Search Results (4,102)

The global demand for Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge in the botanical medicine market is steadily increasing. However, its production has long relied on asexual root propagation, making it highly susceptible to germplasm degradation. Transitioning to seed reproduction offers the advantage of genetic renewal, yet it is constrained by unstable seed vigor and slow seedling growth. In the present study, comprehensive physiological and microbiome analyses of S. miltiorrhiza seeds from 14 regions across 7 provinces in China were conducted to elucidate the association between the seed microbiome and vigor, and to identify plant growth-promoting (PGP) strains. The results demonstrated: (1) Seed physical traits and germination characteristics varied significantly across geographic origins. Seed vigor, exhibiting the highest coefficient of variation, served as a key parameter reflecting germination quality. (2) High-vigor seeds harbored distinct microbial communities characterized by higher diversity indices, greater network complexity, and the significant enrichment of potentially beneficial bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas). (3) Through correlation-directed screening of isolated pure cultures, Pseudomonas mendocina P-6 and Enterobacter ludwigii BM-12 were identified as exhibiting robust, multi-trait PGP capacity. In planta validation showed that these two strains significantly promoted the growth of 1-month-old S. miltiorrhiza seedlings, increasing total fresh weight by 33.9–71.3%. This study reveals the microecological drivers of seed vigor and provides candidate strains for inoculant development, thereby supporting the sustainable, seed-based propagation of S. miltiorrhiza. Full article

Entrepreneurship is recognised globally as the vehicle for economic development and poverty eradication, yet in developing economies, it is not receiving the support it deserves. Based on the institutional framework, this study explores its role in fostering the development of an entrepreneurial mindset in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. Being grounded in the interpretivist research philosophy and following an inductive qualitative research design, the study adopted a case study strategy. Data were collected through in- depth interviews with 12 participants, purposively selected from industry leaders and entrepreneurs. Thematic analysis was used to inductively generate contextual insights from the interaction between the regulatory, socio-economic, and cultural pillars of the institutional framework and individual capabilities. The findings show that entrepreneurship development in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, is influenced to a greater extent by the institutional framework, which is characterised by economic volatility, infrastructure gaps, and evolving regulatory demands. The formal institutional framework was noted to confer legitimacy while, at the same time, imposing obligations on institutions; informal institutional frameworks rooted in communal values, social capital, and professional bodies helped fill gaps in the formal framework. The study also demonstrates that entrepreneurial mindset development is an integrated output of continuous learning, strategic networking, and individual capability. In reinforcing the normative dimensions of institutional theory, it was noted that entrepreneurs do not only have profit-maximisation goals but also long-term sustainability and survival targets. The study contributes to scarce empirical research on the nexus between institutional framework and entrepreneurship development in emerging economies. The findings reinforce the need for an integrated approach that streamlines the regulatory process, strengthens infrastructure, supports capacity building, and recognises the role of the informal institutional network in enhancing entrepreneurship development. Even though the qualitative, cross-sectional design limits the generalizability of the study’s findings, the study offers insights into fostering entrepreneurship development in emerging markets. Full article

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels), locally known as tocte, is a keystone tree species of major socio-ecological importance in South American mountain ecosystems, facing severe anthropogenic pressure associated with genetic erosion, habitat fragmentation, and unregulated selective logging. This article presents a case study applying a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine the power relations and institutional failures shaping the sustainable management of its value chain in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Drawing on 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key actors (including woodcarvers, sawyers, traders, and environmental authorities) conducted between March and September 2025 until theoretical saturation was achieved, and supported by thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti, we identified five thematic categories revealing the tension between cultural valuation and market pressure. The findings confirm the existence of a value paradox, whereby high timber demand paradoxically accelerates resource depletion rather than incentivizing conservation, as premature harvesting of young trees undermines the viability of non-timber forest products such as nuts and accelerates the loss of local genetic resources. We conclude that the long-term conservation of the species requires a transition toward polycentric stewardship, community forestry enterprises, and integrated landscape management in which the standing tree is formally recognized as carrying greater ecological and economic value than harvested timber. Full article

