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Background: Unhealthy diet is a key risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that contribute to increased morbidity and premature mortality. With increased computer literacy and mobile phone penetration, there is a high opportunity for mobile application-based interventions. The current study was conducted to develop a mobile application to monitor dietary intake and to assess its acceptability and effectiveness in diet control compared to a similar paper-based intervention. A mobile application was developed based on research evidence and opinions of local experts. The mobile application was introduced to a selected group of office workers who were in preparation, action, and maintenance stages of the Trans Theoretical Model (TTM) and a paper-based intervention was used as the comparator. Socio-demographic data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were followed up for three months for adherence. The effectiveness of interventions was assessed at the end of three months by comparing the progressive change in the stage of change and the change from unhealthy to healthy dietary intake between two groups as primary and secondary outcomes respectively. Results: Among 123 office workers who participated in the study, 19.5% preferred the mobile intervention over the paper-based intervention. Younger, unmarried office workers and those who do not have children, had a higher acceptance for the mobile intervention (p < 0.05). There was no difference in adherence (in all three months) or outcomes between the two groups of intervention. Conclusion and recommendations: Mobile application-based interventions are better accepted among the young age group and further studies are recommended to explore their applicability. Trial registration: The study was registered in the Sri Lankan Clinical Trial Registry (Registration No. SLCTR/2020/025; Date 15th December 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Co-Editors-in-Chief of The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child introduce two clinical papers on Gender Dysphoria which include detailed clinical material from the analyses of four children born biologically female. They emphasize the importance of a psychoanalytic developmental theory as a foundation for analytic work with children and adolescents, and promote the idea of ongoing conversations in our field regarding these complicated issues. They encourage readers to reflect on the analytic material with a curious mind and an attitude of not knowing, to further their own insights into the complicated issue of gender and Gender Dysphoria and to contribute to the conversation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychoanalysts have increasingly sought opportunities to move beyond their consultation rooms to find ways to provide service from a psychoanalytic point of view where it could be well utilized. While there is a long tradition of these endeavors, such as Freud's free clinics, for child analysts searching for ways to provide service and support for young children and for those who care for them has long been an ideal. This section introduction strives to provide context and rationale for this important work. Support for the child's development of improved verbalization of affect and social and emotional development more broadly are noted. As well, a brief (and necessarily incomplete) review of the history of such efforts and reference to attempts to undertake research regarding efficacy and efforts to establish best practices is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human technology interaction became the key driver for bringing new changes that improve the life wellbeing and solve society problems. Past studies paid a considerable attention in technology in manufacturing, but recently due to the repaid growth of service sector, technology developers targeted this sector, especially the profitable businesses. However, the social business such as education, has not received adequate attention. Even though e-learning and MOOCs application introduced to solve institutions' capacity and boost up their quality, the efficiency of using these technologies is questionable since less than 10%, who use MOOCs complete their courses. The literature suggests that technology motivation factors that influence users and educational quality as well as system are important to address this challenge. Even though, many studies investigated these factors, the problem still existed. Thus, this review paper aims to highlight and investigate the development process of MOOCs and their opportunities as well as challenges. The finding of this paper suggests that even though MOOCs adoption and operation are suffering of several issues, which should be addressed by future research, MOOCs are the future promise for education development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much work has shown that social isolation has lasting negative effects on adult social interactions, but less is known about precisely how and why isolation alters social behaviour. One way isolation may alter social behaviour is by interfering with the development of effective communication. Here, we test how social isolation influences individual recognition, a key aspect of social communication in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps. Polistes fuscatus reared in a typical social environment learn and remember the unique faces of conspecifics during social interactions. Typical P. fuscatus use individual face recognition to minimize conflict and stabilize social interactions. As wasps are adept face learners, they also readily learn to discriminate between wasp face images during training. Here, we show that social isolation had dramatic effects on recognition. We isolated wasps for 6 days after eclosion from pupation, then tested them for face recognition in social and nonsocial contexts. Isolated wasps did not learn and remember other individuals during social interactions. Furthermore, isolated wasps did not learn to discriminate between wasp face images during training. Therefore, social experience with conspecifics is essential for the development of individual recognition and face learning in paper wasps. Many aspects of wasp behaviour develop rapidly with little experience required. However, complex social interactions like individual recognition require social experience with conspecifics. • Wasps usually excel at using facial patterns to individually identify other wasps. • Social isolation during rearing interfered with individual recognition. • Isolated wasps did not learn unique faces during training or social interactions. • Social isolation interferes with wasp communication and social competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses Romania's burgeoning development aid policy to the post-colonial space. By leveraging its expertise in petroleum extraction to forge a strategic relationship with India in the 1950s, Bucharest was able to gain a strategic foothold as oil assistance provider to the non-aligned countries. This text details Romania's efforts to help build India's national oil industry by bringing into focus the broad nexus of forces at play in such process. It therefore aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of 'the Second World's Third World' by discussing the ideological and geopolitical considerations of both East-East and East-South relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at human development from an existential perspective. What is revealed is that human development is a lifelong process of the acquisition of the skills of living. Moreover that these are present in seven invariant themes that manifest in different ways throughout life. They are: age and ageing; narrative and autobiography; beginnings and endings; embodiment; randomness and chance; adversity; and love. These are considered in the light of psychotherapeutic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue honeysuckle, also named as haskap or honeyberry, an emerging fruit worldwide, with the species being Lonicera L., originating from the north hemisphere, exhibits high genetic heterogeneity and abundant genetic variation in fruit and leaf traits. However, there are few papers on the research progress of blue honeysuckle breeding and cultivars. The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is an effective plant variety protection system, and blue honeysuckle