Prominent Aspects Research Articles

Twenty Years of Socio-Economic Research on Organic Agriculture Across the World: Looking at the Past to Be Ready for the Future

The world organic sector has evolved in a rapid way over the last few decades, driven by consumer interest, producer and retailer strategies, as well as by the evolving normative context. This growth has stimulated an increase in academic research, particularly in socio-economic research. The present work aims to understand the evolution of organic socio-economic research in terms of the research themes covered within this field, their relative importance, and how this importance has changed over time. The implementation of a structural topic model on scientific abstracts from the last 20 years allowed us to identify three broad areas of interest for organic socio-economic researchers: consumers, production, and society. The relevance of these strands varies in different areas of the world, mostly aligning with the prominent aspects of local organic sectors. This signals a good integration of organic socio-economic research within local contexts, with the possible development of place-based skills to be exploited within the global debate on organic agriculture. Overall, a reasonably strong imbalance emerges, with consumer-focused studies being more prominent than production-focused ones, especially those investigating producers’ economic results. The latter seems to call for renewed attention on and analysis of the organic sector, assisted by robust evidence on both ends of the organic supply chain.

Linguistic Features and Foregrounding Aspects in Dylan Thomas’ “We Lying by Seasand”

The main difficulty in understanding Thomas’ poetry is his diction and style, which the reader usually relies on to comprehend his poems. It would be difficult to go through character, activity, situation, or anything else unless the reader is able to grasp their sense. Thomas wrote many great poems. The selected poem is among these difficult and great poems. An obvious way to remove these obstacles is to depend on the use of linguistic features and the foregrounding theory of stylistics to explicate his poem. For this purpose, the present study is also supplemented by the checklist of Leech and Short (2007) to identify, describe, and evaluate the linguistic categories of the poem while making use of literary interpretations. As a result, the study is based on a qualitative descriptive analysis, which is used first to investigate the specific types of parallelism and deviations in the poem, then through describing and evaluating them the study shows how these prominent features help understanding and highlighting the themes and meaning behind the words. The study finds out that being able to identify and relate the prominent linguistic aspects supports the reader’s explications of this poem.

The Jurassic Park and Ata Modo in Eastern Indonesia

Famous for its distinctive Komodo dragons (Varanus Komodoensis) and features home to underwater ecosystems, the Komodo National Park (KNP) has become a prominent and favorite destination of visitors locally and globally in recent years. Situated in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, KNP has three prime islands: Rinca, Komodo, and Padar. The infrastructure development in KNP formulated in 2020 by the central government of Indonesia, including establishing offices, photograph areas, clinics, warehouses, public spaces, and tour guides' offices, raises controversy about this decision. While the government of Indonesia persuaded citizens that this erection was a conservation effort for protection, preservation, and utilization, UNESCO refused this plan by enacting a refusal document and assessing whether the development could affect the property's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) before the review of the relevant environmental impact analysis by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additionally, the local people argue this plan will threaten the giant lizard's habitat regarding the entry of heavy equipment and disadvantage local tourism actors. Using a systematic literature review method, this piece collects and discovers a different concept in the issue of infrastructure development in KNP instead of another scholar's perspective. Walpole and Goodwin (2000) find that economics and facilities are the prominent aspects of tourism, while UNESCO considers the environment in development. In contrast to popular belief, this paper indicates a significant role of local people, known as Ata Modo, in the KNP establishment. This paper's findings propose that Ata Modo, as local people/tribes in KNP, should not be relocated from their area and instead be involved in the decision-making process. The bottom-up approach can be executed as a practice in a democratic process. From the fiscal approach, this development will positively impact local people's economy through collaboration and stakeholder participation.