Rapid population growth challenges governance systems, housing markets, infrastructure capacity, and social cohesion, yet it is often treated as a predictable and uniform process. This structured comparative review synthesizes four distinct rapid-growth literatures: energy boomtowns, amenity-migration destinations, gateway communities, and mega-event host towns, to examine how different growth drivers shape community resilience. Using systematic forward and backward citation tracking grounded in community theory, the review identifies recurring patterns across otherwise separate research traditions. The analysis shows that outcomes are shaped less by growth itself than by institutional and spatial conditions. Extractive boomtowns and mega-event hosts experience compressed cycles of disruption and recovery that test adaptive capacity, while amenity-migration destinations and gateway communities face sustained pressures related to housing affordability, land-use conflict, and social boundary formation. Across contexts, three interrelated dimensions of adaptive capacity consistently structure trajectories: multilevel governance coordination, housing and land-use elasticity, and the management of social equity and cohesion. The findings advance a conceptual resilience framework that interprets rapid population change as a socio-spatial shock filtered through institutional and spatial conditions, with implications for sustainable urban design, flexible infrastructure planning, and inclusive governance. Full article

The literature emphasizes the importance of perceived social media marketing activities (SMMAs) in shaping various brand-related outcomes. However, their importance in brand attachment formation remains underexplored. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and Attachment Theory, this study examines the relationship between SMMAs and brand attachment, and the impact of brand attachment on brand loyalty and consumer engagement with brand social media (CEBSM). A questionnaire survey was conducted with 502 consumers of outdoor and sports brands in Algeria. Data analysis was performed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings unveil that SMMAs, including interactivity, informativeness, personalization, trendiness, and WOM, are positively associated with brand attachment. Furthermore, brand attachment is significantly associated with both brand loyalty and CEBSM. This study makes several theoretical contributions by being among the early studies to examine the individual effects of social media marketing dimensions, the role of SMMA in brand attachment formation, and brand-related outcomes alongside in-platform outcomes. This study offers recommendations to guide community managers and brand managers in clarifying the roles and capabilities of social media marketing in evoking and reinforcing brand attachment. Full article

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a recognized human carcinogen, and topical sunscreens remain the primary strategy for photoprotection. As community pharmacies represent trusted sources of skincare products, evaluating the composition of sunscreens distributed through this channel is particularly relevant. This cross-sectional market analysis investigated UV filters used in sunscreen products available in Lithuanian community pharmacies in November–December 2025. Products were identified through online pharmacy catalogs and assessed for labeled Sun Protection Factor (SPF), number and type of UV filters, and filter combinations in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. A total of 467 products from 98 brands were included, and 26 distinct UV filters were identified. Triazine derivatives predominated, particularly bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (64.67%) and ethylhexyl triazone (58.03%). Most products (61.67%) were labeled SPF ≥ 50 and contained multiple UV filters (mean 4.29 ± 1.66), with significantly more filters in SPF ≥ 50 formulations (p < 0.001). These results indicate that sunscreen products available in Lithuanian pharmacies are dominated by high-SPF formulations and selective multi-filter systems, providing region-specific insights relevant to regulatory oversight and consumer exposure assessment. Full article

In contemporary debates on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, there is growing recognition that artificial intelligence (AI) may contribute meaningfully to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), particularly by enhancing the efficiency of food aid distribution and resource allocation. However, such optimism must be critically situated within the broader institutional and ethical contexts in which AI operates. This study argues that the effectiveness of AI in conflict-affected settings is contingent not only on technical capacity but also on governance structures, ethical safeguards, and institutional trust, dimensions closely aligned with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Using the Gaza Strip as a case study, this article demonstrates that AI-driven food assistance mechanisms may inadvertently reinforce structural vulnerabilities. Specifically, algorithmic targeting of aid risks deepening dependency, exacerbating digital exclusion, and weakening already fragile governance systems. The absence of robust data accountability frameworks further complicates these dynamics, raising concerns regarding transparency, fairness, and long-term sustainability. The findings caution against privileging technical efficiency at the expense of socio-political stability. Rather, they highlight that the sustainability of AI interventions in humanitarian contexts fundamentally depends on the credibility and legitimacy of institutions. Accordingly, this study proposes a conceptual model for AI in hunger relief and digital humanitarianism that integrates technical innovation with institutional accountability and social trust. This study presents a narrative review informed by structural searching that examines the influence of AI on food security interventions in fragile contexts. This analysis applies a combined ethical governance and sustainability lens to assess current applications and risks. This research advances a broader analytical framework that moves beyond purely technical interpretations of AI, emphasizing its role as a socio-political tool, through identifying five key pillars for sustainable AI governance: data sovereignty, algorithmic accountability, inclusive system design, community-led governance, and market integrity. Full article

