Local Perspective Research Articles

The Working of Hard Animal Tissues in Eastern and Central Europe During the Last Glacial Maximum—Current Knowledge and Perspectives

The climatically unfavourable period of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ca. 26–19 ka cal bp) is held responsible for a severe demographic crisis of hunter–gatherer populations, their retreat to a few refugial areas, the disruption of wide-ranging networks, and a considerable loss of cultural complexity in Eastern and Central Europe. The latitudes above 50°N appear to have been completely depopulated. Recent research has demonstrated a continuous occupation of the Carpathian Basin and the East Carpathian region during the LGM on one hand, and an ephemeral human presence in the Middle Danube, the Middle Rhine, and the Swiss Plateau on the other. The western part of the East European Plain, in particular the East Carpathians, is known for several large, Early Epigravettian open-air sites with well-preserved artefacts of antler, bone, and mammoth ivory. For Central Europe, the assemblage from Kammern-Grubgraben in Lower Austria is of pivotal importance. As osseous industries have shown to be an essential component of Upper Palaeolithic material culture, it is the aim of this contribution to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on the processing of hard animal tissues in Eastern and Central Europe during the LGM. Starting out with a reevaluation of one of the largest and most diverse assemblages from the site of Cosăuţi in the Republic of Moldova (ca. 23–19 ka cal bp), contemporary assemblages from the area between the Bug River in the east and the Rhine in the west are presented, discussed and compared with the situation in Western Europe. Based on that, it can be asked what information osseous industries can provide about the development of technological traditions and dissemination of concepts during the LGM from a local and supraregional perspective.

Local perspectives on gully erosion: a comparative study of farmers and non-farmers in the Chotanagpur plateau fringe, West Bengal

Local perspectives on gully erosion: a comparative study of farmers and non-farmers in the Chotanagpur plateau fringe, West Bengal

International Media Analysis: Critical Analysis Comparing News Reports in Listed West/South Digital Media

This paper delves into the narrative perspectives of Western and Southern media in news reporting on four themes: war, culture, politics, and Olympic sports. The study reveals that Western media (such as BBC and CNN) tend to adopt narratives that align with the Global News Flow theory and the framework of cultural imperialism, emphasizing individual suffering, the consequences of political and military actions, and the global influence of Western values and innovations. In contrast, Southern media (such as CGTN, Al Jazeera, and WION) actively challenge the dominance of Western mainstream narratives by focusing on local perspectives and realities, employing de-Westernized news narratives. They seek to alter the narrative structure of international news and highlight the development achievements and contributions of Southern countries in culture, sports, and other fields. These counter-narratives align with post-colonial journalism theory, offering potential pathways for Southern countries to gain more voice and challenge Western hegemony in the international news domain. This study contributes to uncovering power dynamics in global news reporting and provides insights for addressing cultural hegemony.

Sustainable livelihood development and cultural preservation through agricultural tourism: local community perspectives from Dak Lak province, Vietnam

This study conducted in collaboration with the local community focused on sustainable agricultural tourism development in Dak Lak, Vietnam. Using a qualitative research method, we conducted in-depth interviews with 29 households and agricultural cooperatives, combined with case studies. The results showed that agricultural tourism, a product of our joint efforts, played a significant role in diversifying livelihood sources and contributing to the preservation of ethnic and cultural identity. However, the sustainable development of this sector was hindered by limitations in infrastructure, lack of investment and uneven management capacity. Based on these findings, we propose specific policies and solutions to promote sustainable agricultural tourism development and support rural communities in the context of economic transition.

