Reflex Research Articles

The evolution of muscle spindles.

Muscle spindles are stretch-sensitive mechanoreceptors found in the skeletal muscles of most four-limbed vertebrates. They are unique amongst sensory receptors in the ability to regulate their sensitivity by contraction of the intrafusal muscle fibres on which the sensory endings lie. Muscle spindles have revealed a remarkable diversity of functions, including reflex action in posture and locomotion, contributing to bodily self awareness, and influencing wound healing. What were the circumstances which gave rise to the evolution of such complex end-organs? We argue that spindles first appeared in early amniotes and only later in frogs and toads. This was considered an example of convergent evolution. Spindles in amphibians and reptiles are characterised by their simple structure, pointing to key features essential for spindle function. Spindle sensitivity in amphibians and reptiles is controlled by intrafusal fibre contractions evoked by branches of motor axons supplying extrafusal muscle. Modern phylogenetic evidence has revised our views on the origin of birds, placing them closer to the dinosaurs than had previously been thought. Birds are the only group, other than mammals, which has a dedicated fusimotor innervation of spindles, another example of convergent evolution, given the widely different origins of the two groups. One factor that may have played a role here was that both groups are endotherms, allowing motor control to develop further in an optimal internal environment. This, as well as other changes within the spindle, has led to the astonishing sophistication of motor control observed especially in many modern mammals.

Active avoidance learning in rats with different audiogenic epilepsy proneness

The success of the formation of the conditioned reflex reaction of two-way avoidance in the shuttle chamber in rats of 3 strains was evaluated. These were rats predisposed to audiogenic epilepsy – the Krushinsky-Molodkina strain rats (KM), "4" strain (selected from a population of F2 hybrids of the KM strain and sound-insensitive Wistars) and rats of "0" strain, selected for the absence of audiogenic epilepsy from the same population (i. e. these strains, diametrically different in audiogenic epilepsy proneness, possessing a similar genetic background). Experiments have shown significantly more successful assimilation of this skill in rats of the "0" strain.

Experience of preputiotomy performing in bull with acroposthitis and fibrous affect of penis’ S-shaped curve

The aim of this study was to perform a preputiotomy with the formation of an artificial opening in a breeding bull to realize his reproductive potential. Scientific and production research was conducted in the spring of 2024. In a 3.5-year-old Holstein breeding bull, kept at a breeding station for keeping breeding bulls, acroposthitis and fibrous lesion of the penis in the area of the S-shaped bend were detected due to the developed infectious process caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The resulting pathology prevented the penis from fully extending beyond the preputial sac when collecting sperm for an artificial vagina (the last sperm collection was performed on 02/07/2024). The operation performed consisted of the following stages: insertion of a thick-walled tube into the preputial sac for better orientation in the tissues; making a V-shaped incision of all layers of the prepuce near its fornix; excision of the prepuce section necessary for free removal of the penis when collecting sperm; formation of an artificial opening by connecting the parietal preputial layer to the skin with an interrupted suture. The postoperative period included daily monitoring of the animal's condition, antibiotic therapy (amoxicillin (0.15 g), three injections every 48 hours), and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (meloxicam (0.002 g), 3 days). A month after the operation, sperm was collected (06.05.2024, three months later) and the presence of all unconditioned reflexes was noted. At the same time, the copulatory reflex was full, painless and ended in ejaculation. The obtained volume of sperm after two mountings was 2.5 ml, the concentration was 1.3x108, the activity was 8 points. Thus, preputiotomy is an effective method for surgical correction of lesions of the preputial sac and adhesions in the area of the S-shaped bend of the penis in breeding bulls.

