Abstract: With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a reference, this study systematically examines the evolution, characteristics, achievements, and challenges of China-Africa agricultural cooperation. The study elaborates on how China-Africa agricultural cooperation has transitioned from a politically-driven aid model to a comprehensive framework integrating aid, investment, trade, and technology transfer under the guidance of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Despite remarkable achievements between China and Africa in food security, infrastructure construction, and technology transfer, the analysis identifies persistent dilemmas. These include limited impact on comprehensive regional development, scrutiny over trade imbalances and potential resource exploitation, and ineffective utilization of Africa's diverse agricultural resources. To address these issues, the paper proposes future pathways such as maximizing the potential of Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centers (ATDCs), supporting the development of the entire agricultural value chain, and effectively leveraging digital technology. This study argues that it is necessary to adopt a more comprehensive, integrated, and sustainable approach to improve the China-Africa agricultural cooperation model and promote Africa's achievement of S SDGs.

Abstract: As Australia advances toward a net zero economy, system-wide transformations in the energy sector are becoming increasingly necessary. This transition entails the electrification of key sectors, the integration of renewable energy sources, and the decommissioning of aging infrastructure. However, alongside technological change, there is a growing need to manage emerging forms of waste such as solar panels and batteries and to embed circular economy principles into the transition framework. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study conducted to understand key stakeholder perspectives on policy coherence between net zero and circular economy policies in Australia. The study reveals that there is significant gap in conceptual understanding of both circular economy and net zero transitions and a lack of clear definitions within these policies leading to two classical systems traps: policy resistance and seeking the wrong goal. The focus on recycling and operational emissions within CE and net zero policies respectively, typically lead to suboptimal outcomes being pursued for both policies. These findings underscore the critical need for capacity building, clearer policy articulation, and targeted educational strategies to foster a socially informed, circular approach to decarbonization. By integrating the clean energy transition within broader social and institutional contexts, this paper contributes to a more inclusive and systemic understanding of Australia's net zero future.

Abstract: The STEAM-CT approach integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics with Computational Thinking (CT) to help students learn how to think, design, and solve problems. It gives students hands-on, interdisciplinary experiences where they apply logic and creativity through real-world applications. The purpose of this study is to foster the development of computational thinking among Deaf students by embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning within a STEAM-CT approach. This learning program consisted of three main phases: (1) exploring AI processes and tools, (2) constructing an AI system, and (3) designing AI-driven innovations. Thirty-six Deaf students from seven Deaf schools participated in this program, which aims to enhance their CT abilities and cultivate their capacity to create AI-based solutions. Students’ progress was measured using a CT framework encompassing knowledge of concepts, applied practices and perspectives. Assessments included multiple-choice tests for CT concepts, task-based rubrics for CT practices, and interviews for CT perspectives. The results showed that Deaf students gained a better understanding of CT concepts, demonstrated advanced CT practices, and exhibited strong CT perspectives. These findings suggest that AI learning through a STEAM-CT approach can effectively promote Deaf students’ computational thinking abilities.

Abstract: The Digital Services Act (DSA) represents a landmark regulatory context aiming to secure a safer, trusted and more transparent digital environment. While the DSA establishes a harmonised regulatory framework for intermediary services across the EU, it significantly relies on national regulatory authorities for effective implementation. This article examines the implementation of the DSA in Cyprus and discusses the national legal framework adopted through primary and secondary legislation. It analyses the powers, legally mandated tasks, rights, and obligations of the digital services coordinator in Cyprus including its supervisory, investigatory, and enforcement competences as well as the sanctioning mechanisms. This article provides a comprehensive legal analysis of the coordinator’s operation and contributes to the academic debate on the national implementation of the DSA as a horizontal legal tool of intermediary services and digital platforms accessed by European citizens.

Abstract: The parallel evolution of gatekeeping and agenda-setting theory constitutes one of the most consequential intellectual trajectories in communication studies, yet the two traditions have developed largely in isolation from one another despite their deep functional interdependence. This paper undertakes a critical, integrative review of both theoretical traditions across the period 2000 to 2025, a quarter-century defined by the migration of public discourse from institutionally controlled media environments to algorithmically mediated digital platforms. Drawing on a structured synthesis of peer-reviewed scholarship, the paper traces the transformation of gatekeeping from a process enacted by identifiable human decision-makers within institutional hierarchies to a distributed, computationally governed phenomenon in which algorithms, platform architectures, and user behaviors collectively determine the visibility of information.Simultaneously, it examines the reconfiguration of agenda-setting from a linear transfer of salience between media institutions and mass publics to a recursive, networked process shaped by personalization technologies, platform-specific affordances, and the fragmentation of formerly unified audiences into algorithmically constituted micro-publics. The paper introduces the concept of "salience agency" as an integrative meta-theoretical framework capable of capturing the convergence of gatekeeping and agenda-setting within contemporary communication systems. It argues that the algorithmic mediation of information visibility represents not merely a technological augmentation of existing communicative processes but a structural transformation that demands new theoretical vocabularies, new empirical methodologies, and new normative commitments. Implications for communication scholarship, media management, regulatory policy, and democratic governance are discussed, and priorities for future research are identified.

