State governments around the world have pledged to decarbonize their economies and facilitate a sustainability transformation. But transformation requires imagination; the possibilities for the state to promote, forge, or obstruct a path toward a more sustainable future hinge not only on the ability to make strategic policy revisions but more fundamentally on the political imaginaries that help to configure the expectations of policymakers and the public about what is possible and feasible—and what is not. This article offers a comparative analysis of imaginaries of the “sustainable state” appearing in key policy documents and strategies in four countries. Using critical discourse analysis, we map four imaginaries: ecological modernity in Germany; ecological stewardship in Norway, energy security in Italy, and green growth in the UK. The article thus offers insight into the different expectations in relation to agency, technology, temporality, and rationality in driving and maintaining sustainability and reflects upon the impact of these imaginaries. Our analysis indicates that while these imaginaries of the sustainable state vary significantly, they generally promote technological innovation and market mechanisms and cover up some of the inevitable disagreements and challenges of transformation.

Purpose In the contemporary business landscape, the interplay of gender, sustainability and digitalization has emerged as a critical factor influencing firm performance. This study aims to systematically integrate scientific knowledge on these dynamics through a comprehensive literature review, identifying key trends and themes that link gender diversity policies, technological innovations and firm outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a comprehensive literature review of 211 journal articles, with 63 selected for in-depth analysis using PRISMA. Thematic clusters were identified through qualitative analysis, focusing on how gender diversity, sustainability and digitalization contribute to firm performance. Findings Five thematic clusters were identified: “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental Management,” “Gender Diversity, Sustainable Development and Digital Platforms,” “Academic Research, Motivation and AI/Technology in Learning,” “Adoption and Behavioral Intention in Technology Use” and “Performance in Business and Agriculture with a Focus on Environmental Impact.” The findings demonstrate that integrating gender equality with sustainability initiatives and digital education enhances organizational adaptability and resilience. Gender diversity was also found to significantly foster innovation capabilities, making sustainability a strategic element that drives superior financial performance. The role of technology in bridging gender gaps and promoting equitable business practices was emphasized, showcasing its potential to empower women. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its reliance on secondary data from journal articles, which may introduce selection bias. Future research could benefit from primary data collection to further validate these findings. Originality/value This study provides a novel integration of gender diversity, sustainability and digitalization in the context of firm performance. It highlights the synergistic effects of these factors on innovation and organizational success, advocating for gender mainstreaming and digitalization as essential strategies for sustainable management aligned with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Thanks to the eye-opening innovation of the digital technology a lot of disadvantages of the e-books will be overcome in the near future, and then what role the printed books will play is a great concern for those who work in the fileds of publication, library etc. This paper has focused on the printed books and analyzed the Generation Z students’ attitudes towards them. 174 students with different majors have been interviewed using the questionnaires made by experts and the collected data has been analyzed. For the purpose of sufficient feedback from the students the second question was made open. Students still primarily perceive “books” as printed ones and have a positive attitude to the usefulness of them in the future, though they are “digital natives”. First of all, the traditional definition and image of books, social customs regarding their usefulness play a crucial role in making people have a positive attitude towards printed books even in the era of digital technology. Also the usefulness of printed books has been diversified as they are now used in a variety of forms, such as evidence or luxury things. The future study should focus on those with different social backgrounds, thus clarifying the relationship between the cultural attitudes and the printed books in detail.

Deep-rooted educational inequality remains a major challenge in Thailand's remote and rural areas. Against this backdrop, this academic article explores the potential of Microlearning, or modularized learning, as an educational innovation that could help bridge existing learning disparities. Employing a systematic literature review methodology, the article synthesizes theoretical principles, evidence from applied case studies, and practical insights to demonstrate that concise, accessible, and mobile-based learning content directly aligns with the needs, lifestyles, and constraints of learners in remote contexts. This article connects the concept of Microlearning with established educational and psychological theories to explain its potential to enhance learning effectiveness. Drawing from Cognitive Load Theory and Self-Determination Theory, the study highlights the cognitive and motivational mechanisms underlying Microlearning's success. The findings suggest that Microlearning, when contextually adapted, can enhance learner motivation, autonomy, and retention. In addition, the article proposes a practical framework for implementing Microlearning that integrates contextually relevant content design, accessible technology, strategies for assessment and feedback, and a redefined role for facilitators. It also identifies possible challenges and provides policy recommendations for educators and government agencies. Ultimately, this article proposes Microlearning not only as a technological innovation but also as a human-centered approach to achieving long-term educational transformation.