Persistent misconceptions about the alleged presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in major commodity plastics continue to distort public perception and, in some cases, regulatory discourse. This occurs despite scientific evidence showing that these polymers are synthesized without BPA. This review examines five widely used plastics—PET, PE, PP, PS, and PVC—focusing on their synthesis, structure–property relationships, and technological changes affecting the sector. We highlight recent innovations in green catalysis, bio-based feedstocks, polymer redesign, and advanced recycling. These advances are speeding the shift to efficient, sustainable processes and a circular polymer economy. We discuss market trends and regulatory frameworks to explain their global and Brazilian relevance, showing how communication gaps can lead to misinformation. By uniting chemical, technological, and regulatory views, this review supports public understanding, evidence-based policy, and the development of safer, high-performance, sustainable polymers. Full article

Across California, the seven largest cities—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, and Long Beach—carry a disproportionate share of the state’s homelessness crisis, even though they operate under the same statewide policy framework. Each city’s homelessness system reflects its own history, political climate, and housing market conditions, and this study shows that a common set of structural forces especially severe housing scarcity, fragmented behavioral–health systems, and uneven local capacity shapes homelessness across these urban areas while producing different outcomes on the ground. Drawing on multidisciplinary research, statewide policy analyses, and municipal data, the analysis compares how cities interpret and implement key interventions, including permanent supportive housing, interim shelter expansion, prevention strategies, and enforcement-oriented responses. The findings make clear that California’s homelessness crisis cannot be reduced to a single cause; instead, understanding it requires a systems-oriented perspective that accounts for the intertwined economic, social, and policy forces shaping conditions in each community. By situating city-level strategies within broader statewide patterns, the study identifies points of convergence and divergence, as well as persistent structural constraints that limit the effectiveness of current responses, underscoring the need for coordinated, scalable, and context-responsive policy solutions. Full article

Social washing refers to the strategic exaggeration or misrepresentation of an organisation’s commitment to social responsibility, ethical governance, or social impact without corresponding substantive action. It typically operates through selective disclosure, symbolic initiatives, or performative communication that aligns the organisation with socially desirable values—such as equity, human rights, community development, or inclusion—while underlying practices remain unchanged, weakly evidenced, or contradictory. The concept belongs to the wider family of “washing” phenomena associated with corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks, especially the difficult-to-measure social (“S”) pillar. By contrast, authentic accountability refers to governance and reporting practices that connect institutional commitments to verifiable social outcomes and discernible improvements in human well-being. The institutionalisation of ESG frameworks has raised expectations of corporate responsibility while also enlarging the scope for reputational manipulation. Within this setting, social washing has become relevant not only to social policy and sustainable development debates, but also to corporate governance, ESG evaluation, and cross-sector partnership practice. This entry examines how organisations construct narratives of social responsibility that do not necessarily correspond to substantive social outcomes. It also argues that such distortions matter both for welfare systems and civil-society actors and for ESG assessment, reputational signalling, and the interpretation of social performance in market settings. Full article

This study examines the relationship between institutional embeddedness, community factors, and the outcomes of labor market integration programs in contexts characterized by high social vulnerability and unemployment. The aim is to analyze how the local embeddedness of organizations and the mobilization of community resources influence the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance employability. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Data were collected from 100 participants in a labor market integration program in a southern Spanish city, using standardized scales that measured the sense of community, perceptions of community assets, employability, and perceived impact of the program. Additionally, the program’s implementation team was interviewed, a documentary analysis was conducted, and direct observations of training and job-placement activities were carried out. The findings highlight that the institutional and community embeddedness of organizations facilitates access, sustained participation, and the contextual adaptation of interventions. Connection with local dynamics is crucial for enhancing the impact of labor market integration programs, allowing for more personalized interventions that are sensitive to sociocultural barriers and focused on improving employability and the overall well-being of individuals at risk of exclusion. Full article