Abstract: Graffiti and mural painting, as essential forms of public visual art, require not only aesthetic planning but also high-precision implementation and control. This study constructs a structured teaching model based on a four-phase framework—"theme design—wall planning—process control—outcome evaluation"—integrated with computational support. Key techniques include image vector mapping, RGB-based color deviation analysis, and 3D wall surface modeling through point cloud reconstruction. Teaching effectiveness was verified via data collected from public wall implementations, using quantitative metrics computed through computer vision modules and spatial analysis algorithms. Results demonstrate significant improvements: 93.8% task completion rate, 16.5% gain in compositional consistency, 21.7% reduction in boundary color error, and a 0.76-point increase in public acceptance score (p<0.05), confirming the feasibility and technical reliability of this computationally augmented art education mode.This study demonstrates that integrating graffiti mural instruction into a structured teaching framework and employing quantitative assessment methods enhances the controllability and replicability of public art education, providing methodological insights for public space art education practices.

Abstract: The slow life history (LH) strategy is considered an adaptive approach. Within the current era of high uncertainty, what outcomes might this strategy yield? Accord- ingly, a cross-sectional study of 1,729 college students investigated associations between the slow LH strategy and trait aggression (T-Agg)—including its dimensions—physical aggression (PhyAgg), verbal aggression (VerAgg), Anger, and Hostility—through the serial mediating roles of social alienation (SA) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU). Findings revealed a competitive dual-path model in which the slow LH strategy directly increases IU yet indirectly decreases it through reduced SA. Consequently, two distinct pathways link this strategy to T-Agg: a cognitive vulnerability pathway that promotes T-Agg through heightened IU and a social buffering pathway that inhibits T-Agg through diminished SA. Furthermore, SA and IU exerted the strongest positive effect on Hostility, while the slow LH strategy demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effect on Anger. Regarding PhyAgg, slow LH strategists typically suppress it to avoid adverse consequences. In contrast, they utilize VerAgg as a low-cost, high-control tool. These findings suggest that slow LH strategists may be dual-tactic users, exhibiting both prosocial and coercive tendencies. The results provide empirical evidence for under- standing the behavioral plasticity and inherent contradictions individuals exhibit within high-uncertainty environments and enrich the theoretical framework of LH theory. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Abstract: This study investigates and explores teachers' trust in their colleagues while implementing a PLC in chosen rural primary schools, which has previously been neglected. This study included 310 randomly selected teachers from 57 rural primary schools. The findings demonstrated that primary teachers chose openness, competence, and reliability as three important trust aspects to nurture in their rural primary schools while engaging in PLC activities. Teachers, on the other hand, claimed that compassion and honesty were not well-cultivated in their schools. Additionally, a poor correlation was found between trusting relationships and PLC practice in rural primary schools. Nonetheless, competence, reliability, and openness remained the most important determinants of teachers' PLC practices in the rural primary schools examined. The practical applications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Abstract: This research examines the psychometric properties of the Italian Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory short form (MPFI-24), a measure of psychological flexibility/inflexibility. Study 1 investigated its factor structure, reliability and invariance (across gender, age, and mental health status) based on a dataset comprising 1,542 participants (71% female, mean_age=38.6 years, SD=15.0). Study 2 reexamined the factorial structure in an independent sample (N=728, 64.88% females, mean_age=30.94 years, SD=14.07), and assessed both convergent validity (with psychological flexibility/inflexibility measures) and concurrent validity (with measures distress and well-being measures). Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated very good fit indices for a first-order model comprised of the twelve psychological flexibility and inflexibility sub-processes. In addition, the model structured with two second-order factors—psychological flexibility and inflexibility—each defined by six core sub-processes, showed a good model fit. The Italian MPFI-24 also exhibited strong internal consistency and good convergent and concurrent validity. Measurement invariance was established for gender, age, and mental health status. The Italian MPFI-24 is a psychometrically sound instrument for evaluating psychological flexibility and inflexibility, along with their underlying sub-processes, in an Italian context.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: This article is a narrative review that examines the development of attachment from intrauterine life to the first thousand days of a child's life, integrating psychoanalytic, neuroscientific, genetic, and cross-cultural perspectives. Biological, relational, neurological, and cultural factors interact and determine individual differences in socio-emotional functioning. This paper aims to propose a reinterpretation of early attachment, describing it as both a clinical and relational phenomenon and an adaptive process inscribed in human evolutionary history, according to the described Four-Domain Integrative Framework.. Methods: The review examined three main areas of evidence: early attachment characteristics, cross-cultural caregiving variations, and genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying environmental sensitivity. Results: The first identified seven characteristics of early attachment (proximity seeking, emotional attunement, intrauterine experiences, maternal holding, security patterns, brain plasticity, and maternal stress) which represent developmental mechanisms that generate individual differences in trust, self-regulation, resilience, and psychopathological vulnerability. Second, cross-cultural variations in six distinct caregiving contexts were examined, demonstrating that secure attachment emerges through culturally specific pathways, differentially influencing motor development, sleep patterns, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis maturation axis maturation, and social skills. Finally, the differential susceptibility model was provided through the analysis of five genetic and epigenetic systems (oxytocin receptor gene, serotonin transporter gene, dopamine receptor gene, glucocorticoid receptor methylation, and fetal programming) that modulate environmental sensitivity. Conclusions: Biological, relational, neurological, and cultural factors interact and determine individual differences in socio-emotional functioning.

