Search Results (995)

Periods of major technological transformation have historically coincided with the emergence of political movements. The current Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution, alongside the expansion of platform-based media, has reshaped how political dissent is produced, circulated, and normalized. This study examines contemporary anti-monarchist discourse associated with the UK-based Republic movement, focusing on how opposition to constitutional monarchy is articulated on YouTube within an environment shaped by profit-driven goals. Using NVivo 14, this qualitative study analyzes 62 publicly available YouTube videos published over a twelve-month period from January 2025 to January 2026, employing a hybrid inductive–deductive thematic analysis supported by Large Language Models. Findings identify three interrelated discursive themes: monarchy framed as legalized theft and extraction of public wealth; monarchical authority depicted as undemocratic and constitutionally manipulative; and the reproduction of colonial, elite, and mythic power through mediated narratives of tradition and national identity. Rather than evaluating the factual accuracy of anti-monarchist claims, the analysis treats this content as a mediated cultural practice through which broader socio-economic anxieties—such as inequality, democratic distrust, and fears of technological displacement—are symbolically organized. Digital platforms, such as the Republic Campaign YouTube channel, thus enable political discourse to gain visibility and resonance. Full article

Cervical cancer remains a major global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access to screening, vaccination, and timely treatment may be limited. Cervical cytology has played an important historical role in prevention, but it is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subject to observer variability and limited sensitivity. In many contemporary screening programs, HPV testing is now used as the primary screening test, while cytology is used mainly for the triage of HPV-positive women. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning (DL), has shown considerable potential in medical image analysis and computer-aided diagnosis. This review summarizes current applications of AI in cervical cytology and related diagnostic workflows, including automated and assisted slide screening, liquid-based cytology, the triage of equivocal or HPV-positive cases, and colposcopy support. Across these settings, AI-assisted systems may improve efficiency, standardization, and diagnostic consistency, and may reduce workload in resource-constrained environments. However, the evidence is heterogeneous, and important challenges remain, including the need for large and diverse datasets, prospective validation, regulatory approval, digital infrastructure, workflow integration, and the resolution of ethical and legal issues. AI should therefore be regarded as a promising adjunct to human expertise rather than a replacement in cervical cytology and related clinical diagnostic pathways. Full article

Artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in cyber–physical systems that coordinate sensing, computation, communication, and control across critical and semi-critical physical environments. Within the European Union, however, its adoption is shaped not only by technological maturity and economic value, but also by an increasingly dense regulatory landscape governing data processing, cybersecurity, product security, accountability, traceability, interoperability, and safety-relevant deployment. A PRISMA ScR-informed scoping review is used to examine how European Union regulation influences artificial intelligence adoption across four representative domains: energy and smart grids, smart buildings, mobility and transport systems, and industrial and manufacturing environments. The analysis draws on primary legal sources, the peer-reviewed literature, and policy and standards-related materials, and is structured around three dimensions: regulatory barriers, technological and architectural challenges, and cross-sector implications for governance, innovation, and competitiveness. The results show that regulation functions simultaneously as a constraint and an enabling condition. It increases compliance burden, raises integration complexity, and slows deployment in higher risk settings, while promoting trustworthy artificial intelligence, stronger cybersecurity, lifecycle governance, clearer accountability, and more interoperable digital infrastructures. The central finding is that regulation is not external to artificial intelligence adoption in cyber–physical systems, but actively shapes the design space within which such systems can be developed, integrated, validated, and scaled. Future progress therefore depends on regulation-aware systems engineering, stronger implementation guidance, and cross-sector reference architectures capable of aligning legal compliance with technical architecture and operational value creation. Full article