cultivars from different countries and regions are registered in the UPOV database. In this review, we summarized the origin, domestication and germplasm collection, breeding categories and supporting techniques of blue honeysuckle, and the information on registered blue honeysuckle cultivars was analysed based on the UPOV database. Finally, the paper put forward the challenges of blue honeysuckle in development, breeding direction and perspectives to promote the development of blue honeysuckle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article serves as an introduction to the special issue on Contemporary Issues in Religious and Spiritual Development in Adolescence, Young Adulthood, and Beyond. First, we give an account of the history of research on religious and spiritual development in adolescence and beyond. Although religion and spirituality have a long history in psychology, it is still an emerging area of research. Second, we summarize the current body of work on religious and spiritual development in adolescence and beyond. Most research in this area has focused on outcomes, particularly religion and spirituality as a protective factor against negative youth outcomes. Some work has also looked at individual and contextual predictors of religion and spirituality. Less is known about processes and trajectories of religious development, particularly in terms of changes in religious identification. Third, we recommend directions for future research in this area. We focus on the need for research to look at the role of religion and spirituality in positive youth development, the religious and spiritual experiences of religious minority youth, religious and spiritual challenges faced by sexual minority youth, and processes and predictors of religious deconversion. Fourth, we outline the four review papers on contemporary issues in religious and spiritual development featured in the special issue. These papers provide literature reviews on four important directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the experiences of six artists participating in a new Australian creative accelerator programme for emerging media documentary. Attending to the processes, perspectives and frames employed by these artists in developing their early-stage projects, the article explores the diverse practice-based methods employed in developing documentary for emerging media formats. The paper argues for the value of attending to process and practice, as key frameworks that set the context for eventual creative outcomes. In doing so, the paper aims to contribute to knowledge about methods to support artists in developing emerging media documentary in a creative accelerator context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a need for valid and reliable measures of determinants of sustainability of public health interventions in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric and pragmatic properties of such a measure – the Integrated Measure of PRogram Element SuStainability in Childcare Settings (IMPRESS-C). Methods: We undertook a two-phase process guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments checklist (COSMIN) and Psychometric and Pragmatic Evidence Rating Scale (PAPERS). Phase 1 involved measure development; i.e., determining items and scales through an iterative process and assessment of face and content validity. Phase 2 involved the evaluation of psychometric and pragmatic properties. The 29-item measure completed by service executives (directors and nominated supervisors) was embedded in a larger survey from a national sample of Australian ECEC services assessing their implementation of nutrition and physical activity programs. Structural validity, concurrent validity, known groups validity, internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, norms, and pragmatic qualities of the measure were assessed according to the PAPERS criteria. Results: The final measure contained 26 items, with respondents reporting how strongly they agreed or disagreed on a five-point Likert scale. Phase 1 assessments confirmed the relevance, and face and content validity of the scale. In Phase 2, we obtained 482 completed surveys, of which 84% (n = 405) completed the entire measure across 405 ECEC settings (one executive per service). Three of the four fit indices for the confirmatory factor analysis met the pre-specified criteria (SRMR = 0.056, CFI = 0.993, RMSEA = 0.067) indicating 'good' structural validity. The IMPRESS-C illustrated: 'good' internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values from 0.53 to 0.92; 'emerging' concurrent validity; 'poor' known groups validity; 'good' norms; and 'good' overall pragmatic qualities (cost, readability, length, and assessor burden). Conclusions: The IMPRESS-C possesses strong psychometric and pragmatic qualities for assessing service executive-level perceptions of determinants influencing sustainment of public health interventions within ECEC settings. To achieve a full range of perspectives in this setting, future work should be directed to also develop and test measures of sustainability determinants at the implementer level (e.g., among individual educators and staff). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst China's aid and development model has been traditionally understood as divergent from the dominant post‐1945 liberal development model, scholars are also increasingly exploring convergence between features of the two development models. Recently, scholars from a range of disciplines including development studies, development geography and international (business, environment and legal) studies have explored a process whereby China's Belt and Road Initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals converge ('BRI‐SDG integration'). This paper brings these multidisciplinary strands of scholarship together and places them in dialogue with social sciences convergence theory to understand how BRI‐SDG integration aligns with or challenges previous conceptualisations of Chinese‐dominant development convergence. The paper first demonstrates that BRI‐SDG integration proposes a novel and deliberate convergence process ‐ which the paper names 'complementary convergence'. However, BRI‐SDG integration also underscores the need for more multidirectional frameworks that reject Eurocentricity for evaluating the contemporary Chinese‐dominant relationship, and an enhanced focus on how China is influencing dominant development institutions. Finally, BRI‐SDG integration reiterates the methodological difficulties of delineating between 'development models' in an increasingly interrelated global governance of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) is an academic institution of the Holy See (Vatican), which aims to develop and promote Catholic teachings on questions of biomedical ethics. Palliative care (PC) experts from around the world professing different faiths were invited by the PAV to develop strategic recommendations for the global development of PC ("PAL-LIFE group"). Design: Thirteen experts in PC advocacy participated in an online Delphi process. In four iterative rounds, participants were asked to identify the most significant stakeholder groups and then propose for each, strategic recommendations to advance PC. Each round incorporated the feedback from previous rounds until consensus was achieved on the most important recommendations. In a last step, the ad hoc group was asked to rank the stakeholders' groups by order of importance on a 13-point scale and to propose suggestions for implementation. A cluster analysis provided a classification of the stakeholders in different levels of importance for PC development. Results: Thirteen stakeholder groups and 43 recommendations resulted from the first round, and, of those, 13 recommendations were chosen as the most important (1 for each stakeholder group). Five groups had higher scores. The recommendation chosen for these top 5 groups were as follows: (1) Policy makers: Ensure universal access to PC; (2) Academia: Offer mandatory PC courses to undergraduates; (3) Healthcare workers: PC professionals should receive adequate certification; (4) Hospitals and healthcare centers: Every healthcare center should ensure access to PC medicines; and (5) PC associations: National Associations should be effective advocates and work with their governments in the process of implementing international policy framework. A recommendation for each of the remaining