Short-term discard survival and catch-related trauma in European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) caught in the Baltic Sea by Danish seine during summer

Danish seine is an active fishing gear targeting demersal species, such as European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa, hencefort referred as plaice), a commercially important fish species in the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. Danish seining is a relevant fishery in relation to exemption from the European Union landing obligation. Trials were conducted from a commercial fishing vessel during the summer with high air temperatures and sea salinity and marked salinity and temperature gradients (pycnocline). Video equipment was used to observe fish entering the seine. Captured fish were individually tagged and housed in livewells for ten days to observe short-term survival. Reflex impairments and external injuries were assessed after capture and at the end of the observation periods using reflex action mortality predictor (RAMP) and catch-damage index (CDI) methodologies. We found that plaice entered the seine late in the towing process and that 87 % of the assessed fish survived, after 10 days of observation. There was a significant difference in short-term survival curves for fish that had been subjected to more than 30 min of on-deck during the catch-sorting process relative to those that had remained on deck for 30 min or less. The association between the time on deck and RAMP scores after capture was also significant. External injuries were primarily minor bruises, fin fraying, and net marks and changed little from after capturing to the end of the observation period.

Evaluation of sensomotor development, behavioral reactions and cognitive functions of the second generation of rats with hyperhomocysteinemia

The adverse maternal exposure during pregnancy leads to developmental disorders in the offspring that can be passed on to later generations. Epigenetic regulation of DNA transcription may mediate inherited metabolic diseases. An increase in homocysteine concentration in the blood is associated with epigenetic modifications of the genome, which can alter the fetal brain’s development program and cause cognitive impairment. The aim of our work was to identify changes in sensomotor development, behavioral reactions and cognitive functions of offspring of second generation rats (HcyF2) of hyperhomocysteinemia. Our results indicate that unconditioned reflexes and physical parameters are delayed in HcyF2 rats. In “open field”, HcyF2 rats showed higher levels of anxiety and decreased exploratory and motor activity, while coordination of movements studied in “rotarod” test was not impaired. Decreased limb muscle strength was shown in the “grip strength” test. Additionally, HcyF2 rats demonstrated an impaired learning and longterm memory in the Morris water maze. Biochemical analysis revealed an imbalance in the antioxidant systems, which was attributed to decreased activity of glutathione peroxidases and H2S synthesis enzymes. It was suggested that elevated homocysteine levels during pregnancy may result in epigenetic modifications of the genome, which can impact the metabolism of offspring and be inherited by future generations.

Investigating the effects of pelagic trawling on the welfare of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)

The effects of pelagic trawling on the health and welfare of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus L.) were investigated on a refrigerated seawater vessel operating in the North Sea. A total of 495 Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus L.) were sampled during five hauls from two fishing trips in September 2021 and 2022. For assessments of consciousness and mortality, a Reflex Action Mortality Predictor test (i.e. RAMP-test) was used on herring collected following trawling and pumping. Inspections for external and internal damage or wounds were performed via morphological welfare indicators and analyses of photos and radiographs. In addition, blood samples were taken and analysed for haematological indicators of stress. Following trawling and pumping, only 5% of the investigated herring showed signs of external wounds associated with the morphological indicators of welfare, and no internal damage was observed in the radiographic inspections. However, 96% of the assessed herring scored 0 on all three reflexes included in the RAMP-test and were therefore judged dead. On average, herring lost 95% of their scales, while 95% of herring had a very high degree of ruptured red blood cells (i.e. haemolysis). Extensive scale loss results in a deterioration of the skin's protective barrier function, which in turn impairs the osmoregulatory capacity of the herring. This was evident by elevated levels of plasma osmolality and circulating chloride concentrations, which could also likely explain the high occurrence of haemolysis in captured herring. Extended trawling time and larger catch size proved to be two important factors to consider, as the former led to increased plasma levels of osmolality, whereas the latter was associated with elevated plasma levels of lactate and cortisol. In conclusion, the high mortality appears to be influenced by a combination of factors such as severe stress, loss of osmoregulatory ability, crowding density within the trawl, and extended trawling times. This study provides important information on the welfare of wild Atlantic herring caught using pelagic trawls and highlights areas where improvements can be made to safeguard the welfare of fish captured in pelagic fisheries in the future.

