Areas Of Human Development Research Articles

Assessing pollinator richness on urban-grown mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.) populations

ABSTRACT Pollinators provide important ecosystem services in human-developed areas, including pollination for urban green spaces and agriculture. As developers aim to become more eco-friendly, understanding pollinator dynamics in these settings will help enhance pollinator services. Mountain mint plants (Pycnanthemum spp.; Lamiaceae) are commonly grown in urban green spaces and may provide resources to a large range of pollinators. There is a limited understanding, however, of the Pycnanthemum spp.–pollinator relationship. In this study, we used visual monitoring and DNA barcoding to evaluate flower visitor richness over the extended bloom duration of two native species of Pycnanthemum spp. in the greater Richmond area of Virginia (USA). We recorded a total of 85 taxa on Pycnanthemum muticum and 43 on Pycnanthemum tenuifolium flowers. In most cases, our visual monitoring results were confirmed or refined with DNA barcoding, enabling us to build a flower visitor barcode library for the region. The taxon assemblages varied between the two observed Pycnanthemum spp. in general, and over time, demonstrating that these plant species provide resources across taxa and are therefore good candidates for bolstering pollinators when developing urban green spaces.

Mesocarnivores in residential yards: influence of yard features on the occupancy, relative abundance, and overlap of coyotes, grey fox, and red fox

Context As conversion of natural areas to human development continues, there is a lack of information about how developed areas can sustainably support wildlife. While large predators are often extirpated from areas of human development, some medium-bodied mammalian predators (hereafter, mesocarnivores) have adapted to co-exist in human-dominated areas. Aims How human-dominated areas such as residential yards are used by mesocarnivores is not well understood. Our study aimed to identify yard and landscape features that influence occupancy, relative abundance and spatial-temporal overlap of three widespread mesocarnivores, namely, coyote (Canis latrans), grey fox (Urocyon cineroargenteus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Methods Over the summers of 2021 and 2022, we deployed camera-traps in 46 and 96 residential yards, spanning from low-density rural areas (<1 home per km2) to more urban areas (589 homes per km2) in north-western Arkansas, USA. Key results We found that mesocarnivore occupancy was marginally influenced by yard-level features as opposed to landscape composition. Fences reduced the occupancy probability of coyotes, although they were positively associated with the total area of potential shelter sites in a yard. We found that relative abundance of grey fox was highest in yards with poultry, highlighting a likely source of conflict with homeowners. We found that all three species were primarily nocturnal and activity overlap between the species pairs was high. Conclusions Thus, these species may be using spatio-temporal partitioning to avoid antagonistic encounters and our data supported this, with few examples of species occurring in the same yards during the same 24-h period. Implications As the number of residential yards continues to grow, our results suggested that there are ways in which our yards can provide resources to mesocarnivores and that homeowners also have agency to mitigate overlap with mesocarnivores through management of their yard features.

Self-compassion as a resource in the parenting role

The aim of the article is to present self-compassion as a resource in the context of performing a parental role and its importance for interactions with a child. The study included an analysis of existing data. A meta-analysis of concepts related to the main variable described in the article and their relationships with parenting was performed. Self-compassion, as a variable conducive to a person’s mental well-being and coping with difficulties, is an important factor that helps in fulfilling parental roles, supporting the child’s development and building a healthy relationship with the child. Source analyzes allowed to show self-compassion as an important resource and a factor supporting coping with negative affect, difficulties, as well as supporting the parent’s psychological functioning. It is an important area of human development and adaptability–also in the role of a parent. Theoretical analyzes presented in this study lead to recommendations for research on the development of self-compassion among parents as a variable supporting their functioning.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Nepalese Migrant Worker's Families from Communication Perspective

