Search Results (2,906)

This study examines the validity of the Spanish version of the Scientific Epistemic Beliefs (SEB) Questionnaire among university students in northeastern Mexico, considering multiple sources of evidence. The SEB measures four dimensions of epistemic beliefs: Source, Certainty, Development, and Justification. Data from pilot (n = 150) and main (n = 791) samples were analyzed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (EFA, CFA), Item Response Theory (IRT), and Differential Item Functioning (DIF). The results provided evidence consistent with a four-factor model, with adequate internal consistency (α = 0.85) and acceptable-to-good fit indices (CFI = 0.944, TLI = 0.936, RMSEA = 0.067, SRMR = 0.071) for a 22-item scale. IRT analyses indicated strong item discrimination, with Source and Certainty covering a broad range of the latent trait, while Development and Justification were more informative at lower to moderate levels. DIF analyses indicated negligible differences in item functioning by gender and academic semester, with minor DIF detected across faculties. Non-parametric analyses identified statistically significant but small differences, with females scoring slightly higher across all dimensions and variations also observed across academic semesters and faculties. Descriptive comparisons with published international data provide contextual evidence within a broader cross-cultural framework. Full article

With the deepening construction of ecological civilization, the realization of ecological product value, referring to the value derived from ecosystems’ material goods, regulation, support, and cultural services, has become a strategic key point for national sustainable development. Data factors, distinguished from digital technologies as the actual resources used in production, exchange, and consumption, are becoming increasingly important as a new catalyst for empowering the realization of ecological product value. Drawing on panel data spanning 2011 to 2023 across China’s 31 provinces, this research employs the entropy weight method to construct evaluation indices for both the development of data factors and the realization of ecological product value, deriving weights from the data’s intrinsic variability. The effect of data factors on the realization of ecological product value is examined using a two-way fixed effects framework. Our outcomes are presented below. First, data factors can significantly promote the realization of ecological product value, and this conclusion is supported by a series of robustness checks and endogeneity treatments. Second, the mechanism analysis reveals that data factors empower the realization of ecological product value through new quality productive forces, energy consumption intensity, and innovation and entrepreneurship. Third, results from the threshold model suggest that the promoting effect of data factors on the realization of ecological product value is subject to a threshold constraint, characterized by diminishing marginal returns beyond this point. Fourth, regarding regional disparities, the results indicate that data factors primarily drive ecological product value realization in the central region, as it is at a critical stage of digital transformation, with a secondary effect in the east, while their influence in the western region remains insignificant. These findings provide important guidance for integrating data factors and ecological resources to achieve sustainable development. Full article

In anthropologist Joel Robbins’ pioneering work on divergences within cultural anthropology about the goals of anthropology and crucial differences between anthropology and theology on this matter, he diagnoses anthropology with a lack of criteria and training in rendering critical judgments on the ‘dark’ situations that anthropologists encounter. I suggest that the trouble anthropologists have with critically addressing the darkness of poverty, oppression and suffering is due to an inability to articulate standpoints on what counts as good. Following Robbins’ argument that anthropology can learn practices of rendering judgment from theology, I offer an ethnographic description and analysis of the way theology trains students in delineating their theological position and developing practices of judging in order to explore avenues toward anthropological ways of doing so. Building on the hermeneutical insight that judgment is an integral part of Verstehen, I argue that practicing judgment may not only further the critical capacity of anthropology but also enhance our ability to understand other ways of imagining the good. Full article

