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China and Türkiye, the two pivotal states with global political, economic, and cultural influence, are located at the two ends of East Asia and West Asia, respectively. They are both rising, non-western, and authoritarian powers. Thus, they should have built a strategic partnership. However, unlike China's comprehensive strategic partnerships with Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE, the relations between China and Türkiye have been at a low level of strategic cooperation since 2010. To de-mystify the puzzle, this paper integrates agent, relations, and structure, puts forward a 'complex role' hypothesis, and argues that China and Türkiye have three layers of bilateral, regional, and global roles, and their role conceptions, expectations, and performances have divergent trajectories. The compatible, competitive, and conflicting roles between Beijing and Ankara constitute both dynamics and restraints of their partnership. The two sides perceive each other as a mix of economic partners, political competitors and security rivals. To foster bilateral relations in the new era, the two Republics should manage their role competition and conflict, and enhance role compatibility in bilateral ties and multi-lateral arenas through inter-institutional convergence and role adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a pathway for transforming small and medium enterprise-based industrial districts to eco-industrial development in newly industrialised countries. Our framework conceptualises the eco-transformation of industrial districts as a reassembling process of local-regional industrial networks toward sustainability from an 'arenas of development' perspective, highlighting how an emerging eco-transformation arena may challenge existing unsustainable industrial networks. We employ a case-study method to illuminate how such an eco-transformation arena has emerged in Shunde District in Southern China and evolved in the dimensions of continuity, scale and depth of transformation. The results show the pathway is driven by national policy intervention and local government responses. The subsequent development is likely to shift into a fluid, non-linear process unfolded through the continuing interaction of agenda setting, actors and their relationships, strategies and actions performed, translation projects and spaces of negotiation (i.e. the arena's five components) while being influenced by context and place-specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy practices play a catalytic role in equipping girls with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to make qualitative improvements on their lives. This paper reports on a qualitative study that identified existing literacy practices and the support available to enable the development of literacies among girls. Interviews and observations were used to generate data from in and out-of-school-girls, teachers, the ward education officer, parents, and religious, traditional and village leaders. The study found that girls had access to a variety of print materials, and used print more than any other literacy materials. Similarly, the engagement with traditional literacy practices like poems, folklore, metaphors, music or rituals was not reported by the participants, which may simply suggest that they do not associate the traditional literacy practices with literacy learning. This implies further that many traditional ways of acquiring literacies, which were part of the cultural heritage and ways of learning language of older generations, are being forgotten and possibly slowly vanishing. To support girls' acquisition of literacies, it is essential to build the capacity of communities, parents, teachers, religious and local leaders who can help girls fully integrate all available literacy sources into their literacy learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South China Sea is a region marked by overlapping territorial claims and escalating tensions among various nations. Unlike claimant states, whose direct territorial interests significantly shape their foreign policy decisions, non-claimant states possess a broader range of diplomatic options. This article examines the contrasting diplomatic behaviours of non-claimant regional states in the South China Sea disputes. Through a comparative case study of Japan and South Korea, it argues that the divergent responses of these two middle powers largely stem from the roles they assume within the policy arena. Japan, as an assertive actor driven by a sense of obligation, has actively taken positions on disputed events to demonstrate its presence. Conversely, South Korea, adopting the role of a detached observer, has exercised caution and maintained a low profile, aiming to avoid potential diplomatic costs. The findings highlight the significance of ideational factors in influencing regional states' responses to security challenges. Furthermore, this study contributes to role theory research by introducing a new term for further study and by demonstrating the tangible effects of role conceptions on state behaviour in specific policy contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While domestic horses can be trained to choose the highest numerosity, spontaneous choice tests led to contrasting results, which in part might have depended upon the adopted experimental protocols. To bring further evidence, we carried out two experiments based on binary choice tests (1:4, 1:2, 2:3, 4:6 apple halves). We tested both horses used for schooling (N = 25) and semi-wild bred horses (N = 10), using two different arenas. In both experiments, horses did not choose the highest quantity, irrespective of test difficulty. Horses preferentially chose the stimulus located at their left, while no other tested variable affected their choice. The consistency between the results suggests that the lack of discrimination did not depend on test protocols. The strong preference for a given side and high within-individual repeatability indicate that lateralization may affect the results of spontaneous tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plausible deniability is a definitional characteristic of covert