Search Results (197)

(1) Background: Climate change has intensified extreme heat and localized rainfall, exposing South Korea’s protected trees to new risks. Despite their ecological and cultural value, prior research has been largely local or qualitative, leaving little basis for nationwide prioritization. (2) Methods: We developed a composite risk index that integrates heat and rainfall exposure with species sensitivities, covering nearly the entire national inventory (≈10,000 individuals). Risks were calculated at the tree level, aggregated to district, provincial, and national scales, and tested for robustness across weighting and normalization choices. Spatial clustering was assessed with Moran’s I and LISA. (3) Results: High-risk clusters were consistently identified in southern and southwestern regions. Mean and tail indicators showed that average-based approaches obscure extreme vulnerabilities, while LISA confirmed significant High–High clusters. Rankings proved robust across scenarios, indicating that results reflect structural signals rather than parameter settings. Priority areas defined by the presence of extreme-risk individuals emerged as stable candidates for intervention. (4) Conclusions: The study establishes a transparent, operational rule for prioritization and offers tailored strategies—such as drainage infrastructure, shading, and root-zone management—while informing medium-term planning. It provides the first nationwide, empirically grounded framework for conserving protected trees under climate transition. Full article

This study aimed to identify the optimal concentration of seaweed extract (SE) for enhancing growth, photosynthetic traits, antioxidant activity, and bioactive compound accumulation in Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants cultivated in a fully controlled plant factory. Basil plants were foliar-sprayed twice weekly with five SE concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 mL·L⁻¹), while untreated plants served as controls. After 28 days of transplanting, plant growth parameters, photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll pigments, antioxidant activity, and the concentrations of phenolic acids and rosmarinic acid (RA) were analyzed. Moderate SE concentrations (1.0–2.0 mL·L⁻¹) significantly enhanced plant growth, chlorophyll a, carotenoid levels, DPPH radical scavenging, and total flavonoid content relative to control. The 2.0 mL·L⁻¹ treatment produced the highest total phenolic content (1.88-fold increase over the control) and was associated with elevated benzoic acid, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol, along with reduced trans-cinnamic acid, indicating activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Moreover, all SE treatments significantly increased RA accumulation. These findings demonstrate that SE is an effective, sustainable biostimulant for Thai basil, with 2.0 mL·L⁻¹ as the optimal concentration for maximizing growth and phytochemical production. Full article

Eye movements are regulated by the ocular motor nerves (cranial nerves [CNs] III, IV, and VI), which control the six extraocular muscles of each eye. Palsies of CNs III, IV, and VI can restrict eye movements, resulting in strabismus and diplopia, and so clinical evaluations of eye movements are crucial for diagnosing CN palsies. This study aimed to develop an accurate artificial intelligence (AI) system for classifying CN III, IV, and VI palsies using nine-gaze ocular photographs. We analyzed 478 nine-gaze photographs comprising 70, 29, and 58 cases of CN III, IV, and VI palsies, respectively. The images were processed using MATLAB. For model training, each photograph of eye movements in the nine directions was numerically coded. A multinetwork model was employed to ensure precise analyses of paralytic strabismus. The AI system operates by referring data on minor abnormalities in the nine-gaze image to a network designed to detect CN IV abnormalities, which re-examines downward and lateral gazes to detect distinctions. Data on major abnormalities are directed to a different network trained to differentiate between CN III and VI abnormalities. EfficientNet-B0 was applied to reduce overfitting and improve learning efficiency in training with limited medical imaging data as the neural network architecture. The diagnostic accuracies of the proposed network for CN III, IV, and VI palsies were 99.31%, 97.7%, and 98.22%, respectively. This study has demonstrated the design of an AI model using a relatively small dataset and a multinetwork training system for analyzing nine-gaze photographs in strabismus patients with CN III, IV, and VI palsies, achieving an overall accuracy of 98.77%. Full article

