Search Results (7,310)

This autoethnographic study examines my transformation as an educator teaching gender and sexuality to future helping professionals in South African higher education. Through systematic analysis of personal journals, teaching reflections, and pedagogical materials collected over 180 contact hours, I explore how innovative approaches can create collaborative learning environments in traditionally sensitive subject areas. Drawing on critical pedagogy, queer theory, and decolonizing methodologies, the research reveals three interconnected pedagogical innovations: structured vulnerability protocols that transcend traditional “safe space” models, progressive exposure pedagogy that challenges heteronormative assumptions by introducing diverse content early, and indigenous knowledge integration that positions students as knowledge co-creators. The findings demonstrate how my professional evolution from knowledge authority to learning facilitator enabled authentic engagement with diverse epistemologies while maintaining academic rigor. Students consistently contributed concepts absent from academic literature—from social media discourse about sexual identity hierarchies to traditional cultural practices—enriching collective understanding. This study addresses significant gaps in South African literature on tertiary-level sexuality education pedagogy, offering concrete strategies for implementing transformative approaches. The research contributes to autoethnographic scholarship by demonstrating how systematic reflection can generate theoretical insights about collaborative knowledge construction while acknowledging the ongoing challenges of teaching sensitive subjects within complex cultural contexts. Full article

This study investigates sustainability-oriented design and production practices in Slovenia, focusing on brand-led approaches grounded in local innovation, cultural heritage and community engagement. Through mapping of Slovenian fashion enterprises, the research identifies and analyzes core sustainability and circularity strategies including zero- and low-waste design, recycling, upcycling and the development of adaptable, long-lasting garments. Further attention is given to participatory design methods involving consumers, the strategic social media use for community building and service-based circular economy models such as lifetime garment repair. Technological and production innovations, localized supply chains and small-scale production models are assessed for their role in reducing environmental impact and advancing sustainable supply chain management. The study also analyzes initiatives to shorten the fashion loop, including dematerialization and production minimization, as pathways to reduce resource consumption. Methodologically, the study combines empirical fieldwork, participant observation and literature review to deliver a comprehensive analysis of Slovenia’s sustainable fashion sector. The findings contribute to the global discourse on regional and place-based sustainability in fashion demonstrating how design-driven, small- and medium-sized enterprises can integrate circular economy principles, cultural continuity and collaborative innovation to foster environmentally responsible and socially embedded fashion. Full article

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, marked by Schwann cell dysfunction, demyelination, and impaired nerve regeneration. Although Schwann cells undergo phenotypic changes under hyperglycemic conditions, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of high glucose on Schwann cell phenotype and assess the involvement of the mTOR signaling pathway. Primary Schwann cells were isolated from rat sciatic nerves and cultured in media containing 5 mM (control), 25 mM, or 50 mM glucose for five days. Immunofluorescence staining and corrected total cell fluorescence (CTCF) analysis were used to evaluate expression of key markers: c-Jun, Krox-20, p75^NTR, MBP, mTOR, phosphorylated mTOR (Ser2448), and AKR1B1. Among these, significant changes were observed in MBP (p = 0.002), total mTOR (p = 0.001), and phosphorylated mTOR (Ser2448) (p = 0.0179), indicating impaired mTOR activation and loss of myelin protein expression. Non-significant changes in the other markers are discussed as preliminary observations. These findings highlight mTOR dysregulation and impaired myelin protein expression as central features of Schwann cell responses to hyperglycemia, which may contribute to the development of DPN. Full article

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping skill expectations across media, marketing, and journalism, however, university curricula are not evolving at a comparable speed. To quantify the resulting curriculum–skill gap in communication-related programs, two synchronous corpora were assembled for the period July 2024–June 2025: 66 course descriptions from six leading UK universities and 107 graduate-to-mid-level job advertisements in communications, digital media, advertising, and public relations. Alignment around AI, datafication, and platform governance was assessed through a three-stage natural-language-processing workflow: a dual-tier AI-keyword index, comparative TF–IDF salience, and latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling with bootstrap uncertainty. Curricula devoted 6.0% of their vocabulary to AI plus data/platform terms, whereas job ads allocated only 2.3% (χ² = 314.4, p < 0.001), indicating a conceptual-critical emphasis on ethics, power, and societal impact in the academy versus an operational focus on SEO, multichannel analytics, and campaign performance in recruitment discourse. Topic modeling corroborated this divergence: universities foregrounded themes labelled “Politics, Power & Governance”, while advertisers concentrated on “Campaign Execution & Performance”. Environmental and social externalities of AI—central to the Special Issue theme—were foregrounded in curricula but remained virtually absent from job advertisements. The findings are interpreted as an extension of technology-biased-skill-change theory to communication disciplines, and it is suggested that studio-based micro-credentials in automation workflows, dashboard visualization, and sustainable AI practice be embedded without relinquishing critical reflexivity, thereby narrowing the curriculum–skill gap and fostering environmentally, socially, and economically responsible media innovation. With respect to the novelty of this research, it constitutes the first large-scale, data-driven corpus analysis that empirically assessed the AI-related curriculum–skill gap in communication disciplines, thereby extending technology-biased-skill-change theory into this field. Full article