Rudolf Eucken and the crisis of spiritual life

ABSTRACT The paper clarifies some prominent aspects of Rudolf Eucken’s Philosophy of Life that, despite its vast influence in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, is nowadays mostly forgotten. More specifically, I will reconstruct Eucken’s philosophical diagnosis of the spiritual crisis affecting European and Western civilization in relation to the concepts of culture, history, and worldview. First, I will offer an analysis of the spiritual crisis in its two core aspects: as a crisis of culture and as a crisis of the historical present stemming from the unprecedented polarization of vying worldviews. Second, I will identify the defining traits of Eucken’s original and systematic concept of Weltanschauung through a detailed comparison with Ernst Haeckel’s naturalistic worldview, an early version of scientific reductionism. Third, I will show how the problem of clashing worldviews both configures and responds to the present crisis and how such a problem hinges on a latent process of falsification of life. In doing so, I will shed light on Eucken’s belonging to Lebensphilosophie by elucidating the relation between philosophy and life as well as the task of philosophy vis-à-vis the present crisis.

Integrating Deficit Irrigation Strategies and Soil-Management Systems in Almond Orchards for Resilient Agriculture

This work was conducted over three-year monitoring seasons of three almond cultivars (Guara, Marta, and Lauranne) subjected to deficit irrigation in combination with cover crops in a Mediterranean semiarid area (SW, Spain). Four water–soil treatments were evaluated based on the conjunction of two irrigation strategies: fully irrigated (FI), covering 100% of the ETC, and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), with two soil-management systems: bare soil (BS) and cover crop based on a mixture of vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) (CC). Throughout the study period in trees, the yield, the stem water potential (Ψstem), leaf nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu) in soils, organic carbon, microbial biomass, fluoresceine diacetate, and enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, protease, β-glucosidase, and alkaline phosphatase) were determined. In addition, the dry matter and carbon fixation by plant covers were evaluated. For Guara and Lauranne, yield reductions (22 and 26%, respectively) were found for water-stressed (RDI-CC) plots with respect to non-stressed combination (FI-CC) plots, contrasting with cv. Marta, without a significant impact on productivity in all combinations. That is, the RDI (~3.000 m3 ha−1) strategy enabled acceptable productivity, offering promising possibilities for cultivation performance under water-scarcity scenarios. Important differences in Ψstem could be observed and ascribed to irrigation strategies, especially for Guara and Lauranne, but without significant effects due to the soil-management systems applied. No differences were observed in the tree nutritional status due to the presence or absence of CC; however, its presence increased the fixation of atmospheric carbon, which was not the case under BS conditions. Additionally, CC significantly fostered the microbial processes and enzymatic activities, particularly in upper soil layers (0–10 cm) and with plenty of water supply in FI-CC plots and to a lesser extent in RDI-CC plots, which could encourage prominent aspects for soil quality and health restoration. Thus, the cover crop is congruent with RDI to facilitate soil functionality and water savings in a changing climate, contributing to resilient farming systems in the Mediterranean environment.

Decision making methods used for improving power quality to meet the sustainable energy targets

A higher quality energy demand in line with sustainable goals has led researchers to new studies. The concept of power quality has become very popular in this direction in the last decade. Decision making concept, which is another important and popular concept, has become an indispensable tool in solving difficult decision making problems in many areas. The main starting point of this study was to unearth the crucial studies on “decision making for a better power quality,” which is at the intersection of these two important issues. In this direction, the deficiency in the literature was noticed, the related studies were examined, and the methodological features and prominent aspects of the studies in different categories were examined. The active use of many decision-making methods in the search for solutions to different power quality problems has been demonstrated. The conclusion that decision-making mechanisms offer effective solutions in solving power quality problems has been more clearly emphasized in this study. This review furnishes researchers with crucial insights into current trends in power quality and multi-criteria decision-making research. It also delineates potential avenues for additional research in this increasingly popular field.