eight groups is also presented. Discussion: This white paper represents a position statement of the PAV developed through a consensus process in regard to advocacy strategies for the advancement of PC in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WOX (WUSCHEL-related homeobox) is a plant-specific transcription factor involved in plant development and stress response. However, few studies have been reported on the WOX gene in woody plants. In this study, 10 BpWOX genes were isolated from paper mulberry by RACE-PCR and categorized into three clades through phylogenetic analysis, ancient, intermediate and WUS clade. Among them, five members had the transcriptional activity detected by yeast one-hybrid and seven were uniquely localized to the nucleus through green fluorescent protein (GFP) observation. The expression patterns of BpWOX genes in different tissues and under diverse treatments were quantified by the qRT-PCR method. Results showed that BpWUS was expressed in the apical bud, stem and root, BpWOX5 and BpWOX7 functioned only in the root tip, and three BpWOXs regulated leaf development redundantly. BpWOX9 and BpWOX10 were induced by indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or jasmonic acid (JA), while BpWOX2 was repressed by five phytohormones. Interestingly, most BpWOX genes were responsive to the abiotic stress stimuli of drought, salt, cold, and cadmium (CdCl2). Together, our study revealed that BpWOXs were functionally divergent during paper mulberry development and environmental adaptation, which might be related to their evolutionary relationships. Our work will benefit the systematic understanding of the precise function of WOX in plant development and environmental stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to present the context of south of Bahia and to understand how the socioenvironmental conflicts related to the conflicts between antagonistic education and rural development projects are generated in the process of campestral territoriality and its confrontation against the pulp and paper industries. Based on the literature review and the interviews with the inhabitants of this territory, we conclude that the articulation of social movements and other interlocutors presses the socioenvironmental contradictions in the dispute for the territory, as well as presses an anti-hegemonic model of education and production that oppose the anti-ecological and social model inequality of agribusiness, by the articulation of social movements and other interlocutors offer potential contribution to the formation of sustainable societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper interrogates the context that Poverty Reduction Strategy operates as a development policy framework implemented in Benin and Nigeria, and how this provides opportunities and constraints for the objective of poverty reduction. Also, it argues that within the context of a neo-liberal ideology and strategy of development which guide the formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategy, poor developing countries have not experienced a reduction in poverty or a promised development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work education is considered essential in developing the social work profession in Vietnam to set a foundation for the profession in the late 1980s. Since officially given a training code in 2004 and recognition of the professional status in 2010, the development of social work education has been significantly expanded in the number of training institutions and programs provided at various levels with only two schools providing undergraduate programs in 2003 to 35 in 2024, including 10 MSW and two PhD programs. After two decades of fast development, there have been considerable issues and challenges in maintaining the quality and professionalization of social work education. As an imported discipline, social work education depends on programs and resources from other countries. Hence, indigenization has become an increasing issue and challenge in Vietnam and other countries in the Global South. This paper presents the result of a short survey of 30 training institutions and an online questionnaire of 116 social work educators, practitioners, policymakers and social service managers. The paper examines the process of development, challenges and how to promote indigenous social work training programs to appropriately meet local needs and context and ensure regional and global standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to critically analyse the development dichotomies and socio-ecological concerns inherent in a controversial megaproject in Kerala – the Semi High-Speed Rail Corridor, also known as the Silverline Project – through a political ecology lens. The mainstream discourses of development in an extractivist political economy focus on economic growth and technological advancement without a critical social and ecological security assessment. Megaprojects are presented as dream projects and symbols of modernity, even when fragmentation and degradation of socio-ecological systems are apparent. The paper explores the multiple strategies used by the State to legitimising the project, which includes overriding or diluting the regulatory framework for conservation, greenwashing, manipulative reductionism etc. It argues that an inclusive development discourse should go beyond perceiving environment and development as a binary opposition and thrive for a critical and reflexive conceptualisation and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is home to a large number of tribal or Adivasi communities. Particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) are one among them. The Indian state initiated several development programs in its affirmative action to benefit PVTGs. However, these initiatives have shown some effects on the ground, still a long way to go. After globalization, a lot of studies claim and argue that the state is slowly withdrawing from its agenda and encouraging multinational companies or corporations (MNCs) to take its role. The MNCs have started their operations by extracting resources without helping Adivasi communities. It led to large-scale protests by the tribal people and civil society organizations. The paper critically discusses development initiatives of the post-independent state to ameliorate the conditions of the PVTGs as part of their affirmative action policies. Furthermore, the paper draws inferences from secondary data sources collected from published and unpublished sources, documents, reports, and online sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, the numerous, dispersed family farms with small areas continued their activity in many cases considering a certain tradition as closed or partially open systems. After the accession of our country to the European Union in 2007, there has been a tendency to reduce small holdings through mergers, a phenomenon which is otherwise naturally manifested in all the states of the EU, but not to the extent that would be necessary for Romania. Following the analysis of agricultural holdings in Romania by size class in 2020, it was found that out of the 2,887.00 thousand of agricultural holdings, 2,606.98 are under 5 ha in size (54% are under 1 ha, and 36.30% are between 1 and 5 ha). The average size of farms increased in the period 2010-2020 from 3.45 ha to 4.42 ha. The chronic under capitalization of subsistence and semi-subsistence agricultural holdings also contributes to the modest performance of the Romanian agricultural and agri-food sector, compared to its natural potential and the population's expectations that agriculture and the food industry quickly adapt to the EU's common agricultural policy. Since these categories of farms mostly ensure self-consumption for the rural population in most Romanian villages, their association is required to achieve a level of economic development and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to present a functional and performing agricultural cooperative from Nădlac, Arad County, Romania, that can be a model of good practices for the association of small farmers and Romanian agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary Bulgarian cooperative business model emerged at the end of the 19th century in response to specific socio-economic conditions. It developed progressively with the realization of various businesses - agricultural, credit, or as provision of services to