This review develops a configurational account of the relationship between religion and transnationalism by addressing a specific analytical limitation in the existing literature: its tendency to oscillate between substantializing religious traditions as already constituted entities that move across borders and segmenting transnational religion into disconnected domains such as networks, migrant communities, diasporic identities, institutions, political mobilization, digital mediation, social support, or pilgrimage. While these approaches have generated substantial empirical insight, they leave undertheorized the relational formation through which religious authority, practice, identity, material circulation, symbolic boundary-making, institutional organization, and mediated presence are assembled and made socially effective across multiple scales. To clarify this problem, the review reconstructs scholarship on religion and transnationalism through five major thematic domains: transnational religious networks, religious identity in transnational contexts, religion as a catalyst of transnationalism, the embedding of religion in transnational social practices, and distinctive forms of transnational religion. This reconstruction shows that transnational religious phenomena are inadequately understood as the spatial extension of pre-given traditions, as residual expressions of ethnicity or migration, or as discrete networks, movements, institutions, or diasporic communities. They are better grasped as historically contingent and relationally ordered formations whose temporary coherence is produced through the interaction of actors, authorities, practices, discourses, infrastructures, legal-regulatory environments, memories, obligations, and material flows. Building on the concept of social configuration, the review therefore proposes transnational religious configurations as a more precise unit of analysis for studying how the religious and the transnational are mutually constituted rather than externally connected. It defines such configurations as historically specific formations in which religious categories, institutions, practices, authorities, material resources, symbolic boundaries, and cross-border conditions of possibility are articulated across local, national, transnational, and global scales. The review operationalizes this approach through three analytical levels—conditions of possibility, construction and characteristics, and social realities and consequences—and illustrates its explanatory purchase by examining a new phenomenon within the contemporary transnational revival of Shi‘i Islam. Full article

In the context of the digital economy as a driver of economic transformation, digital enterprises have become pivotal actors in value creation and innovation. A conducive business environment is essential for enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and the long-term resilience of entrepreneurial ecosystems. However, the mechanisms through which this environment influences the entry of newborn digital enterprises, a core indicator of sustainable economic activity, remain inadequately explored. This paper develops a government-led business environment index based on three dimensions: the legal environment, the governmental affairs environment, and public services. Using panel data from 35 major Chinese cities spanning 2016 to 2020, we employ a negative binomial regression model to examine how both the overall business environment and its sub-dimensions affect the entry of newborn digital enterprises. The findings reveal that an overall improvement in the urban business environment significantly promotes the entry of newborn digital enterprises and that all three sub-dimensions, namely the legal environment, governmental affairs environment, and public services, collectively facilitate this process. The principal implication is that local governments should focus on the balanced optimization of all business environment elements. Such policies not only stimulate digital startup formation but also contribute to high-quality, resilient, and economically sustainable urban development. Full article

This article examines how Sephardic Jewish delegations from Livorno and Senigallia framed their petitions to the Bourbon court during the negotiations for their resettlement in the Kingdom of Naples (1739–1740). Drawing on forty-four chapters presented by the Livornese representatives and complementary Senigallian requests, this study explores the legal and rhetorical strategies employed to secure corporate rights: judicial autonomy, exemption from corporation jurisdictions, commercial privileges, and the right to self-govern through elected Massari and rabbinical courts. While rooted in the contractual language of privileges and capitulations, these petitions also evoke a sacred lexicon, implicitly referencing biblical and halakhic categories such as the ger (resident foreigner), exile, divine providence, and covenantal continuity. This dual register—juridical and religious—allowed Jewish elites to legitimize their claims within a framework recognizable to Bourbon authorities while reinforcing a resilient communal identity. Analyzing the intersection of legal discourse and sacred rhetoric, this paper situates the Sephardic negotiations within the broader dynamics of eighteenth-century Catholic statecraft and minority governance. It argues that these petitions reveal not only pragmatic strategies to secure economic and legal stability but also a conscious use of covenantal and scriptural motifs to articulate endurance and justify corporate autonomy in a contested socio-political environment. These petitions, overall, must be situated within a longer continuum of forced displacement. The negotiations of 1739–1740 emerge not merely as administrative exchanges but as the latest chapter in a centuries-long history of expulsion, conditional return, and regulated residence. In this sense, the Sephardic petitions articulate a legal response to the structural precarity produced by forced migration. Full article