The town of Guano, located in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador, is a canton renowned for its concentration of cultural expressions related to traditional artisanal techniques, such as the production of garments and leather goods, tanning, textile weaving, products made from cabuya or totora reeds, and knotted rugs. These artisanal practices are embedded in a long-standing historical and symbolic framework, linked to processes of cultural transmission and identity reinterpretation. Furthermore, Guano has been a pivotal site in Ecuadorian archaeological history thanks to the studies of Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño (1927), who identified six cultural phases of the Puruhá culture through ceramic and stratigraphic analysis. The province has earned recognition as the “Cradle of Ecuadorian Nationality” due to its valuable archaeological heritage. However, much of the interpretation of this legacy has been constructed from colonial-era archaeological approaches, which have limited the understanding of the Puruhá worldview and generated interpretive shifts in the cultural attribution of its iconography. This research analyzes, from a semiotic and decolonial perspective, the semiotic codes present in the iconography of the Puruhá culture, observable in archaeological ceramic pieces and their reinterpretation in the Guano rugs, understood as living cultural artifacts. The analysis of the denotative and connotative levels of the graphic motifs integrates the iconographic study, Andean fractal design, and the examination of contemporary artisanal discourses. The results demonstrate the existence of a structured symbolic system, based on principles of duality, complementarity, cyclicality, and the tripartite division of the cosmos, as well as the persistence of patterns such as spirals and zoomorphic figures in current textile production. The study identifies that, despite this symbolic continuity, those who possess this knowledge often attribute these symbols to external cultural frameworks, primarily the Inca culture, which limits their potential as a resource for identity, culture, and tourism. In this sense, the research provides a situated and non-hegemonic interpretive framework that contributes to the cultural reinterpretation of the Guano knotted carpets, offering input for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, strengthening local identity, and designing sustainable cultural interpretation strategies. Full article

Age-related decline in oocyte quality is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative imbalance, which disrupt redox-sensitive meiotic signaling and compromise embryo developmental competence. Rescue in vitro maturation (r-IVM) enables the utilization of immature oocytes retrieved during conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. However, the developmental potential of r-IVM oocytes remains limited, particularly in women of advanced maternal age. This study evaluated whether transient caffeine supplementation during r-IVM improves the developmental competence of immature human oocytes in clinical assisted reproduction technology cycles. Immature oocytes obtained during conventional IVF were cultured with or without short-term caffeine exposure during r-IVM prior to standard culture conditions. After maturation, metaphase II oocytes underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and embryonic development was assessed by fertilization rate, day 3 good-quality embryo formation, and blastocyst development. Although caffeine supplementation did not significantly affect nuclear maturation rates, it significantly increased fertilization efficiency and the proportion of good-quality embryos compared with controls. These effects were most pronounced in women aged ≥ 37 years. Time-lapse morphokinetic analysis further revealed more synchronized developmental kinetics in embryos derived from caffeine-treated oocytes, resembling those derived from in vivo-matured oocytes. Collectively, these findings suggest that transient caffeine exposure during r-IVM enhances post-fertilization developmental competence. The underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, and future studies are required to determine whether redox-sensitive meiotic pathways and mitochondrial function are involved. Full article

In the history as well as historiography of Chinese Buddhism, the tradition has often been closely associated with death-related cultural practices and ideas, an association that has frequently carried negative connotations. Early twentieth-century reformers such as Taixu famously criticized Buddhism as a religion of ghosts and funerals and sought to redirect Mahāyāna Buddhism toward engagement with an urban, modernizing society. Contemporary Taiwanese Buddhists have realized many aspects of this socially engaged vision. Yet concern with death remains deeply embedded in Buddhist life. Far from standing in contradiction to social engagement, this concern has become one of its central expressions, most visibly in the emergence of modern Buddhist palliative care. Focusing on the writings of the scholar-monk Shi Huimin, this article examines the development of Buddhist palliative care in Taiwan in response to a secular, multireligious, and rapidly aging society, with primary attention to Huimin’s conceptual work. Rather than treating death in isolation, Huimin situates dying within a broader ethical horizon that links good death to good aging, good living, and community formation. Through his reinterpretation of the Five Śīlas and his notion of a Community Pure Land, he extends prevailing concerns with dying well toward a more comprehensive reflection on everyday moral cultivation, healthy lifestyles, and communal responsibility. In this sense, the study reads Buddhist palliative care as a site that “provincializes” dominant Euro-American frameworks of spiritual and palliative care, highlighting their particular historical and Christian-inflected origins while tracing how they are reconfigured and made productive in a multireligious, secular context. By foregrounding Huimin’s conceptual contributions, this study highlights how palliative and spiritual care are localized and reworked within Taiwanese Buddhism, connecting end-of-life care to broader questions of life, aging, and community well-being. Full article