member-cooperators, etc. Throughout the years, the cooperative model underwent periods of significant growth, yet also of stagnation, which has justified the interest that both theory, and business practice have shown in it. Generally recognized is the contribution of a number of national and international researchers who in the past have analyzed the features of the cooperative model and defined it accordingly. From the analyzed literary and normative sources, we can deduce that the definitions and opinions on the cooperative nearly overlap. It is defined as a voluntary union of persons who mutually assist and cooperate with each other with equal responsibilities and rights. The member-cooperators delegate part of their functions to democratically elected leading representatives when they establish a cooperative enterprise. The main goal of the cooperative is to meet the needs of its members in its non-profit oriented activity. Considering the multi-aspect character of the studied topic, we outline the aim of this paper as making an analysis of the origin and development of the cooperative model and its applicability to the agricultural sector in Bulgaria. The chosen methodological approach is based on the statistical groupings of a big corpus of official data on cooperatives entered in the Bulgarian Commercial Register since 2005 to date. We have established certain indicators, reflecting the tendencies in the development of cooperatives by region of planning, economic sectors, annual revenue, etc. We used Microsoft Office and the licensed version of Statistics Grad Pack for Windows for data processing. Main inferences: In Bulgaria, the cooperative business model emerged first in villages to satisfy the needs of the local population. Later, these cooperatives appeared in larger towns. This process in Bulgaria is reverse to other European countries with more developed market economy. The agricultural orientation of the developing Bulgarian economy at the end of the 19th century explains the establishment of the first national cooperatives of the agricultural credit type in villages. In Bulgaria, the cooperative business model as a legal organizational form penetrated almost all branches of the national economy. The role of Sector A "Agriculture, forestry and fish farming" was dominant. To a great extent, this resulted both from the specifics of the Bulgarian economy, and the existing cooperative traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between modernization and religion is contested, with the literature differing in how and in what ways religion helps or hinders countries' social, economic, and political development. This paper draws upon the history of Christianity in South Korea to critically explore the links between religion and modernization. It makes two arguments. First, discussions of the link between religion and modernization frequently employ static definitions of religion, but Christianity is characterized by oscillations between worldly (institutionalizing) and unworldly (countercultural) impulses that theoretically make very different contributions to social, economic, and political development. Second, in the case of South Korea, it is shown that both impulses have made vital contributions to the country's modernization at different times. This suggests that the dynamic tug-of-war between the institutional and countercultural facets of Korean Christianity, although problematic for individual believers and religious leaders, helped it become an important contributor to the country's success story. However, this paper concludes on a cautionary note by warning that extreme instances of these impulses have caused cleavages between Christianity and the Korean state and society and could undermine its future contributions. This suggests that diversity and toleration—a hallmark of Korean Christianity—will continue to be the best pathway forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author discusses developmental perspectives on shame. To create a context, the paper begins with examples of the close connection of the emotion of shame and the body, the issue of the "social emotions," and culture as an influencer of shameful experience. The bulk of the paper is devoted to a discussion of the developmental origins of emotions, particularly shame, in the child-caregiver relationship beginning in infancy and elaborated and modified over time. A clinical example of a child analytic case is given to illustrate some of the author's points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of autonomy development during adolescence. Autonomy, inspired by the Separation-Individuation Theory of Peter Blos, was initially framed as autonomy-as-independence. However, as debates in the literature arose regarding the interpretation of autonomy in adolescence, often referred to as the detachment debate, it became evident that a distinction is needed between autonomy-as-independence and autonomy-as-volitional functioning, the latter definition coming from Self-Determination Theory of Ryan and Deci). This paper defines both facets of autonomy in adolescence and reviews a line of research on their developmental trajectories, the cross-cultural interpretations of autonomy, and the role parents play in nurturing adolescent autonomy. This review provides further evidence for the two-dimensional nature of autonomy in adolescence. This distinction between independence and volition carries significant implications for how autonomy is perceived in relation to adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment and development. It also influences our understanding of how micro-contexts, such as parents and macro-contexts, including cultural factors, can shape adolescent autonomy. It is our hope that this paper contributes to the clarification of the autonomy concept and serves as an inspiration for young researchers to pursue further investigations into this vital subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the place and role of chiefs and their institution in the governance and development of rural society in South Africa, using a case study of six tribal authorities in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, North West Province. It examines whether chiefs have taken active development roles in their communities, and how they are perceived by society vis-à-vis community councillors. It argues that active roles and endorsement by the people are evidence of the significance of chiefs in the rural governance structures. In the studied tribal authorities, chiefs assumed central development roles, by initiating development projects, mobilizing stakeholders, and providing information to their people that ensured compliance with government COVID-19 regulations. While development and service delivery issues are the mandate of the community councillors and council, people saw the chiefs as best suited to spearhead development in their areas, because of their proximity to society and knowledge of their needs. The paper argues that the institution of the chiefs constitutes an accountable leadership that acts in the interests of all people, and chiefs should be incorporated in rural governance structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first trainers and preparers of a wise and knowledgeable generation in a society for creating and preparing the contexts of advancement and development in a country and nation, are women. Therefore, this is enough to consider the development and advancement of women in a society, equal to advancement and development of that country. The review of previous studies showed that there is a research gap regarding the psychological meta-analysis of studies of femininity and social development in Iran. Aims: The present research was conducted with the aim of meta-analysis (combination) of studies conducted in the field of femininity and development. Methods: Method which is used in this paper, is Meta-analysis. Statistical population were consisted of related and available studies which were accessible in Iran using Persian language, in paper form, from 1385 to 1401. After investigating the criterion of inputs and outputs, 52 effect sizes from 17 studies which have Meta-analysis condition, were obtained. In order to analyze data from sensitivity data, funnel chart, stochastic models and heterogeneity analysis, CMA2 software was used. Results: Analysis of obtained information from research showed that the amount of combined effect in this stochastic