actions, numerous Russian actions have been unveiled and attributed to Russia over the past decade. The reason for these frequent revelations can be explained by three factors: ignorance, indifference, and incompetence. Russian actions often display ignorance about the reactions they might elicit, indifference to global opinion if they are caught, and incompetence that allows foreign governments to unpeel the sometimes thin veneer of clandestinity that is supposed to cover Russian actions. Frequent revelations based on a combination of those factors have given Russia a reputation of aggressiveness in the international arena, while also limiting Russia's own actions, even in overt areas such as diplomacy and economic relations, because of that reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in radar seeker technologies have considerably improved missile precision and efficacy during target interception. This is especially concerning in the arenas of protection and safety, where appropriate countermeasures against enemy missiles are required to ensure the protection of naval facilities. In this study, we present a reinforcement-learning-based strategy for deploying decoys to enhance the survival probability of a target ship against a missile threat. Our approach involves the coordinated operation of three decoys, trained using the Multi-Agent Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (MADDPG) and Multi-Agent Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (MATD3) algorithms. The decoys operate in a leader–follower dynamic with a circular formation to ensure effective coordination. We evaluate the strategy across various parameters, including decoy deployment regions, missile launch directions, maximum decoy speeds, and missile speeds. The results indicate that, decoys trained with the MATD3 algorithm demonstrate superior performance compared to those trained with the MADDPG algorithm. Insights suggest that our decoy deployment strategy, particularly when utilizing MATD3-trained decoys, significantly enhances defensive measures against missile threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied change initiatives towards self-managing organization in five companies, focusing on changes in leader-follower relations. Our discursive analysis based on interviews of 18 middle-managers and 38 employees suggests that organizational members identify with different types of responsibilities depending on their organizational position. We grouped these responsibilities into four orientations – organizational, institutional, coordination, and individual/work – that involve both synergistic and antagonistic elements, reflecting a plurality of interests and organizational concerns. When the authority relations between 'leaders' and 'followers' were weakened in the case organizations, these asymmetries of responsibility pushed the authoring of organizational activities into divergent trajectories. Sometimes this divergence was perceived by managers as conflicting with the organizational or institutional responsibilities they identified with. Managers controlled this tension both by influencing their subordinates' authoring normatively and by resorting to hierarchical control practices in situations and authoring arenas perceived as critical. This resulted in hybrid arrangements including both shared and hierarchical forms of control. Eventually, one of the companies remained in and another one reintroduced conventional hierarchical structures. Accordingly, we discuss our reservations regarding the emancipatory enthusiasm around shared forms of control, as the shared mode of control seems to 'work' as long as employee authoring is contained within managerial power and interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to show the most significant factors influencing the indoor environment in winter considering the operating conditions of an older stable modified for housing 12 horses and an indoor riding arena for teaching and sports purposes. This research focused on assessing the influences affecting the internal environment from the point of view of the construction of the building and ventilation control in the operating conditions of working and non-working days. The analysis of the results showed that the massive masonry structure has sufficient thermal insulation and accumulation, which was manifested by good temperature stability inside the stable of 7.2 ± 1.7 °C when the outside air temperature was −4.80 ± 1.5 °C. At low outdoor air temperatures of −6.44 ± 0.4 °C, the following conditions were found: a higher relative air humidity (76.0 ± 5.3%), a high CO2 concentration 2317.1 ± 931.7 ppm, and a high airborne dust concentration PM10 = 231.94 ± 19.13 μg·m−3 and PM2.5 = 160.13 ± 6.28 μg·m−3. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the solution and function of the stable ventilation. The small size of the windows and their uneven distribution (average daylight factor ei from 0.313 ± 0.154 to 0.835 ± 0.309) caused insufficient daylight in some individual boxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores interactions between traditional parties and movement parties on social media. The longitudinal analysis (2010–2021) is based on data from eighteen parties' official social media accounts in six European countries. Conceptually bridging cycles of contention, social movement lifecycles, and party lifespans, this research identifies regularities in referencing patterns between traditional party families; and by adding a temporal layer, outlines three trajectories of movement parties in the polity arena. The results contribute to conceptualizing movement parties as hybrid organizations and suggest a common logic of movement in positioning in the polity arena as drivers of party-to-party interactions moderated by country-specific contextual factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As countries formerly deemed to be "developing" and relatively powerless begin to exert more influence in global arenas, fresh attention is being paid by Western policymakers as well as scholars to the possibility of the creation of a multipolar system that is shaping up to be a highly diverse one. To assess whether this incipient multipolarity can be sustained, it