Reception of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Works Among Chinese Readers

Existing research on the reception of Fyodor Dostoevsky's works in China primarily focuses on the academic reception history, with limited attention paid to ordinary readers on the internet. This study employs the qualitative analysis software NVivo 12 to analyze comments from ordinary readers on Douban. By integrating Stanley Fish's reader-response criticism and Stuart Hall's reception theory, the study identifies three distinct reader reception models and analyzes their influencing factors. Faithful fans, influenced by the Russian classical literature horizon of expectations, offer highly positive evaluations. Rational evaluators exhibit a complex attitude of both criticism and appreciation, driven by their rational stance and cultural aesthetic differences. Critics, encounter frustration in their expectations due to conflicts between their local aesthetic perspectives and the works. This study broadens the scope of audience in the reception research of Dostoevsky's works in China, revealing the diversity and complexity of ordinary readers' reception, and provides important insights for cross-cultural reader studies.

Soil ecosystem services valuation in a priority terrestrial region for biodiversity conservation in Mexico, from ecological economics and the local community perspective

Soils, often perceived as merely the surface layer of Earth, play a crucial role as the foundation for terrestrial life and are deeply integrated into the worldviews, livelihoods and cultural practices of communities in Mexico. Mexican soils and the ecosystem services that provide are essential for food security and ecological resilience, especially amidst environmental challenges like climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss. Their conservation, restoration and sustainable management are essential to maintain the country's natural environment and to ensure the integral wellbeing of its inhabitants. This study evaluates the ecosystem services provided by soils in a priority area for biodiversity conservation in Mexico, adopting an approach that merges ecological economics perspectives with local community views. By understanding how residents of this region value their soils, this research highlights the ecological and economical significance of soils and their intrinsic cultural and social value within communities that have coexisted with these ecosystems for generations.

Four analysis moments for fuzzy cognitive mapping in participatory research

ABSTRACT Fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) is a practical tool in participatory research. Its main use is clarifying causal understandings from several knowledge sources. It provides a shared substrate or language for sharing views of causality. This makes it easier for different interest groups to agree what to do next. Each map is a collection of causal relationships with three elements: factors (cause and outcome), arrows linking factors, and weights indicating the perceived influence of each cause on its outcome. Stakeholder maps are soft models of how they see causes of an outcome, such as access to services or systemic racism. Based on a standardized FCM protocol, we present four moments in FCM analysis. (1) Agree shared meaning across maps. (2) Calculate the maximum influence of perceived causes. (3) Simplify the maps for communication. (4) Identify priorities for action. We provide explanations of the four moments in FCM analysis, with examples from five countries. FCM offers a practical means to guide health action. It incorporates local perspectives with transparent and traceable procedures.

Deciphering the nonlinear and synergistic role of building energy variables in shaping carbon emissions: A LightGBM- SHAP framework in office buildings

As the global demand for sustainable buildings continues to rise, accurately assessing and managing carbon emissions during the operational phase of buildings has become an urgent challenge. This study employs machine learning and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) to explore the impact and synergistic effects of energy variables on carbon emissions in office building operations. Initially, energy consumption data from 28 office buildings in China were collected to construct a dataset comprising 24 energy indicators across four dimensions. The Lightweight Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) models were used to predict building carbon emission, PV carbon offset, and net carbon emission based on different energy parameters. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was utilized to interpret the model results from both global and local perspectives. The study results indicate that: (1) The LightGBM model, optimized with GridSearchCV, shows better stability and reliability in predicting carbon emissions. (2) SHAP bar plots和SHAP beeswarm plots reveal that the WWR in the ES dimension and the PVArea in the EP dimension are the most critical variables affecting building carbon emission and PV carbon offset. (3) SHAP dependence plots show that the contributions of energy variables are not independent, with differentiated synergistic effects among variables in emission reduction. (4) SHAP force plots consider interactions among multiple variables, identifying key variable ranges to minimize building carbon emission and maximize PV carbon offset.