Sound change versus lexical change for subgrouping

Abstract This article focuses on languages of the Kwilu-Ngounie subbranch within a branch of the Bantu language family known as West-Coastal Bantu. Within Kwilu-Ngounie, B70 and B80 languages emerge as paraphyletic in the most comprehensive lexicon-based phylogeny of the branch. We assess whether the impossibility to group them into lexicon-based monophyletic subgroups can be bypassed by using the phonological innovation of word-final loss of Proto-Bantu *ŋg as diagnostic of a new subgroup. It is hard to tell whether this new subgroup is a clade by descent or instead a taxon resulting from a contact-induced innovation affecting related varieties. The unconditioned reflexes of *ŋg across varieties signal that both language-internal lexical diffusion and contact-induced crosslinguistic spread of phonological innovation thwart the Neogrammarian axiom of flawlessly regular sound change. Beyond its relevance for low-level Bantu subgrouping, this article contributes to the methodological issue of conflicting lexical and diachronic phonological evidence for internal classification.

Message Reception Analysis in Intercultural Communication during "Magnetic Resonance Imaging" Training in Hospitals

The utilization of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines is essential for accurate disease diagnoses, necessitating radiographers to undergo a ten-day training regimen. While existing studies often concentrate on interpersonal communication in healthcare, this research explores the reciprocal development of reflexive action and interpretation during MRI training in Indonesian hospitals, employing the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) Theory and integrating intercultural communication obstacles. Employing participatory observation, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, the study unveils that trainers employ both verbal and non-verbal communication, including orientation, empathy, and dynamic interactions. The results highlight reciprocal, proactive communication strategies between trainers and trainees, emphasizing mindfulness, emotional vulnerability mitigation, honest communication, and the cultivation of functional behaviors. This research contributes not only to health communication literature, particularly MRI training but also advances practical insights into intercultural communication research.

Reinforcing systems of the brain and quantification of their work

BACKGROUND: The reinforcing systems of the brain are represented by the ventral forbrain dopaminergic bundle, which innervates the emotiogenic structures of the limbic system. Their study shows the reproduction of unconditioned (self-stimulation, self-administration) and conditioned reflex (preference for place, temperature, color) reactions. The quantitative assessment of the brain’s reinforcing systems remains unclear. For self-stimulation of brain structures, the change of the pedal presses in the Skinner chamber and some calculated coefficients are used, for example, the “mismatch coefficient”, which characterizes the temporal characteristics of the pedal pressings. AIM: To develop, test, and substantiate an additional objective quantitative method for assessing the reinforcing systems of the brain, called the “addiction coefficient”, based on an analysis of the effect of three psychoactive compounds (amphetamine, morphine and ethanol) in different doses on self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main method for studying the reinforcing systems of the brain was the reaction of self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in Wistar rats, which was modulated by the administration of psychoactive substances. The psychomotor stimulant amphetamine (phenamine) hydrochloride (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg), narcotic analgesic morphine hydrochloride (1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg), and ethanol (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 g/kg) administered intraperitoneally were used as inductors of reinforcing. The control was the administration of of 0.9% NaCl solution (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 ml/rat). RESULTS: The use of different controls, characterized by an increase or decrease in the self-stimulation reaction in response to the introduction of 0.9% NaCl solution, showed that calculated coefficients, including the “mismatch coefficient”, can change in different directions and do not objectively reflect the reinforcing effects of pharmacological substances. The proposed “addiction coefficient”, which reflected the component of psychic dependence, changed unidirectionally toward an increase. The degree of this increase can be tens and hundreds of percent of the control and is significantly independent of the initial values of self-stimulation. As expected, the “addiction coefficient” increased most clearly after amphetamine administration and less significantly after morphine and ethanol injections. CONCLUSIONS: The “addiction coefficient” of a psychoactive substance, calculated as the ratio of the increase in pedal presses to the value of the “mismatch coefficient”, is a clear quantitative indicator when assessing the reinforcing properties of psychoactive substances in the self-stimulation reaction of the lateral hypothalamus. The “addiction coefficient” does not significantly depend on the initial level of self-stimulation and is recommended for a comparative assessment of the reinforcing properties of primarily related psychoactive compounds.

Venus Flytrap-Inspired Data-Center-Free Fast-Responsive Soft Robots Enabled by 2D Ni3(HITP)2 MOF and Graphite.