A Spatial Perspective on Modernization Venture in Turkish Novel: Changing Uses of Public and Private Spheres

The novel genre first appeared in Turkish literature in the nineteenth century, following the Westernization movements. Beginning with the “Tanzimat period (1860-1895)” and the subsequent periods of “National Literature (1911-1923)” and “Republican Literature (1923-1940)”, as identified by literary critics, novel became a medium where social and spatial issues and changes in everyday life were revealed. This study examines briefly the spatial changes that occurred in public and private spheres as a result of modernization endeavors during the late Ottoman and early Republican periods by looking at the literature and architecture of the period, and in reference to the three periods mentioned above. The periods of literary historiography mentioned above, correspond to the period under discussion and draw its chronological framework. It is argued in this context that, the interdisciplinary approach makes it possible to see overlapping and differentiating aspects in narratives and architectural practices regarding the perception and use of public and private spaces and corresponding daily life practices. The themes determined by the examination of novels representing the three periods of Turkish literature history are presented together with quotations from the sampled novels and brief architectural discussions, and the prominent aspects are discussed in both contexts.

Potential Therapeutic Interventions Targeting NAD+ Metabolism for ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. While there have been many potential factors implicated for ALS development, such as oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, no exact mechanism has been determined at this time. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is one of the most abundant metabolites in mammalian cells and is crucial for a broad range of cellular functions from DNA repair to energy homeostasis. NAD+ can be synthesized from three different intracellular pathways, but it is the NAD+ salvage pathway that generates the largest proportion of NAD+. Impaired NAD+ homeostasis has been connected to aging and neurodegenerative disease-related dysfunctions. In ALS mice, NAD+ homeostasis is potentially disrupted prior to the appearance of physical symptoms and is significantly reduced in the nervous system at the end stage. Treatments targeting NAD+ metabolism, either by administering NAD+ precursor metabolites or small molecules that alter NAD+-dependent enzyme activity, have shown strong beneficial effects in ALS disease models. Here, we review the therapeutic interventions targeting NAD+ metabolism for ALS and their effects on the most prominent pathological aspects of ALS in animal and cell models.

Schoolteachers and teacher educators: making sense of ‘research’ in the context of research-based teacher education

ABSTRACT This article investigates how schoolteachers working both in schools and as educators on campus, referred to as hybrid educators, engage with ‘research’ in the context of research-based teacher education. The concept of institutional practices is applied to unpack the complex intersection between established institutional demands in higher education-based teacher education and the creative work conducted by hybrid educators as they try to engage with these demands. Drawing on observations and interviews, the analyses identify ‘research’ as a vague and taken for granted expectation that hybrid educators are given few directions in approaching, and highlight ownership—or the lack of it—and relevance to professional practice as prominent aspects informing their engagement with research. The study provides important knowledge for policymakers and teacher education regarding how to better facilitate hybrid educators’ inclusion into research-based practices on campus.

Textual Cohesion in Surah Al- Kahf through the Element of Repetition.

The study of textual cohesion is a recent trend in the linguistic lesson. Recurrence is one of the topics of textual cohesion at the lexical level through which the existence of textual cohesion can be determined through the effect that repetition has on textual cohesion. Studies have been striving to investigate the effect of repetition on textual cohesion through text grammar, so the importance of this study lies in the fact that it made a contribution in this field. This study examines the textual cohesion in Surah Al-Kahf through the element of repetition, as it is one of the prominent aspects of textual cohesion. The study relied on choosing Surah Al-Kahf specifically due to the abundance and variety of repetition found within this surah, encompassing repetition at the level of letters, words, sentences, and entire Quranic verses.