Changes in soil conservation service supply-demand coordinations and their influencing factors: Evidence from the Loess Plateau of China

Soil conservation service (SCS) is crucial for the regulation of fragile ecosystems. As the Loess Plateau is a typically erosion-threatened region, determining the spatial matching pattern and drivers of SCS supply (soil conservation) and demand (soil erosion) is essential for sustainable development and effective resource management. This study innovatively proposed the coupling coordination framework between SCS supply and demand to assess the current state and clarify the subsequent regulation direction. First, the RUSLE model was employed to evaluate the SCS supply and demand from 1990 to 2020 and acquire the ecological supply-demand ratio (ESDR). Then, the SCS supply-demand coordination relationship was spatially quantified by utilizing the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and a function fitting was performed between ESDR and CCD. Using the geo-detector model, the Getis-Ord Gi⁎ method, and the local Moran's I index, the influences of natural, engineering, and socio-economic factors on the SCS supply-demand coordination were explored from global and local perspectives. The results showed that: (1) the annual average supply of SCS increased by 64.93 % in 1990–2020; the average demand decreased by 52.43 %; the average ESDR increased by 28.06 %; supply surplus was the predominant feature, more conspicuously in the central and eastern regions; (2) the highest supply-demand CCD was captured in the central and eastern regions, showing “Moderate balance” and “High balance” respectively, and its area increased by 27 % in 30 years; the lowest CCD regions were mainly in the northwest and their area shrank; (3) enhancing the supply of SCS and reducing demand facilitated the coordination of the supply-demand relationship, and the threshold for the supply-demand coordination state decreased over time; (4) climate, topography and soil properties dominated the spatially non-stationary change of the SCS supply-demand pattern, followed by engineering measures such as afforestation and terraces, and finally socio-economic factors. This study offers support for cross-regional soil erosion management and natural ecosystem restoration on the Loess Plateau.

Optimization of Shift Learning System: Its Impact on History Subject Students in Grade XI

Purpose of the study: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the shift learning system on the learning outcomes, motivation, and understanding of history subject students in Grade XI at State Senior High School 6, Bengkulu City. Methodology: This study used a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Data were collected through structured and unstructured interviews, observations, and document reviews. Tools included notebooks, audio recorders, and cameras for documentation. The data analysis followed a four-step process: data collection, reduction, presentation, and verification. No specific software was mentioned for data processing. Main Findings: The shift learning system improves teacher-student interactions and creates a more focused learning environment. Students report better comprehension in smaller classes, while teachers find class management easier. However, challenges include increased teacher workload, uneven understanding due to shorter sessions, and difficulty for some students in adapting to independent tasks. Lecture methods remain effective but may cause boredom among students. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study uniquely explores the specific impact of the shift learning system on history education for Grade XI students in Bengkulu City, focusing on teacher-student interactions, learning outcomes, and material comprehension. It provides new insights into adapting teaching methods in resource-limited settings and offers a local perspective that can guide similar educational policies elsewhere.

Perspectives on Public Health Department Accreditation: Lessons Learned From Ohio's Accreditation Mandate.

Ohio is the only state that requires local health departments (LHDs) to be accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). As of May 2024, 80% of Ohio's 111 LHDs achieved accreditation, making Ohio the state with the highest proportion of accredited LHDs in the country. This study examined the experience of public health accreditation in Ohio including the perceived value of PHAB accreditation for LHDs. It also explored the extent to which perspectives on the value of mandatory accreditation differed between state and local health officials. Data for this study was obtained from 5 focus group interviews with 41 participants, representing state and local perspectives on PHAB accreditation in Ohio. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using inductive and deductive coding for a thematic analysis. Focus group participants outlined numerous advantages that accreditation has brought to their organizations. Commonly cited benefits include enhancements in quality improvement and performance management, strengthened collaborations and partnerships, improved communications, and optimized resource use. Challenges in achieving accreditation involved the financial expenses associated with the process and constraints on staffing resources. State officials generally expressed positive views on the accreditation mandate, perceiving it as a pathway to modernize the public health system and ensure consistency in service delivery across communities. In contrast, local stakeholders offered more nuanced perspectives and voiced concerns about the intentions behind the mandate. The experience of health officials in Ohio offers lessons for both PHAB and officials in other states working to increase public health department accreditation levels. Successful implementation of accreditation mandates requires trust between state and local partners, open communication, and clarity of purpose. Moreover, attaining accreditation necessitates substantial resources, including technical assistance, financial support, and a robust workforce.

