Current Development Model Research Articles

Supporting the capacities and knowledge of smallholder farmers in Kenya for sustainable agricultural futures: a Citizen Science pilot project.

Sub-Saharan Africa is often presented as the continent most vulnerable to climatic change with major repercussions for food systems. Coupled with high rates of population growth, continued food insecurity and malnutrition, thus the need to enhance food production across the continent is seen as a major global imperative. We argue here, however, that current models of agricultural development in Eastern Africa frequently marginalise critical smallholder knowledge from the process of future agricultural design due to a lack of a methodological tools for engagement. This paper addresses this by outlining a potential means to capture and share locally produced agronomic information on a large scale. We report on a 'Citizen Science' pilot study that worked with smallholder farmers in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Western Kenya, to co-design a mobile application using the well-developed Sapelli platform that easily allows farmers to identify, record and geolocate cropping patterns and challenges at multiple stages in the agricultural calendar using their own understanding. The pilot project demonstrated the technical and epistemological benefits of co-design, the abilities of smallholder farmers to co-design and use smartphone applications, and the potential for such technology to produce and share valuable agricultural and ecological knowledge in real time. Proof-of-concept data illustrates opportunities to spatially and temporally track and respond to challenges related to climate, crop disease and pests. Such work expounds how smallholder farmers are a source of largely untapped ecological and agronomic expert knowledge that can, and should, be harnessed to address issues of future agricultural resilience and food system sustainability.

Retail lending to commercial banks: current state and business models of development

This article explores the current state of consumer bank lending, focusing on the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the banking sector, the ecosystems of commercial banks. In the course of the study, statistical data on the loan portfolio and overdue debts of the banking sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the structure of overdue debts on bank retail loans issued for consumer purposes were used and analyzed. The tendencies of bank consumer crediting by the terms and sizes of the lending rate are determined. The influencing factors on consumer-clients in retail lending have been established, and monitoring of the ecosystems of leading domestic commercial banks has been prepared. Based on the analysis of the current state of retail lending for consumer purposes in Kazakhstan, relevant recommendations are given

EFEITOS DO EXERCÍCIO AERÓBICO NA MORFOLOGIA CORPORAL DE ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIOS OBESOS

ABSTRACT Introduction The problem of obesity is relevant to the current social development model. In addition to the eminent physical health risks, obese university students also experience greater resistance to social development. Obese students participating in the national weight loss fitness program can perceive the benefits of aerobic exercise. Objective Explore the effect of aerobic exercise on body morphology in obese university students. Methods 60 obese university students were selected as study subjects and divided equally into a control and experimental group. The control group received no intervention, while the experimental group performed a battery of aerobic exercises of 60 minutes daily, four times a week for six weeks. Data before and after the experiment were compared. BMI, body fat rate, blood lipid monitoring, and blood glucose were also taken as body component monitoring indexes, and circumference measurements and proportions were taken as external body monitoring indexes. Results Aerobic exercise can effectively reduce the body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat rate, and body circumference of college students, decrease body weight, make the body shape more symmetrical, and also improve lipid and glycemic components, thus reducing the complications caused by obesity. Conclusion University professors should perform aerobic training for university students to improve their physical fitness, regulate their physical function, and improve their physical appearance. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Assessment of the comfort of the urban environment

Despite the legislative support for global ideas of new urbanism, the current development model of Russian cities continues to adhere to the direction of high-rise micro­district construction and uncontrolled expansion at the boundaries, leading to the irrational use of land and placing a significant burden on transportation and engineering networks. The research involved the analysis and comparison of various models of urban development as well as methods for assessing the quality of the urban environment. As a result, key factors influencing the creation of a comfortable urban environment were identified, including infrastructure accessibility, environmental sustainability, social equity, and spatial functionality. Based on the obtained data and the experience of other countries, recommendations and solutions for the development of Russian cities were proposed, aimed at optimizing land use, creating more functional and harmonious spaces, and improving the quality of life for urban residents. The research holds practical significance for urban planners, architects, and all stakeholders striving to create a sustainable and comfortable urban environment in Russia.

