Search Results (341)

Red bricks serve as an important material for load-bearing or enclosing structures in traditional architecture and are widely used in construction projects both domestically and internationally. Fujian red bricks, due to geographical, trade, and immigration-related factors, have spread to Taiwan and various regions in Southeast Asia, giving rise to distinctive red brick architectural complexes. To further investigate the types of damage, such as cracking and missing bricks, that occur in traditional red brick buildings due to multiple factors, including climate and human activities, this study takes Fujian red brick buildings as its research subject. It employs the YOLOv12 rapid detection method to conduct technical support research on structural assessment, type detection, and damage localization of surface damage in red brick building materials. The experimental model was conducted through the following procedures: on-site photo collection, slice marking, creation of an image training set, establishment of an iterative model training, accuracy analysis, and experimental result verification. Based on this, the causes of damage types and corresponding countermeasures were analyzed. The objective of this study is to attempt to utilize computer vision image recognition technology to provide practical, automated detection and efficient identification methods for damage types in red brick building brick structures, particularly those involving physical and mechanical structural damage that severely threaten the overall structural safety of the building. This research model will reduce the complex manual processes typically involved, thereby improving work efficiency. This enables the development of customized intervention strategies with minimal impact and enhanced timeliness for the maintenance, repair, and preservation of red brick buildings, further advancing the practical application of intelligent protection for architectural heritage. Full article

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly shaping the pathways of Small Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). This study presents an entity-relationship diagram (ERD) approach to 184 determinants of SME internationalization success, in order to provide structured inputs for Deep Learning (DL) Recommenders that can support CSR-aligned internationalization strategies. Employing Visual Paradigm 17.2 Professional software for modeling, the research synthesizes state-of-the-art findings on foreign market entry, and export performance, into ERDs. Then the market adoption drivers for such a DL tool are explored through semi-structured interviews with twelve stakeholders. The results reveal a propensity to adopt the DL recommender, with experts highlighting essential features for engagement, pricing, and implementation. The discussion contextualizes these findings, while the conclusion addresses gaps and future directions. The study’s focus in Portugal/Germany may limit worldwide extrapolation, yet it advances knowledge by consolidating success determinants, validating platform requirements, exposing gaps, and suggesting research in both CSR, AI and SME internationalization. Full article

Quality assurance (QA) in higher education has become increasingly vital in response to global competition, digital transformation, and evolving sustainability demands. This study examines the leading QA frameworks—namely the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG), the EFQM Excellence Model, and ISO 9001—while integrating advanced analytical methodologies, including Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Bayesian modeling, to propose a comprehensive framework for assessing university performance. Through empirical analysis and comparative case studies of internationally ranked universities, this study demonstrates that combining objective indicators with quantitative methods significantly improves institutional efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness. Additionally, the role of digital education, ESG-driven sustainability strategies, and AI-based student feedback systems emerge as being crucial to the effectiveness of QA practices. The results suggest that hybrid evaluation models—blending traditional QA principles with data-driven analytics—promote continuous improvement, optimize resource management, and enhance educational outcomes. This research ultimately highlights the growing relevance of advanced quantitative frameworks in modernizing QA systems and supporting universities in addressing dynamic global challenges. Full article

Recent decades have witnessed contractors’ increasing investment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) to build constructive stakeholder relationships and better corporate reputation. However, due to the uncertain benefits of engaging in CSR matters and the information asymmetry between contractors and stakeholders, corporate hypocrisy (CH), which refers to a disconnect between “talking” and “walking” in CSR, has widely surfaced in the international construction industry. This study used substantive corporate social responsibility (CSRS) and symbolic corporate social responsibility (CSRR) to deconstruct corporate hypocrisy. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used to analyze the relationship between internationalization and corporate hypocrisy, based on CSR reports from international contractors, as well as data from Thomson Reuters DataStream and Refinitiv, covering the period from 2011 to 2020. Multiple regression models serve as the analytical tool for assessing the impacts of internationalization on corporate hypocrisy. The results found that internationalization can promote both substantive corporate social responsibility and symbolic corporate social responsibility, and contractors are more prone to corporate hypocrisy with a higher degree of internationalization. The findings suggest that international contractors should avoid corporate hypocrisy as far as possible to mitigate operational risks. To achieve this, contractors can implement strategies such as ensuring transparency in CSR reporting, aligning their CSR actions with actual practices, and engaging with local stakeholders to better understand and meet their expectations. By distinguishing and examining the differential manifestations of substantive and symbolic CSR in the process of internationalization, this study reveals the mechanism through which internationalization affects corporate hypocrisy, thereby filling the gap in the existing literature regarding the relationship between internationalization and corporate hypocrisy in the construction industry. Full article