is important to examine the evolving diplomatic strategies of the nations of the Global South, in particular their reliance on multilateral mechanisms for normative guidance and tangible gains. This requires an examination of the content of the foreign policies of current and potential leading nations of the Global South, not only those that are fortunate enough to exert influence at the global level, but also those that are in key positions at the regional and subregional levels. A study of selected leading countries found that organizational membership and leadership, regionalism, nonalignment, multialignment, and agility in adopting and operationalizing norms such as South-South cooperation and environmentalism are among the key strategies that are being employed by Global South states in their efforts to gain visibility in global affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at the landscape of the Old City of Mostar eighteen years after the reconstruction of its famous Old Bridge. The reconstruction project took place within broader international peace-building efforts, foregrounding the bridge as a symbol of multicultural reconciliation and initiating the development of tourism. We explore a landscape perspective to reflect on the aftermath of this neoliberal peacebuilding project which created a commodified landscape image, endangering the site as a public space. By disallowing the local community to engage with the reconstruction process, the project limited participatory ways of dealing with the past, but also public arenas for negotiating a shared future. To unpack this, we look at the heritage-landscape as a process and focus on its infrastructural aspects. We aim to outline an infrastructural perspective which helps understand how the future of public space and participation were conditioned by the process of neoliberal peacebuilding through heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to analyse the implementation of inclusion policy in primary education in the Czech Republic using the arena of discursive construction by the main actors and also the impact on the acceptance of inclusion. For this purpose, we use a qualitative research strategy based on situational analysis methods – the so-called maps of discursive arenas. The study describes two arenas of inclusive education between 2005 and 2020. The turning point came in 2015, when inclusion legislation was accepted. The study results suggest that both arenas are linked by two main opposing discourses. The Special Education Discourse argues that it is more effective when children of a similar level of abilities are educated together; the Inclusive Education Discourse strives to reduce segregation and isolation of pupils with various kinds of disadvantages. Both discourses tend to polarise the inclusion debate. One of the main reasons for this polarisation is that the state is failing to create a functional platform for communication which could help overcome the conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of the vascular flora in Punta Arenas city, found in the city's public spaces, was studied. The species were identified and recorded in a database, which was supplemented with information on taxonomic classification, growth habit, Raunkiaer's life form, origin status (native or exotic), and original continent-level distribution. These data were compared with studies conducted in five other cities in central Chile, together with an analysis of compositional similarity with these cities, by using the additive complement of Simpson's index (1– βsim). In Punta Arenas, 119 species were identified, showing a higher proportion of Gymnosperms compared to central Chilean cities. The most represented families were Asteraceae (16 species), Fabaceae (14), Rosaceae (14), Poaceae (12), and Pinaceae (10), which together accounted for 55% of the floristic richness. The compositional similarity between Punta Arenas and the other central Chilean cities ranged from 0.187 to 0.315, showing lower similarity than expected by chance (Montecarlo randomization test; P < 0.05). The primary origin distribution of Punta Arenas' vascular flora was European, unlike central Chilean cities where it was Asian. Finally, the proportion of exotic species (91.6%) and the number of exotic species per native species (16 exotics/native) were the highest documented for cities in Chile and higher than in other 114 cities worldwide. These results indicate that Punta Arenas' urban flora differs from the flora in central Chilean cities, not only in taxonomic composition but also in growth habit, biogeographical origin, and high level of exoticism. These differences are likely due to the city's territorial isolation and extreme southern location (53°S), leading to a unique urban flora configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not all multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game players are able to meet the achievement and social goals. In response, they may engage in aggressive behavior towards their teammates. This study uses the emotion regulation (ER) theory and the neutralization theory as theoretical frameworks to determine whether and compare MOBA players who adopt maladaptive ER strategies and neutralization techniques when facing the negative situation of being unable to meet their achievement (achievement scenario) or social (social scenario) game goals inadvertently worsen the situation and affect their expectations during gameplay and intention to continue playing the game. A partial least squares analysis of 333 survey returns (166 and 167 for achievement and social scenarios respectively) revealed that the use of maladaptive ER strategies and neutralization techniques may cause MOBA players to continue to be or in a worse situation as the game continues, particularly if the catastrophizing ER strategy is adopted and the players prioritize social goals over achievement goals. Notably, even players with social goals who have been hurt by their teammates continue to hold social game expectations. The condemnation of the condemner neutralization technique is particularly harmful to players who value the social aspect of MOBA games. Besides being unable to eradicate the issues leading to the