Use of Customer Satisfaction to Measure Performance of Systems and Contractors: Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) Method

A roofing manufacturer wants to differentiate themselves from other roofing manufacturers based on performance information. However, construction industry has revealed poor performance documentation in the last couple of decades. With no current developed performance measurement model in the industry, two roofing manufacturers approached the research group to implement a warranty program that measures the performance information of their systems and applicators. Moreover, the success of any project in the construction industry heavily relies upon the capability of the contractor(s) executing the project. Low-performing contractors are correlated with increased cost and delayed schedules, resulting in end-user dissatisfaction with the final product. Hence, the identification and differentiation of the high performing contractors from their competitors is also crucial. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe a new model for measuring manufacturer performance and differentiating contractor performance and capability for two roofing manufacturers (Manufacturer 1 and Manufacturer 2) in the roofing industry. The research uses multiple years of project data and customer satisfaction data collected for two roofing manufacturers for over 1,000 roofing contractors. The performance and end-user satisfaction were obtained for over 7,000 manufacturers' projects and each contractor associated with that project for cost, schedule, and quality metrics. The measurement process was successfully able to provide a performance measurement for the manufacturer based on the customer satisfaction and able to identify low performing contractors. This study presents the research method, the developed measurement model, and proposes a performance measurement process that entities in the construction industry can use to measure performance.

Financial resources for Russia's development and technological sovereignty attaining

Subject. This article discusses the financial resources for Russia's development and technological sovereignty attaining. Objectives. The article aims to identify financial resources for Russia’s advancement and technological sovereignty attaining. Methods. For the study, I used analysis and synthesis, comparative analysis, and the logical and systems approaches. Results. The article describes possible financial resources for Russia’s development and sovereignty attaining, which the public authorities do not use properly to the full extent and offers minimal domestic financial conditions for the successful development of the country and technological sovereignty attaining. Conclusions. The identified financial resources will help Russia develop successfully and remain a sovereign country, however, for this, it is necessary to change the current model of economic development. The results of the study can be used by financial and banking employees, public authorities, as well as research and educational organizations.

Ecological area: An elastic space for urban-rural interaction

<p>The present report is based on a consideration of the environmental, economic, and social challenges facing urban and rural areas in Latin America, many of which are the result of structural changes experienced by the region in recent decades. The main purpose of this document is to demonstrate the urgent need to link urban and rural spaces to meet the challenges that will move the Latin American region towards sustainable development. Focus on ecological areas, such as resilient urban-rural systems that interact in a sustainable manner. This is reflected in the author’s experience and the cases recorded in the literature. To this end, an integrated approach is proposed between natural (ecosystems) and socio-economic components (communities) in rural and urban areas and between them, characterized by semi-rural and semi-urban arrangements. As a conclusion, a reform is proposed to overcome the adaptive sectoral actions in the current development model, which is characterized by exclusivity, inefficiency, and unsustainability.</p>

Artificial intelligence in support of the circular economy: ethical considerations and a path forward

The world’s current model for economic development is unsustainable. It encourages high levels of resource extraction, consumption, and waste that undermine positive environmental outcomes. Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) model of development has been proposed as a sustainable alternative. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a crucial enabler for CE. It can aid in designing robust and sustainable products, facilitate new circular business models, and support the broader infrastructures needed to scale circularity. However, to date, considerations of the ethical implications of using AI to achieve a transition to CE have been limited. This article addresses this gap. It outlines how AI is and can be used to transition towards CE, analyzes the ethical risks associated with using AI for this purpose, and supports some recommendations to policymakers and industry on how to minimise these risks.

Transizione ecologica integrale e discriminazioni religiose delle donne migranti nel Mediterraneo

Integral ecological transition and religious discrimination of migrant women in the Mediterranean
 SOMMARIO: 1. Ecologia integrale e parità di genere - 2. Flussi migratori nel Mediterraneo e discriminazioni religiose femminili - 3. Interventi europei di collaborazione interculturale nel Mare nostrum - 4. Verso un’unica polis euromediterranea?
 ABSTRACT: In this essay it is hoped that the current development model will be overcome, because it is highly polluting and unfair from a socio-economic point of view, based as it is on competition and prevarication, the result of male hegemony in decision-making bodies and therefore discriminating for weaker and for women. These, on the other hand, must guide an integral ecological transition, because they are more inclined to the custody of creation and future generations, as well as to the improvement of the general living conditions of society, through sharing and dialogue, rather than with imposition and hard confrontation, as Pope Francis claims, in the encyclical Laudato si'. In particular, the ecological and social degradation caused by the androcentric system has increased the flows of migrants so-called environmental, which cross the Mediterranean Sea undergoing abuse and discrimination including religious ones. Above all, Muslim migrant women are more vulnerable also due to the misogynistic cultural heritage resulting from an erroneous and obsolete interpretation of the Koranic texts. Europe can be more involved in the fight against the negative consequences of climate change and discrimination against migrants, implementing policies inspired by sustainable development and intercultural solidarity, also with a view to fostering the ambitious and suggestive attempt to reach a integrated Euro-Mediterranean area.