This research study is conducted to explore the role of intrapersonal communication on human development of international migrant workers' left behind family (IMWLF). It considers these left behind families to have difficult life conditions due to the separation with their family members. It includes the experience of migrant workers' left behind son, daughter and spouses. Study has explored the variation in qualitative experience in this life condition due to their gender identity. Major focus is on human physiological, psychological, emotional, cognitive, intellectual and spiritual development. Hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study is conducted through an in-depth interview of 4 participants from international migrant workers' left behind families based on interpretive research philosophy in a cross-sectional time frame on inductive approach. Inductive approach is implied to see the individual development within a wider area of human development. Major finding of this study is that family separation caused by migrant working has highly impacted their human development in various spheres as in studied variables such as physiological, psychological, emotional, cognitive, intellectual and spiritual level. Positive intrapersonal communication skills enhancement is explored as needed for intervention for the qualitative human development of these research participants in specific and in general of international migrant workers left behind families in Nepal.

Leopard density and determinants of space use in a farming landscape in South Africa

Protected areas are traditionally the foundation of conservation strategy, but land not formally protected is of particular importance for the conservation of large carnivores because of their typically wide-ranging nature. In South Africa, leopard (Panthera pardus) population decreases are thought to be occurring in areas of human development and intense negative interactions, but research is biased towards protected areas, with quantitative information on population sizes and trends in non-protected areas severely lacking. Using Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture and occupancy techniques including 10 environmental and anthropogenic covariates, we analysed camera trap data from commercial farmland in South Africa where negative human-wildlife interactions are reported to be high. Our findings demonstrate that leopards persist at a moderate density (2.21 /100 km2) and exhibit signs of avoidance from areas where lethal control measures are implemented. This suggests leopards have the potential to navigate mixed mosaic landscapes effectively, enhancing their chances of long-term survival and coexistence with humans. Mixed mosaics of agriculture that include crops, game and livestock farming should be encouraged and, providing lethal control is not ubiquitous in the landscape, chains of safer spaces should permit vital landscape connectivity. However, continuing to promote non-lethal mitigation techniques remains vital.

Significance Analysis of Poverty, Gender and Human Development in Nepal

This article examines in the areas of poverty, gender and human development in Nepal focusing on caste/ethnicity together with regional, rural, and urban disparities. It employs explanatory and analytical methods using secondary data, including peer reviewed papers. Human Development Reports, initiated by Amartya Sen and Mahbub ul Haq in 1990, have been regularly published by the UNDP, featuring the gender and human development for various countries. Nepal has been publishing its Human Development Report (HDR) since 1998.The level of human development is measured by HDI which is found increasing from 0.380 in 1990 to 0.602 in 2022, i.e., 58.42% improvement. Significant progress has been established in the area of human development and gender but significant inequalities still continued among different castes, ethnicities, and regions in the areas of gender and human development. Both urban and rural service centers face challenges like inadequate access to safe drinking water, and child malnutrition, particularly in the far western part of Nepal, highlights the urgency for continued efforts in gender and human development.

Evaluation of redox pairs for low-grade heat energy harvesting with thermally regenerative cycle

Waste heat, particularly low-grade (lower than 100°C), represents a considerable amount of energy loss across different industries and areas of human development. In recent years, different ways of harvesting heat...