Internationally, introduced invasive species inflict incalculable damage on native species and primary production. In New Zealand, wallabies, which were introduced from Australia, are damaging the native and agricultural environments, and their range is spreading. As a first step towards the long-term goal of eradicating wallabies from New Zealand, the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme has the immediate goal of restricting wallabies to containment areas designated in regional pest management plans and to eliminate outlier populations by 2025. The success of this strategy is put at risk if people catch wallabies and release them outside the containment areas. We sought to characterise the motivations, beliefs, and attitudes of members of the public who might engage in this illegal behaviour by surveying members of the New Zealand public. We discovered that a very small proportion of the public supported the illegal catch-and-release of wallabies. Respondents, including hunters, that supported catch-and-release believed that wallabies create economic benefits and do not severely damage the environment. They also believed that hunting helps control wallaby numbers. These results yielded a variety of specific policy implications required to reduce catch-and-release behaviour. Full article

This research explores the social movement of Pandawara Group in their environmental cleanliness campaign through the TikTok platform. Using qualitative methods and a content analysis approach, this study examines the digital communication strategies employed by Pandawara Group. Applying the pro-environmental behavior and diffusion of innovations theory, the research explains the speed and effectiveness of the dissemination and adoption of their movement. The findings indicate that Pandawara Group has successfully inspired many people, especially the younger generation, to care about the environment through the content they share. Despite facing resistance from the public and challenges such as funding issues and bureaucratic hurdles, Pandawara Group remains consistent in their actions and has built a solid network of volunteers. The movement has spread internationally and continues to grow, demonstrating the significant potential of social media in driving social change and raising environmental awareness. Full article

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by an acute decompensation of chronic liver disease in association with extrahepatic organ failure(s) and a high short-term mortality. Despite its increasing clinical relevance, there is no internationally standardized definition of ACLF to date. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current ACLF definitions, underlying pathogenic mechanisms, frequent precipitating events, and current treatment strategies. While liver transplantation remains the only curative treatment option, its role in the setting of ACLF is controversially debated, and patient selection remains complex due to high perioperative risk. Thus, the review article describes the current role of liver transplantation in patients with ACLF and describes novel prognostic scoring systems (e.g., TAM core, SALT-M model) that may be helpful in selecting suitable transplant candidates. Further emerging treatment options for ACLF include extracorporeal liver support systems, therapeutic plasma exchange, and immune-modulating approaches targeting toll-like receptor signaling that offer promising adjunctive strategies, though clinical evidence remains limited. Given the high burden and complexity of ACLF, harmonized definitions and evidence-based therapeutic frameworks are urgently needed to improve patient care and optimize transplant prioritization. Full article

Effective water resource planning is essential for Saudi Arabia, where limited freshwater availability is challenged by rapid population growth, economic development, and climate variability. This study introduces a copula-based modeling framework for forecasting water demand across the country’s urban, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Copulas, compared to traditional models, effectively capture nonlinear and asymmetric relationships among essential variables, including population, temperature, GDP, and sectoral water consumption. Multivariate copula models (Gaussian, Clayton, Gumbel, Frank, t-Copula, and Vine structures) were fitted and evaluated using historical data from 2008 to 2024, obtained from national authorities, including the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the General Authority for Statistics, and the National Center for Meteorology. The 4D normal copula was developed as the most efficient method across all sectors, with MAPE values of 6.37% for urban, 17.51% for industrial, and 23.20% for agricultural consumption. Scenario-based forecasts, which include baseline, high-growth, and sustainability-focused trajectories, indicate that the sustainability scenario yields the best results, resulting in significant demand reductions (21.7% urban, 20.4% industrial, and 8.2% agricultural) with minimal climate impact (+0.4 °C) and the lowest risk levels. The study demonstrates the successful decoupling of water demand from population and economic growth through proper policy interventions, with conditional risk analysis offering actionable early warning capabilities for proactive management. These findings provide a valuable foundation for enhancing national water strategy planning in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030 and contribute to methodological improvements applicable to water-scarce regions internationally. Full article

