This study analyzes perceptions and representations of drought among residents of the Oued El Abid watershed in Morocco, based on a structured field survey conducted with 150 households. The results reveal a high level of awareness of drought, with 95% of respondents acknowledging its occurrence and 80% considering their area to be directly affected. Nearly 75% of the surveyed population report having personally experienced its impacts, particularly reduced precipitation, water scarcity, and the drying up of springs and streams. Local populations perceive a significant deterioration in climatic conditions, as 58.4% currently consider precipitation to be low compared to 45.6% who previously described it as abundant. In addition, 72.2% of respondents report an increase in temperatures, and 70.4% identify recent decades as the driest. Drought is described as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing climatic, hydrological, agricultural, and socio-economic aspects, with direct repercussions on water resources, agriculture, and livestock. The study highlights critical impacts on water supply, marked by reduced flows in springs, rivers, and wells, as well as significant economic consequences, including crop losses, declining agricultural yields, and livestock mortality, thereby increasing the socio-economic vulnerability of local populations. Furthermore, adaptation strategies such as the semi-nomadic mobility of herds illustrate the capacity of communities to adjust their practices in response to environmental constraints. Overall, these findings emphasize that drought represents a major environmental and socio-economic challenge in the Oued El Abid watershed, and that integrating local perceptions is essential for developing sustainable water resource management strategies and strengthening community resilience to climate change.

In a previous preprint article, the author presented a conjecture on the trend of demographic mortality as the life span progresses. That article also provided a mathematical formulation of the statistical distribution to which mortality would tend in this case. In the present work, we show the possibility that the demographic mortality at high ages would be given by the sum of four main components. The four components were derived by iteratively solving the Fredholm equation that can be associated with the model. These solutions are presented for three demographic cases based on statistical data available in the public databases and literature. These are: mortality data in the US from 1970 to 2017, in Italy from 1974 to 2019 and in Japan from 1974 to 2019. In all cases, similarities and invariant components are noted and presented in graphs and numerical data. The four aforementioned components appear on average equally spaced in the age peaks (in the case of females ~50, ~63, ~77, ~90 ages) and are always present for all sample years and in all three countries. These same components can be used to reconstruct the qx datum, at advanced ages, of the considered Life Tables. A correlation with a more recent study using a multi-omics approach is pointed out.

This article aims to understand, from Karl Polanyi's perspective, how cooperativism can contribute to building sustainable solutions to population aging, with an emphasis on rural contexts. The global phenomenon of population aging, characterized by a proportional increase of older adults in the total population due to declining birth rates and increased life expectancy, presents significant and complex challenges, particularly in rural areas where structural weaknesses and the scarcity of effective public policies are more pronounced. In this context, the study argues that cooperativism emerges as a viable and robust alternative for social inclusion, care, and autonomy for older adults. The theoretical framework is anchored in Polanyi's critique of the commodification of social life, particularly his concept of the “disembeddedness” of the economy from the social fabric. The analysis connects Polanyi's principles of reciprocity, redistribution, and domesticity with the core values and principles of cooperativism, highlighting the capacity of this model of economic organization to promote the “re-embedding” of the economy into social norms and values. The study adopts a qualitative, bibliographical, and documentary approach, utilizing data from key national and international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), to characterize the demographic shift and identify the practical role of cooperatives. The analysis presents concrete examples of the actions of different branches of cooperativism in addressing aging in rural areas, accentuating their contribution to the appreciation of traditional knowledge, income generation, and the strengthening of community networks. The findings indicate that cooperativism represents not only an economic response to the challenges of aging but also an integrated and supportive regional development strategy. It is capable of transforming aging into an opportunity for the collective reconstruction of territories, strengthening the dignity and empowerment of older adults by promoting a more socially and environmentally sustainable economic model.