Digital financial services have transformed consumer financial behavior, yet their effects on sustainable development outcomes remain poorly understood. This study examines how mobile financial services (MFS) usage influences financial behaviors across temporal dimensions and investigates the moderating role of financial literacy from a systemic sustainability perspective. Drawing on Construal Level Theory, Dual Process Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory, we analyze data from 21,757 U.S. adults from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study to explore relationships between MFS usage, financial literacy dimensions—objective knowledge (OK), subjective knowledge (SK), and perceived ability (PA)—and both short-term and long-term financial behaviors. The results reveal a dual temporal pattern: MFS usage negatively affects short-term behaviors, including spending control and emergency preparedness, while positively influencing long-term behaviors such as retirement planning and investment participation. Financial literacy dimensions demonstrate differential moderating effects, with OK providing protective benefits against short-term risks, while PA can paradoxically exacerbate these adverse short-term effects. These findings highlight complex implications for sustainable development, demonstrating how individual behaviors aggregate to influence systemic financial resilience and progress toward Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty reduction, economic growth, and inequality reduction. Policymakers should adopt behaviorally informed regulatory approaches that address temporal trade-offs. Educators should design digital-specific literacy programs emphasizing realistic risk assessment alongside confidence-building, thereby promoting sustainable financial behaviors in increasingly digital environments. Full article

Understanding how trust in artificial intelligence evolves is crucial for predicting human behavior in AI-enabled environments. While existing research focuses on initial acceptance factors, the temporal dynamics of AI trust remain poorly understood. This study develops a temporal trust dynamics framework proposing three phases: formation through accuracy cues, single-error shock, and post-error repair through explanations. Two experiments in financial advisory contexts tested this framework. Study 1 (N = 189) compared human versus algorithmic advisors, while Study 2 (N = 294) traced trust trajectories across three rounds, manipulating accuracy and post-error explanations. Results demonstrate three temporal patterns. First, participants initially favored algorithmic advisors, supporting “algorithmic appreciation.” Second, single advisory errors resulted in substantial trust decline (η² = 0.141), demonstrating acute sensitivity to performance failures. Third, post-error explanations significantly facilitated trust recovery, with evidence of enhancement beyond baseline. Financial literacy moderated these patterns, with higher-expertise users showing sharper decline after errors and stronger recovery following explanations. These findings reveal that AI trust follows predictable temporal patterns distinct from interpersonal trust, exhibiting heightened error sensitivity yet remaining amenable to repair through well-designed explanatory interventions. They offer theoretical integration of appreciation and aversion phenomena and practical guidance for designing inclusive AI systems. Full article

By examining two very different manifestations of Chinese Buddhism in Italy, this paper seeks to build upon and add a new dimension to Dessì’s “Glocal Buddhas” project and, more broadly, offer a rare insight into Chinese Buddhism in Italy. By offering a rare window into two private and non-official migrant Chinese Buddhist groups in Rome, this article will ultimately conclude that Chinese Buddhism can manifest in seemingly contrasting ways: by either embracing religious globalisation or, despite being a product of it, rejecting it. This paper also seeks to demonstrate that although official providers of Buddhism do exist in Italy, they by no means account for all Chinese Buddhists living in the country. As it is often private individuals that go unnoticed by larger studies or those who focus only on official institutions, this paper hopes to give voice to some of these somewhat hidden Buddhists. Full article

As a dynamic driver of globalization, tourism is a rapidly expanding and highly visible sector in the global economy, playing a substantial role in a country’s GDP. In recent years, scholars and policymakers have placed growing emphasis on integrating economic, cultural, social, and environmental sustainability into tourism practices and planning. In the era of globalization, Uzbekistan must strike a delicate balance between commercial potential and the conservation of its priceless cultural and natural riches as its tourism sector expands. Furthermore, the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva along the Silk Road were chosen as case studies to enhance our comprehension of the correlation between tourism growth and sustainability. This research aims to contribute to sustainable tourism in Uzbekistan through an in-depth analysis using various frameworks, including Glocal RPMs, SANEL HERMES, Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study’s findings indicate a consistent growth and advancement in the tourism industry of Uzbekistan. Nevertheless, several conditions and activities in Uzbekistan are not viable in terms of their impact on the economy, society, ecology, and tourism industry. So, this study recommends that, by applying its findings to the cities, the poor conditions and activities affecting the tourism industry along the Silk Road could be addressed as opportunities for sustainable development. Full article