model (chosen model for this Meta-analysis) was obtained equally to 0/497, which was significant. Size of obtained effect from studies(p<0/001) were calculated averagely according to interpretation of Cohen's scale and results illustrated that women and femininity have effect on development.Also by considering social development as moderator variable,this coefficient was calculated as social development 0/603 respectively.that in level of p<0/001 are significant. Conclusion: According to the results obtained in the present study, the largest size of the combined effect was related to social development and the smallest was related to economic development. Despite the fact that 50% of the potential forces in any society are women, but Iranian women have a moderate impact on development due to household responsibilities and existing restrictions in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy interventions for tourism sustainability transitions are carried out in destinations worldwide. Yet, how decision-making processes and strategies could adversely affect communities and regions is an increasingly raised question, particularly following the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism destinations. Drawing on the transitions and justice literature, this paper explores what sustainability policies and rapid government interventions signify for impacted tourism communities. This paper uses Boracay island in the Philippines as a case study, a destination which has been subject to an extensive policy intervention ordered by the national government from 2018 onwards. The Boracay case indicates that a short and radical policy intervention did benefit the island, but that it could have been more societally beneficial if principles and policies of just transitions were more explicitly addressed. Key findings of this paper, based on an analysis of stakeholder views collected through interviews, questionnaires, and policy documents, reveal that the structural absence of dialogue and limited socio-economic support measures resulted in an island community that felt substantially ignored, unfairly treated, and sceptical about future actions. With the just transition lens, this paper offers practical and methodological guidance in reconciling tourism sustainability transitions with justice challenges. We conclude that the just transition lens provides important insights and lessons for transitioning tourism destinations towards environmentally sustainable futures in a socio-economically responsible way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of neo-liberal critique of a community-owned, but commercially managed lodge, is examined with regard to Stasja Koot's paper on “The contradictions of capitalism” published in theJournal of Sustainable Tourismin 2016. Koot focuses on the ≠Khomani Bushmen's relationship with !Xaus Lodge in the Kalahari Desert. His argument locates this small facility as an exemplar of the global contradictions of capitalism in the tourism sector. My response critiques Koot's methodology, theory and conclusions. It provides the missing history of the project discussed, and details the financial evidence that cautions Koot's speculative interpretations. My analysis cautions the relevance and use of Koot's application of David Harvey's Marxist-derived theory of spatial and temporal fixes. This response's assessment is that Koot's conclusions are arrived at without sufficient supporting evidence, and that his theory-led argument conceals a myriad of contextual contradictions that question the unproblematic application of Harvey's theory into a political economic context for which it was not designed. Some comment is offered on researcher positions and responsibilities and on how to interpret responses offered by ≠Khomani sources, whose own playful (and sometimes wilful) exploitation of researchers results in information that must always be triangulated for accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Civic engagement during crisis response not only addresses immediate challenges but also acts as a catalyst for democratic development. In a diverse society facing collective threats, such as a military invasion, people learn to manage and respond to crises cooperatively, searching for effective instruments of self-organizing and responding. Technology plays a crucial role in empowering civic actors, enabling them to acquire both interpersonal and political power for effective co-action. Recognizing that their actions take place within socio-technical arrangements where technology, institutions, and societies are interconnected and mutually influential is essential. Although, technology use entails certain risks, this interconnectivity enhances inclusivity, providing benefits to individuals of all genders, particularly those who encounter barriers to physical participation. It amplifies the voices of women and LGBTIQ+ individuals, thereby increasing the efficiency and convenience of engaging in efforts to address socially significant issues. This paper delves into the nuanced, gendered role that technology plays in the democratic development of a society at war through its civic engagement in the collective response to threats, highlighting the transformative potential of technological inclusivity in fostering democratic resilience against external threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature shows that only 56% of Kenyan households had access to electricity, with rural areas having the lowest access rate at percent. The high cost of extending the power grid to remote areas and power losses on distribution are significant challenges facing rural electrification. In addressing power accessibility problems, especially in rural areas, there is a need for tapping hydropower generation through the invention and implementation of in‐duct turbines to maximize the utilization of already existing pressurized water ducts that supply water in various parts of Kenya for hydropower generation. Makueni County is endowed with gravity‐fed water ducts with high potential for hydropower which can innovatively be produced by application of in‐duct turbines. This paper focuses on the assessment of energy needs and applications in rural areas. The research design was exploratory and experimental in nature. It was exploratory because, through an assessment, it sought to explore and identify the potential areas within the water supply lines for the production of hydropower to supply hydropower in Makueni County. It was experimental because the researcher developed (designed and fabricated) a hydro turbine for use in the production of hydropower from gravity water ducts of a diameter raging 100 mm. The research revealed that 62% (98) used solar power for lighting their homes, while 17% (28), 12% (20), and 8% (12) used lanterns, electricity, and kerosene lamps, respectively. Among the fuels assessed was firewood which was identified as the most used fuel at 89% (140). This was followed at a distance far by paraffin at 6% (9) of respondents. The households at 100% (158) identified electricity as a potential source of lighting for their household. The study recommends harnessing hydropower to enhance reach to 100% of the rural communities. The energy availability will provide opportunities for communities and institutions in rural areas to open their minds to business development and engage in income‐generating activities like the rearing of poultry and the development of light industries like the gridding of maize and other cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delineates a distinctly post-1960s expression of hunger and desire for food in Cuban and Egyptian cultural production. Hunger has always been present in aesthetic renditions of everyday life in both locales. Following the early-1960s socialist expansion of the role of the state, a new expression of hunger for animal protein emerged that relied on vegetarian tropes and parodied official discourse. Expressions of this "new hunger" captured the contradictory state of being conditioned, through state food programs, to see the consumption of animal products as the epitome of a healthy diet that endows one with the status of being "developed" and "modern" while simultaneously not being afforded satisfactory access to those food items due to conditions beyond one's individual control. In such contexts, the average citizen is primarily vegetarian and not by choice, while those with access to power live the