Abstract: (1) Background: The main aim of this study is to assess the effects of a strength-training program, including unilateral and bilateral actions and multidirectional, vertical and horizontal exercises, on the performance of young volleyball players. (2) Methods: Twenty young elite Spanish male volleyball players (U-16) participated in this study. Players from 2 different teams were divided into an experimental group (EXP, n = 12) and a control group (CON, n = 8). In addition to their regular volleyball training, the EXP group participated in an extra strength training program once or twice a week for five weeks. This program focused on exercises such as the back squat, vertical loaded coun-termovement jump (CMJ), hip thrust, and lateral crossover step (COD right (COD-R) and left (COD-L)), utilizing a vertical cone-shaped flywheel device. (3) Results: The results revealed significant Time by Group interactions in 5 m sprint time (η²p = 0.235), 10 m sprint time (η²p = 0.311), CMJ height (η²p = 0.243) and COD-R (η²p = 0.232), all favoring the EXP group. The simple main effects analysis on Time showed a significant difference for the EXP group in the CMJ (p= 0.017, ES= 0.79) and COD-R performances (p=0.021, ES=0.866). (4) Conclusions: According to our findings, implementing a combined strength-training program that incorporates isoinertial training, a vertical cone-shaped flywheel device, and triplane exercises enhances jumping ability and agility in young volleyball players.

Abstract: This scholarly article aimed to narrate the inception of six libraries situated in a rural, disadvantaged context of Eastern Cape, South Africa, examining the mission's modest beginnings and the multifaceted dynamics that shaped the process. Central to the narrative is the application of the Ubuntu principle within the Transformative paradigm, highlighting the collaborative efforts of six Black women in higher education, two in the Department of Basic Education, and stakeholders from the six schools. Using the innovative medium of photo voices and semi-structured interviews, the writers capture the spectrum of emotions and experiences throughout the journey. The findings revealed both challenges, such as stakeholder scepticism due to adverse conditions, and positive transformations following the libraries' establishment. The study concludes that shared vision, commitment, and collaboration can overcome obstacles, emphasizing the importance of multi-sectoral approaches to address educational challenges. Thus, multi-sectoral approaches should be considered as they can harness diverse expertise and resources to address complex challenges in education.

Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of implementing Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) on the mathematical achievements and conceptual understanding of fourth-grade students in a US curriculum-based school in Dubai, UAE. Method: A mixed-method design was utilized to gather data for this study. Qualitative data was collected through classroom observations, while the quantitative aspect of the study involved conducting quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test assessments on 35 participants. Findings: The findings of the study revealed significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding and mathematical achievements as a result of implementing CGI. In addition, the results of direct observations also demonstrate that using CGI practices helped students overcome comprehension difficulties.

Abstract: This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of China’s regular higher education institutions (HEIs) from 1952 to 2023 using ArcGIS spatial analysis to determine spatial patterns and evolutionary trends. By integrating the Geographical Detector and Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) models, we analyze the driving factors of—and their spatial heterogeneity in shaping—HEI distribution. Findings reveal that (1) the spatial distribution of China’s HEIs has become increasingly clustered, transitioning from a “point-like” to a “network-like” and finally to a “surface-like” pattern, with its center shifting southwestward. (2) HEIs’ spatial differentiation results from multiple interacting factors, with significant variations in their explanatory power. Key drivers include the number of full-time faculty, regional GDP, national universities’ presence during the Republic of China era, and fiscal expenditure on education. Regional population size also exerts a notable influence. (3) The impact of these factors exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with pronounced local imbalances. In short, multi-scale processes operating at different geographical levels have shaped HEIs’ spatial pattern. These findings provide critical insights for optimizing higher education resource allocation, promoting balanced regional development, and advancing the construction of a high-quality education system in China.

Abstract: Recent globally important events have accelerated the need to redefine ideas of health, healing and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of socio-economic and health care systems, questioning the hegemony of the Global North in addressing global health issues. In times of global interconnectedness, postcolonial dynamics and calls for integrative medicine to address complex health issues that cannot be effectively managed by a single biomedical framework, this review article aims to foster dialogues across multidisciplinary perspectives that engage in questions of health and well-being. By focusing on unintended consequences of COVID-19, specifically regarding anti-Asian violence and the important role of traditional medicines in contributing to an integrative medicine that enhances global health care systems, this article endeavours a deeper theoretical understanding of why certain issues exist as they do, and how they occur, which can provide the basis for predicting their (re)occurrence and for informing meaningful intervention efforts.