Glocalization plays a vital role in promoting regionally embedded sustainable development by enabling territories to adapt global economic impulses to local capacities, values, and institutional frameworks. This paper develops a framework for the quantitative assessment of economic glocalization at the regional level, focusing on the European Union. Drawing on the conceptual metaphor of “refraction”, glocalization is interpreted as a transformation of global economic impulses as they pass through and interact with localized socio-economic structures. The authors construct a Glocalization Index System comprising three sub-indices: (1) Index of Generation of Globalization Impulses, (2) Index of Resistance to Globalization Impulses, and (3) Index of Transformation of Globalization Impulses. Each sub-index integrates normalized indicators related to regional creativity—conceptualized through the four “I”s: Institutions, Intelligence, Inspiration, and Infrastructure—as well as trade and investment dynamics. The empirical analysis reveals substantial interregional variation in glocalization capacities, with regions of Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland ranking among the most prominent generators and transformers of globalization impulses. Strong correlations are observed between the Resistance and Transformation indices, supporting the hypothesis that medium resistance levels contribute most effectively to transformation processes. By integrating both global (exogenous) and local (endogenous) dimensions, the proposed framework not only addresses a gap in economic literature but also offers a tool for guiding policies aimed at sustainable, adaptive, and innovation-driven regional development. Full article

This study investigates the perceptions of economics students from Romania’s Central Region regarding the global phenomena of globalization, localization, and slowbalization (GLS), analyzed through the lens of environmental, economic, and educational sustainability. The research highlights a high level of awareness and understanding of globalization and localization, while the concept of slowbalization remains relatively unfamiliar and often perceived with uncertainty or neutrality. Most respondents view globalization as the most sustainable model for long-term economic development, emphasizing its contributions to international trade, market expansion, investment flows, and access to global education and research. At the same time, localization is recognized for its role in preserving cultural identity, strengthening local economies, and addressing pressing environmental issues through low-carbon solutions. Regarding educational sustainability, students support a hybrid model that balances global exposure with the appreciation of local knowledge and traditions—a glocal approach particularly endorsed by master’s students. The study also reveals statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate respondents, indicating more mature perspectives among those in advanced studies. The paper could help in course design and lesson engagement and concludes by recommending curricular reforms in economic education and proposing future interdisciplinary, comparative, and qualitative research to deepen understanding of GLS dynamics, particularly in the context of emerging global trends and technological transformations. Full article

This study comprehensively evaluated how the inclusion of the inner shell and the choice of extraction method influence the antioxidant activity of Quercus Fructus (QF). Eight QF extracts were prepared with or without the inner shell using stirring (S) and ultrasonication (U) with 80% ethanol, boiled water (B) and autoclave (A) with distilled water. Among them, the ultrasonication extract with inner shell (IU) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity, showing strong DPPH radical scavenging (228.8 mg TEAC/g), ABTS activity (162.9 mg TEAC/g), reducing power (380.9 mg TERP/g), and SOD-like activity (38.1%). HPLC-UV profiling identified quercetin-7-glucoside (Q7G) as a major detectable compound, although several polar phenolics remained unidentified. In LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells, IU significantly suppressed nitric oxide production and iNOS expression without cytotoxicity. Additionally, IU treatment markedly reduced ROS accumulation in H₂O₂-exposed zebrafish embryos. These findings suggest that including the inner shell with ultrasonication extraction synergistically enhances QF’s antioxidant efficacy, suggesting a practical strategy for maximizing the functional potential of QF in natural antioxidant development. Full article

The rapid growth of mobile financial services provides significant opportunities for enhancing digital financial inclusion among older adults. However, elderly consumers often lag in adoption and sustained usage due to psychological barriers (e.g., technology anxiety) and factors related to prior experience and comfort with technology (e.g., technology familiarity). This study investigates how technology anxiety and technology familiarity influence elderly consumers’ continuance intention toward mobile banking, while examining age as a moderator by comparing younger older adults (aged 60–69) and older adults (aged 70+). Using data from an online survey of 488 elderly mobile banking users in South Korea, we conducted hierarchical regression analyses. The results show that technology anxiety negatively affects continuance intention, whereas technology familiarity positively enhances sustained usage. Moreover, age significantly moderated these relationships: adults aged 70+ were notably more sensitive to both technology anxiety and familiarity, highlighting distinct age-related psychological differences. These findings underscore the importance of targeted digital literacy initiatives, age-friendly fintech interfaces, and personalized support strategies. This study contributes to the fintech literature by integrating psychological dimensions into traditional technology adoption frameworks and emphasizing age-specific differences. Practically, fintech providers and policymakers should adopt tailored strategies to effectively address elderly consumers’ unique psychological needs, promoting sustained adoption and narrowing the digital divide in financial technology engagement. Full article

