service Performance (GRSP) and unravel its non-linear impact on residents’ emotional states. Using Shijiazhuang—a representative high-density city in China—as a case study, we developed a GRSP evaluation framework integrating supply–demand balance and utilization efficiency. Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques parsed social media texts, with continuous emotional scores quantifying residents’ emotional states. Finally, a Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) model empirically explored the links between GRSP indicators and emotional states. Results show significant spatial differentiation and supply–demand mismatch in Shijiazhuang’s central urban GRSP: peripheral new districts have abundant green space supply but low utilization efficiency, while central built-up areas face insufficient supply paired with high usage intensity. Residents’ self-reported emotional health correlates with green space accessibility and crowding levels, with park distribution equity as the dominant driver. GRSP’s impact on emotional states exhibits non-linearities, threshold effects, and distinct interactions among core indicators. This study identifies key GRSP indicators influencing emotional states, clarifies their non-linear interaction mechanisms and critical thresholds, and provides empirical evidence for advancing emotional health theories in high-density urban contexts. Full article

This study attempts to examine the interconnections between digital transformation, leadership, organizational culture, and organizational sustainability among Greek enterprises in the Industry 4.0 context. A quantitative research design was utilized to attain this objective, employing survey data gathered from 412 managerial-level participants across several industries. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were performed to validate the measurement model, followed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed correlations among the constructs. The findings reveal that digital transformation, leadership, and organizational culture each have a substantial positive influence on organizational sustainability, with digital transformation exhibiting the most pronounced benefit. Furthermore, their alignment has a synergistic effect that amplifies the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability. These findings validate the multifaceted character of sustainability within the Industry 4.0 framework and underscore the interrelation of technological, human, and cultural competencies. The research contributes to the field of theory by offering a comprehensive framework for sustainable organizational transformation and practical implications for managers and policymakers who are in the process of developing strategies that are oriented towards sustainability, innovation, and resilience in digitally evolving environments. Full article

Employee skill development has become essential for organizations operating in dynamic, knowledge-based environments, particularly in developing countries, where on-the-job training (OJT) remains the most widely used training approach. Despite its prevalence, empirical research on how OJT enhances employee performance (EP) remains limited in Myanmar’s manufacturing sector. This study explores how on-the-job training (OJT) influences employee performance (EP) in manufacturing organizations in Myanmar, adopting theories of human capital, social exchange, transfer of training, and self-determination. Survey data were collected from 309 employees representing 248 manufacturing firms, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 27 and Hayes’ PROCESS macro. The analysis results demonstrate that OJT has a significant positive impact on EP. Moreover, individual characteristics, including prior knowledge and skills, self-efficacy, motivation to learn, and motivation to transfer, serve as mediating variables, showing how OJT translates into performance improvement. In addition, the effects of OJT are further shaped by training characteristics, such as training design, delivery approach, needs assessment, and training evaluation practices. Hence, the findings of this study showed that effective OJT outcomes arise from alignment between well-prepared on-the-job training programs and employees’ psychological readiness to apply new skills. This study advances understanding of employee development in recent industrial landscapes. It offers actionable insights into designing more adaptive, reliable, and learner-oriented OJT programs in a manufacturing context, especially for developing countries such as Myanmar. Full article

Conformity is defined as the inclination to align one’s thoughts and behaviors with those of a group, driven by the desire for social acceptance and accuracy. While this alignment can enhance group cohesion and facilitate effective communication, it may also lead individuals to adopt false beliefs or engage in risky choices. This systematic review explores the interconnected dynamics of conformity, emotional regulation, and decision-making, shedding light on their transformative impacts on individual behavior within various contexts. A search was conducted in four databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, and PubMed, focusing on research related to social conformity, emotion regulation, and decision-making from 2014 to October 2024. After several screening stages, 38 studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected as the subject of the present review. The findings examined in this review explore the interplay between emotions and conformity in shaping social dynamics and decision-making processes. Additionally, the review addresses how contextual factors, social group dynamics, and individual differences affect conformity behaviors. Importantly, the review identifies a critical gap in the literature regarding how emotional regulation strategies might moderate the influence of conformity, particularly in emotionally charged or socially complex situations. Addressing this gap presents a promising avenue for future research, with implications for developing interventions aimed at fostering healthier decision-making and emotional resilience within group environments. Full article