Habitability for a connected, unequal and changing world

As global climate change intensifies, the question of what makes a place habitable or uninhabitable is critical, particularly in the context of a potential future climate outside the realm of lived experience, and the possible concurrent redistribution of populations partly associated with such climatic shifts. The concept of habitability holds the potential for advancing the understanding of the societal consequences of climate change, as well as for integrating systemic understandings and rights-based approaches. However, most ways of analyzing habitability have shortcomings in terms of in-depth integration of socio-cultural aspects and human agency in shaping habitability, in failing to address spatial inequalities and power dynamics, and in an underemphasis of the connectedness of places. Here we elaborate habitability as an emergent property of the relations between people and a given place that results from people’s interactions with the material and immaterial properties of a place. From this, we identify four axes that are necessary to go beyond environmental changes, and to encompass socio-cultural, economic, and political dynamics: First the processes that influence habitability require a systemic approach, viewing habitability as an outcome of ecological, economic, and political processes. Second, the role of socio-cultural dimensions of habitability requires special consideration, given their own operational logics and functioning of social systems. Third, habitability is not the same for everyone, thus a comprehensive understanding of habitability requires an intersectionally differentiated view on social inequalities. Forth, the influence of external factors necessitates a spatially relational perspective on places in the context of their connections to distant places across scales. We identify key principles that should guide an equitable and responsible research agenda on habitability. Analysis should be based on disciplinary and methodological pluralism and the inclusion of local perspectives. Habitability action should integrate local perspectives with measures that go beyond purely subjective assessments. And habitability should consider the role of powerful actors, while staying engaged with ethical questions of who defines and enacts the future of any given place.

A Dual-Branch Residual Network with Attention Mechanisms for Enhanced Classification of Vaginal Lesions in Colposcopic Images

Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN), linked to HPV infection, is a condition that is often overlooked during colposcopy, especially in the vaginal vault area, as clinicians tend to focus more on cervical lesions. This oversight can lead to missed or delayed diagnosis and treatment for patients with VAIN. Timely and accurate classification of VAIN plays a crucial role in the evaluation of vaginal lesions and the formulation of effective diagnostic approaches. The challenge is the high similarity between different classes and the low variability in the same class in colposcopic images, which can affect the accuracy, precision, and recall rates, depending on the image quality and the clinician’s experience. In this study, a dual-branch lesion-aware residual network (DLRNet), designed for small medical sample sizes, is introduced, which classifies vaginal lesions by examining the relationship between cervical and vaginal lesions. The DLRNet model includes four main components: a lesion localization module, a dual-branch classification module, an attention-guidance module, and a pretrained network module. The dual-branch classification module combines the original images with segmentation maps obtained from the lesion localization module using a pretrained ResNet network to fine-tune parameters at different levels, explore lesion-specific features from both global and local perspectives, and facilitate layered interactions. The feature guidance module focuses the local branch network on vaginal-specific features by using spatial and channel attention mechanisms. The final integration involves a shared feature extraction module and independent fully connected layers, which represent and merge the dual-branch inputs. The weighted fusion method effectively integrates multiple inputs, enhancing the discriminative and generalization capabilities of the model. Classification experiments on 1142 collected colposcopic images demonstrate that this method raises the existing classification levels, achieving the classification of VAIN into three lesion grades, thus providing a valuable tool for the early screening of vaginal diseases.

Exploring System Context Contributing to Emerging REDD+ Collaborative Governance Regime in Ghana: Stakeholders Perceptions at the National Level.

