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This paper, in a nutshell, is a plea for community participation in research along with an adapted idea for how such participation should be shaped and understood. I will give varied examples of the ways in which scientists viewing a perceived problem solely from an external perspective has led to mistakes. If we do not properly take into account the knowledge and values of people with a condition, we are liable to pursue the wrong sorts of treatments. In particular, I provide examples of three ways (exemplified in the cases of "female hysteria", autism, and chronic fatigue syndrome) scientists are liable to pursue treatment of what they perceive to be at least partially mental illnesses that they/we shouldn't. I present the idea of deliberative research —the concept is based on that of deliberative democracy. The idea of deliberative democracy is that decisions should be made on the basis of reasons that would be acceptable to the target population. I similarly argue that research decisions should be made on the basis of reasons that would be acceptable to the target population, even if it requires other experts to determine how those reasons are best to be respected in the context of a particular project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inoculation improved temperature of T1 to ∼50°C from ∼10°C two days earlier than CK. • Inoculating Bacillus licheniformis increased RDC degradation by 31.2%. • Cooperation between microbial network modules was improved in the start-up phase. • Enhanced microbial cooperation promoted the degradation of organic components. • Inoculation enhanced basic carbohydrate metabolism and TCA cycle. Microbial activity and interaction are the important driving factors in the start-up phase of food waste composting at low temperature. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of inoculating Bacillus licheniformis on the degradation of organic components and the potential microbe-driven mechanism from the aspects of organic matter degradation, enzyme activity, microbial community interaction, and microbial metabolic function. The results showed that after inoculating B. licheniformis , temperature increased to 47.8°C on day 2, and the degradation of readily degraded carbohydrates (RDC) increased by 31.2%, and the bioheat production increased by 16.5%. There was an obvious enhancement of extracellular enzymes activities after inoculation, especially amylase activity, which increased by 7.68 times on day 4. The inoculated B. licheniformis colonized in composting as key genus in the start-up phase. Modular network analysis and Mantel test indicated that inoculation drove the cooperation between microbial network modules who were responsible for various organic components (RDC, lipid, protein, and lignocellulose) degradation in the start-up phase. Metabolic function prediction suggested that carbohydrate metabolisms including starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis / gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, etc., were improved by increasing the abundance of related functional genes after inoculation. In conclusion, inoculating B. licheniformis accelerated organic degradation by driving the cooperation between microbial network modules and enhancing microbial metabolism in the start-up phase of composting. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Country ownership is one of the four guiding principles for the Immunization Agenda 2030. • There is little practical guidance on what country ownership is and how to operationalize it. • Measles and rubella programs are used to illustrate country ownership in operation. • Five elements of country ownership - commitment, coordination, capacity, community participation, and accountability - are described. • Our work is a useful guide for immunization program strategy development. Country-owned, as opposed to donor-driven, is a principle within the development sector that recognizes the centrality of countries' leadership, systems, and resources in executing programs and achieving sustainable development. In alignment with this notion, the Immunization Agenda 2030 was developed with country ownership as one of four core principles of the ambitious ten-year plan. This means that the success of immunization programs, including those with eradication and elimination goals such as polio, measles, and rubella, and those with broader equity goals to "leave no one behind" on immunization, would be largely driven by country systems. In this paper we deconstruct country ownership into five operational principles: commitment, coordination, capacity, community participation, and accountability. Through this lens, we illustrate how two countries, Nepal and Nigeria, have exemplified country ownership in their measles and rubella elimination programs and we infer the ways in which country ownership drives system performance and sustains program efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network analysis may identify specific symptoms involved in the maintenance and development of psychopathology. This approach, however, has not been applied to the study of young Black children, a population facing unique challenges and developmental risks. It is also unclear whether network analysis identifies early symptoms in Black children that are linked to their longer-term difficulties and strengths in adolescence. We conducted a network analysis of emotional and behavioral difficulties in 1238 Black (non-Hispanic) children from the age-3 assessment in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (47 % female). We also explored whether early childhood symptoms predict subsequent caregiver-reported internalizing and externalizing problems, and youth-reported social competencies and extracurricular and community involvement, at the age-15 assessment. We identified specific symptoms of externalizing and emotional reactivity as central in the network. Symptoms of emotional reactivity were also involved in comorbidity, bridging different communities of symptoms. Using elastic net models, we identified specific central and bridge symptoms, but also peripheral network symptoms, that contributed uniquely to the prediction of internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescence. Early childhood symptoms were less predictive of positive outcomes in adolescence. This study identified central and bridge symptoms in young Black children, an underrepresented population in network analysis research. Some of these central and bridge symptoms, but also peripheral network symptoms, may be useful targets in early interventions to prevent long-term difficulties. Conversely, network approaches to understanding early psychopathology may have less utility for predicting Black children's subsequent strengths in adolescence. • Network analysis was applied the study of psychopathology in young Black children. • Externalizing and emotional reactivity items were the most central symptoms. • Emotional reactivity symptoms also bridged different communities of symptoms. • Some central and bridge symptoms predicted psychopathology in adolescence, but were less predictive of future strengths. • Early interventions may benefit from focusing on the symptoms identified in our analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borno state in north-eastern Nigeria is the epicentre of the >10 years' insurgency activities that have affected the region since 2009, resulting in the destruction of health facilities, killing of health workers, massive population displacement and lack of access to populations to provide health services. This article demonstrates how the involvement of community informants from insecure areas (CIIA) to conduct polio surveillance in security-challenged settlements of Borno state contributed to the expansion of polio surveillance reach beyond polio vaccination reach. In each of the 19 security compromised Local Government areas (LGAs) with community informants from insecure areas, Android phones enabled with Vaccination Tracking System (VTS) technology and Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile application were provided to capture geo-coordinates as evidence (geo evidence) for polio surveillance activity conducted. These geo evidence captured were uploaded and mapped to show insecure settlements reached with polio surveillance and those yet to be reached. A total of 3183 security compromised settlements were reached for polio surveillance between March 2018 and October 2019 with valid geo evidence, 542 of these security-compromised settlements had not been previously reached by any other intervention for polio surveillance or polio vaccination. The capturing of geo-coordinates as a proxy indicator of polio surveillance activity conducted by informants provided significant evidence of settlements reached for sustained polio surveillance even when a case of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) had not been reported from these settlements. Using the geo evidence captured by CIIA in insecure settlements, we have demonstrated the expansion of polio surveillance reach beyond polio vaccination reach in Borno state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religiosity may reduce the risk of substance use in adults and young people. However, religiosity is a complex construct, variously defined and assessed. We explored the role of different religious components: intrinsic (subjective), extrinsic-personal (service attendance) and extrinsic-social (church-based social activities) in deterring cannabis use among adolescents. Combining several years (2015–2019) of NSDUH data on 68,263 adolescents between 12 and 17 years, a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was used to evaluate pathways from intrinsic and extrinsic components of religiosity to cannabis use. We analyzed the role of several covariates, including comorbid depression and secular volunteering activities. About 15% of participants said they had used cannabis at some level in the previous year. Some degree of intrinsic and of extrinsic-personal religiosity was reported by 66% and 25% of the sample. 