Major human impacts on New Zealand’s ecology began about 800 years ago with immigration firstly from Polynesia, then Europe starting a few centuries later. The humans cleared habitat, hunted species to extinction, and introduced biota, including plants, birds, fish, invertebrates, and mammals. Over the last 70 years, government-funded campaigns have been waged against some of the introduced mammals that became considered harmful to native biota. These campaigns spread poisonous food baits from aircraft to kill and suppress target animals (mainly brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rats (Rattus spp.)) over large areas. Increased intensity, frequency, and scale of poisoning are being trialled under a new conservation strategy (Predator Free 2050) to eradicate several mammalian species. The present study investigates the opportunity for a paradigm shift in conservation, emphasizing the rationales for transitioning from spreading of pesticides to a more targeted approach. NZ’s poison- and predator-focused ecological management has been criticized internationally as cruel and unnecessary, while independent NZ ecologists have called for, and outlined, a new system of conservation management based on ecological knowledge, which embraces all threats to native biota. A central tenet of proposed new methods is the engagement of all relevant stakeholders. Efficient management tools include remote monitoring, and smart, self-resetting kill traps for targeted small mammal control. Ecology-driven, commercially sound, targeted, monitored, relatively humane management can be implemented to protect the remnants of NZ’s natural heritage. Full article

Background: Several studies have examined the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among university students internationally. We aimed to assess the prevalence, pattern, and potential risk factors for MSP among Majmaah University students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to students from different faculties at Majmaah University. We collected data via the validated Arabic versions of the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore associations between MSP and demographic, ergonomic, lifestyle, and psychosocial variables. Results: A total of 257 students (n = 195, 75.9% female; n = 62, 24.1% male) were included in this study. The 12-month prevalence of MSP was 225 (87.5%), with the lower back (n = 119, 46.3%) and neck (n = 113, 44.0%) regions being the most affected. Compared with male students, female students reported a higher MSP prevalence (90.3% vs. 79.0%, p = 0.035). The multivariable model was significant (likelihood-ratio χ² = 26.042, df = 7, p < 0.001), accounted for Nagelkerke R² = 0.182 of variance, and showed good calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow χ² = 8.505, df = 8, p = 0.386). Perceived stress was the only independent predictor of 12-month MSP (β = 0.084, adjusted OR = 1.087, 95% CI 1.034–1.143, Wald χ² = 10.732, p = 0.001), while sex, smoking, academic workload, and sleep duration were non-significant (all p > 0.127). Conclusions: MSP appears to be prevalent among Majmaah University students, with psychological stress emerging as a key independent risk factor. Preventive strategies should include stress management prioritization and ergonomic and physical activity education to support university student well-being. Full article

Ancient figures and symbols are carved into a high rock wall beside the Colorado River, just south of where a traditional Native American geotrail crosses the river near Moab, Utah, USA. Based on ethnographic interviews with tribal and pueblo representatives, the rock peckings identify an ancient ceremonial geosite, which, among other purposes, serves as a site for the Celebration of Creation. The interpretation of the site is situated within the geologically complex and ancient cultural heritage region composed of functionally interrelated nested geoscapes that surround the study area. The analysis is informed by ethnographic interviews from six U.S. federally funded studies that involved thirteen participating tribes and pueblos. The analysis is guided by an intellectual framework aligned with internationally recognized UNESCO heritage categories—namely, geosites, geotrails, and geoscapes. Grounded in these UNESCO heritage categories, the analysis advances new interpretive frameworks, theoretical insights, and culturally responsive strategies for heritage management. Full article