This study examines Dr. Rajendra Prasad's <i>India</i><i> </i><i>Divided</i> (1946) as a comprehensive intellectual critique of India's partition and the Two-Nation Theory that justified it. Through close textual analysis of Prasad's primary text combined with historiographical examination of partition scholarship, secondary academic sources, and political theory frameworks, this article employs critical discourse analysis and comparative historical methods to situate Prasad's arguments within postcolonial and contemporary political theory contexts. The analysis, grounded primarily in <i>India</i><i> </i><i>Divided</i> as the core source text, supplemented by examination of contemporary political documents (including the Lahore Resolution and statements by key figures like Jinnah, Ambedkar, and Congress leaders), demonstrates three primary dimensions of Prasad's critique. First, through historical textual evidence, Prasad systematically refutes the Two-Nation Theory by documenting centuries of Hindu–Muslim coexistence and cultural synthesis, arguing that communal antagonism was not primordial but rather artificially hardened through British colonial administrative strategies, particularly separate electoral systems that institutionalised religious identity as the fundamental category of politics. Second, meticulous textual analysis of the Lahore Resolution reveals deliberate ambiguities that enabled escalating territorial demands and necessitated the eventual partition of provinces like Punjab and Bengal, demonstrating how these boundary questions would inevitably multiply rather than resolve minority-protection dilemmas in both successor states. Third, drawing on economic data and statistical analysis from the 1940s, Prasad's prescient economic assessment documents how partition would disrupt integrated agrarian and industrial systems, severing complementary economic relationships-including the jute industry, cotton production, and railway networks-creating structural deficits that would handicap Pakistan's development. The findings, corroborated by scholarly consensus in peer-reviewed historical studies and political science analyses (such as works by Ayesha Jalal, Benedict Anderson, Will Kymlicka, and Arend Lijphart), demonstrate that Prasad articulates a compelling alternative governance framework: a secular, multinational constitutional design guaranteeing cultural autonomy and power-sharing mechanisms while preserving political unity. This article concludes that Prasad's analysis not only predicted partition's costs with remarkable accuracy-as validated by subsequent historical developments documented in post-1947 scholarship-but also advances a theoretically robust and practically durable governance model applicable to plural societies beyond the South Asian context.

This research conducts a multi-layered analysis of the poetic structure of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria (Ellen's Song No. 3)" D.839 by individually decomposing each layer of the C4 Model (Context, Container, Component, Code). In contrast to the integrative approaches in traditional literary studies, this study aims to objectively elucidate the structural perfection of the work by individually examining the functions and interrelationships of each layer. The C4 Model, originally developed for software architecture visualization, provides a systematic framework for analyzing complex hierarchical structures. The analysis reveals a dual-axis structure in the Context layer, three-stage progression in the Container layer, emotional transition system in the Component layer, and strategic placement of linguistic techniques in the Code layer. Each layer maintains independence while producing an integrated poetic effect. The methodology employs PlantUML C4 notation for visualization and documentation, enabling precise structural mapping of poetic elements. This interdisciplinary approach demonstrates how computational methods can enhance literary analysis, offering new perspectives on classical works. The findings contribute to digital humanities scholarship by establishing a replicable framework for systematic poetic structure analysis that bridges software engineering principles with literary criticism.

Against the backdrop of the "artificial intelligence" era, this study sets the mechanism of action between new types of productive forces and the construction of modern innovative cities as its core theme. It systematically explores this topic in conjunction with domestic differentiated design, international comparisons, identification of real-world challenges, and practical solution paths. This exploration is of significant practical importance for promoting high-quality urban development and fostering new momentum through intelligent transformation. Notably, different regions in China display significant disparities in nurturing new productive forces. For example, the eastern region needs to strengthen original innovation and global resource integration, while the central and western regions should focus on industrial absorption and green transformation. By comparing international innovation models such as Silicon Valley in the United States, Industry 4.0 in Germany, and Tokyo in Japan, and examining both positive and negative cases, this study offers insights into how China can cultivate new productive forces and effectively promote urban innovation. Furthermore, addressing the real challenges in the development of new productive forces, it is recommended to strengthen the role of technological innovation as the source of initiatives, build a modern industrial system, create hubs for high-level talent aggregation, and deepen institutional reforms. These measures provide theoretical support and policy reference for overcoming bottlenecks in the development of new productive forces and stimulating the vitality of modern innovative cities.

Bangladesh’s rapid digital transformation under the national vision of “Digital Bangladesh” has created both opportunities and vulnerabilities within cyberspace. As financial systems, e-governance, and communication networks expand, cyber incidents, such as the 2016 Bangladesh Bank heist and recurring data breaches, reveal that the nation’s security challenges extend beyond technology. This article applies a constructivist theoretical framework to argue that cybersecurity in Bangladesh should be socially constructed through shared meanings, political narratives, and institutional identities rather than determined solely by material capacity. Drawing on the foundational insights of Onuf, Wendt, and Finnemore, it contends that the country’s laws and policies, such as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act (2006) and the Digital Security Act (2018), reflect the internalisation of state-centric norms that privilege control and reputation management over transparency and citizen trust. Through interpretive analysis of policy documents, legislative instruments, and media discourses, the study demonstrates that the prevailing cybersecurity narrative in Bangladesh equates resilience with regime stability and technological modernity. Constructivist reasoning reframes this narrative by highlighting how institutional legitimacy, social trust, and professional identity shape security behaviour. Further, research shows that international frameworks, such as the International Organisation for Standardisation/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 27001 and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, contribute to global norm diffusion but achieve a long-term impact only when locally internalised. Ultimately, the study concludes that Bangladesh’s cybersecurity resilience depends not merely on technological and legislative reforms but on reconstructing the social meanings that underpin governance. By embedding openness, inclusivity, and accountability into institutional culture, Bangladesh can transform cybersecurity from a domain of control into a collective practice of trust and responsibility.