In this study, we aimed to examine the multiplicative interaction model as a tool to assess the impact of plant extracts and fermentation products on the growth of mycelium of selected fungi. The materials used in the study included a total of 16 products. Plant extracts were obtained by the processes of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) or supercritical CO₂ extraction, and the fermentation broths were produced by Enterobacter and Paenibacillus bacteria in a bioreactor. All these products were examined in vitro using 12 cultures of frequently occuring pathogenic fungi collected from cereals and oilseed rape cultivation. For mycelium diameter in all three examined concentrations, the Additive Main impacts and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) analyses showed substantial impacts of both the product and the pathogen as well as the product-by-pathogen interaction. It is advised that future plant protection techniques incorporate product E8, a plant extract (the CO₂ extract of a ginger plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family), since it demonstrated excellent stability and good average mycelium diameter values across all concentrations examined. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first time the AMMI model has been used to evaluate the impact of product–pathogen interactions on mycelium diameter. Full article

Background: Haitian immigrants in the United States face health literacy challenges related to recent migration, language discordance, and unfamiliar healthcare systems, yet no general health literacy instrument has been psychometrically validated in Haitian Creole. This study translated, culturally adapted, and evaluated the Haitian Creole HLS₁₉-Q12 (HLS₁₉-Q12-HC). Methods: Haitian Creole-speaking adults without cancer diagnoses in South Florida (n = 168) completed the HLS₁₉-Q12-HC and the Haitian Creole Brief Health Literacy Screen. Translation included forward–backward procedures, expert review, and cognitive interviews (n = 7). Psychometric evaluation used confirmatory factor analysis, reliability testing, and assessment of convergent and known-groups validity. Results: Cognitive interviews supported clarity and cultural appropriateness with minor refinements. Reliability was excellent (ω = 0.949; α = 0.944; AVE = 0.584). The unidimensional model showed good fit (CFI = 0.951; TLI = 0.944; RMSEA = 0.065; SRMR = 0.048), whereas multi-factor models showed limited discriminant validity. Convergent and known-groups validity were supported. Using provisional European-derived cutpoints, 70.2% of participants were classified as having inadequate or problematic health literacy. Conclusions: The HLS19-Q12-HC showed evidence of reliability and validity as a unidimensional measure of general health literacy and may support research, needs assessment, and culturally responsive interventions for Haitian Creole-speaking populations. Findings should be interpreted in light of the convenience sample from South Florida and the predominantly female composition of the cohort. Full article

This article examines how the discourse of “for your own good” functions as a moral framework through which parental violence is reinterpreted as care in Sinophone family cinema. Focusing on family-centered films as a key site of representation, we analyze how reconciliation is constructed not merely as a narrative resolution but as an ethical expectation. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser, we develop the concept of “moralized parental violence” to describe how authority, discipline, and emotional control are legitimized through moral discourse. Through a typological analysis, identify three recurring models of reconciliation: deathbed reconciliation, retrospective understanding, and silent reconciliation. The study further explores works that resist reconciliation, arguing that such narratives suspend ethical closure and challenge normative expectations of forgiveness. By examining narrative structure, visual emphasis, and affective strategies, we demonstrate how cultural texts guide audience responses and shape moral interpretation. Rather than rejecting family values, this study reconsiders how ethics, power, and care are intertwined in cultural narratives and how the refusal of reconciliation opens a critical space for rethinking the limits of moral obligation. Full article