Abstract: Computational thinking (CT) has become a cross-curriculum priority in many educational jurisdictions, yet research consistently reports uneven integration in initial teacher education (ITE), limited preservice teacher confidence, and persistent misconceptions that equate CT with coding. Concurrently, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has rapidly entered university programmes, offering new possibilities for modelling problem solving, generating multiple representations, and supporting iterative design. However, the psychological dimensions of engagement with CT and emerging technologies, including self-efficacy beliefs, affective responses such as anxiety and curiosity, cognitive load management, and the formation of professional identity, remain under-theorised in the teacher education literature. This thematic literature review synthesises 54 sources across three intersecting domains: CT frameworks and their pedagogical implications, CT integration in preservice teacher preparation, and GenAI in teacher education and learning design. Drawing on Bandura's social cognitive theory, cognitive load theory, and research on technology-related affect, the review foregrounds the affective, cognitive, and cultural dimensions of preservice teachers' engagement with CT and GenAI. The review proposes the GenAI-Enabled Computational Thinking for Preservice Teachers (GECT-P) model, which integrates CT dimensions with GenAI-supported learning cycles, psychological mediators, and teacher education outcomes. The model positions prompting as an epistemic and pedagogical practice that can make CT visible, supports cycles of decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, and algorithmic design, and embeds critical AI literacy, ethics, affective scaffolding, and classroom enactment. Design principles and practical pathways are offered for teacher educators seeking to prepare graduates who can develop CT with and beyond GenAI across diverse curriculum areas.

Abstract: Compared with international travel, where dominant frameworks emphasize cultural distance, novelty, and difference, domestic tourism in protected natural areas remains under-theorized. This study conceptualizes domestic tourism through cultural proximity and introduces the Applied Cultural Proximity Model (ACPM), which frames the tourist experience as a multidimensional experiential system in which environmental, cultural, managerial, infrastructural, and communicative elements acquire meaning within shared symbolic contexts. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. Expert interviews informed construct development, followed by a survey of Ecuadorian domestic tourists visiting Cotopaxi National Park (n = 1,113). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a six-dimensional structure (natural, cultural, accessibility, administrative, complementary, communication), demonstrating strong reliability and convergent validity. Structural equation modelling indicated good model fit (CFI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.064), supporting the structural adequacy of the integrated experiential system. Natural attributes show the greatest experiential prominence, while cultural and communication dimensions occupy key structural positions in symbolic engagement and meaning construction. The findings suggest a theoretical inversion of cultural distance logic: in culturally familiar settings, familiarity, continuity, and identity resonance underpin experiential coherence. The ACPM provides a validated framework for analyzing domestic tourism in culturally rich protected areas and supports sustainable, identity-sensitive destination management.

