User privacy and protection from scams, harassment, and misinformation are paramount to the sustained utility and success of e-participation systems, making cybersecurity a crucial consideration. This paper's proposed model investigates the moderating impact of cybersecurity protection mechanisms and citizen education levels on the relationship between VSN diffusion and e-participation initiatives. Moreover, this research model is evaluated for varying phases of e-participation (e-information, e-consultation, and e-decision-making) and assessed across five dimensions of cybersecurity: legal, technical, organizational, capacity-building, and collaborative measures. The demonstrably improved cybersecurity framework, coupled with public education campaigns, has led to increased e-participation through VSNs, particularly in e-consultation and e-decision-making, thereby emphasizing the variable significance of cybersecurity protection across three distinct e-participation phases. In summary, due to the recent concerns about platform manipulation, the dissemination of misinformation, and data breaches related to VSN use in e-participation, this study highlights the necessity for regulations, policies, partnerships, technical frameworks, and research to assure cybersecurity, and further emphasizes the importance of education to support effective engagement in e-participation initiatives. UCL-TRO-1938 Based on the theoretical framework of the Protection Motivation Theory, Structuration Theory, and Endogenous Growth Theory, this study employs a research model developed from publicly available data collected across 115 countries. This study acknowledges the theoretical and practical importance, and the constraints, and suggests directions for future research efforts.

Real estate dealings, which encompass the purchase and sale of properties, are frequently burdensome, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, requiring many intermediaries and substantial transaction costs. Reliable tracking of real estate transactions via blockchain technology establishes increased trust between the concerned parties. While blockchain technology holds potential advantages, its practical application within the real estate sector remains nascent. Hence, we scrutinize the elements influencing the embrace of blockchain technology by real estate transaction participants. Based on the combined efficacy of the unified theory of technology acceptance and use model and the technology readiness index model, a research model was conceptualized. Employing the partial least squares approach, data gathered from 301 real estate buyers and sellers were subjected to analysis. The study asserts that prioritizing psychological aspects over technological ones is crucial for real estate stakeholders to effectively embrace blockchain technology. In the context of real estate, this study examines the implementation of blockchain technology, providing substantial insights and expanding the existing body of research.

The upcoming, potentially ubiquitous, computing model, the Metaverse, has the capacity to change numerous facets of societal work and life experiences. Despite the numerous predicted advantages of the metaverse, its potential negative consequences have been relatively neglected, with prevailing assessments predominantly anchored in logical reasoning derived from previous data points connected with comparable technologies, exhibiting a notable absence of academic and expert contributions. The study utilizes the insights of invited leading academics and experts across diverse disciplines to offer nuanced and multifaceted narratives that respond to the pessimistic aspects. A comprehensive assessment of the metaverse's shadow reveals vulnerabilities in technology and consumer protections, privacy infringements, the potential for diminished reality, concerns related to the human-computer interface, identity theft, intrusive advertising, misinformation and propaganda, phishing scams, financial crimes, potential for terrorist activities, abuse and pornography, social inclusion challenges, effects on mental well-being, possible sexual harassment, and the potential for unforeseen consequences resulting from the metaverse. The paper's synthesis of common threads culminates in the formation of propositions, and insights into the implications for both policy and practice are expounded.

ICT's role in advancing sustainable development goals (SDGs) has long been acknowledged. metabolic symbiosis This examination scrutinizes the association of ICT with disparities in gender (SDG 5) and income (SDG 10). ICT, as an institutional actor, is examined through the lens of the Capabilities Approach, which elucidates the relationships between ICT, gender disparity, and income inequality. Publicly available archival data forms the basis of this study's cross-lagged panel analysis, encompassing 86 countries over the period from 2013 to 2016 inclusive. The study notably establishes the association between (a) ICTs and gender inequality, and (b) the connection between gender inequality and income inequality. Methodologically, we contribute to the field by utilizing cross-lagged panel data analysis to better understand the temporal relationships between information and communication technology (ICT), gender equality, and income disparity. We discuss the implications our findings hold for both research and practice.

The blossoming of new methods for enhancing machine learning (ML) transparency presents a necessity for traditional decision-support systems to advance their approach in delivering more actionable insights for practitioners. Individual interventions based on group-level interpretations of machine learning models may prove inconsistent, especially considering the intricate decision-making processes inherent to humans. By merging established predictive and explainable machine learning methods, this study formulates a hybrid machine learning framework for decision support systems. The framework aims to anticipate human decisions and develop personalized interventions. The framework's purpose is to furnish actionable understanding, leading to the creation of customized interventions. Employing an integrated and detailed dataset on freshman college students encompassing information about their demographics, academic standing, financial status, and socioeconomic conditions, the research addressed the issue of student attrition. Comparing feature importance scores at the group and individual levels, we found that while group-level insights can aid in adjusting long-term strategic plans, applying them as a universal approach for designing and executing individual interventions often leads to less than ideal results.

Disparate systems can share data and communicate thanks to the establishment of semantic interoperability. To reduce ambiguity caused by utilizing signs for different purposes in diverse contexts within healthcare information systems, we propose an ostensive information architecture in this study. Starting with information systems re-design, the consensus-based method in ostensive information architecture is applicable to other domains where heterogeneous systems require information exchange. Problems arising from the implementation of FHIR (Fast Health Interoperability Resources) have necessitated a more complete semantic exchange, transcending the current lexical methods. The semantic engine, structured around an FHIR knowledge graph and implemented using Neo4j, furnishes semantic interpretation and accompanying illustrative examples. By using the MIMIC III (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care) datasets and diabetes datasets, the effectiveness of the proposed information architecture was demonstrated. From the perspective of information system design, the benefits of separating semantic interpretation and data storage are further analyzed, with special emphasis on the Semantic Engine's semantic reasoning for patient-centric care.

The potential of information and communication technologies to improve our lives and the well-being of society is enormous. Digital spaces have unfortunately become a significant vector for the spread of fabricated news and hate speech, escalating societal divisions and posing a significant threat to social harmony. Despite this dark side's mention in the literature, the complex phenomenon of polarization, along with the socio-technical nature of fake news, warrants a unique approach to revealing its complexities. Taking into account the complexity of this issue, the current work employs complexity theory and a configurational strategy to examine the impact of varied disinformation campaigns and hate speech on polarizing societies throughout 177 countries using a multinational perspective. Disinformation and hate speech, as shown by the results, are definitive factors in the polarization of societies. By examining internet censorship and social media monitoring, the study arrives at a balanced conclusion that these actions are perhaps indispensable in combating disinformation and controlling polarization, but it also highlights the potential for these actions to inadvertently encourage an environment ripe with hate speech, thus increasing the very polarization they are meant to address. A consideration of the implications for theoretical models and practical application is provided.

Winter is the period for salmon farming in the Black Sea, which is restricted to a timeframe of seven months, owing to high summer water temperatures. Temporary submersion of salmon cages during the summer months could serve as a viable strategy for year-round growth. In order to evaluate the comparative economic performance of submerged and surface cages within Turkish Black Sea salmon farming, this study scrutinized structural costs and returns. The temporary submerged cage system demonstrably boosted economic returns by nearly 70%, resulting in superior financial metrics. A marked increase in net profit (685,652.5 USD yearly) and a wider margin of safety (896%) were observed, exceeding the performance of the traditional surface cage system (397,058.5 USD annual net profit and 884% margin of safety). Symbiont interaction Following the What-if analysis, it was apparent that profit from both cage systems depended on sale price variations. The simulation, implementing a 10% reduction in export market value, forecast diminished revenues, with the submerged cage showing less financial loss than the surface cage, post-reduction.