Empowering Equality Law With Nlp: A Social Network Analysis Approach to Drive Legal SDGS

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to use social media analysis to understand people's opinions about legal equality. Theoretical Framework: The study builds on social studies theory and existing literature to explore the complexity of society's reaction to legal equality. It focuses on how public opinion evolves over time and the factors influencing these changes, including language, age, and gender. Method: Data was gathered from various social media platforms on September 8, 14, and 15, 2023, using the Talkwalker Social Intelligence Platform. The analysis involved monitoring public opinion trends and performing a theme analysis to identify recurring themes in the discourse. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed essential trends in societal reactions to legal equality. Notable changes in perceptions of specific issues were observed, and prominent aspects of legal equality, such as language, age, and gender, were identified. These results provide a comprehensive understanding of how society perceives legal equality and the dynamics influencing these perceptions. Research Implications: The study enhances existing literature and advances social studies theory by offering insights into the complexity of societal reactions to legal equality. It also demonstrates the potential of social media analysis using Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Talkwalker-type tools to understand how social interactions shape opinions and to inform policy planning. Originality/Value: This research illuminates the social dynamics of legal equality and showcases the effectiveness of combining SNA with social media analysis tools. The findings offer valuable contributions to theoretical and practical discussions on legal equality and policy-making, particularly in the context of promoting the SDGs.

Outdoor adventure education as a platform for developing environmental leadership

Abstract Notwithstanding actions taken to date through policy, programmes and practices, the planet remains on an unsustainable pathway. System level and individual actions are needed to address the challenges that confront us. Finding approaches to encourage individual pro‐environmental behaviours are important for shifting an individual's actions, and these changes can have systemic implications. Outdoor adventure education programmes represent an ideal context to research the development of pro‐environmental behaviours. For outdoor adventure education to effect both individual and system‐level change, it is necessary for participants to connect learning from programmes to wider contexts where they can leverage influence. One of the prominent transferable outcomes of outdoor adventure education is the ability to serve in a leadership role. This article addresses the following primary research question: What aspects of outdoor adventure education programmes promote pro‐environmental behaviour intentions among participants? It explores this by examining various learning mechanisms and design features of NOLS, a global expeditionary outdoor adventure education programme formerly known as the National Outdoor Leadership School. Data were collected and analysed from 202 NOLS programme participants from around the world through open‐ended responses completed as part of a questionnaire at the end of the programme. Results showed that the most prominent aspects of the outdoor adventure education programme that helped to promote pro‐environmental behaviour intentions were the building of conservation and environmental issue awareness, the practice of minimum impact techniques, and engagement in waste and food management. These programme aspects were produced through the learning mechanism domains of structure‐oriented learning, instructor‐oriented learning, environment‐oriented learning, instructor‐and‐student oriented learning and independent student‐oriented learning to varying degrees. Our results illuminate design features of outdoor adventure education that have potential to generate and support environmental commitment and show how pro‐environmental learning is mediated through broad exposure to an array of activities and learning mechanism domains. In combination with the leadership development components, our results suggest that outdoor adventure education programmes show promise for developing and supporting environmental commitment in individuals necessary for solving global environmental crises now and in the future. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Membangun Kehidupan Rohani yang Kokoh dalam Konteks Kemajemukan bagi Murid-murid di Sekolah Kristen di Tana Toraja

In the face of the dynamic modern era, where rapid changes and diverse values are evolving, the challenge of maintaining a Christian identity is becoming increasingly significant. The diversity of society is one of the main triggers of this challenge, especially in two prominent aspects: social diversity and cultural diversity. This study aims to explore effective strategies for building a strong spiritual life in Christian schools, especially in the context of the diversity of Toraja society. By using descriptive qualitative research methods, this study will describe and deeply understand the strategies needed to strengthen the spiritual life of students in the midst of modern challenges and cultural diversity. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights and recommendations for Christian schools in developing more effective and relevant spiritual education programs for their students.

Empathy in the Zhuangzi

This article investigates elements of empathy in the Zhuangzi 莊子. It outlines four prominent aspects of current scholarship on empathy: different types of empathy, the other-centeredness of empathy, empathy as a process and the role empathy plays in responsiveness to others, and interaction between empathy and other capacities. Based on materials from the Zhuangzi that involve elements of empathy, I delegate them respectively to these four areas. While the Zhuangzi does not invent any specific term for an exclusive designation of the meaning of empathy, I attempt to show that the Zhuangzi does explore the phenomena of empathy to a great extent. It characterizes unique features of empathy, such as other-centeredness, perceptual directness, its function as listening, mirroring, qi 氣-connecting and receptivity, the issue of how to cultivate one’s empathic capacity in the everyday encounter with others, and especially how empathic capacity works closely with the Zhuangzian forgetfulness of oneself.