Indoor air pollution is a major cause of noncommunicable diseases, and increasing people’s knowledge about the related risks is a key action for prevention. Many studies describe questionnaires for evaluating knowledge on indoor air quality that often involve selected population groups and take time to fill out. This study describes the validation of a questionnaire built “ad hoc” that aims to be easy to fill out, reliable, and valid. The validation process integrated two psychometric approaches: the Classical Test Theory (CTT), which uses the Kuder–Richardson 20 (KR-20) formula to measure the internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire as a whole, and the Item Response Theory (IRT), which evaluates each statement (item)’s validity. The questionnaire, distributed using social media to a self-selected sample of people, reached a sample of 621 subjects. In terms of internal consistency, the questionnaire was found to be satisfactory, with a KR-20 value of 0.74 (CI 0.71–0.77). The IRT analysis showed that the statements included in the questionnaire can distinguish between high-performing and low-performing interviewees, since 100% of the items reached a value of the “discrimination parameter a_j” that was within or above the recommended range. In terms of difficulty, many statements (53.3%) showed a low level of difficulty, obtaining a low “difficulty parameter b_j” value, while another 20% of the items showed a high level of difficulty. Regarding the pseudo-guessing parameter, known as the c-parameter, the probability of answering correctly for a low-performing interviewee was observed in three items (1, 6, and 9), and the same statements fell outside the range for all three parameters evaluated in the IRT. The application of the IRT highlights the criticality of some questions that would not have emerged using the CTT approach alone. Although the questionnaire is acceptable overall, it will be appropriate to evaluate whether to revise or exclude the critical questions in order to improve the instrument’s performance. Full article

With the rapid development of China’s tourism industry, the homogenization of regional tourism images has become a growing concern. To address this, this study quantifies the similarities and differences in tourism image perception across China’s 31 provinces, focusing on 350 5A-level destinations, analyzing 757,046 tourist reviews collected from Ctrip.com in 2024. Using a three-dimensional framework (cognitive, affective, and overall image), we analyze social media data through natural language processing, random forest regression, and social network analysis. Key findings include the following: (1) most comments are positive, with Jiangsu and Chongqing showing high cognitive image similarity but low overall similarity; (2) cognitive image significantly impacts affective image, especially through unique tourism resources; (3) an inter-provincial similarity–difference matrix reveals significant perceptual differences among provinces. This study provides a novel methodological approach for multidimensional image evaluation and offers crucial empirical insights for regional policy-making aimed at optimizing land and tourism resource allocation, balancing regional disparities, and promoting sustainable land use and development across China. Full article

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow and heat transfer in porous media are central to many engineering applications, including heat exchangers, MHD generators, and polymer processing. This study examines the boundary layer flow and thermal behavior of an electrically conducting viscous fluid over a porous stretching tube. The model accounts for nonlinear thermal radiation, internal heat generation/absorption, and Darcy–Forchheimer drag to capture porous medium resistance. Similarity transformations reduce the governing equations to a system of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations, which are solved numerically using the BVP4C technique with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and sensitivity analysis. The effects of dimensionless parameters magnetic field strength (M), Reynolds number (Re), Darcy–Forchheimer parameter (Df), Brinkman number (Br), Prandtl number (Pr), nonlinear radiation parameter (Rd), wall-to-ambient temperature ratio (rw), and heat source/sink parameter (Q) are investigated. Results show that increasing M, Df, and Q suppresses velocity and enhances temperature due to Lorentz and porous drag effects. Higher Re raises pressure but reduces near-wall velocity, while rw, Rd, and internal heating intensify thermal layers. The entropy generation analysis highlights the competing roles of viscous, magnetic, and thermal irreversibility, while the Bejan number trends distinctly indicate which mechanism dominates under different parameter conditions. The RSM findings highlight that rw and Rd consistently reduce the Nusselt number (Nu), lowering thermal efficiency. These results provide practical guidance for optimizing energy efficiency and thermal management in MHD and porous media-based systems.: Full article

