Community Demand Research Articles

(Re)affirming sovereignty, self-determination, and democratic rights: An analysis of evolving jurisprudence concerning indigenous peoples under international law

This research article delves into the formidable obstacles and struggles that indigenous people encounter as they strive for their rights within the framework of international law. Its broad objective is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the rights indigenous communities demand in contrast to the rights available to them at the international level. The paper focuses on three fundamental rights actively sought by indigenous peoples: indigenous sovereignty, right to self-determination, and democratic rights. To commence, the paper undertakes a thorough examination of the concept of sovereignty and its pertinence to indigenous communities. It analyzes the nature and extent of indigenous sovereignty, considering how the ongoing debate on sovereignty influences the calls for indigenous self-governance. Additionally, it critically evaluates the associated rights that are intrinsically linked to indigenous sovereignty. Following this, the paper explores the notion of self-determination and investigates the interpretations and aspirations of indigenous peoples with regard to this right. It also scrutinizes the right to self-determination within the specific context of indigenous communities. Subsequently, the paper delves into the democratic rights of indigenous peoples as prescribed under international law. It emphasizes the challenges and prospects involved in ensuring democratic participation and representation for indigenous communities. By comprehensively exploring these crucial facets, the authors aim to provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in asserting their sovereignty, self-determination, and democratic rights. Moreover, the research also endeavours to contribute to the existing discourse on indigenous rights, shedding light on the evolving nature of international law and its feasibility to address the concerns and aspirations of indigenous communities.

Physically consistent deep learning-based day-ahead energy dispatching and thermal comfort control for grid-interactive communities

Grid-interactive communities are an emerging solution for optimal energy dispatching, improving grid stability, and enhancing the usage of on-site renewable energy by leveraging community flexibilities. This work introduces a novel Physically Consistent Deep Learning (PCDL)-based optimization framework for day-ahead energy dispatching and thermal comfort control within grid-interactive communities. Specifically, the PCDL model is developed to capture the thermal dynamics within the community while ensuring strict adherence to physics consistency. This consistency is defined with the aim of generating physically viable solutions in response to modified system inputs. Subsequently, the PCDL model is utilized for load estimation and indoor climate prediction within a proposed scheduling and control strategy: (1) an optimal energy dispatching plan is calculated based on the day-ahead grid market; (2) a real-time model predictive control (MPC) method is applied to minimize the utilization error and indoor comfort constraint violations caused by following the scheduled energy dispatching plan. A simulation case of a residential hall community at Cornell University with on-site renewable energy resources is implemented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Comparative simulations, which include the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and Gaussian Process (GP) regression models, confirm the performance advantage of capturing community thermal dynamic and control-oriented generalization ability when using the PCDL model. These results leads to notable improvements in indoor thermal comfort control, ranging between 65.4 and 68.7%, 63.6–79.3%, and 60.4–62.2% for each comparative model, respectively. Moreover, by harnessing community demand flexibility, we achieve energy cost savings between 29.5 and 39.7% compared to the baseline controller.

Influence of injecting the different dose of ovaprim against ovulation time of goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Goldfish is one of the freshwater ornamental fish that is in great demand for the Indonesian community, but its production is still not meeting the demand of the market because it has to wait for the process of ovulation. Therefore, to accelerate the occurrence of the ovulation process can be done with the injection of the hormone ovaprim. So the purpose of this research is to determine the time of ovulation of the goldfish by doing the injection of the hormone ovaprim. The research was conducted for two months at the Djuanda Bogor University Fisheries Laboratory. The research design was a Complete Random Plan (RAL) with 4 treatments and 3 repetitions. Treatment K (control) did not give hormones, treatment A (0.3 mL/kg of female mother weight), treatment B (0.5 mL /kg of feminine mother body weight), C (0.7 ml / kg of femal mother weight) and 0.5 mL per kg of male mother for each treatment. Research shows the fastest.