Abstract: Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) play a vital role in Ethiopia's agricultural and rural development initiatives, aimed at promoting sustainable livelihoods. This study examines the impacts of ACC practices on the livelihood diversification of rural households in South Ethiopia. Data was collected from 355 households, comprising 177 participants in Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) and 178 non-participants, using household surveys and qualitative insights from interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics and econometric modeling, including the Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) approach, were used to assess the effects of Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) on livelihood diversification in South Ethiopia. The probit model identified critical determinants of agricultural commercialization cluster, such as education level, total land size, access to irrigation, and proximity to roads and markets. The ESR full information maximum likelihood (FIML) results showed that livelihood diversification was positively influenced by farmland size, access to agricultural extension services, and credit availability. For non-ACC participant households, engaging in ACC practices resulted in an 18.9% increase in livelihood diversification. The results suggest that ACC practices significantly enhance livelihood diversification in the region. In South Ethiopia, achievements of agricultural commercialization clusters significantly contribute to combating unemployment and are directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 1, 2, and 3. The study recommends that policymakers and development practitioners enhance access to extension services, credit, markets, roads, and irrigation infrastructure to strengthen livelihood diversification through ACC in South Ethiopia.

Abstract:

Digital transformation in public institutions is increasingly understood as a socio-technical and organizational process rather than a purely technological upgrade. This study presents the design of an ICT-based digital transformation roadmap aimed at improving administrative efficiency and citizen service delivery in a municipal public utility in Ecuador. A mixed-methods diagnostic approach was adopted, combining qualitative evidence from direct observation and a semi-structured interview with the head of the IT department, and quantitative data from a structured online survey administered to citizens. Baseline Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were established using institutional records, service logs, and workflow analysis conducted over a three-month diagnostic window. Post-implementation KPI values are explicitly treated as {ex ante} projections, derived from process redesign analysis, benchmarking with comparable public utilities, and scenario-based assumptions, rather than empirically observed outcomes. The empirical results demonstrate high citizen readiness and acceptance of proposed digital services, including remote service portals, electronic invoicing, and automated support channels. The projected operational improvements—such as reductions in response and administrative processing times and increased digital transaction rates—are therefore presented as expected performance scenarios. A risk and alternative scenario analysis further examines how organizational constraints, resource availability, governance capacity, and change-management factors may moderate these outcomes. The study contributes a transparent and replicable framework for diagnosing digital readiness and planning ICT-driven transformation initiatives in resource-constrained public utilities, while emphasizing the need for future longitudinal validation using post-implementation data.

Abstract: Background: It is essential that the training of young water polo players aligns with didactic principles and the characteristics of growth and development. Despite this crucial fact, there is a lack of appropriate research. The aim of this article is to determine and explain the appropriate age to begin learning technical elements for defensive field players and goalkeepers in water polo, according to the opinions of water polo coaches. Methods: Twenty-seven water polo experts completed a questionnaire constructed specifically for this study. Test-retest reliability showed acceptable results (r between 0.85 and 1.00, with p < 0.05 for all variables). Results: Exploratory factor analysis using the Guttman-Kaiser criterion for selecting the number of factors and Varimax rotation indicated the existence of two distinct factors for the defensive technique of field players: (1) explosive and perceptive defensive activities; (2) static-repetitive defensive activities. Two distinct factors were also identified for goalkeeping technique: (1) basic goalkeeping technique; (2) advanced goalkeeping technique. Manifest space variability explained 41% and 31% of the variance for defensive technique of field players, and 45% and 44% for goalkeeping technique, respectively. Conclusions: The findings provide improved insight into water polo coaches’ perspectives on learning simple and complex technical elements in water polo and offer crucial guidelines for all training participants.

Abstract: To address inefficiencies caused by fragmented content delivery, inconsistent instructional pacing, and subjective evaluation in foundational art education, this study proposes a computer-assisted modular teaching system based on a unified training pathway. The system incorporates a digital platform structured on a browser–server (B/S) architecture, featuring modules for content scheduling, demonstration standardization, progress tracking, and evaluation automation. The five instructional stages—Imitation Reinforcement, Geometric Structure, Basic Still Life, Complex Composition, and Figure Drawing—are encoded as structured task units. A lightweight image analysis algorithm based on OpenCV extracts visual features (e.g., contour continuity, spatial alignment) from student work, generating quantitative indicators that support semi-automated evaluation and reinforce instructional decision-making. A 16-week teaching experiment involving 86 foundational-level students was conducted using this platform. Four metrics—teaching progress consistency, module achievement rate, modeling accuracy, and teaching effectiveness dispersion—were used to assess outcomes. Compared to traditional instruction, the system achieved a 24.8% reduction in progression deviation, a 14.6% increase in achievement rate, and a 43.3% reduction in inter-class variance (p < 0.05). This research demonstrates the viability of integrating computational control mechanisms and visual analysis tools into art instruction, enhancing the process stability and reproducibility of modular teaching in exam-oriented contexts.