Since its emergence in 2007, the global mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) has raised hopes of providing cost-effective solutions to climate change. However, the design and implementation of REDD+ projects in many developing countries, including Ghana, have faced complex governance challenges. In recent years, a collaborative governance approach has been increasingly recommended for effective REDD+ implementation, but the impact of the dynamics of developing countries' context on collaboration success remains unclear. Using Ghana's Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP) as a case study, this paper aims to increase our understanding of how the dynamics of developing countries' context affect the drivers shaping the initiation of REDD+ collaborative regimes for transforming cocoa forest landscapes. Through qualitative content analysis of document reviews and semi-structured interviews with national program stakeholder groups, the results indicate that Ghana's dynamic context facilitates collaboration on REDD+ implementation when stakeholders feel uncertain about the future availability of forest resources and recognize their interdependence in responding to such issues. Additionally, the findings of the study indicate that strong political will for change, along with strategic windows of opportunity created by REDD+ funding mechanisms, play a vital role in shaping consequential incentives essential for aligning stakeholder interests and fostering cross-sector leadership for initiating the REDD+ collaborative governance regime. While the applicability and limitations of the IFCG framework are discussed, further in-depth studies at project levels are crucial to understanding local stakeholders' perspectives on the key elements necessary for successful collaboration.

Sculpting stories: methods to unsettle knowledge production in disasters

PurposeThis study examines the application of arts-based research (ABR) methods in producing knowledge about the lived experiences of disasters, particularly focusing on the effects of flooding in an informal settlement in South Africa. It emphasizes the use of playdough sculpting as a tool for storytelling, aiming to address and reduce power imbalances between local participants and external researchers.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a qualitative approach, using playdough sculpting workshops conducted in the Quarry Road West informal settlement in Durban. These workshops were designed to capture the personal stories of individuals affected by the 2022 Durban floods. Data were collected through participant observation, photography and interviews, and were analyzed using a thematic framework to identify recurring patterns in the participants’ disaster experiences.FindingsThe research demonstrates that ABR methods, particularly playdough sculpting, effectively foster participatory engagement in disaster research. This method provided a platform for participants to describe their embodied experiences of the floods, addressing uneven epistemological power dynamics. It also highlighted the potential of ABR in facilitating the decolonization of disaster research by centering local narratives.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into the potential of ABR as a creative methodology in disaster research. It highlights how ABR can complement traditional research approaches by incorporating local perspectives and fostering more inclusive knowledge production in the context of disasters. The study also presents a ten-step guideline for applying playdough sculpting across various disciplines.

Addressing the Separatist Movement in Eastern Nigeria: Intelligence-Driven Approaches to Mitigating Civil Unrest and Promoting National Unity

The separatist movement in Eastern Nigeria advocating for the creation of the state of Biafra, remains one of the serious challenges to national stability, unity, and security within the region and Nigeria. The movements have sparked off civil unrest, violent clashes, and socio-political tensions, thus intensifying the set of accrued and unattended grievances in the region and aspersions on the sovereignty of Nigeria. The research explores intelligence-driven strategies as a veritable way of stemming the increasing civil unrest and fostering national unity. This study makes use of a doctrinal research approach in looking at intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational tactics as it pertains to the combatted separatist activity in seeking methods through which these tools might better control a conflict and prevent violence while setting up a dialogue process between the government and the separatist factions. The research also examines how local perspectives can be factored into socio-economic factors within the intelligence framework for lasting peace. It draws on case studies of successful intelligence-based interventions both within and outside Africa, drawing important lessons for Nigeria’s current efforts to confront secessionist challenges. This research proposes a strategic and non-military approach where security imperatives will be balanced with inclusive national policies for consolidating unity in Nigeria and promoting long-term peace in Eastern Nigeria. Keywords: Separatist movement, Biafra, Sovereignty, Eastern Nigeria

Stochastic Normal Orientation for Point Clouds

We propose a simple yet effective method to orient normals for point clouds. Central to our approach is a novel optimization objective function defined from global and local perspectives. Globally, we introduce a signed uncertainty function that distinguishes the inside and outside of the underlying surface. Moreover, benefiting from the statistics of our global term, we present a local orientation term instead of a global one. The optimization problem can be solved by the commonly used numerical optimization solver, such as L-BFGS. The capability and feasibility of our approach are demonstrated over various complex point clouds. We achieve higher practical robustness and normal quality than the state-of-the-art methods.