Abstract: This study examines the AUKUS security partnership, established in September 2021, with a focus on public opinion and its relation to national policy in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Using weekly Google Trends data from September 2021 to July 2025, the research identifies differences in public attention and the key drivers shaping perceptions of AUKUS. Australians emphasise costs and uncertainties; the British prioritise economic opportunities and diplomatic influence; and Americans focus on strategic considerations. China-related factors—particularly the perceived China Threat—play a central role in shaping public sentiment in Australia and the United States, whereas in the United Kingdom, a combination of China influence, employment concerns, and the Global Britain agenda drives attention. The study also considers policy implications, finding a strong alignment between public opinion and government policy across the three countries. While the core AUKUS narrative centres on the UK, the United Kingdom may also play a leading role in setting the policy agenda. These findings demonstrate the utility of time-series digital data for assessing public perceptions and offer a novel approach for understanding the interaction between public sentiment and foreign policy.

Abstract: Background: Parents play a central role in shaping children’s eating behaviors. While previous research has documented associations between parental attitudes and feeding practices, fewer studies have examined how mothers’ own eating styles may contribute to their perceptions of their children’s eating attitudes and behaviors and how these may influence subsequent feeding practices. Objectives: This study tested a cross-sectional mediation model to examine whether mothers’ eating styles predicted their self-reported restrictive feeding practices indirectly through their perceptions of their children’s appetite and subsequently through their concern about their children’s weight. Methods: A total of 488 mothers (M_age = 33.87 years, SD = 4.81, range = 20–49) of children aged 2–6 years (M_age = 3.85 years, SD = 1.33) completed self-report measures, including the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) for maternal eating styles, the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) for parental concerns and restrictive practices, and the Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) for perceptions of child eating attitudes. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized mediation model, with model fit evaluated using CFI, TLI, RMSEA, and SRMR indices. Results: The best-fitting model showed that maternal eating styles predicted restrictive feeding practices indirectly through maternal perceptions of child appetite and concern about child weight. Specifically, mothers who reported higher emotional and external eating tendencies perceived their children as having stronger appetitive drives, which in turn predicted greater concern about child weight and more restrictive feeding practices. Conclusions: Findings suggest that maternal eating styles may bias mothers’ perceptions of their children’s appetite and influence restrictive feeding practices indirectly through increased concern about child weight. These results underscore the importance of addressing parental cognitions and maternal eating styles in interventions designed to promote healthy child feeding practices.

Abstract: Neural oscillations play a key role in modern neuroscience, linking perception and cognition through rhythmic coordination across distributed networks. Yet the conceptual roots of oscillatory theory trace back long ago. Between 1888 and 1890, Richard Avenarius depicted brain equilibrium as a rhythmic alternation between disturbance and restoration, anticipating the later discovery of EEG and several core concepts of modern neurodynamics. We reinterpret Avenarius’ concept of oscillatory equilibrium and his qualitative vocabulary through the framework of contemporary neural coding theories, encompassing rate, temporal, phase, population, predictive, correlation-based coding, etc. Avenarius’ cyclical sequences of excitation and compensation evoke the homeodynamic and error-corrective processes that govern energy minimization, while his account of oscillatory repetition, synchrony and contrast resonates with modern notions of synaptic adaptation, phase coherence, cross-frequency coupling, attentional modulation, predictive updating within hierarchical neural models. Avenarius’ framework provides also a basis for formulating testable hypotheses about yet unexplored principles of the neural code. From his conception of oscillatory equilibrium arise theoretical possibilities like metabolic–oscillatory coupling, where energy flux and neural rhythms jointly encode information; topological coding, where transient network geometries convey meaning; anti-phase coding, where contrast arises from oscillatory opposition; homeodynamic coding, where informational value lies in the trajectory toward equilibrium; habituation trajectory coding; affective coding; silent coding, etc. Unlike conventional historical analyses that regard philosophical physiology as outdated, we reinterpret it as a theoretical precursor to computational neuroscience, framing Avenarius’ model as a conceptual architecture that unites energy regulation, oscillatory synchronization and informational stability within a coherent dynamic framework.

Abstract: The establishment of pilot free trade zones represents a significant step in trade liberalization. Exploring its influence on urban digital innovation, as well as the mechanisms involved, holds crucial theoretical and practical significance for enhancing urban competitiveness and achieving economic development. Drawing from panel data spanning 2000 to 2023 from 281 prefecture-level cities, this study constructs a staggered DID model to systematically examine the effects and mechanisms through which free trade zone policies promote urban digital innovation. The research findings suggest that the construction of free trade zones significantly boosts urban digital innovation. Mechanism analysis reveals that free trade zones empower urban digital innovation through three pathways: promoting industrial collaborative agglomeration, strengthening knowledge spillover effects, and optimizing the business environment. Heterogeneity tests indicate that the effects of digital innovation are more pronounced in cities with relatively advanced digital infrastructure and higher levels of opening-up. Further investigations show that free trade zones has significant spatial spillover effects. Therefore, it is imperative to continue refining the top-level design of free trade zones, unleashing their positive effects on industrial collaborative agglomeration, knowledge spillover, and optimization of the business environment, fully harnessing the catalytic role of trade liberalization in driving urban digital innovation.