Distribution and ranging area of elephant in Simpan Panti Forest, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract. Hassan NHN, Abdullah NM, Norazlimi NA, Saaban S, Yazi MFA. 2023. Distribution and ranging area of elephant in Simpan Panti Forest, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 24: 5731-5738. Home range estimation is one of the most used animal ecology studies using a Geographic Information System (GIS). One adult female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758) was fitted with a telemetry satellite collar African Wildlife Tracking (AWT) to determine its home range size distribution through its ranging behaviour and to identify the relationship between the GPS collar location record and the area covered. The home range estimation was determined using GPS collar location data from a satellite telemetry system and analyzed by using the Minimum Convex Polygon methods. GPS collar location data were obtained from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). The movement of elephant data was overlayed with the land use data of the Simpan Panti Forest (Hutan Simpan Panti), Kota Tinggi District, Johor, Malaysia before being exported to ArcGIS Pro software. The ArcGIS Pro software can estimate this Asian elephant home range sizes by using the MCP method for twelve months, from 1 June 2019 until 31 May 2020. The total home range size is 447.17 km². Home range size is estimated to be 31.77 to 303.86 km² in one year. The size of this home range has presumably been impacted by extensive human activities such as highways and settlement areas. So, good and strong management is needed to control this conflict for humans to live in harmony in one area and protect the remaining forest reserve area from expanding to agricultural activity and human development areas.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Using the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method, the research investigates the effect of local government budget on community development in Nigeria. The findings show that the overall loan taken out by local governments has a negative and significant effect on human development. Additionally, it was discovered that municipal governments' overall spending had a somewhat favourable effect on human development. Additional research revealed that local governments' present revenues significantly and favourably affected human development. The rate of population expansion had a detrimental and severe impact on human development. The total amount borrowed by municipal governments also had a detrimental but little effect on life expectancy. The results also demonstrated that local governments' overall spending, current revenue, and real GDP growth rate all had a favourable and significant impact on life expectancy. Local government autonomy is recommended. With local government autonomy, federal allocation (revenue) as well as other revenues will come direct to the local governments and not through the state governments. This will ensure higher revenue for the local governments to carry out development-oriented projects and programmes. Also, local government authorities should utilize available revenues in bringing about desired community development in the areas of human development in Nigeria. Local government autonomy is recommended so that revenue from the federation accounts and other revenues could go directly to local government, not through state governments. This could improve on local government revenue base and bring about desired human development in Nigeria.

Occupancy and Activity Patterns of Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in a Suburban Environment

The geographic range of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has rapidly been expanding within the United States for the last 150 years. One of the factors contributing to this astounding range expansion is the species’ ability to survive in and colonize human-dominated areas. Despite the fact that armadillos live alongside humans in numerous towns and cities across the Southeastern, Southcentral, and now Midwestern United States, we know relatively little about the behavior and ecology of armadillos in human-developed areas. Here, we used motion-triggered game cameras in over 115 residential yards in the rapidly developing Northwest corner of Arkansas to survey armadillos in a largely suburban environment. Our objectives were to explore trends in armadillo occupancy and daily activity patterns in a suburban setting. We documented armadillos in approximately 84% of the yards surveyed indicating that the species was widespread throughout the environment. We found that the species was more likely to occupy yards surrounded by a high proportion of forest cover. We found no relationship between armadillo occupancy and other land cover or development covariates. Only 2% of nearly 2000 armadillo detections occurred during the day indicating that the species is almost exclusively nocturnal during the summer months when living near humans in the suburban environment, which we suggest is likely an adaptation to avoid contact with humans and their dogs. As the armadillo continues to expand its geographic range to areas where it has not previously occurred, understanding how human development supports and facilitates the spread of this species can elucidate areas where conflict between humans and armadillos might occur allowing for preemptive management or education to mitigate conflict.

An investigation the effect of bacterial healing on cement-based mortars

Right from getting a safe place to live in, construction activity in the present-day world has been diversified in many areas of human development. Amongst all construction materials used, reinforced cement concrete use is increasing day by day and will continue. This is leading to a rapid decrement in natural resources. The trend is to use them effectively and efficiently to conserve natural resources for future generations. Many researchers are working on retrofitting and rehabilitation techniques to extend the serviceability of the structure. The present work was taken up with a novel proposal of analyze this trending technique to improve the quality of cement-based products at the manufacturing stage. The use of bacterial organisms is one such technique. Many researchers have proved that the introduction of bacteria gives a certain amount of healing property, enhancing the durability and strength aspects of concrete. The objective of this study is to compare the compressive and flexural strength of traditional cement-based mortar with bacteria-induced cement-based mortar. In this experimental work, 2 types of bacteria namely, Escherichia coli (DH5α) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were used to compare their effect on the mechanical properties of masonry mortar. The results demonstrated that the 28-days compressive strength of mortar increased by about 27% and 19% with the incorporation of Escherichia coli (DH5α) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. Similar trends were observed in case of 28-days flexural strength with an increase of about15% and 6%, respectively.