The rapid and responsive capabilities of soft robots in perceiving, assessing, and reacting to environmental stimuli are highly valuable. However, many existing soft robots, designed to mimic humans and other higher animals, often rely on data centers for the modulation of mechanoelectrical transduction and electromechanical actuation. This reliance significantly increases system complexity and time delays. Herein, drawing inspiration from Venus flytraps, a soft robot employing a power modulation strategy is presented for active stimulus reaction, eliminating the need for a data center. This robot achieves mechanoelectrical transduction through Ni3(2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene)2 (Ni3(HITP)2) metal-organic framework (MOF) with an ultralow time delay (256ns) and electromechanical actuation via graphite. The Joule heating effect in graphite is effectively modulated by Ni3(HITP)2 before and after the presence of pressure, thus enabling the stimulus reaction of soft robots. As demonstrated, three soft robots are created: low-level edge tongue robots, Venus flytrap robots, and high-level nerve-center-controlled dragonfly robots. This power modulation strategy inspires designs of edge soft robots and high-level robots with a human-like effective fusion of conditioned and unconditioned reflexes.

Exploring normative frameworks of fairness through (relational) institutional habitus in Oxford's undergraduate admissions process.

In the UK's stratified HE system the question of who is able to access the most selective and prestigious universities is fraught with issues of fairness. This paper explores how decision-makers in Oxford's undergraduate admissions process construct norms of fairness and how such norms inform their reflexive considerations and actions around admissions decisions. Framing such norms as multiple institutional habituses, the paper considers how decision-makers compromise and negotiate between institutional habituses in tension. Further, it presents an augmented conception of institutional habitus - the relational institutional habitus - which offers a conceptual tool to make sense of the existence of multiple contested institutional norms and their partial and fragile reconciliation in institutional action.

Э.В. Ильенков о свободе воли

<p>Evald Ilyenkov’s works explores the issue of free will within the framework of activity theory. According to him, the concept of freedom is linked to the general activity of living beings in the external world and to the purposeful nature of this activity. Human freedom, or the ‘freedom of the will’, is treated as acting in accordance with the “purpose of the species”, that is, the interests of human society. The will is a psychological function that subordinates an individual’s activity to the goals and norms of social life. Alternative doctrines postulate free will as an immediate “fact of consciousness”, discovered through introspection and underlying human activity. This is where traditional empirical psychology intersects with the physiological doctrine of the unconditional reflex of freedom. Ilyenkov regards such a conception of free will as a “psychological illusion” and examines the implications of this illusion in the classic experiments of academician Ivan Pavlov. The article offers a cultural-historical perspective on the development of the human mind as a process of increasing free will: the emancipation of mental activity from the captivity of natural affects through the use of cultural tools and man’s rational understanding of the world and himself.</p>

Joining the ideational and the material: transforming food systems toward radical food democracy

This paper presents a conceptualization of radical food democracy (RFD) which links the diverse economies approach of Gibson-Graham with Tully’s notion of diverse citizenship. Despite its invaluable contribution to theorizing the role of alternative food networks (AFNs) in transforming unsustainable industrial food systems, the diverse economies scholarship has been criticized for essentializing the autonomy of alternative economic practices—hence risking to confound emancipatory social change with punctuated forms of “local,” “quality,” “organic certified” products, which nevertheless remain embedded in market-mediated capitalist relations, and displacement and/or deferral of negative impacts. This paper aims to address such critiques, contending that the realization of RFD requires both (1) the experimentation with new economic practices that carve out food economies alternative to the working logic of capital accumulation, and (2) the cultivation of new political subjects capable of universalizing these particular struggles. After situating various existing practices associated with food democracy in a framework of various modes of democratic citizenship, we underpin our understanding of RFD with a theory of change informed by Bob Jessop’s strategic-relational approach to social structures, agents’ reflexive actions, and their contingency. Following a critical scientific approach to the social role of academics, this theoretical framework is illustrated using a case study from Germany. The empirical work draws on participant observation and semi-structured interviews with leaders of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives and Food Policy Council (FPC) networks conducted in Cologne, Berlin, and Frankfurt in 2018–2020. To conclude, this paper argues that the emancipatory potential of food democracy should cultivate both lighthouse alternative economic practices that are connected with people’s everyday lives, and political imagination that dares to critically engage with existing institutions. Likewise, RFD praxis requires a constant back and forth between the ideational and the practical, the abstract and the concrete, the actionable and the analytical, to challenge both the symbolic-discursive and the material dimensions of capitalist agri-food systems.