This qualitative research investigates the adoption of Circular Economy (CE) principles in contemporary Australian architectural practice, referred to as circularity, to address climate change, resource scarcity, and increasing demands for built-environment resilience. The Australian government’s 2035 national circularity target, which aims to double 2024 levels, will have profound implications for architectural practice. This research examines the current and future ability of practices to adopt circularity. It addresses two specific knowledge gaps: (i) how circularity is currently being adopted by architectural practices in Australia, and (ii) what factors restrict or undermine this adoption. To address these gaps, the research draws on insights developed from focus groups and interviews (n = 33 participants) with professional Australian architectural service providers and closely related design and engineering practitioners. Qualitative data collection captured empirical evidence on the barriers, challenges, and opportunities for circularity, followed by NVivo-based Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) that iteratively and inductively identified emerging themes. The findings indicate that architects’ and associated practitioners’ adoption of circularity in Australia is evident but constrained by short-term project horizons, fragmented responsibilities, limited procurement infrastructure, and uncertainty about material supply and skilled labour. The paper concludes that, despite some conceptual ambiguity and structural limitations in current practice models, adoption remains fragmented and selective and offers actions for architects and other stakeholders to address logistical infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, legal contracts, and barriers stemming from a short-term economic value mindset. Full article

This study examines how Syrian migrants in Turkey—who generally have temporary protection status—adapt to their new environment, focusing on their sense of belonging, social acceptance, and social interaction. In this research, acculturation is considered not only as a one-way adaptation process but also as a multidimensional and mutually evaluated process that emerges through various variables such as the relationships migrants establish with the host society, their intercultural communication experiences, and their daily life practices. The study, conducted using a qualitative research design, is based on data obtained from in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions conducted with 20 Syrian migrants who have resided in various cities in Turkey for at least 5 years. The data emerging from the interviews were analyzed using descriptive-thematic analysis. The findings reveal that positive social contact and interaction within the social structure reinforce the sense of belonging; conversely, discrimination, exposure to exclusion, and legal uncertainty negatively affect acculturation processes. The study contributes to the literature by providing a context-sensitive analysis of acculturation, emphasizing the role of social interaction, belonging, and social acceptance in shaping migrants’ experiences. Full article

The development of a 3D digital cadastre is a key objective of Australia’s Cadastre 2034 strategy for modernising land information infrastructure. Jurisdictions across Australia are progressively transitioning from conventional 2D cadastral systems towards 3D cadastral models to better represent complex land and property rights, particularly in dense urban environments. In New South Wales (NSW), LandXML is currently the standard for digital cadastral lodgement. However, its limitations in supporting 3D spatial data representation have prompted investigation of alternative standards such as LandInfra and its InfraGML encoding. The aim of this study is to investigate how LandInfra handles existing cadastral information in New South Wales, Australia. In particular, this study is a technical and structural comparison of LandXML and InfraGML, examining data modelling workflows and geometric encoding. A hybrid research methodology integrating Design Science Research (DSR) and Case Study Research (CSR) was applied. Two representative cadastral plans—a standard deposited plan and a strata plan—were digitised using LISCAD 2025 v25.9.23.1 and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2026 V1 and subsequently modelled in both LandXML and InfraGML formats. Validation was conducted using KITModelViewer and schema validators, with comparative analysis of development cycle, modelling structure, usability, and workflow. This study demonstrates that InfraGML offers semantic richness and structural flexibility compared to LandXML within the scope of the examined case studies, although its practical adoption is constrained by limited commercial software support and may present adoption challenges for practitioners. The findings of this research suggest that LandInfra offers considerable potential for advancing the future development of 3D cadastre in Australia. In this context, InfraGML is positioned as a promising data standard for ongoing investigation and future research, rather than an immediate substitute for LandXML. Within the scope of this study, a fully operational 3D cadastral implementation is neither developed nor validated within existing legal or institutional frameworks, and complex 3D scenarios are not addressed. Future research should explore integration with CAD platforms, legislative implications of 3D survey features, complex volumetric cases, and formal 3D topological validation, and alternative modelling approaches, such as using Nested Parcels method and InfraJSON encoding. Full article