The construction sector undeniably has an impact on sustainability in its three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. In this context, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) has emerged over the last decade as an attractive technology for transforming this sector. It enables the manufacture of construction elements while saving time, reducing waste, and eliminating the need for molds. However, assessments of the environmental performance of implementing this technology are limited, particularly under representative production conditions. This study evaluates the footprint family indicators, carbon footprint (CF), ecological footprint (EF), and water footprint (WF), of different mixtures of 1 m3 of 3D-printed concrete, with 1m of a high printed wall. These mixtures were made with a proportion of fresh solid aggregates; brick and concrete rubble (as demolition waste (CDW) materials) were used as partial replacements for cement. In addition, the environmental impact of using two printing technologies, gantry and robotic arm systems, is analyzed. The results show that materials are the main source of environmental impacts; the replacement of some of the cement reduces CF and EF by up to 20% and 19%, respectively, while preserving printability and buildability, as demonstrated by the stable fabrication of 1 m-high printed wall elements. However, moderate increases in WF were observed, which were associated with the electricity consumption of waste processing. These results confirm the potential for valorizing CDW in 3D printing mixtures. This environmental assessment under full-scale printing conditions supports sustainability-oriented decision-making in the construction industry. Full article

As the English language spreads worldwide, debate has intensified over introducing it early in multilingual school systems. In the Arab world, this question is especially sensitive because Arabic is closely linked to cultural and religious identity, and early English policies may shift the language balance in primary education. This review synthesizes 31 peer-reviewed studies on childhood English learning and early English teaching practices, addressing key aspects of age of acquisition, bilingual outcomes, and language maintenance or identity. Using transparent search and selection reporting, we examined studies published between 2000 and 2025. Findings cluster around four themes: age of acquisition, mother-tongue maintenance and identity, teacher preparation and pedagogy, and social outcomes. The evidence from the review shows that earlier exposure can support pronunciation, fluency, and metalinguistic awareness, but the strength and direction of these gains depend primarily on program quality and bilingual model design. Additive approaches that maintain and value Arabic literacy while providing rich, high-quality English input are often associated with better learning outcomes than subtractive arrangements that reduce Arabic use. However, effects vary by context and implementation quality. Where Arabic is reduced without adequate support, learners may face risks such as weaker first-language development and heightened identity-related strain. However, these outcomes are not inevitable and are moderated by factors such as teacher preparation, instructional design, and school–home language support. We propose a balanced early-English design that builds progressive English proficiency while maintaining continuous Arabic-medium literacy, supported by targeted teacher professional development, family and community engagement, and continuous Arabic-medium literacy. The review concludes with policy and practice implications for curriculum designers, school leaders, and decision-makers, and calls for longitudinal, classroom-based research on identity trajectories and English-medium instruction in Arab primary education. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified the demand for street designs that reconcile ecological quality with positive human experiences, particularly in high-density cities such as Tianjin, China. Streets function as key interfaces where ecological processes, social activities and human perception intersect. However, existing research tends to emphasize the amount of greenery while overlooking its structural characteristics, to treat perception as a psychological response decoupled from spatial context, and to make limited use of fine-grained functional data to examine how ecology and perception interact. This study develops an integrated analytical framework that combines the DeepLabV3+ model to extract the Urban Street Greenery Generalized Structure (USGGS) from Baidu Street View imagery with a vision transformer model trained on the Place Pulse 2.0 dataset to derive multidimensional perceptual metrics. Functional diversity is represented using point-of-interest (POI) data, and an enhanced Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) model is employed to explore associations among greenery structure, perceived qualities and functional characteristics. Analyses of six urban districts in Tianjin indicate that ecological and perceived street qualities are closely related to the degree of coupling between vegetation structure and functional diversity. Streets characterized by multi-layered greenery and diverse, active functions tend to exhibit higher perceived aesthetics, safety and vitality, whereas streets with single-layer vegetation or functionally monotonous environments generally do not perform as well. Functional patterns appear to mediate relationships between greening and perception by shaping how ecological form is experienced through everyday social activities. Overall, the results suggest that closer coordination between ecological design and functional organization is important for fostering urban streets that combine environmental resilience with strong perceived appeal. Full article