Abstract: This study examines residents’ perceptions of cultural–historical heritage and seismic safety in two Adriatic regions—the Bay of Kotor (Montenegro) and the Dubrovnik Littoral (Croatia). A cross-sectional survey (N = 540; 270 from the Bay of Kotor and 270 from the Dubrovnik Littoral) used 5-point Likert items to assess heritage valuation, personal and community earthquake awareness, institutional readiness, and community practices. The analytical framework combined descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests (gender; place of residence), one-way ANOVA (education), Pearson correlations (age), and multiple linear regression on a composite index (“Cultural-Heritage and Seismic Preparedness Attitudes”). Respondents strongly endorsed the importance and tourism value of monuments (M ≈ 4.6–4.7) but expressed low confidence in institutional protection and lo-cal preparedness (M ≈ 2.0–2.4). No gender differences emerged (all p > 0.05). Place-based differ-ences were limited: residents of the Bay of Kotor reported more frequent citizen training (p = 0.005) and greater adherence to seismic construction rules (p = 0.003). Age correlated positively with her-itage valuation and risk awareness, and negatively with willingness to attend training and confi-dence in institutions. Education showed consistent effects; more-educated respondents valued her-itage and risks more but were more critical of protection systems. In the regression, education was the only significant predictor of the composite index (B = −0.346, β = −0.134, p = 0.002), while overall explained variance was modest (R² = 0.022). Findings reveal a gap between strong cultural attach-ment and limited practical preparedness, underscoring the need for stronger intersectoral coordina-tion, enforcement of seismic regulations, and systematic public training.

Abstract: The rapid development of educational technologies requires a deeper understanding of preservice teachers’ readiness for artificial intelligence and the extent to which their professional self-efficacy beliefs influence this process. Although the integration of emerging technologies has gained increasing attention, the relationship between technological competence and professional confidence among preservice teachers remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the interplay between preservice teachers’ readiness for artificial intelligence and their professional self-efficacy. An exploration sequential mixed method design was employed, beginning with a quantitative phase involving 293 preservice teachers, followed by a qualitative phase to capture deeper insights. Findings revealed that preservice teachers demonstrated an elevated level of readiness for artificial intelligence and positive self-efficacy beliefs, yet no meaningful relationship emerged between the two variables. The results suggest that professional self-efficacy and technological readiness are influenced by broader contextual and pedagogical factors rather than functioning in a straightforward manner. In the qualitative phase, participants highlighted both opportunities and challenges related to the use of artificial intelligence in primary education. While many emphasized its potential to support personalized learning, reduce workload, and enhance student adaptability, concerns were raised about ethical implications, risks to social-emotional development, cultural values, digital literacy gaps, and infrastructural limitations. The study underscores the necessity for teacher education programs to extend beyond technical training by incorporating pedagogical, ethical, and cultural dimensions to prepare preservice teachers for meaningful integration of artificial intelligence into educational practice.

Abstract: This study explores the effectiveness of mindfulness practices in reducing stress and enhancing well-being among school teachers. Employing a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design, the intervention involved 30 school teachers who participated in a three-week mindfulness program, including live virtual sessions and individual practice (10–15 minutes thrice weekly). Participants were recruited through social media and completed standardized pre- and post-intervention questionnaires adapted from the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results indicated statistically significant improvements across all measured domains: physical and emotional stress symptoms, perceived coping, and overall well-being. Paired-sample t-tests revealed large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.77–0.92) with high statistical significance (p < .001) and strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α improved across all scales). Post-hoc power analysis confirmed high sensitivity (1–β > .98). These findings suggest that brief, structured mindfulness interventions may serve as a scalable, evidence-based strategy to reduce teacher stress and improve psychological health in school settings. The study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting mindfulness-based interventions in educational settings, especially within high-stress school environments.