The accelerated low-carbon transition of power systems and the widespread integration of Electric Vehicles (EVs) present both severe operational challenges and substantial flexible regulation potential for Active Distribution Networks (ADNs). This paper provides an integrative review of the coordinated control and multi-market bidding mechanisms for EV-centric Technical Virtual Power Plants (TVPPs). Moving beyond descriptive surveys, this review systematically synthesizes the fragmented literature across three critical dimensions: (1) the physical-economic bidirectional mapping, which considers nonlinear power flow constraints and node voltage limits within the TVPP framework; (2) multi-market coupling mechanisms, evolving from unilateral energy bidding to coordinated participation in carbon trading and ancillary services; and (3) real-time control strategies, critically evaluating the trade-offs between optimization techniques (e.g., Model Predictive Control) and cutting-edge artificial intelligence approaches (e.g., Deep Reinforcement Learning) in mitigating battery degradation. Furthermore, a transparent review methodology is adopted to ensure literature rigor. By explicitly outlining the boundaries between TVPPs, Commercial VPPs (CVPPs), and EV aggregators, this paper identifies core unresolved trade-offs among aggregation fidelity, market complexity, and communication latency, providing evidence-backed pathways for future engineering demonstrations and V2G applications. Full article

The Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology is considered one of the best solutions for integrating renewable energy systems; however, most literature reports favorable economic results using synthetic data, without accounting for seasonal or market limitations. The current research presents the results of the MATLAB R2023b (Version 23.2, MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA) simulation of the 100-household energy community in Debrecen, Hungary, with 30 electric vehicles (EVs) using entirely simulation-based Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, a simulation-based 150 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system, and a simulation-based 200 kW wind power system, using real meteorological data for January 2024. The optimization of charging/discharging for electric vehicles was performed using a multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA) over 30 days at a 15 min time resolution, accounting for stochastic loads and temperature effects on battery degradation, with a sensitivity analysis of key parameters. The results of the optimized solution for the electric vehicle charging/discharging were unexpected: the total energy cost increased by 68.9% ($4337.65 to $7327.54), the peak demand increased by 266.2% (31.9 to 116.9 kW), the degradation cost was $479.63, the load factor was reduced from 0.847 to 0.722, and the SOC constraint was violated for 0.758% of measurements. The V2G is not economically viable under current Hungarian pricing and Central Europe winter conditions. Results are robust for varying parameters using sensitivity analysis and Pareto front tracing. The break-even point is achieved when ratios of peak-to-off-peak prices are above 3.5:1. Seasonal policies and market reforms are critical for V2G viability. Importantly, the influence of inherent design deficiencies in the optimization model on the reported results cannot be ruled out. Full article

African swine fever (ASF) remains a major challenge for global animal disease prevention and control. Public sentiment during ASF, along with farmer and consumer behavior, are underexplored factors in ASF control. This study examines how public sentiment influences farmers’ risk perceptions and consumers’ behavioral responses, including consumption substitution intention and pork price expectations, and assesses the implications of these behaviors for disease control effectiveness. Using provincial panel data from China (June 2021–November 2022), sentiment analysis of 1.19 million Weibo posts, and a micro-level survey of 920 farmers, we combine panel regression, spatial econometric analysis, and micro-level behavioral evidence. Results show that public sentiment significantly elevates farmers’ risk perception, which may influence reporting decisions, marketing timing, and biosecurity investment, thereby increasing the complexity of surveillance and disease control. Sentiment intensifies substitution intentions and shapes pork price expectations, leading to reduced demand for formally marketed pork and potential shifts to lower-traceability or less-inspected channels. Spatial analysis indicates that the half-decay distance for amplifying ASF risk via sentiment is about 1300 km, providing parameters for cross-jurisdictional coordination. These findings support integrating socio-behavioral indicators into veterinary early warning systems and designing targeted disease risk communication under a broader One Health framework. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in digital marketing, enabling organisations to personalise communication, analyse consumer data, and optimise decision-making processes. Despite its widespread adoption, limited empirical research has examined whether AI-driven digital marketing contributes to responsible consumption and production, as articulated in Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12). Grounded in a capability-based and marketing intelligence framework, this study investigates the mechanisms through which AI-driven digital marketing influences responsible marketing outcomes. Using survey data from 120 professionals in multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in South Africa, the study examines how AI-driven digital marketing influences responsible marketing outcomes aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12), with particular emphasis on the mediating roles of predictive consumer analytics and sentiment-based consumer understanding as distinct dimensions of AI-enabled marketing intelligence. Instead, its influence operates indirectly through sentiment-based consumer understanding, while predictive consumer analytics show no significant effect. These results suggest that AI contributes to responsible consumption primarily when it enhances firms’ capacity to interpret consumer values, emotions, and ethical concerns. The study advances the digital marketing and sustainability literature by reframing AI as a relational and sense-making capability while offering practical guidance for aligning AI-driven marketing strategies with SDG 12 in emerging markets. Full article