57% were committed to at least one faith-based activity, while 74% reported participation in non-faith-based community activities. The SEM regression model -controlling for putative confounders- showed that both intrinsic and extrinsic-personal religious components reduced the likelihood of cannabis use (Cannabis use coeff.: −0.065, p = 0.001; coeff.: −0.176, p < 0.001, respectively). However, the extrinsic-social component had no effect on refraining from cannabis use, despite involvement in non-faith based volunteering activities was protectively associated. Support for secular volunteering programs may be a cost-effective mechanism for reducing cannabis use. Moreover, whilst promoting religiosity is beyond the scope of any preventive programs, religious practices should be considered relevant protective factors, deserving consideration and support in terms of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gay men are more likely than heterosexual men to experience social pressure based on body weight, shape, and muscularity, which may drive disparities in body image concerns and eating disorders. Utilizing a sample of 1723 gay men living in the United States, the present study examined whether sociodemographic factors (used as proxies for status and sexual capital) and frequency of attending gay-specific establishments or gatherings (community involvement) were associated with gay men's experiences of negative or discriminatory pressures based on body size and shape specifically from other gay men (intraminority body stigma). Experiences of intraminority body stigma were significantly more common among gay men who identified as higher-weight (r = 0.28), less masculine (r = −0.21), less wealthy (r = −0.21), younger (r = −0.21), or people of color (d s = 0.25–0.28). Furthermore, indicators of low status and sexual capital were indirectly associated with less frequent community involvement via more frequent experiences of intraminority body stigma. In addition to frequency, the valence of interactions between gay men should be considered when assessing body image and eating disorder risk in this population. Future research is encouraged to examine intraminority body stigma as an intersectional source of intraminority stress to inform prevention and treatment efforts for gay men. • Intraminority body stigma is common among gay men across the weight spectrum. • Rates of intraminority body stigma were highest among higher-weight gay men. • Masculinity, wealth, White identity, older age, or being partnered may be protective. • The link between intraminority body stigma and community involvement is nuanced. • Status and sexual capital hierarchies appear to influence gay men's targetability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Community representatives should be involved from the early phases of any tuberculosis trials. • Their participation and role should be active, avoiding tokenism. • Representatives should be trained to fit the role to be able to contribute. Community representatives are key to ensuring that tuberculosis (TB) research is relevant, culturally sensitive, and appropriate. For all trials (new drugs or treatment regimens, diagnostics, or vaccines) this can result in improvement of recruitment, retention, and adherence to the trial schedule. The early engagement of the community will, later in time, support the process of implementation of new policies designed for successful products. We aim at developing a structured protocol for the early engagement of TB community representatives developed in the context of the EU-Patient-cEntric clinicAl tRial pLatforms (EU-PEARL) project. The EU-PEARL Innovative Medicine Initiative 2 (IMI2) project TB work package has developed a community engagement (CE) framework to ensure fair and efficient participation of the community in the design and implementation of TB clinical platform trials. We showed that early engagement of the EU-PEARL community advisory board highly contributes to the process of development of a community-acceptable Master Protocol Trial and Intervention-Specific Appendixes. We identified capacity building and training as major gaps in advancing CE in the TB field. Developing strategies to address these needs can contribute to preventing tokenism and increase the acceptability and appropriateness of TB research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-identified (LGBTQ) youth of color face poorer psychosocial health outcomes than their non-LGBTQ peers. Research suggests school-based and community activities promote psychosocial health for LGBTQ youth, but study samples are predominantly White. This study tested whether school enrollment and seven community activities were associated with LGBTQ community connectedness, happiness, and health among Black and Latinx LGBTQ youth. This study used a subsample of Black and Latinx LGBTQ adolescents and young adults (N = 472) from the Social Justice Sexuality project. Mean differences in study variables were examined across intersectional racial/gender identity categories. Multiple regression analyses assessed the association of school enrollment and community activities with psychosocial health outcomes, accounting for covariates. Social activities for LGBTQ people (ß = 0.19) and LGBTQ people of color (POC; ß = 0.15) were associated with greater LGBTQ connectedness. While moderate religious services attendance (ß = −0.13) was associated with lower LGBTQ connectedness, high attendance was associated with greater happiness (ß = 0.13) and health (ß = 0.12). Social activities for LGBTQ-POC (ß = 0.13) were also associated with better health. School enrollment was not significantly associated with any outcomes and Latinx transgender and diverse youth had the lowest happiness and health. Social activities for LGBTQ people and LGBTQ-POC may play a role in the social connectedness and health of Black and Latinx LGBTQ youth, while frequent religious service attendance may support health and happiness. Schools and faith institutions should ensure their institutions are welcoming to LGBTQ youth. Public health workers might facilitate the involvement and inclusion of LGBTQ youth, while policy should support funding for community activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government protected areas are the most dominant governance type in the global network of protected areas, but in recent years, a lack of research compared to indigenous and private nongovernment protected areas has become evident. Consequently, community-inclusive conservation strategies consistent with the advantages of government protected areas are unclarified. Focusing on 49 households living at the Mount Huangshan World Natural Heritage Site in eastern China, this paper uses qualitative research triangulation to explain the causality between community exclusion and local distrust of the protected area and builds an explanation concerning the political and economic context. The questionnaire data analysed from the configuration perspective were corroborated with interviews and archival data, presenting innovative and enlightening findings. Lack of participation alone does not elicit local protests against biohabitat conservation, and government performance determines the trustworthiness of the government protected area. When local households are unaware of the government's efforts, a "trust paradox" in which the households that receive economic gains distrust government PAs emerges. This is caused by the social expectations of the "responsible government" and the survivorship bias of the households who manage to succeed in profiting. Induced or mandatory community participation is needed to strengthen the indigenous perception of the link between local development and government performance. This paper proposes a new strategy for socioecological goals that is consistent with the advantages of government protected areas, the most globally dominant governance type for protected areas and the type employed by the largest number of countries. • Underparticipation alone does not elicit local protest against biohabitat conservation of government PA. • Good government performance is a sufficient condition for the trustworthiness of government PA. • The "trust paradox" in which the benefited households distrust PA is due to the social expectation and survivorship bias. • Induced or mandatory participation generates trust in PA if community is broadly consulted on economic and social areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living with schizophrenia often face challenges engaging in social and community activities. A critical barrier is negative symptoms that reflect diminished feelings and thoughts that support social interaction. Several years ago, we began a process of specifying an intervention for individuals with schizophrenia and clinically meaningful negative symptoms that could be delivered in an integrated fashion with mental health services offered in VA medical centers with the primary focus of improving social and community engagement. In the present study, we examined the impact of a multi-component intervention to improve social and community participation in a group of Veterans living with schizophrenia and negative symptoms. We compared an intervention called Engaging in Community Roles and Experiences (EnCoRE) - a 12-week program of individual and group meetings that support learning and implementing skills with the goal of helping participants increase engagement in personally-relevant social and community activities – to an active wellness education control condition. Participants in both conditions attended on average of at least half of the groups that were offered, indicating that many individuals living with negative symptoms are willing to participate in an intervention to improve social and community participation. Although there were no significant differences on the two primary outcomes, those in EnCoRE showed better social and general functioning at post treatment and improved social motivational negative symptoms and decreases in perceived limitations at a 3-month follow-up. EnCoRE may be especially beneficial for participants who endorsed more dysfunctional attitudes about their abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common transportation planning practice and research, disability is largely mistreated and oversimplified. This review essay identifies four shortcomings in U.S. transportation planning that perpetuate oversight, exclusion, and inadequate transportation systems for disabled people. Compliance-based agendas are used by public agencies to implement accessibility accommodations based on minimum requirements, failing to consider the everyday experiences of disabled people. Data gaps and access to opportunity assumptions reveal how transportation planning and analysis approaches are inadequate when considering the disability community. Lastly, the narrow focus on mobility disability in the transportation field ignores the diversity of human conditions. These existing challenges are defined in detail with examples of how disability justice ideas and inclusive public engagement practices can address each shortcoming. Meaningful public engagement with the disability community would improve how transportation planning, policy, and practice address the needs and lived experiences of this critical population group. • Disabled people face complex barriers to travel. • We identify four shortcomings that affect how travel barriers are addressed. • Meaningful public engagement integrates lived experiences into planning. • A transportation justice approach improves accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewilding is a conservation approach which seeks to restore natural processes and ecosystem functionality. However, it also has a strong social dimension, characterised by a recently increasing emphasis on the place of people in rewilding. The role of local communities and the need for public engagement have become a specific concern for many contemporary rewilding efforts. Research on the role of participation in rewilding is however lacking, with rewilding governance in general being under-explored. Our examination of understandings and practices of rewilding governance, through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Scotland, illustrated a range of conceptualisations and approaches. It became apparent that governance and participatory practices were very variable and selective, highlighting an interaction