Conceptual component of health-preserving activities of Physical Culture and Sports specialists

One of the main tasks of the modern policy of Ukraine is to preserve health of the population, to form needs, motives and values for a health-preserving lifestyle, a conscious attitude to the problems of health and life safety, especially under conditions of martial law. The health-preserving activities of Physical Culture and Sports specialists in preschool education institutions, general secondary education institutions, and higher education institutions should aim to create a health-preserving educational environment for the participants of the educational process, which requires the modernization of the training process intended for future specialists (junior specialists, bachelors, masters) in Physical Culture and Sports in institutions of higher education as well as directing it to the development of a personality capable of creatively, rationally and professionally performing the role of a coordinator, an organizer and a manager of Physical Education, Sports alongside the formation of participants’ healthy lifestyle within the educational process in an educational institution. At the current stage of the development of Physical Culture and Sports, contradictions can be seen between the demand of the European community and our society for the level of readiness of specialists in Physical Culture and Sports; between the focus on the professional activity of Physical Culture and Sports specialists and specialized types of training, as well as the technological content of the training process aimed at future specialists. Research methods: logical methods, systematic analysis of scientific (philosophical, pedagogical, special) literature on health-preserving activities of Physical Culture and Sports specialists. It was determined that the conceptual apparatus eliminates different understanding and interpretation of professional terms during communication between the participants of the educational process. The theoretical provisions contained in the scientific research deepen the conceptual understanding of the methodology of improving the training in the field of Physical Culture and Sports and health education, create conditions for scientific assurance of the professional training aimed at future specialists in Physical Culture and Sports. The main key concepts of health-preserving activities of Physical Culture and Sports specialists have been revealed and clarified. New formulations of the concepts “health-preserving activities of Physical Culture and Sports specialists” are provided, such as: Physical Culture teacher; physical culture of the individual; the concept "health" for children and adolescents; health care; health care professional activity; health-preserving educational environment of a higher education institution; the concept of physical culture, physical culture as a process has been clarified; Physical Education; pedagogical activity; health; health promotion; biological basis of health; the value of health; axiological (value-oriented) approach; health care activities in a higher educational institution; health-preserving educational space. The research results can be used in the practice of professional training aimed at future specialists of Physical Culture involving health-preserving activities with students of educational institutions, the system of postgraduate training and in the process of developing programs, educational and methodological aids on the problems related to Physical Culture and Sports in the direction of a healthy lifestyle and health preservation.

The rise of promotional communicative functions in medical research article abstracts: a diachronic (1940–2022) perspective

Academic genres are not static, but they may change according to the values and demands of the particular discourse communities that shape them. This paper explores the research article (RA) abstract, a relevant informative and promotional genre that exhibits the prevalent rhetorical practices of a specific disciplinary community. From a diachronic perspective, our purpose is to examine how these practices have evolved over time. To this end, using a genre-based approach, we have analysed the rhetorical moves and steps of 180 RA abstracts published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, over a period of nine decades (1940–2022). The findings revealed that the abstracts have increasingly become more promotional in terms of the persuasive rhetorical strategies that the authors use to enhance the contribution of their research. This is seen in the fact that the texts of more recent decades present a growing number of promotional communicative functions, mainly the moves/steps that claim the importance of the research topic and state the implications or significance of research. This study can have pedagogical implications for English for research publication purposes (ERPP) practitioners and early career researchers who seek to publish in international medical journals.

Proposed methodology for designing and developing MOOCs for the deaf community

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become important resources in educational environments worldwide because they have a positive impact on teaching and learning processes. Nevertheless, the way they are designed is crucial to properly address the requirements of special needs people in educational processes. Thus, this paper proposes a methodology for designing and developing MOOCs for Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. This exploratory and descriptive study adopted an inclusive education approach based on a literature review and expert consultation. The results highlight the importance of four aspects in MOOC development for these special needs individuals: (i) designing and incorporating elements that meet the needs of Deaf or hard-of-hearing people so that they can use MOOCs effectively; (ii) combining different methodologies and resources; (iii) properly planning and sequencing the design stages; and (iv) using appropriate tools, contents, and times for the process. The findings show that MOOCs should be adequately designed to address the demands of the Deaf community by considering their characteristics and requirements and incorporating current tools, practices, and resources.