Abstract Global markets are converging through technological innovation and environmental stewardship, creating opportunities for financial technology (Fintech) and green finance to advance sustainable performance jointly. This systematic review, following the PRISMA framework, examines the interaction between Fintech adoption, measured through indicators such as ATMs per 100,000 adults, internet usage, mobile subscriptions, and bank branch density, and green finance metrics, including adjusted net savings, renewable energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions. Across 120 eligible studies synthesized in this review, Fintech is found to promote financial inclusion, lower transaction costs, and enhance service accessibility, while green finance channels capital into “low-carbon” technologies, renewable energy, and climate-resilient infrastructure. The integrated evidence indicates that these mechanisms are mutually reinforcing: digital platforms enhance access to and monitoring of sustainable investments, and green finance increases demand for transparent and efficient Fintech systems. The findings highlight that the Fintech and green finance nexus most strongly supports social sustainability through inclusion, while environmental impacts remain context-dependent. Policy priorities include closing digital divides, harmonizing sustainability regulations, and leveraging blockchain and AI-driven ESG analytics for transparency and measurable impact.

This paper builds toward a central argument: in a competitive, technology-enabled landscape, the decisive advantage comes from focusing on ‘idea generation’, the intellectual property of investment research and strategy, while treating ‘idea Implementation’ as a modular, often outsourced utility. By the conclusion, readers will see how this model, adapted to each manager’s unique circumstances, can unlock scalability, resilience and sharper strategic focus. The securities operations landscape confronts unprecedented challenges: margin compression intensifies as passive investing approaches parity with active management, having grown from 45 per cent to 47 per cent of US fund assets in 2023 alone,1 while globally passive funds have surpassed active funds in total assets for the first time.2 Simultaneously, a widening skills gap in emerging technologies compounds the difficulty of maintaining cost-effective in-house operations. This paper presents a strategic framework for chief operating officers (COOs) to transform operations through targeted outsourcing augmented by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), process mining and other complementary technologies. The paper demonstrates how specialised providers deliver not just cost efficiencies but also strategic capabilities, from AI-driven compliance to tokenised custody solutions, allowing companies to refocus resources on alpha generation, client relationships and client experiences. Readers will gain practical tools to evaluate their current operations-related models against industry benchmarks, identify high-impact outsourcing opportunities within their value chain, and implement a risk-mitigated transition plan. The paper provides cost structures showing potential savings, a decision matrix for function-by-function assessment and specific governance frameworks to maintain control while enhancing capabilities. COOs will leave with actionable strategies to transform fixed costs into variable expenses while accessing technological innovations that would be prohibitively expensive to develop in-house. The central thesis challenges conventional wisdom: in an era of compressed margins and scarce talent, should companies still build non-differentiating capabilities in-house when specialists can deliver superior outcomes? This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) emerged as a revolutionary spatial molecular imaging approach for antibiotic spatial distribution and drug resistance mechanism, leveraging its capabilities for label-free, high-resolution and simultaneous multi-molecule detection. This study systematically reviews the progress of MSI technology, with a particular focus on the technological innovation of ionizations sources (MALDI, DESI, SIMS) and high-throughput intelligent data analysis systems; and explores the multi-dimensional applications in antibiotic research, highlighting its potential to reveal spatial and temporal dynamics of antibiotics through spatial pharmacokinetics (drug-metabolite colocalization, barrier penetration assessment, and optimization of nano-delivery systems). Furthermore, this study discusses the incorporation of MSI with tracking metabolic reprogramming within resistant bacteria, and mapping spatiotemporal drug-microbe interactions in resistant bacterial populations; and its expansion into microbial identification, environmental residue monitoring, and novel drug discovery and development. Despite the technical bottlenecks such as sensitivity, quantitative standardization and multimodal integration, MSI is anticipated to break through the paradigm of antibiotic research through the development of probes, the construction of clinical translational standards, and the fusion of multi-omics intelligence, providing precise solutions for the prevention and control of the drug resistance crisis. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework and technological insights for MSI-driven antibiotic research.