between land ownership and degrees of empowerment which underpinned rewilding activity and decision-making. Approaches ranged from relatively ubiquitous advocacy for public engagement with a pre-prescribed rewilding agenda, through the circumscribed participation of defined communities (mainly of interest) in specific activities, to much more involved and empowering but self-selecting partnerships (with other landowners) to achieve impact at scale. Key challenges to more participatory approaches in rewilding identified included: i) a strong conservation imperative; ii) concentrated ownership, and power and control over land; and iii) emerging ideas about the public interest. These influenced perceptions about the value, and the practice of greater representation in rewilding decisions, ultimately bounding and limiting the participation of communities and the public. • Governance of rewilding in Scotland is diverse and takes place 'between the cracks'. • Community and public engagement are seen as important, but practiced selectively. • Conservation imperative and land ownership challenge more participatory practice. • Meaningful participation requires engagement with divergent views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain types of community-based social activities improve the health issues of older adults; however, the present patterns of participation in community activities remain unknown. This study aims 1) to identify community-dwelling older adults' patterns of participation in community-based activities and 2) to evaluate the relationships between social support, self-efficacy, self-rated health, and the patterns of participation in community activities. This cross-sectional study used data collected from 146 older adults aged ≥65 years who participated in community events in Japan in 2018. Cluster analysis was used to identify subjects' patterns of participation in community activities. In the multinomial logistic regression model, the participation pattern (dependent variable), and social support and self-efficacy (independent variables), were included, adjusting for age, sex, and years of residency. Three participation pattern clusters were identified: diverse activities (58%), municipal events (30%), and senior citizen club (12%). The proportion of participants reported themselves healthy were 93%, 88%, and 78% for diverse activities, municipal events, and senior citizen club clusters, respectively. Compared to those in the senior citizen club cluster, older adults in the diverse activities cluster were more likely to have self-efficacy (adjusted odds ratio (a OR): 1.19, p =.041) and social support (a OR : 2.35, p =.018), while participants in the municipal events cluster were associated with only social support (a OR : 3.29, p =.022). Increasing social support and self-efficacy may promote seniors' participation in diverse community activities, which would be beneficial for their healthy aging. Further studies are needed to evaluate the causal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interventions to address disease outbreaks cannot be a "one-size-fits-all". • Community interventions improved knowledge and attitudes, and response efforts. • Level of involvement depended on survivor testimonials and Ebola virus disease risk perception. • Combined interventions were more successful than singular interventions. • Community engagement during Ebola can be applied to COVID-19 and future outbreaks. There is a paucity of scoping data on the specific roles community engagement played in preventing and managing the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the role, benefits, and mechanisms of community engagement to understand its effect on EVD case detection, survival, and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The implications for COVID-19 prevention and control were also highlighted. We searched for articles between 2010 and 2020 in the MEDLINE and Embase databases. The study types included were randomized trials, quasiexperimental studies, observational studies, case series, and reports. A total of 903 records were identified for screening. A total of 216 articles met the review criteria, 103 were initially selected, and 44 were included in the final review. Our findings show that effective community involvement during the EVD outbreak depended on the survival rates, testimonials of survivors, risk perception, and the inclusion of community leaders. Community-based interventions improved knowledge and attitudes, case findings, isolation efforts, and treatment uptake. Although the studies included in this review were of highly variable quality, findings from this review may provide lessons for the role of community engagement in the COVID-19 pandemic's prevention and control in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) often brings patient voices, thoughts, and opinions into the research process, allowing patients to have a say in the research process from project inception to dissemination of results. Community pharmacy teams are wellsituated to engage patients in their own health and in research, given their trusting relationships with patients and access in communities. Objective: To gather patients’ opinions on participation in PCOR at their local community pharmacy. Methods: Four regional focus groups representing western, central, northeastern, and southeastern Pennsylvania were conducted. A single community pharmacy in each region recruited patients to participate in each focus group. A focus group discussion guide was developed and reviewed by a Stakeholder Advisory Board that consisted patients, pharmacists, and researchers. Questions focused on patients’ relationships with their pharmacy and pharmacist, perceptions of research occurring at their local pharmacy, and patient engagement methods. Focus group sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and independently coded by 2 investigators. Coding discrepancies were reconciled through discussion, and a qualitative inductive thematic analysis was conducted by the research team. Results: A total of 44 patients participated in one of 4 focus groups. Patients provided insights into what would make them more likely to participate in PCOR at their local community pharmacy. Four themes emerged from the discussions: (1) Understanding the impact to one’s health or community affects participation; (2) Patients prefer to schedule research activities at times outside of prescription pick-up or drop-off; (3) Trusted relationships can be leveraged for recruitment; and (4) Face-to-face engagement is preferred for participant recruitment. Conclusion: Patients want to engage in research in a way that is respectful of their time and matters to them. Strong patient-pharmacist relationships are essential for patient engagement in and acceptance of PCOR opportunities in community pharmacies. Community pharmacies may be rich locations to engage patients in PCOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural areas, the social innovation (SI) process emerges as a response to negative socioeconomic trends or gets triggered by open windows of opportunity, bringing solutions that revitalize the rural fabric through the voluntary involvement of the local community. As such, SI is increasingly recognized as a tool to support rural development and transformative change. Regardless of increased interest and research, there are still calls for empirical evidence on the SI process, its effects, and the success factors. Our study responds to this research gap by providing empirical evidence on the 20 years of the development of a remote rural area – Charcoal Land – that sparked the revival of traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia. To better understand how such processes roll out on the ground, we conducted the case study, using a combination of document reviews, key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observations. Using event sequence analysis, we mapped key events in the development of the Charcoal Land and distinguished five key dimensions (Context, Trigger, Agency, Phases, and Effects) based on a framework for analyzing SI as a process of SI. Then, we inductively recognized three key success factors that were crucial for the revival of traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia: the embeddedness of innovators in multiple networks, strategic use of narratives for obtaining resources, and legitimization by the local community and public actors. Our results indicate that the development of the Charcoal Land can be regarded as an SI process that sparked the reconfiguration of traditional charcoal burning and its revival in Slovenia. The voluntary engagement of various actors (e.g., charcoal burners, foresters, local authorities) led to the formation of evolving agencies with the capacity to repetitively rearrange around common projects and goals. Through diversification of activities, traditional charcoal burning started being performed small scale and for educational, touristic, culinary, cultural, and commercial purposes. Over the last 20 years, traditional charcoal burning scaled up and out of the local territory of the Charcoal Land to other geographical and policy levels. Due to three success factors, and through institutionalization, traditional charcoal burning became recognized as an intangible cultural practice, as well as monitored forestry and agricultural practices. • We applied social innovation (SI) framework for analyzing the revival of traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia. • We mapped key events of the development of the Charcoal Land initiative distinguishing three SI phases. • SI phases are overlapping indicating the dynamics of the agency. • Positive effects of SI are highlighted across environmental, social, economic, and institutional domains. • We inductively recognized 3 key success factors for Si in rural areas - the embeddedness, strategic narratives, and legitimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community participation in an environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) project can help business enterprises effectively develop projects that respond to the actual demands of the community and effectively utilize a firm's resources. This study aims to investigate factors that affect community participation in each stage of environmental corporate social responsibility project development. The environmental corporate social responsibility project explored in this study is a sustainable mangrove forest management project in the Pakprasae sub-district of Rayong province in Thailand. This study has tested whether enterprise-related factors (such as perceived CSR credibility and organization–public relationship (OPR) quality) and participant-related factors (such as ecological knowledge, perceived ecological values, and expected benefits from participation in the project, both monetary and non-monetary related benefits) could predict community participation in an environmental corporate social responsibility project development initiated by a business enterprise. Questionnaire surveys were administered to 355 community members who were the target group of this environmental corporate social responsibility project from June to July 2022. The collected data were inspected and analyzed using an inferential statistical technique. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test significant factors that affected community members' participation in planning, implementing, and monitoring the project. The results revealed that perceived ecological values were the strongest predictor of participation in all stages of the project, including planning, implementing, and monitoring the project. Perceived CSR credibility and OPR quality also significantly affected participation in all stages, whereas ecological knowledge significantly affected participation only in the monitoring stage. These findings suggest that to promote community participation in each stage of environmental corporate social responsibility project development, it is important to enhance community members' perceived ecological values, and community members should be educated in ecology to enhance participation in the monitoring stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Markets can be studied at the actor, resource and institutional level. • Current electricity markets operate on a logic of scale and professionalism. • Conflicting logics hinder community participation in electricity markets. • Adaptation to the market regime weakens the transformative power of communities. • Community collaborations and aggregation are promising for the energy transition. Energy communities are considered important drivers of the energy transition. While they have mainly focused on collective energy generation, they are increasingly getting involved in the provision and trading of energy and in flexibility services. This change of focus creates opportunities to participate in electricity markets but proves to be challenging because of the current electricity markets serving incumbency. In this study, we conduct an in-depth analysis of how broader market organisation impacts participation of energy communities in electricity markets. Drawing from transition studies and economic market literature, we develop a framework for analysing market organisation. Based on a literature review, observations and semi-structured interviews with communities and market actors, we conclude that, as a result of conflicting community and market logic, communities often adjust their business models to participate in the markets, which could jeopardize their potential to contribute to radical system change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a broad literature on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SDG7), the positive impact of electrification on development and on electrification strategies, there is little literature on the topic of devolved electrification governance. The paper addresses this issue by analyzing opportunities and challenges of a devolved electrification governance with Kenya as a case study. Conceptually, we base our exploration on an analytical framework adapted from work on multi-level natural-resource governance, which not only includes actors and policies, but also their interactions and power relations, and the analysis of devolution outcomes in the light of (good) governance principles. Methodologically we rely on an extensive literature review and on 24 expert interviews in Kenya. Kenya is chosen as a case study because Kenya has, after its new Constitution came into force in 2010, implemented an ambitious devolution process and is one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that has devolved important energy functions. However, our results show that devolved electrification governance in Kenya is (still) fragmented and complex, partly due to the late enactment of the Energy Act (2019). Electrification is still mainly planned and implemented by actors on the national level, although decentralized structures and technologies have become more important in recent electrification policies. We found more challenges than opportunities in Kenya's devolved electrification governance. The biggest challenge is a lack of capability in the county governments; other challenges relate to legitimacy and overlapping responsibilities, transparency and information-sharing, accountability of national actors, as well as a lack of inclusiveness and participation of local communities. Despite existing challenges, our interviewees perceive devolution as dynamic and an opportunity for electrification and universal electricity access in the long run. Overall, the article shows that while devolution provides opportunities for electrification and associated development impacts, a devolved electrification governance is challenging and requires not only transparency and information-sharing, but also support for capacity building at decentralized levels. • Kenya has ambitious legislation regarding devolution in electrification governance. • However, the implementation is delayed or even impaired. • (Good) governance is a success factor for decentralized electrification governance. • Devolution-electrification interdependencies require more case studies and research. • Properly implemented, devolved electrification governance can help to reach universal access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Safety perception is related to both physical and social prevention measures. • Surveillance camera acceptance depends on government practices and collective trust. • Despite limited community participation, willingness to improve exists. • Crime prevention requires both surveillance cameras and community safety activities. While surveillance cameras are widely used for crime prevention in living environments, the interplay between such physical measures and community safety activities remains less understood. This study is grounded in Kakogawa city in Japan, which was once noted for a high crime rate and is now one of the most-surveilled cities in the nation. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess public attitudes towards local security, surveillance cameras and community safety activities among 116 citizens, with data analysed through both quantitative (ANOVA, t -test, and Pearson correlation) and qualitative (Kawakita-Jiro method) approaches. The study reveals a high level of safety perception, with both physical and social measures contributing. The acceptance of cameras is notably high and scarcely affected by demographics or personal experiences, largely due to local government's efforts to build collective trust. While the current level of community participation is insufficient, citizens perceive safety activities as irreplaceable by surveillance cameras, indicating that both should be concurrently promoted to enhance crime prevention initiatives. This study provides insights into the non-substitutable relationship between physical and social prevention measures and offers policy recommendations, including emphasising public involvement in implementing security devices and promoting the publicity of localised safety activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social atmospheres influence individuals' behaviors. Multilevel analysis evaluates atmospheres by capturing contextual effects beyond individual factors. While social participation benefits well-being and society, studies on the links between community factors, including social atmosphere, are still scarce. We explored the association between community social connections and social participation among adults in Japan. Cross-sectional data were collected from 3858 valid responses were obtained from 54 communities in the Zenkoji Monzen area of Nagano City. Social connections were measured by how well participants knew their neighbors, and social participation by involvement in three activity types. We used multilevel analysis with random intercept and fixed slopes to explore the association between community social connections and participation. This study found a high community-level prevalence of social connections was significantly associated with social participation in the community even after all covariates were adjusted for. Furthermore, regarding within-community association, social connections were found to be associated with social participation even after all covariates were adjusted for. A contextual association was found between community-level social connections and social participation. These findings suggest that multilevel analysis can help urban and architecture researchers explore how interactions between people and the built environment shape urban atmospheres. • An individual who can identify their neighbors exhibit higher levels of social participation. • Communities that consist of members who can identify neighbors display higher levels of social participation. • Quantifying the social atmosphere provides valuable insights for urban policies to build more cohesive communities. • Urban researchers can use multilevel analysis to study the atmosphere created by interactions among people and buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart city has emerged as a revolutionary concept that connects all the different aspects of our life, and the world is witnessing a change of the cities to become smart. As most of the literature related to smart cities refers to the experience of such projects in the context of developed countries, the primary aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting the implementation of smart city projects in a developing one, namely Jordan, through covering the gaps that existed in previous research. The factors examined were divided into: governmental, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental. The findings were based on semi-structured interviews undertaken with experts (seven participants from the private sector, five from the public sector, and three from academia) entrenched in smart city projects in Jordan. The findings of the study reveal that a lack of cooperation and coordination, unclear smart city vision, and poor private-public participation from the governmental group are found to be the top factors that hinder the transformation into a smart city. In the other groups, the need for more flexible legislation to obtain funding (economic factors), community involvement (social factors), poor data availability and scalability, integration and convergence issues across IT networks, and the lack of a database and a centralised analytics system (technological factors), the need for open data and access to such datasets, and lack of regulatory norms, policies, and directions (legal factors) and growing population problems (environmental factors) are the significant factors. This research project is useful to the government and policymakers in several ways. The paper ends with a number of recommendations and avenues for future research. • A triple helix calls for a more prominent role for the university in innovation, on a par with industry and government in a knowledge–based society. • Promoting a clear vision of future project plans to citizens and to private companies that may be interested in financing or implementing projects is necessary. • Effective promotion of smart city project opportunities is important to attract the necessary funds and should be conducted appropriately. • The government should introduce laws that provide a more consistent working framework across smart city applications, to ease their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodivergent individuals, including