Ongoing Activities Research Articles

Stochastic resonance in sparse neuronal network: functional role of ongoing activity to detect weak sensory input in awake auditory cortex of rat.

The awake cortex is characterized by a higher level of ongoing spontaneous activity, but it has a better detectability of weak sensory inputs than the anesthetized cortex. However, the computational mechanism underlying this paradoxical nature of awake neuronal activity remains to be elucidated. Here, we propose a hypothetical stochastic resonance, which improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of weak sensory inputs through nonlinear relations between ongoing spontaneous activities and sensory-evoked activities. Prestimulus and tone-evoked activities were investigated via in vivo extracellular recording with a dense microelectrode array covering the entire auditory cortex in rats in both awake and anesthetized states. We found that tone-evoked activities increased supralinearly with the prestimulus activity level in the awake state and that the SNR of weak stimulus representation was optimized at an intermediate level of prestimulus ongoing activity. Furthermore, the temporally intermittent firing pattern, but not the trial-by-trial reliability or the fluctuation of local field potential, was identified as a relevant factor for SNR improvement. Since ongoing activity differs among neurons, hypothetical stochastic resonance or "sparse network stochastic resonance" might offer beneficial SNR improvement at the single-neuron level, which is compatible with the sparse representation in the sensory cortex.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollution and its sources in agricultural soils near Hongfeng Lake in the mining area of Guizhou Province, China.

Accelerated modern industrial processes, extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers and remaining issues of wastewater irrigation have led to an increasingly severe composite pollution of heavy metals in arable land. Soil contamination can cause significant damage to ecological environments and human health. Mineral resource mining can result in varying degrees of heavy metal pollution in surrounding water systems and soil. As a plateau lake, Hongfeng Lake has a fragile watershed ecosystem. Coupled with the rapid development of the current socio-economy and the ongoing activities of mining, urbanization and agricultural development, the water and soil environment of the lake and arable land are facing serious heavy metal pollution. Therefore, the situation warrants attention. This study focused on characterizing soil types and conducted sampling and laboratory testing on the farmland soil in Hongfeng Lake. The integrated Nemero comprehensive pollution assessment and potential ecological pollution assessment methods were used to evaluate the heavy metal pollution status. The APCS-MLR model was employed to explore the sources of heavy metal pollution. In addition, the human health risk model was used to analyze the association between heavy metal content in cultivated land and human health risks. The single-factor pollution of each element was ranked in descending order: Hg > As > Pb > Cr > Cd, with Hg being the main pollutant factor. The entire area was subjected to mild pollution according to the pollution index. Pollution source analysis indicated two main pollution sources. Hg, As, Pb and Cr pollution mainly resulted from Source 1 (industrial and natural activities), accounting for 71.99%, 51.57%, 67.39% and 68.36%, respectively. Cd pollution was mainly attributed to Source 2 (agricultural pollution source), contributing 84.12%. The health risk assessment model shows that heavy metals posed acceptable carcinogenic risks to humans rather than non-carcinogenic risks. As was the main non-carcinogenic risk factor, while Cr was the main carcinogenic risk factor, with higher risks in children than adults. Our study identified the heavy metal pollution in farmland soil in Hongfeng Lake, evaluated and analyzed the pollution sources and identified the heavy metal elements in cultivated lands that have the greatest impact on human health risks. The aim of this study is to provide a scientific basis for soil heavy metal pollution control.

Recent research on the status and advances of OLED

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) have already been a prominent display technology in various applications for many decades, ranging from smartphones and televisions to wearable devices and lighting. It is important to understand the current state of OLED research in order to assess its progress, identify challenges, and explore more potential ways for further development. In this paper, the significance and widespread adoption of OLED technology are briefly introduced, and its advantages over traditional display technologies are highlighted. The paper then provides a concise overview of the major components and working principles of OLEDs without delving into basic notions. The paper discusses both small molecule OLEDs (SMOLEDs) and polymer OLEDs (POLEDs), emphasizing their unique structure, characteristics and properties. Different strategies employed to enhance OLED performance is investigated, including the regulation of band gaps that influence the efficiency and brightness. This paper also focuses on the evaluation of device reliability and stability aspects. The techniques and materials employed in studies related to OLED development are also discussed with many searched experimental data and ongoing research activities. Furthermore, the research content covered the aspects of recent commercial advancements in OLED technology, such as Active matrix OLEDs (AMOLED) and Passive matrix (PMOLED). The review provides a guideline for researchers, industry professionals, and enthusiasts to better understand the OLED technology into its details, potential, and the areas that require further exploration.