To address the growing demand for integrating traditional Chinese musical instruments into modern digital music ecosystems, this study delves into the tailored application of Ableton Live — one of the industry’s most versatile Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)—in arranging music for the Yang Qin, a classic Chinese hammered dulcimer renowned for its bright, layered timbre and intricate performance techniques. The core objective of the research is to forge a seamless connection between the Yang Qin’s time-honored acoustic characteristics and cutting-edge digital production workflows, thereby revitalizing the instrument’s presence in contemporary music while safeguarding its cultural authenticity. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods framework, the research unfolds in three interconnected phases. First, an exhaustive literature review maps the current landscape of traditional Chinese instrument digitalization, identifying critical gaps in existing DAW-based arrangement strategies that often compromise the Yang Qin’s unique tonal nuances or technical expressiveness. Next, a series of experimental arrangements are conducted to test Ableton Live’s functional adaptability: the team evaluates how the software’s tools align with the Yang Qin’s hammering dynamics, polyphonic capabilities, and modal scales. Finally, expert evaluations—solicited from both veteran Yang Qin performers and professional electronic music producers—are used to refine and validate the proposed methods against dual benchmarks of cultural fidelity and modern musical appeal. Key findings highlight that Ableton Live’s Session View (for modular, improvisational arrangement), advanced MIDI integration (for expanding the instrument’s tonal range without distorting its core timbre), and real-time audio processing tools (for subtle spatial enhancement) collectively amplify the Yang Qin’s expressiveness in cross-genre contexts, from ambient electronica to fusion pop. Beyond its immediate application, the study delivers a replicable framework for digitizing other traditional Chinese instruments, laying a foundation for their wider inheritance and global market innovation while preserving their cultural essence.

The study considers the model of an abstract organism, called Arbitrary Oscillator (ArbO), which is capable of making decisions at each timed step. These decisions are ‘critical’ since, randomly, their outcome can be ‘fatal’ for ArbO, thus bringing its life cycle to an end. If we impose limits on the total number of critical decisions using a fixed parameter TC (Total Cases), we can treat the statistical distribution of fatal events over a large number of ArbOs using statistical mechanics methods. This results in a mathematically definable asymmetric ‘bell’ distribution, which can be compared with demographic mortality curves (dx curves), with an appropriate choice of time scale (one step = five years). The possibility of modeling and therefore predicting the trend of demographic mortality is of great scientific and social interest. Our conjecture assumes that, as demographic longevity improves, i.e., with the lengthening of lifespan, the actual demographic curves will increasingly match the mathematical distribution curve of our ArbO. The statistical distribution of the ArbO was introduced by the author in a previous paper and is here recalled and formalized analytically and its characteristics are detailed. The above said conjecture is based on two case studies: mortality in the United States from 1900 to 2017 and mortality in Italy from 1974 to 2019. The conjecture, applied to both case studies, appears reasonable. Tables and comparison figures are provided to support this. Also, an attempt to predict demographic mortality behavior and limitations for the years to come is provided. Finally, the more general theme of the nature of human aging can also be related to our conjecture, since it can highlight the presence of an absolute limit on the number of ‘critical’ events (the TC parameter). As ‘critical’ events accumulate over time by aging, approaching the final limit value, the probability of death will tend toward one.

This study examines the enhancement of the outdoor visual identity system at the Xuhui Campus of East China University of Science and Technology. University visual identity systems serve as essential mediums for conveying cultural values and strengthening community identity. However, many systems, including that of ECUST, remain underdeveloped—characterized by fragmented cultural expression, inconsistent signage, and a general lack of engaging user experience. The research employs a mixed-method approach, incorporating historical analysis, field surveys, questionnaire data from 512 respondents, and 28 in-depth interviews. Findings reveal a rich cultural foundation rooted in chemical engineering heritage, a spirit of diligence and truth-seeking, and a tradition of national service. Yet, these elements are poorly translated into the physical environment, resulting in low cultural recognition and user satisfaction. In response, the study proposes a comprehensive enhancement strategy guided by four principles: integrating history with modernity, unifying institutional spirit and disciplinary identity, balancing science with humanistic values, and asserting identity with openness. Core strategies include cultural integration through systematic naming, event-related visual interventions, semantic coordination across spaces, and public participation mechanisms. Specific design measures range from renewing road names with scientific and cultural meanings, to embedding interactive installations and revitalizing historical structures such as the water tower. The proposed redesign aims to transform the campus into an open-air history museum that embodies a distinctive ECUST rhythm—blending historical legacy, industrial aesthetic, and forward-looking engagement. This study provides a practical and culturally grounded framework for visual identity enhancement in academic settings, with implications for both cultural branding and campus planning. Further implementation and evaluation across multiple campuses are recommended.