negative situation, it lowers social game expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various literature has examined how affordances of online media such as openness and connectivity have constituted digital counterpublics, that is, discursive arenas where members of subordinate social groups invent and circulate oppositional interpretations of their identities. At the same time, and in sharp contrast to the bilateral nature of online media, most of this literature has focused on content produced by the group members only, without addressing neither its acceptance by the hegemonic public nor the internal discursive negotiations surrounding it. Using the Facebook page "Write it down! I'm an Arab" as a case study, the current study examines the role played by reader comments in the formation of networked counterpublics. We found that reader comments expand the counterpublic sphere in two directions: vertical and horizontal. Vertically, they produce an interface between the dominant public sphere and the counterpublic sphere. Horizontally, they function as a discursive arena within the group members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jorge Portilla argues that authentic philosophical inquiry plays a liberating function. This function is that of bringing more fully to consciousness aspects of identities or ways of being‐in‐the world that have been, up until then, tacit or opaque to the agent herself to facilitate her endorsement, rejection, or modification of these identities. For Portilla, this function facilitates greater self‐mastery by increasing the range of free variations of subjectivity available to the agent, and this increase in self‐mastery itself constitutes a kind of liberation. The main goal of this article is to provide a substantive interpretation of the nature of liberation Portilla thinks is embedded in this central function of authentic philosophical inquiry. I argue that this type of liberation should be understood ultimately in terms of increases in human agency, so I label it "agential liberation." For Portilla, agential liberation involves two central elements: (i) a type of agential flourishing central to human flourishing, and (ii) an increase in the reach of intentional action that I describe as an expansion in the arena of human agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a unique model for studying exploratory tactics due to its enormous colonizing potential. Considerable behavioral variability and consistent interindividual differences might help populations inhabit new environments and persist there even under intense pressure. Additionally, the affinity of the black rat for climbing might be another advantage, widening their potential niche. In this study, we describe the exploratory tactics of the black rats when introduced to a novel environment. In the first experiment, we tested 12 rats and calculated repeatability of their behaviors across 12 sessions of an enriched open-field test. We concluded that climbing is a highly repeatable behavior that serves as an important source of interindividual variability. In the second experiment, we tested 24 black rats in a unique L-shaped arena. Each rat was tested twice. We found that the majority of rats distributed their activity evenly, exploring each part of the apparatus for a similar amount of time, thus maximizing their chances of finding resources. Nevertheless, these "even" explorers still greatly differed in their level of activity, orderliness and affinity for climbing, generating large variability. In contrast, the minority of rats concentrated their activity only on a section of the new environment and were therefore characterized as selective explorers. Overall, we concluded that a combination of such exploratory tactics as well as a bias for even explorers enables black rats to quickly colonize new environments and persist there even under unfavorable conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Con-textos Kantianos: International Journal of Philosophy is the property of Con-Textos Kantianos (CTK) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The interest in estimating muscle mass (MM) and bone mass (BM) has grown in the sporting arena, and more specifically in recreational strength trainees, leading to the creation of different strategies to assess them. The aims were: 1) to investigate the agreement between different MM and BM formulas, and the muscle-bone index (MBI), and to establish the differences between them, in a healthy young adult population; and 2) to analyze if there are differences between males and females in the comparison of MM, BM and MBI formulas. Methods: This study followed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 130 adult active recreational strength trainees were evaluated according to the procedures described by the International Society for the Advancement in Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Estimations were made in kilograms of MM and BM by following the equations by different authors. Results: The results showed significant differences between the values obtained by all the MM and BM formulas in the general sample (p < 0.001), and by the majority of formulas for male and female samples. In the general sample, Lin's coefficient indicated a strong agreement between Kerr, Lee, and Poortmans' MM estimation equations (concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.96–0.97). However, when stratifying by sex, this agreement persisted only in males (CCC = 0.90–0.94), in contrast with a lack of agreement observed in females (CCC < 0.90). Discrepancies in bone mass agreement were noted both in the general sample (CCC < 0.15) and when stratified by sex (CCC < 0.12). Conclusions: In general, differences were found between the values reported by the MM and BM formulas in recreational strength trainees, without an agreement between them. Sex was shown to significantly influence the differences found. The practical implications are that when comparing an individual with reference tables, other studies, or if analyzing an individual's evolution, the same estimation equation should be used, as they are not interchangeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article advances recent