Search Results (316)

Green infrastructure (GI) and nature-based solutions (NBSs) in land-use planning and landscape architecture represent a holistic, interdisciplinary response to environmental and societal challenges. Although integrated into Slovak legislation since 2019, their formal implementation has progressed rather slowly, creating a gap that has been increasingly addressed by civic initiatives (CIs) of diverse types and legal forms. This study examines approaches and methods of CIs in Slovakia implementing GI and NBSs, while focusing on their legal forms, activities, spatial delimitations, and their impact on green space development and governance. Analysis of seventeen case studies shows that many CIs operate at multiple levels—local, national, and international—often delivering professional, conceptually grounded solutions. The most frequent NBS activities involve creating or enhancing parks, green public spaces, and community gardens, as well as restoring natural and semi-natural areas through nature-based management. Knowledge creation and awareness-raising are central strategies, including environmental education centres, citizen science, public campaigns, and informal learning platforms. The transformation of derelict areas into multifunctional public spaces emerges as a notable practice, combining ecological regeneration with cultural and social uses. The findings highlight the growing role of civic actors in advancing inclusive, participatory, and knowledge-based environmental management and call for stronger institutional support to integrate their contributions into formal administrative frameworks. Full article

This paper examines the growing role of nature-based solutions (NBS) and the integration of digital technologies in participatory urban planning. It aims to assess the current state of technologies and methods for participatory approaches in NBS projects, the level of participation they can stimulate, and the drivers and barriers to their integration into planning practice. The review uses the PRISMA methodology to examine 275 records from two databases, aiming to minimize bias. Records were selected based on the following criteria: studies were conducted in urban settings; referenced NBS; incorporated participatory methods; and involved digital technologies. Both review articles and case study papers were considered. A bibliometric and content analysis was performed using VOS VIEWER software, an Excel spreadsheet, and comparison tables. The 45 reviewed studies cover citizen science, participatory mapping and co-creation using place-based or non-place-based digital tools. While these tools can improve engagement and efficiency, they also face challenges such as limited data access, demographic bias, institutional resistance, and insufficient resources. The study found that top-down methods often restrict the impact of these tools by treating public input as secondary, thereby highlighting the need for transparent, collaborative planning. Full article

The Mediterranean Sea faces escalating environmental pressures from the unsustainable exploitation of resources and insufficient management. Marine protected areas (MPAs), such as the Parc Natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter (PNMMBT) on Spain’s Costa Brava, serve as critical refuges for biodiversity conservation. Between 2010 and 2019, we conducted systematic visual surveys of sea slugs (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) within the PNMMBT, documenting 8289 individuals representing 98 species: 76 Nudibranchia, 10 Sacoglossa, 5 Aplysiida, 3 Pleurobranchida, 2 Umbraculida, 1 Runcinida, and 1 Cephalaspidea. Temporal, spatial, and bathymetric distribution analyses revealed a steady increase in species richness over time, suggesting the MPA’s ecosystems appear to remain in relatively good condition. To further refine our assessment, we incorporated citizen science records from the MINKA platform, expanding the documented diversity to 141 species including 99 Nudibranchia, 12 Sacoglossa, 5 Aplysiida, 6 Pleurobranchida, 2 Umbraculida, 4 Runcinida, 10 Cephalaspidea, 1 Acteonimorpha, 1 Pteropoda, and 1 Ringiculimorpha. This integrated approach highlights the value and complementarity of structured scientific surveys and community-contributed data in biodiversity monitoring. Citizen science fosters public engagement in research and provides scalable, cost-effective data that would otherwise be logistically unfeasible to obtain. By bridging these methodologies, we demonstrate how participatory science enhances the detection of species distributions, tracks ecological shifts, and bolsters conservation strategies in the current era of global biodiversity decline. Full article

The paper presents the motivation, development, and evaluation of an AI-driven framework for media stream impact analysis at the consumption end, employing user reactions monitoring through attention tracking (i.e., eye and mouse tracking). The adopted methodology elaborates on software and system engineering processes, combining elements of rapid prototyping models with interdisciplinary participatory design and evaluation, leaning on the foundation of information systems design science research to enable continuous refinement through repeated cycles of stakeholder engagement, feedback, technical iteration, and validation. A dynamic Form Builder has been implemented to supplement these tools, allowing the construction and management of pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, thus helping associate collected data with the respective tracking maps. The present begins with the detailed presentation of the tools’ implementation, the respective technology, and the offered functionalities, emphasizing the perception of tampered visual content that is used as a pilot evaluation and validation case. The significance of the research lies in the practical applications of AI-assisted monitoring to effectively analyze and understand media dynamics and user reactions. The so-called iMedius framework introduces an integration of innovative multidisciplinary procedures that bring together research instruments from the social sciences and multimodal analysis tools from the digital world. Full article