Random Furrowing for a Stochastic Unit Commitment Solution

The Unit Commitment Problem involves the inherent difficulty of obtaining optimal combinatorial power generation schedules over a future short term period. The formulation of the generalized Unit Commitment Schedule formulation involves the specific combination of generation units at several de-rated capacities during each hour of the planning horizon, the load demand profile, load indeterminateness and several other operating constraints. This largely deterministic schedule continues to find favor with several plant operators, keeping in mind the close operating time-periods involved. However, the deterministic nature of the load profile is sought to be phased out by a stochastic pattern that is realistic and mirrors real-life situations, owing to modern trends in Demand side management. This shift is in tune with the ongoing power restructuring activities of electricity power reforms. The stochastic profile is obtained by a suitably tuned 2-parameter Weibull distribution that uses appropriate shape and scale parameters. The resulting band of generated load profiles are used to evaluate net power and penal costs associated with a set of pervasive randomized probability indices. The exact UCS comprises of a specific unit absolute state corresponding to a certain time period within the planning horizon. Subsequently, regression analysis is applied to establish the correlation between the absolute states and the cumulative randomized load demand against the intervals within the planning horizon. This method is analogous to random furrowing of probabilistic demand profile.

72 The AG2pi Vision for Resources in Agricultural Genomics and Phenomics: How Asas Can Contribute

Abstract To meet the challenges of an increasing global population and multiple environmental stressors on agricultural production, it is essential to better understand how genotype (G) and environment (E) influence phenotype for traits of economic importance in agriculture. To accomplish this requires interdisciplinary teams consisting of researchers from crop and livestock sciences, genetics, genomics, computational and data sciences, and engineering. Towards this end, in 2020, Congress established the Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI). An important objective of this presentation is to encourage strong participation of animal science researchers and industry in ongoing AG2PI activities. The purpose of the initial AG2PI project, awarded to Iowa State University and the Universities of Arizona, Idaho and Nebraska, was to assemble and prepare a community to conduct AG2P research across the plant and animal kingdoms. The AG2PI project aims to: a) identify research gaps and opportunities, b) foster community solutions to these challenges, and c) rapidly disseminate findings for community use. Training workshops, field days, conferences, community surveys, and seed grants have all contributed to these goals. Opinions and ideas from the crop and livestock genetics communities are key to advancing AG2P science and related work. AG2PI has used online community surveys and in-person conferences to gather these and to facilitate transdisciplinary communications. In September 2022, AG2PI held a conference titled “Thinking Big: Visualizing the Future of AG2PI”, in which attendees participated in focused small group discussions to identify which agricultural G2P-related topics are most critical for future R&D funding and which may be the most difficult to achieve. These discussions are summarized in a concept paper for the community, shared with USDA-NIFA, and submitted for publication. A follow-up conference was held June 14-15, 2023, in Kansas City, where people working in both the animal and plant genetics research communities and industry stakeholders attended. Outcomes from this conference will be summarized in this presentation, and requests for animal scientists to provide further input will be made. The future of agricultural genomics will be shaped by both the participants in AG2PI and the solutions developed by the AG2PI community. Funding for this work comes from USDA NIFA awards 2022-70412-38454, 2021-70412-35233, and 2020-70412-32615.

Degradation and damage analysis of composite pressure vessels via experimental modal analysis

For mobile gas storage systems, the application of type IV pressure vessels is state of the art. Type IV tanks consist of an inner polymer liner fully wrapped with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Because of the complex fabric of the FRP as well as a difficulty estimable interaction behaviour between the single components under load, there are still no satisfying non-destructive testing methods to assess the current state of failure nor to estimate the level of degradation accurately and economically. At BAM division 3.5, analysing the ageing process of mobile composite pressure vessels is a major task to ensure safe usage over the whole lifetime. In this context, key aspects of our ongoing research activities are the invention of new test procedures and the development of accurate lifetime prediction models. In order to determine the level of degradation or damage, one meaningful non-destructive approach is to analyse the structural dynamic behaviour via an experimental modal analysis (EMA). Over the last few years, different types and sizes of composite pressure vessels have been tested in several research projects. The presented paper gives an insight into how to extract and interpret modal parameters and how to fit them to the results of residual strength tests.