debates on social movement (relational) fields, outcomes, and successes by suggesting that the analysis of such fields as a whole must be temporal. The relational interpersonal and intersubjective choices made by interdependent actors in social life take place in fields of interaction, but these interactions and their networks of social relations have a history. Hence, the social movement field is characterised by multiple temporal periods through which the actions of activists both shape and are shaped by the long-term socio-political environments in which they are embedded. To develop this analysis, we identify a football supporter-movement in England, 'Safe Standing', revealing the complex interplay of cultural and technological patterns of interaction across the compelling timeframes and orientations of a 30-year movement field. Adopting a theoretical framework which synthesises research on the strategic interactions of movement 'players' and 'arenas', and sport-focused security fields, we identify a series of compound and sub-players across the political, symbolic, mediatised, technological, and legislative arenas which constitute the security field of contention, in what is an under-researched lifeworld in sociology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Beytulhikme: An International Journal of Philosophy is the property of Beytulhikme: An International Journal of Philosophy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Winds of globalisation and the growing population have prompted food industries to look for effective and efficient production systems. For the same, various technological upgrades need to be ramped up, having the potential to upscale the procedurals involving the processing, preservation, and quality of food products. Thermal processing is one among the highly opted procedural in the food industry and various field advancements allied with it need to be analysed for exploration of the avenues of intelligent manufacturing. Presented work glimpses the various novel thermal technologies clustered from the insights of research literature, to be enacted in the nowadays food processing arena. Various perspectives allied with its adoption are suited to develop a relational hierarchical framework, which is further contemplated by the fundamentals of probability-based hesitant fuzzy numbers. Outcomes secure the primacies allied with the different thermal technologies under consideration, accomplishing towards its adoption. Evaluated values are further checked for the dimension of robustness and reliability by sensitivity analysis, strengthening its implication perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front-of-package food labelling (FOPL) is a mechanism to inform consumers on food nutrients content and risks for health. Each country, within its own institutional framework, defines methods and protocols to formulate rules capable of influencing organizations and the behavior of agents. The paper aims at evaluating the role of some meso-institutions in shaping arenas for policymaking on FOPL based on an exploratory study in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. A documental analysis and literature review were employed, followed by in-depth interviews. The relevant aspects of FOPL assessed were thresholds for sugar, fats, and sodium; marketing restrictions, and timeframe given for compliance with the new rules. The contribution of this article is to illuminate the way in which meso-institutions operate in a specific context, namely the development of food labelling standards. The focus is to find the rules that allowed the participation of stakeholders in the process of defining normative acts intended to regulate food labelling. The discussion of mandatory FOPL can be interpreted as a struggle to define proper rights for the food industry and the consumer. Meso-institutions, as translators of general normative principles in specific contexts, can encourage or restrict stakeholder participation in policymaking. Besides political arena, the participation can be done in other arenas, such as legislature, regulatory agencies, scientific community, media and public opinion. Institutions that encourage stakeholder participation increase the probability of obtaining widely accepted specific rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-D classroom seating information is of great significance in a host of planning contexts including indoor navigation and facility management. Mapping classroom 3-D seats based on a single-view LiDAR scan is challenging because of occlusions and viewpoint limitations. In essence, one is left with incomplete point clouds, making object recognition difficult. The aim of this paper is to acquire complete point clouds for objects in a room based on a single-view LiDAR scan, focusing in particular on chairs in indoor spaces such as classrooms, lecture halls, theaters, concert venues, and sports arenas. A spatial optimization enabled framework is proposed for 3-D classroom seat mapping from a single-view LiDAR scan. A two-step clustering method is proposed to segment each individual chair object in the LiDAR scan. A chair model is extracted and used to complete other chair point clouds via registration. Notably, a parameter estimation method is devised based on spatial priors and integrated in an iterative closest point optimization approach to refine registration. Applications to multiple classroom scans demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed methodology. The developed segmentation-registration framework harnesses spatial knowledge to complete a single-view LiDAR scan with many identical objects. The resultant object point cloud is critical for navigation, route guidance, facility management, pandemic response and planning, indoor mapping and venue utilization, among others, which require precise and complete spatial information. Identified 3-D chairs extracted from LiDAR scans provide essential information for stakeholders seating configuration, property management, and indoor navigation. A new and challenging problem of completing partial objects from a single-view LiDAR scan is formulated. The developed framework provides a fast and high-precision solution to process single-view LiDAR