Since 2005, landscape ecology has emerged as a structured scientific field in the Democratic Republic of Congo, notably shaped by the contributions of Professor Jan Bogaert. The evolution of research in this field can be divided into three main phases. The first phase (2005–2012) focused on the quantitative analysis of forest fragmentation using Geographic Information Systems and landscape metrics. From 2013 to 2019, research approaches broadened to include the social sciences, marking a shift toward a socio-ecological perspective on landscapes. Since 2020, the field has increasingly adopted holistic frameworks that integrate climatic factors and forward-looking modeling. Key research themes now include ecological flows across landscape mosaics, land-use dynamics, and the anthropogenic transformation of ecosystems. However, several challenges persist, including the lack of long-term temporal datasets, uneven geographic coverage, and limited integration of local knowledge systems. Notable advances have been made through high-resolution remote sensing and participatory methods, although their application is still limited by technical and financial constraints. This manuscript advocates for stronger interdisciplinary collaboration, improved field methodologies, and the development of context-appropriate tools to support sustainable and locally grounded landscape management in the Congolese context. Full article

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental and social concern, particularly in Southeast Asia, where urban rivers serve as key pathways for transporting waste to marine environments. This scoping review examines 110 peer-reviewed studies to understand how plastic pollution in waterways is being researched, addressed, and reconceptualized. Drawing from the literature across environmental science, technology, and social studies, we identify four interconnected areas of focus: urban pollution pathways, innovations in monitoring and methods, community-based interventions, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our analysis combines qualitative synthesis with visual mapping techniques, including keyword co-occurrence networks, to explore how real-time tools, such as IoT sensors, multi-sensor systems, and geospatial technologies, are transforming the ways plastic waste is tracked and analyzed. The review also considers the growing use of novel theoretical frameworks, such as post-phenomenology and ecological materialism, to better understand the role of plastics as both pollutants and ecological agents. Despite progress, the literature reveals persistent gaps in longitudinal studies, regional representation, and policy translation, particularly across the Global South. We emphasize the value of participatory models and community-led research in bridging these gaps and advancing more inclusive and responsive solutions. These insights inform the development of plastic tracker technologies currently being piloted in Vietnam and contribute to broader sustainability goals, including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Full article

Burnout syndrome is a growing concern in higher education, affecting the psychological well-being and performance of university professors. This systematic review presents a narrative synthesis of findings from quantitative studies on sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants of academic burnout. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, sixty peer-reviewed articles published between Jan 2019 and May 2024 were selected from Scopus and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria required validated psychometric instruments and exclusive focus on university faculty. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and CASP checklist. Data from approximately 43,639 academic staff were analyzed. Key risk factors identified include excessive workload, lack of institutional support, and workplace conflict. In contrast, collegial support, participative leadership, and job satisfaction functioned as protective elements. Variables such as age, gender, academic rank, and employment stability significantly influenced burnout vulnerability. While general patterns were observed across studies, differences in design and sampling require caution in generalization. The evidence supports the implementation of integrated strategies encompassing mental health programs, workload regulation, participatory governance, and culturally responsive approaches. These findings inform the development of institutional policies aimed at preventing burnout and fostering academic well-being. Future research should adopt longitudinal and cross-cultural designs to further explore burnout trajectories and support educational reform. Full article

The conservation and restoration of water-gilded wooden cultural heritage, such as polychrome sculptures, frames, panels, altarpieces, etc., requires the use of fillers that guarantee structural stability, physicochemical and mechanical compatibility with the original support, and the ability to adapt to dimensional movements induced by thermo-hygrometric variations. This study, conducted as part of the DorART Project, analyzed the behavior of nine formulations, both commercial and non-commercial, selected through a review of the state-of-the-art specialized literature, along with the use of participatory science, which focused on the practices and materials most commonly used by professionals in the field. The experimental design was based on three types of specimens: two with wooden supports, selected for evaluating their interaction with the original material and with the traditional water gilding technique, and a third type for analyzing the individual behavior of the tested materials. Analyses of adhesion, tensile strength, Shore C hardness, gloss, abrasion test results, wettability, pH changes, and chemical composition were performed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed significant differences depending on the type of curing used and the composition and aging behavior of the specimen. Some of the fillers demonstrated improved compatibility with water-based gilding, facilitating workability and providing structural strength. M3 and M9 demonstrated an optimal balance of workability and aging stability. The results of this study can help restorers select materials based on their specific needs, considering the requirements of mechanical adaptation to the substrate, compatibility, and durability. Full article