Physical injury, physiological stress, and behavior impairment of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) after catch‐and‐release by spin and fly angling

AbstractThe striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is one of the most important species for anglers along the Atlantic coast and a subject of intensive fisheries management. To promote best catch‐and‐release practices, understanding the physical and physiological consequences of angling is critical. We assessed the injury and stress of striped bass captured using rod and reel spin and fly tackle in a New England embayment. During 2010–2011, of 95 striped bass captured, only one died immediately after release. Behavioral impairment measured through reflex action mortality predictors increased when hooked in the gullet or gills. While 11.6% were critically hooked (in gills, gullet, or eyes), hooking severity was not related to terminal tackle (lure or fly). However, the most severely impaired were all hooked with J hooks. Physiological stress indicators (sodium, chloride, blood lactate) increased with longer fight times. Our results suggested that different components of an angling event drove physiological and behavioral responses.

SOCIAL CONTROL OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS: EFFORTS TO MAKE TRADITIONAL VILLAGES AS A ROLE MODEL IN CRIME PREVENTION (STUDY IN CENTRAL KAMPUNG TRADITIONAL VILLAGE, SIAK DISTRICT)

The purpose of carrying out this research is to seehow PatternSocial Control of Traditional Leaders: An Effort to Realize Traditional Villages as Role Models in Crime Prevention (Study in the Traditional Village of Kampung Tengah, Siak Regency)whether it has gone well based on an approach to social values, religion and customary law and culture in accordance with the social and cultural conditions of indigenous communities in the Kampung Tengah Traditional Village, Siak Regency.The method used in this research is a qualitative method with a descriptive approach using ethnographic analysis, where in a research activity more comprehensive, valid, reliable and objective data will be obtained. Data sources were obtained by taking 4 data collection techniques, namely by indexicality, reflexivity, and contextual action as well as taking documentation. From the results and discussion, it can be concluded that the pattern of social control that has been implemented by traditional leaders in Kampung Tengah to date is quite good, this can be seen in the aspect of prevention, efforts to overcome social problems and anticipate problems of deviant behavior and delinquency in children and adolescents by strengthening application of religious values, internalization of traditional, social and cultural values ??as aspects of prevention by increasing the Human Resources of children and adolescents (in the sense of having to go to school). It is not enough to stop there, building supporting facilities to stimulate what children and teenagers understand needs to be encouraged and executed by the village government and traditional leaders so that it is always directed towards useful and positive activities.
 Keywords:Social Control; Traditional Figures; Traditional Village; Role Models; Crime Prevention.

Shock waves modulate corticospinal excitability: A proof of concept for further rehabilitation purposes?

Focal extracorporeal shock wave therapy (fESWT) is a physical therapy vastly studied and used for various musculoskeletal disorders. However, the effect of fESWT on central nervous system is still to be determined. To elucidate spinal and supra-spinal mechanisms of fESWT in healthy subjects, in order to widen the spectrum of its clinical applications. In this quasi-experimental, unblinded, proof-of-concept clinical study, 10 voluntary healthy subjects underwent fESWT and were assessed immediately before (T0), immediately after (T1) and seven days after (T2) the intervention. As neurophysiological outcomes, motor evoked potentials (resting motor threshold, maximal motor evoked potential and maximal compound muscle action potential ratio, cortical silent period, total conduction motor time, direct and indirect central motor conduction time), F-waves (minimal and mean latency, persistence and temporal dispersion) and H-reflex (threshold, amplitude, maximal H reflex and maximal compound muscle action potential ratio, latency) were considered. Resting motor threshold and F-waves temporal dispersion significantly decreased, respectively, from T1 and T2 and from T0 and T2 (for both, p < 0.05). H-reflex threshold increase between T0 and T1. Analysis disclosed a strong negative correlation between Δ3 cortical silent period (i.e., T2 -T1 recordings) and Δ1 Hr threshold (i.e., T1 -T0 recordings) (r = -0.66, p < 0.05), and a positive strong relationship between Δ3 cortical silent period and Δ3 Hr threshold (r = 0.63, p < 0.05). fESWT modulates corticospinal tract excitability in healthy volunteers, possibly inducing an early inhibition followed by a later facilitation after one week.