Training and Development (T&D) is one of the main strategies for valuing human capital in contemporary organizations, playing a decisive role in achieving sustainable results. This study aims to analyze the impact of T&D on organizational performance, highlighting its main benefits, the challenges faced during implementation, and the strategies for measuring effectiveness. The methodology is based on a qualitative literature review focused on scientific publications, consulting reports, and case studies. The results show that wellstructured T&D programs contribute to increased productivity, talent retention, and adaptation to technological innovations. However, challenges such as measuring return on investment (ROI) and aligning T&D initiatives with organizational goals still hinder the consolidation of these practices. It is concluded that when integrated into organizational culture and corporate strategies, T&D strengthens companies’ competitive growth.

This paper explores how emotions, which once were deeply personal and connected, are now gradually turning into commercial assets that can better be labelled as “Intimacy Economy”. But now with fast-paced innovation in technology, emotions are no longer felt; instead, they are surveilled, exploited, and commodified through algorithms, AI tools, and digital platforms. The so-called sacred space of conscience has been converted into analysable content. To comprehend this shift better, this paper analyses information from different schools of legal thought, mainly the natural school of law, sociological, historical, and finally legal realism. From this vantage point, it evaluates the growing conflict between three forces: an individual’s right to emotional privacy, society’s interest in technological innovation, and the market’s hunger for prediction and monetisation. By providing tangible examples of Emotional Perception AI Ltd, the EU AI Act, the Cambridge Analytica Scandal, and Indian court cases involving emojis, the article seeks to reveal how unprepared current legal systems are in dealing with emotional data. Despite the rising awareness and recognition of concepts like neurorights and cognitive liberty, existing laws still focus on external behaviour rather than inner experience. This paper puts forward the argument that we urgently need a legal framework that understands human emotions not as tradable data but as amplifications of dignity and individual liberty.

This paper develops and applies an ex-ante methodological framework to assess the societal optimisation of eBRT innovations within the Horizon Europe eBRT2030 project, using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and the PROMETHEE method. The study evaluates 11 eBRT innovations to be deployed in five demonstration sites in Europe and one in Colombia. Twenty social parameters, including 10 risks and 10 benefits, were weighted and scored through expert and stakeholder engagement, to calculate the Societal Optimisation Index (SOI). Positive SOI values indicate that societal benefits outweigh risks, and negative values indicate the opposite, while close-to-zero values indicate socially neutral or ambiguous options requiring case-specific judgement. The results indicate that innovations such as Adaptive Fleet Scheduling and Planning, Intelligent Driver Support Systems, and IoT Monitoring Platforms provide strong societal benefits with manageable risks, while charging-related innovations are associated with social concerns. The study emphasises the importance of social impact assessment prior to implementing innovations, to enable inclusive decision-making for policymakers and transport planners and enable the development of socially optimised eBRT systems. Embedding experts’ perspectives and social criteria ensures that technological innovations are aligned with societal needs, assisting the transition towards more equitable, low-carbon transport systems.