Business Model Selection for Community Energy Storage: A Multi Criteria Decision Making Approach

This paper explores business models for community energy storage (CES) and examines their potential and feasibility at the local level. By leveraging Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approaches and real-world case studies in Europe and India, it presents insights into CES deployment opportunities, challenges, and best practices. Different business models, including community energy cooperatives, utility–community partnerships, demand response, energy services, and market mechanisms, are analyzed. The proposed method combines the MCDM method PROMETHEE II with the fuzzy set theory to obtain a complete CES business model ranking, addressing project uncertainties. The analysis emphasizes CES’s role in balancing local renewable energy supply and demand, facilitating energy sharing, and achieving energy independence. Findings prioritize models like Community Cooperative, Energy Arbitrage, and Energy Arbitrage Peak Shaving for CES with renewables. Environmental benefits include reduced diesel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Efficient cooperatives are advocated to recover costs and enable competitive energy prices. The paper highlights the need for novel value propositions to boost the energy transition in local communities. This research contributes to the discourse on CES business models, fostering knowledge exchange and promoting effective strategies for sustainable energy systems.

Socioeconomic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic for people who use drugs

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic triggered widespread socioeconomic hardship, disproportionately impacting disadvantaged populations. People who use illicit drugs are more likely to experience unemployment, homelessness, criminal justice involvement and poorer health outcomes than the general community, yet little is known about the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic on their lives. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted in‐depth interviews with 76 participants from two cohort studies of people who use illicit drugs (people who inject drugs and/or use methamphetamine) in Victoria, Australia. Findings support claims that pandemic‐related Social Security supplementary payments and initiatives to reduce homelessness, although not systemically transforming people's lives, produced temporary relief from chronic socioeconomic hardship. Results also indicate how temporary interruptions to drug supply chains inflated illicit drug prices and produced adverse consequences such as financial and emotional stress, which was exacerbated by drug withdrawal symptoms for many participants. Furthermore, increased community demand for emergency food and housing support during the pandemic appeared to reduce participants' access to these services. Our findings about the unintended consequences of pandemic responses on the socioeconomic lives of a group of people who use illicit drugs provide insights into and opportunities for policy reform to redress their entrenched disadvantage.

Digital surveillance: The interest in mouthwash-related information.

The comprehension of the interests of Internet users regarding their health-related searches may reveal the community's demands about oral health. The study aimed to characterize the interests of Google users related to mouthwash in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia and South Africa applying the Google Trends. This longitudinal retrospective study analysed the mouthwash-related interest of Google users from January 2004 to December 2020. The monthly variation of relative search volume (RSV) and the main queries related were determined using Google Trends. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) forecasting models were built to establish the predictive RSV values for mouthwash for additional 12 months. Auto-correlation plots and a general additive model (GAM) were used to diagnose trends and seasonality in RSV curves. In addition, the influence of social isolation related to the outbreak of COVID-19 were analysed. The RSVs curves showed a considerable increase in searches related to mouthwash to AUS, BRA, JAP, MEX, GBR and USA (RSV > 25), while the growth was slight to CHI, KSA, RSA and RUS (RSV < 25) over the years, without influence of monthly seasonality. All countries showed a significant increase in mouthwash interest after the outbreak of COVID-19, except for KSA and RUS. The mouthwash-related searches were associated to specific brands or chemical compositions, treatments, whitening agents, homemade mouthwash and indications for the 'best mouthwash'. In general, there was an increasing interest of Google users in mouthwash-related topics between 2004 and 2020. In addition, in most countries, there was an expansion in searches during the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemics.