a range of conditions impacting neurological function, are at an increased likelihood of poor life outcomes, such as in functional adaptation, mental health, and well-being. Yet, many live meaningful and fulfilling lives. Resilience may provide some explanation for the heterogeneity in outcomes observed in neurodivergent populations. We conducted a scoping review embedded in a neurodiversity-affirmative approach to provide an understanding of resilience in neurodivergent populations. A total of 176 articles were included in this review and were synthesized using a two-phased process. First, findings were synthesized narratively to examine how resilience has been conceptualized and explored in neurodivergent populations. Second, to identify the bio-psycho-social factors important for resilience in neurodivergent individuals, we converted concepts identified in articles to the nomenclature of the World Health Organizations' International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) using a standardized linking process. We find considerable variability in how resilience is conceptualized and measured in neurodivergent populations. We identified 83 unique ICF categories representing resilience factors, of which only 20 appeared in more than 5% of the articles. Identified ICF categories highlight the importance of support systems such as families and friends, community participation and acceptance, and individual capabilities for resilience. • We examined resilience in neurodivergent populations using WHO ICF framework. • There is considerable variability in the definition and measurement of resilience • We identify bio-psycho-social factors important for resilience in neurodivergent populations. • Environmental factors were commonly identified as important for resilience (35%) • Future work on resilience should be co-produced with neurodivergent individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity generally, and freshwater ecosystems specifically, are in decline on a global scale. Human behaviour underlies many threats to waterway health, and decision-makers are increasingly recognising the importance of involving community members in waterway conservation efforts. This research utilised an evidence-based protocol to identify and prioritise behaviours that community members could do to protect and enhance waterways in and around Melbourne, Australia. We identified 31 behaviours that are likely to have the most significant impact on waterway health, and prioritised these behaviours according to current uptake and likelihood of adoption (based on perceived mental effort, financial cost, and time cost). Results highlighted behaviours to target as a first priority – those with high impact / high likelihood / low current uptake – such as reporting pollution, construction site sediment, or stormwater waste to the relevant authority, as well as picking up litter. High priority behaviours that may require more targeted support to encourage adoption – those with high impact / low likelihood / low current uptake – include environmental volunteering, (landholders) installing watering stations in paddocks, and using environmentally friendly cleaning and garden products. Additional research is needed to understand key influences – drivers and barriers – for each behaviour. The findings can usefully inform policies and programs to encourage community participation in waterway conservation behaviours. • Freshwater ecosystems are in decline on a global scale. • Human behaviour underlies many threats to waterway health. • Community members can play an important role in improving waterway health. • We identified and prioritised community behaviours to protect and enhance waterways. • Findings can inform policies and programs to improve waterway health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves, which are vital for maintaining the stability of coastal ecosystems, are facing increasing threats from global changes. This highlights the urgent need for effective adaptive capacity programs. This study focuses on the evaluation of such programs within Taman Nasional Bali Barat, Indonesia, specifically looking at their effectiveness in promoting sustainable mangrove conservation. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the community's involvement and perspectives, a survey was conducted, including a wide range of local stakeholders, not just those already involved in conservation efforts. The findings revealed that programs that prioritize flexibility, learning, and agency are crucial, but are currently underperforming. Interestingly, there was a significant variation in the willingness to participate among different groups. Fishermen and students displayed negative tendencies, while limited interest communities (a population segment historically less engaged in conservation), those with previous experiences with conservation programs, those seeking advice on marine activities, and those influenced by policies showed positive and significant responses. For example, tourist operators also exhibited a significantly positive engagement. Based on the analysis, this study provides targeted policy recommendations to enhance stakeholder engagement, improve program flexibility, and emphasize educational efforts. These recommendations aim to strengthen the adaptive capacity for sustainable mangrove management in the face of ongoing global changes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within development literature, recent decades have seen an unequivocal turn towards a call for a decentralised and more contextual and vernacular understanding of social, political and economic development. This paper brings together the development literature on the "participatory turn" with Henri Lefebvre's work on social spaces and autogestion, to move beyond the " what " and " how " of participation, to add the question of " where " in exploring efforts to overcome social segregation and build sustainable integrated communities. It discusses two very distinct regional cases—Kerala (India) and Northern Ireland—as examples to argue that our analysis of the potential for transformative politics in society needs to include a study of its "participatory spaces", and that this requirement transcends simple binaries like North/South, institutional/non-institutional, and top-down/bottom-up. • There is a turn within development literature towards participatory planning. • Emphasis continues to be on the "what" and "how" of participation, not the "where". • Overcoming social segregation necessitates creating shared grassroots spaces. • There is also the need to move beyond binaries like North/South and top-down/bottom-up. • Kerala and Northern Ireland show that shared spaces are important for inclusive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite studies emphasizing the economic and social benefits of achieving basic skills, the association between academic achievement standards (AAS) and civic and social engagement (CSE) remains underexplored. This study uses nationwide longitudinal survey data from Korea to examine whether high school students who met AAS exhibit increased CSE in adulthood. Findings indicate that meeting certain AAS levels correlates with greater CSE, though the threshold varies by subject; young adults who attained the Proficient level in reading or the Basic level in mathematics present higher CSE. These results highlight the importance of setting and ensuring adequate AAS thresholds to foster citizenship. • Academic achievement standard (AAS) is a good predictor for high-level civic and social engagement (CSE). • Different levels of AAS were required in each reading and mathematics for each element of CSE. • The minimum AAS for significant difference in CSE can differ among different subjects and context of each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• India continues to contribute greatly to the global prevalence of undernutrition. • Women's self-help groups (SHGs)- an important platform for reaching women in India. • Evidence on effectiveness of SHG-based interventions on nutrition remains limited. • Effectiveness of an agriculture-nutrition intervention delivered by women's SHGs. • Analysis based on three rounds of panel data on about 2500 rural women. • No impact on women's BMI or diet diversity, but they consumed more nutritious foods. • Find improvements along several impact pathways – income, agriculture and rights. Women's self-help groups (SHGs) are an important platform for reaching poor women in India. Despite SHGs' women-focused programming, evidence of the impact of SHG-based interventions on nutrition outcomes is limited, and most evaluations of nutrition interventions have not examined intermediate outcomes along the impact pathways or outcomes for women themselves. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of an integrated agriculture-nutrition intervention delivered through women's SHGs in five states in central and eastern India. The interventions involved the delivery of nutrition behavior change communication to groups through participatory approaches, community engagement around key issues, and the strengthening of collective organizations. Our analysis is based on three rounds of rich panel data on close to 2700 rural women and their households from eight districts in these five states and qualitative work from an accompanying process evaluation. Using difference-in-difference models with nearest neighbor matching methods, we present results on women's anthropometry and diet-related outcomes. We do not observe any improvements in women's BMI or overall dietary diversity. Although more women in the nutrition intensification arm consumed animal source foods, nuts and seeds, and fruits, this was not enough to increase overall dietary diversity scores or the proportion of women achieving minimum dietary diversity. We measure intermediate outcomes along the program's impact pathways and find improvements in household incomes, cultivation of home gardens, and utilization of government schemes but not in women's empowerment. The lack of improvement in anthropometry and diets despite changes in some intermediate outcomes can be attributed to several factors such as low implementation intensity, poor facilitator capacity and incentives, the lack of relevance of the BCC topics to the average SHG member, and resource and agency constraints to adoption of recommended practices. Although we do not have data to test the parallel trends assumption and so do not interpret our results as causal, these findings do suggest that optimism about using group-based platforms needs to be tempered in resource-poor contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and climate change are significant factors contributing to the damage and degradation of cultural heritage buildings, diminishing their inherent historical, cultural, and social values in many developing nations. Consequently, cultural heritage conservation requires focused attention to support socio-economic development. This paper proposes a priority quantitative model for identifying barriers to cultural heritage conservation from governmental and educational perspectives in Vietnam using the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Among the 22 identified barriers, the research revealed the top six prioritized