Breaking the sub-2-hour marathon barrier under record-eligible conditions requires the coordinated contribution of physiological, biomechanical, psychological, environmental, nutritional, and technological factors. Achieving such a feat demands aerobic power (VO₂max ≈ 75-85 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹), running economy (≤ 190 mL·kg⁻¹·km⁻¹ at 21km·h⁻¹), fractional utilization (90-94% VO₂max, near the maximum metabolic steady state), favourable anthropometry (e.g., low body mass), efficient neuromuscular coordination, and cognitive endurance to sustain near-threshold effort for ~ 2h. Technological innovations, particularly carbon-fiber-plated footwear ("supershoes") together with refined pacing strategies, optimized nutrition (carbohydrate intake ~ 60-100g·h⁻¹; caffeine 3-6mg·kg⁻¹), and advantageous environmental conditions (~ 10°C, < 60% RH, low wind) have further narrowed the remaining gap. This narrative review extends previous integrative perspectives by incorporating recent advances in thermoregulation, emerging AI-assisted training applications, and cognitive performance into a conceptual systems-oriented perspective on the determinants of record-eligible sub-2-hour marathon performance. It synthesizes multidisciplinary evidence to propose a conceptual model illustrating how physiological, mechanical, cognitive, and technological domains interact to constrain or enhance endurance capacity. The INEOS 1:59 Challenge (1:59:40) and Kelvin Kiptum's world record (2:00:35) exemplify the proximity of this frontier, while ongoing innovations in real-time monitoring and predictive analytics are expected to refine performance optimization further. Collectively, these developments suggest that achieving an officially ratified sub-2-hour marathon is increasingly plausible, provided that physiological, environmental, and technological systems are co-optimized within ethical and regulatory boundaries.

The article examines the impact of globalisation, technological development, and economic processes on contemporary security and the transformation of armed forces, with particular emphasis on small states and the Slovenian Armed Forces. Globalisation has created a new security environment characterised by predominantly transnational, hybrid, and non-military threats, which reduces the relevance of classical military logic and strengthens the importance of comprehensive security approaches. Technological progress provides advanced capabilities but simultaneously increases cyber, informational, and supply-chain vulnerabilities. Economic interdependence further shapes the security landscape, as fiscal constraints and the volatility of global markets directly influence the development, sustainability, and modernisation of defence systems. The transformation of armed forces is driven by doctrinal, organisational, and technological innovations that encourage a shift from mass conscript armies to small professional forces, modular structures, interoperability, and closer partnerships with industry. For small states, key elements include specialisation, strategic niche positioning, resilience, and clear integration within coalition and alliance frameworks. An analysis of Slovenian strategic and normative documents shows that the Slovenian Armed Forces are positioned as the central defence pillar of national security, yet they face challenges related to modernisation, personnel stability, technological lag, and inconsistencies between ambitions and available resources. The article proposes development guidelines that combine technological modernisation, personnel stabilisation, greater economic sustainability, and enhanced resilience of the entire defence system.

As the backbone of the future society, the cultivation and improvement of College Students' innovation ability is very important for the sustainable development of the country. There are 524 valid questionnaires were collected with reference reliability of 0.97. The content of the questionnaire involves innovation awareness, innovation knowledge, innovation skills, innovation practice, innovation environment and so on. The results of the survey were compared with the samples of science and engineering. The results show that college students have high innovation awareness but low innovation action, low attention to scientific and technological trends and the market, insufficient innovation knowledge and interdisciplinary knowledge, low mastery of innovation skills, and lack of motivation for innovation practice. The chi square test method is used to test the differences between the typical problems of all samples and science and engineering samples. The results show that there are significant differences in the attention of the latest scientific and technological trends and innovation trends. It also puts forward some thoughts on the cultivation of College Students' innovative ability, including establishing the correct concept of innovative education, creating a good atmosphere for innovative education, improving teachers' innovative guidance ability, constructing interdisciplinary innovative practice space, and improving the system to stimulate students' innovative power etc.

The use of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in the capital market is becoming attractive for debt issuance and financing. Indonesia already has a digital bond product, but the IDDB product is still in the sandbox/regulatory testing phase, not fully regulated by market standards. In other words, Digital Bonds in Indonesia still lack a comprehensive regulatory framework, and oversight and law enforcement remain weak, impacting the legal protection for investors. This study aims to analyze and assess the legal certainty and regulations governing digital bonds. This study also aims to address the following research questions: 1) Are digital bond instruments categorized as securities? 2. How do capital market regulations (such as the Capital Markets Law) and digital financial asset regulations regulate them? This research is a normative legal research (doctrinal research). The approaches used in this research include a statutory approach and a conceptual approach. The research results found The IDDB Token is the first bond tokenization product in Indonesia, registered in the OJK sandbox since 2024. This product enables digital bond issuance and ownership through blockchain technology and smart contracts, opening broader investment access for retail and institutional investors. The regulation of bond tokenization products still refers to the Financial Services Authority Regulation Number 13/POJK.02/2018 dated August 15, 2018 (POJK IKD) concerning Digital Financial Innovation in the Financial Services Sector which was updated and replaced by Financial Services Authority Regulation Number 3 of 2024 dated February 16, 2024 concerning the Implementation of Financial Sector Technology Innovation (POJK ITSK) to be able to obtain permission from the OJK to carry out business operational activities, product innovation, activities, and services that use business models that are tested and developed in the Sandbox.