Sensor-based optimization multi-decision model for sustainable smart cities

The development of intelligent applications using sensing technology in cooperation with the Internet of Things (IoT). In combination, they allow Internet users to get the necessary data from cloud systems by transmitting information from objects to web servers. The community demands, such as response times and reliable remote connections for accessing the information from IoT networks. Although, the majority of proposed solutions provide the optimal way to direct network traffic toward cloud storage. However, most of them are still needed to manage resources efficiently while handling huge amounts of data. Moreover, distributed IoT services must be intelligent and also be secure against malicious data access. This study introduces an autonomous approach using trusted sensing technologies to provide reliable remote sensing and aggregation for future-generation systems. In the first phase, the proposed model looks at an artificial intelligence-based method for negotiation between IoT devices and mobile stations for transferring the data. The second phase involves the creation of a robust security method that supports digital certificates for peer-to-peer mutual authentication. Additionally, to maintain the integrity of certificates, they are sent securely in the form of a chain. Finally, a combination of trust and privacy is used while storing data on cloud servers. Simulation-based experiments have shown that the proposed model significantly outperforms I-AREOR and MCNA in terms of energy consumption, packet delivery ratio, malicious threats, and overhead.

Narrative incongruence in pandemic local governance: Mayors perform responsibility as communities demand responsiveness

AbstractSocial psychological scholarship highlights the value of leadership for mounting effective responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Yet considerably less is known about whether leaders and their respective communities talk about the social crisis in the same way. Through a narrative congruence framework, we interrogate how public storylines of leaders and their communities align or misalign. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, we analyse Facebook posts and comments by Metro Manila mayors and their online followers during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We uncover a narrative incongruence between (a) leaders who perform responsibility and (b) communities that demand responsiveness. Mayors prioritize equity to give the poor more relief aid, assure efficient cash disbursement, attribute higher infection rates to sufficient testing and blame noncompliant citizens for worsening outbreaks. On the other hand, communities seek equality in relief distribution, decry ambiguous cash disbursement, criticize testing failures and fault weak quarantine protocols for crisis escalation. We conclude with pathways for meaningful engagement between leaders and communities towards effective crisis response especially in the Global South.

Dinamika Pemekaran Nagari di Kabupaten Solok Selatan: Studi Kasus Nagari Lubuk Gadang Selatan, Kecamatan Sangir, Kabupaten Solok Selatan Tahun 2007-2021

The article aims to explore the governance, social, and economic dynamics resulting from the division into Nagari Lubuk Gadang Barat Daya and Nagari Lubuk Gadang Barat. The research scope spans from 2007 when Nagari Lubuk Gadang was formed until 2021 when it was divided. The study employs a historical research method comprising topic selection, source collection, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Nagari Lubuk Gadang Selatan, located in Sangir Subdistrict, South Solok Regency, West Sumatra Province, comprises 15 jorongs. It was established in 2007 to meet the community's demands for independent fund management. Due to population growth and the increasing number of jorongs, Nagari Lubuk Gadang Selatan was divided into two new nagaris from 2017 onwards. The expansion aims to ensure equitable development and access to village funds for the community's prosperity.

The Impact of Resettlement on Quality of Life in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Residential Satisfaction

The effects of large-scale land acquisitions for development projects such as mining, urbanization and dams are widely contested in the literature. Prior research has focused on the difficulties that resettlement poses for the affected families in terms of their capacity to meet the demands of the new community. This study suggests that resettlement (built environment) quality may act as a predictor and influence the residential satisfaction and quality of life of project-affected families. This study investigates how residential satisfaction influences the relationship between the quality of the dwelling, the context of resettlement homes, and the quality of life of mining-affected families in Ghana. A sample of 256 household heads displaced by a large-scale mining project in Ellembelle was used to evaluate the suggested model. The findings indicate that resettlement quality greatly enhances the quality of life of the mining-affected families. The findings also revealed that residential satisfaction was a significant mediator of the quality of dwellings and the context of the resettlement, in addition to being a strong predictor of quality of life. Indirectly, resident characteristics, such as socioeconomic and demographic conditions, influenced how people felt about their homes and quality of life. These results indicate that residential satisfaction and resettlement quality are accurate indicators of the mining-affected families’ quality of life. Integrating these features make it possible to quantify the mining-affected families’ quality of life for future research and public policy.