This paper presents a qualitative exploratory study based on the analysis of a representative sample of 35 projects carried out during the period 2020–2022 by six Spanish newspapers: elDiario.es, ABC, IDEAL, El Correo, ElConfidencial.com and El País. This study aims to detect and analyze the main elements of multimedia, crossmedia and transmedia content in the selected projects using an original analysis sheet designed for this research. In relation to the categories proposed in the categorization model, in this work we will focus on analyzing two in particular: authorship and information architecture. The projects were selected based on criteria of appropriateness, quality and innovation, as well as the results of semi-structured interviews with the heads and innovation managers (laboratories) of the media included in the framework of the projects ‘NEWSNET: News, Networks, and Users in the Hybrid Media System: Transformation of the Media Industry and the News in the Post-Industrial Era’ and ‘IAMEDIA: Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Algorithms on Online Media, Journalist and Audiences’. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to propose a list of aspects, characteristics, and fundamentals in the ideation, elaboration, and distribution of these types of products. We conclude that the results of applying the designed analysis sheet help us to understand these processes and also to propose alternatives and improvements in its design and implementation Full article

Marine Bacteroidota are recognized bacterial producers of bioactive metabolites, yet their biosynthetic potential remains cryptic under standard laboratory conditions. Here, we developed chemically defined media for Fulvivirga kasyanovii 48LL (Cytophagia) and Tenacibaculum mesophilum fLL (Flavobacteriia) to evaluate the effect of environmentally relevant carbon sources on growth and secondary metabolism. F. kasyanovii utilized 31 of 34 tested carbon sources whereas T. mesophilum grew on only five substrates, underscoring a distinct nutritional preferences. Substrate significantly influenced the antibacterial activity of F. kasyanovii extracts. Growth on β-1,3-glucan, glycerol, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), fish gelatin, or pectin resulted in extracts generating the largest inhibition zones (10–13 mm) against Bacillus subtilis or Rossellomorea marisflavi. Genome analysis revealed F. kasyanovii to be enriched in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), notably harboring a ~570 kb genomic island comprising five large NRPS/PKS-type clusters. Quantitative PCR confirmed carbon-source-dependent regulation of these operons: glucose induced BGC1, BGC3, and BGC4, while κ-carrageenan and PHB upregulated BGC2. Conversely, yeast–peptone medium (analogous to standard marine broth) repressed transcription across all active clusters. These findings demonstrate that naturally occurring carbon sources can selectively activate cryptic BGCs and modulate antibacterial activity in F. kasyanovii, suggesting that similar strategy can be used for natural-product discovery in marine Bacteroidota. Full article

The fashion industry, despite its global economic importance, is a major contributor to environmental degradation and social inequality. In response, sustainable fashion has emerged as a growing movement advocating ethical, ecological, and socially responsible practices. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1134 peer-reviewed journal articles on sustainable fashion indexed in Scopus from 1986 to 2025. Results show an exponential rise in research output after 2015, with interdisciplinary contributions from social sciences, business, environmental science, and engineering. By applying performance analysis and science mapping techniques, the study identifies five major research themes: “Consumer Behavior,” “Design Ethics,” “Circular Economy,” “Innovation,” and “Digital Media.” The geographic distribution reveals strong outputs from both developed and emerging economies. This study provides an integrative overview of the intellectual landscape of sustainable fashion and serves as a roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who are interested in the development of sustainable fashion. Full article

The result of accelerated development and technological progress is manifested through numerous changes in the labor market, primarily concerning the competencies of future employees. Many of those competencies have symmetrical character. The determinants that may influence the development of specific competencies are variable and dynamic, yet they share the characteristic of transcending temporal and spatial boundaries. In this paper we propose the use of a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to rank 21st-century competencies that are developed independently of the formal educational process. Ability to organize and plan, appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism, and ability to solve problems appeared to be the highest-ranked competencies. The development of key competencies is symmetrical to the skills for the labor market. Also, the development of key competencies is symmetrical to the right selection of the quality of media content. The paper proves that the development of key competencies is symmetrical to the level of education of both parents. One of the key findings is that participants with higher levels of media literacy express more readiness for the contemporary labor market. Moreover, the family, particularly parents, exerts a highly significant positive influence on the development of 21st-century competencies. Parents with higher levels of education, in particular, provide a stimulating environment for learning, foster critical thinking, and encourage the exploration of diverse domains of knowledge. Full article

