Search Results (17,395)

Africans are widely recognised for their deeply rooted communal orientation. This ethos is intricately embedded in cultural practices such as burial rites, matrimonial customs, ritual observances, and broader conceptions of kinship. Within many African societies, the notion of family transcends the boundaries of the living, encompassing ancestors often conceptualised as the “living-dead” as well as extended familial networks. Despite the historical introduction and sustained influence of missionary and colonial religions, particularly Christianity, African Traditional Religion (ATR) continues to shape the beliefs and practices of many South Africans. Although Christianity remains a dominant religious tradition in South Africa, the persistence of ATR generates both points of convergence and sites of tension within the lived religious experiences of adherents. Against this backdrop, the present study critically examines the intersections and complexities between ATR and Christianity in South Africa, with particular emphasis on the African philosophy of community. Employing a qualitative research design informed by social cognitive theory and utilising a self-selection sampling strategy, data were collected through interviews with young adults (aged 25–40) affiliated with three mainline churches in Mamelodi, Pretoria, South Africa. The findings indicate that, while notable convergences exist between ATR and Christianity, significant complexities persist, particularly when interpreted through the lens of African communal philosophy. Full article

Preparing pharmacists to serve diverse populations requires a meaningful integration of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) within pharmacy education, yet such integration remains uneven and insufficiently understood. This scoping review aimed to examine how EDIA is addressed across faculty development, curriculum content, and teaching strategies in pharmacy education. Following the guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute, we searched six databases (Embase, Medline, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, and Web of Science) for studies published between 2014 and 2025. After screening 3031 records, 86 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on curriculum (48/86) and teaching strategies (35/86), while very few examined faculty development (3/86). Research was heavily concentrated in the United States of America and relied predominantly on survey-based methods. EDIA topics were often addressed in isolation with a strong emphasis on intercultural communication and limited attention to areas such as disability, migration, and socioeconomic status. Intersectional approaches were rare. Overall, EDIA in pharmacy education appears fragmented and commonly implemented as standalone initiatives rather than integrated across programs. These findings highlight important gaps in faculty development in pharmacy education, methodological diversity, and global representation, and they point to persistent structural gaps and the need to strengthen faculty development initiatives specific to pharmacy education and to move beyond isolated initiatives toward a sustained, program-level integration of EDIA. Full article

Ensuring global food security is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity and meat production is a critical source for protein; however, there are many critical issues facing the industry. This study focused on consumer perceptions of four key issues facing the meat industry: (1) the public perception of the animal industry, (2) environmental sustainability, (3) animal health and well-being, and (4) ensuring human health and well-being (e.g., food safety, nutrition). Analyzing the data from an importance and urgency perspective, the results indicated most respondents tended to perceive ensuring human health and well-being as most important and urgent relative to the other items. However, after calculating the criticality index (a measure of within-person concordance), environmental sustainability had the highest observed mean criticality score, followed by public perception. Lastly, a cluster analysis was undertaken. Four distinct clusters emerged: (1) Health-Focused/Environment-Skeptic, (2) High Engagement, (3) Low Engagement, and (4) Important But Not Urgent. Overall, results indicate a range of consumer perspectives regarding critical issues facing the meat industry; however, human health and well-being was consistently identified as the most important and urgent issue from a consumer perspective which can help inform more targeted communication strategies and effective policy development. Full article

Albic soils are a typical problematic soil type distributed worldwide. These soils are characterized by a thin humus layer, low organic matter content, nutrient insufficiency, and weak microbial activity. Therefore, microbial-based approaches hold great potential for the amelioration of Albic soils. This review synthesizes microbial characteristics, influencing factors, amelioration mechanisms, and related technical efficacy of Albic soils. Microbial communities of Albic soils exhibit distinct regional characteristics, with Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria dominating the bacterial community. Reasonable agricultural management practices—including deep plowing and subsoil mixing, combined organic fertilization and straw return—can increase microbial biomass by 62–248% and enhance enzyme activities by 12–303%, ultimately increasing crop yield by 1.5–13%. Such practices drive fertility enhancement and ecological functional improvement in Albic soils. Inoculation with functional microbes (e.g., Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Trichoderma) alleviates Albic soil acidification by 1.1–3.8%, activates recalcitrant nutrients, and accelerates Soil Organic Matter (SOM) decomposition. Through extracellular polymeric substance secretion, such inoculation promotes aggregate formation, improving soil permeability and structural stability. However, challenges remain for current research, including difficult microbial agent colonization, unstable amelioration effects, and a lack of long-term field studies. Future research should utilize bio-omics technologies, artificial intelligence, and big data technologies to analyze microbial functions and regulate soil quality for cultivated land improvement and sustainable agriculture development. Full article