Oyster aquaculture offers promising opportunities for diversifying marine production in the Romanian Black Sea, where favorable environmental conditions and recent regulatory developments support shellfish farming. This study aimed to generate baseline data for the cultivation of the Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas, through an in situ experimental trial conducted off Mamaia Bay, Romania. A 50 m experimental long-line system was deployed at 13.5 m depth, and triploid oysters were cultured for one year at two depth horizons (3 m and 6 m). The growth performance, meat yield, Condition Index, microbiological quality, environmental parameters, and epibiotic communities were monitored monthly. Cultivation depth significantly influenced oyster growth, with individuals reared at 6 m consistently achieving a greater wet weight and shell length than those at 3 m. Growth rates peaked during spring, and meat yield values indicated good commercial quality. Environmental monitoring showed strong seasonal variability, with high summer temperatures and reduced dissolved oxygen associated with increased mortality. Microbiological analyses revealed higher bacterial loads during warm months. The Condition Index classified the oysters as generally “fine” to occasionally “special”. Overall, the results demonstrate that Black Sea conditions can support successful cultivation of M. gigas, although seasonal environmental stress and epibiosis require appropriate farm management. Full article

The world of Star Wars may seem far removed from Renaissance England, but through an examination of the regnal aspects of Henry VIII and (Emperor) Sheev Palpatine (Darth Sidious), it is evident that their ruling styles, concerns, and personal characteristics are quite similar. Specifically, they share (1) a connection to the arts through visual, architectural, and political themes, making them ‘Renaissance men’; (2) a fixation with male (Force-sensitive) bloodlines, whether through biological children or Sith Apprentices; and (3) a legacy of having their most powerful and ‘best’ heirs being women—Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603) and Rey (Palpatine/Skywalker). Hence, these case studies, which rely on the trait approach of leadership, demonstrate the utility of comparing leaders from different times, cultures, and realities in an effort to understand not only good and bad leadership elements, but also the nature of leaders’ downfalls. Full article

This study developed a Visitor Attraction Quality Checklist to evaluate amenity infrastructure. Seoullo 7017, an elevated linear park located in the Seoul Station area, is the study region. Drawing on the literature on urban regeneration and tourism, as well as amenity-based approaches and the quality evaluation of elevated linear parks, this study develops evaluation criteria that incorporate the physical environment and safety, accessibility and convenience, landscape and identity, and social usage and experience. By applying a longitudinal analysis, on-site qualitative evaluations were conducted between August 2017 and January 2026. The findings show that Seoullo 7017 functions well as a visitor attraction, offering high-standard safety infrastructure, cleanliness, and good esthetic value to accommodate diverse visitors. However, there is a seasonal disparity in cultural programming and limited connections to the surrounding local economy. This study also reveals that rigid planter designs, a lack of tree maintenance, and insufficient shaded areas limit spatial flexibility and visitor comfort. For Seoullo 7017 to pursue sustainability, it must refine its horticultural management, integrate with local businesses, and improve its design. The Visitor Attraction Quality Checklist serves as a longitudinal diagnostic tool for managing elevated urban linear parks as an outcome of global regeneration projects. Full article

Traditional villages embody regional culture and local knowledge, yet culture–tourism integration often suffers from a mismatch between resource value and effective transformation. To address this problem, this study proposes a two-dimensional “benefit–obstacle” diagnostic and strategy-matching framework and tests its case-based applicability in Dayuwan Village. First, a cultural landscape gene (CLG) atlas was constructed for the village based on a geo-information coding scheme, covering both tangible and intangible CLGs. Second, a four-dimensional evaluation system was operationalized through five expert judgments and 106 valid on-site questionnaires collected from tourists (n = 67) and residents (n = 39). Criterion weights were determined using an AHP–entropy combination approach, and the comprehensive benefit closeness coefficient was calculated via TOPSIS. Third, an obstacle degree identification model was employed to pinpoint key constraints and derive composite obstacle degrees. Results within the Dayuwan case show that the TOPSIS closeness coefficients of the 17 genes ranged from 0.653 to 0.782 (mean = 0.714), with 4, 6, and 7 genes classified as excellent, good, and medium, respectively; composite obstacle degrees ranged from 0.0228 to 0.1975. In Dayuwan Village, higher obstacle degrees clustered mainly in intangible CLGs, whereas Ming–Qing architecture and frequently practiced folk-cultural genes showed comparatively lower obstacle degrees. The transformation process is constrained by four mechanisms—landscape character protection, economic transformation, social identity, and market demand—with economic transformation constraints being the most prominent. Based on the benefit–obstacle matrix, 17 CLGs were classified into five activation scenarios and matched with corresponding revitalization strategies. This framework links benefit ranking, obstacle diagnosis, and strategy matching, and provides a case-based diagnostic reference for the conservation and culture–tourism integration of villages with comparable heritage conditions, subject to local recalibration of indicators, weights, and thresholds. Full article

