http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/3908 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:38:20 GMT 2026-04-29T20:38:20Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5810 Advanced Skin Models for Nanomaterials Safety Assessment Ribeiro, Ana; Costa, S.; Nogueira, S.; González-Durruthy, M.; Colley, H.; Oliva-Jorge, Nuria; De Vecchi, R.; Alfaro-Moreno, Ernesto The human skin acts as a biological shield against prolonged exposure to nanomaterials (NMs) and nanoparticles (NPs) coming from cosmetics, textiles, and environmental pollutants that are known to lead to adverse effects such as oxidative stress, skin irritation, and skin diseases. This chapter reviews the main pollutants that our skin are exposed to daily as well as the advanced in vitro skin models used for assessing nanotoxicity. It is widely known that the existing 2D and 3D skin models try to mimic the complexity of skin physiology however they still lack specific skin structures such as vascularization and hair follicles. Skin-on-a-chip (SoC) devices, employing microfluidic technologies, bring the advantage of offering dynamic environments for more realistic evaluations of NMs’ safety assessment. In this chapter, we analyze critically how these models could accelerate nanotoxicity testing and support regulatory decisions. Additionally, we also review existing biological assays for skin toxicity as well as the available computational models (e.g., Nano-QSR) that could help in predicting nanotoxicity taking into consideration the physicochemical properties of NMs. Future research should focus on enhancing skin model complexity and employing computational methods to predict NM behavior, ensuring the safe development of nanomaterials for dermal applications. Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5810 2025-08-18T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5752 Reimagining Tourism Education for a Sustainable and Regenerative Future Ramírez García, Itziar; Teixidó-Navarro, Francesc; Moukalled, Lara; Freund, Daniela; Fornells Herrera, Albert; Hernandez-Maskivker, Gilda; Derqui, Belén; Pliatsika, Fenia; Kanteler, Despoina; TOPALOGLOU, Lefteris; Cerjak, Marija; Hadelan, Lari; Mesic, Zeljka; Zrakić Sušac, Magdalena; Subaşı kaplan, Hatice This chapter reports findings from ERASMUS+ EcoHarmony (Ecoharmony project, 2024), a multinational initiative co-funded by the European Union that advances a comprehensive strategy to embed sustainable—and explicitly regenerative tourism within European higher education. Using a sequential mixed-methods design (nine focus groups across Spain, Croatia, Turkey, Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands; n = 70; followed by a cross-European survey; n = 198), the chapter examines: (1) the extent of sustainability and regenerative integration in curricula; (2) pedagogical, institutional, and technological barriers and enablers; and (3) scalable strategies to align programmes with 21st-century demands. Guided by systems thinking, transformative learning, and a regenerative tourism lens (toward regenerative justice), and attentive to digital transformation (AI/VR/blockchain), the analysis finds progress but fragmentation: roughly 75% of institutions offer sustainability content, yet holistic, cross-curricular embedding is rare; familiarity with regeneration remains limited (≈20–25%). Barriers include legacy programme architectures, constrained faculty development, weak institutional support, and misaligned assessment practices. Enablers include rising student demand, motivated educators, and NGO–industry–government partnerships. The chapter proposes a practical roadmap, intentional interdisciplinarity, assessment reform (systems/ethics/collaboration), quality-assured micro-credentials, and hybrid experiential learning that blends digital simulations with fieldwork and internships, to shift institutions from incremental improvements to systemic transformation. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5752 2026-06-05T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5477 An analysis of barriers faced by women tourism entrepreneurs in Barcelona: employing a feminist ethic of care Freund, Daniela; Ramírez García, Itziar; Boluk, Karla Barcelona is an internationally recognised tourism destination and the most alluring place in Spain for entrepreneurship; however, notably women are underrepresented in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. To give voice to Barcelona’s female entrepreneurs in the tourism sector and other stakeholders in the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, this study adopts a regional perspective and a feminist ethic of care theoretical lens. Our analysis aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Specifically, we take up Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 Gender Equality which aims to implement gender based practical solutions worldwide. The goal of our analysis is to understand the culture of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Barcelona to better understand how Spain may progress SDG 5. The study adopted a qualitative approach, analysing semi-structured interviews with female business owners and those involved in Barcelona’s entrepreneurial environment. Our analysis, which used the techniques of grounded theory identified three key concerns related to gender equity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem including: (i) Gendered Divisions in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem; (ii) Societal Conditioning and Gender Norms: Reinforcing Gender Inequities; and (iii) Challenges Pursuing Entrepreneurship and Motherhood. Each category will be discussed below. Emerging from our analysis we propose a strategy to address the identified issues using an ethic of care lens, examining the relationship between the different phases of care as proposed by Fisher and Tronto (1990). Our discussion is enriched by providing the tourism sector with best practices. Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5477 2024-07-09T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5464 Virtual vs Human: Comparing Persuasive Factors in Influencer Marketing Campaigns Filova, Nicolette; Miguel, Cristina; Perez Vega, Rodrigo This chapter explores the evolving landscape of influencer marketing with the advance of virtual influencers—AI-powered, computer-generated characters designed to emulate human influencers. As traditional advertising faces growing consumer skepticism, social media influencers have emerged as compelling alternatives, with electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) playing a central role in shaping consumer behavior. Recently, virtual influencers have garnered attention for their ability to engage audiences, offering brands unprecedented control and consistency in their messaging. However, concerns around their authenticity, credibility, and ethical use remain prevalent. Drawing on empirical research, this chapter investigates how virtual influencers are perceived by social media users, with a specific focus on parasocial interactions and source credibility. Using in-depth interviews analyzed through thematic analysis, the study identifies key factors that make virtual influencers persuasive, including physical and social similarity to the target audience, engaging content, and interactive behaviors. While respondents acknowledge their appeal—especially in contexts such as technology promotion—virtual influencers are seen as less credible than human influencers when promoting products they cannot physically use. Nonetheless, credibility can be enhanced through third-party validation and relevant, high-quality content. The findings highlight that while virtual influencers hold promise, their persuasive power is highly context-dependent and currently falls short of human influencers in terms of perceived authenticity and trustworthiness. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the potential for virtual influencers to gain traction as technology improves and audience expectations evolve. Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5464 2025-07-18T00:00:00Z