The Landscape of Outstanding Features of “Islands and Cliffs near Slankamen” (ICS) is a protected area in the Danube region, characterized by diverse forest and wetland habitats. Different forms of sustainable tourism (SUTO) can be developed in this area, including nature-based tourism, ecotourism, and scientific tourism. This study aims to examine the impact of SUTO dimensions on residents’ satisfaction in the settlements of Stari Slankamen and Novi Slankamen. The research is based on the Prism of Sustainability (PoS) model, which includes ecological, economic, socio-cultural, and institutional dimensions. A total of 1030 inhabitants participated in the survey. The results show that all four dimensions have a statistically significant impact on residents’ satisfaction. The economic and institutional dimensions have a stronger influence, while the socio-cultural and ecological dimensions were evaluated more positively by respondents. The results indicate the need for better coordination of tourism development and management activities in order to achieve a balance between nature protection, economic benefits, and the needs of the local community. Full article

Background: Healthcare systems globally continue to experience persistent workforce and system-level challenges as increased workloads, lasting wellbeing impacts, and retention issues remain following the pandemic. To inform strategies and interventions to address these issues, this paper explored the workplace experiences of Victorian (Australia) frontline healthcare workers with parenting responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 39 frontline healthcare workers from a large metropolitan hospital were interviewed between October 2020 and February 2021. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts. Results: Three superordinate themes and five subordinate themes were identified. Themes highlighted the significant pressure that rapid workplace changes placed on healthcare staff and leaders, affecting their physical, mental, and relational health. Support from peers and supervisors was protective, though this increased demands on supervisors themselves. While many staff reported pride in their work, some experienced reduced career satisfaction and concerns about lasting psychological impacts. Conclusions: This study identifies how workplace supports operate through communication transparency, leadership capacity, and protected peer-support space, translating to organisational priorities for the post-pandemic workforce. In the context of ongoing workforce shortages and heightened demands post-pandemic, these findings underscore the importance of strengthening leadership capacity, embedding sustainable workplace supports, and addressing the psychological needs of healthcare staff. Such system-level responses are essential for pandemic recovery, improving workforce retention and staff wellbeing in the modern healthcare environment. Full article

Background: Telemedicine may advance endometriosis care, but few initiatives are integrated in outpatient follow-up. A novel telemedicine approach—tele-patient-reported outcome measures (telePROM)—includes an endometriosis-specific questionnaire and phone and video consultations combined with text messaging (chat) with a multidisciplinary endometriosis team. This study explores how healthcare professionals experience telePROM and its integration in clinical practice. Methods: A qualitative study guided by interpretive description methodology. Data were generated through observations and focus group interviews conducted between January 2023 and March 2024 at a referral centre for endometriosis within a university hospital. A purposive sample of ten healthcare professionals comprising physicians, nurses and a medical secretary participated in the focus group interviews. Inductive analysis was inspired by interpretive description and carried out through an iterative process involving four steps, leading to the development of final themes and interpretation. Results: Three themes were identified from analysis: (1) Balancing Personalised Care With Increased Clinical Complexity; (2) Changing Professional Boundaries in a Digitally Supported Care Model; and (3) System Friction and Flexibility when Integrating TelePROM. Conclusions: Telemedicine improved endometriosis care by supporting patient-initiated and personalised consultations. However, sustainable, effective, and safe integration of telemedicine appears to require clinical experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and supervision. Text communication (chat) proved to be an important element to ensure collection of additional information to complement patient-reported outcomes and it is essential for patient triage; yet it is rarely described in the literature. Ensuring organisational resilience during the digital transformation of healthcare requires ongoing training of healthcare professionals’ communicative and digital competences and may necessitate restructured technical support, including designated telemedicine experts in clinical practice to eliminate technical disruptions. These initiatives may contribute to and support the future implementation of telemedicine in healthcare. Full article

Sustainable (ESG) investments have gained significant interest, prompting renewed attention to retail investors’ decision-making processes. ESG investing is motivated by both financial concerns and psychological factors. However, despite growing interest, the motivational underpinnings of sustainable asset allocation remain underexplored. This study bridges economic psychology and sustainable finance to examine drivers of ESG investment intentions and choices in the Italian market. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, it explores how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and trust shape ESG investing intentions and choices. Results show that each factor significantly influences investing intentions when considered independently. In particular, the affective dimension of attitudes emerges as especially relevant. These findings challenge traditional views of financial rationality in ESG contexts, suggesting that the motivations of sustainability-oriented investors may differ meaningfully from those of traditional investors. Practical implications are that ESG communication should appeal to emotional and ethical dimensions of decisions, while educational initiatives should enhance investors’ ability to critically assess ESG-related information. Full article