Ashes to eye: A skilled snake handler's experience with ophthalmic envenomation.

With the continued growth of human populations, rural urbanisation and habitat degradation are on the rise, resulting in the displacement of native wildlife and an increase in human-wildlife conflicts. The presence of human habitation and waste often attracts rodents and thereby, snakes, leading to increased snake sightings in homes. To address this problem, snake handlers, who are volunteers that remove and relocate snakes away from human development areas, are called upon. However, snake removal is a high-risk task that poses a risk of envenomation, particularly when dealing with spitting snakes. Several cobra species have the ability to spit venom. If the venom enters a person's eye, it can result in ophthalmic envenomation, which can have serious consequences for their eyesight. Therefore, snake handlers should take precautions, wear suitable eye protection, and use appropriate tools to ensure their safety and that of the snake. In this case, an experienced snake handler was called to remove a spitting cobra, but they were ill-equipped. During the removal, the venom was sprayed across the handler's face, and some of it entered their eye, resulting in ophthalmic envenomation. The handler promptly irrigated their eye, but medical treatment was still necessary. This report highlights the risks and consequences of ophthalmic injury and the importance of wearing appropriate eye protection and taking due care when dealing with venomous species, particularly those that can spit venom. It serves as a reminder that accidents can happen at any time and experienced snake handlers are not exempt from the risks.

A Brief Review: Advancement in the Synthesis of Amine through the Leuckart Reaction

This review presents a summary of reactions that take place during the “Leuckart-type reaction”. The significance of, as well as recent advancements in, the synthesis of amines through simple and inexpensive methods using readily available raw materials is discussed. This review includes all catalytic and noncatalytic reactions that involve the Leuckart method. Recent studies have shown that at least a quarter of C–N bond-forming reactions in the pharmaceutical industry are occur with the support of reductive amination. Recently, experimental conditions have achieved excellent yields. The “Leuckart-type reaction” is technically associated with Eschweiler–Clarke methylation. Compounds are grouped in accordance with the precept of action. This includes drugs affecting the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract; anticancer drugs, antibiotics, antiviral and antifungal drugs; drugs affecting anxiety; convulsant, biotic, and HIV drugs; and antidiabetic drugs. Therefore, this review supports the development of the Leuckart-type preparation of nitrogenous compounds, as well as their advancement in other areas of human development.

Playful Testing of Executive Functions with Yellow-Red: Tablet-Based Battery for Children between 6 and 11.

Executive functions are psychological processes of great importance for proper functioning in various areas of human development, including academic performance. For this reason, from both clinical and educational perspectives, there is great interest in how they are assessed. This article describes the development and standardization process of Yellow-Red, an instrument for directly assessing executive functions in children between 6 and 11 years of age in a playful format using digital support. The test was based on a three-factor model of executive functioning: inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Yellow-Red comprises six subtests: cognitive inhibition, behavioral inhibition, auditory working memory, visual working memory, cognitive flexibility, and a global assessment test of executive functions. The test was administered to 245 boys and girls between 6 and 11 years of age. Along with the Yellow-Red subtests, gold standard tests were applied for each of the executive functions assessed. The test's psychometric properties are powerful in both reliability and validity evidence. The reliability indices are all greater than 0.8. As evidence of convergent validity, correlations were established between the tests, and the tests considered gold standards. All correlations were significant, with values ranging between 0.42 and 0.73. On the other hand, the factor structure of the test was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. Although it is possible to demonstrate the progressive differentiation of the factor structure with age, it was only possible to find two factors at older ages, one for inhibition/flexibility and one for working memory.

Physical Education and Sports: A Backbone of the Entire Community in the Twenty-First Century.