Do we have the right to call ourselves an inclusive university? Untold stories of queer students at a rural university in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Ruraqueer students constantly experience higher levels of victimization, and negative university experiences than their urban and suburban peers. Further, rural students have limited access to university resources while, queer events and workshops related to queer community, as well as university-based ongoing activities to support positive sexuality and gender identity development are scanty. This has been worsened by extant research written from an ‘outsider’ perspective lacking breadth and depth of experiences of queer students especially in rural universities from an African perspective. Anchored on a qualitative approach using purposive sampling, in depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study with eight under and postgraduate students who identified as queer. Emerging themes show how rurality intersects with actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics of queer students in university spaces. Findings challenge the homogenization of university residencies; non-inclusive LGBTQ curricular; university environment that remains homophobic and how traditional, cultural and societal norms contribute to queer students sense of belonging. Implications suggest inclusive teaching and learning and ongoing awareness programmes that acknowledge diversity and enhance visibility of students with intersecting marginalized identities.

Osobennosti deyatel'nosti oblastnogo suda i narodnyh sudov Kirovskoj oblasti v period Velikoj Otechestvennoj vojny i v pervye poslevoennye gody

The article analyzes the work of the judicial institutions of the Kirov region in 1941-1946, the statistical data on criminal cases considered by the regional court during the war years are given, as well as the qualitative indicators of the work of the people's courts of the Kirov region for this period are analyzed. In addition, the article examines the verification of the statements of the people's judge of the Kirov region O.P. Martynova, carried out in 1949, the memorandum of the head of the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the RSFSR in the Kirov region VYa. Oparin, the written explanation received from O.P. Martynova are analyzed. The research reflects the progress of the audit and its results, shows the attitude of various responsible persons to the ongoing activities.

Assessing the effectiveness of the state information policy of the Russian Federation in the field of increasing the level of trust in financial institutions: regional aspect

This article is dedicated to elaboration and testing of a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of state information policy in the field of increasing the level of public trust in financial institutions at the regional level. Based on the practice-oriented concept of state information policy in the field of increasing public confidence in financial institutions, the main theoretical principles and criteria were analyzed. A system of indicators to assess the effectiveness of this state information policy at the regional level was also presented. The conducted cluster and correlation analysis of the regions of the Central Federal District made it possible to rank them according to the level of socio-economic well-being, which allowed us to identify the Lipetsk, Ryazan and Moscow regions as objects for further testing of the elaborated methodology. In the proposed methodology, effectiveness assessment indicators were grouped into four blocks: 1) strategic planning and programming; 2) methodological and personnel support; 3) implementation of information policy; 4) effectiveness of government programs. The application of a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of state information policy measures in the field of increasing public confidence in financial institutions in the regions showed its average level in all three regions we selected. It was concluded that regions should more flexibly and effectively distribute their activities across all components and stages of the implementation of information policy, from planning (including long-term planning) for the implementation of these functions, to organizing monitoring of the effectiveness of ongoing activities.

Correlation challenges for North Sea offshore wind power: a Norwegian case study

Offshore wind power projects are currently booming around the North Sea. However, there are inherent correlation challenges between wind farms in this area, which has implications for the optimal composition of locations and the scale-up of installed capacities. This paper is aimed at addressing the correlation problem by minimizing the variance of total wind power accumulated around the North Sea. We show that this nonlinear convex optimization problem can be solved by applying the Augmented Lagrangian Algorithm (ALA). The premise of the study is that more interconnections between the EU countries will be prioritized in order to optimize and smooth out the wind power production patterns. A publicly available dataset with historical hour-by-hour data spanning over 20 years was used for the analysis. We explore two distinct scenarios for Norwegian offshore wind development. In the first scenario, we consider the ongoing activities on the European continental side of the North Sea and their implications for Norway. Here, we illustrate the advantages of focusing on expanding wind power capacity in the northern regions of Norway to enhance the overall value of the generated wind power. In contrast, the second reference scenario neglects these interconnections, resulting in a significantly greater concentration of offshore wind development in the southern parts of Norway, particularly in Sørlige Nordsjø II. Additionally, our work estimates the wind power correlation coefficient in the North Sea as a function of distance. Furthermore, we analyze deviations and intermittencies in North Sea wind power over various time intervals, emphasizing that the perceived integration challenges are highly dependent on the chosen time resolution in the analysis.

CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF VISUAL INNOVATION IN CHINA TIME-HONORED BRANDS: A CONCEPTUAL PAPER

China time-honored brands have been favored by consumers because of their unique cultural attributes. In the era of modern commerce, China has numerous time-honored brands. Yet, very few of them remain evergreen and thrive consistently over time. Therefore, it is very important to explore the innovative ways of China time-honored brands. After reviewed the research of China time-honored brands and existing literature on consumers' perception of brand visual innovation, this work obtained the function diagram of the visual innovation of brands perceived by consumers. This perception pertains to consumers' recognition of the visual imagery, craftsmanship, innovative services, and creativity of these brands, as well as the perception of whether there will be ongoing innovative activities and potential for innovation in the future. On this basis, combined with the characteristics of China time-honored brands, the theoretical model proposed in this paper can further develop the measurement of consumer perception of the visual innovation of China time-honored brands in the future, and carry out empirical research to provide theoretical support for the revitalization of China time-honored brands.

Plant growth forms influence sandhill longleaf pine regeneration

Longleaf pine researchers have quantified many aspects of regeneration, growth and yield, but have focused on productive sites such as pine flatwoods and upland pine. Sandhill longleaf pine woodlands represent >40 % of remnant stands of longleaf pine ecosystems; most have no history of agriculture due to poor site productivity, yet many have been degraded by resin collection, grazing and fire exclusion. Restoration of structure and function of sandhill longleaf pine depends on understanding early stand-development processes, which are governed by fire, propagule availability, and competition from a range of overstory tree species not limited to longleaf pine. We analyzed a 16-year monitoring dataset from Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida, USA, focusing on how four tree growth forms influenced longleaf pine juvenile stages of seedling and sapling numbers and ingrowth to the subadult size class. Analyses were done with generalized linear mixed models using Poisson, normal, or negative binomial error distributions according to the response variable.Restoration activities were effective at reducing numbers of sapling evergreen hardwoods, and basal area of overstory sand pine and other non-longleaf conifers was reduced by 35 % over the 16-year study. We observed threshold values for adult longleaf pine effects on seedlings and ingrowth; seedling numbers were maximized at 7.8 m2/ha, and ingrowth was maximum at 5.1 m2/ha. Seedling density was strongly governed by mast year. Sand pine, an invasive native pine, was detrimental to longleaf pine at all juvenile life stages even at low basal area. Deciduous oaks, which have been observed to facilitate longleaf pine seedling establishment, instead facilitated ingrowth to the subadult size class. Evergreen hardwoods, which may dampen fire behavior, only decreased longleaf pine density at the sapling stage. Ongoing silvicultural restoration activities should continue to focus on frequent fire and sand pine removal; deciduous oaks should be retained for their facilitative value; and removal of evergreen hardwoods should not be a high priority as long as prescribed fire can propagate in these lower productivity sites.

Impact of Climate Change and Human Activities to Runoff in the Du River Basin of the Qinling-Daba Mountains, China

The hydrological response to climate change and human activities plays a pivotal role in the field of water resource management within a given basin. This study was conducted with a primary focus on the Du River basin, aiming to assess and quantify the impacts of climate change and human activities on changes in runoff patterns. The study utilized the Budyko framework in conjunction with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to project future changes in runoff while also employing statistical tests like the Pettitt and Mann–Kendall tests to identify abrupt shifts and monotonic trends in the data. The results shows that (1) The analysis of runoff data spanning from 1960 to 2016 revealed a significant declining trend (p < 0.05) in annual runoff, with an abrupt change point identified in 1994. The multi-year average runoff depth was determined to be 495 mm. (2) According to the Budyko framework, human activities were found to be the dominant driver behind runoff changes, contributing significantly at 74.42%, with precipitation changes contributing 24.81%. (3) The results obtained through the SWAT model simulation indicate that human activities accounted for 61.76% of the observed runoff changes, whereas climate change played a significant but slightly smaller role, contributing 38.24% to these changes. (4) With constant climate conditions considered, the study predicted that runoff will continue to decrease from 2017 to 2030 due to the influence of ongoing and future human activities. However, this downward trend was found to be statistically insignificant (p > 0.1). These findings provide valuable insights into the quantitative contributions of climate change and human activities to runoff changes in the Du River basin. This information is crucial for decision-makers and water resource managers, as it equips them with the necessary knowledge to develop effective and sustainable strategies for water resource management within this basin.