The eco-social aspects of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork

With the publication of the European Green Deal (EGD) in December 2019, the European Union (EU) has recognised a link between environmental and social challenges and the need to tackle them together. A body of literature publishing under the umbrella concept of sustainable welfare and the term eco-social policies has acknowledged the environmental and social nexus and has been characterised by six prominent eco-social aspects namely, the integration between environmental and social policy goals, their link with economic growth, just transition, redistribution and compensation, citizens’ participation, and the state’s role. However, an in-depth analysis of the eco-social aspects contained in recent European policy documents that can be traced back to the eco-social literature is missing. To address this gap, this article focuses on two policy documents considered at the heart of the European ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, namely the EGD Communication and the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy. The article applies a document content analysis of these two documents and uses the six eco-social aspects as a heuristic to analyse and provide descriptive examples of the EGD and the F2F. The content analyses of these documents reveal several elements that advance the understanding of recent EU policies from an eco-social perspective. The study provides knowledge of envisaged compensatory and redistributive measures to the groups and entities affected by the socio-ecological transition and initiatives to enhance a global just transition. Both documents also recognise the primary role of citizens in driving the transition, complementing ongoing eco-social research on participatory processes. The EGD and the F2F reveal also some distinctions in the way the eco-social literature discusses states’ role in eco-social policy-making, the relationship between environmental and social policies and economic growth and intergenerational justice.

A Multisubstructure-Based Method for the Assessment of Displacement and Stress in a Fluid–Structure Interaction Framework

A multisubstructure-based method for assessing the deformation and stress of a fine-meshed model according to a coarse model was proposed. Integrating boundary conditions in a local fine-meshed model, a displacement mapping matrix from the coarse model to the fine-meshed model was constructed. The method was verified by a three-level panel in a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) framework by integrating the steady vortex lattice method (VLM). A comparison between the inner deformation distribution of the coarse model and that of the global fine-meshed model obtained from MSC.Nastran was carried out, and the results showed that the coarse model failed to demonstrate reliable strains and stresses. In contrast, the proposed method in this paper can effectively depict the inner deformation and critical stress distribution. The deformation error was lower than 8%, meeting engineering requirements. Moreover, the results of different working conditions can achieve a similar relative error of displacement for an identical position. The easy storage of the displacement mapping matrix and the convenience of the boundary information transformation among all substructure levels are prominent aspects. As a result, there is a solid foundation for addressing the time-dependent problem in spite of the simultaneity and region.

Optimizing cancer therapy: a review of the multifaceted effects of metronomic chemotherapy.

Metronomic chemotherapy (MCT), characterized by the continuous administration of chemotherapeutics at a lower dose without prolonged drug-free periods, has garnered significant attention over the last 2decades. Extensive evidence from both pre-clinical and clinical settings indicates that MCT induces distinct biological effects than the standard Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) chemotherapy. The low toxicity profile, reduced likelihood of inducing acquired therapeutic resistance, and low cost of MCT render it an attractive chemotherapeutic regimen option. One of the most prominent aspects of MCT is its anti-angiogenesis effects. It has been shown to stimulate the expression of anti-angiogenic molecules, thereby inhibiting angiogenesis. In addition, MCT has been shown to decrease the regulatory T-cell population and promote anti-tumor immune response through inducing dendritic cell maturation and increasing the number of cytotoxic T-cells. Combination therapies utilizing MCT along with oncolytic virotherapy, radiotherapy or other chemotherapeutic regimens have been studied extensively. This review provides an overview of the current status of MCT research and the established mechanisms of action of MCT treatment and also offers insights into potential avenues of development for MCT in the future.