This Editorial introduces the Special Issue “Spatial Planning and Land-Use Management: 2nd Edition” and discusses the eight articles published in it. Taken together, these contributions demonstrate that contemporary spatial planning and land-use management can no longer be understood as narrowly regulatory or sector-specific activities. Rather, they must be approached as integrative and adaptive practices capable of mediating between ecological integrity, territorial cohesion, infrastructure provision, social justice, public health, and participatory governance. The Special Issue brings together case studies from China, the United States, Australia, Iran, Portugal, Slovakia, and Belgium, as well as comparative evidence from peri-urban landscapes, and spans a wide range of spatial scales, from neighbourhoods and urban forests to metropolitan green belts, urban agglomerations, peri-urban territories, and ecoregions. Several major lines of inquiry emerge across the volume. First, the articles reaffirm the need for multiscale planning frameworks able to connect local action with regional and supra-regional structures. Second, they broaden the understanding of infrastructure by including not only transport and urban facilities, but also ecological, green, and even nocturnal infrastructures. Third, they show that many of today’s most difficult planning questions arise in spaces of transition and overlap, especially peri-urban areas, where conflicts among land uses, ecosystem services, development pressures, and governance arrangements become particularly acute across sectors and across spatial and temporal scales. Fourth, they underline that planning effectiveness increasingly depends on participation, co-design, and cooperation among diverse actors, including civic initiatives and local communities. Overall, the Special Issue highlights spatial planning as a strategic field of action through which societies can address land-use conflicts, reconcile environmental and social objectives, and design more sustainable, resilient, and liveable territories. Full article

This study aimed to identify the level of awareness and application of learning principles among agricultural extension service providers when communicating extension recommendations to farmers. It also sought to determine the major constraints that may hinder the effective application of these principles in extension practice. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to achieve the objectives of the research. The study was conducted on all agricultural extension service providers in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, totaling 55 respondents. The study focused on nine learning principles relevant to extension education: motivation, clarity of objectives, self-activity, transfer of learning, learner individuality, readiness, reinforcement, modification or relearning, and repetition. The findings revealed variation in the levels of knowledge and application of these principles among the respondents. The results indicated that 65.4% of the respondents had a moderate level of knowledge of the motivation principle, while 67.2% applied it at a moderate level. In contrast, 81.8% of the respondents had a low level of knowledge of the principle of clarity of objectives, and 85.4% applied it at a low level. The results also revealed several constraints that limit the effective application of learning principles in extension work, most notably the limited effectiveness of communication with farmers and the need to strengthen the educational competencies of extension service providers. Accordingly, the study recommends developing the instructional capacities of extension service providers through specialized training programs on learning principles and extension education methods in order to improve the effectiveness of communicating agricultural recommendations and enhance the adoption of agricultural innovations. Full article

Estuaries are highly productive systems that sustain diverse assemblages of fauna. In tropical estuaries such as the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR), faunal composition plays a critical role in maintaining ecosystem services. Organisms such as fishes and macroinvertebrates provide essential ecosystem services, including trophic balance, nutrient recycling, bioturbation, and support for local economies. Despite their importance, faunal inventories and their ecological interactions within Jobos Bay NERR remain limited. In this study, we characterized the faunal community present in the estuary, focusing on fishes and macroinvertebrates. Sampling was conducted between October 2022 and April 2024 using bimonthly video transects (five 10 m transects per site) across three sites. Results showed that Cassiopea spp. were the most abundant macroinvertebrate and present at all sites. The faunal composition and Cassiopea abundance exhibited spatial variability, with bony fishes dominating assemblages. PERMANOVA results indicated that while community composition differed significantly among sites, Cassiopea abundance was not a significant driver of these assemblages (p = 0.635). Additionally, burrows were observed at all sites, showing an inverse relationship with Cassiopea abundance. Our findings suggest a potential relationship between the presence of Cassiopea and other fauna in Jobos Bay and highlight the need for a better understanding of the potential effects that high Cassiopea densities may have on the structure of faunal communities. Full article