Trends in the healthcare economy development within the framework of the ‘Healthcare’ National Project

Subject. The article addresses the Healthcare project and its goals, which occupies a special place among national projects. Objectives. The aim is to identify trends in the development of the healthcare economy as part of the Healthcare National Project. Methods. The methodology rests on systems and process approaches to the problem under study. We employed general scientific methods of logical analysis and synthesis. Results. The study presents the analysis of Healthcare National Project financing in the context of federal projects that comprise it. Special attention is given to the implementation of the Development of Children's Healthcare Federal Project, in particular, to the analysis of recorded diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, the proportion of disabled children in the total number of sick children. The findings will enable to draw attention to ongoing activities during the implementation of the Development of Children's Healthcare project, to improve the procedure for determining areas for funding. Conclusions. The analysis of major positions of the national project under study, detailed development of statistical indicators of one of classes of diseases makes it possible to revise the financing of directions within the national project. The findings may serve as analytical justification for reviewing the positions of the project and substantiating the development of optimal funding positions.

Performance test of REBCO CICC sub-cables with 10 kA current under 20 T background field

While commercially manufactured rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) tapes show significant promise in facilitating the operation of fusion magnets with magnetic fields above 15 T, the design and development of highly stable cable in conduit conductor (CICC) technology is very important to achieve their practical application. To find a good solution for this demand, the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, proposed two kinds of CICC design concepts, which are both manufactured from a sub-cable formed by winding REBCO tape around a stainless steel spiral tube. As part of the ongoing activities to develop an REBCO CICC, two sections of sub-cable specimens were manufactured and bent into a U-shape for testing under magnetic fields up to 20 T. A sub-cable specimen with 30 commercial 4 mm wide REBCO tapes displayed around 10 kA at 4.2 K and a background magnetic field of up to 20 T. It also showed stable operation under an electromagnetic (EM) load of around 200 kN m−1, which is above the 150 kN m−1 required by the designed CICC sub-cable. However, the calculated I c of the other specimen degraded from 8.8 kA to 8.5 kA when cycling with an EM load of around 160 kN m−1. The lower calculated n-value at 77 K and self-field as well as the observed imprints on the disassembled tape edges suggested that defects were generated in the cable during cabling, bending to the sample holder or operation with high EM and thermal loads. These results exhibit the potential and feasibility of using high flexible REBCO cable (HFRC) sub-cables for high-field fusion magnets. However, the winding parameters need to be optimized to ensure safe operation in more complex conditions, such as in tokamaks, especially if using tapes similar to those used in sample-B in this study. Moreover, it is imperative to establish much more rigorous requirements for coil manufacturing processes in order to avoid the occurrence of defects in the tapes.

Penerapaan Pembelajaran Kooperatif Teams Games Tournament untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar dan Aktivitas Siswa

Low student learning outcomes and activities are a manifestation of various problems that arise from ongoing learning activities. Learning outcomes in Mathematics learning are marked by a class average value of 78.18. The data shows that the value of 15 out of 18 (83.33%) has not been completed and 16.67% of students have reached KKM. The method used still uses lectures, a conservative paradigm, where the teacher imparts knowledge to students passively where learning is more centered on the teacher. Students tend to be passive, low absorption, boredom, lack of student enthusiasm, and distraction in class. Based on these problems, the authors made an effort to increase student learning outcomes and activities in mathematics class VIII-B Marsudi Siwi Malang Catholic Middle School for the 2022/2023 academic year as many as 18 students using the Cooperative method of the Teams Games Tournament (TGT) type. This research is Classroom Action Research (PTK), the researcher acts as an educator and the subject educator as an observer. Based on the results of the analysis of the research, it can be seen that with the application of the Teams Games Tournament (TGT) method, there is an increase in learning outcomes in class VIII-B students of Marsudisiwi Catholic Middle School Malang for the 2022/2023 academic year. The completeness of student learning outcomes in the first cycle was 66.7%, and in the second cycle was 94.4%. This increase is the implication of increasing student learning activities. Educators feel satisfied and proud of the implementation of the Teams Games Tournament (TGT) method, and students feel very happy and enthusiastic in participating in learning. Researchers suggest that teachers should always try to improve student learning outcomes in each process of learning mathematics using innovative learning models, one of which is the TGT (Teams Games Tournament) learning model, and students are expected to pay more attention to lessons and actively participate in learning mathematics in class and be able to improve learning outcomes.