MAPPING INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COOPERATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IN THE FIELD OF MATERIALS SCIENCE: AN EXPLORATION OF STRATEGIES, AGREEMENTS, AND HURDLES

This research paper explores the dynamic landscape of international research cooperation and intellectual property (IP) management within materials science. It delves into collaborative models, IP management strategies, legal and ethical considerations, challenges, and emerging trends. The study emphasizes the critical role of effective international research cooperation and IP management in advancing materials science and offers stakeholder recommendations. The findings underscore the importance of these practices and advocate for continued exploration and improvement to meet the evolving demands of the scientific community&#x0D; Keywords: International Research Cooperation, Intellectual Property Management, Materials Science, Technology Transfer, Legal Frameworks, Innovation, Global Research Networks, Sustainability.

The Last Mile-Community Engagement and Conditional Incentives to Accelerate Polio Eradication in Pakistan: Study Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Trial.

Poliomyelitis is a condition of great concern and is endemic in only two countries of the world: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Community mobilization plays a vital role in raising awareness and can help reduce polio vaccine refusals. The objective of this study will be to decrease polio vaccine refusals and zero-dose vaccines by motivating behavior change through the provision of conditional-collective-community-based incentives (C3Is) based on a reduction in polio vaccine refusals. The project will adopt a pretest/post-test quasi-experimental design with two intervention high-risk union councils (HRUCs) and two control union councils (UCs) of peri-urban (Karachi) and rural (Bannu) settings in Pakistan. A participatory community engagement and demand creation strategy with trust-building community mobilization with C3Is, to reduce vaccine refusals and improve polio immunization coverage in two HRUCs, will be used. These UCs will be divided into clusters based on the polio program framework and community groups will be formed in each cluster. These community groups will carry out awareness activities and will be given serial targets to reduce vaccine refusals and those who qualify will be provided C3Is. The project intends to create a replicable model that the government can integrate within health systems for long-term sustainability until the goal of eradication of poliovirus is achieved. The evaluation will be carried out by an independent data collection and analysis team at baseline and endline (after 12 months of intervention). The trial is registered with linicalTrials.gov with number NCT05721274.

Luxury and gay identity in Sitges: memory, tourism and carnival

ABSTRACT This article analyses the Spanish seaside resort of Sitges and its historical identity as a destination for gay tourism. The article focuses on the contribution of the carnival to the construction of Sitges as a world-class ‘gay village’. From the carnival it is possible to observe the processes of integration of the local gay community of Sitges in the gay globality associated with identity consumption and international gay tourism. Carnival celebrations are the pivot around which we can order and better understand these processes through three chronologically successive identity periods: pre-gay, gay, and post-gay. Throughout these identity periods, carnival has provided a backdrop for negotiation and conflict between competing demands and interests: residents who view Sitges as a luxury residential neighbourhood, the demands of the gay communities, and the interests of the gay and lesbian tourism industry. We will also show that the way in which Sitges treats its gay citizens has been and still is complicated and somewhat contradictory. Carnival is an ideal setting to bring some of these contradictions into sharper focus.

A feasibility analysis of PV-based off-grid rural electrification for a pastoral settlement in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s electric grid relies mostly on hydropower for electricity generation. Compared to metropolitan regions, rural areas have only 5% access to power, and 83% of remote areas rely on traditional biomass energy for lighting and cooking. Close to 60% of the land area in Ethiopia is pastoral, and electrifying from the main grid is a major challenge due to economic, technical, and nomadic reasons. This paper explores the feasibility analysis, design, and simulation of an off-grid solar Photovoltaic system in addition to discussing the complete engagement of national energy policy and a strategic plan for electrifying a pastoral Communities’ in Borena. Using solar radiation base data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a case study is performed at Moyale, Yabelo, and Dire, which have 454 households, 367 households, and 379 households, respectively. Through the HOMER software simulation, the optimization determines the inverter, battery size and number, and solar array’s capacity. The daily energy usage and peak power demand in the pastoral communities of Moyale, Yabelo, and Dire were 498.102 kWh/day, 447.114 kWh/day, and 454.02 kWh/day, or 36.89 kW, 35.41 kW, and 35.68 kW, respectively. Due to the country’s subsidizing of all clean energy costs, off-grid solar Photovoltaic systems are more economically feasible than diesel generators, which have a level cost of electricity of 0.4 US$/kWh. National energy strategic plans and policies ultimately support the full involvement of off-grid solar Photovoltaic electrification at remote sites.