barriers: limited human resources, lack of funding, user behavior, difficulty of the approval process, limited community participation, and delays in payment procedures. This study gives practitioners a deeper understanding of the challenges faced during the heritage conservation process. Significantly, this research enriches the body of knowledge about barriers to cultural heritage conservation in developing countries, enabling governments to devise effective strategies and policies for sustainable heritage conservation. • Climate change and urbanization process in cultural heritage conservation. • Identified barriers to cultural heritage conservation projects in a developing country. • Aggregated priority barriers by fuzzy TOPSIS from government and educational perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-lived eruption of Popocatépetl volcano in central México has produced almost continuous ash fall on the populated areas for 30 years. The eruptive phase that began in 1994, has been characterized since 1996 by the growth of about 90 subsequent crater domes and their destruction that has produced most of the ongoing ash emissions. Since the beginning of the ash emission in 1994, we designed, established, and maintained an ash-sampling network of more than 200 sites around the volcano. This sampling network has been improved over the years and there are currently also 19 automated samplers, that we describe in this manuscript. This ash sampling network is part of the Popocatépetl monitoring system run by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The sampling sites that are distributed over an area of ∼8000 km2 where ash fall occurs, involve collection of ash over 0.4 cm2 and 1 m2 areas during ash emission events associated with plumes over 1 km high. Community participation has greatly enhanced both, ash sample collection efficiency and public awareness. Growth and destruction of lava domes are variable over time, with growth times that could last up to weeks and residence times ranging from days to months, producing frequent ash emissions. There have been about 1225 ash emissions >1 km high, of these, 110 have been identified with ash columns from 3 to 13 km high above the crater (8.5–18.5 km asl), some of which has produced abundant ash fall in nearby populations. Ashfall has been distributed in all directions around the volcano up to 2 50 km from the crater but dominantly in the east and northeast direction. The total minimum volume of non-compacted ash emitted over these three decades is >149 × 106 m3 while the estimated total volume of lava emitted in the form of domes is >70 × 106 m3. The average ash mass load is 32 g/m2 and the ash is commonly deposited <30 km from the crater and up to 250 g/m2 have been deposited in periods of intense activity. Ash grainsizes range from coarse to extremely fine (MdPhi 1–6) with up to 37% of particles smaller than 10 μm and up to 10% smaller than 2.5 μm. Medium lapilli (MdPhi −3) was ejected during a sub Plinian event in 2001. Ash emission is common in both dome growth and destruction phases, as well as in the clearing of the conduits during explosive phases in the absence of domes. Vitreous lithic fragments are produced by fragmentation of the degassed lava domes in the vent. Higher amounts of vesicular clasts, individual glass particles and crystals, on the other hand, are associated with magma ascent into a more open vent. The higher percentage of accidental lithic particles is linked to clearing of the vent. • Popocatépetl volcano has produced ash fall on the local population for 30 years. • The Popocatépetl ash sampling network allowed to better understand volcanic activity. • Citizen participation allows to maintain and improve the ash monitoring network. • High amounts of fine ash and long exposure threaten the health of the population. • Ash emission in Popocatépetl is related to a lava dome growth-destruction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing urgency to develop resilient coastal communities worldwide due to an increase in destructive events. Many resilience assessment models, tools, and frameworks are being developed to guide planners and policy makers for planning resilient communities. However, many lack a multidimensional approach, while others disregard regional variations in indicators' importance, and neglect an adequate community involvement level. In turn, these factors hinder the development of a 'Resilient Planning Pathway' (RPP), or a set of planning strategies that consider key local environmental attributes and socio-cultural capacities. The RPP approach has been used in the context of vulnerable groups and urban and landscape planning worldwide. The objective of this study is to identify key resilience aspects to develop RPPs in Chilean coastal communities exposed to tsunami hazards. We used a cross-sectional participatory method with public servants and coastal communities which identifies regional variations in resilience dimensions, in order to define challenges for planners and policy makers. A systematic international literature review in Atlas.Ti revealed 78 resilience composite indicators and six resilience dimensions for tsunami hazards in Chile. Composite indicators were evaluated according to their importance and experience by 134 public servants within 42 coastal communities, revealing the aspects that guide the current development of RPPs. Public servants' responses are similar among macrozones and suggest that RPP development has focused on the physical, socio-cultural, and institutional dimensions, neglecting the ecological and economic dimensions. In contrast, the community opinions from 10 representative coastal settlements collected in 29 focus groups indicated that the importance of composite indicators varies among macrozones and with regards to the public servants' responses. This finding suggests commonalities and differences among macrozones regarding the challenges in developing Chilean coastal communities' RPPs. We believe that our methodological approach could help generate similar assessments in other world zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing Pseudomonas putida optimizes the microbial community within the casing layer, thereby enhancing Agaricus bisporus growth. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms governing microbial community succession within the casing layer following microbial agent introduction remained elusive. This study delineated the interplay among microbial populations in the casing layer across the growth cycle of A. bisporus , comparing cohorts treated with P. putida (AP) against untreated controls (CK). The inoculation with Pseudomonas promoted the growth of A. bisporus , shortened its growth cycle, and linearly enhanced the relative abundance of key bacterial genera integral to its growth, including Flavobacterium , Rhodoferax , Pseudarthrobacter , and Vogesella (adjusted R 2 = 0.238–0.866). Importantly, a positive correlation was identified between the proliferation of these beneficial bacteria and positive community cohesion (adjusted R 2 = 0.353–0.838). Additionally, analysis of the symbiotic network topology within the AP group indicated a more stable community following inoculation. The niche results (AP = 11.7672 ± 1.8938, CK = 11.0481 ± 3.1273, P < 0.05) underscored the positive impact of Pseudomonas inoculation on ecosystem dynamics. Concentrations of essential nutrients for A. bisporus growth, notably readily available phosphorus (On day 17, the AP group was 78.8333 ± 1.26623 mg/kg, while the CK group was 30.0333 ± 0.98658 mg/kg) and readily available potassium (On day 17, the AP group was 2693.9 ± 14.79561 mg/kg, while the CK group was 1646.9333 ± 10.71276 mg/kg), were significantly elevated in the AP group. These enhancements strongly correlated with the increased abundance of pivotal microbial populations. Our research provided insights into the application of microbial inoculants to enhance the production of edible fungi. [Display omitted] • Introducing Pseudomonas putida enhances casing layer community stability. • Introducing Pseudomonas putida raises beneficial bacterial genera levels. • Beneficial genera levels positively correlate with community cooperation ability. • Introduction of Pseudomonas putida enhances soil nutrient content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an examination of water risks in rural communities within Nagaon district of Assam, India. It employs a participatory approach to integrate community perspectives into the assessment process. The objective is to engage local people, gain an understanding of water risks they encounter in their everyday lives, and incorporate their opinions and experiences. To achieve this objective, the present analyses employ mixed methods, including stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, household surveys, and community forums. Additionally, the development of the Participatory Water Risk Index (PWRI) provides a novel metric for quantifying and prioritizing water risks, aligning with local priorities and perspectives. The findings highlight the identification and evaluation of seven key parameters of water risk which include availability and sufficiency of drinking water, water quality issues, prevalence of water-related diseases, irrigation facilities, vulnerability to floods, and utilization of public water infrastructure. The study underscores the importance of community involvement and empowerment in addressing water-related challenges and promoting resilience. Policy recommendations derived from the research emphasize the need for context-specific approaches to water resource management, recognizing the unique challenges and strengths of each community within the district. The transferability of the PWRI to other locations offers substantial opportunities for improving water security worldwide, contingent upon careful consideration of context-specific parameters and community engagement. Thus, this paper contributes to the advancement of sustainable water management practices by integrating local knowledge into the assessment process, guiding future interventions to build a water-secure future for rural communities in Nagaon district and beyond. • Employing participatory methods for water risk assessment. • Prioritizing local perspectives in the assessment process. • Developing a novel participatory water risk index (PWRI). • In-depth examination of the intricate food-water nexus. • Formulating context-specific solutions for water security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science-based monitoring projects have emerged as powerful tools for understanding morphodynamic changes in beaches and fostering the democratization of coastal research and management. The CoastSnap initiative exemplifies this approach. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the background and evolution of the CoastSnap initiative in Spain, analyzing its performance during its first five operational years in the country (2018–2022) and its success in engaging diverse participants and stakeholders. The Spanish CoastSnap network effectively harnessed community involvement leading to significant data collection to enhance scientific understanding of shoreline dynamics. The analysis of community participation statistics demonstrates the influence of local customs on CoastSnap use, with variable engagement trends related to geographic factors and different beach users' preferences. Challenges in maintaining project momentum and ensuring data accuracy underscore the need for continuous support and resources to sustain citizen science initiatives, while also encouraging the integration of local knowledge and expertise. This study provides insights for similar citizen science projects, highlighting the potential of collaborative efforts in addressing the complex monitoring of coastal ecosystems. The organization, achievements, impacts, and challenges of the Spanish CoastSnap network offer valuable guidance for further applications of the CoastSnap approach, future research directions, and enhance knowledge exchange to establish international best practices. [Display omitted] • Transparent scientific outcomes legitimate citizen science for coastal monitoring. • The CoastSnap approach democratizes coastal research and management. • CoastSnap Spain has strong community uptake influenced by location specific factors. • Dedicated resources boosted success, highlighting the need for sustained funding. • Spanish experiences aid in advancing international CoastSnap best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how the associations between active transportation and community participation may vary across national contexts. Using representative datasets from China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa collected in the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (N = 33,535), we estimated multi-group confirmatory factor analyses, tests of measurement invariance, and predictive models. Standardized coefficients were equivalent across countries and showed a modest positive association between active transportation and community participation (the variance explained by active transportation ranged from 1.3% to 7.5% across countries). These results suggest that supporting active transportation can help mitigate negative environmental and health changes associated with increased vehicular travel and support social capital via community participation. • N = 33,535 from China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa was analyzed. • Links between active transport and community participation were assessed. • Results were equivalent across the six countries. • Active transport explained meaningful variance in community participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The I nternational C onsensus on A NA P atterns (ICAP) is an ongoing international initiative dedicated to harmonizing technical and interpretation aspects of the HEp-2 IFA test. Comprised of internationally recognized experts in autoimmunity and HEp-2 IFA testing, ICAP has operated for the last 10 years by promoting accurate reading, interpretation, and reporting of HEp-2 IFA images by professionals involved in various areas related to autoimmune diseases, such as clinical diagnostic laboratories, academic research, IVD industry, and patient care. ICAP operates through continuous information exchange with the international community and encourages the participation of younger experts from all over the world. The 7th ICAP workshop has addressed several aspects that originated from this interaction with the international community and has effectively established objective goals and tasks to be delivered over the next two years. Some of these are outlined in this article, including the planning of three audio-visual educational modules to be posted at the www.anapattern.org website, the classification of two novel HEp-2 IFA patterns, the implementation of a project dedicated to continuously updating the information on the clinical and immunologic relevance of the HEp-2 IFA patterns, and the launch of two additional branches of the HEp-2 Clinical and Immunological (HEp-2 CIC) project. • ICAP promotes harmonization in performance, interpretation, and reporting HEp-2 IFA. • The AC-2, but not the novel AC-30 pattern, is associated with anti-DFS70 antibodies. • The novel AC-31 nuclear pattern is strongly associated with anti-Ro60 antibodies. • Competent/Expert definition depends on analyst expertise and the image under analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governance plays an important role in coastal wetland protection and restoration. Through a review of the literature on the governance of coastal wetlands, we assessed the drivers influencing the governance of coastal wetlands. We found 66 cases addressing seven governance themes: politics, institutions, land tenure, economy, policies, resources, and behavior. The literature was dominated by studies focused on the protection of mangrove areas in lower-middle-income countries and at the local scale. We found 61 drivers that influence the governance of coastal wetlands. The literature highlighted the participation of local communities as a critical driver of protection and restoration practices and identified a range of challenges. Local communities' participation in governance depends on the implementation of multilevel, decentralized, and integrated practices that promote equitable distribution of power between actors. Solutions to enhance local community rights and land tenure, compensation for alternative livelihoods, and unequal power dynamics are significant knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in future research. • The governance literature focuses on mangrove protection. • Most studies are from lower-middle-income countries, at local scales. • Participation of local communities forms the central narrative. • Decentralized, integrated, multilevel practices could improve governance of wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional and local knowledge (TLK) can be instrumental in mitigating the risks of disasters. There are calls to prioritize such knowledge to promote community resilience against disasters. This study examines the integration of TLK into disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies in Nepal, India and Bangladesh using a qualitative content analysis. We evaluated the level of integration in three components: policy priority, policy governance, and policy integration. Policy priority included five criteria and showed that India has better integrated TLK into national policies, followed by Nepal, and Bangladesh. None of the countries met our criteria for policy governance. Nepal and India emphasize community-based disaster management, combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies. However, policies are silent about the pathways of such integration, the governance mechanisms have no provision for community participation, nor are any integration tools proposed to promote such practices. Overall, the DRR policies have acknowledged the need to engage with TLK, but much more work is needed to prioritize TLK integration, which requires integration tools (e.g., legal, economic and institutional) and resources. • Integrating traditional/local knowledge (TLK) into DRR policies is poorly understood. • Policies of Nepal, India and Bangladesh acknowledge TLK but do not prioritize it. • India integrates DRR policies better than Nepal/Bangladesh do. • There are no legislative, economic, or communicative tools for TLK in DRR policies. • The involvement of local communities in formal mechanisms is a critical issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service learning connects learning in the classroom to real-world experience and presents opportunities for deeper library engagement in the curriculum and the teaching of critical information literacy. We present a model for teaching research and information literacy skills in the service learning context, making use of the evidence-based practice paradigm and engagement with community partners and practitioners in the field, connecting academic research to real-world practice and problem-solving. This model addresses some of the challenges of ACRL's Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education and is adaptable to various disciplines and educational environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adaptation is currently an important community concern in developing countries like Bangladesh. The conceptualization of adaptation within the government system matters for the promotion of activities such as employment generation for local communities. The lesser the gap between government policy and the local community's needs for adaptation the more effective outcomes are for ensuring policy success and promoting sustainable community livelihoods or vice versa. This interface between policy and community is important for climate change adaptation which is explored in this paper along with the findings of the research project, DEltas, vulnerability and climate change: Migration and Adaptation (DECCMA) conducted during 2014–2018 in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, and the United Kingdom. The data from Bangladesh was collected from 1384 survey respondents, 19 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 3 workshops, and 43 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The findings of the paper show that government adaptation activities mainly reflect the Reactive Approach of Limited Action (RALA) perspective rather than the Proactive Approach To Adaptation (PATA). The RALA perspective is characterized by piecemeal and top-down approaches to adaptation which fail to recognize a community conceptualization of climate change, policy perspectives for coping with local concerns, and governance approaches for effective adaptation. In response, the government needs to focus on the PATA in policy, programs, and projects with the governance approach implemented from the bottom-up or, in other words, from the local perspective. Community participation in decision-making processes is characteristic of this bottom-up governance model. Local community participation, consultation, and representation are essential parts of PATA in adaptation policy formulation and execution, providing important lessons for Bangladesh. • Adaptation to climate change is a high policy priority for developing countries such as Bangladesh. • The conceptualization of adaptation in government policy matters for community sustainability. • The top-down, centralised Reactive Approach of Limited Action (RALA) causes further concern for effective adaptation policy. • A Proactive Approach to Adaptation (PATA) is better for community sustainability. • Community participation and representation within governance approaches can expedite a PATA approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficiary and local stakeholder participation is an essential element to the success of community-based nutrition interventions. We sought to define active participation and review the available evidence on beneficiary and local stakeholder participation in community-based nutrition interventions in Africa. From reviewing the literature, we provide a reflective assessment on the process and findings. Participation falls on a continuum of community involvement from passive (no real involvement) to empowerment and community ownership (full active involvement). However, we found a clear gap in the research on defining active participation and identifying what constitutes active participation on behalf of