Using the grounded theory to develop the theoretical model of Chinese school sports coaching competence

BackgroundSchool sports coaching is gaining recognition as a formal profession worldwide, highlighting its significant role in students’ holistic development. Given the complex social and cultural dimensions of the role, this study explores a coaching competence model tailored to the school context, emphasizing the need to consider both national and local frameworks to ensure effective implementation. In China, school sport coaches are responsible for both physical education teaching and sports training across all types of schools. Within the integration of sports and education, school sport coaches can expand their impact not only on student-athletes or athletes but also on general students in practice. Compared with physical education teachers’ perspectives, sports coaches’ competence development has rarely been studied. This study aims to develop a sustainable Chinese school sports coaching competence model.MethodsThe qualitative data were gathered mainly through semi-structured interviews. School sports coaches and related stakeholders (N = 22) were selected as participants using purposive sampling techniques. Grounded theory was employed to analyse the data via NVivo 11.0 software.ResultsThe school sports coaching competence model comprises three categories consisting of 15 sub-categories, 92 concepts, and 317 labels. These categories are as follows: (a) Perception of identity, encompassing role of the coach, reflection on students, and understanding of policies; (b) Code of ethics, which includes sports virtues, sports-humanistic spirit, and principles of movement science; (c) Coaching excellence, comprising lifestyle and fitness strength, local sports development, teacher-coach partnership, leadership in extracurricular activities, safety and injury protection, athlete selection and training, instruction and demonstration, coaching reflective practice, and athlete-coach rapport.ConclusionChinese school sport coaching competence model emphasizes the integration of sports and education for student development. It provides both local and national perspectives to enhance the professional development of school sports coaches’ community worldwide.

Interplay of correlations and Majorana mode from local solution perspective

We study the quasiparticle spectrum of a hybrid system, comprising a correlated (Anderson-type) quantum dot coupled to a topological superconducting nanowire hosting the Majorana boundary modes. From the exact solution of the low-energy effective Hamiltonian, we uncover a subtle interplay between Coulomb repulsion and the Majorana mode. Our analytical expressions show that the spectral weight of the leaking Majorana mode is sensitive to both the quantum dot energy level and the repulsive potential. We compare our results with estimations by [L.S. Ricco et al. Phys. Rev. B 99, 155159 (2019)] obtained for the same hybrid structure using the Hubbard-type decoupling scheme, and analytically quantify the spectral weight of the zero-energy (topological) mode coexisting with the finite-energy (trivial) states of the quantum dot. We also show that empirical verification of these spectral weights could be feasible through spin-polarized Andreev spectroscopy.

Exploring the compositional effect of eco-friendly ultra-high performance concrete on dynamic strength based on stacking algorithm and explainable artificial intelligence

This study proposes a two-layer fusion model (stacking-CARF) to predict the dynamic compressive strength of eco-friendly ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Before building the prediction model, a well-balanced UHPC dynamic compression dataset is created using the anomaly detection algorithm. Subsequently, it is experimentally determined that the stacking-CARF model consisting of categorical boosting, random forest and linear regression outperforms other prominent ensemble learning and stacked models, and can be used as a robust strength prediction tool. Moreover, Explainable Artificial Intelligence is utilized to elucidate the intricate relationship between material proportions and dynamic compressive strength from both global and local perspectives, offering insights challenging to quantify using traditional methods. In particular, the interaction analysis affirms the role of reasonable replacement ratios between cement and supplementary cementitious materials in enhancing sustainability and cleaner production practices. Finally, a Python-based graphical user interface is developed to facilitate the implementation of the stacking-CARF model in engineering applications.