Bolivia's Net Zero path: Investment needs, challenges, and opportunities

Due to high levels of deforestation, Bolivia's per capita CO2 emissions are currently among the highest in the world. Indeed, at more than 25 tCO2eq/person/year, they far exceed the per capita emissions of the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Achieving Net Zero would require a complete change of the current resource-intensive development model and would especially have to adjust the incentives that are promoting the rapid expansion of soybean farming and cattle ranching in the Bolivian Amazon and Chiquitano forests. This paper identifies the main sources of emissions in Bolivia and the most cost-effective measures to reduce them, under the condition that the selected measures do not decrease average incomes nor increase poverty compared to the Business-as-Usual scenario. The paper estimates the magnitude of the investment needed to reduce net emissions to zero by 2050 at about $150 billion or 7.8% of Bolivia's GDP between 2022 and 2050. To make sure that poor people are not hurt by the Net Zero strategy, most of the funds should be used to promote alternative and more sustainable economic opportunities for Bolivians, including resilient and diverse agro-forestry activities, zero-deforestation beef production, nature-based tourism, high value-added wood products, scientific research, etc. These alternative opportunities should include women as much as possible, so as to provide more gender equal opportunities than the traditional activities at the agricultural frontier. The paper reviews different financing options and proposes a simple, easily verifiable, performance-based mechanism, that shares the costs and benefits of reduced deforestation fairly. Finally, the paper discusses the main social, economic, and political challenges to achieving these goals.

Study Reviews and Rethinking the Key Processes for Managing Building Materials to Enhance the Circular Economy in the AEC Industry

The rapidly accelerating economic development of newly industrialised countries (NICs) has created far-reaching environmental problems. The new construction of numerous infrastructures and buildings, particularly in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, has led to an exponential increase in the demand for raw materials and energy, which is leading to the depletion of natural resources. The approach to treating these buildings at the end of life has also raised concerns worldwide. Transforming the current linear development model into a circular economy is considered an effective solution. This paper reviews a broad range of relevant literature, extracting four key factors influencing building circularity (BC) from past studies. These factors are interpreted as four key processes dealing with building materials: pre-treatment, composition, decomposition, and post-treatment. We demonstrate how materials are treated throughout the building lifecycle to illustrate the interrelationships among these processes and to exemplify the potential of the key processes for effecting BC. Additionally, two examples are used to support the theoretical framework. This study intends to make contributions to circular economy theories and to provide references for policymakers and practitioners.

Analysis and Application of Enterprise Performance Evaluation of Cross-Border E-Commerce Enterprises Based on Deep Learning Model

With the rise and gradual development of the Internet, today's era has been transformed into the information age. The network transaction mode has involved all levels. At the same time, a new business model is gradually emerging, that is, e-commerce enterprises. Compared with the traditional business model, e-commerce enterprises are more information technology, networking, and convenience. In the current cross-border e-commerce enterprise development model, e-commerce enterprise performance evaluation and application have always been a key concern. Based on the lag of performance calculation and analysis of cross-border e-commerce enterprises, this paper carries out experimental analysis by combining the in-depth learning model. The results of the experiment are as follows: (1) it analyzes the growth situation of overseas Internet sales enterprises, determines the research direction of the experiment, puts forward the construction principles of the performance index system of overseas Internet sales enterprises, and constructs the performance evaluation system of overseas Internet sales enterprises according to the principles, to ensure the reliability of data and effectiveness of performance accounting. (2) On the basis of retaining the traditional performance calculation and evaluation mode of cross-border e-commerce enterprises, the in-depth learning mode is integrated into the performance evaluation process of overseas Internet sales enterprises. Using the in-depth learning mathematical algorithm combined with the enterprise performance calculation algorithm of cross-border e-commerce enterprises can not only ensure the effectiveness of performance calculation but also classify more quickly, facilitate the later use, and reduce the pressure on business enterprise enterprises.

ENERGY FUTURES AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION: A QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS PERSPECTIVE

The 2030 Agenda – with its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and the Paris Agreement represent a turning point for Sustainable Development. For the first time, the world’s leaders have developed an integrated sustainable agenda and ratified a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, recognizing that the current development model is not sustainable from an economic, social and environmental standpoint. Sustainable energy, being the driver of social and economic growth, will play a crucial role in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda objectives and for closing the gap to the mitigation targets of 2°C and 1.5°C defined by the Paris Agreement.This paper aims at showing that SDG 7 – the SDG dedicated to energy – can be considered as an enabling factor for the implementation of the other SDGs, and in particular of SDG 13, the goal on climate action. This relation is bidirectional, meaning that mitigation of climate change is positively driven by the deployment of sustainable energy services, and that the integration of climate change mitigation strategies into national policies positively contributes to the deployment of sustainable energy solutions. The paper also shows that future energy scenarios, compatible with the above-mentioned ambitious mitigation targets, are in line with the SDG 7 Targets that can benefit from the strong technology innovation that those scenarios will require. The digitalization of the electricity sector through smart meters for demand side management and smart grids for distributed renewable generation is one example of the role of technology innovation toward SDG 7.