A comprehensive evaluation of private sector investment decisions for sustainable water supply systems using a fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process: A case study of Ha Nam province in Vietnam

This study examined the factors that affect the private sectors' willingness to invest in rural water supply. The study applied a mixed methods approach, including an overview of relevant studies, expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis using SPSS software, and a fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process to identify and evaluate the factors applicable to Ha Nam province in Vietnam. Some factors were distinguished that are significant to private investors’ rural water supply investment decisions, including tax incentive policy, policies to support preferred access to loans and credit, a state risk-sharing mechanism, a mechanism to adjust water price, community support, high community demand for clean water, and input water quality. In addition, the study constructed an investment attractiveness index to evaluate the attractiveness of private sector investment for two typical rural water supply projects in Ha Nam province. This index can be used as a basis for the government to design appropriate incentives to attract investment from private investors and construct an investment attractiveness map.

Optimum Design, Socioenvironmental Impact, and Exergy Analysis of a Solar and Rice Husk-Based Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System

This study examines the optimal sizing of an off-grid hybrid system comprising solar photovoltaic (PV), rice husk-based biomass, and lead-acid battery for meeting the electric demand of a rural community. Considering a selected remote village in Bangladesh as a case study, the proposed optimized system is primarily compared with the diesel generator and the micro gas turbine (MGT)-based options in techno-economic and environmental terms. The potential social benefits, such as the employment creation and the improvement in the human development index in the locality, have been investigated in this study. Moreover, the impacts of operational greenhouse gas emissions on the human health damage and the surrounding ecosystem have been examined. Additionally, an exergy analysis of the hybrid system and the components has been carried out. Results indicate that in addition to being the environmentally preferable option, the proposed PV/biomass/battery system offers a lower cost of energy of 0.314 $/kWh compared to the MGT-based system (0.377 $/kWh). Although the diesel-based system offers a marginally better economy (9.55% less energy cost), it comes with the expense of probable damages to human health and the ecosystem worth of $15,211 and $6,608, respectively, making biomass the best option with no such damages. Exergy analysis reveals higher loss from PV than biomass and 13.09% system exergy efficiency. The assessment of the social indicators testifies to the potential of promoting the human development index from its current value and the formation of 1.41 jobs to as high as 15.15 full-time permanent jobs with the installation of hybrid systems in the community.

Projection of Clean Water Needs for Bandarmasih City Water Utility (PDAM) in Banjarmasin City, in the Banjarmasin Tengah Sub-district, for the Year 2031

The geographical situation of Banjarmasin City, which partly supports the availability of clean water for the community, is crucial considering the primary needs of the people by utilizing natural resources that are expected to fulfil the community's demand for clean water. The need for clean water must be met for the entire population of Banjarmasin, including the Banjarmasin Tengah Sub-district, a district in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan Province, with an area of 6.66 km2 and a population of 91,780 people. The research method for preparing this report includes field surveys, collecting primary and secondary data, and conducting population projection calculations. A literature review was conducted by gathering, reading, and studying relevant sources such as journals and books necessary to conduct this research. Based on the analysis and discussion results, it can be concluded that the projected loss of clean water in the year 2031, assuming a standard rate of 36 L/s, is significant. The projected demand for clean water in the service area of the Central Banjarmasin branch of the PDAM in the projection year 2031 is approximately 215 L/s