The viae romanae (Roman roads) were constructed according to precise designs and exceptional engineering techniques, ensuring their strength and durability. They represent an immeasurably important factor in human history. Their impact has been universal, facilitating the movement of people, goods, ideas, beliefs and religions over the centuries. The Via Appia Regina Viarum, built between the end of 4th and 1st centuries BCE, connected Rome to Brundisium, spanning the region of Latium and Apulia. The road initially crossed the coastal plains of the Tyrrhenian Sea (in Latium) before cutting through the reliefs and river valleys of the southern Apennines (in Campania) and finally crossing the regio Apulia et Calabria via Tarentum, to the harbor of Brundisium, along the Adriatic coast. In 2024, the Italian Ministry of Culture proposed the ‘Via Appia Regina Viarum’ for inscription on the Unesco World Heritage List, recognizing its unique and exceptional testimony to Roman civilization. Later that same year, the nomination was accepted, and today, the Via Appia is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. A significant contribution to this nomination came from the multidisciplinary studies and research conducted along the Via Appia between the ancient cities of Beneventum and Aeclanum in the Campanian Apennine, including: (1) geoarcheological investigation aimed at identifying the ancient path of the road, which was not well documented in the area between Beneventum and Aeclanum; (2) studies focused on cultural and geological heritage along the road and its surrounding landscapes, enhancing the value of the nomination; and (3) the organization of social and cultural events designed to disseminate scientific findings and raise awareness among scientists, students, local and national administrators, local food and wine producers, and the general public. This paper highlights the pivotal role of geoscience at all stages of the project: from preliminary field surveys and mapping of landforms and lithofacies, to targeted field and geophysical surveys, to archaeological excavation and geoarchaeological consideration, and to the dissemination of new data through cultural events. Full article

Air quality management in zoological gardens plays a crucial role in their sustainable development. However, air quality in these settings remains understudied. In addition, previous research has largely focused on airborne microbial contamination merely in animal enclosures. This exploratory study provides preliminary insights into airborne fungal contamination alongside microclimate conditions in the visitor and worker areas of animal premises in the Zagreb Zoo. The study was performed in the Monkey House, Tropical House, Rainy Africa, and Bird House, as well as outdoors in fall. Fungi were identified based on macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Total culturable fungal concentration in indoor air ranged between 50 and 4.25 × 10³ CFU/m³, and in outdoor air between 1.00 × 10² and 1.50 × 10³ CFU/m³. Molds of eight genera and yeasts were isolated from the air. Both indoors and outdoors, the predominant genera were Cladosporium and Penicillium, and also genus Aspergillus indoors. Cladosporium spp. and Penicillium spp. concentrations, as well as total fungal concentration in the air, were on average, highest in Rainy Africa and Bird House, while the highest average Aspergillus spp. concentration was found in the Tropical House. Levels of Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp., and Aspergillus spp. concentrations were associated with microclimate conditions. Study results suggest that the airborne fungal contamination may depend on the animals housed in the premises, and the design and management of the premises. Although total fungal concentration determined may not necessarily pose a health risk for exposed people, the qualitative composition of fungi signifies the importance of implementing good practices in zoo premises, including optimal microclimate conditions and effective ventilation. The results obtained also indicate the need for air quality monitoring, which concurs with zoo sustainability goals. Full article