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling plays a vital role in the circular economy by supporting a reliable and sustained supply of critical minerals. Commercial black mass, comprising cathode active materials and anodic graphite from spent LIBs, typically requires multiple energy-intensive steps for the recovery and regeneration of its critical minerals. Here, we report that a single-step microwave-induced plasma pre-treatment can lead to 85% selective Li recovery in water and ≈95% recovery of all transition metals in 1 M citric acid at room temperature. Of the various gas compositions evaluated, H2/N2 demonstrates the highest effectiveness. The synergistic action of H2 plasma, microwave coupling, and localized heating reduces the layered LIB cathode metal oxides to their metallic or lower-valence oxide forms, thereby enabling their facile extraction in green solvents. The residue consists of anodic graphite, which is regenerated through plasma treatment that reduces defects and decreases the interlayer spacing. The recovered graphite shows excellent efficiency as an LIB anode, surpassing commercial graphite in its activity. While here microwave plasma pretreatment has been explored for LIB recycling, it is a technological innovation that can serve as a versatile pretreatment step for hydrometallurgical extraction of critical minerals. r.

From a legal perspective, analyze the connotation and logical relationship of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts, point out the Legal dilemma in protecting Emei martial arts intellectual property rights, and then propose solu-tions to the problems. The study believes that the intellectual property rights of Emei martial arts refer to the intellectual property rights based on the intellec-tual achievements and commercial logos of Emei martial arts. The legal dilemma in the protection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts mainly manifests as follows: the identity of the rights subject of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts and the intangible cultural heritage of Emei martial arts is the root cause of the conflict between public and private interests; to some extent, the sports nature of the intellectual property rights of Emei martial arts has influenced the legal recognition of this part of Emei martial arts intel-lectual property rights in the academic community; the inadequacy of the legal system is the fundamental reason why the intellectual property rights of Emei martial arts are difficult to obtain comprehensive protection. Based on this, the study proposes that technological innovation is a logical prerequisite for the protection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts. It can be achieved by extracting the classic techniques of Emei martial arts, constructing repre-sentative martial arts routines, and creating Emei martial arts competition pro-jects; The improvement of the legal system is the legal foundation for the pro-tection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts. In this process, it is necessary to particularly strengthen the important position and role of the Sports Law in the protection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts, and improve the basic position and auxiliary function of relevant intellectual property laws in the protection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts; The enrichment of theory is a powerful argument for the protection of in-tellectual property rights in Emei martial arts. Strengthening theory must be combined with the characteristics of sports, in order to build a solid legal foun-dation for the protection of the object of rights. In addition, the protection of intellectual property rights in Emei martial arts should focus on benefits, which requires balancing public and private interests and promoting the realization of public welfare through private rights protection