Abstract: The Operational Coherence Framework (OCOF) proposes a unified theoretical model linking information thermodynamics, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. Building upon five axioms—Boundary Persistence, Predictive Inference, Semantic Value, Policy Integration, and Systemic Coherence—OCOF suggests that cognition and intelligence emerge through an entropic negotiation between informational precision and semantic differentiation. The framework formalizes semantic value as S = I × σ, where I denotes mutual information and σ represents semantic potential, thereby extending concepts from the Free Energy Principle by introducing meaning as an operational variable. This study employs a theoretical modeling approach supported by computational simulations and synthetic data analysis. It does not involve human participants or empirical biological experimentation. Through this structure, OCOF aims to bridge the physical basis of information with higher-order cognitive functions, offering a computationally implementable framework. The theory is supported by a comparative literature review and operational appendices covering mathematical formulation, simulation-based psychological modeling, and ethical integration. OCOF aims to establish a measurable link between informational boundaries, semantic integration, and adaptive intelligence, contributing to interdisciplinary discussions in physics and cognitive science.

Abstract: This paper presents a perspective for designing and living in complex, interactive architectural systems (Manganelli, 2013) that are part of ‘artifact ecologies.’(Kirsh, 2010) All organisms co-evolve with their environments and change their respective environments to better suit their needs – this is known as ecological niche construction (Odling-Smee, Laland, Feldman, 2003). For many organisms, including humans, niche construction entails making ‘a better world to live in’ (Clark, 2003) by actively cultivating and shepherding other organisms. But humans are relatively unique with respect to ecological niche construction because humans also cultivate their environment to make ‘a better world to think in’(Clark, 2003). That is, humans also cultivate and shepherd abstract information systems just as they do other organisms (e.g., flowers or crops or animals). Humans tend to their information systems and devices in the service of improving the cognitive dimensions of their ecological niche. This perspective is useful for contemplating the roles and obligations of designers and users with respect to complex, interactive, and intelligent information systems and devices, including buildings. This paper posits that the near future of innovation in environmental design and management will increasingly be driven by the cognitive niche construction aspect of ecological niche construction. This perspective is useful because it frames the integration of computational technologies into environmental systems in a way that illuminates the continuity of human behavior in utilizing physical and non-physical architectures as part of ongoing physical and cognitive ecological niche construction.

Abstract: We present a qualitative re-examination of Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) within the current and evolving digital media landscape through the timeframe of (2015-2025). UGT has long guided scholars and researchers in understanding what audience motivations entail while we find that the initial assumptions face an onslaught of challenges in the current age of curated algorithmic media, swirling interactivity, and converged platforms. Accessibility to growing and ever-changing social and mobile media requires an emergent deeper understanding into the ways that users are seeking and obtaining gratification in ways that will traverse past the previous understanding of the theory and considerations. This study aims to address a gap in contemporary UGT literature by shifting from a quantitative analysis of survey data on audience gratifications to a qualitative exploration of individuals lived experiences with media consumption.Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) design, we define lived experience through in-depth semi-structured interviews and media diaries that capture rich, contextualized narratives from digital media users. Ultimately, the qualitative approach provides us the ability to dig deep into the agency of the user and media environmental structures, whereby both began to feel paradoxical (Ullah, 2025). Findings of the study reveal expectations of also emergent gratifications related to curated-self-expression, algorithmically defined connections and relate through various seamless transports between information consumption and meaningful escapism.The analysis points to the knowledge that gratifications are still definitive for the users and specific to the platform consumed. The relationship between active audiences and the shaping, powerful space of the digital ecosystem warrants an inclusive perspective of a robust and current UGT. Through a new way of knowing, in including a media ecology perspective, we present a new/internal UGT lens with salient components of meaning-making and sustainability in a dialectical relationship with digital media. The implications of this study present a greater opportunity for scholars to develop thoughtful and robust UGT framework and suggests that the study be of critical interest to platform designers. The study also holds importance for media literacy and how digital media literacy is developed, implemented in practice, and researched.

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping digital tourism, where sustainable governance hinges on how governments, firms, and users build trust. This study develops a Three-Line Heuristic Framework (TLHF)—a nonparametric model describing three trust trajectories: governments gain credibility through visible transparency, firms face diminishing returns once efficiency stabilizes, and users develop confidence via familiar, low-friction interaction. Using 1,590 survey responses and 35 interviews, and robustness checks with an expanded 1,840-sample dataset, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), LOESS, and Binary Logit with Average Marginal Effects (AME) reveal nonlinear trust patterns. Trust converges within a mid–high Satisficing Equilibrium (SE) band (X≈2, Y≈0.4–0.6), where transparency and usability reinforce confidence. The Positive Index significantly increases safe-platform preference (p < 0.05; AME ≈ +3.2 pp), while privacy concern and AI use lose significance once visibility is achieved. TLHF and SE together show that adequacy—not maximization—anchors multi-actor trust, promoting balanced, human-centered AI governance aligned with SDGs 8, 12, and 17.