Long-COVID in Italy: a country perspective

Abstract Introduction In 2021 the Italian Ministry of Health, recognizing the need to improve knowledge and standardise the approach to Long-COVID nationwide, funded a project, led by the Italian National Institute of Health, with the following objectives: 1) to define the magnitude and impact of Long-COVID; 2) to identify and assess Long-COVID services nationwide; 3) to define Good Clinical Practices for the management of Long-COVID. Methods For objective 1, data of 3 Regions (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Tuscany and Apulia), covering a population of about 9 million people, were analysed, comparing service utilization in patients with previous COVID-19 over six months (from end of acute phase) and in controls matched for age, gender and comorbidities. For objective 2, a national survey was performed to map and characterize Long-COVID care services. For objective 3, an expert panel was appointed to produce good practice recommendations. Results In objective 1, COVID-19 was associated with higher rates of specialist visits (Incidence Rate Ratio, IRR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.65-2.13), hospitalizations (IRR 1.98, 95% CI 1.66-2.36), and instrumental diagnostic procedures (IRR 2.70, 95% CI 2.28-3.19) in the 6 months after acute infection. This association was stronger in individuals with infection causing hospital and/or ICU admission. For objective 2, 124 Long-COVID care centres were identified nationwide, with a high heterogeneity in services provision and organization. For objective 3, the panel issued National Good Practice Recommendations for Long-COVID, with 17 statements that provide key principles on services organization and patient management. Conclusions Results of this project can be used nationally to put in place appropriate measures targeting Long-COVID. Additional ongoing activities include the implementation of a surveillance system for Long-COVID and the development of activities aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge of citizens and health professionals about Long-COVID.

Challenges simulating the AMOC in climate models.

The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was very likely to decline over the twenty-first century under all emissions scenarios; however, there was low confidence in the magnitude of the decline. Recent research has highlighted that model biases in the mean climate state can affect the AMOC in its mean state, variability and its response to climate change. Hence, understanding and reducing these model biases is critical for reducing uncertainty in the future changes of the AMOC and in its impacts on the wider climate. We discuss how model biases, in particular salinity biases, influence the AMOC and deep convection. We then focus on biases in the UK HadGEM3-GC3-1 climate model and how these biases change with resolution. We also discuss ongoing model development activities that affect these biases, and highlight priorities for improved representation of processes, such as the position of the North Atlantic Current, transports in narrow boundary current, resolution (or improved parameterization) of eddies and spurious numerical mixing in overflows. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Atlantic overturning: new observations and challenges'.

The dynamic challenges of mainstreaming water sensitive cities in our built environment: Lessons from Australia

Stormwater has been acknowledged as a major concern in cities because of mismanagement of this resource. It has also been underestimated as a resource in climate change actions and policies. Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is considered as an effective adaptation measure to address these issues while providing many co-benefits. This paper reports the challenges of implementing WSUD in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 57 experts in Australia. The experts are involved in design, research, engineering, and planning policy in both public and private sectors. The qualitative analysis of the interviews involved thematic and content analysis through NVivo12. Analysis of the responses indicated six main challenges including financial, innovation and evaluation tools, capacity, institutional arrangements, and policy. The experts believe that a lack of standardized design and implementation can be addressed through collaborative design processes. They suggest a robust structure of approval process and establishing clarity of roles and responsibilities in all sectors. All respondents confirm the critical role of monitoring and maintenance in these projects. It is suggested that allocating recurrent funding for these ongoing activities from the beginning and setting incentives to engage communities and local councils in maintaining the projects can be helpful.

An evaluation of the flip flop approach to combating terrorism and religious extremism in Nigeria from 2015-2022

The fundamental responsibility of government is to secure citizens life and properties. The ongoing terrorist activities and religious extremism in Nigeria is yet to receive the required attention from the government. In light of the growing influence of terrorism and religious extremism in Nigeria, the study adopted the relative deprivation theory, to explain possible causes of terrorism and the recruitment of terrorists. The paper examines the ideological variations among the terrorist groups, using the quantitative textual analysis of secondary data to evaluate and scrutinize the flip flop approach of the Nigeria government from 2015 to 2022 in combating terrorism and religious extremism in the country. Despite the response by government, insecurity, terrorism and religious extremism have not been defeated due to lack of political will and the inability of government to make good laws to sanction offenders, thus, endemic poverty encourages the spread of terrorism and religious extremism. The study recommend among others, the need for government to properly police the borders, religious or tribal nepotism should not be condoled and not until systematic corruption, bad governance, inter religious and ethnic rivalry aimed at the control of state apparatus for economic and political selfish gains are seriously addressed and curtailed. The paper suggests that acute poverty and relative deprivation are precursor to the serial insecurity and terrorism that Nigeria is facing today.