Do You Use Love to Make it Lovely? The Role of Meaning Overlap across Morphological Relatives in the Development of Morphological Representations.

We examined whether and how the degree of meaning overlap between morphologically related words influences sentence plausibility judgment in children. In two separate studies with kindergarten and second-graders, English-speaking and French-speaking children judged the plausibility of sentences that included two paired target words. Some of these word pairs were morphologically related, across three conditions with differing levels of meaning overlap: low (wait-waiter), moderate (fold-folder) and high (farm-farmer). In another two conditions, word pairs were related only by phonology (rock-rocket) or semantics (car-automobile). Children in both ages and languages demonstrated higher plausibility scores as meaning overlap increased between morphologically related words. Further, kindergarten children rated sentences that included word pairs with phonological overlap as more plausible than second-grade children, while second-grade children rated those with high meaning overlap as more plausible than kindergarten children. We interpret these findings in light of current models of morphological development.

Participation in the under-18 Euroleague Next Generation Tournament does not predict attaining NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup

We examined whether participation and individual performance in the under-18 Euroleague Next Generation Tournament (NGT) predicted a future contract with an NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup squad. Data from 1446 players between 2002–2003 and 2011–2012 seasons were considered. We considered information about each player, including country, the number of games played, and performance index rating (PIR). We tracked the players’ highest club level attained in their adult careers. We used a multilevel ordinal regression with a cumulative model in a fully Bayesian framework to examine the probability of the players playing in the NGT attaining the NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup. Furthermore, we explored in the model if PIR in the NGT was a relevant predictor of achieving the highest club level in adult careers. From the total sample, only a very small percentage attain the NBA (20 in 1446, 1.4%), Euroleague (103 in 1446, 7.2%), and Eurocup (60 in 1446, 4.2%). The results highlight that a very small number of players with a very high PIR per game in the NGT had a higher chance to play in the NBA, Euroleague, or Eurocup. The probability of attainment of NBA and Euroleague for the population of highly selected basketball players playing the under-18 NGT in the first 10 years of the NGT was small. Hence, caution is warranted when assuming the effectiveness of current talent development models, even at the late stages of young players’ development, often labelled as young elite players.

The Regulatory Perspectives to China’s Emerging Hydrogen Economy: Characteristics, Challenges, and Solutions

Culminating two decades of industrial planning, China is now officially moving full steam ahead towards realizing a hydrogen economy under the country’s first ever Medium and Long-term Plan of the Hydrogen Industry (2021–2035). Among the relevant benchmarks established is the goal of developing a regulatory framework by 2025. This raises the question of how best to achieve a regulatory framework for China’s emerging hydrogen economy. To answer this question, the discussions of this paper are further broken-down and organized across four independent, but correlated, academic questions. One, relying on the fragmented authoritarianism model, what are the impacts of China’s current model of industrial development on an emerging regulated industry? Two, through a scientific and technological review, what are the characteristics of the hydrogen supply-chain most likely to present a regulatory challenge for China? Three, by analogy to the comparable experiences of China’s other regulated industries, what are the possible regulatory solutions? Four, and most importantly, how best to reconcile the findings to the above questions as they relate to the regulatory challenge of developing China’s emerging hydrogen economy. The results of the discussions reveal, that not all policy solutions and recommendations to the regulatory framework of the hydrogen economy should be treated equally. Rather, an integrated view of the core academic question revealed a procedural relationship among the regulatory solutions identified from the analysis above. Therefore, recognizing that each solution should synergize and correspond to different phases of regulatory development, a three-step regulatory pathway towards the hydrogen economy is proposed.

The biofilm life cycle: expanding the conceptual model of biofilm formation.

Bacterial biofilms are often defined as communities of surface-attached bacteria and are typically depicted with a classic mushroom-shaped structure characteristic of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, it has become evident that this is not how all biofilms develop, especially in vivo, in clinical and industrial settings, and in the environment, where biofilms often are observed as non-surface-attached aggregates. In this Review, we describe the origin of the current five-step biofilm development model and why it fails to capture many aspects of bacterial biofilm physiology. We aim to present a simplistic developmental model for biofilm formation that is flexible enough to include all the diverse scenarios and microenvironments where biofilms are formed. With this new expanded, inclusive model, we hereby introduce a common platform for developing an understanding of biofilms and anti-biofilm strategies that can be tailored to the microenvironment under investigation.