Abstract: Business schools increasingly recognize high-impact practices (HIPs)—particularly community-engaged learning experiences—as strategic levers for institutional transformation, student success, and regional impact. Yet implementation often remains fragmented, with isolated service-learning courses failing to generate the systemic change these pedagogies promise. This framework synthesizes research on HIPs and reciprocal community engagement to examine how business schools can scale community-engaged learning as comprehensive organizational strategy rather than boutique enrichment. Drawing on student development theory, organizational change scholarship, and partnership literature, the analysis explores how systematic HIP implementation reshapes institutional cultures, resource allocations, and community relationships. The framework addresses three critical dimensions: translating pedagogical interventions into organizational capacity-building; designing partnerships that generate authentic reciprocal value; and building sustainable infrastructure supporting long-term engagement. Evidence from multi-institutional research suggests that business schools embedding community-engaged HIPs systematically—supported by cross-functional collaboration, equity-minded design, and distributed partnership governance—can simultaneously advance student learning, organizational performance, and regional innovation. However, realizing this potential requires structural commitments extending far beyond curricular additions: faculty development ecosystems, partnership coordination infrastructure, assessment systems capturing community benefit, and resource reallocation aligning budgets with engagement priorities.

Abstract: Love of the homeland is a sincere attitude shown by citizens and is manifested in actions for the glory of the homeland and the happiness of the nation. High school students are part of Indonesia’s demographic bonus defined as the productive age population. With a large demographic bonus, the concept of loving the homeland to achieve glory must be well internalized. This study aims to identify students perceptions and consumption behavior towardtowards national products in the personal care and perfume sectors and examine how the practice of consuming domestic products internalizes the value of love for the homeland. The study was conducted in the SMA Komplek Surabaya environment (Jalan Kusuma Bangsa and Wijaya Kusuma) with informants from SMAN 1, SMAN 2, SMAN 5, SMAN 6, and SMAN 9 using a descriptive qualitative approach through short interviews with 12 students. The results of the study indicate that although students have a positive attitude toward Indonesian-made products, the consistency of their use is still low due to the influence of brand image, perceived quality, and social media. These findings emphasize the need for participatory education and contextual digital communication to foster a sense of patriotism while simultaneously strengthening the values ​​of the third principle of Pancasila through economic behavior that supports national industrial independence.

Abstract: This study explored the impact of hands-on learning activities on student engagement and motivation in zoology classes at a private college in Karachi, using a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design with an experimental group (n = 40) and a non-equivalent control group (n = 40). The eight-week intervention included dissections, experiments, and model-building activities. Data were collected through a 20-item Likert-scale questionnaire, structured observations, and student reflections. Within-group analyses using paired-sample t-tests showed significant improvements in engagement (p < 0.01, d = 0.743) and motivation (p < 0.01, d = 0.600) in the experimental group. Between-group comparisons using independent-sample t-tests confirmed that post-test engagement (t (78) = 3.45, p = 0.001) and motivation (t (78) = 3.38, p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.80 indicated high reliability of the scales. Qualitative observations highlighted increased curiosity, collaboration, and confidence during hands-on sessions. Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data provided consistent evidence of behavioral and emotional gains. The findings support the effectiveness of experiential learning strategies in promoting deeper understanding and sustained interest in zoology. The study recommends integrating structured practical tasks, teacher training in inquiry-based pedagogy, and continuous triangulated assessment to enhance motivation and engagement in science education.

Abstract: Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), the prevailing global governance paradigm for sustaina-ble ocean development, confronts the critical challenge of integrating climatic uncertainty into its core processes. Reliance on the stationarity assumption compromises risk assess-ments for long-lifecycle assets within the Blue Economy, thereby impeding progress to-ward principal sustainability objectives. This article introduces and validates FARO (Framework for Adaptive Operational Risk Analysis), a methodological framework de-signed to operationalize the transition toward climate-smart MSP. The framework's core innovation lies in furnishing a scalable quantitative structure that directly links high-resolution climatological projections with operational decision-making and capital planning, thereby converting climatic uncertainty into actionable operational risk indica-tors. Its applicability is demonstrated via a case study of Brazil's emergent offshore wind industry (Southeastern Marine Region), analyzing impacts under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. The findings quantify the critical role of technological resilience as a key adap-tation variable, revealing a potential reduction in operational downtime from approxi-mately 60% to 10% by enhancing operational capacity from Standard (SWH 2.0m) to Flexible (SWH 2.5m). In conclusion, FARO proves to be a robust decision-support instru-ment, effectively bridging state-of-the-art regional climate science with participatory plan-ning to foster genuinely sustainable and resilient maritime development.