Assessing sustainability in urban projects became a key priority in the face of growing urban complexity. Therefore, how can global sustainability indicators be effectively adapted to assess urban projects at local scales? The paper proposes a framework for integrating sustainability into the decision-making process, aligning urban governance with the 2030 Agenda at the district and building levels. Governments’ growing demand for reliable monitoring, reporting, and evaluation systems underscores the urgency of data-driven tools to guide and adjust policies. In this context, indicators are essential instruments, making sustainability measurable and transparent. Anchored in the global framework of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the paper focuses on SDG 11, integrating strategic targets with operational metrics from Sustainable Assessment Tools (SATs). The research adopts a multi-method approach, combining inductive analysis—guided by the PRISMA methodology for systematic reviews—with deductive analysis based on surveys. This study represents the theoretical foundation of the GLOSSA project (GLOcal knowledge-System for the Sustainable Assessment of urban projects), aiming to provide a set of indicators for measuring and evaluating sustainable urban transformation projects. This paper highlights the need to integrate sustainability into urban decision-making, providing an operational framework for sustainable urban governance. Full article

Understanding the tensile properties of extraocular muscles (EOMs) is crucial for successful strabismus surgery and accurate predictions of surgical outcomes. Assessments of EOM tensile strength are traditionally highly dependent on the expertise of the ophthalmic surgeon, since they involve manually pulling the EOM in opposite directions. This approach only provides subjective measurements that are not quantifiable. Previous quantitative approaches have utilized various devices such as implanted force transducers or dial tension gauges connected to muscle tendons with nylon sutures, but these methods are complex and so are rarely used outside of research settings. Consequently, the goal of this study was to create a quantitative and clinically applicable device for assessing EOM tensile strength. This developed device uses a strabismus hook connected to a strain gauge load cell that measures the tensile force and includes a tilting sensor to ensure that the hook is pulled at a consistent angle when a force is applied. The performance of the device was tested on 22 EOMs in 11 patients with intermittent exotropia during surgery for resecting the medial rectus (MR) and recessing the lateral rectus (LR) under general anesthesia. The measured tensile strengths of the MR and LR were 284.9 ± 58.3 and 278.3 ± 64.6 g (mean ± SD), respectively. In conclusion, the novel device developed in this study for quantitative measurements of EOM tensile strength in clinical settings will facilitate understanding of the pathophysiology of strabismus, as well as of the mechanical properties of the EOMs, and enhance the precision of surgical interventions. Full article

Global efforts to address climate change have intensified the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, positioning wind power as a critical player due to its advanced technology, scalability, and environmental benefits. Despite their potential, the reliability of wind turbines, particularly their gearboxes, remains a persistent challenge. Gearbox failures lead to significant downtime, high maintenance costs, and reduced operational efficiency, threatening the economic competitiveness of wind energy. This study proposes an innovative condition monitoring model for wind turbine gearboxes, utilizing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems and Deep Learning techniques. The model analyzes historical operating data from wind turbine to classify gearbox conditions into normal and abnormal states. Optimizing the dataset for deep neural networks through advanced data processing methods achieves an impressive fault detection accuracy of 98.8%. Designed for seamless integration into real-time monitoring systems, this approach enables early fault prediction and supports proactive maintenance strategies. By enhancing gearbox reliability, reducing unplanned downtime, and lowering maintenance expenses, the model improves the overall economic viability of wind farms. This advancement reinforces wind energy’s pivotal role in driving a sustainable, low-carbon future, aligning with global climate goals and renewable energy adoption. Full article

Cultural heritage plays a crucial role in strengthening local identity and fostering socio-economic development. However, its effective enhancement requires an inclusive decision-making process capable of integrating the diverse perspectives of stakeholders. This study introduces an innovative participatory governance model applied to the case of Taverna, Calabria. This study adopted a methodological framework grounded in co-design and co-evaluation, and the research examined the impacts and opportunities associated with a collaborative management process for cultural heritage. The proposed framework consists of five key phases: defining a strategic vision, analyzing the territorial context, co-designing enhancement strategies, implementing actions, and monitoring their impact. The findings highlight the effectiveness of this approach in shaping strategies grounded in local identity, inclusive community engagement, and long-term sustainability. The experience of Taverna’s collaborative decision-making project demonstrates that an inclusive governance process can generate tangible benefits in terms of social innovation, economic growth, and heritage conservation. Full article