scans for extracting and restoring incomplete objects by combining spatial knowledge, machine learning, and spatial optimization. Empirical results demonstrate the capability to acquire complete chair point clouds from multiple classroom scans to support planning and policy efforts in mitigating disease spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autobiographical writings with homoerotic content have constantly reflected the struggles between dissident identities and heteronormative systems. The case of Antes que anochezca (1992) by Reinaldo Arenas is no exception. Therefore, the hypothesis of this analysis states that the pride of the hypersexualized dissident subject --in this case, an autobiographical subject-- appears as a tool of normative destabilization in the face of sex-gender systems that promote heteropatriarchal masculinity and sexuality. Consequently, Arenas' speech incites a rereading of the body to dismantle it from the bonds imposed by the devices of power --especially that which corresponds to the idea of the "hombre nuevo" emanating from the Cuban Revolution--. It also traces the representation of a dissident subject that does not adhere to the ideology of the global North, but rather to a vision adhered to the system of Mediterranean desire, governed by the sexual dichotomy of the active/passive axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a response to a comment made by E.R. Alexander on the authors' previous article about public participation. The authors clarify that their framework is intentionally broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing various forms of engagement and speaking to different academic fields. They address Alexander's comments about the definition of public participation and the focus on active forms of participation, explaining their rationale for using a broad understanding of participation and acknowledging the inclusion of non-participation as a deliberate act. They also discuss the omission of institutionalized participation in planning, but argue that their framework can still cover these activities through the combination of different elements. The authors emphasize that their framework is descriptive rather than prescriptive and can be used as an analytical tool. They suggest that future research could explore the interfaces between a planning system perspective and a participation process perspective. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Therya is the property of Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia, A. C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Until recently, the idea of a European minimum wage (EMW) policy had never taken concrete shape, due to the heterogeneity of national wage‐setting and collective bargaining institutions, uncertain EU competence on the matter, and widespread scepticism amongst political actors. In 2022, however, the EU adopted a directive on adequate minimum wages. How did this make it to the EU agenda, despite the many political, territorial and institutional tensions? What coalitions supported and opposed it? Based on a reconstruction of the policy process substantiated by an analysis of news media data and 14 interviews, this article investigates the multi‐level politics of the EMW. It shows that, despite enduring 'euro‐social scepticism' in northern Europe, the emergence of pro‐minimum wage coalitions in key member states and the increase of party‐competition dynamics at the EU level were crucial in overcoming the lines of conflict that had long hindered EU initiatives on minimum wage co‐ordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termites build complex nests which are an impressive example of self-organization. We know that the coordinated actions involved in the construction of these nests by multiple individuals are primarily mediated by signals and cues embedded in the structure of the nest itself. However, to date there is still no scientific consensus about the nature of the stimuli that guide termite construction, and how they are sensed by termites. In order to address these questions, we studied the early building behavior of Coptotermes gestroi termites in artificial arenas, decorated with topographic cues to stimulate construction. Pellet collections were evenly distributed across the experimental setup, compatible with a collection mechanism that is not affected by local topography, but only by the distribution of termite occupancy (termites pick pellets at the positions where they are). Conversely, pellet depositions were concentrated at locations of high surface curvature and at the boundaries between different types of substrate. The single feature shared by all pellet deposition regions was that they correspond to local maxima in the evaporation flux. We can show analytically and we confirm experimentally that evaporation flux is directly proportional to the local curvature of nest surfaces. Taken together, our results indicate that surface curvature is sufficient to organize termite building activity and that termites likely sense curvature indirectly through substrate evaporation. Our findings reconcile the apparently discordant results of previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data is increasingly recognized as central in addressing social, political, and economic challenges. This article utilizes the concept of boundary work to illustrate how the European Union (EU) advances its strategic interests through data and market control. Specifically, the EU aims to enhance the competitiveness of European companies and address social issues while upholding European values. Through the analysis of three case studies -- recent data legislation, the promotion of common European data spaces, and the IPCEI-CIS on cloud edge computing -- the article evaluates the effectiveness of EU actions in this complex arena. Consequently, it contributes to the growing literature examining the EU's evolving role as a geopolitical actor, framing these endeavors as a new form of industrial policy in the data economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, the European Union (EU) has rapidly emerged as a maritime security actor on the international scene. Its maritime policy portfolio spans a wide