This study examines the effects of digital sustainability orientation on consumers’ responses, with a focus on the roles of digital green innovation and consumer environmental consciousness in shaping green brand advocacy in social media marketing. Drawing on the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capability perspective, and Signaling theory, the study proposes that sustainability-oriented digital strategies are more effective when translated into visible, credible forms of digital green innovation. Using the quantitative research design, data were collected from a sample of 300 Saudi Arabian consumers who interact with eco-friendly brands and sustainability-related content on digital platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok. The study used purposive and convenience sampling to ensure that participants were aware of sustainability communication online. Data analysis was performed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the measurement and structural models and evaluate the hypotheses. The results show that the direct positive effect of digital sustainability orientation on digital green innovation is high, but there is no direct effect on green brand advocacy. However, digital green innovation fully mediates this relationship, making the importance of tangible innovation even greater in turning sustainability intentions into consumer support. Moreover, consumer environmental consciousness plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and green brand advocacy, suggesting that the more environmentally conscious consumers are, the more responsive they are to sustainability-driven digital strategies. The study contributes to the available literature on digital sustainability and green marketing by showing that being sustainability-oriented is not enough to encourage consumer advocacy without having credible innovation. Practically speaking, the findings show that organizations must pay attention to innovation-based sustainability initiatives and develop genuine digital communication strategies to attract environmentally conscious consumers. Ultimately, the research serves as a great reminder of the importance of integrating digital innovation, sustainability practices, and consumer engagement as key drivers of strong green brand advocacy. Full article

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy to enhance crop productivity and support integrated agricultural systems. Among these, members of the genus Bacillus are highly valued for their resilience and multifaceted beneficial traits. The growth-promoting effects of Bacillus sp. L11 on S. lycopersicum seedlings were investigated in soil and artificial peat-based substrates. Rhizosphere microbial diversity was subsequently analyzed to investigate the interaction between L11 and the indigenous microbiota. We evaluated plant growth parameters, root growth parameters, and rhizosphere bacterial community dynamics using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Overall, L11 inoculation was associated with significantly improved growth indices of S. lycopersicum seedlings in both cultivation systems. Notably, the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-resuspended L11 markedly increased shoot fresh weight and plant height, and enhanced root-associated parameters such as total root length and root surface area. While L11 did not significantly alter alpha diversity, principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed that its presence was associated with substantial restructuring of the rhizosphere bacterial community. Inoculation specifically enriched beneficial genera, including Chitinophaga, Devosia, and Pseudomonas. Correlation analyses showed that these microbial shifts were positively associated with the enhancement of seedling biomass and development. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Bacillus sp. L11 may promote S. lycopersicum growth through direct stimulation and by reshaping the rhizosphere microbiome, positioning it as a promising microbial inoculant for sustainable vegetable production. Full article

Over the past 50 years, researchers have produced a considerable body of work substantiating that gross domestic product (GDP) is not a measure of social welfare. In response, numerous measures, collectively known as Beyond GDP (BGDP) measures, have been developed to provide a more balanced assessment of the social, environmental, and economic impacts of economic activity on current and future generations. BGDP measures have gained the attention not only of academics, but also of government practitioners concerned with prevailing measures of national and regional progress that overrepresent narrow economic objectives and underrepresent sustainability objectives. Despite this widespread support for alternatives, few governments have made significant progress in implementing BGDP measures to inform public policy. Viewed through an operational lens, this study examines strategies used by two governments that have progressed in implementing BGDP measures. We analyze their strategies against five practical considerations: (1) alignment with mission, (2) fiscal and resources constraints, (3) communication and public messaging challenges, (4) challenges with political and public commitment, and (5) gaps in internal agency knowledge and training. These five considerations were identified as the five most prominent barriers to implementing BGDP measure based on a systematic review of the BGDP literature published over the past 50 years. We conclude that these two governments implemented actions that addressed key elements of these five barriers and succeeded in adopting BGDP measures. We conclude that others could emulate these successes to advance the broader adoption of BGDP measures. Full article

Soil nematodes are integral to soil micro-food webs and serve as sensitive bioindicators of soil ecological condition. However, how forest vegetation and soil properties interact to shape nematode community assembly, network structure, and functional stability remains inadequately understood. Using 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing coupled with phylogenetic null modeling, we examined soil nematode communities across four forest types along a succession gradient. Although taxonomic diversity (e.g., Shannon and Pielou indices) differed significantly among forest types, network topology and stochastic assembly processes were more closely associated with community restructuring and co-occurrence patterns. This suggests that, while diversity is not irrelevant, network- and assembly-based metrics provide complementary and often more sensitive indicators of nematode community responses to forest type. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that mixed forests fostered more complex and potentially stable networks, whereas plantations formed dense but potentially vulnerable networks. Assembly processes were not dominated by strong deterministic selection (|βNTI| ≤ 2 for most comparisons), a pattern consistent with undominated processes (e.g., ecological drift, weak environmental filtering). Dispersal limitation played a negligible role in this system. Partial Least Square Path Modeling identified spatial factors and key soil properties (e.g., pH, electrical conductivity, soil water content, and organic carbon) as primary drivers of community structure. Our findings indicate that assessing soil food web health should integrate network analysis and stochasticity metrics rather than rely solely on taxonomic diversity. For sustainable forest management, mixed-species stands are preferable to monoculture plantations, and maintaining soil physicochemical heterogeneity is critical for community stability. Full article