Organic agriculture is a complex, knowledge-intensive system, deeply aligned with sustainability goals. While the field has seen promising growth and innovation, it still grapples with significant challenges, particularly in how knowledge is shared, applied, and supported structurally within sustainability-oriented frameworks. To fill this gap, a systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, screening publications from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. A total of 39 scientific studies were analysed using content analysis and a bibliometric methodological approach. Findings reveal a balanced geographical distribution of studies and a dominance of qualitative methodologies. While farmers, advisors, and researchers are frequently involved in data collection, broader stakeholder engagement is limited. Key actors—research institutions, advisory services, and sectoral organisations—emerge as central to driving innovation and enhancing farmers’ access to actionable knowledge. However, the analysis identifies three core challenges: tailoring knowledge and innovation to diverse farming contexts; strengthening the intermediary role of advisors to bridge science and practice; and integrating organic agriculture more explicitly within the frameworks of sustainability and agroecology. Future research should focus on improving participatory dissemination strategies and strengthening intermediary roles to advance sustainability-driven innovation in organic agriculture. Full article

Background: China’s rapidly aging population has increased the need for effective community-based eldercare services. However, the lack of standardized, culturally relevant evaluation frameworks hinders consistent service quality assessment and improvement. Objective: This systematic review aims to identify, synthesize, and critically evaluate the existing quality indicators (QIs) currently utilized for home-based community elderly care HCEC in China. It also aims to highlight gaps to inform the development of a more comprehensive and context-appropriate quality framework. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were conducted across Web of Science, PubMed, Wiley, and CNKI databases for studies published in English and Chinese from 2008 onward. Extracted QIs from eligible studies were categorized using Donabedian’s structure–process–outcome (SPO) model. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, with QI sets ranging from 5 to 64 indicators. Most studies emphasized structural and procedural aspects, while outcome measures were limited. Key gaps include inconsistent terminology, insufficient medical care integration, narrow stakeholder engagement, and limited cultural adaptation of Western theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, subjective weighting methods predominated, impacting indicator reliability. Conclusions: Currently, there is no formal quality framework to guide service providers in HCEC, and therefore, quality indicators can be described as fragmented and lack cultural specificity, medical integration, and methodological robustness. Future research should prioritize developing culturally anchored and medically comprehensive QI frameworks, standardize indicator terminology, actively involve diverse stakeholders through participatory methods, and adopt hybrid methodological approaches combining subjective expert insights and objective, data-driven techniques. Alignment with established international standards, such as the OECD long-term care quality indicators, is essential to enhance eldercare quality and support evidence-based policymaking. Full article

This perspective paper examines the research and development challenges faced by plant factories with artificial lighting (plant factories hereafter). The global and local challenges facing our planet can be divided into the following four categories: (1) food and agriculture; (2) environment and ecosystems; (3) depletion, uneven distribution, and the overuse of nonrenewable resources; and (4) society, economy, and quality of life. All of the aspects of this four-way deadlock problem must be resolved simultaneously, since solving only one of them could exacerbate one or more of the remaining three. In this paper, the role of plant factories in solving the four-way deadlock problem is discussed from the following perspectives: (1) civilization and culture, (2) participatory science, and (3) the integration of biotechnology and the latest nonbiological technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI). The relationship and interactions between the environment and plant ecosystems are easily observed in the plant factories’ cultivation room. Thus, it is easy to analyze their relationship and interactions. The findings from such observations can also be applied to increase the yield in plant factories, with minimum resource inputs. Moreover, if the electricity generated by renewable energy sources is used, it will become an energy-autonomous plant factory. This means that the plant factory can be operated with the minimum contribution of greenhouse gas emissions to global warming and land area use. Full article

We present here an approach to the deployment of social robots in a science laboratory to monitor the behavior of students with respect to safety regulations to prevent accidents. Our vision is that the social robot should act as a friendly companion for students and encourage them to follow safe laboratory practices. Towards this goal, we developed a Laboratory Safety Assistant Framework (LSA) using a Misty II Plus robot and designed three dashboards within it as interventions. This LSA framework was evaluated using a participatory design (PD) study with twenty university students (eleven from Japan and nine from Egypt). For this study, we designed a questionnaire that contains 42 questions on the prior knowledge of students about socially assistive robots and their expectations about how socially assistive robots can create a secure environment in the scientific laboratory. The chi-square test revealed that there are no differences between groups in their perceptions of using Misty II to achieve safety inside science laboratories. In their perception of the capabilities of social robots and the sharing of feelings, students believe that using social robots like Misty II inside the science laboratory can make the lab safe and decrease risk inside the science laboratory without using the three dashboards of the LSA framework. However, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that there is a significant improvement in students’ perceptions ((Median = 106.5, Z = −2.39, p < 0.05, r = 0.53)) between students’ expectations of using social robots to achieve safety in scientific laboratories before and after they interacted with the social robot and knew about the feasibility of the three dashboards we designed. Furthermore, the t-test revealed participants’ experiences of sharing feelings with a social robot, and the intervention suggested by the LSA framework was to design a system integrating this into a social robot to enhance safety within the scientific laboratory (t (19) = 3.39, p = 0.003). Full article