Background/Objectives: The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within a One Health framework highlights the role of wildlife as environmental reservoirs. Because wild game is an increasingly important meat source, hygienic handling during evisceration is critical to prevent carcass contamination from internal tissues such as mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles of Escherichia coli isolated from the MLNs of hunted wild ungulates in western Romania to better understand microbiological hazards along the game meat supply chain. Methods: MLN samples were aseptically collected from 103 legally hunted wild boars (Sus scrofa, n = 78) and cervids (Capreolus capreolus and Cervus elaphus, n = 25) across two hunting grounds. E. coli isolation was performed utilizing selective Tryptone Bile X-Glucuronide agar. Subsequent biochemical identification and phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing were conducted using the automated VITEK^® 2 system. Results: The overall E. coli isolation rate was 72.8% (75/103). Analyzed by host species, the bacterium was recovered from 79.4% of the sampled wild boars (62/78) and 52.0% of the cervids (13/25). Phenotypic resistance to at least one antibiotic agent was observed in 25.3% (19/75) of the isolates, most frequently against cephalosporins (cefalexin, 21.3%) and penicillins (ampicillin, 24.0%). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was identified in 20.0% (15/75) of the isolates. Conclusions: The detection of MDR E. coli phenotypes within the MLNs of free-ranging game indicates the penetration of clinically relevant resistance mechanisms into sylvatic environments. These findings underscore the potential risk of internal carcass contamination during field evisceration, highlighting the critical need for strict hygiene practices to ensure game meat safety. Full article

Stock market investors and traders operate in high-pressure environments marked by volatility, uncertainty, financial risk, and intense performance demands. These conditions lead to substantial psychological distress, increasing vulnerability to psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior. Key psychological risk factors in this population include acute financial loss, chronic stress, impulsivity, perfectionism, and identity fusion with professional performance. Evidence from behavioral psychology and clinical psychiatry indicates elevated rates of mood disorders, anxiety, and burnout in trading environments. Resilience—including emotional regulation, effective stress-coping mechanisms, strong social support, and cognitive flexibility—emerges as a critical protective factor that mitigates suicide risk and promotes adaptive functioning. Strengthening psychological resilience and implementing evidence-based mental-health strategies may help reduce suicide risk and support overall well-being. The medico-legal dimensions of this issue encompass duty of care within high-stress financial workplaces, clinical obligations related to suicide risk assessment and documentation, confidentiality and safety considerations, and questions of foreseeability of suicide in cases involving severe or catastrophic financial loss. Despite growing awareness of mental health challenges in financial professions, the intersection of suicide risk, resilience, and medico-legal responsibilities in this population remains underexplored. Further research is needed to refine assessment frameworks and develop targeted suicide prevention interventions for this at-risk group. Full article

Cultural heritage sites in arid regions are often underestimated in terms of flood risk; however, the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events under climate change have significantly amplified threats to these fragile environments. Taking the Xixia Imperial Tombs in China as a case study, this research investigates strategies for flood hazard prevention and control for cultural heritage in arid areas. By situating the study within the broader context of climate change and global heritage conservation, the paper examines the impacts of flooding on heritage sites and the historical evolution of flood control measures. It further integrates an analysis of the site’s geographical characteristics, traditional flood management structures, and contemporary conservation practices. The study systematically elucidates the compound risks of “drought–desertification–sudden flooding” faced by cultural heritage in arid landscapes. The findings suggest that heritage protection should transition from reactive, post-disaster restoration toward proactive preventive conservation. This shift requires the integration of both engineering and non-engineering measures, supported by technology-based systems such as environmental monitoring and early warning platforms, to establish a comprehensive risk management framework. The research highlights that overcoming the prevailing misconception that “arid regions are free from flood risks,” embedding heritage flood management into regional planning, and ensuring legal, financial, and interdisciplinary cooperation are essential for the long-term safeguarding of cultural heritage in arid environments. This study offers practical insights and a transferable reference for the protection of heritage sites in similar climatic and geographical contexts worldwide. Full article