beneficiaries and local stakeholders. However, progress was found; evidence included the use of participatory methods to engage beneficiaries and local stakeholders in the assessment and design phase. Beneficiary and local stakeholder participation in delivering interventions has moved forward with quantitative measures from process evaluation and implementation science. Research has started on the extent of beneficiary engagement (as recipients) and connecting this to outcomes. Evaluation has benefited from qualitative inquiry with insights from participants on engagement itself, and the barriers and facilitators to engagement. Yet questions remain in each study phase around defining and quantifying active participation and in understanding the personal, social, and motivational elements of active participation. We offer a simple framework to stimulate thought and commitment to research on participation in community-based nutrition interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technosignatures refer to observational manifestations of technology that could be detected through astronomical means. Most previous searches for technosignatures have focused on searches for radio signals, but many current and future observing facilities could also constrain the prevalence of some non-radio technosignatures. This search could thus benefit from broader participation by the astronomical community, as contributions to technosignature science can also take the form of negative results that provide statistically meaningful quantitative upper limits on the presence of a signal. This paper provides a synthesis of the recommendations of the 2020 TechnoClimes workshop, which was an online event intended to develop a research agenda to prioritize and guide future theoretical and observational studies technosignatures. The paper provides a high-level overview of the use of current and future missions to detect exoplanetary technosignatures at ultraviolet, optical, or infrared wavelengths, which specifically focuses on the detectability of atmospheric technosignatures, artificial surface modifications, optical beacons, space engineering and megastructures, and interstellar flight. This overview does not derive any new quantitative detection limits but is intended to provide additional science justification for the use of current and planned observing facilities as well as to inspire astronomers conducting such observations to consider the relevance of their ongoing observations to technosignature science. This synthesis also identifies possible technology gaps with the ability of current and planned missions to search for technosignatures, which suggests the need to consider technosignature science cases in the design of future mission concepts. • Technosignatures refer to observational manifestations of technology that could be detected through astronomical means. • This paper presents some of the conclusions of the TechnoClimes 2020 workshop. • Current and future astronomical facilities can place constraints on the prevalence of technosignatures. • Technosignature searches can be included in mission science justification without added cost. • The search for technosignatures would benefit from broader participation by the astronomical community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Indigenous communities in India have diets that do not fulfill all of their minimum nutritional requirements. Given the unaffordability of healthy diets, these communities rely on common-pool resources to make up for shortfalls in food. Yet, such foods are devalued as "backward," and accessing them is regulated by unequal gendered roles. Objectives To explore the central role of community participation in documenting and transmitting indigenous knowledge about the role of locally available foods in improving dietary diversity. Methods Through a participatory action research approach, 10 Santhal youth were trained to make films about a range of locally available foods and other issues of concern to them (Santhal/Santal is a native ethnic group in India). These films were broadcast on a YouTube channel and screened locally. A thematic content analysis of 49 films was undertaken, alongside interviews with the filmmakers and focus group discussions with viewers who attended 4 film screenings. Results A majority of the films produced drew on intergenerational and indigenous knowledge about edible plants, insects, and rodents; skills in foraging and preparing food; awareness of the benefits of the food; and sustainability issues across the traditional food systems. The filmmakers initially focused on responding to community needs and showcasing Santhal cultural practices. Their later films began to reflect on aspects of their culture that needed to be preserved, revived, or modified. Audiences noted the relatability and relevance of the provided information, generated ideas and priority themes for further documentation, and expressed the need for revival and modification of certain cultural food practices. Conclusion A participatory filmmaking process in the context of community nutrition can enable participants to question unequal power relations by enabling the most marginalized to voice their own perspectives with the support of cameras and filmmaking skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth of solar in India has been remarkable, with the installed capacity crossing the 50 GW mark. However, most of the assets are in utility format, with negligible share of decentralized plants. Centralized projects are preferred due to their competitive generation cost, or LCOE. Our study compares a centralized solar project with a decentralized plant on economic, social and technical aspects. Economic assessment reflects competitive cost of energy near to the point of consumption (landed cost) for both these plant types after accounting for transmission losses and associated charges. On technical aspects, we discovered a shifting solar curve, as the plant locations move from east to west of the country, thus providing an enlarged window of solar power generation. Utility scale projects preclude participation of smaller entities and leads to asset concentration. In contrast, decentralized plants promote community participation, generate higher employment, while enabling energy access for the local community. A balanced policy approach needs to be followed, promoting both types of project configurations. We propose setting up spatially dispersed solar plants along the longitudinal stretch of India, co-located within the substations using standardized templates. This shall enable fulfilment of climate goals, while ushering in a just transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Open Source Software (OSS) paradigm, developers along with users form a community for an OSS project as they share an interest in using/developing the project. Active community engagement is essential for an OSS project to succeed. OSS communities should strive for greater community participation and engagement through the use of tools, practices, and processes. The primary goal of this paper is to presents a review of studies on community participation and engagement in OSS projects based on systematic mapping study and snowballing technique. This study also provides an understanding about the research topics and gaps in the area, utilized research methods and publication venues. We have analyzed 67 research papers related to the study topic. The findings revealed that most of the studies used a combination of survey and questionnaire as a research methodology. We found that community participation and engagement research focuses on 5 main research topics joining process, contribution barriers, motivation, retention, and abandonment. The investigated studies provide more evidence on motivation and contribution barriers but less on the joining process and abandonment. The results presented in this paper will be helpful for researchers to understand the latest trends in this area and identifying the corresponding research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions of China's hollowed village reconstruction (HVR) program tend to divide initiatives into community-based model (CBM, led by local actors which is also called bottom-up model) and government-led model (GLM, driven by policy makers which is also called top-down model). In this paper, we propose a theoretical framework, which goes beyond these two models. Then, we take three typical villages which experienced different models of HVR in recent years as case studies, exploring the intersection of the process of decision-making, the structure of governance and the performance of projects. Both theoretical analysis and case studies show that a hybrid governance structure (HGS), with limited range of reconstruction in the distribution and functions of rural land, is most in line with China's background for HVR and rural vitalization. The participatory process is very important for these three modes, with villages and communities as the important carriers for participation and interaction. Not only villagers can truly participate in the planning and decision-making process in the HGS's approach, which enables villagers to have more autonomy, but also enhanced the project's performance by integrating villagers' interests and willingness with government proposals, matching the subjective and the objective conditions. This research indicates that we can integrate diverse driving forces of village revitalization, pay more attention to the governance's structure and operating models of reconstructing. More importantly, this study responds to Elinor Ostrom's common-pool resource theory and suggests a way forward in the public governance of rural vitalization in contemporary China. • Most rural China are experiencing rapid depopulation and hollowing. • Hollowed village reconstruction (HVR) can help to revitalize hollowed villages. • This paper compares the top-down, bottom-up and combined models of HVR. • Hybrid top-down/bottom-up model could help to revitalize hollowed villages better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and writing pose significant challenges for teacher educators balancing heavy teaching loads. To address this, I founded the Etnachta writing community for my colleagues in an Israeli college of education. This qualitative practitioner inquiry explores the motives of twelve teacher educators who joined Etnachta and the benefits they derived. Interview findings and my research journal reveal how writing in social spaces enhances professional agency and well-being. Writing community participation provides transformational professional development, promotes a robust writerly identity, and increases academic activity. The study strongly advocates for proactive collaboration among teacher educators to create conducive conditions for professional writing. • Teacher educators struggle to balance teaching, research writing and service roles. • Writing communities help foster writerly identity and increase writing activity. • Writing communities enhance teacher educators' professional agency and well-being. • Community participation provides transformational professional development. • Teacher educators should be proactive in creating conducive writing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]