Against the backdrop of the rapid proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs), gender-oriented behavioral mechanisms remain underexplored, particularly the unique pathways of female users in usage experience, value assessment, and purchase decision-making. This study constructs an integrated framework based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model, leveraging social media big data to analyze in depth how gender differences influence EV users’ purchase intentions. By integrating natural language processing techniques, grounded theory coding, and structural equation modeling (SEM), this study models and analyzes 272,083 pieces of user-generated content (UGC) from Chinese social media platforms, identifying key functional and emotional factors shaping female users’ perceptions and attitudes. The results reveal that esthetic value, safety, and intelligent features more strongly drive emotional responses among female users’ decisions through functional cognition, with gender significantly moderating the pathways from perceived attributes to emotional resonance and cognitive evaluation. This study further confirms the dual mediating roles of functional cognition and emotional experience and identifies a masking (suppression) effect for the ‘intelligent perception’ variable. Methodologically, it develops a novel hybrid paradigm that integrates data-driven semantic mining with psychological behavioral modeling, enhancing the ecological validity of consumer behavior research. Practically, the findings provide empirical support for gender-sensitive EV product design, personalized marketing strategies, and community-based service innovations, while also discussing research limitations and proposing future directions for cross-cultural validation and multimodal analysis. Full article

This article analyses journalistic decisions in the face of disinformation, focusing on the case of Vaza Jato in Brazil. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach—combining critical discourse analysis of online articles with semi-structured interviews with two editors—the study explores how two ideologically contrasting newspapers (Folha de S.Paulo and Gazeta do Povo) framed and justified their editorial positions regarding the publication of hacked content. The findings reveal distinct narrative strategies, degrees of epistemological openness, and levels of institutional trust in the judiciary and political actors. The results also show how editorial decisions are shaped by broader concerns about professional legitimacy, audience trust, and the ambiguous boundary between journalism and disinformation. This article contributes to research on disinformation, editorial ethics, and media trust, proposing an analytical framework applicable to other high-risk communication contexts. Full article

Objectives: Narratives related to root canal treatment on social media can be problematic. This research examines discourses relating to root canal treatment on the popular platform Instagram. Through this analysis, the way different health discourses relating to endodontics are being communicated to the public and consumers will be explored. Methods: A search was conducted on Instagram to access consumer-focused information related to root canal treatment. Posts were identified, transcribed to capture the audio component in text form, and watched cyclically, with analytical memos being kept on video content. A social semiotic analysis was conducted on posts to capture the multimodal nature of discourse on endodontics. Results: A total of 100 Instagram posts were included in this study. Two overarching themes were used to structure the analysis of posts: (1) presentation of root canal treatment and (2) presentation of expertise. The majority of posts were negative in tone towards root canal treatment. Conclusions: The variety and nature of the misinformation featured in this research present a complex professional challenge for dentistry. The majority of the posts identified and analysed featured sensationalised explanations of dental disease and treatment processes, blended with inaccuracies, many of which were produced by dentists. Conspiracy discourses relating to root canal treatment were also encountered, which questioned the integrity and intentions of the dental profession. Full article

Television commercials (TVCs) play a critical role in shaping and reflecting societal understandings of gender roles. Guided by cultivation theory and framing theory, this study examines gender representation in Indian TVCs, focusing on the gender distribution of primary characters, voiceovers, settings (home, outdoor, workplace), and product categories. A quantitative content analysis of 120 Indian TVCs from 2011 to 2020 was conducted, with coding performed by the researcher. Findings show that men were primary characters in 54.6% of ads, while women featured in 45.4%. Male voiceovers dominated at 70.1%, compared to 29.9% for females. Women appeared in home settings in 66.7% of TVCs, while men were predominant in workplace contexts (100%). No significant gender disparity was observed in outdoor settings. Product-wise, women were mostly linked with household and healthcare items, whereas men dominated sectors like banking, technology, and transport. The study highlights how repetitive portrayals of certain gender framings in TVCs contribute to the normalization of traditional gender roles, offering insights into the symbolic structures that reinforce these norms in Indian media culture. Full article