range of activities, from fighting 'blue crime' such as piracy and human smuggling to protecting the marine environment. The EU's capacity to secure its vital shipping routes, protect its critical maritime infrastructure, and safeguard its interests at sea are today also seen as key prerequisites of the EU's strategic autonomy. This article breaks down the notion of maritime security actorness, asking whether and to which extent the EU is emerging as a strategic actor in this area. Empirically, it adds to the burgeoning discussion on the EU's role in the global maritime arena. Conceptually, it seeks to advance the understanding of the EU security actorness by examining its maritime dimension and providing a versatile conceptual framework that can be applied to other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Amazonia Investiga is the property of PRIMMATE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article addresses a critical lacuna in the scholarship on South East Asian media: the lack of a general overview of the media and social media landscape in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It provides an historically-grounded introduction to the country's traditional media (print, loudspeakers, radio, television, cinema) and offers reflections on the impact of digital/social media on state-society relations. In so doing, I argue that it is an oversimplification to reduce the Lao party-state's stance on media and social media solely to repression and control. In recent decades in particular, market forces, technology and global integration have blended with the Marxist-Leninist state's long-proclaimed pursuit of popular participation to tentatively (re)open spaces for an under-acknowledged level of diversity. Despite ongoing restrictions engendered by the ruling party's continuing pretence to being the final arbiter between 'truth' and 'untruth', 'beneficial' and 'subversive' critique, a surprisingly open country-specific media and social media landscape is cautiously emerging in contemporary Laos. Making this case, I bring Laos into conversation with similar arguments made for neighbouring Vietnam, paving the way for more considered inclusion of the Lao PDR in comparative analysis of South East Asian media dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development of membrane structures in China. It begins with a historical review of the early applications of membrane structures in the country, highlighting pivotal events and engineering endeavors that contributed to the development. Subsequently, recent advancements in the realm of membrane structures in China are succinctly summarized. The past decade has witnessed notable progress in the implementation of membrane structures, particularly within expansive stadiums and indoor sports arenas. Additionally, cases exemplifying the diverse applications of membrane structures in various projects are presented. Noteworthy among these are the incorporation of membrane structures in building facades, suspended ceilings for indoor spaces, and the utilization of ETFT membrane structures. Furthermore, applications of air-supported membrane structures are explored, especially in the areas of sports facilities and environmental protections. Technical standards and specifications that have played an important guiding role in the development of membrane structures in China are introduced in the last. Finally, 8 issues for the future research and development of membrane structures are pointed out in the conclusion part. It is expected that this paper can serve as a catalyst for further advancement and practical implementation of membrane structures in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Horn of Africa region gained particular importance for the Gulf states after the Arab Spring, and especially after the outbreak of the civil war in Yemen. While the Gulf states mainly sought to use their financial resources to pursue security interests and strengthen their position in the international arena, the governments of the Horn of Africa countries cooperated primarily for the benefit of domestic policy. Building on the theory of regional security complexes, the article attempts to answer the question of how the rivalry between the Gulf states influenced their policies towards the countries of the Horn of Africa and what effects it had on the stability and security in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the itihāsa-s of the Mahābhārata and the Platonic philosophical 'epode' are often used to persuade in conditions where emotion threatens to incapacitate the person for argumentative discourse. Narrative reason has its own conditions of success and failure, opening up a discursive arena in which all kinds of utterances are welcome. Emphasizing the psychagogic function of the 'once-upon-a-time' reason, it is worth asking who the real protagonist of the story is and whether the story has a duty or a dharma of its own to fulfill. Dharma and all the dilemmas it brings along with it constitute one of the fundamental problems that make up the whole Mahābhārata. In this essay I wonder about the dharma of the Mahābhārata itself—a literary work which gives itself the name 'triumph' (jaya)—and the cultural mission it fulfills in the lives of those who hear it, read it, study it, and share it with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food losses in the agri-food sector have been estimated as representing between 30 and 80% of overall yield. The agro-food sector has a responsibility to work towards achieving FAO sustainable goals and global initiatives on responding to many issues, including climate pressures from changes we are experiencing globally. Regenerative agriculture has been discussed for many years in terms of improving our land and water. What we now need is a focus on the ability to transform innovation within the food production and process systems to address the needs of society in the fundamental arenas of food, health and wellbeing in a sustainable world. Thus, regenerative food innovation presents an opportunity to evaluate by-products from the agriculture and food industries to utilise these waste streams to minimise the global effects of food waste. The mini-review article aims