This study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) combined with multivariate statistical techniques to evaluate soil contamination at two landfill sites in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. A total of 32 soil samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metals and metalloids (HMs) using a range of contamination indices and established soil quality standards. GIS mapping revealed that the Al-Kharj landfill 1 (Kj1) experienced a steady area expansion from 2014 through 2025, while landfill Kj2 expanded from 2014 until 2022, after which its area contracted following the construction of additional facilities. The average values of HMs observed were as follows: Fe (9909 mg/kg), Al (6709 mg/kg), Mn (155.9 mg/kg), Zn (36.4 mg/kg), Cr (24.1 mg/kg), V (22.2 mg/kg), Ni (19.5 mg/kg), Cu (8.20 mg/kg), Pb (7.91 mg/kg), Co (4.32 mg/kg), and As (2.29 mg/kg). Notably, Kj2 exhibited overall higher HM concentrations than Kj1, with particularly elevated levels of Cr, Ni, and Pb. Although most HMs remained within internationally accepted safety limits, only three samples (9.4% of the total) exceeded the WHO threshold for Pb (>30 mg/kg). An analysis using contamination and enrichment factors pointed to increased concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cr, suggesting localized anthropogenic contributions. Additionally, all samples recorded an ecological risk index (Eri) below 40, and the levels of As, Cr, and Pb consistently stayed under their respective effects range-low (ERL) thresholds, indicating minimal contamination risks. The variations in HM contamination between the sites are likely attributable to differences in the sources of metal inputs and removal processes. These findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring and localized remediation strategies to ensure environmental safety and sustainable landfill management. Full article

Climate change and environmental degradation require inclusive and multidimensional strategies, in which women from Generation Z are emerging as key actors. This study explores how female university students from this generation perceive and prioritize social, political, economic, and technological dimensions of sustainable development, with a focus on respondents from Europe. A structured survey instrument, based on a SPET model (Social, Political, Economic, Technological), was administered to 834 female students at a highly internationalized university in Poland. The questionnaire was available in Polish and English to account for linguistic and cultural variation within the Western civilizational context. Quantitative analysis revealed that the political dimension—particularly international cooperation and legal regulations—was viewed as the most critical for environmental protection, followed by technological innovation in energy and resource management. Social and economic factors received relatively less emphasis, with skepticism toward consumer-level behavior change and shared economy models. This study offers a meaningful contribution to understanding gender- and generation-specific perspectives on environmental responsibility. It also provides a foundation for the development of socially grounded, culturally sensitive strategies in sustainability education and policymaking, with relevance for both academic researchers and public stakeholders. Full article

This article explores how the European Union (EU) promotes gender equality beyond its borders, situating the analysis within broader debates on external Europeanization and normative power. While most studies have examined the domestic impact of EU policies, this paper focuses on how gender equality norms are projected internationally and conceptually investigates the mechanisms involved in their diffusion. Drawing on existing theoretical literature, the article analyzes how EU-level normative strategies may interact with domestic political, institutional, and societal dynamics in third countries, often in complex and contested ways. Rather than providing empirical testing, the study identifies core mechanisms—such as strategic communication, partnerships, and funding tools—and reflects on their limitations and the role of local agency in interpreting or resisting EU-promoted norms. The findings highlight the difficulty of isolating EU influence from other international and transnational drivers of norm diffusion, and the need for caution in attributing policy shifts solely to EU action. The article concludes that a better understanding of these processes requires more attention to domestic contexts, as well as future empirical research to complement conceptual analyses of Europeanization in sensitive policy domains such as gender equality. Full article

This study introduces the concept of DEEPEIA, a novel deep learning (DL) platform designed to recommend the optimal export market, and its ideal foreign champion, for any product or service offered by a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). Drawing on expertise in SME internationalization and leveraging recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), this research addresses key challenges faced by SMEs in global expansion. A systematic review of existing platforms was conducted to identify current gaps and inform the conceptualization of an advanced generative DL recommender system. The Discussion section proposes the conceptual framework for such a decision optimizer within the context of contemporary technological advancements and actionable insights. The conclusion outlines future research directions, practical implementation strategies, and expected obstacles. By mapping the current landscape and presenting an original forecasting tool, this work advances the field of AI-enabled SME internationalization while still acknowledging that more empirical validation remains a necessary next step. Full article