Digital technologies are reshaping the public sector, yet meaningful transformation requires more than technology adoption alone. A persistent gap in the literature is the absence of holistic approaches for assessing the digital government environment and translating assessment results into context-sensitive strategic action. Existing studies often examine isolated dimensions without fully considering the interdependence of human, organizational, governance, technical, financial, and legal factors. Moreover, many planning strategies are driven by digital trends rather than by evidence of governments’ actual readiness. This study addresses this gap by asking: how can governments holistically assess their digital environment and use that assessment to develop context-sensitive digital transformation strategies? In response, the study proposes an integrated decision-support methodology that combines the Digital Government Strategic Assessment (DGSA) and the Digital Government Planning Strategy (DGPS). DGSA evaluates six dimensions of the digital environment and measures readiness levels and the maturity of strategic objectives, while DGPS translates assessment results into targeted strategic actions. A digital platform supports implementation by digitizing assessment and planning and providing analytical capabilities for weighing key pillars. The study offers a holistic approach for evidence-based digital transformation and illustrates its application through a literature-based use case focused on government as a platform in Indonesia. Full article

Smart cities increasingly rely on urban digital systems deployed across domains such as mobility, public safety, surveillance, and governance, involving large-scale collection and processing of sensitive data. These systems raise significant cybersecurity and privacy challenges, shaped by European regulatory frameworks that influence how data are collected, secured, shared, and governed within urban environments. While existing research has examined legal and regulatory aspects alongside technical cybersecurity solutions, these areas are often addressed in isolation, limiting insight into how regulatory requirements translate into concrete implementations. This paper presents a comprehensive review of regulatory-driven cybersecurity approaches for smart cities. It maps the literature across major application domains and analyses how regulatory objectives are reflected in technical, organisational, and operational measures, as well as in implemented solutions. By jointly examining legal and technical perspectives, the review links regulatory compliance requirements with concrete security practices and system-level design choices. Based on this analysis, the paper proposes a structured classification of regulatory-driven smart city approaches and identifies key trends, gaps, and challenges in the literature. The findings provide a foundation for future research on regulatory-driven cybersecurity and privacy protection in smart systems. Full article

Background: Conducting research in emergency departments and critical care units is crucial for improving patient management through evidence-based practices. Healthcare professionals and researchers in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a moral and legal obligation to inform patients before conducting any diagnostic test or therapy as part of a clinical study. However, challenges and barriers to conducting research in these high-pressure environments must be acknowledged. Shall the pathway to obtain informed consent in TBI-related research be revisited? We sought to map literature, identify gaps, and clarify the bioethics that should be followed in TBI-related research. Methods: A Scoping review was conducted to identify the obstacles and challenges investigators encounter in clinical and translational TBI research, with a specific emphasis on informed consent and regulatory impediments that often serve as bottlenecks or rate-limiting steps for participant enrollment and overall study success. This review used google scholar and Midline from inception to 2025. Results: Patients with TBI or their surrogates may be unable to provide informed consent within limited therapeutic windows. Despite international regulations and national laws, restrictions on obtaining consent are often criticized as ambiguous in certain situations. Furthermore, the fast-paced, emotionally charged atmosphere in emergency settings poses a risk of delaying crucial research interventions. There are accepted alternatives to informed consent, such as proxy consent, deferred consent, exceptions from consent, and waivers of consent, which are ethically and socially acceptable and compliant with regulations. However, these alternatives are underutilized or may be abused in some cases. Conclusions: This review calls for clarifying and modifying arbitrary regulatory restrictions on research and streamlining the Common Rule. Scientists should also share their innovative solutions to strike a balance between ethical considerations and the minimization of research barriers. Full article