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Prostate biopsy, essential for definitive diagnosis, has evolved significantly with new technologies and techniques. Transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS-Bx) has been the gold standard but carries substantial infectious risks due to rectal mucosal penetration. Rising antibiotic resistance, emerging safety protocols, and novel imaging-guided methods have driven a shift toward safer alternatives. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed and PubMed Central for studies published between 2014 and 2025 on prostate puncture complications. Eligible articles included original studies with ≥2 patients, emphasizing infectious complications, antibiotic prophylaxis, and modern innovations. From 639 records screened, 78 met inclusion criteria. Thematic synthesis was used to classify findings into complication types, prophylaxis approaches, and technological advancements. Infectious complications after TRUS-Bx ranged from 0.5 to 9.4% for sepsis and 0.3 to 4.9% for febrile urinary tract infections, largely driven by multidrug-resistant organisms and increased sampling density. Transperineal biopsy (TP-Bx), bypassing rectal flora, consistently reported infection rates <1%. Targeted prophylaxis based on rectal cultures, combination antibiotic regimens (e.g., fluoroquinolone with fosfomycin or ceftriaxone), and adjunct measures such as rectal cleansing significantly reduced post-biopsy infections. Technological innovations such as MRI-ultrasound fusion, robotic-assisted approaches, and PSMA PET/CT-guided techniques improved cancer detection rates (up to 71.8%) while maintaining low complication rates ( < 5%). Emerging non-antibiotic TP protocols and advanced anesthetic techniques further enhanced safety and patient tolerance. Modern evidence supports a paradigm shift toward TP-Bx combined with targeted or multidrug prophylaxis to mitigate infectious risks. Imaging-guided and robotic-assisted techniques enhance diagnostic accuracy and safety but remain limited in resource-constrained settings. TRUS-Bx retains utility where TP access is unavailable; however, adapting infection prevention strategies is critical. Future large-scale trials and cost-effectiveness analyses are needed to optimize biopsy protocols globally.

Over the past century, studying the human brain has been one of the most complex and enduring biological challenges. Initial approaches, ranging from gross neural anatomy to cellular subtype organization, have significantly advanced our understanding of the intricate structure of the human brain. Recent innovations in spatial transcriptomic technologies offer high-resolution insights into mRNA expression at single-cell or even subcellular resolution. Developing a greater understanding of the spatial expression of genes in specific cell types in the human brain can provide additional insights into their functions and underlying mechanisms that influence neurological disease states. Whilst these tools have been highly successful in rodent and non-human primate brains, analysis of the human brain has several specific challenges. In this review, we first provide a comparison of spatial transcriptomics tools, followed by a summary of studies using these tools in human brains, and finally, discuss the challenges and opportunities associated. The guidelines should enable researchers to address the challenges of using new spatial transcriptomics technologies to analyse complex organs like the human brain.

Organophosphate pesticides (e.g. dichlorvos) and pyrethroids (e.g. flucythrinate) are widely used in agriculture, yet their toxicity poses significant threats to human health. This study analyses risk factors for poisoning incidents involving these compounds and proposes targeted prevention strategies. Key risk factors encompass exposure pathways, high-risk populations, and socioeconomic determinants. Mitigation requires multi-level interventions, including technological innovation, public education, and personal protection. Case comparisons reveal commonalities and distinctions between flucythrinate and dichlorvos poisoning, underscoring the need for integrated prevention frameworks. The study concludes by identifying limitations in current measures and proposing future research directions and policy recommendations to advance sustainable agriculture and safeguard public health.

Background Digital technologies like the electronic partograph have revolutionised the documentation of progress of labour and birth. The purpose of the electronic partograph is to improve documentation of the progress of the intrapartum period by addressing challenges in partograph use. The tool provides real-time decision support, enhances data entry, and increases access and coordination of information for informed decision-making. Further research is required to map innovations in partograph technologies embedded in data documentation and labour progress monitoring. Objective The aim of this scoping review is to map innovations in partograph technologies based on studies published between 2000 and 2025. Methods This scoping review followed the five-step framework established by Arksey and O'Malley as well as the population, concepts, and contexts model. A comprehensive search was conducted across seven databases using refined keywords. Data were extracted, charted, synthesised, and summarised. Result A total of 13 original articles—studying 8,655 women in labour—were included in this review. The studies evaluated an electronic or digital paperless partograph, assessing its effectiveness and user-friendliness compared with the WHO/modified WHO partograph. This scoping review highlights that digital partographs, especially mobile applications and digital paperless versions, are practical tools for improving labour monitoring globally. Conclusion This scoping review found that digital paperless and novel partograph designs show promise for improving labour monitoring, particularly in resource-limited settings. The adoption of these tools can streamline documentation, enhance communication among healthcare providers, and facilitate timely interventions. This review recommends integrating ultrasound-based digital tools into labour monitoring for improved diagnostic accuracy and patient comfort. Systematic Review Registration https://osf.io/m96tw/