Abstract: Local public workers are central to implementing sustainable development policies at the local level, yet the determinants of their wage growth remain underexplored from a sustainability governance perspective. Building on the “decent work” agenda embedded in SDG 8, this study examines how political context, fiscal capacity, and local wage institutions combine to shape wage increases for local public workers (LPWs) in South Korea. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) on 17 regional governments for 2018–2021, we test whether configurations of progressive local councils, fiscal capacity and autonomy, living-wage adoption, socio-economic context, and workforce composition are sufficient for high LPW wage growth. No single condition is necessary across years; instead, distinct pathways emerge. In 2018, high wage growth is associated with configurations combining progressive councils with larger LPW workforces and supportive socio-economic context. In 2020–2021, fiscal capacity and autonomy become more salient, with high wage growth occurring where stronger fiscal conditions align with either progressive politics or institutional wage standards. The findings highlight that sustainable wage governance is configurational and time-varying, implying that policy mixes should balance decent work, local fiscal sustainability, and equitable service capacity.

Abstract: In a world characterized by the paradox of unprecedented advances in climate science on the one hand, and high degrees of skepticism towards anthropogenic climate change on the other, the need for a new figure, or expert, arises. Conventional scientists and entire disciplines struggle against climate change denial, while the effects of climate change itself need to be faced and managed in a way that goes beyond the current framework of expertise in the standardized field. Via an evaluation of current challenges and future perspectives, this work redefines the term “terrologist” to introduce a new, ideal expert with a background in climate and social sciences, capable of resolving at a local scale the challenges posed by the phenomenon. The same expert would also be able to offer solutions at much broader scales, possibly beyond the boundaries of countries and their legal systems. These challenges are not to be underestimated, as they threaten the economy and the integrity of society as a whole: a mismanagement of climate-related actions may in fact exacerbate social conflict and deepen the ongoing crisis. The description of this new role highlights the importance of social science involvement in topics normally restricted to climate sciences and its multiple branches, and calls for more cooperation between multiple fields.

Abstract: This article proposes and validates a finance-oriented 5P–ESG composite index to provide an integrated assessment of the sustainable, financial, and corporate governance perfor-mance of firms in emerging markets, with application to the MSCI COLCAP universe. The conceptual framework is derived from the “5Ps” approach of the 2030 Agenda (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships), which structures sustainable development goals into five operational, comparable dimensions that are relevant for decision-making in corporate governance and capital market contexts. To operationalize the construct, a set of corporate indicators was defined, data cleansing and standardization procedures were applied to ensure comparability across issuers, and pillar-level scores were constructed. Subsequently, the overall index was estimated through weighted aggregation using en-dogenous weights derived from principal component analysis, following methodological recommendations for composite indices aimed at mitigating collinearity and dou-ble-counting issues. The robustness of the instrument is supported by internal consistency tests and measures of sampling adequacy for factor analysis (KMO/Bartlett), providing evidence of the statistical coherence of the measurement framework. From an applied perspective, the index enables the relative classification of issuers (laggards–transition–leaders) using indicator terciles, offering a quantitative tool for screening, coverage priori-tization, and support for investment and sustainable governance decisions within fun-damental analysis. The findings are interpreted in light of the accumulated evidence on the relationship between ESG practices, financial performance, and cost of capital, high-lighting the usefulness of the approach in emerging markets characterized by heteroge-neous regulatory frameworks and ESG disclosure levels.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Inequality in survival across socioeconomic strata has been growing in the US for decades. Traditional measures of this inequality increasingly fail to capture the heterogeneous biological realities of the US population. Using new measures, this study provides a fresh perspective on the dynamics of mortality inequality across ten socioeconomic deciles in the United States from 1982 to 2019. Methods: Data: The data come from annual life tables from US counties, aggregated according to their socioeconomic characteristics. Measures of Inequality: Three measures of inequality are used, capturing survival inequality from different perspectives, inequality in ages of death over the lifecycle, inequality in survival at older ages, and inequality in survival in midlife. For the latter, the equal survivorship age (ESA)—a metric defined as the age at which a specific subgroup’s survival probability from age 20 matches the survival probability from age 20 to 65 of the total population—is used. Results: We find consistently growing inequality, largely unaffected by economic circumstances such as the Great Recession. By 2019, the ESA for the lowest socioeconomic decile was nearly 11 years lower than the ESA of the highest decile. Conclusions: This “survival gap” in the ESA suggests that low-socioeconomic status (SES) populations effectively exhaust their survival “budget” a decade earlier than their high SES counterparts. These findings challenge the equity of the use of universal chronological ages in public policies and underscore the need for “Social-Determinant-Adjusted” geriatric care models. The regularly growing inequality in the ESA suggests the importance of cohort-based influences.