Feminist Corporate Social Responsibility: Reframing CSR as a Critical Force for Good

AbstractWhile corporate social responsibility (CSR) research is now impressively broad, we identify fresh opportunities at the intersection of feminist and critical analysis to reframe this field as a force for good. We focus on the epistemological grounding of CSR in its potential to understand and change how managerial activity is interpreted and influenced for progressive ends. We approach this through a reading of the debate on CSR's limited practical use, to imagine a better methodological and purposeful future for CSR. This involves a different, feminist, political and ethical stance for researchers in relation to CSR as an object, to bring CSR theory and practice into alignment in order to revive its sense of purpose as a driving organizational force for good. Our change‐orientated approach is based on a reading of Judith Butler's notion of critique as praxis of values; it is politically aware, reflexive, and focused on the goal of good organization to address grand, often existential, challenges. We conclude by showing how this approach to CSR brings a more transparent way of analysing practice, requiring reflexive action on the part of those working with CSR initiatives both as practitioners and as researchers to co‐produce better futures.

The experiences of healthcare providers who refer to a campus-based pharmacy clinic: a qualitative analysis

Introduction The University of Otago School of Pharmacy Clinic (the Clinic) is a campus-based non-dispensing clinic that offers consultation-based medicines optimisation services to patients. Aim This project aims to understand the experiences and opinions of healthcare providers who have referred patients to the School of Pharmacy Clinic, specifically: their motivation for referring patients; how the Clinic impacts providers, patients and the wider health system; provider satisfaction; and opportunities for further collaboration. Methods Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 15 participants who represented five health professions. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the dataset from which codes and themes were developed. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was used to structure the interview guide and as a framework to present themes. Results Seven themes were developed; ‘Perceptions of Pharmacists’ (Coherence), ‘Motivators for Engagement’ and ‘Barriers to Engagement’ (Cognitive Participation), ‘Utility of Pharmacist Feedback’ and ‘Opportunities’ (Collective Action) and ‘Referrers’ Experiences’ and ‘Patient-centred Care’ (Reflexive Action). Discussion Healthcare providers described predominantly positive experiences. Medically complex cases and patients requiring medicines education were most likely to be referred for consultation. Engaging with the Clinic presented valuable opportunities for interprofessional collaborative practice and continuing professional education. Referrers would like more regular contact with Clinic pharmacists to encourage interprofessional collaborative relationships. Patients were thought to benefit from their pharmacist’s clinical expertise, time, patient-centred approach and subsequent medication and health optimisation. Integration of Clinic pharmacists into specialist outpatient clinics at Dunedin Hospital may broaden the scope and improve efficiency of their services.

The Phenomenon of Burdened Agency

This essay introduces a concept I call “burdened agency.” Burdened agency names a two-fold phenomenon in end-of-life ethics (with relevance beyond). First, the availability of control over the dying process may become an imperative to make choices about when and how death will occur. This is the burden of agency. Second, moral agency is increasingly burdened by “reflexivity.” No longer guided by norms that are taken-for-granted, individuals are, more or less, left to self-consciously negotiate the experience of dying on their own. Increasingly we labor under the existential “weight” of ambiguity, instability, and uncertainty that accompanies highly reflexive moral action.

Developing places for human capabilities

This dissertation develops an understanding towards governing social sustainability goals into area-based urban development projects. It draws on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to construct a capability-centered evaluation of how institutionalized governance processes around these projects ultimately affect people’s freedoms to do the things they value in their urban living environment. Presenting case studies from the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, the approach adopted in this dissertation reveals the unique ways in which different individuals interpret urban social sustainability and convert spatial resources into personal capabilities. The research uncovers the governance elements and institutional conditions around urban development projects that enable or constrain resource-to-capability conversions. It shows that governing social sustainability goals into urban development projects is a balancing act between reflexive governance action on the one hand, and an institutionalization of principles, actor responsibilities, and funding provision on the other hand. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that, to steer towards urban social sustainability, urban development practices can be improved by adopting an approach that is not merely focused on spatial improvements, but takes the equal expansion of human capabilities as its point of departure.