promised dream of carnivorous plenty. This article analyzes several political speeches, cartoons, jokes, and songs to map the rhetorical and aesthetic characteristics of such satiric expressions and demonstrate how they were informed by the growing gap between early revolutionary official promises of food for all and actual food shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an account of the way shame, intrusion or other adverse experiences in early childhood can prevent genuine identification with an ego‐ideal, which is felt to be a burden. I argue that the ego‐ideal is necessary to impel the individual towards continual growth and that its absence vitiates the formation of a durable ego. The paper points out the consequences for the subject, which include incapacitation of the ego and the desire to circumvent life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourette syndrome (TS) has been associated with a rich set of symptoms that are said to be uncomfortable, unwilled, and effortful to manage. Furthermore, tics, the canonical characteristic of TS, are multifaceted, and their onset and maintenance is complex. A formal account that integrates these features of TS symptomatology within a plausible theoretical framework is currently absent from the field. In this paper, we assess the explanatory power of hierarchical generative modelling in accounting for TS symptomatology from the perspective of active inference. We propose a fourfold analysis of sensory, motor, and cognitive phenomena associated with TS. In Section 1, we characterise tics as a form of action aimed at sensory attenuation. In Section 2, we introduce the notion of epistemic ticcing and describe such behaviour as the search for evidence that there is an agent (i.e., self) at the heart of the generative hierarchy. In Section 3, we characterise both epistemic (sensation-free) and nonepistemic (sensational) tics as habitual behaviour. Finally, in Section 4, we propose that ticcing behaviour involves an inevitable conflict between distinguishable aspects of selfhood; namely, between the minimal phenomenal sense of self—which is putatively underwritten by interoceptive inference—and the explicit preferences that constitute the individual's conceptual sense of self. In sum, we aim to provide an empirically informed analysis of TS symptomatology under active inference, revealing a continuity between covert and overt features of the condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the e-commerce boom worldwide, Africa ranks last on all indicators of e-commerce readiness, indicating that it is not sufficiently benefiting from this practice's economic, social, and human development potential. This paper explores the role of research in promoting knowledge on how e-commerce can contribute to Africa’s development. It uses Jakubik’s knowledge creation theory and the scientometric perspective of knowledge diffusion to identify six main conceptual themes that characterize knowledge creation and diffusion through research on e-commerce in Africa using four different science mapping methods. Results show that knowledge created and disseminated through academic research on e-commerce in Africa is not adapted to what practitioners and policymakers need to better understand how e-commerce can promote development in Africa. We discuss six main points regarding this issue and propose recommendations for addressing them in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Methods Results Discussion Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence‐based treatment for disorders characterized by recurrent binge eating. Yet, access to specialized treatment like DBT remains limited. To increase the accessibility of DBT, we developed a DBT skills training app (Resilience: eDBT) for the management of eating disorder (ED) symptoms. This paper delineates the developmental process of Resilience and tests its usability.Descriptive information on the development and features of Resilience is provided, including its framework, content structure and delivery formats, functionality, data storage procedure, and privacy protocols. Usability was assessed via a mixed methods approach in 10 symptomatic individuals. Qualitative data were organized based on an existing framework, which included six themes: usability, visual design, user engagement, content, therapeutic persuasiveness, and therapeutic alliance.Resilience demonstrated good usability via a Systems Usability Scale score of 85.5, which exceeded the recommended cutoff of 68. Positive aspects of the app, according to interview data, were the ease of use and the visual design, while the addition of peer support was suggested as an opportunity for improvement.A novel DBT‐based app may serve as an acceptable, low‐intensity option or adjunct to traditional treatment for targeting ED symptoms that emerge in daily life. However, notable limitations include the small sample size and the single time point at which the usability assessment was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macadamia ternifolia have high nutritional value and aunique flavor. They have higher economic value than other tree nuts and are widely planted in our country. They also have a relatively broad international market and development potential. In the total amount of M. ternifolia processed products, the primary processed products are more than 95%, and the further processed products account for less. With the steady increase of the output of M. ternifolia in our country, the further processing of M. ternifolia and its by-products has become an urgent problem that needs to be solved in the development of the industry. The further processing of M. ternifolia mainly focuses on macadamia kernel and macadamia shell, while the other parts of M. ternifolia are less developed and need to be further developed and utilized. It is of great significance to protect the environment and promote the transformation and upgrading of rural industries. In this paper, the further processing and utilization of different parts of M. ternifolia in recent years were analyzed and discussed, and the influence factors restricting the development of M. ternifolia further processing industry were discussed. It provides theoretical support for the upgrading of macadamia nut processing technology and the development of M. ternifolia nut industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance. Enhancing the development of the machinery manufacturing sector significantly contributes to realizing sustainable economic development goals, thereby fostering sustainable growth opportunities across various scales, ranging from local to global. The active advancement of the machine-building sector, which serves as the foundation for sustainable societal progress, demands careful consideration of key factors for the effective operation of machinery manufacturing enterprises with investments being one of the foremost. This highlights the imperative for comprehensive research into the tangible impact of investments in securing the sustainable growth of machine-building businesses. Objective. The paper targets the conduct of analytical research on investment practices and approaches adopted by machine-building enterprises in European Union countries to specify the key investment factors for their sustainable development. Methods. The research is based on both general scientific and specialized methods of economic theory, including methods of theoretical synthesis and comparative analysis. Throughout the research, statistical data from the European Union regarding the operation and performance of machinery manufacturing enterprises were utilized and processed using analysis methods, including comparison, grouping, calculation of averages, and absolute growth. Furthermore, a rating methodology was implemented to identify European Union member states exhibiting the most favorable indicators about the status and dynamics of the machine-building industry. Results. A comprehensive analysis of contemporary scholarly advancements regarding the examination of the role of investments and effective methodologies for their implementation within the machine manufacturing industry was conducted. A grouping of 22 European Union member states was undertaken based on the criteria of the number of machine-building enterprises and indicators of its absolute growth over a ten-year temporal span. The 22 EU member states are grouped by the parameters of the number of