Looking for ecological sustainability: A dynamic evaluation and prediction on the ecological environment of the belt and road region

Since its inauguration, the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative has gained tremendous popularity and become one of great potential international cooperation platforms. Sustainable development is a central issue of this vast project, but current research is insufficient in this regard. This paper evaluated the status of B&R's ecological sustainability and resource utilization efficiency (RUE) from 1991 to 2017, analyzed the driving factors behind ecological footprint (EF) per capita, predicted the ecological sustainability trend for the next 10 years, and compared them with the globe. The results show that EF per capita in the B&R and global regions were always higher than the biocapacity (BC) per capita, and ecological deficit always existed and kept growing. But both the EF and BC per capita of the B&R countries were lower than the global average, with the EF had increased more rapidly and the BC had decreased even less, indicating that B&R had a relatively more resilient eco-environmental background to support its development. For RUE, the improvement in the B&R region was significantly faster than the globe, with the gap between B&R and the globe rapidly narrowing, indicating that there is still considerable room for RUE to improve in this region. For the driving factors, which have a great impact on EF per capita, nevertheless the main factors of each country are different, and the driving direction of each factor also varies among countries. The prediction results show that under the current development model, the future EF growth rate of the B&R region will still be relatively higher, but the decline rate in BC will be obviously lower than that of globe, indicating that the region is still facing huge ecological pressure, substantial improvement potential, and needs to adopt a development model that reduces its EF more effectively. Finally, combined with the analysis of coordinated development and driving factors, we outlined some crucial policy implications for B&R's sustainable development.

Risk And Disaster Management And Social Inequalities: The Experience of Brumadinho After The Breach of The Córrego of Feijão Dam

Objective: To discuss how vulnerabilities, especially in terms of social inequalities, are linked to disasters and how they become more potent when disasters occur, further aggravating the situation of groups and communities in fragile conditions. Theoretical framework: The Vale dam failure disaster was analyzed from the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) proposal presented by the Sendai Framework, which is based on strengthening actions and measures to prevent disasters, as well as increasing preparedness for responses and recovery from disasters that may occur. Methodology/approach: The method used was the case study. Documentary research, participant observation of WhatsApp groups, and three interviews with representatives of the public sector and civil society were conducted, as well as seven interviews with citizens of Brumadinho. Content analysis was the strategy for data analysis. Main Results: The experience of the municipality of Brumadinho demonstrates how recovery from a disaster is difficult to accomplish and makes the affected population even more vulnerable and exposed to risk, potentiating fragilities and inequalities. Implications of the research: The situation of the city in Minas Gerais highlights the processual construction of disasters and how the current model of economic and productive development needs to be rethought. The criticism of disaster management and the negligence regarding its prevention can serve to guide decisions by the public authorities to develop prevention and damage reduction actions. Originality/value: Empirical studies that discuss the relationship between disasters, vulnerabilities and social inequalities are fundamental to obtain a better understanding of the complexity involved in disaster management, and especially to show how inequalities are enhanced by the occurrence of events of this magnitude, further aggravating the situation of groups and communities in fragile conditions.

When core beliefs get stuck: Distinct routes to posttraumatic growth and depreciation

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and depreciation are two potential outcomes after a traumatic event. PTG has been defined as the positive psychological changes that can occur when a person derives meaning from the traumatic experience. Depreciation occurs when a person becomes stuck in the trauma, unable to derive meaning. These two outcomes are not well explained under the current model of PTG development, which focuses on how core beliefs are accommodated, or revised, after being violated by traumatic experiences. Accommodation predicts PTG but only partially, or inconsistently predicts depreciation in past research. To address this gap, we add assimilation as an additional cognitive process. Assimilation occurs when traumatic experiences confirm, rather than violate one's world view. We also add perceived trauma severity to the model, as theory requires the event to be impactful in order to affect one's core beliefs. With the addition of these two constructs, we propose a dual-outcome model of cognitive processes leading to the development of PTG and/or depreciation. We hypothesize that core beliefs can be accommodated and/or assimilated following events experienced as traumatic, with accommodation and assimilation differentially predicting PTG and depreciation. This model was tested among young adults betrayed by infidelity, a trauma that is experienced with varying levels of severity. Results support a model in which core belief accommodation was associated with PTG while assimilation was associated with depreciation. Clinical and research implications are discussed.