Understanding Earth as a complex, dynamic, and interconnected system is crucial to addressing the contemporary environmental challenges intensified in the Anthropocene. This article reviews foundational Earth System Science (ESS) developments, emphasizing its transdisciplinary nature and highlighting how it has evolved to address critical issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. Concurrently, Earth System Education (ESE) has emerged as an educational approach to foster holistic a understanding, environmental insights, and geoethical values among citizens. Integrating geoethics into ESE equips citizens with scientific knowledge and the ethical reasoning necessary for responsible decision making and proactive engagement in sustainability efforts. This article identifies system thinking and environmental insight as the key competencies that enable individuals to appreciate the interconnectedness of Earth’s subsystems and humanity’s role within this complex framework. This study advocates for embedding a holistic and geoethical view of the Earth system into formal and non-formal education, promoting inclusive, participatory, and action-oriented learning experiences. This educational shift is essential for empowering citizens to effectively address the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, thereby fostering resilient, informed, and ethically responsible global citizenship in the Anthropocene. Full article

Citizen science (CS) has the potential to be a crucial tool to effectively address positive contributions in the global context of the challenges of change in our societies and environment. Recent research highlights the growth of CS in formal education, but little is known about scientists’ perceptions. This study investigated the perception of 170 faculty members from 32 Brazilian federal universities regarding public engagement across different stages of CS. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a semi-structured questionnaire distributed via Google Forms and composed of 40 open and closed questions covering the sociodemographic, professional, and conceptual aspects of CS. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Microsoft Excel^®, Likert-scale responses were processed in R (version 4.1.4), and qualitative perceptions were synthesized through a word cloud analysis. The results show that most participants were women, with significant representation from the humanities. CS is widely perceived by scientists as positive and educational, despite concerns about methodological and practical limitations. Future perspectives emphasize the importance of the adoption of standardized protocols and fostering collaborative projects, particularly involving quilombola and Indigenous communities. The recognition of volunteer contributions—through acknowledgements, nominal mentions, and co-authorship—is valued, as are training programs and data validation by professional scientists, which are strongly recommended. Although many faculty members believed that CS democratizes access to science, active participation among this group remains limited. This study concludes that although faculty shows a favorable attitude toward CS, practical challenges hinder broader participation. Future efforts should focus on fostering faculty engagement, implementing robust training and validation procedures, and developing inclusive, community-based research models. Full article

Background/Objectives: Traditional nutritional knowledge, shaped by centuries of cultural and ecological adaptation, offers holistic and sustainable dietary frameworks that remain highly relevant to modern health challenges. However, current digital nutrition platforms often fail to reflect this diversity, relying instead on standardized models with limited cultural sensitivity. This paper aims to explore how traditional nutritional wisdom can be integrated into digital health platforms to promote more inclusive and effective approaches to personalized nutrition. Methods: This perspective paper employs a cultural adaptation framework to analyze the integration of traditional food knowledge into digital contexts. Drawing from interdisciplinary research across nutrition science, anthropology, digital health and implementation science, we utilize the Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) Framework and the PEN-3 Cultural Model to structure our analysis. A systematic scoping review of literature published between 2010 and 2025 was conducted to identify integration challenges and opportunities. Additionally, we analyzed case studies of three traditional dietary systems (Argentina, Italy and Japan) and evaluated five leading digital nutrition platforms for their degree of cultural inclusivity, using qualitative comparative methods. Results: The analysis highlights significant challenges in adapting traditional knowledge to digital formats, including standardization barriers, contextual loss and technological limitations. However, successful integration initiatives demonstrate that through participatory design, flexible data architectures and culturally-informed algorithms, traditional food systems can be meaningfully represented. Our proposed four-phase integration framework—documentation, digital adaptation, implementation and evaluation—provides a structured approach for developers and researchers. Conclusions: Bridging traditional nutrition with digital platforms represents a vital opportunity to enhance personalization and preserve food heritage while improving health outcomes for diverse populations. This integration requires interdisciplinary collaboration, user-centered design processes and ethical approaches that respect cultural ownership and context. Full article