machine-building enterprises and their absolute growth over a tenyear period. The average revenue and gross income per enterprise in the selected countries of the European Union’s machinery sector were studied, and based on the results, a ranking was conducted. Utilizing the established ranking of the top selected countries, a comprehensive analysis of key investment indicators was conducted, focusing on parameters that include investments in tangible assets, machinery and equipment, as well as human resources. An overview of investment practices by machinery manufacturing enterprises was undertaken, resulting in the identification of their respective strengths and weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the state of the art and a series of reflections on the contributions of digital games in the educational development processes of local authorities. To this end, an exhaustive review was initially carried out, focusing on research works, publications and congresses carried out on the subject. We also proceeded through a web search, using google and webs of associations and research groups to find and analyse digital recreational applications (video games, serious games, gamified apps, etc.) developed to spread local entities and disseminate their culture, traditions, experiences of the population, etc. It was used as a methodology for content analysis through the adaptation of guides proposed in previous studies to evaluate fundamental aspects for the achievement of the objectives of each game. Based on the analyses, the discourse focuses on describing the reality and, on that basis, making suggestions and recommendations, with the aim of providing strategies that contribute to the use of this type of resources as tools for socio-educational development in municipal contexts and guiding the decision-making process of the different agents for their selection and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to unpack global-local dynamics in education drawing on the cases of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and ASEAN Citizenship Education in Cambodia. By analysing recent education strategies and policies, curriculum framework, and textbooks, this paper unveils (a) to what extent have ESD and ASEAN citizenship been incorporated in education plans and policies, as well as curriculum and textbooks, (b) what changes are there in the discourses around each norm over time; and (c) how has the ministry appropriated these two norms similarly and differently to fit its agenda. These two cases highlight the fact that nation-(re)building has been, and still is, the key development agenda in post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia, and this agenda works as a filter through which transnational norms are interpreted and appropriated. A comparison between the two cases also highlights that the ministry strategically utilises time to achieve their best interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain affects individuals' work participation. The impact of chronic pain on work has historically been measured through sickness absence, though it is now appreciated that the impacts on work are far wider. This mixed-methods review aimed to identify the full range of impacts of pain on work in addition to impacts that are currently measured quantitatively to inform the development of a new questionnaire assessing the wider impacts of chronic pain on work. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and CINAHL were searched for studies that included quantitative measures of the impact of chronic pain on work and for qualitative studies where individuals described impacts of their chronic pain on work. Quantitative measures, and text from qualitative studies, were analysed thematically. A thematic framework was developed for establishing the types of impacts measured or described in the literature. Forty-four quantitative and 16 qualitative papers were identified. The literature described impacts within 5 areas: changes at work and to working status; aspects of the workplace and work relationships; pain and related symptoms at work; psychological factors; and factors and impacts outside the work environment related to work. Quantitative measures mainly assessed impacts related to the quantity and quality of work (29 of 42 measures). Seventeen aspects were only discussed within the qualitative literature. This study identifies a discrepancy between the impacts that have been the focus of quantitative measures and the range that individuals working with chronic pain experience and highlights the need for a new measure assessing a wider range of issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although substantial research indicates that considerations about status can lead to anxiety and other negative outcomes, a valid measure of the importance individuals attribute to status is lacking. This paper introduces the Status Importance Scale (SIS), a mono‐factorial 10‐item self‐report questionnaire that quantifies how important a person deems status to be. Five studies validate the scale showing that it has excellent internal reliability and acceptable test–retest reliability, it correlates with several related measures (supporting convergent validity), it shows little correlation with theoretically unrelated constructs (supporting discriminant validity), it is the best predictor of conspicuous consumption compared with other potential candidates (supporting concurrent validity), and it can help predicting which activities one gives importance to (further supporting concurrent validity). Finally, as hypothesized by previous literature, the last study reveals that the SIS can predict status anxiety. The SIS can contribute to research regarding important phenomena such as the detrimental psychological effects of income inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Miller v. Alabama (2012), the Supreme Court abolished mandatory juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentences and subsequently decided that the ruling applied retroactively (Montgomery v. Louisiana, 2016), effectively rendering thousands of inmates eligible for resentencing and potential release from prison. In its decisions, the Court cited developmental science, noting that youth, by virtue of their transient immaturity, are less culpable and more amenable to rehabilitation relative to their adult counterparts. Specifically, the Court notes adolescents' propensity for impulsive action, sensitivity to social influence, and difficulty understanding long‐term consequences. Even so, these rulings raised concerns regarding the consequences of releasing prisoners who had committed heinous crimes as juveniles. Several years after the Court's decision, preliminary data are now available to shed light on rates of recidivism among those released. The current paper comprises three goals. First, we discuss the science of adolescent development and how it intersects with legal practice, contextualizing the Court's decision. Second, we present recidivism data from a sample of individuals formerly sentenced to JLWOP in Pennsylvania who were resentenced and released under Miller and Montgomery (N = 287). Results indicate that 15 individuals received new criminal charges up to 7 years postrelease (5.2%), the majority of which were nonviolent offenses. This low rate of recidivism is consistent with the developmental science documenting compromised decision‐making during the adolescent years, followed by desistance from criminal behavior in adulthood. Lastly, we discuss the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations between researchers and legal practitioners, as well as critical future avenues of research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing demand for materials capable of withstanding ever-higher temperatures. However, because the difficulties associated with carrying out experimental investigations at very high temperatures are significant, the published information relating to the phase stability of potential refractory materials is, in many instances, still lacking. The work described in this paper attempts to rectify this deficit through the on-going development of a thermodynamic database for high-temperature materials based on carbides, nitrides, borides, and silicides. Because of technological requirements of high-temperature stability and strength, combined with lightness, these are the materials that come into question most frequently for