The current state of physical inactivity of people can be traced back to the people who have been denied their fundamental human right to physical education and participation in school sports (PES). Growing up without the fundamental human right to free movement and participation in sports activities enabled students to stay physically inactive. The purpose of this study was to explore what is currently known about the role of PES in all areas of human development and SDGs and to raise awareness about PES, which has been shown to be on the decline. To increase the study’s overall efficacy, an external desk research approach was employed to gather relevant information published online: reports, policies, charters, recommendations, and other relevant articles from various electronic databases and websites of international organizations responsible for PES, culture, and health. PES benefits are discussed in all domains of human development, including physical and mental health, cognitive, psychosocial, and moral benefits. Contrary to its importance to human growth as a whole, PES has been sidelined since the end of the twentieth century. An awareness of the subject of PES has thus been raised as a backbone of the entire community in the twenty-first century, so as to translate the promises and policies of PES into realities and practices.

Impact of cooperative entrepreneurship on territorial human development in Morocco – Spatial analysis

PurposeThis paper deals with the spatial impact of cooperative entrepreneurship on territorial human development in Morocco. Within the background of the new development model in Morocco, this study aims to explore how the social and solidarity economy (SSE) through the cooperative model can reduce territorial inequalities by promoting economic dynamics in territories with suboptimal human development.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical material is compiled from a database of 75 provinces in Morocco. After establishing a typology of the SSE in these territories, a test of the spatial effect of some indicators, such as the rate of urbanization and female employment, was undertaken. Moreover, a spatial impact study of the cooperatives' entrepreneurship and the local human development index will be carried out among the cooperatives' numbers and the share of their members.FindingsThis study's results indicate a diversity in the participation of the SSE in the regulation of territories. First, there is a heterogeneous relationship in the Moroccan space. Then, the cooperative model in Morocco shows that it plays a central role in readjusting social and spatial inequalities, pointing territories with suboptimal human development.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough our theoretical contribution covers the impact of the three components of the SSE on territorial human development in Morocco. The empirical work of this study is limited to only one component of the SSE which are the cooperatives. The future perspectives of this work are to follow the impact of the three components after the implementation of the new development model in Morocco.Practical implicationsThe main implication of this study is to map out the spatial role of cooperatives in territorial planning in Morocco. Policy makers still need to consolidate the implication of the cooperatives as a tool for promoting spatial equity, through the governance and the convergence between the different support and accompaniment programs for cooperatives in areas of human development deprivation.Originality/valueThe originality of this work comes from the exploration of the spatial dimension for the analysis of the role of the cooperatives for the promotion of a territorial human development. The SSE typologies described in the Moroccan provinces can allow actors to develop a business plan for the implementation of SSE initiatives.

Jogos, brincadeiras, gamificação e cultura maker no processo de educação e aprendizagem

The current world is constantly undergoing technological innovations and it is quite common to use them as tools in learning due to the countless benefits associated with different areas of human development. The purpose of this article is to carry out a literature review presenting an overview and concepts about games, games, gamification and maker culture in the education and learning process. In this research, it was possible to perceive the important role of educators in the teaching and learning process and in the transmission of knowledge through the adoption of didactic strategies that go beyond the traditional methods of the past. One of the pedagogical practices that favor student engagement is the use of games and games that arouse interest and facilitate the learning and cognitive development and skills of children and even young people and adults in a multidisciplinary way. Gamification and the maker movement emerge to expand and contribute to this educational development where the student learns to learn by doing in a more meaningful and structured way.

Social Justice as an Incentive and a Brake on Economic Development: The Contradictions of the USSR as Challenges for the Future