to illustrate advancements in the valorisation of foods from some of the most recent publications published by peer-reviewed journals during the last 4–5 years. The focus will be applied to plant-based valorised food products and how these can be utilised to improve food nutritional components, texture, sensory and consumer perception to develop the foods for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity and uncertainty of construction projects contribute to low efficiency in the construction industry. This research applied the Takt-time planning method to optimize the construction working process, and proposed a risk control framework based on Value at Risk (VaR) and Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) approaches to explore and predict a project schedule and cost performance under different scenarios. This research selected a high-rise residential building project for a case study and collected 1672 productivity data samples. Arena Simulation models were established based on 90 combinations of labor assignments to assess Takt-time planning strategies' impact on project performance in four scenarios. The VaR and CVaR evaluations at 75% and 90% confidence levels were compared to balance project benefits and risks. Without any overtime or additional workers, this research found a Takt-time planning method that can reduce the project duration by 20.2% and labor costs by 2.1% at the same time, using a labor assignment of 12 bar placers, 12 carpenters, and 5 pipefitters. The findings can assist construction managers to achieve a shorter duration, reduced cost, and safer work environment, which will be very effective and beneficial to improve project overall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To provide insights into the role of formal and informal accounts in preventing the liquidation of a professional football club and in post-crisis rebuilding. Design/methodology/approach: This case study, framed as a conflict arena, covers an eight-year period of a high-profile struggle over the future of a professional football club. It uses a mixed methods design, including direct engagement with key actors involved in administration proceedings and transformation to a hybrid supporter-owned organisation. Findings: Our findings suggest that within the arena:• formal accounting and governance were of limited use in managing the complex network of relationships and preventing the abuse of power or existential crises. • informal accounting helped mobilise critical resources and maintain supporters' emotional investment during periods of conflict. • informal accounts enabled both resistance and coalition-building in response to perceived abuse of power. • informal accounts were used by the Club as part of its legitimation activities. Originality/value: This study provides theoretical and empirical insights into an unfolding crisis with evidence gathered directly from actors involved in the process. The conceptual framework developed in this paper creates new visibilities and possibilities for developing more effective accounting practices in settings that enable continuing emotional investment from supporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a Lacanian perspective on football, while notably fathoming its normative dimension. Starting with a defining imperative, the prohibition against 'handling' or touching the ball with your hands, diverging football historically from rugby, we will subsequently focus our attention on the role of the foot, the eye (notably the eyes of the audience) and the 'object a' (in the context of gender). Against this backdrop, we will address pressing issues such as the troubled position of the referee (as an 'impossible profession'), the commercialisation of football, and the rising tides of violence, match—fixing and other instances of systemic deviance. As we will argue, football exemplifies modern sport as an arena defined by prohibitions and desire, by inclusion and exclusion, by purity and abuse, culminating in recent challenges involved in gender trouble. Symbolical practices, like modern football, are based on in- and exclusion. Instead of more regulations and dichotomies, we advocate careful attention to the delicate art of handling desire in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part of the academic and musical world still blames the peripheral sociological role of “contemporary music” on the laziness of the audience. Yet, there is evidence to realise that the audience is not precisely the only entity to refer to in order to have an exhaustive view-point on the role of post-WW2 avant-garde on our musical horizon. In fact, what, in the last 60 years, most performers of the highest level have shown through their approach -or lack thereof- to new music, clearly reminds us of the necessity to scrutinise the reason of this stalemate from the joint perspective of two different and equally competent musical figures: performer and composer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do ʿAjamī scholars translate Sufi spirituality and esoteric concepts into a language accessible to their audience? The body of Senegalese Wolof ʿAjamī poetry often seeks to translate divine concepts into a language that is local, both in time and place. This translation takes place within the local language in all of its literary dimensions. For the Wolof ʿAjamī poet, proverbs, parables, and metaphors are key literary devices that facilitate understanding among listeners. Studying ʿAjamī poems opens a window into a historic locality, teaching the contemporary reader-listener about both Sufi spirituality and the particular contexts in which the poems were produced. Through these metaphors, the poet ʿAjamizes, conferring sacred meaning onto practices and devices that otherwise might be outside the Sufi realm. In the process, metaphors become vessels of divine meaning. This article treats the metaphor as a key literary device whose understanding is paramount for grasping the meaning of the religious message. Treating the poems as social documents and works of literature also offers scholars new possibilities for understanding the everyday life of ordinary users in Senegambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]