high-temperature applications. In developing the present database, and to ensure reliability of its use, emphasis has been placed on the need to maintain the compatibility of data and modeling when assessing experimental data and estimating missing values. The methods used to achieve compatibility of published information are described and calculations of phase equilibria relevant to the industrial application of various refractory materials are presented. The similarity to, and the importance of the scientific background and published work of Ted Massalski for the work of the present author is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is a rapidly changing continent. But for many, it is still an unknown place, shrouded by myths and distorted perceptions. Africa is in many ways still a marginalized continent. But things are certainly changing, and are going to change much more in the near future. This paper examines the debate surrounding the issue of ‘good governance’ and whether it is actually good for development. It offers a concise summary of literature and evidence in the three areas: the ‘good governance’ agenda as it has affected Africa, the research-based response to this, and the implications for Africa’s economic transformation. Thus, the second section discusses the origins of the concern about governance quality in Africa between the 1970s and the 1990s; the third section reviews the rebuttals and reformulations that have led the scholarly debate since the turn of the millennium; the fourth section applies the findings to the challenge of moving Africa on from economic growth to economic transformation; and the fifth section concludes that comprehensive governance improvement is not necessarily a precondition for economic progress in developing Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anesthesia history has been marked by periods of nice developments and innovations followed by long periods of idleness. The interest in surgical anesthesia was in fact, a result of the painful surgical procedures being performed by merely restraining the patient by four or more body builder strong men. Perhaps the first anesthesia was a natural one; by severe cold which made surgeries less painful in wounded soldiers. Other developments followed in periodic succession. But pharmaceutical anesthesia brought with it the side effects too. So a concept of balanced anesthesia was born. The debate about general anesthesia and regional anesthesia is also an old one. The recent four to five decades revolutionized monitoring techniques and thus allowed complex cardiovascular and neuro-surgery possible USG has been a great mile stone. All this course has always put a burden on the anesthetist to keep himself abridged, if he has to be competent as well as safe healthcare professional. Different countries have different schedules of anesthesia training and this special invited paper by Dr. Romana Durrani offers a bird’s eye view of such training in a few countries. It is published as a guide for our young medical graduated, who might like to pursue their careers in one of these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to investigate the impact of tourism on health infrastructure development in Sarajevo Canton, with a focus on the private health sector. WHO promotes health via tourism and advocates greater collaboration between these two strategically vital sectors of the economy and society. A comparative analysis of qualitative, quantitative, and spatial parameters in the tourism and health domains was conducted, and the Sarajevo destination with its polyclinic "Sanasa," which has established itself as a popular element of the Sarajevo Canton tourism product, served as a demonstrative example of tourism and private health sector cohesion. The research highlights the coherence of tourism and health, emphasizing tourism's stimulating impact on the growth of the health infrastructure, the role of private healthcare institutions in tourism destinations, and encouraging the promotion of positive examples (the case of "Sanasa"). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper was to evaluate the price development of electrical energy and inflation as a commodity in the course of the past 10 years. The production of electrical energy decreased from 83.7 TWh in 2010 to 70.6 TWh in 2020 in the Czech Republic in accordance with the results achieved by using the methods of descriptive statistics, time series, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The consumption of energy slightly increased. The proportion of production to consumption declined and consumption was higher than production in 2020. The prices of electricity reveal oscillations influenced by the conflict in the Ukraine. The use of the sources of energy changed, however, without specific trends. The dependence of prices on inflation is considerable and direct. Energy policy ought to deal with the dependence on import and support the domestic production of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a development methodology achieving the optimal concept of a humanoid‐like robot which targets the educational environment. This is presented through a series of stages, which served as the basis for developing a range of concepts. To establish the main function, a systematic approach is required, which involved decomposing it into subfunctions and determining the critical ones. These are used to determine the necessary components for the development of the robot. To develop conceptual solutions that address these critical subfunctions, the application of suitable strategies and techniques is required. The optimal concept is selected following the implementation of screening and evaluation matrix, to obtain a functional prototype. The multidisciplinary approach encompasses mechanical design, electronics, control systems, and sensor integration. Key aspects include analyzing human anatomy and motion, selecting appropriate materials, and actuation methods. It also takes into consideration power supply and human–robot interaction interfaces. Finally, a functional method is proposed to develop an optimum concept for a humanoid‐like robot used in the educational system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a process, containerization in Africa is still on-going. In the last decades, a number of new port projects have emerged in parallel with the reorganization of services by shipping companies. To reflect these changes, this paper studies several questions on the geographic differentiation of maritime connectivities across the continent as well as on the longitudinal trends in maritime connectivities in relation to evolving economic, trade and logistical contexts. To this end, we propose a synthetic visualization of the country-level containerized links using the Liner Shipping Bilateral Connectivity Indicator (LSBCI). The resulting graph, obtained through Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), shows that West Africa and East Africa appear as relatively separated subsystems, mediated by several countries in the Northern and the Southern parts of Africa. Between 2006 and 2016, West Africa, initially tied to Europe and America, is increasingly tied to Asia. Our results show major improvements in the maritime connectivity of Morocco, Djibouti and several West African ports. Conversely, most of mainland East African countries stagnate or decline. Connectivities have not converged across the continent. In some cases changes in maritime connectivity mostly result from variations in vessel size. We explore a method to identify these situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The word "talent" is used across many sport disciplines – to describe an athlete's prowess (i.e. "he is talented"), as a term for what is sought after during assessment and selection (i.e. talent selection camps) or in reference to players to be developed (i.e. "a group of talents"). While the term has received research attention regarding its definition and criteria, its utility in practical settings is often debated. In this paper, we review several areas of concern researchers have raised for using the term "talent" and why this matters in the context of athlete development. While the notion of talent continues to resonate with coaches, scientists and practitioners, we suggest several areas for future research and recommendations for the use of this controversial term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]