Predictive modeling of novel GaAgX2 (X = S, Se) chalcogenides: First-principles study of electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties

The most prominent aspects of ternary-type chalcogenides are their tunable optical abilities and outstanding thermoelectric stability. Here the advanced density functional theory is used to examine the complicated interaction of the electronic structure, optical, thermodynamic, and thermoelectric properties of novel GaAgX2 (X = S, Se) chalcogenides. The total energies vs volume of the two materials were computed to formulate ground state characteristics. Both the materials confirmed to have direct band gap nature with an energy gap of 0.8 eV, and 2.2 eV, using TB-mBJ potential, respectively. As compared to GaAgS2, the crystal structure of GaAgSe2 have more covalent bonds that enlarged the covalency and results in wider energy gap of GaAgSe2 as compared to GaAgS2. For the negative value of ε1(ω), these materials display metallic nature, resulting to show a total reflection of the incoming photons. The GaAgS2 displays better absorption than GaAgSe2 materials with higher energy photons. With a few high peaks of refractive index in (2.8–5.5) eV energy range, suggesting these materials appropriate to be used in optical devices. These materials have positive Seebeck coefficients and are confirmed to have a p-type nature. At ambient temperature, GaAgS2 has lower thermal conductivity than GaAgSe2.

Mediterranean farmers’ understandings of ‘good soil management’ and ‘good farmer’ identity in the context of conservation agriculture

ABSTRACT Mediterranean agriculture is increasingly threatened by soil degradation and climate change. Conservation agriculture (CA) is a farming approach characterized by reduced soil disturbance, soil cover, and crop rotation that provides agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits to farmers, but which is not yet widespread in the Mediterranean region. To investigate the sociocultural aspects of CA adoption, we examined farmers’ understandings of ‘good soil management’ and a ‘good farmer’ identity. We employed network analysis to visualize and compare farmers’ mental models of these concepts and how they differed according to farmers’ tillage practices. We found that crop rotation is a prominent concept cognitively tied to fertilizer application, bridging conventional and reduced tillage practices. CA farmers’ mental models of soil management are more complex than conventional farmers’. Demonstrating productivity and having experience and knowledge were the most prominent aspects of farmers’ understanding of a ‘good farmer’. For CA farmers, this was tied to environmental responsibility and innovation, whereas for conventional farmers, a set of best practices including tillage and the use of mineral fertilizers, was valued more highly. CA may compete with held understandings concerning soil management among conventional farmers. CA adoption programmes could be better tailored to align with their cultural values.

Exploring epistemic aspects of engineering for K–12 science and engineering education

AbstractBackgroundSince the advent of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there has been an increasing focus on engineering in K–12 education. As educators and researchers have gained a better understanding of the nature of engineering in the decade following the release of the NGSS, there are new opportunities for growth and complexity.PurposeThis study used an epistemological approach to seek insights from experts in the science and engineering communities about the prominent aspects of engineering for K–12 education.Design/MethodThis mixed‐methods study employed a three‐round Delphi study and a focus group meeting to elicit experts' opinions on the epistemic aspects of engineering that could shed light on the nature of engineering knowledge and practices. Constructivist grounded theory methodology was used to identify preliminary themes concerning the epistemic aspects of engineering and then to develop main themes by combining relevant themes together.ResultsThe analysis process yielded 21 preliminary themes that reflect key ideas about the engineering knowledge base, engineering design activities, and values and norms of the engineering community. Additionally, the current study identified eight main themes that captured the broader patterns in the data.ConclusionsThe outcome of this study, including the preliminary themes and main themes concerning the epistemic aspects of engineering, could serve as a conceptual tool for establishing and improving students' conceptions of engineering and as a guide for designing and implementing engineering design activities in K–12 education settings.