The article examines the experience of the USSR in the field of solving the problem of correlation between social justice and economic efficiency. The characteristics of those aspects of Soviet experience in the sphere of implementation of social justice principles in the sphere of labor and distribution, which have potential for application in the conditions of modern capitalism to respond to the current challenges, are outlined. Firstly, it is noted that social justice is not reduced to inequality of income and distribution of wealth but is considered in connection with the human factor of economic development. In an expanded understanding, social justice includes a measure of access to basic resources such as labour, housing, education, health and other areas of human development. The experience of the USSR is characterised by the fact that, on the one hand, the universal availability and security of these basic resources (public goods) created the grounds for stimulating human development. On the other hand, the violation of these declared principles in practice (due to the development of bureaucratic privileges and benefits, the shadow economy, etc.) caused serious negative incentives, which became one of the elements in the system of reasons for the departure of “real socialism” from the historical scene. Secondly, the article points out that the Soviet system of income generation based on the principles of labour distribution was a combination of planned-normative and market-capitalist principles designed to create economic “egoistic” incentives. To the extent that this system was implemented, it succeeded in stimulating productivity and labour (but not market) initiative. But the manifestation, and in later stages of the USSR's development – in some cases the predominance, of bureaucratic-voluntarist foundations in the system created rather negative incentives. Relations of alienation in the sphere of appropriation and disposal of public property undermined socialist incentives to work and social innovation. The author concludes that some of the achievements of the Soviet system in the realisation of social justice are possible and effective in meeting the challenge of sustainable development in the 21st century. In particular, practices that were developed in the Soviet system, such as the provision of basic goods that are publicly available and free to users, the use of forms of work organisation based on a combination of competition, solidarity and self-government, etc., remain important.

Using habitat suitability and landscape connectivity in the spatial prioritization of public outreach and management during carnivore recolonization

Abstract Despite continued global declines in large carnivore abundance and distribution, some species are recovering. In North America, these recoveries can occur in large areas of suitable habitat in or near areas of human development, increasing the likelihood of human–carnivore conflicts. Understanding the intersection among habitat suitability, connectivity and human–carnivore conflicts can aid in conflict prevention and mitigation. We used GPS collar data from 97 bears and conflict reports collected from 1991 to 2020 to examine black bear Ursus americanus habitat suitability and landscape connectivity in relation to community‐level human–bear conflict occurrences and conflict rates in Missouri, USA. We used conflict–landscape relationships to predict potential community‐level human–bear conflicts given black bear recolonization. Suitable habitat for black bears comprised about 29% of Missouri and was predominantly forest and shrub cover with low habitat fragmentation and human density, and greater spring vegetation productivity. Landscape connectivity was greatest in south‐central Missouri with limited connectivity in northern and eastern portions of the state. Conflict rates were low (61 of 94 communities had 1–2 reported conflicts over 30 years), increased 6.5‐fold from 2000 to 2020, and 75% involved black bear use of anthropogenic food. The presence and rate of conflicts increased with greater amounts of suitable habitat, landscape connectivity and community size, with conflict rate also positively associated with patch density and aggregation and negatively associated with patch area. Of 1,010 communities in Missouri, we identified 99 communities with increased risk of human–bear conflicts based on surrounding landscape characteristics. Synthesis and applications. Our framework integrating landscape attributes and conflict reports can successfully identify communities at greater potential of human–carnivore conflict. In our Missouri case study, we identified 99 out of 1,010 communities which have increased risk of human–bear conflicts, knowledge which will increase the efficiency of education and mitigation rollouts as black bears re‐establish. This framework allows managers to identify communities at greater risk of conflict for many conflict‐prone species and helps prioritize communities for education and conflict mitigation actions, facilitating long‐term coexistence.

Human Capital Index (HCI) – from uncertainty to robustness of comparisons

ABSTRACT In order to monitor progress in human development within and between countries and over time, several simple and composite indices have been developed and are regularly used, particularly in public policy decision-making. In 2019, the World Bank adopted an index developed by Kraay (2018), the Human Capital Index (HCI).It combines demographic, education, and health dimensions on a complementary statistical and econometric basis. It is used by the World Bank in the area of human development for monitoring and comparison purposes, in time and space. Beyond the debate about the construction of the index itself in terms of weighting and aggregation, the is subject to statistical and econometric uncertainties that are not adequately captured by comparisons and are therefore, not robust.In this article, we propose a systematic approach taking into account these simultaneous uncertainties using a projection method. We present its practical implementation to construct confidence intervals to the that reflect these uncertainties. It appears that if confidence intervals overlap for two countries or for the same country over time, then comparisons would be inconclusive regardless of the point estimates.